This text is part of the special book Culture as a gift
Concerts to see with the family or to treat yourself, albums to listen to while decorating the tree, gifts for the mother-in-law or the youngest: everything to spend a musical holiday season.
To get in the mood
If you’re the type to listen to Christmas music as soon as Halloween is over, but need to refresh your album collection, here are some new features. To listen while enjoying Christmas cookies or opening the presents, a glass of eggnog in hand.
For a touch of nostalgia, Marc Hervieux offers his new album Christmas nostalgia, third in the Nostalgia series. Timeless classics and family songs, in English and French, are on the menu. With more country accents, the Beauceron Christmas by Maxime Landry instead promises to make the family swing – we can also join in the fun thanks to a webcast show on the same theme until January 9.
The musicians and choristers who can be heard on the set of the show Live from the universe have for their part recorded an album all in French, Christmas like in the old days. The Ensemble will also be touring in December, from Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts to Joliette, via Terrebonne, Saint-Hyacinthe and Saint-Eustache. And for those who miss Norah Jones, she has just unveiled her very first Christmas album, I Dream of Christmas.
Holiday shows for all tastes
A few shows (to see in person!) To get in the holiday mood. Please note, the Noël dans le parc festival will offer a host of free concerts in Émilie-Gamelin Park, from Guylaine Tanguay to Brigitte Boisjoli, including Alaclair Ensemble and Pépé et sa guitar, from December 3 to 23. For those who rather wish to attend a concert in the comfort of a hall, the options are multiple:
Jazz nostalgia
For a seventh year, the jazz trio Taurey Butler takes over the jazz concert Charlie Brown’s Christmas. A question of getting back into the holiday spirit by remembering the famous comic book, the trio takes up the soundtrack released in 1965, which is one of the ten best-selling Christmas albums in the United States. December 15 and 16, Bougie concert hall at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
Jazz nostalgia (bis)
The legendary Glenn Miller Orchestra promises to put us in the mood with the jazz concert In the Christmas Mood, bringing together more than 18 musicians and singers. You can hear holiday classics rearranged by the ensemble. December 20, Maison symphonique, Montreal.
Classics from home
Another holiday classic: Marie Michèle Desrosiers singing Christmas. This tour marks the 25e anniversary of his recorded album Marie Michèle Desrosiers sings the Christmas classics with the Czech Symphony Orchestra in 1996. Accompanied by her pianist Jean Fernand Girard and her musicians, “it is with renewed pleasure that she will sing for you her favorite songs from the two Christmas albums that marked her career “. December 11 at the Cabaret du Casino; December 12 in Quebec and December 18 in Sainte-Thérèse.
Johanne Blouin, who had a huge success with her Christmas album Holy night, will also sing her great Christmas hits on December 4 at the Cabaret du Casino, and on December 17 in Sainte-Julie, accompanied by her musicians and choristers.
Festive dinner show
Le Balcon offers its series Celebration, which features several artists who will thrill audiences to the sound of soul, motown, disco and funk. Michelle Sweeney, Freddie James Project, Dawn Tyler Watson, Meredith Marshall or Snooksta and Leanna will be on rotation throughout December.
Holidays in song
A production by Martin Leclerc, Christmas a tradition in song brings together artists from different backgrounds around paintings illustrating holiday traditions and customs: Annie Blanchard, Luce Dufault, Laurence Jalbert, Nicolas Pellerin et les Grands Hurleurs, Paul Daraîche and Maxime Landry. Directed by Joël Legendre, the fourth edition of the show is finally back for a big reunion in person. December 3, at the Casino de Montréal, and on tour throughout the month of December across Quebec.
Family Christmas
The duo 2Frères will perform eight evenings at the Cabaret du Casino in December. Casinoel promises to revive the holiday atmosphere of Erik and Sonny Caouette’s native village, with a 100% French-speaking repertoire. It is also the return after 15 years of absence of the Dion family at the Cabaret du Casino, with the show A New Year’s Eve with the Dion family. Several dates in December at the Cabaret du Casino.
For the little ones
With the Christmas wolf show, the Bougie room at the Musée des beaux-arts promises “a festive New Year’s Eve that will make young and old sing and dance”, Maître Griboux, an old lone wolf, arrives in the village and celebrates. With the storyteller Stéphan Côté and Bon Débarras to the music. December 5.
Make way for trad … itions from everywhere
Who says holiday season, says traditional music, violin, real and harmonica. Here are shows of traditional music from here or elsewhere, revisited or classical, to watch:
Salebeards
Salebarbes is Jonathan and Éloi Painchaud, Kevin McIntyre, George Belliveau and Jean-François Breau, who tackle the Acadian repertoire with a dose of humor tinged with hope. Reappropriating their heritage, the members of the group promise everyone “a real musical journey from Acadia to Louisiana during which francophone song, groove and joy are in the spotlight.” January 13 and 14, Club Soda, Montreal, and on tour during the months of December and January across Quebec.
The North wind
After the break forced by the pandemic, the five guys from the North Wind are back on the road, with their show Territories, taken from the album of the same name. You will be able to see and hear those who have been making everyone swing for several years during their Two-before-night vigil in Piopolis, Sainte-Camille and Magog, before they flew to Europe and the United States. December 29, at the Vieux Clocher in Magog.
Traditional Quebec music sessions
For intimate evenings, where musicians come to improvise for the pleasure of the curious. The Sessions of traditional Quebec music, which took place at the Escalier before it closed, take place at the Petite Marche every Monday evening.
Nikamu Mamuitun (unifying songs)
Born in Petite-Vallée during a creative residency, the Unifying Songs project brings together native and non-native musicians. Under the direction of mentors Florent Vollant and Marc Déry, as well as writing trainers Naomi Fontaine and Ivy, the show features several singer-songwriters: Matiu, Ivan Boivin-Flamand, Karen Pinette-Fontaine, Scott Pien-Picard , Marcie, Cédrik St-Onge, Chloé Lacasse and Joëlle Saint-Pierre. December 4, at the Maison de la culture Ahuntsic.
From yesteryear
The Lanaudière formation, which has just released a new album, will be touring Quebec during the month of December. “In an explosion of violin, accordion, harmonica, guitar and bouzouki, Éric Beaudry, David Boulanger and Pierre-Luc Dupuis constitute without a shadow of a doubt the most powerful trad trio in Quebec. »December 4 in Lévis, December 9 in Sorel, December 18 in Sainte-Thérèse, and December 27 in Saint-Damien.
Wintering break
To extend the fun beyond the two-week holiday season, Winter Truce offers a series of surprising duets. The concerts that warm up will offer four double sets to make wonderful musical discoveries in Mascouche: folk, blues and jazz and traditional a cappella music (Sussex / Mouth music); hip-hop mixed with Latin music and very contemporary traditional music (Boogat / É.T.É); evening with indie-folk and traditional flavors (Rosier / Bon Débarras); meeting between a master percussionist and a new indie-folk group (Élage Diouf / Little Misty). In January and February, in Mascouche.
Offer or treat yourself to a concert
With the relaxation of most health instructions, it is again for Quebec artists. Concert tickets for all tastes to slip into Christmas stockings, to send by email… or to keep for yourself. And for those who are still cautious, several webcast options are available.
Webcasts
Designed by Monique Giroux, the series White card colored by … returns for a second year at the Cinquième Salle of Place des Arts. To see live in the theater or in the comfort of your living room, the last part, the Colored white card by Isabelle Boulay, December 8. Boulay “gives us the pleasure of playing the game in the privacy of the Cinquième Salle and gradually revealing its colors over an evening that promises to be memorable”. The four white cards, those of Isabelle Boulay, Guylaine Tanguay, Émilie Bilodeau and Antoine Gratton, can be re-viewed by webcast on demand until December 18.
Another large-scale show to watch on webcast all the holiday season, When we love we are always 20 years old, a tribute to four major figures of Quebec’s cultural landscape: Clémence DesRochers, Yvon Deschamps, Jean-Pierre Ferland and Louise Latraverse. For the occasion, these pioneers are surrounded on stage by Marie Denise Pelletier, Joe Bocan, Luce Dufault, FlorenceK, Isabelle Boulay, Alexandre Da Costa, Julie Anne Saumur, Judi Richard and his daughters, Marie Michèle Desrosiers and Mario Pelchat.
Pop
In terms of theaters, Marc Dupré continues his tour Where will the world be across Quebec. The anniversary tour Americana Light de Roch Voisine will start in Drummondville on December 17 and will continue in January, to resume in April 2022. Sylvain Cossette Live! will also be walking across the province in January. Note that Sylvain Cossette will be offering a special holiday show on December 30 and 31 at the Zénith in Saint-Eustache.
Almost 10 years after his participation in Star Academy, Mélissa Bédard presents her show My mother always sang. It will make its return to Montreal at the Cinquième Salle on December 12 and 13. Several other dates in March and April are planned across Quebec. Roxane Bruneau continues her tour Acrophobia across the province in January, to land in Quebec on February 18-19 and in the metropolitan area as of February 24.
French song
In a show directed by Alexia Bürger, Vincent Vallières returns on stage with his show All beauty is not lost, on tour on December 9 in Montreal, and starting in January throughout Quebec, from Saint-Bruno to Val-d’Or, via Shawinigan. Louis-Jean Cormier also walks through Quebec with his show Heaven is on the floor, taken from the album of the same name. You will finally be able to see and hear Klô Pelgag, who won everything at the last ADISQ gala, upon his return from Europe. February 11 at the Imperial in Quebec, and several other dates until the summer in various rooms.
Rap
Fouki continues his Snacks Tour by stopping at the Zénith de Saint-Eustache on December 11, and ending its tour with the ultimate show in Montreal, April 2. Some dates are still available in December, January and February to see the show LNDLC veteran Koriass, as well as the prolific Souldia performing in Joliette and Jonquière in February, and on April 16 at MTELUS. Several leading figures of rap québ will finally gather on March 29 and 30 at the Maison symphonique, to The OSM to the rhythm of hip-hop : Dead Obies and Alaclair Ensemble, Koriass, FouKi accompanied by his accomplice QuietMike, all on a symphonic background.