Taverne Tour Lineup Announcement: Our Must-See Picks
Montreal is poised to hum with the allure of Taverne Tour 2025, and we couldn’t be more eager to immerse ourselves in its mystique. As devotees of the ever-enigmatic label, Mothland Records, we’ve come to expect sounds that provoke us to move and shake, and this year’s lineup promises to weave a rich tapestry of post-punk moods and spectral energy. Taverne Tour is not merely a festival—it’s an ode to the city’s subterranean heartbeat, offering encounters with music that represents the cutting-edge style Montreal has to offer. Speaking on the festival, Mothland share: “Taverne Tour is first and foremost the result of a collaboration and synergy between local cultural event organizers and business owners from Plateau Mont-Royal. By programming both up-and-coming and established artists from here and abroad in the neighborhood’s many cultural establishments and other unusual locations, the yearly event maintains its primary mandate: to energize the Plateau musical scene.”
This year’s edition unfurls a lineup teeming with intriguing acts, and we’re here to share our top picks for the festival.
Kroy (Montreal, QC)
Photo Credit: Lawrence Fafard
With her ethereal vocals and shadowy soundscapes, Kroy (and one half of pop duo Milk & Bone) conjures an experience that feels as intimate as it is otherworldly. Kroy’s performances are a portal to a finessed hyper-pop realm, leaving behind the resonance of electronic synths and cascading melodies. Kroy will build on a memorable performance at FIJM and offers an intimate concert at Casa Del Popolo from her new self-released record, Militia.
Lip Critic (New York, USA)
Photo Credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder) for REVERIE Magazine l Hotel Vegas Unofficial SXSW Showcase
Next, we’re drawn to Lip Critic, whose razor-sharp energy and defiant style promise to ignite a feverish intensity. Their raw, unrelenting sound sets the perfect soundscape for a chaotic dance-bordering-on-mosh pit, as witnessed at SXSW when REVERIE Magazine attended this year. Live Highlight include singles “The Heart” and crowd favourite “Milky Max” off their debut album Hex Dealer. It’s a chaotic cocktail of angular guitar riffs, driving basslines, and relentless synths that feels like a mischievous late-night adventure. The vocals are charged with equal parts wit and venom, delivering a performance that’s as visceral as it is magnetic. The group will open for Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol.
Sam Jr. (Toronto, ON)
Photo credit: Tess Parks
We’re also spellbound by the prospect of seeing Sam Jr., a mainstay of Broken Social Scene and an illustrious indie solo act. He released a poignant album called “Inner Shadow” on Arts & Crafts this year, leading with edgy singles like “YRU”, mixed by Sebastian Grainger of Death From Above 1979, and the psych-goth anthem “Corpus Cristi to San Antone”. Sam Jr. questions the coercive influence of lifestyles that ultimately bring desolation and unfulfillment. Speaking about his creative process, Sam Jr. shared, "My inspiration for writing songs was sparked by the easygoing nature of 'The Dude' from The Big Lebowski. I wanted to capture that spirit in my music. Despite the challenges we face, I believe in embracing optimism and mellow vibes, and I want that to resonate in my songs." You won’t want to miss Sam Jr. as he prepares a concert anchored around groove, fuzz and psychedelia.
Pressure Pin & La Sécurité (Montreal, QC)
Photo: Joel Thomas
Pressure Pin (Kenny Smith from La Sécurité) demands attention, delivering a visceral performance that pulses with raw emotion and dark charisma rooted in egg-punk. The band are poised to bring a level of havoc to the stage, if their latest EP Polyurethane is any indication. The dichotomy of their fashionably 70’s inspired fits paired with their youthful vigour and sound makes for a captivating experience that we can’t wait to catch at Taverne Tour in February.
Adding to the intrigue is La Sécurité, whose hypnotic rhythms and evocative performances blur the line between dance and ritual. Their sound, equal parts frenetic and calculated, invites the audience to lose themselves in the collective thrum of the night. There’s no denying that the cool cats in La Sécurité are a must-see band, packing venues everywhere they showcase from Sled Island Music Festival to SXSW to European tours, but there’s always something special about a hometown show as they make a return to Montreal for the festival.
Chandra (New York City, USA)
No festival is complete without a legacy act, and there to fill the shoes is Chandra—a pioneer whose no-wave artistry continues to push boundaries and defy convention. Her performances are a rare blend of art and sound, a chiaroscuro of chaos and control that captivates and challenges in equal measure. Growing up in New York City amidst the 70s and 80s, Chandra Oppenheim quickly traded her toys for a microphone, assuming frontwoman duties for new wave/mutant disco combo Chandra (playing Saturday at Le Ministère), releasing cult album Transportation at the tender age of 11, and sharing the stage with legends including Talking Heads and Laurie Anderson.
While these acts are magnetic, the true essence of Taverne Tour lies in its reverence for Montreal’s shadowed corners, where emerging voices and seasoned icons converge to create something both timeless and transient. This festival is a nocturnal hymn to the city’s creative soul, a space where music, art, and atmosphere entwine.
Join us as we prepare for Taverne Tour 2025—view the full lineup on https://www.tavernetour.ca/ and listen to Mothland’s playlist down below featuring showcasing artists.