It isn’t summer in Quebéc City without Festival D’été de Québec (FEQ).
Since its inception in 1968, FEQ with the help from festival gurus BLEUFEU, has grown into an annual 11-day musical extravaganza that brings artists from all over the globe to the Plains of Abraham. It’s not only the largest outdoor festival in Canada, but also a cornerstone for the local arts and music scene.
Fans are in for a treat with this year’s bill, featuring legendary and rising stars across metal, country, electronic, and more. Rod Stewart headlines the opening night. Benson Boone is set to belt “Beautiful Things” and do backflips. Shah Frank, MVNGO, and Regularfantasy are just a few to represent the sounds of the Great White North.
Veteran photographer Steve Galli heads out there every July since 2015. As we get ready for his coverage, here are just a few of many other reasons to not miss FEQ this year.
1. Slayer’s first Canadian performance since 2019
Slayer headlines the Bell Stage on Day 9, Friday the 11th of July. The set is one of just a handful of live performances scheduled for the band this year. It also marks the thrash metal icons’ first return to Canada in six years. Sharing the stage that day are fellow heavy hitters, Mastodon and Sandveiss.
2. Hozier’s FEQ debut
Hozier makes his first-ever FEQ appearance on the Bell Stage on Day 8, Thursday the 10th of July. Full Access Detroit last caught his set at Shaky Knees in May 2023. Since then, the Irish singer-songwriter put out his record Unreal Unearth, collaborated with Noah Kahan on “Northern Attitude,” and went viral on TikTok for his yell. While Hozier is currently on an extended tour for his latest release, his festival set should also include a mix of fan favorites from his self-titled and Wasteland, Baby!.
3. Canadian pop-punk royalty
Hailing from Ontario and Montreal, respectively, Avril Lavigne and Simple Plan headline Day 2, Friday the 4th of July. Both artists are obvious staples to the pop-punk scene, made especially evident by their slots on the recent Warped Tour revival run. They’re also living proof of the Canadian music scene’s impact in the 2000s pop-punk boom, along with the likes of Sum 41, Silverstein, and Alexisonfire, representing a new wave of alternative icons. Upcoming alt-pop artist Chiara Savasta shares the stage with Lavigne and Simple Plan for a decidedly angsty day at the Bell Stage.
4. Groovy goodness
Day 2 is all about good riffs, with performances from Montreal’s Men I Trust on the SiriusXM Stage and Los Angeles’ Thundercat on the Loto-Quebéc Stage. Both artists are known for their jazzy influences, guitar- and bass-driven melodies, and chill vibes—a little retreat from the punky action at the Bell Stage, but still a mood in their own right.
Preview by Chloe Catajan
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