Bal En Blanc goes big at the Bell Centre

Easter Sunday is an important date to mark for all EDM fans in the Montreal area. The reason is Bal en Blanc, the epic all night party that has been going strong for the past 21 years. This year marked a big change for the event as they moved venues to the Bell Centre, which united the entire crowd onto one massive stage instead of the multiple stages at Palais Des Congres. Easter is usually a time for religious contemplation, but on Sunday in Montreal it has become a pilgrimage to the Bell Centre for thousands of fans.

 This year's Bal En Blanc theme was the love boat and apart from the throngs of attendees wearing all white, there were a fair number of people adorned in sailor outfits that added a fun diversity within the crowd. Security was tight at the Bell Centre, which was reminiscent of the Resolution event that happened at the same venue a few years ago. With that said, the lines were quick and efficient and soon enough everyone was in the building to enjoy the show. 

Alesso was the first headliner to take the stage at midnight and played many of his productions that gained him such fame in such a short time. He previewed his latest release "Cool", and even threw in Ultra favourites like "Deep Down Low" by Valentino Khan. 

David Guetta was next and he hit his set out of the park. Between speaking French and English interchangeably with the crowd, a lot of interaction from the big stage, and overall flow of the set brought the Bell Centre to a frenzy. While the floor area was rammed with fans, it was in the stands that people had room to dance, and there were plenty on their feet for the duration of David Guetta's set. Highlights of the set included Vinai's remix of "What I Did For Love", and when Guetta played "Titanium", he had the entire Bell Centre singing Sia's vocals. 

Dash Berlin always brings out an energetic performance wherever he plays and at the Bal en Blanc he brought it once again. His set is filled with specialized visuals and voice overs for the Montreal crowd, a nice touch that gets the crowd going. Playing a mix of his new stuff and old, Dash gave fans a taste of his new style. But at the end of his set, he played his 4 am mix of "Till The Sky Falls Down", a classic track that never gets old. 

W&W was next up at 4:30 am and they managed to inject fresh energy into the crowd thanks to their killer introduction tied to their hit "Big Foot". The duo were animated behind the decks, always looking to get the crowd involved any chance they could. Known for their innovative mashups, W&W weren't shy to show them off in front of the Montreal crowd. 

Bal en Blanc (BeB) was well attended this year as attendees packed the dancefloor while there was plenty of dancing happening in the stands. This year's move to the Bell Centre and uniting the party to one big stage had its risks, but Playground pulled it off successfully by bringing together a lineup that kept the essence of BeB alive. Look out for Bal en Blanc to return to Montreal in 2016 as they have already announced the next date for the 22nd edition. Are you going? 

Bal En Blanc finalized their lineup and it's absolutely massive

The 21st edition of Bal En Blanc (BeB) will take place on Sunday, April 5th at the historic Bell Centre. With their lineup recently finalized featuring a slew of superstar names, this year's event is a must-see. Even though this edition of BeB is on one stage, the lineup still holds true to the spirit of all past BeB's as they invited a strong mix of mainstream, trance, and underground artists that dominate their respective genres. 

Alesso is no stranger to the big room scene and recently secured radio success with his hit "Heroes" featuring the vocals of Tove Lo. With 1 million tracks sold of "Heroes" alone in the U.S., Alesso is primed for a huge 2015. David Guetta is making yet another BeB appearance but this time he's ready to unleash fresh tunes from his new album released late last year. 

Trance is alive and well at this year's BeB with Dash Berlin, W&W, and Markus Schulz headlining. But one of the most anticipated sets of the night will most certainly be the back-to-back set with Aly & Fila and John O'Callaghan. Expect a journey between melodic sing-a-longs and 138 BPM craziness for that one. 

The night will close out with a special closing back-to-back set with Danny Tenaglia and Nicole Moudaber. This combination of two of the biggest names within the underground scene will bring the Stereo crowd to the Bell Centre while everyone will get a strong dose of the deeper house and techno vibes that will emanate from the stage in the early morning hours. 

Tickets are still available but they are selling fast so if you want to go to this year's massive Bal En Blanc, you can grab general admission tickets for $149+ or bleacher only seats for $59+ - Click below to buy now: 

Resolution event in Montreal is cancelled this year

Quoted from the press release:

"The multiplicity of shows of the same type that will be available over the months ahead along with the non-availability of headliners with sufficient drawing power are the principal reasons behind this exceptional decision."

The release goes on to say that the combination of an earlier Bal en Blanc date, the Swedish House Mafia date at the Bell Centre, and events at the New City Gas, adding Resolution to the calendar "would unquestionably have produced a situation of oversupply."

For the past 10 minutes I've been pondering what kind of acts could fill up a place like the Bell Centre at this time of year considering all of the talent that have already visited Montreal and will be visiting over the next few months. With the exception of a few names like Afrojack, Aoki, Digweed, Carl Cox, Hardwell, Laidback Luke, Dash Berlin, the choices are pretty limited.

The decision to cancel Resolution rather than organizing a less than stellar night is a wise move but I will miss partying at the Bell Centre which I believe is a fantastic venue for a massive EDM event.

Resolution at the Bell Centre (Jan 2nd, 2012)

You can read the full press release here.