ÎLESONIQ delivers (Festival review)

By David Mann

ÎLESONIQ, a Montreal festival which has been a go-to destination for EDM, has just delivered another solid weekend of memories and grooves. Set at the beautiful Parc Jean-Drapeau, an island oasis right smack dab in the heart of Montreal, ÎLESONIQ inherited all of the amazing stages, infrastructure, and festival map from Osheaga, its sister festival which occurred a week before, and improved on it with more lights and bigger stages. Although I only got to experience day 2, I was able to experience some of the best talent that day had to offer. Let me break it down:

gryffin

Gryffin started off his set super heavy with bass and big drops as the big intro, but eventually toned it down to bring the vibe of his show more in line with his more chill, melody-driven vibe. It's hard to pull off a mainstage show, especially with the pressure to deliver an action-packed set to electrify a crowd. Big drops are fun, but Gryffin started to shine when he dropped tracks like "Alive" with the excellent vocals of Calle Lehmann, and a remix of the classic "Say My Name" by Morgan Seatree. That being said, I wish Gryffin would drop the hard drops and give the crowd a purely Gryffin experience, with his sound at the forefront from start to finish.

ki/ki

KI/KI, a Netherlands-based artist, showed off her eclectic style, which is a mix of multiple genres, upbeat and steeped in a '90s nostalgia that clicks really well in 2026. Inviting around 50–100 people on stage with her, KI/KI showcased her tracks first and foremost, including "Going Existential In The Rave." A real viber was the nostalgic-feeling track released in 2025 by Linds called "Kick It," which is virtually impossible not to bob your head to while you dance. After circulating around the festival grounds, I managed to catch the tail end of her set and observed the higher tempo and a strong finish, as she ended with "Here With Me" (faster mix), a great end to her set.

Dabin

Dabin, a Toronto-based JUNO-nominated artist who has been creating chill tracks forever, was in full form at ÎLESONIQ. It's clear that the crowd came specifically for him and knew his tracks well, as they chanted every word to their favourites. The atmosphere was electric, and his upbeat bass, chill aspects, soaring vocals, and largely cinematic style were on full display.

above and beyond

Above & Beyond, the legendary trio from the UK known worldwide for their euphoric, emotional, and uplifting tracks, started off strong with an upbeat tempo to set the stage. Their mixing was on point and super solid between their tracks, showing their veteran presence. A&B showed off their latest tracks, which still held together a style that has made them a mainstay at festivals worldwide for well over a decade. "Here Before" is emblematic of this theme. As you might know if you've ever been to an Above & Beyond live event, they like to communicate via the big screen, typing positive messages to the crowd during their set, bringing an added connection with the crowd. "Carry Me Home," a newer 2025 track with the long-time associated vocalist Zoë Johnston, is yet another track which links the past with the present. How do they keep finding these lovely vocal drops that continue to capture the moment each time? As a long-time fan, hearing Ilan Bluestone's remix of "We're All We Need" was a close-your-eyes, dance-and-smile moment. Above & Beyond delivered yet another evergreen performance.

Yousuke Yukimatsu

I'll be honest: as a long-time festival goer, I'm here to see the novel, the new, the fresh. And Yousuke Yukimatsu checks all of those boxes and more. This mysterious Japanese DJ came out of nowhere, emerging to the world thanks to a famous Boiler Room set that set the internet on fire, and has since taken the stage at some of the biggest festivals. His ability to bring together rock elements with dance beats is uncanny. He brings a punk rock vibe to EDM that almost no one else is doing out there. There is no other DJ on the planet who can drop a Marilyn Manson track and then a Daft Punk classic right after. Absolute legend. Yousuke can thread the needle between so many genres and make it work. Not everyone can do what he does, which makes him one of the most exciting acts in EDM. After an hour of taking us on a roller coaster of genres and mixing bangers, he dropped "Oh My Gosh" by Jamie xx. How does he make it all work? I am flabbergasted at the audacity and ambition of his set.

The night ended with Holy Priest following Yousuke's performance and holding down the stage with a heart-racing set filled with the hardest drops out there at the moment. Meanwhile, on the mainstage, Dom Dolla delivered a mainstream house set which delighted the massive crowd. Dom Dolla has really risen through the ranks, and now commands a massive stage with his effortless tracks and easy-to-listen-to vocals. In the end, was Dom Dolla speaking to me? No, he wasn't — but that's not his fault. His tracks are wonderfully welcoming; I just like surprise, I enjoy the offbeat, and the road less taken. I can attest that I witnessed thousands of fans loving every minute of Dom Dolla, and that's good enough for me.

ÎLESONIQ delivered yet another fantastic festival experience, filled with a variety of acts that would appeal to virtually every EDM fan. Although I missed day 1, with the likes of deadmau5, Chris Lake, Boys Noize b2b Tiga, and more, day 2 brought the heat as well and exceeded my expectations.

Alison Wonderland’s Reaches Out To Fans Through WONDERVERSE Concert Experience

By Ryan Hayes

Alison Wonderland’s Wonderverse was a successful experiment in interactivity. Its aim was to connect die hard fans around the world, and in a time of isolation give them something to rally around—a reason to come together and celebrate their love for dance music.

It’s difficult to compare Wonderverse to other digital experiences; the Digital Mirage festivals were free and featured a bevy or artists, Tomorrowland’s visuals stand in a league of their own, and individual artists have been pumping out weekly streams for months on end. From a visual standpoint Wonderverse conjured a fun world of whimsy. While relatively simplistic, and a tad cheesy, the visuals were the vehicle allowing the show to deliver key interactive moments.

Whether you were voting to transport AW to mushroom/forest realms or smashing a button repeatedly to send her blue orbs of spirit energy to help he reach her final form, you felt connected to the show throughout the entire event. Even more directly fans were able to send AW answers to questions she posed during her set, which she would then react to live. Attendees could also opt to switch on their cams and videos of them partying popped up in both the virtual word and the studio AW was streaming from in L.A.   

From a musical standpoint the set was not as fast paced as regular AW fare, likely because she was splitting her attention to interact with the crowd. However, unlike most digital events—it was a real live performance. AW’s genuine energy permeated her entire set, and it was clear she was legitimately enjoying herself for the duration of the event. The ID’s she dropped ranged from Flume energy, in the style of her latest single ‘Bad Things,’ to heavy DnB inspiration; she purposely drew attention to one heavily DnB slanted ID she called ‘Eyes Closed.’

The event wasn’t perfect, you could feel the digital growing pains, but it brought fans together in a unique way during a period of prolonged isolation. It provided thousands with a direct link to AW who ended the event with a rapid-fire Q&A session. As a platform WAVE is on to something with their live interactive performances, but the true success of Wonderverse stood squarely on the shoulders of AW’s personality. Her charisma and passion made the event a success, and a rewarding experience for diehard fans.

DVBBS Destroys Quebec City @ Toboggan Fest Night 2

Photos: Simon Audette

By Dominic Wren (Photos by Simon Audette)

Night 2 at Toboggan Festival brought out a show like none other. The city, the vibe, the energy, and the artists made last night feel so unique. The Canadian duo brought an energy with them that could only be matched by the crowd who were right there with them. The crowd was literally playing in the snow with none stop mosh pits, a heavy wall of death, and arguably one of the best rave sit downs of the year. Playing their classic beats, such as Tsunami, Pyramids, and Gold Skies, DVBBS took an unexpected turn to some house music for a short while playing a variety of Fisher, Dom Dolla, and a bit of Don Diablo to name few. Over all, it was a solid night with incredible scenery and lots of energy.

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La semaine denier, la ville de Québec a vu un spectacle qui n’était comme aucune autre. La ville, l’énergie et les artistes on donner une sensation unique durant la soirée. Le duo canadien a emporté une énergie avec eux qui pouvait seulement se faire égaliser par la foule québécoise. Tout le monde se gardait au chaud en formant des gros « mosh pits », un « wall of death » et un moment où toute la foule s’est assit. Pendant tout ça, DVBBS on trouver une façon d’amener leur spectacle dans un aire du passé en jouant leurs anciennes chansons dont Tsunami, Pyramids et Gold Skies. Le duo a par la suite joué de la music style House pour donner une petite pause d’intensité mais pas pour longtemps. En tous, la soirée était vraiment superbe et l’organisation du Festival Toboggan ne cesse de nous impressionner.

Bear Grillz + Company Rock Palace Theatre

Photo: Max Weinberger

By Andrew Walker

It was a tad chilly on the final Saturday of November, but that didn’t stop dubstep fans from packing Palace Theater to see Bear Grillz on his Demons Delux Fall Tour, the final stop on the Canadian leg. Better yet, fans were excited to see this tweet from the DJ himself the day of the show:

Calgary is such an underrated city. Honestly one of my favs anywhere in the world.

— Bear (@itsbeargrillz) November 30, 2019

That gave Calgarians an extra reason to celebrate, while making Edmontonians jealous as his Edmonton show was cancelled the night before due to bad weather at the Denver airport.

Fortunately, Calgary was given the all clear and doors opened right at 9 pm to local talent warming up the crowd.   

At 10 pm, the dancefloor was more than half full when OG Nixin took to the decks, playing all the heavy hits including a taste of Skrillex’s “Cinema”. Somnium Sound followed at 11 pm with another heavy dose that included a brief pause of the crowd belting “Sun & Moon” just before Lucii took over.

Lucii’s set was on another level and those that watched her Bass Canyon set were in for a treat and she did not disappoint. Her set included a quick throwback to LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem” and her original “I Need Your High” which she sang live along with others. A neat fact from the night was that it was the debut performance for both OG Nixin and Lucii in Cowtown with OG Nixin smiling before he left the venue saying, “That crowd was lit, I love Calgary.” 

Photo: Max Weinberger

After a quick changeover, a furry head with red lit eyes and mouth appeared on stage and the crowd was ready. The two subs in front of the stage were finally cranked and Bear Grillz threw down one of the heaviest sets Palace Theater have seen in quite some time. Spending equal time with the mic and mixing, the Denver based DJ included “Happier”, “Heads Will Roll” & “Thnks fr th Mmrs” before massive drops.

A great way to warm up from the cold weather and reunite with the dubstep community before the beginning of exams and the Christmas rush.

20 years of music (Here’s to 20 more, Cosmic Gate) - Montreal event review

Source: New City Gas FB Page

By Dominic Wren

First off, let’s just all congratulate the legends known as Cosmic Gate for the mile stone 20 years of music. When you think about it, how many EDM artists have been on the world stage for the past 20 years and still relevant today? To celebrate, Cosmic Gate when on a 21 city, 5-month world tour. Last Friday, the duo stopped at Montreal’s New City Gas and pulled off a 3 hour set that not only stunned the crowd but the bouncers and workers of the event venue.

Source: New City Gas FB Page

The brought the crowd on a cosmic exploration (yeah I just wrote that) of emotions like dropping their edit of Awaken and some hard trance mixed into Rocket Science by Above & Beyond. Unfortunately, their talented opener Orjan Nilsen couldn’t make it to his because due to flight cancellations. The headliners gave him a shout out while mixing his tracks like The Last Goodbye and Simulator into their set.

Source: New City Gas FB Page

Once again, the Montreal crowd showed their passion for the art and danced all night with the legends. I will leave you to imagine the rest of their therapeutic show because it is truly unique experience that I find is very hard for other artists to beat.

If Cosmic Gate comes to a city near you, I truly recommend you grab your favorite rave buddy and rush over even if you’re not a fan of trance. These guys aren’t known for their amazing light shows or anything like that but they definitely are known for their insane track selection and true musical freedom.