FME 2025 Recap: Baby Berserk, Empanadas Illegales, & More
Photo by Malaika Astorga
We've returned from our yearly pilgrimage to FME (or almost at least, this recap is being written on the very long bus ride back home to Montreal). Despite the distance, the festival remains one of our favourites of the year. Another delegate put it perfectly, FME feels like summer camp, but if you were to swap out the friendship bracelets with secret punk shows and an abundance of beer.
The festival ran from Thursday, August 28th to Sunday, August 31st, and hosted a variety of acts, both Canadian and international. Every year, the festival chooses a theme that takes over the town, and this year, we were greeted by mysterious craters, dinosaur footprints, aliens, and more, with photo-op stands in front of each venue. In terms of the musical highlights, here's the day-by-day summary.
Photo by Malaika Astorga
Thursday welcomed delegates from around the world, and despite the long travel day for many, everyone made it out to the first shows of the festival. Crasher kicked off the night with a shimmering and electric performance, so electrifying, actually, that it blew the subwoofer. However, Bibi Club had it sorted in no time and had the crowd dancing along in the freakiest ways.
Population II at the Bonsound BBQ by Malaika Astorga
The iconic Bonsound BBQ is always hosted on the Friday morning of the festival, and this year's poolside performance was by Population II, whose crusher performance made the perfect soundtrack for our hungover hotdog brunch. We had the opportunity to speak with Crasher at the BBQ on a giant chess set for a video interview, which will be released very soon. Then we grabbed one last sparkling paloma before heading to Meggie Lennon's show. She had the crowd captivated and singing along till the last song.
Baby Berserk by Malaika Astorga
Baby Berserk followed up shortly after with a killer secret show at the local favourite poutine spot, Chez Morasse. Arguably dance punk, and provenly incredible performers, the lead singer was climbing up street posts and storage units in heels, all while keeping everyone dancing and screaming. La Flemme, a punk group from Marseille, took over Le Petit Theatre, drawing on classic punk references, while keeping the hardcore spirit alive with a wall of death and probably the friendliest mosh pit we've ever seen.
Poolgirl by Malaika Astorga
Saturday, welcome our own DJ Flleur to the main stage area of the festival, with three diverse sets throughout the night, spinning everything from Fontaines D.C. dance edits to darkwave to Strawberry Switchblade's cover of Jolene. Empanadas Illegales took to the stage first, with an incredible cumbia set. The OBGMs were up next, introducing themselves as a Celine Dion cover band, and demanding the crowd to "open up the pit for Celine!" They also publicly shamed a crowd member's shitty ex-boyfriend, and helped everyone process their emotions. Les Trois Accords closed out the night on the main stage with Quebec classics that had everyone singing their hearts out. Around the corner, Boutique Feelings did a secret show across from Cabaret de la Derniere Chance in an alleyway, and Poolgirl pulled off a killer riot girl-style set down the street, with pool floaties flying through the crowd.
Les Freaks de Montréal by Malaika Astorga
Empanadas Illegales returned to the stage, or more specifically to the garden, on Sunday with a beautiful secret show at Parc Botanique À Fleur d'eau. Automelodi closed out the festival in the main stage area, with a perfectly spooky darkwave set that had all the local teens dancing like proper goths.
As always, we had the best time at FME, and can't wait for next year. We hope to see you then! In the meantime, stay tuned for video interview with Crasher, Meggie Lennon, and Poolgirl, to be released on the site & our YouTube.
