Ellen Allien & Apparat / The Ed Bangers Crew / Chromeo / Feadz & Uffie / Motomark

After a long, sweltering summer, it seemed like everyone and anyone capable of putting on a show or stringing together a festival had pegged the Labour Day weekend as their go-to spot for one last summer party. The eighth edition of MEG (Montreal Eclectic Groove) was piggybacking on the Osheaga festival’s prominence by hosting one of Osheaga’s four daytime stages and the "official” after party at the Metropolis. Their evening line-ups featured ESG, Ellen Allien & Apparat, the Ed Banger crew, Ghislain Poirier and more. Just down the street at the SAT, the Neon crew were launching their own four-day extravaganza, featuring Steve Bug, Chromeo and the Presets. Given the proximity of the Metropolis and the SAT, both in location and musical offerings, both festivals risked making their audiences choose. After a punctual set by Scottish duo Motormark, boyfriend/girlfriend duo Feadz and Uffie hit the stage to a still sparse audience. Feadz is a talented producer who feeds on Miami bass, crunk, dirty south hip-hop and techno to deliver a chunky layering of beats, but 18-year-olf Uffie has less charisma in person than she does on "Pop the Glock,” her current single. Over at the SAT, Chromeo was taking the stage to a small but eager crowd of froshees. They started off with some material from their 2004 album, She’s In Control, then delved into newer tracks, an electro-rock updating of early ’80s Prince and Rick James. Back in the Metropolis’ Savoy Room, the Ed Bangers crew of DJ Medhi, DJ Sebastian, and Busy P destroyed everyone’s expectation of what a tag-team crew could do. Justice, LFO, Rage Against the Machine, they threw it all out there as a packed room of about 300 went from dancing to ape shit. Just as Diplo reigned in 2005, the Ed Bangers have got 2006 in their pockets. At two a.m., Berliners Ellen Allien and Apparat took over the Metropolis’s main room and played tracks from their latest collaboration, Orchestra of Bubbles. Decked in full fairy regalia, Allien serenaded the audience as Apparat backed her up with stadium grade trance.