Montreal's Pouzza Fest is renowned as one of Canada's premier punk festivals — and while its reputation in that regard remains undiminished, this year's lineup offers a lot more than straight-up power chords and aggression.
A huge lineup of artists (archetypal punk and otherwise) will be coming to six venues in downtown Montreal from May 17 to 19. With passes for the festival on sale now, here are five must-see acts coming to the 2024 edition of PouzzaFest.
Laura Jane Grace
One of the biggest names in punk, Against Me! leader Laura Jane Grace is fresh off her latest solo album, Hole in My Head, and its mix of noisy rock and acoustic come-downs makes her last tour yet another must-see moment in a career full of them.
Kiwi Jr.
One of the least "punk" bands on the bill, Kiwi Jr. bring '60s-esque refinement to '90s-esque slacker rock, layering their wryly observational songs with impeccably arranged harmonies and guitar arpeggios.
Alex Lahey
Should you go see Australian pop rock songwriter Alex Lahey? Take a cue from the title of her catchy, witty 2023 album: The Answer Is Always Yes.
PONY
Toronto romantics PONY are sure to melt hearts at Pouzza with their blistering tempos, spiky guitar leads, and honeyed take on hook-filled pop-punk, with recent album Velveteen boasting a très jolie update on the genre's '90s heyday.
Wavves
Nathan Williams's bratty, snotty punk persona belies the obvious care and skill he puts into his craft, as he's spent more than a decade and a half prolifically releasing expertly crafted bursts of catchy noise.
