Quebec's FIMAV Reveals Full 2018 Lineup with Merzbow, Lori Freedman, Walter Boudreau

This year's programming also turns an eye (and ear) to music from Japan

BY Calum SlingerlandPublished Apr 3, 2018

Quebec's Festival International de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville (FIMAV) is set to celebrate its 34th year from May 17 to 20, and organizers behind the long-running festival have revealed the full lineup for the 2018 edition.

Included on this year's bill are Lori Freedman, Merzbow, Walter Boudreau, Lan Tung, David and the Mountain Ensemble, Charlotte Hug, Malcom Goldstein, Liu Fang, Rainer Wiens, Rova Saxophone Quartet, William Parker, Schnellertollermeier, Erwan Keravec, Dálava, Audrey Chen, Richard Scott, Fire!, Mette Rasmussen, Toshimaru Nakamura, Anna Homler, Phurpa, Mats Gustafsson, Balázs Pándi and more.

Festival programming on May 19 will focus on female artists from Japan, boasting a double bill featuring Japanese alt/experimental mainstays PHEW and percussive art-punks Saicobab, followed by a performance from reformed experimental rock outfit Afrirampo. For all three acts, the evening will mark their respective Canadian debuts.

"Michel Levasseur was invited this Fall to the Jazz Art Sengawa Festival in Tokyo, and this special evening is related to his trip," FIMAV's communications director Jordie Vézina Levasseur explained to Exclaim! via email. "There is an artistic relationship between the FIMAV and this festival; Koichi Makigami, its Artistic Director (and also musician) wants to add more Quebec and Canadian artists to his line-up."

As in past years, the artists included in this year's lineup won't all be performing solo sets either. The trio of Merzbow, Mats Gustafsson and Balázs Pándi will perform together for the first time in North America, while the Rova Saxophone Quartet will travel north of the border once more. Lan Tung's performance of The Giant Project will mark her debut in the province of Quebec, while Anna Homler will perform Breadwoman in Canada for the first time.

Individual tickets and festival passports for FIMAV are on sale now, with further information on pricing tiers and additional packages available through their official website.

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