News/Announcements: FME Announces 2025 Venue Showcase Lineups

Festival de musique émergente an Abitibi-Témiscamingue (FME)‘s 23rd edition, presented in partnership with SiriusXM will take place August 28, 2025 – August 31, 2025 in Rouyn-Noranda, Québec, a mining town, located about 400 miles northwest of Montréal.

“SiriusXM is proud to renew its role as the official presenter of the Festival de musique émergente en Abitibi-Témiscamingue. Every year, FME highlights emerging artists, which aligns perfectly with our mission to showcase local music. At SiriusXM, our goal is to propel Francophone talent, whether through our North American broadcast platform or by supporting leading cultural events. We are therefore delighted to continue this long-standing partnership with FME,” says, Matilde Bourgeois, Francophone DCC, Sponsorships and Events Manager at SiriusXM. 

Last month, festival organizers announced the lineups for festival’s SiriusXM Concert Series at the Rue 7eime (7th Street) Main Stage. 

Thursday August 28, 2025: The SiriusXM Concert Series kicks off with rising young artist Billie du Page, who has been busy with opening slots for acclaimed artist and Bravo Musique head Cœur de Pirate and Aliocha Schneider. BéLI, a hyper pop singer known for a crafting material that’s vibrant and corporeal will follow. Marie-Pierre Arthur will be playing material from Album bleu, an album that sees her pairing rock energy with orchestral R&B arrangements and productions. Thursday night will be headlined by Jay Scøtt, an artist who deftly creates catchy songs that pairs rap verses, melodic choruses, guitar and beatmaking. 

Friday, August 29, 2025: Friday night will kick off with Montréal-based JOVM mainstays Population II, who will be playing a set of material based around their critically applauded album Maintenant Jamais, which earned them a spot on this year’s Polaris Music Prize long list. Ariane Roy will follow with a set of material based around her sophomore album Dogue, which La Presse describes as “a restless second album, driven by shackle-breaking anger and inspired by sisterhood.” The SiriusXM Concert Series’ second night will be headlined by Klô Pelgag, who will be playing a set featuring material from Abracadabra, an effort that won the Francophone Album of the Year at this year’s Juno Awards. Pelgag will be showcasing a categorization- defying live show, which features a unique blend of music, wit, color and movement. 

Saturday, August 30, 2025: The festival’s third day will feature Empanadas Illegales, a Vancouver-based psychedelic cumbia and salsa septet, who have developed a sound powered by experimental synth sounds, slinky dub grooves and feverish percussion excursions. Toronto‘s The OBGM‘s will follow, playing material off their latest album Sorry, It’s Over, an effort that further cements a sound that meshes elements of rock, punk and hip-hop. Legendary Québécois outfit Les Trois Accords, will close out the SiriusXM Concert Series with a set that will feature material from their seven previously released albums, including a collection of beloved hits. 

Festival organizers will also present a moonlight concert series on the Fizz Stage, also located on Rue 7eime, roughly a block away from the festival’s Main Stage. Thursday, August 28, 2025 will feature rising and acclaimed hyper-pop/R&B artist Virginie B. Friday, August 29, 2025 will feature Vancouver-based North African-Anishinabe Métis DJ Handsome Tiger, who blends electronic and traditional indigenous music. Saturday, August 30, 2025 will feature Poolgirl, a Riot Grrl movement-inspired act that blends garage and grunge.

Today, festival organizers announced the lineups for the festival’s venue stages:

Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Noranda

Thursday, August 28, 2025: Montréal disco punk outfit We Are Wolves will play a headlining set at Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Noranda, unveiling their highly-anticipated sixth album Nada. Amsterdam-based electronic outfit Baby Berserk will open, showcasing a sound that captures the essence of nightlife through live energy and thumping club beats.

Friday, August 29, 2025: Les Breastfeeders will play a headlining set showcase their unique blend of French rock, garage rock, pop, yéyé and psychedelia. Marseille-based La Flemme will open the night with a set based around their full-length debut, La Fête, which was released earlier this year.

Saturday, August 30, 2025: Pierre Kwenders‘ Moonshine, an artist collective that brings together DJs, VJs, dancers and musicians will take over the Petit Théâtre for a night of deep house and Afro house.

Sunday, August 31, 2025: . Montréal deathcore band Despised Icon will headline the festival’s traditional metal night. Death metal outfit Scorching Tomb and local metalcore outfit Digital Ghosts will open a night of pummeling riffage and mosh pits.

Sous-Sol, Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Noranda’s basement venue will host the festival’s late night shows.

Thursday, August 28, 2025: Brooklyn-based post punks and New Colossus Festival alumni Mary Shelley will play the basement stage.

Friday, August 29, 2025: Montréal-based punks Puffer will play the basement stage.

Saturday, August 30, 2025: Swiss-Guatemalan artist Baby Volcano will play a set of angular electronic music on the basement stage.

Sunday, August 31, 2025: Montréal-based synthwave project Automelodi, led by Xavier Paradis will play the festival’s closing set.

Le Paramount

Friday, August 29, 2025: Friday night at Le Paramount night will showcase Francophone hip-hop: Québec mainstay Shreez, who has made a name for himself for a dynamic flow blending joual, Creole and Montréal street slang over hard-hitting beats — and for collaborations with Souldia, FouKi, Tizzo and Lost among a lengthy list of others will be playing a headlining set featuring material from his latest album ON FRAP II. Rising Montréal-based emcee Rowjay, one of my favorite Montréal-based, Francophone emcees and Rouyn-Noranda-based artist BlackLife will open the night.

Saturday, August 30, 2025: Canadian singer/songwriter Pierre Lapointe will play a headlining set of material that draws from and meshes contemporary pop with French chanson. Singer/songwriter and actor Édouard Tremblay-Grenier will open the night at Le Paramount.

Sunday, August 31, 2025: Elle Barbara’s Black Space will headline. Her recently released album Word on the Street comes on the heels of her serving as a vogue judge alongside Madonna, when the pop legend last played Montréal. Les Freaks de Montréal, a collective featuring members of beloved Quebecer band Aut’chose will offer a heartfelt “bummage,” a homage by bums for bums featuring the songs of Lucien Francœur sung by Alix Fernz, N Nao, Population II‘s Pierre-Luc Gratton, Enfants Savauges‘ Rox Arcand and Mulch‘s Rose Cormier. Montréal-based, Japanese surf punks and JOVM mainstays TEKE: TEKE will open with a set of material from their most recent album Hagata.

Agora des Arts

Friday, August 29, 2025: Stéphanie Boulay will play a headline set of material from her Alexandre Martel co-produced sophomore album, Est-ce que quelqu’un me voit? at the intimate Agora des Arts. Bells Larsen will open with a painterly set of material that draws from and vacillates between 90s lo-fi indie rock and folk ballads.

Saturday, August 30, 2025: Les Hay Babies‘, Les Hôtesses d’Hilaire and Baie’s Katrine Noël, a multidisciplinary artist in her own right, and Velours Velours will play a set of material reportedly built around arrangements that blend violin, guitar, keyboard, bass and drums.

Sunday, August 30, 2025: Dear Criminals‘ and Random Recipe‘s Frannie Holder will showcase a new Francophone project that reportedly features elements of trip-hop, pop and choral chants.

Cabaret de la Dernière Chance

Thursday, August 28, 2025: Rouyn-Noranda’s beloved Cabaret de la Dernière Chance will kick off their festival programming on Thursday: Montréal-based dream pop act Bibi Club, who were shortlisted for this year’s Polaris Music Prize for Feu de garde will headline the night. Paris-based synth pop outfit UTO will be making their North American debut at this year’s FME. Doldrums‘ Airick Asher Woodhead’s newest project, electro punk trio Crasher will be opening the night over on Rue 8eime.

Friday, August 29, 2025:

Montréal-based JOVM mainstays Yoo Doo Right will open Friday night’s activities with their brooding and sprawling tunes. Melodic punk outfit Solids will be wrapping up their first tour in five years with a set at FME.

Saturday, August 30, 2025: Mike Shabb, the “future of Canadian hip-hop,” according to Vice will be headlining Saturday night over at Rue 8eime. Rising Montréal-based artist Magi Merlin and Boutique Feelings, a project that features members of Atsuko Chiba will round out the night at Cabaret de la Derniére Chance.

Bar du Curling

Friday, August 29, 2025: Bar du Curling will host an eardrum shattering barrage of decibels featuring Belgian electronic noise artist Landrose. Toronto-based punks Bad Waitress, an act that has shared stages with NOFX, Jack White and Subhumans will start things off.

Saturday, August 30, 2025: Bar du Curling will host a night of fuzzy psychedelia featuring Cure-Pipe and Fangus.

Apéros Air Canada Series at Le QG

Le QG will be the home of the festival’s Apéros Air Canada Concert series.

Friday, August 29 2025: Montréal-based avant-garde rapper Mosez Jones will headline. Winnipeg-based art rap collective Super Duty Tough Work, who were on the Polaris Music Prize longest for last year’s Paradigm Shift will open

Saturday, August 30, 2025: Antoine Corriveau will play a headlining set of material from his recently released album, Oisseau de Nuit, which features a blend of French pop and sampling. Montréal-based composer Antoine Binette-Mercier will play material from his latest project, Critique Love.

Sunday, August 31, 2025: Acclaimed singer/songwriter N Nao, who was long listed for this year’s Polaris Music Prize for her latest effort, Nouveau Language will headline the early evening showcase. Cairo-born, Montréal-based experimental singer/songwriter Nadah El Shazly will open.

Les Mooses

Friday, August 29, 2025: Montréal-based artist Meggie Lennon will play a headlining set of introspective, ethereal and lush indie pop and soft rock at Les Mooses, the town’s beloved social club. Romanian-born, Montréal-based Apacalda will open with a set of goth-tinged alternative pop.

Saturday, August 30, 2025: Loïc Lafrance, will play a headlining set from their Julien Mineau-produced La peur est une fluer. Acclaimed singer/songwriter Alphonse Bisaillon will open the early evening showcase.

Sunday, August 31, 2025: Local all-female synth pop quintet Et on déjeune will open the festival’s final day. Montréal-based psych pop duo Wizaard will close out the festivities at Les Mooses.

Le Polonais

Friday, August 29, 2025: Electro pop outfit Fleur de Peau will play a happy hour set at Rouyn-Noranda’s cutest cocktail bar, Le Polonais.

Saturday, August 30, 2025: Shoegazers Perma will play the happy hour set at Le Polonais.

l’Abstracto

Friday, August 29, 2025: Indie pop outfit Oui Merci will take the stage at the intimate l’Abstracto.

Saturday, August 30, 2025: Country and soul-tinged rock artist Alice will take the stage at the downtown Rouyn-Noranda-based cafe bar.

Sunday, August 31, 2025: Alt-folk artist Ada Lea will take the stage.

Apres-midi Le Lait at Fizz Stage

Saturday, August 30, 2025: The Fizz Stage will be the home of the festival’s annual family-friendly showcase. Montréal-based New Wave outfit Trop Belle, which features members of Choses Sauvages, Vanille and Mort Rose will headline the afternoon. Montréal-based outfit Larynx will play a set from Ma troisiéme émergence, an album left-field rock that sees the band bouncing between genres and styles seemingly at will, will open.

This year, FME offers three types of festival passes:

The Passeport site extérieur 7e Rue (7e Rue Outdoor Festival Pass), costing $75, grants access to all outdoor shows presented on 7th Street, from Thursday to Saturday.

The Passeport VIP site extérieur 7e Rue (7e Rue Outdoor VIP Festival Pass), priced at $180, offers access to the same shows, plus entry to the VIP terrace, which includes a bar and private restrooms.

In addition to outdoor concerts, both of these festival passes give you a 20% discount on up to 4 tickets for paying shows in the official program. A promotional code will be sent via email to passholders.

The Passeport Best Life (Best Life Festival Pass), for ultimate music lovers, costs $279.99 and grants access to all venues, including both outdoor stages, for all four days of the festival. You can also move from venue to venue at any time. With the Best Life Festival Pass, it’s suggested that for the more popular shows, that you show up early to guarantee your spot. If a venue is already at capacity when you arrive, you’ll have to wait for space to open up before you can enter.

Single tickets for outdoors events taking place on August 28-30, 2025, are also available for purchase at a cost of $35 per evening.

For ticketing information and more, go to FME’s website: https://www.fmeat.org.