Montebello Rock
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Montebello Rock, formerly known as Amnesia Rockfest and Montebello Rockfest, is an annual outdoor
Rock festival A rock festival is an open-air rock concert featuring many different performers, typically spread over two or three days and having a campsite and other amenities and forms of entertainment provided at the venue. Some festivals are singular even ...
that takes place each June in
Montebello, Quebec Montebello is a municipality located in the Papineau Regional County Municipality of Western Quebec, Canada. At the 2001 census, there were 1,039 permanent residents. The village has a total area of , and is located at the eastern edge of Quebec's ...
, Canada. Founded in 2005 by then 17-year-old local resident Alex Martel, it became the largest rock music festival in Canada and one of the largest in North America. With a local population of 978 residents, the small town of Montebello attracted over 200,000 festival-goers during its peak years. The event offers a diverse lineup with mainstream acts, as well as cult bands, reunions, rarities and emerging talent. Aside from its lineup, the festival is known for its countryside setting, camping areas, carnival vibe and parties in the village throughout the weekend. Past headliners include
Rammstein Rammstein (, "ramming stone") is a German Neue Deutsche Härte band formed in Berlin in 1994. The band's lineup—consisting of lead vocalist Till Lindemann, lead guitarist Richard Kruspe, rhythm guitarist Paul Landers, bassist Oliver Riedel, ...
, System of a Down,
Linkin Park Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. The band's current lineup comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Mike Shinoda, lead guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Dave Farrell, DJ/turntablist Joe Hahn and drummer ...
, Blink-182,
Mötley Crüe Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1981. The group was founded by bassist Nikki Sixx, drummer Tommy Lee, lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil. Mötley Crüe has sold over 100 million albums ...
and
Queens of the Stone Age Queens of the Stone Age (commonly abbreviated QOTSA) is an American rock band formed in 1996 in Palm Desert, California. The band was founded by vocalist and guitarist Josh Homme, who has been the only constant member throughout multiple line- ...
.


History

The festival was founded in 2005 by then 17-year-old local resident Alex Martel. Tired of having to travel to bigger cities to attend concerts and wanting to promote his own band
Deadly Apples Deadly Apples is a Canadian rock / industrial metal band based in Montreal, Quebec. The band consists of frontman / lyricist Alex Martel (vocals) and main composer Antoine Lamothe (drums), with live musicians joining them on stage. An early ve ...
, he decided to start his own event in his hometown of Montebello, which he called Petite-Nation Rockfest. The first edition was almost canceled due to a tornado destroying most of the site a few hours before the start of the event. Three bands played the inaugural edition, which attracted 500 attendees: Martel's band
Deadly Apples Deadly Apples is a Canadian rock / industrial metal band based in Montreal, Quebec. The band consists of frontman / lyricist Alex Martel (vocals) and main composer Antoine Lamothe (drums), with live musicians joining them on stage. An early ve ...
opened, followed by local punk band UKKO and headliner GrimSkunk. After a break in 2006, Rockfest came back in 2007 with the same format as the first edition and
Vulgaires Machins Vulgaires Machins is a French Canadian punk rock group from Granby, Quebec. The group consists of Guillaume Beauregard (vocals, guitars), Marie-Ève Roy (vocals, guitars), Maxime Beauregard (bass) and Patrick Landry (drums). Their lyrics de ...
as headliner. In 2008, the event expanded to a full day of music with two stages and was the first edition to attract attendees from outside the area, garnering press for its lineup which featured every single major Quebec band in the punk, rock and metal scenes, including GrimSkunk, Anonymus,
Mononc' Serge Mononc' Serge (real name Serge Robert) is a Québécois musician and poet who sings in French. He is best known for his vulgar lyrics and his irreverent songs making fun of local celebrities and politicians. He is also quite sardonic with the ...
,
Deadly Apples Deadly Apples is a Canadian rock / industrial metal band based in Montreal, Quebec. The band consists of frontman / lyricist Alex Martel (vocals) and main composer Antoine Lamothe (drums), with live musicians joining them on stage. An early ve ...
and
The Sainte Catherines The Sainte Catherines were a Canadian six-piece punk-rock band who formed in Montreal in 1999. The group's name comes from '' Rue Sainte-Catherine'', one of Montreal's main streets. Their third record, ''The Art of Arrogance'' was released on l ...
. Rockfest 2009 continued in the same format with a third stage added and featured Canadian bands such as Gob, Priestess and
Mononc' Serge Mononc' Serge (real name Serge Robert) is a Québécois musician and poet who sings in French. He is best known for his vulgar lyrics and his irreverent songs making fun of local celebrities and politicians. He is also quite sardonic with the ...
. The 2010 edition expanded to two days and featured more international acts such as
Anti-Flag Anti-Flag is an American punk rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The band is known for its left-wing political activism. Their current members include Justin Sane (vocals, guitar), Chris Head (guitar), Pat Thetic (drums), and Chris Ba ...
, Misfits and
Alexisonfire Alexisonfire (pronounced "Alexis on Fire") is a Canadian post-hardcore band formed in St. Catharines, OntarioRoss, Mike.Band is a scream", CANOE JAM!, April 30, 2004. Retrieved on July 17, 2007. in 2001. The band's members are George Pettit (vo ...
. It was the last year that
Deadly Apples Deadly Apples is a Canadian rock / industrial metal band based in Montreal, Quebec. The band consists of frontman / lyricist Alex Martel (vocals) and main composer Antoine Lamothe (drums), with live musicians joining them on stage. An early ve ...
performed before going on a 7-year hiatus while Martel focused on the growth of Rockfest. In 2011, the event was renamed D-TOX Rockfest with the D-TOX clothing retailer chain becoming the title sponsor. It was the first major year for the event, featuring bands such as
NOFX NOFX () is an American punk rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1983. Vocalist/bassist Fat Mike, guitarist Eric Melvin and drummer Erik Sandin are original founding and longest-serving members of the band, who have appeared on every ...
,
Lamb of God Lamb of God ( el, Ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, Amnòs toû Theoû; la, Agnus Dei, ) is a title for Jesus that appears in the Gospel of John. It appears at John 1:29, where John the Baptist sees Jesus and exclaims, "Behold the Lamb of God wh ...
playing their sole 2011 show, Pennywise, Hatebreed and many more. Rockfest 2012 continued the expansion of the event with artists such as
Korn Korn (stylized as KoЯn, or occasionally KoRn) is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The band is notable for pioneering the nu metal genre and bringing it into the mainstream. Originally formed in 1993 ...
, Sublime with Rome,
Bad Religion Bad Religion is an American punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1980. The band's lyrics cover topics related to religion, politics, society, the media and science. Musically, they are noted for their melodic sensibilitie ...
and
Dream Theater Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of the ...
.
Tony Sly Anthony James Sly (November 4, 1970 – July 31, 2012) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known as the front man of the punk rock band No Use for a Name. In his later years he also gained attention for his acoustic ...
played his last show with
No Use for a Name No Use for a Name (sometimes abbreviated NUFAN or No Use) was an American punk rock band from Sunnyvale, California, United States formed in 1986 by Chris Dodge (guitar), Steve Papoutsis ( bass) and Rory Koff (drums). The band's sound evolved con ...
at Rockfest 2012, before his death.
Mitch Lucker Mitchell Adam Lucker (October 20, 1984 – November 1, 2012) was an American vocalist best known as the lead singer for the deathcore band Suicide Silence. Career Mitch Lucker first started performing music in the year 2000 with the band Breaka ...
also played his last Canadian show with Suicide Silence at Rockfest 2012, before his death. To honour their memories, the event named its two new hardcore and punk stages after the late frontmen the following year. In 2013, the event was renamed to Amnesia Rockfest, as the Amnesia clothing retailer chain became the new title sponsor. The 2013 edition expanded to five stages and a larger line-up featuring
Rise Against Rise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, formed in 1999. The group's current line-up comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist Tim McIlrath, lead guitarist Zach Blair, bassist Joe Principe and drummer Brandon Barnes. Rooted in hardcor ...
, The Offspring,
Marilyn Manson Brian Hugh Warner (born January 5, 1969), known professionally as Marilyn Manson, is an American rock musician. He came to prominence as the lead singer of the band which shares his name, of which he remains the only constant member since it ...
,
Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...
, Deftones, Social Distortion, Rancid and
Lamb of God Lamb of God ( el, Ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, Amnòs toû Theoû; la, Agnus Dei, ) is a title for Jesus that appears in the Gospel of John. It appears at John 1:29, where John the Baptist sees Jesus and exclaims, "Behold the Lamb of God wh ...
. The festival tripled its attendance and received many complaints because of logistical issues. In response, organizers announced major logistical changes for 2014 by hiring the
Quebec City Summer Festival Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
production team, the Ottawa Bluesfest site coordinator and Gatineau Beerfest organizers Orkestra to handle the production, hospitality, logistics, campgrounds and parking lots. The 2014 edition was praised by fans and critics for its massive line-up, as well as the top-notch production and logistics. Attracting a record crowd, the lineup featured Blink-182,
Mötley Crüe Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1981. The group was founded by bassist Nikki Sixx, drummer Tommy Lee, lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil. Mötley Crüe has sold over 100 million albums ...
for the first show of their Final Tour,
Weezer Weezer is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1992. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Rivers Cuomo (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Patrick Wilson (drums, backing vocals), Scott Shriner (bass guitar, keyboards, backing v ...
, Alice in Chains,
Megadeth Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal along wit ...
,
Billy Talent Billy Talent is a Canadian Rock music, rock band from Mississauga, Ontario. They formed in 1993 with lead vocalist Benjamin Kowalewicz, guitarist Ian D'Sa, bassist Jonathan Gallant, and drummer Aaron Solowoniuk. There have been no lineup change ...
, Primus, Five Finger Death Punch,
Cypress Hill Cypress Hill is an American hip hop group from South Gate, California. They have sold over 20 million albums worldwide and have multi-platinum and platinum albums. They are considered to be among the main progenitors of West Coast and 1990 ...
,
NOFX NOFX () is an American punk rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1983. Vocalist/bassist Fat Mike, guitarist Eric Melvin and drummer Erik Sandin are original founding and longest-serving members of the band, who have appeared on every ...
and
A Day to Remember A Day to Remember (often abbreviated ADTR, and previously known as End of an Era) is an American rock band from Ocala, Florida, founded in 2003 by guitarist Tom Denney and drummer Bobby Scruggs. They are known for their amalgamation of meta ...
. Despite not officially performing at the festival that year, Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong played two secret acoustic sets on the streets of Montebello. As part of promoting the festival, Martel was interviewed by Armstrong's Tim Timebomb radio show and by Nikki Sixx of
Mötley Crüe Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1981. The group was founded by bassist Nikki Sixx, drummer Tommy Lee, lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil. Mötley Crüe has sold over 100 million albums ...
on his
Sixx Sense Sixx Sense was a nationally syndicated rock radio show broadcast from Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles and heard on over 115 radio stations. It was also available on iHeartRadio in The United States and Canada. The iHeartRadio channel intersperses acti ...
radio show. Amnesia Rockfest's 10th anniversary edition took place in Montebello in June 2015. The lineup was curated by
Fat Mike Michael John Burkett (born January 16, 1967), known professionally as Fat Mike, is an American musician and producer. He is the bassist and lead vocalist for the punk rock band NOFX and the bassist for the punk rock supergroup cover band Me F ...
of
NOFX NOFX () is an American punk rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1983. Vocalist/bassist Fat Mike, guitarist Eric Melvin and drummer Erik Sandin are original founding and longest-serving members of the band, who have appeared on every ...
and Tim Armstrong of Rancid along with Martel. It was premiered by Rolling Stone and featured System of a Down,
Linkin Park Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. The band's current lineup comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Mike Shinoda, lead guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Dave Farrell, DJ/turntablist Joe Hahn and drummer ...
(which ended up being their last Canadian show before Chester Bennington's death), The Offspring (performing '' Americana'' in full),
Slayer Slayer was an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California. The band was formed in 1981 by guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Slayer's fast and aggressive musical style ...
,
Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...
,
Rob Zombie Rob Zombie (born Robert Bartleh Cummings; January 12, 1965) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, filmmaker, and voice actor. His music and lyrics are notable for their horror and sci-fi themes, and his live shows have be ...
, Deftones (performing '' Around the Fur'' in full), Tenacious D, Pixies, Rancid (performing '' And Out Come The Wolves'' in full) and Sublime with Rome. Stand-up comedy was also added to the fest with Mike Ward,
Steve-O Stephen Gilchrist Glover (born June 13, 1974), known professionally as Steve-O, is an American entertainer, television personality, stunt performer and YouTuber. His career is mostly centered on his performance stunts in the reality comedy tel ...
and Tom Green. As part of promoting the festival, Martel was interviewed by a nude woman on entertainment program Naked News and several of their hosts covered the 2015 edition naked. In early 2016, it was announced that festival founder Alex Martel had become a minority partner of Rockfest while Quebec entertainment companies Just for Laughs and La Tribu became majority partners. Martel remained as spokesperson and programmer of the event. Later in 2016, famous Quebec businessman
Alexandre Taillefer Alexandre Taillefer is a Canadian entrepreneur from Quebec. He is the founder and managing partner of XPND Capital, a private equity firm. Commercial activities In 1993, at age 21, Tallifer founded Intellia, an e-commerce service provider later ...
also became a partner in Rockfest when he bought out stakes of La Tribu through his Mishmash company. The 2016 edition was again curated by
Fat Mike Michael John Burkett (born January 16, 1967), known professionally as Fat Mike, is an American musician and producer. He is the bassist and lead vocalist for the punk rock band NOFX and the bassist for the punk rock supergroup cover band Me F ...
of
NOFX NOFX () is an American punk rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1983. Vocalist/bassist Fat Mike, guitarist Eric Melvin and drummer Erik Sandin are original founding and longest-serving members of the band, who have appeared on every ...
and Tim Armstrong of Rancid along with Martel. It featured Blink-182,
Rise Against Rise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, formed in 1999. The group's current line-up comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist Tim McIlrath, lead guitarist Zach Blair, bassist Joe Principe and drummer Brandon Barnes. Rooted in hardcor ...
,
Korn Korn (stylized as KoЯn, or occasionally KoRn) is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The band is notable for pioneering the nu metal genre and bringing it into the mainstream. Originally formed in 1993 ...
,
Limp Bizkit Limp Bizkit is an American rap rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Its lineup consists of lead vocalist Fred Durst, drummer John Otto, guitarist Wes Borland, turntablist DJ Lethal and bassist Sam Rivers. The band's music is marked by D ...
,
Jane's Addiction Jane's Addiction is an American rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1985. The band consists of vocalist Perry Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro, drummer Stephen Perkins and bassist Eric Avery. Jane's Addiction was one of the first bands from t ...
,
Ice Cube An ice cube is a small piece of ice, which is typically rectangular as viewed from above and trapezoidal as viewed from the side. Ice cubes are products of mechanical refrigeration and are usually produced to cool beverages. They may be produc ...
, Bring Me the Horizon,
A Day to Remember A Day to Remember (often abbreviated ADTR, and previously known as End of an Era) is an American rock band from Ocala, Florida, founded in 2003 by guitarist Tom Denney and drummer Bobby Scruggs. They are known for their amalgamation of meta ...
,
Puscifer Puscifer () is an American rock group formed in Los Angeles by Maynard James Keenan, known as the lead singer of the bands Tool and A Perfect Circle. Initially, Keenan was the only permanent member, and as such he considered the project to be hi ...
, Twisted Sister for their last Canadian performance,
Lamb of God Lamb of God ( el, Ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, Amnòs toû Theoû; la, Agnus Dei, ) is a title for Jesus that appears in the Gospel of John. It appears at John 1:29, where John the Baptist sees Jesus and exclaims, "Behold the Lamb of God wh ...
,
Sum 41 Sum 41 is a Canadian rock band from Ajax, Ontario. Originally called Kaspir, the band was formed in 1996 and currently consists of Deryck Whibley (lead vocals, guitars, keyboards), Dave Baksh (lead guitar, backing vocals), Jason "Cone" McCas ...
and
NOFX NOFX () is an American punk rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1983. Vocalist/bassist Fat Mike, guitarist Eric Melvin and drummer Erik Sandin are original founding and longest-serving members of the band, who have appeared on every ...
. Quebec stand-up comic Mike Ward became spokesperson of the festival and hosted a Rockfest special on his podcast featuring Martel as guest. In 2017, the event was renamed to Montebello Rockfest and featured
Rammstein Rammstein (, "ramming stone") is a German Neue Deutsche Härte band formed in Berlin in 1994. The band's lineup—consisting of lead vocalist Till Lindemann, lead guitarist Richard Kruspe, rhythm guitarist Paul Landers, bassist Oliver Riedel, ...
,
Queens of the Stone Age Queens of the Stone Age (commonly abbreviated QOTSA) is an American rock band formed in 1996 in Palm Desert, California. The band was founded by vocalist and guitarist Josh Homme, who has been the only constant member throughout multiple line- ...
,
Iggy Pop James Newell Osterberg Jr. (born April 21, 1947), known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, musician, songwriter and actor. Called the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Godfather of Punk", he was the vocalist and lyricist of ...
,
Alexisonfire Alexisonfire (pronounced "Alexis on Fire") is a Canadian post-hardcore band formed in St. Catharines, OntarioRoss, Mike.Band is a scream", CANOE JAM!, April 30, 2004. Retrieved on July 17, 2007. in 2001. The band's members are George Pettit (vo ...
, The Offspring (performing ''
Ixnay on the Hombre ''Ixnay on the Hombre'' is the fourth studio album by American rock band the Offspring, released on February 4, 1997, by Columbia Records. After the massive commercial success of their previous album, '' Smash'' (1994), the band entered the studio ...
'' in full),
Megadeth Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal along wit ...
, Wu-Tang Clan, Bullet for My Valentine, AFI,
311 311 may refer to: * 311 (number), a natural number * AD 311, a year of the Julian calendar, in the fourth century AD * 311 BC, a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar * 311 (band), an American band ** ''311'' (album), band 311's self-titled album ...
,
Bad Religion Bad Religion is an American punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1980. The band's lyrics cover topics related to religion, politics, society, the media and science. Musically, they are noted for their melodic sensibilitie ...
and Good Charlotte. Martel also reunited his band
Deadly Apples Deadly Apples is a Canadian rock / industrial metal band based in Montreal, Quebec. The band consists of frontman / lyricist Alex Martel (vocals) and main composer Antoine Lamothe (drums), with live musicians joining them on stage. An early ve ...
at Rockfest 2017, headlining the Quebec Stage. A special opening night for Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Quebec's national holiday, featured Quebec bands such as Les Cowboys Fringants, Robert Charlebois,
Les Trois Accords Les Trois Accords is a Canadian rock band from Drummondville, Québec. The band launched its first album, ''Gros Mammouth Album,'' in 2003. Some of the songs from that album, include "''Hawaïenne''", "''Saskatchewan''" and "''Lucille''". Their ...
and Loco Locass. In order to accommodate
Rammstein Rammstein (, "ramming stone") is a German Neue Deutsche Härte band formed in Berlin in 1994. The band's lineup—consisting of lead vocalist Till Lindemann, lead guitarist Richard Kruspe, rhythm guitarist Paul Landers, bassist Oliver Riedel, ...
's elaborate show, the festival brought the biggest stage and production of its history. Organizers created a media frenzy in Quebec by inviting pop singer Jeremy Gabriel, a disabled boy with Treacher Collins syndrome who sang for the Pope and Celine Dion, to perform a metal set at Rockfest. In early 2018, it was announced that Quebec promoter Piknic Electronik had replaced Just for Laughs as partner in Rockfest. As both partners Piknic Electronik and La Tribu were owned by
Alexandre Taillefer Alexandre Taillefer is a Canadian entrepreneur from Quebec. He is the founder and managing partner of XPND Capital, a private equity firm. Commercial activities In 1993, at age 21, Tallifer founded Intellia, an e-commerce service provider later ...
through his Mishmash company, Taillefer effectively gained control over the festival while founder Alex Martel continued as spokesperson and programmer. The 13th edition in 2018 featured
Prophets of Rage Prophets of Rage was an American rap rock supergroup. Formed in 2016, the group consisted of three members of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave (bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello, and drummer Brad Wilk), ...
, Five Finger Death Punch,
Weezer Weezer is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1992. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Rivers Cuomo (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Patrick Wilson (drums, backing vocals), Scott Shriner (bass guitar, keyboards, backing v ...
, Godsmack, Tenacious D,
A Day to Remember A Day to Remember (often abbreviated ADTR, and previously known as End of an Era) is an American rock band from Ocala, Florida, founded in 2003 by guitarist Tom Denney and drummer Bobby Scruggs. They are known for their amalgamation of meta ...
,
Lamb of God Lamb of God ( el, Ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, Amnòs toû Theoû; la, Agnus Dei, ) is a title for Jesus that appears in the Gospel of John. It appears at John 1:29, where John the Baptist sees Jesus and exclaims, "Behold the Lamb of God wh ...
, Stone Temple Pilots,
Jimmy Eat World Jimmy Eat World is an American rock band formed in 1993 in Mesa, Arizona. The band is composed of lead vocalist and lead guitarist Jim Adkins, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch, and drummer Zach Lind. They h ...
,
Sum 41 Sum 41 is a Canadian rock band from Ajax, Ontario. Originally called Kaspir, the band was formed in 1996 and currently consists of Deryck Whibley (lead vocals, guitars, keyboards), Dave Baksh (lead guitar, backing vocals), Jason "Cone" McCas ...
(performing ''
Does This Look Infected? ''Does This Look Infected?'' is the second studio album by Canadian rock band Sum 41. It was released on November 26, 2002. It is their only album to feature a Parental Advisory label on the cover, despite the fact that other albums by the band ...
'' in full), Rancid and
Dropkick Murphys Dropkick Murphys are an American Celtic punk band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1996. Singer and bassist Ken Casey has been the band's only constant member. Other current members include drummer Matt Kelly (1997– ), singer Al Barr (199 ...
. In February 2018, Alex Martel was invited as a guest on talk-show Tout le monde en parle, Quebec's most watched TV show. In May 2018, it was announced that Rockfest would become the first Canadian festival to ban the use of plastic straws. On June 21, 2018, the organizers (Outaouais Rock) filed for protection under the ''Bankruptcy'' and ''Insolvency'' Act citing an accumulated debt of over $5 million due to a massive drop in ticket sales. Organizers made the decision hoping it would allow the festival to restructure its operations and ensure its survival. Unable to come to an agreement with its creditors, Outaouais Rock officially declared bankruptcy six months later on December 21, 2018. In early 2019, it was revealed that former Rockfest majority partner
Alexandre Taillefer Alexandre Taillefer is a Canadian entrepreneur from Quebec. He is the founder and managing partner of XPND Capital, a private equity firm. Commercial activities In 1993, at age 21, Tallifer founded Intellia, an e-commerce service provider later ...
's taxi company Teo went bankrupt as well and that many of his other projects were having financial difficulties. Alex Martel, the original founder and minority partner, released several statements criticizing the majority partners who made the decision. In February 2019, Martel announced that Rockfest would be replaced with a return-to-the-roots type festival called "Montebello Rock" without any involvement by Rockfest's former majority partners. In March 2019, Olivier Primeau, co-owner of Montreal's Beachclub and festivals such as Metro Metro and Escapade Music Festival, announced that he was joining forces with Martel as a minority partner. Put together in barely two months, the first edition of the newly branded and smaller Montebello Rock festival took place in June 2019 and featured MxPx, Venom,
Vulgaires Machins Vulgaires Machins is a French Canadian punk rock group from Granby, Quebec. The group consists of Guillaume Beauregard (vocals, guitars), Marie-Ève Roy (vocals, guitars), Maxime Beauregard (bass) and Patrick Landry (drums). Their lyrics de ...
, 88 Fingers Louie,
The Sainte Catherines The Sainte Catherines were a Canadian six-piece punk-rock band who formed in Montreal in 1999. The group's name comes from '' Rue Sainte-Catherine'', one of Montreal's main streets. Their third record, ''The Art of Arrogance'' was released on l ...
and more. In 2019, Martel was a guest on many podcasts to discuss the downfall of Rockfest and starting over with Montebello Rock. In the late 2019, the festival's team put together a sold-out benefit show for a local youth homeless centre at Montreal's Club Soda with Quebec artists such as
Mononc' Serge Mononc' Serge (real name Serge Robert) is a Québécois musician and poet who sings in French. He is best known for his vulgar lyrics and his irreverent songs making fun of local celebrities and politicians. He is also quite sardonic with the ...
, Rymz, Obey the Brave and
Deadly Apples Deadly Apples is a Canadian rock / industrial metal band based in Montreal, Quebec. The band consists of frontman / lyricist Alex Martel (vocals) and main composer Antoine Lamothe (drums), with live musicians joining them on stage. An early ve ...
. In November 2019, organizers confirmed a 2020 edition and rumours speculated that the Rockfest name would return, along with the festival's formula. In January 2020, press outlets reported on that
Korn Korn (stylized as KoЯn, or occasionally KoRn) is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The band is notable for pioneering the nu metal genre and bringing it into the mainstream. Originally formed in 1993 ...
was confirmed for the 2020 edition. The festival announced its dates for July 2020, one month later than its usual June dates and on the same weekend that now-defunct competing event
Heavy Montréal Heavy Montréal (stylized as Heavy MONTRÉAL, formerly known as Heavy MTL) is a two-day, summer heavy metal and hard rock music festival held annually at Parc Jean-Drapeau in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It also includes various other events at ...
used to take place. In early 2020, all Quebec festivals were cancelled by the government until at least August 31, 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada and Martel confirmed that a postponement was being considered. In April 2020,
Fat Mike Michael John Burkett (born January 16, 1967), known professionally as Fat Mike, is an American musician and producer. He is the bassist and lead vocalist for the punk rock band NOFX and the bassist for the punk rock supergroup cover band Me F ...
of
NOFX NOFX () is an American punk rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1983. Vocalist/bassist Fat Mike, guitarist Eric Melvin and drummer Erik Sandin are original founding and longest-serving members of the band, who have appeared on every ...
confirmed that the band was supposed to play the 2020 edition and that the Rockfest name was back. In late April, organizers gave away camping gear to homeless shelters and lent various production equipment to local authorities to help during the coronavirus crisis. In June 2020, organizers held a Virtual Rockfest edition while Quebec was still in confinement. A classic edition of the festival was recreated in real-time during a full weekend by using archival footage. Festival-goers were invited to live the experience in their own backyards. It was announced that Rockfest's return would be pushed back to 2021. The festival's future seem to be on the ice due to the ongoing health restrictions in Quebec in 2021 as well as the uncertainty surrounding the return of live music in the context of the different COVID variants.


Controversies

During the 2012 edition, a festivalgoer leaving Rockfest died near Montebello in a car accident involving a police car responding to an emergency call at the festival. The police officer, who was driving in a speed zone, was convicted of dangerous driving charges by the Quebec court at a second trial in 2019 and sentenced to community work and a $1,000 donation to a local charity. In 2013, the event faced several logistical issues and growing pains as the attendance tripled, including sanitary problems. In response, the organizers fixed all these issues the following year by hiring the
Quebec City Summer Festival Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
production team, the Ottawa Bluesfest site coordinator and Gatineau Beerfest organizers Orkestra to handle the production, hospitality, logistics, campgrounds and parking lots. Prior to the 2013 edition, organizers received an anonymous threat accusing them of
Satanism Satanism is a group of ideological and philosophical beliefs based on Satan. Contemporary religious practice of Satanism began with the founding of the atheistic Church of Satan by Anton LaVey in the United States in 1966, although a few hi ...
because they invited
Marilyn Manson Brian Hugh Warner (born January 5, 1969), known professionally as Marilyn Manson, is an American rock musician. He came to prominence as the lead singer of the band which shares his name, of which he remains the only constant member since it ...
and
Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...
to perform at Rockfest. In 2014, Jello Biafra dropped out of the festival when he found out that his former estranged band Dead Kennedys also got booked at Rockfest. Martel responded that both bands were slated to perform on different days, as was the case with Black Flag and former frontman Henry Rollins and with Misfits and former frontman Danzig. Despite this, Jello Biafra performed at the 2017 edition. During the 2014 edition, porn company AD4X and adult actress Pamela Kayne recruited festivalgoers to participate in pornographic videos filmed at the festival campground in tents and RV's without the festival's knowledge. The company and another pornstar once again recruited festivalgoers at the 2016 edition, prompting Montebello's mayor to accuse AD4X of staging a publicity stunt. At the 2014 edition, a feud erupted between
NOFX NOFX () is an American punk rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1983. Vocalist/bassist Fat Mike, guitarist Eric Melvin and drummer Erik Sandin are original founding and longest-serving members of the band, who have appeared on every ...
and Five Finger Death Punch after the former band's frontman
Fat Mike Michael John Burkett (born January 16, 1967), known professionally as Fat Mike, is an American musician and producer. He is the bassist and lead vocalist for the punk rock band NOFX and the bassist for the punk rock supergroup cover band Me F ...
spent most of his set making fun of the latter. Five Finger Death Punch vocalist Ivan Moody responded by dedicating their song ''Burn MF'' to NOFX. In August 2014, organizers created a publicity stunt by sending a plane with a Rockfest banner to fly all weekend above competing festival
Heavy Montreal Heavy may refer to: Measures * Heavy (aeronautics), a term used by pilots and air traffic controllers to refer to aircraft capable of 300,000 lbs or more takeoff weight * Heavy, a characterization of objects with substantial weight * Heavy, ...
's festival grounds. In early 2015, a Montebello resident unsuccessfully sued the festival alleging that festivalgoers trespassed on his property during the 2013 edition and caused some damage. In May 2015, Martel was interviewed by a nude woman on entertainment program Naked News and several of their hosts covered the 2015 edition naked. At the 2015 edition, two intoxicated festivalgoers fell off a Ferris wheel and were taken to the hospital. In late 2015, Quebec French language activist group Impératif Français criticized Rockfest for moving its 2016 dates on the Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Quebec's national holiday weekend, while most performers at the festival sing in English. Rockfest responded humorously by releasing a new version of its poster with all band names translated in French. After the 2016 edition, a member of the Twisted Sister crew claimed that their experience performing at the festival, as part of the Twisted Sister farewell tour, was the "worst festival ever", and urged fans to go elsewhere for subsequent years, with one of the complaints being the absence of potato chips in the dressing room. Despite the previous year's controversy, Twisted Sister frontman
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returned to perform at Rockfest in 2017 with his solo band. In 2017, the festival created a media frenzy in Quebec by inviting pop singer Jeremy Gabriel, a disabled man with Treacher Collins syndrome who sang for the Pope and Celine Dion, to perform a metal set at Rockfest. Gabriel had become a polarizing figure in Quebec over the past years for filing a complaint with the Quebec human rights commission against comedian Mike Ward over a stand-up joke. Ward had performed stand-up comedy at Rockfest 2015 and was the spokesperson for Rockfest 2016. The publicity stunt resulted in death threats against Gabriel with a Montreal resident arrested by local police and sentenced to 30 days in prison. Porn company AD4X sparked further controversy by offering $10,000 to Gabriel to shoot a pornographic film at the festival with adult actress Vandal Vyxen. In May 2018, Gabriel threatened to sue the festival after it leaked a photo depicting Gabriel using drugs at Rockfest. At the 2017 edition, a festivalgoer in his 60s was found dead in the streets of Montebello after suffering a stroke. In April 2018, Rockfest announced it would become the first festival to allow marijuana during the event following legalization of the drug in Canada. In May 2018, ska band Streetlight Manifesto was kicked off the festival for failing to honor the radius clause in its contract for a second time. During the 2018 edition, local police dismantled a vendor trailer that was set up on the festival grounds by Support 81, a Hells Angels support group that sells merchandise of the motorcycle club. At the 2018 edition, a 25 year old festivalgoer died of a drug overdose at the festival campground. On June 21, 2018, the organizers (Outaouais Rock) filed for protection under the ''Bankruptcy'' and ''Insolvency'' Act citing an accumulated debt of over $5 million due to a massive drop in ticket sales. Organizers made the decision hoping it would allow the festival to restructure its operations and ensure its survival. Unable to come to an agreement with its creditors, Outaouais Rock officially declared bankruptcy six months later on December 21, 2018. In early 2019, it was revealed that former Rockfest majority partner
Alexandre Taillefer Alexandre Taillefer is a Canadian entrepreneur from Quebec. He is the founder and managing partner of XPND Capital, a private equity firm. Commercial activities In 1993, at age 21, Tallifer founded Intellia, an e-commerce service provider later ...
's taxi company Teo went bankrupt as well and that many of his other projects were having financial difficulties. Alex Martel, the original founder and minority partner, released several statements criticizing the majority partners who made the decision. In February 2019, Martel announced that Rockfest would be replaced with a return-to-the-roots type festival called "Montebello Rock" without any involvement by Rockfest's former majority partners. In March 2019, Olivier Primeau, co-owner of Montreal's Beachclub and festivals such as Metro Metro and Escapade Music Festival, announced that he was joining forces with Martel as a minority partner. In April 2019, punk band Anti-Nowhere League was kicked off the festival following backlash over homophobic lyrics. Two weeks before the 2019 edition of Montebello Rock, the event was forced to move its site because of major flooding of the Ottawa River. In July 2021, Musika Montebello jazz festival promoter Yvan Tanguay insulted Rockfest fans by claiming that his event will attract a more cultured crowd. He had made similar statements in 2019.


See also

*
List of festivals in Canada This is an incomplete list of festivals in Canada. This list includes festivals of diverse types, among them regional festivals, commerce festivals, fairs, food festivals, arts festivals, and recurring festivals on holidays. Sublists by loca ...
* Music of Canada


References


External links

* {{Authority control Rock festivals in Canada Music festivals in Quebec