Positioned as they are on the calendar, Detroit’s Movement festival and Montreal’s MUTEK festival seem like sibling events that arrive a week apart. They share similar aesthetic DNA — focusing on the electronic, dance music side of the spectrum with a mixture of homegrown and international talent — but like siblings they’re quite different when you consider the details. Where Movement’s line up is often aimed at pleasing the broadest audience possible, MUTEK’s is geared towards the slightly esoteric, experimental side of electronic music, engaging the brain and body in equal measures with live gigs, panel discussions, Q&A sessions, and workshops. The festival takes place this June 1st-5th and spans 25 individual events, which encourages attendees to make judicious use of their time and energy. As an official media partner, LWE has assembled its comprehensive guide to the festival, complete with our picks for the must-see events.
Mika Vainio, who plays A/Visions 1
+ Metro Arts 1
@ Berri-Uqam Metro Station / Free / 4:30-5:30pm
Local UK bass music producer Bowly plays an unexpected set at one of Montreal’s busiest metro stations.
+ Windows Live Sessions 1
@ Windows Lounge (1182 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / Free / 4:30-5:30pm
KEXP veteran DJ Darek Mazzone explains how he uses Windows 7 in his widely respected radio show.
+ Expérience 1
@ Place de la Paix (Saint-Laurent Blvd@Juliette Béliveau St)/Free/5-7pm
A showcase of local turntablists and breaks practitioners, featuring DJ Brace, Ken Lo, and Math Rosen.
+ Pre Nocturne Roland Showcase
@ SAT (1195 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / Free / 7-8pm
An interactive evening to see who will win 1st place in the Roland Synthesizer Contest. Featuring special performances by Poirier and FM Radio Gods.
+ A/Visions 1: The Industrial Evolution
@ Salle Pierre-Mercure (300 boulevard de Maisonneuve Est) / $25 / 8-10pm
A showcase exploring the intersection between granular synthesis, fabrications of light and image, and the beauty of inherent rhythm and repetition. Featuring an audio/visual live set by Mika Vainio (ex-Pan Sonic), a live PA by Emptyset, and multi-sensory performance by Purform (Elektra Festival founder Alain Thibault & visual artist Yan Breuleux).
+ Carrément Design
@ UQAM – Pavillon Judith-Jasmin (405 Sainte Catherine East) / Free / 10-11pm
Inspired by The Mole’s 7 Inches of Love label, featuring 7″ re-edits by The Mole and DJ Poontz.
+ Nocturne 1: Machinimations
@ Metropolis (59 Sainte-Catherine East) / $30 / 10pm-3am
The first Nocturne event promises breathtaking live sets from Amon Tobin, Badawi, and Gold Panda.
Modeselektor, who plays Nocturne 2: Modeselektion
+ MUTEK Artists On the Ground
@ Radio-Canada (1400, boul René-Lévesque E) / Free / 12-4pm
Radio-Canada’s Bande à part is hosting an afternoon of free music at the front plaza of the CBC building. Featuring DJ sets by Richie Hawtin, Jacques Greene, Amon Tobin, and Ken Lo.
+ Metro Arts 2
@ Berri-Uqam Metro Station / Free / 4:30-5:30pm
Local techno producers The Gulf Stream play an unexpected set at one of Montreal’s busiest metro stations.
+ Expérience 2
@ Place de la Paix (Saint-Laurent Blvd@Juliette Béliveau St)/Free/ 5-7pm
A showcase of local techno producers, featuring Meek, Sinteg, and Xavier Lebuis.
+ Windows Live Sessions 2
@ Windows Lounge (1182 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / Free / 4:30-5:30pm
World renowned Montreal-based producer Deadbeat explains how he uses Windows 7 in his music.
+ A/Visions 2: Rapid-Eye Dreamers
@ Salle Pierre-Mercure (300 boulevard de Maisonneuve Est) / $25 / 8-10pm
Exploring the combination of classical textures and 3D visuals, this features live sets by Murcof & AntiVJ, Seth Horvitz (aka Sutekh) presenting studies in prepared piano, and the Canadian debut of Comaduster’s “Scrape” live PA.
+ Nocturne 2: Modeselektion
@ Metropolis (59 Sainte-Catherine East) / $30 / 10pm-3am
With Modeselektor doing the booking, this event features sets by the German duo, FaltyDL, Anstam, Jacques Greene, Sirismo, Arthur Oskan, Billy Dallessandro, Mateo Murphy, and Groj.
+ Para Nocturne: Psychonautic Surfers
@ SAT (1195 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / $20 / 10pm-1am
An event running parallel to Nocturne 2, this event features sets by ARP, Hype Williams, The Sun Araw Band, Organ Mood, and Sundrips.
Traversable Wormhole, who plays Nocturne 3: Parallel Spaces
+ Metro Arts 3
@ Berri-Uqam Metro Station / Free / 4:30-5:30pm
Local techno producer Mateo Murphy plays an unexpected set at one of Montreal’s busiest metro stations.
+ Windows Live Sessions 3
@ Windows Lounge (1182 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / Free / 7-8pm
Seattle producer Pezzner explains how he uses Windows 7 in his music.
+ Expérience 3
@ Place de la Paix (Saint-Laurent Blvd@Juliette Béliveau St)/Free/5-7pm
A showcase of local garage and funky-inspired producers Bowly, Hissy Fit, and Knowing Looks.
+ A/Visions 3: Fab Gadgets
@ SAT (1195 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / $25 / 8-10pm
Multimedia arts reign supreme for this third installment of the A/Visions series. Features mind-melting AV sets from Sculpture, Tristan Perich, and Women With Kitchen Appliances.
+ Nocturne 3: Parallel Spaces
@ Metropolis (59 Sainte-Catherine East) / $40 / 11pm-3am
The most coveted names in techno take over the Metropolis for what is expected to be a deep and echo-heavy evening. Featuring live sets by Deepchord presents: Echospace, Plastikman, Traversable Wormhole, XI, Komodo, Skinnybones, and Tomas Jirku.
Floating Points, who plays Piknic 1: Outer House
+ Piknic 1: Outer House
@ Jean-Drapeau Park (Île Ste-Hélène 59) / $10 / 2-9pm
An afternoon and evening of left-field house with DJ sets from Floating Points and Terry Lee Brown Jr., as well as sets by Luke Abbott, Footprintz, Simon Called Peter, The Gulf Stream, and Recife.
+ Expérience 4
@ Place de la Paix (Saint-Laurent Blvd@Juliette Béliveau St/Free/7-9pm
A showcase of local electronic producers Diane Labrosse, Montag, Dominic Vanchesteing, Navet Confit, and Olivier Alary.
+ Designer_Mix
@ SAT (1195 Saint-Laurent Blvd) / $25 / 10-1am
This soirée is dedicated to Berlin, Buenos Aires and Montreal, the first three cities to join UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network in the “design” category. Featuring sets from Pole, Deadbeat & Lillevan, Chancha Via Circuito, and Sol del Rio.
+ Nocturne 4: Beyond the Autobahn
@ Metropolis (59 Sainte-Catherine East) / $35 / 11pm-6am
This seven hour event puts the emphasis on live-electronics and genre fusion. Featuring sets by Elektro Guzzi, Four Tet, James Holden, Stephen Beaupré, Max Ulis, Monolithium, Michael Red, Babe Rainbow, Calamalka, Daega Sound System, and Rocketnumbernine.
Horror Inc., who plays Nocturne 5: Perpetual E_Motion
+ Piknic 2
@ Jean-Drapeau Park (Île Ste-Hélène 59) / $10 / 2-9pm>
For Piknic 2 this year, they’re trying something new: the curators spontaneously invite guests from the MUTEK 2011 line-up to break out their DJ bags and go to town on an unsuspecting audience.
+ Nocturne 5: Perpetual E_Motion
@ Metropolis (59 Sainte-Catherine East) / $25 / 10pm-3am
To close the festival, the last Nocturne event features sets by Horror Inc., Wareika, Danuel Tate, and Radiq.
