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Spanning four days, Thursday through Sunday, the 15th edition of the Festival de musique émergente en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (FME) took place over the Labor Day weekend in Rouyn-Noranda.

Brigsby Bear is a comedy about a man in his thirties who learns that the only people he’s ever known, his loving parents, are actually two criminals who kidnapped him as a baby and brainwashed him into believing the outside world was (literally) toxic. His favorite TV show and the target of his obsessive fanboyism, the hilariously surreal lo-fi production Brigsby Bear, is really a propaganda tool created by his fake father, played by Mark Hammill (who is a joy, although not overburdened with things to do in the film).

The theme of the current Guns N' Roses tour is “Not in This Life-Time”: no one, not even the band members themselves, thought they would reunite. Millions of fans wanted to see the group back together again, but it seemed there was "nothing left to do, too many things were said”, to quote another famous rock band. So, when it was announced in 2016 that they would be playing The Troubadour, Coachella and proceeding on a worldwide tour, I was beyond excited for the prospect of a live performance. The question remained, however, whether they would make a stop in Montreal, after the infamous 1992 riots, where the Olympic Stadium was trashed by angry fans following shortened sets.

Festivals can be a truly polarizing experience. On one hand, there are a lot of unknown variables that can lend themselves to a bad time. Not so friendly weather, band cancellations, poor planning, and endless lines at food stands and bathrooms. On the other hand, there’s nothing quite like watching your favourite artists in the great outdoors, the freedom to be as much (or as little) part of the action as you like, and just the feeling of warm air and summer vibes that connect you with the rest of the attendees in a way you just don’t get inside a closed venue. While Pitchfork Festival has a history of strong line-ups and excellent organization, I still wasn’t sure what to expect, it being my first time attending.