The French infused Osheaga Festival kicks off this weekend in Montreal and the MFW crew will be on hand along with 35,000 of our closest friends. As first timers to Osheaga, we’re going to share our cheat sheet with you.
Quick Glance Osheaga
Founded: 2006
Attendence: 35000
Dates: August 3-5, 2102
City: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Venue: Parc Jean-Drapeau on the îles Sainte-Hélène
More Info:
Osheaga Official Website
Osheaga on Facebook
Osheaga on Twitter
The Scene
Osheaga is what we fondly call a “mega-festival”. It’s also one of our picks for Top 10 Canadian Festivals of 2012. Check out what we had to say about it earlier this year:
Osheaga may be smack dab in the middle of Montreal, but doesn’t feel like a downtown festival due to the tranquil Ile Sainte-Helene. Of course, you’re sharing that peaceful location with 30,000 screaming manics. The island festival has featured big names in recent years like Arcade Fire, The Flaming Lips, Sonic Youth, Coldplay, Snoop Dogg, and The National. Scan the local paper for late night after party scenes throughout the city.
Travel Tips
–If coming from the States, don’t forget your passport!
–The venue is on an island with limited parking. Take the Metro from downtown instead.
–If driving in for the day, there should parking available in downtown garages anywhere from $10-$20 for the day.
–There’s no camping at Osheaga.
–There are water fountains on site so definitely bring along a water bottle.
Lineup Video
The Daily Lineup
Friday, August 3rd: LP, Fun, Radio Radio,Franz Ferdinand, Florence + The Machine, Justice, Charli XCX, The Walkmen, Down With Webster, Amadou & Mariam, The Weeknd, Sigur Rós, Hey Ocean!, Poliça, Bombay Bicycle Club, Of Monsters and Men, Gary Clark Jr., Classified, MGMT, Solids, Yukon Blonde, Freelance Whales, The Jezabels, Dum Dum Girls, Atlas Sound, Wintersleep, Half Moon Run, Les Breastfeeders, Funkyfalz, Prison Garde, Mak 10 & Hyper MC, Huoratron
Saturday, August 4th: The Dø, Portugal. The Man, Plants and Animals, Dumas, Garbage, Snoop Dogg, Kathleen Edwards, Calexico, Young The Giant, Brand New, Feist, Memoryhouse,The Aggrolites, Cursive, The Raveonettes, ASAP Rocky, Yeasayer, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Propofol, Karim Ouellet, Kandle, Black Lips, Young Galaxy, Arkells, Avec pas d’casque, The Death Set, The Sheepdogs, Simon Called Peter, Kaytradamus, Nosaj Thing, Brandt Brauer Frick, SBTRKT, Little Dragon, Adventure Club
Sunday, August 5th: Zeus, Aloe Blacc, Common, Passion Pit, City and Colour, The Black Keys, CHAPPO, Dan Mangan, Tame Impala, Santigold, The Shins, Metric, Peter Peter, The Airplane Boys, The Airborne Toxic Event, Austra, Woodkid, Bloc Party, M83, Doe Paoro, Zola Jesus, Koriass, Michael Kiwanuka, James Vincent McMorrow, Sandro Perri, The Black Angels, Asexuals (band), Keys N Krate, Vosper, Zombie Disco Squad, Le Matos, Buraka Som Sistema, Madeon, Wolfgang Gartner, Knife Party
WHAT DOES OSHEAGA MEAN?
From the Osheaga FAQ:
Osheaga was a name used for the area that is now Montreal by some of the first European settlers in the region. The name is said to originate from Jacques Cartier when he met the Mohawks near the Lachine rapids in what is now Montreal. But so the Mohawk oral history goes the white man was waving with his hands, either offering to shake hands or asking about rapids on the river. The astonished Mohawks looked at each other and said “O she ha ga” which meant people of shaking hands. From the meeting Cartier transcribed the word Osheaga as meaning large rapids while the Mohawks would use the oral phrase to describe where they met the people of the shaking hands.