Being a 14-year-old Montréal teenager in 2011 at the height of the indie sleaze/hipster  era felt magical. American Apparel  disco pants, Toms  shoes, owl necklaces, Polaroid cameras, and Tumblr dashboards glowing at 2 AM. Millennial optimism was at an all-time high, and Montréal rent was at an all-time low! The city felt like it belonged to artists. I was watching something special unfold in front of my eyes, something electric, something raw, and I wanted in!  WRITTEN BY RO

Ctrl+Alt Festival  is more than just another event on Montreal’s cultural calendar; it’s a statement and celebration of the underground heart of the city! The festival unites six collectives and organizations that shape the city’s nightlife, offering a 100% local program, free and open to all, right in the heart of the Village. Through live performances, DJ sets, drag, dance, and burlesque, Ctrl+Alt creates space for alternative voices and stories often overlooked in the main

The air smelled of rain on concrete and cigarette smoke curling through lavender-scented glitter mist. Palomosa Festival was a warm embrace of Montréal’s underground spirit! A celebration for music artists, creatives, and rebels who refuse to be defined by mainstream aesthetics. Palomosa felt like an indie sleaze biographical documentary throwing up with vintage Y2K Dior sunglasses blackout as the clock struck midnight. Brushing shoulders with Tumblr kids that you would see