On a Good Friday evening, the microtonal rock duo Angine De Poitrine, blessed the city of Montreal with a show to celebrate the launch of their new album Vol II. In our city, you can ask anyone remotely aware of the music scene about the “weirdest party band,” and we all know exactly who they are — but in recent months, the rest of the world has finally caught on. Every music site is reviewing their albums now, and people are absolutely here for it.
Now, for a little context: ever since I started shooting local bands and underground festivals here in Montreal, I’ve heard the name Angine De Poitrine. The Quebec music scene is weird and vast in the best way; we are extremely lucky to have shows every single night outside of the big venues, with local bands creating incredible stuff. Yet, despite all the shows I’ve covered, I had somehow always missed the “polka dot duo” for one reason or another.
I watched them go viral, then saw them sell out shows in New York and Toronto in literal minutes. When they announced the dates at Club Soda (which also sold out instantly), I thought: “This is it. It’s now or never.” It might sound hyperbolic, but Club Soda is one of the most legendary venues in Montreal’s history. This was likely the last chance we would get to see a band on the brink of global stardom in a room like that — a stage that saw bands like Oasis play their first American dates back in the 90s when nobody knew who they were. It had the potential to be one of those “history book” shows. It delivered.
Maybe I’m biased writing this with the post-show hype still buzzing, but I feel lucky to have been there. The night felt like a celebration of our local underground, and simultaneously, a bit of a going-away party. We were watching a Québécois underground duo transform into a global phenomenon right before they fly off for a sold-out European tour.
I arrived about an hour before doors to meet my friend and fellow photographer, Steve. As we looked around the empty room, we joked: “This place is gonna get its roof blown off tonight, eh?” By 8:00 PM, we were greeted by an MC who thanked the crowd for witnessing such a milestone and announced we’d be treated to two “secret” openers. “Hey, maybe it’s The Foo Fighters,” we joked — especially with Dave Grohl posting on Instagram about how he can’t stop listening to these guys.
But of course, since this was a celebration of our scene, it was only right that the openers were two legendary Quebec duos who have been staples of experimental rock for years. First on the bill was Crabe, whose vibe feels like controlled chaos. Their set is consistently weird and keeps you guessing, but their skills are incredibly polished. They were constantly swapping instruments or pieces of the drumkit, even bringing a guitar-shaped Lite Brite on stage… for no reason at all other than, well, Lite Brites are fun.
Next up was DVTR. Their sound is also experimental but much more punk-forward than the heavy riffs of Crabe. It was the perfect transition to warm up the crowd, and they had the mosh pit moving at full speed for the entire set. Laurence, the singer, ended the set by diving into the pit herself. During both opening sets, you couldn’t help but feel the energy of a 50-person basement venue — punk riffs blasting and beer flying — except we were in an absolutely packed Club Soda.
After DVTR, the curtains of the stage closed like a vintage theater. I’ve been here countless times, but it was my first time seeing the curtains actually used. It added to the anticipation of the big reveal. At around 9:45 PM, the house lights cut and the PA music stopped. Weird, atmospheric guitar riffs began to swell as the curtains opened to reveal two alien-like, polka-dotted creatures making their signature pyramid sign toward the audience.
Whatever words I use to describe the duo, they aren’t easy to understand; you just have to watch one of their viral clips to get it. They speak their own “alien language” on stage — a raspy, robotic voice merged with heavy guitar riffs. You don’t understand the words, but somehow, you get the message. Their pyramid sign feels like “hello” and “thank you” all at once. They nodded in approval to the crowd before kicking things off with “Yor Zarad,” and “Angor,” the closing tracks of the new album.
The energy was incredible. We’re talking about an experimental prog-rock show, but the atmosphere felt like a peak 90s punk gig. The mosh pit was relentless, and the crowd surfing was non-stop. Halfway through the set, I went to the bar to get a drink and noticed all the bartenders were gathered at the edge of the corridor, heads nodding, completely mesmerized. It took a full song for them to notice the people waiting for beer, but I wasn’t even mad. This was likely their last chance to see them in this setting, too.
I’ve had so many friends tell me their show is “something else” or “completely crazy.” I’m not usually the biggest fan of experimental prog, so I kept waiting for the act to lose its charm or get old. It never did. There is something about the raw energy of the music combined with the goofy papier-mâché costumes that is just utterly compelling.
I walked out of the venue looking like a walking merch booth — new shirt on, vinyl in hand. For those of you with tickets for the second show on the 18th, enjoy the madness. For those who missed out, you won’t have to wait long: they’ll be playing the main stage at Jazz Fest this summer. The only difference is you’ll be trading a 900-person room for a crowd of 50,000+.
Walking into the Metro to head home, I just felt joy. I had experienced the most hyped musical project this province has produced since Celine Dion. And that statement alone is something else.
GALLERY: Angine De Poitrine with DVTR at Club Soda in Montreal, Quebec, Canada (April 3, 2026)
