31 August 2026
Founded in 2003, the Festival de musique émergente en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (FME) has spent over two decades establishing itself as one of North America’s premier showcases for independent and alternative music. Taking place annually over Labour Day weekend in the small mining city of Rouyn-Noranda, Québec, the festival serves as the ultimate discovery for new International talent, transforming local taverns, rogue outdoor spaces and more into a wide network of live performances.
Nestled next to the beautiful Lake Osisko, the festival will this week celebrate its 24th edition from September 3 to 6, 2026, bringing together more than 80 Canadian and international acts alongside industry delegates and thousands of attendees to what is famously known as the ‘Copper Capital’ of Quebec. Think Brighton’s The Great Escape, but with a little more French, free street parties, rogue set landscapes and the odd poutine.
Ahead of this year’s festivities, here are five non-negotiable acts to add to your schedule.
Zach Zoya & High Classified
Both an explosive collaboration and special festival homecoming, rapper/singer Zach Zoya grew up right in Rouyn-Noranda, while multi-platinum producer High Klassified hails from Laval. Joining forces, Zoya’s versatile vocal range and lightning-fast flows lock into Klassified’s signature sound, characterised by intricate drum patterns, ethereal melodies, and innovative textures, to create a high-octane stage dynamic. We expect this to be the best of both worlds.
Aswell
A rising force in Quebec’s contemporary hip-hop scene, Aswell operates within a perfectly fused soundscape of melodic pop and introspective emo-rap with Franglais lyricism. A fan favourite in his native area, Aswell has racked up millions of streams, turning vulnerability, heartbreak and angst into anthemic hooks with replay factor. Expect an emotionally raw and captivating performance that will chime with the audience effortlessly.
Hologramme
The moniker of Montreal producer and composer Clément Leduc, Hologramme creates dystopian and atmospheric dance music, presenting a fusion of UK garage, ambient, electronic and house soundscapes. Influenced by his classical and jazz piano background, keyboards and modular synths come to life on stage, with flavours not too dissimilar from 2000s underground electronic music in Britain. Think Burial meets DJ Seinfeld… this is bound to sound great bouncing around four walls or equally outdoors.
SUUNS
Another staple act hailing from Montreal’s experimental music landscape, SUUNS are one to catch this weekend. Crafting a hypnotic fusion of art-rock, electronic elements, and dark synth-driven rhythms, their explosive live climaxes are set to light up Fin De Soirée at 11:30pm on Saturday.
A longstanding pillar of Montreal’s experimental music landscape, SUUNS crafts a hypnotic fusion of art-rock, krautrock, and dark synth-driven rhythms. Known for their tense, brooding soundscapes and explosive live climaxes, the trio builds an intoxicating tension on stage that makes their festival sets an absolute rite of passage.
TDJ
Short for Terrain De Jeux, TDJ (Geneviève Ryan-Martel) is at the forefront of the global trance and eurodance renaissance. Blending nostalgic early-2000s synth melodies, melancholy vocal hooks, and high-bpm club beats, her sets generate a wave of euphoric nostalgia designed to keep festival-goers dancing late into the night. With multiple sets on HÖR Berlin, Boiler Room and festivals around the globe, expect this one to be a journey all through trance.
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