Top 10 POP MTL Guide: Stage Presence Acts You Can’t Miss

POP Montréal 2025 runs September 24–28 for its 24th edition, filling the city with bold performances, theatrics, and unforgettable energy. This Top 10 Pop MTL guide spotlights artists whose stage presence takes the festival beyond music.

The festivities start Wednesday, Sept. 24 with an opening party at Clubhouse Rialto (5 PM) featuring kinji00, Nora Kelly, and Berta Boys Mashup, presented with PACT!, whose mission is to engage youth through innovative, shareable digital communication. 👉 RSVP here • Tickets & Passes

On Thursday, Sept. 25, catch Cœur de pirate on the Rialto Rooftop (6:30 PM, pass-holders only, not wheelchair accessible) and SUUNS + Circuit des Yeux at Théâtre Rialto (8 PM, $25 advance / $30 door), with SUUNS stepping in for Lankum.

⚠️ Already sold out: Angine de Poitrine, Billianne, Flower Face, Joseph Shabason, La Force, Unessential Oils.

🎶 Thursday, Sept. 25

1. Chanel Beads + Jules Reidy + Una Rose

Listen: Chanel Beads on Spotify

Time: 9:30 PM (Doors 9:00 PM)
Venue: Rialto Hall (Théâtre Rialto)
Tickets/info: POP Montréal calendar

🌙 Why go? Brooklyn’s Chanel Beads mix shoegaze and performance art with visuals that wrap the crowd in dreamlike haze. Add Una Rose’s indie pop warmth and Jules Reidy’s experimental touch, and you have a genre-bending kickoff.

⚡ Friday, Sept. 26

2. TEKE::TEKE + Holy Fuck

Listen: TEKE::TEKE • Holy Fuck

Time: 8:00 PM (Doors 7:00 PM)
Venue: Théâtre Rialto
Tickets/info: Event page

⚡ Why go? TEKE::TEKE combine Japanese psych-surf with cinematic visuals, while Holy Fuck attack synths with manic energy. Together, they guarantee one of POP MTL’s most explosive nights.

3. Isabella Lovestory + Jashim + Lexxicon

Listen: Isabella Lovestory

Time: ~11:00 PM
Venue: Piccolo Rialto
Tickets/info: POP Montréal calendar

💃 Why go? Perreo-pop queen Isabella Lovestory thrives on flamboyance – bold outfits, high-energy dance, and an interactive crowd connection that turns a show into a sweaty party.

✨ Saturday, Sept. 27

4. U.S. Girls + Elle Barbara + Shunk

Listen: U.S. Girls

Time: 8:00 PM (Doors 7:00 PM)
Venue: Théâtre Rialto
Tickets/info: Event page

✨ Why go? U.S. Girls bring bold art-pop and theatrical flair. With Elle Barbara’s soul and Shunk’s experimental energy, this lineup will be the festival’s crown jewel.

5. The Tubs + Ducks LTD + Ribbon Skirt

Listen: The Tubs • Ducks LTD • Ribbon Skirt

Time: 8:30 PM (Doors 7:30 PM)
Venue: La Sotterenea
Tickets/info: Event page

🔥 Why go? Ribbon Skirt’s identity-driven punk presence lights up the stage. Ducks LTD add jangly indie precision, while The Tubs channel Brit-rock charisma.

6. DAM

Listen: DAM

Time: Evening slot (same bill as Ribbon Skirt & Ducks LTD)
Venue: La Sotterenea
Tickets/info: POP Montréal calendar

✊ Why go? Palestinian pioneers of hip-hop, DAM infuse activism into rap with charisma that commands the stage. Their sets are both rally and performance.

🌌 To Be Announced

7. No Joy

Listen: No Joy

When/Where: TBA
Tickets/info: Lineup info

🌌 Why go? Montréal shoegazers No Joy pair walls of sound with hypnotic strobe-heavy shows. Their stage presence is immersive and enveloping.

8. SUUNS + Circuit des Yeux

Listen: SUUNS • Circuit des Yeux

When/Where: Thursday, Sept. 25 — 8:00 PM (Doors 7:00 PM)
Venue: Théâtre Rialto
Tickets/info: Event page

🕯️ Why go? Montréal’s own SUUNS bring hypnotic post-punk electronics that pulse with intensity, joined by the boundary-pushing Circuit des Yeux. A high-drama stage experience that turns the theatre into a pressure chamber.

9. Annie-Claude Deschênes

Listen: Annie-Claude Deschênes

When/Where: TBA
Tickets/info: POP Montréal calendar

🎭 Why go? Former Duchess Says frontwoman Annie-Claude pushes concerts into avant-garde theatre with unpredictable, eccentric stagecraft.

💥 Bonus Highlight

10. Holy Fuck (with TEKE::TEKE)

Listen: Holy Fuck

Time: Fri, Sept. 26 • Part of TEKE::TEKE show @ Théâtre Rialto
Tickets/info: Event page

💥 Why go? Their shows are explosions of sound — pounding beats, raw synths, and frenetic movement. Perfect for a high-energy late-night feature.

📌 Quick POP Montréal 2025 Schedule

Wed, Sept. 24
🍸 Opening Party with PACT! (kinji00, Nora Kelly, Berta Boys Mashup) — 5–8 PM @ Clubhouse Rialto

Thu, Sept. 25
🌆 Cœur de pirate — 6:30 PM @ Rialto Rooftop (Pass holders only; not wheelchair accessible)
🕯️ SUUNS + Circuit des Yeux — 8:00 PM @ Théâtre Rialto
🎶 Chanel Beads + Jules Reidy + Una Rose — 9:30 PM @ Rialto Hall

Fri, Sept. 26
⚡ TEKE::TEKE + Holy Fuck — 8:00 PM @ Théâtre Rialto
💃 Isabella Lovestory + Jashim + Lexxicon — ~11:00 PM @ Piccolo Rialto

Sat, Sept. 27
✨ U.S. Girls + Elle Barbara + Shunk — 8:00 PM @ Théâtre Rialto
🔥 The Tubs + Ducks LTD + Ribbon Skirt — 8:30 PM @ La Sotterenea
✊ DAM — Evening @ La Sotterenea

TBD
🌌 No Joy — TBA
✨ Anas & Itran — TBA
🎭 Annie-Claude Deschênes — TBA

Mic Drop Moment 🎤

With U.S. Girls’ theatrical centrepiece, Isabella Lovestory’s late-night fire, Ribbon Skirt’s storytelling, and DAM’s activism, this Top 10 Pop MTL guide is your roadmap to POP Montréal’s most unforgettable shows. Keep checking the POP Montréal calendar as more slots get confirmed, and get ready to fill your feed with photos, videos, and Spotify tracks that bring the festival to life. 🎶✨

From fashion runways to underground beats, Best Kept MTL is where Montréal’s hidden stories come to light ✨.