Montreal’s Totem Music Festival

It was under the refreshing spray of the Ste-Agathe de Lotbinière waterfalls that the second edition of Totem Music Festival took place. Only two and a half hours from Montreal, this idyllic location came to life for three days of electro swing, trance, break beat and deep house. Around six hundred people attended the festival, organized by Cruz Control, a music event collective based in Montreal. After setting up camp in the forest, we walked down towards the stage, following the amplifying beat until we emerged from the trees, discovering the sunlit beach on which electro swing DJ Khalil stood spinning the first set of the festival.

Musical highlights included Digital Committee, a Montreal-based Techno duo whose beats packed the dance-floor on Saturday afternoon. The pretty blonde CatWithNoName also brought great vibes with her bouncy techno. British DJ Hedflux, who calls his genre ‘psychedelic tech-funk,’ had the festival’s stoic survivors dancing as hard as ever at 8 on a Sunday morning. Live performances were not limited to music. Cruz Control invited Mateo, a French street artist, to do live painting on a massive wood canvas set up on the hill overlooking the waterfall. Over several hours, the Montreal-based artist painted a bright and beautiful portrait of Hindu goddess Ganesh, and invited festivalgoers to join in, spreading his stencils and spray cans for all to contribute their creativity. Hours later, a healthy mix of sunshine, electro beats and psychedelic inspiration had made for a beautiful collaborative final piece.

After spraying my contributions onto the wood, I sat down with DJ Khalil for a chat. The UK raised disk and video jockey, who we’re used to seeing in Montreal at Sala Rossa for Speakeasy Electroswing, described Totem as being “camping with music that never stops.” I asked him how the dreadlocked, heavily tattooed, and eccentrically dressed crowd compares to what we’re used to in Montreal. “There’s a wider variety of ages. It’s an alternative group of like-minded people, a lot of whom came here together, so there’s definitely a familiar, friendly vibe.”

The foodstands greatly contributed to this atmosphere. Both Octopus Garden and El Corridor provided better food than you’d ever dream of savoring at a festival, prepared with care by fun, friendly people. The first, catered by the lovely Nina and her boyfriend John, served everything from couscous to breakfast burritos, which I devoured after over twelve hours of dancing on the beach. The couple brandished umbrellas inside of which they had soldered LED lights, catching the eye of any hungry passerby. A few weeks earlier, a friend of mine was stranded after another festival, and they kindly gave him a ride home. Upon arriving at Totem and being introduced to them and their cooking, I immediately felt the familiar vibe that set Totem apart. El Corridor provided Caribbean treats, such as the finger lickin’ good Jamaican ribs, cooked up by the lovely Genevieve, who hails from Antigua. A funky stand called the Fairies’ Pyjamas sold free trade, organic festival accessories and clothes, the perfect addition to raving outfits.

Dogs were welcome to the event and made the dancing on the beach all the more fun. One man brought his female husky, whose puppies got continual cuddles and attention from festivalgoers. Stumbling back to our tent for some much needed sleep late Sunday morning, I came across the blue-eyed fluff balls, and ended up lying in the grass with four of them sleeping on my chest for a couple hours. Another great source of comfort were the masseuses, who very kindly gave me a free massage on the edge of the dance floor around 4 am that night.

Festivalgoers and DJs alike were thrilled to groove in this idyllic location. Khalil spoke of the perks of escaping the hectic urban nightlife for a more peaceful festival experience. “What’s there not to like? You’ve a got a great sound system in front of a waterfall. It’s a break from the city, the cars, and the visual junk you see in town. I’m grateful to be invited to play in such a setting. It’s mixture of business and pleasure that inspires you to keep working hard.”

Totem attracts an eclectic crowd of people. Some come to delve into psychedelic trips in a stunning setting, others to dance with their feet in the sand for 72 straight hours. The food alone is reason enough to attend, but that’s not to say it’s for everyone. Totem is a loud and intense rave that goes all day and all night, with copious trance rhythms that you either love or hate. But for those who do appreciate it, this festival provides one of the most underground music experiences one could wish for, surrounded by fantastic people in a gorgeous location.

Written by Thaïs Martin