CTRL+ALT festival, celebrating Montreal’s alternative and underground talents

A new festival is giving Montrealers a chance to discover the city’s underground culture and alternative scene. The CTRL-ALT festival, taking place at Place du Village, is offering a series of performances from local artists – aiming to shed light on the realities of artistic marginalized communities.

This event organized by the Studio ZX will be on from Friday to Sunday, on July 19 to 21.

“During the festival, you can expect everything that the underground nightlife has to offer. It ranges from disciplines and artists that do burlesque, drag, dance, electronic music, percussion. It’s really the essence of what Montreal Nightlife is about,” says Vicky Ouellette, General Director of Studio ZX.

“Putting the spotlight on marginalized artists, like a new generation of marginalized artists that have undeniable talent and passion, but are cruelly underutilized in Montreal’s mainstream culture. So it’s basically about bringing the means of creation and production and just offering the opportunity for them to truly shine, like the true superstars that they are,” adds Audrey Béland, vice-president of Studio ZX.

DJ Mossy Mugler is among the artists performing at the festival.

“Music for my whole life has always been some kind of escape. It was the one place I used to go to and feel like I could do anything and felt things that I haven’t felt outside of that. During my sets, I kind of like to tickle the part of the self that brings out the inner child,” says Mugler.

For CTRL+ALT’s hostess, Christen Marlot (Miss Chris), events like this festival have been crucial in paving the way for her involvement in major productions like TV show About Antoine on Netflix.

“Before I even got that show [About Antoine], I used to just be a go-go dancer. If it wasn’t for people believing in me and giving me those short opportunities that led into bigger opportunities, that led into other things and other ventures, it’s really how it is. It’s always been this way.” says Marlot.

“I want them to feel free. I want them to feel like they can look around and be themselves. I want them to feel not judged and I want them to have a good time, definitely,” says Mugler.