Voivod & The Montreal Symphony Orchestra Inspire at Place De Arts [Photos]

“Je capote!” Translated, it means I’m really excited. Excitement was the feeling shared by a room full of metalheads as they gracefully made their way into the legendary Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier for an evening the like of which they had never before experienced. I heard those words a few times from more than a few fans, and I probably even said them myself. We were all there to take in a show unlike any most of us had ever seen live. Due to take the stage with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra was Québec’s greatest export to the world of metal, and currently not subject to any tariffs, Voivod.

Heavy metal and classical music are familiar bedfellows. The two genres share many characteristics, themes, and melodies, though not necessarily wardrobe. I chuckled a little bit watching the dressed to the nines ushers leading the t-shirt denim and leather-clad fans to their seats. As the lights began to dim, the first violin waved the famous devil horns to the fans, who were more than happy to return the gesture. Chief Conductor Dina Gilbert soon followed before Voivod made their way to the stage themselves.

Opening with the song “Experiment” off of their 1988 album Dimension Hatröss was an inspired choice, as this musical experiment began with the chants of ‘Risk It, Try It, Find It!’ The rest of the set was culled from several of their albums, all augmented by the masterful playing of the orchestra. As if the music wasn’t enough, a large video wall behind the stage aired personalized illustrations for each song. All were creations of drummer Michel ‘Away’ Langevin, who also handles all of the artwork for their albums. He also laid down a thunderous beat, along with bassist Dominic ‘Rocky’ Laroche.

Singer Denis ‘Snake’ Belanger’s voice was in its finest rasp, and guitarist Daniel ‘Chewy’ Mongrain looked to be having the most fun of anyone in the building. It was his idea to see Voivoid play with the OSM, and he was also a key member in putting the whole evening together. There isn’t much smiling in metal, but his smile on this night was as loud as the music that was being played.

This was more than just a concert; it was a historic cultural event. Ok, that might be a bit of an overstatement, but as the date got closer, there was a sense of anticipation and buzz throughout the city that doesn’t happen very often. Musical worlds collided and the explosive results will live on forever in my memory, as well as those of everyone who was fortunate enough to experience it firsthand. Congrats, Voivod. It’s been a few days since the show, et je capote encore.

Voivod & The Montreal Symphony Orchestra @ Place De Arts (Montreal, QC) on January 29th, 2025

30 photos