From a symphonic concert in Montreal to a reunion with Breabach and a 25th-anniversary tour, the five members of Quebec’s progressive folk band Le Vent du Nord discuss the projects taking them into 2027. Interview by Juliette Barber
It’s a year since the release of Voisinages, which has received an enthusiastic response internationally. Now that you’ve had time to take the music on the road, what has surprised you most about the reaction to the album?
Olivier Demers (OD):It’s been such a fantastic year! Our show Voisinages, directed by the one and only Michel Faubert, is getting a tremendous response. We have a bit of fun with the concept of neighbourhoods and our relationships with our neighbours. We’re selling more albums than ever, which, we admit, is a bit unusual these days. In short, we’re truly in our element with this tour.
This December, Le Vent du Nord joins the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal at the Maison symphonique for a special festive concert. What makes this collaboration particularly special, and what can audiences expect from the arrangements?
OD: This very special concert means a great deal to us. Although we have performed many symphonic concerts, playing with the OSM, one of the world’s great orchestras, right here in Montreal, in front of our own community and fans travelling in for the event, is deeply moving and exciting for us. We’ll have the opportunity to perform arrangements we know well, masterfully crafted by Tom Myron, our dear friend and key partner in this symphonic journey since 2007, as well as two new pieces arranged specifically for the occasion by Jean-Nicolas Trottier. We will also have the immense pleasure of hearing an overture created by Marianne Trudel, weaving together fragments of melodies and songs from Le Vent du Nord! It promises to be a delight for the ears. Naturally, the concert will have an uplifting spirit, designed to usher everyone into the magical atmosphere of the holiday season.
You return to the UK in January 2027, continuing the Voisinages tour. How has the live show developed over the past year, and what can audiences expect from these performances?
Nicolas Boulerice (NB):First of all, we are incredibly lucky to be able to return to England, Scotland or Wales several times a year like this. Our Voisinages concert has adapted to us, and we to it; we’ve only tweaked a few details. However, things are about to change! We’re going to start gradually introducing new material for our special 25th-anniversary concert. I think our audience is in for quite a few surprises come January.
One of the highlights of the UK dates is Le Retour: Scotland Meets Quebec, your collaboration with Scottish folk group Breabach, commissioned by Celtic Connections. The two bands first worked together in 2010, but this new production brings all 10 musicians together as one ensemble. How has the collaboration evolved, and what has it been like revisiting each other’s musical approaches after so many years?
NB: It’s certainly a highlight for us, both musically and in terms of friendship. It will have been 17 years since our bands first had the pleasure of collaborating. What’s interesting is seeing what has remained constant and what has changed. Our musical approaches differ, and I can say that diving into Breabach’s arrangements is a truly enriching experience for us. We’re all really looking forward to getting back on stage with this great group of people.
March 2027 marks the beginning of your 25th-anniversary tour, with performances planned across the western United States, Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Liechtenstein. The anniversary show will revisit highlights of your repertoire with new arrangements. What can audiences expect from the anniversary production, and how are you bringing together music from across the band’s career?
Réjean Brunet (RB): We are proud of everything the band has achieved after so many years on the road. We feel very lucky to have spent that time sharing our music and culture with audiences. Our 25th-anniversary show will take our fans on a trip down memory lane, with older and newer songs woven together to give an overview of the band’s career.
The collaboration with Breabach continues in early April, with a Canadian and US tour of Le Retour. What are you most looking forward to about taking this joint production on the road in North America?
RB: It will be another great collaboration with Breabach, bringing back memories of our last tour together. We’re looking forward to performing new repertoire from both bands while respecting what each has achieved in its own right.
The anniversary celebrations will continue into summer 2027, with special performances planned at Francos de Montréal and Festival d’été de Québec. What are you preparing for these two special performances?
André Brunet: Le Vent du Nord will celebrate its 25th anniversary on 16 March and the celebrations will continue well beyond 2027. Preparations are already underway, and we’re excited to bring back repertoire we set aside over the years. We want our fans to discover or rediscover the band’s songs and we’ve already started collecting requests from them. There will be surprises at these two big concerts, which we want to be festive and full of emotion! We can’t say more about our guests just yet, but let’s say some faces will be very familiar. We want our people with us, like a big family, to make these concerts memorable for our fans and, above all, for us.
Beyond these dates, you’re also developing further touring plans for Sweden, Spain and the UK. With Voisinages, Le Retour and the anniversary production all part of your schedule, how are you balancing these different projects and shaping the next phase of the band’s international touring activity?
André (Dédé) Gagné: We definitely don’t have much time to sit still. That’s just how we are! Having different projects on the go keeps us focused, and we love a good challenge. Luckily, we have a great team behind us, with our manager, Geneviève Nadeau, and our agents in different countries. It’s a real team effort, and everyone has their own role to play in making sure things run smoothly. We’re always looking forward to what’s next, and as long as we keep enjoying what we do, we’ll keep going!
To discover more about
Le Vent du Nord, visit leventdunord.com