Picking only five things we loved at this year’s Osheaga Festival wasn’t easy, but here’s all the highs from Canada’s Coachella – featuring Chappell Roan, Green Day, Tyla, Planet Giza, Mannequin Pussy, and more!

It’s still hard to believe Osheaga 2024 is all over.

As the final note rung out from Sza’s set and the throng of thousands wondered towards the metro, the sense of joy — and sadness it was finished — hung above the crowd, mixed in with the dust.

Three days, 147,000 people, nearly 90 performances, and another successful Osheaga is in the books. While a comprehensive list of highlights would be nearly impossible — Sza singing on a giant bug, Amyl and the Sniffers rocking through a thunderstorm, The Linda Lindas’ turn towards hardcore punk, Arlo Parks dueting “Stick Season”with Noah Kahan, and the amazing food all make the long list — here are Atwood Magazine’s favourite moments.

Panoramic view of Chappell Roan's crowd at Osheaga 2024 © Benoit Rousseau — Panoramic view of Chappell Roan’s crowd at Osheaga 2024 © Benoit Rousseau

Saturday forever belongs to Chappell Roan.

There will be no shortage of words written on Chappell Roan’s Osheaga set, which was a headliner in scale despite it being mid-afternoon. Of the 40,000 people on the festival grounds, 30,000 were at Roan.

And they came ready: Drag makeup, homemade costumes, pink cowboy hats, giant pink inflatable ponies, even a sign with a fan’s phone number on it imploring Chappell to “call her” – you name it, her fans brought it. The ribbons in my hair, glitter highlighter, and crop top looked practically conservative amongst her rabid crowd.

Saturday was truly Chappell Roan’s day, and she knew it. She played to it, speaking in (recently learned) French and singing all the hits (like she releases anything else).

I’m sure other artists played on Saturday, but that truly doesn’t matter: Her hour-long set was a “capital E” Event, a real “I was there” moment in music history.

**Green Day perform American Idiot in its entirety.**

One of the poor saps who did have to play after Chappell Roan was closer Green Day. And while the crowd was clad very differently, and the set was nowhere near as choreographed or colourful, they still put on a hell of a show. Opening with “The American Dream is killing me,” they soon launched into a parade of every nineties punk classic you love, a reminder of how much this band used to mean to your teen self. However, the real showstopper came halfway through: A hand holding a bleeding heart grenade (you know the one) appeared on the screen, while Billie Joe Armstrong screamed “Welcome to the 20th anniversary of American Idiot.”

They played the whole record, front-to-back. I mean both mini-rock operas (complete with Mike Dirnt and Tres Cool singing their verses), right through to the last notes of “Whatsername.” Played with all the passion and rage as the day it was released (arguably it has never been more relevant), the nostalgia-obsessed crowd lapped it up. The band played a few songs after that, closing wth “Good Riddance (Time of your life)” but spiritually it ended when the heart grenade disappeared.

Tyla staked her claim as the next big thing.

Stood waiting for her set to start, watching the roadies inflate the giant tiger and strategically set out the tiger print podiums, you got the sense that you were about to see more than a concert; you were about to witness a show. Her six dancers were mesmerizing, moving fluidly and effortlessly around her, telling stories with their bodies that gave new meanings to the songs.

Tyla herself did it all: She sang, she danced, and she was so damn charismatic as to have the whole crowd in her palm. By the time she launched into her final song — “Water” of course — she had transcended the label of TikTok famous and become a bonafide star. Watching her in the afternoon and then Sza in the evening, you felt the only thing separating the two of them was time.

Planet Giza were the right vibe at the right time.

Everyone loves a hometown show, but few come bigger for a Montreal band than performing at Osheaga. Opening the final day in the blistering heatwave sun, Planet Giza offered a vibe that was impossible not to sway along with. Sounding like the children of The Roots, they were the perfect introduction for a day that also featured Sza and Raye.

With smooth vocals and a neo-soul instrumentation, Planet Giza were a party in their own right, somehow charming the crowd into dancing despite the suffocating heat. While I wasn’t overly familiar with them before the fest, they were the first band I listened to when I got home: Who doesn’t love a good fest find?

Mannequin Pussy bring punk flavour and messaging to the main stage.

The Philly four-piece may not have been the biggest punk names on the bill—not yet at least—they certainly brought the most teeth during their Friday set. While their guitars were blistering and lead singer Missy Dabice was furious, it was her between song diatribes that really showcased the band’s punk credentials. Screams of “Free Palestine,” “f*** anti-semitism” and “free Hawaii” hit hard between deeper remarks on the plights of non-men in society, on the crookedness of politicians, and the scourge of a system designed to hold us all day.

Mannequin Pussy are on the verge of becoming a huge deal on the backs of lyrics about these same topics , so it was refreshing to see them wear this on their sleeves. They weren’t like anyone else on the bill, and leaning into that made it feel like you were watching Hole just before they blew up.