Under Pressure festival 2018 – A pioneer of urban culture in Montreal, Under Pressure festival 2018 celebrates the 23rd edition of its festival from Wednesday, August 8 to Sunday, August 12, 2018. For the occasion, Saint-Catherine Street East will be animated to the rhythm hip-hop and will host a variety of activities for young and old, including street art, urban dance, music, basketball and skateboarding.
UNDER PRESSURE 2018
Under Pressure festival 2018 begin Wednesday, August 8th and continue until Sunday, August 12th, 2018. St. Catherine Street East will be closed during the weekend, between Saint- Dominique Street and Saint- Elisabeth, where hundreds of local artists , national and international will take part in the event. On the program, frescoes on a dozen different walls, musical performances on three stages, urban dance competitions, exhibitions, conferences, basketball tournaments, children’s activities and more.
It is the BORO street-wear brand which signs the 2018 visual identity of the festival with a design highlighting the official entry of basketball in the programming of the event. The 23rd edition of the festival also presents the work of various Montreal actors and collaborates with various cultural and collective arts organizations in the city.
Thus, the festivities begin Wednesday, August 8th, Foufounes Electric with the 54th edition of its famous art competition Beaux Degâts. The XXL Under Pressure 2018 edition brings together, for more than two hours, 10 teams of artists who improvise murals of 8 ” X 8 ” on a theme distributed the same evening. Each team researches and appropriates visual references to conceptualize their production in front of the public. All mediums are allowed except aerosol. During the evening, the public votes for its favourite mural with their Pabst beer cans. The team with the most cans wins the right to go over the works of others if they wish. On the music side, it will be the Pull-Up Selecta collective, specialists in all the influences of reggae who will take control of the evening, not to mention the resident deejays Stramiboi and Brom. The X-WAM artist will do a beatbox performance. Everything will be animated by Osti One. A must for any art and music lover.
MAIN SHUTTERS
GRAFFITI AND STREET ART: EXTERIOR WALLS AND EXHIBITIONS
Production of ten murals with graffiti influences
Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 August
Saint- Catherine East, between Saint- Dominique and Saint– Elisabeth.
Since its inception in 1996, Under Pressure has become an important gathering for members of the local and international graffiti community. This year’s edition will count on the participation of over 35 artists from here and abroad.
While graffiti is the main focus of the festival, the urban art community also participates in the festivities. Thirty street artists will produce detailed works on smaller surfaces, using multiple mediums.
Queens Creation
Saturday, August 11 | 3 pm – 6 pm
Gamelin Gardens | 1500 Berri Street | Free
Created in 2013, Queens’ Creation is an annual event organized by CICU – International Convention of Urban Culture. It aims to celebrate, support and encourage the emancipation and recognition of women in urban culture, which is predominantly male. Nevertheless, this culture has more and more women, both in the visual arts, dance and music.
Live painting by Carolina Espinosa, HER and Monosourcil
Competitions and showcases of urban dances
Musical performances
Queens’ Creation Exhibition
Thursday 9 to Sunday 12 August
Saint-Catherine Theater | 264 Saint-Catherine Street East | Free
Once again, Queens’ Creation unites with the festival Under Pressure and presents a collective exhibition of about twenty local and international women artists with graffiti influences, street art, low brow and illustration. Artists are free to paint what they want but must include the title “Queen’s Creation” at their creation.
Conference Artists, Urban, Women
Saturday, August 11 | 12 pm to 3 pm
Saint-Catherine Theater | 264 Saint-Catherine Street East | Minimum donation of $2
Guests: Maliciouz, Smoluk, Klor (123Klan), Ola Volo, Baldassari MC, Loopkin and more!
Punchlines exhibition and D-Track rapper performance
Thursday 9 to Sunday 12 August | Opening: Thursday, August 9 from 5 pm to 11 pm
Fresh Paint Area | 201 Saint-Catherine Street East
Collective exhibition presenting the works of about thirty artists on the theme of language
MUSIC
Outdoor musical performances
Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th August
Throughout its history, the musical component of Under Pressure has always been composed of multiple local, national and international talents, making the trip at their own expense. This year, the festival will host more than 50 deejays and 20 emcees and will present a wide variety of musical styles, going well beyond the borders of hip-hop. With the desire to incorporate new members into the festival family, to discover new talent and bring a breath of fresh air to the event, the 2018 program relies on several new employees.
This year, the mega block party on Saint-Catherine Street East on Saturday afternoon will host the American rapper Brother Ali (Rhyme Sayers label), recognized in the hip hop scene for almost 20 years now for his rap committed and non-violent.
Another musical event not to be missed: Ground Loop presented by Sunday Scratch Sessions, Unlog, Carousel Tour, Loop Sessions & Artbeat Montreal. A closing event of the festival to satisfy any amateur scratch and beatmaking, Sunday, August 12 from 12 pm to 03 pm at the Foufounes Electric.
MUSICAL PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Saturday, August 12th
Scene Under Pressure | St. Catherine Street East | from noon to 8 pm| Free
Line-up: Overflow / Sugaface Nene / Serious Black / Easy El Dee
Block Party | from 5 pm to 7 pm: Kalmunity (Live impro jam)
Headline | 7 pm: Brother Ali
Scene 2 | St. Catherine Street East | from noon to 8 pm | Free
Line-up: Mixolog / Pachangon / Mizz Maxine / Furious / Shoreline / Shah
Scene 3 | rue de Boisbriand | from noon to 8 pm | Free
Line-up: Round Eye / Feel Valley / Uppercutz / Trash Family (Kl.tz / Digital Fire / I Am Sid), Raw Sound / Milton Clark / Planet Break (Spacekadet / Melodrastik / Pinky38 + more)
Sunday, August 13
Under Pressure Scene | St. Catherine Street East | from noon to 8 pm | Free
Line-up: Lloydie B + Obie1nder / Solespin
Scene 2 | St. Catherine Street East | from noon to 8 pm | Free
Line-up: DD Crew Tweak (Coach / GLarge / Kafide / Adam Papa / William J) / Kentsuji
Sunday Scratch Session presents: Manzo & Killa Jewel, Unlog & Artbeat Montreal
Scene 3 | rue de Boisbriand | from noon to 8 pm | Free
Line-up: Chi Unit / Shigero / Fk.Up / Orphan / Frozen / Melek / Lentils / Construct / Woblz / Nitrous
URBAN DANCE | Battles and cypher
Wednesday 8 to Sunday 12 August.
Fresh Paint Area | 209 Saint-Catherine Street East
An important element of urban and hip-hop culture is urban dance, or popularly called street dance. Thanks to Under Pressure, local break dance groups, such as Flowrock and Tactical crew, have demonstrated their expertise and shared their talent. In 2015, the festival’s dance component was awarded the 2015 GADFLY Award “Outstanding Production”, a prize celebrating Canadian urban dance artists.
This year, the dance part of the festival counts more than 14 disciplines over 5 days. Nearly 300 street dancers from all over the world will participate in the events. The jury will be made up of 15 professional dancers.
UNDER PRESSURE 2018 – OFFICIAL PROGRAMMING
WEDNESDAY 8 AUGUST
Fine Damage – Opening Event
Competition of live street art. 10 teams of artists.
Musical Programming: Selecta Pull-Up and Collective Branch
• Foufounes electriques, 87 rue Saint-Catherine Est. 8 pm to 2 am $8
HOME – Urban Dances
Categories: 1vs1 House, Waacking
• Espace UP, 201 Saint- Catherine Street. East. 7 pm to 10 pm. $10
THURSDAY 9 AUGUST
PUNCHLINES Opening
• Fresh Paint pop-up gallery. 201 Saint- Catherine Street East. 18 h. | Free
All For One – Urban Dances
Categories: All style
• Disstasy – 372 Saint-Catherine Street West. # 122. 7 pm to 10 pm $10
FRIDAY AUGUST 10
JAM SESSION: BALLERS – Urban Dances
Categories: 1vs1 Popping and Locking, 2vs2 Bboying Random Team Battle
• Disstasy – 372 Saint-Catherine Street West . # 122. 7 pm to 10:30 pm $15
SATURDAY 11 AND SUNDAY AUGUST 12
Saint-Catherine East Street and De Boisbriand Street, between Saint-Dominique and Saint-Élisabeth Streets.| Free
Outdoor activities, all weekend:
GRAFFITI AND STREET ART
Production of live walls
• Saint-Catherine Street East and the surrounding streets.
EMCEES AND DEEJAYS
Music performances of various styles on 3 stages.
• Saint- Catherine Street East. From noon to 8 pm
SKATEBOARD
Presented by SPIN
• Saint-Catherine Street. 3 pm
BASKETBALL
Street Ball by Montreal Classic Hoops
• Saint-Catherine Street. 1 pm to 5 pm
URBAN MARKET
Kiosks for the creation of local urban companies
• Saint-Catherine Street. From noon to 8 pm
SATURDAY, AUGUST 11
URBAN DANCES
KIDS OF THE CITY – (18 and under)
1vs1 Hip Hop, Popping, Breaking
Dancer Registration // Dancers registration to battle $10
• UP Space, 201 Saint-Catherine Street East. 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm.| Free
CONCRETE KINGS
1vs1 Toprock, Footwork
Dancer registration // Dancers registration to battle $5
• UP space, 201 Saint- Catherine Street East. 3:30 pm to 5 pm. | Free
THE JAM
1vs1 Bboying, Hip Hop. Powermove
• UP Space, 201 Saint-Catherine Street East. 7 pm to 10:30 pm $15
QUEENS CREATION
Event celebrating women in urban culture.
Exhibition presenting the works of about twenty artists
Live painting by Carolina Espinosa, HER and Monosourcil
Competitions of urban dances
• Gamelin Gardens. From 3 pm to 6 pm Donations accepted // By donation
Round Table: OFF THE RECORD- “Artists, urban, women”
• Saint-Catherine Theater, 264 Saint-Catherine Street East. 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm.| Minimum donation of $2.
BAJO PRESIÓN – Afterparty
By Ocasión and MTL Pachangón
Deejays: El Cotola, Asma, Sueños y raÃces.
• House 2109, 2019 rue Bleury. 10 pm to 3 am $5
SUNDAY AUGUST 12
URBAN DANCES
UP YOURS 2018 (2:00 pm – 7:30 pm) Crew VS Crew Breaking Battle,
1vs1 Finals (House, Popping, Locking, Waacking, Hip Hop)
Enrolment by crew // registration per crew $ 50
• Main Stage Under Pressure. 2 pm to 7:30 pm | Free.
GROUND LOOP
Presented by Sunday Scratch Sessions, Unlog, Carousel Tour, Loop Sessions & Artbeat Montreal
Live event of scratch and beatmaking.
• Foufounes electriques, 87 rue Saint-Catherine East Street. 12 pm to 3 pm
PRACTICAL INFORMATIONS
Location: Saint-Catherine Street East, between Saint-Dominique and Saint-Élisabeth
Metro: Berri-UQAM and Saint-Laurent
Dates: August 9 to 13, 2017
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ABOUT THE UNDER PRESSURE FESTIVAL
Founded in Montreal in 1996 by Seaz and Flow graffiti artists, Under Pressure is the oldest active urban crop festival in the world. Its primary mission is to encourage community involvement through urban culture, and thus contribute to the development and outreach of urban arts at the local and international levels. Managed entirely by a team of volunteers in love with hip-hop culture, the festival has since its inception just like the block parties born in the 70s in New York. The organizers, street artists, graffiti artists, deejays, emcees and urban dancers have been coming together every year for the past 22 years and are volunteering for the event through a love for hip-hop culture.
CICU – THE UNDER PRESSURE FESTIVAL AND THE FRESH PAINT GALLERY
The International Convention on Urban Culture (CICU) is a non-profit organization that brings together the Under Pressure Festival and the Fresh Paint Gallery. Its mission is to promote the different aspects of urban culture and to bring people together around it through cultural and educational events. The CICU’s goal is to develop citizen involvement, in order to contribute to the promotion of arts and urban culture at the local and international level.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Location: Saint-Catherine Street East, between Saint-Dominique and Saint-Elisabeth
Metro: Berri-UQAM and Saint-Laurent
The International Convention on Urban Culture thanks the City of Montreal, the Borough of Ville Marie, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Quebec, the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Moog Audio and all its partners for their constant support and their contribution to the radiation of the body.
