Avec pas d’casque + Maud Evelyne

For 20 years now, Avec pas d’casque has been sculpting its intimate folk music on record and on stage. Born from the meeting between Stéphane Lafleur (guitar and vocals) and Joël Vaudreuil (drums), the duo slowly became a quartet, with the arrival of Nicolas Moussette (bass, lapsteel) and Mathieu Charbonneau (euphonium, keyboards). Influenced in its early days by lo-fi folk and country music, the group has developed over time a sound of its own, supported by colorful and sensitive lyrics.

It was in 2003 that Avec pas d’casque performed publicly for the first time. A completely homemade CD-R is sold at shows and quickly earns a place on the student radio charts. The duo plays a few opening acts and is already starting to think about what’s next.

In 2006, Avec pas d’casque presented its first official album: Three boilers of blood. Nicolas Moussette then joins the group to defend the album on stage. Three Boilers of Blood was noticed by critics and received two nominations at the 2006 ADISQ gala, including that for “Country Album of the Year”. The same year, the Quebec Summer Festival awarded the group the “Prix Miroir de l’artiste d’ici”.

Now a trio, Avec pas d’casque released a record in 2008 entitled Dans la nature au cou au cou. The album was praised by critics and shined on several end-of-year charts. The following year, the group received two nominations at the ADISQ Gala, including one for “Songwriter of the Year” as well as the prize for best country/folk album at the GAMIQ awards gala.

In 2012, putting aside more lo-fi sounds, the group returned with Astronomie, an atmospheric and intimate folk album inspired by the colors of the night. Mathieu Charbonneau joins the group. Astronomie has received numerous awards including “Album of the Year – Critics’ Choice” and “Songwriter of the Year” at the ADISQ Gala as well as trophies for “Songwriter of the Year” and “Songwriter of the Year”. Folk Album of the Year” at the GAMIQ Awards Gala. Added to these honors is a presence on the long list of the 2012 Polaris Prize. The group plays almost everywhere across Quebec and its audience is growing significantly.

An EP entitled Dommage que tu suis pris appeared the following year, including a few pieces left aside over the years.

In 2016, the group released the album Special Effects, warmly praised by critics which earned them the Félix for “Folk Album of the Year” and a third nomination as songwriter of the year at the ADISQ gala.

After an 8-year break during which the members dedicated themselves to different parallel projects (cinematographic and musical), the group is back in the studio to prepare the sequel

* Maud Evelyne performs the first part of this evening *