Cabarets Nuits d’Afrique:
World rhythms on stage

From Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day, every night comes alive with diversity and rhythm

December 24, 2025

The Cabarets Acoustiques Nuits d’Afrique sparkle with festive lights this holiday season, transforming Club Balattou into a warm winter haven pulsing with the sounds and rhythms of the South.

In the heart of Saint‑Laurent Boulevard, this landmark of world music invites audiences, through January 4, to a series of vibrant evenings where the spirit of Christmas and New Year’s beats to the sound of drums, guitars, and voices from Africa and beyond. More than just a program, it’s an experience—an invitation to dance, to connect, and to celebrate the holiday season with joy and authenticity, far from the clichés of a conventional Christmas.

From December 24 to January 4, immerse yourself in a whirlwind of sounds from around the world.

For the holiday season, the Cabarets Acoustiques Nuits d’Afrique set the tone from the start—warm, inclusive, and brimming with festive spirit. This December, the evenings promise to be more joyful than ever, with a clear intent to end the year on a high note and fully celebrate the magic of the holidays.

Far more than a simple lineup of concerts, the program tells a story—a Christmas experienced beneath the bright sun of world music, in an intimate space where closeness with the artists is essential. Club Balattou, the historic home of Nuits d’Afrique, is transformed into a winter cabaret where audiences come seeking both human warmth and musical discovery.

The “acoustic cabaret” format—an intimate stage, a close audience, direct connection with the musicians—fits perfectly with this season of reunion, offering moments of genuine sharing far removed from the polished spectacles of commercial Christmas. Grounded in conviviality, these festive gatherings have a distinctive spirit: rather than simply watching a show, you become part of the celebration.

Christmas Eve: The Joy of Armand Laklass & the KGB

On December 24, the evening’s lineup answers a simple yet crucial question: Who to spend Christmas Eve with when you want to celebrate far from predictable carols and pre‑packaged playlists? The answer comes easily—Armand Laklass & the KGB. The choice is both musical and emotional: who better to lead a Christmas Eve celebration than Armand Laklass himself? It’s more than a matter of programming; it’s about setting the mood—with good humour as the evening’s driving force.

‘Armand Laklass opens the Christmas Eve celebration with an explosive cocktail of Central African rhythms.’

Musically, the group Armand Laklass & the KGB promises a fusion of Central African sounds, blending the high‑energy pulse of ndombolo with the smooth, melodic flow of makossa. The result is a warm, dance‑filled Christmas where bodies move freely instead of stiffening around a dinner table.

This is far from the static imagery of a traditional holiday gathering—the celebration unfolds as people stand, move, and share in the same vibrant energy. For Montreal audiences seeking a break from routine or for those longing to reconnect with the sounds of their roots, December 24 at Balattou offers a jubilant alternative to more conventional Christmas traditions.

A Congolese Rumba Christmas: Guynard & New Formule

On December 25, the Cabarets extend the experience by inviting audiences to celebrate Christmas through the joyful pulse of Congolese rumba. The idea feels almost like a manifesto: what if the solemnity of the day were reinvented in the warmth of a Congolese groove? Guynard & New Formule bring that vision to life in a night destined to be remembered.

‘Guynard & New Formule transform December 25 into an irresistibly danceable Congolese rumba celebration.’

With its lyrical guitar lines, sensual melodic phrases, and driving rhythms, Congolese rumba creates a soundscape where emotion and festivity entwine. For those who have seen it all when it comes to Christmas, this unique experience offers something new—a December 25 remembered not for its gifts, but for its stage moments and shared rhythms.

A Tropical New Year’s Eve Ball – December 31

If the year is set to end on a high note, that promise reaches its full expression on December 31 with a Tropical New Year’s Eve Ball. This is no ordinary concert—it’s a complete evening experience, unfolding in stages like a celebration in motion.

The night begins with Boubé’s desert blues, accompanied by a dinner infused with the flavours of West Africa. The phrase desert blues evokes hypnotic guitars, soulful voices, and a tempo that invites deep listening and reflection—just before the energy builds toward the euphoria of ringing in the new year.

Festival international Nuits d'Afrique - Programmation extérieure

Combining gastronomy and music, this opening act grounds the evening in a fully sensory experience—you don’t just hear world music, you taste it. The celebration then continues with a dance party set to tropical rhythms from across the globe.

The idea isn’t to focus on a single region, but to create a true kaleidoscope of beats—from the Caribbean to Africa to Latin America. This New Year’s Eve celebration clearly positions itself as an antidote to winter, a burst of light before stepping into the new year.

January 1: Idriss le Viking Noir

The energy doesn’t fade after the New Year’s countdown—it carries on from January 1, as if to declare that the celebration doesn’t end when the clock strikes midnight. Think of it as a New Year’s resolution you’ll actually want to keep: go see Idriss le Viking Noir in concert. It’s a clever twist on the familiar ritual of resolutions, turning it into a joyful, tangible act of renewal through music.

‘Idriss le Viking Noir will turn your first New Year’s resolution into an unforgettable Mandingue‑style evening.’

Arriving with a well‑earned reputation, Idriss set the TD Stage ablaze with his Mandingue grooves at this summer’s Festival International Nuits d’Afrique—and he’s ready to do it again! This reference to the festival is no coincidence: it places the artist squarely within the Nuits d’Afrique universe, while hinting that those who discovered him last summer will find that same electrifying energy at Balattou.

Mandingue grooves draw from the musical traditions of West Africa yet speak fluently to the contemporary stage, driven by a rhythmic power designed to sweep the audience away. For January 1, it’s a rare proposition: instead of easing into the year slowly, you begin it in full vibration.

A Neighbourhood Cabaret, a Gateway to the World

Beyond each evening, this program sketches a particular vision of the holiday season in Montreal. The address—4372 Saint‑Laurent Boulevard—reminds us that we’re talking about a neighbourhood club, accessible and deeply rooted in urban life. In the heart of the Mile End and the Plateau, Club Balattou stands as an open door to the world—a precious presence during a time of year when the city often turns inward.

‘From Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day, each evening tells a different story of celebration.’

This holiday series is just one part of a much larger offering that unfolds year‑round under the Cabarets Acoustiques Nuits d’Afrique banner. For the curious listener, these December and early January evenings offer an ideal entry point into a musical world that is both rooted in tradition and vibrantly contemporary.

An Invitation to Experience the Holidays Differently

Ultimately, the Cabarets Acoustiques Nuits d’Afrique program for the end of 2025 and the start of 2026 offers a new way to celebrate the holiday season—one inspired by connection, diversity, and rhythm. Christmas in ndombolo and makossa, December 25 in Congolese rumba, New Year’s Eve flavoured with West African cuisine and tropical beats, and January 1 in Mandingue grooves: each date marks a new step in a continuous musical journey.

For those seeking an escape from the endless loop of traditional Christmas songs, for diasporic audiences looking for a space where their traditions resonate, or for lovers of new sonic experiences, this concert series promises an unmissable rendezvous. True to its legacy, Club Balattou fully embraces its role—as a cabaret where the holidays are danced, sung, and shared late into the night.