Building Community Through Music: An Inside Look at MOND Productions’ HERA
In a city as vibrant and eclectic as Montreal, it’s not every day that you encounter a grassroots initiative as genuine and impactful as MOND Productions. Founded in March 2024, MOND has quickly established itself as more than just a vehicle for live performances; it’s a movement of solidarity, creativity, and giving back. At its heart is a simple yet powerful mission: unite local artists and volunteers to create benefit concerts for those in need. On December 6th, MOND will present its third event, HERA, at Théâtre Fairmount, with all proceeds going to La Dauphinelle, a Montréal-based shelter supporting women and children affected by domestic violence.
“We started this, I believe it was March of this year,” begins George Donoso III, the head of production and a co-founder of MOND. “The idea was to put together these events. I mean, I come from live events, and I’ve also been a musician most of my life. We thought, let’s bring friends, the community, and partners together and do this thing for local charities.”
Donoso, a seasoned musician with an impressive résumé—including stints with Sam Roberts, The Dears, and Melissa Auf der Maur—exudes passion for the project. Alongside his partner, Alexiane Montpetit, and a growing team of volunteers and collaborators, Donoso has turned MOND into a dynamic platform for mutual aid. HERA, their latest endeavour, promises to be the most ambitious yet.
A Cause Rooted in Community
HERA, named after the goddess of protection for women and children, was inspired by the pressing need to address domestic violence. “This time, it’s for La Dauphinelle,” explains Alexiane. “They provide shelter and support to women and children who are victims of domestic violence. It’s an important issue, and with more women involved in the show this time, it felt like the right fit. We’re also supporting their effort to build a second shelter, La Maison d’Évelyn, which is under construction and set to open in 2025.”
The decision to support La Dauphinelle came naturally, George says, echoing the organic way MOND selects its beneficiaries. “A friend of mine who works in the social department just said to me, “Hey, La Dauphinelle is actually working on building a second house right now, and they need money.” You know, so it just, again, just came naturally.”
A Collective Effort
One of the standout features of MOND Productions is its collaborative spirit. George and Alexiane emphasize how much they’ve learned from past events about the importance of community involvement. “I learned that people wanna get involved, and it’s just a beautiful surprise to us. People are reaching out to us, you know, what can I do? Can I do the door? Can I help you? We have a bunch of teenagers, like, can I do the load in, load out? Can I help? So what I’ve learned is that it works, and people wanna get involved.”
This inclusive approach extends to the artists themselves. HERA’s lineup reads like a who’s who of Québec’s music scene, with performers like Melissa Auf der Maur (Hole, The Smashing Pumpkins), Sam Roberts, Stéphanie Boulay (Les Soeurs Boulay), Amy Millan (Stars), Kandle, Elliot Maginot, Erika Angell, Joé Napoléon, D-Track, Félix Dyotte, Joseph Edgar, and many others joining the mix. “You’ve gotta pass the “nice guy, nice girl” test before coming in and being involved,’” laughs George. “No room for rockstar stuff in this.”
The event also serves as a mentorship platform for younger musicians. George explains, “Our guitar player Thomas is her son, my stepson, right? He just turned 18. So he is in that process of learning. His buddy, Yohan, is playing bass with us.” Alexiane adds. “Making music doesn’t mean you have to be, you know, drugs and rock and roll. Being a rockstar can mean beautiful stuff, and that learning process can be just really cool.”
Covers That Bring Joy
What makes MOND’s events particularly unique is their focus on covers, allowing artists to step outside their usual repertoire. “When you put them in this other scenario, it’s like karaoke night—they let go and have fun,” George explains. “The covers range from the ’60s to today, spanning genres like trip-hop, punk, shoegaze, and hip-hop,” Alexiane adds. “A lot of variety.”
The process of curating the setlist is collaborative, with input from both organizers and performers. “Every artist has that one song that means a lot to them,” says Alexiane. “So that’s the magic right there too.”
Beyond the Music
MOND’s ethos of giving extends beyond the concerts. “Even if you can’t make it to the event, buying a ticket online goes directly to the organization,” Alexiane notes. “The guys from Montreal Guitar have been with us since the beginning, they’re a sponsor for this event,” George adds. “And they’re giving us a Norman B20 guitar, an acoustic guitar that they’ve had kicking around their shop for like 20 years or so. It’s been signed by a whole bunch of Quebec artists already. And they’re giving us the guitar to give away. So we’re basically gonna have our artists sign it as well, night of show, and then we’ll give it away. And that’s gonna be for people buying tickets online.”
Looking to the future, MOND hopes to keep growing. “We’ve been talking about maybe creating a really epic Halloween party every year,” Alexiane reveals. Adding that there’s nothing quite like that in Montreal and would give them another chance to support the causes they care about.
Whether it’s through their choice of charity, the joy of their performances, or the mentorship they provide, MOND Productions is redefining what it means to create community-driven events. As George aptly puts it, “It feels right.”
Tickets for HERA are available HERE, with all proceeds benefiting La Dauphinelle. Whether you attend in person or contribute from afar, you’ll be part of a movement that’s changing lives—one song at a time.
LINE-UP :
Special Guests:
Melissa Auf der Maur (Hole, The Smashing Pumpkins), Sam Roberts, Stéphanie Boulay (Les Soeurs Boulay), Amy Millan (Stars), Kandle, Elliot Maginot, Erika Angell, Joé Napoléon, D-Track, Félix Dyotte, Joseph Edgar, Evan Cranley (Stars), Joseph Yarmush (Suuns), Trevor Anderson (The High Dials, Tin Soldierman), Felicity Hamer, Kurt Chaboyer, Mat Joly (Mobile), Roy Vucino (PyPy, Black Leather Rose), Josh Fuhrman (The Kingpins), Lorraine Muller (Lo and The Magnetics, The Kingpins), Yohan Binette (Hydrosphère), Jeff Louch, Eric Cohen, Martin Pelland (The Dears), Jason Rockman (Slaves On Dope), Sean Foster (Sean Foster & the Vaqueros), Kevin and Agnès Laing (The Besnard Lakes), Max Archambault (LIMINAL), and many more.
House band :
George Donoso III – guitar & drums, Alexiane Montpetit – keyboards & vocals, Thomas Brassard – guitar, Charles PG – bass (Cardinal, Maken Kozapo) & Alex Crow – guitar & drums (Diane Dufresne, Élisapie
Isaac, Tricky Woo).
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/MONDMontreal
CHARITY : La Dauphinelle à Montréal
Website : https://ladauphinelle.org/
