Born in St-Bruno on the south shore of Montreal, Mathieu Pontbriand integrates the local burgeoning punk rock scene in 1989. Still in his early teens, he quickly gets noticed. The kid was both a gifted musician and a “jack of all trades”, rolling cables and organizing shows for local event production companies such as Donald K Donald and Greenland Productions.

Pontbriand founded PIVOT ÉVÉNEMENTS in 2011 and quickly upped his game as a production hired-gun. Just for Laugh, evenko, Moment Factory; all called out for his growing expertise, his sense of leadership and legendary drive. Later that year, PIVOT became the exclusive production team for American multinational Monster Energy for the Quebec territory.

Simultaneously, Pontbriand crisscrosses North American roads as a tour manager for artists such as Coeur de Pirate, Zachary Richard and Marianne Faithfull. For the past 10 years, he retained but one client in that department; Daniel Bélanger, with whom he was twice nominated at ADISQ for his original work in the visual design category.

In 2014, Pontbriand founded La Grosse Lanterne; a festival in the forest. Held in Béthany QC, the festival is gaining in popularity among both the public and the arts community. Rising stars like Charlotte Cardin, Dead Obies, Lisa LeBlanc, Koriass, Malajube, Les Deuxluxes and Safia Nolin all gained in notoriety after their passage in the forest.

Even Pontbriand’s own musical group Pawa Up First got a taste. Active since 2003, the group performed its swan song at the 2016 edition during an epic performance combining refined soundscapes and breathtaking cinematographic elements.

Today, newly rebranded PIVOT EVNTS multiplies its efforts and dispatches its contingent at various large-scale events. Whether you are attending the F1 Grand Prix of Canada, the Trois-Rivières Grand Prix, Osheaga, Heavy Montreal, Île Soniq or Montréal en Fête, chances are that PIVOT EVNTS is on site.

Photo Credits: Francis Plante