Shows

The MEG festival’s first week at a glance

by Lorraine Carpenter

For the uninitiated or justifiably confused, MEG (Montreal Electronique Groove) is a nine-day festival of eclectic music programming. Now in its 13th year, MEG has long parted with its initial, strictly electronic mandate and presents a wide variety of emerging artists in an equally diverse range of venues.


Beat Market
 

For the uninitiated or justifiably confused, MEG (Montreal Electronique Groove) is a nine-day festival of eclectic music programming. Now in its 13th year, MEG has long parted with its initial, strictly electronic mandate and presents a wide variety of emerging artists in an equally diverse range of venues. Next week I’ll talk about the MEG stage at Osheaga and the MEG boat, but here are some recommendations for the festival’s first week, divided by genre.

Rock: The Balconies. Originally from Ottawa but now residing in the 416, this female-fronted power trio is not fucking around. Watch their video for “Kill Count” if you don’t believe me. See them with Montreal franco indie pop band Monogrenade. At la Sala Rossa on Thursday, July 26, p.m., $15

Dancefloor: Canblaster & Sam Tiba. From Lille, France, and more specifically from Club Cheval, these guys can be counted on to bring it to the floor at this year’s first “Club MEG” party. With BeatauCue at le Belmont on Friday, July 27, 10 p.m., $15/$20

Folk: Coco Méliès. This local duo’s poppy but pure approach is charming, and stands out in what is clearly a very crowded neo-folk field. Watch them playing outside of Memphis’s legendary Sun Studios. With Groenland Divan Orange on Friday, July 27, 10 p.m., $10

ElecTRONic: Beat Market. On a visual level, this local duo loves tacky fanboy shit, from their bodysuits of light to their martial arts/sushi chef/robotic Japanese kitsch. Musically, there are arguably tacky elements in their analog synth & guitar creations, but on the floor, when the beats wash over you, it’s all business. With the Funk Hunters at Divan Orange on Saturday, July 28, 10 p.m., $10

Groove: Our Book and the Authors. This local band merges the acoustic and the electronic with an emphasis on the organic, in the form of live vocals. And all the pieces come together in sweet harmony. With Goose Hut at Club Lambi on Saturday, July 28, 10 p.m., $10

????: Ghetto Pony. This locally based trio, who joined forces while studying in Guelph, released an album called Post Apocalyptic Bubblegum Music in 2005, and there’s perhaps no better descriptor for their sound. With Digitum at Quai des Brumes on Saturday, July 28, 10 p.m., $10 ■

Posted in Shows

by Lorraine Carpenter

Editor in chief
Lorraine Carpenter was born in Montreal and studied communications and journalism at Concordia. She co-founded Cult MTL in 2012 following 12 years at the now-defunct Montreal alt weekly the Mirror, where she worked in editorial as copy editor and music editor. She’s dedicated to supporting the cultural scene in Montreal.

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