411 is a joke

One of the most cheek-biting circumstances I’ve found myself in over years of covering hip hop is this all-too-typical exchange with friends:

Friend: Hey, what are you doing tonight?

Me: Going to see “Rapper X-Y-Z.”

Friend: X-Y-Z is in town?!? Why didn’t you tell me?!?

Me: Oh, sorry, you’re right! I only interviewed him, published it in a newspaper, reminded people in my column in said newspaper, spammed the entire Internet with the content — but yeah, sorry I didn’t call.

But okay, so, attention spans being what they are in this day and age, I can’t get too self-righteous. Instead, I thought I would take the time this week to put a few upcoming events on your fall concert radar. As they approach, expect more in-depth coverage, but start planning now for some crazy ish.

The inaugural Expérience MTL festival takes off this week, programming a respectable line-up of hip hop alongside more rock-y fare. Here’s hoping this upstart works it out to become a mainstay. It’s off to a body-rockin’ start on Sept. 1, when Rilly Guilty, Jah Cutta, Dead Obies, Chub-E Pelletier, OMG Co-op, Koriass, Main Attrakionz and the best hip hop group ever, Public Enemy, share a single stage. Meanwhile, Butcher Shop and Lunice hold down something called the “Tente Magique.” All this “summer-is-over” jibber-jabber has gotta go with this party on the horizon, outdoors at the Olympic Stadium Esplanade.

Local promoter Good Friday Entertainment celebrates five years of doin’ it well with a two-day throwdown at le Belmont called Icon 2012. Sept. 20 brings Liknuts (yes, that is the Beatnuts and the Alkaholiks, together at last) to the stage with Ill Bill and TO’s JD Era also on the playbill. The following night, the legendary Onyx share the stage with R.A. the Rugged Man and Apathy & Celph Titled, whose recent show here apparently slayed. This is a good look for my rowdy heads.

Pop Montreal (Sept. 19–23) brings a fair share of the ruckus to its calendar this season. Lil B, Cadence Weapon, DAM-FUNK, Alaclair Ensemble, Maybe Watson, Loud X Lary X Ajust, K’naan, Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire and (though not hip hop) the greatest contemporary afrobeat outfit workin’, Antibalas (and likely more) are peppered throughout Pop’s busy, busy line-up, so if that all sounds like crack, get a fest pass and a schedule post-haste.

No doubt we will get even more crazy shit between now and Santa, but here are a coupla of last one-off nuggets. A$AP Rocky is back in town Sept. 30 at Metropolis, with openers Danny Brown and Schoolboy Q. In case their passports are out-of-date, ahem, maybe dust yours off and head for Vermont on Sept. 22 for the full-blunt experience.

And indie kingpin — the guy is a self-made multi-millionaire — Tech 9ne has been confirmed for his return to Montreal on Oct. 1. Took him a long time to get here, and two springs back he crushed it for eager fans, who are more legion than crowd. Krizz Kaliko is once again on the assist as Kansas City’s fastest slings his chopper blades northward.

Don’t say I didn’t warn ya! Meanwhile, here’s what’s good this week.

Thursday – The ladies of Heart Streets launch their new vid, “Nonchalant,” at École Militaire from 6–8 p.m., with snacks, drinks, Montrilla on the decks and no cover.

Friday – Cabaret Underworld gets you back to school with Pop Pop #1, featuring the boogie of Boomclap Soundcrew, Mayday and the ubiquitous Montrilla.

Saturday – Franco Proietti hosts his third annual amazing Funk n’ Jazz Fest at Terrasse St- Ambroise, 2 p.m. M. Proietti’s Morph-Tet, Montreal Hard Bop 5, Dark Matter and Dave Turner’s Earthtones II kick out the jams as the Deadly Venoms break crew pay a visit. The whole she-bang wraps up with an open jam session, so bring yer harp or whatnot.

Later that night, Brownsville’s most wanted, M.O.P., ante up with Skratch Bastid at Telus Theatre for Empire’s 13th birthday.

If that’s a little much for you, chill with Bonobo, Poirier, Ghostbeard and Construct at SAT, where they put the fourth and 10th letters on display all night. ■

That’s whassup! shinecultmtl@gmail.com