The punk rock shows to see this weekend

Wow. I don’t know about you, but so far my summer is definitely sizzling. After seeing two of my favourite bands (Low and Swans) just weeks ago, I got to see black metal/goth/prog band Agalloch pack them in at Sala on Wednesday, July 2. Like Wolves in the Throne Room and Liturgy, Agalloch are one of the bands affiliated with USBM that get the traditionalist glum chums in a tizzy on message boards for straying from the Darkthrone/Transylvanian Hunger blueprint. Too bad for these myopic, keyboard pounding dark lords, because they’re really missing out on some seriously epic jams.

Things of course started off with a dull drone rising over the plumes of incense before classic blast beats scalded the senses. Playing songs from their whole discography including The Mantle, their classic Marrow of the Spirit as well as their new record, The Serpent and the Sphere, it was hard for any Agalloch fan not to walk away happy. Here’s the dig though: they played for nearly two fuggin’ hours! Despite changing moods and speeds their original intensity that held so much promise at the start began to get a little long in the tooth as fans slowly retreated to the back of the room or even leaving before the set was done. Having said that though, this was genre defying jams that dug right into the guts.

If you missed this killer slab of genre defying metal don’t fret, as there are plenty of shows happening this week that are waiting with open arms.

Friday: The fine people behind Analogue Addiction have put together a bill the fugged up punk of Crabe with New Hampshire’s Comma and Girl Arm at Casa. 4873 St-Laurent, 8:30 p.m., $8

If you were planning to go to Pink Mountaintops at Il Motore, I’m afraid it’s cancelled, so make the Crabe gig instead!

Saturday: Another super-duper promoter in town, l’Oeil du Tigre, once again book their favourite room in town, Turbo Haus and host a night with Albatros (notice the one S — get the Philly band out of your head), Worst Gift, Lungbutter and Becyk Fantome. 1180, St-Antoine #408, $8 before the end of the first set/$10

Sunday: Oddly enough the two big picks of the week both happen on the Sabbath and are pretty much guaranteed to sell out, so better get there as early as possible. First up is the earnest post-punk of Ought with Dub Thomson and Cheap Wig at Casa. Ought are quickly becoming an Internet sensation so make sure there are tickets at the door before dragging your backpack to the Casa. 4873 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $10/$13

The other is the ’90s rock of Solids, who will slam the Turbo Haus with Weed and, get this, the Nymphets!!! Again, Turbo Haus is tiny and this is guaranteed to get squishy (and sweltering) so better make sure you can get in before you travel to the bowels of downtown Montreal. 1180, St-Antoine #408, 9 p.m., $10/$13

Tuesday: Finally, whether or not you were able to get in for those two packed shows on Sunday, you can try your luck at Divan Orange, where Viet Cong, TV Ghost and Corridor put some sweat on the walls. 4234 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $10/$13

Current obsession: Darkthrone, Transylvanian Hunger

Jonathan.cummins@gmail.com