The other music festival in MTL this weekend

Well, the elephant in the room this weekend is obviously the Osheaga festival. Safe to say I won’t be attending again this year. Now don’t get yer panties in a twist — Devo’s performance on an Osheaga side stage years ago as they blew out the power to their lighting rig still sticks in the ol’ noggin as one of the best shows I have ever witnessed. But there’s just something about Behemoth festivals that continues to make me break out in hives. Maybe it’s my misanthropic nature, my penchant for getting burned to a crisp within seconds of being in the sun, my general middle-aged jadedness born from seeing too many life changing shows in tiny rooms, my neck ache from watching my favourite bands on a giant jumbotron, lining up for Johnny on the spots, hatred of tepid music fans, overpriced food and water and uh, well I just don’t dig ‘em.

Not to say that the fine folks here at Cult MTL won’t have you covered for Osheaga reports, but as much as I absolutely adore living legends like Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, the Replacements and new psych-pop warlords Temples, I won’t be reaching for the sunscreen this year.

The David going up against this Goliath this weekend is punk/metal fest Rrroooaaarrr, ready to lock down three of the clubs in the city over the weekend. Rrroooaaarrr remains the real deal, with nary a jumbotron in site. Any fan of heavy music will want to grab tickets for the entire weekend.

Buckle up and check out this line-up: Noothgrush, Iron Lung, Haymaker, Mammoth Grinder at Sala on Friday, while Thee Nodes, Absolut, Gaucho Acousma and more play across the street at Casa.

On Saturday you can catch the matinee with the legendary Cro Mags (it’s not the entire original line-up, of course,  but where else are you gonna get “Age of Quarrel” played by people who were actually there in the heyday of the NYHC scene), Powertrip, Enforcers and Weak Link at Katacombes.

The big pick of the fest will be the truly rare appearance from B.C. black/death metal icons Blasphemy with Black Witchery, Funebaram, Inumerable Forms and more at Sala, while Casa serves up Mental Abuse, Omegas, Long Knife and more.

Finally, Orange County hardcore legend Rikk Agnew (the Adolescents, D.I.) will clean up the mess on Sunday at Casa (!) with Anasazi, Aube, Zex and more.

This will be fuggin’ heavy!

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 Off the festival scene entirely, you can catch the Kick in the Eye night at Playhouse tonight, Thursday, July 31, with Effet Wether, Xarah Dion and Uayacace.

On Monday, Aug. 4, you can keep your hardcore headache reachin’ fever pitch with Norma Jean, Night Verses and more at Il Motore.

Finally, you can catch Subrosa with Rhino and the epic cinematic ballast of Near Grey at Petit Campus on Wednesday, Aug. 6. Eeeyowza!!!

 

Current Obsession: Nadja/Kodiak split LP

jonathan.cummins@gmail.com