5 reasons to get to Montreal Psych Fest

See and hear some of the mind-bending sounds and visuals in store for audiences at the third annual Psych Fest, happening this weekend.

Red Mass 3
Red Mass
 
Montreal Psych Fest brings three nights of mind-bending sound and energy to la Vitrola and l’Escogriffe, beginning tonight (Friday) and wrapping on Sunday.

The festival is organized by Tasha Class, a musician originally from Vancouver who plays in a band called Melted Faces with her boyfriend (who, incidentally, designed the festival’s trance-inducing artwork). Psych Fest, now in its third year, grew out of her handling the booking for her band’s shows, though they’re not playing this year due to their recent style shift away from psych and towards punk.

Class is very particular about booking the right bands, despite how broadly “psych” can be defined — you won’t see any classic rock cheese here, but there’s plenty of fiery garage, neo-krautrock and experimental pop.

“Psych to me means being a little bit wild and crazy and different,” she says. “We wouldn’t just book a standard garage band — it’s gotta be a little badass, a little out there.”

Though there are clearly more than five reasons to get to Montreal Psych Fest this weekend, below is a sampling of the super sounds that this festival has in store. Watch, listen, learn (then go see them for yourself!):
 

THE BACKHOMES – STAY (OFFICIAL) from The Backhomes on Vimeo.

 

 

 

 

 
Montreal Psych Fest is on tonight, Friday, Sept. 12 and Saturday, Sept. 13 at la Vitrola (4602 St-Laurent), shows at 9:30 p.m., $15 per night, and at l’Escogriffe (4467 St-Denis) on Sunday, Sept. 14, 9 p.m., $10. See the complete program here.