11 shows you’d be a fool to miss

Did you feel that? That was the ground trembling underneath your feet as POP Montreal gets ready to take over our fair burg at the end of the month. Although you will need to preserve all of your energy to tackle this mangy POP beast, you still have enough shows to take in over the next week.

Friday: There are a lot of “big pick” shows this week, and  two of them are happening on Friday night. First up, ex-Sun City Girl and monster guitarist Sir Richard Bishop lets it jangle and cascade at la Vitrola. Fans of John Fahey pickery will not want to miss this. Opening is Tashi Dorji and Helenica. 4602 St-Laurent, 8:30 p.m., $10

But if I had to pick one guaranteed barnstormer this week, it would have to go to Sub Pop suave dads the Afghan Whigs at Corona Theatre. Not only is the Whigs’ head honcho Greg Dulli one of rock’s greatest wordsmiths, he is also one of the best frontmen ever to traipse across a stage. Do. Not. Miss. 2490 Notre-Dame W., 8 p.m., $37/$39.50

For a night of black metal, you can catch the Deathbound Records night at Turbohaus with Noire, Talamyus and Hands of Despair. 1180 St-Antoine W., #408, 7 p.m., $10/$12

Another label night can be had at the Playhouse when Deth Records enlist the cold wave and minimal synth of Sins, Sarin, Human Performance Lab and the Suicide/Screamers sounds of Effet Werther, with Brusque Twins filling in the gaps. 5656 Parc, 9 p.m., $10

Saturday: Film POP invites you to bike down to Terrasse St-Ambroise to catch a free screening of the 1974 classic Brian De Palma movie Phantom of the Paradise. If this 40th anniversary celebration of that twisted glam classic isn’t enough, CISM’s DJ Alexandre Fontaine Rousseau will also be spinning the tunes from 4:30 up until the film screens at 9 p.m. 5080 St-Ambroise (Lachine Canal side), 4:30-11 p.m., free 

For a night of cold wave and dark synth you can catch Void Vision with Vierance and Cinéma Vengeance at Katacombes. 1635 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $10

It might’ve seemed that the BCASA have been playing possum lately but they will make their triumphant return at Turbo Haus with Junior Battles, Boids and Dead End Trends. 1180 St-Antoine W., #408, 9 p.m., free before 10 p.m./$10

For a night of post-hardcore and noisy punk, you can catch Mands, Dearth and Antibody at God’s favourite watering hole, Brasserie Beaubien. 73 Beaubien E., 9 p.m., $8/PWYC

One of Montreal’s most interesting bands, Big Brave, launch their debut Feral Verdure at la Vitrola with help from their buds ¼ Tonne Embouteillage. 4602 St-Laurent, 8:30 p.m., $8/$10

One of Montreal’s underground music cornerstones Sawtooth get a day pass out of the old age home to shear ears with Barfly regulars Half Measures and Laurel Jackson at Crobar. 1221 Crescent, 10 p.m., $5

Wednesday: Finally, while the Sir Richard Bishop and Afghan Whigs shows are the big picks of the week, a completion of the trilogy would be the return of bonafide soul man Lee Fields & the Expressions at Cabaret du Mile End. Fields is easily the greatest living soul singer and within the first few bars of the first number, he sweats more than Barry White on the 4th of July — don’t miss this legend. Warming up the room will be Ikebe Shakedown. 5240 Parc, 8 p.m., $22/$25

Current obsession: Cluster and Eno, self-titled

jonathan.cummins@gmail.com