8 ways to party with abandon this week

I’ve been thinking lately that it’s a bit of a misnomer to call the Shine a “hip hop column,” per se. I can call rap my first love and mean it, and I am still drawn to and fulfilled by participating in hip hop culture. But it’s no secret that I enjoy a lot of other rock and punk shit. I mean, to me it all comes back to the same thing.

Now, I hate that spiel about “good music is just good music” because it’s just so true that it gets hacked to death by people preaching to the choir in the first place. But we all have likes, dislikes, tastes and interests that don’t all fall into one category or another, so why should our music?

Anyways, just pointing this out for a sec. If you read regularly and don’t need any of that to be explained, thank you, I get it, and sorry if this sounds redundant. But if you just kinda check in once in awhile, or fall on it now and again, not actively reading this weekly column on the grounds you figure it’s just “mostly about rap or hip hop or whatever,” I’m just saying: it’s not, really.

The Shine is primarily here to provide a certain function to the hip hop party scene, but I also frequently list soul and reggae events, all-out dance jams, DJ club nights from the grimiest to the most elegant. I try to make this a “decent-bet-on-a-dope-party” column for the good-time fam, and I don’t really stop to count the BPMs or number of musicians. Unless it’s a Fishbone concert — then I stop everything. (Author’s note: sadly, there is no actual Fishbone concert to announce this week.)

So please keep that in mind, keep reading the Shine, and keep havin’ a good time.

Thursday: Case in point, I have no idea what this actually even is but I think it’s gonna be good. Ariel & Les Va-Nu-Pieds, a “rock/reggae” band, according to their Facebook page, invite eight MCs to Cabaret Underworld for Groove and Emcees with guests Clarity, Montrilla, Manikmati and more. 1403 Ste-Elisabeth, 9 p.m., $10

At Belmont, meanwhile, $ucka Free presents The Werkout  with Nicky Raisinz, DJ Killa-Jewel, DJ Mabonzo and more. I can’t decide whether this will be grimy, elegant, or both. 4483 St-Laurent, 11 p.m., $10

Friday: Back — as good-time fam will often find themselves — at le Belmont, WEDIDit artist Groundislava, set to drop a new LP, Frozen Throne, gets trippy with Thomas White, Dear Lola and Compton Chic. 4483 St-Laurent, 10 p.m., $5 before 11 p.m./$10

Earlier that evening, for the 5 à 7 crowd — or 6 à 10, as it were — ONOMAR presents In Slow Motion at Kafein, with sound selector Jan Pienowski throwing down the chilliest to the illest in lounge and house. 1429A Bishop, 6 p.m., free

Saturday: It’s Poirier, all night, at Poirier All Night. And if you don’t understand a single goddam word of that sentence, just think back on that “good music is good music” speech someone once gave you, go Poirier, all night, and you will trust me forever. Le Bleury Bar à Vinyle (2109 Bleury), 9 p.m., $4 before midnight/$7

Tuesday: I guess what I’ve been trying to say all along is there’s room for a lotta different models in this lane, and let’s not call it one thing or another.  With that, I point you towards New Orleans bounce head-diva-in-charge Big Freedia at Bar le “RITZ” PDB (what’s with the quotation marks, anyways?) for an all-genders-equal workout in debauch and good times. Toast Dawg helps loop the love together. 179 Jean-Talon W., 9 p.m., $15/$18

EXTRA HEADS-UP:

One of my favorite rappers, producers and true hip hop devotees of this generation, Mississippi’s Big K.R.I.T., rules over Cabaret Underworld next Thursday, Oct. 9. But if you don’t care about rap that much, tell someone you love that does. Then go see K.R.I.T. with ’em. 1403 Ste-Elisabeth, 8 p.m., $35 (+$25 for VIP meet & greet)

AND TAKE NOTE: Le Cypher is coming. Much more on this new concept next week in an interview with ringmaster Vincent Stephen-Ong, but note that the circle starts spinning next Thursday at the Belmont. ■

 

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