15 shows for your radar this week

All you Halloweiners and tricker treaters are probably counting down the days to the best holiday of the year, but there is still plenty happening this week to get you there:

Friday: For a night of dark industrial and electronics you can catch Vatican Shadow, Alberich, Starker, The Hand in the White Glove and Lowerbrau at la Vitrola. 4602 St-Laurent, 10 p.m., $10

Starting at 7 p.m. at BBAM is the ongoing series Mr. Ralph’s Record Player, where classic recordings are played and discussed at length. This week is the genre-defining It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back by hip hop legends Public Enemy. Host Ralph Alfonso’s guest will be none other than Cult MTL scribe Darcy MacDonald. 3255 St-Jacques W., 7–9 p.m., $15 (includes 2 beverages or 2 $5 vinyls or mix ‘n’ match)

There are so many shows happening this week, but my definite pick for Friday night would be Reigning Sound with Birds of Paradise and Undead Telly Savalas at P.D.B. 179 Jean-Talon W., 9 p.m., $15/$18

Saturday: For a night of death metal you can catch Toronto’s Abyss with their brethren that share the same area code Farang at Poisson Noire. Opening is local Divebomber and the feminist punk of Malokio. Ask a punk for the address, 10 p.m. sharp, $7

Psyched out troglodytes Demon’s Claws burrow into your frontal lobes at Divan Orange with local psychonauts Melted Faces at Divan Orange. Spinning is the busiest rawk dj in town Mathieu Beausejour. 4234 St-Laurent, 9:30 p.m., $13

Ex-U.S. Bombs Curt Stitch’s new jammer Walk of Shame launch their debut …And Begin at Barfly with DJ Colt 45 and best of all – it’s absolutely free!!! 4062 St-Laurent, 10 p.m., free

If there is one band that can easily break out of the doom ghetto without giving up their roots, it’s Pallbearer. They’ve got ample support from one of the best heavy hitters, Tombs, and Vattnet Viskar at P.D.B. If this show isn’t fucking packed to the gills, then God help us all. 179 Jean-Talon W., 9 p.m., $17

Sunday: For some classic hardcore, you can catch the almighty Bane at Sala with Watch for Wolves, Cold X Snap and Ordeal. 4848 St-Laurent, 7 p.m., $15

On a more psyched out trip you can catch Panopticon Eyelids with Shining Wizard across the street at Casa. 4873 St-Laurent, 9:15 p.m., $8

Monday: My easy pick of the week would go to the reunited and rejuvenated Slowdive at le National. Slowdive alone has me hot under the collar but opening is one of my all-time favourite bands: Low. This will fucking rule! For Cult MTL’s interview with Slowdive, click here. 1220 Ste-Catherine E., 8 p.m., $30/$35

Tuesday:  Before picking up stakes, Turbo Haus is still hosting some sweet gigs, including the Wytches with El Napolean. 1180 St-Antoine W. #408, 9 p.m., $10/$13

What is sure to be busting at the seams of Sala is the Burger Records Caravan of Stars featuring Together Pangea, the Coathangers, Cherry Glazerr, Moses and the First Born with A.J. Davica and Terror Amor. 4848 St-Laurent, 8 p.m., $12/$14

Wednesday: For a night of fucked up soloists and deviant DJs, you can catch Detroit’s Tarpit with Father Dust and No Negative at P.D.B. 179 Jean-Talon W., 9 p.m., $7

Admittedly Mastodon’s last couple of studio efforts have been a little limp but they can definitely still pull off their proggy dare devil riffs live. Adding extra ballast at their show at Metropolis is Gojira. 59 Ste-Catherine E., 7:30 p.m., $41.50/$47

Finally, if you’ve never seen one of Montreal’s best baritone crooners, you have to make it down to Casa to catch Li’l Andy with opener Zachary Lucky. 4873 St-Laurent, 8:30 p.m., $10
 
Current Obsession: Low, The Great Destroyer

jonathan.cummins@gmail.com