9 shows to shake your bones this week

Normally I’m left with a sinking feeling when I get to see my favourite bands of yesteryear going for the reunion tour cash-grab, but U.K. shoegazers Slowdive at le National last Monday was as good as it gets.

Being true to their onstage persona, nary a drop of sweat fell as the band gingerly lobbed into the ‘verbed out decibel blasts of “Dagger,” “Morning Rise,” “Souvlaki Space Station” and a slew of other ’90s hits over an hour and a half. The high point was the set ender, Syd Barrett’s “Golden Hair,” which was blown up to cinematic proportions as it looped and careened off of le National’s walls.

Opening was one of my favourite bands of all time, Low. They never quite reached the heights of their recent stop at Sala, but husband-and-wife team Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker still produced goosebumps when they crooned their heaven-sent harmonies. Simply an amazing night!

Friday: You can start your Halloween early with a screening of the locally produced Troma-inspired horror flick Nuclear Neighbourhood before local heavy instru-metal merchants Squalor drop the hammer down at Sound Central. Make sure to pick up some vinyl goodies while you’re there. 4486 Coloniale, screening at 6:30 p.m., Squalor at 8 p.m.

Another event that will get your Halloween off to an early start will be the premiere of the Mad Parish video for “A Stitch in Crime” (directed by Andrew Dickson and Amy Torok) happening at Bagel Etc. Get ready for Mad Parish’s debut that should be dropping early in the New Year. If you dig your proto/power/NWOBHM metal you need to check ’em out. 4320 St-Laurent, 7-11 p.m.

For a night of serious punk rawk, you can catch the Hammer’s T.V. Freaks with Brat Kings, Pale Lips and the leather punk of Dead Future at l’Esco. 4467 St-Denis, 9 p.m., $6

My easy big pick for this Hallow’s Eve and my show of the week would be the return of Montreal’s ultra-creep Corpusse with support from Sacral Nerves, Nothinge and DJ Jennifer Seizure keeping the dementia spinning at la Vitrola. If you have never seen this man perform live you cannot miss this. Guaranteed to blow yer tiny mind to bits! 4602 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $6

I really don’t like to plug tribute bands and the like but Urockaoke’s live band backed karaoke is one of the funnest nights you could ever have. Urockaoke + Halloween + Casa = radness! 4873 St-Laurent, 10 p.m., $10

Ol’ crusties and kids who buy their cherry-red docs at Neon are not going to want to miss U.K. legendary (i.e. old) punx Peter and the Test Tube Babies with the Prowlers, Proxy, Scab Coma and No Chaser at Cabaret Underworld. 1403 Ste-Elisabeth, 8 p.m., $15/$18

Saturday: For a night of blistering metal and punk, catch Hard Charger with the always-incredible Metallian (fresh from their European tour) and Bludgeoned. For the location of the venue, ask a punk.

Tuesday: For a night of punk rock and metal you can catch the debut of Devora with the Caustics at Barfly. 4062 St-Laurent, 10 p.m., $5

Wednesday: Uh, I know I mentioned that tribute band thing earlier but SNFU and the Nils are playing with Ignite at the very apt venue of Foufounes. Uh…..yeah. 87 Ste-Catherine E., p.m., $
 
Current obsession: Rocket From the Tombs, The Day the Earth Met the…

jonathan.cummins@gmail.com