16 shows to fug you up this week

The M for Montreal festival is already underway, but things really start heating up tonight and will keep most clubs in the city clutched in their iron fist over the weekend. Being somewhat of a modern pop-ophobe, I’m surprised that there are more than a few shows being offered by the fest that I have more than a passing fancy for. Oddly enough though my big pick of the week, as hinted in last week’s column, is far off the M for Montreal trail.

Tonight: If you have finally recovered from the Varning festival from a couple of weeks back don’t miss Tokyo’s Forward, Portland’s Long Knife, Proxy, O Town’s Silent order and the d beat of Mueco at Katacombes. 1635 St-Laurent, 8 p.m., $10/$12

My third big pick of the week would have to go to Sacred Bones’ recording artists Dream Police at Casa. If you dig the psych rawk stomp of the late eighties U.K. masters like Loop and Spaceman 3 as well as the newbie psych warlords like White Hills you will not want to miss this. Opening is fellow Brooklynites Honey and Johnny Couteau and Pelada. 4873 St-Laurent, 9:30 p.m., $6

Friday: The folks from Pouzza get in the M for M action and have cooked up a punk bill of the OBGM’s, Barrasso, Bonvivant, Laureate and Lost Love, at Barfly. 4062 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., free

This is kind of fugged as my band USA Out of Vietnam is playing this M for Montreal gig, but fuggit, my second big pick of the week would go to Chicago band (and Thrill Jockey recording artists) Wrekmeister Harmonies at la Vitrola. Headed up by J.R. Robinson Wrekmeister merges tranquility with doomy metal obliteration to create a musical arc over a 45-minute-long piece. If you want to see just how good this is going to be, just click here to see his amazing piece with over 13 musicians performed at a Chicago cemetery. To get you extra hot under the collar, this Montreal appearance will also feature members of godspeed you! black emperor just before their Quebec shows next week. Opening is the debut of the epic ballast of (ex-Ire/Cobra Noire) Christ. 4602 St-Laurent, 8:30 p.m.

Femme Accident will launch their new jammer, Hum, at Brasserie Beaubien with Longships and Auks. 73 Beaubien E., 9 p.m., $7

A night of psych and rawk can be had at Quai des Brumes with les Marinellis, New Swears, El Napolon and the much-ballyhooed band-about-town Beat Cops (ex UBT, Trigger Effect, the Stills). Analogue Addiction is putting it on, so you know it’s going to be the tits. 4481 St-Denis, 9 p.m., $10

Just a stone’s throw away at l’Esco is Gulfer, Holy Data, Alden Penner, Wake Island and Look Vibrant. 4467 St-Denis, 9 p.m., $10

For all of you cheapskates, M for Montreal and the RIDM  film festival hosts a free show, with local super group PYPY, Weaves and DJ Bowly. 175 Président-Kennedy, 10 p.m., free

Fans of garagey organ beamed directly from dementia 13 are definitely not going to want to miss NOLA legends Quintron and Miss Pussycat with the Germanic impressions of Lederhosen Lucil and the sweet croon of Cocobeurre at Divan Orange. Hope the new tenant upstairs at Divan has a conniption over this one and finally picks up stakes after becoming one of Montreal’s most hated individuals. 4234 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $10/$13

Saturday: In the “what year is this?” dept., you can try and squeeze into Quebec thrash legends DBC and Soothsayer show at Katacombes. This WILL sell out so you better make it down before the streetlights turn on to make sure you get into this one. Opening is Kill of Rights and Warsenal. 1635 St-Laurent, doors at 8 p.m., $15

One of the best psych bands in the city, Elephant Stone, prove their worth at la Vitrola with Teenanger, Heat, Each Other and UUBUURRUU. 4602 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $10

For a night of shimmering pop punk and glitzy garage, check out les Zerreurs, the Ascot Royals, Dead Messenger, The In and Outs and Around Joshua at Bistro de Paris. 4536 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $10

For a night of well-crafted rawk, catch the Biters with Loose Pistons and the always dazzling Dany Laj and the Looks at TRH-Bar. If you dig your Cheap Trick as much as your Plimsouls and the Exploding Hearts, the Biters’ brand of power pop will definitely up the dose.  3699 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $10

Alright, I’ve already picked two major shows this week but the obvious honourable mention will go to the verbed-out fuzz of psych garage-punk band Thee Oh Sees at le National with Jack Name and the Blind Shake. I can almost see the sea of ironic moustaches now. 1220 Ste-Catherine E., 9 p.m., $18/$20

Alrighty, my big pick of the week as hinted in the last column is the Sick of It All show at Foufounes. Don’t get it twisted though, as NYHC “legends” SOIA never really put the bacon on my burger, but taking up the middle slot is one of the most vicious hardcore bands of all time, Negative Approach. Check it: N.A. have only now gotten their due in recent years thanks to the wave of h.c. bios that have been sweeping bookshelves and Netflix, but being land-locked in Detroit when hardcore first launched, the band was largely unknown. Between 1981 and 1983, N.A. only released a sole seven-inch and an EP, Tied Down, but John Brannon’s vocals remain one of the most intense, blood-curdling things I have ever heard or seen, with “Ready to Fight” being one of the top five hardcore songs of all time. If you are wondering if they have gotten a little long in the tooth (especially with Brannon being the only original member left), their show years back at POP Montreal, opening for Municipal Waste at Club Soda, proved the band is still brimming with piss and vinegar. Don’t be a turd burglar and sleep on this one. Opening is Enforcers. 87 Ste-Catherine E., doors open at 7:30 p.m., $20/$22

Wednesday: Finally, all you PBR metalheads should catch Hooded Fang with Corridor and Un Blonde at P.D.B. 179 Jean-Talon W., 8 p.m., $8/$10

 

Current Obsession: Thee Oh Sees, Floating Coffin

jonathan.cummins@gmail.com