Your weekly party heat map

To paraphrase Flava Flav, there’s too-too-too much party ahead this weekend and throughout the coming week. So consider this Shine your version of an over-sized clock necklace and lemme show you what time it is.

Friday: If you’re only just hearing this now, it’s still not too late. Jack Ü — that’s Skrillex and Diplo — ride the rails of the Full Flex Express Tour straight through station Parc Jean-Drapeau today from 4 p.m.

Back in the early ’70s, a presumably free-loving scion to the Eaton empire embarked the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, the Band and other friends on a cross-Canada train ride over hills and across plains, ripe with groovy gigs and freaky jams. Jack Ü thought it would be a good idea to do the same with A$AP Ferg, Zeds Dead, Tycho and more.

My clock’s advice? Get movin’. My advice? Don’t take the sauce brune from any off-brand poutine dealers. Île Notre-Dame (via Parc Jean Drapeau), doors 3 p.m., show 4 p.m., $80

Segue to Alaclair Ensemble, who are doing their things — a free outdoor show and an afterparty — in Plaza St-Hubert. Details are nebulous, but let’s see what Google translate had to say about the event blurb, for those ill-versed in Bas Canadien.

“Immediately after our free show in the Plaza St-Hubert on 10 July, we are heading to space ‘Artgang’ the new guy the project Fake Store, for a party luminary more wavy! Gros chilling perspective: DJ sets members of Alaclair, drinks, exhibition of works and all the trimmings! Are you are you down? 5 bread to the door.” 6524 St-Hubert, 10 p.m., free 

Solded.

Meanwhile it’s a “ballroom house” affair at Blue Dog. Jay’Dore rhymes and projects the premiere of a fairly dope looking new video, “The Fork” (see the preview here) alongside DJs M.Bootyspoon, Maddie Longlegz and Bill Eff le Chef. This also sounds like it will possibly be luminary more wavy. 3958 St-Laurent, 10 p.m., free

Freeded.

Saturday: A no doubt equally fun and flex filled — and free — Piknic Électronik gets loud in tandem with Weekends du Monde (aka food heaven) back at Parc Jean Drapeau (2–10 p.m., free) with the tropically correct stances of island sun Poirier and Major Lazer’s Trinidadian ambassador Jillionaire. Shaydakiss and more serve the appetizers. Good eats, good beats and then a good night’s leap into…

…Voyage Funktastique, Back From Europe, wherein travelling men Walla P and Dr.MaD invite NYC’s Sean Rowlands to the comforts of Bleury Bar à Vinyle for a grand re-landing. 2109 Bleury, 10 p.m., $4 before midnight/$7

Sunday: Return to the Park of John’s Flag for another homecoming at Piknic. Maher Daniel visits from Barcelona, accompanied by Jobs Jobse and Andres Velilla. As of now the second stage is a “surprise.” Parc Jean Drapeau, 2–9:30 p.m., $10 before 3 p.m./$15

Tuesday: Festival Nuits d’Afrique is underway, and with it, Vox Sambou brings his solo soul style to the fore at Fairmount Theatre. 5240 Parc, 9 p.m., $20

Wednesday: Pomo, Thomas White and Charles Cozy rep SJUxMelting Pot on l’Esplanade de la Place des Arts. 175 Ste-Catherine W., 5 p.m., free

If you’re truly ’bout that mid-week “fuck the time,” boogie up to Salon Daomé for a blurry moment with Aurora Halal and LMB. 141 Mont-Royal E., 10 p.m., $8/$12 after midnight

Thursday: The always on time Alaclair Ensemble do it again, in the road, free at JFL (Place des Festivals, 8:30 p.m.), this time around also showcasing the wildly popular, Ogden-led le Punch Club improv competition. And it’s Alaclair’s $4.99 anniversary, add a penny.
 
FANTASIA FORECAST: I’m by no means a film cah-noy-sewer. I’m much more of a canoodler. But the other night I happened to sit mesmerized through a good, let’s say, 60 to 70 previews of what’s to come at this year’s fest — probably not even half of the entire preview disc my friend brought over in what has become our annual custom.

In my retinal afterburn, I see many ninjas and monsters. Ninja the Monster comes to mind as a keeper. Who Killed Captain Alex? (Uganda’s First Ever Action Movie) appears to be the lowest budget awesome of all time. A reissue of 1981’s Roar trumps any Jackass stunt ever. Kung Fu Killer looks as amazing as a film titled Kung Fu Killer should be.

There were also a bunch of decent looking movies that will no doubt be re-made for American audiences by the Afflecks and Tom Cruise in coming years, as well a fucked up Santa movie with William Shatner, a new Monty Python doc, Cop Car (that’s Kevin Bacon, who appears at this world premiere, stalking two kids who stole his ride), a horror flick about Ron Jeremy’s cock and a touching animated version of Khalil Gibran’s The Prophet brought to us by 13 different animators and the director of The Lion King.

So go check out that schedule (and see Cult MTL‘s highlights here).
 
ANTIBALAS ALERT: The NYC-bred Afrobeat champions are popping up all over the province this week. Laval gets a lashing of funk on Wednesday at the Pavillon du 50ème with Montreal openers Busty and the Bass still fresh off a frenzied three-night Jazz Fest midnight Savoy stint.

It’s so nice, let’s do the same thing twice. The bad-ass brass moves to centre-ville Montreal for a free Nuits d’Afrique gig where we can all shake that hot summer nyash out in the streets. Antibalas are one of my favorite live bands of this lifetime, and the definition of good time, and a good time. See you there on time. ■
 
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