Fucking Weird Al is playing a free show

Normally I use this little intro space to bait you, the reader, into a show and hopefully force you to read my entire column in search of the punchline pay-off, but this week I’m just too beside myself to be so cheeky. On Tuesday, the king of pastiche and satire — Weird Fucking Al Yankovic — is playing for free.

Although it’s almost unfathomable, I was once a fresh-faced young un’ and my favourite radio show in syndication while I was still in short pants was the Dr. Demento show, which introduced me to the insane strains of Wild Man Fischer, tracks like “Fisheads” and other crazy novelty songs that would be jettisoned straight into discount bins or later plucked from the free box at garage sales. A regular spin for the good Doctor was home recordings of  “Yoda” (parody of the Kinks’ “Lola”), “Another One Rides the Bus” (Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust,” natch) and I was hooked.

My favourite Weird Al story is when godspeed reunited to curate the U.K.-based All Tomorrow’s Parties festival five years ago and along a star-studded roster of No Means No, Neurosis and others they included Weird Al. Here comes the rub: Despite a mantelpiece full of Grammys and platinum-certified sales, he was virtually unknown across the pond and had never played in Europe or the U.K. This was all news to the mainly North American roster of 2010’s ATP, who squeezed onto the side stage during Weird Al’s performance.

While going into such hits as his take on “Smells Like Teen Spirit” with the coy title of “Smells Like Nirvana,” with costume changes for each song, the audience of post-rockers, sludge metal fans and Wired magazine subscribers were elbowing each other while screaming “Who the hell is this permed out guy and why is he covering a Nirvana song with the wrong lyrics?!” Despite close to no audience reaction, Weird Al must certainly think of this as a career highlight.

You can see him this week in front of an adoring fan base with what should prove to be one of the most fun shows of the year. See the details below.

Friday: For a night of blitzing hardcore, catch Spain’s Sudor with Sexface, Malokio and Anusol at Casa. 4873 St-Laurent, 9:30 p.m., $10

The Slut Island festival starts winding down with their second to last show of the year at la Vitrola, featuring Hua Li, NYC’s Bell’s Roar, Caro Diaro and Loosestrife. 4602 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $5/$10/PWYC

Saturday: The closing night of the 2015 edition of Slut Island happens at Casa with Perverted Justice, Toronto’s queer friendly sludge metal monsters Anti Body, Providence’s Taskmaster, Peterborough’s Watershed Hour and Sacral Nerves. 4873 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $5/$10/PWYC

At Posson Noir, you can catch Bernardino Femminielli, who will launch a new 12” by his Femminelli Noir project, with openers Pelada and the Powers. (No show details available.)

Sunday: Playing a big gig this week is L.A.’s Sissy Spacek (uh, the band) with Buffalo MRI, Wreckage With Stick and Fatter Dust. La Vitrola (4602 St-Laurent), 9 p.m., $6/$10

Monday: For fans of abacus rock and technical hoo-haa served up with post-hardcore power, catch Gulfer, Boston’s People Like You, New York’s Strange Kids, Jersey’s Pinegrove and Boy Friends at Casa. 4873 St-Laurent, 8:30 p.m., $7

Tuesday: If you happen to buy your “punk” clothes at Neon, you probably already have tickets to see “punk” bands Rise Against with Killswitch Engage and Letlive at Olympia. Good thing too, cos there are none left, haha! 1004 Ste-Catherine E., 7:30, SOLD OUT

Of course the real punx will be at the free Weird Al Yankovic show at Quartier des Spectacles. Ste-Catherine & Balmoral, 9 p.m., free

After Weird Al, drag your wrung-out grey matter to see Pool Boy, Mauno and Mono No Aware at Brasserie Beaubien. 73 Beaubien E., 9 p.m., $6/PWYC
 
Current Obsession: Various Artists, Songs the Fuzztones Taught Us

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