The mind-blowing-est, face-melting-est POP Montreal shows

It’s here!!! The 2015 edition of POP Montreal is currently underway and if you missed last week’s Hammer, you may have missed out on garage legends the Sonics and bong-bubblers Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats. Most years my POP pickins are a little slim but the 2015 edition is really going to give my nine functioning fingers a workout trying to tap this out. Remember that Bixis should be your chariot, pace yourself on the amber nectar and vitamin C is your best friend.

Giggity gigs:

Thursday: You can start things off at Quartiers POP with no wave legend Arto Lindsay, who will share some of his favourite writings on music. You’re encouraged to bring down your faves as well, and if one of them is the column where I compared POP founder Dan Seligman to Adolf Hitler, then have at it. This gets underway at 2 p.m. Click here for event details.

At 2:30 p.m. at Quartiers POP, you can eavesdrop on a conversation between Brill Building bubblegum behemoth Andy Kim with Torquil Campbell. Kim wrote the Archies jammer “Sugar Sugar” and has most recently been working with (ex-Broken Social Scene guy)  Kevin Drew. Campbell may or may not be in a popular band, but one thing is for certain: he has never performed with Slayer. Click here for event details.

Old punkers are definitely going to want to cool their heels at Phi Centre for the Greenland Productions event The Canadian Early Punk Interactive Expo, with first wave pop punkers the Diodes, a screening of the film featuring Canada’s first punk rock dive the Crash ‘N Burn, a slide show with commentary from photographer and former Shadowy Man on a Shadowy Planet Don Pyles and ex-Teenage Head Gordie Lewis with Dave Rave. Click here for event details.

One Montreal band that’s slated to be huge in 2016 is Ought, who launch their new rekkid Sun Coming Down with Tasseomancy and Nennen at Ukrainian Federation. Click here for event details.

You can check your expectations at the door when my old band Bionic reunite for one night and take a swing at our debut record from 1998. Yeesh — we are weighing in at a collective 200 years (four members) so uh, yeah don’t expect much. Saving the night from disaster will be Squalor, Hashed Out and Fashion Police at Sala. Click here for event details.

A better bet in the midnight slot is the utterly brilliant Dany Laj and his Looks with the Nils, Hot Panda, Twin River and Adam Strangler at Club Lambi. Click here for event details.

Friday: Despite overstated social media rumours that Lemmy is in ill health after he left the stage after four songs in Austin last week, he will piss on all of our graves when Motörhead shake the foundations of Metropolis with Anthrax and Dance Laury Dance at l’Olympia. If you aren’t grippin’ tix, though, this is sold out, natch! Click here for event details.

Motörhead are true rock ‘n’ roll legends that always deliver in (ace of) spades, but my big pick for Friday night would be the brutal bash of legendary duo Godflesh with the high decibel noise of Prurient and local pummelling courtesy of Pelvic Floor. Bring earplugs!!! Click here for event details.

Motörhead and Godflesh on the same night? Well check this triple threat out: Tim Hecker will perform Fog Works II with Boha at the Phi Centre. This will be a true mind-fuck. Fans of Hecker’s ethereal side are also going to want to march right down to Sunday’s section to check out my true POP highlight. Click here for event details.

Local sludgy psych band UUBBUURRUU launch their new EP at le Ritz with Corridor, I.D.A.L.G. and Poolboy. Click here for event details.

Arto Lindsay will put a cork in it and give you all a lesson in no wave noise at Sals with Un Blonde and Neil Holyoak. Click here for event details.

Many of you will be Quai des Brumes for Nanimal, Walrus, Morthouse and Crystal Eyes but it’s Big Brave that sneak into the middle slot that will make this a great night. Click here for event details.

The Besnard Lakes — easily one of my favourite bands of all time — take on the crazy idea of stretching their five-piece into a 17-piece band, including a full horn section, vibraphones and a plate of nachos at Rialto, with Anamai. After their brutal rehearsal regimen trying to realize this challenging project, the band will encore with all 17 members passing out onstage. Click here for event details.

K, all drugonauts are to report for duty at SAT, when the Orb melts your frontal lobes with Malted Murphy and Vosper. Remember, speed kills, so go for something a little bit more groovy in your drug selection. Click here for event details.

Saturday: Easily one of my favourite records of the ’90s is Babes in Toyland’s Fontanelle, and judging by my snooping of their recent reunion shows, that is what will make up most of the Babes’ set list on Saturday night so this will fuggin’ rule and is the easy pick for Saturday night. Opening is Cheap Wig and Hand Cream at Rialto. Click here for event details.

Speaking of the ’90s, better hire a babysitter so you don’t miss the solid guitar jams of Built to Spill with Crosss and Clarke and Himself at Club Soda. Click here for event details.

Legendary R&B guitarist and singer Barbara Lynn will prove she hasn’t aged a day at Phi Centre, with Lil’ Buck Sinegal and the Key Lites. Search Lynn on YouTube right now and be amazed. Click here for event details.

Sunday: Expect the unexpected with the Pathway to Paris night at Rialto, with Sonic Youther Thurston Moore, Anne Waldman, Fast Speaking Music, Jesse Paris Smith, Rebecca Foon, Arcara, Brad Barr and Sarah Page. Click here for event details.

Okay, here’s my big pick of the fest and the perfect closer to four days of chaos: Stars of the Lid at Ukrainian Federation. Your leftover drugs from Hecker and the Orb will definitely come into play here. This is going to be so fuggin’ gooooooood!!!!!! Click here for event details.

Current Obsession: Jesus Lizard, Goat

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