The top 10 Montreal shows this week

Hopefully you were able to squeeze into the super-slammed Sleep show at Théâtre Berri last Sunday night. Truthfully, though, the night wasn’t without its hiccups.

Sleep was fucking amazing for, uh, the first hour. After “Dopesmoker” appeared early in the set I started to feel the effects of standing up for six hours and smoking way too much hash before openers Big/Brave even hit the stage. An hour and 45 minutes was truly taxing on even the most ardent Sleep fan, which I most definitely am. But it wasn’t old age and hash that ruined what could’ve been a perfect night. This show was totally disorganized and ramshackle.

We were stuck in line-ups for up to an hour, then Big/Brave’s set started the minute doors were open. I was lucky enough to catch B/B and after getting over the bad sound that seemed to be plaguing them, an iPod started playing grindcore over the P.A. in the middle of their set – for over three minutes in the middle of one of their 10 minute opuses. I was especially excited to see Jessica Moss weave her magic with B/B again but somebody forgot to put her violin in the house. This is inexcusable — re-entry fuggups, sound issues, dormant door times and, set times etc. Having said that I loved the sound and site lines of Théâtre Berri and am hoping the venue and promoter take this as a hard lesson that they plan to learn from.

Thursday: The third edition of Ambient Art Night is happening tonight at Bad Lunch. Budding young doodlers are encouraged to bring markers, pencils, ink or whatever is your graphic art weapon of choice and dig deep into the live soundscapes from live performances by Ananas, Dan Dixon and Aim Low. PM Bad Lunch for the address (check the Facebook link above), 8:30 p.m., $5/PWYC

Garage psychsters I.D.A.L.G. are launching their new jammer Post Dynastie at le Ritz with Milk Lines and the always-awesome DJ Mathieu Beauséjour keeping things spinning all night. 179 Jean-Talon W., 9 p.m., $10

For a night of righteous punk rawk riffage, head down to Katacombes to catch the Last Rockers, Teen Seizures, Big Vein and more. 1635 St-Laurent, 8 p.m., $10

Friday: Nadia and Alex will be celebrating their first steps into the dirty 30s with a special birthday bash at Turbo Haus featuring kickass tributes by members of Prevenge, Hashed Out and a host of others that frequent the Turbo stage on the reg. show up early for the tribute to Johnny Thunders followed by a tribute to MC5 (!) and sending you into the St-Henri night with a tribute to the bruddahs, the Ramones!!!! 5011 Notre-Dame W.

For a truly metallic Friday night you can settle yourself in the heart of downtown at the Piranha Bar for Nordmadr who will launch their new EP with Kruhl, Godbear Evans and Kill Kids for Whiskey. 680 Ste-Catherine W., 9 p.m., $8/$10

The fine furry folks at Analogue Addiction have cooked up another splendid shindig at l’Esco with headliners Yardlets, who will launch their new EP, with openers Derm Kean and An Incredible Woman and Ghost Vines. 4467 St-Denis, 9 p.m., $7

For a night of misanthropic and minimalist synth you can check out Automelodi with Litige and Besatzung at Casa. 4873 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $5

The Sheepdogs may be riding high on Théâtre Corona’s marquee but the real reason you should be making it down St-Henri way is to catch their hand picked openers for their Canadian tour, the Beat Cops. After Beat Cops slay the Corona you can pack it up and move down the street to Turbo Haus (5011 Notre-Dame W.) and probably still be able to catch the MC5 tribute! 2490 Notre-Dame W., 8 p.m., $27/$29

Saturday: The king night of the weekend is unusually quiet this week but also hosts the big pick of the week when T.O. twangers (and one of Canada’s best live bands ever) the Sadies make up for their last missed date at le Ritz. If that wasn’t enough one of Montreal’s best baritone crooners Li’l Andy will be warming up the room. If you haven’t seen the Sadies or Li’l Andy this will guarantee to swing the tits off of ya. 179 Jean-Talon W., 9:30 p.m., $20/$25

Tuesday: Rockette’s successful Deadly Mardi DIY series continues with the brilliant power pop/garage of Light Bulb Alley. 4479 St-Denis, 10 p.m., $5/PWYC

Current Obsession: Various Artists, Pebbles Volume 3

jonathan.cummins@gmail.com