Montreal’s small venues need you!

Listen up, fuckfaces. We are in the middle of the dead of winter and it truly sucks my dad’s balls but we are Montrealers and we can get through this. Montreal bars, and for that matter the entire service industry, are getting fucked without a kiss, and during this trying time it is of utmost importance for you to take a stand and not to “Netflix and chill” (every night).

Instead, get divin’ into a pint and have a band blow your head off.  If you really want to support the Montreal music scene and all of the people that stand behind it, get ready to wedge yourself off of the couch and get out there and support your local venue that supports live music. Either that or get the fuck out and move to Toronto. They would be glad to have you.

To give you a little bit of enticement, there are some brand new venues hosting shows this week and would only be too glad to have you.

Friday: For those of you like straight-up punk rawk with all of the fixins, get to Mademoiselle on Parc to check out Calgary’s Spanish punx Desgraciados with the super support and good ol’ d beat of Drip, Ultrarat and Lysergic. 5171 Parc, 10 p.m., $5-$10/PWYC

If you’re hip to your Montreal music roots, you’ll know about synth punk legends Rational Youth and will want to check out Kevin Komoda’s longtime venture Plunt with the Tibaldos and the Day Dreamers at l’Entre Nous. 4557 Papineau, 9 p.m., free

For a night of unapologetic punk rock, head down to God’s favourite bar — Barfly — to catch a free show by Fightface, Colonel Sun and the debut of like Swamps. This all starts after the hockey game, natch. 4062 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., free

Saturday: Montreal’s leading psych bands and one of my faves in the city Elephant Stone will turn your frontal lobes to guacamole at Théâtre Fairmount with Walrus and Wizaard. Let the sitar sing! 5240 Parc, doors 7:30 p.m., $15/$20

Monday: DJ Annick will be spinning the most crucial proto metal, black, death, nwobhm etc at her monthly Electric Funeral at Casa. If you don’t make this scene, you are most definitely a poseur. 4873 St-Laurent, 10 p.m., free

Tuesday: Local stud muffin Taylor Stevenson has given up the love of his life — Alice the wonder dog — so she can live out on a farm and hang with other dawgs, but this is costing a little bit of $. If you love dogs and Taylor, come to Alice’s benefit show at Barfly, with a solo set by Stevenson, a nutty set by local rapper Chuggo and a rare appearance from one of Montreal’s greatest bands, Metallian. This better be packed to the tits or this town has no heart. 4062 St-Laurent, 10 p.m., $5/$10/PWYC

Current Obsession: Nadja, Radiance of Shadows

jonathan.cummins@gmail.com