Suoni Per Il Popolo festival rules the roost

Without a doubt, this week is owned by one of our city’s treasures: the Suoni Per Il Popolo festival, which will run for the next three weeks with truly progressively minded musicians.

There is just too much happening at Suoni to try and cover it all here but my top three show picks for Suoni newbs is featured in the print version of this column (the June issue of Cult MTL is out now) and this very site has another Suoni highlights piece here. And of course the festival programs are littered all over the city, or you can just stop in at Suoni’s three conveniently located venues (Casa, Sala and la Vitrola) and take a chance.

Friday: If you’re in the mood to dig deep into the Montreal DIY community while partying in a safe environment, try and find Psychic City’s locale and check out Catbug, Pilth, Boubou le Filou, Spring Blades and Esther Splett. Secret location, 9 p.m., $5/PWYC

If you enjoy listening to q radio and have a PBS tote bag hiding in your closet, chances are I don’t even need to remind you that Timber Timbre are playing at l’Olympia with Sin and Swoon. Sorry, no info on where to park your Volkswagen. 1004 Ste-Catherine E.), 8 p.m., $33.75/$38.75

Suoni has cooked up a loud racket at la Vitrola when the industrial beat down of New York’s Pharmakon shakes the foundations with Drew McDowall, Hiro Kone, Skin and Gamma Scum. 4602 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $10/$13

Saturday: If you were hoping to squeeze into the Ellen Fullman and Greg Davis show at Centre Phi, you fugged up as it is sold out. Have no fear as you can still make the Suoni scene when the unpredictable Red Mass rules the roost at Casa with Tonnes and Atlanteans pulling the sweat act. 4873 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $8/$10

At St-Henri’s favourite swilling hole, Turbo Haüs, Sergio & co. have put together a jam-packed bill with the hardcore sound of Toronto’s Dead Tired and the opening muscle of Mountain Dust, the Sick Things and Miesha and the Spanks. 5011 Notre-Dame W., 9 p.m., $10/$12

Monday: Exemplifying the eclectic programming of Suoni, Casa hosts D.C’s Give with the s.e.h.c. of Protester, Gazm, Faze and Cell. Hit the pit! 4873 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $7/$10

Tuesday: For a taste of the true spirit of Suoni, check out reedsman and master blaster Peter Brotzmann as he joins forces with pedal steel player Heather Leigh at Sala. This will be a guaranteed Suoni highlight. 4848 St-Laurent, 8 p.m., $25/$28

Wednesday: If you don’t consider prog to be a four-letter word, you can catch the microtonal Afrobeat/no wave of Baltimore’s Horse Lords with Phern and Corridor at Casa. 4873 St-Laurent, 8:30 p.m., $9/$12

Oddly, my big pick of the week is not within the Suoni programming — it’s Norwegian dark psych metal band Taake with Helheim at the Fairmount. 5240 Parc, 7 p.m., $25

Current Obsession: Iggy and the Stooges, Raw Power box set

jonathan.cummins@gmail.com