Top picks from Taverne Tour and more sick gigs this week

After a couple of grim months, things are finally picking up in the clubs and the third edition of the Taverne Tour is definitely helping put the sweat on the walls of local swill joints this weekend. Most of Taverne Tour’s venues are local watering holes that don’t regularly feature live music, which is what really makes this annual fest so much fun. Instead of just hitting one venue and cooling your heels for the night, you can pop your head in to most bars in the Mont-Royal Avenue/St-Denis Street area and bar-hop within walking distance to see tons of great bands — the festival started last night and runs through Saturday. The other reason I like Taverne Tour is the fest was well-oiled even from their debut year, and although the roster is eclectic, a special nod goes out to a lot of young psych bands who are out to raise us up from the indie rock drek we have been stuck in for far too long. See my picks of the fest below and check out Cult MTL’s interview with Taverne Tour’s founder here.

Thursday: A big gig for the Taverne Tour is Spaceface, the sideline band of Memphis-based Jake Ingalls from the Flaming Lips at le Ministère with Anemone and Wizaard. 4521 St-Laurent, 10 p.m., $15

If you are more in the mood for some grade-A post-punk and psych, you can head down to Quai des Brumes to catch locals Yokofeu and the new wave revivalism of Gino Laser. 4481 St-Denis, 10 p.m., $10

There are still a couple of gigs happening tonight off the Taverne Tour path, and surefire stonker for those who like a baritone croon with their twang is Li’l Andy with Philémon Cimon at la Vitrola. 4602 St-Laurent, 9:30 p.m., $12

If you’re looking for some leaden riffs in the key of weed, catch some classic bangers from the Skull as they perform their 1986 record Trouble with Destruction Derby and Luger at le Ritz. 179 Jean-Talon W., 9:30 p.m., $15/$20 advance

If you’re at the Yokofeu gig, you might want to take a righteous tank-up next door at Rockette as they are dedicating an entire night to post-punk legend Mark E. Smith and will be playing the Fall all night as well as videos. To read just what this legend meant to me, please pick up the print edition of Cult MTL at your local gormandizing shops and pubs as of today. 4479 St-Denis, 9 p.m., price unlisted

Friday: My big pick of the Taverne Tour is the shoegazy decibel blast of A Place to Bury Strangers at l’Esco with Yoo Doo Right. Unfortunately, if you weren’t swift enough to grip tix, you’re fugged as this is long sold out. If you are holding tickets, remember to bring earplugs as this will get loud as fuck. 4461 St-Denis, p.m., $

Taverne Tour gives the locals some love on Friday night with the electro-punk of We Are Wolves and Pop Goes at their main hub, le Ministère. Better stick around as the free afterparty will feature Co/ntry with DJ Choses. 4521 St-Laurent, 10 p.m., (sold out)

Taverne Tour continues to lock down this Friday night with Corridor and Fountain at O Patro Vys. 356 Mont-Royal E., 10 p.m., $10

If you want to get some of your last Divan Orange licks in before the venue closes, you can make it down to the second edition of the Night of the Living Cramps, which will feature an entire evening dedicated to the greatest psychobilly band ever (the Cramps, natch) with the Jukeez, Couteau, les Separatwists and the Lab Rats. 4234 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $10

Saturday: Taverne Tour gets their ’90s sound on with Solids, Deaf and Talleen at l’Esco. This will pack up quick, so best get down there early or get your tickets now. 4461 St-Denis, 9:30 p.m., $13

If you’re willing to make your way east on Mont-Royal, you can catch one of the city’s true jewels, Bloodshot Bill and the Hick Ups, at Pub West Shefford. This show is mandatory for anybody going to the Night of the Living Cramps on Friday night. Yep, this is a Taverne Tour event as well. 1562 Mont-Royal E., 11 p.m., $10

Taverne Tour snag one of the best local live bands again this year — Duchess Says plays le Ministère with Toronto’s Sigil. Afterwards, you can stick around for a free show featuring free pizza and the power pop of Priors. 4521 St-Denis,n 10 p.m., $18

Monday: Most of the people who are digging on the more psych side of Taverne Tour will keep their ears ringing at Black Rebel Motorcycle Club with Night Beats at Club Soda. 1225 St-Laurent, 8 p.m., $28-$37

Tuesday: The Deadly Mardi DIY series at Rockette continues with the Italo Disco of local studmuffin Taylor Hoodlum Stevenson with the Marquis. 4479 St-Denis, 9 p.m., $5/PWYC

Phew!

Current Obsession: U Roy, The Best of U Roy

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