Double down on great gigs this week

Hope you got out to some gigs last week, with the unseasonal weather, but this week is proving to be twice as good with two gigs in particular that should appeal to anyone who was at the Enslaved/Wolves in the Throne Room show last week.

Thursday: Thursday is a no-brainer if you are digging the dark and minimal synth toonz that seem to have Montreal in a tight grip. If your entire wardrobe is black, you will want to be at la Vitrola for Ba:zel with the gigginest band in Montreal, Brusque Twins, and one of Montreal’s potty-mouthed Joji. 4602 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $10/$8 in advance

Friday: There is no rest for promoters Analogue Addiction, who cook up another sweet gig this week at l’Esco with Blue Odeur, Veranda Liv and the Walls Are Blonde. 4461 St-Denis, 9 p.m., $8

Does anybody remember when Watain played at Foufs years ago and stunk the whole place out so bad with dismembered and rotting pig heads and tainted animal blood the bouncers spent the whole night spraying Febreeze onto the sweating masses? Foufounes just smelled like Febreezed shit, but Watain were fucking brilliant. Though a little too Bathory-obsessed and a little cartoonish they can still deliver some seething metal in charred black spades. This one gets the pick of the week and is happening at le National with Destroyer 666 opening up. 1220 Ste-Catherine E., 7 p.m., $35/$32.50 advance

The fine and dandy chill soul of Strange Froots goes toe to toe with the dark art pop of la Fievre with Stranger Familiar and Fait Divers opening at a Vitrola. 4602 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $10/NOTAFLOF

Saturday: If you missed Strange Froots on Friday, you can catch these overachievers on Saturday when they take up the middle slot between Grand Analog and Kilo Jules at the soon to be gone Divan Orange. Don’t miss this last call before Divan Orange closes its doors for good next month. 4234 St-Laurent, 10 p.m., $10

One of the most passionate promoters in the city — David Metras from Earslaughter productions — has had to endure a shitty winter as his house burned down, and numerous benefits have been set up across Quebec to help get this grindcore/power violence freak back on his feet. You can help him rebuild by showing up to Katacombes and catching Hidden Pride, Vaginal Addiction, Kickxassxviolence and Oath to a Dead Man. If you can’t make the show but still want to help Metras out, there is a Kickstarter link on the Facebook event page. 1635 St-Laurent, 8 p.m., $10/PWYC

Sunday: If you ever complained there wasn’t enough to do on Sunday early-evenings, you can burn the rest of your weekend fuel at 5 p.m. at Sound Central, hosting the garage rock of Chacal with the noisy post punk of Nuage Flou and the industrial wallop of Whoreson. 4486 Coloniale, 5 p.m., free/PWYC

Also happening a couple of blocks east at l’Esco at 5 p.m. is their weekly Pasta Party, which includes a plate of carbs and performances by Vincent’s Price (of Death) and Dirty Cheetas. 4461 St-Denis, 5 p.m., $12

After filling up on Sound Central coffee and dep beer or l’Esco pasta, you can keep your sleazy rock ‘n’ roll going at Divan Orange with Dangereens, Shake Well Brothers and the History of Gunpowder. 4234 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $8

Monday: If you’re into metal shred guitar, you will want to show up to see one of the pioneers, Michael Schenker, who will play to an entire room of other guitar slingers at Club Soda. You could do a lot worse on a Monday. 1225 St-Laurent, 8 p.m., $65.75

Current Obsession: Kiss, Electric Lady Studios Demo 1973

jonathan.cummins@gmail.com