A music festival to strike fear into your heart on Easter weekend

Phew, gigs are definitely stacking up this week as the mercury begins to rise and things spring into action. There’s little bit of everything this week, from grind to rockabilly to post-punk to electronic and much much more. Those of you who like their metal and noise to the extreme will definitely want to check out the fest that starts tonight and parks itself at la Sala Rossa until Saturday.

Thursday: There is plenty going on tonight but if you just want to dig into true rock and roll royalty, you can make your way down to le Ritz for a screening of two killer concert films: Queen’s Rock Montreal and Thin Lizzy’s Live and Dangerous. 179 Jean-Talon W., 9 p.m., free

All post-punkers are requested. in their black attire, at Theatre Fairmount to swoon along to the tunes of the Soft Moon with Boy Harsher. 5240 Parc, 9 p.m., $20/$18 in advance

Probably the big hubbub for those who like their music evil and dark as fuck would be the second edition of the Covenant fest, which will be holding Sala captive over the next three nights. Things start off with a bang in the night with Hellenica, Muertos, Garroting Deep (google garroting!), Thantifaxath (!!!) and Malokrapatan. 4848 St-Laurent, 8:30 p.m., $80 for three-day pass

Friday: The Covenant fest keeps things ripping at Sala with Sovannak Ke, Ordeals, Auroch, Suffering Hour, Sabbath Assembly and The Ruins of Beverast. Be afraid. 4848 St-Laurent, 8:30 p.m., $80 for three-day pass

As stacked as the Covenant II fest is, my big pick of the week will have to go to the cosmic psych jams of D.C’s Dead Meadow, who will be tripping the light fantastic at l’Esco with Population II and Blue Cheese. If there is any doubt about the goods here, this is presented by the fine folks behind the Distorsion Psych Fest so you know it’s gonna be a Grade-A freak-out. 4461 St-Denis, 9 p.m., $15/$13 in advance

Rialto should be brimming with hometown pride when Essaie Pas launch their new jammer New Path with help from Pelada, Bernardiono Femmenielli, Ginger Breaker and Jol. 5723 Parc, 9 p.m., $20/$15 in advance

If you want to check out some expert noisey shoegazeyness, you can darken the door of Brasserie Beaubien to dig deep into the ethereal sounds of Melbourne, Australia’s Divide and Dissolve with Eliza Kavtion and Nennen. 73 Beaubien E., 9:30p.m., $10/NOTAFLOF

Those who like to stack their hair closer to heaven can grease up, strap on those creepers and march down to dig the rockabilly chutzpah of New York’s Screamin’ Rebel Angels with Toronto’s Greasemarks, Black Moon and DJ Pat White playing all the Sun Records sides. 1635 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $10

Saturday: The Covenant fest finally sticks a stake in the heart of Jesus at Sala just before he is resurrected with le 4e Discours, Necrosphere, Azothyst, Sealotry, Adversial and Dead Congregation. 4848 St-Laurent, 8:30 p.m., $80 for three-day pass

In the same spirit, Barfly will be taken over with noise and grindcore when they host Toronto’s Holy Grinder with Skumstrike, Wellebong-Gorgee and Toronto’s Goth Girl opening the night. The look of fear and terror struck into the Barfly regulars should be worth the admission alone. 4062 S-Laurent, 9 p.m., $10/NOTAFLOF

Most post-punkers will be showing up at le Ritz for headliners Shopping or openers Helene Barbier but the real reason you will want to make this scene is for legends Tyvek, who will be taking up the middle slot. Could this be a Stillepost secret reunion? 179 Jean-Talon W., 9:30 p.m., $15/$13 in advance

If you got gussied up and made it down to the Screamin’ Rebel Angels and want to get the most out of your zoot suit before it hits the cleaners, you will want be screaming “It’s martini time!” at the Reverend Horton Heat show at Café Campus with the tele-twang of Unknown Hinson and Igor and the Red Elvises. 57 Prince-Arthur E., 7:30 p.m., $25-$30

The singer for the History of Gunpowder will be hitting the highway and crooning one last time with his band at Katacombes. Helping to see him off will be Bad Uncle and the Steady Swagger. 1635 St-Laurent, 9:30 p.m., $12

If you’re sick of going to the same ol’ dives, you can check out the new venue in town, la Sotterranea, to catch Fountain, Bleu Nuit, Givars and Chris “chrispy” Burns. 4848 St-Laurent, time and price unlisted

For those of you who like it heavy but didn’t make it to the Covenant, you should head to Theatre Fairmount to catch the Contortionist with Silent Planet, Sky Harbor and Strawberry Girls. 5240 Parc, 7 p.m., $40/$30 in advance

Sunday: The residents of Plaza Hutchison are being removed from their homes as the building is being transformed into shiddy luxury condos so a benefit show will happen at Sala with a killer bill including Softcoresoft, Ginger Breaker (playing two shows in two days this week), Mark Lowe, Gazm, Spacers, Unvvell, Blue Ordeur, She Phase, DJ Name, Anabasine, Unclegee, Stefan Christoff and more. Suggested entry is $10 but pwyc. 4848 St-Laurent, 10 p.m., $10/PWYC

Monday: True, Dead Meadow holds the special place in my heart this week but a close second would be the panoramic sounds of Sam Shalabi’s Land of Kush, who will pack them in at Sala. Opening is the Foster/Bennett duo. 4848 St-Laurent, 9:30 p.m., $15/$12 in advance

Tuesday: If you didn’t get your full share of heaviosity at the Covenant fest, you can kill what’s left of your brain cells with the brutal death blast of Profane Order with Banal and Skumstrike at Brasserie Beaubien. 73 Beaubien E., 9 p.m., $5/PWYC

jonathan.cummins@gmail.com