Hot hot hot gigs in Montreal this week (and two very unfortunate cancellations)

Woah! With the holidays and early January lull behind us, things are really taking off. That said, the people from the make-a-riff foundation are going to be bummed as there is not just one killer show that went tits up but two cancelled shows back to back. On the flippity flop, though, pretend vampires might crack a slight smirk when they realize they can do their lost-my-contact-lens and swoopy arms moves on the dancefloor not once but twice this weekend. Yippidy doo!

Thursday: Although there isn’t a week that goes by now where some Poindexter hasn’t cooked up a music fest of some sort (and this week is of course without exception) the 2019 edition of Offside: From Barfly With Love is actually kinda kool. The gist is they have boxed up the good times (sans smell) of the cozy Barfly tavern and transported them to the Centaur Theatre Bar. This is already underway and will run through next week but tonight you can check out the Barfly Sunday night Bluegrass Jam at brand new digs. For another kool Offside gigger, slide down to Saturday’s announcements. 453 St-François-Xavier, 9:45 p.m., price unlisted

The punk/soul/post-punk/metal etc DJ nights are really cooking up, with the new kids on the block being Supersonic Disco Mobile. They are sticking the needle into the groove of some dusty punk rock sides every third Thursday of the month at Turbo Haüs. All vinyl, all punk, all good. 2040 St-Denis, 10 p.m., price unlisted

My big pick of the week goes to the crazy talented Jessica Moss, who launches her new jammer Entanglement at le Ritz with a solo set by Sam Shalabi opening the night. Moss has been in the game forever but has definitely been hitting her stride over the past couple of years. Do not miss! 179 Jean-Talon W., 9:30 p.m., $10/$13

Friday: Oddly enough this is a double-booked night for all of you bong-bubblers who crave yer riffs oozing and slow. If you’re hip to the desert rock scene that birthed Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age etc, you will want to see some legends of the dustbowl realm at le Ritz, namely Yawning Man with Freedom Hawk and Mooch. 179 Jean-Talon W., 8 p.m., $15/$20

For a local band that has more than a passing fancy for Queens of the Stone Age (when they were actually listenable), drag yer hairy knuckles to Turbo Haüs to check out Birmani, Look Sacre and Population II. Best of all, I will be spinning topless on the bar side as part of my Lets Get Rad Again night. Hotcha! 2040 St-Denis, 8 p.m., $10/$12

There is definitely a packed weekend coming up for the doom and gloom set when the first edition of Drop gets underway at Katacombes. You can expect the best of industrial and techno with their maiden voyage being christened by Berlin’s Under Back Helmet with support from locals Milton Clark, Aurelie Schleger, D. Blavatsky, Creature and DJ VidKid. 1635 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $10/$12

Saturday: If you went to Drop, you will more than likely see the same pretend vampires at Nevermore, who launch into their 10th year at Katacombes with a live performance by Hotel Noir and DJs Mr. Black and Faith filling the floor with some serious bum-out beats (which is my new goth DJ name btw). 1635 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $6/$8

The Offside night at Centaur Theatre continues to bring its Barfly vibe in their bar section when they host a Kate Bush tribute night. As of my deadline, confirmation over Barfly owner Antman making an appearance and heckling over Ms Bush’s tepid toe tappers until he is hoarse cannot be confirmed. 453 St-François-Xavier, 10 p.m., price unlisted

There is a double local launch at la Vitrola, combining the noise rock of Nuage Flou and the ambient punk (!?) of Boar God with the punk fuggin rawk of Repulsives opening up the night. 4602 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $12.50

Speaking of punk rawk, local punker promoters Analogue Addiction once again represent this week hosting Palmetto, Hot Garbage, Possum and Kaleidoscope Horse at their favourite digs, l’Esco. 4461 St-Denis, 9 p.m., $10

In totally shiddy news, what very well would’ve been my personal metal show of the year — High on Fire with Toke and Year of the Cobra at Fairmount — has cancelled. No word of a make-up date yet but if there is one, you can bet sure as shit I will be posting it here.

Total bummer about High on Fire, but a good substitute would be to catch the Alexisonfire/Barn Burner jams of Dead Tired with the crusty riffs of Fuck Toute and an increasingly rare gig by local melodic punks Dig It Up, at Turbo Haüs. 2040 St-Denis, 8 p.m., $10/$15

Sunday: Geezus fug!!! If the cancelled announcement of High On Fire wasn’t bad enough, THE lead singer of the once legendary Turbonegro (now completely shit) Hank Von Hell has postponed his gig at le Ritz with Sick Things, Against the Grain and DJs Punk Police. Another date has already been scheduled for the summer, so unless Hell takes a dirt nap between now and Jazz Fest, we should be pretty good for a gig from this Apocalypse Dude.

Wednesday: If the winter blahs have gotten you down, you are invited to pack up your noise-making machines for a weekly improvisation night called Mixed Inputs debuting at Sala. The gist is all inputs to the board are open on a first come first served basis, electronics and all. Video artists are also encouraged to get their jams on as well. This is PWYC, with all proceeds going towards fighting the man at Unist’ot’en. Win/Win. 4848 St-Laurent, 9:30 p.m., $12.50

Current Obsession: Booker T. & the MGès, Original Album Series box set

jonathan.cummins@gmail.com