Distorsion Psych Fest is here to warp your eardrums

Geezuz fuck, this week is totes the tits. Not only is the Distorsion Psych Fest in full swing but a God Pee’er will pack his own bar, hipsters will rejoice and throw their Eurp bike caps in the air over electronic nostalgia, the Canette rager keeps things punk as fuck and the metal keeps on rolling. Supper’s ready, so dig in!

Thursday: Alright, metal heads are gonna wanna rejoice tonight as there are a couple of slammin’ gigs happening, starting with Ultravedge, Blast Blast and Voor at Katacombes. 1635 St-Laurent, 7 p.m., price not listed

The other gig for metalheads definite leans towards the old-schoolers. If you need to hear a live version of “Knee High in the Hair Pie” — and frankly, who doesn’t? — lovable oafs Anvil will plow through their over-baked ’80s riffs at Petit Campus with Vantablack Warship. Pray that Lip doesn’t pull out the playing guitar with a dildo thing again – but dollars to donuts he does. 57 Prince-Arthur E., 7 p.m., $30

On the flippity flop is Godspeeder Efrim Manuel Menuck, who is in a duo setting with Kevin Doria at le Ritz. Opening is Saint Louis. Word about Menuck’s last gigger at the bar he co-owns was through the roof and it was packed so if you want to make this scene, better show up early. 179 Jean-Talon W., 9:30 p.m., $18

Turbo Haüs is keeping it cranked with fresh spun metal with Junk Owl, Public Outsiders, My Reality and Nightbreaker. 2040 St-Denis, 7 p.m., $10

The fourth edition of Distorsion Psych Fest may have started last night with Elephant Stone but they really kick open the doors with my big pick of the week: Distorsion Psych favourites …And They Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead return yet again, but this time they’re doing an entire ear-splitting set of Madonna covers. Yep, you read that right. These Austin, Texas psych warriors will be playing Material Girl material exclusively, with Atsuko Chiba, Whoop-Szo, Film School, Zouz and DJ Pat the Brat at Mile End Church. 5035 St-Dominique, 7p.m., $27.45

Friday: If you want to raise some sand to some dirty rock ’n’ roll and punk you should make it down to Barfly for the sweet riffs of Tailgunner, who end their two-year hiatus with Food Fairies and psychobillys the Lab Ratz. 4062A St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $10

In other raging punk news, you can make it to the punk as fug venue Katacombes to catch this definite bang for your buck gig with Random Killing, Vulgar Deli, Dirty Bird, Gag Order, Hotel Murder and High Anxiety. 1635 St-Laurent, 8 p.m., $10

If you want to just dunk yer whiskers into some Labatt 50s and maybe shake yer hip to the edge of tilting a pinball machine, you can get yer punk on as the fine Punk Police DJ duo do their monthly gig at North Star. 3908 St-Laurent, 10 p.m., free

For those of you who like it heavy and sludgy, drag yer hairy knuckles to l’Esco to catch Pale Mare, Mooch, Buffalo Theory Mtl and Discrvst. 4461 St-Denis, 9 p.m., $13

Saturday: Although my personal pick of the week would be Trail of Dead, for many of you it will be synth/goth legends Nitzer Ebb, who will show the young’ uns how it’s done at SAT with Liebknecht. If this has you hot under the collar, slide down to Monday’s gig announcement, which may just complete your week. 1201 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $40

For the rock ’n’ rollers Barfly of course remains the place to be for my budz Dead Messenger, with help from ‘fly regs Ashtray Heart. 4062A St-Laurent, 9 p.m., PWYC

For a night of seething hardcore, you will want to make it to the Canette Bash at Katacombes — in the middle of the afternoon! — to catch Lifepent, Kosovo, Excess, Front Commun, Wounded Touch, Negate Life, Whoresun, Sink and Premonition. 1635 St-Laurent, 3:30 p.m., $20

Sunday: For whatever reason, this gig has flown a bit under the radar but the King Khan and BBQ Show have announced a homecoming set after their CMW gig in Toronto. This will be fuggin’ great and should have some old faces from the ’90s coming out of the woodwork. This is happening at l’Esco with Sinkin’ Feelings opening. 4461 St-Denis, 9 p.m., price not listed

The Sabbath remains stacked with Blessed, Everett Bird and those drone heartthrobs Aim Low at Turbo Haüs. 2040 St-Denis, 9 p.m., $13

Monday: The CKUT funding drive is in fourth gear and their punk rock show The 27th Hour of Chaos is putting on a humdinger at la Vitrola, where they will be broadcasting live and hosting performances by Faze, Nuage Flou and the Hundred Steeples. Totally cheap door price, so if you want to really support community radio, they will gladly accept your donations at the gig. 4602 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $5

Finally my third big pick of the week, one that people who appreciate the finer artists in electronica will certainly want to check out, is video game/’80s horror movie jammers Pertubator with Gloom Influx at SAT. Hipsterz only!!! 1201 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $30

Current Obsession: Meat Puppets, Up on the Sun
jonathan.cummins@gmail.com