Mono

Mono

Pouzza Fest owns downtown Montreal this weekend

Free shows and affordable passes at the punk rock fest PLUS more great gigs in Montreal this week.

Without a doubt this long weekend is owned by the punkers as another edition of Pouzza Fest gets underway tonight. All shows can be had for an affordable weekend pass, day passes or individual show tickets. Not only that, but the outdoor shows at the corner of de Maisonneuve and Clark remain absolutely free. The shows are all happening a stone’s throw at St-Laurent and Ste-Catherine at the usual punk rock watering holes and a couple of non-venue places, too. Listing all of the Pouzza shows would be ridiculous as there is a just a shit-ton of bands playing over the weekend, so I would suggest you check the official website.

Despite this giant reach-around for Pouzza, though, my big pick of the week is actually off-Pouzza. Read on, street urchins, and find out what it is.

Thursday: If you dig down and dirty garage pop, you will want to make it down to Katacombes to catch the windy city’s Primitive Blue with Empty Minds, North by North and Tugawar. 1635 St-Laurent, 8 p.m., $10

Pouzza has a warm-up party happening at Sala with all money taken in at the door going towards Addicq. Kicking off Pouzza will be Pussy Stench, Sugar Coma, Calico Fray, Dirtnap, Beware Band and SAA. 4848 St-Laurent, 8 p.m., $12.43

Friday: Do you dig P.I.L.’s ground-shaking Flowers of Romance? Of course you do — you would be a putz not to. If you want to hear some serious drum-centric grooves with Kate Bush squeals, get down to Quai des Brumes to check out Mary Ocher and Your Government with guests Delorca and Moose Terrific plus DJ Pat de Bratte keeping it real. 4481 St-Denis, 9 p.m., $10

For those of you who dig your fuzz-encrusted psych or just want to keep your Distorsion Psych Fest vibe rolling, you can go to l’Esco to check out Acid Dad with the City Gates and Venus Furs. 4461 St-Denis, 9 p.m., $15

With band members alone, this gig at Turbo Haüs is guaranteed to be all elbows and asses: on the bill are Dead Tired, Laval, Pretty Boy, Ellen and the Degenerates, Abertooth Lincoln, Peer Pressure, Death Nap and Taze. 2040 St-Denis, 8 p.m., $60 Pouzza day pass

My big pick of the week is indeed not part of the Pouzza line-up but will go to Japan’s cinematic sonic blasters Mono, who will level Théâtre Fairmount with opener Emmat Ruth Rundle. If you have never had a chance these instrumentalists during their many stops in Montreal over the years, definitely don’t miss this. 2040 St-Denis, 8 p.m., $23

Saturday: A definite Pouzza pick would be at the cavernous confines of Foufs Garage with the local hardcore power of Boids (8 p.m.) and the glimmering power pop of O town’s Steve Adamyk Band headlining at 9:45. 87 Ste-Catherine E., 8 p.m./$60 day pass

Another great Pouzza pick is happening at Café Cleopatra at 1 a.m.: local bubble punkers Pale Lips. 1230 St-Laurent, 6:45, p.m., $60 Pouzza day pass

My final Pouzza pick for Saturday would be the legendary catchy punk of Samiam at Foufs with the seething power of headliner Iron Reagan. 87 Ste-Catherine E., 5:45 p.m., $60 Pouzza day pass

For the people who simply don’t like beats at all unless it’s harmonics and loops crashing against each other, you can try and find out where the Geist House is to catch U.K. dronester Raeppen with Lyndsie Alguire, Darkwinds and local drone supergroup and heartthrobs Ghidrah. Ask a drone nerd, 10 p.m., /PWYC

If you want to check out some great cinematic pop you can make it down to L’Esco for the Analogue Addiction hosted show with Italy’s Wow with Kristian North and Helene Barbier. 4461 St-Denis, 9 p.m., $10

Sunday: What is sure to be a feather in Pouzza history is when the party animal himself Andrew WK will headline the free show happening at the corner of de Maisonneuve and Clark. That’s’ right Dorothy absolutely free!!!. This all goes down at 9:15 p.m.

Pouzza finally hangs the Chuck Taylors up on the nail for another year when Montreal’s greatest tribute to the Nils (called the Nils) will headline at Turbo Haüs with Ship of Fools, Hightower, Back of the Class, Sharp Shooter, Wake Up Link, Tru, Qwam and Teenage Big Foot. 2040 St-Denis, 5 p.m., $60 Pouzza day pass

Tuesday: If you didn’t grip tix for the Architects show, I wouldn’t venture down to MTelus as you are fucked without a kiss — this show is long sold out.

I normally don’t dance around Q radio clap-trap and I must admit that Broken Social Scene kind of chafe my taint but the reason I am bringing up their show at Théâtre Corona on Tuesday and Wednesday is that their opener is none other than the Besnard Lakes, who are coming out swinging with a set of brand new songs. Yippidy doo!!! 2490 Notre-Dame W., 7 p.m., $43

Current Obsession: Various Artists, The Best of Bomp Volume One
jonathan.cummins@gmail.com