Must-see shows at Suoni per il Popolo fest this week

Summer is absolutely blasting this week!! Were you named “Sir Skankalot” in your high school yearbook? Well then you should skip right down to the last announcement for my big pick of the week and get ready to rocksteady. For those of you who never cottoned to “speed reggae,” this week also promises some tried and true new wave hits, whiney indie rock, pure rock ’n’ roll mayhem and of course Suoni per il Popolo, the festival that proves it’s still got a solid six-pack around the middle as it hits the half-way mark. To get deep into Suoni, I suggest you go to their official website, or better yet just take a chance and pop yer head into Sala, Casa or la Vitrola and surprise yerself. It’s in this surprise element where Suoni really shines.

Thursday: The true god of rock — Lemmy — is probably in a parallel universe right now blowing out eardrums with Roky, but if you still have an urge to make everything louder than everything else you can make tracks to Piranha Bar to catch Motörheadache with the punk rock support of the Bombs and Jonesy. 680 Ste-Catherine W., 8 p.m., $12/$18

Friday: One of Montreal’s stalwarts of the scene Three O’clock Train will bring their punk croon and swoon to Barfly as part of the annual Hangover Golf Tournament happening at Barfly. The golf event starts early on Saturday and is pretty literally titled so be prepared to see a lot of wasted golfers by the end. Best of all, you can save yourself some much needed beer money — it’s free. 4062A St-Laurent, 10 p.m., free

Those of you who don’t want to hang out in a small dark room with drunk golfers may prefer to hang out at le National for Yeasayer with openers Oh Rose. 1220 Ste-Catherine E. 8 p.m., $23.48/$26.09

If you want to avoid all the caterwauling entirely, and are convinced that this whole “live music” thing is just a bunch o’ hooey, you can trudge up the stairs of North Star and catch the crime-fighting DJ duo Punk Police as they play the perfect soundtrack to your pinball and 50. 3908 St-Laurent, 10 p.m., free

Suoni is definitely stacking up its weekend with the first in their perfect one/two combo at Sala, featuring Fennesz, the almighty Wolf Eyes, local post-punkers with fancy guitars Gashrat, Sef III, Dominc Jasmin, Girl Circles and DJ Loum. 4848 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $25/$40

Saturday: If your ears haven’t turned to ash after Wolf Eyes had their way with them, check out Montreal experimental music stalwarts Fly Pan Am, who’ve ended a lengthy live and recording hiatus. Will they play more gigs after their Suoni show? Doubt it, so better catch them tonight. Helping them up the stairs at Sala are Lungbutter, Moth Cock, Night Lunch, Faze, DJ Moskas and Phillipe Van Dal. 4848 St-Laurent, 8:30 p.m., $25/$40

All the romper-stompers out there will want to march their cherry reds down to Katacombes to catch the oi action of the U.K.’s Grade 2 with the Prowlers, the Ruffianz, King Cans and new T.O. baldys on the oi block Rough Cuts. 1635 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $15.60

Barfly’s booker and bartender has seen it all from her cramped quarters behind the bar but swears to Lemmy that the new wave covers of the Tina Trons are some of the sweetest sounds ever to rise from our streets. If you’re craving some new wave nuggets that are usually only heard at weddings, you will want to make this scene at Barfly. Opening is Green Cup. 4062A St-Laurent, 9 p.m., price not listed

Monday: My big pick of the week will reach past the weekend and hit the shiddiest night of the week. The almighty Specials will be celebrating 40 years of two-tone delight at Corona with L.A. Salami. Pickituppickituppickitup! 2490 Notre Dame W., 7 p.m., $48.50/$53.50

Current Obsession: Guided by Voices, Alien Lanes
jonathan.cummins@gmail.com