The Suoni music fest excels in its home stretch

The Suoni per il Popolo festival is chugging along into its final stretch, still owning the regular trio of venues on St-Laurent on the outskirts of Mile End. Suoni is indeed the big kid on the block this week but there is plenty else happening around town, including my two big picks, which couldn’t be more different musically. Read on to find out what gigs I’m yammering on about.

Thursday: The best start to your early weekend would be checking out 10th anniversary of Heavy Montreal celebration, which include a vernissage of Susan Moss’s photos of the previous fests as well as the amazing poster artwork of Pat Hamou. This gets underway at 4 p.m. at Foufs and will include a BBQ at 7 p.m. Best of all, it’s all free. 87 Ste-Catherine E., 4 p.m., free

On the Suoni front is Wolf Parader Spencer Krug at Sala, but you will want to get down there as early as possible for the new droney jammer from Besnard Laker Jace Lasek and Young Galaxy duder Steve Ramsay’s new joint Light Conductor is opening up. 4848 St-Laurent, 8:30 p.m., $20/$25

Down Turbo Haüs way, you can check out the indie rock of Riverbeds with the psych dream pop of Constellation Nightclub. 2040 St-Denis, 7 p.m./PWYC

Friday: For those about to post-rock, we salute you! To get the rest of you up to speed, Turbo Haüs is hosting Deathwish’s Harborlights with Herskin and Senzafine. I will be on the bar side spinning throughout the night, so come by and say hello. 2040 St-Denis, 8 p.m., $12

L’Esco has cooked up a great show with a long overdue performance by local rockers Technicolor Blood (featuring one half of the Punk Police DJ duo on the tubs) with France’s Marietta and Red Mass offshoot Birds of Paradise. 4461 St-Denis, 9 p.m., $10

One of Montreal’s true treasures, Xarah Dion, is ready for her Suoni spotlight. Supporting her are Rivalled Envy, Morte Psiquica and DJ Pulsum, at Casa. 4873 St-Laurent, 8:30 p.m., $10/$13

Saturday: Suoni keeps slugging with Blu Anxxiety, Police des Moeurs, Persons Unknown and Pallisade, at Casa. 4873 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $10/$13

If you were hoping to catch the cool mellow psych trip of Khurangbin with Kikagaku Moyo at Corona, don’t make the trek as it is sold out. But don’t fret because my two big picks of the week are both happening tonight:

First up are UK82 d-beat legends the Varukers, who will level Katacombes with Ultrarat, the Ruffianz, Varukers side project Backstreet Abortions and Unwanted Noise. This is a definite do-not-miss if you like classic, driving, political punk. 1635 St-Laurent, 8 p.m., $15/$20

One of my favourite instru-metal bands of all time come back after a lengthy hiatus and will show you just how progressive heavy music can become. Some would say they’re the thinking man’s metal. Making this gig at le Ritz utterly irresistible is Relapse Records band Cloakroom opening. 179 Jean-Talon W., 7 p.m., $16/$20

Tuesday: A great combo for your night before hump day is starting at Barfly at 5 p.m. to catch the 42nd edition of Eardrum Buzz, with Italian folky punker Gav de la Vega and openers Toutan Kamon. 4062A St-Laurent, 5 p.m., free

After Eardrum Buzz, you can continue enjoying Barfly’s free pool table until Mark Goodwin’s 12th edition of his Music Blabber series gets underway. This time Goodwin is in conversation and jamming with singer songwriter Kurt Chaboyer. 4062A St-Laurent, 10 p.m., PWYC

Wednesday: Psych popsters Wand have a Roland Space Echo and they are gonna use it at le Ritz, with openers Dream Decay. 179 Jean-Talon W., 9:30 p.m., $15

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