Powering into fall

After last week’s punishing beat-down by Big Business, the concert scene quiets down just a bit this week. Things are still shaking, though, with my big pick of the week being two (sorta) locals killing it tonight.

Thursday: The big pick is the return of Montreal ex-pats (by way of numerous other places) Dany Laj and the Looks. Making this power pop show unbeatable is opening act the Adam Brown, who return to the stage with all new songs after a lengthy hiatus. Dany and co also start their three-month tour after their show at l’Esco so this is a great chance to see them off. Their new rekkid Everything New Is New Again is a power pop corker so make sure to pick it up from the merch table. 4461 St-Denis, 8 p.m., $10

Friday: The Hungover Golf tournament launches into another year but before they tee off, they have to get hopped up on the sauce the night before. As tradition dictates, this libation-digesting will be happening at Barfly with a rare appearance from ’90s local teen sensations Grain Elevator No. 5 with Detroit’s Jeremy Porter and the Tuco. This will get sloppy. 4062A St-Laurent, 9 p.m., PWYC

For a night of paint-peeling psych/garage, you could do a lot worse than seeing the Hypnophonics return to the stage at Turbo Haus with openers Dirty Cheetah. 2040 St-Denis, 8 p.m., price not listed

Saturday: As many of you may have read, since last week one of the pillars of the Montreal music scene, Allan Youster, has no longer been stomping around on this mortal coil. You can read my tribute to this truly unique and wonderful man here. A memorial has been set up at Barfly with friends sharing stories and honouring his memory at 6 p.m. At 9:30 p.m., singer/songwriter Mack MacKenzie of Three O’clock Train and the Mighty Ffud and Music Blabber series host Mark Goodwin will pay musical homage to the man. 4062A St-Laurent, 6 p.m., 9:30 p.m. show, free

If you dig your stoner rock with a bluesy curveball, you should be making tracks down to Turbo Haus to catch the fuzzed out bliss of Pink Cocoon with Bad Skin and Tatum Quinn. 2040 St-Denis, 8 p.m., $10

Sunday: If you like your hot dogs charred on the outside and slightly cold in the centre as well as Judas Priest’s unsung slammer Painkiller, you will want to make it down to Parc LaFontaine for another edition of day drinking going under the name of Heavy Metal Picnic. Expect Frisbee, metal blasting from a portable radio, a huge BBQ and tons of air guitar and drumming. Heshers unite!! Parc LaFontaine (Avenue du Parc LaFontaine & Sherbrooke), 2–8 p.m., freeeeeeeeeee

Monday: The fine freaks from the Distorsion psych fest and Blue Skies Turn Black have teamed up for a show at l’Esco by pop psych warlords Sugar Candy Mountain, with the Kommenden and Bitch Goddess. 4461 St-Denis, 9 p.m., $13.16

If there is just too much goddamn screaming in your punk rock, you can get your melodic punk on when U.K. punkers Triple Sundae deliver the goods with the garage punk know how of Burly Wood and Same As You, at Turbo Haus. 2040 St-Denis, 7 p.m., $10

It’s true, I do love the fug out of my power pop, which is why I gave Dany Laj and the Adam Brown the bump this week, but if they didn’t make it to the gig, my big pick of the week would be the amazing Sun Kil Moon, who will be performing one huge set at l’Astral and will likely leave most in attendance slack-jawed. Don’t shit the bed on this one. 305 Ste-Catherine W., 7 p.m., $32.25

Tuesday: Most of you regular readers of this column will have me pegged as some sort of Satan-worshipping metal maniac — and you would be half right — but every now and again I need to hear some catchy hooks and some serious blips and bleeps, which is why I feel compelled to tell you about the Hot Chip show with Holy Fuck at MTelus. True, the majority of the audience will be horrendous but don’t hold it against the Chip. 59 Ste-Catherine E., 8 p.m., $42.75

Current Obsession: King Tubby, Meets Rockers Uptown

jonathan.cummins@gmail.com