Seven concerts you won’t want to sleep on this week

Don’t get too jumpy there, Poindexter. We’re still in January and most big tours that would be coming through town are still holding off until the deep freeze is over. Not to say that things don’t start opening up a bit before we launch into February.

Next week is right about that time when music fans really get squirrely with their self-imposed cabin fever. Next week you will want to satellite around the St-Denis / Mont-Royal intersection as Taverne Tour takes over next weekend but until then there are some great shows to get you there. This week you can get into one of the longest running experimental music nights in the city, a local band of stud muffins who aren’t afraid to rock jean jackets on stage, CKUT’s mid-winter bash, le Ritz’ fifth anniversary and more. Dig in, street urchins.

Thursday: The hottest bunch of studs in Montreal — Sick Things — don’t shy away from a decent Canadian tuxedo and know full well that guitar riffs sound better with a foot planted on a monitor. But what they do better than most in this city is write a great tune. Joining their “Make a Riff Foundation” is Brigante and Forever Woman at Turbo Haüs. Best of all, afterwards you can shake it like a bowl of soup on the bar side as DJ Jackie (Pale Lips) and her main squeeze Chance (Priors) will be spinning the wax until Sergio demands they stop. 2040 St-Denis, 8 p.m., $10

Friday: Those furry radio friends from CKUT are hosting a Midwinter Bash at rad-AF spot in 185 Van Horne with a star-studded event featuring Kee Avil, Water Gun Water Gun Sky Attack, la Fièvre and Rick Trembles’ new jammer Nuppeppo with projections from VJ François Letourneau. This starts early and ends early. (Note: Don’t be a jerk and hang out all night in front of the venue.) 185 Van Horne, 9 p.m., $10

My God, has it really been five years already? Le Ritz celebrates five years of providing a killer venue and a swell place to swill at, and despite some ownership shake-ups it remains true to its initial mission. You can celebrate the venue’s half-decade milestone with a great dance night with DJs Awwful, Super Taste and World of Body Meta. 179 Jean-Talon W., 10 p.m., $5

Saturday: Barfly will be getting tipsy with NYC’s Castle Black, with help from local shoegazers Telluric and Helen of Joy. 4062A St-Laurent, 8 p.m., suggested donation of $5

Rivet heads looking for the rad gig with a hefty serving of heaviosity will want to make it down to la Vitrola with Suicide for a King, Held in Secret, Mold and Seconds to Midnight. 4602 St-Laurent, 7:30 p.m., $10/$15

Making this Saturday night extra heavy is the Metal Till Midnight event that will be launching into its 10th edition at Turbo Haüs with Fravures and Outlines, Eternal Closure, Autumna, Warpit and Sawyer Path. Note the early as fug start-time. 2040 St-Denis, 6 p.m., $15

Tuesday: One of the longest-running nights dedicated to experimental and free music, Mardi Spaghetti, continues to get its swerve on at Casa with Remy Belanger de Beauport, the always great Xarah Dion, Lori Freedman, François-Xavier Vigneault-Marcil and Verfil Sharkya. 4873 St-Laurent, 8 p.m., $10

Current Obsession: 20/20, self-titled

jonathan.cummins@gmail.com

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