Taverne Tour is here to shake us out of our frozen funk

If you aren’t hip to the Taverne Tour MO, it happens over a frigid weekend at a cluster of Plateau venues, many of which are not typical live venues. The hub of the festival can be found at the corner of St-Denis and Mont-Royal, with satellite venues like Casa, Pub West Shefford and others partaking as hosts once again. So you can go see a band you’re familiar with and then maybe stop in at another venue due to the close proximity.

This fourth edition of the Taverne Tour is completely packed with killer bills so I’ll whittle it down a bit and give you my personal picks.

Of course there are also some killer shows happening aside from the Taverne Tour, so dig in, young ’uns.  

Taverne Tour picks

Thursday: Purveyors of true sonic fuckery Crabe will rearrange your frontal lobes at odd venue Prohibition. Best of all, it’s absolutely free. 1031 Mont-Royal E., 7:30 p.m., free 

Indie rock warlords Deerhoof make yet another appearance in our fair town. This should prove to be one of the most popular Taverne Tour gigs so get to Sala early if you want to squeeze in. 4848 St-Laurent, 9:30 p.m., $33.57

Uubbuurruu end their exile from local stages and actually surprise everyone by dropping a new psych encrusted rekkid. Not only that but Nobro is opening so this gig is definitely going to be choice. This is happening at swank digs le Ministère. 4521 St-Laurent, 9:30 p.m., $14.35

Other shows

Thursday: If you’re a Hot Water Music fan — and if you were an overly emotional teen in the mid ’90s, you probably were — you will want to see their second night at Corona. Last Wednesday they played their classic album No Division in its entirety and tonight they return to play Caution. Openers are nothing to chortle up yer wizard sleeve about either — Cancer Bats and the Full Blast — so get down to the Corona when they open the doors. 2490 Notre-Dame W., 7 p.m., $45

Taverne Tour picks

Friday: All you knuckle-dragging heshers who like to smoke the bad banana peel should take your air guitar down to le Ministère to catch the psych/stoner sludge of King Buffalo. (See our interview with opener Atsuko Chiba here.) 4521 St-Laurent, 9:30 p.m., $16.82

Although Taverne Tour has plenty of high-grade barnstormers, my big pick of the fest is easy: the daredevil twang of the Sadies. They’ll prove once again why they’re the best bar band currently stomping the pines. 4848 St-Laurent, 9:30 p.m., $25.17

One of my fave Montreal bands, bubblegum punks Pale Lips, will fill your head with infectious punk-pop. Trust me, they’re worth the trip over to Pub West Shefford. And say hi to Dave, the best bartender ever, for me. 1562 Mont-Royal E., 10 p.m., $14.35

One of the cooler local bands to burst out of the gate recently is heavy blues power trio Miels. They’re playing their familiar watering hole, Saint Sacrement, and yep, it’s free. 775 Mont-Royal E., 10 p.m., free

Long-standing members of the Montreal psych community Birds of Paradise will coo in yer ear at Quai des Brumes. 4481 St-Denis, 10 p.m., $13.16

Want to have the most fun ever shaking it like a bowl of soup to some serious soul-slathered dancefloor fillers? Catch the best living DJ, Jonathan Toubin, as he plucks out some dusty 45 sides for his New York Night Train Soul Clap night at le Ministère. Yeppers, it’s free. 4521 St-Laurent, midnight, free

Other shows

Friday: For Irish punk played to the hilt, the granddaddy of punk venues, Foufs, presents the Mahones. Opening is the current version of the Nils, riffmeisters Painbow and Seb Black. 87 Ste-Catherine E., 8 p.m., $15

Taverne Tour picks

Saturday: If you like a good amount of velvet croon in your Americana twang, look no further than 10-gallon lid-wearing coffee aficionado Li’l Andy at Tavern Boswell. People who made it down to the Sadies will want to take note and keep the twang going all weekend. 2407 Mont-Royal E., 9 p.m., $11.59

Keeping the Montreal garage torch burning strong, local faves les Breastfeeders will create their fuzz-fueled mayhem on the third floor of Studio Theatre de Studio Bizz. , 10 p.m., $22.77

If you caught the first New York Night Train Soul Clap with DJ of the gods Jonathan Toubin, you’ll definitely want to make this a twofer. And you got it, Pontiac, it’s free again. This is happening right after the Breastfeeders take all of the air out of the room. 551 Mont-Royal, midnight, free

Up and coming local band Population II are playing at their favourite hang, l’Esco. 4461 St-Denis, 9 p.m., $16.76

In an odd turnaround, locals Constellation Nightclub will launch their debut record at Taverne Tour, then break up. You can pick up the rekkid and bid yer adieu at their local, Saint Sacrement. Attention cheapskates: it’s totally free. 775 Mont-Royal E., 10 p.m., free

Other shows

Tuesday: Make tracks to Casa for Mardi Spaghetti, a long-running experimental music night that runs the gamut from free improv to daring composition. This week, the series showcases artists Kuroki, Radford, Campbell and Ton Rêves. 4873 St-Laurent, 8 p.m., suggest donation $10–$15

Current Obsession: John Fahey with Terry Robb, Popular Songs of Christmas and New Years

jonathan.cummins@gmail.com