Montreal concerts for lovers (of doom, drone, punk and rawk)

Valentine’s Day is this Friday and there are plenty of great Montreal concerts to drag your main squeeze to. Besides the one day dedicated to romance, this week has it all: killer DJ nights, classic death metal, a great benefit gig, drone just after the sun sets and one of the best doom bands to appear in the last 20 years. Romance! Doom! You! Somebody named Larry!

Thursday: Forever 21 shopper Mickey Dagger — one of the more prolific and ubiquitous humps in this town — will man the decks at Casa and play a killer night full of Italo disco, post-punk and of course some young, loud and snotty rock ’n’ roll. Don’t forget it’s St. Valentine’s Day after midnight, so bring somebody you want to smooch with while Dagger throws down some Throbbing Gristle. Mmmmelt. 4873 St-Laurent, 10 p.m., free

Friday: One of my local faves is solo droner thisquietarmy, who is actually not on tour just long enough to do a local set with solo Cloakroom jammer Documa and Solipsis. Note that this is definitely an early show and will be done by 9:30 p.m. so don’t say I didn’t warn you. For those about to drone, we salute you. 2040 St-Denis, 7 p.m., $10

It just wouldn’t be St. Valentine’s without the local hunks behind Punk Police — DJ Hot Carl and Atom Quilty — playing all the hits for all of you lonely hearts. They will once again be getting their needle in the groove at North Star. Best of all, it’s absolutely fuggin’ free. 3908 St-Laurent, 10 p.m., free

Saturday: The rad peeps from Analogue Addiction have cooked up another great bill this week at l’Esco. Toronto’s Gloin with Cantos (who harbour a member of Yoo Doo Right) are playing with Jed Arbour, who is rumored to harbor Jed Arbour. 4461 St-Denis, 9 p.m., $10

If you’re looking for a night of savage, sludgy stoner rock, head down to Turbo Haüs. Quebec City’s Sandveiss headline with their not-so-shy budz the Naked High opening. 2040 St-Denis, 8:30 p.m., $12/$15

There is another benefit for the fourth edition of Not Your Babe fest so you can help out while getting rocked the fug out with Bosquerojo, Blemish, the Big Naturals and more at Casa. 4873 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $7–$10

Montreal concerts next week

Monday: Connoisseurs of truly powerful metal that doesn’t seem to age are probably already hip to the fact that Polish death metal merchants Vader are coming to town. Sharing the stage are Abysmal Dawn, Hideous Divinity and Vitriol. Of course this is happening at Foufs. 87 Ste-Catherine E., 6:30 p.m., $34.75

My big pick of the week is happening on Garfield’s favourite rite day of the week when Japan doomsters Church of Misery come to obliterate le Ritz. In the overcrowded genre of pedal-pushing fuzz puds, Church of Misery actually add something to the slew of Iommi riffage. Their Master of Brutality LP remains a watershed doom record that easily stands the test of time. Joining in on the amp carnage is Black Wizard and Forming the Void. 179 Jean-Talon W., 8:30 p.m., $22/$25

Tuesday:I love proggy stuff like mid-period King Crimson and Magma, so you’d think I’d be all over prog metal. For whatever reason, though, I just can’t get my 12/4 time signature on when paired with a Dual Rectifier. Metal friends who I actually trust told me I should check out Opeth but I’ve always been underwhelmed. Psych/metal openers Graveyard, on the other hand, are fuggin’ great. Is it worth the huge admission price just to see Graveyard and leave before the music store employee circle jerk starts? Hmmmm. It all goes down at Mtelus and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was sold out by the time you read this cause uh….prog + Quebec + metal = yah. 59 Ste-Catherine E., 6:30 p.m., $60

Current Obsession: Cheap Trick, In Color (Steve Albini sessions)

jonathan.cummins@gmail.com

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