Music, Shows

The Bran Van 3000 shows at POP Montreal felt important, sounded spectacular and made new memories

by Darcy MacDonald

“Bran Van 3000 reminded us exactly why they’re the group that took Montreal’s 1990s English music scene establishment further than it had ever dared to dream, setting the table so that the success of bands to come would not seem so alien when the time arrived.”

Bran Van 3000 played Club Soda as part of the POP Montreal music festival on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.

I made no secret that I’m a huge fan and that I wasn’t totally thrilled with their big Jazz Fest show this summer. Despite the fun of seeing the whole gang back in the spotlight, it was uneven at best. 

A summer of touring did the BV3 crew a world of good. And let’s be fair: this band’s natural habitat, or more accurately, their spiritual womb, was the clubs and dark, disco-ball-lit corners of Montreal’s latter-day 20th century nightlife. 

Getting back indoors to a classic hometown room, jam-packed with their most devoted fans excited as hell to relive the past in these intimate quarters (and, as Cult MTL photog Cindy Lopez so eloquently stated it, by getting “1997-drunk”) was all the fuel this well-oiled Bran Van needed to roll onto the stage like a stretch Humvee pulling a drive-by-shooting of joy, happiness, sex appeal, inebriated soul and hip hop. 

Bran Van 3000 POP Montreal 2022 review reviews show concert
Bran Van 3000 at Club Soda. Photos by Cindy Lopez

With a leaner and dare I say much better rehearsed, direction-driven selection of songs from Glee, Discosis and beyond, Bran Van 3000, over two nights, reminded us exactly why they’re the group that took Montreal’s 1990s English music scene establishment further than it had ever dared to dream, setting the table so that the success of bands to come would not seem so alien when the time arrived. Did Bran Van ever get theirs? As a fan, that’s beside the point. 

Glee, which turned 25 this year, remains one of the greatest debuts in Canadian music history. While their later output may never have reached the same heights, its finer elements have aged gracefully, which allows for a live experience that, while of course rooted in nostalgia, doesn’t stew in it for too long. Bran Van took some risks rather than play it safe, and came out on top, both nights. 

While I personally preferred the first evening, there were just enough switch-ups and surprises to make sure round two got to be its own thing. 

Bran Van 300 POP Montreal 2022 review reviews

And as much as I’ll forever be a Glee-thumper, the showstopper at a 2022 Bran Van party may just fucking be “Astounded,” after all. 

“I’m still buzzing from how much fun a BV3 summer (was) that I can’t think of a quote,” front-guy James DiSalvio offered graciously by text on Sunday. 

I wasn’t astounded that the band was a little rusty at Jazz Fest. But I was absolutely thrilled that Bran Van 3000 locked the groove back in and gave POP Montreal and Club Soda a deserving double-header that felt important, sounded spectacular and made new memories. ■

For more POP Montreal show reviews (including an alternate review of the second night of Bran Van 3000), please click here.

For more Montreal music coverage, please visit the Music section.

Posted in Music, Shows

by Darcy MacDonald

Contributor
Darcy MacDonald has been with Cult MTL since day one, a decade ago. Which means today, he’s a middle-aged white guy (albeit one more interested in other people’s ideas than in his own). He was previously a columnist and reporter for Montreal Mirror, and has also created content (FKA “written”) for RBMA, Noisey, Montreal Gazette, The National Post and probably some other great places he’s forgotten about. Music, culture, community and miscellaneous questions in search of answers all come across his desk, sooner or later.