House of Love Montreal shows concert

The House of Love

Eight Montreal shows to die for this week

Indie and industrial legends, two of Johnson’s favourite rock bands of the moment, psych of the face-peeling variety and more.

Now that you’re finished being pooped from POP Montreal, it’s time to brave the cold winds and get to some gigs. This week runs the gamut from tried and true psych blasters to industral giants, one of the more interesting black metal bands in years, stoner duders (who don’t suck) and my big pick of the month falling on a Tuesday night. Read on my furry friends, take a couple of deep breaths and learn to love again. 

Saturday: Woah, skipping right over Friday night, there’s a first. If you guys are digging the fuzzed out ’70s jams of live Mountain records, with a smidgen of krautrock that’s only visible if you squint really hard, you will definitely want to let it all hang out with King Buffalo on this glorious king night of the weekend. This band dazzles with their ability to get “heavy” without stubbed-toe angst and bludgeoning ballast. Pedal nerds and other vintage gear hounds are going to want to crane their necks at the lip of the stage for this one. Opening is the pride of local freak-out post-rock, Atsuko Chiba, at le Ritz. 179 Jean-Talon W., 7 p.m., $39.65

If you’re looking for a band that can let their jams run wild while also stuffing their set with Van Halen and Rough Trade covers, you’ll want to get down to God’s favourite watering hole, the Barfly, and catch a solid night of riffage and crooning with Tanker 20 and openers Lex Milton. 4062A St-Laurent, 9 p.m., PWYC

Fans of face-peeling psych, and of the mighty Thee Oh Sees, are going to want to fall in line when Castle Face family member Justin R Cruz Gallego fronts the band Dreamdecay Music Group. Opening up are locals done well Population II (I pray that their moniker was a grab from the immortal Randy Holden record), Tinkertoy Fog Machine and Brooklynites Programmique, who will warm up the night at Foufs, an odd venue choice. If you didn’t grab tickets for Wednesday’s sold out gigger, this could satiate your jammin’ psych thirst. 87 Ste-Catherine E., 8 p.m., $15/$18

Tuesday: My big gigger of the month is the indie-tooled, arena-sized rock of the totally terrific Titus Andronicus. His last show at l’Esco was nothing short of thrilling as songs leapt from the stage, revealing a true craftsmanship delivered in a completely naked and enthralling fashion — it’s reminiscent London Calling-era Strummer (and I’m not kidding here). If you dig Grade-A songwriting played with panoramic punk rock propulsion, you will not want to miss this. Opening is Country Westerns, at one of the most beloved spaces in our burg, l’Esco. See ya at the bar. 4461 St-Denis, 9 p.m., $24.56

Okay, if you’re old enough to remember the debauchery of Foufounes’s long gone Black Mondays, you’re probably thrilled to bits that the House of Love is coming to town at Fairmount. In fact, you may be really flirting with the devil this week as you will probably be hot under the collar about a return from the kings of industrial, when they play only two days later. Opening up this gigger at Fairmount is Alex Nicol. Now slide down to the Thursday show announcement and “call the guy.” 5240 Parc, 8 p.m., $48.91

Wednesday: My bet for the mightiest current band that is currently trodding the boards and giving Boppin’ Bobby Pollard (GVB) a run for his money in terms of prolific output is King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. Every fucking record is completely different and every fucking record is completely genius. Not only that but they can more than deliver in the live setting. Unfortunately this has long been sold out. Don’t worry though, my furry friends, as one of the best things to come out of recent black metal is also playing tonight….

Poland’s Batushka! Taking Eastern Orthodox hymns and twisting them up with blast beats, trembled ‘n’ picked guitars, white-hot tortured vocals and riffs that reach through the stratosphere. If Ghost didn’t completely blow, they would be this band. Check out their epic blast on the genre-defying 2017 record Litourgiya and take heed in knowing they actually pull this off live. Opening at le Ritz is Hate. I expect this will be packed to the tits, so get there early. 179 Jean-Talon W., 7 p.m., $39.65

Thursday: Okay, over the decades industrial behemoths Front 242 have only grown more popular since their pioneering Wax Tracks 12-inches were released in the ’80s and ’90s. If you want to see some real legends, head down to Fairmount, where Rhys Fulber Pulsum will be opening. Wearing welding goggles is mandatory. 5240 Parc, 7 p.m., $48.91

Current Obsession: The Nightcrawlers, The Little Black Egg

The Nightcrawlers, Little Black Egg

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