7 Montreal shows guaranteed to warm your blackened heart before Baby Bejeebus Day

As I tap this missive out to you street urchins, I’m looking at this blanket of snow that has covered our fair burg and weeping inside. As the snow crunches under our feet and Xmas office parties continue to mar our week ahead, Montreal shows continue to slow down. As tradition dictates, the gigs are a fewer and further between, and really won’t get back to the regular breakneck pace until mid-January. But don’t fret, my little snow bunnies, as there are still seven shows happening before the birth of the baby Bejeebus that are guaranteed to warm the cockles of your blackened heart.

Friday: Holy crap, what year is this? After a seven-year absence the godfathers of S(kin).H(eads).A(gainst).R(acial).P(redgidice), the Oppressed, are going ‘round the pubs yet again. Not a lot of people made it out the other end who were involved in U.K. skinhead culture in the early ’80s so if you want to get a chance to swing a pint with the original yobs, this gig at Foufs would be your ticket. Making this a star-studded affair, the bill is filled out with working class heroes Union Thugs, Reckless Upstarts, Back Breaker and Puffer. Could this be a Yuletide Loonies bar reunion? 87 Ste-Catherine E., 7 p.m., $25 [Ed.’s note: The Oppressed did not make it into Canada but the show will go on without them.]

If the oi boyz ain’t your jam, you can get your primordial riffage in at the small room at Foufs with a great lineup of death, grind and good ol’ hardcore just like Mama used to bake. Get there early to catch Primal Horde, Desecrate, Trauma Model, Gland and the Listener. Five bands for $15 — questions? 87 Ste-Catherine E., 7:30 p.m., $15

If swinging pints with baldies in tennis shirts or yanking out the air guitar is not your idea of a great Friday night, you should definitely head down to Casa for an absolutely amazing night of drone. Local jewel of our underground scene, thisquietarmy is freshly back from a European tour and will craft a din of layers with thick and mighty soundscapes. You definitely want to show up as early as possible as the middle slot is occupied by none other than Locrian’s Andre Foisy. Locrian released one of my favourite records of the year recently so this should prove to be a stunner. Making this even more air-tight is Maggot Breeder and a DJ set from Gabrielle Gaf. 4871 St-Laurent, 8 p.m., $13/$15

If you want your bong-bubbling riffs to get your nod on, you will want to check out the thick as mud stoner riffage of Katö with fellow buds with buds Syllo and Obelisk at Piranha. 680 Ste-Catherine W., 8 p.m., $10

Saturday: In this time of the celebration where we’re forced to observe the birth of a historical figure with imaginary powers, why not ying yer ol’ yang and get in some celebration of death. A night of teeth-gnashing death metal can be had at Da Turb with the experimental riffing of Messora, who launch a new EP Burn with help from Flesh Shrine, Igominy and the technical “hoo haa” metal of the Block Universe Theory. I totally made up that genre of “technical hoo haa metal” but hopefully that term will take off and become the best genre title since “shitgaze.” 2040 St-Denis, 7 p.m., $15

For some straight-up punker shit, you can mosh like it’s 1982 at l’Esco via the downstroked prowess of Gulfer with their youth crew buds Solute. Pro party tip: Stick around after the show for one of the best dance nights in the city. 4461 St-Denis, 8:30 p.m., $15

If you want to get a real dose of local indie rock, get on down to the Indier Than Thou clubhouse Casa for the laptop-driven soundscapes of Constellation Records artist Markus Floats. The show also promises the launch of newbies Ky, who feature the peeps from Lungbutter, Big/Brave and more. Opening up the night is Puberty Well as DJ Destiny will take over the wheels of steel on the bar side of Casa. This will be fucking rad! 4871 St-Laurent, 7:30 p.m., $15

Although thisquietarmy and Andre Foisy gig on Friday definitely has me hot under the collar, my big pick of the week will go to solo artist Lingua Ignota. For the most part I find goth’s stubbed toe angst and obsession with The Nightmare Before Christmas a bit goofy. Populated by teens who didn’t get enough hugs as a toddler or single 50-year-olds with foot fetishes, the whole goth thang makes me feel like I just took a tumble into a bed of insulation. Ignota, though, manages to bring the darkness without caricature and updates the sound while digging down to the roots. For her gig at SAT, she will perform two marrow tingling sets using traditional hymns as a launching board and mixing them in with her original songs. If you cringe at the current crop of Avril Lavignes in black lipstick craving attention and long for the melancholic crush of Marble Index-era Nico or the queen of mean, Diamanda Galas, you won’t go wrong with this bummer show of 2022. 1201 St-Laurent, 7:30 p.m., $26.86

Current Obsession: Swans, Filth

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