POP Montreal 2023 highlights
Music

9 shows we’re super excited to see at POP Montreal this week

by Stephan Boissonneault

The world-renowned international festival with its finger on the pulse of the alternative music scene runs from Sept. 25 to 29.

As the leaves begin to change and the fall sets in, Montreal’s music scene gets a healthy dose of fresh live music — from bands we’ve been waiting for, and others we’ve never heard of — in the form of POP Montreal, the dynamic, world-renowned international music festival. This year’s lineup shows that the POP Montreal team has their trigger fingers on the pulse of the alternative music scene. 

Starting with the Bs, we’ve got the triple-headed headliners of Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Begonia (who recently dropped a new EP) and Basia Bulat — who we suspect will make a new music announcement soon. After more than a decade of POP no-shows, Patrick Watson’s Sacred Sunday show is back and Montreal’s husband and wife indie darlings the Dears are returning. Not to mention N.W.A. founder Arabian Prince opening the whole festival at Marché des Possibles, with his OG rap game.

Then we have some more emerging, dare we say, obscure indie acts that may soon become household names — or fade off into sonic anonymity. Either way, these are the shows that we believe are the most important to see and you’d be a fool to not check out at least a few of them.

HOMESHAKE + Freak Heat Waves

Okay, so saying HOMESHAKE is an obscure act is like saying water isn’t wet, but the alt-bedroom-pop stooge hasn’t played in Montreal for quite some time. He’s also dropped two new albums this year, CD Wallet and Horsie, both of which are complete curve balls in his sonic repertoire. Opening this show are weirdo indie mainstays Freak Heat Waves, who usually collaborate with Cindy Lee — the drag queen persona of Pat Flegel, who basically broke the music scene this year with the critically acclaimed triple album Diamond Jubilee and went on indefinite hiatus — so maybe we’ll get a guest appearance? POP Montreal would be the setting for such a historic one-off. Théâtre Fairmount (5240 Parc), Sept. 27, 8 p.m., $27.50

SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE

The Philadelphia trio behind the experimental dream psych project SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE recently dropped YOU’LL HAVE TO LOSE SOMETHING,  one of those most chaotically unpredictable albums in recent memory. It sometimes feels like a babbling brook of calming orchestral Japanese hyper pop, then it becomes a violent, torrential downpour of shoegazey noise and groovy psych. We have no idea what this band will be like live, but imagine it’s going to be akin to a well-mannered car crash. Opening this show is Winter, who makes sweet and blissful dream pop with a hint of shoegaze. Foufounes (87 Ste-Catherine E.), Sept. 25, 8 p.m., $20

Nap Eyes + Sunnsetter

The alternative indie sound of Halifax’s Nap Eyes can feel like a warm hug or sporadic pouring rain. With a new album on the way, dubbed The Neon Gate, this band is making music for the young and alive. If you’re neither of those, you’ll probably still be into it. Adding to this show is Sunnsetter, the bedroom pop-project of Andrew McLeod, who’s also a member of OMBIIGIZI and Zoon’s touring bands. Both groups are signed to the mighty Paper Bag Records. Also on the bill are Devarrow and Pony Girl. La Sotterenea (4848 St-Laurent, basement), Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m., $15

Kee Avil + The Barr Brothers

This one is a bit of a weird bill, with the noisy, experimental goth wedding rock of Kee Avil (whose latest album Spine awakens the darker parts of the mind) — but then we have the Barr Brothers, who of course need no introduction. Their sound, of course, could not be more different from Kee Avil’s. Still, I’m sure the POP programmers know what they’re doing with this pairing (which is actually split up by middle act Juana Molina, an Argentinean singer and actress). We have faith. La Sala Rossa (4848 St-Laurent, 2nd floor), Sept. 26, 8 p.m., $25

Luge + CDSM +  Atsuko Chiba + Night Lunch)

It might not be advertised as such, but this show is a wild showcase for Montreal’s hardest-working alt label, Mothland. It’s a sampling of the disco post-punk of Night Lunch, the experimental prog rock of Atsuko Chiba and the synthy freak wave of CDSM. The other big addition is Toronto art punks Luge, a band that in Montreal truehead music circles has been gaining word-of-mouth recognition. This is gonna be a heater within l’Esco’s walls. L’Escogriffe, (4461 St-Denis), Sept. 26, 8:30 p.m., $15

Los Bitchos + The Fleshtones + Karneef

The U.K.’s fiery Los Bitchos, who make cumbia instrumental, and took the world by storm with the Let the Festivities Begin! album, play with the Fleshtones, a grizzled CBGBs-era punk group who refuses to die. And rounding out the bill is longtime local scenester Karneef! Marché des Possibles (5665 de Gaspé), Sept. 27, 6 p.m., $25

Laura Krieg + Edith Nylon + Alix Fernz

Here we have local brutalist pop queen Laura Krieg, and if she doesn’t announce a new album or something to follow up the fantastic, way too short 2021 EP Vie magique soon, I might lose all faith. We need it. Give it to us, Laura… please. Headlining this show is Edith Nylon, a new wave rock group founded in Paris in the late ’70s (inspired by contemporaries the Buzzcocks and Magazine) as well as the wonderful scuzzy, synthy art punk Alix Fernz. If you haven’t heard of the latter, get out from under your rock and go to the show. La Sala Rossa (4848 St-Laurent), Sept. 28, 8 p.m., $20

Population II + Bonnie Trash + Poolgirl 

Population II, with their electric shows of high-intensity prog rock, is right on the precipice of smashing out of Quebec’s music scene and perhaps leaving it for international pastures. Coming off a monumentally packed show at Jazz Fest, the fact that they’re playing a venue like Quai des Brumes is bonkers. Opening the show is the scrappy local delirium-gaze punk group, Poolgirl and Bonnie Trash — who is finally picking up steam with their darkened horrorgaze. Also on the bill is Tacoma, WA experimental krautrock/jazz act J.R.C.G. Earplugs and lots of gazing are required. Quai des Brumes (4481 St-Denis), Sept. 28, 8 p.m., $15

Nabihah Iqbal (live) + Dresser

Nabihah Iqbal is actually playing two sets at POP, but the live show promises to be the dreamiest. You may know her as the guest vocalist on a few SOPHIE (RIP) tracks, but this producer has her own magnificent Coldwave meets electronic pop project. Montreal art rockers Dresser also just dropped their sophomore LP, Fuel, which is slowly but surely becoming the “it” album of the Montreal indie scene. Rialto Hall (5723 Parc), Sept. 28, 10 p.m., $20

POP Montreal runs from Sept. 25–29. For more, please visit their website. This article was originally published in the September 2024 issue of Cult MTL.

For more on the Montreal music scene, please visit the Music section.

Posted in Music

by Stephan Boissonneault

Contributor
Stephan Boissonneault is one of the founding editors of Daze Magazine. When he's not playing music in his dark basement, he freelances for music, arts, and science publications. Currently, he is attempting to write a play, graphic novel, and a documentary. He knows he should just pick one.