5 Montreal shows in October for your eardrum-pummelling, emotion-exploding pleasure

My big pick of the month comes roaring right out of the gate, but unfortunately, if you didn’t already grip some tix, you won’t be making it to pop saviours the Lemon Twigs with Slugbug at Théâtre Fairmount on Oct. 4, as it is rightfully sold out.

Although the band’s clever pop hardly covers up their influences — all things Van Dyke Parks, Andy Partridge, Brian Wilson, Elliott Smith, Todd Rundgren and other geniuses — their sharp-as-tacks arrangements are just sublime for the sway-and-nod set. If you didn’t get tickets, then you can at least soak in their record Everything Harmony and then start digging back. Don’t worry as they’ll be back around, and next time you can grab advance tickets just like a real adult.

Now on to some shows that have yet to sell out but should pack ’em up to the rafters. On the flippity-flop of the Lemon Twigs is the chaotic pummelling of Lightning Bolt, who will continue to baffle and provoke, with our own hometown weirdos Crabe at Club Soda. If you like it weird as fuck, you know what to do. Nerd is the word!! 1225 St-Laurent, Oct. 6, 8 p.m., $33

Because I love spending every available penny I earn from my shit job on the inconvenient format of vinyl, I happen to haunt the bins at the local shops on the reg. Recently, I was in l’Oblique (still tucked away near Mont-Royal and St-Denis) looking for the new No Means No re-ish of Wrong when the play copy of Quivers’ Oyster Cuts hit the store turntable and I was blown away. Before the first side had finished, I had it tucked under my arm (along with post- makeup-era Kiss). On paper, Quivers are everything I hate — blatantly indie rock with woe-is-me self-important lyrics — but I’ll be damned if songs like “Apparition” aren’t ripe for mixtapes to secret crushes. If you want to hear some indie rock that doesn’t blow, check out Quivers at Casa with Prism Shores and Sunwell. Pick up the record at the merch table as it’s a good ‘un. 4871 St-Laurent, Oct. 10, doors 7, show 8 p.m., $22

Looking for simply pummelling noise rock/post-metal that can crush your frontal lobe into dust? You’ll need to march down to Da Turb to catch Juno winners (not kidding) KEN Mode, who will hit like a mittful of nickels with their heavy friends Hide and Renonce. Take that, Lemon Twigs!! 2040 St-Denis, Oct. 13, doors 7 p.m., show 8 p.m., $26.87

If the sunshine pop of the Lemon Twigs and blatant indie rock of Quivers has been putting too much skip in your step, then you can trudge down to Théâtre Fairmount to engulf yourself in the dark despair of Xiu Xiu, with Ternet. Xiu Xiu are the masters of being a big ol’ bummer, so tune in, turn on — and bum out. 5240 Parc, Oct. 18, doors 7 p.m., show 8 p.m., $36.34

The rest of the world, and especially banana-peel smokers in Europe, have heralded Dopethrone as the kings of Electric Wizard worship, so it’s weird that these “slutch” scumfucks straight outta Hochelaga aren’t the crowned kings of our burg. If you dig your guitars tuned down to Z and like the brown note played ad nauseam, you need to bow at the altar of these bong-bubblers — who would totally clear you out of the cleaning solutions under yer kitchen sink. Yep, that’s how they like to party. Making this gig at Foufs extra heavy are Hobo Deathcult and Null404. The feel-bad gig of the year! 87 Ste-Catherine E., Oct. 25, doors 7 p,m,, show 8 p.m., $13.54

Current Obsession: Redd Kross, Redd Kross

This article was originally published in the Oct.. 2024 issue of Cult MTL.

---

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