Review
Handsome Furs – Cabaret Mile End – 25.06.11
“Variety is the spice of life.” A total cliché, sure – but true, nonetheless. Handsome Furs, USA Out of Vietnam and Tops came together last humid and hazy Saturday night to prove right this old adage to a sweaty throng of young Montrealers, and to flip my world upside down. After gracelessly falling up my stoop, arms flailing and groceries flying in the a.m., smashing my shins and breaking the stairs machine at the gym that afternoon and running out of cigarettes by early evening I fully expected my Saturday night to include my getting hit by a bus or a tornado touching down on top of Mile End Cabaret. What I wasn’t prepared for was a hell of a good time and a show evocative of the psychedelic chocolate river boatride from the original “Willy Wonka”. Read more…
Cults – Il Motore – 19.06.11
Cults first appeared on the internet map, in the form of a vague and informal bandcamp website. Let this be a lesson to all you casual jammers – a small bandcamp website that’s meant to hold a sample of some of the fun recordings you do with your friends, might slowly come to be picked up by a blog here, a blog there, and eventually, the blog (pitchfork, I guess), and you will suddenly find yourself touring the continent. Read more…
The Dodos + The Antlers – La Tulipe – 15.06.11
La Tulipe was buzzing Wednesday night for the highly anticipated show put on by Californian indie-folk-pop band The Dodos and Brooklyn-based dream pop outfit The Antlers. While the photographer and I unfortunately missed openers, Gauntlet Hair, by the time we arrived the audience was hyped and ready for The Antlers’ ambient, reverberant harmonizing bliss.
Junior Boys + Miracle Fortress – La Sala Rossa – 11.06.11
Miracle Fortress is back! And playing shows at that. Having recently released Was I the Wave (yes, it is quite good, go give it a listen) – Montreal’s favourite ginger, Graham Van Pelt and co are taking to the stage again. They come to you with steady beats, disco lights, introspective lyrical musings, boyish glee, and a great degree of adorable modesty. Read more…
Yeasayer + Smith Westerns – Club Soda – 08.06.11
At only quarter past eight last night, Club Soda was already pumping with excited fans awaiting the night’s show, and they seemed to be more than happy to be early and out of the torrential rain and overwhelming humidity that was outside. For once Montrealer’s were eager; and with Smith Westerns and HUSH HUSH opening for the epic Yeasayer, it’s no surprise. Read more…
Future Islands + VALLEYS – Casa Del Popolo – 05.06.11
I marched up St. Laurent on Sunday night for the Future Islands, VALLEYS and Plucky Walker show, sweating in the heat and afraid I’d be late. But, being the dedicated writer I am, I made it to Casa Del Popolo in plenty of time, long before the show began. The showroom at Casa is pleasantly contradictory, with a beautiful, decadent ceiling, light-bulbs topped with jars that give off an eery, speak-easy glow and very current, politically-charged posters protesting tar sands and uranium mining. Read more…
Tune-Yards + Buke and Gass – La Sala Rossa – 13.05.11
We had quite a treat on Friday night as tUnE-yArDs, Buke and Gass and Pat Jordache took the stage at La Sala Rossa to the delight of many Montrealers. tUnE-yArDs was back in Montreal and the word had surely gotten around as the show was completely sold out. Read more…
YACHT – Il Motore – 01.05.11
Even though Godspeed You! Black Emperor has been ruling our city’s music scene for the past couple of nights, on Sunday night, Portland, Oregon’s YACHT made sure everyone knew that there was another band to get excited about it Montreal as they played Il Motore with Light Asylum and Bobby Birdman. Read more…
Photos: Foals + Freelance Whales – Le National – 01.05.11
Sunday night was a big night for shows in Montreal. One of the most highly anticipated shows of the night was going down at Le National and featured Foals, Freelance Whales and The Naked & Famous. MYATS photographer Catherine Ji was there to capture all the action in the following series of photos. Read more…
