Earlier this month (Oct. 11 to be exact) I went to see NOFX. But I had to miss Okkervil River (and Fucked Up might I add) who were playing across the street at Les Saints. Not to my surprise the show was well received by friends of mine that where in attendance. Well if you wanted to see and hear how show went down Down The Oubliette has some video and the full set recorded in MP3/FLAC for download. I should mention that after the show I got a chance to meet Will Sheff in the back parking lot of Les Saints and he’s a super nice fellow.

Okkervil River @ Les Saints, Montreal QC [audio] [video]

Setlist:

A Girl In Port
Singer Songwriter
A Hand To Take Hold Of The Scene
Black
The Latest Toughs
Starry Stairs
Plus Ones
John Allyn Smith Sails
Pop Lie
A Stone
Blue Tulip
Lost Coastlines
Black Sheep Boy
For Real
Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe
Unless It’s Kicks
Encore:
Maine Island Lovers
Okkervil River Song
Westfall

Born Ruffians are a trio of Toronto-based indie-rockers who released their debut full-length Red, Yellow & Blue on Warp Records in March of this year to much critical acclaim. Their standard get up of guitar/drums/bass produces surprisingly novel results. With the release of their infectious single “Hummingbird” this Ontario threesome have proved there’s nothing humdrum about them. (Excuse the pun.) And apparently they’re no Ivy League prissies, either, according to Stuart Berman of Pitchfork:

Born Ruffians are the Vampire Weekend you don’t have to fret over– all the witty wordplay and jingle-jangle joy, none of the nagging questions about Afro-pop appropriation and Ivy League privilege.

Read his entire review here. I’m too busy (lazy?) to write my own.

They’ve toured with Hot Chip, Peter Bjorn and John, and Caribou since releasing their debut EP in 2006, and they only have a handful of dates lined up. And they’re awesome enough to get Four Tet to remix their track “I Need A Life”, which you can check out on their myspace.

They’re playing Club Lambi tonight (Oct 30th) with Ruby Coast.

For more information about these shows and ticket information check out GEG.ca.

Of Montreal not from Montreal will be playing The Metropolis Oct 29th. For those of you that don’t know what to expect

Current stage setup consists of six risers. There are two drum risers, a bass riser, and a keyboard riser. We also have a riser in the center of the room that rotates and is on a 14ft rail system that is pushed out and rotated to reveal different scenes. We also use lots of video; we have a total of 5 projectors. 3 hung from the front and projected onto screens in the back and 2 rear projected screens that are attached to the rotating riser. We are very theatrical with lots of different things happening during the show. This show we have 4-5 stage performers creating different scenes while the band plays. The rotating riser will have props on them and be spun around to reveal them. Some of these include a 10 ft gallows that the singer mock hangs him self. There is also a scene where he comes out of a coffin covered in shaving cream, and one other scene where we blow feathers into the crowd.
Touring in support of the new record ‘Skeletal Lamping’.

The opening act will act will be Gang Gang Dance from Brooklyn. Stereogum thought they were best in show at CMJ for what thats worth.

Tickets: $23.00 available at: Cheap Thrills, L’Oblique, Atom heart, Phonopolis, online at TicketPro

Of Montreal -  Du Og Mog

The Legendary Pink Dots are playing at Les Saints tonight. You may think I’m referring to a legendary band called the Pink Dots, but ha! You are wrong. “Legendary” is part of their very name. Hailing from the Netherlands, these guys have been making music since the ’80s (it’s news to me, too). Their ambient psychedelic sound has been described as spacey, avant-garde, synth-based electronica. They just released Plutonium Blonde a couple weeks ago. You can read all about them here.


Legendary Pink Dots - Rainbows Too?

Never thought I’d say this, but there is at least one reason why living in Saskatoon beats living in Montreal: Stephen Malkmus! According to Pitchfork, the legendary singer/songwriter of the now defunked Pavement has a handful of tour dates throughout Canada and the US, my old hometown Saskatoon being one of the cities on the bill. Pavement was the epitome of low-key unpretentious California indie rock, the kind that suburban kids drink right up (yes, I’m also quite pleased with my clever use of metaphor here). Their 1992 album Slanted and Enchanted was named the Greatest Indie-Rock Album - ever! Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks most recenty released Real Emotional Trash on Matador Records in March 2008.

Although I’m kinda peeved I won’t get to see Malkmus live, considerations of a temporary move back to Central Canadian flatlands have been put aside. I listen to Pavement’s Shady Lane, Range Life, and Here at least several times every day, no jokes. Here’s an example of Malkmus’ lyrical handoffish wittiness (say what?) from the song Shady Lane: “Freeze, don’t move. You’ve been chosen as an extra in the movie adaptation of the sequel to your life.”

You can say that again.

I found out about The Ruby Suns some months ago, but realized that I never wrote about them here, so I thought I’d share them with the rest of yous. The Ruby Suns consist of Ryan McPhun and Amee Robinson, a couple hailing from New Zealand who make uplifting, tropical-tribal sounding music that you can’t get out of your head (and don’t want to). Originally from California, frontman Ryan McPhun was inspired by his worldwide travels in the creation of this record, having visited Africa, Europe, and Asia, and deciding to settle down among the Kiwis for a little while some years ago. The band has had a rotating cast of musicians, but the current touring band includes just Ryan McPhun and Amee Robinson.

They played at this year’s Pitchfork Music Festival and are set to tour with The Dodos in Europe later this fall. Their 2005 self-titled debut on Lil’ Chief Records was followed by their 2008 release Sea Lion on Sub Pop and it rocks. My fave tracks: Oh Mojave and There Are Birds. Have a listen here.

Brooklyn-based prog-poppers Yeasayer (who describe themselves as sounding like “Enya With Bounce” on their myspace) are playing at Le National this Friday, Oct 24th. Fresh (we hope) from touring with MGMT and opening for Beck in Europe, they’re back in Montreal for the second time this year. They also offer some Aural Pleasures For You And Your Mother. Check ‘em out!

The other day, I was in the mood for some good rock songs.  Something abrasive and spunky, but also uplifting.  You know, the kind of music you can rock out to without having to listen to upper-middle class malcontents holler their boredom into the microphone.  The Muslims have been satisfying this craving for some time, but the day has come for something novel and offbeat.  Well, I searched far and wide and stumbled upon the lovely Marnie Stern.This girl gives inspiration to teenage lonelies who are brimming with talent, but are too dazed and confused to take self-motivated action.  In her Pitchfork Interview, Stern talks about her endless guitar practices, attending shows alone, and spending lots of time in depressing isolation while managing to create anthemic rock ‘n roll music.  And apparently it’s a big deal that she only released her debut album after turning 30.  Go figure.

Her 2007 release In Advance of the Broken Arm was critically acclaimed, although remaining in low rotation and largely unnoticed (at least by yours truly).  Stern named her sophomore release This Is It And I Am It And You Are It And So Is That And He Is It And She Is It And It Is It And That Is That for reasons unbeknownst to us mere mortals.I’ve had the track Transformer on repeat for the past hour. The first couple of bars sound like the intro to AC/DC’s Thunder, but in the best way possible.  The way this girl combines her bouncy, vivacious vocals with her over the top guitar skills is completely infectious.  Her lyrics are tinged with mystery and strike the perfect balance between depth, poignancy, and an attitude of carefree playfulness. Try a couple of the tracks on her myspace.

The best news is that Blue Skies Turn Black are inviting her over to Club Lambi on November 27th,  so you’ll be able to confirm my outpouring of enthusiasm with your own ears.  Word to Marnie and her sleepless nights.

Halloween is just two short weeks away and I hope to god you are not thinking of dressing like The Joker this year. Word on the street has it that,

Following a self-imposed 9 month hiatus, Code Pie will be playing twice in the next two weeks. The band will first hit the east coast as pat of the Halifax Pop Explosion, and then return home for a show on Halloween.

Here are the details:

Thursday, October 23rd
Halifax Pop Explosion
Marquee Club - (2037 Gottingen St.)
Schedule here (Code Pie on at 10:30)

Friday, October 31st
Halloween Spectacular
Club Lambi - (4465 St-Laurent Blvd.)
W/ Hospital Bombers, Expo 67, and Mixylodian
Doors at 8 pm.
$3 with costume, $6 without.

I’ve missed these guys last year and have been kicking myself ever since.

Speaking of Hospital Bombers, The Mountain Goats have a new pay-if-you-want online EP out entitled Satanic Messiah which you should all pick up.

The accordion is still ringing in my ears after last nights first of 2 sold out NOFX shows at the Metropolis. Last nights supporters were locals The Dirty Tricks, The Flatliners, and The Dillinger Four. I showed up in time to see The Flatliner’s last 2 minute song which had me wishing I could have shown up earlier. The Dillinger Four played next. Paddy Costello ranted about Christianity, not speaking french, and Jazz which was all very hilarious. Their forth coming album C I V I L W A R (which I never downloaded) is amazing. Gainesville was the only new song played, the rest was smattering from their previous 3 discs. NOFX then came out to the sold out Metropolis crowd’s roaring their love. The crowd was so hot is was unbelievable, when old classics like Stickin’ In My Eye, The Brews, and Dying Degree got played the entire floor of the Metropolis transformed into a circle pit. There is a new NOFX album in the works, which is excellent news and we got a preview of a new track (not necessarily the best) The Quitter. Its good song and similar to the old Mystic Records era (but in a good way). Hugo from Montreal’s The Sainte Catherines shared vocals during Linoleum which further pumped the sweaty crowd. Finally when the show drew to a close, Melvin extended the A Theme From A NOFX Album into a 10 minute accordion solo as beer cups and water bottles rained from the top balcony only to be launched back up. It was a thing of beauty really. Here’s the set list.

Set List:

1. Dinosaurs Will Die
2. Murder The Government
3. The Brews
4. Stickin’ In My Eye
5. Radio
6. Seeing Double At The Triple Rock
7. Bob
8. Fleas
9. You’re Wrong
10. The Quass
11. Dying Degree
12. Franco-Unamerican
13. Green Corn
14. Eat The Meek
15. Leaving Jesus Land
16. Perfect Government
17. Whats The Matter With Kids Today
18. Straight Edge
19. Linoleum
20. Bottles To The Ground (encore)
21. The Quitter
22. Happy Birthday
23. A Theme From A NOFX

Video footage (new song included) after the jump …
Continue Reading »

Barely alive after a week of exhaustion from Pop Montreal madness, I have finally recovered enough to gather my thoughts and tell you about The Dodos show at La Sala Rossa on Sat, Oct 4th. I didn’t make it in time to see openers Passion Pit, but took a listen to their myspace - it’s hooky, synth heavy dance-pop, with high-pitched vocals. Explosive, like a helium balloon.

Next came Portland based experimental folk duo Au. Fingers scurrying across the keyboard, spacey drawn out vocals, and powerful drums combine classical influences with contemporary Americana, and garner comparisons to Steve Reich, Brian Eno, and Animal Collective. Au alternates between serene atmospherics and lively, spirited numbers. Originally began as a solo project by multi-instrumentalist Luke Wyland, the current touring band also includes insanely skilled drummer Dana Valatka, whose improvised solo at the end of their set at La Sala Rossa floored people’s jaws into the ground. During past shows, Au have been known to perform with more than a dozen musicians on stage with banjos, accordions, and other toys and tricks. They are now touring in support of Verbs, their latest release on Aagoo Records. Their music is expansively orchestrated, skillfully improvised, and oh-so playful!

The Dodos catapulted onto the stage with their frenetic folksy blues and played a propulsive set despite lead vocalist Meric Long being a little under the weather. Percussion is central to The Dodos’ sound and (drummer) Logan Kroeber beat those big, heavy drums with primal urgency - that tribal, drum-circle quality coupled with Meric Long’s effortless fingerpicking resonated well with the audience. Those who heard their music for the first time were immediately hooked. (I didn’t take a poll of the audience - I’m basing this on a statistically significant sample of four people.) More seasoned listeners recognized “Fools”, “Jodi”, “The Season” - smart, witty lyrics soaring above hurried acoustic guitar, booming drums, and chiming vibraphone and creating infectious, unforgettable songs.

Joe Haener (of gris gris) added to the intensity by rhythmically kicking the shit out of a shiny silver garbage can. After the band got off the stage, the crowd stomped and clapped in unison - demanding an encore! Everyone had their primordial guts shaken to the core by this hugely energetic, unrestrained live set. Although comparisons to Animal Collective (I dare you to name one folk-rock indie band that hasn’t been compared to them), Elliott Smith, and even Sonic Youth have been thrown around, The Dodos’ music doesn’t get jumbled with thousands of other bands you’ve got stored in your memory. When you hear the first notes of their songs, you know exactly who you’re listening to. Their 2008 album Visiter was released on Frenchkiss Records this past March and has thrown them into a whirlwind. They’ve toured relentlessly throughout the US, Canada, and Europe, and have dates lined up in Australia all the way through January.

These dudes are seriously badass. Having played at Le Divan Orange this past April, and at La Sala Rossa last week, I think it’s only natural that their next show in Montreal should be held at a venue aptly named for another colorful piece of furniture. Feel free to volunteer suggestions.

The Dodos - Fools

The Dodos - Trades & Tariffs

The Dodos - Jodi

You know I have a hard time saying it, but I like Mason Jennings. He’s even listed on my Facebook music section between Slayer and Black Flag. It kills me to listen to Jack Johnson, and it pains me listen to John Mayer, but I do like Mason Jennings. Now mind you, Jennings material is about as deep as a bowl of soup but its not hard to shallow (though that pun might be). Jennings wears his heart on his sleeve and sings from it. Generally focusing his writing on love, nature and religion coupled with foot tapping melodies. My girlfriend turned me on to him last year via brute force and tonight (to her excitement) he played at Les Saints. The sound was great (though Jennings and co. would not have to push it to its limits) and the space was very intimate. We showed up in time to catch the last few songs of the opening act Zach Gill, who you might know is also the keyboard/accordion player for Mason’s backing band. Gill charmed the crowd with humorous songs and off style covers like Devil When Down To Georgia Bavaria (on accordion). This show exceeded my expections and I believe Jennings felt the same. This being his first time in Montreal, the venue being only half sold, the crowd would not let him leave the stage and were treated with 2 encores. Earlier this morning as I was researching old set lists I saw King Of Carrot Flowers (Part 1) mentioned but sadly it wasn’t played, but maybe he’ll play it in your town. Check out his tour dates here (and take your girlfriend) and video to follow.

Mason Jennings - Butterfly

Mason Jennings - Black (new song)

Mason Jennings - Jackson Square

Mason Jennings - Soldier Boy

coming soon

Akron/Family absolutely killed it at La Sala Rossa tonight.  The show ended a few hours ago and I’m at home, ready to gush about it to those of you who weren’t there.  It was one intense experience.  I first saw Akron/Family perform this July at Castle Clinton in New York, so having seen them live before, I was considering checking out other bands from the Pop Montreal line up.  I thought it would be good to expand my musical horizons and listen to something new, but remembering how their show rendered me speechless, I instead opted to skip Shugo Tokumaru, and Ratatat (yes, you heard me) to be shaken to the core once again by Akron/Family’s unhinged musical freeform.

Miles Seaton (vocals/guitar/drums), Seth Olinsky (vocals/guitar), and Dana Janssen (drums/vocals) alternated between calmer meditative numbers and feverish improvisations to create a powerful, entrancing performance.  There was a quality of timelessness throughout the show - instead of breaking between songs to announce  song titles, Akron/Family maintained a steady flow of sound that gradually crescendoed to an invigorating climax. During the psych-rock numbers Seaton’s deafening screams and unguarded hollers were cathartic even for the audience. (I wish I could shout everything that’s pent up into a microphone!)  This contrasted completely with the gentler songs that were lushly sung with three part harmonies.  The vocals were tender and poignant, and the lyrics revealed a little secret - the universe whispered into Akron/Family’s ear and asked them to tell you that everything will be ok.   It’s no wonder that their 2007 album is called ’Love Is Simple’.

These guys are completely at ease on stage - letting the music flow through their fingers and sharing their love with the people.  They are known for incorporating the audience into the show with sing alongs and clap alongs, and tonight - Seaton took a drum from the stage and placed it on the floor to be pounded upon by exhilarated fans.   This was a display of superb musicianship.  The intensely wild energy on the stage flowed throughout the venue, moving hips from side to side, unleashing our primal urges and compelling us to feel harmony with our shared tribal roots.

Noticing how much the crowd was into it, Seaton remarked that he loves our city and that Montrealers are badass.  “I feel like I can be myself in Montreal, “  he laughingly admitted.  Don’t we all, Miles, don’t we all.   He then commanded the audience to sing the words ‘just be yourself’, ‘just be your beautiful f-cking self’.

Akron/Family truly embody what it means to put on a kickass live show.  In fact, these guys are nothing short of inspired.

Just got back from the Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and wanted to share some notes and video so I can go to bed.

1. The crowd didn’t respond well to TAM.
2. TAM didn’t respond well to the crowd. Actual quote “I’m opening for Nick Cave and I’m fucking bored!”
3. TAM’s singer = 1990’s indifference.
4. Crowd cheers for TAM’s announcement that they have only one song left. They play “Anarchy In The UK” (poorly) and get booed off stage. Wanna hear it?
5. TAM now intrigue me.
6. The Bad Seeds are sooooo tight.
7. Warren Ellis slays the violin.
8. Nick Cave filled The Metropolis.
9. Nick Cave killed The Metropolis.
10. Song of the night: Deanna

This year is a toss up between Nick Cave and Iggy Pop as my personal “Show of the Year”. I didn’t get a chance to see the end of the Nick Cave show due to a dog emergency. How did it finish?

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Weeping Song

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Deanna

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Get Ready For Love

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Hard On For Love

Remember we used to do Podcasts? Well we did, and our last (not final) podcast featured a local Montreal 3-piece Parlovr. They’ll (finally) be releasing their debut album tonight and I urge you to them out. The launch will be held at Zoobizarre where they’ll be supported by the magical folk-fiction world of Mathias Mental and the transfixing beats and virtuosic wizards Zeroes.

Set Times:

Mathias Mental [9:30PM]
Zeroes [10:30PM]
Parlovr [11:15PM]

Entrance is $6 or pay $12 and get a album!

Parlovr - Pen To The Paper

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds are playing The Metropolis tonight. Tickets online are sold out, maybe Cheap Thrills or L’Oblique might have some left. Here are the set times:

Doors: 6:30 PM
TAM: 8:00 - 8:45 PM
NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS: 9:15 - 11:15 PM