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!