MUSIC:
Sunny soundwaves

Live music indoor and out all summer

by RUPERT BOTTENBERG

Need proof that summer’s here, beyond the heatstroke temperatures outside? Piknic Électronik, the afternoon DJ-and-dinner combo every Sunday at Parc Jean Drapeau, is back in action. This year, they have several Sundays devoted to particular labels—Turbo on June 26, Trigger, Aug. 21, and Ninja Tune, Aug. 28. Downtown rock hipsters, meanwhile, can dig the fine acts at the Fringe POP stage (at the Fringe Festival’s main drinkin’ and schmoozin’ locale, Parc des Amériques on St-Laurent at Rachel), June 10–19. Acts include Mixel Pixel, Lil’ Andy, Katie Moore, les Mod’s, Shalabi Effect, the Hot Springs, Unireverse, K’naan, Wolf Parade and tons more—plus the dog show/air-guitar contest combo!

Another outdoor afternoon could be spent this Sunday, June 12 at 3 p.m., at Parc Lahaie (St-Joseph and St-Laurent), when Cantando Per il Popolo, a 30-person choir assembled by Kathy Kennedy of Choeur Maha and Studio XX fame, raise their voices in song. That’s part of the Suoni Per il Popolo fest, at the nearby Casa del Popolo and Sala Rossa, through the month of June. This fest of out-there music still has plenty of great stuff lined up: drum wizard Milford Graves (Fri., June 10), Alexis O’Hara and her cousin Mary Margaret O’Hara (Sat., June 18), Comets on Fire and Besnard Lakes (Mon., June 20) and a final-night fiesta with dub poet d’bi young and friends (Sat., June 25).

Waste Islanders get their own thing tonight, Thurs., June 9 at Bourbon Street West as the annual Duckfest benefit for Lakeshore General Hospital wraps up with a show from Dobacaracol, hot Montreal metallists Priestess and former Rubberman frontguy Jonas. Speaking of metal, get that old loincloth out because the lords of barbarian muscle metal, Manowar, are at Metropolis, Tues., June 14. The night after sees Sub Pop psychedelicists Rogue Wave and Helios Sequence at El Salon.

For the more dance-oriented, check Puppa Sacha’s Reggae Nation nights, every Thursday at Unity II—the place for your reggaeton fix! There’s also the electro excellence of Anthony Rother at the SAT with Mateo Murphy, Nivoc and more on, Fri., June 10, and Misstress Barbara versus her own alter ego Barbara Brown at Club Soda with DJ Mini, Sat., June 11, same night as Canada’s number-one R&B artist Massari at Club Dôme.

Whole lotta heavy

Here’s something for the kids—Malajube play an all-ages gig (the classic church-basement sort!) at Underground (3850 Royal, in NDG), Thurs., June 16. That same night, the Sugar Session breast-cancer benefit hosts Stéphane Moraille of Bran Van fame, LD-One of Muzion, Sabrina Jean, Belle, dancer Susu and more at Cabaret. Local legends of the heavy Dead Brain Cells reassemble and join Anonymus for a benefit for Sang Frais magazine at Lion d’Or on June 18. Sunday, June 19, sees Sleater-Kinney with Dead Meadow at la Tulipe. Mossman ressurects his awesome Dub Lounge nights, now at le Swimming, that same night.

DJ Mini’s Overdose nights are still kicking ass, with special guest Tiga on June 23, same night as Xiu Xiu at la Sala Rossa. Indie rock darlings Modest Mouse join the excellent Metric at Stade Uniprix, Sat., June 25. Count on heavy-duty surf action when Surferigno and Los Tabarnacos hang ten at le Swimming on June 27, or hold out for the neo-roots-rock stylings of Wilco and guests My Morning Jacket at Metropolis, June 28.

Canada Day’s a sweet one this year, with reggae idols Beres Hammond and Marcia Griffiths at le Medley on July 1. Meanwhile, old-school Montreal hardcore heroes Genetic Control return for three shows—at Main Hall on July 2, Foufounes Électriques on July 4 and the gigantic true-school punk blowout at Verdun Auditorium on July 8—Ripcordz, the Adicts, Conflict, Subhumans, Anti-Nowhere League, MDC and shitloads more will be playing. On a similar note, watch for Ari Up (formerly of the Slits) at Café Campus on July 4. For more contemporary loudness, check the Sounds of the Underground show, July 3 at Stade Uniprix, with Lamb of God, Clutch, Opeth, Unearth, GWAR, High on Fire and more!

By that point, of course, the Jazz Fest (June 30–July 10) will be in full swing—Dr. John, John Mayall, Lizz Wright, Zakir Hussain, Pat Metheny, Mark Knopfler, Sonny Rollins, Paul Anka, Medeski Martin & Wood, Femi Kuti, Daniel Lanois, Bill Frisell, Amp Fiddler, Tinariwen and Kobayashi are just a fraction of who’s on board. Especially hot is the midnight gigs at Club Soda, pairing up grooze-based bands and hot DJs—Brazilian Girls, Los Amigos Invisibles, RJD2 and Akufen are among the stars of the series. Oh, and be there for Kid Koala’s off-fest after-hours spot at Circus on July 8.

Reggae rays and strange days

Buck 65 does his thing at Main Hall July 6 and 7, followed by Arcade Fire offshoot Final Fantasy, with lone Hidden Camera Gentleman Reg, at La Sala Rossa on July 8. Speaking of the Hidden Cameras, they’re at Zoo Bizarre on July 16. Hip Hop success story Black Eyed Peas, and guest Talib Kweli, are at the Stade Uniprix on July 9.

Another important summer festival is Nuits d’Afrique, celebrating music and dance from Africa and the diaspora as well as meetings between musicians from Africa and elsewhere. This year, the dates to mark down are July 14–24.

Friday to Sunday, July 15–17, the Old Port is the hot spot for the second annual Montreal Reggae Fest, with a spread to die for, including Yellowman, Gregory Isaacs, John Holt, Sugar Minott, Chaka Demus & Pliers, Shinehead, Snow and tons more.

For some neo-retro rock ’n’ roll activity, check out Holly Golightly with the Woggles, July 18 at Café Campus, or hold out for Brian Jonestown Massacre at El Salon on July 28 (the same night that the nutty Gravy Train!!!! is at la Sala Rossa). The day after that is the Vans Warped Tour (location as yet undisclosed) with Transplants, the Offspring, Strung Out, Dropkick Murphys, Millencolin and a whole bunch more, plus the usual pro skaters and so on. July 31, it’s the Strange Days mega-show at the Bell Centre, with the Doors (with the Cult’s Ian Astbury filling in for the dead fat guy), Vanilla Fudge and the Pat Travers Band. Coldplay are at that same venue on Aug. 3, the night after Kid 606 does his digital damage at la Sala Rossa.

For a little French touch, or rather a lot of it, the FrancoFolies fest runs from July 28–Aug. 6, with artists like Amadou et Mariam, Mara Tremblay, Alain Bashung, Stefie Shock, Loco Locass, Groovy Aardvark, TTC, Le Nombre and a closing show by Plastic Bertrand.

The heads at Under Pressure celebrate 10 years of beats, rhymes, breaking and, most importantly, graf at Foufounes on Aug. 14. On Aug. 18, legendary Beach Boy Brian Wilson brings his Smile concert to Place-des-Arts. Nouveau psych-rockers Oneida and Kinski are at la Sala Rossa on Aug. 21. Somewhere around this time, Montreal promoters Music Management (the ones bringing all the hot hip hop shows to Club Dôme) should be throwing an anniversary bash at the water slides out at the Beach Club at Pointe-Calumet—rumour has it that Ciara and Lil Jon will be making a splash there. That’ll lead us up to the first real show of the fall—Green Day and Jimmy Eat World at Parc Jean-Drapeau on Sept. 4.