by SCOTT C

A few of you might remember that I used to work at a little record store called Noize, right upstairs from the Second Cup on St-Laurent, a few years back. Noize was one of the last great mom-and-pop stores on the Main, and a place where I was able to regularly connect with not only a wealth of talented Montreal artists, but dozens of out-of-town performers who were stopping in the city for a show. It was at Noize that I met Alberta’s Hi-Phoniqs, Edmonton’s favourite funk band that had hit the open road for a little Canadian tour. This Saturday, June 11, you can catch former lead singer of the Hi-Phoniqs, Curtis Santiago, when he returns to Montreal alongside his new partner in crime, DJ Vinyl Richie. Now living in Vancouver, the two are well known for rocking stages in the West, with Curtis able to bless mics both as a vocalist and an MC. The two join D.R. One and Grand Theft over at Blue Dog this Saturday, where Vinyl Richie will be playing a hot set of hip hop, funk, rock, and disco, while Curtis will be performing live. Five dollars gets you in.

While we’re on the topic of great record stores, I’d like to formally express my condolences to the owners and staff of Zulu Records on Bleury, who seemed to come and go way too quick. On the upside, I discovered a new record spot, just north of Mont-Royal at 4541 St-Laurent, called Jamcan. If you were a fan of Noize’s welcoming atmosphere, eclectic collection of music and fair prices, then you’ll be hanging out here a lot. Owners Andrea and Allen buy and sell new and used vinyl, CDs and DVDs, and boast an impressive selection of reggae, funk, soul, hip hop and soundtracks, as well as a particularly big bin of Ninja Tune gems and rarities. You can also check them out at www.jamcan.com.

Faithful devotees of the church of Sase One will be happy to know that his longer than long-term Hardsteppers project has finally come to fruition with a new release called Revolution set to drop on June 21. The Hardsteppers collective has been around since the glory days of drum & bass in Montreal, when they held down a three-year residency at Angels and hosted bimonthly events at Sona. Now comprised of Sase, Kali, Adam L and Regimental, the Hardsteppers perform as a live band, mixing influences from dancehall and breaks to achieve their sound. You can check out the listening party for the new LP on Monday, June 20, at Salon Daome from 8:30 p.m–10 p.m., followed by a live performance from the band, plus the Marlon Jacksons and DJ Fiend—all for $5.

TIME TO POST I GUESS... fathead@videotron.ca

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