by JOHNSON CUMMINS

Just as I was almost used to American tourists decked out in West Coast Customs, it's time to trade 'em in for the student populace decked out in American Apparel, coming to town to get their learn on. Now, they're all not bad and can be easily taken with a grain of salt - unless of course you're a mixed CD DJ at Bifteck.

When I was the DJ at Bifteck many moons ago (I actually started DJing there when they only had cassette decks), early August signified the plague of lily-white Dawson's Creek rejects enjoying the fruits of finally being out of their parents' cocoon. Although the DJ thing was so easy it bordered on catatonic, these strapping, earnest first-year university students actually made this cushy job a living hell. The beginning of August always came with a non-stop deluge of Bob Marley requests as my Slayer tape duked it out with the din of shot glasses smashing against tables. To Aaron, who is currently manning the CD decks at ye ol' Biffer: my heart goes out to ya, buddy.

The biggest thing to hit NDG since Karla Homolka is the Head and Hands all-ages benefit concert series, happening again tonight at the Underground (3850 Royal). Headlining is hardcore band Complications featuring ex-members of Born Dead Icons. Expect Complications to mix up crust with a bit of Motörhead grit. Taking up the middle slot will be Adam and Alden, formerly of Arcade Fire and Unicorns, respectively, a guitar and violin duo that runs the gamut from a stripped-down Pentangle to the fingerpicking style of Elizabeth Cotton. Opening will be No Damn Good's Auriga and Fall of Adam. The Alternative Bookshop Collective will also have a table set up with books and zines of a political nature.

Also happening tonight is the Brian Jonestown Massacre with We're Marching On at El Salon. If you had the chance to see the BJM/Dandy Warhols rockumentary Dig!, you know just how mighty this band can be. Although the doc was apparently somewhat inaccurate, painting BJM singer Anton Newcombe as a raging maniac, it certainly made one thing glaringly clear - BJM are real rock 'n' roll, and by comparison, the Dandy Warhols come across as the poncey grinder-monkeys they truly are.

The big tickets for Francofolies this year are France's punk veterans Parabellum and the return of Quebec garage rockers Les Secrétaires Volantes, both of whom play for free on Saturday at the corner of Bleury and de Maisonneuve. Two weeks ago, Les Secrétaires stole the show from the New York Dolls in Quebec City, so this proves to be a must-see. On Sunday night, check out a rare show from Le Nombre, with Parabellum once again, at the Spectrum.

Finally, on Wednesday, make sure to show up early at the Bell Centre to see Coldplay's handpicked opening act Black Mountain. For once, Pitchfork Media and I can finally agree - they could well be the greatest Canadian band we have right now.

DO YOU HAVE A ROCK 'N' ROLL DJ NIGHT? LET ME KNOW. jonathan.cummins@gmail.com

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