by JOHNSON CUMMINS

I’d like to start off by saying how bummed out the High on Fire show left me. Having had my cranium crushed at their Foufounes show some years ago, and considering how killer their latest record Blessed Black Wings is, I was stoked to see this show. It seems, though, that Matt Pike let technical difficulties get the best of him this time around, and he gave us a half-hearted performance. The Bronx, on the other hand, was nothing short of stunning, and didn’t let the half-blown P.A. stand in their way as they pulled the rug out from under the headliners.

Lots of shows this week, and tonight’s Sweet Vains and Top Brass show at Petit Campus should be an obvious choice. Both bands feature members of Local Rabbits, and if the Sweet Vains show at Barfly a few months ago was any indication, expect some Stones-y swagger. Also playing tonight is Montreal’s latest hype magnet Malajube, at CEPSUM. One of the few bands that deserve all the accolades being lavished on them, their new record can only be described as hotsy totsy!

Friday night, the recently-signed CPC Gangbangs will be launching a seven-inch at an early show at Zoobizarre. This should be their last show before releasing their debut on Swami Records, which was produced by our own Howard Bilerman and Hot Snakes/Rocket From the Crypt cool guy John Reis. Show starts at 10 sharp and is over by 11.

Saturday night is once again the big night of the week, with a bunch of shows that are going to have the rockers running all over town. The first stop on your Saturday-night booze binge should be with the Sunday Sinners and Honey and Lies at le Divan Orange. Sunday Sinners just finished their EP at Breakglass Studios here in Montreal, and should be releasing it in March. I have spilt too much ink on the Sunday Sinners already, so just go and thank me later. Divan Orange shows usually end early, so afterwards, you can run up to Casa del Popolo for Crackpot, featuring the slightly charred Chris Burns, with Tam and the Vampires, who are right on the cusp of releasing their debut on Thurston Moore’s Ecstatic Peace label. C’mon, people, props from Thurston fucking Moore!

If punk rawk is more your bag, make tracks to one of the best venues in town for raw rock ’n’ roll, Barfly, and watch the Confusers tear it up and probably piss off the hockey-game crowd. For more of a folky night, head down to Friendship Cove and catch Snailhouse, Portland’s Micah Blue Smaldone and Say It Stranger.

A lot of metal this week with Kreator and Napalm Death playing on Wednesday, but if you want to get a head start, go down to le Medley on the Sabbath day and get your metal on with In Flames, Trivium, DevilDriver and Zao.

METAL UP YOUR ASS! jonathan.cummins@gmail.com

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