Black Ships and Red Sparowes

by JOHNSON CUMMINS

As tradition dictates, Montreal’s live-music scene took a bit of a snooze over the past couple of months but the month of March has been hitting like a fistful of nickels. The next couple of weeks have so many awesome shows, I must put a sock in my regular diatribes about crackheads and my deep hatred of Dave Navarro, and just deliver the goods.

Tonight is a no-brainer—the Tragedy-style crusty punk of Black Ships obliterates l’Escogriffe. If that wasn’t enough incentive, Pechblende also adds some ballast to the bill. Pechblende rise from the ashes of one of Quebec’s heaviest bands, Fallout Project, and if they prove to be half as good as the powerful, Neurosis-style panorama that FP used to lay down, this show should be mandatory for any fan of heaviosity. Tipping the scales will be la Plaie.

If you’re a fan of the Fallout Project, or for that matter Neurosis—or even more accurately, if you’re currently clutching tickets for the upcoming Isis-Jesu-Zozobra and Explosions in the Sky shows—you cannot, I repeat cannot miss Red Sparowes at la Sala Rossa on Friday night. Featuring Isis member B.C. Meyer, Red Sparowes delivered my favourite record of 2006, Every Red Heart Shines Toward the Red Sun. This masterpiece consists of one piece over four sides of vinyl, and possesses all the cinematic expansiveness of godspeed! and Explosions in the Sky, but also packs the technical prowess of Pelican, making for a devastating listen. If this show is half as good as their record, it should prove to be a night that will be talked about for quite some time. Opening will be locals Thundrah and guests to be announced. Do not miss!

Friday is also the night that Rockets Away, featuring members of Ripcordz and the Brains, leap out of the gate with not one but two shows. The band plays with rockers Lady at Crescent Pub, and then whisk themselves off to Café Campus to play with straight-up punk rockers Road Bones and Marshall Law.

If blazingly loud punk rock makes you a bit squeamish, you can check out the corporate roots-rock sounds of ex-Soft Canyon member Jason Kent at Casa del Popolo on Saturday night. I say “corporate” because Kent’s giant noggin has recently been seen on billboards around town, hawking Fido telephones. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not taking a politically southpaw swipe at Kent here—if anything, I’m just glad he’s taken some space away from all those Jonas billboards I can’t seem to shake. Opening will be movie-stars-in-waiting the Royal Mountain Band, who squeeze in one more show before getting a studio tan recording their debut record in a couple of weeks.

See ya at Red Sparowes… Jonathan.cummins@gmail.com