For the record

by JOHNSON CUMMINS

As promised last week, I’m gonna hip you to the big show this week that is sure to bust l’Escogriffe at the seams. Head down to l’Esco tonight, March 29, for the tail end of their seven-year anniversary brouhaha and try to squeeze in when les Breastfeeders unleash holy hell in their favourite bar in the city. This is going to be packed to the tits pretty damn quick, but if you want to see one of Montreal’s most exciting rock ’n’ roll bands in an intimate atmosphere, you’ll gladly do battle with the elbows and armpits.

Also celebrating an anniversary, its third, is the Mile End Cultural Centre (meaning Green Room and Main Hall). The MECC crew has a whole month’s worth of celebrations lined up, kicking off with the Toronto Bites! festival (see p. 14), already underway. In yet even more anniversary news, the fine, furry and slightly crusty folks at local label and record store Sonik are also celebrating their lucky seven, and are at Barfly on Friday night with a bill that proves to be punk as fuck. Get there early to check out Chainsaw Manicure, who are looking for a female singer to front them—any applicants should come down, check ’em out and talk to them afterwards. Next up, you can dig the ’77-era punk of Jerk Appeal, the Discharge-style thrash of Born Dead Icons and Montreal institution Fair Warning, who will do a rare show for Sonik’s seventh and remind us that you are, or used to be, the scene.

Also happening on Friday night is a show from Quebec City’s Surcharge and France’s Mystik Motorcycle and Lady at Katacombes. Ladyhawk, who are signed to hip and heavy label Jagjaguwar, are playing at the new all-ages venue My Hero Gallery (3655 St-Laurent) on Friday night with Waterblues and Hi and Lonely Oak.

A do-not-miss show on Friday night would be the Blood Brothers, who are completely lethal live, with Celebration and the Chinese Stars at Club Lambi. For some raging rockabilly, head down to Foufounes on Friday night for the Creepshow, the Brains and Devil’s Hot Rod, an all-ages show.

Saturday night, you can check out the Mission of Burma-meets-Sister-era Sonic Youth sounds of local up-and-comers Crowface at Barfly with the Unireverse and Triceratreetops. Meanwhile, one of Montreal’s greatest unsung gems, the Nymphets, blast out their bratty pop-punk while capping off the l’Esco celebrations with Whiskey Trench.

Wednesday offers a great bet when Warp Records signees Battles mix their riffs with blips at la Sala Rossa. Trainspotters may want to note that Helmet’s John Stanier is behind the traps for Battles.

Finally, the greatest record store for all things heavy, Sound Central, are pulling up stakes, ditching their St-Denis digs and reopening on April 1 at 4486 Coloniale, near Mont-Royal. These are tough times for mom-and-pop record stores, so support, support, support.

I saw an X-ray of a woman passing gas… Jonathan.cummins@gmail.com