Bye, Georges

by JOHNSON CUMMINS

I would be greatly remiss if I failed to mention the Vibrators show with the Automatix happening tonight at—get this—l’Escogriffe. The limey legends are finishing their two-night stint at the tiny rock ’n’ roll hovel tonight and it should be packed to the tits. If you are unable to squeeze in tonight and croon along to nuggets like “Baby Baby,” “You Broke My Heart Into Little Tiny Pieces” and other pop-punk blasters, you can try your luck when they come back to town yet again at Katacombes on July 6. Do try and make it down tonight though, as l’Escogriffe really shines when it’s packed and people are spilling pints on your shoes.

In more punk rock news, check out those foulmouthed pop-punkers (relax, it’s more Buzzcocks and Television Personalities than Good Charlotte) the Nymphets tonight with Jimi Hunt at Rockette, which has recently been serving occasionally as a live venue.

If you’re down with sludgy, drunk riffage, head down to Katacombes to check out Dutch Oven on Friday night with rockers Lady and the blues-punk raunch of Ashtray Heart. Show up early as Ashtray Heart are one of the most underrated rock bands in this city, by gummy! On Saturday night at l’Escogriffe is the dandiest band in Montreal, Expo 67, with Sonic Avenues. Expo blew me away at the Barfly a month ago with some genre-bending psych-pop, and are sure to razzle-dazzle, delight and get really drunk.

Saturday night is the place to be for some real deal Lower East Side rock ’n’ roll when New York’s L.E.S. Stitches roll into town (complete with U.S. Bombs/Jerk Appeal guitarist and local boy Curt Stitch) and obliterate the Barfly with Ottawa’s Ramones fetishists the Riptides, S4G and the Captains.

The Suoni per il Popolo festival finally starts winding down this week with a rare performance from the elusive avant-folk artist Jandek on Sunday night. Releasing 49 records since 1978, Jandek has only done two interviews in his career, and has only been coaxed out of hiding to perform live a couple of dozen times over the past three years. Suoni will also be hosting what rumour has it is les Georges Leningrad’s last show ever, on Tuesday, with experimental electroacoustic artist Felix Kubin at Sala Rossa. Les Georges and Kubin will provide live soundtracks to a selection of films, and Kubin will also be on hand for the Tools of the Trade workshop on Monday at Sala Rossa at noon. People are encouraged to bring their blips and bleeps via portable recorders, laptops and other noise generators, and jam it out with the man.

Les Georges Leningrad: Rest in pee…Jonathan.cummins@gmail.com