Laugh it off

by SCOTT C

What a lot of people don’t seem to know is that the Just For Laughs Festival hosts one of the biggest breakdance competitions that the city sees every year. The JPR-Battle-JFL goes down on July 14 at Metropolis and attracts some of the top dancers from the U.S., Mexico, Europe, the Caribbean and Canada, and you can check out all the b-boys and b-girls for only a $24 ticket. The show starts at 8 p.m.

Speaking of shows that always seem to raise an eyebrow around Just For Laughs time, the boys from the Drunken Show are back with another Drunken Show, the Relapse. This underground comedy showcase lets the comics loose (thanks to the freeing warmth of alcohol and other libations), and hilarity ensues. Advance tickets are $20 for the Friday, July 13, show at Saints Showbar. I should say this show has absolutely nothing to do with Just For Laughs, but still, anything can happen, and it probably will. You can e-mail drunkenshow@gmail.com for more info.

On Wednesday, July 18, at Cabaret, you can scan the crowd to see if anyone from the Drunken Show was able to make it out to the Just For Laughs Homegrown Competition. Hosted by former Canadian Idol cock Jon Dore, you’ll end up laughing at some of Canada’s funniest as they face off for bragging rights and the Homegrown Comic title. Local wit Claire Brosseau is bound to shine bright with a seven-dude sausage party to compete with, but we already know she can do it. This $22 show starts at 7 p.m.

Local MC Rugged Intellect’s new album Renaissance Music: The Introduction is finally about to drop, on July 24, distributed by Traffic Entertainment. Featuring cameos from Kool G Rap, RA the Rugged Man, Rock of Heltah Skeltah, Rass Kass, AG and Sean Price, plus beats from Domingo, Buckwild, Memo, Apokalyptik and Adam Sampler, you can catch Rugged opening for Ice T on July 25 at Foufounes Électriques.

On Saturday, July 14, you’ll probably want to make your way down to the Old Port to check out the fourth edition of the Montreal International Reggae Festival, which actually starts on Friday, but I’ll just let you in on some of the Main Stage attractions here. On Saturday between 6-11 p.m., check out acts like Jah Cutta, Mikey Dangerous, Turbulence, Admiral Bailey, I Wayne, Gyptian (!), and Black Uhuru featuring Michael Rose and Duckie Simpson. On Sunday, change gears with Steele, Tanya Mullings, Kirk Davis aka Little Kirk, fresh vegetable Tony Rebel featuring Queen Ifrica, Frankie Paul and Third World. There’s a lot more local reggae action going on both the Love Stage and the Loto-Quebec Stage along with the Main Stage heavyweights, but you can check out www.montrealreggaefestival.com for a proper schedule.

Yes, his name is Gyptian fathead@videotron.ca