Born dead
and birthdays

by JOHNSON CUMMINS

First off, my lid is tipped to Yannick and the fine folks at Katacombes, celebrating their first anniversary this week. Things are never easy for a punk rock co-op space, as harassment from police and neighbouring establishments sadly becomes the norm while nearby coke dens get a blind eye. Katacombes has persevered for a year now and despite harsh predictions, critics and city officials who are looking to gentrify the lower Main south of Ste-Catherine, Katacombes continues to thrive in the security-camera infested area, providing a public space for bands as well as a cultural meeting place for society’s unwashed masses.

The little club that could blows out the lonely candle on the cake this weekend with two nights of brutal hardcore bands under the festival moniker A Varning From Montreal at les Saints. Friday night will feature Warcry, WB2D, Inepsy (!), Career Suicide (!!), Thought Crime, Complications, Confusers and Omegas. On Saturday, the festival continues with Sweden’s Meanwhile, World Burns to Death, Caustic Christ, After the Bombs, Aghast and Bombed Out. A warning—er, “varning”—to all of you stragglers: there will be a strict start time of 5 p.m. for both shows, which is, to be frank, completely fucking crazy. Although Inepsy and Career Suicide are not to be missed on Friday night, Saturday night is absolutely mandatory, as it will mark the last show for one of Montreal’s greatest hardcore bands, Born Dead Icons. Their utter brutality will be sorely missed.

Katacombes’s first anniversary will last all week with their regular DJ nights, like Tuesday’s rock ’n’ roll session Boys Night Out with DJs Flo the Action and Dave Don’t, Wednesday’s Metal Invasion with Satannick and Thursday’s punk-rock night with DJ Smartz and J. Rocker spinnin’ tunes and spillin’ brews.

Things are unexpectedly slow during the usually bustling beginning of November, but there are still some shows happening this week that will help ease the chill in the air. Noise gods Black Dice return to town on Friday night at la Sala Rossa and, although they possess the frequencies to melt the fillings in your teeth, the night is elevated to legendary status by new band Wizzardz, featuring a member from the pride of Providence, Lightning Bolt. If Wizzardz are half as good as Lightning Bolt, or even a quarter as good as their name, this should prove to be stupid good. Adding more heaviosity to the night will be Fort Miracle and Thames.

On Saturday night, the local smut peddlers behind Lickety Split will launch the new issue of their zine at Zoobizarre. To help midwife will be the scorching sounds of Starvin Hungry and the sultry stylings of Dead Doll Dancers, and providing the stacks of wax will be none other than the Pirates of the Lachine Canal, who are exercising their day pass from St-Henri. If none of you street urchins have witnessed Starvin Hungry yet, this would be a solid bet as the band have never been more fierce. Also, if you haven’t picked up their new CD Cold Burns, stop pulling yer pud, go out and get it now, as it is probably the best local rock release you will hear this year.

Freshly freezed… Jonathan.cummins@gmail.com