Wotta riot

by JOHNSON CUMMINS

You may have already heard about the riot that ensued at Club Soda last Saturday when the reggaeton party Calientisimo oversold the venue. Although I did witness the whole thing and was generally terrified at the misuse of police force (though admittedly thrilled at the prospect of getting thrown into the melee), I will spare you the gory details. I was across the

street at Katacombes, getting blown away by Trigger Effect and Moncton’s Iron Giant, and the irony of a riot starting among the body-sprayed masses at Club Soda that night instead of the largely punk audience that populated Katcombes did not escape me.

Local businesses in this still somewhat seedy section of town continue to scrutinize Katacombes, a co-op where police harassment cheaply disguised as enforcement of capacity laws continues to be a regular ordeal. Since Katacombes opened its doors last year, there have been no incidents whatsoever, yet they continually get singled out in their tourist-friendly area for being an eyesore. I would like to salute the club’s doorman for protecting its patrons from police batons that night, as well as the punks in attendance who chose not to join in on the brouhaha across the street, and hence not tarnish Katacombes’ reputation in its immediate community.

Shows that may or may not turn into a riot this week start off tonight, March 27, with the heavy psychedelic freak-out of Japan’s Acid Mothers Temple and Danava. This is definitely the do-not-miss show of the week. Combining heaviosity with oozing psychedelia, free jazz skronk, ’70s prog tendencies and general mayhem, AMT must be seen in a live setting to really get what this band is all about. This is going to be a packed affair, so show up early at la Sala Rossa. In case the show does sell out, you can try to elbow your way into the cozy confines of Black Dot for their first in a regular series of Wrong Wave nights. Combining garage and no wave, Wrong Wave will keep things eclectic with varied bills—tonight’s includes Swamp Sex Robots, recent buzz band Devil Eyes and Soki Soki. Proving this city likes their noise and no wave is yet another installment of the longstanding Montreal Knows No Wave night tonight at Casa del Popolo with Petter O Hanna and Jasa Baka.

Tonight may be the most stacked night of the week, but Friday’s a real humdinger as well with the shaggy psych and boogie of the Mongrels joining forces with the electronic blips and ’70s guitar squeals of Kosmos (featuring members of One 976 and Voivod) and the demented organ sounds of Wizardtron at la Sala Rossa. If hallucinogenic riffs aren’t your thing and you have a need for speed, then head down to the Katacombes tonight and check out the Automatix, the Bators and the Walnut Kids.

Wednesday night is another hot one when the extreme noise terror of Wolf Eyes peels the paint with local noiseniks Ghost Limbs and the doom terror of Ménace Ruine at the usually mellow confines of Divan Orange.

TOMORROW YOU’RE HOMELESS, TONIGHT IT’S A BLAST…JONATHAN.CUMMINS@GMAIL.COM