Still worth the
drive at 25

>>Victoriaville’s annual festival of avant-garde music brings in the big names and bright ideas

ALL OR NOTHING: Nihilist Spasm Band

By JOHNSON CUMMINS

Celebrating a quarter century as one of the most challenging and innovative festivals in North America, the Festival International de Musique Actuelle Victoriaville, or FIMAV, steps things up accordingly as the big two-five arrives. There are a number of shows on the schedule this year guaranteed to make the drive to Victoriaville, all 162 kilometres of it, well worth the adventurous music fan’s while.

Things start off with a bang on opening night, Thursday, May 15 (the fest wraps up May 19), when NYC avant-jazz titan and FIMAV regular John Zorn offers “The Dreamers,” the first half of his two-night stand. The unusually pleasant and accessible project, with likes of Joey Baron and Marc Ribot involved, throws everything and the kitchen sink in while expertly blending klezmer, exotica, jazz and surf music.

Zorn’s second performance, “Moonchild,” on Friday, May 16, changes gears completely—and considering how eclectic Mr. Zorn has been, we would expect no less. Fans of the more hardcore sounds of Zorn’s Painkiller project and Naked City’s Torture Garden will rejoice over his return to spastic composition and gritty grindcore. Mr. Bungle/Fantomas cats Mike Patton and Trevor Dunn assist!

Just before “Moonchild” on Friday is what can be expected to be a stunning performance by guitarist extraordinaire Fred Frith. It’s Frith’s latest project, the rock-positive quintet Cosa Brava. Like Zorn, Frith is bringing a “two-fer” to the festival, returning as the closer on Monday, May 19 at 8 p.m. with a two-hour retrospective of his turn-of-the-’80s band Art Bears. This nine-piece also features founding Art Bear Chris Cutler and should prove to be a perfect capper to the five-day fest.

On Saturday, May 17 at 3 p.m. is a rare performance by London, Ontario’s improv group Nihilist Spasm Band. Starting in 1965 and continuing to play on homemade instruments to this day, they are often heralded as the very first noise band. Though the NSB holds down a weekly residency at London’s Dissent club every Monday, seeing them off their home turf is a rare treat.

Proving FIMAV’s eclectic nature and progressiveness is the inclusion of KTL (Saturday, May 17). The duo is made up of drone guitarist Stephen O’Malley (Sunn O))), Khanate) and Austrian glitch electronics artist Peter Rehberg. Expect some serious drone and power violence from this one. On the same bill, following KTL, is the doom drone of Oakland, CA’s Om, featuring two ex-members of doom metal legends Sleep. Staying on the doom tip on Saturday, Toronto duo Nadja ride the waves of distortion at the midnight show.

One final but important note: the afternoon of closing day, May 19, improv legend Elliot Sharp performs in a solo setting. Having had the pleasure of seeing Sharp perform solo years ago in New York, I can guarantee your goosebumps will be standing up and saluting.

For full schedule, prices and
directions, consult
www.fimav.qc.ca