Sounds of autumn,
top to bottom

Highlights of a musically hyperactive fall

WINGING IT: Claude Von Stroke

by RUPERT BOTTENBERG

Summer’s nearly timed out, so enjoy it while you can—Iceland’s Sigur Rós are outdoors at the Old Port’s Quai Jacques-Cartier on Saturday, Sept. 20, same night as the Saboteur label jam at Piknic Électronik. The night after, it’s Ninja Tune’s turn, with Daedelus, Ghislain Poirier and Bonobo.

Before that weekend, though, you can catch Chicano funk-rock legends War at Olympia on Sept. 18, same night Toronto’s Slim Twig croons to the crowd at Blue Dog Motel for the David Lynch-themed In Dreams party. The night after has post-Kobayashi project the Franco Proietti Morph-Tet at St-Henri’s Centre St-Ambroise, and Land of Talk at la Sala Rossa. If you’re staying indoors on Sept. 20, make sure it’s for Mudhoney at la Sala Rossa or Cut Copy and the Presets at Club Soda.

WHO’S NASTY NOW? Janet Jackson

Sept. 22 sees Sheryl Crow at the Bell Centre, while Scots-punk scallywags the Real McKenzies play with locals Corrigan Fest at Foufounes Électriques. The following night has Mogwai with Fuck Buttons at Metropolis, plus a whole lotta heavy in the form of Baroness, Genghis Tron and Bison at la Sala Rossa.

Blue Man Group get their cerulean on at Bell Centre on Sept. 25, while the night after is just packed, what with Bad Religion at Metropolis, Cryptopsy at Club Soda, Cesaria Evora at Place des Arts, folk favourite Garnet Rogers at la Sala Rossa, hustling hip hoppers Kid Cudi and Hollywood Holt at Coda and Black Mountain at le National. Likewise Sept. 27, which sees ska icons the Slackers at le Studio, the Stills at Cabaret, a Weller-less From the Jam at Club Soda, Cake at Metropolis and Miss Kittin & the Hacker at SAT. The season’s final Piknic Électronik, with Maüs and Claude Von Stroke, is on Sept. 28, the same night Janet Jackson, assumedly in a functional wardrobe, joins LL Cool J at the Bell Centre, while Method Man and Redman are at Metropolis. High-test hip hop continues with Common and N*E*R*D at Metropolis on Sept. 30.

REST AZURE: Blue Man Group

On top of Pop

Pop Montreal kicks off on Oct. 1, with a highlight being Hot Chip at Metropolis (and an after party at le Studio). Also lined up for Pop this year are Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Black Kids, Jean-Jacques Perrey, Wire, Brazilian Girls, Ratatat, Burt Bacharach, Dan Deacon, Socalled, Wedding Present, Crystal Castles and far more.

The fest wraps up Oct. 4, but the fun doesn’t—Beck is at Théâtre St-Denis with MGMT Oct. 6, and Stereolab at Club Soda the next night. Lucinda Williams is at Metropolis on Oct. 9, same night Digable Planets align at les Saints. Oct. 10 is a doozy with Chromeo, Jamie Lidell, Calvin Harris and Dirty South at Olympia, and So-Cal heroes NOFX at Metropolis (they’re there again Oct. 12). On Oct. 11, you can catch Fucked Up at la Sala Rossa or Cadence Weapon at Zoobizarre.

Bedouin Soundclash are at Metropolis on Oct. 16, the same night that Casa del Popolo hosts Boreus, featuring members of Torngat, the Besnard Lakes, People for Audio and more. Oct. 17, you’ve got spook-a-billies Horrorpops at Foufounes Électriques and, just as frighteningly, Joe Satriani at Metropolis, while the next night has Diplo at le Studio and Jay Reatard joined by locals Chocolat at Cabaret. Oct. 19, meanwhile, sees rock steady revivalists the Aggrolites at Petit Campus and Ron Sexsmith at Club Soda. Her royal fucking highness Madonna takes over Bell Centre on Oct. 22 and 23.

WHAT’S NEWER, PUSSYCAT? Burt Bacharach

Young and the rest of ’em

Oct. 23 also has the Foggy Hogtown Boys at Club Lambi, or Comeback Kid, Misery Signals and Shai Hulud at le National. The next night, catch Yeasayer, also at le National, or Dweezil duplicating his departed daddy with Zappa Plays Zappa at the Gesù.

Lenny Kravitz is at the Bell Centre Oct. 26, Legendary Pink Dots at les Saints the next night. Oct. 28 has Scars on Broadway at le Medley, and the mighty Justice and Ed Banger DJs at Metropolis, same venue at which Of Montreal do Montreal Oct. 29, and Talking Head David Byrne digs into the work he’s done with Brian Eno, on Oct. 30.

Oct. 30 also sees Pas Chic Chic and Plaza Musique at la Sala Rossa, while the following night has Broken Social Scene at Metropolis and the Voyeur Halloween party at SAT. Elliott Brood plays the new Parc-Ex space Il Motore on Nov. 3, same venue that has Matt & Kim on Nov. 6, while Feist gets all feisty on Nov. 5 at the Bell Centre.

More fun than Russian Roulette with DeNiro and Walken is a night with Deerhunter, who join Times New Viking at Théâtre Plaza on Nov. 11, while Holly Golightly is at la Sala Rossa Nov. 12. The night after, Nov. 13, is a guaranteed killer with mega-masher-upper Girl Talk, fantastic spastics the Death Set and their pal CX Kidtronik at Club Soda (for calmer fare, catch the Sea and Cake at la Sala Rossa that night).

On Nov. 19, French neo-shoegazers M83 are at le Studio, while Hawksley Workman plays la Tulipe on Nov. 21.

Cobra Starship land their craft at Club Soda on Nov. 26, while the following night has the Susan Arioli Band at Théâtre Outremont. Nov. 28, meanwhile, sees the Acorn and Ohbijou! at la Sala Rossa. That brings us to Dec. 1, the night Neil Young ambles into the Bell Centre. Winter’s just around the corner at that point, but on the bright side, so is a delightful Dec. 18 soirée with GWAR at Club Soda!