Kompakt komeback

Surly immigration officers having vetoed a visit by Kompakt kommissar Michael Mayer last Thursday, tonight, April 30, will mark the second chance for fans of the German minimal techno label. Signee Superpitcher, the second half of collab duo Supermayer, appears at Club 1234 for some big, wacky, Euro-club outer-space beats. But polished, gradual, hypnotic sounds will also be found elsewhere in the vicinity tonight, as Quebec’s own Kegaska hits Parking with spooky, arctic-themed electro soundscapes aplenty. What’s more, this suspiciously stacked Thursday evening also offers a rare and exciting chance to check out Portuguese computerized kuduro crew Buraka Som Sistema as they bombard Zoobizarre with more angst-ridden Angolan a capellas and furious percussion lines than the tiny room has likely ever witnessed. And that’s saying something considering the amount of dope international grooves heard at the Zoo in the run of a year.

Get your fill of the wheels of steel tonight because the rest of the week is all about live shows. Friday night offers an indie pop love-in at a wink-nudge venue called the Outdoor Club, at the industrial end of St-Viateur—poke around the Web for details. Mellow Haligonian psych-folk quartet Museum Pieces are joined by Hamiltonian powerpoppers Wax Mannequin and local nostalgic synthpop crews Silly Kissers and Mixylodian. Get happy.

Saturday night, Toronto’s Vitaminsforyou appears as a live trio at Green Room, pounding out dark digital disco and crooning choruses that are sincere and emotive, though almost to the point of cheesiness.

Also, keep in mind that on Tuesday, local purveyors of feelgood, radio-friendly franco-pop Chinatown launch their new record Cité d’Or at Lion d’Or, and it’s not just the music and venue that are gold—check out the dope album art, which features a dreamy rendition of our somewhat-fair city. More bands have to get in the habit of shouting this town out on their records. Musicians are a city’s PR department.

GOOD TIME CHARLIE…
jack.oatmon@gmail.com