Packing in Pop

by JOHNSON CUMMINS

The programming for Pop Montreal has always been daunting, but now that it’s hit its eighth year running, Pop’s team has outdone itself. In the limited space here, I’ll ease up on my sloppy love for the fest and just get right down to my hot picks over their remaining four days.

Every night at Pop is jam-packed and tonight, Oct. 1, is no exception. For people who aren’t getting the most mileage out of their passes by gallivanting all over God’s green acre, some safe bets would be Prevenge, Madcowboys, Barn Burner and Trigger Effect at l’Escogriffe. More solid bills tonight for people with a pair of tired dogs would be Screaming Females, TV Ghost, Red Mass and the Intelligence at la Sala Rossa. For the more adventurous, a good call would be Maserati and Mono at la Tulipe, a jog over to l’Olympia for Butthole Surfers (which could prove to be the show of the fest) at 10:30 p.m. and then up to the Green Room at midnight for Jonathan Toubin’s Soul Clap night with host Ian Svenonius from Chain and the Gang, Nation of Ulysees and the Make-Up.

On Friday, things get even more hectic. A perfect start is the all-ages matinee at Friendship Cove, starting at noon and running until 8 p.m. You can catch Tyevk, FNU Ronnies, Gardens, the Pink Noise, Tonstartssbandht, Wasted Nymph, Dirty Beaches and Interracial Love Triangle, if you can squeeze it in. If you are looking to cool your heels for the entire night, safe bets would be Grand Trine, Teen Anger, FNU Ronnies, Terrible Twos and Human Eye at Casa del Popolo. At Espace Réunion, you can catch the return of Sam Shalabi’s Egyptian Light Orchestra, preceded by Anthony von Seck & the Exiles. Probably the biggest bill on Friday night is Lydia Lunch’s Teenage Jesus & the Jerks, playing at 10:30 p.m. at le National, supported by Duchess Says and AIDS Wolf.

Friendship Cove proves to be the place to start off the day once again from noon until 8 p.m. on Saturday, with AIDS Wolf, Teen Anger, Holy Cobras, Magic Cheezies, Grand Trine, Hellshovel, Ultrathin and Futensil. Things get a little sticky from there, depending on your tastes, but here’s a good schedule for the more nomadic out there. After the Cove, you can start with Black Feelings at Ukrainian Federation at 8:30 p.m., stick around for krautrock legends Faust at 9:30 p.m., and then check out the late set from Diamanda Galás, who hits the Théâtre Outremont stage at 10 p.m. After that, you can check out Witchies at midnight at l’Escogriffe or, if your head isn’t spinning yet, Thee Oh Sees at la Sala Rossa at 1 a.m. or Treasure Hunt at Il Motore, who also get things underway at 1 a.m.

Also, like every year, there is a ton of hush-hush events and afterhours parties happening all over town, so keep yer ear to the ground while you’re out there.

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JONATHAN.CUMMINS@GMAIL.COM