We got 'em this autumn

>> Your live-music calls before the snow falls

by RUPERT BOTTENBERG, SCOTT C and KRISTA

Fall means a chill in the air, and that means any excuse to stay indoors, be it at home or at one of the many fine venues for the enjoyment of music that this delightful town of ours has to offer. Said venues will be plenty busy over the next few months, given the plethora of interesting music headed our way.

 This very week, on Sept. 24, So-Cal skatepunx Strung Out play Metropolis. Gnarly! As well, local Frenchy garage unit les Sequelles gear up for their forthcoming album on happenin' local label Grenadine, at Cafe Campus this Saturday, Sept. 23. Also on the garage tip (cut with assorted brain-damaging weirdness) are Toronto's More Plastic, at Jailhouse on Oct. 4.

 Nashville Pussy are coming back, playing Foufounes on Oct. 18 with Canadian fixtures the Headstones. Also lined up for Foufs are Tricky Woo, with guests Elevator (ex-Eric's Trip), Oct. 2. Further on is the sensitive, feelgood fun of Gorguts on Oct. 13 (yes, it's a Friday), and on Oct. 25, the sheer horror of Vader and Dying Fetus. Awww, poor fetus! Did we mention the Misfits? Yup, they're coming back, too, with their little friends Speedealer, Oct. 14. You know the drill.

 More on the indie-rock side of things are Trans Am, pimping their new disc at Cabaret on Sept. 30 with special guest Neil Hamburger--apparently the worst comedian in the world. Then there's Britsy psychedelicists Broadcast, joined by Chicago post-rockers Sea & Cake, on Nov. 12. A bit poppier are the Dandy Warhols, who hit town Oct. 9 on the heels of an excellent comeback album. Also, look into the Weekend and Scratching Post, two Ontario acts, at Jailhouse on Oct. 4. And here's the word on local smoothie Stefie Shock, whose gigography to date matches his album title--Presque rien. That changes on Oct. 30 when he plays Liquid. Not to be missed, vooz-oht.

 Rumours abound about possible big-ticket visitors in the forthcoming months, notably Offspring and Rancid for the surly punks, King Crimson for the burly prog-farts and Bon Jovi for the Hair Club posse. All of which pales in comparison to what will likely be the show of the season. Year? Decade? That's right--Styx. And not just Styx, but Styx with new frontman Gowan. Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto, our moonlight desires become reality on Oct. 11.

Working decks and talking tech
 On to electronic matters and the spinning of platters. Ninja Tune are bringing it on in October, starting with a two-night stand at Cabaret by spooky Amon Tobin, joined by the likes of Laika, David Kristian, Ram and 1% Free. Later on, during the New Media fest, N-Tune founders Coldcut plan a triumphant return on Oct. 13, backed up by DK, producer of Coldcut's radio show Solid Steel, and local ninjas Luv, Wig and the recently paroled J. Robot. The following night, viz-whiz Hexstatic shows up with the Light Surgeons, and on Oct. 21 Flanger's Bernd Friedman drops in. It's all at Ex-Centris, by the way.

 Furthermore, English stylemeisters St. Etienne are set for a long-overdue Montreal debut, at Club Soda on Oct. 3. 'Bout goddamn time. Toronto live-drum-&-bass buzz band the New Deal are slated for a mid-October appearance, venue TBA. Around the same time (Oct. 17 to be precise), that little imp Moby returns for a night at Metropolis, joined by U.K. tech-types Hybrid. On the rave front, Oct. 28 sees the Freaky party ushering in Halloween, with headliner John Digweed, at Jarry Park.

 Although it's just a rumour, it's been said that NYC's infamous (and possibly now overrated) Junior Vasquez will be playing a 24-hour set at Stereo on Monday, Oct. 9. San Francisco's Mark Farina will be back at Stereo on Oct. 13 for a little bump-and-pump session, and will potentially be starting a monthly residency there. Also on Oct. 13, Detroit's Scott Grooves returns to play with DJ Uzi at Jai's Body Music, and two of Chicago's finest will be at Jai in late October. DJ Heather will join the girls at XX on Decks on Oct. 21 and the untouchable DJ Diz will be the ringmaster for a pre-Halloween party with Pfreud on Oct. 27. Look out for Ron Trent and Lil' Louie Vega to be making appearances at Jai in November and December.

 Britain's caner-par-excellence Kenny Hawkes will be joining Nic B at Jingxi on Oct. 14, and Layo & Bushwacka are scheduled to make a return appearance at Jingxi, to make up for missing their date back in August. Also, Toronto's Nick Holder and Dino & Terry will be joining Jojoflores at his Therapy Thursdays in Tokyo's Blue Room in late November.

The funk gets brought
 Keep your fingers crossed for the Okay Player Tour, which may or may not be stopping in Montreal. Check it out: the Roots, Slum Village, Bahamadia, Jazzyfatnastees, Jill Scott, Dead Prez and Blackstar's Talib Kweli make up this stacked bill. Now let's hope they make it here. The Jurassic 5 make their way back to the city for the third time, in October, along with pals the Beat Junkies. Joining them is freestyle crazyman Supernatural, who is much better live then he is on wax.

 All you Afro-beat-heads are in store for a treat in the form of the Daktaris, who've managed to fool the world into thinking that they're a bunch of old Nigerian cats reliving their youth in this tighter-than-tight band. They roll into town sometime in October as well.

 A little bird told us that Common (an MC who's always coming here but never does) is playing at Kola Note at the end of October or beginning of November. It'd be great to see the Chi-town native in such an intimate setting, but we'll believe it when we see it. Confirmed, though, are Jazz Fest no-shows Blackalicious for a show on Oct. 12. The Herbaliser finally returns to Montreal to join locals Jah Cuttah and Shades of Culture for the State of the Union show happening at the Spectrum on Oct. 27, while other local boys Obscure Disorder have a little something planned for November, so keep your ears peeled.

Voices raised in praise
 World music aficionados won't be left out in the cold. There's a warm front around the corner in the form of Cubanismo!, playing the Spectrum on Sept. 29. Their latest disc crosses over Cuban styles with the sounds of the Big Easy, New Orleans. Meanwhile, flamenco gets its due with multiple shows. First there's the Playa Gitana CD launch of local Juan Jose Carranza, at Cafe Campus on Oct. 3. Then, come Oct. 30, Spanish natives Noche Flamenca heat up Kola Note for a four-night engagement. As for African music, Malian feminist figure Oumou Sangare returns to join Habib Koite, also at Kola Note, in early December. Zaire's Sam Mangwana is tentatively set for Balattou for Nov. 14.

 On the Euro end of things, the Bulgarian Women's Choir, regarded as about the best in the world, will be at l'Eglise St-Jean-Baptiste on Saturday, Sept. 30. That's all very nice, but the important thing is Old Montreal's third annual Oktoberfest, Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. Not only will the Bavarian Orchestra of Old Montreal be bustin' the oompah styles from 3-9 p.m. at Place Jacques-Cartier, but various bars and restos in the area will be trotting out the wurst, sauerkraut and high-end German beer. Lederhosen, ho!

 If a little testifyin' is in the cards for you, then get on down to the Oscar Peterson Concert Hall in Montreal West on Oct. 7 for Glory 2000, a gospel blowout featuring Toronto's Sharon Riley & Faith Chorale, Jennifer Meade & Voices of Praise Community Choir and soloists Maggie Blanchard and George Forbes.

 For another spin on religious fervour, catch "pulpit punks" the Causey Way at Jailhouse on Oct. 18. Think Devo meets Man or Astroman? meets scary, snake-handlin' southern Baptist types. A perfect warm-up for the evening's headliner Wesley Willis, possibly the best-known and most-loved homeless mentally-ill street musician in the world. Obviously, one special evening, not to be missed. :