Quite a few things of interest in Montreal this week, not many Canadian, but that’s ok, we love them anyway.
On Monday April 16th, hailing from Northern Ireland but residing in Glasgow, Scotland is Snow Patrol at Metropolis. Probably best known for their song “Chasing Cars”, they are touring to support their new album “Fallen Empires:. Tickets can be found here.
On Tuesday April 17th is Sydney, Australia’s The Jezabels at the Divan Orange. I hear tell the show is sold out, but if you’re inventive you can find yourself something I’m sure.
Wednesday night, April 18th, as I mentioned in an earlier post is my favorite show from 2011, the Avett Brothers. They hail from North Carolina and they are at Corona Theatre. Don’t miss it, they’re fun, energetic, and most of all, good music. Tickets can be found here.
Finally a Canuck. Former Montrealer Peter Katz is performing at Petit Campus on Thursday April 19th. A wonderful singer-songwriter, Katz does the folk “genre” proud. You can get tickets here.
On Friday April 20th, Death Cab for Cutie from Washington State will be at Eglise St Jean Baptiste. They are touring with the Magik Magik Orchestra and this should be acoustically very interesting. Tickets can be found here.
On Saturday April 21st, Oklahoma-native JD McPherson brings his distinctive, old-time American rock n’ roll/ r & b stylings to the Corona Theatre. Very retro, and ever so good, a great way to spend a Saturday night in Montreal. Tickets can be found here.
Whatever you see, have a great week all, and get off your butts and go see some live music!
Last May my sister was griping about how her favorite band was down in Vermont, playing at the fairgrounds in Essex Junction and how her friends were all either unable to unwilling to go with her.
Me being me, and open to just about anything musically, I asked who. Stupid on my part, because her all time favorite band is the Avett Brothers.
She’d exposed me to the album “I and Love and You” already, I had downloaded it and it came up here and there on my iPod playlist, very enjoyable, musically my type, bluegrassy/folky/countryish/popish…..
So I agreed to go down with her to Vermont on a Friday night after work. Took us about 2 1/2 hours, and she was absolutely vibrating the whole way, driving me insane about the group she affectionately calls the Beard Brothers.
What I saw made me a fan forever. Seth and Scott Avett are pure musicians, obvious enjoyment in every move they make on stage. I’m positive that by age 40 both will need double hip replacements with the jumping around, but honestly how could someone watch this show and not love every pure joy moment of it?
Obviously more versed in the back catalogue of the Avett Brothers than I, my sister and the entire outdoor crowd sang along with all their favorites, most notably “Kickdrum Heart”, “I and Love and You”, “Paranoia in B-flat Major” and “Heart Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise”.
Bassist Bob Crawford was missing, as he and his wife had just had a baby they told us, but cellist Joe Kwon, playing while standing and moving around the stage had me completely mesmerized.
On our way back to Montreal, the first thing out of my mouth was “WHY have they not come up to Montreal?”, in fact my sister believed that they hadn’t ever been to Canada at all. They have apparently, Toronto, possibly out west, but certainly not Montreal.
Fast forward to January/February of this year, an excited phone call from my sister (I swear she sits and stares at the Avett website hoping for tour dates), “The Avetts are coming, the Avetts are coming, oh my god, can you stand it?”
Finally, Greenland Productions, one of my favorite music promoters in Montreal, had done what my sister had been asking for.
Next week, on April 18th, the Avett Brothers will be in Montreal at the Corona Theatre. If you don’t know of them, look up their many trips to the late night US television, as well as their lovely videos on YouTube, check out some live footage. You will not be disappointed in the slightest, they were the highlight of my concert going year by far in 2011.
My sister bought us presale tickets. The moment they went on sale. My day job takes me to Toronto that day and I’ve been threatened with death if I don’t make it back on time. Watch for the 2 redheads at the front of the stage (one much more excited than the other, I just smile my appreciation at good music).
If you check out nothing else I have suggested this month, this is the show to see. I know they’re not Canadian, but I’m making this Concord, North Carolina duo official Canadians, the music is intricate and yet pure and simple, lyrical, punky, and they have a stage show to die for.
Tickets can be purchased here. Go on. You know you want to.
So I have a few suggestions for this week. First off is tomorrow night, Monday April 9, 2012, at the Corona Theatre, the bespectacled American songstress Ingrid Michaelson. Quirky folky pop at it’s greatest. Tickets can be found here.
On Tuesday April 10, 2012, Vancouver based indie band Said the Whale is at the Divan Orange in support of their new album “Little Mountain”. Personally I cannot wait, missed them last time they were in town. Tickets can be found here.
On Wednesday April 11, 2012, a treat will be Reykjavik, Iceland-based Of Monsters and Men. The show is at Sala Rossa. Tickets are sold out, but where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Well it’s been over a week since I’ve posted anything. I came down with the illness from hell, which unfortunately, I’m still not over and had absolutely no energy to remove myself from bed let alone write something coherent.
I seem to be on the mend so this should improve shortly.
A couple interesting acts this week in Montreal, apart from Our Lady Peace, which I really don’t need to recommend to anyone unless you’ve all been living under a rock for the last 20 years!
On Thursday APril 5, 2011 at L’Astral is Toronto based Great Lake Swimmers, a wonderfully melodic folk-rock band that I particularly adore and recommend if you like the “genre”. It should be a nice, intimate show, L’Astral is easily one of my favorite venues in Montreal, the acoustics are lovely and there really isn’t a bad place to sit, either on the balcony or on the floor. Tickets can be found here.
On Friday April 6, 2012 at Petit Campus is London UK singer-songwriter Ben Howard, with his lyrical folksy music. Though young, Howard is soulful, his lyrics sometimes dark. Very enjoyable, an artist I definitely recommend. Tickets can be found here.
Have a fantastic week, whatever you choose to view and an enjoyable long weekend!
A few months ago I donated some cold hard cash to Rose Cousins’ for the production of her new album “We Have Made a Spark”. I know her previous work, trust me, it’s a good investment.
Today it arrived in the mail!
Although I received a digital copy on Valentine’s Day, I can’t wait to slip this bad boy into the player and do some hard core listening.
Not to mention it’s a personalized CD. A note from Rose.
Tuesday March 20, 2012, Quebec native Caracol is playing at L’Astral. She just won a Genie award for best original song for Quelque Part from Ken Scott’s “Starbuck”. Opening for Caracol is fantastic Newfoundland singer-songwriter Amelia Curran. If I didn’t already have a business meeting, I would be at this show, it will be amazing. Tickets can be found here.
A few interesting acts in Montreal this week. Wednesday night seems to be the night!
On Wednesday March 14, 2012, Calgary native Jann Arden brings her show to the Olympia Theatre. The “adult-contemporary” genre may not be for everyone, but her music is pleasing and the sense of humor is wicked sharp. Fan or not, her shows are fantastically enjoyable, and your stomach will hurt from laughing. Tickets can be found here.
Also on March 14 is American folk-pop band The Head and the Heart at La Tulipe. Their melodies and beautiful instrumentation makes this a must see (tough night for choices in Montreal!). Tickets can be found here.
On Monday February 27, 2012, you can see the Punch Brothers at Petit Campus. They’re sort of bluegrass meets, rock, meets celtic, in the end it equals all good. I’ve seen them compared to Mumford and Sons, personally they remind me more of the Avett Brothers. Definitely worth checking out. Ticket info can be found here.
Thursday March 1, 2012, American singer-songwriter Matt Pryor is at Club Lambi. Formerly of the Get Up Kids and New Amsterdams, Pryor is very enjoyable and it should be a good show. Tickets can be found here.
The other 2 shows this weekend coming that I would suggest are Bombay Bicycle Club on Friday March 2, 2012 at Cabaret Mile End and Young the Giant on Saturday March 3, 2012 at Corona Theatre, however, both are already sold out, so unless you run down there for scalper tickets, you’re probably pretty much SOL (which I just might do as I tend to decide on these things pretty last minute).
There are a couple interesting acts in Montreal this week.
On Tuesday, February 21, 2012, Toronto singer-songwriter and talented photographer Emma-Lee is performing at the Divan Orange, promoting her very recently released album “Backseat Heroine”. From what I’ve heard, it’s a bit of a departure from her last cd, and definitely worth checking out. Ticket information can be found here.
On Friday, February 24, 2012, Montreal-born Coeur de Pirate brings her French Indie-pop to Metropolis for what will prove to be a wonderful evening. Ticket info can be found here.
