POP MONTREAL 2K7
The SIS Preview by Dany Sloan
Stranded In Stereo is ready to make its first trip north of the border to the beautiful city of Montreal. We're not going there for poutine and their fabled strip clubs (maybe next time), but for this year's installment of Pop Montreal. Read on and join us for this music-filled weekend. Maybe we'll even get to go to the biodome!
So Pop Montreal is turning six this year. So what?
When I was six it was 1985. I loved the Transformers and Star Wars. I thought baseball was cool and I had a budding desire to be a movie director. No joke. While by this point I had become an expert at not pissing my pants and embracing a baseball team that 22 years later breaks my heart every year, I still had a long way to go.
I'd venture to guess that Pop Montreal is the more exciting six year old.
And this year's festival has some pretty exciting shit lined up. The big guns include Ted Leo/Rx, Patti Smith, Cody ChesnuTT, Earlimart, The National, Hot Hot Heat and Eric's Trip. It's ok, I get it -- you're going to see the guys with the following, the comfortable old shoe, and I can totally support that.
If you're like me though, you want to check out the prospects -- those bands that are making some exciting music, but the Pitchfork hype machine hasn't quite caught up with them yet. Below I am going to talk about a few groups that fit into this category. They could be Montreal locals or just groups that haven't been enveloped in a tidal wave of hype yet. These are the guys that will own your fucking iPod in 2008.
We're Marching On: I was tipped off to these Toronto locals a couple years ago, but in classic Dany-fashion, some other band distracted me and I moved on. I'm glad they're on the schedule because I am still dying to see them. By taking the theory that more is always better and applying it to indie rock, they make a sound that fits like a glove and then immediately tears off your hand. In the best way possible.
[Thursday 10/04 1 am @ Coda // 4119 Saint-Laurent]
Thundrah: When you ask someone "Hey man, I need good bands to check out when I am at Pop Montreal, who should I check out?" and this is the first band they suggest, it's obvious that you're on the same wavelength. These Montreal locals play like Thurston Moore would if he only listened to bands on Dischord. If there were more bands like this, life would be a few steps closer to perfect.
[Wednesday 10/03 11 pm @ Theatre National // 1220 Sainte-Catherine E.]
Diamond Sea: A band named after a Sonic Youth song will always get a listen from me, but these guys could be named "Bucket of Shit" and I'd still be all over them. If Stuart Murdoch somehow pulled the strings in My Bloody Valentine, this is what you'd get. It's fuzzy feedback reminiscent of '91, but tunes that are timeless.
[Thursday 10/04 10 pm @ Katacombes // 1224 Saint-Laurent]
Syme: Do you ever wonder why so many awesome bands come from Norway & Sweden? Syme hails from the former and makes an excellent approximation of what I am going to dub "Norsecore." Their tunes bring to mind Sigur Ros and Mew in that cinematic, almost futuristic way by adroitly balancing melody and noise.
[Friday 10/05 10 pm @ Academy Club // 4445 Saint-Laurent]
Yelle: She's from France, and while some people might say that's no different than Montreal, that's something that should never be uttered out loud. Fights will ensue. But anyway, back to Yelle. It's a sound built for the dancefloor, perfect for your Justice fans that are craving a bit more of that classic song structure. Her tunes have been blowing up the blogosphere for a minute now, but I have high hopes for her as part of the new French Revolution.
[Saturday 10/06 1 am @ Les Saints // 30 Sainte-Catherine O.]
This is a good start for those of you too lazy to look through your Bloglines links or those that really want to know what I have to say.
See you in Montreal! The festival goes down from October 3rd - 7th.
You can find more info here http://www.popmontreal.com/
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