How Sad

ArtsMusic

This week we’re focusing on the local scene by highlighting the best shows of the week that have at least one Montreal based band in the performance. This was incredibly easy to do, if you take the time to look you can always find some great musicians just around the corner from you.

So take the time, and give these shows a look.

Paper Lions + How Sad

Thursday night you can head over to Théâtre Fairmount and check out and all-Canadian lineup of indie rock inspired dance music. Headlining the event will be East Coast indie electro pop rockers Paper Lions who recently released Full Colour, an album you should consider putting on your radar.

Joining them will be local electro artists How Sad who will make you clearly happy to have gotten off your butt to get out of the house for an up tempo evening of music. I suspect that no one will be sitting during this one as both bands are the type that make you want to get up and dance.

Paper Lions and How Sad play Théâtre Fairmount, 5240, Avenue du Parc, Thursday, October 13th, 8:00pm (Doors at 7:00pm), $12 available through the box office.

Future States + Run Coyote + Pallice 

On Sunday Casa del Popolo will be hosting the album launch and concert for local indie rockers Future States who will be releasing Casual Listener later this month. I suspect if you ask them really nicely they’ll play a few tunes from the upcoming release.

Joining them will be another local act Pallice and Run Coyote, whose 2014 release Youth Haunts was met with a great response from music critics across the country and who are about to get back in the studio to finish up a new album. We have it on good authority that they’ll be trying some of the new tracks on unsuspecting audiences during this current tour so if you want fresh music then this is the show to check out.

Future States, Run Coyote and Pallice play Casa del Popolo, 4873 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Sunday, October 16th, 9:00pm (Doors at 8:30pm), $1o available through lfttckt.

Plants & Animals + The Weather Station

On Saturday Montreal based indie rock trio  Plants & Animals will be joined by The Weather Station at Théâtre Corona. Another of the hidden gems in the Montreal music scene, these guys have been at it since 2008, releasing four full length albums in that time.

Their latest release Waltzed in from the Rumbling came out earlier this year and has done nothing but impress music critics and fans alike. They’ll be travelling through Canada for the next two months with this being the only Montreal date, so don’t miss out on the opportunity!

Plants & Animals and The Weather Station play Théâtre Corona, 2490 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest, Saturday, October 15th, 8:00pm (Doors at 7:30pm), $24.50 ($27 at the door) available through box office.

Nots + The World + Cheap Wig

The coolest rock show of the week will be on Friday night when Nots, The World and Cheap Wig play as part of a Blue Skies Turn Black showcase. This will be a mix of punk and garage rock from some bands who are known for killer live shows.

 Nots, The World and Cheap Wig play Casa del Popolo, 4873 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Friday, October 14th, 9:00pm (Doors at 8:00pm), $1o ($13 at the door) available through box office.

* Featured Image: paperlions.com

Know a band or an artist that should be featured in Shows This Week? Maybe a show FTB should cover, too? Let us know at music@forgetthebox.net. We can’t be everywhere and can’t write about everything, but we do our best!

ArtsMusic

As always, tons of shows this week. Don’t fuck around.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20

S.M.O.S.A.N. #9: Atsuko Chiba + Small Teeth + Big Mamma Tough Love @ Le Cagibi

The Secret Museum of Sound and Nature is a monthly concert series dedicated to bringing together artists and audiences who are interested in the stuff that tends to fall outside of conventional music genres–experimental, stoner, shoegaze, and more.

Show starts at 9 p.m., $5.

COUSINS + Princess Nokia + BootyBakery @ La Sala Rossa

Show starts at 10 p.m., $10.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21

Vulgar, You + El Napoleon + The Rejecters @ Quai des Brumes

Doors open at 9 p.m., $8.

Rock Against Racism: Asile + Malokio + Les temps liquides + Bearmace @ Katacombes

The 6th edition of Rock Against Racism will benefit Montreal’s Immigrant Workers Centre. Part of the IWC’s mandate is to provide education about workers’ rights in a safe environment, to improve living and working conditions for immigrant workers, and to help defend the rights of immigrants in their places of work.

Show starts at 9 p.m., $6 to $10.

Muted Screams + Mad June + The Falling + Elyse and the Affair @ Pub St-Paul

Show starts at 8 p.m., $10.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22

VCR + Thee  Nodes + Dead Future + Pretty Boys @ Turbo Haus

Show starts at 9 p.m., $6.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23

How Sad + Seoul @ Divan Orange

Doors open at 8 p.m., tickets cost $10 and can be purchased at Atom Heart, Cheap Thrills, Off The Hook, Moog Audio, Phonopolis or online here.

ArtsFestivalsMusic

POP Montreal is back in full force for its twelfth edition. On my end, I’ve not recovered from the summer of festivals yet – and neither has my wallet. This year, I’m going to shows that I know for sure I’ll love, as well as those few artists that have managed to get my adventurous nature to rise up from its lingering hangover. Hair of the dog it is and off to what will surely be another magnetic auditory POP Montreal experience.

A K U A – Michael Rault + A K U A + Milk Lines + Pierre Kwenders + Nom de Plume (DJ Set)
Sep. 28, 9:30 p.m. @ Divan Orange :: Salle CISM 

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Mining the artists section of the POP website, I came upon A K U A’s tunes and was intrigued. Although the music video doesn’t do it for me, the tracks found on A K U A’s site promise something decidedly rich and textural. A K U A is a newcomer to the music scene in some respects but she’s already opened for names like Solange and Katy B and performed at an impressive number of music festivals already. A K U A’s tunes are compelling soundscapes that come to life with her raw, soulful vocals. She is my pick for new artist to explore (for those on a tight budget) for this POP edition.

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Les Soeurs Boulay – Les Soeurs Boulay + Michael Feuerstack + Safia Nolin
Sep. 29, 7:00 p.m. @ Studio Breakglass présenté par SiriusXM

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Folk music plucks my heart strings – that’s the kind of music that plays the most often in my nest. I’m glad to see Les Soeurs Boulay as part of the POP Montreal line up. Their soft-spoken poetic story songs fill hearts with wonder, nostalgia, and musical hugs. These two sisters from Gaspésie recorded their first EP in 2012 and have already captured the attention of the province and beyond receiving the prize for New Artist with the Most Potential at the GAMIQ (Gala alternatif de la musique indépendante du Québec). Full disclosure: writing this blurb, I couldn’t help myself and bought their first album, Le poids des confettis, and am now happily eating my chicken soup wrapped in a blanket listening to lovely harmonies renewing my love of the French language. Favourite tracks: ‘Ôte-moi mon linge’, ‘Cul de sac’, and ‘Par le chignon du cou.’


The This Many Boyfriends Club – Dent May + Dead Gaze + She Divides + The This Many Boyfriends Club
Sep. 28, 8:00 p.m. @ Cagibi

Speaking of warming one’s heart, The This Many Boyfriends Club is a local band which I had the pleasure of interviewing about a year ago. They describe their music as “torture-pop, dandy-punk, frock ‘n’ roll, and heavy petal”. There’s also some twee in the mix. These pals have been working hard on a new album, Die or Get Rich Trying, recorded through CJLO’s artist in residency program and to be released this month. The This Many Boyfriends Club is the kind of band that I find myself the most interested in in terms of music journalism. There is a raw love of music, a DIY spirit, and a community-building ethos to what they do. I totally dig that. Plus, their rhythm section fucking rocks.

How Sad – Portugal. The Man + How Sad :: SOLD OUT
Sep. 26, 9:00 p.m. @ Théâtre Corona Virgin Mobile

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I recently interviewed How Sad for their EP Launch show, which was a total blast. Indian Summer is a five song EP that weaves together sadness and happiness using synth pop melodies, bummed out lyrics, and catchy hooks skillfully. Having soaked up sunlight listening to previously released tracks, new anthem ‘Hot Blur’ took me by surprise and had me spontaneously breaking into my best awkward dance moves. There’s something undeniably tongue-in-cheek about Indian Summer. Put on your dancing shoes, grab some friends, and get ready for a memorable night indeed.

 

Moonface – Moonface + Caroline Keating
Sep. 29, 8:30 p.m. @ Ukrainian Federation :: Salle St. Ambroise

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I just recently heard about Moonface from Josh Séguin of Two-Year Carnival. Yeah, I know, I’m behind the times (I got lost in my old Keaton Henson albums for a while there). Now that I’ve been initiated to Spencer Krug’s solo piano project, I’m beyond stoked to see that Moonface is playing this year’s POP Montreal. Even more so now that I know that Caroline Keating is opening. I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Keaton a couple times over the last few years. Over the years, her songs have become a fixture of the soundtrack to Montreal’s passing seasons. This line up is this piano-driven song lover’s dream come true. Most likely it will be yours too.

Honorable Mentions: Cinéma L’Amour, Braids, DJ Noah Bick, Emma Frank Quartet, Corinna Rose, Sarah Jane Scouten and SUUNS