Lakes of Canada

ArtsMusic

This week we’ve got an assortment of great local shows with very affordable ticket prices covering a wide variety of music genres, so whoever you are we’ve got a little something for you. Let’s not waste any time, here are some show ideas for your to think about when planning your weekend.

Static Gold + Kayko

On Thursday night Quai des Brumes will be fired up as two great electro funk bands, Montreal’s own Static Gold and Toronto’s Kayko will be hitting the stage ready to blow the roof off. Seriously kids, this is the show where you need to make sure to bring your dancing shoes because there will be no wallflowers and no exceptions made for those who want to sit down.

Both these acts have recently released singles that drip with 70’s nostalgia while still feeling fresh and making you want to hear more tracks, something they’ll most certainly give you on Thursday. We couldn’t decide which one you should listen to, so here’s both!

 Static Gold and Kayko play Quai des Brumes, 4481 rue St-Denis, Thursday, November 17th, 8:00pm.

Lakes of Canada + Motel Raphaël + Krief 

On Saturday night, Indie Montreal will be hosting an evening featuring three great local acts headlined by Lakes of Canada, a band that seems to grow their sound with every successive step they take. Recently they released a live acoustic album (always a gutsy move) Transgressions Acoustic which has given their sound a whole new texture and feel.

Joining them will be indie folk pop trio (and unofficial winners of the award for best local band name ever) Motel Raphaël as well as singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Patrick Krief. I know it’s hard for some of you plat-rats to be on time but do try for this one, the lineup is not to be missed from top to bottom.

Lakes of Canada, Motel Raphaël and Krief play La Sala Rossa 4848 Boulevard St-Laurent, Saturday, November 19th, 8:30pm (Doors at 8), $10 in advance through indiemontreal, $12 at the door.

Sunrise & Good People + Paint + Arms of the Girl + Citylake

Another great show taking place on Saturday night is at Piranha Bar where an evening of indie music, headlined by local act Sunrise & Good People, is taking place. Known for creating fun catchy songs that also speak to the bigger picture issues around the world these guys capture the deeper and more spiritual meaning behind their art.

Joining them is an all Canadian lineup of equally as accomplished performers including Paint, Arms of the Girl and Citylake. This show is probably the most diverse concert of the week, perfect for groups where not everyone has the same tastes. There’s even a discount if you buy two tickets at the same time!

Sunrise & Good People, Paint, Arms of the Girl and Citylake play Piranha Bar 680 Ste-Catherine Ouest, Saturday, November 19th, 8:30pm, $7 (or 2 for $10).

 

Riot Porn + Full MT + The Shakewell Brothers + Blame Mary

This show is a combination of some of the best things in the world: punk rock, Barfly and free concerts. It’s amazing how well those words just go together. This event, featuring the local punk bands Riot Porn, Full MT, The Shakewell Brothers and Blame Mary is being labelled as Radical Live and is a great way to blow off steam for those who are feeling a little disenchanted by recent events.

Considering the non-existent cover charge and Barfly’s better-than-anywhere-else-on-the-Main’s drink prices this has to be the hands down best show of the week for those who are brok… urrrrr financially savvy.

Riot Porn, Full MT, The Shakewell Brothers and Blame Mary play Barfly, 4062A Boulevard St. Laurent, Friday, November 18th, 9:00pm, free.

* 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!

* Featured image of Lakes of Canada via Indie Montreal

ArtsFestivalsMusic

I hope everyone’s saved up a little money and a lot of energy because tonight marks the beginning of the most frantic week of concerts this year, a.k.a. Hipster Christmas, a.k.a Indie Music Mayhem, a.k.a. the 2016 installment of Pop Montreal. From September 21st to the 25th most (if not every) small and medium sized music venue in and around the Plateau/Mile End will be hosting an unbelievably large and varied collection of artists.

To preview this fest in all its diversity is altogether impossible so we haven’t tried to. These are simply a few options that stick out as highlight to us at FTB. You might want to go check out the full schedule and reach your own conclusions but be warned, if you have option paralysis this might be your worst nightmare.

There’s just so much to do and so little time to do it in. My advice to newer fest goers is to pick something and stick to it, you could spend half the night walking back and forth trying to find the right show.

I know you want to find the “it” show but at Pop there’s actually several “its” going on simultaneously, so just get out there and pick one. To not overwhelm you, here’s three to get you started on your search.

IMTL Day Party and Brunch with Lakes Of Canada + Fleece + Nova + KyAzma

One of the more unique shows that happens at Pop takes two things that aren’t normally known to work in tandem, Sunday brunch and rock concerts, and for the fifth year in a row ignores convention and puts them together. An all-you-can-eat buffet for $7 is a steal in its own right but then you add performances by Lakes Of Canada, Fleece, Nova and KyAzma, who will be debuting their latest music video for  The Circle, and this becomes a highlight show in this year’s fest.

Indie Montreal allows you to buy tickets in advance through their website and I strongly suggest that if you plan on attending you do that. It’s not hard to foresee this show selling out, the lineup alone should bring a lot of interest and when you combine that with the best brunch deal on The Main you’ve got packed venue written all over this.

Lakes Of Canada, Fleece, Nova and KyAzma play Divan Orange, 4234 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Sunday, September 25th, 12:00pm (Doors at 11:30am), $7 in advance and at the door, ticket through indiemontreal.

 

Nanimal + Girl Arm + Pins & Needles + Laureate

If you’re looking for a great rock show at the best dive rock bar in town then head down to Barfly on Thursday night and check out Nanimal, Girl Arm, Pins & Needles and Laureate. This concert should be a hot sweaty mess of tightly packed individuals, like most Barfly events are, so save the fancy outfit for another night and wear the jeans, t-shirt and dancing shoes to this one.

This show is on our highlighted list for a second reason, my “sources” inform me there might be a special guest appearance during Nanimal’s set. Someone who can certainly be considered part of Montreal’s indie rock royalty might be hitting the stage right before your eyes.

Nanimal, Girl Arm, Pins & Needles and Laureate play Barfly, 4062 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Thursday, September 22nd, 9:30pm (Doors at 9), $10.

CJLO BBQ with Wiklow + No Aloha + Joyce N’sana + Guy Madonna

If you liked the idea of combining food and music but think Sunday morning’s a bit too groggy a time for that then perhaps you’d prefer Thursday afternoon’s free BBQ over at Quartiers Pop. This event is being put on by the good people over at CJLO, begins at 2pm and features Wiklow, No Aloha, Joyce N’sana and Guy Madonna.

Before people start going crazy over the “free BBQ” aspect it’s important to point out that the entrance and music is free, I’m pretty sure you’ll have to pay for your own beer and hot dogs. There’s no such thing as free beer, you know this, accept it, move on, you still get to see four great acts for free.

 Wiklow, No Aloha, Joyce N’sana and Guy Madonna play Quartiers Pop, 3450 Rue Saint-Urbain, Thursday, September 22nd, 2:00pm, free.

 

AudioPodcast

Panelists Léo K. McKenna, Josh Davidson and Jerry Gabriel discuss upcoming Canadian Federal Election and dumpster food served as gourmet meals at the UN and what that means for food waste in Canada. Plus an interview with Jake Smith from Montreal band Lakes of Canada, the Community Calendar and Predictions.

Host: Jason C. McLean
Producer: Hannah Besseau

Panelists

Léo K. McKenna: Political pundit, music student, former political operative

Josh Davidson: FTB food columnist

Jerry Gabriel: FTB contributor

Interview segment by Hannah Besseau. Listen to Hannah’s full interview with Lakes of Canada on FTB.

Win tickets to the album launch and the album Transgressions with FTB and IndieMontreal!

FTB PODCAST #12: Lakes of Canada, Canadian Election and Dumpster Food at the UN by Forget The Box on Mixcloud

FTB Podcast also available on iTunes

Microphone image: Ernest Duffoo / Flickr Creative Commons

ArtsAudioMusic

Montreal’s own gospel-infused prog rock band Lakes of Canada are currently on tour and will be back in town October 16th to launch their new album Transgressions. It’s a concept album inspired by Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale.

FTB’s Hannah Besseau had a chance to speak with Jake Smith, the band’s lead singer, rhythm guitarist and percussionist about the decision to do a concept album, recording it as well as their current tour and the upcoming Canadian elections:

Find out how you can win tickets to the album launch and the album itself!

AnnouncementsArtsContestsMusic

Montreal’s own orchestral gospel-inspired folk-rock band Lakes of Canada are releasing a new album. It’s called Transgressions and according to the band’s website, it’s inspired by Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. If that doesn’t already grab your attention and make you want to grab a copy, give a listen to the single Eden:

They’re launching the album on October 16th. Forget the Box in partnership with Indie Montreal are giving you a chance to win tickets to the launch and grab yourself a free copy of the album, too. It’s quite simple, really. All you have to do is share this post on Facebook or Tweet it along with your favourite Lakes of Canada song. Make sure to tag @forgetthebox and @indiemontreal so we actually see your entry.

We’ll put all the entries (one per person) into a hat, or a cup, or whatever’s around, and draw a winner, who will be announced on Tuesday, October 13th. The contest is not open to FTB contributors, editors and promo people as well as those who work for Indie Montreal, but if you are part of one of those groups, please don’t hesitate to share anyways!

Also, we’ll be posting a review of the album and an audio interview with the band in the next little while, so be on the lookout for that, too!

Best of luck!