techno

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Another week, more great shows to see! Scroll down to see what’s on the menu for music in Montreal this week.

Thursday, October 10th: MEUTE

Does the phrase “techno marching band” intrigue you at all? I can’t really imagine how the answer could be no, but if your answer was yes go see MEUTE at the SAT this Thursday!

The band consists of eleven drummers and horn players from Hamburg, Germany who perform the role of a DJ but with their instruments. The result? A seamless blend of electronic music with live acoustic instruments.

Don’t miss this truly unique performance! 

MEUTE will perform at the Société des Arts Technologiques, 1201 blvd Saint-Laurent, on October 10th, 2019 at 8PM. Tickets available through Electrostub.

Saturday, October 12th: Kero Kero Bonito

London indie pop band Kero Kero Bonito (KKB) will be performing this Saturday in Montreal. While there are a lot of indie pop bands out there, KKB is truly one that operates to the beat of their own drum, if the drum was accompanied by something along the lines of quirky British bubblegum pop.

For me, their music always seems to stir up something of a childlike wonder through its various layers of game-like sound effects and practically ‘lullaby-pop’ sound. Catch their show at the Fairmount this weekend. 

Kero Kero Bonito play Fairmount Theatre, 5240 Avenue du Parc, this Saturday, October 12th, 2019 at 9PM. Get your tickets through evenko.

Sunday, October 13th: Kompromat

Vitalic and Rebeka Warrior (of Sexy Sushi, and Mansfield.TYA) have come together to form Kompromat and will be performing their first show in North America in Montreal on Sunday, October 12th as part of the 48th edition of the Festival du Nouveau Cinéma.

Their music is reminiscent of old-school Berlin techno but with a distinctive punk tone, with Warrior commanding the role of the voice, and Vitalic the machine. The product of their unique dynamic is a riveting electronic experience  you won’t want to miss.

To top it all off there will also be a free screening of Blood Machines following the performance as part of the FNC experience. 

Kompromat will perform at Agora du Coeur des Sciences, 3805 blvd Saint-Laurent, for the Festival du Nouveau Cinéma on October 13th, 2019 at 8:30PM. Tickets available through ticketpro.

Tuesday, October 15th: Charli XCX

If you’ve managed to get this far in your life without ever encountering 27 year old Myspace pop sensation Charli XCX, then I think it’s safe to say you probably just haven’t been paying enough attention, because her influence is everywhere.

Charli’s music confidently straddles the line of mainstream and experimental pop, drawing us in with her happy futuristic club-kid exterior and keeping us there with her refreshingly perceptive navigation of both the genre of pop and her role as an artist within it.

Catch her performance this Tuesday, October 15th at the Corona Theatre. 

Charli XCX plays Corona Theatre, 2490 Notre Dame St. W, Tuesday, October 15 at 8pm. Tickets available through evenko.

Are you or your band playing a show in Montreal? Let us know at music@forgetthebox.net. We’ll do our best to include you in an upcoming Shows This Week, but, of course, no promises.

ArtsMusic

The king of Syrian techno music is returning to Montreal. Omar Souleyman is making a stop at La Sala Rossa on June 18 to share his electronic blend of traditional dabke dance music and synth-driven trance music with Montrealers once again, this time as part of the Suoni Per Il Popolo Festival.

Souleyman began his career as a wedding musician in Syria, which allowed him to explore and update traditional dabke music. Weddings in Syria are said to be important for both the preservation of Syrian musical heritage as well as the experimentation with new sounds and innovations. After building a reputation as an invigorating performer in Syria and throughout the Middle East, Souleyman’s presence grew through bootleg recordings and Youtube videos. He has since developed a large following in the West and has been a frequent performer at festivals and various venues across the U.S. and Canada.

Although his career has spanned 20 years and his catalogue of recordings is in the mid-triple-digits, Souleyman only recently recorded his first studio album, 2013’s Wenu Wenu on Ribbon Music. The record was produced by Kieran Hebden (Four Tet) and encapsulates Souleyman’s musical DNA. It is a fiery, visceral blend of traditional Syrian musical elements and propulsive, four-on-the-floor dance beats. The album also captures the irresistible energy of Souleyman’s live performances.

Souleyman performs with his longtime musical partner, keyboardist and composer Rizan Sa’id, and together with just voice, drumbeats, and keyboards, they create full-bodied songs that would surely catch the attention of most bystanders. Souleyman performs in Arabic and Kurdish and the lyrics focus on themes of love, though certainly not in the Western traditional sense. His songs range in focus from a groom asking God to be with his bride instead of being accepted to heaven to a woman telling her mother she would rather marry her lover than her cousin, a frequent occurrence in Northeast Syria.

All of these elements help explain why Omar Souleyman has been captivating audiences around the globe for over 20 years. His presence on stage is stoic and almost imposing with his signature body-length jelllabiya, keffiyeh, and dark sunglasses, but he is always inviting. His music gives the listener an insatiable urge to move. This show is not to be missed.

Omar Souleyman performs Wednesday, June 18 at 8:30 p.m. at La Sala Rossa. Tickets cost $25 and can be purchased in advance via Suoni per il Popolo. 

ArtsMusic

Hey you! Yes you! Go see these shows this week!

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15

UNER + Mayssam @ Habitat

This one’s for all you club kids out there. Winner of best newcomer of the 2013 DJ Awards, Lleida, Spain’s UNER specializes in minimal house and techno with a definitively smooth European flavour. The club scene is really not my thing, and usually when I see the words “minimal house” my mind draws a total blank. That being said, there’s definitely something refreshing about UNER that sets him apart from many of his contemporaries.

When: 10 p.m.
Where: 1248 rue de la Montagne
How much: $25 ($20 pre-sale at Kafein and Atom Heart)

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16

MUTANK + Squalor + CroMagnum @ Barfly

Montreal band MUTANK strip away all the superfluous nonsense to give you pure thrash metal at its simplest and punchiest. There could be no better venue to see them in. Ah, the smell of dingy bar sweat and cheap beer. Good times.

When: 9 p.m.
Where: 4062 St-Laurent
How much: $5

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17

Scale the Summit + The Reign of Kindo + JOLLY @ Il Motore

Scale the Summit are touring in support of their fourth album, The Migration, released earlier this year. Their music, as does their name, evokes that tingly feeling you get when you’re about to embark on an adventure. Get there early and catch NYC’s JOLLY.

When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: 179 Jean-Talon o.
How much: $15