The Damn Truth

ArtsFestivalsMusic

It may be fall, but this weekend is Osheaga Weekend in Montreal! More specifically, it’s the Osheaga Get Together this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Parc Jean-Drapeau.

Sure, the three days in early August chock full of both international, Canadian and local musical talent and tons of audience members (aka Osheaga Proper) skipped this year and will return in 2022, but this weekend’s event promises the same level of excitement with some key differences.

Osheaga Get Together will exclusively feature Canadian talent. We’re talking some of the biggest Canadian music stars as well as up-and-coming acts to look out for. Plus many of the performers are also local.

While it will be the usual three days, there will only be two stages, which, of course, gives you a chance to catch more of the acts. The event is limited capacity (so get those tickets while you still can) and will be implementing all current Public Health protocols.

Normally when we cover Osheaga, we focus on the local and Canadian acts instead of the headliners. This year, though, the Canadian and local acts ARE the headliners, so I’ll just talk about some of them.

Here is some of what you can look forward to:

Friday

Montrealer and pop-electro-jazz singer songwriter Charlotte Cardin is the big name capping off Friday night. She is currently on tour supporting her Canadian chart-topping studio album Phoenix.

Friday will also feature Toronto-based R&B duo DVSN (signed to Drake’s label), Montreal band The Franklin Electric’s first show at home in a few years and much more.

Saturday

Saturday boasts a hip hop and RnB-heavy lineup. Toronto-born and Juno Award-winning singer/songwriter Jessie Reyez makes her Osheaga debut in the headlining spot.

Majid Jordan, the Toronto-based RnB duo also signed to Drake’s OVO Sound label will perform as will rapper Roy Wood$ and many more.

Sunday

On Sunday, it’s largely an all-out rockfest, featuring Montreal-based headliners Half Moon Run, Montreal-based festival favourites The Damn Truth, and Montreal punk rockers Les Shirley all play. Come to think of it, Sunday is largely an all-out Montreal rockfest (well, there is some Toronto, Quebec City and New Brunswick thrown into the mix, but I did say “largely”).

Osheaga Get Together is October 1, 2 and 3 at Parc Jean-Drapeau. For the complete lineup and tickets, please visit Osheaga.com

Featured Image from Osheaga 2018 by Joe McLean

ArtsMusic

On tap this time around: I completely ignore the last few days of the Jazzfest and give you some great date ideas for a rainy Saturday night, tell you the best places to rock out for the next week and feebly attempt deep musical analysis.

Also keep an eye out for FTB’s preview/review of KickDrum Summer Marathon which is a brand new fest here in Montreal that’s six days, seven venues and over 50 bands worth of  “100% Montreal-based artists.”

Abigail & Bliss + The History of Gunpowder

At this time of year The Main is usually abuzz with festivals, street fairs and general night time rowdiness. If you’re around on Saturday night I suggest detouring over to Prince Arthur, finding a nice bring your own wine place for dinner (author’s recommendation: Le Square) and then heading to Petit Campus to check out Abigail & Bliss. 

This local act has been around since 2010 and have recently released their first full length album. Here’s the track Night Bus which for me brings back memories of taking the 356 home after a big night out. Maybe you took a different bus route but the experience for everyone seems to be the same.

Joining them on stage will be the self proclaimed “six-piece freak out orchestra” The History of Gunpowder. If that doesn’t sound crazy enough they’ve decided to enlist the help of two local burlesque dancers Fifi Fantôme and Sugar Vixen to add to the live show insanity.

Abigail & Bliss and The History of Gunpowder play Petit Campus, 57 Prince-Arthur Est, Saturday, July 9th, 10:00pm (Doors at 9:0pm), $10.

The Cult + The Damn Truth

Certainly the big show of the week will be taking place at the Metropolis on Sunday night where British rockers The Cult will swinging by our fair city as part of a summer of touring. In February they released their new album Hidden City which holds true to the signature sounds that fans of the band have come to know and love.

Heavy guitars, Morrisonesque vocals and a driving rhythm section will be in abundance on Sunday for you hard rockers to enjoy.

If that wasn’t enough you’ll also get to see local rockers The Damn Truth who are coming out with their new album Devilish Folk on July 8th! A couple weeks ago they released a video for the track Heart Is Cold. Does anyone else think the beginning reminds you a bit of the cheerleaders in the Teen Spirit video?

The Cult and The Damn Truth play Metropolis, 59 St Catherine East, Sunday, July 10th, 8:00pm (Doors at 6:30pm), $48 in advance through box office ($53 at the door).

Ashbringer + Vow of Thorns + Spectral Wound

If you’re into either black metal or partying on Tuesdays (or both, cause who isn’t) then I suggest you head down to Casa Del Popolo and check out Ashbringer, Vow of Thorns and Spectral Wound. This show is not for the weak of ear, expect an intense sonic experience from all three acts.

I particularly like the Ashbringer track Oceans Apart which pulls you in, pushes you away then pulls you back in again. Kinda like and Ocean if you think about it… and there’s my terrible attempt at being deep.

 Ashbringer, Vow of Thorns and Spectral Wound play Casa Del Popolo, 4873 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Tuesday, July 12th, 9:00pm (Doors at 8:00pm), $5.

Grand Splendid + Rust Eden + Das Blankout

For those who were planning on enjoying their Saturday with a nice summer day outside: don’t. It’s supposed to rain and be an overall terribly miserable day, perfect for listening to indie rock at an indoor music venue.

As luck would have it, three local acts of the indie variety (Grand Splendid, Rust Eden and Das Blankout) will be performing that evening at a place with four wall and a roof. Check out the dreamy, intensely eerie track All Good Things for an example of what to expect.

Grand Splendid, Rust Eden and Das Blankout play Casa Del Popolo, 4873 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Saturday, July 9th, 9:00pm (Doors at 8:30pm), $6 in advance through box office ($8 at the door).

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!