By Bill Pearis

Half Moon Run

As an "international delegate" at M for Montreal, by Friday you start to get a little worn out. Your day is booked with meet-ups, panels, something called "speed schmoozing" and loads of bands. Most of it's fun or interesting but I went to sneak a catnap on Friday afternoon and ended up sleeping through one whole showcase. (Sorry, I.No and Bobby Bazini.)

But there was a lot of good in what I did see, including what most agreed was the best new band of the week, Half Moon Run. The Montreal trio match songwriting (and harmonies) of '60s folk rock with the atmospherics of Radiohead. A little too like Radiohead occasionally, but for the most part Half Moon Run had found their own way. I was instantly impressed but it took me a day to get their name right: I tweeted praise for something called Full Moon Circle, which I later realized was partially from one of their songs "Full Circle." (That song and another are streaming at the bottom of this post.) Maybe the name's not so memorable but their music sure was.

Buddy McNeil and the Magic Mirrors

The afternoon show Half Moon Run were part of also featured Buddy McNeil and the Magic Mirrors, punchy twang-n-roll dressed in Nautical outfits; Toronto four-piece The Midway State who make commercial-sounding alt-rock (clearly talented but definitely MOR); and the widescreen roar that was Passwords, who all the Brit journalists in attendance seemed to go gaga for.

Hollerado

After the unplanned three-hour konk-out and some much-needed dinner it was off to La Sala Rossa again for the official evening showcase, which was co-presented by CMJ. Hollerado headlined the show and are a lot of fun. And know their way around a giant hooks, the kind that would've made them hugely popular in the mid-'90s. Songs like "Americanarama" and "Juliette" (from their debut Record in a Bag) would've fit perfectly in between "Seether" and "Sucked Out" on a mixtape. As it is, Hollerado are merely Very Popular in Canada and fans are vocal and rowdy in a good-natured way. The band encourage it with confetti cannons, glowing beach balls and a cover of "Fat Bottom Girls." They also had awesome t-shirts at the merch table co-opting the Wu-Tang Clan logo and the Heisenberg sketch the Cousins pray to in Breaking Bad.

Parlovr

The showcase also had Parlovr on the bill who I've seen a handful of times over the last three years and have become a really solid live band. There's a lot of flying hair and the drummer is crazy tall with long arms flying the whole time. I'm not sure they have yet to write a song as catchy as "Heaven/Hell" which opens their set. If they have, they're not playing it yet.

Uncle Bad Touch

Also on the La Sala Rossa bill: Montreal's Uncle Bad Touch who recently signed to JEFF the Brotherhood's Infinity Cat label and that probably tells you a lot about their sound. (Riffy, sneery, Nuggets-y party rock.) For those in NYC, Uncle Bad Touch play Death By Audio on November 29.

We also got duo TONSSTARTBANDHT who started off Animal Collectively but became progressively more prone to dissonance. I still don't know how to pronounce their name.

Doldrums

Like the previous night, they had us running across the street to Casa Del Popolo to see more bands. Toronto's Doldrums (aka Alrick Woodhead) was wonderfully ADD, twiddling knobs, hammering sample triggers and pacing around the stage. Too many ideas crammed into one 20-minute set? Maybe, but it was exciting seeing talent that is only just now beginning to show its potential.

Thus:Owls

The other band at Casa Del Popolo was Candian/Swedish combo Thus:Owls, the only band of the week to use a colon in their name. The band stay busy in Montreal, backing Patrick Watson and Marie Pierre Arthur (who would play the next night). Here, fronted by harpsichord-wielding Erika Angell, they are delicate and stirring and swoony. Angell's got some pipes.

Misteur Valaire

After the Salla Rosa show, we headed over to the late-night after party at Club Soda, one of Montreal's many amazing venues. (Seriously, no city I've visited has more clubs with great sound, great lighting and intelligent layout as Montreal.) I walked in about three songs into Plaster's set which was pretty great. Squelchy and banging, they do live dance music right. If there was a little more flow in their set, they'd give Soulwax a run for their money.

Next was Misteur Valaire who some of you may have seen at one of our day parties during SXSW this year. Seeing them on their home turf, however, is something else. Montreal loves Misteur Valaire who, like a lot of groups genuinely popular with the locals, come with a thick slice of fromage coating everything they do. They definitely put on a show, complete with costume changes. Hipster nerd Franco-Canadian boy band who have serious musical chops applied totally in the pursuit of a good time. The crowd was going mental for the entire set, which didn't finish till 2AM.

At that point I was finished and left before Bran Van 3000 started, choosing instead sweet sleep.

Click through for a few more pictures from Friday's showcases, plus the Half Moon Run streaming player and some video of Hollerado and TONSTARTSSBANDHT in action.

Continue reading "M for Montreal 2011 -- Night 3 in pics & review (Half Moon Run, Hollerado, Parlovr, Doldrums, Uncle Bad Touch, Misteur Valaire & more)"

DOWNLOAD: Chelsea Wolfe - "I Let Love In" (Nick Cave Cover) (MP3)

Chelsea Wolfe at Saint Vitus in August (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Stereogum and PopGun are co-presenting a CMJ showcase with Titus Andronicus, Delicate Steve, Chelsea Wolfe, Cuckoo Chaos, Mr. Dream, and Hollerado at Glasslands on October 18. Tickets are $15 with RSVP.

PopGun are also co-presenting the True Panther showcase at Glasslands, the Weird Vibes showcase at Cameo on October 20 with Weekend (who also play the BV CMJ showcase @ MHOW), Headless Horseman, Pat Jordache and others, and the Yours Truly showcase at Glasslands on October 21 with Active Child (who also play the BV CMJ showcase @ MHOW), Born Gold, The Stepkids, Memoryhouse, Caveman, Inc., and Ava Luna. PopGun also do their own showcase at Cameo on October 22 with Teen Daze, Art Vs. Science, and others. RSVP is open for all of the showcases.

Speaking of Chelsea Wolfe, she's got other CMJ shows scheduled including Europa on October 19, the Life or Death CMJ showcase at Cake Shop on October 20, a Pendu/Impose showcase at 285 Kent on October 22, and more TBA. She also recently recorded a cover of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds' "I Let Love In." You can download that cover at the top of this post. Chelsea and her band also recently performed for an I-N Session. Check out a video of that performance below. In December, she'll go on a North American tour with The Black Heart Procession, though that tour unfortunately does not include any East Coast dates.

All dates and video below...

Continue reading "CMJ shows @ Glasslands & elsewhere (Titus Andronicus, Chelsea Wolfe, Weekend, Active Child & more)"

photos by Chris La Putt

"Mixing classic hits in amongst the new material, every song was a dance party and lead singer Joe King's stage presence is insane! He dances around like a mad man and then settles into a random spot on the stage where he'll sing for a few moments before moving on to the next location. Andy Gill played some guitar solos with the trademark Gang of Four feedback and though it was only 18 degrees outside, the inside of Webster Hall was scorching! During the song "He'd Send In The Army," Joe King smashed a microwave with an axe! It was pretty intense. After each song, King thanked the crowd in Spanish, saying "Gracias." Gracias backatcha for rocking Gang of Four!" [According to G]

Gang of Four (now with two original members) are on tour and played both Webster Hall and Letterman on Tuesday night. Pictures and the setlist from the NYC show and a (crappy) video (I'll update later if a better one gets posted) from the TV show, below...

Continue reading "Gang of Four played Webster Hall w/ Hollerado (pics, setlist) and Letterman (video)"

photos by Chris Gersbeck

"I had no idea who Foxy Shazam was prior to the show, and I kinda wish it stayed that way.. Maybe it just wasn't my cup of tea, but this band was one big bad theatrical 80s glam-rock gimmick. It sounded like a hybrid of My Chemical Romance, The Darkness, and Queen rolled up in a ball... I will never understand the appeal of this band.

Free Energy took the stage, and even though a lot of the crowd filed out (partly cause they were seemingly there for Foxy, or because it was the night before Thanksgiving) Free Energy still put 110% in... I know that it's only a matter of time until Free Energy really blows up, so I will enjoy these intimate shows while I can... "Free Energy", "Dream City", and "Bang Pop" sounded mightier than ever. They treated us to a encore at the end giving us a fierce version of "C'Mon Let's Dance", a b-side... and "Something In Common" one can only scratch their head when wondering why they were left out of the record"
[We All Want Someone To Shout For]

Two short months ago Free Energy opened for Titus Andronicus at Webster Hall. On the two days that bookended Thanksgiving (11/24 & 11/26), the band returned to play Bowery Ballroom and Music Hall of Williamsburg (respectively) with their tour-mates Foxy Shazam and Hollerado. The above review comes from the band's Bowery appearance. The pictures are from MHOW.

Free Energy will log their fifth and sixth NYC appearances in four months when they support Weezer on their "Memories" tour at Roseland on 12/17 and 12/18. Both dates are sold out.

More pictures from MHOW are below...

Continue reading "Free Energy, Foxy Shazam & Hollerado played MHOW (pics)"

Abe Vigoda @ the Whitney in 2009 (more by Tim Griffin)

Abe Vigoda arrive back in NYC tonight, Friday, August 20th, for a special show at Cake Shop. It's a "Nacho Party" presented by Pop Montreal and will also feature sets by fellow Californian Hawnay Troof, Hollerado and Uncle Bad Touch (members of Priestess).

Abe Vigoda will also play Brooklyn while they're here. You can catch them Saturday night, August 21st, at Death by Audio again with Canadian band Hollerado, and also with Portland's purple rhinestone eagle (who play the Charleston Friday night) and Brooklyn's passive aggressor.

From there Abe Vigoda go back home to play some shows with Cap'n Jazz and then Cold Cave leading up to FYF Fest in LA on September 4th. In October they head overseas where they then tour with No Age. All dates and Hollerado's new video for "Fake Drugs", below...

Continue reading "Abe Vigoda playing 2 NYC shows, dates w/ Capn Jazz, FYF Fest, Europe w/ No Age & more (Cake Shop tonight)"

a shot from Sled Island 2008 (more by Rae Holtsabum)

The Sled Island Music and Arts Festival -- taking place at various venues in Calgary, Alberta from June 24 to June 27 -- is pleased to announce the initial line-up and the inclusion of Olympic Plaza as the main venue on Friday, June 26. This year will include over 200 bands performing at 23 venues plus art shows, film screenings, and a comedy component at the Sled Island Music and Arts Festival.

Sled Island 2009 will feature performances by the influential indie rock darlings The Breeders (featuring Kim Deal of the Pixies) making their first Calgary performance, NYC post-punk revivalists Liars bringing the noise, the legendary Canadian metal band Anvil the recent subjects of the critically acclaimed documentary Anvil: The Story of Anvil and the garage rock assault of Tel Aviv's Monotonix known for their incredible live show. New Orleans-based musician and mad genius inventor of the 'drum buddy' Quintron & Ms. Pussycat will bring the party along with blood-soaked party rocker Andrew W.K. and Toronto-based electro tour-de-force Holy Fuck on the more 'offensive' front. Phil Elverum's (of The Microphones) latest moniker Mount Eerie will deliver a symbiotic balance of fuzz and folk matched by Owen Pallett's Final Fantasy surrealist violin stage performance. Calgary-based experimental icons Azeda Booth aim to mystify crowds along with their all-male psychedelic pop counterparts Women making their second festival appearance...The complete festival line-up and schedule will be revealed on June 1. [pr]

Festival passes are on sale now.

As previously reported, Colin Newman, vocalist and guitarist for Wire, will be guest curating this year's festival. Full lineup below...

Continue reading "Sled Island - 2009 fest lineup (Breeders, Liars, Anvil & more) "