M for Montreal 2018 Day 4 review: Kero Kero Bonito, Richard Reed Parry, & more
The 13th edition of M for Montreal wrapped up on Saturday (11/17) which was a real marathon of music, with an afternoon of Francophone acts, a show at a planetarium, hyped local indie rock, and more. I’ll start near the end with Kero Kero Bonito, whose tour with Tanukichan hit Montreal at La Sala Rossa. I had never seen KKB before but they are a full band now with the three main members augmented by a couple other musicians. I was not expecting the crowd reaction to them, which was bonkers from the get-go, bouncing, moshing, singing along to every song. On “Trampoline,” which closed out the night, it was as if the floor was a trampoline. Nuts. The crowd was really into the shoegazy Tanukichan, as well. That tour hits Brooklyn tonight for a sold-out show at Market Hotel.
Across the street at Casa Del Popolo was Montreal’s Pottery who more than one person this week had told me I needed to see. The band’s been together for over a year but has yet to release any music so the only way to check them out is to see them live. When I got there they places was packed (Casa is a small venue, maybe 200 people) so I didn’t get as close as I’d like but I dug their sound, which mixes psych, krautrock, post-punk (think Joesph K or early Orange Juice) and punk.
The night, for me, ended at L’Escogriffe to catch Corridor who were playing their second set of the night, this post-Midnight one with “friends” making for a larger-than-usual lineup. L’Esco was also very packed, with fog machines set to 11 and crazy laser lighting. Corridor are a very fun live band, all whirling dervishes, and you could tell they were having a blast with this “and friends” augmented version.
I started off my day at L’Escogriffe (as well as the neighboring venue Le Quai des Brumes) where they had this year’s “M for Mimosa” Francophone showcase — aka eight bands from Quebec who sing in French. I always enjoy this because you’re probably not going to get to see this stuff in the U.S. and there were some quality acts this time around. Choses Sauvages play slinky, ’80s-ish disco pop with the occasional flute solo (they had fans who were ready to party at 2 PM, too). Maïa is a powerhouse singer who seems like could potentially have success elsewhere (and had former Dears guitarist Patrick Krief in her band); and Antoine Corriveau who is signed to Patrick Watson’s label and makes sweeping, cinematic rock (with a cellist at this show). There was also a fun, if silly, hop hop group LaF who won me over with a Delegation “Oh Honey” sample, and shoegazers Loïc April were pretty good too.
Right after the Franco showcase, they bussed us over to catch Arcade Fire’s Richard Reed Parry who was performing at Société Des Arts Technologiques’ planetarium which they call the Satosphère. It was an “immersive concert experience” presenting his new album A Quiet River of Dust. We were handed cups of green tea on the way in, and invited to lie back on giant pillows and cushions. Richard and his band played the album, while fantastic visuals (as seen in the videos for album) enveloped you. The gentle music and the nature of the experience was was maybe a little too relaxing for this writer, after an afternoon of mimosas, and I may have rested my eyes once or twice.
You can check out my blurry cellphone pics from Saturday, the final day of M for Montreal 2018, in the gallery above, and you can read recaps of Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3. Check out music from some of the bands seen on Saturday below.
