Pop Montreal Announces Initial 2006 Lineup

CMJ is not the only festival that announced the initial lineup of bands this week. Pop Montreal happens October 4-8, 2006 in (duh) Montreal, and they’ve got Joanna Newsom, Vashti Bunyan, Land of Talk, Sunset Rubdown, and more…

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Dear pop music lovers,

What a wild roller coaster of a ride we’re all getting ready for! This year’s festival is going to be exceptionally magnificent. We are re-invigorating indie music beyond clichés and car commercial soundtracks. We are showing the world what a festival can be; what a group of young people can do with imagination, hard work and vision.

This year we are pleased to work with the Future of Music Coalition (FMC) and McGill University to present the FMC’s 6th annual Policy Summit. We will also have our Film POP festival, our Puces POP arts and crafts fair, and an assortment of art shows and special events entitled Art POP. Our fifth edition will introduce the world to future stars, forgotten heroes and an assortment of freaks, who will come together for what people are starting to call “the greatest event on earth.” We will all share moments of sublime beauty, knee-slapping good times and, of course, some crazy misadventures we’ll only remember in our dreams.

POP Montreal is very pleased to announce our initial confirmation list. This group of artists represents a wide range of styles and genres and each and every one of them has a personal connection to Montreal, and the amazing group of people that help make this festival possible. Some of the highlights include: Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, the 75 year old American troubador and living link between Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan; Joanna Newsom the Drag City psych-folk harp diva who will make her Canadian debut; Gary Wilson a mythical purveyor of new wave rock and adolescent angst pop; Edu K, the Brazilian pioneer of Baile Funk and booty shaking good times; Spank Rock, the first utopian, multi-ethnic, underground, conscious booty-bass hip hop act; Vashti Bunyan, the Scottish songstress, who’s ethereal voice has been a major influence on such artists as Devendra Banhart and The Animal Collective; Keith Fullerton Whiteman a composer/performer obsessed with electronic music, from its mid-century origins in Europe through its contemporary worldwide incarnation as “digital music”; Tapes n’ Tapes, who’s bewildering indie rock might be the best thing to come out of Minneapolis since Husker Du; the left field psychosurgical aural distortion of Kool Keith’s Dr. Octagon; and The Mighty Sparrow himself, who’s title, “The King of Calypso,” pretty much sums it all up. We also have a whole lot more, including a very special organ performance by Gonzales at St. Jean Baptise Catholic Church. This will be the opening show of the festival and will also feature the Montreal premiere of Captain Beefheart and Gods & Monsters’ guitarist Gary Lucas’ live soundtrack to the silent 1920 German Expressionist classic film The Golem.

So that’s just a taste. Take a look at our line-up, read about our different events and get your freakin’ tickets early ‘cause this is going to be some next level, off the chain nonsense.

Passes on sale Monday August 20th on Admission and participating local outlets!

SOME BANDS
Joanna Newsom – Gonzales -The Mighty Sparrow – TTC – Spank Rock – Ramblin’ Jack Elliot – AKRON/FAMILY – Tapes n’ Tapes – Vashti Bunyan – Vitalic – Gary Wilson
Dr. Octagon – Atach Tatuq – Rod Lee – Plastic Little – Mocky – Socalled – The Besnard Lakes – Poni Hoax – CAT EMPIRE – Regina Spektor – Cadence Weapon – Professor Murder
The Russian Futurists – Montag – Edu K – Otarie – Beirut – Born Ruffians – Genders – The Handsome Furs – Oh Bijou – The Adam Brown – The Hot Springs – Portastatic
Damien Jurado – Harvey Danger – SUNSET RUBDOWN – Gary Lucas – Keith Whiteman Fullerton – Le Husky – Mansfield Tya – The D’Urbervilles – Katie Moore – Omnikrom
The Lovely Feathers – Memphis – Land of Talk – Islands – Duchess Says – Miracle Fortress – The Christa Min – Tokyo Police Club – Dishwasher – Lesbians on Ecstasy
Jessica Bailiff – Greg Davis – Giselle Numba 1 – Torngat – Hylozoists – The Mongrels – Bionic – 3 Inches of Blood
And many more !

POP EVENTS

P U C E S P O P
Puces Pop is a unique trade fair, with independent entrepreneurs and
artists from all segments of independent culture. We are celebrating the
vibrancy of cultural communities and we’re inviting you to come and check
out some of the best local and international crafters around. With over
100 vendor tables, a fashion show, artist-run workshops, a poster show,
film screenings, live music and our first ever science fair, this
marketplace-bazaar sets the scene for a cultural experience like no other!
For More Info : www.puces.popmontreal.com

A R T P O P
Fuck Dance, Let’s Art! Entering year two, Art Pop presents visual artists
working from perspectives outside of established art canons. Gallery
exhibitions (original art by Charles Burns & Killoffer, paintings by Jack
Dylan), ephemeral mixed-media performances (Dandi Wind), visual-musical
collaborations (w/ Viva! art action), immersive installations (the YPF) +
much, much more (oh my!).
For More Info : www.popmontreal.com/artpop

F I L M P O P
Now entering its third year, Film Pop is all about busting out of the rusty
old film festival cage and finding fun new ways to present movies, with a
particular predilection for the musical. Expect to see the very best of
Montreal independent film, international underground cinema, fantastic rock
docs, live events, and more! In addition, Film Pop is launching exciting new
filmmaking initiatives with the National Film Board of Canada and Kino Montreal.
It promises to be Film Pop’s biggest and best year yet.
For More Info : www.filmpop.popmontreal.com

F U T U R E O F M U S I C
This year, Pop Montreal will be collaborating with the Future of Music
Coalition (FMC), and McGill University to present The 6th Annual Future of
Music Policy Summit (Oct. 5th -7th). This international-level symposium,
which will be hosted at McGill University’s new Schulich School of Music,
will bring together over 500 leading industry professionals to discuss
important and contentious issues of music and copyright today.
For More Info : www.futureofmusic.org/events/summit06/index.cfm

WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Visit www.popmontreal.com