M for Montreal

M for Montreal’s fourth edition showcases some of Montréal’s finest acts and still mix brilliantly the anglo and franco music scenes from all around Canada. That’s the beauty of this event, it brings everyone together! The other good thing about M is that you can actually attend all the shows. It’s made for you to see all these bands (unlike Pop Montreal, for instance). Even if on some nights the showcases are at different places, there’s enough time to bike or walk from the Cabaret Juste Pour Rire on Saint-Laurent down to the Metropolis on Sainte-Catherine or the Café Campus. You even have time to grab some Schwartz on the way or enjoy the greatest vegetarian food at Paradis Végétarien on Saint-Denis and Mont-Royal (or, you know, get some poutine at la banquise on Rachel). So I planned your weekend for you:

Tomorrow November 19th catch Final Flash, The Luyas, Miracle Fortress, The Rural Alberta Advantage, You Say Party! We Say Die! and Think About Life at Cabaret Juste Pour Rire, tickets are 17,75$ at the door. It all starts at 8 :30 and you can dance through the night with the Think About Life DJ set and « surprise guests » after the show. I can’t hide how freakin excited I am for this show. If you can only attend one showcase during M for Montréal, that’s the one.

On Friday November 20th, start the day right (if you have the three day pass, that is) with the M pour Martini cocktail with Mark Berube and The Few and Elisapie Isaac. The cocktail doubles as The Dears’ Valérie Jodoin Keaton’s Backstage book launch. Then head to the Cabaret for Two Hours Traffic, Silly Kissers, DD/MM/YYYY, Parlovr, Silver Starling and Le Matos. The M for Mystery afterparty will be a DJ set by Cadence Weapon and « very very special guests ».

On Saturday November 21st, it’s time to put these high school french classes to good use. The sélection franco showcase starts at 3 with Caracol followed by Québec’s Feist, Marie-Pierre Arthur. You can also catch Automelodi, latest hyped band and telus ad singers La Patère Rose, Géraldine (Don’t miss her! You won’t regret it. She’s the next Duchess Says of stage chaos, I swear) and pop duo Orange Orange. Later that night catch the M pour Metropolis show at the Metropolis (duh…) with Malajube, Melissa Auf der Maur, Champion and this year’s Polaris Music Prize winners Fucked Up. If you’re not tired from dancing around yet, there’s the M for Midnight afterparty at the SAT (don’t forget to RSVP to nightlife magazine beforehand).

The three day pass is insanely cheap (60$) and it gives you access to all the showcases, the M pour Martini cocktail, the panels, the afterparties AND M pour Metropolis. Careful though, there are only 150 available. Train and cheap bus tickets are still available for you Toronto people! I checked that for you because The Lamb always has your back. More information about ticket prices and schedules at http://mpourmontreal.com/EN/index.php.

Have a good weekend now!

Zut Alors,

Christine

The Dodos

News Updates are back! Sorry for the lack of posts here, on the main page. Hopefully, everyone found their way to the ‘Features’ page though and the Singing Lamb’s NXNE coverage! There are still a few more reviews and interviews coming up this week, so keep checking that page! For now, this is what I missed out on for the past two weeks (more or less).

Show Announcements:
Library Voices @ Horseshoe (July 28th, 19+)
Woods, Wooden Wand @ Sneaky Dee’s (August 8th, $10.50, 19+)
Langhorne Slim @ Horseshoe (August 5th, $10.50, 19+)
The Hold Steady @ Lee’s (September 27th, $21.50, 19+)
La Roux @ El Mocambo (July 31st, $12.00, 19+)
The Dodos, The Ruby Suns @ Lee’s (October 17th, 19+)
Dinosaur Jr. @ Phoenix (September 30th)
Built To Spill @ Lee’s (October 6-7th, 19+)
White Lies, Still Life Still, Love is All @ Phoenix (September 28th, $20.00, 19+)
The Breeders @ Lee’s (August 15th, $23.50, 19+)
Jesus Lizard @ Phoenix (November 9th, $20.00, 19+)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ Kool Haus (August 4th, $32.50, ALL-AGES)

For those who have yet to purchase your Yeah Yeah Yeahs tickets (i.e. me), unfortunately the show is sold out. Rumours are swirling that a second show may be added, but don’t be too hopeful. Fuck. Next best thing? Road trip to Osheaga – who’s in?

In addition to the already fantastic line-up for this year’s Harbourfront shows, The Dears have been added to the Canadian Voices festival and will be performing a free show on July 26th. Trust me, you don’t want to miss this.

Yes Giantess will open for Little Boots at Wrongbar on September 14th.

Sick of The Singing Lamb’s coverage of NXNE? Same. For more coverage, check out these wonderful sites:

Chromewaves
Pete Nema
For the ‘records’
It’s Not The Band I Hate, It’s Their Fans
Narratives
Lycanthropy
North By East West
MW Music Review Blog
The Top Down
Suckingalemon

That’s more or less my list of favourite sites too, by the way. But all of them have fantastic photos and reviews from the festivities so take a look at them! …Then come back and read some more on the Singing Lamb. Please.

Haven’t had time to catch a Secret Session @ Tara yet? It’s okay; catch up and download sessions on theirsite now! If you’re in town, be sure to catch free sessions from Barzin, Black Hat Brigade, and The Artist Lifethis month! Read more about it on their Facebook page.

Other News:

The title of the new Hidden Cameras album is called Origin: Orphan and will be released again via. Arts & Crafts.

In an interview with NME, Arcade Fire lead singer Win Butler says the band is currently writing a follow-up to 2007′s Neon Bible. Read the interview here.

Feist joins Wilco onstage for a performance of “You and I” - watch here!

Islands lead singer Nick Thorborn talks to Pitchfork about the band’s new album, Vapours (out September 22nd). Read here.

Surprise! New Spoon EP coming out this week! Read more about it here.

Listen to She & Him’s cover of the Smiths’ “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want” here. Then go out and watch (500) Days of Summer, out on July 17th. Watch the trailer here.

Amy Millan’s new album, Masters of the Burial will be released on September 8th. Here’s the tracklisting:

Masters of the Burial
01. Bruised Ghosts
02. Low Sail
03. Old Perfume
04. Towers
05. Day To Day
06. Bury This
07. Finish Line
08. Run For Me
09. I Will Follow You Into Dark
10. Lost Compass

She’ll be at Harbourfront on July 25th for a free show, alongside Gentlemen Reg!

Due to the city worker’s strike, the Poor Pilgrim show on Toronto Island this year has been postponed to August 9th. Another fantastic show happening on Toronto Island that’s to-be-announced will be Wavelength presents: ALL CAPS! This show will take place on August 15th; details to come.

This year’s Summerworks Theatre Festival will be August 6-16 and although the Music Series has yet to be announced, Miracle Fortress and Polaris long list nominees, Think About Life have already been confirmed! Exciting!

Happy listening!

Musically,
Melody