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The end of Pop Montreal signals, for the most part, the denouement of Montreal’s non-stop festival season. But, as the leaves turn and winter descends upon the city in billowy white flakes, there is still a full slate of things to do. Let’s take a look…
While Montreal’s summers are a non-stop barrage of nightlife options, in Autumn and Winter, the discerning nightlife devotee has the option to fill out his or her calendar with a bit more forethought. While I’ll be covering some of these events (and much more) in detail over the coming months, let’s take a quick peek at what October, November and December have in store:
October 7-18: The Festival du Nouveau Cinema (New Cinema Festival, loosely translated), is going on right now. Check out my FNC post for some Nightlife picks.
October 18: Emmylou Harris @ Theatre St-Denis. One of the most important, influential and pretty (had to say it) figures in American folk and country music. Whether you’re impressed by her solo work, her collaborations with artists like with Gram Parsons, Bob Dylan Neil Young or her 12 Grammys, I can’t think of a better Fall show to go see with a loved one.
October 29: Boys Noize @ SAT. This in-demand producer has remixed tracks for everyone from Feist to Bloc Party, but he’s coming to Montreal for the release of his own album, Power, with JORDAN DARE and DJ CHERRY COLA opening things up.
October 31: Check back here for some Hallowe’en happenings, being posted soon…
November 18: Def Leppard @ Bell Centre. If I say “Pour some Sugar on Me”, you might think I’m being dirty or at least pretty old. But if you respond by saying “In the Name of Love!”, I’ll see you at the Bell Centre.
November 21: Stereo Saturdays @ Stereo. Since the concept of “Stereo Saturdays” is not to announce the headliner in advance, I can’t tell you who it will be. But since it’s Stereo, you can expect nothing but the best.
November 28: Steely Dan @ Salle Wilfred Pelletier. The jazzy rock duo of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker have sold over 30 million records, but I’d totally satisfied by this show if they just played “Do It Again” over and over.
December 6: Phoenix @ Metropolis. In 2008, these French indie rockers released the cumbersomely titled Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. By 2009, the album’s leadoff single Lisztomania had become the biggest song of the year.
December 12: Raphael Saadiq @ Metropolis. If you catch one show in December, this should be it. This R’n’B veteran (and one-time member of Tony! Toni! Toné!) made waves last year with his album, The Way I See It , an incredible retro-soul revelation. I saw his last show in Montreal and it was one of my favorite of the year. FYI: if you are averse to “swooning” you should maybe think twice about going.
December 12: Pawa up First @ Cabaret. This atmospheric instrumental outfit does not play all that many shows- maybe you caught them a couple months a go when they played at the MACM. Give yourself an early Christmas present and check them out.
Montréal is one of the best cities for music in the world - from massive international fests to tiny hole-in-the-wall spots. Montrealers like to go out, eat, drink and be social. Possibly because it's a fact that Montrealers are extremely beautiful people. It's a big city that behaves like a small town, or maybe the reverse. I've been a music journalist for about 10 years now, and there is no better city than this one to be doing it. It's going to be a busy year.
BRINGING THE BELMONT INTO 2010
