Music

Pop Montreal 2011: Thursday Best Bets

by Anne T. Donahue

Congratulations! You survived day one of Pop Montreal. So after your nap and dinner at Schwartz’s, make your way over to these million venues because let us tell you, there are some hot tickets in town tonight.

ARCADE FIRE
It’s time to dry those eyes if you spent last night crying outside of their sold-out show, because now YOU GET TO SEE THEM FOR FREE. So go on! Get!

place des Festivals of Quartier des Spectacles, 9 p.m.

GRIMES
But let’s be honest – the only way you’re going to one-up the glory of catching a free live Arcade Fire show is to head to a set that is absolutely nothing like the concert you’ve just seen. So that’s where Grimes comes in, with her delicate voice, chilling instrumentals and haunting melodies that evoke distance, intimacy, and “damn, she’s good” simultaneously. Just don’t request “Sprawl II”.

Mission Santa Cruz :: Salle STM, 60 Rachel West, 11 p.m.

TASSEOMANCY
And speaking of haunting, the-artists-formally-known-as-Ghost-Bees, are gearing up to give you an extra special glimpse of their upcoming debut, Ulalume, almost a full month before their official CD release on October 20. So whether you consider them “neo-folk,” “dream-folk” or “nothing like folk whatsoever,” it’s about time you caught them doing something other than backing up Austra (which admittedly, they do very well).

Église Saint-Édouard, 6500 Saint-Vallier, 11 30 p.m.

NO JOY
That sound you hear is of a bill being stacked, so after Tasseomancy take their bows, you can stick around for No Joy who’ll be basking in hometown glory. Offering a grunge-laden stepping stone between the Lightmans’ bare-bone vocals and their headliner’s jarring energy, the band’s fuzzy, distorted sonic gifts will help you remember why some of us keep over-romanticizing those glorious ’90s.

Église Saint-Édouard, 6500 Saint-Vallier, 12 30 a.m.

FUCKED UP
In case you’ve missed Fucked Up supporting the recently-released, recently-acclaimed and recently-cherished David Comes To Life, now’s your chance to get down with Damian and co. and their unquenchable thirst for punk rock glory. Prepare to get your mosh on.

Église Saint-Édouard, 6500 Saint-Vallier, 1 30 a.m.