10 must-see shows at 2015’s Suoni Per Il Popolo

For the festival’s 15^th edition, Suoni Per Il Popolo has once again put together an impressive lineup of experimental and improvisational music, alongside a healthy dose of some of the best names in the underground punk and noise worlds. Beginning on June 4th and running until the 22nd, the festival’s three primary venues, Sala Rossa, Casa del Popolo and La Vitrola will feature daily eclectic bills, offering audiences a chance to check out a range of boundary-pushing acts each night.

Most of the below picks generally fall into the festival’s self-described “Punk/Rock/Bizarre” category, since that’s where this site’s primary interests lie. However, with the majority of shows hovering under the $10 mark, and with the venues all within a quick walk from each other, the more adventures music seekers out there should definitely try to cover as much sonic ground as possible over the next few weeks. With that goal in mind, below are our top 10 recommendations for this year’s festival, arranged by date. We also have a contest running to win tickets to any two Suoni shows of your choice; details for the giveaway are available here.

Thursday, June 4

The Kids at Sala Rossa
Belgian proto-punks The Kids will deliver a lesson in true RN’R when they return to Montreal this week to headline a stacked bill, including locals Proxy, Pale Lips, and Torment. This is a rare chance to catch a band that were contemporaries of acts like The Ramones and The Undertones, and who still put on a killer live show. “This is rock n’ roll!” 8:30 pm, $12/$14, 4848 St-Laurent.

Friday, June 5

J Mascis at Sala Rossa
The legendary Dinosaur Jr. frontman and consummate guitar shredder has been concentrating on his solo work as of late, including last year’s Tied to a Star LP for Sub Pop. Truth be told, Dinosaur Jr. always had their share of melodic, quieter tracks, and J’s solo material fits right into that band’s wheelhouse. Even without the stacks of Marshall’s, this show will still be loud. Openers include Vermont’s Matt Valentine, and locals Birds of Paradise, featuring members of Red Mass. We recently spoke to Lou Barlow about his role in Dinosaur Jr. – you can check out the full interview here. 8:30 pm, $23/$25, 4848 St-Laurent.

Saturday, June 6

Heavy Blanket at La Vitrola
Following his more subdued solo show the night before, J Mascis will unleash his barrage of ear-melting guitar solos and sludgy riffs with his Heavy Blanket side-project, also featuring members of Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Bring the best earplugs money can buy, and be ready to zone out to J’s ultimate stoner metal soundtrack. Openers include Comet Control (featuring members of the great Quest for Fire) and Slow Dawn. 8:30 pm, $13/$15, 4602 St-Laurent.

Monday, June 8 

Big Brave at Casa del Popolo
Montreal’s Big Brave make epic post-rock, with their thunderous guitar and drums interplay set against vocalist Robin Faye’s ethereal vocals. Hopefully we’ll get to hear something off of their upcoming LP for Southern Lord at this show. Openers include Thee Silver Mt. Zion and Big Brave collaborator Jessica Moss, and instrumental post-hardcore act Christ. 8:00 pm, $10/$12, 4871 St-Laurent.

Friday, June 12

Fred and Toody Duo (Dead Moon) at Sala Rossa
Famed 80’s underground garage punk legends Dead Moon officially called it quits back in 2006, with the husband and wife team of Fred and Toody Cole morphing into the equally powerful Pierced Arrows. This show will feature Fred and Toody performing acoustic versions of songs from all eras of their deep discography. For the uninitiated, you still have time to check out Unknown Passage: The Dead Moon Story, a great comprehensive documentary about the band.
New Yorks’s Cheena, and Montreal’s No Negative open. 9:00pm, $13/$15, 4848 St-Laurent.

Sunday, June 14

Sheer Mag at La Vitrola
Philly’s Sheer Mag play a stripped-down take on 70’s rock, led by vocalist Christina Halliday’s powerful vocals. Their “Fan the Flames” single sounds like The Jackson Five playing a blown-out basement show, showing the band’s knack for putting a fresh spin on a classic sound. New York’s The Jeanies, and Montreal’s Hand Cream open. 8:00 pm, $10/$12, 4602 St-Laurent.

Tuesday, June 16

Zola Jesus at Sala Rossa
Zola Jesus‘ music is a hodgepodge of styles, with Nika Roza Danilova’s mesmerizing vocals set against a musical backdrop ranging from dark chamber rock to ebullient synth pop. Her set at Phi Centre a few months back received rave reviews, so expect this show to sell out quickly. Local industrial project Âmes Sanglantes opens. 8:00 pm, $20, 4848 St-Laurent.

Wednesday, June 17

White Lung at Sala Rossa
Vancouver’s White Lung are a great live bet, with Mish Way’s expressive vocals leading the band’s propulsive melodic punk sound. They headline a stacked bill including Louisville’s massively heavy Coliseum, LA Black Flag disciples Obliterations (who we caught a few months back), and locals Fakes. 8:00 pm, $13/$15, 4848 St-Laurent.

Sunday, June 21

Destruction Unit at Casa del Popolo
Arizona’s Destruction Unit always put on an incredible live show, playing their brand of feedback-laced psychedelia with an intense, chaotic energy. Be sure to get there early to catch Portland’s Red Dons, a dark melodic punk band formed from the ashes of the incredible Observers. Their single “Auslander,” from a couple of years back, is one of the most invigorating punk songs in years (check it out below). Rounding out the bill is Toronto’s Mercury Girls, featuring Jonah Falco of Fucked Up / Career Suicide. 9:00 pm,$10/$12, 4871 St-Laurent.

Tuesday, June 23

Tenement at La Vitrola
While this falls a day after the official Suoni end date, consider this a worthy post-festival wrap-up gig. Wisconsin’s Tenement have been quietly crafting some of the most invigorating pop-punk of the past few years, with a slew of great 7″s under their belts. However, their just-released Predatory Headlights is simply on a whole other level. A 73-minute double LP, Predatory Headlights sees the band fine tuning their crunchy power-pop aesthetic, while incorporating elements of classic rock, country, folk, and expansive sound collages, including the nine-minute “A Frightening Place for Normal People.” Tenement rarely make their way up here, so do not sleep on this one. Openers include Chicago’s Big Zit, and locals Torment and A Death In Canada. 8:00pm, $5/$10 (pay what you can), 4602 St-Laurent

Suoni Per Il Popolo runs from June 4th to June 22nd. For the full schedule and to purchase tickets, visit the festival’s official website.