Antoine Corriveau | Salomé Leclerc | Philémon Cimon | Klô Pelgag

Show: Antoine Corriveau + Salomé Leclerc + Philémon Cimon + Klô Pelgag
Venue: Verre Bouteille
Date: Sunday, April 26th, 2015

No pictures of the show taken this time. Sorry. Didn't expect to write a post on it actually. I know Antoine personally. Feel uncomfortable writing posts about people I know. But that evening was good. At least I think it was.

Started with a hockey game. The Canadians are in the playoffs and eliminate the Ottawa Senators with a two to zero game. I was bored most of the time except for the last two seconds. It didn't help that my back was to the screen. Enjoy hockey but enjoy spending time with friends more. We all arrive early to get some seats for the event which was due to start right after the game at the Verre Bouteille. Also hoping there wouldn't be any overtime, hence the point scored on the last second of the game was like a cherry on a sundae.

The only picture I have. PS and CG watching the game.
CG managed to have his eyes closed as usual.

It was show #3 of 3 at the Verre Bouteille for Antoine Corriveau. That evening he invites a few friends to play with him. Klô Pelgag, Philémon Cimon and Salomé Leclerc.

Antoine and his band (Pascal Sallafranque, Christian Gagnon, Lucien Midnight, Marianne Houle and Stéphane Bergeron) start with a few of his originals from the latest album. To tell you the truth, and this is why I don't like to write posts about friends, it took me a while to understand his music. I always thought the lyrics were good but the melodies and his voice were too dark. Now I just let it all in and accept that his music is weird. I like it now. I see him as an outsider but in a good way.

The first artist to join him onstage is Klô Pelgag. Quirkiness is good. Watching her being a little shy is just as fun as listening them play. There's a good vibe between both of them. If I remember well, they play two songs, one of his and one of hers.

The second artist joining him is Philémon Cimon. I've seen him perform twice already. Once at l'Oblique on Record Store Day (I think) and once for the launch of the magazine Nouveau Projet (unfortunately the crowd there was deep in conversation). He's great. I enjoy his music very much.



The last artist is Salomé Leclerc. Never seen her in concert. Side note, that girl is gorgeous. More importantly she plays very good guitar.

The show ends with all of them on stage. Singing La tête en marche. Always reminds me of the Quebec spring awakening (printemps érable).

All in all, it was the most enjoyable hockey game ever.

Michael Hurley at the Vitrola

Show: Michael Hurley + Myriam Gendron
Venue: La Vitrola
Date: Friday, April 24th, 2015

I love love love love love that guy! Didn't know him beforehand. I've been missing out.

Lets start from earlier Friday evening. Met friends at Papier 15, an annual contemporary art fair of works on paper. There are some beautiful pieces but I feel uncomfortable there. Was hoping nobody would notice the hole in my shoe. Mesmerized by the works of Ken Nicol though. Repeated swear words on paper which form a delicate pattern.

The word shit (close up). From the series Fuck the bunny suit version 1
(exposed at galerie Antoine Ertaskiran)

Happy to be drinking a beer with my friends afterward but all I could think of was being at a concert. Kinda where I feel at home. Arrived too late for the opening act (Myriam Gendron) but just in time for Michael Hurley.

Michael Hurley at the Vitrola.

Alone on stage, he captivated the whole audience with his amazing and unconventional lyrics. Most of us were silenced. Couldn't even take it at some point. Had to move back for some air.

A page from one of his comic book sold at the merch table.

Ok. I'll stop praising him now.

Darlene Shrugg | Milk Lines | Hand Cream at the Sala Rossa

Show: Darlene Shrugg + Milk Lines + Hand Cream
Venue: Sala Rossa, Montreal
Date: Sunday, April 12th, 2015

The weather changed that day. Arrived home from an afternoon spent outside with friend C. Didn't want it to end but exhaustion took the best of me. Went to bed for a nap and woke up destabilized. Was I late for work? Nope. I was late for a concert.

Usually don't mind going alone. Always end up talking to strangers but my last experience wasn't that great. The guy thought I was weird (I am weird a bit). Therefore wanted to bring a friend along. So much so I even contacted an ex (oopsy daisy).

Almost didn't go, couldn't find anybody. What made me change my mind? This song:



Milk Lines was the second set of the evening. Didn't know much about the other bands. Arrived in an almost empty venue. Hand Cream had started already. I don't like pitchiness. Wish it didn't bother me that much. Would be enjoying shows better. The lead singer, Meghan Merrigan I believe, was pitchy and the songs were not that great. My friend JP (he knows an ex member of the band) mentioned to me the next day they're aiming to sound more pop these days. He sent me an old youtube of theirs. It is quite beautiful and nothing like what I heard Sunday.

When Milk Lines steps on stage I decide to leave my spot by the bar and join the small crowd up front. I dance as much as can be possible while holding a beer. Emily Clarke is a bit pitchy unfortunately but when Jeff Clarke joins in it really sounds good. After the set I approach him and ask him about the merchandise. None for sale at the time unfortunately. I also mention Porter Wagoner and that's when, for a second, his eyes light up.

Darlene Shrugg sound check.

The third set starts, Darlene Shrugg, they do not dethrone Milk Lines. Not bad. Not pitchy. But not my type of music. The songs do sound better though when Slim Twig is behind the mic.



I leave before the end of the last song to go downstairs where the Sala Rosa bar is. My favorite place to go after shows at that venue. There I write down my last thoughts on the night and there I'm thinking, am I really that weird?

Tyvek (and Gashrat) at the Vitrola

Show: Tyvek + Gashrat + Les Temps Liquides + Crosss + Cheap Wig
Venue: Vitrola, Montreal
Date: Friday, April 10th, 2015

WTF man. Five bands set to perform in one evening? When it was Tyvek's turn I was half asleep. Organized by Suoni Per Il Popolo Festival, I really do believe they booked too many bands in one night. Would've been happy had it been only Tyvek, Gashrat and Crosss.

A blurry picture

I absolutely love Gashrat! But I'll start from the beginning. First band : Cheap Wig. Ok music. A bit repetitive. Girl's voice acceptable except when she screams. Often she left the stage to join the crowd. That is always nice. Not my kind of music. My friend JP's opinion on the first set? Doesn't like the singer.

Cheap Wig

Second band. Crosss. Singer has interesting voice. Good music. I've seen them before live. Didn't appreciate them the first time but now they're kind of growing on me. There were some technical problems though. Mic didn't work well. Drummer is cute but had a t-shirt with a drawing of a persian cat and "Child Abuse" written below. I have a persian cat. Didn't like his t-shirt. My friend V's opinion on the second set? The songs are too repetitive.

Crosss

My cat Princess

Third Band. Les Temps Liquides. No. Just no. Didn't like it. Friends JP, V and M didn't like it either.

Fourth Band. Gashrat. LOOOOOVE them. There are only a few Montreal bands that I happily follow. I will not miss an opportunity to see them again in concert.

A girl band. All of them play different instruments and you'll see them switching from one song to the other. Authentic and original sound. I can't say anything bad about them. Didn't think to ask what my friends thought of Gashrat.

Gashrat

While waiting for Tyvek to step on stage, kind of fell asleep on my chair. The guru I drank earlier just didn't do the thing. I believe they started playing around 1:30 in the morning. Tyvek is good. I like the singer's voice. Not the first time I see them in concert. Not the last.



That's pretty much all I can say because I left after only a few songs. My bed was needed (and Princess was waiting for me).

Twin Shadow | Lolawolf

Show: Twin Shadow + Lolawolf
Venue: Café Campus, Montréal
Date: Saturday, April 4th, 2015

I’d like to warn you first, this blog post really isn’t about music. Sorry. Too busy having fun. I take notes on my iPhone usually. Didn’t happen this evening.

Lolawolf

V and I arrive early. We don’t want to miss Lolawolf, the opening act. No regrets because it ends up being good. A bunch of great beats. Didn’t know what to expect, the singer being Lenny Kravitz’ daughter. Soon I realize she does her own thing regardless of who her dad is and I find that cool.

While Lolawolf is playing I bump into a Journal Voir ex colleague. Tells me Twin Shadow is at the merch table. She’d like to have her picture taken with him but couldn’t dare ask him. I make the move, I take a pic of them, and while we’re at it I ask him to sign the rare vinyl I just bought. I feel a bit uncomfortable but hey I won’t let that limit me.

Soon afterwards I realise a guy is giving me the I know you look. I approach him. Turns out I don’t know him. Just thought I was cute. I ask a selfie of him and I. Been doing this for more than a week now. Selfies with strangers. Subsequently send them to my friend K (a student with a shit load of work) to show her she’s missing out on a good night. The guy, a Parisian, is my seventh. V and I end up spending the evening with him.

Twin Shadow

Twin Shadow walks on stage and all is good. The crowd starts dancing to his music. The sound isn’t great but hey! Who’s taking notes?

Twin Shadow and Zoë Kravitz

Zoë Kravitz later joins him for a song. Heck, a few fans from the crowd might as well join him on stage too. They all give him a kiss on the cheek. Don’t know if he appreciated that since the encore was a bit short.

Twin Shadow with fan

The concert is over but not the night. Spring is coming. Or maybe we’ll just skip it and go directly to summer.