MMMMMM Good: M for Montreal Music Festival

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M for Montreal is delicious. At night, check out rising stars in the music industry. Each day, there are some free shows, so even those feeling a bit broke have a reason to come check things out. During the day, recover from the party with workshops that give pointers for everyone from pros to amateurs. The festival started yesterday, but rages on. Here are a few events you probably don’t want to miss.

Combining immersive film with live performance and promising to recreate a baroque world, the SAT is the place to start the evening with Pop d’Époque. Party Like It’s 1699 artist collective (Frances McKenzie and Aleks Schumer) combine opera, new media, dance, theatre, period music, and contemporary bands together. It sounds like a real mash-up. On Thursday, the featured performers are Synja and the Year of Glad. On Friday, it’s Flist! and a special guest. SAT (1201 St Laurent). 7 p.m. $42.25

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After immersing, we think the best show to hit up Club Soda to see the ladies of garage rock. Things start with indie dance-party makers Le Trouble, and then turn garage country with Canailles. July Talk brings their raunchy, co-ed blues n’ rock (read our interview with the band HERE). Finally, acadian headliner Lisa Leblanc will win and break a few hearts. Lisa LeBlanc is a country-plucked singer-songwriter with guitar and banjo stylings that call heartbreak and trouble friends. Her music is like doing 160 on a country road and blowing by a sign that says Road Closed. Get ready to ride, cowboy.
Club Soda on November 20 at 8 p.m. $20.

November 21 starts bright and early with a line-up in Cafe Campus, as well as some early shows. Of particular note, Adam Cohen arrives at Place des Arts at 8 p.m. with soft roots, authenticity, and a sensitive pop sound. Yes, he’s the son of the L guy. Read our interview with him HERE. For a completely different experience, Casa del Popolo has a lineup of music that will groove your little hip-hop lovin’ heart. Things kick  offwith Holy Family. These guys came all the way from Gothenburg, Sweden. That’s reason enough to check out these synth-meisters. Torontonian a l l i e sings soulful R&B poetry. We’ve been huge fans of Saxsyndrum for a while now (check HERE for our interview with these tune weavers). They move the show into the late night, so it can end in the wee hours with the b-girls of Heart Streets. For those who dig their noise, rumor has it that members of Godspeed You! Black Emperor will be lending a few hands to the Wrekmeister Harmonies, who are playing at La Vitrola (4302 St. Laurent) at 23:30.

November 22, the last day is as solid as the first and mercifully starts with a brunch at Cafe Campus at 12:30 p.m. We point you to ambient sounds. The rather chill jazz-experimental trio, The Dawn of Midi opens for Nils Frahm is at Metropolis. Soothe and sway. If you’re still standing, the Celestics and Illuminati AMS are at Apt 200 (3643) in the post midnight hours.

M for Montreal runs from November 19-November 22. See website for details.