POP Montreal 2015: Just Say Yes!

Sue from the 'Cult of Yes' picks her POP favourites

Look, we can fight about it if you want. Sure, classes have begun and we'll soon be drowning in pumpkin spice everything, but I say summer's not over until POP Montreal is over. Stamped it, no erasies. POP is a five-day party featuring hundreds of your favourite bands (and new favourite bands) plus symposia, visual art, film, crafts galore at Puces POP and so much more. So gather 'round, let's plan out our last hurrah before the summer officially slips away, shall we?

Wednesday, September 16th

Opening Party! POP Quarters will be brimming with folks checking out this year's Art POP offerings and lining up for free beer. This is a chance to high five old friends or maybe meet a new show buddy. Beat the crowd and come by for a 3:45 PM set by CJLO faves Nancy Pants. Their stripped-down pop sounds are guaranteed to put you in the party spirit. POP Quarters, 5 PM to 7 PM - FREE

Hitchhike up to the (newly renovated and pretty darn swanky-looking) Théâtre Fairmount for garage-rock legends The Sonics. Formed in Tacoma, WA by a bunch of teenagers in the early 1960s, The Sonics cranked out a highly-influential catalogue in just a few short years. Now The Sonics are in their seventies, and while they've certainly outgrown their teenage sneer, their 2015 album This is The Sonics still sounds vital, growly, and aggressive. I'm looking forward to watching these pros teach the kids a thing or two about rock. Montreal's Les Breastfeeders will be warming up the stage. Come early, I predict a packed house. Théâtre Fairmount, 9 PM - $30/$33

Thursday, September 17th

Oh, Thursday. You're a heartbreaker. Programming for the 17th is bonkers, with can't miss shows happening all over town. I'll likely be heading over to see much-loved Montreal adoptees, Dany Laj and the Looks, who are closing a loaded evening over at Club Lambi. With a new album, Word on the Street, released this spring, the band has been busy bringing their music to parts of Canada that are well off the usual touring circuit. As someone who spent a good many years living in small-town Eastern Canada, I've got nothing but love for artists who make the long trek. This is a band with a big, scrappy heart that beats out perfect pop songs. Good vibes assured. Club Lambi, 9 PM - $10 (with The Nils, Hot Panda, Twin River, Adam Strangler)

If you were too underage or too out of the loop to catch Bionic back in the late '90s and early '00s, now's your chance. The beards are all back together for a start-to-finish performance of Bionic's self-titled debut release. Expect loud guitars and plenty of wisecracks from front man/curmudgeon Jonathan Cummins. La Sala Rossa, 9 PM - $15 (with Squalor, Hashed Out, Fashion Police)

Friday, September 18th

By Friday you should be hitting your POP stride, a few great shows under your belt. Now's a great time for something a little different: "THE TROUBLE WITH REALITY// NO FUN" are two contemporary dance/live rock hybrids. This is the kind of interdisciplinary cross-pollination that makes my heart hum with glee. An incarnation of "THE TROUBLE WITH REALITY" at festival Phénomena this past year had me cackling at their biting treatment of celebrity culture and rock mythos. Dancer Karen Fennell and musician Jackie Gallant are perfectly paired and delightfully mordant.

Helen Simard's "NO FUN" teams three dancers and four musicians on stage for a look into the guts of rock and roll. Inspired by the music and excess of Iggy Pop, "NO FUN" is loud, weird, uncomfortable, and hilarious. This still one of my favourite works of the past few years, and I recommend it to any rock nerd worth their salt, whether they think they like dance or not. Monument National - $23. Runs September 17, 18, and 19 at 7:30 PM and September 20 at 4 PM

Saturday, September 19th

Record fair! Come early for the best picks, vinyl lovers. This year's fair boasts twice as many booths as last year, and while I'll miss the distinctive dusty perfume of the Ukrainian Federation's basement, a bigger space means more choice and less chance of crowd rage. CJLO DJ's will be on-site spinning records, plus there will be pierogi to keep you fuelled for some epic crate-digging. Eglise St. Michel - FREE. Saturday and Sunday 11 AM - 6 PM

Best way to start your Saturday night is with Li'l Andy, I'd say. He'll be dishing up some witty country and dark gospel tunes, hilarious between-song anecdotes and observations also surely on the menu. Andy will be our guest in-studio this week on Champions of the Local Scene, so tune in at 6 PM on Wednesday the 16th! L'Esco, 8:30 PM - $10 (with Good Bad Kid, Gianna Lauren, Delta Will, Windburn)

Sunday, September 20th

If you got lots of energy left and you just need to dance it out on the last night of the festival, I recommend hitting Quai des Brumes for the pop stylings of Toronto's Fast Romantics. With incredibly catchy tunes and a few very clever videos, Fast Romantics seem ripe and ready for massive popularity. Catch them while they're still playing bar shows and tell your friends you saw 'em back when. Quai des Brumes, 10:30 PM - $10/$12 (with Grand Lark and Choses Sauvages)

--Sue Snyder is the tall chick in the front row blocking your view of the band. She's also a belly dancer making unusual dances with her cosmic twin under the name Cult of Yes. Finder her on the Twitter @Susie_Qc.