Pouzza Fest 2014

June 16 2014 // Clifton Hanger // Magazine // Features

--Photography by Robert Portnoff. Clifton Hanger hosts Brave New Jams, every Saturday 10-midnight on CJLO.

The fourth edition of the punk music extravaganza known as Pouzza Fest started on a soggy note, with the constant showers cancelling the free outdoor shows. All the rain, and the red light district mixing with the punk atmosphere reminded me of the line in Taxi Driver, "someday a real rain will come and wash all this scum off the streets."

Confined to Montreal's bastion of punk, Les Foufounes Électriques. That darn rain, nay torrential downpour, caused me to miss many great bands at Théâtre Sainte-Catherine, in particular SNFU's late night show at Katacombes, and gave me a cold.

The smoke machine was set to 11 adding to the party atmosphere at Foufounes when Two Cow Garage and the So So Glos hit the Sailor Jerry stage. The Front Bottoms (I wonder if they know the Fraggle Rock character Side Bottom) and The Hold Steady rocked the house on their way to closing out the first night of Pouzza Fest.

The rain cleared for the second night, and the festival's free-outdoor shows went ahead as scheduled, with Xavier Caféïne headlining a stellar line up. The rest of the evening was spent over at Club Soda. Returning from Pouzza fests of the past were The Flatliners back on the lineup. Morgan, The Real Deal, Morning Glory, and Mad Caddies also thrilled the packed venue.

The third and last day of Pouzza Fest I was back at Foufounes for the highly-anticipating return of another favourite from Pouzza's past, The Menzingers. Also on that evening were The Holy Mess, Drag the River, and Dillenger Four closing out the night. The festival did not end there, the Broadcats and The Lillingtons were playing well into the morning at Le Saint-Ciboire and Katacombes.

When the dust had settled and another Pouzza Fest reached its conclusion, there was nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile and save up for the fifth round in 2015.

A fan rooting for guitarist Micah Schnabel of Two Cow Garage

Rockin' the mohawk during the So So Glos set at Les Foufounes Électriques

The Front Bottoms wowed the crowd with their blow-up creatures

Guitar player for the Front Bottoms, Brian Sella

The So So Glos and some cool colours

Even Batman took some time off from fighting crime to join Montreal's own The Real Deal at Pouzza Fest (don't tell anyone but Batman's real identity is not Bruce Wayne, it's Powder Ryan Stick)