Magazine

This Filthy World: An Evening with John Waters - POP Montreal 2016

--Trigger warning: The opinions expressed in this article are that of the author's and do not reflect the views of CJLO 1690AM, CJLO's editorial board, or our partners and affiliates. ;-)

As a poor University student living in my first apartment way back in the mid-nineties, I spent many a weekend watching old VHS tapes rented from the "cult film" section at Movieland on Saint-Catherine Ouest. 'Member VHS? Anyway, one fateful Friday night I picked up a faded old box that featured a frightening woman-creature in a red dress and big bouffant hairdo on the cover.

There are scores of shows at POP Montreal, more rare are the MOMENTS,  when everything is beautiful, everyone is engaged, your throat tightens and you smile to yourself because you know that this is truly special. Leif Vollebekk's Friday night rooftop set was such a moment. Panoramic views over Montreal, gothic rooftops and the Mt Royal cross pushing up into the cloud line, the sun setting golden orange in the Montreal north. On a Persian rug island ringed with electric candelabra, Vollebekk sets up, invites the tiny crowd to pull near. What follows is a deeply intimate hour of music, Vollebekk alternately behind the keyboard and guitar, traffic from Parc Avenue offering the occasional punctuation. 

Presented by Evenko and POP Montreal

The music of L.A. Witch has a prowling, expansive, and gorgeously atmospheric quality that grabs the attention and enters your dreams. One can hear the influence of bands like Mazzy Star, or The Dream Syndicate and Opal from the '80s paisley underground scene in Los Angeles, but L.A. Witch's vibe is stripped down to the bare bones and sexier, with a more intimate grindhouse rocker vibe.

Presented by Greenland Productions

The first time R&B singer Gallant came on my radar was when one of the bartenders asked me to play "Weight in Gold" while I was DJing one evening. I played the track and had to get the album. After listening to Ology, I immediately became a fan and was super excited to see the show at Théâtre Fairmount, one of my favourite intimate venues in Montreal and walking distance from my home!