The definitive POP Montreal 2017 mixtape
To mark the 16th edition of POP Montreal, running September 13 to 17, we asked Concordia’s headliners to share their top program picks, complete with favourite tracks.
The result? A handpicked Concordia mixtape of this year’s must-see POP shows.
1. Bernardino Femminielli – “Plaisirs Américains”
At POP Montreal on Wednesday, September 13 at 10:30 p.m. | Piccolo Little Burgundy
“In recent months, I've been heavily listening to Bernardino Femminielli's Plaisirs Américains. The title track is totally my jam and I love it while I'm painting. I highly recommend the whole album.”
~ Think About Life’s Matt Shane (MFA 13)
2. Loon – “Dance”
At POP Montreal on Saturday, September 16 at 9 p.m. | La Vitrola
“Tessa Kautzman is a killer musician and her band Loon is very cool. This goosebump-inducing track has a dreamy, shoe-gaze vibe, but with a tendency to lean into a Kate Bush–like vocal that is assertive yet vulnerable.”
~The Dears’ Natalia Yanchak (BA 00)
3. Narcy – “Makoo”
At POP Montreal on Friday, September 15 at 8 p.m. | Théâtre Fairmount (Salle Shure)
“I love this guy. Fun fact: I once asked him to produce a full-length version of the ‘Elephant in the Room’ sample from the ‘Radio Suite’ interlude on his We Are The Medium album.”
~ Strange Froots’ Magassy Mbow (BA 14)
4. Duchess Says – “Negative Thoughts”
At POP Montreal on Saturday, September 16 at 10 p.m. | Bar Le Ritz P.D.B.
“I saw Duchess Says at the Green Room, I think, in 2006ish. The way the singer moved around the stage never left my mind. Sometimes I'm unsure of the point of live music, and then I think of her and it's obvious.”
~ James Irwin (BA 05)
5. King Woman – “Deny”
At POP Montreal on Thursday, September 14 at 8:30 p.m. | La Vitrola
"King Woman makes the kind of doom-ridden, slow-pounding, atmospheric rock we love. We can't wait to play with them on September 14 at Vitrola!"
~ Heathers’ Heather Hardie (BFA 10)
6. Hurray for the Riff Raff – “The Body Electric”
At POP Montreal on Sunday, September 17 at 10:30 p.m. | Piccolo Little Burgundy
“The band I most want to see is Hurray for the Riff Raff. I love Alynda Lee Segarra's voice and spirit so much and have never gotten to see them perform. That said, I play a show in Toronto the same night they're playing here, so I'll miss them once again. Everyone else, go see them for me!”
~ Little Scream’s Laurel Sprengelmeyer (GrCert 02)
7. Ora Cogan – “The Light”
At POP Montreal on Thursday, September 14 at 9 p.m. | Brasserie Beaubien
“Ora Cogan is an amazing dream-pop songwriter with a beautiful new album.”
~ Abigail Lapell (BA 08)
8. Royal Trux – “Shockwave Rider”
At POP Montreal on Saturday, September 16 at 9 p.m. | Théâtre Fairmount (Salle Shure)
"It's really tough to single out a song by Royal Trux — pretty much all of Cats and Dogs is great and some of the later singles like “Stop” are really well-crafted. But “Shockwave Rider” is a really unique track. Very gritty and dreamy at the same time. The weird backwards bit at the intro really sets the mood."
~ Freelove Fenner’s Caitlin Loney (MA 12)
9. Think About Life – “Sweet Sixteen”
At POP Montreal on Saturday, September 16 at 11 p.m. | Piccolo Little Burgundy
“Think About Life is Montreal's best supergroup and best-kept secret, but they’re sadly defunct, except for this reunion show. Their individual members also comprise Dishwasher and Miracle Fortress — both worth checking out in detail.”
~ Saxsyndrum’s Nick Schofield (BFA 10)
10. John Maus – “Quantum Leap”
At POP Montreal on Friday, September 15 at 9 p.m. | Théâtre Rialto (Salle St-Ambroise)
“I've never seen John Maus perform before so I'm really excited. I've heard he puts on a really intense show. ‘Quantum Leap’ is a fave — it's a song that gets stuck in my head but it's also really intense and trippy. I love the dramatic vocals and how all the different instruments come in and out. I hope to hear this one live!”
~ GG Love’s Georgia Graham (current BFA student)
Check out the schedule of Concordians at POP and view the full POP Montreal lineup.
