Pop Montreal Day 2: More or Les, Killa Jewel, Fresh Kils, Jesse Dangerously, Kyrie Kristmanson & Code Pie… and lotsa bicycles

More photos in the Indyish Schmoozetalk Group on Flickr… My personal Flickr Page is here too.

Giddyup! The folks at Pop have once again managed to cram in the greatest density of performing musicians per square kilometre in the world (well, my world)… Half the fun is seeing what’s being used as a venue. Walk the streets of Mile-End and spot the crowds gathering. This is the first time I’ve ever been delayed for a show because I couldn’t find a parking spot… for my bicycle. Kudos to the crowds getting around en pedalo; I wish I had this problem every day. Bikes locked up to fences in triplicate, bikes locked up to the tops of fences… I’m only now just realizing I could draft a photo expose on the new ways people are finding to lock up their two-wheelers.

Jesse Dangerously

First stop was Quai Des Brumes to catch More Or Les’ set. I also caught the tail end of Nova Scotia’s Jesse Dangerously. The first time I saw Jesse, he was a heavily pixelated jpeg he’d sent me via email for his Fringe fest show. His resolution has increased to a full 1280×1024, red tie and all. Jesse is intense on stage and I love watching him get into it. Check him out!

More Or Les
Killa-Jewel
Fresh Kills

Now, for More Or Les & co. I’m getting more and more into rap these days, but I’m picky. I like wit. I like smarts. I like social commentary. Blue Scholars, the Roots, Immortal Technique… that’s some of the stuff that’s caught my attention and sustained. But of course, my picks have to have catchy beats and back drops.

Well, More Or Les is it. Backed up by Killa-Jewel (turntablism) and Fresh Kils (beats), he is a force on stage (Back up? That doesn’t sound right… these two are forces to be reckoned with). I’ve got to get a copy of his CD, “The Truth About Rap”, for further enjoyment… and hope that he goes up again soon so I can introduce all my friends to his music. And I want to see more Killa and Fresh. Their set was great, now I want them to keep us up all night. It just didn’t seem right to have them stop at 11.00p.

Kyrie Kristmanson

My Thursday night marathon didn’t extend beyond two venues… Next stop was Kyrie Kristmanson at Casa del Popolo. No surprises here: I saw Kyrie at the Fringe this past summer (slash booked her on the recommendation of a friend and a very solid song list on her myspace page). She wowed and wooed as always and though the room seemed to know what to expect (her following builds and builds), they were no less enamored with her stage presence then first timers asking "who is that?" and groping for the 10$ to buy her CD no more then 20 seconds after she leaves the stage (and makes you create rambling sentences your high school English teacher would smack you for)…

Code Pie
Code Pie!: surprise! I had not heard of them; they went on after Kyrie and I could not slip into Man Man. Six performers crammed onto Popolo’s stage and finished us all off for the better. CP’s lead singer (his name I cannot track…) had some antics too that energized and got our attention, and watching him play off a trumpet and string bass was pretty entertaining, if not a strange juxtaposition… but as a friend said "Close your eyes, stop thinking and enjoy."

Done. Did. Awesome. Now I’m just wondering when I’ll see someone I don’t like so I can sound like I know what I’m talking about ;)

Friday night: Steelworkers! and more!