Pop Goes Montreal

PHOTOS BY RICHMOND LAM

Ah, Montreal. There's a reason this town makes headlines; a reason bands like Arcade Fire, Wolf Parade, Stars all moved here and call it home. Now in its sixth year and still as pure as a French virgin, music festival Pop Montreal embodies everything we adore about Canada's coolest city; The artsy-hip neighborhoods Plateau Mont-Royal and Mile End, Leonard Cohen, spiral staircases, two-cheek kisses -- and perpetual discontent. What else can you expect from a French-meets-English town with cheap rent, long winters, unlimited inspiration but limited opportunity? The upside, of course, is a creative one: cocooned from the rat race, people are free to just do their thing.

Pop Montreal is one of those things. Curated by co-founder Dan Seligman, the festival, which kicked off last night and will run through Sunday (Oct. 7), represents both music and Montreal at their best: diverse, raucous, and unifying. With more than 300 performances of all shapes and sizes, this year's lineup features Patti Smith, Hot Hot Heat, Black Mountain, the Stills, A-Trak, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, and many more.

Already roaming the streets this week is a disproportionate number of dilapidated vans and scruffy beards. (Um, the bagels are on Rue St-Viateur, dude.) Five days, three hundred shows, very many taxi rides, and very little sleep. What else are they in for? Day one offers a fine look.

As curious music geeks and foreign cool kids drifted into the intimate La Tulipe venue last night (Oct. 3), the vibe was restrained; awkward even. Was it first-night festival jitters? Were people not drunk enough yet? Check. And check. First to break the ice was local art popsters Miracle Fortress. Jangling along with their bouncy, synth-pop imported from some other, miraculous planet, loyal fans held court in front of the stage as vocalist Graham Van Pelt and his cohorts offered highlights from their pastel-tinted debut LP, Five Roses. The quaint foursome also snuck in some thunderous, uplifting new material, which Van Pelt later confessed from the merch booth, is currently unnamed, but the dizzying cheerfulness of "Have You Seen in Your Dreams" made for a delightful closer.

Born Ruffians frontman Luke LaLonde / Photo by Richmond Lam

Next up at La Tulipe was Born Ruffians, a double clap-happy Toronto trio touring with headliners Caribou. "We're nervous in Montreal, and you guys are also a very quiet crowd," implored singer/guitarist Luke LaLonde, clad in a geek-chic sweater-vest. Angular and impressively tight, songs like "Red Elephant" proved there's no need for these boys' frayed nerves. Once Caribou wordlessly exploded onto the stage, people finally let loose, losing themselves in Dan Snaith's dizzying pop psychedelia found on his latest studio effort, Andorra. Pop Montrealites should be warmed up now…

Magnolia Electric Co.'s Jason Molina / Photo by Richmond Lam

Framed by red velvet curtains and crystal chandeliers, Chicago-based country outfit Magnolia Electric Co. looked right at home on Sala Rossa's small stage. Note: Sala Rossa is hidden above a Spanish restaurant in what looks like an old apartment building, and both the concert hall and eatery are owned by Godspeed You! Black Emperor bassist Mauro Pezzente. Sporting a cowboy hat, MEC frontman Jason Molina led his band through a good old-fashioned evening of songs, wit, and storytelling. And they had miles of material to choose from -- their latest album, the four-disc set Sojourner, was highlighted with dark hits such as "Farewell Transmission" and a cover of Hank Williams' "You Win Again." One of the night's best moments, though, came during the encore when bassist Peter Schreiner and guitarist Jason Evans Groth both lit up cigarettes, turned towards each other, and began puffing away as if the secret to jamming was hidden in the curls of smoke. The small but devoted plaid-shirted crowd hooted and hollered appreciatively as the band launched into the final number of the night, "Just Be Simple." Sounds like good advice.