Pop Montreal Day 1

Hello from Montreal, here’s a recap of yesterday

Matt and Kim was sold out! Someone wasn’t fast enough on their media rsvping.  Went down the street to check out The Montreal Nintendo Orchestra an experimental act that makes music with two Nintendo DS units and a wack of pedals. It was interesting but def no Matt and Kim.  Made me feel like I had drank some of the magic koolaid, which I’m sure is the intention.

Montreal Nintendo orchestra video.

We then hit up Jay Reatard who I didn’t know much about.  I was very impressed, just the right mix of metal, punk and pop.  The venue, La Sala Rosa was pretty awesome, It didn’t look like a venue from the outside and there’s a Mexican restaurant that we had some pops at below it on the second floor. The kids were going nuts.

Jay Reatard – See Saw

We then headed back to Matt and Kim and managed to walk in and catch the last half of their set! I had a hard time keeping my lens from fogging up, people were losing it and Matt & Kim were cute in their own genuine Matt and Kim way.

Ended up at a reggae night and managed to clear the dance floor.  then went for pooh-teen. Awesome!

We interviewed the D’Urbervilles today a very very wicked Toronto band.  I managed not to throw up or sweat too much as the hangover was in effect.

Fever Ray, tonight.

Fever Ray – If I Had A Heart (Fuck Buttons Remix)

PS, how rad are these guys and this Joy Division inspired video. Very stoked to see them tomorrow!

The Chromatics: Disco does a phoenix

Disco is making a big comeback. Labels like DFA and bands like Hercules & Love Affair seem to be getting all the hipster love for reviving the genre. Another label hard at work at bringing back italo-disco–with a distinctly modern favour–is Italians Do It Better. Two bands on the IDIB roster that deserve special attention are Glass Candy and The Chromatics.

I think a Pitchfork critic got it right (yeah, yeah… sometimes they do get it right) when he said that Italians Do It Better “lovingly re-imagines the style as retro-futurist noir– a sleek soundtrack to lives of moral ambiguity in post-urban shadows.”

Both bands are making really exciting music right now. Definitely get into them now before everyone else does. The Chromatics album “Night Drive” was on a lot of “2007 best of” lists and Glass Candy was one of 25 bands on NME’s “Bands Making America Cool Again” list.

Keep an eye on winniecooper.net for upcoming interviews with Glass Candy (on August 25th) and The Chromatics (September). We always give you the good shit.

The Chromatics – “Running Up That Hill” (Kate Bush cover)

Glass Candy – “Computer Love” (Kraftwerk cover)

Those of us in Vancouver get to see The Chromatics live this weekend.

THE BILTMORE CABARET (395 KINGSWAY)

SATURDAY AUGUST 9TH

10-2AM

Tickets will be available at the door *only*

$15

The show is being put on by Winnie Cooper ally Tyler Fedchuk. He is celebrating 50 of his radiozero podcasts. Check out www.radiozero.ca for regular podcasts chock full of indie goodness.

If you are worried about getting into the show (and you should be), send Tyler an email and tell him how much you like radiozero podcasts and his remixes and he will put you on the ticket “to-buy” list to make sure you have a ticket waiting at the door. Email him at… tylerfedchuk@gmail.com. Put “CHROMATICS RADIOZERO TO-BUY LIST” in the subject line.

Jay Reatard – “I know A Place” (Tyler Fedchuk edit)