Young Men, there's no need to feel down, there's a show on the 4th October.

October the 4th, I hop in my car with Antoine. Beer, a will to escape the ever dooming future of my generation and a hope of finding a groove that'll set me free from all morality and elusive mind bending thoughts or anxieties.  On a warm hot gloomy yet breezy saturdy night, I had my car parked downtown over the hills and as I locked at my car, the question was, will it stay put, will it roll down? Oh whatever it'll be fine I guess. Antoine and I take our stuff and I leave a note saying I just moved in and thus do not have a vignette for my parking yet, hoping it'll disuade any officers or parking agent of leaving a ticket on my windshield. We go down and turn on mcgill and walk and turn again and walk while talking, drinking a beer and suddenly, Antoine asks the question, 

''So were is the show?''

I reply, '' It's in a YMCA, in a gym more specifically.''

''Damn thats crazy, just like when we saw shows younger at school in the gym, god damn!'' He retorques quite surprised.

Once arrived, we greet and meet friends and show attendees. Laughs are exchanged, some scream every two minutes, and others just drink and smoke and find anything fitingly reward to snort of gulp down their system. During my arrival, to my surprise I am one of the few who know the correlation between the song YMCA and the actuals YMCA's, many come out of the washrooms more cultivated and soon the word spreads. While I chat and giggle with the boys of Conflit Majeur and more, inside, on stage, a speech is issued related to homelessness prevention and help. The event was backed by a fundraiser for homelessness prevention. At the start of the night, ex-homeless people and more supporters of the cause eloquated speeches in due matter to sensibilise us all to issues for those who ended or could end up in the streets. Sadly not everybody felt compelled to listen. Most of the younglings were outside screaming and drooling over liters of alcool. But as nightlife settled in, so did the music.

First up was a band called Becyk Fantome. Their set consisted in mechanical moistured sounds with psychedelic ooze spuring out of the amps and a playing so elusive yet rock solid from the drummer who contained all the madness throughout their time on stage. The gym took their sound and made it a landscape for those listening. Anyone fan of Pink Floyd and acts such as West Coast Pop Art Experimental or even the more modern Stereolab are to be satisfied by the Videoville's unique take on trip sitting the crowd through a strange trip. A beer and hastab later, I closed my eyes; I was taken back to Pompeii as Pink Floyd played their iconic set Pink Floyd live at Pompeii. The only difference was the presence of a crowd, the screaming and soulful lyrics weren't ringing through, but the ease my mind felt and the thunderous raucous illness my heart was drafted through were very familiar territory. I found it a very interesting act, yet they should maybe have more lights or a movie or liquid light show going on as they play to add to the ambiance and this captivate the youngsters who are looking for heroin like pleasures to ease their worries. 

Secondly, Conflit Majeur. The band I haven't seen for so long. The excitement was there. All came in at ounce and outside no cries only whispers could be heard. Inside, the gods cried and thunder roared as the guitars embarked and the drum along the bass. Thomas the bassist who also happens to play in The Snatchers, set his fingers on the fretboard and swept us off our cellphones. Justin the singer and guitarist was fronting the movement, singing shouting and hurling all traces of peace and love down the drain. Energetic chaos ensured and all in the place were now swaying left and right, up and down to the grooves. Charles the other guitarist made sure to hang us along the melodies and while the band sang their anthemic choruses, the drummer Anton kept the train steady. Nothing could've gone wrong and nothing did. They were tight, right and shun bright. I believe the gym was a little less helpful in this case, reflecting eerie echos of notes and pronouncing bribes of feedback at times, but that didn't stop the show, nor were the teens and older rockers bothered by any of it. As mentioned before in an interview with l'Album Podcast hosted by Stéphane Archambault, Conflit Majeur write their material during winter mostly so for this show most of the songs dated from Désinvolte and Le Receuil des Clowns. But it was perfect, because they'd recently played bigger shows alongside Propagandhi and they were billed at festivals and more shows upwards in the North around Sainte Thérèse and elsewhere which I hadn't been to. So to me it was refreshing and great to see their new album live. Conflit Majeur deserve all the attention they have and are truly one of the few local bands to embrace Montreal's energetic and chaotic punk movement. 

I sadly had to leave afterwards leaving behind Videoville who played last supporting their brand new album titled Post Burnout. The album, which I listened and adored greatly, is on Spotify also and Cassettes and more are available on their bandcamp for those who are curious! Outside, two teens were Ill-fated and taken care of by their friends. A reminder of the good old days where limits with drugs and alcohol were guidelines not to be followed or cared for. A long walk towards Mont Royal trailed by booze and delirium followed. We went to l'Escogriffe where eyes without faces kept spying upon me from every direction. The dancefloor and stage was trampled by furious dancers, boys, girls and queers and more were enthralled by the music. More beers flowed in, more non sense was uttered and my body snuggled in a state of motionless hypnotic trance. Bodies passed left and right, I couldn't help but feel eyes were about to tear through my face, hands and shoulders would soon anchor themselves down my skin. A couple cigarettes and off to home it was, after a hefty walk of two hours searching, wasping, buzzing around streets in hopes of finding the car. One last thing, I really wish one of the band would've covered the track YMCA but hey, next time. Thank you for reading and may peace and sobriety of mind and body tail your week. Goodbye.