“M FOR MONTRÉAL” TO SHOWCASE MONTRÉAL ARTISTS AT THE EL REY THEATRE IN LOS ANGELES MONDAY, MARCH 19

            M FOR MONTRÉAL, presented by Goldenvoice, is set for Monday, March 19 at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles.  This event will showcase breaking Montréal-based artists Patrick Watson, Les Breastfeeders, Plaster and feature special guest DJ James DiSalvio (of Bran Van 3000).  Doors open at 8:00 PM and tickets are on sale now for $12.00 via TicketMaster charge-by-phone lines at (213) 480-3232 and at all TicketMaster retail ticket centers or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

        M FOR MONTRÉAL is a new initiative developed by Avalanche Productions in collaboration with Martin Elbourne (Glastonbury Festival/The Great Escape).  Their goal: to expose the some of the most exciting and export-ready bands and launch them into the international marketplace.  "Music in Montréal evolves very quickly and creativity is definitely valued over commercialism.  Artists here are instantly bored by too much attention or success, so you find a lot of cool Frankenstein side projects popping up.  It's exciting because there is always new music to discover, and it's completely different from what you heard yesterday," notes event coordinator Julie Blake.  The wide range of breakout artists to recently come out of Montréal's hotly-tipped music scene include critically acclaimed outfit the Arcade Fire, dark orchestral-pop band The Dears, indie-rock darlings Wolf Parade and The Stills, metal foursome Priestess, electro-funk duo Chromeo and French-singing soaring rock act Malajube, to name a few.

            Patrick Watson (www.patrickwatson.net; www.myspace.com/patrickwatson)–a four piece named for their lead singer–offers psych-folk tales of melancholic euphoria. It's Jeff Buckley singing on Philip Glass' music. Their last CD Close To Paradise is the soundtrack of an imaginary movie and their shows, complex and elaborate, hit all senses in every angle and stick to the audience's memory long after the last note has been played.  The Montréal Mirror raved: "The four formulate an exquisite balance of timeless pop-music artistry, jazz precision, indie-rock honesty and classical romance, with Watson's aching vocals and intricate ivory-tickling at its core" (September 21, 2006).  In a review of their live show, the Boston Phoenix noted: "…Patrick Watson opens…with songs that sound like Wyatt Earp–a sheet of metal howls like wind through plains in 'The Storm.' Montréaler Watson plays a balloon that squeals and shudders, too…the band jumps stage and plays their last song acoustic from the middle of the bar…" (February 28, 2007).

    Déjeuner sur l'herbe, the first offense of Montréal's rock outfit Les Breastfeeders (www.lesbreastfeeders.ca; www.myspace.com/lesbreastfeeders65), conquered both the public and the critics after its release in 2004 on the Blow The Fuse label. Since then, the group has traveled throughout Quebec to present their frenetic and contagious shows.  Les Breastfeeders are back full force with Les Matins de Grands Soirs.  On top of the dizzying tour schedule and the excitement surrounding the release of Les Matins de Grands Soirs in the country, the record will be released in the United States and France in Winter 2007.  "Dueling fille et garçon vocalists Luc Brien and Suzie McLelove careen around the stage like a demolition-derby version of Sonny and Cher, leaving a trail of heartbreak and hip-shake in their wake (May 25, 2005)," said New York's Village Voice in a review of their live performance.  Meanwhile, SPIN.COM lauded Les Breastfeeders' "good, old fashioned garage-rock," continuing "…things stay fresh with the mannered, sexy vocals of McLeLove, who pops to the forefront every few songs to calm les hommes. Highlight 'Funny Funiculaire' bounces with easy momentum, 'Qui a deux femmes?' is Sonic Youth through a looking glass, and the beat-driven bagpipes on 'Septembre sous le pluie' will make you run through the streets declaring your joie de vivre" (February 15, 2007).

    Plaster (www.plasterband.com; www.myspace.com/plasterband) offers an entertaining cocktail of perfectly shaken electronic beats mixed with jazz spontaneity on their debut CD First Aid Kit.  The group's live performances offer an energy which captivates audiences to emerge themselves in a universe of mystical grooves.  According to the Montréal Gazette, "The Montréal electro-jazz three-piece makes funky, murky soundscapes that it likens to sonic cinema.  Combining samples and synthesizer textures with solid beats and adventurous improvisation…" (December 22, 2005).

    DJ James DiSalvio is the mastermind behind critically acclaimed indie-dance outfit Bran Van 3000. The band's popularity soared in the late '90s in both Canada and abroad thanks to the hit track "Drinking in LA" from their debut release Glee. DiSalvio now focuses on his DJ roots.

    For more information on M FOR MONTRÉAL, go to:  www.mformontreal.com.  

 

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