Bundle up, Montreal! It’s time for Taverne Tour. From February 6th-8th, 2025, Taverne Tour’s boundless programming will sprawl across the main street venues of Montreal’s iconic Plateau borough. Offering a wide stylistic spectrum from garage, punk and hardcore to rap, electronic music, neo soul and rock & roll, Taverne Tour’s lineup showcases homegrown mainstays and notable touring talent. Aside from the Also Cool showcase on February 7th at O Patro Vys, here are our recommendations for your Taverne Tour musical checklist!

Montreal alternative singer-songwriter Ada Lea always has us at the edge of our seats, attentively parsing over every word she sounds out in her intimate sets. Known for her melancholic 2022 Polaris long-listed sophomore album one hand on the steering wheel the other sewing a garden, Lea has a third album in the works for later this year, which is rumoured to be her best yet. Her stunning 2024 EP notes leaves us eager to reencounter Lea’s raw, character-focused songwriting in the flesh.

Ada Lea plays Saturday, February 8th at La Sala Rossa.

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The 1980 cult album Transportation from NYC-born mutant disco troubadour Chandra is a cherished gem in the Also Cool record vault. Four decades later, interpretations of her pre-teen new wave revelations are still infectiously danceable, and have toured with the CHANDRA band across Canada, the United States, and all the way to Barcelona’s Primavera Sound festival. The current iteration of the CHANDRA band includes members of Bile Sister, Body Breaks, New Chance, MISZCZYK and Blonde Elvis, among others.

The CHANDRA band plays on Saturday, February 8th at Le Ministère.

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For those who have yet to experience the undeniable star power of Montreal hip hop artist Fraud Perry, you’re in for a treat. Described as the lovechild of Doja Cat, Rico Nasty and Azealia Banks (with the Also Cool addition of a sprinkle of Doechii), Perry’s witty flow and Southern charm commands a room, leaving audiences enchanted and utterly gagged. Hot off the release of her Goodybag mixtape this past fall, we anticipate a class-act performance, complete with Perry’s signature double entendres and punk attitude.

Fraud Perry plays on Friday, February 7th at Le Belmont.

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Another must-see act from this year’s Taverne Tour lineup is seminal garage rock trio The Gories. Formed in Detroit in 1986, the band’s visceral approach to its signature “punk blues” sound is a beacon of DIY excellence. With an expansive lore (which includes recording in a tin shack, releasing a Spinal Tap cover on Sub Pop, breaking up and eventually reuniting), these forerunners of Motor City noise bring an essential chapter of musical education to the festival.

The Gories play Saturday, February 8th at Le Belmont.

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New York City’s Lip Critic intrigues with the amount of sound four people can produce. Composed of two drummers, two samplers and vocals, Lip Critic’s charging collision of digital hardcore, punk and industrial incites head banging and wide-toothed grins. The band’s 2024 album Hex Dealer (Partisan Records), is a totally uninhibited desecration of the powers that be, and a new favourite listen for fans of The Garden, YHWH Nailgun and Death Grips.

Lip Critic plays Saturday, February 8th at La Sotterenea.

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A live performance from hometown heroes Ribbon Skirt is always on our radar. Formerly known as Love Language, the band is led by musician Tashiina Buswa with support from her close friend and collaborator Billy Riley. With their debut album Bite Down set to arrive April 11th via Mint Records, Ribbon Skirt’s latest brings a darker, more experimental atmosphere to the indie rock duo’s effervescent energy, exploring themes of memory, grief and Buswa’s connection to her Anishinaabe identity and cultural practices.

Ribbon Skirt plays on Thursday, February 6th at La Sala Rossa.

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