Montreal goes ‘Pop’

Hometown of acts like Arcade Fire, The Dears and Broken Social Scene you can see why NME has dubbed Montreal “one of the most fertile hot beds of music on the planet”. There will be the occasional superstar and breakthrough act, but most of all Pop Montreal is where you will see the headliners of the future play to their first excited crowds in old theatres, churches, loft spaces and intimate venues around Montreal.

When: Oct 1-5, 2007 Montreal, Canada

Why: POP Montreal is a daring and exciting array of concerts and parties by iconic legends and rare savants in old theatres, churches, loft spaces, loading docks and traditional venues around Montreal. There will be over 300 artists performing this year: there will be art shows and a fashion show; as well as Film Pop and Puces Pop, the hottest craft fair known to indie-kind. With free workshops, demonstrations and exhibits where kids and teens can express their creative magic Kids Pop takes top prize as the hippest family festival!

How: Find everything they need to know in the brand new “schedule” section of the web site. Show tickets are priced between £2.50-£10 or you can purchase event passes Pop Pass or Industry Pass. The Pop Pass holders will be able to get in all the events that aren't full by showing up just before they happen. Industry Pass holders are the only ones who will be able to get past the gates in the Nick Cave show and a unique RSVP System will let them secure their place into every big show at the festival.

This year getting from one venue to the next couldn’t be easier or greener with the introduction of a bike hire scheme which can be pre-booked online. Hiring a vintage two-wheeler will cost £25 (exchange rate dependant!) for the week and you can keep the bike at night - though of course drinking and bike riding aren’t the best mix.

Who: Confirmed artists are Nick Cave, The Dears, Black Kids, Ratatat, Land of Talk, Hot Chip, RemBots, Great Lake Swimmers, You Say Party! We Say Die!, Michie Mee, Pigeon Funk, Japandroids, Lucy and the Popsonics, Mother Mother, Slowest Runner in the World, Brazilian Girls, Nuclear Power Pants, Liam finn, Cex, Dirty on Purpose, Ryan Newman, Mittenstrings, Lesser Gonzales, Chrom Jackson, Made in Mexico, The Luyas, FRED, Ira Lee, Tyvek, Transhuman, Special Noise, Growing, Still Life Still, Camaromance.

More info: See Popmontreal.com.