Dance Disaster Movement / Kill Me Tomorrow / Desirs Demodes

With noise rock shows now the place to find Montreal scenesters, the double threat of California's stylish Kill Me Tomorrow and Dim Mak's resident pep squad, Dance Disaster Movement, were a sure bet for a rainy Tuesday evening. The night kicked off with Desirs Demodes, a new project from the minds of local label Mintaka Conspiracy. The post-hardcore quartet featured members from favourite locals Lae-Tseu and Mia Verko, and offered up some moody, ethereal heaviness. I especially liked the cool sliding guitars, innovative percussion and catchy bass lines. Desirs Demodes were somewhat of an awkward fit on this bill however, since their Cave-In-esque indie meets metal was slightly too low key for what many hoped would be a danceable show. Kill Me Tomorrow brought their gloomy noise rock up next with a sexy, lashing set that started strong but almost seemed to fizzle out by its finish. The set seemed anticlimactic because their performance showcased their gothic tendencies more than their dance ones. Still, the audience didn't seem disappointed and were still treated to a solid dose of KMT's signature corrosive guitar bits and driving electro-beats. The dual vocals between husband and wife team Zack and K8 were particularly great, that is when the sometimes fickle sound permitted. The always brash Dance Disaster Movement opened their set slowly with an onslaught of noise and loops but quickly brought it up to pace. This was definitely not the most charming DDM show I have seen, almost paling in comparison to their spastic set opening for the Blood Brothers back in 2003. Nonetheless, disco punk minister Kevin Disco managed to get people dancing with one swift move in that billowy white blouse.