Pop Montreal's starting in a couple of days (not to mention our party at Club Lambi on Wednesday night). You probably already know what shows you're gonna get drunk at, but we still thought we'd point out a couple of acts that you might have overlooked. It'll be new and scary but also fun. Like the first time you tried sushi or coke.

First off, this is Irma Thomas. Click this and listen to the song (don't even bother watching the video because it's just a picture of a '45). This is why you want to hear her perform on Thursday. She's one of the great southern fried soul singers of her generation and her discography goes back to '64. Here's one of her many under-appreciated hit ballads, "Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)". Her whole family was kind of famous, by the way. This link will take you to her father, Rufus Thomas, performing at Wattstax in '72. You gotta get at least 48 seconds in to hear him yell "Ain't I'm clean?!"

Thursday, Oct 2 at the Ukrainian Federation. 5213 Hutchison

The Persuasions are an all male acapella choir from Brooklyn. The picture of them here is recent but watch this interview and performance they did in 1974. If you get about halfway through you'll see a young Maury Povitch come out and talk to them. He's really nervous, too, like it was the first time he'd ever talked to black people. The Persuasions have a Grateful Dead cover album called "Might As Well...The Persuasions Sing Grateful Dead" which is funny because it's the exact sentiment you'd have if you decided to record an entire acappella album covering Grateful Dead songs.

Saturday, Oct 4 at the Portuguese Association. 4170 Saint- Urbain.

Burt studied music at McGill and recently turned 80. He's been writing Billboard hits since the '50s, and if the name sounds familiar to you it's probably because of Austin Powers. He's the guy they roll out to play piano with Elvis Costello. Costello and Bacharach did an album together called Painted From Memory. If you have any doubts about his abilities at 80, lookit this clip of him serenading this Japanese TV host. He's pretty handsome for such a geezer.

Friday, Oct 3 at Eglise St. Jean Baptiste, 301 Rachel est.

MONTREAL - TRYING NEW THINGS WITH OLD PEOPLE

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