Oh man, eventful weekend!

After my last post, Fran's friends started pouring in from Winnipeg and Ottawa and other parts of Montréal for Osheaga. First was Ollie, a Francophone guy Fran went to P.E.I. And China with, who lives in Northern MTL.. He was in our neighborhood for Juste Pour Rire, which is a comedy festival held annually in the center city. We walked around the festival with him for a while, which, between a guy catching potatoes on a fork strapped to his genitals and a lost hospital patient with a Sapphire gin IV roaming aimlessly through the crowd, was endlessly entertaining. Afterwards we (me, Michael, Ellen, Fran, and Ollie) went to Mile End to Ollie's friends' improv show. It was all in French, which was AWESOME, and also the bar at which it was held had $7 Boréale pitchers. Which is unheard-of in Montréal. Magic. From there we went by the house, picked up Fran's friend John (student at University of Ottawa, originally from Iowa), and headed to Ollie's house with a bunch of other people. Ollie and Fran and John and Emile and un Parisien whose name I've forgotten started jamming. Fran and Ollie on piano, Paris on guitar, Emile on vocals, and John on..wooden box. It was the most amazing thing I had witnessed, like some sort of French Tom Waits meets Jamie T meets fresh original spoken word. I wish I could post the videos! It was so cool. Had lots of conversations en Français all night, overall a great success.

Saturday Fran bought me a ticket to Osheaga because he's absurdly generous, ALL the freaking time. So we spent the day at Jean-Drapeau, where Piknik was last year. We saw Tokyo Police Club, The Mountain Goats, Jacques Greene, Death from Above 1979, Robot Koch, Girl Unit, and Bassnectar. Highlights were Robot Koch and Girl Unit... Unfortunately Bassnectar was meh. Sound check was super rushed, so it sounded pretty shitty. Also it was packed, and he was only given an hour to play. The last three or so tracks were way sick, but otherwise it was just okay. The whole day was freakin' awesome though, I highly recommend you check out Girl Unit. Lame name, sweet tracks.

Today I saw Li briefly, and spent the day walking around Mile End by myself, taking more photos of street art and snagging a bagel from Fairmount. Met up with Fran, went to Kyle's, got a sweet Québécois hairscut, aaaand now I'm here.

Friday I'm taking a bus to NYC, hanging out with Max Sale hopefully, and then leaving from Jersey on Monday. Saturday and Sunday trains were sold out, so I have to head out a few days early. Boo.

Anyway. Back to la vie montrealaise. :)