M For Montreal: Saturday

MONTREAL — After a tour of the city specifically for out-of-town delegates, M For Montreal did what most older brothers would do: take their clueless siblings to rock club Foufounes Electriques.

The idea was to feature an afternoon showcase there in conjunction with the venue's 25th anniversary. In truth, the club has more recently been known more as an inexpensive bar for young punk fans than as a concert hall. Nonetheless, the graffiti-tagged hallways and cold, brick-and-mortar interior provided a nostalgic experience to those who hadn't been there in years, and a false sense of authenticity to everyone else.

Toronto songwriter Colin Munroe started the afternoon set, where the beer flowed as steadily as at the evening shindigs. The youngster is already a hit on MySpace, is signed to Universal Motown and recorded his debut album all by his lonesome.

In fact, the confident performer informed the unimpressed crowd of this several times throughout his set. Since the afternoon showcase audience was smaller and the venue more intimate, Munroe's between-song reciting of key selling points really didn't work on the savvy group of music entrepreneurs. Musically, he's still a ways away from being a complete showman like Jamie Lidell, a diverse performer from whom he'd be wise to learn.

Acadian hip-hop troupe Radio Radio may not rap in a language that was discernable to anyone in the audience, but they still succeeded in getting many hands waving to songs about the pleasures of Jacuzzis. The best part of Radio Radio's raucous live set — in addition to the indecipherable Chiac in-jokes — is how all four members are capable of grabbing the mic and reciting a few verses. The energy of the set extended beyond their terrific single and set opener, "Cliche Hot."

Red Mass are a transient music collective from Montreal who play old-fashioned, psycho-frenetic garage rock. It seems like the only permanent fixture of Red Mass is former CPC Gangbangs member Choyce, but former Hot Springs frontwoman Giselle Webber also donned the red garments of rock 'n' roll justice.

The tiny Foufounes stage couldn't contain the extended cast of band members, as one of the guitarists spent the set perched atop a speaker, while the cowbell player/percussionist dressed in only underpants and sunglasses perpetually wandered around.

If the heavy singles and claims of being "ready to hit" are to be believed, Red Mass could quickly become one of Canada's best rock acts. Besides, Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene have proven Canadians dig the music collective concept.

Thankfully, the M For Montreal organizers weren't concerned about putting two hip-hop groups on the same bill (unlike the Polaris Music Prize nomination committee), because Gatineau really don't have much in common with Radio Radio.

Gatineau provide an incredibly unhinged live show, since they use instrumentation and a rock attitude that recalls the Beastie Boys. MC Seba sported a two-sizes-too-tight Backstreet Boys T-shirt, and his unkept hair made him look like he may have gotten lost on his way to a Kid Rock concert, but he's a tremendous rapper and the ideal frontman for one of Canada's craziest groups. Red Mass' Webber made a cameo during the set as her hip-hop alter-ego, Giselle Numba One.

M For Metropolis, the big closing party, was later in the night. Although the groups playing this weren't eligible for the actual contest, the Metropolis gig really served to show the international delegates how passionate local fans are about their favourite groups.

Last year's M For Montreal winners We Are Wolves performed, as did Quebec's hottest band du jour, Karkwa. Pierre Lapointe is typically used to solo, "very special evening"-style performances with elaborate stage set-ups, but was the closing act on a night of three de facto headliners.

Although Lapointe is possibly the most creative artist in Quebec, he seems destined to remain insanely popular in his home province and unappreciated elsewhere. Consider him to be the French Elton John — a piano man capable of adapting his songwriting to virtually any situation or style of music.

Montreal internet comedy sensation Jon Lajoie entertained more than 2,000 spectators with his boorish YouTube music videos in between performers. He's primarily known for the rap tune "Everyday Normal Guy" or the acoustic ballad "High As Fuck," and is an engaging performer — albeit a poor stand-up comedian. It was a sly coup for M For Montreal organizers to include Lajoie, as he worked well to keep the crowd engaged in between acts.

The other opening act was another extremely hyped young Quebecois artist, pianist-songwriter Coeur De Pirate, (real name Beatrice Martin). It shouldn't come as a shock that a teenaged, tattoo-adorned girl with a devilish smile has piqued the interest of Quebec music fans, although her eponymous 2008 debut contains the arty instrumental flourishes and warm vocals that every good young songwriter needs to master early in their careers. She's also the former keyboardist of another much-ballyhooed local band, Bonjour Brumaire.

Like Lapointe, Martin's strong Quebec songwriting influence will likely keep her out of the rest of Canada, even though the music industry's always clamouring for the next big female songwriter.

If the rapid expansion of M For Montreal is any indication, it appears as though Montreal bands will still be heavily talked about for the upcoming year and beyond.