oharahale.com

Passovah is growing up and throwing a party at Il Motore this Friday to celebrate.

Founded by Noah Bick, a U2 English student, the music promotion and production company began organizing shows in late 2007 at the now-defunct Griffintown venue, the Friendship Cove. What initially began as monthly loft parties has since expanded into four or five shows each month. Four years later, Bick has put on over 90 performances with such notable acts as Braids, Women, and Marnie Stern.

Friday’s show features 12 local musicians from a variety of genres playing 15-minute sets throughout the night, including members of Sunset Rubdown, Adam and the Amethysts, and many more. 

“I love seeing weird musicians from across the music board,” says Bick. “Putting Lisa Gamble in the same room as Caroline Keating, it’s a funny little mixture.”

Bick has put on these types of multi-performer shows before, not only to showcase many of the bands he has befriended over the years, but also to break up the monotony that comes with traditional setlists.

“I find it’s fun because it’s an alternative format. People get bored of the three band bill,” he says.

As much as the show is a celebration of the anniversary of Passovah, it also aims to recognize the community beyond the musicians who have made it possible. When Il Motore first opened in late 2008, its isolated location on Jean-Talon seemed miles away from Montreal’s traditional music hubs in the Plateau and Mile End. However, it has quickly become the go-to venue for independent music, and since then, places like Depanneur Le Pick-Up and Marché Soupson have sprung up and become local fixtures in the burgeoning arts community north of Van Horne. To celebrate this, the latter will be providing free soup for those who show up early.

“I probably ate there about 100 times in 2011, so I figured it’d be nice to include that,” Bick says. “For me it’s not only about the music, it’s about the community.”

Apart from being the Director of Passovah, Bick also works as a production manager for fellow local promoters Blue Skies Turn Black and as a production assistant for POP Montreal. Working with two other big name promotion groups might seem like a conflict of interest, but Bick asserts that he has found Passovah’s niche in drawing attention to young local bands and helping them grow.

“I’m still trying to book really good bands [and] bring in bands that I really like, but there’s this focus on community now … the purpose of Passovah is going to be still trying to book these cutting edge bands but help the bands that are not at the Blue Skies level yet.”

Friday at Il Motore (179 Jean Talon West). Doors at 8 p.m. Pay-What-You-Can. Visit www.passovah.com for a full list of performers.