Above: Joel Lindpere (#20) of the New York Red Bulls scores against goalkeeper Bill Gaudette (#1) in spite of pressure by David Beckham (#23) of the Los Angeles Galaxy during the MLS match at the Home Depot Center on May 5, 2012 in Carson, California. Victor Decologon / Getty Images
Just a quick note that tickets to see David Beckham and his team the Los Angeles Galaxy take on the Montreal Impact this Saturday, May 12 at the Olympic Stadium are still up for grabs. This will be the underwear model/midfielder's first time playing in Montreal. Tickets range from $15 to $95 plus service charge. Buy tickets.
Above: David Beckhman, standing, gazing into the distance at the Keep Memory Alive foundation's Power of Love Gala honoring Muhammad Ali on his 70th birthday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena February 18, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ethan Miller / Getty Images
Above: Aussie rapper Iggy Azalea saw her career take off after uploading YouTube videos of her work that went viral. The blonde bombshell, whose first studio album is due for release in June, performs May 19 at Théâtre Corona. Photo courtesy of Iggy Azalea
As if foreshadowing June's musical onslaught courtesy of the Montreal Jazz Festival and Les Francofolies, Montreal concerts in May offer music fans a wide and ample burden of choice, starting with big tickets signed Simon Cowell's hunky operatic brainchild Il Divo and mainstream dubstep's poster child Rusko. Include "Lady in Red" 1986 superhit wonder Chris de Burgh in there, who's proposing two back-to-back nights scheduled at Place des Arts' Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier and tack on Aussie rapper Iggy Azalea, whose debut album hasn't even been released and yet she's already gone viral.
Closer to home, The Queen Extravaganza's Montreal area Freddie Mercury dead ringer Marc Martel makes an appearance, and in the span of a year, Montreal/Halifax/Toronto/New York synth duo Purity Ring -- I know, confusing, it's not clear where they're living anymore -- has found itself elevated to the ranks of top ten-dom, attracting Pitchfork, CMJ and SXSW acclaim. And one of my latest local crushes is Les Soeurs Boulay. Loving these girls. Same for high school sweethearts turned electropop duo Hexes & Ohs.
Above: Aussie dark electro duo Shiv-R are slated to perform at Kinetik, Montreal's annual international industrial-noise-EBM fest, this May 18 at Metropolis. Photo courtesy of Shiv-R
In the realm of music fests, we've got punk covered with Pouzza Fest featuring over one hundred bands over the course of three days including gigs by Lagwagon and Less Than Jake. Kinetik unites the best in EBM, industrial and related noise subgenres, with a lineup featuring Shiv-R, Hocico, Combichrist as well as as the latter's frontman, Andy LaPlegua, doing double duty at the fest with offshoot project Panzer AG.
Above: Berlin electro musician Sascha Ring, better known as Apparat, performs at MUTEK as a live band, as opposed to solo with synth, this May 30 at Metropolis. Photo courtesy of Sascha Ring
And electro/experimental festival MUTEK kicks off its first days at the end of the month with Modeselektor collaborator/solo Berlin producer turned band, Apparat. Also, the return of Piknic Electronik is due, debuting its 2012 season with Dubfire.
Above: Chinese piano superstar Lang Lang, who will perform works by Bach, Schubert and Chopin to a sold out crowd on May 15 at Place des Arts' Maison symphonique de Montréal. Carlos Alvarez / Getty Images
Other highlights include superstar classical pianist Lang Lang, Texan electro pop by Neon Indian, rock by Toronto's Big Wreck and Niyaz, an Iran trio known for its predilection for melding Sufism with electronica.
Above: Behemoth frontman Adam "Nergal" Darski. The black metal band came close to being banned from performing in their home country over allegations that their music promotes Satanism, accusations made by the All-Polish Committee for Defence against Sects who listed them, as well as Marilyn Manson, as threats, requesting the Polish government forbid public appearances. Montreal doesn't appear to feel quite as threatened, with Behemoth scheduled to take the stage May 9 at Club Soda. Photo courtesy of Behemoth
Just a quick note for Polish black metal band Behemoth, whose latest track, "Lucifer," is actually quite catchy. I haven't been this taken by a metal song since Meshuggah's "Bleed" -- who, by the way, are in town this May 20 -- and legendary UK vegetarian band Carcass -- who eventually had to ask select fans to stop sending them pictures of dead animals -- and their 1991 smash hit "Incarnated Solvent Abuse." Fetching tunes.
Above: former Fleet Foxes drummer J. Tillman has gone solo, as Father John Misty. The Baltimore native plays May 15 at Petit Campus. Photo courtesy of Father John Misty
Finally, a moment for folk, first from the delightfully twisted POV of ex Fleet Foxes member J. Tillman, who performs under the moniker Father John Misty, and for another show worth a gander, consider otherworldly resignation signed Norway native Ane Brun.
Above: Montreal native Leonard Cohen performing at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival on April 17, 2009 in Indio, California.Kevin Winter / Getty Images
Montreal native and local crown jewel Leonard Cohen, fresh off his appearance at court proceedings involving the trial and sentencing of his once lover and manager Kelley Lynch, revealed earlier today yet more public appearances are in store for the somewhat reclusive poet. Cohen's website confirms a 21-city North American wide tour named after his new album, Old Ideas. Kicking off in Austin this October 31, the coast-to-coast run ends in Brooklyn by, of all dates, December 20, 2012, one day prior to the end of the world Mayan calendar.
You all know what I look like, what, with my face plastered on thousands of pages here at About.com Montreal. But have you ever wondered what I sound like?
Indulge in a moment of schadenfreude and find out as I make a goof of myself on CJLO 1690 AM every Wednesday at 5 p.m. as part of one of my favorite radio shows in Montreal, The Commonwealth Conundrum, a weekly two-hour exploration of the very best music coming out of the Commonwealth's 54 member nations, from the United Kingdom and Canada to Sri Lanka and Lesotho.*
The Commonwealth Conundrum is hosted by CJAD producer/Les Monstres Terribles and Dead Messenger band manager extraordinaire Rebecca Munroe and Danny Payne, aka the DDP, aka the mastermind behind Montreal's monthly pop-up DJ night Under the Radar, which features the best of new, underground, unsigned or independent UK and Irish music.
And the banter kicks off at 4 p.m., heating up by 4:10 p.m. when the Quebec Federation of University Students president Martine Desjardins appears live on the show to talk to Rebecca and Danny about the 12-week student strike and resulting protests that have shocked the nation.
By 5 p.m., I'll be joining the crew to share a handful of choice things to do in Montreal over the next few days, complete with additional commentary you won't necessarily find in the calendars.
*Note controversial broadcasting moot points such as Fiji, whose membership has been in and out of suspension since the 2001 coup d'état. Then there's the can of worms named Ireland, who withdrew from the Commonwealth in 1949 after passing the Republic of Ireland Act. And I'm not sure what the air time policy is on Zimbabwe's hottest new acts, as the nation voluntarily withdrew in 2003 after being slapped on the wrist with a suspension in 2002. But I digress.
Above: Joel Lindpere (#20) of the New York Red Bulls scores against goalkeeper Bill Gaudette (#1) in spite of pressure by David Beckham (#23) of the Los Angeles Galaxy during the MLS match at the Home Depot Center on May 5, 2012 in Carson, California. Victor Decologon / Getty Images
Above: David Beckhman, standing, gazing into the distance at the Keep Memory Alive foundation's Power of Love Gala honoring Muhammad Ali on his 70th birthday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena February 18, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ethan Miller / Getty Images
Above: Aussie rapper Iggy Azalea saw her career take off after uploading YouTube videos of her work that went viral. The blonde bombshell, whose first studio album is due for release in June, performs May 19 at Théâtre Corona. Photo courtesy of Iggy Azalea
Above: Montreal high school sweethearts turned electropop duo Hexes & Ohs launch their new album Thank You on May 22 at Divan Orange. Photo courtesy of Hexes & Ohs © Richmond Lam
Above: Aussie dark electro duo Shiv-R are slated to perform at Kinetik, Montreal's annual international industrial-noise-EBM fest, this May 18 at Metropolis. Photo courtesy of Shiv-R
Above: Berlin electro musician Sascha Ring, better known as 
Above: Chinese piano superstar Lang Lang, who will perform works by Bach, Schubert and Chopin to a sold out crowd on May 15 at Place des Arts' Maison symphonique de Montréal. Carlos Alvarez / Getty Images
Above: Behemoth frontman Adam "Nergal" Darski. The black metal band came close to being banned from performing in their home country over allegations that their music promotes Satanism, accusations made by the All-Polish Committee for Defence against Sects who listed them, as well as Marilyn Manson, as threats, requesting the Polish government forbid public appearances. Montreal doesn't appear to feel quite as threatened, with Behemoth scheduled to take the stage May 9 at Club Soda. Photo courtesy of Behemoth
Above: former Fleet Foxes drummer J. Tillman has gone solo, as 
Above: Montreal native Leonard Cohen performing at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival on April 17, 2009 in Indio, California.Kevin Winter / Getty Images
Photo © Frederika Wellett