The second day of the festival involved A LOT MORE WALKING. Montreal is a great walking town, unless you accidentally fall into a pothole, trip on a curb, or stumble across the construction zone that is Saint-Laurent. Trekking across town, I began my evening at the Ukrainian Federation to see Basia Bulat.

The hype around Basia Bulat began around mid-summer last year when she began playing Toronto and Montreal shows, going back and forth on the 401, playing with friends and family. For last year's Pop Montreal, I saw her perform at an underground spot, rammed to the gills. On this occasion, the venue had sported seating and relaxation for the listeners. Bulat and company get better every time I see them. They harmonize and synch very well together, sharing smiles and laughs with everyone. Bulat, who used to live in Montreal, attempted to converse with the audience in French, which she did successfully until she purposefully said "good" instead of "bien". Her best moment, besides using a near-century old piano-key instrument, was performing 'Birds of Paradise' along on the stage to the watching crowd. Very heartwarming.

Dishwasher , the great Martin Cesar from Think About Life, is an entertainer. Whenever I see him, he always has something different for the audience. Whether it's a full set of love songs backed by his iPod, or mini-theatre involving a battle between a rabbit and a rat, Dishwasher can be compared to live-action cinema or just a one-man play. Last night', Cesear told a story about a friend who calls him up to tell Cesear about a dream he had and how he wants to document it. Although the performance was more for laughs, Dishwasher will entertain you with sullen songs about blue eyes, or puppet shows with fake rats and someone dressed entirely in black.

Magic Weapon are another electro-power pop project which consist of Jordon Robson-Cramer (Sunset Rubdown/Miracle Fortress) and Matt Shane (Think About Life). I love them. Yes, I said it. Love them. Marry them? Pfftt. Sure. Why not? A band who's fun, energetic, lively, emotional, and who never let you down is the one I want to marry. It sounds weird, but these are the bands we are attached to: the ones who give us feeling. Magic Weapon are new, but they sound great, already. Matt Shane's powerful drumming and Jordon Robson-Cramer's extensive musical talents range wide with this project. Dancing is usually necessary. The room had packed up for this band and I'm sure most people did not leave disappointed. Myself? ENCORE! I WANT AN ENCORE!

We're Marching On started late because the band before them began late and took too much time doing what they do. We're Marching On, or WaMO, immediately began since they were falling behind on their set. However, their faithful fans and friends didn't let them fall back as they kept them in the set. The band kept the crowd in the set. Everyone kept everyone together. That sort of unision is what We're Marching On are all about. Although it's usually a trick to describe their brand of music, I usually like to say that they are a band, which, if you give them a chance, can bring out the best in you. They're great at putting a smile on your face and even better at making you break out in sweat. Yes. What a rush. Anyways, give these guys time. You might see them on a bigger stage before you know it.

Day Three could probably involve Cadence Weapon, Buck 65, Plants and Animals, Thunderheist, Laura Barrett, Ted Leo, The Zoobooms & maybe more.

Photos: here