ince Montreal is such a musical Mecca, there is a lot of competition for the title of best music festival. My vote goes to Pop Montreal. With more than 200 acts playing in over 20 venues, the festival isn't only a chance to check out some fantastic artists, but also a chance to see the city transformed into a giant drunken club-hopping celebration. Of course, with a combination of emerging artists and well-established powerhouses, the music ain't bad either. The whole shebang goes from today until Sunday, but if you follow Montreal's music scene at all you probably already knew that. Kicking the festival off right, today offers an array of performances so good, you won't be able to decide which to check out. At the top of the list stands Hot Chip at the Metropolis, a band known for getting the crowd moving and reinventing their songs live. If that doesn't turn your crank, try the energetic dance-punk band, You Say Party! We Say Die! at La Tulipe, Vetiver at Salla Rossa, Woodhands at Portuguese Association, or Michie Mee at Club Soda. That's a pretty stacked lineup and it's only the first day.