I haven't come by to post in ages and this isn't news but it is useful and inspiring advice for all, especially to soon to be Concordia graduates. Enjoy the very talented and prolific Neil Gaiman's commencement speech. Good luck to all!

This past May 3rd, Sala Rossa was darker than usual (or it certainly seemed that way) and the room was half-empty (or half-full, depending on your outlook). The show was slow to start - although once it did, the crowd inexplicably maintained a consistent 5 foot distance from the stage. Whether it was because they were curious to watch the projections on the white screen at the back of the stage, or because they were afraid of getting their eardrums blown out, I can't say for sure.

The opening act was Exitmusic. Hailing from Brooklyn, the duo's repertoire was moody and captivating. They opened with "...

I have known and loved Miike Snow’s "Animal" since I heard it in 2009. I made what I still consider to be the slight mistake of not hearing the rest of his self-titled album to broaden my Miike music knowledge. I may have gotten too hung up on the single and its many remixes to have checked out the other songs. There was also the fear that the rest of the album may not be as brilliant as "Animal." When I got word Miike Snow was going to be performing at Metropolis in May, I was determined to be there one way or another. I saw it as the opportunity to correct the mistake made years ago of not hearing more Miike Snow. I was curious to witness the Montreal crowd's reaction to...

Fans of rock'n'roll tend to value one thing above all else: consistency. You will never hear an AC/DC fan complaining that their latest record sounds just like their last one... if anything, the fact that those Aussies have been recording the same album over and over since the 80s is almost a point of pride. A KISS fan will never say "man, I just wish they had experimented with their sound on that last record, you know?". When these bands branch out, as they occasionally do, they know they're best off keeping it brief, like the odd country song that Motörhead has released over...

Stereotypes aside, there was certainly a theme to the evening at Club Soda on Saturday, May 28. Leather, chains and heavy black eyeliner abound, along with many rockabilly do’s, tight jeans on dudes and Dr. Martens on every second pair of feet.

Montreal’s own psychobilly group of self-proclaimed zombies, The Brains, were the first opening act. They inspired a respectable mosh pit, playing several upbeat rock anthems with elements of ska, proving the living dead can still party hardy.

The second opener was Vancouver’s...

Less than six months after their last North American sortie, four-piece Sydney, Australia practitioners in artsy, self-dubbed “intensindie” pop-rock, The Jezabels, were back in Montreal. This time, however, they were headlining their own shows across Canada and the US. It would appear that after garnering a broad following in Australia, The Jezabels are gunning for an international audience—and apparently, it’s working. Their show at Divan Orange was sold out (on a Tuesday, no less), and they’ll be back for a third round in less than a year at Osheaga in August.

It was questionable whether or not...

NHL:

The second round is under way in the NHL playoffs, and, as per usual, we should have expected the unexpected. The Phoenix Coyotes are leading the Nashville Predators 2-0 after the first two games, and goaltending has not been the focal point of the series as many projected it to be. The Flyers and Rangers continue to roll in the east, and, while it's still early, they appear to be on a collision course towards the Eastern Conference finals. Finally, Jonathan Quick continues to sparkle in these playoffs, giving the LA...

The Avett Brothers are a three-piece folk-rock band from Concord, North Carolina. Walking into the venue, I noticed that the balcony seating was open, unlike the last time I was here for the Twin Shadow show. The venue was packed; I had no idea this band was such a hit. I later learned that their first EP was released in 2000 and that these were fans that had probably been enjoying their music for over a decade.

As soon as the music started everyone was silent. I was thrilled about this because...

NHL:

The playoffs continue to roll on as we've seen a couple of teams get eliminated already. The Nashville Predators and St.Louis Blues each took down they're respective opponents, the Detroit Red Wings and San Jose Sharks, in 5 games. The Philadelphia Flyers stopped the Pittsburgh Penguins comeback bid with a 5-1 on home ice Sunday to take the series in 6. Cup favorites to start the playoffs, the Vancouver Canucks, will instead be hitting the golf courses early as they were also ousted in 5 by the LA Kings. The Rangers/Sens, Bruins/Caps,...

Hello friend,

When we geared up for our first fundraising campaign, I wanted us to do something a little extra, a cool added bonus, and that's where the seeds for the idea behind this compilation were planted. CJLO 1690AM and its volunteers have always been strong supporters of the great local talent we have, and we thought this compilation would be an amazing way to pay tribute to both the music Montreal has produced and to Montreal in general. We've always had this joke at the station that anyone who's ever worked for CJLO 1690AM (a CJLOxican) is always part of the "Extended Family", a once-you're-in-you're-never-out sorta thing, and I think that's partly why the title of this comp, CJLO 1690AM's first foray into compilation fun, works so well....