RSS

As someone who's been to Osheaga five summers in a row, it's safe to say that, when it comes to this specific music festival, I've been there, done that. From the anticipation of arriving at Parc Jean-Drapeau on that first Friday, to the elation of running from show to show all weekend long, without forgetting the desperation of trying to get the hell off the island on that last Sunday night, I've seen it all – and then some. So, when I found out that I would be the lucky CJLO-er covering this year's festival, I was quite skeptical about how much fun I could still actually have during what would be my sixth weekend among a crowd of 135,000 boisterous attendees.

Photo by Pat Beaudry

Long story short, I was – thankfully – so wrong in my jaded cynicism.

So, without further ado, here is my three-day recap of the 2016 edition of the Osheaga Music and Arts Festival. From the simple joy of walking around the park discovering new artists and meeting new people, to the many moments of pure euphoria spent dancing the day away with thousands of other music-lovers, this year's Osheaga was definitely one for the books.

Friday, July 29th

Prior to even commencing my sixth Osheaga weekend, I had decided that this would be the year I would truly take each day to discover as many new artists as possible – rather than simply following my friends to our favourite artists. Accordingly, I started my weekend at 1:00 p.m. sharp, and was greeted by the blissfully smooth sounds of my good friends over at HAUTE, the genre-bending R&B-pop duo I had waxed poetic about in my preview post. Although I've seen them multiple times at various parties across the city, there was a certain electricity in their performance that I had yet to witness. I mean, I guess performing at one of North America's premier music festivals right out of university is a pretty big deal worthy of new found excitement, right?

HAUTE - Photo by Eva Blue

Following their early set at the Piknic Électronik stage, I began my quest to find new artists to fan girl over. With my friends in tow, we made our way across the park stopping by different stages throughout the afternoon. From GoldLink's high-energy set to Beirut's soothing melodies, it's true that simply walking around the site is the best way to experience the incredible musical diversity that Osheaga has to offer.

Photo by Tim Snow

Towards the evening, as the mass of festival goers began streaming onto the island, I was able to get a nostalgic taste of old school Hip-Hop courtesy of Cypress Hill's classics-filled set. Following their performance, I made my way to the smaller stages, where I was able to catch the closing songs from Years & Years' performance. Fronted by a mesh-clad Olly Alexander, I was impressed by just how engaging the band's set was. A definite crowd-pleaser was their terrific take on Drake's "Hotline Bling", a track that unsurprisingly got everyone singing along. After a quick stop by the Tree stage, I made my first real band discovery of the day: Marian Hill, a duo based out of Brooklyn that composes a highly addictive blend of bass-filled electro layered under catchy vocals.

Låpsley - Photo courtesy of Osheaga

I ended my first night of the weekend with both Vince Staples and Låpsley, two drastically divergent artists who had both been on my extended list of must-sees. Whereas the former closed the night with an exhilarating performance that got everyone pumped for a night out, the latter ushered her fans off the island with a passionate performance that saw her showcase her tremendous vocal chops. On my way to the metro, naturally, I had to make a quick stop by the main stages to hear the Red Hot Chili Peppers belt out a nod to my adolescence. Just before getting into the station, I was able to chant along in harmony with thousands of others: Hey oh, listen what I say oh!

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Photo by Pat Beaudry

Saturday, July 30th

My second day of Osheaga began a bit later than the first, with my first stop being yet again at the Piknic Electronic stage, but this time for the Canadian brother-sister duo, Tennyson. If you've never heard of Tennyson, go check them out now. Their performance was a superb tribute to the fuzzy, futuristic-sounding electronic music that got them noticed by Ryan Hemsworth, and featured as the first release on his label, Secret Songs. They're young, they're Canadian, and they were so damn good. After their set, I made my way over to the Tree stage for a jazzy and calming performance by Hiatus Kaiyote, a four-piece outfit I had only briefly heard about, but was excessively keen to see live. Lying on the grass enjoying the warmth of the sun's rays caressing my skin as I took in their soulful renditions is a memory that I already hold dear.

Hiatus Kaiyote - Photo by Pierre Bourgault

With a few hours between their set and the next performance on my list, I leisurely strolled around the entire park in an attempt to experience all that Osheaga had to offer – beyond the amazing music. From an amusement park complete with a towering swing ride to a full-fledged fountain and many places to simply chill within the wooded areas, year after year, I remain thoroughly impressed by how well designed the entire Osheaga site is. In fact, there truly is something for everyone: a kid's zone for those hip kids whose hip parents brought them to the festival; branded stands for those who love free stuff (so, in other words, everyone); and way too many delicious food trucks to choose from.

Photo by Tim Snow

At the start of the evening, I made my way to the Valley stage for Post Malone's show. I was glad to see that he now had many more songs to perform other than his Internet hit, "White Iverson". That being said, you bet your ass I was excited to vibe with the crowd when he closed his set with said track. Afterwards, I rushed to catch Mura Masa playing at the Piknic Électronik stage. He was joined on stage by a vocalist who, although her name unfortunately escapes me, was certainly terrific. Listening to them perform all the tracks on his latest EP, Someday Somewhere, certainly made me appreciate just how versatile he is as a producer; from high-spirited tracks like "Firefly" and "Lovesick" to darker, more aggressive tracks like "Low", he sure has mastered his craft. Before his set ended, I had to make a run for the Tree stage to catch Montreal's own Busty and the Bass, who gave a terrifically entertaining performance that brought me back to their earlier days performing at McGill's Open Air Pub. As discussed in my preview post, they truly are the success story of just how far sheer talent can take any band, let alone a local one!

Busty and the Bass - Photo by Pierre Bourgault

Speaking of local talent, there's no way I can recap Saturday's shows without talking about Kaytranada's electric set. Unsurprisingly, the stage was incredibly packed for Montreal's golden boy, who played an eclectic set filled with some of his most popular remixes, like Missy Elliott's "Sock It 2 Ya", and his most funk-filled original compositions, like "Lite Spots". Following his performance, I sauntered off to the Valley stage for Jazz Cartier's show, which saw him climb the stage scaffolding and perform with a view over the entire crowd amassed just to see him. To match his daredevil antics, he delivered a wonderfully animated performance.

Kaytranada - Photo by Eva Blue

After that, I ended my Saturday with a show, which I was certainly not expecting to enjoy as much as I did. Indeed, I'm still shocked by how much I loved every single second of Future's performance. To put it simply, it was a virtuous cycle of high-energy: the anticipation in the crowd truly was palpable at the start of his show, which further fueled Future's dynamism, thus making the crowd even more excited than ever to hear him perform "Jumpman", "F*ck Up Some Commas", "I Got the Keys", and a slew of other bass-filled tracks. Being among a sea of so many excited young people had never felt so damn exhilarating!

Future - Photo by Pierre Bourgault

Sunday, July 31st

Typically, Sundays at Osheaga are a day when everyone who's been there all weekend walks around "looking like a zombie" – to quote an eloquent festival goer. Indeed, after two days of back-to-back-to-back shows, the eating, the drinking, the dancing, then the pre-drinking, and the after parties, you can't help but be drained by the whole shebang.

Installations - Photo by Pierre Bourgault

Luckily, as I arrived on the site, I was gradually awakened by the sounds of MØ, the Danish electropop songstress most notably featured on DJ Snake and Diplo's infectious single, "Lean On". Seeing people dancing with such excitement so early in the day definitely was the wake-up call I needed to make the most out of my last day at Osheaga. After her performance and a bit of aimless exploration, I found myself back at the main stages, where I had the pleasure of hearing BØRNS for the first time. As I sat under the shade taking in their cool and upbeat rock-pop, it ended up being the best moment to simply smile and be grateful for the opportunity I was living.

BØRNS - Photo by Pat Beaudry

Following their performance, I made my way to the Tree stage to check out Foy Vance, an artist I was previously unaware of, but whose moustachioed image on the Osheaga website got me intrigued. Not knowing what to expect, I was happy to be greeted to a cheerful blend of indie, folk, and country, which all culminated in a terrific cover of Prince's classic "Purple Rain".

That throwback rendition was certainly an appropriate precursor for the next show on my list: the straight-outta-the-50s Leon Bridges. Donning a simple white tee left bare except for the words "Texas Gentleman", Bridges' performance was without a doubt one of my highlights of the weekend. I had only listened to a few of his tracks before seeing him live, so it was with great joy that I swooned to the sounds of his soulful voice and Southern charm. I particularly loved his tribute song "Brown Skin Girl", dedicated to some of the most awe-inspiring – and woefully underappreciated – women to grace this earth.

Leon Bridges - Photo by Claude Dufresne

Halfway through his nostalgia-tinged performance, I rushed to the Green stage for Skepta's show. As the MC leading the vanguard of the Grime resurgence, Skepta's performance at Osheaga is one that was long-awaited by many fans of this underground UK genre of electronic rap. I arrived at the stage as he was performing one of his biggest hits, "Shutdown", and the energy in the crowd most definitely rivaled that present at Future's show. With great fervour, I joined in the dancing, chanting, and overall celebration of a style of music that is finally getting the recognition it has long deserved.

Skepta - Photo by Tim Snow

After his show, I walked the short distance to the Tree stage, where another UK rapper was performing. This time, I was seeing Little Simz, an artist I've been playing repeatedly for the past few years, and was eager to finally see live. Her show was hands-down my favourite of the entire festival. There was something magical about how plain happy she was to be performing at the festival, and to see such a sizeable crowd gathered for her second performance ever in Montreal. Her joy was contagious, and her flow was hypnotic. She played a selection of tracks that ranged from "Wings," my favourite track off her debut album A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons, to one of her older hits, "Lane Switch", that have made her such a shining star in the rap scene. Awestruck by her energy, I had the chance of running into her later in evening at the Tory Lanez show, where I was able to confess my admiration for her.

Little Simz - Photo by Pierre Bourgault

Now that I think of it, I'm not surprised to have run into both her and Skepta – as well as Hannibal Buress – at Tory Lanez's show considering just how rousing and engaging it was. With him performing as much while surfing over the crowd as within the thick of it, Tory Lanez certainly is the king of hyping up an audience – especially when he performed his hit "Say It".

Tory Lanez - Photo by Tim Snow

Another artist I was especially looking forward to see spin for the first time was Evian Christ, a producer/DJ I mentioned in my preview article. Although he started off his set with some questionable transitions – a glaring example would be switching from 2 Milly's Vine-classic "Milly Rock" to some throbbing, industrial techno beat – he ended with a superb selection of reggaeton and dancehall inspired tracks straight out of a warehouse club night in Bushwick.

To close off my weekend at Osheaga, I decided to let myself be enveloped by the pure magic that is Radiohead. As a result of Disclosure's last-minute cancellation (their flight from Chicago was cancelled, so they were left stranded after Lollapalooza), the band played an extra half hour, thus performing a lengthy 2.5 hour set deserving of their title as the biggest headliner at the festival. Although I'm not the biggest Radiohead fan, seeing them live definitely made me understand why they have had such a ground breaking career.

Thom Yorke from Radiohead - Photo by Claude Dufresne

All in all, three days, two nights, and over 100 bands later, my experience at the 2016 edition of the Osheaga Music and Arts Festival is a memory that I'll cherish forever. Having restored my love for music festivals, it far surpassed my expectations, and made me so grateful that it's possible to be surrounded by so much talent in so little time.

My sincerest thanks to CJLO - 1690 AM for having let me cover the event for the station, and to Evenko for the VIP access. Until next year!

--Chubby hosts Aloof Future every Sunday at 2PM. Music for curing hangovers, cleaning your apartment, studying and/or anything else you could possibly be doing on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Main photo by Tim Snow. All images courtesy of Evenko.

Presented by Greenland and Evenko

The first time the name Sturgill Simpson crossed my radar was when the Good Doctor Stephen Weeds began championing him as the new honky tonk hero, and if there is one sure bet I've learned over the years it's that when the Good Doctor starts preaching about some new artist, it's best that you take the time and have a listen. Once again he was bang on and I was hooked immediately.

With his feet firmly rooted in the American country music tradition, Simpson also mixes in psychedelia and soul when the songs call for it, and makes no apologies for it. Simpson's music is country music, he just refuses to play it on someone else's terms. This rebellious attitude puts him in line with country legends from Hank Williams to Willie Nelson to Steve Earle, and has been winning him fans from all walks of life. So when it was announced that Simpson would be making his Montreal debut at Theatre Corona, it instantly became a date to be circled on the calendar.

With the floor already full and a buzz of energy building, Simpson strolled onto the stage and wasted no time tapping into it. Dressed in the working man uniform of leather boots, jeans and a denim shirt, Simpson slipped his acoustic guitar over shoulder while the bass player began to warm up the room with a head bobbing walking bass line. Backed by a seven piece band that included a three piece horn section from New Orleans, Simpson opened with a foot stomping version of "Sitting Here Without You", followed quickly by the slow burning "Water in a Well", thus setting the pattern for the next two hours, weaving effortlessly between full on honky tonk rave-ups and heartbreaking country ballads.

After a couple more songs and firmly establishing control of the room, Simpson stepped to the mic and acknowledged the crowd for the first time before stating in his thick Kentucky drawl, "I'd like to play some bluegrass now," and once again showed how you can be both honest to the tradition and yet have the freedom to take the music to other places. "Railroad of Sin" kicked off with the dueling acoustic and electric guitars playing at a breakneck speed that whipped the band in a frenzy, and ended with the horns section sounding like the choir had gone mad and the organist playing as if the church was on fire.

Culling the setlist for the first half of the show from his first two albums, High Top Mountain (2013) and Metamodern Sounds in Country Music (2014), Simpson kept the ebb and flow of the show going at a tight pace until he was forced to stop momentarily to tune his guitar. During the break in the music he looked up to the half empty balcony and smiled, "We'll get 'em next time," before jumping right back in with the hillbilly troubadour anthem "Life of Sin".

To bring the first half of the night to a close, Simpson chose to slip in a countrified cover of the William Bell soul classic "You Don't Miss Your Water", which proved to be the perfect transition as the second half of the show was to be his latest album, A Sailor's Guide to Earth, in its entirety. While that album, which blends the Grand Ol' Opry and a Stax Records soul revue, is a bonafide masterpiece from start to finish, live there were some definite standout moments. "Keep In Between The Lines", a song written as fatherly advice for his infant son went straight to the part of my heart where my two kids reside, his haunting take of Nirvana's "In Bloom" that perfectly tapped into the sadness of Kurt Cobain's lyrics, and the rocking "Brace For Impact (Live A Little)", the first song that saw Simpson put down his acoustic guitar for an electric one, were all highlights for this old man.

The show ended with "Call to Arms", which when I first heard it I knew would be a beast of a song live, and I was not wrong. The song is Simpson's venomous attack of the warmonger politicians who send off America's "sons and daughters off to die for some war", and as a former sailor in the US Navy he growls angrily out of his own experiences and as a warning for others. When the growling was done, Simpson locked in with the band into a swirling hard groove that they let build up until it boiled over, putting a final exclamation point on a night that left all in attendance ecstatic and clamoring for more.

In the week leading up to the show I had tried to explain to anyone who would listen that I believed this was a show they did not want to miss. After witnessing it I know that was right and then some. If you did miss it, maybe Sturgill will get you next time.

--Prince Palu hosts The Go-Go Radio Magic Show with Oncle Ian, every Friday night at 6PM. Tune in, turn on, FREAK OUT! Only on CJLO.

After 15 years on the air, BVST has amassed a collection of great interviews, strange guests and funny moments, and episode three of host Angelica's look back continues tonight! The final episode in the series features clips from not one, but two interviews (with Blaine Cartwright from Nashville Pussy and with Uncle Acid himself), a memorable phone call from Herbert the Hesher, and a couple of clips from two of the strangest shows in BVST history. Don't miss it, the weirdness starts at 7pm ET tonight!

BVST is dedicated to rock'n'roll in all its forms. Tune in for the best (and the worst) in rock'n'roll, country, punk and metal, from right here and around the world. Hosted by Angelica, BVST is the longest continually running show on CJLO, and a staple of the CJLO lineup since January of 2001 - Tune in every Wednesday at 7pm!

Hosted by Sam Obrand

Stories by Catlin Spencer

Produced by Patricia Petit Liang

LOCAL
By Catlin Spencer

A soup kitchen in Laval received a new security system after a
series of break-ins in the past week.

According to CBC News, Fondation Le Monarque works to provide food and
clothing to the homeless in Laval.

Unfortunately, it has suffered from three recent break-ins- in which
their electrical cables were stripped, their cooking appliances were
stolen and their food was left to spoil.

Since word has gotten out, donations have poured into the foundation,
including new appliances and the security system.

NATIONAL
By Catlin Spencer

Air Canada is being accused of discriminating against a man one one of their flights
because his wheelchair would not fit in the planes cargo area.

According to CTV News, Tim Rose was informed that he would not be able
to board his flight from Toronto to Cleveland this September because
his wheelchair is 13 centimetres too tall for the cargo doors.

Rose says he felt dehumanized when a representative compared his
wheelchair to oversized luggage.

An Air Canada representative says the airline has offered alternative
flights on planes with doors to accommodate the wheelchair or
transporting the chair on another flight.

Rose denies ever receiving such offers.

INTERNATIONAL
By Catlin Spencer

While flossing has always been considered an essential part of oral hygiene, 
experts are now saying there is very little evidence proving its effectiveness.

According to Global News, it was revealed in a letter to the
Associated Press from the federal government that the effectiveness of
flossing has never been researched- and any existing evidence is
inconsistent, weak and lacks efficacy.

While The American Dental Association and American Academy of
Periodentology insist on the benefits of flossing against plaque,
gingivitis and tooth decay, their studies use outdated research
methods and extremely brief trial periods.

However, hygienists and dental associations insist that flossing is an
integral part of good oral health alongside brushing, maintaining a
healthy diet and regular dental check-ups.