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Hosted by: Danny Aubry

Stories by: Patricia Petit-Liang, Caitlin Spencer

Produced by: Emeline Vidal

Hip Hop Week MTL 2015

Hip Hop Week Mtl is a non-profit, community project dedicated to our love of Hip Hop, community and education. The festival runs from March 15th to the 21st in Montreal, Quebec. Click here for the HHWmtl events schedule.

1. "We are HIP HOP"

March 16th, 6:00pm, Leacock 132, McGill University

Kicking off this week of slick jams and dope grooves, "We are Hip Hop" will be the keynote address by Dr. Jeffrey Ogbar, focusing on the global rise, and ultimate historical, political, and cultural power of hip hop. If you aren’t a recent graduate of University of Connecticut and don’t know Dr. Ogbar, his areas of research include African American history of social protest and popular culture, plus the author of several prolific works in the field of Diversity Studies, like Black Power: Radical Politics and African American Identity. He’s become famous for his incredibly powerful, lucid lecturing on the state of Afro-Affairs, and I for one am absolutely excited to hear him speak. 

2. Literally Any Mention of MF Doom or Freddie Gibbs

The mark of a good hip hop conference, really the mark of any gathering of hip hop fans, is that these dudes get mentioned. For good reason, I mean, if you’ve ever listened to either of them, you’d know exactly what I’m talking about. Besides the quietly prolific, voluminous discography MF Doom has amassed over the years, and Freddie Gibbs the same, with the premiere of Gibbs' newest EP Pronto, coupled with that announcement of a couple Madlib/Gibbs shows coming up, there's no question that Hip Hop Week, all packed with that deluge of adoring fans and interested scholars alike, is gonna spark some hot debate.  

3. "Flava in Ya Ear" 

March 19th, 3:00pm, Students' Society of McGill University (SSMU), Room 203A (Madelaine Parent room)

I love beat boxing, as I'm sure every single other person in the world does. If you don't think you do, you clearly just haven't tried it, because, straight up, it's the best. It's also a super useful talent if you're looking to impress dates, especially if your dates are perspective battle rappers. "Flava in Ya Ear" is for all those interested in exploring further their own beat-making abilities, a workshop featuring producer Freddie Joachim, who, if you don't know, spits beats of hottest flame. 

4. The inevitable mention of Rap in a Post-Kanye World

There's no way at least one kid, probably dressed in leather skinny jeans and a red took with matching aviators, will undoubtedly toss out a question regarding "how rap has been changed by Kanye." Honestly, I'm really looking forward to the discussion. As the undisputed genius of mainstream rap, and the innovator of all innovators, I'm actually dying to discuss where people think he's headed. My current running theory: since "Only One" premiered, I've been of the mind that Kanye's next release will be his most fatherly, surrounding this new side of him - a father, a mentor, as opposed to his Yeezus bragadocio, or his College Dropout/My Beautiful Dark... characters of emotionally wounded tenderness. No matter your opinion of Kanye, however, it's undisputed that he's been the forerunner, the quintessential synthesizer of all popular rap trends since College Dropout, and there's no way one can pontificate on where rap is headed without mentioning the Great Yeez. 

5. "The Language" 

March 21st, 4:00pm, @SSMU Building, Room 203A (Madelaine Parent room)

Finna peeps this so hard, homie, I cannot even front. My love of slang aside, though, "The Language" is set to be one of the most thought-compelling and utterly enthralling workshops of Hip Hop Week. Run as an open discussion with Dr. Awad Ibrahim, a professor of Cultural Studies at the University of Ottawa, the discussion will focus on slang, the N-word (I just gagged, typing that), and the question of rap's accessibility. Besides the initial appeal of a venue to swap slang, which is honestly enough of a reason to get me out of the house, this panel stands to offer some sorely needed information in the lives of many a culturally stunted, or otherwise ignorant, Montrealer. 

 

-- Zach Goldberg is a DJ, loyal CJLO volunteer, and a regular contributor at The Link.

The Dodos, an American indie-rock duo composed of Meric Long and Logan Kroeber, played at La Sala Rossa on March 2nd, 2015. They did not have any additional touring members, and it made all the difference. The duo was incredibly energetic, and performed well together, capturing the full attention of the crowd. They opened with "Goodbyes and Endings" off their newly released album, Individ. Although the vocals were buried under disappointing sound quality, the packed audience responded well to their performance, slowly singing and dancing along.

The duo exploited the cheerfulness of the crowd, and made it clear that they were happy to perform again in Montreal. They attempted to speak French a few times; Meric would randomly talk about "pamplemousse", and Logan would read prepared sentences written on napkins! Even though the band was on tour promoting Individ, they still graced the crowd with a few favourite songs from their previous albums, including "The Season", "Confidence", "Black Night" and "Walking".

It was surprising to see how close they are with their opening act, Springtime Carnivore (Greta Morgan). During their performance, she came in at the front of the stage, dancing and screaming at the Dodos. She even had a cardboard poster that read "Critters Buggin", and pretended she was a groupie. Meric explained that "Critters Buggin" was actually a band that he was talking about the night before, and Greta thought he was talking about an old hobo! She joined them in the encore, closing the night on a great performance.

Carmen from Plebeian Pleasures (Mondays at 11AM on CJLO) sat with the Dodos to discuss their latest album, performing live, and cookies!

 

Carmen: You guys are here for another time in Montreal on the same stage! What are your expectations for tonight, according to your last show?

Logan: I kind of have high expectations. The last show was really good.

Meric: We don't usually have high expectations for much. (Laughter)

Carmen: Can you start by telling me a random fun fact about yourselves that doesn't concern music?

Meric: Music's part of me! I don't think about anything else. Fun fact? I'm really boring, that's the fun fact.

Logan: I still watch skate videos every day online like a thirteen-year-old boy, and know all the skateboard gossip, and who's on what team, and up-and-comers. I guess maybe I am still a thirteen-year-old boy.

Meric: Now that you've got my brain turning...(laughter) One thing I've come to realize about myself is that I know a lot about terrible movies.

Carmen: What's the worst terrible movie you know about?

Meric: Just today, in the car even, like, Ian was trying to think of some movie and, forgot what it was, but I knew exactly what he was talking about and I could tell him the exact title of the movie. I feel like I do that a lot, I know that information. I didn't seek that information out on purpose, but I find myself knowledgeable about this totally useless thing.

Carmen: Individ is your sixth album, so how does the inspiration come after you've already explored so much material? Did the composition process change?

Logan: Well, I think a good example of that would be at sound check. [...] was breaking down the construction of our song "Goodbyes and Endings", which we often sound-check with. They've heard it enough through sound check, that they had some questions. And I don't think we've done a song quite like that before, so intricately stitched together, of time signatures, jumping back and forth while trying to maintain a quality of smoothness...where it doesn't seem like crazy meth rock. I guess we've done things similar before but it's just a continuation of that, the gnarliest form of that so far. At least, that's part of the story.

Carmen: And how has it been recording in the studio together for 10 years now? Did your relationship change or is it just like the first day?

Meric: Well, now I'm on top! (Laughter)

Carmen: Do you "complete" each other musically?

Meric: No. But, in this project, we've come full circle, to being a two-piece on this tour. I think that in doing so, you realize some of our strengths as two musicians who play together. Some of the things that we developed over the years of playing that take time and don't just come naturally. So, yeah, we've played a lot of music together. Played a lot of shows together. If we weren't tied by now we'd be on the wrong tracks. (Laughter)

Carmen: If you would not make the genre of music you do today, what genre would you do?

Meric: Right now...I'd like to play bass, in a heavy slow R&B band.

Logan: That sounds really great, but I would probably either regress back into playing metal, or I would progress into playing country music. There's another part of me that thinks I would be into electronic music as a total left turn. There are a lot of genres out there to explore.

Carmen: In "Pattern/Shadow" you've collaborated with Brigid Dawson of Thee Oh Sees. How was that?

Meric: It was fun. Her and I were on a band together when I first moved to San Francisco. We had toured together with Thee Oh Sees and we hadn't played music together since our band, so it was fun to come back. She's rad. She's really sweet and she's got a really strong voice, but she's really modest about it.

Carmen: Do you guys know what The Dodos means in French?

Logan: Take a nap?

Carmen: Yeah, taking a nap. I'm guessing it comes from the EP Dodo Bird, but why "The Dodos"?

Meric: You're right, it did come from the EP. When I think back to naming the EP, it was just lying in bed trying to go to sleep and just thinking about stuff and the dodo bird. I don't even really know the story of the dodo bird. I'm really out of knowing what common people know. To me, it sounded like something. Without knowing the back-story, I just liked what my impression was of what it actually is. 'Cause it just seemed kind of goofy but also kind of sad. So that's why I named the EP that, and then from there we just grabbed the nearest bark off the tree.

Carmen: So this month you released a video for "Competition", and props to the dancing skills! (Laugher). Although it was directed by Tyler McPherron, do you still have a say in the concept? Is it your idea?

Meric: Yeah it was our idea.

Carmen: Where did it come from?

Meric: It sort of progressed. The idea came out the rehearsals between us and the choreographer Katie Gaydos, and it was the actual idea for the whole concept of us starting out. You know, when you think you're gonna watch a concert and then come out and we do the whole dance thing. That was from a conversation that we had. We were trying to figure it out as we were figuring out the choreography. 'Cause we just started, we didn't know what we were gonna do when we met. We got in touch with her, she signed on to do the choreography and we just started meeting, working on stuff. As it went on, it sort of got whittled down into that. But it's pretty cool! You're making me remember how clueless we were when we first started and that's kind of beautiful.

Carmen: Did you ever dance before?

Meric: No. I took tap dance lessons from my sister when I was younger a little.

Carmen: Did you collaborate on every video you did?

Logan: Our early videos were not collaborative. People came to us and we were either on tour or didn't have time to get involved. We just said "ok, make a video", but the last three albums, we've been more involved.

Carmen: And what about the artwork? Even your t-shirts are cool, and the cover of the album is really interesting. Did you guide the artist in what you wanted for the cover?

Logan: Yeah, Meric did. It's hard to guide somebody like Victor (Cayro).

Meric: It was very small guidelines. As Logan put it out, he has a lot of ideas. Way more ideas than we could have given him. We threw out a few things that were pertaining to the record and the title and the theme, and he crafted that all. It's Victor's baby for sure.

Carmen: Did he listen to the album, and just...

Meric: He supposingly listened to the record and got some ideas from that, but I think most of that is Victor's brain, turned down for public consumption. Most of his stuff is pretty abrasive, for a lack of a better word, to put on the cover of a Dodos record, so he really turned it down for our well-being.

Carmen: Individ is quite dark, how is the vibe of LIVE shows changing? Compared to the previous tours, according to the mood of this album?

Meric: It's tough man. We are realizing, probably this week because we're almost four weeks in the tour, our sets are pretty intense. We mix the old stuff. I don't know about you (talking to Logan), but our sets are pretty intense.

Logan: They are intense. It gets dark. I think it's well sequenced, 'cause it gets darker towards the end of the set, with "Retriever" and "Pattern/Shadow". By that point, people are pumped so it doesn't seem gloomy.

Carmen: So it gets darker for you?

Logan: It's the tone of the songs, 'cause other new songs that we play aren't as dark as those ones.

Meric: I don't mean to say intense in a dark way, 'cause I don't think of the record as being that dark. I just don't. It might be that way, but coming from the dark side, I don't feel that.

Logan: From an energy level, you mean? Definitely intense.

Carmen: And that changed the way the audience interacts in the shows?

Logan: If they what to interact with it, yeah. We've had some really great interactive audiences and we've been opening up some requests from the audience as well.

Carmen: Do you always do the same set list, or does it change?

Meric: There's a basic skeleton, but we've been taking requests to capitalize on the fact that we're touring as a two-piece and we can play a lot of songs in a drop of a hat.

Carmen: After 10 years, are you proud of how the underground scene has evolved?

Meric: I don't feel like there is an underground scene.

Logan (referring to posters of bands that performed at La Sala Rossa): I'm looking at all these old posters while we've been talking, all these bands that I recognize from when I was much younger and that was an underground scene that I looked up to. Am I a part of that? I still feel like I look up to them, in the shadow of some of these people. It's hard to place yourself in that. The music scene has gotten weird. It's gotten bigger. It seams that there's more bands than when we started.

Meric: There's a lot more turn over. Both in the mainstream, and I would assume in the underground as well because its like... one ships in, one ships out. It's harder. I feel like it might be harder to maintain something of an underground scene, or something of a scene nowadays. Because there's just so much exportation and so much upward mobility.

Logan: As soon as something is pluckable, it gets sucked into the system. I hear about stuff. I hear about other scenes going on. My interest in that seems just as vampiric as music media that would wanna focus on and bring it out of that scene.

Carmen: Once you bring it out, it's no longer part of that scene, right?

Logan: It could be. It's cool to know that that's happening out there and people aren't just trying to get famous on Instagram for having a few songs, 'cause that's the formula that I'm more familiar with.

Carmen: Is there anything you wish you would have known about the music industry when you started? (Laughter) Is there something you learned that shocked you? That you didn't expect?

Meric: I'm trying to imagine what I thought we were getting into. Or what I hoped, or what I imagined. It's definitely not how I thought it would be. That's a good thing 'cause I had a very naïve, very suburban view of the music industry. Very "major label", very much like "you become a rock star or you don't".

Logan: Having that traditional power system in place, from being a little kid and being into music from a young age, it has surprised me how far certain bands and performers have taken the Kickstarter fan-sourced thing now. I didn't see that coming. It's cool that that works for some people but it definitely turned upside down the traditional label power system that, you know... It was almost like another branch of the government. It just seemed unchangeable. It most certainly has changed over the course of our career.

Carmen: Do you have any fun story of the tour so far?

Logan: Been working pretty hard, but what kind of fun have we been getting into? Mostly eating.

Carmen: If you would have to decide between a vegan, a spicy or a meat poutine which one would you go for?

Meric: Spicy!

Logan: I had a spicy last night, so I might go for regular gravy.

Carmen: What would be the dream festival you would want to play the most at?

Logan: It's got to be Primavera right?

Meric: Some festivals like Japan, something crazy. Some festival where Imagine Dragons would headline. (Laughter)

Logan: what was the name of that festival?

Meric: The Fuji festival! (Laughter). I have no idea. Is there a specific one? God, I don't know. You know what, fuck festivals.

Carmen: Do you prefer small venues because you can connect with the audience more?

Meric: I think our band works better. We've played some big festivals, we've actually had some really amazing shows. But in terms of what I gather, seems like people, they connect to the music better if they are in a smaller room with us. And I think we kinda sound better in a small room, 'cause they're just two of us.

Carmen: Is there anything I didn't' ask you that you wanted me to ask you or mention?

Meric: I think you should ask Logan about his new sweater.

Carmen: You got a new sweater! Did you buy it here?

Logan: I did get it here, got it at Frank & Oak. Thank you Frank and Oak for the sweater, but also for the cookie they gave me! (Laughter)

Carmen (to Meric): Did you get a coodie, um a cookie too?

Meric: I got some coodies, (Laughter) and a sweater and a cookie!

Carmen: Anything else?

Logan: We love Montreal!

 

The interview ended with Logan giving a shout out to The Luyas, an indie rock band from Montreal.

We Just Wanna Have Some Fun, Down at the Rock and Roll Club

The second weekend in March is always a funny time for ol' Prince Palu. Usually around this time Mother Nature begins the seven week long tease of acceptable weather. As the temperature rises above zero and the snow begins to melt, revealing just how much dog poop was not picked up over the past three or four months, Montrealers begin to feel like spring is here and that the equinox actually gives a hoot about how long we have put up with the ice and snow. Palu has been through this too many times, however, and knows better. "Do not be fooled!" he warns anyone in earshot, "winter has not gone, but is only hiding! Put away your short pants." But never one to unwelcome a beautiful day, Palu gladly accepts the mild week we've had and hopes that you all have taken advantage of it. Here are some shows that will help you enjoy the mild weekend. Have a happy and safe Saint Patrick's Day and get ready for the return of the blizzards.

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Combining electro-pop and minimalist-folk, local quartet Our Book & the Authors will be launching their EP Equals tonight at Casa del Popolo (4873 St-Laurent). There will be two shows, with the doors for the first one opening at 6:00 if you want to go home early. It is still a school/work night after all. The second show will happen at 8:00. The best part (aside from the music of course) is that both shows are free!

If you are in the mood for a more salt-of-the-earth kind of vibe, a country blues and ragtime music kind o' thing, then head down the street a few blocks to Divan Orange (4234 St-Laurent) where Dan Livingstone & the Griffintown Jug Addicts will transport you back "to the days when jug bands were the cat's meow". Sharing the stage tonight for this Dust Bowl time-traveling adventure will be the Dominic Desjardins Quartet and Bernard Adamus.

Friday, March 13, 2015

Friday sees a couple of shows that fall into the wide spectrum of experimental rock 'n' roll. Since labels and genres are all kind of silly anyway, let's just say that these shows are a little different than what you might find on commercial radio.

The first of these shows for you to partake in, if you are so inclined, is happening over at Quai des Brumes (4481 St-Denis) where Analogue Addiction presents a night of punk rock with Meta Gruau, No Negative, and ALPARCHIE. If weird and loud is what you need on this Friday the 13th, then these groups will give it to you.

The second experimental rock 'n' roll show this Friday is going down at Brasserie Beaubien (73 Beaubien E.). There you will find the tape release show for slack-core legends in the making LOC-NAR, a local band that takes their name from the Canadian animated sci-fi classic Heavy Metal, which is reason enough to go and give them your support, and last year released a song called "Open Burger Surgery". I mean c'mon! What is not to like about this band, even if you have never heard them?! To make it even more appealing, they will be joined by the psychedelic space jams of Knows and Joint Custody, who are either too new or too cool for internet presence... although this might be their bandcamp. You can have it all for $5. Show starts at 10:00pm sharp.

Friday also marks the return of the Soul/R&B night known as Mess Around. DJs New Breed Nick and Ben Shulman return to Divan Orange to share their immense collection of vintage 45s so that you can celebrate the break of the deep freeze we have all been living under.

If you are looking for something funky, but with live music, then Brutopia (1219 Crescent) would be the place where you'd like to find a seat or piece of carpet to dance on. Local band Kebeko take to the stage at 10:00 with their blend of world music rhythms and rock 'n' roll attitude. Combining the flavours of funk, cumbia, salsa, reggae, kompa, soukous with a rock groove, their unique sound will put a bounce in your step and a smile on your face.

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Productions Haineuses present a night of experimental-electronica at Casa del Popolo with a triple bill of Violence, William Crop, and Napollon. If you're looking for pop-synth, beat and loops, then this will surely have you covered. $5 to enter, show starts at 9:00pm.

Still looking for the funk? Then head over to Le Bleury Bar à Vinyle (2109 Bleury) where Voyage Funktastique presents the March Funkness edition of their monthly night. DJs Walla P and DR.MaD call out to all the Fly Girls, Modern Funksters, and Boogie Dancers to join them and celebrate their dedication to promoting Future/Modern/Boogie Funk. $4 before midnight, $7 after.

The DJ night theme continues over at Divan Orange with the second edition of the Global Beat Montreal featuring NYC crew Burdel Dali with their blending of East and West grooves, Psychotropical Orchestra's DJ Elvis Cocho, and Montreal's own Touski, founder of the Gypsy Balkan Party. Admission is $12. The mayhem begins at 9:30pm.

Sunday, March 15, 2015

I strongly recommend that you head over to Quai des Brumes Sunday night for the 5 à 7 album launch featuring one of the swingin'est bands around, Filly and the Flops. I was lucky enough to get a copy of I Got Burned earlier this week and can tell you first hand that this one will have you jumpin', jivin' and wailin' before the sun sets. When was the last time you could honestly say that about a Sunday evening out? And since the show is so early, you can have some dinner with friends after and go out to any number of beautifully weird music shows happening around town at places like La Vitrola, La Plante, and La Presse. Yes, I have run out of time to describe them in more detail for you, but I know that you are wise enough to click a link and find something that tickles your fancy.

 

--Prince Palu hosts The Go-Go Radio Magic Show, every Friday night from 6 to 8pm. Tune in. Turn on. Freak OUT! Only on CJLO.