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IMO (In My Opinion)
IMO (In My Opinion), written by Jess Salomon
The headline on Jess Salomon's personal webpage reads, "writer, comedian, family disappointment". She left behind her career as a war crimes lawyer for the United Nations to become a comedian, and her new act, IMO (In My Opinion), marks her third year performing stand-up at the Montreal Fringe Festival.
The premise of IMO is that you can't trust the media, you can't trust the government, but you can trust Jess! The material was well-written (in a similar style as Louis C.K.), and included unsettling jokes about the hard truths of this fucked up world. Salomon presented herself as a talking-head pundit, but the commitmeent to that idea was somewhat unconvincing in her stand-up routine.
Due to what could be described as a sort of Canadian "politeness" present in her delivery, some parts lacked the bite Salomon needed to hit those punchlines. IMO did have some hilarious moments, though, and perhaps her fan base will grow once Salomon becomes comfortable speaking from the margins.
IMO (In My Opinion) runs until June 22nd at Théâtre Ste-Catherine (264 Sainte-Catherine E.). Check out the schedule at the Fringe Festival website.
A post-modern burlesque for a post-modern audience
Turning Tricks, written by Glam Gam Productions, choreography by Gabrielle Coulter, directed by Michael J. McCarthy and Hannah Morrow
When it comes to late-night fringe entertainment, very few things hit the mark as well and as closely as a burlesque presentation; adult, sexy and entertaining, without being crass or awkward. That being said, a fatal flaw to this age-old tradition is that these cabaret presentations tend to mostly blend together and eventually fall into similarity. Thankfully, Glam Gam Productions' Turning Tricks doesn't fall into this problem, and instead turns the formulaic strip-tease storytelling medium into a full-blown play.
Turning Tricks doesn't skip the foreplay, if anything it revels in it. You're introduced to characters and learn to grow fond of their campy but charming natures. You're taken on a fantastic series of events, and dance numbers that make no attempt at obfuscating the numerous bits of social commentary spread across the presentation. You'll find plenty of sarcastic commentary on social media, witty dialogue, and downright hilarious moments peppered across the show's two acts.
Acts are opened with musical numbers that are sung live—like you would expect in a cabaret—but the song selection is delightfully relatable and also strangely modern. The stage presentation is anything but minimalistic; colourful props, lighting and a few special effects (like a fog machine). These help immerse the audience into the performance, all while retaining its edgy nature. Even though the show runs well over 90 minutes, it never overstays its welcome and paces itself adequately. Although the acts have very distinct 'personalities', these acts have a hard time relating to one-another. It almost feels like an entirely different presentation, but with the same actors and actresses. That being said, this hardly deters from the show's entertainment value.
Turning Tricks isn't magic, but it is a fascinating and entertaining burlesque presentation that's both unique and charming. You can check out the event, which will be running until June 21st at Café Cleopatra (1230 Saint-Laurent). Check out the schedule, the trailer and tickets at the Fringe Festival website.
--Jocelyn Beaudet hosts The Dead Of Night The Loneliest Hours, Fridays at 11:59 PM on CJLO 1690 AM
From Japan with Love
Cherry Typhoon and her Burlesque Ninja, written and directed by Cherry Typhoon, choreography by Cherry Typhoon and her burlesque ninja
The Montreal Fringe Festival proudly added Burlesque superstar Cherry Typhoon to their roster this year. If you're unfamiliar with this Japanese performer, she's made the rounds internationally, performing for well over a decade. In her latest production, Cherry Typhoon and her Burlesque Ninja, Typhoon is joined by three beautiful performers to tell the comical tale of Sensei Typhoon's ousting of the evil Moustache with the help of her three Ninjas.
The performance is ripe with comical over-acting, typical of Japanese animation and drama, and plenty of English and Japanese dialogue from Typhoon and her cast. But what sets this show apart is the level of talent that each cast member brings in: from Izumi Goto's sensational incorporation of an accordion, to Lou on the Rocks' jaw-dropping dancing that's reminiscent of a scene right out of Pulp Fiction. The selection of music is diverse, touching on Japanese renditions of songs, Latin-American originals, and some classics from North America. Lasting 45 minutes, the performance strikes all the right notes at the right time, and takes no breaks or interludes from start to finish. While other burlesque shows use large stages, colourful lights, and special effects, Cherry Typhoon and her Burlesque Ninja plays it safe, and uses a handful of props like masks, stuffed animals, and some colourful music to add to the comical drama between the dance numbers.
Of the most memorable numbers, a burlesque rendition of Black Swan near the end of the show is done masterfully and tastefully by Odile Shijimi. No stranger to ballet, she repeats the classic dance number in a burlesque style that left the audience unsure if they should be cheering or quietly admiring the beauty that was unfolding on stage.
You can catch this high-octane burlesque at The Wiggle Room (3874 Saint-Laurent) until June 22nd, and if you're a fan of burlesque, you definitely should. Check out all the relevant info on the Montreal Fringe Festival website, or http://www.cherrytyphoon.com/.
--Jocelyn Beaudet hosts The Dead of Night the Loneliest Hours, Fridays at 11:59 PM on CJLO 1690 AM
June 13th, 2014
Hosted by: Jocelyn Baudet
Stories by: Sam Obrand, Marilla Steuter-Martin, Emeline Vidal
Produced by: Emeline Vidal
4 Girls 4 Ever
4 Girls 4 Ever, written by Ned Cox and Alexandria Haber, directed by Jen Quinn
4 Girls 4 Ever is about four women getting locked in a classroom on the night of their 25-year high school reunion. The set design was excellent, as I truly felt like I was sitting in an abandoned classroom in a school basement. As I admired the Swim Team poster, my neighbour pointed out the song playing: "Oh yeah" by Yellow from the Ferris Bueller's Day Off soundtrack. Did I mention that this show was also described as "The Breakfast Club for Grown Ups?" As I listened to my neighbour make references to all these '80s movies that I have never seen, I had a sneaking suspicion that I was not the target audience for this show.
I did still find things to entertain me however. The four actresses, Amanda Kellock, Danielle Desormeaux, Jane Wheeler, and Fanny LaCroix did phenomenal work, with each character a fully-developed human with hilarious mannerisms. The work of these four women is what makes the show entertaining. Unfortunately, after these wonderful characters are established, we don't really get a chance to watch them relate to each other, instead they just talk at each other. There was unnecessary narration, and also a redundant, poorly written summary at the very end of the show. There was a solid idea at the base of this script, but it was underdeveloped.
That being said, a lot of people in the audience laughed when I didn't, and this show has sold out more than once, so go see it if you like The Breakfast Club. I'm curious to know what you think.
4 Girls 4 Ever runs at the Espace Freestanding Room (4324 Saint-Laurent, #300) until June 20th. Schedule and ticket information is available at http://montrealfringe.ca/en/2014/4-girls-4-ever.
Lydia Ainsworth - Right From Real - Pt. I
Starting off with a flurry of strings supported by quiet electronics on EP opener "Candle", composer and singer Lydia Ainsworth's sound can immediately grab any potential listener. Her debut EP, Right From Real - Pt. I (Arbutus Records, June 2014), defies any sort of conventional categorization. The prominent violins may initially call to mind Joanna Newsom's earlier work, while the warm infusion of electronica and experimental structures might remind one of Björk and Bat for Lashes. Ultimately though, this is Lydia Ainsworth's work, and the influences here meld together to form something distinct, unique, and quite her own.
Combining genres and instruments is immediately appealing on paper, but is incredibly difficult to pull off at the risk of sounding too calculated or cold. Right From Real - Pt. I never falls under that trap, and there is a looseness and lightness to the music that exudes warmth and a sense of effortlessness. By the third track and album stand-out "Malachite", ghostly harmonies and pulsing synths create a deeply layered listening experience. What's telling about this record, at only four songs long, is the great diversity any listener would pick up on throughout its short running time. It warrants repeated listening for all of sonic details and the creative structural musical compositions, which alone are quite an accomplishment.
Best For: Thoughtful and inquisitive brainstorming. Comedown music after what I can just assume will be a devastating Game of Thrones finale.
Rating: 4/5
-- Ken C. hosts Out Of Tune every Wednesday at 4 PM EST on CJLO.
June 11th, 2014
Hosted by Catlin Spencer
Stories written by Catlin Spencer + Taisha Henry + Marilla Steuter-Martin
Produced by Saturn De Los Angeles
The 10th Annual Diego Award Winners
Here's to another amazing year of independent radio at CJLO 1690 AM!
The CJLO Diego Awards is an annual awards ceremony created to celebrate a year of hard work and quality programming at CJLO 1690 AM, and to celebrate the spirit of community/college radio, which is THE driving force behind the support of independent music, artists, and grass-roots communities in Montreal and the world at large.
There is a staggering number of committed volunteers, quality radio programs, session and production engineers, and news and music journalists at CJLO 1690 AM. We recognise that even though there can only be one recipient per Diego category (OK, sometimes maybe two!) all of those who give their time and effort to make CJLO the best radio station it can be are winners in our hearts. Yes, that means YOU!
Mathieu Barrot, our new station manager at CJLO 1690 AM said about the Diego awards, "they made me realise why I like CJLO so much. We have some fantastic shows that have been around for ages, the true staples of the station, and the new shows that are bringing us up in every way possible."
It is our honour to post the winners of the 10th Annual CJLO Diego Awards. Special thanks to all our nominees!
Aaaaaaand the winners are...
The Ryan B. Arditi Lifetime Achievement Award
Mason Windels, host of Midnight Love Affair
♥♥♥♥♥
The Bored and Wanting to Get Out of the House Award
...for Excellence in Volunteer Commitment
Katie-Ann DunField
The Keener Award
...for Most Helpful DJ
Richard Starr (Cued for Thought)
♥♥♥♥♥
The Fox News Award
...for Excellence in Journalism
Sam Obrand
The Lester Bangs Award
...for Excellence in Music Journalism
Angelica (BVST)
The Steve Albini Award
...for Excellence in Production
Miguel Marcil
♥♥♥♥♥
The Radio 3 Award
...for Best New Music Supporter
The Feel Good Hit of the Summer
The MAPL Award
...for Most Canadian Content
Burnt Offerings
♥♥♥♥♥
The Wayne and Schuster Award
...for Best Team (that hosts a show)
Richie & Nate - Cued for Thought
The CJLOL Award
...for Funniest Show
Greedy Graffiti
The Ol' Gil Award
...for Most Underrated Show
Shibuya Crossing
The Welcome to the Jungle Award
...for Best New Show
The Vibe Room
♥♥♥♥♥
The CBC Award
...for On-Air Professionalism
Ken Chatoor - Out Of Tune
The Matthew McConaughey Award
...for Most Improvement
The Anglo-Franco Tango
The Saint-Jean Baptiste Award
...for French Content
Je Suis TBA
The Phil Donahue Award
...for Best Talk Show
The Starting Rotation
♥♥♥♥♥
The Lucky Dube Award
...for Best World Show
Anatomy of Caribbean Music
The Niche Award
...for Best Specialty Show
Maiden Voyage
With Gay Abandon
The Pete Tong Award
...for Best RPM Show
Autobeat
The Yank Crime Award
...for Best Rock Show
Revolution 33 1/3
The Bad News Brown Award
...for Best Hip Hop Show
Greedy Graffiti
The Smelt Your Face Award
...for Best Metal Show
Burnt Offerings
♥♥♥♥♥
-- Check out our Programming Schedule for details and show times!
Shooting in Las Vegas leaves both suspects and victims dead
In Las Vegas, five people are dead following a violent encounter with police on Sunday.
The New York Times reports that two police officers were ambushed by a pair of suspects during lunchtime.
The incident happened near a Wal-Mart store.
In a Press Conference, Sheriff Douglas Gillespie says the suspects disarmed the hostages and exchanged gunfire from incoming police.
One suspect then shot the other and took her own life.
An unidentified person was also shot. Neither of the officers survived.
Store management released a statement expressed their condolences.
The store has since been closed in order to work with police in the investigation.
Inmates steal helicopter
Three Quebec inmates that escaped from jail on Saturday in a helicopter have been placed on the province's 10 Most Wanted list.
According to The Toronto Star, authorities across Quebec, Canada and in the United States have all been put on alert for the escapees.
The three men were identified as Yves Denis, Serge Pomerleau, and Denis Lefebvre.
All are facing murder charges.
Police have released pictures of the men on social media asking the public for help, but advise people to contact authorities and not approach the men.
They say the inmates fled from the Orsainville Detention Center in Quebec City.
They may be heading west, either towards Trois-Rivieres or Montreal.
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