RSS

NOTICE: CJLO 1690 AM is aware of the impending controversy regarding Rockfest, and new articles are in the works to report on the issues with the conditions at the festival. In the meantime, the following article reports on the Rockfest showcases and not the festival's overall experience. 

The year  Marilyn Manson made enemies with the Punk Rock Scene

Article by Abby Schachter, freelance journalist and host of The Reaktor (Fridays at 2 PM EST on CJLO). Follow Abby on Tumblr. Photos by Jason Harbour.

Rockfest is a big deal. What started off as a tiny little festival in the even tinier town of Montebello, Quebec (900 residents) eight years ago has exploded into the ultimate punk rock showcase. Renowned punk, metal and rock bands like Rancid, Deftones, Dropkick Murphys, Lamb of God, Pennywise, and Lagwagon (to name a few) perform at Rockfest every year. The cool part is that most of them send out a personalized request. In 2013, Rockfest guests included the above and more with special appearances from Marilyn Manson and Alice Cooper. However, Manson managed to ruin nearly everybody's weekend when he caused "disturbances" during his arrival Saturday morning... but let's start at the very beginning.

For those of you who have never heard of Rockfest, it's a fun-filled weekend complete with music and camping. Montebello transforms from a quiet suburb into a crazy campsite overnight. Fans pitch up tents everywhere, including the lawn in front of the town's church. Walking down the street is nearly impossible due to crowds of punks and metal heads roaming the town in search of beer, cigarettes, and shelter from the sun. The lineups at grocery stores, depanneurs (corner stores), banks, and bathrooms are at least an hour wait. It's definitely a sight worth seeing.

Alex Martel is the founder, organizer, master, chief, captain, and general boss of Rockfest. Martel was only seventeen years old with no experience, contacts or money when he dreamed up Rockfest in 2005. However, he did have a vision and an astonishing work ethic for a teen. Martel believes his love and obsession for music is what motivated him. "During the weekend instead of hanging out with friends like normal people, I would be backstage at shows in the U.S or Montreal or Toronto." Martel says he just wanted something fun to do in his hometown because there was nothing to do there. He never thought the festival would grow into something so big. 

When asked how he got such famous names to perform in a town in the middle of nowhere, Martel explained that the lineup consists of groups who heard the festival was exciting. Apparently, the bands that play at Rockfest have so much fun that not only do they want to come back and perform the following year, but they invite other bands to join them. "One of the first bands that really, really helped with spreading the word was Anti-Flag. They loved the fest and talked about it to, like, every punk band. I thank them every time I see them." It's no wonder musicians want to take part in the show, all performing artists get full VIP treatment. In fact, they get an entire hotel reserved just for them. With rooftop poolside access overlooking the entire festival!

Luckily for us, my fellow media partners and I received full VIP backstage access to the fest. We were able to hang out at that hotel cordoned off from "normal folk" and socialize with the bands in the media room all weekend long. Though it was more work than play we still had our fair share of fun. The festival organizers are some of the nicest people I have ever met and dealt with in regards to festival planners. Martel includes nearly his entire family in the process. His grandma helped supervise media passes, his mom aided in managing the hotel, and his dad helped out with transporting band equipment.

Unfortunately some of the things that happened that weekend caused them a whole lot of underserved stress. Main stresses? Security guards who did not do their job properly (check out article entitled security and poop) and the very epitome of a high-maintenance Hollywood diva: Marilyn Manson.

Friday night was near perfect. The shows ran on time, people were deliriously drunk and happy because they were listening to the bands they loved. Groups were enjoying their stay at the privately catered hotel, and Martel and company seemed to be relatively calm. Also, security was in check… sort of. Then Saturday arrived and with that the Alice Cooper/Marilyn Manson entourage. Alice Cooper seemed undemanding from what I overheard from staff on site. Marilyn Manson, however, who I personally think is many a step down from Cooper, was a totally different story. He was what some may call socially inept, snobby and high maintenance. Everything you expect from pop stars like Christina Aguilera or Justin Bieber. Turns out "badass" metal "ish" Satan crooner Marilyn Manson is allegedly nothing but a snobby Hollywood diva who thinks he is too good to hang out with the likes of famous punk rock bands. The guy is neither cool nor impressive but rather a big old self-absorbed "artiste."

Remember that cordoned off Hotel with the rooftop access and pool? It was shut down for Manson. He supposedly did not want to be disturbed by the bands that were also staying at the same hotel. We are talking about legendary bands like: Rise Against, Dropkick Murphys, Lagwagon, and a slew of others. Manson also caused a major cluster you-know-what when he made festival planners re-organize the line-up because he allegedly wanted the main stage all to himself for set-up. 

As a result not only was the entire Saturday schedule switched, but Rockfest attendees did not know which bands were playing when or where. People were told that the stage was broken when in reality it was not. How do I know this? I spoke with members from bands that were affected by the sudden chaotic switch-ups.

One of those members was "Little Joe" Raposa, the bassist from Lagwagon. He opened up to me about why their set was moved from noon to six in the evening. Concert goers were really disappointed when they learned that Lagwagon, who was scheduled to play Saturday at twelve in the afternoon, would not be on until much later. The band had nothing to do with this sudden time switch; they were looking forward to being an opening act to pump up the crowd. "We were supposed to be the fluffers so to say, like the people to get the crowd into it but that went out the window. We were told (by staff): Alice Cooper and Marilyn Manson are coming and they are bringing their giant tour busses and are basically taking over the main stage." Lagwagon was then directed to perform at 6:45 p.m. on the small stage.

Little Joe added that Manson and his crew were so particular that they actually wanted to re-rig the entire P.A system! "In the hotel they closed down the pool and a whole bunch of other facilities. It was fucking hot out and I wanted to go swimming! Also, the manager for Rise Against (the headlining band for Rockfest) went to his production room you know to work and he found his computer outside the room in the hallway … just discarded like that." Apparently there was a sign on the locked door to the room with Marilyn Manson and Alice Cooper's name on it.

Manson seemed to disregard and disrespect everyone and anyone who he deemed irrelevant.

Little Joe says he has a theory that Manson and Cooper just don't understand the punk rock scene. "I think they are used to these giant productions and don't understand the whole 'show up' with your band and just play thing."

According to Joe, Lagwagon wasn't too upset over the schedule change but they were worried that fans would be. "We told the guys (fest organizers) that we would play any timeslot they give us. I just can't wait to play. I'm stoked!" Little Joe also expressed sympathy towards Rockfest Organizers, saying he still thinks the fest is amazing and the band would absolutely love to come back next year. "This fucking shit does not bother me and of course we will come back!"

From ground level my fellow media mates and I spotted Manson on the rooftop surrounded by his posse. He had the whole pool to himself and was gazing out at the fest beneath him—notice I say beneath. That word suits someone who treats non-Hollywood people as though they are insignificant so well. 

From what I heard, Manson and Cooper put on a decent show, but I did not feel the need to stick around for it. What's the point if the guys don't appreciate their fellow musicians or fans? With that being said, Rockfest was still a blast and I got to hang out with some of my all-time favorite bands consisted of some of the most interesting and down-to-earth people I'd ever met. Not to mention Alex and his family did an amazing job at making everyone feel accommodated.

Rockfest 2014 is already in the works but the lineup is top secret! For more info on the fest be sure to check out the website http://www.pnrockfest.com/en/

Today was the 2013 Polaris Music Prize long-list announcement at the PHI Centre in Old Montreal. Members of Radio Radio, Laurel Sprengelmeyer (Little Scream), Ruby Kato Attwood (Yamantaka // Sonic Titan), and Owen Pallett (Final Fantasy) were on hand to quickly read the list. The press conference included a live performance by 2013 long-listers Les Soeurs Boulay.

Many CJLO favourites have made the long list this year, including METZ, Alaclair Ensemble, Tegan and Sara, and Rah Rah.

Without further ado, here are the 40 long-list albums in alphabetical order by artist:

Alaclair Ensemble - Les Maigres Blancs D'Amérique du Noir

Anciients - Heart of Oak

The Besnard Lakes - Until Excess, Imperceptible UFO

Louis-Jean Cormier - Le Treizième Étage

Daphni - Jiaolong

Mac DeMarco - 2

Evening Hymns - Spectral Dusk

Hannah Georgas - Hannah Georgas

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!

Chilly Gonzales - Solo Piano II

Jim Guthrie - Takes Time

Hayden - Us Alone

Zaki Ibrahim - Every Opposite

Ken Mode - Entrench

Kid Koala - 12 Bit Blues

Kobo Town - Jumbie in the Jukebox

Pierre LaPointe - Punkt

Lee Harvey Osmond - The Folk Sinner

Les Soeurs Boulay - Le Poids des Confettis

Corb Lund - Cabin Fever

The Luyas - Animator

Majical Cloudz - Impersonator

Metric - Synthetica

METZ - METZ

Danny Michael with the Garifuna Collective - Black Birds Are Dancing Over Me

AC Newman - Shut Down the Streets

Old Man Luedecke - Tender is the Night

Lindi Ortega - Cigarettes & Truckstops

Peter Peter - Une Version Améliorée de la Tristesse

Purity Ring - Shrines

Rah Rah - The Poet's Dead

Rhye - Woman

Daniel Romano - Come Cry with Me

Colin Stetson - New History Warfare Vol. 3: To See More Light

Suuns - Images du Futur

Tegan and Sara - Heartthrob

Al Tuck - Stranger at the Wake

Whitehorse - The Fate of the World Depends on this Kiss

Young Galaxy - Ultramarine

Hello hello! I'm Lucy ---  you may know me as the voice of CJLO's Community Calendar (every two hours on the odd-numbered hour!), or - more likely - you won't know me from anywhere at all. No matter, because I'll be IN YOUR FACE for the next week bringing you show recaps/updates/assorted nonsense from Team CJLO while we're in Toronto for North by Northeast, from Wednesday June 12th to Sunday the 16th.

My personal goals for the week:

1. See as many bands with stupid names as possible,
2. Learn the all the secrets of the music biz from the drummer from the Black Eyed Peas (first secret: the Black Eyed Peas have a human drummer), and
3. Don't do crack.

And with that, here's your Rob Ford .gif of the day:

The CULTMtl 'Best Of Montreal' print issue is out and we couldn't be happier! Thank you for voting us the #2 Best Radio Station in Montreal! Up from #6 in the last BoM poll, this is very exciting news and lets us know that you're loving what you're hearing. Also, congratulations to The Go-Go Radio Magic Show for being voted #3 Best Radio Show. Tune in, turn on, freak out!

Expect more exciting CJLO events and programming coming your way this year, as we get closer to our 5th year on-air celebration in October! Have some extra time and wanna see what everyone's talking about? Join our Event Team!