RSS
Devendra Banhart Brings the Groove to Theatre Beanfield
Venezuelan-American indie icon Devendra Banhart stopped by Montreal’s Theatre Beanfield on October 7th with his Flying Wig tour, showcasing his newfound dark and synth-filled sound.
First, Montreal’s own Le Ren took the stage as the opening act. The singer-songwriter was accompanied by multi-instrumentalist Fez Gielen. With Le Ren on guitar and Gielen strumming on a dulcimer, the two played half an hour of intimate and pretty folk tunes. One highlight was the song “Dyan”, which Le Ren explained was dedicated to her mother. Another particularly lovely moment was Le Ren’s cover of Townes Van Zandt’s “Colorado Girl”, which she sang as a harmonized duet with Gielen. The two had undeniable on-stage chemistry, cracking little dry jokes at each other throughout their set, while remaining always musically connected.
After a short intermission, Devendra Banhart entered the stage. He was dressed in a slinky black dress, accompanied by his four-piece band. The theatre went from about half-full to tightly packed in the pit area, with people additionally lined up across the several tiered ledges behind the pit. Banhart kicked off his set with “Twin” off his brand-new album Flying Wig. This darkly groovy track had the audience melodically swaying with the beat.
Produced in collaboration with art-rock musician Cate Le Bon, Flying Wig is a radical departure from Banhart’s earlier work which often got him labelled the “king of freak-folk”, though he hates that term. His new songs largely ditch the acoustic instrumentation of his early 2000s releases in favour of synthesizers and strong percussion. While I thought Banhart’s performances of songs off this album were intensely danceable and executed with ease and sexiness, it was apparent that most of the audience was patiently waiting for his older tracks.
About halfway through his set, Banhart played one of his biggest songs, “Mi Negrita” off 2013’s Mala. The first few strums of this quirky love song had the audience erupting in applause, and they continued to sing along with the Spanish lyrics.
One highlight of Banhart’s set was the lively and satirical “Fancy Man” off his 2016 album Ape in Pink Marble. This song had Banhart parading around with wide and flowing movements, singing his chorus “'Cause I'm a fancy man” over and over as he glided across the stage.
Later, Banhart led the audience in a guided meditation, asking everyone to close their eyes and breathe out to “release all reactivity” and to embrace their “rainbow energy.” While a little hokey, this moment did allow for a much-needed pause in the show, providing a break from the higher-energy dancing and jokes of the past hour. Next, jumping back into the music, Banhart played “Fig in Leather”, a particularly upbeat and poppy song in his discography, but one the audience was certainly happy to hear.
Overall, Devendra Banhart’s show at Beanfield Theatre highlighted the artist’s unique confidence as a performer with a perfect mix of eccentricity and core musical chops.
Aviva Majerczyk is the magazine editor at CJLO 1690AM. She is also the host of The Alley, a folk-rock show airing Fridays at 11:00 AM.
Two Eyes on Lil Yachty
In the ever-evolving music landscape, Lil Yachty has carved a unique mark for himself through his genre-bending, distinctly charismatic, and memorable sound. His boundless creativity translates not only through his music but through every aspect of his performance. Yachty’s vision was brought to life through engaging visuals, corresponding lighting, and breathtaking harmonies at MTELUS on September 27th in Montreal.
Lil Yachty's new album Let’s Start Here is a radical departure from his previous musical style, introducing a psychedelic rock sound that has received critical acclaim. MTELUS welcomed Lil Yachty on his The Field Trip tour, creating a basically perfect concert.
The MTELUS venue greatly improved the concert. There is a balcony and a pit so if you desire to sit or stand, you have a choice. The pit at most rap performances is crowded and tough to navigate, but this was not the case here. The audience was mostly college and high school students, which appealed to me enormously since I am in that demographic. Everyone was kind and friendly, and a couple of them assisted me in getting closer to the front for a better view.
The performance began with two openers, each creating a different atmosphere for the audience.
The first was the Concrete Family, featuring Camo, Draft Day, Moe, and Karrahbooo, a group of rappers with music similar to what you could hear on a playlist feauring “iSpy” and “Broccoli.” These songs were the ideal way to kick off the show, with the entire crowd dripping in sweat after their performance– a clear indicator of success.
Then Nick Hakim sang soul and R&B songs. Hakim had obvious talent and a wonderful voice, but his show didn't have the crowd interaction I anticipated. I think that the two openers should have switched places. Right before Yachty came on,it would have been better to have a more explosive or rap opener to get the audience in the right mood. Hakim's set included a lot of standing around, and it was hard to get into his music unless you already knew it.
When Lil Yachty took the stage, his first few songs were off his new album, which created an environment in which everyone was singing along and having a good time.
Despite his appealing performance, his all-female band stole the show. The band consisted of Téja Veal on bass, Monica Carter on drums, Quenequia Graves on guitar, Kennedy Avery Smith on keyboards, and Lea Grace Swinson and Romana R. Sainti on vocals. Each of them was a master of their craft, with harmonies that moved around the music scale like honey, making me genuinely stop and marvel. The show's graphics were equally stunning, and everyone in the audience was singing along to the songs that we had all grown to love. The finest part of his presentation was the transition from relaxed rock tunes to classic rap songs and back to rock songs.
Yachty performed all of the hits during his rap session. The MTELUS venue has a perfectly long and wide floor and the mosh pit was active and sweaty, but not unsafe. I could easily bounce off people and dance about. Everyone's stance changed organically as the crowd moved. We were easily able to return to the middle of the mosh for the finale of Yachty’s rap tracks, my particular favorites being “Flex Up” and “One Night.” I had prepared for the show by studying the lyrics on a Spotify playlist, but Lil Yachty surprised me.
Lil Yachty performed the entire new record, which was exactly what the crowd seemed to want. The concert was the right length, and it closed with the song “Black Seminole” (from his album Let's Start Here). Overall, I'd give the concert an 8.5/10. The points I removed are for having two openers, which I believed was excessive and unneeded for a concert of this size. Both openers were good performers, but the concert was for Lil Yachty. I'll argue that the openers have it tough, especially with this crowd, who kept cheering “Yachty, Yachty, Yachty” during their sets.
I recently attended a Death Grips show, which was excellent. They began 30 minutes after the scheduled start time, had no openers, and no "banter" with the audience in between songs. They went right to business, which I loved. I'll be waiting for another concert to do it for the rest of my life.
Tiny Fest 2023 Day 2: A Captivating Showcase of Underground Music
Worst Dad Ever, a booking company that hosts DIY festivals and shows, presented Tiny Fest 2023 in collaboration with Casa Del Popolo in Montreal on October 6th and 7th. Despite the name, this year’s Tiny Fest #3 celebrated local singers, musicians, and bands of all genres, introducing Montrealers to new underground music.
The festival spanned two days, featured three venues offering specific concert and two-day passes, and was sponsored by CJLO and Norla Hats. Three local music venues on St-Laurent Boulevard, namely Casa Del Popolo, La Sotterenea, and La Sala Rossa, hosted the events in style. On the rainy Saturday evening of October 7th, Tiny Fest kept Montreal music lovers engaged across the three venues.
Have you ever experienced listener’s anxiety? It’s the tendency to feel nervous before listening to new music or exposing yourself to different music genres. As I stood there waiting for the festival to begin, I briefly grappled with listener’s anxiety.
The lonely bartender in front of me prepared and ate his aromatic dinner before the space began to fill up. People helped themselves to beer, shots, and mixed drinks from the bar menu, while I stood there with a glass of water, still feeling anxious.
Deer Scout, an indie musician from Brooklyn, New York, warmed up the slowly growing audience in the concert room at Casa Del Popolo. Her voice initially cracked as she began singing her 2022 release, “Afterthought”.
On her second attempt, she amazed us all. The soothing indie country song quieted the chatter in the room and in my mind. Listener’s anxiety was no longer an issue for me as I eased into the mood of the evening. Deer Scout also treated the well-behaved crowd to a cover of Alex G’s “Powerful Man” which received enthusiastic cheers
I am Streaming Mushrooms wasn’t the name of an edible confectionary available at the venue; it was the title of the album by the band Westelaken from Toronto, Ontario, who took the stage next. Their style combines elements of alt-country and indie folk, featuring emotive vocals by Jordan Seccareccia.
“Fixed Up By Orange Light” injected an uptempo burst into the evening and quickly became one of my favourites from their album. People danced and swayed with earplugs in as the deafening speakers were on full blast enhancing the whole performance, which stood as a testament to how much the band’s music was adored that night.
As a member of the audience, I found myself fully immersed in the feeling, involuntarily closing my eyes for the full experience. I indulged in their track “Fossilhead,” the second-longest song on their album.
In conclusion, Tiny Fest 2023 was a memorable musical journey, featuring many standout performances that showcased the festival’s commitment to celebrating local, raw, underground music, leaving the audience thoroughly engaged and enchanted.
Sruthi Matta is the host of Sruthi's Telugu Hour, Sundays at 7:00 PM
Tiny Fest 2023 Day 1: Diverse and Intimate Shows in the Heart of the Plateau
Tiny Fest 2023 kicked off Friday, October 6th across the Plateau venues Casa del Popolo, La Sala Rossa, and La Sotterenea. This year marked the third iteration of the micro-festival produced by Montreal booking agency Worst Dad Ever, sponsored by CJLO 1690 AM and Norla Hats. Despite the rainy weather and the first crisp evening air of fall, Montrealers packed into the three venues beside Boulevard Saint Joseph to watch short sets from beloved local artists plus more bands from across Canada and the United States.
Starting the night upstairs at La Sala Rossa with local duo Bodywash, the dreamy shoegaze act was joined by several accompanying musicians to create a layered and heavy sound. With Concordia’s own Rosie Long Decter on keys and main vocals and Chris Steward on guitar, Bodywash shook Sala Rossa with moody but highly danceable tunes. A standout from the set was the song “Kind of Light” off of their 2023 album I Held the Shape While I Could, which the band admitted to having never played live before, though you wouldn’t have been able to tell.
Across the street at Casa del Popolo was a cozy set by Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter John Roseboro. As I entered the cave-like venue, the audience was mostly sitting on the ground, as if they were kids and Roseboro, a particularly engaging kindergarten teacher. Armed with just an acoustic guitar, Rosboro’s quaint songs featured intimate lyricism paired with Bossa Nova-inspired strumming. Between songs, Roseboro had a casual and quirky stage banter, often leaning into self-deprecation. Near the end of his set, he asked everyone to stand up and sing along with the aid of lyric sheets which were previously distributed. This Casa set was the perfect comforting vibe for a rainy fall night.
Back across the street, in the basement venue La Sotterenea, TVOD (Television Overdose) put on a raw and sweltering post-punk show. The six-piece Brooklyn band performed a sweaty and electric set with vocalist Tyler Wright entering the audience and finally hanging off the ceiling lights and jumping off the stage speakers. Songs like “Mantis” and “Alien” got the audience dancing, without a pit opening up quite yet.
After a brief break to set up, local surf-punk band No Waves took the stage at La Sotterenea. The young trio energized the crowd with their brash but charming presence and garage rock tunes. It became clear why this was an all-ages show, as only a few songs in, a mosh pit opened up full of kids who couldn’t be older than CÉGEP age. However, the crowd defied their youthful stereotypes, as the pit maintained itself well, with no falling casualties to be seen. No Waves did ultimately have a few technical issues with their guitar pedals. However, whatever embarrassment the band may have felt was not experienced by the audience, as their charismatic stage banter more than made up for the technical flukes (even if sometimes the distortion was on so heavily that you couldn’t quite make out what they were saying).
No Waves at La Sotterenea ended Tiny Fest day one on an energized note, as the whole evening highlighted the diversity of underground music both here in Montreal, and in scenes across North America. Stay tuned for CJLO’s coverage of day two of the festival, October 7th, 2023.
Aviva Majerczyk is the magazine editor at CJLO 1690AM. She is also the host of The Alley, a folk-rock show airing Fridays at 11:00 AM.
Bahamadia and Shabazz Palaces: Two Giants of the Jazz Rap Scene Grace POP Montreal 2023
There are very few things that can make hip hop lovers stop dead in their tracks and this year POP Montreal was definitely held responsible for a skipped heartbeat or two. Whether fans got the news from the posters plastered around the city or from having their thumbs come to a sudden halt from the usual continuous scrolling, the word was out. Two giants from the jazz rap scene, Bahamadia and Shabazz Palaces were playing together for POP.
Let’s catch up with Ishmael “Butterfly” Butler from Shabazz Palaces, a new moniker for his creative outlet, he is widely known as one of the three pillars of the monumental group Digable Planets. Bahamadia, one of rap’s unforgettable voices, is most famously known for her album Kollage from 1996, and has been releasing inspired music ever since. Both of these artists are innovators in the jazz rap scene, with their early releases confirming once again the renewable nature of hip hop and how personal and experimental a genre it can be. As professed by artist Hua Li, amongst the crowd at the Pop Symposium, these artists opened her and others' minds to the endless possibilities of creativity within the genre.
On the afternoon of September 29th, the two participated in a symposium moderated by hip hop journalist and author Dalton Higgins. The setting was very casual on the first floor of the Rialto Theatre with friends gathered around tables, chatting and enjoying the autumn afternoon. Above the buzzing conversation, inconspicuously, a tall man carrying a box of Bernie’s donuts under one arm walked through the crowd and sat in the front row. Once Bahamadia made her glowing appearance walking towards the stage, the man with the donuts popped up and revealed himself. As quietly yet markedly as his namesake butterfly - Ishmael Butler who had just been chatting and mixing with the crowd stepped up on stage.
Feelings of royalty and humility were interchangeably present throughout the duration of the talk. The awe and admiration felt by long-adoring fans were happily balanced by the artists’ down-to-earth behaviour and warm sense of humour. Dalton Higgins expertly crafted the talk by asking questions that followed the two artists’ career paths while simultaneously asking for their critiques and opinions on hip hop culture. As the talk progressed, the questions reflected the changes in the scene through time, showcasing these artists as hip hop lovers, creators and experts. An interesting theme that came up was the path of inspiration and influence found in recent artists’ work. Bahamadia spoke of how artists like her don't often receive their flowers. She explained that sometimes the path of inspiration is hard to trace as the reinterpretation of one’s art can sometimes come out as a completely different product. She proclaimed that her and Butler’s works are becoming part of the “standards of hip hop” that directly or indirectly influence new creators.
Higgins also asked about their views on the future of hip hop, of which AI and other rising technologies were described as worrisome by both artists. Bahamadia said she felt uneasy about AI taking away from the value of human creativity but confidently professed that rappers and other artists can surely use it as a tool and welcomed using the technology correctly. Ishmael Butler continued on this point stating that throughout history humans tended to do things that were “anti-human” but that through education, compassion and lived experience we as a species always come around.
It’s no surprise that audience members left the talk with an energized excitement. Especially due to the fact that both Bahamadia and Ishamel Butler stuck around and welcomed fans taking selfies and chatting with them, of course with the fans blubbering over the right words to say. This good feeling was long-lived as it would only be in a few hours that the two artists would perform a few blocks away at L’Entrepot 77.
The same fans now dispersed from the talk and gathered back for the artists’ evening show. Under the strung lanterns of the outdoor venue located in the heart of the Mile End, eager concertgoers huddled around the stage in the intimate setting. Shabazz Palaces were the first to perform with Ishamel Butler leading a group of four musicians on sax, bass, guitar, synths and drum machine. With crisp, clear sounds coming from the combination of new and old equipment, Butler rapped intricately and effortlessly as what he is most cherished for. Audience members were left in a trance with the succession of several downtempo tracks. Especially as the crowd began to mirror the rocking movement that all the musicians on stage danced in perfect synchronicity. Suddenly, as if the crowd was awakened from a dream, Butler quickly self-identified and gave thanks to the audience to end the show. After which he bounced off the stage and this time, albeit without donuts, once again mingled with the crowd.
Bahamadia was set to take the stage next and the tension within the crowd was strung just right with a mixture of excitement and bewilderment. When the lights gleamed red and Bahamadia took the stage, the crowd, to put it simply - lost their minds. Accompanied by DJ Eclipse, Bahamadia brought her verses to life with ease, expertise, and a feeling of great determination to the crowd’s astonishment. Long-time fans cheered and rapped along to some of her biggest hits, with wide smiles perhaps evoked due to the many memories of how these songs accompanied them throughout their lives. The DJ often laughed to himself whenever he would play a sample from Bahamadia’s album Kollage as the crowd would react strongly with rowdy cheering. He soon took advantage of this and started to tease the audience by playing clips of iconic songs to get a rise out of the crowd. Bahamadia concluded her set with her biggest single “UKNOWHOWWEDU”, leaving most people speechless and wide-eyed once the house lights started to come on.
The whole experience with the talk and concert combined felt like a dedication to the art of hip hop, in all its complexities. These two artists showed us through their words and work how they managed to navigate a larger-than-life culture while sustaining their mission to express their authentic selves.
Lisa Rupnik is the head music director at CJLO and co-host of The Last Stop. She is also an avid record collector, a “no nonsense” film lover and feels that her personality can be best defined by her two favourite bands: YMO and Sparks
Wu-Tang Clan and Nas Bring a New York State of Mind to Montreal
The Wu-Tang Clan and Nas brought a fresh slice of New York City rap to Laval this Monday night, playing to a packed Place Bell crowd.
While the artists have been touring under their New York State of Mind bill since 2022, this year’s run of shows falls during the celebration of hip hop’s 50th anniversary. As the story goes, the genre itself was spawned at a party in the Bronx in the summer of 1973 - giving the tour’s New York State of Mind moniker extra stopping power.
Before any of the artists hit the stage, this anniversary was being celebrated by an introductory video playing on the massive stage screen, which chronicled the evolution of hip hop up until the 1990s, when both Wu-Tang and Nas released their most influential material. Following this, de-facto Wu-Tang leader RZA emerged from the stage’s upper platform, standing at a large central microphone, flanked by musicians arming a drum kit, keyboard, guitar, and turntable.
Like some kind of decked-out priest delivering the hypest sermon of all time, RZA went on to introduce all eight other members of the Wu-Tang Clan one at a time, as they each took the stage rapping over a snippet of either a Wu-Tang song, or one from their solo career. One of the first members to come out was GZA, banging out bars from his infamous Liquid Swords album. It was great to see the solo material of each Wu-Tang member honoured during the show, as ignoring these non-Clan efforts would be a true disservice to the artists on stage and also audience members who live and breathe the broad Wu-Tang universe.
After all nine Wu members performed “Bring Da Ruckus,” Nas swapped places with the small army of rappers - the stage suddenly looking a whole lot bigger with just one person standing there. However, Nas quickly commanded the situation, marathoning through cuts like “Got Ur Self a Gun” and “It Ain’t Hard to Tell.” While Wu-Tang had nine members interchanging verses, Nas sliced through 10 or so cuts with ease on his own, showing off his ability as a performer. For his landmark “N.Y. State of Mind” track, Nas swapped the title line, singing “Nothing’s equivalent to the Canadian state of mind” at the end of the cut. Sounds like a bummer.
Wu-Tang came back on, making it clear that both artists had their sets intertwined. This was hands-down the best run of the concert, the Wu blasting energetically through “C.R.E.A.M.,” “Protect Ya Neck,” and “Method Man,” the latter having the entire Place Bell singing along with the infamous “I got myself a forty” bump halfway through the track. The group also played “Shame On a Ni**a,” except RZA notably introduced the song as “Shame On a Ninja,” giving the diverse audience ability to sing along to the profanity-riddled track. While not explicitly mentioned, the moment called back to the infamous clip of a white fan rapping on stage at a 2018 Kendrick Lamar concert, who was interrupted by the artist after she went over the bars a little too accurately.
Nas came back for his last run of songs, including “The World Is Yours,” “Nas Is Like,” and the decade-defining “If I ruled the World (Imagine That).” While Ms. Lauryn Hill was unfortunately not present for her memorable feature, the audience sure made up for her absence.
The Wu-Tang Clan came back to close the show in epic fashion, notably highlighting Young Dirty Bastard, son of the infamous Ol’ Dirty Bastard (ODB) - cofounder of the original Wu-Tang lineup. While ODB tragically passed away in 2004, seeing his first-born son rapping over his father’s famous Wu bars as well as solo cuts like “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” and “Got Your Money” was a special sight.
While both Nas and Wu-Tang have monumental careers on their own, seeing both artists intertwine their landmark songs in a multimedia show as well put together as this one was quite the sight. Laval truly celebrated hip hop’s 50th anniversary in style.
Cannibal Corpse Bring Mayhem to l’Olympia
Cannibal Corpse, Mayhem, Gorguts, and Blood Incantation steamrolled through Montreal this past Thursday, playing to a sold-out crowd at l’Olympia theatre.
Controversy is the name of the game for this bill. Cannibal Corpse have been releasing some of the most offensive song titles and album covers imaginable since their 1990 debut Eaten Back to Life, which features artwork of a zombie scarfing down its own intestines. On the flip side, Norwegian black metal progenitors Mayhem are infamous for translating these horrors to real life; their ex-singer Per Yngve Ohlin (known as “Dead”) used to cut himself on-stage during the band’s live performances. When Dead committed suicide in 1991 via shotgun, bandmate Euronymous collected fragments of the musician’s skull to turn into necklaces. One of these skull fragments sold for $3,500 in an auction in 2018.
Naturally, this kind of lore tends to attract quite the fringe audience, with fans queuing hundreds of metres down Saint-Timothée St. adorned with battle vests, bullet belts, and some wearing Dead’s infamous “corpse” face paint.
Blood Incantation warmed up the crowd with their refreshing technical yet groovy sci-fi themed death metal. The show really got in gear however when hometown heroes (by 150-odd kilometres) Gorguts entered the mix. The Sherbrooke group’s 1991 debut Considered Dead is a hallmark classic within the death metal scene, and their performance tonight is their first show in Quebec since 2017. Gorguts rifled through classic tracks like “Disincarnated” and “Obscura” with high energy - which fans returned in double.
Mayhem followed, with frontman Attila Csihar storming the stage in a hooded cloak, armed with a makeshift cross made of two bones tied together perpendicularly. Opening with “Worthless Abominations Destroyed” off their 2019 effort Daemon, Attila’s vocals ranged from raspy howls to prophetic unholy chants, which echoed menacingly off the venue walls. The Norwegian act played a handful more tracks - eventually shifting off-stage in preparation for their epic: “Freezing Moon.”
As smoke lifted from the stage, Dead’s voice bled through the speakers. “When it’s cold, and it’s dark… The freezing moon can obsess you…” This infamous line, recorded during the band’s 1990 concert in Leipzig, has turned into a staple of Mayhem’s live performances, setting the atmosphere perfectly as the modern lineup broke into the fan-favourite cut.
This would however be the last taste of anything remotely “atmospheric” for the remainder of the night. In a blazing finale, Mayhem put together a collection of their most aggressive material. “Deathcrush” sent the crowd into a blurry frenzy, as the moshpit turned extra violent and combat boots flew left and right. Without as much as a breath, thrashers “Necrolust,” “Carnage,” and the aptly-titled “Pure Fucking Armageddon” nearly burned the house down, as the band and fans equally gave it their all.
This bombastic finale would be hard to top for any other band but Cannibal Corpse. Frontman George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher stepped into the spotlight wearing his signature t-shirt, which features a caricature of him headbanging with the text “RESPECT THE NECK” in all caps. The shirt is a not-so-subtle reference to Fisher’s famously wide neck - potentially rivaled only by Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor.
Fisher defended his title as Headbanging Champion in Montreal after egging the audience on. “This song is for anyone of you out there interested in banging your fucking heads,” Fisher said before the band blared into “I Cum Blood.” “Try to keep up with me - you will fail miserably!” The frontman proceeded to swing his neck in circles for 3 minutes straight, creating a propeller of hair that looked like it could’ve lifted him off his feet.
Iconic cuts “Disposal of the Body,” “Pit of Zombies,” and the charming “Stripped, Raped and Strangled” followed, turning the audience into a frenzy of sweaty bodies bouncing off each other. Predictably, Cannibal Corpse closed their set with “Hammer Smashed Face” - bringing every last bit of energy with it.
The sheer number of quality bands on this tour lineup made the night’s success no surprise. As 2023 begins to come to a close, this show may very well be Montreal’s metal concert of the year, as Cannibal Corpse and Mayhem once again prove forces to be reckoned with, even after 30 years in the business.
Feature photo by Guillaume Laberge
Wham! - Behind the Music
The new Netflix documentary Wham! explores every aspect of the pop music duo of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. Whenever I think of the 80s, I think of the quirky, unconventional styles which a lot of people had, I think of the really cool movies that were released, and how can I not think of the great music that was available to us at the time? When of think of music from the 80s, I think of bands such as Hall and Oats, Tears for Fears and of course Wham! I recently stumbled upon the Wham! documentary which is now available on Netflix, and I could not resist taking the time to watch it. I wanted to reflect on the documentary in terms of the impact Wham!’s music had on the world. Secondly, I want to outline George Michael’s personal growth and development throughout his life as well as his career as a musician, and finally how his friend Andrew Ridgely was a positive influence in his life. I feel that trust and friendship are very important themes within this documentary.
The film begins by looking back on how George Michael and Andrew Ridgely met for the first time when they were in their later years of elementary school. As kids, Andrew Ridgely was very outgoing and George Michael was socially awkward and shy. Over the years they developed a taste for music, Elton John in particular was a very notable musician for them. In their late teen, Andrew and George liked to go out and party. Amazingly enough, it was their partying which eventually led them to form their singing duo which we now know as Wham! Like many famous musicians, the duo struggled financially initially and were turned down repeatedly by various record companies. However they did eventually land a record deal with Innervision Records, and they made it to #1 on the music charts with "Wake Me Up, Before You Go Go."
Just like other musicians in the past, Wham!’s particular style was at times seen as provocative to older generations. This is because when they were performing, they would wear tight shirts and short shorts and also because their genre of pop music was very energetic and upbeat. Wham!’s style of music and performance was more appealing to a younger audience, especially women. Eventually, Wham's upbeat style of music would enable them to earn recognition from other famous musicians such as Elton John, which was a dream come true for the band. On numerous occasions, they were asked to help make the world a better place through their music within Live Aid concerts. To this day when people look back at Wham!’s performance at the Live Aid concerts, they think of the enormous crowds the band attracted and the positive influence their music had in their lives.
Although George Michael was socially awkward as a kid, he became more outgoing as he got older through his friendship with Andrew Ridgely. George's father strongly objected to his desire to become a musician, but Andrew encouraged George to go against his father's wishes. George knew that he was gay when he was in his early twenties, but was not ready to go public with his sexual orientation, Andrew agreed to keep George's sexual orientation a secret. Andrew still loved and respected George despite his sexuality. At the beginning of Wham's career, most of the attention and focus was on Andrew Ridgely. Still, as time went on, and George Michael became more comfortable in his own skin, George started to fill most of the spotlight and would eventually go solo. Andrew had no objection to George obtaining more fame and recognition than him but was instead very proud of how far his friend had come over the years.
George Michael and Andrew Ridgely had an unbreakable bond between them. I feel that friendship and trust are very important themes within this film because, sadly, in the world we live in today, a lot of people have friends who mock them, bring them down, and turn their backs on them. Through the Wham! documentary, Andrew Ridgely was a great example of what a friend should be. He helped George find the courage to say no to his father, Andrew’s belief in George led him to grow and develop both as a musician and as a person. He proved George trustworthy by agreeing to keep his sexual orientation a secret. I would strongly recommend this film for the interesting history that Wham! has, and as a reminder of what a friend should be.
Danny Aubry is the host of At The Movies alongside Remi Caron and is heard every Tuesday morning from 8-9 AM only on CJLO 1690 AM. Tune in for discussions about movies, soundtracks, and iconic film scores. At The Movies also covers film festivals that are located in Montreal.
Heeding the Siren's Call at FME 2023
Main Image: Milk TV at Diable Rond for FME 2023. Credit: Clifton Hanger.
Much like the Monarch butterfly, year after year fans of music have made their own long migration north. It might be instinctive, or maybe it’s the siren’s song known as FME, Festival de musique émergente that summons the Odysseus-like trek to Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, a town known for its minor league hockey team The Huskies and the Horne smelter. The world’s largest processor of electronic scrap (and unfortunately, lately in the news for the toxic fumes spewing from two huge Mordor-like smokestacks that tower over the city). For the four days, the long time mining town becomes the hub of all things hip in music, and this year's edition ran from August 31 to September 3.
Thursday was spent at the outdoor stages, as the main stage hosted an eclectic group of bands. First up was Amsterdam’s Mauskovic Dance Band, with the term dance band is somewhat of a misnomer. Their sound is quite danceable, but it's more electronic afrobeat with a touch of drum and bass on the side. When the band started, the audience was sparse, but that quickly changed with the crowd growing larger as the night progressed.
By the time local favorites Bon Enfant arrived on stage the closed off main street was packed from near to far with excited festival goers. Consisting of members from other notable bands like guitarist Guillaume Chiasson from the band Punctuation, Mélissa Fortin and Daphne Brissette both from the Canilles and Étienne Côté on drums, who performed later at the fest under his Lumière persona, the eclectic group of players grooved thru their 70’s inspired set.
Mélissa Fortin of Bon Enfant. Photo Credit: Clifton Hanger.
Closing out the main stage was The Quebec Redneck Bluegrass Project. Although the band didn’t have a new album to showcase, they had no trouble spanning their back catalog for songs to play. After a frantic show in Rouyn-Noranda, which included a three song encore, the crowd refused to let the band leave the stage.The true road warriors that they are, drove all night and I imagine into the early morning to be back in Montreal for their weekend set of shows with the Montreal band Bad Uncle. From what I heard the effort was not in vain for both Bad Uncle and the Quebec Redneck Bluegrass Project did not disappoint.
One of the standouts from Friday’s lineup was Montreal’s Nora Kelly Band. Part of a Mint Records showcase that included the art rock trio Heaven For Real, which was just finishing up as I arrived. But I can say from the smiles as people exited they must have put on a heck of a show. As for Kelly, she charmed the packed QG Salle De Spectacles with her innocent banter and calming blend of shoegaze and alt-country songs, of which she played much of her latest album, Rodeo Clown and selections from her earlier EPs, Lay Down Girl and Perfect Pig. For all those interested, Nora Kelly Band will be playing Pop Montreal on September 28th.
Also making her mark on Friday was Innu singer-songwriter Kanen. Her concert was heartfelt with a thump as she played through her latest and first full length album, Mitshuap, after which she received a standing ovation from the audience at the newly renovated Agora Des Arts. The hardest worker of the evening award went to Montreal hip hop artist Fouki. The words flowed along with his frantic pacing across the stage as the mixed tape took off after he was joined on stage by another hip hop artist who performed earlier at the main stage, Greg Beaudin. The two together brought so much positive energy to the stage the show just seemed to take off from that point on, much to the delight of the packed main outdoor stage.
The festival reached the halfway point on Saturday and the beautiful late summer weather continued, which made for a fantastic afternoon of music on the smaller more picturesque outdoor stage situated on a waterfront. This venue turned out to be the perfect setting for Vanille and her 60’s era French chanson, singer-songwriter Rachel Leblanc transported the audience to the south of France for the afternoon.
Crowd surfing during the Fouki show. Photo Credit: Clifton Hanger.
Saturday evening heralded two of the more talked about bands of the festival. First being the Brussels electronic/jazz ensemble Tukan who were due for their second of three concerts of the festival. They started their weekend Thursday afternoon with an unscheduled pop-up concert at the feet of the dreaded Horne Smelter. With each engagement, the quartet seemed to be getting more electronic and less jazzy. Leading to the Sunday outdoor show was without any signs of jazz, more of a full on rave. Saturday night saw them playing in a dank sweaty basement that inspired thoughts of New Order at the Hacienda.
And then there was Truck Violence, 1 AM at Cabaret De La Dernière Chance. Like three semi-trucks speeding towards the abyss, the experimental rap trio from Western Canada left nothing behind but the scattered remains of the audience's ear drums on the barroom floor.
Sunday’s are a little sad at FME with the knowledge that the trip to ‘Wonderland’ is nearing its end and the long bus ride back to reality is only a sunrise away. But before that there was still much to enjoy including the ‘Spectacle de Clôture’ group of shows at the lakeside stage. Of which the aforementioned, Étienne Côté was the stand out of the evening if not the festival. Côté left his mark on the first day of the festival when he joined his Bon Enfant bandmates on the main stage. This time he was performing as his glam rock alter ego, Lumière, channeling the music and vibes of the 70’s while singing and playing the piano like a modern day Jerry Lee Lewis.
For the last few shows of the festival it was back to the small bars that host the late night fare. Montreal producer and songwriter Sam Woywitka's newest creation Samwoy was holding court at a very hot and steamy Cabaret de la Dernière Chance. Although the sound quality wasn’t the best for this show the band powered through most of their most recent album Awkward Party, including "Hate Me", "Cheer Up Buddy" and "GUTS". Like the Nora Kelly Band, Samwoy will be playing at Pop Montreal this year.
One of the most bizarre shows of the festival had to be the last one I saw, and that was Saints Martyrs. Held in the basement of the Petit Théâtre du Vieux Noranda, dark, bleak, with only one stark red overhead light swinging like a pendulum to light the room. Imagine a man dressed in a monk’s attire moaning and groaning, spouting esoteric prophetic lyrics as the band of guitar and synth drone in the background of the most macabre post punk art slam dance.
“This is it, there is no more music, the fest is over, go home.” Quotes singer and frontman Frère Foutre, then carrying the bass drum like a crucifix he drops to the floor and slithers on his belly, snake-like across the basement floor to the exit. Cue the room lights and an end to FME 2023.
Clifton Hanger hosts Brave New Jams, every Saturday 10-midnight on CJLO.
FME 2023: A Preview
My, where does the time go? It seems not that long ago when I was basking in the glow of FME 2022, hungover from the thrill of a festival in such a far off remote part of the province, having the opportunity to see acts like Gustaf and Gus Englehorn for the first time. But that is what FME, or Festival de musique émergente is all about: Being exposed to music, often new, experimental and never boring. The 2023 edition is set to get underway over the labour day weekend in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec.
Spread throughout the small northern town, this year’s edition of the festival kicks off on Thursday August 31st (bright and early Thursday morning, to be precise), with a duo of concerts by Atchoum, a youth rock project for the kids and parents alike. Treating the audience to her new album Autour de Moi, Atchoum, aka Véronique Gagné, invites everyone to share in a celebration of music and imagination. After a pause in the afternoon, the festival revs up with non-stop shows the rest of the evening and into the weekend ahead.
Unless one is a resident of the Rouyn-Noranda area, it is far away from just about everywhere (It’s a seven hour or so drive from Montreal, if anybody is thinking about it). While the festival attracts visitors from Montreal, Quebec and from across Canada, there are also large amounts of visitors from around the globe. Montreal multidisciplinary artist N Nao will try to ease all the weary arrivals after a long bus ride or flight with songs from her latest album L’eau et les Rêves. For those with a little more energy, Amsterdam’s Mauskovic Dance Band will be showcasing their hazy rhythms and dubby percussion at the big outdoor stage, Scène Vidéotron. Closing out the outdoor scene will be the punk-bluegrass band The Québec Redneck Bluegrass Project. Continuing the banjo punk theme, Margaret Tracteur will hit the stage late night at Espace Lounge. Closing out the first day are a couple of Montreal’s art rock bands - Pressure Pin and Yocto.
After a crazy first day, an energy bar might be needed; fortunately twins Mark and J.Scott Grundy and with help from keyboardist Cher Hann form Heaven For Real and I imagine will be playing selections from their latest EP, Energy Bar. They are part of a 5 a 7 sponsored by Mint Records. Also on the bill is the Montreal Alt Country artist Nora Kelly Band. Putting a closure to a madcap second day are some late shows by two European bands. First from Paris noise rock band The Psychotic Monks and from Brussels, Milk TV will explore the boundaries of post punk. Montreal art punk band La Sécurité will try to put an exclamation point on the day with their 1am gig.
Like the Energizer Bunny, FME is the festival that keeps on chugging. Saturday has lots in store for fans of ambient electronic music with Mélissa Fortin, Patch, Night Lunch and Cedric Noel providing ample opportunity to aimlessly ogle the Nikes. Montreal folk artist Arielle Soucy showcases her two self-produced EPs, Shame and Waterway and Unresolved Collection during a 5 à 7. For those in more of a hip-hop mood, Fraud Perry, also from Montreal hosts her own 5 à 7. Yes, the festival conundrum of conflicting schedules, always a pleasant burden at FME. From the Innu community of Uashat mak Mani-Utenam, Canadian music award winner for indigenous artist of the year, Kanen will present her recent work Mitshuap. Things pick up late night when garage bands Les Lunatiques and DVTR might just turn the volume up to eleven for their appearance at Daible Rond.
It is said, ‘all good things must come to an end.’ If that’s true then why not go out with a bang? I’m not sure if this was the intention way back when the tradition of the Sunday night metal extravaganza started but it certainly seems to be the case. Last year ,American metal icons Dying Fetus headlined the evening. This year a trio of death metal bands from la belle province will endeavour to carry the torch. Starting with Guhn Twei from the infamous Notre-Dame district of Noranda. Up next is B.A.R.F. (need I say more?). Closing out the head-banging evening are none other than the Abitibian metal icons Mononc’Serge and Anonymus.
This year's closing ceremonies will be held on a scenic stage overlooking Lake Osisko with Vanille, Hippie Hourrah, Lumière and Philippe Brach partaking in the festivities. Anyone still looking to party till the lights come on (heck, the bus ain’t leavin’ til six in the morning) so if you're looking for something to do, art punk quartet Saints Martyrs and grunge veteran ViloeTT PI will get started just around midnight.
Those are just some of the goings-on during FME 2023. I’m sure I omitted lots of great music, not to mention the pop up events that take place in the oddest parts of the city; another activity the festival is famous for. Be it a garage parking lot or back alley, only the Shadow knows what's in store over the Labour Day weekend.
Clifton Hanger hosts Brave New Jams, every Saturday 10-midnight on CJLO.
Pages
Staff Login | Advertise | Our Location | RSS | Contact Us
