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Fantastic Four: First Steps - A Review
Fantastic Four First Steps (Currently playing in wide release, IMAX recommended)
Dir: Matt Shakman
Staring: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach
Run Time: 115 Mins
Marvel Studios has tried their hands at The Fantastic Four series with previous variations, the first one from 2005. I took issue with the film's handling of the CGI scenes that were a bit clumsy for the time. 25 years later, the question sits: will Marvel Studios regain one of their beloved superhero families and set it off in a direction that fans will love, given a second reboot? Enter Director Mat Shakman, who has previously worked on the Marvel television series WandaVision, has showcased that he understands aspects about a superhero team (Scarlet Witch and Vision) taking on the ultimate responsibility of living a normal life with kids and what that would look like, even for the most part it’s a hypothetical scenario that Wanda Maximoff (Scarlet Witch) creates. So when Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) and Richard Reed (Pedro Pascal) are about to have a baby, there is a shake-up in the Fantastic Four unit. Ben Grimes (Ebon Moss-Bacharch) and Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) take on uncle responsibilities, and Herbie (Humanoid Experimental Robot B-Type Integrated Electronics) is helping out to baby-proof the house.
On Earth-828, a resemblance to 1960s New York, we meet the team already in their superhero era. We get a slight introduction to how the Fantastic Four got their powers, where they went into space on an expedition from Richard Reed, his wife Sue, her brother-in-law Johnny and Reed’s best friend Ben Grimes. Reed has the power of elasticity, Sue has the power of invisibility, Ben Grimm has become The Thing, a rock-like superhero who has super strength/durability, and Johnny becomes the Human Torch and has the ability to fly and control fire. Over a Sunday night meal, Johnny and Ben discover that Sue has a secret she has been harbouring, that she is indeed expecting a child. The team seems happy with the news as they start preparing for the child by baby proofing the house, a task taken upon by Reed’s robot assistant Herbie (Voice of Matthew Wood). Things are not all sunshine and daisies because a fair warning comes from Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) that Galactus (Ralph Ineson) is coming. The team must learn about the sacrifices they must make in order to save the world, which will be big ones.
I feel that Fantastic Four: First Steps has some hallmark traits of being a good Marvel film, without reinventing the wheel. For the first part there has to be a solid wheel on the franchise which this iteration delivers on with technical CGI elements and the story as a precursor for what is to come in Avengers Doomsday. Director Matt Shakman hones in the elements of family and the human side to these four fantastic superheroes. The first highlight for the movie was the banter between all of the characters, HERBIE included, but more precisely there is always a fun banter between Ben Grimes (Ebon Moss-Bacharch) and Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), call it maybe a generational gap. Second highlight for the film was in IMAX with the Dolby Altmos Sound technology, when Galactus finally made his appearance the thunderous sound made our theatre vibrate on another level. Michael Giachino composes a fun superhero pop ballad with the emotional tones reminiscent of his early works with one of my favourites of his scores Inside/Out. Finally, the reason to see it in IMAX is before the film you will get a glimpse of returning to Pandora, a new fresh trailer from Director James Cameron, Avatar Fire and Ash due out around the Christmas holidays. Call it a Christmas in July for Avatar fans.
⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Remi is the host of At The Movies Along regular Co-Host Danny Aubery every Tuesday morning from 8-9 AM only on CJLO 1690 AM. They cover local film festivals, have interviews with directors and actors, and talk about a new film or the classics. As well the iconic sounds of present and past film scores and soundtracks. Follow Remi on Letterboxd.
Something Happened in Montreal
Something happened in Montreal this week. The long-awaited Something Fest occurred with its day passes completely sold out and the promise of 9 acts spread over 3 venues and 10 hours. The planning of the thing was something I was lucky enough to witness from the sidelines, and it cannot be understated what a triumph of community organizing Something Fest turned out to be. Arriving at the first venue and seeing the giant Something Fest banner hung behind the little DIY stage opened a new angle of appreciation for this city within me, and I strapped myself in for a whole day of music.
Mai/son was the first stop, and the community power of Something Fest shone before any music even began. Upstairs was an art market of familiar faces. A tattoo studio, tooth gems and Something Fest merchandise created out of donated clothing. The scene was a maze of ‘someone recognizing someone from somewhere,’ and attitudes were bright. Somebody ran upstairs to let everyone know the music would soon begin. The first batch of sets were fittingly the quietest. Mai/son was decorated with colorful, soft lightning and people sat on the floor once somebody was brave enough to be the first. Act one was Johan Miranda, an acoustic guitar virtuoso with a delightful British flair to his soft, personal singing. His fast, light, Bossa-Nova-inspired guitar playing fluttered in intense emotional passages while he delivered his words. The sky began to darken into storm by the end of his set. Hanako soon followed, taking full advantage of the change in light. Her music consisted of effect-heavy, clean electric guitar and singing. A man who would turn out to be a guest drummer sat mysteriously behind the stage for the first songs. I have never experienced rainfall so utterly muted by a room’s acoustics. A silent storm, providing occasional flashes of lightning added a situational ambience that highlighted Hanako’s dreamy songs. It seemed like sunset due to the weather by the time the third act, Rachella Wred stepped onstage with an SP-404 sampler, Korg synth and an acoustic guitar. Her first couple of tracks were classic country-folk tunes with somber fingerpicking and songs about crushing city life. An unexpected shift was soon made to synthesizer-led music as the storm continued to intensify outside. It was hard to notice the sky darken; instead, the purple and blue lights seemed to be getting brighter. Her set peaked with the song Sooke. Illuminated by a slow, steady drum sample and a wash of droning synth, she delivered a somber ballad about watching your parents get older.
Set two took place at Quai des Brumes, and began with Chris Clegg, who seemed to just play under the name Chris and whose name was not on the flyer. Their set would be the final solo act of the festival. The songs were fast, acoustic, passion-filled yelps through a folk-punk filter. Their especially short banjo-led tracks left quite an impression in little time. Bloodfarts soon took the stage with an array of left-of-center acoustic instruments, most notably a melodica and a triangle. Their sound was folky, danceable and playful in a way that lit up the crowd. This was the first instance of a grand ballroom taking shape in front of the acts, a shape that would prevail until festivals end. After a tight setlist decorated with covers from Steely Dan, Carly Simon and Joni Mitchell, they threw a couple of classical Spanish songs in the mix, with castanet dancing and all. Afterwards, I spoke to the band and confirmed that they purposefully chose a sound that’s funny to follow with “we’re called Bloodfarts.” The final Quai de Brumes performance was the jaw-dropping spectacle of Cianalas. An unbroken, extended Irish folk jam of two fiddlers, an acoustic guitar player and an accordion, I can truthfully describe as bedazzled. The four performers stomped around, leading the crowd into sways, spins and jigs, the likes of which I have not seen before in Montreal. When the band was not in full-explosive-melody-mode, the guitar player sang in howls that seemed to silence a one-kilometre radius. The heat of July 13th could not keep the people from dancing.
La Sala Rosa proved to be the highlight of Something Fest with its stupid-stacked lineup of young players. The crowd at this point had snowballed into an unstoppable pile of everybody knowing everybody. English Montreal has collapsed in on itself, and Something Fest was the singularity. The first of the last section was Lulu Lamontagne, a drag performer surrounded by a band that didn’t necessarily not look like The Strokes. They rocked a set of highly dramatic, wondrously energetic glam rock with some serious sense of spectacle. Lulu’s catty comments between songs as well as her willingness to strut through the audience while performing brought even more life to an already vibrant set. Next up was Hamilton Ontario’s Superstar Crush, whose music I was truly impressed by. The three singers (one being a singing drummer, which deserves praise of its own) voices meshed effortlessly together over the bright chords and breakneck riffing the rest of the band provided. A cover of Lady Gaga’s Pokerface split this set in half, with no attempt made to sound like Gaga. Instead, the band chose to totally make the song their own. It crushed. There was a feeling of happiness that seemed to wash over everybody around this time of the night. The festival was already overtime with one act to go and nobody, at least on the crowd side of things, seemed to mind. The festival’s grand conclusion came from The Satisfactory, a bluesy band with a factor of old school coolness and a clear appreciation of the British invasion bands. The twisting and thrashing audience let loose for this final, surprisingly short set. The end was presented by a cover of the Ronettes’ Be My Baby, a song that was announced as ‘one of the greatest songs ever.’ They were right about this. A final thanks from the Something Fest team brought a new swish of emotions. So much love and work were poured into this one-day experience, and anybody attending could see that. The Satisfactory was invited to play one last cover to close it all out. They were not brave enough to say that Oasis’ Don’t Look Back In Anger was also one of the all-timers, but it was clear the band believed this, nonetheless. During that final crescendo chorus, in a sea of community love, screaming through beer-breath and English Montreal’s overbearing connectivity, everybody felt something.
Simon Bowrin is the host of Weirdo Rippers, on air Wednesdays 1-2pm
CJLO at Fantasia Film Festival 2025
The Fantasia Film Festival, the premiere international genre film festival that takes over Montreal’s Concordia Hall and surrounding area every summer, is back this year for the 29th edition, happening from July 17th to August 7th 2025. There is sure to be a film for everyone that will allow audiences to beat the heat and grab a seat. Before we get to the selection picks from the At The Movies team, here are the important films and events that will be happening.
Remi: Opening the festival on July 16th would be a stark contrast in terms of film selection. The one that I am looking forward to seeing is Eddington, a western set against the backdrop of the pandemic, as a small-town sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) running for mayor squares off against a rival candidate (Pedro Pascal). In case you missed the sold-out premiere Eddington is in a wider release as of Friday July 18th. If you are looking more for a lighthearted family friendly fare, then maybe the new Smurfs movie from director Chris Miller might be a bet. Screening in both French and English this instalment promises new music from Rihanna who voices Smurfette. Closing out the festival would be the more adult-oriented animated film from director Genndy Tartakovsky Fixed. Director Genndy Tartakovsky will be in attendance and is to be honored with the prestigious CHEVAL NOIR CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.
Here are some other events to highlight. Another CHEVAL NOIR CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD will be presented to composer Danny Elfman. This is following the animated short film Bullet Time from director Eddie Alcazar, with music composed by Danny Elfman. Relive the decade of the 90’s highlighting the importance of the Quebec music video channel MusiquePlus with Les années MusiquePlus : Ces artistes qui ont débuté avec le vidéoclip which will feature clips, testimonials and memories. My final event that I will highlight would be a talk moderated by Vincenzo Nappi. Art Lives! Canadian Outsider Cinema vs. the Machine with DIY Canadian filmmakers that have uncompromising visions and ideas that might be outside of the realm of government grants and mainstream tastes. If you are looking for the other events, here are some more highlights.
Remi’s Picks For Fantasia 2025
As previously stated, I am very excited for the opening night film from director Ari Aster, Eddington. Where I normally love to start off my Fantasia selections is by selecting a documentary. This year’s pick for me has to be Occupy Cannes from director Lily Hayes Kauffman. This documentary follows the independent film company Troma, known for their cult films The Toxic Avenger and Tromeo and Juliet. In 2013, their team visited the Cannes Film Festival Marché du Film where they made a name for themselves through their fake bloody spectacle antics, with the hopes of selling their latest production Return to Nuke ‘Em, and demonstrating favour of independent cinema in the face of media conglomeration. What comes out of this Troma Occupy Cannes movement would be the kind of crazy antics once accepted and supported by the festival as an independent spirit, is now being frowned upon by the organizers and authorities. This pairs well with the event that I previously highlighted Art Lives! Canadian Outsider Cinema vs. the Machine. The Fantasia Film Festival is a great marketplace for these genre cult films to find distribution and see the light of day in a theatrical release. I highly recommend all the films from the Documentaries From The Edge section of the festival, as this is one of my favourite sections.
My second pick is Lurker from director Alex Russell, who has previous writing credits on the television series The Bear, Dave and the mini series Beef. A retail worker, Mathew (Théodore Pellerin), who keeps to himself, befriends a rising pop star, Oliver (Archie Andrews), after he puts on one of Oliver's songs as he is visiting the shop. Oliver rewards Matthew with an invitation to his next show, where Matthew gets wrapped up with Oliver’s entourage, which is best described as aggressive hipsters and weirdly scornful hangers-on, a competitive inner circle to be in. While he blends in and is accepted into Oliver’s inner circle and world, Matthew’s internet cred continues to blow up, along with his sinister narcissism. When you get to that level, Matthew is determined by any means to keep up appearances. A parable about the darker side of social media addiction and celebrity status might be a step up from Trey Edward Shults’s Hurry Up Tomorrow when it comes to the writing for the film.
For my third film selection ,Hank et En Ville from director Feber E Coyote, which might pair well with Eddington, given it is a Western. When the small town factory is on strike, two western singers, Ghislain Vachon (Martin Jr Pelletier) and Suzanne (Geneviève Néron), with opposing dreams, form a duo act in the hopes of winning a radio competition. Things get complicated when Suzanne’s former brother-in-law, Jim Larochelle (Michael Kelly), returns in order to win her back. After Jim becomes the prime suspect of a murder at the factory, he takes Suzanne and flees to the United States. Convinced this is a kidnapping, Ghislain sets off in pursuit that will be backdropped by western music, passion and identity conflicts.
Finally has to be the remaster of John Woo’s Bullet to the Head. The story is set in Hong Kong in 1967 as three friends, Ben (Tony Leung), Frank (Jacky Cheung), and Paul (Waise Lee), are trying to figure out their future. On the night of Ben’s wedding to Jane (Fennie Yuen) the three friends kill a loan shark, leading a violent mob after them. They escape to Vietnam in the middle of a war and pull off odd jobs. When a risky CIA job is handed to them, it leads them deep into the jungle a war conflict between countries and ideologies, but also loyalties are tested. Hopefully, I get to this screening and get some homework in as John Woo will be getting The Director’s Influence episode later on this fall. From the back story, this was one of the first films to open the festival in 1996 and is cited as one of Woo’s favourites. Through the thematics of brotherhood, loyalty and honour, the film dives deep into an anti-war thematic reminiscent of The Deer Hunter without hesitating to show the dark side of war.
Fantasia has something for all audiences across the board, including K-Dramas, Action, Horror, Animation films for all ages; there is something for everyone. As always, Bon Cinema. Follow along my Fantasia journey on Letterboxed and for a personally selected list of this year’s films I don’t want to miss.
Danny: Greetings, movie fans. 2025 marks another year for the Fantasia Film Festival, and as I watched the trailers of the films which are available, there were four that stood out. As I mention each film, I will also provide a brief synopsis, mention why they stood out, and then conclude with what they all have in common.
1.Garo:Taiga. Country:Japan. Genre:Fantasy, Action. Directed by Keita Amemiya
This story focuses on Garo, who was trained in martial arts as a child, and is provided with magical armour in adulthood. Garo’s family believes that the spirit of their ancestor Taiga dwells within the armour. Garo is later led to put his martial arts skills and supernatural abilities to the test when a sinister being named Jado steals a sacred artifact containing spirits in order to unleash evil into the world. This movie appeals to me because there is an interesting battle between good and evil and a fascinating combination of martial arts and the supernatural.
2. Noise. Country:South Korea. Genre:Horror. Directed by Kim Soo-Jin
This story focuses on Joo-young, who moves into a new apartment with her sister Ju-hee. Despite the fact that Joo-young wears hearing aids, she starts hearing eerie noises in her home. After the disappearance of her sister, she later realizes that the eerie noises had a role to play in her sister’s absence. While Joo-young is overwhelmed by the noises and her sister’s disappearance, she also finds herself being stalked by a suspicious character. After watching the trailer, I feel that it looks like a very promising horror film. And Joo-young being able to hear those eerie noises despite her hearing disability is a good example of how there are things that occur in life that defy logic.
This story focuses on Dok-ja, who is an introverted individual who works a desk job. As he is travelling to work through the subway, a floating creature appears, explaining that they are shifting into a reality where everyone has to kill in order to survive. Afterwards, chaotic events of epic proportions occur. Howeve,r Dok-ja notices that everything that is taking place in this reality is in accordance to the book that he is currently reading. Therefore, he takes it upon himself to be the hero. This story interests me because I feel Dok-ja is a relatable character. A good example of how we like to envision ourselves as the herois through the books we read and the movies we watch.
This story focuses on Irene Kelly. A grief-stricken mother who travels through parallel dimensions and repeatedly kills her daughter’s murderer in order to eventually reunite with her daughter. Even though I would never exact revenge in real life, this movie appeals to me because I do enjoy a good revenge film. Every now and again, I also like to wrestle with the idea of whether or not parallel dimensions exist.
Movies that involve supernatural armour, a woman with a hearing disability who can hear evil, a man who becomes the hero of the book he’s reading, and a woman who travels to different dimensions all have one thing in common, which is simply the idea that anything is possible. In the world of Fantasia , anything is indeed possible, and I look forward to seeing you all there. Bon Cinema.
Remi is the host of At The Movies along with regular Co-Host Danny Aubery, every Tuesday morning from 9-10 AM only on CJLO 1690 AM. They cover local film festivals, have interviews with directors and actors, and talk about a new film or the classics. As well the iconic sounds of present and past film scores and soundtracks. Follow Remi on Letterboxd.
Fantasia Festival is Back For It's 29th Edition and CJLO's Got A Contest
North America's premiere genre film festival has returned to the downtown campus of Concordia University! From July 16 to August 3, the Fantasia International Film festival brings the most face-melting, eye-popping and awe-inspiring films to one of the most raucous filmgoing experiences around. CJLO's very own DJs are spinning music before each film in the Hall theatre, so make sure not to miss Andrew from Grade A Explosives, Angelica from BVST, Delia from The New Consonance, Donald from Eastern Promises, Jared from Ear2Ear, Jasn from Rigged Sessions and Zoe from Something for the Mood.
Ready to get your mind blown? CJLO is giving away tickets* to the Fantasia International Film Festival! For your chance to win, email contest@cjlo.com with the subject "Fantasia" or follow and DM us on Instagram and tell us the name of your favourite 2025 Fantasia DJ!
Pavements: A review
Pavements (Currently in repertoire cinemas check you local listings, streaming on Mubi July 11th 2025)
Dir Alex Ross Perry (Her Smell, Listen Up Philip)
Staring: Joe Keery, Jason Schwartzman, Tim Heidecker, Kathryn Gallagher, Michael Esper, and Zoe Lister-Jones, and as themselves: Stephen Malkmus, Scott 'Spiral Stairs' Kannberg, Mark Ibold, Steve West, and Bob Nastanovich
I was a big fan of Alex Ross Perry’s Her Smell from 2019, with it making my list of one of the best films of the year. What I loved the most about the film is the raw energy Perry captures from the rockstar music scene, and behind the music with a great performance from Elisabeth Moss as Becky Something, a fictional rockstar on a downward spiral that rises from her former self in an attempt at a musical redemption. Having never really done a deep dive into the band Pavement, hearing only their major hits “Major League” and Spit on a Stranger” in indie sitcoms like How I Met Your Mother or Scrubs, this would be the essential film for me to understand the band. For this is more than a biopicture documentary for Perry, this is an ambitious love letter to the legacy of the band Pavement. The film is broken up into sections that go back and forth including the biopicture being filmed, “Range Life, Slanted! Enchanted!” a musical in production based around their music, a museum of the history and memorabilia of the band, archival footage and documentary footage of the band reuniting for a reunion concert. The spiritual essences of this film would be considered an experimental biopicture concert film, a daunting task for any director, but Perry is ambitious as the band he loves.
When it comes to one of the most influential indie bands from the 90’s, Pavement, Alex Ross Perry had the idea for a straight up musical biopicture, titled Range Life, and a theatrical musical interpretive musical of the band. For Joe Kerry of Stranger Things fame, it seems that it’s the opportunity of a lifetime to be Frontman Stephen Malkaus. He dives in deep in the role with the help of a dialect coach, even going so far as to getting an open mouth shot of Malkmus’s mouth to see how his pallet was shaped. Kerry explains that the process of the method acting he went through the same way that Austin Butler went through the process for Baz Lurham’s Elvis bio picture, never getting over Malkmus dialect and accent. Adding to Perry’s Pavement film would be the Jukebox Musical in development Slanted! Enchanted!, a musical set to the songs of Pavement, in the vein of the Broadway success of American Idiot, based on the Green Day Album, and Jagged Little Pill , based on the music of Alanis Morissette. For Perry, turning their songs into a musical makes sense because their songs can be transcended easily to a piece of art in a musical theatre experience. Pavement’s songs have a universal theme about human emotions, experiences and feelings. For sure, the dramatic interpretations make for a great story, but how does it reflect on the band’s legacy?
In between these dramatic interpretations of the band's work the film finds itself in a documentary, showcasing archival content and the band rehearsing for the first time in 12 years. In 1999, Pavement would break up only to perform again in 2010. The band would reunite in 2022 giving director Alex Ross Perry access to their rehearsals ahead of their comeback concert. When the band visits the museum exhibition it turns out to be a reminiscing on the power of their songs, but also the ways the mechanism of the musical industry never understood the band besides waiting for the band to produce the platinum record or the problematic relationship with the media corporation. As well the band gets to see Range Life and Slanted! Enchanted! being made at the same time. Maybe we can find that statement with one of their iconic song lyrics “I was dressed for success, but success it never comes.”
Through the fictionalized account in Range Life and the archival footage and current documentary footage, Perry gets to the heart of the dynamic of the band. What we also see unbeknownst or known is that the pictures get the dramatization amped up for a more compelling story. Take the mud battle the band went through Lollapalooza 1999 at the fan’s discontent and we see the real archival footage of the band backstage brushing it off. In Range Life it’s set up as a pivotal dramatic moment when Joe Kerry’s Stephen Malkamus expresses his discontent with the audience reacting with the band wanting to split up. Pavements is more than the straight-up musical biopicture that drums up the sensationalism that we see in most musical biographical films; it turns out it’s a deep-felt love letter to the band which at times, may be misunderstood, but left a huge mark on the indie music scene.
⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Remi is the host of At The Movies Along regular Co-Host Danny Aubery every Tuesday morning from 8-9 AM only on CJLO 1690 AM. They cover local film festivals, have interviews with directors and actors, and talk about a new film or the classics. As well the iconic sounds of present and past film scores and soundtracks. Fallow Remi on Letterboxd.
Mike Trask's 'Beet' gets to the Root of East Coast Songwriting
Eastern Promises' Donald Roberge sat down with East Coast musician, songwriter and producer Mike Trask upon the release of his latest EP Beet. They discussed his affinity for analog, how gardening inspired the recording, and what makes Atlantic Canada such a hotbed for musical talent.
EP: Mike Trask, how are you?
MT: I'm very good. How about you?
EP: Good, thanks. Where are you coming from today?
MT: I'm in a place called Jeddore, Nova Scotia.
EP: Is that where you live?
MT: I kind of split my time half between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick these days.
EP: I see. Where are you from originally?
MT: I'm from here, a place called Musquodoboit Harbour, which is kind of near where I'm at right now. So east of Halifax, about 45 minutes is where I was born.
EP: I want to get right into it. Your new record, Beat, spelled B-E-A-T (as in the vegetable), was released May 12th. It's your 11th full-length release, the first since 2021's critically acclaimed record, TV Dinner. And it's kind of a departure of sorts. It's got straight guitar, drum, and bass really propelling it, as opposed to the more complex sounds of TV Dinner. And, while TV Dinner was like a culmination of your musical journey to that point, this was more of a stripped-back sounding album. What went into that? Why the decision to go that route?
MT: I think it was a little bit of wanting things to feel a bit more organic this time. And I did a lot more with the band off the floor. On TV Dinner, I played most of the stuff, so… I wanted to involve other people this time. And keep it, I think a little more rootsy, you know, for no particular reason why. It just ended up that that's the direction I wanted to go. And then it just led me to involve more people. It was kind of a nicer team effort. I listen to so much Bob Dylan, Neil Young and stuff like that, so TV Dinner was definitely different than that, so I wanted to get kind of back to that, I guess. I don't know if I’ve ever done a record quite as rootsy as maybe this one.
EP: Well, it certainly still has that edge to it that you've brought in the past. But after listening to it, I was surprised that it had been recorded right off the floor.
MT: Yeah. Most of it.
EP: Yeah, over the course of a short period of time, I think it was a weekend? It sounds loose and it even sounds a bit improvisatory, but it has, like, a polished feel to it - specifically, the vocals on the album - and given that you're a record producer, you know how difficult that is to pull off. Really, then, my question is, how did you pull that off?
MT: Well, a few of the tunes are overdubbed. Three of them, I think, but most of it's live, and I guess...You know, just kind of practicing a lot. I (also) hired my longtime band to come in. Even though they didn't know the tunes, it still made it a lot easier to focus. So just having the right people surrounding me kind of enabled me to be comfortable enough to sing off the floor, which is something rare for myself to do. So, I think it had a lot to do with that, just surrounding myself with people that made me so comfortable. I didn't have to worry that much about If the parts were going to be right or if it was going to be in time or out of time. I could rely on the band, and it really helped.
EP: Yeah, it sounded like you really captured lightning in a bottle, and I think that it has a lot to do with who you surrounded yourself with during its recording. You've got Adam Mowry, vocalist for St. John's recording project Papal Visit. You got the extraordinary percussionist Matt Gallant. Fredericton blues guitarist Keith Hallett can be heard on it, and it’s really impressive that you got him involved. I'm sure I'm missing other people?
MT: That's the whole team on this one.
EP: But was it organic? I mean, did you hand-select them specifically knowing that you would get a kind of sound that you wanted for Beat, or did it just kind of evolve?
MT: Well, I've been playing with Adam for probably 15 years. We definitely got a sound. Then Matt, I use it anytime I can. He's very busy but plays with me live most of the time. And Keith actually owns the studio where my gear lives right now and that we did it in. So yeah. It wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision, but definitely keeping that crew. I mean, there was a few people I would have liked to have on it that couldn't make it, but... Like keeping that crew alive. Definitely. I knew I could achieve something like what we did.
EP: You mixed it yourself, if I'm not mistaken. You produced the album. And I think you did it off tape?
MT: Yeah, I usually use tape.
EP: I was going to ask you about that. You seem to have an affinity for using analog and recording off tape. And I'm just wondering why, considering everything that's out there. And by the way, I'm all for it. I think we're of a similar generation, you know, and I get that you have a particular kind of effect that comes from doing that. But I'm just wondering if it's more practical to do it for you? Or if it's an aesthetic decision? I'm just wondering why you choose to keep up with analog.
EP: When I started doing it, I was 25 - that was 15 years ago - and it wasn't current then, you know, it was already antiquated, but I did it the first time. I learned from a guy named Garrett Mason. I heard his record, and I said, “Why does it sound like the records I want to make?”. And I met him by chance after I heard the record, and he told me he did it on tape. And I didn't even know what tape was at that time. I had done a few records on (music software) Pro Tools and stuff like that. So, I did that my first time. And the sound that really grabbed me. But then, as I did more... And I would, at the time, I would do it when it was available, then maybe I'd do some computer stuff. And I noticed that the flow was so different, and I loved the flow of it, you know, the stopping, the play, the rewind, the moments, the organic of like, where are we at in the song? We've got to find it. There's no like, and I don't like looking at sound, you know, on the screen. I think that that's best saved for maybe some sort of analysis of room acoustics. I think you can come into that. But in terms of making rock and roll or anything with it, I don't think looking at waveforms has ever helped, in my experience. It usually confuses the people listening. So I like the sound of it. I like to distort stuff. I like the sound of when you hit tape hard. I like the happy mistakes that come with it. And I like that I can usually fix it when it breaks. And if it breaks, you don't lose the whole thing. Like, if a tape machine breaks down, there's no doubt, but you never lose the whole thing you did that day. Maybe you lose that moment. You've got to start over. And if it breaks down, maybe it takes a day or two to get the parts, but we can always fix it. You can identify what's wrong. And I've learned more about that as time's gone on, fixing my own gear. So, it's just that... It's dependable because I can fix it. And my love of it drives me to learn those things. So, it's kind of all those reasons together, you know. And I just love the way they look. I love the way it smells. I love everything about it.
EP: I wanted to talk about your record, your new release, Beat. It's named after the root vegetable. It's got a lovely painting of it on the cover. And I was wondering what the inspiration was for the album's name. Now, I have a theory, I don't know if you want to hear it or not.
MT: Sure! I'd like to hear it.
EP: Well, I suspect that it refers to beets. It's got a kind of earthiness to it. When you think of a beet, it's got a specific odour, flavour. Even when you wash them, they still feel like they're very much out of the ground. They're literally like a root, you know? And that's not unlike that approach to music you hear on the record. I also think it's kind of a clever play on words with, you know, beat being a rhythmic beat. And even the word’s association with beat poetry, which is famous for its spontaneity and counterculturalism. I don't know if I'm in the ballpark or not, or if you want to expand on that.
MT: If I can be honest with you, I usually named the records before. Like when I'm starting the records, usually I get the name first. TV Dinner was the same. And before that, I had an album called Fantasy Man and Derealization before that. And all of those were named before it was done. And, you know, I don't always know why, you know, the names come because I'm a big believer that art kind of finishes itself. You know what I mean? So, the name came to me while I was looking at a beat that was cut in half. And looking into it, and the depth of it, you know? Like, the depth of that colour. And I'm not trying to say the album has depth. I would never make that claim. Just that's when I got the idea, ‘cause I gardened a lot in the last 10 year,s and some of the things you pull into the garden are just so incredible. Like how does the sunflower grow from the seed? And you're looking at these 14-foot-tall things. And the beet is one of those things that has a colour that’s so powerful. Like you say, the smell is so powerful. And again, I would never say the album is powerful or anything like that. I just mean that that’s when I first got the idea that there's something about this that embodies them. More than just this vegetable in the moment, it's like it says so much. And I love all of your interpretations on it and would say that a lot of them probably would point to why I named it that, but I try not to dissect it. I think that part of it also has to do with the play on words. There were some moments where I think I like the idea that when I'm doing radio interviews and nobody explains how it's spelled. That it could mean “Beat Up”. Beat is in music, but probably nobody is suspecting it's a visual beat. So, I like those little twists and turns, but for me, it starts with the magic of the growth of the garden. - And how does this thing grow underground and then come out? Like you were saying, you cut them up (they) get on everything, but then they don't stain. Someone brought that up to me. Like, they don't stay on your hands, but like, they're just magical.
EP: It's amazing how a word and how an object can really inspire interpretation, you know? Something as simple as a beat.
MT: That would be the goal of any of it. The songs, the lyrics, any of it. Anything that's more subjective and stream of consciousness. I would say, I don't really know what it's about. And I love when people tell me what they think it's about. And I say like, you know what, you could be right, you know? So, as I got older, I shied away from stream of consciousness stuff and I try to still write that way if I can but the album names, even TV Dinner, then takes on all these meanings, I hope. It's my dream. So, I love that it's projecting things into your mind.
EP: Are you behind the painting? On the cover?
MT: No, my sister painted that.
EP: We'll tell her it’s great.
MT: Yeah, thank you. I love it. I always get someone to paint my covers, but I never give any direction. And in this case, I just told my sister that I wanted some beets. And she did it with the palette brush on canvas and oil paint for the texture. And then the one beat does cut in two that almost looks like a heart, which I don't know if she did it on purpose or not. Thank you, and I'll definitely tell her.
EP: You've made a career as a successful producer. And I was excited at the prospect of interviewing the man behind Acadian Soul Metal ensemble Les Moontunes' award-winning 2024 record Elephant Wizard. That album gets a lot of airtime in our household, and it has an air of improvisation, of confidence, of courage, really, to go against convention. And these are elements that I found to be in Beat. I was wondering if that experience producing their record informed your recording of Beat as well. Do you think there's some kind of a thorough line there?
EP: Yeah, always. I remember when I was working with Les Moontunes and we were getting the demos and they told me they wanted to be heavy. And I don't know if you're familiar with their first record, but it's not really heavy. Heavy as in, you know, heavy music like rock or... Heavy, like they're very into Black Sabbath or stuff like that. And I said, I don't think anyone knows that yet. So I said, “That's what we'll do”, you know? I think that kind of echoed in me when we came to that conclusion. Sometimes You do something, like, “I want it to be Rootsy”. And people don't know it, they’re like, “I didn't get that”.So it kind of helped me with Beat to think, “Okay, I want it to be rootsy”, you know what I mean? And not just rootsy as in the instruments, you know? So, less synth, less trippy stuff or whatever, you know what I mean? So I think in that way... They were one of the last records I would have done before Beat, and I definitely think it helped me. It always informed me sonically too. We did so much on that record. There are two drummers. There were 20 inputs on the bed tracks, which is a lot for me. And I really learned a lot about drums and sounds from Marty, the drummer. Yeah, I think there's definitely a line there, whether intentional or not.
EP: It feels like Americana sounds are having a bit of a moment in the Maritimes right now. New Brunswick roots and blues musician Matt Anderson recently got singled out in a Rolling Stone article as one to watch. PEI's Joce Reyome recently won a top prize at the prestigious international blues challenge. These are just a few examples. Why do you think the Maritimes - and maybe New Brunswick specifically - are so in tune and so vital when it comes to roots music? And what's producing such quality artists?
MT: I'm not sure, you know? I think, partly, it's a specific way of life, east of Montreal. And it starts in Montreal. I mean, Ontario's bad winters, Montreal's bad winters, but something else happens when you get a little further east. And I think every city you go to has a feel, I find. Every town you go to, every province. And musically, when you're travelling, they all have a feel. Saskatchewan you can picture, you can hear the sounds almost in your head. You know what I mean?In Montreal, you can hear the sounds. And on the East Coast, it's eclectic. But I think that there's a way of life over here that speaks to a rootsy side, you know? I mean, I think there are all kinds of great artists, amazing artists out here who are doing different things, obviously - more than just Roots music - and being successful at it. But I think even if you take out the roots, there's a quality of music out here that definitely is very high, and I don't know if it's the salt air but roots music definitely is having a moment. Which, you know. I don't know how many people are doing that on purpose, Like, I didn't think of it. And I started this two years ago and I suspect some of these other artists did too. But it kind of happens, you know?
EP: I only ask because I've been playing quite a bit of roots musicians from out east and the quality is really remarkable. I mean the thing can be said for other genres but specifically for folk, blues, roots, it's been really staggering how good the quality has been, especially with young musicians who are coming out, which leads me into the next question: As you mentioned, you've been all over this country, you've been performing for a number of years now. You get a sense of what sounds come from where and what's tuned into what. How do you feel the maritime experience has informed your own musicianship, your own art?
MT: Well, there are a few artists here that I don't know If I ever met stronger than a few of them that are here. And I was so lucky when I was young to find band members that were much better than me. And much more experienced than me. And I was always so fortunate with who agreed to play with me. And a lot of those players came from April Wine. One of them, Jim Henman, is a big mentor of mine. Charlie Phillips and Bill Jardine played with me. Dutch Mason, Garrett Mason's dad. And I think that I've learned a lot about blues out here, you know, and, My God, that's a tough question. I mean, it's hard to say how they've informed me, I guess.
EP: Well, let me ask you another way. Is there anything locally that's inspiring you these days, whether it's music or art or anything specific?
MT: Yeah, a lot. Owen Steele. Do you know Owen Steele?
EP: I don't.
MT: Owen put out a record recently. I don't know anyone who ever did anything like that on the East Coast, you know? It's Tom Waits-ish, and avant-garde, but rootsy. So, Owen really inspired me with that one. My good buddy Keith Hallett always inspires me. Garrett Mason always inspires me. I spent a lot of time in Acadie with Les Hay Babies, and they continue to inspire me. In Nova Scotia, there’s a band called Shadow Folk, from Truro. Who really inspired me recently? In Fredericton, there are multiple artists, and I'm always getting inspired there… So many of the young artists coming out do things differently because of their fresh minds, so that is so inspiring, you know? So I'm loving it here right now on the East Coast. There's a lot happening, a lot of good music coming out.
EP: What's next for Mike Trask this year? What do you have happening this summer? Do you have any surprises in store? I know you have a couple of festival dates happening in Cape Breton in July. Maybe a Mudhill reunion?
MT: Yeah, no, I don't know about a Mud Hill reunion, though (laughs). But I'm doing some festivals. I'm doing quite a bit of recording. I'm going to Vancouver to record an artist in September, which is exciting. I'm going to Dawson, Yukon for the second time this year with Keith Hallett, which is exciting for me. And yeah, Cape Breton. It's not a crazy busy summer for me, but that's okay. I moved around a lot the past two years, and it took a while for Beat to come out. And And I'm kind of settling into new studio space and stuff like that. So I have a few projects on the go. It's a chill summer, but I'm excited for it. But there are definitely some things I'm working on. Some things that are not announced yet. But, yeah, we, yeah, I'm working on moving my studio right now. That's really exciting So producing is a big part of my life and recording artists and beat was something that I struggled with. Putting it out? Not putting it out? Am I going to do it? Am I going to do vinyls? And so it's finally out and I'm trying to let it speak for itself. And people seem to be digging it. It's a little bit of my return to touring. I didn't tour a lot the past few years because I was recording so many records, so I'm kind of settling back into that lifestyle.
EP: All right, I have one last question for you, Mike. I ask this of everybody I interview. What's the coolest thing you ever came across at a merch table? I'll give you an example. Mine are some cufflinks I found at a Joe Jackson concert that say ‘Steppin’ Out’ on them. I thought that was pretty rad.
MT: That's wild. And I can't remember who, but I remember ashtrays one time. And I thought that I was pretty hip. I mean, I'm not a smoker, but I have an affinity for vintage ashtrays, just for the memorabilia's sake. And I remember thinking that was pretty rad.
EP: Well, Mike Trask, I want to thank you for taking the time to speak to us today. And I wish you nothing but success moving forward with this new release. It's an exceptional record.
MT: Thanks so much and thanks for pushing the East Coast. There are so many artists out here that work so hard. And it's great for someone that’s living in Montreal who that feels the need to help. Expose East Coast music. It really means a lot. And I see a lot of people you're playing. They're friends of mine and we all appreciate it.
EP: Great to hear. Thanks, Mike. Take care.
An interview with Markus Stahl of goldenstar
Past Tense host Ari spoke with Markus Stahl of goldenstar, discussing the artistic process leading up to and following the release of the band's debut EP, as well as the emotional landscape of goldenstar's music and the various inspirations behind it.
Ari Boon is the host of Past Tense which airs Mondays at 10pm on CJLO 1690 AM.
The Canadian Grand Prix Drives Montreal’s Sex Industry
Before the Grand Prix races, the Concertation des luttes contre l’exploitation sexuelle (La CLES), a feminist community organization, launched its “Un Trop Grand Prix” sexual exploitation awareness campaign. This campaign is in its 12th year.
The campaign is in partnership with the “Un Trop Grand Prix” committee. Zéro Exploitation held an information booth at the Montmorency metro station. Prévention Jeunesse Longueuil distributed posters to youth organizations on the South Shore. The YWCA published new campaign content on the campaign website: untropgrandprix.com.
In a press release, La CLES stated this year’s campaign is to “remind people that the purchase of sexual acts is a criminal act in Canada.”
In 2014, the federal government enacted the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act, making it illegal to purchase sexual acts, while giving immunity to those who sell their own sexual services.
“Whenever you have big events and you have them in big urban areas, a situation where there's a concentration of people, prostitution goes up. The pimps see that as an opportunity to make more money,” said Jennie-Laure Sully, a Community Organizer for La CLES.
Sully said the sex work industry is an industry “built on sexual exploitation.”
“They're a group that relies [on] and pushes for the use of criminal laws and the use of the carceral system to address violence against women. They assume that all sex work in and of itself is violent,” said Jenn Clamen, the Mobilization and Communications Coordinator at Stella, while referring to La CLES.
Stella is an organization run by and for sex workers. Clamen added, “They make no distinction between sex work and exploitation of all kinds.”
In an email response, the SPVM said their officers are extra vigilant during major international events, including the Grand Prix. They said, “When the metropolis welcomes large numbers of visitors, the SPVM pays particular attention to the demand for sexual services from minors.”
La CLES works with women who have been involved in the sex industry. Sully said pimps are trying to recruit younger women, “They're asking those women who consider themselves survivors if they could, you know, give them a name of a younger friend.”
Outside of their awareness campaign, Sully said that La CLES is an abolitionist organization: “We want to abolish prostitution.”
While the sex work industry is still active, Sully said La CLES plans to continue their awareness campaign past the Grand Prix weekend: “Beyond the Grand Prix, we're going to make sure that the voices of survivors are heard.” La CLES plans to release a podcast over the summer.
Justice Restores Faith at Place Bell
Coming up on my third time seeing Justice live on their current tour, I can’t say I was expecting any surprises or anything short of a great show with great music. The first two times, once at Festival Beauregard last July and once in Boston that following August, were fantastic if a bit underwhelming. Their previous live tour and resulting live album from almost 7 years ago, Woman Worldwide, is one of my favorite albums of all time. So, this current tour for the French duo’s latest album Hyperdrama had some pretty big shoes to fill. Worldwide boasts “10 years of Justice Mixed and Remixed” on the vinyl’s obi strip, reinforcing the idea of this record being more than just a live album. It was a celebration of the hard work and talent that members Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay had put in all the way since their debut album ✝ (which I will just be referring to as Cross going forward), and from the stage design to the remixes of old and new I found it to be a perfect 10/10. Now, as I was getting ready to see their updated live show (with a brand new encore they debuted last fall), I was anxious to see for myself how they could possibly top Worldwide as the best Justice live performance.
You may be familiar with Justice through their biggest hit, “D.A.N.C.E.,” or their recent collabs with artists like Tame Impala, The Weeknd, or Thundercat. Having been a part of the late 2000s to early 2010s movement now referred to as “indie sleaze”, Justice made it big on the scene with their 2007 debut album Cross, an immaculate collection of distorted, crunchy synths found on tracks like “Waters of Nazareth” and “Let There Be Light” and larger-than-life electro-rock anthems like “Genesis” and “DVNO”. Their following albums would take on a wide range of aesthetics, from the expansive rock opera of their sophomore Audio Video Disco to the glittery disco/synthpop odyssey found in their third album, Woman.
After the Woman Worldwide tour concluded, Justice would go on hiatus for a number of years, only really putting out re-releases and anniversary editions of their older work. But towards the end of 2023, French DJ Madeon played an at the time unreleased track by Justice. This track would end up being the lead single “Generator”. Named after the RaveGenerator virtual synthesizer (from which most of its sounds stem), it harkens back to Justice’s more aggressive style we all thought would be left in 2007 with the rest of their Cross-era catalog. But thankfully, the duo blessed us with some brand-new razor-sharp bangers right at the start of 2024. Alongside “Generator”, the song “One Night/All Night” was released as the first of their two collaborations with Kevin Parker of Tame Impala. It makes perfect use of Parker’s vocals and creates this perfectly festival-ready electronic-disco fusion the likes of which we certainly needed after so much time without Justice.
These two tracks set the bar incredibly high for what would be their fourth studio album, titled Hyperdrama. Both of them gave the impression that Justice would be bringing the bowel-scraping bass of Cross and the polished, sleek disco of Woman together to create the ultimate Justice record. Two more singles will be released, following the same energy and feeling with “Incognito” and then pivoting to a slower pop/rock feeling with the final single, “Saturnine” featuring Miguel. And finally, on April 26th, 2024, Justice would release their highly anticipated fourth studio album.
It was alright, at least on my first listen. I had stayed up all night waiting, and when I finally listened, it was… okay. The only real problem I had with this record is that Justice made the decision to release most of the best tracks as singles. So yes, this is a great album, but on my first listen after effectively cementing all of the singles into my brain, I was a little underwhelmed. The opening track “Neverender” with Tame Impala was pretty good, as well as the rest of the new tracks like “Mannequin Love” with The Flints and “The End” with Thundercat, but they weren’t as hardcore as Generator and kind of made the singles feel more like outliers rather than glimpses into what the rest of the album would be, or what kind of feeling it would carry. Still good, just not entirely what I had hoped for.
But after a year of having this album on loop, and having seen many of these new tracks live, I can now confidently say that Hyperdrama is one of the best Justice albums, and a welcome addition to their ever-growing catalogue. It took a couple of listens, but I think this is a fantastic album and just needed some getting used to. And now, I was ready to see it live for the final time before Justice’s latest tour concludes, presumably this year.
Having seen this show twice already, I wanted to take extra steps to make this experience more special for myself. Number one, I wanted to get a front-row spot and be as close to the show as possible. I’ve seen this show from both the balcony and the middle of a French mosh pit, so I figured the next best spot would be right up front. Number two, I wanted to get something signed. Having seen pictures and videos of the band signing stuff for people up front after each show, I figured if I got front row and brought something eye-catching to sign, I had a reasonable chance at getting signatures from both band members. I landed on bringing my Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 audio interface. It’s a bright red metal box with mic inputs and knobs galore, so I figured if I taped some paper to the top or something I could get it signed.
Doors open at 7, so I did some quick math and decided to show up at 2:30. I walked around for an hour to stretch my legs and grab a hefty lunch, knowing that once I got to that railing I would remain there until I saw Gaspard and Xavier walk off stage for the night. I got to the line at around 3:30ish and saw that there were 5-6 people already ahead of me. Why anyone would show up to a concert so early is beyond me, but I took my spot at the back (for now) and popped my earbuds in. I was kindly gifted some pins and stickers from a few people, and made some conversation with the people around me about how many times we had seen the show, or how we had managed to get time off work for an event that would be around 70% just standing around and waiting. At one point, they did the sound check, which was just a recording of the first two songs of the set.
At around 6:45, someone stood up and started walking towards the front. At this point, everyone was kind of sitting down against the wall, but the mere notion that it was time to claim your spot in line sent everyone into a frenzy. Everyone immediately stood up and stampeded towards the front of the line. I fortunately got close to the front, but the number of people in front of me, combined with the possibility of having to take extra time to explain why I had a suspicious red box covered in buttons and switches to security, worried me about my chances of getting to the front. I mentally prepared myself for having to fight tooth and nail to get up there.
The floodgates opened at 7, and I managed to breeze through scanning/security. After getting into the then-empty stadium, I speed-walked across right to the front where I parked my stuff, gripped the rail with both arms, and fully intended to hold on as tight as humanly possible, no matter how much moshing, pushing, or biting I’d potentially have to endure until the show was over.
After around an hour or so of waiting, we were graced with Tiga’s opening set. The set was overall pretty good, and it kept me and many others moving for a good 45-60 minutes. It was nice to see the crowd getting into it with the remix of MGMT’s “Kids” towards the end. I saw for the first time the whole waving-phone-flashlight thing for an opening set, which didn’t even happen for Braxe + Falcon’s opening set for Justice in Boston.
After Tiga’s performance ended and the crew took apart his setup, did the lighting and equipment checks, and dimmed the lights, we waited anxiously for the two sharply-dressed Frenchmen to show their faces. They walked on stage in total darkness, took their positions and kicked off the show.
A massive glowing cross emerged from the back of the stage, towering over everyone in the crowd and accompanied by the grandiose horns of the opening to “Genesis”. This live version of the iconic first track of Cross features a more chopped-up bassline as well as a few samples from “Generator” dotted around, and, similar to Woman Worldwide, this version is mashed up with the track “Phantom”. It transitions into “Generator”, which might possibly be the only track on their setlist powerful enough to successfully follow up that titan of an opener.
At this point in the show, the visuals have been pretty standard. A massive setup on the back wall of the stage houses these massive, thin poles of light, as well as 12 massive screens arranged in a diamond formation. These fixtures are what were used for the opening in addition to the moving head lights placed around the floor of the stage. But midway through “Generator”, with the band illuminated by one light-pole in the center, we see three more fixtures light up on the ceiling and slowly descend to the point where they are directly over the duo’s heads. They remain in this position for the rest of the track, and are later joined by ELEVEN more. By the final drop, the duo have not only put a very expensive ceiling over their heads but also introduced a dynamic, moving light system.
This complex system of lights before us isn’t fully revealed until the intro of the next track, “Mannequin Love”. Everything slowly illuminates as the outline of the individual screens on the light fixtures, as well as the backing lights, are highlighted with a blue glow like something out of a TRON film. The visuals here, combined with the pivot away from the massive distorted basslines, consist of each component of the light setup flashing golden orange. The outro sees the return of the Cross track “The Party”, which hasn’t been played live since their first tour fifteen years ago.
Transitioning into “One Night/All Night”, one final trick in the lighting system is shown. It’s revealed that each light on the moving fixtures can rotate, revealing a mirror on one of their three sides. At the same time, the twelve screens behind the duo have a thick, reflective border to match. After the mirrors (and consequently, our eyes) get a good dosage of strobing rainbow lights, we transition to “Safe and Sound” off of Justice’s third album, Woman. The first half of this new live version is a sleek combination of choir vocals, smooth strings, and catchy disco grooves found all over this 2016-2018 era of Justice’s career. Midway through, a new component of the live version of this track is introduced. Justice plays a short, high-energy megamix of a ton of old remixes they did for groups like ZZT and MGMT, along with brief snippets of “Phantom”, “DVNO”, and “D.A.N.C.E.”.
And then we get to arguably one of the best parts of the show, both in terms of visuals and music. The star of the new album, “Neverender”. This track just oozes glamour, featuring downright angelic vocals from Tame Impala and spacey, silky smooth production that only the likes of Gaspard and Xavier could conjure for us. And the visuals are just on a whole other level. If “Mannequin Love” and “One Night/All Night” reveal Justice’s hand in terms of how much visual firepower we’re working with, “Neverender” smacks us across the face with it at full force. For the first time in this entire show, nearly every visual component pulls together to create this cosmic, starry environment that feels like plunging headfirst into an imploding galaxy. The light fixtures spread out and arrange themselves in a kind of fan-like formation, with rapidly cycling pinprick lights of white and gold sparking to the beat as the screens and poles in the back following suit. Every cable or piece of metal scaffolding just absolutely melts away as we’re presented with this divine space opera that fully immerses us in this small pocket of infinity.
And this is still just around 30 minutes into the show. There’s so much more that is offered to us, but in the interest of not spoiling the entire show in every way possible, I’ll just go over the highlights of the rest of my night. “Neverender” transitions into “Canon” off of Audio, Video Disco, then into “Incognito”. This one was extra special, because one of the mirrors on the light fixtures was angled in a way that reflected straight down, allowing myself and a few people around me to see Xavier from a top-down angle mixing and performing the song live. Sick.
“Incognito” transitions into the new live version of “Stress”, which is as expected, stressful. This has been one of the longest mainstays of Justice’s live shows, characterized by harsh strings, strobing red lights, and basically every rotating light spinning at once in a kind of drunken loop. They didn’t play the extended version like they did in Boston, but it makes sense that they’d need to save time for the new encore. Bathing the arena in a deep crimson, this track both visually and sonically feels like one of the more unique additions to Justice’s live catalogue.
Moving on, the show gets kicked into overdrive with the tracks “Afterimage”, then “Chorus”. Embodying a more gabber-y, fast-paced set of tracks that had so much strobing that I genuinely could not get any good footage at this point. “Chorus” then transitions to a personal favourite, “Audio, Video Disco”. This one felt extra special, since a camera feed of the crowd was used as part of the visuals. Not something I’ve seen or even expected for this show before, so it was a great addition and a nice surprise. We see the return of the space/star effects from “Neverender”, but at a slower pace, so the crowd has time to deplete their batteries by waving their phone flashlights around. Great stuff.
And then the lights go out again, and we’re left waiting for the encore. For me, this is the make-or-break moment for any Justice set, to see if it can live up to the masterpiece that is Woman Worldwide.
I would consider this encore to be a make rather than break moment. Right off the bat, the encore kicks off with the menacing opening piano progression of “Planisphere”, one of Justice’s best-ever tracks from the Audio, Video, Disco era that is only now getting the proper live treatment. We then hear chopped-up samples from Phantom, and the medieval-sounding arpeggio from “Heavy Metal”. On top of that, snippets and vocals from classic Justice tracks like “Civilization” and “Helix” are thrown into the mix and cement this first act of the encore as Woman Worldwide-tier work. It transitions into a reprise of “Mannequin Love”, mashed up with tracks from Woman, including “Pleasure” and “Fire”. All the while, the light fixtures are going haywire, with the rotating mirrors giving these vertical swiping motions as the floor lights are reflected out across the audience. Then, the fixtures reposition and bring back the glittery star-like visuals from “Neverender”.
As this absolute weapon of a megamix transitions into “Phantom, Pt. II”, I’m left awestruck as the light fixtures reposition around the center of the stage, creating ample room for the massive glowing cross to return. The vocals of “We Are Your Friends”, one of the band’s earliest hits, is mixed in with “Phantom II” the same way it always has been in past live shows, to the point where these two tracks might as well gain synonymy with how well they fit together.
The final track that blessed our ears tonight was D.A.N.C.E., mashed up with Safe and Sound and Neverender to create an absolutely legendary finale with killer visuals to boot. And as the duo walked off while “The End” played in the background (cigarettes somehow already in hand), I firmly believed that Justice had put on a show as good as (if not better than) their last. This was a show for new and old fans alike, and, as far as I’m concerned, that’s the best kind of show.
After they strutted off with some flags gifted by fans over their shoulders (Xavier wearing a pride flag while Gaspard donning a Quebec flag), both members came out and began signing stuff. This was it. The moment of truth. I held out my Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 audio interface and Sharpie, hoping one of their cigarette-wielding hands would grab it. Xavier signed it first, then Gaspard. I thanked them both, and after they left, I was on my merry way to pick up my t-shirt.
So, as I sat on the metro on the way back to my apartment, I made a mental checklist and status report of my evening.
Best seats in the house? Check
Autographs? Check
Faith restored in my favourite band? Check
I encourage everyone to go see this show before their tour concludes. If not, check out the videos on their YouTube channel or some full set recordings on YouTube. Or listen to the live album they’ll eventually put out, like with the last three tours. Justice’s “Hyperdrama” live show is not one to be missed.
An interview with Anne-Julie from Festival BleuBleu
Remi Caron sits down with Myriam-Sophie Deslauriers and Anne-Julie St-Laurent, the general and artistic co-directors of Festival BleuBleu which is happening from June 20th to the 23rd in Carleton-Sur-Mer.
Remi Caron is the host of At The Movies which airs Tuesdays at 9am on CJLO 1690AM.
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