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Robbery shooting suspect appears in court
The man accused of shooting and killing three people and wounding another after an armoured car heist in Edmonton appeared in court on Thursday.
According to CBC News, twenty-one year old Travis Baumgartner’s appearance inside an Edmonton courthouse was brief.
Baumgartner is suspected to have shot four and killed three armoured car guards early last Friday morning at the University of Alberta in an apparent robbery.
He was arrested last weekend while attempting to cross into the United States near Abbotsford, B.C. in possession of three-hundred thirty thousand dollars is cash.
If convicted he could face seventy-five years in prison.
Anti-corruption squad makes 11 new arrests
Quebec’s anti-corruption squad’s latest raid resulted in eleven new arrests.
In a report by CTV News, the raids were carried out in and around Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. The arrests are in relation to the cracking of a collusion ring believed to have committed fraud of one million dollars. The fraud was found to have been committed mostly in the installation of water mains and sewage.
The UPAC also issued warnings on Thursday to nine companies that they are now the subject of a criminal investigation.
The raids are carried out just as the Public Inquiry into alleged fraud and collusion in the construction industry has begun.
Say Word's Francofo Award Goes to...
Photo: Mathieu Villeneuve
ALACLAIR ENSEMBLE!!
What an insane week. In the span of 10 days at Les FrancoFolies, I managed to see approximately 12 shows, which were all pretty spectacular, but hands down the best two I saw were Alaclair Ensemble and Maybe Watson (a member of Alaclair Ensemble!).
The Alaclair Ensemble collective has been making epic waves in French Hip Hop scene for a while now, so it's about time that the FrancoFolies gave them a big outdoor stage. And man did they ever deliver. On every aspect of what I consider a great show, Alaclair aced and innovated. Actually, let's do a breakdown so y'all can understand what I'm taking about.
- Beats: If you don't have good baseline to your music you just lost 90% of your fan base; Alaclair is probably most revered for their beat making with members such as Ken Lo, Sevdee, and Vlooper on the production team you can only expect blow mind material. Actually weren't these the cats that started the whole Piu Piu Movement!?!
- Lyrical Content: Baaaahh! These guys kill it. First off they've created their own language so your mind is automatically intrigued to figure out what they're saying and when you do, you're on the floor crying it's so funny. Actually it's more than just funny it's that it's so relevant, witty, cheeky, and real that you can't help but relate. Plus they've got these crazy hook lines that stick with you forever. I swear for days after the show I keep waking up saying, "Champagne, Caviaaaaar".
- Flow: Collectives are often hit or miss for me 'cause it's too easy to have a bunch of MCs that sound the same, or even worse, a few weak-link MCs in a group can really bring the vibe down. This ensemble, however, is just busting with talent. They can each hold their own on a solo status (as Maybe Watson demonstrated), and as a collective they just reach higher heights. You'll never catch yourself mistaking Ken Lo's flow for Odgen's. As a cherry on top of this sundae these cats are hyper-genius at playing with voice intonation, bringing you smoothly from a gritty grim vibe to a bubble gum pop flow on their sillier tracks.
- Stage Presence: Flags, Face Paint, Big Hair, Choreography, 6+ MCs on a track... do I really need to say more? No. But for real, this is Alaclair's specialty, which is such a joy to see 'cause honestly it's hard to fill those big FrancoFolies stages and if you don't go hard it's pretty painful to watch. So Chapeau les gars.
- Collabos: This isn't in anyway a criterion for a good show, but I really need to applaud Maybe Watson for inviting not only his associated fam Alaclair Ensemble and K6A to the stage, but also the up-and-coming rap trio Gullywood. When you've only got an hour to shine in front of a crowd every second counts. I'm glad that, for Watson, promoting other local artists he respects was also a priority.
- Crowd Connection: This is where Alaclair blew my mind. See, I know that I know all of Alaclair's tracks and love singing along, but I'm a radio host whose job is to search for music and I particularly enjoy the local scene. Sixteen year-olds, on the other hand, are hard to impress, rarely respect music coming out of their own city, and have the attention span of a goldfish if you don't keep them entertained. So you can imagine my surprise when I saw hundreds yes hunDREDS of young cats screaming for more Alaclair, spitting all the lyrics, and following the choreo. If you can get youth to say 'Yo man ça c'était un sérieux gros show man', 'K6A, le WuTang de Montreal man' and 'Alaclair for life', you know you did something right. It was crazy how hype the crowd was, which really shows the need for this kind of sound in Montreal.
- The Full Package: I hope that many of you have seen Billy Cogan's (from The Smashing Pumpkins) interview with Brian Solis where he goes on to explain that an artist can't just make it off one good track. An artist has to be offering his audience the full package if they want people to continuously follow them. Well, Alaclair Ensemble gives you the full package and then some. I mean seriously, they have a flag, they created a country, they have their own language, they're continuously dropping dope free mixtapes, they work solo as well as in a unit, their videos are psychedelic, their merch game is outrageous, and their music is unrivaled.
I think that sufficiently explains why Alaclair Ensemble wins the Say Word Francofo Award.
Much Respects and Big Ups Guys
Looking forward to more Alaclair
-Gold
"Champagne, Caviaaaaaaaaaaaaar"
Maximum RNR Session on BVST
Many things have changed for Maximum RNR since they were last at CJLO studios way back in 2006. Back with a new lead singer and bass player, the one thing that has never wavered is their punk-influenced, metal-tinged rock'n'roll. Six years later, they've recorded an exclusive handful of tracks in our studios once again, and you can be the first to hear them right here on the CJLO airwaves. Tune in to BVST TONIGHT Wednesday, June 27th at 7pm as Angelica premieres the tracks, and digs into the back catalogue of your new favorite band!
Sara Johnston on Commonwealth Conundrum
It's another Commonwealth-Conundrum today! And this time the dream team is back together. Yep, Rebecca is back from Toronto so there are sure to be lots of tales from NxNE. Danny & Rebecca also have the lovely Sara Johnston in studio, and Evelyn Reid will be joining them too - it's a full house on our very own ladies' day...tune in, 1690AM or cjlo.com
June 20th, 2012
Read and Produced by: Carlo Spiridigliozzi
Stories by: Sarah Deshaies, Alyssa Tremblay. Tara Brockwell and Jamie Lee Gordon
Canada invited to join Trans-Pacific Partnership talks
Canada was officially welcomed to join negotiations on a new major international free-trade agreement. According to Postmedia News Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced Tuesday that Canada was given the go ahead to join Trans-Pacific Partnership talks.
The TPP trade bloc is comprised of nine members states whose goal is to ease Asia-Pacific trade. Canadian business groups have come out in support of the move that will give them access to a market of over six hundred million people.
TPP member states are expected to pressure Canada to lighten its protections on the dairy and poultry industry as well as strengthen copyright laws.
Advocacy groups against the TPP such as the Council of Canadians worry Canada will be forced to loosen its policies on the environment and pharmaceuticals.
MUTEK 13th Edition
The 13th edition of MUTEK has come and gone, and all that's left of it are the memories (or at least, most of the memories... probably). As usual, MUTEK delivered stellar performances over the entirety of its five-day span, and since no one wants to read a review that runs on for pages and pages, I'm going to limit myself to the most memorable events I was fortunate enough to see.
Leboeuf et Laviolette @ Experience 2
These two native Montrealers were playing the middle set during Thursday night's Experience 2 event. They won me over early with a more-than-healthy dose of some banging acid that was just what I needed to curb my growing impatience over having to wait two nights before A Guy Called Gerald's Nocturne 4 performance. The rest of their set travelled through a myriad of sounds with increasingly complex percussive elements, but faithfully kept up the driving energy they set off with. It's rare that I get down so hard at 6pm without a few beers in me, and rarer still that I think to look into a local act's post-performance (an admitted weakness that I'm looking to remedy, and if you're guilty of it you should too), but these guys checked both boxes. Don't sleep if you see these two on a line-up!
Kode9, MFO & Ms Haptic present "Her Ghost" @ A/Visions 3
I'm not going to lie, this was one of the things I was most excited about at MUTEK this year. It was a reinterpretation of Chris Marker's "La Jetée". I only discovered the original film because I read that Kode9 had plans to write a new score for it a few years ago. Getting to see that same performance in person, and finding out it was in fact a whole new edit of the film? Awesome. The soundtrack was jagged and harsh, reminding me at times of Speedy J and Scott Pagano's "Umfeld". It was perfect for underscoring the sinister and broken world being portrayed. The edit of the film itself was fantastic. Telling the tale from the woman's perspective and travelling into the uncharted territory of her post-war experience was the film's greatest strength. I highly recommend taking the time to watch both, as this new interpretation really was a perfect compliment to the first.
Minilogue vs. Mathew Jonson @ Nocturne 4
This really was a mammoth performance, and certainly my favourite of the festival. As far as I understand, this set was mostly improvisational. It didn't show, and if they ever had any slip ups, I never noticed and certainly didn't care, nor did anyone else. They had the entire room eating out of the palms of their hands. I couldn't tell you exactly what they were playing (it was certainly techno, but I'm no good at attaching prefixes to things, and it shouldn't matter), because at this point my notepad was firmly stashed in my pocket and nothing was going to stop me from dancing for even a second. The sound was great, the crowd was great, and the three on stage seemed like they were having the time of their lives. Having their set extend a full 45 minutes longer than advertised was a great treat.
Nautiluss @ Nocturne 3
As an artist I think he had one of the most fascinating stories at MUTEK. He was once half of Toronto's Thunderheist, but today has dropped his Grahmzilla moniker and shifted into much more personal music that's almost completely at odds with his old material. As a producer, you can tell he's making a really honest exploration of his interest and his abilities, and I can't wait to see where he ends up. In reading interviews with him and digging into his history, I was really struck by his humble passion for what he's doing. More than anything else, he seems simply happy and excited to be doing his own thing, regardless of the attention it's getting him, and there's a sense that we're all lucky to be able to experience the journey together.
Honourable Mentions
The Mole & Mathew Jonson @ Piknic – The heads knew to be at the smaller Guru stage to catch this, but it definitely should have been a main stage performance.
Monolake @ Nocturne 2 – Somehow, I missed three quarters of this set, but I wish I hadn't. The last bit was pure fire. I've never skanked to dub techno before, and for that, I salute you.
Bernardino Femminielli @ Experience 2 – You win for having laser guitars and 80s-style sex appeal.
The sound system at SAT.
The over-enthusiastic Frenchman telling me to "let the music become myself" during Jeff Mills.
-Patrick Meloche hosts The Letter "B" Sundays from 2-3pm
Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than The Driver of The Screw And Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do
After a close to 7 year break from music, Fiona Apple returns with an ambitious record and amazing problems that I loved hearing about. Similar the title, "The Idler Wheel is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw, and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do", it is simple and beautiful, but at the same time strange and complex. The arranging is a perfect accompany to her spastic and erratic vocal melodies and words, which come across as helplessly honest. Although Fiona's voice is front and centre and there is no arguing that this is a pop record, her songwriting and production is way beyond that and impossible to ignore. With a collage of dissonance and stereo panning, an abundance of percussion, and a heavy foot on the sustain pedal, this album feels like a brick wall of passion that is ready to topple over at any moment. She successfully transcends her uncontrollable angst and emotional issues to the listener, which is what makes "The Idler Wheel..." so great.
FINAL MARK: BABE
If i had to give it a real grade it would be A. For grade A babe..
TRIAL TRACK: Left Alone
The Dandy Warhols + 1776 + Psychic Ills @ Corona Theatre
Formed in Portland, Oregon in the early 1990s, the Dandy Warhols achieved moderate mainstream success later in the decade with hit singles like "Bohemian Like You" and "Everyday Should be a Holiday", the latter featured on the soundtrack for the enormously popular comedy There's Something About Mary. While the group's brush with Top-40 stardom was relatively short-lived, their music has stood the test of time for college radio crowds and those who justifiably or inexplicably lean towards 90s nostalgia in their musical preferences. The group's signature psychedelic revival meets Brit-pop sound with a hint of glam rock posturing make them an interesting and notable cultural artifact of the period, as well as a great addition to a party-bound mix tape. All that being said, why on earth would this group be touring in 2012? Could seeing the Dandy Warhols live well past their prime (in my case, last Saturday at the Corona Theatre) be an absolutely depressing waste of time?
What may be considered depressing about this situation is the fact the Dandys are touring to support their latest release, This Machine, lukewarmly received by critics due to its attempts at sounding more 'grown up' and 'sober'. If you've never seen Ondi Timoner's documentary Dig!, you probably won't fully grasp the absolute self-absorbed immaturity and drug-addled mania that inspired the group when they were churning out their most well-received material. This insanity is also part of what makes the group such interesting characters, at once absolutely repulsive (for example, Courtney Taylor-Taylor's constant cracked-out boy-model posturing on stage and off and general dick-head attitude) yet completely alluring. Considering they've lost this spark in their new music, I was concerned that their live performance would be lacklustre at best.
Opening for the group were 1776, a standard, three-piece band that sound like a combination of every monolithic rock group to ever grace a Bluenotes rock tee. Too self-aware to be charming and without a hint of stage presence, passion or attempts at musical innovation, I found the group to be a depressing reminder of who, to this day, has a stronghold over the music industry (cough, baby boomers).
Second openers were shoegazers Psychic Ills, whose frontman Tres Warren is absolutely mesmerizing and has a great voice for the drone-y sounds they produce but the group's live performance isn't exactly a forte. I really enjoyed the group's sound, but would suggest picking up a record instead to trekking out to see them in the flesh.
The Dandy Warhols' set, much to my surprise, was very engaging and sounded kind of great. While Courtney Taylor-Taylor's falsetto has become a little sad in his middle-age, he managed to pull it off a couple of times with ease; largely, the vocals had been re-arranged to accommodate his lower vocal range. The group had great energy as they performed selection of hits in chronological order, mixing in new material towards the end of the night. Crowd-pleasing hits performed included "We Used to be Friends", the oft-requested "Horse Pills", "Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth" and Taylor-Taylor's solo rendition of "Every Day Should be a Holiday" (a personal favourite of the night). The Dandys kept their material fresh, linking old favourites together with unexpected, spacey jamming keeping tough critics, like yours truly, entranced in the performance instead of watching the clock, waiting for the set to end. The group had great stage presence and seemed to have a good sense of humour about what they were doing. Overall, a surprising and impressive set.
-Kelly K hosts Cut Your Hair and Get a Job Tuesdays from 1-2pm
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