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Reverend Horton Heat + The Real McKenzies + The Brains @ Club Soda
Stereotypes aside, there was certainly a theme to the evening at Club Soda on Saturday, May 28. Leather, chains and heavy black eyeliner abound, along with many rockabilly do’s, tight jeans on dudes and Dr. Martens on every second pair of feet.
Montreal’s own psychobilly group of self-proclaimed zombies, The Brains, were the first opening act. They inspired a respectable mosh pit, playing several upbeat rock anthems with elements of ska, proving the living dead can still party hardy.
The second opener was Vancouver’s The Real McKenzies, a saxy sextet of kilt-clad Canadians with Scottish roots. I must admit that the cow-print bagpipes were a nice touch. As to be expected from men in skirts, there was much camaraderie and bromance on stage. The set list was comprised of a cross between Scottish drinking music and metal. Interactions with the crowd between songs often had political undertones, with discussions about the Middle East as well as warnings against using discrimination. Later in the show, Paul McKenzie ripped, chewed and spit out a $20 bill as a statement about how sick money makes him. Perhaps not the most effective method of bringing down capitalist systems, but it's certainly better than trying to stick it up his nose like the beer he snorted earlier in the evening.
Finally, just after midnight, Reverend Horton Heat took to the stage. The Reverend himself wore bright red dress pants with flame-shaped patches on the sides. Frankly, it was fitting, because the show was on fire! There was not a still body to be found in the place. They played one song off each of their albums in chronological order. Mid-way through the show, the band decided to begin taking requests from the audience, starting with "Where The Hell Did You Go With My Toothbrush." The crowd erupted during "Bales of Cocaine," and the night ended with an extended encore that included solos from both Scott Churilla on drums and Jimbo Wallas on double bass. Evidently, the band lived up to their own legend, playing fast-paced tunes with a fluidity and assuredness that only comes with years of experience. The most refreshing part was that the guys came across humble and happy to be on stage, and rocking-out on a double bass, even after decades of performing.
-Maryana V. hosts Cheap Trills every Monday from 3-4pm
May 7th, 2012
Read by: Aisha Samu
Stories by: Aisha Samu, Daniel J. Rowe, Gregory Wilson and Carlo Spiridigliozzi
Produced by: Carlo Spiridigliozzi
Greeks elect change
Weary voters have punished the incumbent Greek Coalition Party in an election which has plunged Greece into political instability.
Voters who are tired of pro-austerity measures have voted in a new party. According to the BBC, the New Democracy Party won the election with 18.9 percent of the vote. A radical left party Syriza came in second followed by Pasok and Independent Greeks.
The two main parties in this election, the New Democracy and Pasok attracted only a third of the vote.
New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras will meet with the president to try and form a united government and keep the debt-riddled country in the euro-zone.
Flickr Photo by: AthenaKorka
Student associations and Quebec governement reach tentative deal
It’s the beginning of the end for the Quebec tuition fight.
Leaders of Quebec student associations and education minister Line Beauchamp have come to a tentative agreement after round-the-clock closed-door negotiations.
According to the CBC, under the new deal students will get a temporary tuition freeze for the fall semester.
A committee will look into the financial management of universities with a report due in December.
The government will go ahead with its planned tuition hike over seven years but students will see fees lower in other places. This includes a committee that will look for savings in university budgets with the aim to reduce non-tuition fees.
The announcement follows violent protests in Victoriaville that saw 106 arrests with 3 officers injured.
Six protesters also ended up in hospital including a 21 year-old who lost an eye and suffered life-threating head wounds.
Students will have a chance to vote on the deal in the next few days.
Flickr photo: Robin Dumont
Women reduce wage gap
Quebec women reduced the earning gap by twenty-nine cents in 2011.
According to the latest Quebec Directory of Labor Statistics, the average hourly wage for men in 2011 was $22.81.
For women, it was $20.11, which creates a gap of $2.70 between the two.
This is ten percent lower gap than the $2.99 gap from 2010.
The institute has not investigated whether the Pay Equity Act has played a role in the narrowing of the female wage deficit, says the Canadian Press.
Men are still earning considerably more than women on weekly average wages.
The weekly average wage gap has fluctuated over the years.
The average wage difference between men and women could be attributed to women missing more work hours for family reasons than men, and working less weekly hours.
News May 4th 2012
Read by Josh Dodds
Produced by Erica Bridgeman
Stories written by Carlo Spiridigliozzi and Danny Aubry
Clip recorded by Sarah Deshaies
80 years in jail recommended for Taylor
Charles Taylor could be going to jail for a very long time.
CNN reported on Thursday that the prosecutor in the case recommends 80 years in prison for the former Liberian President.
Taylor was arrested last month for aiding and abetting war crimes in Sierra Leone’s civil war. He is accused of financing and giving orders to the rebels in the war that left 50,000 dead or missing.
A three-judge panel delivered a unanimous ruling that Taylor is guilty on all 11 charges of indictment against him.
Taylor would serve any sentence in a British prison.
Flickr Photo (UN rules following Civil War in Sierra Leone) by: Travlr
Pregnant passenger wants settlement reopened
A former Air Canada passenger wants her settlement case with Air Canada reopened.
Linda Jarigina-Sahoo of Banff, Alberta told CBC News on Thursday that a compensation of $3,500 and 70,000 Aeroplan points are not enough.
Jarigina-Sahoo suffered injuries in 2011 while on flight from Toronto to Zurich when she hit the ceiling of the plane and was tossed into the row behind. She was also 19 weeks pregnant at the time.
Air Canada blamed the incident on turbulence initially but then corrected the record and blamed it on an error on the co-pilot. The plane took a sharp dip as a result of the error.
Jarigina-Sahoo was treated of her injuries in Switzerland. She wants to airline to pay for her medical expenses. She continues to undergo physical therapy sessions on her back and other injuries.
Her child was born in good health despite the ordeal.
Flickr Photo by: Chealion
CLASSE presents counter-offer
The CLASSE presented its counter-offer to the Liberal government.
According to the Montreal Gazette, the offer calls on the government to freeze tuition rates at 2007 levels, cutting university research budgets and cap rising administrative costs.
CLASSE also said that in the long term the government must offer free university tuition in 5 years which would be paid by a capital tax on financial institutions. This proposal is meant to offset the loss in tuition payments.
Spokesman Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois stated that if the demands are not met then the strike would go on.
In the meantime, Education Minister Line Beauchamp’s office has contacted the FEUQ and the FECQ on Thursday to discuss their idea for a council on university management. The idea was proposed by the 2 associations this past Tuesday.
Also Thursday, CEGEP de Sherbrooke voted to end the strike and will return to class on Monday.
Flickr Photo by: Chris Brooker
Opposition criticizes DND job decrease
Opposition MP`s strongly objected to the government`s decision to decrease jobs at the Department of National Defence.
According to CTV News NDP MP Jack Harris stated that this decision indicates the government`s lack of empathy towards their soldiers.
He also stated that the job decrease will make it more difficult for the soldiers to receive mental health treatment.
Defence Minister Peter Mackay argued that Canada has more mental health professionals for soldiers compared to other Nato countries.
Senator Romeo Dallaire said that soldiers need all the help they can get otherwise their mental issues will lead to suicide.
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