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Five Questions with... CRABE
Five Questions with… is a new CJLO Magazine feature where people from all realms we want to know more about are asked… well, five questions! The feature’s inaugural interview is with Montreal “normal punk” duo CRABE, who released their seventh album Notre-Dame de la vie intérieure earlier this month on Pantoum Records. Their latest opus sees the duo, consisting of Martin Höek and Gabriel Lapierre, continue to avoid easy classification and managing to keep a wildly positive and sincere energy about them for 12 years and counting. CJLO had the chance to speak with Lapierre and pose him five questions about the new record.
Your new album is called Notre-Dame de la vie intérieure, which I find to be a fascinating title. What’s the significance behind it?
It was actually Martin who would often pass by a statue of Mary to go to work and noticed much later that it was marked as Notre-Dame de la vie intérieure (Our Lady of the Inner Life) on the statue. I think it surprised him, and he was really in a phase… the album at its base is all related to the pond, and the pond is the sombre place where we go if we have an agonizing crisis or anxiety. Notre-Dame de la vie intérieure is a bit of the protection that can aid us in understanding our patterns and our paths, that helps us to understand the pond.
Even though this is CRABE’s seventh album, Notre-Dame de la vie intérieure is only the second album created by you and Martin after the departure of David Dugas Dion from the group. Did you find there was a different dynamic this time than when you made your first album together, Le temps f33l?
Yes, we always try to change our sound, or to surprise ourselves. For the first [album], we had the desire for it to be really punk, or really square if we could say that, aggressive in the sound. On the second [album] […] the tempos change a lot, the way we mixed the drums for example is less aggressive. I think it’s a bit more user-friendly, but at the same time I think it still remains explosive. We put a lot of colours in other settings, for example there were a lot of MIDI sounds that were introduced.
Your songs go all over the place in the space of three minutes. One minute a song like “Livre compliqué” is in a more aggro and aggressive style, the next it’s like a more indie-rock and jangle tune. What’s the reason for such multidirectional songs, and how do you juggle all these styles in a coherent fashion?
I think what makes it all coherent is the rigor in our work ethic that we have, and also that we do what we have the desire to do. If we have the desire to go one direction over another, I think if it doesn’t sound like the same intentions of song, I think the creative intention remains the same between all the songs. It makes it so that there’s a coherence of experiences we can live with CRABE.
CRABE was on of the finalists during last year’s edition of the Francouvertes. After all that, what is it that you’ve retained from the competition?
I think what I retained most was that people liked CRABE more than I thought, or at least our dynamic works in general. We were expecting to be rejected as soon as the first show [laughs]. Ultimately, people really liked it, and we were placed very high. I think it showed me that no matter what the music we do, if we remain positive, honest, and do our best, there’s always a way that people will like it and bring people together.
Lastly, you’ve said in the past that your work as CRABE was “music-therapy.” Is it still that for you both?
For me, I don’t see how it can be otherwise, for music in general actually, because I think it’s really music we make for ourselves to put into words at times the affairs we live or just to put in action the emotions and things we accumulate in our daily lives. I think to do that and to do it 100% like we want to, it does well to know that we can do something like we want to or that it’s possible to go until the end of a project, without making any compromises for example. To have an idea and realize it, I think it feels really good to remind ourselves that we could do that.
Alex Viger-Collins is the host of Ashes to Ashes, your weekly dose of modern pop, every Tuesday at 8:00 PM EST.
Florence + The Machine at Centre Bell, May 28th 2019
Florence + the Machine returned to Montreal once again and brought their unique sound and the incredible vocal stylings of lead singer Florence Welch. While the Bell Centre may not have been as full as the last time they came to town, the air was electric and the crowd was ready to give it their all; we all knew Welch was about to put on a fantastic show.
The year long High as Hope Tour actually debuted at Osheaga last summer, and has slowly made its way around the entire globe. The new album, featuring a more stripped back sound and more personal lyrics, has Welch credited as a producer for the first time. It features many slow ballads, covering themes of lost love, personal struggles, and even a bad high. The 19-song set was able to feature a majority of the album without hampering the danceable and fun energy of a Florence + the Machine show.
The night at the Bell Centre began with lesser known, but highly credited, English music producer Blood Orange (aka Devonté Hynes ). It started off with just him and his guitar, and as Orange slowly made his way to the keys, a structure was revealed and he was joined by a four piece band. Bringing out a different featured artist for each subsequent track, Blood Orange’s acoustic pop/funk was enjoyable and got the crowd listening, albeit not that enthused.
After an approximate half hour set, they thanked the crowd, and the crew quickly started removing the lights and equipment at the front and unveiling Florence’s set design. A multi-level wood structure was uncovered, with distinct spaces for Welch’s eight piece band, and the back had high curved walls made out of the same wooden slats. The effect of the woodwork and lights peeking through the slats gave it the feeling of us being in a classical music hall.
As the show starts, the lights drop,. The band start to go to their places as they light up one by one. The band consists of Isabella Summers on keys, Robert Ackroyd on lead guitar, Tom Monger starting off on Harp, Cyrus Bayandor on bass, Aku Orraca-Tetteh over on percussion and backing vocals, Dionne Douglas on violin, Hazel Mills also on keys and backing vocals, and Loren Humphrey on drums. They begin to play June off of the new album and the spotlight pans across the stage as Welch appears with her hair down, adorned in her typical simple flowy pink dress/jumpsuit. Barefoot and twirling around the stage, June sounds amazing and as the final notes hit, it quickly transitions into the powerful "Hunger" which has the crowd clapping along.
Welch dives into her back catalogue for a few tracks, inviting the crowd (and those in the bleachers) to stand and dance during "Queen of Piece." “It’s just arms and wiggling; imagine you’re all just lanky trees” Welch said, demonstrating her moves, clearly not shy to show her goofy side. Though after "Saint London Forever," she is emotional and overcome by the loud cheers and long applause. She laughs the moment off with a bit of self-deprecating humor about how “us brits, we are not good with praise”
Throughout the rest of the set, curtains frequently drop from the scaffolding above the stage, giving the effect of sails on pirate ship, or clouds in the sky, depending on the lighting. "Patricia," the Patti Smith tribute was excellent, and "Dog Days" had the whole entire GA crowd jumping along with Welch. As the first notes of "Ship to Wreck" began, the lights lit up the crowd, “do you guys trust me” Welch asked, “then put away your phones, and tap your neighbours to do so also”.
Welch wasn’t afraid to interact and chat with members of her crowd directly. When this would happen, the rest of the arena would become more silent than I've ever heard; it really didn’t feel like we were at the Bell Centre. A few more tracks including "100 years" and "The End of Love" from High as Hope, led us to the climax of the evening, as Welch ran along the side of the rink to the tech booth, hopped up on the barrier, and used her fans as support. As the song ended, Welch danced through the crowd all the way back through the pit, ending the show with "What Kind of Man."
A few minutes later, the band started coming back to huge cheers. Welch performed her last two songs of the night from High as Hope, and ended the show on a happy note, with "Shake It Out," 2011’s cathartic lead single from Ceremonials. Florence + the Machine have still got it. They haven’t felt the pressure to reinvent themselves every few years, and while it might not sell the most tickets, the music and concert experience is timeless and I don’t see them going anywhere anytime soon.
CJLO x SXSW 2019: Metal Recap
SXSW is a difficult creature to try to describe to someone. Sure, one could just say: "It's a music festival that's in Austin, Texas." But that fails to describe many of the nuances that are present at the festival.
For instance, the festival has expanded to more than just music. It has now incorporated tech, film, comedy, and video games under it's umbrella. True, all of them are segmented into their own "mini-festivals", but they overlap with one another over nine days, making a combination of artists, business people, film critics, gamers, and general festival goers into a large mass.
On the music end specifically, more competing ideas are present. Independent artists of every genre come to play alongside venues being taken over by the most corporate entities like Showcase, Universal, Warner Brothers (just to name a few) at both official and unofficial showcases being held through the city.
So with this backdrop, CJLO went to bask in the above freezing temperatures of Texas. Now, as a metal person, SXSW isn't an established name, though it has hosted its fair share of up and comers in the scene. After discussing with some show goers, the current abbreviated set of metal has only been present for the past couple years. Of course as a metal person, who knows how much of that is the metal communities sometimes hostility towards those who don't worship at the alter of metal. Regardless, the main point is the official showcases highlighting the genre are not as numerous as I would like.
After spending a whopping 1.25$ USD to take a public bus into town, I went to one of two heavy events happening concurrently. One was another year of "Black Smoke Conjuring" happening this year at Maggie Mae's. While there, I got to witness some pretty solid thrash laid down by California natives in Warcloud. Stealing the show however is the psych / stoner tines of Deathchant, whose first album seems like a welcome breath of fresh air in the "stoner rock uprising" that's been brewing in the past couple years.
After chatting with the good dudes in The Munsens, who are delivering some pretty good sludgy stuff, I headed over to Lambert's, a BBQ restaurant with a venue upstairs. I cannot impress upon you the torture that is going to a place that constantly makes BBQ and smelling the delicious flavors which are now baked in to the very fabric of the building and not being able to order said BBQ. It is hell... a delicious smelling hell.
While in this delicious smelling hell, I got to see a bunch of bands at the Small Stone Records showcase, which featured bands from, as you may have guessed, Small Stone Records, known for rock music with lots of fuzz attached to it. I got to check out the tunes from Vancouver's La Chinga, North Carolina natives Irata, and some pretty stellar tunes from Boston's Sundrifter.
The next day the CJLO crew decided to check out some of the panels at the Convention Center. I sat through a poorly described panel on concerts being sponsored by main stream radio stations, one of the only radio based panels I must sadly add.
Dejected about the lack of radio based info, I went to the Aussie BBQ located again at Lucille Patio Lounge. I ate some delicious food, had coffee from Australia, got to partake in Australian wines and spirits, and got to experience some good old fashioned Australian hospitality.
My hopes restored, I went to Canada House, hoping to see what an event sponsored by FACTOR, SOCAN, and various federal and provincial governments would bring. I walked in, expecting to see familiar beers and spirits, probably not the best, but at least a Molson or something. Imagine my surprise when I found none present. No real Canadian representation of any kind, aside from the bands present, of which the loudness of Tunic was on display. It was BreakOut West, a supposedly western Canada focus and they offered food to those that attended. And what food would you expect there to be? Well, you guessed wrong, because it was the Canadian classic, Spanish Rice and various vegetables. Truth be told, I could write much more about this disappointment, but I'd rather focus on good things.
This was followed by a trip to the Katacombes of Austin, The Lost Well, where Big Daddy's Hot Sauce's showcase. Big Daddy's Hot Sauce might be known to you as the maker of metal themed hot sauces from such groups as Eyehategod, High on Fire, and the headliner of the showcase, Goatwhore. I got to check out some Austin talent from the likes of Black Catholics and the great Destroyer of Light, and got to enjoy a delicious Goatwhore bloody mary, which I cannot recommend highly enough.
After that I headed to the shining star of metal during the festival, Stoner Jam, where more than 40 bands coverge to play on multiple stages. Featuring the likes of such sonic powerhouses as Backwoods Payback, Stonecutters, Luger, and The Hazytones (the two latter being from Montreal). After enjoying many bands, members of Luger, The Hazytones and myself annexed a table and declared it a sovereign embassy for Montreal in Texas. If you go to Spider House Cafe, feel free to visit the Montreal sitting space, and enjoy a milkshake while getting a tattoo, which are also present at the venue for... reasons.
On Friday, a few of us decided to check out the poster section of the festival, Flatstock, where somewhere between 50 to 75 artists were present with posters commissioned for shows of every type and variety. In case you're wondering what the trend is this year for posters, it's lithograph. There's a fun factoid to tell your friends.
I then made the decision to go check out the gaming portion of the festival. After walking through the metal detectors to get in, which apparently needed to be there, I was immediately bombarded with lights from consoles and screens filling an otherwise dimly lit room. After my eyes adjusted, I got to see true madness. Cosplayers and small children alike walked around and stared at the various demos and cabinets of old. Axe, of body spray fame, was present, driving a bus into the convention center and having set ups for people to play. In front of them, a set of screens glowed as people participated in a Halo tournament, and minus Mountain Dew and Doritos, all the stereotypes were then fulfilled.
Well, that's a bit unfair of me. Indie developers were also there showcasing games that they had worked hard on, shunted to the side of the room, but I didn't stop long enough for any of them to make an impact on me. In truth, I spent little time in the room, because as much as I enjoy gaming on my own, being bombarded with the lights, sounds, and forms in such massive quantities was not what I was prepared for. Upon exiting, I did see a family that came from the room, light up Minecraft pickaxes in hand, saying how they had fun and they wanted to make games too, and I had a gleam of hope that perhaps these bright young minds would one day come back to this paradoxically dimly lit yet brightly illuminated place and showcase something they had made.
Speaking of feeling inferior to children, I then went to interview and watch the sound check for a band from Japan called Asterism, whose median age is 16. As I sat, watching them set up, along with employees of the venue and members of the SXSW team sent to record the night of Japanese bands, I wondered how this would translate to a live setting. I had listened to their record, and was sufficiently impressed, though wary as I wondered how much of the technical prowess I was hearing was real and what was studio magic. They then kicked into the soundcheck. I have been to many shows in my time, but never have I witnessed an entire room of people dumbstruck by how good a band was. As I watched a 15 year old shred more guitar than I was able to muster in my entire life and then proceed to also be one of the most energic frontwomen I have ever seen, I began to question what exactly I had wasted my life on. I then watched their 16 year old bassist pick up a 7 string bass and play it as if it were something he had been playing since he was born and the feeling continued. After they were done, nothing but a stunned silence filled the room. If, by some unbelievable set of circumstances you are able to see them live, only do so if you wish to feel inadequate in all ways.
It was with this that I wrapped up my experience. Which leads me to ask the inevitable question: what did we learn from SXSW? Well, when it comes to metal, the festival isn’t really set up for it in an official capacity, more relying on unofficial means to get your fix. If you’re a fan of hip-hop or indie rock though, you will literally have an endless amount of bands to see at any place that has a stage, which seems to be every single space you can imagine. But above all, I think the main takeaway is Austin is far better to be in during the winter than Montreal, and if you’re going to get out of Montreal for winter anyway, SXSW is probably the most badass thing you could do while you’re there.
Andrew Wieler is CJLO 1690AM's Metal Music Director, and is the host of Grade A Explosives, which airs every Sunday from 4:00 to 6:00 PM EST.
EMSB schools transferred, New QC immigration system, G20 summit
Stories by Holly Cabrera
Produced by Holly Cabrera
LOCAL
Quebec Education Minister Jean-François Roberge announced that he will transfer two English Montreal School Board schools to the Commission scolaire de la Pointe-de-l'Île instead of the intended three.
The decision to transfer General Vanier Elementary and John Paul Junior High school in Saint-Leonard comes as a response to overcrowding in the French school board.
The Pointe-de-l’île board, which serves new arrivals and French-language students, currently lacks space for nearly 3,000 students.
Gerald McShane Elementary School will continue to be an English-language school because it is the only anglophone elementary in Montreal North.
NATIONAL
The Quebec government launched its new system to select immigrants on Thursday in the hope of reducing application processing wait times and the provincial labour shortage.
The new system called Arrima is already used in other provinces.
Immigration Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette says the reform will prioritize skilled workers who are already living in Quebec and who are willing to live outside major cities.
Arima’s introduction to the province is controversial due to the Coalition Avenir Quebec government passing legislation that would cancel 18,000 existing immigration applications.
INTERNATIONAL
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is currently in Osaka for the G20 summit.
The Prime Minister's Office said Trudeau had "brief, constructive interactions" with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the first day of meetings, but Trudeau does not have a formal meeting scheduled with Xi during the G20.
At the summit, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said, “Canada is fortunate to have assembled a ‘broad international coalition’ of countries who support Canada and believe arbitrary detentions are harmful.”
Jim Carrey: The Cartoonist, Canada-China Tensions, WWII Bomb Explodes
Ahmad Moujtahed
________________________________________________________________
LOCAL
A new art exhibition featuring works from renowned actor Jim Carrey is on display in Montreal’s Phi Centre all summer.
The exhibition entitled “This Light Never Goes Out” combines a selection of Carrey’s political cartoons that he had been creating and sharing with the world through his Twitter account.
The cartoons assail members of the American political Right, many who are abusing their political power to call on Twitter to ban Jim Carrey for his drawings. According to the Phi Center, the exhibition demonstrates how creative civic engagement can influence public debate.
Recently, the award-winning actor enjoyed success at his solo show, IndigNATION: Political Drawings by Jim Carrey at the Maccarone Gallery in Los Angeles. The Montreal exhibition will run until September 1st at 407 Saint Pierre Street.
NATIONAL
China is temporarily suspending all meat exports from Canada after detecting some fraudulent permits for Canadian pork products.
The Chinese embassy in Ottawa said in a statement that Chinese customs inspectors detected the residue of ractopamine, a feed additive banned in China, in a batch of Canadian pork products.
Canada’s Minister of Agriculture acknowledged issues with the export certificates but called it a “technical issue” and maintained food exports are safe.
The ban further escalates diplomatic tensions between Canada and China. Diplomatic relations between the two countries have been deteriorating since Canada’s arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver last year on an extradition request from the United States.
INTERNATIONAL
An unexploded bomb buried deep beneath a German corn field suddenly blew up. The bomb dates back to the second world war.
The blast was so powerful it registered as a minor earthquake. Local police were called to a farmland in Ahlbach, just north of Frankfurt after residents said they were shaken awake by the explosion.
Upon combing the crater left behind the explosion, the nearby city of Limburg said in a statement that no bomb elements were initially found. However, a second look, with the help of drones pointed to a bomb that detonated after remaining buried and untouched for decades.
A BBC report revealed that the explosive device was a 550 pound (250 kilogram) aerial bomb dropped by the Allies during World War II.
Album Review: “The Mighty Seed” by This Way to the EGRESS
This Way to the EGRESS is the greatest (and most eclectic) band you’ve never heard of. Hailing from the Tri-State Area, this delightfully dark cocktail of vaudeville kitsch, folkish klezmer, and ragtime swing is comprised of five full-time members and “an ever-rotating cast of horn players,” whose unique sound caught the ear of this unassuming beginner DJ.
EGRESS has been featured on my show, Something Wicked, many times. All the songs I have played have been off their second album, The Mighty Seed (2013), and only recently have I given it a thorough listening. Goodness, am I glad I did!
The Mighty Seed is an album with style: A hopelessly hopeful, drunken, schizophrenic style that conjures up images of hazy speak easies and boyishly charming tramps. This aesthetic is set with the opening track, “Clarence”, and is carried through with the following “M.I.A” and “Pocket Full of Change” (the latter has a clever use of the tambourine to resemble the sound of loose change). “Hop Town” features the mournful but powerful voice of Sarah Shown, one of EGRESS’s singers. This song made me want to wrap a feather boa around my neck and lounge over a piano. Lord knows that piano would have eventually been smashed to bits, though, because I loved the upbeat banjo and trumpets that accompanied Shown’s melancholic voice.
“Mr. Green” is one of my favorites off the album. It paints a portrait of an anti-hero that would not be out of place in an Edgar Allen Poe story, and features the best musical build up in the entire set. Lead singer Taylor Galassi sells the creepy narrator act like an experienced showman, and the twist at the end is one of my favorite tropes in all Dark Romantic history (Besides, the lyrics are just weird fun. I particularly like the line “But he's looking through you out into the hallways of his madness and the Casa Blanca scenes”).
“Night Gal” is an instrumental piece that follows “Mr. Green” and leads into the next track, “Caged Bird.” Featuring Shown on vocals again, she sings of a woman scorned over some fuzz that took me back to the days when radio was in its infancy. The empowering lyrics and old-timey sound make for a pleasant contrast.
“Live Through Your Strings,” “Pound Yer Bones,” and “6 Count Swing” are what I can only describe as morbid madness, and they lead into “Liza’s Song," a ballad reminiscent of the songs from my golden CanCon goth calf, Johnny Hollow. However, after a lineup of strong numbers, “Lyle’s Tale” just… happens. It’s my least favorite, and I would argue its repetitive motifs and lyrics aren’t terribly interesting.
But that’s okay, because the next and final song makes up for it in more ways than one.
“Hava’s Lament” closes out “The Mighty Seed”, and it is my absolute favorite. I call it the “It’s Fun to be Poor” song, and I can’t get enough of it. With a jaunty, accordion-led melody, and lyrics both achingly sincere and satirically irreverent, it’s a strong finish to a great album. I have unabashedly danced to “Hava” in my kitchen while stirring lentil soup, and I will continue to do so for as long as I have legs to stand on. It ties the album together perfectly, and it’s one of the main reasons why I will award The Mighty Seed by This Way to the EGRESS a solid 8/10.
Doom 'an Blue Premiere track on CJLO
Montreal duo Doom 'an Blue stopped by Grade A Explosives June 23 to world priemire a new song, and now they want you to be able to listen to it on CJLO. Check out "Two Bit Son of a Bitch" or TBSOB for short and listen to the "surf meets dinosaur" of Doom 'an Blue.
And while you're listening, why not check out their Facebook page to get all the latest news on the band and see where they're playing near you:
https://www.facebook.com/DoomAnBlue/
EDIT: Oh, and in case you missed their interview, check out the show here: http://www.cjlo.com/shows/grade-explosives/episode-23061916
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Doom ‘An Blue is:
Jimmy Antle - Drums
Lee Whiskey - Guitar
Music copyright of DABDecibels
Recorded by Pavlo Haikalis at PHG Custom Guitars & Recording
Management and booking: dungeonworksmtl@gmail.com
Band logo by Cíntia: www.ventfolio.com
Logo design by Andrea Girard :
https://www.facebook.com/AndreaGirardArt/
Fringe 2019: Quick Reviews
Is That How Clowns Keep You Up All Night?
Another successful installment in Maximaliste Productions’ “Is That How Clowns…?” series. Once again, clown sexpert Beatrice busts common myths about sex using homemade props. This time, she tackled the porn industry, periods and general beliefs held by ignorant “bro-dudes.” Beatrice made sure to involve audience members in the front row and played off their awkwardness with the subject. She was sure to be inclusive at every opportunity, using asides to reiterate that genitals do not determine gender. My personal favourite bit was her field report from inside the testicles, conveying the various struggles of a single sperm. In real life, actress Fiona Ross is a qualified sex educator, on a mission to change the outdated sex education we all received in high school.
Bath/Ory
Graduates of the John Abbot College theatre program staged a play centered around the life of Elizabeth Bathory, a Hungarian noblewoman who bathed in the blood of virgin girls to absorb their youth. The troupe incorporated dance and song into their performance, while a porcelain bath remained on stage throughout. Unfortunately, for such a fascinating story, I found the execution quite dull, as Bathory’s crimes were never shown on stage, only mentioned in dialogue. The actors seemed to still have the traditional methods of theatre ingrained in their minds. For a Fringe show, I felt there was even more room for experimentation. Additionally, the lead role of Elizabeth inexplicably switched actors as they transitioned from her upbringing to her later years. I found the decision confusing and unnecessary, since the actresses were of the same age.
Zack Adams: Love Songs For Future Girl
Shane Adamczak, all the way from Perth, Australia, revives the one-man show he introduced to the Montreal Fringe ten years ago, with a few tune-ups. Zack Adams returns home, weary from his cross-country solo tour. One thought that kept him going; proposing to his girlfriend. But she has other plans. Heartbroken and single once again, Zack makes a list of every girl he ever loved since kindergarten. Strumming on his guitar, Zack regales the audience with original funny songs about each of his former crushes and lovers, as well as a few covers by Billy Ray Cyrus, Bob Dylan and Third Eye Blind. Adamczak is incredibly entertaining and proves he is truly a Fringe fest veteran, wherever he roams.
Christianity Made Me A Slut
I was drawn to this show because I felt I would relate to the material. Elizabeth Blue brought her one-woman show up from New York City to the stage at Le Ministère. In a series of life-defining moments, she acts out the (fictional or autobiographical?) journey of a young girl discovering her sexuality. She starts off going to Christian youth groups, where she’s encouraged to give herself to Jesus and pursue a life of purity. Not wanting to break her oath with Jesus, she freezes up in sexual situations. But slowly, she gives into her urges, eventually leading to her own sexual liberation. Blue was able to communicate so much by having one-way conversations with numerous unseen boyfriends and family members. She had to get creative when acting out sex, using stand-in props like strawberries and roses. Overall, a very funny and touching performance.
Chris Aitkens has covered the Montreal Fringe Festival since 2016 and hosts Sewer Spewer, Monday 12 to 1 p.m. on CJLO 1690 AM
Amherst St. Renamed, Controversial Convocation Speech, MH17 Suspects Identified
Ahmad Moujtahed
________________________________________________________________
LOCAL
The city of Montreal is set to rename the street which carries the name of Jeffery Amherst; a former English military commander whose desire was to exterminate the race of Indigenous People by giving them blankets infected with smallpox.
Amherst Street, the street that runs from the city’s Old Port to Lafontaine Park, will be renamed in honour of an Indeginous person.
A committee composed of Indigenous people has been considering several Indigenous figures to name the street after. The committee will reveal their selection on June 21st, which is National Indigenous People's Day
According to CTV news, several names have been already suggested, including Huron Chief Kondiaronk; a key figure in the 1701 treaty called the Great Peace of Montreal.
NATIONAL
This was music composer and pianist Stephan Moccio addressing graduating students and their families at Western University’s 313th convocation in London, Ontario.
His speech sparked controversy as many people thought it was offensive and demeaning towards women.
Moccio not only referenced his arrival in London in the early 90s that caught some off-guard, but he also recited a song largely seen as degrading to the woman of Delaware Hall, an all-female residence.
Western University has apologized for what it called unacceptable and inappropriate remarks made at a convocation ceremony. Moccio also released a statement posted on the university’s website apologizing for his comments that he called “inappropriate.”
INTERNATIONAL
Four people were charged with causing the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, the passenger flight which was shot down over eastern Ukraine in 2014 as it was en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. .
According to investigators, three Russians and a Ukrainian have been charged with bringing a missile into the plane murdering 298 passengers and crew.
ControInternational arrest warrants have been issued for the four suspects and a court case will begin in the Netherlands in March 2020.
Fringe 2019: Edging with Mike at Le P’tit Impro
Edging With Mike is not quite what you would expect given the title. Upon entering the intimate space of Le P’tit Impro, you see a kind-looking, unassuming man behind a work station, diligently and patiently sharpening a knife. That is Mike. Mike likes to sharpen knives, and also likes to talk about the things he likes.
This piece was a slightly autobiographical, earnest lecture on the art of knife sharpening – an art which is perhaps more richly complex than you may have considered. It was also a tangential exploration of optical lenses and various lesser known historical figures. In a sense, it was one man’s adventure down a Wikipedia rabbit hole. But not just any man, a man with 2 philosophy degrees, a plethora of patience and an incredible attention to detail. Overall, the result was interesting and educational, especially if you are fond of academia as well as theatre.
Mike discussed in depth how one sharpens a knife with precision, the different methods and tools available, and even a bit about the culture that exists around knife ownership. He demonstrated how to properly use a wet stone, and how different grades represent different goals and therefore require different techniques. It was fascinating. He also had an accompanying power point presentation, which added a charming touch of silliness to the show while engaging the audience into further understanding his thesis.
Mike was able to present his topic while being funny, engaging, incredibly genuine, and, not to sound condescending, but also very cute. His energy was consistent and calm, and his voice and the way he spoke was very soothing. His humour was at times somewhat self deprecating, but in a good humoured, self-aware way rather, than a harmful one. I think that the highest praise that I can give Mike for this unconventional fringe lecture, is this: Mike is the Bob Ross of knife sharpening.
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