Magazine

Independent, provocative, now! The CJLO Magazine is the resource for features, reviews, and interviews. Established in 2004, and run by dedicated CJLO volunteers, the magazine covers the latest and best in local and international music, art, theatre, film, festivals, and more!


A Dreamy Sunday Evening with Airiel at Bar Le Ritz

Much was happening in the city the weekend Airiel came to Montreal for the first time. From St. Jean Baptiste Day, to the closing of Suoni Per Il Popolo and Francos de Montréal festival, it felt like Montreal’s classically music-filled summer was finally in swing. Despite the many options for entertainment, dream pop fans across ages and demographics arrived at Bar Le Ritz PDB last Sunday to experience the cult-favourite band in the intimate Little Italy venue. 


A Rockin’ Summer Solstice Night at L’Hemisphere Gauche

While Summer has announced itself to Montrealers through its many heat waves, the four-bill Summer Solstice show at L’Hemisphere Gauche on Beaubien kicked off the official first day of Summer with live performances from local bands, as well as those from Ottawa and Toronto. The Ottawa three-piece band Backstreet Dragon opened the night with songs from the latest album Kick Rocks and gave the crowd a sneak peek at some soon-to-be released summer tunes. Followed by Joey Bird and the Toronto band Roach, the night ended with a vibrant performance by the Montreal group Societal Siege


Master Boot Record Review: What's the Future of Live Video Game Music?

Nostalgia is a bit of a funny thing, right? It really gives a connecting thread to an entire group of people across different socio-economic classes, and geography. Bold claim for sure, but allow me to give you an example.
 

Protomartyr @ La Tulipe

The post-punk genre has seen a notable resurgence in recent years, with bands like Fontaines D.C. and Dry Cleaning breathing new life into the sound and captivating a whole new generation of music lovers. Among these acts are Detroit rockers Protomartyr, who have solidified their place in this revival over their 10+ years in the scene, amassing a considerable following along the way.

These devoted fans stormed La Tulipe in droves Sunday night, eager to see the band perform tracks off their latest album, Formal Growth in the Desert, which dropped just days prior.


Ivytide Release portable darkroom at Theatre Fairmount

With plastic ivy, photo negatives and polaroids dangling from the ceiling, Ivytide hit the stage at Theatre Fairmount on Saturday to an adoring home crowd. Celebrating the release of their latest album, portable darkroom, the room was in ultra-high spirits with groups of young girls erupting in screams whenever singer, Nathan Gagné, directed his flirtatious lyrics to their filming phones. 


Death Brought to All at Théâtre Beanfield

Death to All. A field of beans. Thousands of screeching fans throw the hammer down as the world’s best Chuck Schuldiner lookalike assumes the position. Wild.

Tribute bands are horrible. The kind of people who choose to dress up as famous musicians just because they’re bored of pulling 40 hours a week in a stained office chair make me sick. I mean sure, who doesn’t look in the mirror and look back at themselves with a stiff Jim Morrison face every once in a while, but there really are a lot of perverts out there.


CJLO Takes Austin: Hip Hop Recap

SXSW had a different feeling this year as artists pulled out of the festival in support of Palestine; Raytheon, a weapons company, had events at the festival, and though the rest of the artists came because of the opportunity SXSW provides them, some expressed that they do not support the US providing weapons to Israel and demanded a cease fire.


Girlschool @ Foufounes Electriques

Live music is a strange form of entertainment, if you really stop to consider it. As an audience member, yes, you pay for the privilege of being entertained by a band or performer whose works you enjoy, and yes, ideally, these performers earn something in exchange for that work. But to get on stage and run through your most known songs, night after night for months, sometimes year after year, is a strange desire. It would seem to me that for most musicians, for whom private jets and sold out stadiums aren't the norm, the promise of payment isn't generally enough -- as cliche as it sounds, you really have to do it for the love. 


The Wesleys + Prism Shores + Absolute Losers Win at Casa del Popolo

‘Does Casa del Popolo have a generator?’. ‘Does it have A/C?’. These were notions that certainly went through spectators’ minds as they ran into the venerable show bar during a fierce electrical storm that left parts of the city in a blackout. At thirty degrees plus humidity, Casa’s ventilation would be put to the test, hosting three indie rock outfits whose high energy would push the system to its limit. It was worth it.


Yuki Isami of TEKE::TEKE Dazzles At Rives Album Launch Show

When most people think of Montreal group TEKE::TEKE, they think of loud abrasive punk, but then they also think of 60s psych, Japanese folklore and traditional Bulgarian music. Well, actually when people think of TEKE::TEKE they think of a lot of things. That is very much because the group is composed of seven members with various musical and cultural backgrounds. And with their stream-of-consciousness and jam-style approach to songwriting, their music is always fascinating, innovative and original. 


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