Concert Reviews

Flash forward to Saturday afternoon (Osheaga, Day 2) at Parc Jean Drapeau. DFA 1979 drummer/vocalist Sebastien Grainger paused between songs, and asked the crowd an important question: “Does Eminem still hate his mom?”

The answer: Yes.

The 25th anniversary of the Festival Nuits D’Afrique is turning out to be one of the most party oriented ones that I have ever witness. Over the years, I have attended and taken part in some of the festivals; they were all entertaining and fun, but the 2011 edition of the festival stands out as a marriage of new musical ideas from all the bands that I have seen so far.

It was the grand opening bash for the 25th Nuits D’Afrique Festival and the Metropolis was buzzing with electric atmosphere. The lively crowd was instantly energized when the Soul Makossa Gang played their first riffs, and people began smiling and pulsating to an African disco beat. After a few tunes, bandleader and legendary saxophonist Manu Dibango took the stage. We were now in the presence of greatness.

In the music world, consistency's a bitch. Sure, it helps you build a solid fan base and stack up a repertoire of tunes, but no one wants to write about how your ninth album is just as solid as the eight that preceded it. Such is the curse of many career singer-songwriters, including Jolie Holland, formerly of the Be Good Tanyas, who released her fifth solo album Pint of Blood just last week to unanimously polite reviews.