Concert Reviews

Concert Review: "Blue faces for a night not so blue" - Brockhampton @ Corona, Feb. 6, 2018

Once I learned that Brockhampton was coming to Montreal, I instantly started listening to all of their four albums religiously.  I now believe that all of the 16-year-old boys in Montreal did the same.

Last Tuesday, Montreal’s rap enthusiast community had the great honor of welcoming the 15 members that form the American music group Brockhampton for a show of high-intensity at Corona Theater.

The band, created in 2015, is the brainchild of Texas-raised artist Kevin Abstract who, via a website specific for fans of Kanye West, formed a band designated to redefining the title “boy band” and creating music that imperatively mandates inclusivity and diversity.


Concert Review: Majid Jordan @ MTELUS, Jan. 16, 2018

When I watch a Majid Jordan music video, I feel cozy—not the type of cozy that makes you want to crawl into bed, but the type that makes you want to crack open your finest bottle of wine, put on a mink coat, and snuggle with your significant other. I had the opportunity to speak with Majid Jordan before they hit the stage in Montreal, and even though they told me what to expect from the show and that their audio visual experience has been enhanced, I could not foresee the Blade Runner-esque dream state the duo would be able to create, and keep everyone in attendance drawn to.


Concert Review: Ripe & Clarks Bowling Club @ The Bermont, Nov. 30

The Boston band Ripe ripped it up at the Belmont, on November 30. Formed way back in October 2011, it was the first visit for this funk jam assemble to our fair city. The seven-member band led by vocalist Robbie Wulfsohn held a non-stop dance fest. As it says on their Facebook page, “We like to make you happy and make you dance. And then we like to party with you.”


Concert Review: Daniel Caesar @ Corona, Nov. 25

Daniel Caesar took the stage at Corona Theatre on Saturday, November 25, and the crowd knew that they were about to witness something precious. The Toronto native is touring off of his gospel-founded, relentlessly nostalgic R&B tape, Freudian. With a rise in the press and a bump from features like Kali Uchis, H.E.R., and Syd, Caesar has established himself as an up-and-coming icon on the R&B radar, and he proved himself at the Corona.


Concert Review: Bella Fleck & Abigail Washburn @ Corona, Nov. 17

Bella Fleck and Abigail Washburn brought their banjos to Montreal on Tuesday, November 14th. First scheduled at the Corona Theatre but after a last minute venue change, the concert was moved to the L’Astral. The move proved itself to be quite fortunate as it provided a more intimate setting. 

The duo opened the concert with a few songs from their new album, Echo In The Valley, starting with a three song medley, “Sally In The Garden/Big Country/Molly Put The Kettle On”. Next up was “Railroad”, and then a question many of us may wonder at one time or another, “If I Could Talk To A Younger Me”.


Concert Review: Welcome to the Free 6LACK Tour

Hundreds of fans filed into Corona Theatre, on Wednesday November 15, to welcome Sabrina Claudio for her first Montreal visit and to welcome back 6LACK since his last appearance at Osheaga this summer.

Half-Cuban, half-Puerto Rican, Miami native Sabrina Claudio was the opening act for the night. Only 21 years old and Sabrina Claudio’s lyrics are wise beyond her years. Even though she’s never been in love, she sings about it a lot. In an interview with Ebro Darden of Beats 1, Sabrina Claudio admitted that she’s a great storyteller. Most of her songs are based on situations that her friends and family have experienced and shared with her.


Concert Review: Flying Lotus @ MTELUS, Nov. 9, 2017

When Flying Lotus took the stage at MTELUS Thursday night, he brought the crowd into his own world. The LA-native producer, rapper and filmmaker has given birth to a wave of copycats, but his undeniable sound has never been replicated. Those unfamiliar with his music have trouble categorizing Lotus’s sound, and fans find it impossible. He is often labeled as experimental electronic, fusion jazz, psychedelic, and a wave of other genres, but there is no one label that truly pegs him down.


Concert Review: Weaves, Look Vibrant, Venus

Bar le Ritz was lucky enough to receive Weaves just three days after the release of their critically acclaimed sophomore album Wide Open. Support for the evening came from Look Vibrant and Venus, who brought with them their strong Montréal fan-bases.


Concert Review: Nicolas Jaar

Nicolas Jaar is an electronic music producer, whose vast experimentations make him difficult to categorize anymore concretely than that. He is of Chilean heritage, a detail which is pronounced in his musical style. Latin rhythms and his own Spanish lyrics often feature, but only to intersect with Eno-esque ambience, Villalobos-inspired techno and microhouse, downtempo dance music, and hints of dubstep. His releases are gorgeous and intricate, masterfully woven together from disparate fragments. The compositions feature exquisite piano stylings, scattered percussion, glitches and scratchy silence, an industrial noise-flavored saxophone, occasional beats, and Jaar’s own stunning baritone voice, soaked in heavy reverb.


Concert Review: Soulfly @ Foufounes Électriques with Lody Kong, Noisem and Cannabis Corpse

Soulfly frontman Max Cavalera has recently been revisiting albums of his past. Last year, he toured the world with his brother Iggor, playing Sepultura’s 1996 album Roots in its entirety. Earlier this year, Max announced that he would be revisiting Point Blank by Nailbomb. Back in 1994, Max formed Nailbomb as a side project with Alex Newport (Fudge Tunnel). The project was short lived; they recorded only one album and performed live only once. Although Newport was not able to join Soulfly for the 2017 tour, Max brought along his two sons, Zyon (on drums) and Igor Jr. (on sample machine and backup vocals). Ever the family man.


Concert Review: GoldLink @ L'Astral

After weeks and weeks of playing songs of his latest LP At What Cost, and falling in love with GoldLink's unique sound, I came to expect not a show, but a house party from the D.C rapper. Luckily for me and the sold-out crowd at L’Astral, he came through.


Concert Review: Hanson

"If you ever had to take shit for being a Hanson fan, this is for you."

 


Concert Review: Charlotte Day Wilson & Rhye

On September 24 Montreal was treated to a synergic evening of R&B, thanks to the predestined combination of Rhye and Charlotte Day Wilson. The sold-out show kicked off with an opening set by Wilson, whose blossoming popularity was palpable in the crowd. The lineup outside le National was abuzz with stylish 20-somethings chattering not only about the evening’s main act, but also its opener. 


Ancient Future Festival 2017

Ancient Future Festival is situated at a woodland spot by the water at the old port. Once a year in September this festival transforms the spot into a little utopian world which is a hub for electronic music, visual arts, and circus arts all with a fantastic view of the St-Laurent river and Quai de l'Horloge. The outdoor venue has a couple of stages with masses of people dancing amongst the trees surrounded by hammocks, local vendors, and fire dancing circus acts. However once the sun has fully set, the final venue opens up at the immense warehouse next door with a gigantic sounsystem and trippy visuals to enable the festival goers to rave all night long. 


Concert Review: Guns N’ Roses

The theme of the current Guns N' Roses tour is “Not in This Life-Time”: no one, not even the band members themselves, thought they would reunite. Millions of fans wanted to see the group back together again, but it seemed there was "nothing left to do, too many things were said”, to quote another famous rock band. So, when it was announced in 2016 that they would be playing The Troubadour, Coachella and proceeding on a worldwide tour, I was beyond excited for the prospect of a live performance. The question remained, however, whether they would make a stop in Montreal, after the infamous 1992 riots, where the Olympic Stadium was trashed by angry fans following shortened sets.


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