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!


Nothing Can Cage the Elephant

Matt Shultz's broken leg didn’t stop Cage the Elephant from rocking out. 

The American rock band stopped in Montreal on August 26th for their Neon Pill tour, dedicated to their sixth studio album which was released in May of this year.

There was a diverse mix of opening acts. Starting the night with Willow Avalon self-described through her music and merch as a “Southern belle raising hell”. Her set brought me closer to becoming a country music fan. She sang many unreleased songs, like “Homewrecker”, which I’ll definitely download once released. 


Prince Palu's FME 2024 Preview

Here in Quebec, there is an annual phenomenon that takes place right around this time of year.  As the summer begins to wind down there is a parallel excitement that begins to build, because for those in the know, it means that it is almost time for the Festival De Musique Émergente en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, more commonly referred to by melomaniacs as FME. Tucked away in the quiet mining town of Rouyn-Noranda - located roughly seven hours north of Montréal, close to the Ontario border - this festival has been going strong for over two decades, shining a light on emerging artists and building a beautiful network of exchange between artists and music enthusiasts.


Today on The Last Stop: Special Guest - Crumb

Brooklyn-based psychedelic rock band Crumb joins The Last Stop ahead of their show this weekend in Montreal. DJ and Station Manager Lisa chats with keyboard/saxaphonist Bri Aronow about the musical process, what the band has been listening to recently, and their dreams for the future.

 

Tune in to The Last Stop, Tuesday, August 27th at 5pm, only on CJLO and catch Crumb at Beanfield Theatre, September 1st, 2024


A rave of many FACETS in the heart of Griffintown

The second-to-last week in August is a busy one for lovers of electronic music. With MUTEK well underway, local and international producers are doing live sets in the neighbourhood of Place-des-Arts. After seeing the final act of the free outdoor Éxperience event, some head home, while others go to one of the late-night MUTEK events. Some of us, myself included, are headed to a different kind of after-party.


An Eclectic Night with Santigold at L’Olympia

After being away from Montreal for the summer, I found myself with a deep craving for live music that hadn’t quite been satiated. I was very eager to attend the Santigold show at L’Olympia on Tuesday night, and it absolutely did not disappoint as a reintroduction to live music in

Montreal. There is a certain energy I’ve found in crowds here, and American genre-bending artist, Santigold, seemed to agree. “You guys do it differently here,” she said as crowd members flooded on stage after an invitation to dance with her. There was never a dull moment during this eventful show. 


This Saturday on Mo' Ritmo Radio - Special Guest : Julieta Rada

Grammy-Nominated Rock/Pop/Soul/Funk/Candombe Singer/Songwriter Julieta Rada joins us to speak on her brand new single "Adiós a la Rama" (ft. Fito Paez) and her upcoming album!

Other conversation topics: Copa America, Stevie Wonder, chocolate, the early 2000's Latin wave, La Voz Kids, chivito, and lots of other cool stuff!

The fun starts at 5pm EST only on CJLO!


Local Bands Take Over Osheaga Weekend

For the past two decades, the end of July and the beginning of August in Montreal have become synonymous with the city’s annual music festival Osheaga. Having grown up in Montreal, Osheaga was in many ways the (musical) green light at the end of the dock - the pinnacle of good music -whatever that means- in the eyes of a much younger version of myself. While I still went this year, perhaps it was not with the same level of enthusiasm and eagerness my former-self once felt. The festival, which has taken a life of its own, often overshadows other events happening in the city. For one weekend, and whether you like it or not, Osheaga takes over the city, attracting what seems to be a growing crowd each year. 


The Anti-Social Guide to Osheaga or: How I learned to stop worrying and love major festivals

Every Montrealer has their conceptions about Osheaga. The idea of getting to Ile St Helene at the peak of summer’s heat, with massive crowds of people to see live music could easily be a heaven or hell situation. If you’re one of those people leaning toward the hell side, I challenge you to read to the end of this article to see if I can convince you otherwise. 


Cola and Snooper Demonstrate Musical Patchwork at The Fairmount

There are a multitude of first-world problems that concertgoers face every month. It could be that you forgot your good-quality earplugs, or maybe you were even slightly inconvenienced by having to dump out your water bottle before entering the venue. But, probably the most frustrating of all: when two shows you’ve been anticipating for months end up falling on the same date. But sometimes, by pure luck, you can end up seeing those two shows pair together into one, which is exactly what happened on Friday at the Fairmount Theatre when Cola and Snooper performed on the same bill, after both of Cola’s opening bands, Shunk and Yves Jarvis, had cancelled.


Greg Freeman's Yearnful Alt-Country Dazzles at L'Esco

For a music journalist, covering multiple local gigs a month, shows can often become monotonous. Same venues, same industry acquaintances, same local beer, same flavours of indie rock, it can be difficult to find something new to say. 

But, once in a while, the weary critic will find herself in attendance of something truly special. This was the case for me at this past Tuesday’s show at L’Escogriffe featuring Burlington Vermont’s own Greg Freeman


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