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The first I had ever heard of Charles Bradley was after last July’s SappyFest, a music festival held outside of Sackville, New Brunswick. While I unfortunately did not get to attend SappyFest, every individual I spoke to that got the opportunity to go could not tell me much about the festival without mentioning Bradley and enthusiastically recounting his performance. I kept hearing about this phenomenal old soul singer who screamed, danced, cried, and finished his set off by going through the crowd to hug his audience. I do not know about you, but a musician like that seemed too great to pass off, and it did not take me long to look into him and seek out his music for myself.

Charles Bradley is part of a soul revival movement that has become increasingly popular in the last few years. This movement, which aims to bring back and celebrate the funk and soul sounds of the 1960’s and 1970’s, boasts other great artists like, but certainly not limited to, Lee Fields And The Expressions, Sharon Jones And The Dap-Kings, and Aloe Blacc. As a fan of soul music I could not turn down yet another great sounding contemporary artist, and on February 10, 2012, he graced Montreal’s Théâtre Corona for a night of fantastic, heartfelt soul music.

To start the set off, the Extraordinairies, Bradley’s six-man accompanying band, came to the stage and warmed the audience up with two instrumentals until the keyboardist approached the microphone to introduce the “one and only ‘Screaming Eagle of Soul’, Mr. Charles Bradley.” His reception to the stage was more than warm, with the crowd more excited than I have ever seen at a show in Montreal. Bradley, who marched on to the stage in a bright and shining fuchsia suit, performed his first song very strong and complete with his stage theatrics and incredible dancing. Each song Bradley played came with the whole package and ended with him showing his appreciation and love back to the audience by either bending down with his hands clasped together or on his knees thanking them; it is no wonder why people cannot help loving this man.

As the show carried on, Bradley worked through all the songs from his 2011 album No Time For Dreaming, but nothing caught the attention of the crowd more than his powerful hit, “The World (Is Going Up In Flames).” In time for Valentine’s Day, Bradley certainly did not shy away from his more romantic numbers like “Lovin' You, Baby”, which soothed the crowd, composed mostly of swooning couples. After the first half  hour, he took a break backstage for a costume change whilst a couple more instrumentals kept the audience busy. Upon returning to the stage in yet another shiny suit, this one gold with a diamond-studded Pharaoh’s head on the back, Charles Bradley opened up the second half of his set with my favorite of the night, a cover of Neil Young’s “Heart Of Gold”, which he had recorded back when he was accompanied by the Menahan Street Band.

Overall, the show had not a single element of disappointment and I can say without a doubt that I understand the raving reviews I heard back in the summer following SappyFest. Charles Bradley is one of few performers in the music world who can make an audience member feel loved for simply coming out to a show. To top it all off, the show ended with Bradley climbing down into the crowd while the Extraordinairies played him off and the audience rushed to return their love.

-Mason W hosts Midnight Love Affair on Sunday's from 11pm-12am

Iran has cut off oil exports to France and Britain as reported by the Montreal Gazette.

In a move seen as retaliation for sanctions placed against them, Iran cut off it's exports of oil to France and Britain on Sunday.

The move coincides with UN inspectors arriving in the Islamic Republic on Monday to press about the disputed Nuclear Program undertaken there.

Iran has long denied that they are developing nuclear arms and insist that their Nuclear Program is for peaceful reasons.

The Eu had placed sanctions on Iran in recent weeks, which led IRan threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz which is seen as a major shipping lane in the Gulf.

Flickr photo by: Marius Waldal

Students have spent the weekend planning strike action.

According to CTV, CEGEP student leaders from around Quebec convened at CEGEP Montmorency to plan out their strike action should a walkout occur.

Plenty of students are already on strike as of last week and more should follow suit in the coming weeks.

They claim that they will do all they can to change the government's plan of raising tuition fees over the next five years.

Students in Quebec CEGEPs and Universities are voting now on strike action until mid-March.

Flickr photo by: zalgon

Read By Shaun Malley

Produced by Erica Bridgeman

Stories written by Joel Balsam and Shaun Malley