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Gord Downie And The Country Of Miracles @ Le National
Fame and artistic talent are tricky things to manage. Consider the case of Gord Downie, who has both. He's the lead singer of the Tragically Hip. Maybe you've heard of them. Or maybe you're not from Canada. Gord, however, is no simple Canadian semi-alt-rock megastar. He's also a poet.
I don't just mean in the lyrical sense, though his lyrics are perhaps more poetic than your average semi-alt-rock band's leader. He's also published a volume of his poems, Coke Machine Glow (Vintage Canada, 2001), which was packaged with his similarly-named debut solo album. He's very fond of exploring things with a certain wistful, nostalgic Canadiana to them. He also likes puns like "In Violet Light" and "The Night Is for Getting" and stuff.
Well, apparently, he also yearns for small shows again. The Hip now draw pretty sizable audiences no matter where in Canada they play. Which is well and good, but our Gord-o needs more—in this case, more in the guise of less, which is to say, Le National Saturday night was somewhat sparsely attended, and it's hardly surprising for a band called Gord Downie and The Country of Miracles and not The Tragically Hip.
The show was a strange mix of things both Tragically Hip, and not. As with Hip shows, there was no opening band. As with Hip shows, there were two full sets, plus an encore. As with Hip shows, there was an active, participatory crowd, and Gord was full value for strange musings and absurd song introductions.
The only problem there was that there were maybe 200 people in the room instead of a couple thousand, and as a result, one or two drunken assholes who wouldn't shut up managed to get everyone a little on edge. Of particular note was one guy who kept—and I mean kept, he must have pulled this shit at least a dozen times—shouting at Gord, asking him where "Scotty" was. The guy was pretty big and inebriated, so I understand why no one really took him down a peg, but it was sad to see a sweet concert semi-ruined by a single motivated asshole.
That being said, though, it was a sweet concert. Downie, though eschewing anything from his Hip repertoire, played a good selection of songs from both Coke Machine Glow and his new album, the raison d'etre of the tour, The Grand Bounce, and the crowd seemed to roar with approval at each new song it recognized, particularly if he drew out the pleasure slowly, as with the "Who here's been divorced? ... Have you ever been to Vancouver?" bit that introduced "Vancouver Divorce."
At the end of the day, Gord's still got it. The genius art installation that provided the show's visuals, comprised of a projector, a glass pan full of liquids and cut out paper shapes that he carefully placed together to form landscape scenes was honestly the coolest thing I've ever seen at a concert; a sort of visual inventiveness that made the whole evening something to remember, and the tunes, though not quite as viscerally new, were nothing to scoff at either. That being said, I can't wait until the Hip roll through town...
-Alexander Manley
Devin Townsend @ Petit Campus
There aren’t enough people who know the name Devin Townsend, but most of those that do would probably make the connection to Strapping Young Lad while the rest would think of his solo project. Tuesday, November 2nd of this year, I went to see Devin Townsend live on stage in Montreal at Petit Campus. There were three other bands that night, but I don’t want to say anything about them. To be fair, I only wanted to see Devin and while I was early enough to catch the opening acts I spent the time mingling with friends in the crowd and taking names of people I thought I’d like to keep in touch with. I was lucky enough to get to meet Devin in the backstage area - it wasn’t very much, just more of a “hi how are you” kind of deal, but when he came on to the stage it was worth it….
Devin has a habit of making his presence known and felt when he’s on the stage. He’s more animated than any physical comedian I’ve seen, his facial expressions reflect the mood of every one of his songs and he converses with the crowd not just during the set, but during his songs (he made it a point to give a hug to a guy in the crowd because he looked “bored”). Halfway through the concert he stopped to remind the crowd about the “stereotypical metal show traditions” he wanted everybody to participate in. He wanted us to clap our hands, to ignite our lighters and to “start a fucking mosh pit right here”. Finally, at the end of the show, he let us know that he was going to walk off the stage in an attempt to fool the audience that the show was over with the intention to have the audience entice him back on the stage for an encore, which he was very happy to deliver.
As for his music, I’m not a hardcore fan of Devin Townsend so I’m not able to identify or list off every track he played, but I know when he played songs I really enjoyed which made me very happy. The first song he played that I recognised was "Christeen" early in the set, and I went nuts. As the night went on, he played other great tracks such as "Bad Devil", "Earth Day" and several tracks from the classic Ziltoid the Omniscient album. The reception in such a small venue (Petit Campus) was better than the reception for other bands in larger venues, which showed the dedication of the audience to this man! Throughout the set you could feel the energy of his music as it progressed through his styles and the evolution he brought with him from his days with Strapping Young Lad to his later solo work. I believe him to be a musical genius in the world of metal and, being of Canadian heritage, a pride of the country as well.
In the end, this was one of the best concert experiences I’ve had to this date and I was lucky enough to have had the opportunity to meet him backstage for a little impromptu meet and greet. Yes, I know I could have gone to the VIP showing but I missed out, only to meet him one-on-one in the back. Happy? Very. But at the same time, who’s dumb-assed fucking idea was it to play Vengaboys, Aqua and Outkast over the PA right before Devin’s set?
- Burnt Offering’s Cecil
Bonobo @ Le National
Bonobo succeeded at bringing jazz underhandedly to the masses Saturday night at Le National. I don’t think I’ve personally ever seen jazz (which is really Bonobo in a nutshell… except for the DJ) so well -eceived by a group of twenty-something hipsters. Le National was packed to the rafters, and I barely was able to navigate my way through the haze of pot smoke (most appropriate for this show) to the balcony. I arrived late (missing Thunderball, the opener) and Bonobo was just starting his/their first song, with the relatively recent addition of Andreya Triana on vocals. It was a more R&B or hip-hop vocal style that wasn’t my bag, but the show was riding more on the strength of the live instrumentalists more than anything else. Apparently I was alone in this feeling, though, because the crowd was bananas for this girl. For me, though, her “American Idol” stylings left a lot to be desired.
The band, on the other hand, was professional, tight, and gorgeously balanced. In addition to Bonobo on decks, there was a synth player, a guitarist, a dummer on a very full and very beautifully mixed (kudos to the sound guy) kit, and a three-piece horn section with sax/flute/clarinet, trombone, and trumpet. The result was a lushness you wouldn’t normally get on a typical Ninja Tune show- which would involve, normally, just DJs and sometimes vocals.
The crowd seemed to be at home with every single track Bonobo threw at them, and was more responsive than any group I’ve seen in awhile in Montreal. At the top of the set were the two songs with vocals, followed by several with only instrumentals involving some very hot solos from the horn section and drummer that successfully revved the crowd up even more. There were some songs that just bordered on the heavier, grittier sound that I wanted more of, but they never quite went there. Some breakbeats peeked out too, but they never formed the basis for songs, and for the most part, Bonobo stuck to a pretty formulaic, loop-based set. Very rehearsed, very structures, and almost predictable, but still quite gorgeous sounds.
Bonobo’s chill-out ambiance left the crowd wanting more and after the last two songs heralding the return of Andreya Triana and a loop pedal, they came back like troopers for a couple of encores.
If you dug early '90s Ninja Tune, Bonobo hasn’t changed his sound much from those days. There was no hint of anything very modern or experimental, but it felt very comfy, like an old Zero 7 or Funki Porcini record. Check them out next time they’re in town if you need a classic downtempo trip out party.
Phoenix @ CEPSUM
Imagine the greatest of ironies: a French rock group from Versailles travels across the ocean to the most populous French city in North America, gets booked at a French-language University by French promotion, and plays their American Grammy-winning album to a sold-out majority-French crowd…in English. Such a paradox might confuse objective observers, but for montrealers, it is the music scene. And it is exactly what took place on October 21st, 2010 at the Complexe Sportif de l'Université de Montréal.
Phoenix, the ever-popular group currently transcending the indie paradigm, made their most northern stop on their five-continent world tour in Montréal. The show was more crowded than usual for Phoenix, most likely due to their increasing cultural status and spots on late-night TV, commercials, movie soundtracks, and their Grammy win in January of this year. The group’s pulsating popularity put them in their prime, providing the perfect pretext for a powerfulperformance, quintessentially delivered that Thursday night.
After having pumped the crowd with a well-received set, Canadian opener Tokyo Police Club yielded the stage to Phoenix, representing a symbolic transition between two indie ambassadors from different generations. The first song punched out was "Lisztomania," a favorite of any Entourage addict or Rock Band enthusiast with taste. The Red Bull-injected crowd mumbled the words as best as possible under the conditions, especially considering the North Pole temperature setting and the resulting involuntary huddling at the expense of personal space. The stadium setting allowed for the sound to permeate through the crowd quite easily, each beat resonating through connected joints and elbows. Frontman Thomas Mars (lucky mate of acclaimed filmmaker Sofia Coppola) held the vigor of the crowd, through both his mannerisms and youthful style. This youthful influence seems to be quite dominating throughout their latest album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, a quality transcribed directly to the show that evening.
What most concertgoers seemed to recognize Phoenix that night is that they were entirely consistent. Consistent in delivery, beat, rhythm, and energy. Their songs flowed together in a manner that wasn’t too erratic for the eardrums and equally cadenced for moving feet. Though the grand majority of the songs sounded relatively similar, the crowd proved engaged and engrossed. With the devoted beat in the background, the true star of the evening proved to be the amazing lighting. Normally not the highlight of the show, it is remarkably true that the production team of the Phoenix troupe deserves a big award of their own. Red, white, orange and other colours in a star shape were on unapologetic display at all times during the show. The intense rainbow prism fulfilled the sight senses of everyone in the crowd, immediately making the live show the preferred alternative to albums, mp3s, and headphones.
The instrumentally-heavy "Love Like a Sunset" was played almost entirely in darkness, engulfing the crowd in a heavy trance that prepared them for the emotional ballad "Countdown (Sick For the Big Sun)" that revived the intense lighting and vocals by Thomas Mars. The next tune, "Rome," was performed as an exemplary Phoenix hit, displaying the great talent that has been carried on SNL, the Late Show, and in the soundtracks of CSI, Cougar Town, Vampire Diaries, Royal Pains and much more. This mainstream attraction is easily justified considering that every Phoenix song has a special “soundtrack-like” attachment, begging to be used as a backdrop for a scene of an enthusiastic high school geek getting his first date or young moon-bound lovers off to elope in the city.
Showing that Phoenix is polyglot in every sense, Mars broke the English-heavy setlist to cover Johnny Hallyday’s "La Fille Aux Cheveux Clairs," instantly recognizable to the Montréalais and Parisiens in attendance. It was sung by Mars from the middle of the stadium, surrounded on all sides by concertgoers with iPhones, Blackberries, Nokias, Androids and digital cameras, eager to post this sweet French melody on Youtube, Tumblr, Twitter, or to receive the well-coveted Like from their friends on Facebook. The last song played for the encore was their biggest hit, "1901". This recognizable tune united the show goers beautifully, pushing the propelling performance to the brink of a perfectly played payoff.
If a theme is to be derived from this review of the show, it is that Phoenix is entirely culturally relevant. They represent the current evolving indie music scene and the dominate sound that is played both on stations like CJLO and mainstream Billboard Hot 200. Their show in Montréal headlined their talents and relevance, unabashedly. If there is ever a time to follow a band in their prime, it is now and it is Phoenix.
CJLO News November 8th 2010
News read and produced by Drew Pascoe
Stories by Chris Hanna, Marcin Wisniewski, Michael Lemieux, Sarah Elfangary
Bad Weather On This Week's Edition Of Canucks Kick It!
Plus Rebecca will play some of his favourite Canadian music... So come check it out Wednesday from 5-6pm on Canucks Kick it!
Infinity Loops director Adam Reider on WatercoolerTALK
Local filmmaker Adam Reider will be joining in studio on WatercoolerTALK this coming Monday afternoon (November 8, 2010). He'll be talking about his new documentary on the 2006 Dawson College shootings and the healing process of a community in the form of creating an ecological peace garden on the Dawson College campus.
The film is currently in production and the plan is to continue filming right up until the launch of the Garden scheduled for September 2011.
Adam is looking for support from you and well, everyone you know! If you're interested in learning how you can help bring this film to life, head over to: http://rockethub.com/projects/581-infinity-loops-a-documentary-film-about-the-2006-dawson-college-tragedy.
Tune in to WatercoolerTALK Monday November 8, 2010 from 2 - 4pm, and learn more about Adam and his new film, and please do help if you can, and help get the word around!
If you have any questions for Adam, feel free to call in during the show, 514-848-7471.
November 5th 2010
Read and produced by Gareth Sloan
Stories by Michael Moore,Jaqueline Di Bartolomeo and Samah Fadil
CJLO Rated One of the Top College Stations by the Huffington Post
Courtesy of Danielle Wiener-Bronner of Huffington Post: Saturday marked the wrap-up of this year's College Music Journal Music Marathon and Film Festival -- an event that packed venues large and small with fledgling artists and their fans for five days. In addition to live shows and screenings, CMJ offered panels and lectures for college radio stations, and bestowed a lucky few with annual station awards. Drawing from their selection, and adding stations that have earned critical and popular acclaim from other areas, we've compiled a list of nine excellent college radio stations....
This year's co-recipient of CMJ's station of the year award (plus four others), CJLO, was born in 1998 -- the product of a merger between two previously existing Concordia University radio stations. CJLO is non-profit and entirely volunteer-run, and can be listened to daily online or on 1690 AM in the Montreal area. In addition to publishing album and concert reviews in their magazine, CJLO does an excellent job of updating their weekly charts.
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Thanks Huffington Post! This was really, really awesome!! To see the full article click here!
Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan @ Cabaret JPR
The other day, I skipped out on the 2nd half of my radio program in order to catch Mark Lanegan & Isobel Campbell play Cabaret JPR. Driving from CJLO studios to St-Laurent Boulevard took under ten minutes due to some speeding, whirling in and out of lanes and running to the venue from my parking spot. Totally worth it.
I missed the opening set by Willy Mason, which was a bummer since he performs lead vocals on a few great songs on the duo’s new Hawk record. One of them is a terrific cover of “No place to fall” by the legendary Townes Van Zandt. He played it a little later in the show, and I was all smiles.
So… You’ve got the lead guy from the Screaming Trees doing his third record with that sweet little pixie from Belle and Sebastian. The result: Dusty traveler storytelling and soft-hearted ballads. There’s more to it than that, and we can analyze it t’ill the cows come home, but it’s basically that. Lanegan’s voice is dark, and at times gloomy not unlike the baritone of Lee Hazlewood or that of Leonard Cohen. Put together with the delicate coo of Isobel Campbell, and you’ve got a surprisingly stellar duo now on their 3rd LP, playing their first ever Canadian show in Montreal.
If you missed it, I’m sorry. It was pretty damn good. You got to hear all the best selections from their 3 albums with a hearty chunk of the show-dedicated Hawk which isn’t a far step from their earlier recordings “Ballad of Broken Seas” and “Sunday at devil dirt”. Although the show was brilliant in itself, much of it was song after song of twinkly, down-tempo heartbreakers. No problem with that, however the energy level midway through the set was pretty low. I was mesmerized by the performance, but I had to lean on something to stay standing. Hearing “Deus Ibi Est”, “Come walk with me” and “Ramblin’ man” from the Ballad LP were personal highlights that had me inching closer and closer to the stage. Campbell played a portion of the show on her own, playing “Sunrise” and “To Hell..” which had most in attendance smiling due to that awkward, soft-spoken charm she possesses.
Did I mention that people in attendance got a 2 for 1 deal? That’s right. The walls on the right side of the floor were trembling due to a performance by Helmet taking place just next door. Taking a breather in the lobby, you can hear the insanity going on through the common wall separating the two Cabaret venues. From what I heard, it was pretty nuts.
Nevertheless, Lanegan & Campbell were pretty crazy too, well… as crazy as one can get with an acoustic guitar and a violin. But in all seriousness, they’re the absolute perfect mix of sweetness and melancholy, and seeing it unfold in-person was just, brilliant. Next time they come, don’t miss it… and bring a date. I really should have brought a date to this one.
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