Cacao 70 knows there’s no such thing as too much chocolate
You are sure to find a lineup at one of Montreal’s sweetest chocolate spots, Cacao 70. But once inside, you’ll never want to leave this heaven of chocolatey goodness.
Decked in heartwarming bookshelves, wooden tables, and a chalk board menu, Cacao 70 is inviting with both is delectable aroma and charming atmosphere. They also play some pretty good tracks; this night featured The Arctic Monkeys’ new album.
Photo by Angela De Cicco
Despite it being a particularly busy evening, my friend and I were greeted with hospitality by a sweeter-than-sugar waitress. She could’ve been made of chocolate herself, who knows. My eyes were glazed by the variety of fondues and crepes to choose from all served with your choice of semi-sweet, dark, milk or white chocolate.
I ordered the classic chocolate fondue served with seasonal fresh fruits and small pastries. Delivered on a lovely wooden cutting board were chopped up pineapple, strawberries, bananas, powdered brownie cubes, fluffy waffle squares and a bubbling mug of hot melted milk chocolate. The moist and light brownies were my favorite. It was love at first bite.
My friend ordered a thin French crepe stuffed with Nutella and fresh strawberries. I know, how perfect.
To avoid overloading on the chocolate I skipped out on ordering something off the drink menu. But what happened next could not have been more fated. After being served our plates, the waitress brought over two semi-sweet American-styled hot chocolate espresso cups because we were first-timers at Cacao 70.
Other items on the menu include chocolate peanut butter pizza and parfaits served with your choice of ice cream and toppings. Cacao 70 offers up a brunch menu with salted crepes and lunch sandwiches to satisfy those salty cravings. Cacao 70 also has options to satiate vegan cravings. It’s a great spot for a date, a girls’ night out or to connect to their wifi and make studying a little more indulgent.
On my second go around, I’ll be sure to try their chocolate beer. In the meantime, I will try and recover from my chocolate coma.
Coldplay announced the release of their sixth studio album, Ghost Stories, set to come out May 19, reports Time. The British rock band also released two audio tracks from the album, “Midnight” and “Magic,” so fans can get a listen before the long-awaited date. “Magic” takes us back to the familiar sound of Coldplay’s earlier days, already making its way up the UK charts at number two.
Linkin Park and 30 Seconds to Mars join rock forces as they team up for their upcoming Carnivores Tour kicking off Aug. 8 said Billboard. With special guest AFI, the rockers will be making noise in Tampa, Montreal, Denver and other North American cities, ending their tour in California Sept.19. Touring together for the first time, fans will get a chance to check them out Aug. 23 at Parc Jean Drapeau.
Following the success of Julian Casablancas’ first solo album Phrazes for the Young, Casablancas has announced that a second solo album is in works reports Rolling Stone. Playing alongside the Voidz as his backup band, a preview of the album can be heard on YouTube. The album title and release date have yet to be announced, however some tour dates have been made public with Casablancas hitting the road later this month, with gigs at Lollapalooza in Chile, and Governor’s Ball in New York City.
When Outkast is not busy headlining a million festivals this year, frontman Andre 3000 can be seen playing Jimi Hendrix in the awaited biopic Jimi: All Is By My Side. Set to premiere at Austin’s South by Southwest Music Festival on March 12, director John Ridley started this project seven years ago, said Rolling Stone. Ridley was highly inspired by Hendrix’s “Sending My Love to Linda” and wanted to know more about the girl in the title, and found out how much she inspired Hendrix. An exclusive clip of the biopic can be found on rollingstone.com, specifically a scene between Hendrix and the famous Linda Keith. Hendrix’s estate, however, is hesitant on the idea, making it so the feature won’t be including any of the guitarist’s original songs. Still, Andre will be seen covering Muddy Waters, The Beatles and other influential artists.
Some food trucks have refused to let winter get in the way of their new relationship with Montreal. While you can catch some trucks parked in and around the city, food truck owners Pascal Salzman, Jared Dunawa, and Ketan Patel of Le Cheese decided to put a different spin on their tasty wheels during the colder months.
Press photo
Le Cheese has opened a pop-up restaurant at Cosmos in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce. A pop-up restaurant is a temporary solution for food trucks where they get permission from restaurant owners to rent some space and serve up their dishes.
“[We] approached a few breakfast restaurants with the proposal to rent their space in the evenings and use their equipment and to cook our food,” explained Salzman.
Cosmos is open for breakfast during the day, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., after that, the space is ready for Le Cheese to do business.
The concept of a pop-up restaurant came from Montreal food truck, Grumman 78, who had their own pop up at Nouveau Palais. After its success, “we figured we’d give it a shot,” said Salzman. Even in the winter, party-goers are looking for a late night food option. That, along with the familiarity of the NDG area, helped Le Cheese move indoors.
“Having a pop-up restaurant gives us a chance to offer customers a sit down experience,” said operations/marketing manager, Benjamin Carter.
After the great response they received this past summer, the team wanted to keep that same momentum without having clients wait in the cold, explains Carter.
Dunawa and Salzman have been regulars at Cosmos, and couldn’t think of a better place to call home for the winter.
“We were extremely fortunate our favorite neighborhood spot agreed to our proposal almost immediately,” said Salzman.
Owning a food truck comes with its challenges, specifically a business whose main vein runs through the summer season. For Le Cheese, one of the challenges was keeping up the energy to allow for a smooth transition come winter.
To suit the season, some winter-inspired dishes have been added to the menu. Montrealers can warm up to a parmesan-infused tomato soup, or beef chili with cheese curds. However, it was important for the owners that the menu stay more or less the same as their summer one.
“We wanted to create as many parallels as possible between the food truck and our pop-up,” said Salzman. “So only a few modifications were necessary.”
Despite the cold weather and buckets of snow, Le Cheese is among the many who understand that the life of a food truck in Montreal means adapting to the seasons. If you get hungry for food truck eats, keep an eye out for Das Food Truck and Gargantua parked around the Loyola Campus.
The Le Cheese pop-up restaurant is open at Cosmos on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m., located at 5843 Rue Sherbrooke W. Montreal.
On frigid winter nights, no one really feels like stepping outside to head to the Main, home to many clubs and bars that may have you waiting in long lines. However, Apartment 200’s modern and warm barcade theme, designed to look just like an apartment, leaves you feeling like you never left home.
The bar is the backdrop to a fully furnished loft where you’ll find everything from coffee tables and comfy couches to a bedroom. You’ll also find plants scattered throughout the bar adding to the homey touch. Its rustic vibe melts the bar atmosphere away and has you believing that you’re at a friend’s house party.
As all house parties go, music is key. Apartment 200 is known for spitting out old and new hip hop, rap and R&B tunes by artists such as Blackstreet, Jay-Z, Kanye West and 2 Chainz to name a few.
Bars can be notorious for blaring music where the only way to have a conversation is if you’re standing two millimeters away from a friend, but Apartment 200 gives you the privilege of not having to bust a vocal chord. It’s definitely a great place to socialize, and maybe even bring a date to.
Other than it’s homey feel, what makes this bar stand out from other bars is that it comes complete with vintage arcade games. Scattered around the apartment are games such as Pac-man, Time Crisis 2, NFL Blitz 2001, pool tables, a dome hockey table, racing arcade games, and arcade basketball hoops. All of which will take you for a trip down memory lane and make for a great entertaining night.
This laid-back bar has the added bonus of laid-back prices. Arcade games only cost 50 cents, except for Sundays which are free, and pints are priced at $8.
Apartment 200’s home away from home concept works and makes it a great dive for winter nights.
Apartment 200 is located on 3643 Saint Laurent Blvd.
Located at the Olympic park, this year’s festivities include live music, a Christmas tree sale, hot chocolate stands to keep warm and free skating as of 4 p.m..
Graphic by Jenny Kwan
Fire on Ice
Montreal’s Old Port will be lighting up our winter nights with Fire on Ice, a display of fireworks set to movie scores during which you can skate for free on the Bonsecours Basin skating rink. Fireworks take place every Saturday night from Dec. 14 to Jan. 4.
Oh Christmas tree
The Museum of Fine Arts will be displaying more than 35 decorated trees by local associations and culture groups in Montreal. Each year presents a different theme with one-of-a-kind hand-painted ornaments and decorations. The event runs from Nov. 29 to Jan. 5.
Movie-lovers
Nothing compliments cold weather like a good movie. Here are some anticipated flicks coming to theatres this holiday season. For J.R.R Tolkien fans, The Hobbit Part 2 is out on Dec. 13. Those looking for a laugh should check out Will Ferrell in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues on Dec. 18. Saving Mr. Banks, the story of Walt Disney and Mary Poppins starring Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson is out on Dec. 20. Finally The Wolf of Wall Street starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill will grace the screens on Christmas day.
The Nutcracker
For another year, Montreal puts to stage the extravagant ballet The Nutcracker. The ballet runs on Dec. 7 and 8 at the Centre Pierre Peladeau for $40 and is sure to get you into the holiday spirit.
Atrium festivities
The bitter cold can sometimes keep us locked inside, but this year check out the lively indoor skating rink at the Atrium. If you don’t have a pair of skates, no need to worry, you can rent! It’s a great place to enjoy an outdoor activity without losing sensation in your hands and feet. Skating at the Atrium runs all season at the fair price of $7.50.
Montreal Gospel Choir
Experience the magic of the holidays through some soulful choir as the Montreal Gospel Choir performs on Dec. 8 at the Olympia Theatre. Tickets range between $25-$35 a ticket.
Pop Montreal
This holiday season, Pop Montreal puts on Puces Pop, an event that brings together the talented scene of designers, crafters and artists. If you are looking for a unique gift for that special someone, you can purchase these novel handmade goods from Dec. 13 to 15 at Eglise St. Denis.
When Lou Reed asked Metric’s Emily Haines who she’d rather be, The Beatles or the Rolling Stones, she truthfully answered, The Velvet Underground. “None of us living today are likely to achieve the stature or saturation the signature acts of that era enjoyed,” said Haines in an interview with Rolling Stone. This playlist shows us how both American and British bands were greatly influenced by one another, covering eachother’s songs or simply adapting a signature look that has helped build a harmonious bridge across the waters that separate us. Side A is made up of British bands that represent the evolution of the “British Invasion” while Side B shows us the “American Way,” letting us in on some of the most influential Canadian and American artists that helped shape rock ’n’ roll and the music industry as a whole.
Side A – British Invasion
1. The Beatles – “Anytime at All” – A Hard Day’s Night
2. Led Zeppelin – “D’Yer Mak’er” – House of Holy
3. The Zombies – “She’s Not There”- Begin Here B-Side
4. The Rolling Stones – “Gimme Shelter” – Let It Bleed
5. The Animals – “House Of The Rising Sun” – The Animals
6. Coldplay – “The Scientist” – A Rush Of Blood To The Head
7. The Kinks – “Lola” – Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One
8. Radiohead – “Lotus Flower” – King of Limbs
9. Mumford and Sons – “White Blank Page” – Sigh No More
10. Arctic Monkeys – “Stop the World I Wanna Get Off With You” – AM
Side B – American Way
1. Creedance Clearwater Revival – “Fortunate Son” – Willy And The Poor Boys
2. Bob Dylan – “Like a Rolling Stone” – Highway 61 Revisited
3. Johnny Cash – “Folsom Prison Blues” – With His Hot and Blue Guitar
4. Arcade Fire – “Neighborhood #1” (Tunnels) – Funeral
5. Metric – “Gimme Sympathy” – Fantasies
6. The Guess Who – “These Eyes” – Wheatfield Soul
7. Nirvana – “Polly” – Nevermind
8. Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Suck My Kiss” – Blood Sugar Sex Magik
9. Otis Redding – “Try A Little Tenderness” – Complete and Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul
10. Elvis Presley – “That’s Alright Mama” – Single
Stepping into Laloux, you notice there are two sections. The right section is a more intimate setting with very low lights, almost like a candlelight dinner. The left section, known as Laloux Bar, is noisier with more lighting. But the great part is the $19 table d’hôte menu consisting of an appetizer, a main meal, and a dessert.
Laloux Press photo
The first appetizer was maplewood smoked salmon served with fennel salad, orange peel purée and yuzu foam. It was good but nothing exceptional. The salmon did not taste sweet. The second was a chicken liver mousse served with crab apple purée, honey crisp apple, brioche and maple pecan. It was mind-blowing. Every bite you took revealed a different flavour. A mix of bitterness, saltiness, and sweetness overflowed in your mouth.
The choice of the main meals were between a seared beef tartare served with black garlic, maple, and soy marinated honey mushroom, or a maple glazed quail served with Waldorf salad. However, for an extra $10, you could have a beef flank steak served with oyster mushrooms, green onion, black garlic, and potatoes from M. Decelles covered with shallot sauce. The steak was exquisite both as medium and well-done. The mushrooms and potatoes were a good complement and the shallot sauce added a nice flavour to everything.
The desserts were a choice of maple profiterole served with vanilla ice cream and covered with maple sauce or a maple panna cotta, green apple mousse and granite, and Labrador tea crumble in a small jar. The maple profiteroles were light, creamy and sweet. They were warm and were well complimented with the sauce and ice cream. The maple panna cotta was a special mix, really sweet with some sourness due to the apple mousse while the tea crumble added a different taste.
It was a nice experience with a remarkable choice of meals. For French cuisine, the portions were not too small.
Restaurant Dolcetto & Co
Cuisine Type: Italian
Angela De Cicco
With tons of restaurants participating in Taste MTL, it’s hard to choose from the many savory, mouth-watering menus. Hearing great things about Dolcetto & Co, located in the heart of the old port, I was quick to decide on it. The cozy, quaint and charming ambiance surely pays homage to its name; Dolcetto, meaning “little sweet one” in Italian. An assortment of bread accompanied by olive oil and vinegar were served at the start, getting my taste buds warmed up for the anticipated appetizer: a puff pastry stuffed with maple polenta, pancetta and fontina. It literally melted in my mouth as the soft polenta and crisp pancetta fused together in one bite. The sweetness of the maple polenta and the salty pancetta complemented each other, leaving me satisfied yet ready for the main meal: pizza. My absolute favorite of the night: white pizza with rosemary roasted potatoes, caciocavallo cheese and maple cream. The pizza was cooked to perfection, not too crispy and not too soft. The maple cream gives the pizza that last kick of flavour, making it impeccable. I’m not that much of a dessert person, but I do love chocolate and went with the chocolate and raspberry fondant. The raspberry’s sourness combined in a sweet warm chocolate brownie ended the evening’s meal perfectly. Otis Redding’s “Sitting at the dock of the Bay” playing in the background evoked the nautical themed décor of Dolcetto & Co, making this restaurant one I’ll definitely be going back to. Considering its Old Port location, it’s cheap prices ($5 – $15 per dish) make it affordable for students.
Restaurant Lola Rosa
Cuisine type: Vegetarian
Candice Yee
When searching for a restaurant to try on Taste MTL’s website, I was looking for something reasonable (the $19 three-course meal) and highly acclaimed by Internet food critics. On Yelp, Lola Rosa received four out of five stars, while on Urban Spoon it received a 91% positive response.
Lola Rosa. Photo from Flickr user TMAB2003
Lola Rosa is a cute vegetarian restaurant located in the Mile End neighbourhood. The atmosphere was warm and reminiscent of the cozy fall season. Most of the furniture was made from wood, contrasted with deep orange and crimson red decor. Bookshelves were placed throughout the restaurant, and glass milk jugs were used to serve water.
For appetizers, I ordered the small Rosa salad, and my friend ordered the tomato soup. The Rosa salad was a delightful surprise of various flavours. Goat cheese, beans and freshly sliced fruits and veggies were coated with a light maple balsamic dressing. However, I did not realize the main course was also accompanied by a salad (not as decorative or exciting as the Rosa), so I should have gone with the soup. The soup was made from brown basmati rice. The maple definitely added richness.
I chose a tartlet for my main course. My friend and I swapped half of our meal in order to get a more diverse experience. She ordered the quesadilla. Both dishes were accompanied with a side of salad and brown rice. They acted as fillers, and were a bland addition. Unfortunately, the tartlet tasted like wasabi had been smeared onto it — must’ve been the mustard seeds. I tried to be adventurous and dig into the beets, parsnip, confit shallots and maple Chantilly tartlet. The best part was the crispy tart, with everything else scraped off.
While I found the tartlet too powerful, the quesadilla did not do much for my taste buds. There was no trace of satisfying, melted cheese between the crispy tortillas. It contained sweet potato, jalapeno and avocado, which tasted like a limp mash. The main courses weren’t terrible, but they surely weren’t amazing.
I was most excited about ordering dessert. I ordered the nut and maple tart, and my friend chose the vegan chocolate cake. When I received my dessert, it was a bit awkward at first. There wasn’t any tart component to it. A scoop of vanilla ice cream sat on top of sugar coated roasted pecans. I had to savour each little spoon of dessert, but in reality, I could’ve finished it off in one bite. It was delicious, but I did find the portion disappointing. My friend’s vegan chocolate cake was warm and drizzled with raspberry sauce. I am not one for mixing chocolaty desserts with fruit. However, I did try a bite, and the cake was moist. I probably couldn’t have guessed it was vegan.
I was still eyeing the other diner’s meals; namely the nachos, which weren’t part of the Taste MTL menu. I did leave the restaurant feeling bloated, and somewhat satisfied with my experience. The waiter was lovely (my friend broke a glass) and the service was pretty good. I would consider going again, and ordering those nachos. I felt it was a three-and-a-half star experience. For a university student though, I expected a bit more for the $19 I spent.
Accidents happen everyday. The coffee spill on your shirt isn’t that unusual, but a beer spill flooding the streets of London? The weirdest accidents are sometimes the most interesting and the ones that leaves us questioning how and why.
Flickr photo
1. Bouncy castle blast
Dreamspace V was an inflatable maze/bouncy castle created to celebrate 10 years of the inflatable attraction’s business during a London festival in 2006. It was all fun and games until a freakishly strong wind got underneath the attraction, unhooked its hinges and caused the entire bouncy castle to take flight 50 feet into the air. It travelled a total of 150 feet, with families still trapped inside, before finally hitting the ground. This unusual incident caused 13 injuries and two deaths. Next time, hire the clown.
2. Crocs on a plane
A somewhat different version than David R. Ellis’s motion picture Snakes on a Plane. A passenger smuggled a crocodile onto a small airline in a sports bag. The scaly beast broke free from the bag and chaos ensued. A freaked out flight attendant ran towards the cockpit and panicked passengers followed, throwing the plane off balance and causing it to crash. 21 people walked into a plane, one guy and a crocodile walked out. Very suspicious.
3. BYOB?
Floods are common natural disasters. But a beer flood? In 1814 in London, England, a vat of beer in a brewery mysteriously exploded forcing 550,000 gallons of beer to spill into the streets. The wave of beer destroyed two homes and crumbled the walls of a local pub trapping a teenage employee under the rubble. Eight people drowned in the flood. The disaster was ruled to be an act of God.
4. Bye-bye birdy
Hollywood experienced a freak accident on March 31,1993 on the set of Alex Proyas’ The Crow. There were eight days left of shooting when lead Brandon Lee, son of famous martial arts fighter and actor Bruce Lee, was killed when Michael Massee (a villain in the movie) fired a gun at Lee as part of a scene they were filming. A bullet from a dummy round was lodged in the barrel of the handgun. The bullet was not noticed and the gun was loaded with a blank cartridge. When the blank was fired, the bullet shot out and hit Lee in the abdomen. Lee was replaced by a stunt double to wrap up the final scenes and the movie still came out. Rumors have circled that the footage of Lee’s death is still out there.
Flickr photo
5. Lightning never strikes twice
They say lightning never strikes twice, but they may be wrong. During a soccer game in Congo in 1998, all 11 players of the Bassanga soccer team were struck dead by lightning in one strike. The home team was oddly untouched. Witchcraft was blamed for the adverse natural phenomena as many soccer teams have been known to hire witchdoctors to place hexes on their opponents.
6. Hart stops beating
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has grown into a multimillion-dollar business, but even the fakest sport sees some of the most real accidents. Wrestler Owen Hart fell to his death in 1999 during his entrance on WWE’s pay per-view special, Over the Edge. Hart was supposed to descend slowly and dramatically, but the equipment malfunctioned and he plummeted 78 feet into the ring. This all happened live where thousands of fans witnessed the wrestler’s strange and unfortunate death.
7. Haunted park
On June 9, 1991, death stalked the Kings Island amusement park in Ohio. In one incident, a man fell into a pond, a friend and an employee attempted to rescue him, but all three men suffered from electric shock, killing two of them. The park was overrun with helicopters and emergency responders. Only an hour later, 32-year-old Candy Taylor fell off the Flight Commander ride in an attempt to wave to her friends below and point out the helicopters. The park has been rumored to be haunted and in 2012, an episode of Ghost Hunters was filmed there.
8. All jacked up
The famous Jack Daniel’s liquor has been known to cause some accidents when in the wrong hands, but Mr. Daniel himself was dead sober the morning he tried opening a locked safe. Unable to remember the combination, the godfather of whiskey did the next best thing. He kicked it open and broke his toe. He eventually died from old blood poisoning after contracting a deadly infection from the broken toe.
9. Guitarthritis
Baseball player Joel Zumaya, missed three games during the 2006 American League Championship Series as a result of injury. However, this was no baseball related accident, but one caused by the famous game Guitar Hero. Rocking too hard on the guitar left the pitcher with an inflamed wrist, forcing him to sit out. Luckily, he recovered in time for the World Series. XBOX 360’s version of Guitar Hero II plays on this situation by including a disclaimer, “No pitchers were harmed in the making of this game. Except for one.” While this incident may not be as outrageously bizarre as the others on the list, it’s pretty funny that Guitar Hero was to blame for a baseball player’s injury.
10. Death by dishwasher
My mother always tells me there’s a specific technique to loading the dishwasher. I always thought it was hogwash but it seems that she was right. In North Lanarkshire, Scotland – like a scene from Final Destination—a woman in her thirties slipped in her kitchen and was stabbed by the upright knives from her open dishwasher. Safe to say I’ll wash my own dishes from now on.
Like old-time minstrel families crisscrossing the countryside to tell their stories, the Followills — brothers Caleb, Nathan, Jaredc, and cousin Matthew — make up the Kings of Leon, traveling worldwide to share their music. Here are our picks for their finest songs.
10. “Family Tree”- Mechanical Bull
Kicking off with some old-school KOL bravado and rolling drums, this funky tune has a fresh backbeat and Motown feel. The song rumbles through a quiet/loud arrangement and explodes with an infectious chorus that will get you grooving along to this good ol’ Southern gospel hand-clapper. “Family Tree” is definitely a highlight on the album.
9.”Milk”– Aha Shake Heartbreak
You might find yourself pressing the ‘skip’ button on this one — but trust me, don’t. Slow to start, the basic guitar and drumbeat allow the lyrics to speak for themselves. Give this a listen on headphones to truly hear Caleb’s heartfelt vocals as he remembers a girl that was once his.
8.”Beautiful War”– Mechanical Bull
KOL has come a long way from their raunchy debut album Youth & Young Manhood. Written on the same weekend as hit-single “Use Somebody” back in 2008, this sultry down-beat song aches with sentiment and teaches us a lesson in love. Clocking in as the longest song on the album, Caleb definitely asserts his presence throughout. Get your lighters in the air for this future favourite.
7.”Back Down South”– Come Around Sundown
KOL takes us back to the simple days of family gatherings on this country-inspired tune. The lap steel guitar and violin give it that country twang, reminding us of their southern roots. Recorded in Nashville, “Back Down South,” embodies the laid back feel flowing through Come Around Sundown.
6.”Charmer” – Because Of The Times
The Kings have surely met their fair share of girls on the road — I mean come on, look
at them — but with the shrill of this tune one can only imagine how many times they’ve
had their asses handed to them. Everything from the paranoid bass line, frazzled
lyrics and Caleb’s high, piercing, schoolgirl yell makes this one of their most distinct songs.
5.”Closer” – Only By The Night
This haunting tale of a torn soul lets us know the depths of vocalist Caleb’s thoughts. While his voice is nothing short of powerful on this one, it’s his brother Jared’s chilling bass line that captivates you from the very beginning.
4.”Four Kicks”– Aha Shake Heartbreak
The gritty guitar licks remind us that these boys were born and raised in the south and know a thing or two about booze and brawls. Caleb and Nathan, the two eldest members of the four brother band, don’t fight often, but when they do, make sure to get the hell out of the way. In 2007, Nathan ruffled up some rooster feathers after a night out in Nashville that left Caleb with a dislocated shoulder. The song is a short two minute bar fight anthem that will pump you up and leave you bloody. If anyone ever confused KOL for the Hanson brothers, this song is sure to set them straight.
3.”Red Morning Light”– Youth & Young Manhood
We may not be strangers to KOL’s dirty lyrics commonly heard in Youth & Young Manhood, but their mother is. Unable to understand a word he’s saying throughout, much like a mouthful of marbles, Caleb purposely does this so his mother can’t understand the song’s salacious lyrics. The aggressive beat accompanied by Caleb’s high-pitched shrills epitomizes the bands earlier stuff and gets the crowd ready to rock.
2.”Cold Desert”– Only By The Night
Putting a spotlight on the sinning, searching and tortured faith in singer Caleb’s vocals, this song, despite never meaning to be on the record, is the track that closes nicely Only By The Night, an album fueled with anthemic rock ballads. The track was originally incomplete — with only the first verse written — but in a drunken stupor and a quick hit of the record button, an honest moment was captured. Most of the lyrics free-flowed off Caleb’s tongue — the most heart-wrenching “Jesus don’t love me” is a line that Caleb may not remember saying but will surely raise the hairs on your neck.
1.”Talihina Sky” – Youth & Young Manhood (Hidden Track)
This hidden gem can be found eight minutes into their LP “Holy Roller Novocaine.” Showing us a softer, more sentimental side to their usual head banging rock, the southern rockers literally step out of where they came from,foreshadowing their slower yet brilliant tracks heard on Come Around Sundown and Mechanical Bull.
Great news for fans of The Doors: the band is releasing never-before-seen footage in their new archival DVD, R-Evolution, set to come out this December. Fans will get the chance to see early unreleased TV appearances alongside commentary from band members John Densmore, Robby Krieger and the late Ray Manzarek. We’ll also get a glimpse of exclusive outtakes from the L.A band’s appearance on the ‘60s American variety TV show, Malibu U, all the while watching the band break through the limitations of their era and rise to fame.
First Beatles movie to earn rights for the use of original songs
Producer of acclaimed films American Beauty and Milk, Bruce Cohen takes on a challenge in producing, The Fifth Beatle, a motion picture that will depict the life of Beatles manager Brian Epstein. Not only is this a first-time portrayal of Epstein on the big screen, but also a first in acquiring the rights to play the band’s original music. Cohen will be teaming up with Tony award-winner Vivek J. Tiwary (Addam’s Family, American Idiot) in telling the story of the record store owner who discovered The Beatles and introduced them to the rest of the world. Tiwary spent years invested in this story, and feels that “it’s a true labor of love” to be involved in this project. Production of the film is set to start in 2014, allowing Beatlemania to resurface once more.
New award show: YouTube Music Awards
Award show fanatics will have yet another award show to get excited about, the YouTube Music Awards. Hosted by actor Jason Schwartzman of Rushmore and Slackers, this 90-minute live event will feature performances by Lady Gaga, Eminem and Arcade Fire, all artists who share highly viewed videos on this creative platform. Filmmaker Spike Jonze will be the creative director behind the event and is excited to bring forth an “unconventional” award show. The awards are separated into six categories — only to be revealed later in October — where the winner will be decided solely based on viewers’ choice. The event will also focus on creating live videos throughout the show, “so that the experience becomes more about creating than presenting” says YouTube’s vice president of marketing, Danielle Tiedt. The show takes place in New York at Pier 36 on Nov. 3.
Badfinger hit reaches iTunes Top 20 after Breaking Bad series finale
Vince Gilligan, writer and director of the final episode of Breaking Bad, cleverly ends the series with Badfinger’s 1972 hit “Baby Blue” in direct reference to the blue crystal meth made by the notorious Walter White. In fetching out this old tune, it brought the song back to the Billboard charts, selling 5,000 downloads on finale night alone and remaining on iTunes Top 25 for two days after that. The band dealt with the tragic loss of two of its band members who committed suicide, and its success in the finale gives “a chance to have some new life breathed into their song,” says the show’s music supervisor Thomas Golubic. “I hope this is a nice smile that brings Badfinger back into public light. It’s a wonderful, wonderful song.” The song is well on its way in doing so, shown by an increase in sales of 3000 per cent.
Second annual CBGB Music and Film festival takes over Times Square
CBGB will be hosting its second music and film festival in New York City’s Times Square. My Morning Jacket, Grizzly Bear, and The Wallflowers are among the two-dozen bands scheduled to perform at this free event. Filled with fun activities, concertgoers will have a chance to stuff their faces in a pizza-eating contest, attend a record fair or skate along a half-pipe. For the film festival, over 60 films will be featured including director Randall Miller’s new movie CBGB about owner Hilly Kristal and the rise of his famous underground club. With 700 live events set to take place, festivities will run from Oct.9 to 13.
Walk into Our Closet will be at Plaza Volare, 6600 Chemin de la Cote de Liesse on Sunday, Sept. 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Press photo.
Montrealers love their thrift shops. St. Laurent Blvd. among many locations makes for an easy thrift shop-hopping experience with places like Friperie St-Laurent and Founderie.
Walk into Our Closet will be at Plaza Volare, 6600 Chemin de la Cote de Liesse on Sunday, Sept. 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Press photo.
Thrift shopping boutiques have proved that shopping for used clothing doesn’t have to take place in a clustered room full of musty smells and pushy old ladies. Instead, this trend is considered upscale and can get you looking fashionable at an affordable price.
However, the treasure hunt for good finds is not for everyone, which is why the brand new event called, Walk into Our Closet, taking place on Sept. 15 stands out as an interesting alternative.
Best friends Anabel Mayer and Sofia Cafaro have created an event where shoppers will have a chance to go through a variety of “closets,” where vendors will be selling lightly worn clothing, shoes and accessories at a fraction of the paid price.
“Every piece for sale was once a coveted item in someone’s closet and now that it ran its course on someone, you can turn it into your own signature style,” said vendor Jonathan Panetta. Panetta will be among many other vendors emptying their personal closets, including Montreal fashion bloggers Gabrielle Lacasse, writer of Dentelles et Fleurs, and Concordia’s own Christina Monticcioli, writer of The Boho Flow.
“This will benefit everyone regardless of their age or salary. Everything at this sale is marked down, even the designer pieces will be hundreds of dollars less and that is simply amazing,” said Panetta. “It is great to see people turn their love of fashion into a productive skill that brings people together over a common interest.”
It’s through their common interest in fashion that Mayer and Cafaro came up with the idea of Walk Into Our Closet.
“We spend a lot of our hard earned money on clothing, shoes, and of course, accessories that are sadly only worn maybe once or twice,” said Mayer. “Our solution? Creating an event where people can either sell their pieces or have the opportunity to buy practically new clothing for a great price.”
It’s a great event for those on the fence about thrift shopping. The merchandise is new to lightly worn, and they are also offering sneak peeks at the items vendors will be selling on the Walk into Our Closet Facebook page as well as their Instagram
, allowing potential shoppers to see what’s in store.
There is something fun about peeking into someone else’s closet and this event makes it possible that if you see something that you like, it can be yours.
Walk into Our Closet will be at Plaza Volare, 6600 Chemin de la Cote de Liesse on Sunday, Sept. 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m..
Let’s face it – covering songs is usually a make it or break it type thing. There are those who love it and those who believe musicians should just stick to their own tunes. The thing about great covers is that they’re often unexpected but, if done brilliantly, they shed new light on the song and the musician taking on the challenge of covering it. Often enough, it’s through covers that we hear some of our favourite artists’ influences, making this whole experience even sweeter.
This playlist captures covers that are classics of course, and some that are just downright surprising. Side A is for those who appreciate an artist’s courage, while Side B is for those who don’t believe in messing with the original. Some say cover versions might even trump the original, so hear out this playlist and be free to judge.
