Author: Tabéa Benlakehal

Categories
Music

Honourable music mentions from September

Apple Music

The Music Editors of The Concordian share their top picks from this month’s releases.

Tabéa’s Picks:

Mitski – The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We

Trial Track: “My Love Mine All Mine”

Released on Sept. 15, Mitski’s seventh studio album features a song that has captured every listener’s heart. This breathtaking track highlights Mitski’s vulnerability and introspection on what she truly possesses in life. Love is the one cohesive element that she feels will always be a part of herself. From self-love to mundane love and the care she has felt thus far, the poignant artist expresses that this love (“mine all mine”) will never be taken from her—as opposed to materialistic items. The lovely and captivating chorus only enhances Mitski’s affirmation of herself and the listener, making the message incredibly emotional. For anyone seeking to feel more grounded and grateful, Mitski’s “My Love Mine All Mine” is the way. 

Cleo Sol – Heaven

Trial Track: “Self”

Smooth like butter, Cleo Sol is back with her third album “Heaven,” released on Sept. 15. From collaborating with rapper Little Simz to being part of the mysterious collective Sault, the British singer has outdone herself with this intimate and warm project perfectly for Fall. While the groovy basslines and piano all across the project are impressive, one must not let it overshadowCleo Sol’s mellow and controlled vocals. The opening track encapsulates self-affirmation—how she’ll never lose herself now and finally show up in the world as her true self without shifting in any ingenuine way. “Self” is gentle and rhythmic with its jazz-based composition making it an ideal listen for any music lover.  

Stefano’s Picks:

Lancey Foux – BACK2DATRAP

Trial Track: “ADHD”

Lancey Foux’s latest project BACK2DATRAP is a unique brand of hip-hop helmed entirely by his frequent collaborator, producer Back2Bally. “ADHD” is the perfect sampler of the mixtape’s sound: powerful bass, catchy melody, and all sorts of percussions rattling in and out while Lancey offers a consistent and charismatic vocal performance. The track is short and sweet, offering a catchy chorus twice plus a verse, all within less than two minutes. Bally’s production and Lancey’s style make for an energetic combo that dominates the entire tracklist without overstaying its welcome (the 12-song project only has a 30-minute runtime). The UK artist continues to prove that he operates in his own lane, with BACK2DATRAP being the latest example.

Doja Cat – Scarlet

Trial Track: “Agora Hills”

Doja Cat’s fourth studio album Scarlet arrived after a controversial rollout where she deliberately attempted to alienate her fanbase, only to notch a number-one hit weeks later. The album is rap-centric, primarily characterized by lyrical boom-bap tracks and melodic rap cuts. However, “Agora Hills”—a dreamy R&B cut—is a clear standout that finds Doja Cat singing softly over a mellow hip-hop beat. Over a twinkly melody and bouncy beat, she serves up a soft, angelic chorus that ranks among the best in her catalogue. It is a smooth, starry track that perfectly serves its narrative of being smitten. The dialogue bits between the verses and chorus are the cherry on top in terms of adding to the song’s pacing and character.

Categories
Music

Purchasing Concert Tickets and Your Rights

Eric Wieder / The Concordian

Students share their experiences getting hold of concert tickets and reminders to keep in mind when doing so.

With technology expanding and individuals getting better at it, it isn’t uncommon for people to get scammed when buying a ticket for their favourite artist after the initial sale gets sold out within hours—if not minutes, or even seconds in some cases.

The Consumer Protection Act in Quebec says that in order to legally resell a ticket, a merchant must notify the consumer that it is, indeed, a resale and provide several other pieces of valid information, such as notifying them and revealing the initial price of the ticket. It also states that it is prohibited to sell or use any softwares that lets you circumvent security measures or control systems put in place by the organizers of an event.  

Resellers take advantage of passionate and enthusiastic fans to exaggerate prices. Bots are also notorious for annoying customers in official sales. A communications student at Concordia expressed her frustration regarding the sales on Ticketmaster: “The seats have astronomical prices, especially the platinum sections, and the Ticketmaster queue is really bad when the shows are really popular so I guess tickets get bought by bots even at that stage,” said Adèle. 

A psychology student, Mirra, also shared that there have definitely been times when a show has sold out very quickly before she could even try to get tickets, which resulted in her “getting stuck in the ‘waiting room’ for quite some time,” causing frustrations. Slow progress of even attempting to enter the general sale is an issue most people face. 

One must also be careful when searching for an authorized sale from the artist, producer or venue of the show or event. Resale sites can pay to appear at the top of a web search results list, therefore the first recommended website won’t necessarily be the right one. 

Using a credit card when doing a purchase is also an extra way to be more assured, but be as certain as possible before doing any bank transfers. You are generally liable to a refund from the credit card issuer in the circumstance that the merchant does not have you refunded after purchase cancellation. Moreover, even when buying tickets from an official website, look up your rights and protections in case a show ever gets postponed or cancelled. 

In order to escape potential scams, Adèle shared her tip to look up people selling tickets, going through their profiles to check their legitimacy, and eventually chatting with them. She prefers to only ever buy using PayPal goods. 

Another thing that is worth a try is visiting the in-person box office of a venue before the show, if possible—you may be able to get your hands on some last-minute available tickets! 

Good luck out there and don’t hesitate to be extra meticulous! 

Categories
Music

Fusions of sonic moods in students’ playlists 

Carleen Loney @shloneys / The Concordian

Music sub and cross-genres are more mainstream, but which ones are people fond of?

With more people becoming artists and countless music projects releasing every day, it is only natural for the boundaries of music to become more flexible. As time goes by, a perhaps preconceived mentality that music genres should fit in a box is prone to trickle away. 

Instead, innovative and experimental sounds are getting easier to get accustomed to. Songs blend core instruments of a certain type of music, the atmospheric essence of another, the foundational rhythm of another, etc., more organically. The options for creativity when it comes to music crafting are limitless at this point! Therefore, I asked students around Concordia for some of the music subgenres that flow through their headphones recently and which ones they noticed were popular online. 

#1: Hyperpop

One of the most recurrent auxiliary sounds mentioned was Hyperpop. So many genres can mesh together into a Hyperpop production, ranging from obvious Bubblegum Pop (a mix of rock and pop forming upbeat, catchy and danceable rhythms), Hip-Hop, EDM, and Nightcore (within the electronic realm where a song has a sped up tempo and raised pitch.) This energy-inducing sound typically features drums that are punchy, sharp and even distorted. Imagine a classic pop song, but turning the dial of numerous editing effects all the way up. 

Artists such as Mura Masa, Shygirl, Arca, 100 Gecs, Dorian Electra and notably Charli XCX, with her iconic 2016 hit “Vroom Vroom,” were mentioned by people. Moreover, this subgenre has a prominent space today in the so-called alternative TikTok world, with its “addictive dance tracks.”  

Artist Sophie is a prime example and an adored figure. Her unapologetic craft, from producing for numerous artists like Madonna to releasing stellar projects like Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides from 2018 features her signature high-pitched vocals, generous bass and synthesized chords. Listening to Hyperpop makes me feel like I’ve just had a surge of caffeine levels in my system but in the best way possible. 

#2: Dreamgaze

The second sub-division of music genres that was brought up was Dreamgaze. Under the alternative rock umbrella, it entails a combination of Shoegaze and Dream-pop atmospheres. 

From its initial rise in the early ‘90s, Shoegaze contains distorted and shimmery-sounding guitars, rumbling drums and various effect pedals at its core. Shoegaze also supplies a sense of introspection in terms of its higher focus on lyrics and overall ethereal ambience, which is in full effect in Dreamgaze. My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive and Ride are key bands from the movement and helped Dreamgaze establish a more concrete immersive experience. 

Some of Dreampop’s earliest considered projects and artists also had their start in the early ‘90s. The enticing, rich, sonic textures and lavish amount of reverb were adopted from Dream-pop along with its breathy vocals. Bands like Spiritualized, Wild Nothing, Broadcast and Yo La Tengo have engaged a great presence in the genre. Cocteau Twins and Mazzy Star were specifically mentioned by students as bands that supported the foundation of Dream-pop, thus Dreamgaze.

While both mother genres hold different meanings from audiences about each other’s characteristic boundaries over the past couple of decades, Dreamgaze still offers the best of both worlds. Beach House is notably notorious for incorporating elements of both sister genres, Shoegaze and Dream-pop. The cherished local band Men I Trust also combines the overlapping of ethereal and harmonic vocals from Shoegaze as well as the catchy and jangly melodies from Dream-pop. 

An honourable mention subgenre that came up a few times is Nova MPB, also known as Neo-Samba. The music style essentially groups bossa nova and samba genres from Brazil and falls under the indie realm. All throughout, it contains a lively and colourful tone that marks it as different from the usual sounds from the genre.  

The goal of all these unfolding music branches is to embrace and show love to preexisting sounds in new ways. It is to respect artists’ work by professing creatively their mark on the music industry. By adopting attributes from various original music genres, you too can come up with a sound full of novelty.

Categories
Festival Review Music

POP Montréal International Music Festival is approaching

Graphic by JAMES FAY /The Concordian @jamesfaydraws

What to expect at the 22nd edition of the non-profit festival.

Who said music festivals were only for the summertime? Even if the weather isn’t as warm, the music scene in Montreal remains vibrant year-round. POP Montréal will be taking place from Sept. 27 to Oct. 1—the annual event has been encouraging artistic independence since 2002. 

As indicated on their website, POP MTL came to life from the collective eagerness of friends and colleagues to establish a major cultural event at the core of the city. Its 22nd year is kickstarting this week and represents “more than ever an essential event on the Montreal festival circuit and the international music scene,” as the organizers of the event state on the web. Over the last two decades, the event has amassed more than 400 artists and 60,000 festival attendees.

Since the festival is based in Montreal, putting forward local artists is a no-brainer, but the word “International” is in the title for a reason. The team offers a lineup from both emerging artists and renowned names from around the world. The festival’s initiative and impact on the overall art scene also lies in its extensive program, aiming to include diverse art forms as part of its activities, including art exhibitions, film screenings, a sale from local artisans, events for kids, and “long-lasting parties until the end of the night.” 

POP Symposium will be your time if you are into panel discussions, creative workshops, artist talks and networking events. Better yet, it will be free and open to all. 

The panels will tackle the “big questions around music, communities, and the forces that shape our cultural engagement, encouraging new connections between local and international artists, industry and fans” according to the POP Symposium page. 

Performing artists to check out ~

From its impressive lineup, here are my top picks for you to keep an eye out for. Previously seen at the Jazz Music Festival this summer, Annahstasia is back from California—get ready to get shivers from her powerful and stunning vocals. We can expect the upcoming performance of her folk-rooted album Revival to showcase her renewed love for music, which she shares was found “after a period of uncertainty, and facilitated a potent resurgence of self.” 

Next up is Montreal-born Gayance, who is now based in Amsterdam after spending her time growing up between Bruxelles, São Paulo and Montreal. If you’re into “jazzy-house with Brazilian spices” and you feel like journeying through Black history with flares of Afro-Latin jazz, Caribbean, West-African and electronic music, make sure to not miss this show! 

Interested? You can pick from three kinds of passes. But if you’re looking for a cheaper fare, check out their Student pass, which is available with a valid student ID to encourage student participation. Locals and students wanting to get involved are also welcome to volunteer! In tune with the Montreal music scene, this local event promises a fun and stimulating time.

Categories
Concert Reviews Festival Review Music

KAYTRAMINÉ extends the Summer with a heated Performance at OfF Piknic 

KAYTRAMINÉ performing at OFF Piknik in Montreal on September 7. Photo by Tabéa Benlakehal / The Concordian

The high-energy rapper-producer duo composed of Aminé and KAYTRANADA kicked off their joint tour in Montreal on September 7.

On Sept. 7, famed producer KAYTRANADA and Aminé—known together as KAYTRAMINÉ—kicked off their sold-out joint tour for their album of the same name in KAYTRANADA’s hometown of Montreal. The performance was held in open air at Parc Jean-Drapeau as part of OfF Piknic, a series of concerts that follows the summer-long Piknic Électronik festival. The duo played joint and then individual sets for a crowd of 8,000 people, cycling through the entirety of their collaborative album as well as songs from their respective solo catalogues.

The show included three openers. Montreal hip-hop trio Planet Giza kicked things off with a DJ set consisting mostly of vintage hip-hop, with Aminé’s tour DJ Madison LST following up with a mix of current hip-hop hits such as Ice Spice’s “Deli” and Sexyy Red’s “SkeeYee,” which lit up the crowd. Lou Phelps’ set was the perfect tone-setter for KAYTRAMINÉ: his style is a perfect blend of laid-back, chill hip-hop akin to Aminé and occasional smooth bouncy production courtesy of KAYTRANADA himself—who happens to be Lou Phelps’ blood brother. 

Just off their first track “Who He Iz?,” it became immediately clear that KAYTRAMINÉ is a captivating duo. Aminé’s rapping style is filled with confidence and conviction, and his occasional shouting of his punchlines makes boastful lines like “we make heat shit, y’all make weak shit” resonate even stronger with the crowd. KAYTRANADA matched the Portland rapper’s energy with ease, bouncing along behind the ones and twos and ad-libbing in between Aminé’s lines. 

The duo not only fed off each other, but also the crowd: Aminé’s frequent use of call-and-response had the audience namely chanting the hooks of “letstalkaboutit,” “UGH UGH” and “Master P”  back to him, as well as getting hands to bounce and people to jump throughout the crowd. Chiara Strollo, a second-year TESL student who was in attendance, commends the duo for their lively and inviting stage presence: “I love when an artist makes you feel like their friend and like you’re all there to have a good time together.”

After a brief break, Aminé would re-emerge and start performing other hits from his catalogue. He performed cuts from his 2022 and 2020 projects TWOPOINTFIVE and Limbo like “Charmander” and “Shimmy,” even going as far back as his 2017 debut album to perform “Spice Girl.” The chorus to his 2018 hit “REEL IT IN” spread through the crowd like wildfire after being suddenly dropped and the slow-burning live version of “Caroline”—his biggest solo hit—proved effective. Fans sang along before the drums finally kicked in, releasing the crowd’s bubbling hype into jumps.

KAYTRANADA followed suit with an infectious DJ set that no concertgoer could resist dancing along to. His medley of songs included his remixes of Sam Gellaitry’s “Assumptions” and Teedra Moses’ “Be Your Girl,” “LITE SPOTS,” and a yet-unreleased remix of Beyoncé’s “CUFF IT.” 

Aminé joined him once again to perform their 2015 collaboration “LA DANSE,” after giving a shout out to the Montreal producer for reaching out and gifting him with free beats during that period. The pair closed the show with some of the biggest hits on KAYTRAMINÉ such as “Rebuke” and “Sossaup,” with the Pharrell Williams-assisted lead single “4EVA” rounding out the entire performance.

Before the crowd could fully spill out amid chants of “olé olé olé,” the swarm of fans that had begun leaving ran back towards the stage as the lights dimmed down again and KAYTRANADA’s hit single “Intimidated” began playing. Fans were treated to an encore and a second serving of “4EVA,” which upped the energy and wrapped up the show on an even more lively note. 

With both artists toting the flag of their respective ethnic background (Ethiopia and Haiti), the show truly felt like a celebration commemorating their heritage, their joining of forces and the pride KAYTRANADA has brought to his home city.

Parc Jean-Drapeau proved to be an ideal venue as the outdoor area perfectly complemented the bright, bouncy and summery instrumentals on their album. Given the club-ready and danceable qualities of KAYTRANADA’s production, the space augmented the party concept to a larger extent. With volleyball courts, ping-pong tables and an entire area dedicated to food and drink trucks and merchandise, the site entertained, served, and accommodated the crowd with ease, while also leaving enough room to keep everything spread out. “It wasn’t too crowded and the overall vibe of the people was great,” Strollo explains.

KAYTRAMINÉ showed and received overwhelming love to and from the people of Montreal, successfully starting off their tour with a bang. Attendee and fourth-year human relations student Alfred Umasao describes the abundance of local artists as “Seeing Montreal artists do what they do best.” Umasao has no regrets from attending the show: “I got my money’s worth for sure.”

Categories
Music

How DJs at CJLO 1690AM navigate tangible Music

CJLO's Physical Music Library. Photo by Tabéa Benlakehal / The Concordian

A talk with CJLO’s music director about the radio station’s airing process.

As Concordia’s one and only radio station, CJLO 1690 AM’s team needs to stay up to date with the emergence of new music to air while continuously cataloging incoming music. As conveyed on their website, over 80 DJs spin through various music genres and  CJLO has been streaming seven days a week from early 2003. Their tower and transmitter can be heard as far as Ottawa and Burlington, Vermont. This means that the station’s crew ought to not only constantly broadcast but also take into account their large number of listeners to successfully run a radio station in 2023. 

CJLO’s head music director, Lisa Rupnik, shares a typical day in the life at the station and what the DJs encounter and need to consider when airing music these days. Her job mainly consists of tracking what DJs play on their shows and translating that information into their weekly music charts. In her day to day, she is also in correspondence with record label representatives and radio promoters who keep her up to date on all the latest releases. This allows her to ensure their playlists are suitable for listeners and offer novelty. 

After receiving recommendations, Rupnik curates what gets added to the station’s digital library based on their DJs’ tastes and interests. After the digital side is taken care of, she explains that the next step is to oversee the physical media collection and coordinate volunteers to help with music library projects. 

Rupnik validates that the majority of the DJs at CJLO stream music for their show exclusively. With the decline of tangible music like CDs and vinyls at the station, she says some DJs make an extra effort to play physical media, but it is generally just for fun and doesn’t actually make any noticeable difference to listeners at home. 

Their in-house music library holds hundreds of physical media and is part of their permanent collection that has been going strong since CJLO’s start 25 years ago. As music director, Rupnik continues to add physical submissions to their library, which she receives from promoters. 

“We value keeping CDs and vinyls to keep a tangible archive of music trends over the years,” Rupnik says. “The fact that CDs and vinyls are rarer these days encourages us to keep and maintain a quality collection.” 

As a core member of the CJLO team, Lisa can tell when a release is really exciting, as the singles take the radio by storm long before an actual album is released. For example, the latest Slowdive album, Everything Is Alive, was just released on September 1, but CJLO’s DJs had already been spinning the singles since June.

That being said, a lot of other DJs will play artists on their show whose entire discography consists of singles. These artists are often found on TikTok, YouTube, SoundCloud and even Bandcamp. Rupnik agrees with this support: “It’s great that DJs are supporting these artists as some of them are totally DIY, although you should take into consideration that the “singles only” trend happens amongst both indie and major artists.”

Concordia’s on-campus radio station is then far from vanishing collectible pieces of media but does keep a close eye on taking the extra effort to sustain their library and encouraging DJs in engaging with more tangibility in music. 

Categories
Music

Montreal’s music venues and its people

The exterior of the Beanfield Theatre. Photo by Tabéa Benlakehal / The Concordian

Check out Concordia students’ favourite music venues and their backstory!

From arenas to theatres, all the way to bar settings, Montreal is abundant in locations for artists to perform their latest projects. Montreal fans are one solid pack of passionate beings and always wish for their favourite artists to pass by when on tour. 

Compared to our neighbours in the States, Canada doesn’t see as many visits from artists. Nonetheless, Montreal has been a hub for music lovers and everyone can find their ideal cocoon to experience live music and its communities. Some locals—and in our case, Concordia students—shared with us their favourite and not-so-favourite venues when it comes to experiencing live shows.

Whether speaking to local Concordia students or international students, it was no surprise to hear how much people love attending concerts right here in Montreal. The biggest takeaway from these conversations was that the majority of folks prefer a smaller venue. 

Le Petit Campus is one of the city’s underrated locations—as many people I talked to expressed—despite its intimacy and great sound quality. This space is part of the larger Le Café Campus, which can turn into a bar,  nightclub, live show theatre, or even a workspace. 

Le Petit Campus is widely loved because it brings out a special and closer bond between the artist on stage and the crowd versus a huge arena like the Bell Centre. As Tourisme Montréal states, the multi-purpose arena “is a prime venue for entertainment and sports events” and can host over 21,000 fans. 

Place Bell, a venue open since 2017, also turns out to be a people’s favourite due to its ambiance giving the perfect blend of a large arena and theatre experience. People from outside Montreal—notably Laval—genuinely appreciate having a venue hosting bigger artists closer to them. Folks enjoy the larger community aspect of meeting others and hanging out after the show. 

A venue that is well-loved by most is the Corona Theatre, now called the Beanfield Theatre. Named after the Beanfield Metroconnect telecommunications company in Toronto, it recently became a partner of this performance hall this summer. Almost unchanged since 1912, the theatre’s excellent architecture has helped it gather a lot of popularity such as with its painting ceiling and red brocade curtains. This change and new partnership, according to Le Devoir, “demonstrates Beanfield’s commitment to the community and cultural landscape of Montreal.” The Corona Theatre neon sign will however stay in place and even be illuminated again! 


Visit The Concordian’s podcast to hear more of our interviews with students and to know more about their picks!

Categories
Music

Narcy speaks about the shift in music consumption

Carleen Loney @shloneys / The Concordian

The artist and professor shares his views on the “lower attention span” of the matter.

Yassin Alsalman, also known by his stage name “Narcy,” has been engaged in the life of a professor at the university level since 2013. Being an artist as well as a teacher on music and its all-around artistry at Concordia—especially the world of hip-hop—he holds concrete awareness and knowledge of the industry. 

Narcy shared his thoughts on how potentially drastic music consumption has changed. Whether regarding the internet or real-life professional scenarios, the multimedia artist, actor, and journalist answered questions about the potential benefits and issues of a shift in the intentions of music consumers and the business. 

The modern way of an album rollout, with respect to the many different ways of release, promotion periods, etc., has obviously not stayed the same as a process. The increase of the power of the internet as a means to discover and connect with music has been reinforced in new ways. 

TikTok, for example, has been making new or established artists feel the need to include their projects on the platform to strengthen engagement and stay relevant. The app has been a way for artists to push their popularity and the success of a song behind a certain trend and has even kick-started careers. For instance, Doja Cat and Jack Harlow wouldn’t necessarily be where they are now without TikTok. But is it for the better or worse? 

Having made multiple albums over the past 20 years, Narcy definitely thinks the process of conceptualizing an album for instance has changed, “both on a consumption and a production level.” Furthermore, “people now have the uber mentality around when, how and where to receive and consume music so there is definitely a major shift in how we, as artists, have to think,” he says. Narcy’s take here is all about what artists crave out of their respective careers. 

He, personally, has always approached his music “from the model of merchandise, experience, and physical/tangible work” while consciously leaning less on the internet. Certain artists, notably from the younger generation, can tend to lean heavier on the digital side and some like The Alchemist, Narcy remarked, create brand experiences. Then there are those “that lean heavily on the digital side so I think it has a lot to do with how much you lean into the commercial and industry side vs. the artistic side of music making” he adds. 

In Narcy’s circle and extended world, music interaction used to be rooted in reading liner notes, being blown away by art, and having to research the artist profusely. Today’s convenience has drastically affected this aspect of the music experience. “The immediate access and the disposability of music on DSPs [Demand-Side Platforms] and other platforms makes the music experience different and less etched in their daily experience,” he said.

Being a father and interacting with university students, Narcy has witnessed music consumption being adopted diversely by different generations. On the one hand, the greater accessibility to production can allow “kids to dabble in production at such a young age and figure out their creative direction.” On the other hand, Narcy fears that music is no longer being retained. Narcy explains, “I have memories attached to music and nostalgia that pulls me back to certain places and times in my life.” 

In the Montreal music scene, a “swinging pendulum between digital and physical art” is predominantly present. According to Narcy, it is undeniable to acknowledge producers in the city who keep that organic and digging mentality around making beats and music while there are artists with more of a taste for electronic sounds is undeniable. Today, both are embedded in the music scene making Montreal “a breeding ground for art”, no matter the medium of consumption, he states. We can agree, no one can argue with that. 

Categories
Festival Review Music

My first experience at a Music Festival in Europe

TABÉA BENLAKEHAL/The Concordian

After booking my escapade in Europe this summer to mainly visit family, I stumbled upon the lineup for the twentieth edition of Primavera Sound (PS) taking place in Barcelona, Spain. The music festival’s main weekend took place from June 1 until June 3 which perfectly fit at the start of my trip. 

I try to attend at least one big music event each year, especially during the summertime, hence I felt no hesitation before booking the three-day-long festival, being fully aware that I’d be going solo to an event starting only two days after landing in a country I had never stepped foot in. 

One of the decisive factors for me was the lineup. It included artists I had been listening to for years, and even the artists had become very fond of quite recently. The festival started at 4 p.m. and the last sets finished at 6 a.m., following the same schedule every day.  Being relatively sleep deprived is one thing, but standing up for the majority of those 14 hours while constantly hearing music through humongous speakers is another— and it’s not for the faint of heart. 

My most memorable performance was by NxWorries, the duo made out of record producer Knxwledge and recording artist Anderson .Paak.  I was near the barricades and got the chance to get on the stage during one of my favourite songs off their 2016 album Yes Lawd! titled “Link Up.” 

It was pretty surreal but for some reason I wasn’t nervous at all. I had an absolute blast dancing with everyone and singing whilst interacting with the crowd. The most unexpected interaction happened when I was in the food court at 3 a.m. on the third day, and a stranger came up to me because she had recognized me from the show. She then airdropped me footage from the performance… the world is too small sometimes. 

Definitive highlights from other performances I attended started with the musical duo Jockstrap’s energetic and experimental set. Georgia Ellery pulling out a violin to play on top of the track “Concrete Over Water” was too awesome of a sight before Taylor Skye pulled out a water blaster to the crowd. Moments after, a remix of the theme song from the show Succession played. Despite the song having nothing to do with the band, the crowd got ecstatic due to its extreme popularity. 

Kendrick Lamar — also a headliner at Osheaga — had everyone shouting his name and lyrics even before the large-scaled canvas unveiled behind him. This impressive painted backdrop accompanied Lamar throughout the coverage of his music catalogue from Section.80 up until Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. His cousin Baby Keem also hopped on stage to perform their infamous “Family Ties” and other tracks, making the energy even hotter than the actual fire rising up by the stage.

Singer and rapper Channel Tres’ performance was overflowing with grooviness, made even better with witty and calculated dance moves. Listening to his song “6am” almost at 6 a.m. was so much fun to say the least, and he couldn’t believe people were still out and about for his set at that time. JPEGMAFIA, an American artist that’s collaborated with Tres, made a similar comment about how ridiculous and awesome it was to play at 4 a.m. the next day. 

It isn’t surprising that American artists aren’t used to PS’s different schedule. Osheaga, for instance, ended around 10:30 p.m. — just about the time some folks at PS Barcelona would start showing up. The earlier curfew of cities in North America completely shifts the magnitude that a music festival could ever become, counting less artists to begin with. 

Seeing Rosalía perform her album Motomami in her hometown was also very special. She rallied a wide variety of fans (the Spanish ones being more than passionate and not letting anyone squeeze their way in any closer).

Talking about the audience, it seemed like the entirety of Europe came to Barcelona for this weekend. Locals as well as Canadians and Americans were in attendance so I heard an extensive range of languages when passing by foreigners. 

The Concordian’s Assistant Music Editor and fellow student, Stefano Rebuli, attended this year’s sixteenth edition of Osheaga and recalls there being a lot of traffic from stage to stage. Getting around between the two main stages was tricky due to clashing crowds entering and exiting between two consecutive performances. 

“It left everyone packed and nearly caused a crowd crush between Kim Petras and Kendrick Lamar’s sets on Sunday. Everyone tried to get forward, but nobody was allowed in for a good 30+ minutes,” Rebuli said. As for PS, the crowds seemed to always be mobile which made getting in and exiting smooth. Getting home after the shows is another story— whether it be Montréal or Barcelona, the metro is a hot spot for waiting and waiting behind a stagnant crowd.

The security at Osheaga could have been “much more rigorous” according to Rebuli. His friend had a glasses case which was left unchecked, which means he probably could’ve snuck anything inside. PS’s security also let me in quite easily, with a filled water bottle in my pocket which they didn’t check. 

Moving on to some numbers, PS in Barcelona held 16 stages whereas Osheaga counts 5 across its site. Both are near the water, but PS is impressive with its clear views of the sea. In terms of prices, however, it’s expected that the food or beverages aren’t affordable at any festival.

I brought some granola bars to keep my food purchases low but on my second night I had to have actual food so I ended up spending about $15 for a burger. Osheaga charged $13.75 for a poutine, tax included (taxes not being something to consider in Spain was pleasant at least). For beer however, I spent about $7 for a regular sized cup at PS, whereas Osheaga charged around $10.  

From an artist cancelling their set last minute to discovering a new favourite song at a random show you decided to check out, music festivals are a chance to fully immerse yourself with passionate people all day— or all night. Whether in my own city or overseas, music in a festival setting has proved itself to be a driving force for a boisterous time.

Categories
Music

Best-loved summer songs from our staff

Carleen Loney/The Concordian @shloneys

Check out The Concordian’s music picks from this summertime! 

Summertime is notorious for celebration across the board and for a lot of us, it is an opportunity to travel outside of our year-long cocoon of a city. It involves new soundscapes to accompany us through places we’re heading to and in the midst of discovering them, it reminds us of people we’ve carved new relationships with or even briefly encountered. Music is a natural attachment through and through, acting like a time capsule to specific feelings and slices of life. Whether you spent your entire day at the beach in some European town, stayed in your neighbourhood to run important errands, or hung out at a park in Montreal with your friends, I’m sure we all had music in some proximity this season. Here is a list from some of our staff members sharing a piece of how music came into their summer window and what it means to them— and potentially you.

Dalia Nardolillo – Editor-in-Chief“Dance the Night” by Dua Lipa (2023)
This is going to sound super corny but this song was the highlight of my summer. I worked at Lush this past summer and we recently released the Barbie collection. My coworker Michel blasted this song throughout the store and we would just have a party in the middle of the day. It was the best time I’ve ever spent at a summer job.
Lucas Marsh – Managing Editor“I’m Just Ken: from the Barbie Soundtrack” by Ryan Gosling (2023)
Sticking with the Barbie Theme, if there is one song that I will associate this summer with it’s gotta be “I’m just Ken.” I got to see the premier of the Barbie movie while I was in Athens. When we got to the part in the movie when this song started to play, a group of elderly Greek men sitting around me started to sway and dance in their seats, overcome by the song. 
Mackenzie Sanche – Copy Editor“New Perspective” by Noah Kahan (2023)
This was my go-to song this summer for long windows-down drives on a beautiful sunny day. I love the feeling of freedom it gives me to process nostalgia, how fast time goes and how things change, while also accepting that it’s a good thing.
Carleen Loney – Graphics Editor“Self Care” by Mïrändä (2021)
An absolute bop! Poppy, vibrant, and sweet, this song is all about slowing down the pace of your life. For me, my summer was a weird blend of high-stress-constantly-busy-workaholic-central so I needed a reminder to take a breath and just lay in the sun. Never feel bad about taking care of yourself!!
Casey Kiss – Opinions Editor“Timeless (Taylor’s version) (From the vault)” by Taylor Swift (2023)
As a big Taylor Swift fan, I kept up with her tour, album announcements and releases this summer. This was also the first album release my boyfriend got to experience with me and listening to this one got me a little teary-eyed. Itinstantly became a new favourite.
Emma Megelas – Co-News Editor“Summer of ‘69” by Bryan Adams (1984)
I traveled to Ogunquit, Maine this summer as I’ve done every year since I was young. My mom went there for the first time when she was my age and every time we’d hear this song on the radio, it reminded her of summers in Ogunquit. She dragged me down the rabbit hole of 80s songs and I got hooked on this one from the start. Now every time I think about Ogunquit, I play this song.
Stefano Rebuli – Assistant Music Editor “Sprinter” by Dave & Central Cee (2023)
From the moment this song dropped on June 1, I loved it and had it on loop for hours. I left for the UK a month later and the song was in constant rotation throughout my trip (both rappers are British). It not only played during the day at Wireless Festival, but I also got to see Central Cee perform it at Osheaga, which further cemented it as my song of the summer.
Tabéa Benlakehal – Music Editor “Sasaci Pererê” by Jorge Ben (1986)
One of my core moments was spending time with my Brazilian friend in Portugal and notably exchanging with the big Brazilian community there. I am very fond of Brazilian funk (also called funk carioca from its emergence within the favelas in Rio) and MPB so I overplayed the genre a lot— especially this song shared to me by um brasileiro at a hostel. 
Exit mobile version