Category: Concert Reviews

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Concert Reviews Festival Review Music

Sophie Ogilvie with Bodywash at Tiny Fest 2023

Sophie Ogilvie and Bodywash on the Casa Del Popolo stage at Tiny Fest 2023. Photo by Tabéa Benlakehal / The Concordian

Montreal musician and Concordia student hits the stage at Tiny Fest’s third edition.

Even with summer behind us, musical festivities in Montreal are far from taking a break. Tiny Fest, a local music festival featuring bands and artists, presented its third edition on Oct. 6–7. It was hosted and produced by Worst Dad Ever, an event organization that puts together independent shows, tours and gigs for touring bands. Among the same venues from last year, La Sala Rossa and La Sotterenea, the small but cherished venue Casa Del Popolo got added to the mix this year. 

I had the chance to attend the festival on its last day. Montreal singer and songwriter Sophie Ogilvie was the last act on the Saturday evening’s lineup. Bodywash—a local band with airy vocals and atmospheric sounds—played their respective show on the previous day and happened to be the backing band for Ogilvie’s gig. Concordia was also definitely in the house owing to the facts that Sophie Ogilvie herself is a current MA student, Bodywash’s Rosie Long Decter is a recent graduate and Concordia’s radio station CJLO 1690 AM was on the event sponsor list.

Before the final and main act of the night, I was able to catch a glimpse of the set from Toronto’s Westelaken. The “post-country” band set the mood for the rest of the evening, notably with their poignant and raw vocal delivery from frontman Jordan Seccareccia accompanied with sweet piano chords and handled rhythm with the drumset. Most of the songs were from their album I am Steaming Mushrooms released early this year. 

As for Sophie Ogilvie, her recent project Coming Up, Crocus was at the core of the live performance. Labelled as an indie rock artist on streaming services, Ogilvie has effectively merged jazz, R&B, and 90s alternative into her debut EP. Fellow friends of Ogilvie in the band Bodywash accompanied her with background vocals, bass, guitar and keys. Chris Steward from the band also worked on Coming Up, Crocus and as Sophie Ogilvie puts it, the album is “a labour of the two of us mostly.” 

Throughout the set, the singer promoted the delicate EP which, as stated in her Bandcamp bio, “chronicles how one season passes into the next and how a relationship resolves itself into something gone.” The single “Milk Glass” highlights exactly that, notably with my favourite lyrics—“And I don’t want to need anything I take from you, but I do.” The catchy harmonies of “I do” repeating only enhance the vulnerable message. 

The concept of change in motion is a prominent theme in the EP as well. The set went from featuring acoustic tracks like “New Friend,” putting forward Ogilvie’s soft vocals and guitar skills, to the most energetic track “Lash” which the Montreal artist asked the audience to dance to. 

Despite the unfortunate rain that weekend, attendees were definitely still present in showing their support for the young artists. Many fellow students, acquaintances, and friends of the starring musicians came together for the close of the tiny but mighty festival. 

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Concert Reviews Music

Giddy-up for country sensation Morgan Wallen’s electric Montreal performance

Jacqueline Lisbona / The Concordian

Morgan Wallen’s performance in Montreal on Saturday, Sept. 23 opened with Bailey Zimmerman and Ernest giving the fans a show to remember. 

Montreal’s Bell Centre came alive on Saturday night as Morgan Wallen took the stage to perform the 34th show of his 2023 One Night At A Time World Tour. Decked out in cowboy hats, boots, and flannel shirts, the electric crowd was in for a treat with opening acts Bailey Zimmerman and Ernest. Wallen, riding the high of his latest album, One Thing At A Time, made history with all 36 tracks simultaneously charting on Billboard’s Hot 100, surpassing Drake’s record. 

Bailey Zimmerman, the 23-year-old American singer and songwriter from Illinois was energetic and passionate as he bounced around the stage, high-fived fans on the floor, and flipped his hair back and forth. He sang his hit singles “Fall In Love” and “Rock and A Hard Place” and ended his performance referencing bible verse Mark 9:23: “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” 

“If you take anything away from my show tonight, it’s that there’s gonna be people telling you what you’re doing is crazy, but if I didn’t follow my dreams, I would not be here in Montreal opening for the Morgan Wallen One Night At A Time tour!” he exclaimed enthusiastically.  

Up next was Ernest, American country music singer and songwriter who beamed on stage with his personalized leather guitar strap and his “Gallagher #11” Montreal Canadians jersey. He launched an “olé, olé olé” chant and the crowd went wild. He sang some of his songwriting marvels  “Did It With You,” “Son of a Sinner,” and “Somebody’s Problem”, the latter being a song he wrote for Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album in 2021.  

As he strummed the opening chords of his hit song “Flower Shops,” he revealed that this song “validated what [he] thought was true. Country music is still alive and well,” Ernest added.

The audience illuminated the Bell Centre with a sea of cellphone flashlights, swaying in harmony with the music. As the song drew to a close, Montreal Canadiens’ Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield made a surprise appearance, joining Ernest on stage to toss red roses into the crowd.  

As Ernest concluded his performance at 8:25 p.m., the anticipation in the air heightened. Wallen emerged from his dressing room strutting to his duet with Lil Durk “Broadway Girls” at 9:20 p.m. He sported a white long-sleeved shirt, beige jeans, and a green duck hat that matched his duck necklace. Wallen took centre stage atop a riser to kickstart the night with his crowd-pleaser, “Up Down”. Smoke bombs and fireworks sparked as he shouted, “What’s going on Montreal, how we doing tonight?!”  

He thanked the fans for their dedication and introduced his crew on stage with him—Mark “Taco” Annino on drums, Luke Cowboy Rice on bass and guitar, Tyler Tomlinson on guitar, Chris Gladden on keys, Tony Aichele on guitar and Dominic Frost on guitar and lead vocals.

Following “I Wrote The Book,” “One Thing At A Time,” and “Everything I Love” was “’98 Braves” with a story about his love for baseball. He shared that baseball taught him a lot about life and is the reason why he has persevered in the music industry and has created the Morgan Wallen Foundation. The Foundation’s goal is to support programs for youth in sports and music because Wallen believes that “all children deserve a chance to thrive, play, and create.” For every concert ticket sold, $3 goes to support the foundation’s work.  

His next songs were “You Proof,” “Ain’t That Some,” “Sunrise,” and “Cover Me Up”—one of the first songs he wrote. “This song gave me a lot of faith, hope, and encouragement that maybe I wasn’t crazy about moving away from home and being a country singer. Maybe I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing. Thank you for letting me sing about stuff that means a lot to me,” Wallen said during his emotional speech.  

He then segued into “Chasing You” and “Thought You Should Know”, a touching tribute to his mother, accompanied by his guitarist Dominic. Wallen invited Zimmerman back on stage to perform a spirited rendition of “I Deserve A Drink”. The latter wore an Expos baseball jersey and bright red jeans. 

Ernest later re-joined Wallen to perform “Cowgirls” together. After returning from a brief break, Wallen emerged sporting a “#7 Wallen HABS” jersey, eliciting roars of excitement from the crowd. The highlight of the night was “Last Night,” which had become the year’s biggest country song across North America in all genres, marking a significant milestone for Wallen.  

His last song of the night was “Whiskey Glasses” and the concert concluded with fireworks, leaving fans thrilled with the experience. “That was officially one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to,” proclaimed Sam Tanner, a fourth-year JMSB student at Concordia. “I went with my mom, and it was definitely worth the money.” 

After the concert, fans flocked to merchandise stands and sang Wallen’s hit songs all the way to the Lucien-L’Allier metro station, concluding a memorable evening of country music in Montreal. 

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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.”

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Concert Reviews Music

Festival Review: FungeonFest 2023

Graphic by James Fay @jamesfaydraws

 “A safe space and the place to be.”

On March 18 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., the underground (literally!) hidden gem in Mile End, The Fungeon held its first-ever festival, appropriately named Fungeon Fest. The DIY festival delivered 12 hours of indie/indie-rock performances from various bands, like Toronto’s John’s Cottage and Montreal’s Hole in Heaven, among many others.

Leading down to the fabled stage in the basement stood a room next door, decorated ceiling-to-tile with the various bands’ merch booths on one side and on the other, handmade art from talented independent sellers such as Muskoka’s lovable mother-and-son duo The Hippie Pocket, or Montreal’s Low Life High Road, and others. 

Due to the occasion, the customary basement-reserved venue was flowing through the entire apartment. It started with the regular lively gaggle of strangers and friends alike, smoking, talking, and laughing outside the back door, moving to the ticket setup in the kitchen and the temporarily empty living room, bathed in soft pink lighting along with host Morleigh Mo Ida Smith’s spellbinding visual art. The magic then moved into the previously mentioned art and band merch seller’s room, and then finally to the illusive star of the show, the basement. 

With a handwritten setlist crowning the entrance, the underground venue glowed. Multi Coloured Christmas lights on one pillar, twinkling fairy lights on the other, bright blue light projections in the corner, dining chairs neatly lining the back wall, and even more decorative art pieces graced the concrete walls of the unfinished room. As the night went on, more and more festival-goers passed through this local haven. The crowd consisted of city locals, non-locals, artists and art enthusiasts of all ages, genders, sub-cultures and walks of life. Everyone stood present under the basement’s tapestry-adorned ceiling. They were watching, listening, and occasionally headbanging to the earnest music of the artists in front of them. By 10:30 p.m., the night was coming to a close, and one last performance remained: The Fungeon’s very own host and owner Joe Cassis. 

Cassis moved to Montreal from his hometown of London, Ontario six years ago. He moved into The Fungeon’s address a few years later with his ex-fiancé and her two children. The Fungeon had come to life through the now-separated couple’s desire to remain in the local music scene while still staying at home with the children. Eventually, The Fungeon as we know it formally opened its basement doors for the first time on June 18, 2022, and has been making a melodious name for itself ever since.  Cassis describes the venue as a “safe space for people to f—ing play” and a beacon for others to make their own statements.  

Before beginning his set, Cassis gave a very humble thank you to the crowd that had gathered in his warm and welcoming basement. He then gave a deeply captivating performance of unplugged, raw, self-written songs, with the exception of “Everybody’s Talkin’” by Harry Nilsson which was performed in honour of his late father.

When detailing the Fungeon Fest, Cassis recounted crying in the arms of John’s Cottage lead singer Max, as they performed one of their more emotional songs. “That’s the thing about these bands being so genuine to themselves is that they have the potential to save people’s lives and the lives they’ll save the most is the kids,” he explained. “That’s what these bands are perpetuating. That it’s a safe space and the place to be.”

Graphic by James Fay @jamesfaydraws

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Concert Reviews Music

HEAD: Concert Review: Sophia Radisch, The Space Wizards, and Steve Creep at Petit Campus

Triple threat bill hits Petit Campus

Last Friday, Petit Campus showcased three bands with different energies. If you got to the show in between acts it wouldn’t look like it, but once the bands got on the floor it was packed!

Steve Creep and The Wildcards opened the show, and they were tight. It was their first concert ever, let alone playing for the first time at Petit Campus! They had the energy of a band that was able to show their confidence onstage and prove that they were ready for this show. 

The Space Wizards came on next. They are a Montreal-native trio that mainly dabble in heavy blues and rock. It was their first show in ages, and they performed spectacularly. 

The trio has a sound that incorporates a dark, octave tone with drums that produce crash-heavy waves, filling the venue up. I remember watching them perform “Fill My Cup” pre-COVID and they were all the more tight, which is saying something. After the song, frontman Will said “My wah pedal was extra wah today, and that’s okay.”

In my opinion, the most memorable songs were “Mind In Tatters,” “Tonight,” and “On The Loose,” which sounded like a fight just broke out between the Greasers and the Socs and I loved it. The intro for “Tonight” came straight out of a porno, and the chorus’ line “let’s get down tonight” pushed that thought into my head each time they would sing it.

The last band that stormed the stage was Sophia Radisch, who walked onstage to shouts and screams from the crowd. She performed with tight and explosive session musicians: Zack Sarkissian on guitar, Sandro Ferraro on bass, and Justin Piedimonte on drums.

Radisch’s vocals are like the love child of Melissa Etheridge and Sinéad O’Connor. She employed that raspy voice of hers over the heavy chugs of Sarkissian’s guitar and the gritty Stingray bass of Ferraro. Piedimonte supplied the group with metal-influenced drumming that was off the board. 

The sixth and most memorable song on their setlist was “Ignite,” which featured a guitar change from Sarkissian. When they started to play, it “ignited” my memory, taking me back to when I was listening to songs from the band Our Lady Peace and The Smashing Pumpkins. It was eerily reminiscent of their song “Soma,” because they’re both littered with similar suspended chords, notably the verses. Guitarist Sarkissian laid in the licks and solos as a call and response to Radisch’s lyrics.

Overall, these bands added their own type of fuel to fire up the crowd. Quite frankly, you should have been there to see it. 

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Concert Reviews Music

HEAD: Concert Review: Static-X with Dope, Mushroomhead, Fear Factory and Cultus Black at MTELUS

Static-X performing at MTELUS

 Nu metal is so back. 

Static-X are back on the road again, celebrating the 20th anniversary of their album Machine. The California group, formed in 1994, is accompanied by a stacked lineup composed of Dope, Mushroomhead, Fear Factory and Cultus Black. It’s just a big old happy nu metal family reunion! 

On the night of March 23, MTELUS was packed with nu-metallers, a sea of Korn hoodies and Static-X t-shirts pouring out the doors and onto the street. It’s been a while since a show like this happened, a show akin to the notorious Family Values Tours of the ’90s. I wasn’t surprised at the turnout, especially considering the show had to switch venues because of popular demand and capacity. Oh man, there are a lot of nu-metallers in Montreal. For once I’m not the only one!

Cultus Black opened the night, proclaiming to be “new around here.” For a new act, their set was really impressive, and I wished I’d been in the crowd to conjure up some more hype for them. Sometimes a crowd just won’t move during an opening band’s set and it absolutely sucks to watch. The band, however, did not disappoint. Their cover of “Negative Creep” by Nirvana was such a pleasant surprise. 

Dope, boasting their new album Blood Money Part Zer0, jumped right into their set without wasting much time. I was just as excited to see them as I was for Static-X, thrilled to finally get to hear the song “Die MF Die” live. I think their set was my favourite besides the headliner. 

Now, I’d never really gotten into Mushroomhead despite their steez in nu-metal circles, but they were great to see live. No need to rehash old Slipknot vs. Mushroomhead fan wars. Their stage presence is incredible, I really wish MTELUS’ stage was big enough for a band of that size and magnitude. They had quite the handful of set decorations and it just looked so cramped together. 

Fear Factory marked their return to the stage on this tour since their vocalist change in 2020. I was pretty pumped to see them back in action, and even more pumped to see them play “Zero Signal” off the Mortal Kombat soundtrack. 

Finally, Static-X dominated the stage with classics like “Push It”, “Cannibal”, “Wisconsin Death Trip”, and my personal favourite, “I’m With Stupid”. Towards the end of their set, they took a minute to dedicate “Cold” to Wayne Static, the original Static-X frontman who passed away in 2014. 

Overall the show was a blast, and I think the crowd was probably the only downside for the most part (not really the moving and shaking type, eh?). Yet another piece of nu-metal history in the making, this show couldn’t have come at a better time because… face it, nu-metal is so back.

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Concert Reviews Music

 Concert Review: Cindy Lee at Les Foufounes Électriques

Cindy Lee playing at Les Foufounes Électriques. Picture taken by Jake Beacock

Making their awaited return to Montreal, the enthralling Cindy Lee takes the stage at Les Foufounes Électriques

Dreamy, movie-tragic and esoteric, Cindy Lee is the dazzling drag persona of Canadian musician Patrick Flegel, best known for their work as the lead singer and guitarist of the band Women. Creating atmospheric “confrontation pop”,  Lee sings delicately like a vintage starlet over glimmering guitar riffs and static, encapsulating themes of mystifying melancholy and romance. 

Their March 18 show at Les Foufounes Électriques was opened by Montreal band Born Winner, a duo laying down puffy, funky basslines and classic guitar over an ’80s mall pop vibe. Their work suggests a grunge persuasion, resulting in a great live set for spending any extra energy on dancing. Knowing Cindy Lee’s set would be one of a more mellow, lightweight tone, I absolutely danced my heart out to “average boy” and “too cool for school.” 

On-time and dressed in a white fur-trimmed coat with shiny gogo boots to match, Cindy Lee quietly graced the stage, politely waving and gently acknowledging the crowd of eager spirits. Only mere centimeters away from me, Lee set their own equipment up briefly before easing into their first song. Falling into the embrace of the ethereal tunes, I couldn’t help but close my eyes and sway to the rhythm until Lee smoothly interjected with a tastefully improvised guitar solo.

Lee danced around the stage in a glistening gold dress, bundles of baby’s breath in hand, to the weeping guitar in “I Don’t Want To Fall In Love Again.” The sweet song of distant longing and lost love rang through the venue. Between politely sheepish “thank you kindly”s, they strolled through the set of primarily unreleased and hidden tracks. It was difficult even for me, as a huge fan of their work, to discern which songs were being played! Though I’ll admit, it really adds to the elusiveness of Cindy Lee as both a persona and a project.

I had the privilege of meeting Cindy Lee themself, up close. When their gogo boots were not inches from my hands on stage, they were an incredibly kind and approachable person to speak to. Friends I had attended the show with were keen on telling them how we purchased their album, Cat O’ Nine Tails, which is unavailable on streaming platforms. Their response was somewhere along the lines of “Great! I’m going on strike!” which means we are in for another mystery upon Flegel’s next release as Cindy Lee. I will simply wait patiently until then, and I hope you will too. 

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Concert Reviews Music

Concert Review: MIKE at Bar Le Ritz PDB

MIKE delivers an emotionally powerful performance. The Ipari Park Tour is his first major tour boasting over 30 shows in a little over a month. Photo by Max Moller

Underground hip hop champion MIKE played for his first Montreal audience at Bar Le Ritz on March 10, accompanied by Florida-based rappers 454 and Niontay

The crowd was small but dedicated outside of Parc Extension’s Bar Le Ritz PDB, where MIKE made his Montreal debut. Illuminated by the chandelier store opposite from the bar, the line slowly trickled through the door where they were met with a relatively small venue. 

With no DJ, Niontay was the first to play on stage. Hailing from Orlando, Florida, he’s been putting out singles for a few years and his first project, Dontay’s Inferno, releases April 7. His set sounded like The Black Eyed Peas mixed with 

Even though the crowd didn’t know him, that hardly stopped them from enjoying his performance. They quickly took his cues for when to shout and by the end there was enough energy to make him say his Montreal performance was more fun that his most recent show in Boston. 

454 was up next, and since he was born in Florida but lives in New York he acted as a sort of bridge between Niontay and MIKE. He’s been putting out projects since 2021 and it was clear that most of the people there had already heard of him, which makes sense considering his presence on Denzel Curry’s latest album. 

His music had some similarities to Niontay’s, but with more of a trap/drill influence, including gliding 808s and plug-esque video game sounds. His set was more energetic than the first, prompting even a few short mosh pits during the most well-known songs. He did a good job getting the audience warmed up and for a decent amount of MIKE’s set, he was dancing in the audience.

The venue had been crowded from the jump, but at this point it was fully packed and the sweat was pouring. Thankfully MIKE took the stage after a short wait, and after giving some daps to the front row he jumped into a set that was energetic, intimate, and memorable. The highlight was definitely when someone tossed a bag of weed on stage and he stopped the show. “Y’all are gonna see my first ever live zaza review,” he said, before performing his song “Aww (ZaZa).” This prompted a large portion of the crowd to light joints, adding a thick layer of smoke to the room. After trying a few spliffs from the audience, he announced a winner. 

Another highlight was when he acknowledged his mother as the source of his creativity, and a resounding applause was dedicated to her. Near the end of his set, his backing track started skipping, but because of the chopped up samples he typically uses and how rhythmic the skips were, it just sounded like alternate or remixed versions of the songs. 

Unsurprisingly, most of the set was dedicated to his newest album, Beware of the Monkey. This is his 10th studio album in just six years, and it strays more melodic and poppy than his previous efforts. That’s not to say it’s a completely new sound; the reverb-laden sample loops are still there, but now they feel more grounded, even simplified a bit. The result is an album that’s more accessible to a general audience, but also doesn’t alienate the people he already won over. 

Overall, he put on a great show which was only boosted by the small size of the venue. His energy was potent but concentrated, influencing a smaller number of people more deeply. If it had been a larger space, it might have felt more watered down, like it was favouring the quantity of people over the quality of the experience.

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Concert Reviews Music

Concert Review: JID X Smino at MTELUS

JID performing at MTELUS. Photo by Dorothy Mombrun @pure.domo

JID and Smino both showcased why they’re on the map

It was in the packed MTELUS venue that hip hop enthusiasts gathered to witness two of the most promising figures of the “alternative rap” scene: JID and Smino. Both had released acclaimed albums in 2022 and it was only right for them to collaborate on a North American tour.

Before hitting the stage, they sent another hot name coming from that scene to warm up the crowd: St. Louis rapper Jordan Ward. He only played for 20 minutes, but he didn’t waste a single second and made the most out of it while hyping the crowd, singing and dancing. He definitely left a mark on Montrealers and brought an energy that matched JID’s and Smino’s.

Smino was next up, and surprisingly played with a band instead of a DJ, which isn’t something you see often at rap concerts. Smino gave a great performance, but unfortunately for him, had some things going against him. 

First, the sound was pretty bad, not only for Smino, but throughout the entire concert. The bass and drums were so loud that it was difficult to distinguish the different instrumentals and melodies. All you could hear was Smino rapping over loud bass and the drummer.

Second, even though it was a joint tour between Smino and JID, people were clearly there for the latter. Because of that, a lot of them weren’t familiar with the lyrics to Smino’s songs and weren’t as invested in his performance compared to JID’s set. Even though Smino brought the energy and was singing and rapping well, the crowd wasn’t reciprocating what he was showing them. I’ve been following Smino closely since 2018 and I even had problems recognizing the songs. 

He still delivered an hour-long set where he alternated between some of his most popular songs, with tracks from his latest record Luv 4 Rent.

Now time for JID. He was undoubtedly the star of the show. The singing was great, but the rapping was even better. He started off with the song that put him on the map: “NEVER,” and people were immediately hooked.. He then followed with a long run of songs from his 2022 album The Forever Story. 

JID was incredibly impressive to watch. During shows, most rappers need backtracks to perform and rap over them, but not JID. He was rapping almost every single word and rarely taking breaks. He is well known for having some of the most intricate and unique flows in the rap game, and to see him execute them to perfection during his performance was phenomenal. Songs like “Off Deez,” “151 Rum,” and “Raydar” really showcased JID’s rapping talent. 

He finished his set with fan favourites from his other records, and ended with the high-energy “Stick,” resulting in the crowd forming a massive mosh pit. While his set lasted an hour, I could have easily stayed for an hour more. He was that good.

Overall, despite some issues, JID and Smino still came together and more than satisfied the rap fans who were present. It was a fun night overall.

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Concert Reviews Music

Concert review – The Barr Brothers x Gabrielle Shonk

The mellow dynamic duo indie folk artist and band everyone wanted.

Gabrielle Shonk

We sat down in our seats and right on cue at 7:30 p.m., the announcer read out the lineup. He had barely finished speaking when out came Gabrielle Shonk with nothing but a guitar and her voice. She immediately started to sing her first song, “How We Used To Be.” 

Afterwards, before singing “Reminds Me Of You,” she spoke about how the song was about anxiety and her history of panic attacks, which was ironic because she was able to control her voice in an awe-inspiring manner. Her voice was honestly the driving force of her performance, as her guitar playing was minimalistic to complement it.    

Her song “Aftertaste” was a bit different than the rest of her setlist as it gave off a more bedroom pop vibe. Moreover, instead of using the drum kit sound that was used on the two other songs, she used the infamous 808 kit. I was a fan. 

The Barr Brothers

Where do I begin? They had the oddest stage setup for a band that I’ve ever seen (except for King Gizzard, they are second to none in that field). Singer Brad Barr had a mic stand that was covered in vintage light bulbs, and lead guitarist Brett Lanier was seated for the majority of the show since he was using his lap-steel guitar which had its own generously sized pedal board. The drummer, Andrew Barr, had various percussion instruments, and Éveline Grégoire-Rousseau, the harp player, had a silly horse head mask on her harp. The most sensible person was bass player Morgan Moore with his simple P bass directly plugged into the amp. 

The Barr Brothers are constantly trying to adapt and make new sounds while still sticking to the folk genre. The intro song “Burn Card” involved Andrew playing the guitar while his brother pulled a string against the guitar strings, making the instrument sound like a violin. 

For “Half Crazy,” the singer performed what felt like a five-minute-long intro of playing an Egyptian scale on his guitar with a slide. Grégoire-Rousseau had a distortion pedal which sounded spectacular. Having listened to this song every day on Chom 97.7 in 2014 on my way to school, it felt like I had finally come full circle to be able to witness it live. The song took a different, more jammy turn which involved the Barr brothers soloing off each other. 

Their encore songs were “Beggar In The Morning” and their single “It Came To Me,” which, while overplayed on a lot of radio stations (namely Chom), they performed them a lot differently compared to the studio version. It was overall a wonderful performance and the crowd gave standing ovations to both Shonk and The Barr Brothers. I would highly recommend going to see either act separately.

Graphic by James Fay @jamesfaydraws

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Concert Reviews Music

Super Bowl LVII halftime show: Rihanna delivers

Photo credit to Shutterstock

 Rihanna’s performance could have been perfect if only for one extra thing

Everyone tuned in to Super Bowl LVII on Sunday, not necessarily for the football game, but for Rihanna performing at the halftime show.

From the moment I heard she was going to perform, I knew it was going to be good, and so did everybody else. But that also came with high expectations, at least from my end, because well, it’s Rihanna. And after last year’s iconic show with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Eminem, just to mention a few, I was ready to witness another flawless performance.

There were many speculations as to how the show would start, but Rihanna chose to open it with “B*tch Better Have My Money,” as she stood on a moving platform with lights that couldn’t have been any better. It gave everybody chills and set the tone for what would be an amazing show.

Rihanna has so many top hits that people were worried she wouldn’t be able to play their favourite songs, but the list of songs she performed was spot-on: banger after banger.

For me, the “O.M.G. Rihanna is performing and it’s absolutely iconic” moment hit when the intro to “Run This Town” started playing, and her ending the show with “Diamonds” was just the cherry on top.

But as much as I enjoyed her performance, something was lacking: a surprise guest.

There’s no denying that her baby being the surprise guest isn’t adorable, but a guest who could’ve performed with her (Drake, Jay-Z, where you at?) would have been the it factor that would have brought this show to the next level.

So when she transitioned from “Rude Boy” to “Work,” I was disappointed not seeing Drake appear on stage. It was the same when she started singing “Run This Town.” Having Jay-Z perform with her, followed by “Umbrella,” would have made the show as close to perfect as it could’ve been.

In the end, Rihanna still did it all. She sang, danced, performed, and levitated on platforms — all while being pregnant. The backup dancers and outfits really brought the whole thing together.

Overall, it was an enjoyable halftime show that gave everyone chills. And just like she always does, the queen delivered.

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Concert Reviews Interview Music

Erin Marcellina and Hank’s Dream at Quai des Brumes

Erin Marcellina playing at Quai Des Brumes. Alexandra Blackie/The Concordian

The musician debuts their newest EP “Book of Open Tuning” in concert 

Erin Marcellina and the band Hank’s Dream came together last Friday, Jan. 27, to create an unforgettable experience for their fans at the bar Quai des Brumes located in the Plateau Mont-Royal.

Unlike most performers who stay backstage before their shows, Erin and the band were at the front of house. They were greeting guests and introducing themselves to their dedicated fans, who consisted primarily of supportive family and friends. If they were nervous, there was no indication of it. The group couldn’t have looked more in their element.

“I was super nervous before the show. Everything was racing. But the moment I started performing, it was so much easier,” said Marcellina.

Marcellina kicked off their performance with the important piece “I Should’ve Told Him” on their newest EP. Inspired by one of their close friend’s suppressed memories of being sexually assaulted, the acoustic guitar paired with Marcellina’s soft vocals made for a tear-jerking performance and the perfect way to start the show.

This was followed by a noteworthy rendition of Bruce Springsteen’s hit “I’m On Fire,” which created a feeling of nostalgia for the older demographic and revisited personal memories for Marcellina’s father since they listened to this song religiously during a family trip in Ireland.

“I’ve been playing this cover my whole life.  It’s a childhood song and very nostalgic to me. It was easy for me to place it in the set because I know I’m going to play it well,” Marcellina said.

They broke up their performance by entertaining fans with the song “Mommy” that has yet to be released. They expressed to the audience how the song stemmed from them being recently rejected.

Marcellina also sang a spectacular cover of “Suddenly I See” by KT Tunstall, which animated the crowd as they began to dance in groups on the compact dance floor.

“I chose this one because I had recently watched The Devil Wears Prada and this song was on the soundtrack,” said Marcellina.

Marcellina concluded their set by playing “Your Drug,” the last song on their latest EP, along with a special feature by Hank’s Dream who played accompanying instruments. The combination of Marcellina and the band created a unique take on one of their most popular pieces and demonstrated an undeniable connection between the band and themself.

“Hank’s Dream is made up of such talented musicians and they’re such nice guys,” Marcellina said. They added that this was their first experience performing one of their songs with a full band. “It felt like everything fit really well,” they said. 

As soon as Hank’s Dream walked on stage, the crowd gravitated towards the front rows to watch them perform some songs from their self-titled debut.

They delighted their fans with an exceptional performance of Miley Cyrus’ hit “Party in the U.S.A” which caused the audience to break out into song, almost making it hard to hear the band at all.

This was Marcellina’s third concert and second time at Quai des Brumes. By the end of this show, they had definitely left their mark that evening. 

With the hope of performing once again with Hank’s Dream and a single on its way, Marcellina is truly making a name for themself.

Photo by Alexandra Blackie

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