Music

First and foremost, The Roots show at Metropolis last week was incredible. Having seen them several times before with disappointment, I was skeptical. But this time the performance was all love. On stage for nearly three hours, the legendary Illadelph crew went from playing their own classics to doing a 20-minute blend covering songs from Tribe to Lil Jon.

1. YOU SAY PARTY! WE SAY DIE! - Lose All Time 2. ARCADE FIRE - Neon Bible 3. BLACK LIPS - Los Valientes Del Mundo Nuevo 4. CURSED - blackout the sunrise ep 5. MODEST MOUSE - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank 6. BESNARD LAKES - The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse 7.

Inspiration is a funny thing; bizarre, erratic even. It is bewildering how this delectation comes to burn inside an song writer. What fuels them to compose, to conceive? Is this a creative flow of potent supernova juice? A revelation perhaps, transcending from the divine? This timeless inquisition is nothing new.

The press is calling Jason Kent familiar and they're right. Kent sounds like a voice you've been acquainted with for years. He is a familiar face that you've seen around the city. In one instant he is a wallflower, the boy next door and in the next, an alluring spark with an audacious smile.

Perhaps it's the bouncing of basketballs that developed Montreal producer Ghislain Poirier's own love for the bounce. But one thing is for sure: his relationship with the sport gave him his first acquaintance with hip-hop. "Hip-hop is the unofficial soundtrack to basketball.

Following my recent marijuana hiatus, which will likely be interrupted for The Roots show this week, a few things have changed in my life. I now get up at 8 a.m. almost every morning, I stopped eating 9 times a day, and I don't allow myself to sit through stoner talk for more then 10 minutes.

Addictiv isn't afraid to throw down a challenge, especially a big one, when it comes to two of her closest passions: music and Canada. She's stamping herself as the Canadian queen of hip-hop and R&B, and is ready, even encourages, anyone who wants to challenge her.

"We're going to hell in a handbag!" Tamara Nile devilishly exclaimed. "We tend to think we're screwed and things can look really daunting, but that attitude doesn't help. I believe that even in the face of things looking terrible, we have immense creative power.

In this hip-hop world full of death threats and drug talk, a rap group full of nice guys that just want to party, spread good vibes, and please the girls is hard to come by. Fortunately, upon hearing French rap collective TTC, one needs to look no further.

This Toronto trio is definitely playing outside the lines and breaking all the rules. Best of luck categorizing this breed of rock from guitar/vocalist Brent Jackson, bassist Matthew Jameson and dummer Michael Taylor. The Junction's self-titled album begins with the hard rocking opener "Station Me" then smoothly and nearly flawlessly shifts into alt-rock emo sounds and indie-rock territory.

Students Taking Action Now (STAND) Concordia is organizing Rock Darfur, a benefit concert March 15 at Club Lambi. Bands featured are: La Defense, NateEscape, Heruba, Feel Gud and Polar Eyes. All proceeds go to Doctors Without Borders. STAND consists of Concordia students seeking to raise awareness about the major humanitarian crisis in Darfur.