Category: Music

Categories
Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Dave – Psychodrama

Dave’s debut album, Psychodrama, is quite literally a therapy session. The intro cut “Psycho” sees Dave attacking his insecurities and troubles in a three-minute lyrical onslaught. It’s very much a tone-setter, as the UK rapper doesn’t slow down in any of the following 10 tracks. The 11-minute “Lesley” is the strongest bit of storytelling this year, in which Dave details the downward spiral of an abusive relationship. Psychodrama is an emotional heavyweight of an album filled with brooding beats and brutally honest moments of self-reflection. The year is still young, but Dave may very well have a contender for album of the year with this project.

9/10

Trial Track: “Psycho”

Star Bar:

“Furthermore, I should bring that bitch down to Streatham

And then make her spend a day in a veil like a widow

Kiddo, we seen swords longer than a limo

My bros are blacksmiths like Jaden and Willow”

-Dave on “Psycho”

Categories
Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: DDG – Sorry 4 the Hold Up

The YouTuber-turned-rapper and recent Epic Records signee, DDG, is looking to solidify his place in the hip hop world. His latest project is a short but sweet reminder of the constant work he puts in to reach musical stardom.

Sorry 4 the Hold Up, a clever twist on Lil Wayne’s classic mixtape series, Sorry 4 the Wait, is a four-track project whose major theme revolves around the complicated, public breakup he went through in 2018 and his actions following the split.

On the album’s opening track, “Lil Baby,” the 21-year-old smoothly croons over an electric guitar-based instrumental produced by superstar beatmaker Mick Schultz. DDG provides a detailed account of his intimate encounters, possibly reflecting on past events with his ex. Sorry 4 the Hold Up’s third track, “Hold Up,” holds the only feature of the EP. Queen Naija, fellow YouTuber-turned-artist, accompanies DDG on an emotional message to their past loves. Queen Naija went through a similar high-profile breakup in 2018, so it’s fitting that she shares the track with him.

The project’s final track, “Run It Up,” features an interesting trio of rappers to close out the EP. Released prior to Sorry 4 the Hold Up, the song includes YBN Nahmir, G Herbo, and Blac Youngsta, each of whom showcase their individual styles and flows on the club anthem. “Run It Up” is produced by Taz Taylor, who’s known for creating the beat for Rich the Kid’s three-time platinum single, “Plug Walk.”

While DDG’s fan base awaits a longer body of work, they should only expect a full project to be released once he gets through his Breaking the Internet tour, set to end on April 18. Nevertheless, Sorry 4 the Hold Up, despite being only four songs long, is just the right amount of music needed to hold them off—for now.

8/10

Trial Track: “Lil Baby”

Star Bar: “I think it’s really your pride

You not expressing what you feel inside

Girl, I don’t know what you’re trying to hide

You said that you loved me, that shit was a lie”

– DDG on “Hold Up” ft. Queen Naija

Categories
Music

Ralph: Canada’s cool older sister

Ralph’s new album includes songs about relationships and self-love.

From performing in musicals as a teenager decked out in Vans, a pair of fairy wings, and a crinoline over her jeans, to working in several bands over the years while sporting boho-chic hats, Toronto artist Ralph’s sound and look have evolved greatly throughout her life and career.

Ralph can safely say that she has always taken risks in music and in fashion to stand out and do things differently. Having now ditched traditional singer-songwriter attire for a more fun and edgy look, she said she currently focuses on comfort and occasionally plays with gender ambiguity.

“I love that my style can walk this line of androgyny,” she said. “I think that’s really fun to play with for music videos and for looks in general.”

Since the release of her 80s-driven EP in early 2017, Ralph said her main goal when it came to her latest album, A Good Girl, was to focus on a more contemporary sound.

“I got type-casted as this 80s synth-pop artist and I didn’t want that,” said Ralph. “I think my music transcends one genre.”

According to Ralph, the album released last fall still features nostalgic moments reminiscent of sounds from the past, but feels fresh and new—especially with the inclusion of the track “Girl Next Door,” a collaboration with Toronto singer and rapper TOBi.

Ralph said that despite having strayed away from her beginnings performing as a folk artist, there are still many similarities between her music then and now. The most significant constants are the themes she is drawn to when writing lyrics.

“Pop is just such a huge genre and you can kind of make it what you want it to be,” Ralph said. “I write pop music in the same way that I wrote folk, in the sense that I still tell stories.”

Ideas of self-love, self-acceptance, and self-worth are driving forces behind Ralph’s lyrics. Having dealt with an eating disorder in the past, and still occasionally feeling insecure about parts of her body, she said that slowly opening up about her struggles has been therapeutic for her and her audience.

“It can be scary and challenging, but I think it’s really rewarding, and there are so many people who need to hear conversations about it,” said Ralph.

Another of the many themes Ralph explores in the album is how relationships shape our lives.

“It’s a universal theme, it’s very relatable,” Ralph said. “Whether it’s the relationship we have with ourselves, the relationships we have with our friends, with our family […]. They help you grow so much.”

Ralph’s favourite track on the album, “Cereal,” dives into this topic, focusing on love and heartbreak. It features the lush, female harmonies of Montreal-based duo Milk & Bone. “I remember listening to it and just getting shivers,” said Ralph. “It felt like the perfect closure to the album for me.”

“Cereal” was the last song Ralph wrote for the album and it holds a special place in her heart. “It’s funny listening to it now because it’s about a breakup and I’m back together with the person that it’s about,” said Ralph.

While Milk & Bone will not be joining her for her Montreal performance, Ralph said she is thrilled to be touring with Canadian singer-songwriter Scott Helman. She and Helman, also a Toronto native, met at the iHeartRadio Beach Ball festival in Vancouver two years ago. “He’s such an amazing songwriter and performer,” said Ralph. “Each time I see him play, I’m blown away and I respect him more and more as an artist. It’s a cool opportunity.”

As far as future collaborations are concerned, Ralph said she hopes to branch out and work with people outside of Canada. “I have a lot of friends in Los Angeles who are great singer-songwriters and musicians,” Ralph said. “I think [collaborations] are such a cool part of being a musician […] It’s such an awesome experience to create something out of nothing with someone else.”

When it comes to A Good Girl, Ralph said her biggest challenge was curating the track list. She said she wrote approximately 40 songs for the album and struggled to make cuts. “You have to be open minded and able to understand that you will write a million songs,” she said. “I get so attached to each song that I write, that it feels excruciating to think that I may never use that song for anything.”

Ralph said she is learning more every day about when it’s best to include a song or leave it off the album. “I’m just constantly getting better at understanding how to be more collaborative, more patient, less stubborn, and to think about how being an artist also often involves being part of a team,” said Ralph.

Already looking towards the future, Ralph said she already has 30 new songs written with her next album in mind. She started writing on the road during her last tour, and plans to perform new material on her current tour.

“I’ll write another 10 or 12 and then we’ll start picking which songs we want to put on a new album or EP that’ll come out in the spring or summer,” Ralph said.

For now, Ralph said she is focused on touring and promoting her latest album. While she typically sees a large number of young men and people from the LGBTQ+ community attending her shows, she said Helman’s audience tends to be mostly comprised of young women.

Ralph said the LGBTQ+ community is her biggest support system. “I’m so grateful to have that, but it’s also really cool to also be exposed to a different kind of audience that isn’t necessarily hearing my music,” she said. “I think a lot of my music speaks to young women, so it’s really cool to be creating a new fan base and meeting new people who are connecting with the songs.”

Though she gets worried about staying healthy while touring, especially during the winter, Ralph said she is mostly excited to be on the road again.

“My shows are open and safe for everyone to come, and they’re fun,” Ralph said. “They’re fun and personal […] and we dance a lot. If you’re not a big dancer that’s cool, but I encourage everyone to try and shake their hips a little bit.”

Ralph and Scott Helman will be performing at L’Astral in Montreal on March 20. Their tour will conclude with a show in North Bay, Ontario on April 6. A Good Girl is available now.

Categories
Music

Raphael reaches out

Raphael and Ridgely hit some devastating harmonies. Photo by Simon New.

Montreal singer-songwriter navigates continents and mental health issues

“My parents don’t even know I sing,” admitted Edwin Raphael to the crowd at Petit Campus on Thursday night. He moved to Montreal from his parents’ home in Dubai five years ago, where the most he did was play guitar. He just released Will You Think Of Me Later, his first full-length album.

After moving to Montreal to study economics at John Molson School of Business, Raphael became disenchanted with his studies and immersed in his craft. “I was procrastinating, trying to write music. I was like ‘anything’s better than studying economics,’” he said. His biggest song, “Queen of Coasts,” from his 2015 EP Ocean Walk, has over 2 million plays on Spotify.

Dubai, said Raphael, has a more mainstream, corporate-feeling music scene that he found uninspiring. Montreal was a breath of fresh air. “There’s a live show every fuckin’ night; there’s music everywhere,” he said.

Raphael had the crowd swaying on every note. The show, which marked the launch of Will You Think Of Me Later, felt like a hometown gathering at a house party, attended by friends, fans and other local musicians. Raphael’s sound is innately intimate, his smooth voice gliding across gentle instrumentation from his band. He gave the band a break to do a few songs solo with his guitar, backlit by a spotlight. Raphael cites Ben Howard as someone he emulated when he was writing in his dorm room.

There were powerful moments in Raphael’s set, when he brought up singer and rapper junï, for their collaboration “Bloom.” The track is a downtempo, nostalgic elegy of a relationship with a lover, studded with a blaring organ sample that brings the hook to a boil: “You say flowers don’t bloom / Like they’re supposed to / When we’re hanging out / Shit’s just different now,” sings Raphael. Golden-voiced Montreal pop singer-songwriter Claire Ridgely joined him for “Tangerine Skies,” a top-down, summer romance ballad that was as sweet as it was sad.

When Raphael was writing Will You Think Of Me Later, his guitarist Jacob Liutkus would offer his opinion as a co-writer, as well as writing all of his own guitar parts. The two aimed to speak frankly of mental illness, from the outside. “For me, the story was how to deal with someone dealing with addiction,” said Raphael. Liutkus added that the project is meant to reach out. “This album was about [how] you’re never alone in terms of what you’re feeling, if you ever think ‘I’m the only one feeling this way,’” he said.

On “Sober,” Raphael is losing his lover to addiction. “You’re crying out for these words I know / With you moving out cause you’re losing hope / Won’t you come around / Just be sober now, just be sober,” he sings. Raphael acknowledges the limit of this perspective as a second-person narrative. “Me looking at it from the outside, like I can’t tell you what to feel, because I don’t know what addiction feels like, and there’s only so much I can do,” he said. “That was me understanding that I don’t understand. People try to think they understand addiction because they’re addicted to something, but there’s so many levels to that.” Will You Think Of Me Later is Raphael doing what he can to help others understand these struggles—it is an invitation to join in learning, without forgetting to be a remarkably smooth listen.

Categories
Music

Fans of all ages come out for Teenage Fanclub

“If someone told us when we first wrote these songs when we were 20, that we’d still be playing them now,” said Norman Blake. He didn’t finish his sentence.

When you are a band that Kurt Cobain consistently cited as one of his favourites, your reputation can tend to precede you.

Yet, Teenage Fanclub’s near 30-year career of being “musicians’ musicians”—Noel Gallagher also referred to them as “the second best band in the world” at the height of Oasis’s popularity—doesn’t seem to have created any inflated egos among them.

“If someone told us when we first wrote these songs when we were 20, that we’d still be playing them now,” said singer and guitarist Norman Blake to the crowd two songs into the band’s set at Petit Campus on March 9, trailing off before finishing the thought.

The gratitude they feel to still be playing sold-out rooms (albeit not the theatre-sized rooms they used to play) was clear from the first song, as Blake’s faced beamed with an uncontrollable smile, locking eyes with the other members as they found their timing together.

The band’s cult status has helped them maintain a solid fan base through ups and downs of popularity. However, the music itself, with timeless lyricism and a preternatural ear for melody, is arguably what has kept them consistently accumulating new fans over the years. That fact was present among the delighted onlookers: while there were plenty of older indie-rockers with touches of grey in their hair, there were also many who couldn’t have been far out of their teenage years.

The band elected to start their set with the opening tracks from their two most successful albums, 1995’s Grand Prix and 1997’s Songs from Northern Britain.

Both songs (“About You” and “Start Again”) were written by Blake, and unfortunately the crowd would be denied other classic singles such as “Sparky’s Dream” and “Ain’t that Enough,” written by recently-departed bassist Gerard Love. He retired from touring last fall after the band performed their first five albums in chronological order across three nights in Glasgow.

Emerging from a British independent music scene in late 80s that hadn’t quite figured out what was going to come after New Wave and synth-pop, Teenage Fanclub fused howling, massively distorted guitars with a penchant for the power pop of 70s bands like Big Star and Cheap Trick and harmonies of 60s pop-rock of bands like the Byrds. In doing so, they somehow anticipated both the Grunge movement in the United States and the Britpop movement of their home country. While never quite gaining the mainstream success of other 90s alternative acts, their career always seemed to hew close to the most important things happening in alternative music.

Their 1990 independent debut album, A Catholic Education, was released in North America on the then-newly founded Matador Records, and was the first release to attract considerable attention to a label that would go on to help make the careers of bands like Pavement, Sleater-Kinney and Modest Mouse.

Their breakthrough single, “The Concept,” released ahead of their 1991 major-label debut Bandwagonesque, seemed ahead of the curve, perfectly capturing the sarcastic aloofness that would define 90s alternative rock, with lyrics like “she says she don’t do drugs, but she does the pill.” That album famously beat out Nirvana’s Nevermind to be named album of the year by Spin magazine.

As the night progressed, the band would jump from brand new material in “Everything is Falling Apart,” a single released in February and penned by lead guitarist Raymond McGinley, to songs only for the hardcore fans such as “Only With You” from 2005’s Man-Made and “My Uptight Life” from 2000’s Howdy!, interspersing it all with other highlights from their more popular albums, such as “Alcoholiday,” “Your Love Is the Place Where I Come From” and “Verisimilitude.”

At this point, the crowd seemed to be getting a bit antsy as “The Concept” had yet to make an appearance. The consummate showmen they are, Teenage Fanclub saved the best for last, playing it to close out their set before returning for a short encore that included a cover of The Who’s “The Kids Are Alright” and their first ever single release “Everything Flows.”

Categories
Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Technicolor Dreamers – Aperitivo

The Italian word for appetizer, Aperitivo is a 5-track debut EP from Montreal rock band Technicolor Dreamers. The length of the EP, clocking in at 20 minutes, forces the group to put their best work forward with high-quality production, dance-worthy instrumentals and catchy vocals from lead singer Alex Sciola. At times, their tracks sound as if they took inspiration from the Smiths or early Kings of Leon–high compliments for the first project of any up-and-coming group. The opening song, “What If We Could Dance?,” sets the precedent for the rest of the EP, although the latter tracks evolve from softer, slower vibes to heavier rock ‘n’ roll. The heaviest is “No Time For Trouble (Live Version),” which mimics a live recording without taking a hit to sound quality.

If Aperitivo is supposed to be an appetizer for what is to come, we look forward to seeing what Technicolor Dreamers have prepared for the piate principale.

Rating: 8.5/10

Trial Track: The Lizard

Star Bar: “What if we could dance until our feet fell from the ceiling? What if I could say three words that didn’t have a meaning?” — Technicolor Dreamers on “What If We Could Dance?”

Categories
Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: The Cinematic Orchestra – To Believe

The Cinematic Orchestra is a British music group consisting of six members. The ensemble, formed in 1999, fall into many genres, though downtempo—a genre of electronic music similar to ambient music—and nu jazz, are most fitting. Their creative approach to mixing both traditional and synthetic musical sounds is one that sets them apart.

To Believe is the group’s fifth studio album, and comes 12 years after the release of their previous one, Ma Fleur. Their latest project is only seven songs long, though the above-average length of the songs makes up for the short track list. Each track is at least five minutes, with the last song of the album, “A Promise,” running for 11 and a half minutes.

With five of the album’s seven songs featuring vocals from less known singers, To Believe’s two other songs are strictly instrumental. The project’s sound is one that reflects a kind of personal, introspective journey. Each track, in its own way, provides the listener with a mental depiction of emotion and energy—whatever that may look like. Songs like “The Workers of Art” do well to demonstrate the reason for the group’s name. Its melancholic, flowing string melody is reminiscent of a dramatic, romantic scene between two troubled lovers. Though some tracks may run flat at times, highlighted by their extremely long lengths, each song ends on a reassuring note—one displaying The Cinematic Orchestra’s expert production and creativity.

6.5/10

Trial Track: To Believe ft. Moses Sumney

Star Bar: “Our walls come down / Reveal to me / No need to wait, no / For me to see” — Tawiah on “Wait for Now/Leave the World”

Categories
Music

Mother Mother dances and cries

I wanted to ask Ryan Guldemond where his sleeves went, in the tone of an uncle that asks you if your knees are cold in your ripped jeans.

Vancouver indie-pop outfit reaches out to L’Astral’s crowd

A familiar riff breaks the chatter at L’Astral in the fourth quarter of Mother Mother’s set. The crowd roars like they hadn’t before on this Friday night; there was a noticeable jolt in the energy of the room. It was the opening of “Hayloft,” the single that defined the band’s presence as an alt-rock Vancouver heavyweight a decade ago.

Molly Guldemond and Jasmin Parkin, the two supporting vocalists, began the electric hook: “My daddy’s got a gun, you better run.” The tune that tells the story of two lovers evading a crazed, armed father leverages it’s vivid simplicity and effervescent melody. There was a gripping imminence in the lyrics thoroughly encapsulated in the breakneck riffs which the frontman Ryan Guldemond, Molly’s brother, handled easily.

The song was released on Mother Mother’s 2008 album, O My Heart, to critical acclaim. While floating in pop-rock waters, the tape was anchored in Ryan’s incendiary confidence and unique melodies that landed the Vancouver band in a saltwater limelight. The lyrics were playful but vivid, the instrumentation was tight and textured. On the following album, Eureka, Mother Mother posted their portion of the pop-rock patch, with Ryan’s voice coating the project in a signature gloss. You could find them at the fringe of pop, tip-toeing between heaviness and more tender moments.

As Mother Mother progressed however, their tonal range became more restricted, moving their voice closer to the indie-pop centre. The band lost some of its shimmer in what could only have been a grasp at a wider audience, sacrificing their charming verses and hooks for lyrical platitudes.

Mother Mother opened with “I Must Cry Out Loud,” the first track on their newest record Dance and Cry, after which this tour is titled. Unfortunately, this album doesn’t travel into much deeper thematic waters than dancing and crying. Ryan traded the hoarse, unhingedness of “Hayloft” for a safer, more anthemic chant borrowing from the trite indie-pop formula epitomized by The Lumineers’s 2012 burden of a chart-topper, “Ho Hey.”

If they opened with the ‘cry,’ they followed up with the ‘dance,’ playing the title track on which the hook starts with “Dance, dance, dance / While you cry / Dance, dance, dance / As you try,” and ends with a repetition of the album’s title. The song has an Apple-commercial cleanliness that is as present in its sound as its lyrics. Not that there isn’t a relatable core to the cathartic idea of dancing while you cry, it would just be nice if the reason for it went further than an escape from a vague “valley of darkness.” “Bottom is a Rock” was a highlight from the new album, taking up the Sisyphytic cycle of life’s highs and lows. The melodies were similarly safe, but the rhythm and chords were satisfyingly heavy.

Sanitary lyrics fortunately came with crisp, rich sounds as the whole band was undeniably sharp. They meshed synths with tight basslines and strong lead guitar in a way that left no frequency unaccounted for. This was especially apparent when they covered “Creep” by Radiohead, with Molly delivering an excellent v

ocal performance. The band’s movement was comparably tight, Ryan’s super saiyan-esque spiked blonde hair and intense features had the audience captivated. During faster songs, they head-bopped, bounced and yelled the words in a way that was oh-so-respectful of me and my camera gear.

Mother Mother was very gracious with the audience, involving them in a way that showed their humility. “This shit is the best form of group therapy there is,” said Ryan. He went on to say how he wished he could sit down with the crowd and pass around a talking stick. Drummer Ali Siadat gave a speech in broken French about the band’s love for Montreal.

Mother Mother’s set was frustrating in its safeness, but seeing hardcore fans getting red in the face going word for word with Ryan, I knew those shoutouts were for them. The band connected with the captivated audience, despite their music becoming harder to spot in a crowd. Still, no moment that night came close to when “Hayloft” dropped, and L’Astral turned into Vancouver in 2008.

Categories
Music

To the concert hall and beyond

The upcoming Star Wars concert will not feature a choir, as the film’s score solely requires the accompaniment of an orchestra. Photo courtesy of GFN Productions.

The Quebec entertainment company GFN Productions was only founded last year, but it’s already shooting for the stars.

On April 19 and 20, GFN is bringing George Lucas’s 1977 film, Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, to Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place des Arts, in a live concert rendition of the world-renowned, epic space film. After the enormous success of its first ever film-to-concert adaptation of Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in January, the Montreal-based company is extremely hopeful for a similar result in their upcoming show.

“The reception of the Lord of the Rings concert was astonishing,” said Francis Choinière, president and production manager of GFN. “With two sold-out shows, the public was moved by the scale and power of the performance. It really brought the movie and soundtrack to life, and they were craving for a continuation of the trilogy. The concert, in every aspect, was a success.”

GFN’s Lord of the Rings show featured the l’Orchestre FILMharmonique, recently renamed from MTL Film Music Orchestra, and MTL Film Music Choir. The upcoming Star Wars concert will not feature a choir, as the film’s score solely requires the accompaniment of an orchestra. L’Orchestre FILMharmonique will provide the soundtrack while the film is projected on a mega-sized screen above the stage, with french subtitles. The orchestra will be conducted by experienced Finnish-American conductor, Erik Ochsner.

Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope is scored by veteran composer and film soundtrack great, John Williams. Williams is responsible for the music from iconic films like the Harry Potter series, Jurassic Park, the Indiana Jones series and more. Known for his epic, full-bodied sound, Williams has made his mark on both the film and music industries, providing the perfect foundation for live-orchestra film concerts.

“Not every film is well suited for the concert hall,” says Choinière. “John Williams’ musical score is exceptional, and creates exactly the impact we want in our shows.”

With tickets ranging between $60 and $140, GFN hopes to create an inclusive event for all film and music fans. Star Wars: A New Hope and its score attract all generations, and GFN hopes its second film showing does the same.

Tickets for the April 19 and 20 shows at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier can be purchased on the Place des Arts website.

Categories
Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: DaBaby – Baby On Baby

Charlotte, NC native and recent Interscope signee DaBaby dropped an album that sounds like he’s late for something and doesn’t have time to record, but his haste gives the project life. His urgency in spitting and singing catchy hooks builds purely infectious energy. Beats are fun, jittery and simple. Baby’s charisma shines while showing that he has no time to build a pattern and break it. Every song structure is so fleeting that it’s hard to get bored track-to-track, even though each one is almost tonally identical. While the freshness is satisfying, it doesn’t give any single cut a chance to shine. Songs featuring Offset and Rich the Kid, among others, dot the tracklist of this solid introduction to DaBaby’s frenetic world.

6/10

Trial Track: Tupac

Star Bar: “I’m like the 2Pac of the new shit / A hundred thousand hoes and they like the way I do shit” -DaBaby on “Tupac”

Categories
Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Juice WRLD – Death Race for Love

Death Race for Love, the sophomore album from Juice WRLD, is a misfire. With 22 tracks and a 72-minute runtime, the project drowns itself in filler tracks and underdeveloped themes of heartbreak and depression. Stylistically, Juice stays in his emo-rap lane without pushing any boundaries. There are some great emotional moments, such as “Robbery” and “10 Feet,” but Juice meanders throughout Death Race so much that these brief looks into greatness are shadowed by generic and uninspiring songs like “HeMotions.” Undeniably influenced by Lil Peep, this project is suffocated by its attempt to recreate his sound. Death Race was promoted by Interscope as Juice Wrld’s Reasonable Doubt, but it feels more like his Blueprint 3.

Score: 4/10

Trial Track: “Robbery”

Star Bar: “I problem solve with Styrofoam / My world revolves around a black hole / The same black hole that’s in place of my soul, uh / Empty, I feel so goddamn empty”

  • Juice Wrld on “Empty”
Categories
Music

Travis Scott takes us to Astroworld

Rapper Travis Scott performs on middle stage at the Bell Centre March 5 for his Astroworld: Wish You Were Here Tour. Photo by Skye Legault.

Travis Scott’s unique rapping style hyped up the crowd Tuesday night

It seemed like all of Montreal piled into the Bell Centre to see Travis Scott perform live on March 5 for his sold out show, Astroworld: Wish You Were Here Tour. His latest album, Astroworld, was released last year and merch featuring the “Wish You Were Here” tagline was being sold to promote it.

It’s impossible not to hear his songs “Antidote,” “Butterfly Effect” and “SICKO MODE” during a night out. The 26-year-old rapper is known for his use of voice effects and adlibs that create an eccentric, distinct sound that can almost be described as mumble rap. Born in Houston, Texas, he later moved to New York to pursue music after graduating high school. He later released his first untitled EP on MySpace in 2008.

Scott is a part of GOOD Music, Kanye West’s music label. The two artists are practically family. Scott has released three studio albums: Rodeo, Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight, and Astroworld. He also formed a duo group with Quavo of Migos called Huncho Jack, and they released their debut album Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho in 2017.

Rapper Sheck Wes, who is featured on Scott’s new album, was the opening act for the Montreal show and performed his biggest hit “Mo Bamba.” The main act, following Wes, was a wild ride from start to finish—literally, since two rollercoasters were set up above the crowd. People on the floor were invited to wait in line for a ride on the roller coasters. They climbed up, were strapped in by security, and enjoyed a slow coaster ride as the crowd cheered.

Scott energized the audience while shouting “Montreal!” as he was suspended upside down in his roller coaster seat. Pyrotechnics added to the wow-factor.

Astroworld is inspired by a now-closed theme park Scott used to go to in Texas. It meant a lot to him and was a place of fantasy and imagination. He captures that sense of wonder in his show, with trippy visuals and huge blow-ups of his head and an astronaut.

Scott moved between the main and middle stages throughout the night. The crowd on the floor matched his energy with massive mosh pits. One guy was especially excited, as he jumped onstage with Scott and then crowd-surfed. The mood changed with a slower song off his mixtape Days Before Rodeo, “Drugs You Should Try It.” The audience’s cheers were replaced with phone lights illuminating the room. The night proved to be lit. Scott closed the show with crowd favourite “SICKO MODE,” featuring Drake, hyping up the audience one last time.

Scott will be ending his Astroworld Tour at the Firefly Music Festival on June 22 in Dover, Delaware.

Exit mobile version