Like a good glass of scotch or the ideal piece of chocolate cake, Fink’s voice is smoky, rich and capable of sending any audience to a
Photo by Tommy N. Lance
relaxed but grooving place. Live, his deep melodies and slow rhythms have a greater impact and a very different feel from his studio albums. The notes seem to permeate the very air: a hum that settles deep within your bones as you rock in time to the music.
Accompanied on the drums and guitar by Tim Thornton, Fink played most of the songs off his newest album, Perfect Darkness. The hit single “Yesterday Was Hard On All Of Us” and the album’s final track, “Berlin Sunrise”, received particularly rousing applause from the mostly older crowd.
To spice it up, the duo played the bluesy number “Hush Now” from Fink’s breakout album Biscuits for Breakfast. While changing to his blues guitar, Fink explained, “Every tour I tell myself, ‘This guitar isn’t coming on tour anymore’ and every tour it manages to sneak on board anyway.” Let us hope that it does keep ‘sneaking’ aboard because the slight change in pace and rhythm brought a whole new dimension to the show.
All of this combined with the intimate feel of La Sala Rossa made for a memorable night. After the show a smiling Fink said, “We love playing in Montreal!” However, he confessed that the last time they were here “it was bloody freezing and only twenty people showed up.” Fink’s popularity has been on the rise since the release of Biscuits for Breakfast in 2006. Perfect Darkness reached number 32 on the Dutch charts in 2011 and remains Fink’s biggest claim to fame.
The group are on tour around the Northeastern U.S. and Canada but will be performing at several music festivals in India come December. Whenever they do return to Montreal they are well worth a look-in.
A music student’s wet dream. If three-part vocal harmonies performed by musicians juggling several instruments at once doesn’t get you off – I don’t think anything ever will. Grizzly Bear’s performance at L’Olympia Sunday night left us speechless. Really, we have no words.
Bassist, producer, and back-up vocalist Chris Taylor casually looped in the sax, oboe and flute, Christopher Bear snapped away on the drums, and lead vocalists Ed Droste and Daniel Rossen ethereally breathed life into their melodies, plucking away at piano keys and guitar strings.
The boys are touring in promotion of the latest addition to their musical catalog. Shields was released earlier this month, much to the brava of those that were fans of their earlier, less commercial work. The bandmates took some time apart last year to work on solo projects and develop their own, individual musical styles. Their live show proves that they successfully honed their strengths, regrouped and learned to meld together better than ever.
Unknown Mortal Orchestra
As Grizzly Bear’s openers at L’Olympia on Sunday, Unknown Mortal Orchestra lucked out in playing to a packed house. And there really couldn’t be a band more deserving of the spotlight.
UMO are hardly ‘unknown,’ for they’ve lapped the Pitchfork crowd multiple times in the past year alone, stealing several festival gigs. You really do have to see them live to understand all the brouhaha. UMO performed as a three piece, just a guitarist-vocalist, drummer and bass player. Somehow, the sound that generated from their instruments pumped with all the manpower of a full funk-rock orchestra. This is rock that you can really groove to. Choosing to tag along on the Shields tour was a smart move for UMO, chances are pretty high that they’ll gather an immense following before the end of the year.
An Evening with David Byrne & St. Vincent
On paper, David Byrne and St. Vincent’s Annie Clark may seem like an odd pair. In the Plateau’s majestic church Eglise Saint-Jeane Baptiste, they dropped jaws. The two are touring on the heels of their collaborative effort, Love This Giant, released at the beginning of the month. Clark’s angelic, pitch-perfect voice blended harmoniously with Byrne’s signature Talking Heads warble. And man, can that girl shred; Clark’s skills on the electric guitar are near unmatched by any female rockstar. The evening was a hoot. In between Byrne’s quips and – how could I not mention – a fully choreographed set list, it was truly a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience.
How Music Works w/ David Byrne and Win Butler
At the Ukrainian Federation on Saturday night, POP-ers had the opportunity to meet the men behind all their adulation. Yes, David Byrne recently wrote a book called How Music Works, but his talk with Arcade Fire’s Win Butler didn’t really stick to what lies on the pages. It was hardly a lecture. Butler and Byrne exchanged jokes, jabs, and perspectives on success in the music industry. Discussion topics were kept quite light, from ‘what to wear on stage’ to ‘why musicians use choreography in their routines.’ Perhaps the only real insight we gained from the talk was hearing Byrne and Butler’s public realization of the end of music as a commodity. For as internet pirates continue to allow albums to go for free, recording artists look to the live show as the real product.
Born Ruffians
These Ontarians played not once, twice but three times throughout POP Montreal. The indie-pop-rockers are kind of behind in terms of the Canadian music scene. They toured throughout the summer and continue to this fall, but are still relying on old material. Their last album, Say It, was released in 2010. Despite the lack of excitement in their set lists, the Ruffians still put on a good show – they managed to gather large crowds at each of their sets.
Mozart’s Sister
All the hens have been clucking over Mozart’s Sister. Caila Thompson-Hannant has been bouncingaround the Mile End’s hip-but-encouraging music scene for a few years now, but she is finally getting noticed thanks to her Arbutus label mate Grimes. When she performs as Mozart’s Sister, Thompson-Hannant belts it and sexes it up. She made sure to take advantage of the spotlight at her free show at Parc de la Petite-Italie on Thursday and at Eglise POP Little Burgundy on Saturday night.
Rich Aucoin
There is no such thing as a Rich Aucoin ‘show.’ It’s the Rich Aucoin experience. He pulled out the confetti, rainbow parachute and YouTube video memes galore at Divan Orange yet again. Aucoin may be one of the best performers out there; he convinces entire crowds to join him in reciting virtually all of the lyrics to his songs and whips them into a sweaty, dance-induced frenzy. He has toured relentlessly, bringing the ‘experience’ all over North America in the wake of his 2011 release, We’re All Dying To Live.
Hundreds of demonstrators marched in the pouring rain Saturday, to celebrate the repealed tuition fee increase and abolished Law 12 while continuing to take a stand for free education.
The newly formed provincial government scrapped the proposed seven-year tuition fee increase of $254 per year Thursday, following months of social unrest from the student strike movement. The Parti Québécois also abolished the controversial Law 12 aimed to limit protests implemented by the former Liberal government.
The Coalition large de l’Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante led the protest through the streets of the downtown core around 2:50 p.m. from Lafontaine Park. Members of CLASSE began the monthly protest with speeches congratulating the student movement on their victory.
“The goal of this protest is to revive the debate about free tuition,” said Jeanne Reynolds, a spokesperson for CLASSE.
Fédération étudiante universitaire du Québec and Fédération étudiante collégiale du Québec were not present for the march, as both student groups fought for a tuition fee freeze and not free education. Both student associations declared victory following the repeal of the tuition hike.
Concordia University undergraduate student Robin Sas marched in support of the PQ’s decision to stomp out the hike.
“We have to celebrate the victories because they are rare,” said Sas. “That’s not to say I think it’s over but it’s a big victory in a continued fight.”
John Aspler, a recent McGill University graduate, said this was the first monthly protest he did not participate in. Aspler felt that the PQ’s position on universities’ management of funds and financial aid for students remains unclear.
“I don’t even know what we’re protesting anymore,” said Aspler. “I mean, maybe learn to compromise.”
Bishop’s University student Matt O’Neil believes that the student strike movement already won their victory and that the demonstration was unwarranted.
“It’s ridiculous, they already got their freeze,” explained O’Neil. “Now it’s getting down to greed.”
“CLASSE is leading the way in the fight toward free education, a model I personally agree with,” added Sas. “Why have any barriers based on income to education?”
“As long as there is a fee, some will be excluded, regardless of ability. Loans and bursaries are often insufficient, and student debt can be crippling,” Sas explained.
The demonstration ended with the arrest of two protesters and a police officer was injured on Sherbrooke St. after being pelted with a projectile outside of Loto-Québec. The Montreal Police declared the protest illegal around 4:30 p.m. and asked demonstrators to disperse.
“I think the protests will continue but with the most radical elements involved which could be awful,” said Aspler. “All of the 22nd protests have been peaceful except for this one.
Anthony Kantara, a Vanier College student, said that students must put pressure on Premier Pauline Marois because of her plan to index tuition fees.
“She’s not perfect,” said Kantara. “That’s why we have to keep fighting.”
When walking along the streets of St. Laurent Blvd., one can easily find a place to dine, shop or party. However, every so often a spot stands out amongst all the flashy lights, restaurants and dive bars.
Next time you’re walking North on St. Laurent, try something new; take a right onto Duluth and step into Le Reservoir, a bar that stands out for its excellent house-brewed beers and its irresistible snack bar.
The two story bar offers a pub setting and ambiance that would easily fit in the trendy hipster neighbourhood of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Both floors are equipped with their very own bar, as well as an L-shaped, non-smoking terrace which wraps around the second floor. The interior design of the place is retro with just the right amount of lighting to set the perfect mood over a pint of any one of their fine beers.
Upon being seated, my girlfriend and I ordered off their chalk-written menu hanging above the bar. I ordered their white India Pale Ale, and my girlfriend ordered the cherry beer. Both came rather fast as they were skillfully poured before our eyes.
Through the glass wall behind the bar, the clientele can easily see the room where the giant metal containers called “worts” are kept. These massive containers house the delicious beer as it ferments in all its glory.
I have been yearning to go to Le Reservoir and try their beers crafted by their master brewer Nathan McNutt—beers that I can now happily say exceeded my expectations.
“The most rewarding part of my job is seeing people enjoy my work while at the same time fulfilling my passion for creation,” says McNutt. “Combining my skills, creativity, and toil with raw ingredients and machinery to make a delicious product that many people enjoy; I just don’t get tired of that.”
By the end the evening I had tried four of his beers and as a result, must encourage anybody who appreciates a well-rounded beer to head over there next time they want a quality pint.
I may not be a beer expert, but I can say that their white IPA was a refreshing pint filled with taste and character, and their Irish-inspired black beer was a full-bodied pint with a perfect coffee flavour finish. Even my girlfriend’s cherry beer was not just a simple, pretty coloured beer. It is fermented twice with polished cherries, resulting in a savoury beer worthy of being served along the other outstanding choices.
“Reservoir up until recently focused solely on classic styles of beer as opposed to the more fashionable aggressively hopped beers or strong exotically flavoured beers found in other brewpubs,” says McNutt.
While their beers may be filling and satisfying on their own, craving food after a few drinks is expected. Thankfully, Le Reservoir has a kitchen.
The place is well known for its weekend brunch which is supposedly superb. However, I went on a weeknight and so I got a chance to indulge in their snack menu.
I ordered the calamari platter and my girlfriend the Gruyeregrilled cheese, toasted to perfection with marinated onions and apple butter. Both plates held decent portions and were creatively served. The grilled cheese was placed on a wood platter and the calamari served in a mason jar. Turns out we chose wisely as the food perfectly complimented the beer.
Overall, the place provided an ambiance and vibe that is different from many bars in Montreal. It is original and versatile in the sense that it is a cool place for a late night drink, yet perfect for an afternoon snack or weekend brunch. They offer a fine selection of beers and spirits at reasonable prices, and their food menu changes daily for a fresh and impressive experience. I love this place and I highly suggest you head on over and try it for yourself!
The Occupy Movement undertook a two-day initiative entitled Occupons le Sud-Ouest that addressed community issues affecting the borough as part of a local project targeting Montreal neighbourhoods.
According to Paul Bode, an organizer of the event, there was a need for Occupy Montreal to “go local” and focus on residents in their neighbourhoods.
“What we did at la place des Peuple was great,” said Bode. “It was an amazing experience but it’s not the way to really reach people where they live.”
Occupons le Sud-Ouest spanned over the weekend at Sir George-Étienne Cartier park in Ville-St-Henri. Since the spring, individuals within the movement have started neighbourhood occupations throughout the city. Occupons le Sud-Ouest is the fifth local occupation in Montreal, and the first for the borough.
“What you see today [shows that] Occupy Montreal has spread,” said Marc Olivier Rainville, who joined the movement when it began in October 2011. “We’re not only downtown but we are in every park of the city.”
The event aimed for residents to participate more in their community, communicate with their neighbours, and learn about the issues affecting the neighbourhood. A prominent issue for residents of the borough is the reconstruction plan for the Turcot Interchange. The crumbling structure that links highways 15, 20 and 720, and provides access to the Champlain Bridge, needs renovations.
“The big, big thing that concerns us is the Turcot Interchange,” explained Bode. “I love my neighbourhood but I am so scared of what that’s going to bring and I think a lot of the other residents feel that way too.”
Photo by Madelayne Hajek.
Many residents expressed fears that the revised project does not sufficiently address safety issues, specifically about the demolition of houses located in the surrounding area of the construction site.
“I’m really hoping that the members of different organizations see what a wonderful opportunity this is to get information out about the issues that affect the neighbourhood,” said Shannon Franssen, a co-ordinator with Solidarité Saint-Henri and a spokesperson for Turcot Mobilization.
The two-day occupation also focused on issues of gentrification, the environment, and food security. Workshops and discussions held throughout the weekend focused on these issues. It gave participants a chance to learn about these concerns as well as offer their opinions on the subject.
The Occupy Movement offered free vegan food, had booths set up to educate individuals about gardening and organic foods, and a play area for children. There was also chalk, markers, and paper for residents to write messages about what their ideal neighbourhood would be like.
After living in Ville-St-Henri for six years, Geena Davis noticed that the neighbourhood changing; this was the impetus behind her participation of the occupation.
“I think it’s important to show support when people are doing good things,” explained Davis. “I think people doing anything they care about, that contributes to the betterment of a neighbourhood or of a community is a good thing.”
Fashion Week in September always seems to hold an unsettling feeling that comes with the change in season. Just as we are about ready to embrace our felted fedoras and wool ponchos, fashion designers tease us with next year’s spring/summer collection of bright colours and fresh fabrics.
With this seasonal change in fashion trends comes the wardrobe revamp — a process that could be both time-consuming and dizzying. Thankfully, there are designers who believe practicality does not have to suffer at the hands of style.
Toronto-based designer Rachel Sin understands this need for comfort and versatility all too well. Her eponymous clothing line is designed for the “want-to-do-it-all woman” — a woman in need of key pieces that will not only help her transition from one season to another, but more importantly, from work to cocktail hour.
Devoted to the vision of a confident and feminine woman, Sin’s spring/summer 2013 collection is flirty, sophisticated and tailored to a woman’s curves. She showcased her collection on Sept. 7 at the new home of Montreal Fashion Week, the industrial-chic Arsenal art centre.
Aside from seasonal body-hugging dresses that are naturally alluring, Sin has taken the pantsuit and pencil skirt and added a touch of flare that will surely make heads turn.
With the leading ladies of Mad Men in mind, Sin had her models dressed in ’50s-inspired style, strutting on the catwalk to Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots are Made for Walking.”
While looking to trends from past decades is common among designers, Sin goes beyond fashion and taps into her architectural training, giving her a unique edge in the fashion world. With a Master’s degree in architecture from Carleton University, Sin searches for inspiration from eye-catching and elegantly designed architectural spaces.
“Careful attention to detail and precise tailoring comes from the natural tendency in architecture to make all things better with good design,” said Sin. “If architecture must always be functional, then fashion should be wearable.”
Sin spent her university years studying and interning as an architect by day and taking sewing classes by night. While fashion design was always a career she wanted to pursue, she did not think studying fashion was necessary. Sin gives credit to her architectural training and keen eye to detail for her success in fashion design.
“As an architect, you learn to open your eyes and pay attention to everyday details,” she said.
Photo by Sophia Loffreda
For her spring/summer collection, Sin was inspired by the iconic Farnsworth House designed by one of her favourite architects, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Built in the late ’40s, the house was ahead of its time, uncluttered and framed with glass and industrial steel. The idea was to allow the viewer to experience self-exposure to the outside natural world all the while feeling a sense of comfort and protection from the glass structure.
Sin translates the translucence and simplicity of the Farnsworth House with the use of soft and transparent fabric such as lace and jersey. Imagining what a woman would wear in such a modern space, Sin uses clean lines and neutral shades to complement the minimalist expression of the house.
While the colour palette of the collection may be simple with beige, black, grey and the occasional pop of coral, Sin’s attention to detail comes through the lace cropped tops, the ladder-back dresses and the Peter Pan collars.
Though balancing architecture by day and fashion by night can be time-consuming and hard work, Sin is a “want-to-do-it-all woman.”
“As a designer, you definitely have to be passionate about what you do because it is one of the toughest jobs,” said Sin. “I made the decision to become a designer, to create beautiful and well-designed objects, whether it be a building or clothing.”
Pop-punk veterans The Offspring filled the Metropolis to capacity on Sept. 4, playing the first of a pair of concerts in Montreal. After openers The BCASA’S and Dead Sara got the crowd fired up, the California Quad opened with “Hurting as One,” the first of 21 songs in their set. Playing for just under an hour-and-a-half, the band downplayed interaction with the crowd and focused on the music, playing a mix of old and new, including six songs of their latest album Days Go By.
Photo by writer.
23 years after their initial release, the band showed that their popularity transcends age, with fans of all generations flocking to the mosh pit. With the booze flowing and every sense of the term “personal space” gone, the crowd got rowdy at times with beer and sweat flying left, right and center.
While most of the show was a fast-paced burst of energy, the band also took it down a notch playing “Kristy, Are You Doing Okay?,” a song that frontman Dexter Holland wrote as an apology to a girl from his childhood.
Notable hits such as “Come out and Play” and “Dividing by Zero” were definite crowd-pleasers while newer songs, surprisingly, seemed to garner equal enthusiasm.
Ending the main set with “Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)” and “The Kids Aren’t Alright” from 1998’s Americana, the band came back on stage for a three-song encore finishing the night off with the ever-popular “Self Esteem.”
Edit: The Offspring had originally scheduled their second show at the Metropolis but due to unforeseen events, it was moved to The Olympia.
Lance Armstrong was in town last week to speak at the World Cancer Congress, when out of the blue, he decided to invite the whole Island to join him for a run on Wednesday evening. When I heard of Armstrong’s invitation on Twitter, my first thought as a journalism student was to bring my camera and recorder.
I was very gung ho at the notion considering he’s recently been all over the news. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency had just banned Armstrong from further competition and stripped him of his seven Tour de France titles due to allegations of using performance-enhancing drugs. It was heavy stuff.
It was only as I was leaving for the park that I realized hauling my equipment would keep me from actually running. How often would I get the chance to do my cardio work- out with the most famous cyclist in the world? So I left my gear at home and told myself, ‘don’t worry about the story. Just run.’
The congregation waiting for Armstrong at the foot of the George-Étienne Cartier monument was impressive. By 6 p.m., hundreds of people in various states of readiness were shuffling about.
Finally, the man of the hour made his way through the throng and hopped on a bench. He quickly greeted the crowd before taking off up the gravel path, flanked by what seemed like every runner in Montreal.
I followed. It was an odd feeling knowing somewhere in the crowd before me was a world-class athlete setting the pace and I was keeping up. I was going to keep step with this paragon of fitness and live to tell the tale!
Yeah right!
I’d been running a few times a week all summer, so I was by no means unfit. Yet despite my best efforts, after about half-an-hour, I found myself slowing down and had to reason with myself. Don’t worry about keeping up with the world-class athlete. Keep your own pace. Just run.
We were already near the top, and most of the trail was downhill from there. I took my time and tried to appreciate the scenery around me. Everything was beautiful up there, and I don’t just mean the foliage. A run like that attracted a lot of very fit people. My social survival instincts kicked in. I thought to myself, “Whatever you do, try to look as good as them. Be impressive!”
Again: Yeah right.
I was a mess—a scraggly- haired, red-faced, sweaty mess. I quickly silenced whatever idiotic part of me thought this would be a good opportunity to meet people. Just power through and finish. That was all I had to do. Just run.
By the time I got to the finish, I had no idea where Armstrong was. There were still news crews doing interviews, but they looked like they were about to leave. I found a soft patch of grass on the hill and just laid there, catching my breath.
Reflecting back, I realized the run wasn’t about prestige or looking good or even getting in shape. Lance Armstrong, Tour de France winner and cancer survivor, with the weight of the world on his shoulders, didn’t need any of that. He just felt like running. At the very least, I’d like to think I kept pace with him on that.
In the wake of this year’s South by Southwest music festival, Montreal has been dubbed by many as the new ‘Brooklyn.’ Talented artists and hipsters have flocked to the NYC borough for almost a century to rub shoulders with like-minded people, but now it seems as if the tides are turning towards our faithful city.
Consider this an introduction, merely scraping the surface of what your home has to offer. These are the musicians that laid the foundation in the 2000s for today’s incoming creativity, in no particular order.
Arcade Fire:Funeral, Arcade Fire’s 2004 debut, has the second most appearances on decade-end album rankings, trailing only Radiohead’s Kid A. In response to winning the 2011 Grammy for Album of the Year for The Suburbs, Win Butler, the band’s frontman, initially responded with ‘I can’t believe it, we won. Merci Montreal!’ And the feeling appears to be mutual, for when the band played a free show at Place Des Arts last September, tens of thousands packed the streets, many just to watch on big screens around the corner. We are fortunate enough to live in the city that their music pays homage to. This is a band that Montrealers have welcomed into their homes. Spin a few records and you may understand why.
Grimes: Though fresh faced and a relatively new addition to Montreal’s new music scene, Claire Boucher, better known as Grimes, has become our mascot. Boucher is a workaholic; she has released 3 albums in two years and, according to her twitter feed, almost never stops touring. Montreal can thank Grimes for bringing its underground electronic scene to the forefront.
Patrick Watson: Patrick Watson has long been a quiet staple and full participant in Quebec’s music family. His latest release, Adventures in Your Own Backyard, was recorded in a home studio right next door to his family’s home in Plateau. The lyrics are inspired by the concept of home, which for Watson and his band, is Montreal. “I’d like to write songs that people can carry with them in their daily life and bring them some sort of adventure,” says Watson.
Karkwa: In 2011, Karkwa won the Polaris Music Prize for their fourth album, Les Chemins de Verre, in what was called the “longest and most emotional deliberation in Polaris deliberations” by Liisa Ladouceur, who oversees the selection committee. “The short-listed records are all of extreme high quality and they truly resonated with members of the jury whether or not they completely understood the language of the lyrics,” claimed Ladouceur. Language politics will always make headlines in this country. When a band that sings only in french succeeds in defying language boundaries, it has got to be good.
Leonard Cohen: Leonard Cohen is Montreal’s resident Renaissance man, but to the rest of the world, legendary. According to critic Bruce Eder, he is second only to Bob Dylan and Paul Simon in terms of cultural influence, particularly because of his ability to single-handedly hold an audience through four decades of music making.
Chromeo: Nowadays, dance music dominates the music charts, both independent and top 40. Montreal is home to countless DJs, but Chromeo is perhaps the first of our electronic musicians to appeal to indie, dance, and pop crowds. The duo are childhood friends that embody Montreal’s cultural diversity; P-Thug is Arabic and was born in Lebanon and Dave 1 is Jewish. If you’ve ever stepped foot on a Montreal dancefloor, chances are pretty high that you’ve heard a Chromeo remix. Little known fact: the duo used to work at Celine Dion’s studio.
The Dears: As a six piece orchestral, hard rocking outfit, The Dears paved the way for bands like Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, and Stars. They toured the globe on the heels of The Tragically Hip, Sloan, and Keane, and were shortlisted for the 2011 Polaris Prize for Degeneration Street, their fifth studio album.
Plants and Animals: Magical things can happen on Parc Ave, or at least thats what the members of Plants and Animals think. Their 2008 debut album, Parc Avenue, was released in the wake of their love affair with Montreal. Warren Spicer, Matthew Woodley, and Nic Basque met as music students at Concordia, but truly dug their heels into the Plateau music scene as residents of the Mile End.
Sam Roberts Band: Since his 2001 debut, The Inhuman Condition, Sam Roberts has become a Canadian household name. He is a frosh week staple, an instant Much Music video hit, and almost always a Juno nominee. The Inhuman Condition remains one of the bestselling independent releases in Canadian history. Roberts is a West Island native, and like many other Montrealers, trilingual.
Stars are veterans of both Montreal and North America’s indie-pop music scene, having released their debut, Nightsongs, in 2001. They found fame quickly; their dreamy, lovesick tunes proved to be the perfect soundtrack for the teen dramas, like The O.C., that defined the decade. To this day, Stars still calls Montreal home. Even their upcoming September 4 release, The North, uses an image of Habitat 67 as their album cover.
For months I was told of this new hip restaurant called Deville Dinerbar. Being the sucker for hype that I am, I finally caved and decided to give the place a try. Let me tell you—I was not disappointed. Although the ’50s have been long dead, Deville Dinerbar captures that retro diner quality seen in Pleasantville and adds a little downtown urban feel to it, just so that we don’t feel too out of place!
Situated on Stanley St. between Ste-Catherine St. and De Maisonneuve blvd., Deville Dinerbar offers an immaculate decor amid a classic American diner setting with a chic twist of bright neon pink and an impressive marble bar area. Simply walking past Deville is enough to spark the interest of any passerby as its LED- lit interior inevitably catches the eye. I had no problem finding the place seeing as it is a veritable beacon amongst the surrounding buildings.
Upon entering and being seated, we were handed our menus by a very pleasant hostess. A waiter quickly filled our glasses with water and asked us what we would like to drink. We started with a couple of Red Stripe beers while we admired the interior decor. After the waiter announced the specials, we decided on the fried pickles and crispy mac ’n’ cheese stuffed wont- ons for a starter. We devoured our mouth-watering snacks, perfectly complementing our beers.
When our main dishes arrived, I was delighted to see that their portions were generous to say the least. I ordered the fish and chips on a bun and my girlfriend had their famous cirque burger. Both were reasonably priced below $20 and turned out to be just as delightful.
My fish and chips sandwich was fried to golden crispy perfection and was served com- plete with pickled onions and malt vinegar sauce on the side. I tried some of my girlfriend’s cirque burger, but found it to be a little too sweet because of the bourbon-poached pear. On the whole though—pretty good.
We finished off the evening with their R-rated shakes, a frothy blend of your choice spiked with booze, which once again brought us back to that ‘50s diner atmosphere.
Although Deville Dinerbar has a cool ambi- ance and setting, it is much more than that. The place offers gourmet American diner food with a menu that includes hamburgers, ribs, salads, and a vegan burger for your vegetarian friend. Overall, Deville Dinerbar is a wonderful place to have the diner experience and indulge in a few drinks with friends at their fully stocked bar which includes a selection of cocktails, beers and shakes. Lastly, take note that the place also has a jukebox app available via the net which allows you to request songs and, therefore, further add character to the place by personalizing the ambiance in your own little way.
Deville Dinerbar is located at 1425 Stanley, downtown.To see the menu, consult their website www.devilledinerbar.com
A contingent of students moved through the streets of downtown Montreal on Friday, Aug. 31 to denounce the tuition increase and support striking students that clashed with university administration earlier in the week.
A group of approximately 100 protesters left Place Émilie-Gamelin around 9 p.m. Students weaved through lanes of vehicles slowing traffic on St-Denis St. to kick off a protest that lasted nearly three hours.
As the group headed west, the Montreal Police followed and directed traffic away from the protest. At around 10 p.m., demonstrators joined a crowd on University St. emerging from the Percival Molson Stadium following a Montreal Alouettes football game.
Eric Pagé, a McGill University undergraduate student who was at the game, said he feels the student protests have run their course.
“I think they have the right to protest but not to goad cops or damage public property,” said Pagé. “I don’t think they should be protesting with an election coming up. The more publicity the protests get, the more it annoys people,” added Pagé. “It affects the odds of voters casting their ballots in favor of the party who will hold their ground about tuition.”
The student movement has slowed down in recent weeks following the announcement of the provincial election coupled with several failed initiatives to continue student strikes in French CÉGEPs. The upcoming election on Sept. 4 will ultimately decide whether the tuition fee increase will stand and if the controversial Law 12 will be abolished.
“For me, the solution to the problem isn’t the elections,” said Anthony Kantara, a Vanier College student at Friday night’s protest. “We could have accomplished a lot more as a movement if we had continued with the strike.”
The protest fizzled out after midnight when protesters and police clashed outside of Concordia on the corner of De Maisonneuve Blvd. and Mackay St.
“No major incidents happened that night,” said Montreal Police spokesperson Anie Lemieux. “Three people were arrested. One individual was arrested for intimidation while two others were arrested for assault.”
Andréanne Proulx, a CÉGEP du Vieux-Montréal student, said she believes the results of the upcoming election will shape post-secondary institutions and guide the student movement.
“It really depends on which party will form the next government and the decisions it will make,” said Proulx. “But if nothing changes, the protests will continue.”
This September, Montreal’s premier indie festival Pop Montreal will return for their 11th anniversary, with arguably the biggest and most exciting lineup yet. Dozens of artists, members of the media and fans were packed in the PHI Center on Wednesday morning to attend a press conference to preview this year’s festival.
Pop Montreal will take place Sept. 19 to 23, opening the door for many acts to be discovered and heard. Pop Montreal is not just a music festival, for it also embraces film, art, fashion, music discussions, and even children’s activities.
After host Nick Cabelli warmed up the attendees alongside the enigmatic Donzelle and producer/DJ Kid Koala, Pop Montreal’s creative director Daniel Seligman and the curators and directors spoke about the numerous activities happening this year. The festival has grown immensely with widespread appeal throughout the city, not to mention the increase of general interest among Canadians.
“It’s very nice to see a lot of artists here,” explained Seligman. “I think we’re keeping the spirit of our roots. We’ve always had a grassroots festival and we’re going to follow this mandate for all upcoming editions.”
With over four hundred artists gathering together in a span of five days, this year’s festival could be the most exciting event to hit the city all year. The roster for this year’s edition is
interesting to say the least, as stages will be graced by Lil’ B, Grizzly Bear, Chilly Gonzales, Ariel Pink, Deerhoof, Laetitia Sadier, The Beatnuts, Gotye, K’Naan and even a special evening featuring David Byrne and Annie Clarke, better known as St. Vincent.
There will be more partying than ever as well, with numerous electronic and dance acts like Brooklyn’s Gang Gang Dance, Nicky Da B, Big K.R.I.T., Canada’s own Peaches, Cadence Weapon, A Tribe Called Red, Boogat, and Prison Garde.
The festival excels in delivering some of the best local talent the city has to offer and this year is no exception. The homegrown talent includes Montreal temptress Grimes, Yamantaka // Sonic Titan, Lunice, TOPS, Parlovr, Sheer Agony, Tim Hecker, Radio Radio, Doldrums and Purity Ring, among countless others.
Art Pop curator Johanna Heldebro spoke on the importance and the direction of art in the festival.
“My goal has been to bring together some of the most exciting and dynamic artists working today,” said Heldebro. She also mentioned that one of the most exciting elements about this year’s art instalment is that it examines “the relationship between the individual and mass-culture, in particular personal relationships.”
One of the most exhilarating things about Pop Montreal is the amount of free shows in the city. This year boasts quite a few mouth-watering freebies, including DAM-Funk, Austra, and Hot Snakes. Montreal darlings Stars will also headline an intimate evening on Sept. 19 at La Tulipe, presented by SiriusXM radio. There will also be plenty of complimentary film screenings, art shows, and fairs.
The anticipation for this year is overwhelming, especially with the announcement of Pop vs. Jock, the charity basketball game that takes place on Saturday, September 22, where proceeds will go to Montreal’s DJ Sports Club, a non-profit organization that offers programs in sports and education to kids aged 7-17. The half-time show will be hosted by Arcade Fire’s Win Butler and Régine Chassagne alongside Kid Koala. The game itself will feature Win, and his brother and fellow Arcade Fire member William, Freaks and Geeks’ Martin Starr, professional basketball player Luke Bonner and Nikolai Fraiture, the bassist for New York rockers The Strokes.
Pick up a Pop booklet or visit POPMontreal.com for more information on all the events and everything that will be happening in the course of the five-day festival.
