Tag: show

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Truth Is… Montreal can’t get enough of Sabrina Claudio

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The singer never ceases to impress fans with her charisma

If you were lucky enough to be in the gleaming presence of R&B singer Sabrina Claudio on Oct. 17 at Corona Theatre, then you are well aware of the lasting impression she left on audience members.

Clad in a sparkly corset and three-piece lingerie set, her hair tied up in a tight bun, with hips that just refused to lie, and a voice too sultry to ignore, I think it’s fair to say that the audience got a firsthand look at the physical manifestation of utter beauty. Period.

Claudio started off her set with the first song off of her latest album released on Oct. 4, Truth Is, titled “Take One To The Head.” Her stage presence immediately captivated the audience, who were ooh-ing and ahh-ing as soon as the first verse left her mouth.

She followed up with a classic Claudio bop, “Unravel Me,” which sent the audience into a frenzy, with many attempts at impersonating Claudio’s falsetto.

Claudio is known for being very in-touch with her fans, both online and onstage. This was especially conclusive when she took a few minutes to discuss the meaning behind her masterpiece, Truth Is, and what led to the creation of the cover art for the album.

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“You guys will be surprised to know that despite all of this (referring to her sultry outfit), I’m quite the shy girl,” she said.

Claudio is known to be very private in terms of writing and producing her music. Although she usually takes the bull by the horns, she decided to incorporate the work of other producers and singers in an effort to change up the creative flow for Truth Is. She made a point to state that the efforts of so many successful female writers and producers behind this album made it the solid piece it is, hence why it is her favourite album to date. Thus, she decided to have some of their faces sketched onto the cover art.

Pulling up a stool closer to the stage, we entered the more sensual part of the concert. “Let’s see how many of y’all are emotional,” said Claudio, a playful smirk forming as she teased the audience and jumped into her timeless ballad, “Frozen.” In a nutshell, the perfume of romance was in the air, and couples were swaying along to the track throughout the crowd.

“Belong To You” came up next, with a twist from the original cover. A jazzier take, if you will. Next came “Holding The Gun” – another favorite from the new album – the lighting was dimmed down to create a more somber atmosphere to fit the lyrics of the song.

Claudio ended the night with the obvious, “Truth Is,” interchangeably mixed in English and Spanish. The half-Puerto Rican, half-Cuban artist from Miami is no stranger to bilingualism; this was made abundantly clear.

Just when we thought the night was over, we were given a last encore, with the song that some may say launched her career in music, “Confidently Lost.”

“I’m alone but I’m not lonely…,” the first verse rang through the crowd with such depth that many were straight up yelling the lyrics from across the venue in an effort to reach her.

A perfect ending to a perfect night. Fans can rest assured that Claudio will come back again, just as she has for the last three years. They can also concur that there is a god, and her name is Sabrina Claudio.

 

Photos by Britanny Clarke

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Music

Charli XCX enchants Montreal with her futuristic pop

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British pop auteur performs a sold-out show at the Corona Theatre

Charlotte Aitchison, known by her stage name Charli XCX, has been experimenting and expanding the borders of pop music since she was 14. She played a sold out show on Oct. 15 at the Corona Theatre during her tour promoting her latest album release, Charli.

The audience was lively and happy, with people of all ages making up the crowd, though the majority were teens and young adults. The northern-England artist’s sound has evolved from witch house to punk, and now borders a dance-pop and electro-pop sound that resonates with youth everywhere.

Charli demonstrates a perfect balance of upbeat futuristic pop, filled with clicks and digital manipulations in both her lively party tracks as well as her slower songs detailing heartbreak, confusion and loneliness. The latter makes up most of her new album, which she performed almost in its entirety that night.

Teeter-tottering the avant-garde while still adhering to mainstream pop, Charli ponders how the future might be with her explosive sound. At Corona, she was just as dynamic as her music, bringing a fun yet reflective vibe to the audience. At times dynamic party pop songs, other times self-examining and introspective, creating this space for crowds alike to reflect.

The show opened with Toronto’s airy yet edgy electro-pop artist Allie X. Later, digital sounds and computer-musings emerged among a large flashing cube before Charli herself came on, wearing a jewel-studded mask covering her mouth and a large shiny coat. She began the show with “Next Level Charli,” the first track off of her new album, then moved on to the more upbeat and cerebral “Click.” Charli’s energy was contagious, going back and forth between slow songs and upbeat bangers. 

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She slowed it down again with “I Don’t Want to Know,” which got people swaying. She brought back the energy with the hedonistic 2016 hit “Vroom Vroom,” and then the introspective “Gone” – both a party track to celebrate with others and solo, having everyone singing “Why do we keep when the water runs?/Why do we love if we’re so mistaken?” During “I Got It,” she yelled to the audience to “get down low!”

Although Charli is known for collaborating with many other artists in the pop world such as Lizzo, Yaeji, Sky Ferreira, Troye Sivan and CupcakKe, she still brought the energy to Corona as a solo performer. Then about midway though, Charli brought in a couple Montreal artists and drag performers, giving them each a chance to perform. According to Charli’s instagram, she is continuing to bring on local dancers and artists to accompany her on stage wherever she stops on tour.

Charli then played the Pop 2 version of “Track 10 / Blame it on Your Love,” not withholding the dreamy, squeaky production of the original version. Though most of the show included tracks from her new album, she came back for the encore with past upbeat hits, starting with the electronic and dreamy “Unlock It” and the Icona Pop cover of “I Love It.” She then finished with the bubble-gum pop “Boys,” and last year’s hit “1999.”

Like in her music, Charli brought both an upbeat party energy to the crowd as well as an introspective and contemplative one, making us delve into letting loose while also considering our own personal reasons for it. Charli loves to party, and she continues to remind us to keep it real with ourselves while doing so.

 

Photos by Laurence B.D.

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Welcome To Loserland

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Po Lazarus proves they’re ready for prime time with the performance of their forthcoming album, Loserland

A small crowd upwards of 70 people crept close to the small stage set in the backyard of Po Lazarus’ bassist, Paul Mascarenhas. It wasn’t a particularly cold night, but the sheer number of people awkwardly close to each other made sure that the dropping temperature wasn’t an issue for anyone who attended the intimate show. The concert was set to start at 6 p.m. and one minute before, singer Joshua Carey approached the mic and said: “Welcome to Loserland.”

The show’s purpose was to raise money for the Montreal-based band to pay for studio time to fund their forthcoming album, Loserland. Po Lazarus opted to play the project in its entirety, offering the small group of fans a promising first-look at the ambitious multi-genre project, set for release at some point in the spring of 2020.

“The hardest part about having a band is making sure you have enough money to record everything,” Carey said after the show. Po Lazarus has been writing the songs to Loserland since the release of their 2017 EP, O Body, and finally caught a break when the former producer for The Tragically Hip, Mark Vreeken, offered them the opportunity to record Loserland in The Bathouse Studio, where the famous Canadian rock band recorded most of their music.

Po Lazarus has two projects available on streaming services, and their music falls under the category of “Hard-to-Define.” Their earlier projects Ways to End the Night dabbled in elements of classic rock, folk, country and punk; sort of an amalgamation of genres mixed together to create a Frankenstein’s Monster of rock.

The aforementioned album released in 2016 and the followup EP came shortly after, in the spring of 2017. Since then, however, it’s been mostly silence from the band. They added guitarist Kento Katoaka who moved from Japan to Montreal to pursue his music career, at which point Po Lazarus met him and invited him to join their musical outfit.

Their lack of output isn’t to be blamed on a lack of effort, though. Since releasing Ways to End the Night, Carey and Mascarenhas have been hard at work trying to steer the vehicular behemoth that is Po Lazarus. Some songs were written in 2016, but continue to be retooled until they’re fully satisfied with them.

“The idea for Loserland is pretty straightforward,” said Carey. “When you make music, you’re often stuck in your own head, doubting yourself. I’ve experienced it first-hand and I’ve also seen it affect other artists I’ve met. We’re all so self-critical, we end up feeling like losers. And with that, we named our album Loserland to reflect what we’re all going through inside.”

Photo by Louis Pavlakos

All the songs on the album seemed to be a hit to the audience at the backyard performance. Some audience members had been made privy to certain demos from the album and sang along while the rest sat and stared at Carey and Mascarenhas as they took centre stage during the performance. Drummer Josh Grant and guitarist Katoaka hid in the background as they both understand that the two frontmen are the engines of the band.

The songs on Loserland aren’t a far cry from what Po Lazarus has previously released. The sounds are fundamentally the same, but the tunes are sharper and the lyrics more powerful. However, the one true standout of the night was Carey’s reverberating voice that probably led to a few complaints to the SPVM.

“Bonnie Ate A Beachball” is by far the furthest removed from any Po Lazarus song heard before. The track is heavy; backed by huge electric guitar strings and a passionate performance from Carey whose vocal cords were definitely not thanking him the next day.

Things took a slight turn when Carey gracefully stepped to the side as Mascarenhas took centre stage to sing “Who Knew.” Mascarenhas’ voice offered a welcome change of pace that marked the midway point of the concert. While not as grand in scale as Carey’s voice, it still made for a blissful track that slowed things down a bit.

The performance lasted longer than an hour, which is impressive by today’s standards where most sets barely eclipse 60 minutes. Once Po Lazarus announced that the concert was over, the crowd gave them a long-lasting ovation where everyone cheered for an encore. 

Without any hesitation, the band approached their instruments before performing some of the most well-received tracks from their previous albums. Though the crowd knew some, the greatest moment of excitement from the crowd came when Carey began to sing the chorus to “If You Are Alone,” their most accessible, radio-friendly and accomplished track thus far. The audience roared along with the band as the tune marked the true end of the intimate concert.

Po Lazarus still has a long way to go and the band knows it. They still have to record the rest of the album and they’re currently planning a tour to go along with Loserland’s eventual release.

Their performance proved that they’re ready. They sound confident in their work. Most importantly, they sound at peace. Loserland is something special; Loserland is a winner.

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Maisie Peters shines at Petit Campus

Photo by Cecilia Piga

The Folk-Pop artist was a big hit at a small venue last Thursday

For a set where more than half of the tracks are acoustic ballads, Maisie Peters’ fans still managed to make full use of the dance floor last Thursday at Petit Campus. After running onstage as her band began the intro to “Stay Young,” the English artist set the energy level for the rest of the evening. Once the initial cheers died down, she didn’t hesitate to let us know that while many of these songs are sad and slow, “you’ve still got to stomp your little feet for me.”

The night began at 8 p.m. with Australian alt-pop artist Jack Gray opening the show. Due to Visa issues, Jack explained, his band could not join him, and his set was going to be acoustic. Jack’s vocals were highlighted really well as he reimagined his greatest hits; “Bullet” and “Fools,” and he showed off his talent on a guitar and keyboard, sometimes at the same time.

During the intermission, the venue played some real bops as they set up the stage, keeping the energy up and the crowd singing along. Once 9 p.m. hit, Maisie’s bassist and her synth player took the stage, and fairy lights were illuminated around Maisie’s mic stand. The first few tracks clearly showed off her newer electronic sound. During “Adore You” and “In My Head” she was gracefully dancing around the stage as if in her own world, and the crowd was equally as enthralled.

Photo by Cecilia Piga

Halfway through, as Maisie picked up her guitar, it was time for those acoustic tracks. “Take Care of Yourself” from her newest EP, It’s Your Bed Babe, It’s Your Funeral, was dedicated to World Mental Health Day, and the crowd knew all the words to her first single “Place We Were Made.” The band left, as Maisie said she had prepared a special Canadian cover for us: a mashup of Drake and Carly Ray Jepsen; “Call me Maisie.” It was a hit and the crowd burst into laughter as they slowly caught onto the pun. In general, Maisie was quite funny. Her seemingly sad songs often had hilarious backstories. She even dedicated a song to her boyfriend modelling her new shirt at the merch table, which I only later realized was a mannequin.

Ending off her set with an extended version of “This Is On You,” Maisie wished us a goodnight, promising to return to Canada more often. The audience’s cheers would not subside until the band came out again for an encore. Playing literally their last two songs (that exist!), “Personal Best” and “Worst of you,” brought the night to a satisfying ending. Maisie Peters’ vocals really have grown so much since her debut on Youtube at the age of nine. Overall, for such a small venue, the production was great. Having the live bass and synth players really made the tracks sparkle, then her coming to meet all the fans after the show really made it a special one.

 

Feature photo by Cecilia Piga

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The Chainsmokers know how to get lit

Photo by Jesse Di Meo

Flames, fireworks, motor bikes, lasers and suspended metal fixtures — this and more were part of The Chainsmokers’ show at the Bell Centre on Oct. 9. But before all that, Lennon Stella and 5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS) performed their sets.

Visually, Stella’s stage production was underwhelming. There was no décor or props of her own. All we got was Stella, her guitarist, and drummer. Unfortunately, she was often overtaken by backing tracks or aggressive, auto-tuned-sounding vocoder harmonies. The crowd was only able to hear Stella’s true voice during an acoustic version of “Like Everybody Else.” This was the highlight of her 30-minute set along with her performance of “La Di Da.”

After an excruciating near-20 minute wait, four-man band 5SOS hit the stage – Luke Hemmings, lead vocals; Calum Hood, bassist; Michael Clifford, lead guitarist; and Ashton Irwin, drums. They started with their 2014 hit-single “She Looks So Perfect,” the perfect tune to kick-start the show, both for nostalgic 5SOS fans and anyone prone to tapping their feet to a catchy beat.

There was a well-balanced assortment of tracks off their newest album Youngblood like “Want You Back” and “Ghost of You,” current singles “Teeth” and “Easier,” and hits from the past like “Amnesia” and “Jet Black Heart.” The 17-song set, which lasted a little over an hour, was enjoyable and it looked like they were having as much fun performing as we were watching.

Each member took the time to say a few words. Like many artists that visit Montreal, they seemed to unashamedly proclaim their affinity for the city. Hemmings jokingly tried his hand at French while Clifford, on behalf of the band, expressed their unique connection with the city and its creatives. While Hood most notably expressed his enthusiasm through the use of several profanities, Irwin’s comments caused quite a stir. He excitedly let fans know how happy they were about playing in Montreal after a five year absence. However, dedicated fans let him know that they had, in fact, visited July 13, 2016.

After ending their set with “Youngblood,” the band walked off stage and there was another nearly 20-minute wait for the duo everyone was waiting for.

With metal structures falling into place over the stage, the DJ duo of The Chainsmokers – Alex Pall and Drew Taggart – along with drummer Matt McGuire, walked on stage holding up a flaming stick each (Olympics style). The crowd went wild when they started their set with insane visuals of smoke, steam bursts, and lasers.

The Chainsmokers performed the next two hours with such intensity and energy that resonated with and through the crowd. Without expectations of how their set would pan out (we mostly went for 5SOS), there was a certain shock value with everything the DJs did on stage.

After “Sick Boy,” which Taggart performed in a metal sphere suspended in the air, 5SOS came back on stage to perform a rigorous rendition of “Who Do You Love” halfway through The Chainsmokers’s 15-song set. Taggart asked the crowd who was ready to dance and picked a young woman out of the crowd. As soon as the bass dropped, she did the floss, kicked up her leg, did a cartwheel and landed in the splits.

Throughout the rest of the show, there were more flames, lasers, steam bursts and a light show happening all at once. By the last song, Taggart was standing at the top of the metal structure on stage, maybe 50 feet up, looking like he was living his best life.

All in all, The Chainsmokers put on an impressive performance. It might have been because we had no idea of what to expect, but it was definitely a show to remember.

 

Photo by Jesse Di Meo

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Injury Reserve jailbreaks Le Belmont

Photo by Louis Pavlakos

Arizona rap trio Injury Reserve introduce themselves to Montreal in riotous fashion

The lights inside Le Belmont dimmed. A thick fog started to fill up the small venue. Suddenly, three silhouettes appeared on stage as the beat to “Rap Song Tutorial” started playing. The song, while different from the studio version, announces their arrival. The beat shifts and distorts enough to get the crowd riled up.

Silence follows. In an instant, the beat drops as the harsh yelling of “GTFU” begins.

Injury Reserve is here.

Following the release of their debut self-titled album, Injury Reserve, the group saw increased popularity and acclaim as their latest effort was lauded by fans and critics alike. The album took more than two years to complete as the group spent most of their time in Europe developing it. While Floss and Live From The Dentist’s Office showed their unwavering potential and their experimental tendencies, their self-titled project was their true introduction to the world.

In a small venue, the lighting made for a photographer’s nightmare. The three members of the group were barely visible, but their stage presence more than made up for the lack of clear vision. Really, they didn’t need to be seen; they needed to be heard. Ritchie With a T and Stepa J Groggs rapped like their lives depended on it on their live renditions of heavy-hitting bangers such as “Oh Shit!!!” and their most memorable track “Jailbreak The Tesla.”

The group’s internet-heavy aesthetic fit the overall tone of the concert. Their faces never showed and they never properly introduced themselves, allowing for a dark and anonymous concert that probably would have driven off any new listeners. Despite this, Injury Reserve still performed deeper cuts that couldn’t be singles. Songs like “What a Year It’s Been” act as personal reflections of the two rappers in the group.

Producer Parker Corey was the least visible member throughout the set as he mostly stayed at the back of the stage handling the song transitions and beat adjustments. Although he was never seen, his work behind the DJ booth was essential in providing the wild atmosphere they sought out.

The standout performance of the night wasn’t a banger, however. The auto-tune heavy and masterfully produced “ttkt” followed the mood switch-up after “Best Spot in the House.” Ritchie With a T’s auto-crooning is a perfect example of how auto-tune can make someone’s singing more enjoyable. The glitchy effect of Ritchie’s vocals doubled down on the already dark tone of the track.

The balance between bangers and introspective deep cuts shows how versatile Injury Reserve is. Their first performance in Montreal was truly a triumphant success. Having three full-length projects and one EP under their belt, their show expertly combined the best aspects of their music into one concise concert.

 

Feauture photo by Louis Pavlakos

In-text photo by Britanny Clarke

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Stereolab hypnotize at Corona Theatre

Photo by Laurence BD.

English-French avant-pop legends sound as fresh as ever after their 10-year hiatus

After many of us were drenched in the Tuesday rain, Stereolab revived our spirits by playing a sold-out show that later released more tickets to keen fans online with Evenko. Stereolab haven’t performed since 2009, and have recently released a long list of upcoming new shows across Europe and North America.

The music of Stereolab is an enigma. They have been labeled avant-pop, indie pop, electronic, and were among the first to be considered a post-rock group. Emerging in 1990 in London, England, they incorporated 60s pop, krautrock, and French and English leftist politics into scattered, surrealist songs that didn’t receive much attention at first. They later began to incorporate funk, jazz, bossa nova, and lounge into their music, with a cleaner, more danceable sound.

Over the years, the band began to receive recognition for its experimentalism. Lead by Laetitia Sadier of France and Tim Gane of England, the only two members remaining from the very beginning, they still sound fresh today, and are truly one-of-a-kind.

The crowd at Corona was full of many long-time fans, and even some children and babies were attending up on the balcony seats. Although Stereolab tend to play their live shows with a little more reverb and noise, their organ sounds and beeping synths are still pleasant to the ears of all ages.

Laetitia Sadier addressed the audience freely in French, and confidently lead the rest of the band throughout the night, performing songs from their hit albums Peng!, Emperor Tomato Ketchup and Dots and Loops. Sadier’s airy voice hasn’t aged a bit, and every band member was full of energy and passion, making it a timeless experience. Those who wanted to dance along to their swaying sounds made their way into the crowd and weren’t afraid to let out a few shouts of excitement upon their return.

Stereolab played a setlist that was at times mesmerizing, slow and hypnotic, and other times times frenzied with angular tension. They went back and forth between the more energetic tracks like the jazzy “Ping-Pong” to the more droning, reverb-filled songs like “Crest.” The standout tracks included the cerebral “Metronomic Underground,” the frantic and electric “Percolator” and the playful “Lo Boob Oscillator.”

No matter which direction Stereolab went with their setlist, they never failed in locking the crowd into their magnetic grooves. They came back on with an encore of the long-awaited “Brakhage” – one of their most well-known and defining tracks, that is both experimental and relaxed. They then finished with the 16-minute long “Blue Milk,” and their droning guitars and dreamlike synths put us all in a trance.

It was truly a pleasure to see Stereolab back at it again, as professionals continuing to surprise us with their technical and creative abilities. Stereolab are as seamless live as they are on record, and Montreal was so happy to have them. 

 

Photos by Laurence B.D.

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Weyes Blood enchants Rialto Theatre

Los Angeles pop songstress brings “Something to Believe” tour to Pop Montreal

Sept. 27 was a big day for Montreal. In the afternoon, nearly 500,000 protestors poured into the streets to march to demand climate justice. As the crowds dissipated and night fell, the Pop Montreal festival continued in full swing, with singer-songwriter Weyes Blood headlining at Rialto Theatre.

The audience trickled into the historic Rialto as the first opener, Markus Floats, started to play at 8 p.m. The Montreal local performed a short set of electroacoustic mixes that spanned from calming and transcendent to otherworldly and unsettling.

After a quick tech change, Helena Deland took the stage. Her set started somberly, as was to be expected from her stripped-back pop style. Deland remained alone on the stage until she was joined by her bassist halfway through her set, when she played two of her biggest songs, “There Are a Thousand” and “Claudion.”

Despite the fact that these songs are some of her most upbeat tracks to date (with “Claudion” being rather dancible in that mellow sort of indie way), Deland forewent any chance to bring the energy up. This was a missed opportunity. “Claudion” especially felt like it was missing some of the energy that the recorded version contained. Later, she decided to close her set off with some of her darker tracks. Though Deland’s musical talent is hard to deny, the fact that her set peaked in the middle ended up making the performance feel unsatisfying.

Photo by Cecilia Piga

The moment Weyes Blood took the stage, it was obvious that this show was going to be something special. She had a small band accompanying her, but as she came out in a head-to-toe white powersuit, there was no denying she was the star.

She started out playing songs from her newest album, Titanic Rising, which has been receiving critical acclaim since its release this past spring. After a few songs, she took a moment to pose a question to the crowd. She explained that since this show was on the “Something to Believe” tour, she wanted to know what her audiences believed.

So, in a very matter of fact way she asked, “Was the moon landing filmed by Stanley Kubrick?” Most of the crowd just laughed, but a few hands shot up. She responded by saying, “In Vancouver, everyone raised their damn hand.” Then, she jumped into “Something to Believe”.

By far the most visceral performance of the entire show was the final pre-encore song “Movies.” The song started out with her gloomy voice laid over simple synth arpeggios. As she stood at the front of the stage, her body was flooded with lights that made it seem like you were looking down at her as she sank underwater, echoing the album cover of track. In that moment, the room felt spiritual. Weyes Blood, drenched in light, with her angelic voice, seemed like a sort of collective vision of the audience.

After leaving the stage to immense applause and cheering, Weyes Blood and her band returned to the stage to play three final songs, including a cover of the 1967 psychedelic song “A Whiter Shade of Pale.” She finished the show off with an old fan favourite, “In The Beginning.” 

Not many artists have both the incredibly strong voice and stage presence of Weyes Blood. Her ability to belt out her baroque pop tunes evoke icons like Kate Bush and Fiona Apple, and there is no doubt that Weyes Blood is on her way to icon status.

 

Feature photo by Cecilia Piga

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Australian artists Mallrat and Allday bring their rap and hip hop to Montreal

Photo by Britanny Clarke

Mallrat + Allday at Le Ministere for their first Montreal show

Australian musician Grace Shaw,  who goes by Mallrat, is now old enough to be in the venues she is getting booked at – but that wasn’t always the case. After releasing her first EP at just 17 years old and quickly gaining popularity, she often had to be escorted quickly out of most of her venues. Now having graduated from school, the indie pop and hip hop singer is free to go on a larger tour, co-headlining alongside one of her major influences and friend, Allday.

Montreal was the fourth stop on the “Mallrat & Allday North American Tour.” The show began at 8 p.m. sharp at Le Ministere, when supporting act Japanese Wallpaper took to the stage. The venue has a very low stage but because it wasn’t overly packed, everyone had a clear view of the many instruments set up across the stage. Japanese Wallpaper was a fitting choice as he had helped produce tracks for both Mallrat and Allday in the past. The thirty-minute set got the crowd ready for more, and gave some time for the room to slowly fill up.

By 8:50 p.m. Allday got on stage to some loud cheers from a few fans who were clearly there for him. They fans knew every word, and you could hear their dedication in their singing. Allday had a drummer and a backup singer, and was accompanied by Japanese Wallpaper on keys. Starting off with his newest single, “Protection,” and then fan favourite “Switch Sides,” it was going well until the power on stage shut off and the track came to a halt. Allday was very professional, laughing along with the crowd, and asking for poutine recommendations. He settled on going to Patati Patata after the show.

After everything was fixed, Allday dived into some more hits to finish of his set. “Restless,” the most pop-like song on the setlist thus far, really let Allday show off his singing talent. The room was heating up but he told us how he bet his bandmates that he wouldn’t take off his grey oversized suit jacket no matter what, and that he wasn’t going to lose with only one song left. They then played “In Motion,” a track featuring , Japanese Wallpaper.

Mallrat didn’t keep us waiting long. Mallrat’s live DJ, Denim, came out to get the crowd pumped. She then hopped onstage as the track “Sunglasses” came on. While I do usually prefer live drums, having DJ Denim on backup vocals and her DJ equipment gave the set a very club-like feel, and the bass and drops sounded great.

Mallrat expressed how lovely she found our city, having spent the morning out shopping with Denim. The stand-out moment of the concert was when Mallrat sang “Circles.” It’s only been out since Sept. 5 and it was only her fourth time playing it live, so she warned the crowd that it’s a challenging song and that she would try her best. With a lower range than most tracks and very breathy vocals,  I understand why. But Mallrat knocked it out of the park to loud cheers from the crowd.

Once “Groceries,” Mallrat’s most popular single played, it seemed like the show was over. But the crowd chanted “one more song!” and Mallrat came back out, flattered.  They played “Uninvited” and while most of it was on the backing track, the crowd really got into it. She even invited two young fans from the front row to come dance and sing on stage.

Mallrat, Allday and Japanese Wallpaper put on a high quality show with a small budget. While it didn’t have the most intensive production, the way they all synergized into each others’ sets and rolled with the punches demonstrated their skill and chemistry together as friends, on and off stage.

 

Photo by Britanny Clarke

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Bahay celebrates Filipino futures

Photo by Adela Kwok

“Bahayathon” flaunted hip-hop talents at The Blue Dog Motel

As the Filipino-Canadian Futures conference was rescheduled for the following day due to the climate march —Montreal artists affiliated and apart of Bahay took the stage in celebration of the conference Sept. 27.

Bahay means “home” in Tagalog, the official language of the Philippines. The local organization offers “a home away from home” for creatives and promotes the diversity of Asian representation in music.  

Their pink house logo glowed above the stage where artists Lolo Boy, Waterboii, Yenny, Bea di Vinci, Eezahyah, Gxlden Child, and DJ sixM0nths played the cramped venue.

Behind the DJ booth Coolchels, engulfed the show-bar with her song arrangements. While Coolchels was hard at work, people struggled for space along the narrow dance floor. Soon enough, a heat wave overwhelmed the heavy atmosphere, throbbing in the various beats.

Lolo Boy, a local Haitian artist, was first to perform with his so-called brother. Side-by-side they carried the crowd through dance tracks and Lolo Boy’s auto-tuned vocals. The venue grew humid by the time he performed “Toxic,” which had a toned-down vibe compared to the other tracks. The lyrics in “Toxic” spoke of a toxic relationship. Hands swayed the air to the slowed R&B track.

Before Filipina-American rapper Bea di Vinci seized the stage with her lyrical flow, Waterboii showcased his Vietnamese hip-hop fusion “Du Ma Mai” and “Blue Eyes // White Dragon.” His rap style had a sinister quality to it. As he spoke from a personal place, he bellied his frustrations as an Asian up-and-coming rapper. The crowd jumped to the haunting tone of his voice.

“Go with the flow, but affect the flow,” said Waterboii about finding his space in the hip-hop music world.

As “Bahayathon” continued through the morning, The Blue Dog Motel was a space for both Asian and non-Asian local artists to show off their music and styles. Artists from other cultures were encouraged to perform as well. Bahay, as an ongoing roster, has become “a home for everyone” who is apart of the different Montreal diasporas.

“It is a passion project,” said Waterboii, co-founder and president of Bahay.

“South-East Asian people are often underrepresented in the whole Asian umbrella, South-Asian people too,” said Waterboii. “That’s something we’re going to try to improve.”

As a producer and rapper, Chuong Trinh who is known artistically as Waterboii, began Bahay with Coolchels.

“It’s a lot of mentoring, it’s a slow process –you can’t ask for more, I am so blessed to have these people doing volunteer work,” said Waterboii.

Amita Biona, who is part of the collective’s external affairs team, explained that they began operating independently.

“Our main demographic that we’re trying to bring in is from the universities,” stated Biona. “But the big thing we want to do is kind of connect the university people to the greater Montreal area.”

While Bahay started as a series of fundraising concerts that targeted South-Asian and South-East Asian artists, it is building and reaching a broader community of creatives everyday. 

 

Photo by Adela Kwok

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Music

Bringing Mongolian throat singing to North America with The HU

THE Hu. Photo by Hunter Walwaski

Mongolian traditional music outfit tour in support of new album The Gereg

L’Astral recently hosted world-famous Mongolian throat singing quartet The HU on the first stop of their North American tour. No, this isn’t a revival of the ‘70s English rock band, although the venue did enjoy playing “Who Are You” by The Who before The HU came on. More on the name later.

The band are currently embarking on a multi-faceted world takeover, playing venues across North America and Europe over the next few months. They are touring in support of their debut album, titled The Gereg.

While the legend of Genghis Khan and his brotherhood still lives on, The HU are resuming this ancient conquest by bringing rhythmic beats and cultural tunes to the masses, rather than war and pillage. The hype surrounding this band revolves around the new sonic mix they have created by blending traditional Mongolian music and classic rock and roll beats, making for a culturally energetic spectacle, to say the least.

We met with lead throat-singer Jaya before the show, who was accompanied by a translator, as none of the band members speak English. They did, however, use the little English they know to scream “let’s rock!” between songs. Of course, the crowd responded to this in the universal language of ‘scream as loud as you can.’

The band name derives from the Mongolian term “Hunnu,” an ancient local empire known globally as the Huns. Traditional Mongolian values, such as adopting the role of a strong warrior, are implemented within the band’s music through inspiring lyrics (which are all written and sung in Mongolian, of course).

“Our message is to inspire others with courage,” said Jaya. “We don’t want to be just playing rock headbanging or melodic things, we want to combine everything. Most of the time the message we are trying to share with the world is to love and respect our elders, honour this Earth, and protect it.” The Gereg also discusses modern values, such as a global respect for women.

Concert-goers were undoubtedly fully immersed within the Mongolian serenade that occured on the night of Sept. 19. The HU packed a punch with a mini army – a lead singer, two guitarists, a bassist, one morin khuur (horse-fiddle) player, a lute player, and two percussionists. For stage aesthetics, each member wore a slew of traditional Mongolian garb, sporting long flowy robes, tribal tattoos, hyde mountain shoes, and even special leather water canteens. The scene is exactly what you’d think a Mongolian throat-singing band would stereotypically look like.

The concert experience was incredibly powerful, unsurpassed by any previous acts I have seen. First off, the crowd was diverse: you had your metalheads in full leather, long-haired stoners, young popheads, and even people that seemed like this could have been their first concert. Regardless of character type, The HU’s tribal rhythms got everybody’s heads bobbing.

The room was pulsing with an indescribable sonic energy, akin to that of a swaying heartbeat pumping its way through the crowd to the beat of synchronized drum hits and Mongolian fiddles. Song after song, the packed crowd moved at the fingertips of the brotherhood before them. It was a mesmerizing performance.

Jaya ended the interview on an inspiring final note which confirms the power behind the band’s lyrics.

“Everybody has struggles in this life, whether you be facing financial struggles, facing cancer, or anything else,” said Jaya. “We wanted to help those people through our music to awaken the fighter in you so you can face it, accept it, then come out of this as a winner.”

 

Photos by Hunter Walwaski

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Music

Mika rocks out at Corona Theatre

Photo by Cecilia Piga

Mika’s larger-than-life energy filled Corona Theatre to the brim

Mika is back on the big stage—or at least it felt that way last Sunday at the Corona Theatre, as the multilingual artist gave the 1000-seat venue a stadium-like performance. Last time Mika was in town he took to the stage with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra for a unique collaboration.

This time, however, Mika returned for two nights on his “Tiny Love Tiny Tour” with his classic band backing him. Tiny Tour is an apt description, as Mika returns to North America for only six dates in five cities – “Tiny Love” is also a reference to the most recent single of his upcoming album, My Name Is Michael Holbrook.

Doors to the sold-out show opened at 7 p.m, but the line stretched around the block and moved slowly. The crowd was made up of every generation – from toddlers to seniors. Kiesza, the support act for the night, came out at 8 p.m. to a good few cheers, and took her place beside guitarist Chris Malinchak.

After her first song, she explained that she had been in a terrible car accident and had to put her career on hold. Now she has returned, with her own music label and new indie-folk sound. Kiesza dived into some of her unreleased material; the crowd adored her and by the end, everyone was singing along to“My head is f***ed.”

Kiesza enchants the crowd while seated at centre stage, with guitarist Chris Malinchak strumming along. Photo by Cecilia Piga

Mika’s band took to the stage at five minutes to nine, and as the first notes of “Ice Cream” began to play, the singer ran on stage, dressed in a red pantsuit and a white shirt with a LOT of ruffles. The unoccupied piano was positioned on the left of the stage with the rest of the band at the back on individual platforms. This left a lot of room for Mika to fill – and fill it he did. The crowd was immediately jumping along with him and singing the catchy single that dropped last spring.

Mika then introduced himself and asked the crowd what language they preferred before telling his first story. Almost every song came with a detailed intro, whether it was a joke, a story about the song or just where he’s at in life. For a first time viewer of Mika, it really helped form a connection and learn a bit about him, but it resulted in a shorter setlist.

The stories weren’t the only way he connected with the crowd. Mika tried on fans’ hats during “Dear Jealousy,” had a dance-off with the balcony in “Big Girls (You Are Beautiful),” and even jumped into the pit and literally danced with the crowd during “Popular Song.” The room’s cheers peaked as “Elle Me Dit” began playing.  The only French tune on the setlist, it was clearly a fan favourite here in Quebec.

Alas, the end was soon approaching; Mika was breaking a sweat but not losing any steam. Having already ditched the suit jacket after the third song, he excused himself for a minute and removed his ruffled shirt before performing “We Are Golden.”  The band stepped out and then quickly returned for an encore with the 2007 megahit “Grace Kelly,”  and ended it on a high note as the crowd sang along to a remixed version of “Tiny Love.”

With that kind of energy and storytelling throughout his set, Mika is someone everyone would be lucky to experience live. While I couldn’t return the following night, I was grateful to have experienced this award-winning artist for the first time and enjoyed it so much.

 

Feature photo by Cecilia Piga

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