Tag: Summer

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Arts

The summer’s best and worst films of 2014

A look back on what the film industry had to offer this summer at the box office

Hollywood’s panicking! The news as stated by the New York Times is that summer 2014 was the worst summer film season since 1997 at the United States box office. Although the debate rages online as to why that is the case, that shouldn’t stop us from breaking down some of our favourite, and not so favourite, films of the season.

The Best:

Guardians of the Galaxy

Marvel has done it again. The studio that can seemingly do no wrong has made audiences all over the world fall in love with relatively unknown superheroes, and actor Chris Pratt in the leading role. Directed by James Gunn, the film follows the story of Peter Quill, AKA Star Lord, a space pirate with a criminal record, as he assembles a group of misfits to fight a rogue supervillain named Ronan who’s hell-bent on destroying the galaxy.

While the storyline is typical of superhero movies, the film saw tremendous success, making it the top earner this summer. It also paved the way for sequels, mainly because, like most Marvel films, it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Chris Pratt’s delivered a solid performance and was supported by a strong cast. Combined with the talented director, it produces a fun, feel-good summer superhero film. Lets leave the “dark,” “realistic” superhero movies to DC.  Guardians of the Galaxy was a definite summer season winner.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

The sequel to the 2011 film, Rise of the Planet of the Apes – in which human civilization collapses due to the spread of the ALZ-113 virus – takes place a decade later. While humanity struggles to survive, the apes, led by Caesar, evolve and build their own separate civilization. With the underlying theme being the coexistence of good and evil in all of us, regardless of species, both humans and apes end up going to war in their quest for dominance.

Directed by Matt Reeves, the film succeeds in delivering an original perspective on the classic franchise. Supported by great visual effects and exceptional acting across the board, Andy Serkis reprising his role as Caesar steals the show. Already a proven heavyweight in motion capture acting, giving audiences memorable characters such as Gollum, King Kong and soon Baloo in the upcoming Jungle Book: Origins in 2016, Serkis’s portrayal of Caesar is generating some well-deserved Oscar buzz. If he snags an Oscar nomination, the result could be game-changing in Hollywood, as the Academy has yet to acknowledge motion capture acting. Overall, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a must-see summer film.

 

Godzilla

Note: spoiler alert. A reboot of the Godzilla franchise, this film offers a new take to the classic monster story, which was originally created to reflect the destructive consequences of nuclear weapons. This film, however, portrays the monster as humanity’s saviour against creatures called “MUTOs,” who feed off of radiation and multiply, threatening to wipe out human existence.

This reimagining disappointed some fans of the franchise, especially in Japan, where Godzilla is an important cultural symbol. This was not the only risk taken by director Gareth Edwards: two lead characters–played by Bryan Cranston and Juliette Binoche– were featured heavily in the film’s promotion, only to get killed off. Yet for all the risks taken, the result was a critical and commercial success. The film gives a nod to classic monster movies, such as Jaws, by withholding a glimpse of the monster from the audience until roughly halfway through the film. Even then, scenes featuring Godzilla are sparse, so that the monster’s appearance leaves audience members intrigued and wanting more. It is a film worth watching, if for nothing other than the Halo jump sequence (you’ll know it when you see it), complete with a tribute to Stanley Kubrick’s classic, 2001: A Space Odyssey.

 

The Worst

Maleficent

Maleficent is Disney’s latest retelling of one of its classic films. Director Robert Stromberg reimagines the classic tale of Sleeping Beauty from the perspective of one of the most powerful Disney villains, Maleficent. Maleficent is portrayed as misunderstood, turned evil due to being betrayed by a peasant boy, who uses her to gain the kingdom’s throne. She takes her revenge by cursing his daughter Princess Aurora; yet, as the princess grows older, Maleficent grows fond of her and eventually becomes good again because of her love for the girl.

Even considering the strong visual effects and a solid portrayal of Maleficent by Angelina Jolie–a part the actress fits perfectly–the film wasted its potential. The story line ignores any character development except for that of Maleficent. The narrative is constructed in a way that does not make the audience care for anyone other than the villainess, or understand why the story unfolds the way it does, resulting in a sloppy, boring retelling of a truly classic fairy tale. The movie is essentially 97 minutes of watching Angelina Jolie fly around in a kick-ass costume. Somewhere Walt Disney is turning in his grave.

 

Transformers: Age of Extinction

Explosions! 165 minutes worth of them! In the longest, and by far the worst, Transformers movie to date, director Michael Bay once again made a film which introduces new characters–human and alien alike. He also makes sure the audience doesn’t care what happens to those characters or even remember who they are when coming out of the theater.

The story takes place five years after the battle of Chicago, where humans have turned against the Transformers, hunting them down and forcing them into hiding. However, attempts to build an imitation of the transformers by a corporation called KSI leads to the reincarnation of Megatron (the big villain) who plans on using “the seed” to destroy mankind and create more Decepticons (the bad guys). This forces the remaining Autobots, the good guys, out of hiding, who then team up with Cade Yeager, played by Mark Wahlberg, and friends to save the day.

After four Transformers movies and countless complaints by critics and fans, director Michael Bay ignores all the noise, and with good reason. This latest installment is, inexplicably, the second highest grossing film of the summer in the United States box office, making over $1 billion worldwide, and is overall the highest grossing film of 2014. An absolute train wreck, but let’s hope that the fifth installment will be handed over to another director.

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Music

Osheaga bigger and better than ever

Fans by the tens of thousands tough out the heat for a day full of music by their favourite artists. Photo by writers.

Like most music festivals, this year’s Osheaga passed by in a flurry of stellar performances, overpriced food, crowded washrooms (crowded everything, really) and free merchandise.

However, this year’s line-up was bigger and better than ever, proven by the almost unreal number of tickets sold. Friday, Aug. 3 was the first day in the history of the festival to be completely sold-out (this was announced a matter of hours after yours truly purchased her own tickets, praise be!) Approximately 120,000 tickets were sold and by the end of the day both the Friday and Sunday performances were completely sold-out.

A blend of household names and up-and-coming Canadian talent, Osheaga sported something for everyone. Headliners for Friday included Justice, Florence and the Machine, Franz Ferdinand, Sigur Ros, MGMT and more. While Florence offered a magical, almost unearthly performance, MGMT brought their music video for “Electric Feel” to life, distributing glow-sticks and psychedelic vibes to all. Sigur Ros, the genre-defying Icelandic band, put on a characteristically unusual and ethereal show and Justice, the last show of the day on the main stages, was an electronic party, with screens flashing brightly on the stage and the La Ronde fireworks exploding into showers of colour over the nearby amusement park.

But the performance that delivered the most surprises was the second Icelandic group on the program (likely a first for the festival), Of Monsters and Men. They were not quite as big a headliner as the above four bands, as evidenced by the fact that they played before sunset and on one of the secondary stages, but they drew an enormous audience (even the band members expressed surprise at the number of people), which was itself enormously enthusiastic, singing along and filling every gap of quiet with cheers and applause. And, despite the rather intense heat in the tightly packed and shadeless standing area, the show was fantastic – I would venture to say that Of Monsters and Men might be better live – and worth the full-body-sweating experience.

Unfortunately, due to the overlapping performances, we could not catch all of the artists who played during our stay, but some of the lesser-known artists that we enjoyed and deserve mention were Yukon Blonde, a Canadian indie-rock band and luxuriant hair collective, who played a really fun show and shared some banter between the lead singer and guitarist onstage. Another was Charli XCX, with a drum set and keyboard decked with flowers and Charli herself in an outfit so outrageous that you (or, at least, I) immediately wanted to be her best friend.

A thorough review of the festival would not be complete without mentioning the impact the sheer number of people had on the experience. In all honesty, it really did take a ridiculous amount of time to get from one stage to another, thanks to the combination of a large crowd and a small staircase. More than one story of people passing out while waiting in line for food and water circulated amongst concert-goers.

Yet, many would argue that this is all part of what makes a festival, well, a festival. The constantly-having-your-toes-stepped-on closeness of bodies and hours spent waiting to buy four dollar water bottles, punctuated by performances by a varied and impressive array of artists, give the experience that certain je ne sais quoi that makes us all proud to say we were there.

Categories
Music

Mix Tape: Songs to prolong summer

Falling asleep on the beach to the lapping waves, rolling into your summer job with your hair still wreaking of campfire, and nursing a lukewarm glass of beer while lingering on the patio after sunset. These are the memories we shall cling to for comfort as we hole ourselves up in the library, buried under midterms. But alas, I swear, summer is not over yet. The sun will bounce off Montreal pavement for at least another month, and you’ll keep the fan cranked in your bedroom through many more humid nights.

This mixtape is for those who aren’t quite ready to slip into their school shoes. Each track was released by an artist that either toured or broke out since we last closed our textbooks, and should ease summer separation anxiety. Side A is for those first few weekends of the school year when you can’t get enough of nights out downtown. Spin Side B when one of yours friends gets their hands on a car and you head for water. There’s still a little beach time left!

Side A: Gettin’ down in the city

  1. “Conditioning” – Cadence Weapon – Hope in Dirt City
  2. “Phone Sex” – Blood Diamonds ft. Grimes – Phone Sex EP
  3. “Motion Sickness” – Hot Chip – In Our Heads
  4. “Sinful Nature” – Bear in Heaven – I Love You It’s Cool
  5. “House” – Kindness – World, You Need a Change of Mind
  6. “212” – Azealia Banks feat. Lazy Jay – Single
  7. “Next To You” – Poolside – Pacific Standard Time
  8. “Midnight City” – M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
  9. “Under Your Spell” – Desire –  Drive Soundtrack
  10. “Nightcall” – Kavinsky & Lovefox – Single

Side B: On the road

  1. “Angels” – The xx – Single
  2. “Wild” – Beach House – Bloom
  3. “Golden Mile” – Daniel Rossen – Silent Hour/Golden Mile EP
  4. “You Only Want It ‘Cause You’re Lonely” – Parlovr – Kooksoul
  5. “Life’s A Beach” – Django Django – Django Django
  6. “Santa Fe” – Beirut – The Rip Tide
  7. “Ruin” – Cat Power –  Single
  8. “For 12” – Other Lives – Tamer Animals
  9. “Laura” – Bat for Lashes – Single
  10. “Sunshine” – Little Dragon – Single
Categories
Opinions

The summer is ripe for change

This summer, two all-too familiar faces will be leaving Concordia. Both Peter Kruyt, who has held on to the chairmanship of the Board of Governors for far too long, and interim President Frederick Lowy, who already did a 10-year stint at this university in a previous life, will be relinquishing their posts. There has never been a better time for Concordia to usher in a new era of openness—it all depends on who gets selected to fill Kruyt’s and Lowy’s positions.

To be fair, Lowy is an all-around pleasant gentleman, who at least gives off the impression that he cares about students; he might even wave to them on the rare occasion he ventures down from his perch on the MB building’s 15th floor. One notable example of Lowy’s openness was his decision to speak to students who staged a sit-in outside his office on April 2. He even went as far as indicating his interest in scheduling a further, much longer meeting. What a guy.

That being said, Lowy’s successor will have many challenges to deal with upon assuming office this August—including not getting fired, a fate that befell Lowy’s two predecessors. The new Concordia president will need to use their term to rebuild students’ confidence in their educational institution. Students have had it with the severance packages and high salaries, and want—and deserve—better.

Should Lowy’s successor truly care about this university and all of its many merits (because despite its less-than-flattering reputation lately, Concordia still has some merits), then perhaps they would be interested in a pay cut? Because let’s face it, at a time when universities are asking students to pay more money for their education because schools say they’re broke, it really isn’t the best time for university presidents such as Concordia’s to be earning $350,000 a year, right?

The new titleholder will also need to be much more visible on campus than those who have held the post in the past. It would also help to know what exactly Concordia’s president does to earn such a massive salary. This closed door policy on the movement and responsibilities of Concordia’s top administrator has to change. Advice to an incoming president, whoever that might be: approachability is your best friend. Take a page from Provost and active tweeter David Graham’s book, and make an effort to be visible in the Concordia community. Show students you care, or risk proving that you don’t.

As for BoG Chair Peter Kruyt, is there really that much to say? The man has shown nothing but contempt for student representatives on the board this year as they tried to push for more transparency at Concordia’s highest governing body. Watching him in action at a BoG meeting, particularly when dealing with student reps, is like watching someone’s extremely cantankerous uncle work his magic at a family dinner party, the magic of course being unpleasantness and downright hostility.

If Concordia is actually serious about moving ahead with good governance and a new era of openness, then it needs someone on the BoG who treats all of its members equally—and who doesn’t address the student reps by their first names while politely addressing the rest of the BoG crew as “Mr.” or “Mrs.” It must be proven to students that they are legitimate stakeholders in this university’s best interests, and what better way to show that than by having a welcoming and respectful chair at the Board of Governors?

Finally, this summer will also see a report released by a team of external auditors who have been tasked with reviewing five severance packages totalling $2.4 million handed out to senior employees between 2009 and 2010. Who knows what the report will actually say, but in reality it’s difficult to imagine why auditors worth $25,000 are necessary in the first place. The administration should know by now that they messed up with the severance packages, and should avoid handing out golden parachutes in the future as if they were fresh cupcakes given to please a grumbling child.

Hopefully with the added hours of daylight, Concordia’s top administrators will make the right decisions that will place Concordia on the right track to once again becoming an institution that isn’t the butt of all mismanagement of public dollars jokes in Quebec.

Categories
Arts

What’s in your beach bag?

So, you’re a university student who loves the free time summer brings. You’re looking forward to sitting on a beach blanket with a good book. But you’ve got so many choices, so many things you could read. You don’t want something too dense, too heavy or too serious. It’s summer; summer books are meant to be light, easy reads, that give your brain a rest from all the academia you’ve subjected it to for the past eight months. But you’re not the kind of person who reads chick lit, romance or cozy mysteries that are the typical beach reads. No, you’re the kind of reader who wants a book with substance, but that’s still light enough to enjoy in the sun and short enough to read in between tanning sets. You’re looking for an alternative summer read.

Graphic novels
Never tried a graphic novel? Well, summer is the perfect time to try a new genre. Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim series are not only great graphic novels, but also perfect for summer. Averaging around 200 pages per novel, the series follows the life of Scott Pilgrim, a slacker and part-time musician who must battle Ramona Flowers’ seven evil exes. A quick read, with plenty of video game references, absurdity and comedy, these novels are sophisticated enough to keep your brain from wilting, but light enough to read on the beach.

Magazines
Magazines are great reading material for the summer because they’re so portable and you don’t have to worry about them getting ruined by water or sand. If you’re looking for something with more substance than People or InStyle to read by the pool, try a literary magazine such as SubTerrain or Asimov’s Science Fiction. These magazines provide all the advantages of the magazine style, with more substance and stories. SubTerrain is a Canadian literary magazine out of Vancouver, which provides a combination of poetry and short fiction to feed your hunger for literature all summer long. Asimov’s Science Fiction features writing from the best writers of the genre, and it’s digestible in one sitting so you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy other activities in the sun.

Fiction
The best summer fiction is the kind that you don’t need to focus hard on to understand, but rather something that will keep you entertained. And what’s more entertaining than comedy?  Christopher Moore is a talented comedic writer and any of his books would make for excellent summer reads. Try Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal, the story of Christ retold like the Bible has never seen it before. The perfect alternative to church camp.

Non-fiction
If non-fiction is your bag, then you may want to check out the work of Bill Bryson. Well-written and informative, his narrative style is easy to read and will make you laugh. He has a wide range of books from travel, to Shakespeare, to biography. Try The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir  or Notes from a Small Island.

You can find these books at any fine book retailer or alternatively, you can try digging through one of Montreal’s excellent used bookstores. Happy Reading!

Categories
Arts

I know what you’ll do this summer


Every spring, thousands of Montrealers step out of their homes, where they’ve been hiding since November, surviving on chicken soup and repeats of their favourite sitcoms. But they don’t just sleep in the park all day. Instead, they get to enjoy the myriad of festivals, films, plays and unique events that the city has to offer. It’s hard to confidently argue that Montreal doesn’t offer one of the best summer experiences. So whether this is your first summer in the city, or you’re a Tam Tams veteran, check out our picks for the best arts events around town.

FESTIVALS
Kick off the end of exams with Elektra, which celebrates the best of music and art made with the latest technologies. Last year’s festival saw performances featuring robot dancers and an installation with pods that responded to changes in light by opening and closing like flowers. You can pretty much bet that they’ll top that this year when the festival starts up again from May 2 to 6. Visit www.elektrafestival.ca for more details.

 

 

Ste-Catherine Street is subject to many protests and parades, so it’s nice to see art laying its claim for space. This year, the Festival international Montreal en arts (FIMA) will take over a portion of Ste-Cats for its 13th edition, turning it into a BoulevArt. Last year saw nearly 140 artists display their work to over 250,000 passersby. This year, check out the self-proclaimed “greatest open air art gallery in Eastern Canada” between June 27 and July 1. Visitwww.festivaldesarts.org for updates on this year’s edition.
Did you know that laughing is a great way to work your abs? Get your beach body ready with Just for Laughs Festival. Celebrating its 30th anniversary from July 12 to 29, Just for Laughs promises to have you rolling on the floor with their comedic star lineup including Bo Burnham, Caroline Rhea, Daniel Tosh, Debra DiGiovanni and many, many more. To see the full lineup of comics or to book your tickets, visit www.hahaha.com.
Montreal is proud of its LGBT community and even more so of the annual Divers/Cite Festival. This event promotes the value of diversity with mostly outdoor events from all walks of art. The festival will showcase modern dance, blues, jazz, pop, Latin, rock, world, funk, ambient, techno and electronic concerts, drag queen performances and an outdoor cinema. The festival is in its 20th edition and will run from July 30 to Aug. 5. For more information visit www.diverscite.org.
Hot air balloons are usually reserved for family films (see Up and Around the World in 80 Days), which may be why hundreds of thousands of people flock far out to Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu for its balloon festival. You can book a flight, or if you’d rather stay on the ground, you can enjoy the view (last year they had a balloon shaped like Spider Pig!) from their beer terrace. It goes down on Aug. 11 to 19, and you can check out www.ballooncanada.com for more details.

FILM
Fantasia is a true underdog story. Started by alternative film fanatics in 1996 (way before the “turn-all-comics-into-films” great geek revolution of the past few years), it has become the ultimate summer event for anyone who likes their films dark, subversive and shocking. Details on this year’s edition will be released closer to Fantasia’s run from July 19 to Aug. 7, but you can keep your eye out for them over atwww.festivalfantasia.com.
For a little cultural diversity in your movie-going experience this summer, don’t miss the World Film Festival, Aug. 23 to Sept. 3. The goal of this festival is to promote cultural diversity internationally by promoting films from around the globe. To find out what films will be showing, visit www.ffm-montreal.org.

VISUAL ARTS
Everyone knows of Warhol and Lichtenstein, but how often do you hear someone name-drop Tom Wesselmann? Following last summer’s Gaultier extravaganza, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is keeping in the pop culture tune by putting on the first major Canadian exhibition on Wesselmann, the third major pop artist. The exhibit runs from May 18 to Oct. 7. You can check out more details over at www.mbam.qc.ca.
You don’t have to drive to Granby or put up with the questionable smell at the Biodôme to celebrate the animal kingdom this summer. Zoo is an exhibition featuring art from Quebec, Canadian and international artists that explores the way animals are perceived nowadays, through filters such as mythology, natural science and even the economy. And, of course, it’s contemporary art so it will be done in a way that will leave you turning your head. It’s being shown at the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal from May 24 to Sept. 3. Visit www.macm.org for more details.

BOOKS
“No gods, no masters, no bosses, no borders,” proclaims the poster for this year’s Anarchist Bookfair. Taking place on May 19 and 20, the fair will feature authors and booksellers offering zines, books and all other kinds of print works that you just won’t find at Chapters. But it doesn’t stop there—there will be film, art and workshops that will touch on current issues and reiterate the fair’s mission to fight all forms of oppression. Check out http://www.anarchistbookfair.ca for more information.
Authors love giving their most unfortunate characters ironically bright names, and then cruelly dumping misfortune after misfortune on them while also giving them an optimistic demeanour. Ed the Happy Clown has been put through horrifying ordeals (not the least of which includes his member coming to life and naming itself Ronald Reagan) since Chester Brown first conceived him in the ’80s. This summer, Brown is giving poor Ed a definitive story, after coming up with a new ending and revising past books. The tome, simply called Ed the Happy Clown, will be released by Drawn & Quarterly on May 22.
Another oldie getting the re-release treatment is Chuck Palahniuk’s 1999 novel Invisible Monsters. Written before Fight Club, it was rejected the first time he submitted it to his publisher for being too disturbing. Since then, thousands of people have fallen for the story of Shannon McFarland, a former model whose face is horribly disfigured, and her adventures with Brandy, a transgender woman who is awaiting her last big operation. With added chapters and extended scenes, Invisible Monsters Remix will take this satire even further. It comes out in hardcover on May 29.

THEATRE
One of the best parts about summer is being able to experience art outdoors. This is what makes Repercussion Theatre’s Shakespeare-in-the-Park performances so magical. Travelling from park to park around town, the performances usually take place in the afternoon, meaning you get to see some top-notch Shakespeare as day turns to dusk, while the setting becomes an enchanted forest. Last year they took on Macbeth, but they’re going lighter this summer with the comedy The Taming of the Shrew. Did I mention the best part? It’s absolutely free (though when they pass around the hat, be nice and donate—actors gotta eat!) Check out www.repercussiontheatre.com to see when they’re coming to a park near you.
The St-Ambroise Fringe Festival is one of the most celebrated theatre events in Montreal, because it gives people a chance to see fun, quirky—and sometimes just plain weird—shows for dirt cheap. The participating theatre companies are chosen lottery-style and performed in venues scattered across the Plateau and Mile End. If you can, try to make the shows in smaller venues—it makes the experience super personal and memorable. This year, Fringe Fest runs from June 4 to 24. Visit www.montrealfringe.ca after May 7 to check out this year’s shows.
If Fringe isn’t your thing, then maybe the Infringement Festival is. Started as a response to advertisement-heavy festivals that make it difficult for alternative and controversial shows to get in, Infringement encourages artists and activists of all kinds to participate. Artists don’t have to pay registration fees and most events are pay-what-you-can. This year’s edition runs from June 14 to 24. You can go to www.infringementfestival.com for more information.

With files from Amanda L. Shore.

Categories
Music

Mixtape: Osheaga 2012 – Festival preview

If you’ve never been to Osheaga, you don’t know what you’re missing. Heat, dehydration, screaming crowds, exhaustion and, most notably, a lineup of more than fifty amazing musicians playing at Jean-Drapeau Park for three long days. Despite the less-than-stellar conditions, Osheaga is the most anticipated summer event for any music-savvy Montrealer. This year between Aug. 3 to 5, twenty talented artists—along with many more—will flood our city and play for tens of thousands of people. With big names like Snoop Dogg, Feist, Florence and the Machine and Brand New, Osheaga is bound to be the best three days of your life. Festival passes are now on sale. Let this mixtape be your precursor to Montreal’s most anticipated summer weekend of 2012.

SIDE A: Homegrown, Canadiana

1. “Help, I’m Alive” – Metric – Fantasies
2. “My Moon My Man” – Feist – The Reminder
3. “Grind” – Down With Webster – Time to Win, Vol. 1
4. “We Found Each Other in the Dark” – City and Colour –  Little Hell
5. “A Song About California” – Hey Ocean! – It’s Easier to be Someone Else
6. “I Don’t Know” – The Sheepdogs – Learn & Burn
7. “Tom Cruz” – Plants and Animals – La La Land
8. “Cover Your Tracks” – Young Galaxy – Shapeshifting
9. “Journey of a Lifetime” – Zeds Dead – Single
10. “High for This” – The Weeknd – House of Balloons

SIDE B: Come from afar

11. “Mind Eraser” – The Black Keys – El Camino
12. “Drop it Like it’s Hot” – Snoop Dogg – R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece
13. “Howl” – Florence and the Machine – Lungs
14. “Kissing the Lipless” – The Shins – Chutes Too Narrow
15. “Electric Feel” – MGMT – Oracular Spectacular
16. “Helicopter” – Bloc Party – Little Thoughts (EP)
17. “Cough Syrup” – Young the Giant – Young the Giant
18. “The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows” – Brand New – Deja Entendu
19. “Jacqueline” – Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand
20. “Only Happy When it Rains” – Garbage – Garbage

Categories
Music

Top Ten : Outdoor music festivals

If you’re like me, you’re already dreaming about summertime, and outdoor festivals go hand in hand with my season of preference.

10. Osheaga Music and Arts Festival; Montreal, Quebec, Canada – Of course, this list wouldn’t be complete without the mention of our own Osheaga Festival right here in Montreal. Held every year in Jean Drapeau Park on beautiful Ste-Hélène Island, Osheaga has been bringing together musicians, artists, and music and art lovers since 2006. Although the annual summer festie doesn’t boast on-site camping, festival-goers build a sense of camaraderie through the commute from downtown to the park via shuttle, bicycle or footmobile.

9. Exit Festival; Novi Sad, Serbia – Exit Festival keeps people up all night long with big name acts like Iggy Pop, the Beastie Boys, Snoop Dogg, M.I.A., Deadmau5, Portishead, Wu-Tang Clan, Bad Religion and tons more. What makes Exit different from other festivals? Firstly, it began as a student-initiated project against the Milosevic regime in 2000. Secondly, it has been hosted at the beautiful Petrovaradin fortress since 2001, and finally, the music doesn’t start until late at night, with musicians performing until dawn.

8. Rock al Parque; Bogota, Colombia – As one of the longest established festivals on this side of the Greenwich Meridian, this Colombian festival has been, well, rocking the park for 17 years. With that kind of longevity, you know it’s got to be good. The festival’s international and inter-genre flair sets it apart from other festivals that boast more mainstream or specialized genres. The three-day-long festie has hosted musicians from France, the Netherlands, Germany, Peru, Jamaica, El Salvador, Spain, the U.S. and plenty more.

7. SXSW Music Conference and Festival; Austin, Texas, U.S. – If finding new, emerging and upcoming music is your schtick, then SXSW is, hands down, the festival for you. For five days, over 2,000 musicians take over practically every venue available in Austin to showcase their talents for the festival’s 45,000 patrons, 2,941 media members, as well as an undisclosed number of industry bigwigs. In addition to non-stop live music, SXSW also holds musician workshops and conferences, and features big name speakers like Nas and Bruce Springsteen.

6. Big Day Out; Australia and New Zealand – This multi-city festival goes on tour every January, hitting up Auckland, Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth between the last week of January and the first week of February. Taking place in prime southern hemisphere summertime, the festival secures huge acts like Kanye West and Soundgarden, who, no doubt, are drawn to the festival to escape the cold and soak up some of that warm, golden Australian sun with up to 50,000 festival attendees.

5. Burning Man; Black Rock Desert, Nevada, U.S. – Burning Man is the most elusive festival in North America—maybe even the world. This week-long arid experience is so much more than a music festival, with many attendees left unable to explain their time at Burning Man. It’s more like an experiment that happens to include some amazing music and art. The temporary community is built upon “radical self-expression and radical self-reliance” with each year dedicated to a different theme (2011’s was “Rites of Passage”). There are no rules, and money is of no value. At the end of the festival, a giant effigy of a man is burned to the ground, hence the name of the festival.

4. Sasquatch! Music Festival; George, Washington, U.S. – Held every year in the awe-inspiring Gorge Amphitheatre on the Columbia River, Sasquatch! Music Festival’s four stages are graced by some of the biggest names in music. Foo Fighters, Death From Above 1979, Modest Mouse, the Flaming Lips, Kings of Leon, Nine Inch Nails and countless others have played during the four-day long festival, but tons of indie bands get their beginnings there, too.

3. Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival; Indio, California, U.S.– As one of the largest outdoor music festivals in North America, you’d better believe Coachella is a damn good time. While camping at the festival is the most popular (and arguably the best) way to experience Coachella, those who can’t live without their hair straighteners and who prefer to have daily showers also have the option of shuttling into the festival grounds from nearby Los Angeles. The festival is held over two weekends every April, so if one weekend doesn’t work for you, then you can catch the same acts the next weekend—or why not go to both?

2. Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival; Manchester, Tennessee, U.S. – So, I’m a little biased in placing this festival so high on the list—after all, I did meet my significant other here and if you ask me, I’ll tell you that my time at ‘Roo changed my life. Literally. Located in the heart of Tennessee, a mere 90 minutes from Nashville, Bonnaroo is an epic experience of music, art and community. With 80,000 campers, over 100 acts, including stand-up comedians, on more than 10 stages spread over 700 acres of lush Tennessee farmland, Bonnaroo will soon become your gospel.

1. Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts;  Pilton, Somerset, U.K.– Although the beloved Glastonbury is not happening this year, its triumphant return is scheduled for 2013, and rightly so. As the largest outdoor music festival in the world, this festival has been rocking the masses since 1970, the day after Jimi Hendrix died. With over 40 years in the game, dozens of stages and upwards of 140,000 attendees, Glastonbury is the festival of all music festivals.

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