Gorillaz at Bell Centre. CHARLIE BROUSSEAU/Contributor
Gorillaz delivered an incredibly colourful performance
One of the world’s most acclaimed virtual bands, Gorillaz, gave an exceptional show at the Bell Centre on Oct. 8 for fans of all ages. With the band having been around for more than 20 years, they had two decades worth of hits to share with Montrealers as a part of their North American 2022 tour.
Fans had to wait a bit before seeing Gorillaz hit the stage after an opening act from the Atlanta hip-hop duo EARTHGANG. Despite EARTHGANG’s music being very different from Gorillaz’s, they still brought the heat and delivered an incredibly fun set.
They performed tracks from their 2022 album GHETTO GODS, as well as some classics from older releases and songs they have with their record label Dreamville. Sadly, the duo couldn’t perform some of their biggest hits like “Meditated” and “Sacrifices” with Dreamville, and the set fell shorter than the typical 45 minutes expected.
After their set, fans were ecstatic for the main event as people were doing the wave and cheering for a solid five minutes while waiting for Gorillaz to appear.
For a virtual band, Gorillaz sure had a lot of people on stage, with at least 12 musicians, including three drummers and four backup singers, who all came ready to play to a very warmed up crowd. The English band truly gave a spectacular performance, playing most of the songs off their 2005 cult-classic Demon Days to a crowd singing every word back.
Lead singer Damon Albarn didn’t look like your typical 54-year-old. He was highly energetic and was really enjoying himself, even going into the crowd. Albarn was really feeding off of the crowd’s cheers and gave an incredible show in exchange, playing multiple instruments during the set.
The band also had stunning visuals, often similar to videoclips of their animated personas that fans have come to know and love throughout the years. Each video had a different story attached to the songs and it was definitely entertaining to witness the animations and the members behind them on stage at the same time.
The band also invited a lot of different guest features to play their part. These included names such as the opening act EARTHGANG, and some lesser known rappers such as Bootie Brown, who most notably has a verse on “Dirty Harry” and their latest single “New Gold.”
Overall, Gorillaz gave a stellar performance to their loyal fans who definitely had an amazing time witnessing one of the most quintessential bands of the 2000s.
The CSU organization is the on-campus remedy for all your vogue cravings
The Concordia Fashion Business Association (CFBA) was founded in 2017 in order to connect student fashion enthusiasts to the industry by providing events, cocktails, talks, and mentorship involving experienced professionals in the field.
The CFBA isn’t “just about networking with professionals, but other students as well because there aren’t any means provided by the school to do that,” mentioned CFBA co-president Sydnee Grill.
Last year featured the first appearance of the Cocktails & Connectionsevent held at Apt. 200, where the turnout of business-professional guests and student attendees alike surpassed expectations. The guest speaker for the night was Zach Macklovitch, co-founder of Saintwoods.
“This year we want to do it bigger and better because we won’t have to worry about the vaxicode,” said Grill, “and we have a much higher cap on the amount of people who can attend the venue.”
Before 2021, the CFBA only held one or two of these events per year. Fashion Conversations was the recurring activity, which won an award for Best Virtual Event 2020-21 from the CSU. The fashion conference includes different events involving several speakers, workshops and a session after a cocktail event for recruiters to talk to students.
The club will also participate in Fashion Spectrum, a Quebec-wide case competition for all universities. The deadline to enter is Nov. 14 for students who want to get involved and enhance their skills in fashion and business. The competition is from Jan. 13 through 16, and the team will meet weekly with fashion mentors in order to prepare.
As for the weekly timings, the CFBA meets once a week on Sundays for a general meeting. Closer to an event, many more meetings and a lot more work and time is put in.
“At that point the events team is planning, the business relations team is reaching out to sponsors and speakers inviting guests and the social media team is pumping out all the content for that event,” said Grill.
“In the past, websites have been the main source to find business information. Now, Instagram is the top platform to keep consumers up to date, whether it’s student-run or professionally run,” added the co-president.
This year, the club’s new content creator Lucie Sarrazin created and posted a video on “what Concordia students are wearing” that garnered almost 50,000 views on Instagram. From that video, the club gained around 300 new followers in a matter of two weeks — more than what they gained throughout all of last year.
“If you don’t go out and seek us out, the only other place you’re going to find us apart from going straight to our website is finding us on the CSU clubs website page. Every time someone new finds us, they’re amazed at how they’ve never heard of us,” Grill said.
Stay tuned for late April activities involving Concordia-based businesses and possible thrifting.
This Nov. 10 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., students who attend the event at Apt. 200 will be able to network with each other and business-professional guests over food and drinks. The event will also feature a main guest speaker who will speak for 30 to 45 minutes.
Psychedelic Porn Crumpets performing at Bar Le Ritz PDB on October 17th, 2022. CATHERINE REYNOLDS/The Concordian
PPC constantly flirted between playing perfectly on-beat and nearly losing control, keeping audience members in a satisfyingly hectic musical limbo
Montrealers were treated to a heavy set of acid-dosed tunes on Oct. 17, courtesy of Perth rock outfit Psychedelic Porn Crumpets (PPC) and supporting alternative rockers Acid Dad. While it’s still not quite clear what a “Psychedelic Porn Crumpet” is, the band name does at least serve as a spot-on description of their music.
PPC are very much a product of Australia’s gold-standard modern psychedelic rock output. While the scene’s bigger names like Tame Impala and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard may be filling larger venues, PPC proved that the smaller acts can still set crowds ablaze.
The band’s set exploded with a particularly bumping rendition of their hit single “Tally-Ho,” immediately turning a sold-out Bar Le Ritz into a human wave pool like some kind of magictrick. The song’s jumpiness can be attributed to the riff-heavy nature of the track, as looping fuzzy guitar riffs proved good contrast with frontman Jack McEwan’s signature soothing vocal style. These kinds of guitar-based songs like “Bill’s Mandolin” were the highlights of the night, as crowdsurfers levitated above the packed audience below.
But PPC proved to be about more than just heavy riffs played in front of psychedelic video projections. The five-piece also often broke out into seemingly impromptu jams, stretching and pulling their tracks way beyond what you’d hear on-album.
As McEwan led the band into these chaotic moments, guitarists Luke Parish and Chris Young noodled over the backing beat created in tandem by drummer Danny Caddy and bassist Wayan Biliondana. PPC kept pushing the musical envelope during these wilder instrumental sections, flirting between playing perfectly on-beat and nearly losing control, keeping audience members in a satisfyingly hectic musical limbo where it seemed like anything could happen.
This ability to “jam” is really the testament of a good psychedelic rock group. Many bands can adopt the flower aesthetic but only few can create that sense of chaotic yet controlled concert experimentation that gets to the root of what psychedelic rock can attain as a genre. While contemporary acts like Tame Impala can feel somewhat stiff at times, PPC’s more fluid chemistry really contributed to the quality of their live show.
Demi Lovato performing at L’Olympia Theatre October 16th. JESSICA JAKUBOWICZ
Demi Lovato put on a stellar performance at L’Olympia on Sunday, Oct. 16
The pop-star-turned-rock-star performed in a significantly small venue on Oct. 16, considering her fame and popularity over many years. The last time the singer was in Montreal, she performed at the Bell Centre with a capacity of 21,302 people. L’Olympia, on the other hand, has a capacity of only 1,120.
While the show started at 8 p.m., fans began lining up outside the doors nine hours prior to the entry time at 6:30 p.m.
Demi Lovato opened her show with Royal & the Serpent aka Ryan Santiago, an American singer-songwriter. She absolutely killed it with her energy and evident passion for music. The crowd’s energy matched hers, with fans jumping and headbanging to the music.
Santiago ended with her most famous song “Overwhelmed” that went viral on TikTok, and the crowd got extremely loud and pumped up for Demi’s appearance.
Demi came on stage with an all-girl band and the crowd went nuts. The singer started with songs from her new rock album HOLY FVCK and then went back to her Disney days with songs like “Don’t Forget” and “Remember December” — but with a rock twist. Having grown up with these songs, the fans knew every single word, including myself.
She also performed the song “29” which is the most talked-about song on the new album, since it is about the singer’s past relationship with Wilmer Valderrama. The song points out how the then 29-year-old actor dated Lovato when she was only 17. Upon turning 29, the lyrics say that she finally realized how wrong the relationship was.
Lovato spoke to the crowd before performing the song saying that she’s seen how her fans have been sharing their stories of going through the same thing, and how she’s sorry for them going through it too.
As someone who saw Demi perform at the Bell Centre four years ago when she was still making pop music, had long black hair, and dressed completely differently, I could say that this rock era is by far her best.
The singer’s powerful raspy voice fits with the rock genre perfectly, her vocals coming through more powerfully than ever. The singer seemed to be at her most confident during the Sunday night performance, and her voice has truly never sounded better.
The energy was palpable throughout the show, with a loud crowd screaming all the lyrics back to the singer.There’s been talk that this is Lovato’s last tour, and if it is, I’m very happy that I was there to see it.
What did we do to deserve such a lovely comeback album from the funk rock group?
Unlimited Love who? Make way for the Return of the Dream Canteen! This is the second album that features Red Hot Chili Peppers’ staple guitarist John Frusciante. Frusciante, singer Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea (Michael Peter Balzary), and drummer Chad Smith (totally not Will Ferrell) came out with an extremely trippy album with artwork to match the audible art.
There were many memorable songs from this LP — honestly, I could name all of them! The debut track “Tippa My Tongue” is a perfect dip into the acid trip that is this album. “Eddie” was an emotional experience, paying homage to the late Eddie Van Halen.
“La La La La La La La La” was a curveball after the heavy track “Bag of Grins.” It is the softest song in the entire album and that is saying something because, besides the last track of course, it pales in comparison to the heaviness of the rest of the songs. “Fake as Fu@k” reminded me a lot of their “Look Around” phase from their album I’m With You.
“In the Snow” is the last track of the album. I did mention that the band dove into an electronic phase with this album, featuring synth plugins and drum machines: well, this track has it all. Being the bastard child of the stereotypical Pixies song and a TR-808 drum machine, the cowbell rings clearly while square wave synth pads (a soft wide sound that is used in the background) envelop the entire song.
Halfway through the song, Kiedis commences a monologue, not unlike what the late Prince would do in his 1999 album. He continues it in a second verse toward the end of the track which ends up sounding like he is talking about nothing and everything at the same time.
Did I like Return of the Dream Canteen? Yes, a heck of a lot more than the previous Unlimited Love LP. There were a lot more memorable songs and they shook off the rustiness of not having Frusciante in the group for more than a decade. No hating on Josh Klinghoffer though, he was a gem on both I’m With You and The Getaway. Definitely check out the new release once you’ve read this!
With the resurgence of nu-metal on the horizon, there is truly no better time for a Slipknot comeback!
Released Sept. 30, Slipknot’s The End, So Far is a full-bodied, experimental, nostalgic album that has had many fans thrown for a loop. Formed in 1995, Slipknot burst onto the scene hailing from Des Moines, Iowa with their 1999 debut album, Slipknot. Arguably one of the most influential pioneer nu-metal bands on the scene, the nine-man powerhouse always finds a way to innovatively impress their audience (affectionately called ‘maggots’).
In a recent interview for NME, lead singer Corey Taylor stated that the album is “more about relating to people and less about purging again,” referring to the creation of their 2019 album, We Are Not Your Kind, which he described as a “purge.” Taylor cited this change in tone as the reason for the variety found throughout The End, So Far.
The beauty of their latest album can be found in its impressive balance of new experiments and old influences. Slipknot pushes the boundaries of what “heavy” can imply in music, having clearly prioritized a more melodic approach to most of the tracks (namely the opening track, “Adderall,” “The Dying Song (Time to Sing),” “Hive Mind,” “De Sade,” and “Finale.”
Despite these melodic elements, Slipknot still manages to maintain their classic, ruthless metal sound, drawing influence from their third studio album, Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses).
Slipknot have effectively innovated metal even prior to their debut, and it’s clear they don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. Despite death, despair and disease, the nine have always prevailed as a band. This album most definitely serves as proof.
Though The End, So Far proves itself to be solid from start to finish, there are still some tracks that are stronger than others. The opening track, “Adderall,” smoothly eases listeners into the album with psychedelic undertones while simultaneously subverting any preconceived notions of what Slipknot are about. Tracks like “The Chapeltown Rag” and “Finale” push the boundaries of metal, setting a new precedent for what metal can explore, both in sound and subject matter.
Going into this album, I expected to be more drawn to the heavier songs, however I was more enthralled by the ones with slow, entrancing intros and a show of vocal versatility from Taylor (specifically track four, “Yen,” and track 11, “De Sade.”)
This album grew on me very fast. With every listen I would find hidden gems in tracks that I’d previously dismissed. For a band that has been active for 27 years, I’d say they’re still going strong. There is definitely something for everybody in The End, So Far.
From psychedelically atmospheric intros and experimental steps to their familiar, vicious metal sequences and intense lyricism, the versatility of The End, So Far is sure to please those who are willing to embrace it.
Though some fans may find Slipknot’s subversive efforts to be out of character, I think that’s the point. I think fans will soon find it in themselves to embrace these new changes, changes that could arguably be considered advancements.
The world of Slipknot continues to expand and astonish, an unsurprising feat for a group with such a prominent presence.
There are some tracks that feel a bit unfinished or underproduced, but overall I did really love The End, So Far. With their departure from Roadrunner Records, I hope Slipknot continue to surprise us with their work.
Cigarettes After Sex burned their way into the hearts of Montrealers
Romance was in the air at MTELUS on Tuesday, Oct. 4, as the sold-out theatre swooned with their loved ones awaiting dream pop band Cigarettes After Sex to appear.
The show was opened by The Furniture, an experimental duo from Baltimore, who played a sequence of synthetic (and almost robotic) sounds, awakening the audience’s senses. Although there were no lyrics to their songs, the crowd was in awe.
The duo performed their self-titled debut album which consisted primarily of the synthesiser, the drums and small sprinkles of unconventional instruments (like a necklace to make twinkling background noise.) Even though this was a peculiar production of sound, it made for a unique experience and a good way to begin the show.
After a quick intermission, two of the Cigarettes After Sex members teased the audience with an instrumental intro. Moments later, lead singer Greg Gonzalez made his way on stage and kicked the show off with the crowd pleaser “Crush.”
With the band having only released the albums I. in 2012, Cigarettes After Sex in 2017 and Cry in 2019 the setlist, although short, was packed with fan favourites.
The group was complimented by a very minimalistic background consisting of a black and white flame in order to have the audience truly focused on the music.
Contrary to the music, the crowd was deafening. The audience shouted the lyrics to every song which made it hard to hear people calling for help when two girls were injured.
Luckily for them, Gonzales stopped in the middle of performing to make sure everyone was alright and went so far as to restart the song from the beginning.
They ended their setlist with “Sunsetz,” one of their most beloved songs from their 2017 album. The audience illuminated the stage with flashlights and lighters, creating a romantic ambiance.
After the band made their exit, the crowd wept and cheered. Running back on stage, they stated that they don’t usually perform encores but that we had made for such a great audience they simply couldn’t resist. The group began with “Apocalypse,” which made the crowd fall in love with the band all over again. The first row held out their hands as they sobbed for Greg.
Finally, they ended the show with a haunting rendition of “Dreaming of You.” A disco ball dropped from the ceiling, beaming through the smoke above the audience.
If the crowd’s reaction and the sold-out show is any indication, their next concert will definitely take place at a larger venue and I highly suggest you check them out!
Welcome to The Podcast. Cedric Gallant will produce and host this podcast alongside our Section Editors every week. The shows will rotate weekly to cover topics from each section of our newspaper!
This week’s show, Northern Perspectives, was produced by Cedric Gallant. Tune in for future episodes of Northern Perspectives, where Cedric shares exclusive interviews with members of Nunavik’s remote but thriving indigenous community.
In this episode:
For our Northern Perspectives segment this week, Cedric talks with Anthony Kauki, an Inuk student who attends Dawson College in Montreal and works in his home community of Kuujjuaq during the summer.
Thanks for listening and make sure to tune in next week!
Cover art is the first look you get at a body of work — might as well make it count with something eye-grabbing.
Choosing cover art to associate with a piece of music will always be a big decision for artists, as the art introduces the music. Before listening to a single second, your experience with a body of work starts with the art that accompanies it. Since it is the listener’s first contact with the music, the cover has to be intriguing enough for the listener to decide to dive into the record.
In some instances, cover art can be so eye-catching that it transcends a record’s popularity and gets even more appreciated than the album itself, becoming its own thing. Album covers such as Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon,with the famous triangle prism and the beam of light passing through, or The Beatles’ Abbey Road which sees the band members wearing suits and crossing the street, are prime examples of this.
Don’t get me wrong — these albums are considered some of the best of all time, but having such iconic covers definitely helped them gain the status and universal praise they still get to this day. These covers became so popular over time that you can now see them on clothes, posters, mugs, and tapestries, to a point where they’re almost symbolic.
With the streaming era, where everything is compiled on your phone, album art might not feel as important as 30 years ago when people would go to their nearest record store to skim through different album covers and buy whichever one caught their attention. Regardless of the period we are in, album covers still abide by the same set of rules as before for picking good cover art.
The most important rule is that the cover art has to be representative of the music. The genre that does it best is metal music, where the violence showcased on the album art is an excellent indicator of how brutal the music is going to sound. Death metal outfit Cannibal Corpse have some of the most gruesome album covers out there in metal, often picturing truly disgusting and unimaginable things done to people (look it up at your own risk) — and their very gross and murderous sound matches the vibe they portray on their front cover.
R&B also does it well, as it’s a more sexy and intimate genre, where artists don’t shy away from sensually posing on their album arts. You can take Doja Cat’s 2019 single “Juicy” as an example, a song talking about “juicy booties,” where Doja Cat herself is showcasing her butt on the cover art.
The importance of cover art should never be neglected — while at its core, music is a form of sound art, an album or song also needs visual art to represent it. Who knows, maybe that split second of looking at and judging a cool album cover might make you discover your next favourite artist.
Some of my favourite album covers includes:
Killers – Iron Maiden
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea – Neutral Milk Hotel
The rapper, whose real name was Artis Leon Ivey Jr., was born in Monessen, Pennsylvania on Aug. 1, 1963. When he was 11 years old, his parents divorced, meaning he and his mom moved from Monessen to live in Compton, LA
He first got into the rap scene in 1987 when he met with members of the hip hop group WC and the Maad Circle. Networking with them got him on their 1991 debut album Ain’t A Damn Thang Changed.
Coolio had released five studio albums and three compilation LPs. His most recent work was a collaboration with Teddi Gold on “The Floor is Lava” single which was released earlier this year.
In 1995 he released the infamous “Gangsta’s Paradise” which sampled Stevie Wonders’s “Pastime Paradise,” which came out in 1976. Since then it has been on the list of iconic rap songs and is loved by many.
Since his passing, many newcomers and loyal fans alike have been listening to his first album It Takes a Thief,seeing as the debut track “Fantastic Voyage” has over 18 million listens more than the other 15 tracks on Spotify. Celebrities like Ice Cube, MC Hammer, and LL Cool J mourned his passing by posting pictures of the late rapper on social media and sharing their condolences.
He is succeeded by his six children, his girlfriend Mimi Ivey, and his timeless music that greatly impacted the rap scene. You’ll be greatly missed, Coolio.
The Killers murdered their performance in Montreal
Downtown, the streets flooded with fans of all ages. From Gen X to Gen Z, the crowd rushed into the stadium in anticipation of the intoxicating performance they were about to see.
The Killers opened their show with none other than Johnny Marr, an English singer and songwriter who was previously lead guitarist of the ’80s rock band The Smiths. Brandon Flowers, lead singer of The Killers, has previously cited that he was heavily influenced by The Smiths and was thrilled to have Johnny join them on tour.
Marr started off his act with songs such as “Spirit Power and Soul” and “All These Days” from his newly released album Fever Dream Pts. 1-4. His performance consisted of a great mix between classic British rock and an electronic vibe which kept the crowd roaring for more.
After bantering with the audience about what song he should play next, Marr decided on two classics from The Smiths; “How Soon Is Now?” and “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out,” creating a nostalgic experience for the older demographic.
After a lengthy intermission, The Killers warmed up their crowd with “My Own Soul’s Warning” from their 2020 album Imploding the Mirage, which was accompanied by the breathtaking art from their album cover splashed across the big screens in the background.
Two albums, four years, and no tours, The Killers expressed their excitement and gratitude to their audience. “It’s been four long years,” Flowers stated to the crowd.
Flowers was all smiles throughout the entire show, laughing and chatting with his band members and those in the front rows. His energy was infectious.
Although the group stuck to hits from their new albums, they broke up the rock and roll with a heartfelt rendition of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” which brought tears to many. Definitely a performance I will never forget.
They ended their setlist with “All These Things That I’ve Done” from their 2004 album Hot Fuss. Their performance was exhilarating. The band was able to unite the audience through their music, having the crowd scream lyrics back at them.
Finally, after 10 minutes of cheering and stomping, the band jumped back on stage to treat the audience to an extra performance with Johnny Marr before ending the show with a seven-minute version of “Mr. Brightside” which was the perfect way to wrap up the night.
The march begins with a greeting, a must for any Indigenous ceremony. “We give thanks to our mother the Earth,” says Kahnawà:ke elder Steve McComber, “so that we can continue to grow, and have a good life.”
“As we gather here on this day,” he says, “we are here to commemorate and to make people all over the world aware of the things that have gone on. When I listened to the Prime Minister talk about truth and reconciliation, I thought this was nice, it is a beginning. But without really knowing the truth, how can we really reconcile?”
The crowd listening to Steve McComber’s speech to start off the event. CEDRIC GALLANT/The Concordian
Inflamed and armed with her arguments, Nakuset, the director of Montreal’s Native Women’s Shelter, says not much has been done since the first rendition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. “Last year, when I did the first march, I said I wanted people to hand out subpoenas. No subpoenas were given.”
“Somebody decided to dig that grave, someone decided to put a child in there, someone decided that they were not going to tell the families,” she follows. A whole group of government and church officials were involved, yet it was all hidden, and no one was blamed.
“If we actually hear the truth and change the history, that will bring some kind of comfort to the people, because there is no accountability,” Nakuset says.
With Premier François Legault elected for four more years, systemic racism will continue to be questioned by the governing body. “He is someone that says there is no systemic racism,” she says, “yet we live it every single day with every single institution, and we fight it every day.”
That same week, the second anniversary of Joyce Echaquan’s tragic death was commemorated at Place du Canada. Nakuset says that Legault “is creating generational trauma to the children.” She adds that “At the hospitals, when you mistreat people like what happened to Joyce, that’s generational trauma, because her kids may never want to go to a hospital.”
She then emulates shaking someone by the shoulder, saying that “Today we need to shake people up!”
Nakuset looking towards the crowd, with her words written on the green paper, ready to be told. CEDRIC GALLANT/The Concordian
Off to the side, away from the crowd is Kanehsatà:ke activist Ellen Gabriel, sat on a bench, planning the speech she would deliver later during the march.
“You know, I was surprised that, when we first heard these stories, we didn’t riot,” she says. What is important now is to let these stories slowly come out. “I think it’s important to let Indigenous people lead, when it comes to telling these stories. To listen, to be comfortable in the uncomfortableness, as it will be difficult for both sides,” she says.
“What we need is for reconciliation to be initiated by the other side. It is usually the party that has harmed that should begin the process of reparations and restitutions.”
For Indigenous people, “We see genocide ongoing,” Gabriel says. “The denial of Premier Legault to say there is no systemic racism, that creates an atmosphere that perpetuates genocide.”
“We want reconciliation to be ongoing, and to be on a daily basis.” She says that the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation should be more than just a holiday, but also “a national day of remembrance.”
Protesters gathered at the Sir George-Étienne Cartier monument near Mount-Royal. CEDRIC GALLANT/The Concordian
A few things should be put in place at the government level to ensure that reconciliation is moving forward. “I think there should be an independent group that monitors the government,” she says. “The government is supposed to have an annual report on their reconciliation progress, and as far as I am concerned, they really have not done anything.”
“Human rights are interrelated and interdependent,” she says, “if one is being violated, you cannot enjoy the rest of the human rights.”
“Indigenous Affairs minister Ian Lafreniere or Premier Legault often say that it’s a success, it’s not a success,” she says. “I have been doing this for 32 years, it’s really frustrating seeing the government continue its propaganda, saying look we have done it! Well no, you have not done it, because you continue to do it.”
She calls upon us, Quebecers and Canadians. “You have an obligation, not just a moral obligation but also a legal one, to make sure that reconciliation begins.”
“The government cannot claim it doesn’t know, “she says, “Canadians and Quebecers cannot claim they do not know, if you’re not doing anything to be part of the change then you are part of the problem.”
Resilience Montreal’s Community and Intervention Coordinator Maggie Chittspattio at the forefront of the crowd. She would translate Nakuset’s words in French and Naskapi. CEDRIC GALLANT/The Concordian
Inuk singer-songwriter Elisapie stood to the microphone, and performed a small excerpt from a song by her uncle Irsutuk Kakayuk, lead singer of the band Sugluk. For her, art is also part of the process, as it’s part of the stories being told. “Art has always been there, we have always had our ceremonies, our dances, and our stories,” she says.
“I think, nowadays, we are just expanding our realities, exploring how we want to tell them.” What matters most is to listen to Indigenous peoples, and understand the trauma they have faced for generations, without infringing on their will to share.
In her speech she quotes her friend, Innu doctor Stanley Vollant, who was standing in the crowd, looking at her with admiration. She says “We might be sick now, we might have great pain, but with time, maybe in a few generations, we will be healed. But for now, to move towards healing, we need to be heard, and to be given space.”
Elisapie starting her speech with an a cappella performance of her uncle Irsutuk Kakayuk’s song. CEDRIC GALLANT/The Concordian
