Tag: winter

Categories
Sports

Everything you need to know about skiing during the pandemic

An abnormal ski season around the corner

For winter sports enthusiasts, the first snowfall entails the beginning of a highly anticipated season. While there will be some sense of familiarity for experienced skiers, this season will be exceptionally unique with COVID-19.

Fortunately, winter athletes hoping to practice skiing as an escape from a disappointing year will still be able to access the wide plethora of local ski hills. However, with the pandemic upending familiar societal standards on its head, skiing will be no exception.

The concept of skiing lends itself well to the COVID-19 era: skiers are already accustomed to spreading out across the mountain, tend to distance themselves from others while riding the slopes to avoid collisions, and are used to covering their faces to combat the cold climate.

However, some issues arise when considering the services surrounding the popular winter activity. The concept of waiting in crowded lift lines and sharing chairs is worrisome for ski resorts, alongside the notion of renting gear and the interactions that procedure entails. The crowding and socializing that typically occurs in warm interior settings such as mid-mountain restaurants and chalets will also need to be heavily controlled and monitored.

The recent drop in temperature has enabled the snowmaking operation to begin for many ski resorts, officially signaling the commencement of the ski season despite the circumstances.

The Quebec Ski Areas Association (ASSQ) has released a set of guidelines that the non-profit organization deems paramount for the smooth sailing of ski operations in the province. Among the many safety measures people are advised to follow, the mandatory highlighted items include: keeping a physical distance of two metres, wearing a face covering inside and outside of base lodging, and washing hands frequently.

Much like the many societal services that have made the online transition, skiers can purchase ski tickets online in advance and learn about the specific regional health regulations that will vary by resort, which ski resorts strongly recommend before presenting oneself in-person.

Some mountains aim to control traffic by limiting the number of daily tickets made available. Regional statuses will not be absolute and will subsequently be susceptible to change as the COVID-19 situation evolves, meaning guests must frequent a business’ website regularly to remain informed and avoid calamity.

“The resorts have redoubled their efforts to put processes in place to ensure the safety of their guests and employees,” said President and CEO of the ASSQ Yves Juneau in a press release published on Nov. 26. “The success of the season also depends on the sense of responsibility of skiers who must now plan their outings in advance.”

In addition to the added physical safety measures, many ski resorts have adopted new policies that cater to customers by acknowledging the uncertainty surrounding the virus.

The Guaranteed Season option, for example, is offered by most local hills free-of-charge with the purchase of any season pass, enabling customers the option to defer the pass to the 2021-22 season or request a full refund. The deadline to defer varies by resort, and skiers cannot use the benefit if they have already started using their subscription.

Furthermore, if services are temporarily interrupted or suspended due to a government decree, a compensation process will occur at the end of the season. Reimbursements will be calculated according to the theoretical number of days offered by a certain pass compared to the number of operating days that the resort was forced to prematurely close.

The pandemic has thrown curveballs and haymakers at every stage, making its notorious presence felt and forcing people from all walks of life to adjust accordingly. While the different operation process will certainly have its ups and downs for ski enthusiasts, local ski resorts hope that the continuous diligence will result in a unique, safe, and rewarding winter season.

 

Graphic by Laura Douglas

Categories
Student Life

Looking for cute winter date ideas?

Graphic by Sasha Axenova

During the warmer months, there are so many cute date ideas: going to a driving range, walking by the river, having a picnic in a park, taking a bike ride in a quaint neighbourhood, etc. But what about the winter? While it may seem more difficult to come up with cute date ideas when it’s cold outside, Montreal actually has a lot to offer other than your basic dinner/drinks and/or a movie. With Valentine’s Day not far away and my love life being more void than a black hole, I took on the hard task of finding fun activities for your winter dates and compiled a list for you.

For the outdoor activity lovers

I hate winter so these don’t feel natural for me but I am aware that many people enjoy spending time outside, regardless of the weather. 

  1. Lace up those skates! Montreal has so many skating rinks (Canada, duh) that you can go to for a cute date. From large outdoor rinks like the one in the Old Port, Beaver Lake or Centre de la Nature in Laval, to your assortment of small neighbourhood rinks or indoor arenas like Atrium Le 1000, a sheet of ice isn’t too far away. Or, you know, you can just wait for freezing rain and skate on the street the next day.
  2. Take a hike. Really. It may not be the most ~intense~ hike of your life, but trekking up Mount Royal to get to the Belvedere in the snow might be enough physical activity for one date. You can do it for the hike or for the cute view at the top—stargazing and all that good stuff, you know? You can also go snowshoeing or cross country skiing around Mount Royal Park or, again, at Centre de la Nature if you’re up for taking a short trip north (it’s really not that far).
  3. Take it slow. If you like the outdoors but aren’t super into the more strenuous activities mentioned above, you can always take a stroll in the Old Port or downtown. Go cafe hopping, do some people watching, do an improvised architecture tour of the city—so many options!

For the indoor activity lovers

If being outside for longer than the time it takes to get from inside a building to inside a vehicle sounds dreadful, fear not. There are plenty of cute date activities for you too!

  1. Chat it up. If you want to spend a lot of time talking to the person you’re on a date with, you have quite a few options. These are kind of miscellaneous but somehow all related: escape rooms, axe throwing, batting cage, rage rooms, indoor roller rinks, karaoke, or attend a cooking class. 
  2. Let’s get competitive. If you and/or your date are more competitive in nature, there are plenty of options for date ideas in the city—it just so happens you can be in close proximity to your date while potentially kicking their butt. For a one-stop-shop, the Forum is a great place to play pool, try your luck at arcade games or go bowling. If not, there are plenty of mini-putt locations around the city. If you really want to stay away from any physical activity at all, Randolph’s—the board game place—is a great option to get a bit of friendly competition going.
  3. Get around. If you want to go on a date but also explore some cool spots in the city, you also have a few options. If you’re into this kind of stuff, going to record shops, bookstores or vintage/thrift stores to peruse their collections will likely be a fun time and you might even find a rare gem. You might also be able to create an impromptu photoshoot out of it—for the ‘gram!

For the artsy types

Whether you like looking at art or making it, these are for you.

  1. Do it yourself. Ceramic Cafe is a great place to spend time chatting and getting to know someone while also getting your art on. Whether you make something for the other person or even work on a larger piece together, it’s a great option for bringing out the creative side of you. Another option is to attend a wine and paint night.
  2. Be the observer. If you can appreciate art but aren’t really into making some of your own, there are so many museums you can attend. Pro tip: the first Sunday of every month, there’s a variety of museums that offer free admission. There’s also the Montreal Science Centre in the Old Port or the Biodome that you can visit.
  3. Catch a show. I don’t mean a television show; I mean go to theatrical performance, go to a jazz bar or even a comedy show. And, I guess, if all else fails, you can just make a fort in your living room with all the cushions and blankets available on the block and put on a new series.

 

Graphic by Sasha Axenova

Categories
Music

Igloofest 2020: 14 years of electric winters

From embracing local hip hop to welcoming new international DJs, the festival slightly reinvents itself this year.

The biggest music festival of the winter enters the new decade, facing past concerns head-on, from diversifying and expanding its programming, to managing gender diversity and sustainability issues.

Montrealers eager to warm up by dancing on the coldest nights of the year will flock to the Quai Jacques-Cartier in the Old Port for the festival’s 14th edition, spanning over nine nights between four weekends, from Jan. 16 to Feb. 8.

This year, Igloofest seems to have found the right balance in its programming, knowing how to please its loyal festival-goers in an ever-changing electronic music landscape.

“We are aware that people’s tastes evolve, and we have always been trying to dig out future trends while pleasing our loyal audience,” said Nicolas Cournoyer, co-founder of Igloofest and Piknic Électronik.

The festival’s aspiration for trendiness might explain why they have dedicated an entire night to hip hop for the first time this year. Along with other so-called “Off-Igloo” events, the night of Jan. 30 will feature local hip hop stars, including rappers Loud and White-B, along with DJ Charlie Shulz.

Closer to Igloofest’s roots, some Montreal favourites are also making their comeback this year. Having just released a very well-received new album, Kaytranada will warm up the Sapporo stage on Feb. 1, along with High Klassified. Kaytranada’s last Igloofest appearance in 2018 broke the attendance record of the festival at that time, likely making his 2020 appearance the most anticipated show at Igloofest this year. Cournoyer said he is very proud to welcome the two DJs once more.

“It was important for us, since the very beginning, to push for Montreal artists to have a platform here,” he said. “Although at first, when we used to be much smaller, we could almost only have Montreal DJs, we still grew in a way that would allow space for emerging local talent.”

With that goal in mind, Cournoyer said that in the early 2010s, the festival decided to build a second stage, dedicated strictly to Montreal artists, that would compensate for the arrival of international DJs. Voyage Funktastique and Cri are among the favourite local stars that had participated in the first editions of Igloofest to come back this year.

Igloofest has diversified itself in many ways — its lineup encompasses many genres, from EDM to house, hip hop to techno, but also with guests from all over the world, and a growing presence of women artists.

Cournoyer said that gender equality is a priority for his festival. “We are flirting with parity in our lineup this year,” he said. “We have been very lucky to find exceptional women artists, such as Nina Kraviz and Charlotte de Witte.” This will be minimal techno DJ de Witte’s second performance in Montreal, following a successful show at Osheaga last summer.

If festival-goers had been complaining about lack of representation of women in music festivals recently, they also raised important questions regarding sustainability. Cournoyer said that Multicolore, the company responsible for Igloofest and Piknic Électronik, will do more this year, as past editions’ efforts might not have been enough to reduce their environmental footprint.

Not only does he claim they will try to compensate for the gas emissions caused by the transportation of their guests by planting hundreds of trees, he says Igloofest will also ban plastic water bottles and will bring reusable cups and straws this year.

Once the festival comes to an end, Montrealers can measure if these efforts have been successful. Until then, they can fight off winter blues by dancing to their favourite DJs.

For more details about the programming, visit https://igloofest.ca/

 

Photos by Youmna El Halabi

Categories
Student Life

The fashion chronicles

Do you have items in your closet that you almost never wear?

Maybe it’s a ratty old T-shirt from a highschool volleyball tournament that you don’t have the heart to get rid of. Maybe it’s a tight pair of shorts that you hope to fit into someday. Maybe your style has simply changed over time, and a few ghostly remnants of your old self are still clinging to the hangers.

Or maybe, if you’re like me, you’ve collected a handful of clothing items that look really cool, but you just don’t have the guts to wear.

My closet is full of these pieces — funky sweaters and jackets, novelty T-shirts, pants and dresses with bold hemlines, the list goes on. Usually, these clothes are purchased with specific outfits in mind — outfits that, if I’m being honest, will likely never come to fruition. These looks are meant to be worn by who I aspire to be, not by who I am now. In reality, they are probably destined for nothing more than collecting dust in the back of my closet. Tragic.

But Lilly, you might be thinking, if it bothers you so much, why don’t you just suck it up and wear the damn clothes? Who cares what people think! 

To that, I say: good point.

Last week, I vowed to bring some of these clothes out of hiding. I did so by wearing a variety of these aspirational outfits for three days in a row. Here’s how it went:

 

Day one 

The look:

-A pair of white, wide leg jeans with a cropped hem

-A large, cheetah-print sweater in black-and-white

-An oversized blue puffer jacket

-A black newsboy cap

-A pair of classic Doc Martens

On the spectrum of Bratz doll to early 20th century dock worker, my first outfit sits somewhere in the middle. That morning, after frantically cornering my roommate and demanding she give me her honest opinion, I was graciously informed that I looked like a character from Clueless. Whether she meant it as a compliment or not, this was an extremely reassuring thing to hear, as it was pretty much exactly what I was going for.

Mixing a loud colour with such a bold pattern was a little out of my comfort zone, and the addition of the hat and shoes certainly didn’t help tone things down. That being said, I really enjoyed how the whole look came together and I received quite a few compliments. The only thing missing was a shoulder bag with a tiny dog peeking out of it. Next time!

Day two 

The look:

-A pair of high-waisted, acid-wash jeans

-A fitted black turtleneck

-A huge faux-fur coat

-A black beanie

-A pair of brown Blundstones

I’ve always liked the look of mixing casual and formal items together, so I decided to pair this extravagant faux-fur coat with a laid back pair of jeans and a beanie. To me, this outfit looks like the aesthetic intersection of a fancy divorcee and her angsty teenage son, which, come to think of it, is exactly how I would describe my personality — how very fitting.

Wearing this outfit wasn’t nearly as nerve-wracking as wearing the first one, but I was still unsure as to whether I would be able to pull it off or not (jury’s still out, guys). Regardless, this look was the comfiest damn thing I wore all week, and it definitely kept me nice and warm.

Day three 

The look:

-An ankle-length, navy-blue a-line dress with a floral pattern

-A long, cream-coloured sherpa peacoat

-A sparkly gold scrunchie

-That same pair of classic Doc Martens

This dress let me live out my ultimate Little House on the Prairie fantasy and for that, I am eternally grateful. To keep the outfit looking a little more snazzy and a little less scullery maid, I decided to edge things up by adding the boots.

As someone who rarely wears dresses, I really felt at ease in this look and it has inspired me to seek out more, similar items. Above all, I’d say that this outfit was my favourite out of the three!

What began as a harrowing and anxiety-inducing endeavour ended up being a lot of fun, and I was surprised to see how much the whole experience boosted my confidence. While I don’t think I can sustain dressing this extra every single day, I’ll definitely be experimenting more with my wardrobe from here on out.

Photos by Laurence B.D.

Categories
Arts

Illumi, an ode to winter’s beauty and magic

The incredible outdoor light show proves that winter isn’t so bad after all

As winter progresses and the days become shorter, Illumi–A Dazzling World of Lights by Cavalia–which took place in Laval from Nov. 1 to Jan. 5, showcased winter’s beauty with millions of gorgeous lights, all while transporting visitors through different places with sight and sound.

Illumi offers much more than a dazzling, original, and seemingly endless universe of lights. The experience also includes food trucks and numerous small stores to visit, all placed at the main entrance of the course and referred to as the Christmas Market.

Illumi presents eight different worlds, beginning with The Many Colours of the Savanna, followed by Feliz Navidad, Infinite Poles, Santa’s Real Home, Dreaming of the Star, The Merry-Go-Round Square, Magic Lanterns and Frolic on the Boulevard. These different worlds are placed on a course and visitors are free to visit at their own rhythm, though the light show’s website states that it takes 90 minutes to get through them all.

When I attended with my family over the break, we spent over two hours outdoors which allowed us to disconnect from our phones and spend time together and talk. We began in the The Many Colours of the Savanna, which showcased animals composed of different coloured fairy lights; elephants, giraffes, flamingos, zebras and lions were presented beautifully. Trees were also different shades of white, purple and green. The bright adventure was accompanied by african music which seemed to melt the snow away and transport us back to summer.

Moving on to Feliz Navidad, the even brighter coloured world represented the beauty of South America, drawing inspiration from multiple hispanic cultures, from Mexico to Perù. The exhibition celebrated the multiculturalism of South America through its visuals and blend of different types of hispanic music. This world contained llamas, giant piñatas, birds, Indigenous-inspired masks, butterflies, flowers and a multitude of other tropical animals. It was a nice part of the Illumi experience as I was able to feel pride for being part of the latinx community.

Infinite Poles contained many arctic animals such as penguins, polar bears and deer, surrounded by a seemingly-endless legion of stalagmites and igloos of different sizes and colours to explore. Infinite Poles was also accompanied by a very adorable holiday world which exhibited snowmen, gifts and snowflakes among other holiday symbols.

Although Illumi is a light show throughout, a short film titled Dreaming of the Star  was presented on a large screen that was solely made up of lightbulbs–four million in total. The multimedia tale told the story of two siblings who went on a quest to find the brightest star in the sky to decorate their christmas tree.

The Merry-Go-Round Square, which had a carousel composed of white cavalia horses, gave visitors a fun place to rest. Magic Lanterns was mainly composed of Asian fauna and references to samurai and geishas, as well as pandas, fish, dragons and cherry blossom trees. Frolic on the Boulevard honoured Hollywood with a bright silhouette of Marilyn Monroe as well as a clapperboard, among other pop culture references, all accompanied by popular film scores.

Though its prices and location aren’t the most accessible, Illumi filled visitors with wonder over the holidays.

 

Photo by Camila Caridad Rivas

Categories
News

Montrealers face their worst nightmare: construction under the snow.

Twenty centimetres of snow made traffic worse than usual last week in Montreal.

Concordia students depend heavily on the 105 bus to get to and from the Loyola campus. When it begins to snow, their usual method of transit gets way more complicated. On Nov. 11 and 12, Montreal received 20 centimetres of snow.

“I almost died yesterday,” said Huda Hafez, a student at Concordia University. “There was a big pile of snow covering the sidewalk, and I didn’t know where the sidewalk ended and the road started. So, I was actually standing in the bus’s way and the driver looked so angry, and he was going really fast.”

With snow, buses struggle to respect regular schedules in NDG, in Saint-Laurent, and almost everywhere in Montreal, according to public transit users.

Three construction projects on Côte-Vertu Boulevard in Saint-Laurent have been making traffic unbearable for most people in the area since April. Now that it has snowed, it’s making it even worse.

Although the three projects’ are meant to speed up public transit, the work will continue adversely affecting residents and workers until Dec. 15.

“The first project, at the Côte-Vertu metro station, consists of changing the permeability membrane to prevent water from getting in,” said Aref Salem, city councillor and vice-chair of the Commission sur le transport et les travaux publics. This project was complete by the beginning of last week.

The second project is the service rapide par bus (SRB), which is a 24/7 reserved bus lane.

“The whole point of the SRB between Côte-Vertu and Sauvé [stations] is to speed up buses, especially the 121. It has around 40,000 users every day, and we want to help them save time,” said Salem.

The third project is under the Montpellier REM train station viaduct and consists of changing the pillars.

“We want to strengthen the bridge to support new trains and a closed station so people can’t get access to the train without a valid ticket,” said Salem. Passengers will have to scan their tickets before entering the station.

Daily commuters of Côte-Vertu Boulevard are complaining the projects are causing traffic and the snow is making transport unbearable.

“I just want them to finish with all the construction,” said Maryam Bairouk, a resident near Côte-Vertu Boulevard. “I had a car accident a few weeks ago at the Jules-Poitras and Côte-Vertu light. A car was reversing because they were stuck in the intersection, and they smashed into my car.”

These projects are also affecting public transit users.

HEC student Annie Marcel said that before it snowed, the only annoyance was the detour the bus had to take near the metro. She said she’s glad this project ended before the snowstorm, but that the snow alone is a struggle.

“I had to wait over 10 minutes for the 121 to show up when it was only three minutes away. It was stuck at the same light for five minutes,” Marcel said.

Demix Construction, a division of CRH Canada Group Inc., is the contracting company of these projects.

Though The Concordian tried to reach the company, engineer and project manager Marco Pelle said the STM asked to redirect journalists’ questions to them, who also refused to comment.

These projects are expected to end by Dec. 15, and the SRB should be operational starting January 2020.

 

Feature photo by Britanny Clarke

Categories
News

Simply Scientific: Daylight Savings

While we did enjoy an extra hour of sleep last week, daylight saving may have become an old useless practice.

In 1895, New Zealander George Hudson introduced the concept of “daylight saving” as a way to enjoy more after-work sunlight to catch more bugs. Yup! To catch more bugs, as Hudson was an entomologist. This would allow him to significantly expand his bug collection.

However, it was only in 1916 that Germany became the first country to put it into practice, but with different intentions than catching beetles and butterflies. Daylight saving was actually enacted to save precious coal energy to fuel World War I. Since coal was the primary source of energy, Germany really made big savings. The thinking behind the decision was that people staying outside longer would reduce their artificial light consumption, which it did!

Fast forward a century later, in an era where electricity is king and research has shown that daylight saving is no longer effective. Brian Handwork reported in National Geographic that the method may have become obsolete since it has no effect on energy savings anymore because of the alternative lighting methods we are using.

In fact, it might be dangerous for our health. The same article quotes a study by the University of Alabama in Birmingham that showed an increase of heart attacks and suicide rates during the Monday and Tuesday after moving the clocks an hour forward in spring. While the causes are still unknown, researchers think it is an amalgam of the body’s adaptation to that change.

It turns out that as much as I tried finding compelling pro daylight saving arguments, there are none to be found except one. The further we move away from the equator, the more seasonal changes in daylight affects a region. This is due to the tilted axis of the Earth. In Winter, northern countries will have less light. Changing the hour would be an advantage for those regions since they would enjoy slightly more daylight.

Overall, daylight saving has become obsolete and brings more trouble than advantages. Although I only stated two downfalls, a quick Google search shows thousands of articles bashing the method, and honestly, it is worth giving it a look! But for now, the only thing we could have done was to enjoy our extra hour of sleep last week.

 

Graphic by @sundaeghost

Categories
Sports

Not taking a break over the winter

Photo by Mackenzie Lad.

How Jocelyn Barrieau is training her women’s team all-year round

Four months since the Concordia Stingers women’s rugby team finished the 2018 Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) season, the team has barely left the field.

Two weeks of rest were all the team needed at the end of last season. Stingers Head Coach Jocelyn Barrieau said that after closing their last campaign with a debrief and a few meetings, the team quickly returned to training.

“We started training again at the end of October,” Barrieau said. “After, we got into conditioning and weightlifting. I think next year we’ll be able to make a step forward with everything related to performances.”

The term “off-season” doesn’t reflect what happens between two RSEQ rugby seasons. The Stingers do much more than just practice, as they play games as well.

“We officially have three tournaments this year with the RSEQ,” Barrieau said. “There’s also a good chance a Canadian championship will be added in a weekend of March. These are tournaments that keep us in the community. These are just tools for us to use, and we keep them in our pockets for next year.”

Stingers forward Nancy Napolitano said off-season tournaments keep the team motivated. “We just had one tournament, and we have more coming [up]. There’s still a reason to keep pushing.”

The RSEQ started a pilot project for the winter season in 2018. Teams play rugby sevens, which is seven players per team, instead of the regular 15 players they play with in the fall. Despite this, the off-season can be as demanding as a regular season schedule.

“In the off-season, you’re working out probably harder,” said first-year forward Halee Preston. “Our practices are not any easier during the off-season. You’re not taking it easy in practice to not know what it’s like in a game.”

She added that the off-season is a big part of a team’s success and that, in order to perform well in games, you need to put in effort all year.

“If you’re not working in the off-season, your performances are likely not going to change next season,” Preston said. “We’re looking for a better outcome than last year, so we want to keep progressing forward.”

While new players can be recruited at any point in the year in the RSEQ, Barrieau said the Stingers welcomed 25 to 30 players for a recruitment day last month.

“We had players already at Concordia, or coming [to] Concordia who are joining the program,” Barrieau said. “We had people from secondary three to CÉGEP who came to visit the complex. It’s a continuing process, as we also have on-field development.”

Barrieau said that even if it can be challenging for a team to practice without having performance dates every week, it allows for opportunities to focus on different aspects of their game.

“We really work on our bases this winter,” Barrieau said. “We work on our decision-making, our tackles, and we look back at our defensive system.”

Barrieau said the Stingers hope to have a fast and exciting team for next season. She said her players enjoy this challenge, which makes it a fun experience.

“We had a season that we needed to build,” Barrieau said. “It won’t take a year, but two or three. However, the group of players we have and the energy we have [makes it] a fun process. They bring a lot, they love each other, and it’s really a pleasure to do this.”

Main photo by Mackenzie Lad.

Categories
Arts

Vibrancy in the dull of winter

Photo by Alex Hutchins.

The 15th edition of Nuit Blanche saw artistic expression materialize across media

Although it’s unclear where the concept of all-night art festivals originated, Paris is credited with creating “Nuit Blanche” in the early 2000s. Other European cities hosted these types of festivals throughout the 90s, but the first night of Nuit Blanche was established in France and has since spread to other cities around the world.

The program for this year’s edition of Montreal’s Nuit Blanche was divided into six categories based on the type of event. Whether you were looking for “A Night of Stories” or “A Night on the Dancefloor,” you were guaranteed to find something you’d enjoy. With over 200 events and activities, from poetry readings and interactive installations to DJ and comedy performances, the festival promised a night of unabashed creativity.

Dozens of art-and-music lovers moved and grooved to upbeat house music by local DJs. Surrounded by flashing lights, deep bass and an aura of pulsating energy, many spectators danced until well after 3 a.m. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

A feeling of collective celebration permeated the city—even underground. The metro was open all night, encouraging people to explore and increase their chances of finding hidden gems—of which there were plenty. The metro also served as a performance venue at certain times throughout the night. Berri-UQAM hosted swing and salsa performances, and the St-Laurent station was the spot for local DJs to perform improvised scratch sessions.

Spectators gathered around pop-up fire pits in Esplanade de la Places des Arts to warm their chilled hands, recommend exhibits to newfound friends, roast delicious sausages and, of course, have obligatory photo-ops. Photo by Alex Hutchins.
Photo by Alex Hutchins.

The hub of the entire event was, of course, the Quartier des Spectacles, which hosted everything from free concerts to competitive games inspired by the Olympics. Place des Festivals transformed into a lively and crowded strip as people jumped from one activity to the next. Portraits of famous musicians illuminated an entire wall of the Maison du Festival Rio Tinto Alcan building, and a huge zipline stretched over the expanse of the crowd.

Shattered glass illuminated with hues of green and yellow make up one of the exhibits at Eastern Bloc. Decorated with industrial-style string lights, an outdoor terrasse allowed spectators to chat with art-loving friends and strangers alike. Photo by Alex Hutchins.
Joffré Roy-Beauregard (above) is one of the seven artists featured in the (Dis)CONNECT exhibition. Other interactive multimedia installments invited spectators to listen to and watch the audio-visual representations of varying human emotions, such as fear and anxiety. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

For festival-goers who wanted a more relaxed experience, galleries all over the city kept their doors open well into the night. The Art Matters Festival, for example, took Nuit Blanche as the opportunity to open this year’s edition of student-run exhibitions. Espace POP hosted the festival’s opening night, with the artworks of its first exhibition, (Dis)CONNECT, on display. Eastern Bloc, a new media production and gallery space, collaborated with the non-profit organization Never Apart to showcase the talents of Latin-American artists in two parts. The night began with multimedia installations, and concluded with performances by local DJs, which saw visitors dropping by to warm up and shake off their fatigue.

Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Check out our video coverage of the event below.

Categories
Opinions

How to stay safe, warm as a cyclist in the winter

Graphic by Alexa Hawksworth.

The weather is changing, but that doesn’t mean you have to avoid bike paths

Now that stores have started playing Christmas music, the arrival of winter is inevitable. Don’t let cool temperatures and flurries signal the end of your cycling season. Pedalling around in the bitter cold and snow can actually be a good time.

Yet, before heading out into the great white north, there are a few factors to consider. A good way to ruin winter cycling for yourself is by being underdressed and underprepared. Following a few simple steps will help you avoid frosty misery.

Dressing properly is the foundation of winter fun on your bike. Fingers and toes are the first to freeze on a cold day, so pay particular attention to gloves and socks. A wind and waterproof glove with an insulated liner is the ideal choice but can be expensive. A frugal alternative is to wear nitrile or latex disposable gloves underneath any winter glove, as they provide a fairly resilient waterproof layer.

Thick socks are a no-brainer for staying warm, but don’t go overboard. A tight shoe will feel colder than one that doesn’t constrict your foot, regardless of how cozy the socks are. I have the best luck with a pair of regular socks underneath thick wool ones. The army surplus stores on St-Laurent Street sell the classic red-striped wool numbers at an affordable price.

Rosey red cheeks may be cute, but they hurt when pedaling around the city on your bike. So wrap up your face. A cycling balaclava is a good investment, as it is breathable and provides great coverage from wind and snow. A frugal alternative is to use a cheap neck gaiter that’s long enough to pull up over your ears and around your face. Whatever you wear, make sure it is thin so that the fit of your helmet is not compromised.

Layering keeps me comfiest on a chilly day. A bunch of thinner shirts and sweaters under a windproof jacket feels warmer than a big, puffy parka, especially on a bike. Also, the mobility of thinner layers is a huge plus when cycling in challenging conditions. By wearing multiple layers, you can regulate your warmth. As soon as you start sweating, it’s going to be really tough to stay warm. Having wet clothing in sub-zero temperatures means you’re going to get really cold. Layering is a great way to avoid this frosty fate, as you can remove certain pieces of clothing when you start getting warm.

When it comes to your bike, it’s best to make sure that it’s durable and comfortable. Buying a new set of brake pads is a great way to welcome the winter. While a wet chain lubricant might make a bit of a mess, it’s worth it because your chain will stay protected from salty road spray. It is also super helpful to spray your bike down with WD-40—a common and cheap penetrating oil—after every sloppy, winter ride as the spray displaces water and stops your bike from rusting.

Riding in the snow is challenging, but you can set your bike up for success. Lower your seat a little bit so it’s easier to put your feet down if you’re in deep snow. If you don’t have big, knobby winter tires, it doesn’t mean the snow is impassable. Take a little bit of air pressure out of your tires, especially the front one, for a little more grip. Lastly, pedal in an easy gear. Having your feet spin around with little resistance means your back wheel is less likely to slip.

Enjoy the snow and bundle up, because Montreal is a great city for cycling in the winter. The Maisonneuve bike lane is plowed daily, and most smaller lanes are sanded to keep the road’s grip. Make use of a city that supports winter cycling, and enjoy it.

Graphic by Alexa Hawksworth 

Categories
Music

Nostalgia through sound and style

R&B-pop artist Sophia Bel keeps her music fresh with hypnotic beats and moody lyrics

It was Britney Spears’ sophomore album, Oops I Did It Again, that made Sophia Bel want to become a singer when she was young. “I knew the whole thing by heart,” she said.

These days, though, the Montreal-based singer-songwriter has been listening to a lot of 80s and 90s house music and old jazz tunes for inspiration. Her newest track, “Winter,” dropped on March 24. The analog synth-based song features a 90s backbeat and drawn out, echo-y vocals.

“I was on a night out and I was coming home in an Uber, and I felt those late-night, post-party blues. I wanted to express that kind of ringing sound you can have in your head when you’re falling asleep after a party,” Bel said about her inspiration to write the song. “It’s about addiction and trying to get your life together.” The single premiered with an accompanying music video.

Bel’s music can be described as R&B-pop, but there are elements of jazz in it, too. “Right now, I’m really into 80s synths—like synth basses and keyboards. I’ve also been getting into vintage-sounding guitar pedals,” Bel said, adding her music has a nostalgic feel to it.

Singer-songwriter Sophia Bel’s sense of style is eclectic and vintage, qualities which reflect the essence of her music. Photos by William Arcand

Her personal style also bears this same nostalgic feel—her outfit ensembles are often reminiscent of those from an earlier generation—fitting, as she often shops at thrift stores. “I get inspired by either a memory from my childhood of a certain style that someone had, or I’ll have a t-shirt and I’ll build an outfit around it,” she said. “I enjoy being creative. For me [fashion is] a hobby, and it’s cool that it can help direct my image, and the vibes that I want to bring to my music,” she said. Her style, as she described, is “eclectic and slightly kooky.”

Bel is currently in her last year of the jazz music program at Vanier College. She said her studies helped her develop her sound. “I could write a catchy song [before], but now I can explore different textures, different sounds. I have a better view on the medium itself,” she said.

Her vocal technique has also changed over the years. When she first began singing at a young age, she would try to emulate powerhouse singers, such as Beyonce and Christina Aguilera. Now, she opts for a softer sound vocally. “I pay more attention to subtleties and the sensibility in the interpretation, and not so much showing off a huge voice,” she said. Bel’s voice on her recently-released tracks is soft, silky and smooth—nearly hypnotic.

While Bel is commonly known for her time on season four of La Voix, the Quebec music reality TV show, she does not want to be known as the reality show singer forever. She is grateful for the exposure the show gave her, but she said she felt she wasn’t portrayed in the best light—she was deemed the shy, awkward girl, which isn’t reflective of who she is or wants to be.

“The lack of control of your image when you’re on a show like that is kind of tough to deal with,” she said.

“[The show] taught me to be more authentic with what I want to share with the world,” she said. “It re-centered my focus—now I just want to focus on my art and the stuff I actually want to do.”

For her last performance on La Voix, she sang Lana Del Rey’s “High by the Beach,” a cover which she quickly became known for. “It was the performance that got me the most exposure. It was my most popular performance,” she said. So much so, she recorded a version of it on her Facebook page, which has over 74,000 views. “I got literally hundreds of requests to do my own version,” she said. Del Rey is also one of her musical influences.

However, Bel said she believes her biggest accomplishment is still to come. “A lot of people would say it’s La Voix, because it gave me a big boost in my development as a public figure,” she explained. “But my biggest accomplishment is my EP that I’m going to release—that’s how I feel right now.”

Her new EP does not have a release date yet, but Bel is aiming for the end of this summer or early fall. It will feature all new songs, which she described jazzy and sensual. Bel will also be involved with the artistic direction of the EP. “I’m inspired by space right now—aliens and spaceships,” she said, referring to the imagery she wants to incorporate in the EP. “I’m also thinking of the colour green and orange a lot. I don’t know if my inspirations are too weird,” she said with a laugh.

For aspiring musicians, Bel said, ultimately, it’s important to be authentic and develop a clear musical direction. “Unless you have something to say, no one’s going to hear anything,” she said. “[Your music] is not going to resonate if you don’t have a clear vision and a clear direction.”

Categories
Arts

What to do in Montreal this winter

A quick look at what’s happening in the city this semester

Winter might have its cold, cold claws firmly clamped down on the city, but that doesn’t mean Montreal’s vibrant arts and culture scene is any less interesting. With winter festivals and activities taking place both inside and outdoors, there’s something to satisfy everyone’s tastes and preferences. Here’s a quick look at some of the things you can look forward to this semester.

Montreal en lumière

Back for its 18th year, the Montréal en lumière festival will once again offer a unique program, consisting of outdoor activities, performing arts and gastronomic discoveries. The festival runs from Feb. 18 to March 11, and is one of the largest winter festivals in the world. You won’t want to miss the festival’s biggest event: Nuit blanche on March 4. With more than 200 activities spread out over 100 sites, this Montreal staple will be sure to warm up even the coldest of nights with its eclectic mix of musical and artistic performances. Mother Mother, Regina Spektor and Matt Holubowski are some of the artists set to perform. Not to mention, the metro is open all night, so you can enjoy all manner of activities until the break of dawn.

The FOFA Gallery

As Concordia students, we are lucky to have our very own in-house exhibition space. The Faculty of Fine Arts Gallery, located in the EV building, routinely displays pieces from Concordia students and faculty. Admission is free. The gallery has an interesting line-up of exhibitions for the winter semester, starting with Making Spaces, the annual undergraduate student exhibition running from Jan. 16 to Feb. 17. The exhibition, featuring works by Faculty of Fine Arts students, will include performances from Concordia’s department of contemporary dance.

Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery

Sovereign Acts II, an examination of indigenous cultural dances, will be presented at the gallery from Jan. 21 to April 1. This work delves into the way indigenous dances and practices were performed for international and colonial audiences. It looks at how these performers were faced with the conundrum of maintaining their traditional cultural practices, while also using them as performances intended to please the colonial gaze.

Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

If the winter blues have got you down, then the next exhibition opening at the MMFA will cheer you up. Chagall: Colour and Music will be on display from Jan. 28 to June 11. Four hundred of Marc Chagall’s paintings, stained glass works, illustrations, photographs and maquettes will be on display. The exhibition will not only show the Russian-French artist’s legacy, but will also examine the role music played in Chagall’s art, acting as his inspiration and muse for his modernist works.

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