On March 28, Lucius, a five-piece band led by singers Holly Laessig and Jess Wolfe, performed at Theatre Fairmount as part of its tour to commemorate the release of its second album, Good Grief. While its first album, Wildewoman, has been praised for its soulful ’60s vibe, its new album[Read More…]
Music
Video didn’t necessarily kill the radio star: how CKUT is revitalizing the airwaves
The Casbah Coffee Club, like countless other dive bars in Liverpool, has staked its claim in music history. The supposed “launchpad of the Beatles” now features a commemorative plaque, signed memorabilia, and a £15 entry fee. Yet, the Casbah Club’s most impressive piece of history is also its most modest.[Read More…]
Artist Spotlight: Elliot Sinclair
With the emergence of Montreal as a hotbed of indie music, a number of up-and-coming musicians have migrated here, looking to make it in the plethora of bars and clubs the city has to offer. Montreal still holds the title as one of the independent music capitals of North America,[Read More…]
Trib Mix: Guilty Pleasures
Midterm season isn’t complete with a good emotional break-down and a moment to just let completely loose. The best way to successfully accomplish both is by jamming out to your favourite guilty pleasure song, but not just any mildly embarrassing track. The perfect song for getting over midterm insanity is[Read More…]
From The Viewpoint: CKUT presents Thursdays (A)Live
It’s Thursday night, and Gerts is buzzing with the low, steady hum of chatter and laughter. It’s not packed with bar-goers, but the crowd that has congregated this evening is laid back and relaxed, made up of a dozen or so small groups of friends huddled over beers. As host[Read More…]
Port Symphonies pays tribute to the “Queen of Crime”
Pointe-à-Callière Museum’s 22nd edition of Port Symphonies, featuring composer and trombonist Scott Thomson, honoured the achievements of Agatha Christie, the famed murder-mystery novelist. The concert was held in Old Montréal at Place-Royale Square, next to the Pointe-à-Callière Museum, where a current exhibition, Investigating Agatha Christie brings to light Christie’s many interests,[Read More…]
Pop Dialectic: Macklemore and the question of white privilege
Macklemore’s latest hit, “White Privilege II” gives the outspoken rapper a chance to delve into the serious issues of white privilege and appropriation in Hip Hop, but do his lyrics drive home a powerful point, or are they just an ironic display of the very privilege he’s lambasting against? “White[Read More…]
Black lights over America: How Black Power is transforming pop culture
Between Beyoncé’s Super Bowl show, Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy performance, and Kanye West’s assault on reason, Black Power is igniting every pop culture barricade in sight in defiance of convention. When Beyoncé released “Formation,” fans expecting another version of the club-ready recycled trap hit “7/11” were left distraught. Gone was the[Read More…]
Beyond Serial: Five podcasts worth your time
1. Mordern Love: The Podcast Modern Love has long been a staple column of the New York Times as a weekly glimpse into the surprises and tribulations of modern dating and relationships. Modern Love: The Podcast brings these stories to life with readings from actors such as Broadway star Lauren[Read More…]
Beyoncé’s “Formation”: The Queen’s reign over a monumental weekend
It’s been a monumental week for Beyoncé. On the morning of Feb. 6, one of the most influential women in the world released her surprise new song and video, “Formation,” to her official website and a music streaming service, TIDAL. The single is her first in over a year, after[Read More…]