Latest News

Arts & Entertainment

Comedian to watch: New Face Dino Archie

by Audrey Carleton on

More in Arts & Entertainment:

"This is a safe city. It's a lot of flip flops at night," Vancouver-based comedian Dino Archie joked of Montreal. Archie began an opener set for fellow comedian Jo Koy at the 34th annual Just For Laughs festival with his analysis of the city: "When you leave the house wearing flip flops, you're saying two things: You're not ready to run, and you're not ready to fight." 

After a year of successes—from releasing his first comedy album, Choosy Lover, to appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live—his year’s JFL was no idle time for Archie; the comedian kept busy with a slew of performances. In addition to opening for Koy, Archie appeared in New Faces of Comedy—along with other fresh comedic talent scouted from across North America—and was also featured on the televised comedy series’ Kevin Hart’s LOL Live and Ari Shaffir’s This is Not Happening.

Archie’s comedic style is akin to a friend telling a story over a few beers. Many of his jokes revolve around coolly-recanted tales from his personal life, made accessible to his audience with his approachable tone and willingness to laugh at himself. 

Though he maintains a calm and comfortable presence on stage, Archie is not shy to approach topics in his comedy that may be uncomfortable to the average audience member. In one memorable bit from his opening set for Koy, for example, Archie touched on the topic of police brutality in the US by comparing it with his own experience being pulled over for texting while driving by an excessively friendly Canadian officer. After apologizing for inconveniencing Archie and making small talk for several minutes, the officer let him go with a warning. 

"He goes, Hey man you're making this really difficult to give you this ticket, you're being too nice,” Archie told the audience. “What a nice guy, he didn't shoot me—what a nice thing to not do. He was so cool. He was like 'Don't worry about it, black lives do matter!'"

 

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/278529254″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

 

While delving into topics that may make the audience uncomfortable runs the risk of having a joke land poorly, for Archie, taking such chances allows audience members to grow.

“I just like that concept of being ok with things being uncomfortable, being ok with some silence, being ok with some stuff, in an attempt to be original, or take on something that’s more challenging,” Archie said after his show. “This thing makes you feel uncomfortable, but that’s where the growth comes in. I like to play with that element of this might go to a dark place, but I’m not just gonna leave you there. Be uncomfortable. The crowd needs to be uncomfortable sometimes. Push people’s boundaries.” 

While pushing his audience to leave their comfort zones, Archie instigates his own discomfort by toying with the potential for uncertainty in his performance, often adjusting his set immediately before, or even during a performance. 

“I do map [my set] out, but I don’t write it down, and I don’t time it,” Archie explained. “It really depends on if I can get a look at the crowd. Sometimes to the moment of when I’m walking to the mic will change what the first thing that comes out of my mouth is […] The possibility of ‘Oh I don’t know what I’m gonna say next’ […] it makes it more organic.” 

A central part of Archie’s comedic writing process is taking everyday moments, like mushroom trips and forgetting online account passwords, and turning them into relatable bits. The process of creating these anecdotal jokes involves constantly thinking about how to turn an experience into a story and using the feedback of other comedians to perfect his set. 

“My mind is always creating; I’m always at work,” Archie said. “I don’t necessarily sit and write, but I’m always thinking, and I’m always like ‘Man what’s the angle [to take with this joke]’, and then I riff [with others] and we talk, and then something will come out.”

For Archie, being surrounded by other successful comedians at a festival like Just For Laughs is not only beneficial for his joke-writing process, it also inspires him to continue growing in his writing and his stand-up career.

“When I’m around funnier people than me or people that challenge me, then [I’m] going to get better,” Archie said. “It’s all about being open-minded and going ‘There’s another level to get to, so I’m at a certain place now, and I want to keep growing.’”

Looking back on his growth as a comic over time, taking the plunge into starting stand-up nine years ago was just a matter of portraying himself, as he is in everyday conversation, onstage. 

“Even if I wasn’t a comic, [comics were] the people I related to,” Archie said. “Even if I didn’t do stand-up, I would still be talking the way that I talk. When I worked at AT&T, I would talk this way, and I kind of thought this way, but I just sold phones.” 

Since his days selling phones, Archie has learned the power of taking a chance, while acknowledging the reality of how long it may take to find success. 

“Don’t be afraid to bet on yourself, and don’t have kids for a while so you can take 10 years and do something,” Archie said. “Give yourself some time to follow your dream, and if you go that whole route, and it ain't it, then you at least gave it a shot. So, don’t believe in the limitations and keep pushing it. And don’t expect this shit to happen overnight.”

After years of pushing himself in comedy, Archie has perfected the ability to tell a story, and his opening set for Koy was no exception. Archie draws audiences in with the vivid detail of his stories, transforming the mundane into laughter. 

~

To hear more of Dino Archie’s interview with The McGill Tribune, visit our podcast here. To see more of Dino Archie's work, visit his website here.

Private, Student Life

6 ways to transform a patio from boring to beautiful on a budget

by Maya Keshav on

More in Private:

Carpe summer! Seize the season. As summer winds down, many students will return to the city with just a few remaining weeks of warm weather. There’s no time in the semester more lovely than early September, and there’s no better place to spend the relaxed days of the Add/Drop period than loafing on your patio. The following is a rundown of student-budget-friendly ways to transform your patio into the late summer paradise of your wildest dreams. 

1) Keep an eye on the streets for cool furniture finds

Moving day

You don’t need to spend big to sit well. Keep an eye out for free furniture and patio accessories on the streets at the end of each month, when leases typically end and people move out. You can also make cute (and très cheap) seating and tables by stacking wooden pallets—peek around parking lots, or behind stores and restaurants, but always ask before taking! There are also Facebook groups like Free & For Sale and Meubles/Furniture Montréal  that are popping with low-budget items. Don’t forget to look around your own home as well. Coolers and sturdy waterproof boxes can double as a side table while storing books, snacks, and odds and ends. 

2) Jazz up your patio atmosphere with lights and music

patio

Nothing says ‘atmosphere’ more than lines of luminous lights on a warm summer evening. String up Christmas or fairy lights, or make miniature paper lanterns by folding paper into tubes and cutting slits to let the light through. For another cool project, try building wind chimes. Anything metal can be strung together to make ethereal music in your outdoor space: Old silverware makes for a quirky alternative to the typical short metal pipes. 

3) Green is the new black 

(diyhomedecorguide.com)
(diyhomedecorguide.com)

Bringing the great outdoors into your patio has never been more ‘in.’ Transform your patio into an enchanted garden with plants that attract butterflies, or plants that are native to Québec. Find free greenery on plantcatching.com, a website that connects neighbours looking to trade, find, or give away plants. For a whimsical alternative to flower pots, use old mugs, teacups, and mason jars with a hole drilled in the bottom for drainage. Welcome hungry hummingbirds with a DIY feeder made out of recycled materials and filled with sugar water! It can be as simple as an upside-down plastic water bottle. 

If you’ve got a larger patio—and if you’re feeling more ambitious—try building a square foot box garden out of companion plants. These mutualistic plants assist the growth of other local plants by providing shade, physical support, or attracting pest-repellant predators, allowing more plants to grow in less space thanks to natural cooperation. Box gardens allow for flower and vegetable growth in any environment, regardless of the abundance of natural soil. 

4) Chalk it up

(naturemoms.com)
(naturemoms.com)

With a little sidewalk chalk, you can have gorgeous temporary murals that won’t irk your landlord. Draw swirls and spirals—or palm trees, squirrels, or emojis—all over your walls and floors, and it will wash away the next time it rains. You can also make a removable mural out of a long roll of craft paper, commonly found at art and craft supply stores. Decorate the paper with crayons, pencils, and paint, and whenever inspiration strikes, simply unroll more paper to lengthen the canvas. 

5) Throwing shade

(diynetwork.com)
(diynetwork.com)

Everyone loves the sunshine, but sometimes we need shade, too. Suspend a bedsheet over your patio to create a cool awning. Did you ever make chair-and-blanket tents when you were a kid? Upgrade that concept to make a  fabulous, shady, hangout space. Place a few chairs back-to-back a few feet apart, sling a blanket over, and weigh down the edges with piles of books. Foldable paper screens are another way to bring shade, style, and privacy to your outdoor patio: Look around in thrift stores or make them out of wooden rods and rice paper. 

6) Balcony beautiful  

(jonasberg.com)
(jonasberg.com)

Last but not least, if you live on the second floor or higher and have a balcony rather than a patio, tiny can be tall when it comes to style. Create amazing and easy vertical gardens to fit more plants in less space. Transform a drab wall into a beautiful garden by stacking flower pots on an old bookshelf, or building peat moss pouches to hold your blooms.  Grab a couple of outdoor pillows, slide in some chairs, or add small benches for comfortable and compact seating. To complete the ultimate summer lounging experience, sling up a hammock.

Baseball, Sports

Baseball’s last bad boy: Saying goodbye to Alex Rodriguez

by Aaron Rose on

More in Baseball:

This past week—as Alex Rodriguez sat fighting to hold back tears—I couldn’t stop singing “Ding-Dong the Witch is Dead!” In the most unorthodox manner, Rodriguez announced that he will be retiring from baseball. He never actually used the word ‘retirement,’ rather it was more of a press conference to announce the Yankees were releasing him and paying him $21 million dollars not to play next season. While it’s possible for another team to pick up the poisonous veteran, Rodriguez’s playing days seem far behind him. 

For the past 22 years, A-Rod terrorized the league both on and off the field. Statistically, he’s undoubtedly one of the greatest to ever play professional baseball: Over 3,000 career hits, 696 home runs, .295 batting average, 14 all star games, 3 MVPs, and a World Series championship. He revolutionized the shortstop position, paving the way for today’s slugging middle infielders; however, off the field, he became one of the most salient poster boys for the performance-enhancing drug era. Put simply, he was a liar and a cheat, and, for many years, the personification of evil in the eyes of baseball fans.

As Major League Baseball worked to clean up the league and move away from the so-called ‘Steroid Era,’ A-Rod refused to listen. Even after the league implemented widespread drug testing in 2003, Rodriguez continued to solicit and use performance enhancing drugs. Unlike Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire, and Roger Clemens who were doping during the height of the steroid era, A-Rod continued to cheat the system well into the late 2000s. He infamously lied to Katie Couric in a 2007 interview about his steroid use and was ousted again when a 2014 investigation found he had been using human growth hormones as a member of the Yankees.

There have been few athletes as universally vilified as Alex Rodriguez. Regardless of the stadium, he was constantly heckled by opposing fans. He repeatedly stepped up to the plate to a chorus of boos or “A-ROID!” chants. Aside from his steroid controversy, Rodriguez was part of numerous other scandals. According to former Yankees manager Joe Torre, he was referred to as ‘A-Fraud’ by teammates and clubhouse attendants who resented him. He had a well-documented falling out with Yankees legend Derek Jeter—Rodriguez was the Darth Vader to Jeter’s Skywalker. 

However, A-Rod made baseball entertaining. People tuned in to see Rodriguez play. Regardless of what was coursing through his veins, he constantly tormented opposing pitchers and fans alike. While you prayed for him to strike out or take a fastball off the rib cage, you also knew he could send any pitch 450 feet over the outfield fence at any moment. While Vince McMahon and the WWE work tirelessly to create these kinds of characters, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig had his supervillain handed to him. So, as A-Rod steps away from baseball, I picture him getting up from a white-clothed dinner table and yelling to the world in a drunken Cuban accent, “You need people like me. You need people like me so you can point your fingers and say, 'That's the bad guy.' […] So say goodnight to the bad guy! Come on. The last time you gonna see a bad guy like this again.”

Out on the Town, Student Life

The best things in life are free: The 30th annual Montreal Museum Day

by Christina Santella on

More in Out on the Town:

As an art museum fanatic, an opportunity to explore the Montreal museum scene without spending a dime is one that I can never pass up. Luckily for me, on Sunday May 29, the city of Montreal hosted its 30th annual Montreal Museum Day, during which up to 36 local museums were open to the public, free of charge. I immediately jumped on this opportunity and visited three local spots: Musée d’Art Contemporain de Montréal (MAC), Musée McCord, and Galerie de l’UQAM. 

My first stop, MAC, located in Quartier des Spectacles, was established in 1964 with the aim of introducing the public to the realm of contemporary art created by artists within the province and beyond. For Museum Day, art workshops were offered throughout the afternoon for visitors to create their own pieces inspired by the works shown in the Edmund Alleyn exhibit.

The exhibit I visited, Edmund Alleyn’s In my Studio, I am Many is a temporary display open until Sept. 25. The first section of the display showcased Alleyn’s First Nations-inspired works. Alleyn used vibrant blacks, reds, and yellows in an abstract style.

My next stop was Musée McCord. Founded in 1921 by David Ross McCord, this history museum situated right in front of McGill’s downtown campus is dedicated to embracing the past and present culture of Montreal. As a special feature for Museum Day, a latin-themed band, starring Dominique Hudson, put on a show in the Urban Forest throughout the afternoon. The unique latin-inspired francophone music was a nice touch to the day, and seemed to get the audience moving. 

Unfortunately, however, the exhibits at McCord were subject to the swarms of eager and curious visitors. The placement of the pieces made it difficult for numerous viewers to achieve a complete perspective of the art being displayed without feeling pressured to move aside. 

Musée McCord featured two permanent exhibits, allowing intrigued Museum Day attendees to return to the exhibits at any time. The first, Wearing our Identity—The First Peoples Collection, showcased the clothing of the First Peoples of Canada and the ways in which it has defined their culture and identities. In contrast to Alleyn’s First Nations-inspired art, which represented his interpretation of a culture that was not his own, this exhibit featured work created by First Peoples themselves.

The other permanent exhibit at Musée McCord, Montreal—Points of View, explored the historical development of the city throughout time by displaying everyday artifacts, including antique umbrellas and vintage Molson beer bottles. Additionally,  Eleganza, a temporary exhibit that will be up until Sept. 25, showcases the glamorous works of famous Italian designers—primarily from the post-World War II era—including Valentino, Prada, and Dolce and Gabbana.

With limited time, but sufficient motivation, I made my way to Galerie de l’UQAM. Devoted to shedding light on the works of Quebec artists, as well as student artists of UQAM, this gallery houses up to 4,000 diverse pieces ranging from photography to sculptures, and more. In addition to the local collection, the gallery also contains several sets of inherited ancient art. As a special Museum Day exhibit, Galerie de L’UQAM presented the mummy of Hetep-Bastet, a wealthy Egyptian woman who lived around 600 BC. While viewing the mummy, I was spellbound by the history that such a piece represents. This piece gave an interesting additional edge to the gallery, leaving a memorable impression for its first participation in Montreal Museum Day. 

Montreal Museum Day offered a perfect opportunity to become acquainted with local museums without breaking the bank. Though group art-watching can be enriching, the crowds at McCord and Galerie de l’UQAM made it hard to catch more than a glimpse, intensifying my motivation to return in the future for a deeper look at some of the exhibits available until September and beyond. Nevertheless, Museum Day provides opportunity to be introduced to local museums, allowing viewers to decide whether or not to return on a normal day and see more.

Out on the Town, Student Life

Spots to soak up the Montreal sun (with a good book)

by Alexandra Toutant on

More in Out on the Town:

Most students have that book—the book they promised themselves they would read before school, work, and friends eventually take over. With exams long over and summer in full swing, many students have more time on their hands, making it the perfect opportunity to crack open a new read. The following is a list of the best underrated places in Montreal that will make it easier to finally read that book this summer.

Beaver Lake: Romance Novel

(interstude.com)
(interstude.com)

Although the majority of students have visited Mont Royal at some point, fewer make it to the beautiful Lac aux Castors, otherwise known as Beaver Lake. Though it is quite a long hike to this spot, located approximately half an hour west of Chalet du Mont Royal by foot, it is worth the effort to enjoy the scenery of the glittering lake surrounded by green hills. On a sunny day, it is the perfect place for reading and taking in Montreal’s glorious—albeit short—summer. There are many benches surrounding the lake and lots of space in the grass, both in the warm sun and in the shade of the abundant trees, for reclining. The fun, vibrant atmosphere can be too distracting to read a dense novel, but the sun and the sight of happy couples and families at this spot makes it perfect for reading a light romance novel and daydreaming. 

Salon B: Art History Book

(nymag.com)
(nymag.com)

Located at the intersection of rue Saint Laurent and rue Rachel, Salon B is a great indoor spot to find respite from the heat, or shelter from a cooler, rainy summer day. Salon B is a cultural space that hosts a variety of public and private art events, like book launches and art exhibitions, making it an ideal venue for those who are artistically-minded. The salon has sleek, Scandinavian decor with minimalist chairs and sofas, as well as glossy floors in neutral tones. The comfortable seating is well-suited for those who prefer to read at a table rather than outdoors. The welcoming atmosphere and culture-rich setting makes it fitting for is reading a book on the history of fashion.

Westmount Park: Biography

(westmounthistorical.org)
(westmounthistorical.org)

Surrounded by elegant and dignified mansions, Westmount Park is a hidden haven to read a biography of someone who has changed the world. Located in Westmount, the peaceful residential neighbourhood about twenty minutes west of campus by bike, the park is a great escape from the noise and chaos of downtown. The park is a grassy expanse with meandering bike paths, a soccer field, and a river, and is mainly frequented by families and young children. Lined with public institutions—including a school and the Westmount Park United Church—the quiet park is apt for reflecting and reading about great thinkers. With its plethora of peaceful places to sit, Westmount Park is a must for those who want to read outside on a beautiful summer day, somewhere more quiet and isolated than the parks located in the heart of the city.

BAnQ: A Classic

(tourisme-montreal.org)
(tourisme-montreal.org)

The Bibliothèque et Archives Nationales du Québec (BAnQ) is a stunning and fairly new library, built just over ten years ago. This modern building with beautiful architecture, situated on the corner of Berri and Maisonneuve, is a great place to cozy up when the weather does not allow for outdoor reading. The building is comprised of four sprawling stories with varied seating spaces. On the second floor, there are many desks, useful for when the next exam season comes around and every campus library is once again filled to the brim. On the third floor, an array of sofas line floor-to-ceiling windows, which is great for sitting and listening to the rain, while on the fourth floor, there is a quirky little tent. The library itself houses a wide array of books, magazines, and other multimedia pieces to peruse. BAnQ’s peaceful setting makes it a perfect atmosphere to read a denser book by someone such as Sartre or Milton.

 

Ask Ainsley, Student Life

Ask Ainsley: “How can I avoid blacking out?”

by Ainsley on

More in Ask Ainsley:

Dear Ainsley,

Last weekend I went to a party at a friend’s house. I was drinking vodka and not really counting my shots and I ended up blacking out for the first time. My friends took great care of me, but I still woke up the next morning feeling really embarrassed and confused. I don’t want people to think of me of that girl who can’t hold her liquor, and I’m really worried I made a bad impression. What are some ways I can pace myself/avoid blacking out in the future?

Sincerely,

Hungover and hating it

Dear HAHI,

 

 

 

First off, I wouldn’t worry too much about the impression you made. Almost everyone wakes up thinking about the stupid things they did, rather than what anyone else did. It’s not difficult to accidentally end up getting blackout at a party. In a regular game of beer pong, for example, you can easily end up drinking 4 or 5 beers in the time you might normally take to drink one.

One way to pace yourself is to continually drink water throughout the night, especially after each shot you consume. Alcohol dehydrates you, so drinking water will reduce your hangover the next morning. Also, if you normally drink hard liquor, try sticking to beer or wine next time. It’s easy to get too drunk by drinking mixed drinks if you’re not really measuring them or knowing how many shots you can handle. If you know you’re going to go out at night, make sure you’ve eaten enough for dinner. The amount of liquor you can tolerate isn’t a set amount—it varies depending on a number of factors, including how much you’ve eaten that day or if you’ve been working out.

You could also try a night off drinking or drinking less than you normally do. All through first year, I refused to get casual drinks anywhere because I didn’t want to spend money on anything that wasn’t a crazy party. As I get older, and hopefully wiser, I’m definitely starting to see the benefits in taking it easy every once in awhile. If you are in a situation where heavy drinking is involved, try to pace yourself. While most university chants seem to put the emphasis on chugging, it’s really not that impressive of a talent. You’ll thank yourself later if you sip slowly. Additionally, it may be a good idea to measure out how many shots you normally can handle and bring it to the party in a flask rather than the whole bottle. The worst nights I’ve had have definitely been ones where I had unlimited access to alcohol, because even if I think I know my own limits, there comes a point when I’m too drunk to realize I shouldn’t have had more.

If you’re really worried about what you did, there’s nothing wrong with shooting the host an apology text. There’s a huge chance they won’t even know what you’re talking about, but people always appreciate the courtesy.

 

Have a question for Ainsely? Ask here.

 

 

Ask Ainsley, Student Life

Ask Ainsley: “How do I talk about condoms with my partner?”

by Ainsley on

More in Ask Ainsley:

Dear Ainsley,

I am bad at negotiating condom use and will often not mention it if the other person doesn’t. What are some tactics to bring this up when my partner doesn’t want to?

Sincerely,

How to Wrap it Up?

Dear HTWU,

I always used to pride myself on my ability to have open conversations about sex. That said, a little while ago I realized that I was having the exact same problem you’re having, and was letting myself get pressured into having sex without a condom. Part of the problem a lot of university students have is that we’re relatively sheltered and don’t believe that anyone we like or have slept with could possibly be carrying any kind of STI. The possibility of getting pregnant seems even more out of reach. However, as many as one in four university students has or has had an STI at some point. So, the risk of contracting one is very, very real.

I would recommend always carrying a condom or having them in your bedroom. One of the great things about McGill is that free condoms are never too far out of reach. You can find them in places like residence halls, the Health Centre, the Arts Undergraduate Society’s SNAX cafe, and a plethora of other student centres across campus. You never know when you may end up having sex, and I personally always carry a couple out with me in case one of my friends ‘gets lucky.’ If your partner is complaining that they don’t want to wear it, you may have to give them an ultimatum: No glove, no love. If they’re worth your time, they won’t pressure you into it. In the long run, you don’t want to be with anyone who puts their pleasure over your wellbeing anyway.

 

Have a question for Ainsley? Ask here.

Student Life

Fiddling around: McGill Shulich School of Music students move from performance halls to the streets

by Audrey Carleton on

More in Student Life:

During the school year, students in McGill’s Shulich School of Music seldom take a break from rehearsing and performing. Finding themselves unoccupied after the chaos of the school year, Rebecca Jacobson and McKenna Glorioso, both U3 Violin Performance in McGill’s Schulich School of Music, seized the opportunity to test the waters in the Montreal busking scene.

Although not an uncommon move for musicians in their position, playing in such an exposed atmosphere can be daunting for anyone; however, Jacobson and Glorioso feel that their past experience had prepared them for the task.

“I’ve [been busking] since I was, like, five,” Jacobson recalled. “When I first started playing, [my teacher] would have all of her students go at Christmas time and play Christmas carols and raise money for the pregnant women’s shelter in San Francisco […] It sounded really bad, but we were so cute, so we made so much money.”

While Glorioso does not have the same experience busking on sidewalks, she finds it similar to other performance jobs she has taken on.

“I guess this is my first time busking, but it doesn’t feel that different from other weird gigs I’ve done before,” Glorioso said. “It doesn’t feel very different from playing in the back of holiday parties or things like that.”

Playing on the streets has also provided Jacobson and Glorioso a reprieve from the typical formality of classical performance. While formal concert halls maintain a distance between performers and their audience, busking breaks down this barrier and allows for a unique connection between the two.

“It's been super great to be able to connect with strangers in a way we usually can't,” Glorioso said. “Most of the time we perform, we're dressed formally and standing on a stage, so it's pretty incredible to see visceral emotional reactions from people standing three feet away from us.”

Western European classical music, hip-hop, folk, and pop musicians are all playing in the same environment, which encourages musical exchange and an atmosphere of mutual learning and respect for everyone's music.

After finding their bearings in the world of Montreal street performance, Jacobson and Glorioso learned that their popularity and financial success on any given day was directly correlated to the content of their set list.

“[It’s important to] cater to your audience,” Jacobson said. “You need to be in tune with what people like to hear, and sometimes you need to make sacrifices, like not playing the thing that you want to play.”

Jacobson and Glorioso have found unique success in playing songs that are famous and easily recognizable by the masses. Johann Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major, for example, is typically a crowd favorite.

“Everyone in the world knows that piece,” Jacobson said. “It’s just the bane of every classical musician’s existence, but people respond to what they recognize.”

Jacobson and Glorioso have also found that their own energy and enthusiasm affect the size and attentiveness of the crowd they bring in.

“[Busking has] made me think a lot about how to connect with an audience and what draws people in,” Glorioso said. “There’s a noticeable difference in the overall mood and the reactions we get from people when [Jacobson] and I are obviously having a good time or getting really into it.”

While the majority of audience feedback Glorioso and Jacobson have received has been positive, they have received an occasional snipe from a passerby. One notable comment highlighted classism within the world of classical music.

“One guy came up to us and started admonishing us for playing music in the metro because it’s below us,” Jacobson recalled. “[He told us] classical music is above this ‘dirty metro.’”

Like many local street musicians, Jacobson and Glorioso have found the opposite to be true. Many public spaces in Montreal require expensive licenses to perform, preventing tourist-heavy locations from being accessible to musicians who lack the resources to purchase a permit. For this reason, Jacobson and Glorioso have been limited to performing in metro stations.

“I would almost understand him saying you’re taking up the space of people who would need this money,” Glorioso said, adding her analysis to the situation. “I would understand someone saying you can make money somewhere else—but also, we can’t right now [due to permit requirements]. Also, this money is paying for my groceries.”

Jacobson and Glorioso have found that performing classical music on the street creates an equal playing field between Western classical and other genres of music. Contrary to the opinion of their aforementioned passerby, Jacobson and Glorioso consider the fact that classical music is often considered superior to street performance to be one of the advantages to doing it.

“[Busking] puts all types of music in the same place,” Glorioso said. “Western European classical music, hip-hop, folk, and pop musicians are all playing in the same environment, which encourages musical exchange and an atmosphere of mutual learning and respect for everyone's music.”

 

 

 

Sports

Aussie rules in the land down under: A foreigner’s take on Australia’s most thrilling sport

by Aaron Rose on

More in Sports:

For 80 minutes I sat baffled trying to understand what the heck was going on. Out of the 85 thousand in attendance at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), I was assuredly the most confused. A couple Carlton Draughts certainly didn’t help my cause; I was helpless. If I could summarise it in two words, I would say AFL is unorganized chaos. Thirty-six men run up and down an ovular field assaulting each other while trying to kick a football-like-ball through the uprights, located at either end of the field. AFL players have an NBA player’s height, a soccer star’s stamina, and NHL toughness. Not only is it legal to jump onto an opponent, but it’s actually mandatory that you knee them in the back while going up to get the ball! It’s a completely absurd sport—but in the land down under, they love it. The game I went to, the annual ANZAC Day Clash, commemorating the Australian and New Zealand Army Core, the Collingwood Magpies absolutely obliterated the Essendon Bombers 142-73.

Footy in Melbourne is like hockey in Montreal—it’s a religion. With nine teams located within a stone’s throw of each other in Melbourne, the city’s Footy fans are divided. While I couldn’t get into the fanaticism, rooting for Collingwood was not an option. The Magpies are like the Yankees—they’re the biggest AFL franchise, and the fans love them or loathe them. Essendon, too, has a storied past and a massive fan base, but with 12 players suspended for performance enhancing drugs, they were more like lovable losers.

I’ve been to some pretty spectacular sports games, in unbelievable venues, and the ANZAC game at the MCG ranks up there with the best of them. Built in 1853, the “G” is the oldest stadium in the world. It was the centrepiece for the 1956 Summer Olympics and has a capacity over 100,000. Even with a first quarter score of 52-7, the stadium’s atmosphere was electric. Sure, some Essendon fans decided to end the misery and leave early, but the Collingwood section never quieted. Vuvuzela horns blared out while massive black and white Magpie flags flew throughout the game. The stadium was only quiet when fans mumbled their way through the pre-game national anthem.

I learned quickly that if you aren’t a supporter of a footy team in Melbourne, you’re a social pariah. Therefore, when I arrived in Melbourne I settled on my local team—the North Melbourne Kangaroos. I understood them as an upper-middle-of-the-pack team with a few aging veterans who have never been able to get over the hump. This season wasn’t supposed to muster up to anything special. But since I arrived in Melbourne, the Kangaroos have been near the top of the AFL ladder over half way through the season!

Fast forward a bit, and I’ve too started watching a few games. I’ve learned a little bit more since the ANZAC game, but not much. I’m still bewildered by it all. But that doesn’t really matter because I’m part of the community now. To me the AFL is another opportunity to go and have a few drinks while enjoying the beautiful weather in Melbourne with a couple of ‘mates.’

Science & Technology

The new kids on the block

by Maya Keshav on

More in Science & Technology:

The universe is expanding—and so is the periodic table. Four new elements have recently been added to complete the seventh row. Though the elements were discovered over the last year, it’s only now that the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) has released the element names for public review. If you were thinking of naming one after your dog, though, think again. IUPAC has strict guidelines: New elements are exclusively named after mythology, minerals, places, properties, or scientists.

Element 113 will be nihonium (Nh), for “Nihon”, the Japanese word for Japan. The patriotic name has special significance because nihonium is the first element to be discovered in Asia. The researchers at the RIKEN Nishina Center for Accelerator-Based Science hope “that pride and faith in science will displace the lost trust of those who suffered from the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.”

Meanwhile, elements 115 and 117 also honour geographical regions. There’s moscovium (Mc), for Moscow, and tennessine (Ts), for Tennessee. Moscovium and tennessine follow a long tradition of naming elements after locations significant to their discovery, like germanium named after Germany or scandium named after Scandavania.

Finally, oganesson (Og) is the proposed name for element 118, after Russian chemistry professor Yuri Oganessian. Born in 1933, Oganessian is credited with discovering some of the heaviest elements on the periodic table, known as transactinoid elements. This would be the second time an element has been named for a living person, after chemist Glenn Seaborg was recognized with seaborgium, element 106. Meanwhile, element 104, rutherfordium, honours McGill’s own physicist, Ernest Rutherford.

The new elements have actually been on the periodic table for a while, hiding in plain sight under the unremarkable placeholder names of ununtrium, ununpentium, ununseptium, and ununoctium. However, it’s only now that the discovery teams have been invited to propose the new names.

(DePiep / Wikipedia)
 (DePiep / Wikipedia)

Dr. Jan Reedijk, who coordinated the efforts between IUPAC and the research teams said, “I see it as thrilling to recognize that […] these new names also make the discoveries somewhat tangible.”

Tangible, however, is not how these elements could be described. They’re superheavy, which means that each element’s nucleus has a huge number of protons. To create a new superheavy element, researchers bombard heavy elements with slightly lighter elements to artificially form, if only for a moment, a novel chemical matter. With a super short half life, the transactinoid elements only exist briefly in the laboratory before decaying.

“A particular difficulty in establishing these new elements is that they decay into hitherto unknown isotopes of slightly lighter elements that also need to be unequivocally identified,” said professor Paul J. Karol of IUPAC.

As the hurdles for discoveries get higher, elements are manufactured in increasingly impossible conditions, which begs the question—how big will the periodic table get? That depends on how many protons can physically fit into an atom’s nucleus. Predictions range widely, from a maximum of 137 to 184 protons. One thing’s for sure—the periodic table’s seventh row may be filled in, but the future likely holds even more additions.

1 … 736 737 738 739 740 … 1,364

Read the latest issue

Read the latest issue