Articles by Max Berger

“Do you want to like the artists you study?” That was the question posed on the first day of class by the professor who teaches my T.S. Eliot course. He went on to explain that those who weren’t already familiar with Eliot would almost certainly find it impossible to like[Read More…]

Inspector Luc Vanier was standing in a rainstorm at the intersection of Sherbrooke and Pie-IX, surveying the remnants of a car accident. A dark blue body bag was at his feet. With those ominous words, McGill Law alumnus Peter Kirby kicks off his most recent crime novel, Vigilante Season. It’s[Read More…]

From the West end to the Mile End, Montreal is home to entertainment venues that make its prolific cultural presence possible. The Tribune’s Arts & Entertainment team dug up the histories of some of the city’s notable venues for a look at how they became what they are today.   [Read More…]

Look Vibrant opened at 8:00 p.m. at Casa del Popolo last Friday, kicking off a show that included later sets by AroarA (which includes Broken Social Scene member Andrew Whiteman) and Montreal psychedelic rock outfit Filthy Haanz. The members of Look Vibrant certainly appreciated the gig, and lead singer Justin Lazarus frequently thanked the modest crowd for attending despite the relatively early set time. The lo-fi noise pop they played sounded great live, with a cleaner feel than their fuzzy cassette release Plateau. One drawback was Lazarus’ self-conscious, falsetto-whine vocals, which lag behind his songwriting. However, the band’s enthusiasm, well-rehearsed guitar shredding, and effective use of an intimate venue atoned for his tone.

In the vast landscape of the indie-folk genre, Young Benjamins would lie at the intersection of better-known acts Born Ruffians and Mumford & Sons. Their repertoire features mostly frenetic foot-stomping tracks, with some laid-back tunes mixed in. Relative newcomers to the music industry, the four-piece Saskatoon group only released their first LP, Less Argue, this past spring. The band has equal gender representation, composed of two men (guitarist and drummer) and two women (bassist and violinist/keyboardist). Though they’re still somewhat raw, their versatility and exciting melodies provide glimpses of the high ceiling Young Benjamins has. The presence of the violin really strengthens their sound, and makes for an interesting dynamic when it interacts with the edgy electric guitar. If you’re looking for a lively show that strikes a balance between dancing and artistic enjoyment, look no farther than Young Benjamins.

The onset of April is a time where many McGill students find themselves buckling down and pushing through final assignments and exam prep. Those involved with the McGill Drama Festival (MDF), however, are a rare exception—their fun is just getting started. Organized by the Players’ Theatre, the MDF is a[Read More…]

Jonathan Emile is only 27, yet he’s  already overcome one of the toughest challenges anyone  can ever face. The 27 year-old Jamaican-Canadian musician, Montreal native, and McGill student-on-hiatus fought a lengthy battle with cancer after being diagnosed at the age of 18. Today, he’s an artist on the rise with[Read More…]

Hilotrons come storming back from a five-year album break with a furiously charged, eclectic new release. At Least There’s Commotion’s 11 tracks weave through various genres, tempos, and themes, undergoing a metamorphosis every time listeners think they have the album figured out. While At Least There’s Commotion begins with the[Read More…]

Waves of progress often sweep away the obsolete from society without a second thought, but Dave Grohl makes Sound City Studios a rare exception. In his first film, the Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters front-man turns his sights to a musical landmark whose greatness few, apart from hardcore rock ‘n’[Read More…]