What makes a jazz concert exciting? Piano quintets featuring vibraphones, Spanish-bebop fusion, and never-previously-released songs, obviously. Taking the hint, drummer, pianist, and McGill music professor André White will take to the Segal stage next week. With esteemed vibraphonist François Stevenson, guitarist Carlos Jimenez, bassist Alex Walkington, and drummer Dave Laing,[Read More…]
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McGill alumnus and current DJ Kid Koala spins up a storm
DJ Eric San, aka “Kid Koala,” stresses the importance of DIY style in producing his latest album, 12 bit Blues. “It’s kind of like if you’re a chef and you’re growing your own vegetables,” says the Canadian beat chopper and ‘turntablist’ of his latest project. While Kid Koala constructed the[Read More…]
Seeing RED will feel like anything but
“What do you see?” repeats Mark Rothko to his assistant in an early scene of the Segal Centre’s RED, a Montreal production of the hit Broadway play by John Logan. Lead actor Randy Hughson’s shrewd Rothko may as well be directing that question at us, his mantra imploring the audience[Read More…]
Loucho scores big with kids—and the kid in all of us
Playing at Theatre Sainte-Catherine until December 2, Loucho: The Multicoloured Machine is a colourful explosion of giggles, gags, dance, juggling, balloons, hula hooping, acrobatics, pantomime, amazing feats of strength and balance, and straight-up fun. It has live music, audience participation, fabulous costuming, and a liquor license. Take note: when this[Read More…]
Scala & Kolacny Brothers: December
There are no “Hallelujahs” or “Jingle Bells” in this Christmas cover compilation, but the unconventional song choices, including covers of Linkin Park, Coldplay, and Damien Rice, only augment the audible pleasure of December. This is choir music: voice-centric and airy, but managing to stand out with exceptional emotional expression and[Read More…]
SoHo Ghetto: Humble Beginnings Make for Good Night Life
Halifax’s SoHo Ghetto have created a pleasant, if not wholly unique, blend of pop and orchestral styles. The indie band’s newly released EP, Humble Beginnings Make for Good Night Life, certainly correspond to that style. The six tracks provide easy-listening, but a few listens are necessary to appreciate the songs’[Read More…]
John Frusciante: PBX Funicular Intaglio Zone
If you are among the many that are disappointed with the latest Red Hot Chili Peppers album, 2011’s I’m With You, here’s the possible explanation, and a potential cure. Since strongest creative force in the band, guitarist John Frusciante, departed the group, he has been pouring his talents into solo[Read More…]
Blown Up: Gaming and War—a frustrating chore
I walked through the doors of the Montreal, arts interculturels (MAI) last Friday to find the exhibit space deserted. “Excellent,” I thought to myself, as I passed the archway to the main hall—the stormy afternoon seemed an opportune time, and the ideal backdrop, to see the MAI’s latest offering, Blown[Read More…]
Hitchcock: the ‘master of suspense’ at his finest
The conception, production, and release of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho is truly a whirlwind story in its own right. With an exceptional cast consisting of Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson, and Jessica Biel, Hitchcock is the definition of Oscar bait. Director Sacha Gervasi’s innovative telling of Alfred Hitchcock’s story sets[Read More…]
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned
Fear of the feminine captured by an entirely female cast, McGill English department’s production of The Revenger’s Tragedy by Thomas Middleton adds a layer of gendered irony to the Jacobean-era tragedy. This directorial choice by Patrick Neilson illuminates the period’s anxiety regarding women’s sexuality, bringing together a variety of lively[Read More…]