As I pulled into the parking lot of Théâtre Hector-Charland on March 29, eager to see a Québecois musical legend perform, I noticed a bus transporting residents from a nearby retirement home had beat us there. This moment hinted at the crowd that I would find sitting inside, waiting for[Read More…]
Tag: concert
An open letter to Taylor Swift
Dear Taylor, The Gaylor and Swift-zerland Delegations of McGill University would like to warmly congratulate you on the success of The Eras Tour and the whole soon-to-be-billionaire thing. More importantly, we would like to beg—ahem—invite you to perform for us. Yes, the Miss Americana persona is classic, but your neighbours[Read More…]
Astroworld tragedy renews debate on the safety of mosh pits
The Travis Scott Astroworld Festival tragedy, which left 10 concertgoers dead and hundreds injured, has renewed discussions on the question of violence at music events, leaving many wondering if such a tragedy would have occurred without the influence of mosh pit culture. Moshing involves pushing and slamming—or sometimes just vigorously[Read More…]
PUP don’t care about nothing
Early into their Oct. 22 concert, the Toronto-based punk rock band PUP halted their performance; lead singer Stefan Babcock pointed to the mosh pit and said a few words to the sold-out crowd at Corona Theatre. “Someone lost a shoe,” Babcock said. “Whose shoe is that?” The shoe found its[Read More…]
Mashrou’ Leila echoes voices of Arab resistance at Club Soda
Mashrou’ Leila celebrated their 10th anniversary this year; to commemorate the occasion, the band released The Beirut School, their fourth studio album. The band have begun international superstars, with their tour covering Europe, the Middle East, before making stop in Montreal at Club Soda on Oct. 9. Singer Hamed Sinno, violinist[Read More…]
No shame, no apologies: Lily Allen sparkles at Corona Theatre
Following the June 8 release of her electropop record No Shame, English singer-songwriter Lily Allen brought a spirited energy to Corona Theatre on Oct. 27. A few hundred concert-goers, damp and cold from the first snow of the fall, convened near the stage in anticipation of Allen’s performance. Accompanied by[Read More…]
Mitski devastates at Club Soda
On Oct. 21 Mitski—or, as the marquee would have it, Mitsik—performed for a sold-out crowd at Club Soda. As anyone with a name too long or foreign to pronounce can attest, the switch of the ‘i’ and ‘k’ stings more than most typos. You can tour with Lorde and have[Read More…]
Hozier delivers a mesmerizing performance at L’Olympia
It’s been four years since Hozier released his self-titled debut album, a work that captivated listeners across the world. Ever since, fans have been desperate to hear more, waiting on the edge of their seats for a follow-up that, for some, felt like it might never come. However, fans’ prayers[Read More…]
Banks speaks to all the senses at Le Metropolis
It didn’t take long for listeners to latch onto Jillian Banks, better known simply by her last name: Banks. Her sound is an amalgamation of pop and R&B with a spooky techno-alternative twist; her visuals are dark and laden with metaphors; her style is sleek, seductive, and minimalist. After releasing[Read More…]
Performing without conforming: Pianist Jan Lisiecki on why classical music isn’t dead
Twenty-two-year-old Calgary pianist Jan Lisiecki is far from being a slacker. After making his orchestral debut at age nine, the musician rose to international fame once The Fryderyk Chopin Institute released a recording of his live renditions of Chopin’s piano concertos. Four albums later, he now performs roughly 80 times[Read More…]
