Concert Reviews

On September 24 Montreal was treated to a synergic evening of R&B, thanks to the predestined combination of Rhye and Charlotte Day Wilson. The sold-out show kicked off with an opening set by Wilson, whose blossoming popularity was palpable in the crowd. The lineup outside le National was abuzz with stylish 20-somethings chattering not only about the evening’s main act, but also its opener. 

The theme of the current Guns N' Roses tour is “Not in This Life-Time”: no one, not even the band members themselves, thought they would reunite. Millions of fans wanted to see the group back together again, but it seemed there was "nothing left to do, too many things were said”, to quote another famous rock band. So, when it was announced in 2016 that they would be playing The Troubadour, Coachella and proceeding on a worldwide tour, I was beyond excited for the prospect of a live performance. The question remained, however, whether they would make a stop in Montreal, after the infamous 1992 riots, where the Olympic Stadium was trashed by angry fans following shortened sets.

Wednesday, May 17 brought us the return of Mellevon to the stage. After a year of being absent from touring, Mellevon brought some newer elements to the table, with their stage and presence.

Upon arriving on stage, it was obvious they changed their image is as a band, went going a more industrial metal look for showmanship, with black vests and corpse paint on their faces. The most interesting thing to note is their new stage setup where they had old-school CRT televisions displaying visual counterparts with the lyrics on them, which was pretty sick to see.

Having growing up in a city whose main claim to fame is the promise of a stable career in government, running into old high school friends in Montreal has become quite the common occurrence. This past Wednesday, I once again found myself running into an old pal from my hometown. Like most instances, the encounter took place at a bar. Unlike other occasions, however, I was there to take part in their album launch.

Perhaps this is simply an effect of the indie-scene filter bubble I’m floating in at the minute—the reverb-addled echo chamber that encourages me to skip any and every song that doesn’t start with a chip-packet crackle of feedback and some sweet, jangly, twangy arpeggio—but I’m convinced (hyperbole alert!) that we are currently experiencing a shoegaze revival. The Shoegaze Revival. Slowdive are back, Ride are back; in the last few years, we’ve had new albums by My Bloody Valentine and Swervedriver after hiatuses of 15-20 years.

It was a Saturday night in April, and I was getting ready to go out a little later than expected. But despite my overwhelming laziness, I put on my ripped black jeans and a cute striped t-shirt. I had my little bag and my little notepad and was ready to hear some new music for a change. With a 20-minute walk under my feet, I made it to Casa del Popolo and was feeling more exhausted than before. Nevertheless, I made my way through the restaurant and to the back doors where the night’s entertainment was playing.