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what an epic epic weekend. meg montréal had an incredible lineup, especially for the boat. osheaga had a disturbingly amazing lineup which made this horribly organised festival all the more worth while. so yeah, before i talk about the music, i wanna talk about the osheaga festival.
what mainly pissed me off was this whole “green stage” thing…why not have a GREEN FESTIVAL?!?! oooooh, one stage! ONE! raw/vegan/vegetarian green food stand! great way to really show how committed one is to the enviro movement. what is even WORSE is the amount of trash left lying around because we had to walk minutes just to get to a garbage can. the state of the grass and grounds around the toilettes was horrendous as the one picnic table became a dumpster! and that fountain that was nearby that was spritzing water…for what purpose!?!?! to cool people off, sure, but running it at that level for the entire two days is the biggest waste of water ever. why not have a water fountain that people can USE to REFILL our water bottles?!?! instead of charging 5$ for people to buy new ones. we have such good LOCAL food and produce, good LOCAL vendors here yet none of it was represented in the midst of the digustingly expensive hot dogs at la fleur, beers at budweiser, and even fresh fruit, chips, and water at the smaller vendors.
the only good thing about osheaga outside of it’s incredible lineup this year is the fact that you were allowed to bring in your own food and water. so my friend and i made delicious salmon arugula and baby tomato salad along with egg sandwiches and saved ourselves from unhappy stomachs and wallets. yes the music is important but, ultimately it is the experience as well, and at 75 bucks or 150 for both days, it isn’t less affordable when you have to spend more than 30 bucks each day on little food or drink to sustain yourself. 5 dollars for a hot dog?!?! voyons donc c’mon! though osheaga isn’t as large or as aged as coachella or bonnaroo, the food there is filling and well proportioned, there are good options for all types of diets, and NOTHING was at least 10 dollars like it is at osheaga. the corps and sponsors rent out the space only to make more money by ripping us off. fuck dis shit! as snoop dogg would say.
i look forward to the day when osheaga will continue to have good music, be true to their environmental initiatives, and support local independent quebec food and produce!
but, enough of the ranting! overall, the weekend was faaaantastic for great music and dancing. so, recap of meg boat and osheaga weekend after the jump!
OK so end of school is here and the best part is…COACHELLA IN 12 DAYS! OK. So, like promised ages ago, mixtape is on the way…for real this time. Expect it within a week. It is pretty awesome. So this post is a quick recap of all the shows I went to in March. It was such a ridiculous time for concerts and I discovered some pretty great new bands. Jump ahead for recaps for Neon Indian, Braids, Silly Kissers, Air, Beach House, Bachelorette, Joanna Newsom, Flying Lotus and more!
***So I have my top lists compiled, I just haven’t been able to fully write it out yet. And since I will be in New York for New Year’s, my top lists will not be out until I get back. Super sorry! I am super excited for y’all to read it still! And within my mixtapes which I DID finish (phewf) are a lot of my favorites of the year and of the decade! Have a great new years and enjoy the mixtapes! Stay tuned for my top lists within two weeks!***
Hope everyone had a good new year’s! To be, it’s usually just like any other day. I don’t like the hype that NYE brings like any other major “let’s get drunk” holiday but I decided to change that this year. So whether you’re like me in the past and took it cool yesterday and chilled out, this mixtape is still for you. Relax. And if you’re like me yesterday (I am writing about myself in the future but I am sure I will be feeling this way) and partied, and are nursing physical pains all over, this mixtape is DEFS for you. Grab some tea/coffee, go for a run/swim, and decompress with some amazing chill out tunes from this year and the past decade!
Download: ATM’s – New Year’s Day Mixtape (Link 2)!
Playlist after the jump!
Winter is upon Montréal. It’s not that cold…yet. Negative 16 with bouts of snow but nothing like the -40 my home town of Edmontontians are suffering from. I find myself naturally going for specific albums during the winter time. Among these wintery albums is good ol’ Rufus Wainwright. This native Montréaler started when he was 6 and hasn’t quit.
He’s a vibrant live performer (if you haven’t seen him live in concert yet, do it, his voice is exponentially more amazing live than on record) who is always making jokes, cracking at heterosexuality, and has a plethora of costumes which I will happily forever keep in my mind.
His music on the other hand, is a compliment yet a contradiction to his onstage demeanor. His albums are filled with deep love songs, about heartbreak, about sex, lust, loss, and all the in betweens. Not only are his lyrics unbearably heartwarming, lovely, and wonderful in all the ways lyrics should be, but the way he sings, his voice, I swear I could hear only this without all the instrumental accompaniments and be equally if not more happy to have more of something so immaculately good.
The beauty of winter, the snow, the people, the collective cuddles and silenced complaints amidst a white winterland can only call for the joie de vivre and melancholy that is Rufus Wainwright. So, I share three songs from one of my favorite albums of his, Want One released in 2003.
P.S. I know I said the updates will be coming more often, but truth is I am in the process of making ridiculously awesome New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day mixtapes for you guys, as well as my top lists…so there will be music GALORE here soon. I just don’t wanna share all the good stuff just yet 
MP3: Rufus Wainwright – Vibrate
MP3: Rufus Wainwright – 14th Street
This is Torrini’s first North American tour and Montréal is her first date. OOOOOO we’re her firsts!!! Yippeee!!!! Artists from Iceland can do no wrong. I’ve tried to prove otherwise. I have since given up.
Who is this opener, Anya Marina? For once I go to an opener and I am so so pleased. A cute, blonde, and sassy Russian from Los Angeles whose voice feeds you into the euphoria that only blue cloudless skies atop of soft green grass and a nap can give. I would have been happy to have seen just her that night for the ticket ($20). Truly. Truly. But I get Emiliana too?!?!?
A truly glorious bill. Ah, finally. I am going to recap this wonderful show. After the jump!
I am so stoked for Heartland. This man is amazing live.
GAAAAAAAAAAAH I am so stoked today! It is the second last day of the festival! It is POURING rain outside. Hopefully it clears up a bit before…BEIRUT! HOOOORAAH! I am hoping it ends early enough because after I am jetting off to Club Lambi to see the one and only, FLYING LOTUS! Oh what a day what a day!
BEIRUT IS SOLD OUT. And people are selling the tickets which are orginally $30 for $100 on craigslist! For. Shame.
FLYING LOTUS IS NOT! $15 AT THE DOOR! See you there?
Edit 14 07 09: I know, I’m horrible. It’s uh…been a few days since this concert…BUT I have a valid excuse! I am painting my room and am plastering and priming and all that jazz…and I have been using my laptop and speakers as a form of music in my new place…Hence no laptop here where I’m currently living. I PROMISE. Yes that’s right readers, I am promising a deadline to you. By Saturday I will have the recap of Beirut (incredible!), Flying Lotus (inspiring, and it killed me), and Ben Harper (boooooring), as well as my Best awards for the 12 day fest! Enjoy my previous posts and I shall see you on Saturday! =)
Edit 20 07 09: The post still isn’t updated. Ok, so I am officially a liar. I knoooooooow I promised Saturday but gaaah I have good excuses. Still painting my room, Fantasia (I watched three movies in ONE day today, I WAS IN THE THEATRE FOR 8 HOURS…), and not being in my new apartment where my computer is makes it pretty tough for me to do updates since I don’t have the music or pics I wanna share…So I won’t make another promise that I can’t keep BUT I will say that once this post is updated (hopefully at least by the end of this week), lots of goodies will be floating your guys’ way!
Edit 27 07 09: FINALLY THIS IS UPDATED. AFTER THE JUMP FOR BEIRUT LIVE VIDEOS AWESOMENESS and FLYING LOTUS AURGASSSMSSSSS!!!
I am in love with Patrick Watson. Have been since the Polaris Prize Award winning Close to Paradise. I unfortunately missed his show in Edmonton at the McDougall Church…a venue that would have been perfect for a sound like Watson. But he comes tonight! For free! At the Jazz festival and I am so excited. I have been listening to his new album Wooden Arms non-stop and I figured I might as well hit two birds with one stone with a review of the album as well.
This and more after the jump! Not until tomorrow will I have a recap of the show.
EDIT: I now have recapped the show. I know I said I’d have it the morning of. I lied. Jaja sorry! Busy with being sad about Roddick and being sad watching MJ’s memorial. But I finally wrote it and it was truly a wonderful concert! Review after the jump!
This is the most overdue post ever. I’ve been meaning to get this whole thing published after one week the festival ended…over two weeks ago jaja. Sigh, so much I wanted to do in between but I kept on saying to myself, NO you need to give PART II. And so here it is. As y’all know, I recently moved and it’s been busy and by busy I mean lounging around in Montréal’s brutal humidity whilst looking for apartments whilsts chilling with awesome flatmates drinking beer whilst have dance parties. So as you can see, very very busy. But here it is! the second half of a most wonderful weekend trip twenty hours south of the MTL.
My recap, MP3s, and live video footage all after the jump!
