From the moment Heavy Trash took the stage at La Sala Rossa last Thursday, they had the crowd vibrating, front and center. The quartet looked devilishly sharp in their suits, but it was the earnest “hey’s” and “hellos” from Jon Spencer and bassist/guitarist Matt Verta-Ray that powered up the audience’s attention. (more…)
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Concert Reviews
Julian Casablancas @ Le National – 04.01.10
04.07.10Reminding everyone who started this gangster shit, The Strokes‘ frontman and official coolest-motherfucker-in-any-room Julian Casablancas delivered a superb show at Le National on Thursday. (more…)
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Concert Reviews
Charlie Winston @ L’Astral – 03.11.10
03.17.10A quirky personality is always refreshing, no matter what people say. Charlie Winston happens to be one of those characters, whose charming presence and offbeat songs won the crowd over last Thursday, at a sold-out L’Astral. (more…)
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Concert Reviews
Les Trois Accords @ Metropolis – 02.25.10
03.03.10Good times were had by all last Thursday at Metropolis where Les Trois Accords pulled out all the rock n’ roll stops for a comedic night of catchy tunes. (more…)
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Bits & Pieces
Post-Punk Engineer Iain Burgess Passes Away
02.15.10U.K. native Iain Burgess, famed producer/engineer of the post-punk scene of the 80s, died on Thursday of a pulmonary embolism, apparently a complication of pancreatic and liver cancer. Along with his many audio accomplishments, Burgess is best known for his work on Big Black’s Racer X, The Effigies‘ Fly on a Wire, Naked Raygun’s Jettison and Three Chord Monte by Pegboy. Rest in peace Iain Burgess.
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Concert Reviews
Mariah Carey @ Centre Bell – 02.04.10
02.10.10If Mariah Carey were to rely solely on her sex appeal and prima donna tendencies to get her by, she would probably be in trouble. Fortunately, she can sing. And that’s exactly what she did to make up for her tardiness and any diva-like behaviour last Thursday at the Centre Bell. (more…)
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Concert Reviews
Jann Arden @ L’Olympia – 01.14.10
01.20.10Give Jann Arden a mic and she will deliver, whether pulling heartstrings with songs about heartache or hitting close to home with jokes about family and personal shortcomings. Arden proved she is a true to form entertainer at L’Olympia last Thursday. (more…)
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Bits & Pieces
Snoop Makes Cypress Hill his First Signing to Priority Records
01.15.10For those of you who haven’t been following the recent developments in Snoop Dogg’s career, the California rapper was last year made Creative Chairman of Priority Records. But before your mind wanders, and you start to imagine what a board meeting of Priority Records might be like – I have an awesome vision in my head right now – news is that Snoop has snapped up rap veterans Cypress Hill as his first signing to the label. The announcement was made on Thursday’s Lopez Tonight show, which saw the Hill deliver a version of their classic single, and 90s dorm favorite, Insane in the Brain. You may also start wondering whether you’ve somehow been teleported back in time on hearing that the band’s new album, Rise Up, slated for an April 6th release will feature the guitar work of Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, who was said to be delighted to reunite with his “longtime friends and comrades”. Priority Records, once home to rap luminaries N.W.A, Ice Cube and Eazy-E, was resurrected last year, with Snoop being charged with finding new creative talent to revive the label’s ailing fortunes.
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Concert Reviews
Thursday @ Foufounes Electriques – 12.06.09
12.12.09Oh Thursday. What will become of you? You finally turned 10 years old. You are all grown up. Your rocking-out-skills make us proud. Your impressive catalog of quality albums released over the years has shown us that you are dedicated and focused. But Thursday, dear Thursday, it’s time to share your music with more people. Playing to only a few hundred people in a town like Montreal should be a little confusing for a band like Thursday. (more…)
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Concert Reviews
The Cat Empire @ Metropolis – 12.03.09
12.09.09“I’ve never seen an entire crowd dance for that long” is how my friend prepared me for The Cat Empire show at Metropolis last Thursday. When she first played me the Melbourne group many years ago, I had two initial impressions: a) they’ve got some catchy tunes and b) they’re probably killer live. (more…)
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Bits & Pieces
Thursday – Last Night @ Foufounes Electriques
12.07.09Rock n’ rollers Thursday kicked up the nostalgia for their die-hard fans last night. These boys have been around for a while and may actually become men at some point. Images n’ words to follow.
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Bits & Pieces
Thursday – Tonight @ Foufounes Electriques
12.06.09What better way to spend a Sunday night then to watch confused Thursday fans stare blankly at The Dillinger Escape Plan as both rock out Foufounes Electriques tonight. Whoever thought of putting these two bands on the same bill is genius.
With special guests: Fake Problems + ENDLESS HALLWAY
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Concert Reviews
Champion et ses G-Strings @ Metropolis – 11.19.09
11.25.09Maxim Morin, better known as Montreal’s DJ Champion, packed Metropolis last Thursday and thrilled the local crowd with an epic dance party. The maestro’s live incarnation, Champion et ses G-Strings, featuring every guitarist in Quebec, took the industrially lit stage and absolutely killed it. (more…)
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Bits & Pieces
Champion et ses G-Strings – Last Night @ Metropolis
11.20.09Local crew DJ Champion et ses G-Strings prologue the weekend with a Thursday night dance party at Metropolis. Words and images to follow.
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Concert Reviews
Every Time I Die @ Metropolis – 10.08.09
10.14.09Buffalo, New York’s Every Time I Die was at Metropolis last Thursday night, ripping the paint of the walls with their robustly alloyed style of punk, metal, and deathcore. (more…)
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Concert Reviews
Bring Me the Horizon @ Metropolis – 10.08.09
10.14.09Metal core Brits Bring Me the Horizon rattled the cages at Metropolis last Thursday night, with a whirlwind of clashing moshers at their feet. (more…)
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Bits & Pieces
Every Time I Die – Last Night @ Metropolis
10.09.09Metropolis rang with the thunderous clamber of Every Time I Die as a face melting Thursday night was enjoyed by all… Screaming photos and seering words are on the way.
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Bits & Pieces
RZA Speaks on Ghostface Killah Lawsuit Claims
09.30.09Ghostface Killah has come out and claimed that RZA, and Wu-Tang Productions owes the rest of the rap act royalties, and now RZA is saying the accusations are false. Thursday (September 24) saw Ghostface Killah win legal judgement for over $158,000 against RZA’s Wu-Tang Productions regarding the owed royalties. However, RZA says that the case “is not closed yet”, stating, “The judgment has not been entered yet, and we are appealing the case.” RZA, along with the other members of Wu-Tang Clan are alleged to have signed a contract allowing whoever produced their material to amass half of all royalties, with the remaining 50% to be divided evenly among the members. RZA, the man behind Liquid Swords, claims that this is the standard practice in hop-hop/ “When it comes to the beats of hip-hop, how it carries on to this day is that the producer gets 50 per cent of the composition, and the lyricist, no matter how many, gets the other 50 per cent. For them to say that’s wrong, and the producer shouldn’t get 50 per cent, that means every producer in this industry can now have a potential claim against them from an artist. Remember, we don’t sign contracts in studios.”
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Bits & Pieces
NIN Bid Farewell At Final Show Ever
09.11.09“This is it”, announced Trent Reznor during Nine Inch Nails’ last career performance on Thursday night at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles; “I haven’t had a chance to catch my breath and think about things… I’m kinda sad. But I’m not gonna break down in tears just yet,” continued the industrial rocker. Amidst a packed theatre Reznor regaled the crowd with over 3 hours of mind bending swoon with a capacity crowd singing every tune while nostalgically recalling the memories that the soundscapes invoke. The night also saw the likes of some celeb attendance with the venue’s balcony boasting Tony Hawk, magician Penn Jillette, No Doubt’s Tony Kanal, and porn star Ron Jeremy. The evening was filled with NIN goodies such as Home, Somewhat Damaged, The Collector, Discipline and much more, with Reznor javelining a mic stand during March of the Pigs. As the set neared its end the seething throng’s expectance of a grand finale began to bubble and boil and true to form NIN did not disappoint. As the solemn tone of In This Twilight washed through the crowd, the night found itself at an end, with Reznor crooning “You know none of this is real, You will find a better place, In this twilight.” Farewell Nine Inch Nails… Your work here is done.
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Bits & Pieces
DJ AM Wanted To Die?
09.02.09As reported, DJ AM born Adam Goldstein was found dead on August 28th and it has been since released that along with the crack pipe and bag of crack cocaine found on his person, the primo DJ also had eight OxyContin pills in his stomach and an unswallowed ninth one in his mouth. “He wanted to die,” a source said, “He was going unconscious when he took the last one. He didn’t even swallow it.” Reports indicate that Goldstein barricaded himself in his home apparently blocking the doors with mirrors, causing law enforcement to enter with force upon their arrival on the scene. Once in the DJ’s apartment they discovered a Valentine’s Day card from girlfriend Hayley Wood as well as six pictures of Wood and Goldstein together. A memorial is slated for Thursday September 3rd at the Hollywood Palladium where AM spent quite some time performing. The memorial will be held in the style of a 12 step meeting, much like the ones the late DJ might have attended. “Adam’s friends both from his life in recovery, as well as those from other areas of his life are welcome. We ask only that everyone adhere to the tradition of anonymity and let what they hear there, and who they see there, stay there,” reads the memorial’s invitation.
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CD Reviews
The Bottle Rockets – Lean Forward
08.16.09
Marking their tenth release The Bottle Rockets bring us another saccharine sour alt-country palette of bruisey bar tunes and head bobbing treats aptly titled Lean Forward . Diving in head first… the cause of and the solution to all of life’s problems. Err wait… maybe that’s beer. (more…)
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Bits & Pieces
Michael Jackson Laid Out For All To See
06.30.09Recent reports give word that Michael Jackson’s body will be brought to the infamous Neverland Ranch for public viewing. The King of Pop will apparently be transported in a 30 car procession to his carnival compound on Thursday July 2nd 2009, and will be laid out for viewing the following day, Friday July 3rd 2009. There has yet to be a concrete statement as to the final resting spot for Jackson, although Neverland Ranch and the King’s birth place of Gary, Indiana have been among the offered locations. In fact, Mayor Rudy Clay has been lobbying quite fervently for MJ’s body to be buried in Gary, saying “I believe that his body will lie in state in Gary, Indiana. Now, it may not happen, but I believe it will.” Of course the burial would call for the less than wealthy Indiana city to accommodate the singer with the erection of a museum and an elaborate performing arts center with the pop star’s grave as the piece de resistance. In other related news, a 2002 will of Jackson’s has been discovered leaving his worldly possessions to his mother Katherine, his three children and various charities. Reports say that said will bestows nothing to Michael’s father Joe.
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Bits & Pieces
Taste of Chaos – Last Night @ Metropolis
04.10.09
Thursday, Bring Me the Horizon and Cancer Bats stirred up a pot of madness, giving a scantily filled, however rowdy Metropolis, a hearty Taste of Chaos… Come back for the photos & review with flavor.
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Bits & Pieces
Taste of Chaos – Tonight @ Metropolis
04.09.09School’s dull? Work’s dull? You need a Taste of Chaos… Manning the kitchen is Jersey post-hardcore outfit Thursday, metalcore brits Bring Me the Horizon and Canadian contingency Cancer Bats… The taste, the taste, the taste is gonna move you.
With special guests: Four Year Strong + Pierce The Veil
