Upon entering the gallery space, a work titled “Curtain” is directly in the path of the viewer. Five parallel floor-to-ceiling s of fabric are hung with a single bare light bulb dangling by an electrical cord between each . All of the s are made of sheer black fabric with the exception of the last, which is a solid black that is impenetrable to light; thus, the back of the gallery is not visible upon entrance.
Upon exiting the Cocamo after MTV Canada’s Steve-O Jackass Tour, I was speechless. The show was nothing more than a twisted display of masochism, which left me utterly dumbfounded.
Whether you love them or hate them, Sum 41 is arguably the biggest worldwide rock band to come out of Canada in the last 20 years. This past Friday night, they brought the energy that has made them household names to millions of fans around the world, as well as houseguests to movie stars and Paris Hilton.
Perhaps it was the crowd who chose to remain seated as Barber repeatedly encouraged them to consider dancing; perhaps it was the birthday party happening at the back of the room that didn’t really consider Barber as anything more than background music; perhaps it was because it was Friday night of Frosh week and most people chose house parties over the Grad Club, but the Matthew Barber and The Union Dues show just didn’t satisfy.
Written by John Cameron Mitchell, this play is more of a rock spectacle than a glossy musical. Directed by Rachel VandenAssem, Hedwig tells the tale of a transsexual named Hedwig, in which case the “head-wig” is obviously a creative play on words. It is set in a small venue, which makes the Baby Grand a good choice by the production team, as it is perfectly fit to decorate a small, “hole in the wall” venue.
Prior to the Frosh Show, the Journal managed to snag a moment with Dave “Brownsound” and Cone, the guitarist and bassist for Sum 41. In a rather candid pre-show interview, the zany duo reflected upon everything from dropping out of high school to George W. Bush and Ron Jeremy.
On Sunday, thousands upon thousands of concert-goers crossed over the La Salle Causeway to the Royal Military College grounds for the Kingston love-in that was “Across the Causeway.”
Imagine filing a civil lawsuit against the Metro Toronto Police accusing them of negligence and human rights charter violations. Winning sounds almost impossible, right? Now imagine being raped and finding out you weren’t the first, but sixth in a line of women raped by one man.
Queen’s alum Matt Barber’s soulful blend of rock, blues and mellow acoustic exudes the type of unwitting sexiness that most of us try and fail to achieve. Hitting the road to promote his latest release, The Story of Your Life, Barber will play the Grad Club tonight. The up-and-coming crooner paused for a tête-à-tête with the Journal to discuss the trials and tribulations of being young, cool and a rock star
Kean Soo graduated from Queen’s in 2002 with a degree in electrical engineering, and as the best laid plans of mice and men often go, he is now a promising comic book artist and graphic novelist, who stands poised at the edge of real success.
Frosh will be treated to some music from Sum’s album tonight in the Miller Hall parking lot. Tonight Canada’s most popular punk export, Sum 41, will be playing this year’s annual Frosh Week concert. The Ajax phenomenon are currently doing a College/University tour, Queen’s being their second stop.
East Coast rockers The Trews are among the acts slated for the Across the Causeway benefit on Sept. 12. Originally hailing from Nova Scotia but now based out of Niagara Falls, The Trews have been enjoying increasing popularity over the past year, thanks to singles like “Not Ready to Go,” videos like “Tired of Waiting,” and rave reviews of their live performances. Guitarist John-Angus MacDonald took a moment with the Journal to chat about the charity benefit.
Frequently touted as the hardest working band in Canada, The Sadies, comprised of Good, his brother Dallas also on vocals and guitar, Sean Dean on upright bass, and Mike Belitsky on drums, can rarely be found at rest. Their latest record, Favourite Colours is their fifth in six years, during which time they have also recorded with Andre Williams, Jon Langford, and Neko Case, not to mention touring the country extensively.
All-around entertainer Hugh Dillon has been around the block a few times. The former frontman of The Headstones is now exploring the acting world while simultaneously maintaining a music career, thanks to his current project, The Hugh Dillon Redemption Choir. With The Choir hitting the stage at the Across the Causeway benefit this Sunday, Hugh paused for a moment with the Journal to reflect upon his past, present and future.
Vancouver-based Matthew Good, once solely the frontman of the Matthew Good Band, has since chosen to strike out on his own. The proudly-Canadian performer s the bill of Sunday’s Across the Causeway benefit, and spent some time chatting with the Journal this past week.
The Tragically Hip are coming home. After becoming one of the most popular bands in the history of Canadian music, Kingston’s favourite sons are returning to the place where it all began.
It would be very difficult, almost inconceivable, for The Weakerthans to play a bad show. Their songs are too well-crafted, their playing is too proficient and their unity onstage is always intact—they are simply too good.
I’ve always thought the best interview would be to be able to just sit and pick the brain of Jack Kerouac. Recently, I got to do the next best thing…sort of. I interviewed Queen’s own Jack Kerouac Knapsack Band.
The summer music festival can be a troubling entity. It can reflect summer’s finest moments: relaxing with friends, soaking in the sunshine, hacking a little sack and listening to some great music. Lately, however, it seems as if the summer music fest has become little more than a self-promotional tool for commercial radio stations and beer companies, not to mention a cash grab for opportunistic food and drink vendors.
