Montreal by Montreal

BREAK

2007-08-10T11:43:00.001-04:00

we're still on hiatus.

We'll be back in november for more Montreal !

:)

Comedy Nest - Brian Lazanik, Joey Elias

2007-08-07T11:12:00.000-04:00

Just came back from a show at the Comedy Nest and I must say it was really a great evening of laughter. It started out slow, with ok opening acts. Then, out of the blue, appeared Joey Elias, my personal favourite local comic (and probably in my world top 5). He dropped by for a short 10 minute improvised set about how he lost weight. He did lose weight, but he gained brio and wit in the process. I found him rejuvenated with a new style, contradictory (in a good way) to his previous nonchalant attitude. Anyway, it was funny as hell...

Then, Mr Headliner Brian Lazanik came in and started talking funny (kinda like a retard) to the mic. I though this was just a short gimmick but it lasted for an hour. If a comic can last an hour talking like some stupid idiot lunatic and not have me annoyed, he must be pretty amazing. And he was. His show consists of mostly witty one liners who remind me a lot of Larry David's humour in that they challenge the traditional way of looking at simple things and twist them in completely un-politically correct ways. I found around 75% of his act to be excellent, the rest just bubbling under in the good-to-great category.

A real fun evening!

MOVIES THIS WEEK (JULY 27)

2007-07-27T10:11:00.000-04:00

This week is an ok week for movies.
First off,The Simpsons Movie is finally released and is sure to make some noise. It's the first ever Simpsons movie, after a long, long, long (and still going strong) run on TV. It features Homer in an adventure to save the world from a catastrophe he may have caused. I think it's safe to assume that this movie is going to be good. They can't mess this up. At worse it'll be OK.

A potential hit-or-miss movie would be the British sci-fi flick Sunshine. Directed by cult filmmaker Danny Boyle (The Beach, 28 days later, Trainspotting), and written by Alex Garland (The Beach), the movie is about a group of astronauts in 2057 whose mission is to reignite the failing sun. On their way there, they received a signal from a previous mission that was launched years earlier and never came back.... I love sci-fi but it's so easy to miss target with those films... I'll probably check this one out and let you know.

The other potential hit of the week end would be the Catherine Zeta-Jones/ Aaron Eckhart romantic comedy No Reservations. Need I say more ?
Also out is Taxi 4, the fourth instalment in the popular French film series. It features cars, girls, and a lot of humour (mostly involving a quirky police officer). It seems weird to release another movie in this franchise (started in the 90s) but as long as it sells, I guess there's no harm to it.
Another blockbuster release, I know who killed me is more geared to the adolescent market. It features Lindsay Lohan (sober) in a mysterious thriller about a girl who wakes up not remembering anything and is convinced she has been killed two weeks earlier (now that's a plot that is sure to move today's youth!)

On the more indie side, the new Werner Herzog film is out. It's called Rescue Dawn and is about an Dieter Dengler, an American soldier (Christian Bale) captured by Viet' guerrilleros during the infamous Vietnam war in 1966. This should be interesting since Herzog did a documentary about Dengler 10 years ago (LITTLE DIETER NEEDS TO FLY).
La Faute à Fidel could be an interesting French film about Anna, a nine-year old girl whose uncle is a chilian militant. He dies in combat and this leads to his sister moving to Paris, into the life of Anna.
Also, Cinema du Parc offers two new repertory films this week. Cafe Transit, an Iranian film about a woman who takes over a café at the Turkish border. Benis par le feu (Illuminados por el fuego) is a Spanish film about war friendships.

Enjoy your week-end (and week) in movies !

Juliette et Chocolat

2007-07-27T10:04:00.000-04:00

Ceux qui ne connaissent pas encore Juliette et Chocolat ne savent pas ce qu'ils ratent !
Dans ce tout petit café/resto trottoir de la rue Saint Denis (coin Emery), les meilleures saveurs de chocolats (et autres) vous feront baver. Ne vous étonnez pas si vous gémissez involontairement de plaisir, ou si les mouvements de vos mains s'accélèrent pour plus vite préparer la prochaine bouchée... C'est l'extase totale!

Ceci dit, les chocolat sont présents en toute formes : crêpes, fondue, glaces, boissons, shots, gâteaux, et même une vinaigrette de salade aux saveurs de framboise. Je recommande vivement la crêpe Choco-folie (chocolats noir, blanc et au lait), le chocolat chaud à l'ancienne (jouissif) et les coupes de glaces alléchantes.

Mais ce n'est pas tout. Juliette est aussi fameux pour ses crêpes de sarassin salées. La complète Pesto et la poulet-épinard-chèvre sont particulièrement réussies.

Si vous aimez le chocolat, Juliette est immanquable !

Juliette et Chocolat, 1615 RUE SAINT-DENIS ; 514-287-3555

Bruce Nauman at the Musee d'Art Contemporain de Montreal

2007-07-22T20:37:00.000-04:00

The Musee d’Art Contemporain is having a retrospective on the work of Bruce Nauman, an influential American artist. The exhibit showcases his use of various media, from sound and video installation to neon and sculpture, to address an equally varied smorgasbord of themes, such as war, violence, apathy, language, and what the artist perceives as our frustrating inability to truly commune with each other (expressed through the Clown pieces.) The expo greets you with a series of his neon work. Plays on words (RUN FROM FEAR - FUN FROM REAR,) anagrams (WAR-RAW) as well as acoustic-visual poems (SILENCE-VIOLENCE-VIOLINS) make you smile, but also carry profound, striking messages of revolt against our apathy to the global state of things and what he describes as "the ability people have to ignore situations they do not like." After a gallery of video installations where redundant movements in a distorted visual field point out the fallacy of our perceptions (meh…) a sculpture-fountain of floating bronze fish with water jetting periodically from them contrasts silence and noise, and makes for a relaxing moment – be patient, wait until the water stops flowing, you will be rewarded. The next installation will blow you away. You enter a dark room with six large screens projection the rapidly rotating faces of men shouting feed me anthropology - eat me sociology. It is at once fascinating and terrifying.
The entrance to the exhibit is 8$, but note that a membership to the MAC is 10$ for students and residents of Montreal, which gives you free access to all exhibitions and access to evenings at the museum, the Nocturnes, with music and guided tours exclusively for members – the next nocturne is on August 3rd.

THIS FILTHY WORLD

2007-07-20T12:07:00.000-04:00

relaying information from Cinema du Parc.This Filthy World

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USA. 2006. Documentary. Dir.: Jeff Garlin. With John Waters.
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In this one-man show, the HAIRSPRAY original director, John Waters takes the stage to discuss everything from his early influences and his fondest career memories. As part of a John Waters' retrospective, this perfomance is filled with outrageous insight and candid wit that has earned Waters an eternal place in the hearts of mischief-loving miscreants everywhere.

THIS FILTHY WORLD filmed over two nights at Manhattan's Harry De Jur Playhouse, can be one of the coziest and most charming means of investing 90-plus minutes of your life. Some of the more outrageous stuff can't, of course, be safely recounted in a family newspaper. Just know that Waters is so sneaky when delivering his zingers that he'll make you spit your beverage on the person next to you if you're not careful. In laughter, one hastens to add, not disgust.

"This suave connoisseur of sleaze can be touching when recalling Tab Hunter and Divine's initial encounter on the set of 1981's "Polyester." He can be instructive when talking about how a film society can attract patrons. ("Have the ushers be nude for one night.") More than anything, he can be mordantly funny when taking off on such varied topics as Michael Jackson, the Catholic Church and priggishness in every corner of society. Even when he expresses malice, Waters is always endearing, even - in his own way - sensible."
-NEWSDAY

ALSO PLAYING (RETROSPECTIVE)
Pink Flamingos (1972) (English with French subtitles)
Female Trouble (1974) (English with French subtitles)
Desperate Living (1977) (English with French subtitles)
Polyester (1981)
Hairspray (1988) (English with French subtitles)
Cry-Baby (1990) (English with French subtitles)
Serial Mom (1994) (English with French subtitles)
Pecker (1998) (English with French subtitles)
Cecil B. Demented (2000) (English version)
A Dirty Shame (2006) (English version)

All showtimes on cinemaduparc.com

NEW MOVIES THIS WEEK (JULY 20-27)

2007-07-20T11:48:00.000-04:00

This is a nicer movie week than last week, featuring eclectic releases that will please all. Still fresh from the Harry Potter craziness, many moviegoers will be stuck at home this week end reading the much anticipated final book of the series. For others, there are a couple of interesting movie outings you can check out.

First of all, LIBERO is my pick for the week end. review : It's a fabulous, down to earth and touching italian film about a family that has been deserted by a nymphomaniac (?) mother who keeps leaving home only to come back for brief periods. This leaves the family hanging and tense. But the movie isn't depressing at all, like you would expect from such a story. It's really all about a little boy's experience of this situation and how it affects his daily life and upbringing. The actors are all wonderful, the pace is perfect. Girls, the dad is pretty hot too !

Next up would be MON MEILLEUR AMI, an apparently innovative and funny French comedy from Patrice Leconte (who brought us gems like Ridicule and La fille sur le Pont). It features Daniel Auteil as a businessman who apparently doesn't have any "best friend" and has to prove that he does to avoid ridicule. He meets this taxi driver (Dany Boon) and an unusual releationships develops as they try to convince people that they are best friends.

Also out this week is the new Steve Buscemi movie (something I really look forward to), Interview. It stars Buscemi interviewing a big shot celebrity. Could only be delightful. The movie was made as a testament to murdered filmmaker Teo Van Gogh.

The blockbuster releases of the week would be I now pronounce you Chuck and Larry (starring Adam Sandler as a pretend gay man, trying to get a good insurance deal) and Hairspray, which looks promising but could be a disaster.
Another potential big hit is the Quebec Comedy Ma Tante Aline, with Béatrice Picard, Sylvie Léonard and Rémi-Pierre Paquin.

Other movies worth checking out : Dans Paris (by controversial french director Christophe Honoré, with Louis Garrel and Romain Duris), This Filthy World, a John Waters documentary + Retrospective at cinema du parc (see next post)

CREACAMP

2007-07-17T14:26:00.000-04:00

On se la coule douce pour cette édition Creacamp d'été.
Au menu :

BYOB : Bring your own blanket! pour vous assoir, cela créera une superbe mosaique au sol!
picnic : apportez qqchose à boire, et à grignoter pour le picnic
échange de livres : apportez 1 ou 2 livres qui vous ont inspiré, et qu'il vous fera plaisir d'échanger
blahblah : Si nous sommes plus de 20, de petits groupes seront formés pour discuter. Si nous sommes moins de 20, nous discuterons tous ensembles!
marché : bijoux, vêtements, livres - apportez vos créations pour les faires voires!

collages 6x6 : si vous désirez participer, préparez une enveloppe contenant quelques papiers colorés, une citation écrite qui vous représente, ainsi que votre nom écrit. Cette enveloppe pourra être échangée, et le matériel servira à créer un collage de 6" par 6" (voir projet 6x6 sur flickr).

Où :
Parc Lafontaine, 13h à 15h, le 22 juillet 2007.
Présentations :
laissez m-c savoir si vous désirez faire une courte présentation (10 minutes max, sans projecteur ou ordinateur, nous serons dans un parc!).
Inscriptions :
svp laissez votre nom dans les commentaires ICI pour nous laisser savoir qui sera présent!
En cas de pluie :
M-C postera une confirmation le Vendredi 20 juillet sur Creacamp.org.
En espérant vous y voir en grand nombre!!

GAD BLESS YOU

2007-07-17T11:51:00.000-04:00

J'étais au show de Gad Elmaleh hier soir, dans le cadre du festival juste pour rire.

D'abord, je dois témoigner mon agacement face à l'organisation de l'évènement. On a du attendre en file, tickets numérotés en main, avant de nous laisser entrer dans la salle et commencer le show avec une heure de retard.
Ceci dit, à la seconde ou Gad est arrivé (sur les airs de Musicology de Prince), tout cet agacement s'est envolé et a laissé place a la bonne humeur.

Durant la soirée, la foule enchainait les rires (souvent forts, jamais de fou rires) et les bons sketchs se succédaient les uns après les autres; le tout saupoudré de petites interludes exquises sur les québécois, leur accent et l'orthophonie des mots (le "t" a la fin de "contac'", on va le mettre a la fin de "ici" et ca donnera "iciT")

Ce que j'ai apprécié le plus dans le show, c'était les petites improvisations auxquelles il se prêtait en plein milieu de ses sketchs. Exemple : A un moment, il interpelle des membres du public et leur demande ce qu'il font dans la vie. Vannes sarcastiques obligées. Plus tard, il intercale des commentaires sur leur métiers dans ses sketchs et va meme jusqu'à les y inclure en personnages....

Evidemment, on a eu droit à des parties musicales dont la version remixée du "petit oiseau" et une excellente ballade au piano en langue inconnue ("on veux vraiment le croire que c'est du français"). On se retrouve même à chanter les "backing vocals" pendant une hilarante chanson germanique de l'eurovision !

Gad a su bien mêler les sujets: des relations amoureuses désastreuses aux célébrations du nouvel an, en passant par un exquis sketch sur disneyland et sea world, on ne s'ennuie presque jamais. A part un peu à la fin, ou ca se ramollit un peu.... Mais Gad sait dompter son public et termine le show avec un grand compte à rebours pour nous souhaiter la bonne année (en juillet!)!

En résumé, ce nouveau spectacle (présenté en première mondiale) est largement réussi, mais moins drole que son précédent (L'autre c'est moi). Il se repete par moments et les thèmes ne sont pas si différents que ca... Mais le show reste tout de même de haut calibre!

Une chose est certaines, la relation Gad-public fonctionne beaucoup mieux que ses relations amoureuses qu'il décrit et nous, contrairement à son ex ("c'est un sketch"), on en veut encore du Gad !

NEW MOVIES THIS WEEK (JUL 13-20)

2007-07-15T11:56:00.001-04:00

Well it's safe to say that this week will be Harry potter week at the movies. I just saw the film and really thought it was a great ride. The series has reach a good maturity and they have learned how to balance action and character development. In this particular one, character development takes over as the actors improve their skills, the writing gets less cheesy and the directing uses a new realistic style....

other releases worth mentioning this week are:

Adam's Apple, a funny, weird comedy about a priest with strict and irrevocable faith who reforms prisoners in his small town church.

Lars Von Trier's The Director. I've seen the film back when it was playing at the New Cinema Festival and it's really a departure from his recent work and a return to the type of movies he made in his dogma era (the idots etc...). This film is cute, original but overall doesn't leave you with much more than a cute story with amusing characters. It's like The Office goes on the big screen, with a little less catch phrases ;)

Scenes of a sexual nature is also out and features everything but sex! I've seen bits and pieces of the film and it's really a long bore with endless discussions. The acting however is fine and intelligent and the editing is interesting.

Another interesting title out this week is God grew tired of us, a story of 4 africans (from soudan) who aren't familiar with our civilization, and are brought to NYC for this documentary. An interesting look at our culture through the eyes of traditionalism. I foresee a nice reflexion on where we're coming from and where we're heading....

other releases : Captivity, Belle Toujours, Introducing the Dwights

all showtimes at cinemamontreal.com

SOY

2007-07-13T16:20:00.000-04:00

J'ai enfin trouvé un bon restaurant asiatique pas cher et gastronomique!
Il s'agit du SOY, sur St-Laurent (entre fairmount et maguire).
Pourquoi gastronomique ? D'abord la viande (poulet, boeuf etc...) n'est pas un amas de conservateurs frits avec un tas de panure et une petite boule de viande au milieu. On a affaire ici a des ingrédients de qualité supérieure. Ensuite, les plats sont préparés avec un clair souci de saveur et raffinement. Ce ne sont pas les meilleurs mets asiatiques en ville, mais franchement, moi je trouve ca excellent.

A 15$, la table d'hôte du midi est un festin de saveurs, et je n'exagère pas.
Mes choix irrévocables : D'abord, le poulet general Tao (facon soy) qui réinvente le concept general Tao et le rend raffiné et frais. La sauce est un mélange intrigant d'épices et Ensuite, les crevettes croustillantes, un délice !
Mon conseil : partager a deux ces deux plats. Ils sont aussi bons l'un que l'autre.

SOY - 514-499-9399 ; 5258 St Laurent; 15-20$ par personne a déjeuner;
Heures: LUN Fermé, MAR-MER 11h30-22h, JEU-VEN 11h30-21h, SAM 17h-23h, DIM 17h-22h

LE MANGOUSTAN (RESTAURANT VIETNAMIEN)

2007-07-13T10:55:00.000-04:00

En voila un restaurant viet intéressant !
J'y suis allé fêter mon anniversaire (apparemment une spécialité de l'établissement). Je n'ai pas eu la chance d'avoir la grande célébration avec chanson et gâteau à laquelle ont eu droit 4 autres tables (il était deja trop tard pour mettre de la musique et il ne restait plus que nous au restaurant). J'ai quand meme eu une rose bien rouge en guise de consolation ;)

Passons au sérieux maintenant ! D'abord, je tiens a mentionner l'accueil tres chaleureux du propriétaire : tres dynamique, énergétique et fier. Il nous montre ses poissons, de nouvelles espèces hybridées en Malaisie... (il faut dire qu'il avait une drôle de tête ce poisson!) D'autre part, notre serveur était assez désagréable et ne comprenait pas trop ce qu'on lui disait. Il a meme presque engueulé un de mes amis pour avoir parlé anglais!

Ceci dit, on était plutôt tous satisfaits de notre repas. J'avais commande le poulet et crevette sur nouilles croustillantes et j'ai trouvé ca assez délicieux. Très bien épicé et portion généreuse. Autour de moi, j'ai entendu des éloges pour le poulet sauce arachide et le poulet au curry rouge. Aussi, le poulet à la flamme semblait particulièrement alléchant.
C'était bien clair que les ingrédients était très frais.
Coté desserts, les ananas et bananes frites étaient à la hauteur de mes attentes, mais rien d'extraordinaire.

A la fin du repas, le propriétaires nous montre la terrasse en arrière. On regrette tout de suite de ne pas avoir fait de réservation deux semaines plus tôt ! Elle est vraiment superbe....

Je recommande ce restaurant pour son ambiance particulière et pour son menu varié. En plus, c'est pas très cher.

Le Mangoustan - 5935, rue Saint-Hubert ; (514) 495-9031; 15-25$ par personnes; Apportez votre vin.

A NIGHT OF COMEDY

2007-07-12T17:15:00.000-04:00

Think the only funny things around these days are happening at the Just For Laugh festival ?
Think again.

I went to the premiere of a theater double-bill yesterday, and let me say I was impressed at the quality of those two indie plays.

The evening is split in two, starting with the inventive and often hilarious OFFICE HOURS, directed by Matt Enos (based on the Norm Foster play). It features many office tableaux, each revealing some facet of the entertainment industry, from the movie studio executive and TV newsroom producer to the horse track manager and the entertainment lawyer. The characters are weird and very well portrayed by the cast. In two hours time, we meet a gigolo studio executive, a fat jockey, a gay lawyer who finally comes out to his parents, a fame-starved movie producer, a sex-depraved psychiatrist and many more...

Each of the tableaux has its own character and feel and stands on its own comedically. However, they are all linked by tiny details that, for the most part, are really simple and effective. That being said, the scenes are also very consistent comedically and feel like they really belong together.

Hats down for the director for creating a totally appropriate atmosphere and successfully giving the play a real sense of cohesion. The actors smoothly transition from one role to the other and it's never hard to follow.
Some of the scenes are weaker than others (namely the horse track scene and the opening scene), other are simply hilarious (the last scene, the gay coming out scene, and the movie executive) .

Overall, it's really a fun ride and everyone will find something they like in it...
If you don't laugh at least 10 times in this play, there's something wrong with you !

***

After a 15 minute intermission, I was tired and not so sure I wanted to watch another play. Then NEVER SWIM ALONE hit me in the guts with its fast-paced roller-coaster feast of dialogue and situation comedy. This is simply one of the best comedies I've seen in a while with intelligent mise-en-scene, marvelous dialogues and top-notch acting. It never loses momentum (which isn't something you can say about most comedies).

On paper, this must be a rather boring read, with lots of dialogue and no plot lines whatsoever; but on stage, the words take a superb turn and you enjoy every syllable being pronounced. This is mostly due to the terrific performances of the two leads. One of them (forgot his name, so I'll call him not-matt-enos) struck me as a possible love child of Steve Carell and Christian Bale. Which is a compliment coming from me.

The director ( Anna Springate-Floch) obviously knows her stuff and is pitch-perfect in her depiction of this duel between these two men. It could be read at so many levels. I saw it both as a business life satire a la American Psycho and a depiction of friendship, inner discovery and how futile life can be. As cheesy as this sounds, this is what it felt like - and it felt great!

The play is set up as a fight in 13 rounds as the two lead actors face off verbally as each try to prove their superiority over the other. The actors often go into hilarious monologues and make the audience participate in a weird, voyeurish ways... We feel like we are the ones who should decide who wins each round.

Towards the end, when I expected it the least, the play took a dark twist, that had me feel really uncomfortable (good unconfortable - if such a thing exists). It also made me realize how powerful this play was....

One last node to conclude - I'd like to mention the cute and reserved referee, in a radiant blue bathing suit. She ties the play together and feels more like she's part of us, the audience. The Actress' performance was very well tempered and she understood how to stay clear of the spotlight (literally and metaphorically). But whenever she would step in the light, she had the cutest smile and a most eery presence (strange combination). She may just be a moderator but somehow it just seems that it was all about her....

Office Hours / Never Swim Alone - A Jubilee Theater Production - July 11-14 and 17-21 8PM - Atwater Library - tickets on admission.com

Montreal Restaurants

2007-07-12T13:16:00.000-04:00

I've been visiting a new bar every two weeks with a group of friends in order to acquaint myself not only with new places but also new friends (we each invite new people to come out with us). I bought the book Montréal Resto À Go-Go by Sarah Musgrave a while ago, and have used it as a guide for our new bars. The core members of the group have decided that we should visit a new restaurant once a month as well. I realised that it is not very often that i try a new restaurant. It's very rare that i do eat out, so when i do i tend not to want to take my chances with a new restaurant.

This new group will definitely help expand the repertoire of restaurants. Using Sarah Musgrave's book and some suggestions by friends, here are some that i have chosen so far (please comment on the one's you may have been to):

La Maison Hantée (The Haunted House), 1037 Bleury: How could you not want to eat at a dinner theatre, a haunted one at that! They have some burlesque shows going on. Eat and watch burlesque? I'll take seconds! The menu is fixed per show, but they say that if you notify them of an approaching vegetarian within 10 days they can accommodate them.

La Couscoussière d'Ali Baba, 1460 Amherst: A Tunisian restaurant that not only has tonnes of couscous, but belly dancers on the weekends and shisha. The food is apparently not that great, but again - belly dancers and shisha.

Abiata, 3435 St. Denis: I've only heard good things about Ethiopian food, and this is apparently the place to go. The food is eaten with a sort of spongy bread called injera, no utensils.

Chez Gatsé, 317 Ontario East: This was the first Tibetan restaurant in Montreal. There is a limited choice of vegetarian fare ( a couple of dishes or so), which is strange because i always though Tibetan food was largely vegetarian.

If anyone has any other suggestions... by all means, let me know. And if you'd like to join us, we're always up for meeting new people.

This post was originally published on Chronicles of the 12th Floor

THE EXPERIENCE OF A LAUGHTIME

2007-07-12T10:30:00.000-04:00

Do I even need to mention it ?
The Just for Laughs festival is back for its 25th edition, with shows around town, streets roaming with comedians and performers, a comedy film festival and more....
If only the rain would stop for a while and let us actually go out on the streets.... That's what's so great about this festival : streets.
Of course, you can catch a good show, but there's nothing like being pranked (or punk'd) randomly on the streets, or watch a street performer do his tricks and throw in a few jokes in the process.

As usual, the festival features a bunch of galas. Some of this year's hosts are no other than Howie Mendel, George Lopez, William Shatner and Arturo Brachetti. The 25th Anniversary gala promises to be big and features a bunch of TV and live personalities, including my favorite Susie Essman (most known for her hysterical housewife character on Curb your Enthusiasm).

Also on the menu is the Comedia film festival. It features some rather average american features. What I Think is most relevant in the festival is the series of shorts they present, including a best-of night hosted by Marlon Wayans (scary movie)

Some big shows are coming to town. To cite just a few :
- Russel Peters, Canada's new hit comic
- Family guy Live !!
- Gad Elmaleh, premiering his new show 6 months ahead of France.
- Kids in the Hall !! (yes, them !)

also watch out for Eddie Izzard, La Clique, Louis CK, Jimmy Carr and Billy Connelly.

PS: I shamefully stole the festival's tagline for the title of this post. But it's just too good !

Just for Laughs festival, July 8-29. More info at hahaha.com

Grazie Mille

2007-07-09T16:20:00.000-04:00

Ces derniers temps, je passe mes déjeuners dans ce petit café italien sur Fairmount (coin Clarke). Les paninis y sont délicieux, et les portions plutôt généreuses.
La sélection est alléchante : les paninis ont tous l'air frais et sont soigneusement exposés derrière un comptoir vitré. Mes préférés ? Le Meditteraneen (brie, crème méditerranéenne, dinde, emmental, pate d'olives, champignons marinés), le Toscano (viande de grison, roquette, fromage de chèvre) et le Sicilia (tomates, champignons, fromage de chèvre).
Les espressos (illy) sont aussi particulièrement réussis.

L'ambiance est plutôt neutre et réservée mais le proprio a assez de type pour donner un caractère à son café : avec ses airs de macho italiens, ils discute avec ses clients avec beaucoup d'enthousiasme et une autorité intéressante.... Ce qui m'amuse surtout, c'est qu'il ressemble à un John Travolta macho italien.

Coté prix, c'est tres raisonnable. On s'en sort rassasiés à 8-10$ (panini+boisson+cafe).

Idéal pour les déjeuners au travail.

Caffe Grazie Mille, 58, rue Fairmount (angle Clark) Ouvert tous les jours de 8 h 30 à 18 h.

Le Festival International Nuits d'Afrique est de retour

2007-07-08T11:39:00.000-04:00

Apprêtez-vous à accueillir la 21ème édition du Festival International Nuits d'Afrique à Montreal. L'événement se déroulera du 12 au 22 juillet. 20 concerts baliseront les planches du Spectrum, la Tulipe, le Kola Note et le Club Balattou. Tout comme les "free-shows" du Jazzfest, plusieurs concerts gratuits extérieurs seront tenus sur la Place Emilie Gamelin (coin de maisonneuve et berri, metro berri). Pour de plus amples informations vous pouvez visitez le site web de l'événement au: www.festivalnuitsdafrique.com .

Bon festival !!!

nad

TORTOISE...exquis

2007-07-06T17:45:00.000-04:00

Tortoise is one of those bands I grew up listening to that taught me many things about music. I had never seen them live until yesterday at the Metropolis (part of the jazzfest), and what a concert it was...
The show started with a drums/electronica duo that consisted of Kieran Hebden, the man behind the highly acclaimed electronic music-oriented solo effort Four Tet, and "jazz drummer" Steve Reid. Although I've listened to a couple of Four Tet albums and I really like Hebden's work, I found that the set performed by the duo last night was poor, uncoordinated and extremely boring. This is mainly due to the terrible drumming of Steve Reid, hence the bracketed "jazz drummer". In the first tune I noticed that Reid was completely off, and I wondered whether it was on purpose or not. But then as the set progressed, I figured that the drummer was just having his own trip in his own world. At many instances I felt a lot of confusion and uncertainty in his drumming. He was reacting too late or too early to the music played by Hebden which made the entire sound really awkward. Aside from the bad time-keeping, I found that his drumming style was also pretty boring, he kept doing the same "drum phrases" over and over again and they were off time over and over again... This really threw me off and I couldn't really enjoy Hebden's electronic sounds. I frankly hope that Hebden will reconsider performing with Reid because I feel that he would sound so much better with a REAL drummer.

Praise TORTOISE. Praise them over and over again for the WONDERFUL set they played last night. The Chicago quintet played tunes off their older albums (Millions Now Living Will Never Die, Tortoise) as well as their newer ones (Standards, It's All Around You). The tunes were very well picked and the order in which they were played made the set flow very nicely. I was impressed by the stellar musicianship of all five band members. Needless to say that everyone plays everyone else's instrument.
Oftentimes there were 2 drummers playing in the same time or 2 bassists playing in the same time which created a very interesting and unusual "soundscape". My favorite moments in the set were the double drum moments where the entire stage turned into a percussion festival with amazing Tortoise sounds in the background. Both drummers would be playing a fat beat together and then they would drift into syncopated rhythms that sounded so good together. One last note about the drumming during the show, I particularly enjoyed the drumming of John McEntire who played the drums until they reached the tune "Benway" in their set but I also really liked the drumming of John Herndon who was on vibes until this tune and switched to drums afterwards. I find that each of them had his unique style which is great for the overall band sound and I think that this shift in drum styles also opens up new territories for the rest of the band to explore. The other thing I've always loved about Tortoise is the vibes and vibe-like instruments they use on pretty much all their tunes. I feel that it makes their sound very warm/dreamy and percussive in the same time. I really like the fact that the vibes is a major instrument in the band and that it's not just used once or twice as a filling "layer" of sound.
I was also impressed by the fact that this band really has its OWN sound. It's impossible to imitate it. I believe that this is due to several factors such as the unusual instrumentation of the group but also the unique playing styles of each musician in the band. I think that "secret" behind the "Tortoise sound" lies in the unique guitar style of Jeff Parker (who was the only band member that stayed on his instrument for most of the show). I find his guitar playing one of a kind and I really love the perception he has of his instrument i.e. the way the guitar fits in the whole picture. I feel that his chord voicings and arpeggios feel so good and they sort of tie the rest of the sounds together. I also love the "sound" of his guitar , it reminded me of Scofield's sound that has a constant overdrive or crunch to it, it feels like its always a bit dirty. Hidden in the right corner in the back of the stage Jeff Parker's guitar playing provided the harmonic support for the rest of the sounds to be laid on last night.

You know that there are certain bands you respect so much more when you see them perform "live". To me, Tortoise is one of those bands.

nad

JAZZ FEST ROCKS ! - PART 2 : PATRICK WATSON

2007-07-06T14:22:00.000-04:00

This is part 2 of my Patrick Watson/Besnard Lakes concert review. Part 1 was Besnard. Now is time for me to review the Patrick Watson show.... I warn you, this is going to be a long review.

Going into that show, I had very precise expectations, most of which were based on the previous time I saw them live (with Lhasa at the SAT). I was expecting a cocky, self-absorbed and annoying frontman with fabulous tunes that basically group everything I like about music in one hell of a package. Luckily for me (and him), the first part of that sentence turned out to be wrong and the second part was vastly confirmed... Mr Watson may have an annoying laugh, he may be a little self-absorbed but ultimately he's a fun , extremely genuine guy and a true artist. He held it together like few artists can. He had a stage presence that shattered the traditional audience/performer boundaries by having very genuine (can't stress that word enough) communication with us. He really felt like one of us, just higher up on a stage, with a piano, pedals, mics, marimbas and 3 fantastic musicians. Of course, there was that instance where he actually crossed the audience/performer boundary and performed a fabulous acapella version of Man Under the Sea in the audience (more on this later)....

Now to the music.
So much to say.
The show opened up in a low key way with Close to Paradise, sang an octave below the album version, hinting that maybe he didn't have his full voice that night (which was confirmed later in the show). Soon enough, greatness arrived and peaked during his performance of Slip into your skin. What a shilling moment! At the end of the song, we were all surprised and strangely impressed by 4 lamps emerging out of the ceiling and oscillating (reminding me of Coldplay's gimmick on Fix You). Speaking of Coldplay, this show confirmed something I always thought : Patrick Watson are a clever version of Coldplay, with actual musicianship and complexity beyond the guitar reverb.
Then came one of the evening's biggest surprise : One of my favorite female performers, Lhasa, joined him on stage for a song that sent chills down everyone's spines. His high pitched vocals over her somber honey vocals were a thing of perfection.
And we though he couldn't top that. Which he did....
The show kept getting better with, among others, a surprise ending to Luscious life, extending beyond it's regular 3 minute duration, into a guest-drummers-meets-weird-sounds madness... Speaking of which, one of the guest drummers was so annoying as he tried to steal the show by throwing his drum kit around and jumping like a monkey... Get your own Metropolis Show !

And then came the encores.... starting with the amazing new song Midnight Express, definetly one of the show's highlights. It hints at what direction the next album is going : less obvious vocal melodies, and center-stage instrumentations mixed with untraditional drumming and marimbas ? Well if it sounds like this, I'm all up for it !
The highlight of the encores, Man Under the Sea, was performed acapella in the audience (with head lamps). Another surprising moment, topped only by the appearance, two minutes into the song, of the horn section on the balcony... Prior to that, the band went into a 5-minute unrehearsed bit where they were looking for their headlamps (that some P.A. forgot backstage), which prompted Besnard Lakes' frontman to come out and present "the Patrick Watson comedy hour, featuring Patrick Watson and friends".... Again, it all felt very genuine.

Later - and surprisingly enough- Sleeping beauty was featured and had this quirkiness about it that, in my opinion, topped the album version. To end it all, the dreamy Great Escape ended the show on a very high note, including a wonderful twist in the end where the song transformed into an audience-propelled disco tune ! haha

Overall, I'm thankful to have spent that time with the Patrick Watsons (hehe) yesterday and I can certainly testify that I wasn't the only one. The audience was mesmerized, for good reason.

Watch out for this guy. He could be Canada's next Alanis, or even Celine Dion ! ;)

JAZZFEST ROCKS! - PART 1 : BESNARD LAKES

2007-07-06T09:54:00.000-04:00

I went to the Besnard Lakes / Patrick Watson double bill at the jazz fest and I should say this was one of the most enjoyable concerts I've been to in Montreal.

First Off, Besnard lakes. I finally know how to pronounce their name now ! Was it "bai-nard" or "bess-nar-d" ?? Well, I lost my bet. It's indeed pronounced bess-nar-d. But should I trust the friendly jazzfest announcer ? :)
On with the show.... They played 7 of 8 songs on their current album (strangely omitting the cute Cedric's War). Not to be too kind, but all the songs sounded amazing and showcased a wide variety of talent within the band. Some instrumentations were so inspired it made me doubt my own musical abilities (which only happens in front of great artists). I found the vocals to be endearing, emotionally charged and full of interesting references from Brian Wilson to Pink Floyd, but always with a fresh twist. The lead singer's voice really touched me: it's one of those voices that appear cold on the surface but really have much going on in the backseat.

One this that came out of this show is how much the band really resembles their Montreal counterparts The Arcade Fire. First off, a friend of mine made me notice how the formula applied : tons of musicians, baroque instruments, husband and wife as leads, epic songs.... However, I was way more impressed by yesterday's cooled down, down to earth performance, than by Arcade Fire's circus freek show at the Maurice Richard Arena. The music takes its rightful place at the center-stage and we appreciate it so much more...
Being an Arcade Fire fan myself, I do have to admit that the Besnard Lakes just seemed like a more mature band (both in music and attitude) and could very well go ahead of them in my Montreal Band pantheon.

Back to the show... the highlight for me was Disaster, arguably the best song on the album and definetly the best at the show. It started out slow, and slowly built up to a mind-blowing finale that had me almost shiver. Also noteworthy was the fabulous And You lied to me, which really rocked! Overall, all other songs were ranging in the great-to-excellent category and I won't comment further to avoid boring everyone....

patrick watson review coming very shortly.... (when I find some time to pause during work hehe)

MOVIES THIS WEEK (JULY 6-13)

2007-07-06T08:54:00.000-04:00

Well this week is the 4th-of-July/Harry-potter-Anticipation week and therefore all interesting releases are halted. We are left with a bunch of blockbusters to savor with butter and coke. However, there are many alternatives to this : foremost, the fantasia festival (see previous posts) is rockin in town. Also, the Cinema du Parc is offering interesting thematic groupings (also in previous posts) and there are a couple indie releases that could satisfy some....

I will go, however, to the dark side (which I love) and recommend my favorite blockbusters for the week.

Biggest release this week is the very long-anticipated Transformers Movie. Basically, any fan of the comics, cartoons or action figures should check this out. Reviews are generally ok, and action movie fans shouldn't be disappointed. To me, it seems more aimed at teenagers, considering the film's casting and the feel of the trailer. But everyone has a child - and a teenager- in him. So don't snob this ! (I will though because I just don't care enough hehe)

Next off is License to Wed, a comedy (!) featuring Robin Williams. It's been a while since one of these came out. Mr Williams got us accustomed to his dark side these last few years but he's back with full-fledged, exaggerated comedy. The premise of this film is rather amusing : Before getting married, a couple (Mandy Morre and John Krasinki from The Office) has to pass a priest's crash course (including abstinence and proving your love in objectionable ways hehe). This seems like a fun film, a light comedy for the weekend.

First off, the fourth Die Hard is here and breaking all the rules (as action movies should). So is Sicko, creating controversy all over, and generating a lot of "do we trust michael moore?" debates....

On a more independent side, two movies are making a premiere this week. You Kill Me, which features a serial killer gone morgue-worker... Could be funny. Philip Baker hall is in it so it can't be that bad ;)
Another indie release is the French Bled Number One where an Algerian prisoner in france gets released and sent back to his country. A story about finding yourself through your roots and making the balance with modernity. Could be interesting actually.

For crazy fans like me, don't forget that Harry Potter comes out Wednesday ! (not friday). So start lining up and brace yourself for a hogwarts craziness before the book release next week.... Keep note that for crazier potter fans, the film will play premiere on tuesday evening. Check the Scotia Bank Theatre for more info (god how I hate that new name!)

All showtimes at cinemamontreal.com

FANTASIA 2007

2007-07-05T14:10:00.000-04:00

Here we go again ! Fantasia is back for another year, with more weirdness, more quirkiness and of course, more fantasy !
The festival launches today with a Japanese manga film, Tekkonkinkreet , made by none other than.... an american ! (Michael Arias). The festival goes on till July 23rd.

The festival offers an interesting documentary selection this year, under the label Documentaries from the Edge. Need I say more ?
Also featured are five film themes including tributes to Yves Montmayeur, Jean Rollin, Akio Jissoji and two thematic groupings (Hell is a city and Russian Fantastika)

I don't know much about the movies being presented, but I can guarantee you'll have a good time watching some of the shorts that are presented there.
I know I am !

I'll keep updating this posts as I go watch the films....

Fantasia Film Festival 2007 - July 5-23 ; tickets and show times here

Pier Paolo Pasolini x 4

2007-07-03T13:07:00.000-04:00

relaying info from cinema du parc

From July 6th to 12th

All films are at $7
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SALÒ, LES 120 JOURS DE SODOME
1001 NUITS
CONTES DE CANTERBURY
LE DECAMERON
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Why create a work of art when dreaming about it is so much sweeter?" -PASOLINI

Cinema du Parc presents The Trilogy of Life, a series of three films that Pier Paolo Pasolini completed before his assassination in 1975, and it remains among the most controversial of his cinematic works. With The Decameron, Canterbury Tales, and The Arabian Nights - Pasolini attempts to recapture the aura surrounding popular, predominantly oral forms of storytelling through a pro-modern vision of innocent, unalienated bodies and pleasures. We added Salo,a loose adaptation of the Marquis de Sade's The 120 Days of Sodom, Pier Paolo Pasolini's Salò is perhaps the most disturbing and disgusting film ever made. It is also one of the most important, offering a blistering critique of fascism and idealism that suggests moral redemption may be nothing but a myth.

Pier Paolo Pasolini x4 - Cinema du Parc (3575 Du parc) - 6-12 Juillet. For showtimes : cinemaduparc.com or cinemamontreal.com

JAZZ AND CINEMA !

2007-07-03T13:02:00.001-04:00

relaying the info from Cinema du parc...

From July 6th to 12th

All films are at $7
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NAKED LUNCH
MO' BETTER BLUES
A NIGHT IN HAVANA
CALLE 54
JAZZ ON A SUMMER'S DAY
SMOOTHIE
THE ILLINOIS JACQUET STORY
LAST OF THE BLUE DEVILS
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

For all jazz and cinema lovers, here’s a selection that’s tailor made for you! You’ll have the chance to see the first Spike Lee / Denzel Washington collaboration, interpreting Bleek Willams, a passionate trumpeter in Mo’Better Blues, and the moving performance by Peter Weller on Howard Shore’s music in Cronenberg’s Naked Lunch. You will also see Count Basie in Last of the Blue Devils, a documentary that brings together the great names of "The Oklahoma City Blue Devils" as well as the legendary performance of Dizzy Gillespie in A Night in Havana. In addition, our special program will feature Jazz on a Summer’s Day starring Thelonious Monk, Big Maybelle, Chuck Berry, Louis Armstrong and many others who got together at the 1958 Newport Festival, and Calle 54 which brings together the big names from Latin Jazz Latin, including Tito Puente. Also, witness the contagious passion of the veteran of jazz journalists, Maurice Cullaz nicknamed Smoothie by Louis Armstrong in the film of the same name. Finally, don’t miss the film The Illinois Jacquet Story, a documentary exploring the life and times of the popularly unknown jazz and R&B saxophone legend Illinois Jacquet. He has played with most of the greats and almost single-handedly developed a rompin'-stompin' saxophone sound which has been a feature of great R&B ever since.

Jazz & Cinema - Cinema du Parc (3575 Du parc) - 6-12 Juillet. For showtimes : cinemaduparc.com or cinemamontreal.com

Polska !

2007-07-02T19:47:00.000-04:00

I went to Stash Cafe, a Polish restaurant and I thought I would share that experience with you. It's located in the magnificent St Paul street in the old city. As the owners delicately put it they are a family restaurant with a timeless menu faithful to the secrets of the Polish kitchen. The menu is indeed very ethnic and appetizing and I can guarantee you won't recognize any familiar dishes (unless you're a polish food connoisseur, that is). Being very uninformed about local polish customs and dishes, I chose to go for the DEBUTANT menu, where they feature a hint of everything, allowing the "ignorant" to try a wide selection of dishes. My favorites were the fried potato "galette" and a Cobb/sausage/veal dish....(sorry for not remembering the actual names of the dishes)
Also noteworthy is the excellent soups and the traditional vodka they serve.

The mood of the place is really warm, with a live pianist with a repertoire that spans from radiohead to Liszt but sometimes wonders into hotel territory (which I'm not a big fan of).
The waiters are all very nice (and cute) and service was very friendly. I even got into a discussion about facebook with one of them (we're all so addicted to it that we even discuss it with waiters now).

I definetly recommend this restaurant, for anyone who's curious about foreign cuisine and fed up with traditional restaurants in the city.

Stash Café: 200, Saint-Paul Ouest ; reservations: (514) 845-6611

Jazz fest concert reviews

2007-07-02T19:26:00.000-04:00

I was fortunate enough to catch 2 full sets yesterday at the Jazz fest. Both concerts were free outdoor events.

-The first one was Felix Stüssi's quintet performing at the Scène General Motors. The band played an hour long set showcasing tunes off their most recent album "Give me Five". This quintet consists of Felix Süssi on piano, Bruno Lamarche on tenor sax, Alex Côté on alto & soprano saxes, Clinton Ryder on double bass & Isaiah Ceccarelli on drums. They offered an extremely dynamic set of tunes. In each composition there is balance between expected jazz form (swing, progressions, blues etc.) and unexpected somewhat more experimental drifts to different feelings be it rock, funk or ambient sounds. Something I really like about this quintet is that both saxes often solo together creating some sort of "sax conversation" that builds up, intensifies and explodes in beautiful colors on most of the tunes. My favorite tunes were Zoé Félicia and Seven to Twelve (i'm not sure about the second tune's name). The former is a tune written by Félix Stüssi for his daughter who was born a few days after 9/11, it therefore blends in feelings of joy and happiness with feelings of fear and terror. The saxes joint solo was very intense and so was the unconventional piano comping throughout the entire tune. The latter featured the drummer Isaiah Ceccarelli. Despite the awkward time signature of this tune, it was really grooving. The tune started with a great fat bassline in 7/4 on top of which the drummer was improvising and moved on to saxes improv. I was blown away by the experimental structure of this tune and by the versatility of the drummer that could go in and out of time while maintain a head nodding feeling. Anyway, I think i'm gonna check out their album "Give me Five" which is on sale in all cd stores in Montreal.

-The second band is the Brandi Disterheft trio from BC. The group consists of Brandi Disterheft on Double bass, Chris Gale on tenor sax and Sly Juhas on drums. This modern jazz trio gave a fresh and energetic set last night consisting mostly of tunes free of rigid form where painful sax lines were laid on extremely dynamic basslines and versatile drum beats. Once again, I witnessed a band where the traditional jazz form was challenged which gave rise to a lot of space for improvisation both for the sax and the rhythm section. I particularly like Brandi's style of playing. Many of her basslines are based on one-note pedals that are sustained for a little while which gives a lot of harmonic freedom for the sax player to explore. This style of bass playing reminds me a bit of Dave Holland which is one of my favorite bassists of all time. Brandi also succeeded in making her compositions extremely dynamic just by altering her way of playing the bass in those tunes (from walking bass to pedals to rhythmic grooves). The drummer was extremely responsive to the changes in the basslines which made this trio's rythm section extremely tight.

Both those concerts were free outdoors events. If you like young modern jazz, keep an eye on the Club Jazz TD Canada Trust stage (parc Hydro-quebec)this is where the Brandi Disterheft trio was performing and that's where most young international talents will be performing throughout the festival.

Enjoy !!

nad

Movies this week (June 30- July 6) (updated)

2007-07-01T12:54:00.000-04:00

Well, this week is certainly one to watch in movies. Two big productions worth checking out and a great foreign gem.

Starting off with Michael Moore's new film, Sicko. that takes a hit at the health system in the states. It is said to be controversial, not particularly democrat (as his previous movies where) and extremely funny. Seems to me like a typical Moore Movie and I'm in !

Also out is the new Pixar effort, Ratatouille. Featuring a talking mouse that gives cooking instructions to a french rookie chef, can anything really go wrong ? Plus, pixar hasn't released a bad movie EVER ! which is enough for me to check this one out. Just saw the movie and all I can say is that Pixar managed once again to top themselves and deliver a movie that is so visually stunning and whose story is so compelling that we wonder why we still watch live action films....

Lastly, on a more indie note, La Raison du plus faible, a Belgian film is out at the Ex-centris and is definetly worth checking out. I saw the film recently and I found it extremely realistic and well paced. The characters are so interesting and layered that you don't get bored for a second in the film. The tension builds naturally and leads to a very grandiose conclusion....

Other films out : Live free or Die Hard (aka die hard 4), Evening (star-studded indie drama), eagle vs. Shark, L'homme de Cuivre, Nitro (Quebec made action film)

All showtimes at cinemamontreal.com

JAZZFEST!!!

2007-06-29T15:01:00.000-04:00

The luscious summer days are here.... & so is the 28th edition of the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal !!!
We are lucky as montrealers to host one of the biggest jazz festivals in the world. Starting on the 28th of June, the downtown Place des Arts area celebrates world music (not only jazz) for 11 consecutive days. A few years ago, the jazzfest started hosting more and more diversified music shows and other performances to suit all tastes. This year's edition is no exception to this trend. This makes the jazzfest a perfect event to chill out after work, bath in huge crowds of people, and enjoy summertime even if you don't particularily like jazz music.
That being said, there are a few shows (indoor & outdoor) that I would strongly recommend for this weekend (stay posted for next week's shows):

-Fri 29th: +Erik Truffaz quartet (10pm spectrum) -- this band is a fusion of ambiant jazz with electronica, Erik Truffaz's acclaimed electronic trumpet style is known to be very trippy :)
+Pawa up first (FREE 10pm scene bell) -- local experimental hip hop band... I'm not a fan of hip hop & I still love the sound of this band, its groovy and goes way beyond radio hip hop.

-Sat 30th: +Joshua Redman trio (6pm theatre maisonneuve) -- one of today's hottest tenor saxophonists will take you on a journey back to african drum beats, a jazz style similar to Sonny Rollins back in the 50's... not to miss...
+Roy Haynes quartet (10pm spectrum) -- Legendary jazz drummer in an unconventional quartet

-Sun 1st: +Felix Stussi & Give me five (FREE 6pm scene general motors) -- New quintet starring local pianist Stussi. Again another blend of genres that is worth checking out
+Jarrett, Peacock, DeJohnette (8pm Wilfrid-Pelletier) -- If you can afford it you should see this !! 3 pillars of modern jazz. I shall say no more...

-Mon 2nd: +Mike Stern/Bona/Roy Hargrove (7:30pm theatre Jean-Duceppe) -- Watch out for this is gonna be a GROOVY show !
+Soulive (FREE 9pm & 11pm general motors) -- Really cool US jazz funk band... & it's free ! :)

That's all for now,
Enjoy the festival !

nad

JAZZ IT UP !

2007-06-29T10:12:00.000-04:00

The Jazz fest is back for another exciting year.
I will leave it up to the Jazz collablogator to cover the individual events. On my side, I'd like to mention that you absolutely have to go hang out on the Place des Arts surroundings at some point this week-end. you don't need to like Jazz (I don't particularly) but the mood is so great there.... Just walk around, have a hot dog or even better, a good refreshing ice cream.... Just look around at all the people, all smiling... :) You can even listen to some music if you please, it won't kill you!

The Jazz festival runs June 28-July 8th. All info on this website

REEL JOURNALISM

2007-06-28T12:54:00.001-04:00

I know this isn't particularly Montreal related, but it says something very important about north american journalism. I think it's a nice statement, no matter what her intentions ar (fame, get noticed etc...). I truly applaud what she did.

LA PERFECTION SUR FAIRMOUNT (updated)

2007-06-27T09:31:00.001-04:00

26 juin 2007 - Cette vague de chaleur à Montréal est de plus en plus violente. Une seule solution : des bonnes glaces bien fraiches et dégoulinantes....

Evidemment il y a le Bilboquet et Meu Meu pour les extases garanties. Mais je veux plutôt vous parler d'une de mes récentes découvertes dans le monde fabuleux de la glace ! :)

Il s'agit d'un tout petit "atelier" de glace, du nom de Plus que Parfait, situé sur Fairmount au coin de Saint Urbain. Le choix des saveurs est très varié, allant de délicieux sorbets à des crèmes alléchantes. Perso, j'ai gouté à la glace au chocolat noir (exquise) et celle au tiramisu, étonnamment rafraichissante . J'ajoute que les cones sont délicieux !

Le "menu" est très varié et éclectique. On y trouve, bien évidemment, des glaces en tout genre, mais aussi des milkshakes, yaourt et un thé glacé aux cubes de glaces que je recommande particulièrement.

Attention, en ces temps de chaleur, ca fond vite !

update (28 juin) : j'ai du y retourner aujourd'hui: Je pensais à cette glace au tiramisu toute la journée. J'en ai repris une! C'est vraiment divin....

Plus Que Parfait ; 60 Fairmount W.; 514-779-7220

MY MOVIE PICKS THIS WEEK (UPDATED)

2007-06-22T13:44:00.000-04:00

This week is another interesting movie week. A lot of documentaries, some horror and a blockbuster comedy are on the menu.

First off, you should all check out a documentary called MANUFACTURING DISSENT. It's a doc about Michael Moore, documented by two Canadians that start off with a blatant admiration for the guy and end up shedding some light on his unorthodox methods. I saw the film and It's sometimes very deranging : isn't the whole point of documentary film making to tell the truth ? Is it acceptable to bend it to make a point ? I'm personally not sure about the answer, but it's definetly an interesting question to ask. Saw the film. It's interesting but it did'nt succeed to make me doubt Moore's methods. I personally believe that a little deceit and manipulation is needed to shake people up. So I say : Go Michael ! That being said, this documentary is very well paced and extremely interesting.

Also out this week end is A MIGHTY HEART, just fresh out of the Cannes Festival and features Angelina Jolie (in what the press are calling her best role yet) as the wife of a journalist who disappears in Pakistan (based on a very interesting true story). Just saw the film, it's a very good depiction of those events and it was shot in a very respectful, non-exaggerated, non-cheesy fashion. Performances feel reel and are gut-wrenching. I loved this film !

Other releases :
1408 (horror), Evan Almighty (comedy), Zidane (documentary, apparently very good one), Gracie (sports dramatic comedy) and Trois rois (music doc)

For showtimes, check cinemamontreal.com

WUNDER-FULL

2007-06-19T14:15:00.000-04:00

J'étais au Wunder Bar de l'hôtel W hier soir, et jetais vraiment impressionné par l'ambiance et le design. C'est vraiment un des plus beaux bars que j'aie vu à Montréal. Les serveuses sont élégantes, la clientèle variée en age - mais pas en classe (plutôt hommes d'affaires et jeunes touristes aisés). Les drinks sont plutôt bons et la musique est top.

Le highlight est, sans hésitation, le bar. On dirait un géant glaçon sur lequel est gravé une sorte de feuillage... C'est vraiment réussi! Autre réussite, le plafond et les murs sont des miroirs et permettent d'espionner un peu la clientèle et de se lancer dans des délires arrosés en observant sa propre réflection sur le plafond ;)

Wunder, W Hotel, 901 VICTORIA SQUARE - (514) 395-3100

LUCCA

2007-06-19T10:02:00.001-04:00

I went to this Italian restaurant in Little Italy yesterday, called Restaurant Lucca, or should I say Ristorante?
The food was beyond delicious, and I'm not one to usually enjoy Italian restaurants.
Lucca specializes in the ‘cucina rustica’ of Italy’s rich culinary heritage and traditions, and offers a wide range of fine gourmet dishes.
Start with a tasteful seafood entree, or the delicious salad.
For the main dish, I would recommend the risotto, which is probably the best I had in Montreal. Also, the veil chop seemed to please everyone around me, all of which were conoisseurs...

The setting is really good, with an open street view, right in the center of Little Italy's Dante Street.

It's a little pricey, so expect a 40-60$ meal (including wine).

Ristorante Lucca, 12 Dante St; Mon-Fri 12-3:30pm; Mon-Sat 6-10:30pm; REservations recommended 514-278-6502

E=MC2 Dance-a-Thon

2007-06-18T14:10:00.000-04:00

If you're not in the mood to party for Saint-Jean, there is another reason to party. The weekend of the 23rd and 24rd of June will be the third annual E=MC2 dance-a-thon. The proceeds for the event go to the Jour de la Terre organisation as well as other NGOs that are participating. You can support a participant by going here, or just simply dance with them.

The event co-organised with Piknic électronik, is 5$ before 3pm, and 7$ afterwards.

MOVIES THIS WEEK (JUNE 15-22)

2007-06-15T16:10:00.001-04:00

My film recommendations for this week are :

ELECTION 2 - For anyone who caught the first part, this promises to be even better, with more action and more complexity. We'll see...

RED ROAD - A very special thriller about video surveillance. This film is the first part of a trilogy planned by none other than the three Dogme95 apostles Lone Sherfig, Anders Jensen and Lars Von Trier. Each of the three films MUST have the same characters, same actors and be directed by three beginner filmmakers...

JINDABYNE : Based on the same short story that inspired Altman's Shortcuts, this film promises to be interesting, morally heavy and unexpected. With performances by Laura Linney and Gabriel Byrne and a direction by Ray Lawrence, can it really go bad ? I don't think so.

Other releases this week :

- FANTASTIC 4 : RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER

- DAY WATCH

- ENSEMBLE C'EST TOUT

- NANCY DREW

for showtimes check cinemamontreal.com

EUREKA!

2007-06-15T16:02:00.000-04:00

A message from the Eureka Festival :

Come on down to the Quays of the Old Port of Montreal on June 15, 16 and 17 for some sun-filled science fun. The free event will feature over fifty original and unusual activities designed and put on by science enthusiasts. From demonstrations to workshops, challenges, Shows, theatre, meetings, storytelling and tours of science and technology venues. The Eureka! Festival is an invitation to make discoveries, experiment, share experiences and reflect on the issues and technological challenges facing the human race

So give your brain some exercise on June 15, 16 and 17. Come down by yourself or with family or friends to the Quays of the Old Port, and dive into the fascinating world of science, technology and innovation, Montreal-style!

Festival Eureka. June 15, 16 and 17 2007. Quais du Vieux-Port. web

MEET THE COLLABLOGATORS

2007-06-15T13:24:00.000-04:00

Hey guys

So for now these people are writing in this blog.

NADIM - MUSIC (JAZZ)

DARA - MUSEUMS AND ART EXHIBITS

JONATHAN - ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

PHIL - MOVIES AND MUSIC

DEREK - MUSIC

keep in mind that we, as collablogators, are not restricted to our category... Everyone posts everywhere, but has an area of "expertise"....

More collablogators are always needed, so write to us.

BLITZ BLITZ BLITZ

2007-06-13T13:22:00.000-04:00

The Time Has Come!!! The 2880 Film Blitz is back for its fifth year and we are looking for 12 enthusiastic volunteers to help out during this fundraising event, which will take place June 15 - 17th 2007, at La Tulipe in Montreal. This event will bring together over 100 members of the independent film community as 12 teams of filmmakers compete against time to write, shoot and edit a short film over a 48 hour weekend (2880 minutes). All films will be screened June 17, 2007 during the Event Screening party in front of a large audience of 500+ people and a panel of industry judges. If you are looking to be involved within the independent bilingual film community, and build contact networks this is your opportunity!!

Webiste : www.2880.ca ; For more info contact Andrea at andrea.feder@gmail.com.

Picnic!

2007-06-13T12:05:00.001-04:00

Je relaye cette information venant du blog VU D'ICI.
******************************************************************

On se la coule douce pour cette édition Creacamp d'été.

Au menu :

BYOB : Bring your own blanket! pour vous assoir, cela créera une superbe mosaique au sol!
picnic : apportez qqchose à boire, et à grignoter pour le picnic
échange de livres : apportez 1 ou 2 livres qui vous ont inspiré, et qu'il vous fera plaisir d'échanger
blahblah : Si nous sommes plus de 20, de petits groupes seront formés pour discuter. Si nous sommes moins de 20, nous discuterons tous ensembles!
marché : bijoux, vêtements, livres - apportez vos créations pour les faires voires!
collages 6x6 : si vous désirez participer, préparez une enveloppe contenant quelques papiers colorés, une citation écrite qui vous représente, ainsi que votre nom écrit. Cette enveloppe pourra être échangée, et le matériel servira à créer un collage de 6" par 6" (voir projet 6x6 sur flickr).

BANG BANG

2007-06-12T12:42:00.000-04:00

Alors, voila mon premier post en français.
Je profite de l'occasion pour recommander une emission télé que j'ai vue pour la première fois cette semaine et que j'ai trouvé assez réussie et originale. L'émission en question s'appelle LES FRANCS TIREURS et porte bien son nom. Les deux journalistes a la tête de l'émission sont francs et ils tirent.

Description officielle : Deux journalistes qui raffolent de la controverse; un esprit critique vitrioleur; un refus de l'unanimisme et de la langue de bois; tels sont les ingrédients à la base du coquetel détonant que propose chaque semaine Les francs-tireurs.
Le tandem Patrick Lagacé et Richard Martineau fait plus que jamais voler en éclats les idées reçues. Ils traitent de grands dossiers qui leur permettent d'aborder les questions de l'heure de façon plus approfondie — mais toujours à contre-courant de la pensée collective. Et ils n’hésitent pas à provoquer l’événement lorsque la situation le permet…
Des entrevues fortes, des reportages corrosifs sur des phénomènes sociaux et culturels frappants ou insolites et des points de vue provocants sont au menu des Francs-tireurs.

Les Francs Tireurs, Tele Quebec les mercredis a 20h, Rediffusions : Jeudi 14 h et lundi vers 23 h 30; site officiel

My Movie Picks this week (June 8-14)

2007-06-11T11:24:00.000-04:00

Yeah, it's monday. week end's over
Yeah it's hot outside.
but maybe you'd like to go watch movies this week....
So here are my recommendations :

- Ocean's 13, if you like movies that don't take themselves seriously but are made by master filmmakers with a cast from the deepest mountains of cool. (scotia bank theatre, previously called paramount)
- Election, if you like mob stories and asian flicks. Very interesting movie with a sequel out this friday. (cinema du parc)
- Vitus, if you like heartwarming drama with a hint of fantasy. if you like classical music. and if you like Bruno Ganz (Hitler in Downfall)
- Knocked up, if you like "stupid" comedies that actually aren't stupid and have a heart (rf: 40-year old virgin)
- Black Gold. Very interesting documentary about coffee consumption, showing only for one evening (thursday) at cinema du parc

check c inemamontreal.com for showtimes

Grand Prix

2007-06-08T16:03:00.000-04:00

The Grand Prix is back!
Be sure to visit downtown Montreal this week end, from Crescent to St Laurent, up to Mont Royal Street, where people will be celebrating the event on the streets. The city is basically turned into a huge grand prix convention and you don't have to be interested to enjoy it.
Contests, games, cars, food, sun, and people people people....

Shine On...

2007-06-08T01:05:00.000-04:00

I just got back from Roger Waters’ concert. Bringing the Dark Side of the Moon Tour for the second time in Montreal, 64 year old Waters made yet again an incredibly beautiful and powerful performance.

The first set was a great mix of Pink Floyd and Roger Water songs. An incredible momentum was reached with Perfect Sense as an overwhelmed crowd cheered out at the top of their lungs. Another notable song in this first set was Wish you Were Here; watching such a huge crowd singing along was almost like looking into a starlit sky. Dark Side of The Moon went really fast but was still able to suck the audience in a very powerful psychedelic trip. The second set ended in a monstrous standing ovation and was followed by an even more powerful Encore set.

Another amazing experience in Montreal. If you like Progressive Rock, try catching the North American Tour! If you don’t, go see it anyway. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

Set List

FIRST HALF: In The Flesh, Mother, Set the Controls for the Heart Of The Sun, Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Have A Cigar, Wish You Were Here, Southampton Dock, The Fletcher Memorial Home, Perfect Sense parts 1 and 2, Leaving Beirut, Sheep.

SECOND HALF: Dark Side of the Moon.

ENCORE: The Happiest Days of Our Lives, Another Brick in the Wall (Pt 2), Vera, Bring the Boys back Home, Comfortably Numb

Nuit Blanche sur Tableau Noir 2007

2007-06-08T00:11:00.000-04:00

Nuit Blanche sur Tableau Noir is one of the numerous beautiful montreal summer events/festivals. Starting 10pm tonight, 46 artists and comic book authors will be using Mont-Royal street's asphalt concrete as canvases (there are large white rectangles painted on the middle of the street, each one is used by a team). The theme for their overnight works is "Pas de colporteur ! ". Each story/painting will start with a finger on a door buzzer, a door that opens and then, anything can happen... This event will end on the 10th.
Follow this link for more details: http://www.tableaunoir.com

Aside from the paintings, the Mont-Royal avenue (between St-Hubert & De Lorimier) is completely pedestrian-ized for 3 days :), boutiques are selling their stuff on the streets, cafés have tables outside, premiere moisson is BBQing!, there's live music here and there... it's just a great occasion to walk around the charming avenue !!!

Election time

2007-06-07T23:40:00.000-04:00

Just saw the Chinese Movie Election at Cinema du Parc.
It's a very interesting take on mafia movies, taken to the no-guns-no clichés-in-honk-kong-with-crazy-nicknames-meet- complex-old-fashionned-relationships extremes.
The movie is hard to get into at first, but somehow it sucks you in like a magnet and never lets go. Speaking of never letting go, part II of the film is out in two weeks. This gives you enough time to go watch part I and hold your breath for a few days for a promising second chapter.

If you liked the godfather, go see this ! If you didn't, give it a shot (and go watch the godfather after that, coz you should)....

Election. A film by Jhonnie Ro. Playing at cinema du parc for one more week. Part II (triad) is out on June 15th. Showtimes

Fringe Fringe Fringe

2007-06-07T15:28:00.000-04:00

So it's that time of the year... the fringe festival is here!
wonderful events await us....
emotion, madness, mayhem...

ok, i'll stop the cheesy over-exagerated intro and go right into it. This year, the fringe festival seems even bigger than before, with even more art genres joining in. In case you don't know what it's all about, the fringe fest is basically 11 days of free expression through the arts (theatre, arts and crafts, acrobatics etc...) all happening around town in around 10 venues.
Fringe Festival - official website

En passant, I can recommend a play called UNDER MILK WOOD directed by Colin Lalonde , featured in the festival !
Under Milk Wood is the wacky story of the many characters of a small Welsh fishing village. The directing is inspired, the actors are great. It's really a fun experience and I garantee you wil laugh laugh laugh.... a real hit !

Under Milk Wood- June 8 - 17th at "The Gordie Space" 4001 Berri Tickets are 10$, 514849-FEST or at the festival's website

Walt Disney Exhibition

2007-06-06T23:24:00.000-04:00

Once upon a time, Walt Disney came to Montreal’s Museum of Fine Arts. Being an unconditional fan of fairytales, I was excited like a kid to visit what promised to be a very magical and feeric world.

Starting with Walt Disney’s first creation of the Mickey Mouse character, the exhibition is divided in sections ranging from literary and film sources, set design, and themes and characters from most of the animated feature films. The exhibition was also organized in such a way that the visitor is able to establish a parallel between the work of the Walt Disney studio and the works of Western art that inspired them.

Every room had its share of magic and fantasy. As we walked through the exhibition, we relived every fairy tale and with every step we took, we relived a bit of our childhood. The most incredible display must have been the last room dedicated to the collaboration of Salvador Dali with Walt Disney that resulted in the production of a short animated film called Destino. Beautiful, overwhelming and exhilarating.

All in all, it was an incredible experience. The type of experience that leaves you with sparkles in your eyes and reminds you that the kid in us is still alive.

Catch the exhibition at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts until June 24, 2007

Montag

2007-06-06T14:57:00.001-04:00

Well I guess this will be the first post.
I felt like writing about a show I saw last week at the Main Hall.
It was a show by Montag (aka. Antoine Bedard). His music can best be described as a soft electronic sound with a hint of circus freekiness and poetry. Think Sufjan Stevens goes electronic and solo.
I found it mostly exciting, eventhough I wasn't a big fan of some of the slower pieces.

His new album, Going Places, is - beware the upcoming cheesy comment- definetly going places... He has amazing guest stars on the LP, including Stars' Amy Millan. I love the mood on the album, it swings, goes here and there but somehow always stays consistant. Sometimes it's even funny (listen carefully to some of the lyrics, like on Hi5 to the DJ).
Recommended tracks : Best Boy Electric, Going Places, Safe in sound

Catch him in Montreal again on June 16th at Parc des Ameriques (Part of the Fringe Festival)

official site

Collaborators Needed ! (FR and ENG)

2007-06-06T10:13:00.000-04:00

Hello !
I noticed there aren't that many blogs about the Montreal cultural scene... which is totally ridiculously gigantically shamefully unacceptable ;)
so I propose we change things!

I'm starting this Blog to cover what happens in town, on all fronts.

But I can't do it alone----------
I'm looking for freelance volunteer collaborators to cover the Montreal scene including (but not limited to) music, film, art shows, events, festivals, restaurants concerts, politics or anything remotely related to this great city !
and remember, this is montreal so ENGLISH AND FRENCH ARE OK.

This blog is ultimatly about Montreal, from Montreal. Therefore the only restriction is that collaborators have to be from Montreal or live in Montreal.

--> if you're interested in collaborating, send me an email with some info about you and maybe a little blurb saying why and how you want to contribute.

Together, we can make this happen !

Any feedback or suggestions are welcome.