The Concordian Vol. 31 Issue 20

theconcordian Volume 31 Issue 20

Independent student newspaper at Concordia University. Since 1983.

February 4, 2014

From packaged to produce Concordia Transitions seeks to educate students on campus food possibilities Photo by Keith Race

In this issue // life arts

music

sports

opinions

NDG gets spicy p. 5

Talking with Mik Brown p. 10

Men’s hockey still struggling p.12

Dear Mr. Bieber p. 15

Short film on horror within p. 9

We tell your stories. Follow us on Twitter: @TheConcordian

theconcordian.com

news //

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Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Write to the editor: news@theconcordian.com

CITY Sloane Montgomery Co-news editor

>> Stabbing at Lionel-Groulx metro

At approximately 4:40 p.m. on Feb. 2 a man was stabbed in front of LionelGroulx metro station, which led to the closing of the metro station for the rest of the afternoon. The Montreal Gazette reported that the victim originally was going to continue on the metro as planned until he realized the severity of his wound at which point the man approached police officers and then fainted. After being rushed to the hospital the man is now said to be in stable condition. The STM scheduled mobilized buses to provide temporary shuttle service from its closed station until regular service resumed on both the green and orange lines from Lionel-Groulx at 9 p.m.

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Fire in Rosemont A horrific fire blazed through a duplex at approximately 9 a.m. on Feb. 3 in the Rosemont-Petite Patrie district of Montreal. Global News reported that the fire’s cause is still under investigation but that the extensive blaze on 5th Avenue and Holt Street required 32 fire trucks with a total of 80 firefighters in order for it to be extinguished. All eight residents were safely evacuated from their homes with no injuries and officials informed Global News that residents would be staying with family members. The price of damages on the building is currently estimated to be over $300,000.

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Bixi service stuck in the wrong lane According to an announcement from CBC News, two weeks ago Montreal’s Bixi bike service filed for bankruptcy protection. Following this decision on Feb. 3, acting head CEO, Michel Philibert was laid off. The former head of the service was let go due to the recent financial performance of the bike service. In early January, the private company that operates Bixi, Société de vélos en libre-service (SVLS) filed for bankruptcy after accumulating $50 million of debt. According to Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre, the city will be taking over control of the company’s assets, until the issues are resolved.

Campus // news

Concordia Transtions talks sustainability Shedding light on Concordia’s food possibilities Sloane Montgomery Co-news editor

On Feb. 8 from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. a series of speakers and discussion panels will be held on the 7th floor of the Hall building to provide students with information on ways they can help transition Concordia’s food system to be more affordable and sustainable.

A central focus of Concordia Transitions is to help students grasp the idea of having a food system that literally goes “from farm to plate.”

To further explain this concept a representative from Action Communiterre, the local urban-farm network in NDG will be there to provide students with a tangible understanding of the development of urban farms for institutional food-systems.

A $5 donation is requested upon arrival and will provide students with local, healthy food.

The event will kick off at 8 AM with a breakfast. All the food offered at the event throughout the day will be vegetarian with both vegan and gluten free options. Ben Prunty, VP sustainability of the CSU, explains the food options that are to be offered are based on accessibility, aiming to feed as many hungry students as possible.

Curtis Stone, a Canadian urban farmer who is also the president and founder of Green City Acres, a suc-

cessful backyard-farming model in British Columbia, will be speaking to students about strategies that helped him eliminate start-up costs.

Concordia’s former principal of the School of Community and Public Affairs and recent winner of the Prix du Quebec for her decades of work in the social economy, Marguerite Mendell will share her social economical expert opinion on sustainable food systems.

Ben Flanner; head farmer, CEO and co-founder of Brooklyn Grange Rooftop Farms based in New York City, will also be present to speak to students. Flanner’s organization pioneered an urban farm operation producing vegetables, herbs and honey on green rooftops in Brooklyn.

Widely recognized for transforming rooftop agriculture, The Brooklyn Grange received the Green Business Award in 2010, the Green Roofs for Healthy Cities Award of Excellence in 2011, and Queens Community Business Award in 2012. Flanner will be speaking on both the challenges and rewards of creating a small farm and the importance of developing local food systems.

The Concordia Transitions event has been supported and put together by many different student organizations and is still accepting any and all student volunteers to donate their time and help spread the word of tangible ways to change Concordia’s food system.

“Five out of the six main organizers are from the Community Food Coalition (CFC), teaming up with the Sustainability Action Fund (SAF) for sustainable realization and the Greenhouse for inspiration. But not only them, we have had help and

support from ASFA, FASA, GUSS, UPA, SCPA, LICSA, LAS and CUPA. This kind of continued positive response from student organizations really speaks volumes to the desire for a sustainable food-system,” said Prunty.

The CFC will be hosting a student panel at the event to discuss and provide further information on their aspirations and plans for ways students can move forward on transitioning their food-system.

“Information on its own isn’t enough for sustainable change to take place, we really need to emphasize the importance of what we’re

calling hyper-local action. At Concordia students are really empowered to step up and help make the changes they want to see become a reality. The sky is the limit, students have the resources, they just need to be mobilized towards a common goal – and healthy, affordable, and sustainable food is something that I think everyone can agree with,”said Prunty.

For more information students can stop by Concordia Transition’s desk in the mezzanine of the Hall building every Wednesday or Thursday and can check out their Facebook event page.

Photo by Keith Race

Speaker series // news

Concordia University thinks out loud Topics from campus community showcased in second annual speaker series Tim Weynerowski Co-news editor

This spring, Concordia University is presenting it’s second annual speaker series, entitled “Thinking Out Loud.”

Four conversations will be held on campus that will feature a public figure and a researcher discussing “what it means to create.”

The first conversation is being held between Charles Acland and Terry O’Reilly on March 6. Acland is the Concordia University research chair in communication studies and O’Reilly is a host on CBC Radio One. The discourse will be focused on the subject of discussing media clutter.

Each conversation will be medi-

ated by a representative of The Globe and Mail and, in this case, the moderator will be Ryan McDonald.

The following three discussions, each held several days apart, are titled “On the Academics of Circus,” “On the Writing of Inspiration,” and “On the Music of Creativity.”

Taking place March 12, “On the Academics of Circus” will feature Concordia researcher and playwright, Louis Patrick Leroux and former director of creation for Montreal’s Cirque du Soleil, Lyn Heward. The subject of their discussion will be the question of how to both study and research art “without losing sight of the initial artistic impulse.”

Josip Novakovich, a professor in the creative writing department and finalist for the Man Booker Interna-

tional Prize 2013, will discuss where inspiration comes from and the difference between memoirs and novels with Booker Prize winner, Peter Carey on March 20.

To conclude the series, on March 25, music aficionados will be treated to a discussion on how we can “compose beautiful and inspirational music that will improve lives,” with Jian Ghomeshi and Sandeep Bhagwati.

According to Sami Antaki, executive director for Concordia’s communication services, the series began around four years ago when members of the community convened to talk about issues, such as infrastructure support, infrastructure renewal, and at-home education versus sending children to school.

“We take the conversations and

podcast them,” explained Antaki.

“By the third year, we had something interesting, the conversations that were coming out were fascinating. We approached The Globe and Mail, to see if we could make this a national conversation series, as public across the country as possible, and they agreed.”

“Anywhere else, tickets for these speakers might cost $60, but we are offering them for free.”

All conversations will take place in Oscar Peterson Concert Hall on the Loyola Campus except for “Strategies for Media Clutter,” which will take place at the D.B. Clarke Theatre on the Sir George Williams Campus.

To register visit www.concordia.ca/news/publications-reports/ conversation-series.html

Tuesday, february 4, 2014

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Event // news

Students head to a Model UN competition Queen’s University hosts Concordia for first time

NATION Milos Kovacevic Assistant news editor

>> Ontario raises minimum wage

Evan Scammell Contributor

T

he Concordia University Political Science Student Association’s (PSSA) Model United Nations team is off to participate in the annual Queen’s University Model UN (QMUN) competition on Feb. 6.

The team was organized exclusively by the PSSA, which is a separate entity from Concordia’s Model United Nations team (CONMUN).

According to Jawoon Kim, a member of the PSSA and team organizer for this year’s event, this is the first time Concordia has participated at QMUN. QMUN is a simulated United Nation’s conference, providing a forum for students to discuss and debate contemporary world issues. Students will be able to distinguish themselves by acting as delegates for different states.

In preparation for the competition, delegates from both Con-

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cordia and Queen’s University were able to request three states in order of preference, which were then sent to the QMUN organizers, who will make the final decision regarding which delegate will be assigned which state.

For the competition, each delegate must represent their assigned state and debate different topics.

Which topic they will debate depends on which committee they are assigned to.

At the competition, delegates will have the opportunity to participate in several different committees such as the African Union, the Arab League, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the

Historical Security Council, the Security Council, the United Nations Centre for Science and Technology for Development (UNCSTD), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the World Health Organization.

Topics being discussed in these committees range from food security to renewable energy sources for the future.

At this year’s event, there will be four guest speakers in attendance: John McNee, a former ambassador and official representative of Canada to the United Nations; Dienne Hardianti Moehario, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Republic of

Indonesia; Hugh Segal, the senator for Kingston-Frontenac-Leeds; and Guillermo E. Rishchynski, Canada’s ambassador, and official representative of Canada to the United Nations.

A number of different awards will be presented to the delegates competing, such as best delegate, best policy paper (a paper written before the competition), and best dressed man and woman. There will also be one honourable mention.

This is the 29th QMUN competition to take place at Queen’s University.

The competition will begin on Feb. 6 and end on Feb. 9.

The Concordian is hiring!

All positions are open for the 2014-2015 academic year Editors at The Concordian are responsible for pitching stories on a weekly basis that are relevant and interesting to Concordia students and editing story submissions according to section criteria and Canadian Press Style standards. In addition, editors are asked to assist writers in producing their best work, encourage writers to pitch story ideas, as well as participate in weekly story and production meetings.

NEWS EDITOR The News section covers news that is important to Concordia students. This includes but is not limited to: Concordia events, politics, student activities, and local or national news that is relevant to Concordia students.

The province of Ontario agreed this week to change wage legislation by raising the minimum wage by 75 cents to $11 an hour, effective as of June 1, 2014, according to Global News. The move drew approval but also criticism both from those who said the increase wasn’t large enough — one coalition wished for it to be raised to $14 an hour — and those saying the increase would lead to fewer job prospects and hours.

>> Canadian spy agencies in hot water

According to Postmedia News, Canada’s Security Intelligence Service and Communications Security Establishment Canada which are tasked with defending Canadian security both in and out of cyberspace, are set to be grilled before a Senate defence committee over allegations that they willfully tracked and spied on Canadians using free Wi-Fi networks found in major Canadian airports. Although this is a Canadian matter, these findings came directly from the ongoing fallout stemming from the whistleblowing documents released by Edward Snowden.

>> Investigation into Rob Ford still “active”

MUSIC EDITOR The Music section is responsible for covering artists and bands that are of interest to Concordia students.

As reported in The Globe and Mail, Detective Sergeant Gary Giroux told CP24, a Toronto news channel, that the investigation into Ford and Alessandro Lisi, an alleged drug dealer, is still ongoing. Det. Sgt. Giroux said that interviews are being conducted and the investigation has been moving forward. The mayor, however, refuses to speak to investigators.Dennis Morris, Ford’s lawyer, has stated that there is no reason for Ford to speak to investigators. Ford hasn’t been charged with an offence and Morris claims that the police are simply looking for evidence to use against the mayor.

SPORTS EDITOR The Sports section covers all sports events at Concordia.

>> Lev Tahor Lose

LIFE EDITOR The Life section contains stories designated as “features.” Topics in the Life section include but are not limited to: personal narratives, health, fitness, beauty, fashion, extracurricular activities, trends and relationships.

ARTS EDITOR The Arts section covers all events and topics that fall into the ‘art’ category, such as visual art, theatre, improv, dance, literature and film.

OPINIONS EDITOR The Opinions section allows student writers the opportunity to provide a compelling and thought-provoking arguments on topics of interest.

Submit your cover letter, CV and three samples of your work to applications@theconcordian.com no later than March 1. *To apply you must be a registered student for 2014-2015.

Their Children

According to the CBC, an Ontario judge has upheld the ruling ordering that the 13 children from the ultra-Orthodox Jewish group, Lev Tahor, be surrendered to the proper authorities in Quebec. Social workers in Quebec were concerned that the children were allegedly uneducated, and drugged in order to control their behaviour.

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2014

life

theconcordian

Write to the editor: life@theconcordian.com Lifestyle // Life

Got to pee? Use a Shewee A pocket-sized plastic funnel allows women to urinate standing up Christina Rowan Copy editor

Ladies, the latest and greatest feminine product to grace this wonderful planet has slowly but surely made its way to North America.

Behold, the Shewee: a portable, ergonomically-designed, plastic funnel device that allows women to urinate standing up.

Gone are the days when women despise men for being able to go with ease, even in the most undesirable situation. With the Shewee, women too can pee standing up, anywhere they please.

Shewee makes going on the go easy for gals

With the Shewee, women no longer have to worry about bathrooms while camping, travelling, or while participating in any outdoor activity for that matter. No more squatting, using unhygienic public toilets or portapotties ever again.

The concept of this device may have you raising an eyebrow at first, but its sole purpose is to be easily convenient for women who find themselves in a tight bind.

The Shewee, although new to North America, was designed and invented by British native, Samantha Fountain, in 1999, while she attended De Montfort University in Leicester, United Kingdom, studying to get her Honours B.A. for product design. In July of that year, the Shewee won the James Dyson Product Design Award, which provided the necessary encouragement Fountain needed to pursue bringing the product to the market.

Fountain has made several television appearances on shows such as Dragon’s Den (U.K.) and BBC One’s The Great Outdoors, to promote her product, alongside several radio, newspaper and magazine appearances, most of which have been British and Canadian.

As for where the name Shewee comes from, it’s quite simple by nature: “she” is for the audience in which the product is aimed at, and “wee” is a British term which refers to having to urinate. Put both together, and you get Shewee.

So, how exactly did Fountain come up with this concept? It all started while she was

writing her dissertation in university about how to improve lavatory facilities.

“As a child, I was taught not to sit on public toilet seats, for fear of catching germs. At first I had the idea of designing retractable toilets that could be washed after every use, but as this was a bit impractical, I decided on a device that women could use to avoid contact with the toilet altogether,” explains Fountain on her website. “Also, it struck me how much easier it was for a guy to go to the toilet in a place where there were no facilities or nowhere to squat behind, so I came up with a way of effectively urinating like a man.”

How does one go about using the device?

“When positioned securely under the crotch, with panties pushed to one side, Shewee directs urine away from the body to a suitable place, such as a toilet, a container, a Shewee Peebol or a conveniently located tree,” explains Fountain.

The device, available online for $29.99, comes in a variety of colours and packages which include accessories such as cases, Peebols (pocket-sized bags for men, women and children to use while on the go) and even underwear designed for women who use the Shewee for easy access.

The device is NATO approved, supplied to armed forces worldwide and hospitals, according to the website.

Hate to break it to you boys, but it looks as though you won’t be the only ones peeing on the sidelines from now on.

Culture // Life

The unlikely art form of tattoos Local tattoo artists talk about the changing status of tattooing Barbara Madimenos Contributor

The subjectivity of art has incited society to embrace a variety of ways in which art can be presented. Whether people express themselves through writing, singing, or through trade work such as hairdressing or makeup artistry, art is transformative in the way it can be represented. Entering the 21st century, body art, specifically the tattoo artistry, has been popularized in Montreal.

According to Ivanna Lassnan, a professional tattoo artist at XS Piercings and Tattoos located in Pointe-Claire, the industry was more or less an underground production when it first began, but as times modernized, the stigma associated with tattoos faded. Tattooing has transformed into a respectable and true form of artistry.

“There is now a meshing of different art forms, and the creative talents of the artists are put to the test,” explains Lassnan.

“People are replicating Picasso’s, watercolor,

abstract, old school, new school, and [get- recreate a product is exactly why these artists lows the client to be involved in the image ting] away from classic tattoo images. It’s deserve the accolades for their trade. It gives that the artist will be creating. like a new age of tattoo artists are starting them room to grow and use their creativity.

“We don’t have books of flash tattoos or to come up and out, with more of a fine arts A consultation with the chosen artist is a wall full of art that you can pick and then approach.” the best way to design one’s tattoo as it al- you copy and paste type thing,” Lassnan exArtists are now designing implains. “It’s a process of drawing ages for the clients themselves, the image with whichever medienabling them to use their artful um the artist is skilled at, scanskills such as watercolors, sketchning it onto the computer, and ing, or even photoshop, into the printing it out on a paper in ortattoo draft, creating a unique der to draw it onto the client.” and personalized image for the “The body is a canvas ready client. to be filled with beautiful stoAccording to Marc Azoulay, ries,” said Frederike Ayotte, a 20the owner of XS Piercings and year-old advocate for tattoo art.

Tattoos, cover-ups are in high de“A tattoo is not only art, it’s a mand, especially with older genway to communicate an emotion erations. or help you get through one.”

“The process of cover ups Lassnan agrees, “I guess is difficult. For example, Ivanna it’s like you’re a therapist with and Gaby Kaufmann, another people opening up to you. You tattoo artist, are the ones that are know those are the times when given the cover-ups because they you realize the impact you’re have the capabilities to visualhaving.” ize an image through the tattoo Tattoos have grown into that is already there,” he said. “It something just as emotional and takes time, and it’s a long process technical as any other art form. in drafting so no one makes a Through personalization to difmistake.” ferent mediums of drawing, it is By having faith and giving the Ivanna Lassnan’s tattoo fixes. Photo by XS Tattoo&Piercing not categorized as just body art freedom to the designated artist to anymore, but true art.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2014

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Entrepreneurship // Life

Bringing the fragrance and flavour back into your life Montreal’s quaint and charming Spice Station explores the world of spices and tea Olivia-Ranger Enns Staff writer

Step into Peter Bahlawanian’s spice and tea shop, Spice Station, in NDG and you will be instantly greeted by sunset-orange coloured walls and rows upon rows of jars. The atmosphere is both calming and welcoming, with Bahlawanian sitting perched on a stool at the back of the shop, ready to give tips or swap recipes with a customer.

“I opened this shop two years ago,” said Bahlawanian, indicating the spice jars. “I have four shops in total: two in Montreal and two in Los Angeles. We do everything here: custom blends, tisanes, salts, peppers, powders, sugars, culinary herbs, you name it.”

For Bahlawanian, the art of his craft lies in the allure of the aromas. “I have a great nose, and in this business you need a great nose. I travel a lot, picking up spices that I like here and there. Today, I have about 65 vendors from all around the world.”

It all began with passion.

“Learning about spices was a hobby of mine, but one day I decided my career was too stressful and I wanted a more laid-back, zen profession,” said the owner.

Once he gave up his job as a film producer in Los Angeles, Bahlawanian returned to his hometown of Montreal and began exploring the world of spices and tea.

“I am Armenian and I grew up with my two grandmothers living in my house. One day one grandmother would cook, the other day the other would put on the kitchen apron,” said Bahlawanian. “As for tea, I have always drunk it. My father used to work for the tea company Red

Rose, and I guess I just love tea. It is a natural on the rise, more and more people are trying out community and word gets around. Back in Los passion of mine.” recipes at home.”

Angeles, I got so much free press that I didn’t Bahlawanian takes the food industry seriAlthough Bahlawanian experienced bad even need to worry about advertising: we were ously. luck in his opening year, the business is now covered by the Food and Wine magazine, Oprah “I have only three employees at this shop thriving.

Magazine, the LA Magazine, The LA Times, The and I take the time to train them really well. My “The next-door restaurant, called Lucille’s, New Yorker, The Huffington Post, etc.,” listed employees are foodies, people who like to inves- had a fire only one month after I opened up Bahlawanian. tigate and try new recipes out.” the shop. The entire corner was shut off, and Bahlawanian enjoys the NDG environment Among the most interesting spices, Bahla- this drove customers away from the business. as a working milieu. “I always knew I wanted to wanian sells Biryani powders, beet powders, But then things picked up when the corner re- open up a shop on Monkland Avenue because it Himalayan pink salt, sweet onion chilli sugar, opened,” explained Bahlawanian. is a market street and because it is a strong compaella spices, lime fresco salt, spicy rum junk When asked about his secret to success, munity. I strongly value that: a community,” and an assortment of tisanes such as witches’ Bahlawanian smiled. “I have a motto: no adver- said Bahlawanian. brew. tisement. That’s right. I believe in a grass-roots To discover more about the Spice Station “We cater to all kinds of cooks here. We have business, where I bring something unique to the visit 5610 Monkland Avenue in NDG. specialty spices for the cooks who know what to do, but we also have custom-made blends for cooks who are unsure about marrying certain powders. For those kinds of cooks, for example, we have a blend called Pasta Basta. You simply add a few tablespoons of this to your sauce, made of say onions, garlic and tomatoes, and there you have it,” said Bahlawanian.

“We also have harissa, a Moroccanbased blend which is perfect for rice and couscous dishes.”

When asked which shop fares best out of all four, Bahlawanian paused before replying: “I would say that Montreal is actually more competitive than Los Angeles. In Montreal, the foodie industry is way more advanced. With the exception of New York, the United States has only highend restaurants and no real specialty spice shops. But things are slowly changing even in the United States. The Spice Station offers spices for experienced cooks and new cooks alike, as well as aromatic teas.

With the Internet and TV food shows

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Personal experience // Life

What do you do when you don’t know what to do?

A personal narrative about the struggles some students face while studying in university Candice Yee Staff writer

I

first fell head over heels for Montreal during a sweltering hot summer. The narrow streets, public art, the Frenchbuzz and of course, the lower drinking age, convinced me—Little Miss West Coast—to go to Montreal for university.

In reality, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I was raised in the land of sushi, beaches, and Lululemon pants. My French was horrible, and I didn’t foresee the Canada Goose jacket trend for months to come.

Prior to Concordia, I worked hard in high school for my grades. I wanted to leap into post-secondary school, confident in my abilities and my future. My grandparents’ plan was for me to stay in Vancouver and become a doctor or a lawyer. My plan was to get the hell out of there, and study something that I loved.

The problem was, someone needed to remind me of my passions and aspirations.

Truthfully, I had no idea what they were. I attended a mini arts program for visual arts in high school, so I chose the safest route from there.

I applied to the Studio Arts program at Concordia, where the Journalism program was my second choice; just for kicks. However, the extent of my journalism experience was writing flimsy fashion articles for my high school newspaper.

After going through extensive (and ex-

pensive) application procedures, I received acceptance letters to both programs. I accepted my offer to studio arts. Then, upon the daunting prospect of being a jobless hipster working at Starbucks, I switched to journalism.

Yet, since entering the program, I understand that news writing guarantees little financial security.

Here I am—a journalism major at Concordia— and I’m not happy. I have not fallen in love with journalism. I waited to plunge into the world of style blogs and the world of Vogue and Elle magazines, but alas, I face the realities of writing and reading about politics and drab human-interest stories.

I didn’t want to admit to my parents that journalism wasn’t a good fit. If I were to switch programs, personally, I would feel like a failure. The major would be left unfinished and I would have wasted time and money. But then, I met a guy named Eric. Someone who once battled the same dilemma that I’m facing now.

My random conversation with Eric made me rethink my choice to jump

straight into a major. Taking a six-year break between studies, Eric found his place at Concordia’s Liberal Arts College. I had no idea what I would be doing in six years, but I hoped I would not still be in school.

I told him about my quest to find my

“true passion,” and then he asked me a question that really got me thinking. “Why are you so concerned about finding out what you want right away?”

He was right. What was the rush? The urgency I felt was rooted in pressure from my high school counsellors, parents, and most importantly, myself. But truthfully, I feel like I’m running out of time.

I don’t want to be the 27-year-old in an undergraduate program. Nor do I want to be the travelling “taking time off” student, wasting away my parent’s cash while attempting to find my inner-self.

I’ve decided next fall, I will take it easy.

I need an open-ended program to allow me to breathe, and see where my interests lie. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll find it here at Concordia, or even in Montreal.

Home is where the heart is they say — until I feel like I’m going to strangle my parents, that is.

The memory of my eagerness and excitement to start the first semester is such a contrast from where I stand now: unsure, afraid, and homesick. However, I realize I can’t continue my firstyear experience looking forward to the end. My independence has been tested. The only thing left to do is make the best of Candice Yee, a journalism major, searches for her true passion. Photo by writer the present.

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arts

Tuesday, february 4, 2014

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Write to the editor: arts@theconcordian.com

Film // arts

Everything is not so Odd in this world of horror Stephen Sommers’ adaptation of Dean Koontz’s novel, Odd Thomas, is more cliché than odd Elijah Bukreev Staff writer

H

ere comes a reminder that not all independent films are artful per se.

Odd Thomas is a smaller project for Stephen Sommers, but not one devoid of his usual trademarks. A graduate of Michael Bay’s school of filmmaking, he is intent on over-stuffing his films to the extreme. If you do see his latest movie, what you could do is keep a little checklist of clichés and mark them down one by one as they splash across the screen.

Are there unnecessary special effects?

Check. Do all women look (and sound) like supermodels? Check. Are there explosions?

Check it twice. It’s likely the most fun you’ll get out of the experience.

Odd Thomas, solemnly played by Anton Yelchin, is the hero. Odd is actually his first name, which he got as a result of a doctor mishearing ‘Todd’ at the time of his birth.

Otherwise, he is a typical young man — except that he’s not. He has a well-guarded secret, a superpower of sorts, the ability to see the dead.

He also sees giant, semi-transparent bugs, whose presence means trouble. It was surpris-

ing to hear them being referred to as ‘botox’ throughout the movie. Of course, this isn’t a metaphor for plastic surgery; they are actually bodachs, creatures of Scottish folklore.

Thomas uses his powers to stop criminals and mass murderers, co-operating with his town’s police forces. His main accomplice, the chief of police, is portrayed by Willem Dafoe, who invokes some of his American Psycho cop charm.

Thomas has a girlfriend, nicknamed “Stormy” (Addison Timlin), who works at

an ice creamery. In many ways, she is the emotional anchor of the film. She is just as odd as her boyfriend; it takes brass balls to keep serving sweets while on the phone with Thomas, who has nothing on his mind but decapitations and gruesome killings. Her face never betrays any emotion, except her usual giggly attitude, which could be taken for a character trait, but one might suspect is rather due to Timlin’s shameless lack of talent.

All things considered, Odd Thomas is exactly what it sounds like: The Sixth Sense

Odd Thomas stars Anton Yelchin in the title role alongside Willem Dafoe, Addison Timlin and Patton Oswalt.

made as a teenage action flick crossed with a police investigation story. Its shortcomings are innumerable — take the slapdash, in-your-face directing, or vulgar changes in tone. There are no proper transitions between the romance, fart jokes and gory violence. It’s a big clutter of crummy ideas.

Odd is not a strong enough qualifier. One would rather call it awkward, or better yet, inept.

The horror elements are predictable, the humour clearly aimed towards younger audience members and the story better suited for the small screen. Sommers is forced to work with no special effects for a good part of the film, which he has dealt with by over-stylizing fights and pursuits to a point where it just hurts the eye.

It’s not hard to understand what the director was trying to accomplish in the screenplay, a fairly well-intentioned adaptation of Dean Koontz’ eponymously-titled novel. Suffice to say that it doesn’t translate well to the big screen.

The film was supposed to come out in July 2013, but ended up being indefinitely postponed because of legal disputes. Somehow, this never seems to happen to movies that don’t deserve it.

Odd Thomas opens in theatres on Feb. 13 nationwide

Literature // arts

Teeny tiny insects with really big problems Michael DeForge’s latest graphic novel, Ant Colony, questions the meaning of ant life Jocelyn Beaudet Assistant arts editor

What is the purpose of an ant colony? Existentially speaking, this is a question that no ant would have the power to ask, and no human the knowledge to solve.

Ant Colony by Michael DeForge is a graphic novel set in the world of an established ant colony, which follows various characters in their interactions. From the existential questioning of colony life by a gay ant couple, to the sociopathic interaction of a father and his son, this graphic novel covers some inarguably dark topics that is typical of DeForge’s works.

Although the art style may seem lighthearted and cartoony, they are as organic as the world these ants live in. Each panel is meticulously crafted and uses vivid colours, from bright yellows to pastel blues. The ants themselves are each independently unique; no two are drawn the same, although similar anatomy exists. While the designs for environments and ants may seem uncomplicated at first, from simple shapes and colours making up each aspect of the panels, the level of detail expressed by the characters themselves is powerful. Better yet, the easy feel behind each stroke gives a feeling that each panel was drawn indepen-

dently. No two frames are alike.

When it comes to symbolism, images of bizarre, surreal sex between these insects are at the center of the unfolding drama, as the ant colony goes from booming to desolate.

At its core, Ant Colony establishes a strange totalitarian rule by a Queen. Seen as the only fertile female of the colony, its inhabitants are required to ‘donate’ monthly, by following the window roads leading inside the Queen’s midsection, and having the all-male colony leave these ‘donations’ inside of her.

The story unfolds as a rival ant colony is brought into the mix and war ensues.

Although these circumstances move the plot ahead, what constitutes the meat of the novel is the characters. While each story arch is self-contained, they bottleneck near the end of the book as the colony falls apart, and each of these individuals are brought together to try and find a new colony to belong to, or start one of their own. Although the book gives no conclusion to this story, the building hopelessness of the last few chapters provide a glimpse into the possible future of these characters.

Ant Colony is a fairly short read, but, as its publisher Drawn & Quarterly says, is easily DeForge’s magnum opus. It’s humorous, dark, and even a little meta at times. It builds an oppressive universe and lets readers wallow in

the crippling atmosphere and feel the strange social despair that these ants live through.

The book is bold, and makes no attempt at trying to be tactful. It sets out with an idea and executes it in a way that is genuine, uncensored and powerful and blends

the interesting with the depressing — giving us what is most likely going to be one of the best graphic novels of 2014.

Ant Colony, from the author of the Adventure Time comic book series, is available for sale at Drawn & Quarterly Library.

Throwing its innocence under a bus, Ant Colony puts the graphic in graphic novel.

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Tuesday, febraury 4, 2014

Film // arts

What’s been lurking in your bathroom?

Composed of a cast that includes fetish artists, Ceramic Tango is a tale of the evils within Tomer Shavit Staff writer

When most people think about horror movies, their minds conjure up images of deranged serial killers, fearsome monsters and otherworldly demons.

Ceramic Tango, a short film created by award winning Montreal filmmaker, Patricia Chica, is a different kind of horror, and it cuts deeper than any conventional slasher flick.

The film has garnered much support in the horror community, culminating in winning the Best Film award from the prestigious Shockfest film festival.

“The horror community has embraced the film as something very fresh and new,” said Chica. “They see it as something that pushes the genre to the next level because it’s not gory or trashy, but psychological and smart.”

The film depicts a simple scenario: Riley (Holy Scar) is in his bathroom conducting his daily routine.

But there is evil lurking about. There is another entity in the room — A killer, a monster, a demon.

The Intruder (Richard Cardinal), is a manifestation of pure wickedness that relishes in the taunting and torture of his victims.

Riley can’t fight this villain with a rifle or a machete. The vile creature has somehow become a part of him, he’s inside him, forcing our hero to submit to a fate that is both innately terrifying yet at the same time, uncomfortably familiar. There is nothing otherworldly about the agony our hero suffers and it is this

familiarity that cuts straight to our heart, making us empathize with his fear and share in his misery.

With a running time of only 10 minutes, Ceramic Tango manages to paint a portrait of a life gone awry.

Riley’s desperate plight against evil is shared with glimpses of his sordid past and reflections on a future shrouded in darkness.

The flashes of eccentric images — metal faucets recoiling, shower curtains coming alive, sexual flashbacks devolving into macabre dances — make you constantly question what is real in this morbid tapestry.

Holy Scar and Richard Cardinal both deliver electrifying performances, especially Cardinal who supplements his menacing appearance with a seductively sinister voice that stays in your head long after the credits have rolled.

“He is like the grim reaper of the spiritual realm,” said Cardinal about his character. “He is the boogeyman that waits in the corner ... watching you be unsafe, watching you give in to temptation so he may finally attack.”

The powerful performances are a pleasant surprise considering that both Scar and Cardinal are fetish performers and have no prior

Part psychological drama, part fantasy, Ceramic Tango is the story of a young Montrealer rendered helpless to the demons inside, and out.

acting credits.

To prepare for their roles, Scar and Cardinal trained with acting coach Kristian Hodko, best known for his voice work on Far Cry 3.

On the challenge of training Scar and Cardinal, Hodko said, “I saw it more as an opportunity than a challenge. Working with non-actors is a fantastic chance to create great work because they have no preconceived notions on what acting is. We were able to get really raw performances.”

The rest of the production is equally impressive. Toronto screenwriter Charles Hall wrote a script that is engaging, ominous and multi-faceted. The music, beautifully haunting and atmospheric, was done by American composer Justin Lassen who works on The Walking Dead. The cinematographer is Quebecer Marin Bouchard who did a stellar job at creating a distinct look to the many memorable scenes.

Ceramic Tango is a cautionary tale. It is scary because we identify with it. Most of us have never experienced fleeing from an axe wielding, hockey mask-wearing, lunatic, but the dangers, temptations and repercussions that exist in Ceramic Tango hit close to home, delivering a powerful message that resonates and lingers.

“It is very important to me that my movies make people think differently on a subject matter and see new perspectives,” said Chica.

“That’s what my cinema is all about.”

Even if horror is not your usual cup of tea, Ceramic Tango is an impressive film and worth checking out.

Ceramic Tango is available for sale through patriciachica.wix.com/ceramictango

Dance // arts

Of swinging brass and enchanting burlesque Popular Montreal burlesque dancer, The Lady Josephine, unveils her latest incarnation: Thea d’Ora Michelle Gamage Staff writer

The Thursday night lights dim in Atame restaurant, the sultry ‘20s era jazz music picks up and Thea d’Ora slinks onto the stage to the cat calls of the gathered 30-something jazz babies.

It’s a dinner theatre special where Montreal burlesque dancer, The Lady Josephine, will reveal her new persona — Thea d’Ora. The tables have been cleared to make room for the performance and save for a chest-high curtain, the stage is bare.

Lit only by soft hanging lights, Thea d’Ora runs her hands over her glittery purple bodice before allowing her shawl to slip to the ground. Her sheer high waisted skirt reveals the g-string she’s wearing underneath.

Glancing over her shoulder she blows a kiss to the crowd and swaying her hips to the brassy music, flutters her hand up to unzip her bodice.

It’s a revealing show that’s been six months in the making.

“I reincarnated because I wanted to separate the two sides of the art-form,” said Thea d’Ora. “With The Lady Josephine I keep pushing the boundaries of burlesque. But with Thea, it’s a place to put longing, to pay tribute and focus on the dance more than the theme.”

Drawing inspiration from elegance, extravagance and the era of Erte, Thea d’Ora is a creature straight from one of Gatsby’s wild

parties that have been dominating the winter’s social scene. “[The two ladies] both have different crowds. Thea d’Ora is a great introduction to the art form and a great tribute to the surge of nostalgia that we have … For whatever reason we’re not happy with the present day and are reminiscing about the past and I love sharing in it.”

Montreal burlesque enthusiasts don’t weep — The Lady Josephine will still be performing most nights.

“Thea d’Ora is the secondary character I’m just getting to know and fall in love with,” she assured us.

The female-dominated crowd loved her too, cheering when her top came off and her bare back was revealed. Coyly slipping behind the curtain before facing the audience again, she pulled it back to reveal her thigh before extravagantly tugging off her gloves.

Combining elegant slow movements, sudden flirty twirls and flicks and a couple of sexy gyrations, the dance whipped the flapper crowd into a frenzy, who howled and cheered while she strutted around stage in glittery nipple tassels and matching thong.

“It’s all about reliving the mentality of the Roaring ‘20s. Tonight could be the night to change our lives, tonight we could make it rich, tonight is all that matters,” said Thea d’Ora. “So let’s relive it. Let’s even create it anew.”

Although the show was relatively short, lasting maybe ten minutes, the performance is easily a solid five out of five. Thea d’Ora is beautiful, elegant and captivating in or out

of her outfits. She played the crowd perfectly and knew exactly how to tease and when to reveal.

Thea d’Ora’s next show will be Feb. 22 at the Wiggle Room. Visit theladyjosephine. com for show times and locations.

A little bit of jazz and a whole lot of mischief, Thea d’Ora takes us back to the Roaring ‘20s.

Tuesday, february 4, 2014 //

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Cinema politica // arts

Deals are not meant to be broken Honour Your Word is the story of the Algonquins of Barriere Lake and their struggle for their culture’s livelihood Frédéric T. Muckle Contributor

Parents and their children against riot squads; a collapsing nation fighting for their land; a government denying and trampling fundamental rights to its people. One would assume that we are talking here of a repressive regime. Sadly, it is a description of what goes on in our collective Canadian backyard.

Honour Your Word, a documentary made

by Canadian filmmaker Martha Stiegman, tackles the particular situation of the Algonquin community of Barriere Lake. In 1991, a trilateral conservation deal was made between the Algonquins, and the Quebec and Canadian governments, to oversee the land.

The agreement remains unhonoured by the governments, resulting in the struggle of the land’s inhabitants to keep their culture alive.

By following two prominent leaders of this small community fighting for what they believe is just, Stiegman makes us share in the everyday life of a family committed to the survival of their traditions.

Pictures of joyful children playing and proud parents fishing or hunting clash drastically with the vision of them facing, without blinking, police forces brought straight from our worst Maple Spring collective memories.

Using cinematography composed of serene images of nature and intimate familial scenes, we come to understand why the Algonquins have been fighting all their life as

children, adults and elders for their ancestral lands and customs.

In this film, the director’s approach gives us what we could define more as a collection of profound and heartfelt testimonies rather than a strongly narrated and condemning documentary — such as we have gotten used to those thanks to the Michael Moores of this world.

When compared to today’s high-octane documentaries, Honour Your Word can seem a little monotonous at times. However, its sober style and slow pace fits perfectly the veiled emotions and calm attitudes of its

protagonists.

You cannot help but feel empathy for these proud people, but it would have been profitable for both the viewers and the movie itself to balance the documentary with interviews of people on the other side of the barricade. This would have avoided the simple black-and-white dichotomy, in which too many engaged documentaries find themselves entrenched in, for a more nuanced point of view of this sensitive subject.

Nonetheless, the composed and peaceful state of mind emanating from the Algon-

quin people, even when constantly facing adversity, successfully differentiates this movie from others that usually carry crude depictions of a violent and hysterical First Nation community. Ultimately, Honour your Word is a poetic yet sad story of a powerless but ever-fighting David at war with a merciless Goliath.

Honour Your Word will have its Canadian premiere as part of Cinema Politica.

Director Martha Stiegman will be in attendance. The screening will take place on Feb. 10, 7pm in the D. B. Clarke Theatre — 1455 de Maisonneuve W.

In 1991, Canada and Quebec governments negotiated a historic agreement with the 450-person community of Algonquins of Barriere Lake. The deal has yet to be honoured by the two governments. Photo is a still from YouTube

Game // arts

Games of Tar Sands — Playing for the sake of a city Fort McMoney is a documentary online game that lets players decide the future of their planet Véronique Rosa Contributor

Opening debates on social issues and pitting player against player in a friendly, virtual environment, is the name of this game.

Created by journalist and director David Dufresne, and in collaboration with Arte, TOXA and the National Film Board of Canada, Fort McMoney is an online interactive documentary game about Fort McMurray, Alberta’s urban boom and the issues produced by such rapid growth.

Thrown into a movie-like replica of areas of the city, the goal is to look for clues, fulfill missions, debate with other players, and to ultimately gain influence in order to impose an opinion on the rest of the group — and to change the virtual future.

Open to play in multiple waves, round

one opened on Nov. 25 and attracted more than 350,000 visits. Round two has been made available since Jan. 27 and will last for approximately four weeks.

To learn about the social, economic, political and cultural issues plaguing Boomtown — a nickname given to Fort McMurray — the players must interact with various members of the population through the form of pre-recorded interviews guided by a limited choice of questions. The interviews are excerpts of videos of one-on-one conversations with all the type of people who live in our society. These interviews are in full colour, face to face, with all the background noises of the spaces where they take place: the regular racket of a busy street, a recycling factory or even the silence of a house.

These features convey an authenticity to the game even if the jump from one interview to the next does not always feel natural.

The game forces the player to make de-

DO YOU KNOW a student, faculty or staff member who has contributed to Concordia’s student life or who is an outstanding volunteer?

Nominate them today for CCSL’s Outstanding Contribution Award or a Volunteer Recognition Award!

For more info on eligibility and how to apply visit: deanofstudents.concordia.ca/awards Deadline for both awards is February 14th, 2014 at 5 p.m.

cisions based on the information available — they can either encourage the oil companies, help the social health of the developing city or find a balance determined only by themselves.

It is also, somehow, a study into the human mind: will it be the economy or the environment that prevails? What does that say about us? Not everything is black and white, and that’s exactly what comes out of this interactive game.

The roads are definitely not paved in money when it comes to the socio-economical development of the Tar Sands and its exploitation. Dufresne clearly presents a picture of poverty, homelessness, drug abuse, health issues and segregations — important issues regarding what is supposed to be a land of money and prosperity.

The gameplay is exactly what makes this documentary shocking and more than a little troubling. The player feels like they are the one making the interviews, choosing the questions, some of which will not reappear later on. The users need to make decisions not only about the fate of the city but also about the information they are going to learn. As the interviews cannot be replayed, pieces of the puzzle might be missing later on.

Reminiscent of the urban planning process, Fort McMoney is a great example of the fact that nothing is as easy as it seems when looking into social issues, and that really getting down to the nitty-gritty process of figuring out what ails a city is time-con-

suming, heart wrenching and always full of surprises.

Round two of Fort McMoney is available for play at fortmcmoney.com. The game can be played in three languages (English, French and German).

Offering

hundreds of potential directions

about the world’s largest energy project,

Fort McMoney is the virtual incarnation of the town of Fort McMurry, located in Canada’s oil sands.

music 10

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Tuesday, february 4, 2014

Write to the editor: music@theconcordian.com

Profile // music

Mik Brown finds her voice on debut album

“

The L.A.-based singer and rapper discusses her transition from science to music Marilla Steuter-Martin Staff writer

I

n a world plastered with inspirational posters and where pseudo-individuality is broadcast from every Facebook page, it’s refreshing to find someone who legitimately believes in making sacrifices in order to follow their dreams. Mik Brown is such a person.

Brown grew up in a family of academics and graduated from Berkeley University with a degree in cognitive science. With a bright and no doubt lucrative future ahead, she decided to give it up to pursue her passion for music and try to make it big in Los Angeles.

A year later, Brown was invited to perform at the Grammy’s after-party and is working on the release of her first album, titled Miss Mik. “I’ve always been an artist at heart,” said Brown. “For me it was really about finding the strength and the confidence to really break away from the norm and really pursue what was in my heart.”

Her words may sound cliché, but Brown is the real deal. Having always been drawn to art and poetry, it took a while before she was able to find her voice.

“I always wished I could sing and, you know, I don’t have a typical singer’s voice, so I didn’t really feel like that was an option,” she said. “As my poetry progressed and I started to think — you know, I can really rap.”

Brown’s single, “Let’s Werk,” is a dancey hip-hop track with about 100,000 views on VEVO. She describes her music as a combination of various elements including pop, rap, and dance.

“I like to listen to music that makes me feel good. I like upbeat music,” she explained. “That’s why a lot of the songs on my album are dance-inspired tracks because I really like something that’s going to get me going.”

Miss Mik is set to be released in late February or early March and will feature a little bit of everything.

“So you have your fun dance music and some things [that are] a little harder. My next single, ‘Respect’ is like that. It’s kind of rock with some heavy guitars and more in your face.”

Brown compares her journey towards stardom to a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle, “You gotta start with the corners of whatever

I’ve always been an artist at heart.

For me it was really about finding the strength and the confidence to really break away from the norm and really pursue what was in my heart.

- Mik Brown pieces look like they fit together and just build from there,” she said.

Having moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in music, Brown feels that “it’s really inspiring to be able to make a mark in a big city. The other thing about L.A., it has so much to offer in terms of the history and the possibilities. You can pretty much do anything here. It’s a little bit surreal, but very exciting.”

She says that in order to make it big in this industry, it requires “a combination of preparation and opportunity and tenacity.

You have to be prepared and you have to keep putting yourself out there. And if you do that, then eventually opportunities will come.”

Most of all, Brown finds satisfaction in performing her music live. “Getting to that point where I’m able to bring it to the people and share with them this whole process of creation. It’s really when I get

to deliver everything, and that’s the most rewarding part for me.”

Brown is also intent on using her art and status to speak out on issues that are important to her. She recently performed at the No Bull Music Showcase, an event that seeks to raise awareness about bullying.

“I think that my message is really empowering and really positive and so it’s an honour to be able to represent an [organization] like this with my music,” she said.

“Especially because, I think a lot of artists growing up were like nerds or introverts and misunderstood, and did get bullied, and for us to have surpassed that and be the ones who are looked up to now... it’s really important for us to speak out and to give people who are coming up faith.”

As for what the future holds, Brown hopes to keep gaining momentum and doing what she loves.

“I really feel like the sky’s the limit.”

Rapper, singer, model and actress, Mik Brown’s latest single “Let’s Werk” has blown up on Youtube with over 100,00 views. Miss Mik is set for release in late February of early March.

Tuesday, february 4, 2014

Compiled by Paul Traunero

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Profile // music

Opinion // music

10. Super Bowl XXXII (1998) (Green Bay Packers vs. Denver Broncos) Featuring: Boyz II Men, Smokey Robinson, The Temptations and The Four Tops In a tribute to Motown Record’s 40th anniversary some of the finest R&B groups from the label performed a medley of their hits. Boyz II Men bridged the generational gap between the legendary Smokey Robinson, The Temptations and The Four Tops in this smooth and classy act.

Top 10 Most Memorable Super Bowl Halftime Shows

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9. Super Bowl XLIII (2009) (Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Arizona Cardinals) Featuring: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band “I want you to put the chicken fingers down and turn your television all the way up,” demanded Springsteen as he jumped into his four-song performance during the 2009 Super Bowl. Not only did The Boss nail his performance, he also nailed the cameraman with his crotch during an overzealous stage slide. God bless America!

8. Super Bowl XXXVI (2002) (St. Louis Rams vs.

New England Patriots) Featuring: U2 U2 delivered a powerful and uplifting performance in tribute to the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks. During the song “Where the Streets Have No Name,” all the names of the 9/11 victims scrolled up on a screen behind the band, who were mounted on a heart-shaped stage.

7. Super Bowl XXXVIII (2004) (Carolina Panthers vs. New England Patriots) Featuring: Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake (with P. Diddy, Kid Rock and Nelly)

This performance was memorable because it brought the term “wardrobe malfunction” to the general public. At the end of their performance of “Rock Your Body,” Timberlake ripped off part of Jackson’s costume, exposing her right breast to millions of viewers. This incident caused a huge scandal with the FCC and was henceforth dubbed “Nipplegate.”

6. Super Bowl XXXIX (2005) (Dallas Cowboys vs.

Pittsburgh Steelers) Featuring: Paul McCartney Subsequent to the 2004 “wardrobe malfunction,” broadcasters were looking for something a little less controversial and safe. McCartney delivered a solid and engaging performance, proving that halftime shows aren’t just for pop acts. His finale of “Hey Jude” certainly got the crowd on their feet.

5. Super Bowl XXX (1996) (Dallas Cowboys vs.

Pittsburgh Steelers) Featuring: Diana Ross Bringing spectacle and glamour to Super Bowl XXX, Ms. Ross performed an impressively extensive medley of her hits. Always the diva, she brought her performance “higher and higher” as she rose on a golden mountain during “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and ascended in a helicopter during the climax of “Take Me Higher.”

4. Super Bowl XLVI (2012) (New York Giants vs.

New England Patriots) Featuring: Madonna (with Nicki Minaj, M.I.A., Cee Lo Green and LMFAO) Madonna’s performance was rated as the mostwatched halftime show in history, with upwards

of 114 million viewers tuning in. Despite Madge’s entrance on a golden throne for her hit “Vogue,” M.I.A. was the one who ultimately stole the show by flipping off the camera, and confirming her status as a total badass.

3. Super Bowl XXVII (1993) (Buffalo Bills vs. Dallas Cowboys) Featuring: Michael Jackson Michael Jackson was one of the first superstars to perform in a Super Bowl halftime show. The King of Pop was at the peak of his popularity in 1993 and wowed viewers with a stellar performance of his hit singles, along with a choir of 3,500 children for a message of harmony with “We Are the World.”

2. Super Bowl XLVII (2013) (Baltimore Ravens vs.

San Francisco 49ers) Featuring: Beyoncé (with Destiny’s Child) Beyoncé proved that girl power still exists in her fierce performance in 2013, which generated a record breaking 299,000 tweets per minute. In addition to performing her chart-topping singles, Queen Bey was joined on stage by her fellow Destiny’s Child bandmates, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, for a long-awaited reunion.

1. Super Bowl XLI (2007) (Indianapolis Colts vs.

Chicago Bears) Featuring: Prince Despite the heavy rain on stage, Prince tore up the halftime show with a stellar performance, full of improvisation and guitar solos, featuring his biggest hits and some surprising cover songs, including a funk rendition of the Foo Fighters’ “Best of You” and a spine chilling finale with “Purple Rain.”

Quick Spins // music

Quick Spins

Isaiah Rashad - Cilvia Demo (Top Dawg Entertainment; 2014)

The Gaslight Anthem - The B-Sides (SideOneDummy; 2014)

Supreme Cuts - Divine Ecstasy (Dovecote; 2014)

Sleepy Sun - Maui Tears (Dine Alone Records; 2014)

After blowing up at the 2013 BET Hip-Hop Awards with Kendrick Lamar and other artists from his label, Top Dawg Entertainment, Isaiah Rashad is one of the many artists to watch out for in 2014 with his debut EP, Cilvia Demo. The tracks flow perfectly into each other from one to the next, and Rashad himself rarely missteps on any of his beats or hooks. His introspective storytelling fits perfectly with the beat selection, meshing together tales of drinking, smoking, women. While Rashad isn’t afraid to go in and glorify these influences, he can acknowledge these as faults as well. The EP’s beats bleed the jazzy and soulful influence of Outkast making for a smooth and cool listen. (Fact: Rashad aspired to be a preacher before listening to Outkast which inspired him to be a rapper).

While the EP doesn’t feature Lamar, Top Dawg Entertainment’s Schoolboy Q and Jay Rock are among those featured on Cilvia Demo.

The Gaslight Anthem’s newest album, The BSides, is, as the title suggests; a compilation of covers, a live recording, outtakes and acoustic versions of previously released material. The acoustic renditions are the meat of the album but are hit or miss. Certain songs, like “The ’59 Sound,” translate beautifully from electric to acoustic, at times sounding better than the original releases.

Others however, such as “American Slang” and “Boxer,” do not hold up as well when stripped of their punk influence. The covers on the album are good, but few will consider The Gaslight Anthem’s version of “Tumbling Dice” better than the original released over 40 years ago by The Rolling Stones. Overall, a handful of the songs on the album really shine; for instance some of the acoustic renditions convey the emotional weight of the lyrics better than their amped brethren. Sadly, subpar songs clog up the track list, holding these few gems back.

If you love the music of Disclosure and Flume, then you will absolutely fall for Supreme Cuts.

Their newest album Divine Ecstasy, is a breath of fresh air in the music world. The Chicagobased duo consists of Mike Perry and Austin Kjeultes who began their music careers together in 2010, according to the website PrettyMuchAmazing.com. Apparently, Supreme Cuts began originally as hip-hop producers and have now emerged on the front stage as electronic artists. Their new sounds are hard to file in respect to any specific genre. The best way to describe their sound is a psychedelic, techhouse with undertones of an earthy-ambient hip-hop. The album also has a variety of female and male vocalists featured with soundscapes of the synthetic world. The vibe is very laid back but the clarity and the sound designing is impeccable. Overall, the album was also very well mastered.

Maui Tears is the fourth studio album from the California-based collective, Sleepy Sun. Often labelled as psychedelic surfer rock, the entire album is drenched with sunny guitar riffs and trippy instrumental distortions. Tracks like “Words” and “The Lane” are heavily laced with the signature ‘60s California surfer spirit, while others like “Everywhere Waltz” play up the trippy echoes and heavy synth sounds to create six minutes of pure neo-psychedelia. While most of the album features fast-paced instrumentals and chaotically hazy guitar playing, “Slowdown” stays true to its name. On this track, the band turns down the tempo, allowing for frontman Bret Constantino’s distorted vocals to stand out next to the deep feedback loops from the guitar amplification.

On the title track, Sleepy Sun dishes out smooth jazzy bass lines that continue subtly throughout the rest of the 10 and a half-minute instrumental epic, leaving listeners on a next level trip.

Trial track: “Shot You Down”

Trial Track: “The ’59 Sound”

Trial Track: “Divine Ecstasy”

Trial Track: “Maui Tears”

7.5/10

6.5/10

- Julian McKenzie

-Justinas Staskevicius

9/10

-Jonathan Cohen

7.8/10

- Jessica Romera

sports 12

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Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Write to the editor: sports@theconcordian.com

Men’s hockey // sports

Mastropietro shines in Stingers loss to UQTR Concordia netminder faced a season-high 43 shots at home versus the Patriots Andrew Davis Contributor

Special teams were the difference when the Concordia Stingers lost to the Université de Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) Patriots 4-1 at the Ed Meagher Arena last Wednesday. The Patriots scored three of their four goals on the power play, and the Stingers were unable to claw their way back into the game.

The game began with both teams trading chances, with the Patriots getting most of the scoring opportunities. UQTR broke the deadlock at 13:19, when forward Jason Rajotte scored on a one timer after a perfect pass in front of the net.

Just 20 seconds after the goal, Concordia was penalized for roughing, and UQTR took advantage on its first power play of the game.

Stingers goaltender Antonio Mastropietro faced 21 shots in the first period, while Concordia was only able to get one shot on goal.

The Stingers cut the deficit in half early in the second period, when centre Hugo Vincent skated the puck the full length of the ice before setting up defenceman Gabriel Bourret with a perfect pass.

The penalty problems continued for Concordia after their goal, as UQTR scored two more goals on the power play before the end of the period. Both teams continued to battle through a scoreless final 20 minutes, as the Stingers refused to go down without a fight. Although both teams traded chances, a three-goal deficit

was too much to overcome for Concor- the 39-save performance was not an indi- experience for a young team about to endia. vidual effort. ter the playoffs.

Head coach Kevin Figsby said that the “The defencemen were really helping “We’re tired. It’s not an excuse, but Stingers’ lack of discipline left the game me out tonight. As long as I can see the we’re in that stretch right now where we wide open for the Patriots. shot, that’s good for me,” said Mastropi- know we’re playing five games in eight “We knew it was going to be a tough etro. “On some of their goals, there were nights. We don’t have a full squad and game if we weren’t disciplined and took a lot of tic-tac-toe plays, and that is the we’re a bit banged up right now. We need penalties,” said Figsby. “You look at the best way to score on any goalie.” to overcome that adversity. That’s okay; score sheet, they scored three power play Figsby also pointed out that games it’s a learning experience for the playgoals. Unfortunately, the penalties we like these should be used as a learning offs.” took were uncharacteristic, and they capitalized. From a five on five perspective, it was a 1-1 game.”

Despite the loss, Figsby was happy with his team’s performance.

“I’m proud of our guys and the way they played, and the way we competed tonight,” he said. “[UQTR] outplayed us, they outworked us, and they outscored us.

But we never stopped competing.”

Mastropietro was the bright spot of the night for the Stingers, as he faced a season-high 43 shots. Figsby was very quick to give his goaltender credit.

“Antonio made some very key saves tonight, and I think we let him down with the penalties we took.”

Stingers’ goalie in starring role despite his team’s loss to UQTR Patriots Photo by Marilla Steuter-Martin Mastropietro felt that

Women’s hockey // sports

Stingers’ struggles continue at home vs. rivals The Concordia women’s hockey team have dropped seven of their last eight games Tim Lazier Assistant sports editor

The Concordia Stingers women’s hockey team suffered their third-straight loss on Saturday afternoon, when they hosted the McGill Martlets at Ed Meagher arena. Despite their valiant effort, the Stingers lost 5-1 and now sit at 5-12 on the season.

For the first period, the Stingers held their own against Canada’s top-ranked Martlets squad. Concordia’s cross-town rivals are a perfect 16-0, but after the first, the game was tied 1-1.

McGill opened up the scoring just two minutes into the game with a goal

by Martlets forward, Gabrielle Davidson.

Davidson was a handful for Concordia’s defence all game as she had two goals

and an assist.

The Stingers bounced back, though, and managed to tie it halfway through the first with a goal by Stingers forward, Alyssa Sherrard. It was Sherrard’s fourth of the season and was assisted by linemate Tracy-Ann Lavigne. The shots were seven apiece for the two teams heading into the first intermission, and the Stingers were giving the Martlets all they could handle.

The second period was a turning point in the game as the Martlets started to run away with it. McGill forward, Chelsey Saunders, scored just 38 seconds into the second frame, putting Concordia back on their heels.

Six minutes into the second, Stingers defenceman, Gabrielle Meilleur, got called for hooking and left the Stingers shorthanded. Just a minute and a half later, the Stingers were penalized again.

This time, Stingers defenceman, MaryJane Roper, was given two minutes for interference. Concordia managed to successfully kill off both penalties, but the back-to-back penalties hurt Concordia’s rhythm.

Concordia was pinned in its own end for four minutes while the Martlets peppered the Stingers’ goaltender, Carolanne Lavoie-Pilon. McGill outshot Concordia 10-5 in the second period, and after the two penalties, Concordia struggled to find its legs. The Martlets extended their lead with a late goal in the second period by forward Katia Clement-Heydra, making it 3-1.

The third period was much of the same for the Stingers. They were outshot 9-4 in the final period and never threatened McGill’s lead. The Stingers pushed hard and did not give up until the final

whistle, but they were simply outplayed on Saturday.

The Martlets made it 4-1, eight minutes into the third, with a power play goal

by McGill forward Leslie Oles.

Oles, a West-Island native, is considered one of Canada’s great young women prospects.

Every time Oles was on the ice, it seemed that she controlled or affected the play in some way. She was buzzing in the offensive zone all afternoon and whenever she was on the ice, the Stingers defence took notice. Davidson scored her second, and final, goal of the game for McGill late in the third period to make it 5-1.

The Stingers have now dropped seven of its last eight games and have fallen to fourth in the five-team Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) division.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014 //

Opinion // sports

Best places to watch a sporting event La Station des Sports or La Cage aux Sports? Which is better?

Daniele Iannarone Staff writer

About a year ago, downtown Montreal sports bar and restaurant, La Station des Sports, completed its long renovation process. The result: La Station des Sports went from a small sports bar on St. Catherine street to being the biggest sports bar in the area. Today, the place has TVs everywhere you look and the food is reasonably priced. But the question is: is this where people want to watch a game, whether it’s hockey, soccer or football, in this city? Or is it the famous La Cage aux Sports? Or is it somewhere else, maybe?

For Concordia students Frank Racanelli, Matthew Shanahan, and Julian McKenzie, there is no better place than La Station des Sports, especially since its renovation.

Racanelli was quick to identify why he believes it’s the best spot to watch the big game, “Cool atmosphere, good food, competitive prices, newly renovated, and lots of TVs.” Shanahan echoed Racanelli’s thoughts: “The food and beer are pretty cheap and pretty good and so it’s a good value. It also has a good location and a good atmosphere, which is a key component for sports fans.”

“La Station des Sports has TV screens everywhere, good food, [you] can’t ask for more,” added McKenzie.

But some sports fans disagree. Concordia student Samuel Panarello and Vanier student Kyra Lo Russo still prefer the more traditional La Cage aux Sports.

“[La Cage aux Sports] has a great atmosphere for watching Habs games, in my opinion,” said Panarello. “I’m not really picky to be honest but the goal horn, the wings, the popcorn, [it] all adds up.”

Lo Russo, a long time hockey fanatic, agreed, “La Cage aux Sports. Great food and good environment.”

La Station des Sports and La Cage aux Sports are definitely some of the most franchised sports bars around the city. La Station des Sports has opened many new locations recently and now has six locations in the greater Montreal area (GMA), notably two downtown, two in Brossard, one in St. Leonard and one in Laval.

La Cage aux Sports, however, has been around a lot longer, and has 53 locations in Quebec, notably 12 locations in the GMA and has been a popular spot for Canadiens games and other big sporting events in the province.

In fact, they call themselves the official partners of the Montreal Canadiens.

Concordia student Christopher Scott, though, enjoys watching the big game at a less popular location.

“Personally, I prefer Chuck’s in PointeClaire,” Scott said. “It’s a small bar inside the golf dome. I prefer going there because it’s not too loud and you can enjoy the game while sharing a drink with your friends without coming out deaf after the game. Also, [it has] good food and drinks.”

McKibbin’s Irish Pub and Les Trois Brasseurs are also popular spots to watch the big game, but at the end of the day so many restaurants, in downtown Montreal especially, show the big game, whether it be the Habs game or another big sporting event, and it’s really up to the sports fans to choose a place based on the atmosphere they prefer. One thing is for certain, to enjoy a sports game, you need good food and beer and an excellent atmosphere, and these Concordia students have confirmed that places like La Station des Sports and La Cage aux Sports, among others, provide just that.

Upcoming Games // sports

Upcoming Stingers Games

Samantha Mileto Sports editor

Come support your Concordia Stingers! More info at Stingers.ca Women’s Basketball Friday, Feb. 7, 6 p.m. vs. Bishop’s at Bishop’s University Saturday, Feb. 8, 2 p.m. vs. Bishop’s at Loyola Men’s Basketball Friday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m. vs. Bishop’s at Bishop’s University Saturday, Feb. 8, 4 p.m. vs. Bishop’s at Loyola Men’s Hockey Friday, Feb. 7, 7 p.m. vs. Ottawa at University of Ottawa Saturday, Feb. 8, 2 p.m. vs. University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) at Loyola Women’s Hockey Saturday, Feb. 8, 2 p.m. vs. Ottawa at University of Ottawa Sunday, Feb. 9, 3 p.m. vs. McGill at Loyola Men’s Indoor Soccer Sunday, Feb. 9, 4 p.m. Concordia vs. UQTR at Université du Québec à TroisRivières Women’s Indoor Soccer Sun., Feb. 9, 2 p.m. Concordia vs. UQTR at Université du Québec à TroisRivières

13

Sports in the News Chris Cordella Staff writer

>> Seahawks win Super Bowl title The Seattle Seahawks have won their first championship in franchise history. On Sunday night, in one of the most shocking blowouts in Super Bowl history, Seattle beat the Denver Broncos 43-8. The game had the number one offence in the NFL in Denver going up against the number one ranked defence in Seattle. However, Denver simply could not solve the Seahawk defence, right from the game’s opening drive. Broncos QB Peyton Manning finished the game with two interceptions and a fumble, whereas the Seahawks were great in all three facets of the game.

They caused four turnovers of the Broncos offence and even though Manning completed a Super Bowl record 34 passes, they could not stretch the field. They only averaged five yards per completion. The Seattle offence didn’t get enough credit for its impact on the game, with sophomore QB Russell Wilson throwing two touchdowns and running back Marshawn Lynch running one in for a touchdown.

Yet, special teams might have had the most crushing play of the night that cemented the win and ended all possibility of a comeback.

>> Seahawks linebacker Malcolm Smith named Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith came up with one of the defining moments in the game in the second quarter, returning a Peyton Manning interception 69 yards for a touchdown that made it 22-0 at the time. He’s the first defensive player to win MVP in 11 years. The last time it happened was Super Bowl XXXVII, when Dexter Jackson won it for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003.

>> One week left in the NHL until Olympic break

The Montreal Canadiens will play three games this week before the Olympic break. The Habs will play on Tuesday against the Calgary Flames, Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks and Saturday against the Carolina Hurricanes.

They return to action on Feb. 26 against the Detroit Red Wings. The Canadiens will be sending seven players to the Olympic games in Sochi, including goalies Carey Price and Peter Budaj, defencemen PK Subban, Andrei Markov and Alexei Emelin, and forwards Tomas Plekanec and Max Pacioretty.

opinions

14

//

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2014

Write to the editor: opinions@theconcordian.com Editorial // opinions

It’s not just about the food — it’s about where we eat it Part of revamping the food at Concordia should include better spaces to eat There’s nothing quite like the screech of a chair being slid across the floor in the library building cafeteria. The metal chair leg connecting with the concrete tile is a sound that can be likened to fingernails on a chalkboard, only infinitely louder because of the close confines in which diners find themselves.

The cafeteria in the library building is one of the least welcoming places to eat.

The dining area is small, the tables are wobbly, the chairs not only screech when moved but are hard and uncomfortable to sit on. Furthermore, the proximity of diners to the bathrooms is less than appetizing.

In the Hall building there are more options for places to eat, but they aren’t anymore welcoming. Java-U requires that

you buy one of its over-priced sandwiches or beverages to sit in its comfortable dining area. The Zest Dining Hall on the seventh floor of the Hall building also requires you to buy from them if you want to eat in their dining space.

If you brought your food from home you can sit in the café on the fourth floor of the Hall building, where the tables are small and seating is cramped. You could try to get a seat in one of the booths, also on the fourth floor, but they are usually taken.

If you want, the seventh floor offers plenty of tables, chairs and couches.

Unfortunately, if you can’t grab a proper table and chair you will be forced to eat from either your lap while sitting on a couch or armchair, or else by bending

over the low tables that resemble the ones found in living rooms.

The Loyola campus provides even less comfortable dining space. If you’re not in the cafeteria, where it’s noisy and the chairs are plastic, you have to go searching for a random and sparingly placed table or chair, although you can’t always find both together. There is usually a cluster of tables and chairs around the cafés, but seating is limited and again not very comfortable.

The best place to eat at either campus is arguably the G-lounge which provides plenty of tables and chairs and a comfortable atmosphere to enjoy one’s food. Furthermore, said food doesn’t have to have been purchased from the G-lounge in order to dine there.

Other than the G-lounge, most of the dining areas provided by Concordia invite scarfing down one’s food as quickly as possible, rather than taking a much needed break and enjoying one’s food.

A typical student has a jam-packed day and good nutrition is an important part of being able to keep up with a busy schedule. Better, more comfortable dining spaces would provide students with the opportunity to pause, relax and enjoy their food, rather than rushing to eat because seating is limited, it’s crowded and they’re sitting somewhere unpleasant.

In light of the fact that the CSU and Concordia are both looking to overhaul the food offered on campus, they should also consider overhauling the dining areas.

Super bowl // opinions

Super Bowl madness affects scores of viewers

The annual finals football game has appeal for everyone, whether or not they’re sport fans Chelsea Berne Contributor

It’s that time of year again. Super Bowl Sunday has come and gone with four hours jam packed with football, advertising, and performances.

Some football fans consider the NFL championship game to be as sacred as apple

pie, and others watch it for reasons besides the main game.

We can’t help but jump on the Super Bowl’s over-hyped bandwagon every year when it offers all sports and non-sports fans something to look forward to.

Yes, the Super Bowl is over-hyped and over-anticipated, but it wouldn’t be the Super Bowl otherwise. This day is about being extra loud, and eating the excessively greasy food that you’ll be feeling guilty about while

running that extra 20-minutes on the treadmill the next day. It’s also about laughing at the entertaining commercials, and singing along with the halftime performers. This year was no different.

The Super Bowl commercials are usually the biggest appeal, featuring a range of entertainment for everyone to enjoy. Over the years, these ads have taken on a life of their own. Many big time companies, like Pepsi and yogurt company, Oikos, have even re-

Superbowl XLVIII aired sunday, february 2 to large numbers of eagerly awaiting football fans. Photo by chschulz, flickr

leased sneak previews of its eagerly-awaited commercials to add more anticipation.

The halftime shows always deliver an amusing performance. It’s one of the best parts of the night and usually gets people talking. Who can forget Prince’s performance a couple years back? Or Beyonce’s “blackout” performance, where the stadium lights unexpectedly went out? These performers pump us up for the rest of the game and add an undeniable “flare” to the event.

As for the game: even if your favorite team isn’t playing, that doesn’t mean you can’t watch and enjoy every action-packed second. It’s easy to find a new team to root for that night, you only have two to choose from.

For those skeptics who are reading this and saying, “I don’t buy into the hype,” chances are you were looking for something to do for the Super Bowl come Sunday night. You were likely glued to the TV talking about the latest Doritos commercial, that epic touchdown pass, or Bruno Mars’ performance. In one way or another, the majority of us will have found ourselves in front of the TV screen, nachos in one hand, beer in another. We’ve all been there, and most of us continue to gather and do it every year.

Honestly, there are always going to be those who really don’t enjoy football. They won’t know the difference between a punt and a run, or what power turns are… but who cares! You are sure to find something that’ll interest you, even if it’s that sexylooking wide receiver…I’m talking to you, Eric Decker. Don’t fight the hype: let the flow of Super Bowl madness in, and pull you along for the ride.

Open letter // opinions

Why one student can’t stick to his “beliebs” Marco Saveriano Staff writer

Brit boy-bander Harry

Styles turned 20 this past weekend. As a gift to him, One Direction fans world-

wide took to Twitter, trending hashtags like #20reasonswhyweloveharry to

express their undying love and admiration.

@DPaparazzis #reasonsweloveharry he ate an orange during an award show @harryss_mine #reasonsweloveharry @Harry_ Styles He has better legs than most girls @Cardaniee_1D #20ReasonsWhyWeLoveHarry he always looks so soft and fluffy @cclars_11 #20ReasonsWhyWeLoveHarry he chooses to wear ripped, old, or ragged clothes even when he could buy the most expensive suit in the world

So, how was jail? Was it as entertaining as it looks on Orange Is The New Black? Did you meet anybody special? A 300-pound man named Shirley perhaps? Did Selena Gomez leave you a laughter-filled voicemail?

All jokes aside, do you realize how stupid you look right now? Or that you could’ve seriously hurt somebody? Not only were you driving at twice the legal speed limit, but you were high and had been drinking. I don’t care if you’re “young and stupid” — we’re the same age. I don’t buy that excuse.

Now, let’s discuss your fans for a second.

I’m not going to lecture you about being a role model or about how impressionable your young audience is, because honestly, that’s not your problem. It’s not a 19-year-old singer’s job to teach large numbers of children right from wrong. Parents are supposed to do that.

Your (very dedicated) fanbase was obviously devastated after hearing about your arrest, as hashtags like “#FreeBieber” and “#PrayForJustin” were trending on Twitter.

Thousands of teenage girls worldwide are petitioning for the freedom of a stranger who was just arrested for something as reckless as a DUI. There’s something very wrong with that fact.

Then again, we’re talking about the same fans who trended the hashtag “#CutForJustin.”

It worries me that they’re so dedicated to you, and that they cannot understand or accept the fact that you did something illegal.

Growing up, I poured over gossip maga-

zines, yet here I am, completely normal. I witnessed some of my favourite stars do incredibly stupid things and I never once thought, “Hmm, driving drunk and getting arrested looks fun!” What I’m trying to tell you is simple: it’s time to grow up. It would be one thing if you were still a regular teenager back in Stratford, ON where you could egg a neighbour’s house or get in a fight, and it wouldn’t be headlining news. Unfortunately, you’re not. You’re an internationally known celebrity, and you know that everything you do is documented and discussed.

I know that you’re young and this is when you’re supposed to make mistakes, but didn’t you learn a lesson after the whole Brazilian brothel debacle a few months back? Or after the many assault allegations? If you really didn’t learn your lesson, then one would think you’d smarten up after egging your neighbour’s house, but you didn’t.

I don’t know about the people you hang out with, but my friends would definitely not put up with me acting like that. Where’s your mother?! Where’s your father? Oh wait, he was right beside you when you got arrested.

Maybe we found the problem.

I think it’s time you take a well-deserved break from the spotlight. You’re a laughing stock right now, but it’s only a matter of time until the next celebrity “downward spiral” takes over the headlines. So, what I mean to say is stop being a douchebag, accept the consequences of your actions, and just pray that you don’t get deported. Trust me, Canada doesn’t want you any more than America does.

Yours truly, Marco

@jeanmaarco #20reasonswhyweloveharry he defeated voldemort, what’s not to love about him?

Amanda L. Shore Editor-in-Chief editor@theconcordian.com Nathalie Laflamme Production manager production@theconcordian.com Tim Weynerowski Sloane Montgomery News editors news@theconcordian.com Sabrina Giancioppi Life editor life@theconcordian.com Roa Abdel-Gawad Arts editor arts@theconcordian.com Jessica Romera Music editor music@theconcordian.com Samantha Mileto Sports editor sports@theconcordian.com Casandra De Masi Opinions editor opinions@theconcordian.com Keith Race Photo editor photo@theconcordian.com Natasha Taggart Online editor online@theconcordian.com Jennifer Kwan Graphics editor graphics@theconcordian.com

@gxccizouis21 #20ReasonsWhyWeLoveHarry He dressed up as Miley for Halloween and called her to make sure she didnt get offended

Elizabeth Tomaras Christina Rowan Milos Kovacevic Copy editors copy@theconcordian.com

@AllThingsTommo #20ReasonsWhyWeLoveHarry he’s a millionaire yet only has 2 pairs of jeans.

Marilla Steuter-Martin Besher Al Maleh Production assistants

@carrot_forever #20ReasonsWhyWeLoveHarry Dresses up like a rice farmer while the others are looking all badass...

7141 Sherbrooke St. Building CC-Rm 431 Montreal, QC H4B 1R6 514-848-2424 ext. 7499 (Editor-in-Chief)

@MalikMaTitties #20ReasonsWhyWeLoveHarry HE TRIED DRAWING ON PITBULLS HEAD NEVER FORGET

Pascale Cardin Business manager business@theconcordian.com Tyson Lowrie Cindy Lopez Ruben Bastien Board of directors directors@theconcordian.com

@xnarrylife #20ReasonsWhyWeLoveHarry he tripped over a dog and went back to apologise to it @littlebumstyles #ReasonsWeLoveHarry IM READING THROUGH THIS HASHTAG AND CRYING I LOVE THIS CURLY HAIRED GOOFBALL MORE THAN IVE EVER LOVED ANYTHING ELSE OK

Tuesday, Feb 4 2014 Vol. 31 Issue 20

Justin Bieber has become a cautionary tale in the industry. photo by Cristian Da Silba, Flickr

Contributors Evan Scamnel,Olivia RangerEnns, Candice Yee, Barbara Madimenos,Jocelyn Beaudet, Véronique Rosa,Elijah Bukreev, Tomer Shavit, Michelle Gamage, Frédéric T. Muckle, Marilla Steuter-Martin, Paul Traunero, Andrew Davis, Tim Lazier, Daniele Iannarone,Chris Cordella, Chelsea Berne, Marco Saveriano, Julian McKenzie, Justinas Staskevicius, Jonathan Cohen

theconcordian

Dear Justin Bieber...

Concordia’s weekly, independent student newspaper.

ART: Birds of Prey @ FOFA until Feb. 14 Bettina Hoffman’s Drain @ OBORO until Feb. 22 In the Night Room @ Articule until Feb. 23 Peter Doig: No Foreign Lands @ MMFA until May.4

THEATRE: The Seagull @ Segal Centre until Feb. 16 Lysistrata @ Victoria Hall Feb. 8 Shhh...Just Let It Happen @ Theatre Ste-Catherine until Feb. 8 The Book of Bob @ Centaur Theatre until Mar. 2

MUSIC: Mountain Dust, She’s @ Barfly Feb.4 Monogrenade @ La Tulipe Feb.5 MORDICUS Album Launch @ Divan Orange Feb.5 Thee Silver Mt. Zion @ Rialto Theatre Feb.6 David Ward @ Le Cagibi Feb.7 Destroyer @ Il Motore Feb.7 Igloofest @ Old Port of Montreal until Feb.8

OTHER : The Spaces of Religion and Identity @ EV 3.719 Feb. 5 Recycled Cinema: Found-Footage Filmmaking @ FB 407 Feb.6 We Wait In Darkness @ MAI until Feb. 8 Double Indemnity @ VA-114 Feb. 9 Honour Your Word @ Cinema Politica Feb. 10 Spectacular China @ Place des Arts until Mar. 1