September 15, 2022

VOLUME 40, ISSUE 1

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1973

STUDENTS VOTE TO STRIKE

Student associations prepare to strike for a fall reading week Students from different associations are working together to strike in October

BY HANNAH TIONGSON Co-News Editor

V

arious members of the associations (MAs) are holding their respective Annual General Meetings (AGM) throughout this week, voting on whether or not to participate in a one-week-long student strike for a fall reading week.

Several student associa-

ISSUE I

tions, part of the Arts and Science Federation Association (ASFA),, will come together on Oct. 3 to 7 to picket classes if the mandate is passed .

Unlike other universities across Quebec, Concordia does not have a reading week during the fall semester. The university announced in 2021 its plan to implement a 12-week term and a fall reading week. However,

the break will only begin in the summer term of 2023.

During the MA retreat last May, ASFA executives took it upon themselves to plan a student strike and shared their plans with other associations .

Following numerous conversations amongst the different associations and the ASFA team at the retreat, the Urban Planning Association (UPA) was the first student group to hold an AGM on August 15th and get the mandate to strike .

According to Torben Laux, president of UPA, ASFA is working closely

with different associations to coordinate the strike.

“At the moment, they’re going to be setting up a little package on how to strike how to picket. Students will not come to classes. No assignments are allowed to be submitted, and no quizzes are allowed to be handed out,” explained Laux.

It’s a lot of work, but I think it’s really exciting, especially after two years of doing not much. I think it will give younger students a really great opportunity to live through a strike. So, I think it will make people feel really empowered,” Laux added.

Ashley Torres, mobilization coordinator for ASFA, also expressed her frustraCONTINUED ON PAGE 4

VOL. XL CONCORDIA ON MARS Robotics team flies to Poland for international rover-building competition

BY SIMON FEISTHAUER FOURNET Assistant News Editor

THOMAS VAILLANCOURT/THE CONCORDIAN

Last weekend, Space Concordia (SC) competed in the 2022 edition of the European Rover Challenge (ERC), an international space and robotics event based on reallife scenarios from European Space Agency and NASA missions. The event is centred around technological developments for space exploration, the ultimate goal of the ERC being to eventually become a benchmark and test trial for planetary robotic activities.

The competition allows teams from all over the world to present their mobile robot designs and compete against each other.

SC is dedicated to the development of space technology and is organized into four divisions: robotics, rocketry, spacecraft and space health. The student organization was founded in 2010 and has since grown to over 150 members at Concordia.

From Sept. 9 to 11, the Robotics team travelled to Kielce, Poland, to test out its own Rover robot in a CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

THURSDAY Sept. 15, 2022

In this Issue: SPORTS

A bright future lies ahead for Concordia’s baseball team Pg. 3 Stingers’ football looking to get back on track in upcoming homecoming game Pg. 4 COMMUNITY

Five events you’ll regret missing this month Pg. 5 OPINIONS

Are your pretty notes worth the Tik Tok views? Pg. 6 ARTS

Indigenous language classes being taught in Mon Pg. 7 MUSIC

On Repeat: Summer Edition Pg. 8 Quickspins: Patient Number 9 Pg. 8 Rema Beachclub Review Pg. 8 ↓↓↓ Read more on theconcordian.com

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News

NEWS

THURSDAY Sept. 15, 2022

Sign Up for → our Newsletter ← The rover built by Space Concordia for this year’s European Rover Challenge.

COURTESY SPACE CONCORDIA

SPACE CONCORDIA TAKES PART IN ROVER CHALLENGE on the world’s largest arti- Space Concordia joined ficial Martian track in the the competition in-person.

Martian-like environment. Kielce University of TechThe team ran into some This year’s ERC was held nology. Eleven people from complications that limited

on and be out in an actual competition environment rather than just seeing it go around the University,” said William Wells, the technical lead and software co-lead from the Robotics team.

Wells explained that each year, the ERC changes the artificial Martian track to model a different type of location on Mars.

“This year it was a volcanic location [...] it was really cool to actually see it and get to put a Rover out there and drive around,” Wells said.

After the stress of the competition, the team is tired yet happy to have had the opportunity to attend the ERC and practice their skills.

“It was an incredible experience actually getting to go to a competition in person because most of us on the team never got to go to an in-person competition since the pandemic,” said Wells.

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CONTINUED FROM COVER

the amount of time they had to assemble the Rover. This prevented the team from completing one of the four tasks they had set out to do: navigation, maintenance, science and collection and probing.

“The assembly was frantic but we did it,” said Philippe Fernie, mechanical co-lead for the Robotics team. “We got the Rover at three o’clock on Friday which was the first day of competition and everyone got together to assemble it. We got it done within four hours, which is very fast.”

The team still managed to go through three of the ERC challenges. The various tasks included trying out a hypothesis they wanted to test in a Martian environment and manoeuvring the Rover to put probes into the soil and scoop out dirt to conduct some tests. These exercises allowed the robotics team to practice with their Rover in real-life conditions.

“It really helped the team too, I think, to see if the Rover could actually perform the tasks

WELCOME BACK

Here’s a very warm welcome to all new and returning students.

Let’s deliver a great term for everyone.

Looking forward to seeing you soon,

Graham Carr President graham.carr@concordia.ca

SPORTS

THURSDAY Sept. 15, 2022

A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME A bright future lies ahead for Concordia’s baseball team

BY ALICE MARTIN | Assistant Sports Editor

After a season-opening 6-3 win against the McGill Redbirds on Sept.

6 at Pierre Elliot Trudeau Park, the Concordia Stingers and their head coach Howie Schwartz are optimis-

3

tic about their upcoming season and their future in varsity baseball.

This year, the Stingers will be competing against teams from the Ontario University Athletics (OUA), as well as other Quebec universities who are trying out for a potential new league for the 2023-24 season with the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ).

“We have four teams now: Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, McGill, Concordia, and University of Montreal.

Bishop’s is going to be available next year, and then we’ll have an official league. We’re playing those three teams unofficially on a sixteen-game schedule and in the OUA on a sixteen-game schedule,” said Schwartz.

The coach also expressed a lot of satisfaction and confidence in his team, which is mostly made up of rookies.

“Our team is just much stronger defensively. We’ve had three games so far and our defence has picked up considerably from

Sports

Stingers player Miguel Garofalo (#24) takes first base.

CATHERINE REYNOLDS/THE CONCORDIAN

Pictured: Corrin Chapeskie (#14).

CATHERINE REYNOLDS/THE CONCORDIAN

last year. I still want to see some improvement with our hitting, but even [that] has strengthened.”

Out of a roster of 40, only about 12 are returning from the 2021-22 season. However, Schwartz noticed that the rookies have been acclimating nicely to the program. Due to his heavy recruitment efforts in the off-season, some of those recruits came from as far as B.C. to play for the Stingers.

Catcher Mack Lake, a first-year student in economics from B.C., said he wanted to stay in Canada to play baseball in university. His first meeting with Schwartz cemented his decision to come to Concordia.

“Howie was just wonderful. Talking to him was really nice and I felt like he wanted me to come,” said Lake, a baseball player for almost a decade.

“Most of all, on the mound, we have a much stronger and deep pitching staff, and, at this level, pitching is going to make a difference.

I’m very pleased with our pitchers this year,” continued Schwartz.

Against McGill, such a bullpen was beneficial to the team. Due to a rotation of five talented pitchers, the Redbirds’ batting lineup could never get used to any one of them. But that same bullpen will be stretched thinner as they prepare for an intense week ahead.

The Stingers will be facing the Redbirds for the third time this season on Sept. 20.

“They’re surely going to be ready for us. They don’t like losing to us and we don’t like losing to them,” said Schwartz with a chuckle.

On Sept. 12, the Stingers played an exhibition game against the John Abbott College Islanders that resulted in a 10-8 win for Concordia. The Stingers will be headed to Trois-Rivières for an exhibition doubleheader against Collège Laflèche on Saturday, while their next league double-header will take place on Sunday in Ottawa against Carleton University.

SPORTS

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THURSDAY Sept. 15, 2022

STINGERS’ FOOTBALL HOPES TO GET BACK ON TRACK

CATHERINE REYNOLDS/THE CONCORDIAN

The football team wants to redeem itself after a tough first couple of games.

BY MARIA BOUABDO | Sports Editor

After a season-opening 6-With a difficult start to the season and an early bye week, the Concordia Stingers are looking to bounce back in their homecoming game against the

McGill Redbirds on Saturday.

The Stingers played their last game on Sept. 3 at Sherbrooke and fell 23-24 to the Vert & Or. Concordia is currently 0-2 on the season and ranked before last in the conference, in the Réseau du Sport Étudiant du Québec (RSEQ).

Stingers’ quarterback Olivier Roy said that this bye week was mostly about focusing on the mental aspect of the game.

“The only thing we want to do is get back on the field and get a chance to redeem ourselves,” he said.

But with bye week, it was a long two weeks without games, so the Stingers wanted to make sure everyone was still focused.

“Our execution level has to be better than what it was for our first two games,” Roy said, which is something they work on by practicing. “One of the good things about bye weeks is that you get a head start on your opponent when they’re still focusing on the game they have [that] week.”

Roy added that they were already looking at McGill film last week while the Redbirds

Pictured: Torben Laux, president of the Urban Planning Student Association.

THOMAS VAILLANCOURT/THE CONCORDIAN

STUDENTS VOTE TO STRIKE CONTINUED FROM COVER

tion with the university .

“There’s no point for us to really wait that extra year… due to the pandemic, the past few years have been extremely difficult and challenging for students, especially [regarding] our mental health, and

we deserve a long week break for classes,” said Torres.

In a written statement sent to The Concordian, Concordia explained the delay in implementing the break.

“Schedules for the full university are usually made a few years in advance, and transitioning from a 13-week to

12-week term is a significant adjustment for programs that have designed their curriculum around a 13-week course, especially programs that are subject to accreditation rules.

Given this, we are now doing the academic planning, training, logistics, and providing support and resources to faculty to ensure a successful transition to 12-week terms as of Summer 2023,” read the statement.

were still preparing for their game against Sherbrooke.

Something the team is looking to improve on is to start the game at a faster pace, and to play throughout the entire 60 minutes.

The Stingers had a better start in their second game scoring first, but they emphasized the need to play a full game.

Head coach Brad Collinson said the message over the past two weeks has been to “play Concordia football the way we know we can play,” which is something he Regardless, student associations have decided to gather and raise their concerns.

Another group that recently passed a motion to strike last Friday is the Geography Undergrad Student Society (GUSS) is working with UPA to spread the word about the upcoming strike by sending out emails and preparing flyers.

Liv Aspden, president of GUSS, explains that the student strike will take place during the first week of October to mobilize and emphasize better student care.

“I’m not going to have a week off. We’re going to be striking, and we’re going to picketing classes… we’re not going to get a break because we’re going to be obviously standing up for

said they haven’t done yet.

Collinson added that bye weeks are never really fun but they are an opportunity to improve.

“We think we got better during the week… we practiced three times, we cleaned up some things,” he said.

“We have to go out there and have fun and have a pleasure being out there on the football field. Guys spend a lot of work for this, we just want them to have fun and be loose,” Collinson concluded.

what we know is right and what should be happening, and just holding the university accountable for things that haven’t taken place,” said Aspend.

COMMUNITY

THURSDAY Sept. 15, 2022

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Community KAITLYNN RODNEY/THE CONCORDIAN

Montreal events roundup for September 2022 Five events that won’t break the bank.

BY DALIA NARDOLILLO | Community Editor

This duo from brazil, had the idea of putting a projector in their bicycle and as they pedal, their creations will appear on the wall. They will be performing on Sept. 17. accompanied by fascinating projections.

CATHERINE REYNOLDS/THE CONCORDIAN

EVENTS

Septembers in Montreal are known for pleasant weather and the nonstop events that occur during the entire month.

The best part about living in this city is that whatever you’re into, there’s surely an event for you.

Here are five events that you should check out this month.

First on the list is the World Press Photo Exhibition, for all the shutterbugs out there.

Currently underway at the Bonsecours Market in the Old Port, this event launched on Aug. 31 and runs until Oct. 2.

Among the photographs on display is the winner of the World Press Photo of the Year 2022 — Amber Bracken’s Kamloops Residential School. General admission for the exhibition is $15.

If you want a change in scenery, visit the Gardens of Light at the Montreal Botanical Gardens from Sept. 2 until Oct. 31. Here you can witness nature in all its glory right in front of your eyes.

You can take a walk through the Chinese, Japanese and First Nations gardens and admire the lanterns that line them. The price of this event ranges from $11 to $22.

Next up, calling all tattoo lovers! The Montreal Art Tattoo Show is taking place at the Windsor Station from Sept. 16 - 18. The event brings tattoo artists from all over the world together. Interested visitors can book appointments directly with the artists through Instagram or Facebook. The general entrance fee is $25.

The 18th edition of the Montreal International Black Film Festival is taking place from Sept. 20 - 25 in cinemas across the Quartier des spectacles, near Place-des-Arts. This showcase is the only officially bilingual Black film festival of its kind in North America.

Information regarding different venues and prices can be found on the event’s website.

Finally, for something truly unique, visit the MAPP_MTL festival, kicking off on Sept. 21 and wrapping up on Sept. 25.

This event is completely free and will take place in Mile End and the Quartier des spectacles. Expect performances by v arious artists, like VJ SUAVE.

THOMAS VAILLANCOURT/THE CONCORDIAN

THOMAS VAILLANCOURT/THE CONCORDIAN

OPINION

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Opinions

THURSDAY Sept. 15, 2022

BY JOELLE JALBERT | Opinions Editor

Whether you love it or hate it, backto-school season is here. This also means that back-to-school content is flooding your Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok accounts.

Although I love a good “tips and tricks” guide on how to be successful in school, I can’t help but notice it’s always the same advice, given by the same Type A people.

Getting ready to go back to school now is not just about making sure your pencil is sharpened, but also ensuring that all aspects of your life are in order before beginning this new chapter.

You have to clean out your work space, test out all your pens, buy new supplies, have healthy breakfast and lunch ideas ready, all to guarantee an even better student lifestyle.

Having your life organized makes sense to start the new school year, but why do we often feel the need to be so aesthetic in our organization?

In this digital age, a digital cleanse of all our unneeded documents, photos, contacts, etc., on all our devices is also necessary.

Speaking of devices, the iPad-fornote-taking craze is upon us. Maybe I’m late to the trend but I have to admit I tried it last year and it really has changed my life for the better.

My back is thanking me for carrying just a small tablet that contains all my readings and notes for five classes.

You could tell me that since people have been typing notes on their laptops for years now, what’s so special about the iPad? Well, let me tell you, the iPad has an aesthetic that the laptop doesn’t.

As someone who always liked to doodle, highlight and annotate my readings, I can do that with my iPad and still feel the satisfaction of writing on a good old piece of paper — almost.

I’m not the only iPad note-taker who will advocate for this; it’s what all the studying content online will tell you, too.

Whether it’s on their tablet or in a notebook, the experts in note-taking all have one thing in common: their notes are aesthetically pleasing.

But does looking at pretty notes really equal better studying?

In a study conducted by neurobiologists Tomohiro Ishizu and Semir Zeki, subjects were presented with visual art while they listened to music. They would then rate the songs and art pieces in order to measure whether their brain activity changed or increased once put in contact with stimuli they considered “beautiful.”

The study found that when looking at something they found beautiful, brain activity intensified for the subjects, including increased blood-flow in the medial orbito-fron-

tal cortex, which has been associated with reward, pleasure and judgment.

So on top of just finding them pretty, looking at aesthetically-pleasing notes might give us a sense of accomplishment and reward, but this does not automatically mean we will retain information better.

A lot of the time, aesthetically pleasing notes are more than just pretty; they’re organized, detailed and colour-coded — all of which helps people to review the material better.

On the flip side, you can have detailed, organized and well-structured notes without them being aesthetically pleasing.

So why does all the studying content we see online have such a focus on aesthetics?

After reading the aforementioned study I realized that for me, it might be to feel a little sense of control in what seems like an overwhelming challenge: university.

Even though I know deep down that it doesn’t do anything for me academically, I will continue to try my best at calligraphy and highlighting my sub-titles this semester just to make me feel better.

OLDS /THE CONC O REYN CATH

ERINE

Are they really worth the time and energy?

R D IA N

What is it with aesthetically pleasing notes?

Letters to the Editor

GOT SOMETHING TO SAY? Submit letters to editor@theconcordian.com

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ARTS

THURSDAY Sept. 15, 2022

Arts

WALK-THROUGH REVIEW : THE WORLD PRESS PHOTO EXHIBITION The World Press Photo Exhibition promises beautiful yet riveting photography

BY LILY BLANKENSHIP Contributor

The 2022 World Press Photo Exhibition, which opened at Montreal’s Marché Bonsecours last week, delivers solidly on the organization’s diversity mandate.

Founded in 1955, the World Press Photo Foundation hosts an annual photography competition which, according to their website, encourages “diverse accounts of the world that present stories with different perspectives.”

The photos are excellent, and the range of styles is breathtaking. Some images appear to be simple reportage of extraordinary situations, while others are far from basic in their highly stylized approach. Boundaries between reporting and art aren’t blurred, they’re gone.

A photo of Indigenous Australians burning undergrowth in the West Arnhem Region is composed like a Jean-François Millet painting. A man wearing a gas mask, shot in extreme close-up, looks a lot like a Mapplethorpe model in rubber fetish wear.

It takes a few minutes to see past the surface of these images, hung from wires in the cavernous gallery, and even longer to grasp any sort of context.

Explanations are required, as well as time to process them in the presence of the pictures.

Captions help, but cannot compensate for the limitations imposed by the space.

Event organizers have included caption panels in the installation, written in English and French, placed at both ends of each photo series.

People visit the World photo expo, at Marche Beausecours. The Photo on the left is taken by Amber Bracken this years prize winner of the year.

KAITLYNN RODNEY/THE CONCORDIAN

This seems like a generous invitation to approach a grouping from either side.

The effect, however, is a lack of flow which approaches chaos when the gallery fills up.

Large-scale photographs face each other across narrow aisles. Even during off-peak hours, people back into each other trying to take it all in. Viewing an image from multiple perspectives requires strategic planning.

The room is impressive but seems to have more vertical space than actual floor space for patrons. Lingering to contemplate, or to read, is often not an option.

Overall, the content of the show is the usual suspects of journalism: unfortunate people

in regions of conflict, marginalized people whose voices have been muted, people of colour suffering unspeakable grief.

There is an odd beauty to these pictures. The photographers lure us with their art, drawing us close enough to see the painful truth. It’s a gut punch, but a punch worth taking.

A visit to the gallery’s second floor might serve as a palate cleanser on the way out. Justine Latour’s lush collection of photos entitled Claire 107 Years Old showcases the beautiful, ordinary life of Montreal resident Claire Sigouin.

E x h i b i t i o n s p o k e s p e rson Caroline Monnet’s brash and shiny exhibition Ikwewak (Women) portrays

Canadian First Nations women in a refreshing, delightfully complex light.

These scenes of contentment and optimism let some air into the room, but in no way diminish its solemnity. The show is beautiful, but uncomfortably real.

World Press Photo Exhibition runs daily until October 2, Sunday to Wednesday, 10am to 10pm, Thursday to Saturday 10am to midnight. Regular admission: $15, students: $12, 12 years and under: free.

Early or late weekday visits recommended to avoid crowds.

Marche Bonsecours, 325 de la Commune East (Champs-de-Mars Metro)

Native Montreal seeks to make indigenous language learning accessible Native Montreal offers classes teaching many Indigenous languages.

BY JEREMY COX | Assistant Arts Editor

Native Montreal is a non-profit organization offering free language classes to the community starting Sept. 19, prioritising Indigenous students but open to all.

The organization was founded in 2014 to contribute to the well-being of Indigenous families and members of the greater Tiohtià:ke/Montreal area. It offers different services ranging from wellness and health to cultural activities, with the objective of self-determination all while advocating for Indigenous ways of knowing.

Language coordinator and First Peoples Studies student at

MASTHEAD Editor-in-Chief: Gabriel Guindi editor@theconcordian.com Managing Editor: Bogdan Lytvynenko managing@theconcordian.com Creative Director: Lily Cowper creative@theconcordian.com Board of Directors: Alex Hutchins, Aviva Majerczyk, Lillian Roy, Chloe Lalonde, Maggie Hope board@theconcordian.com Business Manager: Lithun Sarker

Concordia Sarah Paul discussed her role in the organization with The Concordian. She is from the W̱SÁNEĆ nation, located in what is known as Victoria, BC. “Indigenous language classes haven’t been widely available in the past. I believe now is a time for reclamation and revitalization for Indigenous people,” she said.

She notes a current renewal of Indigenous languages across Canada. “We see people creating classes and new education systems.” For instance, the University of Victoria started a year-long diploma program focusing entirely on Indige-

Social Media: Claudia Juarez Advertising: Xiyu Cheng, Ambar Srivastava Distribution: OPEN Head Copy Editor: Cris Derfel Copy Editors: Lucy Farcnik, Evleen Kaur Features Editor: Evan Lindsay Features Assistant: Nikoo Pajoom News Editors: Hannah Tiongson, Lucas Marsh News Assistant: Simon Fournier Sports Editor: Maria Bouabdo Sports Assistant: Alice Martin Community Editor: Dalia Nardolillo Opinions Editor: Joelle Jalbert

nous language revitalization.

What is unique about Native Montreal is that their classes are entirely free to the public and are not governed by university guidelines.

Paul coordinates Indigenous language classes, such as Inuktitut, Innu, Abenaki, Anishinaabemowin, Kanien’kéha, and just recently Atikamekw, while hoping to expand to the teaching of Cree among other languages. One of her goals is to focus on getting Tiohtià:ke/Montreal’s youth more involved in learning Indigenous languages. She notes that the majority of people attend-

Arts Editor: Esther Morand Arts Assistant: Jeremy Cox Music Editor: Guillaume Laberge Music Assistant: Saro Houtanian Photo Editor: Catherine Reynolds Photographers: Kaitlynn Rodney, Thomas Vaillancourt Video Editor: Jordan Tsering Videographers: Hayat Odowa, OPEN Graphics Editor: James Fay Graphic Artist: Carleen Loney Production Designer: Jordan Utting

ing classes are in their 20s, while few youths attend events.

Being a student in the First Peoples Studies program helped her connect with Indigenous communities from different places across Canada and even in the US, as well as with students, teachers, and elders.

Paul noted that “It’s crucial when you’re working within a community program. You have to have those connections. It’s a huge part of our identity and it goes a long way to helping us make programs for the community.”

“In that respect, it’s helped me, and being able

to study every day about the current political and social issues also helps to navigate my role as a language program provider,” she added. “I look at language as a reflection of identity, and for us, as Indigenous people, it is a huge part of our identity that we lost, and reclaiming that is of course another huge part of getting back in touch with that.”

“It’s not just about grammar, it’s about identity, it’s about our culture, and there’s so much intertwined in language itself that you can’t learn a language without talking about the culture and about the land.”

The Concordian is an independent, entirely student-run newspaper operated by graduate and undergraduate students at Concordia University in Montreal, QC. This newspaper is a registered nonprofit and Concordia fee-levy group governed by a Board of Directors. Membership is open to all interested students. You can access information about our bylaws, policies, and funding via theconcordian.com.

Pitch meetings for The Concordian are held twice weekly in our head office at 10 AM on Wednesdays and Fridays and are open to the public.

Head office:

Loyola Campus, Room CC-431 (Next to CJLO) 7141 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal QC

For general inquiries contact: info@theconcordian.com

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THURSDAY Sept. 15, 2022

Music with me the most. There are so many layers and tempo switches to this track that it makes you sit on the edge of your seat for its entire duration.

BAD HABIT | STEVE LACY

ON REPEAT: SUMMER EDITION Our Music Editors share what they’ve been listening to over the summer.

Summer 2022 saw the birth of countless projects, some more memorable than others. Regardless, here are the songs I have been obsessed with for the past four months — hopefully you’ll discover something new here.

GUILLAUME LABERGE, MUSIC EDITOR COUNT ME OUT | KENDRICK LAMAR

Of the many songs I could have chosen from Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, “Count Me Out” is the one that stuck

Whether it was on TikTok or on the radio, this song was inescapable over the summer, and for good reason.

With “Bad Habit,” Steve Lacy crafted an indie pop anthem that contains arguably the catchiest chorus of the year.

BIG ASS BRACELET | WESTSIDE GUNN

The Flygod himself dropped perhaps the underground rap song of the year with “Big Ass Bracelet.” The soul sample used in the track is so mesmerising that it took me at least ten listens to realize that he was saying something over this angelic drumless instrumental.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS SUGAR/TZU | BLACK MIDI ME PORTO BONITO | BAD BUNNY SURVIVORS GUILT | JOEY BADA$$ STICKY | DRAKE CHOP (NOUVELLE ÉCOLE) | FRESH SARO HARTOUNIAN, ASSISTANT MUSIC EDITOR

This summer brought about the release of many fantastic albums and singles (the new Kendrick record comes to mind), and I am pleased to showcase my favourite songs that were on repeat during my vacation to Gaspésie and Québec City!

Beachclub was host to many talented artists and festivals this summer, such as Afro Beach, Tiësto, The Chainsmokers and many others. On Sept.

10, one of the youngest and newest international sensation in the afrobeat genre, Rema, performed in Pointe-Calumet.

Situated approximately 30 to 45 minutes away from Montreal, Beachclub is known to be a summer destination hot spot for many music lovers over the years, with events promising local and international artists in a tropical-like environment. The location offers festival elements such as food and drink stands, as well as the possibility to enjoy the concert from the pool located onsite.

This song moved me to tears.

Honestly. Regardless of the heavy topic it explores, I would play this during late summer nights where the pad synths would envelop my room. If you haven’t checked out this song I highly recommend it for the lyrics and the crescendo up until the very end.

HYDROGEN | SIRINTIP

Sirintip did not disappoint with her new single! The acid drum machine over ethereal jazzy vocals . There’s at least three tracks for her voice: two panning left and right and one in the background whispering a response from the former two. I know this is an oxymoron but hear me out… think “upbeat lounge.”

MAGENTA MOUNTAIN | KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD

This song off King Gizzard’s Omnium Gatherum album was a must-listen through the summer months, especially for long drives. The Minimoog’s bass paired with the oriental melody gives off the feeling of a monastery way up in the mountains. Shangri-La, anyone?

HONORABLE MENTIONS TIPPA MY TONGUE | RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS WELCOME TO HELL | BLACK MIDI SHOTGUN | SOCCER MOMMY COMPLACENCY | TIDE RIDER LA RIVIÈRE | POMME

Montrealers this past Saturday at Beachclub.

The event began at noon under beautiful sunny weather, where a DJ was already present to start the party right away.

Afrobeat songs soon filled the place, and Hatitian and French-speaking African classics got the crowd excited. Additionally, social media comedy sensation, Tai, appeared later that afternoon sporting the beloved oversized suit his social media persona wears as he made the crowd dance.

After a couple hours of partying, fans knew Rema was about to come out when the DJ started playing his signature catchphrase: “Another banger,” a line that the young artist used for the first time. when opening for his debut song “Dumebi.”

“It takes a lot of confidence

The heavy metal icon is back and better than ever, and this time he brought friends.

AUNTIE DIARIES | KENDRICK LAMAR

Concert Review: Rema at artist Rema brought Beachclub Nigerian the afrorave fusion to

BY GABRIELLE LAPERRIÈRE LEBLANC | Contributor

QUICKSPINS

to say ‘another banger’ in a debut track,” said Rema in a tweet the year of his debut.

At only 22 years old, Rema is one of the youngest successful afrobeat acts to come out of Nigeria since Burna Boy and Wizkid, with whom he also shared a nomination for Best New International act back at the 2020 BET awards.

Rema started his set by teasing the crowd with the first notes of one of his most famous singles: “Soundgasm.”

The song would only be played later when the chorus tore the metaphorical roof off the place The young artist’s most popular songs were all played one after the other; “Dumebi,” “Beamer,” “Calm Down,” “Ginger Me,” “Woman,”

TRIAL TRACK IMMORTAL (FEAT. MIKE MCCREADY) RATING 8/10

BY SARO HARTOUNIAN Assistant Music Editor

September 9 saw the release of metal veteran Ozzy Osbourne’s latest album Patient Number 9.

It is the thirteenth studio album in Osbourne’s portfolio which is quite an impressivefeat,especiallyconsidering his recent health issues.

Besides getting diagnosed with COVID-19 in April, he underwent a major neck surgery in June which brought concern to his family and fans, despite his recovery. While his health hasn’t stopped him from performing suitably on Patient Number 9, the whole theme of the LP centers on life and death. Mortality has certainly struck a chord within Osbourne, making him a far cry from the man who used to snort ants and bite heads off of birds for fun.

The album boasts a motley of features that are just as big as Ozzy in the music industry.

Musicians like Eric Clapton, Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready, “Corny,” and many more, proving that Rema’s unique tone of voice comes out even better in his live performances. His overall positive attitude could also be felt throughout the day, as the crowd continuously danced through the entirety of the event without stopping: “At a Rema concert you dance!” said the artist. “You did not pay all this money to not have a party,” Rema added.

The stage presence, charisma and confidence of the Nigerian artist were palpable throughout his performance, a nice contrast with his attitude towards the end of the show when the DJ pointed out that Rema would be in the building for the rest of the event.

A truly enjoyable day is what Rema brought to Montrealers. His afro-fusion, or new-wave afrobeat as he calls it, in contrast with the relaxing ambience of the beach made it an event

Black Label Society’s Zakk Wylde, and last but not least, Ozzy’s former Black Sabbath bandmate from Tony Iommi.

It was also quite emotional to see that the late Taylor Hawkins had tracked drums for a couple of songs, like “God Only Knows” along with Metallica’s Robert Trujillo on bass.

There are quite a few memorable songs from this LP: “Parasite” with Zakk Wylde on guitar was quite a funky and upbeat song for Ozzy’s songwriting tastes. The sixteenthbeat tambourine shakes were oddly reminiscent of Fall Out Boy, and even Britpop bands like Oasis and Republica.

McCready was featured on “Immortal” which happens to be my favourite track. The mixture of grunge guitar chugging along with hard rock bass from Guns ‘n’ Roses Duff McKagan and funk rock drums from Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith created a best of both worlds track for my ears.

For a heavy metal artist, this latest release is heavily produced. The rhythm feels almost as if it is quantized (the process of moving notes in a music software to the exact time signature to make a beat sound perfectly in time) — so certain songs like “Parasite” sounded way too digital and processed for my liking.

Regardless of the musicality, several songs on the album didn’t feel like they were to Ozzy’s liking. Then again, you could just chalk it up to the evolution of a musician’s songwriting process! not to miss. “Montreal feels like home,” the artist added.