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theconcordian

September 23, 2014 | Independant student newspaper at Concordia University. Since 1983. | issue 4 | Volume 32

News p. 4-5

Marching for the future of our climate

Photo by Keith Race

In this issue

LIFE

p.7

The Hive buzzes to Loyola

ARTS

p.12

Explore your senses at VAV

MUSIC

p.14

POP Montreal wraps up

SPORTS

p.20

No longer an all-boys game

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

OPINIONS p.21

Is geek culture to blame?

theconcordian.com

news 2

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Write to the editor: news@theconcordian.com

CITY Jessica Kenwood News Assistant

>> Municipal

union protests

On Saturday, an estimated 50,000 demonstrators showed up for a protest against Bill 3, according to the CBC. The demonstrators closed down Sherbrooke St. as they marched toward the office of Premier Philippe Couillard. The peaceful rally was organized by union groups, many of which have been fighting for months against the bill, which would take from municipal employee pensions to help cover the $4 million dollar pension deficit, essentially splitting the bill between the union workers and municipalities.

>> Consumer protection law now includes banks The Supreme Court ruled on Friday that five banks were not properly disclosing how they charged currency-conversion fees to their credit card customers, according the CTV news. This battle has been in the courts since April 2003 when Real Marcotte sued the Bank of Montreal and Desjardins, and since then a class action suit resulted in nine banks being brought to court. Four of the nine banks were found to be in compliance with the Quebec Consumer Protection Act and the others appealed the decision. Although the banks will not be forced to pay punitive damages, they must be clear and concise on how they charge their customers in the future.

Quebecer world’s Hottest criminal? An alleged Quebec criminal went viral last week after being dubbed “the World’s Hottest Criminal”. Stephanie Beaudoin was in court on Sept.15 on a combined 114 charges laid against her. Beaudoin and three minors are charged with 42 break-ins in and around the Victoriaville area, according to the Journal de Montreal. Yet no one seems to care about the crime or the fact that she had already pled guilty: a picture of Beaudoin in a bikini was posted on Twitter and she quickly became international news.

Campus // news

Governors talk technology and money First Board of Governors meeting talks about funding and District 3 Milos Kovacevic News editor

oncordia’s Board of Governors held their first meeting of the school year on Wednesday, September 17 to discuss the current state of the university’s finances, approve a range of motions, and hear a presentation by software and engineering entrepreneurship

centre District 3. The updating of the fiscal situation mainly revolved around an authorization for a total of $56million in loans for the continuing obligation and refinancing of Concordia’s debts and investments between now and June 2015, and an increase in the sundry fees related to the university. The loans - or, more specifically, grants - are taken in Concordia’s name but are in reality managed by the Quebec government and

serve for the acquisition of tangible (or intangible) property and the maintenance of the budget. This system is common and found in such organizations as Universities, CEGEPs and Hospitals. “[The] scheduling of theses debts is done by the Ministry of Finance and we have no say in the process,” said Concordia Controller Daniel Therrien when reached. Therrien also said the university may be forced to find other ways

to save if the amount proved insufficient. He also said the amount changes every year depending on the sums to be paid off; last year, $114-million was needed. What followed afterwards was a presentation by District 3’s director and founder Xavier-Henri Hervé on the organization’s mission of fostering innovative entrepreneurship by introducing a part of his team and showcasing a presentation of the group’s achievements to date

Campus // News

Student embarks on 72-hour hunger protest Aneil Prasad hopes to pressure Concordia into divesting by abstaining from food Marilla Steuter-Martin Production assistant

econd year biology student Aneil Prasad has vowed to consume only water for the next three days in order to raise awareness about climate changes and put pressure on the Concordia administration to divest. Prasad says that he is concerned about the changes taking place in our current climate and that people shouldn’t be so quick to toss away the world’s natural resources to suit their “high consumption lifestyles.” While he has been involved with Divest Concordia, an oncampus organization run by stu-

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dents who lobby Concordia to move away from investments in the fossil fuels industry, he made it clear he is taking on this challenge alone. “I got inspired and I’m doing this action as an individual but I’ve gotten a lot of support,” he said. Prasad began his fast Monday at noon and has been camped out in the Henry F. Hall building most of the time since. Undergraduate students aren’t permitted to stay in the building after 11 p.m., so he decided to split his time in the J.W. McConnell library building across the street. As part of his commitment to informing people, he has created a sign and has been talking with students about his goals over the course of his first day. He de-

scribed the support and encouragement he has received thus far as “really uplifting.” As of press time, Prasad was about 10 hours into his fast and stated that the hunger pangs were manageable for the time being. He went on to say that while

his actions are primarily motivated by a sense of social responsibility, he also feels personally committed to the cause. “I’m also coming at this out of love,” he said. “For my family, for my friends, for this earth. That’s why this sacrifice isn’t so bad.”

I’m also coming at this out of love for my family, my friends, this earth. That’s why this sacrifice isn’t so bad. -Aneil

Prasad

Aneil Prasad Keith Race.

is a second year

Biology Student

Concordia. Photo

CORRECTION: In an article from last week’s issue, “Documenting the utopian home for the homeless”, The Concordian introduced Eric Weissman as a teacher of sociology at Concordia University. In fact, Weissman left Concordia University last year and is currently a sessional faculty member at the College of New Caledonia in Prince George, British Colombia. The Concordian regrets the error.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Guillermo Boccagni Contributor

anadian activist Naomi Klein launched her latest book to a crowd of over 800 attendees at the Imperial Theatre on Sept. 16 in a renewed call for radical, aggressive response against modern capitalism and environmental degradation. The crowd, of which students formed a large part, gathered outside the entrance and made a long and snaking line stretching around across Ste. Catherine street and resembling more the line of a rock concert than a book launch. While Klein was undoubtedly the star of the show, journalist and radio presenter Anne Lagacé Dowson served as host and introduced three short appearances meant to set the ambiance. Concordia’s Student Union VP External and Mobilization Anthony GaroufalisAuger and SSMU’s VP External Affairs Amina Moustaqim-Barrette took the stage in order to invite the crowd to the worldwide People’s Climate March on September 21. Photographer and activist Robert van Waarden came afterwards to display images from his work

“Along the Pipeline”, a compilation of places and people along the proposed route of the Energy East pipeline that will stretch from Alberta to New Brunswick. Student activist Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois rounded off the introduction by using a few minutes to take on the tangle of neoliberalism, extraction companies, and politics. Klein’s talk fired the audience with a magnificent set of concepts

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my and the environment Klein recognized that the big hurdle to environmentalism’s public image was the economic fallout many expect would come from weaning society from traditional sources of energy. She was convinced nonetheless that diverting our focus from oil and investing in energy efficiency would actually create more jobs in the end. “It’s not a choice between jobs and the environment. It’s a

Only radical change has a chance of diverting catastrohe in time and that is because we have waited so long.

in the little more than an hour allotted to her, talking above all of the importance and need for radical change when it comes to human activity on the planet and the failings of our way of life. “Only radical change has a chance of diverting catastrophe in time and that is because we have waited so long,” she said, dismissing the idea of gradual change. “We need to reduce our emissions by 10 per cent per year starting now. The problem is that [such reduction] is incompatible with our economic system.” On the battle between the econo-

- Naomi Klein choice between mindless growth and the environment,” Klein said. Klein also contested the strategy of economic austerity defended by governments and corporations, particularly in Europe. For her there is a basic clash between the logic of austerity’s endless cuts to the public sphere and the needed response to this crisis. Usually austerity comes in hand with privatization, and that is another obstacle that Naomi acknowledged by saying that she fought the key pillars of the neoliberal era. She said that all of the public services become better when handed

over to the private sector when one realizes it is not in the private interests of companies to provide and explore cleaner sources of energy over traditional fossil fuels. Naomi did have a few kind words to say and congratulated the members of the organizations present for her talk. “I’ve never seen a student movement spread so quickly,” she said of divestment groups aiming to strip public institutions of links to corporate polluters. She advocated the continuance of pressure demanding educational institutions and public organizations to sell shares of fossil fuel related corporations. “[These companies should] be pariahs as the tobacco companies were made into pariahs,” she said combatively. “[It’s] not just the divestment. [It’s also] the re-investments. It’s what could be done with this money once it’s taken away from the Exxons and the Shells. There are so many fantastic projects out there that are languishing for lack of funding,” she said. “We have built an energy system based on the idea of disposable people and disposable places. That has been built into the fossil fuel economy since the very beginning,” she said. “We are up against a psychotic logic that has profoundly confused destruction with creation and that is the logic that we fundamentally have to change.”

Research // news

Outside the box research on display Independent program encourages creation of unique and inventive theses Kate Sheridan Contributor

A varied mix of student biologists, designers, artists and the occasional performative gastronomists showcased unique research last Wednesday at the first-ever Individualized Program research exposition (INDI). Six master’s students and 11 PhD students were selected to present their work to the Concordia community, with such titles as “The Performative Cocktail: Food Making as Representation Methodology.” “I couldn’t be more thrilled with how it turned out,” Dr. Ketra Schmitt, director of the INDI program, said. “We were able to get support from all over the university.” The program, which has existed for over 20 years, supports graduate students working towards earning a master’s or PhD via unusual interdisciplinary research. “The majority of students who come to us have an idea that is just so weird that it won’t fit anywhere else,” Schmitt said.

Take Adam van Sertima’s PhD work, which uses the Microsoft Kinect technology of motion-sensors on determining whether there is an actual person on the other side of a contest of tug-of-war. “I spent a lot of my life pulling stumps out of the ground,” van Sertima said. “You try pulling a stump out and you say, ‘Oh, I got it,’ and then the stump pulls back! We anthropomorphize everything.” Van Sertima hopes to develop a toolkit for game developers to use to address these kinds of problems, but that they aren’t necessarily the point behind the project. “The interesting stuff that I’m doing is not just the end product, but the methodology, because nobody is doing this,” he said. The ability to work outside of disciplinary borders is exactly why Shea Wood applied to the program. Wood, a drama therapist and PhD student, is researching how performance art married with focus groups can help viewers understand different family life experiences. Her performances are based on real experiences, which she believes may influence how viewers perceive performances. “When I applied, I was having

Event // NEWS

Time to change everything Klein’s book launch strikes combative tone

a hard time finding a place where my research fit because it’s not in a box,” she said. “I needed somewhere to go that I actually would feel like I actually fit in, and INDI is that place.” It is also a place for students who want to do research in an area that Concordia does not yet offer, and may just lead to a new branch of inquiry. Concordia’s PhD programs in biology and math are the results of the INDI program, according to INDI program coordinator Darlene Dubiel. There’s even a home for linguistics here. Ivanna Richardson is currently doing her master’s degree in the INDI program with a Farsi linguistics project when it came to certain grammatical constructs. Richardson hopes her work will show that existing parameters in syntactic theory are not specific enough to account for Farsi’s flexibility. “INDI can only exist with incredible institutional support,” Schmitt said of the challenges behind the triumphs. The Faculties of Engineering and Computer Science, Arts and Science, and Fine Arts all contributed to the research exposition, as well as the Office of the

Vice President, Research and Graduate Studies and several research centres. Schmitt also underscored the ‘incredible’ staff support needed to make things happen. Students in the INDI program have also received support and grants from external organizations such as the Canada Council for the Arts. Five prizes were awarded during the exposition – two each for the master’s and PhD students and one for the People’s Choice. Qian Qian Zhou won first place for the master’s students for a presentation focusing on how a difficult childhood can modify oxytocin receptor genes, while Nikolaos Chandolias was the master’s runner-up for his project on orbital resonance. The first place prize for PhD students was given to Morgan Raucher, who researches how machines influence the way we work with and interact with materials while creating sculptures. The runner-up prize was awarded to Erin O’Loughlin who studied how young adults use exercise-oriented video games. For more information on INDI, visit concordia.ca/offices/sgs/individualized.html.

NATION Jessica Kenwood News assistant Milos Kovacevic News editor

>> Suspect named in B.C. Teen’s murder

A suspect has been named in the murder of B.C. native Serena Vermeersch. The 17-year-old girl went missing Sept 15, and her body was found the next morning near a set of train tracks in Surrey, B.C. The suspect was not named by the police, but Global News learned the identity of the suspect. The man accused of her murder, Raymond Caissie, is a convicted sex-offender who was released in June 2013, and was considered to be at high-risk to re-offend.

>> Quebecer world’s Hottest criminal? An alleged Quebec criminal went viral last week after being dubbed “the World’s Hottest Criminal”. Stephanie Beaudoin was in court on Sept.15 on a combined 114 charges laid against her. Beaudoin and three minors are charged with 42 break-ins in and around the Victoriaville area, according to the Journal de Montreal. Yet no one seems to care about the crime or the fact that she had already pled guilty: a picture of Beaudoin in a bikini was posted on Twitter and she quickly became international news.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

WORLD Jessica Kenwood News assistant

>> Scotland to remain part of UK Scotland will remain a part of the UK. Last thursday, Scotland saw it’s biggest voter turnout, 87 per cent, to date. After weeks of preparation and pleads from many in the public eye, including Prime Minister David Cameron, Scotland voted no 55 per cent for independence. Scottish National Leader Alex Salmond resigned as First Minister of Scotland and stepped down from the national party, according to CBC. Cameron claimed to have heard the Yes party and will be taking their concerns into account. Quebec separatists were quick to voice their opinions, showing disappointment and hoping Scotland tries again.

>> Ebola outbreak worsens The Ebola outbreak in western Africa worsened last week, forcing Sierra Leone into a threeday quarantine. The lockdown forced 6 million residents to remain under their roofs while volunteers educated households and removed those infected with the disease, according to CBC. Sierra Leone has complained of a food shortage during the lockdown and some became overcome with paranoia, believing that soaps being handed out by volunteers were poisoned with the disease. By Sunday, it was estimated that Ebola had taken the lives of 560 in Sierra Leone and 2,600 across West Africa. It has infected an estimated 5,500 people to date.

>> Man breaks into white house

An American Iraq veteran broke into the White House with a 3-inch serrated blade on September 19. Omar Gonzalez, 42, broke was claimed as saying “the atmosphere was collapsing and he needed to contact the president so he could get the word out to the people,” according to the Independent. It was later discovered that Gonzalez’s vehicle contained more than 800 rounds of ammunition and he’d been arrested in July with a sniper rifle and a map where the White House was marked. Gonzalez broke in just a few hours after the President had left with his daughters by helicopter. Security has been heightened but President Obama announced that he has full confidence in the Secret Service. Gonzalez has meanwhile been taken in for a psychological evaluation.

Protest // news

Thousands protest climate change Montreal’s sister march to NY event Johanna Pallus Contributor

Already the biggest demonstration for the climate, the People’s Climate March on Sunday rallied hundreds of thousands of citizens around the world including over 1,000 in Montreal. Following up the Bill McKibben and Ellen Gabriel climate talk that took place in early September, Concordia students and representants of Concordia Student Union joined the march starting in La Fontaine Park on Sunday afternoon. CSU representatives had been visiting Concordia’s classrooms for the two last weeks to try to get students out for the march and raise awareness about fossil fuel economy. The vice-president for external affairs and mobilization explained the importance of getting involved in the climate change movement. “The impact was more the collective showing up [of] different parts of civil society. We were happy to see students from Concordia and [to] be here in support of what is the largest crisis facing humanity, which is anthropogenic climate change,” Anthony Garoufalis-Auger said. Banners reminded the public of the the main concern of Canadian and Quebec environmentalists: the construction of pipelines and development of tar sands. “We want the government to be fiercely opposed to the Energy East pipeline project,” Isabelle St-Germain, deputy director of Équiterre, said. “While Quebec has an ambitious climate plan that brought down greenhouse gas emissions to 15 per cent since the ‘90s, emissions went up to 15 per cent in the whole of Canada because of tar sands.” The march was set up to precede the UN Climate Summit this week in New York on Sept. 23 — a summit which Prime Minister Stephen Harper will not attend. “It is very much in line with his current policy of just expanding the tar sands. Stephen Harper is clearly not on the side of the scientific community on climate change but on the side of the fossil fuel industries which want to continue these extraction projects,” Garoufalis-Auger said. While some think capitalism can’t mix with the environment — which is the subject behind Naomi Klein’s latest book, This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate — the coordinator of the People’s Climate March in Montreal was optimistic. “Economy and ecology go together hand by hand,” Jenny

Loughran said. “We can invest in a greener future, in green technologies and this is going to benefit to the global economy, not just Canada.” Volunteers organised the march in five weeks through the use of social media. For Loughran, Montreal must be an example for the rest of the country. “As part of Canada, unfortunately, we have a terrible reputation when it comes to climate change,” she said. “So it was really important to make sure we are part of this movement.” The organizations joining the march will continue organizing

other protests against climate change in a near future. Earth Day in particular, held on April

22, will be the next big event — in 2012, it gathered 250,000 people in Montreal.

Protesters brave the rain in the name of climate protection. Photos by Keith Race.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Campus // news

Montrealers’ view in the midst of 100,000 people in NYC Two different narratives on the outcome of the People’s Climate March in the Big Apple Milos Kovacevic News editor

he figures vary — 100,000 according to some, over 300,000 according to others — but a human wave of protesters converged on New York on Sunday and Monday in an ostensible rejection of the environmental status quo. Over 1,500 organizations were present in the city for the eve of Tuesday’s UN summit on climate change, where world leaders will meet to discuss strategies and possibilities on mitigating the human impact on the environment. It is seen by some as an attempt by the UN to salvage the ineffective Kyoto protocol and come up with a new working model. Two Montrealers – Marcus Peters and the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Environment Commissioner Kristen Perry – formed part of their city’s delegation. Peters and Perry came to two different conclusions. “The trouble with climate change is that it’s such a largescale problem in terms of scope and timeframe that it is easy to push it out of our day-to-day lives,” said Perry on the longterm effects on people’s consciousness of the massive effort of the march, which included participation from Hollywood celebrities, intellectuals, and political figures like New York Mayor Bill de Blasio. According to Peters and Perry, the groups converging in New York each represented their own particular situations, with Canadians in particular focused on tar sand development and divestment. Perry called Canada’s recent climate and environmental policies as regressive and ‘dreadfully insufficient.’ To her, a nation like Germany with its progressive energy policies is a more admirable example. The apparent success of the march belies a visible dissatisfaction from those who see the whole exercise as a temporary grab of headlines without substance. For these groups the confluence of interests waters down the strength of a common goal, and the movement on display at the march was a tangled thread more than a tightly woven weft without commonality in goals and demands. Perry sees strength in a broadening of the appeal, and welcomed increased participation by the masses. The trick now may not be garnering attention as making practical use of it. Undoubtedly, the march did display certain undeniable truths. One was that climate change is becoming this generation’s rallying call. “Policy-makers also need to be cognizant about the reach and ef-

fects of their policies, especially how it is going to affect marginalized communities, including indigenous peoples across the world and those who are on the front lines of the effects of climate change,” said Perry, whose concerns highlight the second major shift from an urban, Western concern to something equally involved with its effect on nonwhite, non-Western, often local or aboriginal communities. “The main challenge that we need to figure out is how to use our knowledge to galvanize action at multiple levels, and include all affected parties in a meaningful way as we work toward mitigation and adapta-

tion,” Perry said. Others see it as a clever PR stunt by the multitude of international companies who’ve financed an event whose raison d’etre is very much antithetical to corporatism and the bottom line. “In a lot of ways, it felt sanitized, choreographed, and overdone,” said Peters. “After retrospectively reading some articles on the march, I learned about how the founders, despite claiming to look for an ‘Occupy-style protest’ actively undermined the ‘Flood Wall Street’ demonstration scheduled to take place the following day,” he said, referring to the more confrontational

march on Monday which encouraged aggressive protesting. Indeed, several dozen protesters were arrested on Monday in the aftermath of Flood Wall Street, according to The Guardian. “Despite the fact that I have so many misgivings about the way the march turned out, it was nevertheless a symbolic move around the most important issue of our generation. Protests aren’t all about the day you hit the streets, there’s a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes, and it’s that kind of work that instigates change,” Peters said. Both Peters and Perry unanimously agree that the opportunity given to them by meeting

other groups and learning from their experiences and strategies was perhaps the greatest boon the event could offer. “That’s part of the beauty of the dispersed structure of the organizing for the march and the events surrounding it,” Perry said. “Regardless of the impact interest groups may have had on the organizing in general, we made some very real connections with other environmental groups from around the world,” said Peters. “Protests aren’t all about the day you hit the streets, there’s a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes, and it’s that kind of work that instigates change.”

Above: Oil companies are protested in the climate march. Photo by Stephen Melisethian from Flickr. Below: Second from left: Jane Goodall, Al Gore, Bill de Blasio, Ban Ki-Moon. Photo by Robert van Waardem from Flickr.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Current affairs // Life

Immigrants face unfriendly policy Deportation, looming expulsion, and asylum follow three different families right now in Montreal Milos Kovacevic News editor Jessica Kenwood Co-news editor

The continuing travails of a LaSalle family who say they face female genital mutilation and death if deported and a Pakistani grandmother who recently lifted her self-imposed asylum are highlighting the difficult situations of families and individuals ordered out by the federal government. The Fuh-Cham family have called Canada home long enough for two of their youngest members to be born here. The looming conclusion to a 4-year fight for refugee status is set to come to a head on October 9, threatening to send them back to their native Cameroon and, according to their supporters, real danger. Father Hilary Fuh-Cham claims that ever since the death of his father in his birth village, the role of community chief has devolved to him – with all the tribal and cultural requirements that come with it. Besides polygamy, which the Catholic Fuh-Chams do not adhere to, he says his wife Yvette and two daughters will be forced to undergo genital mutilation. His fate may be worse. “For me, because I have already refused to do the traditional rights that warrant me to succeed my father, they will try to kill me and put

my son as the chief,” he said. “I think the government is looking for any reason [to reject their application],” said fellow parishioner and longtime family friend Wendy de Souza. She named one example in particular: the government’s insistence on having the death certificate for Hilary’s father, despite the fact that they hail from a rural region where such bureaucratic formalities are unheard of. Though there was a mixed crowd of supporters from all walks of life, it was their fellow Cameroonians who most closely identified with their plight of familial pressures and traditional cultural. “All those things happen. It’s a normal tradition,” said Montreal Cameroonian Goodwill Association President Julius Ashu of female genital mutilation, which isn’t limited to Cameroon and occurs in neighbouring countries across the region. “I am pleading with the Minister of Immigration to try to look at my file once more because I have a strong conviction that we do qualify to remain here as permanent residents on humanitarian and compassionate reasons,” added Fuh-Cham. “I don’t have anywhere to go,” he said repeatedly when asked to contemplate a life back in Cameroon. One of many attending the event was Patrick Asch, Circonscription Assistant to LaSalle-Emard MP Hélène LeBlanc, whose office has been fighting the government’s decision

Speakers address the deportaton ralley. Photo by Keith Race.

all the way to Ottawa. So far their efforts at reaching out to those who could help the family, such as Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Chris Alexander, have been met with very little success. “It doesn’t represent the reality,” said Asch of the governments dissenting opinion of the danger the family, and in particular the women, face in Cameroon. “The questions of tribal rituals, the dangers linked to it, the questions of kidnapping [and taking them back to the community] are known. Experts say they occur, however our government chooses to ignore the reality.” “The basic reason they left is because they wanted to practice their religion,” he said. “If the Conservatives have the gall on the one hand to decide they’re going to create an office of the Freedom of Religion... and then completely ignore it...this is not acceptable,” he said of the campaign to convince Canada’s ambassador for the Office of Religious Freedom, Andrew Bennett. “Why do we forcibly take people out at great cost to Canadian society when these people are hardworking tax-paying citizens, and then we put them in a situation when our government afterwards maybe will accept them on humanitarian grounds? In the end, it’s a lose-lose situation for the family, it’s a lose-lose situation for the government.” Asch said that despite signatures and rallies and protests, MPs were ultimately incapable of going

against the decisions of offices such as Immigration and the Canadian border services, and that the stay of deportation could only come from on high. The crowd meanwhile remained defiant. “Since it is a fight between David and Goliath, all we need is a little faith,” said one attendant to the sound of amens.

Grandmother’s asylum ordeal ends Meanwhile the Anglican Church on Union St. held a press conference on Sept. 22 to demand the denied refugee status of Pakistan-native Khurshid Begum Awan be overturned. Awan’s daughter Tahira Malik moved to Canada at the age of 16 in 2000 after suffering conjugal violence from her husband, who’d joined a Pakistani anti-Shia extremist group. Awan, her husband and 16-year-old grandson Ali followed her in 2011 after being targeted and beat by the extremists. The Awan family’s refugee claim was rejected in December 2011. Mr. Awan was deported in April 2013. Malik claims that he was “sent back in a wheelchair, we didn’t even get to say goodbye”. He is now living in hiding in Pakistan. Suffering from heart failure and mental illness, Mrs. Awan was invited by Bishop Barry Brian Clarke to live in sanctuary at his church;

as were Malik and Ali who tried their best to take care of her despite deterioration due to lack of proper medical attention. Mrs. Awan was forced to leave the church in August to file for her refugee status reassessment, which led to her arrest and released on $5,000 bail – paid by Bishop Clarke. Currently Awan’s lawyer Stewart Istvanffy said that she’s under no risk of immediate deportation. He also noted that while he says his client has a very strong case, the government wasn’t budging. “The Canadian government doesn’t believe in correcting mistakes,” he explained at the press conference. “They are deaf, dumb and blind in front of human misery, in front of human suffering”. Malik and her son Ali have been granted Canadian citizenship but Malik explained that they will follow her mother if it comes to expulsion. “My son won’t leave my mother,” she tearfully explained. “If they go back, I have to go.” Last week, Montreal resident of 6 years Winifred Agimelen and her three children were deported back to Nigeria despite the kidnapping and possible female genital mutilation she said awaited them there. If you wish to show support and follow the Fuh-Cham story, visit the official support website atsupportfuh-chamfamily.ca.

life

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2014

Write to the editor: life@theconcordian.com

Campus // Life

Find out what the Buzz is about at The Hive The much-anticipated homegrown café aims to provide sustainable food to students

Robin Stanford Staff writer

hat’s better on a crisp fall day than a warm bowl of chili or a grilled cheese sandwich on sprout bread? Picking it up on your way to class from a café where you are part owner. This is the opportunity being given to Concordia students this year with the opening of The Hive Solidarity Cooperative. The Hive is the result of an ongoing project, which has already lasted many years. All the planning finally paid off when, in the Concordia Student Union (CSU) by-elections last fall, 87 per cent of students voted in favor of starting a student-run, nonprofit cooperative on the second floor of the Hall building. The result of this vote is the café itself, the purpose of which is “not only to provide sustainable food on campus, but to have a food provider on campus that students can engage themselves in and have a direct say in,” said Jessica Cabana, Vice President of Sustainability with the CSU. This business plan leads to two huge benefits for students. First, it allows the Concordia population to own and have a say in what they want from a homegrown café. Membership to the co-op costs five dollars and lasts a lifetime. Benefits for members include a tantalizing 10 per cent rebate off of everything in store. Concordia’s com-

munity has been eager to join the coalition, adding over 1,000 new members in the first two weeks of the academic year. Second, it will aim to introduce sustainable foods into the diets of Concordians. At present, their sustainable food options are rather limited, with the exception of the excellent sprout salad grown in Concordia’s greenhouse. As a result, many items on the menu are brought in from outside caterers. The goal is to move towards more sustainable food, as the current catered items are not. According to Cabana this is only temporary, as The Hive will move gradually towards a self-catered food model as opportunities become available. In the meantime, the food and drink will remain of high quality and reasonable price. The reason for this, Cabana said, is that the Hive is “for the people, not the profit.” Already the co-op has been showing these words to be true in their involvement with the Loyola luncheon program. The luncheon program provides free vegetarian lunches on campus for students in need, similar to the People’s Potato initiative but for the Loyola campus. The café’s work thus far this session has been impressive for such a young organization, but their work is far from over. On Sept. 29 at 10 a.m., The Hive will open the doors of its second location, on the second floor of the Student Center at the Loyola Campus, which is in the SC building. With a location open on each campus

The Hive will offer the Concordia community the unique opportunity to celebrate what we can do as a group, to watch a café grow and blossom, and to be a part of it every step of the way.

Grand opening of The Hive Solidarity Cooperative is on Sept. 29 2014, 10 a.m. For more information, go to: https://www.facebook.com/HiveCafeCoop

Jars of ingredients used to prepare the Hive’s delicious fare, from The Hive’s FACEBOOK PAGE

Let’s talk about sex

Questioning the oral tradition sara-baron goodman Life editor

hile at work the other day, I found myself privy to a conversation that five young women, appearing to be in their late teens or early twenties, were having over dinner. One of the young women was regaling the others with a tale of her most recent sexual conquest, in which she specified, “don’t worry, I only blew him, we haven’t had sex yet.” This is not an unfamiliar idea — oral sex is often regarded as a safer alternative to the

penetrative variety, especially by younger women. For some reason, it has been instilled in the minds of millennials that oral sex is somehow a tier below penetrative sex on the master rankings of sexual activity. Third base, for many people who are starting to become sexually active, is somehow viewed as less of a risk than the home run. Based solely on my observations of my peers and eavesdropping skills, this seems to be more true for girls. Despite huge leaps to close the gap in gender equality, especially in the sexual arena, it is still viewed as a bigger deal for a woman to have penetrative sex than it is for a man. The same is not true for oral sex — there seems to be a free pass for mouth work, especially once other people are putting the p in the v (AKA once you’re out of high

Column // Life

school). Even more backwards is that a lot of young women who are readily generous with their oral skills do not seem to expect anything in return. At most, blowjob=fingering, if I’m going by the observed norm for heterosexual millennials. And let’s be honest, that’s hardly an equivalence. It’s implied that giving oral sex is somehow giving less of oneself than the alternative. Yet, having oral sex runs the same risk of contracting STIs as penetrative sex — perhaps more so, as most people don’t use a condom or dental dam when engaging in these acts. In addition to being at par on the whole possibility of contracting diseases spectrum, I would say that oral sex is inherently more intimate than penetrative. The nature of the

act itself puts you in a vulnerable position in front of somebody else, in which you are entirely focused on the other person’s pleasure. This holds true for everybody, regardless of gender or sexual identity. Not to mention, the whole having somebody’s junk in your face thing feels decidedly personal. I’m not saying that sex isn’t intimate, because of course it is. But with genitalto-genital sex, both parties have about an equal opportunity of having a physically pleasurable experience, at the same time. I’m not saying that people should stop using their mouths in lieu of other orifices either, because of course they shouldn’t. What I am saying is that oral sex is sex. And what I’m wondering is how this hierarchy came to be so widely accepted, and so unevenly distributed.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2014

Study // Life

Happiness is having more sex than your friends Article by Concordia prof explores the sex-happiness link, and why we’re so competitive Sara Baron-Goodman Life editor

aving more sex leads to greater happiness — sounds fairly obvious, right? Yet, according a Psychology Today article written by Concordia marketing professor Gad Saad, simply the satisfaction of having lots of sex is not enough if you’re not also getting more action than your peers. These findings were established in studies by David G. Blanchflower and Andrew J. Oswald in 2004, and a paper published by Tim Wadsworth this year. Basic point: envy and competition are huge driving factors in people’s happiness, even (and perhaps especially) in an area as private as the bedroom. In his article, Professor Saad links these findings with his own research, which showed that when given the option of you and your co-worker getting a $500 raise, or you getting a $600 raise and your co-worker getting a $800 raise, the majority of people polled opted for the former. Despite the fact that in the second option you also receive more money, Saad explains that overwhelmingly, people, and more often women, preferred the scales to be balanced. This is because humans are inherently competitive — the whole “survival of the fittest” concept is ingrained within our evolutionary make-up. It is not enough to have something, you have to be the only one who has it, or have the most of it. For men, power and social status are the main driving forces for competition, which goes back to the primitive need for men to be strong hunters and providers.

The strongest men were also historically the most eligible mates. “Men and women are equally competitive, albeit different triggers will engender a rise in their competitive juices,” said Saad. “When it comes to resources, women are likely more communal and hence prefer the equitable/fair option.” The results may have been different if the question asked had been related to physical attractiveness — then, the women would likely have been more ruthless than the men. This is not meant to be anti-feminist, but rather reflects the results of Saad’s findings which back up the fact that after centuries of societal reinforcement, women are considered more desirable mates if they are physically attractive. In hunting and gathering societies, this meant that a more womanly shape — full breasts, curves etc., suggested that

she would be more fertile and therefore a better mate. Our societal ideals of beauty have changed, but the concept remains the same. Now, bringing these results back to the bedroom, it is not surprising that having not only lots of sex, but more sex than your peers, would fulfill these primal concerns for both men and women. What Wadsworth’s study did not specify however, was whether having more sex with one partner, or more sex with many partners, had any effect on the sex-happiness link. “Both men and women have evolved a desire for sexual variety, albeit the penchant is more pronounced in men,” said Saad. As such, more sex with more partners would be the preferable option for men, whereas the opposite would be true for women.

“This is simply because the stakes of possible mating are much higher for women than for men,” said Saad. “It’s why a woman can go into a bar and have the option of having sex with any man in the room, but is selective with her choice, whereas men are less exacting when choosing a short-term mating partner.” For a man, having lots of sex, especially with many partners, would be significant of his social desirability and powerful rank. For a woman, having lots of sex, whether it be with one or many partners, would reinforce that she is an attractive and desirable mate. In either case, the simple act of getting it on brings us happiness, not necessarily because of the innately pleasurable quality of the act itself, but rather because it reinforces our desirability, and by extension, our worth.

Graphic by Marie-Pier LaRose

Column // Life

Mim meets Montreal Episode 1: in which the Aussie experiences love at first bite Mim Kempson Contributor

outine fosters friendships. Or, at least, it did for me – a freshly arrived exchange student from Australia. One of my first interactions at Concordia went something like this: “So, have you tried poutine yet?” “No.” “What! You haven’t truly lived the French-Canadian experience until you’ve had a poutine! We must take you to La Banquise.” I admit, when I found out exactly what this food was I regretted revealing my poutine virginity. For a self-confessed health freak and gym junkie such as myself, poutine, AKA deep-fried potato smothered in oily gravy and topped with a mountain of cheese curds, was suicide on a plate. However, when I walked down Rachel St. on a grey and icy Saturday evening and saw the inviting bright yellow exterior of La Banquise, I warmed to the idea. A queue of umbrellas extended around the corner. If people were waiting in the wind and rain – and notably with smiles and eagerness

spread across their faces – surely poutine must be to die for. People greeted trusty friends who had nabbed a spot in the line; families waited with impatient children. Others, simply craving a poutine, pushed through to get theirs take-away. My friends told me that La Banquise, open 24/7, is a popular destination for those on a drunken night out, perfect for a midnight snack. I secretly hoped I wouldn’t like poutine because my apartment was only an eight-minute walk away… Once inside I glimpsed a variety of full, glistening plates of poutine decorated with guacamole, bacon, hotdog sausages and more. After seeing the menu I discovered that there were more than 30 types to choose from, but I knew that my first poutine had to be the original, “La Classique.” Not long after, it arrived. Despite looking like glorified fast-food, the plate of poutine before me somehow conjured a golden, ethereal glow. Though perhaps it was my excitement – the prospect of abandoning my lame-arse diet for one rebellious evening – that distorted my perception. Within moments of taking my first bite I knew there was no turning back – it was dangerously delicious.

Once I’d proudly finished my poutine I thought, was that just the entrée? Despite being a four-foot-eleven girl, I have the appetite of a teenage boy. I looked at my friends’ unfinished plates and considered polishing theirs off too. Poutine: I had never experienced anything like it in my life. In fact, I was so absorbed in every mouthful that I missed half of my friends’ conversations. I tuned in when I heard “pouding chômeur...a dessert crossed between a pudding and cake,” and “sucre à la crème,” other French-Canadian specialities. As I curiously think what my next fine dining experience will be, I wonder whether my friends have set me on a dangerous new path…

Mim’s first poutine gets five stars. Photo by Mim Kempson

Tuesday, September 23 , 2014

Review // LIFE

Asian fusion co-exists at Kyozon Try downtown’s newest trendy drink and eatery Sara Baron-Goodman Life editor

Last Wednesday, Crescent St. christened it’s newest addition. Kyozon, the newly opened Asian-fusion resto-bar, gets its name from the Japanese word for co-existence. This is exactly the mentality behind the new establishment, which offers up a smorgasbord of Asian-esque dishes and specialty cocktails. On opening night Kyozon was the place to be, as they welcomed about a thousand guests to sample their cocktails and cuisine. Looking around, the large space seemed full to the brim with media types and regular frequenters of the Montreal club scene. Kyozon currently occupies the space that was once Montreal’s Hard Rock Café, having swapped rock n’ roll relics for distressed wood banquettes, a sushi conveyer belt and worked metal siding. The vibe inside the space is industrial-chic, with an open-concept floor space where the bar is surrounded by concentric rectangular angles of the dining tables and overhang of the second-floor mezzanine. From the top floor you can look down and get a bird’s eye view of the action at the bar, as the mixologists concoct their poisons.

On tap for opening night was the Shojo Sour — an emerald green elixir made with Bombay Sapphire gin, Midori, fresh lime, egg white and a splash of sesame oil. The drink was sweet and fruity, and the egg white added a frothy texture. The sesame presented itself as a vague aroma that was more detectable by smell than by taste, though it brought an interesting element to the flavour profile and cut the cocktail’s overwhelming candy-quality. Their other specialty cocktails all draw inspiration from classic Asian ingredients. Amongst others are the Shiso Tonica, made with their homemade shiso, sencha tonic and shiso leaves; the Leche de Geisha, which recalls Chinese herbal infusions and is made with black tea, orchids and roses; and the Gifuso Chiso, featuring rice milk, red bean foam, candied prunes and Hakutsuru sake. My mouth watered just reading the list. Their bar menu also boasts a nice array of wines, beers and sakes, as well as classic cocktails. Wrapping around the interior rails of the second floor is the Kaiten sushi conveyor belt — a concept popularized in Japan as an inexpensive novelty dining option. Pairs of sushi rolls float around the periphery of the dining space under little plastic domes for patrons to grab as they wish. The sushi that I sampled tasted fresh, though the rolls themselves lacked innovation. The overall quality was only slightly better than what you would get from Sushi Shop or the like. Then again, it was opening

night, and their Kaiten menus are advertised as a sort of variation on an all-you-can eat deal, which often means sacrificing quality for value. The prices vary depending on the colour of the plate you grab from the belt (i.e. a pink plate is $2.50 and a blue plate is $7). Also on the Kaiten menu are “new Asian” hot plates, like spicy edamame, crispy duck and watermelon salad, and green papaya and mango salad — all hovering around the $5 price range. A more traditional dinner service is also on the menu, with à la carte items like cumin-scented lamb chops and tofu chili. I tried the salmon teriyaki, which was being passed around for the guests on opening night, along with their salted calamari and popcorn shrimp. All were good, if slightly predictable. I expected more pizazz from such a seemingly trendy fusion restaurant. The one dish that did pleasantly surprise me was a dessert of skewered pineapple and marshmallows, drizzled with a wasabi puree. The sweetness of the candy and fruit cut the spice of the wasabi, and the pineapple gave it a tangy punch. Hopefully Kyozon’s newness, novelty concept and trendy atmosphere will attract a younger, hipper crowd than the usual sleazy businessmen and tourists that descend upon Crescent. Overall, Kyozon has a lot of potential.

Hallway *Style * Kate Moss-inspired rockstar chic in leather and plush Tania Di Palma Contributor

Name: Belinda Anidjar Age: 22 Program: English Literature

Kyozon is located at 1458 Crescent St, and is open from 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. on weekdays, and until 3 a.m. on weekends.

What Belinda is wearing: Faux fur jacket: H&M Button-down leather collared shirt: Le Château Faux leather leggings: TopShop Booties: “Wanted,” Winners Faux leather cuff: Le Château Sunglasses: Delilah What inspired Belinda’s look: Kate Moss definitely — as well as the urban London and grunge glamour styles (‘90s inspired). Favourite movie: When Harry Met Sally, Rob Reiner; anything that makes me laugh is a winner. Favourite book: Vanity Fair, William Makepeace Thackeray Favourite designer: Hedi Slimane for Saint Laurent Paris Musical preference: R&B, soul and rock, especially if it is from the ‘80s or ‘90s. Favourite Boutique: Zara Favourite thing about fashion:

The view from above of Kyozon’s bar (above), amd their Kaiten sushi conveyor belt (below).

It offers an opportunity for creative expression and knows no boundaries. Every time you experiment with a new trend, you learn something new about yourself in the process.

arts

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Write to the editor: arts@theconcordian.com

Event // arts

Burlesque Night School really makes you want to study The History of the Tease is one class you’ll be rearing to do your homework for, on time Bashir Rifai Contributor

If asked to describe the perfect learning environment, a fully stocked bar, a sexy and hilarious teacher and an equally sexy teacher’s pet wearing outfits that leave little to the imagination is not what would come to most people’s minds. Well, that was what was in store at The Wiggle Room’s Burlesque Night School: History of the Tease, hosted by Miss Education, better known as The Lady Josephine, and her A+ student Miss Lavender May. The Lady Josephine ran a tight ship. Class starts with an introduction, followed by setting the rules of the classroom. Rule #1: “Do not have any nasty thoughts about the teacher.” Rule #2: “Do not enjoy the punishment.” Rule #3: “Never speak without putting your hand up.” Rule #4: “Answer my fucking questions.” And Rule #5: “Don’t be late.” Audience members who break the rules are punished by being brought up on stage and spanked, which leads to breaking the second rule, as it is tough not to enjoy the punishment. Those who follow the rules and answer questions correctly are rewarded with a gold star, one that The Lady Josephine “marinates in her own saliva” and places on your forehead — that, you are allowed to enjoy.

After that, the class consists of a “lesson” on the History of the Tease presented by the funny and talented The Lady Josephine, with several burlesque performances in between by her favorite student, Miss Lavender May. It is easy to understand why Miss Lavender May is an A+ student; her sexy yet tasteful performances leave the crowd “hooting and hollering,” something the audience is actively encouraged to do. As for the venue, The Wiggle Room promises a great, intimate environment for a night out. While not easy to find, it is one of the hidden gems on Saint-Laurent Blvd. At the entrance, the hostess behind an old-fashioned ticket booth greets you. One look at the bar and you are immediately transported to a different era. Everything from the bar, to the stage, to the way the servers are dressed creates the perfect atmosphere to accompany the event of the evening. The staff was friendly and engaging, making audience members feel like they belonged to an exclusive club. This intimate venue also boasted a mixed and vibrant crowd. Students, couples, groups of friends on a night out, a man wearing a three piece suit and a top hat, and holding a skull staff--everyone is welcome at the place with the motto, “A Little Wiggle Goes a Long Way.” After a great show, The Lady Josephine kindly agreed to meet me at the bar for a small chat. Her love of burlesque started when she

The Lady Josephine teaching Photo by Bashir Rifai.

with the help of her

attended a show in Vancouver six years ago. She fell in love with “the way the women on stage were owning their own sensuality,” as well as the ability to transport those involved to a different time. Clearly a passionate and talented student of burlesque, her lesson about its history, while light hearted and comical, stems from her own admiration of the political, social and artistic contributions

A+

student,

Miss Lavender May.

of the women who started it all. When asked what her message be to the student community at Concordia would be, The Lady Josephine said: “ take a chance, go and see a burlesque show. I guarantee, it’s the best foreplay you’ve ever had.” For more information about burlesque and variety events, visit wiggleroom.ca.

Theatre // arts

Retro humour, laughter and travelling bards Theatre Sainte-Catherine’s monthly Sketch night is here to amuse and entertain you Milos kovacevic News editor

The Theatre Sainte-Catherine (TSC) is small. For somebody who’s never seen it, it’s a bottleneck connecting a stage to a bar with a dozen or so tables. From its size and minimal sets, one would be justified in enquiring how it survives, despite a busy weekly schedule of improv, laughs, and stage drama. Such places are not supposed to be small, I tell myself. They are supposed to be visited by the masses and have huge stages. Nor had I heard of the performers before. Added to my often precariously subjective humour, seldom finding toilet or sexual humour — comedic staples, both of them — amusing, I could see things going south very soon. Things were anything but. I’m quickly reminded each time I go there that the minimal space is made for small gatherings. It magnifies the intimacy of the atmosphere. Laughter doesn’t disappear or get drowned out, but comes loud and clear and individual to the person emitting it, and you feel close enough even in the furthest back rows to be included in a skit. That night was the beginning of TSC’s

first ever monthly sketch night, which I presume is a mixture of established talent and stage volunteers (or travelling bards) with unshakeable confidence in their craft. Comics Daniel Carin and Chris Sandiford’s beginning fare of talk show mockery was good enough to be the main meal. The two have real chemistry with each other, and I found myself wondering if they were besties in real life. Bonus points for their routine’s inclusion of two things close to my heart: book reviews and science fiction

humour, which are about as far as you can get from penis jokes and fart humour. TSC’s house sketch team caused much laughter with creative skits featuring gossipy airhead news reporter Justine (whose name is a play on (this) “just in”), a fierce MIC battle over whose mothers were nicer, and a healthy dose of babies getting shot with handguns, amongst other things. The lads were magnificent in their enthusiasm and ability, the women more so (Katie Leggitt’s accents and facial expressions were really impressive). It was at this moment, during a mercifully placed intermission, that a scheduling conflict caused an early departure. But the show did have real lasting effects: I find myself prowling about the internet for Carin & Sandiford’s videos late at night and waitThe crew at Comedy sketch night bring laughs. Photo by Jane Lee ing for the right situation to pawn

off residual jokes as my own. There were, of course, a few hiccups. Host Brad Armstrong’s uncomfortable focus on a front-row audience member was a bit awkward, even the best skits can sometimes be excessive in length, and certain subject matter was of a questionable nature (ISIS beheadings — a bit too soon?). Yet the enthusiasm and camaraderie of the performers shines through, and their sharp wits and material grab you and demand you give them proper respect. Small as it is, you feel like you’ve stumbled upon a community of performers who did their thing before you’d come by, and would persist at it long after you left. The most genuine moments came when the composure of the cast members cracked under each other’s witty repartee and you saw authentic, unscripted laughs. They might not be getting paid a lot for what they do, and they may not get huge crowds, but they’re having a hell of a lot of fun. The small nook in the wall that is the Theatre Sainte-Catherine is doing just fine, and will continue to do so. For more information about Theatre Sainte-Catherine events, visit theatresaintecatherine.com.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Opera // arts

Get swept away by Nabucco’s beauty The production of Verdi’s opera is very visually appealing and packed with talent Marilla Steuter-Martin Production assistant

ealousy, madness, a bloody battle, a desperate grab for power and a love triangle drive the action of Nabucco, one of Giuseppe Verdi’s most celebrated operas. There’s no shortage of drama, nor of talent, in the upcoming production to be staged at the Montreal Opera the last week of September. Nabucco is an Italian opera based on biblical stories from the Book of Jeremiah and the Book of Daniel, and follows the struggle between warring Babylonians and Ancient Hebrews. The Babylonian king, Nabucco, begins the action by invading Hebrew territory to retrieve his daughter Fenema who is being held prisoner. Over the course of the four acts, it becomes clear that Fenema has fallen for an Israelite named Ismaele and has converted to Judaism. Things are further complicated by the presence of Fenema’s sister, Abigaille, who is power hungry and jealous. Director Leigh Holman has been involved with two previous productions of Nabucco, at the Opera Philadelphia and at the Florida Grand Opera in Miami. She explains that while she comes to this production as an old hand, that it no way lessens the excitement of the project. “Even though some of the bones are the

same, we always create a new show every time,” she said. While the opera is technically set in biblical times, Holman explains that this production includes a second time period, and plays into historical elements from the time in which it was written, when Italy was under the control of Austrian forces. “The concept of the show is that it’s the premiere of Nabucco at La Scala in 1842,” she said. “The show itself… is about Babylonians coming into Jerusalem and taking Hebrews back as slaves, so we can see the sort of parallel.” The title role of the show is played by Italian baritone Paolo Gavanelli, who has incredible stage presence and does a beautiful job of anchoring the action onstage, which can sometimes appear chaotic. Opposite him, Russian-born soprano Tatiana Melnychenko does an admirable job portraying the villainous and complex Abigaille. The production, which runs two and a half hours, is visually appealing and features lavish costumes and intricately painted scenery. While live surtitling is incorporated into the performance on screens above the stage, the action can get a little confusing so brushing up on the plot ahead of time is a safe bet. Though opera may not be the most popular pastime among university-age students, Holman feels it has something very valuable to offer viewers. “I always say that if you can’t put something into words, or if the emotion

Scenes of epic proportions are portrayed in this Verdi’s opera. Photo by Sebastian Furtado is so big that you can’t express it in speech, you can do it with music,” she said. “In an opera like this where the drama is so intense, only music can make that drama rise to the surface.”

Nabucco will be playing at Place des Arts, Salle Wilfrid Pelletier Sept. 20, 23, 25 & 27 at 7:30 p.m. with tickets being priced as low as $20. For more information, visit operademontreal.com.

Ballet // arts

Laugh along with Leonce+Lena

Les Grands Ballets Canadiens’ latest production will make you fall in love with the dance Nathalie Laflamme Editor-in-chief

e all have a perception of what a night at the ballet should be like: fancy people drinking champagne before the show, and then, during the show, classical music filling your ears, graceful ballerinas in intricate tutus and points gliding across the stage (albeit a little too slowly for your taste). Well, apart from the drinking champagne before the show, Leonce+Lena, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens’ latest production, was nothing like your grandmother’s night at the ballet. I was one of the lucky few that attended the show’s premiere. I was a little worried that I would not understand the story being told, since my last experience at the ballet had been one of confusion — I had gone to see Rodin/Claudel, not knowing what the story was. Still, just by seeing the ad for Leonce+Lena, I had a feeling that this would be different. And it was, in the best way possible. Leonce+Lena, a play written by Georg Büchner in 1838, is a comedic story of love that will keep you on your toes and get you to smile for hours. In the first act, Prince Leonce learns that he must marry Princess Lena the very next day. After hearing the news, Leonce flees with Valerio, a newly-found friend. Meanwhile, Lena does not want to mar-

ry a stranger either. In fact, she chooses to run away from her obligations with the help of her governess, not knowing that Leonce has done the same. In the second act, the paths of the two strangers meet. The scene begins with Valerio and the governess courting each other. Leonce and Len’s paths cross, and, finding that they have so much in common, they fall in love — not knowing that they were meant to be married the following day. During this time, preparations for the wedding at the Kingdom of Popo are underway, even though both the bride and groom are missing. Both couples — Leonce, Lena, the governess, and Valerio — return to the kingdom, all dressed as automatons. Since the couple meant to be married is not present, the king orders Leonce and Lena, who he believes to be total strangers, to get married. Therefore, those who were meant to get married against their will somehow fell in love outside of the kingdom. Leonce becomes in charge of the affairs of the kingdom, just as he was meant to. All is well. This ballet was simply incredible. The costumes were gorgeous — all taffeta and rich velvets in gem hues — and the sets simple but beautiful (my personal favourite touch was the chandeliers). The live orchestra played beautiful, sometimes melancholic tunes throughout the play. Once in a while, the orchestra would stop playing, and well-known ballads would fill our ears — like the iconic song “Dream a Little Dream of Me.” The choreography was beautiful, but also upbeat and fun. The choreographer,

Emilie Durville and Vanessa GR Montoya performing a humurous scene. Photo by John Hall. Christian Spuck, truly did an amazing job. The dancers really spoke with their movements, all the while keeping the audience entertained — my favourite moment was when the King danced the Macarena. Overall, Leonce+Lena is a beautiful pro-

duction that anyone can enjoy. Leonce+Lena is playing at Théâtre Maissonneuve every night at 8 p.m. until Sept. 27. For more information, visit grandsballets.com.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Theatre // arts

Get your ‘Speare on with a side of Tarantino Bard Fiction at Mainline Theatre blends Shakespeare and Pulp Fiction in a five-star production Michelle Gamage Production manager

he only thing better than Pulp Fiction is Pulp Fiction in iambic pentameter. Bard Fiction is a must-see theatrical version of Quentin Tarantino’s cult classic in Shakespearean English, which ran its Quebec premiere Thursday, Sept. 18, at Mainline Theatre to thunderous applause. Set in the 17th century where cottage pies replace Big Macs and a stallion replaces Zed’s motorcycle, this hour-long production had the audience whooping, laughing, and breaking out in applause when they heard their favourite lines directly translated into Shakespearean English. Butch, played by Lucas Chartier, escapes from the would-be rape dungeon and, while trying to decide to save Marsellus or leave him behind, tears at his hair and cries, “TO FLEE, OR NOT TO FLEE.” Produced by Beyond the Mountain Productions and running at MainLine Theatre from now until Sunday, Sept. 28, this is a production that all Tarantin-attics must see. Guns are replaced by daggers and sabers, suits boast ruffles and tights, cars become carriages, and the classic Vincent and Mia dance scene begins with a bow and a curtsey. “I’m relieved. I knew it would do well, but it’s always a pleasure to hear people laugh when they’re supposed to laugh … and this is one of those few venues where you can see the smiles on people’s faces,” said Artistic Director and Production Manager Danielle Caddell. Caddell is the driving-force behind bringing Bard Fiction to Canada, using her theatre contacts to bring the play first to the Toronto Fringe festival, and now to Mon-

treal. Mainline Theatre is an intimate venue, with the audience wrapped close around the stage. A flutist in the audience plays most of the music for the production, and Marsellus is often illuminated while sitting in an audience chair to deliver a line, to the delight of audience-members sitting next to him. Zed and three other minor characters are played by Concordia playwright student Laurent McCuaig Pitre. The cast of nine only had two to three weeks to rehearse said McCuaig, but all actors have previous experience working with Shakespeare. Still, being such Pulp Fiction fans, the actors didn’t have to work hard to muddle through the meaning of their Shakespearean lines because they knew what the meaning was from the original movie added Chartier, or Butch, the latter having performed in Hamlet and Love Labour’s Lost before. Non-Shakespearean buffs shouldn’t fret if they didn’t excel in high school English classes though. An argument between Vincent and Jules about the varying intimacies of foot rubs and culingus is still just that, and what words are lost in meaning are made up for in gestures, facial expressions and attitude. That, and the phrase, “lower lip” isn’t entirely difficult to decipher. The only recommendation to give is to watch Pulp Fiction before the show so you can cheer loudly when you hear your favourite quotes and insults delivered in beautiful Shakespearean prose, thy poxed whoreson. Bard Fiction runs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday with varying showtimes till the end of the month. Tickets sell for $15 a pop and are available at beyondthemountain.ca

Review // arts

Experience your senses All at Once - literally Exhibit at the VAV Gallery implores viewers to contemplate the sensory possibilities of the human body Amanda Macri Contributor

Most of us go through life seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and feeling the world around us. But how often do we get to step into a spacious white room where we are asked to experience these senses all at once? Right about now. All at Once is the current exhibit on display at the VAV Gallery, located in Concordia’s Visual Arts Building on the corner of Crescent St. and René Lévesque Blvd. W. The exhibit features the works of artists Bianca Hlywa, Paul Lofeodo, Jade Seguela, Steven Smith Simard, Julie Tremblay and Jacynthe Cloutier. The first thing you notice about the exhibit is the silence. Every step, every shift, every sway is echoed and amplified in the minimalist space. Viewers become hyper-aware of their own inhaling and exhaling, and time seems to slow down as a consequence. Footsteps sedate as visitors carefully make their way to the artworks that line the blank walls and those which hang from the bare ceiling. An artwork that captures sight and sound simultaneously is “L’autre” by Jacynthe

Cloutier. Here, identical molds of faces and ears are suspended from the ceiling above and strung down on the walls in an imposing way. The sense of touch manifests itself both physically and emotionally in the exhibit. Emotionally, there is “The Process of Talking to Yourself” by Jade Seguela, which conveys the internal struggle one faces when contemplating overdose; “112 jours/ 112 days” by Steven Smith Simard, which captures a sense of loss and loneliness over a significant amount of time; and “Will and Representation” by Paul Lofeodo, which questions the unrealistic physical expectations of the human body by combining man and mannequin. Physically, there is “Tribute to the Body” by Julie Tremblay. Here, viewers are encouraged to write down their favourite body part using the small sheets of paper and pencils provided and submit their selection into a ballot box. Up to this point, viewers have experienced sight, sound and touch. However, there seem to be two senses missing, and weren’t you promised to experience them all at once? The final installation does not disappoint. “Plastic Bags from Jerusalem” by Bianca Hlywa is a fully interactive piece. Viewers are asked to

remove their shoes prior to entering an intimidating structure made entirely of white painted cardboard. Sight. The bottoms of your feet tense as you walk over a prickly welcome mat. Touch. Once inside, a sign reads “knock for cake” and you do. Sound. A small hatch opens and upon completing a series of instructions,

which include putting a plastic bag over your head, a slice of cake is handed to you. Smell. What follows is inevitable. Taste. All at Once will be featured at the VAV Gallery until Sept. 26. For more information, visit vavgallery.concordia.ca

The wonders and mysteries of the human body are explored in the sensory focused exhibition. Photo by Amanda Macri

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Film Festival // arts

Black Film Festival back for its 10th anniversary Montreal International Black Film Festival brings black reality back to the big screen Sofia Misenheimer Contributor

This Tuesday, the 10th annual Montreal International Black Film Festival (MIBFF) will once again challenge perspectives and promote diversity in cinemas across the city. The festival will showcase an array of local and independent films, feature an industry conference, and pay tribute to attending filmmaker Spike Lee. “Black films are hot right now, and we bring the best from around the world,” said Fabienne Colas, MIBFF president and founder. Colas attributed increased awareness of black film to powerful features like 12 Years a Slave and The Butler, which both received widespread acclaim and won countless awards last year. Still, the MIBFF has been promoting black film for a decade. Colas created the festival in 2005, to fill what she perceived as a void in Montreal’s film festival scene. As an experienced actress, director and producer, Colas was shocked to find that no local cinema or festival would screen her latest film at the time, which presented a deep social reality in Haiti and was widely popular in her home country. “For the first time in my life I felt disappointed” Colas said of the experience. She wondered if a lack of diversity in Montreal cinema was similarly discouraging other filmmakers. In response, Colas developed the Montreal Haitian Film Festival. The festival ran

Numerous facets of black reality are portrayed in different movies presented at the Montreal International Black Film Festival. for three years, before its scope expanded to become the MIBFF. “The role of the festival has always been to provide audiences with access to [black] films…and offer a platform for filmmakers, who would otherwise not be seen or heard,” she said. The festival will present films from over 30 countries that portray elements of black reality from around the world. This encompasses community portraits, comedy and cultural celebration, as well as historical themes of slavery, racism and freedom. “I hope some viewers will be shocked,” said Colas. “The festival is meant to reveal things that are going on in the world.” Hope, the festival’s opening film, may

do just that. Interweaving themes of exile and immigration, it tells the story of Léonard, a young man from Cameroon, who rescues Hope, a young Nigerian woman, while traversing the Sahara desert. Impacted by violence and severe economic hardship, the two must engage in desperate measures to enable a new life in Europe. The powerful film won the Société des auteurs et compositeurs dramatiques Screenwriting Award at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. Colas believes that the festival’s line-up will educate, empower and inspire attendees. “Everyone will get something out of the MIBFF. You can’t leave the festival without learning, or feeling something,” she said.

Colas is especially excited about the Spike Lee extravaganza, in which the innovative filmmaker will internationally premiere his latest film, Da Sweet Blood of Jesus, and receive a Pioneer Award. “Spike Lee is coming to town! It should be everyone’s mission to come and meet him,” Colas said. “This festival should appeal to anyone who has considered filmmaking, is an independent film enthusiast, or is a die-hard Spike Lee fan. I look forward to seeing a diverse crowd there.” The Montreal International Black Film Festival runs from Sept. 23-28. For more information, visit montrealblackfilm.com.

Film // arts

Val Lewton’sCat People : otherness in the everyday Teresa De Laurentis delivered public lecture at Concordia Amanda Macri Contributor

“She was marked with the curse of those who slink and court and kill by night!” These words can be found on the original movie poster of Val Lewton’s 1942 horror film Cat People. For those of you who have not yet had the pleasure of watching this classic, Cat People is about a Serbian woman, Irena Dubrovna (Simone Simon), who has moved to New York to pursue a career in fashion. She falls in love with an American man, Oliver Reed (Kent Smith), and marries him. Darkness haunts Irena from her childhood in Serbia, however, where she was told about evil cat people who kill their lovers when aroused or jealous. Her worst fears come true when her husband begins to fall in love with his co-worker Alice (Jane Randolph) and the inner cat, or in this case panther, in Irena comes out to wreak havoc. One aspect of the film that has stumped audience members and scholars since its initial release is that the viewer never actually sees Irena turn into a panther. Rather, the transformation is suggested by sounds and shadows alone. Does this mean that the transformation is purely psychological? That is precisely what Teresa De Lauretis, Professor Emerita of the History of Consciousness at the University of California,

discussed in her lecture hosted by the Feminist Media Studio on Sept. 19 at Concordia’s EV building. “Lewton’s 1940s films are about the presence in human life of an otherness or an alterity that is not an emanation of evil or supernatural powers… but comes from a place of darkness within the human,” said de Lauretis. To explain this inner darkness, we must turn towards the psychoanalytical work of Freud. According to de Lauretis, Freud “postulated the existence, together with the sexual drive, of an aggressive, destructive, and above all self-destructive psychic force that he named death drive.” Freud wrote that as long as the death drive remains internal, it remains silent. In a famous scene of Cat People, Irena says, “Whatever is in me is held in, is kept harmless, when I’m happy.” This is what has led de Lauretis to believe that “the panther in Irena is a metaphor, a figure, of the death drive,” and that “the panther is not Irena, but in Irena as a source of her fears… and compulsions.” “By desynchronizing sound and image, the film creates the figure of “pantherness”, an internal force that compels and transforms Irena,” de Lauretis said. Therefore, it is intentional that the viewer never sees Irena transforming into a panther because the transformation is meant to be in an inner, not an outer, one. Lewton’s films went on to heavily influence the film noir genre and the suspense thriller, including the work of Hitchcock. His other notable films include I Walked with a Zombie (1943), The Leopard Man (1943), The Curse of the Cat People (1944) and The Body Snatcher (1945).

For more information on the Feminist Media Studio and to learn about upcoming

events, visit their website: feministmediastudio.ca.

Lewton’s 1942 movie Cat People had many underlying themes according to De Laurentis.

music 14

Tuesday, september 23, 2014

Write to the editor: music@theconcordian.com

Review // musiC

POP MTL

Ty Segall tore up the sold-out show at Club Soda better than any other POP Montreal bands and his lips lit-up with shiny blue glowing lipstick. But before the main event that tore-up the club, Montreal-bred group, The Nymphets, took to the stage and played some “The show sold out in 2 days!” said an tunes that threw back to early Pixies. excited Ty Segall fan as he lined-up out- They had charisma and sass, and their side Club Soda, along with other music- drummer, Johanna Heldebro, was totally nerd early birds, and your music editor. badass, but their mic sound wasn’t great. That’d make sense — Segall got the crowd They enthusiastically played their surfer to jostle, jump, and gel their hair with glit- punk-pop songs. The early crowd, madeter on his Sept. 20 show with POP Mon- up majorly of fresh-out-of-highschool treal. Segall’s been going through a glitter young guys, ate it up. phase — his press photos show his eyes Later, La Luz lulled us into their sunny bedazzled with glimmering rhinestones sea-side tunes with guitar riffs that could have been written by The Doors back in Venice in the ‘60s. The fourpiece comprised only of women sang and danced to their catchy tunes while their skirts gave them a girly silhouette under the stage lights. The drummer made some particularly cool and quick drum ticks, mixed with the keys and guitars putting out fluid melodies and licks up front. Frontwoman Shana Cleveland had huge curly hair that seemed to bob to the beat. Finally, the group ended their set with a wave to the eager audience and skipped off stage. Then, Segall fans gulped down their beers, tied their hair nice and tight, and Ty Segall performing at Club Soda. Photo by Susan Moss cheered when Segall appeared. He was mia pearson Music editor

We didn’t miss Monomyth’s POP performance mia pearson Music editor

The people at L’escogriffe were packed like Sardines for the POP Montreal show on Thursday Sept. 18. Monomyth, the quirky Halifax band that had been featured in The Concordian a week ago, took the tiny stage — a blur of hair and colorful clothing. Their songs won over the early crowd and had people whispering into their friends’ ears “hey — these guys are pretty good!”

Monomyth’s sound was particularly good for the basement venue’s poor quality P.As. The musicians put on such a light-hearted and whimsical rock performance that they could have stayed on for the rest of the three hours, and we’d have been fine with that. Nap Eyes came on with their dreamy rock tunes, and little to no people were napping during this performance, I can assure you. The crowd was into the music that rocked the wooden walls of L’escogriffe, but the audience was particularly tall, which made it so your music editor couldn’t see what was really going on. It’s assumed that their performance was well done. The POP show was a cool cocktail of bands , but could have been more enjoyable with better sound quality.

La Luz opening for Ty Segall. Photo by Arnauld Labadie the messiah of the night — wearing all white clothing and loose-fit pants with little stars stuck-on the seams. Immediately, the bruise-inducing mosh-pit began. Kids banged their heads in all directions, literally letting-off steam and figuratively raising the roof. When Segall played the first notes of his new song, “Feel”, off the album Manipulator, the crowd didn’t stop for a beat. Thrashing and feet-tapping ensued while Segall and his band played the rapid and trace-like low beats of “feel.” As gangly boys and girls dove from the stage and surfed on hands and heads, the band violently strummed-out the chords to more Manipulator songs, as well as old favorites. One fan enthusiastically requested that the band play the track “Girlfriend” off the album, Melted. Once the song ended, the same guy yelled “play it again!” Segall did not play it again. He did, however, start another song, stepping into the crowd while simultaneously playing guitar. His legs were supported by the people below, and in that moment, he was not unlike a blonde Jesus walking on water. His music is so good and his talent for writing rock songs so evident that he is almost like a god. It does take some special music, though, to pack Club Soda to the rims. For all of those who didn’t catch Ty Segall — shame on you.

Ty Segall and crowdsurfers. Photo by Susan Moss

Monomyth performing at bar l’Escogriffe along with Nap Eyes. Photo by Keith Race

Tuesday, september 23, 2014

Review// music

POP MTL Ought fans headed downstairs to Rialto Theatre’s smaller venue for some great grungy music Jessica Romera Staff writer

OP Montreal International Music Festival kicked off this past Wednesday for its 13th edition. Bringing in big names like Against Me!, Sheryl Crow, and Ronnie Spector, the festival also boasted an impressive array of lesser known acts and local talent. For the Sept.18 Thursday night slot, some friends and I decided to check out Montreal based garage-rock quartet, Ought, playing at the iconic Rialto Theatre. Heading down to the Piccolo showroom in the theatre’s basement, you got the sense that the space was unfinished, likely because the theatre has been undergoing renovations for the last little while. Old movie posters adorned the bar area while the main room was sparsely decorated with nothing but a few tables bordering most of the walls. The stage was a slightly elevated platform against a brick wall, giving the room a grungy, yet endearing quality, much like the night’s headlining act themselves. At 9:30 p.m., American noise-rock veteran, Carla Bozulich, took the stage and played nearly one hour of what can only be described as something beyond the realms of experimental and alternative rock. She began her set with several minutes of guitar reverb and feedback scratching through the speakers, while the percussionist and synth board player added their own particular noise elements. With some technical glitches, Bozulich

chastised her guitar, yelling “FUCKER,” adding that she was trying out a new technique, and promised it would sound really good once she got it to work properly. Meanwhile, the keyboardist took advantage of the brief pause to take a bite out of the red apple he had been snacking on earlier in the evening. Break over, the trio got right back to their set characterized mainly by a slew of slow and sludgy guitar playing, with percussion and synth to match, cutting quite nicely to fast and chaotic strumming. Towards the end of her 50 minute set, Bozulich introduced a “special guest”; a man dressed head to toe in black who begun to play what appeared to be some kind of variation of a flute alongside the other musicians on stage. The percussionist grabbed the saw that was by her drums the entire time, and began to play with it. Playing with the tool emitted a sound that was sweet and subdued; a nice contrast to her high energy drum playing. The crowd was immersed in darkness, with only a red light splashed against those on stage and the brick wall behind it. The atmosphere was spooky and borderline occult; the combination of slow, ethereal instrumentation and dim lighting had my friends and I feeling like we were taking part in an occult summoning, but we were intrigued nonetheless. After performing her last song, Bozulich thanked the crowd, announced she had a few hand made t-shirts for sale, and exited the stage. Behind schedule, the growing restlessness of the packed room was soon washed away when the night’s main at-

traction stepped on stage. Fronted by Tim Beeler, Ought dove right into the title track from their debut LP, More Than Any Other Day. Beeler exuded showmanship, engaging with the crowd by tossing out adlib lyrics about grocery shopping and other mundane daily tasks. But there’s nothing mundane about Ought’s specific breed of postpunk, and at times, art-rock sound. The band’s arrangement (Beeler on vocals and guitar, Matt May on keys, Tim Keen on drums and Ben Stidworthy on bass), is probably the only thing traditional about these guys. Ought slowed down the pace after several high-intensity songs only to pick it directly back up in the bass Ought performing at Piccolo Rialto. Photo by Cindy Lopez. heavy, Talking Headsesque track “Habit”. With a simple pur- entire room grooved and moved to the ple light highlighting the guys on stage, remainder of the hour long set. Humble the crowd picked up on their energy and and sweaty, the hometown boys smiled formed a small makeshift moshpit in the and thanked POP Montreal and the equalmiddle of the room for some of the louder ly sweaty audience for an awesome and songs. The pit’s rambunctiousness spilled rowdy night, and headed out to prepare over into the rest of the crowd, with the for the rest of their tour.

Timbre Timbre chilled Metropolis with the haunting folk music off their new album, Hot Dreams tire. Most of the songs in their 45 minute set were consistently slow-paced and dreamy, but many of them built-up momentum, gaining speed and starry eyed admiration from the crowd just in time for the night’s headliners. Timber Timbre emerged onto the Tasseomancy opening for Timbre Timbre. Photo by Cindy Lopez stage, blanketed in dim lighting. A purple neon sign emblazoned with the jessica romera words “Hot Dreams” remained flickering Staff writer above the band. Steady, rhythmic drumming followed their entrance, and they opened the set with “Grand Canyon” off September is in full swing and the weather their latest album. Diving headfirst into has already turned from bright, sunny and “Beat The Drum Slowly,” guitarist and warm, to grey, dark and chilly, the latter frontman Taylor Kirk’s disembodied voproviding the perfect backdrop to Timber cals seemed even more ghostly in a live Timbre’s Friday night POP Montreal show setting; the reverb from his words getting at Metropolis. On tour promoting their lat- under your skin and staying deep in your est album, the Polaris Music Prize short- bones. listed Hot Dreams, Timber Timbre enlisted The eerie keyboard interludes between the help of Toronto band Tasseomancy. songs sounded almost like dripping water, The sister duo provided vocals, acoustic or something from a movie soundtrack. guitar, and were backed by a keyboardist Pulling mostly from Hot Dreams, Timber and percussionist. Dressed in Victorian Timbre played “Lonesome Hunter” and style clothes, Tasseomancy’s sound was “Black Water,” favourites off Creep On equally as eerie and mysterious as their at- Creepin’ On. Despite being known for

their haunting and subdued folk sound, the group seemed to beam off energy on stage, more so than any studio version of their songs. Calling on the crowd to get up and slow dance, a disco ball was released during their latest album’s title track, illuminating brightly the dark Metropolis hall. Towards the later half of the song, a saxophonist joined them on stage, adding a soulful sensuality to the set, which segwayed smoothly into the crowd pleasing Timber Timbre classics “Magic Arrow” and “Bad Ritual.” Exiting the stage, the room immediately cried out for an encore. Obeying, Kirk promptly returned for several songs. Play-

ing alone save for his electric guitar, Kirk was engulfed in murky red lighting. Several moments would pass where Kirk would pause from singing, refrain from strumming and all you could hear through the dense, dead silence was the faint static from the amplifier, spreading a chill throughout the room. The rest of the band filed back on stage for the final few encore songs. Having played mostly from their new album, Timber Timbre won favour with the crowd by ending their hour and a half set with the always sinister sounding, “Trouble Comes Knocking”, leaving us haunted, dreamy, and deeply satisfied.

Timbre Timbre playing songs off their new album, Hot Dreams. Photo by Susan Moss.

Tuesday, september 23, 2014

Profile // music

The Drums drum-up a brand new album The Drums reflect on Russia, Elizabeth Taylor, and discovering the joys of a US National Parks Pass Oneida Crawford Staff Writer

“Russia is a funny little animal right now, doing all sorts of things that aren’t good… this is going to sound strange, but to be perfectly honest, what’s been going on in Russia has really influenced a lot of this album…” says Jonny Pierce, lead vocalist of The Drums. So, most fittingly, The Drums played a kick-off show for their new album, Encyclopedia, in Moscow, Russia. Encyclopedia has an incredibly dark, dreamy, hallucinogenic sound. Then, there are layers of deeply emotional lyrics, weighted in anxieties and feelings of “loneliness and desire and fear of losing [but also] fear of never getting,” Pierce explained. Feelings that, essentially, relate to the political complexities and emotional hardships, linked to the desire for personal freedom in a country such as Russia. Pierce adds that this opening show felt so relevant and important, and actually made him feel emotional on stage for the first time in years because “the album is really meant to be a letter of comfort to the outsider or to someone who’s being abused and hurt.” This idea of an ode to the outsider is referenced in the music video for the first single and opening track on the album, entitled “Magic Mountain.” At the end of the beautifully cinematic piece (directed by Pierce alongside long-time collaborator and the Drums’ other half, Jacob Graham), is a dedication. The music video is dedicated to the late actress Elizabeth Taylor. She appears in one brief glimpse during the final

few seconds of the video. When asked about her importance to the band, Pierce says he and Graham had always been fans of hers. “She identified with the freaks and outsiders in the world. She’s just always been a really beautiful symbol of acceptance and celebrating differences,” Pierce says. His explanation means a lot because it solidifies the overall message that these songs are re-

“

Another theme that boldly resonates throughout the album is the presence of nature. Pierce excitedly recalls his exploration into the wilderness, just prior to writing the album. “I’m a big US National Parks junkie! I have a pass to any American national park, and I would encourage anyone to do it. It’s eighty bucks and you can get a whole carload of

If we can’ t write great songs, what else are we good for?

ally about acceptance. For example, Pierce describes the track, “Let Me In,” as “a song about just being exactly who you are, nothing more, nothing less”. He also describes the meaning behind “Magic Mountain”: “[it’s] finally finding what’s good and pushing out what’s bad and fighting to the death to protect what you’ve finally found.” Though the songs all have a dark quality to them, as Pierce says, “the future is uncertain always...if you crack these songs open and you really sit with them, you can find a sliver of hope in all of them.” So perhaps the harsher songs exists on the surface and it takes a few listens to seek out the hopefulness the band suggests is still there.

- Jonny Pierce people and you can do it for a year and there are just places you can’t imagine!” Songs like “US National Park” and “Wild Geese” represent a totally different locale of forests and fields, whereas in the past, songs like “Let’s Go Surfing” and “Down by the Water” clearly evoke sun, sand, and beaches. Encyclopedia reflects the tumultuous time in which it was written and recorded. After a year of touring, press, and promo for 2012’s, Portamento, the Drums needed a break. Pierce and Graham began working on solo material. The temporary split was evidently short-lived as they regrouped, realizing that The Drums’ loss of band mem-

bers was an opportunity to create the album Pierce and Graham had been dreaming of for years. Encyclopedia was a product of many changes, some good and some bad in the lives of these two musicians. It was a result of anger and frustration at first, but then also a result of letting go of anxieties and simplifying the creative process by working with only each other. Pierce says he felt he and Graham were “very much on the same wavelength – sometimes we feel like we’re sharing a brain when it comes to music.” It was during the creation of Encyclopedia that Pierce got married in the beautiful New York countryside, while at the same time he was finally able to shut out the people in his family who weren’t supportive. He also embraced his atheistic point of view and has a new outlook on life, “because that fear is gone for me and I’m not worried about being punished in hell forever for loving someone. A flower smells twice as sweet and a tree looks twice as beautiful than it did before,” he says. All of these discoveries and experiences clearly gave him inspiration for the album, so it was incredibly difficult for the pair to amalgamate the final material. “You know, I probably could have written an Encyclopedia of Encyclopedias,” laughs Pierce. The Drums will continue their tour for Encyclopedia, and, as promised by Pierce, they will “always be going where people want to hear [them]-- that’s a policy we have.” So, to all you outsiders… the Drums have your back. The Drums play Le Cabaret du Mile End Sept. 24.

The Drums part ways with other bandmates to release their new album entitled Magic Mountain. Current members include Jonny Pierce and Jacob Graham. Press photo.

Tuesday, september 23, 2014

Profile // music

We think Fink is fantastic The band aims to top their previous albums with Hard Believer Bersabel Behonegne Contributor

the members, and to demonstrate their new confidence. We can hear it, loud and clear. Greenall started off as a DJ in the club scene in London, putting on a strictly electronic show. After ten years of “shopping for records, hangovers, and synthesizers,” Greenall finally had enough and wanted something new. “It took a few lost albums, and a lot of artistic soul searching to turn into the very thing I was antithesis [of] for so many years,” he explains. The current sound of the band resonates well with the indie crowd, but is interesting in comparison to the previous discography of the group. Hard Believer is an interesting name, just like the music it holds. It represents the challenge to their faith that the band members

ber.” Once they had the demo down, they took to LA for 17 days of intense recording. Fink will start their North American tour at the end of this month. The band loves that people want to see them live and are filled with joy when they see their music cross seas. “The live thing is just how you do it. If you don’t gig, you don’t grow artistically or professionally.” Fink performed in Montreal two years ago to promote their last album, Perfect Darkness, to a small and intimate crowd at La Sala Rossa. This year, the venue has been upscaled a couple clicks. Fink explains that the band has no idea what they’re going to play when they go onstage for a show. “Every night is different for us and [the audi-

ink is a three-piece band from Brighton, United Kingdom, that formed in London in the ‘90s. The trio is composed of frontman Fin Greenall a Bristol born singer-songwriter accompanied by Guy Whittaker on bass and Tim Thornton on drums. The band’s genre is an ingenious blend of contemporary folk with a surge of blues and dub. Back in the early 2000s, Ninja Tune Records picked up the trio as the label’s first band in the folk category. Soon after their debut album, Biscuits for Breakfast (2006), they hit the ground running. Unlike most contemporary bands, Fink’s beginnings resembled a kickedback jam-sesh turned into something truly special. “I was a trip hop kinda electronica guy for many years,” Greenall said. “The boys were in a myriad of pop, metal and indie – our paths crossed when I changed direction and needed some mates for the ride. Five studio albums, two live albums later, world tours, and a lot of bus time….happy days.” After collaborating with the likes of John Legend, Amy Winehouse and Phillip Phillips, and over 300 live shows, it’s a wonder that Fink has stayed under the radar. Greenall told The Concordian about their collaborations in the past couple of years, and about how exciting it is for the songwriters to come together despite their backgrounds. “John [Legend] is awesome. Our work on the ‘12 Years a Slave’ soundtrack was extremely epic. It’s a pleasure to work with pure talent of any genre. For example, I really also loved working with Phillip Phillips for his record too. Amy was sensational, but totally raw,” he explained. They’ve built an incredible presence, which has been paying off in the past couple of years. They’ve entered British charts with recent albums Perfect Darkness (2011) and Hard Believer (2014). When asked what their vision was for Fink before all the touring, Greenall replied: “pretty much what we’re doing now. Writing music we like, recording in fancy studios and living the dream, then touring the world and living the nightmare.” Touring has become part of the band’s repertoire but they are still “in it Fink performs songs off his new album, Hard Believer. Photo by user utconnewitz on Flickr. for the music,” Greenall added, and rejoice every time they release something new. faced in the past years. Greenall said that ence], so hopefully it will be Hard Believer That’s exactly what you will find on “it’s talking about not needing proof.” That heavy with a few of the oldies that we’ve just their new album released this summer -- it’s you have to “just do it, just believe in your- toured in the festival set,” Greenall said. a breath of fresh air. Stylistically, Hard Be- self and get it done.” Despite the difficulty of Greenall ends the interview by adding liever is different from previous records as it tackling new ground, the aim of the record jubilantly, “that and a shit load of lights that features a more mature ensemble. was “to make a better record than the last we’re shipping over!” “The new record is bigger, more ambi- one.” Greenall clarified: “It’s the focus of evtious, maybe more international,” Greenall ery record, track, song and gig.” If rare displays of seasoned talent interest explained. The record was made “in reThe recording process for the new album you or you are looking for something new, sponse to the live shows and the tours,” and began backstage in London, Brighton and head over to Café Campus on Sept. 29 for a was meant to show the aptitudes of each of Amsterdam, in “too many places to remem- little perspective.

Sara King-Abadi Contributor

>> Vodka, Vicodin and Astrology After major success with the summer jam “Blurred Lines,” Robin Thicke and co-writer Pharell Williams were sued by the Marvin Gaye estate for allegedly ripping off the classic hit “Got To Give It Up.” A recent leak of the deposition by the Hollywood Reporter quotes Thicke as saying under oath that he was high and drunk for all of last year and pinning the songwriting on Willams: “I was jealous and I wanted some of the credit. [Williams] wrote the whole thing pretty much by himself and I was envious.” Pharell is not looking too great, either. When asked if “Marvin Gaye had any influence on his work at all,” Williams responded: “He’s an Aries, I respect him so much.” Whatever that means.

>> Every band gets a day! Will Richmond, Virginia become the new Foo Fighters mecca? Not likely. But on Sept. 17 fans can celebrate “Foo Fighters Day.” Mayor Dwight C. Jones signed the proclamation after the town managed to raise $70,026 ($26 over budget) towards getting the band to play in Richmond for the first time since 1998. This comes after the mayor of Chicago declared Sept. 23 “David Bowie Day” in the windy city. Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl was raised in a suburb 90 minutes outside of Richmond. The close-tohome show comes two months before the release of the Foo Fighters’ eighth album, Sonic Highways.

>> Back to Bronze Many musicians are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, or have a star in Hollywood or a Grammy on their mantle. But how many can say they’ve been cast in bronze? On Sept.14, what would have been the late singer’s 31st birthday, a statue of Amy Winehouse was unveiled in Camden, North London. The figure is meant to capture her “attitude and strength, but also her insecurity,” sculptor Scott Eaton told BBC. She is depicted wearing a Star of David along with a short skirt, strapless top and wide belt. The statue also has a fresh red rose in the singer’s iconic beehive. Winehouse’s parents, Mitch and Janis Winehouse, were in attendance at the unveiling.

>> Songs of Privacy Violation After Apple dropped U2’s new album, Songs of Innocence, into users’ iClouds, there was widespread outrage. ITunes users flocked to twitter to express their displeasure with Apple’s gift, and difficulty removing it. Apple’s response? A simple page where you log in with your Apple ID and they remove the songs from your account. But while Apple’s gift is free for the user, the tech giant reportedly handed over $100 million to U2 for the rights to hawk their album and single, “The Miracle (of Joey Ramone).”

Tuesday, september 23, 2014

Up-and-coming POP Montreal bands POP Montreal is over, but continue to follow these up-and-coming artists

Paul Traunero Staff writer

1. Luluc

creates atmospheric, meditative post-rock. Already recognized with a JUNO for Instrumental Album of the Year in 2014, Esmerine deserve their rightful place in the indie pantheon.

bines psychedelic pop and funk with retrofuturistic imagery, to create an audio-visual experience with every show. A festival favourite, The Golden Tribe are definitely one of the most creative bands this city has to offer.

3. How Sad

6. Mozart's Sister

Juxtaposing wistful lyrics with hook-laden instrumentation, Montreal's How Sad is a synth-pop phenomenon. Their upbeat live shows and energetic party vibe have made them a fan favourite at festivals like NXNE and M for Montreal. There's nothing sad about this band's upward trajectory!

With layered upbeat dance pop, rivetingly powerful vocals and an undeniable charisma and confidence, Caila Thompson-Hannant (AKA Mozart's Sister) is Montreal's new diva. The fuzzy electro beats and quirky pop melodies from her new album, Being, are a fusion of '80s synth-pop and '90s R&B, and are sure turn Mozart's Sister into a household name.

4. Black Atlass 7. Ought

This Australian indie duo have received critical acclaim for their subtle and refined folk tunes. Having signed to Sub Pop records within 48 hours of hearing the demo for their newest album, Passerby, and sold out their show at POP Montreal, Luluc is sure to win your heart as well.

Frequent performer at Le Belmont under the stage name Black Atlass, 19-year-old Alex Fleming knows how to work a crowd. With a sensual mix of alternative R&B, hip hop and distorted electronic beats, Black Atlass' sound is danceable yet sexy. This is definitely one to watch.

2. Esmerine

Combining high-energy '90s college rock, underground politics and post-punk DIY, Montreal-based quartet Ought have drawn comparisons to Talking Heads and Television. Bursting with rage and joy, Ought transcends its influences creating a sound that is both evocative and refreshing. This is definitely a band to keep an eye on.

5. The Golden Tribe The ever expanding Montreal supergroup, comprising members of Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Thee Silver Mt. Zion,

8. Dessa Montreal's The Golden Tribe certainly know how to put on a performance! The band com-

Minneapolis-based rapper-songstress Dessa

combines creative non-fiction, spokenword and rap, to transcend genre and create a multi-platform voice for herself in hip hop music. Armed with a philosophy degree and her previous experience with rap collective Doomtree, this newcomer is sure to create waves in the scene with her original view and poeticism. 9. Pat Jordache Pat Jordache has shed the garage pop sound of his debut for a textural new wave, funk and nu-disco meets postpunk vibe. Jordache's newfound swagger has garnered the approval of Pitchfork, Brooklyn Vegan and the crowd at POP Montreal alike. Keep your ears open for his sophomore album, it's sure to be a hit. 10. Jimmy Hunt Jimmy Hunt has already gained quite a lot of critical praise in the Quebec Frenchlanguage scene for his playful and eclectic folk pop sound. The francophone singersongwriter will surely gain momentum in coming years and cross the language divide now that he has been longlisted for the 2014 Polaris Music Prize.

Quick Spins // music

Quick Spins

Leonard Cohen - Popular Problems (Columbia; 2014)

Alt-J – This Is All Yours (Iguana Studio; 2014)

Asteroid Galaxy Tour - Bring Us Together (HotBus/Rough Trade)

Julian Casablancas + The VoidzTyranny (Cult Records; 2014)

Having celebrated his 80th birthday this past weekend, it would be easy to assume that Leonard Cohen is a relic of the past, but the release of his new album proves otherwise. Popular Problems is the Montreal native’s 13th studio album and his first release in nearly three years. The tracks vary from bluesy, like “A Street,” to folk-based, like “You Got Me Singing.” While Cohen was never known to be a great singer, his latest vocals are interestingly raspy which gives them an added power. Few, however, choose to listen to Cohen’s work for how he sings; it is rather what he sings. The artist’s lyrics are packed with his trademark imagery and are generally as strong as one would expect from a Cohen album. The biggest issue with the record is the backup vocals, which often seem out of time or a together unnecessary.

Alt-J are back to dazzle their devoted fans with their sophomore effort, This Is All Yours. Following the departure of bassist Gwil Sainsbury earlier this year, the Cambridge-based trio banded together to deliver an impressive follow-up to their ethereal debut, An Awesome Wave. On their new record, melodic and slow-moving tracks such as “Arrival in Nara” and “Choice Kingdom” are juxtaposed with their fast-paced and signature quirky sound on tracks like “Every Other Freckle” and “Left Hand Free.” The presence of AltJ’s popular cryptic lyrics, mixed with their sampling of buzzing bees and Miley Cyrus on “Hunger of the Pine” (yes, I know, but it REALLY works), makes their comparison to indie rock legends Radiohead more welldeserved. Star track “Warm Foothills,” featuring guest vocals from Conor Oberst and Lianne La Havas, and the ever haunting track “Bloodflood pt. II,” will solidify This is All Yours as one of the top records of 2014.

Continuing their electro-pop riffs and sassfilled euphonies, five-piece Danish band Asteroid Galaxy Tour released their third studio album, Bring us Together, on Sept. 15. With echoes of psychedelia hidden between the beats and Mette Lindberg’s cheeky vocals, the album sounds like music played at a ‘60s pool-side cocktail party that was abducted by aliens, and shot back down for the new millennium to simultaneously dance and chill to. Featuring catchy singles like “My Club” and the suave melodies of “Navigator,” the band’s new yet familiar sound compels one to put on a pair of circular sunglasses, light up a cig and quote Salvador Dalí. Asteroid Galaxy Tour deliver showy attitude, yet their signature sunny quality is definitely amplified on this newest album. Simply put, they are groovy, man.

Warning: don’t expect to hear The Strokes frontman belt out some classic “Last Nite” sounding tunes on this record. Officially playing as Julian Casablancas + The Voidz, this is his second album independent of his bandmates. Tyranny is gritty, grimy, and it’s aggressive. Playing on themes of war and power, Casablancas deviates from the lighter indie sound that characterized his first solo album, Phrazes For The Young, and gives us the audio equivalent of a kick in the gut. “Human Sadness,” one of the first singles off the album, is 11 minutes of far-out, experimental instrumentation. Throwing in hazy vocals, the track evokes a profound melancholia and sounds like a dark synth orchestra, with a lo-fi guitar solo halfway through that gets increasingly cataclysmic. If you listen close enough on tracks like “Where No Eagles Fly” or “Father Electricity,” you can still get faint glimmers of the signature Strokes sound with poignant guitar playing, cheeky lyrics and the unbridled energy only Casablancas can supply.

Trial track: “Nevermind”

Trial Track: “Bloodflood pt. II”

Trial Track: “Zombies”

Trial Track: “Where No Eagles Fly”

7.5/10

- Justinas Staskevicius

10/10

- Andria Caputo

7/10

- Steven Nadeau

10/10

- Jessica Romera

sports

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Write to the editor: sports@theconcordian.com

Football // sports

Stingers football team remains undefeated Concordia defeated Sherbrooke 29-22 in front of an energetic homecoming crowd Casey Dulson Contributor

The Concordia Stingers defeated Sherbrooke Vert et Or by a score of 29-22 on Friday night, Sept. 19, in Concordia’s homecoming game. With the victory, the Stingers are 3-0 for the first time since 2006, and it was the first time that the Stingers beat the Vert et Or in four years. Concordia’s quarterback, Francois Dessureault, was the key player in the victory. He completed 19 of his 25 passes and threw for 275 yards, including three touchdowns. The Stingers defense started the game perfectly as they forced Vert et Or to go twoand-out on their first two drives of the game. Then, the Stingers offence broke out. Led by Dessureault, Concordia got the first touchdown of the game on a 62-yard pass to wide receiver Jamal Henry with just over ten minutes to go in the first quarter. Sherbrooke would get their first points of the game on a 24-yard field goal by kicker, Mathieu Hebert with two minutes left in the first quarter. However, the Stingers defence tightened up and made Sherbrooke’s quarter-

back Jeremi Roch pay for his mistakes in the second quarter. Concordia’s defense came out flying and picked off Roch three times in the quarter. Stingers defensive back, Kris Robertson, had two interceptions, one of which he ran back for a 64-yard touchdown. The Stingers went into halftime leading 14-12, but should have had a bigger lead. The offence gave up a safety and had two fumbles that were recovered by Sherbrooke. Late in the second half, one of Concordia’s fumbles was scooped up by the Vert et Or defender, Rami Saintus, who ran it back for a 20-yard touchdown. Sherbrooke got the first points of the second half after another 24-yard field goal by Hebert, but that’s as close as the Vert et Or got to victory. Concordia answered with a six-minute drive that eventually ended with a seven-yard touchdown reception by Henry, his second of the contest. After a muffed punt on Sherbrooke’s next drive, the Stingers offence put the game out of reach. Starting on the Vert et Or’s 40-yard line, Stingers receiver Shayne Stinson had back-to-back receptions that ended with a 19yard touchdown reception. Stinson was Des-

Dessureault sits in the pocket for one of his 25 passies. Photo by Nikolas Litzenberger.

sureault’s favourite target during the game, as he hauled in six catches for 112 yards. By then, the Stingers were up by 29-15 and headed into the final quarter with a secure lead. The fourth quarter was dominated by both defenses. Even though Sherbrooke scored a late touchdown to make it 29-22, it was too late and the homecoming celebration had begun. Although the Stingers walked away with

a win, it was a costly one. Midway through the second half, Concordia lost its star rookie running back, Gunner Tatum, to a head injury after a dangerous hit by a Sherbrooke defender. Stingers head coach Mickey Donovan stated after the game that he does not know when he will return to action. Despite the unfortunate injury, Donovan was pleased with the win. “It was a good victory for us, something we have not done in four years.”

Soccer // sports

Concordia falls to Sherbrooke in close loss

Men’s soccer squad came up short once again at home and are still searching for their first win

Felicia Parrillo Contributor

The Concordia Stingers men’s soccer team was looking to capture their first win of the season Sunday, but the Sherbrooke Vert et Or did not give it to them. The Stingers came up short as they fell 1-0 in a frustrating loss. “It was extremely disappointing,” said head coach Greg Sutton after the game. “We didn’t come with the right effort or with the right mentality.” Sherbrooke came out strong in the first half as they kept the Stingers in their own zone, forcing them to defend for most of the first half. The Vert et Or had an obvious edge over the Stingers as they forced Concordia’s goalkeeper, Wes Aucoin, to make a few exceptional saves. However, during the 21st minute of play, Sherbrooke forward Omar Rahmouni booted the ball at the net, where Aucoin was able to make the initial save but could not hold onto the ball. That’s when Rahmouni’s teammate, Didier Labarre, pounced on the rebound and sailed it past Aucoin, into the back of the net. After the first goal, the Stingers were determined to push hard to get the equalizer.

At the 25th minute, defenseman Stephen Meterissian tapped the ball into the Sherbrooke net after a scramble off of a corner kick from midfielder Gabriel Quinn, but it was called offside. Concordia continued pushing, but the Sherbrooke defense would not budge. The Stingers headed into halftime down 1-0.

Concordia started the second half stronger than they did the first, looking re-energized as they desperately tried to tie the score. In spite of their effort, Sherbrooke did not let up and continued to push back, not allowing Concordia to create any momentum at all. As the final 20 minutes loomed, the

Olivier Georges (20) and Nick Sisiti (22) battle for the ball.

Photo by Brianna Thicke.

Stingers found themselves scrambling to score at least one goal to level the score. Both their urgency and frustration were on full display as Concordia stepped up their physicality level, expressing their anger through slide tackles, which forced the referee to call countless fouls against the Stingers. As the game dwindled down, with both teams creating chances, Concordia finally began pressing offensively. As a result, the Stingers created a few nail-biting opportunities. At the 75th minute, Concordia forward Kevin Yasbek blasted the ball at the net on a breakaway chance, just missing the post, highlighting one of Concordia’s best chances of the game. But it wasn’t enough. “It wasn’t our day and I don’t have an explanation,” Sutton said. “We need to work on our competitiveness and get back to the basics because that’s what killed us today.” The Stingers now sit 0-1-2 in this season. Coach Sutton looks to shake things up next game, as the team hopes to turn a new leaf when they face Université de Montreal on Sept. 26. “It’s back to the drawing board,” said Sutton. “I guess we’re going to have to make changes and I’m going to have to sit back and think about it.”

Tuesday, september 23, 2014

Golf // sports

Women take a swing at it Ladies hit the links as Concordia’s newest sports club christina rowan Production assistant

Illustration by Marie-Pier LaRose

team. Everyone is supportive and it is a really good group of people. The girls are amazing and, conveniently, we all click really well.” The first tournament of the season was from Aug. 26 to 27 and kicked off just before school began at the Gatineau Golf Club, where 12 Quebec universities competed. The men’s team placed second and the women’s placed fourth. “The Gatineau Golf tournament went well, although we did not place as well as we would have liked,” Pearsall said. “The guy’s team, contrastingly, did very well.” “As the girls get more experience, they are playing better and I think every time that they beat a school they’ll be really pleased and motivated to do better,” Painchaud said about the tournament. The results from the second tournament, which took place over the weekend at Le Victorien Golf Club in Mirabel, were once again strong for the men’s team as they tied

for second. The ladies’ team, on the other hand, admitted they need to practice some more in order to get ready for the provincial championship. “For the next tournament we are just aiming to improve our two team scores from the last two tournaments,” Pearsall said. Given that it is the women’s first go at a provincial competition, Painchaud said that his concern lies more with them wanting to play, rather than winning. “Part of building the program was getting four or five girls and making sure that they really want to stay and continue, so we’re not being very hard on them in terms of what place they finish,” he said. “As long as they feel part of a team and they enjoy competing. That’s the most important thing right now.” The final provincial championship will take place from Oct. 4 to 7 at Club Lavalsur-le-lac.

Gabrielle Marois (left) and the Pearsall sisters pose for a photo. Photo by Ben Painchaud.

Baseball

Friday, Sept. 26, at 8:30 PM VS Montreal

Sunday, Sept. 28 at 12 PM VS McGill

at Loyola

at Pierre Elliott Trudeau park

Sunday, Sept. 28 at 3 PM VS McGill

at Loyola

at Pierre Elliott Trudeau park

Women’s Rugby Sunday, Sept. 28 at 1 p.m. vs. Ottawa at Loyola

MORE INFO AT STINGERS.CA

Upcoming Games // sports

COME CHECK OUT YOU CONCORDIA STINGERS IN ACTION AT HOME !

Friday, Sept. 26, at 6:30 PM VS Montreal

final push

spot

Upcoming Stingers games

Men’s Soccer

>> F1 season enters

>> nfl’s lone bright

Women’s Soccer

TIM LAZIER Sports editor

With just five races to go in the Formula 1 season, it’s officially become a two-horse race. After Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix, only three points separate Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. After his victory, Hamilton surpassed Rosberg in the driver standings and now leads the pack with 241 points. Although the constructors championship is safely in the hands of Mercedes, crew chief Toto Wolff is letting his two stars fight it out on the track to see who claims the drivers championship. Despite being behind the wheel of million dollar machines, Hamilton and Rosberg have battled all season and gone wheel-to-wheel with each other. Out of the 14 races so far this season, Hamiton and Rosberg have combined for 11 victories. The next stop on the F1 schedule will be from Oct. 3-5 at the Suzuka race track for the Japanese Grand Prix. The last North American stop for the drivers this season is from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2, in Austin, Texas for the United States Grand Prix.

t looks as though the Stingers’ golf club will no longer be for gentlemen only. For the first time ever at Concordia, the club has an official competitive women’s team to play alongside the men in the annual provincial university tournaments. Although the Stingers’ golf club always welcomed women to play, it never had enough women players to compete. Concordia’s golf club coach Ben Painchaud, who took over the program two years ago and coaches both the men’s and women’s teams, explained that the program has been rebuilt and revived. “We’ve had one, two or three girls participate [in the club] before, but you need four girls to have a complete team and compete,” he said. “We’ve never had four women who were experienced golfers who could play in a competitive tournament but now we do.” The team was assembled at the start of the summer, and the new lady recruits immediately headed to the course in Blainville, where they practiced once a week for the upcoming season. The season, which lasts from the end of August to October, has both teams playing in three provincial university tournaments, two of which they have already played. Jackie Pearsall, 19, is one of the four players that make up the Stingers’ women’s team. The other members are Gabrielle Marois, Alyssa McDougall and, Nathalie Pearsall. As an experienced competitive player at the Beaconsfield Golf Club, Pearsall expressed how keen she was to be playing for her school. “It’s exciting to be on the first ever girls

Sports in the News

Lost within the dark storm that has become the NFL over the past couple of weeks, people may not have heard about the inspirational story of Devon Still and generosity of the Cincinnati Bengals. Still, 25, is a defensive tackle who plays for the Bengals. Before the start of the NFL season, Still was cut from the team and seemed to be out of a job in late-August. Instead, Still was given a spot on the team’s practice squad so he could pay for his daughter’s medical care. Still’s daughter, Leah, is fouryears-old and was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma cancer in late June, according to ESPN. The classy gesture by the Bengals organization ensured that Still would receive a steady paycheck by being on the practice squad, and medical insurance to aid Leah’s fight against cancer. On top of everything, the Bengals’ team site are selling Still’s jerseys for $100 each, with all proceeds going towards the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and pediatric cancer care and research, according to NBC Sports. Now, with a reliable source of income and help for his daughter, Still returned to the football field and was determined to make a difference. Before Cincinnati’s second game against the Atlanta Falcons, Still was placed on the active roster. As the Bengals are now 3-0, having beaten the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Still remains on Cincinnati’s 53-man roster.

opinions

Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 23, 2014

Write to the editor: opinions@theconcordian.com

Editorial // opinions

It’s simple: know what to put in the trash Montreal ad at Concordia tells people to throw out recyclable and compostable things

f you hop on the metro after spending time at your downtown classes— which most of us do—you must have seen the huge ad about not littering done by the city of Montreal. It’s designed to be seen as you head underground from the Hall building. If you haven’t, here’s a quick description: a hand is dropping a handful of garbage into the trash, with the snappy slogan of, “it’s simple! Clean up the environment.” So far so good. There’s only one problem: in that little handful of trash there is 90 per cent recyclable paper and an orange peel. Not a huge deal, right? Wrong. There is a huge deal here. Recyclable paper should

only ever end up in the blue bins for recycling. Orange peels, and all other food waste for the record, should be composted and not tossed in the nearest trashcan. Recyclable paper and biowaste does not belong in the garbage. Of course, the city meant well by creating this ad. Montreal is encouraging everyone to pick up after themselves, and not just leave wrappers, cigarette butts and dog droppings in the gutter (which Montrealers are pretty guilty of doing on a daily basis). But paper and an orange peel in the ad is just sloppy. This weekend, thousands of people took to the streets of Montreal to bring

attention to global warming. Another 100,000 marched the streets of New York. Trash is no longer garbage, but a combination of recyclable, reusable and reducible items. Nine boroughs offer composting pickup programs on the island according to the city’s website. Considering how many areas are trying to promote compost collection, that orange peel should not be present. In terms of garbage disposal, Concordia is quite advanced. Composting and recycling bins are found in almost every building on both campuses. And yet, this humongous ad is impossible to miss, and located on a path no student can skip.

Why isn’t the city stepping up its game with this ad campaign? By not including recycling and composting in this ad, Montreal is showing a concerning lack of attention towards these important aspects of waste management and indicating an absence of commitment to dealing with sustainability on a municipal level. Concordia, a beacon of sustainability in this city, should be more wary with what ads it posts on and around campus. The city should work to promote composting and recycling in the city, and offer better services in these departments. If not, they should at least take the time to remove bio waste from their litter campaign.

Geek culture // opinions

Society, not Comiccon, is the issue Blaming geek culture isn’t only insulting, it’s simply wrong Robin Stanford Staff writer

eware ladies, there is a new threat roaming our streets, and it masquerades as superheroes and villains. It is... the male nerd. With the announcement that the Montreal Comiccon would be implementing new measures to prevent sexual harassment at its event, the media went into a feeding frenzy. The Montreal Gazette typifies this, stating that “creeping at the con’ has become a widespread problem.” Although probably written with good intentions, such reporting is hurtful to the two major groups who attend such conventions: men and women. For men, the message put forth is that only a certain type of person would be associated with fantasy and sci-fi genres. Through the mysterious and threatening language used, the stereotype of the “ultimate nerd” is evoked: that of the forty-yearold man who lives in his parents’ basement, subsists on a diet exclusively of Cheetos, hasn’t seen the sun for at least five years, and is deeply sexually frustrated — an individual who would commit acts of sexual harassment out of social ineptitude. For women, the message is not always one of protection, but sometimes of subtle blame. Many news outlets reporting on this note that some of the costumes worn by female attendants are skin tight and reveal-

ing. Making that point feeds into the concept that if one dresses in such a way, one must be asking for the attention, looking for sexual harassment to occur. Such a line of thinking places blame on the victim, which is simply not the case. These women are lovers of the genre wanting to go, in character costume, to a convention. Further, such reporting calls into question whether women are welcome at such events or even a part of the community Comiccon is geared towards. Through the stereotype of the “male nerd,” women are essentially shut out. Comiccon risks being portrayed as a boys’ club. Such a view excludes a large portion of the conventiongoing public. None of these criticisms change the fact that sexual harassment exists. But this issue is not relegated to convention halls: it’s in the classroom, the workplace, and any area where people gather. In all other public places, a special group — most often a human resources department — is tasked with dealing with cases as they occur and offering training to try to prevent such situations. Comiccon is following this trend in an attempt to stop sexual harassment. Sexual harassment does happen wherever there is a large enough gathering of people. Its victims are women and men alike. To date, the only report on male harassment at Comiccon is by the CBC. Unwanted attention, directed at both sexes, is a conversation that society needs to have. It is easy to lose focus of the fact that it is a small minority of people at the convention who engaged in unwanted activity. Through magnifying the issue, the popular media is, in essence, doing something akin to equating all Christians to members of the Westboro Baptist Church. One would never

do the latter, so why make it different for those who like comics, sci-fi and fantasy? While the media hype will probably die down in the next few weeks, the issues it raises should remain a part of our public conversation. Lovers of these genres should

put aside their ideological differences, takup their swords/staffs/light sabers/phases/ mystical artifacts of unknown origins and say that enough is enough. Sexual harassment will not be tolerated, nor will those who commit such acts be welcome.

Two cosplayers pose at the 2012 Montreal ComicCon at the Palais des Congres. This year, the convention ramped up its fight against sexual harassment. Photo from Pikawil on Flickr

Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 23, 2014

Society // opinions

ISIS terrorists aren’t just our enemy, they’re our legacy Why American and Western foreign policy has, and continues, to churn out extremists Mattha Busby Contributor

he United States’ current foreign policy is perpetuating the war on terror. The Islamic State (ISIS) is an unrecognized state born out of a Sunni jihadist terrorist organization, which controls swathes of territory throughout Iraq and Syria is the legacy of America’s foreign policy throughout the last century. President Obama has reduced America’s tangible presence in the Middle East since he took office. However, through the use of

drones, manned air strikes and covert operations, America continues to satisfy the widespread perception of its role as the world’s policeman. This has created a distinct feeling of resentment towards the United States, which shows little respect for the national sovereignty of countries in the Middle Eastern region and beyond. Throughout this summer the Pakistani foreign ministry has condemned the CIA’s drone strikes as a gross violation of sovereignty. In the past year the United States has expanded its drone warfare campaign into Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Somalia, beyond the traditional Afghan-Pakistani battleground. The story of a young eastern Afghani man,

Miya Jan, was widely reported throughout the western media last year. A United States drone strike changed his life forever: it killed his brother, his sister-in-law and their child. This is not an uncommon occurrence. Current United States foreign policy is radicalizing civilians whose hearts and minds they ought to be winning. It was reported by the BBC that an American drone turned “a wedding party into a funeral,” killing at least 13 of the civilian attendants. Non-governmental organizations, including Amnesty International, have suggested that acts such as these amount to war crimes, and the UN has demanded greater transparency as a result. The United States, however, continually acts

Graphic by Marie-Pier LaRose

unilaterally with little concern for opposition to its foreign policy. Undoubtedly, this creates a climate of desperation which breeds a culture of extremism, allowing organizations such as ISIS to flourish. The apparent readiness of the United States (along with other states such as France) to commit to fighting against ISIS only reinforces the perception that the United States has not learnt its lesson from Vietnam and Iraq. It remains trigger happy and anxious to support the western-oriented moderates in the region, who do not necessarily command a majority of support. One need only look at the current state of affairs in Libya to know how easy it is for a state to fail. Despite the deaths of Moktar Ali Zubeyr, Osama Bin Laden and Hakimullah Mehsud — former leaders of Al-Shabaab, Al Qaeda and the Pakistani Taliban, respectively — terrorism still exists. United States neoconservative foreign policy creates a conveyor belt of terrorist leaders-in-waiting. If the United States wants to defeat terrorism it needs to fundamentally alter its foreign policy. Even if ISIS, Al Qaeda and Al Shabaab were defeated tomorrow, copycat organizations would rise. Such is anti-American sentiment throughout this region. The problem that President Obama faces is one which previous presidents created for him: Islamic fundamentalists reject globalization and blame America for the apparent moral decay that “Coca-Cola colonization” has created. For now, ISIS is at the vanguard of global terrorism, and I do believe that unless the west radically alters its foreign policy, organizations whose goal is to breed terror and fear will continue to wage jihad against their apparent oppressors.

Politics// opinions

Trudeau: pro-choice is the only choice for Liberals

The Liberal Party forces their members to vote pro-choice, and frankly, that’s really okay Laura Marchand Opinions editor

he Liberal Party of Canada does a Liberal move, and for some reason, everyone is upset. It’s, admittedly, a bit more complicated than that. Justin Trudeau, Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, has decreed that any and every Liberal MP, regardless of their own moral compass, will never be allowed to vote against a woman’s right to have an abortion. For a supposedly left-leaning party, this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. You would think its members would applaud such a move, if anything. Not so. Six former members of his own caucus wrote an open letter to Trudeau, demanding that he rescind his position on forcing MPs to support a woman’s right to choose. This has raised an interesting question for the Liberals: what’s more important? An MP’s right to vote according to their conscience? Or the right to have an abortion? Some MPs are firmly in the former camp. “I have had a lot of Liberals come up to me and say, ‘I don’t quite understand, isn’t the Liberal party about freedom and about defending people’s rights?’” admitted Trudeau, speaking to CBC’s The Sunday Edition with Michael Enright.

“The firm position of all previous Liberal Leaders, including Pierre E. Trudeau, has been that, on moral issues, Liberal Members of Parliament were able to vote according to their respective consciences,” wrote the former MPs, who — to their credit — managed to include a low-blow reference to Trudeau’s deceased father in the process. (Class act, fellas.) However, Trudeau has remained steadfast. “If [Liberal MPs] vote in favour of restricting women’s access to abortion, that’s taking away their rights. And that is something that we will not accept in the Liberal party. We are the party of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and that’s a serious, serious position that Liberals have to defend.” Which brings us back to the ultimate conundrum: is the trampling of the rights of a very small group (Liberal MPs, a current grand total of 37) justified if it defends the rights of a much larger majority? It’s worth noting that what Trudeau is trying to do is not revolutionary. The New Democratic Party (NDP) has long held the pro-choice view, and it was announced back in May that the NDP caucus will never include an anti-choice MP. This kind of “subjugation” is, for better or for worse, a part of our political system. On many issues — particularly sensitive ones — the MPs are forced to toe a party line. There’s a role in Parliament devoted to

making sure your MPs vote a certain way: the party whip, named because they “whip” their MPs a certain way. Party discipline is, simply, a part of Canadian politics. If you think that’s unfortunate, then ask yourself: when was the last time you voted for your borough candidate, and not for the party they represented? Did you ask your borough MP their opinion on

abortion, environment, or foreign policy? Or did you see what their party’s position was? How would you have felt if they ended up voting against the very position you elected them for? Everyone should have the right to their conscience, of course. But if you sign up under a political banner, then you damn well better carry it.

Justin Trudeau, Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, claims that no MP in the Liberal Party will ever be allowed to vote anti-abortion. Photo by Keith Race.

Sudoku // Etc

Nathalie Laflamme Editor-in-Chief editor@theconcordian.com Michelle Gamage Production manager production@theconcordian.com Milos Kovacevic News editor news@theconcordian.com Sara Baron-Goodman Life editor life@theconcordian.com

@foxieieie “20 years of “I’ll be there for you” :( :( #20YearsoFriends”

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@queenofseries “one of the rare shows to be perfect from the start till the end, we love youuuu #20YearsofFriends <3”

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@FriendsReactss “20 years and we still don’t know Chandler’s job... #20YearsofFriends”

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@mustxche “friends is the kind of show you can watch 500 times and it’s still as funny as the first time you watched it. #20YearsofFriends”

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@freakaniston “10 seasons, 236 episodes, 5192 minutes of happiness, 6 perfect actors, 1 series #20YearsofFriends”

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@Shannairl “I feel like speaking and tweetings using only Friends quotes today. Could that BE more appropriate? #20YearsofFriends”

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Contributors Guillermo Boccagni, Kate Sheridan, Johanna Pellus, Jessica Kenwood, Mim Kempson, Bashir Rafai , Sara King-Abadi, Robin Stanford, Tania Di Palma, Amanda Macri, Bashir Rafai, Sofia Misenheimer, Bersabel Behonegne, Oneida Crawford, Felicia Parrillo, Casey Dulson, Mattha Busby

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Tuesday, September 23, 2014 Vol. 32 Issue 4

Twenty years and still going strong: the cult-classic sitcom Friends premiered two decades ago, on September 22, 1994. In honour of the celebration, a real life Central Perk cafe has opened in New York City, complete with Gunther. Don’t worry — Twitter will be there for you (like it’s been there before).

@Okeating “You’re never more than 30 minutes from the next re-run of Friends. #20YearsofFriends”

Concordia’s weekly, independent student newspaper.

EVENTS AT CONCORDIA

Have a good week Film Montreal International Black Film Festival - Sept. 23-28

Comedy Depflies, Sainte-Catherine Theatre - Sept. 27-29 and Oct. 3-5

Music Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, Il Motore - Sept. 27 The Theresa Foundation’s 5th Annual Benefit Concert, Westmount Park Church - Sept. 27 Little Suns, L’Escogriffe - Sept. 27 Slow Magic, Le Belmont - Sept. 27 Fink, Café Campus - Sept. 29 Balance & Composure and Seahaven Creepoid, La Sala Rossa - Sept. 29

Arts See ___ Trough My Eyes, Loyola Campus - Sept. 25-26 Lumière Infinie, Monument National - until Nov. 23 Robb Reiner’s Silent Metal Exhibition, BBAM! Gallery - Sept. 25 until Oct. 6

Other Next Wave Festival - Sept. 25-28 Journées de la Culture, Over 3000 activities all over Quebec - Sept. 26-28, journeesdelaculture.qc.ca

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