I’ve Never… danced outdoors in below freezing temperatures at Igloofest

As part of my continuing “I’ve never…” series, I went dancing outdoors in below freezing temperatures at Igloofest!

Winter in Montreal is unforgiving, bipolar and frette en esti, which is Québecois speak for really freaking cold! I say the only way to get through it is by taking advantage of it as much as you can, in a “can’t beat ‘em, then join ‘em!” sort of way. Shake off the hibernation and get outdoors. Though Montreal is a bustling metropolis, it also has spaces for playing outdoors…

Institutionalized Graft Part II

I’m not an accountant but I can’t believe that the cost of constructing a $5 billion bridge can be done without cost to the taxpayers. Where will the initial capital come from? Who will pay for the design, materials, salaries, equipment etc? The Tories have stated that an initially two-dollar toll will be collected and that will pay off the bridge “without cost to the taxpayer”…

Play me that song: The art of being a great cover band

Our conversation got me thinking. Not only how it would be nice to write about music that people whose social lives don’t revolve around the Plateau might have actually heard about for a change, but also before that night I’d never really thought about just how hard it is to be a cover band. When I think cover band, my mind immediately goes to sketchy/bored looking musicians at a wedding or some seedy dive bar on a Tuesday night…

Charting the Frigid Arctic of Igloofest

Montreal’s Igloofest has grown up significantly over the past six years and this year is by far it’s most stand out year yet. Last Saturday ticket booths suddenly closed, over capacity. To the frustration of hundreds of festival goers, all entrances and exits to Igloofest were now closed as they had achieved a historical admittance of just over 10,000 people. This edition’s line up exploded off the official website in an array of bright colours and cheeky models promoting the festival’s snow suit contest. *Edit: Tonight’s closing event is sold-out before even starting!!!

Sex Convention 2: Still Jerkin’

Lust was in the air at the 18th incarnation of the Salon de l’amour et de la seduction, which took place last week at Place Bonaventure. Generally, the convention achieved its goal of creating a relaxing and non-threatening arena for learning about sex and sensuality, purchasing a wide variety of pleasure objects and accessories, and finally entertaining, and dare I say even arousing, the middle-class masses…

I’ve Never… (Montreal Bucket List)

Every city has something to offer and Montreal is of course no exception. I have been living in Montreal for over a decade now; I originally moved here for school and stayed to work. In those first inaugural years here, many precious hours were spent experimenting my near-adulthood and basking in the late-night buzz of drinking games. Embarrassing yourself and others, and not really giving a shit about it…

CinemaSpace: A haven for Montreal cinephiles

Running from January until May, CinemaSpace is a screening venue dedicated to showcasing independent film and video. Co-directed by Daichi Saito and Malena Szlam, the emphasis of the programming at CinemaSpace is experimental and avant-guard in an intimate theatre at the SegalCenter. By listening to them eagerly share the 2012 CinemaSpace line up, experimental film is clearly a deep passion for both Saito and Szlam…

Tricks to Enjoy Igloofest to the Max

Last Friday I found myself entering Igloofest for the first time. My friends were surprised to learn it had taken me so long to actually attend this winter gathering. I could never picture myself dancing in the cold but last Friday I found a way to enjoy Igloofest properly and thoroughly. Here are a couple tips for dancing around in the cold and snow!

There’s nothing common about this show: Common Space at Bouge d’ici

Thankfully, living in Montreal means there’s always interesting opportunities to expand your horizons. Beginning as a way for dancers to connect and evolving into a full blown festival, Bouge d’ici is now in its third year. The festival not only serves as a way for new and established Montreal dancers and choreographers to collaborate and showcase their work, but allows newcomers like this arts writer a fun and accessible way to learn about the world of dance…

Five Reasons to Attend the Everything To Do With Sex Show

Dubbed North America’s best adult consumer show, the Everything To Do With Sex Show, aka Le Salon de l’Amour et de la Séduction, is back at Place Bonaventure this weekend. Last year, to amuse ourselves, we played Sex Bingo, a treasure hunt of sorts of scintillating, scandalous and sexy products we thought we’d find. Based on the results and on what’s online, here’s what you might find at this year’s convention…

Just Dance! Confabulation at Bouge d’ici

What is Confabulation you ask? Created and hosted by Uncalled For’s Matt Goldberg, it’s a monthly event (inspired by New York City’s The Moth) in which storytellers share true life stories without the help of any props. Even with Matt off in Toronto and a snow storm raging outside, folks gathered at the Mainline to hear stories from an all female lineup that included former tango dancer Lucianna Gravotta, Dance Animal founder/choreographer Robin Henderson and Montreal Fringe Festival director Amy Blackmore…

Igloofest playlist: filling your weekends up until February

Here at Forget the Box, we made some New Year’s resolutions. One of them is to have our playlists back on a monthly basis. I guess the summer’s festivals were pretty rough on our livers but no worries, dear music lovers, we’re back for good! We’re starting the year with a subjective guide on what not to miss during the three weekends of Igloofest…

The Red Light District: Café Cleopatre and the Singing Cockroaches

Ever see the slacker classic Joe’s Apartment? That’s the one with Jerry O’Connell starring alongside some well trained cockroaches as a mid west boy in his first foray into quasi-manhood in NYC, conveniently landing a rent controlled apartment, subsequently discovering his landlord is trying to kill him off so they can tear down the building and put up a maximum security penitentiary. Well, the same thing’s happening on the Main. Basically…

Bran Van, Thank You Mam

Bran Van 3000 are legendary in the Montreal music scene. Ever since making it big with their hit Drinking in LA, which, by the way was originally entitled Drinking in Longeuil, they’ve been touring and bringing their eclectic sound to adoring fans everywhere. (I don’t know how much fun drinking in a metro or on the South Shore would be?)

Bran Van doesn’t release albums very often, in fact they’ve only released 4 albums since 1994. Which makes a Bran Van album release kinda like getting laid in the back of a Chevy, it doesn’t happen that often, but when it does – You’re really lucky!

Behind the Curtain with The Wizard of Oz: An Interview with David Lortie

Who is Dave, what does he do, why should we care?

When David Lortie began promoting events for Montreal’s hip-hop and turntablism scene he was an eager, fresh faced seventeen year old who was doing it solely because he was passionate about the music he loved. Much has changed since those early days, however Lortie’s passion and enthusiasm for event promotion and planning has not been dampened…

Enigmatic Zeitgeist: A reflection on the Occupy Movement

I feel we’re not that different you and I, at least I hope not. We’re both here, so there must be something that unites us. And even if it is difficult to pinpoint what precisely brought us here, perhaps that’s only an indication of just how grave the situation truly is. A uniting force we can’t yet properly define is braiding together diverse yet inter-related interests into a solid bond. And yet, all I can see for the moment are individual fibres, weak, limp, useless by themselves. I’ve been reflecting. Haven’t come up with much – nothing but an endless series of questions whose answers elude me…