I was at a rock concert with some friends, anxiously waiting for the show to start. Finally, the opening band came on. As they started to sing, my friends and I were looking at each other, wondering if we were at the right event. The music we were hearing was too soft to be rock. My entourage started joking around calling them the “silent rock band”, but by the end of the first song, everyone’s opinions had changed. The jokes became positive comments about the music: how beautiful the girl’s voice was, how nice the mix of male and female vocals sounded, how enjoyable the music was and how AWESOME that the drummer was a girl! Before we knew it, we were liking what we were hearing and we were captivated by the melodies and the voices.

The band was called Roads and I just HAD to introduce them to the rest of the world… so let me pave the way to ROADS.

A few weeks after the concert, I contacted Garen, the male vocalist from the band, and he accepted to make time in his busy schedule for an interview. The members of the band are Garen (vocals and acoustic), Alfred (guitar), Iris (vocals and drums), and Adam (guitar).

We met at a coffee shop downtown and did not feel the time fly by. Garen spoke about the band members, how it all began, the challenges, and the good times of Roads.

Why the name “Roads”?

We started with the subject of the band’s name. As Garen said, coming up with the band’s name was very difficult. They each had different ideas and suggestions and could not agree on something they all liked. When they finally came up with Roads, they found that it best described “the path of coincidental events” that had brought them all together. “Roads reflects that one line connects to many roads to get to where you got to be, and at the end, you always end up at the right destination”, he added. Some of the coincidences he is referring to are how they all met, how the band came together, how people developed an interest for their songs, and how the plans they had dreamt about were suddenly becoming a reality.

How did it all start?

When asked about how he met the other members, Garen started laughing as he remembered how he met Alfred. The two first met at a birthday party in a Ronald McDonald trailer. “We were all sitting down when this kid shows up with his Michael Jackson zipper jacket and white gloves [and I don’t remember what song it was] and he starts doing his show. I was six or seven years old and I remember saying I hate this kid.” They went to the same school until they were twelve. They met again in a club after more than ten years and Alfred mentioned that he was looking for a bassist for his band. Garen wasn’t interested at the time because he was playing guitar. In a span of three months, they coincidentally met a few times and Alfred finally told Garen that he would teach him bass so they could play together. Garen says they’ve been playing together ever since: “he’s my best friend, he’s the brother I never had…” As far as Alfred’s background goes, he has been playing guitar since he was very young.

Five years ago at the time of this interview, Garen was the singer of a French punk band and he realized how much he missed playing bass. When he started his search on the Montreal Music Scene website for a change of bands, he found a group looking for a bassist. He auditioned and then got to work on some material with the band. Even though it didn’t work out with the band, the consequences played in his favor as he met Iris, who was a current member of the group. The two started working closely together: “we would write songs together and she would harmonize. She has a beautiful voice.” They started looking for members to start a band and Alfred was the first to try out, even though he was hesitant to join, thinking it would not be his type of music. “We auditioned Alfred, giving him a recording to work with, the contents being me singing in a two dollar microphone and Iris playing percussion on the back of the guitar. We went to McDonalds and came back to hear what Alfred had composed. When he played the solo, Iris and I were speechless. That moment was Flicker, we knew he was the guy and that’s how flicker started”. Flicker was their former band name.

After a few moments of reminiscing, he introduced Adam. Although he was a classically trained guitarist, Adam first joined the band as a conga player and keyboardist; “he’s THAT talented”, commented Garen. It wasn’t long after the album was finished, that the band realized the necessity of having three guitars on stage. From there, the decision was quite obvious: it was time to let Adam’s guitar playing skills shine through. Garen then added, “we were fools for not having put to use his greatest gift for so long; he is the most talented member as far as musical and technical knowledge goes”.  Almost like the last piece of a puzzle, Adam has recently come to complete the Roads family.

As for Garen: “I found unhappiness trying to conform to what society thinks you should be. One day I just decided to go for it”. He has been an industrial technician, an electrician, robotics expert, customer service representative for some large corporations… “It just wasn’t my thing, it wasn’t creative”. Then he co-founded www.montrealmusicscene.com, started planning music shows, wrote reviews for bands, wrote for a men’s magazine and all the while singing in a French punk band. He finally quit everything, built a home studio, wrote songs, recorded and took all the chances he got because at that point he had nothing to lose.

“Those are some of the coincidences that were so eerie. If you were an atheist, you would start believing in the powers of the universe and destiny, and that many roads lead to where we are supposed to be”.

Even though he considers himself to be quite the opposite, Garen has a strong sense of optimism. I had forgotten that people like him still existed. “When you start believing in something, the universe starts working in your favor… so many great people are coming our way. The universe is sending them to us, by our demand.”

 How do you categorize your music?

He described their music as lyrically honest.  “We don’t try to be something we are not; our lyrics are straight forward”. It is very important for them to have songs that send out a message; “I like to attack topics that piss me off and that piss people off”, he states.

As I was writing this article, I asked around to see what people thought about the music. Here are some of the comments I received: easy to listen to, catchy, simple, comes from the heart, soothing voices…

What are your musical influences?

The ultimate lyricist for him is Bob Marley. In his opinion, Bob Marley’s songs were written in a very clear and polished format. “Music should be a medium and Bob Marley could give out the messages and keep the truth in the music”.

As for other influences, “we have too many to simply mention a couple”, he said. Each person is distinctively influenced by music, events and life experiences. If we take a closer look, Adam’s love for music started with punk and then turned towards jazz. Iris enjoys all great music; anything from Aerosmith to Queen and the Beatles. Alfred is devoted to rock. “And me… I just listen to the universe and appreciate whatever it may bring to my attention.” 

Who writes the songs?

 Garen writes the foundation of the songs (lyrics and melody) and then final touches are added by the band.

What are the band’s immediate goals?

 If you play keyboards this might be your calling! The band is looking for a keyboardist.

Another one of their immediate goals is to work on their live performances: booking more shows and gaining experience. They are working on the marketing and networking, trying to get their name recognized and their songs heard, as well as expanding their fan base. Last but not least (and the most exciting) they are finalizing their record for release.

What are the band’s long-term goals?

“Being able to drop everything else and just concentrate on music, evolve musically, promote the band as much as possible and inspire as many people as possible.“ 

What is the biggest challenge for a band?

“That’s a loooong answer!” Garen said. “Everyday is a challenge”. The music business requires a lot of time and money and usually takes a while before it picks up. “Writing music that you love, the others members of the band will love, the fans will love, and you will continue to love after you’re done writing it, motivating your band members”. “You have to be ready to eat a lot of dirt and criticism” from your friends and family who think that you should do something else”. I totally sympathized with what he was saying. As soon as my mom heard that I was seriously thinking of pursuing my singing, she told me “how many people do you know who have graduated from a music program and are actually making money?”

Then he jokingly says finding musicians who play the keyboard. 

A Lot of Bands Break Up…

A lot of bands break up after coming face to face with the challenges of a musical career. Is that something you worry about with your band members? Garen answered this question with great ease. He said: “There is a big difference between a band and Roads… we are not a band. Iris is my sister and Alfred is my brother. Together, we’ve all been through troubles that the closest of friends don’t go through. We have found a way to work out beyond remaining friends and loving each other even after breaking up. The love that we have together, that bond, as dysfunctional as we are, we are family and you can’t break up a family”.

I thought that was the nicest answer anyone could have come up with.

Any Advice?

The advice Garen had for individuals who are thinking about starting a band or pursuing a career in music was “always do what you love. Do what you really are inside, be as real as possible. You can’t try to be someone else.” He then continued by saying that the only way to really connect with the fans and getting your message across is by being honest.

 How to Keep Track of Roads?

To keep track of Roads and listen to a sample of their music, go to www.roadsband.com, visit their myspace page (www.myspace.com/roadsofficial), or give them a tweet (www.twitter.com/roadsband).

By the end of the interview, the conversation had turned towards me and he was giving tips and advice about going after my dreams and not giving up. If you ever get the chance to attend one of their shows, make sure to stop and give them a little shout. Though I only got the chance to meet Garen, they are all very talented and interesting individuals who have a lot to share.

My message to all you readers:  just continue to dream and believe… they didn’t give up and they are receiving everything they asked for. Did you start following your dreams yet?

The tables are placed in an auditorium-style arrangement, converging towards the stage as the focal point of the restaurant. I highly suggest you grab a seat facing towards the stage, because as beautiful as the music sounds, half the excitement is watching some of the most talented artists play this intricate music with such ease.

With daily performances, it’s no wonder their clients stick around for many hours at a time. The Taurrey Butle Trio, a band I had the pleasure of watching, blew my mind. As a musician, I’ve always had the utmost admiration for jazz performers for it is the hardest style of music to play.  I couldn’t take my eyes off the pianist’s fingers, which seemed to be moving at a speed of a thousand miles an hour.

These men share a chemistry that is reflected in their music; they play as if they’re the only ones in the room. The pianist raced his fingers up and down the keys with agility, the bassist held up some of the best tempo I’ve ever head, and the drummer jammed away like only someone with ADHD can.

Aside from the music, The House of Jazz serves an array of dishes you can easily enjoy while watching the show. I highly suggest ordering the plate of ribs if you don’t mind getting your fingers dirty.

Montreal’s lucky to be home of such an authentic jazz establishment, with amazing toe-taping beats and a service reflecting the New Orleans hospitality.

•••

CLUB ELEMENT

www.elementclub.ca
66 Blvd. Industriel
Saint-Eustache, QC

Straight from their Facebook group:

Venez découvrir un tout nouveau club sur la rive-nord. Un concept venant directement des plus beaux clubs de Las Vegas. Un concept rejoingnant les 4 éléments soit: air, eau, feu et terre.

OUVERT: Jeudi, Vendredi, Samedi

Right, so it’s technically not IN Montreal, but it’s in its “environs“. Not much else has been revealed as of yet: no pictures, no videos, no flyers. Their head resident DJ is DJ TaG. From what I’ve been told, ELEMENT is as far in distance & time as downtown is for Laval nightlife fiends. No traffic, simply two highways and you’re there! The official opening is on October 8th, a Thursday night, and because one of my homies is actually part of the ownership, I will no doubt be there for support!

•••

MUZIQUE NIGHTCLUB

(no website as of yet)
3718 St-Laurent Blvd.
Montreal, QC

Straight from their Facebook group (2):

Tucked away in the upper part of Montreal’s nightlife corridor, Muzique Nightclub eagerly awaits its revival of the St. Laurent night scene.

Muzique features 2 rooms where a collaboration of Montreal’s best DJ’s spin a collection of Modern Urban, Electro, House and Rock, where it is finally once again possible to enjoy phenomenal music in a relaxed and elegant atmosphere. Unparalleled service and an eclectic ambiance combine to make your weekly escape a unique experience every time.

Warmer nights will feature a rooftop terrace where guests can truly unwind and have fun, all the while enjoying the one club that aims to provide the essentials: good music, a more mature clientele, and most of all a place where you can truly enjoy yourself.

On October 9th, Muzique invites you to attend our GRAND OPENING. Come participate in the reshaping of the nightclub experience…

Remember, its about you and its about the sound.

21+ Dress to impress

Their description is pretty self-explanatory, and quite frankly, their concept is surprisingly seductive. There is no denying that their sleek logo design (seen on the above flyer) and its matching contemporary nightclub name, Muzique, make for a very powerful first impression. Yet, there is something even more impressive tucked away in their Facebook groups (one for Fridays, one for Saturdays). If you look through their Pictures section hoping to find snapshots of the exterior or interior design, you are instead presented with a clever and effective series of concept flyers (13 to be exact) which work in favor of solidifying their aspiration as an up-and-coming nightclub that is all about the music.

Here are just a few of my favorites, but I encourage you all to head over to their Photo Gallery to look at all of them:

As for DJs, the FB group lists DJ Payce & DJ Zoo in the Main Room, and DJ Kidd & DJ Goldenchild in V.I.P. Room, but here is a recent status update by Payce which also lists Keith Dean…

If I had to make a suggestion, I would strongly recommend that they get in touch with DJ Special K… Either way, as a music aficionado, I am sold on the concept and will definitely be checking Muzique out when the time comes.

There are only a few great electronic music events in Montreal, and Piknic Electronik is high up there. While I’ve been to Bal en Blanc, Cream, Celebration/Resolution and countless of after-hours events with big name DJs, nothing comes close to Piknic’s setup. Take four parts of talented DJs (and maybe one or two that’s very well known internationally) throw in some powerful speakers and subs and host the event outdoors: you get a Piknic Electronic. What makes it better is that the event is on a Sunday and it starts at 2 PM and ends something close to 10 PM, so there’s no staying up late trying to enjoy the music. The cherry on top to all this? The entrance fee is only 10$.

The true electronic music lovers will recognize the big name artist in this lineup for the day, and that is the infamous Richie Hawtin who is an English-Canadian artist, owner of  record label Minus. I could go on and on about Hawtin’s music style, but that is out of the scope of this review. The majority of Montrealers out there will most likely not enjoy minimal techno as much as I do, so I’ll leave it for everyone to hear for themselves and judge accordingly.

Last time I had a chance to attend the event was two or three years ago, or the last time Richie Hawtin was in town. There was something close to a thousand people and more wondering around Ile St-Hèlene, and a large portion of them dancing to the beats to the artist of the moment. It was a gorgeous day and everyone was in a damn good mood. If I’m not mistaken, I believe there was alcohol being served to the public, or it might’ve been people bringing in their own bottles of booze. I don’t remember much of my surroundings because I was dancing away to Hawtin’s music. What I do remember, however, is the amount of people smoking marijuana close to the water.

For June 28th, the line-up consists of the following artists:

• 2:00 PM: Stefny Winter
• 4:00 PM: Pheek
• 5:00 PM: Ambivalent
• 6:30 PM: Barem
• 8:00 PM: Richie Hawtin

Piknic Electronik runs from May to October, so check out Piknik’s website if you wish to know the upcoming artists and their respective dates.

I managed to get to the event at around 5:25 PM due to me getting lost, but all I had to do was follow the music. Parking cost me 10$ and was a good 7 minute walk away from the main event, but I didn’t mind it. At about 5:35, a rush of people started swarming in from a nearby metro station.

Entry was pretty quick; there was a lack of security as bags were not searched. Not that I fear that anything happens during these events, since rarely I hear about violence during an electronic music event. The lack of security, however, was made up for the fact that about twenty something police officers showed up to patrol the event. There’s no denying that drugs are being sold here and the cops want to crack down on it. I got a few looks my way while I sitting around watching people walk by. Perhaps they thought I was the one selling since I looked so suspicious.

This year, there are more people than ever, and to answer the mystery about the booze situation here: you can bring your own booze but don’t get caught! The trick is to either bring beer in cans rather than bottles. If you bring bottles, you should bring plastic cups. If you want to buy, there’s stands selling alcohol and food for the public.

Since I’m covering this event live (yup, out here with my camera and laptop) a lot of people came up to me asking why I’m on this darn thing. I told them I’m working and enjoying the music.

More photos available, just continue browsing after the 30th picture.

Just a few steps below the street level on Mackay, you will find a quaint little hidden gem called Upstairs Jazz Bar and Grill. This place caught my eyes from the moment I glimpsed in through the window and saw an upright bass musician jamming away. As an avid jazz fan, I squealed like a little girl and excitedly walked in.

The place: dimly lit room. Very jazz-y and intimate. The Chicago 1950’s feel, complete with brick walls covered with an array of frames, takes you away from the downtown Montreal feel the moment you walk in. All that’s missing is the cloud of smoke hanging in the room (damn this ban!). The food is simple yet tasty and the staff is remarkably friendly. The ditsy, large breasted blonde bimbos you’d find as a nightclub bartender working for tips would not fit in to this classy, old-fashioned joint. Surprisingly, the prices are extremely fair. This place has a vibe I haven’t seen in a long time in Montreal, which is always a bonus since it seems that so many places follow the same template nowadays. A generally older crowd (30+) can appreciate this cozy, laid-back feel where people can share their passion for music.

Several times a week, you will find live performances by jazz artists. For that alone, it’s worth to check out Upstairs. Don’t get me wrong; you don’t have to adore jazz to go. When the performances are done for the night (roughly by midnight), the crowd gets back to it’s lively pace.

I fell in love with this place the moment I walked in. There’s a certain warmth in the personal interactions you can never find in a nightclub.

Their wine list isn’t too extensive, so I’d stick with the drinks. If you’re in the mood for a quick bite, get the Antipasti for 2, you can’t go wrong with calamari, smoked salmon, grilled chicken and a few other ingredients to pleasure your taste buds.

Bonus: Check out their website for scheduled performances as well as special recipes with step-by-step instructions.
www.upstairsjazz.com