Ok, so I am supposed to be writing more often. My resolution in these dog days of summer is to get my blog up faster. You can hold me to that. In fact, I might even test my technological peasantry and try blogging in real time. With the Bluesfest over, I am hoping to get to Parc Jean Drapeau in Montreal this weekend to catch the Osheaga Music and Arts Festival. This rock fest has become one of the cool pit stops for bands and artists. It has been around for only six years but it has caught on like wildfire and attracts huge names in the industry. While it naturally draws upon acts from the local active, ubercool and legendary indie music scene (ie. last year, Arcade Fire was one of the headliners), it also showcases other big name Canadian content, with lots of variety. Bands like the Sam Roberts Band (ok, it’s another local favourite but still), The Tragically Hip, Bran Van 3000 and some up and coming musicians like PS I Love You (Kingston’s latest new sensation) will all be there. There is everything from techno, punk, and even some dubstep (a burgeoning type of electro dance music from London, UK). Osheaga promises a music smorgasbord that will satisfy every taste. I look forward to US soul singer Charles Bradley and the haunting sounds of Manchester Orchestra. Hope to also catch the pop electra sounds of Canadian up and comers like Lights.
Other big names include Elvis Costello and the Imposters, KiD CuDi and my fav hip hop artist of all time, the wildly entertaining Eminem. His jam is unbeatable. The fun is getting a pass for the full festival and just checking out bands that will no doubt be hitting the airwaves and charts in the months and years ahead. Am pretty pumped. Check out the full line-up at www.osheagafestival.ca. The Festival runs from Friday, July 29th until the 31st.
In my last entry (albeit ages ago), I mentioned that Ottawa was hosting the National Dance Festival at the National Arts Centre. I wanted to catch some local talent so off I went to see B-boy wonder Yvon “Crazy Smooth” Soglo and his crew busting up the dance floor with their hip hop moves in their show IZM. And what a show it was.
His team is made up of young multi-talented dancers who form the dance company Bboyizm. Each of them would have been completely at home on stage with Michael Jackson. (RIP MJ. Hard to believe he has been gone 2 years already but I digress.) Not only do they rip up the dance floor, they are in seriously great shape. All fit with six packs, arm definition and tight butts to die for, they make it all look so easy. But it is not. You have to be in kick ass shape and seriously gifted in the dance department to pull this stuff off. Hip hop is hard work.
While each dancer truly shakes the stage, there is something particularly spectacular and magical about Soglo. He is mesmerizing. It came as no surprise to learn he is at the top of his game both at home in Canada and abroad, winning hip hop awards around the world. In fact, in 2006, he won the Most Valuable B-boy award at the annual Kings of New York Competition. As it turns out, Soglo also has a huge heart and gives back to the community, working with kids in the classroom, working at the UN and he has even taken his art, talent and gift to kids in Iqaluit.
Soglo also aims to educate the uninformed on the history of hip hop dancing and what it all stands for, useful for uptight white people like me who try to be cool and hip. (Or, more importantly, it is for those people who believe all the negative media surrounding hip hop. It is not all that gangsta stuff. Real hip hop is an art. It’s all about self expression and artistic creativity.)
Soglo is taking IZM on tour next year which is very exciting but you can catch him in a new show currently in the works before he hits the road. Head to the Arts Court’s Dance Series 10 taking place from August 25th -27th. For full details, check out www.artscourt.ca. Or to learn more about Soglo, check out his web site at www. bboyizm.ca.