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By: Valentina Caballero Bayonne Ra Ra Riot

Half & Half Reviews: Tressa and Alyssa go to see Clairo The milk and cream for your concert review coffee! In this segment, we have a conversation that breaks down the most important parts of the concert and have a discussion. Voice Alyssa: Her voice floored me. She sounded better live than she does on recordings, and I think that’s really rare to find in an artist these days. She has a beautiful tone that sounds effortless and genuine. Tressa: Yeah it was so steady and almost had a raspy undertone, I thought she was kind of quiet sometimes though. A: Her volume reflected the mood of the songs and the emotions that she was trying to convey when she was performing! T: That’s true. I wouldn’t really think that a lot of the songs would require a “loud” voice anyhow and if the tone was too powerful it wouldn’t really fit the mood of the show. So that’s a very valid point. Stage Presence A: I think she had a wonderful stage presence, you can really tell that she has an emotional connection to the songs. When she was performing Bubble Gum, she started to cry which isn’t really something you see a lot of from an artist at a concert. It made her seem super relatable and I feel like I connected with her more than I usually would. T: She was definitely very genuine and seemed to be acting ‘herself’ on stage. I did feel like she looked down a lot, which was a bit distracting at first. I think eventually I got over it though, not really sure why or how- I don’t think she really made more eye contact? But maybe the fact that she took breaks and made comments to the crowd minimized the disconnect I was feeling from her constantly looking down? However, I do think that although looking down is usually negative when performing, it was just true to who she is. A: On the topic of being true to who she was, she came out with her hair in a bun and was wearing a baggy sweatshirt. I also noticed that she put the hood up at some points during the show, it was so sweet! I suspect that it’s the sort of thing that she wears day-to-day. Celebrities…they’re just like us! T: At first I was maybe a bit put off by her outfit choice? Mainly because the pictures I’ve seen of her on album covers and across the internet, show her wearing somewhat frilly pastel t-shirts and scrunchies on her wrist? Is she a ‘vsco girl’? I don’t know. This wasn’t really in line with my expectations around what I expected her to look like on stage. However, I thought it was really refreshing because a lot of young girls look up to her and it’s important in terms of emphasizing that she’s truly just talented and doesn’t need all the bells and whistles in order to be recognized. I think a lot of young girls look up to celebrities, for example maybe like Ariana Grande, and the way they dress and convey themselves can really have an influence on younger generations. So, I think seeing Clairo dressed this way was super nice because it shows girls they don’t need to dress themselves up in order to be recognized for their talents. A: Agreed! I think the more “done up” persona was more for advertising and her own style is just super chill. Her Insta is more reflective of her casual aesthetic. Backdrop/visuals T: The visuals here were super fun and I thoroughly enjoyed looking at them throughout the show. I think they were also super fitting. The semicircle display in the center of the stage was the perfect amount of space to be taken up by visuals in my opinion. It was super fun to look up at the stage and wonder why I was looking at horses running on a plain, or a close up of some purple flower I don’t know the name of? But again, super fitting. A: I totally agree, less was definitely more in this case. The semi-circle with the shifting images was completely reflective of the chill vibe of the show. It didn’t distract me from the performance, but rather, added something that was special and unique about it. I think it speaks to the way that the show was effortlessly cool. And it also made me laugh! T: Yes, definitely made me laugh too! I think in some recordings I took you can full-on hear both of us cracking up in the back like “what are we looking at right now?!”, but in a good way. On the encore when she played ‘Pretty Girl’, the visuals there were to die for. What was it? A video of her with earbuds in singing pretty girl on Photo Booth, and just being super silly with it. Amazing. A: YES! We were both laughing so hard and it was a great way to end the show. Overall Experience T: I was super happy with this concert. I think the things that made it was genuinely how talented she is, her voice is just so settling in a way. I think this in combination with her humbleness and how she was really made me come to appreciate the entire concert as a whole. As a bonus, I think the crowd she attracted for this show probably also really valued these things, as most people in the crowd were just super attentive to the performance and weren’t really goofing off in any way. Sometimes the crowd can make it or break it.10/10. A: Going into this concert, I only knew about half of the songs so I wasn’t really knowing what to expect! I was so pleasantly surprised by what we saw. Like I said earlier, her voice was stunning and you can tell from the way she performs that there is so much genuine emotion behind her songs. As you said, Tressa, she held the crowd in the palm of her hand the entire time. Someone had even brought white flags and handed them out amongst the attendees, and when Clairo went to sing White Flag, everyone held them up and started waving them. She exclaimed “Oh my god guys, where did you get those? I am going to cry!” Then she picked one up from the stage that someone had tossed to her and held it close to her heart before setting it down. It was such a pure interaction between her and the fans. I walked out of the concert feeling so fulfilled! And since then, I honestly haven’t stopped listening to Clairo. 10/10.

By: Amanda McMillan After some initial teasers for this album drop, paired beautifully with the stunning film trailers, the much-anticipated soundtrack for Queen & Slim is here- and it’s remarkable. Released on Motown Records, the vision for the soundtrack was to span the history and influence of black music, from blues to soul to hip hop, with a nod to film soundtracks from the 90s. The end product is a nuanced and varied collection of tracks that manage to complement each other as much as they tell a story. The album is stacked with talent including Meghan Thee Stallion, Vince Staples, Syd, Blood Orange, and Lauryn Hill. Much like the film itself, written by Lena Waithe and starring Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out) and relative newcomer Jodie Turner-Smith, this soundtrack is not messing around. In this new era of film soundtracks that operate as standalone albums, this one does not disappoint. It opens strong with “Ride or Die” by Meghan Thee Stallion & VickeeLo, hitting hard with a killer flow and beat. Fans of Meghan The Stallion’s mixtape Fever will not be disappointed by this track, which has the energy and swagger of Missy Elliot, sprinkled with Ice Cube, and topped off some Salt N Pepa. It’s a lot, and it’s a mood. The next few songs lean much more into R&B – sultry, funky, and smooth. They’re warm, and soulful, almost seeming to crackle with feeling. Even “Yo Love,” by Vince Staples, 6LACK and Mereba is sexy and slow, the guitar reminiscent of something Daniel Caesar would lay down. Tiana Major9 & EARTHGANG’s “Collide” is likely the most familiar release, which premiered as a single from the album back in October with a stunning music video. This is the one I keep coming back to, and can’t wait to see how it appears in the film itself. Syd’s “Getting Late” is breathtaking in its falsetto, the drums like a heartbeat, everything seems to move in slow motion; it’s like the song is being dragged through honey. It almost sounds as if Syd is holding back like she wants to shout everything she’s singing about but she’s trying to contain it, to control it. That tension is palpable and leaves this song clinging to you after it’s done. The title song “Queen & Slim” lands itself right in the middle of the album, helping to tell the story of the film itself. It brings together the hip-hop/R&B collective Coast Contra with BJ the Chicago Kid, creating a robust track surrounded by Marvin Gaye-eqsue instrumentals, and powerful lyrics. By the time we get to Lauryn Hill’s “Guarding the Gates,” which she’s been included in her live performances for a few years, the soundtrack has really settled into itself. The inclusion of Hill’s first solo studio release in five years feels intentional, and it’s been worth the wait. The album closes with “Runnin’ Away”, by Blood Orange, Ian Isiah and Jason Arce (side note: the score for the film was also composed by Blood Orange). It’s a loungey, bluesy finale, with repeated lyrics “can’t keep running away,” which seems fitting for a film about two people on the run. It’s layered, sometimes loud and powerful, while at others delicate and nuanced. Each time I listen to this song, I hear something new, something that can be said about much of Blood Orange’s work. It’s a fitting end to the soundtrack, leaving you wanting more and curious about the resolution of the film. The sophistication of this soundtrack is indeed found within the sum of its parts. Each song is a piece of a puzzle, and putting it together is part of the journey. Queen and Slim is a film that is a reflection of the time we are living in, and it would seem that every moment and every choice has been deeply intentional and thoughtful. This soundtrack, as an extension of the film itself, is no exception to that. Stacked with an impressive roster of artists, it brings to life a story within a story; it showcases the history of black music and the role that it has played and continues to play in our culture. This is an album worth spending time with. It’s a story worth getting to know.

By: Jordyn Lyric

By: Gemma Mastroianni Photo Credits: Jay Denes for Aguilar Matthew Rubano – have you heard the name? If not, you’ve probably seen or heard him play before. He’s worked with some of the biggest names in music including Taking Back Sunday, Lauryn Hill, All American Rejects, Angels and Airwaves, and so much more. I found out about him when he was playing with Patrick Stump’s solo project and was impressed by his talent. Today, you can find him touring with Angels and Airwaves. I was grateful for the opportunity to chat with him about his experience in the music world, and how he has gotten to where he is. He didn’t grow up in a ‘musical’ house-hold as many musicians do but found inspiration from the music his parents would play including Frank Sinatra, The Rolling Stones, and more. His Nana, who was a school teacher, would take him and his brother to a variety of different musical events around New York which comprised of many orchestras and classical music, such as the New York Philharmonic. When she retired she would travel the world to many different small cities, which inspired Rubano to lead an adventurous life. Even though he didn’t know it at the time, he was developing curiosity about music by attending these shows with her. As Rubano got older and discovered his own music, he was getting more interested in the music world. He was fascinated by bands with prominent bass players such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Janes Addiction, Firehouse and more. The bass players in these bands were a major factor in the band’s signature sound. He discovered music again through the bass as he learned to play it. I was still curious just as to why he picked music as his career choice. He described himself as a “pretty spaced out kid” who didn’t see an adult version of himself when he was growing up. He didn’t want to go to college. “I basically remember my life as before I wanted to play music and the point after. I can’t put my finger on when that moment was but when it showed up it gave me clarity that I didn’t have. Maybe it sounds cliche or like a forced poetic description, but I didn’t know what I was doing with my life until I started playing the bass and there was a chance I could do that with my life.” When Rubano got into music, he gave it all of his energy. He only started playing bass in the middle of high-school and considered himself to be “behind” compared to others. He attended Baldwin Senior High School in Long Island,NY, which was a nationally recognized school of excellence with a superb music program. Although he felt intimidated by the other kids who had a previous background in music, it pushed him to be better. He ended up getting into Berkeley for music alongside his best friend Jamie Siegel who attended for production and sound engineering. Siegel came in clutch when it came to landing Rubano’s first major gig at just 20 years old. Siegel worked at the famous Chung Kung recording studio as a house engineer. He had the opportunity to work with many large-scale artists, including Lauryn Hill. At the time, Hill was recording The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Hill’s team was short a bass player for a session, and Siegel convinced her to let Rubano come in and meet her. Rubano went in for the audition and he ended up recording some songs on what came to be a very successful record, selling over 20 million copies and winning Grammy awards. Each song that came out from the album made it bigger, and he was really proud of it but was still getting his foot in the business. When it came to the Lauryn Hill gig, he still didn’t know how to negotiate his pay. He did not realize that the work he was doing with Lauryn Hill qualified as songwriting and did not get compensated or credited on that record. “I don’t think she was trying to screw me, but someone in her camp was trying to. I was so into it but not informed, I just wanted to play music and didn’t have a knowledge of publishing and songwriting. To learn a lesson like that with that record, it was just one of those things I had to accept as part of my journey and learned those lessons the hard way.” Following this experience, he was now a notable musician in the New York City landscape. It consumed all of his energy and attention because he truly loved what he was doing. He wanted to play as much as he could and wanted to master as many different genres as possible. He wanted a career that enabled him to play different music with lots of different people, which would allow him to take his passion and travel- this all happened through “organic collaborative moments.” Through his experience, I asked what advice he could offer to younger people trying to make it, “The broad stroke answer is to respect your own path and not to criticize it, because you cannot really ever know where you are in your own development all that accurately, and you also never know whos watching you, trying to help you or hurt you. you have to keep your mind open to “Where I am right now is okay.” I’m not saying if your 45 and trying to play a g chord that you should still pursue music, but there’s a lot of pressure to be an overnight Soundcloud success, or get signed off one single.” I’m so fascinated with Rubano’s success, and I wanted to know why he chose a career specifically as a session bass player. He said that as a teenager he had a very niche interest in this specific career because of the variety in the gig, “I was reading Bass player magazine and discovering a variety of different session musicians. That being said, I grew up listening to cool bands. I’ve been lucky that I have had big tastes in both of those career paths. I’ve been a member of a band and written songs and done that , and very close to it toured with a band where I wasn’t in it but I was performing with it and it was gratifying.” Rubano continued to explain to me that being in a band is not what people think it is, and that it’s very similar to owning a business and having partners, meetings, and so on. He said that many people in band are “shit-heads and morons who are lucky to be where they are, and they’re ungrateful for it.” He explained to me that you can get into bands but it always isn’t with the best bunch of people, but that he really enjoyed touring with bands like All American Rejects and Glassjaw, “Two very different bands but it was an ideal situation. They were paying me to play bass in their band. I love hanging out with both of those bands because they’re comprised of good friends of mine and that’s gratifying too.” In addition to Rock, Rubano has played Jazz, Latin Jazz, Salsa, Hip-Hop, R&B, Reggae, Soul, and even Bulgarian Folk music, “Even when I was in Taking Back Sunday for almost 10 years, when we were off tour I was working with everyone I possibly. Even though I had written most of the Taking Back Sunday music and was committed and devoted to the band, I needed to refresh my palette so that when I wasn’t around it, it felt fresh and good.” Currently, you can catch Matt Rubano on tour with Angels and Airwaves. Don’t miss it!

By: Amanda McMillan The Garrison was the perfect venue for a band like Chastity Belt; it’s small, local, and a bit divey. It was the best place possible for a heady, shoegaze, alt-rock girl band from Washington state. The band entered the stage for their sold-out show to the theme song from Sex and the City, which elicited some chuckles from the audience. It was a quirky and unexpected intro, and felt appropriately ironic (although, I imagine the irony was lost on some people because that’s how irony works). As the four of them took to their instruments, they were dressed very casually, almost too casually for a stage performance. But, that’s what is charming about them – they’re just four friends who make dreamy, somewhat emotional alt-rock songs. Now that I was hearing them live, which sounded exactly as you would want it to, I that the way I would best describe this band’s sound is ‘sonically sad girl’. There’s angst to both their overall sound and their lyrics that isn’t steeped in anger or confusion or frustration, but rather in the kind of resignation that comes from figuring things out for yourself. Their lack of energetic stage presence was at once a nod to a shoegaze renaissance, and also a physical representation of the realities of touring. When a crowd member asked how they were while they paused to retune, guitarist Lydia Lund responded with “You know when you’re just the right about of tired where you kind of don’t care?” she laughed, and the audience laughed with her. There was a clear connection present between the band members, catching each other’s attention on stage and smiling or laughing. This kind of symbiotic chemistry gave off the sense that this is all a bit of an inside joke that they are a band that plays live shows in front of crowds of people. This comfort they have with each other on stage is charming and feels like the unspoken chemistry of sisterhood. At one point, lead singer Julia Shapiro and drummer Gretchen Grimm switched places, and it quickly became very evident just how talented they all are. The remarkable thing is that they can also all sing in the same haunting, airy pitch that is, for the most part, indistinguishable. While that might normally be annoying, in this case it’s pretty interesting. As they pause between songs to chat with the crowd, they laugh saying that they like to keep things “fresh and fun” by switching this up on stage. As they round out the rest of their hour-long set, there is a greater sense of ease on stage. They’ve loosened up a bit, and by the time they get to “Different Now,” which is met by an encouraging cheer from the crowd, they’ve really found their groove. After a brief exit from the stage, the band returned for a quick encore of “Seattle Party,” and a few people danced in the audience. Chastity Belt is not exactly the kind of band where dancing comes easy, but if you are going to dance to them, that’s probably the song you’re going to do it too. Overall, the performance was muted, but enjoyable. The most interesting thing about their performance, other than how talented they are, was watching them interact with each other on stage. In a way, perhaps it reminded me of me and my friends, and that’s what kept the performance from being otherwise a little boring. But I didn’t go see Chasity Belt at the Garrison to have a rip-roaring good time. I went to listen to four friends from Washington state sing songs that sound like how I feel. And that’s exactly what I got.

By: Michael Del Vecchio Washington State-based deathcore band, Enterprise Earth, are nearing the end of the North American tour with headlining act, Rings of Saturn. I talked to Enterprise Earth singer Dan Watson, and guitarist Gabe Mangold, about the tour, the band, and their recent record, Luciferous. “We’ve had some van troubles, and I couldn’t get into Canada, but overall it was really good,”Dan said. On November 3, their first Canadian date for the tour, while crossing the border for the Canadian show dates, Dan and Enterprise Earth bassist, Rob Saireh, were stopped at the border. On Instagram, Dan apologized to the fans for not being able to make the Canadians shows, and promised to be there next time the band has a Canadian run. That night, Enterprise Earth still took the stage with a modified line-up, and after the show ended, the band thanked the crowd for their intensity and enthusiasm. “The shows have been great, the fans have been great, the turnouts have been awesome,” Dan said. “When people come out and see us, they’ve always said we sound just like the album. And, that’s something I love to hear, because when I used to go to concerts as a kid, I’d be disappointed when the band doesn’t sound as good live as they did on the record. So, to be able to have that compliment and maintain that standard, we take pride in that.” Deathcore is a physically-demanding genre for vocals – singers deliver shrieks, screams and growls, night after night. I asked Dan how he maintains his voice, and where the balance lies between control and volume on stage. “It’s something – your technique – that you practice and use every tour,” Dan said. “You learn pretty quickly that when you’re maxing out live, you can only max out for a couple of days before you blow your shit out. I’ve learned through trial and error – unfortunately, the hard way – that I have to bring it back a notch, and practice good vocal control in order to preserve my voice and sound good for the entire tour. Sometimes when you’re on stage, you just get excited, and you just want to put all the emotion into it, but you have to remind yourself to take it back that notch.” With the recent setbacks and general life on the road, I asked them how they usually keep up morale when they’re on tour. “Fortunately, we have a good team and vibe well together,” Gabe said. “Make sure you’re in a band with people that you like and get along with, because that makes things easier. Especially when you’re living together for months at a time.” Dan added, “not only that but also living together in a… tin can. When shit’s hard, we make jokes and, you know, make fun of each other. As long as we can all laugh, we can get through anything together.” While aggression, intensity and power are abundant on Luciferous, there are moments of Gabe’s clean-guitar voicings that broaden the atmosphere and give some songs even more contrast and depth. “I’ve always really enjoyed classical guitar and classical music,” Gabe said. “And of course, there’s a lot of crossover with death metal and classical music, melodically and compositionally. It just seemed to fit during the writing sessions, the idea came up and seemed to flow really well.” Luciferous carries a lot of momentum between tracks, with blistering instrumentation from rapid lead and rhythm work, to a laser-precise rhythm section, all coupled with Dan’s vocals. You can hear this prominently in the middle of the record and up to final epic, There Is No Tomorrow. “When we were writing (the record), it’s not like we had anyone set thing in mind,” Gabe said. “We just try to write good songs, try to give each song its own character, its own vibe, while retaining an overall cohesiveness to the record. The songs weren’t written in the album order, they came out, and we decided what order would sound best. Putting Requiem in the middle – since it’s a transition, interlude song – seemed like a good place for it.” Getting your message out there as a musician is usually tied to how many ears it hits, which is then tied to how accessible the general public deems your genre. I asked the guys how they feel playing deathcore affects their message, and what benefits and experiences the genre brings to the band. Dan said he knew that if they wanted to get really far in the industry and receive more widespread praise for their music, they wouldn’t be playing deathcore. “But I think the benefit is that we’re so passionate about the music,” Dan said. “Being heavy and aggressive – that’s something inside us all. With the lyrics, we wanted to be genuine, real, and not stick to any trends or clichés, and not, pretend to worship Satan or any of that shit. It’s all about reality and how hard life is – and getting through it in a positive way. And that’s what our music does – we bleed into the music, and when we play, we’re releasing all this negative energy, but in a positive way. That’s the benefit of the style for us, it’s therapeutic.” Enterprise Earth’s last show on the Rings of Saturn tour is November 17. After that, they play a headlining run of American show dates. If you’re finding yourself in Europe this February or March, tickets for their European tour go out this week.

Written and Photographed by: Gemma Mastroianni Ryley Patrick’s passion for music began with his childhood through his fascination with the idea of ‘Rockstardom.’ As many do, he looked up to artists such as Slash and Jimi Hendrix. When he was ten years old, he begged his Dad for a guitar – and so it began. His Father signed him up for guitar lessons and purchased him an Epiphone. He really wanted a Gibson Les Paul, but his Dad said no. They compromised on the Epiphone as it looks similar to a Gibson Les Paul. Ryley eventually moved onto Fenders, and doubts he’ll be playing another guitar as he considers them a “classic.” As he got older he moved away from Classic Rock and dove into more complex artists such as The Cure and John Frusciante, who he claims shaped him and fit his mood as he got into his ‘angsty teen years.’ I was curious about what caused his ‘angsty teen years’ and he credits those to the small town he grew up in which he described as divided, “It was never cool to be different, like different music, or not be “mainstream”, or not play sports.” He said he was not particularly bullied or picked on, but it was easy to be singled out as an outsider if you were ‘different’ in any way shape or form. He plays pretty much every instrument but guitar is his favourite. On his debut album, The Disaster Plan, he plays all instruments other than drums, which are played by David Burke. “On the record, I played guitar, rhythm guitar, bass, and vocals. I do play the drums but I’m not at a point where I feel comfortable recording them.” He went through a transition phase following the break-up of his high-school band “The Deceived” where he had trouble finding music he liked to listen to. Last year, he referred back to some of his original inspirations, The Cure and John Frusciante. This inspired him to go for the various sounds that are on the album. “The record is a bit of a jumbled rollercoaster, and some could even call it unfocused, but it’s a collaboration from all of my inspiration.” In his track Eleanor, you can hear influences of metal, where-as the track “Talking to You” has more of a David Bowie sing-a-long vibe to it. Although the record goes in many different instrumental directions, the theme remains the same – women and heartbreak. Ryley claims that he has never been able to write a happy song, but considers this his weakness. Although “Talking to You” sounds happy, it’s a pretty sad song. Each song on The Disaster Plan is about a different relationship ranging from romantic, family, and friends. Although it is a bit of a vague explanation, he claims that if you are in his inner circle you will likely know who every song is about. “I think I’ll continue to get heartbroken for the rest of my life, but it isn’t as sad as it sounds because it helps me continue to find inspiration. Yeah, I do listen to a lot of happy music, but I don’t think I could write about that at this point in my life. I write about being a hopeless romantic and the next record, and the record after that, it will likely be about the same thing.” He just got back from Europe where he played at some intimate shows at different bars and homes. Why in Europe? He traveled through Europe by himself last year and fell in love with adventure, and the way that Europeans process art, “They’re a lot more open and accepting of art than Canada is. Toronto is an awesome and accessible city for art and it’s more appreciated here than other cities in Canada, but it’s nowhere near the level of acceptance it is in places like London, Berlin, or Amsterdam. European crowds are more tentative. If you play a random bar here in Toronto, people don’t really care and will talk over you. When you do this in London, everyone shuts up. It doesn’t matter if there are five people or 50, everyone listens and gives respect.” What’s next? His last album was written by himself and produced by longtime friend Max Ross, but his upcoming record will include his live band in the creative process, “It will be more of a team effort, which will be interesting. It’s exciting!” The band played their first show at The Diezel Room in Oshawa a couple of months ago. It was a sold-out energetic show with tons of people dancing and moshing. Catch their next performance with Patiohawk on November 9th at The Atria in Oshawa.