April in the National Capital City: From Cormega and Flosstradamus to Joey Bada$$ and Oliver Tuku Mtukudzi

I don’t know about you, but I’m barely catching my breath from how busy last week was that another load of events is being delivered in our National Capital City just in time for the start of April.

As per usual, my selection of events for the coming days mostly highlights music shows, but also includes spoken word and an album release. Ottawa’s been particularly good with hip hop lately and this week is no exception.

To kick things off in music, fans of Waka Flocka Flame will be happy to know that the Atlanta rapper is performing live at Ritual Nightclub this Monday, April 1 as part of the Do Right U Gain Success Canadian Tour. This is no April Fools. Grab more info by clicking on the poster below.

On Wednesday, April 3, Far West Productions and Kapacity Entertainement present none other than Cormega and Large Professor, two legends of American hip hop culture. The two rappers, who teamed up for a mini-tour of Eastern Canada, will be performing live at Ritual alongside Leaving for LA, Pusha Wood and Philly Moves. To get details on this event, just click below.  

If you’re into trap music, Flosstradamus will be doing a live set at Babylon as part of the Underground Nights Tour this Wednesday, April 3. The Mad Decent/Fool’s Gold DJ duo from Chicago will be accompanied by Iggy Smalls and DJ Spinz. If you plan on attending, I warn you: dress light because it’s going to get sweaty. For more info, click on the event poster below. 

On Thursday, April 4th Cafe Dekcuf is hosting the Out of Control EP Release Show as of 8:30 pm. The Ottawa rock band will be playing alongside Harea Band and Monday I Retire, both also from the National Capital. This is the perfect opportunity to discover emerging local music at its finest. If you’d like additional information, click on the event poster.  

Also on Thursday, April 4, the Mercury Lounge presents Evandro Gracelli live alongside opening band Congas On Candomblé. The Brazilian musician will be performing in Ottawa with percussionists Emilio Martins and Angel Araos and bassist Marc Decho. Grab everything you need to know by clicking on the poster below.   

If you’re into spoken word and want to support a good cause, head over to Babylon this Thursday, April 4 for Good Vibes, a night of poetry, music and fun times. The event will featuring performances by Juice, Lay-D Shelz, Jerushah, Just Jamaal, Sense Say along with music provided by DJ Alive. Details are available by clicking on the event poster.

Fans of underground rap will agree that this Saturday, April 6 is guaranteed to be a big night for hip hop music in Ottawa. This is due to the fact that up and coming artist Joey Bada$$ will be performing live at Ritual alongside Pro Era as part of the Beastcoastal Tour. The Pro Era boys will be joined by opening acts Flatbush Zombies and The Underachievers. For event details, click on the poster below.

To finish off the week with some World Music, catch Oliver Tuku Mtukudzi live at Ritual thanks to World Famous Music with an acoustic solo set by Ottawa-based singer-songwriter Mighty Popo to open the show. Zimbabwean music icon Oliver Tuku Mtukudzi will be performing in Canada’s National Capital alongside The Black Spirits. Details on this event are available by clicking below.

Other noteworthy events happening this week include Tropikalo on Friday, April 5, which is launching at its new relocated venue. The monthly event, now at the Mercury Lounge, features a mix of afro/latin/carribbean/tropical sounds provided by DJ Zattar, Trevor Walker and Lance Baptiste.

The monthly edition of Frenzy is also taking place at Babylon this Friday, April 5 with special guest Grandtheft, one of Canada’s most toured DJs. The event will include Ottawa DJs Iggy Smalls and Foster.

For those who like Electronic Dance Music, you may want to go see Carlo Lio live at Era on Saturday, April 6 as part of the Privé series. The Toronto DJ will be doing a live set at Era alongside resident Ryan Labelle.

Here you go Ottawa-Gatineau, these are my suggestions of events for the upcoming days. Keep in mind that this is just a glimpse of what’s happening out there! I hope you enjoy your week wether you’re in Ottawa or the Gatineau area and that you have the opportunity to attend some of the fun events taking place in the days ahead in our eventful National Capital.

Event Review: Boogat Brings his El Dorado Sunset to Ritual Nightclub

Montreal-based artist Boogat stopped by Ritual Nightclub this past Saturday, March 30, for a live performance meant to promote his latest and fourth album El Dorado Sunset released entirely in Spanish this past February.

The French Canadian latin rapper, known for his collaborations with DJ Ghislain Poirier and Ottawa’s own A Tribe Called Red, performed in Canada’s National Capital in an effort to spread his good vibes and ultimately to gain a wider audience within Anglophone Canada.

It was Boogat’s second time in Ottawa, following a previous guest appearance at A Tribe Called Red’s Electric Pow Wow party at Babylon in 2012. This time around however, he had center stage as he headlined the show, following a performance by Ottawa’s own Missing Linx who opened the night with their mix of hip hop and spoken word.

Boogat’s style is quite unique as it offers listeners a latin groove infused with urban rhythms. He liberally mixes reggaeton, salsa, cumbia and moombah to hip hop, allowing him to produce versatile and distinct sounds. There’s nothing quite like him at the moment within Canadian music, which is why he’s had the opportunity to perform at many festivals and in numerous venues across the country. He’s definitely something else and accompanied by a talented group of musicians and equipped with a charismatic personality, he sure knows how to engage with his audience regardless of the size of the crowd.

Unfortunately, as it so often happens in Ottawa with underground and indie music shows, hardly anyone showed up for the event, which can be rather discouraging for artists. However, the lack of concert-goers didn’t stop Boogat and his musicians from delivering a vibrant performance with high energy from beginning to end.

Boogat’s set was just short of an hour, but his stage presence and overall performance kept the audience dancing throughout. The band, comprised of Trombonist Etienne Lebel and Percussionists Kiko Osorio and Sergio Barrenchchea, played along to some of Boogat’s more popular material namely Moviembre, Dos Cervesas, Que Viva and Wow along with new songs from El Dorado Sunset like Romados and Natural including lesser known tracks from previous EPs.

This is really an underrated artist that deserves to be heard and recognized for the quality of his sound and for his refreshing take on urban latin music and I’m glad that I was there to experience Boogat’s excellent live performance.

Check out Boogat’s official website to discover what he does and take a look at his official video for Moviembre below.

Event Review: Teen Daze Live at the Mercury Lounge

Vancouver-based DJ/Producer Teen Daze was in Ottawa this past Friday, March 29 on the occasion of a mini-tour of Eastern Canada that is taking him to Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto.

Around 40 to 50 people gathered at the Mercury Lounge on Good Friday to catch the artist for a live  DJ set.

True to the Ottawa scene, doors opened at 8:30 pm and the show was set to start at 9:30 pm, but since so little people had arrived at that time, Teen Daze waited until 10:00 pm to begin his set as there were no special guests opening for him despite what the event poster indicated.

Teen Daze started with more mellow and ambient sounds and he gradually picked up the tempo with composed and well-arranged tunes as people progressively gathered onto the dance floor. He played tracks from All of Us, Together along with newer ones from The Inner Mansions among others.

Unfortunately, as it can often happen with technology, the music was cut off three times throughout the set and wether this was a problem from the venue’s side or from Teen Daze himself, it didn’t tamper too much with the crowd’s mood who seemed to enjoy what they were hearing.

Although he regularly uses a microphone during his live performances to project vocals that overlay some of the tracks, Teen Daze didn’t do so this time around as it was solely a DJ set. Having said this, something was missing from the overall look and feel, perhaps it was a visual component that would’ve projected the music’s emotion onto a screen as if to spill the artist’s soul on a canvass for our eyes and hearts to absorb. This could’ve potentially driven the audience closer to the music during the performance, both physically and emotionally. Thankfully, the Mercury Lounge’s in-house lights, lazers and smoke machine helped create the ambiance.

Granted, whether instrumental or vocal, his music is certainly not for everyone and caters to a precise niche audience, one that enjoys meditative, sometimes contemplative chillwave sounds that allow you to drift off into other realms of consciousness. It’s music that makes you want to move while immersing you into a dream-like world of beautifully arranged sounds.

Despite the lack of live vocals, visuals and repeated technical difficulties, the Ottawa crowd embraced the chillwave tunes played by Teen Daze and had fun throughout the set as they danced the night away.

If you’re into ambient/lo-fi/electro-pop/dance sounds, then be sure to check out Teen Daze’s music via the artist’s bandcamp.

End March in the National Capital with Masta Ace, Spirit Tracks, Teen Daze and Double Barrel

There are only a few days left in March, and although it’s been a good month in Ottawa-Gatineau, it’s also been a bit rough since Winter is lingering and very slowly making way for Spring.

With the end of March comes an early Easter Break, and as we’ve come to realize, long weekends usually equal numerous exciting events to choose from. So if you’re sticking around the National Capital Region this weekend, you’ll be happy to know that there is no shortage of shows and fun events happening.

For example, this Tuesday, March 26, Kisagiyan is taking place at Pressed Cafe as of 7pm. Kisagiyan, which means love in Algonquin, presents an eclectic evening of spoken word poetry, flamenco guitar, aboriginal songs, theatre performance and more. The event will feature artistic performances by Moe Clark, Balam Santos, Naomi Athena, Jeremy Sills and Jacqui Du Toit. If you’d like more information click on the poster below.

Also on Tuesday, March 26, Fau Mardi is taking over the Petit Chicago for a FREE night of electronic music and visuals. This week’s event will feature Andre et Michele, a collaboration between Singer/Songwriter Michael Glenwright and DJ/Producer Andrew O’Malley. Combining an array of instruments, from retro synth sounds and club beats to soaring melodic guitars, Andre et Michele weave together real-time improvised soundscapes using live performance looping. Fau Mardi will also include Guillaume Nolin and residents Phil Beauch and Sacha Vreca. For more info, just click below. 

This Wednesday, March 27, DNA Presents and TheKnwldg.com bring you the Execution Tour featuring Excision of Rottun Records alongside special guests Paper Diamond and Vaski live at LS Live. The Execution Tour is described as a new submersion into bass music accompanied by an intense audiovisual experience that will completely blow you away. For details on this event, click on the below poster.

On Thursday, March 28, the Mercury Lounge presents Bombay Records Sessions WMC Closing Party with special guest DJ Awaaz of Bombay Records. DJ Awaaz, known for his musical style mixing Tropical, House,  Afro, Soul, Deep Disco sounds will be spinning live alongside resident DJ Lance Baptiste. Grab details by clicking on the wildly beautiufl event poster below.

Also on Thursday, March 28, on the hip hop side of things, Masta Ace will be performing live at Ritual Nightclub as part of the Son of Yvonne Canada Tour. This hip hop pioneer from Brooklyn will be joined on stage by Wordsworth, Stricklin, The Bundies and Canadian artists Citizen Kane, Grindhouse Project and Ill Tone & The Kids.  For more info, click on the event poster below. 

Over on the Quebec side, Les vendredis complètements malades present Party de Perruques at the Petit Chicago, a fundraising event to raise for Cancer research. The organizers encourage you to bring your wig to dance the night away to the sounds of DJs Jas Nasty and Grumpy B, all for a good cause. If you would like additional information, simply click on the event poster. 

Also on Friday, March 29, Artengine and the Electric Fields Festival present Spirit Tracks: a special twist on the Electric Pow Wow with A Tribe Called Red, Cris Derksen, Rhonda Doxator, and Lorenzo. The unique event, taking place at St. Brigid’s Centre for the Arts  will premier a new collaboration between aboriginal artists from across the country and re-organize the dance floor in a special location, rich with its own spatial history. For everything you need to know, click on the event poster below. 

Also on Friday, March 29, Vancouver-based DJ/Producer Teen Daze will be doing a live set at Mercury Lounge thanks to a collaboration between IndieMontreal, CHUO FM and the venue. Teen Daze, known for his ambient/dance/electronic/lo-fi/pop sounds will be stopping by the National Capital to promote his second full-length album The Inner Mansions. If you would like to know more on this event, click on the poster below.

If you’re looking for something more vintage, head over to Mugshots this Friday for Double Barrel, Ottawa’s only night of soul, funk, retro reggae and motown strictly played from 45s. The March edition of Double Barrel will feature special guest DJ Eric Roberts of Timekode.  Grab details by clicking below. 

This Saturday, Mach 30, World Famous Music presents Boogat live at Ritual Nightclub. The Montreal-based artist characterized by his unique take on latin hip hop will be performing live in Ottawa in an effort to promote his latest album entitled El Dorado Sunset. Boogat will be accompanied by opening acts Missing Linx of Ottawa and DJ Nom de Plume of Radio Radio. For details, click on the poster below. 

If you’re looking for a great place to go dancing on Sunday night, look no further than the Mercury Lounge for the Afro Beat party with a live performance by special guests the Berekete Afrobeat Band.  Afrobeat, which is a mix of jazz, funk, psychedelic rock and African rhythms, is guaranteed to make you move your feet. If you want to know more, just click below on the event poster.

Other noteworthy events happening this week include the Journey of Nishiyuu that Ottawa will be welcoming this Monday around noon. This is a group of originally six courageous Cree teens under the age of 20 accompanied by a very wise guide who walked from Whapmagoostui in Northern Quebec to their final destination of Canada’s National Capital. Many others have been joining them along the way from Cree & Algonquin communities on their path. The youth are essentially partaking in this walk to raise awareness regarding pressing First Nations issues and parallel to the Idle No More movement. Find out more information on their arrival and get involved in the celebrations being organized to welcome them to Ottawa.

If you like to support local artists, check out Jazz and Poetry at Pressed Cafe this Saturday, March 30.  This event will feature young jazz vocalist Renee Yoxon and guitarist Mark Ferguson along with spoken word artist Brandon Wint who will deliver a performance of original poetry.

Another event worth mentioning this week for the hip hop heads out there is Pac Div live in concert at Ritual Nightclub on Sunday, March 31. The trio originating from Southern California will be performing in Ottawa for the first time in an effort to promote their latest album entitled GMB. Pac Div will be accompanied by After The Smoke and Johnny Polygon.

So there you have it, these are my suggestions of events for the upcoming days. I hope you enjoy your week wether you’re in Ottawa or the Gatineau area and that you have the opportunity to attend some of the exciting events happening in the days ahead in our eventful National Capital.

Event Review: Ottawa Gets Funky with The Soul Motivators

The Soul Motivators Live at the Mercury Lounge on Friday, March 22, 2013

This past Friday night, Ottawa got down and funky with The Soul Motivators on the occasion of the ensemble’s EP Release Party at the Mercury Lounge. The 9-piece vintage funk band from Toronto performed live in the National Capital as part of a mini-tour of four cities meant to promote their latest album comprised of 5 solid tracks infused with retro funk. Inspired and influenced by the likes of James Brown, The New Mastersounds, The Meters, Fela Kuti and Stevie Wonder, the group has been gaining momentum throughout club scenes and festival stages for the past couple of years.

The Soul Motivators kicked off their intimate set without their main singer, which lead some to believe that she wasn’t going to perform at the Ottawa show. After playing three songs however, Soul Sister Lydia Persaud made her way to the stage fashionably-late and joined the rest of the musicians with the help of her silky soulful voice. Persaud has great stage presence, tons of charisma and a big personality that fits right in to the style and sound projected by the musicians.

The talented horn-section, comprised of trombonist Nathan Dell-Vandenberg, trumpetist Thomas Moffett and saxophonist Dominique Morier, was extremely skilled and entertaining as the trio acted as back-up dancers and singers at times, clearly not taking themselves too seriously.

The Soul Motivators’ set list included the buzzing singles Until the Sun Comes Down and Gravy Train along with Walk Away, Your One Last Chance and Live a Lil not performed in that order.

Their hour and 30 minute set, paused by a short break, flew by as the group’s connection with the crowd made for an extremely lively and energizing performance. With a live show like this, it’s nearly impossible to stay still. You simply can’t fight the contagious soul sounds that seem to take control over every abled body on the dance floor and the crowd ends up moving and grooving along to every song. At one point, Persaud even thanked the crowd for consistently dancing to the group’s new music in a celebration of their new EP.

The Soul Motivators’ refreshing live performance delivered a strong dose of soul food rooted in deep funk to Ottawa music enthusiasts.

If you like Ottawa’s own The Souljazz Orchestra, do yourself a favor and check out this must-see show next time the ensemble stops by Canada’s National Capital.

To find out more about The Soul Motivators, visit their official website and grab their new EP if you like their sound. Your ears and soul will thank you for it!

Mid-March in Ottawa-Gatineau: From Action Bronson to Florquestra and Maseo

As we head into the final stretch before Spring officially arrives in the National Capital, you may be running out of patience when it comes to Winter and its cold white partner-in-crime. That being said, rest assured that there is no shortage of events happening this week and that there are plenty of fun things to do to beat the winter blues.

First off, hip hop heads will be happy to know that Action Bronson will be stopping by Barrymore’s Music Hall this Wednesday, March 20. The Queens rapper often compared to Ghostface Killah, will be performing live alongside TFHouse, Young N Restless, City Fidelia, Slightly Famous, and Black Jesus, For tickets and information, simply click on the poster below.  

On Thursday, March 21, the Up & Up Music  Concert Series presents Florquestra live at the Mercury Lounge. Florquestra is a band composed of six Canadian musicians originating from Brazil, Chile and Romania, each building a rich musical background prior to joining the group. The band’s unique world sound mixes elements of samba, bossa nova, forró, Andean, Parisian, Afro-Brazilian and Balkanic rhythms among others. This is sure to be a colorful show to say the least. To get more information on this event, just click on the below poster. 

This Thursday, March 21, Babylon Nightclub presents the monthly edition of Hip Hop Karaoke with DJ So Nice and Atherton. The two hosts promise a night of fun with this twist on traditional karaoke that steps away from the conventional “mom n’ pop video screen bouncy ball read-a-long half-assed last-minute-plan-with-your-girlfriends-in-korea-town karaoke jam”. If you think you got what it takes to rap along to your favorite hip hop song, sign up for HHK Ottawa. Check out all the details by clicking on the banner below.

This Friday, March 22, the Mercury Lounge invites you to attend The Soul Motivators’ EP Release Show for a night of deep funk and soul music. The Soul Motivators, a 9-piece, 3 horn deep funk ensemble, with a soulful flair are guaranteed to get you moving and grooving to their new retro sounds. For additional info, click on the event poster below.

On Saturday, March 23, Kapacity Entertainement presents Stakes Is High with Maseo of De La Soul. The member of the legendary rap trio, also known as Plug 3, will be throwing a live DJ set at Ritual as he celebrates his 43rd birthday in Canada’s capital city alongside local DJs Laocapone and Acro. For everything you need to know, just click on the event poster below.  

Also on Saturday, March 23, for this week’s edition of Privé, DNA Presents brings you Myon and Shane 54 live at Era. The Electronic Dance Music DJ duo from Budapest will be stopping by Ottawa for a live set accompanied by guests Landry and DJ Charles. For details on this event, just click on the poster below.

Other noteworthy events happening this week include Francophone folk group La Cavale who’ll be giving an all-new show at the Brasseurs du Temps this Monday, March 18. La Cavale will be performing live alongside Charabia, a local swing rock duo from the Outaouais region.

The Student Federation of the University of Ottawa invites you to “New Music. New Spaces.” with Ben Caplan this Tuesday, March 19. The indie folk singer-songwriter from Halifax, who was recently in Ottawa to perform at Mavericks, will be giving a FREE show in the University Center so be sure to check him out if you missed him last time.

If you like to support local artists, check out the March edition of the Artistic Showcase at Pressed Cafe this Thursday, March 21.  This event, hosted by spoken word artist Brandon Wint, will feature poet John Akpata, Nathanael Larochette aka Sir Realist, Rosie M formerly known as Elle-P, Rommel Ribeiro and special guest Suzy Pankhust.

Also this Thursday, March 21, head over to Ritual for a live show with Trust, Eraas, and Death Ledger. If you’re a fan of Austra and enjoy synthpop and atmospheric ambient electro sounds, this is definitely for you and you’ll want to check this show out.

Another event worth mentioning this week is Sweatshop Union live in concert at Ritual Nightclub on Saturday, March 23. The Vancouver-based hip hop heavyweights will be performing in Ottawa in an effort to promote their latest album entitled the Bill Murray EP.

So this is it Ottawa-Gatineau, these are my suggestions of events for the upcoming days. I hope you enjoy your week and that you have the opportunity to attend some of the exciting events happening in the days ahead in our eventful National Capital.

Mid-March in the Capital City: From VerseFest and Hilotrons to the Homebased Get Busy Album Release Party

For all of you working full-time and looking forward to the Easter long weekend, rest assured  that there are only a little over 2 weeks to go and that there are many interesting events taking place between now and then that are guaranteed to give you fun-filled times.

To being with, VerseFest, Ottawa’s annual poetry and spoken word festival, kicks off this Tuesday, March 12 and lasts until Sunday, March 17. This year’s edition will feature Emilie Zoey Baker, Erik Lindner, Hélène Gelèns, Lady Katalyst, LeRoy Gorman, Steven Price among many others. VerseFest will also include lots of spoken word namely an evening with Women’s Slam Winners, the Urban Legends Poetry Slam and a Capital Slam Showcase. Most of the events will take place at Knox Presbyterian Church or the Mercury Lounge. For the full program, click on the VerseFest signature below.

On Thursday, March 14, head over to the Mercury Lounge for the Algoma Album Release Party. Christianne will be releasing her second album in the National Capital City, entitled Algoma alongside local musicians Claude Munson and the Storm Outside. To find out more on this event, click on the poster below.  

On Friday, March 15, the Arboretum Arts Festival and Party Guilt present Hilotron and Silkken Laumann live at Babylon Nightclub. The event, which is a fundraiser for Arboretum 2013, will be followed by Visions with DJs  I8A4RE, Matt Tamblyn, Gregular + Silkken’s Adam Saikaley & Pat Johnson. To get more info, just click on the event poster below.  

Also this Friday, March 15, if you’re looking for a place to dance, head over to the Mecury Lounge for Gotsoul Sessions WMC Warm-Up Party with guest DJ Jojoflores of Gotsoul, Peopl – Montreal. Jojoflores, who owns Gotsoul Records and is known as house music’s “Mixted Tape King”, will be mixing live alongside local resident DJ Lance Baptiste. Get all the info by clicking on the event poster below.  

Starting this Saturday, March 16 and taking place until March 24 is the Gatineau Francofête, an annual festival organized by Impératif Français in partnership with the City of Gatineau to highlight Francophone artists from the region and big names from the Quebec music and arts scene. This year’s edition will include the likes of Jamil, Damien Robitaille, Karim Ouellet, the Loco Locass among others. For details on this event, simply click on the poster below.

This Saturday, March 16, Homebased and Vinyl Tap present the Homebased Get Busy Album Release Party at Ritual. Local artists Homebased invite you to celebrate the release of their first full length album with special guests Ghettosocks, Jeff Spec, Atherton and SD the Scholar with beats provided by Calkuta, Grusm, Circa Beatz and Prufrock. To find out more on this event, just click below. 

If you’re looking to get down and dirty this Saturday night, I suggest you head over to Babylon as the Ottawa Wolves present Rite of Spring II: More Fights, More Mud. The event will include mud wrestling matches where the public decides who goes head to head! There will be a special performance featuring some favorite ruggers and Montreal-based DJ Alberto will be on deck to keep you on the dance floor until the wee hours. Grab everything you need to know by clicking on the poster below.

This Saturday, March 16, Unlikely Futures and Foster join forces to present Lifted, a night of blissful female vocals, heavy trap bangers, and sub bass shockwaves. If this is your type of music, check out Ritual for the first edition of this new event. If it’s your thing, grab details by clicking on the poster below. 

For this week’s edition of Privé, DNA Presents brings you Sandro Silva live at Era on Saturday, March 16. The EDM DJ and Producer from Amsterdam will be doing a live set in Ottawa in an effort to spread his good vibes to people of the National Capital. For details, just click on the event poster below. 

On the occasion of St. Patrick’s Day, the Mod Club team invites you to celebrate with them this Sunday, March 17 at Babylon for a special Mod Lá Fhéile Pádraig. It’s your chance to enjoy Guiness beer and dance to your favourite Motown/Stax and Northern Soul sounds. Resident DJs Gaz and Emmett will also be mixing fine Irish tunes from The Pogues, Stiff Little Fingers, U2, Van Morrison to name a few. Get details by clicking below. 

Other noteworthy events happening this week include the Spring Fever: Rock for Planned Parenthood Ottawa taking place at Babylon Nightclub this Thursday, March 14. Enjoy a benefit concert of live rock music with, High Waters, No Fly List, Tindervox and Dreamin’ Ways in support of safe sexual and reproductive health.

R3 is stopping by Ottawa this Friday, March 15 as part of the r3d Caravan Tour. R3 stands for roots, rhythm, and resistance and the collective uses the arts to build communities, resist oppression and reconnect with roots. The event, taking place at Saw Gallery, will feature Amai Kuda, Lal, Brixia Bloodbeard and Sonny Bean.

For those who enjoy R&B, the monthly edition of Silk is also happening on Saturday, March 16 at Raw Sugar Cafe. Silk will feature R&B music from the 90s to today courtesy of DJs 8A4RE (Shameless, Visions), Eric Roberts (Ceremony, Timekode), and Matt Tamblyn (Visions, Open Air).

So there you have it Ottawa-Gatineau, my suggestions of events for the coming days! I hope you enjoy your week and that you have the opportunity to attend some of the exciting things happening in the days ahead in our eventful National Capital.

Event Review: Ottawa Gets Slow-Mo with Shlohmo and D33J at Ritual Nightclub

Shlohmo in Action at Ritual Nightclub

Ottawa got lucky this past Sunday night: lucky to have been deemed worthy of a tour stop on Shlohmo‘s Laid Out Tour that is. The up-and-coming DJ and Producer from LA gave a live set at Ritual Nightclub in an effort to promote his latest album entitled Laid Out EP, after touring in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. Ottawa certainly had a tough act to follow considering Toronto’s gig was sold out and Montreal’s show was on a Saturday. Regardless, Ottawa showed Shlohmo and his DJ friend D33J that the National Capital knows how to get down Slow-Mo style on a Sunday night when it comes to quality music. A relatively big crowd of roughly 200 people came out to support and enjoy new sounds.

Ottawa’s own Iggy Smalls kicked off the night with some great music that set the tone for what would follow. Once Iggy did his thing and Ritual started filling up with eager Shlohmo fans, the WeDitIt Collective member D33J took to the stage for his own set.

D33J Doing his Thing at Ritual Nightclub

D33J kicked things off by telling the crowd his stuff  was about to get weird. And weird it was, but in that good kind of way complete with amazing music that made the crowd dance throughout his set. The WeDidIt Collective DJ gave an excellent set playing some of his best remixes including his recent remix of Drake’s Started From the Bottom and the one he did for Marvin’s Room. He also played the remix for Rihanna and Future’s Looove Song, a remix he did of country-pop star, Taylor Swift‘s Love Story, which he calls the “Syrup Cuz I’m Single D33J Remix” along with some lesser known material that equally pleased the audience. D33J finished his set by thanking Ottawa fans for getting weird with him on a cold Sunday night, to which the crowd responded with loud cheers.

D33J then proceeded to introduce his music partner and friend Shlohmo, who, being a good 30 minutes late, waisted no time and got down to business immediately. Shlohmo played his popular remix of Jeremih’s Fuck You All the Time along with his remix of Aaliyah’s One In A Million and his take on 100 by Bangladesh feat. Pusha T and Jadakiss.

In addition to playing these remixes, Shlohmo gave Ottawa a taste of his new Laid Out EP with Out Of Hand, Put It, and the excellent Later. Despite switching things up from one music genre to the next, he built momentum throughout his set and kept the crowd dancing from start to finish. His stage presence was pretty good considering he’s a DJ, and he bounced along to the music he selected as the crowd seemed to love every minute of it. Shlohmo’s set was definitely solid, confirming his reputation as a super talented producer and remixer.

This was Shlohmo and D33J’s first tour in Canada, but based on what I saw last night, it’s almost a guarantee that they’ll be back in a matter of time with more amazing sounds from the underground.

You can listen to Later from Shlohmo’s Laid Out EP below.

Kicking Off March in Ottawa-Gatineau with Camp Lo, DiverCiné, We Are Wolves and More!

Did you notice we’ve been getting more light since the past week or so? Spring’s around the corner and so is Daylight Savings Time, when we’ll be springing forward an hour to gain even more light. That also means that Spring leads to festival season and as you’ve probably heard by now, Bluesfest organizers have announced this year’s lineup, or a big part of it anyway, and its annual theme Take Me to the River. It’s clear that Bluesfest is playing it safe this year with a well-rounded lineup that includes quite a bit of blues acts like BB King, Chicago’s Mississippi Heat, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Other big names include the legendary Wu Tang Clan, dubstep DJ Skrillex (again!), Tragically Hip, Dixie Chicks, Bjork, Amadou & Mariam, Femi Kuti, Fun.,  Tegan and Sara and Passion Pit.

Meanwhile though, let’s take a look at what’s going on around Ottawa-Gatineau this week that’s worth checking out.

First off, hip hop heads will want to head over to Ritual this Wednesday, March 6 to see none other than the New York duo Camp Lo.  Sonny Cheeba and Geechi Suede will be performing live in Ottawa as part of the tour celebrating the 15-year anniversary of their classic album Uptown Saturday Night. Camp Lo will be performing alongside opening acts Leaving for LA, Woodman, Bigg Ceaser and Slightly Famous. For more info, you can click on the poster below.

This Thursday, March 7, celebrate International Women’s Day at the Canadian War Museum by attending a talk by Mariatu Kamara, one of the women featured in the 11 Women Facing War exhibition who survived the armed conflicts in Sierra Leone. Mariatu Kamara will be presenting her tale of survival following a cocktail reception held in her honor. For details on this event, simply click on the banner below.

This Thursday, March 7, is also the Nilton de Menezes aka NDMA EP Release Party at Mercury Lounge with Shay Lynn, DJ Acro, DJ Andrew Carter, and City Fidelia. The event, presented by Beau’s Beer, Oxyrotin Clothing, Bang-On and Young Janes, his special event will feature designers, writers, dancers, artists and various musicians that all share an underlying passion for artistic unity and social development. For more on this EP release, click on the event poster below.

On Friday, March 8, the School of Photographic Arts of Ottawa (SPAO) presents its annual Auction and Print Sale at SPAO. The auction is a major fundraising event for SPAO, and the Print Sale an important fundraiser for the student graduation exhibition. Auction items include works by Angelina McCormick, Cara Tierney, Jim des Rivieres, Jonathan Hobin, Justin Wonnacott, Lorraine Gilbert, Martin Lipman, Michael Schreier, Osheen Haruthoonyan and Tony Fouhse. For further details, you can click below on the event poster 

Starting on Friday, March 8 and taking place until Sunday, March 17 is the 11th annual DiverCiné Film Festival at the Bytowne Cinema. Presented by the Embassy of France, the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Canadian Film Institute, the festival will present eleven films from nine Francophone countries including France, Senegal, Algeria, Canada, and Vietnam. For details and programming, click on the below poster. 

On Saturday, March 9, head over to the National Arts Centre for Niigan: In Conversation if you’re interested in partaking in the discussions on Indigenous-Settler relations in Canada. The symposium will include guest speakers Chief Gilbert Whiteduck, Claudette Commanda, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, Bonita Lawrence, Victoria Freeman, and host Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair. Topics discussed will include Indigenous and Canadian histories, Law, Constitution, and Bill C-45, the Algonquin land claims process, Moving forward solutions and the future. Click on the event poster below for more information. 

On the Quebec side, We Are Wolves will be performing live at the Petit Chicago this Saturday, March 9. The Montreal-based electro-rock trio of Dare to Care Records will be stopping by Gatineau in an effort to promote their latest album La Mort Pop Club. To find out more about this show, just click in the image below.

Also on the Quebec side this Saturday, March 9, Slim Moore & The Mar-Kays will be performing live at the Black Sheep Inn in Wakefield. This Canadian group, which includes a horn section, is steeped in the deep passionate sounds of soul music and is sure to make you groove to its contagious live sounds. If you’d like more info, click on the event poster below.   

On Saturday, March 9, head over to Ritual for Party & Bullshit, a Notorious B.I.G. tribute night meant to celebrate the music of the  legendary East Coast rapper who was killed on March 9, 1997 at the young age of 24. Atherton, DJ So Nice, and Circa Beatz will be providing the music downstairs in the lounge and if you don’t know, now you know.

Other noteworthy events happening this week include The Inconvenient Indian: An Evening with Thomas King at Centertown United Church in Ottawa this Wednesday, March 7. Thomas will be giving a talk on his work conducted over the past 50 years about what it means to be “Indian” in North America.

The bi-monthly Urban Legends Poetry Slam is taking place this Friday, March 8 at Carleton University in the Pit of the Architecture Building. This slam will feature Ottawa-based poet and writer Brandon Wint. Brandon will be presenting some new material along with other pieces that have won him many praises and awards.

For those who enjoy dubstep, the monthly edition of Dubsmack is also happening on Friday, March 8 at Ritual. The March edition will feature Montreal-based DJ and producer Vilify.

Also on Saturday, March 8, in the Hull sector of Gatineau, the Troquet presents Zal Sissokho and Buntalo live in concert starting at 9pm. The evening of West African music is organized, albeit a little late, in celebration of Black History Month and will essentially feature the sounds from the Kora master’s new album entitled Le Partage.

So there it is Ottawa-Gatineau, my suggestions of events for the coming days! I hope you enjoy your week and that you have the opportunity to attend some of the exciting things happening this week in our eventful National Capital Region.