Media Democracy Days marks 13th year in Vancouver

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November 18, 2013

The 13th annual Media Democracy Days (MDD) — organised by SFU’s School of Communication, OpenMedia.ca, and the Vancouver Public Library — took place on Nov. 8 and 9 in downtown Vancouver at the Vancouver Public Library and The Cinematheque.

MDD is a “gateway event,” according to MDD steering committee chair Kathleen Cross, who is also an assistant professor in the school of communication at SFU. “[It’s about] reaching out to people who have never thought about . . . the importance of media in a functioning democracy,” Cross stated.

Cross went on to quote communications professor and media reform activist Robert McChesney: “Whatever your first issue of concern, media had better be your second.” The event brought together students, citizens and scholars, to discuss and learn about the state of media in Canada.

This year’s main themes reflected the news that has occupied people’s attention over the past 12 months. Information control was chosen in the context of this summer’s NSA and PRISM leaks, while the #IdleNoMore movement, the Northern Gateway Pipeline protests, and the recent RCMP raid on the Mi’kmaq-led anti-fracking blockade in New Brunswick influenced the choice of Aboriginal voices as another main topic.

“Whatever your first issue of concern, media had better be your second.”

– Kathleen Cross, MDD steering committee chair, quoting media reform activist Robert McChesney

MDD’s program included a series of practical workshops — from audio production, to information control in the news, to filing a Freedom of Information (FOI) request. The program also included conferences, a media fair exhibition with about thirty social justice and media reform groups, and a packed film screening of Terms and Conditions May Apply (2013, Cullen Hoback), accompanied by a keynote address by BC’s Privacy Commissioner Elizabeth Denham.

“The media today is filled with power, ideology, bias . . . and spectacle that distract us, and yet make possible for each of us to reach out to communicate,” said Stuart Poyntz, programming advisor for MDD and assistant professor in the school of communication at SFU.

He went on to say that a central objective of MDD is to act as “a platform . . . to connect many of us together, around the recognition that social change and democratic reinvention can only happen today in and through our media system.”

Speaking on the issue of information control, privacy commissioner Elizabeth Denham defended privacy and access rights as “critically important for our democracy, for freedom of opinion and also for open societies.”

Evoking BC-specific issues such as the HST debacle and the “fudge-it budget,” Denham stated: “It’s often not the substance of the issue, but the perception of government secrecy that really is dominating the news; so access rights are really important underpinnings of our democratic system.”

Denham also expressed concerns about privacy and the emergence of “dataveillance,” echoing the theme of the film that followed her keynote, Terms and Conditions May Apply — which deals with the implications of clicking on the ‘agree’ button on various services’ license agreements.

Other speakers at MDD expressed distress about access rights in Canada. Mike Larsen, professor in the Criminology Department at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, stated: “Right now the [FOI] system is out-dated, inefficient and over-burdened.”

Gwen Barlee, policy director and spokesperson with the Wilderness Committee, who has filed approximately 45 FOI requests, told The Peak that “privatisation [of public services] is dangerous because as more government services get off-loaded to the private sector, we as a public have less ability to see the inner workings of how the services are delivered.”

Jennifer David, former director of communications at Aboriginal People’s Television Network and author of Original People Original Television introduced the other main topic on the second day, highlighting the need for Aboriginal voices to express themselves “on their own terms and in their own words.”

David explained how the #IdleNoMore movement was illuminating a discrepancy between mainstream media’s coverage of aboriginal news and reality. On #IdleNoMore’s first National Day of Action (Dec. 10, 2012), the IKEA monkey largely overshadowed the protests against Bill C-45 in national mainstream TV coverage.

The MDD event has found national success; this year, not only Vancouver, but Ottawa played host to MDD as well, with Montreal and Waterloo planning to join soon.

Cool Beans: a musical for coffee lovers

By

Peak Web

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November 18, 2013

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Why are there so many people in Vancouver crowding into coffee shops only to sit alone and not talk to all the other lonely people? There might be great romances and friendships waiting to happen, if only we’d let them.

This idea, and coffee shop culture in general, is explored in Cool Beans, a new musical comedy presented by Solo Collective Theatre, written by Anton Lipovetsky — winner of Most Promising Newcomer at the 2013 Jessie Richardson Awards. The show combines caffeine, romance, hipsters, and the coffee shop environment to create a heartfelt and hilarious story that anyone who’s ever sat alone with a latte can relate to.

Running from Nov. 21 to Dec. 1 at Performance Works, Cool Beans is directed by Rachel Peake with music direction by Mishelle Cuttler and set design by John Webber and Drew Facey. The show features four characters, played by Jay Clift, Gilli Roskies, Katey Hoffman, and Josh Epstein.

If all the outsiders are hanging out together, are they really outsiders?”

Josh Epstein, actor

Epstein plays the ambitious Patrick who had removed himself from “coffee culture” and given up on love to chase success in Dubai. When he returns, he finds that his ex-girlfriend has also changed and is now dating a hipster barista and hanging out with the coffee shop regulars. “They’ve both changed, and they’re in a love rectangle,” said Epstein. “He realizes that the best time of his life was when he had nothing, except for her.”

The idea for this play came from Anton Lipovetsky’s interest in self-identity. “He’s interested in exploring that age group when people are trying to identify who they are . . . they’re constantly asking themselves ‘who do you identity with?’” explained Epstein. “The hipster thing is so interesting too — if all the outsiders are hanging out together, are they really outsiders?”

The songs that Lipovetsky has written for the show cover a wide range of styles with varied influences: “There are songs that remind you of Rent, Book of Mormon, Avenue Q, and even Green Day,” said Epstein, adding, “You need to be able to have that range.” One of Epstein’s songs is “Dreams of Dubai” which he said has a Middle Eastern feel and is “an ode to Dubai.” The show also includes a “power modern musical ballad,” and plenty of rock inspired songs.

Epstein said he wanted to work on this project because Lipovetsky is someone special with great talent and a lot of potential. “It’s rare to work on a good new musical,” he said. In light of Lipovetsky’s success with Broken Sex Doll and his multiple recognitions, including his Jessie Award and Vancouver Mayor Arts Award, this is no surprise.

Although this show pokes fun at hipsters and coffee shop culture, Epstein says, “We’re having fun with it. The heart of the piece is about these people trying to find love. Anton has an amazing ability to write heart and humour. People will get attached to these characters, love the music, and laugh until they cry.” Sounds like the perfect combination to me.

We need to be watched

By

EIC

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November 18, 2013

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The lack of theft protection in the SFU Burnaby library is well known. According to campus security, the library is the number one hot-spot for device theft on campus and, while video surveillance has proven to be one of the most powerful mechanisms in crime prevention, as far as I can see, the library is bereft of all but one surveillance camera.

With the number of thefts that occur, it’s time for this university to step into reality and make the worthy investment. Undoubtedly, more camera technologies will help rid the library of crime once and for all.

Those who frequently visit the library may have noticed that security guards are fairly diligent in patrolling the floors. The walls are plastered with theft-precaution notices, too. But let’s face the truth: while these security measures are prominent, they simply aren’t enough to ensure everyone’s security. Video surveillance would actually capture acts of thieving and other crimes, and would preserve these records indefinitely. They would be an invaluable tool for both security and police alike.

Security once told me that they receive around 20 or more theft reports per week, which clearly indicates that criminals are thieving without being caught. Hence, students are at great risk of losing valuable education tools whenever stepping foot in the library. One would assume that, in awareness of theft statistics, SFU would take the utmost precautionary measures to ensure that its students are protected from device-theft while in an environment that promotes academic success.

I encountered my own near-theft incident in Bennett last semester. In my naivety, I’d left my laptop at the study-carrel while visiting the restroom. Two minutes later, I returned just in time to witness a man stuffing my laptop in his bag. The embarrassed man returned my device and feigned innocence, saying he thought it belonged to a friend, before I left him to go to the front desk where I reported the incident and met with security.

If I’d returned from the restroom seconds later, I’d have lost one of my most valuable possessions.

We managed to catch the thief and immediately took an unnerving trip to the security office, while the man pleaded with me not to press charges. While relieved at rescuing my laptop, I felt sickened to realize that if I’d returned from the restroom merely seconds later, I’d have lost one of my most valuable possessions.

Since then, I’ve been frustrated and rather boggled as to why SFU hasn’t implemented as many security measures as it can in Bennett Library. I’m well aware of the issues surrounding privacy rights of library-users; after all, people may not enjoy being “spied on” while they have their laptops open. But if the library respects individual privacy by placing cameras in non-intrusive areas throughout the building, it could successfully up its crime-stopping game.

The Toronto Public Library does it right. They explicitly state, in their video surveillance policy, that the library “recognizes the need to balance an individual’s right to privacy” while ensuring safety through camera-usage “where deemed necessary” in order to keep the library safe and secure.

While the evidence for better security is overwhelming, SFU must think critically about this and realize that its students will be grateful in the end. Therefore, while allowing students to maintain their privacy, a proper video-surveillance system must be installed in places deemed necessary for observation. This security precaution is essential to establishing a crime-free library at SFU Burnaby, and will greatly reduce the risk of lost valuables and devastated students.

Volleyball earns highest GNAC win total yet

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EIC

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November 18, 2013

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It was another up-and-down week for SFU’s volleyball team, as the Clan returned home, winning one game and losing another in West Gym. The win, however, was the Clan’s fifth of the season, marking the team’s highest win total since entering the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

The record-setting victory came at the expense of the Saint Martin’s University Saints, in what was a very one-sided affair. The Clan narrowly took the first set 25–21, before blowing out the Saints over the final two, 25–13 and 25–15.

Junior middle Madeline Hait led the Clan attack, recording 14 kills, though fellow junior Kelsey Robinson wasn’t far behind with 11. Robinson also led the team with 17 digs, but had help on defense, as Alanna Chan and promising freshman Alison McKay each had 13.

The straight-set victory was one of the Clan’s best of the season.

“I think this game we executed individually and executed well as a team too,” said Hait after the match. “Our offence and defence both played well. We’ve been working a lot on defending and turning saves into kills and I think that showed tonight.”

The win pulled the Clan’s overall record above .500 to 10–9, and their conference record to 5–8. That was until their next game against Western Oregon.

It’s been a running theme for the Clan this season to win one game and drop the next, and the trend continued against the Wolves.

That’s not to say it wasn’t close — it was as close a game as one could hope for. The Wolves took the first set 21–25, before SFU stormed back to take the next two, 25–22 and 25–23, but couldn’t close out Western Oregon in either the fourth or fifth sets, dropping them 23–25 and 12–15, respectively, ultimately falling in five close sets.

“I thought both teams were equally skilled and competitive on the floor but, that in the end, it came down to the fine details,” said sophomore defensive specialist Helen Yan post-game. “Looking forward now, we are going to need to execute as well as we can and close this season on a high note.”

With the loss dropping the conference record to 5–9, the Clan will have to win their final four games to finish with an even record, a tough task for a developing team. But as evidenced by their best-ever fifth win of the year, and even in the close game against Western Oregon, SFU is playing some of its best volleyball in years.

Government to allow corporate naming rights for geographic features

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EIC

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November 18, 2013

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OTTAWA — In an effort to combat their national debts, the governments of Canada, the United States and Mexico, announced yesterday that they have sold the majority of their geographical features to advertisers.

Government officials were quick to defend themselves from the outcry of critics by saying that sports stadiums often have their name sold to the highest bidder and that this was ‘basically the same thing.’

Some of the biggest changes involve the Rocky Mountains being renamed the ‘Coors Light Rocky Mountains,’ Victoria Island is now ‘Victoria’s Secret Island,’ and the Gulf of Mexico was renamed ‘British Petroleum Bay,’ due to an amendment to the recent law which enacts a ‘you break it, you bought it’ policy.

While many have been critical of the decision, claiming that many geographic names carry with them “invaluable historical cultural identities,” the government has largely defended their actions by pointing out that being owned and manipulated by corporations is part of our modern culture, and that this deserves to be reflected in our geographic heritage.

Critics of the renaming have focused on the blatantly oxymoronic renaming of Peace River to Halliburton River, Algonquin Park to Smirnoff Gardens, and Lake Huron to PokerStars.net Lake .

The only geographic feature to retain its name was Hudson’s Bay, whose name was purchased by the Hudson’s Bay Company.

Haute Couture

By

EIC

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November 18, 2013

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When I was 16, I was awestruck at the sight of Carrie Bradshaw walking on the streets of Manhattan, shopping at Barney’s. I hoped that I, too, would get a chance to step in those Louboutins and walk on those streets, pulling out my credit card whenever and wherever I wanted. Nearly four years later, I’m older, wiser and have embraced the reality: I will never get a chance to step into that place, and the Marxist in me doesn’t even want to.

Furthermore, taking the store’s recent racial profiling scandal into account, I can safely say I wouldn’t want to shop there even if I had all the credit cards in the world — after all, as a Pakistani-Canadian, I’m not your average “white” female. Barney’s has received widespread media attention and criticism after allegations of racial profiling, and many have pledged to boycott the store entirely.

So, how did this mess get started? Several weeks ago, Trayon Christian, an 18 year-old African-American college student, purchased a $350 Salvatore Ferragamo belt at Barney’s. He was subsequently stopped by undercover police officers (called on by the sales clerk) who believed that the transaction was fraudulent.

Even after showing his debit card, receipt and personal identification, Trayon Christian was still not released, and claims he was detained by the NYPD for two hours. This is disputed by inspector Kim Royster, who claimed in an article for the International Business Times that he was only detained for 42 minutes.

Those who have argued that Trayon could have prevented this course of events are missing the point: no amount of identification or proof will save you from harassment in the case of institutional racism. Racists will do everything in their power to satisfy their mentality, which dictates that people of colour cannot possibly purchase expensive items, and, if they attempt do so, they should be harassed and embarrassed for it.

Racism is a problem that should not be belittled or ignored, no matter what the specifics are.

Consequently, Trayon Christian has returned the belt and been reimbursed in full. He is now suing Barney’s for unspecified damages. Following this, Barney’s released an official statement, saying: “Barney’s New York has zero tolerance for any form of discrimination. We are a strong proponent of equal rights and equal treatment for all human beings. Our mission is to ensure that all customers receive the highest-quality service — without exception.”

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time Barney’s has been accused of discriminating against people of colour. Recently, 21 year-old Kayla Phillips was stopped by four undercover police officers after purchasing a $2,500 designer purse at Barney’s. Kayla told the Daily News that two officers attacked her and pushed her against the wall, while the other two appeared in front of her, blocking the turnstile. Phillips also pressed charges against Barney’s, as well as the NYPD.

Pulitzer Prize-winning fashion writer Robin Givhan, in a piece for the Washington Post, explains it accurately when she says, “The very act of shopping at Barneys is an expression of something beyond just a commercial exchange. And to have a police officer confront a teenager and a mom and say that they are not the people that their choices just confirmed them to be, to tell them that they do not belong — that they are fakers — is an insult that differs from: There’s a problem with your credit card.”

So, where exactly does Jay Z fit into this picture?

Hip-hop star Shawn Carter, known by his stage name Jay Z, is engaged in a highly publicized business collaboration with Barney’s. After the Trayon Christian incident, people began petitioning Jay Z to opt out of the deal, or at least respond with an appropriate response of outrage, disgust, and anger.

After several days, he released this statement: “I am against discrimination of any kind, but if I make snap judgements, no matter who it’s towards, aren’t I committing the same sin as someone who profiles? I am no stranger to being profiled and I truly empathize with anyone that has been put in that position. Hopefully this brings forth a dialogue to effect [sic] real change.”

Many are unconvinced — some have argued that Jay Z’s noncommittal and overdue response resulted from not wanting to give up potential profits, while the rapper has countered that some of the proceeds from the deal will be given to his philanthropic Shawn Carter Foundation.

Since the story has surfaced, online commenters across forums have argued that it’s hard to sympathize with someone wealthy enough to afford to shop at a store like Barney’s.

Several went on to argue that in different parts of the world today — even the United States — people are being deprived of many basic necessities, and the right to live with dignity, because of institutional racism; and that by comparison, it was hard for them to feel bad for privileged people treated poorly in a high-end a store.

What these comments miss is that racism is a problem that should not be belittled or ignored, no matter what the specifics are. No one is denying that prejudice affects people to different degrees, and that their stories need to come to light, but denying someone else their right to be treated respectfully and fairly is indefensible.

Barney’s New York has zero tolerance for any form of discrimination.”

– Official statement from Barney’s New York

These incidents continue to happen because racism is drilled into the mindsets of people by our society — change is inevitable, but painfully slow. Only eight months ago, Trayvon Martin was fatally shot by George Zimmerman; we all know how that story ended.

Racism remains prevalent, and it still exists in every facet of our lives. It is a good sign that people are taking action, that many have decided to boycott Barney’s in the future. The more that we take notice of and criticize these forms of racism, the closer we get to affording each individual the respect they deserve, regardless of race.

Tentative pipeline deal reached

By

EIC

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November 18, 2013

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The pipeline extending between Alberta and northern BC has been under discussion for several months now, but on Tues. Nov. 5, BC and Alberta premiers announced that a tentative agreement has been reached.

The governments of BC and Alberta, led by Christy Clark and Alison Redford, struck a deal wherein BC will join Alberta in the Canadian Energy Discussions. This deal is dependent on the meeting of BC’s five conditions, as outlined by The Globe and Mail: environmental review, marine oil spill response, land spill prevention, aboriginal concerns and economic benefits for BC.

These conditions demand the “successful completion of the formal environmental review processes,” the implementation of “world-leading marine oil (as well as land) spill response, prevention and recovery systems,”the assurance that all Aboriginal issues of legality and treaty rights will be addressed, and that the project will benefit Aboriginal people. Additionally, it is required that the province and its citizens receive a fair share of the economic benefits as befits the “risk borne” by BC.

That is just silly.”

– John Axsen, SFU assistant professor

Jonn Axsen, SFU assistant professor in the department of resource and environmental management, says that these conditions do not alleviate any environmental concerns. He told The Peak, “Clark’s framework completely ignores climate change impacts, [and] even having a ‘world class’ response system will not eliminate the risk of having a large scale marine oil spill, especially in isolated, ecologically sensitive regions.”

While there is a bare-bones structure to the agreement, Axsen believes the conditions lack detail and since they are so vague, “it may be easy for the BC government to eventually argue that the conditions have been satisfied.”

He said that the pipeline would double or even triple the operations of Alberta Oilsands, resulting in a great increase in greenhouse gas emissions that would “further handicap our country’s ability to meet our stated emissions reductions targets.” For Axsen, creating a “world-class” set of policies for BC while aiding in Alberta’s expansion of greenhouse gas emissions would be nonsensical. “That is just silly,” Axsen said.

Both Clark and Redford stressed the importance of provinces working together in their press announcement, but Axsen argues that Clark is not accurately representing her constituents. “My survey data shows the BC citizens are more likely to oppose the pipeline than to support it.” Axsen also feels that Clark is not acting in the best interest of the citizens of BC as the environmental risk just isn’t worth the potential economic and fiscal benefits.

The aim of the project is to make Alberta crude oil available to a larger market, particularly the Asian markets, which would be more accessible with the pipeline in place. BC stands to profit for its part in the transportation and the associated risks. However, Axsen feels that, oil spills aside, the consequences of climate change “will most likely lead to a net loss for society.”

Despite the current agreement, the future of the pipeline is still undecided. While there are strong advocates, corporate and federal, for the pipeline’s going ahead, Axsen believes it will be met with “a very strong resistance in BC, likely resulting in civil disobedience if construction begins.”

‘Sci-fi football’ remains less popular than ‘fantasy’ equivalent

By

EIC

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November 18, 2013

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CHICAGO — Although fantasy football has seen increases in its popularity every year since its creation, it’s one-time rival ‘sci-fi football’ continues to stay completely unrecognized, a trend which has surprised no one.

‘Sci-fi’ football, which originated in the 1960s around the same time as the inception of its “fantasy” counterpart, is a similar game of interactive competition between virtual teams with the only difference being that the stats are collected from an imagined “parallel universe.”

“It literally made no sense” explained Joey Bosquez, who briefly played in a ‘sci-fi’ league before discovering fantasy football, “I remember in the first week, I had Shaun Alexander and he got 3 TDs and ran 200 yards, but then our commissioner only gave me 2 points because apparently in our league’s universe he only ran 15 yards before he had his head blown off by a ray gun.”

According to Bosquez, who quit the game after only three weeks, the entire ‘sci-fi’ football community is comprised of only four people who he says only play as a substitute to dungeons and dragons which they dismiss as being “fantasy bullshit.”

“The craziest part is that I was in a league with the two most normal of those guys,” Bosquez continued shaking his head. “The other two are only into ‘hard sci-fi football’ . . . I think they’re still doing their first season because of all the time-travel and wormholes.”

Clan women qualify for NCAA Division II Nationals

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EIC

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November 18, 2013

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It was an entire year in the making, but the SFU women’s cross-country team qualified for their very first NCAA Division II National Championship following their performance at the West Regionals. The Clan women finished in third place overall, booking their ticket to the championships, while the SFU men had their best regional performance to date, coming in at tenth place.

The Clan women were highly ranked both in 2012 and 2013, but fell short last season missing the qualification to the NCAA championships by one position. This time, they made no mistake and will compete two weeks hence on the same course to close out their very successful season.

Captain Lindsey Butterworth led the women’s squad, finishing an impressive fourth-overall, earning All-Regional honours for the first time. She was followed by GNAC Freshman of the Year Rebecca Bassett in 16th, sophomore Kansas Mackenzie in 20th and senior Kirsten Allen in 25th. The three ladies were also All-Region honourees.

Rounding out the racers were Emma Chadsey, Sarah Sawatzky and Michaela Kane, as the seven-women team made history as they become the first non-American team to qualify for an NCAA cross-country championship.

The Clan men also had a good performance over the 10km course, led by GNAC Freshman of the Year Oliver Jorgensen, placing 18th overall, leading his team to tenth in the region, and earning All-Regional honours for his performance — a first for any male Clan cross-country runner.

He was followed by Cameron Proceviat in 37th and Brendan Wong in 53rd before captain James Young and junior Austin Trapp rounded out the Clan point scorers. Chris Dinsdale and Stuart MacDonald also raced for the team, capping off the season with their final race of 2013.

The women’s team finished behind only Alaska Anchorage and Chico State, with Seattle Pacific and Western Washington coming in fourth and fifth, meaning the national championships will feature four teams from the GNAC. The five teams will also have an advantage heading into the nationals having raced in the only regional competition to be run on the same course on which the NCAA will host their national race.

The Clan women entered the race determined to erase the memory of the their disappointing sixth place finish in 2012, and the intensity brought to the 2013 Regionals was evident. This year the ladies doubled their All-Regional athlete contingent, with Mackenzie repeating as a two-time honouree. Other highlights were the strong performance by Butterworth, who was ill during the 2012 race, and the addition of Bassett to the squad.

The ladies have two weeks to recover and prepare for the final race of the season, and their first ever NCAA Division II national championships, with a chance to put one final stamp on an already impressive season.

Tightly woven BRAIDS

By

Peak Web

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November 18, 2013

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MONTREAL (CUP) — In a windowless one-car garage-turned-studio in Outremont, Montreal-based BRAIDS crafted their most introspective and reflective material to date.

“A lot of our inspirations were changing,” said vocalist and drummer Austin Tufts of their latest record, Flourish//Perish. “We wanted to convey some different emotions.”

“We decided we wanted to have a writing and recording style that was more conducive to that palette of emotions,” he says of the dark and intimate recording space. “It’s like 100 per cent different; it’s a completely different beast.”

While their previous material displayed a youthful energy that easily translated into live performances, their sophomore release, fueled mainly by alternative pop instrumentals, boasts an impressive array of sounds and styles.

On tour for their debut album Native Speaker, the trio — which is also composed of keyboardist, guitarist and lead vocalist Raphaelle Standell-Preston and bassist, guitarist, percussionist and vocalist Taylor Smith — discovered their appreciation for electronic beats.

I think genres are kind of overrated to be honest.”

Austin Tufts, vocalist and drummer

“There’s a totally new sonic palette that we were discovering with a lot of electronic music,” says Tufts. “These sonics so much more appropriately reflect what we’re actually feeling and the things we want to express.”

The period between their last record and Flourish//Perish was an emotionally charged one as the band underwent a drastic reconfiguration. Formerly a four piece collective, BRAIDS became faced with the reality of continuing as a trio.

“I almost feel like it’s a transition record,” says Tufts. “We wanted to sort of focus on a more subtle and subdued set of emotions, more melancholy, a little bit more reflective, introspective, because those are the things we were feeling and we had sort of grown up a little bit, we were not quite angsty anymore I don’t think. Flourish//Perish is a really nice collection of songs that reflects a period in our lives.”

Through their extensive touring, BRAIDS encountered some of the biggest influences in the electronic and house music scene, namely producer Aphex Twin and musician Clark.“It was a totally new and fresh experience for us,” says Tufts of the encounters.

Their ever-evolving sound can be attributed to the band’s refusal to be chained down to a specific style. “I think genres are kind of overrated to be honest,” admits Tufts.“I don’t think we ever nailed down a sound that we were sort of aiming for.”

“There’s no one song that gets the entire album across,” he adds.“I don’t really think there’s any point in trying to pin something down.”

Though native to Calgary, BRAIDS are proud to call Montreal their home now. What attracts them most to their new music scene is that the city doesn’t necessarily expect you to sound a certain way and is extremely open to different styles.“I think the community that we’re a part of is a very enabling community,” says Tufts. “It’s a community that says ‘yes’ to a lot of different sounds.”

The band connects with the audience not only on a musical level during a hometown show, but on a personal level as well. “There’s always a sense of pride that comes from playing in your hometown,” he says. “It’s always refreshing to go home.”

Before officially unleashing their sound on Montreal almost half a decade ago, the band was initially called the Neighbourhood Council.“That was pretty terrible,” laughs Tufts.

A self-proclaimed “interwoven and interlaced” group, the trio opted for their current moniker instead, which they feel more accurately represents who they are.

“We’re a very tightly knit group of friends, and we’re also very tightly knit musically,” says Tufts. “It’s a good reflection of what we do musically. One of the strongest things you could do to three individuals is to braid them. So if you take three individual pieces of hair, you could break them very easily but if you braid them together, they become very strong.”