Author Archive for duncan

Rechercher Victor Pellerin

Published
by
duncan
on December 13, 2006
in Cinema, En français and Montreal
. 1 Comment

Originally posted on Vu d’ici (English below)
Billet publié d’abord sur Vu d’ici.

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Si l’envie d’aller voir un film vous prend ce soir ou demain, profitez-en pour voir Rechercher Victor Pellerin pendant qu’il est encore à l’affiche à Ex-Centris. Le seul film québécois présenté en compétition officielle au 35ème Festival du Nouveau Cinéma de Montréal, il a reçu une mention spéciale du jury et des critiques élogieuses. Mélant habilement les genres du documentaire et de la fiction pour offrir une réflexion originale sur le vrai et le faux, le cinéaste Sophie Deraspe nous livre un premier long-métrage fort intriguant.

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If you’re in the mood for a film tonight or tomorrow, head over to Ex-Centris and take in Missing Victor Pellerin while it’s still showing on the big screen. The only Quebecois film in official competition at the 35th edition of Montreal’s Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, the film received a Jury’s Special Mention and praise from critics. An artful fusion of documentary and fiction, filmmaker Sophie Deraspe’s feature-length film debut offers an intriguing reflection on truth and its counterpart, invention.

Paperbag 02 @ Madame Edgar

Published
by
duncan
on December 5, 2006
in Art, Events, Montreal and Shopping
. 0 Comments

Originally posted on Vu d’ici (English below)
Billet publié d’abord sur Vu d’ici.

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Paperbag 02 - Exposition

Ce soir, c’est la 2e édition de Paperbag, l’expo de designs faits sur des sacs en papier brun. Il y a un encan silencieux des sacs qui se poursuivra sur le web une semaine durant. L’expo se termine le 23 décembre.

Tristement, c’est le dernier expo chez Madame Edgar, car la madame tire le rideau sur le magasin afin de mieux se concentrer sur sa fabrique d’objets en arrière-plan. Alors, plus de pignon sur rue, mais toujours des papeteries, des figurines, des objets maison, et le stimulant paperjam virtuel.

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Tonight is the the 2nd edition of Paperbag, an art show of designs made on brown paper bags. There’s a silent auction that will continue on the Web for a week. The show itself ends December 23rd.

Sadly, it’s the last showing at Madame Edgar, because madame has decided to shutter up the storefront in favour of focusing all energies on producing a variety of designer objects. So while the boutique may be closing, we can look forward to more stationery, designer toys and objects, and the always interesting paperjam online magazine.

One blog is good. Two blogs are…

Published
by
duncan
on December 4, 2006
in Blogging and Navel-Gazing
. 0 Comments
  1. Better.
  2. A sign of addiction.
  3. A serious distraction.
  4. An entertaining introduction to juggling.
  5. A chance to compare Movable Type to Wordpress.
  6. Not that much additional effort, really.
  7. All of the above.

I think the correct answer is #7, with the added clarification for #3 that it’s a welcome distraction and blogging is a serious pursuit (but never stuffy). Whatever the case may be, I’m guest blogging once or twice a week at Vu d’ici, Marie-Chantale Turgeon’s blog.

I haven’t yet decided if I’ll be systematically cross-posting; not sure whether I particularly like the practice. Perhaps only when it makes sense to do so.

Pheek album launch this Friday night

Published
by
duncan
on November 23, 2006
in Electronic Music, Events and Montreal
. 1 Comment

On a more joyful note than my last entry, Pheek is throwing a party in Montreal this Friday night to celebrate the release of his new album. Featuring high-quality guest DJs Butane (Berlin) and Tim Xavier (NYC), and local heroes Baya and Kasteniede, all of whom will play on a state-of-the-art sound system by Ledoux Acoustique, it promises to be a memorable night. See you there?

CD info and audio stream here.

Pheek album launch party

A difficult day

Published
by
duncan
on November 23, 2006
in Gloom, Navel-Gazing and Philosophizing
. 3 Comments

Caveat lector: some may find this entry a tad depressing.

(Now  I bet you can’t resist clicking the “Continue” link, huh?)

Continue reading ‘A difficult day’

Moondata’s LABproject #32 tonight at O Patro Vys

Published
by
duncan
on November 18, 2006
in Events, Montreal and Music
. 0 Comments

Moondata

If you are in Montreal tonight, I strongly encourage you to head over to O Patro Vys for the sublime musical experience offered by Moondata’s LABproject series.

The LABproject series is the project that best expresses the concepts that govern Moondata. Based around ideas of collaboration & open-minded approaches to the creative process, it is presented as a monthly event to which artists are invited to participate in a live, improvised concert that has musicians, visuals artists and DJs performing together in a ‘very special one-time only performance’. With a line-up that changes from month to month, many of the participants meet and work together for the first time on the day of the show.

As is the case with many open-ended experiments in music-making, the music ranges in influence - from jazz to psych-rock, electronica, IDM, to music actuelle or pop, at any given show. With energy focused on composition as well as interpretation the listener is treated in turn to cohesive musical themes interspersed with barrier- free exploration. This unique approach that melds improvisation and composition makes the performances dynamic and highly exciting for the musicians and audiences alike.

Continue reading ‘Moondata’s LABproject #32 tonight at O Patro Vys’

How you know you’ve been neglecting your blog for too long

Published
by
duncan
on November 18, 2006
in Blogging and Navel-Gazing
. 3 Comments

People start sending you reminders by fax!

(Hey, at least now I know somebody reads this thing, right?)

How you know you've been neglecting your blog for too long

Quality world news for time-starved individuals

Published
by
duncan
on September 6, 2006
in News, Podcasts and Politics
. 0 Comments

I’ve been busy lately. Too busy. Rushing to finish a big Web project before running off to play in NYC, hence the lack of posts.

But I still need to satisfy my news junkie urges. News podcasts to the rescue! My favourite is the BBC’s From Our Own Correspondent (also available on iTunes), which paints world events in a slightly personal light. Perfect for those days when you don’t have time to read the newspaper and clean house. Pop it in your iPod, do the dishes, fold laundry, run errands, whatever.

Now all I need is for CBC Radio to finally offer podcast versions of World Report and The World at Six. They have streaming versions on their respective websites, but if I’m sitting in front of my computer, I’m probably doing something that requires my full attention.

Moment Factory’s music for the eyes

Published
by
duncan
on September 2, 2006
in Audio-visual, Montreal and Podcasts
. 3 Comments

Moment Factory site relaunched

Moment Factory, a Montreal-based creative studio specializing in video production and visual environments for events, shows and communications, recently gave their website a facelift. Visitors will find an improved interface for viewing hundreds of high-quality videos (aka moments) and 60-second shorts (aka minutes) by talented video artists and VJs from Montreal and around the world.

You can watch every moment in full screen, have a pop-up player while you’re working, continuous and random play, a search tool to find your favorite moments, and even an online submit tool giving you easy access to our FTP. While we’ll be adding new functionalities throughout the year, the cat is out of the bag! So tune in, click random, go full screen, and let it play for all eternity. Better than TV, every moment is timeless.

Video maestros can use the site’s submit tool to propose their creations for screening at Moment Factory’s regular “Minute Moments” events and for broadcast on the Moment Factory site.

Moment Factory also has a video podcast on iTunes that you can subscribe to.

We are such stuff as dreams are made on

Published
by
duncan
on September 1, 2006
in Quotable
. 8 Comments

We are such stuff / As dreams are made on, and our little life / Is rounded with a sleep.

- Prospero in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Act IV, Scene 1