This is more than entertainment.

To anyone who reads this blog with even odd regularity, you will know that I am a big music fan and really feel that it can contribute to one's life in ways that no other medium can. I make these assessments based off of my own experiences with music and the attachment I develop to certain musical stylings, artists, and messages. This post is going to be about how music has been a major impetus for me to become aware of and engaging in social and political causes. I am going to discuss my association with punk music and the bands that I identify with the genre. 

Like any term, word, or idea, "punk" is open to individual interpretation. I define punk music as a rhythmic  style and lyrical composition that deals with issues and topics not normally found in the normal (or mainstream) music scene. Punk music deals with themes, ideas, emotions, and issues not typically heard on the average radio or television station. The genre can exercise these qualities within any given political, social, or cultural context, but usually it comes from more leftist and socially conscious artists. It is created by those artists who are not afraid to be different from what is popular and accepted by the norm and in indeed many hope to demonstrate how what is accepted is not always what is best. They find value in deviancy and social critique as without it there would be no way to know if our society is a good and moral one. Major themes or ideas of the punk music I listen to include: anti-corporate control, anti-government hegemony, anti-war, pro-social services, pro-environmental protection, pro-education, and pro-equality, and pro-human rights (among others) all under the call for individuals to play an active role in their society so to bring about positive change. At its core, being punk is about being true to yourself and not accepting the norms and standards being imposed by others, while oftentimes advancing a particular social/political ideology or worldview. I feel that this broad definition of punk fits well within the contemporary punk music scene as demonstrated by all the various subgenres that have emerged since the term "punk" became a way of describing music in the mid-1970s. Being punk and punk music can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people and like any art form it can be expressed and interpreted in many ways. 

Punk music (in some form or another) has been a part of my music scene ever since I was able to make independent decisions about what kind of music I wanted to listen to. I became introduced to punk music through one of it's subgenres, the type of music commonly referred to as "pop-punk". Like many others, some of the fondest bands of my youth were pop-punk acts like Sum 41 and Blink-182. Sum 41 in particular played an important role in the development of my affinity for the genre. I loved (and still love) their 2001 album All Killer No Filler and it was the first album where I had eventually memorized the lyrics to every song.

Cover for All Killer No Filler. One of my all-time favourite albums.

90s/early 21st century pop-punk is all well and good, with some of my favourite bands having emerged from this era of music but it wasn't until my mid-teens when punk took on a new and arguably more profound meaning for me. It was at this time when I began listening to music for more than mere entertainment or emotional outlet. It sparked an awakening within me and allowed me to find an way to express - or in the very least reflect on - all the daily issues of the world that seemed so horrible that the idea of lasting, meaningful resolutions was always out of reach. This music offered a different interpretation of world events from what I was being taught in school and through the news media. The importance of this music is that it not only brought a new awareness to world issues, it offered an outlet for socio-political identification and activism. By offering a different perspective of the world, this music effectively changed my world view and moved me to act on this new awareness. This transformation all began one typical high school day in an Applied Technology class when a friend of mine recommended I check out the album For Blood and Empire by a little band called Anti-Flag.

Anti-Flag.

Broadly speaking, For Blood and Empire was an album heavily criticizing the then 5-year long War on Terror being waged by the United States under President Bush. Political criticism in music was not all that new to me at the time (Green Day's American Idiot had released two years prior and blew up in popularity for all music listeners, mainstream or not) but what made Anti-Flag's album different (and therefore more appealing) to me was how many of the songs were devoted to more than just criticism of American foreign policy. The album contains songs about the failure of modern journalism as an adequate source of unbiased news reporting, unfair immigration policies, the ever-growing corporate power in modern America, neoconservative political agendas, the financial cost of America's wars, the World Trade Organization, CIA operations in countries that don't agree to the (then) global U.S. economic hegemony, as well as rock-anthems about how we need to and can change this current (and ever-worsening) situation.

Anti-Flag's For Blood and Empire. One of the most influential and important albums I've ever come across.

Through the album and its music I was able to learn about these issues, something that I'm not sure would have happened otherwise. Anti-Flag can be tied directly to my awareness of and association with the socio-political activist organizations Democracy Now!, PETA, Military Free Zone, and Amnesty International, and like a domino effect these groups led me to similar organizations (many of which I continue to follow to this day). While Anti-Flag wasn't the only musical catalyst that spurred the social activist within me (I also began to really get into bands like Rise Against around the same time) there is no doubt that they've played a major role. 

I currently have an extra 5 years added onto my life since I first heard about Anti-Flag, and while my world view has developed further and changed during that time, I still agree with many of the social and political issues advanced by the band and bands like them. I might express these views differently today (as opposed to being the first itching to go to a protest I might write a nice political paper) they still are at the core of my political and ideological beliefs. While I am not sure if it was the music of bands like Anti-Flag that definitively stirred me into my current view of the world or if I latched onto their music as an affirmation of views previously held, I am happy to identify myself as someone who listens to and enjoys punk music. The scene, the messages, the ideology, and ultimately the bands have all played an important role in how I've developed as a human being and for that I am thankful and appreciative.

Watch:

Music video for "This Is The End (For You My Friend)" off For Blood and Empire

Music video for Sum 41's "Fatlip" off All Killer No Filler - a blast from the past for Sum fans!

Listen:

"Entertainment" by Rise Against - inspiration for this blog post

Jets unveil new logo.

Yesterday a friend informed me that the Winnipeg Jets had unveiled their new logo, and seeing the logo I have to say that I'm quite happy with it:

The logo is simple enough, no flashy colours or iconography. It represents Winnipeg by appealing to the city's connection with the Canadian Air Force (via the jet) as well as representing the team's Canadian identity (via the background image of the maple leaf and the overall compass-looking design, pointing north). 

Too often team logos have seemingly very little do with the team name and I am glad that True North was able to so nicely incorporate the image of the Jet into a logo design.

Logo for the NFL's New York Jets. Can anyone tell me what this design has to do with jets?

I'm also quite happy they didn't stick with the original logo. Not that it was bad or anything, but the franchise is keeping the name of the old team so the connection to the past is there, but with this new logo we are reminded that this is a new team that will hopefully have a better outcome in the NHL than its predecessor did. 

Make Some Noise.

Because I don't really watch music television anymore (Much Music or MTV or whatever other stations are broadcasting music) I don't get the chance to see many music videos (granted "music" television nowadays is notoriously known for not even playing that much music anymore). Recently however I came across an awesome new music video for the Beastie Boys's single Make Some Noise off their latest album "Hot Sauce Committee Part Two". Make Some Noise is probably one of the best music videos I've seen in a while. Any movie or television geek will love the video for all the celebrity cameos that appear in it (and essentially it is these cameos that make the music video so special). The video can be found below:

The set of this video reminded me of another cool music video I saw a while ago. This video (released in March) was for LMFAO's Party Rock Anthem and it spoofs the film 28 Days Later. The Party Rock Anthem video can be found below and is worth watching in its own right: 

That's all that's on the docket today folks! Just a couple cool music videos I felt like sharing with you. If the music industry hopes to have any continued relevance on the televised medium entertaining music videos like the above two are necessary.

Blog changes (again).

In my perpetually impossible attempt to have myself be content with this blog I have once again changed the template and other things for this site (as you can see).

There are a couple things I wanted to note with these changes. All of my old posts will now contain links that are in yellow as opposed to the new link colour I have chosen. I have changed some of the links in my older post to this new colour but I really don't feel like going through all my old posts and doing it (although who am I kidding, we both know that I'm going to do it eventually).

I also wanted to note that my previous comments on my posts have a fragmented "error" as my image due to some confusion I had upon initially analyzing Google+ (I accidentally deleted all the images from my blog). Also on this note it has come to my attention that some of you are having difficulty posting comments on my newer posts. I don't really know how to explain this or why it's happening but if your trying to post comments and it's not working just know that it's Blogger's fault, not mine, in all likelihood.

Every day I come closer to having 1000 all-time views. I'd once again like to thank everyone who reads this blog and I'm trying my hardest to make them less boring (admittedly something I have failed to do with this entry).

See you soon!

An Eventful Night.

Tonight two very special things occurred. One dealing with the end of something, another signally rebirth. Both are very important to me as they have greatly influence who I am, and both are prominent fixtures in the popular culture of my generation. I could write two whole blog posts about these things individually, and I probably will, but for now I aim to write in the moment.

First the end.

At midnight tonight the film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was released to the general public, marking the supposed end of Harry Potter as a franchise in its current incarnation (I say "supposed" and "current incarnation" as I am a firm believer that we are not done with Harry Potter quite yet. There is simply too much money on the table with regards to the Harry Potter franchise that someone in some way will continue with the franchise. The storyline dealing with the character Harry Potter may have ended with this final film, but I am sure that the Harry Potter universe will continue to exist in one way, shape, or form. Indications of this are already present with J.K. Rowling recent announcing of Pottermore, and only time will tell what lies in the future for this beloved franchise, but I am sure it has a future). I, like many of my generation, am a huge Harry Potter fan. Ever since I began reading the series at the age of 11, I have grown up with the books and, like many others, feel a strong connection with the story and the universe. Whenever I think about the fact that the Harry Potter universe is a fictional place, one that doesn't and will never exist, always out of reach despite it feeling so close, I actually get saddened. The fact that the Harry Potter universe doesn't exist in reality puts me into slight despair. No other fictional entity has done this to me before and I think this notion adequately demonstrates my love for Harry Potter and all it is and represents. I don't really know how to convey my fandom for the series anymore than this.

I doubt it will ALL end.

With that being said, the final movie was not a life-defining moment for me. I was not one of those in the theater crying throughout the film (a reaction I understand, there are some out there who are even more attached to the franchise than myself, in many cases a lot more) and the ending of Harry Potter marks the end of a cultural-phenomenon. A piece of my generation is now over (again, for the time being). For me, this feeling was more prevalent during the release of the 7th and final book back in 2007, so the movie was a nice extension of the Harry Potter universe, but it was not the end of it. The film itself was decent enough, probably the best Harry Potter film since the Deathly Hallows Part 1. If you're a fan of  Harry Potter you'll thoroughly enjoy it, and if you're not a fan of Harry Potter then you should be. There really isn't anything more to be said about it. You pretty much have to have been sold on Harry Potter in some capacity (either through the books or the films) to enjoy this movie (and you definitely have to be familiar with the last film in order to know what's even going on in this one). Finally, despite this being the end of a storied franchise, it featured a lot of personal firsts. This was the first time I went to a midnight screening of a movie, or at least I think so, I may have went to see Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith at midnight but I don't really remember (I drink), but this was definitely the first time I waited outside the theater for a movie for more than 20 minutes (our screening was at 12:30, my group got to the theater around 9:30). It was also my first time seeing a movie in 3D, so that was exciting as well.

Onto rebirth.

Tonight also saw the release of Blink-182's new single "Up All Night" which is to be on their forthcoming album to be released sometime later this year. Blink-182 is one of those bands (like many I write about on here) which I consider to have had a major influence on my youth and therefore on who I am today. While I have never been an extensive Blink fan, only really getting into their music from Enema Of The State onwards, Mark, Tom, and Travis have always held a prominent spot in my CD player, my computer playlist, or my iPod. They're a part of  that mid-90s/early 21st century group of pop-punk bands whose music dealt with the lifestyles and attitudes of white suburban teenagers (so pretty much my exact demographic). In their popular music leanings a lot of Blink's songs are catchy and easy to listen to at any time, while the punk genre is present in some of their more meaningful songs and in Blink's attitudes towards society, relationships, youth, and life in general. I could go on to discuss which songs in particular meant a lot for me and why but I won't bore you with that here (I'll save it for another post). Ever since the band went on an "indefinite hiatus" back in 2004 I have followed the acts that came about - Mark and Travis's +44 and Tom's Angels & Airwaves, but the music scene really did not feel right without Blink proper. In 2009 Blink-182 announced that they were getting back together and with the release of this new single, the fact that a new Blink album is on the horizon is readily apparent and highly exciting.

Blink-182 circa 2001's Take Off Your Pants And Jacket. A couple years after the album's release was when I really started getting into their music.

"Up All Night" - despite having an ironic title: it being 4:30am as I write this - is a pretty catchy tune. It reminds me of Blink's 2004 self-titled album in sound and style, with obvious influences by Angels & Airwaves in the guitar riffs, breakdowns, and background ambiance. It's a solid track, and I am happy that Blink-182 is back. I have the privilege of seeing them play live in August, an event I am very excited for. I am hoping to get a better taste of what their new album may have in store at the concert. Having Blink back is like renewing a relationship with an old friend. He may have changed a bit in style and appearance, but at the core it's the same person. I welcome Blink back into my life. In a lot of ways they have never left.

Edgefest.

Yesterday I attended Edgefest for the first time and had quite the experience. As I write this I am exhausted, smell like smoke (cigarette and otherwise), possibly suffering from heat stroke, and a couple hundred dollars poorer, but it was all worth it. Going to Edgefest this year shook me out of a lack-of-concerts funk that I've been in over the past year or so, and I am happy to be back. Edgefest is my second music festival experience (the other being 2008's Rogers Picnic) and attending the event reminded me of why I am attracted to these big events.

Toronto generally doesn't get too many big music festivals. I find this odd as other comparatively sized/culturally prominent North American cities do (Montreal's Osheaga, Chicago's Lollapalooza, and San Fransisco's Outside Lands to name a few). Toronto, with 2.5 million people in the city proper and 5.5 million if you include the GTA, should be home to a big music festival. The population is definitely there, and as the line goes, "if we build it, they will come". There must be some bureaucratic reason why Toronto cannot hold such events and it's a real shame as these events - which usually last for multiple days featuring some of the biggest/emerging names in rock and alternative music (and all their sub-genres) - seem like a good time and would provide for an amazing experience. 

But onto what we do get - Edgefest. 

The main stage.

It was amazing yesterday. Two stages, tons of people (I heard that they were expecting about 15 000, and it was definitely packed, the space allocated for the festival wasn't all that big. All the bands I wanted to see put on terrific shows - those being the Arkells, Tokyo Police Club, and Rise Against - and the rest of the acts I caught were great as well - The Weakerthans, A Perfect Circle, and Hollarado being the ones I distinctly remember. Tokyo Police Club really impressed me, probably the best set I've seen them play - this was my 4th time seeing them live - and Rise Against impressed as well, but that was expected (yesterday was my 2nd time seeing them). I had never even heard of the band Hollarado until their set on the XM Side Stage yesterday evening and they put on a terrific show and can consider me a new fan. 

Edgefest is an event made for bigger groups. While it was fun going with three people (myself, my girlfriend, and my cousin - it was his first concert and he was treated to quite the show. My first concert (with friends, i.e. away from mom and dad) was at The Phoenix many years ago (I think I was 15) where I saw A Static Lullaby and the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus (plus others), a decent show in it's own right I suppose but nowhere near the epic scale as offered by Edgefest), it would be awesome to go with a big group next time. At least 5 people or so, that'd be ideal. Although granted throughout the day we met up with others so our little group grew and shrank as the day went on.

One thing that surprised me about the event were the number of people who smoked. I am not oblivious to the fact that - despite the repeated warnings and education about the potential hazards - people still smoke (many of my friends do, and I on occasion feel like I would like to) but I was surprised at the amount of young people that were smoking, especially the younger women. I know people attended Edgefest to have a good time, but I would've thought that - in today's age - the general attitudes towards smoking would have affected some change in people's habits. People were also smoking other (less legal) substances, and I'm generally fine with that. It was just the sheer amount of cigarettes in people's mouths is what surprised me. 

I also found the litter everywhere highly ironic. This year the law in Ontario changed, allowing people to take their alcoholic drinks with them wherever they go at concerts (as opposed to being restricted to beer "tents" or "gardens"). This led to the ground being littered with discarded plastic cups (among other things). The irony is that the headlining and most popular act - Rise Against - are steadfast environmentalists, and I couldn't help myself but wonder what'd they think about people's disregard to keeping the Earth clean. 

Rise Against.

Overall Edgefest was a great experience and despite being hesitant about attending initially, in the end I'm quite glad I did. It couldn't have been held on a more beautiful day, and it had all the fixtures of an epic rock concert (two stages, tons of people, crowd surfing, $8 beers, mosh pits, a few fights, etc.). One of the funnier/more annoying experiences I had was when a couple guys near me were trying to mosh to Tokyo Police Club's "Your English Is Good". It reminded me of people trying to mosh at an Angels & Airwaves concert I went to awhile back. Just not the type of music. There is a time and place for everything. I guess alcohol will do that to people. 

I didn't take many pictures or video of the concert, at least when compared to when I was younger. As I've grown older, and had gotten more and more concerts under my belt, I have simply grown tired of constantly having a camera in my hand, holding it up as the band I want to see plays. I want to see the band, not worry about getting a cool photo or full video (although when I do, it is pretty awesome). However if you'd like to see the pictures I did manage to take, you can see them here.

Edgefest 2011 was awesome. Definitely a highlight of my summer thus far.

Happy 144 Canada!

Today is Canada Day! Time to grab some beers, chill with good friends, and light a few fireworks. In honour of Canada Day I'd like to share with you all a video made my one of my favourite Youtubers, KassemG. The video is a part of his "Califronia On" series and in this installment he quizzes pedestrians at Venice Beach with questions about our Great Nation. A little insight into what some of our American friends to the south know/think about our country perhaps?

Happy Canada Day everyone!