Women in Music

As someone who hosts a music show on UMFM called Venus Envy that focuses exclusively on music by female artists, I want to share two items of interest with you.  The first is a list of 50 essential women in music albums.  I personally think there are albums missing, but it's a pretty great list of must- hear albums.  Check it out here.  

Another item of interest is a radio documentary produced by CBC journalism intern Amanda Ash.  It inspired a special podcast on Women in indie music for CBC Radio 3.  Check it out here on Amanda Ash's personal blog.

METRIC System

I have a crush on the band Metric. I saw them in concert again a couple of weeks ago, and that was probably the fifth or sixth time I've seen them, if not more. As usual, they were fabulous. Emily Haines inhabits the stage like a Mexican jumping bean. How she manages to have so much energy, show after show, is beyond me. Just watching her dance and jump and strut across the stage is exhausting. Metric is definitely a band that entertains.

Their most recent album Fantasies came out last April and was promptly nominated for the Polaris Music Prize, an award presented for a full-length album from a Canadian artist based on artistic merit rather than album sales. They didn't win, but they made the short list, and they continue to do well for themselves. I dare you to turn on a show like Grey's Anatomy and not hear their music.
One of my favourite videos to come out of this album is for Gimme Sympathy. It's one continuous shot, which is quite a feat. The band is playing in a theatre in Toronto and while they all start in their usual positions, they rotate throughout the video. It seems to happen almost magically and I'm sure it was choreographed like crazy to do the whole song in ONE shot. The band has posted a behind the scenes video, split screened with the original video. It allows you to see how they did it. Mostly, a lot of running around and changing costumes quickly off camera. I've posted both the original video and the behind the scenes shoot below for your viewing pleasure.  Enjoy!

Random Musings

This post isn't really about arts, culture or communication.  It's about moving.  Why?  Because I spent the weekend hauling boxes and sorting through all my possessions.  Well, some of them.  The rest are stacked behind me in the den.  When you move, you really realize just how much stuff you have and how much of it is probably unnecessary.  It's a time to start fresh, to reinvent your life by reinventing your space.  Talk about pressure.  Never has the placement of a table held so much meaning.   The options are endless...

In other news, and news that is arts & culture related - Tegan and Sara's new album Sainthood comes out on Tuesday.  I'm taking a first listen on their MySpace right this minute, and I love it. Of course, that's pretty much a given as I've been a fan of T&S since '99 or '00.  They constantly reinvent themselves and push their musical boundaries.  And then there's the fact that they have this really authentic connection with their fans that starts with their on-stage banter during live shows.  Check out the album.  I ordered the deluxe version online that comes with three books they've penned as well as an autographed piece of art.  That's going to be a happy mail day.  Their official website is here.

Plays by Women for Everyone

In the next 10 days, if you live in or around the Winnipeg area, you should try to check out a very special theatre festival – FEMFEST – which is running from September 25th to October 4th at the University of Winnipeg. Why is it special, you ask? Well, it's one of the few theatre festivals in Canada (if not the only) that exclusively features plays by female playwrights. It's a sad fact that while women make up over half the population of the world, studies have shown that women account for less than a third of professional theatre directors and playwrights across Canada. FemFest is all about showcasing the work of up and coming female theatre artists and bringing attention to the fact that women deserve more stage time. The reason they don't get it is a complex issue, and while it's a problem that's not going to be solved with one festival, FemFest is a great step forward for women-kind. Oh, and it's also hella entertaining.

I'm in the unique position that I've read all the plays that are playing at this year's festival. (I spent my summer working for Sarasvàti Productions, the theatre company behind FemFest, as their Marketing and Development Assistant.) As such, I can say with certainty that the plays are must-see. There's the little known story of Judy Holliday, a 40's film starlet who was known for playing dumb blondes, but was actually a genius. There is the heroic tale of Unruly, a women studies prof by day, superhero by night. There's the true story of the first female mortician in Canada, who lived and worked in The Pas. Motherhood, monogamy, eating disorders, sexuality, heartbreak, cancer, poverty and plastic surgery- they're all themes explored at this year's FemFest.

Support local theatre and female artists. Check out FemFest! For more info, visit www.sarasvati.ca