My Socalled column

by SCOTT C

They said it was over forever, with too many people and too big of a party, and apparently that still seems to be the case. I’m talking of course about what used to be the annual Fête St. Jean Baptiste party on St-Viateur, where the street flooded with rambunctious kids, beaming neighbourhood residents and random people from all over the city for a day of BBQ, beer and familiar faces. Living up here for years now, I know I’m not the only one who had more fun on that one day, every year, than on any other holiday that comes to mind. It brought out the best of the summer with a few thousand people over a five-block radius. You’ll be happy to know, though, that the wheels have been turning to bring back the spirit of that serious blocko, which is now manifesting itself in the St-Viateur Street Festival.

On Friday, June 1, from 2–11 p.m., St-Viateur will be closed to traffic between Parc and St-Urbain, making room for a celebration of Mile-End’s creativity and artistic talents. Music, art, food and people make the world go round, and this Ubisoft Montreal initiative certainly looks like something that could become an annual event once again. It’s a step in the right direction as far as I’m concerned, and might curtail some of the “I remember when...” talk that so many people up here like to get up to. Quite simply, I’m down with any excuse to eat BBQ in the street. For more info, check www.st-viateur.ca.

As well as being on the list of talented people scheduled to entertain the sun-drenched St-Viateur masses on June 1, klezmer hip hop head Socalled is ready to drop his new album Ghettoblaster, out June 12 on JDub Records. The new record features Fred Wesley, C-Rayz Walz and Gonzales, to name only a few of the guests involved. The accomplished and well travelled Socalled is also fresh off the first-ever “klezmer cruise,” in which a ship full of 150 klezmer enthusiasts ventured down the Dneiper River in the Ukraine from Kiev to Odessa. I know it sounds like I’m making this up, but as usual, there’s proof. Montreal filmmaker Garry Beitel made a film for the NFB that focuses on Socalled’s own experience exchanging music and culture on the cruise, aptly called The Socalled Film. You can check out the Socalled Movie blog at www.nfb.ca/blogs/socalled, where there’s all kinds of clips and entries about what looks to be the makings of a very interesting flick.

Seven reasons they need to make at least one more Conan movie:
1. Harris & Orr “Spread Love” (Kay Dee)
2. Moka Only Vermilion (Urbnet)
3. AWOL One & Factor Only Death Can Kill You (CRAS)
4. Roma Allstars “Al Ghetto” Aklimatize remix (CDR)
5. Jazzy Jeff “Let Me Hear U Clap” (BBE)
6. Frank N Dank “One Time for the...” (Dopeness Galore)
7. Karma & Lotus The Notice EP (independent)

This one’s for Logg Lady and Batt Masterson... fathead@videotron.ca