[feather_share show="twitter, google_plus, facebook, reddit, tumblr" hide="pinterest, linkedin, mail"]
McMaster feels like home to me. It is my campus, my community. In this school, I feel like have I have found a family and all the other clichéd things that make McMaster loved. The sense of belonging that I feel on this campus is something that I hold very dear. With this being my home, I wonder how I can give back, how can I make it better, how I can bring people together. I want students at McMaster today, tomorrow, a year, five years from now to be impacted and benefit from whatever we can achieve together now. I envision an MSU that is focused and addresses the major issues that students face.
From the beginning of this MSU presidential campaign, I wanted to be a person who listened to the needs and concerns of students. I have taken time to talk and engage with people, and find out what issues concern students, and what areas of this school they want to see improved by the MSU. This input is reflected directly in my platform. After all, this campaign is for you, the students of McMaster. Issues such as reasonably priced food on campus, rewards programs for using MSU services, affordable exam prep services, all reflect subjects that matter to students. With those in mind, I believe that I can truly make a difference in the future.
On that note, I acknowledge that there are issues that are not necessarily on my platform in this campaign, but I am willing to listen and work with everyone to find the answers to the tough questions and achieve whatever we can to benefit the MSU and its students. After all, I aspire to be a president that actively listens to you, to care and serve you to the best of my ability, to work with you rather than over you. I like to think I would be a president who genuinely cares about the students that I represent and make sure that everyone has a voice.
A friend told me once “the atmosphere you permit is the product that you create.” I believe that McMaster deserves nothing less than being the best institution that it can be. And it starts with us, together.
[feather_share show="twitter, google_plus, facebook, reddit, tumblr" hide="pinterest, linkedin, mail"]
[feather_share show="twitter, google_plus, facebook, reddit, tumblr" hide="pinterest, linkedin, mail"]
John Tambakis’ theme seems to be giving students value for their money. As a Commerce student, that’s certainly his area of expertise.
“A big issue for me is understanding that students’ money is valuable, and respecting that, and having the MSU reflect that,” he said. “Life’s so expensive on campus [and] I’ve addressed that on numerous issues within my platform.”
One of Tambakis’ goals includes a takeout area at TwelvEighty to rival the on-the-go ease and quality of food at La Piazza, to erode at the large share that Paradise Catering currently holds. He also wants to establish a customer loyalty program for various MSU-owned businesses like TwelvEighty and Underground, where discounts would accumulate based on the total amount in purchases made.
In terms of his platform on food, Tambakis said, “I think this will have an effect on campus that will drive prices down.”
“I think my platform is the most feasible. I think it also gives students concrete results, instead of giving initiatives that may or may not happen in 3-5 years,” he continued.
His most ambitious plan is a new MSU service that will be called the Exam Assistance Review Network, or EARN. Citing the high cost of courses run by companies like Prep101, Tambakis is looking to establish a cheaper exam prep service, run by and for the students.
Q: Opponent you would vote for?
A: Ehima
Q: Opponent's platform point you would criticize?
A: Tristan Paul – Grocery store
“You don’t need a grocery store on campus if you have more affordable takeout options.”
Q: Most ambitious goal?
A: Exam assistance review network (EARN)
However, with current MSU President Teddy Saull still implementing the Peer Tutoring Network, the redundancy of having two similar MSU services is immediately appreciable. In addition, the need for an MSU-run, paid, and specialized exam prep service is questionable at best, particularly when clubs like Students Offering Support provide similar services.
One of Tambakis’ platform points is the Marauder Club, which will serve as an avenue for students to gather and support McMaster’s sports teams. While the idea is similar in premise to one of the functions of the Maroons, Tambakis wants the club to remain open for any students interested in supporting the school, and is promoting free t-shirts and discounts as incentives.
“I want to make this an inclusive fan club for students, where fans feel welcome to go to these games. What I’ve found is that some of the greatest community-building and friends that I’ve made have been at sporting games,” said Tambakis.
But whether this incentive is enough to gather students is debatable, and it’s difficult to see the greater draw and sustainability of the idea.
Tambakis is also looking for greater club collaboration through his Club Spotlight plan, where clubs would jointly produce events that are sponsored by the MSU. Examples such as a joint performance between the Mac Marching Band and Dance Crew, or an interdisciplinary speaker series, indicate some flexibility in the style of event, although the benefit of the spotlight still appears to be inclined towards more publicly engaging clubs.
Taken as a whole, a number of Tambakis’ platform points seem to target specific interests in the population, and don’t necessarily apply to the greater McMaster community. While it’s worth noting that the aim of these ideas are to ultimately expand these populations, their sustainability remains in question. His focus on the use of incentives in his platform is creative and corresponds to his background, but he’ll need to better justify why his ideas are worth implementing.
[feather_share show="twitter, google_plus, facebook, reddit, tumblr" hide="pinterest, linkedin, mail"]
[feather_share show="twitter, google_plus, facebook, reddit, tumblr" hide="pinterest, linkedin, mail"]
As you may have noticed over the past few days, puzzle pieces have been popping up around campus. Every student – or piece of the puzzle – matters, and is vital to its completion. If you are missing even a single piece, the puzzle is incomplete. As an MSU Presidential candidate, the collective student voice is what motivates me to change your MSU into your MSYou.
My campaign is based on this principle, and is built upon three pillars: Your Campus, Your Classroom, and Your MSU.
The first pillar I want to address is Your Campus. My first objective is directed at getting better food on campus, through the implementation of a grocery store, debit and credit payment options, and what I like to call “Food Truck Fridays.” I also want to create an MSU Cinema service to provide all-age programming at affordable costs. Finally, I want to improve clubs training and support by offering a Clubs Opportunities Portal, to connect interested students to MSU clubs.
The second pillar of my platform is Your Classroom. The first step of this involves the implementation of mid-term course evaluations, giving students the ability to influence how courses are taught. I also want to enforce the current policy which mandates that course evaluation results be accessible online, to serve as course reviews that provide future students with more information before they register. Furthermore, I want to institute “Course Intentions” to provide more student-driven feedback into course registration. By selecting the courses you intend to take, the university can better accommodate students for the upcoming academic year.
My third and final pillar – Your MSU – is the pillar that most motivated me to run for MSU President. The MSU has made significant progress in empowering students to get involved, and I want to build off this momentum to create a more student-directed MSU. I want to have an MSU Town Hall meeting in first term, and hold regular Online Chats and MUSC Office Hours to better connect with students. Finally, I want to create an MSU Drawing Board – a platform where student ideas can be voted on by other students, ultimately leading to a response from the MSU.
“If you’re talking, you aren’t listening.” The wisdom of my five year-old sister resonates within the MSU: without listening to all our members, our collective voice cannot be heard. I hope I have created a platform that not only implements student ideas, but also helps to better engage them at Mac. When you’re solving a puzzle, every piece matters.
[feather_share show="twitter, google_plus, facebook, reddit, tumblr" hide="pinterest, linkedin, mail"]
[feather_share show="twitter, google_plus, facebook, reddit, tumblr" hide="pinterest, linkedin, mail"]
Matt Clarke’s platform contains seven small-scale but tangible goals, as well as a call for students’ participation in determining what issues he should address if elected as MSU President.
Participation and making connections is Clarke’s theme for the campaign. He plans to improve the connection between the MSU and students by creating a suggestion box that will be placed outside of the MSU office. Along with this, Clarke will be collecting ideas throughout his campaign period to determine which issues are truly most important to students.
As a result, he has designed a feasible platform, but it does not contain many large goals in comparison to the other candidates. His platform lacks the ambitiousness and depth that some of the other candidates have.
“If something from [the participatory platform] comes to be a bigger idea it’ll really provide a project to work on and extend, as well as if Teddy [Saull] starts anything this term, there’s some loose ends that need to be tied up, keeping those projects going and making sure that his vision is also followed through in the following year,” said Clarke.
Clarke, who originally started at McMaster as an engineering student, names making the switch to the arts as a defining moment in his academic experience.
Q: Opponent you would vote for?
A: Ehima
Q: Opponent's platform point you would criticize?
A: Tristan Paul – Grocery Store
“Providing a grocery store on campus kind of solidifies [the McMaster] bubble rather than encouraging students to spread broader into the community.”
“What sets me apart is the diversity of experiences that I’ve had at this school,” said Clarke. “Although I lack the governance side of experience, I’m coming from a clubs background.”
Q: Most ambitious goal?
A: McMaster Art Crawl
The rest of Clarke’s platform is mainly small-scale goals, such as adding a computer charger rental service to the library and offering a healthy wrap option late at night at TwelvEighty. These goals could be accomplished rather quickly, which raises the question of how much impact Clarke’s presidency would actually have on students’ lives.
Two of the seven goals plan to renovate space that already exists at McMaster but isn’t being used to its full potential. Clarke plans to add bar-style seating and desks with electrical outlets on the second and third floors of the student centre.
He also wants to create an outdoor seating area in the small space between MUSC and Gilmour Hall.
“One of the points that really stands out to me is revitalizing that arts quad space. I think that’s something different that not a lot of people have looked at,” said Clarke.
When asked the most important student issue, Clarke named study space and support for students. He believes one of the best ways to support students is through extending the hours of operation for the peer support line by three hours per night, a service he currently works for and has worked for in the past.
“Perhaps students are having a hard time transitioning into university life […] Even just calling somebody to listen really can settle your thoughts and self into the community. It just provides students with a place where they belong.”
Despite this effort, it is unclear whether the Peer Support Line is the best way to address issues about student support and mental health. Other options should be explored to determine if the Peer Support Line provides the kind of support that students need.
When asked about his most ambitious goal, Clarke cited the McMaster Art Crawl, but added a disclaimer that he has tried to design a platform that is very feasible.
“I’ve tried to make my platform as achievable as possible,” said Clarke. “I think the toughest one to implement will likely be the art crawl. There’s a lot of different logistics that have to go behind the scenes, whether it is getting space, or selection of art, or making sure students are aware and are creating for that purpose.”
Clarke has a realistic platform, but in comparison to the other candidates, he will not make a very significant impact on student life unless he begins to start dreaming bigger.
[feather_share show="twitter, google_plus, facebook, reddit, tumblr" hide="pinterest, linkedin, mail"]
By: Mary-Kate MacDonald and Graham Colby
The demanding environment of universities makes students more susceptible to mental health and wellness issues. A recent study by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health found that approximately 30 percent of post-secondary students report as having four or more symptoms of augmented stress.
Counselling services are a common and effective method of dealing with mental health issues. Students at McMaster can access personal, group and psychiatric counselling through the Student Wellness Centre. More information about the available services can be found at http://wellness.mcmaster.ca/.
While the services are available, the efficacy of these services is rarely questioned publicly due to the stigma of mental health. Here are four accounts from students describing their experiences with the counselling services available at McMaster. Their names have been changed to protect confidentiality.
Emily had overwhelming feelings of depression and anxiety that had bottled up over a couple months. However, she kept putting off going to personal counselling. After finding some spare time, she finally went to the walk-in counselling hours.
“The waiting room was terrifying,” Emily said. She did not know what to expect and was scared she would not be able to articulate her emotions.
With the counsellor, Emily filled out a questionnaire aimed to determine her rationale for using the services. For Emily, the questionnaire was a helpful tool to bring about personal awareness of her emotions, including suicidal thoughts.
Emily described the counsellor as empathetic and understanding.
“The counsellor was a great outlet because she wasn’t there to judge,” said Emily.
Despite this helpful session, Emily realized that due to issues of understaffing, personal counselling services could not adequately address her issue. Wanting more support, she took the counsellor’s advice and attended group counselling.
Emily was hesitant about group therapy, but she had already developed a rapport with this counsellor, who was running the group entitled “Exploring Anxiety,” so she consistently attended weekly meetings.
She found the environment to be calming and respectful because students were able to choose how much they wanted to share, and could just listen if that is what they wanted.
“I wanted a safe space, and it was,” Emily said of her experience.
Emily is still attending the group and highly recommends it to other students with anxiety issues.
Leo had encountered issues of anxiety in high school. Most often they were related to having a moral dilemma being around others under the influence of alcohol or drugs. At university, this affected his relationships with others and he decided to make an appointment for personal counselling.
“The phone call was the most intimidating part,” Leo said, adding that he would have preferred an option to email the SWC to make an appointment instead.
Leo said that the stigma of using these services went away after the initial meeting. He realized that it was not a sign of weakness, but strength in trying to create a personal change.
Leo felt that the receptionist judged his situation urgent and he obtained an appointment with a counsellor at SWC within a couple days.
Leo felt that the counsellor seemed to genuinely care about his issues. She urged him to book another appointment because she felt there was greater depth to his concerns. Because of the waitlist, his next appointment was in six weeks.
Leo described feeling better during the session, but that the effects were not apparent in his daily life. He asked about how to obtain a diagnosis and was referred to a physician.
Leo made a general 30-minute appointment with a doctor at the SWC and discussed his issues. The doctor established that Leo was experiencing generalized anxiety and depression and referred him to the campus psychiatrist.
The psychiatrist confirmed the initial doctor’s thoughts and also identified a rare personality disorder. As summer approached, the psychiatrist recommended medication.
Leo felt comfortable with the psychiatrist and felt liberated to have a diagnosis.
“It wasn’t just my fault, something was actually wrong. It wasn’t just that I wasn’t trying hard enough,” Leo said.
Leo said the most beneficial part of the services were that he was able to explore his issues of mental health without getting his parents involved.
Leo would recommend other students who are having mental health issues to explore the services offered through SWC.
He described his case as a success, but stressed that the maintenance of good mental health was difficult to achieve with the severely low number of counsellors and long wait times between appointments for personal counselling.
During the school year, Sam was suffering from debilitating anorexia. She was hospitalized, and her weight class was too low for her to be accepted into outpatient programs at St. Joseph Hospital. Her options were either to remain in hospital or seek help through the SWC, and she opted for the latter.
“The frontline staff were really nice but it was an inconsistent service depending on who you had,” Sam said when asked about her experience with SWC.
Sam felt her confidentiality was not respected, as she was not aware that her personal information was being shared with other counsellors during weekly meetings.
Her situation remained serious enough that a doctor at SWC was trying to coerce her into the hospital. Sam called the Ontario patient rights organization to better understand her options. She compared this experience to being treated like a child with mental health issues rather than an adult capable of making her own decisions.
“I was working against the Student Wellness Centre rather than with them.”
Sam would recommend the SWC as she adamantly supports seeking help through all available means. However, in her opinion, alternative resources can be more beneficial.
The SWC provided an opportunity for Sam to get help. The staff treating her would add appointments to their day to see her. These services and care were made available particularly because of her extreme circumstances.
“You shouldn’t have to be in such a crisis like I was to obtain sufficient services. You shouldn’t need to be in crisis mode to warrant that level of care,” she said.
Ryan has feelings of anxiety and depression. In his first year, Ryan went to the campus doctor who recommended he consult his family doctor and take aspirin. Four years later, Ryan went to the SWC when these emotions persisted and he was considering suicide.
After seeing a counsellor, he was referred to the staff doctor.
A routine developed where Ryan would see the doctor bi-weekly, but as time progressed the reception staff informed him he could only make 20-minute same-day appointments. This means that Ryan often goes significant periods of time without seeing a doctor due to scheduling conflicts.
Ryan described the system as incredibly frustrating because there was constant uncertainty while he waited for potential appointments.
“It’s a battle. I can’t understand why I can’t book in advance,” he said. This lack of understanding leaves Ryan feeling as though the staff are discouraging students from seeking help.
Ryan also identifies with the stigma surrounding mental health.
“I don’t mind people knowing I’m sick but I’d rather they don’t look at me as suicidal.”
Despite the struggles and conflicts in trying to receive care, Ryan values discussing his issues medical professional. Talking to someone on campus is convenient for him but he would like more accessible services.
Ryan would recommend the services at the SWC and considers himself lucky that the doctor he sees seems to be this caring, because he believes they easily could have disregarded his issues as a medical concern.
The students interviewed here encountered varying degrees of success through their experience with the SWC. Despite the SWC’s best efforts, it appears their services are strained, because they have to turn people away for weeks or condense serious issues into a 20-minute conversation.
It is not always possible for students to use private services, but the issues of accessibility to SWC services make it difficult to mend issues of mental health at McMaster.
We don’t want to undermine the current efforts on campus, but students need and deserve more.
It is a dangerous game throwing a band-aid on an infected wound and hoping it gets better. Mental health is no different. The damage worsens if left untreated.
Bookended by weeks of coma-inducing monotony in Hamilton, my trip to New York City in June was the clear highlight of my summer. It was my first time in the bustling metropolis and after a week of excitement I was glad that I was able to take in the splendours the city had to offer on my own terms.
Perusing the titles available at The Strand, wandering Columbia’s campus, seeking shelter from a storm in the New York Public Library, lusting after the #menswear that SoHo had to offer, and enjoying the amazing pizza at Grimaldi’s were terrific experiences. So was attending a gallery opening, and sitting down with Noah Callahan-Bever, editor-in-chief of Complex magazine, in his mid-town office to shoot the shit about rap and his relationship with Kanye. In talking to my writer friends there, I had never felt so stimulated and excited about what life had to offer after school.
But what makes me laugh fondly the most in retrospect is that I had three opportunities to see Karl Ove Knausgaard speak and missed them all through some cruel twist of fate. The renowned Norwegian writer had been in the city to promote the release of the newly translated third iteration of his six-volume autobiographical novel, entitled My Struggle.
Despite bearing a title reminiscent of Hitler’s own book of the same name, the autobiographical novel boasts much more appeal than one would think when moving past its immediate shock value.
What began as a free-flowing exercise of unchecked writing about his own life that Knausgaard hoped would help him out of a creative block in turn leveraged him to a level of superstardom that has forced him to abandon his life in Stockholm and move his family to the countryside. Knausgaard undertook the project unaware that it would displace him from his comfortable role as a well-respected figure in the Scandinavian literary scene, to a writer who would fiercely divide the press and public on the topic of how much of one’s private life is appropriate to expose.
Growing up in Norway in the 1970’s, Knausgaard recently told the Evening Standard that the order of the day was, “you don’t cry, and you don’t complain.” Knausgaard’s own father was adamant in enforcing this rigidness in his son, and it would psychologically scar the young Knausgaard to the point where he became afraid of his father. The struggle in the title is a reference to the weight that Knausgaard’s father would have on his shoulders even after his death, while he simultaneously tried to juggle his own ambitions and raise his children.
I had picked up the first volume of My Struggle in a Manhattan Barnes and Noble early on in my stay, and I became utterly engrossed in the dry prose, which somehow crackled with energy despite its barebones nature. It was only when browsing the New Yorker on my phone in JFK while waiting for my flight home that I noticed that the writer had made not just one, but three appearances in the city (notably, one with Zadie Smith moderating, which would have been a dream to witness) while I was blissfully unaware.
Refusing to remain dismayed, I ploughed through the other two volumes upon arriving home. Perhaps ploughed is not the right word, for it suggests physical exertion when I was really spellbound by the events of his life that Knausgaard so artfully composed into a palatable — and at times gut-wrenching — narrative.
The first volume concerns itself largely with Knausgaard’s adolescence and his relationship with his father as well as the rest of his immediate family and friends. As much as the book is made emotionally heavy by Knausgaard’s father’s iron-fisted presence, it is also made buoyant by the awkward accounts of attending parties he wasn’t invited to with alcohol that was obtained and hidden from parents at great expense.
Knausgaard has an astounding memory and unlike James Frey, proves himself to be a patron of accuracy rather than fabrication. The works are Proustian in their self-reflexive subject matter, but are much easier to digest than the French writer’s notoriously dense In Search of Lost Time. Knausgaard is unflinching in writing about his own life which has given rise to the detriment of his family members, some of whom who have publicly railed against his inclusion of their private matters in his work.
Even after finishing the third volume this July, not a week has gone by that I haven’t thought of Knausgaard’s intensely personal exposé. In writing a work that confronted the banality and suffering in his own life, Knausgaard opened the floodgates in his own and other generations’ consciousness to reveal similar painful memories.
Despite his frankly expressed distaste for doing press, I’m massively excited to see my luck come full circle and bestow me with the opportunity to see Knausgaard speak at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre on Oct. 25 as part of the annual International Festival of Authors. I’m even more pleased that one of my favourite Torontonian writers, Sheila Heti, will be the one to interview Knausgaard.
The event is free for students, so you have no excuse not to humour your curiosity. Just don’t pick up any of the My Struggle books during this busy time in the school year or you will be forced to shove all other obligations to the side.
By: John Bauer
Talk to any member of McMaster's baseball team about the past season and you will probably hear the same two words uttered: “turnover season.” The campaign started off better than anyone on the team could have imagined with an 18-2 demolition of the York Lions. The Lions would win the next game in extra innings in a sort of preview for what lay ahead for the Marauders. The team lost close game after close game, finishing a lowly 1-17.
“Baseball's a funny game,” said infielder Eric Telford. “Sometimes the bounces don't go your way. That first game everything was going right for us and then the second game we lost in extra innings and since then it's been a tough road. It's tough to keep your morale up. We've had a couple games where the bounces just haven't been going our way.”
Normally a 1-17 season would be reason to take a good, hard look at a sports program. But a glance at the Marauders' roster shows that a whopping 15 of the team's 24 players are in their first or second year of eligibility.
Telford agreed. “We're a young team. Lots of guys don't have much experience in the OUA. I think it's just learning every game and trying to get better.”
The biggest steps toward future success may have actually been made this past off-season. McMaster aligned its baseball program with that of the Hamilton Cardinals.
“We've been using the clubhouse and the change rooms and the speakers in the stadium,” said outfielder Mike Campagnolo. “It definitely does feel a lot more like a baseball team this year. We have noticed the difference and it's a lot better for the program.”
Catcher Brandon da Silva notices another big difference this year. “There's definitely more people [in the crowd]. Not just parents,” he said.
The agreement also means that McMaster's players can play summer ball for the Cardinals, instead of having to return to their hometowns to play. Several of the players have already taken advantage of this opportunity. But the most significant change might have been the installation of former NCAA player, Intercounty all-star, and Ancaster native Adam Strongman as the new head coach.
“I like the style of coaching that he brings to the table,” said da Silva. “He brings a lot of knowledge and experience. Being a player himself, it's been a good change for the team.”
Head coach Strongman likes the squad he has inherited.
“The team that I have assembled this year and that we have had in the past, have had the same amount of talent as all the other schools in our league ... For me, the overall record doesn’t really show the development of the team. We did many things right this year and the team continually did everything that I asked of them,” said Strongman.
“We are a very young team who learned what the OUA is all about and the players will be able to prepare with more intensity knowing what will be expected next year.”
All and all, the team has taken its down year in stride. They feel that this year was a necessary step in their ascension back into the realm of OUA contenders. With the season done, they will start their off-season training regimen, and return to their club teams or play for the Cardinals over the summer. But they are excited for next season to start, to prove that this year was not indicative of what McMaster baseball is.
“It starts with recruits, it starts with bringing the right people in,” said Telford. “If we start to do that, we brought the right coaching staff in. We have people here that can coach us. Now it's about getting the players and coming together as a team. It's about building young guys that are going to be here for years to come and guys that are going to compete in the OUA. That's what it's all about.”
What was impressive about this group’s performance during Supercrawl on Sept. 13 was the stage presence and energy provided throughout the performance. Breaks and breathers were non-existent as poise and youthful enthusiasm added to the surprising amount of experience each member has to sound like a complete band that had been together and playing for multiple decades. Despite a relatively passive crowd at Supercrawl -- completely forgivable given they were not the main attraction -- they were confident in their music and abilities. Even if you dislike punk pop, their memorable performance will definitely raise your opinion of the genre.
Three of the four members trace their roots to 2008, where they performed together in a group called Done with Dolls. This was a more youth-focused group that had airplay on The Family Channel. Fortunately, their music has matured and grown alongside them to have a bit more angst, a good amount more depth, and a lot more talent and ability.
Their self-titled EP in 2013 was surprisingly good for an official first effort. Though it did not have any major surprises, it was consistently upbeat and fun throughout in an incredibly accessible way. The Heights EP in 2014 provided significantly more variation and expansion of their style to exciting new possibilities. These, combined with their live performances, have gained wide enough recognition to play at the Sound of Music Festival, NXNE, Osheaga Festival, Riot Fest, and many more over the course of the last summer.
Though they do not have all that much in their discography quite yet, a bit longer before they are all out of high school, and a bit of refinement to do, The Beaches are definitely on the watch list for big things in the future. Maybe a year from now, maybe five years from now, and probably with a catalog of new sounds and influences behind them as they continue to grow musically.
Tom Krell cuts a looming figure with his 6’4’’ frame towering above others. What surprises most is that Krell has the voice to match his distinctive height. Those who were near the Hamilton Airport Stage this past Saturday were in for a treat in the form of Krell’s delectable falsetto.
With his latest record, “What is This Heart?”, Krell has separated himself from the torch-bearer role thrust on him by buzz-purveying music blogs. Despite his singing style, Krell is much more than a poster-boy for the recent insurgence of so-called “alternative” R&B. On WITH, his third full-length release, Krell shuns the crass stylings of the lesser creatives he’s been grouped with in the past and succeeds in making a brilliant sounding pop record that is at once his most ambitious and intimate yet.
Clad in an indigo blue button-up, Nike Air tee, designer sweatpants, and Kobe’s on his feet to help him balance out well, Krell was in jovial spirits. Despite the chill in the air, Krell was able to create a warm atmosphere with the help of his band.
The majority of Krell’s set list was culled from WITH, but the greater portion of the audience seemed to already be aware of the June release. Supercrawl is very much a public festival, with people walking down James during and in between shows, but the crowd gathered by Jackson Square did their very best to maintain a reverent silence for Krell.
Despite the sombre nature of some of the songs he was performing, Krell allowed himself the odd wisecrack to relieve the inevitable tension. During one breather, Krell pointed to his guitarist and keyboardist and noted that they were Canadian to the obvious delight of the crowd. During another, he gave a shoutout to Hamilton’s own Jessy Lanza and all the dogs at the festival. Before launching into his next song, Krell pointed to the drone flitting around the overcast sky and jokingly asked, “can we get that drone out of there?”
The intricately produced music did not suffer when being translated to the live setting by a three-piece band. “Repeat Pleasure” and “Childhood Faith In Love” were still as delightfully catchy as their album counterparts, and Krell’s undeniable passion was infectious. As he crooned into his two separate mics, Krell clutched at his shirt as if he didn’t know what to do with all his pent-up angst.
The Chicago resident’s sadness soon found an outlet in “Suicide Dream 1”, a cut from his debut record. Krell explained that the song had been written for his best friend who promptly passed away soon after it came out. The mournful track was chill-inducing in its starkness.
I stopped going to church because I don’t believe in god anymore, but Krell’s performance of “Set It Right” — before which he reminded everyone that Supercrawl was a special festival but that there were still “a lot of hungry people out there” — was much more spiritual than anything I’ve ever felt while kneeling on pews.
The backing track died down for Krell to list off the names of people he missed, but as if he recognized that everyone was on the verge of tears (myself included), Krell launched into an uplifting rendition of Young Thug’s “Lifestyle” which put a smile on everyone’s face.
In many ways this thematic dichotomy represents everything Krell’s music is about: confronting your own burdensome issues while keeping the ability to have fun and laugh at yourself close to heart.
