When I received the email from Irreverend James and the Critical Mass Choir announcing a free show at the ARTVstudio on Thursday July 4, I knew I was going! And I am definitely very happy to have been to a lovely performance in a very intimate setting (there were about 100 people there).
The event lasted about an hour and was full of energy and beautiful music. Irreverend James and the Critical Mass Choir are very good at making the public feel part of the show, whether it’s by clapping or singing. The group describe themselves as a gay-positive, free-thinking, feminist band. Baptiste, the singer, says he is a black man in all but skin color, with Martin Luther King as one of his heroes. I really enjoy the refreshing approach of Irreverend James; they are not there to criticize your beliefs but they are against false prophets.
The evening was part of Les Sessions, a series of 10 free concerts on Thursday nights at the ARTVStudio from June 13 until August 15. Ootheque, a project by one of the members of Malajube, is playing tomorrow night. Groenland, a Montreal band who just released their first album in April, is playing July 25. A special guest will be playing August 1st! See the ARTVstudio webpage for more info.
The ARTVstudio is in the Place des Arts complex and consists of a small venue with a few tables and a small stage. The event is free and includes a drink; I got to discover and enjoy a delicious cold Broken 7! Places are limited so you want to show up early. Doors open at 8 p.m. and the show starts at 8:30 p.m.
More information on Irreverend James and the CMC can be found in an article I wrote a few months ago. Don’t miss their next show on Friday, July 12 at Sala Rossa. They’re performing as part of the 2nd Annual Benefit Concert for InstruMontreal with Shane Murphy.
