It's a Simple Plan...

Spmple Plan: Live at the John Labatt Centre, London, Ontario

In the last issue, if you recall, I wrote about Canadian music. At the end of February, I was lucky enough to reward myself with a concert, my second ever: Simple Plan at the John Labatt Centre. It was money well spent. Let me be honest with you here, I hadn't listened to much of Simple Plan prior to the show, except for the song "Perfect." The day after the show, my iPod is full of Simple Plan songs. And then it struck me: they're Canadian.

Pierre Bouvier, Jeff Stinco, Sébastien Lefebvre, David Desrosiers and Chuck Comeau make up this French-Canadian band that came out of Montreal. Bouvier and Comeau were part of a band Reset, as was David Desrosiers.

I had the time of my life at the show, listening to four bands, one after the other: These Kids Wear Crowns, Marianas Trench, All Time Low and of course Simple Plan. I don't have much concert experience, but these guys from Montreal really did know how to put on a show, complete with anecdotes, beach balls and glow sticks, leaving close to 3,000 fans mesmerised.

I won't take anything away from the other three bands that performed on that night – they were good, too – but everyone knows who the highlight of the show was. To be frank with you, I regret not learning to play the guitar earlier – who knows, maybe I would have had a band that went on tours, but that is beside the point here.

I love the initiative that Simple Plan takes through the Simple Plan Foundation, "... helping young people in need, by easing their often difficult passage to adulthood and by supporting the victims of life-threatening illnesses." That is reason enough for me, someone who isn't from Canada, to improve the outlook I have about Canadians (and no, I'm not implying that I had a poor outlook before). The band was also recently awarded the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award for their work through the Simple Plan Foundation.

I end with fond memories of the show from the John Labatt Centre, and now hold Simple Plan in ever higher regard. I know there are many people out there who aren't really fond of Simple Plan, but that is their loss if you ask me. In fact, I will end by quoting one of their song's titles that aptly sums up my feelings about the band: "Perfect."

Originally Written for the Interrobang:  http://www.fsu.ca/interrobang_article.asp?storyID=8191&sectionID=2&issueID=198 
Image Credit: https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/424899_10150629149228540_629013539_9073029_536931905_n.jpg
Video Credit:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGLgAZaYmWY

Food à la Canada

Canadian Staple Anyone?

Keeping in mind that this is the heath issue of the Interrobang, I thought I'd write something in tune with the theme. I had initially thought about writing on the health care system in Canada, but given the fact that I've yet to fall sick in Canada (which is a good thing, I might add), I don't have much to say on the system. Therefore, I thought that I would write something on two Canadian 'delicacies' that I've come across a few times during my four months here: poutine and back bacon. I use the word 'delicacies' because I feel that too much of it could turn us all into Homer Simpson!

Poutine was something that I was introduced to by my classmates at Fanshawe College. One Tuesday afternoon during our break, we stopped for lunch. Since everyone went for poutine, so did I. In fact, it surprised all of my classmates who were present that it would be my first-ever plate of poutine. It turned out to be pretty good, to tell you the truth. I've had it on several occasions now. Fried potato with cheese curds and gravy? It certainly makes the Belgian invention that came to be called french fries more interesting. On the flip side, I've overheard people cursing poutine, though I've yet to come up with a suitable reason why they do that. Jarrett Bellini, Video Producer for CNN who covers comedy, has said that "Poutine is going to slowly (and deliciously) kill Canadians one at a time in a long nationwide drum circle of exploding aortas." I wouldn't differ too much from Jarrett's point of view. Death from an exploding aorta due to too much poutine consumption probably wouldn't be all that bad.

Bacon: the name itself makes my mouth water. I've been eating a lot of bacon from my time in India. It seems a little strange, doesn't it? A few of my friends and I used to feel glad that we were Roman Catholic, the reason being that the religion didn't classify any meat as forbidden. This was unlike India's two major religions: Hinduism (which prohibited the consumption of beef as the cow is considered sacred) and Islam (which forbids consumption of pork). It is pretty sad that McDonald's in India does not serve the Big Mac burger. The reason they do so is the alleged ban on beef, but that is diverting from my topic a little too much.

I've always loved bacon. From a young age, bacon and eggs was a staple breakfast of mine. However, my decision to move to Canada introduced me to a different kind of bacon: back bacon. For some reason, it tastes so much better than streaky bacon, which is the prime cut of bacon available in India. I haven't really been able to come to a suitable explanation why back bacon tastes better, but I hope to have an explanation soon.

Food is something I've always loved. Even while on holiday in other countries, my mother and I were always game to sample local delicacies. That is something I'm thankful that my parents instilled in me. To quote newspaper publisher James Stuart Keate, "In any world menu, Canada must be considered the vichyssoise of nations – it's cold, half-French and difficult to stir." Food is something that brings people together, however fattening it may be. I'm glad I can cross poutine and back bacon off my list of foods to try: it does make me a little more Canadian.


Originally written for the Interrobang: http://www.fsu.ca/interrobang_article.asp?storyID=7877&sectionID=2&issueID=192
Image Credit: http://foodbeast.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/bacon_box.jpg