andPOP » canada

MTV’s ‘Over The Bolts’ Brings The Country’s Top Snowboarders Into Your Home

Ilan Mester — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 04:43:17 +0000

If you mixed “The Hills” with TSN, you’d get “Over the Bolts,” MTV Canada’s brand new reality show that documents the country’s national snowboard team as they vie for 18 Olympic spots.

The show premieres this Sunday at 10 p.m. on MTV, but we got to see the first two episodes before its debut. And let’s just say you can already set the Tivo because “Over the Bolts” is as addictive as they come!

Michael Lambert, one of the country’s top snowboarders who stars in the show, admits there’s just something about reality TV that gets you hooked. “One of my friends was on the show ‘The City,’ Duncan Davies, so I enjoyed watching it and watching him interact with his girlfriend and stuff like that,” shares the athlete. “I think the dangerous thing about any of those TV shows is you can say ‘even though I may not watch them, every one of them is addictive.’ I could just watch two episodes and I could be hooked on any of them,” he laughs.

So when Lambert was asked to be a part of one, it was almost a no brainer. “I think right off the bat I was all over it,” he says. “As an athlete, this kind of opportunity is so rare, you know what I mean…if you’re my age or your age or in your early twenties, nothing is bigger than being part of a reality show.”

However, everything comes at a price. “I gave everything I had and that’s why it’s so hard for me to watch something like that…it takes you back to a place eight, 10 months ago, to a person that I hated and a person that didn’t have a chance at succeeding, a person that nobody respected. That’s the toughest part,” says a candid Lambert. Rest assured he has since changed.

Lambert was so open throughout our interview that he even talked about what it was like having a relationship while filming the show. “I find it really awkward,” he admits. “I think the worst part is that you’re basically asking something of somebody that doesn’t have anything to gain…it makes for something that’s very strange.”

After seeing the show, you’ll understand that Lambert and his confidence play a key part in “Over the Bolts” and making it interesting. But the confidence in the first few episodes is fake according to the alpine snowboarder. “I think that the confidence that I was displaying in the show there, I think it’s fake,” he reveals to andPOP. “I think it’s me just saying the word ‘confident’ and thinking that that’s what’s gonna get me the end result. Whereas now, it’s a completely different confidence that I have beginning in the next episodes… where I got my best results in my life,” Lambert shares. “That confidence was from me being humbled by these types of things and starting to be respectful with myself and just preparing the best that I can which is obviously the most boring athlete story ever, but unfortunately it’s actually what works.”

And for any aspiring snowboarders out there who want to practice the sport professionally, Lambert’s advice is quite simple: go out and compete. “You wanna take it, it’s not some sort of crazy dream. You just go and you do it. I think that’s my advice; compete.”

As for the 2010 Olympic games, it’ safe to say Lambert is more than excited, in fact he’s “very very excited”. “It’s something I’ve always dreamed about doing, and it sounds stupid but you know, I’ve really always wanted it and I think it’s just really really cool to be there and I want it. I’m doing everything in my power to get it this time but if I don’t, I’m going again you know what I mean? I’ve wanted that and I’m not going to die without it.”

“Over the Bolts” airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV with encore presentations every Saturday at 5:30 p.m. ET on CTV.

NHL ‘10 Crashes the Party Sept. 14 Across Canada

Brett.Caron — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 16:07:51 +0000

Are you excited for EA Sports NHL 10? If you’re Canadian, probably. The #1 selling console game in Canada has it’s launch parties in Toronto and Vancouver Monday, September 14. The Toronto party will be at the Yonge and Dundas Future Shop with Wendel Clark and Ian White (of Maple Leafs fame) from 9pm to 11:45pm, and in Vancouver’s Granville and Robson Future Shop with Trevor Linden of the Canucks. The Future Shop locations will be open until 1am, so check it out if you’re not too busy… and on a Monday night, what’s your excuse?

Cheers!

andPOP Is Hitting The Satellite Radio Waves With XM Canada

Robert Ostfield — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 04:33:25 +0000

We have some exciting news. In our continual conquest to be a next generation multi platform media company, we are pleased to announce andPOP will be on the radio starting Friday September 18th @ 5pm on XM Canada’s Laugh Attack Channel (channel 153). The show will feature the uniqueness of the website but on the radio (yes an amazing concept). So you can listen to some interviews, here us banter about the entertainment biz, and also be introduced to some unique characters like Euclid Laframboise. Euclid will be on the show while he also makes a living building coffins out of Thule racks. Watch the vid and you will understand.

Nelly Furtado Makes North American History With Single “Manos Al Aire”

Jeremy Singer — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 22:11:42 +0000

With her first full length Spanish album Mi Plan debuting September 15, Grammy Award winning Canadian-Portuguese singer Nelly Furtado has already made it into the history books.

Manos Al Aire, the album’s first single, has pegged the no. one spot on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, which makes her the first North American artist to reach that feat with a song that was originally written in Spanish- and not a translated version of an English song.

The single is also a massive success internationally, grabbing the no. one spot in Italy, Colombia, Chile and Central America, while settling in the top five spots in Mexico, Spain, Argentina and Germany.

Known for her broad spectrum of musical interests, Furtado invited internationals artists Alejandro Fernandez, Josh Groban, Juan Luis Guerra, Julieta Venegas, La Mala Rodriguez, Buika and Alex Cuba to give the record a unique touch.

Furtado will also begin a promo tour for the album on September 13, which will take her to the top Latin and American TV shows across the U.S., as well as a visit to European countries such as Germany, France, Spain and England.

The artist has sold over 18 million albums in her career, with close to ten million in sales from her previous album Loose- which was the no. one global album in 2007.

Amos The Transparent Video – Lemons – Exclusively On andPOP

Robert Ostfield — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:40:36 +0000

Fully animated video for Amos The Transparent’s newest single Lemons (aka Big Fish Little Pond) by uber cool animation studio Digital Henchman. Vote for them in the XM Verge Music Awards! http://www.thevergeonline.com/vma/

Red Carpet Pics: Canadian Premiere Of Inglourious Basterds

Ilan Mester — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:54:39 +0000

andPOP was at the Canadian premiere of the highly anticipated “Inglourious Basterds,” the latest Quentin Tarantino film. The director himself was present along with Eli Roth, who plays Sgt. Donny Donowitz in the war movie.

The event took place on Aug. 12 at the Scotiabank theatre in Toronto and featured two World War II vehicles mounted with models dressed in ‘40s attire. Hundreds of fans lined the street of the theatre to catch a glimpse of the director and a star of his film.

“Inglourious Basterds” is set in Nazi-occupied France during World War II, where a group of Jewish-American soldiers led by Lt. Aldo Raine (played by Brad Pitt) are chosen to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by killing Nazis. The group, known as “The Basterds,” soon cross paths with a French-Jewish girl who’s escaped a near-death experience.

“Inglourious Basterds” opens in theatres on Aug. 21. Keep checking back for a review of the film.

Kate Voegele Prize Pack

andPOP Staff — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 04:12:48 +0000

No denying it, Kate Voegele is hot in every way. We interviewed her last year and were very impressed with her charm and the fact she is a master at beer pong. Have a look at our interview if you don’t believe us. Now andPOP and Universal Music Canada are giving away a prize pack for the One Tree Hill star and her latest album A Fine Mess. The prize pack includes a signed Kate Voegele poster and signed copy of A Fine Mess. All you need to is be Canadian (sorry US buddies) and email contests@andpop.com (subject: Kate Voegele) with the answer to the following question:

What television show does Kate Voegele star in?

Good luck and remember to check out http://www.katevoegele.com

The Roots To Perform In Kitchener/Waterloo

Ilan Mester — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 03:40:00 +0000

The 2009 Cutting Edge Music Festival (CEMF) is bringing The Roots to Kitchener/Waterloo for two days of live music, camping and partying. The two-day event runs from August 1-3 and marks the band’s exclusive appearance in Ontario this summer.

“The festival will be host to over 50 different performances by some of the biggest names in the music scene. With two live rock stages and a pounding dance warehouse, this is no ordinary music festival!”, CEMF partner Carey Kurtin said in a statement.

Currently in its fourth year, CEMF is a unique festival that includes music, water slides and the Smirnoff Dance Warehouse. The event includes performances by The Bronx, Ten Second Epic, Lady Sovereign, Dead and Divine, Moneen and many others. The roster of Canadian talent features Protest the Hero, Thunderheist and illScarlett.

Tickets for the festival go on sale June 1 and can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.ca or by calling 416-870-8000. A surprise co-headliner for CEMF has yet to be announced.

For the complete line up, visit: www.CEMF.com

The ‘Snowy’ Hills

Ilan Mester — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 08:00:33 +0000

MTV Canada has recently announced a joint project with CTV and Free Form Productions Inc. called “Peak Season.” The supposedly unscripted show is currently in production in Whistler, B.C.

“Peak Season” is being filmed in a world-class ski resort and will focus on the lives, loves and “true-life drama” of a group of twenty-somethings.

“In the spirit of hit MTV real-life series, the production gives viewers a distinct, behind-the-scenes look into a group of real people living in a real community,” read a statement by CTV. “This time, it’s the high drama found in the unique geography of this world-renowned tourist town, where young people from across the globe congregate to work while the rich and famous come to frolic. A lot happens in this resort playground as Whistler’s youth struggle to find love, friendship and themselves.”

CTV and MTV Canada have ordered 10 half-hour episodes of the new series, which is set to premiere later this year once production wraps up in April.

And a lot of drama can be expected. As the famous whistler saying goes, “You don’t lose your girlfriend, you lose your turn”.

Kiss Comes to Canada for Music Week

Jennifer Brooks — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 02:49:59 +0000

Kiss front man Gene Simmons is coming to Canada for Canadian Music Week and is looking for the next big Canadian super band. Simmons is looking for a group that has something better than raw talent, good looks and songwriting capabilities; he is looking for star power.

“I don’t want someone who sings well, I want someone who is charismatic beyond charisma,” said Simmons, the keynote speaker at Canadian Music Week. “A star is going to be bigger than the songs they sing.”

The entrepreneur and superstar started up his own record company last year called Simmons Records. Cbc.ca reports that Simmons is exclusively interested in tapping into the Canadian music market, as Canada harbors many undiscovered musical talents.

“There is as much musical talent here as in the States, don’t kid yourself,” he said. “And unless you provide them with the industry and the pop culture, they will move across the border. It’s not far.”