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Students concerned as MUN cuts courses, delaying graduations

Lee Hurley
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Students concerned as MUN cuts courses, delaying graduations

Fall course offerings came out the week of June 23, and some students are worried.

There is no set schedule for completing university. Just getting a degree is an achievement in itself, and there’s nothing wrong with taking time off or going at an individually manageable pace to avoid burnout or accommodate other responsibilities.

However, continuous cuts to funding, courses – including the frequency at which courses are offered – and sometimes entire programs, have impeded Memorial students’ ability to graduate “on time,” within the typical four years.

Naturally, this swiftly depleting budget is resulting in cuts to programs and courses, greatly affecting students’ University experience, finances, and projected graduation timelines. MUN students’ agitation is easily justifiable, paying more tuition for fewer course and program options is objectively not a great deal. 

MUN’s biggest attractions are its acclaimed Engineering, Business, Medicine, and Marine Sciences programs, and shockingly, these faculties are being affected as well. Still, students in other programs believe that they deserve better – and that includes the ability to graduate “on time.”

Internal financial issues, unions demanding restored government funding

By this point, it’s widely known that MUN has some staggering internal financial issues. The auditor general’s report released earlier this year outlined over $480 million in deferred maintenance and severe mismanagement of funds.

The recently updated budget workbook outlines a whopping $20.85 million reduction in the 2025-2026 budget. 

To amend the rescinded government funding allowing Memorial to maintain the tuition freeze, the University presented a new tuition framework, implemented in 2022. Despite the tuition increase, the university continues to slash its budget, attempting to rectify the millions of dollars in deferred maintenance and deficits.

In response to this, a #FundMUN campaign was launched in Fall 2024, allying both staff and student unions calling on the provincial government to reinstate the university’s rescinded funding.

St. John’s campus course offerings inadequate, students say

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St. John’s campus Arts & Administration building (mun.ca)

So far, there seems to be little rhyme or reason to what exactly gets cut. Generally, with these things, the Humanities are the first to go, as seen at other Canadian universities, notably Saint Mary’s and Queens, but surprisingly, some STEM programs at MUN are facing cuts as well. 

Biology student Kaitlen Morrissey expected to graduate after the current Spring semester with her Bachelor of Science degree, complete with a concentration in Applied Ecology and Conservation. Morrissey only had two field courses left to fulfill her degree requirements, but due to the cuts the courses were not offered, forcing her to take an extra semester. 

Morrissey explained that she’s gone over her eligibility for the reduced rates, now forced to pay the higher fees. “I’m going over my time for the tuition freeze. I said this to my lab partner, we’re all doing at least an extra semester.”

“I’ve been affected by the course cuts twice in my time at MUN, both times causing a delay in my degree,” said Meghan Pennell, another student. Pennell set out to pursue Education, and, excited to be admitted to the program, began completing the courses required for application.

A required geography course for her focus area was not offered, and the faculty administration denied her request to complete a higher-level course in its place.

“This had delayed my degree by a year. Since that time, I’ve changed degree plans and am currently a CMST [Communications and Media Studies] major,” Pennell said. 

Her expected graduation time would have been this Fall, but due to a required course only being offered in the Winter this upcoming academic year, Pennell is stuck doing another semester.

Many grievances can accompany unexpectedly longer degrees, such as financial strain and precarious housing access, piling on additional stress for already overburdened students. 

Grenfell campus also affected 

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Grenfell Visual Arts

Grenfell Campus isn’t exempt from the cuts either. In particular, the Visual Arts program is experiencing slashes to its course offerings. Evan Williams, a Visual Arts student who just completed his first year, spoke with the Muse about the confusion and frustration Grenfell students are experiencing. 

Visual Arts students are required to pick three studio courses per semester. There are usually about five options to choose from, but when Williams went to select his Winter Semester courses, the offerings were disappointing. 

“Me and my friends went to pick our courses for the winter semester and saw there were only four studios and we got really confused,” said Williams.

“We called over one of our professors like, ‘Hey, what’s going on? Where’s the performance art class?’ And he was like, ‘yeah, about that…’ They straight up just got rid of them without telling us… we had to find out on our own.”

According to Williams’ professor, multiple Visual Arts courses were cut without any communication from the university. This led to overcrowded classes, students unhappy with their options, and inadequate resources to accommodate the surplus of students in the studio courses that went ahead. VA upperclassmen have also expressed upset on social media, stating that there are not enough third-year courses for the students enrolled.

In lieu of this, the Visual Arts students staged a peaceful protest in the atrium of their Fine Arts building, aiming to draw some attention and hopefully get some answers about what was happening to their program.

“We were in class and our prof had to tell us, ‘Hey, yeah, sorry, three of your courses were cut.’ And I think everyone immediately said, ‘Oh, I guess we’re doing a protest.’ And we had a protest… We took the day off. It was a Thursday. All of our profs were cool with it. They showed up for it,” Williams said. 

“The Dean of Fine Arts kind of just emailed us and was like, yeah, that really sucks, but nothing I can do. We didn’t really get any communication on why, which really sucked.”

Students also launched a “Save Grenfell Visual Arts” petition, and Fund Grenfell Visual Arts Instagram page and website, posting artwork, advocacy, and surveys for students to share how they’ve been affected.

Most of the Visual Arts students should still be able to graduate, albeit with varying options every year. Williams said a few of his classmates are considering transferring elsewhere. While the studio cuts are not absolutely detrimental to their university careers as of right now, some students are disappointed in the lack of choice and lack of communication from Memorial. 

Uncertain projections

These are only a few selected stories from a couple students who came forward, there are likely many more who have been affected. Regardless of program, students seem frustrated with the lack of communication from Memorial regarding what will be offered, not offered, and when.

The MUN Budget FAQs website, in response to the question “Will programs be cut and people laid off?” states that “focused discussions are occurring around the future direction of Memorial University, its strategic priorities and structural changes. That will include a conversation about the programs that we offer and the sustainability of some positions.” This appears to be a worrying statement for both students and faculty. 

When asked for comment, the Memorial Registrar’s office and Provost’s office stated that “Memorial remains committed to a positive student experience and to supporting students as they complete their academic programs.”

Memorial affirmed that the total number of course offerings for Fall 2024 and Fall 2025 is comparable at 1939 and 1905, respectively, saying “that figure will increase or decrease throughout the registration cycle as units monitor enrolment and waitlists and respond to demand for courses.”

The Board of Regents has also approved $3.9 million for contracting teaching positions.

“It is commonplace for a university to periodically reevaluate certain programs based on enrolment and interest, particularly certificate and diploma programs. Doing so ensures we’re meeting our students where their interests and aspirations lay, as the world and our workforce evolves. Likewise, universities cannot offer certain higher-level courses in each semester if there isn’t sufficient demand to fill them.”

“However, in the event students are impacted by changes to programs or a course they need, they will be provided support to finish their program. Students should consult with academic advisors in their unit as needed, as these advisors can outline options to resolve their individual challenge.  For example, sometimes an alternate course can be taken in lieu of the one they need to graduate,” the statement said.

This comes at a similar time to over 20 staff layoffs and the closure of the Harris Center and Office of Public Engagement. MUNSU issued an official statement of concern about this announcement, calling on incoming President Dr. Janet Morrison to take action to amend the cuts.

Some students believe that failure to effectively communicate changes to programs, courses, and services makes it more difficult for people to plan their degrees accordingly. Any attempts to budget with MUN’s current finances are a difficult challenge amid continued cuts; however, it is clear that ongoing practices have drawn criticism from students seeking graduation and sparked calls for change.

Office of Public Engagement and Harris Centre to close due to cuts

John Harris
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Office of Public Engagement and Harris Centre to close due to cuts

Memorial University has announced that it has eliminated the operating budget for both the Office of Public Engagement on the St. John’s Campus and The Harris Centre. Six positions in these departments have been eliminated.

According to a statement in the Gazette, a total of twenty positions have being eliminated across the university.

In an interview with Memorial University president pro tempore Jennifer Lokash, she says that these cuts come from a “20.85 million dollar shortfall” in MUN’s core funding from the provincial government.

When asked about the loss of two of Memorial’s most front facing departments and the potential for loss of engagement with the public, Lokash said that public engagement is “integrated throughout the institution in a very meaningful way … whether or not those offices are there.”

Lokash said the Grenfell Campus office of public engagement will continue to provide support, and that the elimination of the St. John’s office follows the auditor general’s recommendation against duplication of offices.

When asked about future cuts, Lokash says she wishes she could say there would not be further job losses, but that there “may well be others in the future.”

Labour and student unions respond

“It’s shameful. It’s not really supporting the ongoing mission of the university. It’s creating a lot of uncertainty for students as well,” says Erika Merschrod, MUN Faculty Association’s incoming VP of External Affairs.

In an interview, Merschrod said it is demoralizing to see colleagues lose their jobs, and that these cuts are threatening the quality of programs at Memorial.

Nathan Gillingham, MUN Student Union’s Executive Director of External Affairs says its “really disheartening” to see these cuts, especially the end of the Harris Centre.

“Not only did it provide students experience with jobs as well as networking capacities it also provided the community itself with essential research,” said Gillingham.

CUPE 1615, the union “representing approximately 700 Administrative, Instructional, Technical, and Technical Support Staff” at Memorial says they have also been impacted by the cuts.

In a statement from President Bill Kavanagh, he says that losses of positions will have “measurable impacts that undoubtedly will impact Memorial and the student experience.”

Superman: The triumphant return of one of DC’s icons

Ian Mills
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Superman: The triumphant return of one of DC’s icons

The first movie in James Gunn’s brand new DCU, Superman has flown into theatres, and has cemented itself as the best onscreen iteration of the character in a very long time.

The movie faced significant backlash in the buildup to release, primarily due to many not accepting this version of the character, played by David Corenswet, after Henry Cavill’s portrayal of Supes in Zack Snyder’s DCEU.

In order to fit into the tone of Snyder’s universe, Cavill’s Superman was far darker, with the character feeling colder and stoic, a far cry from how he is usually portrayed in his nearly 100-year history. In contrast, Superman (2025) is far more accurate to the comics, brighter tone and all.

Right off the bat, it is clear as day that the people behind this movie care deeply about the character of Superman. They understand the character, the movie truly feels like classic comics plastered onto the big screen, dropping darkness and grit for vibrant colours and all sorts of strange ideas and concepts.

James Gunn’s direction is on full display here, with multiple longer, one-take scenes sprinkled throughout, along with snappy camera movement and vibrant colours. He also makes creative use of licensed music, although not to the same extent as his Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy.

David Fleming and John Murphy compose a standout original score, featuring some surprisingly effective electric guitar, alongside new full orchestral renditions of the classic John Williams Superman theme.

Corenswet cements himself as the best live action Superman in a long time, truly embodying the symbol of hope that Superman is supposed to be. At the same time, he expertly plays the mild-mannered Clark Kent, even if there are surprisingly few scenes of Kent’s personal life.

Nicholas Hoult plays far and away the best live action Lex Luthor we have ever seen. He is smart, completely ruthless, and filled with insane amounts of pure hatred for Superman, with this hatred often blinding his judgement. Rachel Brosnahan similarly plays an amazing Lois Lane, while Skyler Gisondo portrays a great comedic take on Jimmy Olsen.

Also featured are the Justice Gang (not League, they are called the Justice Gang in this one), comprising of Guy Gardner, Hawkgirl, and Mr. Terrific, played by Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, and Edi Gathegi respectively. All three are incredibly fun heroes to watch, all having great comedic moments as well, with Gathegi’s Mr. Terrific being the standout of the group.

There are even more characters not mentioned here that make the most of their sometimes-limited screentime, which relates to the one main flaw of the movie; it is incredibly dense, there’s a lot going on here, and not everyone gets the time needed to leave a mark on the viewer. It can feel overstuffed at points.

Superman feels like the grand, triumphant return of one of the biggest superheroes ever to the big screen. The movie understands that Superman is not just a nearly-all-powerful alien demigod – he’s a human first, raised by normal humans on Earth, and has lived a human life.

The DCU is off to a strong start, and between the quality of Superman and Marvel’s recent missteps, it just might be DC’s time to shine in the theatre once again.

Rating: 9/10

‘It’s a range life if you settle down!’: Indie band biopic ‘Pavements’

Lee Hurley
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‘It’s a range life if you settle down!’: Indie band biopic ‘Pavements’

After months of anticipation since its initial release in September of 2024, Pavements, the biopic for the generational jangly slacker rock band Pavement, is finally available to stream for free on Canadian film platform Mubi. 

Initially pitched as a “joke movie,” written and directed by Alex Ross Perry, Pavements tackles frontman Stephen Malkmus’ internal conflicts, the band’s philosophies on creating art, managing success while maintaining authenticity, Pavement’s lasting impact on similar music scenes, and their eventual tumultuous split. 

The film divulges a seemingly disorganized, extremely meta collage of colourful, fuzzed-out video montages picturing the band during their prime in the 90s, the creation of a Pavement jukebox musical called “Slanted! Enchanted!” in 2022, and the band’s momentous reunion the same year, complete with archival interviews and concert footage, all soundtracked to Pavement hits.

Whether or not their music translates well into a musical theatre format – I can’t confidently say, but a jukebox musical pulling from the DIY gods’ discography is a fascinating notion nonetheless. 

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Dual-footage still from Pavements

Pavements often has a dual footage appear on the screen, paralleling different scenes from the modern-day fictionalized biopic, and charmingly bad quality 90s footage of the real band.

The dual-footage shots were tricky to focus on at first, but it allows the film to pack in more content, creating a comprehensive account of what some might claim to be the defining music of its generation. Pavements is rich with references, including animation aspects from Beavis and Butthead, and accounts from closely aligned musicians like Kim Gordon from Sonic Youth.

The most alluring thing about Pavements was actor and musician Joe Keery’s performance as a young Stephen Malkmus. Keery captures Malkmus’ apathetic, too-cool persona exceptionally well, conveyed through doubts of whether he would be able to portray the iconic musician well enough. Present through in-character scenes, quiet interviews bordering between melodramatic and awkward, contrasted by delightfully loud songs and disdain for record labels, Keery’s portrayal of Malkmus is reason enough to watch. 

It’s clear that most people – apart from Malkmus – involved in the making of Pavements were absolutely stoked, and the actors’ excitement is easily felt by viewers, making for a promising watch. “[Pavement is] its own life force, like an underground reservoir or something. Instead of being a band, it was its own world; you could feel that instantly. That it was symbolic of a bigger thing,” said actor Jason Schwartzman in the film, who plays Matador Records founder Chris Lombardi.

Still from Pavements

The film also extensively covered the lasting impacts of DIY creativity within the band’s cult following. In pure 90s fashion, many fans of Pavement are pseudo-archivists, devotedly documenting the band’s history through self-published fanzines, following Pavement’s through the band’s 30+ year lifespan.

News clips depicted a commemorative exhibit showcasing the fanzines, old notebooks writing out playfully aloof lyrics, outfits each member adorned during the infamous mud pit performance where they were booed offstage at Lollapalooza in 1995, and other memorabilia, including a band member’s toenails (ew, right?). Regardless, it was neat to see the efforts made to document the far-reaching influence of Pavement. 

Where this film lost me is its self-indulgence on the director’s part – does anyone still care about Pavement this much? Does Stephen Malkmus himself even care? It definitely didn’t seem like it at times. It would definitely be hard to keep up with if not acutely aware of the band’s lore. 

I am fond of the band, but I bet even superfans would agree that Pavements ran a bit long, and its oddly spliced-together editing style became tiring to keep up with by the end. I do wish they included at least one full song as well; there were clips interspersed, but never a full performance, which fans would surely like to see, especially older archival footage.  

An almost impossibly ambitious blend of fiction and non-fiction, Pavements is simultaneously a band documentary, an art house biopic, a concert film, an exclusive account of the creation of both a film and a musical, and an all-encompassing retrospective archival project. Pavements is able to accomplish an impressive amount of things in its 128-minute runtime. 

Though I acknowledge my predisposition as a Pavement fan, I loved this – this film evidently has a very specific target audience, but if you’re it, you’ll love it. 

Rating: 8/10

Tradition and community take centre stage at the 49th NL Folk Fest

Elio Viatori
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Tradition and community take centre stage at the 49th NL Folk Fest

During a weekend dotted with periods of light rain, the ringing of acoustic guitars and humming of fiddles echoed through Bannerman Park in downtown St. John’s. 

This was the 49th Annual Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival, where folk music devotees and first-time attendees alike flocked through the park’s gates last Friday through Sunday. In the crowd, some wore tee shirts reading “Rain, Drizzle, and Folk” which seemed particularly fitting given the weather. 

Early each morning, a plethora of tents and sessions offered visitors a chance to learn about folk traditions and listen to local performers.

Main stage performances in the afternoons and evenings demonstrated the wide breadth of the folk genre, from the NL Latin Band’s bouncing clave rhythms to the rapid-fire fiddling of the Polish folk group Polky. 

Headliners Matt Anderson, Serena Ryder, and the Irish Descendants capped off the three days of action, respectively. 

Organizers say that the festival is unlikely to reach its fiftieth year due to a loss of funding. For many attendees, this sense of finality brought back memories of days gone by.

“I’ve been coming here since I was a kid. Those were the times when either you had an old blanket, or no blanket, and the grass was fine,” said long time festival-goer Larry Price, who recently returned to Newfoundland after retiring from the military.

Others echoed this sentiment, noting that going to the festival has become an annual tradition.

“It’s such a staple, especially for my family and our summers. Every year, [we] come to the folk festival and have a great time, rain or shine,” said attendee Izzy Churchill. “I’ve been here since I was old enough to walk.”

Churchill said that her late grandfather, a guitar player himself, sparked this love of music. Since she has started attending the festival, the event has changed some, but much has remained the same.

“I’ve slowly seen less people coming, but I feel like the core of the folk festival is still very much present. I see people who have been coming here for years, my family, so many other families. The love for it is still very much here.”

Amidst the uncertainty surrounding the festival’s future, there is hope that its spirit will carry on. Rob Smith, an attendee discovering the festival for the first time, felt that it still had much to offer.

“I hope it doesn’t ever quit, it’s great. You can’t get rid of good music like this, it’s local, it’s just a beautiful feeling here.”

A day at Avalon Expo

Ian Mills
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A day at Avalon Expo

Avalon Expo Summer 14, St. John’s bi-annual popular culture convention, has come and gone, having taken place July 4-6.

Taking place twice a year in the summer and fall, Avalon Expo takes up two of the big three annual conventions in St. John’s, alongside Sci-Fi on the Rock, which takes place in the spring.

Cosplay is common among attendees, with many dressing up as their favourite characters from all across the popular culture landscape. It’s not uncommon for someone you’ve never met to compliment you on how well your costume is made. This is all celebrated with a costume parade, where everyone in costume roams throughout the venue.

Taking place downtown in the St. John’s Convention Centre, this year’s Avalon Expo featured many different attractions. The main attractions every time is the vendor hall, full of vendors selling all sorts of things. Here you can find artwork, collectibles, clothes, used video games, and much more, all run by local artists and vendors.

Of these many different types of vendors, artwork of different varieties appeared to be the most prevalent. Posters, stickers, pins and more could be found all over the vendor room, all depicting all kinds of characters and media from countless different franchises.

Some take the opportunity to try and gather interest for upcoming events, especially when the audiences overlap. “There’s definitely crossover in who would be interested in a comic show,” said Paul Tucker, who was promoting the upcoming St. John’s Comic Arts Fest, a two-day festival celebrating comics taking place this September on Memorial University campus.

A staple of Avalon Expo both times a year is their partnership with Sandbox Gaming, a local non-profit organization with the goal of raising money for local charities, and to build and expand the gaming community in Newfoundland & Labrador.

Sandbox Gaming gets their own room at conventions such as Avalon Expo, where they have various different setups for all kinds of video games and board games. Additionally, they held tournaments for multiple games over the span of the weekend, such as Mario Kart World, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Pokémon TCG Pocket.

The video games section at Avalon Expo seemed to have had a great turnout overall. “I’ve seen plenty of people around,” said Megan King, one of the organizers at the event.

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Voice actor Jenny Yokobori attended this session of Avalon Expo (IMDb)

Additionally, special guests are brought in for conventions such as Avalon Expo. This year, the guests were comic illustrator Brianna June, science fiction writer Robert J. Sawyer, and voice actor Jenny Yokobori, who all got to interact with fans, and experience Newfoundland culture.

“[Interacting with fans] is one of my favourite parts of the job,” said Yokobori. You may recognize her from her work on The Simpsons, One Piece, Pokémon Journeys: The Series, Genshin Impact, Demon’s Souls, and more.

“This is my second time in St. John’s, and both times everyone has been so sweet, kind and welcoming.”

Avalon Expo blends the openness of popular fandoms with Newfoundland hospitality in a way that is hard to see anywhere else. People from all walks of life come together to celebrate the various interests they share, and possibly discovering new ones in the process, while potentially creating friendships that will last a lifetime.

Ozzy Osbourne passes away at 76

Joshua Williams
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Ozzy Osbourne passes away at 76

The legendary Ozzy Osbourne has passed away at the age of 76 just two weeks after his farewell “Back to the Beginning” show in Birmingham, England. The Osbourne family announced the passing and in a statement said “he was with with his family and surrounded by love.”

Osbourne announced in 2020 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease which ended his touring career. He has also had several back surgeries throughout the years stemming from an ATV accident in 2003, leading to little mobility the last few years and eventually being bound to a throne for his farewell show.

Back to the Beginning concert in Birmingham

This show was the culmination of Ozzy’s career in Black Sabbath and his solo career. Metals biggest bands and icons “gathered in their masses” to provide an outstanding 16 act show coming from rock and metal icons the likes of Anthrax, Lamb of God, Alice In Chains, Tool, Gojira, Pantera, Slayer and many more.

The show even saw Metallica perform as an opener for the first time since 2005. The last time Metallica opened for someone besides this was all the way back in 1987 with Ozzy himself.

The show closed with a set from the Prince of Darkness himself followed by the reunion of Bill Ward, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Osbourne himself, the four original members of Black Sabbath.

Ozzy Osbourne has not taken the stage since New Years Eve of 2018. This has been mostly due to ongoing health complications, multiple surgeries, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The founder of heavy metal announced his Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2020. He was famously supposed to play at the Power Trip festival in 2023 alongside AC/DC, Guns N Roses, Tool, Metallica, and Iron Maiden, but had to back out four months before the show due to ongoing health issues.

Osbourne was replaced by Judas Priest who then used the added exposure to announce their new album ‘Invincible Shield’, which was released in March of 2024.

All proceeds from this show have been donated equally between Acorns Children’s Hospice, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Cure Parkinson’s. Osbourne talked about how hard it has been for him since his diagnosis and how good it feels to be back on stage before the performance of ‘Mama, I’m Coming Home’ as he fought back tears, something he did several times throughout the night.

Alongside the iconic bands fans have come to know and love throughout the years, there were also two slots for what was dubbed as “Tom Morello’s All Stars”.

The first slot consisted of Lzzy Hale (Halestrom), II (Sleep Token), David Ellefson (formerly of Megadeth), Scott Ian (Anthrax), Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme), and the forever legendary former guitarist for Ozzy Jake E. Lee.

With Jake on stage, it was fitting that the group played some songs from The Ultimate Sin album, bringing out the title track and ‘Shot In The Dark’. There was some controversy in the set however when Disturbed vocalist David Draiman was brought out for ‘Shot In The Dark’ and ‘Sweet Leaf’.

Draiman has not been hiding the fact that he is pro-Israel in both his sets and through his social media, going as far to post pictures of him signing bombs that were later dropped on Gaza.

Draiman was met with some very audible boos, even making a comment about it when handed his microphone. After Draiman concluded his two songs, he was replaced by Whitfield Crane (Ugly Kid Joe) for a cover of ‘Believer’. However, the star of Morello’s All Stars Group A was YungBlud covering Black Sabbath’s ‘Changes’, which was easily one of the best performances of the entire event.

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YungBlud covering “Changes” by Black Sabbath at the concert (NME)

Super Group B saw some major surprises as Rolling Stones member Ronnie Wood took the stage at 78 years old. He was joined by Travis Barker (Blink 182), Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine), KK Downing (Judas Priest), Papa V Perpetua (Ghost) and many others for an array of songs like ‘Bark At The Moon’, ‘Flying High Again’, ‘Snowblind’ as well as Judas Priest classic ‘Breaking The Law’.

Fans were treated to yet another surprise as Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler came out and commanded the stage with ‘Walk This Way’ and ‘Train Kept A Rollin” by Aerosmith and ‘Whole Lotta Love’ by Led Zeppelin. Aerosmith had cancelled their tour in August of 2024 due to Tyler’s health issues.

Besides the super groups, every opening act played at least one Ozzy or Black Sabbath cover. Some of the highlights were Halestorm with ‘Perry Mason’, Lamb of God with ‘Children of the Grave’, Anthrax with ‘Into The Void’, Pantera with their famous covers of ‘Planet Caravan’ and ‘Electric Funeral’, and Metallica bringing out arguably two of the deepest cuts played the whole night with ‘Hole in the Sky’ and ‘Johnny Blade’.

After Metallica, it was time for Osbourne to take the stage. Osbourne was lifted onto the stage in a throne custom built for him for this show. The throne even featured a bat at the top, alluding to when he famously biting the head off of a bat live on stage event.

Osbourne presented a solo set of ‘I Don’t Know’, ‘Mr. Crowley’, ‘Suicide Solution’, ‘Mama, I’m Coming Home’ and “Crazy Train’. Even while not being able to stand, despite several times where it looked like he was trying to, Ozzy commanded the stage like no one else ever could.

It was apparent that the Prince of Darkness was very emotional, but ecstatic to be back on stage once again. He was joined by drummer Tommy Clufetos, keyboardist Adam Wakeman, bassist Mike Inez, and of course, the legendary Zakk Wydle.

Even though Black Sabbath has not taken the stage together since February of 2017, the band never skipped a beat. Led by Tony Iommi’s ‘Hand Of Doom’ on guitar, the band’s 4 song set was one of the greatest sets in music history as fans and musicians from other bands said goodbye to their heroes and idols.

The band’s final set saw a set list of ‘War Pigs’, ‘N.I.B.’, ‘Iron man’, and ‘Paranoid’. This was also the first time the original drummer Bill Ward had played with the band’s original members since 2005. At the end of ‘Paranoid’, the confetti rained down, marking the end of heavy metal’s founding fathers era on the stage.

The “Back to the Beginning” show is without question the single greatest event in metal history. It has been an incredible journey, a 57 year career for the man that started the metal genre that started all the way back in 1969 with the release of the self-titled Black Sabbath album.

A career spanning nearly 6 decades, influencing generations of musicians and fans alike. While Ozzy may have asked for ‘No More Tears’, It was hard to find a dry eye, whether that be those watching in Birmingham or those watching from their living rooms.

Goodbye to a legend

While the world knew this would be Ozzy’s last performance on stage, we did not know he would be gone just weeks afterwards, making the emotional weight of the show heavier than it already was. Congratulations to Ozzy on a genre defining career. The Prince of Darkness will be remembered for many generations to come.

In loving memory of my uncle Thomas Gardiner: the world’s biggest Ozzy Osbourne fan.

‘Proof we exist’: Videographer GNDN Media documents St. John’s music scene

Lee Hurley
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‘Proof we exist’: Videographer GNDN Media documents St. John’s music scene

Videographer Nathan Dunphy, known professionally as GNDN Media, documents practically every local punk show as a method of archiving the vibrant alternative music scene in St. John’s — what he calls “proof we exist.” 

Dunphy’s interest in film started in childhood, and he went on to refine his talent at film school in Toronto. Upon his return to Newfoundland, he identified a need for documentation of the ever-changing community. 

His creative career has since exploded into the role of resident scene videographer, valiantly recording almost every band, show, and lively mosh pit. 

Introduction to the music scene

Dunphy described a lifelong love for punk and hardcore music, but surprisingly, his introduction to the local scene was relatively late. After moving back to Newfoundland post graduation, he attended a summer show at the Bowring Park Amphitheatre and found himself immediately hooked. 

“It was like a big boom and like a revelation to me that all this was kind of happening under my nose while I was here this whole time. Yeah. I was missing out,” he joked.

Like other folks attending their first show, Dunphy admired how welcoming the environment felt. This eventually led him to become the singer of the hardcore band Doberman.

Following his completion of film school, Dunphy had trouble finding a job within the industry and had the idea to film bands to maintain his skills. “I wasn’t finding much work… to feel like I’m doing something with photography or videography or whatever, I started filming my friends’ bands that I was already going to see every weekend.” 

“It was just something to do, like an experiment. And then kind of steamrolled from there… I just started filming every show and every band that played, and here we are.”

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Glitterglue at Mundy Pond Skate Park for ‘Skate or Don’t’ 08/27/23 // still from GNDN Films on Youtube

Archiving local music

Similar efforts to archive the music community here have been made – Mike Heffernan’s comprehensive oral history memoir Let It All Fall: Underground Music and the Culture of Rebellion in Newfoundland 1977-1995, and various photographers come to mind, but GNDN Media takes a fully digital, accessible approach. 

Dunphy spoke about the importance of archiving, saying that, “if you look back, there’s not much record of most of the scene post 2019 or even after that, a little bit. So when I started going to shows, there was like, I think at a max…three people that were taking photos, like, consistently.”

“When I started going, I was like, jeez, like, all this is happening all the time. There’s not really much record of it,” he said. 

“There’s all these bands that will play, you know, one show and then never play again. And they don’t have music recorded. So they’re just kind of lost to time. It’s kind of sad to think about… so I wanted to… keep a record of it and prove that it, you know, it happens.”

Making time to attend this many shows while still working a job is unequivocally a difficult feat, especially considering most of them have a cover charge as well. 

Barring the occasional free show entry, courtesy of band members excited to see their set online later on, GNDN Media does not charge for filming. Dunphy simply started this project out of the love of the game, recognizing the importance of documenting art and music. 

Fisticuffs at Second Stage 02/01/25 // still from GNDN Films on Youtube

Future endeavours?

The GNDN Media YouTube channel is home to enough footage for entire film anthologies of Newfoundland punk/alternative music, as well as playlists Dunphy has curated of others’ video work here. Dunphy told the Muse that he’s toyed with the idea of creating a documentary, but pinpointing what angle to take has proven to be difficult.

“I’ve kind of gone back and forth on this idea and…how that would be executed,” the filmmaker explained. “…if it would be like the whole history of the scene… or just a brief little point in the scene or…just what’s happening right now.”

“[The scene] is kind of like an ever-growing organism,” he said. “Every week there’s a new phase or people are, you know, leaving bands or someone moves away or a band stops playing or whatever…it just keeps changing. So it’s hard to kind of pinpoint where to start, where to end, where to, or you know, kind of just shoot it all.”

For now, GNDN Media routinely uploads videos to YouTube and Instagram, complete with the date, location, and show lineup. 

What is Jazz? Natasha Blackwood and Ana Luísa Ramos have an answer

Elio Viatori
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What is Jazz? Natasha Blackwood and Ana Luísa Ramos have an answer

With the jazz scene in St. John’s booming like never before, this year’s biennial ONSOUND experimental music festival decided to address a pressing question – What is Jazz? Hosted by Sound Arts Initiatives, the four-day festival of “improvised, experimental, and original” music set out to find an answer through a series of workshops and performances.

So on the third night of the festival, with the Friday night crowd at LPSU Hall listening intently, local singer Natasha Blackwood had an admission to make. 

“The more you learn [about jazz], the less you know – it’s like parenting.”

Blackwood explained that the genre is filled with nuance, making it difficult to place into any specific box. Yet by opening her set with the century-old tunes “Bill Bailey” and “Heartaches,” she illustrated a thread that ties the history of jazz together. 

“It all comes back to finding a way to express something or tell a story,” Blackwood said.

An accomplished songwriter, Blackwood turned to her own discography for the rest of her set. She called on the audience to provide a pulsating heartbeat rhythm for her innovative new single, “We Are, We Are.”

Her soulful vocals were complemented by the effortlessly cool improvisation of trumpeter Terry Campbell.

Succeeding Blackwood on stage, Brazilian-born bossa nova singer Ana Luísa Ramos highlighted the global reach of jazz. 

“Bossa nova was influenced by jazz and samba,” Ramos said, although she explained that the genre isn’t considered jazz itself. 

“For some reason jazz musicians really enjoy it,” joked her guitar player and partner Eric Taylor Escudero while gesturing to the crowd.

Jazz or not, Ramos’s danceable set certainly expressed a collection of emotions ranging from love to longing, nostalgia to hope. 

One standout composition was the song “Clouds” from her 2024 album Solaris, a piece which Ramos wrote about her experience returning to Brazil after the isolation of the pandemic.

“I wrote this song at 6 am, while watching the sunrise. It’s about trying to have it all, and being happy,” Ramos said.

She concluded her set on a more poignant note with the Escudero-written single “All We Could Have Been,” a reflection on both the letdowns and potential of humanity.

“Blood stained ground is good for growing flowers,” Ramos sang.

Ramos demonstrated her songwriting versatility throughout the set, alternating between English and Portuguese compositions. She was accompanied by Escudero on guitar, Bill Brennan on piano, Jim Vivian on bass, and Jacob Slous on drums.

For more on Ana Luisa Ramos, here is her interview with Zach Snow on his podcast, Musical Connections

OPEN LETTER: Dear Dr. Janet Morrison, you’re our only hope

Sadie Mees
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OPEN LETTER: Dear Dr. Janet Morrison, you’re our only hope

Just kidding. I would never place all my eggs in the upper level administrator basket. But, despite the institutional white knuckled death grip on neutrality, I do have hope. 

I hope that you will be the one to spearhead change. 

To any out-of-the-loop MUN students reading this: Janet Morrison is the incoming president of MUN. We’ll see if she’s any better than the last few.

As you are surely well aware, Dr. Morrison, MUN has something of a reputation issue. Our disgraced President, alleged ecoli scandal, Humans Rights Complaint(s), dwindling enrollment, and tuition hikes come to mind. And how many times have we all heard the words “crumbling infrastructure.”

Of course, that’s to say nothing about the millions directly invested in weapons manufacturers tied to Israel’s ongoing campaign of genocide currently being carried out against the Palestinian people.

Maybe you don’t care about the bad image, because mainland schools are equally rife with cuts and scandals. 

Maybe only some people mind that the powers that be here have decided accessible education for all  is not a concern anymore. 

Still, I think there is time (and opportunity) to change course for the better.

Every institution has issues and shortcomings. Few have something they can point to that says ‘when the world screamed we listened.’ 

You could be the one to leave that legacy. 

Divestment is happening at other institutions, and within other local organizations (I love you St. John’s Pride). This is an opportunity for MUN to display the leadership and courage they have been so severely lacking. 

MUN chose not to divest from Apartheid in South Africa during the 1980s, a choice which is now an unthinkable moral position. And for those who say it’s not about morals and not an institution’s responsibility, MUN has done it before.

In 2002, the Board of Regents passed a No Sweat Shop Code, ending the use of sweatshop labour for MUN merch due to ethical considerations, setting a precedent for this type of action.

Your administration could be a keystone in the foundation of a better future. 

Student and faculty activism surrounding divestment is already being presented internally as a positive force. I was shown a picture from the recent Humanities and Social Sciences Dean’s address, and there I was up on the slideshow, alongside a blurb about the value of HSS students and faculty pushing for change.  

Almost as if the very Dean making that presentation hadn’t caused me rage to sob in public during the encampment by being so unhelpful, only to turn around and act like they were with it the whole time.

So you see Dr. Morrison, the work of student activists is already being used for clout. Why not get in on the action.

Change will happen, just like it happened with South Africa. Do you want MUN to be left behind again?

We are asking for divestment from weapons and war and genocide. We’re asking for ethical policy change. 

Imagine if the next round of Students Who Care could spend their time proactively providing support to their community instead of arguing and begging and getting arrested over their institution’s complicity in crimes against humanity.

Palestine isn’t the only humanitarian crisis currently ongoing. An effective policy to screen investments could help minimize the war profiteering and blood money MUN is involved in more broadly. War profiteering is so passé these days. 

MUN Students for Palestine would like to meet with you. 

We would like the chance to make our case live and in person, the way all the best working relationships start. We dance the delicate dance, us begging for a shred of humanity from the institution we’ve poured thousands of dollars, years of our lives, and worst of all, trust, into. Your people saying something so bizarre/out of touch/unfeeling that our members cry/laugh/consider recidivism. 

Kidding again. We’ll be so professional it will knock your socks off. 

Consider the role you would like to play in shaping the narrative of the future. I believe that you want to make a difference. Go for it with everything in you. 

Or don’t. But please don’t pretend 10 years down the line that you didn’t have the opportunity to do the right thing.

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