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By: Mitali Chaudhary

Nestled in the loft of an Irish pub just off of the loud bass and strobe lights of Hess Village is a throwback to simpler times: The Arcade Bar. Retro, cozy and stocked with an impressive collection of classic arcade games, it offers a fresh take on Hamilton nightlife.

Arcade’s humble beginnings mirror those of its soft-spoken owner, Justin Kavanagh, who moved to Canada from Ireland ten years ago, and whose passions include restoring classic cars and motorcycles. Inspired by his admiration for the 70s and 80s, Kavanagh interestingly coined the name of the bar first, and then realized that including the arcade games that were such a significant part of his childhood would create a niche in the club and bar scene that Hamilton has yet to experience. Offering a selection of craft beer, cocktails and food cooked by his wife, it delivers a different, but fun way to spend a Friday night.

The concept of an arcade-bar fusion is not Arcade’s only defining quality. As an alternative to clubs, which allow for a grimy floor and scant conversation, the bar creates a more mellow environment where dancing and drinking is still encouraged, but also a place where real connections can still be made with others.

This might be a hint at a shift in the wants of bar-goers and the newer cohort of students that are flooding to McMaster, and Hamilton. As Kavanagh notes, “There seems to be a major move towards smaller, independent, food-based [places] … it seems that the next generation doesn’t want those giant clubs.” Indeed, the incredibly loud, packed nightclubs of the early 2000s might be on their way out, as young adults crave a more intimate space. Arcade’s unique setup, and resulting unique demographic, makes it a strong alternative; an interesting mix of twenty-somethings to sixty-year-old regulars comprise the usual attendees, which according to the owner, makes for very interesting conversations.

The bar’s distinct character is also playing a part in bringing some attention to the smaller businesses on George St., normally passed up by Hess regulars. “Nobody really knows this strip,” remarks Justin. This might be changing soon however, since the entire area has been displaying obvious signs of a transition, as many new pubs and restaurants are opening along the road, and quite a few of the clubs on Hess are rumoured to be in the process of being sold or shut down.

It’s clear that Arcade is one of what is definitely soon to be many that cater to a change in interest in the nightlife scene, though it is currently the only “barcade” in Hamilton. “People want something slightly different to do,” as Kavanagh puts it, and The Arcade Bar offers just that.

Photo Credit: Mitali Chaudhary

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We live in an unusual age. It wasn’t so very long ago that to make it in the music world – to make it big – typically required several prerequisite years of unacknowledged shows in local bars and a few mediocre albums out of the way before a record label paved the path to fortune and fame. Nowadays, all it takes is one song to make a star, and two up-and-coming DJs set to hit Hamilton on Thursday night, are a testament to this phenomenon.

Sak Noel and DJ Rhiannon, despite division by their gender, nationality, style, and intent, share the necessary keys to the world of stardom: a few songs apiece that have garnered enough attention to have them touring around the world. In an interview on Sunday, Sak Noel and DJ Rhiannon opened up about their surprising musical intentions.

If you’ve been to Hess over the past few months, then you’ve probably heard Sak Noel’s popular dance hit “Loca People,” which is one of only three original tracks the Spanish artist has released. This trio, found on Sak Noel’s Crazy Society Trilogy LP, has rocketed the club-owner-turned-DJ to the international stage.

While these songs may be familiar to you, the Spanish artist’s political intent behind them probably isn’t. “The economic crisis [in Spain] is really hard right now and people are unemployed, and there are a lot of sad things going on. So my Crazy Society Trilogy is about that. I try and use that context to make dancefloor songs to make the people forget about that, but at the same time make them aware of what’s going on in Spain,” he explained. Sak Noel believes that there is room in electronic music for communicating messages of substance. “If you want, you can add some subtext to the music. Why not use dance music to share your opinions with the world?”

Fans of Sak Noel can expect more material to be released over the course of this year as a follow-up to Crazy Society Trilogy. “I have three or four projects [on the go]. I want to start to show my music more regularly… I want to spread my music throughout 2013,” he enthused, and hinted that an album is on the way.

DJ Rhiannon also has an album in the works, to be released some time this year. A well-established DJ who has spun with heavyweights such as Tiesto and Deadmau5 (as well as celebrities such as Paris Hilton and Snoop Dogg), this University of British Columbia graduate has begun recording her own tracks. Her rap music, which marks a departure from the EDM that she DJ’s in clubs, is aggressively provocative. The three original songs she has released so far – “Like a Slut,” “Nasty Bitch” and “All the Girls Do It” – are extremely sexually explicit. With lyrics like “Eat that shit, grind that clit / Don’t fuckin stop until she spits across the room / Pussy go boom!” it’s unsurprising that Rhiannon has been garnering attention.

In a rap scene dominated by arguably misogynistic male voices, Rhiannon hopes to offer an alternative female voice. “Whenever women talk about explicit subjects, it’s considered more shocking than when men talk about. If you listen to lyrics by Tyga or Lil Wayne, or name a male rapper, they’re usually talking about crazy explicit things,” she said. “I can’t really relate to drugs, I can’t relate to wanting to drive flashy cars, I can’t relate to violence… People talk about what they know. I’d be posing if I talked about anything other than [sex].”

Unlike her colleague Sak Noel’s politicized motivations, Rhiannon is markedly nonpolitical in her approach to the issue of female presence in rap music. “I wouldn’t necessarily say that I’m doing it to feel empowered. I just feel inclined to do it,” she explained. “Ever since I was a kid, I loved getting reactions out of people. I was a jokester, I liked to shock people and do crazy things to get people to laugh or just react. [Producing this kind of music] seemed like the next natural thing to do.”

Both Sak Noel and DJ Rhiannon are eagerly awaiting their upcoming performance and the chance to spread their unique sounds in Southern Ontario. “I’ve never been to Hamilton before but I’m very excited,” Sak Noel professed.

Sak Noel and DJ Rhiannon are performing on Thursday, Jan. 24 at Sizzle in Hess Village as part of VOLV’s BIG ROOM EDM SERIES, which aims to bring big names in the scene to an eager Hamilton audience. Tickets are available from VOLV online at http://volvsaknoel.eventbrite.com/ and at the door, starting at 10 p.m.

Sak Noel's popular hit "Loca People":

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DJ Rhiannon's song "All the Girls Do It":

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Compiled by Farzeen Foda, Alex Rockingham and Karianne Matte

A mess at Hess: overcrowding leads to fines

One crazy night in Hess Village stirred up months of chaos for owners of two downtown Hamilton nightclubs. Last winter, two Hess establishments faced legal action for overcrowding during an all-ages event, which violated fire code regulations. The investigation concluded on Oct. 31, resulting in a final penalty of $1,000 for the operators of RokBar Night Club, and $2,000 for the owner of Elixir Night Club & Lounge, both located on Hess Street South. Fines for such violations may reach tens of thousands of dollars, but because the nightclubs admitted to their faults, the fines were reduced.

Westdale muggings unfruitful for suspects

A series of potentially related muggings in the Westdale area has Hamilton police seeking the help of residents in identifying culprits. On Oct. 27 around 11:30 p.m., two similar street muggings occurred, with matching suspect and vehicle descriptions, while three Nov. 1 muggings also had matching descriptions. Police are investigating the Oct. 27 events in the area around Longwood Rd, King St. W., Haddon Ave. S. and Main St. W. Though the suspects were armed with what’s being described as a tire iron or pipe, no victims were injured, and in all three cases, the suspects fled empty-handed. Anyone with insight on the matter is encouraged to contact Det. Jo-Ann Savole at 905-546-3818 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Bad drive ends up in bunker

At 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 5., Hamilton police found a man passed out behind the wheel of a small SUV in a sand bunker on the Hamilton Golf and Country Club course.  Police say that the man, heavily intoxicated, drove onto the course, crossed a green and a fairway, hit a shed and then finally ended up trapped in the bunker. The 22-year old, who was charged with impaired driving, blew more than two times the legal alcohol limit.

Poppy thief

A thief who is specifically targeting donation money meant for Canadian veterans is menacing the city of Hamilton. The so-called “Poppy-Box Thief” began a spree of robberies on Tuesday morning at a Tim Hortons in Stoney Creek at around 5:30 a.m, ordering a coffee then stealing the poppy donation box. The suspect has since repeated the act at three more Tim Hortons locations in the Hamilton area,  making off with half a dozen boxes.