Last Saturday night, March 18, 20-some-odd 20-some-odd-year-olds gathered in the front two rows of the theatre in B101 to listen to the live recording of Canadaland’s newest podcast, The Imposter — a show centred on arts and culture in Canada.
As podcasts are audio-based, so was the show. For most of the show the lighting was dimmed, there was little visual accompaniment, and the best way to experience it was with eyes closed, taking in the energetic layered music provided by Morning Coup and the pre-recorded interviews.
Charming host Aliya Pabani was excellent at making her interviewees comfortable with clever and witty commentary and conversation whenever they showed signs of nervousness (any of which would be understandable as the podcast goes online and is listened to by hundreds each week). The show opened by playing a pre-recorded phone interview with Chad Kroeger’s real estate agent as Pabani attempted to gain permission to tour Kroeger’s famous Abbotsford mansion, which is currently for sale.
Vancouver stand-up comic Fatima Dhowre had a set followed by an interview. Dhowre’s set was largely based on story, and she talked about her experiences living in Somalia, resulting in a unique set unlike many mainstream comedians.
Despite technical issues, the highlight of the taping was the feature piece of the episode, a story about Crossings, a feminist book from 1979 by Betty Lambert that was ahead of its time by years, resulting in it being banned, even from independent feminist bookstores. The touching interviews with the family members and contemporaries of the author were prerecorded, but Pabani narrated the story between them.
This event brought a taste of the perks that you might find at a full-sized university. Props to CIVL 101.7, Aaron Levy, and the Canadaland and Imposter teams for coordinating this event and pulling it through despite minor technical issues and delays.
