Vans Warped Tour brings its community-driven experience to Montreal August 21 and 22 taking over the expansive grounds of Parc Jean-Drapeau. Doors open at 11 a.m., showtime at noon.

On Monday night, I returned to the original classic rock era. My buddy Robbie Cohen and I went to see a triple bill that could have easily been put together in 1980: Jefferson Starship, Kansas, and Deep Purple at Place Bell in Laval. The age range at the show varied from 25 to 80, proving that classic rock continues to cross generations.

Raised with three siblings in Ville Saint-Laurent, Susan Stern attended Sir Winston Churchill High School, graduating in 1973. Her life-long love of music led to related studies and a career in music education. A second career saw her build and run some well-known Montreal eateries, including Bistro Westmount and Sternz Rhapsody in the Cavendish Mall. Twenty-one years ago, Stern embarked on her third career as the national executive director and CEO of Weizmann Canada, a registered charity and philanthropic arm of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. The Suburban recently spoke with the Westmount resident. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.