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Articles - Podcasts
Studio Robazzo Re-Thinks Modern Design
"Whether they're designing visual identities, wooden coasters or stage sets, Studio Robazzo's eco-design approach is about changing our perceptions of what's possible."
Review: Canadian Guitarist West Coast Comerford happy to play blues
A story on west coast Canadian blues guitar man, West Coast Comerford. Comerford has played in many blues bands out of Victoria, including the Rockin' Devils, All Them Blues Band and Uncle Wiggly's Hot Shoes Blues Band. The piece was published on Digita
Memorial Arena left a capital legacy
Despite a shaky start and a history of missteps, the Barn on Blanshard had plenty of good times - See more at: http://www.timescolonist.com/memorial-arena-left-a-capital-legacy-1.9377#sthash.DfPdmRdo.dpuf
Union Club President's Ball
Dear Kim
I personally wanted to thank you and the troupe for such a fine fine evening on Saturday. Grace and I have had nothing but rave reviews about everything including how much everyone really enjoyed the dancing. The snake routine in the library was
Haida Raven Art
Enjoy a variety of art by fabulous local artists in all mediums curated for Creatively United. On display April 15 + 16 at Royal Bay Secondary and Saturday, April 23 from 1 – 5 pm at the Royal BC Museum.
Around Town Finding the Fun Side of Sin City
The Times Colonist attended a preview of Sin City the Improvised Serial and spoke with several cast members about the exciting Vegas 1961 setting, and the thrill of performing improvised theatre.
Kirsten Van Ritzen Returns For Another Round of Sin City
Actress/comedian Kirsten Van Ritzen discusses her acting career, passion for improv, and creating Sin City Live Improv Serial in Victoria with partner Ian Ferguson.
Victoria`s Filming Boom Benefits Locals
Times Colonist interviews Kirsten Van Ritzen about her acting roles in television movies filmed in Victoria in 2015.
Victoria Book Prize Finalists Annouced
Celebrating 13 years, the Victoria Book Prize Society is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2016 City of Victoria Butler Book Prize and the Bolen Books Children’s Book Prize.
Jazz Sextet Continues To Groove
She’s been at it for 35 years, but Toni Blodgett’s love of jazz continues to fuel her band’s unique blend of what she calls “more traditional” music.
What it really means is her group has access to a vast repertoire of jazz tunes and has develo
Eternal Husbands – French Exit
Montreal’s own Eternal Husbands have released their third album French Exit.
Within, the band has once again merged the ambiguous genres of pop, noise and shoegaze, resulting in their best work to date.
French Exit features soothing...
Deb Rhymer is dedicated to the blues
Deb Rhymer has worn numerous hats over the years, from Bette Midler impersonator to daycare operator. But the one that fits her best is blues booster.
Rhymer, a Victoria native, spends almost all her waking hours dedicated to blues, eith...
Ceramic sculptor Samantha Dickie
The ceramic sculpture of Samantha Dickie conveys both mystery and metaphor. The intriguing textural forms of her multi-component installations invite investigation. What are the structures made from? What do they contain? Why are some surfaces channelled,
New poet laureate hopes to give back to arts community
On Jan. 14, 2015, Thomas was announced as the fourth Youth Poet Laureate of Victoria by the Victoria City Council. In a press release made the following day, the City of Victoria announced that Thomas would assume the responsibility of “[inspiring] and
Local Highlights of Poetry Month Events
Lovers of art and poetry will converge at two creative events in April in celebration of Poetry Month. These ekphrastic events – ekphrastic meaning a conversation between two pieces of art – will take place at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria and t
Yvonne Blomer: the City's Poet
Yvonne was interviewed for the Sept/Oct 2015 issue of YAM magazine, where she discussed her role as Victoria’s Poet Laureate.
Summer & The Sinners � Can�t Keep a Good Girl Down
Let me preface this review by saying I’ve known Summer since she was barely out of her teens and coming out to sit in or jam at various venues I was playing at around Victoria BC. I’ve watched her career with great interest and she has ...
Trish Shwart's Factory and Fetishes
This is the Sleep Factory, Trish Shwart’s exhibition at Martin Batchelor Gallery that opened on November 7th, with a persuasive performance by the artist as a marketeer, and continues with a visual smorgasbord of parodies that explore the commodificatio
Send Us Your Climate Song for Paris!
Danton Jay and Heather Lynn's album, Decades After Paris, was the poster project highlighted to invite other artists to send their music to the United Nations.
Behind The Canvas: Michael Abraham
From http://artperspective.org Our profile series 'Behind the Canvas' this week with Canadian artist, Michael Abraham. We have been following Michael's work for more than a decade and he continues to evolve, playing with scale, texture and expanding fro
E-Choppers For Mobility
Bruce Dean’s story is one of inspiration and creativity.
After a skiing accident left his knees badly injured he was prescribed a mobility scooter to help him get around, something he personally viewed as “a death sentence.” He did...
The Castaways host Benefit
The Castaways host a Benefit Concert to raise money for the Grant Road Manor fire victims. It was a great success, they raised close to $800.00.
Testing Metal with Grant Truesdell of Unleash the Archers
On the evening of the band’s record release party at The Red Room, Factory Worker Media met with Unleash the Archers guitarist Grant Truesdell in the building’s old vault to discuss challenges to songwriting, community-building, and navigating the roi
No Liars @ Intrepid Theatre
Review of No Liars first show on June 7th 2015 from Tyson Edler of YYJ Rocktographers
Notes From JDF
Parts 1-5. An account of surfing in the Juan de Fuca (JDF) region on south Vancouver Island. No beaches are named in this book. With photos and contributions from Rivermouth Mike, James Murray, Danny Amato, and Bob Kemp, there is a special focus on the na
Start Your Weekend Off Right with Everybody Left
A review of Everybody Left's Season One (2009 - 13) compilation album.
Robert Wise: Obituary
WISE, Robert Allan Born March 30th 1949, Victoria, B.C. An ideas man, designer and sculptor, Bob died at home on October 22nd, 2010 with wife Valerie and dear friends Tom and Shelley Lietaer at his side. We asked our close friend Jane Wrigh...
SEPULTURA – 30TH Anniversary Tour (w/ Destruction, Arsis & more) Live Review and Photo Gallery
To understand the resurgent popularity of thrash metal among a new generation of fans one need look no further than Brazilian thrash stalwarts Sepultura.
Scattered Artists 2015 Tour
Saanich Scattered Artists tour giving back to the community and making it richer
Giving back to the community is a strong focus for the growing number of artists participating in the 12th Annual Scattered Artists S...
IN SEARCH OF THE SOURCE OF THE TALE: AN INTERVIEW WITH TUOMAS HOLOPAINEN OF NIGHTWISH
“You shouldn’t start telling a story if you don’t have a story to tell.” From his seat in the lunch room of Vancouver’s Orpheum Theatre, Tuomas Holopainen leans forward and speaks into the digital audio recorder resting on the coffee table in fr
Opening Doors for Artists
"As a writer, photographer and graphic design artist, I know how difficult it is to have a venue to showcase and sell my work. Also, there are not too many high salaries in the Arts field, and trying to make a decent income can be an uphill battle. Many p
How to Gather Family Stories
My great grandmother was a school teacher. She raised five children in small town Alberta. When she reached the point of near exhaustion, she would grab a book and a blanket. Then she’d tell her husband she needed a break and she’d disa...
PHOTO GALLERY: WACKEN METAL BATTLE, VANCOUVER – FINAL ROUND
Top-notch performances from all five bands at the Rickshaw Theatre for the final BC round of Wacken Metal Battle 2015 on Friday. The winners of Vancouver’s first four qualifying rounds (Bushwhacker, Unbeheld, Medevil, and Resurgence) performed along wit
Artist’s work dazzles, yet capital doesn’t see the light
In his basement bachelor suite, Lyle Schultz makes visually striking, confident and entirely personal paintings. He has the determination to make a living at it, operating outside the system. Upcoming for Schultz are shows at Lady Marmalade café, Metchos
Orit Shimoni Bitter is the New Sweet
With her fifth album release on April 1 and Western Canadian tour dates throughout April, Orit Shimoni’s Bitter is the New Sweet opens up an exciting new chapter in the life of one Canada’s most brilliant and lyrically impactful vocalis...
Pj Kelly ~ 'Frontier' : Review by Debora Alanna
Review by Debora Alanna:
Pj Kelly's current show, 'Frontier' @Polychrome Fine Arts gallery - Victoria BC
The Birthday Party Paintings
The Birthday Party Paintings by Christine Clark reviewed by Debora Alanna
‘The Birthday Party Paintings' ~ 3-19 October 2014
Xchanges Gallery
“Oscillatio”
Review of “Oscillatio” exhibit by Sarah Cowan and Connie Michele Morey at xChanges gallery.
Aztec Releases The Best Indie Rock Album Of The Year With Stitches
Aztec Releases The Best Indie Rock Album Of The Year With Stitches
Live Review: Sleep and Black Wizard
Sleep and Black Wizard, Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver February 7th 2015
While there has been much to enjoy with the spate of band reunions in recent years, (how many fans have had the renewed opportunity to witness performances by Carcas...
Maureen at Christmas
It was a windy and wet Thursday night at Habit Coffee & Culture on Yates Street at the Atrium in downtown Victoria when we spoke with the lovely Maureen Washington – Jazz singer, mom of five, vocal coach, and mentor.
CD Review for Still Blue
CD Review for Still Blue
Mr. Johnson jumped into view as a nominee for Guitarist of the Year in 2006. This Victoria-based bluesman jammed onstage after the Awards Show and left behind a couple of impressive CDs. This new one is even...
Still Blue CD Review
Bill Johnson contributes eight originals to his Still Blue, each one a fine example of a contemporary blues song, not merely a retread of a familiar 12 bar theme, and each sung in his evocative voice. The variety of approaches, from the sne...
Press reviews
Bluegrass fans were treated to a lively and fun evening Friday night, Nov. 4, at Char's Landing.
Bluegrass Fever tore through an eclectic repertoire, consisting of traditional American tunes like Sweet Sally Brown and Fly Around My Prett...
Roy Vizer from Jon & Roy – Interview
Victoria locals Jon and Roy have released a new album entitled Let It Go, which is a subtle departure from their previous and wildly successful album Homes. I spoke with Roy Vizer (drums/percussion) about the new album, the road, and what life at home in
Six Degrees of Separation: A New Generation of Canadian Artists @ Claire Oliver Gallery
Six Degrees of Separation: A New Generation of Canadian Artists
Curated by Noah Becker
Claire Oliver Gallery
513 West 26th Street
New York, NY 10001
October 14 through November 13, 2010
Over the course of the last decade, the glob...
GWAR Eternal: Blothar and Vulvatron on Oderus Urungus and the Persistence of GWAR
Interview with Vulvatron, Blothar, and Pustulus Maximus in Vancouver for GWAR: Eternal tour.
Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra charm hometown crowd
Victoria’s Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra recently played Upstairs Cabaret here in their hometown of Victoria with locals Compassion Gorilla and Carousels opening up. There was a strong sense of community and no shortage of dancing at the ...
Ravenous. Carollyne Yardley and Rande Cook at Alcheringa Gallery
Language evolves according to circumstance. Using terms like Indian, aboriginal, native, indigenous or First Nations is full of potential pitfalls. Writers must be careful to use the currently acceptable vocabulary. It’s important to be b...
Sauce Restaurant closes doors for final time in downtown Victoria
Sauce Restaurant and Lounge, a once-popular downtown Victoria eatery at the corner of Yates and Wharf streets that has struggled as of late, closed its doors for good Wednesday morning.
Sauce management let the news out via social media ...
Interview with BLACKWOOD KINGS
Blackwood Kings are one of the newer bands to emerge from Vancouver Island's ska and reggae scene, but these boys are bringing a whole new groove to the island. Their sound is hard to pin, but something totally all their own. We got a chance to talk wi
Album Review: The Drastics - Waiting
The Drastics are an amazing band to see live! While as a live band they usually count on improvisation to really nail the live experience, this album stands up to their live performance, if not makes it stronger.
Album Review: 10ft Ganja Plant - Shake up the Place
10 Ft. Ganja Plant Have already earned the reputation for making some of today's best reggae beats as well as having stellar production, and this album carries on that tradition.
LiveVan Review - Kill The Elite Tour (Kataklysm, Aborted, Archspire and Death Toll Rising at the Rickshaw Theatre)
The ‘Kill the Elite’ tour has been mercilessly trampling its way across North America, and with tonight’s show including Vancouver’s newest international extreme metal export Archspire and being headlined by Canadian legends Katakly...
Carcass at The Commodore Ballroom
It’s been six long years since Carcass were last in Western Canada, and in the months since the Decibel Tour was announced, an electric atmosphere of anticipation has grown to a fever pitch for tonight’s show. This is shown from the ear...
Collector starts own label to help preserve rare recordings
Jason Flower’s fantastical journey in music has taken him to some faraway places.
Poland, India, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland. All the while, Flower kept tabs on music being produced at home and abroad, which resulted in the creation of Suprem
Album Review: The Beatdown - Walkin' Proud
The Beatdown
Walkin' Proud
CD - LP
Stomp Records - STMP099
The Beatdown have become masters of their craft! Their 2010 debut album saw the group carry on the work put down with One Night Band and carried into into garage rock terri...
Album Review: Sticky Fingers - Caress Your Soul
This sounds like the clash between the end of the two-tone era with the sharp sounds of The Jam, The Clash, and the reggae influence from groups like Katchafire and 10FT Ganja Plant. The production is pretty smooth and really makes the album an above a
Thousands of dollars of musical equipment stolen from Vancouver practice facility
Over 19 guitars and plenty of other musical equipment has been stolen from a number of Vancouver punk bands.
“They used a crowbar and pushed through to force the door open,” said Billy Bones of Vicious Cycles, one of the bands who practiced in Gour
Toxic Holocaust at Biltmore Cabaret Live Review!
Live Review from Toxic Holocaust, Mammoth Grinder, Ramming Speed and Ogroem at the Biltmore Cabaret - 23/01/14
Fleshgod Apocalypse, Krisiun and Kataklysm, 13th January 2014 The Underworld
With the Christmas and New Year festivities well and truly over it’s time to shake off the January blues and for our first gig of the year we are once again heading off to The Underworld in Camden. On tonight’s bill there are death metal acts from thr
JP Maurice on CBC Music
BIOGRAPHICAL INFO
A pro boxer will tell you that success in the ring hinges on the
belief in your own abilities. Belief which endures a pounding heart or
a weakened knee. Belief in oneself even after being knocked down to
the canvas o...
KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES: SHARON JONES AND THE DAP-KINGS RETURN
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings release new record, "Give the People What They Want". The release date was scheduled for the passed summer, but was pushed later due to the diagnoses of Sharon Jones's Stage II pancreatic cancer. After undergoing treatment,
Cheap Trick, 'Dream Police' ('Guitar Center Sessions'): Exclusive Video Premiere
Cheap Trick proves endless talent performing on "Guitar Center Sessions" season finale.
The unrivaled band shows no signs of slowing down as they amaze the crowd with their classic, high-charting song, "Dream Police".
The group recently toured th
Soprano’s Bar shuts down but don’t count out karaoke
Soprano’s Bar, Victoria’s only live karaoke joint and notorious dive bar, has closed its doors for good, going out with a bang on New Year’s Eve.
A message posted on the bar’s Facebook page on Dec. 31 served as the official annou...
Album of the Month: December, 2013
We've been gone for some time, but we're back and ready with a review of a great ska record!
Album of the Month: July, 2013
Each month we pick one record to hold the title of "Album of the Month." This month we take a look at Early Reggae by The Revivers.
Recap of Victoria's 14th Annual Ska Festival
It is with a smile that we close the book on the 14th chapter of the Victoria Ska Festival. This entry is a look back on what made this year so special, and what we hope to build on in the future.
Ska Fest 2013 Playlists
With another year of amazing shows and musicians, so too is it another year of summer playlists to play in the car, at work, and wherever you go. We've put together a list of our playlists for our 2013 festival.
Ska Fest Memories #1
We've had plenty of awesome bands come through our festival, and here are just a few memories from some of the artists we've had come by.
How did D'Arcy ska?
In the "How did blank ska?" feature, we'll get into just how our organizing team got into ska and reggae music. This first edition features our merchandise coordinator, D'Arcy Briggs
Interview with Marcus Geard and Glen Pine of THE SLACKERS
This interview also appears in issue #51 of Absolute Underground.
New York’s The Slackers have been combining ska, dub, reggae, and rock n’ roll for over 20 years. The Hellcat Re
Interview with Chris Demakes of LESS THAN JAKE
For people who don’t know much about your band, you were on a major label for a while, Capitol Records, right?&a&l
Interview with Ryland Steen of REEL BIG FISH
Welcome to Victoria. Have you ever been here before? If not, what are your first impressions?
Ryland “Rabbit” Steen: This is my first time ever being here, and I think it’s the band’s firs
Top 10 Albums of 2012
2012 was a great year for ska and reggae music. We've produced a list of what we feel are the top 10 albums that were the best of the genre in 2012.
whitehot | March 2009, The Ministry of Casual Living
In 2002, Dave Gifford and Stephen Nguyen found themselves in the not uncommon position of being art-school students with no place to live. While many would simply resign themselves to a period of complaisant couch-surfing, Gifford and Nguyen took their ho
Interview with Rocky Mountain Rebel Music
Interview with RMRM done in October, 2012 by D'Arcy Briggs
Ska Fest: So first off, RMRM have become known as one of the region's best ska, reggae, and party bands. What were some of the original ideas behind the group and how would yo...
Interview with The Delirians
Interview with The Delirians done in June, 2012 by D'Arcy Briggs
Ska Fest: When and where did you guys meet? When did you decide to form the band?
Delirians: Most of us, like many other bands, grew up in the punk rock scene, ...
Interview with Dope Soda
Interview with Dope Soda was done in June, 2012 by D'Arcy Briggs
Ska Fest: When and where do you guys meet? When did you decide to form the band?
Dope Soda: Well Dope Soda was a project I have been wanting to do for a v...
Interview with Heads Hang Heavy
Interview with HHH was done in June, 2012 by D'Arcy Briggs
Ska Fest: When and where do you guys meet? When did you decide to form the band?
HHH: We all met through playing in other projects together. For example, our drummer, Pher, and Ch...
Old Man Markley: “We’re punk rockers playing bluegrass!"
On July 2nd I had the pleasure to interview Old Man Markley on tour with NOFX, & Teenage Bottle Rocket. With their hard work ethics they deserve every opportunity that comes their way. With their high-energy stage presence they give you a t...
Thoughts of Phil Anselemo
On a laconic Friday afternoon, Absolute Underground gathered to quiz an icon - Phillip H. Anselmo. He is one of the few stars who have remained 'underground' while courting success with top-sellers Pantera and Down. Through smaller projects such as Superj
Hank III “You Play Your Show & You Say Hello”
June 19th we set out on a mission to interview Hank III at his sold out show at The Venue, Vancouver BC. We managed to get a hold of him after the show where we went back to his bus for the interview. My tape recorder wasn’t working and S...
The Spitfires, Battle Snakes & The Jolts @ The Media Club June 19th
The Spitfires, Battle Snakes & The Jolts @ The Media Club June 19th
By: Denis Maile
On this night of rock n roll The Jolts opened the show because their bassist was busy eating poutine. To make up for this The Jolts had not 1, but 3 dif...
The Wrecktals – Speaking their mind from time to time.
The Wrecktals – Speaking their mind from time to time.
An interview with bassist Christoph Leon
by Denis Maile of The Skinny
DM: How did you come up with the band name?
CL: As a reminder to never take ourselves too seriously, re...
A Seven Inch Mixdown - Myelin Sheaths, Cosmetics, La Corde, The Orpheans
A Seven Inch Mixdown by Rene Milord:
First up is an Albertan band called MYELIN SHEATHS with a disjointed, noisy, poppy, post-punk EP. It’s kind of sloppy, perhaps better live? Hozac Records 047 (at Pat’s Pub, May 6)
Next up ...
Anion Tape Review
Find someone who thinks tapes aren’t cool and I’ll shove my Sony Walkman up his bum. Tapes are still rad and this Anion tape is no different. It’s red in colour and resembling the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles soundtrack cassette tape ...
Little Guitar Army show review
Blue Oyster Cult appeared at the PNE years back and gifted their audience with a towering fury of ten guitars driving their howling classic,”Godzilla”. The overpowering glory of their stringed abundance ground itself into the memory of...
MOTORAMA
I entered Pat's Pub on Friday March 12th in the year of our lord 2010 to experience Motorama for the first time. There were three bands in the evening and Motorama opened. When I say opened, I mean OPENED. This power trio of punk dug int...
Scatterheart w/ Bike and Los Furios
Scatterheart w/ Bike and Los Furios @ The Commodore Saturday March 27 2010
Love: A deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward another, such as that arising from kinship, recognition of attractive qualities, or a s...
Stolen Organ Family Band - ALBUM REVIEW
The Stolen Organ Family Band
Horse Treats (Indie)
It pays to have an open mind in this business of writing about music and putting it to press, especi...
Things Are Getting Hairy: Bison BC prepares for Dark Ages
“We weren’t necessarily going for an animal name,” Bison BC co-guitarist/ co-vocalist James Farwell tells me when I ask about the name Bison. “We’d tossed around these Godawful made up words - ‘what looks good in a good metal fo...
Glorywhore Finds the Beauty in Sleaze.
Glorywhore is a great name, and when playing with HookerPop, it's awesome. In the first week of the New Year, I went to the Princeton to check out Glorywhore. What I got was a petite Suicide Girl, Maiwan, with her incredible scratchy growl ...
Black Wizard Album Review
Black Wizard
s/t
Vancouver's music scene seems to be traditionally known for two things: drugs and hard rock. Despite the critical pitfalls of these influences, the city has a habit of inexplicably turning out the most palatable and au...
Pointed Sticks Day!
December 19th was officially Pointed Sticks Day in East Vancouver.
The release party for the band’s return album on Northern Electric, Three Lefts Make A Right was a buzz event, rockin’ the house with 2 Shows at the fabulous Rio Thea...
Covering the Covers
The Manglers and The Engimas at the Bourbon, January 8th
The Sick Sick Sicks, Gnash Rambler, Little Guitar Army at The Railway, January 10th
By Allan MacInnis
Nothing like a good cover tune to make a great live show even better. Case i...
Mad Caddies with guests the Johnstones and Party at the Moontower
November 4th, Venue, Vancouver
Strolling down Granville Street to Venue, I couldn’t help but notice the somewhat historic 50-foot “Plaza” sign still hanging outside the newly renovated room. That sign was a beacon of nostalgia...
Propagandhi with the Rebel Spell and Cambridge
October 27th 2009, the Rickshaw
After braving the absurd line-up of punks with little choice but to chain smoke furiously in an attempt to keep warm, I finally made it inside the Rickshaw Theatre---after an hour and a half. I guess...
Two shows, one night.
Two shows, one night.
By: denis maile
I shouldn’t write this review. I didn’t know it was going to happen. I didn’t plan on hitting two shows, I didn’t plan on writing about my night, and I didn’t even plan on getting drunk. ...
Bison BC: Wendigo 2010
Bison members I spoke to agree that the closure of The Cobalt would (or is it will?) be a “huge blow” for the Vancouver music scene. “Bison has played The Cobalt probably about five times,” guitarist/ vocalist James Farwell tells me...
Thee Manipulators
Thee Manipulators
The morning after I first saw local 5 piece garage rock band Thee
Manipulators I woke up with two maracas in my bed and a lot more pins
on my jacket. Strangely, I had acquired a pin of an intoxicated/hungry looking fe...
GWAR – Oderus Urungus Does Not Smoke Crack Well With Others
GWAR – Oderus Urungus Does Not Smoke Crack Well With Others
Oderus Urungus is not the sort of intergalactic barbarian warlord who minces his words. I spoke with the leader of GWAR recently, and between copious puffs on his crack pipe,...
Dr Joey Only is in the house
Dr Joey Only is in the house
Vancouver’s genuine adventurous punk rock country boy and underdog, our Stompin’ Tom and Hank Williams rolled into one, had to be interviewed. It wasn’t death threats to us really but a message he left on...
Nervous Fellas with Deadcats and Swank
Nervous Fellas with Deadcats and Swank
June 20th, The Rickshaw Theatre
By Allan MacInnis
I remember witnessing a leather-jacketed rocker viciously take to pummelling a much smaller, dreadlocked kid at a Reverend Horton Heat show a few...
Minto CD Review
Lay it On Me
Self-distributed
Waa-BOOM! With an album title ripped from frontman Ryan Hoben’s muscleman tattoos, indiefolkrocksters Minto punch it open with sludgy dirge, “New Bones” – formerly a chooglin’ alt-country number i...
Cracker
Cracker
Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey
429 Records
Since the early 1990s, and most famously with 1993’s platinum selling Kerosene Hat, Cracker has been providing an interesting take on contemporary alternative country (think ...
Corbin Murdoch and the Nautical Miles
Corbin Murdoch and the Nautical Miles
Wartime Love Song
Steeped in sweet melancholy and lyrical charm, Wartime Love Song, the second album by Corbin Murdoch and the Nautical Miles, enchants its listeners with an extended-concept love so...
Vancouver Youth Comes of Age
IGNITE X
Toast Of The Town at The Wise Hall
May 20th 2009
Tonight The Wise Hall looks like something out of an Elvis Presley movie: the young crowd in fancy dress appropriate to 50’s dancehall goers, as the best youth talent Vancouve...
Unknown Soldiers (Doors Tribute)
When the band hit the stage I had to catch my breath. The resemblance between Pete Bowman and Jim Morrison is rather scary. It isn’t only visual, but vocal! You could really believe you were at a Doors gig. Bowman is a rare performer, he ...
Rough It Up by One Drop
Sadly, this is One Drop’s final album. There’s worse news, too. One Drop has kicked the can for the last time. Yeah, the band has disbanded after a six year experience. Hopefully they’ll get back together sooner or later, as this five...
Osmose musicale - Review of One Drop's To Hell in a Band Casket
'A must-have for anyone looking for a good time.
You're gonna shake your rump on the stompiest sounds
around! Lots of styles, well done, raw sound... Will
find a place within the collection (and hearth) of
people supporting self-produced bands. The ar
Sun Wizard, Adelaide, MINTO and The Stumblers Inn
The Railway Club, May 15th, 2009
The signature choo choo train circled the ceiling of the Railway Club as Sun Wizard took the stage on May 15th. The first of four Vancouver bands, Sun Wizard warmed up the crowd in their third performanc...
In Your Facefest!
Well, it’s that time of year again: Faceplant Studios will be holding their 14th annual showcase June 6th at the Railway Club. With a thirty band line-up assembled from the community of a rehearsal/recording studio the show is eclectic ...
Marble Rye CD release party Friday May 8th
Marble Rye CD release party Friday May 8th
w/ The Matinee and Analog Bell Service
The Railway is a decent room to watch a few amazing local bands tear it up. Even with a totally irrational layout that makes it appear packed to the gil...
White Lung/Abe Vigoda/Vivian Girls
White Lung/Abe Vigoda/Vivian Girls
Biltmore Cabaret
April 29th 2009
One unassuming day last summer, I went to the Astoria to see a girl band that was on a label I really love – In The Red. They were called the Vivian Girls, and they ...
It Ain’t Easy Being Subhuman
The venue shift for the Subhumans May 15th gig - from the Anza to the Ukrainian Hall (805 E. Pender) - returns the band to the scene of the famed 1979 Rock Against Prisons benefit, which also included Tunnel Canary, AKA, the female-fronted ...
Cannibal Corpse/The Faceless/Neuraxis/Obscura
April 10th, 2009
Cannibal Corpse/The Faceless/Neuraxis/Obscura
Croatian Cultural Center
By Marcell Fraser
Easter Weekend: there could be no more appropriate time to witness a death metal show such as this, and the more than solid bill...
The Bronx/ A Textbook Tragedy/ Battle Snakes @ Richard’s on Richards
The Bronx/ A Textbook Tragedy/ Battle Snakes @ Richard’s on Richards
April 1st 09
By: Denis Maile
My night began with me trying to scalp my ticket out front of Richard’s. I had only just found out that day that I would be on the g...
Paul McKenzie Interview Part 2
Paul McKenzie Interview Part 2
CJ: The band formed in 1992. How was starting a punk project in the high-age of grunge music?
Paul: I could bend your ear for an hour with a question like that. We knew some bands in Seattle that would set...
Nomeansno at the Royale Banquet Hall
Nomeansno at the Royale Banquet Hall
April 3rd By Allan MacInnis
Tom Holliston of Nomeansno is a baseball fan, so it was fortunate for him that the band’s recent Japanese tour - only their second in their 30 year history - took plac...
Minto Climbs Olympus
Minto Climbs Olympus by Matt Hagarty
It's any young band's dream to record an album with such a marquee name as Steve Albini's. Recording with the famed sound engineer/pundit responsible for output from Nirvana, Superchunk, The Stooges,...
Bison BC Tour into Europe
From Feb 26th to Mar 21st Bison BC toured Europe. They hit eleven different countries in twenty-four days and played a show every night. I’ve heard somewhere that Europeans love metal so I’m sure it was a crazy good time, and did great ...
Agent Orange
Agent Orange, China Creeps, Life Against Death, Plus Perfect
The Cobalt, Sun Feb 22nd
It’s not very hard to be the hot ticket on a Sunday night, and when Agent Orange was in town what would you rather be doing? Watching some ‘Simp...
Bel Riose
Rah Rah, Library Voices, Bel Riose & Bash Brothers
The Railway Club
Wednesday, February 18 2009
I’m glad I took the night off work this last Wednesday for a little Bel Riose eardrum shakeup at the Railway. In the process I discov...
Cthulhupalooza Promo
Wreaking havoc on the Vancouver scene for more than a decade, The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets never fail to come up with strange and exhilarating new ways to reach out and clutch their victims. Staying true to their uniquely horrid app...
The Final Show Vonnegut Dollhouse
Thursday, November 13 at Honey Lounge
The crystal chandeliers and velvet couches of Honey Lounge are the perfect backdrop for an eclectic band like Vonnegut Dollhouse. Formed two years ago by keyboardist James Ford and vocalist/guitar...
Sex With Strangers/ Parlour Steps/ Call The City / Streetlight
Nearly Famous Music Festival
Friday, November 14 @ Railway Club
This night had a definite New Wave feel to it. A draft choice of late 70's and early 80's influences was bandied about. Streetlight, a four piece of bass, drums, keyboard...
Wantmonster – Bruised and boozed.
INTERVIEW
Wantmonster are straight off the hard streets of Nelson B.C. Ok, the streets there aren’t very hard, unless you’re afraid of hippies with giant dreads that look like matted down stinky beaver tails, and who isn’t? Wantmon...
THE BICYCLES – OH NO, IT’S LOVE! Fuzzy Logic
CD REVIEW
The Bicycles’ Oh No, It’s Love is not the kind of record that warrants a large, wordy review filled with pretentious journalistic nit-picking. The fact of the matter is simple: Oh No, It’s Love is filled to the rim with h...
Nearly Famous Music Festival at the Red Room and the Royal Unicorn Cabaret,
Saturday November 15th 2008
What was supposed to be a review of one show has been altered by restless feet and a desire to see a couple of shows if possible in one night. Canucklehead punk veterans SNFU pinned the audience to the mat at...
On the road with Cambridge
Cambridge has been prominent in the Vancouver punk scene since late 2005. Tour is nothing new to them; this is their second cross-Canada run. The first one went quite well up until a breakdown in Brandon, Manitoba caused them to miss some s...
Fake Shark Real Zombie
Fake Shark Real Zombie at Biltmore Thursday October 16
I missed opener The Green Hour to attend the fundraiser at Pub 340 for the guys in The Hotel Lobbyists. A tragedy of that scope has not hit the Vancouver scene in many years and the ...
Bison BC- Quiet Earth
Metal Blade Records
Bison is the most hyped band in Vancouver right now. Sometimes hype can be a tough thing to deal with, but these fuckers keep coming through every time. Every show is better than the next, so every album is obviously ...
ELDORADO Suitcase
Redcat Records
Some say country-rock died with Gram Parsons premature passing in 1973, casual fans say it’s when the Eagles sold-out and recorded Hotel California, but almost everyone can agree that just as quickly as it came – it w...
BISON: Locking Horns with Blades of Metal
Over a pitcher of Molson Canadian at the Princeton Pub, while a startlingly able roots-rock ensemble hosts the open stage night behind our table, we ask Bison’s vocalist-guitarist James Farwell how he feels about his band’s recent signi...
Get Lucky with Tom Holliston!
I’ve always thought that someone should rhyme “Erik Estrada” with “vagina dentata” in a song, and it occurred to me, when I came late and awestruck to the solo output of songwriter and Nomeansno/Hanson Brothers guitarist Tom Holli...
TV on the Radio
I’ve heard from numerous sources that the dance floor at the Commodore is supported by a layer of tennis balls, but I’ve never had cause to believe it until TV on the Radio unknowingly put this hearsay to the test. During a visceral tak...
White Lung/Crystal Antlers/Fucked Up
White Lung/Crystal Antlers/Fucked Up @ Richard’s on Richards September 7th 2008
The sparse crowd was bewitched by the androgynous shrieking of White Lung’s Mish. As our ears would testify, there may have been no sound check and we we...
The Clips - Matterhorn
Unfamiliar Records.
The scene has been hit by the sharp sounds of a new five piece: The Clips. The debut album Matterhorn is made of raw, electric energy mingling among melodies. Lyrically, the album is freeform, created strictly from wh...
Red Hot Lovers – s/t
The Red Hot Lovers had their cd release party and last show ever on the same night. Talk about rock stars. I would be worried about doing that based on the fact that you might end up with a box of cds in your closet. Hopefully this doesn’...
Interview with Big John Bates.
1. Hi John. First off, can you introduce yourself, your band and dancers?
You can call me John - I play a big Gretsch guitar and do the main vocals - I also do most of the songwriting. The band really began when sCare-oline (upright...
Interview with Dusty from the Hits
We have lots to talk about because The Hits have been one busy band. First off, can you introduce yourself and the band and their instruments. Why no bass?
Alright, well, I am Dusty and I hit stuff really hard and sing a bit, Lou Slips...
Dichotomy/The New Values/B-Lines/Defektors
August 14, 2008
Honey Lounge
I was shocked at how many people filled Honey Lounge to see the B-lines and the Defektors off on their tour of the West Coast, especially since the club is usually reserved for dancing college kids. The nig...
Beck
Perhaps more so than any other artist of his generation, Beck is a master of mutation, reinventing himself with each tour and album. Recent Beck tours have featured lavish, gimmicky stage shows, including life-size marionettes and kitchen t...
What Swank Did on Their Summer Vacation.
Swank sashayed out of Van this summer. How many gigs in how many nights?
6 gigs in 6 sweaty nights! It was like a military operation, but with booze.
Name clubs and the bands that you played with.
The Grateful Fed, Kelowna, The S...
THE BLACK HALOS We Are Not Alone
THE BLACK HALOS
We Are Not Alone
Acetate
God bless Billy Hopeless & the Halos. They’ve earned their entry into that category that bands like Motörhead, AC/DC, & The Ramones (the Holy Trinity of Rock) fit into – you always know wh...
Go Ghetto/Bike/Scatterheart/H.B @ The Railway, Saturday July 5th
Yowza! Saturday night was a melting pot of birthdays, friends, and 4 of Vancouver’s finest bands all under one small jam-packed roof. Getting over the ridiculous layout of The Railway takes some time getting used to if you’re not a regu...
Vancougar - “Canadian Tuxedo” CD/LP release party
w/ The Tranzmitors / Master Apes / Los Tycoons
The Biltmore Cabaret
July 11th, 2008
Mmmm! The Biltmore, with its refurbished red booths, red lights, cavernous mystery – once the most depressing waste of space in Mt. Pleasant, it is...
Jonathan Richman
Richards on Richards, July 2
As someone far more familiar with the Modern Lovers than Jonathan Richman’s solo output, I had little idea what to anticipate from his show. All I know is that it took place on my birthday, and Mr. Richman ...
LAND- Self Titled
It's a rare occasion when an album captures me with such force on the first listen and keeps me rapt until the closing note, but this one takes the prize. In fact this is one of the best albums i have ever heard. Rob Nicholls and Galen Rigt...
The Rebel Spell and the Subhumans- Political Punks Unite for a Cause
When I last interviewed Vancouver punks the Rebel Spell, I was surprised to discover that, long before the band had formed, their singer and principal lyricist Todd Serious knew the Subhumans’ Gerry Hannah. Stepha and Todd were living in ...
Rich Aucoin – The Peanut Gallery
Fri Jun 20th, 2008
I played an acoustic show with Rich last summer at Hoko’s on an invitation from Ryan of Collapsing Opposites. Rich was touring on his bicycle from his hometown of Halifax to raise money for the Childhood Cancer Founda...
CHINA CREEPS
For any of you fiends who've been dwelling inside rocket-proof domes until recently, the China Creeps -who are Neil on bass, Baxter on guitar, Matt on vocals and Dave on drums - are one of the leading (of what is becoming a tradition of) gr...
Japandroids – Lullaby Death Jams – Independent
The Japandroids are a two piece guitar wailing, drum pounding, singing machine, (do droids get angry when you call them machines?) and ‘Lullaby Death Jams’ is their recipe for a good time. It’s made up of five interestingly good track...
The Restarts, Fear of Tomorrow, The Rebel Spell, System Shit and Spectres
The Sweatshop, June 22nd
I walked into the dimly-lit Sweatshop to catch the tail end of System Shit’s wonderfully sloppy set. Who would have thought that a punk gig would start at 7pm? Fear of Tomorrow hit the stage and began to sonica...
Scatterheart: Redefining the Rainbow
There aren’t a lot of modern rock bands running around spouting an ethos of love, harmony and goodwill toward one other. In a market where the gloomy, aggressive or just plain aloof is king, you wouldn't think these kinds of happy cuddly ...
The Pack AD / Cadaver Dogs / The TVees / Valerie Graham
The Pack AD / Cadaver Dogs / The TVees / Valerie Graham
ANZA Club
June 20th, 2008
Dave Bertrand
So we swagger in with our free stamps and I'm feelin' good – old friends in the house, old friends at the bar, fist of beer; I enjoy the...
The Upsidedown / The Dandy Warhols
Dick's On Dicks, Wed.June.18th
With the 2008 Vancouver International Jazz Fest getting under way, the illustrious Commodore Ballroom is pretty well taken for a month or so solid at this time every year. As such, I was not so much surpris...
MUSIC WASTE 2008:
Pub 340 - June 5th, 2008
MUSIC WASTE 2008:
The B-Lines / Dead Ghosts / Get Well Bomb / The TVees
Pub 340 - June 5th, 2008
Dave Bertrand
For the first time in many moons, I really made the effort to make it out on time for the openi...
Swank – Campfire Psalm CD Release
Friday June 6, 2008 @ the Railway Club
Expectations were running high for this CD release. Swank’s epic new CD/Karaoke DVD release Campfire Psalms has been greeted with banner press all around. Punters filled the Rail early, imbibing...
Hawaiian Bibles / Land / Owl Drugs / Mohawk Lodge @ The Astoria
Music Waste 2008
Jesus fucking CHRIST!!! This city is a veritable loot-bag of musical talent, and it becomes more apparent to me every time I get my ass out to see some live music that there's much more going on under my nose than I thou...
Hawaiian Bibles / Ford Pier / Bel Riose / Invasives
ANZA Club - Sat.May.24th
I was in a bit of a funk as I made my way down to the ANZA club, already half-cut and looking to have my shit saved by some good ‘ol rock and roll. And with tonight’s amazing lineup, I was sure to have the ...
Stand Down C.D. Release Party
The Glim Project / Incura / Stand Down / Hezzakya
Stand Down C.D. Release Party
The Penthouse, Fri. May 9th
Edward Dinsley
I hate being the reviewer who turns up late to a show and all but misses the opening act. Unfortunately, I was...
BLACK MOUNTAIN CD Review
BLACK MOUNTAIN
In The Future
Jagjaguwar
When I hear Stephen McBean’s slowly-picked A-minor guitar intro for “Stormy High,” I’m almost tricked into thinking it’s a cover of “Hell’s Bells,” but then the swing-time Black...
As I Lay Dying / Misery Signals / August Burns Red / Evergreen Terrace
As I Lay Dying / Misery Signals / August Burns Red / Evergreen Terrace
Croatian Cultural Centre, Tuesday April 29th
Until this impeccably brutal show, I believed the Croatian Cultural Centre was to be avoided at all costs, but the na...
In the House with CADENCE WEAPON (and his Fridge Full of Condiments)
I'm a white rocker, born of Abbotsford. All through high school I associated rap music with delinquents farting bass out of Honda Civics and punching people. But time passed, and at SXSW in Austin this past March, I stumble upon the Canadia...
Last Plague / Hezzakya / Simian Rue
Royal Unicorn Cabaret
April 25th, 2008
A pointless evening, overall; I came for Black Betty – Black Betty did not come! Ana was sick. They were replaced by the comparable, admirable Hezzakya, with huge double-stacks of amps-amps-amps ...
“Fergot Mu' Biscuits:” On the Deathstar Tour with The Pack A.D. (Part One!)
These gals...crazy. Vancouver to Toronto for a single gig. Fly home. Immediately pack the tour van. Cross the border at night. Drive 15 hours to a poorly attended Monday night show in Denver. Who does that? The Pack A.D., mofo, that's who....
The Jolts Interview
Who are you?
Joey Blitzkrieg: Vocals and guitar
Dr. Dylan Danger: Guitar
Lector Kurrentz: Bass
Matt Von Dander: Drums
Mikey Screwdriver is our roadie, mediator and leads a double life as the Death Rider.
Dwight Lightning does all ...
Derek Miller CD Review
Derek Miller
The Dirty Looks
Arbor
I try to balance the good and bad in my reviews, even if I'm not into the style. I don't like saying it, but the sophomore album from Ontario's Derek Miller thoroughly sucks. It sounds like a bar band...
AGING YOUTH GANG
There were moments of giddy transcendence a few weeks back when this very magazine held its official Launch Party featuring a host of Vancouver talent, among them a long-standing (but largely overlooked punk band) named Aging Youth Gang, wh...
PARLOUR STEPS: Nothing Ambiguous about Determination
It always does me proud to discover a local band making quality music that's true to the landscape of this varied terrain. Rocky, cool, stormy, eclectic, thoughtful and laid back, these words only begin to describe the Parlour Steps sound. ...
BISON HAVE HORNS
For those unknowing, Bison are Vancouver’s currently-reigning champions of The Riff, trafficking in mercilessly heavy, sludgy, and addictive sonic terror. Think discarded beer cans peppered with shotgun holes, full-size back-patches, pall...
CROP CIRCLE: Maintaining the Mystery
Crop Circle may have taken their name from the controversial 70’s phenomenon, but they have also managed to contribute to a more recent enigma: the earworm. Traditionally, this little beastie takes the form of a trite pop song (think Ms. ...
Camille Miller CD Review
Camille Miller
Somewhere Near the Truth
Independent
Camille Miller’s voice is the centerpiece of this recording. A finely honed instrument that's passionate, soulful, and downright riveting, without being overbearing. Camille's song...
THE HOTEL LOBBYISTS
Eazy-E, Bone Thugs, Big Tymers, you name it: the bitches-n-money ghetto-rap is slamming the minute I crack the door. Jordie Dammet, bassist for bar-rock goodboys The Hotel Lobbyists (and sideman for country boozer, Shiloh Lindsey), is boot-...
The Rebel Spell
The Cobalt
Feb 29th, 2008
If Vancouver were a jungle and we were all chimps, Todd Serious and Chris Rebel would have their own separate little bands. Chris’ pack would be more violent and smaller, and would conduct raids into Todd’s...
THE BUTTLESS CHAPS: A Decade of Rooteus Maximus
In the ever-changing world of indie-rock, be it Vancouver or elsewhere, it’s a respectable feat to maintain a working band for ten years…and the Buttless Chaps have been doing just that, with no signs of wearing out or slowing down. Cor...
Cadence Weapon: Afterparty Babies CD Review
Cadence Weapon
Afterparty Babies
Big Dada
4/5
Canada doesn't produce a whole lot of hip-hop in general, let alone the sterile mall haven of Edmonton. As such, the sophomore album from Rollie Pemberton (aka Cadence Weapon) is going to ...
BLACK MOUNTAIN: In the Future In the Now
“Fucking Amazing,” says drummer Joshua Wells about Black Mountain’s current North American tour. “This is the best tour I’ve ever been on. It’s been unbelievable at times! We’ve played a few places we’ve never been before…...
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Utilizing music & the other performing arts for social good
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