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Articles - Podcasts

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Articles - Podcasts

Valley unveils recent releases during North American tour

Valley brought their ‘Water the Flowers, Pray for a Garden’ tour to The Ale House on November 7

Rain or shine, Kingston’s Skeleton Park Arts Festival was a roaring success

JUNO Award-winning band, Kobo Town makes a return to Kingston

Comeback Kid comes back to Kingston

Two years after their Kingston debut, Comeback Kid returns to headline own show at The Broom Factory.

Nirvana in Victoria–the show (almost) no one saw

Bats in The Broom Factory: Bat Sabbath show review

A review of Bat Sabbath with Black Mastiff and Ethereal Tomb, November 26 at The Broom Factory.

Relive Spring Reverb 2023 in Photos, Including Dizzy, Zoon, Status/Non-Status and More

For the second year in a row in downtown Kingston, Spring Reverb brought a whirlwind of kinetic energy from June 1 to 4, ringing in the new month with music, mayhem and magic with its 2023 edition. We sent photographer Virginia Meeks to capture it all, an

Luxury Residence

Review of geode inspired work by Charine Barber seen at the Sooke Fine Art Show.

Saanich elementary students draw attention to local ecosystem with art

Grade 4/5 students attending McKenzie Elementary produce poems and pictures for Swan Creek bridge

Jon and Roy at Sugar Nightclub

Zoubi Arros heads up Zoubi And The Sea, which balances folk, funk, jazz, and pop, along with a healthy dose of sexy during their incredible cover of Queens of the Stone Age’s Make It Wit Chu.

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.

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,

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

Dinosaurs Exhumed Downtown

Illuminations: Songs Towards the Light

Review of Ensemble Laude's Winter concert, 2014.

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.

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

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...

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...

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...

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 ...

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

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

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...

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...

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. ...

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...

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...

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 ...

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...

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 ...

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...