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...
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
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 ...
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...
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...
To understand the resurgent popularity of thrash metal among a new generation of fans one need look no further than Brazilian thrash stalwarts Sepultura.
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...
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,
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...
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 ...
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...
Review of geode inspired work by Charine Barber seen at the Sooke Fine Art Show.
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...