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