Lit Matters: Sjón and the natural history of poetry

“I have seen the universe! It is made of poems!” So declares a character in The Blue Fox, a novella by the Icelandic author known by his pen name, Sjón. The statement is typical of Sjón, who is as interested in the natural world as he is in the world of poetry and myth. Sjón […]

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Victoria’s Isobel Trigger learn how to rock through trial and error

Victoria indie rock/pop band Isobel Trigger packed up the van and hit the road for their cross-Canada tour in April and have been driving and jamming ever since. Vocalist/synth player Felicia Harding says that she learned some important things while on their previous tour, like the importance of getting lots of rest, not indulging too […]

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Uno Fest brings home serious performing talent

Until May 24, Intrepid Theatre will be home to 15 different performers from all over the world at this year’s Uno Fest. The fest is made up of solo performances that explore all different forms of art, which includes everything from circus acts and stand-up comedy to live film creation. “Whether you like stand-up, intense […]

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New Music Revue: Autopilot’s dreamy alt-rock impresses

Autopilot Desert Dreams (Independent) 3.5/5 Saskatoon’s Autopilot follow up their debut full-length, Diamond Rough, with this concise seven-song… EP? Mini-album? Album? Call it what you will, but I call it a good length, as the band’s dreamy alt-rock doesn’t have a chance to get stale before that refreshingly brief runtime is up. Not that I’m […]

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New Music Revue: San Felix don’t have the fire

San Felix Fire Island (Independent) 2/5 Victoria indie-rock group San Felix’s new album, Fire Island, opens with catchy percussion and electric guitar in “I Was a Vulture.” However, the lead vocalist sings like he’s coming down with a cold and the range narrows to the same few notes. After the first song, the instruments lose […]

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Urban homesteading cookbook makes foraging an option

The Urban Homesteading Cookbook: Forage, Farm, Ferment and Feast for a Better World By Michelle Catherine Nelson (Douglas & McIntyre) In efforts to help the environment and to be healthier, buying organic and locally sourced food is now a priority for many people. But it can be expensive. Michelle Catherine Nelson brings a free alternative […]

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Collection pays tribute to Ted Harrison

Ted Harrison Collected (Douglas & McIntyre) Even if you don’t know Ted Harrison’s name, you probably know his paintings. His much-loved depictions of winter in northern Canada, done in bold, cheerful colours, have appeared everywhere from schoolbooks to illustrated editions of The Creation of Sam McGee. Originally from England, Harrison had a lifelong fascination with […]

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Victoria author Andrew MacLeod hopes for a better place in new book

There are times when British Columbia really is the beautiful place that the license plates promise it to be; there are also times when it feels like just a cruddy backwards province. In his new book, A Better Place on Earth, local journalist Andrew MacLeod (known for his work at The Tyee and Monday) discusses […]

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Camosun has a sports team?: A Camosun student athlete looks at the Chargers’ challenges

When Camosun Chargers men’s volleyball setter Vitor Macedo’s block looped up over his opponents and landed inches within the end line during men’s volleyball championships, my Facebook newsfeed exploded. Pictures of gold medals in mouths, a white banner reading “National Champions Canadiens,” and the wooden trophy that took two hands to carry were posted everywhere. […]

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