The Cheese Stealer’s Handbook too mired in misery to enjoyThe Cheese Stealer’s Handbook is a ruthlessly detailed chronicle of a struggling author’s attempt, and consequent failure, at being a productive member of society. Shoshaku Jushaku, an ironic pen name which means “life is one continuous mistake,” uses his first book to share with us the minutiae of everyday life through the (bloodshot) eyes of […] Continue Reading |
Jesse Roper drops new album for charity, gets lost in woodsWhen singer/songwriter Jesse Roper calls me to start our interview to chat about his new benefit album and tour, something seems off right away: he’s completely out of breath. “Hi, it’s Jesse Roper here, and I’m on a little hike,” he says, panting, making it difficult to make out his words. Roper, who is from […] Continue Reading |
Towers and Trees hope to use The West Coast to connectIt’s been a whirlwind three years for Adrian Chalifour. After the release of Towers and Trees’ debut EP, Broken Record, the frontman for the Victoria rock outfit has kept himself busy. Between a slew of tour dates, including a standout show at Rifflandia, the group has released their sophomore effort, The West Coast. “I think […] Continue Reading |
Matthew Good on Chaotic Neutral and the creative processMatthew Good’s days topping the charts in the ’90s with the Matthew Good Band may be over, but the musician is on his seventh solo album and is more creative than ever. Fans of Dungeons and Dragons will recognize the album title, Chaotic Neutral, as a character alignment in the game. Chaotic neutral makes characters […] Continue Reading |
New Music Revue: Brady Enslen creates beautiful soundsBrady Enslen Beautiful Things (Independent) 4/5 Recorded live off the floor in Winnipeg, Brady Enslen’s debut album, Beautiful Things, creates a soft sound full of prairie life and longing for home. Enslen, who mainly plays an acoustic guitar on this disc, strums chords that leave a flavourful sound in my head. Enslen’s voice adds to […] Continue Reading |
Author explores historical and cultural context of BC artistsPender Island-based writer Maria Tippett, who grew up in Victoria, has always had words in her blood. Her latest book, Made in British Columbia, is just the most recent example of a passion she’s had since she was young. “When I was a child I wrote a play,” she says. “I was about seven. I […] Continue Reading |
Shania Twain delivers amazing performance in VictoriaBeing a Shania Twain fan since I was a little kid, I was very excited for her recent concert at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre and had high expectations for the whole night. My expectations were definitely met. The opening act was Bastian Baker. Although the beginning of his set wasn’t as high energy as the middle […] Continue Reading |
The Rocky Horror Show returns for Halloween funAfter the success of last year’s staging of The Rocky Horror Show, local group Rebel Knock Out Productions decided to make it an annual event. The cult classic musical tribute to sci-fi and horror B-movies has been staged since 1973; Atomic Vaudeville’s Britt Small is directing this production. “We’re starting with the foundation of what […] Continue Reading |
IFConVictoria 2015 brings fantasy to VictoriaUpdate: This event has been cancelled. Halloween is a very special time of year, when the veil between the spirit world and our world parts and all the ghosts, candy fairies, and costume-shop owners slip through. Bill Code and his team thought that this would be an excellent time of year to put on a […] Continue Reading |
New Music Revue: Quiet Parade shows off their strong pointsQuiet Parade Quiet Parade (Independent) 3/5 Each song on the second album from Halifax indie rockers Quiet Parade is full of deep guitar riffs and fierce percussion. The instruments run together flawlessly, with some songs whisking my mind away to happier times. “Running Out of Time” is an ideal example of this chemistry: the song […] Continue Reading |
