Bumbershoot festival a true Seattle arts experienceAsking a festival programmer what they are looking forward to the most for their upcoming festival is like asking a parent who their favourite child is. Bumbershoot programming director Chris Porter answers that question the only way he can: by rattling off as many children as he can think of. “I’m psyched about who we […] Continue Reading |
Quentin Tarantino’s work comes to Fringe FestivalWhen Dave Morris was looking for source material for a new Victoria Fringe Festival improv show, the early films of Quentin Tarantino were one of the first things that came to mind. An Improvised Quentin Tarantino, directed by Morris and featuring an ensemble cast from Victoria’s Paper Street Theatre, attempts to recreate the feel of […] Continue Reading |
Review: New Emily Carr book collects best pieces in one compact digestI’m not the sharpest tool in the shed, nor do I claim to be. So I’m going to get this out in the open right now and say I’m just not much of an art guy. I try, and I appreciate what people do; I can barely draw a stick figure. I drew a princess […] Continue Reading |
Rock of the Woods, Camosun marketing grad brings Cowichan Valley to music festival fansLocation trumps everything else. And for Rock of the Woods, which takes place every July in the picturesque Cowichan Valley, nothing could ring more true. Now in its third year, the upstart music festival has had its share of challenges with dealing with bureaucracy, changing locations, and marketing the area to urban centres, but the […] Continue Reading |
New Music Revue: Jay-Z new album Magna Carta… Holy GrailJay-Z Magna Carta… Holy Grail (Roc Nation/Universal) 3.5/5 Jay-Z’s 12th solo album may come as a disappointment to any fans that are looking for depth and meaning. The lyrics are consistently laced with corporate references, he compares his music to the Bible, and in the track “Heaven” he calls himself a “prophet.” The constant self-praise […] Continue Reading |
The Cat Empire know their surroundings, including Victoria and Phillips Backyard WeekenderIt’s a very real possibility that when a band spend as much time on the road as Australian jazz/ska/funkers The Cat Empire, they could lose track of where they are on any given night. That’s why we’re impressed when drummer Will Hull-Brown not only knows exactly where he is, he’s also well aware of the […] Continue Reading |
Victoria Ska Fest founder Dane Roberts talks 2013 lineup, reflects on 14 yearsDane Roberts might just be his own festival’s biggest fan. This strong possibility, along with the hard work of over 200 volunteers, is very likely the secret to the success of the Victoria Ska Fest, celebrating its 14th year July 9 to 13. Taking place at a variety of different venues in downtown Victoria, including […] Continue Reading |
KISS hit Victoria, journalist eyes Paul Stanley from audienceWhen KISS played the Save-on-Foods Memorial Arena recently, what I really wanted was to get some time to sit down and talk face to face with singer/guitarist Paul Stanley. I even went so far as to jokingly put together a moderately successful online petition (hey, 57 people signed, not bad, if you’re asking me) to […] Continue Reading |
Concert review: Ziggy Marley brings a Jamaican haze to VictoriaAs I arrived to the Royal Theatre last night, I came to the realization that Vancouver Island and our surrounding areas have way more Rastafarians than I thought. Well, that’s what it seemed like, anyway. Jamaican and reggae colors were in full effect. There were more dreadlocks there than I have ever seen in all […] Continue Reading |
Jimmy Eat World play first time in Victoria at Rock the Shores, look back at beginningsChoosing your own band name can be liberating: musicians have the opportunity to create their own image with what they name their group. In Jimmy Eat World’s case, they didn’t choose their name based on their musical capabilities; they chose it because of a hilarious moment in time, long ago. Some may speculate whether the […] Continue Reading |
