Arts

Poetry is reflective; poetry is concentrated; poetry can slow down time. Poetry is also like freeze-dried foodstuffs. At least it is according to local poet John Barton. Barton, who’s about to launch For the Boy with the Eyes of the Virgin: Selected Poems, his latest collection of poems, says that poetry, when done powerfully, can […]

Those who are all burnt out from beers and bands after Rifflandia might want to check out a different kind of festival, one that celebrates indigenous culture, art, dance, and other cool-sounding activities. The fifth annual One Wave Festival is a free event for people of all ages, including storytelling, live art, a community art […]

Propagandhi Failed States (Epitaph Records) 3/5 Outspoken Winnipeg-based rockers Propagandhi are on their sixth full-length album, and if you haven’t heard these guys since their early Fat Wreck Chords albums, well, you’re in for a bit of a surprise. Is it a pleasant one? I don’t think “pleasant” quite fits. “Ripping,” maybe. The departure from […]

The biggest problems that the organizers of Victoria’s Rifflandia fest have faced while doing the annual music to-do have been good ones, as far as problems go. Past Rifflandias brought complaints and dissatisfied festival-goers when venues reached capacity and long lines caused people to miss concerts, but that was smoothed out with the introduction of […]

In any film, there’s always something easy to pick at, even if the movie was great. Finger-pointing is simple because it’s obvious what went wrong, whether it’s to do with an actor, a director, or the set. Eight fingers and two thumbs aren’t enough to point out all the wrongs in Celeste and Jesse Forever. […]

  Great Bloomers Distant Fires (Dine Alone Records) 4/5 For an album full of songs about love, Great Bloomers sure do cover a variety of depressing subjects on sophomore album Distant Fires. In fact, these five Toronto-based, pop-influenced, folk rockers seem to have a lot on their minds as they explore the darker sides of […]