New Music Revue: The Jesus and Mary Chain bring mixed feelings with new albumThe Jesus and Mary Chain Glasgow Eyes (Fuzz Club) 3/5 The Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in 1983, gaining critical acclaim from their debut 1985 album Psychocandy. I have mixed feelings on their new album, Glasgow Eyes. I would describe it as ‘80s electronic pop rock with modern production. […] Continue Reading |
Còig explore confidence and romance through Celtic musicCape Breton-based Celtic band Còig will be making a stop in Victoria this month as they tour Canada. Multi-instrumentalist Darren McMullen is excited to be returning to Vancouver Island for the second time. “I love being in BC and Vancouver Island, especially,” says McMullen. “We’ve got great memories from being there.” McMullen has been a […] Continue Reading |
One-man play urges people to follow dreamsTomatoes Tried to Kill Me But Banjos Saved My Life is a comedy, but it tackles some serious issues. The one-man show portrays main actor’s Keith Alessi’s recovery from cancer. “This show is basically my life story,” says Alessi. “I was a corporate executive who had spent my life collecting a world-class banjo collection that […] Continue Reading |
The Hot L Baltimore showcases community on and off stageWhat happens to the core of a community when the structure keeping it in place crumbles and the mosaic of outcasts in that circle shatters? This is what The Hot L Baltimore, an award-winning comedy written by playwright Lanford Wilson, will ask when it hits the stage at UVic’s Phoenix Theatre this month. The production […] Continue Reading |
Pacific Baroque Festival unforgettable, emotional, magicalI recently had the pleasure of attending three nights of the Pacific Baroque Festival. I’ll admit, my expectations were a bit high going into it—I love classical and baroque music. These expectations were not only met—they were exceeded in every way. My first night—Wednesday, February 28—began at Christ Church Cathedral for Le Nuove Musiche 2, […] Continue Reading |
Murder Weekend intriguing and fun mysteryAs a first-time viewer of a Langham Court Theatre production, I was intrigued to see what was in store for me when I went to see Murder Weekend last night. The play stays shrouded in mystery and its twists and turns will keep any viewer on their toes. Murder Weekend is set in the 1980s […] Continue Reading |
Ainadamar gives new life to old art formThe art of opera was born in 16th-century Italy, combining the visual spectacle and rich storytelling of theatre with striking emotive soundscapes of intertwined voice and orchestra. Opera was historically an elitist art form, presented in dazzling theatres frequented by society’s snobbery. Subsequently, opera has gained notoriety as being a pompous overblown affair showcasing gaudy […] Continue Reading |
Listen and Learn: Camosun student Keu taps into unique soundLocal musician and Camosun College student Keu dropped So This Is It, a six-song mixtape, on January 31; I discovered him on the Camosun Spotify playlist. He’s a student in Camosun’s Music Creativity and Performance Foundations program, which takes place at the Victoria Conservatory of Music. Keu’s music is chill and fits well into a […] Continue Reading |
Baroque fest explores 17th-century Italian musicVictoria’s Pacific Baroque Festival is celebrating its 20th anniversary this month. According to artistic director Marc Destrubé, this year’s festival will focus exclusively on Italian music from the baroque period. “This year we’re focusing on Italian music mostly composed in the 17th century,” says Destrubé. “That was a really fascinating and interesting time, and exciting […] Continue Reading |
Ainadamar combines classical opera and Spanish flamencoContemporary opera Ainadamar: A Fusion of Flamenco and Classical Music tells the true story of queer poet and playwright Federico García Lorca. Written by Argentinian composer Osvaldo Golijov, Ainadamar explores Lorca’s life and assassination through the eyes and voice of his muse, Catalan actress Margarita Xirgu. While the thought of opera may conjure up images […] Continue Reading |
