New Music Revue: Still Insane deliver EP worthy of headbangs

Still Insane Black Sheep (Thousand Islands Records) 3/5  Black Sheep is the third EP by the Quebec-born skate punk band Still Insane. The five-piece has been making music together since 2006, although they haven’t released a full-length since Never an Off in 2012. The lyrics are raw and simple, especially in “Sleeping on the Floor.” […]

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Phoenix Theatre delivers unique take on The Waste Land

The Waste Land is a lyrical and metaphorical on-stage interpretation of T.S. Eliot’s odd and lovely modernist poem from 1922. The five parts of The Waste Land are layered with the devastation caused by the First World War. However, like the light and airy silk sheets cleverly used in the play, golden rays of hope […]

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Nic’s Flicks: Victoria Film Festival movies mainly hits with one miss

Everything in the End 1/4 From George Miller’s Mad Max franchise to Andrew Stanton’s WALL-E, I’ve always loved good end-of-the-world movies. Unfortunately, what keeps Mylissa Fitzsimmons’ new film Everything in the End from reaching the same heights is its dismal script, short length, and unclear character motivations. There are, however, some positives. Hugo de Sousa […]

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Celebrating John Williams beautiful, chilling, captivating

On February 12 and 13, the Victoria Symphony orchestra honoured composer John Williams’ 90th birthday with some of his most iconic tracks at Celebrating John Williams, and it was epic. The orchestra’s performance was outstanding and conductor Sean O’Loughlin’s commentary throughout was educational, funny, and touching. Upon their opening with the Star Wars theme song, […]

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New Music Revue: New Zealand indie-popsters Mild Orange deliver uplifting third album

Mild Orange Looking for Space (AWAL) 3.5/5  New Zealand indie-pop band Mild Orange recently released their third album, Looking for Space. The album carries an uplifting message and tone throughout almost the entirety of its runtime, with a few more sombre songs spliced in. Relaxing vocals and instruments back up this message with a chill […]

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Australia’s Great Wild North another IMAX success

Australia: a country and continent where extremes meet, where life and death are very close to each other, seen through the eyes of a Murrungun Aboriginal whose people have been on the lands for thousands of years. That’s the story that Balang T.E. Lewis narrates in Australia’s Great Wild North. The movie is playing now […]

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Camosun alumna dives into surf rock with Pitted

Surf rock in the middle of Canadian winter? It’s all part of Pitted’s plan. The Prince George-based band, featuring Camosun College alumna Naomi Kavka on guitar, are set to drop their debut album So Pitted on February 25 through digital service providers (with a vinyl version to follow later this year), and they’re ready to […]

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Bif Naked brings storytelling and music to town

Back in January of last year, Canadian alt-rocker Bif Naked released her latest single, “Broke Into Your Car.” Bif says she had planned to put out an album since then, but—like many artists during COVID-19—she’s had to wait. “We’ve been threatening to put this record out for two years but of course the pandemic keeps […]

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Pair of documentaries shows great promise for 2022 Victoria Film Festival

One of my favourite annual events is the Victoria Film Festival. Every year, filmmakers from around the globe come to our little island to showcase their artistry. Here are my thoughts on just two of the over 50 films that are being shown this year. Last of the Right Whales 3.5/4 The Victoria Film Festival […]

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