New Music Revue: Eamon McGrath delivers emotion and variety on new albumEamon McGrath Guts (Saved by Vinyl) 3.5/5 Well-travelled Canadian singer-songwriter Eamon McGrath explores toxic masculinity from a heterosexual man’s point of view on his new concept album Guts, which follows up his 2018 triumph, Tantramar. Guts’ dark lyrical imagery is spread across a diverse musical landscape. The album showcases McGrath’s versatility as it transitions seamlessly […] Continue Reading |
Vancouver psych-rockers Black Mountain talk success and balanceAny performer can appreciate that distinct feeling that comes with the responsibility of holding a crowd’s attention. As a stand-up comedian, I can value that feeling of nervousness or excitement that fills you when everybody’s eyes are on you, waiting in anticipation. Black Mountain keyboardist Jeremy Schmidt has found his band playing in front of […] Continue Reading |
Cancer Bats take matters into their own handsWhen Toronto hardcore punk band Cancer Bats released their sixth full-length album, The Spark that Moves, last year, it felt like a salute to their diverse repertoire: 2008’s Hail Destroyer, 2010’s Bars, Mayors, Scraps & Bones, and 2012’s Dead Set on Living, to name just a few of their full-lengths. Vocalist Liam Cormier says that […] Continue Reading |
Male burlesque show explores politics, gender identity, and Canadian cultureIt’s been nine years since all-male, Toronto-based burlesque troupe BoylesqueTO formed, and in that time a lot has changed as far as gender identity and politics in Canada go, says performer James and the Giant Pasty. And, he says, these are exactly the topics the show doesn’t shy away from exploring. “We just wanted to […] Continue Reading |
New Music Revue: Creeping Death deliver extremely promising debutCreeping DeathWretched Illusion(Entertainment One)4.5/5 Texas-based death metal band Creeping Death just released their debut full-length album, Wretched Illusions, after four years of releasing demos, EPs, and singles. “Heavy,” “headbanging,” and “brutal” are words to describe this album and this band. The title track starts off the album on a really brutal tone. As the listener […] Continue Reading |
What’s Going On: August 28 to September 10, 2019Until Tuesday, September 11Attention foodies!I admit that our sweet, small city hasn’t got the best reputation as a place for fine food, but the situation is improving all the time, and what a way to find out: A Taste of Victoria: Food Tours is a two-hour tour that hits up various eateries around town. It […] Continue Reading |
New Music Revue: Bananagun offer up something completely unique on 7″BananagunDo Yeah(Full Time Hobby)3.5/5 Bananagun, a five piece psych rock band out of Melbourne, Australia, are ready to share their music with the rest of the world. Do Yeah, the band’s first 7” single, is set for worldwide release on September 6. With hints of Donovan and Velvet Underground scattered throughout these three songs, Bananagun’s […] Continue Reading |
Montreal’s LENOIRE collaborates, experiments, get harmoniousWith their upbeat, modern twist on the blues, Montreal’s LENOIRE go with the flow while performing. They are a band built on harmony. A genuine relationship is key in making music together and, for LENOIRE, always comes first in the process. “We don’t normally have a routine, we just hang out and chill together,” says […] Continue Reading |
Victoria Fringe Fest addresses the complexities of human emotion, lifeMost of us can remember a vacation that’s gone horribly wrong. Flights get delayed, papers get lost—whatever it is, it’s the furthest thing from funny when it happens. In retrospect, however, the laughter often comes echoing through the cracks to make a good story. “I’ve compiled different stories to get that comic arc,” says playwright […] Continue Reading |
New play explores music, technology, and pop culture of generation XIn 2015, BOOM—a one-man show written and performed by Rick Miller about the legacy of the baby boom—came to the Belfry Theatre. Miller, a musician and devoted music fanatic, initially used BOOM to explore the early evolution of rock and roll, but it quickly evolved into something more. “It was about music at first, and […] Continue Reading |
