New Music Revue: Teenage Bottlerocket deliver fun punk on new albumTeenage BottlerocketStay Rad!(Fat Wreck Chords)3/5 Initially, when I hit play on this eighth full-length from Wyoming punkers Teenage Bottlerocket, I thought it was going to be yet another band grasping at straws, trying to make their sound as close to classic punk rock as possible. But Stay Rad! starts out with “You Don’t Get the […] Continue Reading |
New play looks at Afghanistan soldiers’ family dynamicsImagine having a loved one halfway across the world and the only way to communicate with them is through a spotty satellite phone. This is the experience many of the characters face in SNAFU Dance Theatre’s production of Calling Home: Stories from Military Families. The play is inspired by the real-life stories of military families […] Continue Reading |
New Music Revue: Sarah Potenza finds the road to musical successSarah PotenzaRoad to Rome(Independent)4/5 From start to finish, Nashville-based singer-songwriter Sarah Potenza’s second album, Road to Rome, is a bold, take-no-bull, unapologetic journey into the psyche of any woman’s soul. Potenza steers the listener on a journey through a steady mix of blues, rock ballads, and gospel throughout this release. Her songwriting comes out not […] Continue Reading |
New Music Revue: LAGS prove themselves as post-hardcore main players with SOONLAGSSOON(Casu Marzu Records)4.5/5 SOON is Rome post-hardcore band LAGS’ second album. With a progressive style, SOON proves that LAGS are definitely one of the main players in the Italian hardcore scene. The album begins with powerful tracks like “Knives and Wound” and “Echoes” that combine indie, hard rock, and punk. “Showdown” takes listeners on a […] Continue Reading |
New Music Revue: JV’s Boogaloo Squad honour influencesJV’s Boogaloo SquadGoing to Market(Flatcar Records)3.5/5 I wasn’t sure what to expect when I slid Going to Market into my car stereo, but I was drawn right in. JV’s Boogaloo Squad are a trio from Toronto; the CD cover features three very approachable-looking dudes smiling away. Upon opening up the packaging, I saw a write-up […] Continue Reading |
New Music Revue: Rare DM misses the mark with Vanta BlackRare DMVanta Black(Independent)1/5 Rarely have I heard albums I don’t enjoy, but Rare DM’s Vanta Black is one of them. From Brooklyn, New York, Erin Louise Hoagg (also known as “Errmine”) has released her debut dark electronic and underground dance album Vanta Black under the name Rare DM. Just give up now if that’s too […] Continue Reading |
The Blue Stones bring their success story to townFrom being good friends just jamming together and discovering their sound to breaking through and achieving success, The Blue Stones have come a long way. Now the Windsor-based alt-rock duo are coming to Victoria during their first North American headlining tour, in support of their debut full-length, Black Holes. Before vocalist/guitarist Tarek Jafar and drummer […] Continue Reading |
What’s Going On: March 20 to April 2, 2019Until Saturday, May 25Walk and talkThe Capital Regional District is hosting a series of guided walks and hikes in its regional parks. Register for a selection of guided walks, moderate and intermediate hikes, and accessible tours at crd.bc.ca. Until Monday, May 27Pictures of the floating worldPrints by influential artists of the ukiyo-e tradition, Katsushika Hokusai […] Continue Reading |
New book looks at A Tribe Called Quest’s LegacyHanif Abdurraqib makes a heartfelt homage to the band A Tribe Called Quest in his new book Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to A Tribe Called Quest. The band left an indelible mark not only on the author and on all of rap but on the music industry, and this book explains why. When […] Continue Reading |
New Music Revue: Trampoline’s rock musical only halfway thereTrampolineHappy Crimes(Independent)2.5/5 The rock musical Happy Crimes from Winnipeg’s Trampoline is an interesting and unfamiliar mix of music and storytelling that I really expected to enjoy more than I did. I love musicals; I love rock music; what’s not to like? For starters, the songs are not as melodic as a musical demands. The vocals […] Continue Reading |
