Crashing Into Things find creativity in the face of adversityFor Crashing Into Things bassist/vocalist Mike Isacson, the most fruitful creative times are often the darkest. In 2011, his wife left him and he was at a dead end, and he went to a show at what’s now Capital Ballroom. After the set, someone hollered his name. It was fellow-band-member-to-be Adrian Southward. One thing led […] Continue Reading |
The Belfry Theatre’s Spark Festival celebrates 10 years with the personal and the politicalThe Belfry Theatre is putting on the 10th annual SPARK Festival this month with productions by notable Canadian playwrights, directors, comedians, musicians, and performers. Comedian and writer Mike Delamont will perform his one-man production of Mama’s Boy at the fest; the play is his story of growing up with and saying goodbye to an alcoholic […] Continue Reading |
The Nexus guide to Victoria’s open-mic sceneI arrive at 4 pm for the Hootenanny at Logan’s Pub (Sundays, 4 to 8 pm). It’s packed with young people. The host arrives for a mic check and gets rolling at 4:45 with her warm-up of six tunes followed by three more for each band member. So the band hogs the first two hours, […] Continue Reading |
Dry Sockets fest brings the noise with two days of experimental sounds“With Death Squad it was pointing a loaded gun at the audience and… taking the audience hostage.” That’s Michael Nine, who performs noise under the name MK9 and previously as Death Squad, talking about some of his more memorable performances. MK9 is one of 18 artists from across North America performing at Dry Socket, a […] Continue Reading |
Photographer Diana Thorneycroft uses figurines to create cryptic worksPhotographer Diana Thorneycroft never played with dolls as a kid, but as an adult she’s made a successful career mutilating and photographing a collection of dolls and figurines in a series of mysterious explorations. Now, Victorians can see her work as part of Madrona Gallery’s Pulp & Process IV exhibit, running in February and March. […] Continue Reading |
In the Future They’ll Be Birds release debut album rooted in mental-health strugglesIt’s been 10 years since Victoria-based musicians Carl Molinari and Ian Johnson last performed together, but now the two are returning in the lengthily named alternative rock band In the Future They’ll Be Birds. The band just released their debut album, Scalebor Park; the 10 tracks weave together as one cohesive unit that portrays the […] Continue Reading |
The Giver gives more than just a showKaleidoscope Theatre is gearing up to mount the Canadian stage premiere of The Giver. Based on the dystopian novel of the same name by Lois Lowry, it centres around Jonas, a young boy assigned with holding the memories and secrets of his community. The book is incredibly dark and disturbing; however, that’s part of what […] Continue Reading |
New Music Revue: OGRE and Dallas Campbell deliver interesting soundtrack to movie that doesn’t existOGRE and Dallas CampbellAll Hallows’ II(Independent)4/5 The fourth collaboration between the UK’s OGRE and West Virginia’s Dallas Campbell is a synth soundtrack to a non-existent horror film, and it’s quite the interesting experience. The release comes with a booklet that details the events of the would-be movie. Combined with the excellent synth-based sound it creates […] Continue Reading |
New Music Revue: Good Fuck anything but on debut LPGood FuckGood Fuck(Joyful Noise Recordings)1/5 Tim Kinsella and Jenny Pulse describe their debut LP collaborating as Good Fuck as an “erotic exploration of experimental literary techniques” in the press material accompanying this album and mention that they’ve “consummated their love on disc” here. Sure, but to me the first word that came to mind as […] Continue Reading |
New Music Revue: Living Hour deliver amazing dreampop on third albumLiving HourSofter Faces(Kanine Records)4.5/5 Honey vocals with a dreamy marriage of trombone, guitar, Organelle, bass, trumpet, and drums blend into the perfect ambiance for sinking deeply into the moment—Softer Faces is Winnipeg dreampop quintet Living Hour’s third album, and, clearly, they’re doing something right. I’ve played this while commuting, doing yoga, studying, reading, cooking, and […] Continue Reading |
