North Carolina soloist says music serves as an outlet during the holidays

American soprano and soloist Molly Quinn is no stranger to life on the road. And she’s travelling down that never-ending path and ending up right here in Victoria on December 17 to perform Festive Cantatas: JS Bach Magnificat.  Quinn says the show is a joy to perform because it’s focused on the talents of each […]

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Local artist examines colonization from personal experience

Art wasn’t something that Victoria’s Mike Alexander thought he was able to commit to. Originally working as a guidance counsellor for at-risk youth, Alexander has worked with mainly inner-city youth for 15 years. But he drew from his identification with those youth and from his passion for helping others, and it shows in his art. […]

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New book sheds light on ferry disaster

When the Queen of the North ferry sank in British Columbia waters in the early hours of March 22, 2006, the entire province held its breath. Two people went missing that night; they remain missing to this day. The new book The Queen of the North Disaster is captain Colin Henthorne’s account of the sinking, […]

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Local artist looks beyond botany for inspiration

Aurafidelite Arindam is a local artist who specializes in botanical-themed work, but her knowledge of art goes far beyond botany. Arindam apprenticed with her late husband Auro, who attended multiple international arts institutions, and even studied under famous Spanish surrealist Salvador Dali. She has a large appreciation for impressionism, which was made popular by artists […]

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New Music Revue: Dante DeCaro, Ween, Young Mammals

Dante DeCaro Kill Your Boyfriend (Last Gang Records) 4/5 Jazz legend John Coltrane once said that “the emotional reaction is all that matters.” That sentiment is reflected on Kill your Boyfriend, the debut solo EP from Wolf Parade’s Dante DeCaro (who also played in Hot Hot Heat). In 24 minutes, across five beautifully written and […]

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New Music Revue: Metallica get halfway there with new album

Metallica Hardwired… To Self-Destruct (Blackened Recordings) 2.5/5 Metallica is one of the few bands I have a deep respect for. They have stood the test of time, battling addiction, arrogance issues, and artistic bankruptcy. Hardwired… To Self-Destruct is fun to listen to, and it undoubtedly connected with any unexplainable metaphysical resentment I held within myself. […]

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Musical celebrates the work of Canadian folk legend Joni Mitchell

Given that Canadian folk singer Joni Mitchell had her career peak in the ’70s, why would Camosun College students care about I Think I’m Fallin’, a new musical playing at the Belfry? I Think I’m Fallin’ director Michael Shamata says the time is right to talk about Mitchell, with Bob Dylan recently winning the Nobel […]

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Brewing Revolution goes down easy

I don’t normally read memoirs or biographies; I find they tend to be insipid and vain. However, when my editor asked me if I like beer—I do—and asked me to review Frank Appleton’s Brewing Revolution (Harbour Publishing), I made an exception. I’m glad I did. Starting out as a microbiologist in England, Appleton came to […]

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Les Liaisons Dangereuses draws upper-class parallels from eras past

Sex is a weapon of manipulation. At least the two rivals in the play Les Liaisons Dangereuses would have you believe it is. But the play—Christopher Hampton’s stage adaptation of the Pierre Choderlos de Laclos novel—is much more than that, says director Fran Gebhard. “The play is set in the 1780s, just before the French […]

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Former Camosun students get the spotlight in art show

Several Camosun alumni have their work displayed in an ongoing exhibit, It’s In the Making, at the Victoria Art Gallery, but what’s on display is different than what’s usually at art shows. Exhibit co-curator Nicole Stanbridge says that the exhibit is about how artists actually create their work. “A lot of this show is about […]

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