• Alfie is opening for Quake & Kayo Friday night at the CoHo.
• via Hopscotch Halifax

Starting tomorrow, Hopscotch Festival is back in Hali, for three days filled with hip-hop music and dance, and visual urban art. Hosted by HRM, this fest turns 7 this time around.

Hopscotch kicks off Thursday with an artist mixer they’re calling “NS meets UK,” at Seven Bays Bouldering. These emerging hip-hop and grime artists hailing from across the ocean are Ms Banks, SNE, Mystry, C Cane, Ky’ Orion, and MalikMD7. The performances by Halifax emcees are still TBA.

Friday night brings live art to Dartmouth Cove (18 Canal Street)—when international urban artists will wreak havoc on 10,000 square feet of concrete.

It’s also a live filming recording of Team BackPack’s second ever Canadian cypher, featuring Quake Matthews, Pat Stay, Thrillah and Fortunato. Afterwards, folks can move on over to the Company House, where Quake Matthews and Kayo will wrap up their cross-Canada tour, featuring Lost & Found with special guest openers Alfie, MATTY, and Marvin Divine. “It’s usually more of the underground space, not as well known” says Billy Comer, coordinator of Hopscotch. He thinks this event is the festival’s hidden gem.

Hip-hop enthusiasts won’t want to miss the “music in business” panels at the Central Library, where industry pros will share their wisdom on becoming a successful artist. Speakers include Fiona Bloom from The Bloom Effect (New York). Riley Kirkwood from Post Office Studio (Toronto), Urban Monk, producer/Amy Winehouse Foundation (UK), Miss C Brown, and Kimani Moore from Moore Entertainment (London/Atlanta).

Saturday’s main event is Classified’s performance at the Spatz Theatre, with the first 200 tickets free. But don’t peace out after the show—stick around for an afterparty outside of the theatre. With jams from DJ Premier, this final event is sure to get you grooving.

For more information on the festival, head to HRM’s event page or Facebook.

Halifax Pride is geared up for another year of rainbow-filled celebrating, announcing their full lineup for the 10-day fest. Here, we're rounding up the events we're marking on our calendars—but full event listings are available here.

• Dylan White

Kate Bornstein presents Trans, Just for the Fun of It!
A nonbinary trans author, activist and performance artist, New York-based Kate Bernstein wants to widen the focus on talks about transgendered people. While there are very real difficulties not to be glossed over, Bornstien's lecture is meant to remind us of the "physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual joy that can be had by creating and living one's gender mindfully."
Halifax Central Library, 6:30 p.m., Monday, July 18, free

Proud Prana
This yoga set will help you work off last night's drinks—or get into a more spiritual space. No matter your motivation, this free event is a different way to get into the Pride spirit.
Garrison Grounds (5425 Sackville Street), 11am-12pm, Saturday, July 16, free

Interactive Mean Girls Screening
Wear pink, make your own burn book and relive your favourite scenes from this cult classic teen dramaedy! So fetch.
Cineplex Cinemas Oxford, 4:30-6:30pm, Thursday July 21, free

TimeOUT Lecture #3—With Pulp, Please: The Significance of Lesbian Pulp Fiction
Mount Saint Vincent University has an almost-unrivalled vault of lesbian pulp fiction, one of the biggest in North America! Join two of their librarians, Meg Raven and Denyse Rodrigues, for a virtual tour through the collection, complete with select readings by surprise speakers.
Halifax Central Library—Paul O'Regan Hall, 12-1pm, Wednesday July 20, free

Cosmic Drag Queen Bingo
Supporting Feed Nova Scotia, this isn't grandma's bingo night! With black lights, party tunes and some queens dressed in their finest, this old-fashioned game has clearly upgraded.
Halifax Forum Super Bingo Hall 2901 Windsor Street,9-11pm, Friday July 15

• Festivalgoers check out Moon Hooch

It’s been a few years since my last trip to Evolve and I was finally feeling groovy enough for 24 hours of the three-day peace, love, camping and music experience on rolling hills near Antigonish. After threat of cancellation last week due to a whack insurance policy, Evolve went on! The lineup was one of the most thematically consistent to date, with more electronic, dance and reggae acts than rock or folk. This gave Evolve strong waves of positive vibes; upbeat tempos create natural movements and warm energies. 

As always, it was wild. Some of the crazy things I witnessed include: boobs, a couple having sex out in the open, a nerd in a dinosaur costume tripping on acid, a guy playing a full round of invisible golf, about a dozen massage-trains and three different penises. Between all of this madness was incredible music.

• BA Johnston

Just as we arrived, Hamilton's B.A. Johnston played in the Palace Yurt. After pouring beer all over himself, he did the worm on the dirt floor and made a mud mess, then rubbed his mud mess all over people. I had to change my shirt. He called a couple clean-cut dudes “narcs” and then asked, “How many Polaris musicians have played in a dirty yurt?” His leg bled through his pants. He’s a true showman.

• Aqua Alta

After that, I caught Halifax’s Aqua Alta on the main-stage, led by Jenn Grant with Charles Austin, Matt McQuaid (Holy Fuck) and Seamus Erskine on the kit. This band brings out a sassy side of Grant. Her vocals moved from whispers to bold delivery and the textures that the band created were hypnotizing. See them on August 5!

• Little Ruckus

It got dark and I stood transfixed by Iowa's Little Ruckus (Dom Rabalais), whose love song techno-cabaret was set in contrast by his self-made Lynchian video projections. We hung out for the rest of Evolve and he rules; his art projects are amazing.

• Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt

Then Tennessee's one-man-mantra-band Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt was joined by Little Ruckus, members of Austin psych-folk ensemble Calliope Musicals and Halifax’s sexy sax man Nathan Pilon. It was a neon-sequin near-gospel experience of existential empowerment: “Go and fuck the shit out of your dreams.” Then we all hugged. 


• Doldrums

The yurt turned electric royal blue for Toronto electro-noise act Doldrums (Airick Woodhead). He and bandmate Alex performed a minimalist DJ set and I got lost in the industrial heaviness. His main stage experience earlier that day was also unreal, and soft but terrorizing. I can't wait to see him at Sappy Fest. 

• Rich Aucoin

Night turned to morning and I ventured from the artist’s camping area into Tent City, the general camping grounds atop the hill. By Day 3 of Evolve, Tent City becomes a microcosm of society with its own neighbourhoods, marketplaces and a visible sense of community. Overall, it feels safe and inclusive. 

• Matthew Silver

At mid-morning, New York performance artist and YouTube star Matthew Silver proselytized from the main stage. It was disorienting. His lessons to “dream,” to “create” and to “live free” were heard for miles.  At one point, he showed his penis and sound-tech Tynan Dunfield (Vogue Dots) asked me when it might be considered indecent exposure. “I think probably 10 minutes ago,” I replied. Silver then stuffed his one-piece bathing suit full of confetti, stage-dived into the crowd and was carried off into Tent City. 

• Moon Hooch

I spent the rest of the day wandering the grounds, eating curry chicken, learning about Texas with members of Calliope Musicals and swimming in a river. Before the Rich Aucoin Party Bus (our rented minivan) hit the road, we watched Brooklyn's Moon Hooch, fresh from the Halifax Jazz Fest, in the early evening sun. They were so killer with duelling avant-garde saxophones. So much fucking wind!

As we drove back to Halifax, I realized Evolve is such a diverse collection of weird, interesting people who are excited to proudly be themselves for a few days. I wasn’t dressed as a flamingo or flashing my boobs around, but I sure as shit didn’t feel any judgement. I felt very welcome; Evolve offers a rare kind of freedom. The artist hospitality and crews are amazing and organizer Jonas Colter obviously believes in the transformative power of music. Evolve Festival really can change you and I hope it lasts forever.

• I'll take any chance I get to look at pictures of Last Lizard's Alex Zhang Hungtai

The eighth OBEY Convention has announced an initial lineup of some of this year's acts, with 21 more artists to be announced later this month. Taking place May 21-24, OBEY features contemporary and underground music and art and this year's early lineup looks exciting. Great way to shake off winter's cobwebs. Tickets to Peter Brötzmann and Last Lizard and early bird passes are available now.

Peter Brötzmann - German free jazz icon

Last Lizard - Alex Zhang Hungtai's new design is a saxophone dream

Noveller - Austin's finest fixes the world with guitar

Homeshake - Montreal lounge

Absolutely Free - Toronto psych

Container - Rhode Island techno

RAMZi - Vancouver beat tripper

You’ll Never Get to Heaven - dream pop

Gashrat - ideal Montreal punk

“Where students and aspiring professionals COLLIDE [sic] with established creative minds to see and shape the future. Up-and-comers can uncover new role models and explore the world’s best ideas from the leading edge.”

Since its launch in 2012, HPX Digital has been focusing on disciplines including gaming, startups, design and marketing through its presentation of keynote speakers, social events and networking opportunities.

Though it is no longer explicitly mentioned in the conference’s name, the rebanded event won’t stray too far from the Pop Explosion brand as the two events will run concurrently during the third week of October: Collide from October 22-24 and Halifax Pop Explosion from October 21-25.

• The straitjacket in question

Expect a packed boardwalk, flying footballs, juggling, mimes, juggling mimes, living statues and requests for volunteers August 2-12 for the 26th Halifax International Busker Festival. Whether your memories of festivals past include being charmed by the various accents or well-defined muscles of bicycle acrobats, or not knowing where to stare while someone plays a saxophone solo in your face, this year, forgo the socks and sandals in case you’re met with Miss Australia 1963, who promises “Louis Vuitton glamour” paired with “award winning handbag twirling and also a sassy catwalk” while possibly calling out questionable fashion sense. Last year’s people’s choice winner Victor Rubliar is returning (he won the people’s choice award in every busker festival he participated in last year, for the record), bringing with him dance and football tricks combined in a high energy performance. We spoke with the busker closest to your heart while he was on a break in Victoria.

Q: You've been to Halifax for the Busker Festival a number of times, and you were people's choice winner last year, what do you believe makes you stand out from the crowd?
A: I think it has to do with the fact that I truly love performing for Haligonians. I have fallen in love with this city the first time I came here and I do really wait the whole year to come back.

Q: What first drew you into busking and the performing arts?
A: That is kind of interesting. I used to be rather shy. Not in my real life but I never even thought about being in front of an audience. I wanted to be an architect or an engineer. It was by chance that I learned a few magic tricks and when I started showing them to friends it was like some kind of revelation for me. I realized then that I wanted to be a performer. I knew exactly what I anted to do with my life and I have been doing it since then.

Q: Do you have any advice for young people who are looking to get into juggling, comedy or busking?
A: Train. It is important to get a good level of skills and specially to master them to a point that you don't have to think about the trick when you do it. Then you can start thinking about what you're saying while doing the trick, how does your face look then and so on.

Also, do not be afraid of failing. We all do. The important thing is to just keep on going. Try to keep on developing and remember: Your show may not be that good the first 100 shows. After a 100 shows it may start being better and probably after a 1000 shows you will get a decent show. If not, just keep on trying!

Q: Do you have any new routines that you'll be pulling out this year?
A: I have a new act that I have been training for the last six months. I am actually the only one in the world that can do it. I escape from a straitjacket while I do a one soccer ball routine. It has been a long process to learn this routine. Hundreds of hours of training. But after all the work it is starting to look very good. I have also modified another act in the show. It is an act where I dance and it has a little twist in the end. I have worked with a choreographer to make the changes and rented a dance studio for four months to get everything ready. I really hope the Haligonians like it.

Q: How much of your show is about connecting with your audience?
A: I really believe it is all about that. I always say that what I do is not a show but a party on stage. I lead the party but we must make it all together. It is not about the tricks so much as it is about the connection, the friendship that one creates with the audience.