[Image-1] PLACES TO PLAY Lions Arena Gym (Spryfield): Roller derby If you’re 19 or older, identify as female and want to experience the thrill of the contact sport roller derby, then the Anchor City Rollers are worth checking out. The non-profit organization runs a league with anywhere from two to four teams—including travel teams that […]
Jonathan Briggins
Posted inNews + Opinion
Three sports in the Halifax hipster olympics
[Image-1] 1. Hardcourt bike polo It’s been 108 years since bicycle polo made its one and only appearance as a demonstration sport at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, England. A modern variation of the game, hardcourt bike polo, is played in Halifax every Thursday at 7pm on the outdoor arena behind South Street’s Gorsebrook […]
Posted inArts + Music
The clock of the new
Noel Macdonald is no stranger to The Coast’s annual New Music Issue. He played in Tomcat Combat (in the 2008 NMI), Long Weekends (2011) and Don Lovely (2015). None of the bands are active anymore. “Sometimes it’s not because of challenges, sometimes that was the original intent,” says Macdonald. “It’s realistic and sensible to consider […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Gavin Tucker is hungry for a fight
[Image-1] In a powerful burst, Gavin Tucker’s left leg lifts off the ground and kicks his opponent’s left hand. The leg has barely returned to the soft blue training mat when Tucker’s right arm, covered in tattoos and dripping with sweat, sails through the air. It lands in the same spot his foot was a […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
On the sledge of their seats: A sledge hockey breakdown
[Image-1] Started in Sweden in the early ’60s—about 20 years after IKEA—sledge hockey was created for people who want to play hockey despite disabilities. The sport’s growing in Nova Scotia, with four current programs, two more on the way and Bridgewater recently hosting the World Sledge Hockey Challenge. While at the international level eligible athletes […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
This man is building a farm in his backyard for new Canadians
[Image-1] From the front it looks like any ordinary house on Flamingo Drive, but in behind there’s an acre of land Mel Slade has turned into a community farm. This is Beatonridge Gardens. In its short life, this community garden has become a touch point for Canadians new and old. Currently there are 12 international […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
5 ways not to be exploited at a part-time job
When Kevin started work at a fast food restaurant chain in Halifax at the age of 18, he was surprised to find out how much he’d get paid. Transferring from the same restaurant in North Sydney, he was set to make 50 cents less per hour while doing the same work. “When I inquired about […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
One night on the Common
[Image-1] The Aluminum Falcons softball team are all smiles, buzzing with excitement, giving props and high-fives. They re-enact the big moments of an 11-10 nail-biting semi-final win against the Master Batters. The big comeback win came after trailing going into the seventh and final inning, on diamond 10 of the Halifax Common under a cloudy […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Halifax business owners will back Rainmen replacement
[Image-1] The future of professional basketball in Halifax remains uncertain with the start of the National Basketball League of Canada’s season just over two months away. According to league commissioner Dave Mangley, next week a group of local businesspeople will announce a new Halifax team set to play this season. The city’s previous team, the […]
Posted inLifestyle
Breaking waves with the Halifax Rowing Club
The Northwest Arm is bustling with activity on a hot summer’s night. Sailboats, motor boats and rowing racing shells travel up and down the water. “I really like the freedom that I feel when I row. It’s lovely to look out on the water and also feel very powerful when I’m making the boat move,” […]
Posted inArts + Music
Wrapping up Ottawa Bluesfest with a time-traveling slideshow
Words by Jonathan “Mixtape Magazine” Briggins and photos by Scott Blackburn. Sunday was the ultimate genre-mashing day of this year’s Ottawa Bluesfest. From hip hop legends Wu-Tang Clan to baby-faced country sensation Hunter Hayes, there was a little bit of everything. Wu-Tang Clan definitely brought the ruckus as the New York group played on a […]
Posted inArts + Music
Your window to the Ottawa Bluesfest
Words by Jonathan Briggins (@mixtape_mag), images by Scott Blackburn (www.gingersnapphoto.ca) Neko Case Neko Case was in fine form both musically and physically. Case, also known for her work with Vancouver indie giants The New Pornographers showcased a number of songs from her new album The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I […]