Despite being made up of members of two much-loved bands, York Redoubt and Long Long Long, it’s pretty easy to like Each Other on its own merits. The product of former Haligonians Mike Wright and Brad Lahead, Each Other creates spacey, jangly and disarmingly beautiful pop music that is captivating and inviting. But the pair […]
Mark Black
Posted inArts + Music
Best music of 2011
Alison Lang Coast writer since 2007 Bad Vibrations, Black Train (Brotherhood) Bad Vibrations has what businesspeople would call a “consistency of vision.” With Black Train, these straight shooters will take you on a ride that is continually ghostly, tenebrous and spaced-out—brain food for headbangers. Bike Rodeo, Oh Bla Duh (Independent) Some bands out there raise […]
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Mark Black’s Top 11 albums of 2011
The Graboids, Aftershocks (Independent) Songs about skateboarding, smoking, punk rock shows, Myles Deck, goofing off and dealing with jerks and an excellent Hanson Brothers cover. This is the soundtrack to some delinquent’s hard-drinking good time. Jerk Damaged, Bored of Death (Independent) A morose sound bite kicks this off. Seemingly upbeat pop-punk with an obvious current […]
Posted inArts + Music
Top 11 of 2011
Settle in and read our critics’ picks of the year. Learn about yourself and our writers in the process. Possibly a two coffee read and at least one of those coffees should have whiskey in it. MUSIC BOOKS DVDS VIDEO GAMES THE LOT OF IT
Posted inNews + Opinion
Oval secrecy
Halifax council Tuesday voted—in secret—to award naming rights to the long track skating Oval on the Halifax Common. But council refused to make public the details of the deal(s)—including not only the name(s) of the corporation(s) awarded naming rights, but also, remarkably, the dollar amount(s) for selling off a piece of city legacy. (See thecoast.ca/bites […]
Posted inArts + Music
Road runners
By now Nova Scotia has—or should have—shed its image as an isolated backwater destination that’s difficult to reach and even harder to leave. It’s no surprise that bands from Nova Scotia are successful and constantly touring. What may come as a surprise is that there are bands in this city who are becoming more widely […]
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Underground art documentary and exhibition
New Brow is a 2009 documentary feature film that examines the rise of contemporary underground art or lowbrow art. The phrase, lowbrow art, was coined by underground artist and Juxtapoz magazine founder Robert Williams, and refers to the underground populist art scene that grew out of Los Angeles in the 1970s. With roots in punk […]
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Halifax International Security Forum is this weekend
The third annual Halifax International Security Forum, coming to the Westin Hotel this Friday through Sunday, is “a must attend place for thoughtful and engaged leaders who deal with defense and security issues to come together to learn from each other,” according to the forum’s website. Speakers will include Candian Defence minister Peter Mackay, *Rollling […]
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Cosplay for real
The manga selection—Japanese comics—offered by Halifax libraries may not measure up to that found on Tokyo’s legendary anime enthusiast paradise, Otome Road, and costumeplay—or cosplay—photoshoots at the Old Burying Ground don’t necessarily compare to the cosplay mecca of Tokyo’s Harajuku. But cosplayers in Halifax are proving just as dedicated and resourceful as their Japanese counterparts. […]
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Daily Picks: Friday
Dog Day w/Shotgun Jimmie, The Skeletones Four, Reversing Falls, Old and Weird Friday, October 21, Gus’ Pub, 9pm, $10 Friday’s Pigeon Row Showcase is going to be a doozy. To celebrate the fifth year of being a rootin’-tootin’ promotin’ machine, Pigeon Row gathered some of their favourites to make a very sweet lineup. If you […]
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Daily Picks: Thursday
DAN MANGAN w/The Crackling, The Daredevil Christopher Wright Thursday, October 20, St. Matthew’s United Church, $20/$25, 7:30pm People talk about record ‘cycle,’” says Vancouver’s Dan Mangan in a tone that suggests he finds the concept a bit odd. “There’s this idea that you tour your album, then lay low for a little while and take […]
Posted inArts + Music
Daily Picks: Saturday
JENNIFER CASTLE w/ The Belle Comedians, The Weather Station, Spring Standards Saturday, October 22, The Company House, 8pm, $10 Many of the songs on Jennifer Castle’s major-label debut Castlemusic are unadorned; tunes like “Powers” make their mark with delicate strumming, spare, rattling percussion and whispers of flute. Though the music is low-key, an enormous strength […]