July 25, 2003 was a monumental day for Alexisonfire, and it happened in Halifax. The St. Catharines-based quintet was riding a wave of attention thanks to its debut video “Pulmonary Archery” from the band’s self-titled full-length, and was starting to develop a fan base outside of Ontario. And like any band worth its salt, they […]
Arts + Music
Live theatre, art exhibits, comedy, literary, spoken word – The Coast guide to Halifax and Dartmouth, NS . The downtown, local arts scene – plays, writers, actors, artists and performers. Painting, sculpture, photography, stand-up, stage.
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None for the ages
It’s not hard to believe what is said: the Academy Awards were created in the 1920s as a public relations exercise, to boost the California movie business and assuage the egos of the pretty, young stars. Award ceremonies are a coming of age for any industry—it means you’ve arrived, you’re making money and people really, […]
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Best in the land
Look past the Botoxed parade of designer gowns and salivating paparazzi and you’ll find a distinctly Canadian story unfolding on this year’s Oscar red carpet. Canada’s public film producer, the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), received two Academy Award nominations this year: one for Chris Landreth’s animated short film Ryan, and another for the […]
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A man and his guitar
There’s an odd romanticism associated with the term singer-songwriter. Mention the two words to any music fan and a wistful image of a weather-worn traveller with an acoustic guitar and a story to tell immediately comes to mind. This idealized notion doesn’t take into consideration whether the artist is an adequate singer, songwriter or storyteller, […]
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Apathy for the record industry
Behind all the glitter and glam of music award shows, behind the emotional acceptance speeches and live performances, there are business deals being made. Record labels use the backdrop of award shows such as the East Coast Music Awards (ECMAs) as an opportunity to sign the next Matt Mays or Joel Plaskett. During the ’90s […]
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Big, big plans
Thank God for bingo. Members of Wintersleep have taken a time-out from preparing for the release of their new, self-titled record for a shot at some prize money at the local bingo hall. It happens to be one of the coldest days of the season, and the sound of numbers and letters over the loudspeaker […]
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Understanding K-OS
It’s safe to say that k-os is in a good place at the beginning of 2005. And it’s no wonder, because with his second album, Joyful Rebellion, k-os has reached the top 10 on the Canadian pop charts and can be heard on hip-hop, Top-40 and college radio stations. He is supporting the album with […]
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Heart act to follow
BA Johnston finds inspiration in the most unusual places. His fourth record, My Heart is a Blinking Nintendo, is a collection of quirky, sad songs about pirates, poutine and the CFL. On January 20 at Tribeca, Johnston will be celebrating the release of his record, and the performance will also mark his 30th birthday. “It’s […]
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Show your teeth
Forget about “Kokomo.” Erase from your mind the image of those balding, portly, middle-aged men dressed up in the red, white and blue singing surf tunes at Ronald Reagan’s 1985 inauguration. There was a time, we’ll call it the ’60s, when the Beach Boys were the vanguard of California cool. It was the spring of […]
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D’oh Christ!
Around 1990, when conservatives and other like-minded squares started shrieking about the crude, sassy new animated series The Simpsons,they of course jumped the proverbial gun. (“I don’t think anybody should be proud to be an underachiever” is how my own grade 6 teacher explained her ban of Simpsons shirts, which then mostly featured Bart spouting […]
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Eric the kid
Vancouver-born, Montreal-based Eric “Kid Koala” San has performed all across the globe as a member of Bullfrog, Deltron 3030, Gorillaz, Lovage and Money Mark. He’s also one of the best known DJs in the world, having opened for The Beastie Boys and Radiohead. He’s been invited to ring in the New Year in New Orleans, […]