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The Coast | News, events, restaurants, concerts and Burger Week for Halifax, Nova Scotia
Home of the Best of Halifax Reader's Choice Awards, the award-winning independent newspaper covers the Halifax news, politics, events, concerts, movies, restaurants, and nightlife scene.
To the very kind paramedic who paid my fare when my transfer had expired: A big THANK YOU. I have paid it forward. —Extremely Grateful
From my beautiful coworkers and friends to my hilarious and supportive family and partner to the anonymous individuals who share their presence with me in passing on the road or the bus or in cafe lineups—I am so filled with gratitude for the people I am surrounded by and I love you all! Be kind…
Your dog is your best secret keeper, and never judges you for eating an entire pizza yourself—if anything, that loyal pooch loves you even more for it. So maybe you should reciprocate, sharing your one-of-a-kind love with the world and treating your puppy pal to the summer date they deserve. That’s right, it’s time to…
10 Craft Nova Scotia’s annual designer show Friday // Saturday // Sunday Everything from ceramics to textiles to some handmade bling await at this sprawling outdoor craft show full of expert makers. 9 Dîner en Blanc Saturday This super-secret fancy-pants international community picnic didn’t happen last summer, but it’s back. Conceived in France, Diner en…
You make me so happy! My face hurts from smiling so much! You make falling in love easy. —Lover of the Light
South House Sexual and Gender Resource Centre has officially announced its boycott of Halifax Pride in solidarity with Queer Arabs of Halifax (QAH). In doing so, the centre is also providing a drop-in event on the day of the parade. “We thought it was really important to offer an alternative to Pride for folks who…
Of all the plastic products we use and take for granted, plastic drinking straws are among the most unnecessary. Designed to be used once and discarded, their only real purpose is to keep your mouth from touching a glass or ice. It made more sense in the days when contaminated vessels were more of an…
Instead of a press conference and symbolic tarp, members of the public who repeatedly disrupted Tuesday’s meeting of Regional Council were escorted out of council chambers by security. Trish MacIntyre, a Métis activist with Halifax Anonymous and one of the organizers of last weekend’s protest at Cornwallis Park, was at City Hall to watch mayor…
The most watched person at this year’s Halifax Pride parade will be a straight white man with a penchant for rainbow socks. It was announced Monday that Justin Trudeau will be marching this weekend in Halifax, becoming the first sitting prime minister to take part in a local Pride parade. But some members of the…
I am a huge lover of The Coast! I moved from good old Cape Breton to the “big” city four years ago. It is by far one of my favourite things this city has to offer. Unfortunately I really enjoy reading them while laying down, seeing as I have a mini acrobat using my organs…
After two years of lowering ears from their west end joint, Scallywags Barbershop (6513 Chebucto Road), Dylan MacEachern and Brad MacDonald are expanding their fleet. Last week the pair quietly opened Church’s Barbershop in the former Makenew location (2468 Agricola Street), a spin off location that offers the same service with a slightly sleeker different…
David R. Elliott w/Becky Siamon, Thomas Stajcer Thurs. July 20, 9pm-1am The Local, 2037 Gottingen Street davidrelliott.bandcamp.com David R. Elliott digs into the topics of love, divorce, abuse, and family funerals in his new album, Strawberry Grass. The New Brunswick-born musician’s latest release is a compilation of material he’s written in the last several years…
You’ve been gone for decades. Now you return, after partying your way through TO for the last few weeks. Bring us you—tired, bleary and with your cross-eyed kitty—and we’ll give you our beaches, a vibrant North End, new musicals and theatrical horizons and a family thrilled to see you home. Donairs after you unpack! —Two…
To the woman in shorts driving her full size motorcycle in the cycling lane, 4:30 pm, July 12, heading north on South Park Street: it is illegal to do so. Next time I will get your plate for the police. Ride safe. —Know the Rules of the Road
DJ Fadzwa, who’s been rocking dance floors since 2013, knows a great party song. The local DJ selects a diverse collection of Afro-house, dance, moohmbaton, dancehall and more that transcends borders and just provide a good time for those who just want to sweat it out. Performing at Halifax Pride’s outdoor DJ dance spectacle The…
No human is perfect. We all make right and wrong decisions. On Saturday, July 8 I left my cell phone on bus 87 going to the bridge terminal. Since it was the weekend I had to wait until Monday to check lost and found. Well I checked all week and I got the human who…
Prismatic Arts Festival, the annual celebration of culturally-diverse art in all mediums, dropped its first lineup announcement for the 2017 festival today. Running September 14 to 23 in a slew of venues across the city, the event boasts plays, dance performances, panel discussions and more. Tickets for the fest go on sale July 25 and…
Thank you to the all the beautiful humans who have supported, gifted, and graced me with their presence. I am ever grateful. All these haters, see you later. You don’t love me like I love you. —The One All Over The Map
For a contemporary progressive metal band—Halifax’s Shadow of Everest list Tool, Black Sabbath, Queens of the Stone Age as bands they’ve been compared to—this debut full length has a surprisingly classic sound. The guitar tone—especially on title track “Idle Hands” and “Holding On”—could fit right in with Maiden or Metallica. But the song structures prove…
As new seasons of television shows like Game of Thrones and Letterkenney bring wintery landscapes to our summer programming, so too does the AGNS’s summer exhibition SakKijâjuk: Art and Craft from Nunatsiavut. Showcasing the work of 47 artists from Northern Labrador, the show is divided into four categories: Elders, Trailblazers, Fire Keepers and the Next…
Hot damn Halifax–that was some sexy night. Reeny Smith’s impassioned opening performance was a perfect match for the high dose of sex and swagger that followed when Anderson .Paak and his band The Free Nationals launched into the opening pulsations of “Milk & Honey” in front of a rapturous audience eager and willing to be…
What a miserable city this place is! Enjoy it! I’m never coming back. —LOL at Halifax
KooniWritten and performed by Izad Etermadi Directed by Liza Balkan Kooni begins as a light-hearted comedy full of quips about fashion, working in retail and work crushes. Things soon take an uncomfortable turn once a customer at the upscale boutique where Izad works makes a racist comment. Later, he meets an affable Iraian uber driver, with…
The summer months are perfect for road trips. There is seafood to eat, waterfalls to trek to, and an abundance of theatre to see across the province. With over 20 shows, not including the late-summer Halifax Fringe Festival, where does one even begin? From Shakespeare by the Sea in Point Pleasant Park to Tony Award-winning…
Your mangled, half-consumed slices of pizza and takeaway cups of donair sauce don’t below discarded in the main entrance, hallway, or staircase of our shared building. I’m glad you’re getting out and having fun, but pick up after yourself. Yech. —South End Grump
Only a few hours after being covered up, the statue of Edward Cornwallis has already been unveiled. Municipal workers, under orders from mayor Mike Savage, draped the controversial monument with a black tarp during a protest early Saturday afternoon. It was a compromise from municipal officials hoping to keep the peace as nearly 300 people…
Aquarius Written and performed by François Macdonald Directed by Sunny Drake Aquarius is a tender one-act solo performance that follows two men in 1975 caught in a firebombed Montreal bathhouse. The two men have just met, one is closeted, the other is proudly homosexual. Their interactions begin with the meet-cute dynamic of a romantic comedy,…
Tonight’s guest was academy award winner Marisa Tomei: “…she looks good for 50?” You look like shit for 30 you fat, bald, tribal tat, trucker hat mother fucker! Fuck you! Everyone’s a critic. Get off your bar stool and get some respect. Have you even seen The Wrestler? No, you probably just watch real wrestling…
Love your kindness. Love your haters, love your lovers, love love love is all you need. If you find it within yourself, you are not gaining love peace truth beauty happiness love. —Lover Lover Girl
The man who for decades has led the charge to bring Edward Cornwallis down from his pedestal isn’t opposed to a little civil disobedience. Organizers of a divisive protest happening this Saturday are hoping to topple the bronze, south-end statue, which they say “for too long has been representing genocide in M’ikma’ki.” Mayor Mike Savage…
Hey bub (yes, you!). I’m hoping that maybe you will read this on a lazy Saturday or Sunday morning while I’m away at work. Maybe you’re snuggling with our kitties, or maybe you’re getting high and enjoying the comforts of our new mattress and bed (which you built for us!). Whatever it is you’re up…
Jenn Grant channels a disco goddess/Earth, Wind and Fire fever dream in her latest video, “Sorry Doesn’t Know,” directed by producer Daniel Ledwell in Lake Echo. From the 2017 album Paradise, three Grants really aren’t nearly enough in my opinion, but I suppose I will live. You probably have heard this glittery track on CBC Radio 2…
Director Seth Smith, producer Nancy Urich (full disclosure, Urich and I play in a band together) and screenwriter Darcy Spidle, the team behind CUT/OFF/TAIL Pictures, are back on their grind again, so rejoice. With a supremely spooky trailer for The Crescent, Smith continues to deal in the watery horror framework set down by 2012’s Lowlife, this…
10 North By Night Market Friday The famed north end pop-up market returns to Squiggle Park for a night of summertime radness (and shopping and food trucks). 9 Kirsten Olivia Thursday Our local Jazz Fest issue cover star is an R&B powerhouse who cites Jill Scott, Solange and Erykah Badu as influences—something you can hear…
Kirsten Olivia Thursday, July 13, 11:15pm, $15 The Carleton Music Bar & Grill 1685 Argyle Street Kirsten Olivia is forging her own path, focusing on living her truth and being honest and creative. The powerful R&B force is embarking on a year: Festival showcases, like this weekend’s double set at the Carleton; an opening slot…
Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals w/Reeny Smith Saturday, July 15, 8:30pm Jazz Fest Main Stage Lower Water and Salter Streets $60+fees “It’s like eating a Ferrero Rocher,” I say when my mother asks what Anderson .Paak’s music is like. “It’s beautifully packaged; once you unwrap it, you quickly get to its core and then…
Gypsophilia w/The Mellotones Sunday, July 16, 8:30pm Jazz Fest Main Stage Lower Water and Salter Streets free The year is 2004. Those involved in the music scene will remember this year as the moment stars aligned to form the jazz band Gypsophilia. A gig at the Halifax Jazz Festival brought together the group of musicians,…
The trend of so-called sushi burritos has hit Halifax. Way 2 Roll (1480 Brenton Street) is aimed at sushi lovers who don’t always have time to sit down with three different rolls and a bowl of miso. Sushi burritos have already been popularized in Toronto and New York, and Leanne Li thought they had the…
Queer Acts Theatre Festival July 13-16 The Bus Stop Theatre 2203 Gottingen Street $15+fees tickethalifax.com Queer Acts’ line-up is culturally and creatively diverse, making for a wide-ranging, multiple format look at queerness small and large, personal and universal, across the festival’s four days. Highlights include: fried The multi-disciplinary artist Jade Byard Peek, who curated February’s…
King of Berlin July 13-15, 7pm & July 16, 8pm The Marquee Ballroom 2037 Gottingen Street $15+fees tickethalifax.com The Weimar era of Germany encompassed a cultural renaissance sandwiched between the two World Wars, where art and intellect reigned until Hitler rose to power in 1933. (Cabaret is a great example.) It’s the inspiration and partial setting…
The Evergreen Project Saturday, July 15 at 11am Dartmouth Peace Pavilion, 88 Alderney Drive Free “My music teacher in high school sat me down and asked if I’d ever thought about pursuing music in university and I said ‘um no,'” says jazz guitarist Sam Wilson, who thankfully changed her tune. “My parents are very career…
Joe Sealy’s Africville Stories Saturday, July 15, 7pm St. Matthew’s Church, 1479 Barrington Street $35 Joe Sealy’s father was born in Africville, living there for almost a decade before moving to Montreal, where he lived until the end of his life in 1992. Sealy wrote an eight-minute song called “Africville” in his honour and recorded…
Melanie Quigg has been fighting to get her $650 damage deposit back for more than a year. Despite a favourable decision from a Residential Tenancies Board adjudicator last month, she’s still waiting. “I was thrilled and relieved to know I had won,” says Quigg. “But I’ve seen enough to know just because the ruling was…
Liquid Courage is the debut recording from Blue Spirits, the Halifax quartet led by trumpeter Paul St-Amand and self-described (accurately) as “a colourful collision of classic and contemporary.” It starts strong just on the titles of the first two songs, “Magnifico” and “How to Be Unthoughtful” (and what’s the over/under on “One Page to Another”…
“What’s the topic of conversation/if I ain’t the topic of conversation?” asks MAJE in the opening minute of the 12-track Insert Flame Emojis Here, and it’s a fair question. In an album that begins with the refrain is “My whole team had hoop dreams,” it’s worth nothing he’s assembled a major collection of collaborators here,…
Pho Hoang Minh 172 Wyse Road Mon-Wed 11am-9pm; Thu-Sat 11am-10pm Sun 4pm-9pm Fifteen is a perfect number. It’s one plus two plus three plus four plus five. It’s a magic constant, a triangular number, a hexagonal number and a pentatope number. In numerology it is apparently associated with harmony. It’s a point in tennis. And…
Statue statements I don’t necessarily agree with the protesters who want to tear down the Cornwallis statue on Saturday (“Mayor and Mi’kmaq Chiefs oppose plans to topple Cornwallis statue,” The City by Jacob Boon, posted July 11 at thecoast.ca and printed on page 5). I’d rather it be removed in a way that wouldn’t play…
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Cancer (Jun 21-Jul 22) The astrological omens suggest you could get caught up in dreaming about what might have been. I’m afraid you might cling to outworn traditions and resuscitate wistful wishes that have little relevance for the future. You may even be tempted to wander through the labyrinth of your memories, hoping…
Q I’m a gay medical student with a medical fetish, and I can’t even open up to my therapist about this. I think the fetish started when I was young; I was once in the hospital and given a suppository for a fever. Then one time I was given a Fleet enema. I don’t think…
In just four songs, North Preston’s Keonté Beals covers a lot of ground, and doesn’t pull any punches from the jump: The kick-off, “Man Down,” may feature the claps and laser synths of Top 40 pop, but the subject matter is much more serious. “How can I go through the motions once again?” Beals asks…
Get Inkwell soon Sometimes it feels like you can’t keep up with all of the occasions happening in your life. Maybe you even dread that awkward birthday moment where you’ll read three of the same card and have to smile out of politeness. But then, you open up that one card that is exactly you.…
