Of Sirens and sailors
A new Nova Scotian myth has been born, thanks to the creative talents of Artistic Director Christina Murray, Movement and Scenography Designer Claire Leger and the Camerata Xara Young Women’s Choir. They have brought to life an original piece of choral theatre set on Brier Island Nova Scotia that blends together the stories of real-life,…
Open City will blow your mind wide open
Halifax’s independent businesses are going to be completely wide open. And I’m not referring to their shop hours, or their doors. It’s more of a figurative thing, and it’s a pretty hip way to support local companies. This weekend, the Downtown Halifax Business Commission is teaming up with I LOVE LOCAL to hold an event…
December 1917: The Halifax Explosion
Even if a relentless diet of Titanic anniversary fare has filled you to the brim with tragedy, I urge you to go see December 1917: The Halifax Explosion. This beautifully constructed piece of theatre has been brought to Halifax by the members of the new graduating class of the Sheridan-UTM Theatre and Drama Program in…
History and whimsy unite in The Whimsy State
I think it’s likely that a large portion of last night’s The Whimsy State audience rushed home to look up the Principality of Outer Baldonia on Wikipedia. (I know I did!) That’s because this tale of three men who formed a micro nation off the coast of Nova Scotia in 1948 is supposedly based on…
Spelling 2-5-5 is 7 18 5 1 20
Jennifer Overton’s Spelling 2-5-5 is a fast-paced, funny, informative play that’s staged with flare and creativity by the Carousel Players of St. Catharines, Ontario. It boasts a cast of adults who, for the most part, are playing children and who brilliantly capture that youthful essence. The story centres on twelve-year-old Simon (Ryan Bondy) and his…
Behind the greens with Local Source Market
If you like your veggies, you may have seen Local Source Market’s newest seasonal video, in which a greens-starved skateboarder checks a tip for organic and local products. While the video is tongue-in-cheek funny, story behind it is actually, as they say, inspired by real events. “It felt too good to be true,” says Local…
P’lovers gets a new nest
The environmental store P’lovers has a big day coming up this week. Liz Crocker and Ann Caverzan opened the store in 1992, and to celebrate the 20-year anniversary, they are making changes. “Our store will be moving to the Trillium Building, mostly because there’s more space and street frontage,” says Crocker. “Several other local businesses…
The barber is back with Saint Lou’s
Rob Oxner’s barbering has taken him around the world and back. After a one-year hair styling program at NSCC, he worked at the now-closed Green Room Salon on Hollis Street, then for five years at Spirit Spa before love swept him away to Australia. There, he joined the Doctor Follicles team. With each cut, Oxner…
Hamachi Group rolls into Bedford
The Hamachi Restaurant Group is expanding into Bedford with the opening of Hamachi Mura. The restaurant features a Japanese and Thai menu, similar to Hamachi Kita in the north end. Since its soft opening to the public three weeks ago, Hamachi Mura has received outstanding feedback. “The restaurant has a more modern, yet rustic, looking…
Heather Green
The second album of her young career, Heather Green’s Your Last War is a reverb- soaked pop-rocker that sounds like it was pulled from a nook between Radiohead’s The Bends and OK Computer. Dynamic layering gives the album a refined feel (unusual for a home recording) with handclaps and doubled vocals giving the record a…
Free will astrology
image-1] Happy Birthday! TAURUS (April 20-May 20) (April 20-May 20) Taurus actor Daniel Day-Lewis will star as American president Abraham Lincoln in a film to be released later this year. Hollywood insiders report that Lewis basically became Lincoln months before the film was shot and throughout the entire process. Physically, he was a dead ringer…
Jennifer Watts
2012 grade: C+ 2011 grade: B+ 2010 grade: A- 2009 grade: B Most of the issues council deals with are political issues, and while important, they just reflect the usual back-and-forth of municipal politics. But this past year Halifax council dealt with two issues that are in a separate moral category altogether: dealing with Peter…
Alabama Shakes
The album flows so smoothly that you wouldn’t imagine it’s the first record of the bluesy and soulful Alabama Shakes. Boys & Girls has a youthful liveliness with a vintage twist reminiscent of their R&B and classic rock influences like Otis Redding and Led Zeppelin. “You Ain’t Alone” showcases lead singer Brittany Howard’s deep, mature…
Welcome to the 2012 City Council Report Card
The past year has been the most eventful 12 months for Halifax councillors since The Coast started handing out annual grades in 2007. This year, council dealt with many highly contentious issues—and screwed up each and every one of them. The 2011 report card was still on the stands in May, when council agreed to…
Russell Walker
2012 grade: F 2011 grade: D 2010 grade: B 2009 grade: B- 2008 grade: C- 2001 grade: D Russell Walker’s “cantankerous old dude reprimanding silly democratic debate” routine is getting tiresome. “Here we go again…”� he says at least once a meeting, before positioning himself as the clear thinker in the room. But Walker’s thinking…
SuperNova’s local love
On the cusp of its 19th birthday, Eastern Front Theatre is facing an identity crisis. Once known as “Dartmouth’s theatre company,” EF has moved its offices and theatre space across the harbour to new digs in the Neptune Theatre space. EF’s new artistic producer Charlie Rhindress thinks he’s found a solution. He’d like Eastern Front…
Barry Dalymple
2012 Grade: F 2011 grade: F 2010 grade: D- 2009 grade: D Barry Dalrymple usually votes on the wrong side of things, and over the past year he aligned himself with the stupid on the stadium and voted not to censure the mayor over the concert scandal. He started down the wrong road by voting…
Debbie Hum
2012 grade: C 2011 grade: C- 2010 grade: D- 2009 grade: D+ 2008 grade: C+ 2007 grade: C+ Debbie Hum has come a long way. Once incoherent, she now brings valued insight to council discussions. Once indecisive, she now knows where she stands. Once one to simply follow the lead of her friend Sue Uteck,…
Brite-VU
Fans of the Halifax Mooseheads will already be familiar with Brite-VU’s material, as “Electric Avenue” and “One Foot” were featured in Eastlink’s promos during their recent playoff run. Both tracks appear on Restarted, the second full-length release from the Halifax based-band. Fans of bands such as Tonic, Matchbox 20 and 3 Doors Down will feel right at…
David Hendsbee
2012 grade: F 2011 grade: C- 2010 grade: D 2009 grade: C 2008 grade: D 2007 grade: D+ David Hendsbee voted against taking Hydrostone out of the BID, but for selling St. Pat’s Alexandra. He voted for the stadium and for sending the Skye Halifax development to a public hearing. But where Hendsbee really distinguished…
Linda Mosher
2012 grade: C 2011 grade: B- 2010 grade: B- 2009 grade: C- 2008 grade: C- 2007 grade: D As time goes by, Linda Mosher more closely identifies with the development industry. This year she made the motion to sell St. Pat’s-Alexandra, and voted to advance the Skye Halifax proposal. Mosher’s political agenda becomes most clear…
Eat and run
During next weekend’s Blue Nose Marathon, runners will gather to do everything from five-kilometre jaunts to full-fledged marathons. During their runs, they will burn off loads of calories. But what awaits their hungry bellies once they have finished? And what do they eat in the days leading up to the race? Anna Threadcraft is a…
Lorelei Nicoll
2012 grade: C- 2011 grade: C 2010 grade: C 2009 grade: C- Lorelei Nicoll voted for removing the Hydrostone from the north end BID, but against the sale of St. Pat’s-Alexandra. She voted in support of both the stadium and setting a hearing for the Skye project. “We could do a hell of a lot…
Stephen Adams
2012 grade: D 2011 grade: D 2010 grade: D 2009 grade: B- 2008 grade: C- 2007 grade: B- Just three days after announcing he was “considering”� a run for mayor, the Chronicle-Herald outed anti-transit union comments on its site as belonging to an account created by Stephen Adams. The councillor rather disingenuously claimed that he…
Dani Oore, Sageev Oore
While “radical” might seem like an exaggerated definition for these compositions it is not often you hear classical references juxtaposed alongside klezmer, film and jazz quotations with such natural flow and affinity. Playfully inventive yet at times quite challenging, the eleven tracks on Radical Cycle propel the listener (similar in the way that Pictures at…
Gloria McCluskey
2012 grade: C- 2011 grade: C+ 2010 grade: B+ 2009 grade: B- 2008 grade: B 2007 grade: C Development issues continue to dominate Gloria McCluskey’s attention. This past year she has decisively sided with neighbourhoods in her district around Lake Banook that are opposing development of residential towers on Prince Albert Road, but didn’t show…
Brad Johns
2012 grade: C 2011 grade: B- 2010 grade: D 2009 grade: C 2008 grade: D 2007 grade: D Brad Johns faced health issues this year and was granted an extended leave of absence by the rest of council. He missed several important votes, including the motion to censure Kelly, the most crucial vote on the…
Snow report
Following the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami in Southeast Asia, Halifax-based documentary filmmaker Rohan Fernando travelled to his native home of Sri Lanka to document the aftermath of the disaster. But while filming overseas, there was one interview subject he couldn’t shake from his mind upon returning to Canada. “There was one particular woman I met…
Darren Fisher
2012 grade: F 2011 grade: C- 2010 grade: C+ 2009 grade: N/A Impressively, Darren Fisher was one of only three councillors who had the courage to vote to censure Peter Kelly. He should be praised. So it’s unfortunate his grade is coming down. But that regression reflects his unwavering support of building a stadium, even…
Bob Harvey
2012 grade: C 2011 grade: D 2010 grade: C- 2009 grade: B- 2008 grade: B+ 2007 grade: B+ In last year’s report card, we criticized Bob Harvey for “just calling it in.”� This year, we’re happy to report, Harvey has been more committed to the job. He was particularly good when it came to the…
Heather Green’s land
If her stage fright had its way, Heather Green never would have become a musician. Growing up in Santa Monica, California, Green spent her weekends at church, performing in the congregation and learning how to play guitar from her mother. But by the time she started high school, Green stopped singing for the lord and…
Bill Karsten
2012 grade: D 2011 grade: C+ 2010 grade: C+ 2009 grade: C+ 2008 grade: C 2007 grade: C- We’re cutting Karsten’s grade for several reasons. He voted to remove the Hydrostone from the north end BID and to sell the St. Pat’s-Alexandra site, both of which adversely affect a neighbourhood that needs help. And he…
Tim Outhit
2012 grade: C+ 2011 grade: C+ 2010 grade: C- 2009 grade: C Judging by the actions of their elected representatives, the biggest concern facing Bedfordians is evidently commuting to Halifax. Peter Kelly, who was mayor of the old town of Bedford and then an HRM councillor representing Bedford before becoming mayor, has spent decades advocating…
Missin’ Cousins
Symptoms of Cousins withdrawal include: listening to The Palm at the End of the Mind on a loop while poring over the Wallace Stevens poem “Of Mere Being” that provides the album’s title, looking for possible clues and connections. Catching yourself singing the words to “Khyber” and “Secret Weapon” at the checkout or in your…
Jackie Barkhouse
2012 grade: B- 2011 grade: B+ 2010 grade: B 2009 grade: C+ 2008 grade: C+ This year Jackie Barkhouse came into her own. Four years’ experience has crystalized into a deep understanding of the way the bureaucracy frustrates sensible action and how secret meetings are used to facilitate undemocratic agendas, and she found the courage…
Reg Rankin
2012 grade: C- 2011 grade: C- 2010 grade: D 2009 grade: D In 1996, the old Sackville landfill was closed due to contaminated aquifers and multiple lawsuits, and a new landfill was proposed for Otter Lake, in Reg Rankin’s district. Rankin suddenly found himself dealing with complex garbage issues, and played a leading role in…
Jim Smith
2012 grade: C 2011 grade: C 2010 grade: C+ 2009 grade: C- 2008 grade: D 2007 grade: C+ Jim Smith doesn’t often stand out as exceptional, but he was one of only three councillors to rise to the occasion and vote to censure Peter Kelly and suspend him for a week. Good for Smith. Otherwise,…
Peter Lund
2012 grade: D 2011 grade: C- 2010 grade: D 2009 grade: C Peter Lund is an inoffensive guy who mostly muddles through without much bothering anyone. In normal times, that’s not a bad quality to have—he typically gets C grades, just for not breaking any of the crystal. But these aren’t normal times. The past…
Life of Brian
If you’re looking to get in the mood this weekend, R&B superstar Brian McKnight will make love to Halifax’s auditory canals Friday night with his soulful crooning. Sixteen-time Grammy nominated McKnight is likely best known for junior high slow-dance megahits like “Back at One.” But lately he’s raised eyebrows with a provocative “adult mix-tape.” Of…
Peter Kelly
2012 grade: EXPELLED 2011 grade: F 2010 grade: C 2009 grade: C- 2008 grade: D 2007 grade: D Mayor Peter Kelly is a disgrace to the city of Halifax and everyone who lives here. He has repeatedly dishonoured council and has destroyed the reputation of city government. Kelly’s sins are multiple. Kelly worked with a…
Every Second Weekend
In Dalhousie instructor Rebecca Babcock’s debut novel, mother-daughter narrators Liz and Katie tentatively navigate their strained relationship over the years, from childhood to college, across seas, always with a smothering inability to communicate. Babcock gives us glimpses of familial decisions that come to represent the landmarks of heartbreak in the two women’s lives; a more-loved…
Don’t be the worst
Q I am a 26-year-old straight guy. My straightness and guyness are recent revelations, and it feels amazing to be able to confidently state this. Here is my trouble: I’ve had gender issues for the past five years. My now ex-girlfriend of three years said she couldn’t be with me anymore due to these issues.…
Eekum Seekum seek and destroy
Eekum Seekum is a punk band born out of strong politics and a desire to see themselves reflected in a scene that unfortunately remains heteronormative and insular. They’ve forged new ground, and fortunately for us, that ground is paved in glitter. Mary Burnet (vocals), Ryley Beggs (guitar), Emily Davidson (bass) and Megan Best (drums) have…
Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey
Being Elmo is the critically acclaimed documentary that tells the story of Muppets puppeteer—and Elmo creator—Kevin Clash. The film details the rise of Clash from a childhood of adversity in suburban Baltimore, to hobnobbing with Jim Henson and co. in New York City, to becoming one of the most respected puppeteers of his time. Even…
Dark Shadows
Dark Shadows sure seems like a Tim Burton movie. There’s magnificent gothic production design, a story that includes both comedy and bloody carnage, notes of musical whimsy from Danny Elfman and a heavily made-up Johnny Depp in the lead role. Yet in adapting the 1960s soap opera, Burton can’t conjure up the heart and twisted…
Mary Wile
2012 grade: F 2011 grade: F 2010 grade: F 2009 grade: D 2008 grade: D 2007 grade: C+ Mary Wile votes the wrong way on everything: she voted against censuring Peter Kelly, she voted to remove the Hydrostone from the north end BID, for the sale of St. Pat’s-Alexandra, for the stadium, for moving Skye…
Pariah
A quiet triumph of 2011’s festival circuit—landing Independent Spirit, Gotham, Sundance and GLAAD Media awards—Dee Rees’ Pariah is part coming-out story, part family portrait. Alike (Adepero Oduye, 30 passing for 18) is leading a double life—straight at home, gay everywhere else, including school and New York’s lesbian clubs. In a bit of a switch, it’s…
Steve Streatch
2012 Grade: F 2011 grade: F 2010 grade: D 2009 grade: F 2008 grade: F 2007 grade: F Streatch went through cancer treatment over the last few months. He handled it gracefully, and seems to have beaten it. We wish him well. But we don’t grade politicians based on the diseases they suffer. We grade…
Jerry Blumenthal
2012 grade: D 2011 grade: C+ 2010 grade: C- 2009 grade: C When the single owner of the Hydrostone market objected to being in a business district that included those people down on Gottingen Street, Jerry Blumenthal had a sympathetic ear. Blumenthal brought a motion to council to have the Hydrostone removed, voted for it…
Resident Evil: Revelations
The long-running Resident Evil series has had its ups and downs over the years, as it hovers on the line between survival-horror and action-adventure. The latest entry continues this awkward, yet enjoyable, trend. Revelations plays and looks like a console game, a pretty solid feat for the 3DS hardware. The controls do leave a little…
Festivals funded
Halifax council approved $385,000 in funding for hallmark events this week. This category of grant funding targets recurring events with large impacts on the the city’s image, identity and economy, whether for the traditions they represent, the attention they garner outside the city or their mere ability to draw large crowds, like the Blue Nose…
Heavy Snow
Waves of tragedy crash ceaselessly on a Sri Lankan refugee who moves to Nova Scotia in this bleak film by Rohan Fernando. When her family dies in the 2004 tsunami, Parvati (newcomer Kalista Zackhariyasits) immigrates to Canada to stay with her strict relatives and work at a dismal motel. Therein she befriends fellow wounded souls,…
Dawn Sloane
2012 grade: C+F 2011 grade: B 2010 grade: B+ 2009 grade: B 2008 grade: B 2007 grade: B- The controversy over the St. Pat’s-Alexandra sale rocked the north end in January, and the area’s councillor, Dawn Sloane, responded reasonably well: She was the prime voice on council for the community and worked hard on their…
Pressing council’s reset button
The municipal elections happening across Nova Scotia on October 20 will serve as a reset for Halifax city politics. This is not always the case with an election, because no matter how great the theoretical power of voters to throw the bums out, there tends to be an intertia to city politics that makes it…
Sue Uteck
2012 grade: B- 2011 grade: C 2010 grade: C 2009 grade: C+ 2008 grade: B- 2007 grade: B For years, Sue Uteck’s obvious disdain for Peter Kelly has been written off as politicized—Uteck just wants to become mayor, so the story went. But events have clearly vindicated Uteck: Her low opinion of Kelly was dead-on.…
Osheaga gets Classy
The best summer festival if you’re asking me, Montreal’s Osheaga has announced an absolute batshit lineup for this year’s run August 3-5, including Florence and the Machine, Metric, Snoop Dogg, The Black Keys, Kathleen Edwards, Passion Pit, Common, The Raveonettes and duuuude go see for yourself! And Halifax will be repped by Classified! Plus if…
