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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.
[Image-1] I’m tired of biking in this city. The heckling from dumb drivers is annoying, but can be ignored. But the idiot drivers who don’t understand that bikes have a right to the road are seriously wearing me down and making me question whether I want to bike any more. Riding down Gottingen, you decide…
To the wannabe tough guy on Argyle Street on Thursday night, I’m the guy in the blue car. I may or may not have been improperly blocking the crosswalk. These are the split second choices a driver needs to make in downtown rush hour traffic when it looks like a car is about to cut…
I work shift work and do most shopping during weekdays. So at Sobeys, Costco, and Walmart you find me, other shift workers, the retired, stay-at-home mom and dads….and members of the military in uniform !! Taxpayers pay your salary not to be at Home Depot at 2pm on a Tuesday or Cdn Tire at 10am…
I am moving back to TO SAY good buy to condos on barrington st that kinda sound like the BOY!!! how can we sell that shit everty one in the land of 11’50 cent jobs can offord half a mill oh buy the way that only gets you 500 feet better build a lot more…
[Image-1] I get that you have issues. We all do. When you put those issues in boxes you think have little effect on us, you’re fooling yourself and disrespecting me, not to mention the other awesome women in your life. When we have a problem, stemming from your issues, and you prefer to live in…
[Image-1] This city appears to have real talent for shutting down Kiril Bichutsky. The American photographer—better known online as Kirill Was Here and the Slut Whisperer—has made a name for himself travelling the world, visiting nightclubs and posting pictures on his website of the throngs of sometimes-drunk, usually-naked women who come out to see…
[Image-1] You said you loved me unconditionally, yet you placed conditions on me. After I reacted badly to life, I embarrassed you (and myself), so you forgot me—can’t blame you, but it proves I meant nothing to you. —The Forgotten
To one of the hoards of first-year girls screaming up Chestnut Street today decked out in Dal gear: You stole a construction s ign that was half the size of you and proceeded to carry it over your head while running and screaming down the street. I’m not really sure what the best-case scenario is…
DEAR RESTAURANTS: Please stop using chicken stock and/or beef stock in otherwise vegetarian soups! Veggie broth would taste just as good in that curried carrot or potato leek, k? —Hard out here for a herbivore
Customers—If your cashier says hello to you, TRY SAYING IT THE F$#@! BACK! Work with me here people, stop leaving me hanging! On an unrelated bitch, why is it that cab drivers always smell like they smoked a pack of exports while taking a cologne bath? —HELLO
Hey what’s up with the lame “Where`s Waldo” look? The outdated skinny jeans, the knitted winter toque (worn in summer months) and cheesy-looking, oversized Taylor Swift glasses that so many are wearing—people this is not original! (PS neither is the man bun or knot, or overdone lumberjack beard craze and the bronzed Snookie look.) —JP…
Hey. Here we are. Pop Explosion. Day one. I’m already exhausted. I didn’t take many pics because my camera is a piece of crap Android and it gives me ‘droid rage because every photo sucks. So please check out these beautiful photos by Lenny Mullins for a visual reference as I ramble on about what…
This Monday night, October 26, marks Tess’ final meal. The 5687 Charles Street restaurant announced a week ago that after over six years of serving north end Halifax it’d be changing hands and re-opening with a brand new concept. With owner Kexuan Amy Gong at the helm, Chi Bistro will be a Chinese fusion restaurant…
[Image-1] Some HRM councillors didn’t know whether to laugh or cry yesterday at a staff recommendation to stop working on the recruitment of a permanent Halifax town crier. The position has remained largely unfilled since former crier Peter Cox passed away in 2009. Preston-Chezzetcook-Eastern Shore councillor David Hendsbee was especially disappointed in staff’s proposal. “I…
Wow, I just read a “bitch” which called out Hipsters for using the word “curated” in place of the word “collected.” It was a long winded slice of poop which ended by calling out hipsters as “pretentious fucks.” Wow. I am in no way a hipster, I’m actually just a rock n’ roller from CB.…
To the man who HURLED himself into me as I waited quietly in the Barrington Superstore checkout line: I realize that you had no way of knowing I am still recovering from a devastating concussion that cost me more than a year of my life, and your assault set me back weeks. But, really? You…
[Image-1] I love Halifax, I really do. What I don’t love is almost getting killed every time I walk around the city. At least once a day I’m almost struck by cars drifting through stop signs or not looking both ways before turning right into me. I’m a very cautious walker but this continues to…
[Image-1] Thank you, thank you, thank you! I know it’s not for everyone and eventually the feds will find a way to make it illegal or whatever….but for a guy who had been a pack a day smoker for almost 30 years, this stuff is the cat’s ass! I haven’t had a smoke for 6…
[Image-1] Friday night at Joe Howe Superstore, we caught each other’s eye while shopping in the Joe Fresh section. You then interrupted me checking myself out in the mirror, trying on a leather jacket, with a compliment. It made my day. Needless to say, I got the jacket … And wish I had the guts…
Here we are, doggies. Tonight is the first evening of the Halifax Pop Explosion, five full days of the coolest bands in hip-hop, indie rock, indie pop and regular pop. There’s also a symphony experience, an incredible comedy lineup, songs for the folkier set, an HPX Conference, the Collide Creative Technology Conference and much more. If you haven’t…
[Image-1] Today, Halifax Regional Council unanimously approved installing a protected two-way bike lane on Rainnie Drive in the city’s north end. The 300-metre bikeway is a pilot project to assess the functionality and maintenance of protected lanes as HRM tries to boost its cyclist infrastructure. The structural opportunity comes about due to recent street changes…
[Image-1] Dear Bus Driver. I know you’re on a schedule and all that but fer cripes sake….can you wait just a second until my ass is seated? I’m a lot older than I used to be and I move a little slower, so sometimes getting to that lone empty seat at the back of the…
So I’m walking down the sidewalk with my 15 year old daughter, who uses a wheelchair most times because of a disability she was born with…but, she can walk limited distances and enjoys doing so when she can. You and your friends are walking up the same sidewalk and when you approach us, you decide…
I have never encountered a woman as bitter as you. Though I’ve done things to anger you I can also say, looking at the miserable dark limits of your personality, that, when I consider you today, I actually feel quite sorry for you… even the so-called ‘love’ you have in your so-called life doesn’t even…
Yo, students! I know you’re new in town and full of wonder and new friendships. Just try to remember there’s a whole city of full-time residents, and we use the sidewalks to, like, get places we go. Not walking three- to five- abreast really helps us do that, especially if we are headed in a…
Still digging out financially from an awful winter of inaccessible sidewalks and sparse parking, Dress In Time’s (5670 Brenton Street) Glen Walker has says he’s swallowed his pride and is asking for help. The second-hand clothing veteran—which has been known for its unique and authentic selection of rare finds, and welcoming/creepy lamp post mannequin, for…
[Image-1] Those looking to forever cherish a piece of Halifax high school history—or anyone building a backyard barbecue—are in luck. The city is inviting former Saint Patrick’s High School students, “and other interested residents” to preserve the former school’s memory by taking home some leftover rubble. “With demolition of the former Saint Patrick’s High School…
[Image-1] Hey there sweetpea! Glad to know you’re out there on stage, doing what you love – even if what you love is not me right now. I miss you terribly, and I suspect you miss me too, but we both have to do what we have to do to be who we want to…
[Image-1] I’ve travelled to many places and lived in quite a few, too, all over this great planet but I have to say, Halifax has some of the most beautiful women this world has to offer! There is not a day goes by that I don’t see a bunch of gorgeous gals! I love you,…
What’s the deal with needlessly idling buses?! Could be a beautiful day with a perfect temperature, nobody on the bus (e.g. buses parked on Upper Water Street, I suppose waiting to start a route?) and there they are idling away. I’m sure this also occurs in many other areas of the city that I don’t…
[Image-1] Just because you don’t understand parts my job doesn’t mean you should prevent me from doing them; it’s an integral part of keeping the doors open. All you need to do is ask your questions and make a decision. Yes, it is easier to focus on what they are doing, but you’re not in…
My recent experiences in Halifax restaurants have involved people at adjoining tables either loudly trying to top each other’s rotting food stories, talking about a new, pus-oozing tattoo or a family letting their child run all around the small restaurant making ear-shattering noises like a humpback whale. The diners engaging in this ignorant behaviour looked…
[Image-1] It doesn’t matter if you’ve lived here your whole life or are just visiting for the day; eating a donair is a painfully Haligonian experience. Now, one councillor wants to make the city’s relationship with the heavily-sauced snack official. Tuesday at Regional Council, Halifax West Armdale councillor Linda Mosher will be requesting a staff…
Legendary metal-grindcore band Fuck the Facts is gonna fuck you up tonight at Gus’ Pub (10pm, $10) with Orchid’s Curse, Cottus and Dumpster. The Ottawa/Gatineau “mulletcore” heavies independently released Desire Will Rot in August, which has been getting thumbs ups across the board. I caught up with bassist/vocalist Marc Bourgon to see what’s fucking new. Congrats on…
[Image-1] Prices may be going up at the University of King’s College, but not until 2017. Yesterday, the liberal arts university’s board of governors approved a request to ask the provincial government for a $1,000 tuition increase, phased in over three years. The decision passed 10-8, according to a release by King’s Students’ Union. In…
[Image-1] UPDATE: The Springtide Collective (5555 Bloomfield Street) and Lion & Bright (2534 Agricola Street) are also both hosting election night parties tonight. Monday night in Canada will be one of the most important evenings for the nation in recent memory. And also there will be an election. While the Toronto Blue Jays take on…
“I’m a typical Islander on the mainland,” says Cape Breton original Greg MacPherson, based in Winnipeg, “No matter how long I’m away, I always feel a pull to be back here.” Tonight at The Company House, MacPherson returns to Halifax with his drummer Rob Gardiner and local songstress Gianna Lauren. Currently finishing up a new album, MacPherson…
On Saturday, our g’s at Pro Skates (6451 Quinpool) are screening a new feature-length skate vid by Montreal filmographer and occasional VANS doggie, Brian Shannon. Shot since 2013 in Montreal, Chicago, Arizona and Barcelona, Duluth features the elite riding of Josh Clark, Zander Mitchell, Ethan Kilcour, Dustin Henry, Charles Deschamps, Johnny Purcell, Nate Oliver and a fuckload of other people. “This is all…
[Image-1] As active-transportation plans go, the new bicycle lane on Hollis Street in Halifax wasn’t exactly a pedal-to-the-metal project. Installation was delayed for years before it finally took place this summer. And the project wasn’t the last upgrade to be done on the busy one-way street. At some point, City Hall must look down the…
[Image-1] Are you considering voting for the Conservative Party in this upcoming federal election? If so, local Marxist-Leninist candidate Allan Bezanson is curious to know: “Are you nuts?” This 67-year-old anti-war activist and founding member of the No Harbour for War organization isn’t wasting his time on Harper enthusiasts. But he isn’t spending his campaign…
[Image-1] The Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities says women should represent at least 30 percent of elected members of local governments. City councillors Jennifer Watts and Barry Dalrymple—both not re-offering in next year’s municipal election—recently stated HRM’s council needs younger, more diverse voices. A free, municipal “campaign school” this Saturday at Mount Saint Vincent University…
[Image-1] There are a lot of people in Canada who don’t like Stephen Harper. A majority of voters, in fact, have tried in vain to replace our sitting government over the last couple of elections, only to watch as the Conservatives march to victory through the fractured left of the Liberals, NDP and Greens. So,…
[Image-1] It’s 11am on the Saturday of fall convocation weekend and the students are ready to drink. Tables begin to fill up at the Split Crow Pub by noon. By 2pm, there’s a line out the door. Young adults in makeshift hoods stand waiting in the rain because inside holds the promise of good friends,…
[Image-1] Stephen Harper was sworn in as Canada’s 22nd prime minister on February 6, 2006. Nine years later and the only changes that have been made are for the worse. Canada is under attack and we all need to wake up and see the light. Harper’s government makes the city of Halifax the true demographic…
In Ken Burke’s wearable art piece Safety Cages, four people wearing welded steel cages will make their ways through Nocturne crowds, responding to the movements of the crowd and each other. The cages take four different designs, each cumbersome in varying degrees. Burke calls a cage in a standard birdcage-type form “a little passive,” while…
“Rock music is pretty meat and potatoes. That’s all good, but we try to throw a lime wedge or some cilantro in there too,” says Charles Austin, one of the master chefs behind Halifax’s Psychic Fair. Since 2013, Psychic Fair—also with scene veterans Cliff Gibb, Andrew Glencross and Josh Salter—has been spicing up the band’s personal…
After a conversation about Nocturne, spectacle and the role of art over dinner with friends, “the image of a ferris wheel stuck with me,” says NSCAD instructor Anna Sprague. “Perhaps it has something to do with my obsession with the carnivalesque.” For Nocturne, Sprague has commissioned a 68-foot ferris wheel to sit atop Citadel Hill.…
“Drum Voices is a sound piece that transports the drum to a place before time,” says drummer Lindsay Dobbin (Gift From God). On the Dartmouth Common, Dobbin will present a surround-sound installation of a choir of drum parts, to create a full-body experience that is out of this world. Dobbin, who is trained in Shamanic…
“This was inspired by the Nocturne theme this year, Found and Lost and Found, and the changing of social spaces,” says material-artist Kim Danio. “You know The Economy Shoe Shop? I thought, I just have to make a shoe out of the Shoe Shop, and it all went from there.” Using recycled and found materials,…
Sharon Stevens’ Digital Shrine—an interactive installation you can experience at the gates of Camp Hill Cemetery—was sparked by her father’s death. When he died 20 years ago, the funeral and service “did not speak to me, did not ‘hold’ me in a way I could relate to,” recalls Stevens. Digital Shrine explores new and old…
Veronique Mackenzie, Lukas Pearse and Susan Tooke have been working together under the name Motion Activated for five years. Together, they’re “especially intrigued by integrating technologies and stretching the potentials of time and space,” Mackenzie explains. Their Nocturne piece will project a dancer on the wall of the south end grain elevators, moving amid historic…
Five years ago on a regular day in Manhattan, filmmaker Crystal Moselle noticed an unusual-looking group walking along First Avenue. The six Ray Ban-wearing, long-haired brothers, then aged 11 to 18, looked like the Reservoir Dogs. Moselle was compelled to strike up a conversation, and soon discovered that their chance encounter was one of the…
We gathered The Coast’s die-hard fans and bandwagon-jumpers to talk baseball highlights—beer can baby, showboating, the bat flip and tonight’s game.
Mourning rush While biking to work this morning I saw a cyclist dying. The truck that ran her over was of course undamaged, and she was crumpled like a paper cup. She was the second one hit today. A friend was killed by a car earlier this year while biking. Last week a woman’s left…
Q I am a cis woman in my mid 20s. I get a pang or a spasm of pain in a place deep in my clit/urethra area. I can’t pinpoint which part exactly. It takes me by surprise every time it happens, so I jerk around and press my crotch for a hot second—which doesn’t…
In Paul Weitz’s slice-of-life dramedy Grandma, Lily Tomlin is Elle, a cranky poet trying to scrape together $630 for her granddaughter Sage’s (Julia Garner) abortion. It takes place in a day but manages to glance at an entire life, beginning with Elle’s cold break-up with Olivia (Judy Greer, terrific as always; in a too-small part,…
“Country roads take me home, to the place I belong, West Alberta, Mountain momma,” belts Stephen Harper, his Kermit The Frog-esque voice going flat when the notes escape him, stage lights dancing off his Lego-like coif, at last year’s Conservative Christmas party. Bopping his chin robotically, he also busts into a nasally rendition of Guns…
A young woman stands alone in the spotlight. She is dressed in white—a slim, pale, ghostly figure. The light undulates across her face, no longer a stationary spotlight, but a flickering candle flame. This is the opening of Leaves of the Virgin Mary, a hypnotizing one-act piece of dynamic theatre, that incorporates stylized movement and…
Post-haunted corn maze Leave Me Blue Kentucky Corn Beer (4.5 percent), Good Robot Brewing Corn is also known as maize. I can’t see any other explanation for a maze made of corn, but let us embrace the season. Lucky for us, Nova Scotia has plenty of terrifying corn mazes to choose from: for the brave,…
Alysse Bowd aims to shatter “the castle and the cloud” illusion associated with fairytale or heroine plot arcs at Nocturne this year. Through sculpture and motion, her piece The Maiden’s Tragedy suggests that this fantasy ideal isn’t linear—and it definitely isn’t realistic. “We are always in this constant cycle of wandering, catastrophe and seclusion,” she…
Last May, Halifax-bred Ryan Hemsworth began releasing underground jams by new DJs to his fans as Secret Songs. On Wednesday he’s bringing his faves here for HPX’s Secret Songs Showcase, and it’s gonna be fire. Just 25, Hemsworth is a veritable DJ superstar. He’s played Pitchfork Music Festival and Coachella, remixed some of pop and…
“We love for people to experience Nocturne and see what the artists in their community are actually doing,” says Nocturne coordinator Kim Farmer. “They’re creating projects specifically for the night, and most are creating them specifically for this year’s theme, Found and Lost and Found. It’s about our changing city, about the changes that happen…
Dartmouth north is a food desert. There are no dedicated grocery stores between the Sobeys on Wyse Road and Chops Meat Market on Wright Avenue, from the waterfront to the Walmart in Dartmouth Crossing. To be generous—to geography, not the residents of Dartmouth north—that’s six to eight square kilometres of the HRM where corner stores…
