Four years ago, Rich Aucoin put on one of HPX’s most memorable shows: a full-record performance of his just-released album We’re All Dying to Live at St. Matthew’s Church, featuring nearly 80 musicians and vocalists on-stage. Now he’s set to one-up that count this year with the help of Symphony Nova Scotia. “I think the […]
Music Festivals
Posted inArts + Music
“People tend to get wild at our gigs”
Montreal’s Black Tiger Sex Machine brings ferocious EDM to Halifax with LED tiger masks, a dynamic light show and powerful dance jams. “People tend to get really wild at our gigs,” say the tigers. “We’re inspired by Daft Punk and Justice. We wanted our shows to have a strong visual component that would blow people’s […]
Posted inArts + Music
Rich Aucoin’s really REALLY big show with the Symphony
Four years ago, Rich Aucoin put on one of HPX’s most memorable shows: a full-record performance of his just-released album We’re All Dying to Live at St. Matthew’s Church, featuring nearly 80 musicians and vocalists on-stage. Now he’s set to one-up that count this year with the help of Symphony Nova Scotia. “I think the […]
Posted inArts + Music
Tune in to The Weather Station
If intricate, ethereal folk music sung in a soulful, husky voice is your thing, look no further than Toronto-based Tamara Lindeman, aka The Weather Station. She’s a Pop Explosion veteran, having played the fest in previous years both as The Weather Station, an act she formed in 2006, and with bands The Bruce Peninsula and […]
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Steve Maloney and the Wandering Kind
If you’ve ever been to St. John’s, Newfoundland, you’ll know that the rocky coastal town can be as unforgiving as it is welcoming. This dichotomy informs the folk songs of Steve Maloney and The Wandering Kind: “There’s a mystical quality to some parts of town,” says Maloney. “The weather isn’t perfect, but I find that […]
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DJ/producer Ryan Hemsworth—the Q&A
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 […]
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True rock, harsh and clean
“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 […]
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Jump into Hopscotch Halifax
Hopscotch Halifax is quickly becoming one of the city’s best annual music festivals. From live street art demos to the country’s champion battle rappers to American DJs and local dancers, this year’s Hopscotch pulls out the big guns with Orlando’s DJ Dallask and festival headliners Indiana’s Freddie Gibbs and Long Island MC Rakim. This year, […]
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Sharon Jones: The hardest working woman in show biz
Sharon Jones’ success has been a long time coming. At 58, the soul singer received her first Grammy nomination this year. But working so hard for so long, Jones doesn’t take her success for granted. While she’s been singing since childhood and recording for 20 years, Jones’ passionate soul tunes only started to receive wider […]
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Tragic and hopeful Vulva Culture
Moss Lime, Bonnie Doon, Vulva Culture Saturday, May 23, 12pm The Bus Stop Theatre, 2203 Gottingen Street $10 “There was a girl at our show in Newfoundland who told me ‘You guys sound like a lot of drugs on a rocking chair underwater,’” says Vulva Culture drummer Bianca Palmer. “I was like ‘Shut up, that’s […]
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Gift From God are on a journey
Tasseomancy, Gift From God Sunday, May 24, 2pm Halifax Music Co-op 2107 Brunswick Street $10 Born from an intuitive sense of harmony between its members, Gift from God is a collaboration rooted in improvisation. At their OBEY show, Lindsay Dobbin (drums), Kira Daube (vocals) and Elizabeth Johnson (keyboards) will feed off of both a shared musical […]