There was no Warped Tour in 2021, even though pop-punk’s pulse rattled loudly enough for the first time in a decade to warrant its snot-nosed, guitar-thrashing return—as evidenced from WILLOW’s Travis Barker-christened Lately I Feel Everything to the global dominance of Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour. A local ripple of the trend’s cresting wave? Halifax’s No, It’s […]
Reviews
Posted inArts + Music
Review: New Hermitage Unearths some magic
Unearth album release show Sat Sept 19, 7:30pm St. George’s Round Church, 2222 Brunswick Street $15/PWYC, newhermitageinfo@gmail.com to RSVP Most music — at least much of the top 40 — relies on predictability. It’s what our ears want: Catchy choruses, the comfort of melody. But experimental classical quartet New Hermitage’s upcoming album Unearth throws predictability […]
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Show review: The East Pointers guide you home
The energy was high, the floor was packed and the drinks were good when The East Pointers took to the stage at the Marquee Ballroom on Nov. 29. A contemporary folk trio from Prince Edward Island—consisting of Jake Charron and cousins Tim and Koady Chaisson—The East Pointers are Celtic at heart, but don’t subscribe to […]
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Show review: Rebecca Thomas and Symphony Nova Scotia reach farther together
Symphony Nova Scotia presented ‘Melody and Poetry With Rebecca Thomas’ in its Masterworks Series on Nov 7. The concert blended melodic classical repertoire (think Mozart Symphony No.34 in C major and Brahms Symphony No.2 in D major) with We’re Not Done Drumming, a new poetic and musical collaboration between poet Rebecca Thomas and composer Laura […]
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Review: Don’t sleep on the lullaby folk of Ostrea Lake
Don’t Sway Above Me, the debut full length album from Halifax band Ostrea Lake, is an ethereal collection of indie folk from the forest floor—though a careful listener may notice the bugs crawling underneath the foliage. The album is a sombre exploration of natural landscapes. Lakes, trees and fire are featured in song titles—but also […]
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Show review: Walrus warms the stage for Diet Cig but steals the show at Halifax Pop Explosion
The last night of Halifax Pop Explosion did not disappoint at the Marquee. Garage bands from as far as New York to as close as Dartmouth came together for one last explosive show on Saturday, October 26th. First on the docket? Diamondtown. Looking very comfortable on their home stage, the bandmates pulled the crowd in […]
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Show review: Kaia Kater, Jennah Barry and Lydia Persaud baptized our ears at Halifax Pop Explosion
“I think church is my new favourite place,” said Lydia Persaud between songs. She was the first of three Pop Explosion acts to perform on at St. Mathew’s United church on October 25. It was a pleasant evening for the roughly 100-person audience sitting in the pews. Lydia Persaud, Jennah Barry and Kaia Kater each played […]
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Show review: Spencer Krug and Charlotte Cornfield enchant their audience
There is nothing more healing than listening to the beautiful musical stylings of Charlotte Cornfield and Spencer Krug. At the pair’s Halifax Pop Explosion set on Oct 26, Cornfield played a short but sweet set. Standing on a beautifully lit stage, she wore the same overalls she is wearing on the cover of her newest […]
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Show review: Japanese Breakfast is a feast
Four bands from three provinces brought four dynamically different shows to the Marquee on Thursday, Oct 24th. As fans started to pour in, stash their coats and crack open a cold Olands, excited chatter about the anticipated bands could be heard around the bar. Toronto’s Doomsquad got the night off to an electric start. The […]
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Show review: PUP will never live up to its name
Walking into a sold out show, you know it’s going to get a little wild but walking into a sold out PUP show? Wild doesn’t even begin to cover it. OUTTACONTROLLER and Weekend Friends got the crowd very warm and sweaty for PUP on Friday October 25th at the Marquee Ballroom. Going back to its […]
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Show review: Halifax Pop Explosion’s Songs of The City is a love letter to all of us
Halifax Pop Explosion got off to a moving start on Wednesday night with Songs of the City, presented by United Way Halifax at the Spatz Theatre. The show featured six storytellers and five artists. Each storyteller told their own personal story of struggle, transformation and resilience. Each artist debuted an original song that was inspired […]
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Review: Erwan Keravec and Hamid Drake shatter the silence at suddenlyLISTEN’s season debut show
[Editor’s note: In time for suddenlyLISTEN’s second showcase of the season—a concert on Oct 20 at 7:30pm at Art Bar + Projects that aims to combine composition with computer programming—we asked writer Andrew Bethune to share a review of sL’s Sep 17 season-opening show, titled Urban Pipes] Silence. One musician sits behind his drums, eyes […]