Royal Unicorn Cabaret
April 25th, 2008
A pointless evening, overall; I came for Black Betty – Black Betty did not come! Ana was sick. They were replaced by the comparable, admirable Hezzakya, with huge double-stacks of amps-amps-amps ...
Richards on Richards, July 2
As someone far more familiar with the Modern Lovers than Jonathan Richman’s solo output, I had little idea what to anticipate from his show. All I know is that it took place on my birthday, and Mr. Richman ...
The Sweatshop, June 22nd
I walked into the dimly-lit Sweatshop to catch the tail end of System Shit’s wonderfully sloppy set. Who would have thought that a punk gig would start at 7pm? Fear of Tomorrow hit the stage and began to sonica...
Fri Jun 20th, 2008
I played an acoustic show with Rich last summer at Hoko’s on an invitation from Ryan of Collapsing Opposites. Rich was touring on his bicycle from his hometown of Halifax to raise money for the Childhood Cancer Founda...
Sleep and Black Wizard, Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver February 7th 2015
While there has been much to enjoy with the spate of band reunions in recent years, (how many fans have had the renewed opportunity to witness performances by Carcas...
August 14, 2008
Honey Lounge
I was shocked at how many people filled Honey Lounge to see the B-lines and the Defektors off on their tour of the West Coast, especially since the club is usually reserved for dancing college kids. The nig...
This is the Sleep Factory, Trish Shwart’s exhibition at Martin Batchelor Gallery that opened on November 7th, with a persuasive performance by the artist as a marketeer, and continues with a visual smorgasbord of parodies that explore the commodificatio
Dick's On Dicks, Wed.June.18th
With the 2008 Vancouver International Jazz Fest getting under way, the illustrious Commodore Ballroom is pretty well taken for a month or so solid at this time every year. As such, I was not so much surpris...
Nomeansno at the Royale Banquet Hall
April 3rd By Allan MacInnis
Tom Holliston of Nomeansno is a baseball fan, so it was fortunate for him that the band’s recent Japanese tour - only their second in their 30 year history - took plac...
Friday June 6, 2008 @ the Railway Club
Expectations were running high for this CD release. Swank’s epic new CD/Karaoke DVD release Campfire Psalms has been greeted with banner press all around. Punters filled the Rail early, imbibing...
November 4th, Venue, Vancouver
Strolling down Granville Street to Venue, I couldn’t help but notice the somewhat historic 50-foot “Plaza” sign still hanging outside the newly renovated room. That sign was a beacon of nostalgia...
With the Christmas and New Year festivities well and truly over it’s time to shake off the January blues and for our first gig of the year we are once again heading off to The Underworld in Camden. On tonight’s bill there are death metal acts from thr
As I Lay Dying / Misery Signals / August Burns Red / Evergreen Terrace
Croatian Cultural Centre, Tuesday April 29th
Until this impeccably brutal show, I believed the Croatian Cultural Centre was to be avoided at all costs, but the na...