gOnline: Calgarians cast their ballot on the Iranian election

By Johanna Hung

Iranians erupted into the streets following the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on June 12, an election which many believe was illegitimate. In the aftermath of demonstrations in Tehran and other major Iranian cities, many protesters have been arrested, beaten and even killed.On June 23, Calgarian activists added their voices to the chorus of “Stop… Continue reading gOnline: Calgarians cast their ballot on the Iranian election

CKY haven’t seen a dead body — yet

By Mike Tofin

On a late summer night, CKY guitarist/vocalist Deron Miller of stumbled upon a dead body under an east coast boardwalk after a leaving an arcade, during a family vacation. Or at least, that’s what the rumours on the Internet say. “That must be somebody else’s better creative idea,” says Miller. “A late night after the… Continue reading CKY haven’t seen a dead body — yet

Spun: LeE HARVeY OsMOND

By Ken Clarke

LeE HARVeY OsMOND isn’t a Donny and Marie brother gone bad, but rather a musical collective headed by guitarist and vocalist Tom Wilson. The group contains members of such Canadian bands as Junkhouse, Blackie & The Rodeo Kings, Skydiggers, Cowboy Junkies and a variety of guest musicians. Dubbing their music “acid folk,” debut release A… Continue reading Spun: LeE HARVeY OsMOND

Spun: Dirty Projectors

By Andy Williams

After Brooklyn-based Dirty Projectors showcase performances at SXSW, the music blogosphere began buzzing about their latest LP, Bitte Orca. While not a new phenomenon for the band — previous albums have received critical praise — they have failed to attract a large following. Orca, though, is an accessible masterpiece, one which will inevitably attract the… Continue reading Spun: Dirty Projectors

Spun: Alexisonfire

By Janice Tran

Alexisonfire’s latest album, Old Crows/ Young Cardinals is a throwback to old-school thrash metal. Their heavy, hard-hitting beats and intricately-mixed guitar work make Old Crows an upbeat album worth listening to. The new vocal style of lead singer George Pettit strays significantly from classic Alexisonfire. Petit leaves behind his broken screams, adopting a more melodious… Continue reading Spun: Alexisonfire

Spun: Dinosaur Jr.

By Brad Halasz

Note to artists — CDs are a dying breed, so do the cover art right before you can’t do it at all. With Farm, their fifth studio release and first on Jagjaguwar, Dinosaur Jr. has answered this grim inevitability with tripped-out style. Farm is a breath of fresh, psychedelically-charged, garage rock-fueled air. The cover is… Continue reading Spun: Dinosaur Jr.

Sled Island films show music in the mix

By Jordyn Marcellus

Ever willing to expand its content for festival-goers, Sled Island has moved beyond its comfort zone again with an impressive film component curated by Jeanette Burman. Burman, who previously organized the Show Us Your Shorts Film Festival, explains that there are a variety of flicks offered to both hungry film fans and those interested in… Continue reading Sled Island films show music in the mix

Looking for spirituality in political action

By Joel Cummings

Fierce Light: When Spirit Meets Action explores whether one person can make a difference in an age of global economic collapse, war, terrorism and mega-corporations. The movie takes filmaker Velcrow Ripper across the globe in an attempt to understand the relationship between activism and spirituality. What results is a beautiful and powerfully compelling film which… Continue reading Looking for spirituality in political action

“Away We Go” a delightful romp

By Ryan Pike

Just over a decade ago, acclaimed British stage director Sam Mendes made the jump to film with American Beauty. The movie won five Academy Awards and instantly catapulted Mendes to the A-list. Since then, he’s used the medium to explore fatherhood with Road to Perdition, wartime boredom with Jarhead and the family unit with 2008’s… Continue reading “Away We Go” a delightful romp