Does music have to be original to be truly great? When do your musical influences stop becoming inspiration and start becoming redundant? There’s something immediately recognizable when listening to The Postelles’ self-titled debut and it’s because they are recycling old ideas and calling it their own. But heck, are those hooks ever catchy. Taking the… Continue reading Spun: The Postelles
Month: August 2010
Spun: Women
When I caught word Women were preparing to release a new album, that I was set to review it, and that it was to be produced by my personal hero– the enigmatic Chad VanGaalen who also produced their previous album– my expectations were high, to say the least. But instead of a musically-induced orgasm, I… Continue reading Spun: Women
Spun: Big Boi
The southern rap duo OutKast had a meteoric rise. Since the group was founded in 1990, Andre 3000 and Big Boi have conquered both hip-hop and pop with a string of number one hits. From the gritty “B.O.B.” to the soulful “Ms. Jackson,” the group has always been credited for their diversity. Big Boi’s debut… Continue reading Spun: Big Boi
Fringe Fest Wrap-Up
By Amy Badry
Calgary’s Fringe can be categorized as quaint and charming. Not interested in competing for huge crowds, the festival has completed a successful fifth year in the city. Presenting 27 unique and original theatre works over nine days, Fringe Fest is a diverse, uncensored, awesome example of alternative theatre. Canada has more fringe festivals per capita… Continue reading Fringe Fest Wrap-Up
Mukwah — you won’t find any scouts at this jamboree
Five years ago, the Mukwah Jamboree was just a birthday party in the woods, but thanks to word of mouth, things have snowballed. Festival coordinator Danny Vescarelli says conservative estimates for this year’s turn out are about 300 people — up from 40 in its first year — but they expect the final tally to… Continue reading Mukwah — you won’t find any scouts at this jamboree
A world away from the Globe
By Alicia Ward
Begrudgingly studying Shakespeare is a rite of passage for junior high and high school students. Shakespeare isn’t bad, but it’s definitely more difficult to appreciate when you’re forced to read plays that are hundreds of years old, in language that you need a teacher to help decipher. For the last 23 years, Martie Fishman and… Continue reading A world away from the Globe
A taste of Blues Fest 2010
By Ken Clarke
Thousands of blues lovers of all ages congregated to Shaw Millennium Park last weekend for the sixth annual Calgary International Blues Festival. Once again the four day celebration featured a impressive line-up of blues musicians from around the world, who provided the masses with a dizzying array of various blues styles.Mississippi Heat After joking about… Continue reading A taste of Blues Fest 2010
Despite promise, Expendables ultimately predictable
The Expendables is about explosions. If you don’t like the billowing, orange-yellow flame of something exploding, or the sanguine cloud of someone exploding, you have no reason to see this movie. The screenplay is written by Stallone — a man made famous by his ability to pass as a man who gets hit in the… Continue reading Despite promise, Expendables ultimately predictable
Pining for Banff’s beauty
It’s always hard to judge how profound and significant a band’s name is. Some names have oodles of thought put in to them and when you hear the back story or the genesis of the name, it can alter your perception of the band altogether. Others are clearly the creation of a bigwig at record… Continue reading Pining for Banff’s beauty
McMahon to host NHL Heritage Classic
By Noah Miller
McMahon Stadium– the home of the University of Calgary Dinos football team and the Calgary Stampeders– will host Canada’s second ever outdoor National Hockey League game. At a press conference held last Wednesday, the NHL announced that on Sunday Feb. 20, the Calgary Flames will battle the Montreal Canadiens in the 2011 Heritage classic. With… Continue reading McMahon to host NHL Heritage Classic