“Buddy, what’s happening? How’s the weekend?” “Hey dude, same old. But, I did see this movie—the one produced by Luc Besson? The guy that directed Leon: The Professional and The Fifth Element. Oh, that’s what it was—Taken 2, with Liam Neeson.” “Man, I loved the first Taken! When he plays[Read More…]
Arts & Entertainment
Keep up to date on local art, new albums, and everything entertainment-related.
In with the old, in with the new
Carmen, Rigoletto, The Magic Flute—all these works have had a profound influence on our society. Since its inception in the late 16th century, opera has been a powerful force in the arts. Today’s youth, however, see opera as old-fashioned, imagining grandiose theatres, flashy costumes, and hours of glass-shattering vocalizations. Nevertheless,[Read More…]
Could be Good
Poetry Reading: Bowering and Shikatani Hungry for a dose of delectable poetry? Missed out on 4Floors tickets? Thursday night, the literary worlds of Vancouver Island and Ottawa come together at the Atwater Library for live readings by Marilyn Bowering (2008 Fulbright Scholar) and Gerry Shikatani (Spanish Officer’s Cross of the[Read More…]
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of David Bowie’s legendary 1972 album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, Toronto’s Paper Bag Records (PBR) recently released a free cover compilation by multiple artists from the label. For Bowie fans, this may appear to be an exciting[Read More…]
Golden Boy: Blue Swan Orchestra
Blue Swan Orchestra is the re-release of the Golden Boy’s 2003 debut album, and their latest since 2011’s Sleepwalker. The soft-rock/indie-pop band’s re-mastered album also features two bonus tracks, “Blind” and “Windows.” The album’s greatest strength is the blend of the familiar sounds of indie and pop with uniquely evoking[Read More…]
Jack Davey: LO-F! Side A
Jack Davey, frontwoman for the Californian electro-soul duo J*DaVeY, has gone solo. But for a singer who has opened for Prince, the Roots, and Janelle Monáe, the five-song EP falls distinctly flat. Davey’s voice, sultry, breathy, and deep, is wasted on what she calls “stripped-down grunge” and her attempt at[Read More…]
My beef with art
In my youth, I would occasionally visit the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow. For the uninitiated, the Tretyakov houses a vast collection of Russian fine art—picture the MoMA, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Frick collection all diced up and served as an exquisite borscht. I can’t remember much of[Read More…]
Kaguyahime: Waxing passion, waning love
Purity and human desire clash in Kaguyahime: The Moon Princess, the first show of the 2012-2013 season of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal. Les Grands is the third ballet company in the world to stage the abstract piece, which fuses contemporary dance with traditional ballet, and succeeds in bringing[Read More…]
Could be Good
Film Free Movies at the Forum Saturday, Cineplex is hosting a community day of free films, with all proceeds going to the Starlight Children’s foundation. Selections include Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon 3D, Hugo 3D, and Mission: Impossible–Ghost Protocol. For complete listings, visit www.cineplex.com Theatre Bergman’s The Seventh Seal[Read More…]
War, worship, and wine: resurrecting ancient Greece
It’s been said that art finds its highest form in the Grecian tragedy. After watching The Bacchae, it’s easy to see why. Scapegoat Carnivale’s production of Euripides’ classic benefits from an original translation by director Andreas Apergis and assistant director Joseph Shragge. The resulting textual clarity aided the talented cast[Read More…]
