Holly Stewart Holly Stewart Matt & Kim’s performance on Saturday night at Le National left little to be desired and provided more than enough justification to skip any Halloween party or pre-drink. The duo brought their contagious energy to the stage, and the crowd mirrored their liveliness all night long.[Read More…]
Arts & Entertainment
Keep up to date on local art, new albums, and everything entertainment-related.
In Concert: Halloween – The Besnard Lakes
Along with Wintersleep and Rah Rah, the Besnard Lakes performed at Cabaret Mile-End on Saturday night as part of a rocking Halloween concert. The Montreal-based indie band, which is composed of husband-and-wife team Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas, drummer Kevin Laing and guitarist Richard White, entranced the audience with[Read More…]
In Concert: Halloween – Diamond Rings
Miranda Whist Miranda Whist You know you’re onto something when people decide to dress up as you for your Halloween concert, which was exactly the case with John O’Regan’s androgynous, glam rock alter ego Diamond Rings at his show on Sunday. Taking the stage in a relatively subdued matching vintage[Read More…]
In Concert: Halloween – Rocky Horror Picture Show
Holly Stewart A cold Saturday evening and the first snowfall of the season didn’t stop the line for the Rocky Horror Picture Show from extending around the block. It’s safe to say that those who like it, like it a lot. Dedicated fans were dressed in drag and dishabille, even[Read More…]
Avey Tare – Down There
Often overshadowed by the overwhelming success of his bandmate Panda Bear, many are probably unaware that Avey Tare—one-fourth of Animal Collective—works as a solo artist as well. Down There, his solo debut, takes the listener on an adventure through the depths of murky swamps, riding distorted synths and bass-heavy sampling[Read More…]
PS I Love You – Meet Me At The Muster Station
Let’s be thankful that PS I Love You are better at writing songs than they are at picking band names. While the moniker is ripe for ridicule, the 10 tracks that make up Meet Me At The Muster Station demand far more respect. Hailing from Kingston, Ontario, vocalist/guitarist and bass[Read More…]
Belle and Sebastian – Write About Love
Belle and Sebastian Write About Love is the Scottish group’s eighth album in 15 years, and their age is starting to show. Unfortunately, while their signature sound remains intact, the overall message of the album isn’t as obvious as previous releases. Frontman Stuart Murdoch doesn’t wear his heart on his[Read More…]
The show about writing a show
Something about musical theatre is inherently ridiculous. It has to do with the fact that, whenever you see people singing onstage, you can’t help but notice that you’re watching a performance. As Julien Silverman and Dane Stewart point out in their director’s note, there is a long-standing tradition of “self-reference[Read More…]
Wintersleep works twice as hard on the road
bighassle.com It turns out that great albums can happen while you’re busy making other plans. Halifax’s Wintersleep wrote the bulk of their latest album, New Inheritors, while on tour. In addition to getting ready for their show each night, the band spent part of their soundcheck ironing out new songs.[Read More…]
Why I’m Not Quitting Mad Men
The fourth season of Mad Men ended last week, and at last we have seen Don Draper in a moment of weakness: smiling stupidly at the thought of being in love. Spoiler alert: it has been subtly foreshadowed throughout the season, but I don’t think any of us actually expected[Read More…]