Vancouver International Film Festival opens on September 26 and runs through October 11. With the closure of the historic Granville 7 cinemas, VIFF found a new home at several venues, including the Vancouver Playhouse and The Centre for the Performing Arts. Festival screenings also returned to previously used theatres, such as The Rio on Commercial…
Latest Vancouver Maritime Museum exhibit explores the nautical origins of a popular body art form Over the past century, body art has made a fascinating journey from taboo to trend in Western society. The ink that covered a select few on the fringes of society can now be seen on anyone with enough bravery and…
Heroes of local indie scene hang up the skates Apollo Ghosts are a band that have carved out a devoted following in a city of music snobs. The quartet, who stylistically fall somewhere between jangle-pop and lo-fi punk, have put out three full-length albums and a handful of EPs and singles. Along the way, they’ve…
History of Vancouver Sex Workers lectures Museum of Vancouver April 25-26 Back in the 1930s, downtown Vancouver was known for its numerous brothels and gentlemen’s clubs. Museum of Vancouver invites the public to explore Vancouver’s naughty past with lecture series on history of sex workers. Both retired and currently employed sex workers will join the…
Indicud is more of a passion project than something for the masses Just when it seemed like Kid Cudi was actually on the moon, he’s back, with a new album that stays true to his progressive sound. Cudi has released Indicud, which at first glance seems to offer the same sort of chronic-laced rhymes as…
Tom Cruise’s latest ode to extra-terrestrials thick on aesthetics but thin on plot As the lights dimmed at the press screening of Oblivion, Tom Cruise’s latest multi-million dollar science fiction vehicle, the lady to my left scrambled frantically through the settings on a touch screen. We had just been told, for the 15th time, to…
Despite the transformation in how listeners get music, industry experiences growth EDMONTON — Fourteen years ago, the booming music industry hit a thick fog, leaving it adrift as dollars disappeared from even the most influential record labels. Though many thought Napster’s 1999 debut would signal the commercial downfall of the industry, music thrived despite it,…
Terminal City Rollergirls season opener April 13 Minoru Arena, Richmond Get ready to rumble with Vancouver’s best at the 2013 season opener for the Terminal City Rollergirls. The event features two bouts: Public Frenemy versus the Riot Girls in the first, and a face-off between last year’s championship finalists the Faster Pussycats and the Bad…
Harmony Korine’s new flick is a sunny trip to the dark side of today’s youth culture Most people, including some long-term Harmony Korine fans, had a similar reaction to Spring Breakers: “Why would I pay to see a movie about skinny white girls shaking it to Skrillex?” It can hardly be called an unreasonable response…
Odd Future’s front man offends and entertains with new album Odd Future shook up the music scene upon arrival. Before them, eccentricity was limited to Outkast’s André 3000, who would wear flamboyant colors in contrast to bandmate Big Boi’s masculine image. Never in hip hop history would an act rapping about dancing in women’s clothing…
The Art of the Sailor March 14-October 13 Vancouver Maritime Museum If you have never found time or a good reason to visit the funky-looking building by MacMillan Space Centre, this exhibit is the perfect opportunity to do so. The Art of the Sailor is a great way to learn about the origins of body…
The Vancouver Poetry Slam provides inspiration through expression The recent closing of the Waldorf Hotel was a wake-up call to the sad state of the arts scene in Vancouver. By and by, cultural spaces are being snatched up to make room for pricey condos, imposing gentrification and creating a sort of ‘New Brooklyn.’ So it’s…