​The Lord Almightys The Carleton, Halifax NS, October 20

Published Oct 21, 2015

Toronto's Lord Almightys made their Halifax debut with a homecoming show.   If that sentence sounds confusing at first read, well, that's...

Un Blonde Reflections Cabaret, Halifax NS, October 20

Published Oct 21, 2015

Lining up venues and bands at a festival like HPX is always tough, especially given the limited options available. Opening nights are tricky...

Rebecca West The Carleton, Halifax NS, October 20

Published Oct 21, 2015

Perhaps my ears were deceiving me Tuesday night (October 20), but I distinctly recall Rebecca West frontwoman Allison Outhit changing the ye...

Liam Corcoran ROM-DROM

Published Sep 02, 2015

"Drom" is not an English word, but comparable words do exist in Swedish (dröm) and Danish (drøm), both translating roughly to "dream." ROM-D...

Deaf Wish Deaf Wish

Published Aug 05, 2015

Literalism reigns with Melbourne, Australia's Deaf Wish: "The Whip," the opening song on the band's debut full-length for Sub Pop, is a repe...

The Budos Band / Vox Sambou Festival Main Stage, Halifax NS, July 11

Published Jul 12, 2015

A drunken sing-along isn't exactly what you'd expect at a show from an instrumental band, but that's how the Brooklyn-based Budos Band opene...

Juan de Marcos & the Afro-Cuban All Stars / Adonis Puentes and the Voice of Cuba Orchestra Festival Main Stage, Halifax NS, July 10

Published Jul 11, 2015

"How many of you have been to Cuba?" asked Canadian-Cuban frontman Adonis Puentes during his band's opening set at the Halifax Jazz Festival...

tUnE-yArDs / Moon Hooch Festival Main Stage, Halifax NS, July 9

Published Jul 10, 2015

Though well-known for her use of sound looping in her live performances, tUnE-yArDs' Merrill Garbus didn't seem to really double back on her...

​Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings / the Chronos Band Festival Main Stage, Halifax NS, July 8

Published Jul 09, 2015

The centrepiece of Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings' opening night performance at the Halifax Jazz Festival was an extended version of "People...

Rain Over St. Ambrose Still Waking Up

Published Jun 16, 2015

Sometimes it's easy to forget how much we associate certain vocal timbres with particular music styles, until a band like Rain Over St. Ambr...

Dreamsploitation Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts, Halifax NS, May 24

Published May 25, 2015

Halifax's OBEY Convention is one of the city's most musically diverse festivals, in terms of the sheer volume of genres and sounds represent...

​Lubomyr Melnyk Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts, Halifax NS, May 24

Published May 25, 2015

I wasn't quite sure where Ukrainian pianist Lubomyr Melnyk was headed with his set-opening speech about a "terrible, insidious religion." Tu...

Moon Menz and Mollyz Bar, Halifax NS, May 23

Published May 24, 2015

"Anyone have a guitar I can play? Anyone?" asked Moon's Andrew Neville when the low E string on his Fender appeared to go incredibly wonky d...

Homeshake Menz and Mollyz Bar, Halifax NS, May 23

Published May 24, 2015

Homeshake, the soft, groovy quartet led by Pete Sagar, appear to be benefitting greatly from Mac DeMarco's ascendance. Sagar, a longtime col...

Container Menz and Mollyz Bar, Halifax NS, May 22

Published May 23, 2015

Halifax's Menz and Mollyz Bar is made up of a number of rooms, my favourite of which is this study-like library room, which contains among i...

Peter Brötzmann Fort Massey United Church, Halifax NS, May 22

Published May 23, 2015

For all the accomplished musicians you'll come across at a festival like Halifax's OBEY Convention, it's still rare to experience a performe...

​Last Lizard Fort Massey United Church, Halifax NS, May 22

Published May 23, 2015

Alex Zhang Hungtai first played Halifax's OBEY Convention five years ago as Dirty Beaches, three albums into the project's lifespan but prio...

Petra Glynt Menz and Mollyz Bar, Halifax NS, May 21

Published May 22, 2015

Aside from a sparkly sheet to cover her table of effects pedals, Toronto's Alexandra MacKenzie, better known under the stage name Petra Glyn...

Love Thy Will Be Done Menz and Mollyz Bar, Halifax NS, May 21

Published May 22, 2015

After releasing the record When I'm Weak, I'm Strong last year under the name Thomas, Toronto's Thom Gill has switched things up a bit with...

Allie X CollXtion I

Published Apr 09, 2015

Pop music has always looked to a bubbling underground to adopt and co-opt emerging sounds — a process that's often thrilling to close...