Contributor Ideas about art as an opportunity to re-evaluate the mundane certainly aren’t new. Critic Viktor Shklovsky argued that the purpose of art was to make objects “unfamiliar.”

It’s hard to know exactly how to talk about a film like Fig Trees. Equal parts documentary, musical and artistic experiment, director John Greyson’s latest project examining the fight for an increased availability and affordability of AIDS treatment around the world will, no doubt, prove intimidating for the casual viewer.

Contributor When director Megan Scarborough told me John & Jen would be showing in Theological Hall’s Studio Theatre, I couldn’t help but cringe a little. The Studio Theatre isn’t so much a theatre as it is a classroom that happens to have some overhead lights hung in it.

A&E Editor Two and a half years ago, Kingston was a tough place to get a gig for musicians. A group of earnest and eager young musicians did something about it.
“Apple Crisp started as an organization to help young musicians to find a place to play,” said Greg Tilson, one of the many faces behind the Apple Crisp collective.

Contributor Four strangulations, eight gangland style executions, one death by multiple gunshots, one death by physical assault, two deaths by poisoning and one death by hammer—that’s the way Vagabond, the student-run Shakespeare Repertoire company founded last year by Ryan LaPlante and Nathaniel Fried, is advertising their second show, Richard III.

In the read

“I know that people love sad songs. I just can’t really do them. I don’t feel like I’m being responsible.” Jose Miguel Contreras takes his perceived responsibility to uplift seriously. Speaking with a veteran musician like Contreras is refreshing. He’s completely natural and at ease on the phone, and demonstrates a clear level of self-awareness.

This year marks the 11th instalment of the Reelout Queer Film and Video Festival—and they’re celebrating with a capital “R”.
“We’ve gone from a lower case ‘R’ to an upper case ‘R’,” Matt Salton, Reelout festival and programming director, said of Reelout’s old lower case spelling quirk.

Gavin Gardiner isn’t the type to call in sick.
Juggling chilly Toronto streets, an upcoming tour with his band and a bout of pneumonia, The Wooden Sky’s singer isn’t phased by the fact that my phone call was interrupting his doctor’s appointment. Shrugging off illness, Gardiner took some time to talk to me about the band’s roots, inspirations and collaborations.

Contributor Nothing captures one’s attention more than a particularly unique and interesting name. The right name, such as Ad Hoc, sparks interest and creates a desire to learn more.
Ad Hoc is a free exhibit being shown at the Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre.

Rock & Roll Report Card

After a stressful first week of school, many students want to kick back and catch up on sleep on the weekend or maybe even watch that episode of Jersey Shore they missed. Instead of enjoying some much needed sleep, I headed out to view the new art show Come and change come and change into anything you will, located in the main space of Union Gallery.

After touring with one of the most influential bands of the 1980s and 1990s, Dinosaur Jr., drummer ‘Murph,’ born Emmett Jefferson Murphy III, has a piece of advice for young drummers. “Don’t do it,” he said with a laugh. “No, no. Be true to yourself and the music. Be real. Don’t worry about the type of music you should be making.”

“It’s a lot of work having a good time,” Rocky Horror’s diva Frankenfurter moans. His claim is just as true for those outside the Transylvanian universe as it is for the characters.

An opera most often performed during the month of December, QSOC will have you hanging on to the holiday season with their production of Engelbert Humperdinck’s German opera Hansel and Gretel. After all, what’s more festive than starvation, desertion, creepy woodland creatures and cannibalism?

It’s 2010 but the world we live in may sometimes be mistaken for an Orwellian 1984. More and more we freely give up our privacy.

Each year the IDIS 410 Contemporary Cultural Performance in Practice class claims a space and puts on a multimedia performance. Last year they were on a boat and this year the class will transform the very traditional Grant Hall.
The performance, ! AUTO POWER OFF !, combines visual art, music, art and film in a multi-media show complete with installations, projections and whatever else you can imagine.

These are a few of our favourite bands

Very few Canadian bands enjoy longevity. Canada’s size, population and the persistent competition to the south are just some of the obstacles that indie bands in our country face. Not to mention those harsh Canadian winters, which make touring especially difficult.
So when an independent band reaches its 10th anniversary, it’s worth celebrating.

Artist in Profile