Arts & Culture

Arts & Culture January 11, 2022

Prolific local historian on Winnipeg’s musical past

Winnipegger John Einarson has had an illustrious career documenting the careers of rock and folk legends like Neil Young, the Flying Burrito Brothers and Buffy Sainte-Marie. Beyond chronicling these legends, his work has maintained a focus on Winnipeg’s unique music scene — one that he was a part of in the ’60s and ’70s, performing with giants like Randy Bachman and Frank Zappa’s band the Mothers of Invention. Einarson’s book Shakin’ All Over: The Winnipeg Sixties Rock Scene saw some success in detailing the scene that produced breakout stars like the Guess Who and Neil Young.

Arts & Culture January 11, 2022

One man’s quest for clean oceans

The equivalent of one truckload of garbage is dumped into the ocean every minute. Currently, plastic can be found in 80 per cent of seabirds and it is estimated by the year 2050 plastic will be found in 99 per cent of them. With statistics this staggering, the award-winning documentary Hell or Clean Water is a much-needed alarm bell for the future of the planet’s health.

Arts & Culture December 7, 2021

Have yourself a merry little Victorian Christmas

To say the Victorians invented how Christmas is celebrated as we know it is not hyperbole. The Christmas tree was popularized as a tradition when Victorian periodicals published images of Queen Victoria and her family gathered around their decorated tree, carolling became an institution of Victorian Christmas and Charles Dickens wrote arguably the most famous Christmas tale of all time. Winnipeg is lucky enough to be home to a Victorian-era house, the Dalnavert, and once again the house-turned-museum is hosting Victorian Christmas festivities all month long.

Arts & Culture December 7, 2021

Holiday earworms at their best (and worst)

’Tis the season for holiday music to fill the air. From classics to covers and everything in between, the Manitoban staff are getting into the holiday spirit by sharing our favourite seasonal songs, and some we would rather forget. Pour the eggnog, press “play” and enjoy.

Arts & Culture December 1, 2021

The Manitoba Loud Music Awards rock downtown Winnipeg

The Bulldog Event Centre hosted the first ever Manitoba Loud Music Awards (MLMAs) to great success over the weekend of Nov. 19 to 21. Organized by Badlands Promotions of Portage la Prairie, Man. and Frozen Fire Studios, the awards ceremonies were accompanied by live performances from Manitoban bands in the loud music genres with three bands performing each night.

Arts & Culture December 1, 2021

Rick Mercer — ‘Talking to Canadians: A Memoir’

The saying goes that Canada has two main exports: hockey and comedy. Though a blatant generalization of our country, it’s not an understatement to acknowledge that one of the Canadian comedy giants — particularly one oozing of Canadiana — is Rick Mercer. As the pandemic brought comedy to a near standstill, Mercer took to a new project, writing Talking to Canadians: A Memoir.

Arts & Culture November 30, 2021

A local love fest

The Good Will Social Club was lit purple on the night of Nov. 20 for the first live showcase of the House of Wonders roster.

Arts & Culture November 28, 2021

The spectre of Shakespeare

This winter, Shakespeare in the Ruins (SIR) presents a remounted production of Shakespeare’s Will, written by Winnipeg-born playwright and two-time Governor General’s Award winner, Vern Thiessen. The play’s original run was in early 2020 during ShakespeareFest, the final iteration the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre’s Master Playwright Festival. It was filmed for the screen on the mainstage at Prairie Theatre Exchange with video direction by local filmmaker Sam Vint.

Arts & Culture November 23, 2021

meadows, ‘wild flower’ — 4.5 stars

Beginning as the solo project of Isiah Schellenberg, former member of indie bands brite and notme, Winnipeg’s meadows has expanded its membership and established itself as one of the most exciting and prolific acts in the city. Among the three EPs released in the past year, its most cohesive is wild flower.