From the Vault: "Pop Goes Halifax"

While organizing files on my computer, I found an article I wrote about bands to see and other artistic things to do at the 2009 Halifax Pop Explosion for my university's student newspaper the Xaverian Weekly. I also found some of my reviews of that year's HPE shows that I went to which I'll post another time.


Pop Goes Halifax

It's October again which means I and countless other music-lovers in and around the Maritimes have some tough decisions to make. It's time, once again, for my favourite music festival Halifax Pop Explosion, the city's annual showcase of some of the finest local, national and international talents.

The five-day arts festival enters its seventeenth year, on Oct. 20th. While HPE has been confirming impressive names since its inception (including Canadian music and literary legend Leonard Cohen and bubbly, British pop experimentalists Stereolab), its annual line-up continues to grow by the year.

Here's a smattering of artists who will surely make the trip worthwhile:

Oct. 20th and 21st: HPE kicks off in chaotic fashion with Montreal's chameleonic, genre-bending Red Mass and 60s-style power-psych enthusiasts Crystal Antlers at the Paragon Theatre. The next night, husband-and-wife duo Mates of State will be sure to make audiences swoon and dance with their brand of love-struck synth-pop (though not necessarily in that order).

Oct. 22nd: Night three is when decisions get tough. On one hand, Toronto's By Divine Right resurface with a rare appearance at the Seahorse, after laying relatively low for nearly half a decade. There can pretty much be no talk of 90s Canadian indie rock without mentioning this one-time Tragically Hip tour-mate and former home of both Leslie Feist and Broken Social Scene's Brendan Canning. Diehards won't want to miss this show, and neither will fans of charming melodies and good old-fashioned rock and roll.

That same night, New Brunswick's indie folk-rocker Julie Doiron plays St. Matthew's Church, but if you're in the mood for hip-hop instead, check out Alberta rapper Cadence Weapon at the Paragon. And for those who are tired of conventional song structures in general, Toronto's ambient shoegaze/doom-metal duo Nadja might be your medicine.

Oct. 23rd: The decisions don't get easier from here, as lo-fi Brooklyn noise-punks Japanther renovate the Seahorse with their manic, sweat-soaked mosh-show. Halifax talent The Grass, who blessed StFX's very own Golden X Inn with their presence last year, rhythm bandits Tomcat Combat and power pop-rockers Two Hours Traffic can also be found making noise at various venues on the 23rd.

Violin sensation Final Fantasy returns to Halifax as well, this time with Symphony Nova Scotia at his side. His one-man shows are enthralling enough, with dazzling lights and live, projected animations, so Final Fantasy backed by a symphony should be no less enticing. Finally, electronic dance juggernauts MSTRKRFT make their highly-anticipated appearance at the New Palace Cabaret with Jimmy Swift Band spin-off duo Scientists of Sound. Unfortunately, this one's sold out.

Oct. 24th: Mash-up madman Girl Talk touches down at St. Antonio's Hall with his own highly-anticipated show, along with quirky, do-it-yourself, one-man-band Rich Aucoin. I expect this one to be sold out too, but don’t worry. Night five is also loaded with alternatives. Vancouver's Japandroids light up the Paragon Theatre with the intensity of ten cities in a furious blaze of high-octane rock. Meanwhile, Japanther make their second appearance with a set at the Converse Pavilion Stage.

If you prefer something less abrasive, acoustic indie darling Owen, Jason Collett's sometimes-backing-band Zeus, and hauntingly spellbinding folk ensemble Timber Timbre with Halifax-based singer-songwriter Jenn Grant can be found at Alderney Landing Theatre, the Paragon and St. Matthew's Church, respectively.

As stellar as this year's line-up is, Halifax Pop Explosion isn't just about music. Its talent showcase includes independent films from the 23rd to 24th, pre-festival, live art dances from the 8th to 10th and a free zine fair on the 24th which includes T-shirt printing stations, create-you-own-zine workshops, and various crafts for sale and trade. Details on the festival's visual art exhibits aren't available yet, but further information on concerts and special multimedia exhibits can be found at http://halifaxpopexplosion.com/.