Talking Bands
by Fraser McCallum

The Meds (photo: Fraser McCallum) When the Meds’ bass player Brendan Hansen handed his band’s demo to Matt Mays he hoped the Canadian rocker would react. He hoped Mays, a multi-ECMA winner and touring artist, would pass it along to the powers that be, and that just maybe some good fortune would come back the Meds’ way. Well it took eight months, but Mays reacted in a serious way to the sound of the Charlottetown group.

Talking Bands
by Fraser McCallum

Nathan Gill, Mike Carver, Gillian Arsenault, Chris Francis When The North Lakes went into studio to record their first album, their drummer, Carver, was keen to be given a nickname by sound engineer Charles Austin, who is known to affectionately dole them out. Austin’s response was, “I don’t know if I like you yet” but before long, Carver found himself with a handle to be proud of—”Fat-head.”

Talking Bands
by Fraser McCallum

The Danks (photo: Fraser McCallum) An interview with the Danks is kind of like stumbling into a family reunion at mealtime. It’s loud, chaotic, full of ridiculous inside jokes, and visitors can pop in at any moment.

Talking Bands
by Fraser McCallum

Milks and Rectangles It started with snowpants. “Justin was playing guitar in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and I played…a fairy,” laughs Christian Ledwell, lead singer of Milks and Rectangles. It was at this theatre production’s cast party where the two met and discovered a mutual admiration for indy band Interpol. After a few jams, a rhythm section was recruited and the band Snowpants Tapdance was born, an early version of Milks and Rectangles.

Looking

by Fraser McCallum

Single while male seeks woman to share life.” So begins Looking, an upbeat romantic comedy from prolific Canadian playwright Norm Foster staged this summer at Victoria Playhouse. Norm Foster’s comedies are known for their whimsy and user-friendliness, and have been staged eight times in Victoria. Looking is a light-hearted tale of ordinary folk on the lookout for love, acceptance and maybe someone who knows all the words to their favourite songs.

The Nine Lives of L. M. Montgomery

by Fraser MacCallum

The cast of The Nine Lives of L. M. Montgomery with Natalie Oman in the lead role

The famed author, Lucy Maud Montgomery, is dear to the hearts of hundreds of thousands who have been swept away by her inspiring heroines, playful imagination and vivid description of this Island. Montgomery was a best seller of over 20 works and as Islanders, we owe her thanks for helping to put us on the map and create an eventual behemoth of an industry (I recently saw Anne ear muffs for sale. Essential? Absolutely). However, behind Montgomerys legacy there is a woman, who, although a brilliant wordsmith, was agonized by personal demons for much of her life. This duality brings us, the audience, to the Carrefour Theatre in Charlottetown for the ambitious musical, The Nine Lives of L.M. Montgomery.