The Navigator Sessions
Nanaimo’s very own Andrew Butler of Antler stopped by the Nav office to play us a few tunes and chat about the Nanaimo music scene. Stay tuned for future episodes of The Navigator Sessions where we will be highlighting the very best musical acts that the mid-island scene has to offer! 0:00 – Intro 0:10 … Continued
Redesigning the Rhythm of VIU’s Music Department
On the night of December 1, 2021, eight students stood onstage in Malaspina Theatre before a backdrop of blue, purple, and pink lights. The Jazz Choir performed songs ranging from an angelically sung solo rendition of “Autumn in New York,” to an upbeat group performance of “I Got Rhythm.” It was the second night of … Continued
Nanaimo Musician Spencer Hiemstra Releases First Solo Album
Nanaimo folk musician Spencer Hiemstra released his debut solo album Wildlife on December 11. He describes his album as singer-songwriter style folk music, but with the addition of fuller sounds like horns and keyboard. “Growing up I found that I resonated a lot with music that I found local, and I think that’s something that … Continued
Isolation Playlist
Well, I can’t believe the academic year has gone by already. With COVID-19 taking over the spring semester (and everything else), I think it’s been hard for any of us to concentrate, particularly on our studies. But we’re almost there. March felt like a bajillion years long, but now we’ve finally hit April; and sadly, … Continued
Marginalized Music
CBC Music’s Top 19 Canadian Albums of 2019 came out this December. Four of the featured groups are composed of marginalized musicians who have made their own way without the typical mainstream support: Riit, Rae Spoon, Kimmortal, and Tegan & Sara. Musicians make almost all their revenue from being on tour and performing shows, after … Continued
Duncan rapper & VIU alumni perform at The Cambie
This Thursday on October 17, prolific hip-hop artist Switch (Luke Thornton) is bringing his album release tour to The Cambie. His new album, Where Am I, is a reflection of his experiences and draws inspiration from a number of places. “Just everyday life, really,” Switch said. “The past, the future, the people around me and … Continued
Bursting the Bubble: The Strength of Community in Nanaimo’s Music Scene
What’s it like to be a band in Nanaimo? If you ask the members of Sweetdreams and Lovely Grime, you can expect to hear a lot about community support, and a comradery with your fellow local artists that is unmatched anywhere else they’ve been. Add that to the growing number of venues in town and … Continued
New music December
The end of the semester is finally upon us. I’ve ditched the doom and gloom in favour of some upbeats for you to enjoy while finishing up the last of your assignments. Here’s a proper playlist to party to when finals are over: Diplo ft. MØ – “Get it Right” I love both Diplo and … Continued
New music November
I don’t know about you guys, but I definitely needed some pump-up music this month to help get through midterms and the neverending essays. Fortunately, November pulled through with some catchy beats to lift my spirits. Unfortunately, I listen to these songs and break into spontaneous kitchen dance parties, and now I’m not really getting … Continued
An Interview with Louis Patterson: Minor influences
How do you balance between music and life? Well, balancing can be a challenge. Essentially, I have to accept that, while I’m a student, music has to take a back seat in my life, which means less shows than I would like. Between working, paper writing, and class time, I’m not able to give myself … Continued
New music October
Fall is officially upon us, which makes me want to listen to dreamy, rainy day music all day long. Here are some of the newest tunes of October 2017, perfect for studying and settling into the winter vibe. Cautious Clay – Cold War This song has been on repeat for the last couple weeks—I can’t … Continued
A Perspective on Professional: Jazz workshop review
When meeting a person at the top of their particular profession, often the burning question we want to ask is: how did you get there? Last month’s event with the John Ellis New York jazz quintet, Double Wide, was inspiring because it addressed how to navigate the maze of establishing a professional jazz career. And … Continued
New summer tunes
Our ears were blessed with heaps of new music this summer—Lana Del Rey, Jack Johnson, Lorde, Arcade Fire and Tyler, The Creator all released amazing new albums. It’s hard to compete with the music we jammed to all summer, but have no fear; I’ve got new songs for you to plug into while you’re heading … Continued
Ray Chin: VIU’s vivacious violinist
Above: 📷 Cole Schisler By Sports and Lifestyle Editor Cole Schisler Even if you have never met Ray Chin, if you are a student at Vancouver Island University, it’s likely that you have heard him playing his violin around the bus loops, or outside the upper cafeteria. “Here in Nanaimo the weather is beautiful. This kind … Continued