R.I.P. Ryan Dunn

Kevin Johns — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:47:52 +0100

It is being reported the Jackass star Ryan Dunn has passed away following a car accident early this morning. Dunn was a talented performance artist, stuntman, and comedian.

First appearing in the earliest CKY videos, Dunn shot to stardom along with friend Bam Margera in MTV's Jackass television series. Dunn also co-starred with Margera for five seasons of Viva la Bam, and most recently starred in the hit film, Jackass 3D, which grossed $170 million last fall.

(Cult)u...

Suze Rotolo, R.I.P.

Kevin Johns — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 18:06:53 +0100

Suze Rotolo passed away last week after a battle with lung cancer. She was 67.

Rotolo was an activist, artist, writer and teacher.

She was also, for a time, muse to the 20th century's greatest song writer, Bob Dylan.

Through her relationship with Dylan in the early 60's, Rotolo introduced the young musician to the leftist politics that would define his work during one of the most creative periods. She appeared alongside Dylan on the cover of his le...

Hazel D'Jan Misses Corey Haim

Kevin Johns — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 14:07:52 +0100

Hazel D’Jan was to share two new movies with Corey Haim , before his death earlier this month.

Corey Haim from Joel Schumacher cult classic ‘‘ The Lost Boys ’’ was on the verge of his
Directorial Debut ‘The Throwaways’ written by ‘Eric Goren’, starring Hazel D’Jan as Lori Stoltz
a determined reporter and Luke Goss as Eric O'Neill a renegade cop in this Action Thriller
centered on the homeless disappearing ...

Nominees Announced for Third Annual Rideau Awards

Kevin Johns — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:11:25 +0100

The votes have been tallied and it's time to announce the nominees for the third annual Rideau Awards, which celebrate achievement in professional theatre in the region of Ottawa-Gatineau. This year for the first time, Les Prix Rideau Awards will be fully bilingual, with a full slate of awards to be presented for both English and French-language productions. The awards will be handed out during a celebration to take place on Sunday, April 18, 2010, at De La Salle High School.

The nomi...

Team Canada: Fisher doesn't make the cut, Heatley does

Kevin Johns — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:36:04 +0100

Steve Yzerman announced Canada's mens hockey team roster at noon today.

Too the disappointment (and horror) of people across Ottawa, beloved heart and soul Senator Mike Fisher didn't make the cut, while heartless goal-scorer Dany Heatley did.

Heatley, who last summer made it clear he believes he is too good to represent the nation's capital as an Ottawa Senator, is apparently still willing to represent the nation itself at the Olypics.

I intend to che...

Newsweek Includes Fugazi & Bob Dylan in 'Best of 2000s' List

Kevin Johns — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:30:15 +0100

Newsweek magazine call's Bob Dylan's Love and Theft the second best album of the decade, in a list that also includes Fugazi's last album!

Check out the list here.

Newsweek... who knew they had such good taste?

The How I Met Your Mother Letter

Kevin Johns — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:12:44 +0100

Dear Everyone I know Including the Internet,

What gives?

How I Met Your Mother is freaking brilliant, and you don't bother telling me about it? You let the show get like five years into their run before it becomes even a blip on my radar? You have failed me!

Signed,

Kevin

P.S. Shannon Wood, you and you alone are excused from this letter.

Great "All Along the Watchtower" Analysis

Kevin Johns — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:14:32 +0100

Ever since Bob Dylan finished the encore of his November 7th show in Kitchener with "All Along the Watchtower", I've been thinking about the power of the song and its lyrics.

Some dismiss the lyrics as nonsense, but I can't accept that argument when lines like " Businessmen, they drink my wine/Plowmen dig my earth / None of them along the line / Know what any of it is worth" seem so obviously applicable to Dylan's own thoughts on life during the post-motocycle accident...

Ottawa Rockers Fused Set to Open for Holly McNarland

Kevin Johns — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:51:01 +0100

Ottawa rockers Fused will open for Holly McNarland at Mavericks on November 21. (Cult)ure interviewed Fused just last month. Check out the interview here.

Show Details:

19+
Doors open at 8pm!
Get there early!!!!

NOTE: Tickets can be purcahsed online at:

Mavericks
221 Rideau Street
Ottawa, ON K1N 5X8
www.mavericksbar...

HMV Goes Digital

Kevin Johns — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:59:36 +0100

In another sign of the ever changing times, DVD and music retailer HMV is entering the digital realm. Check it out:

Canada’s largest bricks and mortar music retailer, hmv Canada is thrilled to be bringing their extensive knowledge and passion for music into a new and exciting digital realm! With a continued focus on expanding their business and reinventing their brand, hmv is launching their new Canadian digital store, hmvdigital.ca.

Unreleased "Bringing It All Back Home" track on NCIS Soundtrack!

Kevin Johns — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:29:32 +0100

I was excited when I heard there was going to be a new Bob Dylan song on the forthcoming NCIS: The Official TV Soundtrack - Vol.2 ,but I was freaking ecstatic when I learned the song is a never-before-released track from the Bringing It All Back Home sessions!!! These are the same sessions that brought you Dylan classics "Subterreanan Homesick Blues", "Maggies Farm", "Love Minus Zero/No Limit", "It's All Right Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)", and "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue".

To coinc...

Support the Ottawa Theatre Network's Aviva Community Fund Submission

Kevin Johns — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:12:37 +0100

The Ottawa Theatre Network and GCTC have just submitted an idea to the Aviva Community Fund, a competition that could have a huge positive impact on the Ottawa theatre community. If our idea receives enough votes, we have a chance at sharing in $500,000 to bring the idea to life. We would really appreciate your help in pushing this idea to the finals.

Your vote is a vote for a strong future for Ottawa’s theatre community. This is a vote based competition. Please vote...

Cassette From My Ex: Stories and Soundtracks of Lost Loves

Kevin Johns — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:05:57 +0100

All you mixtape lovers out there might find this book of interest:

Cassette From My Ex: Stories and Soundtracks of Lost Loves will be in stores next week on Tuesday October 27th! You can pre-order on Amazon now or head to your favorite indie bookstore next week to be the first to grab a copy.

The brand-new anthology compiles sixty hilarious, nostalgic and heartbreaking stories about crushes and mixtapes from amazing writers and musicians: author Rick Moody,&nb...

Voting Begins for CBC Radio's Great Canadian Song Quest

Kevin Johns — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 03:40:23 +0100

The CBC have revealed the singer-songwriters and shortlist of locations for the Great Canadian song quest. Check it out:

CBC Radio 2, Canada’s national music network, has revealed a blockbuster list of 65 Canadian singer-songwriters vying for the chance to immortalize Canadians’ favourite places in song in the GREAT CANADIAN SONG QUEST. It’s now up to Canadians to choose the artists and pick the spots to be forever commemorated in Canada’s songbook.

Gillian Anderson is NOT on Twitter

Kevin Johns — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 05:00:00 +0100

This morning (Cult)ure was excited to discover that what appeared to be a new and official Gillian Anderson Twitter account had started up. Then we noticed a second one...

Despite having links to what appears, at first glance, to be Anderson's official website, the accounts are indeed fake, as confirmed by the Official Gillian Anderson Website (GAWS) when contacted by (Cult)ure:

"Gillian has NEVER had MySpace or Facebook pages and she's also not on Twitter. When Gilli...

Jesse Cook Announces Cross Canada Tour

Kevin Johns — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Last July (Cult)ure interviewed guitarist Jesse Cook as he was putting the final touches on his new album, The Rumba Foundation. The album is now released and Cook is hitting the road. See below for tour details.

Internationally renowned nuevo flamenco guitarist Jesse Cook is thrilled to announce the dates of his 2010 cross-Canada tour. The announcement come...

Chef Michael Smith's Identity Stolen on Twitter

Kevin Johns — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 05:00:00 +0100

The CBC has broken the story that recent messages posted on Twitter under the 'Chef at Home' user name were not posted by Michael Smith, but by an impostor assuming the popular Chef and TV host's identity.

Recent tweets made disparaging remarks about Montreal restaurants, and seemed especially out of character for those familiar with Smith.

(Cult)ure had the pleasure of...

Music for Life Ottawa Concert Tonight!

Kevin Johns — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 05:00:00 +0100

This year's Music for Life Fundraiser Concert in Ottawa takes place this evening. Tickets are available at the door of Tucsons.

Emceed by CTV News anchor Carol Anne Meehan, the show will feature performances by Wicked Grin, The Mud Boys, Alain Tambay, Moondogs, Jesse Racicot, Cr4ve, Push, and Nothing.

All funds raised will go the Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation to support the "Building on Our Strengths" campaign for the Irving Greenberg Family Cancer Cen...

Trash Revisited

Kevin Johns — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 05:00:00 +0100

This looks awesome:

Insensitivity Training presents Team Vs Team with Improtéine: Audience laugh off

Kevin Johns — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Insensitivity Training gets an Improtéine injection!

Ottawa's English improv juggernaut Insensitivity Training face off with the provincially renowned French improve giant Improtéine during the Team vs Team Challenge at Yuk Yuk's September 27th.

In the basement of the Yuk Yuk's comedy club lies the improv gem of the Ottawa comedy scene. Insensitivity Training has been growing and performing 2 hours of hilarious improv there for the past two and half years, every Sunday nig...

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