Franz Ferdinand Goes Designer

Pringle of Scotland and band members of Franz Ferdinand have collaborated for the brand's 195th anniversary. These contemporary Scottish artists have designed a limited-edition range of knitwear. Lead singer Alex Kaprano's features a hanging golfer at the price of £650. And why may you ask? “Golf had a such a strong social significance when I was growing up in Glasgow. It was the emblem of social climbing—and everything I wanted to rebel against it.” Guitarist, Nick McCarthy's piece is a knit with the written quote "Sign for strength, perserverance and confidence" and will go for the high price of £1,295. This price is not uncommon in the world of fashion, where the likes of Tilda Swinton, Douglas Gordon, and Ryan McGinley were all involved in the latest Pringle of Scotland ad campaign. In other words, you're paying for a name -- and while I appreciate the new pieces, there is enough overpriced fashion out there. In the name of rebellion, I would much rather dance naked in the street to their hit song,"Take Me Out".

- Simona McIntyre -

Fun on a Saturday with a Fox and Fiddle

After going to bars and clubs in downtown Toronto almost every weekend for two years, things eventually get a little repetitive. Bars and clubs all seem to blend together, each one resembling the last. But there is always a hidden gem to be found. And in downtown Toronto, that hidden gem is Fox and Fiddle on Wellesley. A nice little bar, located on Wellesley street between Church and Yonge, that promises for a great time.

The main floor of the elegant looking bar is where most the entertainment happens. Especially on Saturdays, when karaoke takes over. And it is not the usual karaoke; there are no random songs, sung by some weirdo and completely out of tune. But the main floor is very spacious and elegantly decorated. There are also several large comfortable booths around the main floor, along with high tables and chairs. And upstairs is where things get interesting. The second floor is about half the size of the main floor, but has a wooden dance floor in the corner. To the side of the room are tables and a DJ is set up too, pumping out jams for the dance floor folk.

Overall, Fox and Fiddle is fantastic. Beer is relatively cheap, and mixed drinks are even cheaper. As for the bar food, nothing could be better. The garlic bread is cheesy, exploding with flavour, and the nachos are to die for. So, the Fox and Fiddle on Wellesley makes for a great time. Whether you are interested in taking a date there, or hanging out with friends and having fun, this bar is the perfect place.

- MF Greens -

The Green Hornet: Stinging In All The Right Places

The Green Hornet: This movie has people buzzing all over the country, discussing whether it is going to be a good film. Some argue that the fighting super-powers of the side-kick are too ridiculous and some argue that it just looks stupid. But others argue that it looks incredible and completely bad-ass. The truth is … The Green Hornet is incredibly bad-ass. The Green Hornet is also hilarious and will make you laugh out loud. For all those who will see the fantastic and fun film, you will enjoy it.

The plot of the film is that following the death of his father, Britt Reid (Seth Rogen) becomes the heir to his dad’s newspaper company. Unable to accomplish anything on his own, Reid hires his late father’s assistant, Kato (Jay Chou). The two quickly realize that their city is overrun with crime and drugs, and they decide to begin fighting back, as masked vigilantes.

Their car is awesome, complete with missiles, giant guns and even ejector seats. And the crime fighting is just superb. But like any superhero movie, a conflict grows between the members of the crime fighting team and things begin to look quite bad for the two. But the film ends with a bang and a gigantic war between good and evil. Absolutely perfect.

So, The Green Hornet is definitely worth the watch. But here is some advice to make the movie more enjoyable. Go into it with no expectations, and just simply enjoy the show. You will be pleasantly surprised with the result.

- MF Greens -

Questions & Comments Email

writers@vandalaconcepts.com

 

Fanatacism: Yup, You've Gone Too Far

I'm one of those people that reads the newspaper front to back, excepting the classifieds. Yes, I admit it, I even read the entertainment and celebrity news. I'm like Johnny 5 in Short Circuit: "Input!" Anyways, when I skim through these sections I am shocked, not just by how mundane a lot of the things being covered are, but by the fan reactions I read about.

I never thought I'd say this, but I'm starting to feel bad for that Justin Bieber kid. One of the Kardashian trollops makes a joke on twitter about being his girlfriend, and she gets death threats. Word gets out he's making out with one of Disney's latest pre-fab stars, Selena Gomez, and what do you know? BAM! Death threats. The sad thing is that while these are the most extreme reactions to the kid, the fact that he's even become the male equivalent of the Olson Twins for a generation of cougar moms is almost as distasteful.

The new generation of teen/tween/cougar idol also faces a wide array of stalkers. Look at Robert Pattinson: The guy's got so many crazy little emo and goth girls after him, he's actually considering getting a body double. The guy is hounded by paparazzi, and will likely get typecast to play an underfed prettyboy for the rest of his life thanks to the Twilight movies, and he's got whack-job stalkers after him to top it off. How the man hasn't gone completely off his rocker is beyond me.

It's a sad statement on the mental healthy of the current and developing generations when I even have to call attention to this. I understand that there are fans who want to know more about their favourite stars, and that's fine. However, the minute that it crosses the line into an obsession (Yes, ladies and gentlemen, for many of these people it is an obsession), then it become dangerous and unhealthy. An intense fixation on one or two celebrities, dreaming of being with them only, and going scorched earth if necessary, is dangerous both for the object of the fixation, and for the fixated. These are signs of potential mental health issues down the line, and I strongly urge parents to at least set up a counselling session if they see these traits in their children.

- Jé-Pé -

PLease note these are the bloggers opinions.

Comments, Questions Email

 writers@vandalaconcepts.com

Dresses of the Golden Globes 2010

Hosted by Ricky Gervais for the second year in a row, the ladies of Hollywood stole the red carpet at this year's Golden Globe Awards. Gervais had plenty of comedic lines to keep the audience laughing, which included poking at celebrities like Christina Aguilera, who was nominated for best original song in "Burlesque." Aguilera, known for her particular manner of style, appeared in a seemingly nude, Zuhair Murad black-lace gown with crystal earrings.

Pretty in pale and peachy colors were both Megan Fox and Milla Jovovich in Giorgio Armani Privé pieces. Nominee Emma Stone wore a simple Calvin Klein Collection dress, "Glee" star, Dianna Agron a pastel-pink J. Mendel gown, and singer.

Carrie Underwood looked stunning in a nude Badgely Mischka dress, Brian Atwood shoes and a Swarovski metallic clutch. Looking like a vintage beauty, Scarlett Johansson wore a gorgeous, nude Ellie Saab gown, but the best dressed this year was Sandra Bullock, who walked the carpet solo this year, turning heads in a pale-pink Jenny Packham gown and edgy, blunt bangs.



- Simona McIntyre -

Comments, Questions, & Blogs

writers@vandalaconcept.com

Cage The Elephant: Kicking Off 2011 With a BANG!

It is now 2011, and Cage The Elephant has released the first hit song of the year. It’s called “Shake Me Down,” and it totally rocks. It’s the perfect way to kick off the new year.

The song begins with psychedelic guitar picking and a very catchy vocal melody. Then leading up to the chorus, there are short bursts of pure rock energy, pumping up the song. Then BANG! The chorus hits you like a brick wall, backed up by grungy and industrial sounding drums.

Throughout the duration of the song, it is then impossible to not pay attention. Overall, the song is extremely great, catchy and captivating. This single only makes the anticipation of Cage The Elephant’s new album even greater. “Thank You, Happy Birthday,” is the band’s second album and is expected to simply blow people away. And if their first single is any indication of what the album is going to be like, make sure you are securely grounded before you take a listen.

- MF Greens -

Questions Comments Email

Writers@vandalaconcept.com

M16 Roars “Thrash or Die!”

Fairly new to the Vancouver Local Metal Scene, these rabid young guns are fully loaded and ready to unleash their shrapnel onto the masses. Featuring song titles such as “Thrash or Die,” and “The Meaning of Pain,” they could not be any less misleading in terms of attitude. However, their sound is not as obvious. Mixing 80’s bay-area thrash metal influences with progressive rock and old school melodic death metal, they create an interesting listen for anyone craving some raw-spirited speed metal. You can download their EP for free from their facebook page. They are playing at Pat’s pub on Jan. 14th. Whether they are on recording, or on stage, they proceed to keep up the energy and adrenaline alive throughout.

- Bag -

A Splendid Time at Sneaky Dee’s

Downtown Toronto, three dollar domestic beer and one dollar coat check. These three ingredients make for an awesome time at this Toronto music bar. Sneaky Dee’s, located at College and Bathurst in Toronto, has this special three dollar beer night every Wednesday, and it is always worth checking out.

To add to the amazing beer prices, there is one dollar coat check! In all of Toronto, in my experience, that is the cheapest coat check ever. But make sure you get there somewhat early, because by 11:30 p.m., the coat check fills up. This means you’ll be dragging around your winter coat all night long. And at a music bar, music is a key element. On the Wednesday beer nights, you can expect to hear some classic 80’s and 90’s hip hop. To add to the sweetness of the old school hip hop, a guy wearing nothing but a Speedo is always lingering around the place. No joke. He is always there.

For all the other nights of the week, Sneaky Dee’s has live music. In the past, that has included the likes of Hostage Life. But what makes Sneaky Dee’s truly awesome is that upstairs has the bar and music, while downstairs has the food (super delicious). And every once in a while, you might get a celebrity sighting. Last Wednesday, Riley Stavros of Degrassi: The Next Generation (he plays the captain of the football team) was there, having a blast. So always remember, a night out at Sneaky Dee’s has it all: music, cheap beer, great food and celebrities.

- MF GREENS - 

Questions Comments Email Our Writer

writers@vandalaconcepts.com

January Ezine is Out

January Ezine Is Out - Reviews,

Best and worst of 2010 and much more!

CLICK HERE TO READ

Thrash & Burn: 2011 Year Predictions Edition

Greetings, True Believers! It's hard to believe that 2010 is here. We've seen trends come, we've seen trends go, and we've seen things we desperately wish we could unsee (I'm looking at you, Black Eyed Peas' "The Time"). Since the year is here, I would like to make 10 predictions for 2011. See if you can tell the jokes from the serious ones!

1) In an attempt to continue to appear ironic, hipsters will spearhead a nü-metal revival. They will look very silly while doing so.

2) Mastadon will find a new way to blow people's minds. They did the tours with the video screens playing trippy visuals and videos whilst playing the entirety of their Crack the Skye album, they did the soundtrack for the Jonah Hex movie, AND toured with Alice in Chains. You know that Troy Sanders and Co. are back in Georgia cooking up new surprises for 2011.

3) Motorhead will release another album. They tend to do that every two years or so.

4) In an historic first, the next sub-genre to start with "New Wave Of..." will not be a metal one. I suspect that it will likely be something to the effect of "New Wave of American Post Hardcore." If this is the case, I will then copyright the term, and it's acronym "NWOAPH."

5) Ke$ha and Lady Gaga, desperate to attract further attention, will release a sex tape together. However, it will be an audio tape of the two having phone sex, and it will be very bad.

6) Zakk Wylde, he of Black Label Society fame, will proclaim his love of cunnilingus in at least 10 interviews.

7) The next winner of American Idol will still never live up to Kelly Clarkson.

8) Duran Duran will have 3 singles off of their latest album make the radio charts, and will still sound better than 99% of anything out there.

9) NOFX will be on the Warped Tour again, and Fat Mike will attempt to insult another Christian band onstage. This will occur repeatedly until they actually come and try to talk to him. Then he will hide in his tourbus.

10) The next big metal subgenre: Dubstepcore.

And since I stand by my predictions, I will revisit them in 6 and 12 months time to see what, if any actually came true! Keep reading, True Believers, because I have a feeling there will be a lot more to Thrash, and a lot more to Burn, in 2011!

- Je Pe -