“Time is making jokes at my expense, dancing in the river bend. Just as long as you’re looking for me!”

WILDLIFE – Stand in the Water from Mitch Fillion (southernsouls.ca) on Vimeo

Wildlife, five friends from Toronto are making a name for themselves on the world wide web, in fact I heard of them on a random person tumblr, “Stand in the Water” was their numero uno track of 2011.

Mandolins are a sure fire way to get me to love a song, and the song opens with a mandolin, so it was hook line and sinker for me. Please anything that gets me playing air drums on my drive home is a great indication the song is good. Is air drumming distacted driving? If it is, I wouldn’t mind that ticket.

Danni Bauer 

“Now my life is sweet like cinnamon, like a fuckin’ dream I’m livin’ it.”

There is a lot of press on Lana Del Rey right now, mixed reviews of her debut album Born To Die. There’s a lot of speculation that she was made up, her image, her sound, and her persona.

It’s hard to argue against the rumors. Like I give a care if her parents are loaded and maybe paid for her fame, or she calls herself the “gangsta Nancy Sinatra” or cites her influences are Kurt Cobain, Britney Spears and Elvis Presley, or she butchered her Saturday Night Live Performance, or sings about drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon, or she doesn’t know that cinnamon isn’t sweet (unless she adds sugar to her cinnamon, then I can understand). I am kinda diggin’ her album. I don’t care if she came out of an easy baked oven; “Radio” is a catchy ass song.

You got to take her at face value, like an 80 dollar bill. Anyways don’t think too hard about the lyrics (your head will explode and carpet cleaners are expensive, unless you got a Groupon), just enjoy the song.

Danni Bauer

“I want you to wander silent passed my outstretched arms, I want to hide yourself from all I seek and though my heart will fight until it’s dying breath, you’re not for me.”

You know when you hear a song with a larger than life sound and it has the hooks the jab into you making you play the song over and over?

“California” by Delta Spirit, might be the song that puts these guys from San Diego in the spotlight. Lyrically this is one of the most devoted love songs I have ever heard.

It’s about seeing the bigger picture about someone you love. This song actually reminds me of something Donald Kaufman said in Adaptation “You are what you love, not what loves you. That’s what I decided a long time ago.” Most times even your own ego can’t get in the way of wanting someone you love to be happy, even if it involves pushing them away from your life.

I saw the Delta Spirit’s in 2008 in Winnipeg supporting Matt Costa. I don’t remember the Matt Costa part of the show, but I do remember Delta Spirit. They had a stage presence that was memorable to the point I remember them playing a trashcan during the song “Trashcan.” I went to their merch table during intermission to buy a copy of  “Ode to Sunshine” which they were sold out of, they took my name and address down, then 2 months later I got the album and a poster in the mail. In return they made a fan of Delta Spirit.

I expect big things for these boys, this single is very impressive and it is adventuring away from rootsy twangy folk sound of the last two albums (Ode to Sunshine and History From Below).

“California” is the first single on the upcoming album, which will be released March 13^th. Honestly check out Delta Spirit, you will not be disappointed.

Danni Bauer

Ricky Martin & Nicki Minaj have teamed up for MAC’s latest Viva Glam launch. Ricky’s is a colorless lip conditioner in a tube and Nicki’s is, of course a vibrant, show stopping pink.

The entire selling price of all Viva Glam product goest to the MAC AIDS FUND,  which supports those living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, and to promote HIV awareness and education. Compassionate and glamourous are both buzzwords that make us more beautiful.

Alison Estill

From consultation to finished product, the Blo me dry experience is fun, fresh, fast and modern. I had the pleasure of checking out one of Calgary’s latest, hippest beauty phenoms, BLO me dry, blow dry bar, and had a blast.

Blo me dry bar is an a la carte hair styling phenomenon. Originally from Vancouver, BC, Blo has gone viral in North America and now spans all major city centers from Hollywood to Philadelphia, Blo epitomizes accessible beauty. Calgary is the latest addition to the Blo me dry family, offering a styling only salon at 1317 1st street SW.  Clients can book in or Blo can come to you.

Clients choose from a variety of styles from the Blo hair menu; such as,  boho braid, executive sweet,  and holly would to name a few.  I chose the boho braid, and it was so cute! I had killer hair for 3 days following my blowdry. Anna informed me that she has many clients that choose to come more than one time a week to have their hair styled.The Blo trained stylists follow a  Blo protocol to ensure that you have red carpet ready hair consistently, every time. Rhonia, my stylist was cute, fun, and thorough. I felt as if I had a new bestie when I left her chair.

Blo is convenient, economical and fun, truly simplifying having great hair. They are open from 7am to 9pm by appointment, 7 days a week, and at only $35 a blow out you can’t lose.  Streamlining styling your hair, regardless of it’s texture and weight. Blo is a dream come true and should be added to every fashionista’s speed dial. I have added them to mine !

Alison Estill 

You know that song by a little band from the 90s named the Cowboy Junkies called “Sweet Jane”? Well, Samantha Savage Smith is that song; she draws her voice out like Margo Timmins so beautifully. This is hands down a great compliment (“Sweet Jane” is one hell of song); I have spent the better part of my week trying to place the voice that Tough Cookie reminds me of.  The ability to write an entire album with a sound like that is achievement.

Kimberley Jev, founder and Editor-inChief at Calgary Fashion, used to live in the same apartment complex as Smith, getting to her sing and play her guitar through the walls (this was not a noise complaint), “it was amazing, in the morning her voice would float through the ceiling.”

Tough Cookie is Samantha Savage Smith’s first release with Arts & Craft, and is sure not going to be the last. It’s a break up album, but aren’t all great albums just that? A way for an artist to move on, and in the end us, fans of music, get to hear some wonderful songs and make a place for them in our lives. A mature sounding voice that the ear takes a liking to, even the song arrangement channels the older artist.

“The Hats” is a short but sweet song with guest vocal of Dan Vacon (a She & Him vibe), that I found myself tracking back to hear again. “The Fight” is the oldest song on album, and one of the strongest as well, even with the slow pace of the track you get completely drawn in with the beautiful lyrics and Savage’s voice.

A very strong first album coming from an individual who sounds like she has been making albums for the same amount time she has been alive.

Samantha Savage Smith will be playing the Junction Theater GRAND 100^th Anniversary Saturday (Today). She will be on stage 7pm, don’t miss one of Calgary’s best upcoming singer-songwriters, you won’t regret it.

Danni Bauer 

Don’t take away from all those miles logged on your treadmill this past January by snarfing an entire box of Chocolates from your sweetheart this Valentine’s day! THE BODY SHOP  is launching Chocomania, a delicious treat of body care products that will leave your skin smooth and soft. We love the heart shaped soap and the body butter. Your sweetie will be snuggling you very close with this delightful treat!

Alison Estill

“Wooooo. I’ve never had a Red Bull before, but I had a Red Bull last night. I really like Red Bull. We should grab a red bull after this.” If you watched the movie “Yes, Man” with Zooey Deschanel and Jim Carrey, this is relevant because Vinyl Ritchie was the winner of the 2011 Red Bull Thre3style in Vancouver.

Brian Carson (Vinyl Ritchie) will be the headlining DJ at the Junction Theater Grand 100th Anniversary this Saturday. Here is his track “Time” to hold you over until then.

Get your short shorts on, and start stretching! Check the line up here. http://www.theatrejunction.com/100th-anniversary/

Danni Bauer

Mandy Stobo is a Calgary artist with a skyrocketing career thanks to her totally “bad” paintings. She is the painter behind the infamous ‘Bad Portraits,’ an ongoing series of people’s faces painted badly.

Using watercolour, Mandy employs a whimsical technique with vibrant colours splashed and swirled on the canvas, then anchored with black lines to create the outline and finer details of the face.

Although they may not be in the style of traditional portraiture, they have personality and her point isn’t to be Johannes Vermeer’ and create another ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring,’ it’s to make you stop, look and listen to your own thoughts. Maybe even have a laugh.

“I don’t like to dictate thought or expectation. It’s not a statement of the artist,” said Stobo. “I think everybody’s experience looking at something is going to be different.” Stobo’s art is light-hearted and plays on the fun and humorous aspects that art can over-look. “I hope people take away joy and a sense of humor and that art can be really fun and inexpensive and about you,” she said.

It all started in the basement of the Crossroads Market, in the old “blood pits” that houses Mandy’s studio. Being an artist is never and has never been an easy feat that reaps many rewards or a sustainable living. So the ex-ACAD student and single mom went out to find something that was cost-effective and self-sustaining; watercolour and faces.

“I needed something that renewed itself. And so I thought ‘Peoples faces, I’m never going to be out of work!’” said Mandy.

Not running out of work was an understatement. After a feature in MacLean’s magazine, Mandy was faced with 1,200 orders for Christmas alone.

“That was overwhelming,” she admits. “But it’s never really exhausting because it’s the people’s energy. I just smile and giggle while I do it. It’s so fun, so I haven’t gotten bored.”

Not bad for a girl who started painting her friends faces and wanted to experiment with social media. Stobo is the epitome of the Calgary’s arts scene. Excited and on the cusp of being huge, yet humble and happy.

“I can’t not get over how excited I am to be in Calgary right now and I think all of us (artists) are apart of building this amazing new piece of this city,” Mandy said. “So anytime there is any recognition (referring to her McLean’s write-up), kudos to Calgary. There is so much going on here.”

And there is going to be a lot more going on here.

Calgary 2012; a not-for-profit organization is helping to showcase the city’s arts and culture scene through projects that will “encourage future cultural achievements.”Along with Calgary 2012, the city has been granted the “Cultural Capital of Canada.”

This doesn’t mean that we are more cultural than others cities in the country, but have been allotted to receive $1.6-million in federal government grants to further develop our flourishing arts and culture scene.

And that turns into a lot of open doors for eager artists.

“The amount of quality and the amount of artists are blowing me away. And with Calgary 2012 it’s giving access to all of these artists that have put in their time,” Mandy said. “They were waiting for the city to embrace it and explode, and I think this year we are going to do it.”

This is coming as a relief to many in the art community. They are now being given the opportunity to pursue their talents.

For so long Calgary lost a lot of creative minds to larger cities with more vibrant cultural centers. Now we have come full circle and the city is attracting creative minds.“We’re the only city that hasn’t already been built (artistically),” Mandy said.

In comparison to places like San Francisco and New York City, even Toronto, Calgary is still an infant in metropolis art scenes. “We get to build it!” exclaimed Mandy.

Calgary’s artistic community is about to explode and be featured on national and international levels. Mandy was buzzing with a giddy enthusiasm, an enthusiasm that is floating in the dry Calgary air.

Changes are afoot and it is accessible for anyone to help create the newest chapter for Calgary’s history book. “We’ve found our voices and a platform and Calgary is handing it out, which I think is amazing,” Mandy said. “I love this city. I’m really excited about this city.”

Mandy will be at the Theatre Junction Grand’s 100th Anniversary painting up some of her “Bad Portraits.” The event runs from 2p.m. – 2a.m.

For more information check out their website here.

Vanessa Conley

A new art installation has graced our city and is on display at the Hifi Club. The HVW8 Art and Design Gallery out of Los Angeles and curators at the Hifi have put together a collection dubbed, “Past & Present.”

This match up brings several original pieces of art from the West Hollywood studio to Calgary that feature the likes of Parra, Michael Leon, Kevin Lyons and Steve Harrington to name a few.

The theme of the art captures the symbiotic relationship between music and visual art, demonstrating that the two have always gone hand-in-hand. This blending of graphics and music is the main concept behind the Hifi, and they have always been in the forefront of cutting edge music by featuring DJs and musicians from around the world.

They have also known the importance of featuring the most up-to-date visual artists because what is a cookie without milk?

I had a chance to talk to Calgary transplant, HVW8 founder and DJ Tyler Gibney about the installation.

CF: What can Calgary expect from this collection of artists?

The Hifi acquired a number of pieces from the HVW8 Gallery. This represents a good cross section of what the Gallery is about, with a mandate of representing avant-garde graphic design; Some of best international artists of this genre.

‘Past & Present’ is the theme of the show. What does this entail?

HVW8 started in a golden era of Montreal in 1998. In 2005 we opened the Gallery in West Hollywood. This represents pieces from the past 14 years to present. The artwork ranges from myself, HVW8 Art Collective to number of past alumni at the HVW8 Gallery.

How does the aspect of music contribute in this collection?

We’ve always had music and music artists at the Gallery … Mos Def, Snoop Dog, Mayer Hawthorne, Master Blazter have all done things at the space, as well a number of bands were created during live recordings at the Gallery. Art and music have a symbiotic relationship – aural and visual, but the process is the same, so I think there is context for the two to live together, and I try to do that at the Gallery. These pieces reflect this.

What can this HVW8 installation bring to Calgary to help develop the local arts scene?

I’m from Calgary, went to Montreal, ended up in Los Angeles and now I’m back here, all through art and music.

Art can be a very difficult term to define. What is art to you?

Art is a mediation and reflection of life. Art is the times.

Can you explain how HVW8 Art Collective works?

We started off as three guys coming together creating live pieces and we lucky to travel around the world. We had installations and exhibitions in cities such as Tokyo, Munich, London, Amsterdam, New York, Miami, San Juan Puerto Rico to name a few. We were the first ‘Art Band’ creating pieces collectively.

See more at www.hvw8.com

The HVW8 selection will be up for the next several months at the Hifi Club (219 10th Ave. S.W)

Vanessa Conley