Editorial: Breaking News: U of C not the best

By Chris Beauchamp

The University of Calgary has an embarrassing history with Maclean’s magazine. We’ve been slipping in their annual university rankings for years. After peaking at 10th place in 1999 out of a field of 15 in our category, our track record has worsened each year, slipping to 12th in 2000 and bottoming out at 14th in… Continue reading Editorial: Breaking News: U of C not the best

Spun: Mint Royale

By Trenton Shaw

The aptly-named Mint Royale creates music that is fresh, innovative and beautifully refined. See you in the Morning has the effect of a warm bath–it leaves you feeling clean, rejuvenated and refreshed. Spanning the palette of dance, electronica and acid jazz, the album is positively uplifting, though overbearing at times. Listeners that aren’t ready for… Continue reading Spun: Mint Royale

Spun: Katie Melua

By Ken Clarke

England’s Katie Melua has become a huge success in Europe with her debut album Call off the Search selling millions of copies in several countries. Her latest attempt, Piece By Piece is a commercially calculated follow-up release which debuted at number one in the UK album charts, proving once again that there’s just no accounting… Continue reading Spun: Katie Melua

Spun: Elefant

By Trenton Shaw

In 1986 they would have been in their element, in 1996 they would have been passe, and in 2006 they’re destined to be one of the hottest retro ’80s bands of the new millennium. Elefant has joined the ranks of several new bands in a revolution bent on reminding the world why ’80s music kicked… Continue reading Spun: Elefant

Spun: The Charlatans UK

By Darren Young

After almost two decades of making music together, one would expect The Charlatans UK to have firmly carved out a musical niche. Though their sound remained constant for the better part of a dozen years, 2004’s up At The Lake signalled a shift in direction for the English quintet, sounding more like dance music than… Continue reading Spun: The Charlatans UK

A Starr Named Kinnie

By Rachel Betts-Wilmott

Despite what she may say to the contrary, there’s something more to Kinnie Starr’s music than the indie/trip-hop/ jazz/whatever it’s often described as. A Calgary native who cites her brothers’ friends and her father’s clients as influences, whose lyrics are not only a mish-mash of themes but languages as well, Starr’s speech is about as… Continue reading A Starr Named Kinnie

Rocking out with the forces of evil

By Kyle Francis

Henry Smyth was a simple man. He’d often spend long days out in his shop, toiling over a steaming forge, creating horseshoes, armour, weapons and other accoutrements requiring the hand of a master blacksmith. One day, the devil, disguised as a goat named Mendes, approached Henry and asked him to make some goat shoes. Clever… Continue reading Rocking out with the forces of evil

The travelling bandwagon moves up Hwy 2

By Jon Roe

Numerous Edmonton Oilers car flags were visible on Calgary’s roadways throughout the 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs. These flags weren’t there before, and chances are they aren’t around now that the Oilers are finished, raising the question of where all these Edmonton Oilers fans came from. Perhaps they were transplanted Edmontonians showing pride for the Chuck.… Continue reading The travelling bandwagon moves up Hwy 2

Happy Aboriginal Day!

By Jon Roe

Though the tipi raising to celebrate National Aboriginal Day on June 21 was cancelled, due to stormy skies, there are plenty of reasons to celebrate First Nations culture on and around the university campus. “In 1971 we had one [First Nations] graduate,” said Cheryle Chagnon-Greyeyes, administrative coordinator for the Native Centre on campus and a… Continue reading Happy Aboriginal Day!

A bicycle built for U

By Kris Schmidt

Tired of walking to class? Then put your legs to good use and pedal there instead. The University of Calgary’s U-bike program provides the campus with bicycles for public use. The bikes are scattered around campus and are available free of charge to ride on university grounds. Bikes are picked up from the racks, used… Continue reading A bicycle built for U