A reviewer of Hal Niedzviecki writes that Ditch is a "rich and strange book." A statement that is nearly right.

In times when the music business shoots shit at the wall to see what sticks, we're bombarded with loads of one-hit wonders and flavours of the month. Supernal is true proof that the old-school mentality of "a little talent and some hard work goes a long way" isn't dead and that it actually works.

Starting over five years ago under the name Plunge, local alt-rock group Supernal began with just the idea of starting a band.

Seldom do meaningful scripts, in tandem with acting and dialogue, bring you deep into the story and lives of the characters.

Oh. And there's puppets in it, too.

These thoughts remain as one leaves the production of Happy, co-presented by Alberta Theatre Projects and One Yellow Rabbit, even if walking in, they were something else entirely.

Fromtman and lead singer Trevor Hurst couldn't keep his tongue in his mouth.

At least it appeared that way when Econoline Crush played the MacEwan Ballroom last Fri., Sept. 21. The band was in top form for all dedicated fans at the crowded venue.

Now in it's sophmore year, the Calgary International Film Festival grows constantly each year. From its budget to movie selection to attendance, this year's festival hopes to be a larger version of what we saw last year, and a small indication of bigger things to come--or at the very least, the possibility of rivalling the more established festivals around the country.

Here to shatter Calgary's weekday languor is the theatrical glory of one of contemporary music's rising stars. Canada's own Hawksley Workman is fast gaining an international reputation as a dynamic showman, matching the prodigious talent that is so obvious in his recorded work. One London, England-based reviewer remarked the following regarding Workman's live show: "He was so brilliant I felt sick and had to go and get some air."

     Before he leaves for the war-torn city of Kosovo on a "goodwill tour," Billy Blanks, the creator of the fitness craze Tae Bo, will make a stop at the University of Calgary. He will be at the Jack Simpson Gymnasium on Sun., Sept. 30, from 1-4 p.m. for a quick workout meant to benefit the Calgary Special Olympics.

In the first tournament of the Canada West season the Dinos field hockey team clawed their way up the Canadian Interuniversity Sport rankings. By ending the weekend with a 1-2-1 record they moved from eighth to sixth in the national rankings.

This past Thursday and Friday, Father David Bauer Arena housed two of the largest drubbings in recent Dinos men's hockey memory. And while the results were quite similar, the way the games played out were starkly contrasting.

"I was ecstatic about our game Thursday," explained Dinos first-year Head Coach Scott Atkinson. "The guys did everything I asked them to do. We had a lot of energy and we were crisp."

Maybe David Hernandez should only play on Sundays.

The Spanish striker, dubbed "Réal David" (pronounced Ray-al Da-veed) by former teammate Chris Mauer, stunned the previously undefeated University of British Columbia Thunderbirds by scoring two goals to lead the Dinos to a 3-1 victory. The previous Sunday he notched a hat trick in a loss to the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon.

However, there's a day that precedes Sunday, so let's not get ahead of ourselves.