Author Archives: Lizz Kerschbaumer

Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie returns to the Rio

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The CBC has flipped back and forth on the importance of comedy this past decade. When Schitt’s Creek broke through to an American audience, they went all-in, throwing money into comedy productions they largely abandoned between two and four seasons. We’ve lost a lot of great shows through these years, but there’s none I miss more than Nirvanna the Band the Show, whose third season may never be released.

Nirvanna the Band the Show is a TV show unlike all others: a mockumentary-sitcom shot in the real world by a kooky pair of best friends pretending to be their 12 year-old selves, interacting with a blend of real Torontonians and producer plants so good even they don’t know who’s real.

Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol play Matt and Jay, best friends with a band called Nirvanna the Band. Their greatest aspiration is to play a show at the Rivoli theatre, famous home of the Kids in the Hall, and their schemes to book a show there result in all kinds of crazy misadventures.

Johnson is known for pushing the envelope as a director (The Dirties, Operation Avalanche, Blackberry). Nirvanna the Band the Show have pulled off creative shoots in all kinds of places, from bringing camera parts into a Maple Leafs game and building it past security to foraying his Operation Avalanche premiere into being the first TV show to shoot both on the plane and on the ground at Sundance Film Festival.

Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie premiered at South by Southwest Film & TV Festival in March. Soon after, Neon acquired US distribution for the film. It then made its Canadian premiere at TIFF’s Midnight Madness, where it won the Midnight Madness People’s Choice Award. It boasts 100% on Rotton Tomatoes, and its two VIFF screenings sold out to members, before tickets were ever available to the public.

Tomorrow’s show at the Rio will be special: Johnson and McCarrol are on tour with the movie and doing a special Q&A after each show. For fans, a Q&A is a dream come true: Johnson has said in interviews that he prefers asking forgiveness over permission when it comes to the show’s public taping (the most dramatic of which occurs in the season 2 finale, when Matt and Jay rob the Royal Ontario Museum) and fans are jumping at the chance to ask the guys, “What was real?” and “Will we ever see season 3?”

Vancouver PWHL name and logo revealed

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With just two weeks until the start of their debut PWHL season, the name and logo of Vancouver’s new hockey team has been revealed. The Vancouver Goldeneyes’ first game will take place Friday, November 21st against the new Seattle Torrent, whose name and logo were also announced Thursday.

Our new team is named for the common goldeneye, a BC sea diving duck with a remarkable bright yellow eye. “Known for its piercing yellow eyes and lightning-fast reflexes, the goldeneye is a creature of precision, agility, and resilience—qualities that mirror the game of hockey and the athletes who play it,” said Ali Bologna, the PWHL’s Senior Director, Brand & Marketing.

It may surprise you as much as it surprised me that the Goldeneyes are the first PWHL team named after an animal. “I’ve been waiting for an animal with this league for a while now,” goalie Emerance Maschmeyer said. The goldeneye is more than just an animal: the imagery of a diving bird represents “unity in motion”, highlighting the team’s emphasis on shared momentum in service of a common goal.

The new jerseys, which were revealed last week, are blue with a cream “Vancouver” spellout across the chest and bronze accents. The new logo adds a pop of yellow and aligns with the team’s colours. It was designed by a local female designer, reflecting how crucial women’s ideas and work are to the team, who use this visual expression to celebrate the legacy of hockey in our country.

Local pride is an emphasis for the Goldeneyes, even in their debut season, they want to welcome their new players from around the world and create a relationship with BC hockey fans. Surrey-born Jenn Gardiner will join the team after her debut season with the Montréal Victoire. Our new PWHL boasts an impressive roster. Two-time Olympic medalist Sarah Nurse (silver in 2018 and gold in 2022) and North Vancouver-born Hannah Miller (Mi Le) will be leaving the Toronto Sceptres to join the Goldeneyes this season.

The Vancouver Goldeneyes’ first game will take place Friday, November 21st against the new Seattle Torrent. Regular 2025-26 season-games and the PWHL Finals will be broadcast on TSN, and Saturday Games of the Week will be free to watch and stream on CBC TV, cbcsports.ca, and CBC Gem. Season tickets are available via the team’s website.

PWHL to announce Vancouver team name and logo tomorrow

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Fans of women’s hockey are buzzing as Vancouver’s new PWHL’s inaugural season approaches. Many are trying to guess the team’s new name and logo, which will be announced tomorrow, November 6th, just over two weeks before the start of the 2025-26 season. Their first game will take place against Seattle’s new team (whose team name and logo will also be announced Thursday) on November 21 at the Pacific Coliseum.

Last week, PWHL Vancouver announced signing 3 draft picks: a 2-year contract for Nina Jobst-Smith, and one-year contracts for Brianna Brooks and Madison Samoskevich. Jobst-Smith, a 24-year old defender, was born in North Vancouver. The young hockey players are excited to represent our city, and BC hockey fans are feeling optimistic about our new home team.

Their jerseys were unveiled a few days prior: home jerseys are a cream-coloured diagonal spelling of the city’s name on a pacific blue sweater with bronze accents. Away jerseys reverse the colourway, with blue text on cream. The new logo, which will be revealed alongside the team’s name Thursday, will go on the shoulder pads. I hope team name is something cool, because I’ll be shouting it all year!

The team’s unity games and theme nights, some of which will feature promotional giveaways, were also announced Tuesday. The team looks forward to a Lunar New Year Celebration on January 22, a First Nations Celebration on March 10, and a Pride Celebration on April 21, among other celebrations of diversity and BC culture.

Home jerseys are available now on the PWHL official webstore. Season Ticket Memberships and Single Game tickets can be purchased via PWHL. The 2025-2026 season begins November 21, and the full Vancouver PWHL schedule is now available. I’ll be there with the new blue jersey on cheering our new home team!

Architecture & Design Film Festival to begin today

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The Lower Mainland is a fascinating mix of buildings and structures. As a West Coast province, British Columbians are acutely aware of the many modern architectural styles that build our city skylines: Vancouverites of all ages have warm memories in a Vancouver Special, many of us grew up admiring the art deco tiles and textures that line the streets of downtown, and went to college in brutalist concrete boxes between the pines. We love the contrasts, the way sun and mist can colour our city gold in the mornings. But where did these design concepts come from? A province that celebrates both stately Victorians and intricate longhouses is a fitting location for the Architecture & Design Film Festival.

The Architecture & Design Film Festival, a travelling international festival, is back in Vancouver! It began in New York City in 2023. In a very short time, the festival has expanded internationally, with events in New York, Chicago, Mumbai, Toronto, and Los Angeles. On its way to Toronto next, the festival features films about spaces, structures, and design. Just like last year, they boast speakers and parties with those in the design and film community. It will last 5 days, from November 5th to the 10th, and 12 films will be shown between the VIFF Centre downtown and the Hollywood Theatre in Kitsilano. There will also be special screenings offered for free at the TriCity Pavillion in Coquitlam, every day from 11am to 6pm until November 30th.

The darker it gets, the more likely it is that you’ll need a change of pace. The festival commemorates and uplifts artists and designers from all over the world, and each film offers you a unique glimpse into global building and structural design. You can travel without ever leaving the city and come back out into the rain inspired and interested about the city around you.

 

If you’re curious about the design of the world around you, and the various influences of architect and artists around the world, the Architecture & Design Film Festival is for you. Tickets range from $14-17, and screenings are selling out fast!

Heart of the City Festival in full thrust

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Halloween marked the start of the 22nd annual Heart of the City Festival, a celebration of the vibrant multiculturalism of the Downtown Eastside. The Opening Celebration took place at Carnegie Community Centre Theatre at 1pm, and the day’s events concluded with the DTES Halloween Festival Kick Off.

Championing inclusivity, most events at the Heart of the City Festival will be free to attend, though some require registration or paid tickets (on a sliding scale). The festival is all about “dignity through community” and hopes to empower DTES residents and their neighbours to get involved in the community together.

There are over 100 festival events in the neighbourhood to choose from! You’re sure to get a new perspective on the area through one of the many walking tours offered during the celebration, which range from historical to culinary to photographical.

Despite the reputation assigned to it by the ruling class, the Downtown Eastside is a vibrant community. Tragically, political cruelty, classism, and ableism put those who live there at great risk. The festival is mindful to mourn all members of the community who have passed, highlighting victims of Residential Schools as well as drug users. There will be a Requiem Mass on Thursday, November 6 at St. James’ Anglican Church to pay respects.

The Heart of the City Festival will highlight the multiculturalism that makes the DTES stand out, with celebrations of Indigenous voices, performances with Cantonese and Mandarin interpretation, and Day of the Dead celebrations. If music’s your thing, you’re in luck: from Wednesday onward, there will be a dance or music event every day!

The festival also offers workshops on skills of all kinds, gallery events, film screenings, story sharing circles, and poetry readings that will enrich your mind and expand your horizons. The closing concert will be a performance by the first country’s first professional taiko group, Uzume Taiko at the Russian Hall. Advance tickets and registrations are available now on the Heart of the City Festival website.

What are you most excited to experience at the Heart of the City Festival?