Very cool contest from Last Gang for the new Sook-Yin Lee film “Year of the Carnivore”. We’re gonna be there and we’d like to see your pretty little faces so enter the contest. More soon,

Zephyr Suburbis Art & Culture Staff

From Last Gang:

“We’re giving away two (2) pairs of tickets for an exclusive NXNE advance screening of Sook-Yin Lee’s film “Year of the Carnivore” on Thursday June 17th at the AMC (located at Yonge and Dundas, Toronto, Ontario).

Email info@lastgangrecords.com with the subject header “Bring me to YOTC” for your chance to win a pair of tickets along with some other “YOTC” goodies!

The draw will close Monday, June 14th at 5pm and the two winners will be announced by noon Tuesday, June 15th.

In the mean time be sure to check out the official “Year of the Carnivore” site for the trailer and soundtrack! 


http://www.yearofthecarnivore.com/

Also be sure to check out “Year of the Carnivore ” at Double Double Land (209 Augusta Avenue, 2nd Floor) on Friday June 18th. Doors Open 9PM, starts at 10PM. First come first served (limited capacity).  Bring your swimsuit!

“Year of the Carnivore” officially opens June 18th and will be premiering at these locations:
in Toronto: The Cumberland Theatre
in Montreal: The AMC Forum
in Vancouver: Tinseltown Theatre

Keep checking here, and on our Facebook and Twitter for more on your favorite Last Gang Artists!”

"Year of the Carnivore" the new film from Sook-Yin Lee

The Toronto Comic Art Festival is not your typical comic con. The experience of elbowing between a pair of sweaty twenty something virgins who are forever digging through long boxes, searching for fine to near mint copies of Secret Wars #8, Miracleman #15 or even Alf #48 is nowhere to be found here (I am one of these guys, minus the virginity and the sweat). Instead the focus is shifted from the comic books themselves, to the artists and their work.

TCAF started out as a bi-annual event hosted in parking lot behind Toronto’s premier comic shop The Beguiling. The once outdoor celebration has grown from its initial inception after being modeled after other successful fests like Maryland’s influential Small Press Expo, and has blossomed into something the coordinators would like to describe as unique and unconventional.

This year’s roster of attendees did little to disappoint. TCAF presented a wide range of talent, spanning from Indy comic gods Daniel Clowes (of Ghost World fame) to web 2.0 freshmen like Jeph Jacques (who hit it big with his thrice weekly strip Questionable Content). As you can see, the weekend bill was overflowing with talent.

In the sea of tables of mini comics and original art where a few familiar faces, London’s own James Kirkpatrick, Jamie Q and Peter Thompson where hosting a table of their own, promoting both their independent and collaborative books and screen print work. Not far off were some other local Londoners promoting their work. Ignatz-nominated cartoonist and illustrator Diana Tamblyn was promoting her first full length graphic novel, From Earth To Babylon: The Story Of Gerald Bull And The Supergun, in which The first chapter of the book The Paris Guns made its debut at TCAF 2009.

What was interesting and different about TCAF this year was the addition of the web comics annex. The area was extremely well received and was a great way to promote weekly strips.

Some of the highlights of the fest included appearances by Paul Pope, Charles Vess, Dan Clowes, Jim Woodring, Jim Rugg and a Zephyr favourite; Dash Shaw.

Dash shared some insights on some of his recent work, in which he has been experimenting with animation. Be sure to check out his newest feature The Ruined Cast, as it looks incredible. Clowes made his first appearance at TCAF supporting his first original graphic novel Wilson, a book chronicling the life of a pathetic middle-aged loner who loves his dog and quite possibly no one else. Pope, Vess and Woodring made rare appearances selling original art and singing just about anything that was put in front of them. Rugg was pushing his new graphic novel Afrodisiac, a satire heavily inspired by blaxploitation films.

Although many creators and artists made the trek to the Comic Mecca known as TCAF, one former Londoner Brian Lee O’Malley was unable to make the pilgrimage (no pun intended). Due to the rigors of the new Scott Pilgrim vs. The World feature film and final book releases, it was next to impossible for O’Malley to make it home, disappointing many attendees who were unable to see him in previous years.

For a festival in its infancy TCAF has been growing at a stellar rate, and continues to trump years prior with new events, exhibitors, books and signings. If you are to make it to one comic related event in 2011- make it TCAF.

Words & Photographs: Cory Downing

 

Here is another selection of photographs from TCAF 2009. Keep your eyes peeled for Seth, Chester Brown, Yoshihiro Tatsumi, Emmanuel Guilbert as well as up and coming Canadian Talent Simon Roy and Chip Zdarsky.

 

The London Ontario Live Arts Festival (LOLA), an annual art and music festival that takes place annually on the third week of September in downtown London, Ontario. The festival encompasses multiple art forms and, for three days, transforms Victoria Park and surrounding area into an engaging art ecosystem. You probably already knew this if you’re reading this. What you might not know is that Zephyr Magazine found it’s beginnings during the second LOLA festival in 2007. Since then we have been proud to be a part of this wildly imaginative and ever growing celebration of the arts. Here are some of our favorite photographs from LOLA 2009. We were thrilled to see some familiar faces (Akron Family, Stop. Die. Resuscitate, Final Fantasy) and some new blood (Polar Bear, Khaki King, Nomo and more). As well this year London natives The Nihilist Spasm Band and A Horse and His Boy, played some unforgettable sets uncovering some our local hidden treasures.

We were blown away this year by LOLA 2009 and can’t wait to see what the brilliant people behind London’s unique art festival will bring to the table this year. In the meantime we’ll be sure to check their site www.lolafest.com for upcoming lineup announcements and LOLA series shows (which happen throughout the year). Looking forward to seeing you in September.

Photographs: Cory Downing

Words: Andrew Lopez

 

*Not pictured but still present LOLA 2009 also featured some groundbreaking art from such artists as Robert Youds and Dave Dyment.

Hey everyone one of London’s great artists will be showing at the arts project September 14th for Beecause. David Lindsay, a Resident of The Arts Project and favourite here at Zephyr will be showing some of his work to celebrate Honey Design’s 20th anniversary, along with artists of all kinds, from London and across Canada in an exhibition and auction celebrating the theme of honey. Be sure to keep your eyes posted for David to be appearing on Zephyr.

 

Here are a few photographs from the Sewing With Nancie final tour reunion show they are playing throughout Ontario. For those of you who don’t know who they are, SWN was the band that preceded The Reason. After calling it quits somewhere around 2002 a transition in their  sound and member reconstruction prompted the name change. After all these years they decided to reunite one last time before nailing the casket on Sewing With Nancie. On another note congratulations to Ronson who was married this past weekend.

Sewing With Nancie Final Tour Reunion at Call The Office

July 24th, 2009

Photographs: Cory Downing

 

Unbound 2009

April 16th, 2009

Museum London

Every so often the staff of Zephyr get the opportunity to shed their weathered concert gear in exchange for silk ties, fitted button downs and uncomfortable shoes. We’re more than willing to overlook these minor fashion kick-backs if we are justly rewarded. This only begins to describe our excitement with the 2010 Spring collection from Fanshawe fashion design graduates. Unbound 2009 represented the hours of work and dedication in the attempts to attain a perfection and mastering of one’s craft. The evening show, which is comprised in these photos, represents the finest design of this year. Amongst the crowd of the fashionably concsious were some major industry leaders; : David Dixon, Thein Le, Tomoko Kitai, Leesa Butler and Gloria Dona were just a few of the high profilers judging the collections. Museum London was more than able to cater such a formidable event and we were honored to have been a part of it. We hope you enjoy these photos and look forward to seeing you dressed in your best at the next show.

Zephyr Suburbis Staff

Some stand out collections included “The Mens Room”, “Sacred Blossom”, “Avenir”, “Dream Weaver”, “Part of Your World” and Obsession. For information on these collections and their designers visit: http://www.fanshawec.ca/EN/dfs4/program/unbound.asp

As some of you may or may not know this Thursday, April 16th Museum London plays host to the 2009 Unbound Fashion show. “Collections from the Fashion Design graduating class will be presented and evaluated by a top notch panel of recognized leaders in the Canadian fashion industry, some of which include: David Dixon, Gloria Dona, Leesa Butler and Nathalie Atkinson.” This is a must attend event if you are fashion savy. For more information visit the Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=logo&nctrct=1239484873026#/event.php?eid=57340133105&ref=ts

You can bet that we’ll be there. Come dressed in your best. That’s the word,

Zephyr Suburbis Magazine Staff

Zephyr Magazine was proud to present alongside Dirty Disko, L.A. Riots and Felix Cartel at Up on Carling. The drinks hit hard but the music hit harder with L.A Riots and Felix Cartel bringing some seriously dirty electronic. Golden Gloves started the night off right, proving why they should share the stage with such big acts. Awesome night. Best believe we’ll be back soon.

 

L.A. Riots w/ Felix Cartel at Up on Carling

February 26th, 2009

Photographs: Cory Downing

 

Welcome to Zephyr Presents Vol II. If you missed we are sorry…

Gain Riders At The Alex P. Keaton

Sunday February 15, 2009

Photographs: Cory Downing