ancouver is a busy place. With restaurants and bars opening and closing every day, concerts being performed nonstop, and news developing faster than it can be reported, it's hard to stay afloat. You need a guide. Martiniboys is here to help. Keeping our ears to the ground and our eyes to the blogs, we've collected all the hot buzz that you need to stay informed about your fair city. Whether it be a new store opening or a political scandal, you'll find it here. There's no need to thank us, we're just doing our jobs. Okay, you can thank us.



Vancouver hasn't had a shortage of festivals this season. But with the high ticket prices and corporate branding, it's hard not to think of mega-events like Pemberton as an exercise in consumerism rather than a celebration of music. That's why Sunday's Under The Volcano Festival is a breath of fresh air. Although there is a full schedule of music, performance, and spoken word, the focus is on "art and social change". This is the event of the year for left-wingers. And I don't mean 'voted for NDP in the last election' left-wingers. I mean 'let's remove all government and let anarchy rule' left-wingers. With workshops like "Laws, Labels & Liberation: Exposing The Labeling of Social Liberation Movements & Activists As 'Terrorists'," the radicals will be taken care of. But if you're just a fan of the arts, you'll also be taken care of. Music performances include Vancouver's own blues-rock duo The Pack A.D. and an acoustic set from Tegan & Sara. Admission is by donation, which means you can pay anywhere from $5 to $20, whatever your conscience will allow.