This is a lively and useful listener’s guide to CFUV, “Victoria’s alternative radio.” Almost all of the newspaper is devoted to popular music, but that in itself does not make it a droll big biz music-mag wannabee — the writing here is impressive, the interview choices eclectic, and, most important, the dialogue between listener, programmer and writer is actively apparent. How do I know this? Well, for starters, the overflowing letters section, the monthly play-lists for jazz, blues, rock, lounge and folk, and the advertisements culled primarily from the Victoria music community. Interviews in this issue include Ani Difranco, Shudder To Think, Sara Craig and B.C. based singer Kim Linekin. For me, the most interesting interview was with Big Sugar. Troy Nixdorf adopts a less gushing tone than some of the pieces in Offbeat and puts Gordie Johnson in the position of explaining and defending his artistic choices. From the introduction to that article: “Five hundred pounds of sugar, not Bob Mould but Gordie Johnson. He doesn’t weigh that much that’s the impact of his heavy handed Blues based assault. ‘Blues, oh man that’s so weak’ you’re thinking. Ah this isn’t your average Garden City variety of pudgy vegetables swilling and barking out standards this is a fresh take on the Blues. A paired down modern perspective….” All that plus a special 10th year birthday article, station guide and the obligatory record review round-up. I’d like to see Off Beat move slightly to the fringe in the future, and maybe it could also do more to champion local music.
magazine/newspaper / publisher: Kate Pasieka / main creator: Keith Powell (editor) / free, $20 for 12 / University of Victoria, PO Box 3035, Victoria, BC, V8W 3P3