[starbox] The Rams are back! Not back as in they didn’t exist for a while, or that they are good again, unfortunately. But back in the sense that the NFL just approved them to move back to Los Angeles,…
[starbox] Have you ever found yourself reading the paper and saying, “Why is it called the Sputnik anyway?” and “I wish it was pronounced ‘Spootnik’ because that sounds cooler and more Russian,”? Well I have too. The answer to the first…
[starbox] Happy New Year! We at The Sputnik hope you had an amazing holiday break, and had an awesome time ringing in 2016. New Years is a really special time because no matter what it never ceases to inspire.…
[starbox] 1. What makes you experience joy? Jaclyn: For me joy is intrinsically human, something that stems from love and appreciation of another person’s existence- just being able to sit across from someone and embrace the energy of their voice…
[starbox] This past Saturday was what I call the most depressing day in Facebook history. Years from now we will all remember where we were, and what status we posted, the day the Facebook Wars reached their peak. I…
Going to a different country, and experiencing a different culture is always a really neat experience. And, feeling some sort of culture shock is always inevitable but always surprising nonetheless. That is exactly what happened when I went to…
Welcome back after a much deserved fall reading week! I hope it was as beneficial and enjoyable for you as it was for me. School, and life, hits top speed in no time, and a time of rest and reflection…
The 2015 edition of KOI Fest has come and gone, bringing music mayhem to the streets of downtown Kitchener once again. The little-festival-that-could continues to prove that there is an audience for punk rock and metal bands outside of Toronto…
The Sputnik was able to speak to Jake Luhrs, vocalist, and Matt Greiner, drummer, of August Burns Red this past Saturday before their set at KOI Fest 2015. Below is our conversation where we talk about their new music, future…
KOI Music Festival is back to provide Kitchener’s punk-rockers and head-bangers a fun weekend of rocking out. Taking place this upcoming weekend – September 25 to 27 – it promises to be the best year of the festival yet.…
What is the point of watching sports? When do we receive payoff, when the years of suffering, monotony and losing finally give way to a semblance of something representing success? Where we can say, “I guess this was worth it, maybe?”…
I recently got to talk with Brantford’s own The Ascot Royals, ahead of their performance at WTFest. Singer Jimmy Chauveau and guitar player Tal Veisman were on hand to talk about their heavy touring schedule, new songs, and the message…
The early 1990s were a rough time for businesses in downtown Brantford. The donut effect had reared its ugly head, drawing out long time businesses to new plazas built on the outskirts of the city. This happened to cities all…
So here we are, it’s June and that means the start of another year! Well not really, but for us at The Sputnik it feels that way. For the first time in two years we have a different management team,…
All the practice, order and professionalism that seems to go into one of their sets appears to evaporate the instant they walk off the stage. Dear Rouge, a rising band from Vancouver, have just finished performing at WTFest to a…
A new art piece honoring the late Pauline Johnson is being installed in front of the Carnegie building. A section from one Johnson’s poems, inscribed on granite, will be installed into the sidewalk in front of the building’s staircase. “Then…
Students will have a safer walk to classes when they next attend lectures at the Carnegie building. As part of a street-planning initiative designed to revitalize the downtown, the section of George street in front of the building received a…
The sun tried it’s hardest to press through the clouds Saturday afternoon, perhaps a metaphor of WTFest planners trying their hardest to overcome the odds and host a successful festival. There was commotion and confusion in abundance, with signs, line…
“I’ll never give up.” “I won’t stop until I reach the top”. “Once I get that job my life will be set.” These statements resemble our culture’s current obsession with the personal journey, that which sees someone rise from a…
Russia, the famous red machine. The Soviet Empire, The Cold War, The Berlin Wall. Shady politics, strict nationalism, censored media. Russia has always fascinated us in North America, if not the entire world. It isn’t just the Americans that have…
Brantford’s arts scene is quietly maturing before our eyes. The Brantford Arts Block is a huge part of this, attracting many talented bands from out of town. However, the home-grown Brantford talent is a huge part of that, with the…
With less than a week to go until the 87th Academy Awards, on February 22, the time is right to look critically at the eight films nominated for Best Picture of 2014. You have probably watched a couple of the…
Brantford just added a new festival to its growing list of fantastic events. This June 13 and 14, Brantford’s Lion’s Park will be a hot destination in southern Ontario, as “WTFest”, or “What The Fest” as it is commonly called,…
When I think of Brooke Fraser I briefly think of the former Christian worship artist in Australia. She went on to a solo, singer-songwriter career after that, but I never really heard much of her stuff. The New Zealand native…
“If I have this dream, others have to as well, right?” These are the thoughts of Lily Crawford as she sets to open her brand new art gallery, the Crawford Collective, in downtown Brantford. Crawford, a stained-glass mosaic artist, has…
After a month’s worth of ‘Best of 14’ blogs on people’s Facebook profiles, 2015 is finally here. As we go back to school for a new semester, the biggest question is : what will be the first huge trend, fad…
Entering wormholes and black holes. Exploring new planets. Trying to return to loved ones. Searching for the meaning of love. Science. And space. Lots and lots of space. These are just some of the many topics and ideas that are…
Comedian and every-man Gerry Dee is coming to our city to perform his stand up at the Sanderson Centre on Friday, November 21st. I had the chance to speak with him this week about the new season of Mr. D,…
It is now November, and that means here come the serious movies. Basically, either very slow, heavy dramas, or huge budget, polished marvels, like Christopher Nolan’s upcoming Interstellar. These are the movies that are ready to compete for awards season,…
