By Josh Kolm
Lance Writer
February 24, 2010

Justin Langlois, research director of local artistic research group Broken City Lab (BCL), has incorporated a decisiveness into the group’s ambitious five month Save the City project.
“It’s a series of activities that are taking stock of what we think about the city of Windsor. Where it’s at and maybe what we’re going to move forward with collectively as a community.”
If it seems like a daunting task, rest assured that the members of BCL are the ones to handle it.
For years, they’ve been operating under a mandate of engaging Windsor for the purposes of re-imagining and facilitating its potential. Save the City is a landmark for the group.
“I think it’s kind of led up from all our other projects,” Langlois said.
In fact, Langlois credits his work with BCL for his recent appointment to Executive Director for the Windsor Arts Council.
“The types of projects we’ve been doing here have been the only reason I got that position, as far as I’m concerned. It really gave me a huge skill set that I didn’t have before. >>

By Lindsey Rivait
Arts Editor

February 24, 2010

Vancouver’s retro rock ‘n’ rollers Yukon Blonde are getting ready to bring their nostalgic sound and big energy to Phog Lounge on Feb. 27.
Their self-titled debut album, released earlier this month, was recorded in Mushroom Studios in Vancouver. “It’s a big old studio, kind of like something that you’d see in the Abbey Road pictures,” explained vocalist and guitarist Jeff Innes.
The band recorded most of the album live off the floor to tape, something they had never done before. “It was good. It was an overall pleasant experience. We all got to take time off from work, which is always nice,” said Innes.
The band decided to go with a vinyl release with a digital download in addition to the CD release.
“The digital sound is harsh sometimes and sometimes that warm sound of vinyl or tape is like another instrument or medium. It’s another facet of the general recording unit that we wanted to go for. And we’re all nostalgic guys,” said Innes, who is also a collector of vinyl. >>

By Alanna Magri
Lance Writer
February 24, 2010

Imagine a summer job where you got paid $10,000 and put up in a sweet apartment in Toronto just to party, date, and blog all about it.

Yes, this job is real and UWindsor graduate and former Lance Out Loud co-host Lauren O’Neil has made it as one of the finalists running for AXE Canada’s Ridiculously, Ridiculously, Good Summer Gig.
Until March 31, the final five dudes and chicks will duke it out through six challenges trying to win our hearts and our votes. At the end, one man and one woman will be crowned AXE Canada’s first ever Consumer Consultants and given the experience of a lifetime.
The first challenge has already been completed and O’Neil has taken control of the situation and showed us her versatility and creativity.
After graduating UWindsor with an honours BA in communication studies, and a minor in information technology, O’Neil is now in grad school at the University of Western Ontario.
She’s been on exchange to Sweden, had her work published, dabbled in modeling, worked with the Lance and Much Music, and was a finalist in the Canadian Living Journalism Student competition. >>