Off the Couch
Welcome to our blog! This is where you'll find longer previews and profiles on upcoming or ongoing events in and around Ottawa. We've got fresh tips on what's new and exciting in town, as well as interviews with local movers, shakers and party makers.
If you're into it, you too could join our team of volunteer bloggers!
By — Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 2:53pm
The month of May is a great time to do some spring cleaning and get rid of unwanted furniture, books and knick-knacks. Rather than throwing them out, you have lots of options for recycling, re-using or even up-cycling your unwanted items. Ottawa is lucky to have yet another means of divesting unwanted items while contributing to a great cause: Ecology Ottawa's Great Glebe GREEN Garage Sale.
You've no doubt heard of the annual Great Glebe Garage Sale, a neighbourhood-wide thrift shopping extravaganza to raise funds for the Ottawa Food Bank and turn one person’s trash into another’s treasure. Six years ago, and not long after he moved to town, Josh Snider came up with an... Read More
By — Tuesday, May 14, 2013 - 12:04pm
"Let's be honest, no artist is legit."
So says Daniel Martelock, a visual artist who has been showing at Chinatown Remixed since its inception.
Now in its fifth year, Chinatown Remixed brings together more than forty of Ottawa's top-notch visual artists in atypical venues such as grocery stores, cafes, restaurants, and alleyways. There's something going on in almost every nook and cranny along Somerset St. between Bay and Preston streets.
"My art is what I feel. It's always changing. It's very seasonal. No colour in winter, spray paint in summer."
Daniel Martelock was raised in poverty by an art-loving mother. Scrounging to save up for a beloved piece of art meant she had to make sacrifices in other areas of her life. Now, Daniel makes his art for people who enjoy it,... Read More
By — Thursday, May 9, 2013 - 10:59am
Pop is not a four letter word. It's not inherently dirty at all, unless it wants to be. The term has been much-maligned in the music world through association with slick commercialism, but when you come right down to it, it's fun music to listen to and you don't have to work too hard to enjoy it. And if you like your tunes intense, melodic and textural, then local popsters The Goodluck Assembly have got some tasty new treats for your guilty pleasure.
I met Mike and Bruce Libbos, the brothers at the core of the band, and drummer Jamie Kronick at a recent “friends and family” show they put on at Dekcuf. The Goodluck Assembly had been kind enough to extend Couch Assassin an invite to the show, and I enjoyed... Read More
By — Tuesday, May 7, 2013 - 9:21pm
With Ottawa Comic Con right around the corner, Ottawa is getting ready to get its geek on! In order to prepare yourselves for this upcoming week-end’s festivities, Nerdgasm Burlesque is sure to heat things up.
Adam Tupper is the founder of Wonder Geeks Activate!, the team behind Nerdgasm Burlesque. Couch Assassin's very own Julie Cormier-Doiron had the chance to speak to Tupper to discuss geek culture in Ottawa and how burlesque embraces the true essence of nerds.
Couch Assassin: What's your involvement in Ottawa's art scene?
Adam Tupper: I've been involved in the scene since 2010 as an artist and promoter. Now I'm an organizer of events catered towards a geeky and nerdy audience as well as a promoter of any and all geeky art and events throughout the city. Some days I even find a bit of... Read More
By — Wednesday, April 24, 2013 - 10:45am
This week-end Ottawa's folk music lovers will gather for the Ottawa Grassroots Festival (OGF). The festival is described as an annual family-oriented celebration of folk music, dance, and spoken word. Now in its second year, the event will be taking place over two days at the Rideau Curling Club.
Festival producer Bob Nesbitt is no stranger to the Ottawa music scene. He was the site manager at the Ottawa Folk Festival for many years, during which time he worked with a crew of people who bonded and worked very well together. The team’s work even went beyond Folk Fest, tackling other local events like the Community Cup and the Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival. However, when Folk Fest was handed over to new... Read More
By — Sunday, April 21, 2013 - 11:06am
So there’s this buzz going around town about this renegade group of Ottawa artists, who actually use FILM! Yeah, it’s crazy, I know - but they actually make REEL films! I mean, they shoot on Super 8, 16mm and sometimes they get real fancy and shoot on 35mm. And if that’s not rebellious enough, these ‘cats’ actually take their films to the big screen and they dare you to come check out their films. They even started a FILM NATION and its right here in the nation’s capital! Right here, at 7:00pm next Thursday, April 25th at the ByTowne Cinema (#325 Rideau Street).
The Independent Filmmakers Co-operative of Ottawa Inc. (... Read More
By — Tuesday, April 16, 2013 - 9:26am
English DJ/producer Quantic (a.k.a. Will Holland) is a Colombia-based explorer of funk, soul, jazz, afro, and latin sounds. He plays a diverse range of instruments; he mixes beats, rhythms, and grooves from all over the planet; he produces records; he collaborates with great soul singers and distinguished tropical talent; he has dance tracks such as Time is the Enemy, Not So Blue, and We Got Soul posted on YouTube with well over a million views each; and he’s coming to town this Friday, folks! His international tour includes a stop at Mercury Lounge where he will spin vinyl for nocturnal heat seekers in Capital O.
Quantic collaborated with Nickodemus on the hit track Mi... Read More
By — Friday, April 12, 2013 - 8:36am
Isn't it nice when people help each other out? This Saturday some great local rock bands are throwing a benefit concert to support the victims of a Vanier fire that resulted in $1 million in damage and left 2 people injured and 8 homeless.
Late on Friday, March 8th, fire engulfed the rear wall of a building on Barrette Street in Vanier, home to Nicholas Adams and 7 other tenants. Adams was awoken by the smell of smoke, and immediately ran upstairs to warn the other residents. “I went and banged on all the doors to make sure everybody got out.”
As a result, everyone was able to escape the building before firefighters arrived shortly after 12:30am.
A couple who lived in... Read More
By — Thursday, April 11, 2013 - 6:36am
April is going to be one hot month in the nation’s capital. In case you feel there’s a shortage of burlesque shows in this city, the spring will surely change your mind. There are tons of burlesque shows coming your way in the coming weeks. Couch Assassin recently caught up with Ottawa's own Miss Helvetica Bold, founder of Rockalily Burlesque in 2006 and one of the pioneers of Ottawa's scene.
Over the last few years, Ottawa has seen an increase in the number of burlesque troupes performing. Miss Bold shared that one of the factors that led to this surge of performers was the release of the movie Burlesque (starring Christina Aguilera and Cher). “[The movie] was a sad misrepresentation of the... Read More
By — Monday, April 8, 2013 - 11:04am
If you’re queer and looking to meet the love of your life, make some new friends or force yourself to talk to people, Meet Your Match may be just what the doctor ordered.
Ottawa hosts a surprising number of straight speed dating events for tall men, travel lovers, fitness addicts, and the university educated, but there is very little happening on the LGTBQ rapid-romance front.
The formula for the straight version is pretty standard: the entrance fee is somewhat steep and the events are often geared towards special interests and age groups. These evenings can be rewarding for some, but have also been known to produce such side effects as sweaty armpits, moist palms and awkward... Read More
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Couch Assassin is developed and curated by a group of nightlife ninjas who are tirelessly on the lookout for what's going on in Ottawa. This site is a labour of love run entirely by some pretty awesome volunteers.
Couch Assassin is THE place to find out about everything that's happening in Ottawa - your one-stop spot for concerts, theatre, galleries, karaoke nights and more!
So quit your whining and get out on the town!
If you have any comments about the site, drop us a line! We also welcome info about upcoming events.