MUSIC PREVIEW: Crash Test Dummies make smart return
Winnipeg alt-folk act Crash Test Dummies are best known for their 1991 single Superman’s Song, but the band has managed to propel that into a lengthy career in the music world that now includes a total of nine full-length albums, plus a couple of compilation albums and even a live album.
The band plays a sold-out show at Festival Place on Friday night.
Their most recent full-length album – Oooh La La! – was released back in 2010, after which the band went on an indefinite hiatus for the second time. However, they came back and released a pair of singles in 2015-16, titled Promised Land and I’ll Be Peaceful Then.
Even more exciting for long-time fans, after a number of member transitions over the years, bandleader-vocalist-guitarist Brad Roberts re-assembled the members of the original band, all except for Benjamin Darvill, who has relocated to London, where he’s created a hefty catalog of his own as the “Son of Dave.”
Friday 28
Rose Cousins – This folk-pop artist was born in PEI, though now calls Halifax home. She is a bit of a luminary in her genres, having appeared as a guest musician on albums by Jenn Grant, Joel Plaskett, In-Flight Safety, Matt Mays, Old Man Luedecke, and others, and has a weighty career of her own as well, buoyed by five full-lengths and a trio of EP’s. Arden Theatre (St. Albert), 7:30 pm, $44.15 and up. BUY
Dylan Ella – This young indie-folk artist is one of two must-see debut album release parties this weekend. Feel My Guts is full of her emotion-rich songwriting and heart-tugging lyrics and vocals. Amanda Penner opens. Aviary, 8pm, $8. BUY
Saturday 29
Prism and Lee Aaron – This duo of Canadian hard rock ambassadors were at the forefront of CanCon radio in the 1980s, with such classics as Night To Remember and Young And Restless by the former, and who could forget Aaron’s most popular single, Whatcha Do To My Body. Century Casino, 8 pm, $60. BUY
Panda Eyes – This Swedish composer/DJ has created his very own brand of “glitch-hop”, combining elements of chiptune, dubstep, and other bass-heavy music. Union Hall, 9 pm, $20. BUY
Bloom Circle – Ron Bass’s indiepop project is releasing its debut album at this gig, titled Spectrum Of Colour. Bass is a stellar musician with a flair for the nuances of all things indie and alternative while still paying homage to more traditional genres such as arena rock. It promises to be a great night, and a great album. Beach Towels, The Slight Brains, and Calgary’s Future Womb open. Sewing Machine Factory, 9 pm, $10.
Sunday 30
Paul McCartney – Only floor seats remain for this show; by the time you read this, perhaps not even those. Though, you know, if you deign to dabble into the world of resellers, you could probably find something, probably for some obscene amount of money. It might be worth it. After all, it’s hard to say how many more times this true legend will be through our great city. Rogers Place, 8 pm, $330, BUY
