MUSIC PREVIEW: Alexisonfire, not broken up after all, returns to Edmonton
There are few things that can boost a band’s popularity more than breaking up.
You do the tearful farewell tour, a lot of your fans show up to see you off, you make some retirement money, and everyone’s happy. Yet still a bit sad – until of course said band gets back together again. Behold the cycle of nature. We’ve seen this happen a million times.
One of the most welcome cases is Alexisionfire, which disbanded in 2011 when singer Dallas Green’s side project City and Colour took off. Then they reformed for what were to be a few one-off shows in 2015, and, well, before you knew it Alexisonfire was back in action again. They’ve since released three new singles, including the brand new Season of the Flood. Co-lead singer George Pettit can be seen as the screaming yin to Dallas Green’s crooning yang. Or maybe it’s the other way around.
It’s thanks largely to City and Colour, and to Green for devoting time for his original hard rock project, that it all worked out. Success seems to be contagious. The announcement of Alexisonfire’s show at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Wednesday, Jan. 22 (one of four Canadian dates) came on the heels of yet another successful City and Colour show – again in Rogers Place. They’ve got a good thing going here: Two bands for the price of one. Green can take a rock break from his usual sensitive singer-songwriter sound, and bring his fame back to Alexisonfire, which can keep working. Everybody’s happy.
The Distillers open the show at 7 pm, advance tickets from $64
Thursday 16
New Music Edmonton – The people who put this together don’t know what to call it: Experimental, classical, acoustic, electronic, “alternative.” All of the above? This night at the Aviary features artists like Nadir Bellahmer, who performs his original music with violin, viola, and a looper. Also featured are animated films and “electro-acoustic” performances. Yes, it’s a happening. Show at 8 pm, $10 advance, $15 at the door
Friday 17
An Evening With Jack Semple – This stone-cold killer guitarist and singer is part of an ongoing study: To see what’s in the water that breeds so many outstanding blue-eyed soulmen in the Canadian Prairies, particularly Saskatchewan and Winnipeg (Alberta is more of a country province). This list is long, and includes Wide Mouth Mason, Jordan Cook, Remy Shand, and The Guess Who. Semple is actually from Regina, which ironically once had a reputation for city water that left mysterious black silt on all your dishes. Maybe that’s it? The Juno award-winner and multiple Grammy nominee has 10 albums to his name, the latest called Can’t Stop This Love. Festival Place, 7:30 pm, $36 advance
Saturday 18
Gateway BLVD – Not far from their namesake Edmonton street, this band (one of many named for area landmarks and roads) plays its CD release at the Black Dog Freehouse. 4 pm, NO COVER
Half Moon Run – Speaking of magic dust in the water, what’s with Montreal, anyway? So many great and often unusual bands from that city – including this indie success, a group of clever technical popsmiths with a flair for lush arrangements and vocals. They’ve been getting a fair amount of radio airplay on your “alternative” (when we don’t know what to call it) stations, especially with the 2013 hit Call Me In the Afternoon – and there’s more like it where that came from on three albums, including the latest, A Blemish in the Great Light. Taylor Janzen opens. Winspear Centre, 8 pm, tickets from $43.39
Here Lies Man – One of the most satisfying alloys of metal is “groove-metal” – and this L.A. group of former Antibalas members takes it further with a novel fusion of Afrobeat rhythms, deep doom guitars and uplifting vocal choruses. They call it “stoner rock,” and why not. MelAfrique opens the show at the Aviary, 7:30 pm, advance $22
