EDMONTON CONCERT PREVIEW
The city’s 2020 major concert schedule was looking a little sad for a while there – a desert punctuated by an April oasis, with Alice Cooper at the Jube on April 15, (he just gets better with age), James Taylor with Bonnie Raitt (April 17), a Celine Dion double-header (April 21-22), and then nothing. After The Black Keys (May 19), rockers had little to look forward to but Ozzy Osbourne on July 7 – and he’s cancelled (again) due to ongoing medical issues.
So did The Strumbellas at the Jube last month, which also seems to be due to health reasons.
Sad! Usually the year’s been sketched out at least by the end of January, so this was a bit worrisome.
But then came a sudden wad of announcements for Rage Against the Machine (May 3), The Weeknd (June 14), Bachman Cummings Together Again (July 9), The Steve Miller Band (Aug. 30) – and Tool (top photo) returning on June 2. Tool has a new album this time (Fear Inoculum), and is known for epic live shows. Tickets go on sale Friday.
All of the above are at Rogers Place. There was excitement with announcement of the acclaimed The National coming to Edmonton on July 23 – tempered with bitter disappointment that they’re at the Edmonton Convention Centre, the worst place to hear a band since the Kinsmen Field House. That said, there’s cool bill at the ECC July 4 with the Four Horsemen of the Canadian Radio Rock Apocalypse – otherwise known as Big Wreck, Tea Party, Headstones, and Moist. It’s like “I Love the ‘00s.”
You can expect the schedule to fill out some. Fall is already looking strong: Maroon 5 (Aug. 5), Steve Miller (Aug. 30), The Lumineers (Sept. 4), and on Sept. 16, Roger Waters of Pink Floyd – who always puts on a spectacular show.
Ambitious predictions or wishful thinking? – Acts touring in 2020 that have done well in Edmonton in the past include Stone Temple Pilots, Metallica, Aerosmith, Bruno Mars, Korn, Foo Fighters, Bon Jovi, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blink 182, Nickelback, and System of a Down. Place your bets at least three of the above will be here before 2020 is over. Not so sad after all.
