MUSIC PREVIEW: Danzig remains a heavy hitter

MUSIC PREVIEW: Danzig remains a heavy hitter

This weekend’s heavy hitter award goes to the one and only Danzig, which slams its way into the city with an appearance at Union Hall on Sunday night as part of the 25th “Anniversary Of Danzig” tour. Yes, Union Hall, formerly the Thunderdome, formerly Goose Loonies, formerly whatever else it used to be called. The […]

MUSIC PREVIEW: Intercontinental mojo at blues fest

MUSIC PREVIEW: Intercontinental mojo at blues fest

The Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival has taken over the city, absorbing any and all of the performing arts in its path. Nothing is safe, theatre, comedy, dance, not even music. A number of favorite local music venues have even been converted into what are known as “Bring Your Own Venue” theatres for the duration […]

MUSIC PREVIEW: Folk fest earns indie cred

MUSIC PREVIEW: Folk fest earns indie cred

The best action isn’t always on the main stage at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival. Take, for example, Carolina Chocolate Drops. They performed at Interstellar Rodeo last year, and received rave reviews from everyone. The old-time string band from North Carolina, who perform with banjos, jugs, kazoos, bones, quills, a cello and a beatbox, perform […]

MUSIC PREVIEW: Surrounded on all sides

MUSIC PREVIEW: Surrounded on all sides

The region is now in the epicentre of the perfect storm of festival season. Vast musical gatherings are surrounding the city on all sides. The long range forecast calls for more festivals of all kinds – at least until school starts – so the public is urged to take proper measures. Step 1: Which one […]

MUSIC PREVIEW: Interstellar Rodeo a roots-rock spectacular

MUSIC PREVIEW: Interstellar Rodeo a roots-rock spectacular

Think of it as a little “aperitif” to the Edmonton Folk Music Festival: The Interstellar Rodeo – featuring an ensemble cast of incredibly talented musicians Friday through Sunday in beautiful Hawrelak Park. Like the folk fest, this one is SOLD OUT, and you can expect future editions to follow suit, as this fledgling music festival […]

MUSIC PREVIEW: The Taste of Music

MUSIC PREVIEW: The Taste of Music

You may know it for the food, but this year’s incarnation of The Taste Of Edmonton is pulling out all the stops in its musical lineup as well. Thursday night starts off with a bang, as Vancouver’s Hey Ocean! takes center stage, whose catchy melodies will surely whisk you away to a laid-back beach. The […]

MUSIC PREVIEW: Party all nite, rock every day

MUSIC PREVIEW: Party all nite, rock every day

Many of the kids who flocked to KISS back in the day now have kids of their own – which is why Friday night’s triumphant return of the aging painted wonders at Rexall Place is expected to be a real family affair. If you’re getting painted up – and hey, who isn’t? – keep in […]

MUSIC PREVIEW: Chains that bind us

MUSIC PREVIEW: Chains that bind us

The weekend begins with a bang Thursday, with a pair of standout acts slamming into the city. First, at Rexall Place, the legendary Alice In Chains. Born in the thick sludge of the Seattle grunge scene, the band rose to international fame in the early 1990s with songs like “Would?”, “Them Bones”, “Rooster”, and “Down […]

MUSIC PREVIEW: Something for everyone at Boonstock

MUSIC PREVIEW: Something for everyone at Boonstock

The region’s musical focus turns to the North this weekend with Boonstock occurring just outside Gibbons for four amazing days of sound and fun in what’s looking to be the best weather of the year so far. Like many local festivals, they may not have the massive headliners that you’re used to seeing if you […]

MUSIC PREVIEW: Just a big list of cool stuff

MUSIC PREVIEW: Just a big list of cool stuff

There are some major events going on over the next week, including the Edmonton International Jazz Festival with bass-wielding urban-jazz Goddess Esperanza Spalding on Tuesday, June 25; and the one and only Herbie Hancock on June 27, both at the Winspear Centre. “Johnny Jazz Passes,” conferring free admission to a myriad of other jazz fest […]

MUSIC PREVIEW: Nextfest best bet

MUSIC PREVIEW: Nextfest best bet

Edmonton’s first major arts festival of the season – Nextfest – takes over the city for the next week and a half, featuring almost every art form you could imagine, from theatre to dance, from visual arts to film, and of course music. The most interesting option amongst its many offerings may be a combination […]

MUSIC PREVIEW: Cowpunk high school reunion

MUSIC PREVIEW: Cowpunk high school reunion

Jr. Gone Wild is performing its long-awaited comeback show in southwest Edmonton on Friday night that will undoubtedly go down in the annals of local music lore. It’s going to be a cowpunk high school reunion! This band is legendary in local music circles, having been founded in 1982 after a false start in Calgary, […]