PLAYBOT: La Boheme Rhapsody
You could argue that the decadent, hard-living, unprotected sex-having “bohemian” culture of the late 1970s led directly to the tragic circumstances depicted in the musical Rent – which is set 10 years later and loosely based on the Puccini opera La Boheme, which was written 100 years earlier. In a further time twist, we return […]
Busker busted for panhandling – Edmonton music scene erupts in outrage
The socials went mad today over news that an Edmonton musician was arrested and charged with “aggressive panhandling” in front of Rogers Place on Thursday night. Fiddler Jarret Gray was busking for the Oilers crowd, just as he and many other local musicians have done at almost every event since the new arena opened. This […]
LISTEN HERE: Former soldier ‘turns the page’
EXCLUSIVE SNEAK PEEK Listen to Tim Isberg’s new Bob Seger cover one day early! As a high ranking officer in the Canadian Armed Forces for 30 years, Tim Isberg was deployed in Bosnia, Rwanda, Afghanistan, and in the Middle East. He’s seen a lot. These days, from his home base in Sherwood Park (he […]
LISTEN HERE: Pining for the fjords
EXCLUSIVE! Hear Edmonton songwriter Glenroy’s new song One day before its release! Glen Erickson, who works under the stage name “Glenroy,” has been kicking around Edmonton since 2000 in such bands as F&M and The Wheat Pool. His latest song as a solo artist is English Bay, a plaintive tale from his youth about […]
LISTEN HERE: No one expects The Spanish Flies!
EXCLUSIVE! Listen to local rock quartet’s newest single Mr. Evil one day before its release! Feliam (Fel) Gamarra moved with his family from Peru in 2010 and wound up in Edmonton four years ago. The musician wasted no time ensconcing himself in the local music scene – forming a “psychedelic power pop” band called […]
A vegan in beef country: Morrissey comes to Edmonton in April
Wait, isn’t Morrissey that famously ornery deep-thinking British vegan singer-songwriter who’s gotten into such hot water for his outspoken views – and now he’s coming to Edmonton for the first time in more than 20 years? Yes, the same. How can we resist? Morrissey has announced a Canadian tour – his first since 2000 – […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Good times at the Arden
Matthew Good has been a fixture of Canadian alternative rock radio since there was such a thing. He’s the go-to handy modern rock Can-Con for a rainy day – and it was a rare day his music wasn’t heard several times on Edmonton’s own Sonic 102.9 radio. He was their poster boy. Not so much […]
PLAYBOT: We Are Not Alone talks ALIENS
Before Drake was cut off at the Grammy Awards, he was about to deliver a talk on his famous Drake Equation, estimating the odds of Earth being visited by aliens. Oops, wrong Drake. It was American astrophysicist Frank Drake who came up with an algorithm in 1961. Do the math from these (somewhat paraphrased) variables: […]
Pentatonix, a pitch perfect success story, coming to Edmonton
We can thank the Pitch Perfect movies for renewing interest in a capella singing – but there are a few real-life vocal groups hitting the big-time in their wake. Pentatonix is one of them. The Texas quintet has only been around eight years, mainly famous for their lovely renditions of Christmas songs, and they’re already […]
Trombonist wins $10,000 Edmonton Music Prize
There shall be no further disparagement of humble slide trombone – for one of its top local players has just won the Edmonton Music Prize. Audrey Ochoa takes the grand prize of $10,000, chosen from a short list of 10. “This sort of encouragement – award winning – is some nice feedback,” she says, “as […]
WHO NAMED THE BAND: King of Foxes fierce and fragile
Olivia Street decided to come up with a band name rather than use her own as a way to “protect the art” – and also to avoid the stigma of the singer-songwriter. It’s there. Sorry about that. King of Foxes is a good band name. It works on many levels. “Fox” is slang for a […]
PLAYBOT: Polar Vortex of Chinook theatre
Now here is a hollow mockery: The biggest winter theatre festival in Edmonton is called The Chinook Series – named for the meteorological miracle of a blessed hot wind that’s nowhere in sight. With dozens of performances taking place Feb. 7-17 in the ATB Financial Arts Barns’ theatres and other area venues, the sked for […]
