MUSIC PREVIEW: Jay-Z state of mind
News that Jay-Z has finally admitted he cheated on his wife Beyonce has us all thinking of how we can possibly separate artists from their art in this day and age. Musical artists might get more of a pass than actors or media personalities, because their art – their songs – sometimes becomes so disconnected […]
PLAYBILL: You will be visited by 4 ghosts
Scrooge … Scrooge … SCROOGE, wake up! It’s me, your former partner, Jacob Marley. Why I’ve turned into a ghost whose only gig is to warn to you not to be so greedy is beyond me. “Don’t end up like me,” I’m supposed to say. But I was a generous guy! People liked me! Didn’t […]
INTERVIEW: The Heavy Cat Came Back
Paul Shihadeh had been elevated to bass player’s royalty in Edmonton before he split town in 2001. Oh, go ahead and make any joke you want. What do you call someone who hangs out with rock stars? A bass player. How do you know when a bassist is at your door? He rings the bell […]
Edmonton Radio music report is in!
The rules of the “Find Any Good Song on the Radio” game are simple: Start at the bottom of the dial and work your way up until you find a good song. If you fail, you have to listen to CBC until you figure out what they’re talking about before you can try again. Back […]
PLAYBILL: In with Gretzky, out with DISNEY!
Northlands Coliseum will be hosting its last show ever this weekend. After that, what? They’re tearing it down to build a domed waterpark? Not super clear on that. Anyway, capping 43 years of memories, where once Gretzky skated will now be the icy stage for Mickey and Minnie Mouse and all their friends – stars […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Needle orphans find new gigs
Local music people are scrambling to reschedule shows cancelled after the recent indefinite closure of the Needle Vinyl Tavern, in the wake of allegations of sexual harassment against one of the club’s owners. This place ran live music seven nights a week, sometimes two shows a day – so there are a lot of orphans. […]
REVIEW: Barenaked Ladies have lost their direction
A band could never get away with calling itself Barenaked Ladies today. There can be only one! Even as the original’s former magic was sadly lacking during a maddening show at the Jubilee Auditorium Thursday night. It was maddening because the four remaining members – singer-guitarist Ed Robertson, keyboardist-guitarist Kevin Hearn, bassist Jim Creeggan, and […]
Soft March celebrates Farewell Party
It’s terribly ironic that a band would name its debut album Farewell Party – but the title of Soft March’s new record has special meaning for its chief songwriter Joel Kleine. He suffers from a progressive and incurable neuro-muscular disorder called Friedreich’s Ataxia, and is confined to a wheelchair. “A farewell party is a happy […]
The Needle and the Damage Done
“I want them to fail.” These were the bold words from Brittany Lyne Rudyck, who made a huge impact when she recently came forward with accusations of sexual harassment against one of her employers at the Needle Vinyl Tavern. She got her wish. The club is shut down as of Tuesday afternoon. There’s a sign […]
PLAYBILL: Havana cigar for company birth
A new Edmonton theatre company has crawled out of its cocoon – though it’s pretty much been here the whole time. Say hello to The Varscona Theatre Ensemble – with longtime local actor Jeff Haslam at the executive producer’s wheel. This is a new brand for what he and in fact most of the people […]
Halsey cancels Edmonton, cut short Calgary
New Americana singer Halsey has canceled Wednesday night’s show in Edmonton at Rogers Place, following a performance that was cut short Tuesday in Calgary, citing a “personal emergency.” No other details were available Wednesday morning, and her social media accounts have been silent. Ticket refunds were offered in Calgary, as they will in Edmonton, at […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Dallas Smith not wasting time
Musicians who make the leap from mainstream rock to mainstream country have only served to illustrate how similar these two genres of music can be in the right (or wrong) hands. That “leap” feels more like a hop across a dried-up creek-bed these days. Dallas Smith has been a country guy since 2011, a steady […]
