A Christian band in a secular world
White Lightning can’t hide the fact they’re a Christian band – though there are no explicit references to Jesus in their music. You can just hear it: Zippy, poppy, catchy numbers brimming with life-affirming positivity. Also, just look at them. The Edmonton groove-rock trio releases its new four song EP, 1979, with a show at […]
Lip syncing thrives in concert karaoke
The Quixotic quest to get warning labels on concert tickets appears to be a non-starter. Imagine: “PARENTAL ADVISORY: Portions of tonight’s ‘live’ concert will contain pre-recorded backing tracks” … only in your dreams. “There are no plans to require concert promoters to print warnings on tickets regarding pre-recorded material,” says the Alberta government. “I’ve never […]
Music community unites in support of the Roxy
In Edmonton, all art scenes come to meet in the middle. Last night that middle ground was the Artery as musicians joined together in support of the Roxy. The eclectic crew that crowded the Artery proved that The Roxy was not just for thespians. When the last of the building came down, the music scene […]
Street camera gang fights the good fight
“We are out there to fight crime,” says Hugh Lee, co-founder of Hobos With Nikons, a group of Edmonton photography enthusiasts some may mistake for a homeless camera club. “That crime, of course, being people taking bad photographs.” Lee, a Edmonton apartment building manager, talks about the time he gave unsolicited tips to tourists in […]
Let’s talk about Beard Club
As Rocktober spurts into Movember, it’s the perfect time to explore the effect of beards upon the musicians who sing through them. Do beards shape an artist’s music or is it the other way around? Itchy question. Nobody talks about this sort of thing without getting their ‘staches in a knot, muttering about all those […]
SHEER POETRY: Story slam man
The rise in popularity of poetry over the last decade has been spurred on by the idea that storytelling can be a competitive sport – and Edmonton has been up to the challenge. One such “Story Slam” is taking place Thursday, Oct. 22 at the Artery, part of LitFest, Edmonton’s non-fiction festival – yet another […]
INTERVIEW: Shannon Tweed on Hollywood
“Conquered Hollywood? It might have conquered me,” says the delightful Shannon Tweed on how she and countless other Canadians found success in American show business. The reality show star is just one subject in the new documentary Gone South: How Canada Invented Hollywood, along with people like Neve Campbell, Tommy Chong, Howie Mandel, Alan Thicke […]
Africa meets Newfoundland in Dr. Zoo
In an economy as robust as ours, musicians have all sorts of crazy day jobs not to quit these days. By day, Dr. Randal Arsenault is a professor of biology at the University of Alberta, specializing in the fauna of Africa. And by night – specifically the night of Saturday, Sept. 20 at the Blue […]
No shame in One Hit Wonderland
Hey, rock and roll fans: Coming to Edmonton soon is INSERT NAME OF ONE HIT WONDER HERE, known chiefly for THAT ONE SONG. (Suggested insertions: Kongos, Soul Asylum, Gotye, the Stray Cats, refer to WIKIPEDIA for more.) I didn’t have the heart to even attempt to request an interview with said artist to explore the […]
Your favourite band sucks: The secret shame of the ‘buy-on’
There are shady schemes going on behind the scenes of the concert industry that music lovers might be better off not knowing about. For instance, people are unpleasantly shocked to discover most major bands use pre-recorded backing tracks during live performances. It’s become noteworthy when they don’t. Have you wondered why concert tickets are getting […]
End of an era: Goodbye, Avenue Theatre
Edmonton music people are deeply bummed over news that the city is about to lose yet another live music venue. The Avenue Theatre will be closing its doors in the middle of June. The word came Thursday from general manager and talent buyer Steve Derpack, who explained on Facebook that it’s “primarily a decision to […]
(NO) RELIGION: Onward Atheist Soldiers!
What do members of the Society of Edmonton Atheists do at their meetings? Sit around and talk about how they don’t believe in God, while saying “Jesus, it’s cold outside!”? Not exactly. Many of them have lost something – and it’s more important than the Higher Power they don’t recognize. It’s the companionship of like-minded […]
