Striker skewers status quo
In the verdantly-bearded acoustic guitar-strumming Edmonton indie music scene, Striker sticks out like a sore thumb. “I sure hope so!” says guitarist Tim Brown. “We’re trying to do own thing,” he explains, “and the big thing about that is just love. We love what we’re doing, and so it’s authentic. I think people are starting […]
Sting, Peter Gabriel play Rock Paper Scissors in Edmonton
From a season of sadness over so many untimely deaths in the rock ‘n’ roll world comes some great news: Sting and Peter Gabriel are coming to Edmonton! On the 19-city “Rock Paper Scissors” tour, these two giants of British rock will share the stage at Rexall Place on Sunday, July 24. They’ll play their […]
Blue Rodeo extra-ordinary super-natural
Calling music “timeless” is a high compliment, but when it comes to the timeless Blue Rodeo, it’s like we’re lost together in a time warp. Hear just a few notes and – BAM – back to college you go. They never change! It’s like that moment in the vampire film where they realize the main […]
Booze laws will not help live music!
Legalizing live entertainment in licensed beverage rooms is NOT the answer to Saving the Edmonton Music Scene! It will foster an infestation of “cover bands,” choking off the artists who write and perform their own music. Art will be judged on how much alcohol it sells. It will herald a hegemony of dreaded “booking agents” […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Animal act launches Almanac
There always seems to be a natural ebb and flow to the music venues in this city, doesn’t there? Sure, we lost a lot of live spots last year, but they are slowly being replaced by new ones popping up around the city. Perhaps for the smaller spaces, the current state of the music business […]
ZZ Top at the River Cree in April
Like the days of the week of the weeks of the months of the year in Edmonton, it’s inevitable that ZZ Top should return. This time, the bearded Texans are at the River Cree Casino on Friday, April 1, no foolin’. Tickets are $59.50 to $89.50 and go on sale Friday. The pre-sales start Wednesday. […]
10 Edmonton Bands Pushing the Envelope
The Top-10 list is a little different this year. Rather than extolling the virtues of the best albums, we’re tackling a list of a different sort – the who’s who of the Edmonton scene that’s pushing the limits of normal, tackling the experimental and laying down glorious chaos for the rest of us to follow. […]
End of the Year at End of the Earth
Editor’s note: To further the idea that this was a weird year in a weird city, here’s a calendric compendium of Chad Huculak’s most popular End of the Earth cartoons from 2015 – at last something Edmonton can be proud of! January Edmonton is a winter city, so I have a lot of time to […]
New Year’s Eve Music Preview
Ask musicians what they like the most about playing New Year’s Eve and most will probably answer: “We wouldn’t do it at all if it weren’t for the money.” “Good exposure” or “great crowd” is down on the list. Verily, this is the richest payday of the year for any working musician, and yet curiously […]
