INSIDE THE JOKE: John Wing wings it
Rather than focus on the entire Edmonton Comedy Festival, Oct. 16-19 at venues around town; rather than focus on one specific comedian performing therein, maybe it would be fun to zero in on just one joke. In doing an absurd in-depth examination of said jest, with any luck we can tease out all the humour […]
ROCK THE VOTE: Lemmy endorses Josh Semotiuk for mayor
Edmonton mayoral candidate Josh Semotiuk wore the right T-shirt at the right time – and has won a huge plug from the one and only Lemmy Kilmister: “My kind of Mayor! Good luck Josh! Cheers!!!” the Motorhead singer posted on his official Facebook page a couple of days ago. Someone had sent Lemmy the link […]
TV PERSONALITY: Lynda Steele is gonna make it after all!
It sure didn’t take long for Lynda Steele to become a media rock star in Vancouver. Barely two and a half years since she left a 16 year stint anchoring the evening news on Global Edmonton, she’s been given her own show on CTV Vancouver: Steele On Your Side. The half-hour consumer program premieres Oct. […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Up to Downtown in fab new fest
While Edmonton doesn’t usually host festivals this late into the fall, the inaugural Up + Downtown Music and Arts Festival is about to give it a whirl. Organizers might have positioned themselves well to ensure success during an otherwise festival-free time of year, as they’ve attracted an intriguing cadre of talent-laden regional and touring acts […]
The Command Sisters on front line in war against bullying
Who better than teenagers to make an anti-bullying video? Sarah Command of the local folk duo the Command Sisters is 15 years old and has just started high school – on the front lines in what has become a hot button issue. “I definitely have had my fair share of bullying,” she says, referring to […]
DANCE: From Metallica to Brian Webb and Beethoven
You don’t often see “metal chicks” in the world of contemporary dance – or vice versa – at least not until the very real possibility that bands like Metallica will get a house gig in Las Vegas. Oh, it’s going to happen, you wait. And they need dancers for these things. Nancy Sandercock, who appears […]
Those who would be mayor face the public
If would be fun to pull out some of the best lines from Monday’s Mayor Candidate Forum held at the Shaw Conference Centre – they’re only slightly funnier out of context – so let’s do it: “We have to fish where the fish are.” – Kerry Diotte on inspiring the youth vote and social media’s […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Austra extraordinary
Perhaps most interesting of an eclectic batch of artists coming through town over the next few days is Austra – the middle name of its extraordinary singer Katie Stelmanis, whose classical training shows through at each step and turn. Playing Tuesday, Oct. 8 at the Avenue Theatre, the Toronto synthpop act hit a chord with […]
EIFF REVIEW: Spinning Plates feeds heart and soul
Towards the very end of Joseph Levy’s acclaimed documentary Spinning Plates, airing Oct. 3 as part of the Edmonton International Film Festival, there is a defining moment. World-renowned chef Grant Achatz compares his ultra-expensive, ultra-exclusive Chicago restaurant to those hometown spots run by his parents when he was a kid. He says, “It’s the same […]
COMMENT: Mayor’s race a gong show
Edmonton has become embroiled in cheap mayoral politics – which is ironic as hell. The idea that three incumbents from this council could do anything cheaply must’ve been a shock to all of us. The latest is a shot at Don Iveson for having written a joking “Workers of the World Unite”-style satire piece in […]
