Rock and Folk Festivals working for the same weekend
The stakes in the Great Edmonton Summer Festival Poker Game just went up. The table is getting crowded. This year’s Edmonton Rock Music Festival happens on the same weekend as the Edmonton Folk Music Festival – and everyone is crossing their fingers that the crossover between classic rock and folk music isn’t too huge. The […]
King Ralph had it in for Edmonton – for our own good!
I only met Ralph Klein once, back in 1992, before he was on the verge of grabbing the Conservative leadership title away from Tory Golden Girl Nancy Betkowski. It was a wintery night at the K-97-CJCA radio studios, where I was working late as a special projects coordinator for K-97, and as I left through […]
Jason Aldean to bring big country show to Edmonton
These country dudes sure rise up the ranks fast. Where not too long ago one might’ve said, “Jason Aldean Who?”, the Georgia boy made good is playing the Big House in Edmonton. Aldean pulls into Rexall Place on Friday, Oct. 4, part of his “Night Train” tour after the smash hit album of the same […]
Meet the new boss of the Edmonton Arts Council!
It’s a no-brainer that Paul Moulton has been chosen to be the new executive director of the Edmonton Arts Council – he was the volunteer chairman of the organization when it started in 1996. “There’s something circular about this,” he says. You said it, buddy. There always is in this town. Locals in the arts […]
Hollywood dreams on hold for Edmonton comic
In order for Canadian comedians to get an immigration visa to work in Hollywood, they have to be established – and in order to get established, they have to work in Hollywood. “That’s the whole catch-22,” says Edmonton comic Kathleen McGee, whose dreams of breaking into American show business are on hold after being denied […]
Mumford sells out, KISS does not, bots win again
It was a busy day at Ticketmaster in Edmonton on Friday morning as Mumford and Sons went on sale, promptly selling out, at the same time as Kiss, which did not. Shout it out loud: Modern rock 1, classic rock 0. In the case of Mumford, at Rexall Place May 22, it’s a lot of […]
April Fool’s prank goes awry! Dozens outraged!
Baby boomers born and raised in Edmonton still talk about an epic April Fool’s joke played by 630 CHED, which in the early ‘70s was the only station everyone listened to: Ed-Tel will blow all the dust out of the phone lines at precisely 7:30 am on April 1, so the public is warned to […]
INTERVIEW: All but Bon Jovi, because they can
In the important work of journalism as the unofficial PR wing of the entertainment business, there is the dreaded “teleconference” – a great way for busy rock stars to polish off a big wad of interviews in one sitting. But do you get a good story? Hard to tell. So it was with Bon Jovi […]
REVIEW: Rihanna a rock star at Rexall Place
Rihanna would need the assistance of Iron Maiden to rock her way out of a wet paper bag – but she sure carried the attitude of a swaggering lifer to the hedonic world of rock ‘n’ roll excess at Rexall Place on Wednesday night. Led Zeppelin, Queen, Maiden, and yes, even you guys in Spinal […]
Air quotes optional at ‘live’ dance festival
How to be a “live” DJ: Step 1: Show up Step 2: Push play Step 3: Collect $50,000 Just kidding. Fifty grand might be a little low for Calvin Harris’s guarantee. But how diabolically clever. DJs are among the few recording artists who can still make a living by making records – i.e., making them […]
Marvelous Mumford in the merry month of May!
Ask and ye shall receive: Mumford and Sons are coming to Edmonton – and if you still think they’re still just a bunch of Muppets, you haven’t been paying attention. One of the buzziest buzz bands in the world plays its first Edmonton show Wednesday, May 22 at Rexall Place, part of some fresh dates […]
