LEADER OF SIDEMEN: AB Trio the indie rockers of jazz
Posted on March 1, 2012 By Mike Ross Front Slider, Music
This happens in jazz more than any other genre of music: A collective consisting of amazingly impressive soloists winds up sounding like a bad lounge act – with amazingly impressive solos – and gets away with it because people don’t want to appear dumb for disliking such an allegedly higher form of art. Occupational hazard. […]
LOVE SHACK: Can a shed be a historical building? In this town it can!
Posted on February 29, 2012 By Rob Drinkwater Culture, Front Slider
For generations of Edmonton boys, 12 was a magic age – because you were now old enough to get a paper route. You could earn your own money. You had responsibility and status. And you were granted entry to the legendary “Paper Shacks.” Edmonton once had dozens of paperboy shacks where boys gathered daily to […]
Depth from the heart of darkness for Tom Olsen
Posted on February 28, 2012 By Mike Ross Front Slider, Music
There’s a new alt-country star emerging in Edmonton – from a most unlikely place. Leading to a gig with his band The Wreckage at the Almanac on Friday, April 21, Tom Olsen has been a noted journalist – he was the legislature bureau chief for two major Alberta dailies (Edmonton Journal, Calgary Herald) – before […]
Those who can do, teach – Kevin McDonald shares his comedy secrets
Posted on February 28, 2012 By Mike Ross Comedy, Front Slider, Theatre, TV and Radio
Everyone’s a comedian – that’s one cliche come true in the age of the internet. What will NEVER become a famous saying, according to Canadian comic actor Kevin McDonald, is this: “Everyone’s a GOOD comedian.” But he’s here to help. The Kids in the Hall member perhaps best known as the “Slipped My Mind” Guy […]
CONCERT REVIEW: Peter Case shows roots far deeper than punk
Posted on February 25, 2012 By Robin Schroffel Front Slider, Music
The only sign of Peter Case’s punk background was the fact that he wore a denim jacket underneath his pinstriped blazer. That, and some well-chosen anecdotes from back in the day. No surprise, really: the veteran songwriter has four entire decades of material to draw from – which fans heard just a slice of when […]
Local trio puts local music scene above becoming rock stars
Posted on February 25, 2012 By Kevin Maimann Front Slider, Music
Sure, hitting it big would be nice. That’s what all musicians dream of, after all, whether their definition of “big” is stadium tours with U2 or a loyal cult following of Pitchfork readers. Local grunge trio Diehatzu Hijets is more concerned with taking care of business in its hometown. The band’s singer-guitarist Layne L’Heureux says […]
DREAM GIG: Edmonton metal singer joins Into Eternity
Posted on February 23, 2012 By Kevin Maimann Front Slider, Music
Amanda Kiernan has landed her dream gig as the new lead singer of one of her favourite bands, Into Eternity, a globally renowned progressive metal act she’s looked up to since her teens. They’ll be on stage at the Pawn Shop Monday night. Into Eternity picked Kiernan as its new touring vocalist after watching an […]
REVIEW: Cats stinks outside the box
Posted on February 23, 2012 By Adrian Lackey Front Slider, Theatre
Let’s not pussy-foot around. Cats is designed for one purpose only: It’s theatre for people who normally don’t go to the theatre. This statement will anger and offend some, but it’s true. Want proof? The only recognizable Edmonton theatre regulars amongst a crowd of 2,000 at opening night at the Jubilee Auditorium Wednesday were the […]
MUSIC: Women of Folkways to tell their side of the story first
Posted on February 22, 2012 By Mike Ross Front Slider, Music
At this point in human development, one hopes that the idea of grouping female singers by gender alone is simply a “celebration” of said gender and its music, rather than a novelty or political statement or some vague but marketable combination of both. But enough about Lilith Fair – Women of Folkways is a different […]
AVANT-GARDE ALERT: Bob Wiseman walks line between art and entertainment
Posted on February 21, 2012 By Mike Ross Film, Front Slider, Music
In world where artists and entertainers have been ordered to stay at least 50 metres from each other lest one corrupt the other in a co-dependent spiral of mutual destruction, Bob Wiseman has been happily breaking the restraining order for years. To say this former Blue Rodeo keyboardist’s solo career has been “out there” is […]
FILM REVIEW: Oscar shorts show brilliance in brevity, on screen at the Princess Theatre
Posted on February 18, 2012 By LH Thomson Culture, Film, Front Slider
It’s astonishing how much sentiment a few well-paced moments can command. For all the hype that surrounds the big-budget entries at the annual Hollywood love-in that is the Oscars, there’s something special about the nominations for shorts. Few of these cartoons and live-action films will ever get much attention, compared to their longer brethren – […]
COMMENTARY: Oscars like cheese from a can
Posted on February 27, 2012 By LH Thomson Front Slider, TV and Radio
The Oscars make us wince, generally. Oh, there are those moments, like Octavia Spencer being genuinely overwhelmed, a character actress with a so-far background career, suddenly achieving the pinnacle of her craft and getting a standing ovation for giving a damn. Christopher Plummer finally getting the recognition he deserves at 82, and bringing best supporting […]