REVIEW: Sonic Field Day winners and losers

REVIEW: Sonic Field Day winners and losers

The thing about attending a modern rock festival, as opposed to a classic rock one, is that you can be sure that most of the band members you see on stage are the original band members. From the blatting boom of the Arkells to the incendiary political nu-metal of Grandson to the groovy electro-rock of […]

Two Good Knights make one great night

Two Good Knights make one great night

The Mayfield Dinner Theatre opens its fall season with yet another of its popular chart-topping music celebrations. This time it’s a British bash called Two Good Knights, highlighting the careers of two of Old Blighty’s living legends: Tom Jones and Elton John. When the now Sir Thomas John Woodward (OBE) began to release records in […]

MUSIC PREVIEW: Field Day Surprise Mystery Festival!

MUSIC PREVIEW: Field Day Surprise Mystery Festival!

For radio listeners who tune in just for the tunes, SONIC Field Day is a great opportunity to see a band whose name you may not recognize (because you don’t stick around to hear the names of the bands) – and then experience the thrill of seeing them live for the first time and being […]

Foo Fighters postpone Alberta shows

Foo Fighters postpone Alberta shows

Dave Grohl has performed with a broken leg – but the show cannot go on without his voice. Foo Fighters have postponed their date in Edmonton tonight (Tuesday, Sept. 4), and in Calgary on Sept. 6, due to their lead singer suffering “loss of voice” at their tour opener in Seattle last week. Grohl is […]

INTERVIEW: Grandson plays the rage card

INTERVIEW: Grandson plays the rage card

The artist who calls himself Grandson is only 24 years old – and he’s already talking about the legacy he’s going to leave behind. As if it weren’t depressing enough to hear such fatalist talk from a millennial, listen to his music. Jordan Benjamin has already made a huge impact with his hit song Blood//Water. […]

EDMONTON RADIO: Are we losing our voices?

EDMONTON RADIO: Are we losing our voices?

The sudden departure of Melissa Wright from K-97 after 20 years of service is not going to be another one of these Disgruntled Former Employee stories. “I don’t want to trash anybody,” she says. “I’m going to have to start looking for a job.” People in Edmonton radio get fired all the time – but […]

MUSIC PREVIEW: Fee Fie Foo Fum

MUSIC PREVIEW: Fee Fie Foo Fum

Next Tuesday night the legendary Foo Fighters are in town – this time to promote their latest full-length Concrete and Gold, which was released last September. Like most of their albums, it reached No. 1 on charts around the world, from the United States and Canada to Norway and Ireland. Though probably a little more […]

PLAYBOT: Fringe held over!

PLAYBOT: Fringe held over!

Well, that was fun. More than 133,200 tickets were sold to Fringe plays this year. Imagine if we could see those numbers all year. Time now to plug the Fringe Holdovers – worthy, proven, curated productions that will enjoy a few more shows in the coming week, while giving Fringe fans much-needed relief from the […]

RADIO: That’s enough, Africa!

RADIO: That’s enough, Africa!

You thought getting “Rick Rolled” was bad – now we’re getting Toto-ed to death. Radio listeners who came of age in the ‘80s tremble in fear over which old hit will be next to reawaken their dormant malignant brain worms after decades of remission. Wang Chung? Huey Lewis and the News? Mr. Mister? It hurts […]

FRINGE: 2 plays that TAKE A CHANCE

FRINGE: 2 plays that TAKE A CHANCE

One of the great joys of the Fringe is taking a chance. If you have an hour or two, just walk between the venues and choose a show at random. Turn to the right and you get something memorable – turn the other way and it may stink up the joint. Today, For Now (Stage […]

REVIEW: 1 more 5 out of 5 MASTER of the Fringe!

REVIEW: 1 more 5 out of 5 MASTER of the Fringe!

The Zoo Story (Stage 17), like Charlie Brown, Little Shop of Horrors and almost anything by Daniel MacIvor, is a hardy Fringe perennial that keeps coming back. And why not? It’s a challenging little gem written in his youth by Edward Albee (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf) on his way to theatrical glory. All it […]

FRINGE: 3 captivating COMEDIES

FRINGE: 3 captivating COMEDIES

The Red Bastard – aka Eric Davis – practices a form of audience participation called “bouffon,” in which an outrageous character engages the audience in an intimate exchange. He’s the archetypal clown, and because of our classic view of fools and jesters, he can be allowed anything. Davis’s new show is called RED BASTARD: Lie […]