Flailing Festivals in Flaming Flinders!
It may seem like outdoor music festivals are dropping like flies – but that’s because there are so many of them. Some are bound to die. But while public confidence has been eroded from the recent cancellations of the Pemberton Music Festival in B.C. and the Fyre Festival in the Bahamas, most of your favourite […]
Bonnie and Clyde musical shoots to kill
Bonnie & Clyde: The Two-Person, Six-Gun Musical has been bouncing around the North American theatre scene for nearly 20 years. Seeing possibilities for a small musical featuring just two performers, theatre enthusiasts Andrew Philip Herron, Doug Ritchie and, later, off-Broadway producer Will Pomerantz, put together a show that played with varying degrees of success. Reviews […]
Citadel’s Austen powers a ripping yarn
In 2008, the Citadel Theatre charmed Edmonton audiences with a memorable stage version of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Beyond the main element of Austen’s durable book (published in 1813 and her best known work), the success of that production was something of a tribute to the theatre’s ace production unit working at full, flat […]
Rock opera dares to suggest Jesus human
When Jesus Christ Superstar was released in 1970, it was condemned by many Christian groups because it dared to suggest that Christ was human and Judas was a tragic figure. At the time, lyricist Tim Rice observed, “It happens that we don’t see Christ as God, but simply the right man at the right time […]
INTERVIEW: Weezer from 2 sides
Scott Shriner is the perfect man to help us understand Weezer – an enigma wrapped in a mystery wrapped in a slowly unraveling sweater. While he’s not an original member, he’s the band’s longest serving bassist, since 2001. Shriner was a fan first: a bar band musician from Toledo, Ohio who came to Hollywood in […]
REVIEW: The Lumineers light up Edmonton
The Lumineers sure have matured since they came up with the big Ho Hey that launched their folk-popping star just five years ago. They’d have to – they’ve been working non-stop ever since. The proof was in their stomperific, strumtacular show at Rogers Place on Friday night. It was puzzling to see some 14,000 hip […]
April Fool’s Day cancelled
Because we have reached a tipping point in society where there is more fake news than real news – and not only is the fake news more popular but it often reveals more truth than real news, fiction being less strange than truth – April Fool’s Day has been cancelled by Order of the Government. […]
Chris Stapleton shows his love in Edmonton
In true country music fashion, many of Chris Stapleton’s songs are about drinking – which resonated with the crowd at Northlands Coliseum on Saturday night because everywhere you looked there was beer in hand. Except for the underage fans, of course. Being 17 years old and just 3 months away from the legal drinking age […]
Eric Church stages epic bender in Edmonton
It was rather fitting to have outlaw country artist Eric Church perform at Northlands Coliseum rather than Edmonton’s shiny new Rogers Place on Friday night. This self-proclaimed outsider has an affinity for the good ol’ boy Albertan stereotype of the hard-workin’, beer-swillin’, truck drivin’ bro rather than the slicked up executive suits of downtown. Operating […]
Colin James phones it in sick
About four songs into Thursday night’s nearly sold out show at the Jubilee Auditorium, Colin James figured he’d acknowledge the giant elephant sitting in the corner – as the rasp in his voice and evident lack of energy made the score pretty clear. He was sick. “Winnipeg was brutal,” he said of the show there […]
Garth Brooks raises hell in Edmonton
The feeling at Rogers Place for Garth Brooks was electrifying on Friday night. “It’s a once in a lifetime concert!” said one couple among 20,000 fans; there was another older couple who drove all the way from Oregon for the first of an amazing NINE shows in Edmonton – and it truly was. After 21 […]
Garth Brooks moves to Edmonton
Garth Brooks loves to be on top. Just ask him. He’s moving to Edmonton – temporarily – taking up a nine-show residence in Rogers Place starting Friday, Feb. 17. Drinking game! Chug a beer for every Garth Brooks sighting around town. No one has ever done nine shows in a row at our hockey arena […]
