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. […]
Posted on March 1, 2012
By Michael Senchuk
Music
It’s still early in the touring year, which means that there aren’t a lot of big names hitting Edmonton this weekend. The biggest is probably Thursday night: Michael Bernard Fitzgerald at the Starlite Room. Other notables include a release party for Cygnets’ new album on Saturday at the Pawn Shop, while across town, at the […]
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 […]
Posted on February 27, 2012
By Michael Senchuk
Music, The Latest
One of the most popular buzz bands in North America is coming to Edmonton for the first time. At the Jubilee Auditorium Monday, May 21, it was announced Monday, Bon Iver is an American folk band founded in 2007 by Wisconsin’s Justin Vernon. He has since seen the band’s self-titled album reach the top picks […]
Posted on February 27, 2012
By Albert Smith
Music, The Latest
Those who like their country music without too many revving Ford trucks or wild honky tonkin’ good ol’ boys, their yee without too much haw, should be delighted that Ronnie Dunn is coming to town this summer – minus his partner Kix Brooks. The half of the superstar country duo that can really sing, Dunn […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Posted on February 23, 2012
By Michael Senchuk
Music
The biggest show coming to the city this weekend actually plays Thursday (Bombay Bicycle Club) – but there are still plenty of interesting options this weekend. Friday night’s picks include country artist Tim Hus, though your best bet may be Peter Case, who’s been recording since 1986. On Saturday, Wunderbar hosts Royal Canoe and friends. […]
Posted on February 22, 2012
By Mike Ross
Music, The Latest
When you’ve been on the road more or less continuously since 1973, as Peter Case has, you meet a lot of people – a lot of famous people, in this case, so to speak, and he doesn’t want to be a name-dropper. Case is one of these unusual figures in the music world who are […]
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 […]
Posted on February 22, 2012
By Adrian Lackey
Music, The Latest
Forty summers ago they ruled the planet with Machine Head and Smoke On the Water – a song about a Swiss gig gone horribly wrong – and they became some of Headbangerdom’s first anthems, long before we had a name for the throngs of long haired, bobble-headed moppets. They have their place in The Guinness […]