Order of Chaos rises from the ashes with label deal

The Germans sure seem to appreciate Edmonton’s metal scene. After retro-metal powerhouse Striker signed to German label Iron Kodex for its 2010 album Eyes in the Night, local shredders The Order of Chaos have been picked up by Germany’s Killer Metal imprint. The Order of Chaos will unleash its sophomore effort Burn These Dreams with […]

YOU SAID IT: Death Cab for Cutie plays Edmonton

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TRUE TALES OF THE FOOD: Switchfoot meets the balut

It would’ve been nice to talk about the whole Christian rock thing with the Grammy-winning Christian rock band Switchfoot,  which played at Rexall Place May 27 as part of YC Alberta , the annual Christian youth conference – but sadly, like the Rapture, it was not meant to be. The good news: One of the […]

DJ Shadow brings original trip hop to Edmonton July 13

If you’re down with the whole idea that new art can be created from the discarded scraps of old art, then DJ Shadow is a regular Michelangelo. Performing Wednesday, July 13 at the Edmonton Events Centre – tickets are $30 and go on sale Thursday here – Shadow is pioneer in what is called “instrumental […]

Take a ride into the dark with Death Cab for Cutie

There are all kinds of rock stars. Compare and contrast. Fresh from the joyous self-centred celebration of dumb, bombastic fun that was Kid Rock comes a rock ‘n’ roll celebration of a more introspective sort: Say hello to Death Cab for Cutie. Great subject for a WHO NAMED THE BAND? story, the name – taken […]

EDMONTON RADIO: Country sucks

A lonely man weary from an honest day’s work is driving down life’s highway in a big truck, smoke rolling out the window, an ice cold beer sitting in the console, the lights of his home town only a few miles away. He’s heartbroken after another man kissed his girlfriend while he held the man’s […]

NEW MUSIC: Ben Harper, The Trews and getting to a point

Completing an album that’s solid from front to back, stays true to your artistic vision… but also pushes some musical boundaries to garner new fans? It’s an incredible challenge. Are Ben Harper and The Trews up to it? Two time Grammy winner Ben Harper released his latest album, “Give Till It’s Gone”, last Tuesday (May […]

WORLD DOESN’T END: Hip Hop in the Dark a go tonight

By most reports, the fourth annual Hip Hop in the Park yesterday at Louise McKinney Park was a smashing success. The beats were dope, the flow was, ah, also dope, and the hypemen were … hyping. Have to brush up on our hip hop lingo here. Co-organizer and hip hop enthusiast Melissa L.A. Bishop posted […]

Kid Rock brings one long party to Rexall

Kid Rock is an interesting dude. My colleague Mike Ross likes to note that Rock was the first guy who managed to sell rap to southern white country kids, which would make just about anyone shake their heads. That’s not an easy task and few have pulled it off, none as successfully. From “Cowboy” off […]

Michael Buble returns to woo our women Aug. 8

Were Frank still alive, you have to wonder whether he’d accept Michael Buble into the Rat Pack – or would he think this Canadian kid has a little too much chutzpah to roll with the cool Vegas crowd? Moot point. Buble rules in his own way, master of the knowing smirk, the well-placed cuff-pop and […]

Hip Hop in the Park keeps it real – and clean

OK, people – let’s keep it clean. No cussing, no ‘hos, no guns, no murder, no drugs, no alcohol, no sex, no homophobia, no misogyny. The fourth annual Hip Hop in the Park – specifically Louise McKinney Park starting tomorrow (Saturday, May 21) at noon – is a family event. Moms and little kids and […]

Local rockers unite for Slave Lake Aid

Entertainers are in the unique position of being able to help others by doing exactly what they’d be doing anyway – entertain. Most civic-minded citizens volunteer for jobs that they don’t do every day, or aren’t necessarily qualified for, such as serve on the board of a community league or, say, grab a shovel and […]