RADIO DAZE, missing letters division: _ _ CK K-97, SOS and AGA
There’s yet another minor civic controversy brewing over yet another ‘controversial’ K-97 billboard … and, um, yawn … sorry, dozed off there for a second. ANYWAY, the billboards sport a large slogan that reads, “_ _ CK YOU!” City Councillor Kerry Diotte received a complaint about it, and because he works for YOU, the voter, […]
TRUE TALES OF THE ROAD: Michael Rault conquers France
Quick! – the question is fired at Michael Rault – name one big French rock band! (Montreal doesn’t count.) Long pause … and nope, he can’t do it. No one can. Why? It is because the French cannot rock, no? Oh, come on, everybody knows. The French and their gentle, gender-sensitive language are better at […]
St. Paddy’s Day just an excuse to get stinking drunk by noon – and the problem is?
It is time to honour the patron saint of Ireland by wallowing in all the negative stereotypes about our Hibernian friends – did you know one of the favourite traditional Irish sports is called “hurling”? In short, it’s an excuse to be stinking drunk by noon on a weekday. Happy Saint Patrick’s Day, everybody! Or […]
MUSIC: Deon Blyan’s urban exposure at Haven Social Club
If Deon Blyan’s new album Turning to Wave is more about cities than it is about relationships, you probably can’t blame the guy. “I think I got sick of writing about girls,” the Calgary resident says, somewhere on the road in B.C. “I guess it had to happen eventually. It took on this theme of […]
MUSIC: DJ may be a Bastid, but he loves audience participation
It’s true what they say. These days, everyone’s a DJ. You’d think that might frustrate someone like Skratch Bastid , who was in the biz before computer software made his job infinitely more accessible. But the Halifax native has wisely embraced the new, inclusive musical climate. Skratch Bastid, real name Paul Murphy, will brought his […]
EXCLUSIVE: Edmontonian taught Lady Gaga’s violinist
Ever since Lady Gaga twatted Edmonton with a picture on Twitter showing Rexall’s big “This is Oil Country” sign with a piece of equipment strategically blocking the “O” in “Country,” we’ve been searching for a classier Edmonton-Gaga connection. Very funny, Gaga. But all is forgiven because you hired one of Edmonton’s worthy talents – virtuoso […]
CONCERTS AHOY: Jimmy Eat World, Sharon Jones, Utopia Music Festival
The concert calendar is filling up nicely – fresh today are announcements of Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings at the Starlite Room May 24 and Jimmy Eat World at the Edmonton Event Centre May 23. Now, how about a summer solstice festival? Funny you should ask. The Utopia Music Festival happening June 17-18 (close […]
Mayor’s Evening for the Arts – it’s not really his evening, it’s ours.
Stephen Mandel is one of the artsiest civic leaders artsy Edmonton has ever had – demonstrated again this year with today’s announcement of the nominees for the Mayor’s Evening for the Arts awards presentation on April 11. It’s not really HIS evening. We elected him. It’s OUR evening. Some of the names you will recognize: […]
Idyl Tea reunion starts flood of late ’80s Edmonton indie-rock nostalgia
The much-anticipated Idyl Tea reunion this summer is hung on a filthy lie – the new album that was just finished will be called The Song That’s Not Finished Yet, which contains a song called The Song That’s Not Finished Yet. Which is finished. It’s terribly confusing if you think about it. Solution: don’t think […]
TRUE TALES OF THE ROAD: Jeff Martin’s close call in Jordan
Jeff Martin’s entire life is a True Tale of the Road. We remember him as a guy who sings (and looks) like Jim Morrison and plays guitar like Jimmy Page, which worked out because Jeff’s first band the Tea Party was sort of a hybrid of both. He played strange stringed instruments from exotic places, […]
PREVIEW: Hugh Cornwell likes it when you’re moody
When Hugh Cornwell left The Stranglers in 1990 he’d gone as far as he felt he could with the veteran English rock band. Behind him he left a series of classic punk and new wave albums (The Raven, Feline, Gospel According To the Meninblack among them) charges of misogyny and a style that took as […]
