MUSIC PREVIEW: Alberta Grown, award winning
Posted on July 11, 2018 By Mike Ross Entertainment, Front Slider, Music
Loathe as we are to celebrate a granfalloon of musicians selected on the basis of where they live, you really can’t go wrong showcasing Alberta talent – can you? So while “Alberta” is technically not a musical genre, there’s certainly enough talent in this province to qualify for a star-studded variety line-up offered at the […]
Sheryl Crow is one hard-working single mother
Posted on July 11, 2018 By Mike Ross Entertainment, Front Slider, Music, news
When Sheryl Crow talked about being a mom at her show in Edmonton on Tuesday night, it struck a deep chord with her mainly middle class, mainly middle aged white audience. In short, soccer moms. Is the soccer over yet? Illustrating the virtues and challenges that modern motherhood entails, the 56-year-old singer showed a depth […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Lucky Seven
Posted on July 4, 2018 By Michael Senchuk Entertainment, Front Slider, Music
Elle King has just one full-length album to her credit, Love Stuff – but what an album it was. The single Ex’s & Oh’s charted around the world, she was nominated for two Grammy awards, and was one of the most buzzed-about artists in the year of the album’s release – 2015. King, the daughter […]
Raygun Cowboys ride the lightning
Posted on July 1, 2018 By Lisa Lunney Entertainment, Front Slider, Music, music
Going to a Raygun Cowboys concert is like being transported to the world of The Outsiders, in between the Greasers and the Socs – except no one gets hurt in the mosh pit. There are other guarantees from this colourful local psychobilly band – fun, laughter, dancing until your feet hurt, and a strong sense […]
REVIEW: Vance Joy to the World
Posted on June 28, 2018 By Mike Ross Entertainment, Front Slider, Music, news
If you would’ve told Vance Joy 10 years ago that he’d be playing Canadian hockey arenas one day, he would’ve said you were crackers. Because he’s Australian. “Crackers” is exactly the word he would use. It means crazy. But there he was at Rogers Place on Wednesday night – another worthy folk singer-turned-pop star playing […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: No Problem amps up doom
Posted on June 27, 2018 By Mike Ross Entertainment, Front Slider, Music
Edmonton’s punk rock pride No Problem have always been a bit dark – and in these dark times, what do you do but literally amp it up? The band’s new album Let God Sort Em Out – their seventh since 2010 – is a bold work filled with raging punk rockers interspersed with spooky bookends […]
Does Edmonton need The Station?
Posted on June 22, 2018 By Michael Senchuk Entertainment, Front Slider, Music, music, News
Earlier this week it was announced that live music would finally be back on stage at the location of the former Needle Vinyl Tavern on Jasper Avenue, but under new owners – led by Greg Scott – and under a new brand – The Station on Jasper. Given the catastrophic and rapid demise of the […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Steep Canyon Rangers ride on
Posted on June 21, 2018 By Michael Senchuk Entertainment, Front Slider, Music
Saturday night the Steep Canyon Rangers are in town at the Jubilee Auditorium – but its most famous member Steve Martin won’t be with them. This North Carolina bluegrass band recorded and released an album with the legendary comedian (who also turns out to be a pretty fair bluegrass musician) back in 2010 after backing […]
INTERVIEW: Eamon McGrath imagines ‘Maritime Gothic’
Posted on June 20, 2018 By Mike Ross Entertainment, Front Slider, Music, music
It’s tempting to think that This Town Dies When Festival Season Ends is a song about Edmonton – seeing as songwriter Eamon McGrath was born and raised here. You probably think this song is about you, don’t you? But it’s not. We think we have it bad; take a trip to a typical town in […]
REVIEW: Master Class brings opera diva to life
Posted on June 15, 2018 By Colin MacLean Entertainment, Front Slider, Music, Theatre
The aura of Maria Callas stills hovers over opera in the last half of the 20th Century. She was “La Davina” – plain in person but beautiful on stage. Her acting may have been minimal but she dominated every production in which she appeared. Famous for her wobbling high notes, she seldom performed (especially in […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: A Sures thing
Posted on June 14, 2018 By Mike Ross Entertainment, Front Slider, Music
Ben Sures has made a lot of waves in Edmonton since he moved here from Winnipeg more than 20 years ago. Now ensconced as one of the leading lights of the local music scene, Sures never seems to do the same thing twice. He’s worked with a wide variety of musicians in a wide variety […]
Bryan Adams does it for you
Posted on June 9, 2018 By Mike Ross Entertainment, entertainment, Front Slider, Music
It’s astounding that Bryan Adams hasn’t changed his shtick in almost 40 years – and can still fill hockey arenas. He’s not in Edmonton as often as some of the others, so that helps make it special. And aside from writing more hits to fill his canon, why would he change now? If it ain’t […]