MUSIC PREVIEW: Of Modest Mouse and Men
If you’ve ever wondered what the first “indie rock” band was, the first thing you have to do is discard the idea that “indie” stands for “independent.” It’s a genre more than a statement of independence, or popularity. And then listen to Modest Mouse. This Washington State band, performing at the Shaw Conference Centre Thursday […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: K stands for koncerts
Edmonton’s premiere summer exhibition gets underway on Thursday. Whether they call it K-Days, or Klondike Days, or Capital Ex, or whatever, it doesn’t really matter when you consider so much great music to be had throughout the city as part of the celebration, in particular on the K-Days grounds, and at Winston Churchill Square for […]
TALES OF THE WEED RUNNER: Snoop needs high grade Canadian
Better call the Weed Runner – Snopp Dogg is coming to Edmonton. He claims he smokes “81 blunts a day.” Assuming one gram of per blunt – a blunt is bigger than a joint, which is bigger than a spliff – he’ll need about six ounces while he’s here, and that’s if he doesn’t share. […]
Rock camp releases new blood on local scene
Rita McDade is churning out rock musicians in dozens as the rock ‘n’ roll counselor of Garage Band, wrapping up the second annual round of intensive weeklong bootcamps with a show Friday night at Festival Place. Admission is free. Selections will include tunes by Pink Floyd, the Doors, Def Leppard, the Arctic Monkeys and a rendition […]
MUSICIZZLE PREVIZZLE: Snoop by any other name
His voice is the very sound of laid-back California: Snoop Dogg – previously known as Snoop Doggy Dogg and recently rebranded as Snoop Lion – will be in town Monday and Tuesday at Union Hall for a pair of sold out shows (a few VIP tickets remain for the second show). Snoop needs no introduction […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Inner Ninja returns
Rap fans in Edmonton are set for a banner weekend, with two well-known artists taking center stage at different venues. On Saturday, Atlanta’s Future will be performing at West Edmonton Mall. But first, Friday night sees renowned rapper Classified perform a free show at Union Hall for the Hot 107 Block Party. This well-known Nova […]
WICKED: Are you a good witch or a bad witch?
Which witch is which? Which witch is wicked? And which wicked witch switched with which witch’s wicked sister? Say that five times fast. These are difficult questions posed in the Broadway musical Wicked, the touring show coming to the Jubilee Auditorium July 2-20. This is the story behind the story in The Wizard of Oz. […]
Mac DeMarco: ‘Might as well try something weird’
It was the strangest thing: A boiling mosh pit in a crowded, stinking, sweaty bar packed with millennials (what we’re calling “the kids today”) – not for punk, not for death metal, but for the sort of breezy easy listening music you’d be more likely to hear at that surf festival they used to have […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Big Mac Attack!
In a great weekend for mid-tier acts, the feature show may just be Mac DeMarco, who performs at the Starlite Room on Friday night. His album from earlier this year, “Salad Days”, has been the talk of the continent since its release, culminating in its inclusion on the Polaris Music Prize long list. Don’t be […]
REVIEW: Killer Queen defies the cynics
When you get as big as Queen – all 250 million or so records sold – you can do whatever you want. And that includes hiring a new lead singer from one of the most popular television shows in the world – and then defying all cynical expectations that they’re just doing this for the […]
Melissa Etheridge to test ‘This Is Me’ in Edmonton
Just a little late for the folk fest, a Melissa Etheridge “solo” show would’ve been perfect – and it still is expected to be a breath of fresh air when the 53-year-old rock icon takes it intimate and unplugged for a tour she calls “This is ME Solo,” coming to Edmonton’s Jubilee Auditorium on Wednesday, […]
JAZZ REVIEW: MSMW titans of whatever we call it now
When it came time to pick a name for the new group Medeski, Scofield, Martin and Wood – combining the New York funk-jazz trio with a veteran guitar wizard – it didn’t seem there were any grand visions about chocolate watches or strawberry alarm clocks. Nope, just the names of four guys, about as exciting […]
