INSIDE THE JOKE: John Wing wings it
Rather than focus on the entire Edmonton Comedy Festival, Oct. 16-19 at venues around town; rather than focus on one specific comedian performing therein, maybe it would be fun to zero in on just one joke. In doing an absurd in-depth examination of said jest, with any luck we can tease out all the humour […]
ROCK THE VOTE: Lemmy endorses Josh Semotiuk for mayor
Edmonton mayoral candidate Josh Semotiuk wore the right T-shirt at the right time – and has won a huge plug from the one and only Lemmy Kilmister: “My kind of Mayor! Good luck Josh! Cheers!!!” the Motorhead singer posted on his official Facebook page a couple of days ago. Someone had sent Lemmy the link […]
TV PERSONALITY: Lynda Steele is gonna make it after all!
It sure didn’t take long for Lynda Steele to become a media rock star in Vancouver. Barely two and a half years since she left a 16 year stint anchoring the evening news on Global Edmonton, she’s been given her own show on CTV Vancouver: Steele On Your Side. The half-hour consumer program premieres Oct. […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Up to Downtown in fab new fest
While Edmonton doesn’t usually host festivals this late into the fall, the inaugural Up + Downtown Music and Arts Festival is about to give it a whirl. Organizers might have positioned themselves well to ensure success during an otherwise festival-free time of year, as they’ve attracted an intriguing cadre of talent-laden regional and touring acts […]
The Command Sisters on front line in war against bullying
Who better than teenagers to make an anti-bullying video? Sarah Command of the local folk duo the Command Sisters is 15 years old and has just started high school – on the front lines in what has become a hot button issue. “I definitely have had my fair share of bullying,” she says, referring to […]
DANCE: From Metallica to Brian Webb and Beethoven
You don’t often see “metal chicks” in the world of contemporary dance – or vice versa – at least not until the very real possibility that bands like Metallica will get a house gig in Las Vegas. Oh, it’s going to happen, you wait. And they need dancers for these things. Nancy Sandercock, who appears […]
EIFF REVIEW: Belgian bluegrass drama hard to watch in more ways than one
There are a number of worthy ideas you can take away from The Broken Circle Breakdown – the gala closer of the Edmonton International Film Festival, Saturday, Oct. 5 at 7 pm in the Empire City Centre 9 Cinemas. One, it’s pretty much the best romantic melodrama about Belgian bluegrass singers you’ll ever see. The […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Austra extraordinary
Perhaps most interesting of an eclectic batch of artists coming through town over the next few days is Austra – the middle name of its extraordinary singer Katie Stelmanis, whose classical training shows through at each step and turn. Playing Tuesday, Oct. 8 at the Avenue Theatre, the Toronto synthpop act hit a chord with […]
EIFF REVIEW: Spinning Plates feeds heart and soul
Towards the very end of Joseph Levy’s acclaimed documentary Spinning Plates, airing Oct. 3 as part of the Edmonton International Film Festival, there is a defining moment. World-renowned chef Grant Achatz compares his ultra-expensive, ultra-exclusive Chicago restaurant to those hometown spots run by his parents when he was a kid. He says, “It’s the same […]
EIFF REVIEW: Furry friends forever in Furever
The only thing missing in Furever is a visit to another country whose citizens aren’t so privileged, maybe one that doesn’t spend $52 billion a year on cats and dogs. In some places, people think we’re crazy for pampering what’s for dinner. It’s strangely ironic that the only place in the world you can get […]
