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 […]
THEATRE: Life and death in ‘Dog’
Now for something really spooky. Dog, playing through March 27 at Theatre Network’s Roxy Theatre, sounds like a real chiller. Set in the 1950s, the play deals with a happy young couple about to have a baby. When the wife suffers a miscarriage, they both sink into depression. Perfectly natural. But the husband just happens […]
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 […]
Earth not ready for ‘Mars Needs Moms’
It’s not surprising that ‘Mars Needs Moms’ failed so miserably at the box office – the $150 million film making a pathetic $6.9 million on opening weekend – because Disney KILLED THE WRONG MOM! There’s a rich history of cinematic matricide in Disney animated features, and indeed many stories aimed at children, as parents are […]
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 […]
Edmonton Jewish Film Festival returns in April
Edmonton has a smallish Jewish community, but it is tight-knit and prosperous – and its people are sometimes hungry for authentic Jewish culture, which can be hard to find in the mainstream. And no, Coen Brothers movies don’t count. Cue the Edmonton Jewish Film Festival, back again after a year off, this coming April 3-4 […]
LITERATURE: Montmaray a masterful fantasy, absent magic
“A Brief History of Montmaray” by Michelle Cooper is set in a fictional, wind-lashed island kingdom and is aimed at the teenage market – yet none of the characters have any supernatural powers. Everyone lives in a castle that has secret tunnels and even a creepy crypt, but there’s not a witch, warlock, or handsome […]
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: […]
