Too young for the blues, Doug Hoyer goes worldbeat on new CD
You hear this sort of thing all the time – “I am where I am today because of the CKUA Radio Network” – but it’s different to see it in action. Doug Hoyer is where his is today because of the CKUA Radio Network. His parents forced him to listen to it – when what […]
INTERVIEW: Jerry Jerry so punk he rejected punk
“I’m against it – whatever it is.” Young musicians interested in pursuing the art of punk rock would be wise to heed the words of Jerry Woods – better known as the Jerry Jerry in the Sons of Rhythm Orchestra. At the age of 52, the non-smoking, social drinking father of five is more politically […]
EDMONTON RADIO: Hot 107 factors in local talent
Six local recording artists are getting a boost from Hot 107 FM radio – to the tune of $10,000 cash each on top of recording time and on-air promotion. It of course falls under the “Canadian Content Development” that all Canadian commercial radio stations are required to do by law, but the HOTfactor contest has […]
Nine Inch Nails returns to Edmonton in November
The mysterious Trent Reznor comes as goes as he pleases. First his band Nine Inch Nails has a fight with a record label, “goes indie” and then “disappears for a while,” before coming back with a vengeance – no explanation needed. A hiatus is healthy once in a while. Edmonton fans are gladdened with news […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Nextfest best bet
Edmonton’s first major arts festival of the season – Nextfest – takes over the city for the next week and a half, featuring almost every art form you could imagine, from theatre to dance, from visual arts to film, and of course music. The most interesting option amongst its many offerings may be a combination […]
PRIDE: The Picture of Happiness more than just a gay story
“The Picture of Happiness” wasn’t initially meant to be part of the Edmonton Pride Festival. The play is “much bigger than gay story,” says its piano player and collaborator Patti Loach, who will accompany Toronto actor Brad Hampton in his personal one-man musical. “It’s a story about a grandson’s intention to honour his grandfather, to […]
EXPLORERS: Jom Comyn is of the land
Our province, and all the modern society we see today, was built on immigrants, explorers, intrepids and everyone good and bad in between. Farmers and ranchers weren’t merely farmers and ranchers. They were teachers, they were carpenters, they were welders, tradesmen, jacks-of-all-trades – all at the same time. They had to be. Likewise with Edmonton […]
REVIEW: Marathon reunion show proves Jr. Gone Wild must go on
It’s as if Jr. Gone Wild stepped out of a time capsule – its honky-tonky, punky good-time Alberta country music perfectly preserved all this time to be revived with a vengeance by four rock ‘n’ roll Rip Van Winkles. Rock ‘n’ roll seems to be hard-wired to celebrate the past in 20 year cycles, and […]
Colleen Brown to reveal alter ego at Rip Roarin’ Refinery
Singer-songwriter Colleen Brown has long relished the idea of creating an alter-ego – and now, as the creative director of the Art Gallery of Alberta’s “Rip Roarin’ Refinery” party happening Saturday, June 1, she gets her chance. “Gilda Brass” will be making her stage debut at the arty party celebrating AGA’s new exhibit The Piano. […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Cowpunk high school reunion
Jr. Gone Wild is performing its long-awaited comeback show in southwest Edmonton on Friday night that will undoubtedly go down in the annals of local music lore. It’s going to be a cowpunk high school reunion! This band is legendary in local music circles, having been founded in 1982 after a false start in Calgary, […]
Don’t be afraid of Death Toll Rising – be very afraid
Things can get a little awkward when you try to explain to someone why your band’s last album was called “Defecation Suffocation.” Of course, for those well versed in extreme metal, such titles are par for the course. Edmonton band Death Toll Rising, which dropped the aforementioned album in 2010, doesn’t expect anyone to take […]
FOLK FEST: Free passes for seniors are history
No more free folk fest tickets for senior citizens, consarnit! Apparently there are more old timers than ever, so now to avoid overcrowding, they’ll have to pay like everybody else. At least the blow is being softened. When tickets for the 34th annual Edmonton Folk Music Festival go on sale June 1, senior day passes […]
