Posted on April 5, 2012
By Mike Ross
Culture, Music
Mike Wellensiek – better known as Mike the Posterman – estimates he’s popped off 10 million staples in 25 years of gig postering on the front lines of Edmonton’s entertainment scene. Do the math: At 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 staples per poster … I admit I had trouble counting while watching him work during […]
Posted on April 4, 2012
By Albert Smith
Music, The Latest
When life hands us lemons, we make lemonade. To put it another way: when seasons, economy and remoteness conspire to give area musicians a feeling that they don’t have enough work, they declare, “Let’s put on our own show! I’ve got some curtains, my father has a barn …” and hold to that old saying […]
Posted on April 3, 2012
By Mike Ross
Front Slider, Music
Having more than one personality can be challenge in real life, but it can be a real asset for a professional musician. Ask Ann Vriend, whose alter ego “April Valiant” and her band the Valiant Thieves perform Thursday at the Blue Chair Cafe: covers of ‘80s songs rendered in a jazzy vein, Madonna’s Material Girl […]
Posted on April 2, 2012
By Albert Smith
Comedy, Front Slider
There aren’t a lot of stand-up comedians who can play the hockey arenas. Russell Peters has to be doing something right. Performing June 21 at Rexall Place as part of the Notorious World Tour – tickets going on sale April 14 – the Indo-Canadian comic is known the world over for his good-natured “racial” humour. […]
Posted on April 2, 2012
By Mike Ross
Theatre
A dramatic feature film that ends with Leonardo DiCaprio sinking to a watery grave is fine, but is it poor taste to stage a MUSICAL based on Titanic? Even after 100 years? Comedians often ask the same question about their jokes: how soon is too soon? Imagine a musical about the Japanese Tsunami or, perhaps […]
Posted on March 31, 2012
By Mike Ross
Visual Arts
If you’re going to embark on a quest to reclaim the swastika as a sacred symbol of peace that’s been used by many different cultures for thousands of years until Hitler came along and ruined it for everybody, it’s hard to change your mind when you’re covered in swastika tattoos. Edmontonian artist ManWoman has 200 […]
Posted on March 30, 2012
By Adrian Lackey
Family, TV and Radio
It’s the age old debate: Kirk or Picard? It’s been the “tastes great-less filling” argument of nerds for the last 25 years. Or is “geeks” the preferred nomenclature amongst sci-fi and comic book aficionados? “There’s been a bit of an argument about it,” says Shane Turgeon, director of the Edmonton Collectable Toy & Comic Show […]
Posted on March 30, 2012
By Robin Schroffel
Front Slider
Sandra Fernandes, creator of Western Canada Fashion Week, and Lynn Mandel, wife of mayor Stephen Mandel, strode to the end of the hardwood catwalk hand in hand, said a few words about Edmonton’s arts scene, shed a few tears, and with a dazzle of flashes from the photo pit, the fall/winter 2012 show was off […]
Posted on March 29, 2012
By Michael Senchuk
Music
Folk rock takes centre stage this weekend, with the extraordinary Rose Cousins performing Friday night, followed up by Philadelphia’s Good Old War on Saturday and a plethora of artists performing during the “Swig Of Alberta” traveling road show on Sunday night at the Wunderbar. Friday Alan Frew – This five-time Juno award winner, perhaps best […]
Posted on March 29, 2012
By Mike Ross
Front Slider, Music
You can read a lot into a good band name, especially when there’s a good story behind it. Take, for example, Christian Hansen – who simply would not have had the courage to name his band Christian Hansen and the Autistics if he hadn’t been teaching music to actual autistic people. Wrap your head around […]
Posted on March 28, 2012
By Adrian Lackey
Music, Theatre
Blue Man Group has evolved from avant-garde darlings into an Les Biz theatre institution – and judging from its awe-inspiring show at the Jubilee Auditorium playing through April 1, it’s easy to see why. This is a must-see event. The original Blue Men creators of 20 years ago, Matt Goldman, Phil Stanton and Chris Wink, […]
Posted on March 28, 2012
By Mike Ross
Music
The lone piano player at his Steinway and the large symphony orchestra behind him in an acoustically perfect concert hall is a classic combination in more ways than one – and Ben Folds with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra is expected to live up to that legacy. Call it a rock ‘n’ roll concerto from the […]
