MUSIC PREVIEW: Mother Mother adds new wrinkle
Our very special guest this week on Who Named the Band? is Mother Mother – whose “ominous yet benevolent” name was chosen by the band’s frontman and main songwriter Ryan Guldemond. At an open stage jam in hometown Vancouver in 2005 with his co-singers, sister Molly Guldemond and Jasmin Parkin, he’d been forced to come […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Grapes of Wrath returns
It is time, once again, to celebrate the return of yet another 1990s Canadian rock band. They mostly come back 20-something years later, mostly. This time it’s storied Vancouver rock act Grapes Of Wrath, playing Edmonton Thursday night. Their release High Road in 2013 was the first in 22 years featuring the band’s original members […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Rock and roll, deja vu
Fleetwood Mac, Motley Crue, now John Fogerty at Rexall Place this Sunday. Hello? Didn’t we just do this? A quick glance at the official record reveals that yes, we did just do this. Those who forget the name of the person who said that those who forget history are doomed to repeat history are … […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Resurrection Weekend
The smalls promised they’d never ever tour again, goodbye forever even when hell freezes over and maybe not even then, but is anyone really mad that they lied … er, changed their minds? Musician’s prerogative. Hey, we’re glad they’re back. The resurrection of one of Edmonton’s favourite alternative rock bands of the 1990s is of […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Season of the Indie
The fall touring season continues as both Canadian and American acts try to get in the last few gigs before the cold sets in. Notable touring acts this weekend include a performance by indie folk-rockers The Strumbellas on Thursday night, followed up by Paper Lions on Friday night, who are performing on an extraordinary bill […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Once a college band, always a college band
Sloan has to be one of the strangest yet most wonderful rock bands in Canada. From early campus success, “back in the day,” they’ve been compared to the Beatles for their sultry popcraft – epitomized by such masterpieces of heartbreak as The Other Man – and the fact there are four of them, each basically […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Up + Downtown = Festival Time
After the highly acclaimed Ryan Adams (not Bryan Adams) plays the Winspear Centre on Thursday, the biggest gigs of the weekend are part of the city’s final music festival of the year, the Up + Downtown Festival which – you guessed it – includes a vast raft of venues in Edmonton’s downtown area. Arguably the […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Pixies return, done Deal
The busy fall touring season continues, with notable gigs from Winnipeg’s Royal Canoe, Trust (TR/ST) and Swedish death metal act Amon Amarth on tap this weekend, revving up towards the fall’s big music festival, Up + Downtown, which takes place over the Thanksgiving weekend. Pixies are back for a show at the Shaw Conference Centre […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Jimmy Edgar brings Majic to EDM
The soaring popularity of EDM (not to be confused with Edmonton, which is now YEG, OK?) is definitely having a major influence on live gigs in and around town this year. It’s pointless to argue that a DJ is technically not a “live” performer because many, if not all, of the sounds fans hear from […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Eye on Edmonton
Early September typically brings about what could be described as the eye of the hurricane: A relative calm between the frenzy of the summer music festivals and the cavalcade of autumn tours by both Canadian and international acts. It gets busy. Coming soon will be Big Wreck at Encore on Sept. 19, Lyle Lovett and […]
The Fronts radio friendly ‘by accident’
Saved from a lifetime of playing other people’s music, it’s a brave leap to the original for any professional musician. Professional merely means making a living at it, no day job. In most places on Earth, you can’t do that without playing in a cover band. Only the very elite of original artists get to […]
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 […]
