MUSIC PREVIEW: Rock (and rap) Against Racism
“I love and treasure individuals as I meet them; I loath or despise the groups they identify or belong to,” said the late George Carlin – and he may have been onto something there. In other, gentler words (Carlin was a bit of a grump), if you judge people one by one, and truly don’t […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: John Mayer’s split personality
We all know John Mayer has a gift for writing beautiful, heartfelt pop songs to make strong men weep. That’s why he’s famous. We know that he likes to say outrageous things to reporters from time to time. That also makes him famous. Romantic involvements with women like Jessica Simpson, Katy Perry and Taylor Swift […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Local aces play Graceland tribute
The Going To Graceland show at the Royal Alberta Museum Theatre on Saturday night will be one of the last gigs played at the venue, and it’s celebrating what many believe to be one of the best albums of the 1980s, if not the entire Century. A nine piece ensemble – featuring locals aces like […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Tea Party still getting oolong
While the Tea Party’s heyday was definitely in the 1990s, with such hits on alternative radio as The River, Temptation, Psychopomp, Heaven Coming Down, and The Messenger, the band broke up in 2005 and went their separate ways – but then finally reunited in 2011, much to the delight of their fans. That reunion met […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Jaunty Plume array
The Prodigal Son returns! After a long sojourn in Nashville, Mike Plume has moved back to Edmonton. He’s from Bonnyville, actually, but close enough for rock ‘n’ roll. At the Almanac Saturday night, the singer-songwriter has been keeping a fairly low profile since he and his family moved back last summer. Why? “Trump,” he explains. […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Garth still here
Unbeknownst to many (ha ha), Garth Brooks continues his epic stand in Edmonton with more shows this weekend, including gigs Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Rave reviews abound from anyone and everyone who saw any of last weekend’s efforts, not only for Garth himself, but the entire band as well. Check for ticket availability here. For […]
NYE PREVIEW: The Secretaries play to type
As the year concludes, this weekend’s live music opportunities center around – no surprise – New Year’s Eve. There’s a bevy of options for everyone, from folk to rock to folk-rock, from electronic to pop, and lots in between. One of the best shows, and the best values, may be at Ritchie Community Hall, where […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: A visit from Cadence
The cat came back. They all come back, sooner or later, these former Edmonton artists who moved to greener pastures. Even if it’s just a family visit at Christmastime. Performing a homecoming show Friday at the Needle Vinyl Tavern, Cadence Weapon may be thriving out East, but the rapper born Rollie Pemberton was raised in […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Remembering Steve
The Edmonton music scene lost a good friend and panjandrum a few weeks back in a tragic accident, as Steve Steffler, one-time co-owner of Bohemia and founder of Sometimes Music, passed away, the victim of carbon monoxide poisoning. Always a music lover, always willing to give an act starting out a leg up, always a […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Waxing Half Moon Run
One of the finest bands from the so-called “Montreal scene” is returning to Edmonton. Half Moon Run is the perfect group to take advantage of the subtle acoustics of the Winspear Centre on Wednesday, Dec. 14, being unconventional multi-instrumentalists with a special fondness for percussion. The “everybody gets a drum” rule is one of the […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: July Talk all action
After playing a surprise “secret” gig on Tuesday here in the city, July Talk heads down for a quick gig in Red Deer before circling back for a second SOLD OUT show, on Friday night at Union Hall. The Toronto-with-the-Edmonton-connection indie rockers released their debut self-titled album in 2012 to critical acclaim, and followed that […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Make Something Different
Since the death of Steve Steffler from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning on Sunday, it’s become clear how important he was to Edmonton’s music scene – and how much he’s going to be missed. He was always looking for something different. He took risks when booked bands at Bohemia, a funky little club on 97th Street […]
