MUSIC PREVIEW: A MIXED BAG
The weekend is a bit on the slow side in terms of big shows, but early next week, two critically acclaimed acts with extremely passionate followings land in Edmonton for a gig at the Winspear Centre, which is likely the best-sounding venue in the city and perfect for these two indie-folk acts. First up, on […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm
Maybe it’s time for a little distraction – and so we can look forward to a visit from one of weirdest and most wonderful artists in Canadian rock: Brad Roberts from the Crash Test Dummies. At the Almanac on Friday as a duo, with guitarist Stuart Cameron, Roberts and his old band reigned supreme for […]
Stiff Little Fingers fires up old punks in Edmonton
The day the Stiff Little Fingers 2016 Canadian tour was announced on social media was an incredibly happy day for thousands of Canadian punks, old and young. The notion of the Belfast band playing anywhere in Canada other than Vancouver, Toronto or Montreal never came up. It was just silently assumed it would never happen. […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Airbourne the new hell’s bellringer
With the aging AC/DC in flinders, it falls to the next generation to carry the torch of timeless balls-to-the-walls rock ‘n’ roll. The world needs this. Enter Sandman … whoops, wrong band. Enter Airbourne, the young and eager hard rock quartet that sounds an awful lot like AC/DC. Helps they’re from Australia. Playing at the […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Sonic Boom blows up genres
It’s really very simple: If you like listening to the alternative rock radio station Sonic 102.9, you’re going to love Sonic Boom. This last festival of summer is like listening to Sonic minus the commercials – plus being at the mercy of the elements, food that’s bad for you, there’s line-ups for everything, and you […]
REVIEW: Yukon Blonde pops the rock, rocks the pop
Yukon Blonde is the closest hope we have for the new Knack – and this is good news. The world could use more of these bouncy, major-key kinds of bands. Where did they go? They’re lurking and bubbling up from the indie scene, that’s where. Like Yukon Blonde. For a small but enthusiastic crowd at […]
Brian Jonestown Massacre to psych out Edmonton
Far out, trippy, groovy – only the old terms will do to describe the Brian Jonestown Massacre, which has put Edmonton on the itinerary for a quick spring tour, much to to the delight of area musicos. The San Francisco band plays the Starlite Room on Friday, May 20. Tickets are $27.50 and go on […]
Striker skewers status quo
In the verdantly-bearded acoustic guitar-strumming Edmonton indie music scene, Striker sticks out like a sore thumb. “I sure hope so!” says guitarist Tim Brown. “We’re trying to do own thing,” he explains, “and the big thing about that is just love. We love what we’re doing, and so it’s authentic. I think people are starting […]
The Tao of Andrew WK, Party Philosopher
Rock stars always say they love to party all the time, every day – but Andrew W.K has taken it to an entirely new level. It could become a religion. He has the energy to lead a movement. Andrew W.K. is a punk rock singer, recording artist, songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist, touring performer, television host, talk […]
CONCERTS: Hey Rosetta! and Andrew W.K. to hit Edmonton
How did the folk fest miss booking Hey Rosetta!? This Newfoundland group has all the right assets: Sorta rootsy, sorta rock ‘n’ roll, a large, multi-instrumental band with a Peter Gabriel-ish lead singer, political activist aspirations and a predilection for worldbeat-pop-folk fusions – and they even have some minor hits. Not too big (yet), not […]
Is Landmark Events another pay to play scam?
It turns out that Landmark Events is not the Spawn of Satan and Stephen Harper rolled into one. This is a LEGITIMATE business making money off the sweat of young musicians. It happens all the time. They’ll be holding another battle of the bands … sorry, “showcase festival” in late August at the Starlite Room. […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Rainmaker Rodeo to shine
All right, you Rainmaker Rodeo people – we need you to live up to your name! It’s dry as a popcorn fart around here. You can’t even make a good bonfire because of the fire restriction that’s been in place for weeks, and not only that, singing voices are hoarse throughout the land. We’re parched, […]
