Brian Setzer never strays far from his rockabilly roots
Brian Setzer …. musical legend ? A case can be made for the rockabilly mainstay and guitar guru, who plays the Edmonton Events Center tonight. (Tickets here, or at the box office.) You can list on two hands the number of guys who transcend their genre, who aren’t just stars, or superstars, but legends. B.B. […]
Ruben Studdard the star on city’s Singing Christmas Tree
OK, before you American Idol fans go all loony on us, we should note that while Ruben Studdard is definitely in Edmonton for the opening of the three-day Singing Christmas Tree show at the Jubilee Auditorium this Friday, he is not putting on a concert. Expect a couple of tunes at best, and some meet […]
COMEDY: Continually cancelled, Norm MacDonald rolls on dryly
It’s hard not to like a comedian with balls so large Andy Kaufman would have had trouble carrying them, but really, that’s what Norm MacDonald’s entire career has been. Unabashedly Canadian — that means he doesn’t bash Canadians, we think — he’s made a long and, we assume, healthy living out of dryly commenting on […]
Gordon Lightfoot keeps moving forward
When Gordon Lightfoot showed up at the Occupy movement in Toronto to support his protesting daughter, a lot of people jumped to interesting conclusions about the man. Internet boards were full of Canadians either decrying him as an aging hippie, or cheering him … as an aging hippie. It was selling the man a wee […]
MUSIC: Roger Daltrey’s massive career arc
The Who occupy an odd position near the summit of the Rock pantheon, having evolved into a multi-threat artistic powerhouse … which can still occasionally revert to something close to its roots, and sonically punch your teeth in. Seriously. Roger Daltrey, who led a full-concert performance of the band’s classic Tommy at Rexall Place on […]
Shatner. One name is all that is required.
How does William Shatner stay so damn young, exactly? (And Bill, if you drop dead at 80 on the day this runs, we all apologize in advance.) It’s a worthwhile question to ask, as no amount of investigation on the internet would’ve told you in advance of Sunday night’s one man show at the Shaw […]
PREVIEW: Any witch way you slice it, Screamfest is bloody fun
Carnivals sure aren’t what they used to be. Mind you, the last time they were a big deal,in an era before handheld electronics and the multi-channel universe, options were notably lacking. People would read more then, too, and vaudeville still packed ’em in on Friday night. Pretty much all entertainment involved substantially more effort and […]
Kings of Leon and the price of fame
If the band Kings of Leon didn’t exist, some hack showman would have to invent it, pump it up until its name was writ billboard large, then prick it with a hypodermic full of fame and insecurity and watch it blow away. It’s become such a rock stereotype, in another era we’d have nicknamed it […]
Edmonton’s most depraved festival gets the dead out
This is not a festival you can bring the kids to. But if thrills, chills and brutal gore are your thing, DedFest will be right up your alley. “We like to call it ‘The best in fucked up cinema,’ ” says Derek Clayton, who co-produces DedFest with his friend Kevin Martin. This year will be […]
New album, tour bring Feist to Edmonton this fall
Big news for Feist fans this morning, with the announcement of a new album, and a new fall tour. The Indie darling behind “1,2,3,4” will be in Edmonton Nov. 20 at the Jubilee Auditorium. Tickets will go on sale Friday, at a cost of $39.50 and $55 plus service charges. “Metals” will be released on […]
Down With Webster roll out new material at Edmonton’s Capital Ex
It’s funny, the different perspectives you get when age is factored into judging music. The cliche that parents always hate their kids’ music is a cliche because it’s often true. But there’s also a risk in the wisdom that comes with experience: of jumping to inaccurate conclusions based on a small sampling size, for example. […]
Handsome Furs show the love for good Szechuan at Starlite
Anytime a band ventures outside the traditions of pop music structure, it automatically faces the prospect of being declared more interested in the art than the entertainment and, therefore, pretentious. Broad social disinterest ensues. It’s often a crock of crap, of course. Most artists I’ve ever met are just as apt to be entertained by […]
