Scott Wicken sees the forest for the trees
It’s perfectly legal to make stuff up, but all the best songwriters seem to stick closely to the old saying “write what you know.” Who’s going to believe you otherwise? For more evidence, one can’t doubt that Scott Wicken is indeed an “Old Treeplanter,” which happens to be the title of his new record, hot […]
Bobby McFerrin more than a happy song he wrote
A remarkable thing happened when Bobby McFerrin did an audience participation bit at the Arden Theatre about 20 years ago – and it had nothing to do with “Don’t Worry, By Happy,” the smash hit song he released in 1988 that defined this unassuming jazz singer forever, for good or ill. Singalongs aren’t remarkable, of […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: More new records than ever!
Do people even get excited about CD release events anymore? No, they do not. Seems like there’s at least two a week around these parts. Apparently now anyone can make a CD on those fancy home contraptions. What a world. You know, back in the day – said the old man yelling at the kids […]
Shut up and play your music
So apparently Jack White is now a jerk for calling the guys in the Black Keys jerks, among other jerky things said about other people, including his ex-wife, in the heat of the moment … to a Rolling Stone reporter. Then Jack said he was sorry. Don’t you wish these guys would just stop talking? […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Jonathan Richman new wave before new wave was cool
It’s not often we get a visit from one of the architects of rock ‘n’ roll – one of the builders of the mighty bridge between punk music and folk music that we all travel on so easily and take so much for granted today. Old-timers remember the gaping canyon that once yawned between the […]
Tim McGraw at K-Days, Golden West rides again
Klondike Days has finally got it together with Rexall Place to present a feature Klondike-themed concert in the hockey arena during Edmonton’s famous fun fair. Korn didn’t quite do it even if it begins with a K. But Tim McGraw? That’s more like it! The country superstar will be performing at Rexall on Tuesday, July […]
Cancer benefit planned for Kirby, Queen of the Edmonton Music Scene
You probably won’t find any Edmonton musician who hasn’t been touched in some way by Kathy Kirby – far better known as just “Kirby” – and in her fight against recently-diagnosed cancer, it’s also no surprise how quickly the music community has banded together to help. The “Be Here Now” benefit for the beloved local […]
Jesus Christ Superstar cancelled
There will be no Second Coming in Edmonton this summer: The Jesus Christ Superstar Arena Spectacular has been cancelled. Tickets purchased for the July 6 date of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical at Rexall Place, which was to star John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten, as King Herod, are available at the point of purchase. Online […]
The smalls have Nickelback connection
Not a lot of people know this, but the smalls – now reunited after 14 years – came within a hair’s breadth of working with Chad Kroeger. Long before the Nickelback mastermind was cast as the Spawn of Baal, he expressed love for Edmonton’s favourite alternative metal band, after the smalls’ critically-acclaimed album “My Dear […]
Demi Lovato to make splashy debut in Edmonton
Disney sure knows how to pump out the pop stars. The next show sure to please the girls of Edmonton completely is Demi Lovato, who got her start on Barney before starring in “Camp Rock” and “Sonny With a Chance,” among others. She performs for the first time in town at Rexall Place on Saturday, […]
MUSIC: Looking forward to The Gay Nineties
Topping out a big list of awesome live original music in Edmonton this weekend and beyond is a band getting a huge buzz – BUZZ, we say – from Vancouver: The Gay Nineties, playing Monday at the Pawn Shop. It would be especially awesome of this band could go on David Letterman so it could […]
FOLK FEST 2014: Blue Rodeo headlines Four Days in August
With the announcement of Blue Rodeo as the closing main stage act at the 2014 Edmonton Folk Music Festival, we expect something a little extra special from a band that’s been here more times than winter. And so it is: The venerable Canadian country-rock band will be playing what is considered its folkiest and most […]
