Chi Pig Scholarship in the Works for Victoria School of the Arts
It would be cool to go back in time and tell Mr. Chi Pig (Ken Chinn) that there would one day be a scholarship in his name at his old Alma mater, the Victoria School of the Arts. Would he have believed you – in his darkest hour? Maybe. Before he died in 2020 at […]
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER: Hair Metal Legends Rock 50,000 in Edmonton
Let’s do a little music history lesson involving Motley Crue, Def Leppard, Poison and Joan Jett, shall we? How many times do you think these bands have played Edmonton? Any guesses? Well, Def Leppard and Motley Crue have played here 14 times each – 14! – plus seven appearances each by Poison (or frontman Bret […]
INTERVIEW: Mr. Downchild Answers Three Questions Ahead of Edmonton Show
Donnie Walsh, founder of the Downchild Blues Band in 1969, doesn’t do many interviews anymore, but agreed to answer some email questions in advance of the band’s appearance at the Edmonton Blues Festival in Hawrelak Park on Friday, Aug. 19, part of The Longest 50th Anniversary Tour Ever. Q: I interviewed you at least once […]
REVIEW: Edmonton Folk Music Festival Returns After Three Years Off
I looked out my window on the morning of Thursday, Aug. 4 with trepidation. That evening, I would be heading to the first Edmonton Folk Music Festival in three years – so of course it was pouring. Hearty Folk Fest fans share with a glowing pride their battle stories of surviving the rain, wind, mud, […]
WHAT’S GOING ON: Road Trip!
Pack your bags, load up on the liquids, and gas up your truck – it’s time for a trip out of town. Not too far, what with gas prices what they are, eh. Let’s stick to Alberta. First up is the perennial favourite Blueberry Bluegrass Festival July 29-31, in Stony Plain, Alberta, just 41 km […]
REVIEW: John Fogerty Rocks Edmonton – With His Kids
A packed lower bowl down at Turtle Island was transported through time and space to a psychedelic 1960’s influenced evening of peace and love in the presence of a surprisingly hard-rocking old man named John Fogerty. It’s hard to imagine the 77-year-old CCR founder rocking out harder than he did at Rogers Place on Wednesday […]
INTERVIEW: Bif Naked Triumphs Over Adversity – Again
Bif Naked possesses superhuman optimism to go with her hard-won success. Like that time she got breast cancer – she was a little young for it when she was diagnosed in 2008 – and thought she might die. She says, “People were like, oh, the Grim Reaper’s in the air. And I’m like, phh, hey, […]
WHAT’S GOING ON: Comments on an Edmonton Events List, Whither YEG Live?
CLICK THE LIVE LYNX BELOW TO BUY TICKETS TO THE FOLLOWING EVENTS! May 19: Just for Laughs with Rick Mercer and more, Jubilee Auditorium Excellent comedy featuring some of Canada’s finest improvisers May 19: Avril Lavigne, Rogers Place Pay attention to this artist. Why, you ask? Read old unhinged essay on Avril Lavigne’s songs here: […]
WHAT’S GOING ON: Arcade Fire Returns to Edmonton, Beck to Open
Contrary to some reports, Canada’s premier alternative big band has not broken up – Arcade Fire is still going strong. It’s just that Will Butler – brother of frontman Win Butler – has left the band. Don’t worry, there still seem to be lots of musicians left. Extra horn players, at least. The band returns […]
INTERVIEW: Corb Lund Calls Cultural Appropriation on Commercial Country
Corb Lund sounds as country as country ever was – all while criticizing some of the mainstream country stars he shares airspace and some of his audience with. Sound familiar? I think George Strait’s 2003 song Murder on Music Row deals with this. Also almost every story about Corb Lund. It might be tempting to […]
WHAT’S GOING ON: Garth Brooks Coming, Country Music Taking Over
News that MacEwan University has launched “Distinguished Visiting Artist in Country Music” workshops within its music program, and that Brett Kissel will be the honorary campaign chair, has been met with some arched eyebrows among some MacEwan music alumni nerds – like me. Having attended (but not graduated due to going on the road with […]
WHAT’S GOING ON: Mother Mother Jube Jube
The plus side of the pandemic – hey, when life gives a gristle, just give a whistle! – is that many musical artists spent their isolation time making new music no one has yet heard live: Experiments, collaborations, remakes, reimaginings, you name it. Creativity flourished. Enter Mother Mother – one of the greatest modern Canadian […]
