WEEKEND MUSIC PREVIEW: Folk-punksters lay siege to the Pawn Shop

Most of our favourite bands in the city will be somewhere this weekend, with two intense gigs on Sunday night featuring many of the city’s best-known acts. On Saturday night, the rest are probably nominated for an Edmonton Music Award, with several notable local acts also performing during the awards ceremony at the Royal Alberta […]

Second Red Hot Chili Peppers show added

Nothing like “overwhelming demand” to put the wind in your sails – the Red Hot Chili Peppers turn out to be so huge in Edmonton that a second show has been added on Thursday, Nov. 22 at Rexall Place. The first on Nov. 21 has sold out. Minus John Frusciante, the legendary Californicating band is […]

CONCERT UPDATE: Melvins Lite, Red Hot Sell-Out, Sinead No-Show

Every year the whirlwind of concert season has its share of good news and bad news – which do you want first? OK, bad news. Sadly, Sinead O’Connor has bowed out of a scheduled appearance to headline the inaugural Interstellar Rodeo at Hawrelak Park July 27-29. “With enormous regret I must announce that I have […]

TRUE TALES OF THE ROAD: Tommy Banks comes home

We now have eyewitness evidence that things were better in the old days. For musicians. Tommy “The Senator” Banks remembers – age 75 and still going strong, he has a lot to remember – “In the 1960s, within one block of Jasper Avenue on either side, between 100 Street and 109 Street, there were 18 […]

Edmonton Opera stages Beethoven’s first, last, only opera Fidelio

It’s fun to imagine what Ludwig Van Beethoven was like. There are so many depictions, caricatures and stories about this frowning old composer – some of it must be true. Ornery, given to wild experimentation, perfectionist, did great work and knew it, enjoyed his fame, went deaf, music was used to torture a criminal in […]

Rush returns to Rexall Place Sept. 30

Are you Geddy-ing excited? Are you ready for a Lifeson lesson? Do you squirt Peart in your hair? OK, those are terrible. But the clues added up to today’s big announcement that Rush will be returning to Rexall Place on Sunday, Sept. 30. Tickets will go on sale “soon.” Details to come. The venerable Canadian […]

WEEKEND MUSIC PREVIEW: Stone Iris previews new album at the Starlite

It’s a relatively light weekend for live music, not to be unexpected after a cataclysm of revered acts gracing the stages of various Edmonton venues this week. With Coldplay opening up their North American tour with a legendary performance on Tuesday, an intimate event with Our Lady Peace at the Starlite, and Joel Plaskett at […]

PUNK CONTEST: Win Social Distortion tickets!

If you caught Social Distortion – or “Social D” as they’re known to true fans – at the last Sonic Boom event, don’t miss the venerable punk rock heroes’ return to the Edmonton Event Centre on Friday. The band is touring behind its latest release, Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes – and doesn’t that sound […]

CONCERT REVIEW: Coldplay dazzles thousands with amazing tour opener

It was spectacular. It was amazing. Every other concert this year at Rexall Place will be measured against Coldplay. Edmonton got the first North American glimpse of the Mylo Xyloto world tour on Tuesday night – opening on a mammoth set cascaded in neon colors to the tune of the “Back to the Future” theme, […]

EDMONTON RADIO: Garner Andrews, morning man of mystery

Garner Andrews can’t stand public speaking. He admits he even freaked out a little bit before delivering a toast at his brother’s wedding, and stresses “for months” over the prospect of doing a band introduction on stage – and yet he has no problem talking to 50,000 people on Sonic radio every morning. “That doesn’t […]

Blue Oyster Cult headlines Edmonton Rock Music Festival in August

Don’t fear the reaper – make a song about the original Man in Black that generations of classic rock fans will sing and laugh in the face of same. That’s how it works. We expect plenty of laughing and singing in the face of Death when Blue Oyster Cult comes to town this summer. The […]

Roxette returns to play Rexall Place Sept. 10

Now here’s a blast from the past – Roxette is coming to town. The Swedish pop duo perhaps best known for The Look – as in “you got The Look,” still holds up, eh? – will play Rexall Place on Monday, Sept. 10, backed up by a comparable Canadian blast from the past Glass Tiger. […]