LEADER OF SIDEMEN: AB Trio the indie rockers of jazz

This happens in jazz more than any other genre of music: A collective consisting of amazingly impressive soloists winds up sounding like a bad lounge act – with amazingly impressive solos – and gets away with it because people don’t want to appear dumb for disliking such an allegedly higher form of art. Occupational hazard. […]

WEEKEND MUSIC PREVIEW: Boz Scaggs still shufflin’

It’s still early in the touring year, which means that there aren’t a lot of big names hitting Edmonton this weekend. The biggest is probably Thursday night: Michael Bernard Fitzgerald at the Starlite Room. Other notables include a release party for Cygnets’ new album on Saturday at the Pawn Shop, while across town,  at the […]

Depth from the heart of darkness for Tom Olsen

Depth from the heart of darkness for Tom Olsen

There’s a new alt-country star emerging in Edmonton – from a most unlikely place. Leading to a gig with his band The Wreckage at the Almanac on Friday, April 21, Tom Olsen has been a noted journalist – he was the legislature bureau chief for two major Alberta dailies (Edmonton Journal, Calgary Herald) – before […]

Alternative Grammy winner Bon Iver to play Jubilee Auditorium May 21

One of the most popular buzz bands in North America is coming to Edmonton for the first time. At the Jubilee Auditorium Monday, May 21, it was announced Monday, Bon Iver is an American folk band founded in 2007 by Wisconsin’s Justin Vernon. He has since seen the band’s self-titled album reach the top picks […]

Ronnie Dunn brings new solo music to Jubilee Auditorium June 25

Those who like their country music without too many revving Ford trucks or wild honky tonkin’ good ol’ boys, their yee without too much haw, should be delighted that Ronnie Dunn is coming to town this summer – minus his partner Kix Brooks. The half of the superstar country duo that can really sing, Dunn […]

CONCERT REVIEW: Peter Case shows roots far deeper than punk

The only sign of Peter Case’s punk background was the fact that he wore a denim jacket underneath his pinstriped blazer. That, and some well-chosen anecdotes from back in the day. No surprise, really: the veteran songwriter has four entire decades of material to draw from – which fans heard just a slice of when […]

Local trio puts local music scene above becoming rock stars

Sure, hitting it big would be nice. That’s what all musicians dream of, after all, whether their definition of “big” is stadium tours with U2 or a loyal cult following of Pitchfork readers. Local grunge trio Diehatzu Hijets is more concerned with taking care of business in its hometown. The band’s singer-guitarist Layne L’Heureux says […]

DREAM GIG: Edmonton metal singer joins Into Eternity

Amanda Kiernan has landed her dream gig as the new lead singer of one of her favourite bands, Into Eternity, a globally renowned progressive metal act she’s looked up to since her teens. They’ll be on stage at the Pawn Shop Monday night. Into Eternity picked Kiernan as its new touring vocalist after watching an […]

WEEKEND MUSIC PREVIEW: Royal Canoe runs a tight ship

The biggest show coming to the city this weekend actually plays Thursday (Bombay Bicycle Club) –  but there are still plenty of interesting options this weekend. Friday night’s picks include country artist Tim Hus, though your best bet may be Peter Case, who’s been recording since 1986. On Saturday, Wunderbar hosts Royal Canoe and friends. […]

TRUE TALES OF THE ROAD: Peter Case escapes house of pigs

When you’ve been on the road more or less continuously since 1973, as Peter Case has, you meet a lot of people – a lot of famous people, in this case, so to speak, and he doesn’t want to be a name-dropper. Case is one of these unusual figures in the music world who are […]

MUSIC: Women of Folkways to tell their side of the story first

At this point in human development, one hopes that the idea of grouping female singers by gender alone is simply a “celebration” of said gender and its music, rather than a novelty or political statement or some vague but marketable combination of both. But enough about Lilith Fair – Women of Folkways is a different […]

CONCERT REVIEW: Deep Purple thrills 3,500 intimate stangers at Rexall

Forty summers ago they ruled the planet with Machine Head and Smoke On the Water – a song about a Swiss gig gone horribly wrong – and they became some of Headbangerdom’s first anthems, long before we had a name for the throngs of long haired, bobble-headed moppets. They have their place in The Guinness […]