Linkin Park to headline Sonic Boom 2012

Sonic Boom 2012 shall be outdoors, Weather Gods be damned, and should sleet come, at least we’ll have Linkin Park and Incubus to warm us up. This festival happening Sunday, Sept. 2 at the Northlands grounds will be Linkin Park’s first appearance in Edmonton, believe it or not. Incubus – another hard rocking band from […]

WRITER CITY: Wayne Arthurson has another mystery on his hands

It has been said that you could gather the entire literary scene of Edmonton into one medium-sized bar – and they’d all know each other. This in fact happens on a regular basis at almost every book launch – maybe not always at a bar – as it will Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the […]

REVIEW: A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a love most supreme

It must have been vexing for the groundlings who first witnessed A Midsummer Night’s Dream and its plots, tri-pronged: One, planned nuptials and entanglements of desire; two, a fantasia in the forest; three, rehearsals for a play, doomed to go wrong. A plethora of anachronisms, a herd of non-sequiturs made this play a task to […]

COLDPLAY: Why are the British so bloody good at rock ‘n’ roll?

The impending arrival of Coldplay has filled area rock fans with a level of joy not seen since the last time Coldplay came to town. So rarely do we get to see such a top-level British rock band in Edmonton, and it’s always a delightful treat. That’s because we still bow to the Queen of […]

Alberta film and TV producers tremble as budget axe falls

Alberta’s film and television producers are waiting for the bombs to drop as details emerge on the impact that federal budget cuts will have on the National Film Board, Telefilm Canada and the CBC. The most damage will likely come from the announcement by the CBC that it will reduce spending on independent productions, according […]

WHO NAMED THE BAND: Nashville Pussy raises the badass bar

The challenge in picking a really cool band name is that you have to live up to it. This shall now be known as the Nashville Pussy Impetus. The band plays the Pawn Shop Sunday with the like-minded Supersuckers. (Cussing below, reader discretion advised.) “You can’t call yourself something great and then suck,” says lead […]

Hey Ladies! Imagine The View on acid – and booze

Yup, it’s that time of the month. At least it is for Davina Stewart, Cathleen Rootsaert and Leona Brausen – hostesses of the monthly comedy-variety show Hey Ladies! At the Roxy Theatre this Friday night, it’s a throwback to those afternoon hostess shows you used to watch on TV with your mom before you were […]

WEEKEND MUSIC PREVIEW: The storm before the storm

This weekend is the first stiff wind of a massive musical hurricane preparing to barrel its way through the city – starting with some renowned Edmonton acts. Ten Second Epic along with The Red Threat are featured on Saturday, as is Colleen Brown; and on Friday we see the launch of a new live music […]

WHAT’S SO FUNNY: Rob Schneider, Dave Foley return to comedy stage

The trick to enjoying Rob Schneider movies is to have low expectations – and in that light, Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo is a comedy classic. To a lesser extent, so is Grown Ups. Conversely, when the Saturday Night Live star returns to the stage-up comedy stage from whence he came – Friday night at the […]

Red Hot Chili Peppers to play Rexall Place Nov. 21

We totally called it – the Red Hot Chili Peppers are coming to town. The legendary Californicating funk-rock band will include Edmonton on its “I’m With You” World Tour, hitting Rexall Place Wednesday, Nov. 21. That’s a long time to wait. Tickets go on sale April 20. Details to come. Now you want the bad […]

New all ages club opens Friday with Scenic Route to Alaska

One of Edmonton’s premier folk-rock acts will help launch a new all-ages downtown venue on Friday. Scenic Route to Alaska, fresh off a long drive home from Toronto in a ’91 Toyota Corolla, will headline the first show at the Elevation Room in Transcend Coffee’s downtown location (Jasper Avenue and 104 Street). “We’re unbelievably excited. […]

Oldest English story a monstrous undertaking in Beowulf the King

Consider that the oldest story ever written in (Old) English is about a terrible monster and the monster’s even more terrible monster mother, who, after wreaking much destruction and death, are defeated by a magic sword-wielding fighter who is eventually killed by a dragon. You could make a couple of conclusions: 1. Man, we’re a […]