WEEKEND MUSIC: Motley Crue’s latest farewell tour may be its last
You know why it’s such big news when bands or musicians finally retire? It’s because the vast majority never do. Instead they just keep on making music and touring until they’re no longer physically able to. Such is the case with the band for this weekend’s biggest gig, Motley Crue, who peaked somewhere in the [...]
WEEKEND MUSIC PREVIEW: Depth behind Bend Sinister
Those of you who saw the disappointing Rihanna show on Wednesday can take solace in the fact that for the price of your one ticket, you can probably take at least half a dozen of your best friends to any of local show this weekend. Or maybe that doesn’t make you feel better. One of [...]
WEEKEND MUSIC: Method to Madness to Muse
You’d be hard pressed to go almost anywhere nowadays without hearing “Madness.” At least the song. Muse’s new track from their most recent and sixth studio album, “The 2nd Law” is getting huge airplay in this city. The supporting world tour comes through Edmonton Sunday night, when the band will perform at Rexall Place. It’s [...]
WEEKEND MUSIC PREVIEW: This Lund is your Lund
Pop quiz: Can you … Break a horse? Light a fire? Gut a fish? Read the sky? Track the deer? Dig the well? If you answered yes to at least four of the above, then you may just have a chance to be a lucky survivor when the oil runs out and there’s a “rip [...]
WEEKEND MUSIC PREVIEW: Every day is Movember!
As Paul McCartney Week draws to a close, it behooves us to remember that he wasn’t the only seminal influence in modern pop music – just a very, very big one. This is true whether modern musicians even know it or admit or not. Burton Cummings knows. Playing Saturday night at the Winspear Centre, the [...]
WEEKEND MUSIC PREVIEW: So long, EEC!
If the history of Edmonton’s volatile live music scene has taught us anything, it’s that when one bar goes down, another pops up somewhere else – but there’s always a lot of sadness, as if we’d lost a close friend. Or at least a familiar acquaintance. We’re still heartbroken over the closure of the Sidetrack [...]
Cuba’s only hardcore band to make North American debut in Edmonton
The Cuban music scene is rich enough beyond the Buena Vista Social Club that there’s room for at least one hardcore band – but Arrabio may be the only one in Cuba, at least according to the band members. “Talking about Hardcore in Cuba there is no other band, it is only Arrabio playing Hardcore [...]
WEEKEND MUSIC PREVIEW: Sizzle your nizzle, f’shizzle
You might be tempted to think that the best music in town this weekend will be taking place in the venue with the best air conditioning, but sadly, there’s no real evidence to back that up. It’s fair to say, though, that any of these indoor venues are likely a better bet than the outdoors. [...]
WEEKEND MUSIC PREVIEW: The Black Keys a superduo highlight
The highlight of this star-studded weekend of live music is undoubtedly the Black Keys, performing at Rexall Place Saturday night. With three well-deserved Grammy awards and counting, the Akron, Ohio duo has taken the world by storm with its low-fi garage-rock stylings. The same could be said for the opening act, Arctic Monkeys, from the [...]
WEEKEND MUSIC PREVIEW: Great Lake Swimmers conquer prairies
This weekend features an incredible array of live music choices, including a bevy of local acts that were either nominated or took home an award at last weekend’s Edmonton Music Awards – including two-time winner Zerbin. But there’s plenty of incredible touring acts in town as well, with Big Wreck performing on Friday night, Great [...]
WHAT’S SO FUNNY: Mature content warning at Rank and Vile
We know these jokers: Kenny Robinson and Darren Frost, two Canadian comics so foul-mouthed, filthy-minded and bereft of any shred of decent morals or values or good taste whatsoever that sheer decorum prohibits repeating their jokes here, unless parental discretion is advised. They return for the aptly-named “Rank and Vile Show” at Yuk Yuk’s Friday [...]
Performance poet Jem Rolls exists only in the moment
The chief difference between stand-up comedy and performance poetry, according to noted performance poet Jem Rolls, is that “I don’t have to be funny all the time.” So it’s more relaxing for the audience if they don’t expect a punch-line every single time, he adds, and even better, “It’s more relaxing for me.” Appearing Friday [...]
