Posted on February 3, 2012
By Mike Ross
Culture, Music, The Latest
In the wake of the announcement of nominees for the second annual Edmonton Music Awards – with Tupelo Honey, Colleen Brown, White Lightning, Ann Vriend, Ten Second Epic and Boogie Patrol named in multiple categories – the question arises: Who exactly picks the winners? The public does, in two cases: People’s Choice and “Artists to […]
Posted on February 3, 2012
By Mike Ross
Music, The Latest
Every time Black History Month comes along, we hear the same questions: Why do we even need a Black History Month, and if we do, why is it in the shortest and coldest month of the year? Dismissing the latter as coincidence, we trot out that now famous Morgan Freeman quote: “I don’t want a […]
Posted on February 2, 2012
By Mike Ross
Front Slider, Music, Theatre
“The politician who starts with a mission and promptly changes plans, he’ll be axed from his job with nary a bob and sent to the oil sands.” Oh, there’s more where that came from. Robert Herriot, director of Edmonton Opera’s production of The Mikado – opening Saturday at the Jubilee Auditorium – is such a […]
Posted on February 1, 2012
By Mike Ross
Culture, Music, The Latest
Rock musicians do not get much sympathy for complaining how hard it is to be a rock musician. Nonetheless, some do whine from time to time. Because it is hard. Even Tom Cochrane found it hard back in the day. Not so much anymore. Playing the sold out Chamber Ball 2012 Friday at the Shaw […]
Posted on January 31, 2012
By Mike Ross
Culture, Front Slider, Theatre
There may be a reason it’s been 40 years since a professional theatre company has attempted to mount Waiting For Godot in Edmonton – this thing is a real bitch. The creative team from Wishbone Theatre is working hard to “find the truth” in Samuel Beckett’s absurdist masterpiece before opening night at the TransAlta Arts […]
Posted on January 30, 2012
By Mike Ross
Front Slider, Visual Arts
There’s a cool million dollars in amazing new public art at the Edmonton International Airport (EIA) – but you have to buy a ticket to the United States to see it. How fitting that much of said art is near the security area that helps make modern air travel such a humiliating and disempowering experience. […]
Posted on January 29, 2012
By Mike Ross
Culture, Front Slider, TV and Radio
Lesley Primeau comes off like a hard-boiled, old-school journalist you don’t want to mess with if you know what’s good for you. She talks a tough game, takes a stand, doesn’t back down, champions the underdog, fights for justice, truth and the Canadian way. It’s a tough job in a cutthroat business where newsmen and […]
Posted on January 26, 2012
By Mike Ross
The Latest, Theatre
Hey guys: Imagine going on a date with a hot female clown who REALLY wants to get to know you – and an entire roomful of strangers gets to eavesdrop. It’s almost enough to make you want to give up hockey night in Canada, eh? Beginning previews on the Citadel’s Rice stage Saturday night, Blind […]
Posted on January 25, 2012
By Mike Ross
Culture, Front Slider, TV and Radio
The only mystery about the “Strange Sounds in the Sky” videos is which synthesizer was used to make the sounds – aside from how these videos managed to capture the fears and imaginations of people around the world. “It’s definitely a synth,” says producer and recording engineer Phil Anderson, owner of Edmonton’s Powersound Studios, after […]
Posted on January 25, 2012
By Mike Ross
Family, The Latest, Theatre
Another weekend, another winter festival. The local citizenry has come to expect this sort of thing, even take it for granted. And it’s not enough to erect a pile of odd-looking giant tents or throw up a bunch of snow sculptures and expect instant festival magic like you’re the Frozen Fringe or something. Discerning Edmontonians […]
Posted on January 24, 2012
By Mike Ross
Music
There is a lot to be said for a good, full-on, raging … heavy metal tune. It really gets the blood pumping. There’s nothing quite like it when experienced live, up close, perhaps inside the mosh pit itself, or surfing on top of it, if one dares. Some fun. But as history has shown so […]
Posted on January 23, 2012
By Mike Ross
Front Slider, Music
Scientists are unclear on the exact length of time represented by an “MMMBop” – a subjective temporal paradox wherein a long period of time is perceived as a short period of time. “It’s a reference to how time passes really quickly in your own life,” explains Isaac Hanson, who discovered the existence of the MMMBop […]
