Meet the new boss of the Edmonton Arts Council!
It’s a no-brainer that Paul Moulton has been chosen to be the new executive director of the Edmonton Arts Council – he was the volunteer chairman of the organization when it started in 1996. “There’s something circular about this,” he says. You said it, buddy. There always is in this town. Locals in the arts […]
Hollywood dreams on hold for Edmonton comic
In order for Canadian comedians to get an immigration visa to work in Hollywood, they have to be established – and in order to get established, they have to work in Hollywood. “That’s the whole catch-22,” says Edmonton comic Kathleen McGee, whose dreams of breaking into American show business are on hold after being denied […]
Mumford sells out, KISS does not, bots win again
It was a busy day at Ticketmaster in Edmonton on Friday morning as Mumford and Sons went on sale, promptly selling out, at the same time as Kiss, which did not. Shout it out loud: Modern rock 1, classic rock 0. In the case of Mumford, at Rexall Place May 22, it’s a lot of […]
Richie Sambora off Bon Jovi tour ‘for a few months’
It’s not like Bon Jovi won’t be playing with Bon Jovi. Bon Jovi has always been about Bon Jovi, and by several reports from the Calgary concert on Tuesday, Richie Sambora’s absence was disappointing, but not a deal breaker. The 53-year-old guitarist has bowed out of all the dates on this leg of the Because […]
40 years later: KISS returns to rock Edmonton in July
It’s going to be one rowdy class of ’75 high school reunion when Kiss comes to town this summer. It was the year that Kiss Alive! came out, a formative album for many an area hoser with strong memories of those early thrilling, pyro-ridden shows in Edmonton – and all these years and lost hair […]
April Fool’s prank goes awry! Dozens outraged!
Baby boomers born and raised in Edmonton still talk about an epic April Fool’s joke played by 630 CHED, which in the early ‘70s was the only station everyone listened to: Ed-Tel will blow all the dust out of the phone lines at precisely 7:30 am on April 1, so the public is warned to […]
INTERVIEW: All but Bon Jovi, because they can
In the important work of journalism as the unofficial PR wing of the entertainment business, there is the dreaded “teleconference” – a great way for busy rock stars to polish off a big wad of interviews in one sitting. But do you get a good story? Hard to tell. So it was with Bon Jovi […]
Air quotes optional at ‘live’ dance festival
How to be a “live” DJ: Step 1: Show up Step 2: Push play Step 3: Collect $50,000 Just kidding. Fifty grand might be a little low for Calvin Harris’s guarantee. But how diabolically clever. DJs are among the few recording artists who can still make a living by making records – i.e., making them […]
Marvelous Mumford in the merry month of May!
Ask and ye shall receive: Mumford and Sons are coming to Edmonton – and if you still think they’re still just a bunch of Muppets, you haven’t been paying attention. One of the buzziest buzz bands in the world plays its first Edmonton show Wednesday, May 22 at Rexall Place, part of some fresh dates […]
Where will Rihanna get her Canadian weed?
When Rihanna came to Edmonton in 2011, there was said to be distinct reek of pot backstage at Rexall Place. One Edmonton police officer on duty that night described a “fog” in the hallway outside the dressing rooms. The cops held their noses and looked the other way. Busting a headliner for weed 30 minutes […]
Raffi fights for the rights of the very young
For someone who “accidentally” became a children’s entertainer, Raffi sure has thrown himself into it with a passion. Playing at the Winspear Centre on Sunday, his work has ranged far beyond merely singing singable songs for the very young. Never mind Bananaphone. Raffi has become a global crusader for child welfare. A number of points […]
Bob Seger returns in May, marks spring in Edmonton
That was fast. Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band have determined that it should be spring in Edmonton by Saturday, May 11, when they have rebooked Rexall Place after cancelling Thursday’s concert due to extremely crappy weather. The 67-year-old rock legend was concerned “about the safety and well-being of his fans.” Fans may even […]
