End of the Earth

End of the Earth

Volbeat motors manic metal mashup

Volbeat motors manic metal mashup

Volbeat wears its influences on its sleeve – or would if frontman Michael Poulsen didn’t prefer to bare his arms to display his many tattoos. His vest. He wears his influences on his vest: Sewn patches of Motorhead, Johnny Cash, the Ramones, the death metal band called Death, and so on. Bursts of just about […]

How did our festivals do?

How did our festivals do?

Imagine you’re on the fence about going to Sonic Boom, Edmonton’s last proper outdoor festival happening Sept. 3-4 in Borden Park. Maybe you’re festival-ed out. Maybe you’re sick of summer. Maybe you’re tired of life. Then you find out Twenty One Pilots is playing – and that’s the deal maker. Sure, OK, let’s have one […]

WEEKEND MUSIC: Big hand for Fitz

WEEKEND MUSIC: Big hand for Fitz

In the middle of festival season, a rare weekend without one finds Edmonton with a cadenced assortment of gigs both big and small. From Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas, and Volbeat, at Rexall Place, to a couple of gigs at the River Cree, to the smaller but equally vital smaller venues, there’s a little something […]

INTERVIEW: Has Zakk Wylde gone myld?

INTERVIEW: Has Zakk Wylde gone myld?

Zakk Wylde has been typecast as a metal dude for so long that it’s taken fans some time to get used to his somewhat mellower direction. On his “Book of Shadows II” solo tour, coming to the Ranch Roadhouse Tuesday night, one might even be tempted to call him “Zakk Mylde.” Not to his face. […]

End of the Earth

End of the Earth

FRINGE: 9 Best Shows

FRINGE: 9 Best Shows

So we had a total of three (3) members on Team GigCity Fringe – and we still screwed up the schedule and reviewed the same play twice. Damn it! Still, let’s make the best of it and see how both Colin MacLean (ex-Sun, CBC) and Mel Priestley (ex-Vue) heaped praise upon 70 Scenes of Halloween […]

MUSIC PREVIEW: No bad blues

MUSIC PREVIEW: No bad blues

One of the great things about the blues is that it can be played by musicians who’ve never met or who don’t even know the same songs. One of the bad things about the blues is that it can be played by musicians who’ve never met or who don’t even know the same songs. That’s […]

FRINGE: 6 shows about mental illness

FRINGE: 6 shows about mental illness

There’s a revolutionary new treatment for mental illness. It’s called Fringe Therapy. Here’s how it works: The patient reveals all the gory details of his or her disorder to a roomful of strangers in a one-man and/or-woman show at the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival. Get it in the open. Tell the whole, true story. […]

FRINGE: 3 shows of physical theatre

FRINGE: 3 shows of physical theatre

Edmonton has quite a robust contemporary dance scene. A few local groups are presenting their work at the Fringe, as well as some out-of-towners – which gives a nice juxtaposition of styles and themes for the audience to compare. Some people still complain that physical theatre and dance is inaccessible (or just plain weird), but […]

FRINGE: 4 comedies

FRINGE: 4 comedies

Laughter is the grease that keeps the Fringe rolling along. From sophisticated British burlesques to the pie-in-the-face American vaudeville farce, the comedy listing in the Fringe program is longer than any other – some 65 shows promise to get you laughing. Here are four wide-ranging productions that you might consider. There is a lively stand-up […]

FRINGE: 4 shows about religion

FRINGE: 4 shows about religion

It’s good they still have a “religious content” warning in the Fringe program – but they should go a little further: Believer or Non-Believer. For there’s nothing worse for a heathen than expecting a good old God-bashing rant at the Fringe only to find a bunch of True Believers have commandeered the event as a […]