Twenty One Pilots to headline Sonic Boom
This year’s edition of Sonic Boom has revealed a solid line-up of acts that don’t easily fit into any musical genre save for “alternative” – which is apparently the whole idea. Twenty One Pilots tops the bill for the annual music festival happening in Borden Park Sept. 3-4. The duo, which doesn’t so much defy […]
Varscona Theatre REBORN!
A packed house of enthusiastic friends and supporters helped raise the curtain on Edmonton’s newest theatre on Saturday night – the new Varscona. The curtain is more than a metaphor. For the first time in its history the Varscona actually has a curtain – a large, voluptuous wine coloured velvet drape that splits apart to […]
Burger Baron has beef with Twitter Troll
Most local media people agree that the Bogus Burger Baron Twitter Takedown of Graham Hicks was EPIC. Even Hicks himself liked it. The Edmonton Sun columnist had written up the venerable burger joint in a March 2016 piece rating Edmonton’s best fast food burgers: “The patties were reminiscent of ’60s TV dinner steakettes. The vaunted […]
Nickelback to headline Alberta Fire Aid Benefit
A who’s who of the cream of Canadian country and rock artists are banding together to raise money for Fort McMurray fire victims. Many of them have deep connections to Alberta. Announced yesterday, Nickelback (from Hanna, Alberta) will top a bill that also features Alberta legend Ian Tyson, along with Blue Rodeo, Randy Bachman, Corb […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Oh Wonder lives up to name
The aptly-named band Oh Wonder continues to to support their standout 2015 eponymous release on an anything-but-traditional rise to fame and glory – and Edmonton is lucky to get them on Monday night at the Starlite Room. The British duo Josephine Vander Gucht and Anthony West crafted the album by writing, recording, and releasing one […]
Brother Octopus a weird band in a weird town
Brother Octopus may claim to be an actual octopus, but his – its – music is completely and utterly human. Scan their lyrics for cephalopodic references. There aren’t any. They write songs that deal with childhood: “Do you remember when the floor was lava, only the sofa was safe to travel?” With the future: “If […]
Courage! There is hope for Gord Downie
It’s been an emotional day for Canadian music fans, with the sad and sudden news that Tragically Hip frontman Gordon Downie has terminal brain cancer – and that after receiving treatment, his doctor has given him the OK to proceed with a tour of selected Canada towns this summer. UPDATE: The dates announced Wednesday include […]
Middle Eastern musician finds muse in Edmonton
Mohsin Zaman lived most of his life in Dubai, United Arab Emirates – and only when he came to Edmonton did he start seriously making music. Now he sounds “Albertan.” Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not. The 29-year-old singer-songwriter says he had a “strict upbringing” from his hard-working Pakistani parents, who moved to Dubai in 1978. The […]
Beyonce slays rainy night in Edmonton
Of course Beyonce’s Formation tour began with the song called Formation – she and her dancers entered the stage at Commonwealth Stadium on Friday night draped head to toe in sparkly black with tall felt pilgrim hats and Beyoncé warming the crowd up by getting people screaming, “I SLAY!” And slay, Queen B did. The […]
REVIEW: Who’s converting who in The Conversion?
The Conversion is a powerful new play from Edmonton’s small but feisty theatre troupe, “Kill Your Television.” The company has only produced about one play a year in its 15 years, but has won an astonishing number of Sterling Awards (seven so far). Past successes have included Eric Bogosian’s SubUrbia and the gothic Fringe hit, […]
