MUSIC PREVIEW: Just a big list of cool stuff
There are some major events going on over the next week, including the Edmonton International Jazz Festival with bass-wielding urban-jazz Goddess Esperanza Spalding on Tuesday, June 25; and the one and only Herbie Hancock on June 27, both at the Winspear Centre. “Johnny Jazz Passes,” conferring free admission to a myriad of other jazz fest […]
Wool on Wolves among locals up for Western Canadian Music Awards
Like hockey season well past its sensible expiration date, awards season continues – but no complaints so far from Edmonton’s music community, which is well represented in several areas beyond the city limits. Nominations for the 2013 Western Canadian Music Awards – happening in Calgary Oct. 3-6 – came out Tuesday to reveal highly-decorated local […]
Drake rises to arena level, plays Edmonton in September
Another award for “good timing” goes to Toronto rapper Drake, who, on the heels of winning a pair of Much Music Video Awards Sunday night has announced his first North American arena tour. He plays Rexall Place on Monday, Sept. 30. With Miguel and Future in support, tickets are $50-$100 and go on sale Friday. […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Sled Island Spillover Effect
NextFest continues through the weekend with a deluge of intriguing and diverse gigs, and we bow to their offerings for much of the weekend as summer festival season starts to kick into full gear. The big upcoming date in the music calendar is next Wednesday, June 19th, as the “Sled Island Spillover Effect” takes hold […]
Too young for the blues, Doug Hoyer goes worldbeat on new CD
You hear this sort of thing all the time – “I am where I am today because of the CKUA Radio Network” – but it’s different to see it in action. Doug Hoyer is where his is today because of the CKUA Radio Network. His parents forced him to listen to it – when what […]
INTERVIEW: Jerry Jerry so punk he rejected punk
“I’m against it – whatever it is.” Young musicians interested in pursuing the art of punk rock would be wise to heed the words of Jerry Woods – better known as the Jerry Jerry in the Sons of Rhythm Orchestra. At the age of 52, the non-smoking, social drinking father of five is more politically […]
EDMONTON RADIO: Hot 107 factors in local talent
Six local recording artists are getting a boost from Hot 107 FM radio – to the tune of $10,000 cash each on top of recording time and on-air promotion. It of course falls under the “Canadian Content Development” that all Canadian commercial radio stations are required to do by law, but the HOTfactor contest has […]
Nine Inch Nails returns to Edmonton in November
The mysterious Trent Reznor comes as goes as he pleases. First his band Nine Inch Nails has a fight with a record label, “goes indie” and then “disappears for a while,” before coming back with a vengeance – no explanation needed. A hiatus is healthy once in a while. Edmonton fans are gladdened with news […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Nextfest best bet
Edmonton’s first major arts festival of the season – Nextfest – takes over the city for the next week and a half, featuring almost every art form you could imagine, from theatre to dance, from visual arts to film, and of course music. The most interesting option amongst its many offerings may be a combination […]
EXPLORERS: Jom Comyn is of the land
Our province, and all the modern society we see today, was built on immigrants, explorers, intrepids and everyone good and bad in between. Farmers and ranchers weren’t merely farmers and ranchers. They were teachers, they were carpenters, they were welders, tradesmen, jacks-of-all-trades – all at the same time. They had to be. Likewise with Edmonton […]
REVIEW: Marathon reunion show proves Jr. Gone Wild must go on
It’s as if Jr. Gone Wild stepped out of a time capsule – its honky-tonky, punky good-time Alberta country music perfectly preserved all this time to be revived with a vengeance by four rock ‘n’ roll Rip Van Winkles. Rock ‘n’ roll seems to be hard-wired to celebrate the past in 20 year cycles, and […]
Colleen Brown to reveal alter ego at Rip Roarin’ Refinery
Singer-songwriter Colleen Brown has long relished the idea of creating an alter-ego – and now, as the creative director of the Art Gallery of Alberta’s “Rip Roarin’ Refinery” party happening Saturday, June 1, she gets her chance. “Gilda Brass” will be making her stage debut at the arty party celebrating AGA’s new exhibit The Piano. […]
