The Tea Party to scratch 20 year itch in Edmonton
It’s good to have the Tea Party back in regular Canadian touring rotation again. Everyone’s favourite Zeppelin-meets-Doors power trio was on the disabled list for a while, but they’re back in action, now celebrating 20 years since scoring huge with their third album, The Edges of Twilight. As part of a North American tour, the […]
INTERVIEW: It’s all beautiful to Lisa Fischer
When they call Lisa Fischer the “best back-up vocalist in the world,” they’re not joking. She can sing, sure, but there’s a lot more to it than that. The Rolling Stones, Luther Vandross, Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, Sting, Beyonce, Alicia Keys, and Nine Inch Nails are just a few of the people she’s worked with. […]
The Milk Carton Kids come to the Winspear
Has “The New Everly Brothers” been taken yet? It has? OK, so whoever has it, please give it to the Milk Carton Kids. The “Simon & Garfunkel of Modern Times” will also be acceptable. Celebrated for leading the way when it comes to nu-folk with lovely acoustic guitarsmithery, touching songs and sweet, sweet two-part vocal […]
Lucinda Williams plays Winspear Centre in July
It’s not enough we get an embarrassment of folk music riches during the folk fest proper. Now they have to spill over to big ticket folk shows all year long. Lucinda Williams is the latest in a series of “Live at the Winspear” concerts. She plays the downtown concert hall on Tuesday, July 28 in […]
The Cat Empire plays Edmonton in April
Here’s a question music fans have been asking themselves for years: Is there an Australian Arcade Fire? There sure is. Arguably something of an improvement, actually, is the combo known as The Cat Empire, which blends jazz, hip hop, ska, pure pop sensibility and exotic Afro-Latin rhythms into an intoxicating sound that’s won fans all […]
Colin James comes back to say hello in March
Colin James may be famous for the line where he just came back to say goodbye – but Canada’s blues-rock poster child has never said goodbye even once and he still keeps coming back at least once a year. This time it’s at the Winspear Centre on Monday, March 30, 2015, on tour to support […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: All hail the folk fest!
This weekend’s live music lineup is of course dominated by the biggest and baddest of all of the city’s music festivals. Well, OK, the biggest at any rate. It’s Folk Fest Weekend in Edmonton, and while some may lament the “old-school” direction the lineup’s gone the last few years, there is certainly no debate that […]
JAZZ REVIEW: MSMW titans of whatever we call it now
When it came time to pick a name for the new group Medeski, Scofield, Martin and Wood – combining the New York funk-jazz trio with a veteran guitar wizard – it didn’t seem there were any grand visions about chocolate watches or strawberry alarm clocks. Nope, just the names of four guys, about as exciting […]
Bobby McFerrin more than a happy song he wrote
A remarkable thing happened when Bobby McFerrin did an audience participation bit at the Arden Theatre about 20 years ago – and it had nothing to do with “Don’t Worry, By Happy,” the smash hit song he released in 1988 that defined this unassuming jazz singer forever, for good or ill. Singalongs aren’t remarkable, of […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: Hot Plains, hot damn!
The Hot Plains Music Festival takes over a couple of local venues this weekend, with gigs Friday through Sunday all around Whyte Avenue, but primarily focused on two of the city’s most popular live venues, Wunderbar and Pawn Shop. Friday at Wunderbar features the “Heart meets Sabbath”-sound of the Secretaries with a new 7” release; […]
Sarah McLachlan to play Edmonton on fall tour
To say Sarah McLachlan is coming back “with a vengeance” isn’t entirely accurate given the somewhat downbeat cast of her music, but excitement over the news has given this veteran singer-songwriter a whole new “buzz.” McLachlan performs on Wednesday, Oct. 29 at the Winspear Centre, and we think they’re going to need a bigger building. […]
MUSIC PREVIEW: There goes The Neighborhood
How fitting that we’re still mired in “Sweater Weather” – since the authors of that hit song, The Neighborhood, play Edmonton’s Union Hall on Saturday night. Formed in 2011, the California band features the vocal talents of Jesse Rutherford, the bright guitar tones of guitarists Jeremy Freedman and Zach Abels, with drummer Brandon Fried. The […]
