“Is this an ad for a summer beverage,” I ask myself before the 25-second mark of the first track, “Maria La Baja”. It’s hard not to crack open a cold one once you get a sense of Roberto López’s seductive blend of South American and Caribbean stylings on this 2017 release. Continue reading “Album Review :: Roberto Lopez :: Criollo Electrik”
By Rachel Adrushuk
Much like a good music video, it’s hard to separate Beth from the image of the band’s lead singer, Stefan Braun’s sultry dance on stage. Released in May 2017, the album is very moody, sometimes reminding me of a grown-up version of the emo music I used to listen to in high school. My mind was filled with images of séances, darkness, blood, and a broody sadness mixed with confidence; I guess you would call that madness? It’s like you’re mad but you’ve accepted it. You have embraced the madness, and are now dancing with it. Continue reading “Album Review – BETH”
By Max Hamilton
Synonym started in West Broadway, and since its foundation, the neighbourhood has developed at an incredible rate. It’s an art consultation group, driven by the desire to see employment opportunities for local and international artists, well-known for the many murals it has been a part of creating in our city. Since its beginning, the area that its headquarters are situated in has become more defined visually, and a central part of Winnipeg. There seems to be a relationship between the boom in population and in public art, something which their annual Wall to Wall Mural and Cultural festival will be further developing this year. Continue reading “Synonym Art Consultation : Wall to Wall”
By E.H. Stockton
Standing in the thirtieth row of a partially filled MTS centre, dressed to the nines (or at least the sixes), on a narcotic propelled rocket hurtling my mind through some forgotten corridor of the cosmos is when I was first introduced to Susto. It was as though my experience was tethered to an otherworldly elastic that, at the moment of its choice, pulled me back down to earth and into my mortal self while the chorus of Susto’s Waves roared through the arena. The lights danced in unison as though they themselves were drowning waves. “It comes in waves” sang frontman Justin Osborne, reminding a select few of every time they ever felt the ‘waves’ come on at the outset of what will surely be a good trip. Continue reading “Susto: & I’m Fine Today”
by Chris Bryson
The reaches of metal have always been in flux and constantly pushed by those with innovative minds, who dare to defy genre expectations and purist mores. In recent years especially so, it’s been crossover metal that has been increasingly breaching the mainstream, and it’s been the permutations across genres that increasingly bring non-metal fans to metal music, to embrace the might and the magic – the burn and the beast. Continue reading “Pallbearer”
By Rachel Adrushuk
From July 27-29, Disco Needs a Squeeze, a 3-day punk music festival, takes over The Handsome Daughter and the Good Will Social Club. This will be its second year. The first year was a huge success, most likely because it met a demand that existed for years. While there’s a supportive and thriving punk scene in Winnipeg, punk shows have been on the decline since the closing of beloved venues like The Albert, Ozzy’s, and War on Music/The Death Trap. The economy has played a big role, too. Continue reading “Disco Needs a Squeeze”
Words by Gil Carroll
Photos by Kelly Campbell, Julia Hardy, and Sam Sarty
The Winnipeg Folk Festival really brings out the sunshine in people. For the 44th year in a row, the WFF brought together a community of free-spirited, peaceful and enthusiastic folks at the beautiful Birds Hill Provincial Park. Nearly every moment of the WFF, which took place from July 5-9 in sun-filled, beautiful and all-encompassing nature, made you feel good inside. Continue reading “44th Annual Winnipeg Folk Festival – Festival Report & Photos”
By Max Hamilton
It would be easy to imagine that a band as tight as Odd Outfit is single-minded in their approach to their work. But this is a group of strong players with strong opinions and varied backgrounds, and among the four core members there doesn’t seem to be a singular vision that dominates and directs their artistic sensibilities. In talking about the roots of their music and musical experiences, perspectives were shared less frequently than a willingness to listen and to understand each other’s point of view. Continue reading “Odd Outfit”
by Chris Bryson
With the success of her full-length debut, Emotions and Math, and an appearance in the April edition of Rolling Stone in an article titled “10 New Artists You Need to Know”, Margaret Glaspy’s career has been on the upswing. This week she’ll be in Manitoba to play the Winnipeg Folk Festival. Continue reading “Margaret Glaspy : Winnipeg Folk Festival”
By Maddy Cristall
There are good concerts, great concerts, excellent concerts and then there are concerts like this. Mavis Staples is a 77 year old R&B, soul and gospel singer from the iconic band with her family members, The Staples Singers. She is a civil rights activist who sings powerful songs about marching in DC and the injustice towards marginalized people. Her voice is the perfect canvas for evoking emotion, she transports people with her tender lyrics and volcanic pipes. She has been singing professionally her whole life and her voice only seems to be improving, she is a rare and truly special artist. Continue reading “Mavis Staples at Winnipeg Jazz Fest :: She Took Us There”
