Winnipeg music & culture since 1989
by Maggie A. Clark
The best experiences in life are the ones that come to you by chance.
I don’t know if I believe that—and, in fact, I probably don’t—but for the sake of argument, let’s say that’s true. Out of boredom and looking for something to write about, I went rooting around in the Bandcamp tags for “Winnipeg” and “experimental” until a recent-ish release leapt out at me.
The resulting find was the noise is… by NITOTTIR.
Continue reading “Album Review :: NITOTTIR :: the noise is…”Interview by Bradi Breckman
On Sunday, July 14, I had the pleasure of interviewing local singer/songwriter Leith Ross at the Winnipeg Folk Festival. Ross had been busy all weekend with performances and workshops at the festival, and I was glad to finally find a moment to pick the indie-folk singer’s brain.
Continue reading “Interview with Leith Ross at the Winnipeg Folk Festival”
by Maggie A. Clark
Owing to The Guess Who’s transformation from rock band into local institution, it’s easy to forget that Burton Cummings is not only a real person, but a real person who is still alive and making music.
Continue reading “Album Review :: Burton Cummings :: A Few Good Moments”by Bradi Breckman
Some music is best listened to while lying in the grass on a warm summer night. Local artist FONTINE’s indie-folk tracks certainly fit into this category, making it obvious why she was picked to perform in Assiniboine Park’s Summer Entertainment Series. This concert series featured local artists at the outdoor Lyric Theatre every Thursday and Sunday in July and August. FONTINE performed on August 25th, closing out the Sunday evening shows.
Continue reading “Concert Review :: FONTINE :: Live at the Lyric Theatre”Stylus contributors on their favourite songs, albums, and shows of 2024
Continue reading “Best of 2024”The year draws to a close. The usual signifiers of the season put in their scheduled appearances: the sidewalks and rooftops lined with snow, trees and eavestroughs strung with lights, doors bedecked with wreaths. There is a palpable cheer in the air. All of this can only mean one thing.
It’s time for some half-baked listicle slop, baby! Seemingly every media outlet spends their December churning out their curated selections of the year’s best songs, albums, movies, books, games, etc. — so why shouldn’t I compel Stylus to get in on the fun? Who am I to resist the omnipresent allure of list-making?
Continue reading “Maggie A. Clark’s Favourite Albums of 2024”
by Mykhailo Vil’yamson
If there was one place that I could live, it would be California. But for reasons manifold, it’ll never happen. Second best is travelling there, which I had the chance to do earlier this spring – after saving for years – and along my way down the coast I stopped in a little place called Summerland: population 1300-ish. There’s a song by the same name from the mid-’90s by Everclear where frontperson Art Alexakis sings: “Just a name on the map / Sounds like heaven to me.” And stopping at the beach was just like that: a dream. But it was an illusion; an ephemeral fantasy. Because after my few days on the coast, it was back to landlocked Manitoba with only a one-minute video of the surf as a souvenir.
Continue reading “Album Review :: Jamboree :: Summerland”
by Paige Drobot
Jazz artist Robert Burton is the preeminent musician, teacher and fly fisherman from Winnipeg, Manitoba. That sounds like a bold statement, but it’s true.
Continue reading “THE DORK REPORT :: Robert Burton”
by Paul Newsom
Toronto’s Burs wrote a record as distinct and enduring as an army of their namesakes. Holding Patterns is purposeful, mixing curiosity, confession, and metaphor to startling effect. The album’s production is eminently clear, leaving empty space to haunt as opaque edges demand scrutiny.
Continue reading “Album Review :: Burs :: Holding Patterns”
by Kim Wiesner
So, the Winnipeg Folk Fest is such a highlight for us here. How was your first one?
It was amazing. I totally understand. I think it’s a highlight for everyone. We had been playing a few festivals earlier in the past two weeks. And to be honest, I was feeling really low energy, drained, the traveling, playing, the being in crowds. I’m not so much of a like festival-goer type. And then I ended up being in festivals a lot. But then I got to the Winnipeg Folk Fest, and it was just the most like, you know, kind of generative, energy-giving, sweet, soft experience. And, I’m just gonna say it on the record. I don’t think I’ve been treated that well. You know what I mean? The organization here is so efficient, and everything is thought out. And as soon as you meet something as an artist, it’s like you’re like, you just have to rub the magic bottle, and the genie appears and here’s a beautiful meal and your transportation.
Continue reading “Artist Spotlight: Helena Deland”