Winnipeg music & culture since 1989
by James Korba
So yeah, Head Hits Concrete are playing the Frames Arts Gallery this Saturday March 15th with Cetascean and guests. You should go because it’s gonna be punishing as all hell. Stylus had a chance to talik to vocalist Mike Alexander about their impending doom, I mean “tour.” Yeah, tour! Continue reading “Head Hits Concrete :: Kicking Ear Drums in the Ass to Death”
by Sheldon Birnie
On a biting cold late December evening, Del Barber shuffles into the Yellow Dog Tavern. He’s here, in the historic grain Exchange District of Winnipeg, to talk to Stylus about his new album, Prairieography, an album rooted in the spaces — physical, intellectual, emotional — between urban and rural living. Continue reading “Del Barber :: Mapping Prairieography”
by Sheldon Birnie
With the Winnipeg Folk Festival line-up announcement scheduled for this weekend, thousands of summer craving Manitobans are itching for those five days in July. While last year’s 40th Anniversary celebraish was a snooze-fest as far as most of the line-up went, it’s always possible the head honchos were playing it safe in stacking the line-up with some old (stale? mouldy?) faves. Now that the big anniversary has passed, many feel it’s high time the Folk Fest brass does something bold in terms of lineup in exchange for charging an arm & a leg for admission. Considering a weekend camping pass now runs nearly as much as a weekend pass for a Big Time Festival like Coachella or Bonnaroo, I’ve spoken with plenty of folks who’ve given up on the whole thing, choosing instead to save a load of cash and satisfy the craving for summer camping and good tunes at one of the many backwoods parties that have sprung up across Manitoba of late. Continue reading “Hillbilly Highway – Top 5 Acts I’d Love to See Up At Birds Hill This Year”
by Gonzalo Riedel
There’s always that point when you’re listening to Electric Six that you wonder how much of the music is sincere and how much is tongue-in-cheek. Take my favourite song, for example: “She’s White,” off the band’s 2003 debut Fire. On the surface it’s one of those rockers that makes you crank the volume and play air guitar, but the lyrics are silly enough to make you feel weird about singing along. “She’s white, she is so white, I was born to excite her, she could never be whiter.” You know there’s a joke somewhere, but you aren’t sure what exactly the joke is. Continue reading “Electric Six :: Money and Dipshits”
by Martyna Turczynowicz
Lyon is an up and coming indie pop star hailing from Toronto, ON. We caught up with her to talk about the release of her EP, Indian Summer, her upcoming tour and her love for 80s covers. Continue reading “Lyon :: Toronto singer’s new project hits the WECC”
by Gil Carroll
Wake Owl release their new album The Private World Of Paradise on March 4 on Rezolute Records. The very next day, they will perform at the West End Cultural Centre with Toronto act Lyon kicking off the night. Tickets are $15 in advanced and $18 at the door. Here is a little chat with singer/songwriter Colyn Cameron about recording and life on the road. Continue reading “Wake Owl :: Private World of Paradise comes to Winnipeg”
by Victoria King
Fortunate are those in the indie rock game who progress at a steady pace. There’s a small number of bands that find a happy medium between blowing up too fast and surfing under the radar. With their fifth full-length release, Do Not Engage, it’s fair to say that the Pack A.D. is one of the fortunate ones. Fortune’s not the only enabling factor to their success though. Since their first release in 2007, dedication and knowledge from experience have both played a part. Continue reading “The Pack A.D. :: Do Not Engage Certainly Engaging”
by Sheldon Birnie
Today, Johnny Cash would have turned 82 years old. Happy Birthday, Johnny! Continue reading “Hillbilly Highway – Remembering the Man in Black”
by Sheldon Birnie
Go For The Eyes are a “psychedelic blues-rock” band out of Calgary. Over the past four years, they’ve been working hard to hone their sound and to get out in front of audiences across Canada. With a lot of buzz in their hometown over the past year, Go For The Eyes are taking their music on a tour across central Canada before settling in to the studio in March. Leading up to their gig at the Times Change(d) with local rockers the Noble Thiefs, guitar player and vocalist Jeff Turner took some time out to talk to Stylus. Continue reading “Go For The Eyes :: Go For a Hot Sweaty Dance Party at the Times”
by Daniel Emberg
Cluster New Music & Integrated Arts Festival is known for the quality and innovation of its programming in music and interdisciplinary arts, with its annual call for submissions being answered by artists all over the world. Cluster also maintains an unwavering commitment to highlighting the work of Winnipeg artists alongside that of their cutting-edge contemporaries from farther afield. Stylus recently got in touch with several of those involved to find out more about Cluster’s 2014 program, the theme of which is AMPLIFICATION. Continue reading “Cluster New Music & Integrated Arts Festival”