Category: Features

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Royal Wood :: Q+A

by Darcy Penner

This coming Monday, October 15, Toronto’s Royal Wood will be kicking off a cross-Canada tour in Winnipeg, at the West End Cultural Centre, to support his latest MapleMusic release, We Were Born to Glory.  Stylus had the opportunity to meet up with Wood at the Winnipeg Folk Festival, and had a brief conversation about the album, growing older, and Wood’s successful career.  The following is an edited transcript of the interview.

Tickets are $20 through Ticketmaster or the Winnipeg Folk Fest Music Store. Elisapie is opening.  Doors at 7:15 pm, show at 8:00 pm.

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Hillbilly Highway – Dylan rumbles through Boomerville

by Sheldon Birnie

I hit the Bob Dylan show at the MTS Centre last week when he cruised into town on the Hillbilly Highway, and I’m sure glad I did. It’s the third time I’ve seen ol’ Bob, and it was possibly the best performance I’ve seen him churn out in the nine years that span those three dates, and certainly more enjoyable than Dylan’s last Winnipeg date, back around 2009. Continue reading “Hillbilly Highway – Dylan rumbles through Boomerville”

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They Say / Enjoy Your Pumas / The Secrets / JICAH // @ Park Theatre 09-28-12

photos & words by Ginaya Jesmer

On September 28th the Park Theatre was taken over by four very talented bands for the release of THEY SAY’s debut CD Disguises. First on stage was Enjoy Your Pumas, followed by The Secrets, then JICAH, and lastly THEY SAY. All of the bands gave very energetic performances and the enthusiasm from the audience seemed to accumulate after every performance. There was a notable amount of energy during the JICAH performance which managed to get the majority of the crowd dancing and involved. Continue reading “They Say / Enjoy Your Pumas / The Secrets / JICAH // @ Park Theatre 09-28-12”

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JohNNy SiZZle :: Still shaking the tree after 20 years


by Sheldon Birnie

“A funny thing has happened on the way to the stage,” says Winnipeg’s JohNNy SiZZle as we chat in the Stylus office (“It’s not as glamorous as I imagined it,” says SiZZle). “They could still see that I’m very influenced by underground hardcore punk, but I think that underground hardcore punk has seeped so much into the mainstream culture, that it’s not like ten or 20 years ago where I had to make a full explanation of myself, of what I’m doing with an acoustic guitar. They can clearly get it, that ‘Oh, acoustic guitar playing heavy hardcore punk. I get it.’”
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Ingrid D. Johnson :: Art for Hope

By Darcy Penner

For over half a decade, Ingrid D. Johnson has been creating and publishing poetry, music, spoken word, and videos, all with the purpose of sharing a positive message of overcoming childhood sexual abuse and violence against women.  Johnson founded her own publication social enterprise, In The Closet Productions, to further her work and “inspire those wounded by childhood sexual abuse and other forms of trauma… to do more than just survive their past — to overcome it!”  Her career has included many successes, from wide exposure throughout provincial and national media, to partnering with many community organizations, to being included in The Manitoba Women’s Advisory Council and Mentoring Artist’s for Women’s Art’s publication, Women In the Arts: Artists Working for Social Change.

On Sunday, October 7th, Johnson will be celebrating the release of her debut full length, What About Love?, at The Park Theatre Cafe. Recorded at Studio 11 by Jason Gordon, Johnson is joined by her backup band, The Funky Fresh Crew, to create a heart-filled blend of gospel, blues, and pop.  Johnson took the time this week to answer a few questions for Stylus.

Head down to the Park on Sunday night to see Johnson’s set: doors at 7:15, tickets $15 advance/$20 at the door (includes CD).

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Hillbilly Highway – Those Darlins new Winnipeg inspired track

by Sheldon Birnie

It’s no secret I’m a big fan of Nashville based rockers Those Darlins. Since seeing them open for King Khan & BBQ Show at the Albert a few years back, I’ve been head over heels for the smokin’ babes & hot dude that make up Those Darlins, and the sweet, sweet country tinged rock n roll they pump out. Continue reading “Hillbilly Highway – Those Darlins new Winnipeg inspired track”

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Relic / Abstract Artform / M-Kaps / The Happy Unfortunate / VP Nights 09-20-12

by Ryan Reyes

photos by Khammy Phanthavong

Relic aka Rel McCoy is touring the country in support of his album Miles To Go. He’s a talented jack-of-all-trades who raps, produces, engineers, DJ’s and sings. The man has won a Juno for producing songs for Canadian hip hop artist Shad. His Winnipeg stop at VP Nights included local openers Abstract Artform, M-Kaps and The Happy Unfortunate. Continue reading “Relic / Abstract Artform / M-Kaps / The Happy Unfortunate / VP Nights 09-20-12”

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RiFF RAFF // Live @ Greenroom // 09-26-12

RiFF RAFF Live
Live at the Greenroom in Winnipeg.

By Andrew Mazurak

RiFF RAFF is the Anton Newcombe of hip-hop but consciously unsound. Heads, hipsters and tag-alongs all came out see Diplo’s new recruit to Mad Decent Records alongside DollaBillGates at the Greenroom two nights ago.

The crowd was wild as fuck. RAFF killed it. I fell off the stage at one point. rock ‘n roll

Also snapped some pics:

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Label Profile: Eat Em Up Records


by Sheldon Birnie

“It’s been a bunk summer for venues and shows, this summer,” said Brandon Ackerman over a couple beers and smokes in Wolseley recently. “But this fall is looking promising.”
Ackerman makes up half of Eat Em Up Records, and we are discussing upcoming projects the label has coming down the pipe. “I’ve been a fan of Eat Em Up Records since it’s inception in the early 2000s,” Ackerman told Stylus.
Rounded out by Jan Quakenbush, founder of Eat Em Up Records, the two have some big plans for the little label. “We’re stepping it up, putting things out faster. Really pushing to put out vinyl,” Ackerman said. Continue reading “Label Profile: Eat Em Up Records”

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Hillbilly Highway – Sumner Brothers hit town Sunday

by Sheldon Birnie

The Sumner Brothers are a Vancouver based indie-roots act made up of, you guessed it, the brothers Bob and Brian Sumner. Effortlessly blending traditional themes and sounds with a fully contemporary language and feel, the Sumner Brothers craft contemporary roots music at home both within rural honky-tonks and urban dive bars where the bourbon flows free. Releasing their debut In the Garage in 2006, the Sumner Brothers have been at the vanguard of a resurgence of folk music in Vancouver. With the release of their fourth disc, I’ll Be There Tomorrow, the boys hit the road running last week, and are pulling through Winnipeg on the Hillbilly Highway this weekend with two shows lined up. After discussing their influences (large fans of Bruce Springsteen, Townes Van Zandt, and Johnny Cash), Stylus jumped into the following discussion with Brian Sumner, as the boys enjoyed a rare day off in Edmonton. Continue reading “Hillbilly Highway – Sumner Brothers hit town Sunday”