Category: Features

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Hillbilly Highway – Gettin’ Lucky with Mayes & Nowicki

by Sheldon Birnie

Romi Mayes is a staple of the Winnipeg roots rockin’ scene. A guitar wielding, songwriting babe, Mayes has been touring for years as two-piece blues rock combo with powerhouse guitar-picker Jay Nowicki of the Perpetrators. The Mayes & Nowicki show have toured around the world and back again over the past few years, releasing the Times Fades Away styled live album Lucky Tonight last year. Personally, I’ve been in awe of Mayes songwriting and strong stage presence for years. This Friday, I’m pumped up to have my band to open for Mayes & Nowicki at the Cavern. I caught up with Romi over the phone after the May Long Weekend to chat about the gig, a new music video, and what keeps her inspired while travelling the lengths of the Hillbilly Highway. Continue reading “Hillbilly Highway – Gettin’ Lucky with Mayes & Nowicki”

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Sound & Visions: Experiences During a Self-Guided Tour


By Adrienne Yeung

Like many of you, my daily commute includes a walk past the Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art. One day a sign for their current exhibit caught my eye. Sound + Visions: Crossroads (curated by Anthony Kiendl) manages to link not only aural and visual art, but historical events and the present,  personal experiences and public exhibition. 11 pieces take various aspects of music and sound and allow you to look at them dissected, connected, transformed. This is my experience, below. Continue reading “Sound & Visions: Experiences During a Self-Guided Tour”

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Hillbilly Highway – Catching up with Jacob & Lily

by Sheldon Birnie

Manitoba natives and current Albertans Jacob & Lily are making a few stops here in the Keystone Province this week. Since forming in 2006, this dynamic duo have made over 500 stops along the Hillbilly Highway in support of their award winning disc The Cathedral (2007). Karla Adolphe (aka Lily) took a couple minutes off on the road from Ontario headed West to chat about their latest goings on. Continue reading “Hillbilly Highway – Catching up with Jacob & Lily”

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Breaking fingers, destroying guitars and taking names :: Boats, on upcoming album


Words & photo by Leif Larsen

Fans of Winnipeg indie band Boats will be pleased to know that the band has been holed away producing their third studio album, To a Fairway Full of Miners. While three records in five years may seem impressive to some, frontman, Mat Klachefsky, doesn’t think they’ve done enough. Continue reading “Breaking fingers, destroying guitars and taking names :: Boats, on upcoming album”