The millennial generation has seen tragedy in many ways, but the opioid crisis has become the biggest catalyst in inducing tragic events that it has seen so far. Through their nearly two-decade-long career, Good Charlotte has focused on depression, suicide, mental health, and many more heavy topics in their music. Their latest album, however...
Photo: James Rexroad Melding together the sounds of hard rock, punk, blues-infused metal, doom, and more, Red Fang knows no bounds when it comes to putting out hard-hitting music. The band will be playing Heavy Montreal this year on July 28th, in the midst of their Only Ghosts spring/summer tour. They’ll be sharing the stage with heavy … Continue reading Red Fang Talks “Only Ghosts”, Portland Music Scene, and Tour Fitness
David 'The King Of Sludge' Parks of Too Many Zooz @ 27 Club, Ottawa, ON Beginning their careers in the depths of the New York subway terminals, the guys from Too Many Zooz have come a long way. The group skyrocketed to fame after a live video of them went viral, leading to a gig … Continue reading INTRODUCING BRASSHOUSE – A CONVERSATION WITH TOO MANY ZOOZ
Rod Stewart’s show at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa was a feast for the eyes, as well as the ears and the heart. Moving through generations of songs with backdrops to match, emphasizing influential political and historical moments. Some stand out images on screen were Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and footage of Stewart … Continue reading ROD STEWART @ CANADIAN TIRE CENTRE, OTTAWA
When you can put on a show like Too Many Zooz, it’s no surprise that last night’s show at the 27 Club in Ottawa was sold out. The amount of raw energy the trio brought to the stage had the lenses of cameras fogging up with steam. From the moment they hit the stage, everyone … Continue reading Too Many Zooz @ 27 Club, Ottawa
While some may classify it as ‘dad rock’ at this point in their careers, that doesn’t stop either Our Lady Peace or Matthew Good from bringing out a crowd of all ages. TD Place was the fifth stop on their joint Canadian tour on Thursday night, and while it was only a half arena show, … Continue reading OUR LADY PEACE W/ MATTHEW GOOD & THE ASCOT ROYALS @ TD PLACE ARENA, OTTAWA
Fans had been looking forward to seeing Marilyn Manson at Rebel in Toronto for months before he injured himself when a stage prop that was not properly secured fell onto him and crushed his leg while he was performing “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)” at New York City’s Hammerstein Ballroom. Most of the dates … Continue reading MARILYN MANSON @ REBEL, TORONTO
Now on its fourth year in Ottawa, Megaphono’s objective is clear: Bring Ottawa’s music scene back to life and make it so artists and industry workers alike don’t have to head out to Montreal or Toronto to pursue a career. The festival offers both a massive amount of shows throughout the city as well as … Continue reading TRAILS, LUKA & KETURAH JOHNSON: MEGAPHONO @ NAC, OTTAWA
Animal Collective co-founder Panda Bear (aka Noah Lennox) is back with his first taste of new music since his 2015 EP Crosswords in the form of a limited édition 12-inch entitled A Day With The Homies (out Jan. 12th via Domino) Lennox contributed to Daft Punk’s 2014 Grammy Awards success, with his appearance on the track Doin’ It Right in 2013, from Random … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: PANDA BEAR – “A DAY WITH THE HOMIES”
Up for their first Grammy award, nominated under the Best Rock Song category for their song 'The Stage,' Avenged Sevenfold is currently on tour with Breaking Benjamin and Bullet For My Valentine. Sunday, that tour hit the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, and of course the band exclaimed how much they love the beautiful nation’s … Continue reading AVENGED SEVENFOLD @ CANADIAN TIRE CENTRE, OTTAWA
While an illness in the band forced them to be reschedule the shows from their original dates in late June, Alexisonfire always brings insurmountable energy forth when they do hit the stage. Vocalist and guitarist Dallas Green, who being the only real exception to that usually stands relatively motionless for the most part, was surprisingly … Continue reading Alexisonfire @ The Danforth Music Hall, Toronto
Children of Bodom kicked off their 20th anniversary tour at the Bronson Centre in Ottawa on Wednesday with Uncured, Lost Society, and Carach Angren. Their set was nothing less than energy fuelled and in a venue that much resembles a high school auditorium, it was reminiscent of what the outcasts always dreamed of as the … Continue reading Children Of Bodom @ Bronson Centre, Ottawa
After a four-year hiatus, Thrice has started making waves again with their latest album, To Be Everywhere Is To Be Nowhere. For a band that has always sworn to be loyal to each other, they’re still humble enough to be amazed that their fans have stayed as loyal as they have. In support of their … Continue reading INTERVIEW: WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR THRICE – A CONVERSATION WITH RILEY BRECKENRIDGE
Children of Bodom kicked off their 20th anniversary tour at the Bronson Centre in Ottawa on Wednesday, with Uncured, Lost Society, and Carach Angren. Their set was nothing less than energy-fuelled, and in a venue that much resembles a high school auditorium, it was reminiscent of what the outcasts always dreamed of as the ultimate … Continue reading Children of Bodom @ Bronson Centre, Ottawa
Canadian punk legends, D.O.A., played the 27 Club for the first time since it was Zaphod's and brought some local talent along with them, with Cultural Treason, who was playing their first live show ever. While it was their first live performance, they came out strong, and to open up for a band like D.O.A. … Continue reading D.O.A. & Cultural Treason @ 27 Club, Ottawa
Chances are you already know Tyler Bates’ work. If you’ve seen any number of Hollywood blockbusters like 300, Guardians of the Galaxy or John Wick, all of these acclaimed films were enhanced by the creative, musical mind of Tyler Bates. As a composer, Bates always focuses on capturing the emotion of the movie with his music to create a visual immersive experience … Continue reading INTERVIEW: TYLER BATES TALKS WORKING WITH MARILYN MANSON, FILM SCORES, & MONSTERS AFTER DARK
The line-up was phenomenal, the crowd was engaged from start to finish, and the venue was perfect for this type of show. Not to say that their performance was not on point, but the crowd did seem to get much more tame during Bleached’s performance. The line-up would seemingly be more well placed with Bleached … Continue reading AGAINST ME! W/ BLEACHED & THE DIRTY NIL @ CORONA THEATRE, MONTREAL
The Bronx, a Los Angeles-based genre-bending hardcore punk band, are back with their new album V, which dropped on September 22nd via ATO Records. The Bronx is what punk needs: they harness the genre’s classic fire but then bend it to their whim, forging rock n’ roll swagger together with hardcore grit. The Bronx eschews Hollywood hipster snobbery, but they’re too clever for the Sunset Strip. They tap … Continue reading INTERVIEW: THE BRONX TALKS “V”, WEIRD QUIRKS, & THE FUTURE OF MARIACHI EL BRONX
Playing in the Saturday Night Live band for 10 years, and on his off-time playing at the New York Rangers games is a huge musical feat in itself, but guitarist Jared Scharff also takes the time to impress us with his solo work, as Pear Lion. Set for release later this year. Pearl Lion’s double EP … Continue reading SNL’s Jared Scharff Talks New Season, Jamming With Dave Grohl, New Solo Music, And Much More
It’s always a bittersweet feeling, the end of sensational festival like City Folk, but there’s no doubt that this was one of the best editions of the festival yet and we could not have asked for a better ending. The weather was perfect, the mood was mellow, and the acts were outstanding to say the … Continue reading OF SMILES & EASY LAUGHTER, RODRIGUEZ!
Every festival has one day that blows the rest out of the water, and for City Folk, that was Saturday night. Jumping from genre to genre, the night was full of sheer talent. Fred Penner holds a special place in a lot of people’s hearts, young and old. Playing a show in the afternoon for the … Continue reading CITY FOLK KEEPS ROLLIN’
Day two at City Folk for the bus was so full of spirit that anyone coming off of a long work week would have quickly forgotten just how tired they were before they arrived at the festival. Both stages were jam packed with loud, energy fueled acts that took the stage by force. If you … Continue reading ENOUGH ENERGY TO POWER A SMALL CITY AT CITY FOLK
The Wilderness opened the bus’s night at CityFolk on the Ravenlaw Stage in the Aberdeen Pavilion, which has housed a wide variety of events over the years. Clearly appreciating the amount of people who made it out for their set, they said “we just came off of an 11 show tour and there are more people … Continue reading THURSDAY NIGHT @ CITY FOLK
This year’s CityFolk festival kicked off yesterday evening at Ottawa’s beautiful Lansdowne Park, featuring acts including JUNO Award winner Ruth B (breakout artist of the year) and Post Malone. Many festivals have very clearly suffered due to budget cuts, attempting to appeal to far too many audiences at the same time, and so on, but City Folk has always … Continue reading CITY FOLK TIME ONCE AGAIN
The Toronto International Film Festival kicks off this Thursday with an eclectic slate of films. But what usually lies beneath the radar, are the scores within the films. The score is a true compliment to Downrange composer Aldo Shllaku’s creative instinct. The Canadian composer behind the new Ryûhei Kitamura-directed film grew up with musical training at a young age and two … Continue reading TIFF 2017 – Aldo Shllaku Talks “Downrange”, Immigrating from Albania, & Dream Directors
“Anxiety caused by feeling too content” is just the first aspect of the double-pronged paradoxical rumination that is Content, the sophomore full-length album by Rochester, NY-based indie quintet, Joywave, which dropped July 28th with a tour supporting Young the Giant and Cold War Kids to follow. The title, Content, sees Joywave apply their trademark irreverence and humor … Continue reading Joywave Talks “Content”, Creating Super 8 Film Music Videos, & Nintendo
Straight off of the streets of Toronto, Turbo Street Funk has combined musical forces from all around the world to bring Toronto a cultured, fun performance that has spread far past the city streets. Topping the radio charts, Turbo Street Funk took the scene by force with their powerful live performances, unique instruments, and playful … Continue reading TURBO STREET FUNK ON BUSKING IN TORONTO, THEIR FAVOURITE VENUES, AND MORE
The Market is usually pretty quiet on a Wednesday night, but you can usually find a good show happening at the Rainbow Bistro. This past Wednesday night, Upstate Rubdown and Turbo Street Funk filled the venue with great vibes and a full dance floor. Coming up from upstate New York, Upstate Rubdown showed people how … Continue reading UPSTATE RUBDOWN & TURBO STREET FUNK PARTY @ THE RAINBOW BISTRO
She’s already known for her colourful, unique personality, but this being Pink’s third show in four years, the crowd was unsure of what to expect. Were they ever blown away when she hit the stage though. Appositely kicking off the set with her breakout hit, “Get the Party Started”, fans were taught to expect the … Continue reading RBC Bluesfest 2017 – Day 4, Lebreton Flatts, Ottawa
With the biggest crowd so far at Bluesfest 2017, 50 Cent partied like it was his birthday, and this time it actually was. For 50 Cent’s 42nd birthday, he hit the stage in Ottawa, for his first time ever playing Bluesfest and his first appearance in the capital since 2004. Coming onto the stage ten … Continue reading RBC Bluesfest 2017 – Day 3, Lebreton Flatts, Ottawa
Sam Roberts headlined the Claridge Homes stage on the first night of RBC Bluesfest 2017 on Thursday, and brought members of Tribe Royal, who opened up for them earlier in the night, to the stage for that extra bit of Bluesfest community flavour. Roberts greeted the crowd in french, paying homage to his french Canadian roots. … Continue reading RBC Bluesfest 2017 – Day 1 @ Lebreton Flatts, Ottawa
Although the attendance was rather low at the Canadian Tire Centre for The 1975 concert last Thursday night, the fans in attendance being mostly teenage girls, screamed loud enough to make it sound like a full house when the Manchester boys hit the stage. While there were a few Ottawa Senators jersey’s in sight, the … Continue reading THE 1975 @ THE CANADIAN TIRE CENTRE
Their vocals are almost as wild, loud, and crass as the feedback that guitarist/vocalist Luke Bentham uses as an instrument of his own. Their untamed energy comes alive in their songs nearly as much as it does in their live show. Such a stark semblance of chaos in sound and performance shows that raw sense … Continue reading Travelling and playing Rock N’ Roll with my friends – An interview with Luke Bentham of The Dirty Nil
While many fans remember her from her teenage pop career back in the early 2000’s, Skye Sweetnam has since become the lead singer Hamilton-based alt-metal band Sumo Cyco, under the stage name Sever. Sumo Cyco released their second album, Opus Mar, on March 31st via Radio Ghost Music, which they independently crowdfunded through PledgeMusic and … Continue reading Interview: Sumo Cyco Talks “Opus Mar”, Crowdfunding, and Cyco City
Photos by Sean Sisk Early shows seem to be a growing standard here in Ottawa, so when people took on the traffic to get there at 6:30, many coming straight from work, the opening acts were over the moon. Traffic was even heavier on the 417 on Thursday evening, as there were pick-up trucks backing … Continue reading DIG YOUR ROOTS TOUR PARTIES IN OTTAWA
Founded in 2005, Motionless In White has won over audiences worldwide with their aggressive music and arresting imagery. The band – currently comprising of lead singer Chris Motionless, guitarists Ryan Sitkowski and Ricky Horror, bassist Devin “Ghost” Sola, and drummer Vinny Mauro – have proven a ferocious and inventive live act, earning an increasingly fervent fan … Continue reading Interview: Motionless In White Talks “Graveyard Shift” Fave Horror Movies, and High School Bullies
Sometimes we forget that sports are also a form of entertainment. A lot of people in the music industry also play sports and of course in Canada, hockey is something that’s almost in our blood. So every year in support of MusiCounts, the JUNO Awards hold a JUNO Cup during the week leading up to … Continue reading Jon Gallant of Billy Talent talks JUNO Cup, childhood aspirations of playing hockey, coming back to Ottawa, and more
With a roster of such astoundingly talented artists in town for JUNO week and weekend, so many events, and so much going on – it wasn’t exactly until afterwards that everyone took in the glory of it all. Even the people who took home the shiny trophies with them. After the JUNO Gala Dinner, where … Continue reading William Prince talks JUNO Weekend, the stresses of touring away from family, and more
Not only where to start, but where to go, and how many things can be fit into one night – those were probably the most common questions by anyone who was taking advantage of JUNO Week. It was crazy, it was busy, but it was an amazing, all Canadian week with so many captivating things … Continue reading JUNO Awards & JUNO Week 2017
The past few years have been a bit of a roller coaster ride for Phil Rudd. But things are starting to look up, as the ex-AC/DC drummer heads out in support of his solo album, Head Job, at the end of March. The tour, which is set to span across 18 countries in Europe, will be Rudd’s … Continue reading Interview: Ex-AC/DC Drummer Phil Rudd Talks “Head Job”, and Self-Growth
No one really knows how long their careers are going to last, and when you hit any significant milestone, it can make it all worth it. For Switchfoot, their musical venture is hitting a 10-album mark with Where The Light Shines Through, and they’re humbled by the fact that they’re still able to call music a career. While … Continue reading Interview: Switchfoot Talks “Where The Light Shines through”, and Overcoming Adversity
While awards aren’t everything, appreciating our Canadian artists is, and the JUNOS are where that really happens. The 2017 Juno awards will mark the 26th annual ceremony, and it’ll celebrate not only that, but everything that’s happened this year in music. Today the nominees and performances were announced at the re-vamped Sound Academy – Rebel … Continue reading 46th Annual JUNO Awards Nominee Press Conference | #JUNOS @ Rebel, Toronto
Multi-platinum-selling punk rock band AFI (vocalist Davey Havok, guitarist Jade Puget, bassist Hunter Burgan and drummer Adam Carson) is set to return with their new album, AFI (The Blood Album), on January 20th, which serves as their first album since 2013’s Burials. The creative process saw the band crafting a plethora of material—60 songs according to … Continue reading Interview: AFI Talks “The Blood Album”, Musical Escapism, and Intimate Concerts
Rock ‘n’ Roll is a very diverse term in today’s society. There hasn’t really been a good movement since the early ’70s, and while those bands are still prominent in today’s music culture, it’s hard to find a band that has a similar approach to their music in the industry these days. The Soul Shakers … Continue reading INTERVIEW: BRETT HELLINGS TALKS ABOUT THE SOUL SHAKERS FORMATION, BRINGING GOOD ‘OL ROCK ‘N’ ROLL BACK, AND MORE
Following its Off-Broadway New York success, and acclaimed season at Liverpool’s prestigious Epstein Theatre, the celebration of the genius and music of John Lennon, Lennon: Through a Glass Onion, makes its Canadian debut this fall. Inspired by the song “Glass Onion,” which was John Lennon’s postscript to The Beatles, the critically acclaimed show peels away the layers of time and … Continue reading Interview: Daniel Taylor talks “Lennon: Through A Glass Onion”, and His Favourite Beatles Songs
You’ve been friends with Dayglo since 1979 and from what I can see, this is the first tour you’ve done together. Yeah, we played with them probably ten times throughout the years. Maybe 12 or 13. We just played with them recently at Punk Rock Bowling in Las Vegas, this past May. That’s what made … Continue reading Joey “Shithead” Keithley of D.O.A. talks “Fucked up Donald,” their upcoming tour with the Dayglo Abortions, and more
For the past two albums, London-based duo Jack Cooper and James Hoare of Ultimate Painting have been weaving their sounds together. With the duo’s new album, Dusk, set for release on September 30th via Trouble In Mind, they’ve added something new to the mix. Melissa Rigby joined the duo in the recording process for this … Continue reading Interview: Ultimate Painting Talks “Dusk”, Favourite Record Stores, and Politics
The Joy Formidable Hitch 8/10 Cadence Music Eccentric, captivating, and calming all at the same time – Hitch gives you a taste of what it’s like behind the scenes with The Joy Formidable. The trio spawned from North Wales just over a decade ago, broke into the mainstream with the 2011 release of The Big … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: THE JOY FORMIDABLE – HITCH
Music festivals should be expected to stay true to their roots, just as much as bands are expected to stick to their originality and sound over what their label wants them to do.
Live shows are what is keeping the music business alive and festivals have been an enormous part of that for decades. But they don’t always “stay true” to their roots, as many of us expect they should.
