Afternoon Headlines: Melvins Lite; POP Off Tour Stops By The Lo

>> Friday 27 April 2012


Kinnie Starr (above) is at the WECC on Thursday, June 28th w/ Keri Latimer. 

The POP off tour is heading out west for a string of dates including a stop at The Lo Pub on Tuesday, June 19th. On this year's bill is Parlovr, Hooded Fang, and Goose Hunt.

The Mike Plume band is at the Park Theatre on Wednesday, June 20th w/ Murdoch and Sparrow.

On July 9th, Melvins Lite (Buzz Osborne, Dale Crover and Trevor Dunn) is at the WECC.

And finally, The Ready or Not Showcase goes down at the WECC on Friday, May 18th featuring local acts Of Unsound Minds, Thursday's Forecast, and Cruel Society.

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Evening Headlines: Deer Tick @ The WECC; Kathleen Edwards' new Wpg date

>> Saturday 21 April 2012

First up, Rhode Island-based fivesome Deer Tick is embarking on a Canadian tour which includes a stop here on June 5th. Check them out at the WECC alongside The Novaks and Turbo Fruits.

Kathleen Edwards' has rescheduled her date at the Garrick: the songstress will be there on September 29th. Tickets for the original date will be honoured.

Poor Young Things is at the Lo Pub on May 3rd w/ The Dudes.

Local R&B singer Flo is at the WECC on June 9th.

And finally, Vancouver's Five Alarm Funk stops by the Pyramid on May 19th.

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11 Question with...SitDownTracy

>> Monday 16 April 2012



On Saturday, April 21st, local act SitDownTracy is releasing its second record, Twenty Something Winters, at our friendly neighbourhood Lo Pub. Also on the bill are Modern Romantics and Scotch+Tape.

I caught up with the band in advance of the show and threw 11 questions its way. Here's what Matt, Sean, Janelle, Trevor, and Aaron had to say:

11 Questions…

1. Where are you right now?

Matt, Sean, Janelle, and Trevor: Band HQ (The Fontana)
Aaron: Aaron: At home nursing my inconveniently timed throat infection!

Let’s talk Winnipeg…

2. Who is the most underrated Winnipeg-based band/musician?



Janelle: Our friend Dana Moore aka Gt. Dane
Matt: He's constantly working, always writing, and he's still a big part of Winnpeg music, even though he's temporarily based out of Toronto.
Trevor: Dana's a great musician. He's the unique songwriting style people would remember from All of Your Friends. It's always a treat to work with him.
Sean: He had us out to his cabin for New Year's Day and took me skating on Falcon Lake. I am indebted to this man for life. I'm not saying I would take a bullet for him; I'm saying I already have.
Aaron: In addition to being a stellar musician and amazing friend, Dana did the cover design for our album and is also my personal stylist.

3. What is your favourite local venue?

Sean: That's easy. It's the Lo Pub right?
Matt: Oh yeah, it's gotta be. That place kind of reminds me of my parent's basement: cozy.
Trevor: They have a lot of great acts there, like this local act everybody's been talking about: SitDownTracy.
Janelle: Yeah, I hear those guys are on fire.
Aaron: That must hurt! Lo Pub is definitely our favourite. Also worth mentioning is the upstart alternative venue Atomic Gallery. They've been doing some really great stuff since opening less than a year ago!

4. Where do you shop for music?

Sean: Value Village and garage sales.
Matt: In many ways, the hunt for music is even better than going to a store and knowing you can find what you're looking for.
Aaron: And of course we'll be stopping by the impeccable Into the Music for this year's Record Store Day, and perhaps even a live performance... who knows!?! (hint hint, nudge nudge, say no more, say no more)

5. Where is the best place in town to catch a bite?

Sean: Vjs – Burger/Fries/Shake; The Wagonwheel - Clubhouse
Matt: New Hong Kong on Notre Dame – Shrimp Dumplings, Sweet Bean Bun, Peking Perogies
Matt: There's 10 things on the menu, they are ALL good.
Janelle: Ken Hong's (aka Shanghai Shwartz) – Wanton Soup
Aaron: I'd say Sals House but it's all gone down hill since Burton Cummings sold his shares. Late-night menu? What the hell is that?

6. How many Winnipeg Jets games have you watched this year?

Trevor: Matt and I saw Will Arnett and Sam Katz at the same Jets game. Sam wouldn't buy us a beer for some reason.
Matt: We asked him to. He said no.
Janelle: I saw the same game, but I was in the nosebleed section having quality time with my daddio. We had burritos.
Aaron: I think I watched a game once but it was mostly just an excuse to drink beer (aka. our national pastime).

7. What’s the worst bus route in the city?

Sean: Taking the 16 north out of South Osborne is the most insulting transit experience in the city. Because the transit station is right down the street, there are like 5 times more “Not In Service” busses than there should be. Your hopes are dashed every few seconds.
Janelle: Well, at least they apologize for that now.
Sean: Yeah, that's nice.
Matt: I don't take the bus.

Let’s talk music…

8. What are some albums that completely changed your life?

Trevor: Fleetwood Mac – Tusk; The Beatles – Magical Mystery Tour; New Pornographers – Mass Romantic; B52's – Self-titled; The Misfits – Legacy of Brutality
Janelle: The Sadies – Favourite Colours; Moody Blues – Days of Future Passed
Matt: Nirvana – Nevermind (made me want to become a drummer); NIN – The Downward Spiral; Portishead - Dummy
Sean: The Mars Volta – Deloused in the Comatorium
Janelle: Niiiiiiiice!
Sean: Huey Lewis & The News – Fore!; ELO – A New World Record; Beirut – Lon Gisland EP
Aaron: T.Rex - Ride a White Swan 7"; Devo - Are We Not Men?; Ty Segall - Goodbye Bread; The Besnard Lakes - Are the Roaring Night; Chad Vangaalen - Skelliconnection/Soft Airplane

9. Of the albums you own, which has the best cover art?

Matt: Sniff 'N' The Tears – Fickle Heart; I wish I owned a Cannibal Corpse album so I could say that
Trevor: Neil Young & The Shocking Pinks – Everybody's Rocking
Janelle: Rolling Stones – Metamorphosis




Aaron: It's a toss up between two of Canada's "great" acts: Loverboy's Get Lucky VS. Burton Cummings' My Own Way to Rock. They are two sides of the same horrendous coin.






10. What’s one piece of equipment absolutely vital to your live show?

Sean: The 9V Battery
Trevor: My guitar, without it all I'm playing is a patch cord through an amp.
Janelle: Patch cords... patch cords that work.
Matt: The rug under my drums.
Aaron: The wind beneath my wings.
Trevor: Oh, I understand this question now. My answer would be... the gifts that I was born with.
Aaron: Yeah, I don't envy your mother Trev... having to push you out with that hollow body guitar and all.

11. And finally, after a show (or during!), what adult beverage do you like to consume?

Janelle: Adult beverage?
Aaron: Beer. Or maybe homemade wine.
Trevor: Beers.
Matt: Beer.
Sean: Matt's beer.

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Afternoon Headlines: The 2012 Winnipeg Jazz Festival Lineup Highlights

>> Friday 13 April 2012


Hold Steady Captain Craig Finn rocking the WECC a few years back. 

So, yup, the science of deduction ringed true: the Hold Steady are, in fact, making another appearance in Winnipeg, this time moving up a few venues to the Burton Cummings Theatre. They'll be playing at the Burt (nee Walker) on Tuesday, June 19th w/ friend-of-the-blog / local rock stalwart Greg MacPherson. Oh, and tickets will run ya $41.25 inc. taxes & fees with presale getting underway on Tuesday. I'll Tweet the code if/when I get it.

Some other highlights that fit the m.o. of this site...

The incomparable Janelle Monae plays the Burt on Wednesday, June 20th.

Badbadnotgood is at the Pyramid that same night w/ Mitchmatic.

On Saturday, June 23th The Antlers is at the Pyramid. Circle that one.

Hometown heroes Imaginary Cities is there on Thursday, June 21st w/ Young Empires.

And finally, there's a ton of local indie-rock flavour at Old Market Square on Friday, June 16th:

  • Flying Fox and the Hunter-Gatherers
  • Enjoy Your Pumas
  • Mise En Scene
  • Liptonians
  • Alfa
  • The Lytics
  • Royal Canoe

Click here for the rest of the lineup

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Afternoon Headlines: Kathleen Edwards' Doesn't Have A Voice; We Want Chilly Willy; The Science of Deduction

>> Wednesday 11 April 2012


First up, bad news, Kathleen Edwards fans: due to losing her voice, the singer-songwriter has postponed a string of dates including the Winnipeg one this Saturday. According to the press release, "Ticketholders for the Garrick Centre performance are asked to hold on to their tickets as they will be accepted on the re-scheduled date. If ticketholders are unable to attend the new date, refunds will be available at the point of purchase.  The new date will be announced once confirmed."

The Red Hot Chili Peppers rock the MTS Centre on Monday, November 26th. Guess the Jets'll be on the road in late November.

Spend an evening at the WECC with seasoned folk musician Garnet Rogers on Sunday, May 27th.

Whitehorse musical exports Old Time Machine is at Pop Soda's on Saturday, May 12th w/ Old Cabin.

Sweet Alibi is at the Park Theatre on Wednesday, May 30th w/ The Strumbellas.


Speaking of the Park Theatre...Vancouver's Brasstronaut is there on Monday, July 11th w/ Icelandic group Útidúr.

And finally, after applying the science of deduction, we can conclude that the likelihood of The Hold Steady playing this year's Winnipeg Jazz Festival is...highly probable. Evidence: The band plays Fargo on June 18th, then doesn't play Saskatoon until June 21st, leaving two nights for a Winnipeg date. Also, the 19th and 20th of June fall within the Jazz Festival date range of June 14th-23rd.

The top secret Jazz Festival lineup drops this Friday morning.

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Evening Headlines: Jane Siberry! Skydiggers! Bands vs. Filmmakers!

>> Monday 9 April 2012


First up, the inimitable Jane Siberry returns to the WECC for a gig on Sunday, May 6th.

Also, roots-rock veterans Skydiggers will play a pair of sets at the WECC on Saturday, May 26th. Look for their latest release, Northern Shore, on April 17th via Latent Recordings.

Jayme Stone's Room of Wonders is there on Sunday, May 27th.

Show I missed listing: Sepultura and Death Angel are at the Pyramid on Wednesday, April 18th.

Buck 65 (Rich Terfry) is taking a break from his highly enviable Radio 2 Drive day job and heading West in May for a brief tour. Check him out at the Pyramid on Friday, May 11th. 

The second annual Bands vs. Filmmakers event goes down this year on Thursday, May 31st. This year the event features:

Bands: SitDownTracy, Cannon Bros., Nova, The Magnificent 7s, and This Hisses

Filmmakers: Rhayne Vermette, Scott Fitzpatrick, Curtis Wiebe, Stephane Oystryk, and Danishka Esterhazy

And finally, if you're interested, my CBC Manitoba Scene piece on our mighty fine local label Head in the Sand Records. If you haven't heard Rococode's sweet sounds yet, do yourself a favour. "Empire" is a pure pop gem.

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Bry Webb to Play The WECC!

>> Monday 2 April 2012

Just a quick but exciting note: Bry Webb (ex-Constantines) is at the West End Cultural Center on June 17th w/ Snailhouse and Zach Lucky.

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