I Heart Edmonton

Starlite Room by emil tiedemann I T ALMOST looked like a medieval church, depending on where you were standing. Brick walls, an arched entrance, and a flock of bohemians, beatniks, and beirdos waiting for the large castle-like doors to swing open and grant them asylum from the cold.  It was the middle of February in Edmonton and so the sooner the better. I had been invited by some publicist because of my blog about “everything Edmonton,” and in fact had never even heard of headliner Michael Bernard Fitzgerald prior to this invite, nor had I ever been to a show at the Starlite Room .    Calgary's Michael Bernard Fitzgerald (left) performing at the Starlite Room, with Andrew Ball on drums. I had at least heard of the Starlite though, and was excited to finally check it out, sort of a hidden gem, unless you’re a fan of any music that Pitchfork or Spin magazine might praise. I hope I didn’t paint a picture of pretentious and arrogant hipsters staring you down ...

Although the local music scene has taken a hit in the last couple of years, Edmonton is on the forefront of an exciting new musical landscape by emil tiedemann D ESPITE some disheartening setbacks in Edmonton's music scene over the last couple of years, namely the closure of some beloved performance venues and the "send off" of Joe Gurba 's Old Ugly Recordings , there's new hope for live music fans on the horizon. Some of Edmonton's talented musicians! We saw musical landmarks like The Artery, The Pawn Shop, and Wunderbar close their doors for good last year, but there have been others that have eagerly taken the baton.  A year ago, The Almanac opened on Whyte, followed by The Sewing Machine Factory this year, while The Needle Vinyl Tavern and The Chvrch of John created some much-needed stage space in the downtown soon after, collectively providing live music seven days a week! In January, YEG Music launched as an effort to support and pro...