I Heart Edmonton

The Vibrant Music Scene by emil tiedemann I F you’re not a music fan, then I don’t think we can be friends. It’s as simple as that. No, for real! Just kidding! But seriously, if you don’t like music, then something is probably wrong with you.    Local musician Josh Williams performing at the City Market downtown. Anyways, if you do like music, however, then you’re in the right town! Sure, we’re no Nashville or Austin or even Toronto, but we know good music and we have plenty of it. Edmonton’s music scene is bustling with talented musicians, bands, songwriters, singers, and producers making some pretty damn good sounds.  From the traditional roots of our very own Corb Lund & the Hurtin’ Albertans to the contemporary pop stylings of Edmonton-born k.d. lang , and just about everything imaginable in between, we’ve got your cup of tea! There are plenty of pubs, clubs, lounges, bars, cafes, eateries, patios, parking lots, basements, rooftops (& one trolley...

The Internet claims another victim, as low sales leads to the closure of the Megatunes indie record chain BY EMIL TIEDEMANN E VERY Thursday Vue Weekly publishes the twenty albums most popular with customers of the local Megatunes record shop. By the end of the summer season, this tradition will cease. Our province's solitary indie record chain announced earlier this week that it's closing both of its stores, one located on Calgary's 17th Street S.W., and the other here on Whyte Ave. According to Edmonton manager Dave Gawdunyk , the reasoning behind the closure doesn't fall back on the Whyte Avenue branch, which is apparently still "very viable," but rather due to slumping sales in the Calgary store. But, "If you're an independent business," said Gawdunyk, "you need both stores to do well--and in Calgary, there's been a drop-off in sales. It's like one hand clapping, right? You need both to coexist." Megatunes open...

Jesse Dangerously, Brzowski, H.W., and crew of local hip-hop maestros congregate at The Hydeaway BY EMIL TIEDEMANN What: Multi-artist hip-hop pub concert When: Monday, May 31, 2010 (doors @ 9PM/ show @ 10PM) Where: The Hydeaway (10209-100 Ave.) W HENEVER I post these event announcements I research the artists as much as humanly possible...or until my ADD kicks in and I lose interest. This Monday's concert at The Hydeaway , headlined by Halifax rapper Jesse Dangerously , was no exception to the rule. But, I have to admit, Mr. Dangerously is not what you might expect in a hip-hop connoisseur, as I learned. He's slightly on the hefty side, and he sports a beard and specs. He dresses down, no bling in site. He's Caucasian and hails from a town famous for its piers and as the birthplace of Alexander Keith's. Oh, and there's that subtle, but obvious lisp. But none of that shit matters, because Jesse's got the goods to push past all of it and command whatever stage ...

Jaded Hipster Choir tape ( yes , tape!) release concert What: Tape release concert/party When: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 (8:45PM) Where: Likwid Lounge (10081-Jasper Ave./ 780-429-2582) G OT plans for next Wednesday evening (May 26)? Well, if you do I say you cancel them and head out to the downtown Likwid Lounge instead, where the Jaded Hipster Choir is launching their synth pop cassette (remember those?!), I Will Not Sing Your Praises Here . The tape is yours free when you ante up the $10 cover at the doors of the Lounge, which will also host performances by Methadone , Philip Dickau , and Old Ugly Recording Company head honcho The Joe . "Tonight, we're taking the name 'Synth Pop', and we're doing it for all the right reasons, for all the grinding melodic fankensteins who couldn't help but be the way they are." The show's promoters continue: "Tonight, we exalt the creak ensconsed looping pedals and the moaning crystalline keyboards to a stra...

Cover to get into the Avenue for 'Funky vs. Fresh': $10. A four-hour musical hybrid of local endowment: priceless! BY EMIL TIEDEMANN I RECOGNIZED him the moment I walked into the men's room at the Avenue Theatre ( 9030-118 Ave. ) last Friday night (May 7) for the all-ages "Funky vs. Fresh" concert. And I know there are all kinds of dirty thoughts & images popping up in your head right now, but let me finish before you jump to your perverse conclusions. The Joe (a.k.a. Joe Gurba) stood at the mirror, trying on his new cap, clad with the words Gateway Screen & Press . I fleetingly debated whether or not to say something like "hey, I know you." As I stood at the urinal, my back to the charismatic local rapper, I bit the proverbial bullet: "I just bought your CD last weekend," I joyously admitted. I wasn't lying either. In fact, I was listening to Ut Oh in my car on the way to the Avenue. "Oh, really?!" As I wa...

Cadence Weapon, The Joe amongst the praised wordsmiths who'll light up this year's POfest BY EMIL TIEDEMANN O UR city is entering its festival season and there's no shortage of things to do during the spring and summer months. We hear a lot about the Fringe , Street Performers , A Taste of Edmonton , and the world-class Folk Fest , but we have to keep our ears to the ground when it comes to one of the dozens of neglected events that share this season. One of those lesser known affairs is the fifth annual Edmonton Poetry Festival (EPF), which kicks off tomorrow (Monday, April 19), right in the middle of National Poetry Month . This year's theme is " Found in Translation ." Every year the EPF (est. 2006) sets out to celebrate and promote the capital region's eclectic and ever-growing poetry scene. There will be dozens of local and national poets who will take part in the 7-day fest, including Ian Ferrier , Joe Gurba (a.k.a. "The Joe"), Lorri Niel...

"You're Cool" (2009) by The Joe "I T'S an amazing, amazing scene," admitted local rapper Joe Gurba (a.k.a. The Joe ) to Vue Weekly , referring to Edmonton's hip-hop scene. "There are MCs here that can go up against any international MC. But there are no listeners." "I don't even listen to hip-hop that much anymore." That was more than two years ago, and both hip-hop in Edmonton and The Joe have come a long way. In fact, our city's current poet laureate just happens to be rap artist Cadence Weapen , and some of the genre's biggest players have passed through (or were at least scheduled to) our rock 'n' roll town. But we're getting off topic here, so let's get back to this Joe guy. First off, who is he? Well, according to his MySpace page , The Joe is a 22-year-old emcee, poet and producer who sounds like " Fresh Prince meets Leonard Cohen ." Actually, that isn't too far from the truth! Last S...