Last year, the two remaining members of one of Edmonton’s most popular bands, Christian Hansen and the Autistics (now known simply as Christian Hansen) moved to Toronto. But, despite being in Canada’s entertainment capital, where musicians-and-actors (and husband-and-wife) Christian Hansen and Molly Flood went for optimal opportunities, they still came home to record their new album, C’Mon Arizona, with ...
Two years ago, violinist Joanna Ciapka-Sangster sent Carnegie Hall’s promoters a recording by her and her group — named for its saxophonist and her husband — Kent Sangster’s Obsessions Octet. Kent didn’t think anything would come of the package she sent, but he was quickly proven wrong. Charmed by the group’s amalgamating of a classical string quartet (two...
For the third time, California-based architect Randall Stout has won the American Architecture Award. Given out by the Chicago Athanaeum, it is the highest accolade for architects in the U.S. But this time it’s for a Canadian venture, the Art Gallery of Alberta, which in its two years since opening has become a signature of Edmonton. He previously won in 2005 for designing the Hunter Museum of American Art in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and in 2007, for the Taubman...
In the late ’ 70s and early ’80s, one of the most influential metal bands was also one of the most commercially unsuccessful. Anvil — three thrashers hailing from Toronto — might have been the harbingers to Slayer and Metallica, but they were largely forgotten until 2008, when Rebecca Yeldham, producer of films The Motorcycle Diaries...
Canada’s cherished poet and singer-songwriter is displaying a collection of his sketches and drawings at the Agnes Bugera Gallery (12310 Jasper Ave.) starting on November 17, a day before his highly anticipated Edmonton concert at Rexall Place. “We have a partnership with the Graneville Fine Art in Vancouver, where some of [Cohen’s] art is displayed,” explains gallery owner Agnes Bugera. “[Cohen’s] representatives approached us with the idea and I have tons of his CDs, I love his work, so of course I said yes.” Cohen, a McGill...
Edmonton’s Manasc Isaac architectural firm has been known for its innovative sustainable designs since 1997. To celebrate its fifteenth birthday, the sounds of live music performed by members of the firm, laughter and discussion filled the company’s rooftop, where the party was held. As a part of the celebration, the Vivian Manasc, Architect and Principal at the firm, presented the second annual Blue Sky Award, which grants a local non-profit business with $10,000 worth of free consulting time. Manasc explained that she received...
Who doesn’t love a bikini wash on a hot summer day? Ask the people behind Rapid Fire Theatre and they’ll tell you that they love to get soapy and wet, at least for laughs. Last Saturday the Edmonton improv institution set up a bikini bike wash across the street from its main venue, the Varscona Theatre. Only this bikini wash put Rapid Fire’s rag-wielding guys in bathing suits and cheering gals in muscle shirts. More than laughs, bike...
This year, the Edmonton Folk Music Festival is making some changes to the city’s biggest music event. First, fewer weekend passes, which go on sale with all tickets June 1 at 9 a.m. at the office downtown and 10 a.m. on Ticketmaster. The festival society chair Terry Prince says this move had to happen because of last year’s over-capacity issues. But, to make up for fewer weekend passes, Saturday and Sunday single tickets...
Summertime means hot weather, packed patios and cold beers. Edmonton’s longest lasting micro-brewery, Alley Kat, which has been brewing since 1995, recently perfected Belgian farmhouse-style ale with Saison D'Être, a gold beer made with French yeast and containing citrus and pepper notes. Previously Alley Kat’s summer ales have really emphasized fruit flavours, such as the local favourite Brewberry, a blueberry-infused drink, and Summer Ale, with grapefruit and orange notes (not to mention, its apricot-...
With the current trend of bacon-everything (stop into Mars & Venus on Whyte Ave. sometime for bacon gumballs or bacon scented soap), it’s no surprise to see bacon infused alcohol on the market. When I first popped the cork from the bottle of Bakon Vodka and took a sniff, curiosity overtook my senses. The bottle said vodka but my brain said bacon. It really gives liquid breakfast new meaning. Seattle’s Black Rock Spirits started experimenting with different flavour combinations...
