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Year: 2014

The Box – Painting a New Canvas

Keith Sharp
The Box – Painting a New Canvas
Those of you planning a late summer’s vacation jaunt to the Laurentian Mountains, just north of Montreal, may find yourself in the scenic village of Mont Tremblant. Should you decide to stick your head inside the quaint 806 (Rue de St Jovie) Art Studio you may discover a familiar face manning the cash register. That familiar face belongs to Jean-Marc... Read More

BIG WRECK – Ghosts (Anthem)

Keith Sharp
BIG WRECK – Ghosts (Anthem)
Big Wreck’s Ghosts isn’t your typical download track 6 and then track 3 iTunes package. To fully appreciate Ghosts requires you to pay attention to the entire disc. More thematic than conceptual, Ghosts takes you on a 13-track aural journey through Ian Thornley’s lyrical prose and Brian Doherty’s sonic guitar instrumentals, supported by additional guitar work from Paulo Neta and a rhythmic bottom end... Read More

Gloryhound – New Record Attracts Superstar Production Support

Keith Sharp
Gloryhound – New Record Attracts Superstar Production Support
Think of rock bands that have emerged from the Maritimes and April Wine immediately springs to mind.  Then you have the Sloan-inspired 1990 Halifax grunge movement – but beyond that, not much! However, if Falls River’s Gloryhound have their way, there is a new four-piece rock outfit about to make their mark across Canada. To say Gloryhound is new is... Read More

Alias Reunion Gig Sparks Possible Reformation

Keith Sharp
Alias Reunion Gig Sparks Possible Reformation
It’s September 2012 and Alias guitarist Steve DeMarchi has agreed to meet with myself to discuss a “Where Are They Now” spotlight feature to run in the debut issue of the newly launched Music Express online magazine about Alias and what has happened to himself, lead vocalist Freddy Curci and the former Heart trio of guitarist Roger Fisher, bassist Steve... Read More

Sunny Skies the Key to Festival’s Success

Keith Sharp
Sunny Skies the Key to Festival’s Success
Hamilton Ontario’s TD Festival of Friends concert event, set to run August 8-10  scheduled in amongst other major festivals like Mark Higgins’ recently staged Big Fest in Kitchener and Brad Jones’ upcoming Rock the Park in London Ontario July 23rd-­26th, yet competing against big name artists like Aerosmith, Bryan Adams and Burton Cummings isn’t the festival’s biggest problem. “Our only big competition is... Read More

HELIX – Bastard of The Blues

Keith Sharp
HELIX – Bastard of The Blues
(Helix Records) Give Brian Vollmer credit. When it seems every other established rock band is questioning the validity of releasing new product, Vollmer drags his Helix band mates together – and with substantial song writing, and performance assistance from former lead guitarist Sean Kelly, has fashioned a record that reflects back on the band’s past glories. Yes rock records may... Read More

Astrid Young: Emerging From The Shadows

Keith Sharp
Astrid Young: Emerging From The Shadows
Having to deal with the deaths of both her parents; Scott Young and Astrid Mead, just three months apart in 2005, Astrid Young faced a severe self-examination about what motivated her to continue to be creative. Now ensconced in the Prince Edward wine region centred around Picton, Ontario, Neil Young’s half-sister needed time to revive that creative spark she thought... Read More

Ray Sasseville – Easy Rider Brings Sturgis Spirit To Merritt Bike Fest

Keith Sharp
Ray Sasseville – Easy Rider Brings Sturgis Spirit To Merritt Bike Fest
Gangster or entrepreneur? — that’s the question Ray Sasseville poses as the title of a soon-to-be-published autobiography of the White Rock B.C motorbike enthusiast who is about to introduce the Sturgis motorbike rally concert concept to the Merritt B.C Music Grounds on Thursday August 21st to Sunday August 24th. A glance at the book’s front cover depicts a menacing looking... Read More

Streetheart: One Night One Take. From The Vaults – The Original Lineup Captured In Concert

Keith Sharp
Streetheart: One Night One Take. From The Vaults – The Original Lineup Captured In Concert
Call it Streetheart’s `Basement Tapes’ if you will. The originally Regina based band reunited with all of it’s founding members for a brief tour in the fall of 1993 which included a series of shows at the Rolling Stone Cabaret in Winnipeg, MB. Paul Dean, who is now more well known as Loverboy’s lead guitarist and main songwriter, decided to... Read More

The Trews Get Their Fans In On The Act!

Keith Sharp
The Trews Get Their Fans In On The Act!
So you want to be a rock n roll star but don’t fancy facing the ordeal of trying out for American Idol or The Voice, no worries! Just shell out enough pledge money and you too could have been singing background vocals on The Trews’ latest self-titled record. That was the carrot tossed out by the pride of Antigonish, Nova... Read More

Big Names, Big Events Mark This Year’s Festival Schedules

Keith Sharp
Big Names, Big Events Mark This Year’s Festival Schedules
The upcoming July 1st weekend usually kicks off Canada’s outdoor concert season which will again see the staging of literally dozens of major festivals from coast to coast ranging in style from classic rock to electro -dance, country, jazz, blues and even a Ska festival in Victoria B.C. It’s a chance for music fans to see some of the biggest... Read More

Paul Nelson – Working Stiff Back In The Studio

Keith Sharp
Paul Nelson – Working Stiff Back In The Studio
Paul Nelson strikes a forlorn figure as he stands by his stricken Stucco Construction truck, parked on a Vancouver roadway, awaiting the arrival of a much-needed battery boost for his vehicle. Nelson has been successfully plying his trade as a Stucco construction plasterer for the past 20 years or so, following his dad’s advice that he’d never be stuck for... Read More

ENTERTAINMENT ONE & BEGIN AGAIN GIVE CANADIAN MUSICIANS THEIR BIG BREAK

Keith Sharp
ENTERTAINMENT ONE & BEGIN AGAIN GIVE CANADIAN MUSICIANS THEIR BIG BREAK
TORONTO – JUNE 17 2014 – Entertainment One (eOne) and Begin Again are on the search for Canada’s top undiscovered music talent! Just steps away from their Big Break, Canadian singers and bands can upload their original works to a new YouTube contest (www.youtube.com/beginagainmovie) to be entered for a chance to win a musical recording session at Metalworks Studios and... Read More

ASTRID YOUNG – One Night At Giant Rock

Keith Sharp
ASTRID YOUNG – One Night At Giant Rock
(Tangerine Records) The title refers to a giant boulder located in California’s Mojave Desert. Located nearby is a spherical building called the Integraton, built in 1959 by one George Van Tassell which supposedly held the powers of time travel and regeneration, elements that can best describe Astrid Young’s first studio record in 10 years. Neil Young’s half-sister has put aside... Read More

Bobby Wills – Crazy Enough? You Betcha!

Roman Mitz
Bobby Wills – Crazy Enough? You Betcha!
Don’t ever think that Bobby Wills will back off of a dare. He’ll even jump off of a ledge into a creek, as evidenced in the title track and hit single from his latest album Crazy Enough. Wills is up for any challenge and he’s not about to use stunt doubles. “That song is definitely autobiographical,” laughs the affable Albertan... Read More

COREY HART AT THE MONTREAL BELL CENTRE JUNE 3RD

Music Express
COREY HART AT THE MONTREAL BELL CENTRE JUNE 3RD
Corey Hart made his entrance onto the Montreal Bell Centre stage Tuesday night with more than a simple concert, it was a wrap-up of every phase of Hart’s 30 years in the music business and representations of moments from his life and life experiences. Hart took the stage with, I Can’t Help Falling In Love while lasers streaked the backdrop.... Read More

The Trews – The Trews (Deluxe Edition)

Keith Sharp
The Trews – The Trews (Deluxe Edition)
(Home Music) You have got to admire the resiliency of Antigonish, Nova Scotia’s Trews. Since releasing their debut CD House Of Ill Fame in 2003, The Trews have consistently busted their collective butts, touring and grinding out records, railing against prevailing trends yet always remaining true to their rock roots. Indications are that the stars are finally aligning for lead... Read More