Avril Lavigne to Release First Ever Greatest Hits Album
Dee Lippingwell – Award-winning Photographer succumbs to Cancer
Jim Cuddy Announces New Solo Album and Coast to Coast Canadian Tour
Shawn Desman Announces Headlining Show at Toronto’s HISTORY

The Passion of Music – Chilliwack

Music Express
The Passion of Music – Chilliwack
Clad in black t-shirts and black jeans, the wily veterans walked gracefully through the audience and took the stage with energy and smiles. Led by original member Bill Henderson on guitar and lead vocals, with younger brother Ed Henderson on guitar and backing vocals, and the solid bottom end duo of Doug Edwards on bass and Jerry Adolphe on drums,... Read More

An Intimate Night with Rik Emmett

Keith Sharp
An Intimate Night with Rik Emmett
Hugh’s Room is not the Air Canada Centre and the patrons of Hugh’s Room are not your average tee-shirt wearing Triumph fans. What they are though are fans of quality music and the Emmett/Dunlop duo delivered that in spades amidst the intimate setting of the Dundas Street West venue. Yes Rik Emmett was there to plug his latest “Then Again”... Read More

Sennheiser to Sponsor Music Express Awards

Music Express
Sennheiser to Sponsor Music Express Awards
Sennheiser Canada have agreed to sponsor the inaugural 2013 MUSIC EXPRESS AWARDS which will reflect achievements by Canadian artists whose music falls into ME’s AOR genre (Sorry Justin, sorry Carly Rae!) Nominees will be selected in the following nine categories and each winning group or artist will receive a special microphone award presented by Sennheiser Canada. “We are excited to... Read More

The Spoons – Arias & Symphonies 30th Anniversary

Keith Sharp
The Spoons – Arias & Symphonies 30th Anniversary
(Ready Records) Thirty years ago, four young musicians from Burlington Ontario called The Spoons, with a debut album (Stick Finger Neighbourhood) to their credit, hooked up with top British producer John Punter and recorded a unique album called Arias & Symphonies. Having previously worked with breakthrough British bands like Roxy Music and Japan, Punter introduced guitarist Gord Deppe, bassist Sandy... Read More

Canada Rocks!

Keith Sharp
Canada Rocks!
Domestically, the music industry was exploding. New albums and new bands were arriving daily with growth evident right across Canada. Toronto lead the way with the likes of hard rock bands Rush, Triumph, Max Webster, Goddo and Moxy, the versatility of Lighthouse plus the True North folk scene powered by Bruce Cockburn, Dan Hill and Murray McLauchlan. Not to mention... Read More

Dancing with the Jesters – Harlequin

Music Express
Dancing with the Jesters – Harlequin
Harlequin has been a rock radio mainstay with a string of hits that play in near continual rotation since they arrived on the scene in 1979. And so, tonight’s show brought out those hits, including “Thinking of You”, “I Did it for Love”, and “Superstitious Feeling”. The crowd responded with great gusto to the hits, but were lukewarm to new... Read More

The Spoons Reunite for 30th Anniversary of Arias & Symphonies

Music Express
The Spoons Reunite for 30th Anniversary of Arias & Symphonies
Canadian New Wave synth pop group The Spoons performed at Toronto’s intimate Revival Bar on Friday. Hosted by Maie Pauts and radio broadcasted through Boom 97.3, the concert was a celebration of the release of the band’s Arias & Symphonies 30th Anniversary album. 80’s New-Wave band Images In Vogue opened, and their stage presence captured the attention of the entire... Read More

Metal Queen Comes of Age – Lee Aaron

Keith Sharp
Metal Queen Comes of Age – Lee Aaron
Lee Aaron downloads the Music Express E magazine and enters a time warp. Enclosed on the site are clips of Lee performing her signature` Metal Queen’ track at the 1984 Music Express Awards in Vancouver as well as her joining in a spirited finale of ‘Dance to the Music‘ with Bill Henderson, Shari Ulrich and Kathi McDonald. “Wow, big hair”... Read More

The Big Stage – Journey & Loverboy

Music Express
The Big Stage – Journey & Loverboy
Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary | November 25, 2012 Photography by: Charles Hope Journey While the road crew prepared the stage for the band, it was curious to consider how Journey would fill such a large expanse of black. Were there going to be additional musicians? Would there be some kind of theatrical performance? When the lights went down and the band... Read More

Only The Strong Survive – Michelle Wright

Roman Mitz
Only The Strong Survive – Michelle Wright
Michelle Wright is a survivor. Just look back 25 years or so to the time of her first album Do Right By Me, and count how many other Canadian country artists from that time are still delivering the goods. There really aren’t many who have held on for that long. “Held on is probably the right phrase because there have... Read More

Burton Cummings kicks off the Grey Cup

Keith Sharp
Burton Cummings kicks off the Grey Cup
On a day when the Toronto Argonauts emphatically won the 100th Grey Cup final by beating the Calgary Stampeders 35-22, Burton Cummings set the tone for the festivities with a dynamic pre-game concert that was stunning in its simplicity. Cummings may not be accustomed to delivering matinee performances but in reality he can do no wrong. Supported by his faithful... Read More

The Spoons – Nova Heart Transplant

Keith Sharp
The Spoons – Nova Heart Transplant
Moving into my new apartment on Asquith Road (just behind the Bay Centre at Yonge and Bloor) I noticed a major crack in the dining room wall. Not particularly of the Mike Holmes, Mr. Fixit  breed, I decided to cover this offending crack with a large poster – but it needed to be a big poster as it was a... Read More

Trooper dominate SOCAN awards

Music Express
Trooper dominate SOCAN awards
Trooper, Bruce Cockburn and Joel Zimmerman (a/k/a Deadmau5) were the big winners at the 23rd annual SOCAN Music Awards staged Tuesday November 19th at Toronto’s Roy Thompson Hall. Trooper’s Ra McGuire and Brian Smith were on hand to receive a National Achievement award from The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada. Three of their songs; `Janine’, `General... Read More

Helix – Rockin’ The Way

Music Express
Helix – Rockin’ The Way
Deerfoot Casino, Calgary | November 3, 2012 Entering the stage beneath a synthesized orchestral overture, Helix didn’t waste time building momentum. Setting the dial to 11 with “Wild in the Streets” singer Brian Vollmer took control with gusto using every limb to command the audience and fuel his band mates to push hard to the finish line. Helix is tight,... Read More