Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this weekend, Oct. 21-23

gonzo stuntman steve-o is at the vogue on saturday By Steve Newton FRIDAY: American comedian Chris Rock performs standup at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre as part of his Ego Death World Tour 2022. FRIDAY: late-night double-bill at the Rio Theatre of Tod Browning’s Freaks and Shinya Tsukamoto’s Tetsuo: The Iron Man. FRIDAY: Canadian … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this weekend, Oct. 21-23

Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this week, Oct. 24 to 28

Tosin Abasi’s Animals as Leaders play the Commodore By Steve Newton MONDAY TO FRIDAY: Fright Nights: Resurrection is a Halloween-themed experience at Playland with seven haunted houses, over 15 rides, creepy décor, roaming monsters, and live performances. TUESDAY: screening at the Rio Theatre of director Brian De Palma’s 1976 adaptation of Stephen King’s bestselling horror novel, Carrie. TUESDAY: Symphony … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this week, Oct. 24 to 28

Album review: Guns N’ Roses, Chinese Democracy (2008)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 27, 2008 By Steve Newton On a recent episode of The Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert lectured Axl Rose for stealing his thunder by releasing Chinese Democracy, the first Guns N’ Roses album in 17 years, the very same day as Colbert’s Christmas special. “What’s the matter, Axl,” whined the … Continue reading Album review: Guns N’ Roses, Chinese Democracy (2008)

Album review: Velvet Revolver, Contraband (2004)

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 24, 2004 By Steve Newton Every time I see that oft-shown video from last year’s Guns N’ Roses riot of a Vancouver cop smashing an innocent guy’s teeth out, I can’t believe it. It’s not that I can’t picture our boys in blue pulling those types of stunts … Continue reading Album review: Velvet Revolver, Contraband (2004)

Marty Friedman doesn’t get why the Bee Gees are in the Rock Hall and Rory Gallagher isn’t

By Steve Newton If you’ve been visiting Ear of Newt for the last year or two you’ve no doubt figured out that I’m not a big fan of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I mean, Jann Wenner and his jackass buddies piss me off the way they totally ignore some of the most … Continue reading Marty Friedman doesn’t get why the Bee Gees are in the Rock Hall and Rory Gallagher isn’t

Kim Simmonds keeps the spirit of Savoy Brown alive for ’70s-rock holdouts

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, FEB. 14, 2002 By Steve Newton It’s been 36 years since guitarist-vocalist Kim Simmonds founded British boogie-blues band Savoy Brown, and he’s kept the name alive through constant touring and steady CD releases. But the undying outfit might have been wiped out for good in a torrent of jet … Continue reading Kim Simmonds keeps the spirit of Savoy Brown alive for ’70s-rock holdouts

Carlos Santana chides firecracker-blasting moron in Vancouver, says “This isn’t a heavy-metal concert!”

kevin statham photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 2, 2000 By Steve Newton Carlos Santana has been blowing folks away with his fiery, straight-from-the-soul fret work for more than 30 years now, but at GM Place on October 26, he never let his status as a guitar god override his main goal for … Continue reading Carlos Santana chides firecracker-blasting moron in Vancouver, says “This isn’t a heavy-metal concert!”

Jackass: Number Two’s Johnny Knoxville no sissy

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, SEPT. 21, 2006 By Steve Newton HOLLYWOOD–Who’s the better movie star: Humphrey Bogart because he embodied macho cool in Casablanca or Johnny Knoxville because he put on a red shirt and a blindfold and offered himself to a charging bull in Jackass: Number Two? Bogie may have been more deserving of … Continue reading Jackass: Number Two’s Johnny Knoxville no sissy

Jason “Wee Man” Acuña gets naked to promote Jackass: Number Two

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, SEPT. 14, 2006 By Steve Newton HOLLYWOOD–It’s a poolside reception for Jackass: Number Two at the Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard. Various cast members–including Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Preston Lacy, and Jason “Wee Man” Acuña–are sitting around, getting quietly sloshed. Maybe a little too quietly for Knoxville’s liking. The renowned … Continue reading Jason “Wee Man” Acuña gets naked to promote Jackass: Number Two

Jackass star dies in fiery Pennsylvania car crash

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, JUNE 20, 2011 Ryan Dunn, one of the stars of MTV’s reality-TV show Jackass and its subsequent feature-length films, died early this morning when the car he was driving crashed in the woods near his home in the West Goshem Township of Pennsylvania. A passenger in Dunn’s vehicle, yet to be identified, also … Continue reading Jackass star dies in fiery Pennsylvania car crash

Horror review: Turistas

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, NOV. 29, 2006 What Hostel did for the Slovakian tourism industry—which was basically to drag it into a backroom and torture it to death—Turistas should do for the backpacking-in-Brazil set. But while Hostel director Eli Roth’s controversial 2005 shocker was about as subtle as an electric drill to the eye, Turistas … Continue reading Horror review: Turistas

Gov’t Mule takes aim at the high and mighty

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, OCT. 12, 2006 By Steve Newton Warren Haynes spends a large part of his time with a guitar in his hands; for more than a decade he’s been doing double duty with southern-rock legends the Allman Brothers and blues-rock kings Gov’t Mule. So it’s no surprise that the musician is pictured … Continue reading Gov’t Mule takes aim at the high and mighty

Pat Travers in 1983: “I’m a good enough guitarist. We don’t need another one.”

By Steve Newton On January 21, 1983, Canadian rock-guitar hero Pat Travers played Vancouver, opening for a Joe Perry-less Aerosmith at the Pacific Coliseum. Ear of Newt was there, of course. There was no way I was gonna miss two of my fave acts from the ’70s. Besides, it was a Friday night. I don’t remember … Continue reading Pat Travers in 1983: “I’m a good enough guitarist. We don’t need another one.”