Big Sugar plays the Pearl By Steve Newton FRIDAY: roots band Steve Dawson & the Hooded Mergansers--led by Canadian guitarist, songwriter, pedal steel player, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and engineer Dawson--plays Mel Lehan Hall at St. James. FRIDAY: American punk-rock bands Strung Out and the Casualties coheadline the Rickshaw Theatre, with guests the Venomous Pinks. FRIDAY: Brewhalla … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Vancouver this weekend, April 19 to 21
R.I.P. Dickey Betts: the 10 best quotes I ever got from the legendary Allman Brothers guitarist
kirk west photo By Steve Newton If you're a fan of southern rock, or just music in general, you may have heard the sad news: legendary Allman Brothers guitarist Dickey Betts passed away today at the age of 80. Musicians don't get much more celebrated than Dickey did. His guitar playing--along with that of fellow … Continue reading R.I.P. Dickey Betts: the 10 best quotes I ever got from the legendary Allman Brothers guitarist
That time Dave Alvin told me what it was like being in the Pleasure Barons with Country Dick Montana and Mojo Nixon
By Steve Newton I've interviewed American singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Alvin, a founding member of the Blasters, four times over the years, 'cause he's just plain great. This is the first time, back in November of 1991, when he was touring behind his second solo album, Blue Blvd. At one point in the conversation I … Continue reading That time Dave Alvin told me what it was like being in the Pleasure Barons with Country Dick Montana and Mojo Nixon
Jeff Golub follows in the footsteps of Jeff Beck and Ronnie Wood playing guitar with Rod Stewart
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 28, 1989 By Steve Newton I didn't get it as first. When Alfie from Penta Records told me to call the Four Seasons Hotel and ask for Stanley Tools, the joke name went right past me. And I also couldn't figure out why Jeff Golub--solo artist and current Rod Stewart guitarist--needed … Continue reading Jeff Golub follows in the footsteps of Jeff Beck and Ronnie Wood playing guitar with Rod Stewart
Newt’s top 10 things to do in Vancouver this week, April 15 to 19
The Black Crowes play the Queen E. By Steve Newton MONDAY: screening at the Rio Theatre of South Korean director Jae-hyun Jang‘s folkloric, occult thriller Exhuma, the highest grossing Korean film of 2024, so far. MONDAY TO FRIDAY: True Tribal: Contemporary Expressions of Ancestral Tattoo Practices explores 30-plus years of Indigenous tattooing from around the … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 things to do in Vancouver this week, April 15 to 19
Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood gets on stage with the Black Crowes and makes Faces
By Steve Newton When the Black Crowes burst on to the music scene in 1990 with their hit album, Shake Your Moneymaker, it was pretty clear that their main musical influence was Faces, the British rock quinted fronted by Rod Stewart, and featuring current Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood on guitar. Well, last night at L.A.'s … Continue reading Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood gets on stage with the Black Crowes and makes Faces
Joss Stone says that she wants to open doors with soul and spread the music far and wide
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 26, 2012 By Steve Newton It must be pretty sweet being Joss Stone these days. When I hook up with the 25-year-old millionaire soul-pop superstar she’s on her cell at a café in Brussels, Belgium, where she’s doing some TV shows and concerts. The next day, Stone will be popping over … Continue reading Joss Stone says that she wants to open doors with soul and spread the music far and wide
BTO booking at the PNE sets off search for ’70s-rock souvenir
By Steve Newton Yesterday the Pacific National Exhibition announced the lineup for its Summer Night Concerts series at the Pacific Coliseum, and when I saw that Bachman-Turner Overdrive was booked to play on August 20, I had an old-school PNE flashback. Way back in the summer of 1975 a teenaged me had driven in from … Continue reading BTO booking at the PNE sets off search for ’70s-rock souvenir
Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Vancouver this weekend, April 12 to 14
Dawn of the Dead screens at the Rio By Steve Newton FRIDAY: Comedy Here Often? presents standup comedy by Cassidy Furman, Jake Spencer, and headliner Rachel Schaefer at 604 Studios. FRIDAY: former Jr. Gone Wild and Brilliant Orange member Graham Brown leads his rock quartet at the Princeton Pub. Here's my interview with Brown from … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Vancouver this weekend, April 12 to 14
10 minutes on the phone with 29-year-old Steve Vai in 1990
By Steve Newton Steve Vai is one of those guitarists where you watch him play and you're like: "How the hell does he do that!?" This is the first interview I did with him, when he was only 29, touring with Whitesnake, and had just released his solo album Passion and Warfare. During the first … Continue reading 10 minutes on the phone with 29-year-old Steve Vai in 1990
The top 10 musician jokes targeting classical players: prepare to chuckle
By Steve Newton A few years ago I came across an old photocopy of a list of "Musician Jokes" that somebody at work had laid on me. Some of them made me chuckle out loud, so I'm passing them on to others who might need a good laugh. Most of the jokes are at the … Continue reading The top 10 musician jokes targeting classical players: prepare to chuckle
Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Vancouver this week, April 8 to 12
HUMP! Film Fest is at the Rio By Steve Newton MONDAY: Scottish pirate-metal quintet Alestorm performs tunes from latest album, Seventh Rum of a Seventh Rum, at the Commodore Ballroom. MONDAY: the Vancouver Canucks take on the Vegas Golden Knights in National Hockey League action at Rogers Arena. MONDAY TO FRIDAY: True Tribal: Contemporary Expressions of … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Vancouver this week, April 8 to 12
Charitable comic Graham Clark’s propensity for helping others came mostly from his mom
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 8, 2021 By Steve Newton You could say that Graham Clark's path to standup comedy was partly paved in vinyl. His father owned an array of comedy records that the chuckle-hungry child would immerse himself in, LPs by the likes of Steve Martin, Woody Allen, and Monty Python. "And even Cheech and Chong," … Continue reading Charitable comic Graham Clark’s propensity for helping others came mostly from his mom