The Black Crowes play the Orpheum By Steve Newton Shaun Verreault: Vancouver blues-rock guitarist-vocalist and Wide Mouth Mason member. April 1 at the Roxy. Schryer, Dobres & Hillhouse Trio: Canadian Celtic supergroup composed of fiddler Pierre Schryer and guitarists Adam Dobres and Andy Hillhouse. April 5 at the ACT Arts Centre. Alestorm: pirate-metal quintet from … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 Vancouver concerts in April
Abandoned Youth makes good at Band Warz competition, swears off the top-40 circuit
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 3, 1991 By Steve Newton Yours truly doesn’t frequent a lot of top-40 clubs these days, but I did brave the radio-rock recesses of the Rock Cellar last week. Abandoned Youth, the local hard-rock outfit that represented B.C. in the recent Guitar Warz competition, was playing, and I wanted to see … Continue reading Abandoned Youth makes good at Band Warz competition, swears off the top-40 circuit
My niece Kylie Katz just released her first song, and it’s awesome!
By Steve Newton Today my 22-year-old niece Kylie released her first song, "What Could've Been", and I think it's awesome! That blinding light you see flowing out from the wilds of North Delta is me beaming with pride. Stay tuned for updates on the career of this promising singer-songwriter.
Newt’s top 10 things to do in Vancouver this weekend, March 29 to 31
Down by Law screens at the Rio By Steve Newton FRIDAY: Fernie, B.C. folk-rock quartet Shred Kelly plays the Biltmore Cabaret as part of its Blurry Vision album-release tour, with guests Hyaenas. Here's my interview with Shred Kelly's Jim Newton (no relation) from 2021. FRIDAY: Caravan World Rhythms presents a performance at New Westminster's Massey … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 things to do in Vancouver this weekend, March 29 to 31
10 minutes in a studio with producer Bob Rock in 1991
By Steve Newton I did my first interview with hugely successful hard-rock producer Bob Rock in December of 1991. I went to meet him at Vancouver Studios, where he was working on albums by the London Choirboys and his own band, Rockhead. Four months earlier the massively popular album Rock made with Metallica, The Black … Continue reading 10 minutes in a studio with producer Bob Rock in 1991
The Tragically Hip have a new book coming out that might even be better than mine!
By Steve Newton The Tragically Hip has just announced that it will be releasing a book this fall titled This Is Our Life, published by the U.K.-based Genesis Publications and told through the band members' own words. It will first be made available for the hardcore Hip freaks as a deluxe hand-crafted book and record … Continue reading The Tragically Hip have a new book coming out that might even be better than mine!
Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Vancouver this week, March 25 to 29
Chelsea Handler is at the Queen E By Steve Newton MONDAY: the Vancouver Canucks take on the Los Angeles Kings in National Hockey League action at Rogers Arena. MONDAY: Funny Side Up Productions presents The Big Smoke Show, a cannabis-friendly, all-female night of standup comedy at the New Amsterdam Cafe featuring Cass Furman, Greta Lin, … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Vancouver this week, March 25 to 29
Illuminating Mike Cooley’s songwriting brilliance through four Drive-By Truckers tunes
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 2, 2010 By Steve Newton Just got back from a family vacation to Powell River, and man, if you ever get the chance to go kayaking in Desolation Sound's Okeover Inlet, take it. The scenery is stunning and you can get up close and personal with bald eagles, seals, and huge … Continue reading Illuminating Mike Cooley’s songwriting brilliance through four Drive-By Truckers tunes
That time I asked Jon Bon Jovi if he was worried about overexposure while Slippery When Wet topped the charts
By Steve Newton I did the third of my three interviews with Jon Bon Jovi on June 18 of 1987, when his band was touring behind its hugely popular third LP, Slippery When Wet. Three days earlier the group had released the power ballad "Never Say Goodbye" as the fourth single from that LP, following … Continue reading That time I asked Jon Bon Jovi if he was worried about overexposure while Slippery When Wet topped the charts
Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Vancouver this weekend, March 22 to 24
On-Gaku: Our Sound screens at VIFF Centre By Steve Newton FRIDAY: Russian feminist protest and performance art/punk-rock group Pussy Riot performs at the Pearl, with guest Wait//Less. FRIDAY: screening at the Rio Theatre of director Robert Morgan’s psychological horror film Stopmotion, about a stop-motion animator struggling to control her demons after the loss of her overbearing mother. FRIDAY: Vancouver pianist/composer … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Vancouver this weekend, March 22 to 24
10 minutes on the phone with John Cougar in 1983, before he was Mellencamp
By Steve Newton I interviewed John Mellencamp for the first time in May of 1983, when he was still known as John Cougar. He called me up from his home in Bloomington, Indiana to talk about his latest album, American Fool, which was tearing up the charts thanks to hits like "Hurts So Good", "Jack … Continue reading 10 minutes on the phone with John Cougar in 1983, before he was Mellencamp
Mötley Crüe are as sleazy as they come, but Mick Mars claims that he doesn’t think with his dick
Mötley’s on the road again, having reunited with Vince Neil, who left in the early ’90s to pursue a solo career that went nowhere.
Newt’s top 10 things to do in Vancouver this week, March 18 to 22
Pussy Riot plays the Pearl By Steve Newton MONDAY TO FRIDAY: 31 emerging and seasoned local designers and makers were selected to create 22 objects made from vintage mahogany for Reclaim + Repair: The Mahogany Project, running until August 7 at the Museum of Vancouver. MONDAY & WEDNESDAY TO FRIDAY: the work of late Trinidadian-Canadian … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 things to do in Vancouver this week, March 18 to 22