ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 6, 1993 By Steve Newton Last Saturday night (July 31) wasn't Vancouver's warmest evening on record, but the heat inside the Lunatic Fringe sure made you wonder. The club's air-conditioning had broken down two nights before, so management lugged out a couple of huge fans to keep the temperature down, but … Continue reading Annihilator tones down the thrash on new CD but still cranks up the heat on stage
Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this week, August 7 to 11
Chilliwack performs at Rock Maple Ridge on Friday By Steve Newton MONDAY: California hard-rock/metal band Avenged Sevenfold plays Rogers Arena, with guests Alexisonfire and Kim Dracula. MONDAY: screening at the VIFF Centre of director Kathryn Bigelow’s hugely entertaining 1987 vampire flick Near Dark. “Shitkicker heaven!” MONDAY & WEDNESDAY TO FRIDAY: the Fashion Fictions exhibition, running until October 9 at the Vancouver … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this week, August 7 to 11
King Swamp rises from the ashes of Shriekback to rock out in Vancouver
chris cameron photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 28, 1989 By Steve Newton Artsy, esoteric types who went to see King Swamp because it features former members of Shriekback may have been surprised at 86 Street last Friday (July 21). Anyone expecting to hear music that resembles Shriekback's atmospheric soundscapes would have been taken aback by … Continue reading King Swamp rises from the ashes of Shriekback to rock out in Vancouver
Jason de Couto straddles two worlds in the Vancouver music scene
By Steve Newton If you've ever gotten out and seen any local cover bands or jazz gigs in Vancouver, there's a pretty good chance you've heard the piano, organ, or synth playing of Jason de Couto. He's one of the most in-demand keyboardists in town, performing with such acts as Meridian, Rain City 6, Side … Continue reading Jason de Couto straddles two worlds in the Vancouver music scene
Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this weekend, August 4 to 6
Near Dark screens at the VIFF Centre By Steve Newton FRIDAY: Ghost Files Live! at the Vogue Theatre features a screening of a never-before-seen episode of Ghost Files, followed by a Q&A session with hosts Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej. FRIDAY: the Vancouver Whitecaps take on Tigres de Mexico in a Leagues Cup soccer game … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this weekend, August 4 to 6
Earwax-induced hearing loss amplifies music lover’s appreciation for sounds
By Steve Newton I did a really dumb thing last week: I went crazy with the Q-tips. There's a jar of them on our bathroom counter, and I thought I'd try one out to see how my earwax situation was. I knew that cleaning the inside of your ears with those cotton swabs was frowned … Continue reading Earwax-induced hearing loss amplifies music lover’s appreciation for sounds
Jeffrey Hatcher plans to take the brotherly Big Beat everywhere
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 10, 1989 By Steve Newton Rock critics and rock musicians don't always see eye-to-eye. It's the critic's job to point out the flaws he sees in the musician's work, and the musician's job to say he doesn't give a damn. But once in a while the relationship is beneficial for one … Continue reading Jeffrey Hatcher plans to take the brotherly Big Beat everywhere
Newcomers Babylon A.D. bring ear-splitting hard rock from the land of Metallica
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON NOV. 10, 1989 By Steve Newton It was an ear-shattering ol' time down at the Metro Tuesday night. Volume maniacs were in their glory, along with those people who don't enjoy talking while the band's on. No one would have heard them anyway--Oakland's Babylon A.D. made sure of that. A new hard-rock … Continue reading Newcomers Babylon A.D. bring ear-splitting hard rock from the land of Metallica
Newt’s top 10 things to do in Vancouver this week, July 31 to August 4
Brit Floyd plays the Queen E. By Steve Newton MONDAY: 50th anniversary screening at the Rio Theatre of director D.A. Pennebaker’s Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders From Mars: The Motion Picture, the concert film documenting David Bowie’s final performance as his musical alter-ego Ziggy Stardust, digitally restored with never-before-seen footage. MONDAY: Pink Floyd tribute band Brit Floyd, featuring long-time … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 things to do in Vancouver this week, July 31 to August 4
Mix Tape Rodeo does whatever it takes to capture B.C. artists on video
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 13, 2021 By Steve Newton If you happened to be anywhere near drummer-journalist Adrian Mack's property on Salt Spring Island last September 3, you might have heard a decidedly raucous noise ringing through the Douglas firs. Mack's garage-rock quartet Saltspringunderground was running through a rowdy original called "City of Glass". And Island … Continue reading Mix Tape Rodeo does whatever it takes to capture B.C. artists on video
Newt’s top 10 (or 11) Metro Vancouver concerts in August
Steve Vai plays the Rickshaw By Steve Newton AVENGED SEVENFOLD: hard-rock/metal band from Huntingdon Beach, California, with guests Alexisonfire and Kim Dracula. August 7 at Rogers Arena. ROCK MAPLE RIDGE: three-day classic-rock festival features headlining performances by Tom Cochrane, Kim Mitchell, and Trooper. August 11 to 13 at Albion Fairgrounds. Canuck rock rules. Jeff Goldblum … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 (or 11) Metro Vancouver concerts in August
Eddie Van Halen’s favourite AC/DC album was Powerage
By Steve Newton I've long held the opinion that AC/DC's Powerage is their best album. Keith Richards agrees, and he knows a thing or two about rockin'. And more importantly, Malcolm Young himself has named Powerage as Number One. When I met Young backstage after an AC/DC show in Vancouver back in 2001 I mentioned that … Continue reading Eddie Van Halen’s favourite AC/DC album was Powerage
Newt’s top 10 things to do in Vancouver this weekend, July 28 to 30
Enter the Dragon screens at the Rio By Steve Newton FRIDAY: late-night screening at the Rio Theatre of director Walter Hill's 1979 action-thriller about street gangs battling in New York City, The Warriors. FRIDAY: L.A. rock band Fishbone plays a fusion of ska, punk, funk, metal, reggae, and soul at the Rickshaw Theatre, with guest … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 things to do in Vancouver this weekend, July 28 to 30