Walter Trout plays the York Theatre By Steve Newton WEDNESDAY: the Modern Day Warriors play the entirety of Rush's classic album Permanent Waves front to back, along with many other favorite Rush songs, at the Fox Cabaret. WEDNESDAY: the Vancouver Canucks take on the once-mighty Anaheim Ducks in National Hockey League action at Rogers Arena. … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this week, March 6 to 10
Gary Rossington’s trusty Les Paul goes silent as Lynyrd Skynyrd’s last survivor passes on
photo by the newt By Steve Newton Sad news from the world of southern rock. Gary Rossington, the last surviving member of the original Lynyrd Skynyrd lineup, is a survivor no more. The band has announced on its Facebook page that Rossington passed away today at the age of 71. Although the cause of death … Continue reading Gary Rossington’s trusty Les Paul goes silent as Lynyrd Skynyrd’s last survivor passes on
That time I told Kim Mitchell that I’d like to see “Lager and Ale” as his next single
photo by the newt By Steve Newton I did the first of my six interviews with Canadian rock great Kim Mitchell back in July of 1984, when he was promoting his new Akimbo Alogo LP. That was a wicked album, containing as it did the singles "Go For Soda", "All We Are", "Feel It Burn", … Continue reading That time I told Kim Mitchell that I’d like to see “Lager and Ale” as his next single
Ultravox’s Billy Currie says you get in a rock band to get yours rocks off, basically
Ultravox was scheduled to play Vancouver, their drummer Warren Cann's hometown last month, but they never actually made it to this fair city.
Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this weekend, March 3-5
Jason Isbell plays the Queen E By Steve Newton FRIDAY: the West African Music Celebration at North Vancouver's BlueShore Financial Centre for the Performing Arts features Kofi Gbolonyo and CapU Jazz Ensembles. FRIDAY: Pi Theatre presents Black Space Jam, an evening of multidisciplinary art at the Biltmore Cabaret, featuring poetry and spoken word by Shayna … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this weekend, March 3-5
Corey Hart garners compliments from Billy Joel and Eric Clapton as new single “Sunglasses at Night” hits the charts
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 4, 1984 By Steve Newton Gazing out the 32nd-floor window of his Denman Inn suite onto an early West End evening, 22-year-old Corey Hart seems happy and at ease with himself. And well he should be. Eastern Canada's answer to Bryan Adams, Hart is a singer/songwriter with enough talent and time … Continue reading Corey Hart garners compliments from Billy Joel and Eric Clapton as new single “Sunglasses at Night” hits the charts
Dave Chisholm recalls those crazy beer-drenched days in the early ’80s when the Fins were the house band at Vancouver’s Marble Arch
donna hagerman photos If you went out drinkin' in downtown Vancouver in the early 1980s, and you weren't too much of a fancy pants, you may have found yourself down at the Marble Arch. It was located at 518 Richards, so a short walk to concert venues like the Commodore, Orpheum, Railway Club, and Queen … Continue reading Dave Chisholm recalls those crazy beer-drenched days in the early ’80s when the Fins were the house band at Vancouver’s Marble Arch
James Ingram on backing up Ray Charles, working with Quincy Jones, and his new hit single “Yah Mo B There”
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 23, 1983 By Steve Newton In 1981 Quincy Jones' album The Dude received a record 12 Grammy nominations and became one of the most consistently impressive LPs ever made. The singer on three of The Dude's tunes--the funky title track and romantic ballads "Just Once" and "One Hundred Years"--was a fellow … Continue reading James Ingram on backing up Ray Charles, working with Quincy Jones, and his new hit single “Yah Mo B There”
Newt’s top 10 (or 11) Metro Vancouver concerts in March
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit plays the Queen E By Steve Newton White Denim: Austin, Texas indie-rock band, with guests Cascading Moms. March 4 at the Rickshaw Theatre. Sloan: guitar-rock quartet from Halifax, Nova Scotia. March 4 at the Commodore Ballroom. SOLD OUT. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit: Americana singer, songwriter, and guitarist, … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 (or 11) Metro Vancouver concerts in March
Bill Coon considers Oliver Gannon the godfather of jazz guitar in Vancouver
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JUNE 17, 2021 By Steve Newton Vancouver jazz artist Bill Coon started playing guitar in his early teens, thanks in large part to his brother David. His elder sibling—currently the leader of New Brunswick's Green Party—had a cheap acoustic six-string that, despite its high action, young Bill took a real shining to. … Continue reading Bill Coon considers Oliver Gannon the godfather of jazz guitar in Vancouver
That time John Fogerty told me that dobro player Jerry Douglas was his favourite musician in all the world
By Steve Newton Back in August of 1997 I did my first interview with John Fogerty, and boy was I psyched about talking to that guy. He's the ultimate triple-threat musician, if you ask me, because I don't think there's anyone who can sing, play guitar, and write songs quite as well as John Fogerty … Continue reading That time John Fogerty told me that dobro player Jerry Douglas was his favourite musician in all the world
Trio’s Stephan Remmler on Trio and Error and the creation of the weird worldwide hit “Da Da Da”
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON DEC. 16, 1983 By Steve Newton About this same time last year, creeping up a heat duct from the basement suite below me, would come a tune so queer and bouncy--and sung with such downright foolishness--that I started to wonder if some madman hadn't holed himself up down there and decided to … Continue reading Trio’s Stephan Remmler on Trio and Error and the creation of the weird worldwide hit “Da Da Da”
Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this week, February 27 to March 3
The Real McKenzies play the WISE Hall By Steve Newton MONDAY: screening at the Rio Theatre of the new concert documentary Carole King: Home Again–Live in Central Park, which depicts her homecoming concert at New York City’s Central Park in May of 1973. Hope she does "I Feel the Earth Move". TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY: Oklahoma … Continue reading Newt’s top 10 things to do in Metro Vancouver this week, February 27 to March 3