An outraged EJ scribbles "You don't know shit, Newt" on my treasured copy of Yellow Brick Road You'd think that pop legend Elton John would be beyond caring what the critics think by now, right? Well, apparently he still reads the reviews. Even before they get in the paper. I wrote a pretty damn glowing online … Continue reading Elton John not impressed by the Newt’s review of his Vancouver show
Tag: 2014
Elton John and his giant jellyfish conquer Vancouver
photos by the newt By Steve Newton Elton John doesn't need no stinkin' band. Heck, I remember seeing him at GM Place back in '99 when it was just him and his piano, and he killed it. There was no elaborate staging or lights--not even a costume change--yet the magical combination of his music put … Continue reading Elton John and his giant jellyfish conquer Vancouver
As Above/So Below is a descent into shaky-cam hell
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 1, 2014 By Steve Newton I've seen plenty of shaky-cam fright flicks since The Blair Witch Project jittered its way to horror fame back in '99, but the ultra-jittery As Above/So Below really pushes the limits of what any reasonable found-footage fan can take. It's a real shame, too, because director John Erick Dowdle--whose credits … Continue reading As Above/So Below is a descent into shaky-cam hell
Rory Gallagher and Stevie Ray Vaughan box-set announcements make the Newt holler “fuckin-AAA!”
photo by Bob Geldof. Yes, that Bob Geldof By Steve Newton It's been a wonderful week for fans of blues-rockin' Strat masters Rory Gallagher and Stevie Ray Vaughan. First off came the announcement on Tuesday that on October 20 Sony Music/Legacy Recordings will release the 40th-anniversary expanded deluxe-edition of Gallagher's Irish Tour '74 album. That … Continue reading Rory Gallagher and Stevie Ray Vaughan box-set announcements make the Newt holler “fuckin-AAA!”
All the Oscar-winners in the world can’t make The Calling memorable
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, AUG. 29, 2014 With its pitch-black humour, quirky characters, and desolate small-town vibe—not to mention those furry-earmuff cop hats—The Calling seems like it might be trying to be a horror flick for the Fargo set. Unfortunately, even with a cast that includes Oscar winners Susan Sarandon and Ellen Burstyn and the scene-stealing Donald Sutherland, The … Continue reading All the Oscar-winners in the world can’t make The Calling memorable
The Bright Light Social Hour made the Austin Music Awards its bitch
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUG. 6, 2014 By Steve Newton If you're a rock-music fan in Austin, Texas, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve heard of a band called the Bright Light Social Hour. A year after releasing its self-titled 2010 debut, the quartet made the 29th annual Austin Music Awards its bitch, taking an unprecedented … Continue reading The Bright Light Social Hour made the Austin Music Awards its bitch
Gary Moore freaks rejoice: the Irish guitar hero’s fiery talent will burn on live CD
The rock-guitar world lost one of its most amazing artists in February of 2011 when Gary Moore passed away while on holiday in Spain, but now comes word that a concert recording of Moore from 2007 will be released this fall. Eagle Rock Entertainment--the company that's given us such primo Moore discs as the Blues for … Continue reading Gary Moore freaks rejoice: the Irish guitar hero’s fiery talent will burn on live CD
Santana’s guitar magic outshines Rod Stewart’s showmanship in Vancouver
photos by Jet Sutherland By Steve Newton In a perfect rock 'n' roll world, Rod Stewart would quit releasing those snoozy Great American Songbook golden-oldie albums, hook back up with Ronnie Wood and whatever other old Faces members are still kickin', start drinking again, and go out in a blaze of glory on a Faces club tour … Continue reading Santana’s guitar magic outshines Rod Stewart’s showmanship in Vancouver
New Zep reissues will do until the Physical Graffiti box comes around
By Steve Newton Four months ago I did a blog about Led Zeppelin releasing deluxe reissues of its first three albums, under the headline "Led Zeppelin super-deluxe boxed sets destroy all other boxed sets." Well, I take it back. Today the legendary hard-rockers announced that they are releasing two more deluxe editions, and these are the ones that really destroy … Continue reading New Zep reissues will do until the Physical Graffiti box comes around
New John Mellencamp box set crams 19 discs into one tidy package
By Steve Newton If you're a hardcore John Mellencamp fan and you just lost your entire Mellencamp CD collection because your house burned down, and now you've gotta go live in a small apartment without a lot of space for discs, have I got the thing for you. This Tuesday (July 22), Universal Music Canada is … Continue reading New John Mellencamp box set crams 19 discs into one tidy package
Steve Lukather’s smoking guitar rules at Ringo’s All-Starr hitfest in Vancouver
Not all of the folks attending last night's Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band show in Vancouver might have known who Steve Lukather was.
Sinister director goes from horrifying to horrible with Deliver Us From Evil
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, JULY 3, 2014 Director Scott Derrickson's Sinister was one of the better Hollywood fright flicks of 2012. It was a grim descent into domestic horror, with Ethan Hawke convincingly portraying a true-crime writer uncovering genuinely creepy supernatural goings-on at his new home. Derrickson's latest, Deliver Us From Evil, is pretty much the opposite. … Continue reading Sinister director goes from horrifying to horrible with Deliver Us From Evil
The Life of Riley shows B.B. King’s talent flowing from a huge heart
There's a ton of incredible musicians who make appearances in B.B. King: The Life of Riley, a documentary about the Mississippi blues legend released on DVD and Blu-ray today (July 1). The lineup includes such amazing guitarists as Buddy Guy, Carlos Santana, Derek Trucks, Eric Clapton, Joe Bonamassa, Jonny Lang, Johnny Winter, Bonnie Raitt, Kenny Wayne … Continue reading The Life of Riley shows B.B. King’s talent flowing from a huge heart