Boo!

My favourite song of the week: Black Hat Brigade's Castlevania. Listen to it on their MySpace page.

(Photo: Tobin Photography.)

Rev it up

In honour of Michael Schumacher's return to Formula 1 -- yup, I'm a fan -- here's DJ Visage's cheesy ode to the racing legend. (Now where did I put my whistle?)

Cool chimps

Arctic Monkeys will perform tracks from their upcoming album, Humbug, on Thursday, July 30 at 2 p.m. (MST). Watch here or here.

Plenti o' surprises

Who knew Interpol's frontman Paul Banks was releasing a solo album on Tuesday, Aug. 4? Gosh, I can't seem to keep up anymore!

Don't look for it under his own name, though. He's using a pseudonym -- Julian Plenti. The title of the disc: Julian Plenti Is ... Skyscraper.

Download a free copy of the track, Fun That We Have, via his website.

Au revoir

The City Streets are moving to Montreal. The trio will play their farewell show on Friday, July 31 at The Pawn Shop. Read more here.

Shine on

One of Edmonton’s expats, Ben Stevenson, is returning for a quick string of dates. The Toronto resident and former Our Mercury frontman will open for Kingston’s reggae-punk trio, Bedouin Soundclash, on Aug. 13 at The Starlite Room. Tickets are $30 plus service charges at Ticketmaster. Stevenson will also perform Aug. 14 at The ARTery.

Listen to some of his soulful demos, including Shine On Me, on MySpace. Swoon! Why is this man not a household name yet?

Ocean pearls

The Edmonton duo behind My Sister Ocean is trying to make waves by offering their latest pop-rock effort, The Autograph EP, as a free digital download. You can get a copy by signing up for the group’s e-mail newsletter at My Sister Ocean's website. The EP features six tunes, including I Can’t Go On, a synth-pop affair, and a cover of Peter Bjorn and John’s hit, Young Folks. (Minus the whistle.)

“We’re trying to get the music out to more people so we’re wanting to eliminate any barriers to people hearing it,” says MSO's frontman Holden Daniels. “Once they hear it, we hope they like it and tell their friends, or hate it and tell their friends. We know our music has value, and we don’t feel like we’re giving it away per se. It’s in exchange for an email address — that information holds value to us as well. It lets us quantify things and we’re hoping we can translate that information into bigger shows and more merch sales.

“Besides, record companies aren’t making money selling music anymore, who are we to think we can? We’ve never made that much money of record sales (after expenses) anyway, so rather than dwelling on the lost income potential, we’re dwelling on the increased fan base potential and the potential that comes with that.”

Daniels and drummer Eugenio Pacileo are now writing and recording the full-length follow-up to 2007’s sharp (and overlooked) Nucularboy. Here's a video of the two working on the first track.

"We're excited to get to work because we're hyper-focused on making a record that's 'no holds barred.' I think what people have heard so far is MSO Light with Lime. We've reached a point where where, if I'm being honest, we're getting a little frustrated," says Daniels.

"We keep hearing from industry people about writing hits and touring and everything. We know we've written hits. We've also toured over the years in various bands. There's always some excuse from radio or labels or agents as to why we're not the right band for them. So this next record will honestly be the first one where we're doing it for us 100%. No more worries about catering the mixes or arrangements to radio or A&R; we're catering the record to us and we hope that by doing so, the people that gravitate towards our type of music will find it and enjoy it. We're more MSO than ever, and this next record will celebrate what we aren't as much as what we are."

Video stars

Three videos by two Edmonton acts, Ten Second Epic and Stereos, are on MuchMusic's Top 30 Countdown. Read more here.

TSE's Welcome To Wherever You Are is No. 10 -- just one below Lady Gaga's naughty Paparazzi. (Oooh, I can't get her song out of my head!)

Wow!

Vic Chesnutt teams up with Fugazi's Guy Picciotto and Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Click here for more details.

Here's the first trailer for The White Stripes' cross-Canada tour documentary, Under Great White Northern Lights.

Sale, sale, sale

Edmonton ain't so big on Lil Wayne. Live Nation is now offering reduced ticket prices to his Aug. 18 show at Rexall Place -- FOUR tickets for $99 plus service charges at Ticketmaster.

Initial prices were set at $59.75, $79.75 and $99.75 plus service charges. Too much, perhaps? Yes, plus Lil Wayne has cancelled several recent shows, so some fans are likely waiting for him to arrive in Edmonton before they buy their tickets.

He'll be joined by Young Jeezy, Soulja Boy, Rihanna's new boy toy and Degrassi alumnus, Drake, and Mr. Birthday Sex, Jeremih.

* Tickets to Aerosmith's Aug. 11 gig at Commonwealth Stadium are also available at a reduced price. The cheapest seats started at $115, but fans can now pick up a ticket for $79.50 plus service charges at Ticketmaster.

If you ask, $115 is asking too much -- especially during a summer PACKED with concerts and other events, not to mention a still-shaky economy. And, just like Lil Wayne's gig, some fans are likely waiting to buy their Aerosmith tickets -- since the rockers were also forced to cancel shows due to frontman Steve Tyler's wonky leg.

Ryan Tedder is an idiot

Why? Click here for details ...

Apologies!

I took the last week off ... my sister is in town and all. We're staying at my mom's and she doesn't believe in the Internet, so I was forced to take a break from the blog. While I was away, I think the technical issues were fixed on my Edmonton Journal blog ... but I'll keep posting on both sites for the time being. (I prefer using Blogspot, to be honest. So much easier. Am I allowed to say that?)

Anyhoo ... here's the skinny on some of the shows which were announced (or leaked) over the last few days. Will.i.am! Mos Def! Darius Rucker!

Handmade tickets

Arts and crafts fairs are sweeping North America and Edmonton is one of the hotspots, thanks to curators Raymond Biesinger (Royal Bison) and Jenna Herbut. She designs her own line of purses and runs Make It Productions, which organizes regular Stop & Shop fairs.

Her latest, Not Your Granny's Craft Show, runs Saturday, July 18 at the Arts Barns. Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Herbut will then screen Handmade Nation, a documentary shot by Faythe Levine about the DIY arts and crafts movement, at 7:30 p.m.

I've got two pairs of tickets to give away to the screening. Send an e-mail to magenta8@shaw.ca to enter.

Strut your stuff

* Norway's Datarock will show off their dance moves and red tracksuits on Monday, Sept. 7 at the Starlite Room. (Ticket info has yet to be announced.) Their second album, RED, is in stores Sept. 1.

Canadian dates include: Montreal (Aug. 28), Quebec (Aug. 29), Toronto (Aug. 30), Vancouver (Sept. 4), Calgary (Sept. 6), and Winnipeg (Sept. 8).

* The world's top DJ, Tiesto, will spin Tuesday, Nov. 10 at the Shaw Conference Centre. Tix are $52.50 to $69.50 plus service charges at Ticketmaster. On sale: Friday, July 24.

A new Phraze

If Albert Hammond Jr. can do it, so can Julian Casablancas. The frontman of/for -- I never know which one sounds better -- The Strokes is readying his first solo album, Phrazes For The Young. (A release date has yet to be announced.) Here's a sneak preview. It's electronic -- and very cinematic! Yum.

Another local reality TV contestant

Edmonton's Cayley Thomas, 18, is one of the Top 8 finalists on CBC TV's talent competition, Triple Sensation. The series, which showcases Canada's most promising actors, singers and dancers, airs Mondays at 8 p.m.

Read Mari Sasano's profile on Thomas in Monday's Edmonton Journal.

Model behaviour

She didn't win Canada's Next Top Model, but Edmonton's Linsay Willier is No. 1 in my books. (If you ask me, she was robbed.) Her friends won't let her mope for long — Willier and her pal, Melissa Bishop, are celebrating their birthdays on Wednesday, July 15 at Brixx Bar & Grill. (Willier technically turns 23 on July 16.) The festivities include sets by several rappers including Outspoken Wordsmiths and The People's Poets.

Code of rock

Social Code will deliver its brand of Rock ‘N’ Roll on Sept. 1. Their third album, produced by John Travis (Kid Rock, Buckcherry), marks their first as an independent act. The St. Albert rockers released their 2005 debut, A Year At The Movies, on Interscope in the U.S. Two years later, they issued Social Code on Universal Music Canada.

Hmm ...

The Edmonton Oilers can’t seem to land Dany Heatley, but they can ink country’s biggest duo. Big & Rich and opener Cowboy Troy will perform Tuesday, Aug. 25 at Telus Field, which is managed by the hockey club.

“Edmonton Oilers introduce summer concert venue,” reads a press release issued by Allan Watt, vice president of broadcast and communications.

Tickets are $39, $44 and $59 plus service charges. On sale: Saturday, July 18 at Ticketmaster.

WCMAs

Hot Panda, Shout Out Out Out Out and Krystle Dos Santos are some of the Edmonton artists nominated for Western Canadian Music Awards. Here's the list of locals. Congrats!

This is making me hungry

Did you know Edmonton has its very own pizza blogger? His name is Chris and he runs Slice of Life, which features "pizza restaurant reviews with occassional thoughts on music." (His spelling, not mine.)

He's teaming up with CJSR's music director, Aaron Levin, who runs his own music blog, Weird Canada. It's devoted to "some of the emerging and boundary pushing musical adventures taking place in Canada, with a focus on regional peculiarities."

The two will be hosting a "double blog launch party" on Thursday, July 23 at -- where else? -- Steel Wheels, a pizza joint in Old Strathcona. (Address: 8430 Gateway Blvd.) Feral Children, Holzkopf, Gobble Gobble, Sans AIDS and sw words will provide the musical slices. Tickets are $8 at the door. Showtime: 8 p.m.

Boom boom boom

Franz Ferdinand will perform at Edmonton's newest music festival, SONIC BOOM, on Saturday, Sept. 5 at Northlands Grounds.

I wasn't too keen on their latest album, Tonight: Franz Ferdinand, when it first came out, but I must admit, it's growing on me.

Click here for more artists on the BOOM bill and ticket info.

Gigs: Moby, Millan, etc.

* MOBY!!!

* Two-time Polaris Music Prize nominee Chad VanGaalen will perform Oct. 18 at the Myer Horowitz Theatre. Tickets are $20 plus service charges. On sale: Friday, July 17 at Ticketmaster.

His latest work, Soft Airplane, is one of the finalists for this year’s Polaris, which honours the best Canadian album. His previous album, Skelliconnection, was nominated in 2007.

* Can’t wait for the next Stars record to get your dose of Amy Millan? She’s about to release her second solo album, Masters of The Burial, on Sept. 8.

She’ll perform Oct. 21 at the Myer Horowitz Theatre. Tickets are $17.50 plus service charges. On sale: Friday, July 17 at Ticketmaster.

* Alt-country rockers Cuff The Duke will perform Sept. 22 at The Pawn Shop. Tickets are $13 plus service charges. On sale: Friday, July 17 at Ticketmaster.

The Oshawa natives will release their fourth album, Way Down Here, on Sept. 8.

They’ll be joined by one of Toronto’s latest buzz bands, Zeus. Their EP, Sounds Like Zeus, is now available on Arts & Crafts.

Electric mayhem

What happens when three guitar gods -- Jimmy Page, The Edge, and Jack White -- swap secrets?

Mold is bold

Prediction: Two-time Polaris Music Prize finalist Chad VanGaalen will make next year's shortlist with his electro side-project, Black Mold. OK, so I might be jumping the gun ... Black Mold's first album, Snow Blindness Is Crystal Antz, isn't even in stores yet. (Release date: Aug. 11 on Flemish Eye.) But based on the first two tracks, Metal Spider Webs and Tetra Pack Heads, I've got high hopes for the rest of the disc. You can download them here.

There's a meat market down the street ...

Even my non-dancing boyfriend likes to shimmy to this song.

Psst ...

Watch for two big concert announcements on Monday. Plus a few smaller ones.

Gods and punks

* My new favourite T.O. band: Zeus. Their five-song EP, Sounds Like Zeus, is now available. A full-length is due this fall. The godlike ones will perform with Cuff The Duke on Sept. 22 at The Pawn Shop.

The Cuffsters will release their latest alt-country effort, Way Down Here, on Sept. 8.

* Jason Mraz's single, I'm Yours, is on the verge of setting a new Billboard milestone. He performs Oct. 3 at the Jubilee Auditorium.

* Blink 182's Mark Hoppus is a remixer. Listen to his work (with help from Chris Holmes) on Peter Bjorn and John's Nothing To Worry About. Blink will perform July 31 at Rexall Place.

* Pearl Jam's new record, Backspacer, is due Sept. 20.

Snack time

It's not quite a feast, but The Famines are releasing two more tunes on Reluctant Recordings. Free Love Is A Sales Technique and The First World War will be available as a seven inch on Tuesday, July 14.

But what's a record release without a party? The Edmonton duo of singer/guitarist Raymond Biesinger and drummer Garrett Heath Kruger will perform Friday, July 24 at The Hydeaway.

I'm addicted

This is my usual blog. Unfortunately, it's plagued with technical issues -- it often takes 45 minutes to post an item -- so I thought I'd take a break from the blogosphere. Ha! As it turns out, I can't stay away.

Hi there!

I'm on Twitter.