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Nothing Breaks Like a Heart 🎵

How Notion.so Keeps My Music Career on Track

Being a professional musician is a crazy gig. Or a series of a hundred crazy gigs. Like any self-employed work, music sends me in a dozen directions a day. I have multiple priorities to balance, each with their own timeline. Find Notion at notion.so On a single day

Listen Local - F&M

I met half of this week’s Listen Local pick just this week at Mean Thirst Mondays, a new open stage hosted by Chris Wynters at The Cask and Barrell. Ryan Anderson was dressed in a black suit I recognized from his stage performances. It’s likely not the exact

Full Heart, Full House (My Afternoon at Empress)

I played Empress Ale House for the first time on October 13 and it went so well that I hope it won’t be my last. This little neighbourhood pub is oozing with charm and short on pretence. It really feels like a “come one, come all – just as you

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I'm just a guy, standing in front of his patrons, saying thank you.

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Full House, Full Heart (My Afternoon at Empress)

I played Empress Ale House for the first time on October 13 and it went so well that I hope it won't be my last. This little neighbourhood pub is oozing with charm and short on pretense. It really feels like a "come one, come all - just

How I Learned Courage from 91 Year Old Dancing Ted

Once I’ve lugged my guitar across 12 blocks of early-winter downtown Calgary, I’m going to play. Probably. I’ve never been to Mikey’s on 12th (used to be Mikey’s Juke Joint) so I don’t know what to expect. I don’t know that the

Listen Local - Major Love

This week’s Listen Local brings you an indie super-group fronted by Edmonton’s hometown hero, Colleen Brown. Brown’s voice has been compared to Joni Mitchell for good reason – her ability to shift gears with a mid-note lilt brings life to her delivery. Her songwriting ain’t

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How I Learned Courage From 91 Year Old Dancing Ted

This is an early post for Patrons only until Wednesday :) Once I've lugged my guitar across 12 blocks of early-winter downtown Calgary, I'm going to play. Probably. I've never been to Mikey's on 12th (used to be Mikey's Juke

Listen Local - Joe Nolan

When I first heard Joe Nolan in a shuffle-stream of local music, his haunted voice snapped me to attention. The album was 2014’s Tornado, produced by Colin Linden. I wondered when we’d hear from him again. Nolan has finally returned with his followup record, Cry Baby. Don’

October Shows and In-Betweens

After a few shows in September, I’m taking on a more manageable pace on the way to Halloween (and before things get real hairy in November!) I’ve got just one show this month here in Edmonton, so I’ll be throwing all my musical eggs into that sweet

Listen Local - Braden Gates

Braden Gates is often referred to as a ‘troubadour’ or ‘raconteur’. These are old words chosen to distill what makes Gates special. Something to do with time and timelessness. With lineage and dipping one’s feet in the ancient stream of song. With Gates, I get the impression he soaks

YEG Falls - a New Spotify Playlist for Your Fall Feels

With every new season comes a new vibe. New feels. New music. For me, fall is foreboding and solemn. A sign of things to come. Things like winter. Months of winter. Fall is also, without a doubt, the most beautiful season. A fireworks finale before the dark night (before we

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It's a Very Big Day

Feature Wall Feature Featuring Von Bieker

I recently got to visit local videographer, drummer and music-enthusiast Daryl Payne in his beautiful downtown apartment. We looked over the Brewery District, peppermint tea in hand. The sun shone in and cast a golden glow across his barn wood Feature Wall.  While folk songstress Maddie Storvold waited — mouse-

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Music Library Featured

THRILLS! EP 📀

My Good Neighbour in the Bowtie

Monday night I’m sitting in the Princess Theatre holding back tears until I finally give in. The battle starts with the opening scenes and is lost long before the closing credits. Nearly all of us watching are hesitant to leave when the movie ends. We don’t want to

Sing me something I can feel, Dan Mangan

Monday night I find myself in the basement of El Cortez, a grotto-turned-speakeasy packed with fifty sweaty fans of Dan Mangan. We’ve all been tipped off to a secret show, starting at midnight, in one of the most intimate concert spaces I’ve been in.  Mangan plays

So many shows I wrote a song about 'em

This week I have so many shows I may be feeling a little lightheaded. That’s likely the exact right state of mind to write a song you’ll only ever sing once (because it is about said shows and it is VERY specific).  Here’s the song, as posted

The Lies We Tell About Local Music

The lies we tell about local music. “If they were really good, I’d hear them on the radio” This is just one of the lies we believe about local, independent artists. Since I entered the scene in earnest in 2015, I’ve discovered how false and insidious this lie

Jammin' in the Jungle with Joel Kleine

If you get the obscure ‘Tarzan Dan’ reference in the title of this post, my hat goes off to you. If not, let’s move on. This week I got to join Joel Kleine in his basement studio for a ‘very special episode’ of my Facebook Live performances.  Joel is

Drawn Into Bizarre Love Triangle

Sometimes life gets in the way of art.  I often feel this way as chores, doctors appointments and grocery shopping choke out my schedule. Day-to-day duties are not my go-to creative catalysts, but maybe they should be. Monday through Friday I drive my kids to school. This

The Electric Yellow Woman

The electric-yellow woman I’m sitting in the waiting room of a medical lab.  The space is brand new, decorated in a style I’d call “cold-nice”. It’s all grays and washed out wood-veneers. I feel like I’m in a soulless show-home where pleasing

You're Not Bored Enough

I’m don’t spend enough time bored.  I’m talking about time without plans and time without entertainment. Time without a phone – or even a book – in my hands. Meandering, wandering time.  With entertainment at my fingertips at all times, I’ve forgotten my need to be bored. Having

On Being Rejected

Ah … rejection letters. I imagine every artist will read these terrible few words one day in their career; “we regret to inform you …” I got a matching set of rejection letters last week.  I applied for two grants to record an album this year and just found out I received