By Kerry Doole
Michael Taube: The virtues of philanthropy in Canada
Generosity is to be admired not only at Christmas, but every day of the year. Here's a look at Gary Slaight, who has gradually become one of Canada’s leading philanthropists. – National Post
JR Digs returns with his 14th annual Acoustic Christmas concert
Tom Wilson, Tim Hicks, The Trews, Luke Bentham and Matt Mays among the acts performing Dec. 23 at the Music Hall, Graham Rockingham writes. – Hamilton Spectator
It was so rock ’n’ roll’: How a concert at Toronto’s Varsity Stadium may have broken up the Beatles
A new film documents the Toronto Rock ‘N Roll Revival in September 1969, the first appearance of the Plastic Ono band featuring John Lennon, Yoko Ono and Eric Clapton … and then there was the Alice Cooper chicken incident. – Nick Krewen, Toronto Star
Going up? Hamilton’s KYTLY is with new record ‘Detours and Exits’
Hamilton’s Laura Keightley has ended a near decade-long musical hiatus with her new album, helped by ex-Jesus and Mary Chain drummer Brian Young, Jeff Mahoney writes. – Hamilton Spectator
The biggest, weirdest, wildest pop-culture moments of 2022
Stories you may want to relive, or forget. – Aruna Dutt & Barry Hertz, The Globe and Mail
Headstones have a ‘ridiculous’ cult following
Headstones, the Toronto band fronted by actor and hit TV writer Hugh Dillon, play the Phoenix in Toronto on Dec. 22. – Ben Rayner, Toronto Star
The best albums of 2022: Blue Lobelia's Resilient Moon
Our list of year's top local records wouldn't be complete without this folky number that calls Feist and Lana Del Rey to mind. – Morgan Mullin, The Coast
Toronto recording studio that’s home to many Canadian musicians damaged in fire
Firefighters were called to Number 9 Audio Group, located in a renovated Victorian home in downtown Toronto, on Saturday evening. – David Friend, CP
The Tory Lanez trial over the shooting of Megan Thee Stallion continues
Megan Thee Stallion's ex-friend Kelsey Harris says she absolutely saw Tory Lanez firing a gun at Meg -- that's what she told police back in September, and today the jury heard that whole exchange. – TMZ
Public grieving provides a community of support for Alberta musician
Art Bergmann has found solace in posting about his wife Sherri's passing, and hearing back from friends, fans--even strangers. – Ashley Geddes, Mountainview Today
International
Gone but not forgotten
A look at the musicians we lost in 2022. – Billboard Staff
Ticketmaster offloads remainder of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour tickets to Dave Matthews Band’s Ticketstoday
After the disaster that was Ticketmaster’s (TM) Taylor Swift Eras Tour sale, they still have nearly 170K tickets available to her shows. According to Billboard, TM will give the remaining seats to Dave Matthews Band’s ticketing platform Ticketstoday, a platform built initially for DMB’s fan club – 20-years ago. – Celebrity Access
The Korean entertainment sector as a whole experienced tremendous growth in the first half of 2022
Fans are eager to return to movie theaters and live performances, new stats show. BTS and Blackpink both had very successful years, at home and abroad. –Ashley King, DMN
Stephen “tWitch” Boss cause of death has been revealed in LA County coroner report
Boss died on Dec. 13 at the age of 40 and leaves behind a wife and three children. He co-hosted “The Ellen Degeneres Show” for seven years and starred in several movies. – Ivy Mak, Toronto Star
Best believe Bob Dylan has thoughts on contemporary music and the streaming era
In a new interview, the singer-songwriter did some equally shrewd and crotchety old man sermonizing — and explained why he thanked the crew at Dunkin' Donuts in his new book. –Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone
‘New Year’s Rockin’ Eve’ to feature Duran Duran, New Edition
Ryan Seacrest will usher in 2023 on “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” from Times Square, with iconic bands from the 1980s and 1990s as well as a member of BTS and a TikTok sensation. – Mark KennedyThe Associated Press
‘Spinning Gold’ trailer chronicles the rise of Casablanca Records
See Wiz Khalifa play George Clinton and Tayla Parx as Donna Summer in fictionalized retelling of story behind Neil Bogart's Seventies hits-making label. – Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone
The Weeknd seeks strength on booming ‘Avatar 2’ theme song ‘Nothing Is Lost’
Track arrives ahead of the release of James Cameron's long-awaited sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water. – Althea Lagaspi, Rolling Stone
Taylor Swift 'Shake It Off' copyright infringement lawsuit dismissed by judge
In 2017, songwriters Sean Hall and Nathan Butler filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Swift, claiming the lyrics from 2014’s "Shake It Off" infringed on the Hall and Butler-penned "Playas Gon' Play," released by R&B girl group 3LW in 2000. – Edward Segarra, USA Today
Azealia Banks refuses to tour Australia again because country makes her ‘miserable’
Singer said a past Brisbane gig was ‘the most racist, most demoralising experience of my f***ing life’. – Ellie Harrison, The Independent
This week In the Hot Seat with Larry LeBlanc: Helen Yu, US music attorney
With nearly 30 years in music intellectual property and entertainment law, Helen Yu, as the founding principal at Yu Leseberg, A Professional Law Corporation in Los Angeles, is one of the most commanding attorneys in the American music law space. – Larry LeBlanc, Celebrity Access
The Kiwi song legendary singer-songwriter Jackson Browne says is ‘one of the greatest songs of all time’
With songs that include Running on Empty, Late for the Sky and Take it Easy to his name, Jackson Browne is considered one of the greatest songwriters of all time. But the American music legend says there is one Kiwi track that trumps most. “One of my favourite Crowded House songs is that song Don’t Dream It’s Over,” he tells the Herald via Zoom. “It’s fantastic, it’s one of the greatest songs of all time.” –Lillie Rohn, NZ Herald
Zelig in funfFur: David Bowie’s divine symmetry
As sterling new boxset Divine Symmetry gives new twists to old favourites from Hunky Dory, Matthew Lindsay looks back to find Bowie at the juncture between one-hit-wonder and era-defining superstar. – Matthew Lindsay , Quietus
The Harder They Come, a hero's journey set to reggae, will become a new musical
On its 50th anniversary, the groundbreaking 1972 film starring Jimmy Cliff is being adapted for the stage by the creatives behind musicals about Ray Charles and the Temptations. – David Browne, Rolling Stone
RIP Herb Deutsch, the composer and professor who co-created the Moog synthesizer alongside Bob Moog
Deutsch died on Dec. 9, at age 90. Moog, who wrote, "Herb's legacy and place in the history of music will never be forgotten. And here at Moog, his laughter will be missed and cherished." – Brooklyn Vegan
