By Kerry Doole
Nickelback’s new album Get Rollin’ is bro country for old men
The Alberta-bred, British Columbia-based hard-rock veterans are releasing a new album on Friday, Get Rollin’, that includes two songs that wouldn’t be out of place on a Luke Bryan or Blake Shelton album. – Brad Wheeler, The Globe and Mail
Canada’s largest arts organizations fail at leadership diversity
A study focused on the Canadian Arts Summit, an annual gathering that includes 125 of the largest arts and cultural organizations in Canada, found that only 5.7 per cent of chief executive officers of those organizations are people of colour, while 94.3 per cent of CEOs are white. – Charlie Wall-Andrews and Owais Lightwala, Globe and Mail
‘The Ballad of Johnny Longstaff’ may be the sleeper hit of the fall theatre season
The English folk group the Young’uns have crafted a touching ode to a working-class hero. It’s deceptively simple, powerfully moving and often hilarious. – Joshua Chong, Toronto Star
Go ahead, let Arkells entertain you
After releasing eight albums and playing to sold out arenas across the country, Hamilton rock group Arkells have come to be known for their live shows, with a rapture of singalongs and arm-in-arm swaying. – Elamin Abdelmahmoud, Globe and Mail
Pianists Michael Kaeshammer and David Jalbert are back to playing live and in Hamilton
When Covid hit, Kaeshammer cut short his tour to Germany and flew back home to Vancouver Island. Twiddling his thumbs was not on the agenda, Leonard Turnevicius writes. – Hamilton Spectator
Yannick Nézet-Séguin on paying tribute to Ukraine amid his five Grammy nods
Nézet-Séguin can’t choose a favourite among his five Grammy nominations this year, but the recording of a benefit concert for Ukraine carries a certain importance to him as an artist. Shortly after Russia’s invasion of the eastern European country, the Montreal conductor and pianist began working with the Metropolitan Opera of New York to shape a night of music with an array of opera stars, including Ukrainian singer Vladyslav Buialskyi who performed his country’s national anthem. – David Friend, CP
In Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s bid to modernize, a broader audience is key
Mark Williams wants to redefine classical music’s place in Toronto. To do this, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra CEO, who officially took the helm in April, has several important strategies. Key among them, he says, is diversifying the orchestra’s audience. – Catherine Kustanczy, Globe and Mail\
London Symphonia concert widens its scope in new downtown venue
Fresh from its first performance at its renovated home at the Metropolitan United Church, London Symphonia is back this weekend with a new concert that takes full advantage of the revamped digs, the orchestra’s artistic director says. – Jonathan Juha, London Free Press
Drake helped save an avant-garde carnival featuring art by Jean-Michel Basquiat
With the aid of a $100 million investment by rapper Drake’s company DreamCrew, the artist André Heller has been reunited with his newly reassembled Luna Luna amusement park: a functional contemporary art carnival featuring a carousel designed by Keith Haring, a glass labyrinth made by Roy Lichtenstein and a ferris wheel made by Jean-Michel Basquiat. – Helen Holmes, Daily Beast
One to watch: Canadian rocker Skye Wallace loves touring but despairs mansplaining dudes
Wallace dresses her radio-friendly sensitivity in rock music hooks and a brash vocal delivery – the leather-and-lace approach. The introspection found on Wallace’s fourth album is new to the songwriter. – Brad Wheeler, The Globe and Mail
Toronto's East End century-old venue continues to be entertainment hub for the neighbourhood
The Opera House has been entertaining Riverside for more than a century. Brandon Choghri has a look at some of the stage's most famous concerts, and how the historic venue almost never even opened. –Toronto City News
International
Warner posts $1.5B in calendar Q3, up 16% yoy
Warner Music Group generated total revenues of USD $1.497 billion in calendar Q3 (the three months to end of September) 2022. That figure – encompassing recorded music, music publishing and other activities – was up 16% YoY at constant currency, the firm told investors on Tuesday. – Murray Stassen, MBW
Ticketmaster’s owner, Live Nation, is said to be under investigation by the Justice Dept.
Live Nation’s influence over the industry has been in the spotlight after Ticketmaster’s systems crashed while Taylor Swift fans were trying to buy tickets in a presale for her upcoming tour. – New York Times
U.S. opened Live Nation-Ticketmaster probe before Taylor Swift ticket fiasco
The probe comes amid a debacle for the ticketing giant, which was forced to cancel public sales for Taylor Swift’s upcoming tour on Ticketmaster after its site crashed earlier in the week during massive presale demand. – Leah Nylen, Bloomberg
Taylor Swift says Ticketmaster meltdown ‘pisses me off’: ‘I’m extremely protective of my fans’
"It's truly amazing that 2.4 million people got tickets, but it really pisses me off that a lot of them feel like they went through several bear attacks to get them." – Heather Dailey, Billboard
Taylor Swift fans are organizing a Ticketmaster take down
Rule No. 1: Don’t make Swifties angry, because the likelihood of having to grapple with a Taylor-crazed lawyer is high given the pop star’s massive appeal. Dozens of Taylor Swift fans – mostly lawyers – have joined forces for a Ticketmaster take down after the ticketing site erupted into chaos during the Eras Tour pre-sale. – Alli Patton, American Songwriter
Jack White torches Elon Musk’s ‘a**hole move’ with scathing KKK analogy
"Absolutely disgusting," the White Stripes founder said, slamming Twitter's billionaire owner. – Yahoo
Hasbro’s eOne u-turn
Behind Toymaker’s Decision To Sell Indie Film & TV Studio And What’s Next For IP Slate. – Nellie Andreeva, Deadline
All the celebrities who’ve quit Twitter because of Elon Musk
From Trent Reznor and Whoopi Goldberg to Gigi Hadid and Jack White, stars are saying bye to the app. – Tomas Mier, Rolling Stone
Man charged with arranging rapper Young Dolph's killing
A man charged with arranging the killing of Young Dolph pleaded not guilty Thursday — one year after the rapper and record label owner was ambushed and shot to death while buying cookies. – Adrian Sainz, AP
Mariah Carey can't be the only 'Queen of Christmas' after losing trademark bid
It's official: Mariah Carey can't be the only artist to wear the "Queen of Christmas" crown. The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board on Tuesday terminated Carey's bid to claim the phrase. – Jonah Valdez, Los Angeles Times
K-Pop gets the Broadway treatment in a new musical about the industry
A new Broadway musical follows how global K-Pop superstars put everything on the line when one singer tries to dismantle one of the largest record labels in the industry. – Jeff Lunden, NPR
Peanut butter & jelly, Batman & Robin, pop music & capitalism?
How commercialization has homogenized modern pop music. – Hannah Smith, The Varsity
Review: Choir Boy hits some powerful notes
Moonlight writer Tarell Alvin McCraney's coming-of-age drama features some stirring gospel music and impassioned performances. – Glenn Sumi, NOW
Angela Álvarez crowned best new artist at Latin Grammys – aged 95
Cuban American, who started recording career at 90 after decades of performing for family and friends, says ‘it’s never too late.’ – The Guardian
In love with those times: The Christchurch of punk and Flying Nun resurfaces
Does Matthew Goody have a time machine? If not, how does he do it? The Canadian author is in NZ, promoting his long-awaited and enormously impressive book about the first seven years of seminal NZ label Flying Nun Records, Needles & Plastic, which is largely set in Christchurch between 1981 and 1988. – Philip Matthews, Stuff
Bruce Springsteen’s misguided homage
Only the Strong Survive, his new album of soul covers, isn’t wrong. It’s just pointless. – David Hajdu, The Atlantic
Bruce Springsteen breaks down his R&B covers LP — and responds to fan outrage
"I know it was unpopular with some fans," Springsteen says of his ticket prices. "But if there's any complaints on the way out, you can have your money back." – Andy Greene, Rolling Stone
Diljit Dosanjh photographed by Lane Dorsey on July 15 in Toronto. Styling by Alecia Brissett.
Diljit Dosanjh photographed by Lane Dorsey on July 15 in Toronto. Styling by Alecia Brissett.
Diljit Dosanjh photographed by Lane Dorsey on July 15 in Toronto. Styling by Alecia Brissett. On Diljit: Hermès shirt & pants.
Diljit Dosanjh photographed by Lane Dorsey on July 15 in Toronto. Styling by Alecia Brissett. On Diljit: EYTYS jacket