Ian McAmmond

  • Wild Things makes these artists sing

    Following on the success of last year’s Songs from Jesus Christ Superstar, Jesse Krause and Darren Grunau of local orchestral funk six-piece Flying Fox and the Hunter/Gatherers are at it again.

  • The Caravan of Courage

    Not since Manitoba Theatre Centre’s legendary production in 1965 has Mother Courage and Her Children graced a Manitoba stage. For that show, MTC founder John Hirsch directed, Zoe Caldwell starred and people flocked from all around to Winnipeg to see it.

  • Petkau continues to push the limit

    Mike Petkau is different things to different people. He’s a record producer, a songwriter, a musician and the visionary behind Record of the Week Club, among other projects. Now he’s been appointed artistic director of the West End Cultural Centre.

  • DAVID MURRAY AND THE GWO KA MASTERS - The Devil Tried to Kill Me

    The Devil Tried to Kill Me sounds like a giant Folk Fest jam, if at least half the participants were talented jazz musicians.

  • COURTNEY FARQUHAR - Nowhere I’d Rather Be

    Unobtrusive, pretty and natural, Courtney Farquhar’s first full-length album Nowhere I’d Rather Be has an elegant simplicity to it.

  • Backpacking is in Billy’s blood

    Young, sweet and personable, B.C. musician Billy the Kid (a.k.a. Billy Pettinger) kicked off her four-month tour in Edmonton last week and is currently making her way east. A veteran of the road, the former runaway realizes this lifestyle isn’t for everyone.

  • Local band’s Cannonballs run is just beginning

    Mat Klachefsky is the Charlie Chaplin of Winnipeg’s indie scene: he writes all of the parts for songs by his band Boats! and has bandmates play them as he would.

  • ALEXANDER MCCOWAN - Thief

    Catchy hooks, relaxed rhythms and thoughtful lyrics permeate Alex McCowan’s debut album Thief.

  • What Julie does with her days

    When indie-rocker Julie Doiron went into the studio to record her latest album, she went in with a plan.

  • THE ALMOST Monster Monster

    Christian rockers The Almost have put together a consistent, radio-friendly album with Monster Monster.

  • It’s all music

    Alex Cuba, equipped with an afro, some mad sideburns and a love for creating music, will be making his way to town this week.

  • DOJO WORKHORSE - Weapons Grade Romantic

    Weapons Grade Romantic, the first full-length album from Dojo Workhorse, conjures up memories of peddling your bike on the last days of summer, running for the bus in the falling leaves and having mad conversations at the local coffeehouse

  • Adapting to a new climate

    After a weekend spent in the Whiteshell area that ended with a night out of a horror movie – a cabin in the middle of nowhere, a failing flashlight and things that go bump in the night – country-roots singer-songwriter Adrien Sala caught up with The Uniter to discuss his new album, his new band (Jackpine) and the creative process.

  • In and out with the F-Holes

    The F-Holes are a local band with unusual instrumentation: Five-string banjo, upright bass, trumpet, pedal steel, guitar, drums and mandolin are just some of the instruments the boys in the band change between. With such a variety of sounds, one wonders what their music sounds like.

  • Studio for mentally ill gets funds

    A $50,000 grant awarded to a non-profit arts centre is helping to ensure mentally ill people can keep healing through holistic means.

  • The ska(-mmunist) manifesto

    At a time when CDs are quickly becoming a thing of the past, local ska-rockers The Afterbeat decided to give the cyber world a try with the release of a free five-song EP.

  • The Marquis - Meet Me at the Mountain

    Local pop-country outfit The Marquis deliver an upbeat offering of feel-good originals on this short, six-song album. Meet Me at the Mountain showcases the songwriting talents of Kevin Kratsch and Kyle Bridges, two men who clearly know what they want in a song.