A Musical Interlude
It was a quiet day, the weather somewhat questionable as it had been for some time. Late January and rain showers…
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Music
Póg Mo Thóin
Shane McGowan has died.
Whether or not you enjoyed the music, he fronted the Anglo-Irish punk band, The Pogues.
Rocky Horror Comes To Dawson
The Rocky Horror Dawson Show (also known as The Rocky Horror Picture Show) is coming to Dawson City! Hosted by the Klondike Institute…
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Starting Spring With The Chamber Choir
Typically, the Whitehorse Community Choir performances mainly feature their Big Choir ensemble, with fewer selections sung…
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A New Renaissance
Early Music, a production by Longest Night Society (LNS), featuring the Problematic Orchestra, is coming to the Yukon Arts Centre (YAC)…
Christmas With The Choir
The leadup to the holidays is always a busy time for the Whitehorse Community Choir. With their annual Christmas concert around the corner…
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Indian Pie
All this talk about Buffy Sainte-Marie’s true identity reminded me of the first band I was ever in. Me and my buddies had a hairball idea…
Another Successful Season Of Summer Music Outdoors
A summer’s worth of free noon-hour concerts at the Front Street Gazebo has come to an end for the third year in a row.
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Jump-start Your Creativity This Fall
The buzz of summer is over, and the days are getting shorter. All of a sudden, it seems, we have so many extra hours of darkness to fill.
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Seizing The Day
Art has always been infused in Leah Day’s life. The abstract surrealist artist, who is also an actor, voice actor, poet, writer and musician…
What’s On At The YAC?
What do The Comic Strippers, Moontricks, Open Pit Theatre’s Radio Silence and Great Lake Swimmers all have in common?
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Neighbours In The North
Before taking on a Jenny House Residency in 2019, Annie Bartholomew had only visited Whitehorse once, on a school trip.
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Walking The Walk
Music teachers in the Yukon don’t seem to have a minute to rest. For example, Annie Avery, who spoke with me about the Yukon Registered…
Fiddleheads Assemble!
Founded in 1998 by Trish Barclay, the Fiddleheads create original theatre productions, organize barn dances, host jams, work with youth…
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Major Funk – New Tunes En Route
On Halloween weekend, the 202 opened its doors once again to Yukoners (in costume). Major Funk took the stage as the cast from Mario Kart.
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The Choir Is Back
The Whitehorse Community Choir’s annual Christmas shows are happening Dec. 2-3, and won’t be scaled down due to pandemic restrictions.
Unleashed! Joey O’Neil On Tour
Joey O’Neil is on tour with her dog, Oblio, playing songs from her album Ever Ahead, in dog parks across Canada.
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From Paris, With Love
After nearly a decade in the Yukon, Paris Pick is moving away to pursue music school and then her career as an music artist.
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Dawson’s Fridays Are A Time For Music!
Fridays are live music days in Dawson, this summer, with concerts at Riverside Park Gazebo and at the KIAC (Dënäkär Zho) Ballroom.
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Music From the Edges of Canada
A new live-streamed concert series features artists from rural parts of Canada, including Yukon musicians.
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Deals with the Anaatquuq
As a musician, you put yourself out there in the public and you have to be ready to appease your fans. That means answering questions
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Ready for Christmas Eve
The cast including shepherds, angels, wise persons and citizens. PHOTO: Dan Davidson What would Christmas Eve be without carols and a pageant. All are
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At least I’m not a giraffe’s backside this time
The time-honoured English tradition of the Christmas pantomime (known affectionately as just “panto”) was not part of my childhood. For the benefit of those of us who weren’t weaned on this particular theatrical fare, it’s important to bear in mind various traditions, tropes, and stereotypes of an English-style panto.
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Swinging Hard
After more than two decades as a jazz guitarist, Sheryl Bailey still invokes the name of a player who first inspired her love of the
Bah! Humbug!
Christmas —’tis the season to be jolly, for many; but for others, not so much (think “Grinch”!). Perhaps … just maybe … a little balance
Music@MacBride
The MacBride Museum of Yukon History has been hosting Music@MacBride, a series of evening shows by local musicians, for 12 years, and will continue this
Bohemian Rhapsody
Bohemian Rhapsody is a 134-minute chronicle of the formative years of Queen, and a loosely based bio on the late Freddie Mercury. It is directed
Paris Pick: Are you feeling the love?
There hardly seems to be a local show these days singer, musician, songwriter and enthusiast of all things tack, Paris Pick.
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Brandon Isaak: Spiritual Undertones
After two acoustic solo albums, Bluesman’s Plea (2011) & Here on Earth (2014), Brandon Isaak’s Spiritual Undertones marks a departure.
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Fiery energy and spirit
Fate has a habit of steering flute and saxophone player Jane Bunnett in unexpected directions. If tendinitis hadn’t forced a break from her intense piano
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Home Routes provides a cozy evening of music
The 2018–19 season of Home Routes Concerts kicked off in September with a tour by country singer Tim Hus, accompanied by his sideman of 15
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Give in to your temptation
Martin’s solo career launched when The Tea Party went on a hiatus in 2005, before getting back together in 2011. The break provided an opportunity
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Turn up the amp …
For a two-night gig this past July in Beaver Creek, Larry Berrio and his band shut the town down! Berrio, from Sudbury, Ontario, travelled 5,000 kilometres with his bandmates to the most westerly community in Canada. With open arms, the town of Beaver Creek welcomed the band.
Didee & Didoo: Good to be a Musician
‘Cause I can use my bass fiddle for a canoe. ‘Cause I can use my fiddle for a paddle. ‘Cause I can use my fiddle
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Amsterdam to Tucson to Yukon
Cory Weeds credits the influential jazz label, Criss Cross Jazz, for his initial introduction to long-time friend and musical collaborator, David Hazeltine. In the mid-’90s,
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The Queer Songbook Orchestra
The Queer Songbook Orchestra is a Toronto-based 12-piece chamber pop ensemble making their debut on September 30.
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Yukon musician embarks on exploration of space and silence
The time has come to at least take a shot at disregarding the speaker market entirely and focus on headphone-specific technology.
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48 hours of music and film
From Friday, August 24 until Sunday, August 26, musicians and filmmakers are invited and encouraged to take part in the creation of a music video that will be completed in only two days.
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One night, one stage, one amazing group of people…
As I was growing up in northern Canada, music was as much a staple as frying pan bannock.
One night, one stage, one amazing group of people… Read More »
They sang then and played to please the hero
A fundraising concert for the Yukon Literacy Coalition, with original songs inspired by Beowulf, will take place on August 13 at 7:30 p.m. at Well Read Books.
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Why so serious?
This August, Whitehorse heavy metal music enthusiasts will be treated to a blast from the past, augmented with an infusion of new blood.
Magic under the mountains
Haines Junction is gearing up for the second-annual Augusto Children`s Festival. It’s the Yukon’s only arts and music festival for children.
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Canadian concert series comes to Whitehorse
Aurora, a Canadian company that produces and distributes medical marijuana, is putting on a national series of free concerts to celebrate cannabis culture and the imminent legalization of marijuana through music and arts.
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Return of the Kingdom
Vancouver heavy metal band Iron Kingdom to play four Yukon shows this July
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Paradise is ‘plugging in’
The Yukon’s annual electronic Paradise Music Festival is back and is set to take off July 27–29 at Kettley’s Canyon, at Marsh Lake.
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Banjo Sammy’s lonesome ride
Now you know why Flatt and Scruggs quit Monroe and went on their own.
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BC/DC is back (not on Black, on Jarvis)
It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock ’n’ roll, but British Columbia’s famed tribute act to legendary rockers AC/DC, aptly named BC/DC, is already there.
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Lucie D and the Immortals
There is a new sound in town! On Thursday June 21, Lucie D and the Immortals will debut their new EP, Les Thèmes de la Vie (Themes of Life), from 7 to 9 p.m. at Baked Café.
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Tickling the ivories under the midnight sun
Over 10-million people across the globe have been part of an art project that placed 1,890 street pianos at 75 installations in 60 cities. Local musician Grant Simpson saw that there was an opportunity to do a made-in-the-Yukon version.
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Play that funky music
Any Yukon music fan should be familiar with Major Funk—the raw live energy and mechanical tightness the band boasts often makes them the talking point of shows and festivals in the territory.
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Riverside rave
Beginning on May 31, guest DJs will perform on the Whitehorse Wharf, providing a summer dance floor for Yukon families and dance music fans.
Are you ready for a good time? Love country rock?
Teslin will again be hosting an electrifying country-rock concert called Teslin Rocks Country, featuring a slate of excellent contemporary Canadian country artists. Headlining the show will be two artists from from British Columbia: Aaron Pritchett and The Washboard Union.
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Yukon’s summer music festival review
The good, the bad and the absolute crazy : here is an overview of the top summer music festivals in the Yukon.
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Bluegrass, ‘newgrass,’ straight-ahead country and more …
This year’s Kluane Mountain Bluegrass Festival, June 8 to 10, in Haines Junction, will feature a lineup of world-class acts.
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Learning from Roy
“When we first came to Canada in 1953 [from Friesland, Netherlands], we couldn’t read or write. I went down to the local bookstore and found this book.”
A Whitehorse hub for visual and performing arts
For 22 years and going strong, LePage Park has become a hub for arts and culture during the summer months. The new season of Arts in the Park launches on May 22 with a free barbecue.
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Top 10 tips for your first summer in Whitehorse
Here are some tips and tricks to starting out in Whitehorse as a Cheechako (which is the name for being new to the north of 60th parallel).
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Growing beats in the Yukon
What do you like about beats? I like that our heart is one. Also, they seem to grow well in the Yukon. Daniel Mackenzie started
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2018 CBC Indigenous Music Awards
On May 18, the Indigenous Music Awards will return to Winnipeg with awards in 19 categories that honour music that has been created by First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples of Turtle Island.
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Play it loud in the car
Manfred Janssen and Jordy Walker recorded the bulk of the album in Walker’s basement studio in Hillcrest, hence the title, Basement Tapes.
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Yukon Music – Improvisation is Key
The Vanier Junior Jazz Band won first place in the Under 16 category of BYTE’s Battle of the Bands – again!
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Cuba Impressions
Passion – that’s the word that comes to mind when I reflect on my recent Cuban holiday in January. The passion of our tour guides throughout our travels. Their devotion to sharing their love of Cuba and how Cubans are working to build a more equitable country.
Dear, dear. This show ain’t casual viewin’
54-40 has been described as Canada’s answer to REM, hyper literate, alt-rock, conscious with tight hooks, left coast intel and killer musicianship.
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Music and learning
Students from Holy Family Elementary School wrote, performed, and produced their very own CD.
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Teaching language through song from Québec to the Yukon
Multilingual Quebec musicians Andrée Levesque-Sioui and Kyra Shaughnessy are in the Yukon this month for a series of workshops with high-school students. The workshops are aimed at promoting bilingualism in the Yukon and are conducted in French and the Huron-Wendat First Nation language.
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Delhi to Dublin and everything in-between
Delhi 2 Dublin, a multi-talented group from Vancouver that have made a name for themselves on the world music scene are the main act at this year’s St. Patrick’s Day party happening at the Coast High Country Inn Convention Centre.
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Taking Cues
When a band calls itself Peripheral Vision, you might be excused for thinking it’s a rock group, or possibly a folk/roots, or even bluegrass ensemble. But you’d be wrong.
No Sour Grapes
Kevin Kane (left) and Bryan Potvin on a break during a Northern Pikes recording session in Calgary earlier this month. Kane & Potvin will perform
Heating up the music scene with Frostbite 2018
The Frostbite Music Festival returns in 2018, on a new date, and has embraced the theme of rising from the ashes.
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The Yukon Balladeer
Al Oster plays in Hougens in 1961 – PHOTOS: courtesy of Rolf Hougen This article uses information and content shared by Rolf Hougen from the
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Celebrating First Nations’ achievements and culture
The Skookum Jim Folklore Show has become an annual tradition that celebrates First Nation traditions, community and culture.
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The sounds of the next generation
The annual BYTE Battle of the Bands, which will feature up to 10 groups, has been taking place for over a decade and has teamed up for the second year with Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous as an affiliated event at Shipyards Park.
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Welcome the Year of the Dog
The Chinese New Year is the celebration of the Lunar New Year and considered the beginning of spring. Due to the Chinese calendar’s reliance on
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Freezing for the sake of art…
Ask most people what they do during the cold month of January, and they would say, “Stay inside and keep warm.” The (s)hiver Arts Society, however, wants to change that.
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Big, driving quarter notes
Jen Hodge had just spent five hectic days in Asheville, North Carolina, rehearsing every day and performing late into every night as part of the
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Dawson City Music Festival aims for sustainability
The Dawson City Music Festival (DCMF) will be holding its annual general meeting on Thursday, January 18, at Yukon College. The meeting was to have
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Welcome 2018, farewell Commissioner Phillips
According to the Yukon Commissioner’s office, the New Year’s Levee is an old tradition that dates back to King Louis XIV of France and was
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Rocking the live music scene
When Barry Bellchambers acquired the Whitehorse Lions Pool in 2004, filled it, and created the Yukon Convention Centre, he had a vision of bringing live
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Not your grandma’s chamber music
Musical ear candy – that’s how Daniel Janke describes the Problematic Orchestra. “It’s pretty wacky music,” he said of the 20-person chamber music group he
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A beloved musical tradition
Bob Williams knows the residents and staff at Copper Ridge Place quite well. That’s because the longtime Yukoner, musician and volunteer has been playing music at the continuing care facility since it was built eight years ago.
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Vulnerability and shared space
Anyone who has attended a Kim Beggs concert, or listened to one of her CDs, knows that the subject of death often shows up in
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Tradition and values
The email said Jeremy Pelt was between engagements in Europe and China, with just a “sliver of time” of time for a phone interview from
Tradition and values Read More »
Past and present fuse on new record
Dakhká Khwáan Dancers new album is called Deconstruct/Reconstruct, and it is a double CD.
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Gordie Tentrees previews new album
Making his seventh album was the most fun Gordie Tentrees has had as a musician, but it didn’t start out that way.
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Whitehorse All-City Band invited to perform in Toronto
The 20-year-old Whitehorse All-City Band Junior and Senior Wind Ensembles have been honoured to receive their first invitation to compete at MusicFest Canada, a national music competition in Toronto next May.
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Good vibes: Blue Feather Music Festival
Blue Feather Music Festival is entering its 17th year and is still holding true to its roots, providing healing, sharing culture and providing positive opportunities for youth to grow.
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No earbuds aboard
Have you heard the one about the farmer’s daughter, the music teacher, the composer and the jazz singer? It’s not a joke. They’re all the same
It’s all about the performance
Prep your pipes: Klondike Karaoke is back. And even if you’re not onstage at the finals, you could be cheering from the crowd. For the
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Nicole Edwards and friends lift up their voices for local charity
This project gives Yukon audiences another opportunity to create a new and beautiful memory of what Edwards can do with music.
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Tel Aviv to L.A.
Tamir Hendelman’s list of players who have inspired him as a performer and composer includes unsurprising names such Evans, Davis, Corea, Hancock and Peterson. But
It’ll be Hip
Special Olympics Yukon will introduce an event of the season and it’s looking hip! Two hours of Tragically Hip by cover band The Hip Show.
In The People’s Voice
Ross River musician Dennis Shorty grew up in a musical family that spoke Kaska and performed at social events. Now he is sharing his love
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Return to the Yukon
It’s been 30 years, or thereabouts, since I first ran into the iconic Canadian folksinger-songwriter-poet who goes by the simple – but exotic-sounding – name
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Setting Forth for New Frontiers
Yukon musician Jona Barr is pumped. He’s going to Germany – and he’s going to be playing his first set outside of Canada. “I’ve traveled
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Local Artists Team Up for a Night of Live Hip Hop
“You’re Doing Great Work” reads the massive block letters on the front of Splintered Craft’s building on 4th Avenue. Other messages, pictures and tags cover
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Falling in love with the Yukon
Every week in the Yukon I fall more in love with this Northern magical place. This week was the Kluane Mountain Bluegrass Festival.
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I Love the Smell of Perfume in the Morning
Which brings me to one of Canada’s neatest little music festivals. To protect my sources, I won’t identify it, except to say it has been
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RCMP Musical Ride returns
“The best place to view the ride is from up high,” says Inge Sumanik. “But, for me, it is standing next to the fence and
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Orchestra at the Edges of Canada
“Come as you are, bring a friend or a parent or a daughter or a nephew, and be prepared to be blown away by NYO
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Paradise Electronic Music Festival: Come As You Are
“We want people to come out and express themselves and who they truly are,” says DJKJ. “Creativity is welcomed and everyone is accepted.”
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A New Sparrow is Arriving
Starting July 24 and running until August 5, The Keno City Music and Art Workshop will be taking place. One of the featured musicians is
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Fishnets and Chainsaws
From antique carousel and ferris wheel rides, to wearable art and cake bake off contests, to beer and wine gardens, to beach wrestling and the
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Cars, Guns and a Heart-pumping Soundtrack
Baby Driver is a popcorn action movie written and directed by Edgar Wright. The 113 minute flick hosts a star studded cast including Kevin Spacey,
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Dawson City Music Festival Amps up for its 39th Year
It may be the 39th year of Dawson City’s beloved annual music festival, but this tried-and-true summer favourite is always sure..
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Music gets the campfire cooking
They decided it would be fun to spend the summer playing as many of the Yukon Parks cook shacks as possible. Music in the campground.
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Watson Lake Farmer’s Market Moves to the Sign Post Forest
Looking for something interesting to do on a Saturday afternoon? Look no further than the Watson Lake Farmer’s Market held at Historic Mile 635 in the famous Watson Lake Sign Post Forest.
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A Quarter Century of Fusing Delicious Food and Great Music
It’s a summer Friday night in Haines Junction, and almost anybody who loves good food, good music and the spectacular St. Elias Mountains knows right
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Taking the Sound of the Yukon to a National Stage
On July 1, the community choir, along with the Persephone Singers and the Chamber Choir, will take their sound to Ottawa. As part of the annual Unisong Choral Festival, they will sing with and for choir members and audiences from around the country and the globe.
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Back in Town
Among Whitehorse’s talented music scene are Madi Dixon and Sarah Ott. Since their early teen years, Dixon and Ott have been staples of the local
There’s a New Drummer in Town
Meet Lee Campese, Yukon’s most recent import and the latest addition to the groovy rhythmic assemblage, Major Funk and the Employment.
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A Good Old Time in Haines Junction
Bluegrass music goes back to the Appalachians. The 2017 Kluane Mountain Bluegrass Festival headliners are The Boxcars from east Tennessee.
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Out of the Shadows
Multifaceted, multicultural and full of ingenuity – the arts and music community of the Yukon is widely appreciated, well-funded and extensively advertised. At least, some
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Beatle Stations
The first volume of Lewisohn’s trilogy The Beatles: All These Years. The main drawback is that at only about 800 pages, it’s over too soon.
There is always time for Soda Pony
It is a typical Sunday evening in Whitehorse, and the Whitehorse two-piece alternative rock band Soda Pony is hard at work rehearsing and perfecting material
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An Evolution of Music and Friendship
McColeman and Desaulniers perform as a duo. Lucie D and the Immortals with Paul Lucas, Lonnie Powell, Paul Bergman and Olivier de Colombel.
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A Feast of Jazz
After several vocal jazz workshops “There was no outlet for the singers to practice what they’d learned.” said Simpson. Enter Café des Voix
A Shining Star
Songs are almost like children, having a little life of their own. Thorin Loeks on his second album, Shine Through The Dark.
Class of 2009: Katie Pope
As I was trying on new glasses a few weeks ago at Northern Lights Optometry, fashion specialist Katie Pope helped me. I liked her instantly
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Changing Direction
John Stetch was already part of the New York City jazz scene when he first played in front of classical pianist and teacher Burton Hatheway
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Bound for Glory
Guthrie would take melodies that were common – in the folk tradition of learn and do – and put his definitive twist on them.
Setting sail for uncharted waters
“I don’t mind the snow/cause you make me warm/I don’t mind the dark in this romantic cold”– Paris Pick & The Ukes of Hazard
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Drop In, Turn On and Jam Out
On some days, the wind blows from the north. A Whitehorse legend that drifts down the road is this: music and art are taught with
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Yukon troubadour blazing the way
The sun is shining, the flag snaps proudly in the south- east wind as the “MV Queen of Prince Rupert” pulls out of Bella Bella
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Got knocked down, got back up, then was blown away
There is a bit of Murphy’s Law happening when it comes to reviewing live acts. Last weekend I was ready to let off some
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Finding a New Way Home
From Tomaso Albinoni to Django Reinhardt, by way of Led Zeppelin? It’s all part of guitarist Marc Atkinson’s musical journey. The 48-year-old Atkinson grew up
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Caroline Drury takes that voice in a new direction
Caroline Drury sings “Love Potion #9.” That’s all anyone needs to know before deciding to buy her newest CD, Loving You, Loving Me. “Love Potion
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Getting Down to Motown
A nun, another nun, and a mystery illness all contributed to the development of Lucie Desaulniers as a singer. Growing up in the small Manitoba
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Making Music and Money for Good Causes
Regardless of what else may be happening, on 1st Saturday of the month during a school year, these open mic events are a regular occurrence.
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Making her Own Trail
“It’s sort of like a straightforward country approach to old-school, ’30s vocal jazz,” she says. “I would say it’s got folk roots, a bit of
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Nicole Edwards: Genre Bender
Nicole certainly mixes it up with genres including Jazz, Gospel, Rock, Roots, and the Latin sounds in “Lychee Martini” and “Second Thoughts”
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Battle of the Bands
This Rendezvous, The Battle of the Bands is going down, bringing together youth bands from across the territory to battle for top dog honors of
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Youthful Exuberance
Memphis, Tennessee has been dubbed both the “Home of the Blues” and the “Birthplace of Rock and Roll”. But it’s no slouch in the jazz
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Burning Questions
“If this show is revealing something about me that’s touching people and moving them, then I have to pursue it,” he decided. The burning personal
No Orchestra? No Problem
Trying to provide professional-calibre orchestral music in a small northern city can be … well, problematic. Just ask Daniel Janke.
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It’s Beginning to Sound a Lot Like…
With December well underway, I’m finally inured to the barrage of seasonal music that assails us whenever we set foot outdoors. Don’t get me wrong.
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Indian Dance + Celtic Beats
On Saturday, Dec. 17, Yukoners will have a chance to immerse themselves in an uplifting show Bhangra: The Dance of the Punjab, which will feature
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The Cancan as Theatrical Spectacle
On June 20, 1819 the composer who was destined to pen the cancan theme song was born. His name was Jacques Offenbach. Born in Cologne,
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Gimme That Tessitura
Full disclosure: Steve Maddock and I have a few things in common. We’re both PKs (preacher’s kids) who grew up in southern Ontario adding our
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Diving into the Depths of Creativity
“There’s a lot of performing opportunities within the French community, but it’s not necessarily places where artists can try new things and take that risk.
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A Study in Sound
Take a moment to think about your favourite film. What is the soundtrack like? Besides music, what other sorts of sounds are used to create
Travelling with Thomas
If you go by way of Laos and the U.S. East Coast, the journey from France to Yukon is anything but a straight line. But
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The Life and Times of Teenage Metalheads, WaRRmAuth
WaRRmAuth is one of the most intriguing bands at the forefront of the Whitehorse metal scene revivalt. These teenage stars rock hard.
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Little Coyote Returns to the Den
A few years ago, Teagan Johnston sat in her kitchen, her face covered in fake blood. Her husband took the photo in their Toronto apartment
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What is the Aurora Trail?
The folk/roots duo Twin Peaks, comprised of Naomi Shore and Lindsay Pratt, opened Dawson’s Home Routes season on Sept. 26. The show in Dawson City
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Need Some Good Advice?
Basia Bulat is returning to the Yukon. Bulat is a multi-instrumentalist – she plays guitar, autoharp, banjo, ukulele, charango, hammered dulcimer, saxophone and flute –
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Rising From The Ashes: Heavy Metal Returns to Whitehorse
“I want to hear something different.” These six simple words were an unexpected call to action that local promoter and musician Joel Gilchrist received from
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Remembering Lenny
If you’re doing a stage show about a highly-admired guitarist, being able to render the music is a big help. Fortunately, Whitehorse musician Nicholas Mah
CFYT Talent Night
Have you always wanted to get on stage and strut your stuff? If so, then CFYT Talent Night is for you. Taking place on September
Yukon Music with a Side of Lychee
Add a fruity kick to your fall with a lychee martini! Try the cocktail at the CD release party and concert for Yukon musician Nicole
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13th Century Music
Katelyn Clark and Julie Ryning , as musica fantasia, released their first album. They stopped in The Yukon as part of the album tour.
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A Matter of Taste
Musical talent is over-rated, and taste is under-rated. At least, that’s how Canadian-born sax player Grant Stewart sees things. “I know many, many, many players
My Dad, the Outlaw
Gabriola Islander Bob Bossin brings his one-man musical Davy the Punk to The Old Fire Hall next Thursday, Sept. 22 and to Dawson City the
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Four Years on the Road and Still Going Strong
We Found Roads is their latest album – and also the personal story of Cie and Karisa Hoover. They are a two-person indie rock band
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Do Festival-Goers Dream of Electric Beats?
Over two days, 20 DJs, local dance troupe BoSo and a live painter will perform at the 11th annual Paradise Electronic Music Festival.
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A Weekend of Free, Homegrown Music
It may not be on the scale of the Atlin or Dawson music festivals, but the second annual Keno City Music Festival has a cachet
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Cello Lessons in the Communities
“They just don’t stop!” That’s the coordinator of the Yukon Cello Project, Nico Stephenson, describing the energy and enthusiasm his students bring to music class
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A Celebration of Tradition and Culture
From July 28 to 31 the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation will welcome everyone to their traditional territory. The First Nation is hosting the 13th biennial
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Another Field, Another Festival
Claire Ness wasn’t even born in 1969, when the most famous rock festival in history took place. It’s possible her then-20ish parents, Roy and Penelope,
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Chronicling the Peace
From her cabin on her parents’ farm near Fort St. John, B.C., Jody Peck can see the broad, meandering Peace River, not far from where
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Underground at the Core
By the time Danny Fernandez was 10, he had visited over two dozen countries during six years spent aboard a floating hospital that provided free
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The Return of Bushwhacker: Wiser, Stronger, And Ready to Party
Next week sees the triumphant return of a woefully under-represented genre in the Whitehorse music scene – heavy metal – brought in the form of
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A Music Scene Darling
The music scene in Whitehorse is really something. Full of fresh, creative musical sounds that come straight from the heart and soul of artists who
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Living Blues Legends
Director Daniel Cross visits the southern United States with his latest documentary I am The Blues (2016), highlighting living blues legends in the heart of
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Atlin Arts and Music Festival: A Feast for the Senses
The Atlin Arts and Music Festival, music, visual arts, film and food, is about building community through music and art.
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Aroused and Ecstatic
Ping pong might be what prevents Shawn Hall from harpooning Matt Rogers, or keeps Rogers from dismembering his musical partner with an axe. The duo
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2016 Adӓka Cultural Festival: An Exploration of Old and New
2016 Adӓka Cultural Festival: Kaska drummer Dennis Shorty , Gwich’in fiddler Boyd Benjamin, & Inuit throat-singer Kathleen Merritt
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Polaris goes Polar
Music-industry types mingled with arts funders and a few musicians at the Yukon Transportation Museum on June 15 for a different kind of brown-bag lunch
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Not Precisely Iceland, More Like Montreal
I would like to revoke the claim I made in my introduction about being a seasoned traveller, because I have made an embarrassingly rookie mistake.
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Community Theatre at its Finest
Friends of the Palace Grand Theatre presenting A Klondike Cabin Companion, a live radio performance, bring community theatre to Dawson City.
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Leaving the Road
When Oliver Jones was a mere 65 years old, he and his wife both felt it was time for him to retire after years of
A Canada Day Celebration Worth Driving To
Mayo Arts Festival offers a unique way to celebrate Canada’s birthday with artists, workshops and musicians from the Stewart River Valley
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Pritchett Rocks Country
Having a ringside seat at an Aaron Pritchett concert might just get you one of his trademark cowboy hats simply for being there. “When I
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A Big Night in a Small Town
The Teslin Arena is going to be rocking on June 25. Canadian country acts Aaron Pritchett, Cory Marquardt and Roger Gabriel are coming to town
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Out of the Rec Room
Scott Wilson doesn’t credit either ’50s TV host Arthur Godfrey or campy falsetto Tiny Tim with the current popularity of the humble ukulele. Instead, the
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Big, Loud and Funky
Major Funk and the Employment is a big band with a big sound. It has some big changes since bassist Etienne Girard put the group together.
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O Brother, It’s Bluegrass
The Foggy Hogtown Boys will make their Yukon debut at this year’s Kluane Mountain Bluegrass Festival, June 10-12, 2016
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Pickin’ on The Junction
In the pines, in the pines, the Kluane Mountain Bluegrass Music Festival will take place June 10, 11, and 12. It is held annually at
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His Saturn Returned and He’s Heading Out
Saturn is somewhere in its grand orbit when you’re born. When it comes round again, 29.5 years later, astrologers say it can mean big changes
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Three Weeks in Iceland
Hvernig segir maður, “I’m completely lost” á íslensku? What’s that, you say? Icelandic is one of the most difficult languages to learn? On second thought,
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Oh, Beer. Maybe Next Year?
It’s a gathering where you may sip the tingly bitterness of a pale ale, sample salty snacks from the “bacon booth” and lock eyes magically
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Inclusion Expo Gets Jazzy
He’s only 24 years old, but American pianist Matt Savage has had a 15-year professional career as a jazz musician, playing with some of the
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Out on the Edge
Amongst them, the members of Winter Trio have probably racked up around 120 years of performing. As a distinct musical entity, though, they’re just hitting
An International Celebration of Talent
The Folk Society of Whitehorse has been hosting the famous Yukon-Alaska Coffee House for more than 25 years. This event features two coffee house evenings,
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Street Party Sound
If a musical shindig at the Old Fire Hall this Saturday puts you in mind of a New Orleans street party, Ryan McNally won’t be
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Crossing Borders
Alex Goodman doesn’t really cross borders so much as straddle them. Although the Toronto-raised guitarist and composer has made his home in New York City
Sal Capone: The Lamentable Tragedy Of
“The play was inspired by the shooting of a young man named Freddy Villaneuva,” Vancouver-based playwright Omari Newton tells me. “A young man that was
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For A Good Time Check Out This Show
Whitehorse is a hotbed of artists, dancers and performers brewing with ideas and creativity and this weekend we’ll have an opportunity to see what’s in
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Folk VERCH-uoso
If you’ve got a yen to hear some some good old-fashioned country fiddle playing, you won’t want to miss April Verch. Verch, along with bandmates
A Champian for Dinah
“You know how kids like to pretend and tell stories? My story was that I was Dinah Washington.” { legendary jazz singer who died in 1963}
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Joyful Performance
Donnell Leahy remembers exactly how he felt when he made his stage debut as a fiddler at the age of four. “Mom and Dad had
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Life of a Musician
Canadian singer-songwriter Louise Burns just completed a month’s residency in Dawson City as the songwriter in residence.
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An Evening of Romance
Bring family, friends, or even a date, because the All-City Band Society is hosting the 16th annual Dessert and Dance. The evening will start off
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Frostbite is Back
Yukon’s winter music festival, Frostbite is back for 2016, finally. A small group of volunteers have been working hard to make this happen.
The Must-See Guide to the Pivot Theatre Festival
By La Compagnie L’Immédiat/Camille Boitel Jan. 27-29, 8 p.m., Yukon Arts Centre Co-presented with the Yukon Arts Centre, this European classic comes all the way from
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Into the Fire
Steve Maddock owes at least part of his resumé to the bad judgment of another singer. In 1998, the crooner/actor/voice teacher from Burnaby, B.C., got
The Perfect Party Playlist
Whether you’re throwing a small dinner party, holiday event or New Year’s eve rager, your playlist can make or break the event. You’ve spent the
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A Northern Cabaret
Craving a dose of good old fashioned Vaudeville fun? Yukoners looking for something new and adult to do this holiday season have the opportunity to
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A star on stage, with his heart on the ranch
Brett Kissel, rising star in country music, is happy to include the Yukon on his 2015-16 tour. “I wanted to make this a truly Canadian tour”
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Back on Bourbon Street
James Danderfer didn’t intend to be a clarinet player. In Grade 6 he selected the drums as his preferred musical vehicle, but the band director
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Riffs through the Wilderness
Brenda Berezan was an aspiring songwriter when she moved to the Yukon wilderness. Having taken a break from music to run a business and raise
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Dancing To All The Sounds
On Friday, October 23, the Yukon Arts Centre will be presenting a multimedia experience that weaves together dance, video, music and costume. It’s called Eunoia
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Crazy ’bout a Mercury
Local musician Ryan McNally really does have himself a Mercury, which he definitely does cruise up and down the road.
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Duncan Sinclair – Instrument of Change
Your first perception of Duncan Sinclair may be of a reserved, buttoned-down guy – a civil servant, most likely. You wouldn’t be wrong. Sinclair
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YAC’s sound investment
Every seat in the Yukon Arts Centre costs the same. Yet the sound is not the same in each seat. That is why some people
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Taking His Music Around the World
Homegrown singer-songwriter Gordie Tentrees is releasing his sixth album, Less is More, with a Northern tour this month. Tentrees is playing in Skagway, Dawson City,Keno
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Ready to Rock the North
The Midnight Sons Band is fresh off a tour and ready to rock. The band is presenting – and performing at – Rock the North
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Inside Rhythm
Forget the metronome, and don’t even bother trying to play like someone else, no matter how much you admire them. “When I was young, I
Homegrown Hip Hop
Jonathan Steel, known by his nom-de-rap MC TurMoiL, has released his first CD, Black and Green. He’s also released a video for the album’s hit
Wanted down south
Summer may be drawing to a close, but there is still a great music festival that you can catch. Taking place in Victoria, B.C., the
Blues under the influence of pneumonia
Blues band Black Iron Blossom came out of nowhere. I hadn’t even heard of them before the normally quiet Sam Gallagher stopped me in Mac’s
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The (Tom)boy is back in town
The term tomboy usually refers to a girl who has “male”interests, and has a preference for “male” clothing. You know, the type of girl who
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That Guy with the Sax
Howard Chymyshyn (aka Chymy) was born in Medicine Hat, Alberta in 1946 (my mom was born in the very same town 10 years later). His
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Down Highway 61
Near the end of his memoir, Chronicles, Volume I, Bob Dylan recalls the seismic effect of hearing Robert Johnson’s album, King of the Delta Blues
Book of Truths
A few years back, Craig Cardiff noticed he was only going through the motions at his shows. The folk musician from Waterloo, Ontario says he
Slynking into Paradise
Evan Chandler spent his first 27 years in Brisbane, Australia, before he started thinking it would be “cool” to see what life is like in
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The Paradise Beat
“Welcome to paradise,” Kevin Jack says. Thus begins my tour of a property that edges onto the swampy back of Marsh Lake. An old gold
Harmonica George,Blowin’ strong
After playing harmonica for more than 40 years, Harmonica George McConkey finally feels he is getting to the venerated status “old blues guy”.
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Street Party
Nadine Landry describes Louisiana’s Cajun culture as a ‘holy trinity’ of food, music and dancing. “People invite you over to dinner, so there is food,
Atlin’s Ian Fest
Ian Tyson, iconic minstrel of life in the West/North. 68yr old hearing an 81yr old singer at Atlin Arts and Music Festival felt young again.
Rambling North for the Dawson City Music Festival
The Slocan Ramblers often get asked how it happens that four lads who live in Toronto came to be interested in bluegrass music. Bass player
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Going for the Beat
As the famous Alice Cooper song says, “School’s ouuuuuut for the summer!” But for kids of various ages whose passion is music, classes are set
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Yukon’s Own Kitten Puppy Delivers the DIY Goods
Type Thing — available on the Bandcamp website — is a full length, home-recorded, independent rock n’ roll record by the artist known as Kitten
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Song Crafting at Historic Fort Selkirk
“It will be a special week in a very special place. Lots of one-on-one time with mentors and lots of cowriting,” says singer-songwriter Kim Beggs.
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The Continuation of an Era
We decided to go back to where it all began. The first jam night that Peggy Hanifan ever hosted was at the Kopper King and
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“When You See Vinyl, You Talk About It”
Playing a show to open for a musician is a first for Whitehorse bornand-raised Patrick Hamilton. Hamilton says, “I’ve been a professional musician since I
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Pirate Rock
Paris Seymour, better known by her stage name Paris Vagabond Gypsy, is one of a kind. In the year-and-ahalf since the pirate-costumed, bass-playing, ukulele-strumming, singer-songwriter
Drumming Festival will ‘wake up the land’
“You feel it to your core; it is a heartbeat; so uplifting; it just goes right through me.” Steve Smith, the chief of the Champagne
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Japanese Drums Arrive in the Capital
Whitehorse is about to get a dose of Japanese culture from the upcoming Festival of Taiko Drumming. June 11 to 13 will see the Japanese
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Piper at the Gates of Dawn
When “The Pink Floyd” released their 1967 experimental psychedelic classic, Piper At the Gates of Dawn, the term “Swinging London” had just been coined by
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Sometimes doing the Badd thing feels so good
Cover Me Badd VII is back this summer for another evening of rocking good fun in Dawson City. On June 5, from 7 to 11
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Freddie Osson
If you haven’t met Saxophone Freddie up in Dawson City, you should. He is, after all, the first face you see when you fly into
Local Artists To Take Over Trolley
The second annual Whitehorse Nuit Blanche is set to transform the downtown core into an all-night art playground. Inviting the audience to become the artist,
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Arts In the Park Returns with a New Captain at the Helm
Geneviève Doyon came North in 2010. Her first job in the Yukon was assisting Steve Slade with Arts in the Park. She says it was
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A Biker at 30
Amelia Merher, also known as the ukulele-slinging songwriter Big Mama Lele, has ambitious plans for her 30th birthday. “I’m putting a new spin on fatbiking,”
A Little Help from Friends
According to Marc Paradis, it’s starting to resemble a mini-music festival. He should know. The Whitehorse drummer has performed at pretty much every major music
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Girls Rock Camp
The closest I’ve come to being in a band was brought about through my love of the Spice Girls. When I was eleven, my friends
A Swing Through Jazz History
Jazz has come a long way over the decades. What started as a call-and-response song though the cotton fields of the south, has now become
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The Sound of Home
I dream of my hometown. Walking through these streets again, listening to music floating from open windows like light. Harmonica, accordion. Walking these streets where
Grand Canyon
Whitehorse-based, Swedish-Canadian songwriter Sarah MacDougall has a new album, Grand Canyon, with some dark, intense lyrics, mixed against pop-inspired folk music. It’s not a departure
Learning As I Go
In an interview, Bob Weir, rhythm guitarist for the Grateful Dead, admitted somewhat sheepishly, that yes, it was a bit embarrassing learning how to play
Ryan Dorward’s Tales of Absurdity
Beer hockey is not a sport for the faint of heart. Although it substitutes much of the grace, skill, and teamwork of our nation’s icy
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Open Mic Fright
Two weeks before my open mic appearance, I begin learning my first song on the banjo. Although it’s far from my first choice, I settle
The Beauty and Tragedy of Elliott Smith
My van died the day that I learned that Elliott Smith had put a knife through his chest. “Maybe it’s time to lighten up,” I
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Puppet Dreams Coming True
Nicole Edwards was raised on the Muppet Show, and she dreamed of duetting with Kermit since she was a kid. As an adult, she decided
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Fixing to Play
Campbell Ryga has a thing about saxophones. When he’s not playing them, chances are you’ll find him at a workbench repairing one, or conducting clinics
Sibling Revelry
Brigitte and Caroline Desjardins-Allatt were well into elementary school before learning about their father’s musical past — and the instruments stashed in the family garage.
Leela Gilday: Heart of the People
Leela Gilday recognizes how First Nations performers can inspire aboriginal youngsters, who seldom see “indigenous heroes”
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Classical Challenges
Building an orchestra in a city as small as Whitehorse poses a variety of pesky challenges. How do you fill the bassoonist’s chair, for instance?
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Johnny Cash For Cancer
Cancer Fundraiser produced by Brandon Isaak with performers Hank Carr, Ed Isaak & The Midnight Sons Band is a tribute to Johnny Cash.
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The Technical Side of Things
Jim Holland knows music like nobody’s business; not only is he a musician, he’s also an accomplished sound technician. Over the next few months Holland will
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Music Survival Camp 2.0
Building on last year’s boot camp for musicians, this month Music Yukon is offering its two- part Music Survival Camp 2.0, focusing on entrepreneurial and
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The Story of a Voice
The two songs Tristan Whiston sang constantly during his transformation from a female into a male were, “Water is Wide” and “I am Sailing”. Both
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Kluane Mountain Bluegrass Festival returns to the Junction
The summer of 2015 will see the Kluane Mountain Bluegrass Festival, which went on temporary hiatus last year, returning to Haines Junction.
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Ignoring the Naysayers
When your first public performance is a solo recital in New York City’s legendary Carnegie Hall, it can be pretty heady stuff. That’s exactly what
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A Drinky Thingy
According to Tim Tamashiro, there’s “thinky” jazz and then there’s “drinky” jazz . “I’ve always had a bit of a problem with the serious nature
Sing-along Solstice
Why settle for karaoke night in a bar when you can parade your singing talent at the Yukon Arts Centre? “I think people miss singing
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Coffeehouse Folks
Twenty-five years ago, the Folk Society of Whitehorse (FSW) began as an event for people of all ages to enjoy. Today, it is on a
Listening to the Music
I’ve been listening to a lot of cassette tapes lately. You remember those things; they appeared between vinyl records (making a comeback) and CDs (fading
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Bringing it all back home
Imagine a pleasant home filled with convivial souls, good food and drink at hand, and professional musicians to provide the evening’s entertainment. No, it’s not
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Beware of Hazard
At the moment, the Ukes have a steady gig at the Dirty Northern Bastard on Wednesday nights, opening for The Midnight Sons.
Feels Like a Celebration
Journey with Our Hearts and Hands at Adäka Cultural Festival is 13 master carvers from New Zealand, BC, Alaska, the NWT & The Yukon.
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Road Ready
When Morgan MacDonald closes his classroom door a few weeks from now, he’ll hit the road-less-travelled to gauge how far an alternate career path might
School’s out for the Summer
Amelia Merhar, better known in the Yukon music scene as Big Mama Lele, ended her Graduation Tour on May 10 in Fairbanks. The occasion? She’s
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Tuneful Fun
Beginning next week, Dawson City residents will have something to sing about – literally. The Good Times Community Choir will start up on May 6
Blue Hibou collaboration spans the country
With Kim Barlow’s recent departure from the Yukon, the local music scene appeared to have lost its most well-known singer-songwriter. However, Blue Hibou, Barlow’s collaboration
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Protest and Psychedelia
The Sixties are making a comeback in Whitehorse this week, complete with musicians ranging from Pete Seeger to Led Zepplin. On May 2 and 3,
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Real Life Guitar Heroes
The Classically Yours concert series will feature the world-renowned Los Angeles Guitar Quartet (LAGC) this week in Whitehorse. The LAGQ has been performing its soulful music all
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Touching Bass with Yukon Friends
Jazz Yukon is delivering yet another one-of-a-kind show next week. On April 23, Toronto bass player George Koller will perform alongside Yukon percussionist Ken Searcy
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One to Watch
From the Scottish Highlands to the Dawson City Music Festival (DCMF), 22-year-old folk singer-songwriter Rachel Sermanni has been sharing her craft throughout the world. Sermanni
Blues Musician Brandon Isaak Brings it Back Home
“The blues and country music were the same. A lot of what I play comes from that time when they were one.” Isaak
Blues Musician Brandon Isaak Brings it Back Home Read More »
Collecting songs of the North
Songs tell the stories of places, and the Whitehorse Community Choir Yukon Song Project reflects the stories of the North. The WCC choir director Barb
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Ten Years of Tuesday Night Jams
On March 11, at the Old Fire Hall, the local francophone band Soir de Semaine will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of their very first
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Too Hot To Stop
Sexy, smart, sassy, sultry, superfragilisticexpialidocious: five words Big Mama Lele uses to describe her music, and it’s pretty spot on. With titles like “Dirty Old
Rockin’ Riverdale
This February finds Whitehorse music aficionados scratching their heads in a manner not seen since the Trudeau administration. After 35 years of jams and jingles,
A Night of Romance
Young or old, you can see it in the dancers’ eyes – the mood is one of romance. It is one of the finest date
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Barnacle Bob Headlines at the Odd Fellows Hall
Barnacle Bob Hilliard is ubiquitous on the Dawson City music scene. Since arriving in the early 1990s he’s been a fixture in the bars around
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Passion for Piano
A whirlwind of optimism, energy, and passion is coming from Annie Avery and Grant Simpson regarding their new album, Two Piano Tornado. After playing music
‘Feels Like Woodstook Organized by Canadian Army Engineers’
At the monthly coffee house events in Whitehorse, it’s all about the music, not the drinks. Anyone of any age is welcome to get up
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The Dawson City Music Festival Focuses on Quality over Quantity
2014: Frostbite and the Kluane Bluegrass, are taking the year off, Dawson City Music Festival (DCMF) soldiers on.
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So Close
Whitehorse resident Daniel Janke has two passions: film and music. Janke has been writing and directing his own films in addition to creating music for
Supporting the Scene
The Yukon holds a certain charm in the eye of an artist. It could be the simple beauty of the place, or perhaps the opportunities
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Award-Winning Jazz Guitarist Heads Our Way
How often do jazz musicians point to the Beatles as their inspiration? It may be evidence of their broad interest in music, and their versatility.
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Heading to the Belly of the Blues
Brandon Issak releasing a new album and travelling to Memphis, Tennessee to participate in the largest blues gathering in the world.
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Survival Skills for the Music Industry
“Marketing is a hated part of the music business that musicians need to get right,” says Steve Reed, executive director of Music Yukon. But he
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Ridin’ Through the Many Genres of Country Music: Breakin’ Wild Horses shows many sides of Gene Brown
Question: What do you get when a pedal steel guitar player of many years puts his considerable musical abilities toward creating a CD? Answer: A
Dawson Hosts a Medley of Concerts to Check Out
As winter approaches and the Yukon River finally begins to fill up with ice, it’s pretty clear that there’s a lot of music on tap
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A Subversive Singer-Songwriter Comes to the Yukon
While Martha Wainwright began her current tour a year ago to promote her latest CD, Come Home to Mama, she says the North American portion
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Pain, Compassion, and Hope: Diyet releases second album When You Were King
“Wake up from your slumber sleeping beast. It’s time breathe again, it’s time to see again. You were born, you were born to be the
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Just for the love of music
The Mennonites are known for their love of singing. And that is exactly why the West Coast Mennonite Quartet will be performing at the Yukon
Just for the love of music Read More »
Just the sweet sounds of Africa
“There is no political message as we are not a political group,” says Thomeki Dube, a singer with Black Umfolosi. Then he adds, “That way
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Let Automat6n Take You for a Loud Ride
If there were a word to describe Automat6n, it would be “luxuriant”. If you have a taste for simple production, this may not be the
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Singers sing sea shanties
“They are clean drinking songs,” says Barbara Chamberlin, half laughing and half pleading. “There is such a thing.” The conductor of the Whitehorse Community Choir
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Yukon Supergroup, Dandelion Wreath, Says Goodbye
“The Last Potluck. Catchy isn’t it?” The man behind the cluttered desk utters this phrase while framing an invisible marquee with his hands. “I wish
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Activist Yukoners Behind a Musical Movement
I’m calling you out. A great theme and a great refrain from a jam-packed CD from the National Microphone Association, an experiment in collective activism
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Thine Art
Sonnet 1 The grace of she who moves like silken water, her feet the slaves to wild demanding beats. The master of motion and most
A musical journey through time
Two weeks: that’s all Hank Karr came for, and that’s when his love affair with the Yukon began. But, as a clock chimes (his wife,
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Rocking the Blues
Montréal native Ryan McNally has loved the blues since he was nine years old … although if you grew up in his hometown you might
Kyle Cashen’s Immediacy Of Music
Kyle Cashen, part of the Whitehorse power trio Friend Called Five, has released a long-awaited, full-length CD of original songs under the banner of Crash
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Beer Bottles Make Beautiful Music
The year was 1798 and the place was Helgoland. Helgoland is located in the North Sea, 70 kilometres off of the coast of Germany. This
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Go where the music takes you
From the gritty, primal rhythms to the lingering, sweet slide of steel guitar; and from the soulful roots of jazz to the vintage romance of
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Music To Your Ears is in the Eye of the Beholder
Here’s a new game for the territory’s impending dinner party season. Next time you trudge over to the neighbours — gluten-free pasta salad in tow
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George McConkey Breathes Life Into the Harmonica
George McConkey has a new album out that displays his song writing ability and features some great classic tunes. More on that later, first, a
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Twisting With the Blues
As you may know, the poetry of the blues is full of metaphors that allude to acts involving one’s naughty bits. Often lyrics will allude
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Beer and Beautiful Music … Together
What goes together even better than peanut butter and chocolate, Laurel and Hardy, or ice cream and dill pickles? We think it is beer and
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Worshipping at the Altar of Black & Silver
It has been many years since the music I worshipped was at the altar of black and silver. In those days, I had really big
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Attitude Without Platitude
Rap and hip hop has been repudiated by some for being overtly violent and misogynistic. While some of this reputation may be deserved, I think
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Cabaret plods between great musical numbers
There are actually two stage shows at the Guild Hall: Cabaret, the variety show and Cabaret, the play. The variety show is a blast with
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Sweet music, weird instruments
The first question had him stumped. Justin Haynes didn’t know the combined number of CDs that he, Jean Martin and Ryan Driver have produced. “Oh
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Funksoul That’s Breakin’ the Mould
The album gave me a flashback, if these things are possible. The way a smell might trigger a powerful feeling of nostalgia, the sound brought
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Keeping His Culture Strong
Daniel Tlen sang our national anthem at the opening ceremonies of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. The event was viewed by one of the
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The Music Fest Two-Step
Are you ready? Have you done your lunges? Assembled a method of attack? Bought your tickets? Studied the various MySpace sites? Another music-festival month has
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The cozy, friendly music festival
The intimate “anti-stadium” music festival, that is the Atlin Arts & Music Festival, has gotten even smaller this year, July 10 to 12. The performing
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The magic of a living room concert
There’s a certain magic in the air when a living room full of people tune their ears, minds and hearts towards a soulful musician. That’s
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The Yukon rocks Vancouver
Yukon musicians will be entertaining Vancouverites this week, which is nice, but … “I see this as a huge marketing initiative,” says Debbie Peters of
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All about band
Interruption after interruption—welcome ones—grab Bruce Johnson’s attention as students seek him out. One student strides in, snapping her chewing gum while looking confident and comfortable
Nicole Edwards: Singing in Sustenance
“I’ve loved singing since I was a little girl.” says Edwards “I remember singing on the back of my mother’s bike, on the swing set”
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A fresh longest night
In an interview, two weeks before Longest Night 2009, director Daniel Janke said the evening was still a mystery to him. “I’ve been writing new
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The Community That Sings Together
The community that sings together … My personal songbook is getting bigger every month. That’s thanks to the energy of a departed Dawsonite educator, named
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Taking the omnichord to the next level
This is a story about the omnichord. It was manufactured by Suzuki as a toy version of an autoharp. It has a touch plate for
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“Accessible” is the Word for this Year’s DCMF
Producer/artistic director Tim Jones is feeling satisfied with this year’s Dawson City Music Festival. 2010
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Life’s Experiences Can Be Bittersweet
“Every song is a love song,” says Tim Naylor. Long-time professional musician, best known locally for his band, Mr. Vein, that haunted the stages of
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A Marriage of Minds, Words and Music
For Russell Braun, the accompanist’s role is not to play second fiddle. Figuratively or literally. The Frankfurt-born lyric baritone will share the Yukon Arts Centre
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22 Years & Still Swinging
So what is it about a style of music, swing music, that goes back almost 80 years that still appeals to modern audiences?
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Truths from the Earth
Arlette Alcock is a storyteller. Her stories are hard truths told in song, unapologetic and bare. “I’m a vessel for the stories. I like the
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Love, War and Brotherhood
When Randy Rutherford was 15, his mother realized she could no longer afford to take care of him. So she packed him onto a bus
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A Love Story in Four Hands
It took a lot of coincidence and a lot of miles for concert pianists Lucille Chung and Alessio Bax to cross paths. At the age
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Cool Tunes, Swell Suds
Dawson Music Festival (DCMF) is billed as a music event, but there happens to be a lot of beer action in the midst of it.
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Keeping it Real
Yesterday was Jimmy D. Lane’s 47th birthday. At home in White Rock, British Columbia, the blues musician comments that aging is an opportunity to “observe”
Awash in Brew
I must be getting old: asleep in my hotel room by 10 p.m. the night of Haines Beer Fest this year. A poor display of
The Joys of a Good House Concert
Here in Dawson we’re into the second year of working with the Home Routes organization to stage a series of House Concerts. These help to
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Refreshing Riff Rock
The members of Whitehorse’s newest band, Abscess of the Dog (AOTD), sit in a comfortable Riverdale living room and drink scotch. Matt Larsen, the band’s
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A Marriage of Music and Technology
If you’ve been to a concert or stage performance, recently, and admired the crisp sound or the well-lit stage, then chances are you are already
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Worked Hard, Still Working
Rodger Thorlakson cuts a unique figure amongst the early Christmas-season shoppers. He wears a hat that would look affected on a lot of people but,
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The Art of Noise
Kyle Cashen spends most of his time making noises in his basement. “I play a bunch of different instruments … if there is something around,
The New Amanda Stott Brings Her New Voice
Five years ago, Amanda Stott was that young, farm girl with the powerful voice. Today, her voice is just as powerful, but it now has more texture and taken new directions as musical influences have reached her beyond the farm.
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Southern Tutchone Lives In Song
The Southern Tutchone language CD, entitled Dakwanjenaats u al, has a purpose: The English translation is “Let’s Pick Up Our Language Again”.
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