Lady Gaga Air Canada Centre, Toronto - Feb. 8, 2013
Those Little Monsters sure love their Mama.
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Paul McCartney Rexall Place, Edmonton - Nov. 28, 2012
It was a long and winding road on a magical mystery tour back to the yesterday when our troubles seemed so far away — or pick your own favourite line from your own favourite Beatles song to describe Paul McCartney’s show.
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Phoenix, Toronto - Nov. 16, 2012
Soundgarden has fallen on anything but black days.
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Rihanna Danforth Music Hall, Toronto - November 16, 2012
Rihanna touched down at the Danforth Music Hall on Thursday night as part of her history-making whirlwind 777 tour which sees her visiting seven cities in seven days in the leadup to the Nov. 19 release of her latest album, Unapologetic.
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Saddledome, Calgary - October 4, 2012
Staying relevant isn’t easy in this business of art.
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Jack White Sony Centre, Toronto -- Oct. 3, 2012
The reason Jack White spent Wednesday night strutting around the stage is because he must be proud of his peacocks.
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ACC, Toronto - September 12, 2012
Madonna’s life-long themes of church and spirituality once again dominated The Material Girl’s so-called MDNA show as she launched a two-night stand at the Air Canada Centre in front of a sold-out crowd on Wednesday night.
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Scotiabank Place, Ottawa - Sept. 10, 2012
The fans who shelled out upwards of $300 for the hottest ticket in town know that Madonna puts on less of a concert than an all-out event.
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Entertainment Rogers Centre, Toronto - Aug. 24, 2012
As it was famously said back in 1974, it could be said the future of rock and roll still rests in the hands of Bruce Springsteen.
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Drake Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto - August 5, 2012
Has Toronto’s very own Drake lost some of his heat?
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The Black Keys Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto - August 4, 2012
There it was, the one word on the T-shirt worn by The Black Keys’ singer-guitarist Dan Auerbach that perfectly summed up the band’s electrifying show on Saturday night in front of a sold out crowd at the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre.
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The Jesus And Mary Chain The Phoenix, Toronto - August 3, 2012
Just how loud was the long-awaited return - would you believe it’s been over 15 years? - of ‘80s Scottish alt-rockers The Jesus And Mary Chain to Toronto on Friday night in front of a sold-out crowd at the Phoenix?
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Florence + the Machine Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto - August 2, 2012
“You want a revelation!” sang Florence Welch as she dramatically closed her 90-minute sold-out show at the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre on Thursday night with the newer song No Light, No Light.
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Sigur Ros Echo Beach, Toronto - August 1, 2012
A full moon. A gentle breeze. A beach with kayakers in the lake. The city’s skyline twinkling in the distance. And otherworldy orchestral-ambient-rockers Sigur Ros providing the evening’s stunning soundtrack.
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Entertainment Crowd stays thirsty for The XX
All eyes may be on the Olympics in London but at the Phoenix on Saturday night, one of that city’s finest musical exports - minimalist electro-pop trio The XX - were the focus of attention.
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Coldplay Air Canada Centre, Toronto - July 23, 2012
Colour me impressed.
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Jennifer Lopez and Enrique Iglesias Air Canada Centre - July 17, 2012
It shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that when two of the biggest Latin pop stars in the world decide to co-headline tour they can do whatever they want.
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Santana Live review: Santana in T.O.
Carlos Santana may have “gone Vegas,” recently setting up shop at Mandalay Bay’s House Of Blues for a two year residency that started back in May, but he’s still got soul.
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Edgefest Live review: Edgefest Toronto
Three years ago hometown band Billy Talent headlined Edgefest which singer Ben Kowalewicz described as a “mud show” due to heavy rains.
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Iron Maiden Live review: Iron Maiden in T.O.
There was an impressive looking sea of black T-shirts down in front of the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre on Friday night.
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Nickleback Live review: Nickelback in T.O.
Is Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger the biggest party animal ever?
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Seal Casino Rama, Rama, Ont. - July 7
For a guy who looks like he’s from another planet - and I do mean that in the best way possible - Seal sure wants to make a human connection.
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Entertainment Norah Jones: Live in T.O.
I certainly had higher hopes than usual for Norah Jones on Friday night at Massey Hall.
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LMFAO Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto - July 4, 2012
Apparently you can park rock too hard.
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Fiona Apple Sound Academy, Toronto, July 4, 2012
After 90 minutes Wednesday evening at Toronto's Sound Academy, Fiona Apple mustered a mere “thank you” and “this is the encore.”
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Demi Lovato Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto -- July 3
In her short 19 years on the planet, teen-pop singer Demi Lovato has had many titles.
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Scorpions Molson Ampitheatre, Toronto -- July 2
In June 2010, on a night after all hell broke loose in downtown Toronto with the G20 riots, German hard rock band Scorpions were biding farewell to Toronto on their farewell tour.
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Entertainment Spalding delights despite being upstaged
Jazz sensation Esperanza Spalding turned heads with her 2011 Grammy Award win for Best New Artist, an award the Portland-bred bassist/vocalist earned in a who's who of buzz acts.
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Aerosmith ACC, Toronto - June 27, 2012
Seventies rock has aged well judging from the lively, very physical set that veteran Boston rockers Aerosmith delivered.
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The Hives 'Go Right Ahead' and rock
Swedish garage rock group The Hives will go only as far as vocalist Howlin' Pelle Almqvist takes them.
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Entertainment Diamond makes 'Beautiful Noise' in T.O.
They just don’t make them like Neil Diamond anymore.
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Janelle Monae Confederation Park, Ottawa - June 23, 2012
The first time I heard Janelle Monae sing, it was on a car commercial.
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Roger Waters Rogers Centre, Toronto - June 23, 2012
All in all, it wasn’t just another brick in the wall.
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Bryan Adams MTS Centre, Winnipeg - June 22, 2012
There's a word for Bryan Adams. It's a compound word that starts with C and ends in -er.
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Sarah McLachlan Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto - June 22, 2012
Talk about orchestral manoeuvres in the dark.
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Bryan Adams Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary - June 20, 2012
The showbiz adage “always leave them wanting more” was out the window Wednesday evening at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
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The Jacksons Casino Rama, Rama, Ont. - June 20, 2012
Not touring for nearly three decades is bound to lead to some cobwebs.
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Beach Boys catch a wave in T.O.
I’ll admit I thought I had become immune to the charms of those harmony-loving, California girls-surf-sun-beach-and-classic-car-worshipping music gods known as The Beach Boys.
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Foster the People celebrates life
Los Angeles synth-pop group Foster The People had one of the biggest 2011 singles with Pumped Up Kicks and had perhaps a bigger than expected turnout for their Toronto show Tuesday night.
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Lady Antebellum Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto - June 16, 2012
Despite the tragedy hours earlier at Toronto's Downsview Park, the show went on for country darlings Lady Antebellum Saturday night at a sold-out Molson Canadian Amphitheatre.
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Ringo Starr and the All-Starr Band Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls - June 14, 2012
Starr’s well-worn but crowd-pleasing formula continued its magic in its 13th edition as the loveable and funny Beatle, flashing peach signs all night long, was joined by strong newbies.
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Entertainment Live review: DMB in T.O.
Dave Matthews Band’s break from touring last year - on their 20th anniversary no less - seems to have given the veteran group new life judging from their show at the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre on Saturday night.
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Garbage The Phoenix, Toronto - May 28
If ‘90s alt-electro-pop-rock band Garbage is rusty after a self-imposed seven-year hiatus it certainly didn’t show at their triumphant return to Toronto on Monday night with a sold-out show at the Phoenix.
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Entertainment Live Review: Bonnie Raitt in T.O.
Bonnie Raitt definitely gave her audience something to talk about on Saturday night at Massey Hall.
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Entertainment Air Canada Centre, Toronto - May 12, 2012
Simon Cowell’s all-male international popera group Il Divo sure know how to play to their older female audience.
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Nickelback Saddledome, Calgary - May 16, 2012
The world needs big, dumb rock shows — it’s a fact. And it’s the reason KISS has existed for nearly 40 years
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James McCartney The Great Hall, Toronto - May 15, 2012
Nobody said it was going to be easy to be the only son of “the cute Beatle.”
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Black Keys Rexall Place, Edmonton - May 12, 2012
What a delicious coincidence that the Black Keys played Rexall Place on Saturday night — mere days before the return of Nickelback.
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Rise Against Air Canada Centre, Toronto - May 10, 2012
Rise Against have risen to arena rock status, a slow but steady incline they seem to be relishing while definitely not taking for granted.
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The Cranberries Sound Academy, Toronto - May 9, 2012
Irish rock group The Cranberries took a hiatus from the music world for a good chunk of this millennium. But if seemingly every other group from their '90s era have reunited, then why can't they?
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Brian Adams Air Canada Centre- May 3, 2012
Raspy-voiced veteran Canadian rocker Bryan Adams played the Air Canada Centre on Thursday night as part of his first cross-Canada tour in twenty years.
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Red Hot Chili Peppers Air Canada Centre, Toronto - April 27
The peppers were definitely served up piping hot at the Air Canada Centre on Friday night.
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New Edition Casino Rama, Rama, Ont. April 26
RAMA, Ont. - It took a few songs but he finally made an appearance.
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Nick Lowe Phoenix Concert Theatre - April 24, 2012
While Elvis Costello played to a large crowd last week north of Toronto, fellow British singer-songwriter Nick Lowe was content with a smaller, seated audience Monday night downtown at the Phoenix Concert Theatre.
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Nickelback Air Canada Centre - April 22, 2012
Sunday night's performance at Toronto's Air Canada Centre supporting last year's Here And Now wasn't nearly as heavy sonically as previous tours, the amount of fuel used for fireballs was economical and the pacing was at times pedestrian.
Full Review

Our Lady Peace Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto - April 3, 2012
Veteran Toronto alt-rock band Our Lady Peace celebrated the release of their effects-heavy yet fresh-sounding new album, Curve, on Tuesday night with a sold-out show in front of a chanting, sing-along-happy hometown crowd at the Phoenix.
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Gotye Kool Haus, Toronto - March 31
If ever there was a musician who deserved an attentive audience, it’s inventive Australian-Belgian electronica-pop sensation, Gotye currently touring with his third solo album, Making Mirrors, released in 2011.
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Pitbull Ricoh Coliseum, Toronto - March 28, 2012
So two thirty-something rappers from Florida named Armando Christian Pérez and Tramar Dillard managed to almost sell out Ricoh Coliseum on Wednesday night.
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Lady Antebellum Rexall Place, Edmonton - March 17, 2012
It’s awfully tempting to write off Lady Antebellum as an unfortunately named flash-in-the-pan that doesn’t deserve its massive success and should be expected to fall flat on their pretty faces when push comes to shove in the cold, hard world of the concert arena.
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Van Halen Air Canada Centre, Toronto – March 17, 2012
If you were wondering who’s holding down Van Halen’s current incarnation on the road, which pulled into the Air Canada Centre on Saturday night - on St. Patrick’s Day no less - the first hint was the opening song, Unchained.
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Black Keys Air Canada Centre, Toronto - March 14, 2012
“Anticipation has a habit to set you up,” goes the Arctic Monkeys’ The View from the Afternoon.
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Hedley Air Canada Centre, Toronto, March 12, 2012
OK, so maybe Hedley weren’t exactly Invincible – also the name of the big hit song off their 2011 album, Storms – at the Air Canada Centre on Tuesday night in front of some 6,500 fans.
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Jann Arden Massey Hall, Toronto - March 9, 2012
If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.
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Jack White Third Man Records, Nashville - March 8, 2012
Jack White just fired off a double-barreled blast from his Blunderbuss.
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Fallsview Casino Resort, Niagara Falls - March 3, 2012
She may have almost taken a header during her second encore song and huge hit, Because of You, but Texas belter Kelly Clarkson was otherwise in top form during the first of two sold-out nights at Fallsview Casino Resort on Friday evening
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Jane's Addiction Massey Hall, Toronto - Feb. 27, 2012
Perry Farrell called Jane’s Addiction's 2011 album, The Great Escape Artist - their first collection of original material in eight years - because he's always trying to escape his storied past, as the founder of alt-rock festival Lollapalooza, among other things.
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Simple Plan Air Canada Centre, Toronto - Feb. 19, 2012
Get Your Heart On! is the name of Simple Plan’s latest album and 9,000 screaming fans had no problem showing the Montreal pop-punk band the love as the group touched down for a high energy show at the Air Canada Centre on Sunday night.
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Jim Cuddy Massey Hall- Feb. 14
Going to see Jim Cuddy is a little like spending a night with an old friend.
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Kathleen Edwards Pheonix Concert Theatre- Feb. 11, 2012
“I guess we should talk about the elephant in the room,” said Toronto-based singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards about half-way through her much-anticipated show at the Phoenix on Saturday night.
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City and Colour Massey Hall, Toronto - Feb. 10
City and Colour - aka Dallas Green as a solo artist - has seemingly gained control of his notoriously loud and unruly fans.
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The Darkness Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto - Feb. 1
There is light for The Darkness after all.
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Chicago Massey Hall, Toronto - Jan. 31
There were horns aplenty as classic rockers Chicago, in its current nine-man configuration, played the first of two shows at Massey Hall on Tuesday night.
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Tool Air Canada Centre, Toronto - Jan. 25
Since their last appearance Toronto show back in 2009 at Molson Amphitheatre, Tool have talked about and are reportedly working on a new studio album.
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The Fray Opera House, Toronto - Jan. 17, 2012
TORONTO - For the last few days Denver citizens have drowned their sorrows in a variety of ways after their Tim Tebow-led Broncos lost in the NFL playoffs.
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The National Air Canada Centre, Toronto- Dec. 8, 2011
Like a fighter answering the bell for the fifteenth round, Ohio-cum-New York group The National are still standing but are showing the toll that more than 18 months on the road behind their 2010 album High Violet can do.
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Bon Iver Massey Hall, Toronto- Dec. 6, 2011
"Stop calling us an acoustic rock band," half-joked Bon Iver frontman Justin Vernon early in his band's launch of a two night stand at Massey Hall on Tuesday night.
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Feist Massey Hall, Toronto, December 1, 2011
Don't let Feist's latest melancholy, experimental alt-folk album, Metals - seemingly a reaction to the huge success of 2007's Grammy nominated The Reminder and its uber pop hit 1-2-3-4, - fool you.
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Prince Air Canada Centre, Toronto- Nov. 25, 2011
When it comes to concerts, there are tireless performers, and then there is Prince.
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Kanye West, Jay-Z Air Canada Centre, Toronto - Nov. 23, 2011
Why have just one world-class rapper with swagger and style to burn when you can have two?
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Judas Priest Air Canada Centre, Toronto - Nov. 22, 2011
Let's get one thing straight: Judas Priest hasn't signed its epitaph just yet.
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LMFAO Air Canada Centre , Toronto - November 14, 2011
In four short months, lively electro-hip hop duo, LMFAO have gone from opening for glittery pop-dance star Ke$ha at the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre to headlining their own show at the Air Canada Centre.
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Noel Gallagher Massey Hall, Toronto - November 7, 2011
Being first isn’t always best it turns out.
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Matthew Good Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Toronto - November 3, 2011
Matthew Good held the Can-rock flag high on Thursday night at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre as the veteran Vancouver musician kicked off a two-night stand, delivering a passionate performance that was big on drama and laughs.
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Sting Massey Hall, Toronto - November 1, 2011
The last time I saw Sting in Toronto -- in July, 2010 at the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre -- he had a full orchestra playing with him in a performance that didn't always click.
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Duran Duran Air Canada Centre, Toronto - Oct. 27, 2011
Although their future might not be quite as colourful or successful as their nearly three-decade history, longtime British rock group Duran Duran are still delivering quality in the here and now.
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Mumford and Sons Air Canada Centre, Toronto - October 25, 2011
Welcome to the last genre sweeping the musical landscape: arena folk.
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Selena Gomez John Labatt Centre, London, Ont. - October 24, 2011
It was a night for the truly young and their screams at the John Labatt Centre on Monday.
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Moby Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto - October 24, 2011
For electronica stalwart Moby 2011 has been a year that could've seen him destroyed physically on a few occasions.
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Avril Lavigne Air Canada Centre, Toronto - October 24, 2011
To quote Avril Lavigne: “Why’d you have to go and get so complicated?”
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Jeff Beck Massey Hall, Toronto - October 18, 2011
Last year acclaimed British guitarist Jeff Beck opened – and basically ran circles around – fellow axe man Eric Clapton at Toronto's Air Canada Centre, one of a handful of dates pairing the two former Yardbirds.
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Avril Lavigne Scotiabank Place, Ottawa - October 17, 2011
Success used to be measured in record sales and hit singles.
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Kings Of Leon Air Canada Centre, Toronto - October 11, 2011
The big question on everyone’s minds on Tuesday night at the Kings Of Leon show at the Air Canada Centre show is how would lead singer-guitarist Caleb Followill look and sound?
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Bryan Ferry Casino Rama - October 8, 2011
British singer Bryan Ferry made senior citizenship look pretty damn elegant on Saturday night at Casino Rama.
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Roger Daltrey Sony Centre, Toronto - September 30, 2011
One half of The Who’s remaining members -- singer Roger Daltrey -- came to the Sony Centre on Friday night to perform the British rock band’s legendary 1969 rock opera, Tommy, plus some Who classics during a marathon two-and-half-hour concert.
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Burton Cummings Massey Hall, Toronto - September 29, 2011
Leaving Massey Hall Thursday night, many people might have said Burton Cummings was one of the greater things since sliced bread.
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Enrique Iglesias Air Canada Centre, Toronto - Sept 29, 2011
Spanish pop singer Enrique Iglesias had his work cut out for him on Thursday night at the Air Canada Centre.
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Coldplay MuchMusic parking lot, Toronto - September 21, 2011
“We’re English, we’re very insecure.” How’s that for an opener? Especially from one of the biggest bands in the world.
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Wilco Massey Hall, Toronto - September 16, 0211
When a band has six musicians who play with a jazz mindset inside the confines of rock, you often have a clash of egos or a horrid sonic experiment gone awry to rot in a vault.
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Uproar Festival Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto - September 14, 2011
Flames or fireballs are often nothing more than a rock concert gimmick, but fans (and even foes) of hard rock/metal outfit Avenged Sevenfold could give nothing but thanks Wednesday night at the Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival's Toronto stop.
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Entertainment Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto - Sept. 12, 2011
For the last few years, hip-hop artist and rapper Chris Brown has tried to distance himself from that incident which endeared him to absolutely nobody.
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