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.
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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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Entertainment Air Canada Centre, Toronto - Sept. 11, 2011
While fans Sunday evening reflected on a horrific event that transpired ten years ago, a band celebrating their 20th anniversary played a hell of a show in NYC: Neil Young Country.
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Entertainment Molson Amphitheatre, Toronto - Sept. 10, 2011
Thanks to a strong opener that played a longer than expected set, singer/guitarist Randy Bachman and singer/bassist Fred Turner had about an hour to put their show into overdrive
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Entertainment Air Canada Centre, Toronto - Sept. 10, 2011
The movie stars were in town for TIFF this weekend and so was one huge country music star who is married to a big screen actress.
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Entertainment General Motors Centre, Oshawa - Sept. 9, 2011
When an artist who has traditionally toured with a seasoned backing group opts for a solo jaunt, it could be a risky venture.
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Lauryn Hill Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto - September 8, 2011
One performer was spot on, the other was beyond spotty, resulting in a mixed reaction by a slowly but surely thinning crowd by night's end.
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Bright Eyes Hog's Back Park, Ottawa - August 27, 2011
After a three-year sabbatical, Conor Oberst, aka Bright Eyes, returned to his mischievous glory to headline the Folk Festival on Saturday night.
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Blink-182 Rexall Place, Edmonton - August 27, 2011
There’s a good reason Blink-182 comes off like a trio of snickering 12-year-old boys.
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Selena Gomez Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto - August 23, 2011
Don’t hate Selena Gomez ‘cause she’s beautiful.
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Entertainment Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto - Aug. 22, 2011
Adam Levine appears poised for solo stardom whether it's in music, on TV, or some other art form.
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Entertainment Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto - Aug. 20, 2011
Over the course of several years, five days in May have morphed into 10 nights in August for roots rocker stalwarts Blue Rodeo.
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Lil Wayne Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto - August 19, 2011
Jail, lawsuits, money, fame, prison, popularity and more money. Would rapper Lil Wayne have it any other way?
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Blink-182 Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto - August 17, 2011
The potty humour and sexual innuendos were far more sporadic than years gone by, but it's pretty fair to say punk rockers Blink-182 have gotten this far on a pretty popular catalogue.
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Def Leppard Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto - August 16, 2011
With no truly hit rock album in ages, and recent records consisting of covers, anthologies and live releases, it was quite odd to see the hysteria Def Leppard occasionally created Tuesday night.
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Entertainment Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto - August 14, 2011
It took her a little while to find that seedy, trashy animal magnetism she exudes so well, but when she did, pop singer Ke$ha was money in the bank.
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Entertainment Air Canada Centre, Toronto - August 13, 2011
With a career that has had as many highs as potentially lethal lows, Britney Spears keeps coming up off the mat.
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Carrie Underwood LeBreton Flats Park, Ottawa - August 12, 2011
There's a new face of Nashville's country gal -- two of them, actually -- as Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert took centre stage at the Capital Hoedown Friday, showcasing two very different streams of the hot country sound.
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Kenny Chesney Lebreton Flats, Ottawa – August 11, 2011
It was a coming-of-age for "Ottawa's biggest summer party," as the Capital Hoedown made the jump from last year's digs at Rideau Carleton Raceway to Lebreton Flats, with Kenny Chesney's "Going Coastal" tour rolling into town Thursday.
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Foo Fighters Air Canada Centre, Toronto - August 9, 2011
Let's just say they're not like the others and certainly not pretenders.
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Entertainment Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto - July 31, 2011
You've got to hand it to our kid Drake.
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Death Cab For Cutie Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto - July 29, 2011
The stage didn’t collapse before they went on it Friday night, so that was a great first step for Washington-based group Death Cab For Cutie.
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Entertainment Casino Rama - July 26, 2011
It's just another day at work for KISS singer-bassist turned reality TV star Gene Simmons.
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Entertainment Phoenix, Toronto - July 25, 2011
In the modern era of overproduced, big-budget shows, bluegrass artist Gillian Welch is a major breath of fresh air.
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Entertainment Live Review: Heavy TO Day 2
By the end of the evening, headliner and closer Rob Zombie reawakened the dead but thrash metal band Slayer absolutely destroyed any competition earlier on the final day of Heavy TO Sunday at Toronto's Downsview Park.
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Entertainment Heavy TO makes solid debut
It was hot, a bit humid and indeed extremely heavy Saturday at Toronto's Downsview Park.
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Steely Dan Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto - July 22, 2011
Steely Dan’s concert Friday night went a long way in easing the pain of yet another excruciatingly hot and humid evening in Toronto.
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Tea Party Sound Academy, Toronto - July 21, 2011
Jeff Martin scratched that nearly seven-year itch again and the result is pretty good.
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Cheap Trick Casino Rama, Ontario - July 20, 2011
Some people might take a little time off after a near-death experience. Not Cheap Trick apparently.
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Entertainment Air Canada Centre, Toronto - July 18, 2011
Classical crossover pop star Josh Groban did a very wise thing on his return engagement to Toronto.
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Entertainment Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto - July 16. 2011
For Parrotheads everywhere, it's good to see Jimmy Buffett on stage. And remain on stage.
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Entertainment Rexall Centre, Toronto - July 16, 2011
Classic American rock 'n' roll was served up in two wildly different speeds on Saturday night at the Rexall Centre as two music legends - The Band's drummer-singer Levon Helm and Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman John Fogerty - shared the stage one after the other.
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Taylor Swift Air Canada Centre, Toronto - July 15, 2011
There’s something ironic about country-pop superstar Taylor Swift having to cancel four recent U.S. dates of her so-called Speak Now tour because of bronchitis, right?
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Rogers Centre, Toronto - July 11, 2011
It was a little more than 360 days of waiting but U2 proved the third time was the charmer Monday evening at a sold-out Rogers Centre on their nearly finished 360 Degree world tour.
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Entertainment Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto - July 9, 2011
Frampton came alive - but on his own terms - at the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre on Saturday night.
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Entertainment Edgefest - Downsview Park, Toronto - July 9, 2011
Last year Edgefest took a year off due to the way the concert industry was suffering with slow ticket sales and some artists shortening their tours.
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Black Keys Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto - July 7, 2011
How appropriate that psych-blues-rock duo The Black Keys would wrap up their sold-out show at the Molson Canadian Amphtitheatre on Thursday night with the song, I Got Mine, right before the encore.
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Brad Paisley Rexall Centre, Toronto - July 7, 2011
There might have been a lot of alcohol being downed, but the crowd much preferred getting drunk on Brad Paisley's music.
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Flaming Lips Ottawa Bluesfest - July 5, 2011
Frontman Wayne Coyne stepped out of his giant inflatable bubble amid a fanfare of confetti cannons, streamer guns and costumed dancers, wailing into a megaphone.
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Black Dub Opera House, Toronto - July 5, 2011
It speaks to producer-guitarist Daniel Lanois’ neverending quest for musical purity - or perhaps his insatiable curiosity - that he would be performing in the tiny Opera House club.
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Britney Spears MTS Centre, Winnipeg - July 4, 2011
Britney Spears on the 4th of July? What could be better?
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Katy Perry Scotiabank Place, Ottawa - July 3, 2011
For all the serious talk about how pop music’s changed so over the years, sometimes I think it hasn’t changed at all.
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Tony Bennett Rexall Centre, Toronto - July 2, 2011
TORONTO - When Tony Bennett and Diana Krall co-headline a concert anywhere, it should be an electrifying experience.
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Soundgarden Molson Canadian Amphitheatre, Toronto - July 2, 2011
The loud, heavy, lumbering sound of Seattle’s Soundgarden was heard once more Saturday night at the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre as the ‘90s grunge kingpins, who split up in 1997, kicked off their 2011 reunion tour in Toronto.
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The Tragically Hip Downsview Park, Toronto - July 1, 2011
While the official royal party was holding court on Parliament Hill Friday, a sold-out crowd at Toronto's Downsview Park were basically bowing before one of the country's rock royalty on Canada Day.
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Black Keys Rexall Place, Edmonton - June 29, 2011
The temptation to call the Black Keys the "Black Stripes" is overwhelming. See, this band is a two-piece, just like the White Stripes. Maybe they are the White Stripes' evil twins.
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