Newt’s top 10 things to do in Vancouver this week, May 13 to 17

James "Super Chikan" Johnson plays the Rio By Steve Newton MONDAY AND THURSDAY: screenings at the VIFF Centre of director Francis Galluppi's crime thriller The Last Stop in Yuma County, about a traveling knife salesman thrust into a high-stakes hostage situation at a middle-of-nowhere Arizona rest stop. MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY TO FRIDAY: True Tribal: Contemporary …

That time Sigourney Weaver had a gas trying out the Alien flamethrower

By Steve Newton Back in 2015 somebody posted this photo on Reddit of Sigourney Weaver trying out the flamethrower from Alien on the backlot lawn of Shepperton Studios in 1978. They didn't wimp out with CG back then. This was the real deal. Notice no one is standing too close. Director Ridley Scott's decision not to f**k around …

Midnite Rodeo Band guitarist Ed Molyski likes country guys who keep their sound

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 11, 1984 By Steve Newton Country music may not--or may never--be really popular in Vancouver, but that hasn't stopped Ed Molyski's Midnight Rodeo Band from becoming one of  Canada's premier country acts. Their self-titled debut album, released in 1982 on RCA Records, produced no less than four hit singles, of which …

Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Vancouver this weekend, May 10 to 12

The Oilers are in town. By Steve Newton FRIDAY: the Rogue Folk Club presents Vancouver blues legend Jim Byrnes with gospel/R&B group the Sojourners at Mel Lehan Hall at St. James. SOLD OUT. Here's my interview with Jim Byrnes from 1985. FRIDAY: Comedy in the Forecast features standup comedy by Yumi Nagashima, Robert Peng, Nancy Ho, …

Charlie Demers recalls being the good-hearted class clown at Burnaby Central Secondary

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FEB. 16, 2022 By Steve Newton Charlie Demers didn't waste any time at all getting known for his comedy chops. When he was two weeks old his mom described him in her baby journal as "the little comedian" because he peed on the doctor. "Obviously, it takes a certain kinda family to …

Remembering the godawful album cover that was nearly Van Halen’s debut

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JAN. 19, 2015 By Steve Newton In a story posted on the Ultimate Classic Rock website today, rock historian Greg Renoff—who has a book on Van Halen coming out this year—writes about the artwork that almost became the cover of the band's monumental debut album of 1978. Apparently, the powers-that-be at the group's label, Warner Bros., …

Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Vancouver this week, May 6 to 10

Pearl Jam plays Rogers Arena By Steve Newton MONDAY: Seattle grunge pioneers Pearl Jam perform tunes from new album Dark Matter at Rogers Arena, with guests Deep Sea Diver. Here's my interview with Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready from 2003. MONDAY TO FRIDAY: the DOXA Documentary Film Festival, running to May 12, features film screenings, panel …

Remembering those old K-Tel Records compilations: 20 Original Hits! 20 Original Stars!

If you were a music fan back in the '70s, you no doubt heard about the products released by Winnipeg-based K-Tel International. There were K-Tel Records compilation albums advertised on TV all the time. "20 Original Hits! 20 Original Stars!" the announcer enthusiastically declared while trying to sell you maybe seven songs you liked and …

Blues legend B.B. King made a huge impression on Nanaimo’s David Gogo

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MARCH 7, 2013 By Steve Newton Blues-rocker David Gogo opened for the legendary B.B. King in his hometown of Nanaimo last Tuesday (March 5). Since we're tweetin' buddies (follow him at @DavidGogoBlues) I asked Dave-O if he wanted to shoot me a little write-up about himself and the master. Here's what he …

Newt’s top 10 (or 15) things to do in Vancouver this weekend, May 3 to 5

Hannah Wicklund plays the Biltmore By Steve Newton FRIDAY: blues-fusion quintet Blues Hoodoo---composed of guitarist Konrad Breuers, saxophonist Ian Putz, keyboardist Stuart "Stubop" Young, bassist Shawn Stewart, and drummer Ron Wells--plays Langley's Bez Arts Hub, with guest vocalist Nadine States. FRIDAY: Texas garage-punk quartet the Marked Men plays the Rickshaw Theatre, with guests Needles//Pins, Long …

New Black Sabbath book details Ozzy Osbourne’s drunken chicken-slaughtering binges

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT. 9, 2004 By Steve Newton How Black Was Our Sabbath By Graham Wright and David Tangye. Sidgwick & Jackson, 237 pp, $34.95, hardcover. The subtitle of this new book on British heavy-metal legends Black Sabbath is An Unauthorized View From the Crew, as it was penned by Dave Tangye (assistant to vocalist …

Analyzing the endless attraction of metal masters Iron Maiden

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MAY 28, 2008 By Steve Newton Iron Maiden is huge again. The British headbangers have embarked on a massive world tour that has brought metal maniacs out of the woodwork in droves. A 42,000-capacity stadium in São Paulo, Brazil, sold out in one week, and 125,000 tickets were sold in just over …

Newt’s top 10 (or 20) things to do in Vancouver this week, April 29 to May 3

Jason Bonham plays the Orpheum By Steve Newton MONDAY: American pop/R&B singer-songwriter and actor Justin Timberlake performs at Rogers Arena on his Forget Tomorrow World Tour. MONDAY: the Invisible Orange presents Italian power metal quintet Metal Rose ("Diggy Diggy Hole") at the Rickshaw Theatre, with guests Xandria from Germany. Tony Wilson plays Guilt & Co. …