Artist Spotlight

Joss Stone breezes into town with soulful sound

Grammy-winning artist follows her instincts, whips up another covers album and roams into Toronto. British soul singer and free spirit Joss Stone will perform at Sound Academy.   By: Nick Krewen Special to the Star, Published on Fri Oct 05 2012   If Grammy-winning British soul belter Joss Stone had a nickname, it would be “Miss Spontaneity.” “Either that, or ‘Impatience’ — one of the two,” Stone says, laughing heartily,…


Ed Sheeran’s folk-pop sheer brilliance shines at Echo Beach: Review

Perhaps there’s hope in the pop world after all. By: Special to The Star Nick Krewen Published on Mon Sep 17 2012 Perhaps there’s hope in the pop world after all. Inundated as we are by hormonal determination of the female tween populace regarding such lightweight romantics as the Justin Biebers, One Directions and numerous copycats whose musical, puppy-eyed declarations of love carry the emotional resonance of a Twix candy…


The Spirit of Rush

NEWS Rush frontman Geddy Lee discusses the band’s upcoming tour, the challenges of picking a set list and the reason for their longevity NICK KREWEN GRAMMYS MAY 15, 2017 GRAMMY.com For nearly 40 years, Toronto-based progressive power trio Rush have been the thinking man’s rock band. On the way to refining and defining themselves as peerless musicians, vocalist/bass player Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson and drummer/lyricist Neil Peart have stayed…


Donald Fagen and friends cruise into new band

By: Nick Krewen Special to the Star, Published on Fri Aug 10 2012 Ready for some retro soul, man? When the Dukes of September Rhythm Revue convenes at Molson Amphitheatre this Sunday led by the stellar trio of Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen, ex-Doobie Brother Michael McDonald and “Lido Shuffle” hitmaker Boz Scaggs, they’ll be mixing it up for the masses. While it’s not too much of a stretch to assume…


Drake’s OVO Fest brings Nicki Minaj and Snoop to town

Entertainment / Music Toronto’s Aubrey “Drake” Graham gets hometown hero’s welcome at Molson Amphitheatre Nick Krewen Special to the Star Published on Mon Aug 06 2012 The one question on everyone’s minds as the lights went down for rapper Drake’s main set of his third annual OVO Fest was how was he going to top himself this time? For the first hometown celebration of October’s Very Own, christened for the…