JUNO

Music insiders on the extraordinary legacy of Garth Hudson and the Band: ‘It was unlike any other music I’d ever heard’

Colin Linden, Rob Fraboni and John Simon, all of whom worked with the Band, offer remembrances. By Nick Krewen Special to the Star In 1968, when Colin Linden was eight years old, he heard a song on the radio that boggled his young mind. He was at Alexander’s department store in White Plains, N.Y., when rock radio station WNEW-FM played “The Weight” by a Canadian-American band simply called The Band….

Read More

What do Blue Rodeo and Broken Social Scene have in common? Both are celebrated in new documentaries premiering in Toronto

Blue Rodeo: Lost Together and It’s All Gonna Break will screen at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema. By Nick Krewen Special to the Star In the next 10 days, new documentaries on two beloved Canadian bands will have their Toronto premieres at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema. They promise to be music to your eyes. On Jan. 24, Stephen Chung’s 89-minute It’s All Gonna Break, the story of Toronto indie collective…


Garth Hudson, founding member of the Band, dead at 87: ‘He was always all about the music’

The Windsor-born multi-instrumentalist was part of the Canadian contingent of the famous band. By Nick Krewen Special to the Star The last living charter member of The Band has died. Keyboardist, saxophonist and occasional trumpeter Garth Hudson, perhaps best known for his powerful, blasting Lowrey organ intro for the classic Band song “Chest Fever,” passed away peacefully in his sleep after a lengthy illness Tuesday morning at a nursing home…


Former ‘Degrassi’ producer on becoming a recording artist at 76 and what Drake’s really like

Stephen Stohn will release The Orange Sessions with his group, GTA Rhythm Section. by Nick Krewen Special to the Star He’s the chancellor of Trent University, an Order of Canada member, a former top entertainment attorney to the stars and has served as executive producer for most of the run of the “Degrassi” TV franchise. And at 76, Stephen Stohn just added a new accomplishment to his impressive résumé: recording artist. As…


Taylor Swift may be the hottest ticket in town, but our city has always loved a good gig. Here are Toronto’s 10 biggest concerts of all time

The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and U2 are a few of the artists who drew the largest crowds. By Nick Krewen Special to the Star A rolling stone may gather no moss, but the Rolling Stones certainly gather the masses, especially in or near Toronto. With Taylor Swift and her six-date run at Rogers Centre swiftly approaching, what better time to take a look at Toronto’s all-time biggest concerts. Swift’s…