Award Winners

Rockin’ the suburbs with Los Lobos

New venues help bring Grammy winners — and many others — to Southern Ontarians’ backyards. Just don’t get them started about Donald Trump. Nick Krewen Music, Tues., Jan 31, 2017 Suburbanites: now you don’t necessarily have to go to Toronto to see the big shows — more than ever, they’re coming to you. This week, for example, four-time Grammy winners Los Lobos perform at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre on…


Drake’s Views is a Love Letter to Toronto

59th GRAMMY nominees Drake, Noah “40” Shebib, Nineteen85, Kyla, and others tell the inside story of the Album Of The Year-nominated Views NICK KREWEN GRAMMYS   MAY 15, 2017 – 2:36 AM GRAMMY.com If there’s been a more exuberant ambassador for the city of Toronto than Aubrey “Drake” Graham, you won’t find them on this planet. While the ever-prolific Drake continues to churn out rhyme after rhyme, rising to the…


Dean Brody: Cinematic Country Flair

Story by Nick Krewen | November 2, 2016 For SOCAN Words and Music. Meet the Quentin Tarantino of country music – without all the blood, gore and violence, of course. Dean Brody, the 13-time Canadian Country Music Association Award, four-time SOCAN Award, and two-time JUNO Award winner, name-checks the renegade Pulp Fiction and Hateful Eight Hollywood filmmaker on the title track of his sixth and newest album, Beautiful Freakshow, and…


Billy Talent Soar to New Heights

Story by Nick Krewen | September 1, 2016 For SOCAN Words and Music.   Billy Talent was ready. The album had been written, the songs had been rehearsed and the veteran hard rock Toronto quartet – 23 years and four original studio albums deep into their career – was preparing to hit the studio to record what was to become long player No. 5, Afraid of Heights. Then tragedy stuck….


Minor missteps don’t mar Brian Wilson’s staying power

Overall, the nostalgic, shimmering harmonies were adequately preserved, and sometimes exemplary, at Massey Hall concert. Nick Krewen  Tues., July 5, 2016 Brian Wilson   At Massey Hall, Monday, July 4 There were some good, and not so good, vibrations at Brian Wilson’s Massey Hall performance. Anchored around the 50th anniversary of Pet Sounds, the 1966 Beach Boys album that raised the bar for pop music with its stylistic intricacy, the…