Award Winners

CCMA, Country, Festivals, Manitoba August 10, 2017

Doc Walker pleased to start the party at Boots and Hearts country festival

Canadian stalwarts like their place in the Boots and Hearts lineup and their place in the country-music game. Nick Krewen Music, Thurs., August 10, 2017 Although they’re sharing headliner status this year with Keith Urban, Luke Bryan and Brantley Gilbert at this year’s Boots and Hearts celebration of country music, Manitoba’s Doc Walker is more than happy to be kicking off the festivities with a first-day appearance. “We did the…

Canada, Festivals, Jamaica, JUNO, Reggae, Songwriter, Toronto August 5, 2017

Local reggae king Exco Levi busy uplifting and uniting

Multiple Juno-winning performer, with local shows over the weekend, is working hard to raise commercial profile of a genre that ‘plays in every continent.’ Nick Krewen, Music,  Sat., August 5, 2017 You’d think with five Juno Awards to his credit, Exco Levi would be a household name by now. After all, the 36-year-old Manchester, Jamaica native — who now calls Brampton home — has dominated the Juno Reggae Recording of…

Concert reviews, Grammy, Grunge, Hard Rock/Heavy Metal, Los Angeles, Metallica, Rock, Songwriter, United States July 17, 2017

Metallica matches huge roar with big spectacle: review

Heavy-metal veterans show their opening acts and 40,000-plus fans how it’s done. Nick Krewen, Music, Mon. July 17, 2017 Metallica   Sunday, July 16 at Rogers Centre The members of Metallica may be greying around the temples, but their ferocity still packs the mightiest of roars. Thirty-two years after the brazen four-piece from San Rafael, Calif. made its Toronto debut at The Concert Hall (back at a time when the…

Blues, Grammy, Pop, Producer, Rock, Songwriter, United Kingdom, United States July 5, 2017

Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham: Going their own way for now

Duo plays Budweiser Stage July 5 to promote new album, but McVie can’t wait for the next Fleetwood Mac tour. Nick Krewen Music Wed., July 5, 2017 Time to dispel some rumours. First: Fleetwood Mac’s upcoming trek scheduled to celebrate the British/U.S. hybrid band’s 50th anniversary in 2018 will not be their final tour. Second: the new eponymously titled Lindsey Buckingham Christine McVie was never an aborted Fleetwood Mac project….

CMA, Concert reviews, Country, Country Pop, Country Rock, Grammy, Nashville, Songwriter, Voice June 24, 2017

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill woo Toronto fans with romantic production: review

Country music’s royal couple brought white picket fence values to the Toronto leg of their Soul2Soul World Tour. Nick Krewen, Music, Sat. June 24, 2017 Tim McGraw and Faith Hill at the Air Canada Centre, June 23 In movies they call it “The Big Payoff.” You’ve all seen it: the two lead characters form a bond, build up romantic tension and then seal their attraction with a lengthy kiss. On…