Blues

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…

Read More

As he gets inducted into the Mariposa Hall of Fame, Bruce Cockburn looks back on the highs and lows of summer festivals

The 79-year-old musician will play the Lightfoot Stage at the Mariposa Folk Festival in Orillia on July 7.  By Nick Krewen Special to the Star The second time he played the Mariposa Folk Festival, in 1969, Bruce Cockburn wasn’t supposed to headline. That honour belonged to Neil Young, fresh from his split with Buffalo Springfield, until a last-minute health issue forced the Ottawa-born folksinger and songwriter — who, until that point, had…


The NDP’s ‘punk-rock politician,’ Charlie Angus, is leaving Parliament soon to focus on his music. Here’s why that matters

His band Grievous Angels headlines the Horseshoe Tavern on Sunday for a 1 p.m. matinee. By Nick Krewen Special to the Star His political career may be coming to a close, but his band plays on. As Charlie Angus eases out of his role as MP for Timmins-James Bay — he serves until the next federal election — his Canadiana outfit Grievous Angels will continue to be one of his passions. “I’ve…


After 23 years out of the spotlight, a Canadian superstar returns with a new album: “Nobody was waiting for the record.”

Amanda Marshall is back with Heavy Lifting, her first album in two decades. By Nick Krewen Special to the Star Music comeback story of the year? Well, that would belong to one Amanda Marshall,  the Toronto-born vocal powerhouse that is finally emerging from the mists of time following a 22-and-a-half-year hiatus between albums: Heavy Lifting, a 12-song opus featuring 11 Marshall originals and a cover of Floetry‘s “I Hope She Cheats”…


Singer Dominique Fils-Aimé finds inspiration by looking to Black history

By Nick Krewen Special to the Star There’s a reason every Dominique Fils-Aimé album has been released in February: Black History Month. “I wanted to underline the link between Black history and music genres,” the Juno Award winner and Polaris Music Prize finalist recently explained from her Montréal home.  It especially makes sense when you consider the trilogy of 2018’s Nameless, 2019’s Stay Tuned! and this year’s Three Little Words,…