Pop

Beach Boys reunion a rockin’ one

Nick Krewen Special To The Star Published on Wed Jun 20 2012 Few thought this night would ever happen. With a steady string of lawsuits, in-fighting and the fact that Brian Wilson only returned to the stage a few years ago due to his own personal demons, the notion of any full-fledged reunion of the surviving original Beach Boys was fantasy as best. Yet fantasy became reality last night at…


After mega-hit, Kimbra goes for broad appeal

Nick Krewen Special to the Star Published on Tue Jun 19 2012 Kimbra Lee Johnson is someone that you want to know. Most recognized for her cameo appearance as the female foil for Gotye on his massive smash hit “Somebody That I Used To Know” — a song that has spent the past eight weeks topping the Billboard Hot 100 — the leggy New Zealander known as Kimbra is making…


LMFAO shares party-planning tips for MMVAs

Redfoo and Skyblu, collectively known as L.A. electro pop outfit LMFAO, are going to see a lot of Toronto over the next few weeks, first as co-hosts of Sunday’s MuchMusic Video Awards; then headlining July 4 at the Molson Amphitheatre. Nick Krewen Special to the Star Published on Sat Jun 16 2012 The progenitors of “Party Rock” have returned. Redfoo and Skyblu, collectively known as L.A. electro pop outfit LMFAO,…


Dan Kanter on mad life at Bieber’s side

Toronto guitarist and pop megastar’s right-hand man has had best seat to watch his rise. Nick Krewen Special to the Star Published on Fri Jun 15 2012 Life with Justin Bieber is never boring. Just ask Dan Kanter, the Toronto guitarist, producer and musical tour director who has been the Stratford pop phenom’s right-hand man since The Bieb’s meteoric rise to the top began three years ago. “It’s been quite…


M83 synthesizes some stardom

Gonzalez puts keyboards front and centre, and the result is a sold-out Sound Academy. Nick Krewen Special to the Star, Published on Fri May 04 2012 When Anthony Gonzalez was seven years old, he took a hit of Oxygene that changed his life forever. Gathered around their living room with the rest of his family in Antibes, France, the future principal of M83 watched fellow Frenchman, electronic music synthesis and…