ARCADE FIRE

Sebastian Buzzalino

We all know the suburbs can be a dull and dreary place, a lifeless stomping ground we endure through our adolescence and youth. Some loathe it, others rebel against it,...

CUFF THE DUKE

Joshua Kloke

No one can accuse Wayne Petti of lacking sentiment. As the frontman of Cuff the Duke, Petti has cut his teeth within Canada’s alt-country community by writing tunes...

RIVERBOAT GAMBLERS

Christine Leonard

When it comes to the dream occupations, it’s fairly certain that professional gambler and rock star have got to be in the Top 10 of any well-rounded teenage male. And...

BART RECORDS AND REVOLUTION WINTER

Devin Friesen

Dischord Records, the D.C.-based label founded by Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson of the legendary hardcore group Minor Threat, has not only been a source of many excellent records...

GORDON DOWNIE

Joshua Kloke

When Gordon Downie speaks, you listen. The intensity and passion of the singular frontman for the Tragically Hip are evident. And he doesn’t take his words lightly.

BROCK ZEMAN

Spencer Brown

Every once in a while, you'll hear the phrase "working musician" and it isn't meant as some kind of ironic joke. Rather, this refers to those talented and brave souls...

HAYES CARLL

Spencer Brown

Texas has no shortage of character and neither do Texan musicians. The list of influential artists who call, or called, the Lone Star state home is exhaustive. One of the main...

JESSE DENATALE

Lindsay Wilson

There is an honest warmth in Jesse DeNatale’s music that reminds the listener of the great poets of the ‘60s – the Bob Dylans, Tom Waits and Van Morrisons of...

MAVIS STAPLES

Christine Leonard

When it comes to familial relationships, the parent-versus-child dilemma has long been a source of psychiatric canon fodder. Given the tumultuous nature of many such situations...

RAE SPOON

Lindsay Wilson

Seven years since his debut in the music industry, transgender country-turned-indie-rock artist Rae Spoon feels he has chosen the right path of direction for the future of his...

CHALI 2NA

Paul Brooks

An MC with one of the most distinctive voices in hip-hop, Chali 2na is playing seven solo dates in Western Canada this month. Chali 2na is best known as a founding member of...

DATSIK

Marisha Shegda

Recently, the electronic music scene has been pushed to new levels by dubstep, a bass-heavy form of electronic music that combines elements of dub, drum and bass, two-step,...

THE ESSENTIAL NINJA TUNE

Jordan Cook

Need some help navigating Ninja Tune's expansive catalogue? Here are BeatRoute's favourite recordings from the Ninja vaults:

DJ Food – Jazz Brakes V...

NINJA TUNE

Jordan Cook

With some record labels, previewing the music isn’t necessary before you buy an album. What drives you to snatch up every new release? It’s because the label is...

SHAH DJs

Jordan Cook

In a city where DJ nights come and go with the seasons, SHAH DJs' three-year anniversary should be treated two-fold. It’s a little big deal that lends itself to the...

HELMET

Sarah Kitteringham

Page Hamilton just got home from New York, and doesn’t miss his old hometown compared to Los Angeles. At home, it’s 75 degrees Fahrenheit in February and the...

JJS3

Chris Schieman

The Yukon isn’t the first place most people think of when it comes to housing hard rock and heavy metal bands, but JJS3 is about to change that. “The Yukon sound...

MARK OF CAIN

Allison Drinnan

Who says death metal needs to be about gore, carnage and brutality? Instead of fearing the musician yelling guttural vocals at the crowd as he clenches his fist and stares...

ROTTEN SOUND

Allison Drinnan

When it was announced that Rotten Sound would be playing the Noctis Valkyries Festival this September, underground metal fans of Calgary and Western Canada went crazy. One of...

NOCTIS IV CONFERENCE

Sarah Kitteringham

For the second year in a row, the annual Noctis Valkyries Metal Festival will host a conference for those hoping to hone their metal craft. Running on Friday, September 24 from...