Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Beat.
5 Indie Bands Worth Your Time
Mainstream music has gotten pretty crappy since the early 2000’s. It’s inanely repetitive, and the only thing saving the lyrics is the beat backing them. That isn’t to demean every genre and song in existence, there are some really amazing bands still rocking music that has a deeper meaning with words that you can relate to.
By Allison K. Jones8 years ago in Beat
Music Review: 'Jump' by Cythia Erivo
It’s awards season in Hollywood and with that I am being inundated with potential nominees across the spectrum. As a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association, I have a lot of things to wade through this year and that includes nominees in our original music categories. Today, I received a copy of an original single from the recently released documentary Step. The song is called "Jump" and it was written and produced by music legend Raphael Saddiq and co-written by Taura Stinson and Laura Karpman and sung by Cynthia Erivo.
By Sean Patrick8 years ago in Beat
Art Bergmann Schools Halifax
Halifax Urban Folk Festival is a boutique festival that celebrates songwriters and the songs they create. At least, that's what the Facebook page says. In truth, it's an event where Mike Campbell gathers the artists he wants to see, and we can go watch too! This works because Mike has good taste, excellent connections, and supportive sponsors. This year, HUFF pulled off a near coup: they got Art Bergmann to the East Coast. Art doesn't tour much anymore, and mostly does shows in Alberta and BC.
By Jeff Rose-Martland8 years ago in Beat
Marching Band as a Sport
For many people, marching bands are a truly incredible sight to see. Visual effects, great music, and of course those mesmorizing dance girls and flag girls. But the performances were not always as together, and as organized as they appear. And yes, your favorite song was once looked at with aggravated eyes, and fearful hearts as memory tests were performed in rehearsals.
By Ayanna James8 years ago in Beat
7 Haunting Songs About Death
Happiness be damned. While the occasional pop banger does a lot towards keeping one's psyche blissfully aloft, one simply can't escape the existence of a universe saturated by music that explores the dark and inevitable subject of death. While some try to avoid the topic, many are consistently drawn to it. Whether it be a realization of one's own inevitable fate, or his/her own experiences with the demise of others, the concept of death is one that has continued to fascinate the artist as well as the listener since, well, as long as music has existed. This list is by no means a list of the greatest songs to take on the topic, but are certainly ones that stand out to me.
By Matt Knight8 years ago in Beat
8EEZ Playlist: Ronnie Milsap
So, here it is. The first playlist that really isn't my own. As I mentioned, this dueling playlist was designed to chronicle artists of various musical genres in the 1980s; but, as it turns out, I've been bested by at least one genre that I am a little unversed in: country music.
By Carlos Gonzalez8 years ago in Beat
The Importance of Live Music
I’m hoping that everybody reading this has been to at least one live show in their time. If not, what the hell do you do with your time? Because mine is taken up by earning money for gig tickets, buying gig tickets, waiting for gig tickets to arrive, and going to gigs. My life revolves around it. If I were to list every band or artist that I have seen live, it could be well over 100. Since I went to my first gig on October 27th, 2010 (it was The Blackout at the Bristol O2 Academy), I’ve never stopped going to gigs.
By Bethanie Law8 years ago in Beat
Rock Triple Play: Tesla, Voices of Extreme, and Red Reign
The beautiful and historic Embassy Theater, originally opened in 1928 under the name Emboyd Theater, had a full house for a hard rock event. Tesla celebrated 30 years on tour along with two other excellent, but lesser known bands—Voices of Extreme and Red Reign.
By Marcia Frost8 years ago in Beat
Let's Talk About Harry Styles
I mean, I have to. Whether you’re a fan or not; I don’t care. I love the guy. Everything about him. And y’know what? I’m gonna tell you all the things I love about Harry Styles, and why he’s the fiercest solo artist in the world right now.
By Bethanie Law8 years ago in Beat
Somehow It's Already Been a Year: A Look at Touché Amoré's Post-Hardcore Masterpiece: 'Stage Four' - 1 Year Later
"Somehow it's already been a year," lead vocalist Jeremy Bolm of Touché Amoré bellows out at the beginning of "New Halloween," the second track off of the band’s 4th studio album Stage Four. However in this context, Bolm is referring to the time passed since his mother Sandra Bolm passed away of Stage 4 cancer, just a year earlier. When such a tragedy occurs it is nearly impossible to predict the implications that might follow, from an instant deluge of grief and emotions poured out in the most open of ways, to an almost complete shutdown of social communications and interactions, everyone handles death in his/her own way. While seemingly delicate and complex, the subject certainly hasn’t gone unexplored in music. Billie Joe Armstrong gave us “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” Eric Clapton penned the legendary “Tears in Heaven,” Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth gave us- well, yeah let’s not remember that one…
By Matt Knight8 years ago in Beat
