Jul 19 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Ed Robertson says when early chatter about COVID-19 began circulating through the music industry, he feared that live concerts were headed for a world of trouble. Having more than three decades of experience in Barenaked Ladies, the singer-songwriter said he couldn’t imagine thousands of people gathering at shows while a mysterious virus raged. […]
Jul 16 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Ontario and Manitoba head back to the movies this weekend, joining the rest of the country for a summer season delayed by starkly different pandemic restrictions. Both provinces move forward with reopening plans that allow cinemas to screen a fresh slate of films for the first time in months. Movie theatres in Ontario […]
Jul 15 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Albums from Quebec singer Dominique Fils-Aimé and Toronto rapper Tobi have been shortlisted for this year's Polaris Music Prize. The selection of 10 albums vying for the $50,000 award includes projects spanning an array of music genres. Fils-Aimé's "Three Little Words" completes a trilogy of albums celebrating the history of Black-American music, while […]
Jul 14 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Canadian fans of Harry Styles saw their "Watermelon Sugar" high crushed after the British singer quietly cancelled concerts set for Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal later this year. The pop star released an updated schedule of his North American tour on Wednesday and missing from the 40 dates was any mention of his four […]
Jul 13 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — "Schitt's Creek" may be over but the Emmy Awards aren't done with Dan Levy. After sweeping the top categories last year with the final season of the CBC hit comedy, Levy is up for a trophy again — this time for guest hosting "Saturday Night Live." He joins several Canadian Emmy contenders announced […]
Jul 12 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Ontario movie theatres will be back in business on Friday as the province moves into Step 3 of reopening in the heat of summer movie season, but strict capacity limits have sent a chill through exhibitors' hopes of drawing the big crowds for the latest blockbusters. It's another twist in the storyline for […]
Jul 7 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Telefilm and several of Canada’s other leading film organizations are working together on a new project that will dust off homegrown cinematic gems for the digital generation. More than 10 Canadian films, including English- and French-language fictional narratives, documentaries and shorts, are part of a restoration effort that will see each digitized to […]
Jul 6 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Country singer Brett Kissel and alternative rockers Our Lady Peace are among the Canadian acts set to headline a five-weekend Ontario summer concert series that includes strict COVID-19 safety guidelines. The organizers of the outdoor Boots and Hearts music festival revealed the first round of lineups for its Endless Summer Series, a "medium-scale" […]
Jul 5 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Wendy Mesley, a longtime CBC television news anchor and journalist, has signed off from the public broadcaster. Chuck Thompson, CBC's head of public affairs, confirmed Monday that Mesley retired from the corporation in late June after working there for 38 years. "Simply put, Wendy Mesley is a trailblazer in broadcast journalism," wrote CBC […]
Jul 2 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Daniel Lanois hopes "Torn Again," his new song with Leonard Cohen, marks the first of several posthumous collaborations that see the light of day. The Juno-winning Canadian producer says he's received the blessing of Adam Cohen, the late singer-songwriter’s son, "to use a few other poems" his father recorded in future songs. "Torn […]
Jul 2 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Monsters lurk among us in July's streaming highlights. From a hotel drama stacked with terrible rich folks, to a nail-biting sequel where the slightest sound can awaken a beast, here are film and TV series worth checking out this month: "The White Lotus" Vacationers at a swanky Hawaii resort confront a wealth of […]
Jun 26 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Advocates for Ontario’s live music and performing arts industries say a lack of clarity in the provincial reopening plan puts their futures at risk. Provincial and municipal leaders, including Toronto Mayor John Tory, met virtually Friday with members of the arts and culture sector eager to welcome live audiences back into venues. The […]
Jun 24 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Outdoor concerts, open-air movie screens and performing arts shows are getting the green light in Ontario starting next Wednesday as the province moves forward with a reopening plan that hinges on strict capacity limits. Provincial leaders outlined specifics on Thursday for the second stage of reopening, which includes small but crucial steps towards […]
Jun 22 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Canada’s leading music reproduction rights agency says it has signed an agreement with TikTok that will see artists paid for use of their songs on the social media platform. The Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA) says the multiyear partnership gives self-published songwriters and music publishers the ability to collect royalties when their […]
Jun 22 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Avril Lavigne invited a real-life skater guy to her TikTok debut. The Napanee, Ont. native jumped on the popular social media platform with her first post on Monday — and she brought skateboarder Tony Hawk along for the ride. The clip features Lavigne in full retro pop-punk glory while she lip-synchs the words […]