Latest news with #BigFourRoadhouse
Calgary Herald
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
From Shania Twain to teenage punk bands: Is Calgary Stampede the Greatest Music Festival in the West?
Article content What's on site Article content The four stages on the Stampede grounds include the Scotiabank Saddledome, which is offering Shania Twain, with opener Devin Cole, as its sole concert this year on July 5. This is unusual, given that there were four arena shows last year. But if you're only going to offer one stadium show, superstar Shania Twain is probably a safe bet. This is obviously a ticketed event. Article content The Big Four Roadhouse will also host the only other ticketed concert, on July 6, featuring Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Boy Golden, Noeline Hofmann, The Paper Kites and MJ Lendermen. All other shows are free with the price of admission, although they are restricted to those aged 18 and over after 6 p.m. Article content The Coca-Cola Stage will offer dozens of shows and all are free with the price of admission to the park. Article content Article content Article content The acts booked for the Nashville North tent tend to perform the sort of music most expect at the Stampede: mainstream and safe country that sounds like it came from a Nashville writing room even if it didn't. Article content So this is where you will see acts such as Tenille Townes (Thursday, July 3), Jade Eagleson (July 4), Drake Milligan (July 5), Midland (July 6), The Reklaws (July 10) and MacKenzie Porter (July 13), along with Alberta acts such as Hailey Benedict (July 5), Alex Hughes (July 7, 8, 9), Devin Cooper (July 7, 8, 9) and Mariya Stokes (July 10, 11, 12, 13). Article content Article content This may be the Stampede's most eclectic stage, where you will see the aforementioned Americana of Jason Isbell (if you buy a ticket), but also hip-hop artists such as De La Soul (July 8), Lil Jon (July 9) and Yung Gravy (July 11) and the folk and fiery-rock hybrid of Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello's solo work (July 12). The venue will also host local acts such as Jory Kinjo (July 10, 11, 12, 13) and Kate & The Comets (July 7, 8, 9). Article content Article content 'When we move to the Big Four Roadhouse it does vary a little bit,' Wright says. 'We started thinking about what that venue can really deliver on and it becomes a broader range of lineup. You could see country artists there, but you start to see more hip-hop, R&B and classic rock. It's our roadhouse, it's our party bar. You want to sip and savour and catch up. It's a different space. It feels different.' Article content Coca-Cola Stage Article content One of the Stampede's calling cards, programming for the Coca-Cola Stage, seems to have gotten increasingly more adventurous over the years. Once the domain of classic-rock and Nickelback wannabe acts, it now features a more eclectic bunch. This year that includes the aforementioned KALEO (July 4), Arkells (July 6) and Bleachers (July 10) but also alternative R&B songstress Tinashe (July 8), R&B and hip-hop songwriter Khalid and pop-punk mainstays Simple Plan (who have been playing for nearly 30 years, just in case you want to feel old).
Calgary Herald
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
Chinese pianist Lang Lang, country music star, and pop hitmaker to join Calgary Phil in varied 70th season
Article content Chinese pianist Lang Lang, DJs and electronica music, Canadian country superstar Tenille Townes, former Barenaked Ladies vocalist Steven Page and singer and author Vivek Shraya will be among the highlights of the Calgary Philharmonic's eclectic 70th season, which will include 64 concerts under 29 conductors across seven venues. Article content Lang Lang, one of classical music's biggest stars, will play with the Calgary Philharmonic on Sept. 27 at the Jack Singer Concert Hall. Lang has played with some of the world's biggest orchestras and has been a global draw in the classical world since he was a teenager in the 1990s. Article content Article content The 2025/2026 season will also feature the Canadian premiere of SYNTHONY: EDM Meets Orchestra on Sept. 5, which will find Calgary Phil teaming up wth DJs and vocalists for a mix of electronica and classical music at the Big Four Roadhouse. Grande Prairie country superstar Tenille Townes, who has also been in the spotlight since she was a teen, will make her CPO debut with shows at the Bella and Jack Singer concert halls on April 23 and 25. Article content Article content Other artists who will make guest appearances in the 2025/2026 season include violinist Gil Shaham, former Barenaked Ladies vocalist Steven Page and singer, actress and former University of Calgary professor Vivek Shraya. The orchestra will perform The Music of Hans Zimmer, which will feature selections from the soundtracks of The Dark Knight, Interstellar and Dune, while composer Eimear Noone will lead the orchestra for Video Games in Concert, which will include selections from the World of Warcraft soundtrack. Calgary Phil will also be playing live-to-film during screenings of The Princess Bride, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi. Article content Article content Conductor and violinist Timothy Chooi will lead Calgary Phil for Vivaldi's Four Seasons, while Verdi's Requiem will be conducted by Karen Kamensek. Music director laureate Hans Graf returns for A Midsummer Night's Dream. The annual A Traditional Christmas runs over three nights in December at Grace Presbyterian Church, and there will be a return of Handel's Messiah. Article content Article content The CPO will offer several of genre-bending treats along with dabbling in EDM, including an evening dedicated to The Music of Prince, Dance Dance Disco, La Vida Loca: Latin Pop Hits, The Music of Sting + The Police, and Revolution: The Music of The Beatles – A Symphonic Experience. Article content Guest conductors will include Anthony Parnther, Yue Bao, Ramon Tebar, Jessica Cottis, Steve Hackman and Calgary's Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser. Soloists such as violinist Amaryn Olmeda (violin), pianist Stewart Goodyear and cellist Steven Isserlis will also perform with the orchestra this season.
