Angine de Poitrine Live in Edmonton July 7th 2026

 

 So ya, I got caught up in the hype of this band Angine de Poitrine from Quebec, Canada. I first got a glimpse of this duo from a clip of them live I saw on instagram back in December of last year. My first thought was these guys or girls, you couldn't tell with the costumes. But first thought was this is fucked up. So I instantly sent the clip to my buddy A-Bomb, who has similar interest in music as myself, we like the weird music you could say. His response was "we have to see them when they come to town". Then in March of this year the band really blew up when their live performance on KEXP (to watch the performance click here) went viral. I believe that performance has been viewed like 17 million times, fucking crazy!

 So a few months ago they announced that the band would be playing Edmonton in July, their first shows in Western Canada. So of course we were all over getting tickets for the show. Well that was a shit show trying to get tickets. That is a whole other story which could be a very long post in itself. I'm not going to get into it here. Let's just say, that tickets were a pain in the ass to get with Ticketmaster's dynamic pricing and there fucked up system. Nonetheless, I did get tickets for my buddies A-Bomb, Buzzard and I. They ended up adding a second show here in Edmonton.

 A few weeks before the show I bought their two albums that they have released and gave them a listen. I was now having reservations whether I really wanted to see them or not. Angine de Poitrine is all instrumental music and after listening to one of the albums in full, I was thinking twice about it. Is this show really going to be any damn good. But the tickets were bought and paid for and for all the bullshit I went through to get tickets, fuck it, I'm going.

 The night of the show we got to the venue the Ice District Fan Park Tent, and you could feel and see the excitement in the crowd for the show. The place was packed with people of all ages, little kids, hipsters, and just a wide range of music fans. I ran into a lot of friends at this show some I would never expected to be at this show, some of them musicians themselves, who had the same thoughts as I did. What the hell were we in for. And with a lot in attendance were dressed in polka dot out fits, even some people dressed like the band. It was all really weird.

 The first band of the night was a three piece band from Calgary called Jade Elephant. Never heard of them before, but a good gig to get for them. Their music really did nothing for me, some of their tunes reminded me a bit of Wolfmother light. We checked out a bit of their set but spent more time visiting with the many people I ran into at the show and having a few beers and then smokes in the smoking section. In the smoke pit the weed was in abundance, with a Cannabis retailer even selling in the smoking area. No more smuggling weed in to a show, hell just buy it there.

 Jade Elephant.

 

 After another couple beers and a visit to the smoke tent, it was time for Angine de Poitrine. This duo who go by the names of Khn de Poitrine on bass/guitar which is a double necked instrument and Klek de Poitrine on drums with both of them wearing weird polka dot costumes. Apparently this duo have been performing together since they were 13 years old but always had a hard time getting gigs until they tried the outfit thing.

 Now for their performance, I don't know how you would describe their music, other than it is all instrumental, no banter with the audience other than some weird squeaks and non verbal interaction between them. It all felt very alien like. But they had the crowd in the palm of their hands, dancing around, making triangle emblems with their fingers, grooving out to the very odd music. they are very talented musicians that's for sure. It was fun to see so many people getting right into the music, and all that with no lyrics. I myself figured I'd be bored to death with just instrumental music, but with only an hour long set, which was the perfect amount of time, considering they only have the two EP's out, but an hour is long enough. I was engaged and lost myself in the music a few times. For a band that blew up like they have and to still stay independent, I guess they have had lots of offers to sign to a major label, they are staying where they're at. I couldn't tell you what songs they played, I mean how do you even name songs that have no lyrics. At one point during the show they brought out two audience members that were dressed up like the band. What a very fun show to experience. Where they will be in a couple of years is anyone's guess, will they just be a flash in the pan, hard to say. I hope they carry on and only get bigger and weirder. When was the last time a band blew up like this. Good times!!!

Angine de Poitrine.

Anvil Live in Edmonton July 2nd 2026

 

 I am so far behind in my concert reviews that I will be keeping them short in order to try and keep up, that, and I suck at writing reviews.

 Anyways, a few weeks ago my buddies A-Bomb, Nazz, Buzzard and I saw Anvil on their Pounding The Past Tour at the Dive Bar in Edmonton. This would be my fourth time seeing Anvil in concert. This was gonna be a cool place to see Anvil.

 Opening the show was Edmonton heavy metal band Powerload, a band I have been looking forward to seeing finally. Powerload had just released their debut album In The Pocket, which is awesome by the way. With an old school 80's inspired style of heavy metal, their music is super fun and reminds me of when heavy metal was about sex, drugs and rock n' roll. The three piece band consist of Shel Shock on bass and vocals, drummer/vocalist Hellhammered and Brett Michaels on guitar. You know you are in for some fun when the drummer and guitar player come out on stage wearing only leather thongs, fucking hilarious.

 They were very fun live, loose yet tight if you know what I mean. Reminding me of Raven, Motorhead, Bad News, Anvil, just good old school 80's metal. Playing songs with such titles as "1-900-HOT-LOAD", and from their new album "Tons Of Tail", "Stakes Are High (So Am I)", "Defenders Of The Eighth", "Bad Girls" the hilarious "The Ballad Of Shit Faced Tony", and the single from the new album "Drunk In A Taxi Cab". So much fun, I also loved Shel's in between song banter. Looking forward to seeing this band again. Oh ya, almost forgot to mention how full the bar was already for the opening band, don't always see that.

Powerload.

 Next up on this four band bill was the three piece Calgary band Divine Apprehension. They sounded like a death metal band, talented musicians for sure but when I can't understand the lyrics it's not my cup of tea. Needless to say I didn't listen to much of them and went outside for a smoke.

Divine Apprehension.

The third band of the night was Midnite Hellion a trio from New Jersey who have been on the full Anvil tour. Their music is best described as thrash metal. They were alright, near the end of their set that went on too long they were doing covers of Motorhead, Megadeth and others.

Midnite Hellion.

 It was finally time for the Canadian heavy metal legends Anvil, and yes another three piece band led by founding members Steve "Lips" Kudlow on guitar and Rob "Robbo" Reiner on drums and now long time bassist Chris Robertson who has been with the band since 2014. They have been slugging out since 1978 and still playing shitty bars. With 22 albums under their belt, this tour dubbed Pounding The Past they performed songs from their first three albums only (Hard 'n' Heavy, Metal On Metal, Forged In Fire), which was fucking awesome. of all the times I have seen Anvil live (4X) this was by far the best I have seen them. maybe because I recognized all the songs played but not only that, the bar was full with die hard fans, the band was having fun, especially Lips, but he seems to always be having fun when I have seen them. Opening the show with "March Of The Crabs" and ending the set with "Metal On Metal" and all the other great songs from them first three albums like "666", "Mad Dog", "Bedroom Game", "Winged Assassins", "Forged In Fire" and of course "Mothra" in which Lips did his guitar solo with a vibrator as always.

 Lips was super fun and engaged with the fans all night, first song of the night and he was in among the crowd playing, telling some great stories between songs. My favourite story of the night was him talking about Lemmy of Motorhead who gave then their first big break when they opened for them in the UK in 1981. he talked about hanging with Lemmy and doing speed for days on end and drinking and not even noticing that he had been up for that many hours straight. 

 At 70 years old Lips still brings it every night, he rocked out through the whole show, his vocals were great as was his guitar playing, drummer Robb is no slouch either, doing a cool drum solo half way through the show. Lips joked about being 70 and now having a bald spot on the back of his mop of hair.

 Through out the show I slowly made my way to the front of the stage, waiting for openings to slip my way up front. When Lips said the last song of the night, the one you have all been waiting for "Metal On Metal" I started to make my way to the back of the crowd to meet up with my friends that I came to the show with when all of a sudden there was Lips among the crowd playing and he was right in front of me, we shook hands, he thanked me for coming to the show, I thanked him for coming to town as I fumbled in my pocket to get my phone to snap a picture. it was a very cool way to end the show and night. Good times!!!

Anvil.

July 12th

  It was on this day July 12th, 2013 that I saw KISS play Rexall Place in Edmonton.

Ayla Brook & The Sound Men Live in Edmonton June 30th 2026

 

 On Tuesday night my buddy Buzzard and I ventured to Southbound Brewing to catch Ayla Brook & The Sound Men. This Edmonton brewery is a place I have always wanted to checkout, so this was the perfect time to do so. This is a very cool brewery that has been putting on quite a few shows and having open mic nights. They also have a patio that they open up, weather permitting of course, and on this evening with a weather forecast of a chance of rain which has been what the whole month of June has been like. There was talk of releasing more tickets for this sold out show, but didn't happen because of rain. Although it didn't rain that night, it was raining before the show. Great beer and atmosphere here with a Thin Lizzy theme from the name of the place to the Thin Lizzy albums displayed behind the bar and a Phil Lynott painting hung in bar.

 Opening the show was Nadine Kellman. She is a local singer/songwriter playing folk style of music. I'll be honest and say I didn't pay a lot of attention to her as I was filling my face with grilled cheese sandwiches as Cheese Louise YEG were on hand slinging their awesome grilled cheese sandwiches.

Nadine Kellman.

 Next up was Edmonton roots rockers Ayla Brook & The Sound Men. It was good to see the band playing again, it had been four years since I had last seen them perform. And this would be my 3rd time seeing them live. This show also marked the 18th anniversary of them being a band. Also making this show a special occasion was bass player Brent Oliver's last show with the band.

 The Sound Men are made up of Ayla on guitar and vocals, Brent on bass, Chris Sturwold on drums, Sean Brewer on acoustic guitar and vocals and Johnny Blerot on accordion and keyboard.

 The guys sounded great on this evening, Ayla was rocking out and his vocals were great, Chris on drums was an animal, way more animated than I recall him being, looked like he had the spirit of Keith Moon in him on this night. The band was a little rough admitting they had only rehearsed a few times before this show. They had to restart a few songs over with a count in after Chris would miss his count in. The band played for over an hour playing tunes from their two albums 2020's Desolation Sounds and (I Don't Want To Hear Your) Break Up Songs from 2016.

Ayla Brook & The Sound Men.