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Calgary Herald
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
Concert review: Eclectic lineup livens soggy Saturday at the Calgary Folk Music Festival
Article content 'It's not a folk festival until someone comes along with an electric guitar and (expletive) it all up' said Steve Earle on Saturday night at the Calgary Folk Music Festival before launching into a lively version of The Week of Living Dangerously, his scorching 1987 honky-tonk cautionary tale. Article content It was nice reminder of Earle's wild youth and his 50-year genre-fuzzy career that has always placed him on outer limits of country music. It was also, presumably, a reference to one of the most infamous folk-fest moments in music history: Bob Dylan's performance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival where he went 'electric' and received boos and hostility from the folk purists in the crowd. Article content Article content After 46 years of adventurous music, it should be clear to anyone who has been paying attention that the Calgary Folk Fest has never been a festival for folk purists. Saturday's festivities at Prince's Island Park nevertheless offered a nice mix of what we have come to expect from a folk fest lineup: There was some straight-ahead folk from Scotland's Langan Band, some progressive politics and jazz-folk from U.S. singer-songwriter Madeleine Peyroux, some world-music from the lively Les Mamans du Congo X Rrobin and two roots-rock icons in Earle and veteran genre-hoppers Los Lobos. Article content Article content Article content Earle, who recently celebrated a half-century in the music industry, offered a good deal of nostalgia for long-term fans. He didn't leave the 1980s for his first five songs. Backed by Austin, Tx. country-rock act Reckless Kelly, Earle kicked things off with three songs from his 1986 debut Guitar Town that included the title track, the yearning Someday and haunting My Old Friend the Blues. It was followed by the singalong gem I Ain't Ever Satisfied from his 1987 sophomore record Exit 0 and the Devil's Right Hand from his 1989 breakthrough Copperhead Road. There were a few surprises. It was nice to hear his 1995 ballad Goodbye. It is one of his most beautiful and mournful melodies and the first song Earle penned when kicking a nasty drug habit. Bad Girls, a song literally released last week as a duet between Earle and Reckless Kelly, fit in nicely, as did the stinging title track and howling Fixin' To Die from 2017's So You Wanna Be An Outlaw. One of the highlights was It's About Blood, a harrowing obscurity from Earle's 2020 album Ghosts of West Virginia and the off-Broadway musical Coal Country, which is about the 2010 Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster that killed 29 people. Article content Article content But, for the most part, Saturday's closing set offered a handful of crowd-pleasing favourites, including suitably charged takes on Copperhead Road, Hard-Core Troubadour, The Galway Girl and the Celtic-flavoured encore Johnny Come Lately, which Earle recorded with The Pogues in London in the 1980s (He dedicated the song to that band's late frontman Shane MacGowan, who died in 2023.) Article content Article content These days, the bearded 70-year-old Earle has a stage presence that suggests a somewhat weary elder statesmen, but having a band like Reckless Kelly behind him gave the songs an extra kick to end the evening. Article content The day was not without its speed bumps. A thunder storm and early evening downpour temporarily halted the music few minutes after the Langan Band finished their opening set, topping off a day of grey clouds on Prince's Island Park. The weather teetered on the edge of uncooperative on both Friday and Saturday afternoon during the four-day festival, with rain and unusually cold temperatures putting a damper on things and turning the park into a soggy, muddy mess. Just before Peyroux was about the hit the stage, the crowd was told that the performances would halt in hopes it would blow over. It delayed things for about an hour before the sun broke through the clouds, which may have gotten the loudest cheer from the soaked audience up until that point in the day.
Calgary Herald
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
'These are scary times': A busy Steve Earle ready to make a new record for troubled times
Article content Steve Earle figures he is three songs away from finishing his long-gestating musical based on the 1983 Robert Duvall film Tender Mercies. Article content This is good news, both for him and his fans. It's something to look forward to, for sure. But it has also been time-consuming. He admits it has occupied most of his songwriting talents in the past five years. But he is itching to get back to making albums and, let's face it, the world could use a new Steve Earle album right about now. As a politically progressive voice in the often conservative world of country music, Earle's insights into the forces that are deeply dividing his country would be welcome. Article content Article content He has made sharply political music before. His 2002 post-9/11 record, Jerusalem, was an overtly political album with songs that delved into the War on Terror and American identity. His 2004 album, The Revolution Starts Now, was a response to the Bush administration and the Iraq War. In 2013, he released The Low Highway, which told stories of poverty and societal neglect. His 1986 debut, Guitar Town, had songs that dealt with the failed promise of Ronald Reagan's America. He describes his breakthrough, 1988's Copperhead Road, as a 'pretty (expletive) political record.' Article content Article content 'Side 1 is, anyway,' says Earle, in a Zoom interview with Postmedia in advance of his weekend folk festival appearance. 'Side 2 is chick songs because that's why I got a guitar in the first place.' Article content For now, Earle is still working on the Tender Mercies musical, which he calls the 'hardest thing I've ever done.' Whatever shape a new album will take after that has yet to be determined. Article content Article content 'These are scary times,' he says. 'If I get to make another album … I think I'm going to no matter what. I'll finish these three songs and figure out what kind of record I want to make. I'll be thinking about what kind of music it's going to be first. But it will be hard not to write about this stuff, at least to some degree.' Article content Earle, who will be closing the Calgary Folk Music Festival on Saturday night with the band Reckless Kelly, has always balanced political songs, socially conscious storytelling and activism with 'chick songs,' or at least songs about relationships and life. He has always been a prolific songwriter, but most of his recent studio albums have been tributes that found him offering covers of other artists. Article content That includes 2019's GUY, which focused on the songs of Guy Clark; 2021's J.T., a tribute to his late son Justin Townes Earle, who died in 2020; and 2022's Jerry Jeff, a tribute to Jerry Jeff Walker, who also died in 2020.
CTV News
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
10 things to do in Calgary this weekend (July 25 to 27)
The Calgary Folk Music Festival is held annually at Prince's Island Park. (Facebook/Calgary Folk Music Festival) There are plenty of local events and activities you can check out in Calgary this weekend. Here's a look at just 10 of the many amazing things happening around the city: Calgary Folk Music Festival What: The 2025 Calgary Folk Music Festival features 70 artists from around the world. This year, Steve Earle and Reckless Kelly are among those set to perform. The event also features food vendors, an arts market and a family zone. The 2025 Calgary Folk Music Festival features 70 artists from around the world. This year, Steve Earle and Reckless Kelly are among those set to perform. The event also features food vendors, an arts market and a family zone. When: Thursday, July 24 to Sunday, July 27, 2025. Thursday, July 24 to Sunday, July 27, 2025. Where: Prince's Island Park, 698 Eau Claire Ave. S.W. Midway and a movie What: Head to Heritage Park to enjoy a movie or two and the antique midway as part of Midway and a Movie. This event includes a double feature of Goonies and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Head to Heritage Park to enjoy a movie or two and the antique midway as part of Midway and a Movie. This event includes a double feature of Goonies and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. When: Friday, July 25 from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. Friday, July 25 from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. Where: Heritage Park, 1900 Heritage Dr. S.W. Surge vs. Bandits What: The Calgary Surge take on the Vancouver Bandits. The Calgary Surge take on the Vancouver Bandits. When: Friday, July 25 at 8 p.m. Friday, July 25 at 8 p.m. Where: WinSport Event Centre, 151 Canada Olympic Rd. S.W. 98 Degrees What: Known for 90s hits like Because of You , Invisible Man and The Hardest Thing , musical group 98 Degrees comes to Calgary to perform at the Grey Eagle. Known for 90s hits like , and , musical group 98 Degrees comes to Calgary to perform at the Grey Eagle. When: Friday, July 25 at 8 p.m. Friday, July 25 at 8 p.m. Where: Grey Eagle Event Centre, 3777 Grey Eagle Dr. Cavalry vs. York United What: Calgary's Cavalry FC take on the York United at ATCO Field. Calgary's Cavalry FC take on the York United at ATCO Field. When: Saturday, July 26 at 3 p.m. Saturday, July 26 at 3 p.m. Where: ATCO Field, 18011 Spruce Meadows Way S.W. Surge vs. Sea Bears What: The Calgary Surge take on the Winnipeg Sea Bears. The Calgary Surge take on the Winnipeg Sea Bears. When: Sunday, July 26 at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 26 at 2 p.m. Where: WinSport Event Centre, 151 Canada Olympic Rd. S.W. Debbie Gibson What: Head to the Grey Eagle to see 80s pop princess Debbie Gibson perform as part of her Newstalgia Live tour. Head to the Grey Eagle to see 80s pop princess Debbie Gibson perform as part of her tour. When: Sunday, July 27 at 8 p.m. Sunday, July 27 at 8 p.m. Where: Grey Eagle Event Centre, 3777 Grey Eagle Dr. YYC Ice Cream Fest What: Enjoy dozens of specialty ice cream flavours sold throughout Calgary as part of YYC Ice Cream Fest, a charitable competition that sees a portion of sales donated to Calgary Meals on Wheels. Enjoy dozens of specialty ice cream flavours sold throughout Calgary as part of YYC Ice Cream Fest, a charitable competition that sees a portion of sales donated to Calgary Meals on Wheels. When: Until Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025 Until Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025 Where: Various locations throughout Calgary. Legends of the 80's What: Stage West Calgary presents Legends of the 80's , a 1980s musical extravaganza, featuring music by legends like Elton John, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Cyndi Lauper and Queen. Stage West Calgary presents , a 1980s musical extravaganza, featuring music by legends like Elton John, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Cyndi Lauper and Queen. When: Until Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. Until Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. Where: Stage West, 727 42 Ave. S.E. ABBA Mania: Back to the Disco Dimension
