* Let’s be honest … the last time the Pixies played Edmonton — at the Shaw Conference Centre in 2011 — the alt-rock gurus sounded a little played out. After reuniting in 2004 , Black Francis and his pals seemed content in lapping the world with their ’80s and ’90s albums. No longer! Armed with their first new LP in 23 years, Indie Cindy, the Pixies — including new bassist Paz Lenchantin — will return to the Shaw on Monday, Oct. 6. Tickets are $70 plus service charges. On sale: Friday, May 9. Royal Blood will open.
* Rapper Classified will headline Hot 107′s free Block Party at Union Hall on Friday, July 4. He’ll be joined by the top five finalists in the station’s Hot Factor contest — determined, of course, by listeners. Ten artists are in the running — KBH, Dizzy, CHIPS, Mitchell Lawler, R/ch G/rl, Ash Militsala, Blaze & Ilce, Janay Thomas, FLTF and Kozikoz. To vote for your favourites, click here and check out their tunes. Polls close Sunday, June 1.
* Thirteen more acts, including Edmonton’s Jom Comyn, Diamond Mind, Love Electric, Mitchmatic and Tee-Tahs, have been added to the second edition of Golden West Music Fest. The three-day intimate camp-out takes place Aug. 1 to 3 near Ardmore, Alberta. Earlybird passes are $50 via Audrey’s Books, Blackbyrd, Listen, Mars + Venus, Permanent Records or … Paypal via GWMF’s site.
Calgary’s chaotic Napalmpom, Regina’s Black Thunder, and more of Edmonton’s music mafia – The Wet Secrets, The AwesomeHots, Betrayers, The Lad Mags, Physical Copies and Whitey Houston — will also perform.
