All in Classic Albums Live
As the freewheeling days of the ‘60s wound down, the sturdy trunk of American Rock and Roll that dominated airwaves since Little Richard and Chuck Berry first planted seeds was being cleaved into a pair of increasingly disparate boughs: that of the Beatles, with its whimsical pop-sensibility and wide-eyed adventurousness, and the more traditional, Blues leaning style of the Rolling Stones.
From Tony Award-winning epics to light-hearted comedies, world-renowned composers to classical masterpieces, the 2024-25 season of the performing arts at Arts Commons has it all! Read on to learn about the amazing line-ups that the resident companies of Arts Commons - Alberta Theatre Projects, Arts Commons Presents, Downstage, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, One Yellow Rabbit, and Theatre Calgary - have in store!
In record stores worldwide, usually floor-bound stacked in unruly piles, often dusty, combed through daily by digging fingers, are boxes of dollar-priced records. These boxes, with rare exception, are filled with the same things: water damaged wax, one-hit wonders, tribute records, covers albums and – mostly – compilations. In a broad stroke, compilations lack sequencing and narrative. They are built, not grown. They aren’t original visions, they are recycled collections. Never a career highlight, they are rather a simple recap of previous triumphs. Unless, of course, that compilation is The Eagles’ Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975). For your chance to hear it live performed by Classic Albums Live, join Arts Commons Presents on Thursday, April 18 in the Jack Singer Concert Hall at Arts Commons.
There’s something for everybody in the 2023-24 season of Arts Commons Presents, the presenting arm of Arts Commons, Western Canada’s largest performing arts centre. From circus to contemporary dance, folk music to classic rock and everything in between, Arts Commons Presents has the ticket to energizing, adventurous, and awe-inspiring performances.
Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon has sold tens of millions of copies since its release in 1973, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time. But Pink Floyd hasn’t always seen such success, and the album has some interesting quirks. Think you know your favourite music? It’s time to test your knowledge by reading five surprising facts about this iconic album.
When sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson joined a little-known band called Army in Vancouver, BC, it wasn't long before their efforts turned the group into what we know today: Heart. Their debut album Dreamboat Annie was released in Canada in 1975, closely followed by a US release in 1976 to much acclaim, producing hits like Crazy on You and Magic Man. With such a strong start, anyone who voiced doubts over the band was quickly biting their tongues - after all, who doesn't immediately know the lyrics to Barracuda when that iconic guitar riff starts playing?
Joe. Mr. Long Island. Piano Man. Whatever you call him, Billy Joel is synonymous with some of the greatest songs of all time. But prior to the release of The Stranger in 1977, Joel was about to be dropped by Columbia records after 4 albums peaked low on the charts. So what makes The Stranger so special? How did it make Billy Joel a household name? Read on for five things you might not know about Billy Joel and this titular album.
By the time U2 set out to record The Joshua Tree in 1986, the band had already established itself as one of rock’s premier hit machines. There was no denying that U2 was at the top of their game, but they were also at a personal and musical crossroads. The result was a roots-rock influenced album that went platinum within two days and landed U2 on the cover of Time magazine—and an Album of the Year Grammy Award. Read on to learn the back story of one of modern music’s most famous records.
