UP ALL NIGHT FOR A CAUSE

This upcoming Saturday (February 7), I’m throwing an event over a year in the making — Up All Night.

Up All Night is a hip-hop benefit concert in support of Resource Assistance for Youth, with all profits from the evening going right to the charity that helps homeless and street-entrenched Winnipeg youth turn their lives around.

It’s happening at Maw’s Beer Hall and features tons of great up-and-coming Winnipeg hip-hop acts and DJs. Local businesses like Green Apple Skateboard Shop and BLACKLI$T will also be setting, selling their gear in support of RaY. It’s gonna be one awesome night of music and partying — and it actually helps others in the process.

Tickets are on sale right now at Green Apple and BLACKLI$T and are starting to move quickly! Check out the lineup below or head over to the website for even more info.

Hope to see y’all there!

• Chris Bennett
• Dele O
• Cult Waffle
• DJ Ashy
• 6Sigma
• 3Peat
• Ari I.Q.
• DJ Goodie Rang
• Gator
• Fainman ft. Down to Funk
• Rocko Modern
• Peter Takis

 

Manitoba Rocks

I’m extremely excited to be going to one of the Juno Week events tonight. Manitoba Rocks is an event taking place at the Centennial Concert Hall, mixing the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra with local contemporary artists.

The symphony will be the backup band for four Winnipeg-based groups who are making waves throughout the Canadian music scene: The Lytics, Imaginary Cities, Royal Canoe, and Nathan Music Co.

Check out the PLNDR Blog on Sunday for my highlights and a review of the show.

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J. Cole in Winnipeg (Review)

As you know if you read my post last week, I went to see J. Cole perform this past Friday. He lived up to the expectations. As energetic and engaging as ever, Cole put on a show that not many artists can do.

He always sang to the concert-goers, not at them; took requests for old songs of his to play; and upped the ante in terms of stage presence from his last Winnipeg show with a full band, backup singers, and massive video screens.

Sippin’ Henney throughout might’ve helped. Whatever gets the job done.

He stepped on stage, looked around at the wondrous Burton Cummings Theatre and said, “This place is  fucking amazing.”

J. Cole got the show started with his Born Sinner hit “Trouble” which set an epic tone for the evening. He went all the way back to songs from his earlier mixtapes like “Blow Up,” his breakout songs “Lights Please” and “Who Dat?” as well as his Drake-featured hit “In The Morning.”

Tracks from his sophomore album and first album (Cole World: The Sideline Story) included “Nobody’s Perfect” with a hook from Missy Elliot, “Work Out,” “She Knows,” “Forbidden Fruit” featuring Kendrick Lamar, “Crooked Smile” with TLC and “Power Trip” featuring the rising-star Miguel.

The show wasn’t quite as intimate as his first show here at the Garrick – seeing as The Burt is over double the size – and started around 1.5 hours behind schedule; but a quick opening act from Bas, and J. Cole’s outstanding performance made us all forget about it.

KG

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SHAD COMING TO WINNIPEG

Kenyan-born London, Ontario-rasied rapper Shad is playing Union Sound Hall in Winnipeg on Friday November 22nd.  Shad is touring in promotion of his 4th album Flying Colours, which debuted this past Tuesday, Oct. 15.  The concert is part of the Jazz Winnipeg fall concert series, tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door.

Shad is one of my favourite hip-hop artists to ever come out of Canada, and one of the most successful.  Boasting Juno and Polaris Prize awards, Shad is poised to make the leap onto more iPods.  With an old school flow and smooth beats, this album (along with past stand-outs such as Tsol) is a must have for any hip-hop head… or general lover of good Canadian music.

KG