Author: Sophie Mitchell

Toronto audiences will have an opportunity to revisit Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 adaptation of Romeo + Juliet in a new live format when William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet Film in Concert arrives at Roy Thomson Hall on January 26, 2027. The Toronto performance forms part of a 30th-anniversary celebration of Luhrmann’s genre-blending film, which starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes and became known for combining Shakespeare’s original story with contemporary visuals, music and pop culture. Tickets for the Toronto performance are scheduled to go on sale September 18 at 10 a.m. ET through the Roy Thomson Hall box office. Membership pre-sales…

Decimate Metalfest is moving ahead with preparations for its 2027 edition in Millet, Alberta, opening performer submissions as the independent heavy music and arts festival looks to build its next lineup. Applications opened Sept. 15 and will remain available until Oct. 15, 2026. The all-ages festival is scheduled for June 25 and 26, 2027, at the Millet Agriplex Arena, bringing together heavy music performers, independent artists, entertainers, families and fans. Alberta Festival Seeks Local and International Performers Organizers are inviting applications from performers across metal, rock, punk, hardcore, alternative and other heavy music genres. Youth musicians, solo artists and entertainers…

Australian symphonic metal band ANA has released a new music video for “Following the Wind,” offering a live-focused look at the group’s recent touring activity as it promotes its latest studio album, Motivated By Death. Directed by Aaron Mak and filmed during ANA’s recent tour of Japan, the video combines concert footage with behind-the-scenes moments from the road. Its release comes as the band continues a run of U.S. dates alongside Danzig, Twin Temple and Burning Witches. “Following the Wind” is the fourth music video released in support of Motivated By Death, which arrived on May 29, 2026, through Eclipse…

Patients in Abbotsford and surrounding Fraser Valley communities are expected to gain greater access to advanced vascular and minimally invasive procedures through a new hybrid operating room planned for Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Centre. The project, backed by an estimated $11-million investment from the British Columbia government, will combine a conventional surgical suite with advanced medical imaging technology. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with the facility anticipated to start serving patients by the end of 2028. Hybrid Operating Room to Expand Specialized Surgical Care The new facility will be the first hybrid operating room at Abbotsford Regional…

Blues-rock guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd will return to Toronto’s Massey Hall in 2027 as part of an extended tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of his debut album, Ledbetter Heights. Shepherd is scheduled to perform on the Allan Slaight Stage at Massey Hall on Saturday, March 27, 2027, at 8 p.m. The Toronto appearance is part of the continued Ledbetter Heights 30th Anniversary Tour, which has been extended into 2027 following an extensive run of performances during 2026. Tickets for the Massey Hall concert are scheduled to go on sale Friday, September 18, at 10 a.m., with membership pre-sales also available.…

The Ontario government has named EllisDon as construction manager for the replacement of the Little Current Swing Bridge, advancing a major Northern Ontario infrastructure project designed to maintain reliable year-round road access between Manitoulin Island and the mainland. The new two-lane swing bridge will replace the existing 110-year-old crossing on Highway 6 in the Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands. The bridge is the only year-round road crossing serving Manitoulin Island and is used by approximately 4,500 vehicles per day during peak summer months. New Bridge to Maintain Manitoulin Island’s Highway Connection Ontario previously awarded a detailed design contract…

Cape Town singer-songwriter Sarah Pearson, who performs under the name Esspi, has released her new album FAUXstalgia, completing a six-year creative project that traces experiences of nostalgia, isolation, relationships and personal growth through a blend of folk-pop, alt-pop and indie-country influences. The album is led by the focus track “Retrograde,” a song centred on the emotional strain of trying to remain strong while feeling as though personal progress is moving backward. Both the album and track are now available. ‘FAUXstalgia’ Draws Inspiration From Nostalgia and Earlier Musical Eras The album takes its name from a term Pearson coined while studying…

A new biography of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain is seeking to shift attention away from the circumstances surrounding his death and toward his music, personal relationships, advocacy and lasting cultural influence. Kurt Cobain: Forever in Bloom: The Legacy Beyond the Tragedy, written by entertainment and culture journalist Kelly Catlin and published by Skyhorse Publishing, is scheduled for release on Sept. 22, 2026. The author says 100% of her profits from the book will be donated to charity, with a focus on mental health and suicide prevention. Biography Examines the Person Behind the Kurt Cobain Mythology More than three decades after…

Southeast Ireland traditional music group TULUA is preparing for an extensive Canadian tour this fall while promoting its latest single, “Michael Relihan’s / Rigney’s / Cap and Bells (Reels),” a three-tune set drawn from the band’s second album, In The Snug. The tour will take the group across several Canadian provinces from British Columbia to Prince Edward Island, with performances scheduled between October and November 2026. The Canadian dates build on TULUA’s growing international presence following appearances at festivals and industry showcases in Canada, Australia, the United States and Europe. New Single Draws From Irish Traditional Music “Michael Relihan’s /…

Ontario’s Office of the Chief Coroner will hold an inquest into the death of Gregory Ritchie, a 30-year-old Indigenous man who died in Ottawa in January 2019 following an interaction with officers from the Ottawa Police Service. Dr. Louise McNaughton-Filion, Regional Supervising Coroner for the Ottawa Region, Ottawa Office, announced the inquest on September 14. The proceeding is mandatory under Ontario’s Coroners Act and will examine the circumstances surrounding Ritchie’s death. Inquest Will Examine Circumstances Surrounding Ritchie’s Death Ritchie died on January 31, 2019, after an interaction with Ottawa Police Service officers earlier that day. The provincial announcement confirmed that…