Is it the end of May already? Given the lousy spring weather across most of Canada, maybe that’s a good thing. Let’s usher it out with another New Music Friday.

Singles

1. A Perfect Circle, Starless (Virgin)

While we wait (and wait and wait) for the next Tool album, Maynard James Keenan has a couple of other projects to occupy himself. This time, we have new material (surprise!) from A Perfect Circle ahead of a European tour.

2. Bedouin Soundclash ft. Collie Buddz, Bang-A-Lang (Dine Alone Records)

Most everything that comes from Bedouin Soundclash sounds like summer, and this new single–the first new track since 2022, not counting Jay Malinowski’s solo material–fits with that nicely. There will be shows as part of the FIFA Fan Festival in Toronto and Vancouver plus watch for festival gigs in Kingston and Victoria. There’s more to come, too.

3. Big Wreck, Around (Sonic Unyon/UMC)

Here’s the latest single from last fall’s The Rest of the Story. There’s a groove, but it’s a bit softer than what we’ve heard from other singles like Believer and Dog with a Gun. Apparently, the song started as Rolling Stones-like banger, but it worked better in the studio slightly more toned down.

4. Greta Van Fleet, Play Your Games (Universal)

After frightening some fans with a tease that they might be breaking up, the real story was “Never mind.” Instead, we got the first single from the band in three years. What’s next? We’re not sure beyond a one-night-only performance in NYC.

5. Mike D, What We Got (Capitol)

Two weeks after a surprise release of his first solo single comes another Mike D track which feels a lot like some of the strange stuff Beastie Boys fans got on Ill Communication. Once again, we have something that comes from sessions that included contributions from Mike’s sons Davis and Skyler. Watch for more pop-up performances in weird places.

Albums

1. The Alarm, Transformation (Twenty First Century Recording Company/Virgin Music Group)

Mike Peters battled cancer for a couple of decades before dying last April at the age of 66. In between treatments for a type of leukemia called Richter’s Syndrome, he was able to record one last album with The Alarm. As you can tell by the title of this single, the man stayed positive and fought to the end. Good advice, this.

2. Dogstar, Doublespeak (London)

If I could come back as anyone, I might choose Keanu Reeves. Not only is he a super-bankable Hollywood star, he’s also from all accounts a wonderfully humble and compassionate guy. He’s also a pretty solid bass player in his band, Dogstar. This is the band’s fourth album.

3. Violet Grohl, Be Sweet to Me (Auroura Records/Republic)

Violet, daughter of Dave, has her sights set on being a rock star, too. After dropping a few singles, her debut album is now out. Sounds like she spent a lot of time growing up listen to dad’s punk records while also paying attention to the importance of melody and arrangement.

4. Guided by Voices, Crawlspace of the Pantheon (GBV Inc)

How many GBV albums is this? Forty-three since 1987? How does Robert Pollard do it? He’s been known to release two or three albums a year, so there’s still time for more in 2026. Note the name of this single. It kinda says it all, doesn’t it?

5. Paul McCartney, The Boys of Dungeon Lane (MPL/Capitol)

Macca is 83 and refuses to quit. It must be his vegan diet and the daily yoga. The Boys of Dungeon Lane is a look back at his Liverpool youth and features songs he started laying down in 2021. Speaking of outlasting them all, huh? And isn’t it great to see a duet with Ringo on this single?

6. Shinedown, EI8HT (Atlantic)

As you can probably tell from the title, this is the Jacksonville band’s eight album. And it’s a long one: 18 songs clocking it at over 64 minutes. Fans already have a good idea of what to expect thanks to six advance singles.

7. Kurt Vile, Philadelphia’s Been Good to Me (Verve Forecast)

This is his he tenth album and first in four years. Like McCartney, his new record is a love letter to his hometown. The whole thing is wonderfully woozy and hazy, perfect for a hot summer’s day.

 

© 2026 Corus Radio, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

When are you too old to hit the dance clubs? Let’s face it: There comes a time for men and women when you look around a club, and you think to yourself, “I just don’t belong here anymore.”

According to a survey in Britain—and remember that the British are different from us when it comes to club culture—the age at which you’re officially too old to go to dance clubs is 37. I’m trying to imagine what a 22-year-old might think if they saw a person in their upper 30s hanging around their club.

No judgement from me, here—but I am asking. Keep in mind that this survey only dealt with dance clubs and not going out to see a band. But then there’s this:  The survey also says that the age at which people begin to think that staying in is better than going out is 31.

© 2026 Corus Radio, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Last time we spoke of lip-syncing, the act of miming along to a pre-recorded backing track. Being caught lip-syncing was once considered a public evil, especially after Milli Vanilli was exposed as a fraud after winning a Grammy Award. Since then, we’ve seen technical embarrassments by Ashley Simpson, Mariah Carey and a host of other people who rely on programmed bits.

But others just don’t care. Cher admits she does it. If you’ve seen Justin Bieber live, you’ll know that he often seems to keep singing even when the mic is nowhere near his face. And now, many pop audiences don’t seem to care if the vocals are live or not. They’ve come to see a show with lots of dancing, costume changes, and theatrics. But when it comes to rock audiences, lip-syncing is still considered to be inauthentic, fake and evil.

I wonder of the attitude of pop fans will filter down to rock fans? We’ll see.

© 2026 Corus Radio, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

The free fare zone in downtown Calgary will remain in place for now, after city council voted to defer a decision on its future until next year.

After a lengthy debate Tuesday evening, city council voted 9-6 in favour of a heavily amended recommendation to defer deciding on whether to keep or remove the free fare zone until a discussion on Calgary Transit’s updated fare strategy in early 2027.

Councillors Rob Ward, DJ Kelly, Myke Atkinson, Raj Dhaliwal, Harrison Clark, and Mayor Jeromy Farkas voted against the move.

“My preference on the free fare zone would’ve been to make a decision one way or another either to keep it or to scrap it,” Farkas told reporters Wednesday. “I think the uncertainty is going to be a big issue for us.”

It comes after city administration recommended ending the free fare zone after Calgary Transit conducted a review of the zone late last year.

The free fare zone, which runs the length of 7 Avenue in the downtown core, has allowed for riders to use the CTrain free of charge since 1981.

Transit advocates said they’re glad the service will remain in place for now, but remain concerned the zone will still be eliminated after the deferral.

“It does feel like this council is a little bit indecisive about how we’re going to manage our transit service,” said Alex Williams with the Calgary Transit Riders group.

According to city administration, the recommendation to scrap the free fare zone was driven by the need to “improve safety for customers.”

The move was expected to generate an additional $5 million in fare revenue per year, which transit officials said could be reinvested into furthering improvements in transit safety.

“The majority of social disorder on the CTrain starts down at the free fare zone,” said Ward 6 Coun. John Pantazopoulos. “The right approach is get the data, consolidate it into the fare strategy, and then we can decide what we want to do with the free fare zone.”

The elimination of the zone would give transit peace officers the lawful authority to remove disruptive riders, address loitering and intervene before issues escalate, a city report into the issue said.

Williams said he is “not buying” the argument that scrapping the free fare zone would improve safety.

“It’s not going to make the safety issue go overnight,” he said. “It’s going to be an excuse to harass and bother people who might literally just be walking on the sidewalk.”

According to Andrew Doudican with the Calgary Downtown Association, the free fare zone isn’t a “catalyst for social disorder” in the downtown core.

“It does experience symptoms of what exists in our downtown core, we do have safety issues we need to address,” he told Global News. “I think that’s being addressed currently by Mayor Farkas to introduce a downtown police station.”

That motion, co-signed by several councillors, was given the green light by city council Tuesday.

City administration will now work with the Calgary Police Service to conduct a feasibility study on bringing back a police station to the downtown core, as well as review options for facilities in the core, including city-owned or city-leased properties “suitable for adaptive reuse, new construction, and public/private partnership models.”

Farkas told reporters Wednesday he didn’t believe the station would be the “silver bullet” to solving downtown safety issues.

“It’s not the be all and end all,” he said. “But this is one way we can have a more visible presence on a 24/7 basis.”

Calgary Police Chief Katie McLellan said the service is open to discussions with the City of Calgary on a downtown station, after the previous station in the core was removed in 2017.

However, the Calgary Police Commission warned a downtown station and its resourcing would require additional funding from city council, which isn’t currently in the police service’s request for the upcoming four-year budget.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

After a long season of big snowfalls and flooding, wildfire season has come to Saskatchewan with six active fires as of the morning of May 27.

“You’ve got all that deadfall from winter, all the dead brown grass, all of the things that have gone on that haven’t really greened up yet. So that makes it really quite flammable until things start to really green up,” says Aaron Buckingham, president of the Saskatchewan Volunteer Firefighter Association.

He says humidity levels are an issue.

“What we look for is something that we call crossover… what that means is it’s 27 degrees here, and the relative humidity is 27 per cent. What happens in crossover is if the daily temperature is 27 and the relatively humidity drops down below 27, say 20, 18, that’s when fire is at its most volatile state where a spark can just happen.”

Although it’s currently dry, this year has been a mixed bag of moisture with snow still on the ground in some parts of the province.

Even Prince Albert National Park, which experienced major snow and some flooding, now has a fire ban in place, and some volunteer fire departments are already seeing some action.

“We’ve had two grass fires,” said Les Kroeger, Hanley Rosedale Fire Department Fire Chief. “One, it got out of hand and out of control very, very quickly. That was before we had seen any moisture come along. And then more recently, we had one, it was caused by a vehicle fire on the highway.”

Buckingham says this year seems to be off to a slower start, but it could spark up at any time.

“The forecast does indicate favourable conditions for things to happen again. I hope not to the scale we had last year.”

Watch above for more on the start of Saskatchewan’s wildfire season.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

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This prom season, let social media’s biggest beauty trends inspire your glam. From faux freckles and blurred lips to rosy flushed cheeks, viral makeup looks are dominating beauty routines everywhere–and they’re easy to recreate at home. Whether you’re drawn to romantic soft glam or a pop of under-eye shadow, these trending looks are guaranteed to have you feeling photo-ready all night long. With standout products from brands like Bobbi Brown, Rare Beauty and Wet n Wild, ahead are five prom beauty trends set to define 2026.

 

A face of freckles

Sun-kissed, natural-looking freckles continue to dominate beauty feeds this year. The trend adds a youthful, fresh-faced finish to any makeup look–especially when paired with dewy skin and barely-there bronzer. Whether you opt for a few subtle dots across the nose or a full faux-freckled moment, this playful trend instantly creates that “just got back from vacation” glow.

 

Designed to mimic naturally scattered freckles, this easy-to-use stamp creates a realistic sun-kissed effect in seconds. The long-lasting, water-resistant formula stays put through dancing, photos and post-prom celebrations without smudging, while the fine-tip design allows for precise placement, even for beginners.[/product_listing]

 

’90s soft glam

Soft glam is getting a nostalgic upgrade for prom 2026. Think diffused brown shadows, softly sculpted skin, fluttery lashes and glossy lips inspired by iconic supermodel beauty looks from the ’90s. The vibe is perfect for anyone who wants timeless makeup that still feels trendy.

 

Packed with buttery matte, shimmer and glitter neutrals, this affordable palette makes creating a soft glam eye incredibly simple. The highly pigmented shades blend seamlessly for a smooth, airbrushed finish that lasts throughout the night without creasing or fading.[/product_listing]

 

A touch of rouge

Romantic flushed cheeks are officially having a major moment. Inspired by the “cold girl” makeup trend, vibrant blush tones are being swept across the cheeks and nose for a naturally rosy, lit-from-within effect that’s perfect for prom photos.

 

This cult-favourite liquid blush delivers rich colour payoff with only a tiny dot, blending beautifully into the skin for a natural-looking flush. The featherlight formula wears comfortably for hours while giving cheeks that fresh, rosy glow.[/product_listing]

 

You may also like:

Crest 3D Whitestrips – $44.99

essie Break Fix Nail Glue – $10.96

L’Oréal Paris Lumi Glotion Jumbo – $17.96

 

Under-eye shadow

Move over smoky lids–under-eye shadow is stealing the spotlight this season. From soft taupes to dreamy champagne shimmers, adding colour beneath the lower lash line creates a sultry, lived-in effect that instantly elevates any makeup look. The finished product? Cool meets edgy without being over the top.

 

This creamy shadow stick glides on smoothly and blends beautifully, making it ideal for creating soft, smoky under-eye definition. The long-wearing formula resists creasing, smudging and flaking for up to 24 hours, so your glam stays flawless from pre-prom photos to the after-party.[/product_listing]

 

Blurred lips

Sharp lip liner is taking a backseat to soft, diffused colour this year. Blurred lips create a romantic, pillowy effect with softly blended edges. This trend pairs beautifully with glowing skin and minimal eye makeup for an ultra-romantic prom look.

 

This velvety lip colour delivers rich pigment with a soft-focus finish that’s perfect for recreating the blurred lip trend. Infused with soothing rose water and antioxidant-rich ingredients like goji berry and Kakadu plum, the comfortable formula keeps lips feeling hydrated while delivering long-lasting colour payoff.[/product_listing]

 

You may also like:

Dr. Reju-All Advanced PDRN Rejuvenating Cream – $33.90

La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Serum, Dark Spot Corrector– $79.05

Kiehl’s Creme de Corps, Rich, Luscious Body Lotion – $41.25

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

A Ladner, B.C., woman who killed her mother two and a half years ago pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, but was found not criminally responsible on Wednesday due to a mental disorder.

In December 2023, Sarbjit Panesar died of blunt force trauma.

She was killed in the Lander home she and her daughter, Preety Panesar, shared.

Preety was 28 years old at the time of the murder.

Both mother and daughter suffered from schizophrenia, but Preety was undiagnosed.

On Wednesday, the court heard how the daughter had delusions that her mother was going to harm her.

Preety’s sister was in the courtroom and wept when she read a victim impact statement.

“I miss her,” she said in court. “In the small random moments throughout my day, when something that reminds me of her.”

Regarding her sister, she said, “I want my sister to know that I love you and I forgive you,” adding, “I feel so guilty and responsible.. For not doing more or recognizing what was happening.”

Preety Panesar has been in a forensic hospital since December 2023.

The defence told the court that she is making progress.

She chose not to speak in court on Wednesday.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

A recent increase in the number of bear sightings and trail closures in Alberta’s mountain parks has wildlife experts reminding backcountry users to be careful when visiting bear country.

“At springtime, you know, all the bears just got out of their dens after five to six months of laying in their dens and they’re hungry, they’re looking for food,” said Nick de Ruyter, WildSmart director at the Biosphere of the Bow Valley.

“There’s snow up high, there’s better weather down in the valley bottoms, all their food is available in the valley bottoms, so they’re here looking to eat and that’s where we are.”

In Banff National Park, a bear warning was issued Tuesday for Boom, Arnica and Twin Lakes trails along with Twin Lake campground and the surrounding area after “a cinnamon-coloured black bear exhibited concerning behaviour” by closely approaching and following a hiker.

There are also a number of closures and warnings that have been issued in Kananaskis Country this week, including the Terrace Trail and Kovach Ski Trails in Spray Lakes Provincial Park and a warning for the Heart Creek Trail, Heart Creek Bunker Trail and Trans Canada Trail, where there have been numerous sightings of black bears, some with cubs, in close proximity to the trails.

With more people heading into the mountains at this time of year and the bears looking for food, de Ruyter says, it’s no surprise there have been more sightings and encounters.

“So right now the easiest food they’re keying on is that green grass and dandelions, which is often found along roads and highways, trails, campgrounds, parks, playgrounds, backyards — so all those places where we are as people,” said de Ruyter.

“That’s pretty typical for this time of year, so it is just really crucial that they are left undisturbed to feed.”

de Ruyter also shared some advice for anyone who is heading into the backcountry.

“Check out where the trail warnings and closures are — there are a lot of warnings and several closures as well. Make sure you buy bear spray, make sure you know how to use it and carry it on your person, hip holster or chest holster belt (and) never put in your backpack.”

Forget silent and serene hikes: once out in the woods, it’s important to make your presence known.

“When you get the trail, things like making noise are key and going in a group, ideally. I use the human voice — ‘Hey-oh!’ — much better than things like bear bells (because) they’re just not loud enough. Being in a group, you make more noise, you’re more intimidating for wildlife. Keeping pets on a leash. But really the key thing is just giving wildlife space,” added de Ruyter.

“If you don’t get close to a bear, you’re not going to have a problem with a bear.”

Between now and the start of summer in July, de Ruyter says bears will gradually move up to higher elevations.

Then when berry season starts, they’ll drift back down to the valley bottoms for a bit, then gradually follow the ripening berries back to higher elevations later in summer.

All the latest warnings and closures for both Banff National Park and Kananaskis Country are available online at the Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

A confrontation between a Kelowna, B.C., business owner and a group of outreach workers has resulted in a civil lawsuit.

The legal action was launched by Donavan and Shandell Moore, owners of Evil Genius Artworx, after a video, with what they claim are false accusations, went viral.

The tattoo shop owners are suing Lighthouse Recovery From Starvation Society and several others connected to the organization for defamation.

“We’re going to stand up against that and take these individuals to court,” Donavan Moore told Global News.

Donavan Moore said that on May 16, he went out the back door of his Rutland tattoo shop to investigate after an employee and client complained about a strong smoke odour.

“There was a couple of people sitting there with their hoods on, drug paraphernalia all over the stoop in front of them and I pretty aggressively swept my right foot and kicked their stuff off the sidewalk,” Moore told Global News.

According to Moore, a handful of outreach workers showed up moments later, which led to the confrontation and, what he calls, false accusations being made against him.

He said the outreach workers accused him of assaulting vulnerable people.

“Specifically that I had walked out the back door and kicked one individual in the head and that I had also kicked a woman,” Moore said when asked what he was accused of. “Those were the two main accusations.”

When asked whether there was any physical contact between him and the people outside, Moore responded, ‘no’.

The heated exchange was captured on video and circulated on social media, along with accusations, he said, demonized him.

“Real world harm has been caused to this business, my reputation,” Moore said. “I got called all kinds of names. We’ve received threats to the building, phone threats that the RCMP are now investigating. We’ve received threats to our staff.

In the notice of civil claim, the shop owners allege the defendants published and republished defamatory statements on social media and encouraged others to share the post and boycott the business.

The court filing states the allegations published by the defendants were “false, exaggerated, reckless, malicious and/or made with reckless disregard for the truth”.

According to civil lawsuit filed in Kelowna Court this week, one of the defendants named Amanda Lee Durocher, publicly published statements on social media identifying Donavan and Evil Genius Artworx and alleged, among other things, that Donavan “violently kicked the man in the head hard,” “kicked the woman too,” “physically assaulted vulnerable people” and “committed violence immediately and without provocation.”

The plaintiffs also allege the social media posts were intentionally disseminated widely online and encouraged others to share them and boycott the business.

The civil claim states that the social media posts tagged tattoo conventions and industry pages.

“They even went so far as to email the convention circuit that I work on and try to circulate this ‘gotcha post’ in an attempt to cut off my business opportunities,” Donavan said.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.

The society did not respond to requests for comment from Global News.

Durocher sent an email to Global News, stating: “What I witnessed caused me concern because the interaction was aggressive and escalated very quickly.”

Shortly after the confrontation video was circulated on social media, Moore posted his own video online hoping to clear his name while also drawing attention to the growing challenges businesses face on a regular basis.

“Constant theft, vandalism, violence, assault and disorder,” Moore said in the roughly seven-minute post. “I’ve been bear-sprayed, hit with hammers.”

Moore said he fears it will take a long time to rebuild his reputation but feels he has to see this through, adding that the crime and social disorder have become impossible for many businesses to manage.

“We’re way past the breaking point. The breaking point was years ago,” he said. “I really wanted to make an example of this situation to bring it to the forefront so that other businesses don’t have to go through the same thing because people should be allowed to speak up against this nonsense.”

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

A large wooden play structure that was stolen from a Headingley, Man., daycare last week has been returned in pieces.

Owner of Guiding Minds Montessori School Angie Izzard says police delivered it Tuesday night.

“It’s not in good shape, I don’t know if it’s fixable,” Izzard said. “I won’t be fixing it, because I’m going to get something that is safe, bring something new for the kids.

“I’ve got lots of donations that it will all be put back into our play area.”

Izzard is thankful for all the community support and businesses who have offered to help replace the play structure.

On Tuesday, police moved in on a home in the Glenwood area and seized the stolen play structure, along with an RV that had also been reported stolen.

A 35-year-old man is now facing charges.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.