Mike Jones Picks His Favourite Things of 2024
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Is it just me or did 2024 absolutely fly by? On a worldwide scale, it was a tough year filled with war, tense elections and more natural disasters. In Fort McMurray, the economic downturn continued sending more beloved businesses to an end.
But, there were good parts too. New restaurants opened, while others renovated; local sports flourished with the Keyano Huskies Men’s Basketball team picking up the first National Championship in their storied history and the community came together, even in the face of great tragedy.
And of course – the music scene flourished with dozens of international artists making their way to Fort McMurray while the local scene grew tighter than ever.
Let’s look back at the year in entertainment, as seen through….well me. These are, of course, my opinion but I’m always down to hear something new. Was there a movie, TV show, or band I missed out on? Drop me an e-mail anytime at mike@balsom.ca.
FAVOURITE LOCAL CONCERT (TIE):
Theory of a Deadman/Finger Eleven at MacDonald Island Park and Authority Zero at Rock The Rails
On Super Bowl eve, all through the world, Kansas City Chiefs fans prayed for a second championship, while football fans everywhere slept – wondering if Saint Taylor would somehow make the game. Perhaps not a creature was stirring in San Francisco where fans hoped they would bring the Lombardi back to the Bay Area for the first time since the mid-90s.
But there were plenty of creatures stirring at MacDonald Island Park! While Fort McMurray has been blessed with tons of great Country artists over the years, and plenty of great Classic Rock bands too – it had been a while since we saw a rock band that felt to be on “top of their game”. Neither of these bands is exactly new, but especially Theory of a Deadman feels like they have just kicked their career to the next level both in Canada and down in the USA. In addition to their originals, they packed in enough covers to win over even the most skeptical fan.
“I didn’t know this was their song,” our friend exclaimed excitedly as the band covered Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game” which of course led to a running joke that here in December still hasn’t quite worn out its welcome. Their latest album Dinosaur got fans off their feet with hits like the title track, “Two of Us (Stuck)” (itself a re-imagining of the Bill Withers/Grover Washington Jr. classic) and the hard rocking “Ambulance”. Fans seemed to respond best to older material with sing-a-longs for big hits like “All Or Nothing” and “Santa Monica” and headbanging for rockier tunes like “Bad Girlfriend” and “Low Life”. Finger Eleven stuck with nostalgia for their short opening set, even interpolating the Genesis hit “That’s All” into their worldwide smash “Paralyzer”.
The verdict is still out as to which of the two shows TIED for Favourite Local Concert was colder, which is BIZZARE considering one was in February and the other was in June. Usually, one of the biggest kick-off to summer shows, this year’s Rock The Rails Action Sports & Music Festival woke up to SNOW on the ground… in JUNE! Cold temperatures, Game One of the Stanley Cup finals, and the ensuing mud that came once the snow melted didn’t deter nearly 3,000 Fort McMurrayites from turning up in time to catch illScarlett bring the reggae, rock, ska-punk and dub to get the party going from a day that had already seen stunt shows and performances from Another Joe, Volt, A.B.O. and Vancouver’s The Corps (who will be headed back to Fort McMurray in February).
After their set, the realization started to set in. Authority Zero! The band we listened to in high school on our Discman’s. The band we strategically planned our day around (“where the hell is the Volcom stage?”) to catch at Warped Tour at Calgary’s Race City Speedway (R.I.P.). We were going to see them live… here… in our home town! And they did not disappoint with a jam-packed setlist encompassing 30 years of melting faces. The smiles alone were enough to warm everyone up. Hopefully, the weather will be a bit more June-like come June 6th and 7th, 2025 when Rock the Rails celebrates their seventh anniversary.
Honourable Mentions: Owen Riegling @ Kickin Horse Saloon, Jimmy Rankin/Tyler Whelan @ Earls, Royal Tusk @ One Love Tattoo & Music Hall
FAVOURITE MOVIE: Twisters
Exactly what a summer blockbuster should be! Just enough nostalgic throwbacks to the O.G., another crushing soundtrack and a much better story this time around (and I LOVE the original). This movie needed to be seen on the biggest screen possible and it sure translated to box office success!
An interesting subplot about the real villains of natural disasters kind of went nowhere but otherwise, this felt like a 90’s action move, complete with tons of entertaining minor characters you find yourself rooting for (or against)
FAVOURITE TV SHOW: The Penguin
Even though it’s track record in the post Avengers: Endgame world was somewhat waivered, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has almost always been more entertaining than it’s DC counterparts. But when DC does something right – boy, do they ever! The Dark Knight trilogy is among the best post Y2K trilogies (second only to Rise of the Planet of the Apes) and although DC has shown some promise since then it has really failed to live up to those expectations. Enter, The Penguin. Other than the titular character (played by a virtually unrecognizable Colin Farrell) and the fact the city takes place in Gotham City, this hardly even feels like a superhero show. It has more in common with The Sopranos, or a crime syndicate movie. Farrell is of course brilliant and deserving of all the accolades come award season – but it’s Cristin Milloti who really shines here with some absolutely incredible performances. One episode in particular, where her character spends in Arkham Asylum is one of the best reviewed single episodes in television history, up there with the best episodes of mega hits like Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad. Let’s hope DC can keep the momentum going when Penguin next meets Robert Pattison’s Batman in 2026.
FAVOURITE MUSIC FESTIVAL
Punk In Drublic: NOFX Final Shows
FAVOURITE NEW SPOT IN TOWN
D Spot Dessert Cafe
FAVOURITE ALBUMS of 2024 (in no particular order)
The Iron Roses – The Iron Roses
The Death of Slim Shady - Eminem
Stay Innocent – Ben Sir
VOWS – Hot Water Music
Cartoon Darkness – Amyl and the Sniffers
This is Crime Wave – Codefendants
Northern Lights Christmas – Various Artists
Arrows Room 117 – Mad Caddies
F-1 Trillion – Post Malone
Riding a Wave, Riding a Lull – Brandon Bryson
Twisters: The Album – Various Artists
The Tortured Poets Department – Taylor Swift
Hackney Diamonds - The Rolling Stones
Trouble Is – The Prairie States
Undefeated – Frank Turner
At What Cost – Supermodel Taxidermy
Short n’ Sweet – Sabrina Carpenter
Fractured Protocol – The Corps
Heaven :x: Hell – Sum 41
Greetings From Suffocate City – The Funeral Portrait
Honorable Mentions
Saviors – Green Day
Obscene Daydreams – The Last Gang
Thirty Years: Speaking to the Youth – Authority Zero
Beautifully Broken – Jelly Roll
Am I Okay? – Megan Moroney
Altruistic – Royal Tusk
Boyfeel – Destroy Boys
Half Album – NOFX
Bruce County (From the Beginning) – Owen Reigling
Nashville, Tennessee – Ernest
FAVOURITE THEATRICAL PRODUCTION
The Play That Goes Wrong at Keyano College
FAVOURITE “WTF IS HAPPENING” MOMENT
Heavy Metal Band Gojira performs with Operatic Singers at the Paris Olympics
FAVOURITE MEMORY OF THE YEAR
Alaskan Cruise with my family
FAVOURITE SPORTS STORY OF THE YEAR
Edmonton Oilers come up one game short
FAVOURITE OUT-OF-TOWN CONCERT
Metallica at Commonwealth Stadium/Cody Johnson at Big Valley Jamboree
Honourable Mentions
Mad Caddies @ Starlite Room
Agent Orange @ Starlite Room
The Rolling Stones @ BC Place
Descendents w/ guests @ Hermosa Beach, CA
Bruce Springsteen @ Rogers Place
Taylor Swift @ Rogers Centre
About the author
Mike Jones
Mike has called Fort McMurray home since 2013. A true man about town, Mike loves supporting local artists and small businesses by using his platform to promote them however he can. In his spare time, you can find Mike checking out new music, drinking craft beer or managing his fantasy football team!
Mike strives to live life to its fullest and adopts a glass half full perspective. He is a constant promoter of all things positive in Fort McMurray and can’t wait to help share the Good News with you!