Babies. They are often conceived during music, and then get in the way of music. Such has been the case in recent years with the fine media bands that have graced the Newzpalooza stage at The Opera House. That said, two stalwarts are back this year, with young ones now old enough to not induce deep dark bags under eyes that competed with everything else in their lives. Still, babies are an ongoing thing and we’re down a couple of bands, but we’re thrilled with this year’s lineup. One more band to come. Stay tuned for more.

We travel light speed/in search of a new lede: Enter Conrad Black Sabbath…in space. After a year hiatus, Newzapalooza three-peat champion Conrad Black Sabbath is back — this time, with a sci-fi rock opera. Loosely based on the Arnold Schwarzenegger classic The Running Man, a journalist finds herself catapulted into a strange intergalactic land where she must fight evil forces in a gladiatorial arena and face a true personal and professional reckoning. Will journalism survive the Hunters? Come to this year’s Newzapalooza to find out. Kagan McLeod, Lindsay Spindler, Jon Dekel and Sarah Boesveld on vocals, Brice Hall on keys, Drew Hasselback and Ron Wadden on guitars, Stewart Bell on bass and Jeff Semple on drums. With spooky special guests.

These days it’s digital-first in Canadian News media so your reigning Newza champs (The Spliffs Estate) had themselves digitized and uploaded into the interweb!  After months of surfing the ones and zeros of YouTube, fails and furry fan art forums they’ve been reborn as The GIFs Estate! Sporting the first drum machine in Newza history, they’ve cooked up a 2020 digital strategy to rock your pixElated socks off!  They’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. They’ve watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments distilled for you, like tears in rain. Time to rock!!!

After a short absence, the Toronto Star’s Holy Joe & The Principles — tthe most decorated band in Newzapalooza history — returns to the stage looking to add to its record four titles. This year’s incarnation — featuring Hadiya Roderique, David Bruser, Wendy Gillis, Brendan and Brian Kennedy, Jennifer Pagliaro, Ben Spurr, Donovan Vincent and Nathan Whitlock — promises to deliver on the lesser known seventh Atkinson Principle: the right to dance on the weekend.

The judges won’t be conflicted on The Conflicts of Interest, a ragtag group of hair metal-meets-Motown musicians hailing from the diverse departments of CBC News, with Dave Millan and Scott Utting on guitars, Albert Leung on bass, Victoria Valido on vocals/piano, Anand Ram and Lauren Pelley on vocals, and Adam Miller on drums. Starting dance parties and melting faces since 2019.