Summer art
With the Art Gallery of Alberta announcing their fall lineup today, it’s a good time to check out their summer offerings, if you haven’t done so already.
Exhibits winding down their time at the AGA include M.C. Escher: The Mathmagician, The Art of Warner Bros. Cartoons, and Jonathan Kaiser’s Celestial Bodies. These shows will be gone when most of the new ones are open to the public.
November will bring with it more changes, so if you want to see any of the current showcases, you better find some time in your dayplanner.
Also, don’t run down to the AGA after you read this. They aren’t open Mondays.
Score
We’re still a couple of months away from the Edmonton International Film Festival (EIFF), but they’ve chosen their opening night movie.
The 24th EIFF will begin with “Score: A Hockey Musical.” (Watch the trailer here.)
It’s from Michael McGowan, who took home the EIFF’s audience favourite award back in 2008 with his movie “One Week.”
It’s supposed to get your Canadian-ness all riled up and excited. And while it will be debated as opening night choice, as any film festival’s opening selection usually is, it’s certainly sticking to the Edmonton mandate of choosing a Canadian film to kick things off.
Edmonton is opening with the same movie Toronto is opening it’s festival with, just a few weeks earlier.
That doesn’t worry Festival Programmer Guy Lavallee.
“If anything that really helps us, because people will actually have ‘heard’ of the movie by the time it comes here,” he writes in an e-mail.
“We battle that every year, where a movie is so new that people don’t really know anything about it, but because most of the local media give a lot of ink to TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival), there will be lots of good coverage on SCORE, so I’m hoping that will produce a big spike in advance ticket sales.”
Other EIFF notes from the movie team:
- They received more than 800 films, more than 80 from Albertans
- October 2 will close out the festival with an entire day – titled “Our Own Backyard” – of Albertan movies
- More than 60 movies and documentaries, and more than 100 short films will be shown during this year’s Edmonton International Film Festival. All movies will be shown at the Empire City Centre 9 (in City Centre Mall)
- Passes go on sale August 8.
Banff and crap
(Yes, we were in Banff, getting so close we could almost touch celebrities, at the World TV festival. Here’s what our man in the mountains, Jonathan Robinson, learned.)
“The TV business is uglier than most things. It is normally perceived as some kind of cruel and shallow money trench through the heart of the journalism industry, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs, for no good reason.” – Hunter S. Thompson
“I look at what we produce and if we’re honest with ourselves, I look at it and say, ‘Why do I produce so much shit? Why did I fund such crap?’” – Lindsay Blackett – Minister of Culture and Community Spirit
Forgive me for not filing this story earlier, but I’ve only just wrenched myself from beneath the giant pile of iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks that descended last week upon Banff for the World Television Festival. You see, I was there when Minister Blackett made his comments. I had gone to Banff both to write this piece and to pitch some shows myself.
There were representatives from all kinds of television networks, distributors, new agencies, and hundreds of “Independent Writer/Producers” there, all chasing after the next “John and Kate Plus Eight” or “Being Erica”… and everything was going according to plan. That is until Minister Blackett went and ruined the party by making all of us “showbiz” types actually look inward for a moment to reveal the complete lack of substance in our products.
Within the industry, and certainly outside of it as well, the question has existed for ages… why is Canadian film and television such garbage? What can make it good?
To find the answer… I went right to the heart of the issue, and asked perhaps the most credible source on Canadian media, Jason Priestly (clip above):
OK… so maybe ol’ Brandon Walsh isn’t the best source on all of this, but he does raise an interesting point. The need for Canadian programs to find American and other international money exists because there is not equitable financing coming in our own country. A report for the Alberta grants paid out in 2008/2009 can be found here.
As you can see, our province handed out just over $31 million last year, and what do we have to show for it? “Heartland”? I mean “Christmas in Wonderland” got just under a million dollars for God’s sake! I worked on that movie and, let me tell you, it’s a HUGE pile of shit! Christmas shit, but shit nonetheless.
But here’s the punch line… do you know what the budget was for debatably Hollywood’s worst movie last year: “Old Dogs”?
$35 million.
That’s right… “Old Dogs” cost more than all of the grant money that was given out in our province last year to film and television combined.
Which brings me to what I see as being the underlying problem with Blackett’s comments. They are true, but they are true because we have such a skewed frame of reference and we are continually trying to produce content simply for sale to other places.
As long as we keep playing the game of comparing ourselves to the U.S., we will fail. It’s like trying to fight a tank with a spear… sure you might get lucky, you could throw the spear, it could slip in through the window and kill the driver… but the chances are a lot better that you’re just going to get blown to shit. We don’t have the same kind of money to play with, so we should be using what we do have to create our own products based on quality as opposed to resale value.
If the products are good, we will be able to sell them regardless of their budget. Just look at “Trailer Park Boys” if you need an example of this. It airs in 14 other countries. Proof that strong characters and story are indeed marketable, regardless of the cost of production.
There is a tremendous amount of talented people working in film and television both in our province, and in our country, but we are putting ourselves at a huge disadvantage out of the gate by immediately comparing everything to our richer neighbors. I know it’s much easier said than done to ignore the overwhelming influence of the U.S., but if we can manage to create a product for ourselves, we will find that the quality of product will shift significantly, and that we will have much more diverse and interesting film and television coming out of Canada.
That, or we’ll keep getting gems like “Dan for Mayor.”
—–
And now, on a lighter note: More celebrities!!!
Here’s William Shatner shilling all of his current projects, starting with Shit My Dad Says.
Here’s Eric McCormack talking about working in Canada.
And finally, here’s Ricky ‘Effin Gervais talking about what Karl Pilkington is up to right now.
Heart in the Heart
Look at all the smiling faces!
This weekend was my first trip to the Heart of the City festival. A trip I endorse you making in future years.
I knew what Heart of the City was, but I just hadn’t ventured to Giovanni Caboto Park (in Little Italy) to take it in.
No, I wasn’t scared of the neighbourhood. Heck, I wandered around Norwood and Sprucewood for about an hour, Saturday. (More on that at a future time.)
So I didn’t exactly know what to expect when I showed up.
What I got was lots and lots and lots of local music. This was the first year the festival was held over two days, so they lined up something in the neighbourhood of 150 bands and artists to play. With 20-minute sets you didn’t have to stick around long to hear plenty of Edmonton’s best music.
How do I know it was Edmonton’s best?
Morgan Smith, over at iNews880, writes a blog about volunteers, non-profits and similar stuff. She even profiled my day job in one of her first “Have time will travel” looks at where people can volunteer in Edmonton. She’s got a great look at the volunteer aspect to Heart of the City.
And she’s got that little bit about the festival that blew my mind. Morgan writes that performers and artists all have to live in the heart of the city:
East of 124 Street
West of Wayne Gretzky Drive
South of Yellowhead Trail
North of the river valley
That makes the Heart of the City festival all about people living and creating in the heart of our city. Even I couldn’t play the stage. Unless I had a band member living in that central area. And if I had any musical talent.
Like any good festival there was lots of room to enjoy the sunny weather. They also had hula hoops all over the place if you wanted to give them a whirl. Plus, food carts and snacks!
–
This was earlier, before the "Hula Hoop Kid" got to cleaning up.
Quick side story on the hula hoops:
While meeting up with some friends we were over by the art tents and saw a little guy, between three and five-years-old, collecting the hula hoops. He was dragging those giant hoops one at a time, then dragging the whole mess of them to another location. He had gathered up most of the hoops in site and wandered back our way to get more.
People, spotting the hoops, began to disrupt his pile and play with them.
Well, he gathered up a new hoop, turned around and was floored.
How could those jerks be messing with the hula hoops he had so carefully put away?!
He ran to tell his mom about it. And, thankfully, as he was pointing at those hula hooping people, they finished and carefully put them all back.
Our little buddy then ran over and jumped on the hoops, keeping anyone else from using them.
–
Anyway, I was impressed by the Heart of the City, and had a really good time. (The weather sure didn’t hurt.)
Even if you don’t like hanging around some of Edmonton’s central neighbourhoods, make sure you take the time to venture out to next year’s Heart of the City. It may even be enough to get you to check out Edmonton’s heart-neighbourhoods after the festival is done.
Two performers, one finished and one getting ready, as a volunteer thanks and introduces.
One night with Coco (is not enough)
Photo quality suffers when snapping pics on the fly.
As promised, here’s a little more on Conan. (The camera had been temporarily misplaced and we are back on track now.)
I’d mentioned previously that I was trying to avoid reports of “The legally prohibited from being funny on television” tour, so that if there were repeat gags I wouldn’t be bored. I’m glad I hid under my rock.
The Conan O’Brien live show was way better than I had expected, and after paying $100 for a ticket I was expecting a lot.
While I had missed the opening comic’s name, many, many people smarter than I had caught that information and passed it along after the show. Reggie Watts is worth a little of your Internet time, as he’s funny, drops mad beats and has a lot of hair. Not that I judge people on their amount of hair.
Things were kicked up with a couple of songs from the band, with LaBamba coming so close I could touch him. But I wouldn’t, since he was playing his trombone. That didn’t stop the jerk across the aisle from slapping him on the back.
An hour or so later, Conan would lick LaBamba's face. He tastes of Funions.
We’ve got style
Western Canada Fashion Week: In Review
“It became clear to me during the last 3 days of Western Canada Fashion Week (WCFW) that although Edmonton has a dress code of jeans and t-shirts, this city has some seriously stylish people and not a piece of Lululemon or a set of Uggs to be seen at this event (a true sign that winter is coming to an end).
With some heavy hitters in the Canadian industry involved (such as Joeffer Caoc), it was another fine display of Canadian talent.
Newcomer Derek Jagodzinsky ( a proud Edmontonian) showcased his line which featured holographic prints, neon and a (very) sexy man in a speedo!
Luxx by Derek Jagodzinsky
On Thursday Micheal Kaye, who flew in from NYC, showcased his S/S collection. Having fitted numerous celebrities (including Martha Stewart), Kaye brought down the house with his simple but elegant clothing in bright jewel tones.
Michael Kaye and his collection.
For men, strong shapes and darker colors were featured throughout.
Other designers featured included Jessica Halabi, Kelsey McIntyre and BebaBean through the last three days.
Although fashion week featured mostly clothes for women, there were more then a few styles for men.
Designer Cherrie Cruz with her fashionisto in training!
Guys, the main colors seem to be bright red, neon yellow and white for spring, while for women, brights seemed to be the norm. However, there are no hard and heavy rules when it comes to style anything goes.
So Edmontonians don’t be afraid to take that style risk when you show up for work.
Whether it be that extra pop of color in a scarf or those sexy stilettos you’ve always wanted to dig out, go for it. And if anyone asks, say you were bitten by the WCFW bug.
And as for me, I’m off to Asia for the next while to check out what’s hip on the other side.
So keep posted and keep it stylish Edmonton!
WCFW – All the fashion that’s fit to wear
Yes, my little kitties, Western Canada Fashion Week has closed. But fret not, we’ve got some more of your new favourite fashions right here. Right now.
Thanks goes out to our Fashion Bureau Chief, Angela Ostafichuk, for a week of photos, updates, and fashion. She even snagged herself a correspondent in Chris Chan. Photos to follow are theirs. Words are mine. Fashion is forever.
Fun
Austere
Sexy
Haute
Important
Organized
Naughty
See you at the next fashion week, Edmonton.
More on Western Canada Fashion Week here, here and here. More on last year’s Edmonton Fashion week here.
Gaga couture
Photos from our Fashion Bureau Chief, Angela Ostafichuk
You know, the thing about Western Canada Fashion Week (formerly known as Edmonton Fashion Week) is that it lasts all week.
That means we get to flood you with all the fashionistas and their work. And there are models too.
But let’s delve into the stuff that no fashion week can do without; the really weird things that you wouldn’t actually wear.
Unless you are Lady Gaga.
Yes, this is a Lady Gaga tribute, by Jenelle Forde.
I don't even know what kind of party I have to be invited to to wear something like this. (By Temna Fialka)
More couture. So haute right now. (By Rebecca Pichoch)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
One of the recognized winners of the week, Jessie Saumier, gets her model ready for the stage.
And we’ll close things out with something I think you could actually wear off the catwalk. That does happen at Western Canada Fashion Week too, it’s not all about big and crazy designs. Though, that stuff is pretty fun. And sometimes bold and scary.
There's been a lot of light, colourful, flowy items this week. I suspect that means they are "in." But what do I know about fashion...
(More from Western Canada Fashion Week, and Angela’s camera, here and here.)
The fashion continues
Story and photos By Angela Ostafichuk
Day two and three of Western Canada Fashion Week proved that not only does Canada have talent, but the fact it’s becoming stronger then ever.
2
Day 2 of Western Canada Fashion Week begins.
Friday showcased an amazing mix of accessories, bags by the “Just Me” line by Jenna Marie, and Birch Bark hats by Andeo Hats.
Edmonton, Cherrie Cruz. Cherrie Cruz, Edmonton.
Edmontonian Cherrie Cruz showed her stunning line of S/S 2010…followed by Vancouverite Jason Matlo who showcased two lines. Both Matlo and Cruz are no strangers to the fashion scene, and provided contrasting styles.
While Cruz used floaty, colorful fabric, Matlo’s collection was more about work to office and beyond.
3
Day three was an eclectic mix of street style to haute couture.
Kicking it out with a beautiful set by Manuela the show progressed to show off trendy street style, high-end beach wear and finished with Duanne Jauns, whose use of men dressed as women created a new take on evening wear.
For most collections that were seen over days two and three the norm was brights, pastels followed by black, for palates. Shapes went from loose and flowy to tight and tailored, for both men and women.
Stay tuned for more…fashion…
Edmonton Fashion Week is dead…long live Western Canada Fashion Week
(editor’s note: Without checking…this may be our 4th longest headline. And if you’re new around here you don’t know that we. love. fashion.)
The U of A fashion design showcase
Story and Photos By Angela Ostafichuk
Western Canada Fashion Week kicked off with a bang this year, with a performance by the University of Alberta dance team.
U of A dance team kicks off the show
Showcasing young stylists, new designers, and the collection of last year’s winner in the emerging designer category – Sid Neigum- the night was filled with young talent and fresh style.
A piece from the Sid Neigum collection.
With performances from Cite Ballet and Firefly Theatre, WCFW’s first day was a sold out event.
Styling some Amanda Yeo.
Western Canada Fashion Week (Which is what we’re calling Edmonton Fashion Week from here on out. Until the next name change.) runs until Thursday, April 8. Everything is happening at the TransAlta Arts Barns.
Music must be seen to be heard
This is to take nothing away from the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra but when you bring in a globe-trotting virtuoso I think it’s fair to say all eyes will be on them. That was certainly the case Saturday night in the Winspear Centre.
The ESO got to take the spotlight for two pieces; Haydn‘s Symphony No. 88 in G Major and Stravinsky‘s Symphony of Wind Instruments (1947), the latter of which, of course, featured only the woodwinds and brass.
I will admit to raiding iTunes for versions of everything to be played Saturday. This gave me a sense of what I was to hear.
Seeing the ESO play, however, gave me what the music was really about.
I especially felt this in the opening symphony from Haydn. There was more energy in the piece than my iPod had shown. I think some of this was thanks to conductor William Eddins bouncing and happily moving at the most exciting parts.
But the symphony really pushed this music out to the corners of the Winspear. The 3rd movement’s swells, and calls and answers, brought out this energy and I could feel it in my chest. Even one of the trumpet players, when not engaged in the music, was quietly swaying and bopping his head.
Eddins is nothing if not able to work a crowd. He was sure to include some timely Olympic jokes and references in his conversation with the audience. He got a round of applause when telling the story of Slovenian skier who broke four ribs and collapsed a lung but still won a bronze medal. He got laughs when trying to update us on the games, finding only a never-ending curling match on TV.
He got more, polite, laughs when he had to leave the stage before Stravinski’s Wind Instruments because he had forgotten his music. It worked out, putting a smile on people’s faces before a grimmer piece of music. As the ESO describes it: “The work’s unusual scoring lends the work certain steely edge – as does the use of the many silences throughout its brief duration.”
Indeed, this was not music for everyone’s ears or tastes. The brass and woodwind players seemed pleased to have performed it for us and took their final bow of the night with smiles of their own.
They left the stage, and the strings returned for the final piece of the night, Piazzolla‘s Four Seasons of Buenos Aries.
Karen Gomyo (Photo: ESO)
But, I’ve gotten just a bit ahead of myself. Before the intermission there was also a Bartok piece called Rhapsody No. 1 for Violin and Orchestra. This was where the ESO audience got their first listen of the evening of the guest violinist, Karen Gomyo. (more…)
I’m a good little symphony-goer
Jacket. Check. Button-up shirt. Check. Axe bodyspray. Nope.
Thanks for your tips, Edmonton.
You totally Eliza Doolittled me. I’m sure that sounded better (and less dirty) in my mind.
Anyway, I attended the symphony Saturday and had a great time. It helped that I had a few pointers from you, including attire, and I was much more at ease.
It also helped that the show was “Broadway Rocks,” and it’s the PERFECT show for someone just getting into the symphony. It’s also good if you like Broadway and all those songs they do. I won’t go into a review (I’m sure my request from the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra is on the way) so check out what my ticket-holding friend had to say about the show at her blog.
I also have to give shout-outs to Kerri (and the future help I’m sure to glean from her blog) and Sarah. Sarah is a ringer, with inside experience at the Winspear Centre.
I’m also glad I had suggestions about tuxedo shirts and leather chaps. You have to have a sense of humour about things you don’t know about.
Oh, and Philip Paschke, the ESO’s New Media Specialist (Yes, they have one.), had great tips all around, which I’ll share with you. It will be helpful in case you are like me, and don’t really know which side of people to walk on, what an oboe is and other life/orchestra items. (more…)
Art Gallery – video
I couldn’t think of any good zinc jokes.
But I did take over Sally’s Mac to edit this video.
Go to the Art Gallery, it’s open! Go now!!
Or don’t. It’s your call. But you’ll miss all the sweet art and cool design.
Today the Art Gallery of Alberta, tomorrow the other news stuff
If you follow any number of Edmonton bloggers, webbies or photogs you’ve probably surmised that the Art Gallery of Alberta (AGA) hosted a tour of social media folk. Being a part of this expanding online media force, I tagged along.
Having experience in the world of traditional media, I’d say this was just your average photo-op, where you get dragged around the building and told stuff about it.
AGA Executive Director Gilles Hebert and Communications Coordinator Sarah Hoyles listen intently to a question.
I hope to have a little more on the actual make-up of the building and its appearance once I come up with some good jokes involving zinc, glass, steel and Douglas Fir (all oft-used components in the design of the new AGA).
Right now I want to touch briefly upon the whole idea of social media-ers being invited to an event like this. There are some other opinions on this popping up. (I’ll note both of these folks are like me, and have previous or current experience in the traditional media world.)
First of all, it’s thanks mostly to the persistence of Edmonton’s Twitter King (Mack D. Male) that this even happened. The other portion of thanks goes to the AGA for being open to the idea.
The AGA isn’t the first organization to offer access to those from the blogosphere. The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, for example, invited bloggers to last summer’s Symphony Under the Sky. They’re also looking at doing more with bloggers in the regular season.
And it’s tough to keep bloggers and freelancers away from most public news conferences, so there have been plenty of stories from outside the usual suspect newsrooms on happenings here in Edmonton.
I think this is about the best idea organizations could try. (more…)
Edmonton concert: Julie Doiron
Julie Doiron played The Artery last night and Sally took it all in.
Sally says:
The show was great.
Julie is cute and tells little rambly stories between songs. It was just her and a drummer/guitarist, and at one point she broke a string on her guitar and made him change it.
Meanwhile she told the audience a story about having recently discovered vegan makeup.
She really rocked for such a little lady.
The opening band was Attack in Black and they were a cross between Modest Mouse and Rural Alberta Advantage. They were great. The lead singer looked like a cross between (our friend) Derjis and Eugene from Gogol Bordello.
Editor’s notes: That last bit just means the guy had a giant mustache. I’m now digging into some Attack in Black as I write this. The Julie D show will air at a later date on CBC Radio 2.
The Many Moods of Christmas
Here’s a little Christmas cheer to warm you during this cold spell.
The Greenwood Singers are celebrating 30 years of music with tonight’s “The Many Moods of Christmas” at McDougall United Church.
Joining the choir will be the U of A Faculty of Education’s Handbell Ringers and pianist Jared Samborski.
There should be everything from traditional carols to pop x-mas tunes.
Tickets are $20 for adults and $18 for students/seniors, available from TIX on the Square.
(Photo: Greenwood Singers)
Edmonton’s very funny
Sometimes, when the winters are long and cold, you need to find
There's too much funny here!
ways to amuse yourself and those bundled up nearby.
Thankfully, that means there are plenty of funny people around Edmonton to keep us all smiling. (Maybe not smiling insanely like me, over there –>)
If you’re not familiar with The Gateway, the University of Alberta’s student newspaper you should get familiar. It’s a quality paper.
Oh, and twice a year they do a great issue where they skewer all kinds of things with sarcasm, wit and plenty of foul language. I’ll note that a few of the images in the newest issue of The Getaway are really, really NOT SAFE FOR WORK. But they take on the University (of course) and issues happening right now in higher learning, plus they zing us online folks so it’s good times. (Again, images are NSFW.)
The other bit of funny I’ve got to pass along today is the awesome news I heard this morning on CBC Edmonton. The Irrelevant Show is coming back to radio!
This was/is a sketch comedy show recorded live at The Varscona Theatre. (Though, future recording locations may change.) For an introduction to what you might hear, check out the Jane Austen Drinking Game.
More information on the 2010 schedule of recording from the Radio Active page. It also explains why host Peter Brown will be off the air more. Tickets will be going on sale for next year’s recordings soon.
They’ve also got a New Year’s Eve special, which will surely be hilarious.
Calling all artists
Wouldn't you like your art to grace a cover, like this?
If you’re artsy with a paintbrush, a pencil, camera or even some crayons, you may want to read on.
The Old Strathcona Business Association (OBSA) has an open call to artists for the cover of their yearly guide to the trendy neighbourhood.
They’re looking for something that captures the spirit of Old Strathcona’s culture, creativity, energy and meeting place-vibes.
(What? Nothing alluding to constant weekend binge drinking?)
Anyway, you can send a digital format of your work over to Stephen Liley, Marketing and Events Manager of the OBSA.
I hope to see your art on the cover of the new magazine.
p.s. Your deadline is January 31, 2010.
Help out CKUA already
As I write this, the CKUA Radio Network has raised more than $313,000 in its fall campaign. Their goal for the ten-day fundraiser if $525,000.
If you’re not familiar with CKUA, let General Manager Ken Regan explain to you what it is they do and why that’s important.
“CKUA is Alberta’s listener-supported radio network. It’s also Canada’s largest and most successful community broadcaster.”
Tell us more, Ken.
“It should be considered a heritage broadcaster for it’s milestones over 82 years,” he continues.
“It’s one of the best places for genuine lovers of music in the country. North America. Maybe the world. It’s one of Alberta’s best inventions.”
The station is Alberta-wide, with its Edmonton studios on Jasper Avenue between 106 and 105 Streets. When stations tell you they’ve got something for you, they don’t always. CKUA really does. That’s one way it differs from all those Hot and Bouncy and rock stations on your dial (or your Internet).
“Yeah, we ask for money,” says Regan. “But the difference between CKUA and private radio is they make money. That’s the end, they make money for shareholders. For CKUA money is not the end, it’s the means to the end. We ask listeners to help us run the station.”
The fundraising campaigns are usually 17 days, but they’ve changed things over there at CKUA. They’ve gone to a 10-day event.
“You constantly have to change things up,” says Regan. “We can’t afford complacency.”
Recently, campus-based community station CJSR fell short of its annual FunDrive goal of $150,000. Could the recession be out to get small stations that don’t have large sales departments?
“We could worry about that. We did worry about that in the spring campaign,” Regan says. “But (then) we had the second-best campaign in our history. I believe people will continue to support the things that matter to them.”
“Every campaign is a crapshoot. We never know if we’ll meet our goal. The people with the capacity to support us will continue to support us.”
Now you know. And maybe you want to donate.
Give CKUA all of your money
Well, not ALL of your money. But giving them some of your money sounds much better, now, doesn’t it? (See what I did there?)
After going hard on the CJSR Fundrive it’s only fair to make you think about putting some money into the Alberta-wide non-profit radio powerhouse that is the CKUA Radio Network.
If you’re familar with CKUA’s campaigns you’ll notice they’ve shortened the donation time this fall. Calling it a “good things come in small packages” kind of idea, CKUA is looking to raise $525,000 in just 10 days (October 15 – October 25) instead of the usual two-and-a-half weeks. In one way it’s a good idea; it saves them money, meaning your money goes a little further.
This is right from CKUA’s media release, but it still caught my attention:
Among other campaign highlights, listeners can tune in to the October 17 edition of Natch’l Blues, as host Holger Petersen, (who marks 40 years of broadcasting this year), presents the legendary Big Dave McLean his West Coast Music Award for Blues Recording of the Year. Big Dave and Doc McLean will also celebrate Fall Fundraiser with a special in-studio performance.
So…if you dig an eclectic mix of music (their music library has 1.5-million selections!) and/or the idea of listener-supported radio, you’ll want to donate.
The phone lines open today at 5pm – 1-800-494-2582. And there’s also the option of donating online at CKUA.com.
Dance me southside
In all the hub that was last year’s new-tenant decision at the Connaught Armoury, a smaller player in the mix had to find a new home.
Alberta Ballet had attached to the Edmonton Opera in its bid for the old military building. When the building went to the Youth Emergency Shelter Society (seen widely as a great choice) the Ballet was looking for new digs.
“We had no street presence in Sun Life, that’s absolutely the impetus of a new place,” says Alberta Ballet’s Jennifer Faulkner, Director of Edmonton Operations.
Alberta Ballet is streetside and ready for you.
So, the Alberta Ballet wanted some storefront action, to entice new people to experience the art of dance, and also because they were moving away from Ticketmaster to their own ticketing system.
“With the new ticketing system we knew we had to get to street level,” says Faulkner. (more…)
Book ‘em
This is your brain on books. (Image: LitFest)
Do you like reading? Maybe you like writing. Perhaps you just want to be close to people who are in the glamorous literary world?
Here’s your answer to all of the above: LitFest, the Edmonton International Literary Festival.
Here’s what the folks at LitFest have to say about LitFest:
LitFest is Canada’s only Creative Non-fiction Festival. It brings together some of the world’s best selling, award winning and emerging authors, writers, filmmakers and artists with audiences at readings, panel discussions and presentations.
Creative non-fiction allows a writer to employ the diligence of a reporter, the shifting voices and viewpoints of a novelist, the refined work play of a poet and the analytical modes of the essayist and a journalist.
LitFest: Edmonton International Literary Festival was created in 2002 as the successor of the Alberta Book Fair, an annual trade fair for almost 20 years.
Now, doesn’t that sound like some good, bookish, times?
Things really get rolling October 21, but there are a few events between now and then (including tonight, hence the post right here). To find out when and where the big stuff is happening, check the events page.
Vibe Tribe
I think we can all agree that it’s a total drag to see winter looming on the horizon. Fall’s all well and good, what with the leaves changing colours and BLAH BLAH BLAH, but really, I’ve basically been dreading the next snowfall since May.
Anyway, one way to beat the psychosomatic seasonal affective disorder that creeps in this time of year is by heading over to New City SubUrbs tonight for Cirq-O-Rama-Licious. The event features Vibe Tribe, a group of local dancers, who describe what they do as “improvisational group tribal fusion style bellydance. It’s rooted in traditional bellydance…but we’ve put a bit of a spin on it. It’s done as a group and it’s improvised so we follow cues form the leader and we change leadership throughout the course of the show.”
I suggest checking this out, the fourth installment of Cirq-O-Rama-Licious, as the antidote to the fall blahs because the ladies describe their latest dance adventures (or dance-ventures…it’s a word, look it up) as the perfect way for us to “escape and rejuvenate ourselves, explore the dynamics of life and inspire individuals to do something or feel something that they never have before.”
From Vibe Tribe’s press release:
“Each month the tribe animates a story filled with lessons of life and love and enriches these lessons through dance, unique tricks and music to entertain the audience in a circus style format. The two main characters, Pica and Luca, host the circus and guide each audience member through the journey to connect them with what the performers consider the “vibe” of the room.”
I caught one of Vibe Tribe’s shows on Sunday at Fort Edmonton’s Free Admission Day (yeah, I was the person alone, childless and videotaping things) and it was really cool (see video above).
Plus, a look at the poster also reminds me that the Edmonton Stilt Walkers are co-presenters, which also garners a big thumbs up from me (my love of stilts is well documented).
Get your Art on
Tomorrow means Art. It’s Alberta Arts Days.
That’s a real thing. It’s the 2nd annual, you know.
Tomorrow kicks off Alberta Arts Days, as it’s a whole weekend of artsy stuff, right around the province.
One neat thing that I’ve found is the Edmonton Public Library’s “Experimental Novel.” The EPL is asking people to help them write the story, via online posts, and they’ve got an author to moderate and edit.
Oh, and CKUA is touring the province, so you can feel like you’ve been everywhere, man, without actually leaving your radio (or computer).
In Edmonton, here are some of the art ideas. They include open houses, workshops, performances, showings, author readings and book launches, concerts and performance art, food, tours, films, and, and, and…
It doesn’t matter where you are, however, since the government of Alberta is backing this (read: paying for some stuff) and you can find out what’s happening wherever you may be this weekend.
This speaks to the challenge of mankind. And why you need to find real artists to spend time with this weekend.
