Let The Festivals Begin
This is when summer really gets going, Edmonton, when there are festivals – plural – to talk about.
In festivals…Dreamspeakers continues through Saturday night…the International Children’s Festival is on in St. Albert…on Sunday, the Highlands neighbourhood has a street festival…Opera Nuova presents the Vocal Arts Festival…NextFest runs through next week…
Community league members will be out all weekend trying to earn their neighbourhood some much-needed money in the Edmonton Community Challenge.
On the political side…Saturday is the Slut Walk and Sunday is a rally against public money going to a new downtown arena.
In music…this weekend, Heart of the City fills Giovanni Caboto Park with music, music, music. Musicians and bands that live in the “heart of the city” will be playing this annual festival. 2011′s got another great lineup. NextFest also has plenty of young, up and coming, and new musicians playing all around the city.
There are a few Slave Lake fire benefit shows…at the Rendevous Pub…at the City Centre Church…and at The ARTery (with Tanner Gordon among those on the bill)…
Friday…The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra’s got Late Night 1900s (with conductor Bill Eddins). Always a good time. Winnipeg’s The Details play the Haven Social Club with Michou…the Wild Rose Orchestra is at Wunderbar, with Zero Cool…
Saturday…Feast or Famine is at Wunderbar with The Old Sins, and the Weekend Kids (and more!…The Details are still at the Haven Social Club, but with Fish & Bird, and Kaley Bird…100 Mile House is at The Empress…No Witness has a CD release at the Starlite Room, with Shelbi and Soundscape…Ol’ Smashy (formerly the F.D. Jones Soap Co.) is at Filthy McNasty’s…and the ESO’s got Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony…
On Sunday…Supertramp is at Rexall Place. SUPERTRAMP!
In sports…the Edmonton Energy play a couple more games against the Oregon Waves…and the Edmonton Capitals are home to the Calgary Vipers. Saturday night’s baseball game is followed by movies at Telus Field. And Saturday is the “Fresh Meat Frolic,” with the Oil City Derby Girls, at the Grindhouse (14420 – 112 Street).
And on Saturday…it’s Bugs and Brunch – a fundraiser for YESS, hosted by Expressionz Cafe and the Vintage VW Association.
Celebrate 60 years of music with a free concert
The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO) is launching its 60th season today, with a free lunchtime concert.
At the Winspear Centre at noon, you can catch a free concert from the ESO, as a celebration of 60 years of music. There will be seven selections from the 2011-2012 concert season played for your enjoyment. This also means we’ll know what’s coming in the new season today.
*****
The Citadel’s 2011-2012 season has also been revealed recently. As was the Alberta Ballet’s. It’s arts’ season unveiling season in Edmonton! Edmonton Opera fully reveals their 2011-2012 season April 9.
Thursday Night Looks Alright
First of all, I have to mention Twestival. That’s tonight’s big Twitter meetup and fundraiser. It’s a chance to have a drink, enjoy the coolness of the Red Star Pub and meet some people you’ve only known in 140 character bursts. Edmonton Twestival 2011: The greatest night of your life. (I hear there will be mini-cupcakes and a fantastic assortment of door prizes and silent auction items too.)
(If you can’t make it, but would like help us raise money for the Edmonton Public Schools Foundation – think of the children! – you can do that on the Internet.)
Now, if you don’t want to come to Twestival, or maybe you just want to swing by for a drink and bid on an item in the silent auction before jetting off, there’s plenty for you to do tonight. (more…)
What Big Plans You Have
It’s weekend o’clock, Edmonton!
This shall be a good weekend. As it is written so shall it come to pass.
Around the live music venues this weekend it’s going to be a good time. Tonight you’ve got audio audio/rocketry celebrating 5 years together with a 3rd album, and show at the Pawn Shop…90s brit-rockers rhodes are at Haven Social Club with Treelines, Warning to Avoid, and The Fight…over at the Wild Earth Bakery you can listen to Jenie Thai…The Old Wives and Kemo Treats are going to try and bust through the roof of New City (which would scare the hell out of everyone at Hudsons)…
Saturday begins with Doug Hoyer at the Black Dog for Hair of the Dog…Sister Gray is at Expressionz Cafe…The AwesomeHots have a new album, and they’ll release that at Wunderbar…at The ARTery Saturday you can catch Daniel Moir, with Scenic Route to Alaska…And FOREIGNER IS HERE!
Sunday’s got a great show at the Haven Social Club, with Romi Mayes playing with the with Give ‘em Hell Boys, Jake Ian, and The Haymakers.
For music that’s not in a club or bar, Ben Vereen is “Steppin’ Out” with the ESO, in Robbins Pops shows tonight and Saturday.
In theatre…The Citadel Theatre’s got Hunchback, a Catalyst Theatre production of the Victor Hugo novel…and at the actual Catalyst Theatre “Shatter,” about the aftermath of the Halifax Explosion, wraps its run…Dog is over at the Roxy Theatre…
While the headline of this post alludes to Little Red Riding Hood, that is in no way an endorsement of seeing the sexualized thriller in theatres about the same. Gregg can let you know what’s worth seeing.
On Sunday, Levar Burton will be here. Oh, he’s got a reason to be here. It’s the Edmonton Collectible Toy and Comic Show.
You can catch the playoff-bound Oil Kings and lottery selection-bound Oilers in Edmonton this weekend too.
Family Day Weekend
We’ll kick things off for this holiday weekend with a look at some live music in Edmonton.
Tonight the Uptown Folk Club kicks off Winterfest 2011, which means a busy weekend for folkies…There’s the Rogers Media Battle of the Bands at NAIT. I fear N.N. may destroy The Nest with rock…The Joe (THE JOE!) is holding an all-ages show for his newest release, Float or Flail. He’s gonna have a lot of performing friends along for the evening (Speaking of all-ages, the Jubilee is hosting Art Music Play tonight.)…Cygnets is at the new New City…KeysNKrates at the Pawn Shop…The Haven Social Club is hosting another Friday The Sound of Edmonton…
When’s the last time you put on your skinny jeans and hung out at the Hydeaway? This Saturday Xplosionation is there, releasing their new EP, and they’ve been kind enough to give us a track for your listening pleasure. Says bassist Nathan Woodward: “This EP is the culmination of 4 years of jamming and writing from three guys who love to have fun and rock out. It is our second release, but our first set of professional, sellable music.” Doors at 7, tickets 8$, EP can be purchased on iTunes. Also, there’s even more Xplosionation over at @mikeatqazam‘s excellent blog, New-Music-Michael.com .
We are Xplosionation – Xplosionation
If that’s not enough for your Saturday, The James T Kirks and Manraygun should blow it up real good. Boogie Patrol’s at Blues on Whyte too.
Heart and Melissa Etheridge are also in Edmonton this weekend.
Rexall Place will be bouncing with sportiness, as the Oil Kings, Oilers, and Rush all play at home. In other sports, the Oil City Derby Girls are hosing a rookie smackdown of Alberta proportions.
WinterLight don’t stop until, well, until spring is just about here. This weekend you get a double-dose with the Silver Skate Festival in Hawrelak Park and Family Day fun in Churchill Square. You can also Skate, Rattle & Roll Saturday at City Hall. To coincide with the holiday weekend and the NHL’s Heritage Classic, between Calgary and Montreal, the Glenora Community League’s got Family Fun Day and outdoor hockey at 10426-136 Street, 2-7pm.
Until the 26th Fringe Theatre Adventures and Edmonton Opera present The Barber of Barrhead. It’s the Barber of Seville in Barrhead, Alberta.
I totally forget to mention this (but am now including it by way of some Internet magic), but the Edmonton Symphony is getting all Bugs Bunny with great music from Warner Brothers and Hanna Barbera that subtly made us all listen to the classics.
And, my favourite, the World’s Hottest Commercials are back at the Empire City Centre Monday-Thursday, with a couple of lunchtime 45-minute runs for the downtown work crowd. It’s also a fundraiser for the Edmonton International Film Festival.
Oh, and watch out for LRT disruptions. Why they schedule this stuff for long weekends is beyond me. Except when you consider my conspiracy theory that the Edmonton Transit Service is actually run by the city’s top car dealers.
Uncle Pauly’s Big Finish
That’s all folks! There’s still time to donate to needy Christmas charities, but our extra push is coming to an end.
Thanks to you, generous Edmontonians, some of the fears that those charities would fall very, very short of their holiday goals is being alleviated. We just wanted to remind everyone that your help, whether it’s $10 or a small toy, really does go a long way.
Before we announce the winners, we want to thank the businesses, individuals, and organizations that donated a prize to help us help others make the season a little brighter for those less fortunate.
- We’ve got a $25 Chapters/Indigo/Coles card, a $25 iTunes card, a $25 Empire Theatres card, and a $25 Zellers/HBC card thanks to Paul “Uncle Pauly” Poulsen, InvestInEdmonton, Edmonton’s BEST Landlord and Five by Five Creative.
- 2 mugs, and buttons courtesy of The Unknown Studio.
- Marilyn Kontz crafted two coffee sleeves (I keep referring to them as coffee cozies) and Transcend Coffee is giving one donor a 6-month subscription of coffee.
- The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra was immediately helpful, offering two tickets to the first performance of the new year, Saint-Saens’s Second Piano Concerto.
- One lucky Edmontonian will be receiving the Viking Weekly Review delivered to their home, as well as a toque and scarf, thanks to Lorraine Poulsen, editor.
- We’ve got a treasure chest of goodies, literally a little treasure chest, thanks to the Katz Group.
- Gord Lacey has offered up Season 1 DVDs of The Cleveland Show and Cougar Town.
- And we have a $100 Future Shop gift card thanks to Richard at Global Analyzer System.
I assure you the draw was random and I couldn’t see the names I was choosing, until placed beside the prizes. On top of those warm, fuzzy feelings they got for donating to worthy charities at Christmas the following people will be enjoying something extra thanks to Uncle Pauly.
Greg gets to eat at great Edmonton restaurants with his Original Fare gift card (the edmontonian donated that prize). Jill will have a little extra to spend at Chapters, Empire Theatres, iTunes, and HBC stores. John will be sipping his lattes from Unknown Studio mugs, well regarded in the mug world. Sarah will be sipping new and exotic coffees from Transcend, while keeping her hands burn-free with coffee sleeves by Marilyn. Chris will be attending the first ESO concert of the new year. Joseph gets to stay warm in a new toque and scarf from the Viking Weekly Review, a newspaper he’ll become familiar with in 2011. Karen gets golf balls, chocolate, and other goodies I couldn’t identify in a treasure chest. Joanna will be watching the first seasons of The Cleveland Show and Cougar Town again and again. And Deja will be buying electronics at Future Shop.
We’ll be contacting the winners soon.
Thanks to Paul for coming up with the idea. Thanks to everyone that sent us a photo, to everyone who donated because of our contest, and to everyone who donates time, money, and stuff, to charities and non-profits the whole year through.
Your kindness made our heart grow three sizes, Edmonton.
That’s a lot of Christmas
Since it’s the last weekend before Christmas you know there’s a crap-load of holiday cheer over the next few days. Let’s get all those Christmasy things listed first. I bet, even with the extensive list that’s to follow, there are going to be 27+ things I miss.
You can always head up to Candy Cane Lane to take in the lights and displays of Edmonton’s own Christmas street. The ETS also does Christmas light tours if you don’t want to drive. We also got a hot tip on a house at 136 Street and 106 Avenue with a classy lights set-up.
The Alberta Legislature is all lit up for the holidays, and has plenty of music, hot chocolate and Christmas goodness through next week.
Now…there’s also a singing Christmas tree…Candlelight Christmas with the McDades…a winter market at Churchill Square…the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (who just happens to be collecting for the Edmonton Food Bank during the season) has Christmas Pops and A Family Christmas Concert this weekend…
Speaking of the food bank, you can drop off donations (food or money) at a tweetup tonight, at Original Joe’s Varsity Row. That would be the perfect chance to send us a photo of your goodwill.
You can also save a couple of dollars at Hip-Hop for Hunger if you bring a non-perishable food item to the show. Since we’re talking about donations at music shows it probably fits to mention The Bissell Centre’s charity event at On the Rocks.
Mostly Water Theatre is back with their Christmas comedy showstravangaza, at the Roxy. That runs tonight and tomorrow night.
In music…The Provincial Archive are the latest to play Teddy’s. Freakin’ Teddy’s. Hot Panda is at the Pawn Shop…Carrie Underwood is at Rexall…Warning to Avoid plays the Haven Social Club…and there’s an Annual Holiday Party with The McGowan Family Band, which you might say should have been back with those Christmas events, but I’m including here because it’s at the Hilltop Pub and the Dawson Bridge is about to re-open…and I’m adding one more, since I popped into Wunderbar and was told about the show…Saturday night, Freshman Years, Micelli, Brash Tax and Jay Myatt…bang.
And the Oil Kings are home tonight.
Oh, and watch for LRT delays.
Christmas prizes for you
Hey, again, Edmonton.
It’s time for another reminder to help out those struggling Christmas charities (and any charity doing a Christmas thing) this holiday season. Today it sounds like Meals on Wheels is really having a tough end to 2010.
And to reward your good deeds we shall enter your name into a draw for prizes.
You already know about the $100 Original Fare gift card (good at about 20 restaurants), Unknown Studio mugs and buttons, $25 Chapters/Indigo/Coles card, a $25 iTunes card, a $25 Empire Theatres card, and a $25 Zellers/HBC card, and a scarf and one-year subscription to the Viking Weekly Review (It’s a newspaper in Viking, Alberta, not about vikings. I think.).
But we really, really want you to help those charities you’ve maybe been thinking about helping, but felt like your one gift of $10 or a $10 toy wouldn’t help. It will help.
And to help you help them we’re adding more prizes to the draw.
If you don't send in photos, Jeff and Paul will gorge themselves on truffles and golf balls.
Today we add:
A Rexall gift basket (thanks to Katz Group) worth $80, though Paul says that’s got to be a low-ball estimate for the goodies inside.
2 tickets to the first ESO show of the new year – Saint-Saens’s Second Piano Concerto – (thanks to the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra).
Oh man, you better send in some photos of you donating to charities, because otherwise this Christmas is going to be me, sitting in a pile of awesome prizes, drinking egg nog until I pass out.
Just e-mail us, or drop a comment with a link to a Twitpic or Flickr of you doing good.
Mostly Christmas Stuff
Another week has wrapped and it’s time enjoy a few days off. Likely that is the scenario for you. So, here’s some stuff that I know about that’s going on.
This is happening too.
That snow and cold may be putting you off the idea of even leaving the comfort of your home. You can also avoid the outdoors at the movies.
With Christmas approaching, gifts can be a priority. So, why not hit up the Butterdome Craft Sale or the Handmade Mafia? Or both.
If you’re in that gift-giving frame of mind, remember to send us photos of you donating to a charity.
This will be the last Christmas you can shop at Nokomis. So, enjoy it while it’s still here to spread clothing love.
On Christmas…Candlelight Christmas a the John Walter Museum…Candy Cane Lane opens…The Salvation Army’s Festival of Carols is over at the Winspear – the ESO is also collecting for the Edmonton Food Bank at all events right now…It’s Christmas music to the max in Edmonton: Check out YEG Live for all your options. (And there are a lot.)…A Christmas Carol continues at the Citadel…ETS is back with Christmas light tours.
The City Market is back at Churchill Square this Saturday. If you’re into slow food, or want to be, check out Slow Food Edmonton’s Terre Madre Day (and holiday brunch on Sunday).
The Fringe, yes that Fringe, is finishing up a family-friendly run of Jack and the Beanstalk.
And the Oilers and Oil Kings are both at home (not at the same time of course).
Some Edmonton Events
There’s some good music happening in Edmonton this weekend.
CJSR’s FunDrive benefit show is tonight at The ARTery.
Todd Snider is at the Myer Horowitz. (Thanks to hi54lofi for the heads-up on this one.) Kat Danser is playing the Arden…you know you like swamp blues. Michelle Wright is bouncing around the capital region. Homefest is also this Sunday.
Lyve on Whyte gets Old Ugly Saturday night with Doug Hoyer and Mitchmatic. Oh, and Emily is going to the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.
Also happening this weekend…Farmfair International (kind of a precursor to the Canadians Finals Rodeo, or CFR), the Oilers host the Red Wings, politicos are trying to Reboot Alberta (3.0) at the Delta South, there’s an open house at MacEwan University, it’s a Handmade Mafia weekend, and the Edmonton Public Library (EPL) is holding a kick-ass book sale.
Thanks to Leanne for reminding us about the Edmonton Rocky Mountain Wine and Food Festival.
Don’t forget there are always new movies and November is Shop Local month.
Peace!
A rollicking weekend
You’re in for one of those, Edmonton. And the weather is even
I guess we know which one of us will be watching movies for free.
supposed to be nice. So let’s all remember to take advantage of that.
The Edmonton International Film Festival is underway tonight. There’s an opening night movie and gala, then it’s a week+ of movies, movies, and more movies.
The Old Strathcona Foundation is hosting A Taste of Old Strathcona, tonight at the Arts Barns. It will be food and a silent auction, all the with flair of Edmonton’s funnest neighbourhood.
Speaking of the Old Strathcona neighbourhood…Edmonton Chante is back for another year of the city’s best French music. The shows are free. Free I tells 
ya!
Speaking of music…Falklands is, of course, playing New City. It’s the first show of their national tour. We think they’re great.
The ARTery continues its fundraising Happy Hour Fridays. This month’s charity is Room to Read. Plus, there are rumours of a new nacho treat.
Danny Michel is playing the Arden Theatre. He’s also great. And he’s following up his show tonight with a songwriter’s session with U22.
Chopin 2010 begins this weekend. It’s months of music and events to celebrate the 200th birthday of Polish composer Fryderyk Chopin. (You probably recognize some of his work.)
Speaking of classical music (more…)
Symphony Under the Sky
As we mentioned Friday, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO) kicked off its 2010-2011 season with the annual “Symphony Under the Sky,” at Hawrelak Park over the long weekend.
It’s a great way to put your feelers out for the ESO, since it’s in such a relaxed environment. (Check our Friday preview of the season for other “relaxed” options for the new symphony-goer.)
We were happy to be invited back to the Symphony Under the Sky to blog about it. Here’s some of what we saw: (more…)
Beautiful Music
Thanks to The Choir Girl I found this video with conductor Bob Bernhardt.
As we head into the Labour Day long weekend, we recognize the end of festival season here in Edmonton.
There are still festivals to be had through the fall and winter, it’s just not the same as our end-to-end festivals of the summer. This weekend, however, we get one more summer festival. It’s the Symphony Under the Sky (SUTS).
The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO) kicks off its 2010-2011 season with SUTS tonight. There are performances all weekend in Hawrelak Park (which is pretty much the summer festival park), including two with fantastic violinist Karen Gomyo, and everything culminates Monday with artillery fire (and the 1812 Overture).
I figured this would be a good time to talk about the entire ESO season, so I dropped an e-mail to Philip Paschke, the ESO New Media Specialist.
There’s plenty of choice in the new season. So I asked what would be of note. First, for those of us that aren’t necessarily regular symphony-goers. (more…)
Music for lunch
We’re going to flip things today, and give you an event before the headlines.
That would be because I never get to mention lunchtime performances of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO). Today, that changes!
At lunch (doors at the Winspear open at 11:30) you can hear organ duets (on Canada’s largest concert organ), from Duo Majoya (Marnie Giesbrecht and Joachim Segger). Update: The ESO is sponsoring this performance, not a part of it.
Tickets are free and can (still?) be picked up at ATB locations in the downtown. (City Centre, ATB Place, Oliver Square).
Keep your eyes on the ESO and Winspear, since they do this free music at lunch thing every so often. It’s a more nutritious option than a hot dog.
(Of course that thing about the hot dog isn’t true. You still need to eat.)
August 18 Headlines
Bah!
I bet some of these fine people would be more than happy if you wrote about their play.
You ever have one of those days where you’re all ready to do something and can’t help but be distracted? That’s where I am this morning.
I wanted to write about something news-related, and I’m sure I’ll get to it eventually, but my mind keeps coming back to the social media Fringe fiasco. (Which, I guess, is sort of news-related.
If you haven’t heard (you’re clearly not on Twitter or trawling Edmonton Internet for Fringe info), a local food blogger – and lovely person – also writes about theatre. She especially enjoys enjoyed Teatro La Quindicina.
Well, it sounds like at least one member, high-ranking at that, of the theatre group could care less about her enjoyment of their plays, her money, and her online reviews of their work.
Some may say this is what a reviewer has coming; vitriol from the reviewed.
I don’t quite agree.
Sharon Yeo is blogging out of passion and interest, she’s not being paid by a newsroom to review anything. She can take her money wherever she pleases. She can write about what she pleases.
People can certainly take issue with what she said, pointing out why she may be incorrect about a certain actor, the set, or something in the play, but to simply attack her (and then Mack, checking on authenticity of the comment) is no better than being a comment troll.
I’ve taken my share of angry newsroom phone calls, I’ve even had people upset with something I’ve written or said (here, and previously). To a small degree I’ll admit it can come with the territory of “media.” But it better be justified criticism, or you end up looking like a crank.
This, however, just sounds like a local business (regardless of arts grants, theatres need people in the seats) that doesn’t understand there’s not one or two “proper” places for reviews anymore.
The conversation that Sharon would have with people at the coffee shop or restaurant can now be taken to the Internet via blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and more.
Of course, what’s not understood by Jeff Haslam, the angry actor, is that he needs this conversation to put people in his theatre. Outside of the Fringe you’re pretty much stuck with theatre reviews and previews in the Journal, SEE and Vue. Newsrooms are stretched thin. They’re not talking about you on a regular basis. But people online can. They are.
Why not embrace the growing online conversation, like the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra or Art Gallery of Alberta does, by inviting some bloggers to talk about their events? Or, invitation aside, at least not attacking someone who would talk about what they’ve been up to, what they’ve seen.
That’s why I say this only is sort of newsy. This is more about the conversation shift that’s continually occurring.
from the Edmonton Journal:
Public debate should not be a mudslinging free-for-all (Where’s the fun in that?)
Airport lobby group keeps donors under wraps
Gov’t backs off on price of warranty (Remember earlier this week when it seemed like the government was kowtowing to some in the housing industry, well, now it’s just a little more obvious.)
Liberal report critical of oilsands development
Eco groups back First Nations call to protect boreal caribou
BioWare’s Mass Effect 2 available for Playstation3 in January
from the Edmonton Sun:
Motorcycle noise bylaw working, claim police
Bedbugs horror in Edmonton (I’m sorry, but the landlord can’t shirk responsibility on tenants bringing in used furniture. That’s a risk, and cost, of being in the business or providing homes.)
Massive train derailment near Fort Saskatchewan
Monster on way out (Anybody ever eat at The Motoraunt?)
from The Canadian Press:
‘Rethink Alberta’ group brings anti-oilsands billboards, ads to UK
President’s Choice Chocolate Chunk Cookies recalled, may contain metal pieces
from CBC Edmonton:
Viral meningitis cases rise in Edmonton
from CTV Edmonton:
New bill to make clear true cost of credit cards
Vigil aimed at raising awareness of abuse faced by people with disabilities
And I think everyone had the crashed CF-18 pilot who vows to fly again.
