Fringey Weekend
Not sure if you’ve heard anything about this Fringe festival we’ve got going on in Edmonton, but that comes to it’s spectacular conclusion this weekend.
We’ve been posting videos, mostly trailers, of some plays.
Oh, and while Fringeopolis will finish up this weekend, there are popular plays being held over.
The Fringe, however, is not Edmonton’s only festival this weekend.
We’ve got the Labatt Blues Festival down in Hawrelak Park…the Dragonboat Festival over in Louise McKinney Park…and East Meets West in Chinatown/Little Italy, with East Meets West: Tropicana Afrika on Sunday…
The Blues Festival has plenty of great artists, but that’s not the only live music worth checking out.
The Edmonton Show VI is on tonight at Avenue Theatre, with Scenic Route to Alaska among the arts and entertainment…there’s a Degrassi Junior High dance party at the Pawn Shop, with DJs Caitlin and Spike…Matt Landry and the Dryland Band are among the bands playing at Brixx tonight…My Sister Ocean headlines a show at Brixx on Saturday…Ricky’s in Mill Woods is starting up a series of Saturday night music nights (with a little help from our old friend Consilience) with Kaleb Kaiser, Mack Behm, and Nelson Lemay kicking things off…The Edmonton Show VI is back on Sautrday night (still at Avenue Theatre) with a killer lineup of Sugarglider, Mitchmatic, and A.O.K….and Chris Isaak is at the Tentue on Sunday night…
Movies on the Square is back in Churchill Square, with Rio and Hop on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. There’s a 1920s picnic at Tiptop Park on Saturday. And you can Yelp your way through East Whyte with a passport to deals and discounts.
In sports…the Edmonton Eskimos are home to the B.C. Lions tonight…the Edmonton Capitals are home to the Chico Outlaws all weekend…the 82nd running of the Canadian Derby is Saturday at Northlands Park…and FC Edmonton is home to the Atlanta Silverbacks on Sunday…
Fringe Video: Aleugenta
When I was first trawling YouTube for anything that came up under “Edmonton Fringe” I came across the trailer for Aleugenta.
I knew I’d be posting about it because after watching the trailer I had no idea what the play would be about, but it was a fairly slick video. (more…)
Fringe Video: Channel One
The future may not be all it’s cracked up to be. But TV is good. Now we’ve got the premise to Channel One, a Fringe play coming to us from New York City.
Uh, I mean coming to us from the future. (more…)
Fringe Video: Mothership Down
Instead of “Take me to your leader,” Marty Chan has crafted a play that’s more “We are your leaders.”
Yes, it’s aliens and politics: together at the Fringe! (more…)
Fringe Events
Alright, so there’s no getting around the big event happening right now in Edmonton. The 30th Edmonton International Fringe Festival; Fringeopolis is on this weekend and until August 21. Almost all of the 180 plays will be happening in the Old Strathcona neighbourhood, but watch for venues in other parts of the city, like the Edmonton Public Library, downtown, and 118 Avenue.
We’re posting videos for Fringe plays, so keep your eyes on our “From the Web” category.
Now, that is not the only thing happening in Edmonton. A couple of smaller festival/street party items this weekend:
- Art in the Alley – art, music, an outdoor movie, and more, all happening in the Alley of Light. That’s the backlane that runs from Beaver Hills House Park, past the Sobeys, across 104 Street, over to the U of A’s downtown campus.
- Eastwoodfest – Back for another summer, this celebrates all things Eastwood (118 Avenue, betweem 85 and 87 Street)
- There’s a tea party at the U of A’s environmental students group naturalized site, which was top community garden in the Front Yards in Bloom contest.
In sports…the Edmonton Capitals are back home, hosting the Yuma Scorpions this weekend…FC Edmonton is home to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers…the Oil City Derby Girls’ rookies are taking on the Yukon Roller Girls…northwest of Edmonton, the St. Albert Heavenly Rollers take on the Cold Lake Lakeland Lady Killers (such a good name), on the 76th anniversary of roller derby…this weekend is also the kick off to the Prairie Football Conference season, with the Edmonton Wildcats home to the Calgary Colts, at Clarke Park (beside Commonwealth Stadium)…
In Friday music…it actually kicks serious butt…The Edmonton Show is back for a VIth run (that would be 6th), with Ann Vriend and Liam Trimble leading the way…Whiskeyface kicks off their tour at Brixx with The Sorels…Michael Rault and Sans AIDS are at The ARTery…Romi Mayes is releasing a CD tonight at the Haven Social Club…Carrie Day is at The Carrot (don’t forget about The Carrot!)…All Time Low is at the Edmonton Events Centre…
Saturday…The AwesomeHots get the day going with a Hair of the Dog afternoon show at the Black Dog…Paperplanes and Dragonboats release an EP, with The Paronomasiac, at The ARTery…
You'll be screaming with excitement over The Room.
All weekend…the Edmonton Rock Music Festival, a collaboration of The Rock and Roll Society of Edmonton and K-97, takes over Hawrelak Park. There will be plenty of, uh, rock.
You can always catch a movie in the cool confines of a theatre. And The Room is at Metro Cinema tonight at 11:20pm. If you haven’t seen The Room yet, YOU NEED TO SEE The Room. (Metro Cinema is now in the Garneau Theatre.)
You can hug your way to donated peanut butter, at West Edmonton Mall.
Oh, and if you’re using the LRT this weekend, remember that the train will not stop at Coliseum station because of work on the station platform.
Fringe Video: Theme Park
Going back to my first Fringing, about a decade ago in Winnipeg, I’ve always checked posters for shows which have toured the country and received great reviews in other cities. Among Edmonton’s 180 Fringe plays this summer, you’ll find plenty of great Edmonton talent, but don’t forget to see who’s come to Edmonton from other places. If we’re to be the biggest and best Fringe in North America we should have the best plays from all around.
All of that leads me to our next Fringe video which, of course, is for a play not from Edmonton. (more…)
Fringe Video: Aachen
It is that wonderful, wacky time of year in Edmonton: Fringe. This year, it is more formally known as Fringeopolis.
As part of this year’s shenanigans we are going to post videos for plays. They may be videos of the play, about the play, from the actors or writers, from the characters in the play. We’re not sure what we’ll find because there are nearly 200 plays that will delight, entertain, enlighten, and even sometimes disappoint audiences over the next two weeks. But we know it’s going to be a good time for just about everybody.
(If this is your first time, you may need a few tips.)
First up from us, a video will from the mind of Mostly Water Theatre’s Trent Wilkie. (more…)
May 10 Edmonton Headlines
There’s some murder and death in today’s news. Tough to avoid it today.
It’s going to cost a lot to preserve pieces of Edmonton’s history. And the City doesn’t have the cash to do it alone.
Work continues to get Edmonton’s neighbourhoods upgraded.
Attending games at Commonwealth Stadium may end up costing you an extra dollar or two. But you may find yourself in a much more comfortable seat.
Portions of Edmonton’s river valley are closed to a Project KARE investigation (that’s the task force investigating the disappearance of “high-risk” individuals in the capital region).
Edmonton police have determined homicide, and tampering with a gas line, was behind an explosion in the Lago Lindo neighbourhood last summer.
It doesn’t happen often in the courts, but the crown and the defense agree that a man should not be held criminally responsible for killing his wife because of “heavy metal toxicity.”
The investigation of the suicide of an Edmonton-based soldier is going to investigated, after his family complained the Canadian military didn’t try to help the soldier. Meanwhile…at the University of Alberta…the school is the first in Canada to create a chair for rehabilitation of injuries to soldiers…
*****
The Green Party of Canada says the company behind the largest oil spill in 40 years has a dismal record outside of Canada. The Environment Minister isn’t worried about how companies may operate outside of Alberta.
It’s kind of neat how much Alberta Conservative minister Ron Liepert likes superboards. He was health minister when the regional boards were scrapped (and now, just a couple of years later decision-making power is being returned to regional levels) and now as the Energy Minister he’s pushing for a board to oversee all oil, gas, energy, and mineral files.
As new power lines are proposed and planned there are warnings about how much that could cost us on our power bills.
*****
Perhaps one day, soonish, we will be able to text 911 in an emergency.
This summer, you can take a trip to a new city within Edmonton. It’s called Fringeopolis.
Oh, and there’s a new hotel in the west end.
The Weekend
With the kind of temperatures we’re expecting this weekend there are no excuses not to get out and enjoy some Edmonton.
The Winter Light Festival continues with Ice on Whyte’s final weekend and Flashpoint event at the Edmonton Ski Club. There’s even music for Ice on Whyte, at the nearby Dr. Wilbert McIntyre Park. Also, Ice on Whyte might melt, so check it out now!
I’ll be trying to keep Sally away from the Pet Expo, so we don’t end up with an office full of animals. On Sunday, Northlands turns things around for a bridal show.
The Edmonton Oil Kings are at home this weekend, to Moose Jaw and Medicine Hat. The Oilers are home too, hosting the Predators.
It’s a great weekend for music in Edmonton. The Sound and YEG Live have another local showcase at The Haven Social Club, with The Wheat Pool and Trent Buhler & The Lucky Pennies. Gregg Beever wouldn’t let me forget if I fail to mention our late-night pizza friend, Carrie Day, is at the Blue Chair Cafe, with David Shepherd. The ARTery has The Jon Cohen Experimental, with Smokey. Pawn Shop’s got Owls by Nature, Fire Next Time, and The Weekend Kids.
The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra is staying up late this Friday, with percussionist Colin Currie for one of their Late Nights with Bill Eddins. This is a great way to check out the ESO in a more relaxed environment.
On Saturday…you can catch one of the final shows at Axis Cafe (yes, they’re closing) with Lisa Nicole Grace. There’s nothing like a hall show, and Big Hank & Friends will be at Queen Alexandra Hall. (Side note: Big Hank designed the ad you now see in the sidebar for S.I.R.E.N.S.) Wunderbar’s got Jessica Jalbert. And Great Big Sea is at the Jube.
If you’re up for some dance, Brian Webb’s got relay, at the Timms Centre for the Arts.
The Fringe isn’t waiting for summer. Mozart: Ze Komplete Hystery is at the TransAlta’s Westbury Theatre all weekend.
Fast, Football, Festivals, Free, and Fantastic
Longboarders are going to have to be brave to tackle the race through our river valley. Yikes!
As for our headline…when the alliteration shoe fits…
This weekend sees the end of another year of fringing. But, fret not, the 29th Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival lives on in our hearts.
Oh, and in these holdover plays.
Hope this smoke clears out because there are a few outdoor movies this weekend. Finding Nemo (another F!) is playing tonight at the Valley Zoo. (Oops! It was last night. Thanks for the heads up, Mike.)
Movies on the Square is back too, with Diary of a Wimpy Kid tonight, and Fantastic Mr. Fox Saturday night. Stony Plain has an outdoor movie too.
It’s Free Cookie Friday at Luzarra. Get over to Whyte Avenue and buy a coffee so you can get a cookie. That caffeine and sugar will only help you start the weekend better.
The tune-ups are done and the Prairie Football Conference is into the real stuff this weekend. The second-best team in the country, the Edmonton Wildcats, begin their season home to the Regina Thunder. Sunday at Clarke Park (beside Commonwealth Stadium).
The winless Edmonton Huskies also begin the regular season this weekend. They’ll take anything they can get after going 0-8 last season. They host the Calgary Colts Saturday night at Clarke.
This is actually quite a decent level of football if you can’t bear to watch the Eskimos embarrass themselves anymore. Tickets are also reasonably priced.
Another non-Eskimos option is the Edmonton Capitals. Tonight’s game is also chock full of diabetes info, courtesy of the Canadian Diabetes Association. (The Capitals are ALSO showing a movie outside, after their Saturday game. It’s The Rookie.)
DEDfest is back to scare the crap out of you, and generally make you squirm.
DEDfest may get you thinking about Hallowe’en, which may get you thinking about fall, which may get you thinking about farmers harvesting their crops, which leads me to mention the Corn Maze is open.
Let’s dip into the ShareEdmonton calendar for some fun.
Clearer air would also help the participants in the Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival, happening at Louise McKinney Park.
As mentioned earlier this week, Saturday is the Canadian Derby at Northlands. It’ll be all fancy hats, fast horses and…bikini girls…
Hawrelak Park’s got the blues. Dun, dun, dun da, dun…The Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival…Dun, dun, dun da, dun…
Don’t forget you can always seek shelter from the smoke in a nice, cool movie theatre. Gregg can tell you what’s likely worth your money.
And on Monday, we’ll be celebrating our first year alongside another one-year-old, The Unknown Studio. Come on out to Wunderbar, throw us a toonie, enjoy some fine beer, and hear life-affirming passages from celebrity autobiographies. Party pants not required.
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While messing up the Finding Nemo showtime I also forgot to mention The ARTery’s kick-ass weekend. The Get Down is playing Friday night (there’s still time, it’s still good) and Saturday is an artists’ garage sale/pancake breakfast/bbq/block party. Told you it was kick-ass.
I want to Fringe you like an animal
I’m likely never going to get another chance at a headline like that, so I’m taking it.
I don’t tend to see a lot of fringe plays when the big festival is on, and so far I’ve got one in this week. But even with just a cupcake, and the one night, I’m enjoying the 29th Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival.
First of all, after learning what is in Taco in a Bag I learned, last night, that it costs $7.50.
What is wrong with you that you would pay that kind of money for Doritos and taco fixings? I could understand if it was $2 or something so cheap it was the best deal on the grounds. But that seems a little steep for something that’s fairly guaranteed to haunt you for the next few hours.
So, as I mentioned, I went to see a midnight showing of Game Face. It’s getting solid reviews, I know people involved in it, and it involves a woodchuck mascot. That’s a darn good mix of reasons to see it.
I won’t go into great detail, since we’ve learned only a chosen few should ever dare review a sacred theatre production, but I will tell you to see this play.
The actors in it are great (and all have laugh-out loud lines), there’s quite a bit of scene changing and production (which must be tougher to throw together for a Fringe play), and I want Scott C. Bourgeois and Morgan Smith (she also acts as the angriest lady ever) to write another play for next year’s Fringe, so I can see that.
That's Alex, running away from the drunk guy.
While trying to guess at the thought process of those enjoying Taco in a Bag, I caught some of the street performing. It’s actually one of my favourite parts of the Fringe.
After catching Alex Clark doing his thing near the Gateway Boulevard entrance, I highly recommend you try to see him perform. Funny and skilled, he seems to be enjoying the hell out of his gig. (Thanks to Brittney for the link.)
And he handled a drunk, dancing, walk-through (who wouldn’t leave) and an over-the-top excited participant hilariously.
—–
So, I give my night at the Fringe 4.0 stars out of 5.
(It would have been 4.5, but I deducted points for Taco in a Bag.)
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By the way, here are some other recommendations from Fringees:
The Fairy Catcher’s Companion (At the Kids Fringe)
Apocalypse Kow (Outdoor stages.)
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.
Time to get my Game Face on
Of course, that headline is reference to the fact I plan to see the Fringe 
play “Game Face” tonight.
I know a couple of people involved in this one (Isn’t that how we end up at a lot of Fringe plays?) and it will be my first play of this year’s Fringe.
Although, I did venture over to the Fringe grounds for a cupcake from Big City Cupcakes last night. (They’re opening in Kingsway soon.) But that hardly counts as culture.
What have you seen at this, the 29th annual, Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival?
Any recommendations? Any stinkers?
The Fringiest Events
Of course it’s the Fringe!
The 29th annual Edmonton International Fringe Festival is all the arts pages will be talking about for the next week. There’s also lots of stuff happening around Old Strathcona that doesn’t take place in a theatre or on a stage. This is the big one, Edmonton.
Morgan had a good point, don’t just try to see the 5-star shows. Ask people what’s good, what’s interesting, what they think you might like. You can always poke around Twitter, and try #yegfringe, for just such questions and inquiries.
Hawrelak Park is busy again this weekend, with the Celtic Festival. BluesFest is next weekend (in Hawrelak Park)…so get warmed up at Rusty Reed’s with Dave Babcock and the Night Keepers
EastwoodFest is Saturday, in the Eastwood neighbourhood. (118 Avenue, 85-87 Streets.)
Churchill Square, which the City has been trying to fill with more events and happenings, in between festivals, has the Latin Festival this weekend. Cha-cha-cha.
There’s Tomoto Fare too. That’s about tomatoes.
West of the city, it’s the Stony Plain Cowboy Gathering Society get-together. You can expect cowboy art, culture, poetry, and music.
Lots of new movies are out this weekend, like Eat, Pray, Love and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Gregg’s got your lowdown.
In music…N.N. plays an EP release show at the Starlite Room tonight, with Van Gohost and I.E.D. Sunday night at the Starlite Room it’s Fran Healy from Travis.
Falklands are at Wunderbar Friday night.
The Black Dog has some Hair of the Dog Saturday afternoon.
Over at Lyve on Whyte, Friday is Soul Train (with Crowded City Skyline and Hot Hand Phenomenon), Saturday it’s Rocky Mountain Rebel Music (with Brash Tax and The Party Martyrs).
Eddie Shorts has The Frolics Friday and Gaye Delorme Saturday.
Cirque du Soleil is in Edmonton, with Alegria.
In sports…The Prairie Football Conference (PFC) kicks off this weekend. 
Edmonton’s got two teams in that league. The Edmonton Wildcats are coming off a season in which they were western champs, and fell in the Canadian junior football championship. The Edmonton Huskies stunk it up last year, winning no games, and are looking for redemption in 2010. Those games are Saturday and Sunday, at Clarke Park.
From ShareEdmonton: FC Edmonton is hosting the Spokane Spiders (that means we could see Edmonton on all the Spokane affiliates! I hope Ana Cabrera talks about Edmonton.)
Whew!
It’s time to Fringe
As I write this, earlier in the week, we are yet to be bombarded with Fringe-related information.
I bet, by the time this event is posted, we’ll already be seeing reviews of plays (probably thanks to performances in other cities, and sneak previews), and everyone will be deciding which plays they’ll be checking out.
Yes, it’s time for the 29th annual Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival. This year’s theme: We’ll show you ours.
Sexy.
The neat thing about living in Old Strathcona is that I don’t even need to pay much attention to when the Fringe actually starts. I know, when the roads start to close, tents and stages start getting set up, and the mini-donut (and other food vendors) start rolling up in front of the farmers’ market.
Thursday night kicks things off with the performer’s parade and a free-for-all where people will be pitching their plays in 5-minute blocks.
Fringe away!
Oh, you’re probably going to want to see what’s playing…
Failure is the only option
Sometimes there’s nothing funnier than unintentional humour. Take, The Room, or other B-movies, for example.
The people involved in the movie are really trying. They just happen to stink. The resulting humour is glorious.
Now, how about watching some of the worst possible writing and acting, on purpose?
That’s what tonight’s “FAILURE!” is all about.
FAILURE! – a kind of fundraiser (in which Edmonton’s best do their worst) is taking place at The Next Act pub (my favourite pub) at 8pm. Thanks to one of the participants, Morgan Smith, for tipping me off to the groan-inducing night of hilarity.
It really is some of Edmonton’s best (Stewart Lemoine, Chris Craddock, Human Loser, Jill Pollack, the Mostly Water Theatre guys) reading selections from terrible plays they’ll never actually produce. Some of the great (awful) play names include “LARRY ALWAYS WINS!” and “Brown Chowder! Sing It Louder!”
There’s a suggested donation of $15, and a silent auction. Money raised helps pay for Mostly Water Theatre’s “15 Minutes” and Human Loser/Allspice Theatre’s “Game Face” at this summer’s Fringe Festival.
Go ahead, they want you to laugh at their pitiful efforts.
Beever’s Best
Best & Worst of Edmonton 2009 according to me, Gregg Beever
It’s probably a week late for a “year in review” type post, but I’ve
managed to convince the Editor-in-Chief to let me do it anyway. So
gather ‘round Edmonton, here is the year’s best and worst according to
me, Gregg Beever.
Best Local Band: The Provincial Archive
Edmonton has a very good music scene. While I haven’t experienced
enough of any other city’s scene to be considered even remotely
expert, I think I can humbly and modestly declare Edmonton’s the best
on the planet.
Our city has a plethora of small, intimate venues like the Empress,
Blue Chair or the Hydeaway. Here the music isn’t deafening, neither is
it crowded with hordes of drunk teenage lunatics screaming in your
very aged and sensitive ears. These are venues where the nuances of
each tune can be soaked in peacefully over a pint or a coffee. I can
spend an entire show in relaxed mesmerization of a percussionist’s
talented movements, the concentration of a cellist or violinist, or
the deft fingering of a guitarist.
Small venues also give you the opportunity to chat with the musicians.
I always make a point of telling an artist when I liked their set. My
theory is no one gets tired of hearing they are awesome. Plus it leads
to some interesting conversations, for instance: I once had a chat
with Megan from The Last Town Chorus about the logistics of using
laminated bookmarks as tools for cleaning up sexual fluids.
A friend of mine once told me she avoided chatting with musicians for
fear of becoming “that girl.” You know the one; that wound up
pre-pubescent girl, lavishing band members with intense adoration
before giving in to hyperventilation and passing out.
Which bring us (finally) to The Provincial Archive.
Craig Schram’s melodic prairie tunes truly demonstrate the fantastic
level of musical talent that exists in E-town. The Archive’s soft
sounds, formed from a collection of guitar, accordion, mandolin,
glockenspiels and other absorbing rhythms, somehow find me
steering-wheel drumming like I was rocking out in my car to Motion
City Soundtrack. In short, they’re excellent.
So excellent, in fact, that when I was chatting with one band member
before a show at the Pawn Shop I sounded like that hyped up
pre-pubescent girl meeting the Jonas Brothers.
I’m willing to bet I didn’t come off quite so ridiculous, but that’s
how I remember it:
“You guys are fantastic, I listen to you in my car every day! It’s
weird that you guys are, like, from Edmonton and I’m playing your
music in Edmonton, you know? That’s just…weird, right? I love you
guys. I’m going to have your babies.” (more…)
Go Weekend, it’s your birthday, go Weekend
Bocce and beer could be a good weekend mix.
It’s the weekend, baby. That means it’s time for fun, without the pressure of waking up early and acting all professional at a job. Thank you Saturday and Sunday, thank you.
We’ve already talked about the big Pin-Up Girl party happening tonight (and hinted at the Tattoo festival in that same story) but that’s not all that’s happening in this happening city.
The tattoo and arts fest is at the Shaw. Which is right by the Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival, which has races in the river (obviously). They’re at Louise McKinney Park to be more specific.
The Fringe is going for new attendance records in its final weekend.
Blues Fest takes over Hawrelak Park.
Raising Spaces has an Eco Reno Demo Day, so you can learn about home renovations the green way.
You can pretend you know all about playing the ponies at the 80th running of the Canadian Derby at Northlands, Saturday.
Edmonton’s Chinatown and Little Italy combine forces for “East meets West.” Say “Hi” to Ted for us.
A great Winnipeg band, with a great name, Hot Live Guys plays New City Likwid Lounge with local greats Old Wives. See, I told you there was fun. The bill is rounded out with Regina rockers Hot Blood Bombers
Or you can get your Classic Rock on at the Century Casino with Chilliwack.
And on Monday, Mos Def rocks the house over at the Edmonton Event Centre.
Let’s kick this weekend’s ass
Fresh off Thursday night's Starlite Room 5th birthday, Ben Stevenson is playing The Artery tonight. Go. (Photo: Jason Bouwmeester)
I don’t know if it’s all the double-americanos I’ve had today, or the delicious bacon I ate for breakfast, or the Fringe, or what, but I think we really need to get amped up and take this weekend on.
I’m feeling good about this, Edmonton.
I think there’s enough going on, across the spectrum of event-styles, that everybody has something to do. Heck, everybody could have three or four things to do. (If you work this weekend, I feel sorry for you. But only a little bit.)
Let’s begin with an interesting one. It might be a little bit cooler than MADE had hoped for, but the group is showing the modern classic doumentary King of Kong downtown tonight (9pm). On the side of a wall. Bring your own chair.
If you’re looking to get out of the house Saturday (and who isn’t?) maybe you should head over 118 Avenue way and check out EastwoodFest. It’s part of the revitalization efforts over yonder.
Of course, there’s the big one: the Fringe. ‘Nuff said.
#yegIceCream 3 is a fundraiser for Royal LePage’s Shelter Foundation. Ice cream and helping people go together nicely.
Back to Friday night (sorry, I’m all over the place), you’ve got the Silversun Pickups playing the Edmonton Events Centre.
How about you give your Irish beer-loving self a reason to drink said Irish beer at Celtic Festival?
You can get your punk-on at Unrest Fest (because I love face-melting music now, I guess).
The Swiftys play the Pawn Shop (with Darrek Anderson, the Roger Marin Band and Gordie Tentrees). Spoiler alert: they’re good.
Oh, and while I don’t recommend you run in marathons without training, you can always head out and cheer on the runners. The running room has a map of the weekend race routes. There are races Saturday and Sunday. The maps will give you an idea of where to stand and cheer, and where to avoid traffic delays.
If you’re wondering where I get some of my sweet ideas, why not check out a certain radio station’s event calendar. I talked about it yesterday…
Now get out there and make me proud!
Vive la Revolution!
Will you follow this man into hilarious and through-provoking battle?
It’s time to FRINGE!
If you know what that means, you’re already super-psyched.
If you have no idea, or just vague inclinations about what that could mean, you should hit up the Fringe Theatre Adventures website. They’re the people that run the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival. They’ll even help out first-time fringers with explanations of how things work. (Wouldn’t it be great if more things laid it out like this?)
This year the fringe turns 28, and the theme is “Stage a Revolution.” (I actually kind of like just waiting to see what the theme will be each summer.)
You can buy tickets online. And man, are there choices! But isn’t part of the fun just throwing caution to the wind and choosing to see whatever is next, whatever is closest or whatever has the funniest name?
I’m aiming to catch Letters to Noce, because I failed to get off my lazy butt and see it during NextFest. I’ll also be sure to hit the beer tent at least once. And with other busking and fun happening for free, you don’t even have to see a bunch of shows to have a good time.
I’m also aiming to get disgruntled, at least once, with how many people have invaded my neighbourhood…but I digress.
FRINGE!
