The Scope

Hot tickets for Feb 11 – 25, 2010

Some of our picks of the fortnight…

Benefit shows for Haiti happening in St. John’s

Photo by Marcello Casal, Agência Brasil.

Want to donate to earthquake relief in Haiti and not sure how to go about it? Here are a few benefit shows on the go over the next few weeks, arranged by organization.

Organizing a benefit show that isn’t listed below? Drop us a line at listings@thescope.ca and we’ll do our best to add it quickly.

Donations going to the Red Cross

The Canadian Red Cross is mobilizing to support relief efforts in Haiti—providing medical support, clean water, food and shelter to people who have lost everything.

The provincial government donated $1 million on behalf of all the people of the province to the Red Cross.

If you can’t make it to a benefit and would still like to support Red Cross relief efforts by making a financial donation to the Canadian Red Cross Haiti Earthquake fund. Donations can be made online at www.redcross.ca/helpnow, by calling toll free 1-800-418-1111, by sending the text message “REDCROSS” to 30333 to make a one-time donation of $5*, or at any Red Cross office. Cheques should be earmarked Haiti Earthquake.

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Hearts for Haiti: Multiday event taking place at the Masonic Temple featuring a host of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Visual, Literary and Performing Artists of all genres and influences. Spirit of Newfoundland presents Stucco in the 80s on Thursday Jan 28. An assortment of musicians and bands on Friday, Jan 29 starting at 4pm. Wonderbolt Circus, Terry Reilly, arts & crafts and live music on Saturday, Jan 30 from 1pm-4pm. Comedy, musicians, DJs, cabaret, creative dance & dance band Saturday night startign at 6pm. MUN Music presents work by Schumann, plus gospel music, and an exhibit by visual artist Allain Portel Sunday afternoon. Grand finale of musicians and bands on Sunday night, line up tba. All events are five bucks for kids and ten bucks for adults, except for the grand finale on Sunday night which is $25. Tickets are available by calling 579-3023. All proceeds will go to the Red Cross in aid of the Haiti Disaster Fund.

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Help Haiti!: Featuring bands Overlay, The Sellouts, Dodgeband, The Living Daylights, Dave Walsh & The Worst Kind and The Crooks at Junctions. Cover is 10 bucks, and all money will go to the Red Cross. Saturday Jan 30, doors open at 9pm

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In Heels for Haiti: That Time of the Month Show featuring performances by Doris Anita Douche, Bianca Boheme and Felicia Cox plus prizes and dancing. There is no cover for this event, but there will be a donation box at the coat check. Friday Jan 29. Doors open at 11pm and happy hour is on till 12am.

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Donations going to the Humanitarian Coalition

The Humanitarian Coalition is a network of Canadian NGOs dedicated to a united response in cases of humanitarian crises. Includes CARE, Save the Children, Oxfam Quebec & Oxfam Canada.

If you cannot make it to a benefit and would still like to support Humanitarian Coalition you can donate by phone at 1-800-464-9154, online at www.humanitariancoalition.ca or by sending a cheque to Humanitarian Coalition, PO Box 65035, Ottawa, ON, K2G 5Y3.

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Harmony for Haiti: The Philharmonic Choir, Bill Brennan, Les Ms, Graham Wells, Billy Sutton, Duncan Cameron & Dave Clarke, STEP Fiddlers, QVE’s Afterglow and hosted by Ramona Dearing, CBC Radio Noon. Suggested donation is 15 dollars, with all money going to the Humanitarian Coalition. The concert will be at Gower Street United Church on Sunday Jan 31 at 3pm.

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Haiti Relief: Oxfam Canada, St Thomas’ Church and The Sheraton have teamed up with The Instigators for a night of live music and dancing under the palms in the Sheraton atrium on Saturday Jan 30 starting at 8pm. Admission is free but dontions to accepted with all proceeds will go to Humanitarian Coalition.

Donations going to the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund

The Anglican Church of Canada, as part of Action by Churches Together International is providing food, temporary shelter, water purifying materials and expertise to the Haitian capital via the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund.

If you can’t make it to the show and would still like to donate call 1-866-308-7973 for credit card donations or go online to www.pwrdf.org. By mail, make cheques payable to “PWRDF,” mark them for “Haiti earthquake” and send them to 80 Hayden Street Toronto, Ontario M4Y 3G2.

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Benefit Concert: Avalonia, 4 for Song and Jacob’s Passage perform pop, folk and gospel songs at St Augustine’s Church at 1 Westerland Road on Sunday Jan 31 at 2:30pm. A free will offering will be taken with 100 per cent of proceeds will go to the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund Haiti Relief.

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Organizing a benefit show that isn’t listed above? Drop us a line at listings@thescope.ca and we’ll do our best to add it quickly.

Hot tickets for Dec 3 – 17, 2009

Hot tickets Nov 19 – Dec 3, 2009

Hot tickets for Oct 22 – Nov 5, 2009

Oct 16: Rah Rah at The Rock House

Sometimes the unexpected can happen when you’re on tour.

Like, for instance, your appendix needing immediate surgical attention.

That’s what happened to guitarist and vocalist Johnny Turbo of Halifax’s Tom Fun Orchestra recently. According to Facebook, he is recovering well.

But it left his band and the Carmen Townsend Trio grounded in Nova Scotia. And there was no way they could play their scheduled gig here in St. John’s tonight.

“We tried damn hard to get another vehicle,” writes Carmen Townsend on the Facebook event page, “but at the final hour we realized it just wasn’t possible, money-wise. We could not afford the trip on our own.”

“Totally bummed,” she writes.

…But! But! But!

Regina, Saskatchewan’s Rah Rah are still coming. The Canadian epic indie-pop darlings are determined to make it — probably because they had a blast and a tremendous positive response when they were here earlier this year.

How do I know this?

Exhibit A:
Rah Rah really impressed the audience with their high-energy show at The Ship earlier this year, and people really haven’t stopped talking about them. (Most definitely part of it had to do with their ability to knit woolen toques with their fingers.)

Here they are performing one of their best-known tracks from their full length album, Going Steady:

Exhibit B: They had fun off stage when they were here. Here is a clip of them moaning and hooting like ghosts in the old bunker at Cape Spear. It’s really spooky:

Rah Rah will be performing tonight at The Rock House. Quiet Elephant and the Pathological Lovers have since been added to the bill for the show, and tickets are available at the door. Saturday, October 17 they will be performing alongside Texas Chainsaw at The Ship.

Oct 15: Curtis Andrews returns with more world jazz niceness

Curtis Andrews, everyone’s favourite upbeat, boubou-wearing Newfoundland percussionist with a school named after him in Ghana is back for a gig at this year’s World Sound festival.

He relocated to Vancouver this summer, but he’s returning tonight to whip up some “world jazz niceness” at The Ship, similar to his work from his album released earlier this year.

The two nights after that (Friday and Saturday) he’ll be reuniting with the Idlers as their drummer for shows at the Dock on George.

Then shortly after that he’ll be jetting over to Japan (seriously!) to drum with another local reggae band, The Discounts.

Anyway, all that to say the guy’s in demand, and that you should definitely check out his original music tonight.

World Sound is presented every two years by the Sound Symposium. In addition to Andrews, this year the three-day festival is bringing in a dance band from Louisiana and an Indian music virtuoso. You can learn more about the three-day festival at the Sound Symposium website.

Hot tickets for Sept 24 – Oct 8, 2009

Hot tickets for Sept 10-24, 2009

Hot tickets for July 30 – Aug 13, 2009

Some of our picks of the fortnight.

St. John’s Pride Events

A family friendly parade affirming LGBT pride begins at the Colonial Building on Military Road on July 26 at 1:30 and winds through downtown streets at 2pm. To follow, both amateur and professional cross-dressers will run a race around Scotia Centre on Water Street entitled, appropriately enough, the Drag Race. Afterwards, “BBQueer” at Eastern Edge Gallery at 72 Harbour Drive bridges the day to night.

Links:
- Parade info
- Drag Race info
- BBQueer info

Victoria Park Lantern Festival

Photo by Jon Hayes

Colourful lanterns made by community members light up Victoria Park accompanied by percussionists, musicians and fiery demonstrations. Last minute lantern building, food and live performances of many kinds.

(Saturday, July 25, Victoria Park, Water Street West, free.)

Susie Burpee: The Rolling Parlour Cabaret

Photo by Debbie Hickey.

Festival of New Dance presents a cabaret-lounge style collaboration featuring dancer and choreographer Susie Burpee of Toronto and songwriter / composer Christine Fellows of Winnipeg.

(A1C Gallery, 8 Clift’s-Baird’s Cove, 579-4424, Friday, July 24 & Saturday, July 25 at 9:30pm. $10, www.neighbourhooddanceworks.com.)

Aimée Dawn Robinson: From Here to There

Festival of New Dance presents this Torontonian’s experimental dance video and a travelogue involving a camper van trek from Toronto to St John’s.

(Eastern Edge Parking Lot from Thursday, July 23 to Saturday, July 25 at 10:30pm, free. www.neighbourhooddanceworks.com)

Folk Night with Kirk Penney and Darren Browne

Da super-talented b’yes from The Subtitles put on their cowboy hats (pictured below) and get all rootsy on you as part of the three week countdown to the big kahuna: The NL Folk Fest on August 7-9.

(July 22, The Ship, 9pm, $5. www.nlfolk.com)

Big Queer Bonfire

The get-to-know-you St John’s Pride 2009 warm-up, open to all LGBT folk and allies. “Feel free to bring whatever you feel necessary to have a good time,” they say, “including but not limited to good friends, guitars, flutes, and food.” Hotdogs and marshmallows will be provided. Buses leave Bitters at 7:30pm and return on a load and go basis after 11. Bus fare is a non-perishable food item.

(Middle Cove Beach, 8pm.)

Tunes n’ Tales at the Crow’s Nest

Carrying on with family tradition, Kelly Russell performs the classic tales of Pigeon Inlet—a legacy created by his father Ted Russell in the 60s and 70s. Features music penned by the legendary Newfoundland fiddlers Rufus Guinchard and Emile Benoit.

(Mondays at 8:30pm, Crow’s Nest, $10/$5, 687-3791.)

Gypsophilia — Second Show!

Photo by Mat Dunlap

Fog is part of what keeps life interesting here, but sure can wreck havoc on a festival schedule…

Simon Fisk’s flight couldn’t land — and was diverted to Stephenville, it appears — but the seven-piece Gypsophilia will step up for a repeat festival performance tonight at the Martini Bar. They’ll play shortly after the awesome Nickel Gets Jazzed & The Jazz Festival Gets Framed which happens at 7pm, where three independent filmmakers partner with three jazz musicians to make a three minute short based on music.

(July 19, Martini Bar, 7pm, $10. Tickets available at the door.)

Say Nothing, Saw Wood

Last day to catch Joel Thomas Hynes’ one man play about a man who has just been released from jail after seven years inside. It was haunting and intense when Hynes performed the play to sold out audiences in 2007 at the LSPU Hall, so just imagine it in the even-more-intimate Basement Theatre.

(July 17-19, Basement Theatre, Arts & Culture Centre, $20, 729-3900.)

Gypsophilia at The Martini Bar

Photo by Mat Dunlap

This young, seven-piece Halifax group is the unofficial party band of this year’s Wreckhouse jazz fest. They’re sure to light up the Martini Bar at 10:15pm. The legendary Toronto band The Shuffle Demons open and set the tone for the night with their carpet bag full of energetic bebop, TV and movie themes, rock classics, and original tunes. They’re sure to bring out their most popular song, “Spadina Bus”, so get on the bus.

(July 18, Martini Bar, 9pm, $15. Tickets available at www.wreckhousejazzandblues.com)

Creature

The Myspace page of this saucy live electro-pop group from Montreal says their influences are as follows: “Picture the hottest girl you know in a gold sparkled bikini drinking a tall glass of champagne and getting it all over herself.” We’re not sure what that means either, but it sounds intriguing. They team up with our own indie rock vets Mark Bragg & The Butchers and new local electronic quintet Aoke [ay-OH-kee] at the Rock House.

Hear the band at www.creatureband.com
(July 17, The Rock House, 11pm $12)

Inevitable Heartbreak

Part of a larger animal-themed exhibit at the Eastern Edge, Inevitable Heartbreak is a new installation by local artist Craig Francis Power where 10 identically painted birdhouses are each fitted with a tiny video player, and 10 short animations play for your viewing pleasure. Crudely drawn birds collide with snippets of text inspired by confessional tear-in-your-beer sorts of country music. The other two exhibits: Manitoba artist David Carey imagines how toy animals would adapt themselves to an apartment setting in The Animals. Meanwhile, in The WonderBread Project, Mathieu Leger makes animal sculptures from, you guessed, it, WonderBread. Opening reception & artist talks Saturday, May 2 at 3pm at Eastern Edge Gallery located at 72 Harbour Dr 739-1882.