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What’s On East Van: August 25, 2017

25 Aug

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Lots happening in East Van this next week.  Our weekly feature What’s On East Van sets out cool events for the upcoming week. Beyond the week, we invite you to check out our Event Listing which is updated daily and features events for the month and beyond.

Family Night Series – Grandview Park – August 25, 2017

The Commercial Drive Business Improvement Society is hosting a free community event in Grandview Park Friday, August 11th. The evening which runs from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm includes crafts for kids, poetry, photography and live music.

Grease Sing-A-Long – Rio Theatre – August 26, 2017

The Rio Theatre is hosting a Grease Sing-a-Long complete with lyrics on the screen, the bouncing ball, prop bags and contest. This is an all ages event and costumes are  encouraged and audience participation we are pretty sure mandatory. Fun kicks off at 7:30 pm. Tickets available online at the Rio Theatre.

Small Town Artillery CD Release Concert – The Cultch – August 26, 2017

Musical event happening at The Cultch Saturday night. The horn-powered rock quintet Small Town Artillery releases their full-length, self-titled LP in The Historic Theatre. An evening designed to take the listener on an immersive, explosive, emotional and inevitable ride through the jungles of the heart. Also featured CBC Searchlight winners The Long War and Blues-rock swaggerers Years of the Wolf. Tickets are on a sliding scale $10-$40. For tickets, visit The Cultch.

Toast Pop Up Shop – The Pie Shoppe – August 26 & 27, 2017

The French sisters at The Pie Shoppe, 1875 Powell Street, will be featuring a brunch pop up with Chef Dakota this weekend.  They will be featuring Toast in many forms from around the City with a variety of toppings. They will also be serving their own dam fine coffee, Panoramic Roasters. Brunch happens from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm Saturday and Sunday.

Free Screening – Game of Thrones – Rio Theatre – August 27, 2017

If you are a fan of the Game of Thrones, you may wish to check out the free screening of the last 2 episodes of the current season happening this Sunday, August 27th at the Rio Theatre.

Artful Sundays – Napier Greenway -August 27, 2017

Artful Sundays return to the Napier Greenway at the Britannia Community Centre this Sunday.  You can expect to find local artisans, workshops, demonstrations and live music.  Event happens Noon to 5:00 pm. It is a free event and everyone is welcome to attend.

Summer Outdoor Concert + Lantern Procession – Trout Lake – August 30, 2017

You are invited to catch the last summer outdoor concert at Trout Lake Community Centre. The musical stylings of Checo Tohomaso who will be on stage at 6:30 pm.  After the concert, there will be a lantern procession around the lake at dusk. You will also have the opportunity stop by and make your own lantern from 6:00 pm to 8:15 pm, or you can bring your own from home. Either way, we suspect it will be pretty magical, musicians will lead the parade around Trout Lake.

Entertainment, Comedy + Live Theatre

Looking for theatre? Havana Theatre is featuring the show Sexual Perversity in Chicago  until August 26th. Show follows a set of friends, two of whom are lovers. Tickets are $13.  If it’s movies you are after, Rio Theatre is ON this weekend with Dirty Dancing on Friday night at 9:00 pm for something fun. PNE Playland is on all weekend with food, beer, games, rides, Super Dogs, shopping & more. Musical performances this weekend include  the band Chicago on Friday night and Colin James on Saturday night. We took in the Colin James show last year, he always puts on an amazing show at this venue.

Image: June Hunter

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Vancouver Fringe Previews At Havana Theatre August 29 – September 2, 2017

16 Aug

 

The Vancouver Fringe Festival happens September 7 to 17, 2017 at various venues around the City.  Havana Theatre tucked away in the back of Havana Restaurant on Commercial Drive is again hosting a sneak preview of some of the upcoming shows.  These will be full versions of the performances coming during the festival. This is your chance to catch them before they sell out.  We’ve run down which shows they will be featuring during the preview. Tickets for all shows are $10 and available at the door.

Tightrope Talking – August 29, 2017 – 7:00 pm

Time spent in a Berkeley slammer – lane-dancing with a dealer — cars and sex through the ages – obituaries – bus drivers — Marylee Stephenson is upping the story ante by outsourcing the topic to the audience! You name it, she tells it, in a dynamic, suspenseful combination of instantly well-crafted stories. No two shows can ever be the same!

Blue River Blues – August 29, 2017 – 9:00 pm

What do you do when you’re surrounded by gorbies and the glacier you’rr standing on is slowing melting into the sea? This one-person storytelling is about the summer Jim spend as a Snowmobile Tour Guide at the Columbia Icefields in Jasper National Park. There he fended off gorbies (slang for pesky tourists) and had a summer of adventures that resonated through the rest of his life. The story is told against the backdrop of the magnificent Athabasca Glacier which has been flowing and receding for over 250,000 years but which is expected to disappear within the next 150 years.

Almost A Stepmom – August 31, 2017 – 7:00 pm

Based on a true story. Keara moved to Ireland. She fell in love. Then she became a stepmom well almost. This is a darkly comic tale about the ups and downs of becoming a stepmother. The show includes multiple characters and a murder attempt round off this tumultuous and touching solo show. In case you hadn’t heard, Almost a Stepmom played to critical acclaim at multiple festivals throughout Western Canada, most recently winning the Emerging Artist Award at the 2016 Calgary Fringe Festival.

Shades of Dave – August 31, 2017-  9:00 pm

A loving tribute and erotic parody of The Vinyl Cafe. Fifty Shades of Dave thrusts Dave and Morley into situations you’ve never heard on the CBC. All the warmth and wit of Stuart McLean’s beloved stories with a sexy twist.

The Euphio Question – September 1, 2017 – 7:00 pm 

Stage adaptation of Vonnegut’s 1951 short story about a young physicist who discovers radio waves from outer space that, when amplified and broadcast, make anyone within earshot completely and utterly euphoric. The Euphio Question asks audiences what the true cost of happiness is when it comes at the mere the flick of a switch?

No Big Deal – September 1, 2017-  9:00 pm

A young woman, her boyfriend, and the man who assaulted her on a bus each tells their story. Each is telling the truth, but each is trying to make us believe something. In the end, what makes a sexual assault no big deal?

Katherine Ferns Is In Stitches – September 2, 2017 – 9:00 pm

Brutally funny storytelling show from Manchester-based comedian Katharine Ferns is a comedic journey about learning to laugh at the visible and invisible scars of surviving mental illness, domestic violence, drug addiction plus some feminism for comic relief. Obviously, the story begins on April 21st, 2016 the day Prince passed away and Katharine ends up in stitches (literally). Come to the show and you’ll end up in stitches too (figuratively).

Draining the Swamp – September 3, 2017 – 2:00 pm

The play tells the story of a business leader who travels to a dangerous foreign location intending to enrich the country by building a new luxury resort on unusable swampland. He runs into trouble when he’s forced to shoot a trusted employee and is taken to court.

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Artful Sundays at Britannia Community Centre

31 Jul

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Artful Sundays return to the Britannia Community Centre this summer. This is an outdoor visual arts market that begins Sunday, August 13th, 2017.  The event will run every consecutive Sunday until September 3rd. This event now in its 17th year and features local artists, workshops, artist demonstrations, live music and more. Some of the artists on hand include Sue Griese with ceramics, Hive Printing with screen printed clothing, Jen Conway with mixed media art, jewellery and accessories, Kirsten Brundin with her photography, Amy Lee with paintings and jewellery to name just a few.  There will also be live music each week throughout the day varying from week to week, but we hear that Clara Shandler, The Sidewalk Cellist will be on hand as will Russell Shunsky and Bud Kurz.   There will be workshops available each Sunday.  The event will take place in the Napier Greenway at Napier Street & Commercial Drive from Noon – 5:00 p.m. To learn about what’s happening on which date, we invite you to check out their Facebook page for updates, or stop by on any given Sunday from Noon to 5:00 pm.

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2nd Annual Eastside Culture Crawl Brewery Tour & Fundraiser July 8, 2017

28 Jun

EastsideCultureCrawl2The Eastside Culture Crawl Society invites you to an afternoon of beer tasting. The 2nd Annual Eastside Culture Crawl Brewery Tour is a fundraiser for the Eastside Culture Crawl Society which showcases the amazing artistic talent in East Vancouver.  On July 8th, the price of a ticket gets you a tour and tasting at 4 craft breweries including Luppolo Brewing Company, Storm Brewing and Strathcona Beer Company. The afternoon finishes off with a wrap up party at Strange Fellows Brewing. The event goes ahead rain or shine, you can cycle or walk the tour, but you must be 19 years or older to participate. Starting point is 1000 Parker Street parking lot.  Tickets are $52 each and available through Eventbrite.

Image Credit: Eastside Culture Crawl Society

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What’s On East Van: June 16, 2017

16 Jun

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Lots happening in East Van this next week.  Our weekly feature What’s On East Van sets out cool events for the upcoming week. Beyond the week, we invite you to check out our Event Listing which is updated daily and features events for the month and beyond.

Italian Market – June 16, 2017

The outdoor Italian Market is back at the Italian Cultural Centre Friday, June 16th. This market is situated in the parking lot of the Italian Cultural Centre and has a great mix of vendors which include food, artisans and bits of Italian flavour sprinkled throughout.  Food trucks are always on hand and we’d be very surprised if you didn’t find some pizza and cannoli. Market happens from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Perfect stop after work for a shop, bite and if you want to move, dance! See below for more.

Tango Lessons – June 16, 2017

Have you ever wanted to learn to tango? You are in luck. The Italian Cultural Centre is now hosting drop-in classes every Friday until July 28th at 6:00 pm in the piazza at the Italian Cultural Centre.  Cost is $20 for each drop in session and class runs till 7:30 pm. To register, visit Il Centro.

Farmers Market  – June 17 & 18, 2017

This weekend, you have the opportunity to check out 3 farmer markets. First up, is the largest hosted by Vancouver Farmers Market at Trout Lake from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm on Saturday, June 17th. Also on Saturday, you will find River District Farmers Market on the Fraser River in SE Vancouver just below SE Marine Drive at Kerr Street from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Sunday, June 18th , Vancouver Farmers Market hosts the Mount Pleasant Market from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Great Grandview Garage Sale – June 17, 2017

The Great Grandview Garage Sale is a multi-family garage sale that happens in the Grandview-Woodlands area. To find a map of the locations, visit Great Grandview Garage Sale. The event happens rain or shine 10:00 am to 2:00 pm Saturday, June 17th.

Car Free Day Main Street – June 18, 2017

Car Free Day happens this Sunday, June 18th on Main Street from Noon to 7:00 pm. This is an all day event in which car traffic is blocked between Broadway and 30th Avenue.  There are a host of activities for all ages. Getting there by transit, bike or foot is recommended. To learn more about what events are happening, we invite you to check out Car Free Day Main Street. Note, this year Commercial Drive will not be hosting their Car Free Day on the same day. They have elected to host it on Sunday, July 9th.

East Van Garden Tour – June 18, 2017

If you wish to tour some of the beautiful gardens in East Vancouver, this self-guided tour happens this Sunday and it’s a great way to see how others use their outdoor space. You can do the tour at your own pace and see as much or as little as you’d like. Tickets for the East Van Garden Tour are a very reasonable $15 and are available at Britannia Community and Figaro’s Garden Centre on Victoria Drive.

Gourmet Ice Cream Tour – June 18, 2017

Off The Eaten Track regularly has a great line up of foodie tours around the City. We’ve learnt their Gourmet Ice Cream Tour is now back for the summer months. A tour runs this Sunday, June 18th from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. Cost is $29.99. If you can’t make it Sunday, tour also runs Thursdays from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.

Eat.Drink. Play. – June 22, 2017

Eat.Drink.Play. is a fundraiser for the Firehall Arts Centre and brings together local food purveyors, distillers of craft beer and spirits and art as well as a silent auction. Tickets are $35 plus $20 for artists. For tickets, visit the Firehall Arts Centre.

The Rio Theatre’s Vinyl Cafe: A Tribute to Stuart Mclean – June 22, 2017

The Rio Theatre plays host to a night of  story telling and live music in honour of the late, CBC host, Stuart Mclean. In honour of his legacy as a great Canadian story teller, they have invited some of their favorite local story tellers and musicians to come together to perform original work and celebrate the art of story telling. Tickets are $17 in advance or $20 at the door. For more info and tickets, visit the Rio Theatre.

Entertainment: Arts, Theatre, Comedy & Live Music

If you are looking for live music, Tangent Café has The Meghan Gilhesphy Trio on Sunday, June 18th from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. If it’s a Latin groove you are looking for, Café Deux Soleils is playing host to Wasakaka on Friday, June 16th.  If it’s Trivia your after, Tuesday night is the night.  The Eastwood at 4245 Fraser Street hosts a Trivia Night, as does The Storm Crow Tavern on Tuesdays, but the name gives it away – Nerdin’ Trivia Tuesday. On the other hand, if you love to sing, you may wish check out the Impromptu Rock Choir which checks in every Tuesday night at 7:00 pm at the Wise Hall.

NOTE:  Image Credit: June Hunter

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Eat.Drink.Play. At The Firehall Arts Centre Thursday June 22, 2017

5 Jun

Eat.Drink.Play2017The Firehall Arts Centre invites you to Eat.Drink.Play. being held on Thursday, June 22nd from 7:00 – 10:00 pm at the Firehall Arts Centre, 280 East Cordova Street.  This annual fundraiser brings together some of East Van’s best restaurants, craft brewers, small-batch distillers and performers for an evening of sampling and sharing.  The event takes over the Firehall’s entire premises including theatre, lobby, studio, courtyard as well as the dressing rooms.  Throughout the Firehall, you will find an array of delectable treats, eclectic dance, music and performances as well as a silent auction.  Eat.Drink.Play will feature selections of food from neighbourhood hot spots  The Diamond, Deacon’s Corner, Clough Club, Tuc Craft Kitchen, Kofta Meatball Kitchen, Save On Meats, The Pint and Cadeaux Bakery. Libation samples will also be available from local brewers Powell Brewery, Big Rock Brewery, Andina Brewing Company, Strange Fellows Brewing, Strathcona Beer Company and Steamworks. Also on hand will be local craft distiller, Odd Society Spirits, returning to serve up samples of their signature vodka and gin.  You can expect a smorgasbord of delectable treats and enjoyable performances as you roam through the heritage building sampling food, enjoying libations, and bidding on some amazing silent auction items. The cast of the Firehall’s recent hit Circle Game: Reimagining of the Music of Joni Mitchell will be on hand to provide some great tunes. The Firehall Arts Centre has been producing performing arts for 35 years in this beautiful heritage building at the corner of Cordova and Gore. We invite you to lend your support for our City’s vibrant and innovative arts community. Tickets for Eat.Drink.Play are $38 and $22 for artists and are available online at Firehall Arts Centre.

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rEvolver Festival Presents All The Way At The Russian Hall May 31- June 3, 2017

22 May

AllTheWayUpInTheAirTheatreThere is a new game show in town as part of the rEolver Festival happening May 24 to June 4, 2017 presented by Up In The Air Theatre. This show is being billed as a “hypnagogic game show straddling the worlds of a haunted house and The Price is Right. This partially-immersive, pop-cult, horror-flick-obsessed puzzle invites audience members to dive into a hero’s journey… to emerge thrilled and victorious. All The Way rewards the competitor, soothes the dreamer, and delights in the deliciously unconventional.”  Personally we love unconventional, so our bet is this will be an interesting show. We hear there are prizes to be won and if you are a fan of Sudoku and have watched a lot of television, especially Buffy, you will do quite well. All The Way runs May 31st to June 3rd at The Russian Hall, 600 Campbell Street in the heart of Strathcona. Tickets are $20 each and available online from The Cultch.  If you are not familiar with the rEvolver Festival, it brings new works by emerging theatre companies and artists to the stage each May. We invite you to check out some of the shows they will be presenting this May during the rEvolver Festival.

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Children Of God At The York Theatre May 17 – June 3, 2017

12 May

ChildrenOfGodThe Cultch, in collaboration with Urban Ink Productions, National Arts Centre English Theatre and Raven Theatre is presenting the world premiere of a powerful new musical Children of God. The show features the children of an Oji-Cree family that are sent to a residential school in Northern Ontario. This is a story of redemption for a mother who was never let past the school’s gate, and her kids, who never knew she came. Children of God offers a blend of ancient traditions and contemporary realities. They will be pulling musical inspiration from Indigenous traditions as well as Broadway hits. This musical is a timely piece that tells the heartbreaking story of the residential schools through the eyes of one Oji-Cree family. Children of God celebrates resilience and the power of the Indigenous cultural spirit. Note this performance does contain swearing and sexual content. Due to the content of the performance, Emotional Support Workers will be available to provide support to audience members who may require it.  The performance takes place at The York Theatre, 639 Commercial Drive with previews taking place May 17th and 18th. Opening night is May 19th with the show running until June 3rd. Tickets are available online from The Cultch.

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Mump & Smoot In Anything At The Cultch April 25 – May 6, 2017

1 May

Mump&SmootIanJacksonHave you heard that clowns are in town? Mump & Smoot, a famed Canadian clown duo from Toronto have landed in Vancouver. They bring their latest show, Mump & Smoot In Anything to The York Theatre for a short run. Their show brings a rather twisted world straight from their imagination.  We sent our new contributing writer, Tiva Quinn, to check out Mump & Smoot.  Tiva is originally from Washington, DC and more recently lived in Alaska for a good 13 year stint. She has herself recently landed in East Van and loves it.  She will provide a fresh perspective as a newcomer to East Van. Tiva has a passion for the arts, food, the environment and storytelling.  You can find her participating either on stage or as an audience member at the monthly Story Slam held at the Cottage Bistro. Here’s what Tiva had to say about Mump & Smoot In Anything:

There were scenes during Mump and Smoot’s show where my cheeks hurt from grinning so much. But really, the best thing of all about the show was the audience. Some of you might recall that Vancouver audiences are downright famous for being a bit detached, but when I went to see Mump and Smoot in Anything, the audience cheered, we clapped and hooted for each scene, and sometimes we all chanted, “aww…” in support of Smoot, who gleefully breaks the fourth wall looking for support in his endless contests of will with Mump.

In a lot of ways, what you get is a live action cartoon show. Mump and Smoot’s love/hate relationship reminded me of Tom and Jerry or Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam – except in this show the cartoon violence sometimes results in a lot of blood, and sometimes the physical or emotional wounds from characters being hilariously awful to one another take a while to resolve themselves. You can thoroughly enjoy Mump and Smoot as a dark little confectionary, or if you’re like me, and have to mull on absolutely everything, there’s enough stuff in here about the games people play to keep you going for weeks. 

Review By Tiva Quinn

Mump and Smoot in Anything is being performed at the York Theatre from May 2 – 6, 2017. Tickets are available from $20 through The Cultch.

Photo Credit: Ian Jackson

 

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The Berlin Waltz Comes To The Havana Theatre One Night Only April 20th

12 Apr

DevonMoreIf you missed this amazing show at the Vancouver Fringe Festival or more recently at The Cultch, you will have one chance to catch it Thursday, April 20th at The Havana Theatre.  The Berlin Waltz is a one-woman show created by Devon More. She will share with you her tales from a 100 mile pilgrimage through the former border zone of the infamous Berlin Wall. You will hear Devon recount stories told over many glasses of beer and schnapps. Her story will touch on the ripple effects of the Cold War.  The evening includes humour, satire, sock puppets, paranoia, propaganda, slam poetry and live music.  This is not your average history lesson and with all the talk of a ‘wall’ south of the border, this history lesson couldn’t come at a better time.  The show begins at 8:00 pm in the Havana Theatre located in the Havana Restaurant, great spot for a bite before or after the show.  Cost of the show is Pay What You Can.

 What people are saying about the Berlin Waltz:

 “More’s Berlin Waltz stands as a love letter to a city, an intimate encounter between biography and history, and also, a call for action.”
joyfulmagpies.com

 “Devon brings the history of the Cold War to life. … you’ll exit the performance to ruminate on the show’s poignant message about achieving the impossible through the power of people and art.”
Vue Weekly Edmonton 2016

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