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What’s On East Van: September 8, 2017

8 Sep

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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.

Accordion Noir Festival – Russian Hall – September 7-10, 2017

The 10th Annual Accordion Noir Festival kicked off at the Russian Hall on September 7th. There is a full line up of festivities this weekend. If you wish to kick up your heels, check out this event. Further information is available at Accordion Noir Festival.

Vancouver Fringe Festival – September 7-17, 2017

The Vancouver Fringe Festival has officially kicked off and there are a number of great shows happening during the Festival. You can find out what it’s like to be in a blind man’s shoes in Bombay Black on now at The Cultch, or check out some young new talent in Cry Baby The Musical at The Firehall Arts Centre.

Tango Lessons – Italian Cultural Centre – September 8, 2017

In case you missed it, the Italian Cultural Centre is hosting weekly tango lessons every Friday night until the end of October. Classes run from 6:00 – 7:30 pm. Cost is $20 per person per class, or you can register by the month at a cost of $60.

Studio Sale – June Hunter – September 9, 2017

One of our favourite East Van artists, June Hunter, who features nature in her work is having a 1 day Studio Sale this weekend. Her work includes prints, tiles, jewellery, art, calendars and much more.   It’s a great little space near Hastings Sunrise at 2785 Parker Street and takes place from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Drive-In Movie – River District – September 9, 2017

Drive-In Movies are back at River District in SE Vancouver starting Saturday, September 9th.  The evening hosts a double feature starting off with Cars 3 at 7:45 pm and Baby Driver at 10:00 pm. Cost is $20 per carload for one movie and $30 per carload for 2 movies.  Gates open at 6:45 pm and is first come first serve.

Cops and Kids – Grandview Park – September 10, 2017

Between Noon and 3:00 pm you are invited to stop by with the kids for a safety-oriented event being held in Grandview Park. Families have the opportunity to meet and interact with VPD officers, police dogs and horses.  Also on hand, will be first responders, transit police, members of the Vancouver Fire Department and BC Ambulance service.   The event includes activity stations such as the  Bike Rodeo and the Mini POPAT (Police Officer Physical Abilities Training). This is a free event. Everyone welcome to attend.

Fall Fair – McSpadden Park (Victoria & 5th) – September 10, 2017

If you are looking for more free family fun, you may wish to check out the Fall Fair happening on Sunday, September 10th.  The festivities happen from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm and include a host of activities such as zucchini races and square dancing. We hear you will find real cows, pies, delish canned goods and much more.

Entertainment, Comedy + Live Theatre

If it’s movies you are after, Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Sequel – Truth to Power is playing  at the Rio Theatre this Sunday at 2:15 pm.  If you are looking for free movies, Britannia Community Centre is back showing Sunday evening movies from 6:00 – 9:00 pm. This week they are showing Lion and free popcorn will be available. If it’s comedy you are after, you may wish to check out The Fictionals which perform improv every Tuesday at Café Deux Soleils at 8:00 pm.  To see more of what’s on, check our Events Listing.

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Vancouver Fringe Festival September 7-17, 2017 – East Van Picks

6 Sep

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The Vancouver Fringe Festival is an annual event that kicks off September 7th and runs till September 17th at various venues in the Lower Mainland.  East Van is hosting quite a few of the productions this year namely The Cultch, Firehall Arts Centre, Havana Theatre and Ocean and Crow Yoga. This year over 700 performances will be featured by over 90 artists over the 11 day festival.  Ticket prices are $14 for each show with a $3 processing fee after payment of your Annual Fringe Theatre Society Membership of $5.00.  We invite you to check out some of the amazing local talent and have set out a few of the productions that caught our eye happening in East Van.  

OBIT At The Cultch Historic Theatre

OBIT is a dark comedy written by first time playwrights, Cathy Collins and Simon Roberts, takes you on a morbid look through the obituary notices. In three wryly funny, character rich scenes, Collis and Roberts peel back the public face of the tributes to soccer coach and divorcing dad Derek, suburban Mom Shirley and pillar-of-society businessman Richard now battling Alzheimer’s, to reveal their real lives and their sometimes buried pasts. OBIT opens Saturday, September 9th at 7:35 pm. You can also catch it September 12th at 7:45 pm, September 14th at 5:00 pm, September 16th at Noon and September 17th at 8:30 pm.  Tickets available at Vancouver Fringe Festival.

Cry Baby At The Firehall Arts Centre

Cry Baby The Musical is Romeo and Juliet meets The Outsiders with everyone’s tongues planted firmly in cheek. The show features  1950s Baltimore, the conservative squares face off against the leather-clad delinquents in a rockabilly musical based on John Waters’ cult film. The show is filled with such great songs, we hear you will want to dance your heart out. Cry Baby The Musical features a cast of 16 emerging new artists who will kick off their run on September 7th at 6:45 pm.   You can also catch the show on September 9th at 9:30 pm,  September 10th at 1:45 pm, September 11th at 6:00 pm (1/2 price show), September 13th at 6:00 pm, September 16th at 3:15 pm and September 17th at 2:00 and 7:15 pm.   To get your tickets, visit Vancouver Fringe Festival.

Bombay Black At The Vancity Culture Lab

2017 Jessie Award and multiple Fringe Award recipient Rohit Chokhani delves into a blind man’s world as he reimagines Anosh Irani’s Bombay Black. Bombay Black is a searing play set in the bitter reality of present-day India. The iron-willed Padma takes money from men who watch her daughter, Apsara perform an erotic dance. When a mysterious blind man named Kamal arrives for an appointment, his secret threatens to change each of their lives forever.  The show features a culturally diverse cast which takes the audience members on a journey into a blind man’s world. Note, the audience is  initially blind-folded as they come into the theatre. Bombay Black kicks off on Thursday, September 7th at 8:50 pm. You can also catch it September 9th at 6:45 pm, September 10th at 1:55 pm, September 11th at 7:00 pm, September 13th at 8:50 pm and September 16th at 7:05 pm. To get your tickets, visit Vancouver Fringe Festival.

Photo Credit: Zahida Rahemtulla

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Tango Lessons At The Italian Cultural Centre Friday Nights September-October

30 Aug

TangoDanceIf you are looking for a fun date night, we invite you to check out Tango lessons being offered every Friday night at the Italian Cultural Centre starting this Friday, September 1st. If you are not familiar with tango, it is a partnered dance that originated in the 1880s in Argentina and became so popular it spread to the rest of the world. No surprise why, this is one sexy dance. Starting September 1st, Italian tango instructor Adrian Reda, will introduce you to the world of tango and teach you and your partner the fundamental movements. The class is open to beginners and those with a few steps under their belt. The classes run every Friday for the next 2 months for 1 1/2 hours at a cost of $20 per class or $60 for the month. Classes are also offered in 3 languages, English Italian and Spanish. To register, call the Italian Cultural Centre at 604.430.3337.

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Kyubu Market Launches September 9, 2017 In Strathcona

28 Aug

You are invited to check out a new project that has been many months in the making Kyubu Market.  Pronounced kyoo boo, this new market is one of the tiniest shops in East Vancouver located in the MakerLabs at 780 East Cordova Street. Outside of their retail space, Kyubu Market is an online marketplace with one-of-a-kind and custom pieces from a variety of makers & artisans. Kyubu Market is the brainchild of Jen Yamasaki and Gloria Kang. Their varied backgrounds including law, business, science, graphic design, marketing and communications puts them in a unique position to assist and feature independent artists and makers from across Canada.  Gloria and Jen already have a long list of artisans that are being featured on their site including Konisa Studio, Cord & Stone, Joanne Sawatsky, DIG Leather, Bare Skin Bar, Steidle Woodworking Co., SAD Magazine, Piton Pottery and many more. To see the full list of artisans featured visit the online marketplace at Kyubu Market, or check out the Grand Opening on Saturday, September 9th which kicks off at 6:00 pm and runs till 9:30 pm. The event is being billed as a Garden Party. We understand some of the artisans and makers will be on hand for the opening event which also features local eats and local brewers.  Stop by and see what’s in store. Kyubu-Market-full-store

 

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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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Graham Clark’s The Quiz Show At Fox Cabaret September 9, 2017

21 Aug

Love to laugh? Or may you just need a laugh. We recommend you check out The Quiz Show coming to The Fox Cabaret on Saturday, September 9th.  The show which was originally featured at the now defunct Hot Art Wet City is back.  Graham Clark grew up loving all the old game shows and has created an interesting hybrid from game shows of the past. The Quiz Show is hosted by Graham Clark and features local comedians as contestants doing their best to make audience members laugh for which they win prizes.   If you are unfamiliar with Graham’s comedic talents, he is a 3 time Canadian Comedy Award winner, co-host of Maximum Fun’s Stop Podcasting Yourself, a regular on CBC’s The Debaters, has appeared at Just For Laughs, as well as Halifax and Winnipeg Comedy Festivals and even won best stand up last year a the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. So we would lay bets the guy will make you laugh. Tickets for the show are now available on Eventbrite for $10 in advance of $12 at the door.

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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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What’s On East Van: August 11, 2017

11 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 11, 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 with the Rio Samaya Band.

SUP-A Series  – Sassy One-Of-A Kind Theatre To August 12, 2017

One-Of-A-Kind theatre continues at Havana Theatre until August 12th.  Un-produced Projects brings together an eclectic mix of up-beat theatre, never before seen in Vancouver.  Participants involved in this project wish to promote more local and independent theatre.  Shows happen nightly at 8:00 pm.

Victoria Drive Festival – Jones Park –  August 12, 2017

The Victoria Drive Business Improvement Association is hosting an afternoon of free family fun at Jones Park which is located at 38th Avenue.  The event will run from 12:00 – 5:00 pm and features kids fun zone, community booths, live music and more.

Artful Sundays – August 13, 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.

Vancouver Queer Film Festival – August 11-20, 2017

The Vancouver Queer Film Festival runs from August 11-20, 2017 in various venues around Vancouver. Four films will be featured at the York Theatre on August 18th and 19th.  To learn more about which films and times, visit Vancouver Queer Film Festival.

Live Jazz Music w/ Natasha D’Ogostino Quartet – Tangent Café – August 17, 2017

Tangent Café hosts live jazz Thursday from 8:30 to 11:30 pm. No cover charged, but cool spot for a beer and a bite.

Entertainment, Comedy + Live Theatre

Looking for fun and games? Playland is open daily from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm until August 18th. On a more serious note the new play Two Rooms is featured at Havana Theatre from August 15th to 19th. The play focuses on a hostage taking in Beirut and the actions of the spouse on the other side of the world and how that culminates into a startling conclusion. Looking to laugh? Don’t forget Havana Theatre features improv comedy Friday and Sunday nights.  If you love guitar, you may wish to check the Mike Machado Trio at Falconetti’s on Saturday night at 9:00 pm. The kid knows how to play a guitar.

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Outdoor Pizza & Beer ‘Good Grains’ Happens August 24, 2017

9 Aug

GoodGrainsThe Italian Cultural Centre invites you to an evening of beer and pizza in their outdoor space adjacent to Beaconsfield Park. Outside of having some great beer and authentic Italian pizza, you will learn about BC grains, the bakers and brewers and at the same time meeting some of the bakers, brewers and growers.  The event is about is as local as you can get. Pizza will be made from Fraser Valley grown wheat, beer is from Luppolo Brewing Company and Vancouver’s only organic brewery, Dogwood Brewing. Tickets for the event are $30 per adult and $5 per child.  For tickets call 604.430.3337 or visit their website at Italian Cultural Centre.

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Killarney Shopping Centre – The Last Outpost?

7 Aug

Depending on how you view the history of Canada, it was explored and settled or it was conquered and occupied. Either way the pattern of Westward expansion seemed to involve a commercial enterprise, usually the Hudson’s Bay, plonking down an anchor store somewhere. Then a fort was built around it and they started trading. I believe that the shopping centre of the post war expansion was the distant offspring of the old trading outposts. Basically, build a ring of retail around a parking lot and then let the people come.

There are not many of these old style wide open centres left. Oh, you can still find them in places like Campbell River and Quesnel, but for the most part on the Lower Mainland theyʼve been eaten up by the mall. Still there are a few holdouts left and one in particular that comes to mind is the Killarney Shopping Centre.

Located at East 49th and Elliott this commercial outpost is oddly frozen in time. Sure it has a bank and a Starbucks, but in the condo clearcut thatʼs slowly migrating from the West Side to East Van, it really doesnʼt look much different from when it was built in 1962. It is mostly single story and has a gas station. Remember those? They used to have them in downtown Vancouver.

The main draw though, for the Killarney Shopping Centre is the Killarney Market. It is one of those near extinct commercial entities that still exist sporadically in East Van; an independent grocery. The market was originally a Safeway, then an IGA and now it is a 24 year old independent run by two brothers, John and Tito Chiang. Walking the aisles it has that small town old store feel, though it has a diverse stock of ethnic KillarneyMarketBublefoodstuffs you probably wouldnʼt find in Quesnel. Killarney Market also gained some publicity by being in the Michael Buble video for “Havenʼt Met You Yet “ Though mentioning this kind of makes me cringe. When it comes to guys in a suit jacket singing, my taste lies more toward Nick Cave than Mr. Bubbly.

One other curiosity of the Killarney Shopping Centre is its home to Wally’s Burgers. For those unaware of the significance, Wally Burgers was located on Kingsway for 46 years. It was a small greasy burger joint of the 1950ʼs movie variety. It was also a kind of right of passage, a stop over for those traveling West for a night in town. A place to put some padding down before the boozing. It was also a stopover for those traveling East heading home. A place to absorb the boozing or maybe lay down some padding for the impending hangover.

Wally’s closed on Kingsway in 2008 and then in 2010 some enterprising folk rebooted the whole thing and now have three locations. How does it compare? Well, unless youʼre either half-pissed or hungover itʼd be pretty hard to tell. Nostalgia aside, the thing I find most curious about Killarney Shopping Centre is how long can this uniquely dated shopping centre, this aging commercial outpost last? The most recent property assessment was for over 39 million up by 10 million over the previous year. At some point an income trust or dark lord developer is going to decide to cash it in.

By Contributing Writer Al Tee

Photo Credit: Killarney Market & Wally’s Burgers

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