Posted on

Celebrate the Solstice at HR MacMillan Space Centre & MOV

The recent weather makes it hard to believe, but we still have one more week of spring. The Summer Solstice, next Friday, is a significant day for many cultures worldwide, and the Museum of Vancouver and H.R. MacMillan Space Centre welcome you to celebrate and learn about solstice with a 19+ summer kick-off party; Perspectives on the Solstice.

In honour of the longest day of the year, the two Vanier Park venues open the doors of their unique building for an engaging partnership event filled with activities, lectures, traditional storytelling, Star Theatre shows, exhibitions, drinks, games, music, food and so much more. 

First Nations knowledge holders Woody Morrison and Latash Nahanee will perform Solstice themed storytelling. Participants will learn how the Haida and Squamish approach and celebrate Solstice on this day, one that is now recognized as National Indigenous Peoples Day. Knowledge holders will be joined by Dr. Cecil Konijnendijk, Professor at the UBC Faculty of Forestry and Keely Langford, Park Interpreter at Metro Vancouver Parks to animate biological interpretations of Solstice and seasonal change in our city. 

Grab a drink, wander through MOV feature exhibitions, drift into the Space Centre where you will learn more about why our planet has seasons, how seasons affect other planets in the solar system, and how we will search for life on other worlds in the galaxy. 

Enjoy the featured Planetarium Show, Solstices in the Solar System. H.R. MacMillan Space Centre Astronomer Kat Kelly will take you on a visual journey through with a cosmic perspective on solstices and seasons through the solar system, and what that may tell us in our search for life in the universe.

Demonstrations on how we have exoplanets, their orbits, seasons, solstices, and which of these might be suitable for life will be shown at GroundStation Canada and the Cosmic Courtyard will be animated with art stations and interactive displays.

Tickets includes admission to all this plus access to the special Solstice Planetarium show and all MOV exhibitions. The 19+ event will also feature music, a cash bar, and on-site food truck options, like Roasted Revolution and Taste of Heaven. Do not miss out on this memorable premiere event celebrating the start of Summer!

Perspectives on the Solstice takes place Friday June 21, 2019 from 7pm to 12am, at H.R. MacMillan Space Centre + Museum of Vancouver, at Vanier Park. Tickets are available online at Eventbrite. Today, June 14th, is the final day for early bird $25 tickets, regular fee is $30.

Posted on

Queer Arts Festival celebrate rEvolution

The 11th Annual Queer Arts Festival (QAF) opens June 17th, celebrating Vancouver’s queer arts, culture and history. Themed rEvolution, QAF 2019 closes on June 28th, the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Inn riots which fittingly brought together the queer artists in New York’s Greenwich Village to push back against oppression.

As it’s done for the last decade Queer Arts Festival brings together another line up of stellar parties, artists and events. Multimedia, performing and traditional visual works from emerging and established artists come together at Roundhouse Community Centre.

Art Party! on June 18th features the QAF curated, by Curator Elwood Jimmy, Relational rEvolution exhibition which kicks off the Festival. Guests can also catch a glimpse of the other exhibitions, events and performance that make up the 2019 line up.

Closing on June 28th, QAF features a performance of the Queer Songbook Orchestra before celebrating the half-century since the Stonewall riots, and the start of the modern pride movement, with Stonewall 50 Glitter is Forever. The Vancouver Pride Society, ZeeZee Theatre and The Frank Theatre come together to revel in the queer rEvolution.

Queer Arts Festival runs June 17 – 28, 2019, centred on the Roundhouse Community Centre in Yaletown. For full details of the 2019 line-up and ticket information visit queerartsfestival.com

Posted on

Picks of the Week – June 12, 2019

We’re into the start of another hot spell, and the weather is pretty good too! Let’s see what hot picks are on this week!

Musical: Adapted from Roald Dahl’s novel about the precocious, pint-sized, imaginative student, Matilda the Musical is running at Arts Club Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage until July 14th.

Global: The Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra’s (VICO) 2019 Global Soundscapes Festival  wraps up tomorrow, June 13th

Moms: You don’t have to be a mom to enjoy Mom’s The Word 3 – Nest Half Empty, playing at The Arts Club Granville Island Stage, you just have to have one.

Dad: Join Vancouver TheatreSports on Sunday, June 16 at 2:00pm for The SuperDad Show, a special matinee performance in celebration dear ol’ Dad.

Popera: Top-selling solo classical singer Andrea Bocelli performs at Rogers Arena on Thursday June 13th.

Bard on the Beach
Taming of the Shrew

Tents: Another season of Bard on the Beach is underway at Vanier Park with Taming of the Shrew and Shakespeare in Love playing in repertoire through the summer

Pop: Canadian superstar Shawn Mendes brings his tour to Rogers Arena on Friday June 14th

Aeriosa
Aeriosa – Grand Firs

Aerial: The first-ever Vancouver International Vertical Dance Summit, wraps up June 15th, presented by Vancouver-based dance company, Aeriosa, brings events to SFU Woodwards (atrium), Van Dusen Botanical Gardens (Douglas Firs at Great Lawn), and Guinness Tower (outside).

Ball: The BC Lions football season gets under way Saturday when they play host to Winnipeg Jets at BC Place on Saturday

Puppets:Museum of Anthropologie’s Shadows, Strings and Other Things features a broad array of puppets, old and new, from 15 countries across Asia, Europe, and the Americas until October 14

Delia Brett & Daelik MACHiNENOiSY
We Are By Which We Are Moved In Return

Dance: Until June 15, at Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, MACHiNENOiSY & SFU Woodward’s Cultural Programs co-present We Are By Which We Are Moved In Return which seeks to acknowledge the unseen forces, organic and inorganic, that make us and move us.

Posted on

Playland Nights returns for 2019

Playland Nights is returning for another summer of adults only entertainment, beginning July 5th. Every Friday evening from 7pm to midnight in July will bring dedicated, 19+ activities and entertainment line-up to make you forget about heading to a night club. 

Dance the evening away to guest DJs spinning tunes under the twinkling lights, while enjoying Playland-inspired adult beverages, specialty cocktails, craft beer and wine to sip while taking in the amusement park’s activities. 

This year, watch out for the roaming Underground Circus crew who are just one of the entertainment features for 2019. They are a roaming group of acrobats who bring with them a roaming Circus a la Carte full of circus menu items. The troupe will interact with guests to show off their best balancing, juggling or acrobatic moves, and maybe even get visitors to join in their acts (where appropriate). 

At 8 pm each Friday-in-July evening, things heat up with Drum N Dirty, a live percussion DJ who drums to reimagined and remixed party music. 

At 9 pm, guests can dance along to Samba Fusion, a group of Brazilian samba showgirls who are known for lighting up an event with their carnival costumes and high-impact energy. 

America’s Got Talent and MTV’s stunt magician, comedian extraordinaire and Instagram influencer Wes Barkerwill be on stage at 10 pm for each of the evenings. Hailing from Vancouver, BC, Barker is known for his ability to interact with the crowd and fool even the best of them including the iconic magician team Penn & Teller– as seen on Netflix.

Finally rounding out the stage entertainment is none other than the Dancing Teasing Fabulousness team whose Dezi Desire and Mister Nickel inspired burlesque show is the perfect evening entertainment cap. 

Of course, a visit to Playland wouldn’t be complete without the rides. More than 20 of Playland’s games and 20 of the park’s favourite rides will be open each evening, including the Flume, with its40-foot drop, The Beast, with its unparalleled g-forces, and the heart-stopping Hellevator. 

New this year is the VIP Experience, VIP ticket holders will have their very-own exclusive magical journeys in the park with a different theme for each of the Fridays in July to choose from. With a VIP ticket pass, they will receive express park entry, access to a VIP bar and the ability to skip-the-line ONCE at Playland’s most iconic rides like the wooden rollercoaster, Atmosfear, The Beast, Pirate Ship, Music Express, Hellevator, Breakdance and even the new Sea to Sky Swin

Find out more and get tickets for Playland Nights at pne.ca/playland-nights

Posted on

Stanley Park welcomes 2019 EVO Summer Cinema

EVO Summer Cinema outdoor movie series returns to Second Beach in Stanley Park. Tuesday nights from July 2 to August 20, 2019, the the Grand Lawn at Ceperley Field becomes a free public cinema.  

Free seating for up to 5000 people is available on a first-come, first-seated basis, around the meadow. Bring your own low-profile lawn chair, beanbag chair, yoga matt, blanket, or buy a blanket from the Fresh-Air Cinema Snack Bar, and join in the fun.  

Upgrade your movie date night to one of 200 Reserved VIP Gold Circle Seats, available in a Adirondack cottage-chair placed in the front row of the cinema. Book ahead or take the chance on rush seats being released the Monday prior to the film.

Why not make it dinner and a movie? Packages with a three-course meal from one of the West-End’s many restaurants + VIP Gold Circle seating are also available.

Bike Valet is onsite for those who peddle to the park. Food trucks and pre-show activities keep patrons entertained while waiting for the films to begin, at dusk. Before the show begins, the EVO Summer Cinema Marketplace brings a selection of carefully curated local artisans and vendors to the cinema meadow each week.

The 2019 EVO Summer Cinema line-up of fan favourite flicks is: (note movies begin after sunset, times are approximate)

Wayne’s World
Tuesday, July 2
95 minutes
Sunset: 9:20pm

Beetlejuice
Tuesday, July 9
94 minutes
Sunset: 9:15pm

Shrek
Tuesday, July 16
90 minutes
Sunset: 9:10pm

Sleepless In Seattle
Tuesday, July 23
106 minutes
Sunset: 9:05pm

Moulin Rouge!
Tuesday, July 30
130 minutes
Sunset: 8:55pm

Finding Nemo
Tuesday, August 6
100 minutes
Sunset: 8:45pm

Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban
Tuesday, August 13
143 minutes
Sunset: 8:30pm

Jurassic Park
Tuesday, August 20
126 minutes
Sunset: 8:20pm

See you at the cinema!

Posted on

Picks of the Week – June 5, 2019

June begins, bringing us ever closer to the start of summer. The last official week’s of spring bring us plenty of entertainment and attractions in our picks of the week.

Tacos: It’s the last days to taste and vote for the entries in Vancouver Foodster’s Taco Challenge. Try them all, like I have, and choose your favourite before June 9th.

Musical: Adapted from Roald Dahl’s novel about the precocious, pint-sized, imaginative student, Matilda the Musical is running at Arts Club Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage until July 14th.

Global: The Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra’s (VICO) presents the 2019 Global Soundscapes Festival from May 31st to June 13th at venues around Vancouver plus Ucluelet.

Vitaly

Magic: Wednesday night at River Rock Show Theatre be amazed by the magic and illusions of Vitaly: An Evening Of Wonder

Pop: New Jersey’s A R I Z O N A bring their The Find Someone Tour to the Commodore Ballroom Wednesday night

ETC’s bare photo: Sasha Aleshchenko

Improv: Vancouver Theatresports gives audiences the ending of their choosing at Throne and Games – The Last Laugh featuring some familiar characters, but no dragon breath, along with a myriad of unexpected plot twists as suggested by the audience, until June 15th.

Folk: Thursday June 6th, UK act Bear’s Den bring their folk rock sound to Commodore Ballrooom

Youth: Eternal Theatre Collective (ETC), Vancouver’s youth theatre company is bringing the acclaimed Off-Broadway musical bare, to the Unitarian Church of Vancouver from May 29th to June 8th. 

Puppets: Museum of Anthropologie’s Shadows, Strings and Other Things features a broad array of puppets, old and new, from 15 countries across Asia, Europe, and the Americas until October 14, 2019

Electro: Montreal electro-funk duo Chromeo, with guests The Beaches, will have the audience dancing when they play outdoors at Malkin Bowl on Friday night.

Billy Gardell

Comedy: Emmy nominated actor (Mike and Molly) and comedian Billy Gardell brings stand-up comedy to the River Rock Show Theatre Friday night.

Solo: Singer-Songwriter, Author, Performance Artist Amanda Palmer supports her recently released album; There Will Be No Intermission, as well as artbook, at the Chan Centre for Performing Arts at UBC on Thursday

North: Hosted in Vancouver June 1 – 9, 2019, Magnetic North Festival is Canada’s only national theatre festival, bringing developing works of theatre from across the country to various stages around the city.

The Cult

Rock: British rock legends The Cult celebrate the 30th Anniversary of their massive Sonic Temple album at The Vogue Theatre on Sunday June 9th

Pigskin: The BC Lions final preseason game welcomes Calgary to BC Place on Friday June 7th

Water: Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art in downtown Vancouver presents the new exhibit, qa? y?xw – water honours us: Womxn and Waterways until October 2, 2019

Aerial: June 9 – 15, the first-ever Vancouver International Vertical Dance Summit, presented by Vancouver-based dance company, Aeriosa, brings events to SFU Woodwards (atrium), Van Dusen Botanical Gardens (Douglas Firs at Great Lawn), and Guinness Tower (outside).

Posted on

Here We Go Again, Cher!

Cher – Rogers Arena – May 30, 2019

The Goddess of Pop, Cher, brought her “Here We Go Again” tour to Vancouver.

Rogers Arena was abuzz with excitement as Nile Rogers and Chic, legends in their own right, took the stage in support. With a songbook covering a wide range of genres, decades and artists, Nile Rogers and Chic were a perfect pairing with Cher, and the perfect openers to get the party started.

After a short break, filled with more upbeat disco tunes and a chance to see the audience’s stellar styles, filled with sequin, boas and glitz. Even more style was on display as the curtain fell to reveal a montage, of Cher through the ages; from early hippy days with Sonny, the glam of Bob Mackie gowns for TV, Academy Award recognized roles, over the top Vegas and concert tour costumes. As though descending from the heavens, the Goddess of Pop appeared, as expected, in another magnificent costume and wig, from that moment on it was this Woman’s World, and we were invited to witness another extravaganza concert.

Closing off the North American leg of the “Here We Go Again” tour, the tour moved along like a finely choreographed work. A multi-media show always had something happening, even when the icon wasn’t onstage. Dancers, video, trapeze artists, and a stellar band, all kept the 90+ minute show on point. Even though it’s been 14 years, two tours and two Las Vegas residencies since her “Farewell Tour” the 73 year old finds boundless energy to keep entertaining. In her sixth decade of performing Cher has perfected her showomanship and the ability to create a magnificent spectacle. There are no half measures in a Cher show, it’s All or Nothing.

The “Here We Go Again” tour is in support of her latest album of Abba covers, and features Waterloo, SOS and Fernando, reminiscent of the Mamma Mia movie set that inspired the album. This tour also featured her biggest hits, from I Got You Babe, sung with Sonny Bono on video, to If I Could Turn Back Time, to Believe. The setlist kept the demographically diverse audience on their feet, and in (or out of) tune throughout the evening. As with all spectacular shows, After All is sang and done it must, all, come to an end, leaving the audience wanting more. Thankfully Cher will sooner or later return to the stage to Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! another over-the-top tour.