When Great Lake Swimmers bring their swooningly gorgeous brand of indie folk to town, as they did on May 7, nobody waits for two hours after eating before diving into the water.  The number of people who are willing to give up a gloriously mild May evening to squash into a wooden pew for a few hours is impressive.  Even more so when you consider that those who actually scored a pew were the lucky ones who got there early.

Opening the evening was Cold Specks, a 23-year-old from Etobicoke, who brought a spare, somewhat raw, rendition of her signature doom soul to the house.  Her set was a little devoid of banter, but it should prove interesting to see how her powerful voice and a gospel sensibility translate to a completely different setting, when she makes an appearance at the Calgary Folk Music Festival this summer.  One suspects she would give a powerful Sunday morning workshop.

Great Lake Swimmers, once a vehicle for Tony Dekker’s songwriting chops and achingly beautiful voice, have morphed over the years from a collective of musicians into a bona fide band.  With the recent addition of violinist Miranda Mulholland and upright bassist Bret Higgins, Great Lake Swimmers have a  newfound depth of sound in their live shows.  Lugging a stand-up bass around from city to city has got to be a gigantic pain, but it definitely adds a richness to the music, not to mention some pretty impressive visuals.

There’s a tendency for audiences in a church venue to maintain a respectful silence during a performance, and when that is combined with the natural acoustics of those soaring ceilings, you don’t miss a note.  Drawing heavily from their new release New Wild Everywhere, Great Lake Swimmers filled that sacred space with 90 minutes of rich, warm melodies.  They didn’t indulge in a great deal of chatter, but when you’ve got music from five critically acclaimed albums to share, it doesn’t leave you with a lot of time for banter.

You don’t see as many obligatory standing ovations at concerts anymore these days.  Thankfully that trend seems to have burned itself out.  So when the audience at Central United Church rose to applaud Great Lake Swimmers, it was a heartfelt tribute.  When Great Lake Swimmers then eased into a poignant cover of Gram Parson’s A Song for You to begin the ensuing encore, the entire congregation swayed collectively in their pews.  It was a fitting testament to the enduring power of music and the perfect way to end a great night of song.

Formerly known as The Microphones, and more personally known as Phil Elverum; Mount Eerie is a musical project that expertly combines lo-fi folk with the sprawling, atmospheric expansion of ambient music.

Mount Eerie will be supported by Chris Tenz and Nicolas Field this Wednesday, May 16th at the Central United Church for one of only two western tour dates.

Presented by Pint Sized Records, this all ages event occupies the beautiful Central United Church in downtown Calgary. The venue should leave ample space for the Washington native’s cinematic sounds to rise up and fill the venue with his hushed brand of folk.

Tickets are $15 in advance and are available at Sloth Records or from the Pint Sized Records website. Tickets will also be available at the door for $20, or if you’d like to WIN 2 FREE tickets to the show, then please leave a comment or tweet to @DowntownCalgary to be entered to win!

Mark Bellamy, the artistic director of Vertigo Theatre, first fell in love with Sweeny Todd over 25 years ago. “I think I first discovered the show when I was in university,” he says, “so probably like, 1983?”
Bellamy is finally directing his beloved musical. And he wants to go out with a bang.

“It’s a very human story at its core,” he explains when asked what he connects with personally, “I’ve always been a fan of Stephen Sondheim, and I think that this is his masterpiece.” It seems rather fitting, that in his last show as artistic director at Vertigo Theatre, he be able to put on a masterpiece. “It’s pretty exhilarating,” he exclaims.

Sweeny Todd has been described as the Shakespeare of musical theatre. The story of the murderous barber has been depicted on stages and on film. There are a lot of challenges to putting it on. Some Bellamy struggled with more than others. “Figuring out how to make the blood work,” he says, “we went a different route than a lot of productions. We decided to do something much more theatrical, that involves blood being thrown. So trying to figure out how to lessen the splatter and not drench people back stage [was a challenge]”
Casting for the roles in the musical was the biggest challenge for Bellamy. “You have to get the right people, in the right roles, not only just who can sing it, but who are going to be able to do it 8 times a week,” he says, “[people] who are going to connect with the characters, who are going to work together as an ensemble, and I think we have a remarkable cast.”

Once he’s done, Bellamy will be done in his role at Vertigo Theatre. What’s in store for him? “Relaxing,” he says with a laugh. “I’m looking forward to connecting with other forms of theatre,” he adds. “It’ll be nice to have a different mind for a while.” Not to worry though, as Bellamy will be back in the theatre community freelancing as a director and an actor.

In the Getting Down series, both Simon Mallett and Jamie Konchak have said that they were looking forward to seeing  Sweeny Todd. “I was really looking forward to Mary’s Wedding at ATP,” Bellamy says when asked what he had been looking forward to, “I thought it was just a spectacular production.”

“I’m looking forward to next to normal at Theatre Calgary,” he states when asked about next season. “It’s really challenging, interesting, edgy, contemporary work.”

The play about the murderous barber opens at Vertigo Theatre tonight. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door.

Last Friday’s back alley opera event ‘Alley-Oop’ went off without a hitch, and judging by the audience’s reaction to this once in a lifetime event, it was a hit.

Ticketed audience members and bystanders alike were a buzz with ‘oohs’ ‘aahs’ and everything in between. Young and old, opera fans and passers by could not help but comment on how interesting and unique the event was.

Cameras and smartphones were high in the air as everyone hope to capture the experience, and share it with their friends in family. Since this was a one night only affair, we wanted to ensure we share the memories the best we can. The following are tweets, pictures and videos all shot at the event in hopes you can relive some of the magic.

Video via @immrfabulous

Video via @LonnieTaylor

You can also check out our Storify for the event. We’ve compiled some of the tweets, pics and videos that people posted during the event on this new social media website.

Mercury Opera is making their Calgary debut. In an alley.
And why not have opera in a non-traditional arena? It would help people to connect with the art.

“Opera is usually seen as stuffy and distant,” says artistic director Darcia Parada, “and that’s what’s so exciting [about being so close], you can see the expressions of the singers.”
That, and you can take in their fabulous costumes. An operascape in an alley in the middle of the downtown core.

“We did a production in Edmonton on their LRT platform, and their actions were timed to the trains departing and leaving,” Parada explains when asked what inspired her to bring this to Calgary. The success of the Edmonton performances gave Parada the idea to put a similar performance on an LRT platform in Calgary. She then met with Calgary Arts Development’s Terry Rock and the location moved from the LRT to an alley. Specifically the alley just south of Stephen Avenue.

“We were already contemplating doing something in an alley after Edmonton,” Parada says.

What will Alley Oop entail exactly? The evening will feature singers in pre-performance ‘pods’ while patrons sample drinks and local fare. The opera will take place at sun down, but not before a string quartet weaves among the stilt walker. And then the audience can relax at the after party. And as for the actual opera?

“Imagine an operatic version of CATS, except with amazing costumes, a little bit like that.” Parada says.

“I think that people are really excited that the action is all around them,” Parada states when prompted about how this cuts through the perception of opera in general.

“It’s almost like being in the middle of a movie, there is an absence of the fourth wall,” she adds. Interestingly, she feels like it harkens back to more traditional forms of entertainment.

“Two hundred years ago, if people were going to the opera, they had to travel,” she explains, “the journey of getting there was almost as important as the actual unveiling of the opera. The experience is extended.”

There are still tickets available to Alley Oop an operascape, a one night only performance tonight!

Graham James was sentenced to two years in prison back in March, 2012 for sexually assaulting former NHL player Theoren Fleury and onetime junior player Todd Holt. He was sentenced previously to 3½ years in prison for molesting ex-NHL player Sheldon Kennedy, but he only served 18 months. The two-year sentence is being appealed by the Crown.
Fleury, for his part has moved on with his life and is a motivational speaker and author of his autobiography entitled Playing with Fire. Now Alberta Theatre Projects has brought Playing with Fire: The Theo Fleury Story to the stage.

The play opens, fittingly, to the national anthem. The audience is asked to rise and then is treated to the highs and lows of Theo’s life. The play features Shaun Smyth as Theo, on skates, moving on ATP’s special silicone based ‘ice’ on the stage. He begins his narrative assuming that the audience is familiar with him, seeing as Theo is a home-grown hockey star. He also assumes that we’re familiar with the dark parts of the narrative, the cocaine, booze and gambling. Theo starts at the beginning, with his family and growing up in Russell, Manitoba. The audience comes to understand the chaos of his childhood and how he got into hockey. We also go through the pain of the sexual abuse from his coach Graham James and come to understand how that impacted his life. We move with Theo, through the setbacks and successes, from winning the Stanley cup, to searching for answers at the bottom of a beer bottle. Theo’s story is genuine and honest, complete with a flurry of swears.

Smyth is solid especially as he’s the only one carrying this one man play. He’s agile and engaging, and portrays Theo accurately. He also does some really good impressions of Québécois hockey players. Matthew Skopyk’s sound design gives the narrative depth, emphasizing the fights and fury. The music allows the audience to feel like they are sitting in a hockey rink. David Fraser’s set design even features a screen that drops down, like the jumbo-tron at the Saddledome.  At first, Corwin Ferguson and Andy Thompson’s projection design seemed irrelevant as it featured maps of Manitoba and a house as a backdrop. But when Theo starts explaining how his team scored to win the Stanley Cup, the old video footage on the screen added to the narrative.

Playing With Fire: The Theo Fleury Story is a good story of one man’s struggle against the odds that were stacked against him to survive the demons that haunted him. It is an honest account of the havoc of sexual abuse and how that abuse can destroy even the most fierce of character. Theo says that he was armed with ‘anger and a high tolerance for pain,’ and that shines through. Director Ron Jenkins tries his best to make the narrative engaging on stage, but he is faced with his challenges. The entire play is told in narrative monologue, with Smyth enacting key moments, which means that the play is constantly challenged with keeping the audience engaged. The narrative also has to capture the spirit and energy of the game, which is also a challenge. The video projections help in this regard, but those scenes still lack in emotional reach. Playing with Fire is honest and interesting, and is a necessary narrative in our society in regard to sexual abuse, but isn’t fiercely compelling.

Playing with Fire: The Theo Fleury Story runs at Alberta Theatre Projects and opens on Friday, May 4th. Tickets are available at the door or online at atplive.com

Photo Credit: Trudie Lee Photography

One of the most unique and anticipated cultural events of 2012 is this Friday, May 4th in downtown Calgary. 

Mercury Opera and Downtown Calgary present Alley-OOP. An operatic performance pushing the boundaries of contemporary opera to a place few go to seek out culture, the street.

Join singers, dancers and even a stilt walker as they ignite the streets of downtown Calgary with music and movement. Tickets are still available, but are moving fast as news of this unique event makes it’s way through social media and word of mouth.

Still need some convincing? See what these folks have to say about Alley-Oop, and why the event is a must-see.

• 8 Reasons to See an Opera in an Alley (Avenue Magazine)
• Alley OOP ticket giveaway! (via I’m Mr. Fabulous)
• ALLEY OOP (and First Thursday Sneak Preview)
• Opera in the Alley (via CentreCityTalk)
• Mercury Opera Presents Alley Oop an operascape (via Press+1)
• Take back the Alley

If you’re still not convinced, or you need more information, check out the Mercury Opera Website, Mercury Opera on Twitter, or buy tickets online.

The whole shebang has been dropped and it’s a sight to be seen. More than 200 performers will take on multiple venues in late June, transforming Olympic Plaza and most of Downtown Calgary and the Beltline in to a miniature Coachella (no word on holograms). 

Take a look at the lineup and don’t worry if you haven’t heard of any of the announced bands, some great local bands (some that have just formed) will be supporting the big names coming in from places like Toronto, New York City, Los Angeles, Montreal and beyond. Perhaps you will find your new favourite band accidentally while checking out another artist, getting out there and discovering new music is an important part of Sled Island.

You can get the whole lineup on the Sled Island website, where they will be profiling a number of the different artists and bands making the trip to Calgary for this exciting summer party.

Whether your planning on spending your Saturday decked out in your best superhero costume or your third pair of Vulcan ears, you’ll need to keep the party going long after the Comicon organizers force you out of the BMO Centre. Luckily, the Palomino Social Club is willing to provide a safe haven for any basement dwellers who have other interests that possibly include rock music.

The bands of the evening are also perfectly fitting for this expo after-bash!

Check them out below:
Von Zippers

Ramblin Ambassadors

Beaver Squadron (Ex-Brenda Vaqueros)

Bigfoot Rocketship

The Pal says doors at 9:00pm and cover is $10. Feel free to wear your costumes for extra nerdy-goodness!

The Palomino Smokehouse & Social Club – 109 7 Avenue Southwest

Folk Fest Fever has officially begun with the Wednesday announcement of the line-up at the Ship & Anchor. A limited number of early-bird tickets went on sale today, and after a few technical snags caused a bit of a panic, order was restored and excited fans got their tickets. Even with the news that Sinead O’Connor would not be attending, the line-up was met with excitement as some of the biggest names in Folk and Indie are slated to descend on Prince’s Island park this summer.

The 60 plus artists span genres as well as the globe; this year artists represent 12 countries. From legendary piano player Randy Newman, to indie-rock darlings The Rural Alberta Advantage, there is something for all tastes.

Personally I am excited to see Jeff Mangum, who’s original band the Neutral Milk Hotel disbanded before I was able to fully appreciate them. That being said, it’s likely that all the artist will be a treat for audiences. Whether you’re an old school Chris Isaak fan, one of Dan Mangan’s many screaming female fans, or just someone strolling by the park and wondering what all the fuss is about you’re likely to find an artist who tickles your fancy.

In addition to having the world’s best folk and indie artist performing in Calgary, artists will be participating in song-writing boot camps at the Nation Music Centre (formerly Cantos). The 7th annual Folk Boot Camp at the National Music Centre (July 24-26) offers an opportunity to grow as an artist alongside songwriters like Sam Baker, Mark Berube and Jon Langford, guitar players Luke Doucet and Donna Gantis and vocalist Shakura S’Aida.  Additionally, the film Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus will be screened with its narrator, Jim White in attendance.

The Folk Fest also launched a hash tag they are hoping will ignite social media and get people tweeting. #CFMF and #DreamSetlist are both going to be invading twitter feeds in the area over the next few months. Festival organizers are reaching out to fans for their suggestion on what songs their favourite Folk Fest artist should play. As I mentioned before, I am quite excited to hear Jeff Mangum play songs from the seminal indie-rock album In The Aeroplane Over the Sea so if he plays the album start to finish, that would be quite the dream. Another dream set list might also resemble Randy Newman playing the theme song he wrote for my favourite cancelled show ‘Monk’.

For more information and tickets, go the Calgary Folk Music Festival website. If you want to keep connected to what’s going on in Downtown Calgary, be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook and sign up for our weekly newsletter.