alex.browne@peacearchnews.com
Rotary Beatles tribute
A fundraiser to help sponsor a Canine Assistance Intervention dog team to benefit children in need takes place this weekend at the Crescent Beach Legion.
Organized by the Rotary Club of South Surrey, the event – set for 6:30-9 p.m. Oct. 22 – features Beatles tribute band, The Fab Fourever.
Proceeds are to be presented to Pacific Assistance Dogs Society, to help procure a CAI dog for Sophie’s Place, a child-advocacy centre focused on providing specialized services to physically, mentally and sexually abused children.
PADS breeds, raises, trains and supports certified assistance dogs, partnering them with people living with disabilities, and with community care professionals.
The Rotary club has committed to raise $15,000 for the cause.
For tickets ($35), call 604-536-4466. The legion is located at 2643 128 St.
Blue Frog
Blue Frog Studios in White Rock continues to bring world-class performers to the Semiahmoo Peninsula for intimate concert shows.
Among upcoming performers are the popular The Lonely: A Tribute to Roy Orbison (Oct. 20), Dreams (billed as the ultimate tribute to Fleetwood Mac) on Oct. 21, and Canadian folk/rock/bluegrass/alternative legend Shari Ulrich (Oct. 22).
Also on the way are Irish roots band Derek Warfield and the Young Wolfe Tones (Oct. 28-29) and revolutionary recording artist, poet and author Bif Naked (Nov. 2).
The venue is located at 1328 Johnston Rd.; tickets are available at 604-542-3055 or to check showtimes or book seats online – or find information on other Blue Frog concerts – visit www.bluefrogstudios.ca
Islands music
Pianist/bandleader Rice Honeywell Sr. will continue to bring his versatile and experienced touch to jazz, big band and lounge standards – featuring his twin keyboards – at Islands Cafe, 1237 Johnston Rd. Thursdays at 7 p.m.
IAD Festival
International Artists Day – founded by White Rock artist Chris MacClure – returns to the city as usual on Oct. 25.
This year’s celebration is also a month-long event, however, continuing at the city’s Pop Uptown arts space at 1459B Johnston Rd. (near Thrift Avenue just north of Hilltop Mall).
Featured artists whose work will be on the walls for the third week of the festival (Oct. 17-21) are White Rock’s own Dave Patterson, MacClure and Marilyn Hurst.
And there will be a rare chance to meet – and observe the style and technique – of White Rock painter Mike Svob on Oct 20, starting at 7 p.m.
The IAD Gala itself will take place Oct. 25, starting at 6 p.m. (admission by donation).
As it’s Picasso’s birthday, participants will have a chance to be photographed with Picasso himself (or a reasonable facsimile).
There will be a draw for a framed, rare limited edition print, and a second print by a well-known artist will be given away as a door prize. It will also be the last chance for patrons to buy an original painting from the 12 by 12 show – exhibited anonymously throughout this month’s celebration – for the very reasonable price of $150.
Music will be by classical guitarist James Devon, while White Rock resident Rod Lamirand will read from a new novel he wrote on the IAD Pop Up Site over the last month.
Partial proceeds from the events will help fund IAD High School Fine Art Bursaries.
Art trio
The Three Musketeers Art Exhibition, featuring Canadian abstract painter Doris Anderson, talented 91 year-old self-taught artist Don Sharpe and local and international artist Laara WilliamSen, is currently on display at Good Day Sunshine Cafe, 2950 King George Blvd. (in the High Street shopping development just behind Staples at Southpoint Exchange Mall).
A ‘meet the artists’ party will take place at the cafe on Friday, Oct. 21 (1-3 p.m.) and the show will continue until Oct. 31.
Live at Club 240
A consortium of Peninsula musicians and music promoters – including the White Rock Blues Society – is collaborating with the Royal Canadian Legion Crescent Branch 240 to build the legion’s ‘Club 240’ brand as a dance-oriented venue for live music on Friday nights.
The Semiahmoo Musical Consortium’s Live At Club 240 program – which plans to offer multiple genres of music to reach the largest audience – runs every Friday, except for special holidays (such as Remembrance Day, Nov. 11).
Upcoming attractions are Incognito (Oct. 21), Souled Out (Oct. 28), March Hare (Nov. 4), The Ocean Park Wailers (Nov. 18) and No Quarter (Nov. 25).
The legion is located at 2643 128 St. Doors open each Friday at 7 p.m., with the music starting at 8 p.m.
Tickets ($20) are available at the legion box office (604-535-1043) or online at www.brownpapertickets.ca
Trad jazz
The White Rock Traditional Jazz Society’s season of regular Sunday afternoon dances is back at Club 240 (the Royal Canadian Legion Crescent Branch) most Sundays from 2 to 5 p.m.
Upcoming dates include WRTJS house band Red Beans & Rice (Oct. 23) and The Ben MacCrae Sextet (Oct. 30).
Admission is $10 for WRTJS members, $15 for everybody else; tickets are available from 604-591-7275.
The venue is located at 2643 128 St.
Red Beans and Rice, led by Ocean Park’s Rice Honeywell, can also be caught in occasional dinner shows at Porter’s Bistro, in Langley’s Murrayville district (for more information, call 604-530-5297).
Vaudevillians
A non-profit seniors’ entertainment troupe is looking for new members in a variety of roles and positions within the organization.
The Vaudevillians have been performing throughout the Lower Mainland since 2002.
The group is currently restructuring and looking for personnel, including a new artistic director to oversee the 2016 show and rehearsals – and to write and cast the show for 2017.
The Vaudevillians are also looking for an M.C. – someone who’s comfortable on stage, able to relate to and connect with the audience, introduce numbers and tell some jokes.
New members are also needed to fill the following positions: sound tech, backstage manager, and as performers (singers, dancers, comedians).
Except for the position of artistic director, who is eligible for an annual honorarium, these are all volunteer positions.
For further information, visit thevaudevillians.com or contact entertainment@thevaudevillians.com.
Sunshine at night
There’s something special about open mic evenings – not only are you likely to hear a variety of music that most venue programmers can’t present, but you might just catch an early performance by a rising star, or a surprise appearance by an established performer trying some new material.
Semiahmoo Peninsula open mic king Dennis Peterson – a man with a good eye for White Rock and South Surrey’s growing pool of experienced and developing talents – is offering a regular show, 6-9 p.m. most Saturdays at The Good Day Sunshine Cafe, #100-2950 King George Hwy.
With dinner, drinks and dessert also on the menu, it’s a good venue to settle in for an evening of unexpected musical treats, and there’s no restriction on taking pictures of the performers (although Peterson asks that anyone wanting to video record a performance seek advance permission of the artist).
Morrison Music Nights
Morrison Cafe’s Morrison Music Nights, is a regular monthly dinner/concert series in Ocean Park, offering a three-course fine-dining-with-music experience in the licensed venue.
On music nights, dinner is served from 5 p.m., followed by the concert, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Tickets for the monthly presentations ($40) are available at the cafe, at 12855-16th Ave.
The series is being coordinated by well-known musician Randy Schultz (Swamp City), who said it fits in with his long-standing objective of developing local venues capable of providing viable showcases for chronically under-valued professional musicians, rather than simply offering the more usual ‘open mic’ opportunities.
For more information, call 604-531-3636 or 604-721-0872.
East of Berlin
Peninsula Productions season of monthly staged readings continues at its regular performance space next to Centennial Arena (14600 North Bluff Rd.), Nov. 6 at 8 p.m.
The upcoming play is East of Berlin, by Canadian playwright Hannah Moscovitch, directed by company artistic director, Wendy Bollard.
A meditation on the “sins of the fathers” and the pervading sense of guilt that is the lingering legacy of the holocaust, East of Berlin tells (largely in his own words) the story of Rudi, son of a doctor, who has grown up comfortably in a colony of expatriate Germans in Paraguay.
Through a school friend, he discovers the truth of his father’s activities as a Nazi war criminal – a truth that compels him to travel to Germany in search of answers.
There, he finds and falls in love with Sarah, daughter of a holocaust survivor – also looking for answers. – but, even as their paths merge, the two people cannot escape the fact that they carry with them their own seeds of tragedy.
The play is presented with a warning that it is not suitable for young audiences.
For tickets ($10) and more information, visit www,peninsulaproductions.org
Chamber Music
White Rock Chamber Music – which features noted musicians in the community, while fostering young and emerging talents – is back with a new season of monthly concerts at Crescent Gardens Retirement Community, 1222 King George Blvd.
Usually held the third Saturday of each month, the concerts are at 7:30 p.m.
Suggested donation is $5, which goes into a fund to help developing musical artists on the peninsula.
Classical Coffee
Surrey Civic Theatres presents the return of its Thursday Classical Coffee Concerts (part of the Surrey Spectacular series) with new hosts Elizabeth and Marcel Bergmann – also known as the Bergmann Piano Duo – at Surrey Arts Centre, 13750 88 Ave.
Renowned for dazzling playing skills, eclectic programs and extraordinary storytelling skills, the Bergmanns will continue to bring their talents to the intimate and casual series Dec. 8, 11 a.m., with Christmas Fantasies; Feb. 5 with From Bach To Brubeck (3:30 p.m. concert); March 23, 11 a.m. with Three’s A Crowd…Not!, and April 23 with L’histoire du Tango (3:30 p.m. concert).
Tickets are $30 per concert, or $75 for three concerts.
To book tickets, or for further information, call the Arts Centre box office at 604-501-5566, email surreycivictheatres@surrey.ca or visit tickets.surrey.ca
Alice in Wonderland
White Rock Players Club’s next production will be Alice In Wonderland (Dec. 1-28) – a free adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s classic to suit the requirements of a Christmas pantomime by director Lisa Pavilionis and her writing collaborator, sister Sara.
For ticket reservations and showtimes, call 604-536-7535, or visit www.whiterockplayers.ca
Singers wanted
Pacific Showtime Men’s Chorus, based in Ocean Park, rehearses Monday nights at 7:30 p.m. at St. Mark’s Church, 12953 20 Ave.
The small community chorus of experienced singers is currently seeking new members for all vocal ranges: lead, tenor, baritone and bass.
Offering a big sound in a variety of musical styles, Pacific Showtime has been featured at a many different Lower Mainland events, including show productions, concerts and private functions.
The repertoire is designed to include songs and a singing style that appeal to a wide variety of music preferences, with emphasis on entertainment value, and chance to develop singing skills while having fun and enjoying camaraderie.
Male singers are invited to attend rehearsals to check out the group and, hopefully, join in.
For more information, call 604-536-5292 or email leighand@shaw.ca
Orchestral recruits
The more than four decades–old White Rock Community Orchestra, now led by newly-appointed conductor Paula DeWit, welcomes new musicians of all experience levels, and is currently seeking violin, viola, oboe, bassoon and saxophone players.
For details, call president Don Miller at 604-807-0560 or email papadon1812@hotmail.com, or visit http://whiterockcommunityorchestra.org
Call for symphonists
Now celebrating its 30th concert season, the Fraser Valley Symphony is seeking new members in the violin, viola, and percussion sections, but also welcomes inquiries from other interested professional-calibre musicians.
Performing alongside world class instrumental and vocal soloists, the orchestra provides an opportunity for auditioned musicians to present a variety of music to audiences throughout the region.
Rehearsals are held on Monday evenings, in Abbotsford.
Contact info@fraservalleysymphony.org or call 604-859-3877.
