Blues By The Sea
Q Sound Productions presents a second annual Blues By The Sea Rhythm and Blues Festival, Saturday, Sept. 1 at the Semiahmoo Park bandshell (courtesy of the Semiahmoo First Nation).
Starting shortly after noon – and stretching into the early evening – an unbeatable line-up of local, national and international talents will demonstrate the many shades of blue in the musical spectrum at the lawnchair-a-must, family-friendly event.
First up (12:30 p.m.) will be the Peninsula’s own 15 year-old ‘Prodigal Son of the Blues’: Sean ‘Blues Puppy’ Riquelme.
Following him, with a 1:30 p.m. set, will be popular David ‘Boxcar’ Gates; and Velvet Bulldozer, featuring ace White Rock guitarist Jim Black will take the stage at 2:30 p.m.
At 3:30 p.m. it’ll be the turn of ‘White Rock’s Queen of the Blues’ – Ellie Johnson – followed at 4:30 p.m. by Russian-born blues wizard Arsen Shomakhov.
The ever-popular Jason Buie will play his West Coast blues style at 5:30 p.m., leading into a 6:30 p.m. set by internationally-known bluesman, and former Sheryl Crow guitarist, Todd Wolfe.
Rounding off the festival will be Vancouver’s own premier party band (and Yale Hotel house band) Brickhouse, featuring White Rock’s own Ed Johnson on drums.
Admission for the festival, which also features a salmon barbecue and and assortment of vendors and arts and crafts booths, is $15 per person or $40 for a family (kids under 12 get in free).
Tickets are available from Tapestry Music, Surfside Music and the Surrey Arts Centre (and on online at surrey.ca/arts).
For more information, call 604-617-8453.
Lydia Hol
South Surrey-raised singer-songwriter Lydia Hol and her back-up band, The Barefoot Boys, will be launching her debut EP, a six-song bluegrass-inspired folk album, Sept. 14 at 8 p.m. at Ocean Park Community Hall, 1577 128 St.
Hol, who has played with many bands, most recently touring with Fox Seeds 2011 winners Head of the Herd, moved home to South Surrey to concentrate on writing and preparing her debut album, recorded in a marathon session on Galiano Island, co-produced by White Rock’s Ben Brown.
Promised for the show, in addition to a full set of Hol’s authentically home-grown style of roots music, is another bluegrass act and even a comedy act.
Tickets ($15) are available from Live Yoga, or at www.lydiahol.com
Little Shop of Horrors
There are still a few chances to catch the Little Shop of Horrors, the ever-popular Alan Menken-Howard Ashman musical about the flower shop just off skid-row – and Audrey II, the rapidly-growing, bloodthirsty plant from outer space nurtured by assistant florist Seymour Krelbourn.
The Coast Capital Playhouse run – a new collaboration between Fighting Chance Productions and the White Rock Players Club – closes this Saturday (Aug. 25) at the theatre (the show will move to Vancouver’s Jericho Arts Centre Oct. 9-27).
Directed and produced by Ryan Mooney (Nunsense, Lend Me A Tenor) – who also directed a hit production of Rent at Granville Island’s Waterfront Theatre this summer, the twisted black comedy is boosted by well-cast leads.
Home-town favourite Kerry O’Donovan (a noted pianist-singer and musical director for Vancouver professional productions) offers a winning characterization as Seymour, while newcomer Melissa Clark delivers a touching, star-making turn as Audrey, Seymour’s co-worker and major crush.
Strong support is provided by David Nicks as Seymour’s bullying boss, Mr. Mushnik; Nicole Stevens, Ria Manansala and Veronika Sztopa as the show’s harmonizing Greek chorus, the Doo-Wop Girls; Greg Delmage (as Audrey’s boyfriend, sadistic dentist Orin Scrivello, and a host of other characters); and Nick Fontaine as the voice of the plant Audrey II.
Based on a cult 1960 B-movie directed by Roger Corman, Little Shop also features a rocking five-piece band directed by Vashti Fairbairn, with choregraphy by Angela Cotton, set by rising local star Andrea Olund (Lend Me A Tenor, The Mousetrap) and costumes by Fighting Chance regular Oriana Camporese.
For tickets and show time information, visit www.whiterockplayers.ca or call 604-536-7535.
Red Beans & Rice
Vintage jazz is a family affair at the Royal Canadian Legion Crescent Branch 240 (2643 128 St.) where Rice Honeywell Sr.’s Red Beans & Rice continues to play most Sundays (3-6 p.m.) throughout the summer until the return of the White Rock Traditional Jazz Society schedule in the fall.
The leader/trumpeter’s 15 year-old grandson, Ethan Honeywell, is currently taking over the drums from his drum teacher, vacationing Red Beans and Rice sideman Scott Robertson.
Golden Cactus
Chris MacClure and Marilyn Hurst’s Golden Cactus Studio at 15177 Russell Ave. (across from the whale mural) continues to hold a weekly drop-in every Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the studio, with a standing invitation to “come by and share ideas, inspiration and camaraderie.”
Together with their studio partner, glass and multi-media artist Trish Pollock, the painters look forward to meeting with the public and fellow artists each week at the new studio, which they’re working at developing as a hub of White Rock’s evolving uptown arts scene.
For more information visit www.chrismacclure.com or www.marilynhurst.com
