Nanaimo rapper Matt Dunae, a.k.a. Sirreal, is rounding up some of his favourite entertainers for an eclectic show at the Queen’s, and those in the audience will get to be in his first live concert DVD.
Sirreal’s 420 Sharp Dressed Fam Variety Show takes place at the downtown venue on April 20, a day of indulgence for cannabis enthusiasts. In an effort to “class it up a little bit,” Dunae is encouraging those in attenance to dress in their finery for the occasion.
“You’ve got to dress nice. Well, ‘nice’ in my world means, like, a collared shirt,” he said, later adding with a laugh, “The suit I’m breaking out I haven’t worn since my last court appearance.”
When putting together the varied lineup, Dunae said talent was his main concern. He said he feels like it was a “selfish selection,” because he chose artists that he likes to watch perform himself.
“I don’t want to just entertain the hip hop fans or just the fans of jazz or soul, I want to entertain fans of different genres,” Dunae said. “I’m going to have break dancers there, there are going to be singers, an acoustic duo, rappers, a comedian – a variety so everyone gets a little satisfaction out of the show.”
The idea to record the whole show came from discussion with Dunae’s producer, Rob the Viking of Swollen Members, whose studio is located below the Queen’s. Dunae was recently awarded a $9,000 Creative B.C. grant and the duo have been working on his next album.
Dunae said the album and live concert video will be packaged together on a USB drive. He said it’s the first time he’s done a live concert recording.
“It’s definitely uncharted territory and I always like pushing the boundaries of what my comfort levels are so I can grow,” Dunae said. “I thought if we can get everyone to dress really nice and just dress to impress then we can have that real cool, clean-looking visual as well.”
Dunae’s next album will come out later this year. It’s a collaborative effort between him and his band Blue Satellite. In the past he’s brought his material to the group, but for the first time they’re all writing as a unit.
“The organic creation process has been amazing,” Dunae said.
WHAT’S ON … Sirreal’s 420 Sharp Dressed Fam Variety Show takes place at the Queen’s on April 20 starting at 10 a.m. Tickets $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Available at Sunrise Records, Fascinating Rhythms, Mambos Pizza, Verte Boutique and The Smokzone. Event will be filmed and recorded. Full show line-up at www.thequeens.ca.
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