Life doesn’t get any slower during the holidays for Oak Bay entertainer Stephanie Greaves, but it’s a much different schedule for the seasoned crooner.
Greaves reunites this month for a series of shows with pianist Darcy Phillips, who returns for a spell away from his usual touring gig with Jann Arden.
Their first show is Jazz for Christmas on Monday, 7:30 p.m. at the St. Philip’s church with Ryan Tandy on stand-up bass, Oak Bay percussionist Bob Watts and Greaves’ common piano partner, Philips.
Then comes a mad run of shows for Greaves. Next week Greaves links up with Blue Bridge Theatre group for a Blue Bridge Christmas at The Roxy, Dec. 5, 6, 7 at 8 p.m. and a 2 p.m. matinee on Dec. 8.
Call it Steph Greaves’ holiday madness, but actually, it’s always like this, averaging private events per week, year round, she said. On Tuesday Greaves will be at the 100 Women Who Care charity contest event and on Thursday will perform at the Jingle Mingle seasonal fundraiser for the B.C. Cancer Foundation.
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“Whether it’s weddings, or, for instance, I have been pre-booked for a funeral, we have carved our niche of performing music that runs from the ‘way-back-whens’ to the current,” Greaves said. “All with a smile on my face and glitter on my body and enough glittery clothes to make a drag queen jealous.”
After the first week of December, it starts all over again for Graves. On Dec. 13 she’ll once again perform live on the air for CFAX Santas Anonymous, 4:30 to 6 p.m., then will race to The Oaks, for a 7 to 9 p.m. show.
The next day is a Greaves second straight year at the Dec. 14, Country Grocer Breakfast with Santa and the Superheroes of Victoria, at the Archie Browning Sports Centre, and to support Help Fill A Dream.
“I think we played Let it Go about 34 times last year. It was a hoot. We’d barely be finished playing and another kid would show and ask for it.”
Then it’s off to a private house party in the Rockland neighbourhood that night, followed by a Dec. 15 show at Langford’s Veterans’ Memorial Park, 2 to 4 p.m.
And in continuing another tradition, Greaves and the band will serenade travellers arriving and departing the Victoria International Airport on Dec. 16 and 17, starting at 6 p.m.
“People actually do come in to listen to us perform,” Greaves said. “The echo there is magical, the sound travels all the way throughout the building, and people come from across the terminal to find out who’s playing music.”
Greaves will curl up into a holiday ball and hibernate only briefly before getting back at it with a Jan. 18 tribute show to Aretha Franklin.
Tickets for Monday’s concert at St. Philip’s are available at the door, 2928 Eastdowne Rd.
Tickets for a Blue Bridge Christmas are $35, Dec 5, 6, 7 and 8, available by phone 250-382-3370 or in person, 12 to 4 p.m., from Wednesday to Saturday, at 2657 Quadra St.. For more info visit bluebridgetheatre.ca.
