It’s Arts on the Edge week in Kimberley and if you are a fan of the arts — visual and performing and more — or just want some family fun, there is something on the menu for everyone in the Platzl and up at the Kimberley Arts Centre - Centre 64.
The adjudicated art exhibition opened yesterday in the Gallery at Centre 64 and will be on display until Saturday. Please drop by and view the exhibit and put in your vote for the Peoples Choice award.
Tonight, Arts on the Edge presents Poetry & Poise, an evening of poetry and prose by local writers, music by the Champagne Flutes, with champagne and strawberries served. This will take place in the courtyard garden at Centre 64 (in the gallery if wet) tonight from 7.30 to 9 p.m. Tickets are just $5, limited to 50 only, available from Centre 64 (250-427-4919).
On Friday, it’s the Arts on the Edge Opening Gala at Centre 64 from 7 to 10 p.m. The event will include the award of $2500 in prizes to winning artists in the adjudicated art exhibition, a silent auction of artworks and other items, including two return tickets to Vancouver, courtesy of Pacific Airways. Free appetizers, a wine bar, and music by guitarist Don Glasrud will also be featured.
Tickets are $12 from Centre 64 (250-427-4919).
Then on Saturday, it’s a feast of arts offerings in the Platzl and at Centre 64 on the outdoor stage.
It begins with entertainment in the Platzl from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. First on stage will be the jazz trio Tritone Substitution which features Jazz Council colleagues Joel Kroeker, Bernie Primbs, and Laurel Ralston in a unique combination of guitar, baritone saxophone, and trumpet - bringing a distinctive sound to original and standard jazz repertoire.
Next up at 1:30 p.m. will be the Oak Republic, a five-piece “Heavy Wood” band based right here in Kimberley. Drummer Paul Bouchard and singer/songwriter Jason Toner preformed in the East Kootenays together as the Surf Dragons from 2008-2010. Guitarist/Irish bouzooki /mandolin player Shawn Robertson came from the city to work in forestry in BC. He met Jay while playing his unique brand of finger-style guitar and they formed the acoustic duo “Counterweight” in 2008. Violinist Allyson “Ally” Hunter brought her Celtic influences from her homeland of Ireland and Counterweight played as an acoustic trio in the East Kootenays until 2011. In 2012 bassist and fellow Surf Dragon Murph Martin from The Kelly Jay Band (Calgary) joined the lineup and The Oak Republic was born. Currently the band is arranging original material for their debut recording while performing in the East Kootenay region.
At 2:30 p.m. perennial favourites 60 Hertz. James Neve and Dave Birch have been playing music together for 15 years - recent song writing has reach over 40 tunes from folk rock to ballads some with a country feel; honest, simple and personal. From the road in the 70s with Light Flight and Tennyson Finch, Dave and James have remained good friends and musical collaborators - recently 60 Hertz added a lead guitar player, Robert Young and a drummer, Marty Musser -These guys were original members of earlier bands and played together in groups like The Thin Red Line and Groove Juice Special.
All afternoon, from noo to 4 p.m., there will be a Kid Zone outdoors at Centre 64 featuring face painting, a magic show and lots of arts and crafts in the Art Attack Tent. PT the Clown and Kiki the Elf will be providing entertainment and the Kimberley Rotary Club will be selling hot dogs and refreshments. Kimberley’s Candy Man will also be there.
Musical entertainment switches to the outdoor stage at Center 64 for the evening with a free outdoor concert. It begins at 5:30 p.m. with Tanya Lipscomb from Vernon, an award-winning, genre-crossing, multi-instrumentalist who captures audiences with her exciting, rare and raw loop pedal shows. Her glowing stage presence, interactive performances and infectious joy pours out onto crowds across Canada as she continually promotes her nine albums.
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Next up at 6:30 is Plastic Acid Trio. The Plastic Acid Project combines modal prog-rock with classical art music... then infuses it with groovin’ world rhythms! The Vancouver based, art-rock-world fusion trio uses a unique recipe of cello, drums, percussion, piano and voice. Their tantalizing sound soars with tasty and percussive melodic soundscapes; ripping cello licks, sweet world djembe beats, modal harmonies, sparkling piano brilliance and haunting vocals – always with a bold, underlying rhythmic elixir... then add a mesmerizing fire dance performance to the mix... stir and enjoy....
And finally, beginning at 7:30 p.m. it’s ABBA Again - A Canadian Tribute Show to ABBA. Beautiful blended harmonized vocals, exciting eye-catching choreography, glittering costumes with platform shoes... And a touch of humour! Established in 2006 this exciting act has worked for audiences small and large. They feature the best in sound and always leave audiences wanting more.
This Abba Tribute show will help you relive your memories of the 70s era with songs like the ever-popular Mamma Mia, through to the lingering sounds of SOS and Eagle, bouncing back to the disco dancing favorites Dancing Queen, Voulez-Vous, and Does Your Mother Know to the show stopping sounds of Thank You For The Music. This show is not to be missed.
So there you have it — a jam-packed Saturday to end the Arts on the Edge Fest.