Tonight, the sports and the entertainment are on in the same. It is Cougars home opener night, and team officials are promising a new level of pizzazz. A lot of the special effects are being kept secret until the puck drops, but one thing they did disclose in advance is the CN Centre roof over the main entrance being turned into a concert stage. Popular Prince George Celtic band Out Of Alba will be pumping the tunes down onto the fans as they approach the building for the first home game of The New Ice Age.
Award-winning Scottish songwriter and leading fingerstyle guitarist Simon Kempston is stopping by Caf Voltaire tonight on his maiden Canadian tour. Showtime is 8 p.m. This gentleman has "performed to critical acclaim in esteemed venues and festivals all over Europe," said cafe organizers. This is a free event.
The Two Rivers Gallery and the Community Arts Council invite you to a pARTy tonight. Organizers call it a night of artistic connections, an event open to anyone involved in the visual, performing, literary and cultural sectors of Prince George.
Those who come are encouraged to bring a piece of artwork to trade with fellow artists, be it a song, photo, painting, poem, jewelry, sculpture, clay item, etc. Participants are also encouraged to "dress to impress" since the night is about celebrations and statements of who we are as a city. Come to the Two Rivers Gallery at 8 p.m. It is free to attend, cash bar and refreshments will be available. For info or RSVP, email [email protected].
Colourful, unique art-rockers Blackberry Wood are on stage at Nancy O's tonight and Saturday night. Admission is $10 at the door. Nancy O's staff called them "a wonderful, secret and magic combination of alt-country-gypsy-circus music. They are on tour now in support of their newest record Strong Man vs Russian Bears. It's a wonderful sounding vaudevillian ruckus."
The Doobie Brothers have announced an opening act for their upcoming Prince George show. On their tour of the region they will be supported by Lara Johnston, who has a strong following of her own.
Johnston was the first grand prize winner of the Unsigned Only Competition for her song, K.I.S.S. and that tune (along with Here At the End of the World) also made it to the finals of the famed International Songwriting Competition where K.I.S.S. won first place in the Adult Contemporary division.
She recently duetted with Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. on The Wendy Williams Show and the Piers Morgan Tonight Christmas Special on CNN, plus she's been logging huge touring miles with Luke Bryan, Willie Nelson, Heart, Journey and many other acts. She and the Doobie Brothers hit the CN Centre stage on Oct. 24.
Nudity has never been this funny. The Comic Strippers come to Prince George Playhouse tonight and Saturday. Tickets are $35 or $30 each for groups of six-plus, available at Studio 2880.
This is, the cast stressed in a written statement, "A fictitious male stripper troupe, played by a cast of some of Canada's best improvisational comedians...Gentleman, not to worry, this is definitely a parody of male strippers. Some of the performers have what's called 'Comedy Bodies' - they will make you look good by comparison."
It's a little bit of The Full Monty without a script, a little of Magic Mike on magic mushrooms, this show is called a "sexylarious improv" comedy show. The cast includes Chris Casillan, Ken Lawson and Roman Danylo. If you Google them, you'll discover they are all actually highly decorated comedians who are prone to keep their clothes on no matter how suggestive the jokes might get. But just to be on the safe side, only those 19 and older may attend.
Culture Days are coming to the Two Rivers Gallery. Today through Sunday the city's municipal gallery will feature free, hands-on, interactive activities that invite the public to participate "behind-the-scenes," to discover the world of artists, creators, historians, architects, curators, designers and other creative people in their communities.
Barkerville is home to a steamy crime scene. Out Of Time: A Steampunk Murder Mystery is an interactive whodunit happening tonight through Sunday at the Cariboo historic gold rush town. It is a mystery party for visitors aged 19-plus featuring Barkerville's cast of lovable historical
characters like you've never seen them before - where you are the guest of (dis)honour!
The best part? Your Steampunk sleuthing skills could send you home with more than $1,700 in genuine Barkerville gold and other prizes. Visit the barkerville.ca/steampunk.htm website for more information.
Country star Rod Black is on the radio charts and this Sunday on the Prince George stage at the Westwood Pub. His 9 p.m. show will lay out outlaw country and southern rock at the neighbourhood music showroom on Cherry Avenue.
This is the last weekend to catch the exhibit of wood art created by the Prince George Wood Turners Guild. See their work on display in the Rustad Galleria of the Two Rivers Gallery until Sunday.
Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour comes to Prince George on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the PG Playhouse.
After its main event in Banff each year, the tour takes the best mountain / outdoor adventure films from the festival and stops in on 250 communities in 25 countries.
Featuring images and stories from remote landscapes and cultures, to up close and personal views of adrenaline-packed action sports, the tour is an exhilarating and provocative exploration of the mountain world. It happens
The local host of the tour is the Cranbrook Hill Greenway Society. Proceeds go to their Cranbrook Hill Greenway Endowment Fund. Tickets available from Stride and Glide Sports and Books and Company.
Nancy O's is home to the latest Amateur Stand-Up Comedy Showcase. Tuesday night, aspiring comics get to work their material for a live audience. You can be in either of those positions. Admission is $5 at the door; showtime is 8:30 p.m. Headliner will be Mike McGuire, MC is Virginia O'Dine, confirmed comics include Jon White, Mark Wheeler and Alex Mackenzie of Address This Mess. Contact Nancy O's of check out the event page on Facebook for more information.
Nancy O's has two nights coming up dedicated to amateur musicians who want to play a few numbers in front of a live audience. On Wednesday, host Raghu Lokanathan invites everyone with a song to sing to sign up for the 8 p.m. open mic. On Thursday, host Eric Tompkins calls the blues and jazz players in the city to come at 6:30 for an "everyone welcome" jam.
The Statistics present their new EP entitled Haunts at a variety show Oct. 3 at UNBC's Thirsty Moose Pub. Other acts on the bill include City Light Vigil (alt-rock from Chetwynd), Bryce Lokken (comedian from P.G.), and Adam Harasimiuk (musical comedy from P.G.) with The Statistics headlining. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. Gates open at 8 p.m. and showtime is 9 p.m.
An all-P.G. singer-songwriter twin bill hits the Nancy O's stage on Oct. 3. Opening act Britt Meierhofer brings her Goodnightmare solo project out first, followed by powerhouse folk-soul artist Willie Kuklis. Showtime is 9 p.m. and admission is $5.
On Oct. 4, local blues singer-songwriter Karl Standeven takes the stage at Shiraz Cafe for a solo night. Showtime is 7:30 p.m.
On Nov. 8 book your tickets for the 7th Annual Spinning Angels Pole Dance Competition at the PG Playhouse. Tickets are $25 each or five for $100. The evening includes vine pole arts, Spinning Angels founder Angel Stewart, two-time first runner up Jaime Garibay as featured soloist, a collection of solo, duo and group performances, and more. Call 250-562-6456 for more information.
One of CN Centre's most requested shows will be coming back for an encore performance. The Very Best of Celtic Thunder returns to the CN Centre on March 14 for a very special evening.
Drawing material from Celtic Thunder's nine Public Television Specials, 11 albums and DVDs, and eight North American tours, The Very Best Of Celtic Thunder aims to combine all Celtic Thunder classics, fan favorites and hit songs into a formidable stage show.
Tickets go on sale Sept. 26, at 10 a.m. at the CN Centre box office, Studio 2880, or online.
Canadian modern roots/folk duo Rube and Rake will be at Art Space on Oct. 10 as part of their coast to coast Canadian tour. The pair are Andrew Laite on guitar and vocals and Josh Sandu on banjo, guitar and vocals. Together they generate a truly national sound with Laite hailing from Newfoundland and Sandu weighing in from Prince George.
Tickets are on sale at Books and Company.
Local painter Cara Roberts has her solo exhibition Square Routes now on at the Studio 2880 gallery. Normally a realist painter, this show is a departure, with all images in the abstract realm. The paintings are for sale and the show continues into November.
The Prince George Public Library is raising money for its outdoor Knowledge Garden. A raffle is underway now until the Oct. 1 draw date. The 50-50 prize gives half to the winner and half to the Friends of the Library Association. To purchase tickets, visit either the Bob Harkins branch downtown or the Nechako branch in the Hart Shopping Centre.
The paintings of Erica Hawkes are on display now at Groop Gallery. The Prince George painter, now living in Kelowna, has broken into the ranks of professional artist. She has her first hometown exhibit, now on display at the downtown gallery.
A true music industry A-list talent is coming to CN Centre on Oct. 5. Country superstar Brad Paisley is hot with his newly released single The River Bank to go along with his mega-selling hit list like Alcohol, Me Neither, Whiskey Lullaby, I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song) and many more. He has won Grammy Awards, been inducted into the Grand Ol' Opry, has performed for President Obama, and his duet partners are a who's who of the music world.
He's known for cars and crushing guitars. Danny "The Count" Koker is the proprietor of celebrity hot rod shop Count's Kustoms which super-restores vintage vehicles. It's the set of the hit TV show Counting Cars.
As well as star cars, Koker is also the frontman for classic rock power group Count's 77 along with former Britney Fox frontman Tommy Paris, past Blue Man Group drummer Paul Disibio, Rock Of Ages bassist Barry Barnes, and the twin guitars of acclaimed blues session players John Zito and Stoney Curtis. Count's 77 plays a cabaret show at CN Centre on Oct. 18
Popular children's characters Toopy and Binoo will be live in P.G. on October 23 at the CN Centre. Tickets go on sale June 6 at CN Centre box office, Studio 2880 and Ticketmaster online.
Toopy and Binoo were born on the pages of books by Dominique Jolin, then became television stars starting in 2005. Now the live stage show is touring western Canada for the first time.
Sarah McLauchlan shines on. The ethereal singer-songwriter has been called a national treasure and a hero for women in music. She has a long list of hits, she has carved her persona into popular culture, and she is touring the world on the strength of her latest album Shine On. She performs at CN Centre on October 25.
