June 2013 - Arts Ottawa East / Arts Ottawa Est

OTTAWA CREATIVE SCENE
JAZZ FESTIVAL – AFTER DARK SERIES
Amped After Dark
The Jazz Festival is promising to be
something special this year, not only
because of the wonderful lineup on the main
stage, but because of the After Dark series.
Instead of heading home after catching acts
like David Byrne and St. Vincent you can
walk over to the OLG tent across the road
at Marion Dewar Plaza for something a little
different.
“People generally don’t want to go home
right after a concert,” says Evan Clark,
marketing and media coordinator. “Everyone
is buzzed from the great show they just
saw and the After Dark series allows those
smiles to not just stay fixed on people’s
faces but to stretch them even wider.”
You may remember a similar series from
years past but After Dark is taking the late
night scene to a new level. Artists who
aren’t labeled as traditional jazz but who are
influenced by the genre will be featured on
this stage.
“There is a conscious effort on behalf of
the festival to attract new audiences,” Clark
continues. “This series allows us to do that
by programming artists that fall outside of
the jazz milieu while still being consistent
with our brand and satisfying our audience.”
Clark’s passion for this series is infectious.
He’s particularly excited to see Tortured
Soul, who will be performing on Saturday,
June 22. He promises they are “going to
burn the place down.” Young Galaxy, a
Montreal-based band will be playing the
following night, right after the David Byrne
and St. Vincent slot.
“There’s really just so much at the Festival.
Our lineup is deep and every series is so
strong that picking any given concert will
inspire the hell out of you. All of the artists
we present are of such high quality and skill
that you can really just roll the dice and still
have an excellent time.”
For those who
can’t wait, the
Jazz Festival’s
website has been
completely redone
and deserves
a visit (www.
ottawaafterdark.
ca). Here you can
get a taste of the
talent to come and
connect directly
with the artists on
Twitter. The website
will stay live through
the year so that you can continue to follow
the artists you’ve discovered — at least until
next year.
If dancing is your thing, you’ll definitely find
the right atmosphere at the After Dark series
of the Jazz Festival. If you’re more of the
listening type, there will be seating available
as well; so bring a blanket and take it in.
“We’ve poured a lot of love into this series
and I’m really excited for everyone to reap
the benefits.”
Lindsay Mann
Photo: Adam Hughes
Photo: Brian Goldschmied
10
Art in the Park
The New Art Festival
is celebrating its 20th
anniversary this year.
Rain or shine, the juried
festival will be presenting
original art and fine crafts
in the Glebe’s Central Park
on June 15 & 16. It is a
wonderful event for the
whole family with handson
activities offered for children. Boasting a low carbon footprint, all of the
artwork, food and music presented are created by the artists and artisans
who are featured at the festival. It promises a wonderful opportunity to
meet an estimated 200 artists from Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes.
The artist lineup can be found on their website www.newartfestival.ca.
ARTSOE.CA
Shakespeare Under the Stars
The Company of Fools theatre troupe has been
bringing Shakespeare to Ottawa in innovative and
fun ways since the 1990s. They are known for
their imaginative presentations which combine the
physical theatre techniques of clown, mask and
puppetry with classical plays. While their shows
are suitable for all ages, children are encouraged to
accompany their parents. This July, you can catch
the Fools performing The Merry Wives of Windsor
in various Ottawa parks. This production is being
put on in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the
troupe’s Torchlight Shakespeare
series. This September,
celebrations continue with
Hal and Falstaff, which will be
presented indoors. Scan the QR
code to like their Facebook page.