CELEBRATING

SOCIAL 

LIFE 

SCI-TECH 

POP 

CULTURE 

THE 

ARTS 

FREE 

® 

JAN 12 - FEB 28, 2017 

EDITION 760 

CELEBRATING 27 YEARS

thisissue 

SOCIAL LIFE 3 

Features> 

• Laughing all the way: Yuk Yuk’s at 

Western Fair District 

• Turner Drug Store: a healthy legacy 

• Valentine’s Day 2017: let love rule 

• Digest 

Sci-Tech> 

• Digest 

The Listings 

POP CULTURE10 

Features > 

• New Cumberland Ready 

To Party At 765 

• Fun At FitzRays 

Scene&Heard 

London’s Indie Pop Beat 

The Listings > 

Concerts /Limited 

Engagements 

• House Bands / DJ’s / 

Karaoke 

LONDON PRO MUSICA CHOIR 

Schubert Mass No. 2 in G Major 

With Special Guests 

A Few Good Men 

THE ARTS19 

Features> 

• Shut the Front Door Improv: 

Growing the art form 

• The best things in life are free: 

London Community Players present 

A Raisin in the Sun 

• Canada 150: Sesquesensational 

New Year’s Eve! 

• London Pro Musica present A Few 

Good Men 

• Something for everyone during 

Black History Month 

Art Beat 

IndieArt 

The Listings > Visual Arts • Performing 

Arts • Literary • Museums 

 

 

Tickets available at www.londonpromusic.ca, and at the door. 

$20 in advance/$24 at the door, $10 student 

2 

PERSONAL LIFE7 

Advice Goddess by Amy Alkon 

THE CLASSIFIEDS9 

PHYSICAL REVIEWS20 

• Pop CDs 

• Classical CDs & DVD 

• Books 

• DVD Movies 

ESTABLISHED IN 1989 JANUARY 12 - FEBRUARY 28 • 2017

sociallife 

T 

LAUGHING 

ALL THE WAY: 

YUK YUK’S AT 

WESTERN FAIR 

DISTRICT 

here’s no better way to unwind 

with friends than by sharing a few 

laughs. 

If you’re looking to joke around after a 

long week, Yuk Yuk’s London at Western 

Fair District (900 King Street) is the perfect 

place. Any Friday or Saturday night, 

JAY BROWN IS ONE OF THE COMEDIANS TAKING THE STAGE AT YUK YUKʼS ON JANUARY 13-14 

FEATURES 

just come on over to the club, grab a 

drink, sit back and prepare for some hilarious 

comedy with a great selection of 

headliners. 

On January 13-14, expect more than 

a few hearty belly laughs when Andrew 

Albert hosts a night of mirth and merriment 

with comedians Jay Brown and 

Alex Wood. 

A regular on the Yuk Yuk’s international 

circuit, Brown has been a professional 

comic since 1988, whose standup 

routine of clever, amusing observations 

and anecdotes sometimes includes a 

display of his ability on electric guitar. 

Alex Wood, meanwhile, has been 

performing comedy for 10 years and is 

a regular on Sirius XM’s Canada Laughs 

channel. In 2009, he was featured at 

the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal, 

where one of his jokes made the Best of 

the Fest Montreal. 

The following weekend (January 20- 

21) will highlight the comedy of Pete 

Johansson and Terry Clement. The evening 

will be hosted by Hunter Collins. 

Tickets for Yuk Yuk’s shows can be purchased 

online until 6pm the night of the 

show or on-site at the Grandstand guest 

services desk until 9pm. They can also 

be purchased at the comedy club’s box 

office until one hour before the show. 

Seating at Yuk Yuk’s is on a first come, 

first serve basis, so it’s recommended 

that attendees arrive early and grab a 

bite to eat before the show. Groups of 

six or more require a reservation, and 

there are fundraising, bachelor/bachelorette 

and birthday party options 

available. 

To make the night out a little more 

special, consider Western Fair District’s 

Stacked Deal Friday. 

For $50 per person, this package includes 

a buffet dinner at Top of The Fair 

(6pm), horse racing at the Raceway 

(7:15pm), a Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Show 

(10:30pm), and slots, poker & blackjack 

(anytime, 24/7). 

Stacked Deal Fridays are available for a 

limited time so reserve a spot today. Call 

519-438-7203 x 252 or email topofthefair@westernfairdistrict.com 

Lastly, for comedy fans who yearn to 

be part of the action, Amateur Nights 

are returning to Yuk Yuk’s. The nights 

feature five-minute performances from 

aspiring comics. Amateur Nights take 

place on the last Wednesday of every 

month, from 9-10:30pm (doors open at 

8:30pm). 

The event is free for Fanshawe and 

Western students, provided student ID 

is presented at the door. For everybody 

else, admission is $5. 

If you, or somebody you know wants 

to perform at Amateur Nights, contact 

Leah Regan at yukyuks@westernfairdistrict.com 

or call 519-438-7203 ext. 224. 

Registration opens on Wednesday 

prior to the show, and no time slots will 

LONDON’S LARGEST INTERNATIONAL 

PSYCHIC EXPO 

READERS • BOOKS • CRYSTALS • LECTURES • DEMONSTRATIONS 

Centennial Hall (550 Wellington Street) 

ADMISSION $10 – GOOD ALL WEEKEND! 

JANUARY 12 - FEBRUARY 28 • 2017 CELEBRATING 27 YEARS 

3 

be reserved before then. Spots are not 

guaranteed, and selected comics will 

be contacted with their confirmed performance 

times on Saturday before the 

show date. 

Comics must check in 30 minutes before 

the start of the show to keep their 

stage time, and be prepared to do five 

minutes of original material. As is Yuk 

Yuk’s policy for these events, there are 

no auditions and no censorship. 

- Chris Morgan 

MPP 

Deb Matthews, 

London North Centre 

Working 

hard 

for a 

stronger 

Ontario 

242 Piccadilly Street 

519-432-7339 | debmatthews.ca 

FRI. JAN. 20 

12-9 PM 

SAT. JAN. 21 

11-9 PM 

SUN. JAN 22 

11-7 PM 

for FREE stuff! 

www.EspMyFuture.com

TURNER DRUG STORE: 

A HEALTHY LEGACY 

TURNER DRUG STORE (52 GRAND AVE) HAS BEEN A COMMUNITY PHARMACY FOR OVER 75 YEARS 

T 

urner Drug Store is an independent 

London-based pharmacy that specializes 

in complementary therapy options. 

The store – located at the corner of Grand 

Ave and Carfrae Cres in Old South - has been 

a community fixture for over 75 years. 

Ownership, management and staff at Turner 

believe in providing products to keep their 

customers healthy. They employ a knowledge-based 

approach which combines Western 

medicine and Eastern natural remedies. 

The approach underlies the Turner business 

philosophy that customer education is the 

key to treatment success. 

Turner offers a wide variety of herbal, vitamin, 

and natural remedies, as well as prescription 

medications, at competitive prices. 

Products made specifically targeted at men 

featuring 

Natural Factors 

and 

Webber Naturals 

GREAT SELECTION 

Store Hours: Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. 

Saturday 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

(519) 672-3340 

www.turnerdrugstore.com 

E-mail: turner@turnerdrugs.com 

52 Grand Avenue at Carfrae Crescent 

We’ll see you on 

Until then, 

enjoy reading 

your copy of 

(prostate detox), women, (prenatal formulas, 

menopausal treatments), and children 

(chewable vitamins, infant skin cream) are 

also available. 

Among the vitamin and mineral name 

brands stocked at the drug store are Jamieson, 

Naka, Natural Factors and Webber Naturals. 

The Bach Flower Essences line of homeopathic 

products – including holly, mimulus, 

pine, elm, gorse, impatiens, walnut, wild oat, 

crab apple and star of Bethlehem are inventory 

items at Turner, too. 

Body care is another aspect to an individual’s 

overall health. Conditioners, moisturizers, 

facial cleansers, natural deodorants and 

V 

March 1 

toothpaste are available at the store, as are 

various medicating and rejuvenating soaps 

to keep users clean and smelling fresh. 

Antibacterial shampoos and scientifically 

endorsed hair-care products can be 

purchased at Turner as well. 

Also, the store operates a website, and 

ships products worldwide. It’s a more recent 

addition to the business, which allows Turner 

to combine the customer care and community 

involvement of an independent pharmacy 

with the forward-thinking and innovation of 

an industry leader. 

An extensive and exhaustive supply of vitamins, 

minerals and other health-related 

alentine’s Day evokes strong feelings in many people, since it can be an 

emotionally-charged occasion. 

For those with significant others, February 14 can be a day to express 

love and devotion, typically by giving gifts of flowers and sweet treats, accompanied 

by a card bearing poetry. For those without a beloved, however, the 

absence of those things in our lives can become glaringly apparent. 

Emphasis on romance notwithstanding, Valentine’s Day is a celebration of all 

kinds of love. 

Affection for friends and family - even pets - is demonstrated in various ways. 

There is a popular misconception that the day is a so-called ‘Hallmark Holiday’, 

an occasion manufactured by a corporation for the sole purpose of selling cards 

and gifts. 

The truth is, no one knows the exact origins of Valentine’s Day, but it does have 

roots in the early Christian church, Rome, and paganism. 

The mid-February timing can be traced to the ancient Roman fertility festival 

called Lupercalia. The raucous fest was later Christianized by Pope Gelasius I as 

St. Valentine’s Day. 

Historians believe there was more than one St. Valentine canonized. 

One holy man who went by the name of Valentine was a defiant Roman priest 

who continued to marry young couples in secret after marriage was banned by 

Emperor Claudius II in an effort to toughen up his soldiers. 

When his actions were discovered, Father Valentine was sentenced to death. 

According to legend, the people he had wed would visit his cell to give him 

flowers. Further to this romantic notion, it is said that Valentine fell in love with 

his jailer’s daughter, and on the day he was executed - February 14 - he passed 

her a note signed “from your Valentine.” 

Valentine cards were first mass produced in the mid-1800s, and these days, 

sociallife 

products available on store shelves can be 

found online at the Turner website. The site is 

regularly updated with new products. 

Customers who are unable to find what 

they are seeking online can leave a message 

at the site, or call the Turner toll free line 

1-800-566-8482 for information. Before an 

order is filled, customers are contacted by a 

store employee to finalize the transaction. 

Stay healthy, London, and visit Turner Drug 

Store at 52 Grand Ave in Old South – over 75 

years of making people feel better, inside 

and out. 


VALENTINE’S DAY 2017: 

LET LOVE RULE 

THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF CHOCOLATE AND ROSES DELIVERED ON 

VALENTINEʼS DAY, FEBRUARY 14 

Valentine’s Day is the second biggest card-sending holiday of the year, second 

only to Christmas, according to research by the Bank of Montreal and Carlton 

Cards. 

Many people feel the pressure of having to choose that perfect gift for their 

sweetheart, deeming it impossible to put a price on love. 

A good rule of thumb is to make your Valentine’s gift personal. You know your 

partner best, so use that knowledge when picking something out or creating 

a DIY present. 

And don’t forget to let love rule. 


4 


sociallife 

Over 55 receives 

funding for 

program 

Early in January, Over 55 London - a local 

non-profit dedicated to improving quality of 

life for older adults - announced that it received 

funding to support the launch of an important 

initiative. The initiative - Home Extend for Seniors 

Program – is the only program of its kind 

that allows low-income seniors to have access to 

needed home renovations, repairs and retrofits 

in the categories of energy efficiency, accessibility, 

and safety. This allows older adults to remain 

in their homes longer, without the burden 

of loans or financing. Funding for the program 

came by way of the Sifton Family Foundation. 

“In early 2017, Over 55 will begin the process 

of identifying additional candidates who will 

qualify as recipients of support through the 

Home Extend for Seniors Program” Over 55 London 

director Betty Blasdell said. Home Extend 

for Seniors will be delivered by Over 55 London 

through its own fund-raising initiatives, public 

donations and corporate charity. 

Honour list 

nominees named 

London Mayor Matt Brown revealed his 

picks for the 2017 New Year’s Honour List 

earlier this month. The list recognizes individuals 

who have participated in the diversity 

of philanthropic efforts undertaken in the 

Forest City. Nominees for 2017 include Susan 

Grindrod (in the Housing category), Dale 

Yoshida (Arts), Therese Quigley (Sports), 

Andrew Rosser (Humanitarianism), Brenda 

Ryan (Persons with a Disability), Mojdeh 

Cox (Diversity and Race Relations), Danielle 

Mooder (Safety and Crime Prevention), Joseph 

Cummins (Environment) and Sandra 

DIGEST 

Miller (Heritage). “Today we celebrate some 

remarkable London leaders,” Brown said. “On 

behalf of all of council, congratulations to 

each of you and thank you; your significant 

contributions are all examples of us working 

together to build a better city for all.” 

Groundhog Day, 

2017 

Many Canadians observe Groundhog Day 

in early February. The tradition is gaining 

more traction across the country, thanks 

in no small part to the festival in Wiarton, 

Ontario, where town groundhog - Wiarton 

Willie - delivers his climatic prognostication 

early in the morning on February 2 every 

year. According to folklore, if the groundhog 

sees its shadow on that morning it 

will return to its burrow, indicating that 

there will be six more weeks of winter. If it 

does not see its shadow, then spring is on 

the way. Millennia ago when animalism 

and nature worship was common, ancient 

Europeans believed badgers had the power 

to predict the coming of spring, while farmers 

watched the animal to know when to 

plant their crops. The tradition made its 

way to North America, where it became the 

groundhog, not the badger, which made 

these forecasts. 

The road to 

Superbowl 51 

NFL lovers are gearing up for divisional 

playoffs, and fans are making predictions 

and weighing the odds associated with each 

team’s chances of winning the Super Bowl 

on February 5. Wild Card Weekend wrapped 

on January 8, when the Green Bay Packers 

eliminated Eli Manning and topped the New 

York Giants 38-13. The Pittsburgh Steel- 

ers, Seattle Seahawks and Houston Texans also 

advanced to the next round after they won their 

respective match-ups. According to the odds-makers, 

the New England Patriots have the overall best 

chance of raising the Lombardi trophy this season, 

but the Dallas Cowboys look solid as well. NFL divisional 

playoffs kick off January 14 when the Seattle 

Seahawks face the Atlanta Falcons. 

Start those 

engines 

NASCAR racing gets underway on February 18 

with the running of The Clash, a non-points event 

at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona, 

Florida. The first points event - the Daytona 500 - is 

scheduled for February 26. This year is the 69th anniversary 

of professional stock car racing in the US, 

NASCARʼS DAYTONA 500 TAKES PLACE ON FEBRUARY 26 

and the 46th modern-era Cup Series season. Competition 

begins with the Daytona races and ends 

with the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami 

Speedway in November. Jimmie Johnson enters 

the racing season as defending champion, having 

won an impressive 7th Cup Championship, a record 

shared by Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. 


YukYuks.com 

Live, Uncut Comedy. 

Every Weekend. 

Friday & Saturday @ 8pm & 10:30pm 

@yukyukslondon 


5

ACFO DE LONDON-SARNIA (495 Richmond St., Suite 200) 

- English Conversation Group. Once a month Saturday. 

Open to those interested in learning & improving their 

English-speaking skills (all levels). Volunteers needed for 

the community connections program. 519-850-2236 x 

223. 

BATL LONDON (38 Adelaide St. N) - JA’s Business Warriors 

Battle, Jan. 25, 1 – 9:30 pm. JA London & District invites 

local companies & individuals to gather their teams of 6, 

sharpen their skills & challenge their favourite business 

rivals to a battle-royale, axe-throwing showdown. $50. 

Email: mderbyshire@jalondon.org. 

BEACOCK LIBRARY (1280 Huron St) on Tues & The Family 

Centre (335 Belfield Dr.) on Thurs - Shared Beginnings 

Program, 9:30-11:00 am. A family literacy based play 

group for adults & their infant, toddler, preschool & 

kindergarten aged children (0-6 years) - crafts, stories, 

songs, rhymes & fun in a safe & caring setting. 519-452- 

1466. 

BEACOCK LIBRARY (1280 Huron St.) - Coffee & Games Fun 

Group meets every Fri, 10 am- noon for Euchre, Cribbage, 

Scrabble, Chess & lots of other card/board games available. 

We also offer bi-weekly Craft projects, Tatting lessons, 

& Line Dancing from 11am- noon. Casual, friendly 

& inclusive atmosphere; Open to All Ages. All activities, 

lessons & materials are free. 519-451-1840. 

BEST WESTERN PLUS LAMPLIGHTER INN & CONFERENCE 

CENTRE (591 Wellington Rd S) - WATER 2017, Feb. 9, 6 

– 11 pm. Join us for a special evening for Hospice, featuring 

one of the most transformational & awe-inspiring 

elements: water. Enjoy delicious food & drink while mingling 

& enjoying entertainment & a lively auction. $125 

(Includes 3-course dinner, wine & entertainment); table 

of 8 for $1,000. Email: cassandra.benard@sjhospicelondon.com. 

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF LONDON & AREA (543 

Ridout St.) - Start something BIG by donating your time 

at Big Brothers Big Sisters of London & Area Big Brothers 

Big Sisters of London & Area enriches lives by providing 

quality mentoring relationships to young people in need, 

helping to create strong & productive community members. 

519-438-7065 x 6223. 

CENTENNIAL HALL (550 Wellington St.) - Psychic Expo, 

Jan 20 noon - 9pm, Jan 21 11am - 9pm, Jan 22 11am - 

7pm. Readers, Books, Crystals, Lectures and demonstrations. 

$10 admission good all weekend 

CENTENNIAL HALL (550 Wellington St.) - Brian Salt, Environmentalist 

“A Day in the Life of Salthaven Wildlife”, 

Jan. 12, 2 pm. Caring for wildlife. $20. 519-471-5038. 

CENTENNIAL HALL (550 Wellington St.) – Tariq Ramadan 

– Creating thriving Societies in troubling times, Jan. 

20, 7 – 9:30 pm. Join us, as Prof. Ramadan delivers a 

political talk which centers on the upheavals facing the 

Middle East & the West: e.g. the shifting alliances, the 

East-West perceptions, the international terrorism, the 

ongoing conflicts, the massive refugee movements, etc. 

Non-students: $16 advance / $20 at the door; Students: 

$12 advance / $15 at the door. Email: info@cjpme.org. 

CENTRAL LIBRARY (3/F Arts Dept.) - Forest City Backgammon 

Club weekly meeting, every Thurs, 5 – 9 pm. New 

or experienced players, young or old, all are welcome. 

519-719-4615. 

CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION (2060 Dundas St.) - Ham & 

Scalloped Potato Dinner, Feb. 18, 4:30 – 6:30 pm. Adults 

$15; Children under 12 $6.519-451-7780. 

6 

EMAIL YOUR LISTINGS TO SCENE 

Email: news@scenemagazine.com. Please Include: Venue Name, Address, Event Title, 

Date, Time, Brief Description, Admission Fee and Phone Number. Deadline for March 

1, 2017 issue~February 24, 2017~Alma Bernardo Downe 

THELISTINGS 

COVENT GARDEN MARKET (130 King St.) - 4-H London 

Club, Feb.2 – Mar. 24, 6:45 – 8:30 pm. Youth follow the 

motto “Learn by doing”. Learn & work with science & 

technology eg. build bridges, learn how your stomach 

works, make silly putty, make volcanoes, & more. $125 

membership for 1 year. Contact Bonnie 519-777-9982 

for more info. 

COVENT GARDEN MARKET (130 King St.) - A Charity Event 

10, Feb. 22, 6:30 – 9:30 pm. Guest speaker: Founder & 

Director of Salthaven, Brian Salt. A delicious hot & cold 

buffet: Catered by Waldo’s on King. Contemporary Dance: 

Jamie, Brooke & Olivia. Choreographed by: Jamie Ranney. 

Silent Auction. $75. Email: info@jevespetcare.com 

to reserve seats, donate prizes to Silent Auction or for any 

further questions. 

DUCHESS OF KENT LEGION (499 Hill St.) – Mixed Dart 

League, every Mon, 7 pm. 519-204-3775. 

DUTCH CANADIAN CLUB (Gore & Clark Rds.) - London 

Philatelic Society meets 2nd & 4th Tues, 7 pm. 519-472- 

5786 

EAST VILLAGE ARTS COLLECTIVE (757 Dundas St.) - Black 

Flag Anarchist Free School, Every Wed, 5-9 pm. Free 

classes on a variety of topics. // Safe Space London, Every 

Mon & Tues, 6-11 pm. Drop- in centre for women in 

crisis. 

FANSHAWE COLLEGE (1001 Fanshawe College Blvd.) 

– 5th Annual Forest City Invitational Dodgeball Tournament, 

Jan. 28, 10 am – 9 pm. Come Play Dodgeball vs 

some of the Best Canada has to offer. This is the largest 

single-day tournament in Canada! 2 Divisions: Rec. & 

Comp. Team Entry Fee: $300; $100 deposit to keep your 

spot. Contact Dick Price at Pricedick@hotmail.com. Registration 

Deadline: Jan 18. 

FIRST-ST. ANDREW’S UNITED CHURCH (350 Queens Ave.) 

- Mining the Mystery, Jan. 22 – Apr. 23, 7 – 8:30 pm. Jan. 

22 - Mining the Mystery: Responding to climate change 

for future generations. Dr. Gordon McBean. Free will offering. 

Preceded at 5:30 pm by spaghetti dinner ($10) // 

Feb. 12 - Mining the Mystery: Faith & science; interfaith 

panel with members from the three Abrahamic faiths – 

Christian, Islamic & Jewish. 519-679-8182. 

GERMAN CANADIAN CLUB (1 Cove Rd.) - Accordion Club 

of London Get Together, every 4th Thurs (except Jul & 

Dec), 7 pm. Bring you accordion & play a few tunes or 

just sit back & enjoy the music. $5. 519-439-9314. 

GERMAN CANADIAN CLUB (1 Cove Rd.) - Coffee, Cake & 

Cha Cha Cha, Jan. 15, 2 – 5 pm. Join us for an afternoon 

of dancing, live music, homemade cake & delicious coffee. 

$5. 519-433-2901. 

GROSVENOR LODGE (1017 Western Rd) - The Society for 

Learning in Retirement (SLR) Winter Open House & Registration, 

Jan 12, 10 am – noon. 519-438-3525. 

GOODWILL INDUSTRIES - 3RD FLOOR (255 Horton St. E) - 

Trivia Night in support of Jesse’s Journey, Feb. 20, 7 – 10 

pm. Come test your mad trivia skills at Jesse’s Journey’s 

2nd annual Trivia Night! Purchase a table of 8, sign up 

solo to be placed on a team, or purchase a premium 

Champion Table. Cash bar, tasty refreshments, silent 

auction, & raffle prizes. Proceeds go to support Jesse’s 

Journey, funding the most promising Duchenne Muscular 

Dystrophy research. 519-645-8855. 

HARMONY MANOR (55 McKay Ave.) - Men of Accord - 

London Chapter of Barbershop Harmony Society, every 

Monday evening, 7:30 – 10 pm. Call 519-667-1418. 

IMPACT CHURCH OF LONDON (220 Adelaide St.) – Healing 

Rooms, every Thurs, 7:30 – 9 pm. Come & be prayed 

for by a group of caring, specifically trained individuals. 

519-438-7036. 

INNOVATION WORKS (201 King St.) - PechaKucha Night 

#ldnont vol. 1, Jan. 25, 6:20 – 8:20 pm. A night of powerful, 

concise talks. PechaKucha Night features simple presentations 

of 20 images that display for 20 seconds each. 

Join us & be inspired. Email: janic@rippleeffect.ws. 

KING’S UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, STUDENT LIFE CENTRE (266 

Epworth Ave) – Registration Now Open! Do you see me? 

The People’s Forum on Mental Health & Mental Illness, 

Feb. 4, 9:30 am – 5 pm. Complimentary Lunch & two 

breaks provided. You must register by January 31 to attend. 

Email: necommunityconversations@gmail.com. 

LONDON BLOOD DONOR CLINIC (820 Wharncliffe Rd. S) - 

Canadian Blood Services, Whole Blood Clinic Hours: Mon, 

Tue & Thurs 3 –7 pm, Wed noon – 8 pm, Fri & Sat 9 am 

– 1 pm; Plasma Clinic Hours: Tues & Wed 12:30 - 7:30 pm, 

Thurs & Fri 7 am – 1pm, Sat 9 am – noon. Platelet Clinic 

Hours: 519-690-3929. 

LONDON CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (85 Charles St) - Game 

On: Sports & active games for children with neurological 

conditions, Sat. mornings, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm. Game 

on provides children with neurological conditions & opportunity 

to learn physical literacy skills in a safe, fun, & 

inclusive environment. $60. 519-433-4073 x 204. 

LONDON CITY HALL (300 Dufferin Ave.) - Toastmasters 

Meeting, every Thurs, noon–1 pm. Come visit us & see 

how we hone our communication & leadership skills to 

utilize them in our work, home & social life. $40 initiation, 

plus $72 yearly. 519-661-2500 x 4879. 

LONDON ECKANKAR CENTRE (520 First St. Unit 21) - How 

Can You Build Better Relationships? Feb. 10, 7 – 8:30 pm. 

Join us for a free workshop on how to break relationship 

patterns & create better relationships. Sponsored 

by Eckankar London & the London Spiritual Experiences 

Group. 519-659-5863. 

LONDON JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTRE (536 Huron St.) 

- LCHDS Comedy Night, Jan. 28, 7:30 pm. We will be featuring 

some of Yuk Yuks best on tour performers providing 

a night of non-stop laughs. There will be door prizes, 

desserts, 50/50 draw, a cash bar & a chance to win at a 

silent auction to top off the night. $36/adult; $318 for 

table of 10. For Advance ticket: 519-439-8419 or email: 

office@lchds.ca. 

NORTH LONDON OPTIMIST COMMUNITY CENTRE (1345 

Cheapside St.) - Adults Only (18+) Public Roller Skating, 

every Sat, 7:30 – 10 pm. Roller-skating to music for 

everyone 18 & over. $10 admission, + $3 skate rentals. 

226-777-0285. 

OAKLAND AVE LEGION #317 (311 Oakland Ave.) - 7th Annual 

MS Trivia Night, Doors open @ 5:30 pm, Dinner @ 6 

pm, Game starts @ 7 pm. Dinner, Prizes, Silent Auction 

& Cash Bar. $40/player; Team of 8 $250; Team of 6 $210. 

All proceeds support the MS Society of Canada, London/ 

Middlesex Chapter. 519-455-2331. 

ONLINE TRAINING PROGRAM - Run to Quit Virtual Training 

Program, to Mar 13, 7 pm. Run to Quit is an innovative 

quit smoking program that pairs the quit smoking 

expertise of the Canadian Cancer Society with Running 

Room Canada’s Learn to Walk or Run 5 km clinics. $49.99. 

Email: runtoquit@cancer.ca 

PATHWAYS SKILL DEVELOPMENT (205 Horton St. E) – The 

Anatomy of a healthcare marketing campaign: SickKids 

“VS”, Jan. 26, 5:30 pm. IABC London is proud to join London 

& Region Fundraising Professionals in welcoming 

the team behind SickKids “VS.” campaign to London to 

talk about the anatomy of this ground-breaking campaign. 

$35 for Non-Members, $20 for Members, $15 for 

Students. Email: iabclondoncommunity@gmail.ca. 

ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION, Victory Branch (311 Oakland 

Ave.) - Euchre, every Tues, 1 pm; Cribbage, every Thurs; 

Bridge, every Wed & Thurs. An afternoon for seniors 55 & 

older. $3. 519-649-2910. 

ST. AIDAN’S CHURCH (1246 Oxford St.) - Weekly Worship 

Services, Wed, 10:30 am; Sun, 8 am & 10:30 am. 519- 

471-1430. 

ST. MICHAELS & ALL ANGELS ANGLICAN CHURCH (387 

Springbank Dr.) - Middlesex Stamp Club, every Fri, 8 pm. 

Social get together for stamp collectors. $10. 519-204- 

3775. 

ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL (472 Richmond St.) – Al-anon, every 

Sunday, 8 pm. Al-anon is an anonymous Twelve Step, 

Twelve Tradition program. Friends & families of problem 

drinkers find understanding & support at Al-Anon meetings. 

519-434-3225. 

ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL (472 Richmond St.) - Al-ateen, 

every Sunday, 8 pm. It’s very difficult when a parent, 

step-parent, grandparent, friend, sibling, or anyone 

else in one’s life has a drinking problem. It affects how 

young people are treated & it shapes their world. Alateen 

meetings are where teens can find support & 

understanding from people their own age who are going 

through similar difficulties. 519-434-3225. 

ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL (472 Richmond St.) - Narcotics 

Anonymous, every Sunday, 8 pm. Narcotics Anonymous 

is an anonymous Twelve Step, Twelve Tradition program. 

519-434-3225. 

ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL (472 Richmond St.) - Recovery 

Through the 11th Step, every Mon, 7:30 pm. This is an 

anonymous Twelve Step, Twelve Tradition program. 519- 

434-3225. 

ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL (472 Richmond St.) - Reflection & 

Prayer, every Wed, 10 am. Join us for an hour of clergyfacilitated 

reflection, prayer, & sharing. Presented by St. 

Paul’s Social Services. Facilitated by clergy who regularly 

volunteer with St. Paul’s Social Services. 519-434-3225. 

ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL (472 Richmond St.) - Alcoholics 

Anonymous, every Thurs, 5 pm. Alcoholics Anonymous 

is an international fellowship of men & women who 

have had a drinking problem. It is non-professional, selfsupporting, 

multiracial, apolitical, & available almost 

everywhere. There are no age or education requirements. 

Membership is open to anyone who wants to do 

something about his or her drinking problem. 519-434- 

3225. 

ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL (472 Richmond St.) - Adult Children 

of Alcoholics, every Thurs, 7 pm. Adult Children of 

Alcoholics is an anonymous Twelve Step, Twelve Tradition 

program of women & men who grew up in an alcoholic 

or otherwise dysfunctional homes. 519-434-3225. 

ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL (472 Richmond St.) - Knitting for 

Peace, every Sat, 10 am – noon. Knitters of all abilities 

are welcome, so even if you have never knit before, come 

on out & learn! Donations of yarn are always appreciated. 

519-951-8385. 

THE AIR FORCE CLUB (2155 Crumlin Road) $8 Four course 

lunch every Friday from 11am - 1:00m, Public welcome 

& lots of free parking. Euchre Club meets on Wednesday, 

January 11th at 1:15 pm every Wednesday. New players 

welcome. Need a hall for any occasion? We have one at 

reasonable rates. Call 519-455-0430 for information. 

THE LONDON CONVENTION CENTRE (300 York St.) - 31st 

London Winter Bridal Show, Jan. 21- 22, noon – 5 pm. 

The Show features London & area’s leading wedding professionals 

showcasing the latest trends & “must haves” in 

wedding fashions, products, services & so much more. 

Incredible prizes, exhibitor giveaways, & daily fashions 

sociallife 

shows make this one event you do not want to miss! $12. 

519-455-5888. 

WESTERN FAIR DISTRICT – METROLAND MEDIA AGRIPLEX 

(845 Florence St.) - London Wine & Food Show, Jan. 19, 5 

– 10:30 pm, Jan. 20, 3 – 10:30 pm, Jan. 21, noon – 10:30 

pm. The show brings Londoners an enticing mix of local 

restaurants, wineries, craft beers, & spirits & pairs them 

with tasting seminars, stage presentations & entertainment. 

Admis. fee: Thursday $12*Advanced/ $15 at the 

door, Couples Package (2 Admissions + 30 Sample Coupons) 

$50.00 Advanced Only. Friday or Saturday $15*Advanced/ 

$20 at the door, Couples Package (2 Admissions 

+ 30 Sample Coupons) $55.00 Advanced Only. *Plus, 

applicable taxes & service fees. 519-438-7203 x 347. 

WESTERN’S FACULTY OF EDUCATION ROOM 1139 (1137 

Western Rd.) - Let’s Talk About Education Community 

Speaker Series, Jan. 12, 7 – 8:30 pm. Dr. Shannon Stewart 

& JoAnn Iantosca present “At risk children: how early 

intervention can lead to future success. Email; tbeynen@ 

uwo.ca. 

WESTERN UNIVERSITY, LAWSON HALL BLDG., ROOM 

2205 (1151 Richmond St) – La Tertulia, every Wed, 

4:30 – 9:30 pm. Drop-in Spanish conversation group 

addressed to everybody in the community. E-mail: tertulia@uwo.ca 

WESTERN UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, ROOM 117 

(1151 Richmond St) - Italian Conversation Club, every 

Wed., 2:30 – 4:30 pm. For those who want to practice 

their Italian. All levels are welcomed! Free. 

WINDERMERE MANOR (200 Collip Circle) - #LeapFear 

Project - Positive Risk Taking, Jan. 17, 5:45 pm. Anita 

Watkins, Anita Watkins Photography, & part-time high 

school teacher. Anita will tell us her story of how she got 

involved in the Leap Fear Project & photography. $40. 

519-902-1303. 

WINK’S EATERY (551 Richmond St.) - Paint Nite Fundraiser, 

Jan. 26, 7 – 9 pm. The Social Work Student Association 

at King’s University College is hosting a fundraiser Paint 

Nite. $15 dollars of each ticket will be donated to the 

Social Action Committee, which will then help the committee 

continue donating & supporting communities & 

organizations within London. $45. 519-998-0966. 

WOLF PERFORMANCE HALL, LONDON PUBLIC LIBRARY 

(251 Dundas St.) – Nature in the City speaker series, 

every Tue, 7 pm. Jan. 17 - Winter bird watching; Jan. 24 - 

Invasive species; Jan. 31 - Learning from London’s natural 

past; Feb. 7 - Bird vocalizations; Feb. 14 - Wetlands; & 

Feb. 21- Meadowlily. Email: naturelondon.com. 

WOLF PERFORMANCE HALL, LONDON PUBLIC LIBRARY 

(251 Dundas St.) - CBC Radio - Because News live taping, 

Feb. 2, 7 – 9 pm. Because News is Canada’s funniest news 

quiz, hosted by Gavin Crawford. Because News is taped in 

front of a studio audience every week. Join us at the free 

taping & test your knowledge of the week’s news, stump 

Gavin with a question of your own, & meet the cast. Arrival 

Time: 6:30 pm; Show Starts: 7 pm. Email Address: 

becausenewstickets@cbc.ca. 

YUK YUK’S (900 King St.) - Yuk Yuk’s Dinner & Comedy 

Show Featuring Jay Brown & Alex Wood, Jan. 13 & 14, 8 

pm & 10:30 pm. $23.50. 519-438-7203 x 636. 

YUK YUK’S (900 King St.) - Crohn’s & Colitis Comedy Night, 

Jan. 21, 7 pm – midnight. $25 in support of Crohn’s & 

Colitis Canada. Come early to mingle, get your seats, & 

get your Mystery Bag. Email: crohnsandcolitis.ca. 

OTHER IMPORTANT DATES 

GROUNDHOG DAY - Feb 2 

VALENTINE’S DAY - Feb 14 

FAMILY DAY - Feb 20 


personallife 

PUBLISHER & 

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 

Bret Downe 

bret@scenemagazine.com 

ph: 519 642 4780 

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Alma Bernardo Downe 

alma@scenemagazine.com 

CREATIVE DIRECTOR 

Diane White 

diane@scenemagazine.com 

EDITORIAL & LISTINGS 

ASSIGNMENT EDITORS 

John Sharpe 

Chris Morgan 

ph: 519 642 4780 

fax: 519 642 0737 

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SCENE editorial includes opinions, 

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strives to provide our readers with a 

variety of points of view, to entertain, 

from right across our community. 

Please note that these points of view 

may or may not represent the points of 

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SCENE Communications, Limited. 

Copyright©2017. All rights reserved. 

Wood I Lie To 

You? 

My girlfriend found a certain little 

blue pill in my jeans pocket, and her 

feelings were hurt. I explained that I’m 

as into her as ever; I just need a little 

extra help because I’m getting older. 

However, she’s taking this personally. 

How do I reassure her? 

--Rhymes With Niagara 

Back in seventh grade, erections were 

easy to get -- especially when you were 

standing in front of the class giving your 

oral report on Henrietta Edwards. 

A penis is generally at its peppiest when 

a man’s in his teens and 20s (before genes 

and/or years of bad living narrow the arteries 

from superhighways to single-file 

footpaths). That’s because erections are 

blood flow-powered -- ultimately, anyway. 

They start in the brain in response to 

a thought or something from the environment 

-- like being touched or seeing the 

hot neighbor bending over in yoga pants. 

Nitric oxide gets released and starts a 

chemical reaction that relaxes smooth 

muscle in the penis, allowing blood vessels 

to dilate: “Open up! Party time!” 

Then, sex researcher Dr. Robert Kolodny 

explains, “an increased amount of blood 

flows into the penis, where it is trapped 

in three spongy cylinders that run the 

length of the organ. The resulting fluid 

pressure is what causes the penis to increase 

in size … and to become rigid.” 

There’s an elastic fibrous membrane 

-- the tunica albuginea -- that keeps the 

blood in the penis. And this thing being 

leaky -- kind of like a submarine hatch 

with a bad seal -- is just one of the things 

(along with narrowed arteries, anxiety, 

endocrine problems, smoking, and diabetes, 

among others) that can cause a penis 

to stay floppy or get wilty. 

Using a pharmaceutical erection helper 

is basically like calling in a plumber when 

the shower pressure isn’t what it used to 

be. It doesn’t make a man the least bit 

more attracted to a woman or more into 

sex than he’d otherwise be. It just relaxes 

the smooth muscle and increases blood 

flow, making the, um, cadet more likely to 

report for duty. 

Explain all of this to your girlfriend. Then 

tell her how beautiful and sexy you find 

her, and tell her again. And keep telling 

her -- with regularity. Men don’t quite 

? 

GOT 

ADVICEGODDESS 

understand how much this means to a 

woman. When a woman believes her man 

finds her attractive, it helps her feel loved 

and secure. That reassurance -- combined 

with being clued in on the mechanics of 

the manpart -- should help your girlfriend 

understand that there’s no reason to take 

your pill popping personally. The pipes 

just need a little help; it isn’t the penis version 

of “Groundhog Day” -- with the little 

feller peeking out, deciding the landscape 

is hopeless, and going back into hiding. 

Flaccid Trip -- 

STARTS HERE -- 

In “senior dating,” how, and how 

soon, do you suggest I disclose my ED? 

I’m 77, and this woman I’m seeing is 

60ish. 

--Man Of Yore 

When I was 13, I could read a book from 

across the room. These days, it’s sometimes 

hard to make out the words on 

those ginormous highway signs unless I 

let my Leader Dog take the wheel. 

Lucky for me, nobody snickers that I’m 

less of a woman because I have less-thanperfect 

eyesight. And it’s pretty stupid 

that we attach that baggage to the aging 

penis. We don’t expect a 1939 Studebaker 

to drive like a 2016 BMW. (And 

hey…where’s the backup camera on this 

thing?!) 

To say you aren’t alone is something of 

an understatement. In reviewing survey 

data from men 75 or older, UCLA urology 

professor Christopher Saigal found 

that 77.5 percent reported experiencing 

some degree of erectile dysfunction -- the 

inability to “get and keep an erection adequate 

for satisfactory intercourse.” And 

47.5 percent have a complete inability to 

achieve liftoff. (P.S. This isn’t exactly a secret 

to women who date 70-something 

men.) 

Unfortunately, the reality for aging penises 

goes poorly with the ridiculous belief 

many people have that intercourse is 

the only “real” sex. However, sex therapist 

Dr. Marty Klein observes that ultimately, 

“what most people say they want from 

sex is some combination of pleasure and 

closeness.” You can give that to a woman 

-- even if, at 77, everything on you is stiff 

but the one part you’d like to be. 

That’s what you need to convey. But 

don’t sit there in the bright lights of the 

diner and be all, “Let’s talk about my 

penis…” Wait till there’s a makeout moment, 

and after you kiss a bit, pause the 

action. In telling her, consider that you 

set the tone for whether your situation is 

some shameful thing or “just one of those 

things.” Humor tends to express the latter 

pretty well -- like “I have a pet name for 

my penis. It’s Rip Van Winkle, because he’s 

A PROBLEM? WRITE AMY ALKON, 171 PIER AVE, #280, SANTA MONICA, CA 

90405, OR E-MAIL ADVICEAMY@AOL.COM (WWW.ADVICEGODDESS.COM) WEEKLY RADIO 

SHOW: BLOGTALKRADIO.COM/AMYALKON 

been out cold since the Bush administration.” 

Meme Streets 

My girlfriend of six years is breaking 

up with me. My question is: How do I 

let our friends and my family know? I’m 

thinking a mass email telling my side of 

the story. Then I wouldn’t have to have 

the same conversation over and over 

with different people. 

--Glum 

Sending a mass email is a great way to 

get some piece of information out to everybody 

-- from your best friend to 1.4 

million people on Twitter to three random 

drunk dudes who really shouldn’t be 

on their phones at their boss’s funeral in 

Estonia. 

The ability we have online to dispense a 

little information to a whole lot of people, 

immediately, effortlessly, is about the 

coolest thing ever -- and the Frankenstein 

monster of our time. As I write in “Good 

Manners for Nice People Who Sometimes 

Say the F-word,” because all the groovy 

new digital tools are so fun and easy to 

use, we often “fall back on what’s technically 

possible” as our behavioral standard. 

Our chimp-like impulse to just click already 

derails picky-wicky concerns we 

might otherwise have, such as “Hmm, 

wonder whether sending that might get 

me, oh, you know, fired, ostracized, and 

sleeping in a refrigerator box on the corner.” 

Consider that anything you email can 

be rapidly shared -- and shared and 

shared and shared. For example, novelist 

and professor Robert Olen Butler emailed 

five of his grad students the sad (and rather 

creepy) details of the demise of his marriage, 

asking them to “clarify the issues” 

for other students who wanted to know. 

The email quickly made the rounds in the 

literary world and ended up in The New 

York Times and on Gawker, where they 

“clarified” that his wife had left him to become 

one of four women in “Ted Turner’s 

collection.” 

But even a less tawdry, less tycoon-filled 

breakup email may go more viral than 

one might like. Anthropologist Jerome 

Barkow, who studies gossip, explains that 

we evolved to be keenly interested in information 

that could have some bearing 

on our ability to survive, mate, and navigate 

socially. As Barkow puts it (and as 

is borne out by others’ research), gossip 

about how soundly somebody’s sleeping 

is unlikely to be as spreadworthy as 

whom they’re sleeping with. 

However, our propensity to spread gossip 

may be both the problem with emailing 

your news and the solution to getting 

it out there. Consider going old-school: 

Ask a few, um, chatty friends to put the 

word out to your circle, answer any questions 

people have, and let your wishes 

be known (like if you aren’t ready to talk 

about it). All in all, you’ll get the job done, 

but in a much more controlled, contained 


7 

way -- one that reflects this bit of prudence 

from political writer Olivia Nuzzi: 

“Dance like no one is watching; email like 

it may one day be read aloud in a deposition.” 

Thinking From 

The Right Side Of 

The Crotch 

I’ve been seeing this woman for two 

months. I really like her. She’s made 

some mistakes -- two bad marriages, 

some promiscuity, running from debts 

-- but she’s determined to change. My 

friends think she’s bad news. But our 

relationship -- though mostly sexual 

so far -- has been terrific. Shouldn’t my 

intuition count more than my friends’ 

opinions? 

--Fretting 

When you’re deciding how to invest 

your life savings, you probably don’t say, 

“I’ll just take a moment to ask my penis.” 

Well, your intuition is about as reliable 

a judge of your girlfriend’s character. Intuitions 

(aka “gut feelings”) are conclusions 

we leap to -- automatically, without 

the intervention of rational thought. Our 

mind flashes on this and that from our 

past experience, and up pops a feeling. 

The problem is, we’re prone to overconfidence 

that our intuitions are correct 

-- mistaking strong feelings for informed 

feelings. 

Psychologists Daniel Kahneman and 

Gary Klein find that certain people’s intuitions 

are somewhat more likely to 

be trustworthy -- those who repeatedly 

encounter the same situation, like a surgeon 

who only does appendectomies. 

Her hunches about a patient’s appendix 

are more informed because they come 

out of repeated experience and because 

she presumably gets corrective feedback 

when she guesses wrong (though, ideally, 

not from a monitor making that awful 

flatlining sound). 

But Kahneman tells the McKinsey Quarterly, 

“My general view … would be that 

you should not take your intuitions at 

face value.” In fact, you need to go out of 

your way to look for evidence that your 

intuitions are wrong. In this case, it will 

take time and challenges to her character 

-- and your actually wanting to see 

whether she acts ethically or does what’s 

easiest. In other words, your hunches can 

tell you things -- things that need a lot of 

post-hunch verification through applying 

higher reasoning (which, again, doesn’t 

simply mean calling upon any organ 

that’s higher than your knees). 

©2017, Amy Alkon, all rights reserved. 

Order Amy Alkon’s new book, “Good 

Manners For Nice People Who Sometimes 

Say The F-Word” (St. Martin’s Press, 

June 3, 2014).

8 

SCI-TECH DIGEST 

Cold temps = hot deals at 

Forest City Surplus 

Wintertime is the right time to visit Forest City Surplus (1712 Dundas 

St. East). The store’s seasonal inventory is full-up with products to aid 

recreational and professional activities in the ice and snow of northern 

latitudes. For example, the North 49 Arctic Trail One-Piece Snowmobile 

Suit is a must-have for anybody riding the snowy trails. Warm hollow 

polyester insulation and lining, along with a fleece-lined collar keep 

wearers cozy, while four outer pockets and a zippered sleeve pocket 

allow for plenty of storage for outdoor essentials. Perfect for anyone 

working outside in the winter, this surplus stock of new suits from a 

large Canadian retailer would normally sell for $400-$500 apiece. FCS 

shoppers can get these ones for $109.95 each, while supplies last. 

A product almost anyone living in this country can appreciate is the 

Donut-Shaped Coffee Mug Warmer. This is the perfect accessory for 

those of us who are constantly reheating our coffees in the microwave. 

Simply connect the device to a laptop via USB, place your ceramic mug 

on top, and enjoy a perpetually warm cup of joe. This is a brand new 

product, stocked in manufacturer’s packaging, available for $16.95 

each. And last, but far from least, if winter camping is your thing, don’t 

take chances with mediocre gear. The North 49 Base Camp Extreme 

Cold Winter Sleeping Bag ensures warmth and safety on frigid winter 

treks. The product’s Extreme Cold Climate Bag System utilizes two 

separate sleeping bags which can be configured three ways; the inner 

bag is temperature rated to -7°C (19°F), the outer bag to 20°C (-4°F), 

and together, the bags will keep a sleeping adult warm, even at -42°C 

(-43°F). Only $169.95 while supplies last. For more information on the 

multitude of products available at Forest City Surplus, stop by the Dundas 

Street location or visit the store’s website. 

Obama outlines 

biggest retaliation “since 

the cold war” 

On December 29, the White House announced sanctions against 

Russian individuals and organizations behind cyberattacks against 

the Democratic Party and associated individuals last fall, as well as 

plans to deport 35 Russian diplomats suspected of acting as intelligence 

agents. The announcement called out Russia’s FSU and GRU 

intelligence agencies, as well as several intelligence and security contractors, 

for undertaking “an attack on our democratic system”. Cyberattacks 

against Russian systems were not specifically mentioned, but 

White House officials hinted that several retaliatory efforts had yet to 

be publicly revealed. American politicians praised the action as “long 

overdue”, but Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham said Obama’s 

THE US WILL “RESPOND IN KIND” TO RUSSIAN CYBERATTACK 

measures didn’t go far enough. Although Donald Trump has acknowledged 

Russian interference in the election, past statements denying 

the effectiveness of sanctions against Russia have raised questions 

over whether he will continue sanctions upon taking power. 

ZHENGZHOUʼS FOXCOMM FACILITY EMPLOYS 350,000 

AND BUILDS HALF THE WORLDʼS IPHONES 

Criticism grows over 

Apple’s Chinese connection 

A New York Times report released late last year outlined a multi-billion 

dollar collection of perks, tax breaks and subsidies supporting the 

Foxconn manufacturing facility in Zhengzhou, China, where roughly 

half the world’s iPhones are produced. Although both Apple and Foxconn 

dismissed such support as typical for large companies around the 

world, bonuses from local Chinese officials for meeting export targets, 

reduced energy costs, and expansion of the nearby airport, are unusually 

generous according to experts, and have made Apple a target for 

criticism in the US and China. During his presidential campaign, Donald 

Trump frequently targeted Apple, calling on the tech giant to “build 

their damn computers and things” in the US, while a Chinese government 

suspicious of Western influence has repeatedly pressured local 

governments to reduce subsidies for non-Chinese companies. 

Next EQAO Test on Paper 

The next province-wide literacy test administered by the Education 

Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) will be paper only, after a 

cyberattack resulted in technical glitches that forced cancellation of 

an online trial run. Had the October trial been successful, the regular 

test in March could have been administered entirely online, but EQAO 

officials believe such a step “would be irresponsible” until they can 

complete a “successful large-scale online trial”, a decision supported 

by Ontario Education Minister Mitzie Hunter. Investigators continue 

to probe the October cyberattacks, both to identify those responsible, 

and to make recommendations for additional system security. The 

online trial was intended to be a risk-free attempt of the mandatory 

literacy test for students, meaning those who passed could opt out of 

the March test. 

Startups get spotlight 

at North American 

International Auto Show 

An expo dedicated to “innovators looking to disrupt the transportation 

industry” and featuring fifty automotive tech startups from 

around the world took center stage in the first week of the 29th North 

American International Auto Show (NAIAS). Known as AutoMobili-D, 

the display ranged from “artificial intelligence and machine learning, 

to autonomous and connected platforms, to infrastructure communications 

and security applications,” and even offered a test track to 

try out advanced driver assist and autonomous vehicle technologies. 

Companies participating in AutoMobili-D were specially selected by 

NAIAS and Techstars Mobility, which regularly invests in mobility startups 

and provides support, mentorship and connections with larger 

auto companies. The expo kicked off with a keynote speech from John 

Krafcik, CEO of Google’s Self-Driving Car Project, who highlighted the 

scitech 

INNOVATIVE STARTUPS WERE FEATURED AT 

AUTO SHOWʼS AUTOMOBILI-D EXPO 

importance of “bringing together the best of what Detroit and Silicon 

Valley have to offer.” 

Now ear this! 

A team of American and British researchers have created a method 

to ‘grow’ a fully formed human ear. Doctors at the University of 

California at Los Angeles and the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for 

Regenerative Medicine announced the new technique late last year, 

which involves using patients’ own stem cells to make the outer portion 

of the organ. They begin with a 3D-printed polymer mold of an 

ear, which is then implanted with stem cells drawn from fat. As these 

stem cells differentiate into cartilage, the polymer scaffold degrades, 

leaving a full outer ear made of mature cartilage cells. Dr. Ken Stewart, 

one of the researchers and a plastic surgeon at the Royal Hospital for 

Sick Children predicted the new approach could “change all aspects of 

surgical care.” 

Yahoo reveals another hack 

Just three months after admitting 500 million user accounts had 

been hacked in 2014, Yahoo revealed an even larger attack the previous 

year that compromised more than 1 billion accounts, the largest 

known breach of a single company’s computer network. Stolen 

information included user names, telephone numbers and encrypted 

passwords, leading Yahoo to force those affected to change passwords 

and security questions. Experts say clashes between security personnel 

and top executives made Yahoo less secure than competitors such 

as Google or Facebook, and many are troubled that the 2013 breach 

went undetected until law enforcement began investigating the 

2014 attack. Security breaches of this kind will keep growing in scale, 

warned Ben Johnson of security company Carbon Black, as more and 

more companies store billions of accounts in “huge databases of information.” 

Advertising fraud 

bilks major American 

media sites 

A US-based cybersecurity company claimed recently that a group 

of Russia-based hackers have been stealing between $3 million and 

$5 million in video digital advertising revenue per day since October 

from major American brands and media businesses. According to 

White Ops, companies such as ESPN, Fox News, Vogue and Huffington 

Post have been targeted by an operation called ‘Methbot’, which 

is controlled by a single group in Russia, operating data centers in 

the US and Netherlands. One estimate suggests the theft could have 

siphoned over $200 million in total so far. The Russian group created 

more than a half-million fake users and generated 250,000 fake sites. 

The scam uses bots to ‘watch’ video ads. It fooled advertisers into paying 

for massive impressions up to 300 million phony video ads a day. 

The hackers employed falsified documents/data and gained access to 

571,904 real IP addresses with Internet service providers like Verizon, 

Comcast, AT&T, Cox, CenturyLink and Time Warner Cable. 

- Adam Shirley and Chris Morgan 


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NEXT ISSUE: MARCH 1 | DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 24 

LONDON 

COLLECTIBLES EXPO 

Sunday, January 29th 

10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. 

Centennial Hall 

550 Wellington Street 

Downtown London 

• 

Featuring Southern Ontario’s top 

vendors selling Vinyl Records, Music 

Memorabilia, Comics, Old and new 

Die Cast Toys, Action Figures, Retro 

Video Games, Movie And Television 

Memorabilia, Sports and Non-Sport 

Cards, Coins and Pop Culture 

Collectibles. Over 90 vendor tables. 

Several new vendors. 

• 

Admission $5.00 per person; Children 

under age 12 admitted for Free when 

accompanied by an Adult 

• 

Free Customer Parking on the parking 

lot beside Centennial Hall 

• 

Collectibles Expo website: 

www.collectorshows.ca 

• 

For vendor space or information email 

Ian at toyshow@kwic.com or call 

519-426-8875 (Please call Monday to 

Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.) 

ARTISANS WANTED 

The Arts Centre in 

Westmount Shopping Ctr is 

looking for artists in all mediums. Hang 

a piece of art for a special rate! ONE 

PIECE OF ARTWORK for as little 

as $15/mth. We also offer full and half 

wall rates. Non-juried art - all welcome! 

Come and be a part of the local 

London artisan community! Contact 

westart785@gmail.com or 519- 

670-0740 for details. 

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C 

FEATURES 

NEW 

CUMBERLAND 

READY TO 

PARTY AT 765 

omprised of some of the 

best bluegrass players 

around, New Cumberland -- 

Tom Burns (guitar/vocals), Blair 

Heddle (mandolin/dobro/guitar/ 

vocals), Paul Hurdle (banjo/vocals) 

and Tom Rutledge (upright 

bass) – will perform at the 765 

Old East Bar & Grill (765 Dundas 

St.) on Saturday, January 21, 8:00 

p.m. 

“We love to sing three-part 

harmony and draw our material 

from a variety of sources 

both traditional and more recent. 

It’s all about the songs 

and our ongoing quest to make 

an emotional connection with 

tional Championship, Cook is 

regarded by many as one of the 

finest fiddlers in the world. 

“Darrin is a virtuoso instrumentalist 

and is a great addition to 

our live shows. Of course, we’re all 

very excited about playing with a 

musician of Shane’s calibre. Various 

members of New Cumberland 

will back him up for his set 

so we’re hard at work on material 

he has chosen to perform for this 

show. The audience will also experience 

Shane joining the whole 

band for a bluegrass extravaganza. 

Shane is a masterful fiddler 

and a fine young gentlemen 

(way younger than some of us!) It 

popculture 

NEW CUMBERLANDʼS REPERTOIRE CONSISTS OF WELL OVER 

130 SONGS, INCLUDING ORIGINAL MATERIAL AND SONGS 

FROM A MYRIAD OF TRADITIONAL SOURCES 

the audience and each other as 

we interact on stage. We feature 

driving rhythms, inventive soloing, 

upbeat energy, attention to 

dynamics and heartfelt singing,” 

said Burns. 

For this special event, New 

Cumberland will be joined by 

Darrin Schott (fiddle/mandolin) 

and fiddle maestro Shane Cook. 

A three-time Canadian Open National 

Champion, a three-time 

Canadian Grand Masters Champion, 

a Grand North American 

Champion, and the only foreign 

fiddler to win the US Grand Na- 

should be great fun.” 

New Cumberland released their 

Fishing For Compliments EP several 

years ago, but Burns says the 

group is in no hurry to release 

another recording. 

“We made Fishing For Compliments 

when the band was first 

together. We’re currently involved 

in pre-production for a follow-up 

but we’re taking our time to make 

sure we do it right. For us, friendship 

and the good time we have 

playing together both on stage 

and in rehearsal come first so 

we’re all about enjoying the ride.” 

While the group continues to work 

on their next recording, Burns says 

they are also planning a busy schedule 

for 2017. 

“We’re looking forward to performing 

at some of our favourite club 

venues around Ontario this spring, 

including clubs in Hamilton, Norfolk 

County and the Kitchener area. 

We’re also currently booked for some 

festival work in the summer and are 

actively seeking to fill the empty 

spaces with private parties as well. 

We welcome the opportunity to play 

as much as we can.” 

Burns is quick to point out that no 

matter what genre of music you prefer, 

you won’t be disappointed when 

you hear New Cumberland. 

“You don’t have to be a hardcore 

bluegrass fan to enjoy New Cumberland. 

If you are, we will provide some 

true bluegrass delivered with sincerity 

and energy. If you aren’t, we can 

also offer you some eclectic material 

that will resonate for anyone who 

likes good music. Adding Shane Cook 

for our show at the Old East 765 Bar 

& Grill will be the icing on the cake! 

We hope to see old friends and meet 

new ones on that special night.” 

For more info, please call (519) 

601-1765. 

- John Sharpe 

10 


popculture 

A 

FUN AT 

FITZRAYS 

LONDON-BASED ACOUSTIC SOUTHERN BLUES/ROCK DUO DELTA STONE IS COMPRISED 

OF IAN STONE (L) (VOCALS/GUITAR) AND HOUNDOG HOULE (VOCALS/DOBRO) 

ccording to legend Delta Stone -- Ian Stone (vocals/guitar) and Houndog 

Houle (vocals/dobro) -- are ‘two renegades who tragically partied 

themselves to death but were miraculously sent back to the land of the 

living by the king of Rock ‘n’ Roll Heaven in order to fulfill their purpose and 

grace the land with their new southern whiskey infused souls.’ Whether this 

is fact or fiction, Delta Stone will be performing at FitzRays (110 Dundas St.) 

on Friday, January 27. 

“We will be playing songs that we think of as classics that came mostly from 

the Delta area. We’ll include tunes by artists who made a name for themselves 

all over the Southern United States. Stuff by the Doobie Brothers, The 

Allman Brothers, B.B. King, CCR, Charlie Daniels, The Eagles, and Ray Charles. 

And we might throw in some originals if the audience seems into that idea,” 

said Houle. 

Influenced by some of the best blues, country, and rock bands out there, 

Delta Stone has yet to commit anything to disc, but Houle says they are planning 

on recording in the very near future. 

“We do have a good amount of original material we’re hoping to get out this 

year. We have a catchy set of tunes we’re truly proud of and we are intensely 

excited to share them with everyone, especially the people who have been 

following us and watching us develop this sound over the last few years. We 

have a producer and a studio in mind, and things are moving. We also have a 

bass player and a drummer in the works, and we plan to start playing electric 

shows soon. It’s an exciting time, scary as well, but very much exciting. Given 

the chance we think we could contribute something special to the musical 

movement building here in London.” 

In addition to Delta Stone, here are some other acts more than worthy of 

your attention. On Friday, January 13, Celtic/folk/country singer-songwriter 

Jim McGinley will perform. On Sunday, January 22, Scott Bollert & The 

Jazzman Band will be singin’ and swingin’ at a special 4:00 p.m. matinee. 

If you’re a Van Halen fan, you don’t want to miss tribute band Best Of Best 

Worlds performing both the David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar-era Van Halen 

hit songs on Saturday, February 4. Hot off the release of their great new CD, 

Take It Slow, London-based soul/rock/jazz band Pacanomad perform on Saturday, 

February 18. 

Heading into March, Hurtin’ Merv will present his ‘good ole rock ’n’ roll band 

with a down home kitchen party vibe’ on Friday, March 3, followed by the 

classic hard rock sounds of BlackWing on Saturday, March 5. 

Of special note, FitzRays will celebrate the 1st Anniversary of Indie Nite on 

Wednesday, February 1 with a performance by folk/blues/roots duo, Black 

Savanna. Please call (519) 646-1112 for more information. 

- John Sharpe 

GEORGE MICHAEL LAUNCHED HIS CAREER 

WITH WHAM! IN THE 1980S AND HAD HUGE 

SUCCESS AS A SOLO PERFORMER 

Pop Superstar Dies 

English singer, songwriter, and record producer 

Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, known professionally 

as George Michael, was best known for his work in 

the 1980s and 1990s, including hit singles such as 

‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’ and ‘Careless Whisper’ 

and albums such as Faith (1987) and Listen 

Without Prejudice Vol. 1 (1990). Over a four-decade 

career Michael sold more than 100 million records 

worldwide. Sadly, Michael died on Christmas morning 

at his home in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, 

aged 53. Although no cause of death was immediately 

determined, many conjectured that heart 

failure was the culprit. On December 29, a postmortem 

was undertaken to determine the exact 

cause of death, but was inconclusive. Neil Portnow, 

President/CEO 

The Recording Academy, was quick to issue a 

statement regarding Michael’s passing. “We are 

deeply saddened to learn of the passing of twotime 

Grammy Award recipient George Michael. During 

an influential career that spanned nearly four 

decades, George became one of the most beloved 

pop craftsmen and respected entertainers. From the 

enormous success he achieved with pop duo Wham! 

to his influential solo career, his extraordinary talent 

had a profound impact on countless entertainers 

worldwide, and his creative contributions will 

live on forever. We have lost a cherished artist and 

our sincerest condolences go out to George’s family, 

friends, and musical collaborators. He will be 

missed.” In addition to his partner Fadi Fawaz, Michael 

is survived by his father and two sisters. 

Canadian Celtic Pop 

Based in the Ottawa Valley, Searson is led by 

sisters Colleen (fiddle/vocals/step dance) and Erin 

Searson (lead vocals/keyboards/tenor guitar/step 

dance). They are accompanied by Danno O’Shea 

(drums/percussion/mandolin) and Fraser Gauthier 

(bass/acoustic guitar). Currently touring in support 

of its eighth studio album, Stars Above The Farm 

SCENE&HEARD 

SISTERS ERIN SEARSON (LEFT) AND COLLEEN 

SEARSON FORM THE NUCLEUS OF SEARSON 

(2015), Searson’s high-energy live concerts feature 

a mix of original vocal and instrumental selections, 

as well as a few traditional gems. According to their 

press kit, Searson have developed their own original 

style of Canadian Celtic pop. “We decided that when 

we started touring, we didn’t want to do cover 

songs — we didn’t want to do what a lot of other 

bands were doing,” Erin said. “We were either going 

to write our own music and write tunes that we love 

to play or we weren’t going to do it. To be in it for 

the long haul, you have to play music that you love. 

The most satisfying part of performing live is seeing 

our fans singing along to songs that we’ve written 

and requesting fiddle tunes that we wrote. There’s 

nothing better than seeing the audience emotionally 

involved in your live show.” Searson performs at 

Chaucer’s Pub (122 Carling St.) on Saturday, January 

21, 7:30 p.m. For more information, please call 

(519) 473-2099. 

Joe Ligon 

Remembered 

Joe Ligon, whose raspy, throbbing vocals and 

preaching style helped make the Mighty Clouds of 

Joy one of the most successful gospel quartets of 

all time, died on Sunday, December 11. He was 80. 

In a break with tradition, the Mighty Clouds of Joy 

added bass, drums and keyboards to the standard 

guitar backup and developed a funky sound that 

JOE LIGONʼS FATHER SANG IN A GOSPEL 

QUARTET AND HIS GRANDFATHER WAS A 

PREACHER 


11 

split the difference between gospel and R&B. Unlike 

other gospel groups, its members dressed stylishly 

— they used the same tailor as The Temptations 

— and worked slick choreography into their act. 

Purists balked, but younger listeners responded. 

“We didn’t want to just sit up there like other 

groups like we were playing at a funeral,” Ligon told 

The Washington Post in 2003. “We used to come out 

in red, purple, all the loud colors you could think 

of. We were so sharp, people clapped for 10 minutes 

before we even started singing.” In 1974 the 

group performed on ‘Soul Train,’ marking the first 

appearance by a gospel group on that show and a 

year later, the group scored a disco hit with ‘Mighty 

High.’ “When we went on ‘Soul Train,’ my dad got so 

mad,” Ligon told The Boston Globe in 1997. “It was 

unheard of. People thought we’d lost our minds.” 

Going For 

Grammy Gold 

Self-proclaimed as ‘Music’s Biggest Night,’ the 

59th Annual Grammy Awards will take place on 

Sunday, February 12, 8:00 p.m. at Staples Center in 

Los Angeles. As for the major nominees, pop/R&B 

singer Beyoncé leads the field with nine Grammy 

Award nominations for her ‘Formation’ single and 

Lemonade album. R&B and hip-hop artists Kanye 

West, Drake and Rihanna are hot on her heels with 

eight apiece, while Chance The Rapper picked up 

seven nominations. Chance The Rapper’s nominations 

may be the most interesting of the bunch in 

that the Chicago-born artist’s debut album, Coloring 

Book, was issued only as a music stream, rather 

than as a physical CD, old-school mix-tape or digital 

download. His nominations resulted from a rule 

change that opened the door for music not available 

in more traditional forms. “We never want to 

be in position where music that deserves to be in 

the mix is usurped by some technicality in the process,” 

Recording Academy President Neil Portnow 

told The Times. “The evaluation and judgment of 

JAMES CORDEN, THE AWARD-WINNING HOST OF 

CBSʼ ʻTHE LATE LATE SHOW, WILL HOST THE 

59TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS 

SCENE&HEARD CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

SCENE&HEARD CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 

our voting members is always about the music and excellence, 

not at all about sales or marketing or technology.” Canadian 

pop prince Justin Bieber landed four nods, including Album of 

The Year, Song of The Year, and Best Pop Solo Performance for 

‘Love Yourself,’ and Best Pop Vocal Album. Other Canucks in the 

field include Toronto singer Kai, Vancouver’s Bob Mose, Ontario 

urban acts PartyNextDoor and Tory Lanez and Vancouver jazz 

artist Darcy James Argue. 

Kaeshammer At Aeolian 

Canadian vocalist and classic boogie-woogie, blues, and 

jazz pianist Michael Kaeshammer will perform at London’s 

Aeolian Hall (795 Dundas St.) on Thursday, February 9, 8:00 

p.m. Kaeshammer will be backed by drummer Roger Travassos, 

bassist Devon Henderson, trumpeter William Sperandei, 

tenor saxophonist Dany Roy, and trombonist Muhammad 

Abdul Al-Khabyyr. Growing up, Kaeshammer’s father always 

played piano and his collection of jazz records really motivated 

his young son. “I heard these boogie-woogie solo piano records 

from the 30s, 40s that my dad bought. And, honestly, 

it’s kind of what grabs me about the music to this day, the fact 

that it’s full-on, all-round piano playing where the piano has 

to cover everything. It’s very physical. I love the energy of it, 

I love the rhythm, which is a big thing for me in music. And 

when you’re 10, and you’re used to Beethoven and you listen 

MICHAEL KAESHAMMER RELEASED HIS FIRST 

BOOGIE-WOOGIE PIANO ALBUM, BLUE KEYS, 

WHEN HE WAS ONLY 19 YEARS OLD 

to that, you go ‘Holey-moley! You can do that?’” said Kaeshammer 

during a recent interview with ottawajazzscene.ca. In a 

bit of a departure from his previous efforts, Kaeshammer’s latest 

CD, No Filter, is entirely comprised of original compositions. 

“I find for me that writing is actually what gives me the most 

in music, if I spend time by myself at home with music, rather 

than practicing or any of those kinds of things. I find originals 

meaningful because it’s a snapshot of the artist’s feelings and 

where they are at that time.” 

James Drives Blue 

Highway 

Having recently performed in London as part of the Canadian 

Country Music Association Awards show, blues guitarist 

Colin James returns to the Forest City for a show at Centennial 

Hall on Wednesday, February 22, 7:30 p.m. This time out, 

James is touring in support of his latest CD, Blue Highway, an 

album he refers to as ‘a true, complete and comprehensive 

blues album.’ “At the end of my last tour the band was hitting 

12 

COLIN JAMES HAS TOPPED THE CHARTS AS A POP 

VOCALIST, RECORDED AN ACCLAIMED BLUES ALBUM AND 

LED THE SWING REVIVAL WITH HIS LITTLE BIG BAND 

on all cylinders and we just ran in and recorded the album. I 

have never made a blues record where I wasn’t thinking about 

doing something contemporary for radio, so everything I have 

done, especially in the early days, was half contemporary and 

then a bit of blues thrown in. So I thought why don’t I go in 

and play some blues and do some songs that I have always 

liked. It’s all cover material, but not the usual blues covers. I 

am covering stuff from early Fleetwood Mac to Jimmy Rogers,” 

said James during an interview with musiclifemagazine.net. 

“When I was younger it was all about getting on the radio. 

Now it’s kind of like I want to make a record that people can 

put on, leave on, and not run across the room and just skip to 

the single.” Award-winning country/soul vocalist Tami Neilson 

opens the show. Call (519) 672-1967 for more info. 

Hicks Gets Personal 

Speaking with blogtalkradio.com, country star Tim Hicks 

had this to say about his latest album, Shake These Walls. “I 

wanted to show people I had grown. There is truth in each 

of these songs because I co-wrote every one of them. I have 

a personal connection with every lyric, every riff. People are 

going to find there’s a healthy dose of the Tim Hicks party in 

there but there’s lots of other stuff certain to be interesting 

to many different people.” Although his previous recordings, 

Throwdown and 5:01, were both produced by Jeff Coplan, 

Hicks turned to Corey Crowder to helm Shake These Walls. 

“I had a great time making records with Jeff, but Corey just 

brought a different sort of energy to the project and I’m excited 

for people to hear my music through a different lens. 

IN 2014, TIM HICKS WAS THE RECIPIENT OF 

THE RISING STAR AWARD FROM THE CANADIAN 

COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION 

That’s really what a producer does – they take what you do 

and sort of give it a focus and direction. Corey was great to 

work with. He has a band of guys that he likes to work with in 

a studio that he likes to work at and we all went there together 

and laid out the songs, live off the floor. He let me warm up 

and then I would do multiple passes at the song and then we 

would start to zero in on certain things to tweak.” Tim Hicks, 

wsg Jason Blaine and River Town Saints, rocks Budweiser Gardens 

on Saturday, January 21, 7:00 p.m. Call 1-866-455-2849 

for tickets and info. 

Bentley At Budweiser 

In recent interviews Dirks Bentley has said that his eighth 

studio album, Black, is named after his wife Cassidy Black’s 

maiden name and explores ‘the darker corridors and the good 

stuff’ when it comes to love, life and relationships. “We just 

celebrated our 10-year anniversary and it got me thinking 

about our relationship and how crazy love is. I think this record 

is more geared toward younger hook-ups and breakups 

and love. I wanted to dive into the corners and shadows, and 

DARK AND DEEPLY PERSONAL, DIERKS BENTLEY 

SAYS HIS NEW ALBUM BLACK, MAY MAKE SOME 

LISTENERS UNCOMFORTABLE 

not the happily-ever-after stuff.” That said, Bentley is quick to 

point out that Black is not a purely autobiographical record. 

“No, no, no. Sometimes I have to tell my wife I’m just writing 

that! There’s serious stuff in here. There’s stuff not about us in 

there, like the infidelity.” Growing up in a non-musical family in 

Phoenix, Arizona, Bentley got his country music education on 

his own, listening to records. In 2003, Capitol Records signed 

him and released his self-titled debut. To date, Bentley’s studio 

albums have accounted for 25 singles on the Hot Country 

Songs and Country Airplay charts, of which 15 have reached 

number one. Dirks Bentley, wsg Cole Swindell, brings his What 

The Hell World Tour to Budweiser Gardens on Sunday, January 

29, 7:30 p.m. Call 1-866-455-2849 for tickets and info. 

Start Your Engines! 

Monster Jam is an action-packed, adrenaline-charged event 

on four wheels where world-class drivers compete in both 

monster truck racing and freestyle competitions. Each Monster 

Jam truck is approximately 10.5 feet tall, 12 feet wide, 17 

feet long and weighs 10,000 pounds. Powered by methanol 

fuel, consumed at the rates of three gallons a minute, a Monster 

Jam engine will generate 1,500 horsepower. The Monster 

Jam heads to London’s Budweiser Gardens for three shows on 

February 11, 1:00 p.m./7:00 p.m. and February12, 1:00 p.m. In 

order to give fans the opportunity to meet the drivers and get 

autographs or pictures, pre-show Pit Parties will be held each 

day from 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Some of the Monster Jam 

trucks and drivers slated to appear at this event include Grave 

popculture 

GRAVE DIGGER DRIVER RANDY BROWN WAS 

INTRODUCED TO MOTORSPORTS AT A YOUNG AGE 

Digger driven by Randy Brown, Northern Nightmare driven by 

Cam McQueen, Nitro Menace driven by Darren Migues, Jailbird 

driven by Kaylyn Migues, Midnight Rider driven by Tom Herzog, 

and Wild Thang driven by Doug Charles. Northern Nightmare 

will be looking to extend a Freestyle win streak that has 

been going since winning the World Championship in 2012. 

Each year, Northern Nightmare has won at least one Freestyle 

competition in every visit to London. Please call 1-866-455- 

2849 to charge by phone. 

Church Leads 

The Choir 

Bucking conventional wisdom American country music 

singer and songwriter Eric Church pulled off a surprise album 

drop, holding secret recording sessions and then shipping limited-edition 

vinyl copies of his new record, Mr. Misunderstood, 

to unsuspecting members of his fan club, known as The Church 

Choir. “When we were in the studio, we came up with the plan: 

We were going to give it right to our fans, in a month. In order 

to get it done, we had to actually purchase our own plant in 

Germany to get the records and CDs pressed. We couldn’t use 

our usual distributor because we’d have had to let the label 

know that we had something to distribute,” Church told vulture.com. 

“The easy thing would’ve been a digital release. I 

felt like it had been done in pop, R&B, and hip-hop, although 

NORTH CAROLINA NATIVE ERIC CHURCH IS KNOWN 

FOR HIS HONESTY AND A WILLINGNESS TO BLEND SOUNDS 

AND IDEAS IN NEW WAYS 


popculture 

I can’t really think of any other artist who’s attempted it in country.” Church released 

Mr. Misunderstood on vinyl because that’s the format he prefers. “I think that’s still 

the purest way for a record to be heard, because you don’t have the benefit of being 

able to easily skip around. Escapism, for me, is putting the needle in and sitting 

down, so you get more of what the artist is trying to convey. The closest thing I hear 

to the studio in my headphones is still vinyl.” Eric Church brings his Holdin’ My Own 

Tour to Budweiser Gardens on Tuesday, February 28, 8:00 p.m. Please call 1-866-455- 

2849 to charge by phone. 

Blue Rodeo’s 1000 Arms 

It’s a fact that Canadians have carried on a long love affair with Blue Rodeo, one 

of this country’s most iconic bands. So what better time to catch the group at Budweiser 

Gardens than Tuesday, February 14, 8:00 p.m. The band’s date on Valentine’s 

Day is one stop on their upcoming cross-Canada tour in support of their 14th studio 

album, 1000 Arms. “This record has a lot more energy, a bit more up-tempo,” noted 

BLUE RODEO IS KNOWN FOR ITS LOVE OF TOURING, THEIR CONNECTION WITH 

THEIR FANS, AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO PUSHING CREATIVE LIMITS 

Keelor during an interview with themusicexpress.ca. “Jim (Cuddy) and I are singing 

a lot together and it turned out really great. Co-producer Tim Vesely said `You guys 

have got to sing more together.’ We realized that because we did that so naturally, as 

we moved on to records ten, eleven and twelve, we started to do different things. So 

we made a very concerted effort to sing together on this album, either with direct 

harmonies or call and response and we really enjoyed it. It felt like we were getting 

back to something that was very strong to us.” Blue Rodeo has sold in excess of four 

million records, was inducted into Canada’s Music Hall of Fame (2012), has won 11 

Juno Awards, received the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award (2014), and 

has a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame in Toronto. Please call 1-866-455-2849 to charge 

by phone. 

RUNA IS (L-R) MAGGIE WHITE, DAVE CURLEY, SHANNON LAMBERT-RYAN, 

FIONÁN DE BARRA AND CHERYL PRASHKER. 

Runa At Chaucer’s 

Runa’s international line-up consists of vocalist/step-dancer Shannon Lambert- 

Ryan of Philadelphia, Dublin-born guitarist, Fionán de Barra, Cheryl Prashker of 

Montreal on percussion, Dave Curley of Galway on mandolin/vocals/bodhrán, and 

step-dancing, and Maggie White of Kentucky on the fiddle. “The band has been together 

for about seven years. It started with what was supposed to be a side recording 

project. Fionán, Cheryl and I decided to record an album together at Fionán’s studio 

in Dublin. At the time we were all working with other bands, but we just looked 

at each other after the record was done and said ‘This is really special, we should do 

this more often,’” said Lambert-Ryan during an interview with folkmama.wordpress. 

com. To date, Runa has captured two Irish Music Awards (Top Group and Top Traditional 

Group) and two Independent Music Awards for Best Traditional/World Song 

and Best Bluegrass Song. Runa recently released their fifth album, Runa: Live which 

was recorded at the BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown, MD on Thursday, 

March 17th, 2016. Runa plays Chaucer’s Pub (122 Carling St.) on Sunday, February 

26, 7:30 p.m. “We like think of our shows as opening up our living room to everyone 

so that we can all join in for that session, in for that party. At the end of performances 

people always say, ‘You look like you are having so much fun up there!’” Please call 

(519) 473-2099 for more info. 

PHOTO CREDIT: RICK MADONIK /TORONTO STAR 

BILLY TALENT IS (L-R), BEN KOWALEWICZ, FORMER DRUMMER 

AARON SOLOWONIUK, REPLACEMENT DRUMMER JORDAN 

HASTINGS, IAN DʼSA AND JON GALLANT 

Billy Talent Rocks 

Touring in support of their new studio album, Afraid of Heights, 

Warner Music Canada recording artists Billy Talent will pay a visit 

to London’s Budweiser Gardens on Sunday, February 26, 7:00 p.m. 

The will be joined by fellow Canadian rockers Monster Truck and 

The Dirty Nil. Speaking with puregrainaudio.com, Billy Talent guitarist 

Ian D’Sa said the group is very happy with their new album, 

their first in five years. “I think this one is one of our best albums 

especially for this time, what’s going on right now. We’ve never really 

had an album where every song encompasses a theme before 

and this album, the whole theme of the album is fear and all this 

stuff that’s going on in the world right now seems to keep escalating. 

Over the last couple of years, reading about things that are 

happening in the world just really affected us. Ben [Kowalewicz] 

and I wrote these lyrics for all these songs to be based around fear 

and why do we have to live in a society based on fear when we just 

need to talk to each other more and understand each other. The 

whole album is kind of based around that. That’s why it’s called 

Afraid of Heights.” Part of the proceeds from every ticket sold goes 

to support MusiCounts and F.U.MS, a foundation that creates a 

series of events to support Canadian youth affected by Multiple 

Sclerosis. Please call 1-866-455-2849 to charge by phone. 

Classic Albums Live 

Founded in 2003 by Craig Martin, Classic Albums Live recreates 

some of the greatest albums of all time performed live without 

gimmickry. Relying only on the music, using what Martin refers 

to as ‘the world’s best musicians,’ Classic Albums Live’s motto is 

‘Note for note. Cut for cut.’ “This has never been done before,” says 

Martin. “There’s a real thirst to hear these albums performed start 

to finish. For many of us this is the music we grew up with—the 

soundtrack of our lives. All of our focus is put on the music. We 

perform the works of The Beatles, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin the 

BOWIE IMPERSONATOR NICK WALSH (CENTRE) PLAYS THE LEAD ROLE IN THE 

NOTE-FOR-NOTE RECREATION OF THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST 

same way an orchestra performs the works of Mozart. We don’t bother with imitation 

or impersonation.” In homage of David Bowie’s passing in January, Classic Albums 

Live will present The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars 

SCENE&HEARD CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 


13 

470 Colborne St, London 

(519) 640-6996 

londonmusicclub.com 

Book the LMC for your special 

event or release debute! 

FEATURE SHOWS: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)

SCENE&HEARD CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 

on Saturday, February 4, 8:00 p.m. at Centennial 

Hall (550 Wellington St.). Bowie’s Rise and Fall of 

Ziggy Stardust, the fifth and most popular album 

by the iconic English musician, is widely thought 

to be one of the greatest albums of all time. It 

tells the story of a fictional rock star called Ziggy 

Stardust who has been sent to Earth by aliens to 

spread a message of love and peace. Call (519) 

672-1967 for more info. 

Leyla McCalla’s 

Hymn To Haiti 

Born in New York City to Haitian immigrant 

parents and raised in suburban New Jersey, 

cello player, banjo picker and guitarist Leyla Mc- 

Calla now makes her home in New Orleans. “I feel 

very at home here. The more I learned about the 

history of Louisiana, its ties to Haiti and French 

speaking culture, the more sense of belonging 

I felt and continue to feel. I’d go to a cemetery 

and I’d see my family name and it just got me 

thinking, what’s going on here? There are a lot 

of people, especially in the black community in 

Cuckoo's Nest Folk Club 

in association with the Home County Folk League presents 

SEARSON 

“high energy fiddling, passionate vocals and step dancing” 

Saturday, Jan. 21, 7:30 pm 

2015 ECMA Award Winners from PEI 

TEN STRINGS 

AND A GOAT SKIN 

tenstringsandagoatskin.com 

searsonband.com 

Wednesday, Feb. 1, 7:30 pm 

RUNA 

2-time Irish Music Award Winners 

runamusic.com 

LEYLA MCCALLA EARNED A SPOT WITH THE 

CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROPS WHEN THE 

BANDʼS MANAGER HEARD HER PLAYING ON 

ROYAL STREET IN NEW ORLEANS 

New Orleans, who are very disconnected from 

their history because of years and years of racism 

and systematic oppression,” said McCalla in an 

interview with pri.org. McCalla explores the connections 

between Haiti and Louisiana with her 

new recording, A Day for the Hunter, A Day for 

the Prey. “I can’t help but be inspired by history, 

as well as what’s going on today. There’s a lot 

of goodness around this record. There are new 

arrangements of traditional songs, but maybe a 

third of the album is original material. I’m really 

interested in continuing to develop that part of 

my work — and I’m really excited to be moving 

forward creatively.” Leyla McCalla, wsg My 

Father’s Son, plays the Aeolian Hall on Saturday, 

DO YOU KNOW A 

February 11, 8:00 p.m. Scene readers can claim 

a 20% discount, redeemable by using the code 

‘Scene2017’ online, by phone, or in person. 

Red Hot Ramble 

Based in Toronto, the members of Red Hot 

Ramble share a love for jazz and the music of 

New Orleans. Since every member of the group 

has years of experience playing with some of the 

best-known groups and artists in the country, 

Red Hot Ramble boasts a very formidable lineup 

of talent. Veteran bassist Jack Zorawski has 

worked with Bernie Senensky, Peter Appleyard 

and Big Rude Jake, while drummer Glenn Anderson 

cites stints with Don Thompson, Alex Pangman 

& Her Alleycats and the Excelsior Jazz Band 

RED HOT RAMBLE PERFORMS 

TRADITIONAL JAZZ, BLUES, FUNK, AND 

THE MUSIC OF NEW ORLEANS WITH A 

DISTINCTLY CANADIAN FLAVOUR 

MOVIE BUFF? 

Then check out these fantastic 

PENCIL DRAWING MOVIE POSTERS 

on his resume. Saxophonist Alison Young also 

spent time with Big Rude Jake and has worked 

alongside fellow saxophonist Mike Murley. Trombone 

ace Jamie Stager has worked with crooner 

Matt Dusk, along with R&B legends The Temptations 

and The Four Tops. Last but certainly not 

least, longstanding pianist and vocalist Roberta 

Hunt spent 14 years with legendary Traditional 

Jazz band The Happy Pals. Co-produced by the 

band and Jeremy Darby, Red Hot Ramble’s latest 

CD, Some Swamp Stop, features a number 

of Hunt originals like ‘Tired Old Street,’ ‘Wake Up,’ 

and ‘Cabin Fever.’ The Aeolian Hall presents Red 

Hot Ramble on Friday, February 17, 8:00 p.m. 

Scene readers can claim a 20% discount, redeemable 

by using the code ‘Scene2017’ online, 

by phone, or in person. 

Rogers At Aeolian 

Garnet Rogers, a legendary Canadian singersongwriter 

and the brother of the late Stan 

Rogers, who is often described as ‘the father of 

Canadian folk music, will perform at the Aeolian 

Hall on Thursday, February 23, 8:00 p.m. Scene 

readers can claim a 20% discount, redeemable 

by using the code ‘Scene2017’ online, by phone, 

or in person. Garnet Rogers’ latest release is not a 

CD, but rather a book. Entitled Night Drive: Travels 

With My Brother, the book gives a detailed 

picture on what it was like for the brothers as 

they tried to make it as musicians in the 1970s. 

“People have this bizarre idea of what kind of a 

person Stan was and what kind of life he lived 

but none of it’s true,” Rogers told ottawalife.com. 

AVAILABLE at the ARTS CENTRE Westmount Mall 

ORIGINAL DRAWINGS, 

PRINTS & CARDS AVAILABLE 

popculture 

THOUGH OFTEN THOUGHT OF AS A 

MARITIMER, GARNET ROGERS ACTUALLY 

GREW UP IN HAMILTON, ONTARIO 

“Now I wanted not to tear him down or belittle 

him because he’s my brother and I love him but 

I wanted people to get a more complete picture 

of what actually happened.” In addition to telling 

tales of live on the road, Rogers also takes the 

opportunity to thank his father for inspiring him. 

“My dad was a grand storyteller. I particularly 

got a lot of stuff from him. He was great at just 

telling these epic stories. He’d tell it to you and 

have a punch line at the end of it. You’d know 

he’d been working on it. My dad was kind of the 

unsung hero of this whole deal.” 

- John Sharpe 

WINTER SALE 

 

Reg $ 40 

NOW $ 28 

11 X 14 FRAMED MOVIE 

POSTER PRINTS 

 

While supplies last. 

Sunday, Feb. 26, 7:30 pm 

Clan Hannigan 

(Steafan Hannigan, Saskia Tomkins & family) 

Irish stories, songs, 

traditional music 

and dancing 

Sunday, March 12, 7:30 pm 

Chaucer’s Pub, 122 Carling St., London 

$20 Advance ~ $25 Door 

Advance Tickets available at 

Centennial Hall Box Office, 

Chaucer’s/Marienbad, 

Long & McQuade North, Village Idiot 

or online at ticketscene.ca 

www.folk.on.ca 

14 

STAR WARS 

 

MORE! 

Contact Nick at whiteworksinfo@gmail.com whiteworksartwww.whiteworks.ca 


popculture 

LONDON’SINDIEPOPBEAT 

Chillman Goes Solo 

Prior to embarking on a solo career, London-based singer/songwriter and guitarist, 

Andy Chillman worked with a number of groups spanning several genres. In 2004, 

Chillman was a part of high-energy rock band Papa Fogals Chair and in 2009 he toured 

western Canada with the folk group, Too Much Unsaid. Most recently, Chillman has 

been a member of the Canadiana folk-rock band, The Bird Stone Revival. Drawing on a 

collection of songs he has written over the last two decades, Chillman recently released 

his debut solo album, Up Hill Both Ways. “The album was recorded and produced by 

Adam Plante and it contains 15 original tracks. It definitely has a lot of different elements 

including folk, blues, and Celtic. I utilized a cello, piano, percussion, harmonica, a 

ANDY CHILLMAN HAS RECORDED OVER 14 ALBUMS AND HAS BEEN 

PERFORMING HIS ORIGINAL MUSIC FOR OVER 25 YEARS 

little slide guitar and plenty of harmonies,” said Chillman. Andy Chillman will showcase 

Up Hill Both Ways at the London Music Club (470 Colborne St.) on Friday, February 24. “I 

will have a five or six-piece band at the LMC including Adam Goodlet, Jess Jones, Johnny 

Humphries, Adam Plante, Pete Henderson and Sam Bratina. There will definitely be 

a few surprise guests.” Now that his new album is finished, Chillman hopes to begin 

touring again so that more people have a chance to hear him in person. “My plans for 

the new year as of now are to play some new spots. Ottawa, Kingston, Peterborough, 

places I’ve never played. I look forward to getting the new album out there as well as 

doing some festivals.” For more info, call (519) 640-6996. 

Doll House Showcase 

Founded by local London artist Laura Gagnon, the Doll House Showcase provides 

talented female artists a platform to perform original works and network with the 

music community. Sponsored by Steam Whistle Breweries, the Doll House Showcase is 

held every Sunday evening (6-9:00 p.m.) at the Tabu Nightclub (539 Richmond St.). 

On January 15, Crystal Curran, Nikki James and Katie Rigg will perform, followed on 

January 22 by Karen Emeny, Lynne Hanson and Barbara Lynn Doran. “We are so lucky 

to have two international touring artists stopping by on January 22. Lynne Hanson 

has toured across Canada, the US, Europe and the UK, either solo or with her band The 

Good Intentions. Barbara Lynn Doran is a country artist who has toured Canada and 

The States, as well as recording and writing in Nashville. Barb will be accompanied by 

CANADIAN SINGER/SONGWRITER LYNNE HANSON WILL BE ONE OF THE 

FEATURED PERFORMERS AT DOLL HOUSE ON JANUARY 22 

Robert Laidlaw, a Juno-nominated songwriter and award-winning producer. Of course, 

we also have local country/pop artist Karen Emeny opening up the evening with her 

unique sound and Harmonizer pedal,” said Gagnon. Rounding out the month, Seline 

Arsenault, Jazz Review (Nancy Hawkins) and Annette Grotentraast will be featured on 

January 29. As the Doll House Showcase continues to grow, plans are now underway to 

stage the event in Sarnia, Ontario. “We are here to help grow this wonderful network of 

musicians and create a community where we all work together to make all our dreams 

come true.” 

Bobnoxious Rocks 

Bobnoxious -- Bob Reid (lead vocals/guitar), Dave Wyles (drums), Darcy Maudsley 

(bass) and Aaron Murray (lead guitar) -- has presented its high-energy brand of ‘twofisted, 

twisted rock ’n’ roll at Norma Jean’s (1332 Huron St.) many times in the past, so 

fans will be thrilled to learn the band returns for an appearance at the club on Saturday, 

February 4. Get ready to party hard the Bobnoxious way. Formed a decade ago, 

Bobnoxious caused quite a stir in the Forest Citytwo years ago with the release of their 

single, ‘E.O.A.’ The controversial track took a good-natured swipe at an often maligned 

ROCKINʼ HARD FOR OVER 10 YEARS, BOB REID IS STILL 

KICKINʼ BUTT WITH BOBNOXIOUS 

area of the city, attracting a lot of local media and political attention. Speaking with 

Scene at the time of ‘E.O.A’s release, Reid had this to say. “Most of the feedback we got 

was great, but there was the odd person who was annoyed. I mean, I live EOA and I 

didn’t mean to rip anybody. I’m just singing about what I know. There is a difference 

between the east end and the west end, but I’m not saying it’s good or bad, it’s just 

different.” Apart from its solid line-up of weekend attractions, Norma Jean’s also gives 

wannabe rock stars a chance to perform with a live band every Thursday night when 

the club presents Nasty Alex Live Band Rockaoke. It’s like Karaoke with a twist. For more 

info, call (519) 455-7711. 

Price Is Right 

Based in the Forest City, Chad Price is a talented singer-songwriter who is set to 

showcase his self-titled, sophomore album at Rum Runners (178 Dundas St.) on Friday, 

January 27. Lizzie Lyon from Toronto will be playing an opening set, as will London’s 

own Matthew Johnston. “We recorded a handful of tracks at Heritage Recording Studio 

in Mississauga and at Desert Fish Studios and Dream House Studios in downtown 

Toronto. The entire process took about seven months from March to September,” said 

Price. Co-produced by Price and Da-Rell Clifton the album 

contains 12 original tracks. “Da-Rell Clifton is a Torontobased 

producer who also happens to be my cousin, but 

that’s beside the point. He’s an up-and-coming, musician, 

and engineer who can really do it all. He’s awesome at 

what he does and that’s why I chose to work with him on 

this project. The album is primarily a soul album, but with 

elements of alt-folk, blues, and singer-songwriter. It’s a sophisticated 

sound and I tend to always describe it as being 

‘grown-folk music.’ It’s mature, deep, honest, and from the 

heart. The lyrical content touches upon everything that life 

CHAD PRICE WILL BE TOURING ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN 2017 

PROMOTING HIS LATEST SOPHOMORE RELEASE 

is...love, loss, highs and lows, joy, melancholy...it’s all there.” As a special gesture to his 

home town, Price plans on partnering with a local charity and donating a portion of 

ticket sales to them. Call (519) 432-1107 for tickets and info. 

Kate Channer’s Revived 

Working with guitarist Colin Gray of Texas King, bassist Chris Levesque of Ivory Hours, 

and drummer AJ Marsh, London singer-songwriter Kate Channer recently completed 

work on her new EP, Revived. Recorded at London’s EMAC Recording Studios the fivetrack 

collection of original tunes was co-produced by Mario Circelli and Channer and 

engineered by Greg Hatchette and Kyle Ashbourne. “I broke down some of my more 

meaningful songs, which are essentially a story of the last few years of my songwriting. 

In addition to having an exceptional production and engineering team, I was very lucky 

FOR OVER A DECADE KATE CHANNER HAS BEEN ADDING HER OWN 

SPICE TO COVER TUNES, AS WELL AS COMPOSING TASTY ORIGINALS 

to have talented musicians joining me on this project to, in essence, ‘revive’ my vision of 

these songs to be recorded. It’s hard to pin down a particular sound but I think it fits the 

rock mould, along with elements of pop, punk and rockabilly,” said Channer. On Saturday, 

February 4, 10:00 p.m., Channer will debut Revived at the Eastside Bar & Grill (750 

Hamilton Rd.). She will be accompanied by AJ Marsh (drums), Antonio Changanaqui 

(bass) and Matt Cleeve (lead guitar). “In addition to the EP, I will be releasing the first 

music video to accompany Revived and it will be played that night. We will have the EP 

available for purchase. As for 2017, I’ll be out promoting and shopping the EP, looking 

for radio play, securing gigs and writing new tunes.” Call (519) 457-7467 for more info. 

- John Sharpe 


15

THELISTINGS 

CONCERTS/LIMITED 

ENGAGEMENTS 

(SEE ALSO HOUSE BANDS, DJS, KARAOKE) 

THURS. JAN. 12 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL-Karaoke (9pm)/Open Mic 

Jam w/Ken Ross 

CALL THE OFFICE-Open Mic 

FIONN MacCOOL’S- Tara Dunphy & Larry Smith 

FORWELL HALL-Scott Helman/The Kents (8pm) 

FOX & FIDDLE-Three Penny Piece 

GORDY’S BREWHOUSE-Karaoke w/Bill Savage 

GRINNING GATOR-Comedy Nite w/Justin Gayle/Pat 

Tiffin/Hamilton Burger/Tim Nicholson/Lee Fernadez 

(7-9pm)/DJ Dance & Karaoke 

LAVISH-Karaoke w/DJ Wardrop 

MOLLY BLOOM’S – Mike O’Brien Band 

NORMA JEAN’S – Nasty Alex Live Band Karaoke 

POACHER’S ARMS-The Fairmonts 

RICHMOND TAVERN-The Dangerfields 

ROXBURY-Luke Austin/Old East/The Wrong Brothers 

LONDON TAPHOUSE- Grandtheft 

SILVER SPUR-Acoustic Jam (7-11pm) 

WINKS EATERY-Open Mic w/David Usselman 

FRI. JAN. 13 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL- Karaoke (9pm)/Trilateral/ 

The White Swan/Hammerheads/Familiars 

AEOLIAN HALL-Taylor Holden & The Law Of Averages/ 

Kevin Greene & The Awesome Sauce (8pm) 

BACKDRAFTS-Smokin’ Dave 

CALL THE OFFICE-The Stereo Division/FireAtFive/The 

Savilles 

DAWGHOUSE PUB-Geoff Masse Band 

EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL –Juice 

FIONN MacCOOL’S- The Sheridan Band 

16 

FITZRAYS-Jim McGinley 

GORDY’S BREWHOUSE-PM Karaoke 

GRINNING GATOR- DJ Dance & Karaoke 

JIMBO’S PUB & EATERY – Karaoke w/Maggie (10pm) 

LAVISH-Danikus/FDJT 

LONDON ALE HOUSE-Husky 

LONDON MUSIC CLUB-Acoustic Open Mic w/DeRok 

(7:30pm)/Pete Denomme & The Cosmic Cowboys/ 

Kerri Manning (8pm) 

LONDON TAPHOUSE- Thugli 

LONDON WINE BAR-Larry Smith & Tara Dunphy (8- 

11pm) 

McCABE’S IRISH PUB-Zack McCabe 

MOLLY BLOOM’S- Mike O’Brien Band 

NORMA JEAN’S-The Night Crew 

POACHER’S ARMS-The World Over 

RICHMOND TAVERN- Glenn Garinther Slide Blues 

Matinee (5-7pm) 

RUM RUNNERS-With A Fox/Waterbaby/Ginge 

SCOTS CORNER-Bill Savage 

SOHO BAR & GRILL-The Dangerfields 

WINDERMERE MANOR-Sonja Gustafson & Charlie 

Rallo (7-10pm) 

WINKS EATERY-Tea With Lincoln 

WORTLEY-Funk Eh 

YUK YUK’S-Jay Brown/Alex Wood/Andrew Albert 

(8/10:30pm) 

SAT. JAN. 14 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL-Karaoke (9pm)/Robbie 

Antone’s Open Blues Jam (4pm)/The 4th Hole/Gatgas 

AEOLIAN HALL-The Memphis Jam (8pm) 

BYRON LEGION-Jacob & The BluesBusters (8pm) 

CALL THE OFFICE-DJ Wolf Pup 

CANADIAN CORPS.-Acoustic Jam (3-6pm) 

EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL-Blind Dog Joe 

FIONN MacCOOL’S-The Sheridan Band 

FITZRAYS-The Manimals 

GRINNING GATOR-Delta Stone/Kerri Manning/Crystal 

Kirk 

HENRY’S-Chris Casserly 

JACK’S-Jason Mercer 

LAVISH-DJ Pablo Ramierez 

LONDON MUSIC CLUB-The Stetson Brothers (8pm) 

LONDON TAPHOUSE-DJ Jazzy Jeff 

LONDON WINE BAR- Larry Smith & Tara Dunphy (8- 

11pm) 


MOOSE LODGE-Karaoke (1-4pm) 

MUSTANG SALLY’S-Li’l Blues Pill 

NORMA JEAN’S-Hurtin’ Merv 

POACHER’S ARMS- The Spoonmen 

POLISH HALL-DJ Wolfeman (8pm) 

RICHMOND TAVERN-Engine 86 (4-7pm)/Lou Dawg & 

The Bad Rash 

ST. REGIS-SpaceSlave/Persian Rugs (6-9pm) 

SOHO BAR & GRILL-The Thing From Outer Space/Anne 

Moniz 

VICTORY LEGION-Two For The Road (2pm)/The Magic 

Moments (8pm) 

WINKS EATERY-Ian Raeburn/Phil Hirst/Mitch Tones/ 

Cameron Jericho 

WORTLEY-Funk Eh 

YUK YUK’S- Jay Brown/Alex Wood/Andrew Albert 

(8/10:30pm) 

SUN. JAN. 15 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL- Rev. Freddie & Friends 

(5pm)/Karaoke 

ANAF-Karaoke (2-6pm) 

EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL-Paul Langille & Tom Lockwood/Chuckee 

Zehr/The Dozens/Triple B/The Focklers 

(3-8pm) 

EAST VILLAGE ARTS CO-OP-Doxx/Jock Strap/Susans/ 

Kenneth 


McCABE’S IRISH PUB-Jason Mercer 

 

POACHER’S ARMS-Board Game Night/Bluegrass Jam 

w/Dan 

RICHMOND TAVERN- Karaoke 

ROXBURY PUB & GRILL-Karaoke w/DJ Tatz 

TABU-Crystal Curran/Nikki James/Katie Rigg (6-9pm) 

WINKS EATERY-Karaoke 

WORTLEY-The Chris Murphy Band w/Robin Banks 

(4-8pm) 

MON. JAN. 16 

POACHER’S ARMS-Open Mic Comedy 

TUES. JAN. 17 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL-Karaoke 


JIMBO’S PUB & EATERY –Karaoke w/Maggie (8pm) 

MOOSE LODGE-Karaoke w/Karen Turner & Doug 

Tucker (7-11pm) 

POACHER’S ARMS-Trivia w/Richie 

RICHMOND TAVERN-Justin D’Croix (4-6pm) 

ROXBURY PUB & GRILL-Open Comedy Night/Open Mic 

w/Brendan Cobb 

WINKS EATERY-Rock ’n’ Roll Bingo 

WED. JAN. 18 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL- Karaoke 

EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL –Open Jam w/After Eight Band 

(8pm) 

FITZRAYS-Indie Night w/Crystal Kirk & Anne Moniz 

FORWELL HALL-Randy & Mr. Lahey (8pm) 


LONDON MUSIC CLUB-SOUP Ukulele Jam (6:30-9pm) 

O’MALLEY’S-Karaoke w/Music Central (8pm) 

POACHER’S ARMS- Open Mic w/J-Me 

RICHMOND TAVERN-Traditional Music Session 

ROXBURY PUB & GRILL-Karaoke w/Jeffrey Lee 

VICTORY LEGION-The County Road Band (8pm) 

WINKS EATERY-Trivia Nite (8pm) 


765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL- Karaoke/Open Mic Jam 

w/Ken Ross (9pm) 

BULL & BARREL-Duelling Pianos (8pm) 

CARDBOARD CAFÉ-Ian Reaburn (7pm) 

FIONN MacCOOL’S-Tara Dunphy & Larry Smith 



GRINNING GATOR-Nate & Trish 


LONDON TAPHOUSE-Walshy Fire 

METROLAND MEDIA AGRIPLEX-Eh440/It’s A String 

Thing/Bobbi Redd/Brooklyn Roebuck/Cameron Jericho/Ginge 

(5pm) 

MOLLY BLOOM’S – Jenny & The Jets 

NORMA JEAN’S –Nasty Alex Live Band Rockaoke 

POACHER’S ARMS- The Fairmonts 


ROXBURY-November Oak/Charlie The Kid/Cool, Cool, 

Cool/Mermaids Exist 

WINKS EATERY- Open Mic w/David Usselman 

FRI. JAN. 20 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL- Karaoke/Stewie & DJ 

Drewski 

AEOLIAN HALL-Duchess (8pm) 

BACKDRAFTS-Sofa King Slick 

DAWGHOUSE PUB-Electric Popsicle 

EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL-Sabbath Only Sabbath 

FIONN MacCOOL’S-Route 19 

FITZRAYS-Jason Mercer 


GRINNING GATOR- Matter Of Fact/Nu Breed/Bash/K 

Hunnit/North Mob/Lifted Life/Limitless/Jerelle/Faded 

With Friends/Raposo 


LAVISH-Danikus 

LONDON ALE HOUSE-The Jeffy B Trio 

LONDON MUSIC CLUB-Acoustic Open Mic w/DeRok 

(8:30pm)/London Poetry Slam (8pm) 

LONDON MUSIC HALL-Saya/Luxe/R Flex/Notia (8pm) 

LONDON WINE BAR- HenningHanson (8-11pm) 


popculture 


Tucker (8pm) 

NORMA JEAN’S- River City Ransom 

OLIVE R. TWISTS-DJ Alpha Soundcrew 

POACHER’S ARMS-Samurai Night Fever 

RICHMOND TAVERN- Glenn Garinther Slide Blues Matinee 

(5-7pm)/Titanium Blade 

ROSEWOOD ROOM-Saya/Luxe/R. Flex/Noita (8pm) 

ROXBURY PUB & GRILL-DJ Ruckus 

RUM RUNNERS-Texas King/Aukland/Old East 

SCOTS CORNER-The Brian Bicknell Duo 

SOHO BAR & GRILL-Robbie Antone 

WINDERMERE MANOR-Gina Farrugia & Peter Karle 

(7pm) 

WINKS EATERY-Justin Maki 

WORTLEY-AutoPilot 

YUK YUK’S-Pete Johansson/Terry Clement/Hunter Collins 

(8/10:30pm) 

SAT. JAN. 21 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL-Karaoke (9pm)/Robbie 

Antone’s Open Blues Jam (4pm)/New Cumberland/ 

Shane Cook (8pm) 

AEOLIAN HALL-The RebelHeart Collective (5pm) 

BUDWEISER GARDENS-Tim Hicks/Jason Blaine/River 

Town Saints (7pm) 

CALL THE OFFICE-Broomsticks & Hammers/Hot Jiggle/ 

Aistis 


CHAUCER’S PUB-Searson (7:30pm) 

EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL-Over The Eight/Running With 

Scissors 

FIONN MacCOOL’S-Route 19 

FITZRAYS-Kansas Stone 

GRINNING GATOR-Queens Of The Night 

HENRY’S-Chris Lee 



LONDON ALE HOUSE-The Mud Creek Band 

LONDON MUSIC HALL-The Sam Roberts Band/Hollerado 

(7pm) 

LONDON WINE BAR- HenningHanson (8-11pm) 



NORMA JEAN’S-The Kate Channer Band 

POACHER’S ARMS-Nate, Trish, or Whatever 

RICHMOND TAVERN-Nathan Ouellette (4-7pm)/High 

On Hygiene (6-10pm) 

RUM RUNNERS-Justin James/John Norman/Jesney 

ST. REGIS-The Mongrels 

SOHO BAR & GRILL- 2 4 THERD 

VICTORY LEGION-Allen James (2pm)/Sunrise (8pm) 

WINKS EATERY-UFC 

WORTLEY-AutoPilot 

YUK YUK’S-Pete Johansson/Terry Clement/Hunter Collins 

(8/10:30pm) 

SUN. JAN. 22 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL-Rev. Freddie & Friends 

(5pm)/Karaoke 

EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL-Blues Jam w/Double Clutch 

(3pm) 

FITZRAYS-Scott Bollert & The Jazzman Band (4pm) 

GRINNING GATOR-DJ Dance & Karaoke 

POACHER’S ARMS-Seinfeld Trivia w/Ira 

RICHMOND TAVERN-Karaoke 

RUM RUNNERS-Coffin Dragger/Cold Shoulder/Prison/ 

Reliever/Strange Ways (7pm) 

TABU-Karen Emeny/Lynne Hanson/Barbara Lynn 

Doran (6-9pm) 


WORTLEY-The Journeymen Of Soul (4-8pm) 

MON. JAN. 23 

LONDON MUSIC CLUB-Ukes Of London (7-9pm) 

MOLLY BLOOM’S- Karaoke 

POACHER’S ARMS-Open Mic Comedy Nite 

TUES. JAN. 24 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL- Karaoke 




Tucker (7-11pm) 



ROXBURY PUB & GRILL-Open Mic w/Brendan Cobb 


WED. JAN. 25 


EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL –Open Jam w/After Eight Band 

(8pm) 

FITZRAYS-Indie Night w/Mad Moxxi’s/Bol Savage 


LONDON MUSIC CLUB-SOUP Ukulele Jam (6:30pm) 

LONDON MUSIC HALL-Rezz 


POACHER’S ARMS-Open Mic w/J-Me 




WOLF PERFORMANCE HALL-The David Priest Trio 

(7pm) 

YUK YUK’S-Amateur Night (9pm) 


765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL-Karaoke/Open Mic Jam 

w/Ken Ross 

FIONN MacCOOL’S-The Ashamed MacGowens w/ 

Jeffy B 



GRINNING GATOR-Comedy Nite w/Kevin Spencer/Dan 

Brennan/Clint Couchie (7-9pm)/Dirty Doc/Wycked 

Truth 


LONDON CONCERT THEATRE-USS/Repartee 

LONDON MUSIC HALL-Off The Hinges Improv 

(6:30pm)/Larry Smith (7:30pm) 

LONDON TAPHOUSE-Skywlkr 


NORMA JEAN’S –Nasty Alex Live Band Karaoke 





FRI. JAN. 27 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL-Karaoke/Randall Hicks 

Band 

AEOLIAN HALL-Don Ross (8pm) 

BACKDRAFTS-Mike Fagan 

CALL THE OFFICE-Midnight Towers/Wasted Potential/ 

Bleeter 

DAWGHOUSE PUB-The Nathan Ouellette Band 

EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL-Hometown Highway 

FIONN MacCOOL’S-Drunken Nights 

FITZRAYS-Delta Stone 

FOX & FIDDLE-Karaoke w/Joe 

GRINNING GATOR-Old School Jam 


LONDON ALE HOUSE-AskHer 

LONDON MUSIC CLUB-Acoustyle Open Mic (7:30pm)/ 

Irish Ceili (8pm) 

LONDON WINE BAR- Simple Joy (8-11pm) 



Tucker (8pm) 

NORMA JEAN’S- Bucket List 


PETE’S PAD BAR & GRILL-The Rock Collection 

POACHER’S ARMS-Scotty & Lonny 

ROXBURY-DJ Hex 

RUM RUNNERS-Chad Price 

ST. JOHN THE DIVINE ANGLICAN CHURCH-The Ken Foster 

Quartet w/Rick Kish (7pm) 

SOHO BAR & GRILL-Ken The Zen 

WINKS EATERY- Don Campbell 

WORTLEY- Inside Out 

YUK YUK’S-Rob Pue/Rob Bebenek/Richard Ryder 

(8/10:30pm) 


popculture 

SAT. JAN. 28 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL-Robbie Antone’s Open Mic Blues Jam 

(4-8pm)/Jam Central Open Mic w/Donald Waugh (9pm) 

AEOLIAN HALL-The Mike Murley Trio (8pm) 

BLACK DIAMOND PUB-The Rock Collection (3-6pm) 


CROSSINGS GRILL (HYDE PARK)- Justin Plet 

DUTCH CANADIAN CLUB-DJ Wolfeman (8pm) 

EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL-Dave’s Not Here 


FITZRAYS- Gypsy Ghosts 

GRINNING GATOR-Gator Girls Gala w/Freshwater Sirens (4pm)/ 

Manchild/Joseph Rose/Robbie G/DJ S-One 

HENRY’S-Nathan Ouellette 


LONDON ALE HOUSE-Tskylawn 

LONDON WINE BAR- Simple Joy (8-11pm) 


NORMA JEAN’S- The DJ Killers 

POACHER’S ARMS-Sole Motive 

ST. REGIS-Emily Garber & Friends 

VICTORY LEGION-CW Country (2pm)/Slim Pickin’s Band (8pm) 

WINKS EATERY-Verbal Karate 

YUK YUK’S-Rob Pue/Rob Bebenek/Richard Ryder (8/10:30pm) 

SUN. JAN. 29 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL-Rev. Freddie & Friends (5pm)/Karaoke 

AEOLIAN HALL-Marion Miller & Sharon Kahan (3pm) 

BUDWEISER GARDENS-Dierks Bentley/Cole Swindell (7:30pm) 

DUTCH CANADIAN CLUB-The Core 4 w/Leesa Couper (7:30-11pm) 


POACHER’S ARMS-Board Game Night/Bluegrass Jam w/Dan 

RICHMOND TAVERN-The Mongrels (4pm)/Karaoke w/Mc PeptoGriswold 


TABU-Seline Arsenault/Jazz Review/Annette Grotentraast (6- 

9pm) 

VICTORY LEGION-Sunday Jamboree (2pm) 


WORTLEY-The Chris Murphy Band w/Doug Varty (4-8pm) 

MON. JAN. 30 

CAREY’S-Open Mic Night 



TUES. JAN. 31 




MOOSE LODGE-Karaoke w/Karen Turner & Doug Tucker (7-11pm) 


RICHMOND TAVERN- Justin D’Croix (4-6pm) 



WED. FEB. 1 

CHAUCER’S PUB-Ten Strings & A Goat Skin (7:30pm) 

EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL-Open Jam w/After Eight Band (8pm) 

FITZRAYS-FitzRays 1 Year Anniversary Party 




RICHMOND TAVERN- Traditional Music Session 




THURS. FEB. 2 

FIONN MacCOOL’S-The Paddy Stones 


GORDY’S BREWHOUSE-Karaoke 

GRINNING GATOR- Nate & Trish 

LAVISH- Karaoke w/DJ Wardrop 

NORMA JEAN’S – Nasty Alex Live Band Karaoke 


RICHMOND TAVERN-Fun Fact/The Early Morning (8pm) 


FRI. FEB. 3 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL- EOA Event 

AEOLIAN HALL-Brassroots (8pm) 

BACKDRAFTS-Inside Out 

DAWGHOUSE PUB-Smokin’ Dave Band 

EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL –Tanya Marie Harris 

FIONN MacCOOL’S-Three Penny Piece 

FITZRAYS-Ken Ross 

FOX & FIDDLE-Karaoke w/Joe 


GRINNING GATOR-Hiroshima Hearts 



LONDON MUSIC CLUB-Acoustic Open Mic w/DeRok (7:30pm)/ 

Andy Chillman 

LONDON WINE BAR-Lori Read (8-11pm) 

MOOSE LODGE-Karaoke w/Karen Turner & Doug Tucker (8pm) 

MUSTANG SALLY’S-Bryan Bicknell Duo 

NORMA JEAN’S-The Def Bombs 

POACHER’S ARMS-Samurai Night Fever 

RICHMOND TAVERN- Glenn Garinther Slide Blues Matinee (5-7pm) 


RUM RUNNERS-Harbour/Bad Words/Pseudo/Loser Of The Year 

WORTLEY-Tom Cat Prowl 

YUK YUK’S- Jeff McEnery/Ashley Moffatt/Kyle Hickey (8/10:30pm) 

SAT. FEB. 4 

AEOLIAN HALL-The Penderecki Quartet & Jazz Trio (8pm) 


CENTENNIAL HALL-Classic Albums Live: Rise & Fall Of Ziggy Stardust 

(8pm) 

EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL-Kate Channer 

FIONN MacCOOL’S-Three Penny Piece 

FITZRAYS-Best Of Both Worlds 

GERMAN CANADIAN CLUB-The Core 4 w/Leesa Couper (8- 

11:30pm) 

GRINNING GATOR-The Rapscallions 

HENRY’S-Justin Plet 



LONDON MUSIC CLUB-The Vaudevillian (9pm)/Bizz & Doug Varty 

LONDON WINE BAR- Lori Read (8-11pm) 


NORMA JEAN’S-Bobnoxious 

POACHER’S ARMS-Steve Crew 

RICHMOND TAVERN-Tom Dunphy (4pm)/Attic Apostles 

SOHO BAR & GRILL-441. 

VICTORY LEGION-CW Country (2pm)/Sideline (8pm) 

WORTLEY-Tom Cat Prowl 

YUK YUK’S- Jeff McEnery/Ashley Moffatt/Kyle Hickey (8/10:30pm) 

SUN. FEB. 5 

AEOLIAN HALL-Bruce Tournay Salutes The Piano Men (3pm) 

EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL-Blues Jam w/Double Clutch (3pm) 

LONDON ALE HOUSE-SuperBowl Party 

MOLLY BLOOM’S- Karaoke w/Axle 

POACHER’S ARMS- Bluegrass Jam w/Dan 

RICHMOND TAVERN-The Mongrels (4-7pm)/Karaoke 


TABU-Karen Emeny/Roxanne Andreghetti (6-9pm) 


WORTLEY-SuperBowl Party 

MON. FEB. 6 

LONDON MUSIC CLUB-Ukes Of London (7pm) 


POACHER’S ARMS- Open Mic Comedy 

TUES. FEB. 7 




RICHMOND TAVERN-Justin D’Croix (4pm) 


WINKS EATERY-R&R Bingo 

WED. FEB. 8 

EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL-Open Jam w/After Eight Band (8pm) 

FITZRAYS-Indie Night 

JIMBO’S PUB & EATERY – Open Blues Jam w/ (8:30pm) 


LONDON MUSIC HALL-Shane Harte/Kristen Hancher/Sebastian 

Olzanski/Jillea & Kolton Stewart/Ryland (5pm) 






WINKS EATERY-Trivia Night (8pm) 

THURS. FEB. 9 

AEOLIAN HALL-Michael Kaeshammer Sextet (8pm) 


FIONN MacCOOL’S-The Ashamed MacGowens w/Jeffy B 

FITZRAYS-Sarah Smith (8pm) 



LONDON MUSIC CLUB-Paul Reddick wsg The Distillery (8:30pm) 

LONDON MUSIC HALL-Switchfoot & Relient K (7:30pm) 

NORMA JEAN’S – Nasty Alex Live Band Rockeoke 




WORTLEY-Stephen Fisher 

FRI. FEB. 10 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL- Karaoke (9pm)/The Kate Channer 

Band 

AEOLIAN HALL-Harry Manx (8pm) 

BACKDRAFTS-AskHer 

CALL THE OFFICE-Brutal Youth/School Damage/Snacks?/Grievances 

CHAUCER’S PUB-Paul Langille/Paul Sims (7:30pm) 

DAWGHOUSE PUB-Gary Cain Band 

EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL–BlackWing 

FIONN MacCOOL’S-The Shananigans 

FITZRAYS-Reunion: British Invasion 





LONDON MUSIC CLUB-Acoustic Open Mic w/DeRok (7:30pm) 

LONDON MUSIC HALL-Us The Duo/Hailey Knox (7pm) 

LONDON WINE BAR- Larry Smith (8-11pm) 

NORMA JEAN’S-The Geoff Masse Band 

POACHER’S ARMS-Steven Fisher 

SOHO BAR & GRILL-Donald Waugh 


WORTLEY-RumbleFish 

SAT. FEB. 11 

AEOLIAN HALL-Leyla McCalla w/My Father’s Son (8pm) 

BUDWEISER GARDENS-Monster Jam (1/7pm.) 

BYRON LEGION-The Larry Myles Band (8pm) 


DAWGHOUSE PUB-Rock Steady 

DUTCH CANADIAN CLUB-DJ Wolfeman (8pm) 

EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL-Stunning 

FIONN MacCOOL’S-The Shananigans 

FITZRAYS-The Smashtones 

GRINNING GATOR-Psalm Tree 

HENRY’S-Chris Schramek 



LONDON MUSIC CLUB-David Essig/Ian Gifford/Richard Miron/ 

Rick Taylor/Broomsticks & Hammers (7:30pm)/Cameron Murray 

(8pm) 

LONDON WINE BAR- Larry Smith (8-11pm) 


NORMA JEAN’S- Bender 

POACHER’S ARMS- Steven Fisher 

RICHMOND TAVERN-Engine 86 (4-7pm) 

RUM RUNNERS-Banners/Tor Miller (7pm) 

WINKS EATERY-UFC 

WORTLEY-RumbleFish 

SUN. FEB. 12 


BUDWEISER GARDENS-Monster Jam (1pm) 

EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL-Blues Jam w/The Double Clutch Band (3- 

7pm) 

GRAND THEATRE-Jeans ‘n’ Classics: The Apollo Hall Of Fame (8pm) 

MUSTANG SALLY’S-Fabulous Sheiks 2.2 (1:30-5:30pm) 

NORMA JEAN’S-Road To Elysium/Populusque Romanus/Nostalgic 

Brightlights/Bare Bones/Coaching For Sara/The Mad Moxxi’s 

(5:30pm) 




TABU-Crystal Kirk/Tanya Lovell (6-9pm) 


WORTLEY-Woodshed Concert Series (1-3pm)/The Chris Murphy 

Band w/Shaun Sanders (4-8pm) 

MON. FEB. 13 


POACHER’S ARMS-Open Mic Comedy 

TUES. FEB. 14 

BUDWEISER GARDENS-Blue Rodeo (8pm) 





ROXBURY PUB & GRILL-Open Comedy Night/Open Mic w/Brendan 

Cobb 


WED. FEB. 15 

EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL –Open Jam Nite (8pm) 








THURS. FEB. 16 

CARDBOARD CAFÉ-Justine Chantale (7pm) 

FIONN MacCOOL’S-Tara Dunphy & Larry Smith 




LONDON MUSIC HALL-Ladysmith Black Mambazo (8pm) 


NORMA JEAN’S –Nasty Alex Live Band Rockeoke 


RUM RUNNERS-In Her Own Words/Bearings/Youngest And Only 

(7pm) 


FRI. FEB. 17 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL- MIA Event 

AEOLIAN HALL-Red Hot Ramble (8pm) 

CALL THE OFFICE-Julie Doiron & The Wrong Guys 

EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL-Wednesday’s Engine 


FITZRAYS-Jim McGinley 




LONDON MUSIC CLUB-Acoustic Open Mic w/DeRok (8:30pm) 

LONDON MUSIC HALL-SonReal/Clairmont The Second 



NORMA JEAN’S-Highway Jones 


POACHER’S ARMS-Colin Grey 

RICHMOND TAVERN- Glenn Garinther Slide Blues Matinee (5- 

7pm)/CJ Lee 

RUM RUNNERS-Certainty & Sparrows/Heavy Hearts/Downstream/Romancer 

(7pm) 


WORTLEY-Bluetonium 

SAT. FEB. 18 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL-Tribute To The Cure w/DJ Anthony H./ 

DJ Fractal 


17 


EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL-Shattered 


FITZRAYS-Pacanomad 

HENRY’S-Chris Casserly 



LONDON MUSIC HALL-Rick Taylor/David Vest/Cheryl Lescom/The 

Hogtown All-Stars/Tim Woodcock/Chuck Jackson/Paul Langille/ 

Chuckee Zehr/The Focklers (8pm) 


MUSTANG SALLY’S- Rev. Doug & The Old South Boys 

NORMA JEAN’S- Krazy Tok 

POACHER’S ARMS- The Spoonmen 

POLISH HALL-DJ Wolfeman (8pm) 

RICHMOND TAVERN-CJ Lee (4-7pm) 

WORTLEY-Bluetonium 

SUN. FEB. 19 

EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL-Open Blues Jam (3-7pm) 

LONDON MUSIC HALL-Benjamin Francis/Brolly (8pm) 

POACHER’S ARMS-Bluegrass Jam w/Dan 


RUM RUNNERS-Falsifier/Filth/Drag The Lake/Underlier/Skylines 

(7pm) 

TABU-Mad Moxxi’s/Rebecca Minshall (6-9pm) 


WORTLEY- The Chris Murphy Band (4-8pm) 

MON. FEB. 20 



TUES. FEB. 21 


LONDON MUSIC HALL-The Tea Party/The Road Heavy (7pm) 


THE LISTINGS CONTINUED ON PAGE 18 

Acoustic Muse Concerts 

PAUL LANGILLE 

with Paul Sims 

Friday, Feb. 10, 7:30 pm 

Chaucer’s Pub, 122 Carling St., London 

$12 Advance / $15 Door 

Advance Tickets available at 

Centennial Hall Box Office, 

Chaucer’s/Marienbad, 

Long & McQuade North, Village Idiot, 

ticketscene.ca 

RPR 

paullangille.com 

rprmusic.com 

They rocked the folk/roots music scene as the rhythm section of 

Tanglefoot. Now Rob Ritchie, Al Parrish and Steve Ritchie, along 

with percussionist Beaker Granger, have re-connected as RPR. 

Sat. March 4, 7:30 pm 

(Doors at 6:30 pm) 

JR Ballroom at London Music Hall 

182 Dundas St, London 

$20 advance / $25 door 

Tickets at London Music Hall (519-432-1107), 

Centennial Hall, Long & McQuade North, Village Idiot 

and online at londonmusichall.com & ticketscene.ca

THE LISTINGS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 





WED. FEB. 22 

CALL THE OFFICE-Meat Wave (8pm) 

CENTENNIAL HALL-Colin James/Tami Neilson (7:30pm) 




MUSEUM LONDON-Sonja Gustafson (5:30pm) 






WOLF PERFORMANCE HALL-Duncan Grant & Floating Point (7pm) 

YUK YUK’S- Amateur Night (9pm) 

THURS. FEB. 23 

AEOLIAN HALL-Garnet Rogers (8pm) 


FIONN MacCOOL’S-The Ashamed MacGowens w/Jeffy B 




LONDON MUSIC CLUB-Off The Hinges Improv (7:30pm)/Larry 

Smith (8pm) 

LONDON MUSIC HALL-Big Wreck/Ascot Royals (8pm) 

NORMA JEAN’S – Nasty Alex Live Band Rockeoke 




FRI. FEB. 24 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL- 401 Tour 

AEOLIAN HALL-The Prime Time Big Band w/Gina Farrugia (8pm) 

BACKDRAFTS-Chris Trowell 

CALL THE OFFICE-Nervousmen/Yeti On Horseback/Nothing Left 

For Tomorrow/Gypsy Chief Goliath (8pm) 

EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL –Full Petty Fever 


FITZRAYS-Husky 


GRINNING GATOR-Dan Barker 




Enchante 

LONDON WINE BAR-Paul Langille (8-11pm) 

NORMA JEAN’S-Abandoned Souls 

POACHER’S ARMS-Verbal Karate 


WORTLEY-Journeymen Of Soul 

SAT. FEB. 25 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL- Jam Central Open Mic w/Donald 

Waugh (9pm) 

AEOLIAN HALL-Amanda Martinez (8pm) 

BYRON LEGION-Toast & Jam (8pm) 


EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL-High Tide 


FITZRAYS-The Bathsalts 

GRINNING GATOR-Nu Breed/Lifted Life 

HENRY’S-The Rhapsody Rebelz 



LONDON ALE HOUSE-Full Throttle 

LONDON WINE BAR-Paul Langille (8pm) 


NORMA JEAN’S-Loveless 

POACHER’S ARMS-Loud Noises 

RICHMOND TAVERN-Carly Thomas (4-7pm)/Rapid Tension/Three 

Impotent Males/All But 6/Joey Letdown 

ST. REGIS-Kevin Greene & The Awesome Sauce 

WORTLEY-Journeymen Of Soul 

SUN. FEB. 26 


BUDWEISER GARDENS-Billy Talent (7pm) 

CHAUCER’S PUB-Runa (7:30pm) 


RICHMOND TAVERN- Karaoke 


TABU-Mikayin Hay/Black Savanna (6-9pm) 


WORTLEY-Journeymen Of Soul (4-8pm) 

MON. FEB. 27 



TUES. FEB. 28 

BUDWEISER GARDENS-Eric Church (8pm) 





ROXBURY PUB & GRILL-Open Comedy Night/Open Mic w/Brendan 

Cobb 


WED. MARCH 1 









THURS. MARCH 2 

FIONN MacCOOL’S-The Paddy Stones 




LONDON MUSIC HALL-Every Time I Die/Knocked Loose/Harm’s 

Way/Eternal Sleep (7pm) 

NORMA JEAN’S –Nasty Alex Live Band Rockeoke 



WOLF PERFORMANCE HALL-The Thames Valley District School 

Board Honour Jazz Band/The London Jazz Orchestra (7:30pm) 

FRI. MARCH 3 

AEOLIAN HALL-Sarah Smith/Doug Varty/Denise Pelley (8pm) 

BACKDRAFTS-The Geoff Masse Band 

EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL-After Love 

FIONN MacCOOL’S-Screeched Inn 

FITZRAYS-Hurtin’ Merv 


GRINNING GATOR- T-Will 




(8pm) 

LONDON MUSIC HALL-Matthew Good/Craig Stickland (7pm) 



NORMA JEAN’S-Electric Popsicle 




RUM RUNNERS-Lucky Widmore/Kid Royal/Mermaids Exist 

WORTLEY-After Midnight 


Email: music@scenemagazine.com. Please Include: Venue Name, Address, Event Title, Date, Time, 

Brief Description, Admission Fee and Phone Number. 

Deadline for March 1, 2017 issue~February 24, 2017 ~ John Sharpe 

SAT. MARCH 4 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL-Karaoke (9pm)/Robbie Antone’s Open 

Blues Jam (4pm)/Ataxia/Bookakeee/Unbeing/Kavara 


EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL-RumbleFish 

FIONN MacCOOL’S-Screeched Inn 

FITZRAYS-BlackWing 

HENRY’S-Kyle Geraghty 




NORMA JEAN’S-Dave’s Not Here 

RICHMOND TAVERN-Tom Dunphy (4-7pm) 

WORTLEY-After Midnight 

SUN. MARCH 5 

POACHER’S ARMS-Bluegrass Jam w/Dan 

RICHMOND TAVERN-The Mongrels (4-7pm)/Karaoke 

TABU-Nicole Tan (6-9pm) 

WORTLEY-Rev. Doug & The Old South Boys (4-8pm) 

HOUSE BANDS/ 

DJS/KARAOKE 

THURSDAYS 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL-Open Mic Jam w/Ken Ross/Karaoke 

CEEPS-DJ 

CRAZY JOE’S-Karaoke 

FIONN MacCOOL’S-Irish Ceilidh Night (8pm) 


GORDY’S BREWHOUSE-Karaoke w/Savage 

DAWGHOUSE PUB-Smokin’ Dave 

GRAD CLUB (UWO)-Rick McGhie (6pm) 

GRINNING GATOR-Comedy Nite 

HOOPS HOUSE PUB-Karaoke w/Greg (8:30pm) 

JACK ASTOR’S (RICHMOND ROW)-Extracurricular Thursdays 

JOE KOOL’S-Sweet Leaf Garrett (10pm) 

LAVISH-Karaoke w/DJ Wardrop (10pm) 

LONDON TAPHOUSE-Student Thursdays 

McCABES-FM 96 Live-To-Air w/Sarah Burke (2-11pm) 

MICHAEL’S ON THE THAMES-Jim Chapman (6-9pm) 

NORMA JEAN’S- Live Band Karaoke w/Nasty Alex 


ROXBURY PUB & GRILL-Indie Night 

SPOKE (UWO)-Trivia Night 

FRIDAYS 


A.N.A.F.-Karaoke (8pm) 

BARKING FROG-TGIFrog 

CANADIAN CORPS.-Karaoke w/DJ Cowboy Shea (8pm) 

CEEPS-DJ Fahad/DJ Bobby 

COWBOYS RANCH-Freedom Friday w/Country 104 

CRAZY JOE’S-Latin Power Band 

FATTY PATTY’S-Karaoke w/Sharpe Sound 

FOX & FIDDLE-Karaoke w/Joe (10pm) 

GORDY’S BREWHOUSE-Karaoke w/Paul & Mike 

HUSTLER BILLIARDS-Karaoke w/Pepsi Pete 

JACK’S-Graham & Kailen 

JOE KOOLS-DJ Jamie Allen 

KUBBY’S BAR & GRILL-Karaoke w/Sassi Singer (10pm) 

LONDON TAPHOUSE-Ladies Night 

MONGOLIAN MARTINI BAR-Empyrean Productions House DJs 

MOOSE LODGE-Karaoke w/Doug Tucker & Karen Turner (8pm) 


ROOSEVELT ROOM-Forecast Fridays 

ROXBURY-DJ Hex 

SILVER SPUR-Karaoke w/Rob Middleton 

SPOKE (UWO)-Coffee House Night 

TIGER JACKS - DJ Sebastian 

SATURDAYS 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL-Robbie Antone’s Blues Jam (4- 

8pm)/Karaoke 

A.N.A.F. – Karaoke 

BACKDRAFTS-Karaoke 

BARNEY’S-The Fairmonts 

CEEPS-DJ 

COWBOYS RANCH-Jacked Up Saturday w/BX93’s Kelly Peter 

CRAZY JOE’S-DJ 

HOOPS HOUSE PUB-Karaoke w/Jukebox Jeannie (9pm) 


LONDON TAPHOUSE-Saturday Dance Party 

McCABE’S IRISH PUB-Black Belt Jones 

MONGOLIAN MARTINI BAR-Empyrean Productions House DJs 

OLIVE R. TWISTS- Retro Saturdays w/DJ Alpha 

PROHIBITION-Contrast Saturdays 

ROOSEVELT ROOM-EDM (10pm) 

ROXBURY - DJ Mystic 

SCOTS CORNER-Karaoke 

SILVER SPUR-Karaoke 

SOHO BAR & GRILL-Stu’s Acoustic Jam (2-7pm) 


TIGER JACKS - DJ Sebastian 

SUNDAYS 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL-Acoustic Brunch (11am)/Rev. Freddie 

Band (4-7pm)/Karaoke 

CALL THE OFFICE – RayGun (9pm) 

GORDY’S BREWHOUSE-Open Jam w/Ian Pattison 

LONDON ALE HOUSE-Buzztime Electronic Trivia 

McCABE’S IRISH PUB-Black Belt Jones 

OLIVE R. TWIST-Colin Gray (8pm) 

PROHIBITION-Sin Sundays 

RICHMOND-Karaoke w/Lizzy & Markus 

ROXBURY- Karaoke w/DJ Tatz 

SCOTS CORNER-Casey Jones (8pm) 


TOBOGGAN BREWING-The Richmonds (8pm) 

MONDAYS 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL-Miser Mondays 

GRINNING GATOR-Free Pool Nite 

JACK’S-Mike Todd 

MONGOLIAN MARTINI BAR-DJ Double Down 

MORRISSEY HOUSE-Team Pub Quiz 

TUESDAYS 


BACKDRAFTS-Karaoke 

BULL & BARREL-Open Mic 

GORDY’S BREWHOUSE-Open Mic Night 

GRINNING GATOR-Trivia Nite 

McCABE’S IRISH PUB-Karaoke w/Jessie & Laura 

MOLLY BLOOM’S- Trivia Night (7-8pm) 


POACHER’S ARMS-Trivia Night w/Richie 

ROXBURY- Open Mic (10pm) 

SCOTS CORNER-Open Mic 

SPOKE (UWO)-Live Band Rockaoke w/Nasty Alex 

WEDNESDAYS 


CALL THE OFFICE-PunkPins 

FIRESIDE GRILL-Trivia Night (7:30pm) 

GORDY’S BREWHOUSE-Karaoke w/Stewie 

GRAD CLUB-Open Mic (8-11pm) 

JACK’S- DJ Dani & DJ Rick O’Shea 

JOE KOOL’S-DJ DoubleDown/DJ Mitch Perpich 

McCABE’S IRISH PUB-Jessie & Jordan 

MONGOLIAN MARTINI BAR-Jeffy B 

MOLLY BLOOM’S –The Mammals 


OLIVE R. TWISTS-Karaoke w/Joe (8pm) 

POACHER’S ARMS-Open Mic 

RICHMOND-Traditional Music Sessions 

ROXBURY-Open Mic w/Shawn Cowan 

SPOKE (UWO)- Rick McGhie (9pm) 

VENUE•INDEX 

765 OLD EAST BAR & GRILL 765 DUNDAS ST. E. 601-1765 

121 STUDIOS 211 KING ST. (226) 271-4753 

AEOLIAN HALL 795 DUNDAS ST. 672-7950 

AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION 2155 CRUMLIN RD. 455-0430 

A.N.A.F. IMPERIAL UNIT 229 38 ADELAIDE ST. N. 432-0104 

BACKDRAFTS 1101 JALNA BLVD. 649-7110 

BARKING FROG 209 JOHN ST. 850-3764 

BLACK DIAMOND PUB 1440 JALNA BLVD. (226) 663-3263 

popculture 

BLACK PEARL PUB 705 FANSHAWE PK. RD. W. 601-4782 

BOURBON ST. RESTAURANT 587 OXFORD ST. E. 667-2000 

BUDWEISER GARDENS 99 DUNDAS ST. 667-5700 

BULL & BARREL 359 TALBOT ST. 601-8155 

BYRON LEGION 1276 COMMISSIONERS RD. W. 472-3300 

CANADIAN CORPS. 1051 DUNDAS ST. 455-7530 

CARDBOARD CAFÉ 114 DUNDAS ST. 601-0066 

CAREY’S BAR & GRILL 1569 OXFORD ST. E. 951-6886 

CASEY’S BAR AND GRILL 310 CLARKE RD. 455-4392 

CEEPS AND BARNEY’S 671 RICHMOND ST. 432-1232 

CHAUCER’S PUB 122 CARLING ST. 679-9940 

CHIL YOGURT BAR 620 RICHMOND ST. 601-2445 

CHRISTINA’S PUB 1131 RICHMOND ST. 660-8778 

COWBOY’S RANCH 60 WHARNCLIFFE RD. N. 679-0101 

CROSSINGS GRILL 1269 HYDE PARK RD. 472-3020 

DAWGHOUSE PUB 699 WILKINS ST. 685-0640 

DUTCH CANADIAN CLUB 1738 GORE RD. 455-7170 

EASTSIDE BAR & GRILL 750 HAMILTON RD. 951-6462 

EAST VILLAGE ARTS COLLECTIVE 755 DUNDAS ST. 

EAST VILLAGE COFFEEHOUSE 754 DUNDAS ST. 226-271-6141 

FATTY PATTY’S 390 SPRINGBANK DR. 473-5521 

FIONN MACCOOL’S 867 WELLINGTON RD. S. 681-5346 

FIRESIDE GRILL 1166 COMMISSIONERS RD. E 680-9899 

FIRE ROASTED COFFEE CO. 105 KING ST. 438-5225 

FITZRAYS 110 DUNDAS ST. 646-1112 

FOX & FIDDLE 355 WELLINGTON ST. 679-4238 

GERMAN CANADIAN CLUB 1 COVE RD. 433-2901 

GORDY’S BREWHOUSE 1631 OXFORD ST. E. 601-4673 

GRINNING GATOR 391 RICHMOND ST. 672-5050 

GROOVES 353 CLARENCE ST. 640-6714 

HOOPS HOUSE PUB 924 OXFORD ST. 659-6766 

HUSTLER BILLIARDS 1116 DEARNESS DR. 649-2138 

JACK’S 539 RICHMOND ST. 438-1876 

JIMBO’S PUB AND EATERY 920 COMMISSIONERS RD. E. 204-7991 

KUBBY’S BAR & GRILL 312 COMMISSIONERS RD. W. 472-9455 

LAVISH NIGHTCLUB 238 DUNDAS ST. 

LOCKER ROOM 1286 JALNA BLVD. 680-5001 

LONDON ALE HOUSE 288 DUNDAS ST. 204-2426 

LONDON CONCERT THEATRE 60 WHARNCLIFFE RD. N. 

LONDON MUSIC CLUB 470 COLBORNE ST. 640-6996 

LONDON MUSIC HALL 185 QUEENS AVE. 432-1107 

LONDON TAPHOUSE 545 RICHMOND ST. 601-2001 

LONDON WINE BAR 420 TALBOT ST. 913-3400 

LONE STAR TEXAS GRILL 660 RICHMOND ST. 434-4663 

MARTINI BAR 645 RICHMOND ST. 645-6400 

MCCABES IRISH PUB 739 RICHMOND ST. 858-8485 

MOLLY BLOOM’S 700 RICHMOND ST. 675-1212 

MOOSE LODGE 6 WESTON ST. 434-9361 

MORRISSEY HOUSE 359 DUNDAS ST. 204-9220 

MUSIC BOX 1472 DUNDAS ST. (226) 236-3877 

MUSTANG SALLY’S 99 BELMONT DRIVE 649-7688 

NORMA JEAN’S 1332 HURON ST. 455-7711 

O’MALLEY’S IRISH PUB 99 BELMONT AVE. 649-7688 

OLD SOUTH VILLAGE PUB 149 WORTLEY RD. 645-1166 

OLIVE R. TWISTS 130 KING ST. 204-9184 

PETE’S PAD BAR & GRILL 609 CLARKE RD. 457-2222 

PLAYERS SPORTS HUB 1749 DUNDAS ST. E. 452-1030 

POACHER’S ARMS 171 QUEENS ST. 432-7888 

POLISH HALL 554 HILL ST. 434-2576 

PROHIBITION 153 CARLING ST. 

RICHMOND TAVERN 370 RICHMOND ST. 679-9777 

ROOSEVELT ROOM 2010 DUNDAS ST. 870-5222 

ROSEWOOD ROOM 185 DUNDAS ST. 

ROXBURY BAR & GRILL 1165 OXFORD ST. E. 951-0665 

RUM RUNNERS 176 DUNDAS ST. 432-1107 

ST. JOHN THE DIVINE ANGLICAN CHURCH 21577 RICHMOND ST. 660-8177 

ST. REGIS TAVERN 625 DUNDAS ST. 432-0162 

SCOTS CORNER 268 DUNDAS ST. 667-2277 

SHOELESS JOE’S 805 WONDERLAND RD. S. 474-9505 

SILVER SPUR 771 SOUTHDALE RD. E. 681-5161 

SOHO BAR & GRILL 466 SOUTH ST. 672-8987 

SWAG LOUNGE WESTERN FAIR DISTRICT 438-7203 

SWEET ONION 135 WORTLEY RD. 204-5775 

TABU 539 RICHMOND ST. 

TIGER JACKS 842 WHARNCLIFFE RD. S. 690-0292 

TOBOGGAN BREWERY 585 RICHMOND ST. 433-2337 

VIBRAFUSIONLAB 355 CLARENCE ST. (226) 272-5185 

VICTORY LEGION 311 OAKLAND AVE. 455-2331 

WINKS EATERY 551 RICHMOND ST. 936-5079 

WOLF PERFORMANCE HALL 251 DUNDAS ST. 661-5120 

WORTLEY ROADHOUSE 190 WORTLEY RD. 438-5141 

YUK YUK’S 900 KING ST. 936-2309 

18 


thearts 

I 

SHUT THE 

FRONT DOOR 

IMPROV: 

GROWING THE 

ART FORM 

t’s been a fabulous five years for 

London’s favourite improv troupe, 

and with the wind at their collective 

back, they appear to have many more to 

come. 

On January 6, Shut the Front Door 

(STFD) celebrated their fifth anniversary 

with two sold-out ‘Birthday Spectacular’ 

shows (and abundant cake) at the London 

Music Club. 

Since their inception in January 2012 

the group has earned a devoted following, 

with new fans made at each show. 

Word-of-mouth about the calibre of talent 

demonstrated onstage - not to mention 

the unique rapport they share with 

their audiences - continues to spread 

like wildfire. 

The seven-member ensemble is in 

PHOTO CREDIT: BLUE NOVEMBER PHOTOGRAPHY 

SHUT THE FRONT DOOR MEMBERS (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) RYAN HOLDEN, SAM TALL, 

JIM KELLY, BRANDON RUDD, KATHLEEN JACKSON, AND KEVIN ELLIOTT IN ACTION 

constant demand, playing fundraisers 

and other engagements in addition to 

their regular shows at the Music Club. 

They also work to spread awareness 

about the various charities proceeds 

from their shows support, such as Stevenson 

Children’s Camp, SARI Therapeutic 

Riding, and Sebastian’s Superheroes. 

However, the impressive success the 

troupe has enjoyed thus far is almost 

secondary to their dedication to mentoring 

others in the art of improv. 

“We knew it was important to bring 

the improv element back to London, and 

for me personally, it was a goal of sustainability, 

improvement and involvement 

of community members. We really 

could not do any of this without community,” 

explained STFD artistic director 

FEATURES 

and founding member Brandon Rudd. 

STFD regularly hosts popular free 

drop-in classes as well as a structured 

series of paid improv classes. Those 

who complete the classes can graduate 

to the Improv Masterclass, an intensive 

eight week-long program that effectively 

prepares students for the stage. 

The masterclasses have already produced 

a new troupe in its own right, Off 

the Hinges. 

“That’s quite an accomplishment in 

five years - giving people the opportunity 

to understand what improv really 

is. Aside from being able to perform, it’s 

having that skill set that comes with 

improv. Learning those skills that can 

be used in many other things - communication, 

team building, relationships, 

confidence, the ability to combat bullies, 

and feeling a sense of accomplishment,” 

Rudd said. 

Rudd, along with fellow STFD members 

Taylor Axford, Ryan Holden, Sam 

Tall, Jim Kelly, Kathleen Jackson, and 

Kevin Elliott, work hard at providing 

improvisers-in-training with a comprehensive 

roadmap that could very well 

lead them one day to sharing the stage 

with themselves, Off the Hinges, or another 

troupe. 

“I’m overwhelmed by the responses 

I get - unsolicited - about how improv 

has helped people. We’ve come a long 

ways in five years, but there is still a lot 

of work to do,” Rudd added (visit STFD’s 

website for more information about improv 

classes and registration). 

The troupe follow up their birthday 

celebrations on February 10 at London 

Music Club with the Yes, No, Maybe 

Show. Off the Hinges are set to perform 

January 26 (same venue) - and, in a 

clever promotional move, the fans have 

chosen - by Facebook vote - which recent 

graduate of the Improv Masterclass 

will take to the stage with them! 

“One cool thing about Off the Hinges is that at the 

end of each show, they offer public jam sessions. So 

if you’re an audience member who has never been 

onstage before, you can go up and play some games,” 

Rudd said. 

“Truth be told, there are a lot of really good improvisers 

out there that aren’t part of a troupe at this 

point,” he added. 

“We’re providing an opportunity to include them as 

much as we can, in as many ways as we can.” 

- Amie Ronald-Morgan 

THE ARTS SECTION CONTINUES ON PAGE 24 


19

HOTINDIE HOTINDIE HOTINDIE HOTINDIE 

Tift Merritt • Stitch 

Of The World 

Often drawing comparison to fellow folk/ 

country/roots artists like Emmylou Harris and 

Joni Mitchell, American singer-songwriter, and 

musician Tift Merritt’s sixth studio album may be 

her most personal work to date. Merritt wrote the album’s 10 original compositions 

at a farm in Marfa, Texas, at her California cabin and in New York City. Certainly, all 

of these locales influenced her writing and helped her establish the right mood 

for each tune. Several of the album’s tracks, like ‘Heartache Is An Uphill Climb’ and 

‘Love Soldiers On,’ were also influenced by major changes in her life, including a 

divorce. While Stitch Of The World gets off to a rip-roaring start with the up-tempo 

shuffle ‘Dusty Old Man,’ the rest of the disc is comprised of down tempo ballads that 

showcase Merritt’s heartfelt vocals. – John Sharpe 

> Performance: B/Production: B 

> YepRoc 

Dutch Uncles 

Big Balloon 

Dutch Uncles -- Pete Broadhead (guitar), Andy 

Proudfoot (drums), Robin Richards (bass) and 

Duncan Wallis (lead vocals/piano) -- are a British 

art-pop quartet who claim their sixth album, Big 

Balloon was ‘inspired by Kate Bush’s The Red Shoes, Low-era David Bowie, some 

records belonging to their dads, and eastern European techno.’ The album opens with 

the guitar and bass-driven title track that urges listeners ‘to be content with who you 

are.’ It’s jerky rhythm and off –kilter time signature is one of the band’s signature traits 

that will be repeated throughout the album. Elsewhere, the remaining nine tracks 

deal with such diverse subjects as paranoia, loneliness and politics. While Dutch 

Uncles’ music is very intricate, intelligent and extremely well played, it’s somehow 

strangely uninvolving. Too clever for their own good? Perhaps. – John Sharpe 

> Performance: B/Production: B+ 

> Memphis Industries 

Tribe Royal 

Colours Of The Sun 

Ottawa-based indie folk-rockers Tribe Royal have 

issued their sophomore release Colours Of The 

Sun. The band members have name-checked a 

wide variety of 70’s-era influences and although 

they are being viewed by many as participants in a so-called ‘vintage rock revival’ 

the fact is that there is none of the sometimes self-conscious image-mongering 

and posturing such musicians often adopt. There’s plenty of capable harmony 

vocalizing to be heard on these tracks and the musicianship is quite adequate 

with each member contributing to a cohesive band sound. The album is a pleasant 

enough listen when taken as a whole, however there is a distinct lack of passion 

in evidence and as a result this passes by with nary a ripple in today’s grossly 

overcrowded band scene. – Rod Nicholson 

> Performance: C+/Production: B 

> Indie 

Sarah Smith • 11 

One of London’s hardest working and most 

popular musicians, Sarah Smith states that 11, 

her third full-length recording, ‘sums up the 

last few years of my life.’ Indeed, the album’s 17 

original compositions tell tales of good times 

and bad, love, loss and happiness. Employing 

her regular band – Ken Ross (bass), Bobby Reynolds (drums) and Guy Miskelly 

(guitar) – Smith expands her soundstage by utilizing a number of talented guest 

musicians, including Jay Vern (piano/organ), Dale Rivard (pedal steel), Troy Neeb 

(sax), and Peter Hysen (trombone). A mixture of rock, pop and country, 11 

benefits from the work of Juno-winning producer Kevin Doyle. Smith’s strong 

vocals are front and centre, and the band is balanced accordingly. Passionate and 

honest, 11 rates a 10. – John Sharpe 

> Performance: A/Production: A 

> Indie 

20 

HOTINDIE 

HOTINDIE 

HOTINDIE 

HOTINDIE 

POPCDs 

Shane Owens • Where 

I’m Comin’ From 

Where Shane Owens is clearly coming from is 

the place where country music in the 80s still 

lived before mutating into a kind of strange mix 

between Lynyrd Skynyrd on a bad night and 

someone’s out of skew idea of what a ‘cowboy song’ 

was supposed to or used to sound like. Country star Randy Travis has been vocal in 

his praise of Owens’ style and it’s clear he’s absolutely right as Where I’m Comin’ 

From rolls out powerfully track by track. The nice thing is that Owens is able to pull 

this off without sounding like a self-conscious revivalist and sonically at least some 

of the credit for that has to lie with master producer James Stroud who brought his 

talents to bear here. Nicely done. – Rod Nicholson 

> Performance: B+/Production: B+ 

> AmeriMonte 

Mark Crissinger 

Night Light 

Now based in British Columbia, blues artist Mark 

Crissinger has released his fifth solo album Night 

Light and the results show that this guy learned his 

lessons well at those jams at Toronto’s Grossman’s 

Tavern. Maintaining a light touch throughout without compromising the emotions 

involved on the songs here Crissinger displays a genuine talent for some pretty 

snappy guitar work and a vocal style that makes a point without resorting to 

macho posturing (you guys know who you are) or overwrought displays of ‘true 

feeling.’ Truth to tell there isn’t any new ground broken here (by now it isn’t what 

you say in the blues but how you say it) but make no mistake this record is an 

entertaining listen from beginning to end. – Rod Nicholson 

> Performance: B+/Production: B 

> Indie 

Manitoba Hal 

Live In Ghent 

Normally associated with Hawaiian luaus, 

vaudeville, and comedy teams, in the hands of 

Manitoba Hal (aka Hal Brolund) the lowly ukulele 

becomes a bluesy instrument that the Canadian 

musicians plays with great facility. Whether he’s strumming rhythm on the fourstring 

or finger-picking bluesy licks, Brolund proves that the uke can be a small but 

mighty instrument. His latest release, Live In Ghent, is a generous 2-CD, 24-track 

collection recorded at Missy Sippy Blues & Roots Club, Belgium. A big man with 

a big baritone voice, Brolund runs through a number of classic blues tunes by 

legends like Robert Johnson, Mississippi John Hurt, and Bukka White, along with 

a handful of original compositions. A master storyteller, Brolund captures the 

essence of the blues in its simplest form. – John Sharpe 


> Hal’s Kitchen 

Jeannie Seely 

Written In Song 

If you’re looking for authentic, down-home, honkytonk 

country, look no further that Jeannie Seely’s 

latest CD, her first in six years and the sixteenth of 

her decades-long career. A Grammy-winning artist who’s been a member of the 

Grand Ole Opry for 50 years, Seely’s voice may have the power it once possessed, but 

she’s still more that capable of expressing deep heartache, betrayal and the joy of 

living. Written In Song features 14 original tracks, which were recorded by legends 

like Merle Haggard, Dottie West, Ernest Tubb, and Ray Price. The album also features 

guest appearances by Kenny and Tess Sears (‘Leavin’ & Sayin’ Goodbye’), Connie Smith 

and Marty Stuart (‘Senses’) and Jan Howard and Jessi Colter (‘We’re Still Hangin’ In 

There Ain’t We Jessi’). Unlike much of today’s ‘new country’ you won’t hear any 

screaming guitars and thunderous drums on Written In Song, just some lovely pedal 

steel, tasty guitar licks and soulful keyboards. Traditional in the best sense of the 

word. – John Sharpe 


> Smith Music 

physicalreviews 

HOTINDIE 

HOTINDIE 

HOTINDIE 

HOTINDIE 

Kirty • S/T 

Toronto-area singer/songwriter Kirty makes 

it clear on her self-titled second album that 

the sky is basically the limit when it comes 

to her musical and creative influences and 

what she wants to do with them. The key to 

her sonic versatility lies in her chameleonic 

singing style that allows her to take on a 

variety of vocal styles and make them work for her. The arrangements here 

are dreamy and sometimes cinematic, allowing her voice to ride on and 

above the sometimes dense wall of sound present on some of these tracks. 

Stylistically, her sound would be classified as pop-based with a touch of 

that indie wistfulness that the entire genre seems to hold at its roots in 

order to put the listener into the proper frame of mind. – Rod Nicholson 


> Indie 

Lucas Haneman 

Express • Tearing 

Up The Rails 

Tearing Up The Rails is the second album 

from the Lucas Haneman Express and as 

sophomore efforts should do, this release 

shows real progress and refinement from the work put forth on their 

2011 debut. Unlike many musicians operating in the so-called ‘bluesinfluenced’ 

field Haneman and his cohorts manage to capture the true 

spirit of that sonic amalgam. Of special note are the soulfully capable vocal 

work by Haneman and his versatile guitar playing which without being 

flashy gets the feeling across with true panache. Props must also go to 

harmony vocalist (and Haneman’s wife) Megan Laurence, bassist Martin 

Newman and drummer Jeff Asselin who do their job with expertise and 

sensitivity. Also features guests Steve Marriner on harp and Jesse Whitely 

on keys. Recommended. – Rod Nicholson 

> Performance: A/Production: B+ 

> Indie 

Elliott And The 

Audio Kings • S/T 

Elliott And The Audio Kings hail from 

Waterloo, Ontario and feature former Daddy 

Long Legs guitarist/singer Mike Elliott 

back on the blues scene with a new band 

comprised of Jonny Sauder (drums) and Scott Fitzpatrick (stand-up bass). 

The sound is strictly blues served straight up -- no overdubs of any kind 

with Elliott’s vocals fronting some fiery playing and recorded off the floor 

at full volume. The subject matter is the usual fare, women who won’t be 

true, the workingman’s uphill lifestyle and the way life keeps handing 

out bad luck to most everyone who’s trying to keep on the straight and 

narrow. The album basically plays out like someone was recording a live 

gig to good effect and therein lies its authenticity. – Rod Nicholson 


> Busted Flat 

Darin And Brooke 

Aldridge • Faster 

And Farther 

The norm in the bluegrass genre is highlonesome 

vocal work laid out clear as a bell 

and the kind of picking that would put most 

rock music ‘virtuosos’ in a cold sweat. Faster And Farther, the latest album 

from North Carolina couple Darin and Brooke Aldridge, is a noteworthy 

addition to the bluegrass lexicon with some truly fine singing from Ms. 

Aldridge herself that takes thing to a higher level. There’s also a bit of an 

edge to the band sound that’s plainly heard on the record’s opening track 

‘Kingdom Come’ which drives along for its entire running time without 

letup. Also of note is an appearance from country music guitar firebrand 

Vince Gill who lends his own inimitable vocal stamp to ‘Cumberland 

Plateau.’ – Rod Nicholson 


> Mountain Home 



CONCERT DVD 

PIANO 

OPERA 

ORCHESTRA 

CLASSICALCDS&DVD 

Mozart – Violin Concertos 

Nos. 3, 4 and 5 

Wherever it is found, genius – artistic genius, in particular – thrives when it’s 

restricted in some crucial way. That’s the story behind this trio of violin concertos, 

which were composed by Mozart in 1775 while he still resided in his hometown of 

Salzburg. Beholden to his patron after having toured internationally, Mozart felt 

confined by circumstance, but managed to rise above his discouragement and create 

these three effervescent pieces, which are performed by the Norwegian Chamber 

Orchestra on this recently released Naxos concert DVD. For fans of the incomparable 

Amadeus, this is a fine airing of material culled from the composer’s early period. 

Violinist Henning Kraggeruit elevates all three concertos with emotive phrasing and 

dispassionate technique, investing the pieces with the sort of precise pathos one might expect from such a world-class 

musician. As with other Naxos DVDs, the audio quality here is more than adequate, and the cinematography – while fairly 

basic – will be sufficient for most armchair concert goers. – Chris Morgan 

> Henning Kraggeruit (violin), Norwegian Chamber Orchestra 

> Naxos, 2016 

Philip Glass: Glassworlds 4: 

On Love 

Philip Glass is among the world’s best-known composers of modern instrumental 

music. The latest release in his Glassworlds series, entitled ‘On Love’, is an apropos, 

given the mood of the music collected here. As performed by acclaimed pianist 

Nicholas Horvath, these works are evocative, cinematic and filled with a pathos that 

defies easy definition. A suite of pieces culled from the BAFTA award-winning score for 

the 2002 film The Hours is the most expansive offering here, presented in its entirety, 

complete with three previously unpublished movements. Rather than simply reproducing incidental music, Horvath’s 

naked arrangement shines a light on the score, allowing listeners to appreciate the subtle aspects of the work, both on an 

emotional and technical level. Glassworlds 4 also includes ‘Music in Fifths’ – a piece once described by composer Steve Reich 

as being “like a freight train” – as well as the breathtaking ‘Modern Love Waltz’, and the world premiere recording of Notes 

on a Scandal. Classical Glass, indeed. – Chris Morgan. 

> Nicolas Horvath 

> HNH International, 2016 

The Ghosts of Versailles 

It took about a quarter-century, but the “grand opera buffa” The Ghosts of Versailles 

has been recorded for posterity, and released in a handsome two-SACD set by 

Pentatone. The journey to create the definitive audio documentation of this acclaimed 

work was a long one, but fans and students of modern opera will be delighted 

with the crisp fidelity of the sound and the rich, full tone captured by the hybrid 

multichannel technology. The work itself only benefits from the audio improvements. 

Sound reproduction is bright and lively while the performances by the 2015 LA Opera 

are a triumph. The principal cast members are excellent in their roles as well, with top marks going to Christopher Maltman 

for his winning portrayal of Beaumarchais and Lucas Meachen as Figaro, who turns in an amusing performance in the first 

act but reveals more nuance as the opera progresses. Worth the wait. – Chris Morgan 

> John Corigliano and William M. Hoffman 

> Pentatone Music, 2016 

Stravinsky – The Rite of Spring / Bartok – 

Concerto for Orchestra 

Seasonally incongruous as it may be, this recently released recording of Igor Stravinsky’s 

iconic orchestral work The Rite of Spring seems more expressive of autumn’s displays 

of arboreal color than nature’s slow awakening in March and April. Nevertheless, the 

musicians of the Park Avenue Chamber Orchestra, guided by conductor David Bernard, 

have rendered the piece in such a way that it sounds good, no matter what the season is. 

At times contemplative and enigmatic, and at other times cacophonous and dissonant, 

The Rite of Spring has lost nothing of its potency in the century since its composition, 

and this is the same energy that the players bring to their performance. Bela Bartok’s 

Concerto for Orchestra receives similarly appropriate treatment, imbued first with a focused intensity that eventually settles 

into a compelling series of duets by the second movement. Then it’s onto an array of quirky solo sections, a showcase of 

sorts, in which Bartok’s gift for composing folk-flavored melodies is in full bloom, setting the stage is set for the concerto’s 

life-affirming fourth movement. 

– Chris Morgan 

> Park Avenue Chamber Symphony, David Bernard 

> Recursive Classics, 2016 

ART 

FICTION 

POETRY 

BOOKS 

Ken Danby: Beyond the 

Crease 

There are certain paintings that occupy a special place in the consciousness 

of the Canadian nation, works by Alex Colville and Emily Carr, for example. 

Ken Danby’s ‘At the Crease’ (1972) - which depicts a nameless hockey 

goalie viewed at eye level - belongs among these iconic pieces, too; 

but it should be no surprise that Danby’s work and world was far more 

encompassing than this – or any - single image of his might convey. 

Goose Lane Edition’s recently published work, Ken Danby: Beyond the 

Crease explores the artist’s entire career and life, in a beautiful hardcover 

volume, filled with over 70 reproductions of his major paintings, drawings 

and prints. Rarely seen archival photography immerses readers in Danby’s 

mind and environment, exposing the influences that inspired his work. A pair of essays – one by Ihor Holubizky and the 

other by Greg McGee – delve deep into methods, intents and motivations behind Danby’s work, and create, ultimately, 

a fuller, more realized understanding and appreciation for the vision of this true Canadian original. 

–Chris Morgan 

> Ihor Holubizky, Greg McKee and Andrew Oko 

> Goose Lane Editions, 198 pages 

The Alchemists’ Council 

For thousands of years, the nearly immortal Alchemists’ Council has used 

the power of the Lapis to maintain balance in the world between the four 

primary elements and Quintessence, an overarching fifth, all while guarding 

against attacks from the nefarious Rebel Branch, who are anxious to shatter 

the Council’s power, and bring chaos. As a junior initiate, Jaden has just begun 

to learn her place among the Council when a new initiate is found, one 

with knowledge of alchemy, beyond what any mortal should possess. After 

discovering that her memory has been altered and that both her past and 

future may lie with the Rebels, Jaden becomes less convinced that Council’s 

ever more extreme activities are truly necessary to uphold the group’s primary 

purpose. And as Council members begin to probe the sudden disappearance 

of bees from Lapidarian documents and artwork, Jaden is forced to choose 

between free will offered by the Rebels and maintenance of order with the 

Council. From the first page warning that, “The Alchemists’ Council forbids 

you to read this book”, Cynthea Masson has crafted a sophisticated fantasy realm that intersects our own. Her multidimensional 

characters and skillfully woven plot will keep readers guessing about allegiance and motivation, even 

among the story’s protagonists. Masson includes a detailed history and organizational structure for the Council, and 

has a blog explaining the book’s language and symbolism, rounding out a new world that will thrill fans of the genre. 

- Adam Shirley 

> Cynthea Masson 

> ECW Press, 421 Pages 

You Can’t Bury Them All 

From the first pages of You Can’t Bury Them All, the writing hums with 

internal music. More than imagery, even more than the technique of Patrick 

Woodcock’s poetry is this rhythm - and so it is no surprise when, partway 

through the collection, he describes a ‘Maudlin Manitou Sunset’ in musical 

terms: “....I conducted with my frozen toes/and archived the echoes within 

my lungs; more than/the current caroled tonight. I closed my eyes to hear/ 

the hiss of a punctured sun deflating and let this sound/within me....I ached 

to ferment these colours and ravage them like wine.” Woodcock’s poems of 

Iraq are heat-drowsy and slow-motion, lilting in the underwater: “Watch 

our ephemeral lives, the curt cycle/of our souls; watch our desire to kill and 

shift/the weight; watch flames joust and jostle, wrestle/misery and coddle 

the hector and the thrapple/full of hate.” There’s something there, beyond 

the words - as though the poet is standing in a high place, the toes of his 

boots kicking at stones that bounce down the mountainside. The title poem 

alone is worth the price of admission. There is a buoyant and bright quality to his writings of northern Canada, an 

affectionate tongue-in-cheek given to the dark. A wry humor chuckles like a thoughtful bassline throughout the book. 

Of being “Abandoned at Charlie’s cabin to take inventory,” he muses, “You must talk to the walls/and talk to the floors/ 

and then onto the roof/to wonder and wish/for an answer to all that/this cabin implores:/Save the moose antlers/or 

satellite dish?” 

- Amy Andersen 

> Patrick Woodcock 

> ECW Press, 128 pages 


21

22 

HORROR 

HORROR 

HORROR 

Chicken People 

Chicken may be just food for most people, but 

raising the perfect chicken is an all-consuming 

passion for some. CMT has partnered with 

Emmy Award-winning Motto Pictures, and 

Emmy nominated director Nicole Lucas Haimes 

for “Chicken People,” a documentary that takes a 

charming and fascinating look at the colorful and hugely competitive 

world of champion show chicken breeders. A real life “Best in Show” 

but about chickens, the film follows the struggles and triumphs of 

both humans and their chickens on the road to compete at the Ohio 

National Poultry Show, considered the Westminster of Chickens. 

- Review courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment 

> Rating: G 

> Run Time: 83 minutes 

> Distributor: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment 

> Director: Nicole Lucas Haimes 

Dead Rising: 

Endgame 

After narrowly escaping a zombie quarantine, 

Chase (Jesse Metcalfe) can’t shake the 

guilt of having left a trusted colleague behind. 

Now, as he heads back into the quarantine 

to expose the architects of the outbreak, he 

will uncover a secret more evil than he could 

have imagined. With mass annihilation looming, Chase—along 

with a group of dubious allies—slices, hacks and bludgeons his way 

through the zombie hordes that plague the abandoned city. Our heroes 

will have to confront their most gruesome nightmares in order to 

save millions of innocent lives, including their own. 


> Rating: 14A 



> Director: Pat Williams 

> Actors: Jesse Metcalfe, Billy Zane, Dennis Haysbert, Marie Avgeropoulos, 

Jessica Harmon, Keegan Connor Tracy, Ian Tracey, Victor 

Webster, Camille Sullivan and Patrick Sabongui 

Don’t Breathe 

From the twisted minds behind Evil Dead 

comes a new terrifying experience. Three young 

thieves (Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto) 

fight for their lives after breaking into the 

home of a blind man (Stephen Lang) who has a 

dark side. 


> Rating: 14A 



> Director: Fede Alvarez 

> Actors: Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto and Stephen 

Lang 

MOVIEDVDs 

DRAMA 

WESTERN 

ROMANCE 


Equity 

A female investment banker (Anna Gunn), 

fighting to rise to the top of the corporate ladder 

at a competitive Wall Street firm, navigates 

a controversial tech IPO in the post-financial 

crisis world, where loyalties are suspect, regulations 

are tight, but pressure to bring in “big 

money” remains high. EQUITY is a unique Wall 

Street drama about women who thrive on competition and ambition 

to stay equal in the game. 


> Rating: 14A 



> Director: Meera Menon 

> Actors: Anna Gunn, James Purefoy, Sarah Megan Thomas and Alysia 

Reine 

The Magnificent 

Seven 

In Director Antoine Fuqua’s modern vision to 

a classic story, the desperate townspeople of 

Rose Creek employ protection from seven outlaws, 

bounty hunters, gamblers and hired guns 

after the town falls under the deadly control of 

industrialist Bartholomew Bogue. As they prepare the town for the 

violent showdown that they know is coming, these seven mercenaries 

find themselves fighting for more than money. 


> Rating: 14A 



> Director: Antoine Fuqua 

> Actors: Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent 

D’Onofrio, Byung-Hun Lee, Martin Sensmeier, Manuel Garcia- 

Rulfo and Peter Sarsgaard 

The Hollars 

A struggling NYC artist, John Krasinski, is 

forced to return to the small middle-American 

town he left behind after learning about his 

mother’s illness. Back in the house he grew up 

in, John is immediately swept up in the problems 

of his dysfunctional family, high school rival, 

and an over-eager ex-girlfriend as he faces impending fatherhood 

with his NYC girlfriend (Anna Kendrick, Academy Award Nominee, Up 

in the Air, Best Supporting Actress, 2009). 


> Rating: PG 



> Director: John Krasinski 

> Actors: Sharlto Copley, Charlie Day, Richard Jenkins, Anna Kendrick, 

John Krasinski and Margo Martindale 


thearts 

VISUAL ARTS 

THE ARTS CENTRE (Westmount Mall, 785 

Wonderland Rd) - $10 Mini One-Hour Workshops 

are back! Sat, Feb 18 & Sun, Feb 19. 

Contact us for details! // Ongoing Classes: 

Adult Drawing: Tues 2-4pm $25/class // 

Painting Acrylic or Watercolour Thurs 9:30- 

11:30 or 6-8pm $25/class // Kids Art Classes: 

Pokémon Painting ages 7 & up. $20 ea or 

2/$35. Make it into a kids party! Sat, Jan 14: 

Pikachu 11-12pm or Teddiursa 1-2pm // Sat, 

Jan 21: Gengar 11-12pm or Growlithe 1-2pm 

// Sat, Jan 28: Nidorina 11-12pm or Horsea 

1-2pm // Sat, Feb 4: Bulbasaur 11-12pm or 

Umbreon 1-2pm // Kids Play with Clay-Polar 

Bear: Tue Jan 17, 6:30-7:30pm $15 // Street 

View: Sat Jan 21, 10-11am $10 // Creative 

Collective: Sat, Feb 4: 2-4pm $5ea. All ages 

// Adult Art Classes: Sketchbook: Weds starting 

Jan 18, 10-12pm (6 wks) $25/class // 

Colour Pencil Techniques Mon 6-8pm Jan 

23-Feb 27 $130 // Acrylic Knife Painting: Jan 

24: 6-8pm $35ea// Let’s Tangle Valentines 

Paint: Wed Feb 8: 6-8pm $25ea // Mardi Gras 

Paint Night Fri, Feb 24 & Tue Feb 28: 6-8pm. 

$35ea or 2 for $60 // Starting Feb 27 Painting 

Watercolours: Mon 1-3pm & 6-8pm $130/6 

classes. Plus lots more! For more info, contact 

the Arts Centre at westart785@gmail. 

com or call 519-670-0740. 

AEOLIAN HALL (795 Dundas Street) - Winter 

Art Show: Sandi McCabe, until Jan 16. 519- 

672-7950. 

THE ARTS PROJECT (203 Dundas St) - Colores 

de Latinoamerica 17: Jan 24 - Feb 5. Reception 

Jan 27, 7pm. 519-642-2767. 

FRINGE CUSTOM FRAMING & GALLERY (1742 

Hyde Park Rd) - Amy Creighton: Liminal 

Space, until Feb 3. Artist talk: Jan 13, 7pm- 

8:30pm. Free. 519-204-0404. 

FOREST CITY GALLERY (258 Richmond St) - 

Coco Guzman: Los Fantasmas. Jan 13 - Feb 

24. Reception Jan 13, 7pm-9pm. 519-434- 

4575. 

MCINTOSH GALLERY (Elgin Drive, Western 

University) - Shelley Niro: Battle Fields of my 

Ancestors, Jan 12 - Mar 4. Reception Jan 12, 

7pm. 519-661-3181. 

MICHAEL GIBSON GALLERY (157 Carling St) 

– Group exhibition: Text, until Jan 28. 519- 

439-0451. 

MUSEUM LONDON (421 Ridout St N) - Exhibitions 

- Visible Storage Project: Until Jan 15. 

TransAMERICAS: a sign, a situation, a concept, 

until Jan 22. Canadian Eh? A History of 

the Nation’s Signs and Symbols, until May 7. 

Cursive! Reading and Writing the Old School 

Way: Until Aug 20. 519-661-0333. 

THIELSEN GALLERIES (1038 Adelaide St N) 

– Group exhibition featuring gallery artists 

and recent acquisitions, until Mar 31. 519- 

434-7681. 

WESTLAND GALLERY (156 Wortley Rd) - 2017 

Preview Show: Until Jan 21. 519-601-4420. 

PERFORMING ARTS 

AEOLIAN HALL (795 Dundas Street) - Rebelheart 

Collective Concert: Jan 21, 5pm. $25/ 

Gen. $50/Premium seating & pay-it-forward 

pricing; Free community access for those 

with limited means. Afternoon Delights 

with Marion Miller & Sharon Kahan, Jan 29, 

3pm.$25/Adv; $30/Door; $15/St. Brassroots: 

Feb 3, 8pm. $23/Adv; $26/Door; $15/Sr&St. 

London Pro Musica & A Few Good Men: Mar 

4, 7:30pm. $20/Adv; $25/Door; $10/St. 519- 

672-7950. 

THE ARTS PROJECT (203 Dundas St) - Theatre 

Studies at Western: Squalls of Glass, until Jan 

21. $15/Gen; $10/St. 519-642-2767. 

BISHOP CRONYN MEMORIAL CENTRE (442 

William St) - The Voices of Broadway Show 

Choir: The Gospel According to Broadway, 

Jan 21, 2pm & 7:30pm. $20/Adv; $25/Door. 

226-271-1213/Online. 

CHAUCER’S PUB/CUCKOO’S NEST FOLK CLUB 

(122 Carling St) - Searson, Jan 21, 7:30pm. 

$20/Adv; $25/Door. 519-473-2099. 

CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION (2060 Dundas 

St E) - Find your voice! If you love to sing, 

check out the Shades of Harmony (ladies a 

cappella chorus) practice Monday evenings 

7pm-10pm. Experience and ability to read 

music an asset but not required. Come and 

see if we are a good fit for you. Call Mary at 

519-686-6618 or Donna at 519-290-0948 

for more information. 

DUTCH CANADIAN CLUB (1738 Gore Rd) - 

Live Dance Band: Social & ballroom dancing 

featuring The Core 4 & Leesa Couper. Jan 29, 

7:30pm-11pm. $15/Gen. 519-455-7170. 

FIRST-ST. ANDREW’S UNITED CHURCH (350 

Queens Ave) - Winter Interlude: An Evening 

of Art Song featuring Sonja Gustafson, Francesca 

Ranalli, Jordan Baldwin, Chad Louwerse, 

and Terry Head, Jan 28, 7:30pm. $20/ 

Adults; $15/St. 519-679-8182. 

GERMAN CANADIAN CLUB (1 Cove Rd) - Irish 

Dance Ceili hosted by the London Irish Folk 

Club, Jan 21, 8pm. $15/Gen ($12/members); 

12 & under free. 519-471-9008. 


Email: arts@scenemagazine.com. Please Include: Venue Name, Address, Event Title, Date, Time, Brief 

Description, Admission Fee and Phone Number. Deadline for March 1, 2017 issue~February 24, 2017 ~ 

Amie Ronald-Morgan/Chris Morgan 

THELISTINGS 

GRAND THEATRE (471 Richmond St) – The 

Lion in Winter: Until Jan 28. $29.95-$82.50. 

519-672-8800/1-800-265-1593. 

HARMONY MANOR (55 MacKay Ave) – The 

London Men of Accord: Ready, set, sing for 

men of all ages! Learn to sing for free every 

Monday evening, 7:30pm-9pm. 519-667- 

1418. 

LONDON MUSIC CLUB (470 Colborne Ave) - 

Shut the Front Door Improv: Yes, No, Maybe 

Show, Feb 10, 8pm. $17.50/Adv; $20/Door. 

Off the Hinges Improv: Jan 26, $10/Door. 

519-672-8800. 

MCMANUS STUDIO THEATRE (471 Richmond 

St, inside the Grand Theatre) - Playwrights 

Cabaret: Jan 20 & 21, 8pm. $22.60/Gen. 

Storyplay: Interactive storytelling for kids 

ages 4-7, Feb 4, Mar 4, Apr 4 (all at 10am). 

$5/Family. Musical Theatre Productions: Disney’s 

The Little Mermaid, Feb 17 - 26. $28/ 

Adults; $20/12 & under. 519-672-8800. 

Composer/pianist Robert Bruce performs 

live original scores to 1920s silent film programs 

- Feb 1: Silent Comedy Shorts (1919 

- 1923). Feb 2: It (1927). Feb 3: Safety Last 

(1923). Feb 4: The General (1926). All shows 

starting at 7:30 pm. $20/Adult; $12/Child; 

$70/entire series. 519-672-8800. 

METROPOLITAN UNITED CHURCH (468 

Wellington St) - #WePlayOn Musicians & 

Sonja Gustafson: Brave New World, Jan 20, 

7:30pm, $45/Adult; $15/St. Tickets online. 

MUSEUM LONDON (421 Ridout St N) - London 

Black History Month opening celebration: 

Feb 4, 1pm-4pm. Free admission. 519- 

661-0333. 

PALACE THEATRE (710 Dundas St) - London 

Community Players: Jenny’s House of Joy, 

until Jan 22. Old Love: Jan 26 - Feb 4. A Raisin 

in the Sun, Feb 9 - 19. $25/Adults; $23/ 

Sr&St; $12/Youth. 519-432-1029. 

SOUTH COLLEGIATE (371 Tecumseh Ave) - 

South Musical Theatre: Fosse, Jan 18 - 21, 

7:30pm. $10/Adv; $15/Door. Onstagedirect. 

ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL (472 Richmond St) – 

Noon Hour Organ Recital Series: Every Tuesday 

at 12pm - Upcoming recitalists to be announced 

soon! All free. 519-432-3475 x 225. 

WOLF PERFORMANCE HALL (251 Dundas St) 

- Serenata Music presents Joel Quarrington 

& Peter Longworth, Jan 21, 8pm. $30/Gen; 

$15/St. 519-433-8332. 

LITERARY 

FANSHAWE COLLEGE (1001 Fanshawe College 

Blvd, Rm D1060) - Letters & Arts Reading 

Series: An Afternoon with Seth, Jan 26, 

2pm-3pm. Free. 519-452-4442. 

LANDON LIBRARY (167 Wortley Rd) – Poetry 

London presents Michael Prior and Nyla Matuk, 

Jan 18, 7:30pm. Free. Maureen Hynes 

and Stuart Ross, Feb 15, 7:30pm. Free. There 

will be a free pre-reading workshop before 

the readings at 6:30pm for those interested 

(both dates). 519-439-6240. 

WESTERN UNIVERSITY DEPT. ENGLISH AND 

WRITING STUDIES (University campus AHB 

2G02) – Writer-in-Residence Margaret 

Christakos will hold weekly office hours to 

offer feedback to, and consultation with, 

creative writers from the university and 

the London community. New winter hours: 

Wednesdays 12pm-3pm & 4pm-7pm, until 

April. Free. To schedule an appointment, 

please contact Vivian Foglton at vivian.foglton@uwo.ca/519-661-3403. 

FILM 

MCMANUS STUDIO THEATRE (471 Richmond 

St, inside the Grand Theatre) - Composer/ 

pianist Robert Bruce performs live original 

scores to 1920s silent film programs - Feb 1: 

Silent Comedy Shorts (1919 - 1923). Feb 2: It 

(1927). Feb 3: Safety Last (1923). Feb 4: The 

General (1926). All shows starting at 7:30 

pm. $20/Adult; $12/Child; $70/entire series. 

519-672-8800. 

MUSEUMS 

BACKUS-PAGE HOUSE MUSEUM (29424 

Lakeview Line, Wallacetown) - Explore the 

life of an 1850s family in the Talbot Settlement 

within a Georgian-style brick house. 

Regular admission: $5/Adults; $2/Students, 

children. 519-762-3072. 

BANTING HOUSE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE OF 

CANADA (442 Adelaide St N) – Explore the 

birthplace of insulin and learn about the discovery 

that saved millions of lives. Regular 

admission: $5/Gen; $4/St&Sr; $12/Family. 

519-673-1752. 

CANADIAN MEDICAL HALL OF FAME (267 

Dundas St, Suite 202) – The only national organization 

dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments 

of Canada’s medical heroes. 

Admission by donation. 519-488-2003. 

ELDON HOUSE (481 Ridout St N) – London’s 

oldest residence is a provincial historic site 

preserved from the 1830s. Tours: Behind 

the Ropes, Jan 28, 10am-12pm. $20/Person. 

Registration required at 519-661-5169. 

Family Day at Eldon House: Feb 20, 1pm- 

4pm. $6/Person; $20/Family (up to 5 members). 

Exhibits (Second floor) - Before their 

time: Harris Women, Feminism, and Suffrage, 

though January. Regular admission: 

by donation. 519-661-5169. 

FANSHAWE PIONEER VILLAGE (1424 Clarke 

Rd, use Fanshawe Conservation Area entrance) 

– A reconstruction of rural communities 

in the former townships of Westminster, 

London, North Dorchester, Delaware, West 


23 

Nissouri and Lobo in Middlesex County from 

1820 to 1920. Clean Up Day: Apr 22. Opening 

weekend is May 20 & 21. 519-457-1296. 

1st HUSSARS MUSEUM (1 Dundas St) - Follow 

the history the 1st Hussars from 1856 to 

the present, including the D-Day landings 

and peacekeeping missions. Open by appointment. 

Free admission. 519-455-4533. 

LONDON REGIONAL CHILDREN’S MUSEUM 

(21 Wharncliffe Rd S) – A playful learning 

environment that engages children through 

hands-on exhibits and interactive experiences. 

Regular admission: $7/Gen; $2/1 – 2 

years old; members and kids under 2 admitted 

free. Free admission Friday evenings 

from 5pm-8pm. 519-434-5726. 

MUSEUM OF ONTARIO ARCHAEOLOGY (1600 

Attawandaron Rd) – Devoted to the study, 

display, and interpretation of the human 

occupation of Southwestern Ontario over 

the past 11,000 years. Iroquoian Longhouse 

Virtual Reality Exhibit, ongoing. Regular admission: 

$5/Gen; $4/St&Sr; $3/5-12yrs; $12/ 

Family. 519-473-1360. 

SECRETS OF RADAR MUSEUM (930 Western 

Counties Rd) – Preserves the history, stories 

and experiences of the men and women who 

helped develop military radar in Canada and 

abroad. Regular hours: Thurs-Sat 10am- 

4pm. Admission by donation. 519-691- 

5922. 

THE ROYAL CANADIAN REGIMENT MUSEUM 

(Wolseley Barracks, 701 Oxford St E) – Celebrates 

the achievements of Canada’s oldest 

regular infantry. Regular hours: Open Tue, 

Wed, Fri 10am-4pm; Thu 10am-8pm; Sun & 

Sat 12pm-4pm. Regular admission: Free for 

general public, call for group visits. Financial 

donations much appreciated. 519-660- 

5275/5524 or 519-660-5102. 

MISCELLANEOUS 

ACFO DE LONDON-SARNIA (495 Richmond 

St, Suite 200) – English Conversation Group, 

Saturdays once a month, 10am-11:30am. 

Open to people interested in learning & 

improving their English speaking, all levels. 

Volunteers are also needed to help newcomers 

to integrate in the community. 519-850- 

2236 x 223. 

MASONVILLE LIBRARY (30 North Centre Rd) 

- French Discussion Group: All francophones 

and francophiles welcome, Friday mornings, 

10am-Noon. Free. 519-660-4646. 

WESTERN UNIVERSITY (International and 

Graduate Affairs Building, Room 1N05) - La 

Tertulia: Spanish conversation group open to 

adults. Every Wednesday, 4:30pm-9:30pm. 

Free. tertulia@uwo.ca.

“W 

i 

W 

hen the clock struck 12am on January 1, the 

start of a full 12 months of celebration to mark 

the nation’s 150th anniversary of confederation 

began ticking enthusiastically. 

Think of this year as one big, long birthday party that 

every single Canadian is invited to! 

The actual birthday, of course, is July 1, but events, 

festivals and various legacy projects will occur throughout 

the year in observance of the milestone sesquicentennial. 

Canada 150 officially launched on December 31 in St. 

John’s - one of the first areas in the country to observe 

the New Year. A concert held at a rather unusual venue 

- the steps of city hall - was complemented by a pyrotechnics 

and laser show at midnight. 

hat happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a 

raisin in the sun?” 

That line, taken from the poem Harlem by Langston 

Hughes, provided the inspiration for Lorraine Hansberry to create a 

powerful drama that changed American theatre forever. 

Hansberry was a 29-year-old writer who wove that imagery with her 

own experiences growing up in Chicago in the 1930s and 40s to create 

A Raisin in the Sun. 

The first play to be written by a black woman ever produced on 

Broadway, it debuted in 1959 to much success. The play was named 

best of the year by the New York Drama Critics’ Circle, making Hansberry 

the first black playwright and the youngest American to ever 

achieve that honour. 

The play was adapted into an award-winning film in 1961. Sidney 

Poitier, Ruby Dee and Claudia McNeil all reprised their Broadway roles 

for the movie. 

A Raisin in the Sun comes to London for Black History Month at the 

Palace Theatre from February 9-19. 

The story follows the Youngers - a poor black family who attempt to 

better their station in life by moving to an all-white upper-middle class 

neighbourhood. 

It’s loosely based on the playwright’s own family, who after making a 

similar move in 1937, were almost forced out of their home by hostile 

neighbours who argued the case for them leaving all the way to the 

Supreme Court. 

“Here we have a black family at the birth of the Civil Rights Movement 

in America. They get a cheque for $10,000 in the form of insurance 

money - money that for many people could potentially fuel their 

dreams. But we see the conflicts that arise in having these dreams realized,” 

remarked Martin McIntosh, director of the LCP production. 

“The dreams that some have for wealth and prosperity perhaps are 

not the greatest dreams to move forward with. Do we strive to get 

what the ‘haves’ have, or do we fight to retain our own values as we 

move through life? 

“Ultimately, having one’s family together wins, and by far becomes 

the dream worth investing in. This play is about a family’s struggle for 

dignity, for hope, and for a connected life that has meaning in the face 

of adversity,” Martin said. 

The cast includes Sherine Thomas-Holder (as matriarch Lena Younger), 

Sean George (Lena’s son Walter Lee), Chance Pinkney (Walter 

Lee’s wife Ruth), Candice Jennings (Walter Lee’s sister Beneatha), and 

Markus McIntosh (Walter Lee and Ruth’s son Travis). 

Yawköw Ashong, King Jerome, Jermaine Hamilton, Christopher Parker 

and Pamela Jack round out the cast. 

Producing a play of this size with members of the black community in 

London, is significant - particularly during Black History Month, Martin 

noted. 

“There are a lot of heavy themes in this - segregation, assimilation, 

atheism, they even talk about abortion. This is the ‘50s and they were 

all over the map with these serious issues. But what I’m really focusing 

on is the warmth that exists in the family unit that carries them 

through the adversity,” Martin explained. 

“It’s hard when you’re different. But when you come to your home 

and family, you walk away from those feelings. There is love, there 

is warmth, there is humour - and all of those things play out beautifully 

in this story. I’m really making sure those things come to the fore 

against the backdrop of the discrimination black people faced in North 

America at that time,” he added. 

The play will inspire audiences to take a look inside. “Which dreams 

are worth investing in? I would hope people take a look at the things 

they have in their lives, the things that they aspire for, and measure 

thearts 

THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE: 

LONDON COMMUNITY PLAYERS 

PRESENT A RAISIN IN THE SUN 

London Community Players presents A Raisin in the Sun, February 

9 - 19 at the Palace Theatre (710 Dundas Street). For tickets, call 

519-432-1029. 

CANADA 150: 

SESQUESENSATIONAL 

NEW YEAR’S EVE! 

St. John’s was one of 19 urban centres across Canada 

to hold formal 150 Kick-Off celebrations to the tune of 

$5 million - half of which went to the national capital 

region, Ottawa-Gatineau, with the other half to the 18 

other city’s parties. 

On New Year’s Eve, thousands braved the many centimetres 

of snowfall to attend the party on Parliament 

Hill. Earlier that evening, an almost 1,000 metre-long 

‘Fire of Friendship’ human chain encircled the area, following 

the lighting of the Ottawa 150 Cauldron, homage 

to the Centennial Flame event of 1967. 

The fireworks display normally reserved for Canada 

Day lit up the sky spectacularly at midnight - leaving 

one to only imagine what’s in store for July 1. As the 

epicentre of 150 celebrations, Ottawa’s city and tourism 

planners are pulling out all the stops, promising a full 

year of unforgettable signature events. 

Locally, the wheels have been in motion for 150 celebrations 

for the past several years by the organization 

known as London Celebrates Canada. 

There are plenty of ways to get involved in this grand 

LORRAINE HANSBERRY: THE FIRST BLACK PLAYWRIGHT AND THE YOUNGEST 

AMERICAN TO EVER WIN A NEW YORK DRAMA CRITICSʼ CIRCLE AWARD 

them out,” Martin said. 

“Look at the connections they have with others, and see the richness 

and value that exists there: the intangible power of being fully and 

truly connected to one’s family.” 


PHOTO COURTESY OF OTTAWA 2017 

PERFORMERS DANCE AFTER ILLUMINATING THE ROOFTOP SIGN AT THE IGNITE 150 EVENT IN OTTAWA LAST YEAR, 

AT WHICH TIME PLANNERS ANNOUNCED THE SERIES OF EVENTS FOR 2017 

display of national pride in the months to come. At this 

time there are more than 40 events planned for London, 

with additional events expected. Check SCENE for details 

throughout the year! 


24 


thearts 

LONDON PRO MUSICA PRESENT A 

FEW GOOD MEN 

O 

LONDON PRO MUSICA PERFORMS MARCH 4 AT AEOLIAN HALL 

akville’s premier boys and 

men’s choir, A Few Good 

Men. 

Director Dr. Charlene Pauls is excited 

to welcome the group, along 

with their conductor, Western Music 

grad Dave Anderson, to London 

for a concert at Aeolian Hall on 

March 4. 

The group is comprised of male 

voices spanning 9 years-of-age to 

young men in their 20s, and is one 

of several choirs under the umbrella 

organization of the Oakville 

Children’s Choir of which Pauls is 

Associate Music Director. 

“A Few Good Men is a force to be 

reckoned with! Wherever they perform, 

audiences are blown away 

by their energy, engagement, 

and range of repertoire,” Pauls remarked. 

An emphasis on mentoring and 

personal growth, as much as on 

musical development, makes the 

group particularly unique, Pauls 

added. 

“When A Few Good Men hit the 

stage, all bets are off as to what to 

expect. They will infuse the Aeolian 

with excitement and big sounds 

in a wide range of repertoire that 

will not disappoint,” she said. 

For the concert’s first half, the 

audience will be treated to a traditional 

Mass setting by Schubert 

with guest orchestra and soloists. 

“Our opening Mass No. 2 in G 

Major D 167 was composed in 

1815 by the master of melody, 

Franz Schubert. Melodies seemed 

to flow out of Schubert without effort, 

and as was so typical of many 

of Schubert’s works, this Mass was 

written very rapidly - in a mindboggling, 

single week. The work 

is separated into the traditional 

movements of the Latin Mass 

- Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, 

Benedictus, and Agnus Dei - and 

features the choir with soprano, 

tenor, and bass soloists. It is a 

beautiful gem that deserves to be 

heard more often,” Pauls remarked. 

The second half of the concert 

will be a decidedly untraditional 

program featuring A Few Good 

Men. One of the pieces the guys 

will perform in this section will be 

The Ground by Norwegian composer 

Ola Gjeilo, based on an excerpt 

of the traditional Latin Mass. 

“Gjeilo wrote the work in 2010, 

and as such, the work provides a 

musical transition out of the 19th 

century sounds of Schubert into 

the aesthetic of the 21st century. 

Gjeilo recently visited Toronto as 

the featured composer of Choirs 

Ontario in fall 2016, and we are 

pleased to be presenting this work 

as a continued celebration of his 

music,” Pauls said. 

London Pro Musica is looking 

forward to another interesting 

and varied concert that will bring 

new sounds to local audiences, she 

added. 

“This concert will appeal to all 

ages and in particular to families 

with boys. The Mass in G Major is 

a great piece to introduce younger 

people to the fantastic music of 

Schubert, whereas the presentation 

by A Few Good Men will keep 

the audience engaged, laughing 

and amazed. It is not one to be 

missed!” 


London Pro Musica presents A Few Good Men at Aeolian 

Hall (795 Dundas Street), March 4, 7:30pm. Tickets are $20 

i advance; $25 at the door ($10 student) 

LONDON’SINDIEART 

Brassroots: 

Movie music and more 

Southwestern Ontario’s premier brass ensemble returns to Aeolian Hall 

for an evening of great movie music. On February 24, music lovers will be 

treated to an eclectic program inspired by the world of film with pieces 

such as ‘Gabriel’s Oboe’ from the 1986 film The Mission, and ‘Gonna Fly 

Now’, the theme from the 1976 classic Rocky. Other selections spanning 

a variety of musical genres will also comprise the program. Having recently 

celebrated their 30th anniversary, Brassroots continues to serve 

the wider community by participating in outreach activities, and the 

February engagement is no exception. The afternoon prior to the concert, 

Brassroots members - many of whom have enjoyed long careers as teachers 

- will hold a free workshop for El Sistema, the Aeolian-run program 

that provides musical instruction to local children regardless of socio-economic 

limitations. “As past and present music educators, our musicians 

have played an important role in the development of young musicians 

throughout southwestern Ontario, and giving back to the El Sistema 

BRASSROOTS PLAY THE AEOLIAN ON FEBRUARY 3 

Aeolian program fits very well with our mission as a charity,” remarked 

Brassroots director Bram Gregson. “We’re excited to be back at the Aeolian 

Hall. It’s a great concert venue,” he added. The concert takes place at 8pm. 

Tickets are $23 (advance), $26 (door), and $15 (students, seniors). 


SOMETHING FOR 

EVERYONE DURING 

BLACK HISTORY 

MONTH 

B 

lack History Month is 

fast approaching and 

there are many events 

happening in London to 

celebrate black culture and 

reflect on the achievements 

made by black Canadians 

past and present. 

With this year’s theme of 

A Story of Courage in mind, 

the London Black History 

Coordinating Committee has 

several exciting programs 

including a film and speaker 

series, opening reception 

and closing gala, a food festival, 

awards, and more. 

Festivities get underway 

at Museum London on 

February 4, from 1pm to 

4pm, with numerous cultural 

groups set to present 

art, music and traditional 

cuisine. As well, Laurier 

student Sunday Ajak will be 

speaking, and there will 

be a performance by the 

Laurier choir. All are welcome 

to attend this free 

event. 

In keeping with past 

years, a play highlighting the perseverance 

of the black community will 

be presented to commemorate Black 

History Month. This year’s theatrical offering, 

produced by London Community 

Players, is A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine 

Hansberry. 

A Broadway debut in 1959, the drama 

tells of the discrimination faced by a 

black family after they move into a 

white neighborhood in Chicago. The 

play runs at the Palace Theatre from 

February 9-19. 

Topical films will be screened throughout 

February at Crouch Library (Feb. 9, 

6pm), Palace Theatre (Feb. 12, 7pm), 

Central Library (Feb. 15, 6pm), and 

Cherryhill Library (Feb. 23, 1:30pm). 

An African Food Festival will take 

place at St. Michael’s Parish (511 Cheapside 

Street), February 17 from 5:30pm 

to 8pm. There, diners will be treated to 

an array of ethnic foods of the different 

A FILM ABOUT LEGENDARY TRACK AND FIELD 

STAR JESSE OWENS (PICTURED) WILL BE SHOWN 

FEB. 9 AT CROUCH LIBRARY 

regions of Africa. Admission is free but 

donations will be gratefully accepted. 

In conjunction with London Police 

Services, the annual Lewis Coray Trailblazer 

Award will be given to a deserving 

young person at police headquarters 

February 17. 

The honour - named for the first black 

officer ever to be hired by London Police 

- recognizes a local high school student 

who submits the most compelling essay 

on the importance of Black History 

Month. 

Celebrations wrap up with entertainment, 

an awards ceremony, and 

more at a gala reception at the Central 

Library on February 25 (doors at 3pm; 

$15 adults, $5 kids aged 2-12). 

More info about the events planned 

for February can be found at London 

Black History Coordinating Committee 

on Facebook. 



25

A record year for... Mozart? 

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart sold more CDs last year than Beyonce, 

according to Smithsonian Magazine. In October, Decca Classics and 

Deutsche Grammophon, in partnership with the Salzberg Mozarteum 

Foundation, released a massive box set that is perhaps responsible 

for this peculiar honour. As compact discs head towards extinction 

in this age of digital downloads, the classics have trumped 

pop in terms of sales of actual physical discs. Mozart 225 - the most 

complete and authoritative edition of Mozart’s works as performed 

by the world’s leading classical artists - commemorates the composer’s 

225th anniversary. The 200-disc set comes at a hefty price 

tag at just under $500 (USD), and at the numbers of units sold as 

provided by Universal Music (6,250 in the first five weeks), it all 

shakes down to 1.25 million CDs. 

Pink is the new black 

A kind of bizarre revenge is being enacted upon artist Anish Kapoor. 

The British painter caused a stir in the art world recently after he 

managed to secure exclusive rights to the “blackest black” pigment 

in the world, Vantablack, angering fellow artists with a penchant for 

exotic materials. One of those jilted artists, Stuart Semple, hit back 

by developing the world’s “pinkest pink.” Unlike Kapoor, who is the 

only person legally allowed to use Vantablack, Semple is selling his 

LONDON COMMUNITY PLAYERS PRESENTS 

Directed by 

Debra Chantler 

By Norm Foster 

Jan. 12 - Jan. 22 

SEASON 2016/17 

Presented by special arrangement with Gary Goddard Agency. 

710 DUNDAS STREET, EAST, LONDON, ON N5W 2Z4 

TICKETS: 519.432.1029 | www.palacetheatre.ca 

26 

ARTBEAT 

pink pigment to anyone who wants it - that is, anyone except Kapoor. 

Purchasers must sign a disclaimer stating they are not Kapoor nor 

are they affiliated with him, and they certainly will not obtain the 

pink pigment on his behalf. Apparently that hasn’t deterred Kapoor, 

who just uploaded a picture of his middle finger - dipped in Semple’s 

pink - to his Instagram. 

New OAC grant application 

system in effect 

The Ontario Arts Council’s (OAC) new online grant application and 

management system, Nova, is now operational. Announced last fall, 

Nova is a user-friendly and standardized system that will eliminate 

much of the paperwork associated with the granting process. Interested 

parties are now able to apply online to 2017 granting program 

deadlines. In preparation for Nova, OAC has also developed a new 

funding framework organizing all of its programs under four funding 

streams: Creating and Presenting; Building Audiences and Markets; 

Engaging Communities and Schools, and Developing Careers and Arts 

Services. OAC’s six priority groups remain a key focus in all programs 

and streams (Artists of colour, deaf artists and artists with disabilities, 

Francophone artists, Indigenous artists, new generation artists, 

and artists living in regions outside Toronto). The new system was 

developed in response to feedback by applicants requesting that the 

granting processes be significantly simplified. 

Produced by 

Jim Chantler 

Sundance: focus on 

the environment 

For the first time ever, the Sundance Film 

Festival is focusing on a specific theme: climate 

change and environmental preservation, which 

will undoubtedly have an impact on the estimated 

30,000 people set to descend upon Park 

City, Salt Lake City and Sundance Mountain 

Resort from January 19-29. “The films in this 

year’s festival show the human sides of issues, 

people and places we don’t often see. Independent 

filmmakers, with their fearless, bold 

perspectives, are challenging us to witness our 

world’s whole story. These artists, armed with 

their films, will lead us into the future,” remarked 

John Cooper, festival director. The fest 

will showcase 113 feature-length films representing 

32 countries and 37 first-time filmmakers, 

including 20 in competition. The films 

were selected from 13,782 submissions including 

4,068 feature-length films and 8,985 short 

films. Of the feature film submissions, 2,005 

were from the U.S. and 2,063 were international. 

Ninety-eight feature films at the festival will 

be world premieres, including a sequel to Al 

Gore’s Academy Award-winning climate change 

documentary, An Inconvenient Truth. 

thearts 

ACTOR AND WRITER CARRIE FISHER – BEST KNOWN FOR HER PORTRAYAL OF 

PRINCESS LEIA IN THE ORIGINAL STAR WARS TRILOGY – DIED ON DECEMBER 27 

Obituary – 

Carrie Fisher 

She was born a child of Hollywood royalty who 

became a kind of royalty herself. Carrie Fisher – 

the actor and writer known to millions the world 

over as Princess Leia - died on December 27 after 

a heart attack. She was 60. Daughter of celebrated 

actors Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, young Carrie grew up in 

the spotlight, and after her parents’ highly publicized divorce in 1959, 

the stage was set for a turbulent childhood. In 1975, Fisher made her 

brief but memorable film debut, propositioning Warren Beatty in the 

satire Shampoo, before landing her big break on the original Star 

Wars movie, where she sported a hairstyle she described as “hairy 

earphones”. Ultimately, Fisher would go on to reprise her role as Leia 

Organa in four franchise films, including Episode VIII, which won’t be 

released until Christmas 2017. Fisher’s feisty personality, however, 

resisted the stereotyping that came along with Star Wars’ immense 

popularity. She spoke and wrote insightfully about her own addiction 

and mental health issues for years while working as a memoirist, 

script doctor and screenwriter. RIP Carrie Frances Fisher, actor and 

writer (1956- 2016). 

Obituary - Debbie Reynolds 

On December 28, when the news broke that Debbie Reynolds 

had passed away mere hours after her daughter, Carrie Fisher, one 

could almost hear the world gasp. The iconic actress followed her 

daughter - to whom she had a complex yet very close bond - to the 

great beyond after suffering a stroke. She was 84. Born in El Paso, 

DEBBIE REYNOLDS IN SINGINʼ IN THE RAIN, 1952 


thearts 

Texas, in 1932, Reynolds burst onto the Hollywood scene in 1952 

as a 19-year-old ingénue in Singin’ in the Rain. With seemingly 

boundless energy and optimism, she went onto enjoy an incredibly 

successful career in musicals and other motion pictures including 

Bundle of Joy, The Tender Trap, How the West was Won, The Singing 

Nun, and Charlotte’s Web. She was also an accomplished singer, 

with her 1957 single ‘Tammy’ reaching number one. Reynolds’ 

high-profile marriage to Eddie Fisher in 1955 produced her famous 

daughter the year after, and a son, Todd, in 1958. She received an 

Academy Award nomination for her title role in The Unsinkable 

Molly Brown in 1964 and a Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement 

Award in 2014. Reynolds is survived by her son, and granddaughter 

Billie Lourd. 

Picks for this year’s 

Oscar season 

Nominations for the 2017 Academy Awards won’t be released 

until the end of January, but a couple frontrunners have emerged. 

It’s a sure bet that Moonlight - written and directed by Barry Jenkins, 

and based on Tarell Alvin McCraney’s play In Moonlight Black 

Boys Look Blue – won’t leave the ceremony empty-handed. The 

film, which stars Trevante Rhodes, André Holland, Janelle Monáe, 

Ashton Sanders, Jharrel Jerome, Naomie Harris and Mahershala Ali, 

chronicles the life of a young black man as he struggles to find his 

place in the world. Romantic musical La La Land is also set to win 

big on Oscar night. Written and directed by Damien Chazelle, the 

film tells the story of two young lovers – played by Ryan Gosling 

and Emma Stone – who hope to become successes in Hollywood, 

despite being down on their luck. The 89th Academy Awards ceremony 

takes place on February 26 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, 

Los Angeles. 

Zsa Zsa Gabor: 

1917 - 2016 

Farewell, dahlink. The original “famous for being famous” socialite 

- Zsa Zsa Gabor - passed away in Los Angeles less than two 

months from her 100th birthday. The iconic star died of a heart 

attack on December 18 at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center 

after years of suffering from dementia. Though she appeared in 

dozens of films and TV shows throughout the 1950s right up until 

the ‘90s, Gabor was known more for her beauty queen looks 

and headline-grabbing glamorous lifestyle - not to mention her 

many marriages - than her entertainment career. Born Sari Gabor 

in 1917 in Budapest, she left Hungary for the United States just 

prior to the Second World War, marrying her second husband, hotel 

magnate Conrad Hilton, soon after. The union would produce 

Gabor’s only child, a daughter, Francesca Hilton, who died in 2015. 

Gabor appeared in such movies as Moulin Rouge, Touch of Evil, and 

the camp classic Queen of Outer Space, later moving onto the talkshow 

circuit and lending her bubbly personality to many film and 

television cameos - often parodying herself. Gabor is predeceased 

by her sisters Eva and Magda, who were also tabloid-famous in 

their own right, and survived by her 9th husband, Prince Frederic 

von Anhalt. 

La La Land, Streep at 

Golden Globes 

Awards season got underway with the 74th Annual Golden Globe 

Awards, broadcast live from Beverly Hills on January 8. With his 

sweeping opening number parodying La La Land, host Jimmy Fallon 

foretold the night’s big winner. The romantic musical was the 

darling of the evening, taking all seven awards it was nominated 

for, including Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy), Best Director 

for Damien Chazelle, and Best Actor and Actress for Ryan 

Gosling and Emma Stone. The film set a record for most awards 

won during a single Golden Globes ceremony. Moonlight won Best 

Motion Picture (Drama), while the Netflix original The Crown took 

Best Television Series (Drama). Casey Affleck won Best Actor (Drama) 

for Manchester by the Sea; Isabelle Huppert took Best Actress 

(Drama) for Elle. The evening’s most poignant moment, however, 

came courtesy of Meryl Streep, who called out US President-elect 

Donald Trump after accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Award. Streep 

expressed her heartbreak at Trump’s mocking of a disabled reporter 

at a 2015 rally. “This instinct to humiliate, when it’s modeled by 

someone in the public platform, by someone powerful, it filters 

down into everybody’s life, because it kind of gives permission for 

other people to do the same thing. Disrespect invites disrespect. 

Violence incites violence. When the powerful use their position to 

bully others, we all lose,” Streep said. 

Richard Adams: 

1920 - 2016 

English author Richard Adams, who penned the classic children’s 

adventure novel Watership Down, passed away on Christmas Eve 

at the age of 96. Adams didn’t write the book - which follows a 

group of wild rabbits who must find a new home after their warren 

is destroyed - until he was in his 50s, and even then, it was 

at the insistence of his family. Adams had made up the story to 

entertain his bored daughters on a long car trip, and they enjoyed 

it so much they insisted he publish it. Initially rejected by several 

AUTHOR RICHARD ADAMS IN 1974 

publishers, Adams’ first novel became a bestseller and went onto 

win the Carnegie Medal and the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize. It 

was later made into a (notoriously scary) animated movie and has 

been adapted for the stage multiple times. The success of Watership 

Down enabled Adams to leave his job as a British civil servant 

and become a full-time writer. More novels followed, including 

Shardik, The Plague Dogs, Traveller, and The Days Gone By. 

LONDON COMMUNITY PLAYERS PRESENTS 

Lorraine Hansberry 

Directed by 

Martin McIntosh 

Feb. 9 - Feb. 19 


Produced by 

Diane Haggerty 

SEASON 2016/17 

Presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. 

710 DUNDAS STREET, EAST, LONDON, ON N5W 2Z4 

TICKETS: 519.432.1029 | www.palacetheatre.ca 


27

28

CELEBRATING

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