BeatRoute Magazine AB Edition September 2019

09.19YYCAGENDA
BEAKERHEAD: WHEN
SCIENCE AND ART
COLLIDE
By BRAD SIMM
Even though Calgary is often
branded oil and gas, the city has
long been a progressive leader in
developing science, engineering
and technology. Beakerhead taps
into that technical universe, pulling
out bits and pieces, then taking
them into the workshop where
techies and artists tweak, tinker,
and transform the marvels of the
modern world into weird and wonderous
new creations.
In previous years, installations
for the five-day mash-up of art
and science have been scattered
around the city at various locations.
While the pop-up style of events
will still happen at different destinations,
this year Beakerhead is
launching a grand finale tagged as
“The Spectacle” with food, music
and 25 eclectic exhibitions at
Prince’s Island Park capping off the
festival’s creative extravaganza.
Behind the scenes Beakerhead
is an educational program dedicated
to inspiring a new generation of
ingenuity through STEAM (science,
technology, engineering, art and
math).
On one hand, it’s an entertaining
funhouse full of wild inventions. On
the other it’s a hands-on exploration
into the mechanics of these
amazing projects and presentations.
Jeff Popiel, the festival’s CEO,
talks about a few of the “oddities,
curiosities and contraptions.”
Cocktails on Canvas – happy
hour in technicolor
Thurs, Sept. 19, 7 pm – 10 pm
Contemporary Calgary (701 11th
St. SW)
"Under a microscope we’re looking
at a certain cocktail or alcohol,
say a White Russian or a bourbon.
And these cocktails look absolutely
beautiful. An artist will lead
16 participants to paint what they
visualize, then take home their
inspirations.”
Make Fashion – an electrifying
runway show
Sat, Sept. 21, 8 pm and 9:30 pm
Prince’s Island Park
“Wearable tech fashion is one of
the most brilliant, artistic properties
to come out of Calgary and going
world-wide. What they (Make Fashion)
do is build tech into fashion
designs. It’s a massive display of
cool creations with LED lights and
glow wear, a visual spectacle that
happens on the (Spectacle’s) main
stage.”
YYCAgenda
Seven Wonderers – the back
story of science
Thurs, Sept. 19, 7:30 – 9:30 pm
National Music Centre (850 4th St.
SE)
“Science has the greatest adventure
stories on Earth. They’re
stories of human ingenuity brought
to life by scientists and artists set
at the National Music Centre. It’s
a theatrical show, with music and
humour woven into a bigger theme.
What we’re going for is an emotional
payoff. You leave changed,
inspired in some way.”
Road Trip to the Universe – date
night under the stars
Friday, Sept. 20, 7:30 – 10:30 pm
Rothney Astrophysical Observatory
(210 Ave. W, Hwy 22 S)
“Tickets are bought per carload for
a tour of the Rothney Observatory.
The topic is matter and anti-matter.
Even if you’re not a science junkie,
this is entertaining stuff and a great
opportunity to experience the
observatory.”
Beakerhead runs Sept.
18 to 22, with The
Spectacle on
Saturday, Sept.
22 at Prince’s
Island Park.
Yolanda Sargeant In Studio
Calgary Folk Music
Festival Takes Cover
To celebrate their 40th anniversary, the Calgary
Folk Music Festival has released a double vinyl
album featuring 21 local artists who chose to
record choice tracks originally penned by some
of the world’s most iconic singer-songwriters.
Cover Art is the project’s fitting title where
the diverse talent of local luminaries ranging
from Corb Lund and The Torchettes to Dragon
Fli Empire and Raleigh have created their own
innovative versions of tracks by the likes of Gil
Scott-Heron, Arrested Development, The
Tragically Hip, Buffy Saint-Marie and several
other profound artists.
Produced in state-of-the-arts studios at
the National Music Centre, Kerry Clarke,
artistic director of CFMF, calls the collection
of tracks “edgy and deep.”
Cover Art / Friday, Sept. 13 / Festival Hall
Alberta Guitar Shows
This annual buy-sell event is the largest gear
fest in Western Canada bringing together an
eclectic mix guitar buyers, sellers, dealers and
luthiers that showcase new and used instruments,
amps, pedals, accessories and a vast
selection of vintage, custom and hard to find
guitar gear.
The Calgary location strums along at the
Red and White Club’s McMahon Studio, which
has both an expansive showroom and lots
of parking space. Another feature this year
boosting the volume of collectable gear is the
Flea Market where dealers and sellers can
leave a limited number of items with the floor
staff who will monitor the products and assist
with negotiations.
Edmonton / Sun, Sept. 22 / Italian Cultural Centre
Calgary / Sun, Sept. 29 / Red & White Club
40 BEATROUTE SEPTEMBER 2019