Kings arts scene - as of Nov. 26

BY WENDY ELLIOTT

Kings County Register

Best at Westock

West Kings hosted this year’s Westock Nov. 19, with a ‘60s- themed Battle of the Bands.

With a talented line-up of bands and K-Rock’s Neil Spence officiating, the evening was a phenomenal success.

Local band Eco-Shock was voted the favourite band in a landslide vote, receiving first-place honors. This talented, two-year-old band continues to reach for its collective dream of playing in stadiums. Music is more than just a hobby: it’s a way of life. The band hopes its big break will come before their oldest band member graduates from high school in 2010, so timing and luck are very much factors. Their music continues to capture the interest of many who have bought their “Get Shocked” album, and their songs are listened to from coast to coast, with listings on some of the TOP 10 radio charts for college radio in October and November.

Eco-Shock was also given a “thumbs up” review this month by Canada’s leading music magazine, Exclaim.

WEBLINKS

www.ecoshockrocks.com

Starnino wins

A Gaspereau Press author has picked up another big prize.

Carmine Starnino’s poetry collection, This Way Out, won Nov. 17 the A.M. Klein Prize for Poetry. The prize is granted each year to an English-language poet residing in the province of Quebec.

Starnino is a poet, essayist, critic and editor of Signal Editions, the poetry imprint at Véhicule Press. His 2004 collection, With English Subtitles, also won the A.M. Klein Prize and the 2006 Bressani Prize. This Way Out was shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award in 2009. He lives in Montreal.

Size Matters

Annual show of small works - art, craft, jewellery and more -by favourite Harvest Gallery, Wolfville artists. All work priced at $200 or less.

Sing in Greenwich

Valley Voices sing a concert at Horton High School Nov. 26. Joining them will be the Horton High Choir and Kings Chorale.

Neptune visits

St. Mary’s Home & School presents Young Neptune Theatre’s “Munschapalooza” Nov. 26 at 6:30 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.) in the St. Mary’s School gymnasium, Aylesford. Tickets cost $6 or $20 for a family of four. For ticket info, call 847-4400 or Mainstreet Video RiteStop.

Gamelan obsession

After visiting Bali, Ken Shorley is teaching an introductory course in Sundanese gamelan degung at Acadia University, as well as leading a terrific gamelan ensemble there.

The ensemble will perform Nov. 27 at Acadia's Denton Hall auditorium, starting at 8:30 p.m. (free admission).

In Canning

Peter Gordon is a local artist who is having a show of his paintings called Fusion opening Nov. 27 at 7 p.m.

Fusion continues Sat. and Sun. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Ocean Spirit Studio.

Seasonal theatre

Snowbirds, a play by N.S. playwright Darcy Rhyno, is on stage in Windsor. The heart-warming Maritime tale shows us what is most important during this special time of year: family and friends.

It plays Nov. 27 to 28, 7:30 p.m.; Nov. 29, 2 p.m.; Dec. 4 and Dec. 5, 7:30 p.m.; at the Kingsway Gardens Function Room, Windsor.

Tickets are $12/ adult; $10/ Quick As a Wink Theatre members, seniors, students. All tickets available at the door. Doors open 30 minutes prior to curtain.

Open mic kitchen party

At the Union St. Café in Berwick, the open mic kitchen party is hosted Nov. 27 by Marshall and Lake. Start is 8:30 p.m. every Friday.

Right Top-40

Nov. 28, Joker’s Right’s Top-40 and classic rock is on stage at The Top Hat, Greenwood, 10 p.m., $3 at the door.

Acadia Art Gallery

Nov. 28, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. it’s Drop in Art Saturday free thematic art activities in the gallery for all ages. For November, we will be making snow globes. All materials are provided.

Andy & Ariana

The Wolfville band Thugs at Bay, also known as t@b, is concluding it's busiest year yet with the release of a seventh disc: “Look at them Apples.” The celebration show takes place at the Al Whittle Theatre in Wolfville Nov. 28 at 8pm. Tickets are $12 advance from t@b at the Wolfville Farmers' Market or Box of Delights Bookshop. $15 door.

See Dickens

Berwick Community Theatre presents the second annual presentation of "A Dickens' Christmas Carol", (A Travelling Travesty in Two Tumultuous Acts) Nov. 28 at 7:30 p.m. in Christ Church (Anglican) Hall, Berwick. Admission is $5 and food bank donations will be accepted.

Get inspired

Motivational speaker and ator Carol Ann Cole will be in Greenwood at The Inside Story for a book-signing event Saturday, Nov. 28 at 2 p.m. Her book, “If I Knew Then What I Know Now: The Calrity that comes with cancer and Age,” is available at the door or by reservaion, 765-6116.

Call out

Nov. 28, A Call for Submission, the Valley’s classic/ hard rock band, will be playing at West Side Charlie’s in New Minas. Show starts at 10 p.m., cover is $2 at the door.

Family of singers

Music from the Ernst Family Singers Nov. 29, at 3 p.m., Kentville Church of Christ, 177 Middle Dyke Rd. A freewill offering will be appreciated.

Hear Bach

Tickets are now on sale for the Acadia University School of Music’s production of J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio Nov. 29, 3 p.m., in Festival Theatre, Acadia University

This production features the Acadia University Chorus, directed by Michael Caines, and the Acadia String Ensemble, directed by Laura Veeze. Soloists include School of Music voice faculty member Christianne Rushton and guest soloists Susan Boddie, Ryan Billington and Ross Thompson. The production will also feature members of Symphony Nova Scotia, as well as students and faculty from the School of Music.

Tickets can be purchased at the Acadia Box Office or reserved by calling 542-5500.

Film screens

The Fundy Film Society screens Seraphine Nov. 29, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., at the Al Whittle Theatre, Wolfville.

The film is a fictionalized portrait of an obscure yet fascinating self-taught artist, Séraphine de Senlis (1864-1942), a simple housekeeper whose brilliantly colourful canvases adorn some of the world’s most famous galleries because a German art critic and collector “discovered her” by chance in 1912.

Tickets ($8) 30 mins before screening. www.fundyfilm.ca or 542-5157.

In Windsor

A benefit concert in support of Christmas Angels is set for Nov. 29 at 7 p.m. at the Mermaid Imperial Performing Arts Centre in Windsor. The concert will feature Jason C. and Company, Emerald Tide and Swingology.

Tickets at Moe’s Place Music Sales or at the door: adults $8, youth/ seniors $6. For information, call 790-0111.

Try out

Audition for the Last of Jane AustenDec. 1 at 7 p.m. at CentreStage Theatre, Kentville.

The Last of Jane Austen is a comedy by Shirl Hendryx: two retired women decide to train a street thug to become a prizefighter. Performances are in February and March. Director is Candy O’Brien.

Five women and six men are needed. Anyone interested may contact O'Brien, 538-3967 or ecoastobs@yahoo.ca.

Base celebrates Christmas

Dec. 2, 14 Wing Greenwood's annual community Christmas concert takes place at the Annapolis Mess, beginning at 7 p.m. and lasting to 8:30 p.m.

The show features the Wing Band, Pipes & Drums, Rachel MacLean and the Kingston Elementary School choir. All are welcome.

CBC Radio’s Stan

Deep Roots will present Stan Carew and Breeze and Wilson at the Al Whittle Theatre at 8 p.m. Dec. 3 at which time they will be introducing their most recent CD release.

Tickets can be bought at The Box of Delights for $20 ($1 service charge per ticket) or through Ticketpro.ca.

Help War Child

The third Annual War Child Benefit Concert, featuring the Hupman Brothers, Caleb Miles Band, Ian Sherwood, Resisting Gravity, Cuckoo Moon, Rural Delivery, Tracy Nasson Fritz; will be held Dec. 4 at the Al Whittle Theatre, Wolfville.

Concert starts at 8 p.m., doors open at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 at Just Us Cafe, Wolfville.

Rock covered

December 5, Eddy’s Basement, a Halifax rock cover band, plays The Top Hat in Greenwood at 10 p.m. Admission is $3 at the door.

Aliec in Auburn

West Kings High School Drama presents Alice In Wonderland, a play in two acts by Anne Coulter Martens, from Dec. 3 to Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee Saturday at 2 pm.

The action is fast, the costumes are fantastic and the delightful charm of Lewis Carroll's great classic is there to be enjoyed by all.

Admission $10 general $8 students. Reservations: 902-847-4440.

Concert at the Whittle

The Hantsport and Wolfville Community Chorus will perform at 1 p.m. at the Al Whittle Theatre in Wolfville Dec. 5.

Students of Susan Dworkin will also take part. The freewill offering at the door will go toward World Vision.

A second concert is slated for Dec. 13 at 2 p.m. at the Anglican Church in Hantsport.

Valley Ecstatic Dance

The group meets in Wolfville Dec. 5 at St. John's Parish Hall. The warm-up begins at 7.30 pm., $10 or $7 unwaged and students.



Valley rock

December 5, Ambush, a Valley rock cover band, is on stage at West Side Charlies, New Minas, 10 p.m. Cover is just $2 at the door.

Sanctuary concert

The Acadia Performing Arts Series presents Sanctuary performing its Concert of 100 Candles at Convocation Hall Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m. The Acadia Vocal Ensemble will add choral selections appropriate to the season.

The past five years have seen the core ensemble of bass clarinetist Jeff Reilly, cellist Christoph Both, who teaches at Acadia University; and organist Peter Togni develop and refine a unique sound of immense dynamic and tonal range.

Tickets ($26/ $17 students) are available at the Acadia Box Office or by calling 542-5500 (1-800-542-TICK).

Sound call

December 12, A Call for Submission (Valley band with classic and hard rock covers) is on stage at The Top Hat in Greenwood, starting at 10 p.m. Admission is $3 at the door.

Rock ‘n country

Rob Brown and 10-2 Midnite (Halifax rock and country cover band) takes the West Side Charlies’ stage Dec. 12 in New Minas at 10 p.m. Cover is $2 at the door.

Bandits back

December 19, The Bandits (a Valley southern/ country rock band) are on stage at West Side Charlies, New Minas, at 10 p.m. $2 at the door

Cover this contest

Covered Up 2 is a battle of cover bands, including Not Too Shabby, High Tides, A Call for Submission, Moonshine Emergency, Iron Halo and more.

The event takes place at The Top Hat in Greenwood, 9 p.m. Dec. 19. Admission is $5 at the door.

Coming up

Until Dec. 10

Kingston Prize exhibition, Acadia Art Gallery, Wolfville

Until Dec. 12

Bingo: The Musical, CentreStage Theatre, Kentville

Send arts news to welliott@kentvilleadvertiser.ca