The Gumboots will be performing their 20th annual concert Friday and Saturday night. The Gumboots are a folk band like no other, they are one of the most well-known band in the north. They tell northern tales in their music like no other. The band is based right here in Yellowknife and record and produce original folk music documenting northern history locally.

Back in 2006 the band celebrated their 20th anniversary in 2004, making this their 26th year together and this their 20th annual concert. The Gumboots are made up of Ray Bethke, Bill Gilday and Steve Lacey.

But wait there is more, they wont be performing alone. This year special guests Valdy and Gary Fjellgaard. The two are experienced entertainers who know how to please and deliver to their audience. The knowledge they have combined is something special and heartwarming.

FROM NACC: Together, Valdy and Gary Fjellgaard are a near-perfect team. Their songs touch a common ground with the affection and warmth only old friends can share. Two memorable and endearing guys, two guitars, and two dozen songs or more to tell you where they’ve been, where they’re at, and where they’re heading.

Having seen The Gumboots perform at school events and throughout Yellowknife, I want to encourage everyone to try to take in one of the performances. The band is unique in the sense that it has been around for so long and continues to come back year after year with the same energy and passion.

• Date: February 19 & 20
• Time: 8:00pm
• Where: NACC
• Tickets: $25 NACC Box office or Online HERE

Leela Gilday will be returning to Yellowknife for the official launch of her new album “Calling All Warriors”.  It wasn’t to long ago she was up for Babes for Breasts Concert and a performance of her own. She is from Yellowknife and is known for her original, Juno Award winning, music. Her powerful and passionate performances have made her one of the north’s most valuable artistes.

Like I have said before if you have never seen Leela live, you definitely should. She is a the definition is true northern talent.

Leela has been recognized at the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards as Best Female Artist and Best Songwriter and her CD ‘Spirit World, Solid Wood’ was recognized as Best Folk Album. Up Here Magazine named Leela as Northerner of the Year in 2007.

• WHERE: NACC
• WHEN: February 16, 2010 – 7pm
• PRICE: Free!

Although free, Leela will be selling her new Album for $20 after the show.

So we have arrived at the end of the work week once again, isn’t it great! It is the end of the month too and I can’t believe how fast January has gone buy, seems like only yesterday I was writing about fireworks and the holiday season.

Anyways that is not what you came here to read. You want the “Whats going on this weekend” info. So here it is.

Starting the weekend off Friday evening is the fourth night of the Northern Performers Festival at NACC. The evening starts at 7:30pm but arrive early to get a seat. The night will be featuring two of Yellowknife best Dawgwoods and Priscilla’s Revenge. Tickets are $15 and available at the NACC box office or online.

On Saturday afternoon the Family Literacy Day Fun Fair will be taking place at the Northern United Place. Children ages 3 to 7 years can enjoy songs, stories and crafts. Families from Dettah, Yellowknife and Ndilo are invited. Children must be accompanied by an adult. The Fair will take place between 2 – 3:30pm.

Saturday evening is when you can get your Scottish on, is that even a saying. Anyways the NWT Pipe Band’s annual dinner and dance in celebration of the birth date of Scotland’s famous poet, Robert Burns. Evening includes a traditional haggis dinner, Highland dancing, Scottish Country Dancing, traditional Burns’ night activities (toasts and an address to Burns) and, of course, performances by the pipes and drums of the NWT Pipe Band. The dinner and dance will take place at the Elks Hall and start at 6pm. The festivities will go until the “wee” hours of the night or at least 12am.

Saturday evening is also the final night of the Northern Performers Festival and will feature Leanne Goose. Leanne Goose, is a country/rock singer and budding song writer originally from Inuvik. She made her debut on the North American music scene with her 2008 release of her album “Anywhere”. Her powerhouse voice delivers a unique mix of Classic Country with Elvis-styled Rock n’ Roll. This is a North Star on the rise. The show, again, starts at 7:30 at NACC and tickets can be bought at their box office or online.

James Boraski and the Momentary Evolution will also be playing at Twist both Friday and Saturday night starting at 8:30pm. Ron Kent will be playing at Fuego starting at 8:30pm on Friday night and Ed Dizon on Saturday at the same time.

There you have it, or at least these are all the events I know of. If you know of more make sure you post them below in the comments.

Couple things going on Friday night (December 4, 2009) I thought I would mention.

The Break up get Twisted – “Come join us for good times, good tunes, and bad judgment. No cover. Except the covers we play. And hopefully you’ll cover yourselves. But not too much. Enough to keep it legal. We encourage nudity when appropriate and civilly responsible, but exposed nipples at a place called ‘Twist’ may invite trouble. And that’s just from the band.” This is a great group of people to listen to. Check them out at Twist starting at 9:30pm and going until they can’t play anymore.

Christmas with Black Umfolosi – Come out to NACC from 9pm – 10pm to check out a group of friends from Zimbabwe, that move you with their choreography and intricate rhythms of clicking and clapping.

Who Does She Think She Is: Movie! – The Aurora Art Society is putting on the film at the NUP (Northern United Place) which will be starting around 7:30pm. The film features a women trying to support herself through the arts.

Those are the only events happening Friday night that I know of, but I’m almost positive there is more going on. So you know what to do, if you know of any other events, post them below.

Drive Slow Drink Milk.

What happens when a local film production team and the King of the Snow get together? Well you end up with an awesome Documentary. Triumph of the Chill will be premiering this Friday.

Collective9 is a local Film/Media company comprised of a large variety of people that all contribute in the awesomeness. They are also the folks that brought you Ciest to Lie. Check out this early preview that was released last March.

The Snow King is not only a local, but international celebrity. He and his festival have become a annual tradition for tourists and locals a like. So come March 1, 2010 everyone should head down to Yellowknife bay to enjoy the winter.

From NACC:

Far above the 60th parallel in Canada’s great white North, there exists a magical kingdom made entirely out of snow and ice. Every year in Yellowknife, just as the temperature starts to climb out of its -30 slumber, the SnowKing and his legion of loyal “sno-ldiers” create one of the world’s coolest experiences.

So because I know you can’t wait that long to enjoy the Snow King’s Winter Festival you should definitely check out the premier of Triumph of the Chill. Here is what you need to know.

• Where: NACC, Sir John High School.
• When: Friday, November 27, 2009.
• Time: 8pm, go early to get a good seat.
• Price: Free, Donations will be accepted.

Copies of the documentary will be available for purchase at the showing.  Triumph of the Chill is a COLLECTIVE9 Shakedown. Directed, shot and edited by Jay Bulckaert. Produced by the Snowking’s Annual Winter Festival.

A couple months ago 19 year old Darryl Tait was in a serious snowmobiling accident, as you may know. Well he is now in Vancouver on the long road to recovery.

His friends here in Yellowknife will be putting on a fundraiser for him on Wednesday November 25. The event will be filled with awesome performances by Fish Be?, Priscilla’s Revenge, and The Skinnys! With special guest speakers Ross Mercer and Blake Wildfong.

For those in attendance there will be complementary pizza and refreshments. All the proceeds will go to retro fitting a Handi-van for Darryl.

Details:

• Where: NACC
• When: November 25, 7:30pm
• Price: $12 which can be purchased HERE.

Like last Saturday, this one will be just as busy. So events happening Friday and Saturday (Nov 20,21) are as followed, The New Moon Movie. No we’re not all into Twilight? I guess not…. No in all seriousness there will be a lot of fun things happening this weekend.

Friday night is full of local entertainment.

• Starting off we have a band break up, oh sorry we have The Break Up opening for Mary Caroline’s CD release at the Top Knight Pub. The music starts at 8pm and goes until 12am.
• If the bar music sense isn’t your style, the St Pat’s Drama Production is putting on A Christmas Carol on both Friday night and Saturday night. The show starts at 7:30pm both nights and is help a NACC in Sir John High School.

All day Saturday there is something to do.

• For starters the Aurora Art Societies Art Expo is happening all day Saturday and Sunday. The Expo will be happening in the DND Gym located inside the Multiplex to the right. It goes from 11am to 5pm both days.
• Later in the day the annual City Santa Clause Parade will be taken float (HA). This years theme is Christmas across Canada, the night will be filled with lights and cheer. The parade goes from City Hall, down main street and finishing at Sir John High School (Just in time for you to catch the last showing of A Christmas Carol).
• Then after all that, Havana Night is back at Fuegos. From 10pm to 12:30am the Latin dancing will hit the floor. Get all the information on Facebook.

If there is something else going on that I have missed leave a comment below. Have a good weekend.

Starting on Thursday night at 7:30 and showing nightly until Saturday will be St. Patricks High School annual Christmas drama production. This year the school will be putting on the classic story of A Christmas Carol.

From NACC:

A Christmas Carol written by Charles Dickens, demonstrates the transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge, who on Christmas Eve, seven years after the death of his business partner Jacob Marley, is challenged to change his ways by the Ghost of Jacob Marley and three Christmas Spirits:the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.

The thing which makes this production so special is the fact that it is completely student run. Brandon Erasmus will be directing this show with the assistance of Jacqueline Brasseur as well as an all student technical crew.  I was able to talk to Jacqueline through Facebook and here is what she had to say about the show:

Q. How did 2 students come to direct this years SPHS Drama Production?

A. Well, usually St. Patrick’s High School Drama Department does two shows a year. We usually have a One-Act Festival, as well our school production. The One-Act is always rehearsed during the day in the drama 10/20/30 class, and the school production is done completely on it’s own after school and on weekends. The One-Act Festival has always been full of one-act plays that are directed by students, so I think that’s why Mrs. Maltby was open to inviting Brandon Erasmus to direct this year’s production that is in the place of the One-Act Festival. As soon as Brandon was chosen to direct, Mrs. Maltby invited me to help him out as stage manager and assistant director.

Q. Do you think having it a show run fully by students will benefit its outcome?

A. I think that having the show run completely by students will benefit it’s outcome in so many ways. I think that the people in the community will see how much work was put into this, and how it’s something completely new to the theatre world in Yellowknife. The fact that students can put on something like this will surely impress a lot of people around town. It may not be the best show you’ve ever seen, but it’s definitely a feat to organize a show when everybody in the process is such a young age, and so new to the world of theatre, like Brandon and I are. Because Mrs. Maltby has given us so many opportunities to be such a big part of theatre in our school, I think that more students will want to be a part of the drama program, and I can’t wait to see how amazing the drama program at the school becomes next year.

Q. Why did you decided to take such a big roll in the production?

A. I’ve been interested in drama since I was a kid. Acting has been something I’ve wanted to do since I was little. I had the chance to direct a One-Act Play last year in the One-Act Festival because a part of the Drama 30 curriculum is to direct something. I had a great time, and really just wanted to experience something bigger and better. I knew the moment this was offered to me that it would be an amazing learning experience. I’m absolutely horrified for production week, but at the same time, I can’t wait to learn new things, and have a chance to show that us St. Pat’s students can do just about anything we set our mind to.
Brandon says: “It’s a funny story. What really got me into directing was last year, during the One-Act Festival, I had the worst dress rehearsal of all time. It was horrible. Only one actor was decent. After the worst dress rehearsal of all time, I went home, and Jacqueline told me that I was a much better director than actor, and that’s when I gave up acting, and started wanting to direct.”

Q. How did the selection of this years show, A Christmas Carol, come about?

A. Brandon chose the play. He wanted to choose something that people were familiar with. Because we’re putting on a production with students from a class that a lot of kids take solely because they have to get a fine arts credit, Brandon chose something that wouldn’t be too big of a challenge. However, I really think that with the motivation everybody has gotten since we’ve started, we could’ve put on something more challenging. Everybody in the class has done an extraordinary job getting excited about the production, even those who haven’t ever acted before.

Q. Do you think the fact there is a remake currently in theatres of A Christmas Carol it will affect the turn out for the show and people expectations.

A. I believe that if anything, it will bring us a larger audience. It’s funny because last time Brandon directed, he was helping direct a Batman Musical play at his school in Vancouver, and as soon as they got the show on it’s feet, the movie came out. He was telling me earlier about how it seems like every time he directs something, they make a movie for it. Brandon believes that people are going to have really high expectations for the production because of the movie, but this is a high school production, and many students’ first time acting. I think that although people may have high expectations, they’ll be impressed by the talent of many of our newly found actors.

Q. What can Yellowknifers expect from the show this year, will there be any surprises?

A. If anything, Yellowknifers aren’t going to expect the costumes at all. They’re different, and many actors take on a different character than the one’s Dickens wrote about. So many actors have made their character their own, which is really what we wanted them to do to begin with. All the students have done a beautiful job at making this production one of a kind.

Q. Is there anything else you’d like to say about this years show?

A. All I really want to put out there is that without Mrs. Maltby, none of this could have happened. Marianne Maltby is constantly under appreciated, and constantly disrespected, but she puts so much effort into the students. She tries so hard to make sure that all the students are having a good time, and are enjoying theatre as much as they can. Her classes are so often not taken seriously due to the lack of value put on drama in our school, and really, she takes every single one of her students seriously and wants to be the best she can be for them. She is a wonderful teacher, a beautiful actress, a magnificent director, and a extremely kind human being.

Thanks Jacqueline, can’t wait to see the show.

Details

• What: SPHS Production of A Christmas Carol
• Where: NACC, behind Sir John High School
• When: November 19,20,21 at 7:30pm each night.
• Tickets: $12 – Available at NACC.ca

I hope to make it to one of the show, so I will see you there.