Coming Up on Royal City Rag… Paddling, Dance, Songs And Stories

We have a busy, recreation-based, Royal City Rag planned for CFRU 99.3fm this Saturday morning, November 13 between 8-10 a.m.

In the first hour, we’ll be talking to Jack Frimeth about the Reel Paddling Film Festival. The Centre Wellington DHS Aboriginal Program presents the 5th Annual Reel Paddling Film Festival at the E.L. Fox Auditorium (JF Ross CVI), 22 Meyer Dr., on Saturday, November 13, 2010 at 7.30 p.m. (doors open at 7 p.m). Tickets: Advance from the Bookshelf – $10/ Door – $15.

With 37 inspiring paddling films short-listed for the World Tour, including the nine festival category winners, audiences can expect to see hairy whitewater action, sea kayakers exploring remote coastlines, coast-to-coast canoe expeditions, international river travel films, motivating environmental documentaries, grueling kayak fishing battles and hilarious short films capturing the lighter side of paddling life. The Guelph show will also include a segment devoted to family paddling as well as an hour long environmental segment focusing on waterways that are soon to be dammed.

Later in the hour, Carin Headrick from Guelph Barrier Free Committees will be joining us again with an update on the activities of the accessibility focused committee. One of their current projects is to find out what recreational activities are available to help people with disabilities participate in recreationwithin the community. Since the focus  of the committees is activities that are not run by the city, they are interested in recreation provided by gyms, churches and clubs, etc.

They plan to survey people with disabilities to find out what recreational activities they would like to get involved in. Are you looking for sledge hockey? What about wheelchair basketball, Goalball or curling?  They are also interested in knowing what barriers people with disabilities have encountered in participating in sports and other recreational activities. Feedback can be sent to headrick2001@rogers.com.

Company Blonde

In the second hour, we’ll be discussing the first Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival‘s first performance of the season, a free one-hour performance on November 16, 2010 at 12.00 noon in the University Centre courtyard at the University of Guelph featuring Toronto’s Company Blonde.

Company Blonde specializes in creating dance works that are accessible to audiences of all ages blending comedy and theatre with classical modern dance.  Company Blonde strives to tell stories and share experiences that speak to our community and our culture, while always keeping the audience at the forefront of their work.

To wrap up the show, we’ll have a studio visit from singer-songwriter Kevin Morse and storyteller Brad Woods. Kevin has a CD release show at The Roxy in Acton on November 27 that will also feature some stories from Brad.

And, as a special treat… we’ll also be giving away 3-pairs of tickets to twenty-two year-old Toronto singer and multi-instrumentalist Lights‘ all-ages show (with Windsor based folk-pop act Michou), at Cowboys Bar. 166 Wyndham St  in Guelph on November 26.

Phew! Promises to be a great show. You won’t want to miss it!

Royal City Rag, Saturdays 8-10 a.m. on CFRU93.3fm in Guelph. Remember if you don’t catch Royal City Rag live, you can always pick it up later that day via the CFRU archive or here, on the blog, a day or so later.

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Royal City Rag, May 29 – Canadian Environment Week, Contemporary Dance And Spark Of Brilliance

Royal City Rag on May 29 was our last 7.00 a.m. start before we move to our new, more-civilised 8-10 a.m. Saturday slot.

In the first hour we were joined by our good friends Chris and Sally from Transition Guelph. Among other things, we chatted about Canadian Environment Week (May 30 – June 5), Saturday’s ecomarket at Stone Road Mall and the Council of Canadians special townhall style meeting on Growth, Gravel and Groundwater and the threats facing our community that takes place at Harcourt Memorial United Church, 87 Dean Ave, Guelph, ON on June 3 a 7 p.m.

An expert panel featuring members from Gravel Watch, Grand River Environmental Network, FORCE (Friends of Rural Communities and the Environment), CARRA (Cranberry Area Ratepayers and Residents Association),  North Dufferin Agriculture and Community Taskforce (opposing the giant quarry above Luther Marsh, at the top of Grand River headwaters) as well as local hydrologist Hugh Whiteley will discuss the impact of quarries, pipelines, roads and new development on the future sustainability of both our city and the Grand River watershed.

Listen to Hour 1:

Download Hour 1

In the second hour, Royal City Rag Culture Vulture Daniel Poulin returned to the show to discuss the upcoming Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival.

This year the festival runs from June 3-6 at locations throughout our lovely city. On the Stage A, B & C (formerly the Main Stage Series) and Youth Moves will be held at the River Run Centre. In the Park (formerly the Site-Specific Series) will be taking place at Exhibition Park and On the Street (formerly the Noon-time Series) in St. George’s Square. The four days of dance will feature youth performers, local artists as well as acclaimed national performers from across Canada.

Listen to Hour 2:

Download Hour 2

In the third hour (9-10 a.m.) we were pleased to welcome Jay Lefler, co-founder of Spark of Brilliance into the studio.

Spark of Brilliance is a community-based initiative that promotes healing and recovery for people coping with mental health challenges. Creative art programs and services are designed to enhance quality of life for participants, inspire independent thinking and grow self-esteem. Spark programs empower individuals and families with the skills they need help make meaningful contributions to their community.

Spark of Brilliance is bringing the work of four talented artists to Guelph community space, 10 Carden in an exhibition entitled “Power To The Arts”. This exhibition will demonstrate a broad range of artistic expressions in oil, ink, collage, mosaic, and mixed media. Artists Barb Cohen, Lisa Cosier, Marcey Gray and Jay Lefler hope to raise awareness of how their personal experiences with mental health issues have been overcome. They also want the community to understand how recovery can happen through connecting with the creative spirit.

This special event takes place on Monday, May 31 from 7 to 9 p.m. Local singer-songwriter D Eve Archer will entertain and refreshments will be served.

Listen to Hour 3:

Download Hour 3

Music:
Kate Bush, Hello Earth from Hounds Of Love
Peter Mayer, Blue Boat Home from Earth Town Square
Kermit The Frog, It’s Not Easy Being Green from Muppets Greatest Hits
Ray Charles, Lucky Old Sun from  A Look Homeward
Gord Downie And The Country Of Miracles, The East Wind from The Ground Bounce
Kid Coma (featuring Doug Larson), Little Bird from Nightmares And Dreamers
Los Lobos, Little Things from The Town And The City
M Mucci, Chase Down Alice Street from Time Lost
Kid Coma (featuring Doug Larson), Omar Bradley from Complete Metamorphosis
Don Amero, Hometown from Change Your Life
Darden Smith, The Painter from Native Soil
Spark Of Brilliance Troubadours, Healing Embers from Healing Embers

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Coming Up… A 3-Hour Royal City Rag… Canadian Environment Week, Modern Dance And Art

We have a 3-hour Royal City rag planned for May 29. This will be our last show starting at 7.00 a.m. before we move to our new, more-civilised 8-10 a.m. Saturday slot.

In the first hour we will be joined by our good friends Chris and Sally from Transition Guelph.

Among other things we’ll be chatting about Canadian Environment Week (May 30 – June 5), Saturday’s ecomarket at Stone Road Mall and the Council of Canadians townhall meeting on Growth, Gravel and Groundwater and the threats facing our community that takes place at Harcourt Memorial United Church, 87 Dean Ave, Guelph, ON on June 3 a 7 p.m.

An expert panel featuring members from Gravel Watch, Grand River Environmental Network, FORCE (Friends of Rural Communities and the Environment), CARRA (Cranberry Area Ratepayers and Residents Association),  North Dufferin Agriculture and Community Taskforce (opposing the giant quarry above Luther Marsh, at the top of Grand River headwaters) as well as local hydrologist Hugh Whiteley will discuss the impact of quarries, pipelines, roads and new development on the future sustainability of both our city and the Grand River watershed.

In the second hour, we’ll be reconvening the renowned Royal City Rag Culture Vultures when Marie Zimmerman and Daniel Poulin return to the show to discuss the upcoming Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival.

This year the festival runs from June 3-6 at locations throughout our lovely city. On the Stage A, B & C (formerly the Main Stage Series) and Youth Moves will be held at the River Run Centre. In the Park (formerly the Site-Specific Series) will be taking place at Exhibition Park and On the Street (formerly the Noon-time Series) in St. George’s Square. The four days of dance will feature youth performers, local artists as well as acclaimed national performers from across Canada.

In the third hour (9-10 a.m.) we will be welcoming Jay Lefler, co-founder of Spark of Brilliance into the studio.

Spark of Brilliance is a community-based initiative that promotes healing and recovery for people coping with mental health challenges. Creative art programs and services are designed to enhance quality of life for participants, inspire independent thinking and grow self-esteem. Spark programs empower individuals and families with the skills they need help make meaningful contributions to their community.

Spark of Brilliance is bringing the work of four talented artists to Guelph community space, 10 Carden in an exhibition entitled “Power To The Arts”. This exhibition will demonstrate a broad range of artistic expressions in oil, ink, collage, mosaic, and mixed media. Artists Barb Cohen, Lisa Cosier, Marcey Gray and Jay Lefler hope to raise awareness of how their personal experiences with mental health issues have been overcome. They also want the community to understand how recovery can happen through connecting with the creative spirit.

This special event takes place on Monday, May 31 from 7 to 9 p.m. Local singer-songwriter D Eve Archer will entertain and refreshments will be served.

As always we’ll wrap the whole thing up with some great music. Should be fun. You won’t want to miss it!

Royal City Rag, Saturdays 8-10 a.m. on CFRU93.3fm in Guelph. Remember if you don’t catch Royal City Rag live , you can always pick it up later that day via the CFRU archive or here, on the blog, a day or so later.

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Royal City Rag, May 8 – Rain Barrels And Summer Festivals

In the first hour on May 8 we welcomed Rob Case from local non-profit organisation Guelph International Resource Centre (GIRC) back to the show.

GIRC is celebrating its 30th anniversarythis year. GIRC’s mission is to increase community awareness of global issues, including their local aspects, while encouraging action to promote a just and sustainable future.

For the past 10 years GIRC have been promoting the use of rain barrels to aid in water conservation. GIRC had their first Rain Barrel Sale of the season on Saturday at Planet Bean on Grange. They have another two sales planned for later this month; Saturday May 15 from 10. 00 a.m-1.00 p.m. at the West End Recreation Centre and Wednesday May 19 from 5.00-8.00 p.m. at the Stone Store, 14 Commercial Street, Guelph.

Barrels for these sales are being assembled by volunteers from Parkwood Gardens Neighbourhood Group. Proceeds from the sales will support the services and events the neighbourhood group provides to its community, as well as the various non-profit initiatives of the Guelph International Resource Centre including the Guelph Festival of Moving Media taking place in November.

GIRC rain barrels are durable, locally made from used food import barrels and available in three colours. They are easy to maintain, repair and customize. A 220 litre rain barrel is only $60 (while supplies last, Visa and Mastercard accepted). You can pre-order your rain barrels HERE.

Listen to Hour 1:

In the second hour of the show, our culture vulture, Marie Zimmerman (currently executive director of the Hillside Festival), was back in the studio for a relaxed chat about the arts focusing on three of the summer festivals the area has to offer; The Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival (June 3-6), Hillside Festival (July 23-25) and Eden Mills Writers Festival (September 19). We also had an apportunity to play some music from the headliners at this year’s Hillside. Check it out.

Listen to Hour 2:

Music:
Buddy Guy, Ain’t No Sunshine from Bring Em’ In
Blackie & The Rodeo Kings from Let’s Frolic
Stephen Fearing, Yellowjacket from Yellowjacket
James Gordon, I’ve Come Along from My Stars Your Eyes
Neko Case, Buckets Of Rain from Live From Austin Texas
Dom Amero, Life Gets Better from Deepening
Sarah Harmer, Escarpment Blues from I’m A Mountain
Gord Downie And The Country Of Miracles, The Grand Bounce from The Grand Bounce
Calexico, Two Silver Trees from Carried To Dust
Los Lobos, Hearts Of Stone from Good Morning Aztlan

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Coming Up On Royal City Rag… Rain Barrels And Summer Festivals

Royal City Rag will be back on CFRU 93.3fm this coming Saturday, May 8 from 7-9 a.m.

In the first hour we will be welcoming Rob Case from Guelph International Resource Centre (GIRC) back to the show. GIRC have their first Rain Barrel Sale of the season, this Saturday May 8 from 10.00 a.m. – Noon at Planet Bean Cafe, Grange Plaza (259 Grange Road East, Guelph).

GIRC rain barrels are durable, locally made from used food import barrels and available in three colours. They are easy to maintain, repair and customize.  A 220 litre rain barrel is only $60 (while supplies last, Visa and Mastercard accepted). To guarantee availability, pre-order yours now HERE.

Proceeds from the rain barrel sale support the GIRC’s other initiatives, including the Guelph Festival of Moving Media taking place in November.

Staff from The Elora Centre for Environmental Excellence will also be on hand at Planet Bean from 10.00 a.m. till 4.00 p.m. to provide FREE home energy advice. Non-perishable food items will also be graciously accepted for the Grange Hill East Neighbourhood Group’s food cupboard.

There will be two other opportunities purchase a GIRC rain barrel:

• Saturday May 15, 2010; 10:00-1:00 p.m.; at the West End Recreation Centre
• Wednesday May 19, 2010; 5:00-8:00 p.m.; at the Stone Store, 14 Commercial Street, Guelph

In the second hour of the show we’ll welcome back to Royal City Rag our culture vulture, Marie Zimmerman (currently executive director of the Hillside Festival), for a relaxed chat about the arts focusing on three of the main summer festivals the area has to offer; The Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival (June 3-6), Hillside Festival (July 23-25) and Eden Mills Writers Festival (September 19).

As usual we’ll wrap up the whole show with some great music. You won’t want to miss it!

Royal City Rag, Saturdays 7-9 a.m. on CFRU93.3fm, Guelph’s Campus-Community Radio Station.

Remember if you don’t catch Royal City Rag live on CFRU93.3fm, you can pick it up later that day via the CFRU archive or here, on the blog, the next day.

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Royal City Rag, November 14 – Urban Farming, Modern Dance And Hillside

Shannon Lee Stirling from Backyard Bounty joined us during the first hour of November 14 to talk about the Urban Agriculture symposium taking place at the Arboretum, University of Guelph on November 20.

Urban Agriculture: Opportunities for Action will bring together the movers and shakers in the Urban Agriculture scene.  The conference aims to not only inspire action but address key issues and provide connections that enable the Urban Agriculture movement to advance.
 
The symposium is presented in partnership with Guelph-Wellington Local Food Initiative, The City of Guelph’s Healthy Landscapes project, The Organic Conference and Chris Jess‘ Food School project.

Later in the first hour, we caught up with Norah Chaloner from Guelph Urban Forest Friends at The Big Umbrella community information table at the Guelph Farmers Market. The Ontario Urban Forest Council was in Guelph this past week for a very successful annual conference that focused on the importance of protecting trees during the developmental planning process.

Listen to Hour 1:

In the second hour of the show, Marie Zimmerman Royal City Rag’s culture vulture was back in the studio to chat about two summer festival related events, the Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival (GCDF) Off-site series and Hillside Inside.  

The GCDF Off-site series performance takes place on November 17 at noon in the University Centre Courtyard and again at 7.00 p.m., in the Alma Gallery, Wyndham Street, Downtown Guelph.  Canada’s oldest modern dance company,  Canada’ oldest contemporary dance troupe, Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers (WCD). are the featured artists.

Hillside Inside, the iconic summer festival’s winter cousin taking place for the third time on Saturday February 6, 2010 at the Sleeman Centre, downtown Guelph. Performers confirmed to date include Ani DiFranco (her only Ontario appearance), Hawksley Workman, Martin Sexton, Final Fantasy, Basia Bulat, Bahamas, Woodhands and Delhi 2 Dublin. 

Check out the live version of Smiling Underneath by Ani DiFranco in the podcast  if you missed the show.

Hillside Inside will also feature local food and craft vendors and a selection of community organization booths. A wide range of volunteer opportunities are also available for Hillside Inside 2010.  Visit www.hillsidefestival.ca for more details.

Listen to Hour 2:

Music:
Terry Tufts, Dorval’s Descent from Six Strings North Of the Border Volume 2
Steve Earle and the Del McCoury Band, Texas Eagle from The Mountain
Levon Helm, Growing Trade from Electric Dirt
Jean Elliott Manning, Family Farm In My Front Yard
Tegan and Sara, Our Trees from Under Feet Like Ours
Proclaimers, Sing All Our Cares Away from Notes and Rhymes
Stephen Fearing, One Flat Tire from Yellowjacket
Andrew McPherson, Phoenix At the Wheel from Lefty Singer
Ani Difranco, Smiling Underneath (Live) from Red Letter Year
Basia Bulat, My Heart Is A Warning from Friends In Bellwoods 2

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Coming Up On Royal City Rag – Urban Farming, Modern Dance And Hillside!

We’re welcoming Shannon Lee Stirling from Backyard Bounty back to Royal City Rag on November 14. Shannon will be talking about the Urban Agriculture symposium taking place at the Arboretum, University of Guelph on November 20.

Urban Agriculture: Opportunities for Action will bring together the movers and shakers in the Urban Agriculture scene.  The conference aims to not only inspire action but address key issues and provide connections that enable the Urban Agriculture movement to advance.
 
The symposium is presented in partnership with Guelph-Wellington Local Food Initiative, The City of Guelph’s Healthy Landscapes project, The Organic Conference and Chris Jess‘ Food School project.

In the second half of the show, Marie Zimmerman Royal City Rag’s culture vulture will be joining us with a festival update.  

On November 17, the Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival are having another of their Off-site series events, this time featuring Canada’s oldest modern dance company,  Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers (WCD). The evening”s performance, “On The Road”, takes place at 7.00 p.m. in the Alma Gallery, Wyndham Street, Downtown Guelph. 

We’ll also be chatting about Hillside Inside, the iconic summer festival’s winter cousin taking place for the third time on Saturday February 6, 2010 at the Sleeman Centre, downtown Guelph.

Performers confirmed to date include Ani DiFranco (her only Ontario appearance), Hawksley Workman, Martin Sexton, Final Fantasy, Basia Bulat, Bahamas, Woodhands and Delhi 2 Dublin. Hillside Inside will also feature local food and craft vendors and a selection of community organization booths. A wide range of volunteer opportunities are also available for Hillside Inside 2010.  Visit www.hillsidefestival.ca for more details.

Royal City Rag, Saturdays from 7-9 a.m. on CFRU 93.3fm. Don’t miss it!

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Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival Off-site Series – November 17

Winnipeg's Contemporary Dancers (Photo: Ryan Fennessy)

Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival are presenting another in their Off-site series on November 17.

Canada’s oldest modern dance company,  Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers (WCD),  returns to the national touring scene by spending part of their 45th season ON THE ROAD.

ON THE ROAD highlights the beauty, versatility and strength of WCD’s company dancers in a 90 minute mixed repertoire show. These performances will feature the work of WCD’s current Artistic Director, Brent Lott, along side works by WCD’s Founding Artistic Director, Rachel Browne, and Fredericton’s Lesandra Dodson (a former WCD company dancer and choreographer).

Tuesday, November 17 at 7 p.m.
Alma Gallery, 133 Wyndham Street
Downtown Guelph
Pay-what-you-can

For more details, visit the Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival at www.guelphcontemporarydancefestival.ca.

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Royal City Rag – June 3

A Culture Vultures show that focused on the Guelph Commentary Dance Festival taking place in Guelph from June 4-7.

It was great to welcome Culture Vulture Marie back to Royal City Rag. We’ve missed her!

This show is well worth a listen especially if you’ve never considered taking in a modern dance performance.

You should also check out the site-specific series in Exhibition Park, especially the twilight show at 7.00 p.m. on June 4. It promises to be fun and inspiring as well as a great introduction to the art form. Don’t miss it.

Take a look at their website, www.contemporarydancefestival.com, for more information on all the performances.

Music:
Lou Reed, Modern Dance from Ecstasy
Great Lake Swimmers, Backstage With The Modern Dancers from Onigiara
Julie Doiron, The Life Of Dreams from I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day
Great Lake Swimmers, Changing Colours from Onigiara

Listen to the show:

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Coming Up On Royal City Rag – The Culture Vultures

The Culture Vultures will be back in the studio on June 3 for our monthly trip around the Guelph art scene. This month we’ll be focusing on the Guelph Commentary Dance Festival taking place in Guelph from June 4-7.

Don’t miss it.

Join us on Wednesday, June 3 from 6-7 p.m. on CFRU 93.3fm, Guelph’s Campus Community Radio Station.

Listen live on CFRU 93.3fm or after the fact via the website or CFRU archive.

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Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival In The University Centre – March 25

Suzanne Miller "Speed"

Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival Noon Show sponsored by the Central Students’ Association

When:  Wednesday, March 25 at 12.00 noon.

Where:  University Centre Courtyard, University of Guelph

Other details:  Free performance.  Donations gladly accepted. All proceeds go toward bringing dancers to the festival in the spring.

Dance Troupes:

• First Aid by Company Blonde takes a comic look at nursing and fertility.  Company Blonde’s theatrical take on girl culture is much-loved by Guelph audiences.  They’ve previously appeared as Molly Ringwalds, cowgirls, Indy Racers, absurd trampoline champions, and desperate housewives.
• An excerpt of The Chrysalis Project by Janet Johnson, a local choreographer.  Johnson’s piece is a highly physical exploration of mutability and transformation that uses the flight of the monarch butterfly to suggest the paradox of strength within fragility.
• Speed by Suzanne Miller and Allan Paivio (choreographers from Montreal), a highly sensuous piece that explores the biodynamic effects of tempo variation on movement and sound.

This is a unique opportunity for university students and staff to see professional dance in the  university setting.  It is one of the festival’s efforts to reach out to the community to educate everyone about the possibilities for expression that dance offers. The Nooner provides a glimpse into the calibre of talent that will be showcased at the Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival, June 4-7, 2009. 

For more details visit www.guelphcontemporarydancefestival.com
Tel:  519-780-2220
Email:  gcdf@bellnet.ca

The Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival has been bringing cutting-edge dance to the city of Guelph since 1998.  Steered by the co-artistic directors Catrina von Radecki and Janet Johnson, it has become one of only four Canadian festivals of dance (the other three are in major cities:  Vancouver, Ottawa, and Toronto), and of these four, it is the smallest but arguably the most ambitious.  Its aims are not only to bring dance to people and thereby to support the dance community, but also to educate people about this art form through workshops in schools and talkback sessions at main events.

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Royal City Rag – March 4

Our monthly trip around the arts and cultural scene with the Culture Vultures. This week a new Culture Vulture, Lynn Broughton, joined the team. As always, there is a lot going on in Guelph. We’ve tried to cover as many of the events as possible.

Jan’s Picks (see individual blog posts, where applicable)

• Hammond Lecture Series, Energy and the Environment – March 6/7
• Folkways 10th Anniversary Series:
  Tony McManus – March 6
  Harry Manx – March 26,
• Danny Michel with Roxanne Potvin, Dublin St United – March 28 $13 Stu/$16 Gen
• Earth Day in Guelph – March 28
• Guelph Environmental Leadership Spring Ecomarket – April 4

Daniel’s Picks:

• The Living Library, McLaughlin Library – March 5/6
• Out on the Shelf Dance, Guelph Googleheim – March 7
• Shenkman Lecture in Contemporary Art featuring Roni Horn, War Memorial Hall – March 11
• MFA Open Studio Featuring works by graduate candidates and Specialized Studio undergraduates – March 11
  Studios open 3.00  – 5.15 p.m. and 7.00 – 9.00 p.m.
  Studios located in Blackwood Hall (1st and 2nd floors, 8 studios), FireHall (3 studios), Textiles Building, Rooms 205, 210 (5 studios)
• Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival:
  March Break Camp – March 16 -20
  Central Students Association Nooner, University Centre – March 25
  Off-Site Series, McDonald Stewart Art Centre – March 28/29
• Egypt, Gift of the Nile at Guelph Civic Museum (until March 29)
• U of G Student Theatre Production “Ubu Roi” by Alfred Jarry – March 16-21
• Gender Martini “A performance with a splash and a twist” – March 25
• Guelph Project 2009 “Love”, Wellness Centre – March 26-28
• Doors Open Guelph – April 25

Lynn’s Picks:

• Ed Video 2nd Annual Comedy Night – March 7 at the Guelph Youth Music Centre, www.edvideo.org
• Bookshelf 10th annual Poetry contest, deadline April 5,  www.bookshelf.ca
• Art on the Street 2009 – July 18. Artist applications are open . For more information visit www.downtownguelph.com
• Friday Noon Hour Concerts in St George’s Square, June 18 through September 18. Submissions from local musicians are encouraged. For more information visit www.downtownguelph.com
• The grand opening of the new City Hall is scheduled for June 20. Tours of the facility are also included in Doors Open Guelph

Music:
The Monster Show, Winnipeg And Fargo from And In Our Final Days As Archipelago
Tony McManus, Goodbye Pork Pie Hat from Ceol More
Harry Manx, Take This Hammer from Live At The Glen Gould Studio 2008
Eccodek, Silent Song from Shivaboom
Danny Michel, On My Way from Fur, Feather and Fin

Listen to the show:

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Royal City Rag, November 26 2008 – The Culture Vultures

On November 26, the Culture Vultures, Marie and Daniel joined us for their biweekly troll through the cultural highlights of our wonderful city with particular emphasis on the Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival Fall Extravaganza, the Guelph Youth Singers seasonal concert and a newbie on the visual art scene, The Alma Gallery.

The audio for this show is no longer available on the website.  If however you wish to hear it again, please contact us at info@royalcityrag.ca. Thank You.

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Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival Fall Extravaganza, November 29 – The Details

The Contemporary Dance Festival Fall Extravaganza Fundraiser

• Four dance performances, a silent auction, and live music by the inimitable Kevin Breit with Matt Brubeck.
• Door prizes, hors d’oeuvres and high spirits will take the chill off your November skin.

When: Saturday, November 29, 2008. Doors at 7:00 p.m.; Dance begins at 8:00 p.m.
Where: Guelph Youth Music Centre, 75 Cardigan St., downtown Guelph.
Tickets: $20 at door. $10 for children. Cash bar.

All of the proceeds of the evening go toward bringing you the Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival next spring: June 4-7, 2009.

The Artists

AKA Dance will perform In a Single Bound, a charged theatrical dance about two female superheroes who -SHAZAM-do battle against earthly and unearthly foes, and sometimes each other. The piece is accompanied by the live interactive score of the talented DJ, Gerald Belanger. Japanese and North American superheroes inspire the choreography’s eclectic mix of contemporary dance, contact improvisation, stage combat, hip hop, martial arts and capoeira. Most recently, In a Single Bound was performed at the Luminato Festival and at the Dance Ga Mitai International Dance Festival in Tokyo.

Company Blonde, one of Guelph’s favourite troupes, will perform First Aid, their latest piece of theatrical dance. Company Blonde is well-known for its funny and imaginative performances that literalize metaphors (e.g., battered hearts are balloons the dancers drag around), and cheekily satirize girl culture. In Guelph, they have appeared as cowgirls, desperate housewives, Indy racers, trampoline champs and broken-hearted Molly Ringwalds. Into what or whom will they metamorphose for First Aid? Paramedics? Life guards?

Denise Duric will perform Happy Voices, an exuberant piece about fall and recovery that uses a quartet of local Guelph dancers. “Initially,” says Duric, the idea for this piece “was conceived by watching athletes, particularly soccer players, fall and recover while playing their sport.” Duric says she wants to achieve an “undulating and hypnotic” feeling in Happy Voices and she singles out the Guelph audience for special praise for grasping her work: “I’ve experienced the Guelph audience since the inception of the festival and I feel they have embraced this esoteric art form, becoming more and more experienced and appreciative of the many dance styles presented to them.” Duric won the People’s Choice award at the 2002 Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival and is much-celebrated for her use of a “lyrical vocabulary in nontraditional venues” (Gail Johnson of the Straight).

Invoke-tress, led by Guelph dancer Ishra Blanco, will perform middle eastern dance that fuses many different styles, from classical Egyptian through to East Indian Kathak, bellydance, hip hop and modern dance. Sassy and sensual, Invoke-tress’s dance performances have toured southern Ontario and parts of the United States; the artistic director, Ishra Blanco, has also danced with Arabesque Dance Company and has performed for diverse organizations in Guelph, including the Guelph Jazz Festival and the Guelph Concert Band.

Kevin Breit: CBC Radio 2 just broadcast a recording of Kevin Breit and Rene Lussier at this year’s Guelph Jazz Festival, and everyone seems to be spilling over with superlatives to describe Kevin Breit’s music: “gorgeous,” “inventive,” “lush,” ingenious,” “freewheeling,” “dazzlingly experimental.” Dextrous with all manner of stringed instruments, Kevin Breit has played with the likes of Holly Cole, Norah Jones, k.d. lang, Celine Dion, Rita Chiarelli, Jane Bunnett, Roseanne Cash, Ian Tyson, John McDermott, Natalie MacMaster, Anne Murray, The Guess Who, and Cassandra Wilson, to name a few. He also plays in at least four popular bands: the Tallboys (with Jesse Stewart and Matt Brubeck), Folkalarm, the Sisters Euclid, and Supergenerous (with Cyro Baptista). Come hear and believe.

The Goods: Our silent auction tables show off the work of artists from Guelph and area and the goods of local merchants. You’ll find jewelry, pottery, paintings, sketches, gift certificates for spas and salons, books, theatre and festival tickets, and an array of beautiful things that will pamper and thrill. Visit our website for a complete list, updated daily, of our auction booty: www.guelphcontemporarydancefestival.com

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Coming Up on Royal City Rag – November 26

The Culture Vultures are back on the show tonight for a review of some of the highlights on the burgeoning Guelph Art Scene. Promises to be great fun!

We will also have several giveaways on the show including:

• A Student Green Card from the Bookshelf – A pair of tickets for the Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival Fall Extravaganza – November 29
• A pair of tickets for Celebrate the Season with the Guelph Youth Singers at the River Run – November 29
• A pair of tickets for Le Cyc, A Bicycle Opera at the University of Guelph – November 28

E.mail us at info@royalcityrag.ca if you want to pitch for any of them.

Tune in from 6-7 p.m. Wednesday on CFRU 93.3fm, Guelph’s Campus-Community Radio Station or listen online at www.cfru.ca.

Don’t miss it!

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Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival Fall Extravaganza – November 29

The Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival Fall Extravaganza takes place on November 29 at 8.00 p.m.

This promises to be a great evening. Last year’s event was absolutely fabulous.

This year you can again expect to be wowed by incredible contemporary dance from AKA Dance, Company Blonde, Denise Duric and Invoke-tress, as well as enjoy great music from The Tallboys’ Kevin Breit and Matt Brubeck. There will also be a wonderful silent auction to top the evening off.

Don’t miss it!

The Culture Vultures Marie and Daniel will be back on Royal City Rag on November 26.  We’ll be chatting about the extravaganza.

We also have a pair of tickets to give away for the evening. To get them though, you’ll need to call in during the show.

Don’t miss the show, Wednesday 6-7 p.m. on CFRU 93.3fm or online at www.cfru.ca.

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Royal City Rag, November 12 2008 – The Culture Vultures

Culture vultures Marie and Daniel joined us again in the studio for another fast-paced, fun and electic trip around the Guelph art scene.

On this week’s show we focused on the Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival Fall Extravaganza on November 29 at the Guelph Youth Music Centre, Guelph Youth Singers at the River Run on November 29, the University of Guelph student production of The Cenci happening on campus and a review of the Lucy Maude Montgomery exhibit at the Macdonald-Stewart Art Centre; Dawn Owen curated the “Imagining Anne” exhibit that showcases a contemporary take on Anne of Green Gables.

At the start of the show we also played an excerpt from an interview with Norah Chaloner from Guelph Urban Forest Friends discussing her group’s hopes for a new bylaw to protect trees in Guelph.

Music:
James Gordon – Another Silver Maple Comes Down from Nine Green Bottles
Clint Eastwood – I Talk To The Trees from Paint Your Wagon
Jenn Grant – Rainy Day from Orchestras For The Moon
Ambre McLean – Leave Me Alone from Good People, Bad Things (Soundtrack)

The audio for this show is no longer available on the website.  If however you wish to hear it again, please contact us at info@royalcityrag.ca. Thank You.

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Royal City Rag, May 21 2008 – Guelph Pride, Arts And Culture

In the first half of the show, Rev. Barbara McDowell, from the Guelph Pride Committee joined us to talk about Guelph Pride 2008.

In the second half of the show, the Culture Vultures, Marie and Daniel, were back in the studio to talk up the Guelph art scene including nominations for the Premier’s awards for excellence in the arts from Guelph:  David Earle and the Guelph Jazz Festival! They also talked about the upcoming Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival, May 29 – June 1. It promises to be a wonderful event.

Music:
Ian Dury “I wanna be straight” from “Reasons to be Cheerful, The Best of Ian Dury and the Blockheads”
Tom Robinson Band “Glad to be Gay” from “Power in the Darkness”
Ray Charles: “Messing Around” from “Ray: The Original Soundtrack”
Madadam and Noah 23: “Nebula”

The audio for this show is no longer available on the website.  If however you wish to hear it again, please contact us at info@royalcityrag.ca. Thank You.

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Royal City Rag, March 26 2008 – The Culture Vultures And Guelph Comedy

In the first half of the show, Royal City Rag’s Culture Vultures, Marie and Daniel joined us to talk about coming events including shows by Basia Bulat and Rock Plaza Central, the Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival , the School of English and Theatre Studies, University of Guelph production of “The Bacchai” by Euripides as well as The U of G Wellness Centre Guelph Project 2008 production, “Great Sexpectations”.

In the second half of the show, Andrew Seagram came in to talk about Ed Video‘s Comedy Night fundraiser at the Guelph Youth Music Centre on March 29, 2008.

Music:
Basia Bulat, “I Was a Daughter from “Oh, My Darling”
Rock Plaza Central, “How Shall I to Heaven Aspire?” from “Are We Not Horses?”
Nick Lowe, “Cracking Up” from “16 All-time Lowes”

The audio for this show is no longer available on the website.  If however you wish to hear it again, please contact us at info@royalcityrag.ca. Thank You.

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