Cops beef up Commercial Drive beat

Theft, drug dealing plague area

Mike Howell, Vancouver Courier

Published: Friday, May 30, 2008

Commercial Drive residents will notice police walking a beat this Sunday and the addition of security guards to a community that is experiencing a nagging crime and drug dealing problem.

The Vancouver Police Department will deploy two teams of four officers each to patrol a stretch along the Drive's corridor from 3rd to 12th avenues. Officers will work in shifts from 7 a.m. to 3 a.m., according to Insp. Adam Palmer.

Read the full story here:

http://www.canada.com/vancouvercourier/news/story.html?id=e8803bac-d151-4832-94a9-2b8ba9892411

Special Event:: In The House Festival

The In the House Festival is 5 years old! Time sure does go fast. The big festival is returning on June 7th and 8th. For those of you who are not entirely familiar with In the House, the concept is to have live performance of all kinds including music, dance, theatre, storytelling, spoken word, puppetry, kids shows, cabaret and so much more inside people’s living rooms and backyards. It’s a wonderful, intimate and multicultural event open to all ages! When do you get to see cancan performed live? And when do you ever get to see it at someone’s house? If you haven’t been before, this is the year to go!

So come celebrate Vancouver’s rich variety of cultures, artistic disciplines, and communities all in a heart-warming weekend of mind-boggingly great talent. Come regale your senses and fill your hearts with joy and laughter, music and dance, theatre and poetry, puppets and magic. It’s 2 days, 14 shows, and over 50 acts! Check down below for the schedule or go to www.inthehousefestival.com for a detailed schedule, performer bios, ticket payment, etc.

Date: June 7th and 8th, 2008
Time: Box office opens at noon on both days. The first show is at 2:00 pm (see below for show breakdown)

Location: Box office on the days of the festival is on the corner of Semlin Dr. and William St. All venues are within 2 blocks of the box office.

Tickets: Single tickets: $12 adults / $7.50 kids
4-show pass: $40 adults / $22.50 kids
Weekend pass: $60 adults / $40 kids

There are limited amounts of passes, so if you intend to see many shows, make sure you grab those before they’re gone! Passes must be redeemed at the box office of the festival.

Tickets are available on-line at www.inthehousefestival.com or at Highlife Records on Commercial Dr. They will also be available on days of the festival, but do keep in mind that seating is limited and you run the risk of facing a sold-out show if you wait till the festival to buy your ticket.

Please feel free to spread the word about the festival to all your friends, family, colleagues and acquaintances. If you have a place to hang a poster or 3 or would like some flyers, let us know and we can arrange to get you some. And please spread the word through your facebook contacts!

If you have any questions, you can contact Myriam Steinberg at info@inthehousefestival.com.

Performers and schedule (please check website for updates on venues and performers):

Saturday, June 7th, 2008

2-3:45 pm
Percussion Fission
Kunaka
Uzume Taiko
Hari Pal

Singers Strummin’
Astrid
Pawnshop Diamond
Yvette Narlock

4-5:45 pm
Children’s Show
Lost and Found Puppet Co.
The Purple Pirate

Classical Music
Erato Ensemble
Lebeda Duo

7-8:45 pm
Today in Dance
Kim Sato
Jennifer Clarke
Jojo Zolina + TJ Miller

Puppet Lives
Tamara Unroe
Mind of a Snail Puppet Co.
Rababoo Puppet Theatre

9-11 pm
The Glam Scheme of Things
Bonnie Kilroe
Hope Diamond
Matthew Johnson
Michael Jackson
Althea Cunningham

Sunday, June 8th, 2008

2-3:45 pm
Jazzy Bits
Idle Peasantry
P.I.M.
Audio-Lava

Dances of the World
West Meets West (West African)
Andrew Klukas + Michelle Harding (flamenco)
Ashley (Bellydancing - Harem Dancers)

4-5:45 pm
Latin Flavours
Matices
Puro Son
Mariachi Flores

Bluegrass
Redgrass
DYAD
Viper Central

7-8:45 pm
String Adventures
Cris Derksen
Kytami
Eastern Star

Thundering Word
Bill McNamara
Mary Gavan
Philomena Jordan
Leanne Padgett
Bryant Ross
RC Weslowski

9-11
Simorgh Rises – Storytelling Finale
Naomi Steinberg
Candice R. Curlypaws
Mind of a Snail Puppet Co.
Qxanna
Jack Garton
Erica Kohn

Special Event: McDonald Elementary Walk-a-thon

The Drive Guy Hits The Road

Hey folks, just a heads up that I will be out of town until the 10th of June with the Rolling Stock Prairie Theatre Tour but will be still posting here and on the tour blog:
www.rollingstockprairietheatre.blogspot.com.
If you have submissions for Commercial Drive - Live! please send them to my gmail account: stevely27@gmail.com.
Thanks!

Literary: Poets Norwich & Duncan Explore Duality

Creation. Destruction. Light and dark. Join Commercial Drive poets Steve Duncan and Marni Norwich and dancer Natalie Hobbs as they explore the theme of duality in a performance that combines spoken word and improvisational movement.

Take Eve's Eden and the fickle wishbone of relationship and juxtapose them with the gritty substance of modern urban life

Music and More on Main
Thursday, May 22nd
Featured performance: 8:45pm
Doors: 7:30pm
Open Mic: 8pm
By Donation
Hosted by Rick Keating

Little Mountain Neighborhood House
3981 Main Street
For more information call 604-788-8340
or email srduncan@shaw.ca

Painting by Kim Edward Black

"Duality"

Blogwatch

LOTD: Interview With Michelle A. Richard

Live On The Drive sat down with singer/songwriter, and now actor, Michelle A. Richard and talked about her music and her roll in Theatre In The Raw's Rolling Stock Prairie Theatre Tour.

And be sure to check out TiTRaw's Rolling Stock blog at www.rollingstockprairietheatre.blogspot.com which features a preview of Patrick Foley's play "You Are What You Eat". Very fun stuff!

Call For Art

Visual Art: Uncouth

UNCOUTH – a conversation with youth
June 4-June 28
Opening Reception: Wed June 4, 2008 – 6:30pm
Live Performance by 16 year old, Kirsten Whitney Introduction to
artists at 7:30pm
Britannia Art Gallery
1661 Napier St. Vancouver, BC (in the Britannia Library Branch)


UnCouth – a conversation with youth

Thanks to generous funding by a local community member/artist, the raw
talents and expression of east side youth have come together for the
exciting Britannia Art Gallery exhibition, UnCouth.

Over the past six weeks, the Britannia Teen Centre has been UnCouth’s
creative hub. Youth from various nearby schools, Britannia Outreach,
Britannia Secondary, 8J9J, and Streetfront have come together once a
week to collectively work on pieces for the upcoming show in June.
Youth involved responded to the term UnCouth -- that which is uncommon,
mysterious, or awkward (among other definitions) -- through their
chosen mediums and in keeping with the messages they wanted to
communicate.

Media Contact: Brenda Racanelli
Arts and Culture Programmer
Britannia Community Services Centre
604 718-5825
Brenda.racanelli@vancouver.ca

Literary: Van Lip

EVIL BOY GENIUS PRODUCTIONS

AND

NEW MUSIC WEST

PRESENT

VAN LIP: A NIGHT OF VANCOUVER SPOKEN WORD

SATURDAY MAY 17TH

@

CAFÉ DEUX SOLEILS: 2096 COMMERCIAL DRIVE

DOORS AT 7PM

SHOW STARTS AT 8:30

$10 AT THE DOOR

FEATURING PERFORMANCES BY

2008 VAN SLAM TEAM MEMBERS

SCRUFFMOUTH, RADAR, FAUST McKENZIE, ZACCHEUS JACKSON AND AL MADER

PLUS

SEAN McGARRAGLE, THE SVELTE MS. SPELT, CJ, BARBARA ADLER

JULIE PARRELL, RC WESLOWSKI

WITH SPECIAL GUEST

ARDATH WHYNACHT FROM HALIFAX

Contact rcarcee@yahoo.ca for more info

Or

604 215 9230

Special Event: Evelyn Roth & John Davis

Special Event: Evelyn Roth & John Davis

Scary Movies at the Rio

Friday June the 13th @ 11:59pm

1980's classic film "Friday the 13th" along with "Re Animator" for a double feature of fright. Only $10 to pee your pants.

Movies At the Rio

Friday June the 13th @ 11:59pm

1980's classic film "Friday the 13th" along with "Re Animator" for a double feature of fright. Only $10 to pee your pants.

The Rio Theatre is located on Broadway, at Commercial.

Movies At the Rio

Friday June the 13th @ 11:59pm

1980's classic film "Friday the 13th" along with "Re Animator" for a double feature of fright. Only $10 to pee your pants.

The Rio Theatre is located on Broadway, at Commercial.

Movies At the Rio

Friday June the 13th @ 11:59pm

1980's classic film "Friday the 13th" along with "Re Animator" for a double feature of fright. Only $10 to pee your pants.

The Rio Theatre is located on Broadway, at Commercial.

Special Event: Food Bank Fundraiser

The Commercial Drive BIA Food Bank fundraising dinner happens on May 15th, 2008 at Federico’s Supper Club. Tickets are $75 per person, with a $50 tax receipt provided, and all net proceeds from ticket sales and the silent auction will be donated to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. In addition to donating to a worthy cause, this is a great opportunity to interact with local community and business members and enjoy a night of exceptional food and music at one of the fantastic restaurant venues on The Drive.

Tickets are available at Britannia Community Centre, as well as at event sponsor locations in the Commercial Drive area: Bank of Montreal, Royal Bank, Scotiabank and Vancity. For more information contact:

Michelle Barile
Executive Director
Commercial Drive
Business Society
Phone: 604-251-2884
Fax: 604-251-2899
E-mail: info@thedrive.ca

Music: Rolling Stock Cast Member Wins Francophone Honours

Vancouver singer/actress Michelle A. Richard, who is preparing for Theatre In The Raw's "Rolling Stock Prairie Theatre Tour", brought home top honours on Friday night at this year's Pacific En Chanson, an event which brought 6 francophone singer/songwriters from the Yukon and BC chosen to compete in Vancouver.
Judges included teachers, artists, industry professionals and press from Capilano College, CBC Radio-Canada, and other groups. Pacific En Chanson is part of a network of Canadian francophone cultural association events and has been sponsored by the for Centre Culturel et Artistique Francophone de Colombie Britannique (BC Centre for Francphone Arts and Culture).
She will also perform in this year's francophone festival, later in June.
Come see why she won at TiTRaw's pay-what-you-can preview May 21st at PAL (581 Cardero). Go here for more info >>>

News: Britannia/VANOC Deal Called Necessary For Arena

Sandra Thomas, Vancouver Courier

Published: Friday, May 09, 2008

The skating rink at the Britannia Community Centre is in desperate need of repair even without the help of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games, says Britannia executive director Enzo Guerriero.

Guerriero said last year the centre's board of directors approached VANOC with a deal for it to help pay for upgrades to the arena. In exchange the rink would be used as a hockey practice facility from Jan. 28 to Feb. 28, 2010.

Read the full story here >>>

News: Queen Alexandra Turns 100

East Side school grew from one-room building

Lisa Smedman, Vancouver Courier

Published: Friday, May 09, 2008

"This is the room I learned to read in," says 75-year-old Paddy Hatch, glancing around a classroom at Queen Alexandra elementary. "I can still remember, in this very room in 1939, learning to read from flip charts on that wall."

Paddy, together with his 74-year-old brother Jack, recently took a trip down memory lane by visiting the school they both attended as kids. They'll get to do it again on May 30, when Queen Alexandra--which started out as a one-room wooden schoolhouse in 1908 at the corner of Clark Drive and what was then known as Ninth Avenue--celebrates its 100th anniversary.

Read the full story here >>>

News: Rio Theatre in New Hands

Dynamic duo... Watermelon and Shameless Lea aka. Corinne Lea ( former co-owner of Havana restaurant/gallery theatre) plus Mango Joe (owner of the Dollhouse Studios) and a roster of other investors, including Much Music's Moses Znamier just bought the Rio Theatre 1660 East Broadway just off Commercial drive! The coolest hood in Vancouver is going to have a new local live performance venue with a single screen movie theatre: film screenings, comedy, music, theatre, lectures, dance, festivals.... 455 luxury seats and 20 x 40 ft stage. Things are gonna get a lot more fun around here! Stay tuned for more updates...and ah...Harold and Kumar is playing till May 8th so ah...go see a movie at the Rio and support future arts and culture events! Whoo Hoo!

Special Event: Juicy Danger Meets Burning Man

Juicy Danger Meets Burning Man

DVD Release Screening, Q&A, and Dance Party

Saturday, May 10 at 7 pm,

Japanese Hall

487 Alexander St

To commemorate the 10-year anniversary Special Edition DVD release of David Vaisbord's Juicy Danger Meets Burning Man documentary, Larry Harvey, Executive Producer of Burning Man, will be in Vancouver for an evening of celebration and debauchery on Saturday, May 10, 2008, at the Japanese Hall (487 Alexander St, Vancouver.) The evening will begin with a screening of this cult classic film and escalate into pure riot and revelry! The after party for this even could only feature a Burning Man inspired fashion show, Blackberry Wood, DJs Jay Michael and Timothy Wisdom – not to mention food, fire and uh.. . a giant mechanical spider.

Filmmaker David Vaisbord, Christine "Tiny" Taylor, Tom Comet (Circus Orange), as well as Larry Harvey and Marian Goodell from Burning Man will be holding the discussion panel and celebrating with us.

The event will be presented in two parts:

Part 1: Movie and Panel Discussion

7pm Doors
8pm Juicy Danger Meets Burning Man film
9pm Panel discussion and Q&A with David Vaisbord, Larry Harvey, Tiny Taylor & Tom Comet

Part 2: Schmoozin' & Dance Party
10pm Doors
10:30pm Playa on the Runway :: Fashion Show feat. DJ Jay Michael
11pm Blackberry Wood
12:30am DJ Timothy Wisdom


Film Screening, Discussion and Party: $25 advance, $30 door

Party only: $10 advance, $15 door

Tickets to this event are limited and will sell out. Advance tickets are available online at www.JuicyDangerMeetsBurningMan.com and at Zulu Records (1972 West 4th Ave) and Highlife Records (1317 Commercial Drive).

Guests will be treated to an evening of pure revelry, mischief, stunning media and all night entertainment. View the film that changed the face of the underground, creative community of Vancouver amongst the same colouful and energetic crowd that inspired it. The Japanese Hall will be cleverly disguised as a piece of the “Playa”. Cash bar, brilliant art installations, décor, fire shows, food, costumes and clever surprise theatrics.

This is more than a DVD release. This is a unique, creative and inclusive community celebration. Volunteers, costume designers and roving performers are encouraged to contact Andrea Curtis, Event Coordinator at orangeandorange@gmail.com

News: Olympic opponents rule Britannia meeting

By BOB MACKIN, 24 HOURS

VANOC needs a bigger carrot on a hockey stick if it wants to use Britannia Rink in 2010.

A majority of those who attended a Monday night public meeting want the Britannia Community Centre board to turn down a proposal to host Olympic hockey practices at the community arena near Commercial Drive. Ironically, 20 speakers were against and only 10 for the proposal. Most of the advocates were teachers at Britannia secondary school, but three were involved in the local minor hockey association.

Read the full story here>>>

Literary: Margaret Mitchell

Brit Library
Necessary Voices Lecture series
Margaret Mitchell
No Laughing Matter: Adventure, Activism & Politics

Vancouver Public Library invites you to join Margaret Mitchell as she reads from her book, NO LAUGHING MATTER: ADVENTURE, ACTIVISM & POLITICS.

The woman who first brought the issue of spousal abuse to the forefront in Canada presents her memoirs in this interesting, informative, entertaining and often humourous book. Margaret Mitchell is a social activist who pioneered community development in Vancouver, was a courageous feminist MP for Vancouver East, and an international adventuress. Her book is a testament to the struggles and achievements of women MPs, and chronicles her life’s adventures and work.

DATES OF PROGRAMS:

Tuesday, May 6 – at 7:00 p.m.
Britannia Branch Library, 1661 Napier St.

Literary: Book Celebrates Britannia Secondary's 100 Years

Book remembers school's past

Lisa Smedman, Vancouver Courier

Published: Friday, May 02, 2008

Britannia secondary wasn't the first high school built in Vancouver, but it's the one with the most staying power.

This year, the East Side school that officially began in 1908 and found a permanent home two years later in Grandview--then one of the fastest growing suburbs of Vancouver--celebrates its 100th anniversary.

To mark that event, grads will gather May 16 and 17. When the socializing is over, they'll have a memoir of high school days gone by--a hardcover book commemorating the school's first century that's part of the reunion package.

Read the full story here>>>