SEPTEMBER
Music
Accordion Noir Festival Now in its ninth year, the celebration of underground squeezebox culture dubbed Love Potion #9, features homegrown talent and acts from around the world for four days of culture-smashing, eclectic, border-blurring music for all ages in various venues across the city. Sept. 8-11. Visit AccordionNoirFest.com for schedule and tickets.
Plastic Acid Orchestra Vancouver’s modern full symphony orchestra combines original compositions with those of young Canadian composers and modern symphonic arrangements of popular music with special guest Veda Hille. 8pm on Sept. 10 at Vancouver Playhouse. Tickets $31.75+ at TicketsTonight.ca
Sigur Ros Icelandic dream weavers perform their most intimate tour in a decade road-testing new material on a North American tour with just three Canadian dates, two in Vancouver. 8:30pm on Sept. 18-19 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Tickets $56.50 at Ticketmaster.ca
Dolly Parton The most honoured female country performer of all time hits the road in support of her latest studio album Pure & Simple. 7:30pm on Sept. 19 at Rogers Arena. Tickets $39.50+ at Ticketmaster.ca
Huun Huur Tu Caravan World Rhythms presents the legendary Tuvan throat-singers with special guests the Ryuzen Trio. 7:30pm on Sept. 23 at Vancouver Playhouse. Tickets at VTixOnline.com
The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddess The four-movement symphony features music from the Nintendo video game series and highlights orchestral renditions of music from Link’s Awakening, Majora’s Mask, Skyward Sword and Tri Force Heroes. 8pm on Sept. 23 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Tickets $35+ at Ticketmaster.ca
Theatre
Fringe Festival Vancouver’s annual alternative theatre festival is a showcase of all artists from beginners to veterans whose productions sit on the fringe of traditional theatre experiences employing an “everyone is welcome” selection technique – literally drawn out of a hat. Sept. 8-18 at various Vancouver venues. Visit VancouverFringe.com for tickets and schedule.
Stranger To Hard Work By Cathy Jones Canadian cultural icon, comedienne and one of the funniest women on television returns to the stage in her third one-woman show sharing her unique perspective on topics as varied as food, money, and the troublesome people in her life in a thought provoking look at what she’s learned in life so far. Sept. 28-Oct. 8 at Firehall Arts Centre. Tickets at FirehallArtsCentre.ca
Helen & Edgar A story of Savannah told by celebrated raconteur Edgar Oliver is a mesmerizing, hilarious, and heartbreaking tale of Oliver and his sister Helen’s strange childhood in the south, and their mother’s struggle with madness. Sept. 29-Oct. 8 at York Theatre. Tickets at TheCultch.com
The Flick A sideways look into the lives of young people navigating their place in the world, set in a run-down movie theatre where three underpaid ushers are willing to do anything to keep the beloved and endangered local landmark running. Sept. 29-Oct. 29 at Granville Island Stage. Tickets at ArtsClub.com
Comfort Cottages Four single friends of retirement age are unsettled financially and emotionally when one inherits a 40 year old motel from her aunt, it might just solve their problems in this brilliantly funny play that makes you think about life and attitudes. Sept. 30-Oct. 23 at Western Gold Theatre. Tickets at BrownPaperTickets.com
Dance
Vancouver International Flamenco Festival Now in its 26th year, the festival celebrates flamenco’s Spanish Gypsy origins with a spellbinding lineup of local and international flamenco artists as well as free workshops, and ticketed performances from Mercedes Amaya Company, Flamenco Rosario & Toque Flamenco among others. Sept. 10-20 at various venues. Details at VancouverFlamencoFestival.org
Comedy
Colin Mochrie Experience improv legend Mochrie up close and personal as he returns to the Vancouver TheatreSports League stage for two days of laugh-packed shows. Sept. 23-24 at The Improv Centre/Vogue Theatre. Tickets at VTSL.com
OCTOBER
Music
Japandroids Vancouver’s own garage rock duo kick off a fall tour at home with four consecutive nights and surprise guests. 8pm on Oct. 5-8 at The Cobalt. Tickets $20 at TicketWeb.ca
The Music of David Bowie Come on a symphonic odyssey as the genius of the legendary musician and epic storyteller is performed as never before, live with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra accompanied by vocalist Tony Vincent and led by conductor Brent Havens. 8pm on Oct. 5 at Orpheum Theatre. Tickets at VancouverSymphony.ca
postcards Experience touring to the Busan International Choral Festival without leaving Vancouver for a preview performance of the ensemble’s tour program. 7:30pm on Oct. 14 at St. James Community Square. Tickets at EventBrite.ca
Alice Cooper The Godfather of Shock Rock, Detroit’s heavy metal legend brings the nightmare to town. 7pm on Oct. 19 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Tickets $45+ at Ticketmaster.ca
Pet Shop Boys English electronic pop duo brings the SUPER Tour to town in support of their 13th studio album Super. 9pm on Oct. 24 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Tickets $45+ at Ticketmaster.ca
Theatre
Piya Behrupiya (Twelfth Night) The Company Theatre, one of Mumbai’s most innovative theatre groups presents a Bollywood-meets-Shakespeare musical adaptation ofTwelfth Night in Hindi with English surtitles. Oct. 11-22 at York Theatre. Tickets at TheCultch.com
Mamahood: turn and face the strange Nicolle Nattarass wrote and performs this tale of her descent into motherhood as she travels to an alternate time and place, Planet Mamahood in a story told with both humour and pathos in her search for help to heal and find her way home. Oct. 18-29 at Firehall Arts Centre. Tickets at FirehallArtsCentre.ca
Bakersfield Mist A comedy about discovering art in unexpected places set in a trailer park in Bakersfield, California where Maude, totally broke and on the wrong side of fifty, stumbles across a long-lost painting by the renowned Jackson Pollock – or is it? Oct. 20-Nov. 20 at Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage. Tickets at ArtsClub.com
Suitcase Stories Maki leaves her home in South Korea and takes off for Canada with only a small suitcase in tow and a cross-country tale of survival turns into a journey of self-discovery in this one-woman show filled with winsome vulnerability and plucky humour. Oct. 28-Nov. 12 at Pacific Theatre. Tickets at PacificTheatre.org
Dance
Major Motion Picture Innerspace Dance Theatre presents a trailblazing movement invention; a hybrid performance language including infrared technology and onstage surveillance as seven dancers fight for the theatre, exploring timely themes of otherness, propaganda, surveillance and belief through eccentric and lawless characters. Oct. 12-15 at Firehall Arts Centre. Tickets at FirehallArtsCentre.ca
Comedy
John Cleese & Eric Idle British comedy legends team up for the Together Again At Last… For The Very First Time tour blending scripted and improvised bits with storytelling, musical numbers, exclusive footage and aquatic juggling in this unique comedic experience. 8pm on Oct. 20-22 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Tickets at Ticketmaster.ca
Events
Diwali Fest Annual South Asian arts and culture festival celebrates the universal light that exists in everyone. The word “Diwali” means “row of lighted lamps” in a time for lighting diyas, laying out colourful rangolis and exchanging gifts of sweets and celebrating with dance, music and storytelling. Oct. 11-Nov. 30 at various venues. Details at DiwaliFest.ca
Vancouver Writers Fest For 29 years, this celebration has turned reading into a community experience bringing people together to share thoughts, explore ideas and witness brilliant conversations with story, poetry, spoken word performers, graphic novelists, and talks from writers like Daniel Levitin, Bev Sellars and Kamal Al-Solaylee. Oct. 17-23 at various venues. Tickets at WritersFest.BC.ca
Heart of the City Festival Annual cultural and heritage event promoting, presenting and facilitating the development of artists on the Downtown Eastside with twelve days of music, stories, songs, poetry, cultural celebrations, films, theatre, dance, and spoken word under the realm of this year’s theme “Living on Shared Territory”. Oct. 26-Nov. 6 at various venues. Details at HeartOfTheCityFestival.com
NOVEMBER
Music
Vancouver Cantata Singers Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Palms kicks off the Vancouver choral ensemble’s new season bringing Broadway sensibilities and lyrical, intimate styles into a compelling blend. 7:30pm on Nov. 5 at Ryerson United Church. Tickets $30 at BrownPaperTickets.com
Charles Richard-Hamelin Prize-winning Canadian pianist performs a programme of Chopin in support of his latest Chopin album, a CBC Music No. 1 classical album. 7:30pm on Nov. 6 at Vancouver Playhouse. Tickets at TicketForce.com
Lauryn Hill – MLH Caravan Ms. Hill is back for the second time this year in support of A Disapora Calling!, her concert series exploring the theme of unity and celebration of the many facets of cultural and artistic beauty throughout the African disapora. 8pm on Nov. 8 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Tickets $55+ at Ticketmaster.ca
Hansel & Gretel Lost in the woods and pursued by a witch, two children find themselves on a magical adventure using all their wits and trickery to avoid a terrible fate set against Engelbert Humperdinck’s dramatic score with astonishing puppets and playful surprises in this family-friendly treat. Nov. 24-Dec. 11 at Vancouver Playhouse. Tickets at VancouverOpera.ca
Theatre
Beyond Words: Brain This hilarious, heartbreaking monologue about consciousness, mental illness, and friendship from novelist and Canadian poetry slam champ Brendan McLeod maps his experiences with obsessive compulsive disorder on a nuances journey through the nature of thought and mortality. 7:30pm on Nov. 17 at Telus Studio Theatre (Chan Centre). Tickets at Tickets.UBC.ca
Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny Two beloved children’s stories come to life through puppetry and black light as Margaret Wise Brown’s 60-year old classic celebrates familiar nighttime rituals while the pretend tale of leaving home evokes reassuring responses from the runaway bunny’s mum. Nov. 19-26 at Norman and Annette Rothstein Theatre. All ages performances for the whole family. Tickets at CarouselTheatre.ca
Dance
Ballet BC Resident choreographer Cayetano Soto launches the season with four works displaying a unique range of creativity and originality featuring New Works, Fugaz and Sortijas. 8pm on Nov. 3-5 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Tickets at Ticketmaster.ca
Art
Eastside Culture Crawl A four-day visual arts, design and crafts festival welcomes visitors as artists across 78 buildings on the east side open their studios, inviting them inside to showcasing their work and process in an event unique to Vancouver, now in its 20th year. Nov. 17-20 at various venues. Details at CultureCrawl.ca
