Pavlo, Rik Emmett and Oscar Lopez | Sarah Hagen | Carlos del Junco & the Blues Mongrels| Forever Plaid | Star Spirit Films | The Big Thing The Ultimate Chicago Experience |David "Honeyboy" Edwards |  Moving Dragon Dance LuminUs

Sid Williams Theatre Society presents
Pavlo, Rik Emmett & Oscar Lopez
Tuesday, March 9th at 7:30 pm

Mediterranean Magic, Triumphant Fusion, and Hot Latin Fire

For the first time ever, Pavlo, Rik Emmett and Oscar Lopez collaborate to form an acoustic trio of passionate, fiery guitars. These gentlemen have forged brilliant independent careers, garnering awards and winning the hearts of their respective fans, as well as international accolades and critical praise for their individual work.

They will now join in a brotherhood, born in the heart and soul and spirit, in the love, romance and heat of the guitars: Mediterranean Magic, Triumphant Fusion, and Hot Latin Fire: a thrilling alchemy of style and culture that will be a unique concert experience for any music lover.

Their musical journey will go from tender, intimate melodies to solos that turn supernova, touching on, and lighting up, everything in between.

Artist websites:
http://www.pavlo.net/
http://www.rikemmett.com/
http://www.oscarlopez.com/

Venue: Sid Williams Theatre
Length: ~ 2 hours with an intermission
Type: Reserved Seating
Tickets: Regular $45, Members $40,
Child (14years & under) $10, EyeGo $5

Sarah Hagen presents
Sarah Hagen and Friends
Friday, March 12th at 7:30 pm

Considered one of the finest young classical guitarists in the world, Jacob has recently won first prize at the International Guitar Competition in Cordoba, Spain. Laura is sought after oboist and English hornist, who maintains a demanding freelance career as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral player. While Jacob hails from England and Australia, and Laura from the United States, they currently make their home base in Barcelona. 

With Sarah, the trio have enjoyed musical visits over the past six years in New York City, Västerås (Sweden) and Banff and will now bring their world class collaboration to the Comox Valley.

Mark your calendar for this exceptional opportunity to hear a preeminent ensemble in a concert of Spanish, French, and Italian masterpieces.

"A rarity of musical excellence, technical ease and tonal purity," pianist Sarah Hagen is a sought-after soloist and chamber musician, performing in concerts across Canada as well as in the United States, France, Italy, Germany and Sweden. Her interpretations have been described as “outstandingly inventive,” performed with “infinite skill.” Sarah has been heard on Swedish Radio 2, CBC Radio 2, WDAV (North Carolina) WOSU (Ohio), KFUO (Missouri), CKUA (Edmonton), WKAR (Michigan), WITF (Pennsylvania), and has appeared on Bravo Television. Her solo album, Glass House Dancing, was nominated for a 2009 Western Canadian Music Award in the category of Classical Recording of the Year.  Artist website: http://www.sarahhagen.com

Guitarist Jacob Cordover has established a vibrant and varied international career. He has appeared on stage throughout Australia, Canada, the US, Spain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and the United Kingdom as a soloist and in his chamber ensembles, Zoco Duo (with oboist Laura Karney) and the Australian Guitar Duo (with Rupert Boyd). His solo CD Stélé was hailed by Classical Guitar Magazine (UK) as “wonderfully sympathetic and highly accomplished... Cordover managing to get to the very soul of this striking and brilliant music.” Artist website: http://www.jacobcordover.com

Currently residing in Barcelona, Spain, Laura Karney is an oboist who enjoys a successful free-lance career that has so far spanned 13 countries across 3 continents. Hugely varied in her interests, Ms. Karney can be heard performing on both oboe and English horn, in concerts ranging from historically informed performances of Baroque and Classical repertoire on period instruments to working with contemporary composers and ensembles and giving world premiers.  Ms. Karney has worked with the SEM ensemble, Alarm Will Sound, Cosmopolitan City Orchestra, Peconic Chamber Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia, the Lisbon Metropolitan Orchestra, the Südwestdeutsche Philharmonie Konstanz and the Orquesta de Valencia in Spain.

Venue: Sid Williams Theatre
Length: ~ 2 hours with an intermission
Type: Reserved Seating
Tickets: Adults $25, Under 31 $15

Carlos has been nominated for a JUNO Award - best blues album for "Steady Movin'

Carlos del Junco is hands down one of finest blues/jazz harmonica players on the planet. One listen and it’s obvious he’s in a class with such greats as Toots Theilmans, Paul Butterfield and Howard Levy, formerly of Bela Fleck’s Flecktones. 
 
Born in Havana Cuba, del Junco (loosely translated "of the reeds") immigrated to Canada as a young child, discovered the harmonica and the rest, as they say, is history.  Now a true virtuoso in every sense of the word, del Junco holds not one but two Gold Medals from the Hohner World Harmonica Championship in Trossingen, Germany, as well as multiple national awards. 

For erudite “harp” blowers: del Junco plays a ten hole diatonic harmonica, and has developed the unique ability to play chromatically by using an "overblow" technique taught to him by jazz virtuoso Howard Levy which is more expressive and communicative than the mechanized tone produced by the chromatic harmonica. Carlos is one of the few pioneers of this overblow method. 

Simply put for the rest of us, Carlos del Junco plays the harmonica like nobody else. In his hands it can weep or scream, wail or purr. Simultaneously sophisticated and raw, technically adept and highly emotional, his playing blurs the boundaries between blues and jazz (hence the name for his band “The Blues Mongrels”). The emphasis is on blues, but they are not afraid to merrily traipse off in other directions delivering a seamless fusion of New Orleans second line grooves, swing, Latin, hip-hop or ska melodies, to swampy roots rock. 

The Blues Mongrels are: bassist Henry Heillig (founded the nine piece Latin band Manteca, musical director for both the Genie and Gemini Awards, toured with pianist Joe Sealy), guitarist Eric St. Laurent, and Mark Mariash on drums.  Get ready to trash all you thought you knew about the harmonica. Carlos and his Blues Mongrels deliver a no-holds-barred display of fun and melodic virtuosity.
 
Artist website: http://www.carlosdeljunco.com/

Venue: Sid Williams Theatre
Length: ~ 2 hours with an intermission
Type: Reserved Seating
Tickets: Adults $35, Members $30, Students $15

Sid Williams Theatre Society presents
Forever Plaid
Sunday, March 14th at 7:30 pm

Forever Plaid is the story of four nerdy young men (Francis, Sparky, Jinx and Smudge) whose dreams of musical glory come true. The Four Plaids miraculously return to earth to perform the concert of their dreams. This endearing harmony group’s lives were suddenly ended--while on their way to pick up their custom-made plaid tuxedos for their first big “gig”--when they were in a collision with a school bus of full of nuns on their way to see the Beatles’s debut on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964.

These nerdy crooners with angelic voices come back to do the show they never got to do in life. The hit musical comedy blends ‘50s and ‘60s music of Rock ‘n Roll, popular show and dance tunes--and serves as a perfect accompaniment to the fulfillment of a once-in-a-lifetime dream.

Venue: Sid Williams Theatre
Length: ~ 2 hours with an intermission
Type: Reserved Seating
Tickets: Regular $35, Members $30,
Child (14years & under) $10, EyeGo $5

Proudly Sponsored By

Sid Williams Theatre Society presents
Star Spirit Films
Saturday, March 20th at 7 pm

Venue: Sid Williams Theatre
Length: TBA
Type: Festival Seating
Tickets: Regular $25, Members $20,
Child (14years & under) $10, EyeGo $5

NRG Productions presents
The Big Thing...The Ultimate Chicago Experience
Thursday, March 25th at 7:30 pm

Featuring some of Vancouver's hottest talents, The Big Thing has been an integral edition to Western Canada’s theatre circuit. The Big Thing recreates Chicago’s biggest hits of the 1970s and 80s, and is truly the ultimate tribute to this incredible band. With a tight rhythm section, powerful vocals, and a horn section that is beyond compare, The Big Thing brings it every time without fail and is truly a musical force to be reckoned with.Tamara Martella's tribute to Karen Carpenter will be opening with a 40 minute set.

“...it warms the cockles of my heart to see strong performance and musicianship backed by big brass balls!"
Alec Watson, Former writer for Canadian Musician Magazine
Producer/Engineer turned legendary photographer

“If someone told me these were the guys from the famous group ‘Chicago’, I would have believed it.”
Laura Lee,
Co-Director Eaglearts Academy 08

“They seem to always leave the crowd begging for more."
Dawn Tyndall
Recording Artist, Author, Professional Speaker

Artist website: http://www.myspace.com/thedefinitivechicagotribute

Venue: Sid Williams Theatre
Length: 2hrs 10 min
Type: Reserved Seating
Tickets: All Seat $38

High Tide Entertainment presents
David "Honeyboy" Edwards
Thursday, March 25th at 8pm

David "Honeyboy" Edwards  was born June 28, 1915 in Shaw, Mississippi. Honeyboy is one of the last living links to Robert Johnson, and one of the last original acoustic Delta blues players. He is a living legend, and  his story is truly part of history. He is the real deal. 

Honeyboy was a part of many of the seminal moments of the blues.  As Honeyboy writes in "The World Don't Own Me Nothing", "...it was in '29 when Tommy Johnson come down from Crystal Springs, Mississippi. He was just a little guy, tan colored, easy-going; but he drank a whole lot. At nighttime, we'd go there and listen to Tommy Johnson play." Honeyboy continues, " Listening to Tommy, that's when I really learned something about how to play guitar."

Honeyboy's life has been intertwined with almost every major blues legend, including Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton, Big Joe Williams, Rice "Sonny Boy Williamson" Miller, Howlin' Wolf, Peetie Wheatstraw, Sunnyland Slim, Lightnin' Hopkins, Big Walter, Little Walter,  Magic Sam, Muddy Waters, and ... well, let's just say the list goes on darn near forever!

In 1942, Alan Lomax recorded Honeyboy in Clarksdale, Mississippi for the Library of Congress. He recorded a total of fifteen sides of Honeyboy's music.

Honeyboy didn't record again commercially until 1951, when he  recorded "Who May Your Regular Be" for Arc Records. Honeyboy also cut "Build A Cave" as 'Mr. Honey' for Artist.

Moving to Chicago in the early fifties, Honeyboy played small clubs and street corners with Floyd Jones, Johnny Temple, and Kansas City Red. In 1953, Honeyboy  recorded several songs for Chess that remained un-issued until "Drop Down Mama" was included in an anthology release. 

In 1972, Honeyboy met Michael Frank, and the two soon became fast friends. In 1976, they hit the North Side Blues scene as The Honeyboy Edwards Blues Band, as well as performing as a duo on occasion. Michael founded Earwig Records, and in 1979 Honeyboy and his friends Sunnyland Slim, Kansas City Red, Floyd Jones, and Big Walter Horton recorded "Old Friends". 

Honeyboy's early Library of Congress performances and more recent recordings were combined on "Delta Bluesman", released by Earwig in 1992. 

Honeyboy has written several blues hits, including "Long Tall Woman Blues", "Sweet Home Chicago" and "Just Like Jesse James".

Honeyboy continues up and down the Blues Highway, traveling from juke joint to nightclub to festival, playing real Delta blues to adoring fans everywhere.

Artist website: www.davidhoneyboyedwards.com   www.myspace.com/davidhoneyboyedwards

Venue: Mex Pub: 1001 Ryan Road, Courtenay
Length: TBA
Type: Festival Seating
Tickets: All Seat $27.00

Sid Williams Theatre Society presents
Moving Dragon Dance - LuminUs
Saturday, March 27th at 7:30 pm

Look closely at Moving Dragon’s new work LuminUS, and you’ll see the romantic story of its two artistic directors. An interplay between bodies and shards of light, the duet is, in many ways, about fate bringing two people together—one from the East and one from the West.

Moving Dragon is a Vancouver-based contemporary dance company that emphasizes cross-cultural exploration. Founded in 2004 by Jessica Jone and Chengxin Wei, the company seeks to journey through dance, stemming from traditional Asian roots and blooming towards contemporary thought. Along this journey, the body itself becomes a bridge between East and West.

Venue: Sid Williams Theatre
Length: TBA
Type: Reserved Seating
Tickets: Regular $30, Members $25,
Child (14years & under) $10, EyeGo $5