Classic Theatre Buzz

Ghosts, Goblins and Rock and Roll

2009-10-29T05:30:00.000-07:00

I can't stop laughing.

I just got back from Ontario's annual booking conference, 'Contact'. It's no suprise that the showcase favorites were Classic Theatre alums. Not the least of which was top showcasers 'Dala' who've played on the Classic planks twice. The first time they warmed the crowd for Matt Good (and sold more CD's than the headliner) and the second time, played a 'ladies weekend' headlining one night with Suzie McNeil taking the second night. Based on the reaction of all the presenters in Ontario, we're going to be seeing alot more of Sheila and Amanada.

Solid showing from Classic crowd-faves the Abrams Brothers too. Everyone was asking 'how much' and 'when'...once again, the Classic could proudly say they beat the holiday line-up!

Next year this conference is in Parry Sound at the beautiful Stockey Centre. I've proposed 'Have You Hugged A Presenter Today?' T-shirts, but no one's buying.

Now that I'm done with the four day over-stimulation that is Contact, I've turned my attention back to headier things. Namely: why in the hell my Trews tickets are just sitting there? Rock n Roll's Last Stand nothing. I realize not everyone likes John McDermott, but a word to my younger audience: McDermott sells (okay, that was two). Sadly, if you want have 'cool' stuff at your disposal, you gotta buy tickets when it comes round. Still, I have hope...there are seven days left to move those tickets, and I'm crossing my fingers that it's all about the last-minute buyers for this show.

So there! Sing your heart out.

Bye Bye Mon Cowboy

2009-10-20T10:26:00.000-07:00

It took me exactly one week to fully recover from my Doc Walker experience. I can't tell you what a good time it was. Occasionally (just occasionally) there are perks to this job, and one of them was definitely getting to spend time with Canada's best group on wheels (of all genres). If you missed the show here and can attend another date somewhere else, DO. You won't regret it. I've never been so let down to see the back of a tour bus...and that's saying something.

But, mine is a fickle career and I don't get time to lament on artists past...on to the next show. I'm going to take a moment to tell you about The Lost Fingers. Never heard of them? Clearly, you are not from Quebec, where their audience has made their album 'Lost in the 80's' a Platinum+seller. Yes folks, in a day when everyone steals music, this band has moved more than 100,000 albums. Not to mention a 'people's choice' nod at a little rock party we like to call the Juno's this year.

Who are they? Three guys from Quebec who were inspired by a gypsy-jazz guitarist named Django Reinhardt to create their own unique sound and style. Musically, they are best known for their brand of 'gypsy manouche'...and on their 'Lost in...' album they breathed life into some 80's favorites that maybe should've otherwise been left for dead.

'Pump Up the Jam' has never been this good.

When? Here's the fun part. Halloween. What better day to don your finest in 80's garb and hit the trail to the Classic Theatre to see what all the buzz is about. The show time has been moved back to 9:00 pm to ensure that all the little ghosts and goblins have already passed out from their sugar buzz.

Check out The Lost Fingers at http://www.thelostfingers.com/

If you need me, I'll be listening to my ipod...Mitsou, OMG!

Cracking Nuts and Doc Walker

2009-10-05T11:51:00.000-07:00

A note to theatre manager's everywhere (taken from the obvious file): know what sells? The Nutcracker. Great school package+Tchaikovsky+professional dance company+Christmas dance favorite=one happy GM. Thank you Ontario Ballet Theatre, you are a pleasure and we are excited to welcome you in December.

I thought about using the nut concept to segue into my next topic, but in the interest of good taste, I've opted to type this paragraph instead.

Doc Walker...Speed of Life Tour...October 13th. Come on! The Classic Theatre in Cobalt has NO BUSINESS getting a show like this. We are too small, don't have enough seats, can't pay them what it's worth and are at best slightly south of nowhere. Nonetheless, Doc Walker can both find us on the map AND want to play for the people of Temiskamazing. Based on their updated show info it's gonna be the 'spectacular spectacular' too! Multimedia wonderment and lighting magic...all brought to us with two of my favorite road warriors, Tour Manager Kevin Bushey and Production Manager Ian Leary.

People, if you do not come to see this show you are foolish, foolish, foolish.

A word about the Doc fellas...GREAT! I could tell you about how fun and nice and down to earth they all are, but I don't want to sound like entertainment television. Suffice it to say that I'm excited to see them all again.

Did I mention that you've got to see this show? Maybe I wasn't being clear. They are the best country group in, well, the country. They're coming to Cobalt. It doesn't make a lot of sense, but don't question it...

This Post Rated 'R' for Language.

2009-09-24T07:23:00.001-07:00

Fucked up. That's who won the Polaris Music Prize this year. A Toronto-based punk band, whose lead singer 'Pink Eyes' stripped down during their awards-show performance and tightened a belt around his neck.

You'll get 'em next time Joel...perhaps you were simply too clothed for the jury this year.

Ahem. In the words of Thumper: "if you can't say something nice..."

I will say that presenting 'Fucked Up' presents too much of a marketing challenge for the Classic Theatre at this time.

Meanwhile, tickets are selling quickly for The Trews Acoustic Show at the Classic Theatre on November 5th...which is, well, encouraging. Tickets are also selling at a reasonable rate for the Arrogant Worms on October 2.

For those of you that are unfamiliar with the Arrogant Worms, let me give you a brief description of their last show at the Classic Theatre. It went like this: patron's arrived, chatted in the lobby, looked through the program, the Worms hit the stage, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha,

patrons left.

In all seriousness, the Worms are fantastically fun! If what you're looking for is a show that will entertain you, take you away from it all and leave you with that annoying cramp in your side you get from laughing too hard...then the Arrogant Worms is the show for you!

That's right...I said that the Worms will give you cramps. Now THAT'S a party!

Check them out here: http://www.arrogantworms.com/

Rock and Roll's Last Stand

2009-09-21T06:44:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow we release tickets for the November 5 Trews Acoustic show. Trepidatious is me.

Why you ask? Truthfully, we haven't had a ton of luck presenting rock acts at the Classic Theatre. Sure, Hedley was a resounding success in 2008, but short of that we've struggled to sell Sloan, David Usher, Joel Plaskett, Suzie McNeil and even Serena Ryder. They say that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. So we're either nuts, or hyper-intuitive. Time will tell.

True, The Trews are not an act out of the annals of the 1990's...they are current and fresh and are dropping a new album on October 6th (this tour is in support of the relase), so hopefully the idea that not all rock acts are created equal will prevail, and tickets will fly out the door for this rare opportunity to see The Trews Unplugged with 249 of your closest friends.

Fans of the group are anxious about the new concept album and tour...seeing one of Canada's best rock acts pull the cords out of the wall is always a little frightening...but anyone who came to our Serena Ryder Show (which eventually did sell out at the 11th hour) knows how amazing it is to listen to your favorite music 'turned down and pure sound.' Listen to it here, for yourself....

www.thetrewsmusic.com

Frankly, we are the perfect venue for this show.

So, long live Rock and Roll, and get your (really reasonable) $25 tickets to The Trews Acoustic live at the Classic Theatre on November 5th!

Joel Plaskett...A Fashionable Person

2009-09-18T06:51:00.000-07:00

So, currently I am listening to five albums to the point of driving everyone in my life crazy. Revolver (The Beatles), Armistace (Mutemath), Baroness (Sarah Slean), Fantasies (Metric) and Three (Joel Plaskett).

The thing about Joel Plaskett is that he played the Classic Theatre in May and I fell in love. He might be my boyfriend, I'm just saying.

Joel Plaskett's 'Three' is simply a work of art, and along with Metric's 'Fantasies' is competing for the prestigious Polaris Music Prize.

The Polaris is given based souly on artistic merit and is an award that comes with a $20,000 gift card to everywhere. Past winners include Final Fantasy, Andorra and Patrick Watson (who shut out Plaskett's 'Ashtray Rock' in 2007). These artists and albums are not for the music-meek...they are chewier, more challenging, creative and of course, Canadian.

This year, other albums on the short-list of nominees include Mountain Meadows (Elliott Brood), The Chemistry of Common Life (Fucked Up), Lost Channels (Great Lake Swimmers), Into Your Lungs (Hey Rosetta), Labyrinths (Malajube), Soft Airplane (Chad Van Gaalen) and Wooden Arms (Patrick Watson)...but I'm still backing Plaskett...because as I mentioned, we date.

The Polaris is being awarded Monday night by the Grand Jury. I'll be watching for Classic Theatre alum Plaskett, in his fashionable sweater-vest...wishful thinking, or not.

And they're even GOOD LOOKING!

2009-09-17T09:31:00.001-07:00

Why so many seats available for Doc Walker?

2009-09-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

Is it possible that we've all forgotten the outstanding show we had here last February with the 2009 Juno Award Winners for Country Recording of the Year? Or maybe we just haven't been able to get the word out that they are coming back to play their favorite venue in Northern Ontario? Either way...you're foolish if you don't come out to see the 2009 CCMA Country Group of the Year, live on stage in the smallest venue in the universe (that may be an exaggeration). Follow the link to the Open Road website to see their new video 'Coming Home' and a great acoustic version of an Abba favorite...is there such thing as an Abba favorite? I don't know...

Open Road Playlist

2009-09-17T08:59:00.001-07:00

Open Road Playlist

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The Nutcracker - Ontario Ballet Theatre

2009-09-17T08:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I started follow-up work on a couple of things that we've got going on in the Fall. First, I've contacted the local school boards about the Ontario Ballet Theatre's presentation of The Nutcracker. OBT is coming up in mid-December to present two school shows to area students. Now the challenge is how to sell it to Principals and Teachers so that they will see a live arts experience as a worthwhile class outing. Dance is one of those areas of the arts that is currently struggling. Particularly in rural communities across Canada. Professional dance is not something that everyone views as being in their comfort zone. The Classic Theatre hopes that by presenting professional dance that is FAMILIAR, we will be able to expose area students to the artform so that they will develop a better understanding of it. Once we have developed an audience for dance, we will be able to offer professional dance more regularly. Especially once we bring in our new sprung flooring, courtesy of the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

The adventures of...well...me.

2009-09-17T08:24:00.000-07:00

The Classic Theatre's amazing web designer/web master Paul McLaren of Chat Noir Books suggested that I start blogging about my life as General Manager of the Classic Theatre. This is not so much because I have a particularly exciting life, but because this might be the easiest way to keep people up to date on the things happening at the Classic from day to day.

So without further ado...here it is - The Classic Theatre Buzz.