Until June 25
Carnivoriffic art
Meaty Pies is a solo exhibit of work from Shawn Shepherd happening at Polychrome Fine Art; see polychromefinearts.com for details.
Until June 27
Feel the friction
Speculative Frictions is a media installation at Deluge Contemporary Art which examines, according to Deluge, “construction cinematic landscapes, narratives restructured through repurposed footage/sound and tropes of speculative fiction and surrealism.” We like the name. See deluge.ca for more info.
Until June 29
Walk the shorelines
Shorelines, an exhibit of paintings by Judy Mclaren, is up at Dales Gallery; see dalesgallery.ca for more information.
Until September 11
Victoria Film Festival opportunity
Fancy yourself a bit of a filmmaker? The Victoria Film Festival wants to see what you’ve got. Submissions are open for the 2016 fest; see victoriafilmfestival.com for details.
Thursday, June 11 to Sunday, June 14
Channel your inner superhero
Marvel Universe Live is coming to the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre for a live-action superhero experience that no little kid will soon forget, judging by the trailer. Which I’ve watched several times. Look, I was a kid once, too, okay? $30-$115; see marveluniverselive.ca for the lowdown.
Thursday, June 11 to Saturday, June 27
Humble, boy
Apparently Humble Boy is a “poetic and clever comedy,” and that may be the case, but I would like to add that it has a nice poster. Bees, nice colour, I like it. This play goes down at Langham Court Theatre; see langhamtheatre.ca for the scoop.
Friday, June 12
Victoria pride
I kinda love the fact that local alt-country band Hawk & Steel have a song called “Victoria” on their new album, Anywhere But Here. The band will be celebrating the release of the new disc at Logan’s on June 12; see loganspub.com for info.
Saturday, June 13
[Enter sibling rivalry joke here, roll eyes]
I’m sure any time anyone talks about Qristina & Quinn Bachand, they’ll talk about how the musicians are brother and sister. I know I just did! 7 pm at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. $20 for students in advance/$25 at the door; see qbachand.com for details.
Saturday, June 13
Morning Show house show
Morning Show, featuring Ethan Caleb of The Archers, are performing a house show at 1726 Stanley Avenue; find Victoria House Concert B Page on Facebook for info.
Sunday, June 14 and Monday, June 15
Double dose of Obomsawin
Filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin will be at Open Space for a community feast and screening of her latest documentary, Trick or Treaty. The festivities get underway at 6 pm at 510 Fort Street on Sunday. At 5 pm on Monday, Obomsawin will take part in a talk on indigenous arts and political activism, also at 510 Fort Street. See openspace.ca for info.
Tuesday, June 16
Raw writing
This sounds awkward, and brilliant: a night of adults reading writing they wrote as adolescents. Have mercy on these poor souls. This is bound to be hilarious, and it doubles as a fundraiser for Broad Theatrics. It’ll cost you $10 to get in to this event, going down at 8 pm at the Victoria Event Centre; see broadtheatrics.com for more info. (Did we mention there’s also an open mic? Show up at 7:15 to sign up; bring your horrible teenage writing.)
Thursday, June 18
New vintage car book launches
The launch of Vintage Cars of Victoria will take place at Scarfone’s Jewellery (736 View Street) from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm. For info on this event, email jscar@shaw.ca; event has a suggested dress code of Hawaiian, by the by.
Friday, June 19
Military music
The Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy presents the International Military Band Concert, 7:30 pm at the Royal Theatre. $18; see rmts.bc.ca for more information.
Friday, June 19 and Saturday, June 20
Get festy in Fernwood
FernFest is turning 20: head on down to Fernwood Square (Fernwood Road and Gladstone Avenue) to catch two days of performers, artists, locals selling their goods, food, tons of fun things for the kids to do, and much, much more. See fernwoodnrg.ca/events-directory/fernfest for the lowdown.
Friday, June 19 to Sunday, June 21
Aboriginal fest returns
The Aboriginal Cultural Festival celebrates aboriginal arts and culture and much more at the Royal BC Museum; see royalbcmuseum.bc.ca for info.
Friday, June 19 to Sunday, June 21
You like bluegrass?
Then get on out to the Sooke River Bluegrass Music Festival, held at the Sooke River Campground. This year sees The Lonely Heartstring Band, Mile Twelve, Viper Central, and many others laying down their sounds. See sookebluegrass.com/festival for info.
Friday, June 19 to Saturday, July 25
Not Tahitian
I saw the word “Tahitian” the first five times I read about Peter Morin’s Tahltan Song Cycle exhibit, running at Open Space. But, nope, “Tahltan.” Opening reception at 7 pm on Friday, June 19. See openspace.ca for info.
Friday, June 19 to Sunday, June 28
Get jazzin’
I’ve never, ever, to this day, had someone give me a good explanation as to why these fests with names like “jazz fest” have bands of all genres playing. Not that I mind: I like all genres. Well, that’s a lie. I mainly like loud rock and roll of various forms. I wish there were more grindcore bands playing at the Victoria International Jazz Fest this year. Like Gore Beyond Necropsy! Maybe next time. For now, you get Tower of Power, Marc Atkinson Trio, and many, many more. Just no Gore Beyond Necropsy. See jazzvictoria.ca for all the info.
Saturday, June 20
Walk out of the dark
The first Climb out of the Darkness fundraising walk for maternal mental illness is happening at 10 am on June 20; the walk begins at Clover Point. For more info and to register go to crowdrise.com/cotd2015.
Sunday, June 21
What a drag
The Merridale Showdown: Drag is a special drag competition of the Merridale Showdown. What, you couldn’t figure that out from the name? C’mon! The fun goes down at 7:30 pm at the Victoria Event Centre; see theshowdown.ca for info.
Wednesday, June 24
Musicologist documents First Nations ceremonies
Head down to the Royal BC Museum at 7 pm on June 24 to check out Indigenous Languages in the House of Memory, where archivist Raymond Frogner will talk about musicologist Ida Halpern’s 30-plus years documenting First Nations practices and ceremonies. Royalbcmuseum.bc.ca has information on this and other events.
Saturday, June 27
It’s the eve of destruction
Get yer roller derby on at the Archie Browning Sports Centre in Esquimalt when local derby team The Margarita Villains take on The Bad Reputations. See evesofdestructionrollerderby.com for info.
Wednesday, July 1 to Sunday, July 5
Get skankin’
The Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival now has the word “reggae” in its name, and while it also features no grindcore bands, it does feature a huge lineup, including Hepcat, Morgan Heritage, The Real McKenzies, and many more. Head over to victoriaskafest.ca for the scoop.
Thursday, July 2 to Sunday, August 2
See Shakespeare by the sea, see?
A stage performance of Hamlet and The Tempest set outside by the water? Better believe it: see vicshakesea.ca for info.
Thursday, July 2
What are the odds?
Ever wanted to see The Odds in an intimate setting? How about a house? It goes down at 1726 Stanley Avenue; find Victoria House Concert B Page on Facebook for info.
Sunday, July 5 to Sunday, July 12
Come on out
The Outstages Festival is a new fest at Intrepid Theatre that celebrates queer culture. See intrepidtheatre.com for details.
Tuesday, July 7 to Sunday, July 26
Go Joe
Blue Bridge Theatre is presenting Pal Joey, set in Chicago in the ’30s. See bluebridgetheatre.ca for info.
Wednesday, July 8 to Saturday, August 8
See Shakespeare not at the sea, see?
This time around, it’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Romeo and Juliet, presented by the Greater Victoria Shakespeare Society, on the lawns of Camosun’s Lansdowne campus. See vicshakespeare.com for info.
Thursday, July 9
Canadian rock all-star house show
It’s not every day you get to see members of Northern Pikes and The Grapes of Wrath play in someone’s living room. Today is that day. The fun happens at 1726 Stanley Avenue; find Victoria House Concert B Page on Facebook for info.
Friday, July 10 to Sunday, July 12
Bikes and outdoor theatre
One of the neatest ideas going, Theatre Skam’s Bike Ride (soon to have a new name, FYI) features a series of shows on a 4 km stretch of the Galloping Goose. Ride your bike to each show! See skam.ca for details.
Monday, July 13 to Saturday, July 18
Retreat into acting
Lindsay Wagner, an Emmy-winning actress, will lead this advanced acting retreat, which features more than 40 hours of coaching from Wagner. See lindsaywagnerinternational.com for more information.