SEASON LAUNCH
featuring DANNY MICHEL
Friday, September 24, 2010
7:30 PM
$25 or $15 for patrons who buy three or more shows
This two-time Juno nominee can blow the roof off any venue, but it’s shows like his solo performance at The Arden that really get audiences excited. Layering guitar riffs, bass lines, harmonic accompaniment and melody at once with impressive ease, Michel fills a room with the same sound and energy as a full band.
Described as a melodic one-man army, this Waterloo, Ontario native is known for his uniquely addictive blend of honesty, prose and wit that yield lyrics and sounds so catchy you’ll welcome having them stuck in your head for days.
Touring with his latest release Sunset Sea, Danny Michel is charming, fresh, spontaneous and disarmingly sincere — the perfect artist to launch the new Arden Season!
“If you’ve seen Danny live in concert, you’re probably already a fan. If you haven’t, you are missing out on one of this country’s undiscovered musical treasures.” –Toronto Star
| Arden Professional Series 2010/11 season brochure  [14 MB]
Tickets on sale Monday, August 9, 2010 @ 10 AM |
INTI-ILLIMANI with
FRANCESCA GAGNON
Friday, October 1, 2010
7:30 PM
$40
Combine the vocal exuberance of Francesca Gagnon, the voice of Cirque du Soleil’s Alegria, and the Latin-jazz sounds of Chile’s Inti-Illimani and the result is a synergistic pairing beyond reproach. Gagnon’s sumptuous voice, powerful, raucous and bewitching, is the perfect accompaniment to the intricate arrangements, swaying Spanish guitar, pounding Latin rhythms and unmatchable depth of sound created by Inti-Illimani.
Arden audiences will be treated to an unforgettable show that has the Québec chanteuse delving into the Latin ensemble’s vast repertoire, adding her soaring vocals to Chilean standards while the whimsical, enchanting music of Cirque du Soleil is deftly reimagined with the artistry of Inti-Illimani.
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| Arden Professional Series 2010/11 season brochure [14 MB]
Tickets on sale Monday, August 9, 2010 @ 10 AM |
THE ROBERT CRAY BAND
Thursday, October 7, 2010
7:30 PM
$50
Five-time Grammy winning Robert Cray plays with such skill and mastery you’d swear he was born with a guitar in his hands. In his more than 35-year career, this living legend has put out a whopping 20 albums, shared the stage with the likes of B.B. King, John Lee Hooker and Eric Clapton and is cited as a musical influence for artists like Ben Harper, Jonny Lang and Susan Tedeschi.
From slow-turning, 1970s-styled R&B beauties to blues-rock with a slight island flavor, Cray’s music is marked with dynamic fretwork, a cool, sly sense of humour and vocals so bold and passionately sung you’d almost expect a full gospel choir to appear from the wings!
It’s hard to put a tag on it.” –Robert Cray
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| Arden Professional Series 2010/11 season brochure [14 MB]
Tickets on sale Monday, August 9, 2010 @ 10 AM |
CAROLYN DAWN JOHNSON
Friday, October 8, 2010
7:30 PM
$35
Alberta-born singer-songwriter Carolyn Dawn Johnson followed her passion for music all the way to the neon signs and honky-tonk bars of Nashville, Tennessee. Since that serendipitous 60-hour road trip, Johnson has penned hits for both herself and other chart toppers — including Chely Wright’s #1 song Single White Female — and has toured with the likes of Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, Martina McBride and Reba McIntyre.
Now, after a four-year hiatus, this fresh-faced country music sweetheart is back with Love Rules, a new CD bursting with the poetically written, modern, everywoman approach to life and love that have earned Johnson a multitude of awards and accolades from critics and peers.
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| Arden Professional Series 2010/11 season brochure [14 MB]
Tickets on sale Monday, August 9, 2010 @ 10 AM |
BARNEY BENTALL
& THE GRAND CARIBOO OPRY
Thursday, October 21, 2010
7:30 PM
$36
Hee-Haw meets hoedown as Barney Bentall brings his famous Grand Cariboo Opry to The Arden for a performance that’s chock-a-block with country-folk-roots music and knee-slappin’ humour.
In this classic variety show, Bentall works through hilarious Prairie Home Companion-esque monologues and fronts his countrified big band, featuring the sounds of mandolin, banjo, piano and fiddle. Backed by his old friends The Legendary Hearts and an array of special guests – past performers include Ridley Bent, Jim Cuddy and Joel Plaskett – Bentall leads a program of originals and reinterpreted classics where everyone sings along.
It’s an ace-high evening of music and entertainment that’ll leave the walls shaking with laughter, storytelling and the timeless sounds of good ol’ country fun!
“Being a part of the Opry is a marvelous thing. Sharing a stage with so many performers of this caliber,
I feel like I’ve created something that’s more than the sum of its parts." –Barney Bentall
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| Arden Professional Series 2010/11 season brochure [14 MB]
Tickets on sale Monday, August 9, 2010 @ 10 AM |
Linda Tillery
& the Cultural Heritage Choir
Friday, October 29, 2010
7:30 PM
$35
From stirring, shout-out gospel to funky soul, Linda Tillery & The Cultural Heritage Choir are as much inspired by the roots of traditional slave songs as they are the get-down James Brown sound.
| Arden Professional Series 2010/11 season brochure [14 MB]
Tickets on sale Monday, August 9, 2010 @ 10 AM |
LUNCH AT ALLEN’S
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
7:30 PM
$45
After playing countless sold out shows, this wildly candid and intimate performance returns to The Arden for a fourth time. Hosted by Canadian greats Murray McLauchlan, Cindy Church, Marc Jordan and Ian Thomas, Lunch At Allen’s throws away pretense and over-the-top effects for a stripped down performance that reveals the true talent, admiration and friendship these four share.
In this irreverent musical revue, each artist takes a turn leading the show with stories, insights and inevitable laughter while the foursome work through an impressive catalogue of fan-favourite originals.
Lunch At Allen’s performs with an ease and familiarity that makes it seem like they’ve been playing together for ages, and an energy and freshness as though they’ve just met.
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| Arden Professional Series 2010/11 season brochure [14 MB]
Tickets on sale Monday, August 9, 2010 @ 10 AM |
KAT DANSER
Friday, November 5, 2010
7:30 PM
$25
Dubbed Edmonton’s Queen of the Swamp Blues, Kat Danser draws a direct line from the wheat fields of Saskatchewan to the cotton fields of Mississippi. Inspired by the Delta Blues, Danser chronicles her real-life travels along the rivers and rails of this continent with a special Arden show celebrating the CD release of her third album, Passin’-A-Time.
A favourite on the folk festival circuit — including Edmonton’s own — Danser digs at the roots of the blues with a funky, laidback style that’s earned her the current title of Blueswoman of the Year.
Step back into the era of big city blues with Danser as she journeys to the Deep South with a powerful, resonant voice that’ll pour down like Mississippi rain.
“Acoustic blues is so beautiful in Kat Danser’s hands ...
a stand-out ... for all lovers of blues and gospel music! –National Blues Society of Poland
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| Arden Professional Series 2010/11 season brochure [14 MB]
Tickets on sale Monday, August 9, 2010 @ 10 AM |
MONTREAL GUITAR TRIO
with special guests
CALIFORNIA GUITAR TRIO
Saturday, November 13, 2010
7:30 PM
$38
What do you get when you combine “the hottest guitar ensemble in Canada” with the “Pioneers of the New Acoustic Age”? A mesmerizing, unforgettable guitar doubleheader!
Internationally acclaimed groups Montreal Guitar Trio and California Guitar Trio join forces for this incredible collaboration of passion and talent. Six remarkable guitar virtuosos take the stage to dazzle Arden audiences with a performance bursting with the music of film, rock ‘n’ roll, world, jazz and traditional.
The sounds of legendary groups like Queen, The Beatles and Pink Floyd — to name a few — are delivered with solid guitar artistry and a quick sense of humour.
“Energetic. Eclectic. Frenetic. Dynamic.
Guitar music has never sounded quite like this before.”
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| Arden Professional Series 2010/11 season brochure [14 MB]
Tickets on sale Monday, August 9, 2010 @ 10 AM |
JAZZY CHRISTMAS
with P.J. PERRY and BILL MAYS
Friday, December 10, 2010
7:30 PM
$35
Swing into the holiday season with a spirited and delightful show of jazzy jingles by PJ Perry and Bill Mays! Alberta saxophone great and Juno Award winner PJ Perry is joined by piano master Bill Mays, bassist Neil Swainson and drummer Terry Clarke to create a chamber-styled jazz quartet popping with melody and swing.
Exceptional skill and first-rate improvisation will take Arden audiences through a smooth, swinging, be-bop twist on classical and seasonal favourites like My Favourite Things, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, Stuffy Turkey and, of course, selections from the Nutcracker Suite. Celebrate the season with an evening of holiday tunes that would even have Tchaikovsky’s toes tapping!
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| Arden Professional Series 2010/11 season brochure [14 MB]
Tickets on sale Monday, August 9, 2010 @ 10 AM |
QUARTANGO
Thursday, January 20, 2011
7:30 PM
$30
Surrounded by Quartango’s music, you’ll be transported to the heart of Buenos Aires as it beats day and night to the rhythms of the tango. Much in the same way a dancer glides across the floor to a sharp head snap or quick foot flip, this Juno Award winning group takes audiences through slow, sensual arrangements that build to quick staccato sounds infused with hints of classical, jazz and Celtic music.
After playing together for more than 25 years, these accomplished musicians are shedding new light on the music of the tango. Playful and intense, whimsical and sophisticated, Montreal-based Quartango connects with audiences through musical storytelling, humour and contagious on-stage charm for a memorable experience that never fails to bring down the house.
“The Montreal group heated things up with a concert that was nothing short of brilliant. It was dramatic.
It was elegant. It was everything tango music should be.” –Regina Leader-Post
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| Arden Professional Series 2010/11 season brochure [14 MB]
Tickets on sale Monday, August 9, 2010 @ 10 AM |
LOUDON WAINWRIGHT III
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
7:30 PM
$35
In the span of his 40-year career, Loudon Wainwright III has been called many things. Now he can add Grammy winner to the list.
This prolific singer-songwriter, occasional actor and all-round, lovable cynic brings Arden audiences a one-of-a-kind show that spans from clever satire to raw confession. With a sly, cracked grin, Wainwright delivers old favourites and new offerings from his latest release 10 Songs for the New Depression, as only this master storyteller can — with a mix of highly animated expressions, charming self-deprecation and a razor-sharp wit that greet s fan and hecklers with the same warm embrace.
Simply put, a Loudon Wainwright show is not to be missed!
“...the songs are built to make people laugh, to make them think, or to bring them back somewhere and affect them in an emotional way. So I’m gratified when something like that happens.”
–Loudon Wainwright III
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| Arden Professional Series 2010/11 season brochure [14 MB]
Tickets on sale Monday, August 9, 2010 @ 10 AM |
CIRCA
Friday, January 28, 2011
8 PM
$32 • $25 Students/Seniors
Thrilling, beautiful and extraordinary, this Brisbane-based company has created a new kind of circus rooted in contemporary dance. Jaw-dropping contortions and balancing acts unravel into sensual displays of emotion and movement while an exquisitely delightful new-age trapeze act elicits looks of amazement in one instance and gasps of shock in the other. Even something as simple as a single hula hoop becomes mesmerizing in the hands of these seven skilled dancers.
With a flair for theatrics, Circa twists elements of vaudeville and old-school sideshow into a new dance piece that’s very much poetic at its core. Performed with astute wit and beautiful control, Circa shows that the human body is capable of joyful, poetic, adventurous, fearless and, sometimes, dangerous expression.
“...It all moves at break-neck speed, no two routines are the same, and you’re pretty much guaranteed to feel like you’re out of shape afterwards. Brilliant.” –NBC New York
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| Arden Professional Series 2010/11 season brochure [14 MB]
Tickets on sale Monday, August 9, 2010 @ 10 AM |
TRUDEAU STORIES
written and performed by Brooke Johnson
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
8 PM
$28 • $20 Students/Seniors
After stepping down in 1984, Pierre Trudeau was no longer meeting with heads of state or pirouetting behind the Queen; he was an everyday man who sometimes got together with his accidental friend Brooke Johnson.
Derived from letters, journals and memories, Trudeau Stories is a one-woman play that explores a unique friendship that began at a National Theatre School gala while Johnson was still a student. Humorously touching and fascinatingly insightful, this tour-de-force performance shines with talent as Johnson easily switches between her younger self, her older self and the famous former PM.
At its heart, Trudeau Stories opens a door into the legendary world of Trudeau and will touch anyone who has lost someone dear to them.
“... an unexpectedly engaging memoir ... like turning the pages of a live snapshot album ... a maximum of craft but a minimum of artifice ... it’s delightful.” –National Post
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| Arden Professional Series 2010/11 season brochure [14 MB]
Tickets on sale Monday, August 9, 2010 @ 10 AM |
RED STICK RAMBLERS
Thursday, February 24, 2011
7:30 PM
$28
Inspired by Duke Ellington, George Jones and the real-life moonshine-distilling adventures of a Louisiana pal, Red Stick Ramblers have musical firepower as spicy as sauce piquant!
This five-piece band, bursting with Southern pride, features the sounds of twin fiddles, guitar, bass, banjo and drums. Switching through the styles of ‘20s and ‘30s jazz, Western Swing and country with carefree abandon, these Baton Rouge-based boys always find clever ways to mix in the sounds of their native Cajun and Creole backgrounds.
From romping, stomping, high-octane, energy-infused originals to the smooth, slinky swing of classic covers, Red Stick Ramblers will give Arden audiences more than just a performance — it’ll be an all night dance party!
“Louisiana’s Red Stick Ramblers drew a raucous response — and literally sparked dancing in the aisles — during their opening set ...That the Ramblers cycled easily from western swing to old-time country to Cajun stomps only added to their joyous vibe.” –The Washington Post
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| Arden Professional Series 2010/11 season brochure [14 MB]
Tickets on sale Monday, August 9, 2010 @ 10 AM |
JUSTIN HINES
Friday, February 25, 2011
7:30 PM
$30
After playing last year’s Season Launch, critically acclaimed musical storyteller Justin Hines returns with a featured spot in the new Ar den Season. Wearing his heart on his sleeve, this Toronto native consistently captivates and inspires audiences with deeply moving performances that have been known to bring tears and standing ovations in the same instant.
Despite being born with Larsen’s Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that keeps him wheelchair bound, Hines embodies a charmingly optimistic message of love, hope and happiness. His voice, sweet and unique, is like words of comfort; his melodies float over you like a warm, gentle breeze. Endearing and uplifting, Justin Hines is “like a tonic for a bad day.”
“Justin Hines is all about talent ... His lyrics are tender and at times heartbreaking ... let’s hope he gets the recognition he so richly deserves.”
–People Magazine
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| Arden Professional Series 2010/11 season brochure [14 MB]
Tickets on sale Monday, August 9, 2010 @ 10 AM |
Margie Gillis Dance Foundation presents
THREAD
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
8 PM
$25 • $15 Students/Seniors
Thread, the latest creation from 57-year-old Margie Gillis, was truly a lifetime in the making. Much in the same way Gillis’ own life weaves a rich tapestry of experiences, Thread follows the evolution of a single strand as it grows into textiles, fabrics, patterns — a metaphor for aging, humanity and personal connection.
A passionate and brilliant artist, Gillis’ masterful interpretations of the different facets of the human soul have earned her acclaim the world over. Thread is no exception. This passionate, powerful, starkly vulnerable offering “exposes the rope that trips us up, the twine that tethers us, the strings that attach us, the cords we cut, the ribbons that glorify us.”
Extraordinary. Engaging. Truly a must-see.
Please note: this performance contains nudity
“This is your chance to see a LIVING legend. She is, quite simply, like no one else.”
–The Dance Insider, New York
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| Arden Professional Series 2010/11 season brochure [14 MB]
Tickets on sale Monday, August 9, 2010 @ 10 AM |
EMILIE-CLAIRE BARLOW
Friday, March 25, 2011
7:30 PM
$25
She may be called “the next big thing in jazz”, but Emilie-Claire Barlow is no newcomer to the music business or the Arden stage.
Born into a musical family, Barlow was raised with an appreciation for the swinging arrangements, fast-paced scat singing and bossa nova grooves of jazz. With a string of hits, critical acclaim and a certain je ne sais quoi, Barlow maintains her endearing youthful sweetness while maturing into a polished jazz force.
With pitch-perfect vocal chops, this Canadian jazz-jewel glides effortlessly over melodies of standards and original tunes with a charm that’s at once romantic, timeless, playful and lush.
“Barlow sings with winning verve, cheering articulations and a daring that’s all too rare.” –The Jazz Report
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| Arden Professional Series 2010/11 season brochure [14 MB]
Tickets on sale Monday, August 9, 2010 @ 10 AM |
BETTYE LAVETTE
Friday, April 15, 2011
7:30 PM
$38
Rolling Stone magazine describes Bettye LaVette as “someone who this very minute could unleash a performance that would make your hair stand on end.” And with good reason.
A timeless, deeply soulful singer, LaVette is an extraordinary performance powerhouse. Touring with her latest album, Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook, this Grammy-nominated songstress will take Arden audiences through her version of the British Invasion with music from bands like The Beatles, Elton John, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd — many of whom count themselves as fans of LaVette.
Blessed with volcanic vocal talents, LaVette’s voice commands absolute respect as it conjures devastatingly raw, emotional truths in performances that are more revelation than stage show.
“She groans, snarls, purrs, and hiccups her way through sweat-drenched performances that provoke chills, shudders of pain, and lip-licking arousal ... sometimes with a single song.”
–Blues Revue
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| Arden Professional Series 2010/11 season brochure [14 MB]
Tickets on sale Monday, August 9, 2010 @ 10 AM |
