`IT'S BEEN A WHIRLWIND'
Events scene hits reset
Whether programming a major orchestra concert or an underground hip-hop festival, organizers across the city are scrambling to adhere to the modified Stage 2 restrictions that were imposed on Ontario's COVID-19 hot spots last week, including Ottawa.
At the National Arts Centre, the 28-day restrictions have forced a postponement of the first full livestreamed concert by the NAC Orchestra, which was to be held Oct. 17. The concert would have kicked off the start of a recalibrated season, featuring the orchestra, conducted by maestro Alexander Shelley, performing onstage at Southam Hall with guest appearances by young Canadian soloists. A video feed would have streamed the concert to viewers at home.
But NAC spokesperson Annabelle Cloutier said staff were advised the restrictions prohibit almost all of the activities at the arts centre, including livestreams, recordings, rehearsals and performances, even if the number of people involved is 10 or fewer. All that remains open is the patio of the 1 Elgin restaurant.
A rescheduled date for the orchestra's season opener has not yet been determined.
Meanwhile, the organizer of the second annual CRANIUM hip-hop festival has had to be nimble in reworking plans, again, for a pandemic-proof version of the event focusing on pre-recorded performances.
With three of the originally booked nightclub venues required to close for the 28-day period and the festival due to start this week, festival organizer Patrick McCormack made some quick decisions.
“It's been a huge challenge,” he said. “We're a very small team and we had a plan that was executable before the changes. Now we've been reorganizing everything, from venues to equipment rentals to contractors and artists. It's been a whirlwind.”
They have had to pare down the number of showcasing artists from more than a dozen to five, find nonclub venues that are still open and make plans to pre-record the performances instead of livestreaming them, sticking to a maximum of 10 people on set.
The short list of participating artists includes Ottawa's Yung Heat, who combines hip hop and electronic-dance music, Gatineau rapper Babe Ruth, Ottawa R&B singer Moiisha Tyzaan, rapper Bobby Brugal (formerly known as Cashtro) and DJ Circa Beatz, Ottawa's beat-battle champion. Their shows will be streamed Saturday, Oct. 17 starting at 6:30 p.m.
As for the rest of the originally booked CRANIUM artists, a second batch of livestreamed performances will be mounted next month, McCormack added.
In addition to the performances, a conference portion of the festival takes place this week, aimed at nurturing the burgeoning hip-hop industry in Ottawa. The main events are a panel discussion on anti-Black racism in the music industry (6 p.m. Oct. 15), a keynote conversation with Ottawa artist Nambi, who will be interviewed by poet-rapper Just Jamaal (7 p.m. Oct. 16) and a panel discussion hosted by Kevin Bourne on developing an international network (5 p.m. Oct. 17). Those sessions will be streamed on the festival's Facebook page and YouTube channel.
Other festivals affected by the modified Stage 2 restrictions include this year's edition of the Festival of Small Halls, planned as a series of safely distanced musical outings for 50 people. It began Oct. 9 with a sold-out show by Hawksley Workman at the Almonte Town Hall, before the next two concerts were called off. The Oct. 10 date with Tom Wilson is expected to be rescheduled.
Upcoming Small Halls concerts in Seeley's Bay and Brockville are not affected because those communities are not considered COVID-19 hot spots.
Organizer Mark Monahan, who's also the executive director of Bluesfest, said he's working on rescheduling the Manotick United Church Small Halls concerts, which were to include Oct. 23 with NQ Arbuckle, Oct. 24 with Kelly Prescott and an Oct. 25 matinee with Great Lake Swimmers.
Also up in the air is the Chamberfest presentation of the final concert in Angela Hewitt's four-year Bach Odyssey. The Ottawa-born classical pianist was to conclude her epic journey through J.S. Bach's repertoire with the notoriously difficult The Art of the Fugue, which was to be streamed Oct. 24 from the Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre.
Chamberfest's interim artistic director Carissa Klopoushak, who's also a violinist in the NAC Orchestra, said the details of Hewitt's performance will be announced soon.
We've been reorganizing everything, from venues to equipment rentals to contractors and artists. It's been a whirlwind.