Madonna? Ringo? October will be busy
Icon’s Rexall shows and an array of other big Starrs highlight October calendar
There’s something for everyone on the arts scene in October. While the name Madonna might be on everyone’s lips as her two eagerly anticipated Rexall performances draw near, there are also rare appearances by The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble, and legendary drummer Ringo Starr. Others are excited about upcoming film and literary festivals. Look closer and you’ll likely find something that will appeal to you.
The month starts with singer Lindi Ortega hitting town with new album Faded Gloryville and openers Chic Gamine Oct. 1 at the Myer Horowitz Theatre on the University of Alberta campus. Also that night, Shooter Jennings, son of legendary singers Jesse Colter and Waylon, is over at Cook County, with openers Ridley Bent and The Dungarees.
The Starlite Room hosts singersongwriter Patrick Watson Oct. 2. Romantics among us will appreciate Lady in Red singer Chris de Burgh’s appearance at the Shaw Oct. 8. Rock fans can check out appearances by bands such as The Pack AD, DOA and Earth less at the Up + Downtown Festival, which takes place at various venues from Oct. 9 to 11.
Arena country gets its due as superstar singer Jason Aldean performs at Rexall Place Oct. 9, the same night as indie folk duo Milk Carton Kids, who will be just down the LRT line at the Winspear. Black Dahlia Murder bring their own brand of melodic death metal to Union Hall Oct. 10, while over at the Jube on the same night, Slash and Myles Kennedy stay true to the precepts of ’70s rock in a show that’s sold out.
The very next night, Oct. 11, Madonna plants herself at Rexall Place for two nights on her Rebel Heart tour. It’s her first visit to Edmonton.
Legendary Ringo Starr and his ever-shifting All-Starr Band are over at the Jube Oct. 12. Not only will he be up against the second night of Madonna’s stand at Rexall, he’ll also be going head to head with the party philosopher himself, Andrew WK, who is at the Starlite Room that evening. Gwar will be right behind all three of them, bringing blood, gore and scumdogs to Union Hall Oct. 14.
Heavy metal band Slipknot takes over Rexall Oct. 18 with Pepsi enthusiasts Suicidal Tendencies. Skate-punkers Good Riddance are at the Starlite Oct. 21, while Alberta country mainstay George Canyon is at the River Cree Resort Oct. 22, followed by Finger Eleven and Everlast Oct. 23. It’ll be a busy night for music: closer to downtown, Hawksley Workman performs at the Winspear Oct. 23, while Sass Jordan does a benefit at the Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts on the same night.
Juno Award winners The Brothers Landreth play the Starlite Oct. 25; the Winspear hosts Spanish flamenco guitarist Paco Pena Oct. 26; and singer-songwriter Xavier Rudd is at the Winspear Oct. 29. Finally, The Starlite Room sees aged poppunkers Gob Oct. 30.
The music of k.d. lang is celebrated in Alberta Ballet’s Balletlujah!, which takes place at the Jube Oct. 2 and 3., while Edmonton Opera kicks off their season with performances of The Merry Widow Oct. 24, 27 and 29.
A few classical organizations are revving up their seasons in Octo- ber, including the Edmonton Classical Guitar Society, who are bringing in the Amadeus Guitar Duo to Muttart Hall in Alberta College Oct. 4. The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble are being hosted at Robertson-Wesley United Church Oct. 20 for the Edmonton Chamber Music Society, while flutist Elizabeth Koch and bassoon player Pablo Montes team up with the Alberta Baroque Ensemble at Robertson-Wesley United Church Oct. 25. Also Oct. 25, the Edmonton Recital Society brings in the Zemlinsky Quartet to Muttart Hall in Alberta College.
Cinemaphiles will rejoice in this year’s Edmonton International Film Festival, which runs from Oct. 1 to 8, with an opening night screening of Beeba Boys. Mean- while, the Edmonton Comedy Festival, featuring such up-and-comers as Shayma Tash and Leighann Lord, is running at various venues between Oct. 7 and 10. Dance artist Daniel Leveille is in town for his solo work Solitudes at the John L Haar Theatre on the U of A campus, Oct. 9 and 10.
Lit Fest brings authors such as Jon Ronson to Edmonton Oct. 15 to 25, running almost concurrently with St. Albert’s readers’ festival called Starfest, which is bringing Sean Michaels, Chris Hadfield and other writers to town between Oct. 16 and 25. Finally, the story of the Acadian expulsion from Atlantic Canada is explored in Ted Dykstra’s musical Evangeline, which runs at the Citadel from Oct. 31 to Nov. 22.