“Ladies and gentlemen, would you please welcome to the stage … Sloan!” The band, which started in Halifax more than 20 years ago, will be one of the first acts of the Arden Theatre’s 30th anniversary season when they take the stage on Friday, Sept. 27. (Photo supplied)
by Glenn Cook
It’s a lineup that’s been three decades in the making.
Officials with the Arden Theatre kicked off their 30th anniversary celebrations on Monday as they unveiled the theatre’s 2013-2014 season, which is stacked with some very recognizable names in music, dance, comedy and more.
Along with the theatre’s 30th anniversary, this season is the first for professional programming presenter Caitlin North to be fully at the helm, and she’s excited about the course she has set.
“It’s been so many months in the making, and I’ve been so anxious to get this out there and just see the reaction of our patrons and the public,” North said. “It’s a lot of pressure to put something together, and you hope people like it.”
Among the most recognizable names on the roster for this season is Sloan, the Halifax-born alt rock band that has been on the Canadian music scene for more than 20 years now, scoring hits with songs like “Money City Maniacs,” “Coax Me,” “Losing California,” “If It Feels Good, Do It” and “The Other Man.”
North said that the band doesn’t normally play soft-seat theatres like the Arden, but the choice of venue reflects on where both the band and their audience are in their lives.
“I hate to say it, because I’m at that age too, but they aren’t really interested in being in clubs all the time,” she said. “So it’s nice to give [patrons] an alternative venue to see some of their favourite bands in.”
Also hailing from the east coast but representing a much different genre are Canadian celtic music legends the Barra MacNeils, who hit the stage at the Arden on Nov. 8.
“They’ve been here before, and our patrons are really familiar with having them in this venue,” North said.
Meanwhile, from a little closer to home are Current Swell. Though they now call Victoria home, most of the band’s members are originally from St. Albert.
“It being our 30th anniversary, I wanted to be able to celebrate the venue, but also to celebrate the talent that comes out of the community,” North said. “[Current Swell] are a group that were born and raised here — actually, the brother of one of them, Scott Stanton, lives next to my mom. So I have, just out of coincidence, got to know them a little bit.”
And, as always, the Arden has once again placed a strong emphasis on Canadian talent, from singers Maria Dunn and John Wort Hannam (April 5) to Quebec dance troupe Le Vent du Nord (March 12).
“We have so much talent in our own backyard, and it’s important for me to foster and support and celebrate what we’ve got here,” North said. “There’s such a wide range of genres — we’ve got everything from a theatre piece with Corin Raymond to celtic and classical and dance and big band. It’s really nice to remind our audiences about the wide variety of performing groups and artists that are right here.”
The theatre will also host another taping of CBC Radio’s popular Irrelevant Show on Oct. 11.
Also returning is the Arden’s popular On Stage Series, where patrons can get up close and personal with the acts performing. This year, the series features cellist Matt Haimovitz on Nov. 9.
The Arden’s 30th season actually doesn’t kick off at the Arden, however. Instead, the theatre is branching out and putting on a show at the Northstar Hyundai Arena at Servus Credit Union Place on Friday, Sept. 20, featuring the improv comedy stylings of Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood.
It’s a much bigger venue than they’re used, but North said ticket sales have been brisk so far, and she sees no reason why they would lose momentum now.
“The main floor sold out immediately — there may be a pair here and a pair there — but now we’re basically selling all the sides and the back,” she said. “It’s going to be a really full house; we’re pretty pleased with where it’s sitting.”
--taken from: St. Albert Leader
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