Tony Wohlfarth
This month, a new exhibition of jewellery and artifacts from prehistoric rulers opened at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, and the Ottawa Grassroots Festival takes centre stage. I also preview other live music performing at the National Arts Centre and review two recent films.
First Royals of Europe (100 Laurier St., Gatineau)
A special exhibition is underway at the Canadian Museum of History (CMH) in Gatineau. First Royals of Europe is a collection of artifacts from 26 national museums in southeastern Europe– from Bulgaria to Montenegro to Hungary. The collection spans 6,500 years and is organized into four chapters. The exhibition is on display until January 19, 2025. Admission is included with the permanent collections. For more information, check out: www.historymuseum.ca
Ottawa Grassroots Festival (OGF)
OGF kicks off the music festival season in Ottawa from April 25 to April 28. Headliners at this year’s edition include the incomparable Connie Kaldor, Jessica Pearson and the East Wind, Ottawa’s own Lynn Miles, and Charlie A’Court. Aboriginal elder Albert Dumont is the MC for the festival.
Performances are at two locations—Irene’s Pub (885 Bank St.) and the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa (30 Cleary St. off Richmond Rd.). Admission is free for daytime shows. For tickets for the evening shows, or more info: ottawagrassrootsfestival.com/festival-info/
Folk Alliance International (FAI)
FAI in Kansas City included a special screening of a new film, Lead Belly, the musician who invented rock & roll. Huddie Ledbetter is considered the most important folk and blues performer ever, and his mastery of the 12-string guitar is celebrated in this documentary film. His story is told in remarkable interviews with Harry Belafonte, Janis Joplin, and Odetta. Lead Belly’s brushes with the law figure prominently in this no-holds-barred film directed by Curt Hahn. (Online distribution pending).
CBC GEM
CBC Gem’s documentary film, Magic Hours, is about movie theatres in Alberta.
Directed by Levi Howell, the film takes its audience to 10 theatres throughout Alberta–many of them either closing or up for sale. Filmed on location in towns as diverse as Stettler, High River, and Drumheller, the local cinema is the hub for entertainment and the loss of the theatre is a major loss to the community. I was taken by its portrayal of the owners and their staff, for whom a love of cinema is their passion. Running time: 44m.
National Arts Centre (1 Elgin Street)
A number of outstanding artists perform at the NAC this month:
- April 20: the Ottawa Jazz Orchestra: Big Band Bash;
- April 27: Amanda Martinez;
- May 4: Walk off the Earth;
- May 9: the Huu Bac Quintet;
- May 10: the Mary Ancheta Quartet;
- May 11: Maia Davies with Ottawa’s own Mikhail Laxton;
- May 31: Bruce Cockburn.
For tickets and show-times, check out: www.nac-cna.ca
And, on April 27, stay tuned for the Empowering Women in the Music Industry (EWIMI) Conference that takes centre stage at the NAC: www.axeworldfest.com/
Redbird Live (1165 Bank Street)
RBL is the place to be for these live performances:
- April 27: Steph La Rochelle;
- May 3: Rob Lutes with Rob MacDonald;
- May 11: Melissa Payne with Nicholas Campbell.
This venue is intimate (80 seats) and shows often sell out. Tickets: redbirdlive.ca. Check the site for changes and last minute additions.
The Gladstone Theatre (910 Gladstone Ave.)
From April 19 to April 27, the Phoenix Players are building on the current interest in women’s professional hockey with their new production, Shorthanded: A Ladies Game.
The play, by Canadian playwright Michael Grant, is about eight women who find themselves a player short for their championship hockey game. Grant will be at the April 20 matinee for a talk with the audience.
The championship cup that appears in the play is brought to every production and every theatre company that produces the play is engraved on the trophy.
Tickets and show-times: www.thegladstone.ca
Live On Elgin (220 Elgin St.)
Check out this venue on April 19-20 for tribute concert to Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band. Tickets and more information at: www.liveonelgin.com
Out of Town
From April 25 to May 5, Hot Docs, the 10-day celebration of documentary films from around the world, kicks off at multiple venues in downtown Toronto. See: www.hotdocs.ca
Tony Wohlfarth is an Ottawa-based freelance film and entertainment writer. He is covering the Hot Docs Film Festival in Toronto this month.