Shindig! Guests - Monday, September 26/11

The Calgary Arts Development Authority (CADA) is Canada’s first municipally-owned arts development authority. This afternoon on Shindig!, you’ll have an opportunity to meet President and CEO Terry Rock. Dr. Rock is coming in to talk about CADA’s newest event – the city’s first annual Arts Champion Congress. Set to happen on Thursday, September 29^th, the Congress will be an opportunity for artists, managers, board members, volunteers, corporate and government supporters, and policy makers to discuss Calgary’s thriving art scene.

Thursday’s sessions will include an ArtsVote panel and interactive discussions on Multi-tenant Spaces as a Tool for Collaboration, Arts Marketing Shared Initiatives, Calgary 2012, and Elevator Pitches (Your Best 25 Seconds on Why You Are an Arts Champion with CJSW's Ramin Eshraghi-Yasdi). The Congress is a full-day event taking place in arts spaces like the Jack Singer, Martha Cohen Theatre lobby, Theatre Junction Grand Studio, #1 Legion and the CADA office. Registration is free and all champions of Calgary arts are invited to attend. Tune in to hear all the details as well as exciting developments for the arts scene in Calgary for 2012.

Also on today’s Shindig!, a reminder to cast your vote for the annual ECHO Songwriting Prize, which recognizes the best in Canadian independent music. There are five artists up for the $5,000 award, including the Arcade Fire. What do you think, Calgary? Should Win Butler take home another prize after last week’s $30,000 Polaris Prize win or is it time to share the love with other Canadian talent like Austra, PS I Love You, Handsome Furs or Katie Moore? You and your friends can vote until Friday. The winner will be announced on October 11^th.

Lastly, if you won tickets to the Calgary International Film Festival on last week's Shindig!, please get in touch with me using the e-mail widget on this page as soon as possible. Thank-you!

Shindig! Guests - Monday, September 19/11

It’s the best time of year for movie lovers in Calgary – popcorn for dinner for a whole week, scuttling between theatres, running into old friends in lineups, and getting a sneak peek of cinematic treasures before they open to the rest of the world. The Calgary International Film Festival kicks off on Friday, September 23rd and there are tons of incredible films to catch. Tune into Shindig! today to hear programmer Brenda Lieberman talk about CIFF’s incredible slate of films, including A Legend of Whitey by Dave Lawrence. Dave Lawrence is an actor, writer, producer and director who cut his teeth at Calgary’s Loose Moose Theatre before going on to star as Terry in the cult classic FUBAR, its sequel and other films. During this year’s CIFF, Lawrence will make his directorial debut with the film, A Legend of Whitey, starring FUBAR alumni Paul Spence and Andy Sparacino. Check out the trailer below and get ready for a fun-packed Shindig! with special guests Brenda & Dave, special giveaways and all the new music your ears can handle.

Shindig! Guests - Monday, September 12, 2011

Celebrated as one of the University of Calgary’s Best Teachers, Dr. Philip Langill (Physics & Astronomy) shares his galactic wealth of knowledge with more than Calgary’s university students. During monthly open house nights at the UofC’s Rothney Astrophysical Observatory (the faculty’s outpost in scenic Priddis), Dr. Langill and other astronomers treat nighttime revelers to a mesmerizing night of stargazing. After taking in a presentation and exploring the interpretive centre, guests have the opportunity to gaze through one of the three largest telescopes in Canada. Notably, the RAO is the site of the Baker-Nunn Telescope – the only telescope in Canada dedicated to looking for potential “killer” asteroids. Find out why the RAO open house nights are becoming increasingly popular with Calgarians when Dr. Langill visits Shindig!. http://www.ucalgary.ca/rao/

As the fireball frontman for Brooklyn’s incendiary art-punk quartet, Les Savy Fav, Tim Harrington knows a thing or two about being an unforgettable showman and musician. Fittingly, Vice Media and Marshall Headphones recruited Harrington and the equally fantastic Jesse “Boots Electric” Hughes to co-host a revealing 12-part documentary series, On the Road. Ever wanted to be a fly on the tour bus of your favourite touring band? Instead of reading about it in a crusty autobiography in 20 years, here’s your chance to see it now, Calgary. On Monday’s Shindig!, we’re going to find out more about On the Road and Les Savy Fav’s curation of All Tomorrow’s Parties: Nightmare Before Christmas. Also! Now Harrington can add another hat to his vast collection – a magician’s hat. Thanks to his request, Hot Snakes, will be reuniting for the festival. We’re going to hear from Harrington how he did it and when we can expect the next delicious LP from Les Savy Fav.

Lastly, tune in to hear the radio debut of the Gutterball 12”LP by the sensational artist Chris Millar with vocals by the winsome Samantha Savage Smith. His intensely imaginative and incredibly fun exhibit, Looking Up at Icicles, debuted at Trépanier Baer last Thursday to a full house. His work will be available to view at the gallery until October 1^st. Millar’s limited edition LP is available for listening inside the gallery… and on CJSW 90.9 FM. http://www.trepanierbaer.com