THE BLUE STONES
Where: Capital Ballroom, 858 Yates St.
When: Nov. 24, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $38.11 (incl. taxes and fees) from admitone.com
Why: The Blue Stones have a lot working in their favour, from the bare bones guitar-drums framework to a blues-rock soundscape not unlike The Black Keys. Their approach differs from others of its ilk (such as Black Pistol Fire) in that the Windsor, Ontario, duo favours substance over style, putting separation between singer-guitarist Tarek Jafar and drummer Justin Tessier and the rest of the pack. Known for being an estimable live unit, the group found their feet in the studio on Pretty Monster, their second album in two years and the first to turn up the electronic influence. They ride elastic grooves on songs like Good Ideas, a big step in the right direction and perhaps a sign of yet more intriguing things to come from these Juno Award winners.
CULT AFTER DARK
Where: The Vic Theatre
When: Nov.24-Dec. 29
Tickets: $13.33 (or $30 for three films) from victoriafilmfestival.com
Why: In the 1970s and ’80s, when The Vic Theatre was known as the Towne Cinema, Midnite Madness was a recurring series of cult classics catering to a certain kind of cinephile. Everything from Altered States and Pink Floyd the Wall to Russ Meyer movies drew big crowds, which is what organizers are hoping for with the similarly minded Cult After Dark series. The three-film gorefest opens tonight with Terrifier 2 and continues with American Psycho (Dec. 8) and Mandy (Dec. 29) — a trio of excellent, albeit shocking and gratuitous, feasts for the senses.
BEING ROBERT SCHUMANN
Where: Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St.
When: Nov. 27, 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: $29-$68 from the Royal McPherson box office (250-386-6121) or rmts.bc.ca
Why: Sunday afternoon is an ideal for a program such as this, with composer Robert Schumann’s brooding Symphony No. 4 taking centre stage. In addition to works by Felix Mendelssohn (The Fair Melusine) and Benjamin Britten (Lachrymae), of note is the Victoria Symphony premiere of Ian Cusson’s meditative song cycle, Songs From the House of Death (Poems by Joy Harjo). The co-commission features soloist Alex Hetherington, a mezzo-soprano with the Canadian Opera Company whose talent will bring Cusson’s composition to life.
mdevlin@times colonist.com
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