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1. The man behind the giant East Van sign glowing above the mean streets of Clark Drive and Sixth Avenue, Ken Lum is no one-trick-pony. And to prove it, the Vancouver Art Gallery is presenting the first large-scale solo exhibition that surveys the Vancouver artist’s 30-year career and features more than 50 works Feb. 12 to Sept. 25. For more info, go to vanartgallery.bc.ca.
2. Winsor Gallery (3025 Granville St.) presents Tales from the Outskirts—an exhibition of new paintings by Plaskett Award winner Vitaly Medvedovsky. The troll friendly exhibit runs until March 5 with an opening reception Feb. 12, 2 to 4 p.m. More info a winsorgallery.com. 3. New Jersey crooner Nicole Atkins and her band the Black Sea play an early show at the Media Club Feb. 11, 7:30 p.m. in support of her soulful and rootsy sophomore album Mondo Amore. Cotton Jones opens. Tickets at Zulu, Red Cat Records, Highlife and through Ticketmaster.
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kudos & kvetches R.I.P. flash mobs
It is with great sorrow we announce the passing of flash mobs as a relevant and at times subversive cultural phenomenon. Flash mobs were born early in the past decade, and involved large groups of people gathering in public places to perform brief acts of entertainment, satire or silliness that appeared spontaneous, but were actually extremely coordinated, usually through social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter. Flash mobs enjoyed an adventurous childhood, taking the form of pillow fights, zombie walks and choreographed dance routines in malls to raise awareness for serious causes or to promote cellphone launches. Showing signs of fatigue and corporate co-option, the health of flash mobs waned, as companies such as Microsoft, Cheetos and even Oprah Winfrey got in on the phenomenon. After thousands of increasingly cute and degrading scenarios, flash mobs finally succumbed to over exposure, strategic marketing and irrelevancy, and died Thursday, Feb. 10, 2011 at 2:30 p.m. with a “SkyTrain Flash Mob Organized to Promote John Furlong’s New Book, Patriot Hearts:
4. Dinosaur Jr. bassist, Sebadoh frontman, Folk Implosion main dude and all around indie rock icon Lou Barlow stops by Zulu Records (1972 West Fourth) for an instore performance Feb. 11, 7 p.m. After the music-nerd love-in, he’ll haul his mopey carcass across town to the Rickshaw Theatre for a show with Sebadoh and guests Quasi. Tickets for the full-on concert at Red Cat, Zulu, Highlife Records and ticketweb.ca.
Inside the Olympics That Changed a Country.” We received a very real email Wednesday, informing us of the sad news. “In order to promote former VANOC CEO John Furlong’s new book... Douglas & McIntyre has organized a SkyTrain ‘flash mob’ for tomorrow, Thursday, February 10 starting at 2:30 p.m.,” it read. “Meeting at the Columbia SkyTrain Station at 2 p.m., 50 ‘Blue Jacket’ volunteers from the 2010 Olympics will board the train clad in their signature jackets, reading their copy of Patriot Hearts. At the Main Street/Science World Station, John Furlong himself will board the train, shaking hands with the Blue Jackets and signing copies of the book.” Wiping away our tears, we continued to read the touching email: “Should your media outlet wish to cover this event, please arrange for cameras and reporters to be at either the Columbia SkyTrain Station at 2 p.m. or the Main Street/Science World SkyTrain Station at 3:10 p.m. The Blue Jacket train will pull in to this Station at 3:21 p.m., disembark there to meet John and re-board at 3:27 p.m. heading westbound to Waterfront Station.” Flash mobs leave behind their loving children Michael Jackson Thriller Dance and Pantless
Subway Ride, and hundreds of identical T-shirtwearing grandchildren who don’t like global warming or are against breast cancer or are pro gay marriage or something like that. A memorial flash mob will be held in a yet-to-be announced public place to be tweeted at a later date and may or may not involve pajamas, a giant dodge ball game, or talking like a pirate. In lieu of flowers, the family politely requests that you make a donation to the orphan pillowcase fund. Rest in peace.
It takes a Village
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2011 THE VANCOUVER COURIER
As our mortgage-strapped father used to say, if life gives you lemons, rebrand them Yellow Orbs of Tartness. That seems to be the approach with the beleaguered Olympic Village development since it went into receivership four months ago. According to various city blogs, a new plan is in place to help Olympic Village get its mojo back through reduced prices, reduced fees and, most importantly, a new name: The Village on False Creek. Zzzzzzzzzzz. Apparently, names such as Robertson’s Downfall, Athletes Pillage and Bowl of Green Apples on a White Modern Table were already taken.