SCENE May 2025

CALGARY’S GUIDE TO GOING OUT

EAST TOWN GET DOWN OKOTOKS DAWGS PANEL ONE THE PRAIRIE EMPORIUM STREET FESTIVAL GUIDE 05.25 ISSUE #56

PATIO DAZE

SOAK UP SOME SUN AND COLD ONES WITH OUR GUIDE TO CALGARY PATIOS FOOD & DRINK COMICS THEATRE GIGS & MUSIC CITY

KIWI JR. • MARIEL BUCKLEY HOT GARBAGE •MARBLED • MARBLED EYE JACKSON AND THE JANKS L’OMELETTE • SEA OF LETTUCE MERIVAL • STUCCO • SPANK WILLIAMS A.N. • ANY WHICH WAY • ASTROLOGY GIRL • CARTER FELKER • CAS • CHIC CHAMELEON CRANSTON CITY BOYS • DEMPSEY BOLTON • DIAL UP • ELBOW KISS • ERIN ROSS GINGER BEEF • HIP HIP THURSDAY • IN SEARCH OF SASQUATCH • JENNIE HARLUK JOLENE MARIE • JULIUS SUMNER MILLER • KUE VARO & THE ONLY HOPES THE LOVEBULLIES • LUSHCLOT • MERV XX GOTTI • NATALIE INGA THE NOLIAS • NON ULTRAS • PISS • REALLY MUCH • RICCA RAZOR SHARP RYAN BOURNE & THE PLANT CITY BAND • SCHOOLYARD • THE SPANISH FLIES STEM CHAMP • TEA FANNIE • TEMPS • THEE CANADIAN DISPATCH • VISSIA • ZOO! VISIT

ETGD.CA • @ETGDFESTIVAL FOR UPDATES

IN ADVANCE ——————— $60 AT THE EVENT

CONTENTS

15 THE SCENE’S GUIDE TO STREET FESTIVALS There’s a street festival for all tastes, from night markets to community gatherings.

may

Cover: Cold Garden Patio.

Photo courtesy Cold Garden Publisher Käthe Lemon, klemon@redpointmedia.ca Editor Nathan Iles, niles@redpointmedia.ca Editorial Intern Catrina Bowles, cbowles@redpointmedia.ca Founding Editor Mike Bell Designer Kris Twyman Print/Digital Production Manager Mike Matovich

CONTRIBUTORS

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el fAro flamenco taBlao 8pm $20 all ages

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cartoon & cereal party 10am - nOon free

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conscious trAnsformatIon 7pm pay from the heart

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trIo motIon + the nate waters trIo 8pm $10

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dice dynaSty d&D DrAg

Evelina Pak, Kenna Burima, Krista Sylvester, Will Fisher, Marcus Ogen, Mary-Lynn Wardle, Cam Hayden, Sarah Comber Client Support Coordinator Alice Meilleur Senior Account Executive Jocelyn Erhardt

SeaSon 2 epIsode 4

5pm $10 all ages prAirIe dusK

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Jessica Sparvier-Wells, HoLly Bhattacharya aNd Connor Chee

8pm $40 all ages

Account Executives Nadine Benoit, Vicki Braaten Administrative and HR Manager Tara Brand

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acoustIc jam + open mIc 7pm free all ages

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goth night wIth the new cinematIc

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oscill8 coLlEctIve 8pm $10 all ages

dRipping creatIvity 7pm $20 all welcome

CEO and co-owner Roger Jewett President and co-owner Käthe Lemon Design Director Steve Collins

adRiaN wIlson 18 the macqueens +7pm $10 all ages

We gratefully acknowledge the financial

gArden of odditIes dRag

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Lucid Khaos + LenOre Belladonna

8pm $15 18+

support of the Government of Alberta Global Fest

and the Government of Canada PHOTO: KEITH WU

We acknowledge the traditional territories and the value of the traditional and current oral practices of the Blackfoot Confederacy, the Tsuut’ina, the Iyarhe Nakoda Nations, the Otipemisiwak Métis Government of the Métis Nation within Alberta District 6, and all people who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta.

20 COVER

12 THEATRE SCENE

THE SCENE’S PATIO GUIDE: Find your next favourite spot to soak up sunshine and cold ones.

Learn more about Sage Theatre and check out some plays opening this spring.

4 ACT 1, SCENE 1

18 MUSIC SCENE

What to do, see, and hear across the city.

The East Town Get Down festival brings music and culinary adventures together in Forest Lawn.

8 ART SCENE

22 SPORTS SCENE

The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity has a brand new director of visual arts.

Just a few minutes south of the city, the Okotoks Dawgs keep the baseball spirit alive.

10 Q&A

24 PANEL ONE

Meet queer country artist Robert Adam, the “Dream Angel Cowboy.”

This local artist collective puts local comic talent first.

thescenecalgary.com | 05 | 2025

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2 star experIence comrAde yulIa borscht+dAni phaNtom

8pm $15 18+ hymmmelodies

The Scene is a member of the Alberta Magazine Publishers’ Association and abides by its professional standards.

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persiaN fusion mUsic + dAnce

redpointmedia.ca 1721 29 Avenue SW, Suite 375, Calgary, AB, T2T 6T7

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dick cheney & the bush admInistrAtIon 8pm $10 all ages

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here & queer MONDAY MIXER 7pm free 2SLGBTQA+ welcome

26 CREATIVE SCENE

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acoustIc jam + open mIc 7pm free all ages

Parenthood is the ultimate act of creation

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the very fIrst cLaSs yOu should ever take

Published 12 times a year by Redpoint Media Group. © 2025 by Redpoint Media Group.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher.

28 VENUE SPOTLIGHT The Prairie Emporium serves hot coffee and good vibes from inside a motorbike shop.

30 Cam Hayden

8pm $10 all ages

BDSM 101 7pm $10 18+

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kumaSuitcaSe 8pm $10 all ages

dRag is for all ages 2pm $10 all welcome Gareth GillilaNd + Jemma Hicken 8pm $10 all ages

congResscoffeeshop.com

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ACT 1 SCENE 1

What to do in May

BY CATRINA BOWLES

GET TIPSY, CATCH SOME NEW FLICKS, DON A COSPLAY, AND MUCH MORE

Chump to Champ

OtaFest PHOTO: CHI TANG

DON QUIXOTE

FASCINASIAN FILM FESTIVAL

Alberta Ballet is finishing its season with Don Quixote, a reimagining of the famous Miguel de Cervantes novel of the same name. The ballet runs at the Jubilee Auditorium from May 1 to 3.

Immerse yourself in this classic romantic comedy, complemented by Francesco Ventriglia's choreography and handmade costumes by designer Gianluca Falaschi. Jeté your way to albertaballet. com to find showtimes and pick up your tickets.

May is Asian History Month, so kick it off with the fourth annual FascinAsian Film Festival, running from May 1 to 4 on the main floor of the Calgary Central Library. With a lineup including Gillian McKercher’s new film Lucky Star and a short from Jason Sakaki called Ramen Boys, this is a jam-packed weekend highlighting the creativity and bold artistic vision of Canada’s Asian community. And before the movies, cross-cultural performances bring together Indigenous traditional dancers and Chinese lion dancers.

Grab tickets at fascinasian.ca.

LOOK2025 ART AUCTION Contemporary Calgary’s LOOK Art Auction is back again for another year, running all May. Go between 5 and 9 p.m. on May 1 and get free admission to the entire auction exhibition! Place bids in the silent art auction for a new statement piece for your living room, or just enjoy a fancy evening without paying fancy prices. The auction ends on May 31 with the LOOK Gala. This year’s theme is “Noir Nouveau,” inspired by the work of local artist Simone Elizabeth Saunders. Pay the big bucks ($300) to attend the cabaret and participate in the live auction, or just $40 for the after-party. Either way, a one-year membership to Contemporary Calgary is included in the ticket. ‘LOOK’ at contemporarycalgary.com to grab your tickets.

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CALGARY INTERNATIONAL BEERFEST What goes better with warm spring weather than an ice-cold beer? If you’re looking to cool off, hop on down to Stampede Park on May 2 and 3 for a taste of the finest beers from Alberta and beyond. Get a fruity-fix with Alley Kat’s Aprikat ale, or something a little darker with Eighty-Eight’s Wave Pool tropical IPA — a personal favourite.

Each event day ends with musical performances from the likes of Sam Feldt, Raise Your State and more. If you’re more of a hard iced tea, seltzer or barely-alcoholic kombucha kind of person, you’ll still be able to drink your fill. Find your

BeerFest PHOTO COURTESY: SOUTHPAW BOXING

new favourite vendor at albertabeerfestivals. com, and don’t forget to pick up your tickets.

VERTIGO THEATRE PRESENTS: THE DA VINCI CODE If your mother is a big reader, there’s a good chance she has The Da Vinci Code on her bookshelf. Vertigo Theatre’s stage adaptation of the (in)famous Dan Brown novel opens on Mother’s Day, making it the perfect gift for a mystery-loving mom. Follow Dr. Robert Langdon (Graham Percy) and cryptologist Sophie Neveu (Isabella Pedersen) as they attempt to unravel the mystery surrounding the murder of the Louvre’s museum curator.

The play runs from May 10 to June 8 at Vertigo Theatre. Purchase tickets at vertigotheatre.com — just don’t let Mom know.

CALGARY WILD FC HOME OPENER FOR FIRST-EVER SEASON The Calgary Wild FC — the local entry in the Northern Super League, the all-new Canadian women's professional soccer league — plays Rapid FC (Ottawa) at McMahon Stadium in a truly historic match for this city on May 11.

This is your chance to be part of a new energy in Calgary's sports teams. Bend it like Beckham

over to calgarywildfc.com for tickets and the full season schedule.

OTAFEST

Listen up, weebs: OtaFest is back from May 16 to 18 at the Telus Convention Centre and Marriott Downtown Hotel. This annual Japanese anime and pop culture event is chock-full of fun events, including panels, contests and celebrity guests.

This year's roster of guests includes stars from shows and video games like Jujutsu Kaisen, Arcane, and Genshin Impact. Don’t forget to stop by the Maid & Butler Café or the pop-up CONbini Japanese convenience store, which offers onigiri, melon soda, curry buns, and more Japanese snacks. Start planning your killer cosplay and visit otafest.com for tickets.

2025 CANADIAN PREMIER LEAGUE Springtime is soccer time in Calgary. Kick off the season with a seat at one of Calvary Football Club’s home games at ATCO Field in Spruce Meadows. Calgary’s home team plays Victoria’s Pacific FC on May 17 and Winnipeg’s Valour FC on May 25. Bring cash and hit up the food stands for a scoop of ice cream from Foothills Creamery or some fresh-off-the-grill barbecue. Hit up

thescenecalgary.com | 05 | 2025

PHOTO: SYDN

CJSW May Charts Direct from your radio pals at 90.9 FM, here is a snapshot of the current artists & albums topping the charts at CJSW. Tune in, turn it up and enjoy.

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NEY BUTTERS PHOTOGRAPHY

Calgary Black Film Festival

PHOTO: SYDNEY BUTTERS PHOTOGRAPHY

cavalryfc.canpl.ca for tickets and the complete season schedule.

LEGALLY BLONDE

If The DaVinci Code is a little dark for you, how about something a little more pink? The 2007 musical Legally Blonde — based on the book and iconically feminist movie of the same name — is coming to Theatre Calgary from May 20 to June 15, in partnership with Citadel Theatre. This wellloved musical received seven Tony nominations and won three Laurence Olivier Awards on the West End. Bend-and-snap up tickets at theatrecalgary.com. If you go to the first preview show, you can even get the first taste of the special show-themed cocktail.

CALGARY BLACK FILM FESTIVAL Back again for its fifth year, the Calgary Black Film Festival runs from May 23 to 27. Celebrate the creativity of Canada’s Black community, in person or from the comfort of your bed via streaming. The festival opens with Fight Like a Girl at the Globe Cinema, based on the true story of a Congolese woman who escapes an illegal mining operation and joins an all-women boxing club. Pick up tickets for online or in-person viewing at calgaryblackfilm.com and find the full lineup of films.

thescenecalgary.com | 05 | 2025

SPRING LOCAL: A SMALL BUSINESS MARKET

YYC Market Girls are hosting a small business market at The Rooftop YYC on May 24. Browse around and find all kinds of handmade crafts and homemade goodies. The Rooftop will be decked out in charming, spring-themed decor to get you in the mood for the warm weather to come. Hit up the market after a Saturday brunch and keep the drinks coming; The Rooftop’s bar will be open and serving up the cold ones. Entry to the event is free, but make sure there’s space by reserving a spot at eventbrite.com.

CHUMP TO CHAMP Have you ever wanted to watch a bunch of dudes who’ve never competed in a boxing match throw punches at each other? Since your answer is obviously “Yes,” head over to Southpaw Boxing Gym on May 31 and check out Chump to Champ. In this showcase, you sit ringside and watch a bunch of average joes — who’ve only had three months of training — punch the hell out of each other, all in the name of raising money for Variety: the Children’s Charity. Head over to chumptochampcanada. com to pick up tickets.

Brock Geiger** - Some Nights (Self-Released) N Nao* - Nouveau Langage (Mothland) Ghost Cartridge** - Echo Chamber Made (30/30) POSTNAMERS** - Lives of the Saints (Self-Released) Art d’Ecco* - Serene Demon (Paper Bag) Gloin* - All of your anger is actually shame (and I bet that makes you angry) (Mothland) 7. Night Committee** - Your Plans Mean Nothing (Self-Released) 8. Private Lives* - Salt of the Earth (Feel It Records) 9. Prism Shores* - Out From Underneath (Meritorio Records) 10. The Harpoonist* - Did We Come Here To Dance (Tonic Records) 11. Hot 8 Brass Band - Big Tuba (Tru Thoughts) 12. Pierre Kwenders* - Tears On The Dancefloor (Moonshine) 13. Sun Atoms - Everything Forever (Little Cloud Records) 14. Anika - Abyss (Sacred Bones Records) 15. Bria Salmena* - Big Dog (Sub Pop) 16. Destroyer* - Dan’s Boogie (Merge) 17. HotWax - Hot Shock (Marathon Artists) 18. Sharp Pins - Radio DDR (K / Perennial) 19. Peter Gagliardi** - Journey to Pluto (Self-Released) 20. David Ivan Neil* - I Hope Yer OK (Perpetual Doom) 21. MALLED** - Eye Heards (Self-Released) 22. Wayne Patrick Garrett** - Marine Life (SelfReleased) 23. The Hausplants* - Into Equilibrium (Self-Released) 24. Joni Void* - Every Life Is A Light (Constellation) 25. Pedro Monkeyfinger** - Meditations (Self-Released) 26. Fire At Will & FunkinRight** - RNDR 031 (Render Recordings) 27. Carter Felker** - Loser (Department Store) 28. Lambrini Girls - Who Let The Dogs Out (City Slang) 29. Montuno West** - Raices (Bent River Records) 30. L.A. Witch - DOGGOD (Suicide Squeeze) ** Local * Canadian

5

ACT 1 SCENE 1

Onstage in May

BLUES ROCK LEGENDS HIT THE GREY EAGLE, GRINDCORE INVADES LOOPHOLE, AND HOUSE MUSIC ECHOES THROUGH COWTOWN

BY NATHAN ILES

Elena Erin

David Lavoie Quartet PHOTO: SARAH EDGAR-KELLY

DAVID LAVOIE QUARTET Guitarist, trumpeter, and all-around man-abouttown David Lavoie — who you may recognize from local post-punk act Temps — is leading his jazz band in a series of sweet Sunday gigs throughout the month. May 4, 18, and June 1 at Betty Lou’s Library, 908 17 Ave. S.W., bettylouslibrary.com.

CHRIS WEBBY W/ EKOH, GRIEVES, WHITNEY PEYTON, AND ROOK DIRECTOR The “last wednesday tour (part 4)” lands in Calgary as Chris Webby brings the rap heat and intricate wordplay. Ninjas unite! May 8, 8 p.m. at the Back Alley, 4630 Macleod Tr. S.W., backalleycalgary.com.

CANDLELIGHT Two concerts by candlelight in one night!

Check out Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” and other classical selections, followed by A Tribute to Adele as you’ve never heard her before. May 9, 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. at Studio Bell, 850 4 St. S.E., studiobell.ca.

NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND For nearly six decades, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has kept American country and roots music alive and thriving … and now, you can join them! May

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9, 7:30 p.m. at the Jubilee, 415 14 Ave. N.W., calgaryphil.com.

PACK RAT W/ SMOOCHER, SPEC REALISTS, AND NUISANCE It’s power-pop rock heaven at the barbecue palace. Keep an eye out for Helen Young (host of The Future Language on CJSW) singing for Smoocher, and grab their new tape! May 10, 8 p.m. at the Palomino, 109 7 Ave. S.W., thepalomino.ca.

NARCISSISTIC NECROSIS W/ BIG PHARMA, BEAVER FEVER, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND RATFUCK A ruthless night of death metal, grindcore, and distorted noise invades Calgary’s coolest coffee shop, which you may recognize from last month’s venue profile. May 10, 7 p.m. at Loophole Coffee Bar, 750 10 St. S.W., loophole-coffee-bar.com.

OBSCURA W/ ATHEIST, ORIGIN, DECREPIT BIRTH, AND FRACTAL UNIVERSE It’s “Shred Fest” on the outer edge of downtown, featuring technical death metal legends Obscura headlining a crushing night of heaviness.

May 13, 5:30 p.m. at Dickens, 1000 9 Ave. S.W., dickensyyc.com.

Chris Webby PHOTO: ARTEMIS AWAKENING

GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR Montreal post-rock pioneers GSY!BE are returning to Calgary. Haven’t seen them? Expect entrancing instrumental music, intense visuals, and high emotions. May 13, 7 p.m. at The Palace, 219 8 Ave. S.W., thepalacetheatre.ca.

REUBEN AND THE DARK W/ THE BULLHORN SINGERS These hometown indie darlings are bringing their “All These Roads” tour to the Bella, in collaboration with The Bullhorn Singers. Iskotoah’ka William Wadsworth leads the traditional powwow champions, and you may have heard their music in the trailer for Scorsese’s latest, Killers of the Flower Moon. May 16, 6:30 p.m. at the Bella Concert Hall, 4825 Mount Royal Gate S.W., tickets.mru.ca.

ELENA ERIN Fresh off the release of her new album Roaring 20s, Elena Erin is set to bring alt-pop goodness and all the feelings to the Barley Belt. May 17, 7:30 p.m. at the Limber Hollow, 4034 4 St. S.E., limber-hollow.squarespace.com

MALL GRAB

PHOTO: FRANKIE FIRE

stages in 2015, and his tech-house anthem “iluv” went viral last year. See what all the fuss is about! May 18, 9 p.m. at Commonwealth, 731 10 Ave. S.W., commonwealthbar.ca.

ROCKIN' 4 DOLLAR$ X SLED ISLAND EDITION Get a taste of Sled Island’s local lineup at this R4$ takeover, featuring musicians playing at the festival, Sled-adjacent acts, and an hour-long panel beforehand about the ins and outs of being in a band. All ages welcome!

May 22, 7 p.m. at the BLOX Arts Centre, 834 11 Ave. S.W., sledisland.com

YYC HIP HOP UNDERGROUND Polo Sho, ‘25 Scenester Tea Fannie, TALEBSON, and Bkay Won are just some artists to catch at this speaker-bustin’ local rap showcase. May 23, 8 p.m. at the Palomino, 109 7 Ave. S.W., thepalomino.ca.

GENE FARRIS W/ GUESS WHO Chicago’s house EDM scene makes a detour to Stephen Avenue! Gene Farris’ career spans three decades of house beats, techno energy, and disco attitude. May 24, 9 p.m. at Sub Rosa, 200 8 Ave. S.W., subrosayyc.com.

Jordan Alexander’s potent blend of techno drive and house beats has been lighting up

thescenecalgary.com | 05 | 2025

CANADIAN MUSIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE

Obscura

EXHI BI T ON NOW

PHOTO: GRZEGORZ GOŁĘBIOWSKI

ZIGGY ALBERTS This Australian folk heartthrob creates a sun-kissed brand of indie folk rock that feels deeply influenced by his surfing background.

May 25, 7 p.m. at MacEwan Hall, 424 Collegiate Blvd. N.W., machallconcerts.com.

EYE OF NEWT W/ BLUFFING, NON-ULTRAS, AND CGSW Work Perks, the latest full-length album from local art-rock band Eye of Newt, is dropping on vinyl this year on the heels of last year’s killer release Stay In Your Lane. And everyone’s invited to celebrate! May 30, 8 p.m. at the Palomino, 109 7 Ave. S.W., thepalomino.ca.

MAHLER'S RESURRECTION Join Calgary Phil’s Rune Bergmann for his final concert as music director, leading the orchestra through a powerful performance of Gustav Mahler’s Second Symphony. May 30 and 31, 7:30 p.m. at the Jack Singer, 225 8 Avenue S.E., calgaryphil.com.

Honouring the international pop-punk icons.

G ET T ICKETS AT STU DIOBELL.CA

The Beatles in Canada F RO M M E TO YO U

Experience a nostalgic tribute to The Beatles’ transformative years upon arriving in Canada for the first time. Revisit the frenzied excitement that swept the nation.

TICKETS AT STUDIOBELL.CA

EXHIBITION EXTENDED UNTIL MAY 19, 2025

XOTIX W/ INVRSN A self-proclaimed “bass-music boy band,” XOTIX brings the twerk rap heat and subwoofer-busting grooves to Cowtown. Entry is free before 10:30 p.m. if you download a ticket! May 31, 8 p.m. at the Back Alley, 4630 MacLeod Tr. S.W., backalleycalgary.com

CLASS OF 2025

ZZ TOP W/ THE WALLFLOWERS Big beards, fast cars, and boogie riffs — ZZ Top has been the gift that keeps on giving since 1969. This is your chance to see a vital piece of blues rock history, Calgary! June 4, 6:30 p.m. at the Grey Eagle Event Centre, 3777 Grey Eagle Dr., greyeagleresortandcasino.ca.

Explore the evolution of the piano on its 325th anniversary.

Celebrate the legends.

2025 Hall of Fame inductees Dan Hill, Ginette Reno, Glass Tiger, and Loreena McKennitt.

SATURDAY JAM W/ TIM WILLIAMS Pay a visit to the brand new Blues Can location and get your roots rock jam on, hosted by local blues maestro Tim Williams. Grab some Cajun food while you’re at it — we recommend the gumbo. June 7, 3 p.m. at the Blues Can, 2002 16 Ave. N.W., thebluescan.com

E X H I B I T ON NOW

E X H I B I T O P E N S M AY 7

T ICKETS AT ST UDIO BELL.CA

TICKETS AT STU DIOBELL.CA

STUDIO BELL, HOME OF THE NATIONAL MUSIC CENTRE thescenecalgary.com | 05 | 2025

STUDIOBELL.CA/WHATS-ON

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ART SCENE

CURATING CREATIVITY

HAEMA SIVANESAN DISCUSSES HER NEW ROLE AT THE BANFF CENTRE OF THE ARTS AND CANADA’S ART SCENE.

BY CATRINA BOWLES

T

ucked away in the snow-capped Rocky Mountains, the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity is far from where Haema Sivanesan started in sunny Australia.

Sivanesan started her curation journey in the Asian art department of the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney. From there, her career exploded into a full tour of Canadian galleries and museums, working in Toronto, Vancouver, Saskatoon, and Victoria. Her last curation gig was as chief curator of the Glenbow Museum before being

invited into the role of director of Leighton Studios and Program Partnerships at the Banff Centre.

Earlier this year, the Banff Centre announced that Sivanesan would become the visual arts director, effective May 1. Now, she’s set on using her experience to help artists grow their craft.

How do you think your experience as a curator will translate to your new role as visual arts director?

“What I’m really interested in is the question of what artists do. It was really that curiosity about what’s going on behind the scenes. A lot of my curatorial work has been a process of thinking with artists and helping them develop their practice. As a curator in an institutional setting, you’re in quite a powerful place of being able to give artists opportunities and go into what’s going on in the mind of an artist.”

Why do you think intergenerational work is on the rise?

“I think part of it is coming from the last several years, coming out of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the impact of Black Lives Matter. These social movements are encouraging artists to go back through their own cultural lineage and reconnect with it. It’s coming out of this history of modernism, which had talked about a break from the past and a new, optimistic, utopian future. Whereas I think we’re in

“It’s an incredible art scene.

It’s very vibrant.

It is very diverse. ” HAEMA SIVANESAN, VISUAL ARTS DIRECTOR, BANFF CENTRE FOR ARTS AND CREATIVITY

PHOTO: RITA TAYLOR

a different generational moment, which is a lot about reconnecting.”

What are your thoughts on AI in art?

“AI is a very lively topic at the moment, but there are many artists [who] have been working with AI for a long time. Some people think that AI is taking over and producing the artwork. There’s that happening, but what I’m really interested in is how artists are using AI in really interesting, creative and critical ways. Oftentimes, it’s used to think about world-building and imagining the future in specific and culturally considered ways.

There are a number of Indigenous artists out of Montreal that are doing interesting work, and I’m sure we’re going to see much more coming up soon.”

Having worked in the arts scene in Australia before, what’s your perspective on the Canadian art scene?

“It’s an incredible art scene. It’s very vibrant.

It is very diverse. What I really appreciate is the purpose of the arts in the Canadian context, which has so much to do with how you want to build a society, the social purpose of art

and how art can really help to build social cohesion. It’s a country of immigrants. Culture is so important in terms of learning about our neighbours and the people that we work with.

The Australian context is very institutional. The Canadian art scene is much more artist-driven.

Artists are at the forefront of determining what the sector looks like and how it functions. It’s more creative for that reason.”

What challenges would you say artists are facing at the moment?

“It’s always difficult to live an artist’s life. Nationally, the funding environment is changing. I think artists are going to have to really think outside the box to be able to maintain an artistic practice and find opportunities. Oftentimes, the way in which artists create opportunities is through the network they have. The Banff Centre is a great place to crystallize and foster that kind of thinking.”

This is a shortened excerpt from our interview with Haema Sivanesan. It has been edited for clarity and length. Read the full interview online at TheSceneCalgary.com.

IN THE GALLERIES THIS MONTH Wallace Galleries

Contemporary Calgary

Robert Lemay – From the Garden May 1 - 28 Focusing on peonies, Lemay explores the wonders of gardening in this exhibition, immersing the viewer in a barrage of colour.

Miruna Drăgan & Maggie Tiesenhausen: Hummingbird Guided Meditation Until June 29 This cinematic installation presents seven scenes meditating on life through the experience of a hummingbird.

The soundtrack comprises cassette recordings captured over years along the hummingbird's migratory path.

Newzones Gallery of Contemporary Art Joshua Jensen-Nagle: Reflections and Recollections May 3 - June 21 As part of his ongoing photo series Endless Summer, Jensen-Nagle seeks to capture the evocative essence of the beach and all the memories and experiences it evokes.

White Magenta Peonies, Robert Lemay

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Esker Foundation Oliver Beer: Compositions for Mouths, Face and Hands May 24 - August 24 Oliver Beer's work, which opens at the end of the month, takes a multidisciplinary approach to transmitting musical heritage and the cultural significance of objects in our lives.

thescenecalgary.com | 05 | 2025

We do dance parties May 9-19

Montuno West June 1, 2025 www.buckingjampalace.com

cSpace Marda Loop

bigbooksale.ca

ARTS SCENE

The Dream Angel Cowboy of Canada ROBERT ADAM OPENS UP ABOUT GENDER, FAITH, AND THE DEEPLY PERSONAL STORIES BEHIND THEIR UPCOMING ALBUM

A

BY EVELINA PAK

country artist known for blending traditional sounds with modern storytelling, Robert Adam is a dynamic voice in Canada’s music scene. In 2017, Adam released their debut EP, Prairie Gold, featuring the track “Rocky Mountain Lot,” which secured a spot in the top 10 of the Canadian Songwriting Competition’s country category. They originally hail from Bonnyville, in east northern Alberta.

“I’ve always known I was supposed to be a singer and a musician,” they say. Now based in Calgary, Adam is preparing to release their fulllength album, Governed by the Seasons, fresh off a top-three finish in SiriusXM’s Top of the Country, a national talent search spotlighting emerging Canadian country artists. They are also gearing up for their first tour in Japan. Like their music, their story is one of reinvention and emotional honesty.

FROM DIESEL TO DREAM ANGEL “I went to SAIT and did their diesel equipment heavy-duty mechanics program. I did pretty well in it, but it took me a while to find a job because COVID happened. Also, people who look like me don’t usually work in that kind of industry. There were some nice folks, but also some awful ones who really didn’t want me there.

“I’ve always known I was supposed to be a singer and a musician. I was just waiting for the right opportunities to line up. Now, I do a bit of serving at a restaurant for extra cash, but music is finally becoming a real source of income. That makes me so happy.”

MUSIC AS A SAFE PLACE “I was always surrounded by music growing up.

My family was religious — we went to church every Sunday. I started playing piano and singing in church when I was around 12.

“But I think I got into music because so much of my life didn’t make sense. I’m a non-binary

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person who’s attracted to men. Being born male and feminine in a small town was not considered ‘normal,’ and nobody understood it — including me. I was a fundamentalist Christian and believed all the feelings I had were wrong.

“Music became a way for me to process all of that — to feel safe, to ask questions to the universe, to God. Over time, I realized that music wasn’t just for me; it was for other people, too.

I’ve seen so many unexpected people connect with my stories.”

QUICK TAKES:

THE SOUND OF SELF “I’ve always felt like I wanted to be a kind of guardian angel for my listeners — to help people feel seen and safe through my music. I’m also influenced by magical girl anime like Sailor Moon.

She always leads with kindness and compassion, even against evil, and that stuck with me. So ‘Dream Angel Cowboy’ became [my] nickname — a mash-up of anime and country-western.

“I’ve made a conscious choice to look the way I feel inside — and that shows up on stage, too.

People get a lot of different energies from me — femininity, masculinity, softness, and strength.

My stage presence has been described as charismatic and elegant. I love dancing, sparkle, and fashion.

“I also design most of my outfits. A lot of inspiration comes from nature and celestial imagery. I’ve created over 25 full looks now.”

MODERN COUNTRY “I listen to a lot of old country music. I love how it was recorded, all the depth and colour you could hear. We try to bring that feeling into a modern studio.

“Lyrically, I’m modernizing things by telling real stories from a queer rural perspective. A lot of country music today is about beer, trucks, and chasing blonde girls in Daisy Dukes — and if that’s what you like, that’s fine. But I feel like the deeper stories have gotten lost.”

PHOTO: BRANDYNN L.P

SIRIUS XM COMPETITION “It was wild. I honestly didn’t expect to get in. We made the top three. I was the first queer person to ever make it that far, and that really meant a lot. “[SiriusXM] took us to Nashville to play CMA Fest, to Montreal to perform at a huge festival, and introduced us to so many industry people. It changed my career.

“Also, Sirius XM started playing my songs, and satellite radio pays artists really well. So it gave me financial support too. And they were so kind to us, [they] treated us like gold. It was eight months long, but worth every minute.”

“SWEETHEART” WITH HEATHER MAY “Heather is my sister, and a very introverted artist. She has her own style and never compromises it, which I admire. The song is about our mom, Arlene, who’s just the kindest person you’ll ever meet.

“I’d written the song a while back, and when I knew I wanted to record it in a more folk style, I asked Heather to sing it with me. We hadn’t performed together in a while, and it felt special.

Our grandma always dreamed of us being a sibling singing group, so this was our little way of honouring that.”

BIGGEST INSPIRATIONS: Karen Carpenter, Shania Twain, SZA, Heather May DREAM COLLABS: SZA, Chappell Roan, DJ Zedd ADVICE TO ASPIRING MUSICIANS: “As soon as you can get help, do it.

Burnout is real, and it hurts your art.”

“Find mentors. Reach out to older artists who’ve been through it.”

“Never sign a contract without taking it to a lawyer. That’s especially true with managers or booking agents.”

GOVERNED BY THE SEASONS “I want this album to show both my vulnerable and my strong side. ... A lot of people see me and assume I’m just a gimmick — like, ‘Oh, it’s all rhinestones and sparkle.’ But once they hear the album, they’ll see how deeply I think about my art, emotionally and spiritually. It’s not superficial for me; it’s sacred.”

This Q&A was created in collaboration with Arts Commons.

To see and listen to Robert Adam’s works, visit robertadammusic.com or Instagram @robertadammusic

thescenecalgary.com | 05 | 2025

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THEATRE SCENE

HOMEGROWN QUEER THEATRE

Sage Theatre showcases daring theatre that brings Calgary’s queer community to the forefront

BY CATRINA BOWLES

I

t’s not always easy being queer in Calgary.

After decades of (nearly) non-stop conservative leadership, queer folks have grown accustomed to the tune of premiers crafting policies that make them feel unwelcome.

But in this whole mess, Calgary’s vibrant theatre spaces offer a place for 2SLGBTQ+ people to feel at home.

“The queer community is relatively well-represented in the theatre community,” said Jason Mehmel, artistic director of Sage Theatre.

“Probably at a higher percentage than a lot of other industries.”

Mehmel became Sage’s artistic director in 2015 and carried on the company’s mandate of producing “bold, intimate, and thoughtful” theatre. While producing queer shows is not Sage’s primary goal, shows written or directed by 2SLGBTQ+ artists often fulfills that mandate.

Mehmel says that the goal of Sage’s shows is to give the audience something to think about

and that may challenge them, rather than deliver a sermon on a belief system.

“If an audience knows that you’re trying to teach them something, or that there’s a lesson or ideology attached, your audience will self-select away before they even sit down in their seats," said Mehmel.

Natalie Meisner keeps this in mind when she’s writing her plays.

Sage Theatre has produced two of Meisner’s plays — Legislating Love: The Everett Klippert Story in 2018 and Boom Baby! earlier this year — both of which feature gay characters. Meisner herself identifies as gay. She fights the impulse to give in to online “rage-farming” that would turn her plays into attacks.

“I want to resist polarities at all costs,” she said. “There’s no change when both parties are using flamethrowers.”

Meisner’s Legislating Love tells the true story of Everett Klippert, the Calgary bus driver who was the last person jailed for homosexuality in Canada. It received critical acclaim, winning the Heritage Calgary Lion Award before going

Norma Lewis and Lauren Brotman in Mary Stuart PHOTO: SAGE THEATRE

international at the Dublin Gay Theatre Festival, where it won the Oscar Wilde award for Best New Writing. “[Sage Theatre] took a risk on this play because it fell under their mandate,” said Meisner.

In doing so, Sage Theatre helped bring a piece

SPRINGTIME THEATRE IN CALGARY DEWDNEY PLAYERS GROUP THEATRE

12

of Calgary’s queer history to sold-out audiences that may have never known the story otherwise.

In Meisner’s experience, Calgary’s theatre audiences are “radically accepting.” However, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed everyone inside, and now, it takes more effort to get people to

DOWNSTAGE

WORKSHOP THEATRE

Squabbles Directed by Brad Snowden May 2 - 17 Take a quick rip down the highway to Okotoks to catch this hysterical farce, performed inside the historic Old Church Theatre.

Prescription: Murder Directed by Hamish Crawford and Ron Brouwer May 9 - 17 Witness the play that inspired Columbo and hooked an entire generation on murder mysteries investigated by cheeky detectives.

THE SHAKESPEARE COMPANY

FRONT ROW CENTRE

INSIDE OUT THEATRE

Hamlet {solo} Directed by Robert Ross Parker May 7 - 10 Raoul Bhaneja performs the Bard’s (arguably) most influential play ever, all by himself. It’s barebones, it’s two hours long, and it’s not to be missed.

Sweeney Todd Directed by Lindsay Kurtze May 16 - 31 Calgary’s premier community musical theatre company is taking on the Demon Barber of Fleet Street himself, live at the Pumphouse Theatre.

Lazy Susan Directed by Col Cseke June 2 - 14 This comedy, performed around a 50-foot-diameter spinning tabletop, explores mother-daughter dynamics, gambling, and intergenerational connections.

Linnea Swan and Denise Clarke in HUNT/PECK PHOTO: SPENCER ESTABROOKS

HUNT/PECK Directed by Clare Preuss June 12 - 13 A co-production with New Harlem Productions, this short film explores the phenomenon of sex tourism and is accompanied by a live dance performance inspired by the movie.

STAGE WEST THEATRE Footloose Directed by Phil Nero Until June 22 Unfortunately, Kevin Bacon will not be in Calgary for this show (as far as we know). But the good news is, you can still eat a hearty dinner while jamming to Kenny Loggins.

thescenecalgary.com | 05 | 2025

leave their screens in favour of live theatre. Audience sizes are smaller and, in the opinion of Sage’s artistic associate, Javier Vilalta, mainstream theatre companies have become less brave in their approach to storytelling.

“For smaller, independent companies, what does that mean?” said Vilalta. “Do they need to follow a similar path, or do they need to come even stronger than it was before?”

Sage Theatre’s answer to this question came in 2022 with The House of Bernarda Alba. Queer playwright Federico García Lorca wrote the play as an analogy for the sexual and emotional repression he’d experienced in Spain in the early 20th century.

Vilalta, who identifies as gay, translated the play himself and cast men in the roles of the

at Sage’s 2025 Ignite Festival. Mehmel and his team dedicate themselves to showcasing diverse voices in Ignite, just like they do with their mainstage performances. Queer theatre artists are encouraged to share their creations, because the last thing Sage wants is for artists to suppress their work rather than submitting.

“You are needed. You are important,” said Vilalta. “If the door doesn’t open, then let’s build our own door together.”

JASON MEHMEL, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF SAGE THEATRE Sage Theatre wraps up its season with Mary Stuart, directed by Vilalta, on May 4. True to their mandate, Sage offers a flexible pricing model where socially isolated daughters to further amplify the few feathers. Yet the very audiences these comaudiences choose what they pay after seeing play’s representation of the author’s repression. panies worry about alienating completely sold the show – just pay according to how much you “We cannot underestimate the audiences out Sage’s run of Meisner’s newest play, Boom loved it. The Ignite! Festival runs from June 4 to here,” said Vilalta. “I think our audience is a lot Baby!, earlier this year. Calgarians are ready 7, showcasing new works by emerging artists in more sophisticated than we give them credit for.” and willing to be challenged; they just need to be Calgary. Go to sagetheatre.com to get updates on Vilalta understands the hesitancy of big given a chance.

Sage’s boundary-pushing productions. theatre companies to tell stories that may ruffle a Calgary audiences will get this chance again

“...the goal of Sage’s shows is to give the audience something to think about and that may challenge them, rather than deliver a sermon on a belief system.”

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13

The Scene’s

STREET FEST SCENE

GUIDE TO

STREET

FESTIVALS THERE’S A STREET FESTIVAL FOR EVERYONE THIS SPRING AND SUMMER, SO CLEAR YOUR CALENDAR

BY KRISTA SYLVESTER

XXX PHOTO: XXX

W

hether you’re a night owl who loves nicknacks or a flowerloving free spirit, Calgary has something for everybody when it comes to community street festivals.

From the first blooms of the Lilac Festival in early June to the dazzling fireworks of GlobalFest in August, the city transforms into a vibrant celebration of culture, creativity, and community from spring to fall. Whether you’re into food, flowers, animals, Mardi Gras, music, sun, art or all the above, there’s a street festival for it and it’s coming soon to a community near you.

Calgary is bursting with all sorts of street markets and festivals across the city, big and small, new and established, and these events are what really bring the city’s communities to life, says Vibrant City founder Jennifer Rempel.

“The entire purpose behind street festivals is to highlight and enhance the unique identity of neighbourhoods,” Rempel explains.

For example, she says, the Inglewood Sunfest

14

encourages visitors to spend a day in the city’s most historic neighbourhood, while the Lilac Festival acts as Calgary’s unofficial kick-off to the festival season, with more than 500 vendors spanning several blocks.

“It not only showcases the vibrant energy of 4th Street but also rekindles and celebrates all the distinctive elements we love about this community," Rempel says of the city’s most notable festival in Mission.

A few weeks after that, the East Village Street Fair lights up Canada Day while Taste of Calgary and Taste of Asia provide Calgarians with delicious food and drink adventures.

Music lovers will feel at home at East Town Get Down in the city’s International Avenue area.

Rempel says many street festivals in Calgary occur within Business Improvement Areas (BIA’s), which are associations of businesses that unite to promote their neighbourhoods through various community-focused initiatives.

“That’s why you’ll typically find Calgary’s street festivals centred around these BIA’s, highlighting their unique local character and uniting commun-

“The entire purpose behind street festivals is to highlight and enhance the unique identity of neighbourhoods.”

VIBRANT CITY FOUNDER JENNIFER REMPEL

ities through shared experiences,” she adds.

More than that, though, Rempel says these events unite Calgarians while also bringing out the best of what makes Calgary a wonderful place to live, work and play.

“Street festivals are deeply woven into the fabric of Calgary’s communities. They provide a

platform for neighbourhoods to highlight their unique character, foster local pride, and bring residents together,” Rempel says.

“Over the years, these festivals have evolved from modest gatherings to major events that attracts tens of thousands of attendees.”

From its humble beginnings in 1989, the Lilac

thescenecalgary.com | 05 | 2025

BEST FESTS

Marda Gras PHOTO: BRAEDEN PARK

EAST VILLAGE STREET FAIR

cSPACE Farmers & Makers Market PHOTO: SCOTT BLASKEN, CHINOOK ARCH PHOTOGRAPHY

FARMERS AND MAKERS MARKET

GlobalFest

Festival now draws over 100,000 people in just one day annually.

“This growth reflects not only the increasing popularity of these events but also their significance in uniting communities and celebrating local culture,” Rempel adds. Whether you’re dancing in the streets, discovering your new favourite local band, or just soaking up the sun with a cold drink, street festivals and markets also offer Calgarians a chance to support local businesses, which is more important than ever in light of a trade war and American tariffs.

“In the current economic climate, supporting local businesses has become even more crucial.

Rising costs and economic uncertainties have put added pressure on small enterprises,” Rempel says, adding that a sizable portion of money spent locally stays within the community.

“By participating in local festivals and choosing to buy from local vendors, consumers help sustain these businesses, preserving the unique character and diversity of Calgary’s neighbourhoods.”

Rempel believes street markets and festivals are vital engines for Calgary’s local economy and

thescenecalgary.com | 05 | 2025

cultural identity. “They provide a platform for local businesses, artisans, and entrepreneurs to showcase their offerings, directly contributing to the city’s economic health,” she says.

“By attracting both residents and tourists, these festivals increase foot traffic and sales for local vendors, many of whom rely on such events for a significant portion of their annual income.”

Pam Mullen Schneider of MS. Crafty, a local engraved gifts business, echoes that sentiment.

She started participating in community markets at the end of 2024 and says these events have been a terrific way to raise awareness of her business.

“Local markets help you get your face in front of people in the community, pass out business cards with links to your social media and take custom orders,” she says.

“It’s also great to make connections with other vendors and network. Vendors are great about supporting each other, and it’s basically a way to shop, but with a sense of pride and community.”

So get out there and hit a market, Calgary!

Date: July 1, 2025 Location: 8 Ave. S.E., between 4 and 6 St. Over 80 vendors, live music, cultural performances, and a beer garden set up for a wild Canada Day party. This festival attracts more than 50,000 visitors annually.

FIESTAVAL (LATIN FESTIVAL)

Date: every Saturday, May 24 to October 4 Location: cSPACE, 1721 29 Ave. S.W. This market is a lively way for artisans and farmers to come together in the heart of beautiful Marda Loop. But what sets this one apart is the Artist Alley, a showcase of emerging artists and local musicians every week.

Date: July 18 – 20, 2025 Location: Eau Claire Plaza A vibrant celebration of Latin culture featuring over 30 food vendors, live Latin music and dance performances, and a vibrant artisan market.

EAST TOWN GET DOWN

Date: July 26, 2025 Location: Inglewood’s main street (9 Ave. S.E.) A stylish summer festival featuring over 200 vendors, food trucks, live music, and family-friendly activities.

Date: May 24, 2025 Location: International Avenue (17 Ave. S.E.) A lively block party celebrating Calgary’s independent music scene with performances in various venues, international cuisine, and family-friendly activities. [learn more about this one on page 18!]

LILAC FESTIVAL

Date: June 1, 2025 Location: 4 St. S.W. (between 12 Ave. and Elbow Dr.) Calgary’s largest free street festival, featuring over 500 vendors, live music, artisan booths, and family-friendly activities.

TASTE OF ASIA

Date: June 27 – 29, 2025 Location: ParkPlus Parking Lot 6, 311 8 St. S.W. A culinary journey through Asian cuisine, featuring savoury street food, traditional favourites, and modern twists on classic recipes.

INGLEWOOD SUNFEST

TASTE OF CALGARY

Date: July 31 – August 4, 2025 Location: Lot 6 (4 Ave. and 9 St. S.W.) An outdoor food and drink festival offering samples from local restaurants, food trucks, and beverage companies, along with live music and artisan vendors.

MARDA GRAS STREET FESTIVAL

Date: August 10, 2025 Location: Marda Loop (33 Ave. S.W. between 19 and 22 St.) A family-friendly festival with New Orleans-themed live music, street performers, art, and a kid’s quarter. This is a fabulous way to explore the various businesses that call Marda Loop home.

15

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The Scene’s GUIDE TO

STREET

FESTIVALS

MARKETS BY NIGHT C

algary comes alive at night each spring and summer with bustling night markets happening across the city. Live music, entertainment, local artisans, vendors, small businesses and some of Calgary’s best food vendors are ready to greet Calgarians at the city’s beloved night markets.

The Inglewood Night Market kicks off on May 9 and has editions on June 13, July 11, August 8, and September 5 and 12. It is free to attend and features more than 100 local artisans, makers, and small businesses offering handmade crafts, vintage clothing, antiques, collectibles, and more.

The 4th Street Night Market lights up Mission on May 17, June 21, July 19, August 23 and

September. 20. Catch live music from 4 to 10 p.m. at each market, and bring your pets! Expect hand-crafted jewellery, home decor, yummy local eats, and so much more.

Meanwhile, the Marda Loop Night Markets return on June 20, July 18, and September 26.

Each market features a curated lineup of local vendors, delicious food and live entertainment.

Consider this the other side of Marda Gras!

And don’t miss out on Market Nights at Heritage Park, every Saturday from 2 to 8 p.m. from June 28 to September 13. From candles to candy, you’re bound to find the perfect gift, locally made and lovingly crafted. Plus, you can ride the train!

Marda Gras

STREET FEST HACKS

PHOTO: SCOTT BLASKEN, CHINOOK ARCH PHOTOGRAPHY

BY CATRINA BOWLES

GET THE LAY OF THE LAND

WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES

Check out the festival’s website for venue maps and schedules so you know what you’re getting into. If you can’t find that info out before the event, take a lap to learn important landmarks. You don’t want to be three craft beers deep and searching for the bathroom.

You’re going to be doing a lot of walking. Whether browsing the stalls, trekking between stages, or trying to find somewhere to sit and eat, you’ll be getting your steps in. And you don’t want to do that in flip-flops, lest you want to deal with gnarly blisters. Rock some good runners and breathable socks — you’ll be thanking us later!

BRING CASH

Inglewood Night Market

PHOTO: XXX

Cash is king at street fests!

While many vendors these days are kitted out with debit and Square machines, not all of them take cards. Save yourself the hassle of tracking down an ATM and waiting in the inevitably long line: bring cash with you. Plus, you’ll be able to budget and see when you’ve spent too much on mini donuts and lemonade.

Markets are a great time to shop ‘til you drop, but you don’t want to drop all the cool swag you just picked up. Bring more bags than you think you’ll need, because you can’t predict which vendors will offer you one or not. You’ve got to have a few reusable bags sitting around!

PREPARE FOR THE WEATHER

STAY LATE

With warmer weather comes wetter weather, so slather on the sunscreen and wear your shades. But don’t leave the umbrella and rain gear at home! We’ve all been unexpectedly caught in a torrential downpour on an otherwise sunny day, so bring the goods and leave them in your car or bag. Everyone else will envy your goofy-looking emergency poncho when we get those classic springtime Cowtown showers.

As the crowds start to peter out towards the end of the day, take another lap around the festival. Vendors may offer a discount on unsold products, or food freebies that won’t stay good if left another day.

If you found a vendor you’re a big fan of, this quiet time is an excellent opportunity to chat them up. Find out what other markets and festivals they’ll be attending and keep the fun going all summer long.

TAKE SOME TOTES

PHOTO: BRAEDEN PARK

thescenecalgary.com | 05 | 2025

17

MUSIC SCENE

East Town Get Down

BY MARCUS OGDEN

B “IT'S FOR THE MUSIC, FOR THE FOOD, FOR THE EXPERIENCE [OF AN] ‘EAST OF DEERFOOT’ KIND OF MOMENT.” ETGD ARTISTIC PRODUCER COLLEEN KRUEGAR

PHOTO: MICHAEL GRONDIN

18

ringing together delicious food and rockin’ live music, East Town Get Down ushers in the spring with a program spanning 10 venues and over 40 bands, all in one night.

Though a hefty undertaking, the festival’s artistic producer Colleen Kruegar takes it in stride.

“It's the starting point of festival season, especially in Calgary,” says Kruegar. “Everyone's just sort of emerging out of winter. It's such a fun environment for people to come out.”

East Town Get Down (ETGD) is a music festival focused entirely on a six-block stretch of 17th Ave. S.E., otherwise known as International Avenue.

This moniker is granted by the area’s diverse culinary offerings, which the festival strives to highlight. In its sixth year running, ETGD continues to ambitiously pack as much as it can in a oneday run that keeps crowds crawling through an epicentre of multiculturalism in Calgary.

“Every year we have more people that attend,” says Kruegar. “We try to keep it quite grassroots year after year.”

A feature that sets the festival apart from others is its emphasis on food. With many of the venues being restaurants every other day of the year, ETGD takes the opportunity to expose crowds to the local businesses inhabiting that stretch of the avenue. They collaborate with their hosts on accessible $5 dishes that often show off the best of what each venue has to offer food and drink-wise.

“Everyone just raves about the food experience … They're getting to see music and they get to try different cultural foods all in the same night, so it's pretty sweet,” says Kruegar Of course, building a music festival with a base of mostly restaurants presents challenges.

Many of the spaces transform overnight, clearing tables for standing space and building makeshift stages in whichever corner has the most power outlets free. While one might think this would greatly limit the festival’s programming, ETGD still offers a healthy balance of talents local to

INTERNATIONAL AVENUE GOES OFF FOR THIS MUSIC ‘N FOOD SPECTACULAR

Calgary and Alberta, as well as acts from other provinces.

“We have really great names that can come to these small spaces. It's my favourite way to see a show — in a small space that's very DIY,” says Kruegar. “I really just curate based on how a band sounds and how it'll work in the spaces that we have.”

Kruegar also asserts the festival as an all-ages space. With establishments that don’t exclude younger crowds, there are opportunities for teens to have a great third space for the night and for parents to get to leave their house. To keep the fest accessible to this audience, ETGD offers free entry for kids under 14 if they’re with a parent, and the events all start at the very reasonable time of 6 p.m.

“It's a safe space for parents to bring their kids to a venue festival and have that experience,” Kruegar says. “It's just a really nice bridge that we're able to build for people to come out … The younger people get involved, and the younger kids are going to shows and being exposed to different genres, the healthier our music community is going to be in the future.”

ETGD’s audience has grown throughout the festival’s lifespan, but the ambition at the heart of the fest is not necessarily to become the next Sled Island. East Town Get Down is really all about what’s in the name: getting people down to a part of the city they otherwise might not go to.

In doing this, they shine a spotlight on great local businesses and foster community growth.

“I love the community it brings out,” says Kruegar. “It's a destination space that you are coming to … It's for the music, for the food, for the experience [of an] ‘east of Deerfoot’ kind of moment. You know, not many people go over that way. It's fun when people do come over, and they're like, ‘Where am I? This is a part of the city I've never seen before.’”

East Town Get Down goes down on May 24.

Readers will find a full list of bands playing and venues available on the festival’s website, as well as a discount if they buy their wristband ahead of the date.

Check it out at easttowngetdown.org.

thescenecalgary.com | 05 | 2025

FOODS AT THE FEST Travel the culinary globe — right here in Calgary, between killer music acts!

TG JUICE BAR transports you to Ethiopia with its flavourful African breakfast and lunch offerings, perfectly paired with delicious, fresh juices and smoothies.

What to try: Ugali beef special, a thick and hearty stew to fill you up throughout the day.

MAANE’S takes you on a tour of Filipino cooking, crafting classic favourites that feel like a warm hug and have the familiarity of comfort food.

Merival

Kiwi Jr. PHOTO: PADRIAN MCLEOD

PHOTO: BECCA HOWES

What to try: Fried siomai are pork dumplings like you’ve never experienced.

BORDER CROSSING serves hearty, familiar pub dishes in generous portions. Burgers, fries, chicken wings, all the bar-food classics are here.

What to try: They’ve got a pretty killer reuben sandwich, and it’s not too heavy in the stomach either.

Ginger Beef

Stucco PHOTO: SEBASTIAN BUZZALINO

Music to look forward to T

his year, East Town Get Down offers an insanely broad range of music: country, folk, punk, pop, and even some genre-agnostic offerings. All can be found across the 10-venue crawl.

Headlining the festival is Kiwi Jr., a Toronto-based band of childhood friends currently working on their fourth album. They’ve been praised for their refined and sturdy approach to indie-pop rock, with Exclaim! referring to them as “one of the best indie rock bands around.”

“We like to draw on our influences, for sure, but we also like to kind of pivot and make things interesting and less obvious to the listener,” says Brian Murphy, the band’s guitar player and keyboardist. “Whether it's a chord change that you might not see coming, a funny lyric, a poignant lyric, or a chaotic drum fill. We like to inject things that make people kind of sort of bend their ears a little bit.”

Kiwi Jr. has played in a few interesting venues, from an auto body shop-turned-vintage-clothing-warehouse to an Italian castle courtyard.

Murphy notes that playing non-traditional venues can be difficult to make work, but that he trusts Kruegar and the festival to get it right.

“She's bringing stages to all these places. She's bringing P.A.’s and backline,” says Murphy. “It's not easy to build a show in a restaurant or a cafe. You kind of have to build it from the ground up. It takes a lot of work.”

thescenecalgary.com | 05 | 2025

PHOTO: HOLDFAST PHOTOGRAPHY

MASSAWA takes customers to Eritrea with its signature injera — a soft, spongy flatbread — served alongside aromatic stews and traditional accompaniments.

What to try: Give gored gored a try — Ethiopia’s unofficial national dish!

Anna Horvath, a more folk-leaning singer-songwriter who performs under the name Merival, is another Toronto artist coming to ETGD. She’s best known for her enchanting voice and her personable stage presence.

“A lot of people cry at my shows,” says Horvath. “'I’m always trying to capture a sense of the tension of what it is to be a human and question constantly the things around you, whether that be relationships or the way the world works.”

Horvath is excited to be playing at a festival that so heavily relies on non-conventional spaces. She has a love for playing house shows and record shop sets. One of her most memorable performances was in a park gazebo on a rainy day. Horvath focuses on transcending the audience from their surroundings.

“At the peak of a Merival performance, I'm really weaving that world and people are really caught in it,” says Horvath. “I'll tuck into any little corner that's ready to have me.”

Both Kiwi Jr. and Merival are not only pleased to be part of the fest, but are also looking forward to playing next to recognized Alberta talents. Local highlights from the ETGD lineup include Abby Webster, Ginger Beef, Jolene Marie, Sea of Lettuce, Stucco, and Vissia. “[Calgary is] definitely punching above your weight when it comes to good bands and good artists,” says Murphy.

SAIGON CHEF crafts Vietnamese cuisine empowered by family recipes of fresh classics like pho, hot pot, and our faves, the subs.

What to try: Bánh mì subs are perfect for grabbing and going to the next show.

PACIFIC HUT is another Filipino joint specializing in homestyle cooking that captures the nostalgia and authentic taste of the islands.

What to try: If you haven’t experienced longaniza sausage before, now’s your chance.

KOKONUT KOVE is a laid-back bar with no-frills, satisfying pub grub that delivers pure comfort on a plate. A good watering hole to take a break between bands.

What to try: Jalapeño poppers are a classic for a reason.

BRAVO reimagines Latin American street food, packing each bite with bold flavours and vibrant ingredients that celebrate the region’s rich culinary culture.

What to try: Carnitas tacos. Enough said.

19

The Scene’s

PATIO GUIDE

COLD GARDEN BEVERAGE COMPANY When it comes to local breweries and patios, does anyone do it better than Cold Garden? Bustling, vibrant, and typically packed on a sunny Friday, get ready to get cozy with your neighbours after finding a sought-after seat on Cold Garden’s patio.

Child- and fur-child-friendly, bring your favourite snacks (yes, outside food is not only allowed but encouraged) while you sip on favourites like the Red Smashed in Buffalo Jump or This Must Be the IPA (both just $7). 1100 11 St. S.E., coldgarden.ca

Whether you’re searching for a patio

LAST BEST BREWING & DISTILLING

with a view, a local brew or one that welcomes your furry friend, we’ve rounded up a range of spots to check out this season.

BY SARAH COMBER

I

Two House Brewing Taproom & Pizza

n Calgary, there really are only two seasons: winter and patio.

When it comes to the latter, any Calgarian worth their salt knows that the brief interlude between snow and more snow necessitates making the most of the sunshine.

From favourite haunts to brand new spots, Calgary is chock-full of places to soak up some rays and cold ones. Let’s explore them. Welcome to The Scene’s Guide to Patio Season!

ROOFTOP

PATIOS

PHOTO: KRIS TWYMAN

BREWERY

PATIOS

THE ROOFTOP YYC Offering a year-round climate-controlled patio space, keep Rooftop in mind when you want patio vibes, but it’s that one day it rains in Calgary. Transformed into a tropical oasis complete with faux flora and bright pink umbrellas hanging from the ceiling for spring, get ready to snap a photo of an Aperol Spritz tree shared with your besties. 414 3 St. S.W., therooftop.ca

KING EDDY Calgary’s vibrant live music venue in the historic King Edward Hotel is the place to go

20

Escape downtown traffic by slipping into Last Best’s tucked-away patio. With cozy features like a fire pit, picnic tables and high walls that keep out the dust and noise, call up your crew to sample local brews such as the classic Tokyo Drift Hazy IPA, or satiate your thirst with the Purple Crusher for only $7.50.

607 11 Ave. S.W., lastbestbrewing.com

BITTER SISTERS BREWING CO.

TWO HOUSE BREWING TAPROOM & PIZZA

This family-run Calgary brewery is tucked away on Heritage Drive. The enclosed, colourful patio highlights greenery and ample umbrellas. The patio is dog- and kid-friendly (the latter can hang out in the space until 9 p.m.), and it’s also the ideal spot to sip on Bitter Sister brews such as the Rosso Coffee Porter or the Uncle Philsner (both $9). 510 Heritage Dr. S.W., bittersisters.co

A not-so-hidden gem in the southwest community of Sunalta, Two House Brewing’s spacious patio best suits soaking up the sun while feasting on a stacked sandwich, like the Mortadella or Braised Brisket served on house-made bread. Wash it all down with a pint of Juicebox NEIPA or the Yuzu Shio Lager, decently priced at $8. 1901 10 Ave. S.W., twohousebrew.ca

to catch a show, whether you have a fondness for a chill acoustic afternoon or are ready to soak in some serious blues. The rooftop patio offers a stunning view of downtown and the Stampede Grounds, as well as a close-up view of the Studio Bell building. 1030 9 Ave. S.E., kingeddy.ca

indecisive? Choose a split pie for only $30.

618 Confluence Way S.E., connieandjohns.com

CONNIE & JOHN’S Located on top of the Simmons Building in East Village, this restaurant offers panoramic views of the Bow River and downtown while serving New York- and Detroit-style pizza. Feeling

KORILLA KOREAN BBQ Whether you head to Korilla Korean BBQ for the vibes, the food or the drinks, you won’t be disappointed. At night, string upon string of twinkly lights illuminate the rooftop patio looking down on 17th Avenue. Sip on cocktails like the Somsatang — topped with bright blue cotton candy — and the Swimming Polar Bear (both $12) while enjoying the delights of Korean barbecue.1410 17 Ave. S.W., korilla.ca

thescenecalgary.com | 05 | 2025

NEW PATIOS

IBU Restaurant and Bar

IBU RESTAURANT AND BAR

PUPFRIENDLY

PATIOS

Porch

CENTRAL BELTLINE

THE MASH (SELECT LOCATIONS)

Don’t choose between hanging out with your doggo and going out to weekend brunch — at Central’s Beltline location, your furry friend can chill with your favourite humans while you dig into a smashed avocado and tomato benny ($18) or a chorizo power bowl ($21). Enjoy lush greenery, bright yellow umbrellas and good vibes on Central’s spacious patio. 224 12 Ave. S.W., centralrestaurants.ca

Three of The Mash’s five Calgary locations offer comfy patios that welcome your four-legged bestie too. Not only can you munch on dill pickle and bacon pizza, but Bruno, Luna or Gunner can enjoy a “Pawsome Pizza” made with dog-friendly and healthy ingredients. Every Pawsome Pizza helps support Alberta Animal Rescue and Crew Society.

20 Longview Common S.E.; Mahogany Centre S.E.; and 1126 Kensington Rd. N.W., masheats.ca

ONE NIGHT STAN'S BAR ROOM & DIVERY You and your dog can embrace the dive bar vibes at One Night Stan’s while relaxing on the patio. A lowkey spot welcome to all — whether you show up in a three-piece-suit, yoga pants, or anything in between — One Night Stan’s loves its #diverydogs and serves no-fuss drinks and lovingly prepared food out of its tiny kitchen. 520 17 Ave. S.W., onenightstans.ca

SHIP & ANCHOR What patio round-up is complete without mentioning this Calgary institution? Those who go know what to expect. For those who’ve given the Ship a miss in years past, now is your chance to experience Calgary's melting pot of soccer fans, music heads, and dogs! Lather on the sunscreen (no umbrellas and limited shade) and prepare to squish next to a stranger who will quickly become a new friend. 534 17 Ave. S.W., shipandanchor.com

From the father and son team behind Expatasia comes IBU, where patrons are promised “casual dining — serious food.” Featuring an Asian-inspired menu with a Western flair, diners can expect a refined version of what Expatasia offers (think crispy roasted pork belly and tiger cauliflower), a killer cocktail menu, and a selection of local draft beers. Opening this August, cozy up at a fire table on the south-facing, 45-seat patio and soak in the good vibes. 2915 14 St. S.W., ibuyyc.com

SMALL BAR It's said good things come in small packages, and Small Bar — which has replaced muchloved Bridgeland staple Cannibale Bar & Barbershop — is no exception. While plans are in the works to update the patio, for now regulars familiar with the location can continue to enjoy patio highlights like the cozy fireplace. Happy hour runs from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., and includes an old-fashioned for $10, and Canadian-made drafts for $6. 813 1 Ave. N.E., smallbarbridgeland.ca

UNION SOCIAL ROOM BRIDGELAND This new neighbourhood haunt highlights “good food, good drinks and good company” without any fuss. Locally owned and operated, Union Social Room unites chef-driven dishes, unique cocktails — including the Bridgeland 75, which

PORCH

Punk Rock Singalong on the Ship & Anchor Patio

thescenecalgary.com | 05 | 2025

If bougie rather than lowkey is you and your pup’s vibe, then head down to Instagram-worthy Porch. Opt for a patio seat with views of bustling 17th Avenue with your four-legged friend in tow, or leave Fluffy at home and take the outdoors inside while sitting on a swing — yes, as in a wooden swing suspended by rope from the ceiling.

730 17 Ave. S.W., porchyyc.com

True Wild Distilling PHOTO: FRANK ARCHITECTURE

features Empress gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and prosecco for $13 — and locally crafted beer, all designed to be shared with friends, family and the community. 60 9 St. N.E., unionsocialroom.com

LUSI ITALIAN KITCHEN AND BAR Brought to Calgary by the team behind Broken Plate Greek Restaurant, Lusi offers classic Italian dishes married to a casual-contemporary style. Warm and welcoming, Lusi’s quaint patio seats about 20. Located in a bustling area complete with greenery and flowers, it’s the ideal spot to sip on a chilled rosé, nibble on the antipasto board, and people-watch.

1772 33 St. S.W., lusiyyc.ca

ACME PIZZA & PASTA CO. SUNNYSIDE After a sad farewell to Sunnyside’s beloved Vendome, the community excitedly welcomed Acme Pizza to the historic spot. Along with offering lunch and dinner, with pizzas like the parmigiana ($21) and chicken alfredo ($23), the newly opened location also offers brunch, including traditional brunch dishes such as eggs Benedict on house-baked focaccia. The patio will be open intermittently throughout the summer, and sidewalk construction is pending.

940 2 Ave. N.W., acmepasta.ca

TRUE WILD DISTILLING Built inside a heritage building constructed in 1911, the interior design at True Wild is truly show-stopping. The newly opened patio, however, is not to be overlooked. With ample seating in keeping with the distillery’s classic aesthetic, while away the hours sipping on a build-yourown martini, integrate the distillery’s Breaker Box gin or vodka. Or, cozy up around one of two fire pits and partake in a whisky tasting.

3115 11 St. S.E., truewilddistilling.com

21

SPORTS SCENE

The Dawgs of Okotoks BASEBALL IS ALIVE AND WELL, JUST SOUTH OF THE CITY

BY WILL FISHER

C

algary isn’t exactly synonymous with baseball. Hockey usually takes centre stage, with the Flames and Wranglers dominating the sports conversation. The diamond takes a backseat to the rink, hiding a gem just 20 minutes outside the city.

But take a quick cruise down Macleod Trail (or Deerfoot, depending on how you plan your route) and you’ll find a haven for baseball still thriving here in the prairies — oldhead Cannons fans, this one’s for you!

The Okotoks Dawgs play in the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL), a collegiate summer league, along with 11 other teams from Alberta and Saskatchewan. They have won three straight titles, highlighted by a walk-off championship victory last summer courtesy of hometown hero and infielder Connor Crowson.

They have a rabid, loyal fanbase that make Seaman Stadium a must-visit for any die-hard baseball fan, folks looking for fun summer nights out with the family, or anyone who just wants a cold beer with a killer view. In other words, everyone.

“This place is special,” says Lou Pote, head coach of the Dawgs and former World Series champion with the Los Angeles Angels. “The fans, the support they give us, the community support we get. There’s probably no other place in Canada like it.”

The Dawgs started as a youth travel team in 1995, modelling themselves after top U.S. programs. They found so much success that every single member of the original squad wound up with a college scholarship.

Now, the Dawgs Academy trains some of Canada’s best young ball players, helping over 250 athletes earn spots on college rosters and 26 get themselves drafted to the MLB. They travel across the west of Canada and the U.S., playing more than 60 games a season.

And as for the diamond, it ain’t half bad. In fact, it was named the best summer-collegiate diamond by Ballpark Digest in 2023. It packs in over 4,700 fans a night during the summer, playing home to a top-ranked team that is full of hometown talent. The Dawgs roster includes

22

Seaman Stadium PHOTO: ANGELA BURGER

17 Canadians, including cruiting and developing nine Albertans. Five top talent to play in were born in Okotoks or front of the Okotoks Calgary. crowd. But the fanbase, “It's their big leagues, the people who come right?” says Pote. “Playto Seaman Stadium ing in a packed house, every night, are just as having little kids looking important. up to them, wanting their “Our job is to give autographs … They went the best experience to through that experience the fans,” says Valenwhen they were younger, tine Helldobler, assistand now they’re in it.” ant general manager of The Dawgs have won the Dawgs. “Our goal the most championships is to have people show LOU POTE, DAWGS MANAGER in WCBL history, with up with a smile on their eight dating back to face and leave with a 2004. They’ve threepeatsmile on their face.” ed twice, first from 2007 to 2009, and are backCheap tickets, cheaper beer, affordable ballto-back-to-back champs heading into their 2025 park food, and over 25 promo nights mean just season. But of course, they’re not satisfied. about anyone can find their way to Seaman Sta“That’s the expectation here. We win, and we dium and have a blast. Whether it’s Christmas want to reload. We owe it to the fans to put a in July or fan appreciation night, there’s always great product on the field,” says Pote. something going on. And children 10 and under The Dawgs know how to build a roster, reget in for free, so the whole family is invited.

“The fans, the support they give us, the community support we get. There’s probably no other place in Canada like it.”

“We get so much community support, we feel we need to put on the best entertainment for everyone,” says Helldobler. “And it’s much more than baseball; it's like the fans are their own little family.”

The Dawgs have forged a relationship with Okotoks through community engagement. From participating in the annual holiday festival Light Up Okotoks to visiting schools and running a summer baseball camp, the southern Alberta town has formed a bond between the players and their fans.

And Okotokians love their sports. “Okotoks is just a sports town in general. You go to watch a Bisons playoff run, or the Oilers, people just love the competition here,” says Pote.

Bottom line? A Dawgs game makes for a cheap, fun summer night, whether you’re a baseball fan or just looking for an affordable night out.

And who knows, maybe the Dawgs will make a baseball fan of you yet.

The Okotoks Dawgs start their journey to a four-peat on May 28 against the Medicine Hat Mavericks. Grab your tickets at dawgsbaseball.ca.

thescenecalgary.com | 05 | 2025

MAY 2025

@YYCTRIVIA

ALL EVENTS $5/PP

UPCOMING EVENTS SUN 05/11

Trivia Killed the Radio Star (Music Trivia) 7:00pm @ Dickens

MON 05/12

Citizen Trivia (General Knowledge) 7:00pm @ Citizen Brewing Company

THU 05/15

Two Pillars Trivia (General Knowledge) 6:30pm @ Two Pillars Brewery

WED 05/21

Classic Simpsons Trivia 7:00pm @ Dickens

MON 05/26

Citizen Trivia (General Knowledge) 7:00pm @ Citizen Brewing Company

TUE 05/27

Two Pillars Trivia (General Knowledge) 6:30pm @ Two Pillars Brewery

WED 05/28

Six Degrees of Movie Trivia 7:00pm @ Dickens

THU 05/29

Radio Retro (70s/80s/90s/00s Name That Tune) 7:00pm @ Establishment Brewing Company

Purchase Tickets Today! h se

ACP Special Presentation Engagement Sponsor

Public Sector Support

Media Sponsors

Hospitality Sponsor

Purc ickets 403-294-9494artscommons.ca/mixtape

artscommons.ca/mixtape

June 25

Artists, programs, and dates subject to change.

FEATURE

Panel One CALGARY’S INDIE COMIC RENAISSANCE

CONTINUES TO AMPLIFY CANADIAN CREATIONS

BY KRISTA SYLVESTER

I

The V-Card, Written by DALLAS CASAVANT / Art by NICK JOHNSON

24

t doesn’t have the glitzy, corporate, mainstream vibe that most comic conventions are known for — and that’s exactly how they drew it up.

Born from a single tweet and fuelled by the passion of local artists, Calgary’s Panel One Comic Creator Festival has evolved from a grassroots celebration of indie comics into a non-profit powerhouse that champions original, Canadian, creator-owned comics. The superhero origin story goes like this: a group of like-minded creators met up at a podcast summit in 2016 with the intention to create an intimate show that was more community-driven than the larger comic conventions.

Six months later, a group of volunteers was bringing the inaugural Panel One Comic Creator Festival to life — and it was a hit.

Artist Hartley Rose, president of Panel One Comics Society, has been a comic fan since she was a child, and was particularly interested in how creators bring their stories to life. In 2016, she connected with her Panel One peers just before the first Comic Creator Festival.

“For years, I saw myself as a supporter, not a creator — until the incredible Panel One community changed that,” Rose explains.

“This community has really shaped my journey and it’s [made] a huge impact on my life.”

Rose says Calgary’s comic and graphic storytelling community is nothing short of “astonishing,” and she marvels at the talent within.

“This city is home to a diverse and passionate group of creators who are dedicated to bringing their stories to life. There are so many creators, at all stages of their careers, who make this city’s community so vibrant,” she adds.

Whether through traditional comics, indie

zines or experimental sequential art, Rose believes Calgary’s storytellers are pushing boundaries and redefining the medium in experimental ways. “It’s amazing to have a rich ecosystem of talent working with major publishers, small presses or self-publishing work that is spanning every genre imaginable.”

Rose says the festival shines the spotlight on storytellers who don’t always get space at the larger pop culture shows, connecting them with old and new readers.

In other words, Panel One isn’t just about browsing booths; it’s about community. The Sketch Sessions — a community-focused arts group facilitated by Panel One — offers artists a space to collaborate and grow, whether through life drawing at the Calgary Zoo or experimenting with new comic formats. These sessions are open to everyone, fostering a culture of shared learning and creative exploration. ​ Calgary writer and musician Rob Gruszecki teamed up with his sister-in-law, Nicole Gruszecki, to bring their comic, STAN, to life and this year’s event will likely feature them showcasing the last issue of their collaborative project. His introduction to comics is a familiar story, as he tells it.

“Older brother likes cool stuff, and younger brother wants to be just like older brother, so he reads, listens to and watches everything that is recommended by older brother,” Gruszecki says.

The talented writer finds it refreshing to reflect on Calgary’s comic community and witness such vibrant creativity and artistry.

“I can tell you with certainty that the indie scene is thriving in Calgary. Accessibility to awesome books is easier, the scope and reach is broader, the variety and diversity is wider than ever, and anyone who wants to make anything can do so easily,” he explains.

“I think the industry is better than it’s ever been. And the Panel One Festival showcases exactly that, beautifully.”

thescenecalgary.com | 05 | 2025

HOMEGROWN COMIC ARTISTS TO CHECK OUT

In Rob Gruszecki’s words:

Panel One Comic Creator Festival PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER DICKINSON

“Calgary is bursting with unique voices and perspectives. People like Jillian Fleck (Cheryl), Cam Hayden (Pinocchio & Jesus), Justin Heggs and Cam Hayden (Death Metal Duck), Shea Proulx (Just Happy to See You), Shol Uehara (Repose), Kyle Simmers (Pass Me By) to those working in the big leagues like Fiona Staples (Saga), Tyler Jenkins (Peter Panzerfaust), and Riley Rossmo (The Moon is Following Us) are all making some of the most exciting and original work in the medium and that’s just to name a couple.

If you look for locally produced, independent publications in Calgary and visit local shops in your neighbourhood, you’ll trip over incredible stories built outside of the constrictions of editorial edicts and bottom lines.”

Gruszecki is heavily influenced by the punk You might also remember Nick from our feature budgets and timelines don’t restrain rock scene, which is inherently rooted in DIY (doon the 48-Hour Filmmaking Challenge last him. it-yourself) mentality, uncompromised visions issue — he’s a filmmaker, and directed/wrote/ “I am overjoyed to be focusing on “Calgary has a rich history of comic talent with huge and outrageous artistic exploration. In fact, you produced the animated film Sunburnt Unicorn, comics once again, where the only names like John Byrne (X-Men), Cary Nord (Conan), can catch him around town playing with local which debuted locally at last year’s Calgary real restraint is your imagination. It Riley Rossmo (Martian Manhunter, Harley Quinn), and acts like Chixdiggit, Julius Sumner Miller, and International Film Festival. all comes down to you, a pencil and Fiona Staples (Saga) — ­ yet we also have a thriving comhis folk-punk project Ghost Factory, as well as Johnson’s work ranges from sci-fi to horror to a blank page,” he says, adding that it munity of independent and small press creators making leading Rob and Eric’s Punk Rock Singalong at Canadian history and autobiography, all united by offers “unbridled creativity.” unique, emotional and/or downright absurd comics the Ship & Anchor all summer long.

“Comics can engage with for people of all ages and interests. The creativity and This familiarity with the music readers and their emotions “ T H I S C I T Y I S H O M E TO A passion are scene is hugely beneficial to his in a unique and effective boundless, and at art. “Being invested in a scene that way. Comics play with time D I V E R S E A N D PA S S I O N AT E Panel One, there celebrates any and all talent or and space across every is a comic for skill levels, as long as you’ve got page and compel readers to G R O U P O F C R E ATO R S everyone. As for an interesting point of view, fueled empathize with somesome of my local a natural progression into indie times bizarre yet relatable W H O A R E D E D I C AT E D TO favourite artists: comics and alternative art.” characters, making each Jillian Fleck, Kat As much as Gruszecki enjoys bigstory an exciting challenge B R I N G I N G T H E I R S TO R I E S Simmers and name comics and superheroes, he’s to draw and read.”

Shol Uehara.” more captivated by the imagination Johnson will also be at TO L I F E .” of creator-owned projects that this year’s Panel One sellcan be discovered and explored at ing comics, doing sketches HARTLEY ROSE, PRESIDENT OF Panel One. and coordinating a variety PANEL ONE COMICS SOCIETY “Ultimately, I write and draw of panels and workshops focused on comics so that my brain doesn’t making and appreciating comics. explode and being surrounded The Panel One Comic and Creator by other creators, which the Panel One festival expressive characters, energetic storytelling and Festival goes down on May 25 from 11 a.m. to 6 provides in spades, is a constant inspiration to bold colours. He says a big part of his growth is p.m. inside the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community keep making cool stuff.” the level of excellence in the local community.

Association. This one-day event features more That’s a sentiment echoed by Calgary’s Nick “The inspiration and creativity of the Calgary than 60 Canadian comic creators converging on Johnson, who has been writing, drawing and comic community have been essential to my Calgary to hock their zines, graphic novels, and self-publishing comics since he was in high development as a creator,” he says. “It has been art prints. Entry is by donation, making it accessschool more than 25 years ago. He has worked so exciting to watch it change and grow over the ible to all, and the table fee is only $60. as a solo cartoonist and collaborator while years.”

For more information or to register, visit honing his craft as a writer, artist, and colourist.

What Johnson loves about the craft is that panelone.ca.

In Nick Johnson’s words:

thescenecalgary.com | 05 | 2025

25

CREATIVE SCENE

How We Create: Motherhood BEING A PARENT IS, IN SOME WAYS, A CREATIVE ENDEAVOR

BY KENNA BURIMA

F

ive years ago, I was struggling to navigate early motherhood. Sleep deprivation, isolation, and lack of bodily autonomy blended into a potent cocktail of postpartum depression. One particularly dark night, I realized that I hadn’t written a song in years, but returning to songwriting felt as impossible as it did essential. I began to drag myself to the piano every night after I’d put my daughter to sleep.

As I sat there immobilized, I prayed for a song to come as much as I prayed for my daughter to sleep. The two became intimately connected; my songwriting and my daughter sleeping. This symbiotic relationship transformed my artistic practice and my last album While She Sleeps was born from its creative revolution.

THE ULTIMATE ACT OF CREATION Ava Wheeler is a multimedia visual artist who makes beautiful, vibrant things in a 750-squarefoot house with three daughters, three cats and two gerbils. Along with an autoimmune disease and battling cancer, one could say it’s an enormous feat of creation to be here at all.

Speaking with Wheeler, I was struck by how mothers never seem to carry one thing. We carry all things; within us and all around us.

“My inspiration is really circular,” Wheeler says. “In the way that I need to see it and feel it around me, and then let it inspire me. So, I feel like my art is a kind of living thing that I create. It has movement. It kind of breathes and wanders and waves. I think if I'm still creating, I'm speaking my existence. I'm still here.”

It’s a funny thing though; creating and building life within us sometimes robs us of our artist identities. I haven’t met an artist mom who hasn’t had to reckon with the ways our roles as mothers negate our lives as artists. We devote ourselves to our families, homes and communities and yet devoting ourselves to our art can seem inconceivable. But as I experienced, if we don’t, we lose ourselves and are left with the distinct feeling that something is missing, even when our lives are so full.

26

Aimee-Jo Benoit

Ava Wheeler

Carmen Paterson

PHOTO: MELANIE GAUER

PHOTO: GENERAL AUDITIONS

“IF YOU’RE AN ARTIST, YOU WAKE UP AND YOU'RE AN ARTIST. YOU’RE FOCUSING ON RAISING A FAMILY, WORKING ANOTHER JOB TO PAY THE BILLS, AND HAVEN’T STEPPED ON STAGE OR PULLED OUT YOUR PAINTS IN YEARS?

YOU'RE STILL AN ARTIST.” KENNA BURIMA

CORRALLING THE CHAOS Singer Aimee-Jo Benoit, a mother of three, knows this well. She’s been writing and talking about motherhood and music for over a decade, and navigates it all with grace and understanding for the endless needs of those around her.

[ED. Note: You may also recognize Benoit from The Scene’s Q&A last month!]

“Most of the time, my motions to create feel like a series of Hail Marys,” says Benoit. “Amidst the cosmic and comic chaos that is a home with a partner in event production, and three active kids, I eke out moments in which I plan to make music. And I think planning is the only thing I can

actually do sometimes. The rest is folly. Planning is the creation of steps, and steps lead to a pathway, but where the pathway leads is not up to us.

My pathway is influenced by so many variables, and we hold those variables close.”

Artist and actor Carmen Paterson acknowledges the chaos and believes honouring the seasons of life can assist with traversing the sometimes-confusing time of creative fallow.

As the mother of two young boys, Carmen has embraced this phase of her life and sees alignment with how she lives her life and the different stages of the creative process. Sometimes it’s everything, everywhere, all at once.

“It’s the season that you're in. When you

can do art, when you can't, when it's bubbling underneath, and when it's ready to go,” says Paterson. “Sometimes it’s just all these things simultaneously. But as for practical practice … it flows in between all the chaos. My practice feels nonexistent right now because so much creative energy is in my kids. Let’s face it, I’m tired! But I know it’s brewing underneath. When the time is right, I’ll be able to jump into a new pond or maybe an ocean of creativity rooted in this newfound motherhood.”

ALWAYS AN ARTIST Ultimately, artist moms have this incredible perspective and appreciation for how our art and our children come from the same place. As Wheeler puts it, “I just want to leave little tokens, because I love the idea of existing after I don't.”

I’ve come to believe that we artists can’t compartmentalize our lives. If you’re an artist, you wake up and you're an artist. You’re focusing on raising a family, working another job to pay the bills, and haven’t stepped on stage or pulled out your paints in years? You're still an artist. You're always an artist. It’s the chaos of our lives that convinces us we can’t possibly make time for ourselves, our creativity or our artistic practice.

Kenna Burima is a Calgary-based songwriter, musician, mother and teacher.

thescenecalgary.com | 05 | 2025

VENUE

The Prairie Emporium THE NASHVILLE SONGWRITERS CIRCLE TRADITION LIVES AT THIS COZY VENUE NESTLED INSIDE A MANCHESTER MOTORBIKE SHOP

BY MARY-LYNN WARDLE

N

estled deep in a Calgary industrial neighbourhood, The Prairie Emporium snuck onto the Calgary arts scene with a soft opening of outdoor events in 2021, though at the time it hadn’t fully shed its vibes of being an underutilized automotive repair bay. Restrictions on indoor events waned, and eventually the indoor portion of the space was fully redesigned and renovated. By then, events were in full swing — as such, coowners Jenn Kwan and Dan Clapson never had a big celebratory official opening. But that didn’t matter, because the place was already hopping.

And at 50 to 75 people per event, even a packed house is intimate.

Located in Calgary’s Alyth/Bonnybrook district, The Prairie Emporium is decorated with ramshackle vintage touches that give patrons an inviting and sometimes perplexing array of things to look at. It’s not quite completely a bar or a restaurant, though it is licensed as both. It is neither stage nor theatre, although live music is often on offer and movies and video screen

there on a regular basis. So, what is The Prairie Emporium?

Well, in the daytime, it’s a coffee place, and on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights it’s usually open as a bar. Beyond that, you can book the space and the venue staff will work with you to make it whatever you want it to be.

Being adjacent to Ill-Fated Kustoms (who offer customized motorcycle work) means the space was used by Kwan for a lot of motorcycle events. With Clapson’s background in music and pop-up events, the duo brought their depth of experience to create the meet-you-halfway concept. The funky, comfortable space is perfect for private parties or community gatherings, and can be rented for events like album releases, fashion shows, private screenings, birthday or anniversary parties, weddings, drag events and beyond. Ample parking is available, and it’s a 20-minute walk to both the Chinook and 39 Avenue CTrain Stations.

The Emporium is also home to Blue Jay Sessions, an independent songwriters' session featuring swapped songs and stories between artists sitting together in the round. Inspired by the tradition of “songwriter rounds” in Nash-

QUICK FACTS ADDRESS: 334 53 Ave. S.E., inside Ill-Fated Kustoms.

HOURS: Event-dependent, but from Tuesday to Saturday, you can order coffee from the Ill-Fated Kustoms coffee bar and hang out in the space.

PARKING SITUATION: There’s a decent-size parking lot out front, plus streetside parking.

If you come for a coffee during the day, you’ll compete for space with Ill-Fated Kustoms customers.

CAPACITY: Space for 65 seated, and up to 85 including standing room.

VIBE: Quirky, vintage, and cozy, with lots of old rugs, warm lighting, and classic diner energy.

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FOOD RECCS: The Montreal bagel dip platter is a must-try, and if you happen to catch one of their PRASÁTKO Czech pop-ups, the chicken paprikash wings are deadly.

DRINK RECCS: It sounds basic, but the black coffee is fragrant and strong. As for boozier offerings, you can’t go wrong with a Dandy tallboy.

CONSIDERATIONS: Wear good shoes; both the Chinook and 39 Avenue CTrain stations are a 15 to 20 minute walk away.

GO HERE IF: You want to experience some Nashville music spirit, a strong cup of joe, and some of Calgary’s most promising emerging songwriters.

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ville and named for the historic Bluebird Cafe, these events happen (usually) on a bi-monthly basis. Tickets for the spring edition of Blue Jay Sessions are currently on sale for May 8, hosted

by Calgary musical gemstone Kue Varo and featuring Carter Felker and Robert Adam, among others. The sessions continue May 9 with McKindred hosting Ashley Ghostkeeper, Keira Myer, Cruz Vallis, along with more musicians. They tend to sell out, so grab tickets quickly!

There have been a wide variety of events to date, giving Clapson lots to choose from as he recounts some of his favourite moments. “The Ill-Fated Kustoms annual riding season kick-off events are always an exciting one for many folks that love to ride, so that’s definitely a highlight every year.”

Clapson continues, “We always have a special place in our hearts for our annual holiday-themed sessions that happen in late November. We transform our space with a ton of vintage Christmas decor and the music and comfort food and bevvies, [which] makes for a cozy time.”

Recently, there was even a multi-course dinner event inspired by the movie Wicked. “[It]

thescenecalgary.com | 05 | 2025

featured food by chef Katelin Lavoie and me, cocktails by Jenn Kwan, live performances by ZENON and hosted by drag queen Nada Nuff. It has been the highlight of 2025 so far!”

Speaking of the food and cocktails, Prairie Emporium prides itself on offering a full bar of Canadian-only products, including drinks from Dandy Brewing and Blindman Brewing, who both sponsor the Blue Jay Sessions. They love to present many variations of the Caesar, and offer Canuck-forward menu items like maple-bacon baked brie, Montreal bagel dip platter, poutine hot dogs, and butter tarts. “We have a liquor license … legally, we are a licensed restaurant and bar, and we run the food and drink service

for events, either private or public.”

For private events, there is an online form where people can suggest what they want.

“Private events can range from a fun baby shower on a Sunday afternoon to a milestone birthday party with food, featured cocktails and a DJ,” says Clapson. “It really runs the gamut.”

Besides the Blue Jay Sessions, there is an upcoming fun and funky “high tea” event for Mother’s Day, May 11. May 23 is the Sad Girls Tour, a music and vintage pop-up collaboration from Good Gals Vintage and Calgary-based singer Amy Nelson. And May 30 and 31 will feature Clapson’s Czech-inspired food pop-up, PRASÁTKO, where he crafts mouthwatering

fusion foods like goulash poutine and pickled camembert.

The Prairie Emporium can flex for almost any kind of event. “[It’s] for folks looking to put on album release shows, program their own live music in general, and have a food pop-up,” says Clapson.” We always like to mention that [this] is a neighbourhood that does not have walk-by traffic, so making sure you’ve got a solid local following and dynamic ways to promote your event will help ensure its success.”

Visit theprairieemporium.com and their Instagram profile for upcoming events: @theprairieemporium

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CAM HAYDEN

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thescenecalgary.com | 05 | 2025

A GENERATION OF DANCE MUSIC Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra COVERING MUSIC BY Avicii • Bob Sinclar • Calvin Harris • Darude • David Guetta • Eric Prydz Fisher • Swedish House Mafia + more

THE BIG FOUR ROADHOUSE 5 SEPTEMBER 2025