Twenty musicians, singers, percussionists and dancers. Forty-eight years of professional experience. One giant of African music.
That is the tale of the tape for the upcoming concert by King Sunny Adé, who is booked to play Nanaimo’s Port Theatre on July 28 and Victoria’s Royal Theatre on July 29. The living legend, who hails from Nigeria, is considered one of the fathers of modern-day world music, having opened doors in North America to other African artists such as Youssou N’Dour.
His appearances on Vancouver Island mark his return to the area for the first time in decades, if ever (details on the often-unpredictable Adé are always difficult to come by). He hasn’t been in North America for more than seven years, according to organizers, so Adé and His African Beats are in line to receive a warm welcome.
Audiences, in return, can expect great things from the man sometimes known as the Minister of Enjoyment.
Tickets for his Victoria performance are $56 at rmts.bc.ca, 250-386-6121 or at the Royal McPherson Box Office.
For information on his Port Theatre performance, visit porttheatre.com.
Elvin Bishop is a man of two reputations. The guitar-playing Oklahoman is known mostly for his huge pop single from 1976, Fooled Around and Fell in Love, which made it to No. 3 on the Billboard singles chart. But fans of his earlier work know him to be an accomplished electric-guitar player, thanks to his work with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Bo Diddley and B.B. King, among others.
It is with that latter reputation in mind that Bishop has been booked to headline Summertime Blues at Maffeo-Sutton Park in Nanaimo. Produced by the Nanaimo Blues Society, the Aug. 28-30 event also includes two more heavyweight headliners, blues queen Marcia Ball and Zydeco king C.J. Chenier. Rounding out the roster are Little Victor, Harp Dog Brown, Jack Semple, Poppa Dawg, Murray Porter, Uncle Wiggly, Deb Rhyme and Jason Buie, among others.
Tickets are available now at the Port Theatre box office and porttheatre.com. Early bird passes are $69.95 through June 30, after which they increase to $79.95. Single-day passes are $20 (Friday) and $40 (Saturday or Sunday).
For more information on the festival, visit nanaimobluesfestival.com.
The second of three instalments in the Houseguest series gets underway today with two seatings at Olo Restaurant (509 Fisgard St.).
Bartender Jordan Felix of Portland’s Multnomah Whiskey Library will join staff from Olo at the event, which showcases culinary talent from communities around B.C. and the U.S. Pacific Northwest. Today’s seatings feature cocktail selections from Felix paired with a family-style meal from chef Bradley Holmes.
Tickets for the event are $60 at eventbrite.ca. Seatings are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. For details about the series, visit leftcoasthouseguest.com.
Juno-nominated performer Kathryn Calder is headlining a concert June 17 benefitting ALS patients and their families.
Calder, whose mother died from the disease, will be joined at the event by special guests Daniel Lapp, the B.C. Fiddle Orchestra, Keating School students, San Felix and others.
Proceeds from the concert will benefit the Victoria Hospitals Foundation, which supports families and patients suffering from the motor-neuron disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Tickets are $22.50 at the Royal McPherson Box Office, online at rmts.bc.ca, or 250-386-6121.
For information on the event, visit cycleofhope.ca.
Boy-band holdover Aaron Carter gave a much-discussed performance at the Strathcona Hotel last year. The younger brother of Backstreet Boys singer Nick Carter is hoping to build off that with another set of pop and circumstance on May 30 at Distrikt nightclub.
Those wanting a sneak peak at the life of Carter should peruse his incredibly active Twitter page, on which he pays regular tribute to his mostly female fans. For an artist who no longer releases new music, nearly 450,000 followers on Twitter is proof of his enduring appeal.
Tickets are $18 at ticketzone.com, Lyle’s Place, and the Strathcona Hotel. VIP packages are available for $60.
For information, visitaaroncarterontour.com.
The Club Latino series continues at the Victoria Event Centre with a concert Friday featuring Brisas Del Palmar.
The five-piece salsa band from Santiago, Cuba, is offering a night of boleros, ballads, bachatas, cuban son, guarachas and cha cha, according to organizers. The band is set to perform at 10 p.m., with salsa dance lessons by Salsa Moderna set for 8:30 p.m. Sabor Asi Dance Company will also perform at the event.
Tickets are $15.
The Victoria Event Centre is located upstairs at 1415 Broad St.
The sixth annual Victoria Drum Fest is set for May 31 at the Marriott Hotel, with a lineup headlined by drummer Bernard Purdie.
Purdie, a funk pioneer who has played and recorded with Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin and James Brown, will be joined at the event by fellow drummers Gerry Brown, YoungPete Alexander, Aaron Edgar, Murray Creed, Mike Harrison and Phil Whipper. Purdie will be joined during the finale by the Vic High R&B Band.
Tickets are $25 through Long & McQuade, Tom Lee Music, and drumgroove.com and $30 at the door. The event runs from 12:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m.
For information, visit victoriadrumfest.ca.
