MUSIC
What: Hot Water Music with Acres of Lions
Where: Capital Ballroom, 858 Yates St.
When: Friday, 9 p.m.
Tickets: $49.70 incl. fees (or two for $53.56 incl. fees) from admitone.com
Why: These hard-charging Florida rockers, whose music bridges the gap between post-punk and the barroom exploits of Bruce Springsteen, are celebrating the release of an excellent new album and their 29th year together, which is more than enough to warrant attention. Led by duelling singer-guitarists Chuck Ragan and Chris Wollard, Hot Water Music has plenty to offer from a stylistic perspective, and has amassed a modest but devout throng of fans like few of its ilk. That’s a recipe for success. Victoria’s Acres of Lions are opening the show, after several years on hiatus, which further adds to the appeal. Victoria gets very few shows of this quality, so don’t miss out.
THEATRE
What: Pandemonium: Master in Pieces
Where: Victoria Event Centre, 1415 Broad St.
When: Thursday through Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $29.40 from universe.com
Why: When it comes to an event by Atomic Vaudeville, the gloriously subversive local theatre company, everything is on the table. That’s certainly the case with Pandemonium: Master in Pieces, a cabaret series that pits various teams against each other “to decide the future of live theatre,” according to a release. What exactly will transpire? No one, probably not even the performers, could tell you precisely. But with this absurdist troupe of talents — which, for two decades, has staged material consistent in its quality — unpredictability is a large part of the appeal. In the words of Hunter S. Thompson, you buy the ticket and take the ride. After that, all bets are off.
COMEDY
What: Jon Dore
Where: Hecklers Bar & Grill, 123 Gorge Rd. E.
When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.
Tickets: Sold out
Why: Ottawa-raised, Alaska-based comedian Jon Dore almost always plays multiple engagements when he performs in Victoria, so it should come a no surprise that his lone show at Heckler’s comedy club next week has sold out in advance. Social media is ablaze with people looking for tickets, which in itself should tell you all you need to know about Dore. He’s a comic’s comic, with a sly, laid-back approach that has made him a top draw in Canada. He’s had his moments in the mainstream (with appearances on Conan, Inside Amy Schumer, and How I Met Your Mother) but Dore mostly flies under the radar. That’s not a bad thing given his brand of absurdist comedy, which never fails to incite a laugh riot.
mdevlin@timescolonist.com
