Birds doeth it, bees doeth it, even plague-infested fleas doeth it.” Who knew Cole Porter and 15th-century pop music lyricists had anything in common? Well, this Saturday night a small, melodious group of men and women are set to both entertain as well as enlighten you on the common ground shared by American jazz and Renaissance music. 
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Even on a regular day there’s guaranteed to be a world of interesting, sweet and downright bizarre-o moments to be experienced from the bench seat of a city bus if your eyes and mind are open to it. Public transit, after all, is the great equalizer—everybody rides the bus (no doubt somebody, sometime, got an education watching you get through the last few pages of Twilight while swaying and gripping the overhead handle). For the next three weekends, however, a bus ticket will buy you an even more sophisticated level of en masse entertainment and enlightenment—not to mention a snack (but don’t even think about eating it on the bus). more
According to Jeff Kubik, one of the founding members of Calgary-based standup and sketch comedy ensemble Kaboom… Hooray!, catching one of their shows is the second-best form of entertainment you can find in our fair city. If you do happen to find a robot circus taking place at the same time as the Kaboom crew is slated to take the stage on Wednesday, May 2 at Yuk Yuk’s, however, it’s safe to assume the show is cancelled—Kubik and company won’t be missing the chance to see that. more
In a world of computer geeks, there is perhaps none geekier than the University of Calgary’s own professor Tom Keenan. This is a dude who taught Canada’s first course on hacking before anybody called it that; he knows better than most the power and pitfalls of the Internet, and takes delight in explaining in great, nerdy detail how “some people out there are doing bad things with technology” (as he put it in a recent TED Talk). In a world of computer addicts, all of this actually makes Dr. Keenan a sexy rock star of computer science. more
A night with the stars is not only romantic, but quite a thrifty date option. In fact, it’s usually free; however, if you’re willing to put down just $20, you can exponentially improve your astro-experience. more
Nothing, they say, spoils a good walk like a game of golf. On the other hand, nothing improves a conversation like a good walk—particularly when someone is hanging on, and potentially recording, your every word for their art project. more
A few years back, when the recession was the news du jour, I pitched Swerve on the idea of a regular column about ways to have a good time in the city without spending a lot of money. That conversation turned into Cheap Date, a weekly guide for budget-conscious bon vivants who aren’t willing to let light wallets darken their social calendars. Over the years, I’ve shared things about the city that I already knew and loved and have also discovered a wealth of new and exciting things about Calgary. This being my last dispatch—and don’t worry, Cheap Date will carry on without me as a new penny-pincher picks up the torch—I thought I’d pass along my top tips. more
Sweden has really been hogging the Scandinavian spotlight lately with their Dragon Tattoo girls and World Junior Hockey gold medals and all that jazz, so it’s high time some of the other Scandinavian countries got a moment in the (midnight) sun. more
Last week I talked about how I like to stroll through ACAD’s main mall every now and then, to take in the exhibitions and soak up the creative vibes. The Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts is another space that provides the same sort of stroll. All too often, the experience with this downtown arts hub is limited to a bit of lobby loitering before and during a specific theatre performance by one of the resident companies or musical event at Jack Singer Concert Hall. But sometimes it’s better to head there without any kind of ticketed agenda just to see what you might come across. more
It’s good to get up to ACAD now and then just to mix things up a bit. Calgary’s premier art college is always a people-watching paradise of paint-splattered boots and weird hair. Plus, you’re bound to encounter some kind of visual display, whether it’s in one of the designated gallery spaces or just kind of sitting out in the middle of the main mall, that inspires you to do a double take and maybe even stop and stare. more
“Industry Night” sounds kind of intimidating, like the kind of thing where you’d need to know a secret handshake or password to get in the door. It’s really not so complicated, though. During the course of the week, certain evenings (generally Sundays and Mondays) tend to be a little quieter as far as nightlife goes, which means those who work in bars and restaurants are more likely to have the night off and be out looking for a good time of their own. Those establishments that want to attract this contingency do so by promoting an “industry night,” and that’s really all there is to it; no secret handshake required. You don’t even have to work in the biz. more
It’s a special year for the Bleak Midwinter Film Festival, a grassroots event started by Inglewood-based animators Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis. more
The heart of this city’s indie dance scene is Dancers’ Studio West, a non-profit creation and presentation space tucked into the far west corner of Sunalta. If you’re driving west on 10th Street, keep your eye out for the last building on the left before the road spits you out into the convoluted series of off-ramps that feed onto Crowchild Trail. With the elevated C-Train construction overhead and industrial neighbours, DSW definitely has a bit of a romantic edge to it. On approaching the back-alley entrance you almost expect to see Flashdance welder/dancer Alex’s 10-speed parked outside.
Every year, for three weeks in February, Dancers’ Studio West is also home to the Alberta Dance Festival, a showcase of new work by contemporary Canadian choreographers. more
Market Collective is back this weekend, bringing together local artisans, musicians, artists and arts groups under the same roof. Started in 2008 by local gal pals Angel Guerra and Angela Dione, the grassroots events are held at the “Ant Hill” building at 148 10th St. N.W., a reference to the space’s former life as the Ant Hill fabric store. more
It’s true that it only takes two to tango, but if you’re looking to make a night of it then it’s much more fun to join up with a group of tango enthusiasts and try out your moves on the dance floor at a downtown hot spot. more
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