Last night - in what had to be one of my highlight Richards performances of the year - I was able to enjoy a beautiful, sold out trip through Chad VanGaalen's new record. The album Soft Airplane is a stunner, and Thursday night's set of mostly new material was the best 'indie' show I've experienced at the venue in ages. It was my third time seeing Chad, though I missed his gig here a year ago, and I have to say the guy exudes as much passion as ever. The first one I've seen where he stood while singing, behind the guitar for most of the show, his voice still amazes me with it's tentative yet ardent, wholly singular grace. His swelling fan base seemed to already adore the new record, and made for one of the hippest, most respectful crowds I've had the pleasure of enjoying a show with. The disturbingly beautiful "Willow Tree" was an obvious highlight, while "City of Electric Light" just plain glimmered. And although "Molten Light" may have induced a few flashbacks, I'm pretty grateful that I showed up late and dodged the apparent opening-act nudity. Anyone wanna elaborate on that one?

As good as the show was, a late Thursday night out seals the deal on an artistically empty turkey weekend for Jonny. I missed the must-have-been-rigged Vancouver/Calgary game, so Saturday I must make amends and witness the revenge, and other than that it'll be a load of busywork and a trip home to Cowtown. So once again I call on you readers to hit the city, as there's the usual abundance of great art to experience. Here's a handful of things I wish I had time to do...

Music

• Not a heck of a lot of music to choose from this weekend, but theres one local show tonight that is near unmissable. A No Gold performance may be the best possible way to ring in this eerily sunny weekend, as Sean was raving back in February that these guys are "pure summer. Endless summer. Drinking California Coolers on a yacht in Miami with Noah Lennox and Abe Vigoda while listening to Paul Simon." Hell yes. And No Kids are pretty swell too. At the Biltmore. Who said Vancouver was all about the noise?
• I thought Born Ruffians were a lot of fun when I saw them as an opening act a year ago... but on record, they just kind of annoy me. If you disagree, they're playing with Plants and Animals at Richards. Though honestly, if you do go to this instead of the No Gold show I really hope the smoke machine falls mid-puff and knocks your dehydrated ass out. Jenn, get a photo.
• And I just realized that Gogol Bordello, the 'multi-ethnic gypsy punk band' from New York, is playing Friday/Saturday at the Commodore. Not quite my bag, but bound to be entertaining.

Film

• The VIFF Repeats have been announced, and the one film I'll choose to recommend is Quebec director Benoit Pilon's The Necessities of Life. Despite the hype behind Passchendaele (holy shit giant Vancouver Sun pullout propaganda), "Necessities" may be the Canadian film that gets the most attention in the coming months, as it's been chosen as Canada's submission for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. The story, which takes place in Quebec circa 1952, follows an Inuit hunter with tuberculosis as he's forced to abandon his family and enter a city sanatorium. Feeling lost in the European world, he eventually befriends a young Inuit boy who helps revive his will to live through a reconnection with tradition, family, and you get it. The film is expertly crafted, and while it may follow the typical Hollywood trajectory, it only barely toes the line of schmaltz and is ultimatley both heartwarming and heartfelt.

  I spoke with Pilon last week (that interview will be up sometime soon), and it was vital to him for "The Necessities of Life" to offer audiences a story free of the cultural baggage or aesthetic contrivance which so often ends up widening the gap between our Nation's people. The film isn't about guilt or exotification, but about shared emotions and a shared reality, and owes a lot of its success to both Pilon's mature direction and an amazing performance from Natar Ungalaaq (of Fast Runner fame); I call for a 'best actor' nod. It's not on 'til Tuesday at 7:00, but I'd get those tickets early.

• You've also got one last chance to see the much-hyped Blue Gold: The Water Wars on Sunday at 7:00.

• Opening tonight, The Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery presents an exhibition of work from Belgian artist David Claerbout. On display will be a selection of video installations from the last twelve years, including a 14 hour film, itself comprised of 70 shorter pieces. With unconventional pacing and subtle shifts in focus or speed, Claerbout's work challenges assumptions and attacks the very conception of film as art. I love this kind of stuff, and you know I'll be there sometime before it closes on December 7th. Here's a review of a show earlier this year, from the Boston Globe: Is it a photo? Is it a video?

• While it's not a gallery showing, I'm really intrigued by The Vancouver Museum's new exhibit, The Unnatural History of Stanley Park, an attempt to expose some of the myths surrounding our beloved slice of 'wilderness'. Here's a Georgia Straight article on the project, and a nice YouTube video connected with the project. Perfect stoner film for when your friends come out west to visit and actually expect sunshine.
  

• Leading Ladies just started its run at Richmond's Gateway Theatre. A new play by Ken Ludwig which follows in the transvestite-comedy footsteps of classics like Tootsie & Some Like it Hot, the story revolves around two struggling British actors who pose as a dying woman's nieces in a bid to steal her inheritance. Could go either way, but it's gotten some good reception in Ontario. We'll see how it plays here. Oh, and a preview from the Sun.

• The only theatre I can recommend with complete confidence this weekend are the two latest from the Arts Club. It's your last chance to see the acclaimed Catholic School drama Doubt, or if you're looking for something a little lighter, try the often riotous and highly intellectual History Boys. Hit those links to check out my reviews of each.

• Or... meow. But honestly...
  

I'll be trying to squeeze as much artistic engagement as I can out of my 'adolescent lit' lesson plan, but what else are you up to this weekend?

photo by our own Sean Orr - and a browse through his flickr account will beat a lot of gallery visits, imho...