MUSIC
Friday, Dec. 14
The Jon and Roy Holiday Special
John and Roy headline this holiday show with guests Frazey Ford, Wake Owl, Kim Churchill and The Archers. Sounds like a folkin’ good show to me. When I think of “Holiday Special with guests,” I can’t shake the image of a cheesy ‘80s TV sitcom with scenes of a cozy living room, a tree, stockings hung above a blazing fireplace, tacky Christmas sweaters and no shortage of rum and eggnog. Let’s hope they manage to throw a “remember the spirit of Christmas” storyline into the show. No, wait, they haven’t forgotten — some proceeds are going to Our Place Society! Hey, look: is that Santa outside the window? Ssshhh!
For more info, visit atomiqueproductions.com.
Alix Goolden Hall (907 Pandora Ave.). 7:30–11:30 p.m., doors at 7 p.m. $25 advance.
Friday, Dec. 14
David Gogo’s Christmas with the Blues CD release party
Every retail store in the Western world seems to be playing Christmas music ad nauseum as soon as Halloween ends; it can all get on a person’s nerves after a while (about 0.5 seconds). But there are three ways in which holiday music can be made palatable: first, by only listening to it very close to the actual date of Christmas; second, by listening to the Vince Guaraldi Trio’s A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack; and third, by listening to up-tempo bluesy or jazzy takes on Christmas songs. Local blues phenomenon David Gogo will be providing plenty of the latter at this show. I suggest you go to get your fill of Christmas music. For the rest of the time (shopping), maybe invest in some quality earplugs.
For more info, visit hermannsjazz.com.
Hermann’s Jazz Club (753 View St.). Doors at 7 p.m. $25 advance/$28 at the door.
Thursday, Dec. 20
“End of the World” with Funk Vigilante, Scimitar and Canvas
Even if you are one of those crazies who doesn’t think our civilization is going to be obliterated by an apocalypse this December, you ought to pretend that it will for this show. After all, what better way to celebrate the end of the world than by going to a heavy metal concert? If the timing is right, Lucky Bar will be swept away by a mega-tsunami right when the last band hits its last chord. Wouldn’t that be a show to remember? Buy your tickets at Lyle’s Place, Ditch Records, B.C. Smoke Shop or Absolute Underground; buy your lifeboats, food rations and shotgun ammo elsewhere.
For more info, visit luckybar.ca.
Lucky Bar (517 Yates St.).
9 p.m. $10 advance/ $12 door.
TECHNOLOGY
Saturday, Dec. 15
Vancouver Island First LEGO League (FLL) regional robotics competition
UVic will be hosting this LEGO robotics competition in which elementary and middle-school students use LEGO-powered robots (or is it robot-powered LEGOs?) and all the engineering wits they’ve got brewing in their young minds to create robots that can improve the quality of senior citizens’ lives. LEGO wasn’t this fancy when I was a young ‘un. The only way I knew it could improve the lives of older generations was to never leave LEGO bricks lying on the floor for someone to accidentally step on. Ouch!
For more info, email michaelhammondtodd@gmail.com.
UVic MacLaurin Building. 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Free.
RECREATION
Saturdays and Sundays (until Sunday Dec. 23)
Horse-drawn trolley rides
You’ve seen the horse-drawn trolleys downtown. And even though you’ve lived in Victoria for a while, as I have, I’m going to guess that you’ve probably never taken a ride on one of them. Just like big chunks of Government Street and the Inner Harbour, they’re a tourist attraction that locals tend to avoid. Well, this holiday season, why not take a ride on one? It’s free; you can’t argue with free. Since you’ve never done it before, it’ll be just as much of a novelty for you as it is for the tourists. The trolleys follow a set route through downtown with four stops along the way, and it’s hop on, hop off at any of these stops. You know, I’ve heard that there’s a space/time rift along Shelbourne Street that takes you back in time. I think the trolleys should go through this, because a horse-drawn trolley ride would be even more fun in the past.
For more info, email info@downtownvictoria.ca or call (250) 386-2238.
Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.; Sundays, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. Free.
ARTS/CULTURE
Friday, Dec. 14
The Cheesecake Burlesque Revue presents: The Third Annual Naughty But Nice Peepshow
Do you think that this holiday season has a serious shortage of sexy-fun times? Well, this event will scratch that itch for you (if you know what I mean — nudge, nudge, wink, wink; say no more). Come see the debut of the Revue’s new “Cupcakes”: Lady Muse and Delilah Pye. This show guarantees it will warm you up more than a well-insulated toque.
For more info, visit cheesecakeburlesque.com or email info@cheesecakeburlesque.com.
Metro Theatre (1411 Quadra St.). 7:30 p.m. $22 advance/$25 at the door.
Saturday, Dec. 15
Public Chanukah Candle Lighting
Everyone is invited to this Chanukah celebration downtown hosted by Congregation Emanu-El. In celebration of the 150th anniversaries of both Victoria and the Congregation, the event’s highlight will be the lighting of the candles on the giant menorah in Centennial Square. It sounds beautiful, doesn’t it? Bring your friend Veronica, go downtown and celebrate Chanukah!
For more info email faknai@shaw.ca or call (250) 360-0356.
Centennial Square. 6:30–7:30 p.m. Free.
