JohNNy SiZZle, Devon Sproule, Red Moon Road and more!!

June 16  7 pm - 1 am

$5  

Bobby Stahr, Kristopher Ulrich, Aaron Sabasch, Paul De Gurse, Nic Dyson, Joshua Stanton, Tim Elias, Eagle Lake Owls, Haley Rempel, JohNNy SiZZle, Marcel Desilets, Kate Ferris, Seanster and the Monsters and many more!

****

June 17  8 pm

$10 advance /$12 door

Devon Sproule

With guests Thom Gill and Red Moon Road

There's a refreshing sweetness about the work of Canadian songwriter Devon Sproule, more blank verse than rhyming schemes. Sproule's songs ooze the atmosphere of balmy Virginia days and her sunny outlook is infectious.

Red Moon Road is a down-home, acoustic folk and roots band with the right mix of East Coast and Country charm. Red Moon Road is a Winnipeg-based, touring songwriters’ collective. The band is driven by vocalist Sheena Rattai, the songwriting of Daniel Jordan, and the sweet harmonies and songs of banjo/mandolin player Daniel Peloquin-Hopfner. 

Aqua Books

204-943-7555

Songwriters' Circle l Writers' Guild 2012 Sheldon Oberman Reading

Manitoba Independent Songwriters' Circle

June 5, 7 pm

"I haven’t had this much fun with songwriting since I was in my first original rock band back in the 70s", says performing songwriter Dan Stupich. "The sense of community and creative energy buzz generated by the circle is amazing. I recommend MISC to any songwriter of any level who’s interested in advancing their art."

The circles are open and free to all Manitoba songwriters. 

Got a new song that needs test-driving? Come on down!

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Manitoba Writers' Guild presents

2012 Sheldon Oberman Mentorship Program Reading

June 7, 7 pm

Writers Justina Elias, Keith Cadieux, Christopher Friesen, Miranda Poyser, Angeline Schellenberg, and Gerry Wolfram, with mentors Anita Daher, Jonathan Ball, David Elias, Chandra Mayor, Méira Cook, and Jennifer Still

Aqua Books, 274 Garry Street

204-943-7555

Lucas Sader & Erin Propp l Kristopher Ulrich

The Lucas Sader Project, feat. Erin Propp

May 31, 8 pm

$10 / $5 students

The Lucas Sader Project is a Winnipeg-based group committed to producing a fresh outlook on jazz music. 

Drummer, composer and arranger Lucas Sader heads up the ensemble, which also features pianist Paul De Gurse, bassist Karl Kohut, and vocalist Erin Propp for this special performance.

The group will explore the music of Robert Glasper, U2, Nirvana, Herbie Hancock, and more, as well as their own original compositions!

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Trouble and Strife

With The Kristopher Ulrich Band

June 1, 8 pm

$10 / $5 students

Guitarist and songwriter Kristopher Ulrich is now entering his second year in the Jazz Studies program at the University of Manitoba. Ulrich can also be found teaching and playing with inner city youth, helping them develop instrumental and song-writing skills. 

This past summer, he was one of a handful of musicians in the Manitoba Artists in Health Care program, which takes music to patients and staff at the Health Science Centre. 

Ulrich grew up in Lac du Bonnet and lives now in Winnipeg.

Aqua Books, 274 Garry Street

204-943-7555

Crafty Minions l Nic Dyson & The Kristopher Ulrich Band l Amy Winehouse

May 26, 11 am - 5 pm

Crafty Minions

The Handmade and Vintage Sale

Admission is free.

One of Winnipeg's biggest indie craft sales features the city's hottest established and emerging crafty superstars including Papertrail Craft Co., Periwinkle Designs, SoGa Soap and Cupfakery, Mozy Rue, Julrei, Crushcraft, Just the Goods, Blue Star Studios, Prairie Peasant, DragonNerd, CatHaus, Inspyred Creations, Dreaming Tree, Pure Paper Extract, and more. 

This is the new world of gorgeous guerilla DIY craft, right here at Aqua Books, 274 Garry Street.

It's never the wrong time to pick up something completely unique and beautiful for yourself, and it's always the right time to support local artisans and crafters, and maybe even become inspired.

****

May 26, 8 pm

Nic Dyson CD Release

With The Kristopher Ulrich Band

$7 / $10 with CD

Nic Dyson plays music because he loves music.  Music is his life.  He has performed at his school's talent show 3 years in a row and at Springfield Chicken Days twice. 

He is influenced heavily by artists such as City and Colour, Neil Young, and Dave Matthews, and his playing and writing reflects that. 

****

May 30  8 pm

The Amy Winehouse Songbook

$10 / $5 students

Featuring Claire Morrison, Carlen Jupiter, Elizabeth Shearer and Samantha-Marie.

Four talented young singer-songwriters tackle the songbook of the late acclaimed songwriter, Amy Winehouse.

204-943-7555

Aqua Books: Nominee Readings / Jordan Klassen / Beautiful Lies

Manitoba Book Awards Nominee Readings

April 14 at 4:00 pm to April 23 at 7:00 pm

Come to Aqua Books, 274 Garry Street, as they celebrate some of the great Manitoba writers. 

April 14 4 pm Margaret Laurence Award for Fiction

April 17 7 pm Alexander Kennedy Isbister Award for Non-Fiction

April 19 7 pm Michael Van Rooy Award for Genre Fiction

April 21 4 pm Eileen McTavish Sykes Award for Best First Book

April 23 7 pm Aqua Lansdowne Prize for Poetry / Prix Lansdowne de poésie

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Jordan Klassen | Andy Shauf | Claire Morrison

April 16, 8:00 pm to 10:30 pm

$10/$5 students

Jordan Klassen makes music built out of pure imagination. Kindness, a 4 song EP, introduces rich and full-bodied singing alongside his now ubiquitous falsetto. 

Gracefully dramatic enough to be featured in Catch .44, an upcoming film starring 

Bruce Willis & Forrest Whitaker, and joining other Klassen creations which have found 

their ways onto television series, including USA Network’s Royal Pains, and the upcoming 

iTunes version of late 90s TV show Felicity.

****

Beautiful Lies II: Rayannah Kroeker | Margaret Howison | Tim Elias

April 22, 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm

$10/$5 Students

An evening of original songs from singer-storytellers Rayannah Kroeker, Margaret Howison and Tim Elias. 

The intimate setting of the Aqua Books theatre is a perfect place to hear these musical stories. Each song is individual, personal, and equal part truth and lie. 

VPW 11 Reunion / Dirty Catfish / Mama Cutsworth

VPW 11 Reunion Special

Aqua Books, 274 Garry Street

March 23, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

$5

Join all your favourites from Winnipeg's seminal cable access channel, VPW 11. 

"Magic Mike" Likey, "Math with Marty" Green, Neil Schipper and Marion from The Cosmopolitans are just a few of the faces from the Golden Age of Winnipeg DIY TV. 

More guests to come.

This will also be the last Kelly Hughes Live! at 274 Garry Street, so come on down 

to say goodbye to the old studio theatre.  

****

The Dirty Catfish Brass Band 

Times Change(d) High and Lonesome Club, 234 Main Street

March 23, 10:00 pm to 2:00 am

$8

Dirty Catfish is gonna blow the roof off this joint and funk up the night! 

Get down and mess around with the nasty funk of the Dirty Catfish! 

Just remember that you're all good people and we want to treat you right!

********

Lo Pub, 330 Kennedy Street

March 24, 9:00 pm to 2:00 am

$5 before 11 pm, $8 after

Mama Cutsworth, along with special guest DJ J. Jackson, present:

I Wanna Dance With Somebody!

Dance music from our favourite divas: Whitney, Janet, Mariah and so very much more!

Brought to you by the fine folks at UMFM 101.5 fm

Mondo! Szumigalski

A Festival in Celebration of Anne Szumigalski

Aqua Books, 274 Garry Street

The author of fifteen books, and one of Canada’s most respected poets, essayists 

and editors, Anne Szumigalski was the recipient of many literary awards and prizes. 

Her passing in April 1999 was mourned by all those she had touched.

March 6 

7 pm. FREE

Marathon reading of Anne Szumigalski’s Risks

Featuring 32 of Winnipeg’s established and emerging poets, some out-of-town guests 

and an introduction from Montreal writer Mark Abley

8 pm. FREE

Launch of A Woman Clothed in Words 

Featuring Mark Abley, Elizabeth Philips and Anne Simpson 

Light refreshments 

**

March 7, 7 pm. $5

Anne and Me: Mark Abley, Mari-Lou Rowley and Anne Simpson

The Jeffrey King Trio 

An evening of poetry, music and dance

**

March 8, 7 pm. FREE

Mark Abley: Anne Szumigalski Memorial Lecture The Angel of the Big Muddy

A panel discussion with Mark Abley, Mari-Lou Rowley and Catherine Hunter

**

March 9, 7 pm. FREE

Movie Night with hosts Katherine Bitney and Frances Bitney 

Featuring Glen Sorestad

• Rapture Of The Deep, Canadian Poet, Anne Szumigalski by Donna Caruso

• The book trailer for A Peeled Wand: Selected Poems of Anne Szumigalski, 

with recordings of Anne reading her poems

**

March 10

11 am - 4 pm. $40

Anne Szumigalski left unfinished The Water Granny: a book of juvenile fiction.

Anita Daher will facilitate this YA workshop. 

7 pm.   $5

Readers’ Theatre Production of Z: A Meditation on Oppression, Desire, and Freedom

Z explores the relationship between captive and captor and the sacrifices humans make 

to survive. When the concentration camps were opened, Anne Szumigalski worked with 

the survivors as a translator for the British Red Cross. 

“It made me look at life in a completely different way,” she said.

Hello 123: A Cultural City Hall Main Event

Manitoba Theatre for Young People, 2 Forks Market Road

March 3, 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Hosted by comedian Al Rae, from the Winnipeg Comedy Festival. 

Fred Penner 

The Royal Canadian Navy Band of HMCS Chippawa

Special appearances by Grace Hrabi, Joanna Majoko, Everett Fristensky, 

Sasha Woychyshyn and Kelly Hughes.

Tickets are $25 ($20 for students) and are available at Aqua Books, 274 Garry Street. 

The guys and gals from Chippawa make up one of the finest Canadian Forces big bands 

in the country.  So if you're looking for an evening of Broadway and jazz tunes played 

the way they were meant to be played, come on down.

As Aqua Books heads into the new non-profit phase, we're doing a number of fundraisers to help us continue to be Winnipeg's Cultural City Hall.  This is going to be our best yet. 

Aqua Books wishes to thank all the performers, HMCS Chippawa, Instant Noodles Design and Manitoba Theatre for Young People.

Primrose, with Demetra

February 22, 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm

$8 / $5 students

Aqua Books, 274 Garry Street

Hailey Primrose is still under 20, and yet has been performing publicly for over 5 years. Primrose has played in the Winnipeg Folk Festival Young Performer's Program twice. 

She was mentored at age 14 by Winnipeg native John K. Samson, of the Weakerthans, and at 17 by West End working man hero Greg Macpherson.

Demetra Penner is inspired by the wild soul of nature. Demetra is hot off the successful CD release of Lone Migration, which was accompanied by films she shot in Churchill.

Marusya Bociurkiw: Feeling Canadian

Feeling Canadian: Television, Nationalism, and Affect 

Aqua Books, 274 Garry Street

February 16, 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm

Marusya tracks the rise of nationalist content on Canadian television after the 1995 Quebec referendum. She closely examines the coverage of and aftermath to 9/11, 

when racial profiling became embedded in Canadian news.

With Canadian culture at the mercy of various election platforms and funding cuts, 

Feeling Canadian asks us to take a closer look at some of our most dearly-held nationalist assumptions. The rise of social medias open up opportunities for activism, and the creation of new post-national narratives.

Marusya Bociurkiw is an author, filmmaker, food blogger and professor. She is the author of five books, including Comfort Food for Breakups: The Memoir of a Hungry Girl. 

Her films have screened at festivals and cinemas on four continents. She is a professor of media theory at Ryerson University and lectures and publishes frequently on such topics as affect theory, feminist and queer media history, the archive, Canadian television and nationalism. 

Lansdowne & The Sweet Alibi & Quincy Davis

February 12, 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Aqua Book's annual bilingual event at 274 Garry Street, with poets J.R. Léveillé, Katherena Vermette and Rosanna Deerchild.

The Aqua Lansdowne is Manitoba's largest poetry prize. 

Based around the award and hosted in conjunction with the Writer's Collective, 

this series celebrates the best in Manitoba poetry.

****

The Sweet Alibi, with Ben Wytinck and Marcel Desilets

February 15, 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm

The best darn girls, with the best darn boys. How can you go wrong?

$10/$5 students

****

Quincy Davis & Promise

February 16, 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Featuring Niall Bakkestad-Legare, Paul De Gurse, Shannon Kristjanson, Landen Seesahai, Kristopher Ulrich and Luke Sellick

$10/$5 students

Bean, Eagle Lake Owls & Kate Ferris

Beautiful Lies

February 8, 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm

$8/$5 students

Come for an evening of original songs from singer-storytellers Bean, Eagle Lake Owls 

and Kate Ferris.  The intimate setting of the Aqua Books theatre, 274 Garry Street, 

is a perfect place to hear these musical stories play out. 

Each song is individual, personal, and equal part truth and lie. 

My Affair With George Bernard

January 24 to January 28

Aqua Books, 274 Garry Street

Admission is by donation. Shaw Fest passes accepted. 

To reserve tickets or for more info - 942-8941 or  email MAP

Reservations are recommended.

The Manitoba Association of Playwrights presents a staged reading of 

My Affair with George Bernard by Daniel Thau-Eleff. 

Dramaturgy by Chris Gerrard-Pinker. 

Featuring Doreen Brownstone and Ross McMillan.

She acted in three of his plays. They went for bicycle rides together. 

He told her she was his “best and dearest love.” 

And then it was over. 

What happened between Florence Farr and George Bernard Shaw?

In a collage of historical fiction, Florence is finally going to tell it all.

bluelight / The Glenn Radley Trio & Jay Buchanan

Aqua Books, 274 Garry Street

Thursday, January 19, 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm

$5

Old dogs bluelight are joined by young cats The Glenn Radley Trio featuring Jay Buchanan.

bluelight is Barry Dunford (bass), Al Popowich (guitar), Randy Joyce (drums), Bob Parker (sax), and Dan Rosin on vocals. 

Drummer Glenn Radley's band for tonight includes Anatol Rennie on piano and Luc Guenette on bass. 

Jay Buchanan's voice will blow you away. 

Two male jazz singers on one stage, in Winnipeg? 

This is possible, you ask? 

Oh yeah.

David Restivo Trio & Lady Troubadours IV

Aqua Books, 274 Garry Street

Thursday, January 12, 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm

• Dave Restivo (Keys)

• Steve Kirby (Bass)

• Quincy Davis (Drums)

$10/$5 students

  

Dave Restivo is a pianist, percussionist and composer, a 3-time winner of the National Jazz Awards' Keyboardist of the Year Award, and is listed in the current edition of Canadian Who's Who. 

He has served on the music faculty at the Banff Centre for the Arts and St. Francis Xavier University, and currently teaches at Humber College and the University of Toronto.

"...quite simply one of the most exceptional jazz pianists of his generation that Canada has produced..." -Roger Levesque, Edmonton Journal

****

Wednesday, January 18, 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm

Singer-songwriter Carly Dow presents Brooke Christie, Kristen Berkel, Sonia Eidse and Sheena Rattai.

$10/$5 students

Vela, with Zoppa

January 4, at 9:00 pm  

$7

Vela is excited to announce that they will finally be releasing their 

debut EP Sea Of Mountains.

Zoppa will open the night at Aqua Books with their sedative space-folk. 

This collective project fronted by mastermind Micah Erenberg has become extremely popular throughout Winnipeg. Each set is a unique and completely engaging experience.

Also on the bill, Jamie Enns, crafter of extremely creative and mind-bending visuals. 

While Vela performs, including Sea Of Mountains in its entirety, Jamie will be editing and projecting visuals to give an entirely new dimension to the performance.

This evening only, the album will be available at a discount price of $3!!

Aqua Books: collage-à-trois

December 21, 8:00 pm  

$10 ($5 students)

Jocelyn Goertzen, Shannon Kristjanson, and Rayannah Kroeker

collage-à-trois is our three voices, each with its own story. 

We grew up waiting by the radio to hit the red record button, belting Disney in front of the mirror, memorizing Handel excerpts, putting on full-scale basement musicals and plays, mimicking Michael Jackson moves, rocking out on a cardboard guitar, transcribing Coltrane and singing French-Canadian folksongs.

Everyone collects songs they'll never forget, an autobiographical soundtrack.

This project is a collage of our songs. 

Many genres, different instrumentations, creative arrangements and originals of our own.

Contrackt & Josh Weiss

December 20, 9:00 pm  

$10 door / $7 advance

Aaron "Contrackt" Trachtenberg is a rapper from Winnipeg, Manitoba. He released two self-produced full length albums between 2007 and 2008, before moving to the UK.  

He is overjoyed to be back performing in his hometown. 

Josh Weiss is a singer-songwriter from Ottawa, Ontario. 

He is currently recording his first full-length album, available in early 2012. 

Josh and Aaron have created a dynamic two-man show combining Contrackt's slick lyrics with Josh's versatile musicianship. Get ready for a night of fist-pumping excitement, thought-provoking rap, and unforgettable original tunes at Aqua Books!

Aqua Books: haLf man haLf eLf

December 16, 7:30 pm  

$10

haLf man haLf eLf, with Cassie Hatcher and Sid Strange

haLf man haLf eLf is a collective of diverse musicians whose preferences range from Classical, Progressive Rock, Bluegrass, Folk, Postpunk, New Wave, Fantasy Fiction, and Philosophy, producing a unique brand of music. 

One can hear influences from Gentle Giant; Emerson, Lake and Palmer; The Wild Swans; The Waterboys; Depeche Mode; Mozart; and Bach. 

Current members are Christine Mazur (violin/cello), Bert Nicanor (drumkit/ percussion), Dave Lababovich (acoustic guitar / banjo / mandolin), Janice Bamforth (percussion), and aLfie vera mella (vocalist/keyboards/percussion). 

The band is currently finishing an album, entitled Tales from a Half Forgotten Era.

Open Mic & Lansdowne Poetry

December 6, 7:00 pm

Aqua Books is pleased to be the permanent home of the venerable poetry series 

Speaking Crow. The Crow includes two open-mic sets and short breaks in between. 

Featured reader Méira Cook!!

Come take up the mic and wax poetic about life, the universe and everything!

****

December 7, 7:00 pm

Aqua Books Lansdowne Prize for Poetry Series:

Slam poet Dawn Knight, with Chimwemwe Undi, Amber Leenders and Yo, Teach!