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Legendary Canadian rocker Rik Emmett tunes up Saturday in Aylmer for what promises to be an acoustic triumph.
The Canadian Music Hall of Famer, a founding member of power-rock trio Triumph, is in town with musical friend guitarist Dave Dunlop for Rik Emmett: An Acoustic Night of Triumph.
Emmett in fall released his most recent CD, Then Again, an album of acoustic reinterpretations of the band's hits.
And with Dunlop in 2011, he recorded reCOVERy Room 9, featuring nine acoustic covers from other entries in the pop music songbook.
The Aylmer Performing Arts Council concert is 7:30 p.m. at the Old Town Hall Theatre. Doors 7 p.m.
Emmett appears in place of ailing Lily Frost and the Debonairs.
Tickets: Campbell's 2; by calling the APAC hotline at 519-765-3039 or by clicking on the Lily Frost button on the APAC website.
Galleries
- Bright's Grove painter Ian McLean refuses to go easy — not on his medium, oil, nor the viewer. "I choose to paint with oil," he says in an artist's statement. "It is fluid and messy and it often does not behave . . . but I like to coax and cajole and use it to render images that are at once irreverent and laden with serious subtext." In his show Easily Distracted: New Paintings to March 23 at St. Thomas-Elgin Public Art Centre (stepac.ca), McLean coaxes and cajoles his paints to explore the relationship between the natural world, and the world we really want it to be. Sometimes, he pictures real places. Other times, they are imaginary. But, McLean says, "At all times, these images suggest efforts to contain, control, manipulate, or avoid circumstances of nature as evidenced in highly groomed or domesticated environments." Running concurrently at the art gallery is an exhibition from the art gallery's permanent collection illustrating how artists explore interior spaces. Located at 301 Talbot St., the gallery is open noon - 3 p.m. Sundays, 10 a.m - 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and noon - 4 p.m. Saturdays. Free admission. 519-631-4040.
ON STAGE
- That laughter on stage at the Palace Theatre emanates from Laughter on the 23rd Floor, playwright Neil Simon's 1993 memory of the behind-scenes antics of writers who penned Sid Caesar's 1950s hit TV Show of Shows — in this iteration, Max Prince and his comedy hour. Simon was one of the zany crew of jokesters who vied to top each other with their gags. He set his desk on fire. Directed by Tim Condon, the London Community Players production includes St. Thomas actor Paul Blower. On stage Jan. 18 - 26 with a reduced-price preview Jan. 17. Evenings and a matinee performance Jan. 20. Tickets: 519-432-1029 and on line (palacetheatre.ca).
ETC.
- Metropolitan Opera's premiere production of Donizetti's long-forgotten tragic opera, Maria Stuarda screens 12:55 p.m. Jan. 19 in a Live in HD offering at Galaxy Cinemas, Elgin Mall (cineplex.com). Joyce DiDonato stars as Mary, Queen of Scots in the first-ever Met production of Donizetti's intensely dramatic historical opera. South African soprano Elza van den Heever makes her Met debut as Mary's rival, the formidable Queen Elizabeth I. Deborah Voigt hosts the program.