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A country legend turns up the heat in Richmond. Plus hobbits, elves and the like invade the ?Orpheum, and terror strikes in Victoria. Spectacle // Lord of the Rings Symphony
Howard Shore is one of those names you’re unlikely to be able to put a face to – unless you’re a rabid fan of Cancon rockers Lighthouse, with whom Shore often played sax back in the early ’70s. You’re more likely to recognize some of the films he’s scored: Big, Mrs. Doubtfire, Philadelphia, The Aviator, Doubt, The Departed and his big claim to fame, the opus for the Lord of the Rings trilogy. That latter score garned Shore three Academy Awards and spawned the LOTR symphony, an epic six-movement work that involves orchestra, two choirs, projected videos and vocal soloists singing in various Tolkien languages as well as Old and modern English. Nov. 27 and Nov. 28, vancouversymphony.ca
He’s considered one of the most influential country singers of all time, so we’ll cut Kenny Rogers some slack for that debacle called Kenny Rogers Roasters. The chicken restaurant, started with former Kentucky governor John Brown Jr. in 1991, was comically promoted as “deliciously healthy food” during its heyday but is best remembered for its part in a recurring Seinfeld gag. By the late ’90s, the grease had started to clog the chain’s financial arteries, however, forcing it into Chapter 11 protection. It’s a much slimmed-down Roasters these days – not unlike The Gambler himself – with the bulk of the outlets now located in Asia, where Rogers remains as popular as ever. Appropriate, then, that Rogers is performing at a casino in Richmond. River Rock Show Theatre, Nov. 12, ticketmaster.ca
“What’s it like to wake up in an architectural nightmare?” ask the curators of the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. Well, try the Wyndham Peachtree Conference Center in Atlanta; it’s a truly soul-destroying experience. But seriously, the question of how we relate to space, how various settings induce anxiety or instill fear, is a topical concern, given how much of our daily lives now revolve around the built environment. Toronto artist Lyla Rye has created a mixed-media installation for this exhibit that uses animation, sound and sculpture to explore our complex relationship with architecture. Be very afraid – or not. Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Nov. 5, 2010, to Jan. 16, 2011, aggv.ca