Mid-December in Ottawa-Gatineau: From Plaster and the Ujamaa Market to Tokyo Police Club and Hollerado

As we move into mid-December, there are many fun shows, parties and Christmas-related goodies happening in Ottawa-Gatineau this week. Here’s my selection of note-worthy events for the week ahead.

To start on the Gatineau side of the region, Quoi Qu’en Diront Les Médias (QQDLM) is launching its first album entitled Au chalet du sanglier this Tuesday, December 11 at the Petit Chicago. This Gatineau trio, which creates futuristic folk will present pieces from its debut album to media and members of the public in an effort to get the word out on the group’s music. Following the formal launch,QQDLM will be contributing a live set to the Fau Mardi event bridging from the album release to the electro-induced night. If you would like more info you can simply click on the image of QQDLM below.

This Thursday, December 13, head over to Babylon nightclub for Sweat It Out, a fluorescent tight and bright evening of burlesque, drag, cabaret, vaudeville, cirque and comedy. The monthly variety showcase, brought to you by Capital Cabaret will feature 80s aerobics-themed performances including music by DJ Lowpass. The organizers promise no Christmas stuff, for those who like to stay away from holiday related events.  Grab everything you need to know by clicking the poster below. 

This Thursday, December 13, the Black Sheep presents Tokyo Police Club and Hollerado live in concert. The two groups will also be performing live at Ritual nightclub the following night, December 14, however both shows are sold out so if you’d like to see Tokyo Police Club and Hollerado your best bet is the hit up Ritual on December 14 for limited door tickets. For more info on the show at Ritual, click below. As for the Black Sheep show, click here.

Also on Thursday, December 13, Ottawa hip-hop trio Flight Distance will be performing live at Ritual Nightclub. Doors open at 10pm and tickets are $6. Support your local artists! 

This Friday, December 14 Toxic Twins present the monthly installment of Grillz & Glam. This special edition happens to be the annual Top of the World Christmas Party and will featuring the one and only Santa. Grab details by clicking the poster below. 

On Saturday, December 15, Plaster will be live in concert at the Petit Chicago in the Old Hull neighborhood of Gatineau. The Montreal-based electro-rock trio will be performing songs off of their second album entitled Let It All Out. For further details, please click below.  

Also this Saturday, December 15, Funktion presents North Pole at Fall Down Gallery. This holiday-inspired event encourages attendees to dress-up in their best Christmas attire for a fun night of music and dancing featuring All Star Aga and Tone A alongside Plush and Disko Dave. Click on the poster below for more info. 

This Sunday, December 16 head out to the Ujamaa Market for holiday shopping and a Kwanzaa celebration. This annual event brings together many artisans from African and Caribbean countries and includes live entertainment for the entire family and food and refreshments. Admission to the event is free and it takes place between 1 and 9:00 pm. For details, visit the market’s Facebook Page by clicking on the poster below. 

This Friday, Saturday and Sunday, is your last chance to visit the Museum of Civilization’s Christmas Market. With over 40 local vendors, this is the perfect place to find holiday gifts. Come meet local exhibitors, discover delicious regional products and unique handmade objects, and experience the creativity and enthusiasm that drive area artisans. For dates and time and to access the list of participating vendors, simply click on the poster below. 

December in Ottawa-Gatineau: From Global Voices and Diamond Rings to The Nutcracker Ballet

December is now upon the National Capital Region and so are holiday-themed events of all kinds. Christmas fan rejoice, haters brace yourselves as we gear up for a fun month packed with exciting things!

To kick this week off, Faber Drive will be performing live at Ritual Nightclub this Tuesday, December 4 as part of the Lost in Paradise Tour. The BC pop rock band will be accompanied by guest acts Victoria Duffield, Courage My Love and Ottawa’s own Keek. For more details on the show, simply click on the poster below.

On Wednesday, December 5, Madchild of Swollen Members will be stopping by Ritual Nightclub as part of his Dope Sick Tour. The Vancouver rapper will be performing live alongside Dow Jones and Ghost including some local acts. Meet & greet tickets are available for this event. Grab all the info by clicking the poster below. 

From December 5 to December 9, 2012, the National Arts Centre presents The Nutcracker. This year’s presentation of the holiday favorite features the interpretation of the Alberta Ballet choreographed by Edmund Stripe. The Nutcracker Ballet will be danced to Tchaikovsky’s classic score. To get more information and for tickets to the ballet, simply click the below image. 

This Thursday, December 6, head over to the National Art Gallery of Canada from 5 to 8pm for Global Voices 2012. This free event organized by the grassroots organization which works with refugees, immigrant and Aboriginal communities, will include portraits, videos, music, dance, and art. This is a family-friendly event and is open to all. For more info, click on the poster below.  

Also on Thursday, December 6, Trap or Die and Bassline present RL Grime live at Babylon. The electronic music producer who rose to fame in less than a year will be throwing a live set with special guest Ryan Hemsworth. If you’re into EDM, this is an event you don’t want to miss! Get more info by clicking the poster below.  

This Friday, December 7, Spectrasonic presents Diamond Rings live at Ritual Nightclub with an opening set by Gold & Youth. The Toronto indie dance artist will be performing tracks off of his latest album Free Dimensional along with songs from previous records. For details, just click on the image below. 

If you’re a fan of Sigur Rós, you’ll want to attend the Valtari Film Experiment Launch Party this Saturday, December 8 at the auditorium of Library and Archives Canada. For their new album Valtari, Sigur Rós gave filmmakers the same budget and asked them to create whatever inspired them when listening to the band’s new album. The idea with this project was to bypass the usual artistic approval process and allow people complete creative freedom. This exclusive world premiere will present the official videos along with added materials.  Ottawa will be one of several select cities to participate in this worldwide launch. At the screening, attendees will also be given a unique URL to enter to win a deluxe Sigur Rós Valtari  special gift package.  One winner will be selected per continent. Grab everything you need to know on this exciting event by clicking below.

This Sunday, December 9, Toronto-based band the Great Bloomers will be performing at the Blacksheep Inn in Wakefield. The alternative pop rock roots group will be in live in concert with guests Wool On Wolves in an effort to promote their latest album Distant Fires. Get everything you need to know by clicking below.  

Starting this Friday, December 7 head over to the Museum of Civilization just across the river from downtown Ottawa to attend the annual Christmas Market. With over 40 local vendors, this is the perfect place for your holiday purchases. Come meet local exhibitors, discover delicious regional products and unique handmade objects, and experience the creativity and enthusiasm that drive area artisans. For dates and time and to access the list of participating vendors, simply click on the poster below.

Holiday Happenings in the National Capital Region: Part One

For this entry, I sat down with a nice big glass of Amarula on ice (a South African drink made of marula fruit and cream, sort of like an exotic version of Baileys for those of you who are unfamiliar with it) to get into full holiday mood. To be quiet honest, I’m already in the holiday spirit despite the lack of snow (that white stuff that we love to hate)  in the National Capital Region, since I had the privilege of attending George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker Ballet presented at the National Arts Centre (NAC) last weekend. There’s really nothing better than this classic holiday story combined with Tchaikovsky’s beautiful music to get you into the Christmas spirit! This particular version of The Nutcracker was ever-so beautiful and colourful! The dancers were extremely gracious and perfect in their roles. Balachine’s costumes and decor were simply splendid, bringing the story to life from beginning to end. A yearly must if you love the Holiday Season!

This weekend and the next, if you’re looking to get into the Christmas spirit or simply looking for unique gift ideas for friends and fam, you should check out Christmas markets in and around the Capital like the one below taking place at the Museum of Civilization just across the river!

There’s also this market taking place as part of  Kwanzaa celebrations and which offers tons of beautiful and original gifts of African and Carribean cultures that you won’t find anywhere else in Ottawa! This market is taking place at Bronson Centre this Saturday, December 10 between 11:00 am and 6:00 pm. See details below:

If you happen to have some free time and are the least bit interested in history, world civilizations and gaining a better understanding of religious/spiritual beliefs and how people experience their faith on a day-to-day basis, I recommend that you check out an extremely interesting Museum exhibition also taking place at the Museum of Civilization called God(s): A User’s Guide. The exhibition looks at 27 religions and faiths practiced around the world through artifacts, video and audio-visual material to demonstrate the universality that ties these beliefs and people together. Here’s the signature design used to promote it:

Last but not least, this Saturday, I’m headed to my favorite night at Babylon, with some of the best Djs in Ottawa, the boys from Tribe Called Red for the Decembeeerrrr Edition of the Electric Pow-Wow! This is a guaranteed night of amazing music and tons of dancing 🙂 Always looking forward to it!