The 2012 JUNO Awards and JUNO Fest Take Over Ottawa!

The nation’s capital is about to get crazy busy and bustling with events as the 2012 JUNO Awards  and JUNO Fest take over Ottawa for 4 days filled with events and activities of all sorts. If you’re the type to get out of town to avoid the crowds, you better get a move on by Thursday afternoon because that’s when the majority of events will kick off in several venues across the city.

Here’s a quick look at some of my personal highlights for the weekend, and you can get more info by clicking on the posters below. Having said this, you can also check out the complete schedule of events by visiting the Ottawa Citizen’s band finder page

Austra, Azari & III and Arthur Oskan, all three JUNO nominees representing an array of Toronto electro, will also be performing Saturday night at Ritual Nightclub on Besserer St in downtown Ottawa. You can find the event details here.

Also on Saturday, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. only, there will be a JUNO Fan Fair at the St-Laurent Shopping Centre for those who want to meet the likes of Down With Webster, Mia Martina, Anjulie, Classified, Deadmau5, Kardinal Offishall, Simple Plan, Swollen Members, Jully Black and Neverest to name only some of the Canadian artists who will be there to meet the public and sign autographs. More details are available if you click here.

On the Occasion of the JUNOs, the Canadian Museum of Civilization is presenting a special exhibition called CELEBRATING THE JUNOS: Photographs and Album Artwork. There are two special displays: the first showcasing every JUNO Award winner for Recording Package of the Year (album cover art) since that category was introduced in 1975. The second presents both performance and candid photographs of JUNO Award nominated and winning artists,many of whom are now household names in Canada and the world. The exhibition runs from March 16 to April 9 2012.

Last but not least, the JUNO Awards ceremony will take place this Sunday, April 1st 2012 at Ottawa’s Scotiabank Place starting at 7:00 p.m. Hosted by MC William Shatner, the evening will feature performances by Blue Rodeo, City and Colour, Deadmau5, Feist, Hedley, Hey Rosetta!, Nickelback and a new ‘mixed tape’ featuring Alyssa Reid, Anjulie, Dragonette, JRDN, and Mia Martina! Tickets are still availalbe starting at $55 at http://ow.ly/9Doia. I’ll be in attendance myself as a seat-filler and am really looking forward to the experience! I’ll be waiving at the camera all smiles 🙂 Enjoy what the JUNO Awards and JUNO Fest have to offer!

Event Review: Ariane Moffatt at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau

Last Saturday evening, I had the great pleasure of seeing Quebec singer-songwriter Ariane Moffatt in the Grand Hall at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau. Now, you have to understand that I’m biased because I simply LOVE this girl. She’s extremely talented, projects tons of positive energy, plays numerous instruments and she is a fantastic singer which, when performing live, distinguishes her from other plain-Jane artists that sound good once the editing and filters have been applied, but who can’t sing in front of a crowd.

All that to say, she’s excellent, but the venue’s accoustics and sound, not so much and that for an artist is very difficult to work with. The Museum’s Grand Hall is first and foremost an ehxibition space, not a concert hall. Therefore, Ariane Moffatt and her band had several technical issues for the first part of the show, and she often mentioned this throughout her performance, but the crowd hardly noticed the difference. Nonetheless, it was definitely a challenge for her to perform in a Museum exhibition.

She certainly attracts a wide range of people, from young children with their parents to straight-up seniors. As a result, the crowd was rather tame. Despite this, approximately 600 people showed up to see and hear Ariane Moffatt.

Although she primarily sings in French, her latest album MA, has been composed in both official languages almost equally. True to the integral album, she performed MA in the same order the songs can be found on record à la Pink Floyd. Afterwards, she came back on stage to offer the public songs from her other albums to the delight of everyone in the room. All in all an amazing show despite the technical issues. Gatineau fans were definitely pleased by her performance and welcome her back in the region any time for a future visit!

Photos courtesy of Roch Campeau ©

Much More March: Events All-Over for the Month Ahead

March is just around the corner in the National Capital Region and so are plenty of events to keep you busy and entertained. The month ahead will certainly be nothing short of amazing.

To kick things off, Steve Aoki and Datsik will be at the Ottawa Civic Centre Salon this Thursday, March 1 on the occasion of the 2012 Dim Mak’s Deadmeat Tour. This promises to be a heavy night of bass for fans of dubstep, house and electro alike. Check out the event poster below and click for event details…Ottawa, can you truly represent your city?

 

Also this Thursday March 1, on the hip-hop side of things, Kapacity Entertainment presents the one and only Raekwon “the Chef” of the Wu Tang Clan at Ritual Nightclub. This is not his first time performing in the Nation’s Capital and tickets are still on sale and available online and at all locations. If you’re a true fan of classic hip-hop and the whole Wu Tang fam, please do yourself yourself a favor and check out Raekwon especially if you’ve never seen him live before. The man does NOT disappoint. More details if you click on the poster below…

 

 

Between March 1 and March 4, the city of Gatineau is hosting its annual book fair called the Salon du Livre de l’Outaouais (SLO). Taking place at the Gatineau Congress Centre in Vieux-Hull, this event is the place to be for book lovers, writers, and publishing houses. The annual gathering offers much more than books for sale. Check out the full event program on the SLO website.

 

Kicking off as I type these words, VerseFest, a world of poetry in Ottawa, runs from February 28 to March 4 at various locations around the city. If you love writing and reading poetry, this is definitely for you! You can find the entire programming on the VerseFest official website.

 

 

This Saturday, the March Edition of Static features DJ extraordinaire DROP THE LIME at Babylon. DROP THE LIME is not just a DJ. He offers a full on one-man music performance: he sings, he DJs, and all out performs for every crowd he plays in front of. Ottawa is definitely in for a treat! Check out the event details on the poster below!

 

Also this Saturday is the grand opening of Bijou, the newest night club and lounge to hit Canada’s National Capital,  with DJs Sean Perry and Kid SL. For the official opening, the masterminds behind Bijou promise:

– The sexiest and most fashionable staff in Ottawa
-A selection of over 20 cocktails and 20 martinis
-A vast and exclusive champagne, scotch, cognac and whiskey selection
-The best music and DJ’s in the region
-The most exclusive playground in the city

Let’s see if this new venue is as hot and unique as it claims to be…!

 

After poetry galore, the Bijou opening and DROP THE LIME, comes the Montreal-Indie rock band Plants and Animals who will be performing live at Ritual on March 8 with Thus:Owls, a Swedish Indie band. If you enjoy indie alternative music, you should definitely come out for this line-up. The main act, Plants and Animals, will be performing songs off their latest team effort The End of That.  Check out event details here.

 

 

This ought to keep you all busy for the week and weekend ahead! Much More March events will be announced next week….Stay tuned and enjoy whatever events you’ll be partaking in over the next couple of days!

A Week of Music: Tiken Jah Fakoly, YACHT, Great Bloomers and More…!

Winterlude may be over and the canal closed for the rest of the season, but that doesn’t mean you have to give in to the winter blues. Get ready Ottawa because this will be another week packed with events for the National Capital Region!

First off, I found out last week that singer and musician Tiken Jah Fakoly will be in Ottawa at the Shenkman Arts Centre of Orleans this Wednesday, February 22. The African Bob Marley was scheduled to perform at the same venue last year, but the show was cancelled the day before for reasons I can’t recall. So, when I realized the Ivory Coast artist would be back, there was no question about it, I most definitely have to attend! Tiken Jah is just one of those artists that speaks from the heart and isn’t afraid to point the finger at the rampant injustice present all over modern Africa. It’s feel good music with a social conscience 🙂 I just can’t wait to travel back to the Motherland with him through an evening of music. Tiken Jah Fakoly performs this Wednesday night at 8:00 pm and tickets are still on sale as I type this. If you love African reggae and want to see this legend in the flesh, visit the Shenkman Arts Centre website for more info.

Also on Wednesday night, the electronic group YACHT will be at Ritual with Silkken Laumann and Jeffrey Jerusalem. YACHT describes itself as a band, belief system, and business conducted by Jona Bechtolt and Claire L. Evans of Los Angeles, California, Marfa, Texas and Portland, Oregon, USA which embraces eclectic but playful blend of electronics, accoustic percussions and noises of all sorts. I’ve never seen them live, but apparently their show at Ritual 2 years ago was very entertaining! Check out the event details here.

On Thursday, the Up and Up Concert Series present Drumhand at Babylon starting at 9pm. Drumhand is a Toronto power-house of rhythms from hot climates complimented by the melodic spirit of of New Orleans’ style jazz horns. The group was in Ottawa last winter as part of the Ottawa Jazz Fest’s Winter line-up. Now they’re back in town on a tour supported by the Ontario Arts Council. Click on the poster below for details.

If you want to check out some indie folk roots rock this weekend, Spectrasonic and punkottawa.com present The Wooden Sky and Great Bloomers this Friday February 24 at Ritual. These  two bands from Toronto will be in Ottawa playing live sets from their albums entitled “Every Child a Daughter, Every Moon A Sun” and ‘Speak Of Trouble’. For further information on the event please visit the event page here.

Great Bloomers

Here are more events taking place around the city this weekend…! Click on the poster for event details and enjoy the next few days!

Event Review: Misteur Valaire with Beat Market and FunkyFalz at @ the Canadian Museum of Civilization

I hope everyone got to enjoy one of the many events/activities that took place in the National Capital Region this past week. The SPAO Print Sale was presented, Winterlude was still on, Sexapalooza was at the Convention Centre, there was an Electric Pow-Wow with ATCR and Poirier at Babylon…

There sure was no lack of fun things to do around the region like the Soiree Electro-Jazz Misteur Valaire with Beat Market and DJ FunkyFalz. The show took place on Saturday in the Grand Hall at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau and it was presented by the City of Gatineau on the occasion of Winterlude. The night began at 9pm with Beat Market and following the electronic duo’s set, Misteur Valaire soon followed around 10:30 pm. It was my first time attending a Misteur Valaire show and I must say I was truly impressed by the group’s performance. I was immediately captivated by the fast-paced music, creative visual projections, and colorful lighting effects that transformed what could have been a simple show into a truly exciting performance. Misteur Valaire certainly doesn’t dissapoint as the charismatic guys are full of energy and kept the crowd dancing from the opening song to the encore. The Museum’s Grand Hall just added to the whole atmosphere and proved that the venue definitely has a significant impact on an event’s outcome. All in all, the group offered Gatineau an amazing set and even gave a musical nod to iconic artist Whitney Houston who passed away yesterday at the age of 48. To finish the night on a high note, DJ FunkyFalz delivered some solid sounds and kept the crowd moving til the very end. Thank you Misteur Valaire for presenting such a professional production and for being truly entertaining!!

February Frenzy: More Events for Ottawa-Gatineau

February is now in full-swing and brimful with events sure to suit everyone’s tastes. If you didn’t attend the opening events and first weekend celebrations of Winterlude, you seriously missed out on tons of fun.

The opening night, which took place at the Canadian Museum of Civilization for a third consecutive year, was just as impressive as the previous Winterlude kick-off ceremonies that happened at the CMC. I must add that it was the perfect winter evening, complete with mild weather and light snowflakes. Once again, the National Capital Commission (NCC) didn’t disappoint with its mind-blowing fireworks show (the best I’ve ever seen by far!) and post-fireworks entertainment on-stage provided by DJ Phonograff  from BC and the talented violonist Kytami Leblanc. The unique combination of the violin’s sound over the DJ’s scratching and mixing was a definite hit with the crowd and had people dancing outdoors until 11pm. The Phonograff and Kytami will soon release their first joint effort entitled Violin Vs. Vinyl. Support Canadian artists.

Other than the opening festivities, there were plenty of activities taking place at Jacques-Cartier Park aka Snowflake Kingdom in Gatineau, Quebec where young and young at heart get to enjoy snow slides, snow sculptures, obstacle courses, kicksleds, craft lessons and more! The Rideau Canal Skateway was fully open and it was truly a beautiful weekend to enjoy a skate on the world’s largest outdoor skating rink. I was there both Saturday and Sunday and the smooth ice combined with the mild weather and sunshine made for a perfect outdoor weekend. If you didn’t get a chance to enjoy Winterlude this weekend, you still have 2 more weekends to catch up. Check out upcoming Winterlude activities here.

If you’re looking to jam on a Thursday night, do yourself a favor and check out Babylon on February 9 for the Legend Series Volume One: Bob Marley Birthday Tribute with DJ General Hi-Power and I-Red including live art by Dan Metcalfe. Guaranteed Bob Marley joints all night long free of charge for the rastafarian in you.

Also this Thursday, if you’re looking for some art to decorate your walls and brighten your life, the School of Photographic Art of Ottawa is throwing a Print Sale from 6 to 9pm at the school located at 168 Dalhousie Street in the Byward Market. Support your local photographers and cease this rare opportunity to purchase photographic art by leading and up-and-coming artists.

This weekend, Sexapalooza rolls into the city at the new Convention Centre for 2 days presenting a “unique, upscale adult consumer show and shopping experience that has been growing and expanding for the past 5 years. Marketed to women and couples, Sexapalooza offers a safe yet titillating environment dedicated to entertaining and educating you on all aspects of sex and sexuality. Enjoy fantastic stage shows and learn new sex ‘how tos’ and tips at our seminars given by professionals in the adult industry.” If Sexapalooza is somewhere you want to be this weekend, find a babysitter (if you have kids that is) and browse the website to familiarize yourself with this one-of-a-kind experience.

On Saturday February 11, Montreal-native Sam Roberts Band will be at the National Arts Centre with special guest Zeus. The Canadian rock sensation will perform songs from the most recent Collider. The show starts at 8pm in Southam Hall. Tickets on sale here.

If you don’t have a date on Valentine’s Day or if you simply don’t care for it, don’t despair. Instead of pouting on your couch in front of the TV, head out to le Petit Chicago in Vieux-Hull for Fau Mardi: Lovers Gonna Love Edition, a night dedicated to lovers of Dubstep, Electro and Techno.

Another twist on Valentine’s Day presented by Sunn Daze Is Cirque Noir Born Bad: A Natural Born Killers Vday Party happening at Babylon on Thursday, February 16. Beats by Dick Party, Jon Deck, and Lil Phil including performances by Capital Tease Burlesque, Wellfedartist Body Paint, Erotic Art and Visuals provided by Matt Cameron.

That’s it for now. Enjoy your week and stay tuned for more February frenzy happening this month! Cheers 🙂

February in Ottawa-Gatineau: Winterlude, Misteur Valaire @ Bal en Blanc, La Coka Nostra + Swollen Members, Coeur de Pirate and More…

February is now just around the corner and this calls for a new post to announce upcoming events and activities in the Ottawa-Gatineau area. The coming month will be nothing short of exciting for the region since a wide array of events are scheduled to take place in and around town.

February in the National Capital Region is known first and foremost for Winterlude, a 3-week festival that prides itself in celebrating winter in all its glory. For a third year in a row, the National Capital Commission (NCC) has partnered with the Canadian Museum of Civilization to kick off Winterlude with the official opening ceremony taking place this Friday, February 3. For the occasion, the Museum will exceptionally be open until 11pm and will offer free admission starting at 5pm. Programmed events for the evening include drummers, crowd-amusers, storytelling around cozy firepits, IMAX presentations ($), a sublime fireworks show and an outdoor DJ dance party with Kytami and The PhonoGraFF! For more info visit the NCC website  for all-things Winterlude.

Another event happening on February 3 is FRENZY’s 2nd Birthday, with very special Mad Decent/LuckyMe guest Lunice, “a natural born entertainer who has the drive, sound, and dexterity to make us move. Lunice managed to craft his own recipe which makes dance floors bump and bass bins thump.” In other words, if you want to get down do yourself a favour and head to Babylon this Friday.

Also presented during Winterlude by the City of Gatineau is the Bal en Blanc with Misteur Valaire again taking place at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in the Grand Hall on Friday, February 11. This Electrojazz evening, inspired by its Montreal counterpart which encourages attendees to dress in white, will open with Beat Market followed by Misteur Valaire — five young musicians who’ve been making music together for ever, into something that has become a total mix of electro, hip-hop, jazz and rock! “With their unbelievable energy, they transform a straight-up concert into a crazy high-spirited adventure”. This event, a a first of its kind for the Outaouais, promises to be a memorable dance party and is sure to be well-attended by lovers of electro, jazz and hip-hop music alike.

 

Another show presented by the City of Gatineau happening at the Canadian Museum of Civilization is Coeur de Pirate with Leif Vollebeck as the opening act. The young lady will be performing songs from her latest album Blonde on February 4, 2012. The show has been sold out for a while now and unless you already have tickets you’ll be lucky if you find some on Kijiji.

The first edition of the Ottawa Winter Jazz Fest  is another Winterlude-related event taking place from February 2 to February 4 at venues throughout the downtown area. Be sure to check it out if you enjoy the summer Jazz Fest and if you like Jazz music and want to attend a show or two.

Ritual is at it again on Wednesday, February 8 as the club brings hip-hop group La Coka Nostra and Canadian formation Swollen Members to Ottawa. Here are the details below…

This is just a sample of what is going on around Ottawa-Gatineau this month! More events to come next week! Enjoy the start of a fun-filled February and feel free to share any event you’ll be attending and find worth mentionning 🙂

Event Review: The Weeknd @ Barrymores and The Daft Punk Tribute @ Ritual

Last Friday, about 700 lucky people got ‘initiated’ to The Weeknd who performed live at Barrymore’s Music Hall in Ottawa. Needless to say, this highly anticipated show was the buzz around town for the past couple of weeks. People from as far as Ohio, USA drove up to the National Capital for a chance to see the up-and-coming R&B crooner live. Unfortunately, some people who lined up hoping to get door tickets were turned away by the organizers who stated ‘logistical’ reasons.

Regardless of this unfortunate misunderstanding and of the fact that the show started at midnight, The Weeknd was truly epic. Although it only lasted an hour, it was a glorious hour. His performance was solid and confirmed that the Toronto-based artist is professional and serious about his art. His vocals were excellent, just as pristine as on record, and his stage presence and dance moves, at times reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s, left many wanting more. At some points throughout the show, he seemed somewhat reserved, but it’s onlye natural as a newcomer. Who wouldn’t be overwhelmed in front of this many fans singing along to every song. Since he’s new to the game, The Weeknd will surely gain stage confidence with time and I look forward to seeing him live again to witness this evolution.

Since he spent roughly an hour on stage, he only performed 9 songs, moste of which are found on his first mixtape House of Balloons (High For This, The Knowing, Wicked Games, House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls, The Morning), but also from his follow-up Thursday (The Zone) and the newly-released Echoes of Silence (Montreal, Outside, Same Old Song).

Here’s a photo of the very-talented Abel Tesfaye as he sings Montreal ❤

The Weeknd @ Barrymore’s

I also took clips of him singing Montreal, Outside and The Knowing that I captured on my crappy Blackberry video camera but can’t upload them for some reason…I will try to get them up ASAP cause they’re well worth it! Meanwhile, here he is performing High For This (apologies for the bad sound quality)

The other event I attended this weekend was the Daft Punk Tribute at Ritual Nightclub. This was so much fun! The Daft Punk Tribute has performed in Ottawa several times before and I’ve been meaning to attend at some point, but only got the chance to see them this past Saturday. The DPT is actually a 9-piece band who reinterprets some of the world’s most popular electronic dance music with a horn section, rhythm section, vocals and electronics. The group emerged from Toronto’s esteemed Humber College jazz program in 2009 and have been making people dance at Canada’s most prestigious clubs and concert halls ever since.

Saturday night was certainly no exception. Ritual was relatively packed and everyone was having a blast dancing and singing along to Daft Punk’s greatest hits from Around the World to Da Funk and Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger. The energy was great and the group clearly sensed the good vibes as they repeatedly said how awesome Ottawa and the crowd were. If you like Daft Punk, jazzy sounds and electronic music, I recommend that you go out for this next time they’re in town!

Daft Punk Tribute

January in Ottawa: The Weeknd, ASAP Rocky, Winterfest, Daft Punk Tribute…

For my first post of 2012, I’d like to start off by wishing you all a happy, prosperous and healthy New Year! I hope you started the year on a high note and that you enjoyed the celebrations and festivities to the fullest 🙂 Resolutions or not, I guarantee that you will enjoy an eventful year in Ottawa as 2012 promises to be quite exciting on that front.

To kick things off, January offers a glimpse of what 2012 has in store for the National Capital Region. The new year starts perfectly for Ottawa as the National Capital welcomes THE hottest underground R&B artist of the moment, no other than Abel Tesfaye aka The Weeknd. I can’t even begin to explain how excited I am for this show, it’s pretty ridiculous. I feel like a 15 year-old girl all over again. After an attempt at a first show scheduled for December 10, Pink Lips Entertainment confirmed that the postponed event will now take place January 20 at Barrymores Music Hall. That’s 10 days away 🙂 I’m a happy camper to say the least. For those of you who are still unfamiliar with The Weeknd, please do yourself a favor and go download all 3 free mixtapes at www.the-weeknd.com. The Weeknd’s music is like no other: completely captivating, intoxicating, unique and…I could go on forever, but that’s not the point. The point is, this show will simply be off the hook and probably the best and most-anticipated one of the year. A clear indicator that this event is a must is the fact that tickets sold out after just 2 weeks! If you intend on attending the show and still don’t have tickets, limited quantities will be available at the doors between 8-9pm, but unless you show up before 6pm, don’t count on it. It’s that serious, best believe the hype!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then on January 21-22, 93.1 CKCU-FM & Metro News present W I N T E R F E S T 2012, an all-day festival of music featuring live performances from various established, and up-and-coming recording artists, live visual art performed on location, a DJ battle featuring some of Ottawa’s hottest on the one’s and two’s, artist and management workshops with established recording artists and industry leaders, various fundraising activities, and more!

The concept behind Winter Fest is simple: to provide and foster an environment which will provide artists the opportunity to showcase their skills beyond their regular fan base.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you discovered ASAP Rocky in 2011 and like what you heard, you’re in luck because the Harlem-born rapper will grace the city with his presence when he takes the stage at Ritual on January 28. You may know the tracks that put him on the radar: Purple Swag and the excellent Peso.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also in January, if you like Electro music and Daft Punk, there will be a tribute night at Ritual on January 21 with THE MAKEOVER. The Daft Punk Tribute is basically a “9-piece band who reinterprets some of the world’s most popular electronic dance music with a horn section, rhythm section, vocals and electronics. The DPT emerged from Toronto’s esteemed Humber College jazz program in 2009 and have been melting faces at Canada’s most prestigious clubs and concert halls ever since.” In other words, if you want to dance, you know where to go!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re just looking for a laid-back night on the town, hit-up The Brig Pub in the By Ward Market on Fridays for pub food, good drinks and guaranteed good beats provided by Ottawa’s-own  Jon Deck (formally known as Deejay Frame). Here’s the weekly event poster and event page

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh! And this Saturday, A Tribe Called Red invites you to the first Electric Pow-Wow of 2012 at Babylon on Bank St. As previously mentioned, this bi-monthly event always gets me dancing from beginning to end 🙂  Other upcoming events will be posted soon!  Enjoy January and please share any events that you’ll be attending in the NCR that you think is worth mentioning!

Holiday Happenings in the National Capital Region: Part Two

Now that gifts have been given and unwrapped, that you’ve stuffed yourself silly with the most delicious food around , drank loads of Bailey’s and enjoyed quality time with loved ones over the Christmas holidays, it’s time to start thinking about New Year’s Eve celebrations if you haven’t already.

If you’d rather avoid the craze and stay in on December 31st, there’s always the good old house party with friends and fam. Or, if you want to venture out and finish off 2011 with a bang, I recommend that you dance the night away at one of Ottawa’s most-attended clubs by taking part in the below festivities that are sure to be memorable…On nights like these, I wish I could split myself in four!

Note the amazing The Weeknd theme. That alone makes it worth going.

 

 

For an equally entertaining night in a more intimate venue with an older crowd, you should try the Mercury Lounge’s New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball with DJ Jeff Douglar in the club, Trevor Walker in the lounge and DJ Dusty at Overkill. According to the Mercury Lounge you can expect the best house, from jazzy jackn’ Chicago to Brazilian Breaks to Electronic boogie!

 

For a grander affair, the Blue Man Group will be at the NAC to ring in the new year. You can combine the show with dinner on the town and make a full night out of it! I’ve always been intrigued by this one-of-a-kind show and I’m sure it doesn’t dissapoint.

 

For my Outaouais friends who prefer staying on the Quebec side, there’s no better place than Le Petit Chicago to celebrate the start of 2012  to the beats of Montreal-DJ Ghislain Poirier no less. The only show-bar in Old Hull will offer a fiesta that is guaranteed to have you jamming all night!  Plus for $10, you got yourself a pretty damn good deal!

 

 

Last but not least, the newly-renovated Barrymore’s Music Hall is throwing its annual NYE Party complete with catered food, champagne and music from  the 80s, 90s and Top 40 hits. Whatever you end up doing to celebrate the end of 2011 and the start of the new year, enjoy the festivities to the fullest, be safe and please don’t drink and drive! Happy New Year 2012!