FFWD REW

It’s a celebration

Well a number of them actually

It’s shaping up to be a weekend of celebrations. On January 30 The Marquee Room is hosting Factory Party #4 which is either a multidisciplinary sensory feast or an excuse for people in the arts to have a good time on a Friday night. Whichever it is with a lineup that includes local punk sensations Sharp Ends jagged popsters Thee Thems and the unclassifiable Beija Flor it’s a guaranteed good time. The fact that there will also be visual art and fashion on display plus DJ sets by Wax Romeo Noah York City and others is pure gravy. If the first three parties went under your radar here’s your chance to make up for it.

Friday is also Broken City’s customer appreciation night featuring a free performance by a mystery band . Without saying exactly who it is (hint: look up) let’s just say it’ll be well worth the cost of admission. And it’s not really celebrating anything in particular but The Palomino’s Friday night lineup is noteworthy nonetheless with sets by Calgary’s Hot Little Rocket and Regina’s The War Doves . The latter act features members of much-loved spazz-punks Despistado and Geronimo so expect something noisy creative and catchy as all get-out.

The celebrations continue on Sunday February 1 when Calgary’s Players Ensemble marks their fifth anniversary with a performance at the Ironwood Stage and Grill. Billed as Calgary’s only young alternative classical ensemble the chamber music group strays a bit from the normal playbook embracing the likes of Queen and Led Zeppelin as well as Bach and Shostakovich. It’s an afternoon show so you can probably even sneak in some brunch as part of the deal and that’s something that should never be passed on.

Rounding out the week Divine Brown will make her way to Calgary on Tuesday February 3. It’s only been about six months since the last time Brown was in town but the old-school soul singer is still buzzing from the positive reception of last year’s The Love Chronicles so expect a scorching performance when she hits the Theatre Junction Grand where she’ll be joined by fellow Toronto soul singer-songwriter Sean Jones .

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