Great happenings in these news briefs

The Jazz Society is presenting the Worst Pop Band Ever, this Friday, September 30, at the Selkirk Room in the Regent Hotel.

“With influences ranging from Wayne Shorter to Levon Helm to J Dilla, this Toronto-based group tries to combine a love of jazz and indie pop,” it said in a statement.

“Whether it be blending acoustic bass with turntables or analog synths with the saxophone, the WPBE sets out to twist and bend both originals and covers, straddling genres and butting heads with expectation.”

It’s kind of like “the ugly lovechild of Miles Davis and Radiohead.”

The Jazz Club is located in the Selkirk Room at the Regent Hotel. Doors open at 7 pm and admission is by donation.

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If you’re looking for wholesome family entertainment you should attend the Charlotte Diamond concert at the Performing Arts Centre on Saturday afternoon at 2 pm.

Diamond is returning to Revelstoke for a special family concert. She will have new songs for her fans from the brand new recording, #14, Diamonds by the Sea, like Ottie the Otter, Put the Beat in Your Feet, and The Moose on the Loose. However, the audience will still hear their favourite songs such as Four Hugs a Day, I am a Pizza (Je suis une pizza), and Octopus (Slippery Fish).

This concert is a wonderful way to introduce young children to music. You can click here to visit her website. You can also click here to purchase your tickets online.

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Then, in the evening, ABBA lovers can relive the 1970s when the curtain rises on the official tribute band to the immortal Scandinavian musicians at 7:30 pm on Saturday, October 1.

This is an authentic-sounding, seven-piece tribute to ABBA. They perform in full costumes, similar to the actual styles worn by the original Abba members.

The band of professional musicians from Vancouver has played many shows over the last few years in casinos, theatres and corporate events, all around the world, including Las Vegas, the Dominican Republic, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Regina.

“You will be amazed at how closely Arrival-Canada’s tribute to ABBA resembles the original in look and sound,” says a promo for the band. “They take you back in time, so you can experience this amazing music all over again!“

For more information please go to www.tributetoabba.com and please click here to purchase tickets online.

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Break out your lederhosen! It’s time to celebrate Revelstoke’s Second Annual Oktoberfest on Saturday, October 1.

The party gets underway in the afternoon and Admission is by donation. There will be traditional food — borscht, sausages, German pretzels, games, and of course beer from Mt. Begbie Brewing Co. (as well as coolers, wine and soft drinks). Of course what would any public event in Revelstoke be without music? This year tunes will be provided by The Rev, who will include some traditional oom-pah music this year. Kids are welcome and there will be a few games for them in the kids’ corner.

Under the heated tents you can enjoy the band up close and personal or, if you prefer, sit further back and enjoy the music at traditional Oktoberfest-style tables. There’s plenty of room for everyone. And don’t forget to dress in your best Bavarian fashion — there will be something special for the best dressed.

All proceeds from this event stay in the Revelstoke area.

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The Hunting & Gathering Guru series presents a full day of mushroom education with three local experts on Saturday, October 1.

Participants will spend the day with Doug Airey, Lee de Bruin, and Pamela de Bruin, as they walk evryone through everything they need to know about wild edible mushrooms: looking for, picking, cleaning, storing and even cooking your mushrooms.

You can look for for delicious chanterelles, bright orange lobster mushrooms, highly coveted pine mushrooms and more.

Workshop #1:
11 am – 3 pm: Foraging (Doug, Lee and Pamela will each take a group of up to 7 people to maximize instruction time)
3:30 pm – 5 pm: Cleaning, storage and preparation

Workshop #2:
5 pm – 8 pm: Cooking mushrooms workshop at Mountain Meals
(The foraging and cleaning portions are considered one workshop, and the cooking workshop will be separate)

1 workshop:
$10 for non-NCES members, $5 for NCES members

Both workshops:
$15 for non-NCES members, $8 for NCES members

Location for the foraging workshop to be announced soon. Please be prepared for backcountry hiking. Wear broken-in hiking boots and long pants. Bring rain gear, and pack your own lunch and drinks.

To collect your treasures properly bring a mushroom knife (or pocketknife and soft brush or toothbrush), and a basket. Mushrooms are best stored in a paper bag until you can prepare them.

You can purchase a mushroom knife on amazon.ca for as little as $23.40 or Lee Valley for $12.95.

This event is limited to 21 participants, so register now by emailing a.maria.stone@gmail.com to reserve your space, as these workshops will fill up!

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NCES and the Columbia Mountains Institute of Applied Ecology are launching a new series called CRED Talks!

The Columbia Region Ecological Discussions will include speakers addressing a diversity of topics such as science communication, active ecological management, citizen science, research skills and techniques and the influences that our natural environment has on art and culture.

The series will kick off at 7 pm on Monday, October 3, with Alan Burger from BC Nature, discussing climate change and it’s effects on the Arctic, Antarctica, and here in BC.  He will continue to discuss the potential creation a Naturalist Society in Revelstoke, and organizer wish to invite everybody who is looking to get involved in conservation and nature education.

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There are four exhibitions opening at the Revelstoke Art Gallery in the Visual Arts Centre on Friday, October 7.

Jewelles Smith’s show is Dialogue on Motherhood: Visual Interrogations, Susan and Kristi Lind’s exhibition is entitled, appropriately enough, Mother and Daughter, while Kip Wiley presents with his photographic take on snowflakes, Seeking the Holy Grail, Jacqueline Palmer graces us with A Thousand and Two Wild Horses.

The exhibitions open with a public reception from 6 pm until 9 pm. These shows are open to the public noon until 4 pm Tuesday through Sunday until October 28.

The gallery is located at 320 Wilson Street, right behind the Days Inn.