Olio Festival, this weekend, be there

Credit: ‘No Fun City’ doc to screen at Olio

Documentary film No Fun City to screen at Olio Festival 2010.

Art shows, movie screenings, music, improv, dance parties—Olio Festival 2010 has me bursting with happy

Check out the line up… It’s amazing. Jam packed. Oozing with talent. And dance parties.

People keep asking me which shows I’ve got shortlisted, so here’s my quick list (with wiggle room for last-minute, go-wherever-the-wind-may-take-me, wreckless-abandon change o’ plans). Also, scroll down to the bottom for a cheat sheet on getting your Olio act together.

Olio Festival – Thursday (tonight)

I’m torn: Terror Bird is rad, but I’ve seen them; No Gold also rad (both at Honey, which is—sorry, Steve Chinn—not so rad for me anymore… I’m 30 now afterall). But SSRIs are playing too, with The Raccoons and the Shout Out Out Out Out (at 560 Seymour). So are RYAT and Piper Davies (Metropole).

Then of course there’s The Very Best and Love&Electrik (at Fortune), but everyone and their brother will be trying to get in so this one will be the sweatiest. And likely the dance-iest.

Or, I may just scratch it all and go for a laugh at the China Cloud comedy show…

^{Roxy Aiston of Vancouver electropunk duo Love&Electrik, to perform at Olio Festival 2010 on Thursday. (Image: Flickr / Brandan Lally)}

Olio Festival – Friday

I think the place to be will be the Rickshaw for comedy, then Babe Rainbow and Chad VanGaalen. Though if I can’t get in due to the expected throngs, I’ll duck into The Cobalt to catch Humans, who were a blast last month at The Biltmore.

But there’s also the Olio edition of Rain City Chronicles, a regular local storytelling event that I’ve always wanted to see, at Anza Club, featuring local curiosities Jenny Charlesworth (a new favourite local writer), Brandon Gaukel (photog, personality and Sad Mag creative director), Grant Lawrence (author, CBC Radio 3 host, local colour) and Sara Bynoe (who put on that Say Wha? event that looked really neat)—among others… The theme is “Surprise!”

^{Grant Lawrence returns to the Rain City Chronicles stage Friday. Pictured here during his last performance, telling the story of the first time he fought a Pacific octopus. (Image: Flickr / Amanda McCuaig)}

Olio Festival – Saturday

Two art shows have caught my eye: Post Up at Ayden and FEASTING at Lions Den (not the Lions Den Jamaican/Japanese restaurant, but the Lions Den on Pender). And then some film screenings: Harmonie Korine mutha fucka! (Club Viva) and Gun To The Head and No Fun City (The Rio)—which to choose? Oh, and the always inventive ManHussy is also doing their thing over at Kentizen Fusion Lounge with Connor Holler (holla!) and company.

Afterwards I have a sleepover complete with pillow fights to get to (nbd, it’s a Burning Man thing, you wouldn’t understand… 😉 so I’ll probably miss the dance party over at the Railway Club.

^{Vancouver comedy group Man Hussy to perform at Kentizen Fusion Lounge on Saturday as part of Olio Festival 2010.}

Olio Festival – Sunday

Sunday, I may not make it to the closing party at the W2 Storyeum (a place I’ve recently found myself nearly every weekend), I’m definitely hoping to catch the Olio Festival edition of long-running improv show The Sunday Service at The Hennessey on Broadway.

You in or you out?

Yeahhhhh! Olio! I’ve been anxiously waiting for this festival ever since the close of the last one!

hearts, Hilary
 

p.s. Blogger Elianna Lev also posted a good list of Olio Festival picks over on our Secret City blog…