Musician and producer Jack White
You might remember him from the much-missed rock band The White Stripes, and more recently from The Raconteurs or The Dead Weather, but chances are if you’re a music fan, you know Jack White. It’s taken the guitarist, producer and nine-time Grammy winner 15 years to record a solo album. He sings tracks from his debut, Blunderbuss, at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre (May 27).—Kristina Urquhart
Photo courtesy Rick Hansen Foundation
To mark the 25th anniversary of his Man in Motion World Tour (pictured), last August Canadian Paralympian Rick Hansen kicked off a cross-country relay in North America’s easternmost point, Cape Spear (Newfoundland and Labrador). The 12,000-km (7,450-mi) endeavour, which raised money for spinal cord injury research, is finally coming to an end, as the relay travels through various communities in British Columbia this month, finally reaching Vancouver May 21. Jann Arden, David Suzuki, David Foster, Sarah McLachlan and several more Canadian icons are helping Hansen celebrate, with a special concert May 22 at the Pacific Coliseum. Find out more at www.rickhansen.com.—Sheri Radford
Canadian skater Kurt Browning is the choreographer of this year's Stars on Ice Canada tour
He’s been skating with Stars on Ice Canada (May 18 at Rogers Arena) since it began 21 years ago, and now Kurt Browning (pictured) is finally in the driver’s seat. This year marks his first as show director, leading an all-star line-up that includes recently minted World Champion ice dancers Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir. Browning, himself a four-time World Champion and the first skater ever to land a quadruple jump in competition, says he’s excited to end the tour in Vancouver, where he once hiked Grouse Mountain. “If I didn’t think my 45-year-old legs would hate me during the show, I would do it again!” —Kristina Urquhart
Rock of Ages photo by C. Scott Suchman
When aspiring rock star Drew meets aspiring actress Sherri, their love is as formidable as a 1980s power ballad. Rock of Ages is sweet, silly and superfluous, but it’s also one heck of a fun Broadway musical, filled with songs by the likes of Journey, Bon Jovi and Styx. Catch all the big hits—and big hair—at The Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts (May 8 to 13).—Sheri Radford
Story of BURQA: Case of a Confused Afghan, a documentary shown at DOXA
When it comes to film, it doesn’t get more real than documentaries. Enter DOXA (May 4 to 13), a documentary film festival that started in 2000 and continues to make waves. This year’s line-up runs the gamut: Story of BURQA: Case of a Confused Afghan (pictured), a timely look at how cloth has ignited controversy and fear; Bear 71, a groundbreaking mix of live performance and music alongside grizzly bear footage; and VITO, an inspiring look at AIDS activist Vito Russo.—Jennifer Patterson
VanDusen Botanical Garden's visitor centre. Photo by KK Law
From the top of its green roof to the depths of its geothermal energy system, the new visitor centre at VanDusen Botanical Garden is blazing a path in sustainable design. The building, with its eye-catching undulating roofline that resembles an orchid, uses green strategies such as rammed-earth walls, reclaimed lumber, on-site water capture and treatment, a photovoltaic system to generate electricity, and a giant skylight/solar chimney (pictured) that functions as a natural air conditioner. Designed to exceed LEED Platinum certification, the centre is also on track to be the fourth building in the world (and first in Canada) to meet the stringent Living Building Challenge (www.ilbi.org), which analyzes seven key components: site, water, energy, health, materials, equity and beauty. Even for those who don’t know anything about eco-friendly design, there’s no denying the building’s beauty. See it for yourself this month, and be sure to stop by on Plant Sale Day (Apr. 29), when admission to the garden is free. —Sheri Radford
Royal Winnipeg Ballet
Prepare to be enthralled by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s production of Svengali. Mark Godden’s mesmerizing choreography brings to life the complex tale of the master of mind control. At The Centre (Apr. 20 to 22).—Sheri Radford
Coldplay photo by Sarah Lee
The Brits are back. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin (pictured, centre) brings his falsetto and frenzied piano playing to Rogers Arena this month, promoting new material from his band’s fifth studio disc, Mylo Xyloto (Apr. 20 and 21). Longtime fans won’t be disappointed, with the boys’ breakout hit “Yellow” and sweepers such as “The Scientist” also featured on the set list. Rock on, mates.—Kristina Urquhart
Adam West as Batman
What do Burt Ward (Batman), Adam West (Batman), Kevin Sorbo (Hercules: The Legendary Journeys) and Lou Ferrigno (The Incredible Hulk) have in common? They’re all coming to town Apr. 21 and 22 for Fan Expo Vancouver, along with Kristen Bauer (True Blood), Jeremy Bulloch (Star Wars), Nicholas Brendon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Michael Dorn (Star Trek: The Next Generation)—and scores of other pop-culture favourites from film, TV, games, comics and anime. Don your geekiest costume and head to the Vancouver Convention Centre for celebrity autographs and photo ops, workshops and seminars with industry professionals, and panel discussions with sci-fi, fantasy and horror authors. Be sure to check out the sketching duels, in which comic artists go pen to pen to produce original art that immediately goes up for auction. And may the Force be with you.—Sheri Radford
The Importance of Being Earnest photo by David Cooper
The tone is anything but earnest in Oscar Wilde’s beloved farce that examines the theme of triviality and skewers Victorian social conventions. The Importance of Being Earnest runs until Apr. 15 at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage.—Sheri Radford
Do you have great photos from your travels in Canada that you'd like to share with us? Submit them to the Where Canada Flickr pool and they'll show up here.
Stay, Dine, Do
