Flip through the season brochure for the Evergreen Cultural Centre and you'll likely find at least a dozen shows you'll want to reach into your pocket for.
The Coquitlam venue, which is kicking off its 21st year on Sept. 15 with an art exhibition launch and dance party, will highlight a variety of acts from September to June — including some big names on the Canadian arts scene.
TD Bank is backing a new Evergreen music series that starts Oct. 22 with the Double-Double Duo — aka Kornel Wolak (clarinet/piano) and Michael Bridge (accordion/piano) — and ends April 15, 2018, with The Good News According to Quartom, an a cappella quartet.
Also part of the TD series are Juno-award winners, the Good Lovelies, Port Moody pianist Martin Mayer and Sean McCann, a founding member of Great Big Sea.
David Mann, Evergreen's performing arts manager and recipient of a BC Touring Council award, said the arts facility is pleased to welcome the TD Bank partnership (the venue also has secured sponsorship again from Westminster Savings for its family days arts programs and discounted performance series).
"The 11 concerts really offer a range of music styles," Mann said of the TD music program.
Evergreen's presentations are divided into six categories this season — theatre, indie, music, family, variety and Musical Mornings — some of which have reduced ticket prices. Also new are the sampler packs for the music and variety series, where guests can save up to 30% for a single ticket if purchased as a package. "The discount grows with the number of shows people buy together," Mann said, adding, "It's a nice way to encourage visitors to try out new things."
The upcoming shows will be highlighted at the season launch on Sept. 15, in which Mayer will tickle the ivories to promote his Feb. 17 "homecoming show," with two pieces: an original called Whistler and Raul di Blasio’s Corazon de Nino.
Mayer has been on the concert circuit in China and Taiwan since 2001 and returned to Canada three years ago (he plans to tour Asia next year). His Evergreen gig next Friday will be the first time he's performed in Canada since 2003 and "I'm finally now able to bring the show home," he said.
Meanwhile, the eight-piece band Dock Side Drive — whom Mann recruited in April while at the BC Touring Council's Pacific Contact conference — will perform swing tunes from the likes of Ray Charles, Irving Berlin and George Gershwin.
And, yes, the dance floor will be open, Mann said.
Band manager and founder Heather Burns (vocals/piano) said the Evergreen date will close the summer for the Victoria-based group "so we're looking to have a lot of fun," she said. "It's been a busy year of performing."
• Tickets for Evergreen Cultural Centre's 21st season launch are $20 by calling the box office at 604-927-6555 or visiting evergreenculturalcentre.ca. The opening for the new art display Colour Burst will run from 6 to 8 p.m.
