Okotoks musicians are banding together to fundraise in the wake of an announcement the federal government will match donations to registered charities responding to the earthquake in Haiti.
The first benefit concert in Okotoks took place on Jan. 30 and raised $1,600 for God’s Littlest Angels – they have applied to the government to be eligible for matching dollars. That night OK Taxi donated a portion of their sales taking concert-goers home, raising another $50.
Two more benefit concerts have since come together and organizers hope to rally people from across the …

Like a blooming flower the Mainstage performers will be reaching for new heights as the curtain goes up on opening night of Little Shop of Horrors Friday.
It’s a transformation the students in the Mainstage program at the Alberta High School of Fine Arts have been practicing since September. Starting on Friday, the cast of 25 will delight the audience with the comedy of how a prickly plant that feeds on human blood helps two downtrodden people find true love.
To help the students step into their characters artistic director James Keary …

While most Canadians were enjoying Hockey Day in Canada on Saturday, one young lady was focused on a completely different competition south of border in hopes of someday being part of the pageantry.
Kristina Lavallee, 20, was glued to her television in Okotoks watching the 2010 Miss America pageant on Saturday. However, she was not cheering for any one participant rather she was scouting the competition.
Lavallee will be one of several women representing Alberta at the Miss Universe Canada pageant in Toronto in June and she wanted to see what set …

People who don’t like punk music probably think it all sounds the same, but for a producer who has worked with punk bands around the world, it simply comes down to some bands have talent and some don’t.
Vancouver sound engineer and record producer Brian ‘who’ Else is spending two weeks in the foothills recording albums for a handful of bands in his mobile studio. DeWinton based band Better Off Dead, Okotoks bands In Silence and Trainwreck and High River band Grim Zen have all hired Else to produce their recordings, …

Singer-songwriter David Myles has a warm place in his heart for the foothills area. Back in 2005 — the year he got his start in music — Myles was a finalist in a songwriting competition in Turner Valley hoping for the big prize of a trip to Nashville.

He didn’t win the trip, but he did win a black fleece vest that says Turner Valley Lodge Renegades on the back.
Myles has turned his Renegades vest into three albums and won best folk recording of 2009 from the East Coast Music Association …

A performance in Turner Valley on Saturday by four musicians who have dedicated their lives to classical music will be like an intimate conversation.
The Beneath the Arch Concert Series presents UCalgary String Quartet at the Flare ‘n’ Derrick Community Hall in what promises to be a unique musical experience.
“Some of the best classical music was written for a string quartet,” said Edmond Agopian, a member of the UCalgary String Quartet. “Composers felt that a string quartet combines the intimacy of one person playing with the presentation and power of a …

Musicians concerned by the heartbreak Haitians are experiencing as a result of a devastating earthquake has decided to join forces and play a benefit concert on Saturday.
Okotoks resident Chris Greve, lead vocalist for the Celtic band Claymore, is organizing the event, which features seven acts at The Willy in Okotoks.
Greve said there is a good vibe happening as he gets bands on board and works out the details. The owner of The Willy pitched the idea to Greve and Claymore jumped in, and the idea is appealing to other musicians …

Hoolahooping has evolved from a toy tweens get excited about into a form of exercise that appeals to adult sensibilities.
Celeste and Trina White are introducing Okotokians to a new way of hoola hooping. With a dance beat setting the pace, the women teach participants how to use every part of the body — from the legs up to the neck — to keep the hoops spinning in a graceful yet funked-out fashion.
The technique is not just a good party trick — the gyrations can also mesmerize suitors and stimulate good …

The theatre tech students waiting behind the set of The Little Shop of Horrors will be able to hear the murmur of the audience and feel the excitement of the actors as their hearts pound with pre-performance jitters on opening night.
When the curtain rises and the actors step into the spotlight, the teens who have been working behind the scenes will also feel the pressure to perform as they ensure the show runs smoothly.
Since the beginning of January the Alberta High School of Fine Arts theatre tech students have been …

An art gallery owner in Black Diamond is amazed at the generosity of people when they are given an opportunity to support a local cause.

Evonne Smulders, who owns Terra Cotta Gallery, decided to offer gift-wrapping service in exchange for a donation to the local food bank on Dec. 19. At the end of the day, the donations tallied up to $1,200.
“People are incredibly generous,” said Smulders. “One customer (who lives in the community) had a gift wrapped and donated $500 and it was a small gift, too,” said Smulders.
Being able …