What comes to mind when you think of ‘holiday spirit’ or ‘good will toward one another’?
If you answered metal music, you’re right!
Sandman, the only tribute band to receive blessings from metal music legends Metallica, will be performing for one night only in support of a local toy drive.
Since 1994, Sandman has been thrilling audiences across the country with their ferocious and remarkable stage presence that would make you think that Metallica themselves were on stage.
Band members Rick Van Dyk, Joe Di Taranto, Paulo Fonseca and Brent Niemi have a lifetime of musical experience playing and recording with recognized bands such as Helix, Honeymoon Suite, Headstones, Anvil, and Warmachine.
On Friday Dec. 3, Sandman will be joined by Innisfil’s MLC and Carl Rundown Band to blow the dust off the stage at the Ranch Concert Hall in support of giving kids a happy holiday.
This is a 19-plus event and proof of double vaccination is required at entry, in accordance with provincial regulations.
Tickets start at $20 and are available for purchase online by clicking here. Tickets are also available in Barrie at Liquid Chrome (11 Dunlop St. E.), Sunrise Records (Bayfield Mall) and Ranch 2.0, located at 56 Bayfield St.
Youth bring holiday classic to the stage
It’s that time of year when people start lining up their favourite holiday films to watch — A Christmas Story, The Grinch, Friday After Next, Die Hard, and, more recently, Elf.
The 2003 box office smash-hit starring Will Farrell has become a holiday standard for many and, for a very limited time, the story of Buddy the Elf can be seen live and featuring local youth.
Produced and staged by Moving Art, Elf Jr: The Musical is based on the beloved holiday film and features songs by Tony Award-nominees Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin, with a book by Tony Award winners Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin.
The production follows the adventures of Buddy, a young orphan raised by elves and unaware of his true lineage. To discover who he is, he sets off to New York City to find his birth father and help the people of the Big Apple remember the true meaning of Christmas.
Performed by an ensemble of talented young artists, Elf Jr: The Musical is filled with large ensemble musical numbers and is a perfect family event.
After nearly two years of lockdowns and safety measures that closed performing arts facilities for months, this young cast is ready to do what they love to do most and that's perform.
Elf Jr: The Musical runs Dec. 11 and 12. Tickets are selling quickly for the live, in-person performances. There is also a video on demand option that can be purchased here.
Monuments, memories and movements at the MacLaren
As 2021 draws to a close, the MacLaren Art Centre in downtown Barrie invites people to reflect on the past year through a highly personal exhibition.
Monuments, Memories and Missing Passages from Barrie-based artist Sean George brings a sense of optimism and utilizing public spaces to memorialize defining movements in history including Black and Indigenous suffrage, disco, AIDS and more.
Created during the pandemic and a year of activism against violence toward the Black community, this exhibition gathers pop cultural artifacts, historical imagery, and highly personal items to celebrate resilience and acknowledge the year to come.
More information about the exhibition can be found by clicking here.
