Entertainment

Country superstar Blake Shelton has been announced as the headline for next summer’s Sunfest Country Music Festival, running Aug. 3 to 6, 2023. (Courtesy of Sunfest Country Music Festival)

Blake Shelton coming to Vancouver Island as Sunfest headliner

The Cowichan country music festival returns to Laketown Ranch Aug. 3 to 6, 2023

Country superstar Blake Shelton has been announced as the headline for next summer’s Sunfest Country Music Festival, running Aug. 3 to 6, 2023. (Courtesy of Sunfest Country Music Festival)
Donna Forsgren, left, works on a blanket while Coastal Flow Fibre Studio owner Michelle Frost talks about a project on her rigid heddle loom in the front room at Coastal Flow’s historic home on Elizabeth Street in Port Alberni. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

Coastal Flow builds creative community in Port Alberni

Owner Michelle Frost hopes anyone who creates with fibre will drop in for Fibre Thursdays

Donna Forsgren, left, works on a blanket while Coastal Flow Fibre Studio owner Michelle Frost talks about a project on her rigid heddle loom in the front room at Coastal Flow’s historic home on Elizabeth Street in Port Alberni. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
Pat Buckna is a writer, songwriter and composer from Powell River. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Songwriter shares his story at live reading event in Port Alberni

Electric Mermaid: Live Reads takes place on the last Wednesday of every month

Pat Buckna is a writer, songwriter and composer from Powell River. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)
Michaelangelo and Candice Woodward celebrating the announcement of the 2019 Capital City Comic Con. (Black Press Media file photo)

Future uncertain as Island’s Capital City Comic Con on hiatus for 2023

Resources required to plan the event for its traditional spring dates deemed too onerous

Michaelangelo and Candice Woodward celebrating the announcement of the 2019 Capital City Comic Con. (Black Press Media file photo)
The Kid Laroi appears at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards in Las Vegas on April 3, 2022, left, and Justin Bieber appears at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute benefit gala in New York on Sept. 13, 2021. “Stay,” the smash hit by The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber topped Apple Music’s global song chart in 2022. (AP Photo)

Hot hits of 2022: Apple Music unveils its most listened-to songs of the past year

Twenty-one non-English songs were in the global Top 100

The Kid Laroi appears at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards in Las Vegas on April 3, 2022, left, and Justin Bieber appears at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute benefit gala in New York on Sept. 13, 2021. “Stay,” the smash hit by The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber topped Apple Music’s global song chart in 2022. (AP Photo)
A serene group surrounds Scrooge (Louise Phillips) in the Chemainus Theatre Festival’s A Tiny Christmas Carol. From left: Yasmin D’Oshun, Jay Clift, Emma Slipp and Stephen Thakkar. (Photo by Don Bodger)

A Tiny Christmas Carol challenges expectations at the Chemainus Theatre

Small cast covers large number of roles in adaptation of a familiar Dickens classic

A serene group surrounds Scrooge (Louise Phillips) in the Chemainus Theatre Festival’s A Tiny Christmas Carol. From left: Yasmin D’Oshun, Jay Clift, Emma Slipp and Stephen Thakkar. (Photo by Don Bodger)
FILE - Gas lamps illuminate St. Louis' Gaslight Square on April 2, 1962. "Gaslighting" — mind manipulating, grossly misleading, downright deceitful — is Merriam-Webster's word of 2022. (AP Photo/JMH, File)

‘Gaslighting’ is Merriam-Webster’s word of the year for 2022

NEW YORK (AP) — “Gaslighting” — behavior that’s mind manipulating, grossly misleading,…

FILE - Gas lamps illuminate St. Louis' Gaslight Square on April 2, 1962. "Gaslighting" — mind manipulating, grossly misleading, downright deceitful — is Merriam-Webster's word of 2022. (AP Photo/JMH, File)
Host Brooke Lynn Hytes is pictured with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who made an appearance on the Friday, Nov. 25 episode of “Canada’s Drag Race: Canada vs. the World.” THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Bell Media/Crave

Justin Trudeau talks allyship during appearance on ‘Canada’s Drag Race’ spinoff

He’s the first world leader to appear on the RuPaul-founded series

Host Brooke Lynn Hytes is pictured with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who made an appearance on the Friday, Nov. 25 episode of “Canada’s Drag Race: Canada vs. the World.” THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Bell Media/Crave
Oscar, Golden Globe and two-time Grammy winning singer-actress Irene Cara has died at age 63. (@Irene_Cara/Twitter photo)

‘Fame’ and ‘Flashdance’ singer-actor Irene Cara dies at 63

Performer an Oscar, Golden Globe and two-time Grammy winner

Oscar, Golden Globe and two-time Grammy winning singer-actress Irene Cara has died at age 63. (@Irene_Cara/Twitter photo)
Netflix’s DVD-by-mail rental service, now called DVD.com, is seen in a non-descript office in Fremont, Calif. March 29, 2022, It is located about 20 miles from Netflix’s main campus in Los Gatos, Calif. Netflix’s trailblazing DVD-by-mail rental service has been relegated as a relic in the age of video streaming, but there is still a steady — albeit shrinking — audience of diehards who are happily paying to receive those discs in the iconic red-and-white envelopes. (AP Photo/Michael Liedtke)

Netflix nights still come wrapped in red-and-white envelopes

Netflix set to shut down a service that has shipped more than 5 billion discs across the U.S.

Netflix’s DVD-by-mail rental service, now called DVD.com, is seen in a non-descript office in Fremont, Calif. March 29, 2022, It is located about 20 miles from Netflix’s main campus in Los Gatos, Calif. Netflix’s trailblazing DVD-by-mail rental service has been relegated as a relic in the age of video streaming, but there is still a steady — albeit shrinking — audience of diehards who are happily paying to receive those discs in the iconic red-and-white envelopes. (AP Photo/Michael Liedtke)
FILE - Food vendors work behind an ice cream fridge with an advertisement featuring Chinese-Canadian pop star Kris Wu in Beijing on Aug. 3, 2021. A Beijing court on Friday, Nov. 25, 2022 sentenced Chinese-Canadian pop star Kris Wu to 13 years in prison on charges including rape. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

China sentences Chinese-Canadian star Kris Wu to 13 years

A Chinese court on Friday sentenced Chinese-Canadian pop star Kris Wu to…

FILE - Food vendors work behind an ice cream fridge with an advertisement featuring Chinese-Canadian pop star Kris Wu in Beijing on Aug. 3, 2021. A Beijing court on Friday, Nov. 25, 2022 sentenced Chinese-Canadian pop star Kris Wu to 13 years in prison on charges including rape. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)
This image released by Disney shows Splat in a scene from the animated film “Strange World.” (Disney via AP)

Review: ‘Strange World’ explores big themes in bold colours

Beautiful pictures tell tale of human characters that look a lot more like the real world than usual

This image released by Disney shows Splat in a scene from the animated film “Strange World.” (Disney via AP)
Conductor Janet Shlackl directs the Urbanstreet Choir in rehearsal while Sandy Bouleau accompanies on piano. (ELENA RARDON / ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS)

New choir in Port Alberni ready for its first Christmas concert

The holiday season is just around the corner, and with it comes the promise of Christmas music

Conductor Janet Shlackl directs the Urbanstreet Choir in rehearsal while Sandy Bouleau accompanies on piano. (ELENA RARDON / ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS)
Marley’s Ghost looms behind Ebenezer Scrooge in ‘A Wonderheads Christmas Carol,’ a whimsical reimagining of the holiday classic touring BC theatres this December. Kate Braidwood as Scrooge, Jessica Hickman as Marley. (Photo by Daryl Turner)

Holiday-themed shows dominate Cowichan Performing Arts Centre stage in December

Music, dance and theatre

Marley’s Ghost looms behind Ebenezer Scrooge in ‘A Wonderheads Christmas Carol,’ a whimsical reimagining of the holiday classic touring BC theatres this December. Kate Braidwood as Scrooge, Jessica Hickman as Marley. (Photo by Daryl Turner)
From Paverpol figures to paintings, sock monkeys to Scrabble tile decorations, Mistletoe Market at The Grove showcases myriad items from Alberni Valley artisans. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

ARTS AROUND: Harbour Quay lights up for the holidays

Celebrate the official start of the holiday season with the lighting of the Christmas tree

  • Nov 23, 2022
From Paverpol figures to paintings, sock monkeys to Scrabble tile decorations, Mistletoe Market at The Grove showcases myriad items from Alberni Valley artisans. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
Candice Roberts plays Larry at the Tidemark Theatre Dec. 16. Photo by Kristine Cofsky

Vancouver Island-raised performer brings ‘one-man’ exploration of dude-ism home

Candice Roberts is getting laughs with Larry — someone you will probably recognize

Candice Roberts plays Larry at the Tidemark Theatre Dec. 16. Photo by Kristine Cofsky
This combination of photos shows a “Peanuts” cartoon by Charles M. Schulz in 1999 showing kids at a museum with one off on the side, gazing at a painting of the dog Earl from “Mutts,” top, and an upcoming “Mutts” cartoon by Patrick McDonnell showing Earl at the museum fondly looking at a framed image of Snoopy. More than 75 syndicated cartoonists have tucked tributes, Easter eggs and references to “Peanuts” in Nov. 26/Saturday’s funny papers to honor the creator of Charlie Brown, Snoopy and company. (Peanuts via AP, top and King Features Syndicate via AP)

Cartoonists honour ‘Peanuts’ creator in Saturday funny pages

More than 75 syndicated cartoonists have created tributes to salute strip’s 100th birthday

This combination of photos shows a “Peanuts” cartoon by Charles M. Schulz in 1999 showing kids at a museum with one off on the side, gazing at a painting of the dog Earl from “Mutts,” top, and an upcoming “Mutts” cartoon by Patrick McDonnell showing Earl at the museum fondly looking at a framed image of Snoopy. More than 75 syndicated cartoonists have tucked tributes, Easter eggs and references to “Peanuts” in Nov. 26/Saturday’s funny papers to honor the creator of Charlie Brown, Snoopy and company. (Peanuts via AP, top and King Features Syndicate via AP)
FILE - Singer Taylor Swift performs on stage in a concert at Wembley Stadium on June 22, 2018, in London. On the heels of a messy ticket roll out for Swift’s first tour in years, fans are angry; they’re also energized against Ticketmaster. While researchers agree that there’s no way to tell how long the energy could last, the outrage shows a way for young people to become more politically engaged through fan culture. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP, File)

Taylor Swift ticket trouble could drive political engagement

Size of Swift’s fandom spurring conversations about economic inequality symbolized by Ticketmaster

FILE - Singer Taylor Swift performs on stage in a concert at Wembley Stadium on June 22, 2018, in London. On the heels of a messy ticket roll out for Swift’s first tour in years, fans are angry; they’re also energized against Ticketmaster. While researchers agree that there’s no way to tell how long the energy could last, the outrage shows a way for young people to become more politically engaged through fan culture. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP, File)
Desmond Day Larson on the set of his YouTube show, Mr. Day. Photo by Terry Farrell

Day dawns with music and imagination as a YouTube children’s performer

Courtenay singer/songwriter gaining an audience with his online children’s show

Desmond Day Larson on the set of his YouTube show, Mr. Day. Photo by Terry Farrell
Chad Kroeger, left, and Ryan Peake of the band Nickelback are photographed in Toronto, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Alex Lupul

Nickelback doubles down on nostalgia – just don’t call it a concept record

‘Get Rollin’, the band’s first full-length album in five years, is a throwback to its glory days

Chad Kroeger, left, and Ryan Peake of the band Nickelback are photographed in Toronto, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Alex Lupul
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