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This article was published 06/10/2022 (1261 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

John Mulaney brings From Scratch tour to Winnipeg

Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.

Canada Life Centre

Tickets $68 to $176 plus fees at Ticketmaster.ca

John Mulaney has started from scratch.

In December 2020, the Emmy-winning comedian, actor and former Saturday Night Live writer checked into rehab after struggling with drug addiction. Working in the old tradition of “tragedy plus time equals comedy,” his latest (and aptly titled) new comedy tour, which brings him back to Winnipeg on Oct. 12, deals with demons battled, new beginnings, and the idea that sometimes, you only think you know somebody.

Known for his bone-dry storytelling, the Chicago-born comedian has built a dedicated fanbase via four standup specials — The Top Part (2009), New in Town (2012), The Comeback Kid (2015) and Kid Gorgeous (2018) — as well as his 2019 Netflix variety show for kids, John Mulaney & The Sack Lunch Bunch. In 2016, Mulaney appeared on Broadway in Oh, Hello, show with fellow comedian Nick Kroll, based on their long-running comedy act in which they play elderly men from New York’s Upper West Side. He’s also voiced many animated characters, including Chip to Andy Samberg’s Dale in this spring’s Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers.

During his time at SNL, Mulaney was probably best known for co-creating Stefon, the New York City nightlife guide played by Bill Hader who frequently broke character owing to Mulaney’s gonzo descriptions of various ficitious NYC nightclubs.

Tickets for Wednesday night’s show are available at Ticketmaster. This show is device-free; attendees’ phones will be secured in individual Yondr pouches that will stay in their possession and can be accessed in designated areas. Visit canadalifecentre.ca for more information.

— Jen Zoratti

Downtown Culture Days at The Forks

Today, 6-7 p.m.

The Forks, lower patio and EQ3 Lounge, 1 Forks Market Rd.

Free admission

The Forks wraps up its contribution to Downtown Culture Days this evening with music and movies.

At 6 p.m., events kick off on the lower patio of The Forks with Walking Wolf Dancers and Singers, who are led by Ray Stevenson and who will perform traditional drumming as well as hoop dancing, jingle and friendship dancers and chanters.

Following the Walking Wolf Dancers and Singers will be Juno-nominated Indigenous music collective Indian City, who announced in July they’d partnered with Warner Music Canada to release Code Red, the final album featuring late singer-songwriter Vince Fontaine. They’ll take the stage from 6:15 to 7 p.m. (If the weather’s bad, performances will be moved indoors.)

The Winnipeg Film Group, meanwhile, will present a series of film shorts shot in Winnipeg in the EQ3 Lounge on the second floor of The Forks Market beginning at 6 p.m.

Downtown Culture Days runs through Oct. 8 in venues around downtown, including Hargrave Street Market, Stephen Juba Park, Chinatown and Old Market Square. For the full list of remaining events, see downtownrecovery.ca.

— Ben Sigurdson

Classic rocker performs to help refugees from Ukraine

Henry Small and Company

Friday, 8 p.m.

Pyramid Cabaret, 176 Fort St.

Tickets: $50 at The Pyramid Cabaret or at the door

Henry Small has crossed paths with a who’s-who of rock ‘n’ roll during his four decades in music.

The former singer for Canadian bands Prism, Small Wonder and Scrubbaloe Caine, who has also performed with John Entwistle of the Who and toured with Burton Cummings, will host Henry Small and Company, an evening of rock classics.

Small joined Prism with former Streetheart guitarist Paul Dean in 1981 when the band recorded Don’t Let Him Know, which became Prism’s only single to reach the Billboard Top 40 in the United States.

“There has been so many people with Prism over the years, it just keeps on going,” he says.

He also came up with an electric violin sound that was influenced by Jimi Hendrix’s wild guitar solos.

“When I first heard Hendrix, I could put two and two together and make a violin sound the same, using delays and wah-wah pedals,” Small says.

Tickets for Friday’s concert are $50, with money raised from the concert going to help Ukrainian refugees settle in Manitoba.

— Alan Small

Jazzy projections

Old Market Square

Friday and Saturday; 7:30 to 11 p.m.

Free to attend

Jazz Winnipeg is rebroadcasting a musical multimedia pilot project throughout the Exchange District this weekend as part of Culture Days Manitoba.

Project Jazz features 10 digital art films set to jazz music and projected onto buildings around Old Market Square. The public art installation, which debuted during last year’s month-long arts and culture festival, has been expanded for 2022.

Five new visuals have been created by local filmmakers Freya Björg Olafson, Ervin Chartrand, Leigh Lugosi, Joel Penner, and Jason Wilkins and Scott Hadaller. The work is inspired by music from Manitoba musicians Will Bonness, Raine Hamilton, Jon Gordon, Apollo Suns and Onna Lou.

These art pieces join previous projections from Leslie Supnet, Mike Maryniuk and Hugh Conacher based on music by Derrick Gardner, Jocelyn Gould, Richard Moody and Casati.

Passersby can take in the immersive audio-visual installations free of charge Friday and Saturday evenings.

— Eva Wasney