What’s up: Neilfest, Alan Doyle, digital detox, story slam

Neilfest

• Times Change(d), 234 Main St.
• Friday, 9:30 p.m.; Saturday, 3 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
• Tickets: $23 at eventbrite.ca

Yes, Uncle Neil turned 80 on Wednesday, but Neilfest — the annual flagship birthday celebration held in his honour at Winnipeg’s downtown honkytonk — is turning 20 this weekend. To mark the occasion, Times Change(d) proprietor John Scoles has planned three separate shindigs.

On Friday night, the Honeysliders and Jaxon Haldane revisit Young’s 1974 record Tonight’s the Night, with an accompanying electric retrospective. On Saturday afternoon, the Stanley County Cutups reimagine Young’s sound in a set titled Neil Done Bluegrass, with the Telepathic Butterflies and Sean Buchanan playing a set of their favourites as Young Neil. That group returns Saturday night, as do the Honeysliders, who will take on Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, Young’s 1969 album with Crazy Horse.

Expect loads of special guests at the High and Lonesome Club to celebrate Young, who spent five pivotal years living and playing in Winnipeg from 1960 to 1965 before heading southwest to co-found Buffalo Springfield in 1966.

As he enters his 80s, Young is still rocking, wrapping up a 30-date world tour with his backing band the Chrome Hearts in September.

— Ben Waldman

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An afternoon with Alan Doyle

• McNally Robinson Booksellers, Grant Park, 1120 Grant Ave.
• Saturday, 2 p.m.
• Free admission

The pride of Petty Harbour, N.L., would like to share what makes his home province great.

Best known as the former frontman for celtic folk-rock outfit Great Big Sea, Alan Doyle spent months travelling vast expanses of Newfoundland and Labrador, experiencing the beauty of its people and places.

From ancient fishing villages to pristine parks to UNESCO World Heritage sites, Doyle chronicles his travels in his new book The Smiling Land: All Around the Circle in My Newfoundland and Labrador, also weaving in stories from his formative years.

Buy on mcnallyrobinson.com

Doyle will talk all things the Rock at McNally Robinson Booksellers’ Grant Park location on Saturday afternoon, with the launch of The Smiling Land kicking off at 2 p.m. He’lll be joined in conversation by Virgin Radio host (and Manitoba tire-pumper) Ace Burpee. The event will also be streamed on McNally Robinson’s YouTube page.

The Smiling Land is Doyle’s fourth book of non-fiction with a strong sense of place and deep roots in his home province, after bestsellers A Newfoundlander in Canada, Where I Belong and All Together Now. In addition to penning books, he also continues to perform solo, and will be playing Friday night at the RBC Convention Centre as part of the (sold-out) Grey Cup festivities there.

— Ben Sigurdson

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Practising presence with art and music

• West End Cultural Centre, 586 Ellice Ave.
• Friday, 8 to 11 p.m.
• Tickets $20-$25 at wecc.ca

The West End Cultural Centre is encouraging visitors to leave their smartphones at home (or in their pockets) tomorrow night during the venue’s first Digital Detox event.

This new once-per-season art and music series aims to foster real-life connections in an increasingly online world.

Friday’s event features music by Arielle Beaupré, Gabriela Ocejo and Flora Luna, and a gallery of textile work from Chilean-Canadian artist Daniela Fernandez.

The art exhibition is titled Ay, Corazon, which translates to “Ay, my heart” and is a reference to the pain of unrequited love. Fernandez’s textile hangings and mixed-media sculptures are inspired by Latin American art, melodramatic love stories and a playlist of multilingual music.

“As a trilingual person, my experience of love has been filtered through media in English, Spanish and French,” the artist writes. “I’ve also spent a lot of time chasing love in venues like late night cafés, bars and arts venues like the WECC.”

Each of the musicians has chosen songs from Fernandez’s playlist to perform, while sharing their own love stories with the audience.

Attendees are also invited to make crafts during the event to keep their hands from drifting to their devices.

— Eva Wasney

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Winnipeg Story (Grand) Slam

• Royal Albert Arms, 48 Albert St.
• Wednesday, 7 p.m.
• Tickets $20 at the door or at eventbrite.ca

Everyone knows the goal of comedy open mics: earn as many laughs as you can.

While it also shines a light on the city’s funnier storytellers, the Winnipeg Story Slams have a broader focus. The bittersweet, the strange, the (tragi)comic — all types of stories are welcome.

“It’s friendly competition because how do you pit someone’s death story against someone’s drinking-of-raw-chicken-juice story?” event organizer Nicole Dube told the Free Press earlier this year.

“So, the scores are always friendly and super high, but there’s something to be said for someone who really takes time to craft a five-minute story.”

The Grand Slam marks the end of Winnipeg Story Slam’s first full season, bringing together 10 past slam winners for a “championship showdown.” Each storyteller gets 10 minutes, rather than the usual five, while a new group of judges awards cash prizes for winners.

— Conrad Sweatman

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