Will they bop or flop: a musical experiment

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/11/2011 (5252 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WEIRD MATINGS — On Saturday night, two wildly different music acts will be thrown onstage together after one short meeting/practice — to bop together or flop together. That’s the premise of Mondo Musica experiments at Aqua Books at 274 Garry St. Wild African drummer and dancer Casimiro Nhussi of NaFro Dance and percussionist Kelly Leveille will collide with an excited jazz duo of guitarist Aaron Shorr and upright bass player Luke Sellick to see what happens.

Nhussi confesses he’ll be bringing surprise African instruments “from my Boom Boom room” to up the ante. Will he dance? “I can’t predict! I can’t sit still and I like to get people moving,” says Nhussi. Be warned! In his homeland of Mozambique, Nhussi did a CD release that was so hot Prime Minister Aires Ali asked him to be on the African Games opening program at the last minute. “My producer didn’t think there was room enough for me, but I jumped in the crowd, going off the stage bare-footed in the middle of the field and we had a dance!” Tickets for the concert at $10.

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TIRED OF THE BAR? — Roller derby competitor/all-round activitist Kristin Andrews is putting on “Roll-Out”, a late-night adult roller skate tonight at Wheelies, located at 1010 Logan Ave. at 10 p.m. after the teenyboppers go home. “We have the place to ourselves until 1 a.m,” she says. “What’s really great about this event is it’s an alcohol-free adult fun night.” For a laugh, some people like Andrews, who owns Ragpickers Anti-Fashion Emporium, are wearing funky rainbow-coloured clothes from the ’70s disco era and ’80s aerobic days. Translation? Spandex and striped leg warmers. “Think Richard Simmons!” she laughs. Tickets cost $10 at the door. Can’t skate? There will be tips for beginners.

Andrews has been in the news recently, as her popular Exchange District store might have to look for new premises. This week she gave away hundreds of items as they vacated the second floor theatre and book annex. No word yet on a new location for the popular Ragpickers store, but the clothing and rental store will still be on the main floor at 216 McDermot Ave. at least until the new year.

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SMALL EVENT, BIG MONEY — “We raised more than $2,500,” says proud restaurant owner Miles Gould of the Neil Young Tribute Concert, held recently at The Grove pub and restaurant, for the fight against prostate cancer. A packed bar came to salute Neil’s music organized by Howard Mandshein at the British-style venue. Young wasn’t there, of course, but celebrants toasted their home-town boy when he turned 66 at midnight. The place was crawling with Winnipeg guys sporting two weeks of growth for the Movember month-long moustache-growing challenge. Spotted at the event were: Century 21’s Tom Hayward, fashion stylist Linda Nelson of Pro Creations, Dr. Grant Benningen, Warner Bros Records’ John Jones (Neil Young’s label), Sleeman’s Jeff Palson and Roger Belton of Belton Financial, RBC Securities.

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WELCOME TREND — Not many women are model thin, especially after the kids are born. Fashion shows for “real women” are starting to be a trend in Winnipeg — with models over 30 who have many shapes and sizes. Connie Hall and her Peppertree Fashions gang are putting on the Winter Wonderland Fashion Show on Dec. 4 at 2 p.m. at Shrine House at 1155 Wilkes Ave. Proceeds go to the Free Press Pennies from Heaven campaign, which benefits Winnipeg Harvest and the Christmas Cheer Board. Reporter Kevin Rollason is head angel, and proud of it! Says Hall: “We’re catering to the 30-plus crowd. We realize and can identity with women who have “issues” with their figures. You know, sloping shoulders, perhaps a roll here or there — darn gravity. It’s easier to blame it on science!” There’ll also be elegant lingerie in all sizes from Mindy Moss’ shop, Eyelet Dove. “We’ve got small sizes up to 3X in sexy lingerie now!” says Moss, plus there’s fashion frames from Linden Ridge Eyecare, and Jensen’s Nursery is donating poinsettia centrepieces to be sold to guests at the end. It’s a dessert party with yummy goods by Chamberlyn’s.

Got tips, events, sightings, unusual things going on? Call Maureen’s tip line at 474-1116, email Maureen.Scurfield@Winnipegfreepress.com or send mail to The Insider, c/o The Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, R2X 3B6