Canada Day
If you're flying to New York for the long weekend, that doesn't necessarily mean that you'll miss out on Canada Day celebrations.

The Canadian consulate in the Big Apple has announced some celebrations for ex-pats, travellers and New Yorkers. There are no parades or fireworks, but they are serving up a couple of great concerts. The first at 3 p.m. on Central Park's Summerstage, features The Tragically Hip and Great Big Sea. Later that night in Prospect Park in Brooklyn there will be a tribute to Canadian jazz with pianist D.D. Jackson, plus hip-hopper Andre Milne and author Austin Clarke.

Link:
Canada Day in New York

Canadians in Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa and St. John's can go to local bars to attend something called Simulbash. They'll be entertained by one local live act and four other concerts beamed in on satellite TV. The headliners are Goo Goo Dolls, No Doubt, Stone Temple Pilots, Our Lady Peace and Third Eye Blind.

Link:
Simulbash will be broadcast over the web for those who don't live in the right cities.

For those who just want to sit at home, CTV is offering an HDTV film, Over Canada, An Aerial Adventure (8 p.m.), described as "a sweeping journey across our majestic landscapes." The soundtrack includes music by Bruce Cockburn, Loreena McKennitt, Kevin Parent, Cowboy Junkies, The Rankins and Holly Cole.

Cockburn turns up live on CBC's noon-hour extravaganza from Parliament Hill, joined by pop star Chantal Kreviazuk, fiddler Natalie MacMaster, Quebec crooner Roch Voisine and soprano Lyne Fortin.

Hitch Your Wagon to the Cinemateque
The Cinemateque's Hitchcock festival is drawing to a close tonight with an Ingrid Bergman double header. Hitchcock was famous for teaming up with beautiful blondes to make incredible movies together. His stormy relationship with Tippi Hedren (the actress always claimed that he was a tyrant and there were rumours of sexual harrassment), Grace Kelly and Joan Fontaine were all members of his famous icy blonde club. Kelly in particular is a shining example. Who can ever forget her curled up like a sexy kitten one dared not touch in Rear Window? Tonight the festival ends with Notorious and Spellbound.

Spellbound is one of my own Hitchcock favourites. While the Freudian thematics may seem somewhat dated the cinematography is absolutely ground breaking. The dream sequence, designed by Salvador Dali, makes this a must-see for any serious modern art fan. For those who can't make the screenings, both films are available on VHS and DVD. Furthermore, if you'd like a quick intro to the cinematic impact of Hitchcock's ouevre, visit the Cinemateque site and read a fine essay by internationally renowned film theorist Robin Wood.

Shadows of Doubt: The Films of Alfred Hitchcock
Art Gallery of Ontario
Jackman Hall
317 Dundas Street West, Toronto

Fine Tuning
Fans of CBC's Midday be sure to tune in for today's swan song. Hosts Tina Srebotnjak and Brent Bambury will be going live in front of an audience, looking back over some of the show's finest hours. There's something really sad and more than a tad creepy about even watching the CBC these days. It's like Night of the Living Dead. You never know who's going to get the axe next. Good luck to everyone involved. Midday was once one of the network's most highly rated shows. 12:00 noon ET on CBC

Drop me a line.

Archives: We've got some amazing news and lots of reviews in our previous Arts Alerts