Blue Jackets @ Flames

Blue Jackets-Flames Preview
GAME: Columbus Blue Jackets (20-30-2) at Calgary Flames (30-16-6).

TIME: Wednesday, 9 p.m. EST.

The Columbus Blue Jackets attempt to win four in a row for only the third time in franchise history when they visit the struggling Calgary Flames.

The Blue Jackets have won eight of their past 11 games and went 8-4-1 in January, the winningest month in their five-year history. Columbus previously won four straight from Nov. 9-16, 2000, and from March 21-27, 2004.

The Blue Jackets, last in the NHL in goals scored with 129, have 14 during their current three-game winning streak and have rallied for victories in the last two games.

David Vyborny, who was named the NHL's player of the week on Monday, had two goals in Columbus' 4-3 win over Nashville on Saturday.

"We're playing different from the beginning of the season," said Vyborny, who had two goals and five assists for Columbus last week. "If we would have gotten down a few goals we wouldn't have come back."

All three wins last week, and six of the Blue Jackets' last eight victories, have come by one goal.

"There's immense trust and confidence in our ability to come back in any game," said goalie Marc Denis, who has won eight of his last 10 starts.

Defenseman Bryan Berard, third on the team with 32 points, missed Saturday's game and is listed as day to day with a lower back injury, the same one that caused him to miss seven games in December.

Calgary wrapped up a five-game road trip by losing 3-2 in a shootout to St. Louis on Monday, the Flames' third defeat in the last four games.

Goalie Miikka Kiprusoff was beaten twice on the high side in the shootout, which lasted five rounds.

"They beat me a couple of times glove high, so you have to learn from that and be ready for the next shootout that comes for us," said Kiprusoff, who is 0-4 in shootouts. "With two goals you should always win."

The Flames have struggled on the power play in their last three losses, going 2-for-25 with the man advantage.

Defenseman Roman Hamrlik broke his hand in Calgary's 5-3 win over Chicago on Sunday night and coach Darryl Sutter said on Tuesday he hopes to have the 13-year veteran back by the March 9 trade deadline. Hamrlik, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1992 draft, has five goals and 14 assists in his first season with the Flames.

Calgary has won four straight over Columbus and five of the last six meetings, including both contests this season.

The Flames have won six in a row at home.

STANDINGS: Blue Jackets - 42 points, 3rd place, 31 PB, Central Division. Flames - 66 points, 1st place, Northwest Division.

TEAM LEADERS: Blue Jackets - Vyborny and Nikolai Zherdev, 15 goals; Vyborny, 23 assists and 38 points; Jody Shelley, 107 PIM. Flames - Jarome Iginla, 23 goals and 40 points; Dion Phaneuf, 21 assists; Darren McCarty, 78 PIM.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Blue Jackets - Power play: 14.9 percent (44 for 296), 26th in NHL. Penalty killing: 81.7 percent (290 for 355), 17th. Flames - Power play: 17.5 percent (55 for 314), 15th. Penalty killing: 82.5 percent (264 for 320), 14th.

GOALTENDERS: Blue Jackets - Denis (12-17-0, 1 SO, 3.36 GAA); Pascal Leclaire (5-10-2, 3.69). Flames - Kiprusoff (27-13-6, 6, 2.25); Philippe Sauve (3-3-0, 3.28).

SEASON SERIES: Flames, 2-0.

LAST MEETING: Nov. 3; Flames, 2-1. At Calgary, Alberta, Marcus Nilson assisted on Steve Reinprecht's tying goal at 3:09 of the third period, and scored the game-winner at 10:36.

ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Blue Jackets - 6-18-2 on the road; Flames - 18-4-2 at home.


— Associated Press

Royal Winnipeg Ballet

The Royal Winnipeg Ballet is coming to Vancouver!
Royal Winnipeg Ballet Tickets

Versatility, technical excellence, and a captivating style are the trademarks of Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet, qualities that have garnered both critical and audience acclaim. These qualities keep the RWB in demand as it presents more than 100 performances every season.

Founded in 1939 by Gweneth Lloyd and Betty Farrally, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet holds the double distinction of being Canada's premier ballet company and the longest continuously operating ballet company in North America. In 1953, the Company received its royal title, the first granted under the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. In 1958, Arnold Spohr was appointed artistic director. Under his direction the Royal Winnipeg Ballet grew and developed to take its place among the world's internationally renowned companies.

In 1988, Mr. Spohr turned his position over to Henny Jurriens. Tragically, Jurriens and his wife lost their lives in an automobile accident on April 9, 1989. Former American Ballet Theatre Principal Dancer John Meehan was artistic director from 1990 to 1993 and former Joffrey Ballet and Twyla Tharp dancer William Whitener served as artistic director of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet from 1993 to 1995.

On March 7, 1996, Andre Lewis was named Artistic Director of Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet. A native of Hull, Quebec, Mr. Lewis joined the RWB School's Professional Division in 1975, entered the company's corps de ballet in 1979 and was promoted to soloist in 1982. He was asked to join the artistic staff in 1984 and was appointed Associate Artistic Director in 1990. During his tenure as Artistic Director, Lewis has worked to revitalise the Company's repertoire, especially with the commissioning of new full-length ballets such as Dracula,Nutcracker and The Magic Flute.

The Royal Winnipeg Ballet began to tour Canada in 1945; it completed its first American tour in 1954. Today, the Company spends 20 or more weeks a year on the road, performing in centres large and small. Throughout its history, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet has been a dance leader, recording innumerable firsts. It developed the concept of the regional ballet festival in the 1940s. It was the first Western company to perform in Cuba after the revolution. It received Gold Medals at the International Ballet Festival in Paris in 1968 and that same year became the first Canadian company to tour Russia and Czechoslovakia.

The RWB School's Professional Division was founded in 1970 by former principal dancer, David Moroni C.M. Internationally recognized as a centre of excellence in dance training for more than 25 years, the School is a respected training institution for talented young students who aspire to become professional dancers or dance teachers.

In 1986, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet began construction of a new Company home. This unique facility, which includes 10 dance studios (including a performance studio), physiotherapy room, administrative and production offices, box office, wardrobe department and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School Professional and Recreational Divisions, was officially opened in January 1988. For Canada's oldest ballet company, winner of accolades and warm welcomes in 564 cities worldwide, this is home.

- www.rwb.com

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 8:00 PM
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Vancouver, British Columbia

Fri, 24 Mar 2006 8:00 PM
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Vancouver, British Columbia

Sat, 25 Mar 2006 2:00 PM
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Vancouver, British Columbia

Sat, 25 Mar 2006 8:00 PM
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Vancouver, British Columbia

Aerosmith: Destined for the West!

Get your Aerosmith tickets here!

AEROSMITH - ROCKS ON

Legends. Icons. Idols. These are the words used to describe those rare bands that have been adored for a lifetime and immortalized as distinct creators of rock and roll. But what these reverent words are missing is the notion of now. How do you reconcile a generation-spanning word like icon with the quick beat of the present? Aerosmith does it. The band members are legends, icons and idols, dynamic in the present; as cool and innovative now as they were thirty years ago.

They are a phenomenon, a force of nature, trail-blazing, unstoppable, showing no signs of slowing down.Unique even among the select handful of rock bands who are still active after their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, Aerosmith has sold over 100 million albums.

Think for a second about how big a number that is and how many people have heard their music. Huge! Steven Tyler on vocals, Joe Perry and Brad Whitford on guitars, Tom Hamilton on bass, and Joey Kramer on drums. They've outdone the trends and fads of rock and roll to become one of the most powerful and electrifying forces in popular music.

Rewind for a minute to the early '70s, when the phrase "sex, drugs and rock & roll" was a rebellious teenager. Enter Aerosmith with a sexy swagger and thrusts ofmetal, glam and boogie woogie. Tyler's lyrics laced with double entendres and witty humor perfectly complimented by the entire group cool urban charisma.

Beyond driving rock and roll tunes, Aerosmith created quintessential power ballads such as Dream On. This dual skill set gave the band a string of gold and platinum albums, including Get Your Wings, Toys in the Attic and Rocks.

The early '80s were rockier times, with Perry and Whitford temporarily leaving the Aero fold to pursue solo projects. The guitarists returned in 1984 and soon after, Aerosmith was back in the saddle again. And they have been on top of the charts ever since. Albums like Permanent Vacation, Pump, Get a Grip and Nine Lives, Just Push Play, and their latest release, the blues-inspired 'Honkin' on Bobo', have all been huge successes. And the killer videos – a driving force of the video medium, these Boston rockers led the look, style and attitude of the '80s MTV generation. Videos for Dude Looks Like a Lady, Livin' On the Edge and Crazy (starring Liv) are solid MTV classics. And later, with videos like Pink and Jaded, Aerosmith continued to cut the edge.

Always a step ahead of the pack, Aerosmith's Just Push Play is the first album to be produced by band members Steven Tyler and Joe Perry (along with Mark Hudson and Marti Frederiksen). The unforgettable pop melodies and bone-shaking rock riffs that are Just Push Play sent Aerosmith even further on their path to musical immortality.

'Honkin' on Bobo' was released in March 2004, and as one Rolling Stone review put it: "Aerosmith don't have much time for pain on Honkin' on Bobo. The songs are mostly about gettin' some, then gettin' outta there -- Dixon's "I'm Ready," Bo Diddley's "Road Runner" -- and the attack is heavy Sixties shindig: snarling guitars, thunderclap drumming, Steven Tyler's 3-D snake hiss and widescreen yowl. Bobo is really a combined tribute: to the originators of the blues' core repertoire and the explosive, electric inventions of 1960s British bands such as the Yardbirds, Mayall's Bluesbreakers and the Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac." (David Fricke, Rolling Stone)

With such an unstoppable passion for creating great music, a unique creative vision and an unyielding appreciation for their fans, there are no limits to what the future holds for Aerosmith.

- www.aeroforceone.com



Wed, 5 Apr 2006 7:30 PM
Credit Union Centre
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Fri, 7 Apr 2006 7:30 PM
Rexall Place
Edmonton, Alberta

Sun, 9 Apr 2006 7:30 PM
General Motors Place
Vancouver, British Columbia

Get your Aerosmith tickets now!

Great Big Sea - Canadian Tour in Progress!

Purchase Great Big Sea Tickets Here!

"Great Big Sea is not a band you just go and see, or a cd you just listen to. Great Big Sea is something you have to do."

Lead singer Alan Doyle's description of his band might be simple, but it comes close to describing the phenomena that is Great Big Sea. Their records are renowned for drawing together disparate threads of folk and pop music, while their shows are a storm of powerful singing, driving rhythms and soaring melody. Critics are often at a loss to describe the unique appeal of the band, who have built a strong and enduring career by combining the traditional music of their isolated Newfoundland home with a myriad of pop influences. CMJ New Music focused on "the band's rich vocal harmonies" based around four part singing which ranges from the sophistication of the Beach Boys, to the bellow of sailor's shanties. Dirty Linen raved about "the best party band that ever picked up a fiddle", while the Washington Post described "an explosively joyful noise". Great Big Sea themselves refuse to be put in any boxes.

"We started with a simple idea - Newfoundland music was exciting and unique, and if we combined it with pop music, we could make something special," explains Doyle. "We've added instruments, and voices, and rhythms, and many, many different sounds, but our ideals have never changed."

Since the four original members started the band in March of 1993 as a post-university employment project, they have toured relentlessly, reveling in the joy of travel, and the challenge of bringing their music to first Canada, and then the rest of the world. From day one, it is the band's energetic concerts which have proven the base of their popularity.

"No one comes to a Great Big Sea show and just sits there," says Sean McCann, the band's other lead singer and master of the Celtic bodhran. "The whole point is to sing, dance, and clap along. The crowd is the show - we're just the hosts."

Having sold well over a million copies of their albums in Canada, where the band is signed to Warner Music Canada, the band continues to make major inroads into the USA, where their music is available on the prestigious Zoe/Rounder label. Their latest project is a career spanning DVD. Anchored by a full length concert, filmed before a rabid audience in Ottawa, it also includes numerous interviews and backstage highlights. Longtime fans, especially in the USA are pleased with the inclusion of all fourteen of the band's videos, which have finally been compiled in one place.

"It was amazing to look at all the old footage when we were putting this together," said Bob Hallett, the multi-instrumentalist who anchors the band's traditional folk side. "A touring band tends to live in the moment, always looking down the road, not back. We have gone through a music store's worth of instruments, and some really bad haircuts, among other things. It's astonishing to realize how much foolishness we have gotten away with."

Now a five piece act, with the addition of Kris MacFarlane on percussion, and Murray Foster replacing Darrell Power on bass, the band continues its hectic life of tours and recording. Currently, the band is busy laying tracks for their seventh release, in between concert dates in both Canada and the USA. Outsiders marvel at the band's energy, but Doyle has no trouble explaining where the band finds its bottomless reserves of inspiration and vigor.

"Some of the music we play is hundreds of years old. If you are going to write songs to compete with that, you have got to work really hard," he suggests. "Plus, standing on a stage listening to a crowd of people sing along with you is the greatest feeling in the world. You never get tired of that."


Complete Canadian Tour Listings For Great Big Sea!

Tue, 31 Jan 2006
Sanderson Centre
Brantford, Ontario

Sat, 4 Feb 2006
Pantages Playhouse
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Sun, 5 Feb 2006
Centennial Auditorium
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Tue, 7 Feb 2006
Centre For Music
Edmonton, Alberta

Wed, 8 Feb 2006 8:00 PM
Concert Hall
Calgary, Alberta

Thu, 9 Feb 2006 7:30 PM
The Centre
Vancouver, British Columbia

Fri, 10 Feb 2006
McPherson Playhouse
Victoria, British Columbia

Wed, 15 Mar 2006
John Labatt Centre
London, Ontario

Thu, 16 Mar 2006 8:00 PM
The Carlu
Toronto, Ontario

Fri, 17 Mar 2006 8:00 PM
The Carlu
Toronto, Ontario

Sat, 18 Mar 2006
Olympia Theatre
Montreal, Quebec

Mon, 20 Mar 2006
Capitol Theatre
Moncton, New Brunswick

Wed, 22 Mar 2006
Rebecca Cohn Auditorium
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Thu, 23 Mar 2006
Rebecca Cohn Auditorium
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Sun, 26 Mar 2006
Imperial Theatre
Saint John, New Brunswick


Mon, 1 May 2006
National Arts Centre
Ottawa, Ontario

Wed, 3 May 2006
Centre In The Square
Kitchener, Ontario

Thu, 4 May 2006
Sanderson Centre
Brantford, Ontario

Fri, 5 May 2006
Living Arts Centre
Mississauga, Ontario

Purchase Great Big Sea Tickets Here!