The 9th annual Supercrawl is this weekend! When venturing out to James Street North (Sept. 8-10), dig a little deeper beyond the main stages to find events that are more off the beaten path. Take a peek into a gallery or space you’ve never been to, discover a new band, try a new restaurant. Supercrawl is what you make it – everyone’s experience is different; and that’s part of the fun.
This Ain’t Hollywood
It wouldn’t be a Supercrawl adventure without stopping into This Ain’t Hollywood (345 James Street North). As always, they have a stellar lineup of music all weekend.
Friday, Sept. 8: Everyone’s favourite cover band supergroup Dwayne Gretzky (the event is already sold out, but this band needs to be on your radar!)
Saturday, Sept. 9: B.A. Johnston, The Crowleys, Flesh Rag, Pucumber Sassquatch Family Band, and Beef Boys. As the event points out: “We got beer, air conditioning and bands that can’t get into Supercrawl.”
Mills Hardware
Over at Mills Hardware (95 King Street East) you’ll find Hamilton’s own Aron D’Alesio on Saturday, Sept. 9th. The Young Rival frontman just released his first solo album and performs as part of a Paper Bag Records showcase also featuring labelmates The Acorn and Lou Canon.
HAVN
HAVN (26 Barton Street East) presents “A Portrait of Hamilton’s East Mountain” by OPTICKS which was conceptualized by John Smith and Andrew O’Connor. “OPTICKS is a monthly projection and light-art initiative that encourages people of all backgrounds and skill-sets to come out and actively make/learn/teach/explore all things based around light/projection art. The group holds session meet-ups on the second Tuesday of every month, at rotating locations (often HAVN or Factory Media Centre).”
“This show will see the group create an experimental and abstract representation of Hamilton’s East Mountain using light, audio, and experimental techniques that the group has discovered over the past 11 months.”
Friday, Sept. 8: 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Saturday, Sept 9: 1 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Sunday, Sept 10: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Casino Artspace
Casino Artspace (176 Mary Street) hosts their biggest show yet on Supercrawl weekend with Dice-d: A group Collage Exhibition comprised of collage-based artists from the Hamilton area. “Having observed a common thread in the Hamilton artist community of collage-based work, Casino Artspace has decided to celebrate a collection of artists who reflect styles prominent within it.” Music from DJNPNP and DJ Deadface.
Merit Brewing x Halo Studios
This year marks Merit Brewing‘s first Supercrawl and the popular James North hangout is pairing up with Halo Studios for a party! Drop by the studio (341 James Street North) above This Ain’t Hollywood for a lineup of live music (including PARVAAZ, Jailbirds, Steph Copeland, Gnarly HORSE, Beautiful Nothing, James Favron) and of course Merit’s delicious brew. A portion of Merit cans sold will go to support Environment Hamilton.
Friday, Sept. 8: 5 p.m. – 1 a.m.
Saturday, Sept. 9: 3 p.m. – 1 a.m.
Club Absinthe
Sept. 8 at Club Absinthe (38 King William Street) will be another cover band favourite, rockers Born In The Eighties doing a special Daft Punk tribute. On Sept. 9 the party continues with the venue’s classic 90’s Rager with Take Cover bringing the nostalgia. DJ Party Jesus DJs both nights. On Sept. 10, wind down the weekend with a patio party featuring local DJs OSITO, Donna Lovejoy & Fazooli who will keep it bumpin’ all afternoon from noon to 5 p.m.
Absinthe also hosts their Supercrawl Art Market featuring about 25 artists and vendors each day, both on the patio and upstairs. Free swag bags with items from the vendors will be give out each day to the first lucky 20 people through the door. Vendors include Alive at Night, Fazooli, The Precious Mutator, Nervous Habits, and Charlotte Szivak: Psychic to the Stars, to name just a few.
Theatre
Performing arts are perhaps an under-appreciated art form in the city, so it’s exciting to see theatre have a big presence this year at Supercrawl. Companies will present their works throughout the day on Saturday, Sept. 9 in the Art Zone (roughly from Cannon Street to Robert Street).
Make Art Theatre performs Don Quixote, a 15-20 minute piece staged in the street, incorporating lots of audience interaction.
Mooncalf Theatre performs The Distance Between Us, a piece that premiered at the Hamilton Fringe Festival’s offshoot Frost Bites. The remounted performance will be even more intimate, with only two audience members per performance, following the actors along the street as if they are eavesdropping on a conversation.
Red Betty Theatre creates a piece of immersive theatre that reflects Hamilton’s north-end roots. Staged in the parking lot behind Saint James, it will consist of 15-minute performances held at 12, 2, 4 and 6 p.m.
Tottering Biped Theatre performs Shakespeare in a Studebaker.
Short and Sweet Contemporary Dance presents contemporary dance-theatre hybrid performance LOVEbox, which sees the artist inhabiting a cardboard box found in the recycling pile of a bike shop, and take place within an alley filled with found objects and fake garbage.
INDUSTRY: A series of standalone monologues by six veterans of Canadian theatre (Rick Banville, Claire Calnan, Anna Chatterton, Matthew MacFadzean, Marilo Nunez, and Chris Stanton) that carry on like a relay, each building on the preceding monologue.
Photography
Hamilton’s own award-winning and internationally published photographer Steve Haining is involved in a couple of Supercrawl events, including a free keynote “Healing Through Art” on Sunday, Sept. 10 at the Author Tent. “The talk will involve a bit of his story as a world traveling photographer and specifically on the non profit work he does to teach healing through art in remote indidgenous parts of North America as well as some third world countries.”
Also watch for a large interactive photo booth art piece Haining has been working on with his team at CreateOf Studio.
Author Tent
Hamilton’s literary scene is booming, and it only makes sense there would be a presence at Supercrawl. The Author Tent, sponsored by GritLIT Literary Festival and Hamilton Arts Council, runs throughout the weekend. On Friday, Sept. 8, Gary Barwin will give a reading at 7 p.m.. Hamilton authors will be signing their books throughout the weekend and there will be virtual readings. Check out more info from Wolsak and Wynn.
Sous Bas
Hamilton’s newest dance bar Sous Bas (145 Main Street East) has quickly become one of the hippest nightlife joints, so naturally they’re throwing an extra sweet lineup during Supercrawl weekend.
Friday, Sept. 8: Glow of Love with DJ Better Love and surprise guests (and trust me, they are some good surprises!). Think rare boogie, disco, and funk; $5 cover.
Saturday, Sept. 9: Mall Grab (huge DJ from Australia) with Sexton (Toronto). Pre-sale tickets are $15 online and $20 at the door.
What else is on your Supercrawl to-do list? Add it to our Events!
Keep in mind The Inlet is not responsible for the events listed – please follow the individual events for more info.
