East Van Mardi Gras

Jazz, Horns, Funk, Costumes, Stilts, Parades, Krewes, Theatre, Food and Drink .... All go in the hall pot to create a magical evening of New Orleans style Mardi Gras – East Van Style. Joining us are The Rossi Gang, Party Mania and The Big Easy Funk Ensemble. Tickets $15 available at brownpapertickets and The WISE Lounge. Get your Krewes together; Think of theme – Prizes for Costumes – join the East Van Marti Gras parade The Big Easy Funk Ensemble celebrates the amazing variety of music that has grown out of New Orleans. With influences from 60s funk legends The Meters and Dr. John to current groups like Galactic and Trombone Shorty, BEFE (pronounced 'beefy') mixes many genres of funk, jazz, and boogaloo to form soulful grooves. With 9 members including a 3-piece horn section, their energetic live show delights audiences and fuels dance floors. http://www.befe.ca The Rossi Gang is a group of young men from East Vancouver. They love to play for the people, on the street, at their weddings, at their funerals, the music is for the people. The band began playing together 3 years ago and since then have travelled all over America studying and learning jazz music. Last year the band spent 6 months in New Orleans, playing music, studying the tradition, and trying to stay with it. Upon returning to Vancouver, the Rossi Gang has made it their top priority to be swingin' out, as often as possible. Their debut album will be released early 2016. https://rossigang.bandcamp.com/ Party MANIA ... 9-10 piece band with horns and funky guitars and keyboard and bass and drums. Dedicated to having a GOOD TIME! All New Orleans based material ... Think Louis Armstrong meets Dr. John. .... as all musicians can occasionally (hehe) make mistakes, the band has been instructed to "always err on the side of funky". We gonna put the FUN in FUNky. As an interdisciplinary artist, Candice Roberts can be found working and playing internationally as a performer, producer and creative facilitator in the realm theatre, music and mental health activism. In 2014 she received a Mayor’s Arts Award as an “Emerging Community Engaged Artist” for her work in community development through creativity and the arts. Candice is a founding member and player of Vancouver's beloved Dusty Flowerpot Cabaret and band leader of those charming characters that make up The Myrtle Family Band. She is currently writing and producing her first solo clown show due to play in 2016. For photos, videos and updates, check out her online site at: www.curlypawscandice.com www.dustyflowerpot.org www.myrtlefamilyband.com