Newt's rock 'n' roll weekend planner, Vancouver edition, March 13 to 15

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      Tomorrow is Friday the 13th, kids, so you know what that means: it's time for the only Friday the 13th movie that doesn't actually have Jason Vorhees running around in a goalie mask, slaughtering horny teens. It was Jason's freaky mom that did the dirty work, remember?

      Kevin Bacon made his legendary screen debut as the guy who gets his throat realistically punctured by a small spear, courtesy makeup-FX maestro Tom Savini, who I had the pleasure of interviewing back in 1990 when he directed the Night of the Living Dead remake. Local gorehounds can gloat over his old-school effects when Friday screens at the Rio Theatre at midnight.

      Guitar-drenched rock 'n' boogie might be just the thing to get you in the mood for a bit of the old ultraviolence, though, so why not trek out to New Westminster's Heritage Grill beforehand to check out Vancouver's Rock 'n' Roll Circus.

      That's a new outfit featuring singer Christopher Woudstra and local guitar wunderkind Scott Smith, who also plays in local groups Terminal Station, Just a Season, and Rich Hope's Blue Rich Rangers. The band is playing a release party for its new self-titled CD, which is all about a Faces/Black Crowes/Stones kinda vibe. 

      On Saturday night, the Rickshaw might be the best location to get yer ya ya's out, as the Georgia Straight is presenting the Flamin' Groovies. I missed out on them during their seventies heyday—like back in '76 when they released Shake Some Action—'cause I was way too busy listening to the two studio albums Thin Lizzy put out that year. But I've heard tell they can still shake that moneymaker.

      And if they can't, openers Rich Hope and the Evil Doers—who blew folks away at last Saturday's Bob Seger show—will do it for them.

      Sunday afternoons were made for movies like Clash of the Titans, so why not gather up the kids and take them to the Cinematheque for a 1 p.m. screening of that 1981 creature-feature.

      And if the little PlayStation junkies don't fully appreciate Ray Harryhausen's meticulously crafted stop-motion animation, there will be no drinks with the corn.

      As far as Sunday evening goes, there's a few concert choices, but if you're a jazz fan hoping to see Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock do their thing at the Chan Centre, you're outta luck. That sucker's SOLD RIGHT OUT. So I guess you'll just have to go see Nickelback, featuring new vocalist Patton Oswalt, at Rogers Arena instead.

      Just kidding. I wouldn't send you to see Nickelback at Rogers Arena—at least not when there's an amazing rock band playing only two hours away in Seattle. That's right, get yer motor runnin' and head out on the highway to see Widespread Panic at the Paramount Theatre.

      I have no idea why that awesome jam band doesn't cross the border once in a while. Wasn't their last Vancouver gig at the Town Pump in April of 1992? Sheesh.

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