21 things to do in Metro Vancouver on Friday, April 8

Looking for something to do on Friday? The Straight’s got you covered. Here are 21 events happening in or around Vancouver on Friday, April 8.

CONCERTS

Night of music by the Rocket Revellers at St. James Hall raises money for the Rogue Folk Club and St. James Hall.

Local beekeeping charity Hives For Humanity holds a benefit concert at the Rickshaw featuring music by Slow Learners, Ripple Illusion, and Double Shotzz.

Indian sitar player and composer Anoushka Shankar plays the Chan Centre, performing tunes from new album Land of Gold.

Barbados soca artist DJ Soca Fete plays WISE Hall.

Vancouver pop-rock band Marianas Trench plays the Pacific Coliseum, with guests Walk Off the Earth and Kieran Mercer.

Garage-rock outfit Speranza plays the Fairvew Pub with Space Chimp, Spectrelight, and Martian Flytrap.

Default guitarist Black Tone Heart plays Studio Records, with guests Bone State Rebellion, Friction Project, and ILLUMINOSITY.

Canadian jazz vocalist-pianist Carol Welsman plays the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, touring in support of her latest release Baby Close Your Eyes.

Vancouver electropop band Rococode plays the Fox Cabaret, showcasing tunes from new album Don't Worry It Will Be Dark Soon.

BENEFITS

The Armenian Cultural Association of B.C. presents a fundraising concert to support refugee Syrian-Armenian families recently arrived in Vancouver.

FORUMS

Stephanie Simmons discusses various quantum computing approaches at an SFU Cafe Scientifique event at Boston Pizza in New West.

COMEDY

Ottawa comedian Casey Corbin performs the first of two nights of standup at Lafflines.

Three teams of improvisors have 20 minutes to wow with performances, jokes, and stories based on audience suggestions at Havana Theatre's Cagematch Improv.

ARTS ETCETERA

Eighty-minute Battle of the Brush live-painting competition at Heritage Hall features five teams of two artists each.

Interdisciplinary performance by Cindy Mochizuki, Emma Hendrix, Sean Marshall Jr., Lexi Vajda, Roselle Healy, and Justina Vanovcan at Moberly Arts and Cultural Centre.

MUSIC

The Vancouver Chopin Society presents Latvian classical pianist Dina Yoffe in a program of works by Scriabin and Chopin at the Vancouver Playhouse.

Chor Leoni explores the elements of nature through music by Lauridsen, Ešenvalds, and Kodaly--as well as pop songs and spirituals--at Ryerson United Church.

THEATRE

The Arts Club Theatre Company presents Amiel Gladstone and Veda Hille's new musical Onegin at the Goldcorp Stage at the BMO Theatre Centre.

MOVIES

The Reel 2 Real International Film Festival for Youth--featuring hands-on workshops, a youth-media conference, and a showcase of films made by youth--opens at Vancity Theatre.

The 24th annual $100 Film Festival features nine new films on Super 8 and 16mm film at Cineworks.

30th anniversary screening at the Rio Theatre of David Lynch's 1986 cult classic Blue Velvet, starring Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rosselini, and Dennis Hopper. 

Want more ideas? Follow the Georgia Straight's event listings on Twitter.