The Pearl Company

Dala: Friday, March 19. Doors at 7:30, show at 8:00. $15 advance, $20 at the door.  “Their harmonies just give you goose bumps.” This acoustic duo from Toronto is made up of Sheila Carabine and Amanda Walther who tie pop sensibility, sublime singing and spacious arrangements into the irresistible knot of Dala.  Self-described as on the “poppier side of folk and the folkier side of pop,” they weave beautiful flights of melody and harmony, reminiscent of the Everly Brothers and Emmylou Harris.  They are also consummate comediennes, keeping us thoroughly entertained between their exquisite songs.  It seems they are selling out wherever they play in the U.S; they are actually playing the New Orleans Jazz Festival with singers such as Aretha Franklin in April!  Shall we show them they are equally appreciated here?  Hmmm?  www.dalagirls.com

Spanjazz@ThePearl: Post Art Bus / James North Art Crawl. Friday, March 12. 10:00pm start time. $10 at the door.  Join “Spanjazz”, Ron Palangio, Jordan Abraham, and Gary Santucci for a special kind of jazz sound.

Held Together by a Thread: Opening Saturday, March 13 through April 29, 7pm – 11:00pm.  A group show featuring the works of Kareem Abbas, Amanda McCavour, Laura Sorbara, Stephanie Hansen. Curated by Stephanie Hansen. This show has everything!  Amanda’s displays are installation works made entirely of thread, Kareem impresses us with brilliant Canadian landscapes painted with the fresh eyes of an Iraqui immigrant, Laura presents us with strong visual imagery work using wool from a sheep she sheared herself (!), and Stephanie Hansen offers up several dress forms worked in mixed media.  The variety and display promises a dazzling evening you should not miss!

Gallery hours: 1 to 4, Wednesday through Sunday; 6 to 8 Thursday and Friday evenings. (Also by chance or appointment.)

Jean-Paul de Roover with City of Glass: Wednesday, March 10.  Doors at 7:30, show at 8:00. $10 at the door. Here’s David Kidney’s review of Jean Paul’s previous show at The Pearl: “J-P plays loops, which means he creates a full band sound all by himself. Whether he begins with a riff, a beat, a bassline, even a vocal he then adds the missing pieces together like a jigsaw puzzle until finally the whole is revealed…. He is a sensitive singer with a flexible voice laying down harmonies and background sounds (including percussive noises) with an ease and facility that is amazing to watch/hear…. He begins with melodic ideas, even when constructing the abstract experimental pieces. He add words as an afterthought, and yet the words he adds are filled with ideas, he is a thinker, having just completed his Master’s in Sociology.  Sociology? That’s right, and it’s a perfect fit for his songs about life, death, love, loss and all that…. Even his CD package Windows and Doors breaks through! It folds out to become a little house.  Keep your eyes out for De Roover appearing near you.” City of Glass specialize in pop rock that goes from catchy and hip-shaking to heart-on-the-sleeve emotional. Using clean riffs, synthscapes and snappy beats their fresh and dynamic songs are instantly moving.

Cinema Insieme presents Open City [Roma, Citta Aperta] dir. Roberto Rossellini (1945)  Monday, March 8 at 7:00 p.m.- WWII during the 9 month Nazi occupation of Rome in 1943 – The Fascist dictatorship has begun its fall, although many sympathizers still remain. The Nazis have occupied several Italian cities and areas. The Italian Resistance movement is carrying out a clandestine battle against the Nazis, as they did against the Fascist dictatorship. Based on real life events, this landmark film focuses on the hardships and struggles of ordinary people and their fight for freedom. Rome, Open City, considered the mother of the Neo-realist film movement, ushered in a new film style that influenced audiences and directors throughout the world.