Dave Bidini

Paul Quarrington, novelist, musician, screenwriter and non-fiction writer, passed away in January 2010. Even after being diagnosed with lung cancer, Quarrington embarked on concert tours with his band Porkbelly Futures, produced his own solo CD and the Porkbelly’s third release, completed his non-fiction ... (more)memoir, Cigar Box Banjo: Notes on Music and Life, and was the subject of a feature-length documentary. Tonight you’ll have the chance to view the documentary, in which he comes to terms with his life and death through the power of music, and hear more about this remarkable man from both his publisher and one of his many friends. This event is presented in partnership with Emily Carr University of Art and Design and is sponsored by Douglas & McIntyre Publishing Group. Tickets $19.

A good road trip is excellent fodder for stories for years to come. But while most of us tuck away our memories when we put away our suitcases, these authors have turned their wayfaring into writing. Wayne Grady and Merilyn Simonds’ road trip into the heart of America at the end of the Bush era contrasts ... (more)well with Derek Lundy’s motorcycle adventures along both international borders of the US in a post-9/11 atmosphere of heightened security. Denise Chong takes the armchair traveller to post-Tiananmen Square China, Myrna Kostash travels around the Balkans and to Istanbul in search of roots and religion, and Dave Bidini plays soccer with the homeless in Australia. Suitable for Grades 10 to 12 and adults. $17 / $8.50 for student groups

A sharp eye, a stout heart, a driven curiosity, a passion for facts, a belief that truth can sometimes be stranger and more engaging than fiction—what does it take for a writer to tackle the hard edge of reality in a nonfiction work? Join Dave Bidini, Wayne Grady, and Iain Reid in conversation with ... (more)Larry Scanlan on the particular perils and pleasures of writing real life. Venue: Islandview Room, Holiday Inn. Tickets: $12.50.

We think this is one of the best books we have seen in a long time. Homelessness, poverty and isolation mixed in with a glimpse of the geopolitical situation world wide, a dash of humour, a sprinkling of pathos and an incredible way with words, this is a book you will want to read and pass on to friends, ... (more)and a man you will want to hear speak. Taking place during the week of the Homeless World Cup of Soccer in Rio, we are thrilled to be bringing Dave Bidini to Ottawa, and hopefully letting lots of you know about this amazing sporting event!! www.homelessworldcup.org/ An uplifting tale of travelling with Team Canada as they compete for the Homeless World Cup. This is event is free, all are encouraged to attend.

"Dave Bidini has the distinction of being simultaneously successful as both a musician and a writer. He is a founding member of the Rheostatics, an influential, stubbornly independent band whose members parted ways last year after 25 years and a dozen albums. The soundtrack to the movie Whale Music ... (more)produced a hit single and a Genie Award for the band. During the past decade, Bidini the author has produced eight books, all more or less concerned with his two consuming loves: sports (mainly hockey) and music (mainly rock and roll). Two of his best-known books are On a Cold Road, a tell-all about touring Canada in a rock band, and Tropic of Hockey, Dave’s worldwide search for pure, uncorrupted hockey. His latest book, Around the World in 57½ Gigs (McClelland & Stewart, 2007), is an amusing, surprisingly revealing account of his post-Rheostatics world solo tour. Bidini discovered that rock and roll, like hockey, is loved and played in some unlikely places in some unlikely ways."