TAYLOR SWIFT TRIBUTE
Where: Starlight Stadium Plaza, 1089 Langford Pkwy
When: Saturday, Aug. 12, 7 p.m. (doors at 6)
Tickets: Sold out
Why: Taylor Swift is the axis on which the music world rotates at the moment, so it makes sense that the popular Victoria tribute to the Blank Space singer has sold-out its upcoming concert at Starlight Stadium. Fans of Swift are so ravenous at the moment, expect to see hordes congregating in the area surrounding the Langford soccer stadium, simply to get within earshot. Singer Lindsay Bryan — who does an excellent job — and her bandmates in The Wildest Dreams, guitarist Christian Down, bassist Ian Lougheed, and drummer Ben Walker, have been perfecting this tribute over several years, so renditions from Swift’s catalogue will be sharply rendered.
WILLIE NILE
Where: Wicket Hall, Strathcona Hotel, 919 Douglas St.
When: Saturday, Aug. 12, 7:30 p.m
Tickets: $25 from ; $30 at the door
Why: Cult favourite Willie Nile is back for his second round of area performances within the span a year, with an opening act consisting of Stephen Stanley (from Lowest of the Low) and Chris Bennett in tow. The collection of musicians is impressive — Nile is a NYC legend — and rare for these parts. The line-up will attempt to recapture the magic from its Mary Winspear Centre show in 2022, with a second Island concert at The Queen’s in Nanaimo on Aug. 18 for good measure. Fans of Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Costello take note.
FIVE ACRE SHAKER
Where: Port Alberni Fall Fair Grounds, 3737 Roger St.
When: Friday, Aug. 11, and Saturday, Aug. 12
Tickets: $45 daily ($75 for a weekend pass) from
Why: This popular Port Alberni festival will have a new look in 2023, having moved on from McLean Mill Historic Park to its new home at the Fall Fair Grounds. Five Acre Shaker, which began in 2014 on a private, five-acre property in Beaver Creek, will celebrate its 10th edition this weekend, with sets from Eric Etheridge, Five Alarm Funk, Melissa Livingstone, Caleb Hart, Surf Hat and more. The area could use the financial boost, given its highway-related difficulties in recent months.
