By Shelley Budd
ART
Thursday – 10pm-2am, So Warm: Front Mag Launch & Swarm After-party. Phantasmagorical Art! Good Drinks! DJ! Sausages! What freaken more could we ask for? See what the Cruz Brothers can create using light, sculpture, video and performance, @ VIVO Media Arts Centre, 1965 Main St. http://front.bc.ca/frontmagazine/events/3355

Thursday & Friday – Swarm 11; Why not add a little culture to your bar crawl? Check out Vancouver’s most innovative, artist-run contemporary art spaces, who will open their doors for two nights of arty celebration, featuring publication launch parties, film and video work, sculpture, drawing, painting and more. http://swarm.paarc.ca/

MUSIC
Thursday – 8pm, Man Man at the Rickshaw Theatre. Check out the 5 piece’r as they rock zilions of zany instruments on stage. Drummer extraordinaire paired with crazy, multi-talented friends makes for a “WOW” show. Not to be missed for the lovers of rhythm and fun. Tickets: http://www.ticketmaster.ca/event/110044C97D4E826D?brand=eventful&camefrom=CFC_CABUYAT_eventful

Friday – 7pm, The National at Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park; since hitting the people of North America smack in their ‘sad-in-a-rainy-world, sometime-in-the-early-90’s,’ listening bone, with ‘Boxer’ in 2007, the National has been an indie-household name. They play a strong and snug live show, bound to ‘affect’ you, and possibly lift your little beating heart off the dusty path, and hold it, cupped and gentle…beating. The Walkmen are opening. Tix through Live Nation.

SHOPPING/FASHION
Friday 5-8pm, Saturday 11-3pm; Secret Sample Sale! Fantastic high-end women’s wear and street wear, designer sample sale. Email hrissa@elikadesigns.com for a list of designers attending and images.
@ The Dominion Building, that’s the 11th floor of 207 W Hastings St., in Gastown.

Sunday – The Gala Event to kick off FMA Fashion Week, a unique event fusing catwalk and concert. Proceeds go to the Sarah McLachlan Foundation, a music school for inner city youth, and the event is the launch to a week of shopping, dining and art exhibitions! Check the website for more awesome details on the upcoming goodness!! http://www.fmafashionweek.com/

FESTIVALS
Saturday – Davie Street Day Festival; It’s Davie Day in the West End! Soak in some face paint, tranny-style costumes, clowns with balloons – I already feel like a kid again! Davie will be closed from Burrard to Broughton for your hungover puttering pleasure. Check out the market stalls and local entertainment, or have lunch on one of the many patios.

Sunday – 2-6pm, Second Annual Grey to Green Art Market
; an outdoor art market featuring local artisans, live music and live art creation!
 @150 Cordova St (behind Waves Coffee Shop).

Sept 10 – 18th – New Forms Festival 10; immerse yourself in the work of Vancouver and International artists’ cutting edge, ultra-smooth use of electronics at the largest media arts exhibition of it’s kind. Music, video, art; check out the pioneers of our technological age, because femmebots have feelings too. Tickets @ Zulu, Scratch, Beatstreet and Highlife. http://ten.newformsfestival.com/?cat=1

Sept. 9 – 19 – Vancouver International Fringe Festival; check out the outliers of performing art! Filling your next couple of weeks with visual artistry, the annual publicly voted on smorgasbord of the best, hand-selected shows gives you reason to go to the theatre. Advance sales close 4 hours before each show, and cash only at the door. http://www.vancouverfringe.com/2010-program-guide/ Show of note: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=124074227639748&index=1