Get Ready For The First Performance Of The Season

Vermilion Allied Arts is ready to turn up the volume as its 2026–27 season kicks off Saturday, October 17, with an evening that promises to take audiences back to the golden era of rock and roll.

Taking the stage at Lakeland College’s Alumni Hall Theatre will be Edmonton-based singer and musician El Niven, bringing with him the unmistakable sounds of some of rock music’s most memorable decades.

Niven is known for his original work with El Niven and The Alibi, as well as his ability to capture the distinctive voice, sound and energy of Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman John Fogerty. Having toured with a CCR-focused theatre production, Niven knows his way around the songs that helped define an era — and Vermilion audiences can expect plenty of familiar favourites.

From the opening notes of classics such as Bad Moon Rising and Proud Mary to favourites including Fortunate Son and Have You Ever Seen the Rain, the evening will offer plenty of opportunities for audience members to tap their toes, sing along and revisit the soundtrack of years gone by.

But the night won’t belong to CCR alone.

Niven’s performance will also reach into the music of legendary artists including The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, along with other performers whose songs helped shape rock and roll and continue to be enjoyed by generations of music fans.

For longtime rock lovers, it will be a chance to hear some old favourites brought to life on stage. For younger audience members, it may be an introduction to the music that filled radios, record players and dance floors decades before streaming playlists became the norm.

The performance marks the first show of the Vermilion Allied Arts 2026–27 season and offers local residents an opportunity to enjoy live professional entertainment close to home.

El Niven takes the stage Saturday, October 17 at 7 p.m. at Alumni Hall Theatre at Lakeland College.