Author Archives: Natasha Akerman

David Wilcox to Perform at River Rock Casino Resort

RICHMOND, BC (April 21, 2015) – Canadian musician David Wilcox will be bringing his unique blend of blues-rock to the River Rock Casino Resort on Friday, June 12, 2015.

It was at the young age of 23 when after playing in folk duo Ian & Sylvia Tyson’s band, The Great Speckled Bird that the Montreal-born Wilcox launched his own band. Soon David Wilcox and the Teddy Bears were hitting local stages with Wilcox leading the group as a flashy character sporting an oversized wax moustache and wearing a baggy suit and a flower in his lapel.

In 1977, he released his debut album, Out of the Woods which produced the hit singles, “Do the Bearcat”, “Bad Apple” and “That Hypnotizin’ Boogie”. After being re-released on Capitol Records in 1982, the album earned Gold certification. By this time, he had shed the moustache and suit truly hitting his stride with his 1983 album, My Eyes Keep Me in Trouble. The album spawned the hit singles, “Downtown Came Uptown” and “Riverboat Fantasy”. His third album, Bad Reputation was released in 1984 and featured the hit singles, “The Grind” and “Somethin’s Shakin’”. Both albums also went on to attain Gold certification.

Towards the end of the decade, Wilcox moved from his gritty, live-in-the-studio roots to more produced synthesizer-and-drum program modern rock with such classics as “Layin’ Pipe”, “The Song He Never Wrote” and “Lay Down in Your Arms”. Later hits included “Thirteen Songs”, “Rainy Night Saloon”, “Shotgun City”, “Three Past Midnight” and “God Is On a Bender”.

Tickets go on sale on Friday, April 24, 2015 at 10:00 am and are $29.50 (plus service charges) – Cabaret Seating & $24.50 (plus service charges) – Balcony Seating. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to RiverRock.com.

About River Rock Casino Resort:

River Rock Casino Resort is the largest casino in the province of British Columbia located in the City of Richmond where the Canada Line Bridgeport Station is at its doorstep. The casino features over 1,100 slot machines along with table games, a Poker Room, three high-limit rooms and various dining options including The Buffet, Tramonto and Curve. Live entertainment options include Lulu’s Lounge and the 950-seat River Rock Show Theatre. The property is complemented by a lavish all-suite 4 Diamond hotel and a 196-room hotel adjacent to the casino.

River Rock Casino Resort is owned by Great Canadian Gaming Corporation, Canada’s largest gaming service and hospitality operator with 16 facilities located throughout BC, Ontario, Nova Scotia and Washington State.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Donnie Gordon
Manager, Entertainment Publicity
Great Canadian Gaming Corporation
604.247.4127
dgordon@gcgaming.com

Headpins, Toronto & Helix to Play Hard Rock Casino Vancouver

COQUITLAM, BC (April 14, 2015)

Three legendary Canadian bands – Headpins, Toronto and Helix – will be rocking the stage at Hard Rock Casino Vancouver on Friday, June 5, 2015.

Headpins’ journey began in Vancouver in 1979 when Chilliwack band members, Brian McLeod and Ab Bryant started the group as a “side project”. Rounded out by drummer Bernie Aubin and singer Darby Mills, they released their debut album, Turn It Loud in 1982. The platinum-selling album featured the hit single, “Don’t It Make Ya Feel”. Their follow-up album, Line of Fire earned Multi-Platinum status and spawned the hit singles, “Just One More Time” and “Feel It (Feel My Body)”.

Formed in the late 70’s by singer Holly Woods and guitarist Brian Allen, Toronto released their first album, Lookin’ for Trouble in 1980 followed by their second album, Head On in 1981. That same year, they were honoured with a Juno nomination for “Most Promising Group of the Year”. The band’s third album, Get It on Credit produced the hit single, “Your Daddy Don’t Know” while reaching the top five in Canada.

Founded in 1974 in Kitchener, Helix has gone through many line-up changes through the years with frontman Brian Vollmer remaining the sole member. They have released numerous albums with four being certified Gold and two being certified Platinum. Their hit singles include “Heavy Metal Love”, “(Make Me Do) Anything You Want”, “Deep Cuts the Knife”, “The Kids Are All Shakin’” and the iconic “Rock You”.

Tickets go on sale on Friday, April 17, 2015 at 10:00 am and are $39.50 (plus service charges) – Cabaret Seating

& $34.50 (plus service charges) – Balcony Seating. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to HardRockCasinoVancouver.com.

About Hard Rock Casino Vancouver:

Hard Rock Casino Vancouver is situated in the thriving City of Coquitlam, British Columbia in Metro Vancouver and is home to unparalleled entertainment, dining and gaming offerings. With an 80,000 square foot casino floor, Hard Rock Casino Vancouver offers more than 950 interactive slot machines and popular table games such as blackjack, roulette, baccarat, poker, pai gow, craps, VIP high limit salons and others. With multiple performance spaces including a state-of-the-art 1,100 seat theatre, Hard Rock Casino Vancouver boasts the best in music and comedy as well as local artists. To complement the gaming and entertainment experience, Hard Rock Casino Vancouver serves a variety of culinary options and is home to chefs that dish up unique and flavourful fare in a modern atmosphere. For the latest news and events, follow Hard Rock Casino Vancouver on Facebook facebook.com/HardRockCasinoVancouver and Twitter twitter.comHardRockCasinoV.

Hard Rock Casino Vancouver is owned and operated by Great Canadian Gaming Corporation under license from HRHH IP, LLC (“HRHH”). Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is the flagship property owned by an affiliate of HRHH.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Donnie Gordon
Manager, Entertainment Publicity
Great Canadian Gaming Corporation
604.247.4127
dgordon@gcgaming.com

Steel Panther’s Tour Includes Two Shows At Hard Rock Casino Vancouver

COQUITLAM, BC (April 13, 2015)

Glam-rock parody band Steel Panther will be bringing their All You Can Eat Tour” to Hard Rock Casino Vancouver on Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24, 2015.

Hailing from Los Angeles, Steel Panther have been rocking audiences since 2000 releasing their major label debut, Feel the Steel in 2009. The group has performed to sold-out venues worldwide including London’s Wembley Arena just last month. They have also made numerous television appearances and have been joined on stage by such rock icons as Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and Paul Stanley of KISS.

Last year, they opened for Judas Priest on their North American tour. Currently the band is touring in support of their most recent album,All You Can Eat which bowed at #24 on the Billboard 200 and garnered them their third consecutive #1 album on Billboard’s Top Comedy Albums chart. Steel Panther consists of frontman Michael Starr, guitarist Satchel, bassist Lexxi Foxx and drummer Stix Zadinia.

Tickets go on sale on Thursday, April 16, 2015 at 10:00 am and are $39.50 (plus service charges) – General Admission & $59.50 (plus service charges) – Reserved Balcony. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to HardRockCasinoVancouver.com.

About Hard Rock Casino Vancouver:

Hard Rock Casino Vancouver is owned and operated by Great Canadian Gaming Corporation under license from HRHH IP, LLC (“HRHH”).Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is the flagship property owned by an affiliate of HRHH.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Donnie Gordon
Manager, Entertainment Publicity
Great Canadian Gaming Corporation
604.247.4127
dgordon@gcgaming.com

‘Kenny vs Spenny’ Coming to River Rock Casino Resort

RICHMOND, BC (April 13, 2015)

Actor-comedians Kenny Hotz and Spencer Rice will be bringing their hilarious live stage show, Kenny vs Spenny to the River Rock Casino Resort on Friday, July 10, 2015.

Toronto natives Hotz and Rice created and starred on the hit television series, Kenny vs Spenny which aired for six seasons on CBC and Showcase before wrapping up with a Christmas special in 2010. Each episode centered on the two life-long friends facing off in various challenges with the loser having to perform an act of humiliation selected by the winner.

The interactive evening will include heated debates along with rare and unseen video footage. There will also be a Q&A with the audience as well as possible random humiliations.

Tickets go on sale on Thursday, April 16, 2015 at 10:00 am and are $34.50 & $24.50 (plus service charges). For more information and to purchase tickets, go to RiverRock.com.

About River Rock Casino Resort:

MEDIA CONTACT:

Donnie Gordon
Manager, Entertainment Publicity
Great Canadian Gaming Corporation
604.247.4127
dgordon@gcgaming.com

River Rock Casino Resort Gets Recognized by Forbes Magazine

River Rock Casino Resort Gets Recognized by Forbes Magazine

In the recent online edition of the Forbes Magazine (March 2015), River Rock Casino Resort was recognized as one of the eight luxury casinos in North America that offers all the perks of Las Vegas and more.

The feature story provides a glimpse of casino resort offerings and highlights the variety of luxury and splendor that can be found off the Strip.

“We are extremely honoured and proud to be recognized as we strive to deliver exceptional guest experiences every single day. I would also like to recognize our River Rock team because with their rock solid performance we are able to be offer something truly unique,” said Roland Monteiro, Executive Director, River Rock Casino Resort.

To read the full story, please visit:

http://www.forbes.com/

The Gipsy Kings’ North American Tour Includes Date At River Rock Casino Resort

RICHMOND, BC (April 7, 2015)

World Music legends The Gipsy Kings will soon be getting ready to embark on their summer tour which will include a one-night performance at the River Rock Casino Resort on Thursday, August 27, 2015.

Featuring Nicolas Reyes and Tonino Baliardo, The Gipsy Kings have spent over a quarter-century melding deep-heated flamenco, rumba, salsa and pop selling more than 20 million albums worldwide. From playing on the streets of Cannes to the hedonistic heights of St. Tropez, their music has been described as a place where “Spanish flamenco and Romani rhapsody meet salsa funk”.

Since the 1987 release of the international hit single, “Bamboléo” from their platinum-selling eponymous debut album, they have dominated the World Music charts. Their most recent studio album, Savor Flamenco was released in 2013 earning them a Grammy Award for “Best World Music Album”.

The band’s music has been featured in such motion pictures as Fearless, The Big Lebowski and Toy Story 3. Prior to their North American dates, The Gipsy Kings will be touring across Australia.

Tickets go on sale on Friday, April 10, 2015 at 10:00 am and are $99.50 & $89.50 (plus service charges). For more information and to purchase tickets, go to RiverRock.com.

About River Rock Casino Resort:

MEDIA CONTACT:

Donnie Gordon
Manager, Entertainment Publicity
Great Canadian Gaming Corporation
604.247.4127
dgordon@gcgaming.com

Yes & Toto’s Joint North American Tour Includes Date At Hard Rock Casino Vancouver

COQUITLAM, BC (April 6, 2015) – World-renowned rockers Yes and Toto have announced they will be joining forces for a co-headlining North American tour which will wrap up at Hard Rock Casino Vancouver on Saturday, September 12, 2015.

Since its founding in 1968 in London, Yes has sold nearly 40 million albums which featured such chart-toppers as “I’ve Seen All Good People”, “Starship Trooper”, “Roundabout”, “Long Distance Runaround”, “Close to the Edge”, “And You and I” and “Owner of a Lonely Heart”. The Grammy Award-winning band’s most recent album, Heaven & Earth was released last year while this summer, they’ll be releasing a new live CD/DVD set entitled Like It Is.

Formed in 1977 in Los Angeles, Toto remains one of the best-selling music groups of their era having sold over 35 million albums which spawned several hits including “Hold the Line”, “Rosanna” and “Africa”. The band has been honoured with several Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2009. Just last month, they released their most recent studio album, Toto XIV.

Tickets go on sale on Friday, April 10, 2015 at 10:00 am and are $109.50 & $99.50 (plus service charges). For more information and to purchase tickets, go to HardRockCasinoVancouver.com.

About Hard Rock Casino Vancouver:

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Donnie Gordon
Manager, Entertainment Publicity
Great Canadian Gaming Corporation
604.247.4127
dgordon@gcgaming.com

Blondie to Perform at River Rock Casino Resort

RICHMOND, BC (April 6, 2015) – Influential rockers Blondie will be bringing their hits to the River Rock Casino Resort on Wednesday, July 22, 2015. Formed in 1974 by art student & guitarist Chris Stein and ex-folkie and ex-Max’s Kansas City waitress, vocalist & songwriter Deborah Harry, Blondie emerged as the great pop icons of New York’s celebrated late 70’s new wave punk scene by defying easy categorization.

The band – which a year later included drummer Clem Burke and keyboard player Jimmy Destri – released their debut eponymous album in 1976 followed by their second album, Plastic Letters in 1977. The group’s third album, Parallel Lines was released the following year and featured the single, “Heart of Glass” which became their first #1 hit. Additional hits from later albums included “Dreaming”, “Atomic”, “Call Me” and their second #1 hit, “The Tide Is High”.

In 2006, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame having sold more than 40 million albums worldwide. Their most recent album, Blondie 4(0) Ever was released just last year. The double album consists of a collection of re-recordings of previous hits and the band’s tenth studio album, Ghosts of Download which features the lead single, “A Rose by Any Name”.

Tickets go on sale on Thursday, April 9, 2015 at 10:00 am and are $79.50 & $89.50 (plus service charges). For more information and to purchase tickets, go to RiverRock.com.

About River Rock Casino Resort:

MEDIA CONTACT:

Donnie Gordon
Manager, Entertainment Publicity
Great Canadian Gaming Corporation
604.247.4127
dgordon@gcgaming.com

Knight Road Legacy Association Receives $291,316 from Chances Chilliwack

Chilliwack, B.C (March 30, 2015): On March 26th, Chances Chilliwack presented the Knight Road Legacy Association with a payment of $291,316. The contribution was issued as a part of the trailing payments agreement which is based on the facilities performance levels for the year. The agreement will be in effect for the next 20 years and this is the third payment received by the Association. Last year, the Association received $262,000.

There are a total of 49 charity organizations that belong to the Knight Road Legacy Association and were the original owners and operators of Chilliwack Bingo. “We always look forward to this time of the year because it allows us to provide financial support to the Knight Road Legacy Association. This is a group of remarkable charities and non-profit organizations that make a difference in the Chilliwack community every single day,” said Chris Lynn, General Manager, Chances Chilliwack.

Members of the Knight Road Legacy Association include:

#147 Airwolf Air Cadets,
1725 Royal Canadian Military Army Cadets,
Alano Club of Chilliwack,
Ann Davis Transition Society,
Big Brothers Big Sisters Upper Fraser Valley,
Chilliwack & District Agricultural Society,
Chilliwack Academy of Music,
Chilliwack Community Arts Council,
Chilliwack Community Band,
Chilliwack Community Services,
Chilliwack District Seniors Resource Society,
Chilliwack Elks Lodge #48 BPOE,
Chilliwack Family YMCA,
Chilliwack Flight Festival Society,
Chilliwack Hospice Society,
Chilliwack Hospital Auxiliary,
Chilliwack Knights of Columbus,
Chilliwack Minor Baseball,
Chilliwack Minor Fastpitch,
Chilliwack Minor Football,
Chilliwack Minor Lacrosse,
Chilliwack Museum & Historical Society,
Cultus Lake Community School,
Cultus Lake-Chilliwack Stingrays Swim Club,
Fraser Valley Brain Injury,
Fraser Valley Junior Football,
Fraser Valley Shriner Club #11,
Greater Vancouver Ski Patrol,
Harrison Festival Society,
Hobby Hill Preschool,
Kiwanis Club of Chilliwack,
Kiwanis Club of Sardis,
Lions Stellar J,
Mount Cheam Lions,
Optimist Club of Chilliwack,
Rotary Club Chilliwack Fraser,
Rotary Club Mt Cheam,
Royal Canadian Legion BR#280,
Royal Canadian Legion BR#4,
Royal Canadian Legion BR#4 LA,
Saint John Ambulance,
Sardis Elementary PAC,
Sardis Fliers Speed Skating,
Soroptimist International of Chilliwack,
Spartan Swim Club, Track & Field,
Vancouver Adapted Music

“Knight Road Legacy Association would like to recognize Chances Chilliwack as a great community and business partner that values the importance of giving back,” said Jerry Wernicke, President of the Knight Road Legacy Association.

Vedder Elementary PAC,
Watson Elementary PAC.

Great Canadian Gaming Corporation is a Canada-based company that operates gaming, entertainment and hospitality facilities in British Columbia, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Washington State. The Company has 17 gaming properties, which consists of ten casinos, including one with a four Diamond resort hotel, four horse racetrack casinos and three community gaming centres. A key element of Great Canadian’s business model is its commitment to social responsibility. PROUD of our people, our business, our community is Great Canadian’s brand that unifies the company’s community, volunteering and social responsibility efforts. Under the PROUD program, Great Canadian annually invests over $2 million in our communities, and in 2014, over 1,200 charitable organizations were supported by Great Canadian. In each Canadian gaming jurisdiction, the majority of gross gaming revenue from gaming facilities goes back directly to provincial governments for the purpose of supporting programs like healthcare, education and social services.

For further information, please contact:

Sonja Mandic
Manager, Media and Responsible Gaming
Great Canadian Gaming Corporation
604.303.1000 or smandic@gcgaming.com

Boz Scaggs’ 2015 Tour Includes Date At Hard Rock Casino Vancouver

COQUITLAM, BC (March 30, 2015) – Grammy-winning singer, songwriter & guitarist Boz Scaggs is gearing up for his 2015 tour which will include a date at Hard Rock Casino Vancouver on July 4, 2015.

Born in Texas and raised with an appreciation for the wide spectrum of American roots music, Scaggs has combined rock, R&B, blues, jazz and soul to create a trademark sound all his own. He got a kick start on his career as a member of the Steve Miller Band in the late 60’s but later gained considerable success as a solo artist after releasing his 1976 album, Silk Degrees. The album – which featured the hit singles, “Lowdown”, “Lido Shuffle and “We’re All Alone” – reached #2 on the Billboard 200 and became one of the landmark pop albums of the decade selling more than four million copies.

Additional hits from later albums included “Breakdown Dead Ahead”, “Jojo”, “Look What You’ve Done to Me”, “Miss Sun” and “Heart of Mine”. Scaggs’ newest album, A Fool To Care will be released this week and will feature the single, “Last Tango on 16th Street” as well as duets with Bonnie Raitt and Lucinda Williams.

Also this week, he’ll be sitting in with Jimmy Fallon’s house band, The Roots on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Tickets go on sale on Thursday, April 2, 2015 at 10:00 am and are $84.50, $74.50 & $69.50 (plus service charges). For more information and to purchase tickets, go to HardRockCasinoVancouver.com.

About Hard Rock Casino Vancouver:

Hard Rock Casino Vancouver is situated in the thriving City of Coquitlam, British Columbia in Metro Vancouver and is home to unparalleled entertainment, dining and gaming offerings. With an 80,000 square foot casino floor, Hard Rock Casino Vancouver offers more than 950 interactive slot machines and popular table games such as blackjack, roulette, baccarat, poker, pai gow, craps, VIP high limit salons and others. With multiple
performance spaces including a state-of-the-art 1,100 seat theatre, Hard Rock Casino Vancouver boasts the best in music and comedy as well as local artists. To complement the gaming and entertainment experience, Hard Rock Casino Vancouver serves a variety of culinary options and is home to chefs that dish up unique and flavourful fare in a modern atmosphere. For the latest news and events, follow Hard Rock Casino Vancouver on Facebook facebook.com/HardRockCasinoVancouver and Twitter twitter.comHardRockCasinoV.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Donnie Gordon
Manager, Entertainment Publicity
Great Canadian Gaming Corporation
604.247.4127
dgordon@gcgaming.com