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History
Pandora’s Collective grew out of a love of writing. It began in June
2002, with a suggestion by Sita Carboni to Bonnie Nish to begin a weekly
writing group (The
Kitsilano Writers). Bonnie offered her kitchen table and Sita offered to
bring friends. They met once a week and became so inspired that three members;
Bonnie Nish, Sita Carboni and Heather Neale, began facilitating poetry workshops
in schools and libraries. Pandora’s Collective was born.
While the group developed and changed, two constants remained; founders Bonnie
Nish and Sita Carboni. In 2003 it was time for them to evaluate. What should
come next for Pandora's Collective?
The conclusion - Pandora's Collective became a non-profit society on January
21, 2004. Bonnie and Sita proudly took on the role of Executive Directors
and a wonderful Board of Directors was created. Having become a non-profit
society they became able to pursue
their dreams.
Pandora's Collective is now a Registered Charity - official as of March 9,
2006. The Kitsilano Writers Group has metamorphosed into Word Whips Writing
Series and various other gatherings including writers' soirées and local
retreats. Pandora's Collective continues to fulfill it's original Constitution.
For details visit the
About Us page.
History of Community Involvement
by Category and Date
Categories:
Community
Events, Poetry Workshops, Summer Dream Literary Arts Festival, Readings,
Global Outreach, Soirées and Retreats, Contests,
Scholarship Recipients, Memberships, Newspaper & Web Features, Radio Features,
Television Features, Publications & Awards.
Community Events:
-
Twisted Poets Literary
Salon (ongoing - 1st Thursday of each month), June 2002 - Present -
present
-
Word Whips - The North
Shore Edition (ongoing - 2nd Tuesday of every month), Feb 6, 2007 -
present
-
Word Whips Writing
Series (ongoing - 4th Tuesday of every month), Vancouver BC, 2004 -
present
- Lunch
Hour Series (ongoing - 1/week), this is a performance and workshop hour for
students of South Lands Elementary School, Oct 2008 - present
- Guest Judge for the
Little Flower Academy, Falling Into Words writing contest, Dec 2009
- Hosted a benefit
for poet Marc Creamore, The Cottage
Bistro, Vancouver, BC, Nov 25, 2009
-
"Whip Up The Words", an evening of
poetry and photography, brought to you by Cherie Smith Jewish Book Festival,
Isaac Waldman Jewish Public Library, The Sidney and Gertrude Zack Gallery and
Pandora's Collective, Nov 12, 2009
- Hosted CWILL BC's "Fall
Book Harvest", The Vancouver Public Library, Oct 2009
- Hosted CWILL BC's "Spring
Book Hatching", The Vancouver Public Library, 2009
-
Hosted, an art and poetry collaboration event
featuring Pandora's Collective poets, Word Whips Writing Series and the art of
Assia Linkovsky. Sidney and Gertrude Zack Gallery, Jewish Community Centre of
Greater Vancouver, Feb 19, 2009
- Hosted
Echoing Voices, an art and poetry collaboration presented by The Sidney and
Gertrude Zack Gallery, the Cherie Smith JCC Jewish Book Festival of the Jewish
Community Centre of Greater Vancouver, Pandora’s Collective and the Vancouver
Artists Collective, Nov 6 & 13, 2008
- Hosted
CWILL BC's "Fall Book Harvest", The Vancouver Public Library, Oct 5, 2008
- Voices Vancouver (1/month), Feb 2008 - June 2008
- Hosted
CWILL BC's "Spring Book Hatching", The Vancouver Public Library, June 14, 2008
- Organized poets for the South Delta Artists Guild's
Poets and Painters Show, Tsawwassen Longhouse Gallery, Exihibit March 27 -April
27, 2008.
- Upstart
Crow Reading Series, (1/month) Oct 2006 - Feb 2008.
-
Participated in The World Poetry - Dorothy Livesay Tribute, Alliance for Arts
and Culture, Oct 29, 2007
- Hosted "The Spring Book Hatching", sponsored jointly by
CWILL BC, Blackberry Books, The Vancouver Public Library and Pandora’s
Collective, VPL, June 9th 2007
- Hosted a
reading and Q&A featuring Evelyn Lau for National Poetry Month, Vancouver BC,
April 16, 2007
- Info table at The World Poetry Gala Celebration,
Vancouver Public Library, Vancouver BC, Feb 23, 2007
- Co-hosted First Friday Coffee House (featuring music
and poetry), Java Express, Vancouver BC, Feb 2, 2007
- Hosted Tuesday Assembly of Poets, Chapters, Robson
Street, Sept 2006 - Nov 2006
- Hosted a tribute to the late Shulamit Joffre, First
Tuesday Assembly of Poets, Chapters, Robson Street, Aug 1, 2006
- Guest hosts for First Tuesday Assembly of Poets,
Chapters, Robson Street, June 6, 2006
- Info table at the Vancouver Public Library's Community
Day, May 6, 2006
- Guest hosts for First Tuesday Assembly of Poets,
Chapters, Robson Street, May 2, 2006
- Collection of 825 boxes of books for Zimbabwe @ The
Vancouver Public Library March 23, 2006
- Guest speakers @ Urban Writers, Vancouver BC, January
8, 2006
- Collection of books for Zimbabwe @ The Cottage Bistro
Open Mic, brought to you by Trevor Spilchen, December, 2005
- Guest hosts for First Tuesday Assembly of Poets,
Chapters, Robson Street, October 4, 2005
- Word on the Street, Poet's Corner Hosts, 1pm-2pm, Sept
25, 2005
- Pandora's Collective Roving Poetry Troupe, as a part of
Art Days at VanDusen Botanical Garden, August 26, 2005
- Info table at The West Coast Poetry Festival, July
8-10, 2005
- Guest Editors for Quills Canadian Poetry Magazine,
Summer Issue 2005
- Guest hosts for First Tuesday Assembly of Poets,
Chapters, Robson Street, June 7, 2005
- Collection of books for Zimbabwe @ Hands Across the
Border, brought to you by Talonbooks, FC2, House of Anansi Press and the RAW
Exchange Reading Series, March 30, 2005
- Info table at the Vancouver Poetry Slam Finals,
Vancouver Heritage Hall, May 23, 2005
- Under the Elephant open mic, every 2nd Tuesday of the
month (every 4th Tuesday hosted by James Mullin), at Tigers restaurant,
Granville ( between West 5th & 6th Ave), 2003 - 2004
- Studio 330, as a part of the east side culture crawl,
Nov. 19th, 20th & 21st, 2004
- Info table at the Surrey International Writers
Conference Oct 22-24, 2004
- Word on the Street, Poet's Corner Hosts, 1pm-2pm, Sept
26, 2004
- The Poet's Corner at the Roundhouse Community Centre,
August 7, 2004
- Pandora's Collective Poetry Troop as a part of Parker
Presents, April 30 - May 2, 2004
- Interviewed Josh Byer for Bolts of Fiction, March 15,
2004
- Pandora's Collective Writers’ Scholarship Fundraiser at
the Coppertank Bar and Grill, West Broadway, Vancouver BC, November 6, 2003
- Pandora’s Collective info table @ Surrey International
Writers Conference, Oct 16 – 19, 2003
- Zap Kids, open mic and forum, Vancouver BC, June 14 -
September 13, 2003
- The Poetry Corner at the Roundhouse Community Centre,
August 9, 2003
Poetry
Workshops:
-
Soulful Expressions-Vancouver
Artists Collective
Workshop: Path to Poetry with Bonnie Nish,
February 28 2010
- Poetry Chapbook Making
Workshop with Warren Dean Fulton, February 21, 2010
- (ongoing weekly) Eric
Hamber High School, after school workshops, Oct 07, 2008 - present
- (ongoing
1/month) Pacifica Treatment Centre, April 25, 2004 - present
- Free
Verse in August: A Poetry Class instructed by Jen Currin, Four Wednesdays,
August 6-27, 2008
- (5
workshops) The Vancouver Public Library's Summer Book Camp, Aug 11-15, 2008
-
Covenant House, youth/adult workshops, Oct 11, 2007 - May 2008
-
Southlands Elementary School, Vancouver BC, April 22, 2007
- Young
Writers Festival, Roundhouse Community Centre, Vancouver BC, April 8, 2008
- Eric
Hamber High School, noon hour workshops, (2/month) Jan 17, 2008- Feb 2008
- Sir
Charles Tupper High School, noon hour workshops, (2/month) Oct 25, 2007- Feb
2008
-
Vancouver Technical School, Vancouver BC, Feb 26, 2008
-
Thunderbird Elementary School, Vancouver BC, Feb 21, 2008
-
Henderson Annex Elementary School, Vancouver BC, Feb 7, 2008
- Power
Program, youth workshop, New Westminster BC, Dec 5, 2007
- (5 workshops) The Vancouver Public Library's Summer
Book Camp, July 9 - 13, 2007
-
Southlands Elementary School, Vancouver BC, June 2007
- Power Program, youth workshop, New Westminster BC, May
30, 2007
- Guest instructors, Prompting the Muse with Ruth Kozak,
Kitsilano Highschool, Vancouver BC, May 16, 2007
-
Cloverdale Library (for teens), Surrey BC,March 17, 2007
- Guildford Library (for teens), Surrey BC, March 3, 2007
- Fleetwood Library (for teens), Surrey BC, Feb 24, 2007
- Guest instructors, Prompting the Muse with Ruth Kozak,
Kitsilano Highschool, Vancouver BC, Nov 22, 2006
- Total Education, Grade 11/12 alternative program, Oct
25, 2006
- (5 workshops) The Vancouver Public Library's Summer
Book Camp, August 14 – 18, 2006
- YWCA (youth), July 10 & 17, 2006
- Aurora
Centre, (1/mouth) adult workshops, June 5, 2004 - 2006
- Frontier College, Vancouver BC, June 16, 2006
- Connections (for teens), The Vancouver Public Library,
May 28, 2006
- "Wonder of Words", Hastings School, Vancouver BC, April
20, 2006
- City-Center Poets, The Gathering Place, twice a month,
Oct 4, 2005 - April 18, 2006
- Argyle Secondary School, Grade 12 Writers Retreat @
Bowen Lodge by the Sea, April 11, 2006
- (2 workshops) Vancouver Technical Secondary School,
March 3, 2006
- Covenant House, youth/adult workshops (on-going
2/month), April 4, 2004 - 2006
- (2 workshops) Port Guichon Elementary School, Ladner,
BC, Jan 31, 2006
- (10 workshops) The Vancouver Public Library's Summer
Book Camp, August 15 – 19, 2005
- YWCA (youth), July 12 & 29, 2005
- The West Coast Poetry Festival, July 9, 2005
- Teen's Poetry Workshop, Ocean Park Library, Surrey BC,
July 5, 2005
- The Fleetwood Library (all ages), Surrey BC, April 27,
2005
- Port Moody Arts Centre, The Path to Poetry (adults),
Feb. 6, 2005
- Kitsilano Library, The Path to Poetry (adults),
September 21, 2004
- (10 workshops) Vancouver Public Library's Summer Book
Camp, August 9 – 13, 2004
- Surrey Public Library, teen's workshop, July 9, 2004
- Mount Pleasant Library/Kingsgate Mall, children's
workshop, July 15, 2004
- Vancouver adult workshop, June 5, 2004
- Carnarvon Community School, Vancouver BC, May 25, 2004
- SOS Children's Village/YMCA, Vancouver BC, May 22, 2004
- Canadian Childrens Book Centre, Burnaby BC, April 25,
2004
- West Vancouver Public Library (adults), April 24, 2004
- Mount Pleasant Elementary School, Vancouver BC, April
20, 2004
- (5 workshops) Strathcona School, Vancouver BC, April 6,
2004
- "Wonder of Words", Hastings School, Vancouver BC, April
1, 2004
- (2 workshops) Eric Hamber Secondary School, Vancouver
BC, March 26, 2004
- Kitsilano Library, The Path to Poetry (adults), March
4, 2004
- YWCA, Healthy Lifestyles Girl (youth), February 22,
2004
- Covenant House, adult workshop, December 17, 2003
- Carnarvon Community School, Vancouver BC, May 2 &
September 26, 2003
- West Vancouver Public Library (adults), October 16th,
2003
- Richmond Public Library (teens), August 24, 2003
- (10 workshops) Vancouver Public Library's Summer Book
Camp, August 18th – 27, 2003
- YWCA’s Summer Camp (youth), July 28, 2003
- False Creek Public School, Vancouver BC, May 20 & June
10, 2003
- MB Stanford Elementary School, Surrey BC, April 17,
2003
- Colebrook Elementary School, Surrey BC, April 17, 2003
- Princess Margaret Secondary School, February 25, 2003
Surrey, BC
The Summer Dream
Literary Arts Festival:
-
12 - 7:00pm,
Lumberman’s Arch in Stanley Park, Aug 19 -29, 2009
-
12 - 8:00pm,
Lumberman’s Arch in Stanley Park,
July 26, 2008
-
12 - 7:30pm,
Lumberman’s Arch in Stanley Park,
July 21, 2007
- 12 - 8:30pm, UBC Robson Square, Vancouver BC, July 22,
2006
- 11am - 9:30pm, UBC Robson Square, Vancouver BC, July
23, 2005
- 9:30am - 8:30pm, Georgia Street Square, Vancouver BC,
July 24, 2004
Readings:
- Spoken
INK, the Burnaby Writers’ Society's public reading series, Feb 16, 2010
- World Poetry Reading
Series, Vancouver BC, April 27, 2009
- Poetry
Around the World, Chapters Metrotown Location, April 16, 2009
-
Tempestuous Words and Lush Images art and poetry show, Vancouver BC, Feb 1,
2009
-
Tanglewood Tales, Vancouver BC, Jan 19, 2009
- Other
World, Victoria Drive Community Hall, Nov 14, 2008
- The
Summer Dream Literary Arts Festival, July 26,
2008
- Revision
Reading Series, Vancouver, BC, May 21, 2007
- Telling
Tales, Bowen Island, Nov 1, 2007
- Word on
the Street, Sept 30, 2007
- Blue Moon Reading Series, Clearbrooke Library,
Abbotsford BC, May 8, 2007
- Pandora's Collective feature for National Poetry Month,
Poetry Around the World, Indigo Books, West Vancouver BC, April 11, 2007
- An Artist Tribute to the Quiltors of Gee's Bend for
Black History Month, Britannia Library, Vancouver BC, Feb 27, 2007
- The World Poetry Gala Celebration, Vancouver Public
Library, Vancouver BC, Feb 23, 2007
- First Friday Coffee House, Java Express, Vancouver BC,
Feb 2, 2007
- Total Education, Grade 11/12 alternative program, Oct
25, 2006
- Artstarts, Vancouver, Oct 25, 2006
- International Library Day, Leo Marshall Curriculum
Centre, North Vancouver, Oct 23, 2006
- Poetry Around the World, Indigo Books, North Vancouver,
Sept 13, 2006
- The Summer Dream Reading Festival, July 22, 2006
- Blue Moon Reading Series, Abbotsford BC, Jully 11, 2006
- Vancouver Peace Forum, Vancouver BC, June 27, 2006
- First Tuesday Assembly of Poets, Chapters, Robson
Street, Vancouver BC, March 7, 2006
- VanDusen Botanical Garden, Vancouver BC, August 26,
2005
- The Summer Dream Reading Festival, July 23, 2005
- Battered Souls, The William Davis Centre, Vancouver BC,
April 16, 2005
- First Tuesday Assembly of Poets, Chapters, Robson
Street, Vancouver BC, April 5, 2005
- Under the Elephant, Vancouver BC, 2004
- World Poetry Reading Series, Vancouver BC, December 13,
2004
- The Poet's Corner at the Roundhouse Community Centre,
Aug 7, 2004
- The Summer Dream Reading Festival, July 24, 2004
- City Fest/The World Poetry Reading Series, Vancouver,
BC, June 13, 2004
- Pandora's Collective Poetry Troop as a part of Parker
Presents, April 30 - May 2, 2004
- North Shore Writers Festival, West Vancouver Library,
April 24, 2004
- Poets Nuit, Vancouver BC, February 18 & April 21, 2004
- Final Fridays, Vancouver BC, March 26, 2004
- Thundering Word Heard, Vancouver BC, March 21, 2004
- Literatura, Vancouver BC, Jan 18, 2004
- Word on the Street, Sept 28, 2003
- The Poet's Corner at the Roundhouse Community Centre,
August 9, 2003
- First Tuesday Assembly of Poets, Chapters, Robson St.
location, Vancouver BC, August 5, 2003
- World Poetry Reading Series, Vancouver BC, July 14,
2003
- Spoken Revelation, Vancouver BC, 2003
Global Outreach:
- Franklin
Elementary raised $134.00 for our Lonnie Backpack
Drive which provides backpacks and financial aid to children in Zimbabwe in
collaboration with Connie Linder of Insight Creative Communications, Doug Ante
of Rotary International. Oct 6, 2008
-
Southlands Elementary School raised $309 for our
Loonie Backpack Drive. This money will help Doug Ante of
Rotary International to provide school supplies (for an entire year) for the
orphaned children that he works with in Zimbabwe. June, 2008
-
Ilana Sigal, our teen poetry
contest winner has donated her winnings of $105 to the
Pandora's Loonie Backpack Drive. Connie Linder of Insight
Creative Communications has matched the funds.
This will send an orphaned child to school for a
1 year in Zimbabwe. Oct, 2007
- Army &
Navy donated 11 backpacks and Southlands Elementary School
donanted $202.25 to our Loonie Backpack Drive. Through the
care of Connie Linder of Insight Creative Communications and Doug Ante of Rotary
International this money was used to purchase
notebooks for the children already in the school in the community where Doug is
situated in Zimbabwe.
- Thanks to our volunteers Pandora's Collective was able
to collect, package and ship an estimated 33,000 books to Zimbabwe in
collaboration with Connie Linder of Insight Creative Communications, Doug Ante
of Rotary International and The Vancouver Public Library, March 23, 2006.
- An estimated 500 books were collected for Zimbabwe
during the following two events - 1) Hands Across the Border, brought to you by
Talonbooks, FC2, House of Anansi Press and the RAW Exchange Reading Series March
30, 2005 and 2) The Cottage Bistro Open Mic, brought to you by Trevor Spilchen,
December 2005.
Soirées and
Retreats:
- Soirée,
Dec 5, Vancouver BC, 2009
- Soirée,
Aug 29, Vancouver BC, 2009
- Soirée,
June 21, Vancouver BC, 2008
- Soirée,
May 18, Vancouver BC, 2007
- Soirée,
Dec 31, Vancouver BC, 2007
-
Christmas Caroling, Dec 21, Vancouver BC, 2007
- Soirée,
Nov 30, Vancouver BC, 2007
- Soirée, March 24, Vancouver BC, 2007
- Soirée, Sept 1, Vancouver BC, 2006
- Soirée, June 17, Vancouver BC, 2006
- Soirée, March 18, Vancouver BC, 2006
- Soirée, February 15, Vancouver BC, 2006
- Soirée, December 31, Vancouver BC, 2005
- Soirée, October 17, Vancouver BC, 2005
- Soirée, September 3, Vancouver BC, 2005
- Soirée, May 21, Vancouver BC, 2005
- Pandora's Collective Writers Retreat, Sechelt BC, April
9-10, 2005
- Soirée, December 31, Vancouver BC, 2004
Contests:
- Hibernating With Words, 2010
- Summer
Dream Poetry Contest, 2009
- Kisses
and Popsicles Spring Poetry Contest, 2009
-
Hibernating With Words, 2009
- Summer
Dream Poetry Contest, 2008
- Kisses
and Popsicles Spring Poetry Contest, 2008
-
Hibernating With Words, 2008
- Summer
Dream Poetry Contest, 2007
- Kisses and Popsicles Spring Poetry Contest, 2007
- Hibernating With Words, 2007
- Summer Dream Poetry Contest, 2006
- Words on Robson, 2006
- Kisses and Popsicles Spring Poetry Contest, 2006
- Hibernating With Words, 2006
- Summer Dream Poetry Contest, 2005
- Words on Robson, 2005
- Kisses and Popsicles Spring Poetry Contest, 2005
- Hibernating With Words, 2005
- Summer Dream Poetry Contest, 2004,
- Kisses and Popsicles Spring Poetry Contest, 2004
- Hibernating With Words, 2004
- Summer Dream Poetry Contest, 2003
Scholarship Recipients:
- Kendra Pacilla, 2009
- Julian
Legere, 2008
- Annick
Lavoie, 2007
- Emily Fitch, 2006
- Nicholas Loewen and Allan Drabble, 2005
- Claire C. Lawton and Connor McNamee, 2004
Memberships:
- The Federation of BC Writers, April 11, 2006 – present
- Kitsilano Writers Group, now Word Whips Writing
Series, June 2002 – present
- World Poetry Reading Series, 2003 - present
- Artstarts in Schools, July 28, 2003 – present
- Vancouver Poetry House, May 23, 2005 – 2006
Newspaper & Web
Features:
- The
Province, "Open mics for open minds. Musicians to poets - you never know what
you're gonna get." by Han's Ongansoy, Feb 7, 2010
- Jewish Independent, "A spoken word night" by David J
Litvak, Nov 6, 2009
-
Megaphone Magazine, "Literary Libation, Summer Dream Literary Arts Fest brings
community together", by Kevin Hollet.
-
Commercial Drive Live, Steve Duncan interviews Bonnie Nish and Rhonda Milne
regarding the 6th annual Summer Dream Literary Arts Festival, Aug 2009
- Jewish
Independent, "Moved to poetry by artwork" by Eric O'Donnell, Feb 20, 2009
- Jewish
Independent, "Moved to Write Poetry" by Olga Livshin, Nov 21, 2008
- South
Delta Leader, "Painting meets Poetry" by reporter Kristie Thiessen, March 28,
2008
- The
Voice, "Writers Whip Up Words" by Saffron Hystad, Feb 28, 2008
- Strange
Places, "Promoting the Arts That Inspire the Worls to Take Notice of Itself" by
Daniela Elza, July 2007
- Tricity News, "Poets Gather for Blue Moon Reading
Series" by Shelley haggard, 2007
- The Province, "The E-List, Great things to do today
with Renee Doruyter", April 16, 2007
- Commercial Drive Live, "Literary: Acclaimed Lau Hits
Twisted Poet Stage" by S.R. Duncan, April 5, 2007
- The Vancouver Courier, "Monthly gathering helps whip
words into shape" by Emily Kendy, August 3, 2005
- The Georgia Straight, "Choice of the Week" by John
Burns, July 21, 2005
- The Burnaby Now, "Poetry workshop at the cafe", April
13, 2005
- The Federation Vox, November 2004
- The Federation Vox, "First Annual Summer Dream Reading
Festival", August 2004
- The WestEnder, "Lyle got his wires crossed in column",
August 12, 2004
- The Vancouver Courier, "Word Up", August 5, 2004
- The WestEnder, "Stoners and serious converge at lit
fest", July 29, 2004
- The WestEnder, "A collective breath of fresh air on
Robson", March 3, 2004
- The Vancouver Sun, - "Program bolsters school-age
literary talent", June 28, 2003
- The Vancouver Courier, "Open mic on the Drive", 2003
Radio Features:
- Arts Rational with host
Jay Hamburger, Co-op Radio 102.7 fm, Feb 25, 2010
- The World Poetry Radio
Show, 102.7fm, Nov 2009
- Wake Up
with COOP Radio, 102.7fm, Feb 2008
- Waxed
Poetics, spoken word radio show, Jan 2008
- Arts Express, UBC Campus Radio, 101.9fm, Dec 4, 2007
- The
World Poetry Radio Show, 102.7fm, Nov 6, 2007
- Waxed
Poetics, spoken word radio show, 102.7fm, July 20, Dec 7 & Dec 28, 2005
- The Storytelling Show, 102.7fm, Dec 12, 2004
- The World Poetry Radio Show, 102.7fm, August 17, 2004
- The Bee Hive radio show, July 29 & Nov 4, 2003 & March
30, 2004
- Waxed Poetics, spoken word radio show, 102.7fm, May 14
& Dec 3, 2003
- The World Poetry Radio Show, 102.7fm, March 11 & April
8, 2003
Television Features:
- The Pitch, Urban Rush, May 13, 2004
Publications &
Awards:
- Griffin Award for contributions to Canadian society
through the craft of writing, Surrey International Writers’ Conference, Oct 24,
2008.
- Group
Recognition Award, for community service, from the World Poetry Reading Series
and Radio Show, Vancouver BC, Feb, 11, 2005
- Pandora's Collective Poetry: "Jazz is the Heart of a
Young Man" ~ Sita Carboni, “the piano poem” ~ Heather Neale, “Transformation” ~
Bonnie Nish, Vancouver Jazz Forum, gallery page, Oct 2003 – present
- Certificate of Appreciation from the World Poetry
Reading Series and Radio Show, Vancouver BC, July 14, 2003
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