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DJ Hodor in the house

Game of Thrones favourite gets a cool lofty perch as he brings his Rave of Thrones night to Garfinkel's
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Ski King Artist Ron Denessen of Whistler's Ski Heaven with the completed Ski Throne commissioned by Joey Gibbons for Garfinkel's. It was made in honour of the Rave of Thrones with DJ and Game of Thrones actor Kristian Nairn. Photo by Randi Kruse

Irish DJ and actor Kristian Nairn can neither confirm nor deny if his much-loved character, the gentle giant Hodor, is returning for season six of Game of Thrones — but he's definitely coming here.The 6' 11" actor evades answering the question in our email interview; he even writes a courtly "alas." He'd like to say, but he can't.

Hodor was missing from season five, so the fans in Pique's office remain hopeful for his return next spring.

A DJ for over 20 years, Nairn brings his Rave of Thrones night to Garfinkel's as part of Cornucopia on Sunday, Nov. 15. Doors open at 7 p.m., following Cornucopia's 'Winter is Coming' at the Whistler Conference Centre.

Asked what it is like to play a fan favourite in a series where so many characters are complete bastards — and whether clubbing fans respond to him as Hodor — Nairn says:

"I think in most of the biggest shows at any stage, a favourite character can get smudged into the person who plays them.  Even for me, when I get to meet my favourite sci-fi actors, I have to be careful what comes out of my mouth!"

He adds that sometimes people are surprised that he has had a club career for so long.

"I think people are starting to get it now," Nairn says. "I never really got the big deal. It's not as if I was an astronaut or a brain surgeon... And I'm certainly not the first to have a two-strand career.  Still, whatever keeps the social media clickbait sites ticking over I guess, ha-ha." 

Nairn explains that the Rave of Thrones is never the same set twice.

"I don't stick to any type of house.  There is definitely some funky, tech and future house thrown into the mix as well," he says."(Whistler fans) can expect me doing my best as always to bring a great, fun and unique atmosphere. I've never been there before but it looks absolutely beautiful."

Never fully touring but too busy to take a full break, Nairn says he is looking forward to a two-month sabbatical in January and February.

"I'm going to recharge my batteries. I'm very excited about that," he says.  

In honour of Nairn's show, Garfinkel's owner Gibbon's Group has commissioned an impressive new art piece by Whistler's Ski Heaven, a company that recycles old skis and snowboards into art and household items.

Ski Heaven's owner Randi Kruse says she loves the Ski Throne, which is based on the Game of Thrones' infamous Iron Throne — with skis and snowboards replacing the swords of the vanquished.

"It is a solid piece of functional art that will undoubtedly offer guests a fun, unique experience. We spent a lot of time selecting the right skis and boards, ensuring that the final piece will integrate perfectly into the Garf's atmosphere. There are so many ways that the Garf's team can use the throne for special events in the years to come," she says.

The throne took about 10 days to build."We're going for that gothic, rough tone. It will be a mixed collection of skis," Kruse says.

Expected to become a fixture at Garfinkel's — a grand entrance piece, it will share the stage with Nairn, she says.

"The commission was a dream come true," she adds. "It is demonstrating how versatile ski material is, how it is possible to create a statement piece that will stand the test of time and build the Garf's brand in an unexpected way."

Ski Heaven is a new company, founded this past summer. Local artists are brought in to create items for sale that are made from thrown-out skis and snowboards.

The Ski Throne, which is 190 cm (6.25 ft) high, was made by sculptor and painter Ron Denessen.

"He really had a vision for how he wanted it to look," Kruse says.

Kruse says the resulting objects made by the company are nicer end results than having old skis and boards thrown away.

She adds that they've been documenting the process of constructing the Ski Throne so they can rebuild it again, if needs be, as well as record its construction for Gibbons.

"The Gibbons team has come together behind this project. Everybody seems to be involved in some way and they seem to be very excited," Kruse says.

Tickets for Rave of Thrones are $15 and can be purchased on www.whistlercornucopia.com. For more information on Ski Heaven, visit www.skiheaven.ca.