Scene PG | November 2013 by Prince George Citizen

LOCAL EVENTS AND MUSIC | NOVEMBER2013

that won’t

break the bank

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Locally Sourced Food

PAGE 22

Jeremy Stewart

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Belles of the Underground

NOVEMBER 2013

THE

local events and music

SNOWISSUE 08 14

04 Just dance: 06 Sexy showcase: 08 There’s no place like home 14 Lewis Morland 16 Prince George Cougars 18 Finding Focus 20 Mixed Media: 22 Jeremy says 24 Snow FEATURE 25 RK Furniture 28 Listening To Change: Boogie with the Stars a festive frolic

Burlesque Troupe Turns It On By Taking It Off

Locally sourced foods that won’t break the bank

Destined to be a classic

For the past 19 years, the Cougars have been an entertainment staple in the Prince George community.

06 18 28

Kim Feragen

Mykro Goes Macro

Relax...

Snow You Need to Know

Bring your space to life

Recording Studio Branching Out

Available on-line at:

www.pgcitizen.ca thescenepg.com

General Inquiries ‹ 250-562-2441 Publisher ‹ Colleen Sparrow Editor ‹ Neil Godbout Reader Sales ‹ Alan Ramsay Director of Advertising ‹ Dave Smith Founder/ Promotions Executive ‹ Norm Coyne Graphic Designer ‹ Candice Rosenbaum Writer ‹ Charelle Evelyn Photographer ‹ Christos Sargiogos Photographer ‹ Trevor Moore Photographer ‹ Tam G

DON’T MISS OUT! We hear these words a lot when businesses are trying to get our attention but the reason I am using them is because…I DON’T WANT YOU TO MISS OUT! The introduction of Layar has proven to be a great way for a more interactive viewing experience and this issue we are taking it a step further. . This issue also features exclusive deals from some of our participating businesses that will save you money on great products and services when viewed in Layar. Our Scene PG team had a fantastic time with both our Style shoots for this issue and we have to extend a huge thanks to the folks at NT Air for making our hangar shoot aspirations a reality. We have an array of amazing photos that appear in Layar that are not in the print copy of the magazine, so don’t miss these. Plus this issue will feature a special promo video by the wizards at 6ix Sigma Productions that will be cued from Layar. Do yourself a favor, download the app, and get the extras. You won’t be sorry. - Norm Coyne Scene PG

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ON THE COVER: Photo Credit: Christos Sagiorgis. Outfits supplied by One Boardshop, Ruckus, and Extreme. NOVEMBER 2013

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Discover interactive content

Just dance: Boogie with the Stars a festive frolic By Charelle Evelyn

The footwork will be intricate, the competition fierce and the bling bangin’. On New Years’ Eve the star-studded gala event Boogie with the Stars returns to the Prince George Civic Centre. The Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation fundraiser promises thrills (but hopefully, no spills) as six local personalities pair up with instructors in an attempt to be crowned the year’s ultimate dance champion before the clock ticks over to 2014. Since its inception in 2010, the event co-organized by Dance North staples Paz Milburn and Peter Weedon, has raised almost $50,000, with a goal of $30,000 for this year’s dinner and dance. Along with eight-piece band Pink Champagne, this year’s entertainment will be provided by: IDL project manager Brad Bonner, nursing student Rebecca Lear, Jim Pattison Broadcast Group general sales manager Kelli Moorhead, Future Cents youth program owner Franca Petrucci, Wood Wheaton Honda general manager Dexter Tabora, and the event’s first husband and wife

team Norm Coyne and Candice Manahan. Dancers have about four months to train for the event, which is no easy feat given it’s typically very busy people who are scouted to participate, said Weedon. “It’s a big commitment on their part. It’s not just showing up on New Years’ Eve and dancing for 10 minutes,” he said. Ultimately, it’s all in good fun, said Milburn, with the focus truly on raising money for the healthcare foundation. And don’t let the competition element fool you, she added. There’s no need to know how to ballroom dance to attend. Just be sure you bring your gala game face – and gown. “You can’t get overdressed for it,” said Weedon. Boogie with the Stars tickets are $85 and are available through the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation (250-565-2515), Wood Wheaton Supercentre (250-564-4466) and the Prince George Citizen (250-562-2441).

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Sexy showcase:

Burlesque Troupe Turns It On By Taking It Off By Charelle Evelyn PHOTO CREDITS: Christos Sagiorgis

A teenager in love, a witch doctor, a bananasmearing ape woman and a bloody snake charmer walked into a bar. Instead of the set up to a cringe-worthy joke, this is the beginning of a great night out in Prince George. A small, but determined group of women make

up the current iteration of Prince George Burlesque â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Belles of the Underground. The quartet of Rayelle Stewart (Lola Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Dare), Kellie Gunderson (Betty Kreugar), Cora Fleetwood (Sweet Jane) and Kathy Lou (Hard Kandie) are working to revive the local burlesque scene with their non-traditional,

NOVEMBER 2013

but oh-so-sexy shows. How non-traditional? Take Gunderson, for example, who thrilled an audience in a preHalloween show with her gorelesque (“Mixing sexy and horror movie and smashing it together,” as she describes it) routines that included a live snake and copious amounts of fake blood oozing from her mouth onto her near naked body. “She was made for this,” said Stewart. The others perform what they call neoburlesque, closer to the Dita Von Teese archetype than Gunderson’s act, but still with their own quirky spin on the classic art. Though the group members all arrived at burlesque dancing through different avenues, they shared a common end point. “We’re all here for the same reason,” said Stewart. “To take our clothes off,” laughed Gunderson. “To shake our ass and tassel dance.” But just because clothes are coming off, don’t confuse them with strippers. “It’s about showing off, not showing it all,” said Lou, who got her start after looking for a theatrical outlet in town. The difference between the girls working the pole for tips and burlesque dancers is a level of empowerment, said Fleetwood. Three out of the four troupe members have given birth, Gunderson pointed out. “It teaches you to love yourself for who you are, because you can see burlesque dancers of all shapes and sizes and they’re all sexy,” said Fleetwood. Find Prince George Burlesque on Facebook to keep up with the bra-dropping action. NOVEMBER 2013

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There’s no place like home By Charelle Evelyn

When I say locally sourced foods, you say hipster. But the brains behind Home Sweet Home aren’t looking to jump on a fad of overpriced groceries. Diandra Oliver and Laura Sapergia are looking to fill the downtown Prince George grocery store chasm with healthy options that won’t break the bank. As single mothers, they’re accustomed to doing things on the cheap, said Oliver. “We really wanted to share that and celebrate that in the community. Because things like local food, gluten-free and vegan all come from really privileged sites of discussion,” she said. “And that’s not where our intention comes from. Our intention comes from survival and wanting to support our local economy and protect the environment and teach our kids values that are really community minded.” For nearly a year, the duo has been fundraising, finding the perfect location and prepping suppliers for their business venture. Continued on page 11

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NOVEMBER 2013

Continued from page 8

And it’s one community members have been anxiously awaiting. Home Sweet Home Grocery has been envisioned as a place with locally grown produce, fill-your-own-container bulk dry goods and deli items, a coffee bar serving B.C. grounds, meals made fresh in the store’s kitchen, and a workshop space. Some people aren’t able to contain their excitement, according to Sapergia, who has been the recipient of tactile displays of affection from relative strangers. “[Prince George] has been really supportive and awesome,” she said. It’s something the city has been building towards and perhaps wasn’t ready for just yet, or wasn’t done the right way. Understanding the northern market is important, noted Oliver, who is from Terrace, while Sapergia was raised in P.G. While a major urban centre may take on the challenge as a point of fashion, a smaller market may turn to local food because it’s cheaper, she said. It also requires a larger focus on community. A crowd-funding campaign over the summer raised more than $3,000 for the store. “You have to work together to get things done,” said Oliver. Home Sweet Home started years ago as an online portal for Oliver and Sapergia to share their love of homemade goods, be they crafts, clothes or food. Their annual art and craft bazaar is Dec. 7 at Artspace. Visit www.yerhomesweethome.com, find HSH Grocery on Facebook or follow @HSHGrocery on Twitter to keep up with the everchanging developments. NOVEMBER 2013

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SCENE STYLE Photo Credits: Christos Sargiogos & Trevor Moore

Make-up: Theresa Riggan

Hair: Dara Crandall 12

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Location: NT Air |

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Clothing supplied by One Boardshop, Ruckus & Extreme |

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By Charelle Evelyn

Lewis Morland is all over the map when it comes to his own musical tastes. So it was fitting that when he started up a brand new bi-weekly event, it would share some of those eclectic tendencies. Future Classics is the new every-otherSaturday staple at Elleven Sixty Eight (1168 Fourth Ave.). Morland, a.k.a. the artist and DJ Lewda, has already showcased future bass, funk, house and drum and bass nights at the venue, better known by its historic title of the Croft Hotel. The fact that the nearly 85-year-old establishment is still finding its legs under its new billing is a bonus, said Morland. “I think the Croft always had a bad rap for a while, but now that everyone’s starting to come down and check it out for themselves, it’s a fun place to be,” he said. That experimental atmosphere is a perfect fit for the diverse bent of Future Classics. “I encourage people to come down and play stuff they wouldn’t normally play,” said Morland. “I just feel like everyone’s trying something new when they come there. And that’s sort of what I’m after with the multi-genre night is to keep pushing something new for P.G.” Morland struck out on his own after high school ending up in places such as Vancouver and Montreal, taking on tree planting and fine arts courses.

PHOTO CREDITS: Christos Sagiorgis

NOVEMBER 2013

Before returning to Prince George, he picked up a few tricks, including the melding of art and music into theatrical parties thrown with friend Bret Shockra like this summer’s circus-themed affair that featured firespinning, hoop and silk performers and more. And in bringing something new, Morland isn’t trying to take away from the entertainment Prince George already has to offer, with Future Classics consciously scheduled so it doesn’t clash with other longstanding branded events. Hi ultimate goal? “Creating a scene where it’s just going to push music and push entertainment in this town to be a bigger thing and make it so other people want to be involved or help out,” he said. The next Future Classics is Nov. 30. Cover is $5. Find ‘Elleven Sixtyeight’ on Facebook for more details.

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Prince George Cougars For the past 19 years, the Prince George Cougars have been an entertainment staple in the Prince George community. Prince George hockey fans have had the chance to watch future NHL stars like Zdeno Chara, Dan Hamhuis, Dustin Byfuglien, Eric Brewer, and Devin Setoguchi before they became household names in the NHL. Now, as the Prince George Cougars enjoy their 20th season in the Western Hockey League, they are doing so with a new broadcasting partner. This summer, the Prince George Cougars announced an exciting new radio partnership with Vista Radio’s 94X. The new partnership is a great fit that combines the cutting edge personality of rock music with an exciting junior hockey product that also carries it’s own loud and vibrant personality. The play-by-play team of Dan O’Connor and Hartley Miller are working together for the first time, and already fans are complimenting the informative and entertaining broadcasts that are being produced on a weekly basis. Add the fact that 94X does weekly interviews with Cougar players and staff, while still providing their listeners with the rock-and-roll content that they crave. So far there has been strong support shown from the corporate community, and with each passing victory the attitude towards the Prince George Cougars and 94X is only becoming more positive, which makes the 20th anniversary season of Prince George Cougars hockey even more enjoyable and fun for all parties involved. As the 20th anniversary season continues, fans can still look forward to vintage pricing, radio ticket giveaways, theme nights, alumni player tributes, and jersey auctions. It’s not every day that fans get the chance to watch NHL prospects like Troy Bourke and Zach Pochiro, while also watching young guns like Ty Edmonds and Jansen Harkins establish themselves at the Junior level. The Prince George Cougars and 94X are working hard together to make the CN Centre ‘the place to be’ again in Prince George and don’t forget that if for whatever reason you can’t make it to the rink, you can catch the games live on 94X or on www.94xfm.com. Prince George Cougars hockey ROCKS on 94X.

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focus

Finding

Her business focuses on portraits, but when Kim Feragen takes photos for fun she finds herself shooting moody blackand-white landscapes. “I like it to look really dark and deep. Almost like, when you look into the picture you think, should I venture down that path or not?” Five years ago, she didn’t have that choice. Feragen was hit hard by the news of her grandmother’s illness and rapidly approaching death. Up until that point, Feragen was fortunate in not having to experience the loss of someone close to her before. But when it happened, it triggered the necessary self-reflection to think about pursuing her passion. “I started to put together a slideshow for my grandmother’s

By Charelle Evelyn

funeral and realized how important photos of her had become,” Feragen said. “Then I started to really think about how there had been hints all along the way, since I was a kid, that it was something that I should have done a long time ago.” A love for photography had lain dormant since school when she had shot boxes of photos, armed with an old camera from her uncle who recognized she had a natural gift. Apparently she just needed that extra push from the universe to let it out. She honed that skill further with technical training in the digital photography program at the Vancouver Institute for Media Arts. Feragen’s love of people made portraiture a natural fit – weddings, engagements, newborn babies, boudoir photography – she gets a lift from being a part of someone’s special moment. Though finding that way to mix business and pleasure had to come from going down a dark road, Feragen said she wouldn’t change it. “If I didn’t go through everything leading up to that, I wouldn’t be where I am,” she said. “I totally credit [my grandmother] to me finding what truly makes me happy.” Check out www.kimferagenphotography.com.

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“I love doing it all, love getting my hands dirty.”

Mixed Media:

Mykro Goes Macro By Charelle Evelyn

PHOTO CREDIT: Lindsay Wood

It would be a stretch to compare him to Dr. Frankenstein, but you could make the case for Michael Douglas Kroetsch as his faithful assistant. “Definitely the stuff I work on is trying to bring other people’s vision to light,” said the Prince George/Fort St. James native. What Kroetsch works on is music and film. As a DJ – Mykro – was an active part of the local electronic scene, playing his first real gig in 2001. “I was super nervous. I remember it was at the Roll-A-Dome in the second room of big party.” But film was a calling he couldn’t ignore. When it came time to enroll in VanArts in 2006, the digital film and video program won the toss up with audio engineering. “It’s always something that I’ve been really keen about,” said Kroetsch. “I’ve always been into movies, especially cult movies.” As a cameraman, Kroetsch can draw parallels between his two favorite mediums. “It’s playing with other people’s art,” he said. “I don’t produce my own music but I love music and with DJing you get to creatively choose what music you like from certain artists. And being a cameraman you work with people who have a vision and they don’t really know how to translate that into a video camera and you’re helping them with that, too.” Last October, Kroetsch drove up from Vancouver to help out with a short film project shot locally, called Defenseless – a gory mind-trip that has screened at the last year’s inaugural Rio Grind Film Festival in Vancouver and October’s Heavy Hitting HorrorFest in Whistler. “We shot it in a 13-hour day,” he said. In film and in music, there’s always more knowledge to be picked up, and Kroetsch said he’s constantly influenced by the network of artists surrounding him. “I love doing it all, love getting my hands dirty.” www.mykrofilm.ca 20

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Jeremy says By Charelle Evelyn

As a teenager, Jeremy Stewart could never have conceived of being where he is today. From high school dropout, to migrant vagabond, to celebrated poet with a master’s degree, Stewart’s path to contentment wasn’t one always smoothly paved. “People who grow up in poverty can distort their whole horizon of what’s possible for them,” said Stewart. “That’s definitely my story.” Now the bard behind the award-winning Prince George-set poetic memoir (flood basement, Stewart has enjoyed certain kinds of artistic success, but he isn’t interested in simply staying the course and repeating a tested formula. Instead, Stewart gives himself over to experimentation and improvisation, even if it means not always being in tune with an audience. “It’s more important to me to make music than it is to never be disappointed,” he said. Poetry was an element of nurture for Stewart, who was surprised to find out as he left childhood behind that not everyone’s family were prone to reciting Romantic verses from memory when they gathered. “It turns out poetry is sort of a minor concern in a lot of society,” he mused. But music and eventually songwriting was in Stewart’s nature, which he came into in his early teens, going to shows and playing in a variety of bands. “Even when I was in metal bands, it was very song-writing based,” Stewart recalled. “That’s the thread that’s run through everything I’ve done. That was actually why I first started playing guitar.” Stewart’s musical back catalogue runs the gamut from folksier stylings with Cottonwoods co-pilot Raghu Lokanathan to his solo work he describes as his “Leonard Cohen-ish, grungy thing.” His taste for the avant-garde will go further with the second edition of Casse-Tete: A Festival of Experimental Music in June. The 22

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relax. . .

PHOTO CREDITS: Tam G

inaugural Exploration Place-based two-day event garnered more interest than Stewart had expected, with artists from the United Kingdom and United States expressing interest in attending. If he could go back and give his younger self a piece of advice, Stewart says it would be to relax – something he’s not been able to live up to just yet. “Probably 20 years from now or 15 years from now I’ll think that again and say ‘what would I say to myself now?’ Relax. Sometimes it seems hard to put wisdom into practice on that score.” Subscribe to Stewart’s goings-on at tinyletter. com/Jeremy Stewart. NOVEMBER 2013

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d e e N u o Y Snow

w o n K o T

Troll Ski Resort ll Ski Resort has With a focus on family fun, Tro nugget” of British ld “go the as earned it’s nickname rts. reso ski Columbia skiers of all abilities With two terrain parks, runs for ort is proud to Res and four surface lifts, Troll Ski er of the family from mb me ry eve for ing eth offer som ed recreational adult son sea the the young beginner to 27 miles (44 km) east of skier. Troll Ski Resort is located el and the historic esn Qu Quesnel, midway between on Highway 26. towns of Wells and Barkerville

Powder King

ce George, provides located two hours north of Prin skiing and riding guests with fantastic powder nomenal groomed phe experiences while also offering ers. Nestled in the om runs for those who prefer gro an Rockies, Powder adi pristine wilderness of the Can at outdoors, with an gre the of t bes the rs offe King and terrain ranges feet 41 of ll amazing annual snowfa adventurous skier, to from breath taking drops for the er runs. inn beg of the gentle groomed slopes y 500 yards from onl but ss, stre from It is a million miles in the center of ated loc the highway, Powder King is umbia.. Come Col ish Brit rn the Pine Pass in Northe North your northern experience the Whisper of the at 1-866-POW-KING. us BC family ski destination. Call

Hart Highlands Ski Hill

Small, centrally located and a great hill for beginners and families located inside city limits. Hart Highlands is equipped with 11 machine groomed runs and operates at a low cost for riders. Easy access on bus routes, rentals, ski school, T-bar and night.

Murray Ridge Ski Hill

Murray Ridge Ski Hill is a great family oriented ski hill located 6miles (10 km) north of Fort St. James, and northwest of Prince George. From Prince George, drive west on Hwy 16 to Vanderhoof. Go through town continuing west until you reach the intersection of Hwy 27. Turn right and drive another 1/2 hour or so till Fort St James.

Tabor Mountain Ski Resort Purden Ski Village

1100 vertical feet of quality dry powder, many treed runs and family friendly slopes that don’t get overloaded with a ton of crowds, Purden Ski Village is located 38 miles (60 km) due east on the Yellowhead Highway, and 91 miles (145 km) northwest of McBride.The mountain is a 4-km drive north of the highway.

Tabor Mountain offers downhill skiing and snowboarding15 minutes east of Prince George in Northern British Columbia. 13 runs ranging from Novice to Expert highlight this local favorite. Tabor Mountain Ski Resort is located on the Yellowhead Highway, 12.5 miles (20 km) east of Prince George. For booking info and weblinks to these hills go to www.thescenepg.com

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Bring Your Space

t o Lifeâ&#x20AC;Ś

RK Furniture Gallery is a local, family-owned business run by Sonica Kandola, a native of Prince George and active member in the community. RK is the first to bring a gallery concept of shopping to the Prince George area since its opening in 1999. They take great pride in supporting Canadian manufacturers and offer higher-end products, keeping in mind smaller market pricing. The gallery concept allows customers to create a look and feel all their own by providing endless choices in fabrics, leathers and wood finishes in a relaxed, no pressure environment where you are invited to take your time planning your room and the pieces to fit your space. RK features upholstery, dining room, bedroom, occasional pieces, home accents, lamps, area rugs, appliances and coming soon...bedding! New to RK is Design Services. Meet with a room design professional that will help you turn your ideas into the room of your dreams. She will meet with you in your home and then again at the store to help you make the perfect choices to bring your room together. If you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t experienced RK Furniture Gallery, you must stop in soon and see what makes them unique! See two chairs currently in store at RK Furniture in Style on pages 27 & 28 Located at 1050 Victoria Street. Phone 250 563-9100. Follow RK Furniture on Facebook at facebook.com/rkfurnituregallery

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SCENE STYLE Dex - Sweater Available at Homework

Immediate Fashion Dress in Vintage Pink Velvet Available at Homework

Dex - Leggings Available at Homework

Chinese Laundry - Boots Available at Homework

Decor Rest Cobi Style - Accent chair in Capri Turquoise Available at RK Furniture

PHOTO CREDITS: Trevor Moore 26

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Merx Crystal Necklace Available at Homework

Mobital - Zoom Lounger in white, heather and walnut body Available at RK Furniture NOVEMBER 2013

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Listening To Change

Listening To Change:

Recording Studio Branching Out By Charelle Evelyn

PHOTO CREDITS: Trevor Moore

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Continued from page 28

According to the gospel of Bob Marley, one good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain. At least it shouldn’t if it’s mixed properly. “In a good recording, you should be able to turn that sucker up and have it sound great,” said Darren Neufeld, owner and chief audio engineer behind Record Sound Productions, which offers professional recording, mixing and editing. Neufeld’s ear is well tuned, having spent time on both sides of the mixing board. In high school, he played guitar and sang with his band, Augmented. That introduced him to people on the sound side of things and by 2004 he was the soundman at the Generator when live bands would hit the stage four nights per week. “It evolved from there because I played music and I wanted to learn how to record so I could record my own stuff,” said Neufeld, who earned an arts diploma in recording sound after moving to Vancouver with his now wife, Nicole. One major lesson: simply plugging in to GarageBand isn’t the same thing as getting someone who knows what they’re doing. “It’s maybe like knowing how to do an oil change and trying to change out a transmission or something… there’s a big difference between tinkering a little bit and actually going and getting the training and learning the tricks,” he said. Back in Prince George, Neufeld is looking to expand Record Sound into distribution. Artists who hire Record Sound to mix their live shows now have the option of getting the gig recorded and put on a custom CD. “You can buy the show you’ve just seen,” said Neufeld, who sees it as a step towards becoming a minor record label. Profits from the sale of the CDs are split with the artist. He debuted the service in October, recording the five acts that played a show in benefit of the memorial fund for Blaine Magowan, and said he has received positive reviews on the quality of the recordings. Find Record Sound Productions on Facebook or www.recordsound.ca. PHOTO CREDITS: Trevor Moore 30

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