Raspberry - July 2016, Issue 2 by Raspberry

Issue 2 July 2016

magazine

Cover photo by Sasha Moedt

Downtown Abbotsford's new flavour

Editors

Anthony Biondi Katie Stobbart Nick Ubels

FRESH curators

Alex Rake - Fiction Aymee Leake - Art

Contributors

Jess Wind Joe Johnson Martin Castro Nadine Moedt Sasha Moedt Joel Smart

Raspberry publishes letters to the editor of 150 words or less. Letters should be sent via email to info@raspberrymag. ca. The editors reserve the right not to print a letter for any reason. If you have a tip for arts, culture, or community coverage, let us know.

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Special thanks

Published by

Red Press Society

red

PRESS

The Red Press Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering the growth of the literary arts in the Fraser Valley; publishing works which stimulate local arts and culture, including Raspberry magazine; and promoting awareness and readership of contemporary Canadian literature.

Contents Check the scene James Kasper shares his experience planning the Fraser Valley's first-ever music awards, to take place July 16. Find out what you can expect.

p.54

On the cover p.15

From Bakehouse to Brickhouse Art Under the Umbrella Harrison Festival of the Arts A flight through Field House Q & A with Echo Nebraska Envisioning the BC Summer Games Salmon debate visits local grocers Doja album review

p.7 p.15 p.27 p.32 p.40 p.50 p.58

Columns

FRESH Art by Carolina Arai p.42 FRESH Fiction by Martin Castro p.61 Local Harvest: a review of books p.64 July FRESH Picks p.66

www.raspberrymag.ca

Editorial note

Weedy, unwordable,

and deeply felt Do we live in a society that invalidates feeling? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible too much emphasis is placed on the analysis of art for its technical qualities, and not enough on our engagement with it on a deep and emotional level. Art is not simply a thing to perceive with our physical senses. It is a cultural exchange, a dialogue, a relationship; when we fully engage with art, we allow ourselves to enter an intersection, as in a Venn diagram, where a meaningful conversation can take place. This is not to deny that technique and aesthetic appeal have a place in determining artâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s value. But I worry about the tendency to take only those things into account, and to ignore artâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to reach past skin and grab us by the viscera, to get tangled up in our weedy, unwordable, but deeply felt gardens of being.

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There seems to be a general unwillingness to permit new messages and forms across artistic genres â&#x20AC;&#x201D; we gravitate to the mass-produced, easily attainable works that permeate radio, television, or bestsellers lists, instead of works that challenge our perceptions, ask us to grow, or connect with our experiences on a regional or personal level. The relatively recent surge of interest in local creative products potentially empowers the emerging artist or experimentalist, but I fear that potential is being crushed too quickly by commercialization of the trend, and its cultivation into something that fits within existing patterns. When we ignore feeling and care only for how a thing conforms to our established aesthetics of how a thing should look or sound, we snuff out the kind of art and artists who are fighting stagnation. We forget: art that bends the rules is doing its job best. When control of the artistic conversation lies solely with a market audience, that conversation becomes forced and loses its authenticity. I have the pleasure of knowing skilled emerging artists in a few genres who pursue alternative approaches, who get elbows-deep in the rich soil of their art and pull the darker matter up. What

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they do, albeit on a small scale, is as significant and undervalued as the worm: they take the dirt (art as we know it) and transform it into fertile ground. Do we place more importance on skill and adherence to technical rules, or on freedom and chaos? Does the art that is widely available challenge us, or change our perceptions? When we receive art that is not what we expect, is our first response to distance or approximate ourselves with it? Asking ourselves such questions allows us to assess our ideas of artistic validity: what conversations do we allow ourselves to take part in, and why do we value them? There is art being made in the mainstream that deserves our attention, but it does not necessarily rely on us for its survival. Local art, art that challenges the mainstream (as James Kasper mentions on page 54) needs you. Your participation and support in local arts and culture enables it to thrive and continue turning the dirt over, here on the ground. And as you encounter experiments; rules that are being bent or broken; and meaningful, deep, fertile relationships with the art pushing up from the cracks in your local sidewalks, you might find that you need it too.

Blown away by art at Chilliwack’s Art Under the Umbrella Anthony Biondi

Chilliwack’s Central Community Park is an open green space with a large depressed stone plaza at its centre. Paths branch out under archways and weave alongside trees and gardens. It was the perfect setting for this year’s Art Under the Umbrella, an annual event organized by the Chilliwack Community Arts Council. Circumventing the plaza and the surrounding green space was a row of tents under which a variety of artists and arts vendors showcased their talents and wares. Acoustic guitar floated through the air, carried along by an unexpectedly strong wind. Soon a violinist occupied the opposite corner. Patrons wandered from booth to booth, admiring an eclectic array of art, from paintings, pottery, woodworking, wire art, glass blowing,

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and dance to farm goods, jewellery, soaps, and honey. Several organizations had booths, such as the Chilliwack Cultural Centre, showcasing their upcoming children’s programs; as well, the Fraser Valley Arts Guild was present, showcasing the array of talent under their wing. For some artists, it was their first time presenting their work publicly. "Our mission is to promote arts in the community; not just provide an opportunity for our artists to sell their artwork but to help patrons appreciate the work and the creativity that goes into the art," said Patti Lawn, the executive director of the Chilliwack Community Arts Council. Every artist and vendor was approachable, forthcoming, and friendly. There was a great deal to talk about with each

artist, and they were more than willing to share their stories. Chilliwack’s Education Centre — under the Chilliwack School board — had a booth setup displaying the art of up and coming high-school artists. Curated by Bonny Burgess, several of the young artists waited eagerly by the tent, ready to discuss their art. Their keenness and sincerity in their work was inspiring. They had works in a variety of mediums, coming from their school’s multi-media program, including paint, pencil, pastel, and photography. "We were very happy with the event and the turnout in spite of the windy day!" Lawn said. "We guess-timated over 100 [visitors] during the course of the day." Although Art Under the Umbrella was designed to take on the Fraser Valley’s stereotypical rainy setting, it was not wholly prepared for the storm brewing over the northern mountains. Even from the early hours, tents lashed down with stone and water pails were beginning to move and tip, caught like kites in an un-

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expected gale. The wind was unforgiving, in some cases blowing away works of art, knocking over tables, or even lifting away entire tents, lodging them in nearby trees. However, this did not deter most artists. Many of them, with the help of some kind patrons, would go around assisting other fallen tents. Though by early afternoon, a few had no choice but to pack up. Despite harrowingly windy conditions, Art Under the Umbrella was a joy, filled with the energy of young artists excitedly showcasing their work to the Fraser Valley. Storm or no, their art will persevere, and so will their energy. "We will be back next year on June 10," said Lawn. "We are adding an event the night before. Hopefully the word will spread and Art Under The Umbrella will be even bigger. Let’s hope there won’t be any wind, just sunny skies."

community snapshots

photo by Katie Stobbart

Chilliwack United Church The Chilliwack United Church, immediately eye-catching because of its stained-glass window and central location on Spadina, was the first Methodist church in Chilliwack. It was established in the area then called Centreville in 1865. That technically makes it two years older than the nation of Canada.

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UPENDING TRADITION AT HARRISON FEST July 9 - 17

Nick Ubels

estled between lake and mountain 10 kilometres north of Agassiz, the sleepy village of Harrison Hot Springs provides a picturesque setting for more than a week of high-calibre world music every July. Kicking off its 38th year Saturday, July 9, the Harrison Festival of the Arts occupies a unique position in a crowded field of southern BC summer music festivals. Besides the breathtaking setting, artistic director Andy Hillhouse says the mid-size event, spread out over nine days this year, cultivates a laid-back atmosphere with ample opportunity to absorb and reflect on the art you experience. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not like a gated festival where you

go in for three days and you’ve got sensory overload,” he says. “But I love those festivals too, and they’re all important in their own way.” Harrison’s mission to connect the local arts community with innovative and talented world music acts — rather than focusing on popular music — also sets it apart. This year’s program features a eclectic slate of musicians from contemporary Hawaiian performer Kaumakaiwa Kanaka’ole to Haitian hip-hop fusion artist Vox Sambou and Québecois traditional, rock, and electro combo Mélisande. The line up goes on and on in this manner, drawing on music from all corners of the globe with surprises at every turn. As an ethnomusicologist, Hillhouse says he is especially capable of articulating this mandate and how it’s reflected in the program. “You get a pretty good sense and un-

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derstanding of the value of music in culture,” he says. Ethnomusicologists examine “how music is used in everything from ritual to concert performance to religion, everything.” When it comes to the non-profit Harrison Festival of the Arts, Hillhouse looks to strike a balance between challenging global artists and those with a wider appeal. “We try to draw a broad audience, but at the same time, you’re trying to educate people and expose people to new things, things which have a cultural value.” A perfect example of this duality on this year’s line-up is Yemen Blues, a unique group that blends traditional Yemenite chants with “funky, African inspired music.” Hillhouse says that the band represents an intriguing cultural blend that translates into “very dancy, very upbeat festival music.” One of the themes of this year’s pro-

gram is “re-working tradition,” which returning festival-goers will find contrasts nicely with last year’s emphasis on traditional music passed down through generations. “We had a musician here last year from Mali who, I don’t know how long his ancestors played for the kings. I knew of some artists who were digging into tradition, but they didn’t necessarily grow up with it. But they’re researching it and re-imagining the tradition in their own way. [This theme] allowed me to bring in some people I was interested in, like Jayme Stone’s Lomax Project.” Fashioned by virtuoso banjoist Jayme Stone, the Lomax Project re-works many of the original folk recordings collected around the world by anthropologist Alan Lomax with the help of many collaborators from the folk music community. Harrison’s marketing and administrative manager Bryan Cutler says that he enjoys watching themes emerge as Hillhouse ssembles the program. “He takes a lot of input and he tours around to different festivals,” Cutler says.

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“And then he looks at it and he says, ‘here’s what I did here, and here’. Themes come out organically from his programming.” While this is Cutler’s first year in his new role with the festival, he’s been working behind the scenes on the production side for nine years. That’s rooted his work in the festival’s history while allowing him to branch out in new ways. “We’re trying to stick with what Ed and Phyllis [Stenson] started and developed, but we’re making slow changes here and there,” he says. It’s important to maintain a sense of the festival’s identity and place in the Fraser Valley, according to Cutler. “Where Harrison kind of fits is, we kind of strip it all back, and we go right back to the roots,” Cutler says. Beyond watching performances, Cutler and Hillhouse have also been looking for to get people to participate. “I’m always trying to think of ways where we don’t just present music or other forms of art, but we engage people, too,” Hillhouse says. This includes work-

shops, a literary café, and a daily market of artisan vendors peppering the waterfront. Hosting a variety of performances and activities near the excellent cafés and restaurants of Harrison Hot Springs contributes to the relaxed and slow-paced vibe. Most days, visitors can take in free music on the beach each afternoon, or browse the market before migrating indoors for ticketed headline performances at the Harrison Memorial Hall. “Children’s day is completely different,” Cutler says. “That’s sort of a nut-ball kind of day.”

Harrison Festival of the Arts runs July 9 to 17 in Harrison Hot Springs. You can find tickets online at harrisonfestival. com

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Duft and Crocco on the Bakehouse, Brickhouse, and the Downtown Abbotsford renaissance Sasha Moedt

Two and a half years ago, the best croissants in the world came to Downtown Abbotsford. Duft and Co. Bakehouse is serious about pastries, and Abbotsfordians are serious about eating them. The place is humming any given day, and the line-up is to the door for fresh doughnuts on Saturdays. When owners Tyler Duft and Cassandra Crocco announced they were opening a new restaurant, right across the street — the Brickhouse — it caused more than a stir among their many regulars. It comes at a time when Downtown Abbotsford is blossoming with new popular businesses — Montrose and George, Field House Brewing, Spruce Collective, O’Neills, and more. Duft and Crocco were kind enough to take some time out of their busy morning to sit down and discuss good food, local business, and the beginnings of the Brickhouse.

Is there an opening date for the Brickhouse? Cassandra Crocco: Not yet. When we do, everyone will know. Because right now we don’t even know. Right now we’re hoping for summer. Tyler Duft: We want to give people enough time to anticipate it and look forward to it, but we’re waiting on things like permits from the city, specialist trades people to complete a task... We’re actually pretty much on schedule at this point in time, but that schedule to a non-specific date.

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Duft and Co. is doing so well – why, instead of franchising in a new city, did you decide to expand within your own customer base and area? TD: Well, I’d answer that in two parts, the first is the reason that we don’t franchise is because, first of all, we really enjoy this community. We’ve cornered a market here, we’ve found a really receptive audience for what we’re doing, and we’ve also got a great location in Downtown Abbotsford. If we were to open up someplace else, it would probably be a satellite location, probably a strip mall

or a smaller kiosk or something like that. For us to produce here to sell elsewhere, we’d have to keep this whole place ticking 24 hours a day, and that means we would be having things sold that we are not directly supervising the production of and that is something we are not willing to do. CC: I would answer something totally different. I do agree with Tyler about the quality... The quality is never the same, because the people who have their heart in it aren’t always there. But I think one of the main reasons we decided to do something else that’s not franchising out of Abbotsford is because we love the community, but also because I’m a baker, a pastry chef, but Tyler’s the savory chef. So we kind of already have done the pastry thing and we have a lot more to share and Tyler’s really talented and I think the community should also get to see what he could do. So we wanted to kind of let the community see the other side of what he can do.

Returning to what Tyler was saying about cornering this market. Did you expect such a positive response? Growing up in Abbotsford I really noticed that restaurants would pop up, and then go out of business soon after — especially in the downtown area. I feel like Duft and Co. was one of the first places that arrived and astounded everyone, and you’ve done so well for a new business. CC: You never really know... TD: But we did. CC: Don’t be arrogant!

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TD: I’m not being arrogant, I’m just saying we were confident in the work we were going to do. It was a calculated risk. Talking about Abbotsford — [it’s a] very European community. Dutch, German, Austrian, Mennonite. I grew up here. I have been around this community my entire life. For me, I always knew there was a place in German, Russian, Austrians’ hearts for [pastries]. I think when you have a community like my family — every time we’d eat dinner there was a loaf of bread sitting on the table. We were offering something that people really wanted: offering the basics — good bread, good pastries, good coffee, and lunch. We took the right amount of risk and were very happy with the result. I hope that doesn’t sound arrogant. CC: We were confident in what we were going to do — bringing something here that hasn’t been done before and we figured Abbotsford was ready.

Speaking to that, I feel like you were one of the first businesses to — in the downtown area — open and actually remain open. And other businesses followed suit, like Spruce Collective, Bow and Stern... CC: Spruce Collective was actually the very first. TD: They were the trailblazers. CC: They were kind of the first shop in downtown Abbotsford that had more [of a] Vancouver vibe I want to say. Trendier... TD: Trendy? I would say mature. CC: A younger demographic.

TD: Yeah... A younger demographic. And is inspired, driven, and people love what they do. They really put their heart in it. And they have the skills, both professional and social, to continue to drive their model forward.

Would you say they were kind of the anchor that you barnacled on to? TD: I like that. Barnacled. CC: We didn’t pick our location because of them. We picked it because we liked the place but them being down the street was a definite perk, and we’ve developed a really good relationship with them — actually one of [the owners] is in line right there! So we’re really happy they are here and that we do have that relationship with them, and now we have relationships with all of our other neighbours — Montrose and George moved in, Cobblestone moved in, and Jake’s [Barbershop] has been there forever...

pastry, check out Montrose and George or Spruce Collective... CC: Make kind of a day of it. It’s not just a destination — the one store’s not the destination but the [neighbourhood] is. It’s really cool.

Let’s talk Brickhouse. Has this idea always kind of been in your heads since you opened Duft and Co.?

TD: He cut my hair when I was about eight years old.

CC: We’ve always had a million ideas. And we’ve always had them all out on the table in the beginning. We just felt like the Bakehouse was the best place to start. I think we were right in that — it’s a good stepping stone and starting ground. We love what we do here and we’re so happy. And we have more to give. Who knows what we’ll do in the future, but [the Brickhouse] just seemed fitting and we wanted to keep our next business as close to here as we could. Because we are all about quality, and that means us being present. There’s not a day that we’ve ever been opened that at least one of us is not present.

He still cuts my Opa’s hair.

You guys are always here.

CC: It’s been cool to see these other places pop up. The more the merrier. It brings more people to downtown.

CC: Yeah, and that’s very important to us. I think that’s one of the reasons that we’ve been successful.

It definitely fits Duft and Co.’s style. It’s really nice to have a downtown where you can go to the farmer’s market on Saturday, walk up here get a coffee and

Is one of you in particular spearheading the Brickhouse or are you doing this as a team? TD: Well, we do everything as a team. Photo from Brickhouse Facebook

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My main focus always is using the best ingredients you can find and doing whatever we can to make it something that is very alive — bright flavours, big flavours. Cass and I have a pretty good system of being able to work together. There are things that I’m a little better suited to handle and things that she’s better suited to handle. [The Brickhouse] will mostly be my menu — most of what’s back here is Cass’s. But for the most part we are both always in the decision-making process together. As far as what’s going on across the road right now, basically that’s mostly me because we’re in the process of turning a hair salon into a restaurant. CC: I’m doing all the administrative stuff so far... He’s working on developing the menu, and I’ll be doing the dessert menu. I think it’s a good balance. The Bakehouse will reflect me more, and the Brickhouse will reflect Tyler more.

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What’s the relationship going to be like between the Bakehouse and the Brickhouse? TD: Well just so you have a good idea, we’re open here from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., assuming we haven’t sold out. Across the street we’ll probably be open from around 4 or 5 p.m. ‘til late at night. So we’re going to have both the spectrums covered. There won’t really be any overlap, and if there is, it’s going to be minimal. Certain things will be produced at either place; that’s the beauty of having the oven, for example — we’re going to have a wood-fired oven. If I so elect, we can do, let’s say roast chicken, then we can use that beautiful smoky delicious

meat over here for a feature. The same way we could produce maybe a pizza dough, and that could be run over and that would save us space.

How will the Brickhouse work with other local businesses, the way the Bakehouse does — like featuring meat from Carl’s Meats? TD: Oh, yeah for both of our businesses, really, we work with Carl’s — they have the best bacon I’ve tasted, double smoked... CC: And for the Brickhouse, we’re going to be working with Field House brewing, and other local breweries we’re still talking to, and some local wineries as well.

Can you talk a little bit about what the interior design is going to look like? Will it be similar to the Bakehouse? CC: Not really. We’re going for a different vibe. It’s going to be casual, but it’s going to be a little more fun, a little more “late night.” These tables here are handmade, local wood, and that’s what all our tables over there are going to be. We’re going to have a lot of brick over there, because it’s the Brickhouse, brick oven.

Can you tell me about the patio? TD: It’ll be about 25 by 35 feet; we’ve got the whole thing cedar-panelled. We have a small strip of garden that runs around the perimeter. We have these beautiful old heavy wooden tables that can go outside. It’s going to open until whatever the city decides to give us as far as a time frame, hopefully a little bit later

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so that we can have a night-time crowd. Seats about 25 people. And we have the twinkle lights going to go up, maybe have a little herb garden out back so we can actually grow herbs for the kitchen.

fresh, some of them smoked. My main focus always is using the best ingredients you can find and doing whatever we can to make it something that is very alive — bright flavours, big flavours.

What about seating the indoor seating space?

What’s the menu breakdown?

TD: The indoor seating space is organized well, so we’re going to fit a fair amount of people in there as well — about 35. We’ve done a pretty good job using as much square footage as possible.

How about the menu? What’s that going to look like? TD: Well, the obvious thing that people are asking about is the pizzas. It’s an obvious choice to do our pies when you have a wood-fired oven. They taste the best, they look the best. But that’s not going to be what we’re known for. We’re going to be focusing a lot on the other end of our menu as well. We’re going to be making homemade sausages, which is something that I love to do. It’s one of my specialities. Those are going to be made

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TD: I don’t want to give too much away. But we are going to have it structured as a handful of pizzas, maybe five or seven, that come designed as they are. Then we’ll have a section of build-your-own, where you can add your own toppings. The other portion of the menu will be appetizers, where we’ll probably have four or five that’s going to include things such as salads. I want to do some entrées, whether that will be roasted meats, maybe some pastas. I am really not a huge fan of using prepackaged anything, so when I do pasta I make my own noodles. We’re going to be running a lot of features. There’s going to be probably a staple menu of about 15 to 16 items or so that’s going to be available all the time. And then week to week probably four or five items or so that are going to be features — things available only as long as I have access to a product, when that be

some really nice chicken or pork shoulder. When spot prawn season comes in, for example, I’m going to do my very best to get ahold of some of those because that’s one of my absolute favourite times of the year.

O’Neills does concerts now and then. Will that be something that could happen at the Brickhouse? TD: We’d love to. It depends on space. But I’m definitely receptive to that. I love the idea, being able to have a little jam session out back, sit in the sunshine, have a nice glass of wine and listen to music. I definitely hope to do that in the future.

Do you see the Brickhouse as filling a specific need in Abbotsford, the way the Bakehouse did? CC: I think so. TD: Yeah, especially in downtown. There is not as much going on down here after five o’clock. I feel like Abbotsford was, at least, a little while ago, going the same way as Bellingham: a lot of businesses

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that were open in the evening hours were the big box chains. But I think people are receptive to wanting to support businesses that do bring something new, creative and individually minded. I feel like Abbotsford is ready for it and hungry for being able to go someplace that they can go to have a really good meal and be in a non-pretentious environment where it’s fun, accessible, creative, and delicious.

Any last things you want readers to know about the Brickhouse? TD: We are not going to be doing reservations. Just like here. It’ll be first come, first served. We’re going to do our very best to accommodate everybody. If you do wish to order something as take-away, we’re more than happy to do that as well. We even have a little area in our dining area designated for people to wait if they do elect to take-away, and while you’re waiting have a beer or a glass of wine.

Where do you see Downtown Abbotsford in five to 10 years? CC: Hopefully it looks like more small businesses like ours, and Spruce Col-

lective, Montrose and George, stuff like that, other coffee shops and restaurants... Little independently owned shops and a real sense of community. It’s really nice because all the new businesses that have popped up like us and Spruce Collective and Old Hand and Fieldhouse — everyone is really supportive of each other and growing together to make Abbotsford better. Because really the more people that come here, it’s good for everyone; it doesn’t matter if they come to your coffee shop or someone else’s... It really, in the long-run, benefits everyone. TD: As long as everyone continues to support local the way they have been at this point, supporting the businesses that are pulling this end of town sort of out of the ashes, and I mean 15 years ago, this corner of town — if you weren’t getting a haircut you were down here buying meth. So to see that the city had put so much energy and effort and the right people in the right place to reinvigorate it, and to also have those neighboring businesses that Cass mentioned, all of us pulling in the same direction, and to see the response that we’ve had, makes us very positive about what is going to be a really bright future for this corner of the city.

One final question: where do you like to go to eat in Abbotsford? CC: Vi La Palace is probably our favourite. Love them. They’re great people too. Great family run business. TD: In the Mt. Lehman Plaza. Go there! Immediately. Vi La is awesome. I would also say Gian’s is another favourite. Their food is awesome.

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community snapshots

photo by Katie Stobbart

Quinn and co., a family portrait With the farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s market bustling just down the street from this photo taken on Montrose Avenue, and local residents taking advantage of a more easy-going weekend schedule to peruse the area on foot, Saturday morning is possibly the best time to appreciate Downtown Abbotsford. Above, Quinn is taking a break from his walk with a few special family members: Rottweiler Vera, her son Winston, and her adoptive daughter Shasta, a friendly housecat. Most people passing Duft & Co. on June 25 stopped for a brief visit.

Between art and science a flight through Field House Joe Johnson

Field House Brewing, the newest addition to the developing cultural business scene in Downtown Abbotsford, has been on a roll since it opened late last year. The brewery, which you can track with the hashtag #fieldtofist, is one of the hottest places to go for good beer, good music, and a generally good place to spend some time. Field House is also a place for community, as they work collaboratively with other businesses that cater to a similar demographic. This includes having other breweries’ beers on tap, having Old Hand Coffee in weekly, concerts, and a lot more. Field House also does brewery tours. If you’ve never been on one before, it’s worth going and seeing how their beer is made while having somebody knowledgeable explain the process. Not to mention you’ll also get to sample. If you’ve seen the outside of the building from West Railway Avenue, the brewery itself takes up roughly three quarters of the right side of the property, leaving the rest to the tasting room.

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Our tour began at 3 p.m. on a Sunday. The sliding garage door was opened and 11 of us gathered around an elongated table, perfectly fitting with the Field House motif. Greeting us was Ashley West, a trained cicerone. It was obvious that West, who has experience leading similar tours all over the Vancouver area, knew her beers and the industry. Also, being of a very friendly nature, she made the tour that much more delightful. By the table, we were given a briefing on the history of Field House and provided taster glasses. Over the course of the roughly 40-minute tour we were given all their staples to try. Beside the table were a number of tanks, which were situated in the brew house. This is essentially where the base of the beer is made before it becomes “beer,” and where the malting process takes place. Different bases can be used, from malt, to barley, rye, and wheat.

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We were all lined up along the tanks as West passed down different malts to smell and sample, if we were inclined. They were obviously grainy in texture. There are a few different types of tanks, each having their own purpose, such as the grist hopper and the mash tun. It was pointed out that many mash tuns have rotating arms used to stir the developing base. Field House opts to use paddles instead. After the base, the second ingredient added is tempered water, which is nine tenths of the drink. At this stage a brew can take up to 12 hours, of which much of the process becomes mechanized. Hops are also added in here. As the hops break down, they add alpha acids which bring out the bitterness. While discussing the elements of beer making, West gives an example of the difference between craft beer and mass-produced beer. It’s the difference between art and science. It’s based on

taste and to find something better that works in the process, where they may try different hops to create their varying styles. Passed down now was a glass of hops. “Do not eat these. You’ll taste them for a week,” stressed West. Along with seeing the hops, we then tried a taster of the Eastern IPA — of which has a much stronger hops presence. Hops bring out a lot of the minute elements, anywhere from a floral presence to possibly a citrus or pine taste. With the Eastern IPA, which is more floral, the hops come from Australia and New Zealand. Having the water and hops now in boil, it stays here for roughly an hour. There are a number of different places where hops can be added within the brewing process, all of which produce a different hops presence within the beer.

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Because so many other breweries are using local hops, Reid is trying varieties from different regions. All regions produce their own taste elements, depending on soil and growing conditions. After boiling, it’s now at the stage called “wort.” It’s a hoppy, sugary substance. Field House doesn’t filter their beers, which is common in the craft industry. At this point we moved out to the front of the building to a large, open topped tank. Instead of using a heat exchanger which replaces cool water for hot water so that the wort cools down, Field House uses a fascinating natural process called a coolship. This is where their Coolship Common name is derived from. The tank is 100 per cent copper and, over two hours, conducts the heat out. Moving along, the next beer we would try was the Field Saison which possesses

spicy and floral elements. This is an outstanding beer which is highly influenced in taste by the yeast. It’s a Belgian yeast strain. Back inside again, the beer is currently a “cooled down, hoppy, sugary substance”. Now yeast is added. At Field House all their beers are ales, simply because of the turn-around time of two to four weeks, as opposed to lagers which can take eight or more weeks to condition. Now that yeast is added, it consumes the sugar and turns into alcohol and CO2. “This is called beer.” Tasted here was the Sour Wheat Gose. An old German recipe, this beer has no hops, but is made with sea salt, elderflower, and coriander. The sea salt Field House uses in this beer comes from Vancouver Island.

It’s soured by wort, and at this stage it’s sprayed with acidulated malt to bring the Ph down where it’s then steeped. It undergoes a process with other elements added, ultimately developing that tangy bite. With any beer, it’s after the yeast stage that it goes into the bright tank for one final process before it’s completed. The bright tank is pressurized to have CO2 added in. It’s the effervescence that you can find between the beers that’s developed here. Field House actually had to add more tanks to their brewery. They had a great response from the beginning and quickly ran out of a number of their beers. The final beer we tried was the Salted Black Porter. If you have this beer, you’ll notice a distinct taste. This is in part from adding droppies, a salted Dutch licorice candy.

West mentioned one interesting mix to try, which is the Salted Black Porter and the Sour Goze. It produces a “roastiness”. And with that, things began to wrap up with West taking a few questions from the group. The experience of visiting Field House for a tour was very enjoyable. If you have the chance, it’s a great way to become more intimate with the brewery. A definite recommendation. I look forward to giving that black porter and sour gose a try.

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Touring, folk rock,

and a bit of violin An interview wtith Echo Nebraska Joe Johnson With one EP out, Sail The Ships, Echo Nebraska is a fresh sixpiece band with a unique sound. Having played a few shows in the Fraser Valley already, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re coming back to Field House Brewing for a show on July 14. Recently I had the opportunity to sit down with Devan Christodoulou and Andy Schichter at Steel Toad Brewery in Vancouver to talk about what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like to be in a band that sees the Fraser Valley from afar.

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photo contributed by Echo Nebraska

How did you guys all come together as a band? AS: Well, I met Devan coming up from Vancouver a couple of years ago. He was in another band called Amber Hills. I was working on the album but Devan had a number of other songs that didn’t exactly fit the style. So I just invited him over to my home studio and we went from there. Started putting together a bunch of demos for a couple of years. And then we eventually just started to find a band. We kind of added members slowly the last year and a half.

The band is the four regular members, or is it five? AS: Six-piece now. DC: When we were in the process of demoing and recording we were constantly adding more and more instruments. So the idea was that we did want it to be a big sound, like a lot of people on stage playing. Now we’re at six.

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Who is the sixth addition? What do they play? DC: That’s Dan. Our bass player Gunn wasn’t able to go on this last tour with us for health reasons but then helped us out and [Dan] jumped in and played bass. We all got along so well that we just asked him to jump on board with us on keyboard, guitar, harmonies.

Intrinsically, what draws you to creating music? DC: I grew up in a very musical family. My dad would play guitar around me when I was a kid. He would play Beatles, Neil Young, The Eagles, Bob Dylan, and whatnot. I’ve always loved it. I just loved the creative process. It’s kind of like therapy. AS: I grew up in Montreal and moved to Ontario when I was 10 years old. We would drive back quite often but those first two years, just visiting family mem-

bers. So it would be a lot of long drives where you would bring a Discman and CDs. You’d get to know those CDs very well. I wanted to figure out why different albums sounded different. So I came to music from a production standpoint. I was like, “why did the drums sound different on this record?” Being 10 years old and not really understanding that there’s different drums out there and microphones and all this stuff plays back into that. So I just became really interested in music listening to the production of records.

What music do you guys primarily listen to? DC: With the whole news of the Tragically Hip I’ve been listening to them a lot. I’ve been digging through a lot of their songs and getting into that vibe. That’s probably the main band I’ve been listening to right now. I’ve always liked the Hip but I haven’t listened to them in ages. That news came around and sort of pushed me in that direction again. AS: I don’t listen to a lot of new music. I’ll just keep a few records on my phone -- just get obsessed with them. Listen to them for months and then swap one or two out. But lately, because we want to record a full album, I’ve been listening to [artists] like Father John Misty or the Decemberists… albums that I can get inspiration [from] for recording ideas, just

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in terms of instrumentation.

When you make music what’s the process like? From songwriting to production. DC: Well, the songwriting process changes because there’s a lot of different ways you can go about it. I used to be more about an idea, or a feeling would come to me. I would just regurgitate what the feeling was, make a cool melody, and just put it together. But now I’m focus-writing, where I’m trying to think of what am I trying to say. What is the main message and main punchline? And building around the punchline. Once I have a song I’ll record it on my phone and I’ll send it to Andy and the band. We’ll be like, “let’s do this thing,” and we’ll jam and everybody will have their ideas and bring it to the table. We’ll hash the song out and work on the arrangement. Then it’s six people playing instruments. AS: For me, I guess there’s been two different methods. Before we had a band it was just demoing and throwing all the ideas we had at a song. It’s very different than being like, “Okay, I have to think of a guitar part.” It’s not like, “an organ would sound good here, or guitar line here, or backing vocals, kickers…” ow that songs are coming to us as a full band, you really have to limit what you can write on one instrument and not worry about all the other stuff. It’s a lot

more difficult for me, for sure. DC: That’s another part of it. We want to continue the demo process for financial and creative reasons. It saves so much money if you go in and know exactly what you want to do, and just hammer it out in the studio. We started the writing process by writing the songs and then demoing right away. There wasn’t a band. Now it’s like, “song, band, jam it out, and then we’re going to demo.” It’s one more step in between. Which will probably, in the end, make it sound better because everyone will have their hands in it, and it will be more of a cohesive unit when we’re ready. AS: We’ll have the live band on the CD, too. Now we’re a six-piece going into the studio. Everyone can have their own ideas and it’s just nice having different people playing instruments because Dan will come up with a guitar part that I wouldn’t think of, or a keyboard part, or Carly and Dan might have some backing vocal ideas. Who knows. It’s exciting.

Is there a main theme in your music? DC: On the EP, in particular, I don’t think there’s an underlying theme that’s the same for every song. I think each song might have a different story behind it and a different concept. "Hey Alison" is about overcoming one’s struggles, or mental illness, with the purity of love. That love could be love for yourself, love

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for what you’re doing, or love for the creative process, or romantic love. Any kind of love. But then a song like "I’ll get it right"… a long time ago I thought I got a girl pregnant and I thought I’d have to be a father. It’s about me saying I’m going to get it right; I’m going to be a father. Every song has its different message behind it.

How did you develop your ability to write lyrics? DC: Sometimes I really like lyrics that are ambiguous and left open to interpretation. I like doing that, making it a challenge for the listener to understand what I’m talking about. But at the same time I like being very literal in some songs and it’s clear as day what I’m talking about. I like both angles and that’s sort of a developing process and it will continue to develop as I continue to write songs.

Do you guys ever experiment with other types of music while in the studio or practicing? DC: You [Andy] did that recently, actually. Was it lounge? AS: Yeah, it was loungy. I remember one time we did a lounge version of "I’ll get it right."W That kind of sounded cool. But yeah, there’s not a lot. Usually it’s pretty focused. I think a lot of it is having different musicians in the band, too, and teaching them the parts. It takes time to teach two hours worth of music to

someone new. So there’s not a lot of time for jamming because you’re focused on rehearsing. DC: We’re not really a jam band. I think maybe down the road, when we have more time, I’d like to experiment. Dave Matthews did a record where they didn’t know what each [person] was going to do. It started with the drums and they built around it. Something like that’s cool. Everyone just has a creation and they make it, and Dave goes in after the music’s done and he sings overtop of it. That’s so cool. Later down the road I’d like to try jamming and things like that. For now, it’s more focused songwriting.

How would you describe your sound? AS: I guess folk rock is probably a good generic term. You say folk rock and you come to our set, there wouldn’t be any

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surprises. It would make sense. Definitely American influences in there. I think some of our newer stuff is less folky. Given the dynamics of a band, when you come in with an idea and everybody has their input, how do you decide how the final song should sound? DC: It’s like trial by error. If Andy has an idea for a specific rhythm pattern that he wants to try and Gunn has a different idea, we’ll try both and we’ll both jam both of them out a few times and everyone will kind of know. Playing it when we’re practicing is hard because you’re focusing on what you’re playing while trying to hear what everybody else is doing to get the big picture. When you demo you can kind of take yourself away from the song and look at it as a piece of work and dissect it and really figure out what works and what doesn’t work. That’s why it really helps.

AS: it’s the hardest thing I struggle with. Where it’s like figuring out an idea but concentrate on what you’re playing, as well. I find it hard to separate my brain that way. It’s a lot easier recording something and listening back right away, you can really get a clear picture of the idea. But there’s never any huge disagreement in a song.

AS: Yeah, definitely. That’s something we were talking about: who to record with, when to do it, where the money’s going to come from for it. All that stuff. The EP’s only five songs and we can play a full set without any of those songs in there. We always play most of those, but we have a ton of other songs. Devan’s constantly writing more.

Everybody’s pretty cordial and easy going?

Any timeframe for a full length?

DC: Yeah. And I don’t know what it’s like from their perspective but the feeling when I bring a song, they can sort of interpret and feel the place it was coming from and feed off that. It’s naturally going in the right direction. I mean, if I brought an Americana folk song and they were trying to make it Brit-rock sounding, we would know right away that the melody wouldn’t work with the sound that they’re trying to make.

Since you began as a band, has there been progression in your sound? AS: Introducing violin into the songs [has] definitely made our sound more unique. The first couple of shows we didn’t have violin, or we had violin for a few songs, so it was a little rockier. But ever since we introduced violin into our set, which wasn’t really planned when we put together a band, the sound definitely shifted in the right direction. I wouldn’t say our sounds totally changed. Our songs live definitely sound better than the EP, though. There’s more of a human element in it.

Now that your EP came out a year and a half ago, do you have more songs in the bag for another album? Raspberry Magazine

AS: Hopefully a release next summer. It’s too early to say, though. We have to figure out exactly when we’re recording, how long we need to actually release it properly. We don’t want to have the master and put it out right away. We want to plan a nice tour around it, get some press for it, radio play.

I have a few questions about the valley because you’re coming out there. Do you find a difference in playing at venues in the valley as compared to Vancouver? AS: I could be wrong, but it seems like the two places we played at, it might just have been the shows, but it’s kind of a harder scene … kind of metal and harder rock stuff. In terms of venues, where we’re playing next month at the brewery [Field House] outdoors, if the weather’s nice, that’s going to be beautiful. I think perfect for our sound. Have some craft beers outside. It’s brilliant. We’ve never played anywhere huge in Abbotsford.

Have you played a lot in the valley? AS: We’re trying to more and more. We played Chilliwack last summer, twice in Abbotsford already. We’re playing Chilliwack and Mission again in October.

DC: We’re trying to tour. Vancouver’s our home but we don’t want to play it too much and saturate the market here. So we’re trying to tour more and play in the valley and go out to Kelowna and go to Alberta. That’s the idea. AS: The valley seems great, though. A lot of people live out there. It seems like there’s some good hidden venues here and there. So I’m hoping to make that a recurring thing.

When you’ve been touring, what’s the most “out there” thing that’s happened? DC: Calgary. There was one particular hotel that we didn’t end up staying at but we had a terrible, weird, very strange situation there. We left and…

ment. That was shitty. Another funny thing on tour, some of our drives are pretty short so we have some spare time so we’re looking for things to do. Carly knows BC pretty well so she would always recommend things. But every place she would recommend was closed. All these provincial parks, something in Lethbridge -- everything she recommended was closed or shut down. I thought that was funny.

You have another tour coming up? DC: Yep. We’re still working on booking the rest of the dates but we’ll start late August and end early October. Similar idea: BC and Alberta.

AS: It was just a very dirty room. We were there for 10 minutes tops, complained to the front desk. They wouldn’t give us a refund so we eventually got a hotel. Had to go through several emails with the higher-ups within the company to just get a refund because it was unacceptable. The room was disgusting. Finally got the cheque in the mail for the reimburse-

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community snapshots

photo by Katie Stobbart

Mural under Abbotsford overpass To call this mural (which is, as far as we know, untitled) graffiti would undermine the experience of engaging with an awesome artistic feat. Located under the overpass on Riverside Road, the image depicts a large eagle spreading its wings and bursts of watery, abstract blue against an apocalyptic cityscape. Jagged black lines â&#x20AC;&#x201D; perhaps black lightning or bare tree branches â&#x20AC;&#x201D; arc threateningly above the flying eagle in an eerie, pale green sky. But in contrast to the bleak surroundings, the place where the eagle flies is vibrant and fantastical in its swirls of colour and light, as if the majestic bird is swooping down to find solace away from the urban storm. Not unfitting, for this place thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s understood to offer a ceiling and some cover from an at times bleak world.

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Game on

A fresh vision for BC Summer Games unfolds this July Joel Smart

Abbotsford is about to get a good look at the future of sport this July. That’s when the 2016 BC Summer Games are coming to town for a four-day extravaganza of ceremony and elite-level competition. The games, which take place between July 21 and 24, promise to be a milestone event for both the emerging athletes who will compete as well as for the many other performers and organizers who are ready to put all they’ve got on the table. For Abbotsford and surrounding cities, it’s a rare chance to see and support upand-coming athletes competing on a province-wide scale. After more than a year of planning, and April’s torch-lighting event, BC Games director Jennifer Willford is looking forward to seeing her vision finally unfold this July. It was early 2015 when the BC Summer Games president approached Willford’s co-director Mary Boonstra about taking the job, and they decided to take it on together. It was an approach that they felt would help them tackle the huge responsibility of the role more manageably. “We both have full-time jobs and fam-

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ilies, and we felt that we’d be able to excel in the role if we could share the responsibility, and still be able to maintain a healthy work-life balance.” The decision also allowed the pair to coordinate projects in ways that showcased their complimentary skill sets. “Mary leads the creative side, and I use my skills as an event planner for the details,” Willford explained. Since Willford and Boonstra both have backgrounds in dance, they were thrilled to be able to design something spectacular for the opening and closing ceremonies. “We felt that this was an opportunity for us to create and build productions which would showcase many of the talented performers not only from Abbotsford, but from surrounding areas as well,” Willford said. One of the groups performing will be the Elementz dance team, which has performed at community events leading up to the games, and will play a role in the opening and closing ceremonies as well. With so many events happening in so

few days throughout Abbotsford and even Fort Langley, Harrison, and Langley, it will be key to look up the schedule in advance. For example, volleyball will take place at three separate locations: Columbia Bible College, the University of the Fraser Valley, and at the outdoor courts in Mill Lake Park. Towed water sports, including water skiing, barefooting, wakeboarding, and wake skating, will all take place Albert Dyck Memorial Park. Track and field events, meanwhile, will all take place at Rotary Stadium. “All of the events are free to the public, so we are really hoping that people bring their families and come out to support the athletes.” The BC Games are still looking for volunteers to help coordinate the events as well, Willford noted. “There is a need for a wide variety of roles to be filled, including roles within the Ceremonies Team! Without volunteers, these Games don’t happen.” Anyone interested can visit the website at www.bcgames.org or by phoning 604870-GAME (4263).

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photo by Anthony Biondi

fresh art Carolina Arai Carolina Arai is a graphic designer and photographer whose watercolour prints stood out at the recent Spring Artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; CafĂŠ hosted by Central Heights Church. Originally from Cuernavarca, in Mexico, Arai is widely travelled, having lived the longest in Canada and Japan, and visited, among other places, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia. Interviewed by Katie Stobbart

photos and art from Carolina Arai

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With photography, I started in high school. My mom used to have a camera that was just kind of there, and when I was in high school I took a photography class and fell in love with being in the lab. I actually asked the teacher, “Can I stay longer?” and stayed hours and hours. The smell, it’s this… this kind of smell that goes all the way through your nose to your brain, and it’s so acidic. I love it. And after that I just continued and went to digital. After I graduated, I wanted to travel cheap, so I uploaded my profile to an au pair website. My current host family saw me, and here I am. The plan was to stay for a year, and I’ve been here for a year and a half. I’m going to start schooling at BCIT in October. I’m a graphic designer back home, but for me to transfer my credits, I’m going to have to take a course.

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I don’t think I have enough time or connections here to tell you if there’s much more access to events than there is in Mexico, but what I’ve noticed is that culturally speaking, for the people I’ve been surrounded with, they don’t give the artistic side of things as much appreciation as we do in Mexico. For example, if I tell you I took oil painting classes or lessons: “Oh,

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cool.” It’s just something you stop doing once you start doing your job and focusing on getting money to pay the bills, and that was a hobby — good for you if you do it for yourself. Whereas in Mexico, it’s like, “Oh! She took ballet lessons since she was three years old!” And at the end of the day it’s probably not going to feed you or pay the bills, but we appreciate those things.

I am lucky to have conversations with my host mom, and her husband is also Mexican, so it’s really interesting to get feedback from each other: for her to know more about Mexican culture and me to understand more about Canadian culture. We came to this conclusion: Mexico was conquered by the Spaniards, [who mixed with indigenous peoples] and formed social classes. … And in that pyramid, whiter was better. Everything white people did was [considered] amazing, and they brought fine arts and dancing — so there was that stigma with skin colour, and there’s still this in Mexico. I don’t know if it’s linked, but I think we have this appreciation of arts there because it makes you “better” to be able to do those kinds of things.

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When I was first studying in university, I went to Japan for an exchange, and there I learned sumi-e. Comparing that with my previous, short watercolour training, this was super freehand. I really liked when we got to the point of learning abstract and we started mixing colours. I think I’m carrying on with that [style]; I like to mix it with the realistic side.

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I have a really special connection with Japan, because I was there for ten months, and it’s just wonderful. I also want to become a Canadian, because it’s just beautiful. I love my country, but after living in a country like Japan with everything being organized — the buses are perfect and the streets are clean… the streets in Mexico are not clean; you’re walking and there’s garbage around, and

there’s people selling stuff in the middle of the road. It’s chaotic. Plus, in Japan, they have so much culture. You can go to the shrine and visit the temples, and there’s someRaspberry Magazine

thing behind it. Here, the nature is beautiful and wonderful, but if I ask you about the history… how old is Canada?

I want to stay here as a resident, and as a live-in caregiver I cannot do anything but that, and I’m not going to do that for the rest of my life. My host mom was suggesting for me to get into business administration. But that’s not my passion. I might be good at school, and that’s probably going to pay the bills. I’m leaning for web design. How many people do you know that took piano lessons? And you don’t even mention it, like that’s not an asset that you have, it’s just, “let’s get this kid out of the house and have him doing something.” Whereas in Mexico you might put it on your resume — maybe not if you’re an engineer, but you would be proud of that. But here, people ask, “What do you do for a living?” I’m an au pair. “Ah, okay.”

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community snapshots

photo by Katie Stobbart

Chilliwack Museum Run by the Chilliwack Museum and Historical Society, the Chilliwack Museum currently occupies a former City Hall building in the downtown core. The museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s collection dates back to 1958 when its home was a room in the police station. The statue before it is of the Piper James Cleland Richardson, who died in WWI. The statue was created by sculptor John Weaver and installed in 2003.

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Wild Salmon Wild S Defenders Defende Alliance

Alliance brings their brings their fight to fight to consumers at consumers at local grocery local grocery stores stores

Salmon ers T

Nadine Moedt

hundering drums of protest echoed across the Superstore parking lot last month as over a dozen members of the Wild Salmon Defenders Alliance intercepted patrons with leaflets detailing their mission: to ban ocean-based salmon farming. In recent months, grocery stores in Abbotsford and Chilliwack have been met with similar protests over their sales of farmed salmon. Members of local First Nations and their allies staged the Superstore protest on May 29 amid some resistance from the grocery store, who asked that signs taped to the front entry ramp be taken down and leaned against the wall instead. Shoppers paused to enjoy the drumming and take in the info banners before continuing with their shopping. Eddie Gardner, UFV elder-in-residence and member of the Wild Salmon Defenders Alliance, explained the vital importance of wild salmon and the dangers posed by current farming practices. “Wild salmon is the lifeblood of British Columbia,” Gardner says. “It’s an integral part of the cultural, spiritual and physical well-being of the xwélmexw, the First Nations people, but also everyone. “Our wild salmon are endangered by many things: big oil, fracking, LNG, irresponsible mining, climate warming.

There’s a whole range of threats ... One of them [is] the fish farms on the migration routes of our wild salmon.” According to the Guardian (2015), Salmon farming has long been criticized by the scientific community for its negative impact on the environment and wild salmon stocks. Atlantic salmon are raised in cramped conditions, which allows for an easy transmission of disease. “They have these open-net pens that do not provide any barrier between the farmed salmon and the wild salmon. So when the small smolts have to swim by these farms they are prone to get diseases from the farmed salmon,” Gardner explains. “It’s a very unsustainable industry. Very often they have to cull their fish because of diseases and when they do that it comes at the expense of the taxpayers, which is ridiculous.” While the demand for salmon could not be satisfied by wild stocks alone, there is an alternative to having openocean farms. “We need a rapid transition from ocean-farmed salmon to land based farms, aquaculture,” Gardner says. “There are two farms in BC that I know of, one is Kuterra, which is run by the ‘Namgis First Nations, and then there is Little Cedar Falls in Nanaimo which

Photo by E Gregory from Flickr, Edited by Anthony Biondi

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is family-run. They raise salmon in containment. It’s a very small farm, but they are already supplying some of the Save On [Foods] stores.” Kuterra is based out of Northern Vancouver Island. The business is fully owned by the ‘Namgis First Nation and was started, according to their website, to demonstrate that land-raised farmed salmon is the environmentally friendly alternative to open-net pens. In the language of the ‘Namgis people, kutala means “salmon”; kuterra means “salmon from the land.” Kuterra’s salmon are raised hormone, antibiotic, and pesticide free, with an emphasis on respect for the salmon as a living creature. Little Cedar Falls is another example of how land based farmed salmon can be a viable alternative. The farm raises steelhead salmon and takes environmentalism seriously; waste from the salmon is being developed into fertilizer and other soil enhancement products. “We are encouraging the expansion of farmed salmon because it is way more sustainable than the ocean open-net farms.” Gardner and the Wild Salmon Alliance are doing their best to raise awareness, staging protests and handing out information in front of local grocery stores. But, as Gardner explains, store management isn’t always happy to see them. “I’m glad we have some level of cooperation with Superstore and we have lots of cooperation with Walmart and Save On Foods. Costco calls the police on us and chases us off their property,” Gardner says with a bit of a laugh. “Still working on Costco, we are still going to go back there. One good thing about Costco is that they will not sell GMO salmon. And they stopped selling some of the farmed salmon from Chile because of the high levels of antibiotics that they were using to fight off diseases. So at least they are Photos by Nick Ubels

trying to do something to protect the health of the people. But it’s not quite enough.” Salmon farming issues are currently being reviewed in court. Public awareness and involvement is crucial, Gardner says. Last year, biologist Alexandra Morton won a court case that banned the practice of placing diseased salmon in open net pens. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans was set to appeal the decision, but has recently secured a five month adjournment in the wake of a May 20 announcement from the Strategic Salmon Health Initiative (a partnership between the DFO, the Pacific Salmon Foundation, and Genome B.C.) that they had detected a potential case of Heart and Skeletal Muscle Inflammation (HSMI) in Atlantic salmon at a B.C. fish farm. HSMI is a costly problem for Norweigan salmon farms, who see outbreaks yearly. In a May 13 letter to Morton from the Department of Justice, Steven Postman writes that the government “needs time

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to complete the analysis and determine if this information impacts its position on the appeals.” The delay in court proceedings provides British Columbians a greater window to communicate their feedback to the government. Over 16,000 people have signed a petition on leadnow.ca asking the government to reconsider its position, but more public support for the initial decision needs to be heard, Gardner says. “We want to send a strong message … to drop that appeal.” “These farms have devastating impact not only on the wild salmon economy but also the wild diversity in British Columbia. That is why we are in front of these doors. That’s why we are encouraging and educating people to become aware of those issues and to rally the support in saving our wild salmon.”

James Kasper shares experience starting Fraser Valley Music Awards Photo by Nick Ubels

Katie Stobbart

Alex Rake and the Leaves perform for a lively crowd at the Spotted Owl on June 24 as part of the Fraser Valley Music Awards' Battle of the Bands series.

In anticipation of the first-ever Fraser Valley Music Awards, I sat down with FVMA Coordinator James Kasper to talk about the awards and the local music scene. As well as being a musician and a founder of Mighty Speck Records, Kasper started and organized the Vancouver Island Music Awards (VIMAs) for 11 years. Raspberry Magazine

How did the FVMAs come to be? That precedes me a little bit, but CIVL Radio applied for funding through the Community Radio Fund of Canada. They made a proposal saying what they would do with the grant, and they got it. A big chunk of that was a one-year contract for an employee to actually coordinate it, and specifically someone who had experience doing that. When I saw the ad, I thought, that’s just a perfect fit. So I got here, and we put the wheels in motion, and now it’s 10 months later and we’re almost there.

Have there been any major challenges in starting this event from scratch? The main positive thing is that all the musicians want to be involved, and the media has been supportive. But the main challenge is getting the word out to the general public. Obviously the media’s a big part of that, but also getting people to care about their local arts and culture, and to understand that it’s not only important, it’s absolutely crucial that they support their local artists. It’s really not a question of, “Ehn, I can take it or leave it, and maybe I’ll just listen to Top-40 or whatever.” If you’re in a community with local arts and culture, you should really be doing something, even if it’s a minimal amount, to support it, and most people don’t. That’s the unfortunate reality. Not to be a Debbie Downer—there’s a lot of people who do, and those people are loyal and dedicated and passionate. Those are the people we need to make sure know what’s going on because they’re going to want to support it, help get the word out, and attend the events, and by next year it will have a much higher profile.

Right. And that’s a real problem, is getting people to engage with local arts and culture, especially when there’s a lot available out there that you don’t have to put extra effort into finding. Yeah, it really is a matter of actually seeking it out in a lot of cases, especially when it’s not coming from Top-40 or high distribution print. You have to seek it out a bit more because it’s maybe not at every magazine shop or it’s not the strongest signal on the dial. But it’s important to go looking for this stuff and know what’s

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going on in your own backyard.

To navigate that challenge, how have you been trying to amp up community circulation for the FVMAs? The main way is getting as many people and as many facets of the community involved as possible. So we bring on community partners who have their own audience, and we get all of them talking about it. The most effective advertising, as you know, is word of mouth. You can pay $1,000 or $10,000 for an ad; it’s still not as effective as an event that people are talking about. So what we’re trying to do is get as many local businesses and different media as possible talking about it, and eventually that network builds to the point where there’s a buzz.

You mention local businesses and media. Have you also partnered with any local arts organizations? There’s Moda Events, Art Battle, and The Reach, specifically Emerge at the Reach. Those are all kind of connected and definitely have their finger on the pulse of the arts community. We’re also doing a call for an artist to design the awards, so we’re connecting with arts organizations to make that happen. [Editor’s Note: The call is now over.] We’ve tried to reach out to as many arts organizations as possible, but at the same time, you can’t twist people’s arms if they don’t respond, or it’s not a priority for them. Luckily, we’ve had a lot of great businesses that have gotten on board.

The reason I ask is because the emerging music community seems to be distinct from estab55

lished arts organizations and, for instance, having concerts in places that aren’t the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium or some of those bigger city venues. You can’t fill a venue like that if you’re on your way up. And that’s what we’re kind of trying to do with this bigger venue and bigger event, is bring those facets together to celebrate the scene, because you need that just to fill the room and get everybody excited about it. The more people are involved, the more exciting it’s going to be.

I know you’re contracted for just the one year, but where do you see the FVMAs going in the future? I think the plan, and I can only sort of partly speak for CIVL, is to raise the profile of it every year and encompass more of the valley. I think it’s going to start out a little Abbotsford-centric, even though we are doing outreach to the rest of the valley and certainly the nominees are from all over the valley. First year, it’s probably going to be mostly Abbotsford ticket-buyers that come out to the show, but by the second or third year you would hope that people would be coming from as far away as Surrey and the outskirts of the Fraser Valley.

What can people expect when they attend this year’s FVMAs? I like to call it the regional Junos or regional Grammys for the Fraser Valley; it’s a variety show, certainly musically focused, and alternates between live performances by 10 nominees and 12 award presentations, all glued together by our

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hosts. Maybe some surprises here and there, and some stuff we are actually advertising. The youth nominees are doing a Prince medley, so that’ll be a kind of departure from the show — certainly still musically themed, but in memoriam of somebody that a lot of musicians have looked up to.

How were the 12 categories determined?

You start with looking at the Junos or Grammies, or the Western Canadian Music Awards, then the things that make it specific to this region or to independent artists can steer those categories in different directions. Most of our categories are genre-specific — so hip-hop, blues, folk roots, and so on — until you get to the youth. Then we have a live act category; the finalists of that are coming out of the Battle of the Bands, then three of those perform at the [awards]. And we had a wildcard one which was a matter of trying to incorporate every possible category onstage so everybody could have their moment in the sun within a threehour show. Every scene is a little different. I think there’s a bit more strength in the rock and alternative scene here. So we have a loud category, an experimental category, an alt category, and a rock category — those are all kind of in the same family. So maybe there’s a bit more of a focus on the rock genres and a little less on the roots, at least for now. But we’ve still covered folk roots and jazz as well. Other than that, the categories are pretty standard.

Did you get a lot of submissions? We had 109 different bands submit from across the valley, and we ended up with 57 nominees.

What are some differences you’ve noticed between the Fraser Valley arts scene and the Vancouver Island arts scene, and the differences in navigating an awards show for those regions? It’s surprising how many similarities there are. The independent scene for music is surprisingly similar no matter where you go. Maybe there’s a bit more of a rock scene here; if you look at Nanaimo on the island, there’s more of a blues scene there; in Victoria there’s a lot of indie, pop-rock, maybe less heavy genres. The planning process [for the awards] differs because there I was a one-person production crew, with a bunch of volunteers the week of. Here, we’ve got an entire radio station team built in, which I didn’t have [for the VIMAs]. In that way, it’s better, because I have a paid position where I can spend 10 months building this up and coordinating this and developing this network. It was more challenging doing it myself. But I also built that up [on the island] over a decade; it’s tougher here because it’s the first year, nobody knows about it, and we’re starting from scratch. [Having experience] definitely helps; I know what to expect,

what works and what doesn’t work. That cuts out a lot of trial and error.

How can communities help local arts and local artists, and stimulate that environment? Just get out to local shows, whether that’s as a fan of the music or a volunteer. There are tonnes of opportunities to get involved that people may just not know about. Like I said before, it’s like seeking those opportunities out through campus community radio, through magazines like yours, and those fringe outlets that are so crucial to the scene. That’s what makes the scene cool and hip and modern and on the fringe and challenging the mainstream, and that’s kind of what the independent scene is all about. And what’s more exciting than discovering an artist, who then builds their career into something big? It’s not hard to get on the ground floor. Seek out those ways that you can get involved with local artists, whether that’s supporting them in a sponsorship role or just getting out to their shows. The Fraser Valley Music Awards take place June 16, 2016. Tickets can be purchased at http://fnd.us/CIVLFVMA16.

In review It’s Me, You — Doja Joe Johnson

Doja is a collective consisting of longtime friends, Brad Desjardins on drums and vocals, Ricky Lawrie on guitar and vocals, and Steve Kalkman on bass. They’ve been actively playing music together since they were in their early adolescence and that becomes very clear in how tight they are across their new album’s 10 tracks. In 2012, they released their first EP, Set And Setting. There is obvious progression between that EP and It’s Me, You, recently released on Plastic Magic Records. While their core sound is the same, none of the five EP tracks are carried over. Instead, they have an entirely new track list which, for the most part, is much lighter in tone. On It’s Me, You, Doja are still in search of that one breakthrough radio hit. However, the album itself is a very satisfying listen with a sound that’s heavily influenced by bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers. They have that west coast funk dialled in. Producer Conor Barclay, who’s also relatively new to the scene, has shown his own talent here. The improvement in all aspects with this full length over the EP can likely be attributed to his input. The difference is like going from a demo to

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radio-ready production. Also notable is the clean recording and mixing. It’s a polished album, for sure. However, as a cohesive compilation, there isn’t one motif tying the tracks together. What does make the album as a whole is their sound. It’s particularly infectious as a summer album as it traverses from song to song, with each track seemingly made for sitting around a beach pit fire with your friends as the sun works itself towards dusk. The laid-back melodic sound couldn’t be more apparent from the very start. It’s Me, You opens with “In The Water.” In it Lawrie’s vocals slide along with the slow-flowing melody, then are followed by strong backing vocals. “Way It Goes” is a true gem, and stands above the rest. There’s a progression as the song moves along and by the end their instruments are just flying. In “Mt. Doug,” Lawrie delivers the vocals with a punch, broken in sections by the spectacular high-pitched reverb strummed through by the bass. Then “Tolja” rolls in: an upbeat track with a rushing chorus. This is the song that will make you want to crank the volume and it could easily be the first single. As the track nears its last third,

that chorus comes in hard to power through the remainder of the track. Much of the album is this way, just really good sounding songs. However, the one issue that I have comes in the last three tracks. Through most the album you can hear a lightness but then it transitions to a heavier, darker tone. It’s not that they aren’t good songs, but the album could have been stronger with a different track place-

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ment. It’s Me, You is an enjoyable album, thick with a strong sound. While they may need another album to really make it, It’s Me, You gives Doja some traction and sets the stage to reach the next level of success.

community snapshots

photo by Katie Stobbart

Mission yarn bombing Explosions of colour, pattern, and thread in urban spaces are a sure sign the place has been yarnbombed. Also known as guerrilla knitting, yarn bombing is a type of street art that adds vibrancy and creativity to bland (dare we say ugly?) spots in our communities. The tree and flowers above are part of a 2015 community installation by nirvYARNah, a yarn-bombing collective based in Mission. This yarn tree and its bright flora decorate a stretch of wire fence that separates the train tracks from Missionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s downtown core.

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fresh fiction A selection of 3 poems by Martin Castro

What if What if What if What if What if What if What if What if What if What if What if What if What if What if What if What if What if What if What if What if What if (it rained all summer & the sun stayed up all day so our four blocks plunged into green beneath a canopy of elms) Your lips my lips. wet leaves on the pavement & my tongue

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pushing firepowder clouds into your mouth.

1955 5am Oh!

Cry!

Huey,

My loved ten fingered and toed two eyed and eared seven minutes old, six and a quarter pound boy Cry! The light must be a shock but wrapped in yellow blankets, docile, coated in amniotic fluid as a strangerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s steady hands gently pat your head and body dry baby, let me welcome you and hum your sleep, swaying back and forth in daylight cotton tenuously cradled in my arms; Cry!

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Summer Earthquakes I wish I could still eat fresh fruit Let excess juice run to my chin drip out splatter slow roses on my shirt growing in size with every heave staining my chest, and like a secondary wave under soaked cotton, skin contracts, bumps rise, the aftershock of summer earthquakes left me cold as ever shivering in sunlight. Is it any wonder that years later my cracked lips did not need convincing and I swallowed what you offered, felt it drip from mouth to chest and fell, ribs splayed open in the cold sunlight; heart beating final aftershocks of summer earthquakes.

Interested in having your FRESH art featured in Raspberry magazine? Visit raspberrymag.ca/Fresh-submissions to view our submission guidelines.

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Local harvest Home grown Westcoasters Dessa Bayrock and Jess Wind bringing you some local literary flavour. We review works set in the valley, written by authors from the valley, or that have that British Columbia, Fraser Valley vibe. Come back each month to see what the Fraser Valley has to offer.

The Back of the Turtle by Thomas King Jess Wind

Thomas King returns to writing fiction with The Back of the Turtle after 15 years, earning him a Governor General’s Award. After bringing us gems such as One Good Story, That One, Green Grass, Running Water as well as the non-fiction The Inconvenient Indian, King weaves a tale of tragedy, redemption, and hope and reminds us that “everyone comes home.” Turtle brings us the story of seemingly disconnected individuals, woven together by a man-made disaster that wiped out much of Samaritan Bay and the nearby Smoke River Reserve. As we get to know these individuals in King’s wonderfully crafted fragmented prose, we learn before they do, they’re all broken and seeking to be fixed. At the centre of these characters is Gabriel Quinn, who we first meet naked on the beach looking out over the Pacific as he attempts to commit suicide. The setting is unmistakably BC with the water

crashing up against the rocks and the backdrop of towering mountains, abundant forests, and hidden hot springs. While navigating King’s story, readers are invited to visualize a landscape that is at the same time familiar and distorted, like a memory that you can’t quite bring into focus. Quinn, we learn, returns to his hometown to end his life, because he feels responsible for the disaster that levelled it and killed his family. King targets passionate political issues such as genetically modified products, spilled toxic sludge from tarsands, and the overbearing

threat of capitalism on the Canadian landscape. He delivers a novel that is both hyper-aware of the national implications and ramifications of these issues, as well as one that is intimately focused on individual guilt at the hands of missteps and wrong decisions. And, despite the weighty nature of King’s themes, he keeps it light with sharp dialogue, dry wit, and tongue-in-cheek narration that are so indicative of King’s work. The finer moments of Turtle come when King piles layers on top of historical, mythical, cultural layers. He blends Christian and Aboriginal mythology so seamlessly that if you don’t know to look for it, you might

miss it. If you’re looking for a snappy, quick-paced story that breathes regret, growth, and hope — one you can pick up and read down on the beach in White Rock, or while camping at Cultus then this is a solid summer choice. Likewise, if you’re looking for a smart cultural text that challenges that which we know, and that which we experience — one that asks you to think and question, connect and disconnect, then this one is also for you. Either way, King nails it, again.

fresh picks Music SUP: Loans, Softess, Slate, Aaron Levy July 1 at 7:30 PM

Celebrate Canada Day with the live debut of Abbotsford’s newest punk act, Loans, featuring members of Cheap High, Malk, and Losses. They’ll be playing alongside several great out-oftown acts and CIVL radio’s own Aaron Levy. Phoenix Ballroom 33780 King Road, Abbotsford

Harrison Festival of the Arts July 9 to July 17

There’s something for everyone at this year’s Harrison Hot Springs, from world-class free and ticketed musical performances to a market of artisan vendors, a range of workshops, a literary cafe, a showcase of UFV theatre and more. See p.11 for more. Harrison Hot Springs

Fraser Valley Music Awards July 16 at 6 PM

Don’t miss the inaugural Fraser Valley Music Awards, celebrating all the unheralded heroes of the Fraser Valley music scene. The event features live performances from many of the nominees including a tribute to the late Prince by nominees in the youth category. For more on the FVMAs, see p.54. Abbotsford Arts Centre 2329 Crescent Way, Abbotsford

Parker Millsap live at Tractorgrease July 23 at 7 PM

The young and charismatic Oklahoma troubadour brings his superbly human take on Americana to Tractorgrease Cafe. You won’t want to miss this chance to see the singer Ann Powers calls “a star in the making,” in an intimate venue like this while you still can. Tractorgrease Cafe 48710 Chilliwack Lake Road,Chilliwack

June 2016 Visual Arts Watermedia Show Opening The newest show by the Fraser Valley Watermedia Society, Mixing it Up with Multimedia, will be in Mission from July 12 to 30. On the 16th, there will be an opening reception. Rock Gallery Mission

July 16 at 1 PM to 4PM

Community Chilliwack Rotary Club Garden Tour See the best gardens Chilliwack has to offer with the 13th annual Garden & Lifestyle tour by the Chilliwack Rotary Club. Ticket purchase is required, and details can be found on the Rotary Club of Chilliwack's website.

July 9 at 9AM to 4PM

Chilliwack

Fraser Valley Pride Festival Wear your brightest colours and take in the entertainment, food, market, and more for a celebration of the Fraser Valley’s LGBTQ+ community. The event is aimed at “[e]nvisioning a Fraser Valley that acknowledges and respects diversity in the expression of gender and sexuality.”

July 16 from 11 AM to 4 PM

Jubilee Park 32315 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford

Teen Writers’ Meetup Young writers are encouraged to bring their latest work to be read and discussed with their peers. This is a great opportunity to connect with an emerging group of like-minded creatives. Plus there’s snacks!

July 21 at 2 PM

Chilliwack Library 45860 First Avenue, Chilliwack

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Our contributors Anthony Biondi is an artist and writer living ni Abbotsford. He has been previously published in The Louden Singletree, and served four years on The Cascadeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s editorial board as Art Director and Production and Design Editor. He is a humourless crab, and fundamental contrarian, whose cholesterol may be higher than his IQ. www.anthonybiondi.com Katie Stobbart is a writer and editor from Abbotsford. She has edited The Cascade newspaper, Louden Singletree literary magazine, and the Pacific Rim Review of Books. She is also a member of the PWAC (Professional Writers Association of Canada) Fraser Valley chapter. A selection of her poems will appear in a co-authored chapbook soon to haunt local library shelves, dentistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; offices, and hotel lobbies: It looks like a chicken. Katie is also working hard to improve her patio gardening game. Jess Wind somehow managed to earn two degrees by writing about zombies. She holds a BA in Creative Writing from UFV and an MA in Communication from Carleton University in Ottawa. Jess is an ex-editor of The Cascade, is published in The Louden Singletree and has been known to blog about entertainment media and culture. She likes her coffee black, her video games retro, and her sports local. Joel Smart is a UFV alumnus and former copy editor at The Cascade. He can usually be found perched on an exercise ball in front of his computer, or burning his taste buds off with extra spicy home-made salsa. He cares about human rights, the environment, and snuggling his little baby cat so tightly that she makes a tiny squeak. Joe Johnson is keenly interested in exploring new creative outlets and has always been drawn to photography and the arts. Having been through the rigors of working at a student newspaper, coming to Raspberry magazine is a natural progression for him. Other passions of his are found in writing, running, and the outdoors. He also has his roots in web operations and digital marketing.

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Martin Castro is an emerging poet and proud purveyor of hip-hop, rap, and music generally. He hails from Mission, which, in the glow of sunset, is perhaps perfect fodder for a Bob Ross painting. Martin is the current Arts in Review Editor of The Cascade, the University of the Fraser Valley’s student newspaper, as he completes his Bachelor of Arts degree in English.

Sasha Moedt is a UFV grad and a former arts editor at The Cascade. She currently works as a residential support worker as well as a copywriter. When she’s not working, she’s writing, and when she’s not writing, she’s out enjoying local culture, food, thrift shops, and all the cool things the Fraser Valley has to offer.

Nadine Moedt is a UFV graduate who works at the Abbotsford School District. She loves to travel, but is always happy to return to the Valley, where she spends as much time enjoying local art, food, and nature as possible. She currently lives in Abbotsford with her husband and three cats. Nick Ubels is an editor, musician, and event planner living in Abbotsford with his wife and three cats. He loves black coffee and tennis but is terrible at both. His life story served as inspiration for the events of Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Contribute to magazine To contribute writing, art, or photography to this emerging Fraser Valley publication, contact info@raspberrymag.ca

Raspberry magazine is a monthly Fraser Valley magazine devoted to arts, culture, and community life. Established in June 2016, Raspberry publishes reviews, event coverage, and other arts-friendly content online as we work toward our goal of publishing in print. You can follow us on social media for updates on our progress, information and insights on the Fraser Valley arts and culture scene, and fresh arts coverage.

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