The Cascade Vol.26 Issue 21 by The Cascade

SEPTEMBER 19 TO SEPTEMBER 26, 2018

VOLUME 26 ISSUE 21

Greasing the wheels since 1993

The Gendering of Sexual Assault

pg. 8-9

WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

Production Manager Caleb Campbell caleb@ufvcascade.ca

Jr. News Editor Edina Balint edina@ufvcascade.ca

Production Assistant Renée Campbell renee@ufvcascade.ca

Opinion Editor Jeff Mijo-Burch jeff@ufvcascade.ca

Copy Editor Kat Marusiak kat@ufvcascade.ca

Features Editor Jen Klassen jen@ufvcascade.ca

Social Media Writer Laurel Logan laurel@ufvcascade.ca Multimedia Editor Mikaela Collins mikaela@ufvcascade.ca Illustrator Kayt Hine kayt@ufvcascade.ca Illustrator Simer Haer simer@ufvcascade.ca

Culture & Events Editor Cassie de Jong cassie@ufvcascade.ca Arts in Review Editor Martin Castro martin@ufvcascade.ca

THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTORS Nela Dabare Aleister Gwynne Cover: Kayt Hine Back Cover: Joel Robertson-Taylor

WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA

@UFVCASCADE FACEBOOK.COM/UFVCASCADE INSTAGRAM.COM/UFVCASCADE Volume 26 · Issue 21 Room S2111 33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8 604.854.4529 The Cascade is UFV’s autonomous student newspaper. It originated under its current name in 1993, and achieved autonomy from the university and the Student Union Society in 2002. This means that The Cascade is a forum for UFV students to have their journalism published in an entirely student-run setting. It also acts as an alternative press for the Fraser Valley. The Cascade is funded with UFV student funds, and is overseen by the Cascade Journalism Society Board, a body run by a student majority. The Cascade is published every Wednesday with a print circulation of 1,000 and is distributed at Abbotsford, Chilliwack (CEP), Clearbrook, and Mission UFV campuses and throughout the surrounding communities.

The Gendering of Sexual Assault 8-9 14

12 Snapshots.......6

12.......Study Break

Events Calendar.......10

14.......CIVL Shuffle

NEWS En Route to adventure.......3

4.......UFV hosts a new lit festival

OPINION The (not so) hidden community.......5

5.......All season healthy body

If you bill it, they will come.......7

7.......UFV to combat parking woes

CULTURE

The Cascade is open to written, photo, and design work from all students; these can come in the form of a pitch to an editor, or an assignment from an editor. Writers meetings are held every Monday at 2:00 p.m. in The Cascade’s office on the Abbotsford campus.

Casinos release debut album.......11

In order to be published in the newspaper, all work must first be approved by The Cascade’s editor-in-chief, copy editor, and corresponding section editor. The Cascade reserves the right to edit submissions for clarity and length. The Cascade will not print any articles that contain racist, sexist, homophobic or libellous content. Letters to the editor, while held to the same standard, are unedited, and should be under 200 words. As The Cascade is an autonomous student publication, opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of UFV, The Cascade’s staff and collective, or associated members.

Paul Simon revisits his work.......13

Online Editor Jeff Mijo-Burch jeff@ufvcascade.ca Social Media Coordinator Anjuman Grewal anjuman@ufvcascade.ca

OPINION

News Editor Jessica Barclay jessica@ufvcascade.ca

ARTS

Business Manager Quintin Stamler quintin@ufvcascade.ca

Managing Editor Cat Friesen cat@ufvcascade.ca

CULTURE

Editor-in-Chief Joel Robertson-Taylor joel@ufvcascade.ca

FEATURE

STAFF

NEWS

CONTENTS

11.......Preview: Abby Theatre Fest

ARTS

Soundbite: Mitsky.......15 A space odessey for the ages.......16

15.......McCartney's still got it 15.......Soundbite: The Wombats

NEWS

Jessica Barclay — News Editor news@ufvcascade.ca

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

UFV International //

NEWS BRIEFS

En Route to adventure En Route Travel Club revitalized by UFV international

One pot store for B.C. residents Only one B.C. Cannabis Store will be open for sales when pot becomes legalized: a single store in Kamloops’ Columbia Place shopping centre, staffed by 20 employees. According to the province’s minister of public safety and solicitor general, Mike Farnworth, more stores are “anticipated” in the coming months, with over 100 paid applicants waiting for approval. Businesses selling products illegally, or to minors or children, will be targeted by B.C.’s new enforcement branch, the Community Safety Unit, and police have received special training to deal with marijuana-impaired drivers. “It’s a considerable learning curve and, without a doubt, all levels of government will need to refine their policies and regulations in the years ahead,” said Farnworth. -The Abbotsford News

UFV looks for students’ opinions on campus housing UFV will be looking to develop a housing strategy following the announcement earlier this year that B.C post-secondary institutions would be able to borrow $450 million for finance student housing projects. A series of “oncampus data gathering activities” will be conducted to engage UFV community members on the topic of student housing and student housing needs from September 25 to the 27, to help UFV develop a housing strategy for submission. Currently, UFVs Baker House in Abbotsford has a capacity of 204 beds, and opened in 2007. -UFV Today

Alouette Lake, Maple Ridge. (Sahil Bali/Contributor)

JESSICA BARCLAY NEWS EDITOR

The UFV international department is funding a new program to get students away from the classroom and into the community. En Route will bring students on three excursions throughout the semester: a corn maze in Chilliwack, a “Winter Wander” in Vancouver, and laser tag in Langley. The program is being funded through the international department and through ticket sales. Students can purchase a party pack that includes all three trips for $35, or single trips for $15. “We try to keep the costs as low as possible for students so it's easier for them to join and for us to do different fun things,” Savannah Waite, senior global student associate at UFV international and organizer of the En Route program, said. “That's the whole idea, just to have fun.” Although the program is run out of the international department, Waite said that both international and domestic students are welcome and encouraged to participate in the events, with the goal of the program to not only allow international students to experience Canadian culture and cities, but also to remind domestic students of what is in their own backyard.

“Our vision here is to bring domestic and international students together to build intercultural relationships through off-campus activities,” Waite said. “We want to facilitate these activities, to help [students] connect better, to give them this mental break from being on campus and from classes, and to explore the Lower Mainland,” Waite said. The first event that was run by En Route this August saw an attendance of over 130 students, primarily new international students. Students were bussed to Alouette Lake, where they participated in a day of kayaking, canoeing, swimming, relay races, and a barbecue. “It was just a hangout at the lake, kind of like an old family barbecue type of thing with students,” Waite said. The next event will take place on the last Friday of September, where students will be brought into Langley for laser tag and dinner. For this event, laser tag and transportation are included in ticket price but the dinner is not. In October, En Route will be hosting a fruit carving event, followed by an evening corn maze using flashlights and ghost stories around the campfire. “We're literally grabbing various fruits and we're going to carve them so it's not just pumpkins,” Waite said. “It gives something a little bit different for the domestic students because pumpkin carv-

ing is common [here], but again, for international students, they may have never heard of pumpkin carving.” The final event in December will bring students into Vancouver after exams are over to ice skate in Robson Square and then admire the Christmas lights at Bright Nights in Stanley Park. The program was inspired by a club started by Waite and friends in 2016 with the Student Union Society (SUS). Though the idea was to facilitate activities and travel around the Fraser Valley for students, the club ran into problems with the SUS’s old turnover times for club funding. A total of two events were run during their time as a club, with event one being paid for out of pocket by club executives when funding was not approved. Students wishing to participate in En Route can sign up on myCampusLife and pay for the excursions with their campus cards at the international office in B223. Space may be limited, and tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Students are also invited to learn about the event at a free karaoke and pizza evening on Sept. 28 at international.

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

UFV English //

UFV hosts a new literary festival Featuring keynote speakers Carleigh Baker, Billeh Nickerson, and Renée Sarojini Saklikar EDINA BALINT JR. NEWS EDITOR

The UFV English department will host a first-time event, the Fraser Valley Literary Festival, on Sept. 21 and 22 in the Student Union Building. The festival will be a revamp of the Mission Writers and Readers Festival, which was taken over by UFV two years ago. The new event will include a diverse group of writers from different genres encompassing poetry, children’s literature, non-fiction essays, and fictitious prose narratives. The function will also

have a revitalized arrangement of the Mission event to include keynote speakers and panelists. Andrea Macpherson, associate English professor at UFV is the primary organizer for the event. “Our creative writing committee took on the project and saw it as a perfect opportunity to reimagine and rebrand the festival,” Macpherson said in a promotional email. “We wanted to provide a bigger festival for UFV students and community, one that involved panels and readings rather than the previous workshop-based format.” The first day of the literary fes-

tival, which takes place Friday night from 6 - 8 p.m., will have a wine and cheese social and three keynote speakers: Carleigh Baker, Billeh Nickerson, and Renée Sarojini Saklikar. The following day, on Saturday from 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., 15 authors and writers will be presenting on three different panels where there will be a mix of readings and discussions with the audience. Each writer will be presenting an original piece that they wrote for the festival, which will be connected to their panel topics. "There will also be the oppor-

tunity for a Q&A from the audience, and socializing with the authors,” Macpherson said over email. Most of the invited speakers and panelists are published authors from the Lower Mainland, or former UFV writers-in-residence, including Jen Sookfong Lee and Anosh Irani. “These pieces will be made available after the festival as supplementary material for classes/teaching,” Macpherson said in the promotional email. According to Macpherson, the Fraser Valley Literary Festival is being funded by the UFV Col-

lege of Arts and received sponsorship from Savittar Productions. All UFV students will receive free admission to the event with valid student ID. Tickets will be $10 for the general public. “Ticket sales will be used to offset the costs of honorariums for the authors and other budgetary items associated with the festival such as the wine and cheese social, lunch on the Saturday, and the event rental,” Macpherson said over email. The English department is planning to continue with the literary festival in the future.

OPINION

Jeff Mijo-Burch — Opinion Editor opinion@ufvcascade.ca

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

Editorial //

The (not so) hidden community at UFV You’re already here; why not stay a little longer?

CAT FRIESEN MANAGING EDITOR

This weekend, the first-ever Fraser Valley Literature Festival (FVLF) will be held in the Abbotsford campus Student Union Building (SUB). Several authors of note, including Billeh Nickerson, Renée Saklikar, Jen Sookfong Lee, and Carleigh Baker will gather both Friday evening and the majority of Saturday to talk on all things literature: character, time and place, form. Professors and students alike have put in countless hours to make this event happen, and best of all, it’s free for UFV students. So, why aren’t more students attending events like this? Every event I’ve been to in the last few years, be it for the English students association or UFV

yoga has scant participation — a group of 20 people in one room (when there are typically 15,000 students attending UFV per semester) is not only common, it’s considered high attendance. I feel that, more often than not, I hear people saying UFV has no community. We may not have a pub at the moment (rest in peace, Finnegan’s and Phoenix), but have you ever taken a few minutes to look over UFV’s online events calendar, or perused The Cascade’s weekly events calendar? If you did, you’d see that there are numerous events — the opening for Art of the Book in the Abbotsford campus library, Abbotsford and Chilliwack U-Join, two separate welcome back BBQs hosted by The Cascade and the School of Business, respectively, and a panel discussion titled Cities for

Children — and that was just last week. Not only that, but UFV has clubs for everything under the sun — people who like literature, creative writing, ping pong, accounting, mental health awareness, badminton, pen and paper tabletop games, and yoga. And, if you don’t find a club for your very niche interest, you can always create one yourself. You can also contribute to The Cascade or CIVL Radio, or apply to work at the Fair Grounds café, UFV Bookstore, or as a peer tutor or Supported Learning Groups leader. Clearly, UFV is overflowing with opportunities for student engagement. Now, I get it, UFV is a “commuter campus.” But let’s be realistic. If you’re a full-time student, you’re likely already on campus

three to five days of the week for class. And how far do you really live from UFV? Five minutes, 15? Most events at UFV are only an hour or two in length. You learn new things, meet new people, and get a break from the mountain of reading you have to do. Don’t tell me you’re never around when events are happening. The overflowing parking lots and the fact that I have to drive all the way down parking lot row to find a spot tell me otherwise. As with everything — relationships, classes, work — there has to be effort. Without effort, we stagnate. We don’t grow or change or learn things about the world or ourselves. If you really want to do something, whether that be learning to play guitar, writing a book, or attending an hour-long event at UFV, you’ll

make time for it. I understand that, sometimes, things just don’t work out. The event wasn’t promoted well or enough, you’re shy and are nervous about meeting new people outside of class (where you might actually have to talk to someone about yourself), or you just sat through a four-hour lecture on residential schools and you’d rather curl up in bed than go to an event where you know no one. But before you say UFV has no community, maybe you should take a look at what’s being offered and make an effort to participate. Though your time at university is short, it’s up to you to make the effort to connect. The community is already here; you just have to make the effort to make yourself a part of it.

Fitness //

The formula for an all season healthy body NELA DABARE CONTRIBUTOR

Summer is almost over. Practically all of us hoped to work out and maintain a so-called perfect summer physique, a “toned, strong, sexy bikini body.” Perhaps this summer wasn’t the perfect time to accomplish the dream hot body. But instead of waiting and regretting that, why not start a year-round health and workout plan to obtain a healthy all-season body? Rather than counting calories and cutting down food, which takes the joy out of eating, it would be a good habit to eat healthy and mindfully by focusing on what you eat. In other words, it gives an opportunity to enjoy each bite of the food. I know student life sucks and enjoying each bite of the food is impossible when our lives are very hecticly scheduled — like oceans which are never still — but we can try. We can use simple mathematics and accounting to manage our calorie intakes. Instead of just counting calories for each day, banking calories on a weekly basis will lead us to have a healthy all-season body. To start with banking calories, one should know their daily calorie goal intake to reach their final result. Due to several factors such as general health, physical activeness, gender, body structure, height, age, and weight, the number of calories per day varies from person to person. And of course, just slimming down isn’t always a healthy end goal — healthy bodies can exist at any weight. But if that is your goal, keep in mind that people have different metabolisms which burn energy at different rates. This is how banking calories works: Daily calorie goals x 7 = maximum weekly calorie intake Throughout the week, play with your daily calorie intake. Don’t forget to track your calorie statement like your bank statement.

To create a calorie statement, you could use the old school method by writing a food diary, or use handy technology by installing an app on your mobile phone. Save up all the unused calories for a cheat day to treat your moody, irritable, and fatigued self. In reality, we have a bank account to save our money, but here our main purpose is not to save up any extra energy (a.k.a. fat). Therefore, figure out how to stay active and try new methods to find what works best with your lifestyle. Remember that our body needs energy to operate. Without energy, which is absorbed from whatever we eat and drink, there will be a hindrance to our everyday activities. In other words, calories and the substances from which calories are taken have a great impact on our health. Don’t forget to consume only the required number of calories per day, which, along with healthy food choices, will likely lead to a healthy all-season body. Stick to a plan to eat well by stocking your pantry with healthy snacks like fruits, vegetables, and nuts. By doing this, you’re saying “I choose to eat more fruits and vegetables,” which implies that you’re in control of your own diet and health. Make sure to have rainbow meals that include a variety of food groups, rather than just a lot of one thing. Stress has become our life companion. Engage in relaxing activities like listening to music, meditating, and reading. Stress complicates our everyday activities. Have a good seven to nine hours of sleep. We ain’t machines! We are humans! Sleep is as important for us as diet and exercise are. By all means, bodies come in all shapes and sizes, and our bodies are genetically programmed in a particular format. It’s important to realize that focusing more on health and less on looks will make you love your body, whether you should lose a few pounds or not.

OPINION

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

S S S N S N N S A h A A h P o P P o t t s s Pumpkin spice gripes

The unspoken rules of politeness You know what I find fascinating? Unspoken social expectations. Like waving someone through a stop sign when you arrived at the same time or leaving the last piece of food on a plate, and when someone offers it to you, there’s this cumbersome back and forth of “No, I couldn’t possibly, you take it,” which goes on far longer than it should. Another one — and this is a big one — is holding doors open for others. What’s the etiquette for this? How far away is too far? And what about that awkward

shuffle when one person is holding the door, another is trying to exit, and another is trying to enter. (This happened recently to a friend and I, and let me say, awkward is a more than apt description.) It’s not that I’m against these acts — I understand they come from kindness — but where did they originate from? Why do we do them? What if we just didn’t do them. Think about that for a while.

I know what you’re thinking, “Oh no! Another simpleton needlessly complaining about the dreaded resurgence of pumpkin spice lattes!” But before you get your Starbucks gold cards in a twist, I mean to discuss the contrary dilemma. While mobs of tumblr trolls tend to take to social media the minute Sept. 1 rolls around to pour out their resentment for pumpkin spice, I can’t help but wonder, “Why isn’t pumpkin spice a thing all year round?’ Items such as apple pie or hot chocolate are also considered fall

treats, yet we still enjoy them during other seasons. So why so much animosity towards pumpkin spice? I still see pumpkin pies and other pumpkin-flavoured items in the bakery section of the grocery store during other times of year. Store employees clearly lay these items out with the intention to sell them, so what’s with all the disapproving stares I receive from passersby when I slide the forbidden delicacy into my bin?

Cassie De Jong

Cat Friesen

“What do we do?”

Shorting out I wore a t-shirt and shorts on my first day of classes. It was my feeble, doomed effort to hold on to summer for a little bit longer. Maybe it’s just me, but we don’t seem to mourn the passing of any other season like we do summer. When the leaves turn colours, we start to feel we are losing something. Perhaps summer reminds us of fond childhood memories: of simpler and easier times that

we can never have back. And so I cling to the trappings of summer, and of youth, for a little while longer, reluctant to surrender to the realities and responsibilities of age. Now the winds are turning cold, and I can no longer continue the charade. I must now shoulder my jacket and my responsibilities both.

Aleister Gwynne

So, all of us get together. We get together; we’re human. There are others, of course, but we don’t know this. We don’t know about them yet. We know about us. We know about water. We know about trees. We stand in a circle and look at each other. We go around shaking hands. Yes, hello, hello, enchanted, I’m from over there, that part of the circle, by the rocks. Okay what are we going to do. We take a poll. We get dressed. We build houses. We notice the stars.

Time passes, and we smoke cigarettes talking about how time passes, and now there are more of us. Some joker walks into one of our houses, or we into his. He walks funny and talks like a fish. We think he wants to raid our pantry, or we want to raid his. We draw our guns. We all scream at no one in particular. In the mix-up we murder four-and-ahalf billion people. Whoops. So, we get together, all of us. What do we do?

Martin Castro Illustrations: Simer Haer

OPINION

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

Campus Khan-cert //

If you bill it, they won’t come Should campus events run at a loss? ALEISTER GWYNNE CONTRIBUTOR

The Student Union Society (SUS) had high hopes for the start-ofthe-year concert they were to host in Evered Hall last week, but a mere 24 hours before the event was to take place, it was called off. According to the SUS, the concert was cancelled due to lack of interest. At the time of the cancellation, they’d sold only around 50 tickets. The SUS spent $20,000 on the event. At $15 per ticket, they would have needed to sell at least 1,334 tickets merely to break even — and according to the SUS’s website, Evered Hall only holds 500 people. The planners obvi-

ously thought this would be a very popular and well-attended event, and so they went all in. The SUS gambled on what they thought would be a sure thing, and were left in an awkward position when it turned out to be anything but. The biggest problem here is that the stakes were far too high. Even in a best-case scenario, $20,000 is a lot of expense to make up for. The profit margins were never going to be big, if they existed at all. With interest so low, cancelling the concert was the right call, and so at least some of that money will be saved. However, in future, the SUS should be more cautious about spending so much money at once, even if returns are

fairly certain. Only looking at the issue in terms of dollars and cents is to miss the main point. The concert, and other school events, are never about making money; they are about giving something rewarding to the student community, something they will enjoy and find rewarding. For whatever reason, a concert (or at least this one in particular) did not capture the imagination (or the wallets) of enough students to make it worthwhile by any measure. There are variety of factors that may have pushed students to not buy a ticket for the concert. Perhaps the $15 asking price was a bit too steep. Perhaps students were unwilling or unable

to make the long journey to and from campus. Perhaps marketing didn’t reach enough people, or failed to drum up enough hype for the event. The intention was to give the student body something they would enjoy, but the collective response was “I’d rather not.” By no means should the school stop funding and organizing events, but in future it would be safer to put money and effort into multiple low-key events. We all have varying tastes and resources. For some, a concert is not as much of a draw as other types of event, and even if it is, not all of us have enough time, money, and energy to spare. To use a wellknown metaphor, it is best not to put all of your eggs in one basket.

It also bears mentioning that we are still paying for the SUS’s projects through our student fees, ticket or no ticket. If the SUS is going to spend that money (and they will, and they should), then we would like it to be well spent. A concert can be good. So can a celebrity lecture, or a career fair, or an art exhibition, or a visiting theatre performance, or any number of things. Several less ambitious projects will better serve the UFV community than one big-ticket extravaganza. If you lose that first hand, you not only lose fewer chips, you get to stay in game and have fun longer, which is what it’s really all about.

Humour //

How about you be an

Opinion Editor?

A radical new plan aims to alleviate start-of-semester congestion JEFF MIJO-BURCH

for the Cascade...

Email cat@ufvcascade.ca For info.

UFV to combat parking woes

JOIN THE REVOLUTION.

OPINION EDITOR

It’s an annual phenomenon that not even the brightest minds at UFV can explain: for the first few weeks of September, every year, the Abbotsford campus’ parking lots become a nightmarish hellscape of inexperienced drivers trying to find somewhere to park in time for classes they’re already running late to, only to find every spot already filled. But without fail, right around the autumn equinox, the crowds thin, spaces open up, and stress levels are elevated due to overloaded schedules rather than road rage. In an effort to combat this annual aggravation, UFV has announced a radical shift that will save students the headaches and fender benders. “Beginning in 2019, classes will begin in the last week of September, rather than the first,” wrote UFV spokesperson Clancy Limpton in a press release. “This will allow our students to avoid parking at UFV during the lots’ busy season.” While the move is being praised by students who pay attention to UFV press releases, some have expressed concerns about what this will mean for their holiday plans. “It’s true, delaying the start of the semester does mean that classes will run through December, with exams taking place in early January just as winter classes are beginning,” admitted Limpton, “But we knew that it was a sacrifice worth making since literally all anybody talks about during the first weeks of September is parking.” Not every student drives, however. We caught up with economics major Florence Cole — which wasn’t easy as she sprinted all

the way from the city’s bus stop to the shuttle’s — who suggested that UFV should run seperate classes on the preexisting schedule for transit-users. “We shouldn’t have to rearrange our lives around people in cars,” she said, gasping for breath as she waited for a late shuttle. The change has been received well by the Student Union Society (SUS), who said they relished the chance to fill those extra weeks with programming of their own. In a poster released to Facebook (which also debuted their new “Everything SUS” logo directly copied from ‘90s ska band Reel Big Fish) they announced activities, workshops, and concerts for every weekday between Labour Day and the start of classes. UFV has commented that they are not worried about SUS events creating additional demand for parking. Biology professor Dr. Alyssa Doble said that UFV is just postponing making the real changes needed to solve the problem. “Like any other organism, this annual migration of cars is attracted by the need for sustenance,” she explained, indicating to diagrams that probably made sense to her. “And what do cars fill their bellies with? That’s right: people.” Dr. Doble suggests that delaying the start of classes will help in the short term, but as the invasive pests realize we have shifted our schedule, so too will they. “We need to starve them, so the equation is simple. The cars won’t be filled with people if the people can’t drive the cars, and people can’t drive cars that they don’t own, so we just need to reduce car ownership. Ergo, an increase in tuition fees is required, to ensure that students face more wholly-crippling debt, and fewer can afford to drive.” She gave a slight shrug before concluding “I’m sorry if it sounds harsh. But can you think of any other way UFV could create more parking spaces?”

The Gendering of Sexual Assault By: Jen Klassen Recently there has been an upswing in attention paid to sexual assault crimes, and awareness about the nuances of consent. With much attention focused on the issue, it is time to investigate not only the effect on women, who seem to have the bulk of resources given to them, but also how this type of attack affects men. With the statistic for women being one in four, the numbers for men are close to equal. Men have been perceived solely as perpetrators when discussed in association with sexual assault, but rarely are accepted as victims. One in six males have experienced sexual assault in their lifetimes. Many sexual assaults go unreported where either gender is the victim, and finding adequate statistics on male sexual assault is difficult due to the stigma that remains around men being victims of this type of crime. The belief that male victims are always going to end up as a perpetrator, or that this type of attack doesn’t happen to males, is false. A study conducted in 2013 by Susan McDonald and Adamira Tijerino from the Department of Justice in Canada, entitled “Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse and Assault: Their Experiences,” wrote that “the self-reported sexual assault victimization rate for males was half the rate for females (15 vs. 34 per 1,000) and it is estimated that the majority of sexual assaults against males and females (88 per cent) are not reported to police.” These stats were from 2009 findings, but tend to be the norm. Most men struggle to go to the police because of the shame. Men are told to “man up,” and it’s a common belief that they are always ready for sex, causing male victimization to be minimized because of these preconceived notions. The fear and stigma is often compounded depending on the type of assault. In addition, the identity of the perpetrator instigating the attack adds to the potential stigma. For many men, the assault occurred when they were children. No amount of being told to “man up” prepared them for what they will face. McDonald and Tijerino also found in their study that “almost all of the participants (57 participants) reported having been sexually abused as a child and almost all of those (53 participants of the 57) that the perpetrator had been someone they trusted, including family members. A smaller proportion, 10 of the 57, reported having been sexually assaulted as an adult with the majority having been victimized multiple times and the majority (8 participants) having also been sexually abused as a child,” they write in their report. Dr. Jim Hopper has studied male sexual assault for 25 years, and is a founding board member for 1in6, a nonprofit that helps men who have experienced sexual trauma in their lifetime. He teaches at Harvard in the psychiatry department, and has published many peer-reviewed papers on the topic. On his website he discusses some of

the the myths surrounding male sexual abuse. “If a boy liked the attention he was getting, or got sexually aroused during abuse, or even sometimes wanted the attention or sexual contact, this does not mean he wanted or liked being manipulated or abused, or that any part of what happened, in any way, was his responsibility or fault,” writes Hopper. These lies — that it was wanted or liked because of a bodily response — are used to keep victims silent and manipulated by their abusers, compounding the shame even further. “But that doesn’t make it true. Boys don’t seek sexual abuse or exploitation. They can, however, be manipulated into experiences they do not like, or even understand, at the time. And when men do go to seek services, they find very few facilities that are capable and ready to help.” Very few resources specifically dedicated to helping men who have experienced sexual assault come up. Even fewer located in B.C. With resources being so scarce, it is an added hurdle to jump for any man desiring to deal with past trauma; another incentive to stay stuck. Don Wright, founder of the B.C. Society for Male Survivors of Sexaul Assault comments on the phenomenon: “One of my clients years ago called a woman’s sexual assault centre, and said, ‘Do you work with men?’ and the response was, ‘We don’t work with offenders.’ ... It was probably not the agency, but that particular person’s

“If a boy liked the attention he was getting, or got sexually aroused during abuse, or even sometimes wanted the attention or sexual contact, this does not mean he wanted or liked being manipulated or abused, or that any part of what happened, in any way, was his responsibility or fault.” bias,” said Don Wright in a phone interview. Don Wright formed the first help centre of its kind in Canada for male victims of sexual abuse in 1989. He realized the importance of a place that was specific to male victims. “It’s something that really needs to be attended to. Obviously there is a reality out there, since there was nothing for men. We reached the conclusion that men needed a program of their own. It really validates the fact that there are enough men out there that are victims of childhood sexual abuse that it warrants having an actual agency set up for them.” Based out of Victoria, his practice was served by himself and a telephone for the first few years. As the need for the centre became apparent, it grew both in staff and in locations.

“These experiences have a real impact on our world paradigm, and that world view as a result of being so traumatized so early in life does not shift without some real concerted effort.”

“I ran it out of my home for almost a year. It was just me and an answering machine, and then we got enough money … that we could justify renting a small office and it’s grown from that. In 1990 I started the Vancouver Society of Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse. It began a 13-year commute between the two cities,” said Wright. “We closed the Victoria agency, but we’ve continue to grow. We’ve got a therapist working for us in Courtenay on Vancouver Island. We’ve had another former staff member contact me recently to work in Duncan. We have a facility in Surrey, and our head office on West Broadway. We have 17 therapists working for us.” Therapy is an integral part of healing for victims of sexual assault. In the ***Journal of Trauma and Treatment, Allison N. Sinanan, a PhD candidate out of Stockton University in New Jersey details the importance of psychotherapy in her article on child sexual abuse. “Psychotherapy aids as the first model of a healthy relationship for many victims of sexual abuse. This treatment can offer a model of a healing, nurturing relationship, where the client can discover how to experience trust. Psychotherapy provides the client with an opportunity to rework the trauma into a healthier sense of self.” Some of the devastating psychological and emotional effects of male sexual assault are depression, feelings of shame and unworthiness, alcoholism, drug abuse, and suicide attempts, among other detrimental lifestyle habits. PTSD is a common ailment for those exposed to sexual abuse. In a study comparing adult victims of childhood sexual abuse with Vietnam War veterans, it was found that their levels of PTSD were comparable. The coping mechanisms utilized are often insufficient for long-term stability and overall health. “These experiences have a real impact on our world paradigm, and that world view as a result of being so traumatized so early in life does not shift without some real concerted effort. The client is like someone with their nose pressed up against the painting. All they can see is the brushstrokes; a therapist is across the room and can see the whole picture,” said Wright. “The external input of a skilled therapist can make a profound change in someone’s life. We’ve had high success rate working with over 12,000 clients, we’ve had less than five or six suicides.” Wright shared a story of one such victim whose story he found encouraging. “I was working with one client, he was a smart guy and engaged in the process. But he was feeling really suicidal and he had missed a couple of sessions and I was concerned, so I went by his place and left a message on his door that said ‘please call me.’ He did and he said, ‘It’s my life, don’t I have a right to end it if I want to?’ “I had to be honest and say, ‘Yes it is

your right, and it is your life, but I don’t think you really want to end it, I think you want an end to the pain. I think what you want is an end to the pain, if you could have a life free of that pain, wouldn’t you want to go on living?’ There was a long silence, and then he said, ‘I guess I just don’t think that is possible.’ I said to him that ‘If you stick with this, if you stay with it long enough, you will emerge from this and you will discover that life is worth living and the pain will be gone.’ ... I ran into him a year or so later and he said to me ‘You were right, I’m glad I stuck with it. I have a new partner, my health is turned around, life is so much better.’” Until the early 1980s, a man could not be convicted of rape on a woman’s statement alone. It was the same for children. Women and children’s testimony of rape was considered so unreliable that another independent and supportive statement had to be made to back their testimony. In 1982, Bill C-127 was introduced which revised the previous law regarding rape. Prior to the amendment, rape was defined as a man having “carnal knowledge” of a woman forcefully and against her will. The woman could not be his wife, and had to be over the age of 14. This definition of the crime originated in 1628, labeling rape as a very gendered crime due to the wording of the law that only men could be perpetrators and only women could be victims. In the eyes of the law, no other gender variation could be convicted of rape. The amendment created three different categories of sexual assault: basic sexual assault, sexual assault with a weapon or threat of violence, and aggravated sexual assault. It obliterated the offence of “rape” and broadened the essence of the attack to unwanted sexual contact by an individual with another. With this amendment, it was no longer designated that men were the only sexual predators, since sexual assault can be committed by any gender, and any gender can be a victim. This fact has yet to reach popular public opinion. This amendment creates the opportunity for men to seek justice for the assaults they face. It allows for men to pursue reconciliation for the trauma they experience, and justifies that their experience is indeed a violation that deserves legal ramifications. Dr. Karen Weiss, a sociology professor out of West Virginia University, has published much of her research on violence, crime, and gender. In her article, “Male Sexual Victimization Examining: Men’s Experiences of Rape and Sexual Assault,” published in the journal ***Men and Masculinities, she discusses the effects of sexual assault on the idea of commonly understood masculinity. “By ascribing sexual violence to men’s

nature, men’s dominant position in society, or the ways in which men are socialized, theoretical linkages between sexual aggression and masculinity, or hypermasculinity, are so well established in the ways in which rape and sexual assault have been conceptualized over the years that to envision men as victims (or women as aggressors) requires a conscious bracketing of preconceived notions about both sexual violence and gender,” writes Weiss. Society has constructed gender norms that make it easier to imagine women as the victim and men as the aggressor. It’s seen in the slang terms hurled at men who don’t fit the stereotype — pussy, sissy, pansy — terms that have more effeminate underpinnings. It’s also seen in coping mechanisms, such as excessive promiscuity. “Other demonstrations of masculinity (physical toughness, risk-taking, ability to take care of matters themselves) may also be enacted as part of men’s self-presentations and can be particularly useful for male victims of rape and sexual assault, seeking to repair or reestablish masculinity after being victimized by incidents that typically happen to women,” she writes. “Their pain is denied … Times have changed, but our mindset hasn’t caught up,” says Wright. “As men, we’re socialized to bury our pain, that’s why you see men exhibiting anger, because that’s the only emotion we are allowed.” It’s seen in any movie viewed by children — fairy tales, comic books — men are the hero; they must transform into the hero in order to be seen as worthy. To admit victimization doesn’t fit the hero figure, the masculine figure, that has been ingrained into the male brain. To undo these stereotypical images, it takes concerted effort and brave souls stepping forward in vulnerability to tell their stories. It takes men who are ready to admit that being a hero doesn’t look like the image we have been fed all our lives. One in six is a reality. It means that there are people in this school, in our families, in our circle of friends or coworkers who have encountered some form of sexual assault. This is a reality many men live with, and it’s about time we realized that sexual violence doesn’t care what’s between your legs.

“Society has constructed gender norms that make it easier to imagine women as the victim and men as the aggressor.”

Resources: BC Society for Male Survivors of Sexual Assault bc-malesurvivors.com/ Men’s Trauma Centre - Based in Victoria menstrauma.com/ VictimLink Bc www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/ justice/criminal-justice/ victims-of-crime/victimlinkbc

The Cascade Community

UFV Events

Sept 19 Recycling Workshop @ Fraser Valley Regional Library (Mission) 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. Abby Theatre Fest @ Yale Secondary School (Abbotsford), 5:00 - 9:30 p.m. Jada Klein @ S+L Kitchen & Bar (Abbotsford), 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Sept 20

Culture

Sept 21 Abby Theatre Fest @ Yale Secondary School (Abbotsford), 5:00 - 9:30 p.m.

Abby Theatre Fest @ Yale Secondary School (Abbotsford), 5:00 - 9:30 p.m.

Fraser Valley Literature Festival @ Evered Hall (Abbotsford Campus) 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Old Soul Rebel and Nasti Weather @ Tractorgrease Cafe (Chilliwack) 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. Loans & Soul Mates (Saskatoon) @ Carport Manor (Abbotsford) 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.

Sept 23 Abbotsford Kidney Walk @ Mill Lake Park (Abbotsford) 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Fraser Valley Literature Festival Annual Terry Fox Run @ Evered Hall (Abbotsford Campus) @ Fraser River Heritage Park 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (Mission), 8:00 a.m. Grand Opening Celebration @ Willow View Farms (Abbotsford) 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Fall Festival @ Devan Greenhouses (Abbotsford) 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Lightworks Soul Connection Festival @ Fraser River Heritage Park (Mission) Noon - 8:00 p.m. Staggers and Jaggs @ Tractorgrease Cafe (Chilliwack) 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. Blessed + Harma White, Kristin Witko, and Loans: iLead Abby Fundraiser @ Abbotsford Rugby Football Club 7:00 - 11:00 p.m.

Arts

Indigenous Radio Cafe @ CIVL Radio Noon - 2:00 p.m.

Sept 22 Abby Theatre Fest @ Yale Secondary School (Abbotsford) Noon - 9:30 p.m.

Music

Sept 24 Man Meat (Saskatoon), Hex Beat, Atodaso @ Carport Manor (Abbotsford) 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.

Sept 26 Chilliwack Autumn 2018 Job Fair @ Coast Chilliwack Hotel, 11:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. NWO Roller Derby Recruitment @ Landing Sports Centre (Chilliwack), 6:45 - 8:45 p.m. UFV Alumni Association AGM @ Room B121 (Abbotsford Campus), 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Joe Nolan @ Tractorgrease Cafe (Chilliwack), 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.

CULTURE

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

Local music //

Local band Casinos to release debut album People Watching

CASSIE DE JONG CULTURE & EVENTS EDITOR

Abbotsford’s local music scene has been built on personality and originality. All of that is about to get better thanks to a new announcement from popular Fraser Valley rock-out Casinos. To mark their 10th year as a band, Casinos will release their first debut album online on Sept. 28. The upcoming nine-track album is titled People Watching. The band plans to have CDs and other related merchandise available at a release party in October. The time and

date for the release party has yet to be announced. Casinos consists of Kier Junos (lead vocals, guitar), Zachary Keely (vocals, guitar), Kenneth Kraylie (drums, vocals), and Skylar Townrow (bass). Junos and Keely are the band’s two remaining original members; Kraylie joined shortly thereafter, having went to the same high school as the two of them. Townrow joined the band after having already been involved in the local music scene for quite some time. Together, the group is a very good fit, and continues to impress fans

and newcomers alike. When they first formed, Casinos’ sound was entirely reminiscent of classic Britpop vibes. Now, they are more known for their original sound, which they describe as, “largely inspired by indie-rock sensibilities of guitar-rock bands popular in the early 2000s.” This release follows the band’s two singles “Bad Decisions” and “Sean,” which were released in the summer of 2017, and a fourtrack self-titled EP which was recorded in 2013. The band had the opportunity to share those songs with a larger

audience when they were asked to open for The Struts in 2016 at the Imperial Theatre. The band has even performed at the 2018 Canada Day celebrations at Canada Place. Last June, Casinos held a music video release party for “Bad Decisions” at the Kariton Art Gallery. The event was well attended, and fans had the opportunity to hear the band play a few songs before the unveiling of the video. The hype surrounding this event proved how valued Casinos is in Abbotsford’s local music scene. With such success already, it is

easy to grasp Casinos’ international vision for their career. In a press release for their big announcement, they claim that it is their goal to “become more prolific artists and performers with the release of their new album and music videos.” To get more information about Casinos, follow them on Facebook and Instagram @wearecasinos. To listen to “Bad Decisions” and more rad tracks, visit their Bandcamp, casinos.bandcamp. com

Theatre preview //

Preview: Abby Theatre Fest CASSIE DE JONG CULTURE & EVENTS EDITOR

An edgy and exciting list of plays are lying in wait for Fraser Valley theatre enthusiasts. The locally acclaimed performing arts society Gallery 7 Theatre is set to launch their 28th annual season with Abby Theatre Fest, which has been formally known as their One Act Play Showcase. According to Ken Hildebrandt, Gallery 7 Theatre’s executive artistic director, “This year’s festival will feature an eclectic mix of plays that dive into a myriad of topics and themes, from exploring the experience of the less fortunate to flat out silly comedy, and from romantic relationships to important questions related to our faith expression.” The goal of Abby Theatre Fest is to showcase the work of emerging and established artists from the Fraser Valley, and to bring light to lesser known or more risky productions. The festival is also a great opportunity for local playwrights to have their plays produced. The list of plays scheduled for the event is set to feature two international plays and four Canadian works, including two plays written by local Fraser Valley playwrights. To summarize a few of the performances: Mail Order Annie tells the story of a nanny from 1920s Toronto who travels to rural Saskatchewan to marry John Proctor, a man she knows only through letters; Suspension of Disbelief follows the weird lives of Owen and Pepper, who deal with crushed dreams, Kinder egg trafficking, self-awareness, crime, and free cake; Man of God is about a man named Ryan Everett, a successful pastor of a successful church, who seemingly wants for nothing. But underneath it all, there are secrets, and questions about faith. The festival will serve as the world premiere for both Suspension of Disbelief and Man of God. Other scheduled plays include titles such as Harlequin Rhapsody, Reflections, and Sorry, Wrong Number. The plays run from 20 to 50 minutes and will be presented at the Yale Secondary School Theatre in Abbotsford, from Sept. 19 to 22. Gallery 7 Theatre is excited to partner with Yale Secondary School to present this year’s festival. Hildebrandt stated in a press release: “Our partnership will provide us with some crucial assistance to ensure the festival runs smoothly, and it will provide young theatre artists the opportunity to work with professional theatre artists and technicians in a unique mentorship experience.” Tickets for Abby Theatre Fest are available for $15 a show or $40 for the full festival. For more information on each play and for a complete performance schedule, visit gallery7theatre.com.

Caleb Vanderleek and James Lam perform in Suspension of Disbelief, a riotous comedy by James Lam. (Gallery 7)

STUDY BREAK Crossword //

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 Made by Cassie de Jong

ACROSS

DOWN

1: A musical instrument from Scotland that is played by blowing into reed pipes and squeezing a bag under one’s arm.

1: A metal guard worn on a fist while fighting, to increase the effect of punches.

6: Danish-Norwegian eurodance group known for Barbie Girl, which visited the Abbotsford Centre on Sept. 10.

2: A small cavity in a rock that has been lined with crystals on the inside. 3: A boot with a metal blade attached to the bottom, that is used for skating on frozen lakes.

8: A large species of deer native to North America.

4: A style of fast-paced music from Jamaica, that is often associated with punk, and was the forerunner of reggae.

9: A liquor establishment one visits to watch sports with friends or sing karaoke.

5: A great ceiling in the Vatican, painted by Michelangelo. 7: The joint that connects a foot to the leg.

11: A small orange or white fish from Japan, commonly kept in backyard ponds. 13: The young of a carnivorous mammal such as a lion, bear, or fox. 14: A sticky substance found on the side of trees, which is the main ingredient in maple syrup. 15: A female member of the church, who lives in a cloistered community. 17: A physical exercise that also works an individual’s breath control, bodily posture, and meditation skills.

9: A small, football-shaped airship. Often used for advertising purposes. 10: A legendary heroic outlaw from English folklore, who is depicted as a fox in the Disney interpretation of his story. 12: The first room you enter when visiting a hotel. 16: A landlocked country in Western Africa named after the continent’s third-largest river. 18: A playing card with a single spot on it, often ranked as either the highest or lowest card in its suit.

19: An anesthetic often used during childbirth to produce a loss of sensation from the waist down.

LAST ISSUE’S

ANSWERS:

Horoscopes //

1: Prime Minister 6: Bulb 7: Edamame 8: Tweed

10: Cairo 11: Mollusc 12: Newt 13: Telephoto Lens

Down: 1: Perfectionist 2: Emerald 3: Imbue 4: Sambuca

5: Red Blood Cells 9: Epitome 10: Calypso 11: Motto

Astrological mysteries interpreted weekly by Morgana the Mystic.

Aries — Mar 21 to Apr 19 You can’t win every battle, Aries, but you certainly like to try! Compromise isn’t a bad word and it might help you to exercise it this time around. Victory comes in many forms and remember: it’s not losing if you both come in first.

Leo — Jul 23 to Aug 22 The sun can’t shine all the time, Leo, but you sure do! Use your sunny disposition for good and distribute positivity all around. Others will appreciate your ability to banish their blues and you’ll appreciate this (well-deserved) appreciation.

Sagittarius — Nov 22 to Dec 21 Slow down, Sagittarius! Patience is a virtue and you’d certainly benefit from practicing it. Rushing something won’t make it more rewarding than letting it come naturally. Try to enjoy the moment you’re in rather than seeking out the next.

Taurus — Apr 20 to May 20 Change can be hard for all of us, but especially for someone as grounded as you. Think of it as adaptation rather than abandonment. Run towards it rather than away and you’ll find something you didn’t know was missing!

Virgo —Aug 23 to Sep 22 Is someone not pulling their own weight? You may want to save your brutal honesty for another time; the person in question may not know what it is they’re (not) doing that irks your workaholic nature. Try a kinder approach in terms of confrontation — you’ll be far more successful.

Capricorn — Dec 22 to Jan 19 Break something? Not everything can be fixed but that doesn’t mean it’s junk! Too often you discard things that could’ve been resurrected. Why not consult your creative side (you know it’s there somewhere) and make something new?

Gemini — May 21 to Jun 20 Don’t let your feet stray too far from the ground. Daydreaming is all well and good until you wake up. Try to give yourself a preemptive reality check; it might hurt but it’s better in the long run.

Libra — Sep 23 to Oct 22 Pessimism isn’t your forté, that much is clear. You’re walking a thin line between realism and rudeness, Libra. Try to remember your inner balance and bring back your optimistic outlook. It might take some effort but don’t let that discourage you.

Cancer —Jun 21 to Jul 22 Cat got your tongue? Communication is tricky at the best of times, especially when you’re not quite sure how to articulate what it is you’re trying to say. Letting others speak for you won’t work this time but a little consultation wouldn’t hurt.

Across:

Scorpio — Oct 23 to Nov 21 Something big is on the horizon for you! Don’t get overwhelmed before you figure out what it is, though! It’s hard to prepare for the unknown, but you’ll find that you’re more equipped than you would have originally thought.

Aquarius — Jan 20 to Feb 18 Too many people think you can lose your potential, yourself included. Reorientate yourself and your goals and you’ll realize that it’s not gone, you’ve just been overlooking it. It might take some time, but you’ll certainly reach the stars! Pisces — Feb 19 to Mar 20 It’s not a bad thing to think of yourself once in awhile. Selfishness isn’t in your nature but try to go against your natural instinct and indulge this week. The world won’t end if you take some time solely for yourself. Rest up and return with a new perspective on your own limits.

ARTS

Martin Castro — Arts Editor

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

arts@ufvcascade.ca

Album Review //

CHARTS

SHUFFLE

LIÉ HOUNDS

AARON LEVY

BERNICE PUFF: IN THE AIR WITHOUT A SHAPE

JOYFULTALK PLURALITY TRIP

CIVL Station Manager Aaron Levy shuffles a series of songs that may get you talking, or may otherwise just slip through the fingers of being busy at the start of the semester. Either way, if you check them out, you’ll enjoy.

PETRA GLYNT MY FLAG IS A BURNING RAG OF LOVE

THE WALKING ROLODEX

Thin Lips — “Gaslight Anthem” Heard this song a couple weeks ago while it was in queue for the Earshot20! radio program hosted by CIVL broadcast on campus and community radio stations all over the country. This fearsome Philly sweet-rock song includes a reference in its name to 2008’s fave throwback greaser band, Gaslight Anthem.

MOTHERS RENDER ANOTHER UGLY METHOD

DERATEO THIS FEELS LIKE A DREAM

SNOTTY NOSE REZ KIDS THE AVERAGE SAVAGE Land of Talk — “Street Wheels”

WEAVES WIDE OPEN

VIVEK SHRAYA AND QUEER SONGBOOK ORCHESTRA PART-TIME WOMAN

LOA TIDE

STILLNESS AND STARS STILLNESS AND STARS

MAXD TOOTHPASTE & OJ

GRAHAM VAN PELT TIME TRAVEL

SOPHIE OIL OF EVERY PEARL’S UN-INSIDES

IDLES JOY AS AN ACT OF RESISTANCE.

16 17

I was once interviewing a band as they were in the studio being produced by Jace Lasek, producer of this, Land of Talk’s brilliant debut EP slash seven-track album, Applause Cheer Boo Hiss, and I told them to let him know their album should sound just like this song. Lyrics Born — “I Changed My Mind” A great intro, a deep voice, a sick bassline, a classic meter, and all of the sweet soulful plodding necessary to put a perk in your step and a jump in your pep. That may’nt have been very lyrical, but certainly, its logic was spherical. Poet trying to note it. Robbie Williams — “Rock DJ”

The video where he tears off his skin at the end, revealing a ripped, muscular, no skin and just a bit of bone version made, I imagine, WATERMELON mostly of computer graphics, S/T while the rest of the video’s cast EARTH GIRL HELEN roller skates around him in some BROWN oddly wholesome 1960’s style of FOUR SATELLITES VOL. recreation. 1

JULIA HOLTER AVIARY (SINGLE)

SONS OF RHYTHM SONS OF RHYTHM

PIERRE KWENDERS MAKANDA AT THE END OF SPACE, THE BEGINNING OF TIME

Paul Simon revisits his timeless work

JOEL ROBERTSON-TAYLOR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Paul Simon’s 14th solo album, In The Blue Light, revisits 10 somewhat underappreciated songs from his notable career, and sets a course along his farewell tour. Covering one’s past work has been attempted by others: Peter Gabriel and Joni Mitchell to name two. An album whereby the artist revisits their own work, done well, is a reflection on a lifetime through a matured lens. Mitchell did it beautifully on Both Sides Now. That album’s texture, Mitchell’s aging voice, and her darting melodies represent her career when covered in jazz. Mitchell’s music is decidedly sophisticated and the jazzy Both Sides Now punctuates it. In the Blue Light has a tendency to sound more like a Paul Simon cover band with Paul Simon singing rather than a stylistic stake in the ground. That sounds harsh, but it shouldn’t be taken as so. Simon’s soft, somehow still boyish at 76, voice hasn’t changed the way Leonard Cohen’s or Joni Mitchell’s did, and because of that, his addition to

the score doesn’t particularly redefine his perspectives. But even without a well-defined sense of coming to the album with something new to say, the record manages to hit on what it apparently states as a success. “Can’t Run But,” from 1990’s The Rhythm of the Saints (which was one of Simon’s best albums) blends Afro-Brazilian reflections, demonstrating Simon’s strength in merging musically cross-cultural identities. It’s exactly what Graceland did so well. In the Blue Light’s “Can’t Run But” emulates the same motions expressed on Saints but with a sort of minimalist modern-classical string section replacing the Brazilianesque beat. The same is true for “Darling Lorraine,” originally released on You’re the One. Simon’s best music finds its strength in blended styles. Always written for the music first, his work is expressed less as the story he sings than the story created between merged genre lines and rhythmical song. Which is why In the Blue Light hits its mark in terms of becoming a new vehicle for timeless work. That is to say, resoundingly, that Simon’s work is timeless. Though it doesn’t particularly

restate a claim, Simon’s vocals bring continuity between, in some instances, two decades gone by. His revisitation could be thought of as a purposed emphasis on Paul Simon’s principal songwriting interests: creating an experience through song. By nature of its makeup, In The Blue Light could be said to have many footnotes, linking it to other works by Simon. An unnamed but notable one is Graceland. The challenge of creating a groundbreaking album like Graceland is that everything that follows will be compared to it. And such is the life for artists who produce a work that reaches far beyond their own world. Graceland had an impact on the way world music is thought of and appreciated. The same is true for so much of Simon’s work. Which is why In the Blue Light doesn’t need to be compared to past releases, but it should be considered in context of them. These are new takes on old songs. Perhaps, not how Simon would have liked them to sound when first released, but performed in a way that bridge a collection of work in one package, and that summarizes the aspects he’d like to emphasize within his catalogue.

ARTS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

Soundbites //

The Wombats Bee-Sting

Mitski Be the Cowboy Mitski’s newest album, Be the Cowboy, can be described as no less than an evocative and haunting punch to the gut. One track in particular, “Lonesome Love,” is a depressing ode to loving someone who doesn’t love you back. “Nobody butters me up like you, and / nobody fucks me like me … Why am I lonely for lonesome love / why am I lonely?” Then there’s “Nobody,” whose upbeat drums and guitar show great disparity from the heartbreakingly relatable lyrics: “And I don’t want your pity / I just want somebody near me / Guess I’m a coward / I just want to feel alright.” There is one song, however, that breaks away from the melancholy mood of the

rest of the album, albeit not by much. In “Washing Machine Heart,” Mitski sings “I thought maybe we would kiss tonight / Baby will you kiss me already and / Toss your dirty shoes in my washing machine heart / Baby, bang it up inside.” I greatly enjoyed Mitski’s Be the Cowboy. It’s not a huge step away from Bury Me at Makeout Creek or Puberty 2 in musical style or content, but, with its contrast of danceable beats and plaintive lyrics, it’s still worth a listen (just not when you’re sad).

Cat Friesen

I discovered UK indie rock band The Wombats this summer, and have been obsessively inhaling their musical catalogue ever since. So I was pretty excited when they recently released new single “Bee-Sting” to celebrate the announcement of their upcoming UK tour. Starting with pleasant guitar strumming soon joined by high, buttery vocals and clapping hands, “Bee-Sting” leans into the more indiepop range of the band’s sound spectrum. It features the trio’s familiar fondness for creative, often abstract, poetic lyrics, including: “Jumping like a dog on Prozac / And fishing with dynamite / I thought that I was in the green / But it turns red every time.” Despite the quirkiness and cheerful, up-

beat feel, there’s an underlying melancholy (which becomes more overt in the breakdown) as it explores a relationship at its breaking point, both the strength in deciding to leave along with the consternation and incertitude involved. “Put your best dress on, better make it black,” lead vocalist Matthew Murphy declares, “I’m going out but I’m not coming back.” Appropriately, the song contains some buzzing synth throughout. “Bee-Sting” will appear along with more new material on an extended version of their latest album Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life on Nov. 9.

Kat Marusiak

Album Review //

McCartney’s still got it MARTIN CASTRO ARTS EDITOR

There are some records that define careers — the inverse of which, of course, means that there are some careers that have been defined by records. In the case of Paul McCartney, things get a bit more complicated. For starters, he’s a former Beatle. The man’s songwriting resume is as daunting as Dylan’s, if only on the pop side of things. However, given that the bulk of McCartney’s songwriting (or at least, that which lends him the most notoriety) was written with the Beatles, and given that I’m not about to levy the entirety of the Beatles’ cultural presence and impact against a record written by a 76-year-old McCartney, who at this point in his life is a different man, we’re just going to conveniently forget The Beatles are a thing.

By any rate, if there is a benchmark by which McCartney’s solo projects ought to be measured, it’s 1971’s Ram. If only for its timelessness, Ram epitomizes everything that makes McCartney such a central figure in songwriting history: interestingbut-simple melodies, fresh, relatable lyricism, and above all, most of it is fun. Ram is filled with whimsical, energetic folk tunes that are melodically dynamic. “Monkberry Moon Delight,” for example, is literally nonsense. Look up the lyrics, it’s nonsense. However, it’s also the catchiest, most dynamic track on the record. So much so that it goes from an almost children’s-television-theme-song carefree attitude, to McCartney screaming an outro, without really breaking pace. In this sense, none of the tracks on Egypt Station meet the bar set by McCartney’s previous work. They all still have

that Beatles bounce, and all of them are still lyrically simple yet intriguing. Some of them are more rock ’n’ roll than pop (like “Who Cares”), but this leaves us with tracks that are perhaps more noteworthy because of their melody and rhythm than they are due to lyricism. Whether or not that’s a major drawback is up to listeners, but Egypt Station doesn’t feel overlong at 16 tracks perhaps because we aren’t necessarily burdened by individually noteworthy narratives or lyricism. There are, of course, some exceptions. “Despite Repeated Warnings” for example, is explicitly memorable as the tale of a ship’s captain who, despite repeated warnings, sails into uncharted waters. Right up until the four-minute mark the track is bright and memorable, and it would run the risk of overstaying its welcome if it wasn’t for a bridge that, although kind of

silly, gets rid of tension without feeling kitschy. Also notable is “Fuh You,” a cheerful, danceable song about really wanting to get it on with someone. It’s not lewd, but it is hilarious when we realize the main part of the chorus is so upfront it would go unnoticed by anyone not actively listening to the lyrics. To be completely honest, I didn’t know what to expect when going into Egypt Station, and despite his age and over-exposure to the industry, McCartney is still delivering. Some of it is a little silly, some of it is vaguely forgettable, but some of it is great. Odds are, there’s something in here for you.

ARTS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

Film Revisited //

A space odyssey for the ages

2001 returns to IMAX for the 50th anniversary of its release MITCH HUTTEMA CONTRIBUTOR

Space movies have captivated audiences for as long as they’ve been around. Everyone loves watching people in metal physics-defying boxes float off into the unknown to face down metaphorical representations of our collective fears as a species. What better way to ignore the current tragedies of real everyday life than to completely disembark from our planet’s politics and problems with tales of a new frontier? Originally released in 1968, 2001: A Space Odyssey was pulled up out of the archive by Cineplex this past month to celebrate the film’s 50th birthday. Cineplex screened the film twice a day for two weeks in the IMAX theatre at Langley’s Colossus. For viewers, seeing this film remastered for IMAX is a treat, as it’s usually only available as single showings for cult followings in small, usually independent, theatres or at home on your own devices. The scale of the IMAX screen presents an opportunity for fans to engage with the film at the scale space movies (and this film in particular) deserve to be shown. To say the least, this event is a real treat for cinephiles of all ages, and for many of them a great opportunity to introduce newcomers to the legacy of the feature. A unique phenomenon occurs when the credits finish rolling, and the house lights

ignite again as the stunned audience rises and finally gets the chance to get a good look at their fellow passengers along on the adventure. An old dude, he’s here for the 50th anniversary of the first time he saw the film. There’s a couple of scruffy college students in their rasta hoodies, flabbergasted at the new dimensions they just passed through and proud to have been a part of this cultural landmark. Up front, there’s a young couple questioning why they chose this film for a first date. As they all rise, they make eye contact sheepishly, wave a little, share raised eyebrows and grins as they gesture towards the now dim screen. When you share the experience of watching a film like 2001 with a group of strangers, they don’t feel so strange by the time you’ve made it through. In plot, in method, and in theme, 2001: A Space Odyssey asks audiences to think about the history and progress of humanity, implying as well where we may yet go. By isolating human life and removing it from its natural habitat of Earth, questions of purpose and meaning become all the more easy to examine. Stanley Kubrick knew why space films in particular can have such a power over audiences, and his perfect execution of this is why his masterpiece has stood the test of time and continues, especially now, to draw audiences to its story.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

I am so hungry n o i t a c u d e f o s r e t s a Please, m . s t n e i r t u n e m t n a r G My future earnings? e v a h y d a e l r a u o y But my free thought!

It shall be done.