The Georgia Straight - Japanese Jokester - March 21, 2019 by The Georgia Straight

FREE | MARCH 21 - 28 / 2019

Volume 53 | Number 2670

FENTANYL ALERT It’s showing up in cocaine

BUMBLE BUZZ

Empowering women in business

JIA ZHANGKE

Chinese director explores relationships

Japanese Jokester Vancouver’s saucy and irreverent Yumi Nagashima is a rising star on North America’s comedy circuit, but she hasn’t forgotten where she came from

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CONTENTS

INFO

March 21 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 28 / 2019

13 COVER

Standup comic Yumi Nagashima wants to challenge audiences until she is in her eighties, and assertive Vancouver girls helped her start out. By Mike Usinger Cover photo by Norman Whaley

NEWS

Vancouver Coastal Health has issued a rare warning about fentanyl being detected in cocaine samples. By Travis Lupick

TECHNOLOGY

First launched as a dating app, Bumble now empowers female professionals with a new networking platform. By Kate Wilson

20 MOVIES

With the release of Ash Is Purest White, Jia Zhangke discusses UFOs, loneliness, and John Wooâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Killer. By Adrian Mack

Skilled workers are in high demand in British Columbia. Explore ways to get skilled and get ahead in a new career. Program

22 MUSIC

How did guitarist Benjamin VallĂŠ, of the Stockholm

Location

hardcore six-piece Viagra Boys, begin as â&#x20AC;&#x153;a punk rocker with a Mohawk â&#x20AC;? and later became a lover of Jethro Tull?

By Mike Usinger

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e Start Here 12 THE BOTTLE 19 CONFESSIONS 12 FOOD 10 HOROSCOPES 14 I SAW YOU 21 MOVIE REVIEWS 9 REAL ESTATE 27 SAVAGE LOVE 17 THEATRE

e Online TOP 5

e Listings 18 ARTS 24 MUSIC

e Services 25 CLASSIFIEDS

Vancouverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s News and Entertainment Weekly Volume 53 | Number 2670 1635 West Broadway, Vancouver, B.C. V6J 1W9 T: 604.730.7000 F: 604.730.7010 E: gs.info@straight.com straight.com DISPLAY ADVERTISING: T: 604.730.7020 F: 604.730.7012 E: sales@straight.com

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Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what people are reading this week on Straight.com.

1 2 3 4 5

Homeless in Vancouver: The devilishly detailed 1954 Canadian dollar. Sorry, baby boomers, Pettersson is a better rookie than Bure was. Man who yelled racial slurs at Surrey vigil is injured during arrest. Vancouver police release video of Yaletown assault. Food-industry experts pick best Vancouver restaurants for 2019.

GeorgiaStraight @GeorgiaStraight @GeorgiaStraight

The Georgia Straight is published every Thursday by the Vancouver Free Press Publishing Corp. Copies are distributed free every week throughout Vancouver, Burnaby, North and West Vancouver, New Westminster, and Richmond. International Standard Serial Number ISSN 0709-8995. Subscription rates in Canada $182.00/52 issues (includes GST), $92.00/26 issues (includes GST); United States $379.00/52 issues, $205.00/26 issues; foreign $715.00/52 issues, $365.00/26 issues. Contact 604-730-7087 if you wish to distribute free copies of the Georgia Straight at your place of business. Entire contents copyright ÂŠ 2019 Vancouver Free Press, Best Of Vancouver, Bov And Golden Plates Are Trade-Marks Of Vancouver Free Press Publishing Corp. SUBMISSIONS The Straight accepts no responsibility for, and will not necessarily respond to, any submitted materials. All submissions should be addressed to contact@straight.com.

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NEWS

Stats show fentanyl supplants heroin

by Travis Lupick

n March 19, Vancouver Coastal Health issued a rare warning about cocaine. According to federal data, in 2018 the dangerous synthetic opioid fentanyl appeared in 3.3 percent of cocaine samples that law-enforcement agencies sent to Health Canada’s Drug Analysis Service (DAS). That’s up from 2.5 percent the previous year, 0.94 percent in 2016, and 0.31 percent in 2015. The numbers are low but rising. Heroin, meanwhile, is being supplanted by fentanyl and the even more potent synthetic opioid carfentanil. In 2017, DAS for the first time found more heroin samples contained fentanyl than did not. In 2018 the trend continued, with 2,571 heroin samples containing fentanyl compared to 1,217 recorded as straight heroin. NDP MP Jenny Kwan’s Vancouver East riding is often described as the epicentre of Canada’s overdose crisis. On the phone from Ottawa, Kwan said B.C. needs to continue with harm reduction and expand existing services with more radical initiatives. “Dead people don’t detox,” Kwan told the Straight. “We need to take every measure possible to save lives.” She suggested Canada look to Portugal, where, in 2001, the government eliminated criminal penalties for the personal possession of drugs and invested heavily in addiction treatment. “We need to address this as a health issue, truly, and not a criminal-justice issue,” Kwan said. “And until we decriminalize, I don’t think we’re going to get there.” Decriminalization has received support from top provincial health officials but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has repeatedly said a Liberal government will not consider this with regard to hard drugs. Another idea that Kwan described

NDP MP Jenny Kwan says drug addiction must be treated as a public-health issue.

as deserving of public debate is regulated supply. She referenced a February 2019 report by the B.C. Centre on Substance Use that lays out a legal framework for people addicted to opioids to obtain prescription heroin from a pharmaceutical company as opposed to from dealers on the streets. “People are putting their heads together, saying, ‘This might work and might save lives,’ ” Kwan said. “Any in-

itiative that could achieve those goals is worth exploring.” According to the BCCDC’s latest monthly report, the province surpassed 1,500 fatal overdoses for the first time in a single year in 2018. Fentanyl was associated with 87 percent of those deaths, up from 15 percent five years earlier. Over the phone, Vancouver Coastal Health’s Dr. Mark Lysyshyn noted the extent to which law enforcement has failed to curb fentanyl’s infiltration of illicit-drug markets. “The more we try to enforce [prohibition], the more potent the drugs become in order to evade enforcement action,” he said. “That’s the pattern.” Like Kwan, Lysyshyn argued that it is time for Canada to begin real discussions about regulating supply. “We know that street drugs come from a completely unregulated market, and…each time a substance passes hands, it can be adulterated or errors can be made,” he said. “So I’m in support of all proposals that seek to provide people with safer alternatives to the drugs they are using now.” g

P rotest OF THE WEEK THE EXTREME RIGHT

is on the march. From North America to Europe and elsewhere, right-wing populism is gaining ground. It has co-opted progressive concerns about the ills of capitalist globalization and soldered onto its creed a racist and anti-immigrant agenda. With economies lurching from one crisis to the other—while at the same time exacerbating inequality, poverty, social anxiety, and environmental disasters—

people of colour and immigrants are easy targets for blame. This weekend, a protest will be held at the Vancouver City Hall grounds against racism and bigotry. The action follows the observance on March 21 of International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The event on Saturday (March 23) is being organized by activist Imtiaz Popat and the Coalition Against Bigotry–Pacific. It starts at 11 a.m. g

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HOUSING

Business owner regrets having to shut her Pie Hole by Carlito Pablo

CANADIAN MUTUAL FUNDS

INVESTIGATION

Law firm Investigation Counsel is investigating a potential class action on behalf of Canadian investors, including residents of British Columbia, who own or previously owned TD Canadian Equity Fund any time since 2010. Investors who have owned this mutual fund might not have received adequate disclosure about the fund manager’s investment strategies and may have paid excessive management fees.

Redevelopment is forcing Jenell Parsons to close her flagship Fraser Street shop.

oving out of a home or a storefront is a part of life in a constantly changing city. It’s an experience often steeped in a mix of emotions, mostly sadness from having to say goodbyes. That’s why it’s natural for Jenell Parsons to feel sentimental about having to leave her first store in Vancouver. After years of selling pies at farmers markets and other public events as well as at wholesale locations, Parsons opened a shop at the northwest corner of Fraser Street and East 19th Avenue in April 2017. “It was our flagship. It was the first place that I opened up to the public,” the founder of the Pie Hole recalled in a phone interview with the Georgia Straight. Known for its sweet and savoury pies, the business expanded to a second location in Burnaby in 2018. According to Parsons, the Pie Hole will open another store in Vancouver in April this year. It will be in Kitsilano, at the former site of a fresh-produce and juice shop at 1864 West 4th Avenue. However, the original store on Fraser will be closing. The East Vancouver property where the business is located is slated for redevelopment. A six-storey mixed-use building has been proposed for 3429–3469 Fraser Street. The project involves 104 market-rental housing units and spaces for retail. The current two-level commercial building on the property, which also houses a variety of other shops, will be demolished. “It’s going to be sad,” Parsons said. “I put everything into that. My husband and I built the whole store up ourselves and put a lot of love into this. So it’s going to be hard to see it come down.” Parsons said the Fraser Street property was sold in December 2017. “Rize [Alliance Properties] bought it. They’ve been pretty transparent about it,” she said. The “design rationale” for the development’s rezoning application indicates that the project received considerable input from city-hall staff. “The current building massing and commensurate proposed density are a result of City of Vancouver Staff commentary and advice received May 1, 2018 and significant consultation with Staff over the past 8 months,” the document states. The design rationale also notes that the development will “add increased purpose-built rental residential density along a major arterial road within two blocks of the Fraser St and Kingsway intersection served by two distinct bus routes”. Moreover, the project will help “ease the demand on existing, older rental stock”. Parsons wants to return to the area in the future, but she accepts that it’s going to be difficult. “We’ve talked about it but, I mean, it’s hard to know,” Parsons said. “It takes a few years…between permits and building and for the whole thing to be up and running to be occupied again. So I’d like to be back at that neighbourhood. It’s hard to say.…It’s on the table, though.” g

Canadian mutual fund investors pay amongst the highest fees in the world. Canadians deserve full disclosure about mutual fund investment strategies and associated costs. Excessive fees should be paid back to affected investors. If you are a B.C. resident who, at any time since 2010, owned TD Canadian Equity Fund, please contact Investigation Counsel at cdnequityfunds@investigationcounsel.com or Call 416.637.3152.

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his is no ordinary change of season. Spring has sprung on a super full moon in Libra and with the sun in Aries supplying added life force to Chiron in Aries, a transit that happens once every 50 years. That which bursts onto the scene has a significant date with destiny. Watch for a chosen one or a chosen moment to assume the lead. Sun/Chiron sets the maverick, frontrunner, or destined one into action. Sometimes things have to swing to an extreme before they can come into better balance. Aries is the sign of new beginnings, fresh starts, and action. When the sun, the creator force, aligns with Chiron, the wounded-healer archetype, the karmic nature of circumstances cannot be overrated. Although Aries is a freedom-andindependence archetype, Chiron in Aries can set an entanglement or enmeshment issue into play. (Both Jody Wilson-Raybould and Justin Trudeau were born with Chiron in Aries.) Difficult separations and shooting oneself in the foot are also signatures of this transit; the news gives us many examples to draw from. Thursday, Venus in Aquarius turns a corner with Mars. This is a bringit-to-life, breakthrough, worth-more, gain-added-traction transit. Mercury teams up with Neptune on Sunday. Retrograde ends next Thursday, but Mercury in Pisces will stay in close contact with Neptune through the first few days of April. The transit keeps the action on a fluid and unfolding track. Venus enters Pisces on Tuesday. These transits can dissolve, diffuse, expose, cloud, or confuse, but they also tap a wealth of creativity and potential. Stay hopeful; keep your heart open; go with the flow.

ARIES

March 20–April 20

Stoking the fire, the sun’s alignment with Chiron sets a new personal reality into play. Likely, it has been long in the works or long awaited. A price to pay—or no pain, no gain—is in the mix. Don’t hesitate to sever ties or cut cords. Mercury/ Neptune and Venus in Pisces increase potential but also uncertainty. Don’t buy into fear; trust your heart.

TAURUS

April 20–May 21

It is time to come clean with yourself. Over the next few days, the sun/Chiron conjunction pushes you to address feelings or something else you may have avoided. Venus/Mars are also on an exposing, illuminating, turn-a-corner track. These transits help you to move yourself to higher ground. Despite the ongoing uncertainty, Venus into Pisces, starting Tuesday, can bring you better peace of mind.

GEMINI

May 21–June 21

Thursday to Saturday could fire it up unexpectedly. Don’t hesitate to switch tracks, take a risk, or try something new. Monday starts the new week on the move/the upbeat. Even so, Mercury and Neptune are a team from this Sunday through the first few days of April. Potential continues; uncertainty does too. Keep exploring; stay hopeful; go with the flow.

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CANCER

June 21–July 22

Thursday/Friday can set a new priority or reality into play, especially so if you are born on or near June 21. It may be a matter of no pain, no gain, but don’t let that stop you. While Mercury/Neptune continues to keep uncertainty going strong, Venus in Pisces, starting Tuesday, helps you to accept and to create with better ease.

Chiron strike f lint and/or set spontaneous combustion into action. Ease yourself back into it Monday/ Tuesday. Venus into Pisces, starting Tuesday, and the ongoing Mercury/Neptune transit stir up plenty of potential, possibility, and promise, but nothing is sure-fire just yet.

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

August 23–September 23

Starting over or diving into something new? The sun’s alignment with Chiron in Aries can make for a difficult launch, at least initially. Although there is one more week of Mercury retrograde and two more weeks of Mercury/Neptune to go, the time is ripe. Uranus in Taurus puts opportunity into full swing. Ease into it, but by all means take it on! September 23–October 23

The waning super full moon in Libra keeps you and it in full swing on Thursday. While you may have to pay a higher price or forgo one thing for another to ride the good wave, sun/Chiron can make your better options and choices obvious. Venus, continuing through Aquarius to next Tuesday, sets you up to make a financial, relationship, or personal breakthrough. October 23–November 22

Thursday/Friday could produce something added or unexpected. A shortcut could be appealing, but make sure you have all the facts first. Mercury continues in retrograde for another week, so continue to put health and safety to the forefront. Saturday/Sunday keeps you soaking it up and feeling it all. Venus in Pisces, starting Tuesday, is also good for a creative or romantic boost. November 22–December 21

Some things take on a life of their own; some things it’s best to simply let be. Soak up the good stuff; there’s no benefit in forcing what isn’t coming naturally. Through Tuesday, Venus in Aquarius keeps it fresh. For the next two weeks, Mercury keeps you completely consumed. Openhearted and open-ended is the best way to play it for now. December 21–January 20

You might have to accommodate or give in more than you want to on Thursday, but in the end you’ll gain, too. Soak it up this weekend. Mercury ends retrograde next Thursday, but for the next two weeks the action continues at a fluid and uncertain pace. Potentials are on brew. Feel your way along; give it more time. January 20–February 18

The connection and feedback are good; your timing and ideas are too. Thursday puts you on a winning streak. Venus in Aquarius also sets a stage for better progress on the personal, creative, or financial front. The new week starts on a promising note, but Mercury/Neptune also keeps the guesswork going strong for another week or two. February 18–March 20

Fresh off the midweek full moon, Thursday/Friday can be a mixed bag of emotions. Follow the path of least resistance. Mercury ends retrograde on Thursday, but Mercury/Neptune continues for the next two weeks. Venus in Pisces, starting Tuesday, also keeps you totally immersed. Creativity, LEO romance, and potential are at peak; July 22–August 23 uncertainty is too. Stay confident; Go where the getting is go by feel. g good. Let that instinct, impulse, fresh idea, or conversation overtake Book a reading or sign up for Rose’s free you Thursday/Friday. The sun and monthly newsletter at rosemarcus.com/.

HIGH TECH

Bumble Bizz connects professionals

by Kate Wilson

he dating app Bumble launched to much acclaim in December 2014. Based on a north-star value of female empowerment, the app was the first to offer a unique twist on the Tinder dating format: after a pair had matched online, a woman had to make the first move. But although the organization may have started by putting the ball in the woman’s court for romance, the brand had bigger ideas about how the format could grow. “A dating app was never the end goal of Bumble,” says Emily Ramshaw—the company’s country lead in Canada—on the line from Toronto. “We always wanted to expand. I think we tend to put a lot of value on romantic relationships as the be all and end all, but, in truth, friendships and business relationships are just as important and valuable to a full life.” Three years after it launched as a dating platform, Bumble rolled out a new focus: Bumble Bizz. Concentrated entirely on allowing individuals to find professional friendships and mentorship opportunities, Bizz was created to counter the anxieties of big-room business meet-ups and offer women a sense of certainty when navigating the grey areas of networking that can make them feel uncomfortable. “[Bumble Bizz] is providing tools and a safe place to initiate those relationships,” Ramshaw says. “Like dating, there are lots of dynamics in the networking world, and there can be misogynistic tendencies there as well. Often women are approached to meet for coffee [as professionals], and you don’t know whether it’s really aboveboard or whether they’re straight-up asking if you’ll go out with them. The app lets women feel safe, supported, and in control.” As in the dating portion of the app,

Bumble is about more than dating, says app country lead Emily Ramshaw.

women are required to initiate the conversation in a business context. “The idea is that if women are making the first move in something as relatively small as just saying hello, that makes a ripple effect,” Ramshaw says. “If you feel empowered and supported to start a conversation with someone new, you might also feel able to do that in other areas of your life. If you can make the first move on Bumble, you can make the first move when you see someone at a network event and you want to talk to someone and introduce yourself. Or you can make the first move when you’re asking for a raise.” Bumble Bizz is easily accessed via the Bumble app. Those not interested in its dating or friend-finding service, Bumble BFF, can switch those portions off. (The moment you opt out is time-stamped, so businesspeople can swipe on Bizz without worrying about upsetting their significant other.) New users add a professionalstyle head shot and highlights from their résumé, including education and past jobs. It’s possible to specify exactly why a person is using Bizz—

whether they are looking for a mentor, a job, or a graphic designer for a logo, for example—and the app gives the option of showcasing images of an individual’s work if they’re in a creative profession. Lastly, Bizz presents the option of filtering how far away a match is, the amount of experience they have, or which industry they’re part of. Then the users swipe. “I think it just changes the game in terms of access and makes networking available to everyone, from a 23-year-old recent graduate who might have no idea how to approach an industry they want to be a part of to someone who’s been working for 30 years and hasn’t been in touch with people on the ground in a long time,” Ramshaw says. “Especially for women, that’s so important. Often it’s difficult to navigate what will actually bring you value in your career.” Having recently celebrated the milestone of four million Bumble registrations in Canada—more than 10 percent of the population—the company is organizing a number of events in Vancouver, where Ramshaw suggests the app has gained particular traction. After recent gatherings around Galentines Day and International Women’s Day, the company is planning to put on a meet-up to celebrate Equal Pay Day around April 2—the date that symbolizes how far into the new year women must work to earn what their male counterparts did in 2018. “We’ve recently introduced the option just to network with women on Bizz,” Ramshaw says. “Now we have this ability, we’re doing a big focus on mentorship and giving back to women actively with your time rather than just with money, and actually making a difference in the lives of women around us.” g

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FOOD

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ith more than 17,000 islands situated between the Pacific and Indian oceans, Indonesia is known for its natural beauty: its beaches, volcanoes, canyons, and lakes. But the equatorial archipelago is also a paradise for food lovers. Home to more than 200 ethnic groups, the country is remarkably diverse when it comes to recipes and flavours, from curries and coconut milk to sambal and satay. Taking its name from the Indonesian word for cooking, a new culinary series called the Kuliner Initiative aims to give people here a better sense of that tropical nation’s palate. “Indonesia has 34 provinces, and every province has its own unique culinary traditions,” says Tri Astuti— who works in the economic section of Vancouver’s Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia—during a phone interview. “We want to give more information to people here in B.C. about Indonesian foods, for people to experience a taste of Indonesia.” The consul general is working with Wonderful Indonesia (the official website of Indonesian tourism) and the Permai B.C. Association (which represents the province’s Indonesian community), along with Nusa Coffee, Tempea Natural Foods, and the Holy Crab, for the Kuliner Initiative. Also partnering is Refection Dining, a private dining service

The Kuliner Initiative aims to give locals a sense of what Indonesia has to offer diners—including gado-gado, hard-boiled eggs, and veggies in peanut sauce.

headed by chef Djaka Putra. The project launches with a lunch series beginning March 28. The 11:45 a.m. gathering, which is taking place at the Holy Crab (1588 Robson Street), will focus on Betawi cuisine. The Betawi, sometimes referred to as the “people of Jakarta”, are the region’s Indigenous inhabitants. The meal will feature what Astuti calls Jakarta’s main foods: soto (traditional soup) Betawi and gado-gado. Soto Betawi is a dense beef soup made by simmering meat and offal in coconut milk along with ingredients like lemongrass, turmeric, and lime leaves. The soup is typically served with various condiments, including scallions, sweet soy sauce, tomatoes, and bitter-nut emping (crackers). Also known as lotek, gado-gado

consists of hard-boiled eggs and raw or lightly cooked vegetables in peanut sauce. The second lunch in the series will take place in May and will feature nasi goreng (stir-fried rice). (Details are to be announced.) The Kuliner Initiative has other events on the roster, including Indonesian cooking demonstrations, where guests get to sample different dishes and take home recipes. Tempeh is the star ingredient for the June session, while Indonesian snacks and coffee get the spotlight in September. An Indonesian cooking workshop is also scheduled for September, when people will learn how to make rendang (beef brisket in Indonesian spices). More information is available at www.kuliner.ca/. g

Lightning Rock goes organic

by Kurtis Kolt

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first met winemaker Jordan Kubek when she was beginning to work at Summerland’s Okanagan Crush Pad in 2011, just as the place was being built. For a half-dozen years, she’d worked under Michael Bartier, then current winemaker Matt Dumayne, stewarding the sparklingwine program under the winery’s Haywire and Narrative labels. I’ve long had an affinity for the wines she was behind and was delighted to learn she and her husband, Tyler Knight (also from Okanagan Crush Pad’s winemaking team), were moving along to their own venture last year. Dubbed Lightning Rock, the duo’s new project consists of three Summerland vineyards purchased in partnership with Kubek’s father, with a capability of producing 2,500 cases annually. They’re farming all three organically; the Elysia vineyard was initially planted in 2006, the Canyon View vineyard in 2003, and the St. Katharina vineyard in 1968. Wait. What? Yup, that last property was one of the first in the Okanagan to be planted with Pinot Noir and has just passed its golden anniversary.

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Tyler Knight (left) and Jordan Kubek took over three Summerland vineyards.

I recently met Kubek and Knight for lunch at Chambar to taste through their wines: a handful of 2017s that marked their first vintage, and some yet-to-be-released 2018s as well. “Yeah, that St. Katharina vineyard was a great find,” Kubek said. “It was a family property that had basically gone wild and untended over the last seven years while developers and others were

looking at it. We approached them about taking it over and the previous owners were keen on it continuing to be vineyard land.” Those roots have found their footing so well that irrigation is only needed twice a year. Being on the west side of Okanagan Lake, these sites are cooler than those on the opposite (Naramata) side of the lake, primed for making lighter wines with bright, juicy acidity. This works well, as they’re the kind of wines the couple enjoy drinking, and it’s also suitable land to make quality sparkling wine, Kubek’s specialty. In fact, I was surprised to see they have a Viognier on their roster; the grape is generally a late ripener and often results in richer—sometimes heavy—white wines, dripping with ripe peaches and honey. Lightning Rock Viognier 2017 ($25) is like no other Viognier I’ve had. At a scant 12 percent alcohol, it’s probably one of the lightest, as well. “Yes, we’re managing to make Summerland Viognier, and it’s quite a rarity,” Kubek told me. “But with careful pruning and harvesting at

see page 14

arts

Nagashima finds her calling in comedy

by Mike Usinger

aving turned standup into a full-time job instead of something to dabble in between waitressing shifts and casting calls, Yumi Nagashima has a couple of small goals moving forward. “I want to do standup comedy until I’m 88 years old, like Betty White,” the Tokyo-via-Vancouver comedian says, on the line from her apartment in the West End. “I kind of want to go on Ellen, and I also want a 30-minute Netflix special. This year would be amazing, but maybe next year if this year doesn’t work out.” This ambitiousness is not lost on those who are paid to notice such things. Not that long ago, Nagashima was contacted by the Simon Cowell– created ratings juggernaut America’s Got Talent to see if she was interested in submitting an audition tape. She thought better of it, partly because she was worried she’d have to censor herself, something she did plenty of in tradition-bound Japan. “I thought, ‘Okay, it’s great that I can get a crazy amount of exposure,’ ” she says. “But I also felt like it would be something where I’d have to ask for permission to do what I do.” Presumably, that means Nagashima understands mainstream America isn’t totally ready for an adorably accented, deceptively demure Japanese woman announcing “When I am sad, my clitoris gets cold. Like a little frozen edamame.” More importantly, though, as her career takes off, Nagashima has fully embraced the idea that nobody (including the star-makers at America’s Got Talent) is going to tell her what to do. “My natural instinct is to challenge people,” she says. “For example, I really care about gender roles and stereotypes of gender roles. Or stereotypes of Asian people—like Asian people can’t be funny, or they are always submissive. You might think that, but is that really the way that it is? I want to challenge that. There is so much freedom when you realize that you can offer a different perspective on things. It’s liberating.” There are a number of ways to get a handle on how far Yumi Nagashima has come since she first accepted an offer to get on-stage at the Kino on Cambie.

“I played ‘unhappy Japanese wife’— that was the role,” she relates with a laugh. “It was my first lead role and first comedy play. I had to say, ‘I’ve been married for three years. And it sucks!’ When I said that, the whole audience started laughing. I didn’t expect that, but I loved the way that when you are creating something, it’s very interactive. That’s when I thought, ‘Maybe this is my thing.’ ”

After daring to step on-stage one night, Yumi Nagashima felt liberated from traditional Japanese roles. Photo by Dale Leung

Start with her YouTube channel, where the last three standup-routine videos she’s posted have done massive numbers, including over 420,000 views for January’s “Japanese Sweet Bite Technique”. (That’s where Nagashima gives a male audience member some valuable Japanese-flavoured tips on cunnilingus.) February’s “What turns me on the most” (386,000 views) has her paying tribute to her boyfriend for charging through a crowd to get the last 60-inch Hitachi plasma TV for her at a Chinese New Year sale in Richmond. Her successes haven’t just been online. Nagashima is now on the road for good chunks of the year, not just in Thunder Bay or Winnipeg, but in New York, Los Angeles, Australia, and Europe. Last month saw the release of her debut album, My Name Is Yumi, on 604 Records, the record label founded by Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger and Vancouver entertainment lawyer about town Jonathan Simkin. Nagashima’s grateful that, well into adulthood, she discovered something

she now realizes was a calling. “Some comedians are like, ‘I don’t really know if this is my thing or not, but I’m going to keep trying,’ ” she says. “For me, it’s been ‘I know this is my vocation—100 percent.’ ” NAGASHIMA DIDN’T arrive in Canada ready for the stage. In Japan, she was raised to think that lifetime goals had to include finding a husband and then having kids. Having bought into that, she married a Chinese Canadian who was working as an English teacher in Japan, and then moved to Vancouver with him when his visa ran out. The West Coast appealed to her immediately, even if the complete lack of efficiency in things like public transit baffled her. “It was an exciting shock that girls are stronger here,” Nagashima says. “They are really assertive and say whatever they want to say without asking permission. I felt really safe to express myself 100 percent.” That sense of empowerment eventually led to her divorcing her

husband—and committing to making a new life for herself. During her initial years in Vancouver, Nagashima taught Japanese to English speakers. She also started taking acting classes. These helped her to land commercials as well as the kind of gigs one might expect to be offered an Asian woman who speaks English with an unmistakable Japanese accent. “It’s so hard to get the roles, because they always have to be like Japanese scientist or Japanese-western waitress,” Nagashima says. “That’s where my accent makes sense.” At the beginning of her acting career Nagashima was pressured by an agent to see a dialect coach to make her sound more westernized. “I took a few lessons, but it really felt wrong,” she notes. “To me, the way I speak is exactly how it should sound when Japanese people try to speak English.” Frustrated with how things were going with tryouts, Nagashima decided to take a stab at theatre, appearing in a friend’s play at the Havana Theatre on Commercial Drive in December 2015.

A COUPLE OF things stand out during Nagashima’s sets. First is her carefully measured delivery, which is laconic enough to make one wonder if she’s thinking in Japanese and then translating things into English in real time. (For the curious, she’s been in Canada long enough now that she thinks in English.) Also part of her appeal is that she obviously doesn’t come from here, even though Vancouver is her home. That faux-outsider status casts her as someone whose feet are planted in two very different worlds. On that note, My Name Is Yumi is wickedly insightful when Nagashima is training her cross hairs on English teachers living in Japan. And the album is just as smart when she’s wondering why it’s okay for white folks in Vancouver to think every Japanese woman wants to go for sushi. As she waits for Ellen and/or Netflix to call—which doesn’t seem that far-fetched, considering her likability and the way her YouTube stock has been rising—Nagashima will be busy. She’ll be on the road for much of 2019. There’s also an album to promote. But what Nagashima may be proudest of is the fact that she’s the one drawing up the rules of her life. She may have rewritten her future in Vancouver, but she hasn’t forgotten where she comes from. “I am from Japan, and I’m proud that I’m from Japan,” she says. “What I’m doing is going up on-stage and just being me—not making any effort to change my accent or the way I speak. It’s me doing my jokes and showing my craft." g Yumi Nagashima plays Yuk Yuk’s on Tuesday (March 26), the Comedy MIX on Wednesday (March 27), and 604 Records/Comedy Here Often? Spring Fling Livestream next Friday (March 29).

Nosferatu rises again with new score

by Alexander Varty

f you’d like to research Andrew Downing’s upcoming remount of the 1922 silent movie Nosferatu, which he’ll deliver with the aid of the Vancouver Bach Choir and an all-star band this weekend, Google is not necessarily your friend. Yes, a quick web search did turn up F.W. Murnau’s classic vampire movie, accompanied by Downing on bass, a hurdy-gurdy player, and a percussionist. It’s worth watching, and hearing. But that iteration, in which the musicians create a loose, improvised counterpoint to the black-and-white images, is nothing like what we’ll hear with the Bach Choir. “Not at all,” Downing confirms, on the line from his Toronto home. “And, you know, I’d actually forgotten that I had done that. It was a long time ago, and we had never even seen the film before we launched into it. So as I was writing this one, I thought, ‘It feels like I’ve seen this before.’ And then I was looking back at some things and thought, ‘Oh, right!’ ” Downing laughs, but it’s possible that this early experiment was the trigger for an aspect of his career that’s grown in importance ever since. In addition to his work as a jazz composer and his collaborations with Turkish musicians, Downing has devised several silent-film soundtracks over the past few years, including an

Andrew Downing will combine modern music and antique film, backed by the Vancouver Bach Choir.

earlier collaboration with the Bach Choir that resulted in performances of Rupert Julian’s 1925 The Phantom of the Opera in 2013 and 2016. Part of Downing’s interest in combining modern music with antique film, he admits, is practical: movies such as The Phantom of the Opera and Nosferatu are in the public domain, and

can be screened without paying hefty licensing fees. They were also made to be accompanied by semi-improvised piano scores, few of which have survived, so he doesn’t have to compete with the iconic work of later Hollywood composers. “I’m able to write my music for them and not feel like I’m stepping on anybody’s toes,” he

explains. “Also, of the silent films that I’ve scored before, I kind of like the ones that are a little bit weird—and, strangely, a little bit dated. Not in a ridiculous or a bad way, but where the imagery has become something that everybody knows. Everybody knows what this Nosferatu character looks like, and, musically, I can sort of play on that a little bit. I can make something feel a little bit over-the-top, or I can make things feel… Well, I’m not going to use the word humorous—I don’t want to sound like I’m making fun of the film— but I can play on the postmodern ridiculousness of the way things look now.” The fun that Downing has with his “silent” scores extends to the musicians as well—and with Nosferatu, the members of the Vancouver Bach Choir will get to stretch well beyond their usual baroque elegance. At times, they’ll function as a kind of Greek chorus, warning us of the vampire’s evil plans, but in Latin. Elsewhere, they’ll punctuate the action with dramatic sound effects, although for now Downing would prefer to keep the details under wraps. Which means, of course, that no matter how postmodern and knowing we’ve become, there’s still a chance that we’ll be enjoyably scared. g The Vancouver Bach Choir presents Andrew Downing’s Nosferatu at the Orpheum on Saturday (March 23).

MARCH 21 – 28 / 2019 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT 13

from page 12

Nightingale

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the ideal peak of ripeness we’re looking for, we’re really happy with how well it’s come out.” The wine reminds me of a briny and buoyant Chardonnay out of Chablis. River rock, salty sea air, and lemon blossom make for charming aromatics, followed by lemon curd, guava, and green grapes that sail across the palate. A plate of chef Nico Schuermans’s seared albacore tuna with sautéed kale, broccolini, greens, and papadums, dressed with a miso and sesame emulsion, partnered up pretty darn well with it. Their 2017 Blanc de Noir was mighty delicious, and at $30 a pop, it’s quite the steal for a traditional-method sparkling of this quality. After its second ferment in the bottle, the wine spent a bit more than a year on the lees, bringing that lovely fresh-baked-bread note to the nose; a host of Granny Smith apples, quince, and fresh limes make for a lively palate. I was pleased and almost shocked when they pulled out their 2017 Pinot Noir Rosé ($25). With the rising popularity of ultrapale pink wines out of Provence during the past few years, there’s been a trend for wineries around the world to make their rosés lighter and lighter, with a good handful looking pretty much like white wine. Lightning Rock has gone in the opposite direction: with such a dark

hue, it brings to mind candy apples and cherries. So fun! Granite and limestone soils lend a good mineral core, while Bing cherries, Italian plums, and Turkish delight are all quite generous on the palate. Looking at the wine, one may think it’s going to be sweet, but it’s not. I’m thinking salmon on the barbecue or creamy seafood pastas would be worthy companions. Currently, the only other wine they have available is their 2017 Pinot Noir ($35). Wild and partially whole-cluster-fermented, the juice spent three weeks with the skins

and then aged on lees in neutral oak for eight months before going to bottle, unfined and unfiltered. There’s plenty of charisma here, with gobs of blood orange, raspberries, cardamom, and a nice bit of marzipan on the finish. With such small production, availability is quite limited. The best bet is to visit lightningrockwinery.com to nab a few bottles before they are gone. After giving them a whirl, I’m sure many will want to be at the front of the line when the 2018 vintage is released later this year. g

D rink OF THE WEEK YEW SEAFOOD + Bar bartender Jessica Hoffman was inspired to create the Beehive after an afternoon enjoying passion fruit in the Spanish sun. The cocktail is a playful combination of the floral and citrus notes of gin and fresh passion fruit, with the addition of ginger beer to balance the sweetness. It’s an uplifting sipper to welcome spring. THE BEEHIVE

2 oz Bombay Sapphire gin 3/4 oz lemon juice 3/4 oz honey syrup

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TAIWAN’S

You: a taller, more handsome Cillian Murphy doppelganger. Me: dark-haired, red-lipped bartender at the Orpheum. I hoped you would come back to order another water... or uh... lager... so that I could give you my number or maybe even be so bold as to ask you out. But alas, it has come to this. Want to get together for some snacks and sundries some time?

You, slim, athletic, all dressed in black, lovely braid... dancing to the Cat Empire behind the tables towards the back. 11-11:30 ish. I was the oldest guy at the Commodore. After dancing for an hour I sat down... and watched you dance. You scanned the room at one point and we made brief eye contact. Hope you understood I was admiring, not leering. You are beautiful. Thank you.

I SAW A: I AM A: WHEN: MARCH 18, 2019 WHERE: Robson and Cambie

ANGEL AT THE HOSPITAL

I saw you when I was at work. I stepped outside to chat with a contractor. You and your friend were walking your dogs. Your friends dog started yapping at me, and yours ran over to sniff me. I thought you were super gorgeous, but didn’t want to say anything on shift. If you see this, coffee?

I SAW A: I AM A: WHEN: MARCH 18, 2019 WHERE: Burnaby Hospital

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I was walking the corridor past the cafeteria, heading to Endoscopy. Something made me look your way. Did I just catch you smiling at me? I’d love to hear why. I was also feeling a little nervous on the inside and I want to thank you for brightening my day. Coffee? You: Blonde, great smile, in a light pastel green sweater. Me: Black hair, glasses, in a team Canada sweatshirt.

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I was walking with my friend on Denman when we locked eyes for a good 15 seconds as you were passing. I felt my heart in my stomach. I wasn't sure if you were looking at me, but when you kept looking I was discombobulated. I should have stopped you. You were wearing pink, my fave colour. Long blonde hair. Eyes 2 kill. I was wearing a black pullover hoodie, pink/red tartan pants. Pink hair. Platform docs. Would love to see you again.

I’ve never been so attracted to another female. You do your job well. You’re in the kitchen and you tell the boys what’s what. I was staring at you all night, but when I left you smiled at me. Tell me it wasn’t because you were just being courteous.

WISH I WOULD HAVE ASKED YOU FOR A CIGARETTE

I SAW A: I AM A: WHEN: MARCH 12, 2019 WHERE: Vancouver Library on Denman Street

I SAW A: I AM A: WHEN: MARCH 15, 2019 WHERE: The Dime

You: blond, flannel shirt, riding a motorcycle, kind eyes. Outside the Dime, I smiled at you through the window. You came in for a drink with your friend, and when I was leaving you were outside smoking. I smiled at you again. I should have said something... I liked your camo pants ;) Come back and buy me a drink?

LADY IN EMERALD GREEN

I saw a strikingly good looking guy at the Costco, on Production way in Burnaby. You had tanned skin, defined, jawline, and nice eyes. You drove a blue Nissan Versa. I was the blonde girl who you kept making eye contact with.

I SAW A: I AM A: WHEN: MARCH 16, 2019 WHERE: Savio Volpe

Tjimur Dance Theatre photo by Maria Falconer

I SAW A: I AM A: WHEN: MARCH 17, 2019 WHERE: Cat Empire/Commodore

JEANETTE KOTOWICH

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WALKING A PUG

KELLY MCINNES

CAT EMPIRE/COMMODORE DANCING SO SWEET

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BIERCRAFT TONIGHT

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Visit straight.com to post your FREE I Saw You _ 14 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT MARCH 21 – 28 / 2019

ARTS

Sharman is mentoring Sonic’s youth

by Alexander Varty

or proof that Vancouver is no longer the wild and crazy place it once was, consider the course of the Sonic Boom festival. In its early, unjuried days, the annual celebration of local composers sometimes strayed into performanceart territory, with pieces that used tarot cards to determine what would be played, or that featured a pair of Godzilla robots duking it out while electroacoustic music blared from the speakers. Such spectacles were exciting, to be sure, but the event’s comeone, come-all approach meant that even music critics could have their experimental tape compositions heard, and the less said about that, the better. (Trust me: I’ve repented.) Now, though, Sonic Boom’s standards are higher. Which is generally laudable—although as 2019’s composer in residence, Rodney Sharman, notes, this professionalism has come with a cost. “In the 25 years or so that I have been attending Sonic Boom, I would say that Sonic Boom has become more conservative,” Sharman allows in a telephone interview from his East Vancouver home. He goes on to say that the scores he’s had a chance to assess, which had already been prescreened by the Sonic Boom jury, tend to be “less adventurous than some of the work that was being done 25 years ago”. “Now, does that make me show my age? Maybe,” he continues. “But the other thing that I noticed, which is actually fantastic, is that among these juried pieces are pieces by teenagers, pieces from junior-high-school and high-school students. So I think that younger people are studying composition with better teachers, younger, than before, and I find that extremely exciting and encouraging.” Sharman’s brief, in addition to contributing his own text-and-sound work Everything is Vanishing to the third of Sonic Boom’s four nights, was to survey all of the 19 pieces that will be played by the festival’s two resident ensembles— the percussion duo of Julia Chien and

Sonic Boom composer in residence Rodney Sharman says the festival has become more conservative, but that its young artists are flourishing. Photo by Belle Ancell

Younger people are studying composition with better teachers than before. – Rodney Sharman

Aaron Graham, and the all-star Turning Point Ensemble—and give notes during their rehearsals. “I go through all the scores, and I look for every tremolo on the clarinet that’s impossible to play, and every stretch for the vibraphone that is too big, and so on,” he explains. “And I give very, very practical advice on that which is possible and not possible. Ultimately, of course, everybody is encouraged to express their own voice as artists, and I never interfere with that. But with technical things, I always let people know. “So, in that sense, I’m there as a

mentor,” he continues. “But I’m also there as a host. When the concerts come, I’ll be introducing the composers and I’ll be asking questions from the stage.” Sharman’s glad to report that experimentation has not been bred out of Sonic Boom, citing emerging composer and conductor Jaelem Bhate’s innovative use of improvisation and fluctuating tempos in his piece Lock and Key. And that’s part of why the festival is still as relevant as ever to local culture, even if Godzilla robots are unlikely to return. It’s “absolutely crucial” to Vancouver’s burgeoning new-music scene, Sharman contends. “I’ve been a great supporter of Sonic Boom right from its inception, and I used to faithfully go to all the concerts, in part to hear composers I’d never heard before. It’s exciting. But it’s not only for the very young; it also has established composers whose music is perhaps not performed as frequently as some, and also people who are gifted amateurs. It’s a forum for absolutely everybody, and anyone can enter a piece.” g

HANDEL

CORONATION ANTHEMS Pacific Baroque Orchestra Alexander Weimann music director Vancouver Cantata Singers Paula Kremer VCS artistic director

Vancouver Pro Musica presents Sonic Boom at Pyatt Hall and the Orpheum Annex from Thursday to Sunday (March 21 to 24).

Tjimur moves to Indigenous rhythms

by Janet Smith

o understand the mesmerizing work of Taiwan’s Tjimur Dance Theatre, you first need to understand the Paiwan people. The Indigenous culture from the mountains at the southern end of the island nation traditionally has no written language. Instead, its people have expressed their feelings through song and dance. Siblings Ljuzem Madiljin and Baru Madiljin left their Paiwan village to study contemporary dance in the big cities of Taiwan, but when they graduated in 2006, their hearts were pulled back to their cultural homeland. They took a leap of faith and set up Tjimur in small Pingtung county. And something magical has been happening ever since. Taiwan’s first dance company devoted to Paiwan songs and culture, Tjimur now tours the globe from its tiny outpost—including a visit to the Vancouver International Dance Festival this week. “I came back to my hometown and found a lot of people who wanted to dance here, and all those Indigenous kids can have a chance to express themselves now,” says Ljuzem, who also runs a school out of the company. Speaking over Skype video with a translator, she is sitting with her sibling in a vast, beamed studio lined with artful bookshelves, the sun from a 30-degree day streaming in. It’s a small but atmospheric glimpse of the serene village headquarters of their acclaimed company. “There are pressures on Taiwanese performers, and we had no sponsors at first. But it is very important for us to stay in this place. This place really inspires choreography. “We are one of only a few dance companies in Taiwan. Cloud Gate [Dance Theatre] is the biggest,” she adds, referring to the famed troupe that came to Vancouver’s Cultural Olympiad in 2010. “We’re much smaller. We have a group of around 10.” Varhung—Heart to Heart, the work that will come here, was built like many of the company’s other creations, starting with the songs of a tribe that loves, and lives, to sing. “From the traditional songs, we create these rhythms of the body,” explains Baru, “but that is also just there from living here, in this place and culture.” For Varhung, the dancers also delved into another practice important to the daily life of the people of Paiwan:

AT THE CHAN CENTRE

APR14

The harvest rituals of Taiwan’s Paiwan people inspired the latest work by Tjimur Dance Theatre. Photo by Jhao Lun Huang

the harvesting of shell ginger, which is woven to create everything from food wraps to articles for funerary use. The Madiljins’ performers trekked into the mountains to cut, clean, and dry the crop with local Paiwan farmers. Choreographer Baru says the motions and rituals of that harvest deeply influenced the movement in the piece, and the wispy fronds make an artful appearance in Varhung. But the dances derived from the harvest, especially the act of peeling the plants, layer by layer, started to take on metaphorical meaning, too. “It’s like you cut your heart open and really dig into it to get at your secrets,” he explains. The dancers sing of very human concerns, like thwarted love and hope, asking “anemaq” (“what?”) and “makudja” (“what happened?”), Baru says. “The songs and the dance are about all the emotions that you can’t say—and this sentiment or approach relates directly to Paiwan life,” he explains. “The dance is very open. In the end we hope it is a heart-to-heart with the audience. And we really want to open our heart.” g The Vancouver International Dance Festival presents Tjimur Dance Theatre’s Varhung—Heart to Heart at the Vancouver Playhouse next Friday and Saturday (March 29 and 30).

Tickets from $36 | earlymusic.bc.ca | 604.822.2697 This concert is generously supported by Helen & Frank Elfert

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ARTS

Danger lurks in haunting Misconduct Marine Life spawns apocalyptic rom-com; ambitious GOLDRAUSCH remixes history

THEATRE

GROSS MISCONDUCT

By Meghan Gardiner. Directed by Kayvon Khoshkam. A SpeakEasy Theatre production. At the Gateway Theatre on Sunday, March 17. Continues until March 23

d FOREBODING AND unease— these are words to describe the atmosphere as you step into the black-box studio, where all eyes are trained upon the lone Deke, played by Ian Butcher, lying on a bonewhite bed in silent contemplation. The in-the-round setup adds to the ominous sensation in the room as you take furtive glances at the other audience members, all sitting in quiet anticipation. What follows is 100 minutes of hauntingly beautiful theatre, carefully crafted by director Kayvon Khoshkam to provide a poignant exploration of sexual assault that is sure to keep your eyes glued to the stage until the very last second. SpeakEasy Theatre’s Gross Misconduct follows the story of the abrasive and brooding Deke, who, after spending many years alone in his cell, is joined by a new prisoner named Corey (Mike Gill). As Corey begs his cellmate to protect him from the ever-present danger of prison rape, Deke is forced to confront demons from his past when a mysterious diary written by someone named Abigail is delivered to him. The audience, in turn, must examine not only the morally grey areas each character inhabits, but also the ways in which we all contribute to the rape culture of today. Butcher embodies Deke’s tormented soul perfectly, and his standoffish demeanour contrasts well with Gill’s spoiled yet charming Corey. Their hockey banter is endearing and even comical at times, almost making us forget just how flawed and broken each of them is—almost. Scott Bellis’s Gareth is the prison guard you love to hate, and his creepiness factor increases tenfold when he gently caresses the helpless Corey’s back and chest while making an indecent proposal. Sereana Malani lends her captivating voice to the role of Abigail, who recounts the story of her first crush. Abigail’s anecdotes are welcome interludes in an otherwise maledriven story. Markian Tarasiuk’s minimalist set design is compact, and works in tandem with the in-the-round seating that reinforces the idea that these characters are under scrutiny. Lighting designer Jillian White’s use of strobe adds to the harsh and unforgiving tone of the play, and her bold use of flashlights in the dark is a stroke of genius. However, patchy lighting takes away from Abigail’s otherwise flawless delivery when she steps on and off the audience bleachers. It is worth mentioning this show also debuts the experimental implementation of a new seating-card system, reminiscent of the process used by airlines for boarding. While a valiant effort, the process seems a tad irrelevant, given that the intimate seating plan does not require such measures to be taken. However, with no intermission, the process is thankfully not repeated, and takes nothing away from the stellar work inside the venue. This SpeakEasy Theatre production is undoubtedly a must-watch this season. If you seek a night of introspection and thought-provoking theatre, look no further than Gross Misconduct.

The tormented inmate played by Ian Butcher (left) is at the heart of Gross Misconduct’s exploration of moral grey zones. Photo by David Cooper

paradox, is an appropriate token of Guillermo Calderón’s play, a manifold study in reframed narratives that juxtaposes fantasy and reality to underline the cost of pursuing ideals. Months into shooting GOLDRAUSCH, a film adaptation of a 1925 novel about John Augustus Sutter, a settler who haplessly instigated the California gold rush, Oskar (Karthik Kadam) experiences a lack of “love and joy” in his film. Assuming his cast will comply, he proceeds to hire two new leads, Erik (Gray Clark) and Marlene (Hannah Everett), to engage in salacious scenarios he assumes his existing talents, Alexander (Matthew Rhodes) and Greta (Tebo Nzeku), would not. Naturally, pandemonium ensues. Calderón’s script trades in reinvention, and this quality is apparent in every aspect of the play. The gold rush’s prospects and its later decline struck a gruelling divide between fantasy and reality, which the novel Gold subsequently diluted by reinterpreting those events. With the historical events still further remixed by Oskar’s cinematic take, on-set turmoil results in shouting matches that shift into non-sequitur country sing-alongs, complete with karaoke lyrics and dance. Later, the completed film enjoys a rebirth as trenchant commentary, when the cast speaks out at a prerelease press conference. Such divergences may suggest a kind of willful blindness in ambitious pursuits, as shown by the characters’ foibles. The historical Sutter left his five children and wife Annette overseas while he settled

fishes in galoshes, the de facto footwear of hapless weekend warriors. There are By Rosa Labordé. Directed by also some scuba fins used to excellent Diane Brown. A Ruby Slippers comic effect. Oddly, I’ve never seen a successful Theatre production. At the Firehall play with environmental themes at its Arts Centre on Friday, March 15. heart. Activists are often frustrated by Continues until March 23 the abstract, existential nature of the d THE FIRST NOTE I made while climate-change threat. Maybe this is watching Marine Life was “This guy why it’s so hard to write a play about it? by Darren Barefoot doesn’t know how to fish.” In the opening scene, Sebastien Archibald as Rupert casts into an imaginary river like he’s playing badminton. This is in GOLDRAUSCH character, though. This is Rupert’s first By Guillermo Calderón. Directed by Jenny Larson. A Department of attempt at fishing. Which explains why he accidentally Theatre and Film at UBC production. hooks Sylvia (Christine Quintana). Syl- At the Frederic Wood Theatre on via is not a fish, but she kind of wishes Friday, March 15. Continues until she were. She’s a strident environment- March 30 al activist, revolted by fishing, plastic, and nearly everything in between. d “WE HAVE very little time, so do it Rupert suggests the aquarium as a slowly,” says Oskar, the film director at location for their first date, but Sylvia the centre of GOLDRAUSCH. This compares that to “going on a date to oft-repeated command, a risible Rikers to look at prisoners”. And yet this is the “meet cute”, so they fall for each other. Their relationship is soon complicated by Sylvia’s mentally ill brother, John (Alen Dominguez). Sylvia tries to keep the self-harming John alive while negotiating her tempestuous romance with 18/19 Rupert, a corporate lawyer. The funny rom-com vibe turns decidedly apocalyptic as their city experiences torrential rain and flooding. That summary might sound simple enough, but there’s a lot to take in, in Marine Life. The production starts on a high emotional note—Sylvia hollering in pain—and mostly stays there for 90 minutes. Along the way, the script oscillates between the couple’s easy banter and darker monologues about marine debris and our aquatic ancestry. Most scenes are accompanied by projections by Jordan Watkins and Ryan McDonald on a huge screen upstage. And did I mention that John sometimes plays guitar and sings mariachi tunes? Both Sylvia and Rupert end up being caricatures. She is absurdly uncompromising in her beliefs, while he’s constantly finding new ways to express his fragile masculinity. Meanwhile, John is manipulative, demanding all of Sylvia’s attention. It’s hard to know who to sympathize with. You’re never bored, but director Diane Brown didn’t quite tie all these elements together. Sometimes the photorealistic projections worked, other times they were a distraction. Several scenes occur outdoors in the rain, but John Webber’s lighting design ST U D I O 5 8 / L A N GA R A C O L L E G E P R ES E N TS didn’t do enough to establish a feeling of torrential precipitation. Meanwhile, Drew Facey’s set was a series of low platforms atop bunched plastic sheeting. “As the world is overflowing with plastic, so too is the stage” seemed too on the nose. I don’t typically remark on actors’ Dramaturg Aaron Bushkowsky footwear, but it’s reflective of Jessica Student writing supported by George Stephenson Oostergo’s very particular costume TICKETSTONIGHT.CA 604.684.2787 STUDIO58.CA designs. In his first scene, John wears hospital socks, foreshadowing his illness. Meanwhile, Sylvia wears blood-red boots that look like leather, hinting at by Samuel Jing a subsequent crisis of faith. And Rupert MARINE LIFE

in present-day Sacramento; his callousness is matched by Oskar, a man so driven by his film that he resorts to selling his pet turtle and stealing cheese and cash to survive. Alexander’s devotion to acting renders transgressions moot, as when he is asked to romance a horse, while Greta’s loneliness might stem from the absence of her three kids, who’ve been sent to Disneyland for the duration of the shoot. Director Jenny Larson offers a smorgasbord of visual, aural, and verbal delights by orchestrating a fantastic team. Luis Bellassai’s set reflects modernity through filmmaking implements and pop-art murals of iconic American symbols, while Vanessa Tang captures the fantastical through her occasionally subversive lighting choices. Zach Levis’s wall-projected video, livestreaming Oskar’s cameras, wonderfully exaggerates the cast’s comic timing, and sound designer Erika Champion rolls out Americana by way of songs from Buck Owens, Jimmy Buffett, and Tammy Wynette. Densely packed with meaning, GOLDRAUSCH is a play that traverses terrain requiring quick thinking, shuffling as it does between fantasy and reality. Its layered back story, coupled with multiple language leaps, may prove challenging to some audiences, although it is still a romp of punch lines and ensemble singing. Just as Oskar tells his actors at one point, however—declaring “I need your love, your blood, your gold”— you may find more enjoyment if you’re fully invested. by Danny Kai Mak

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MARCH 21 – 28 / 2019 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT 17

ARTS LISTINGS ONGOING VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL DANCE FESTIVAL Highlights of the monthlong festival include Taiwan’s Tjimur Dance Theatre. To Mar 30, Various Vancouver venues. JESUS FREAK A story of family, faith, and the in-between space. To Mar 23, 8-10 pm, Pacific Theatre. $20-36.50. REDPATCH The Arts Club Theatre Company presents Raes Calvert and Sean Harris Oliver’s story of an Indigenous soldier from the Nuu-chah-nulth Nation of Vancouver Island. To Mar 31, Goldcorp Stage at the BMO Theatre Centre. From $29. GROSS MISCONDUCT Two inmates at Millhaven Prison debate the nature of their crimes. To Mar 23, Gateway Theatre. $29. GOLDRAUSCH Comedy about the man who started the Gold Rush Fever of 1848. To Mar 30, Frederic Wood Theatre. $24.50/11. 7 STORIES Morris Panych’s metatheatrical black comedy, directed by Thrasso Petras. To Mar 22, 7:30 pm, Douglas College Studio Theatre. $5-20. MARINE LIFE Ruby Slippers Theatre presents the Western Canadian premiere of a romantic comedy by Rosa Labordé. To Mar 23, 8 pm, Firehall Arts Centre. $33. HOT BROWN HONEY Politically driven, stereotype-smashing hip-hop empowerment play. To Mar 30, 8-9:15 pm, York Theatre. Tix $10-51. MULTIPLE ORGANISM Genre- and genderbending surrealist comedy for adults about having a body and how our body is seen by others. Mar 19-30, 8 pm, Vancity Culture Lab. $28. 9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL Based on the 1980 hit movie. Three female coworkers concoct a plan to get even with their sexist, egotistical, lying, and hypocritical boss. Mar 21, 8 pm; Mar 20, 8 pm; Mar 22, 8 pm; Mar 23, 8 pm; Mar 23, 2 pm, BlueShore Financial Centre for the Performing Arts. $24/15/10. MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY AT UBC aIN A DIFFERENT LIGHT: REFLECTING ON NORTHWEST COAST ART to summer 2020 aMARKING THE INFINITE: CONTEMPORARY WOMEN ARTISTS FROM ABORIGINAL AUSTRALIA to Mar 31 aSHAKEUP: PRESERVING WHAT WE VALUE to Sep 1 MUSEUM OF VANCOUVER aWILD THINGS: THE POWER OF NATURE IN OUR LIVES to Sep 30 aHAIDA NOW: A VISUAL FEAST OF INNOVATION AND TRADITION to Dec 1 VANCOUVER ART GALLERY aFRENCH MODERNS: MONET TO MATISSE, 1850–1950 to May 20 aAFFINITIES: CANADIAN ARTISTS AND FRANCE to May 20 aDISPLACEMENT to Jun 9 aMOWRY BADEN to Jun 9

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20 SPRING BREAK AT THE POLYGON Handson workshops and activities designed to stimulate imagination. Mar 20-24, 11 am–3 pm, the Polygon. By donation. ENVISION Boca del Lupo presents nine immersive micro excerpts of new contemporary work. Mar 20,-23, 7-11 pm, Performance Works. $20. LADIES AGAINST HUMANITY The Fictionals present a live improv tournament. Mar 20, 8-10 pm, Rio Theatre. $12.

THURSDAY, MARCH 21 SONIC BOOM MUSIC FESTIVAL 2019 Festival celebrating new-music works by B.C. composers. Mar 21-24, Pyatt Hall. $20/15. THE ORCHARD (AFTER CHEKHOV) Sarena Parmar’s timeless family drama set in the Okanagan Valley. Mar 21–Apr 21, Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage. From $29. ONCE OUR LAND 2 Launch of a graphic-novel sequence written and illustrated by Peter Ricq. Mar 21, 5-9 pm, Slice of Life Gallery and Studios .

JAMES TWYMAN: PEACE TROUBADOR James Twyman discusses his new book Giovanni and the Camino of St Francis. Mar 21, 6:30-8 pm, Banyen Books and Sound. Free. TRANS AM TOTEM & OUR BEAUTIFUL WEST COAST THING Stories behind the creation of Marcus Bowman’s public art installation. Mar 21, 7-9 pm, Ferry Building Gallery . $15. POLYGLAMOROUS BOOK LAUNCH Robin Beatch reads from her book Polyglamorous: A Queer Mom’s Misadventures and Lessons on Non-Monogamy. Mar 21, 7:30-9:30 pm, The Art of Loving. Free. MILLENNIAL LINE Standup comedy and poetry. Mar 21, 8:30-10:30 pm, Red Gate Arts Society. $7-10. NEEDS IMPROVMENT WITH THE CHEDDAH BOYS Improvised night of lewd and crude comedy. Mar 21, 10 pm, Havana Theatre. $10.

FRIDAY, MARCH 22 THE CHOIR OF CLARE COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, UK Thirty-two-voice ensemble gives a complete performance of Tomas Luis de Victoria’s 1605 Requiem. Mar 22, 7:30 pm, St. James’ Anglican Church. $25-30. STRINGFEST! Eric Wilson leads the UBC Chamber Strings. Mar 22, 7:30-9:30 pm, Telus Studio Theatre. $8. MYSTERY AT GREENFINGERS A comedic whodunnit set in a snowstorm. Mar 22-24, 7:30 pm, PAL Theatre. STEVE HOFSTETTER Comedian and YouTube star performs two nights of standup. Mar 22-23, Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club. $25. TEEN ANGST NIGHT Sara Bynoe hosts a night of readings from embarrassing teenage notebooks. Mar 22, 8-10 pm, Fox Cabaret. $10/15. CHILDREN OF GOD A powerful musical about residential schools. Mar 22-23, 8-10:10 pm, Surrey Arts Centre. $29-49. THE DELIGHTLY All-genres cabaret where creators present new material and engage in unexpected collaborations. Mar 22, 10:30 pm, Havana Theatre. $15.

SATURDAY, MARCH 23 THE LIVELINESS OF OBJECTS Anthropologist Kate Hennessy talks with artist Dina González Mascaró about her exhibition Vessels are Never Empty. Mar 23, 3-5 pm, franc gallery. BLOODFEUD: WE MISSED OUR BUS Standup vs. improv comedy. Mar 23, 7:30 pm, Little Mountain Gallery. $10/12. HEARTSONGS: STORIES OF LOVE, LUST AND LOSS Fusion of dance-theatre and burlesque. Mar 23, 7:30-10 pm, Dusty Flower Shop. $20. MAGDALENA HOW Soprano How is joined by pianist Carter Johnson for a program of operetta favourites. Mar 23, 8 pm, Grand Luxe Hall. $16-28. THE COMIC STRIP Standup comedy by Sean McDonnell, Amber Harper-Young, and headliner Yumi Nagashima. Mar 23, 9 pm, Tyrant Studios. $18. ALICIA TOBIN’S COME DRAW WITH ME Comedy inspired by audience drawings. Mar 23, 10 pm, Little Mountain Gallery. $10/12.

SUNDAY, MARCH 24 POETRY READING Poetry readings by Pierre Coupey, Matea Kulić, and George Stanley. Mar 24, 2 pm, Seymour Art Gallery. Free. MINDFUL DANCER Workshop to explore selfcare and mindfulness for young dancers. Mar 24, 5-7 pm, Scotiabank Dance Centre. $30-40. GEEKS VERSUS NERDS Comedy show pits fan-favourite pop-culture icons against each other. Mar 24, 6-9 pm, ANZA Club. $10. WATER & POWER Readings celebrating the launch of Stephen Dunn’s novel. Mar 24, 6:30 pm, Massy Books.

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23 at the Annex) VSO players bring to life the inspired works of Gabriel Dharmoo, Ann Southam, Jared Miller, and Allison Cameron. William Rowson conducts this concert that artfully recognizes the 50th anniversary of homosexual rights in Canada.

ANGRY WHITE MEN II (To

March 27 at Visual Space Gallery) Painter David Haughton’s portraits of neo-Nazis, Trump supporters, and others leading a wave of division provoke strong emotions. Appropriating images from news photos, the artist seems to be asking “Why?” and “Why now?”

THE ORCHARD (AFTER CHEKHOV) (March 21 to April 21

at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage) Playwright Serena Parmar tells the story of Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard through the eyes of a Punjabi-Sikh family in the Okanagan Valley. g JNT COMEDY Cannabis-based comedy hosted by Andrew Packer. Mar 24, 8 pm, Cannabis Culture Headquarters. $10. THE SUNDAY SERVICE Improv comedy show. Mar 24, 9-11:30 pm, Fox Cabaret. $10.

MONDAY, MARCH 25 FAMILY FUSE SPRING BREAK EDITION: THE EVERYDAY IN DIFFERENT WAYS Programs connecting kids to interdisciplinary art practices. Mar 25-29, 12-4 pm, Vancouver Art Gallery. FOR THE CHANGING MOON An evening of poetry and music with artist Anna Marie Sewell. Mar 25, 7-9 pm, Historic Joy Kogawa House. Free.

JOSEPH A. DANDURAND: POETRY AND STORIES Indigenous poet shares stories from his upcoming books. Mar 26, 2 pm, Vancouver Public Library Firehall Branch. Free. THE RISE OF ON-STAGE STORYTELLING AND OTHER MUTATIONS Talk by Vancouver playwright TJ Dawe explores how theatre is adapting and finding new audiences. Mar 26, 7-9 pm, Alliance for Arts and Culture. $15.

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(March 23 at Christ Church Cathedral) Boston–based ensemble Blue Heron brings to life Guillaume de Machaut’s poem through not only song, but also narration and projected images from manuscripts.

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27 HOLLYWOOD NORTH AT LEFT COAST CRIME Author and playwright Mark LeirenYoung explores the realities of navigating the media scene. Mar 27, Hyatt Regency Vancouver. FRIENDS IN LOW PLACES Trombonist Jeremy Berkman and bassist David Brown perform works by Elgar, Frescobaldi, Top, Bley, and Schipizky. Mar 27, 12-1 pm, Roy Barnett Recital Hall. $5. CREATOR SERIES Audiobook narrator Erin Moon discusses the growing world of audiobooks. Mar 27, 7 pm, Vancouver Public Library Central Branch. Free. PULL FESTIVAL Vancouver’s annual 10-minute play festival. Mar 27-30, 8 pm, Havana Theatre. $25.

THURSDAY, MARCH 28 LEFT COAST CRIME 2019: A WHALE OF A CRIME Crime-fiction convention. Mar 28-31, Hyatt Regency Vancouver. THE FORBIDDEN PURPLE CITY Join author Philip Huynh for the Vancouver launch of his new book. Mar 28, 7 pm, Massy Books. Free. BYRON BERTRAM Canadian comedian performs three nights of standup. Mar 28, 8 pm; Mar 29, 8 pm; Mar 30, 7 pm; Mar 30, 9:30 pm, Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club. $10/20.

MARKING THE INFINITE

Contemporary Women Artists from Aboriginal Australia

FRIDAY, MARCH 29 GLORY In 1933, four friends set out to prove to Canada that hockey isn’t just a sport for men. Mar 29-30, Kay Meek Arts Centre. $19-48.

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SATURDAY, MARCH 30

- The New York Times

THE REVIVAL—ART EXHIBITION: SIKH HERITAGE MONTH BC Join us at the opening weekend of Sikh Heritage Month BC: The Revival—Art Exhibition! The exhibition will highlight local Sikh and Sikh-inspired artists from B.C. and consist of artwork, poetry, film, and historical exhibits, as well as stage performances, including a Raag (musical) performance. Refreshments will be provided. Mar 30-31, 5:30-9 pm, Surrey City Hall. $20.

THU APR 11 2019 / 8PM

Cristina Pato Quartet C H A N C E N T R E AT U B C

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MARCH 21 – 28 / 2019 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT 19

MOVIES

A Jia Zhangke celebration for purists

by Adrian Mack

vancouver south african

n his classic book The Trickster and the Paranormal, George P. Hansen identifies liminality or “anti-structure” as a condition under which supernature tends to emerge. This can be personal or global. In either case, flux yields profound weirdness. It’s a notion that surfaces in the seemingly unlikely context of the breathtaking Chinese gangster epic Ash Is Purest White, opening Friday (March 22). Written and directed by one of the major filmmakers of our time, Jia Zhangke’s latest is playful, funny, personal, arch, dazzling—and in a moment of either jarring whimsy or profound sadness (your choice), one of its two major characters, Qiao (Zhao Tao), watches a UFO streak across a desolate night sky. “I think the gangster, or jianghu, film is very much about complex interpersonal relationships,” saysJia, speaking to the Georgia Straight through a translator during a press stop in New York. “Qiao is the moll of this particular brotherhood, there’s the connection between herself and her father, and she makes many different friends along the way as she is travelling. But suddenly I want to make it prominently known to the audience a sense of loneliness, that Qiao suddenly realizes she’s all by herself, and the connections she makes will be with the universe, with all the planets and stars that she gazes at. This is why I incorporate the UFO sequence. It’s a way to somehow mark that kind of transition.” A recently developed interest in science fiction aside (“Just in the last two years,” he says), the filmmaker adds that he doesn’t need a theory of the paranormal to explain a poetic beat. But it’s worth noting that Jia used the same symbol and the same

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Yangtze River location 13 years ago in Still Life, in which a “three-thousand-year-old township suddenly is in ruins and soon will be underwater” courtesy of the construction of China’s Three Gorges Dam. Society in change is a major theme in Jia’s work, and Ash is no different, spanning 16 years in the lives of Qiao and her lover, mobster Bin (Liao Fan). Beginning in 2001—“a very crucial year for China”—the film observes Qiao after a stint in prison throws her internal world into chaos. The source of the film’s melancholy humour and sense of resignation is that Qiao is bound to Bin, even as the dynamics of their relationship go topsy-turvy, across vast periods and distances. At its most blunt, the collision of Jia with genre arrives in the film’s ironic use of the saccharine theme to John Woo’s iconic The Killer. “I’m a big fan of both the director and also [singer] Sally Yeh,” he offers. “And I think it’s something that perfectly captures what I’m trying to

portray in the film, which is that it’s very much in the genre of the gangster film, but at the same time it’s also lamenting the disappearance of that kind of human connection, that sense of loyalty that you have with another person. So to me it’s something that will conjure up my nostalgia and my memories of what it’s like in the past when we actually believed in those types of codes of conduct in the underworld. Now I no longer see that. You see the change of values in the contemporary Chinese society.” Musically speaking, Ash also offers the Village People’s “YMCA” as callback to Jia’s Mountains May Depart (2015), which employed the Pet Shop Boys’ “Go West” to similarly galvanizing effect. If the sense here is of an auteur’s work in conversation with itself, Vancouverites have the opportunity to really partake when the Vancity Theatre begins its mammoth retrospective of Jia Zhangke’s work on Thursday (March 21) with 2000’s Platform. g

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Women, war, and a world without men by Ken Eisner

REVIEWS THE SOWER

Starring Pauline Burlet. In French, with English subtitles. Rating unavailable

d THE BACKGROUND to The Sower would make one hell of a movie. In 1852, before the Industrial Revolution reached the French Alps, near the Italian border, Violette Ailhaud was 16 when all the men in her village were taken away. Soldiers had just put down a peasant rebellion intended to restore the republic established the previous century. Now, Napoleon’s recently elected nephew, Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, declared himself emperor and the fallout was brutal. Women in rural areas had to fend for themselves, leading here to a fascinating and curiously romantic episode that Violette wrote about in 1919. “Each time,” she wrote, “the Republic has mowed our men as we mow wheat. It was a clean job. But our bellies no longer give crops.” That’s the gist as told in a first feature by writer-director Marine Francen, who focuses on how the remaining villagers survived. Pauline Burlet is the film’s Violette, the reluctant point person when her cohort and their still-young mothers agree that if any reasonable fellow should happen to stumble upon their mountain retreat they should share whatever seed he’s willing to plant. A likely lad does eventually show up, and although he’s pushing 40, amiable, rugged-looking, and wellread Jean (Alban Lenoir) proves useful in a number of ways. The hitch is that Violette and Jean are so powerfully drawn to each other that the time-share deal proves harder to enforce than expected. Aside from all that, the film is so beautifully lit, shot, and edited, many viewers could be satisfied to merely observe the day-to-day life of women, unencumbered by men or modern technology. When the real-life Violette was very old, she stipulated that her unique account be handed to her eldest female descendant in 1952, a hundred years after these events. Her words weren’t published until 2006. That’s how long it takes for some women’s stories to be told.

ventures. When the adoption subplot kicks in, they are joined by a female trio of Ukrainian singers, marking the contrasts between male and female, militant and pacific, normal and just plain weird. All these elements head confidently toward an uplifting yet appropriately open-ended finish. ASH IS PUREST WHITE

Starring Zhao Tao. In Mandarin, with English subtitles. Rated PG

d THERE’S NO denying Chinese auteur Jia Zhangke’s passion for wringing universal, if somewhat twisted, stories out of remote locations, with increasingly international casts and crews, and turning them into definitive statements on a nation he loves but that definitely drives him crazy.

Lucky Vancouverites can sample a wide range of Jia’s works in a retrospective at the Vancity Theatre. These include his nihilism-pricking Unknown Pleasures, futuristic Mountains May Depart, and Tarantino-esque A Touch of Sin. One thing those titles have in common with the new one is the presence of Zhao Tao, his favourite star, and wife. She has the whole run of the time-jumping Ash Is Purest White, and pulls it off spectacularly. Zhao plays Qiao, a party girl with hidden depths that are tested again and again. When we meet her, in 2001, she’s the blunt-cut Uma Thurman to Liao Fan’s John Travolta. He is Bin, a handsome mobster who runs the local mahjong parlour in Datong. Bin seems to have it all together, and is respected as well as feared by local thugs, cops, and cadres. Well, not

feared enough, it seems, and Qiao ends up taking the fall for Bin when she defends him against young hoodlums with his own illegal gun. When shit goes down, the twosome don’t find each other again for five years, allowing Qiao to explore the Three Gorges area, with the looming dam project that Jia centred his Still Life on. The new movie becomes increasingly peripatetic, changing video formats as this century progresses, and travels to more out-of-

the-way places, as well as revisiting many of the socio-political themes he developed in earlier efforts. In the end, which takes almost 140 minutes to reach, Ash is almost too self-involved. The relatively draggy last half-hour, set in the present, rests entirely on Qiao’s undying love for Bin—a fellow who, frankly, doesn’t seem to deserve half this much attention. For some reason, she still doesn’t grasp that she’s the hero of her own story. g

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d SOMEONE WEARING a Nelson Mandela mask uses a rock to smash a drone she just shot down with a bow and arrow. That’s just one of many startling images presented by Woman at War, an ecopolitical action movie savvy enough to throw entertainment grenades at an audience that might be expecting lectures. The woman in the mask, battling the power grid that she feels is overindustrializing Iceland’s rugged landscape, is Halla, a middle-aged choir director played magnificently by Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir. (She does double duty as our hero’s twin sister, Ása.) Halla’s been sabotaging electrical stations and cooking up a radical manifesto with help from someone inside the government (Jörundur Ragnarsson), but when he tells her it’s time to cool it, she only gets more ambitious. As if the stakes weren’t high enough, Halla gets word that the adoption she applied for years ago has suddenly come through, and she’s been matched with a four-year-old Ukrainian girl. Will Halla yield to her maternal instincts or keep pulling warrior duty for Mother Earth? Things don’t stay that simple for writer-director Benedikt Erlingsson in his terrific followup to 2013’s Of Horses and Men. Here, he’s constantly shifting moods and color palettes, aided by three bearded musicians who accompany Halla’s adMARCH 21 – 28 / 2019 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT 21

music

Viagra Boys erect a wall of agitation

by Mike Usinger

riendly and laid-back as he is, Benjamin Vallé admits to being more than a little on the stressed side when reached in his hometown of Stockholm. Viagra Boys—the much-hyped Swedish six-piece he plays guitar in— are about to launch a major assault on North America. The prospect of being on the road for a 30-day full-bore grind—which will include a comingout party at SXSW—means there’s plenty of last-minute scrambling to be done. “We leave tomorrow morning, so right now I’m like, ‘Did I get everything that I need to bring?’ ” Vallé told the Straight. “I finally decided to take just a small cabin bag. I’ve got enough for 14 days, then I’ll go to the laundromat and do it all over again instead of having a lot of shit to drag around.” That he’s decided to go the streamlined route makes some sense when you consider the path Viagra Boys took on their debut full-length, Street Worms. Vallé and his bandmates have quite accurately argued that the record is as indebted to pioneering Berlin-spawned dance music as it is to gloomy postpunk, grinding hardcore, and dialled-down free jazz. That means surprises such as the squealing sax almost driving things off the rails in “Down in the Basement”, and the flat-out crazy “Best in Show”, American-born singer Sebastian Murphy’s spoken-word tribute to the weird world of dogs. When it comes to attitude, there’s no hiding which section of the record store Vallé and his fellow Viagra Boys grew up shopping in. “When you’re a kid you’re either a heavy-metal kid or a punker,” he offers. “I was a punk rocker with a Mohawk—a snotty little idiot kid.

Stockholm’s Viagra Boys are part of a lineage that includes punk-rock button-pushers like Dead Kennedys and the Stooges.

But nowadays I’m like, ‘I really love Jethro Tull.’ Me as a kid hearing me say that as an adult would have gone bananas. Like, ‘What are you doing, you fucking bore?’ ” We’ve really tried to Veterans of the Swedish hardcore scene, Viagra Boys see themselves as make it different, to part of a lineage that includes buttonwhere people might pushing agitators like the Stooges, Dead Kennedys, and Butthole Surfers. even feel appalled Bonding Viagra Boys to such and challenged. legends is the belief that artists have one job, and that’s to fuck shit up on – Benjamin Vallé multiple fronts. These days that’s normally the job of hip-hop artists like XXXTentacion and Tekashi 6ix9ine. That rock ’n’ roll is in one of its safe, dormant periods left an open“Maybe what we’re doing is filling, Vallé suggests, for Viagra Boys. ing a hole that needed to be filled,”

he offers. “Looking at Sebastian, he’s kind of dangerous like Iggy Pop was. He’s not only a dangerous person, he looks like a dangerous person. He’s a weirdo. “And then all of us decided to think outside the box instead of just having the typical sort of guitar riffs. I mean, we have some typical rock songs, and we have songs that are all about drums, synthesizers, and saxophone as well. It’s simple but we’ve really tried to make it different, to where people might even feel appalled and challenged.” More importantly, audiences might also find themselves thinking. Good chunks of Street Worms are twisted enough to impress Gibby Haynes during the acid-gobbling years.

That dedication to flying one’s freak flag is perhaps best embodied by “Sports”. The video for the song, in which the shirtless and heavily tattooed Murphy lurches around a busy tennis-club court with a microphone and mile-long microphone cable, has done big business on YouTube. But pay attention to the deceptively simple lyrics— basically a laundry list of popular sports interspersed with references to wieners and balls—and you get one of the most perfect commentaries on the mindless sports obsessions of the average American male since the Dead Kennedys’ “Jock-o-Rama”. Clever? Incredibly so, which explains why, after years and years of playing music in go-nowhere punk bands—sometimes with each other— Vallé and the rest of Viagra Boys have found themselves onto something that’s generating a blizzard of hype. “Right from the early rehearsals and first live shows we were kind of feeling it,” the guitarist says. “Then we did some demos in our rehearsal room and it was like, ‘Okay, this is the way to go, because this is really fucking good.’ That’s great, because we didn’t start this band to get rich. I was in a band before and we toured—a lot—in Europe. I always came home broke.” Now, even after going the renegade, art-over-commerce route, he’s lucky enough to be doing music full-time. He’s the first to recognize how lucky he is. “I’ve been touring since ’97 and was barely able to survive,” Vallé marvels. “So all this is nothing but a bonus. And it’s better than working in an office.” g Viagra Boys play the Fox Cabaret on Monday (March 25).

U.K.’s Hælos is wide awake in America d FOR ALL THE flaws that’ve made it the country the world loves to hate, the United States of America is an endlessly fascinating, undeniably inspiring place. Consider, on that front, part of the back story behind Any Random Kindness, the sophomore album from London, England, trip-hop revivalists Hælos. The members of the then trio—Arthur Delaney, Lotti Benardout, and Dom Goldsmith—spent plenty of time in the land of the free and the home of the increasingly batshit-crazy after the release of their debut full-length, Full Circle. (A fourth member, Daniel Vildosola, joined later.) Some experiences could not have been more mind-blowing, including landing on the stage at the gold-standard superfestival known as Coachella. Then there were moments of the more surreal variety, including the day in Texas Delaney discovered you don’t mess around with one of the country’s most cherished institutions. “We were in Austin for South By Southwest when I was really getting into the beginning of researching for this record,” says the multi-instrumentalist—who shares singing duties with his bandmates—on the line from his London home. “I was wearing a jacket that had some bastardization of the NASA logo and someone came over to me and said, ‘You shouldn’t be wearing that—it’s actually illegal to do that to the NASA logo.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, whatever,’ and she pulled out a card to prove that

VISHTÈN COOKS UP A STEW OF COSMOPOLITAN SOUNDS

On its Any Random Kindness album, Hælos explores climate change, social-media overload, and other hot-button issues.

she actually worked for NASA.” That quickly turned into a gift. “I was like, ‘Oh my God—this is crazy. I’ve literally been wanting to find someone I can talk to about climate change.’ It turned out she was a climate-change scientist. We ended up having a really long and dark conversation.” That’s a tip-off that Hælos set out to tackle some big issues (climate change, social-media overload) on Any Random Kindness, which explains song titles like “End of World Party” and “Kyoto”. The album-ending “Last One Out (Turn the Lights Off)” starts with Delaney singing of a world where the water’s rising around him, and ends with “Come take my hand/We’ll dive where the cities lie in the bottom.”

22 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT MARCH 21 – 28 / 2019

“Full Circle was a very psychological and spiritual record,” Delaney says. “This one was all about ‘What the fuck is going on?’ So if Full Circle was an awakening record, this one is ‘Fuck— we’re awake and this is where we are.’ ” Bleak as that sounds, Hælos sometimes goes the grand and opulent route on Any Random Kindness, with the synth-soaked “Empty Skies” layered with star-swept strings. The record also shows that the group is determined to move beyond the postBristol ambiance that marked its early material. The aforementioned “End of the World Party” draws heavily on classic ’80s B-boy hip-hop, while “Last One Out (Turn the Lights Off)” pays tribute to golden-sunset alt-country. Hælos announces its sonic ambitiousness right off the top, with the

cello-burnished opener, “Another Universe”, clocking in at over six minutes. Nowadays, that might as well be six hours. But if that seems crazy, it’s somehow in keeping with the times—and not just in America. “There’s a sort of powerlessness to it all where all you can do is go about your daily life as all these big, seismic things shift around in the background,” Delaney says. “It’s anxiety-producing because you can’t feel like you can do anything about it. And that’s definitely part of the record. But there’s also a real beauty to life. Hopefully, we’ve made something that captures that balance.” by Mike Usinger

Hælos plays the WISE Hall on Sunday (March 24).

d WANT ENTERTAINMENT? Head to Vishtèn’s website, and let the francophone band from Prince Edward Island beguile your eyes and ears with its mix of traditional fiddling, extroverted foot percussion, and 21st-century arrangements. If you’re in need of education, the trio’s members will be happy to fill you in as well, with notes on Maritime history and the survival of the Acadians. And if you’re hungry, you’re also in luck: the aforementioned website also includes a selection of recipes, some handed down from family members and others garnered on tour. Perhaps you’ll learn to make chicken fricot with dumplings, a hearty stew with roots in French peasant cuisine. I’ve already bookmarked the page for pâtés à Dodo, a rustic variant on Quebec’s famous tourtière, as made by multi-instrumentalists Emmanuelle and Pastelle LeBlanc’s grandmother Claudette. But it’s telling that the Vishtèn menu also includes Knoblauchcremesuppe, an Austrian garlic soup, and homemade wontons. Proud of their culture the LeBlanc sisters might be, but they’re no chauvinists. Are their recipes a metaphor for their sound? “Oh, maybe!” Pastelle LeBlanc says with a laugh, reached at home in Charlottetown. “But we’re just so much foodies that we thought it would be see next page

interesting to maybe put a few Acadian traditional recipes on there, like the fricot and the meat piesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been talking about adding more. But the others are just things weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve picked up here and there on the road.â&#x20AC;? That the LeBlancs benefited from an atmosphere of home cooking and house parties is obvious. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We grew up very much surrounded by music,â&#x20AC;? Pastelle confirms. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My dad was a music teacher, as well, at the school, and he would invite people over all the time, so there were many parties and many musical sessions. And when we were younger we stepdanced for a long time, which is a really natural thing here too. Most people will know how to do a step or two. But then the music came in a little bit later, in our teen years.â&#x20AC;? LeBlanc points out that even the most traditional forms of Acadian music are inherently cosmopolitan, incorporating elements of French, Irish, Scottish, and Indigenous culture. VishtĂ¨n broadens the mix further by adding Pascal Miousse, whose

roots are on the Magdalen Islands; heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a fiercely rhythmic fiddler, and on the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest album, Horizons, he also gets to show that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a skilled electric guitarist. With Emmanuelle and Pastelle each playing several instruments, the three are easily able to duplicate the recordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s full and vibrant sound on-stage. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve heard, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lots going on!â&#x20AC;? Pastelle enthuses. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot of bass; letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s say that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m doing that on the piano with the left hand. Pascalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s set up with his fiddle and effects; the electric guitar that you hear on the album transfers pretty well to the live show. And then Emmaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s got all the percussive stuff and a mandolin with an octave sound, like a bass, added on there. It was a lot of work to transfer the album sound to the live show, but weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been touring with it since last June, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going pretty well.â&#x20AC;?

by Alexander Varty

VishtĂ¨n plays the Festival du Bois, at Coquitlamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mackin Park, on Saturday and Sunday (March 23 and 24).

Music TIP SHEET

c BLUETECH (March 21 at the Rickshaw) If YouTube comments are to be believed, Bluetech fans use the San Diegoâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;based ambient-dub artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music as a soundtrack for drawing, playing video games, hiking in the woods, or tripping out on shrooms. You can do some of those when Bluetech plays the Rickshaw, but youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have to decide which. c ONE OK ROCK (March 22 at the Vogue) One OK Rock frontman Takahiro Moriuchi has an astonishing voiceâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; which accounts for the 28 million YouTube plays his cover of Adeleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Helloâ&#x20AC;? has accrued to dateâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and the Tokyo-based bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s emotive blend of rock and pop is pretty cool in its own right.

c WET AND KILO KISH (March 23 at Imperial Vancouver) This double bill features two women who work within the parameters of popular music but subvert it in different and intriguing ways. Actually, make that three women, because opener Helena Deland is a likeminded pop renegade. c BRIGHT LIGHT SOCIAL HOUR (March 25 at the Biltmore) The band describes its music as Mood-Punk/ Cozmic Soul, and no, we have no idea what that means either. All we know is that Austin, Texasâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;based Bright Light Social Hour makes dreamily atmospheric indie pop, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good enough for us. g

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MUSIC LISTINGS CONCERTS JUST ANNOUNCED MERIDETH KAYE CLARK Singer-guitarist performs Joni Mitchell’s Blue album, with guest Raine Hamilton. Mar 27, Surrey Arts Centre. From $39. WILD BLUE HERONS Jazz band featuring keyboardist Bill Sample and vocalist Darlene Ketchum. Mar 28, 7:30 pm, The Columbia. $25/20. MÁIRE NÍ CHATHASAIGH & CHRIS NEWMAN Blend of traditional Irish music, hot jazz, bluegrass, and baroque. Mar 29, 8 pm, St. James Hall. $28/$24. LONGHAND TRIO Original and classic guitar jazz. Mar 29, 9 pm, Tyrant Studios. $10. FOCUS YOUR AUDIO Local band, with guests Cenzina, Tobias the Owl, and Alexis Lynn. Mar 30, 8 pm, Railway Stage and Beer Café. $10/13. MUSIC HEALS BENEFIT CONCERT Fundraising performances by Rocky Riobo, Jacob Seyer, and the Clarice & Madeleine Duo. Mar 31, 7-9 pm, Storm City Coffee. By donation ($20 suggested). CLOUD’S ILLUSIONS Vocalist Christie Grace leads a tribute to Joni Mitchell. Mar 31, 8 pm, Frankie’s Jazz Club. $16.50. THE SLOCAN RAMBLERS Canadian bluegrass band. Apr 1, 7 pm, ANZA Club. $25/20. TRIBUTE TO NIRVANA NIGHT Featuring We Are Goon, Muscle and Gall, Precious Things, and Very Dangerous. Apr 3, 7:30 pm, Railway Stage and Beer Café. $10/13. KIRK MacDONALD QUARTET FEATURING HAROLD MABERN Jazz band featuring Toronto-based saxophonist-composer MacDonald and American pianist Mabern. Apr 5-6, 8 pm, Frankie’s Jazz Club. $30. CHRIS HO Vancouver-based indie-folk singer-songwriter, with guests Fawkes & Hownd. Apr 5, 9 pm, The Heatley. BIG BROWN BEAVER Primus tribute, with guests Rippin’ N Taron & Medusa (UK). Apr 5, 9:30 pm, The Backstage Lounge. $10. AURORAS Local rock trio, with guests Vice Girl, Zen Junkie, and Rocket Fuel. Apr 6, 7 pm, Bourbon. $10/13. NIRVANA 25th ANNIVERSARY SHOW Nirvana & Rage Against The Machine tributes Apr 6, 9:30 pm, Fairview Pub. $10. STEEL PULSE Reggae band from the ‘80s. Apr 7, Vogue Theatre. Tix on sale Mar 15, 10 am. BIG LITTLE LIONS Juno-winning folk-pop duo. Apr 7, 7-10 pm, Bez Arts Hub. $23. WHITNEY ROSE Country artist from PEI, with guests Kristin Carter and Nikita Afonso. Apr 9, 7 pm, Railway Stage and Beer Café. $10/15. VIPER CENTRAL Classic and original bluegrass. Apr 12, 7-11 pm, Bez Arts Hub. $25. THE BRASS ACTION Album-release party for Brouhaha. Apr 13, Railway Stage and Beer Cafe. $12.

A lbum OF THE WEEK LIARS AND LIONS NEW HORIZONS Liars and Lions almost had me fooled. I had to check the release date to confirm that, yes, New Horizons was actually made in 2019. If I didn’t know any better, I would have guessed that the band was trying to make the hottest rock record of 2000. That’s a way of saying that the duo—Imaad Dalal and Nick Waterman do pretty much everything, from writing the songs to mixing the recordings—have zero interest in competing with Cage the Giant or Young the Elephant or Foster the Dragons or whatever the hell passes for rock ’n’ roll these days. The ironically titled New Horizons is a cannily accurate sonic return to the days when Papa Roach, Staind, and Linkin Park ruled the charts.

VÄSEN Swedish acoustic trio. Apr 13, 8 pm, St. James Hall. $33/29. KOBO TOWN Calypso, reggae, and brass band fronted by Trinidadian songwriter Drew Gonsalves. Apr 16, 8 pm, WISE Hall. $25/30. SAWYER FREDERICKS Contemporary folk singer-songwriter. Apr 17, Biltmore Cabaret. Tix on sale Mar 15, 10 am. TAYLOR-RAE & THE BACKSEAT DRIVERS Local country band, with guests with Richard Tichelman, Nicole Aubrey, and Anika Mackay. Apr 20, 8 pm, Railway Stage and Beer Café. $10/13. THE DAVID WEISS QUARTET Jazz group from New York City. Apr 25-26, 8 pm, Frankie’s Jazz Club. $32.50. DIANE LINES’ JUMP! Pianist/vocalist Lines and her band perform jump blues. May 3, 8-10 pm, Bez Arts Hub. $34. FILTHY FRIENDS American rock supergroup fronted by Corin Tucker (of Sleater-Kinney) and guitarist Peter Buck (ex-R.E.M.), with guests Eyelids. May 10, Rickshaw Theatre. HIGH BAR GANG Local band performs old-time bluegrass. May 10, 8-10 pm, Bez Arts Hub. $35. COCO MONTOYA BAND The Canadian Pacific Blues Society presents blues-rocker

R u by’s U kes proudly presents

QEB 7"/$067&3

6,6-&-& '&45*7"-

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Daniel Ho Victoria Vox Stu Fuchs Del Rey ’ ’ ’ ’ Casey MacGill Eduardo Garcia Heidi Swedberg ’ ’ ’ Daniel Ward Neal Chin Ruby & Smith and more. Doors 6pm ’ ’ Tickets $25 ($35 at the door). Advance tickets from eventbrite.ca

KARAOKE 7 DAYS A WEEK

9:30PM-CLOSE

EVIL BASTARD KARAOKE EXPERIENCE

HOSTED BY:

$30"5*0/ $6-563"- $&/53&

from the States, with guests the Brandon Isaak Trio. May 13, 7 pm, Rio Theatre. $35/40. SUPERSUCKERS Rockers from Tucson, Arizona. May 15, 8 pm, Rickshaw Theatre. $20. PENDOMOJA Seven-piece band performs soca, African, and reggae tunes. May 17, 8-11 pm, Di Reggae Cafe. Free. CJ RAMONE Former member of the Ramones, with guests Mean Jeans and Phono Pony. Jun 1, 8 pm, WISE Hall. $18. RANDY McALLISTER FUNDRAISER FOR MAGNA East Texas blues-roots songwriter, harmonica player, and drummer. Jun 3, 8 pm, Fairview Pub. $20 or by donation. CHROMEO Electro-funk duo from Montreal. Jun 7, 7 pm, Malkin Bowl. Tix on sale Mar 22, 10 am, $42.50. L7 Punk rockers from L.A. play tunes from new album Scatter the Rats. Jun 12, 9 pm, Commodore Ballroom. Tix on sale Mar 22, 10 am, $39.50. RODRIGO Y GABRIELA Mexican acousticguitar duo composed of Rodrigo Sánchez and Gabriela Quintero. Jul 14, Vogue Theatre. BRIT FLOYD Pink Floyd tribute band from Britain. Jul 14, 7 pm, Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Tix on sale Mar 22, 10 am, $79.50/65/45/35. NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE NIGHT SWEATS Soulful R&B combo from the States, with guests Lucius. Jul 30, 7:30 pm, PNE Amphitheatre. Tix on sale Mar 22, 10 am, $49.50. DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE Alt-rock quintet from Bellingham, with guest Jenn Champion. Sep 5, 6:45 pm, Malkin Bowl. Tix on sale Mar 22 ,10 am, $59.50. 54-40 Local guitar-rock veterans play two nights. Oct 11-12, 8:30 pm, Commodore Ballroom. Tix on sale Mar 22, 10 am, $45/four-packs $160. JEREMY DUTCHER Classically trained Canadian Indigenous tenor, composer, musicologist, and activist. Oct 23, 9 pm, Commodore Ballroom. Tix on sale Mar 22, 10 am, $27.50. THE BLACK KEYS American garage-rock duo, with guests Modest Mouse and Shannon & the Clams. Nov 24, Rogers Arena. Tix on sale Mar 22, 10 am, from $39.50.

BARONESS & DEAFHEAVEN Rock bands play a coheadlining show, with guests Zeal and Ardor. Mar 20, Vogue Theatre. $33.50. FATOUMATA DIAWARA Experimental Afropop artist. Mar 20, 7:30 pm, Kay Meek Arts Centre. $45/42. IMAR The Rogue Folk Club presents quartet from Glasgow, Scotland. Mar 20, 8 pm, St. James Hall. $28/$24.

OPEN UNTIL 3AM FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

THURSDAY, MARCH 21

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MARCH 21

MARCH 22

MARCH 23

MARCH 24

THE PHONIX

OPEN

4PM-9PM

FIESTA AFRICANA

WITH

MIKE WETERINGS CAESARS $6.75 GROLSCH $5.50 RED TRUCK BEER $5.85

FREE COVER

PRIVATE EVENT

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(9PM TO CLOSE)

DJ MARC FOURNIER

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RED TRUCK $5.85 JUGS $16.50 GROLSCH $5.50

POUTINE $12

OPEN MIC

MONDAY – FRIDAY OPEN AT 4 PM, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY NOON TILL LATE. LAST SHOW APRIL 18TH

The Phonix ...are back! Playing every Thursday Night

F REE COVER

JANUARY TO APRIL 2019

1585 Johnston St. Granville Is | 604.687.1354 604 687 135 |thebackstagelounge.com *** VISIT US ONLINE FOR UP TO THE MINUTE LISTINGS, DRINK SPECIALS AND MORE www.thebackstagelounge.com ***

24 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT MARCH 21 – 28 / 2019

by John Lucas

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20

Featuring

3250 Commercial Drive www.rubysukes.ca croatiancentre.com

And hell, these guys are actually really good at what they do, which makes the record a fairly convincing argument that a numetal revival is what the world needs right now. As a vocalist, Dalal can pull off the sort of big, soaring choruses into which Chester Bennington used to pour all of his considerable angst; instrumentals such as “Bubbles” and “Level One Redux” highlight the fact that these guys can shred like motherfuckers. All that’s missing is an actual human being behind a kit rather than the drum programming heard all over the album. Oh, and possibly a time machine to take Dalal and Waterman back to an era when their talents would be more widely appreciated. Like, say, 2000.

LOCALS LOUNGE PRESENTS KRISTINA LAO Live interview and music series features Hong Kong interdisciplinary artist Kristina Lao. Mar 21, 6 pm, Railway Stage and Beer Café. $10/$12. DAVE MASON Former member of Traffic performs on his Feelin’ Alright Tour. Mar 21, 7 pm, Vogue Theatre. POSTPONED. COLIN JAMES Canadian blues-rock singerguitarist, with guest Marty O’Reilly. Mar 21, 7:30 pm, Orpheum Theatre. $89.50/59.50/42.50. SKA AND PUNK SPRING SPECTACULAR SKA and Punk Spring Spectacular Thursday March 21 Mar 21, 8 pm, Pat’s Pub & Brewhouse. $10. BLUETECH Music producer, with guests EMOG & kimmyk. Mar 21, 9 pm, Rickshaw Theatre. $20.

FRIDAY, MARCH 22 ONE OK ROCK Rock band performs on its North American tour, with guests Waterparks and Stand Atlantic. Mar 22, Vogue Theatre. STABLE GENIUS SHOWCASE Performances by rock bands Rong!, Lambsbreath, Fake James, and Pale North. Mar 22, Pat’s Pub & Brewhouse. $10. FESTIVAL DU BOIS Festival du Bois celebrates its 30th anniversary with francophone music from across Canada. Mar 22-24, Mackin Park. $20/13/8. JAY GAVIN & THE TIRED SUNDAY CHOIR Folk-rockers play an album-release party, with guests Cassidy Waring and Sam Balson. Mar 22, 7 pm, False Creek Yacht Club. $12. LIGHTHOUSE Canadian pop-rock band

see next page

brates its 50th anniversary. Mar 22, 23, 7:30 pm, Kay Meek Arts Centre. $29-56. SOUTH VAN BIG BAND Seventeen-piece jazz orchestra performs swing, bebop, Latin jazz, rock, and funk. Mar 22, 8 pm, Hood 29. $10. ELLA VOS L.A.-based pop singer-songwriter. Mar 22, 8 pm, Biltmore Cabaret. $20. PAUL PIGAT’S BOXCAR CAMPFIRE The Rogue Folk Club presents a CD-release concert. Mar 22, 8 pm, St. James Hall. $24/20. VINCE STAPLES California rapper, with guest JPEGMAFIA. Mar 22, 9 pm, Harbour Event Centre. $35. KING BUFFALO Psychedelic/heavy-rock trio from New York. Mar 22, 9 pm, WISE Hall. Tix $13. JEFF GLADSTONE & THE BAD IDEAS Cowboy noir cabaret. Mar 22, 9 pm, Tyrant Studios. $12/$15.

SATURDAY, MARCH 23 MATTHEW GOOD Vancouver rock singersongwriter, with guest Poesy. Mar 23, Vogue Theatre. BUSTER BROWN & THE NEW RESOLUTIONS Local instrumental band featuring guitarist Andreas Schuld, with guest Simon Jarrett. Mar 23, 3-7 pm, Pat’s Pub & Brewhouse. Free. CHASE THE BEAR EP-release show, with guests Redwoods, Lucky Monkey, and Robots and Gods. Mar 23, 7 pm, Bourbon. $10/13.

Employment EMPLOYMENT

PARK SOUND PRESENTS Monthly musical showcase features performances by Kuri, Wrecked Beach, and the Lunchtime Band. Mar 23, 7-11 pm, Park Sound Studio. $8-12. THE POLYRHYTHMICS Instrumental eightpiece soul-funk band from Seattle. Mar 23, 8 pm, Rickshaw Theatre. $18.50. KATIE THIROUX Jazz singer and bassist from New York. Mar 23, 8 pm, Frankie’s Jazz Club. $25. BOMBARGO Spring Fling Tour with guests Healing Days, Where We Wander, and Indigo Royals. Mar 23, 8 pm, Railway Stage and Beer Café. $10/13. WET & KILO KISH MRG Concert presents a coheadlining bill, with guest Helena Deland. Mar 23, 8 pm, Imperial Vancouver. $26.50. ROYAL CANOE Indie-pop band from Manitoba. Mar 23, 8 pm, Biltmore Cabaret. $15. CELINE DION AND MICHAEL BUBLÉ TRIBUTE Performance by Tiffany Desrosier and Adam Lucas. Mar 23, 8 pm, River Rock Show Theatre. $29.50. KAT DANSER & THE TALL TALES Edmonton blues singer-songwriter. Mar 23, 8 pm, St. James Hall. $24/20. WESTERMAN AND PUMA BLUE U.K. singersongwriters play a coheadlining show. Mar 23, 8 pm, Fox Cabaret. $15. JAMES BLAKE Electronic-music producer and singer-songwriter from London, England.

EMPLOYMENT Callboard

Careers

Volunteers

HIGHRISE GLASS LTD

UBC NUTRITION STUDY

is looking for Glaziers,Greater Vancouver, BC. Permanent, Full time. Wage - $ 26.50 per/h Skills requirements: Experience 3-4 years, Good English. Education: Secondary school Main duties: Read and interpret blueprints; Lay-out frame and window wall position; Install pre-build glass panels and metal panels in frames; Position and secure glass; Assemble and install panels on exteriors of building;Fabricate metal frames;Repair and service windows, aluminum doors;Replace damaged glass or faulty sealant;Measure, mark and cut glass; Assemble, erect and dismantle scaffolds, swing-stages. Company’s business address: #221 – 17 Fawcett Rd, Coquitlam BC V3K 6V2 Please apply by e-mail: hrg.jerzy@gmail.com

Hospitality/Food Service

Eurohouse Construction Inc.

is looking for Drywall Installers and Finishers Greater Vancouver, BC. Permanent, Full time Wage - $ 26.00 /hour, extended medical benefits. MAIN DUTIES: Measure, mark, and cut drywall sheets; Position and secure drywall sheets; Measure, cut and install metal corner beads; Patch, trim, and smooth rough spots and edges; Apply tape and sealing compound; Sand all joints and holes, completely prepare surfaces for priming and painting. In order to succeed in this role, you will need: 2-3 years of experience in the trade, Good English Completion of secondary school Company’s business address: 2474 Marine Dr, West Vancouver, BC V7V 1L1 Please apply by e-mail: admin@eurohouse.ca

seeking healthy men and women aged 50-75y to participate in yoghurt study (4 clinic visits, 30min each). Yoghurts provided free of cost and gift cards as remuneration. Call 604-822-1250 or email yoghurt.study@ubc.ca for more information.

Annoucements EMPLOYMENT

QuadReal Property Group LP is in possession of the following personal property abandoned at Unit 1308, 1529 West Pender St., Vancouver, BC, V6G 3J3: Furniture, Bedding, Bathroom accessories and supplies, Kitchen & Laundry Supplies, Clothing & Shoes, Accessories and Electronics & Entertainment. The items will be disposed of after 30 days of this Notice being served or posted unless you take possession of the property, establish a right to its position, or make an application to the Residential Tenancy Branch or Supreme Court to establish your right to these items. Landlord Contact: QuadRealProperty Group LP. Address: Park Place, Suite 800, 666 Burrard Str. Vancouver BC, V6C 2X8. Tel: 604-975-3506

EMPLOYMENT Music Repairs

Date Russian & Ukrainian Ladies 604-805-1342

SPRING SPECIAL Bodyscrub $79/70min. Waxing 20% off. Massage $28/half hour 8 - 4287 Kingsway 604-438-8714 Support Groups AL-ANON FAMILY GROUPS Does someone else's drinking bother you? Al-Anon can help. We are a support group for those who have been affected by another's drinking problem. For more information please call: 604-688-1716 Anorexics & Bulimics Anonymous 12 Step based peer support program which addresses the mental, emotional, & spiritual aspects of disordered eating Tuesdays @ 7 pm @ Avalon Women's Centre 5957 West Blvd - 604-263-7177 ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION Looking to start a parent support group in Kitsilano. Please call Barbara 604 737 8337 Battered Women's Support Services provides free daytime & evening support groups (Drop-ins & 10 week groups) for women abused by their intimate partner. Groups provide emotional support, legal information & advocacy, safety planning, and referrals. For more information please call: 604-687-1867 Support, Education & Action Group for Women that have experienced male violence. Call Vancouver Rape Relief 604-872-8212

Gay EMPLOYMENT Personals Services

EMPLOYMENT Personals Tantra

RANKY TANKY Get funky with this soulful mix of jazz, gospel, funk, and R&B interpreted through the timeless music of Gullah culture. Mar 30, 8 pm, BlueShore Financial Centre for the Performing Arts. $38/35. NIGHT BEATS Psychedelic R&B band, with guest Calvin Love. Mar 29, 9 pm, Rickshaw Theatre. $15.

JITTERY JACK & MISS AMY GRIFFIN Rockabilly duo from Boston. Mar 27, 7:3010:30 pm, The Emerald Room . $10.

THURSDAY, MARCH 28 CHILDREN OF BODOM Metal quintet, with guests Wolfheart, Swallow the Sun, and Tama Hills. Mar 28, Vogue Theatre.

MUSIC LISTINGSare a public service provided free of charge. Submit events online using the event-submission form at straight. com/AddEvent. Events that don’t make it into the paper due to space constraints will appear on the website.

DONOVAN WOODS & THE OPPOSITION Folk-rock singer-songwriter from Sarnia, Ontario. Mar 28, 8 pm, Rio Theatre. $20.

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SATURDAY, MARCH 30

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27

MONDAY, MARCH 25

Exquisite Tantra Massage Mature Beauty~Sensual Mastery Shakra. 604-783-3483 Kitsilano www.shakra.ca Control Ejaculation, Maintain Erection, Cure Herpes morethanmassage.net 604-271-4148

TERROR JR. American pop duo composed of David “Campa” Benjamin Singer-Vine and Lisa Vitale. Mar 26, 9 pm, Venue. $22.50.

THE BRIGHT LIGHT SOCIAL HOUR Cosmic soul band from Austin, Texas, with guests Sea Moya. Mar 25, Biltmore Cabaret. CASS McCOMBS American singer-songwriter performs tunes from new album Tip of the Sphere. Mar 25, 8 pm, St. James Hall. $20.

WYCLIFFE GORDON Legendary trombonist will shake it up with CapU Jazz’s senior ensembles. Mar 29, 8 pm, BlueShore Financial Centre for the Performing Arts. $38/35.

PRATEEK KUHAD Singer-songwriter from India. Mar 26, 8 pm, Fox Cabaret. $15.

RELIEVE ROADRAGE

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Robert 604-857-9571

MARIANAS TRENCH Local pop-punk quartet. Mar 29, 8 pm, Orpheum Theatre.

GRAND OPENING!

Adult Theatre and More!

In a peaceful setting in Langley Because you deserve it! 9am - 8pm

FRIDAY, MARCH 29

KODAK BLACK Rapper from Florida, with guests YNW Melly, 147 Calboy, and Sniper Gang. Mar 26, 8 pm, PNE Forum. $49.50.

Entertainment Services

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BODYWORK MASSAGE

TUESDAY, MARCH 26

Bodywork

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COM TRUISE American electronic musician, with guests Jack Grace and ginla. Mar 28, 9 pm, Fortune Sound Club. $20.

TENNYSON Rock band from New York. Mar 27, 8 pm, Fox Cabaret. $17.

JAPANESE $60

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VIAGRA BOYS Punk band from Stockholm, Sweden, plays tunes from latest album Street Worms. Mar 25, 8 pm, Fox Cabaret. $15.

DAVE ANDERSON QUARTET New York saxman leads B.C. jazz quartet. Mar 24, 8 pm, Frankie’s Jazz Club. $16.

2639 W. 4th Ave. Kitsilano

Dating Services

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HÆLOS Trip-hop band from London, England. Mar 24, 8 pm, WISE Hall. $15.

604.558.2526 | 778.636.2882

Fitness & Training

Nick's Massage

MT. JOY Indie-rock quintet from Philadelphia. Mar 24, 8 pm, Imperial Vancouver. Tix $19.50.

HIRING

Personal EMPLOYMENT Services

Mobile or in studio, $60 for 60 minutes call/text 778-384-2515

MARC RIVEST Local musician performs Celtic favourites, jazz standards, covers, and originals. Mar 24, 7-9 pm, Desco Caffe.

(30 mins | incl. tip)

Mind EMPLOYMENT Body & Soul

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COUNTRY GOLD Night of tribute artists featuring Marty Edwards as Kenny Rogers. Mar 24, 7 pm, Massey Theatre. $54.

NOTICE OF DISPOSITION OF PERSONAL PROPERTY

is looking for Supervisor, Garage Door Installers, Greater Vancouver, BC. Perm, F/Time, Shifts, Weekends.Hours of work: 40 h/week Wage - $ 32.50/hour. Good English, customer service oriented. Several years of experience in garage door installation is required. Education: high school. Main duties: Supervise the activities of garage door installers; Prepare and control work schedules; Resolve work problems; Prepare work progress reports;Hire and train of new employees; Order garage doors parts and supplies; Maintain records of stock. Company’s business address: 35 W 49th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Y 2Z4 Please apply by E-mail: riogaragedoor@gmail.com

778-384-2515

SUNDAY, MARCH 24 TREVOR WHITRIDGE QUINTET Vancouver jazz band featuring pianist-trumpeter Whitridge. Mar 24, 4-5 pm, Northwood United Church. By donation.

Notices

RIO GARAGE DOOR LTD

Over12 yrs experience as a certified Personal Trainer nicdnewwest@gmail.com / nwfit.wordpress.com

Mar 23, 9 pm, Harbour Event Centre. Moved from original date of Mar 9. $55.

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from page 27

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Asian preference isn’t necessarily racist by Dan Savage

b I’M A STRAIGHT white woman in my early 30s. In theory, I’ve always been into men of all races—but, in practice, most of my exes are Latino and white. In September, I met this really handsome Chinese-American guy, and I feel like he rewired me. I’ve been exclusively attracted to Asian guys since. I’m not writing to ask if this is racist, because I’m not asking these guys to, like, speak Korean to me in bed or do any roleplaying stuff. We just date and have sex, same as my past relationships. But if any of these dudes saw my Tinder matches, they’d be like, “Th is woman has a thing for Asian guys.” Which I do, but it’s pretty new. Is this normal? Do people just change preferences like that? Also, can you do a PSA about Asian dicks? In my recent but considerable experience, they run the gamut from average to gigantic. If small Asian dicks were a thing, I would have encountered at least one by now. That shit is a myth. - Asian Male/White Female Here’s my general

take on racespecific sexual preferences: so long as you can see and treat your sex partners as individuals and not just as objects—we are all also objects— and so long as you can express your preferences without coming across as and/or being a racist shitbag, and so long as you’ve interrogated your

preferences to make sure they’re actually yours and not a mindless desire for what you’ve been told you’re supposed to want (i.e., the currently prevailing beauty standard or its equally mindless rejection, the “transgressive” fetishization of the “other”), then it’s okay to seek out sex and/or romantic partners of a particular race. I ran my general take on racespecific sexual preferences past Joel Kim Booster—a writer and comedian whose work often touches on race and desire—and he approved. (Whew.) I also shared your letter with him, AMWF, and Booster had some thoughts for you. “It doesn’t sound like her newfound preference for Asian men has anything to do with the uncomfortable fetishization of culture,” said Booster. “It’s good that she’s not asking them to speak Korean or do any sort of Asian role-playing— something that’s been asked of me before (and it’s a bummer, trust me). Her interest in Asian men seems to be mostly an aesthetic thing, which you certainly can’t fault her for: there are a lot of hot Asian dudes out there.” Booster also had some questions for you. “It’s not uncommon for people later in life to discover that they’re attracted to something they’d never

considered sexy before—full-grown adults are out here discovering they’re bi every damn day,” said Booster. “But she went 30 years before she saw one Asian man she was attracted to? And now this guy has ‘rewired’ her to be attracted only to Asian men?” He said that he would like to see a picture of this magical guy, AMWF, and I would too. “If she was chill about it and just started adding Asian men into the mix, this wouldn’t seem like an issue,” added Booster. “But from what I can gather, she has shifted to exclusively fucking Asian guys and feels the need to write a letter about it. That feels like a red flag, and yet I can’t pinpoint why.” Maybe you’re just making up for lost time—maybe you’re getting with all the Asian dick you can now to make up for all the Asian dick you missed out on before you ran into that one impossibly hot Asian guy—and your desires/preferences/Tinder profi le will achieve a racially harmonious equilibrium at a certain point. But whether you remain exclusively attracted to Asian guys for the rest of your life or not, AMWF, make sure you don’t treat Asian guys like you’re doing them a favour by sitting on their gamutrunning dicks. “I’m weary of people with a

specific racial preference for Asian men. And it’s less out of a fear of being fetishized—though that’s certainly part of it—and more because of the implicit power imbalance that exists in those relationships,” said Booster. “It’s all artificially constructed by The Culture, of course, but I’m acutely aware that society views Asian men as less masculine and therefore less desirable. And I’ve learned that guys who have a preference for Asian men sometimes bring a certain kind of ‘entitlement’ to our interactions, i.e., ‘You should feel lucky I’m paying you this kind of attention.’ And that’s gross! It doesn’t sound like she’s doing that, but something about this letter makes me feel like she wants to be congratulated for being woke enough to consider Asian guys. She’d do well to keep this stuff behind the curtain—no one wants to feel like someone was into them only because of some witch’s curse a hot Chinese-American guy put on them at a bar.” Follow Joel on Twitter @ihate joelkim, and visit his website at ihate joelkim.com. d I’M A GUY. I’ve been with my wife since 2006. She’s my sexy Asian babe. (Yeah, I’m that white guy who married an Asian woman—I’m a stereotype, but she isn’t.) In the

bedroom, it’s great. I’m still madly in love with her two kids later, and she’s as sexy as ever. But she doesn’t like to give blowjobs—always been this way. When we were dating, she’d say I could go get blowjobs from someone else, but I always took it as a joke. At 35, I’m hornier than I was at 25. And my sexual tastes have changed over the years— or they’ve expanded, maybe, since I now want to see what it’s like to get head from a guy. How do I convince my wife to agree to this? She’s afraid I might like it; I obviously hope I do. There’s nothing I want more than to get head on the way home and then be able to tell her about it and fuck her later that night. How can I convince her to let me do this while also being able to tell her about it and be truthful? - Horny Married Man I’m not lumping

your question together with AMWF’s in order to create some sort of hot-for-Asiansthemed column. No, I’m including your letter—which arrived the same day—because it illustrates a point Booster made in his response to AMWF: “Full-grown adults are out here discovering they’re bi every damn day,” as he said, and you’re apparently one of them. I can only assume that by “she’s see previous page

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