The Georgia Straight - rEvolver Fest - May 16, 2019

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MAY 16 – 23 / 2019 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT 3

CONTENTS

May 16-23, 2019

17 COVER

With Surveil, Hip.Bang!’s Tom Hill and Devin Mackenzie are venturing into new and scary theatrical terrain.

By Janet Smith Cover photo by David Manuel

7

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25% 25% 25%

By Carlito Pablo

11

By Charlie Smith

26 FOOD

Fine desserts are hard to find, but the Billy Button Dessert Bar fills the gap with its art on a plate.

By Tammy Kwan

27 MUSIC

Singer-songwriter Jenny Lewis was born in Las Vegas, her folks had a lounge act there, and now she’s back.

By Mike Usinger

e Start Here 25 THE BOTTLE 8 CANNABIS 29 CONFESSIONS 21 DANCE 14 HOROSCOPES 28 I SAW YOU 23 MOVIE REVIEWS 10 REAL ESTATE 31 SAVAGE LOVE 13 TECHNOLOGY 20 THEATRE

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Chocolate bistro Cacao 70 Eatery goes dark in West End. Nardwuar watches Lil Uzi Vert bolt again in middle of interview.

Park-for-school land swap eyed in East Vancouver.

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EDUCATION

We look at culturally sensitive educational approaches in advance of the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.

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NEWS

Vancouver council approved pilot 30-kilometre-per-hour speed limits—for all methods of transportation.

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MAY 16 – 23 / 2019 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT 5

6 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT MAY 16 – 23 / 2019

NEWS All modes of road travel covered in vote on speed

T

by Carlito Pablo

he City of Vancouver will test whether slow makes for safer streets.

In a surprise twist, however, the trial run for a speed limit of 30 kilometres per hour will involve not only cars but also bicycles, electric bikes, skateboards, and everything also that goes fast.

The inclusion of all types of transportation was suggested by Coun.

Melissa De Genova in an amendment to a motion by Coun. Pete Fry, to lower automobile speed on residential streets. The Motor Vehicle Act mandates a limit of 50 kilometres per hour within city limits. The law also establishes a limit of 30 kilometres per hour at school zones and playgrounds.

At the May 14 council meeting, De Genova said that applying the same limit to all types of vehicles will prevent confrontation on the streets.

She also related to her colleagues that she and her daughter, a toddler, were recently almost struck by a speeding cyclist while they were crossing a street. During a break in the meeting, De Genova recalled the same incident in an interview.

“I had to pull my stroller back so we wouldn’t be hit,” De Genova told the Georgia Straight by phone. “That being said, I’ve also had that incident happen with a vehicle as well. So I think it should be all vehicles.”

According to De Genova, she didn’t cite her experience with a car in council because automobiles were already covered in Fry’s original motion.

“It’s not about pointing fingers and blaming others,” De Genova insisted.

“It’s about working together to achieve the best outcome that we can to make sure that there aren’t fatalities and

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injuries when it comes to different types of transportation.”

During the meeting, Fry noted that bicycles do not have speedometers. Coun. Rebecca Bligh supported De Genova’s suggestion, saying that the test is simply a trial.

De Genova told the Straight that speed monitors can be used during the pilot project to tell people how fast they are going in their cars or their bicycles.

The city has yet to identify a street for the trial run.

Fry said at the meeting that cities in Europe have reduced car speeds on streets. For North America, he cited the example of Portland, Oregon.

Before the meeting, Fry’s motion was endorsed in a letter to the city by Vancouver Coastal Health medical health officer Emily Newhouse. She noted that a speed limit of 30 kilometres per hour reduces serious injuries and deaths by 25 to 65 percent.

“Evidence also suggests that lower neighbourhood speed limits can also have important indirect effects— making active transportation more attractive by increasing a sense of safety and improving the aesthetic experience,” Newhouse wrote. g

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CANNABIS Hopeful cultivators face new hurdles

A

by Piper Courtenay

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s if competing alongside capital-rich megacorporations was not challenging enough, Health Canada has added another hurdle for craft growers looking to break into Canada’s legalized cannabis industry.

The federal department announced on May 8 that, effective immediately, all hopeful cannabis cultivators and distributors must have a fully built and compliant site before submitting a licence application.

For those currently awaiting a status update on standing applications, a site evidence package—videos and photographs verifying a facility—must be submitted to proceed.

These new conditions apply to anyone hoping to legally produce and sell cannabis in Canada, and industry insiders say this likely won’t create any issue for well-funded companies planning million-square-foot grow facilities.

“The problem is that it [the site requirement] disproportionately affects small-business people that aren’t wellcapitalized,” Travis Lane, a long-time cultivator and director of the B.C. Independent Cannabis Association, told the Georgia Straight. “That’s the major downside with this build-first, licence-later approach.”

Although large publicly traded companies and private corporations have been allowed to apply for a federal stamp of approval—with 129 newly licensed sites making it through the process since 2017— small-scale growers (also referred to as “microcultivators”) were told to wait their turn. And they did.

Only recently has the application portal opened to producers wanting to cultivate in 200 square metres (around 2,152 square feet) or less of total canopy space. And there are currently no micros with product in the legal market. (For those in the back, that’s zero.)

Many worry that the regulator’s new expectation of hopeful licensees will result in an even longer wait time for Canadians hoping to see craft product on legal dispensary shelves.

“It delays the time in which we will see micro start to flood into the market,” Lane said. For one, the process to obtain mandatory staff security clearances now can’t start until after the facility is built.

“Even if someone owns a piece of land and has a sound business plan, they need to clear the lot and build the building before they can even

o. w phot book o h C o h r our Yuc s for ou Share y r more photo otos while you o oking f your ph 26 We’re lo . We will scan ay 25 & M s : e v n i o h t and arc ur the exhibi to

The federal government requires everyone who wants to grow legal weed to sell to have a fully compliant site before applying for a licence. Photo by Piper Courtenay

I think it’ll end up with a certain number of applications dying on the desk.

– Travis Lane

apply for security clearance.”

Lane estimated that only 25 percent of micros have fully equipped sites at the time of application, and he fears that this new requirement will be enough to push them out of contention altogether.

“It’s already been an incredibly difficult process for small-scale cultivators to get in the space,” Lane said.

“I think it’ll end up with a certain number of applications dying on the desk.”

The main concern is the impact the new site requirements may have on applicants who don’t have ready access to investment capital and financial resources.

“No longer can you get partway through the regulatory process and then spend your money,” Lane said.

“This new requirement means you have to spend your money right at outset.”

Despite the immense economic

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growth in the cannabis sector, obtaining enough capital to build an entire facility is a difficult task, considering that few banks will dole out loans to the volatile and still highly stigmatized industry—even for the big guys.

“If it was any other industry, this would probably be a relatively welcome announcement because you could get bank funding, borrow money; there’d be investment funds out there that are ready to go for small businesses. You have advocacy groups that actually represent a large number of small businesses that will be able to make their voice heard,” Lane said.

“As it stands right now…there’s no real voice speaking for the micro licences.”

Turning to private investors isn’t any easier. Cannabis lawyer, advocate, and consultant Kirk Tousaw says the new regulations make pumping money into a legal cannabis business that much more of a gamble for financial backers.

“The primary cost of getting this type of business off the ground for small entrepreneurs is now going to be in the build-out cost,” Tousaw said on the phone. “Now you’ve got to, essentially, sink all your capital into your build, and you have no idea if Health Canada is even going to approve it.”

Essentially, purchasing a site, clearing the lot, and pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into erecting a fully compliant grow-op only secures applicants a spot in the line—a queue, evidently, that is so long Health Canada has had to create the aforementioned new checkpoint to shorten it and slow down the process.

If this means that craft cannabis won’t be in the market for a while, where will Canadians be able to find small-batch cannabis? The illicit market is already entirely made up of these grassroots growers, and with little motivation to transition, it will remain that way for some time.

“The ripple effect of this runs completely contrary to the whole point of legalizing cannabis in the first place,” Tousaw said, pointing out that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s initial goal in ending prohibition was to transition away from a black market toward a legally regulated industry.

“This doesn’t do that, because there’s no real incentive for people to take that risk of transitioning. And when you’ve already got sort of a nice little grey-market business going, why roll the dice?”

Cannabis lawyer Trina Fraser stated early on—back when the Cannabis Act was making its way through Parliament—that she believes the easiest way to displace the illicit market is by turning the individuals feeding it into legal producers.

“That is what the micro categories were intended to do. That’s what they were designed for,” she told the Straight. “But there were already so many concerns that the barriers to entry for those micros were too high. This just makes the mountain higher.” g

MAY 16 – 23 / 2019 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT 9

HAVE YOU BEEN TO...

Savoury City Catering

NEWS

Proposal takes hospice proximity into account

by Carlito Pablo

savourycity.com

Hawksworth hawksworthrestaurant.com

Chambar chambar.com This rendering shows the courtyard between the two buildings proposed for 4575 Granville Street, designed to preserve the view from the neighbouring hospice.

A

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10 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT MAY 16 – 23 / 2019

proposed Vancouver rental development has incorporated elements that are respectful of residents at a hospice next door.

Through design and landscaping, the project at 4575 Granville Street seeks to minimize disturbance to the Vancouver Hospice Society facility to the south.

These elements were detailed in a report to council by city planner Karen Hoese, who wrote that the Shaughnessy development has “managed to sensitively fit” in the neighbourhood.

The development involves two 3.5-storey townhouse buildings with 21 units. Between the two buildings is an 11-metre-wide courtyard, which will preserve a “view of the open sky” from the neighbouring hospice’s outdoor patio.

According to Hoese, residents at the eight-bed facility “frequently use the outdoor patio along the shared property-line”, which gives them an “expansive” sight of the sky.

Hoese wrote that the view “contributes to their well-being, and is something they wish to be preserved”. She also recalled that city staff had met with representatives of the hospice, and concerns from the end-of-life facility helped in the preparation of the neighbouring project’s design.

With the courtyard in between, the two proposed buildings are “focused on the east and west of the property, away from the window and patio of the hospice building”.

“A design condition is included to reduce the top-floor massing for the townhouses facing Granville Street on the southernmost end, which will help with privacy overlook into the hospice’s side yard,” Hoese also wrote. “All south-facing balconies are re-oriented so their outlooks do not directly face the hospice.”

Landscaping is included in these balconies to enhance “privacy”. In addition, a “quiet zone” will be created

to “buffer noise to the hospice”.

This quiet zone includes the relocation of the development’s parking ramp to the north end of the property. This will minimize the “amount of foot-traffic at the site’s southwest corner”.

“The children’s outdoor play space is also relocated to the north end of the courtyard,” Hoese informed council.

These design strategies will help create a ‘quiet zone’ on the south end of the property.

– Karen Hoese

Moreover, substantial landscaping will be done along a three- to 4.5-metre-wide strip that’s alongside the southern property line.

“These design strategies combined will help create a ‘quiet zone’ on the south end of the property closest to the hospice,” the city planner noted.

Hoese also reported that the developer has “expressed their desire to work with the hospice to mitigate construction impact, including halting construction during agreedupon hours during the day when it is the most impactful for the hospice operation”.

Hoese recommended that the rezoning application for 4575 Granville Street be referred to public hearing, which Vancouver city council approved on May 14. The application was filed by Stuart Howard Architects Inc. on behalf of Jagmohan Singh Pabla and Kamlesh Rani Pabla. g

EDUCATION

Campuses promote cultural literacy

A

by Charlie Smith

ccording to the United Nations, three-quarters of the world’s major conflicts are linked in some way to culture. It’s apparent in disputes in South Sudan, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Iraq, and Nigeria, to name just five countries experiencing conf lictrelated fatalities.

But a lack of understanding of other cultures is also fuelling horrific violence in western industrialized countries, including Canada.

In 2017, a gunman burst into a Quebec City mosque, murdering six worshippers and injuring another 19. Mass shootings have occurred at synagogues in the United States, churches in Sri Lanka, and mosques in New Zealand.

Those who are appalled by these developments—as well as the growing bigotry in politics in those industrialized nations—can look to the United Nations for guidance.

In 2002, the UN General Assembly declared May 21 the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development—and a day for recognizing that bridging the gaps between cultures is “urgent and necessary for peace, stability, and development”.

Marking this day is also a way to draw attention to the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, which was adopted by UNESCO in 2001. It describes cultural diversity as “the common heritage of humanity”.

“As a source of exchange, innovation and creativity, cultural diversity is as necessary for humankind as biodiversity is for nature,” the declaration states. “In this sense, it is the common heritage of humanity and should be recognized and

Emily Carr University of Art + Design grad Liora Agronov-Moss educated faculty about the experiences of multilingual students.

affirmed for the benefit of present and future generations.”

This week, in recognition of the upcoming World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, the Georgia Straight is highlighting three educational initiatives in Vancouver that have helped to promote greater understanding between people from very different backgrounds.

EMILY CARR UNIVERSITY OF ART + DESIGN Multilingual Week

d MORE THAN 40 percent of students at Emily Carr University of Art + Design consider themselves multilingual, according to surveys conducted during the 2017–18 school year. Among them was Liora Agronov-Moss. Born

in Israel two months after her parents had immigrated from Belarus, she learned Russian at home and then became a fluent Hebrew speaker. She later learned some Arabic and worked on her English.

She moved to Vancouver, obtained a permanent-resident card, then decided to apply to ECUAD, eventually specializing in industrial design.

In the beginning, Agronov-Moss was terrified that her English skills wouldn’t be good enough, so she studied the language intensively. But over time, she realized that her fears were misplaced because the university places a premium on students’ ability to develop ideas about art and design rather than how they speak.

“The good thing is that there’s no judgment based on your language,” Agronov-Moss told the Straight by

phone. “So coming from somewhere else doesn’t really matter if you’re going to make some grammatical errors or if you have an accent.”

However, she also felt in her early years at ECUAD that there wasn’t enough space given for students to express themselves and their culture through their own languages. That’s why she decided to get involved in the Multilingual Emily Carr University project, which was initiated by Cissie Fu, dean of culture and community.

The goal was to serve multilingual students and teachers and foster cultural connections through communitybuilding educational and social events.

The surveys were conducted to hear the views of multilingual members of the campus community, including faculty and staff. This led to a booklet being published,

Our Multilingual Classrooms: Insights + Approaches From ECU Teachers and Students, at the start of the 2018-19 school year.

In the booklet, one student revealed that those who attend high schools in China remain silent in class, which is very different from what’s expected in North America.

Another disclosed having a higher level of comfort in a humanities class because it had fewer native speakers than international students. Another student expressed a feeling of disconnection because most courses are based on western culture.

“I think a lot of instructors, for the first time, had the opportunity to read what students feel in their class,” Agronov-Moss said. “Because usually, multilingual students don’t really speak up.”

According to her, this publication dramatically elevated cultural literacy on campus. “I was walking around with this booklet and giving it to every single instructor I saw,” Agronov-Moss recalled.

One faculty member told her that it was the best thing that he had seen printed by the university. “He said, ‘I read it from cover to cover and I learned a lot.’ That means so much,” she said.

Faculty member Debora O and Agronov-Moss, by then in her fourth year, also spearheaded the university’s first Multilingual Week this year, from January 21 to 25. One of Agronov-Moss’s fellow students was creating a “multigenerational dumpling kit” for her grad project, so they all decided to launch Multilingual Week with a dumpling-making event.

During the week, an interactive see next page

MAY 16 – 23 / 2019 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT 11

from previous page

map was put on display. Students placed pins showing where they came from and shared their language. Agronov-Moss added that there was also a “wall of ideas”.

“People would write in any language they preferred,” she said.

Agronov-Moss started as a volunteer and was later hired in a paid position as the multilingual coordinator. Her grad project, coHUB, was created to provide a welcoming space for multilingual students. She was given access to an unused area in the library in front of the school’s writing centre— and it is designed very differently from the rest of the university. This space enables people with different majors to gather on modular furniture and discuss shared interests.

“I did some workshops in the space, got people together…and we made little booklets out of sugar packets,” Agronov-Moss said. “My hope for this project is that it will actually be something that will be part of the university’s spirit.

“This is where you come to find other people who are interested in what you are interested in,” she continued. “Maybe you don’t know them. Maybe they speak a different language. Maybe they want to share their knowledge and their skills— kind of like a skill-exchange base.”

ADLER UNIVERSITY IN VANCOUVER

Community Action Day

d GRADUATE STUDENTS with a hankering to change the world have plenty of opportunities to do so at Adler University in Vancouver.

That’s because this school has a practicum program in social justice that is embedded in all of its master’s degrees in counselling psychology and organizational psychology.

Adler University’s manager of community action and engagement, Meghan Robinson, told the Straight by phone that each student spends 200 hours of their educa-

Adler University in Vancouver sends its graduate students in counselling and organizational psychology into the community to promote social justice.

tion in this program. It unfolds over a minimum of six months and the school has 150 community partners across Metro Vancouver.

In total, they have been engaged in about 150,000 hours of community service with organizations involved in a wide array of activities.

“It’s a social-justice army that I’m trying to create,” Robinson quipped.

Community partners include the First Nations Health Authority, Atira Women’s Society, the Cultch, Take a Hike Foundation, Forest and the Femme, Starlight Foundation, Amnesty International, and the Children’s Organ Transplant Society, among many others. The students go on unpaid practicums, often for eight to 12 hours per week, that can benefit nonprofit societies and other organizations.

“I try and focus on as many as I can,” Robinson said.

Recently, the B.C. Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres came aboard. This means that graduate students from Adler University will be part of the volunteer team working on National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations at the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre and Trout Lake on June 21.

That date also happens to be Adler University’s Community Action Day, when all faculty and students will come together to promote

reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.

“In my mind, social justice is creating equality between groups where equality hasn’t existed because of certain barriers, be that socioeconomic or through colonization,” Robinson said.

Adler University is keen to form partnerships with groups helping other marginalized people, including those with disabilities, as well as organizations advancing positive environmental initiatives. The university is named after Austrian medical doctor and psychotherapist Alfred Adler, an early supporter of feminism in psychology. According to Robinson, Adler advanced the idea that if the community is strong, a person will be likely to enjoy better mental health. Hence the school’s emphasis on creating and developing the community in a positive way.

Students are placed in their practicums in two cohorts, according to Robinson. A larger group of 70 to 100 is matched with organizations in September. Another 30 to 50 are paired with community partners in January.

This year’s emphasis on National Indigenous Peoples Day appeals to Robinson, who has long held a keen interest in the intersection of environmentalism and Aboriginal rights. For her master’s degree, she travelled to New Zealand, where she

worked with Maori organizations and communities on outdoor education and sustainability.

Maori elders, including one of her mentors, will be in Vancouver from June 17 to 28 and will participate in National Indigenous Peoples Day along with students and faculty at the university.

“That’s part of Adler’s quest to Indigenize and make a difference in the community,” Robinson said.

She revealed that one of the school’s goals is to strengthen its connections with community partners to help them achieve more positive outcomes in the future.

“I’m creating an online platform that will allow organizations to chat with one another and pass on ideas,” Robinson said. “I’m of the opinion that if we create a social-justice think tank—and there are people out in the community doing incredible things— potentially, we can come up with even more ideas to make a difference and have a bigger impact as a larger group.”

VANCOUVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE mlearning

d FOR MORE than 50 years, Vancouver Community College has been a leader in helping immigrants establish careers in Canada. During the past school year, it has taken another step in that direction by offering the delivery of educational programs via cellular phone.

Also known as “mlearning”, a two-year pilot program began in November in partnership with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada as an alternative to traditional classroom education.

“We believe in innovative technologies that create more access to education,” VCC president Peter Nunoda said in a news release when the mlearning program was unveiled last year. “Although we’re the first college in B.C. to deliver mlearning, it has a proven track record in the USA, Europe and Africa. Many people are comfortable with the use

of cellular phones. And they’re more accessible than computers.”

It’s been made available to 600 students, with the goal of providing language learning to refugees and immigrants on wait lists to enroll in Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada at VCC. One of those students is Phoebe Yang, an immigrant from China who hopes to upgrade her English before enrolling in a VCC program that trains health-care assistants.

“It’s really good for improving English,” Yang said on the VCC website. “I want to recommend it to my husband.”

Students use their cellphones and rely on an English-language training platform developed by Cell-Ed, which is a respected mlearning provider. The program enables learners to connect with language coaches on the phone and in face-to-face workshops to enhance their English skills.

One of those coaches is Rae Switzer, who has worked with 28 students.

The language-learning app offers lessons that vary in length, with some being as short as three minutes.

“Students take full control of how much they learn and when they learn,” Switzer said on the VCC website. “We’re there to make sure they stay on track.”

VCC staff are proud of their award-winning English-as-an-additional-language curriculum, which emphasizes practical skills, including public speaking. It offers flexible scheduling to make it easier for students who have jobs to advance from beginner to advanced levels.

Meanwhile, the mlearning pilot project will continue until April 2020.

“In 2018-19, IRCC will provide $32 million in funding for as many as 100 service delivery improvement projects across Canada,” Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Ahmed Hussen said last year.

“Understanding newcomer needs and developing innovative approaches, as the Vancouver Community College has done, is what IRCC’s new Service Delivery Improvement funding stream is all about.” g

MAKE YOUR

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Our renowned faculty, small class sizes and cutting-edge studios allow you to grow, explore and realize your potential.

Visit us in person, take a virtual campus tour online, or find us at a National Portfolio Day event.

Applications open September 15.

Take a new path to university. VCC credits transfer to schools across Canada.

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12 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT MAY 16 – 23 / 2019

Learn about our first-year programs in arts, engineering, computing science, and more at vcc.ca/makeyourmark.

HIGH TECH

Ingenious code underpins local ride-hailing service

V

by Kate Wilson

ancouver’s tech scene might be known internationally for its game-changing companies like Hootsuite, Slack, and Avigilon, but it’s also the cradle of a little-known technical revolution.

In 2007, a New Orleans coder named Greg Young was working on optimizing the dispatch system for the city’s police department. Fascinated by how to make systems operate more efficiently, he took a contract in Vancouver at a company that dealt with real-time stock trading. By using an often-overlooked approach to designing information systems, he found a way to make about three percent per day from the Toronto Stock Exchange—a reliability that was almost unprecedented.

That success caught the attention of systems architect Adam Dymitruk, who was working right across the street from Young as the development manager at the B.C. Society of Notaries Public. The two bonded over their shared appreciation of the left-field approach to building information systems. Dymitruk, understanding that the architecture could be used to scale companies in a much more efficient way, added a final piece to the puzzle: a way to optimize writes and reads using a consensus model.

Now founder and CEO of Yaletown-based company AdapTech, Dymitruk has seen his and Young’s previously obscure approach to building information systems underpin companies such as Netflix, Amazon, and LinkedIn. As of March, he can add B.C.–specific ride-hailing service Kater to that list.

“The story of Kater was that they tried that [to create a ride-hailing service] the previous year, and the team was about 20 [people],” Dymitruk tells the Georgia Straight in the company’s office. “Over an entire year, they really didn’t get anything that they could use to replace Uber or have an Uber-like solution for Vancouver. Their interim CTO called us, and we did sticky-note sessions on the whiteboard with them for four days. For two weeks, our guys coded away, and in a total of three weeks we basically built what couldn’t be done in an entire year. That’s what you get when you understand a system properly at the deepest level.”

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Simply Computing Systems architect Adam Dymitruk is the founder and CEO of AdapTech.

Kater is, Dymitruk says, a hotly contested political issue—but the quality of the tech that underpins it isn’t. His approach to building systems architecture means that no data need ever be deleted and ensures that individuals working in different branches of the company—say, marketing, scheduling, or customer service—are able to access only the information they need to see. Most significant, though, is the ability to grow and scale a company without having to rewrite any code for a new feature.

Right now, Kater has 140 cars on the road during its test phase and a small number of early riders. AdapTech and Dymitruk have made sure that the service can add more drivers and passengers as it continues to grow across the province.

“In essence, Lyft and Uber don’t have the dials for adjusting their inventory in that fashion,” he says of Kater’s flexibility. “Nor do they have to care. They have their own businesses all around the world in different cities that don’t have those kinds of restrictions on ridesharing, so this little city Vancouver is not important to them.

In Vancouver, there are different rules that have to be followed.”

AdapTech is now working with a number of new clients, including Plenty of Fish and a decentralized social-networking app named Peer.

“When you start digging for what works at scale—what will not fall over very quickly—everything ends up in this office,” Dymitruk says with a laugh. g

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Facebook suit expands to three other provinces

A

by Charlie Smith

Vancouver resident has won a procedural victory in B.C. Supreme Court in her long-running lawsuit against Facebook.

In 2012, Deborah Louise Douez filed a notice of civil claim against the Menlo Park, California–based social-media company, alleging that it used members’ names and images without their knowledge or consent in an advertising program.

Under Facebook “Sponsored Stories”, members’ names and profile pictures allegedly appeared in endorsements that showed up on their Facebook friends’ pages.

Douez has alleged that this violated B.C.’s Privacy Act. In 2014, her lawsuit was certified as a class action involving B.C. residents with Facebook accounts from January 1, 2011, to May 30, 2014.

On May 9, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Nitya Iyer granted Douez’s application to allow the class action to include not only B.C. residents but also resident natural persons who were members of Facebook at any time between January 1, 2011, and May 30, 2014, in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

All three of those other provinces also have privacy acts.

Members of class in B.C. and the

other three provinces have to have registered with Facebook using their real names or had a profile picture with an identifiable self-image.

And their real names or profile picture with an identifiable self-image have to have shown up in a Facebook sponsored story, according to Iyer’s ruling.

Facebook has consistently claimed that the lawsuit has no merit. None of the allegations have been proven in court.

One of the issues to be tried is if damages can be determined on an aggregate basis and, if so, in what amount.

Another triable issue is whether or not Facebook’s conduct justifies an award of punitive damages. Yet another issue concerns whether the defendant is obliged to account for any profits that were generated from the unauthorized use of members’ names or portraits.

A clause in Facebook’s terms of use identifies California as the jurisdiction where lawsuits must be litigated under the agreement.

However, in 2017 the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that this clause is not enforceable. That has enabled the case to proceed in B.C. Supreme Court. g

THU MAY 23 2019 7PM I VOGUE THEATRE

DRUG USE FOR GROWN UPS Carl Hart, neuropsychopharmacologist at Columbia University, will explore the myths and social forces that shape our views on drugs and drug policy. He plans to provide evidence-based recommendations to enhance the pleasure adults seek from drug use, and strip away the misinformation and harmful practices that drive our ongoing drug crises.

Commentary by Caitlin Shane (Pivot Legal Society). Moderated by Garth Mullins (Crackdown podcast).

Tickets are FREE I More info at pwias.ubc.ca/events

MAY 16 – 23 / 2019 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT 13

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e won’t have to wait until Saturday for the full moon to spike the punch. The transiting Scorpio moon hits the trigger on Thursday with Mars (trine), Venus, and Uranus (both by opposition).

What’s set in place on Thursday gains traction on Friday as Mercury/ Saturn and Mercury/Pluto (trines) build momentum. Thursday to Saturday, Venus/Uranus adds the excitement, excitability, risk, or surprise factor. Single and looking? You just might find. At peak on full moon Saturday, Venus/Uranus can produce an abrupt end, a springboard, or pay-dirt moment. On a cautionary note, don’t let yourself get talked into anything that could compromise your health or wealth, i.e., street drugs, sexual encounters with strangers, or risky financial ventures.

A blue moon usually refers to the second full moon in a calendar month. Saturday’s full moon in Scorpio (2:11 p.m. PDT) gains the title from being the third of four full moons in a single season. On rare occasion the face of the moon will take on a bluish tint. This is due to dust particles in the air (such as those caused by a significant volcanic eruption).

Both the sun and Mercury enter Gemini on back-to-work Tuesday.

What’s next on the list? Set it in motion. It is an optimum day to start a conversation, get on the same page, connect the dots, or deliver the message. Sun/Mercury is a good idea, trendsetting, news-generating, and mobilizing transit. Wednesday sets up good timing too. Send, sign, or sell it; talk it up or over; take the test; get down to business. While Mars in Cancer has something raw/concerning to tend through next Friday, overall, Tuesday and Wednesday are the best of the week to get on top of it and for seeing results.

A

ARIES

March 20–April 20

Whether it is a piece of news, an expense, or something more, Saturday’s full moon holds an element of the unexpected. A sudden insight could completely revise your perspective. A purchase, surprise discovery, or spontaneous get-together could make your day. Emotions are on ready trigger. Something said or read can spark or provoke you. Tuesday/Wednesday, take another stab at it or start fresh.

B

TAURUS

C

GEMINI

D

CANCER

April 20–May 21

Saturday’s full moon may come and go, but what it generates for you could be lasting. Whether it changes your mind, your heart, or your reality, something or someone can have a huge impact on what happens next. The stage is set for a major turnaround regarding how you feel, what you want, what it’s worth, or what you are willing to pay for.

May 21–June 21

A break from the routine is ideally timed for the long weekend.

The full moon isn’t likely to be restful, but it might be memorable. Someone could show up out of the blue or come at you out of nowhere. To the plus, a brainstorm, sudden instinct, bargain find, or spontaneous choice can make the weekend great. Tuesday puts you/ it on the move.

June 21–July 22

Mars is newly at it in Cancer. Extending through July 1, you should feel this transit as a boost of energy and incentive, especially directed toward better security, safety, and self-care (emotional, physical, material). Beyond a good weekend to cut yourself loose, Saturday’s full moon could dish up something sudden, unexpected, spontaneous, fresh, surprising, enlightening, provoking, or costly. Tuesday/Wednesday, get it going.

E

LEO

F

VIRGO

G

LIBRA

H

SCORPIO

I

SAGITTARIUS

J

CAPRICORN

K

AQUARIUS

L

PISCES

MAY 16-23, 2019 July 22–August 23

Things might not go according to plan, intention, or expectation on full-moon Saturday. Stay open to revision or at the ready for something last-minute to overtake you. Someone could need you or surprise you. You could score a good bargain or make a breakthrough. Go on impulse, instinct, or a first impression. Tuesday’s fresh page or fresh talk is well-timed.

August 23–September 23

Accompanying Saturday’s full moon, Venus/Uranus can produce a breath-of-fresh-air feel or a wake-up call. Tuesday/Wednesday, hit it fresh; make it official. It is an ideal time to apply for a new job, talk to the bank, sign the paperwork, start a new project, or shift your inner dialogue. Mars works along a breakthrough track through the middle of June.

September 23–October 23

Watch for Saturday’s full moon to pick up steam as early as Thursday. You’ll feel it as heightened emotional intensity and a full-to-thebrim few days. To Saturday, Mercury keeps motivation, communications, and activities clipping along. Rather than kick back on Saturday, Venus/ Uranus has you in full swing right from the start, perhaps unexpectedly.

Tuesday/Wednesday, talks and meetings are productive.

October 23–November 22

Feeling it/fuelling it, the moon enters Scorpio on Thursday and hits full phase on Saturday. Thursday/ Friday, Mercury in good shape with Saturn and Pluto helps you to get a better handle on it, say it, do it, and time it right. Thursday and Saturday, Venus/ Uranus adds the extra flint or fuel. A reaction, impulse, or surprise can get the better of you.

November 22–December 21

You may want to keep a low profile as the workweek finishes out, but Venus/Uranus and Saturday’s full moon have other plans. Expect to hit a refresh button or to have a sudden impulse or inspiration gain a strong wind. Saturday night through Monday, the Sagittarius moon keeps you going strong. Tuesday, sun/Mercury sets you onto a next page, project, or conversation.

December 21–January 20

Now through the long weekend, something social, spontaneous, and/or outside of the usual hits it right.

You are likely to spend more than you plan, but the pleasure, reward, or added benefit makes it worthwhile. Pick up the phone and/or get fresh on it Tuesday/Wednesday while Sun/Mercury and the Capricorn moon set you up with good timing.

January 20–February 18

Kicking it up an extra notch as of Thursday, Uranus keeps it edgy, stimulating, and/or energized through Saturday’s full moon. A good idea or spontaneous impulse is well worth acting on. Home, family, and visits keep you busy this weekend. Get better informed, get better connected; Tuesday/ Wednesday is also optimal for talks, meetings, interviews, plans.

February 18–March 20

Thursday through Saturday, things can rev up or fall into place.

Building steam over a couple of days, Saturday’s full moon could prompt a significant change of heart or mind or a big shift regarding prospects. Also, watch for news or for something unplanned or expected to overtake you.

Next Tuesday starts the workweek on an upswing. g Book a reading or sign up for Rose’s free monthly newsletter at rosemarcus.com/.

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MAY 16 – 23 / 2019 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT 15

HEAR IT. FEEL IT.

ANNOUNCING THE

2019-2020 SEASON

OTTO TAUSK, MUSIC DIRECTOR

Dear Music Lovers, As Music Director of the VSO I am thrilled to share with you our 2019-2020 season, the 101st season of the orchestra.

OW N E L A S ON RD I B Y L R EA NE

This is going to be a fantastic year. Guest artists include Anne-Sophie Mutter, Daniil Trifonov, Dawn Upshaw, Sergei Babayan, Gary Hoffman, Gidon Kremer, Susan Graham, and so many more — the quality and range of guest artists coming to Vancouver is a testament to our great orchestra and city.

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We celebrate Beethoven 250 with BeethovenFest in the spring. The highlight for me will be re-creating the most remarkable night of Beethoven’s career, performed over two days, plus an intriguing exploration of the Fifth Symphony.

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Throughout the year we invite you to hear things familiar but with a new perspective. Gidon Kremer plays the Schumann Cello Concerto on violin, Adrianne Pieczonka sings Schubert’s great lieder in orchestral arrangements, and Evelyn Glennie invites you to listen differently before we place you in the heart of the orchestra for a special immersive experience with Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. I am also excited to continue our focus on Women’s Voices, including the debut of conductor Elim Chan.

The season opens with the symphony that changed the genre forever — Mahler’s 1st, the Titan. It sets the tone for a season of musical discovery.

See you at the concert hall!

Otto Tausk, Music Director

ANNE-SOPHIE MUTTER, VIOLIN

DANIIL TRIFONOV, PIANO

JUN 9, 2020

SEP 27/28, 2019

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arts

At rEvolver, comedy meets creepy in Surveil

by Janet Smith

A

creepy reminder that we’re all being watched spurred comedy-theatre duo Hip. Bang! to delve into dark new territory with Surveil.

“We were meeting to talk about our next show and talking about technology and how pervasive it is, and we spoke about Google Home in particular,” Tom Hill recounts over the phone with the Straight, referring to his initial discussions with Devin Mackenzie. “Then when we got home, both of us get a targeted ad for Google Home.”

The idea that our phones may be listening to us led Hip.Bang! to create one of several form-pushing shows at this year’s rEvolver Festival (see story below). Using immersive, and frankly scary, high-tech tricks, they force us to confront what many of us prefer to deny: that as we casually share our personal details on the Interweb, someone is looking on.

For the latest incarnation, the team has recruited the help of intelligence-software expert (and, yes, former Google employee) Kory Mathewson for an experience that will give you a direct wakeup call on just how invadable your privacy is.

Audiences even have to sign a waiver to get into Surveil—not that it seems to bother them too much.

“The goal of the show is very much to make it tangible and very much face the nastiness of it,” Hill explains of Surveil, an evolving project that’s been a hit everywhere from JFL NorthWest and TOSketchFest to the Vancouver Fringe (where it shared the top artistic-risk prize). “The waivers, I think, initially started like more of a joke. And then it became clear that it was absolutely not a joke.

We’ve had three people not sign it out of thousands who have seen the show, and it’s interesting to see just that amount of people who just kind of sign it and move on.”

In the production, the audience joins characters Charles and Daniel at the CES Technology Conference, with Peter Carlone playing their back-end worker Kyle. “The starting point for the characters was probably this unfortunate tech-bro culture that

Hip.Bang!’s Tom Hill and Devin Mackenzie got their start in comedy, but push ever further into theatrical terrain. Photo by Evil Patrick

rEvolver TIP SHEET The goal of the show is very much to make it tangible and very much face the nastiness of it.

– Hip.Bang!’s Tom Hill

Amid the risk-taking and bold experimentation happening at the rEvolver Festival, which runs at the Cultch site from next Wednesday (May 22) to June 2, here are a few more shows worth catching:

d OTHER INLAND EMPIRES (May 22, 23, 25, and 26 at the Cultch Historic Theatre) Part travelogue, part vintage-popfuelled ode to Gidget, writerdirector Julie Hammond’s new work is based on her own real-life adventure. It follows her quest to go back to Central Europe, somehow learn to surf there, and uncover the lost story of her grandmother’s Holocaust survival.

d LARRY (May 29 to June 1 at the is happening,” Mackenzie elaborGreenhouse Studio) Vancouverbased clown artist Candice ates in a separate call. Explaining Roberts uses her alter ego Larry to that Hill plays the A-type Charles, explore her experiences growing he adds: “Daniel is more of a shut- d MY DEAR LEWIS (May 23, 25, and 28 and June 1 and 2 at the Culture up in rural B.C. in the 1980s. in kind of dude and he had a bit of Lab) Puppets, objects, videos, and Culled from the male archetypes a traumatizing incident, so now he music combine in Kyle Loven’s that surrounded her during has some obsessive personality traits imaginatively staged one-man her upbringing, Larry helps her that lead him to install cameras.” show about memory, mementos, investigate gender stereotypes— The show marks a bold new dirand makes people laugh. and the meaning of life. ection for a company that made its name in comedy with improv, sketch works, and full-length scripted shows hard to categorize. Along with ex- traversing into solid theatrical terrilike White Pants, but is increasingly ploring film series, Hip.Bang! is now tory, especially with director Marie

Farsi (of Crow’s Theatre) at the helm of Surveil.

“Everything we’ve done to this point was 100 percent comedy,” Hill says. “Here, the comedy becomes a drama.” For its incarnation at rEvolver, Surveil has gone even further in that direction: “It’s demonstrably scarier. And I think vastly better,” Hill allows.

This is also the first time the troupe has ever won a Canada Council grant to create something—not that it didn’t take some hard convincing. Hill seems to be only half joking when he says the application process was “borderline traumatic”.

“I had been told we weren’t theatre,” he says, explaining “sketch comedy”, which Hip.Bang! has done before but clearly wasn’t planning for Surveil, was not allowed under the council definition of theatre. “To their credit they were interested in hearing us out,” adds Hill, who rallied prominent Vancouver theatre peeps to write letters in Hip.Bang!’s support. “But at first, they had fully rejected our application to apply.”

So now that it has national support for its bold new immersivetheatre direction, Hip.Bang! is eager to show audiences what it can do in an open, adventurous atmosphere like rEvolver.

Mackenzie says hitting the right balance of laughter and darkness is key. “There are expectations of comedy for our shows, so people are coming in with that, but here they’re also getting slammed pretty hard with some hard truths,” he says. “I actually like that a lot. We’re presenting something different and that’s exciting for us.”

And if all this is making you feel paranoid, don’t worry about what you’re signing away to see Surveil.

“I don’t think anybody will leave feeling uncomfortable about what we do,” Mackenzie assures. “They’ll leave feeling uncomfortable about what these massive companies are doing to our lives.” g UpintheAir Theatre presents Surveil at the Cultch Historic Theatre on May 23, 24, and 26, as part of the rEvolver Festival.

Dance to cabaret, fest embraces all forms

S

by Janet Smith

ince launching in 2013, the rEvolver Festival has always embraced the new, the unconventional, and the adventurous. Using the motto “The Changing Stage”, its organizers at Upintheair Theatre are driven to give a platform to emerging artists and work that might not fit easily into traditional programming.

Notice that the team has now taken the word theatre right out of the festival title, emphasizing the interdisciplinary, form-pushing nature of the lineup this year.

Aside from Hip.Bang!’s innovative mashup of comedy and immersive theatre (see story above), here are two other strong productions on the roster that defy categorization as the fest takes over the entire Cultch site from next Wednesday (May 22) to June 2.

CONTEMPORARY DANCE SOLO (At the Culture Lab on May 24, 26, and 29 and June 2) SFU School for the Contemporary Arts grad Robert Azevedo says his one-man multimedia performance is inspired by all the relatives who have come to see him perform, only to be confused and mildly disappointed.

They were expecting something that looked more like a So You Think You Can Dance tryout than what actually transpired.

His solo is a way to finally give them what they want—kind of. In it, he attempts to pull off a sequence of 18 two- to three-minute routines—all culled from YouTube videos in

them, I said, ‘How can they even do this?’ ” Azevedo was about to find out, in what turned out to be a massive learning curve, despite his own considerable dance chops. “The piece began almost as a critique of this world,” he admits, “but as I worked on it, I gained a lot of respect for these dancers.”

Of course, Azevedo goes beyond mere mimicry in the piece; while he pays tribute to the prowess of the girls on-screen, he explores his own physical breaking points and the way dancers need to keep on smilin’ despite the pain.

“As a dancer I’m really interested in effort and endurance, and testing the limits and exploring failure,” he explains. “It really takes me back to the beginning, as a dancer when I was a teenager, and being in the studio and pushing myself. And when the teacher would yell at me.

“I keep telling everyone this is the hardest dance work I’ve ever done,” he adds.

At the rEvolver Festival, Lady Parts finds a wild mix of sketch comedy, true storytelling, and cabaret.

which real kids, 7 to 17 years old, perform numbers for contemporary-dance competitions.

The videos play on a screen on-stage as he attempts to pull off their powerhouse moves— with increasing difficulty. “What these girls are doing are physical feats. They’re so strong!” he tells the Straight over the phone. “And there are so many tricks that are just so captivating, with flips and backbends. When I first watched

LADY PARTS (At the Cultch Historic Theatre on May 22, 24, and 25) Cheyenne Mabberley and Katey Hoffman’s After Party Theatre makes a foray into feminist cabaret, satirical sketch comedy, and storytelling in its provocative new four-woman hit. Directed by Pippa Mackie, the show is by the same duo who tapped their inner drunk teenagers to bring you the massive 2016 Fringe hit The After After Party.

Here, they’re joined by Agnes Tong and Arggy Jenati in a no-holds-barred show that was born at Pi Theatre’s Provocateurs Presentation Series

last year. The production marks a new direction for the comedy-theatre duo, who first bonded at Studio 58. Aside from having a lot less Fireball whisky and puking than The After After Party did, Lady Parts alternates between the hilariously fictional and the painfully real.

“It’s sketch comedy with true stories—every performance, each of us gets to tell a true story about our life,” Mabberley explains, “and then each night we’re bringing on a special guest.”

Those are the first night’s burlesque artist, Scarlet Delirium, as well as standup comedian Jackie Hoffart, Nasty Women Improv, and drag artist Freaka Nature.

The After After Party may have been drawn from Mabberley and Hoffman’s more reckless teen experiences, but this is the first time the duo have been this candid about themselves. “For me, personally, it was really vulnerable to tell the true story,” Mabberley admits. “We never get to do plays where we connect with our own personal experience, because they’re all written by men, or directed by men.

“In mine, I talk a lot about body image and what it’s like in the industry being a fat woman,” she reveals, adding that other actors’ confessionals range from pube-waxing to a gynecologist visit.

One of the big themes they’ve hit upon?

“We are constantly surprised about how women get information about their bodies,” Mabberley says. g

MAY 16 – 23 / 2019 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT 17

ARTS

Arts Umbrella preps for new shows, new era

B

by Janet Smith

eyond the construction fencing, Arts Umbrella’s vast new space on Granville Island is beginning to take true shape. And at the same time that the facility is getting ready to stage its ambitious end-of-the-year dance and theatre productions, it’s preparing for a major new chapter in its evolution.

“It’s been fun to dream a space,” Arts Umbrella’s associate director of music and theatre, Andy Toth, tells the Straight on a hard-hat tour of the facility.

The massive project has meant trying to predict the future needs of the expanding program as it readies to move into the 50,000-square-foot site in Emily Carr University of Art + Design’s former South Building.

While planning for the theatre students’ upcoming Expressions Theatre Festival, Toth and his team of instructors have been giving input on the four new studios and 145-seat theatre they’ll have access to at a new space that’s double the size of the current Granville Island headquarters.

At one end of the four-floor building, in Henriquez Partners Architects’ massive renovation to the early-1990s design by Patkau Architects, that means a new theatre studio with a blue screen for film and video work. In a top-level space, it means a sprung floor, studio-style seating, and high ceilings: “They’re literally raising the roof for us here,” Toth enthuses, surveying the concrete top that will soon be lifted.

The new Arts Umbrella headquarters is slated to open in 2020, although the space likely won’t be ready for annual spring Expressions Festival stagings until 2021. Still, the site’s capacity for in-house and public performances will mark big growth

allows the students to focus on their acting as they take on an ambitious lineup of famous works: the junior and senior musical-theatre troupes are tackling James and the Giant Peach and Into the Woods, while the junior and senior theatre groups are bringing to life Peter Pan and Animal Farm, respectively.

It’s important for their performances to be allowed to evolve through a long run on a professional stage, de Sá says. “There’s a trajectory of the students in how they grow from show to show, and then how they grow year to year,” she explains.

For the Expressions Theatre Festival, Arts Umbrella students stage Into the Woods, while (right) the dance program presents Be Moved (photo by David Cooper).

for the theatre program. Workers are putting in a box office at the entrance to the building, and the theatre will provide for year-round programming—also as a venue for dance.

In all, the renovated structure will be home to seven dance studios; four theatre and music studios; eight visual, applied, and media-arts studios; the 145-seat theatre; and a public exhibition gallery on the main floor.

Students who now often eat in the hallway will have a bright new lunchroom with a terrace. And there will be a well-ventilated workshop space with drafting tables, saw, and more that emphasizes the theatre program’s stagecraft training.

“It’s a must and there’s nothing like it anywhere in Vancouver for teens— nothing where you can get into the nitty-gritty of design,” explains Toth.

“They learn, ‘How do you peel apart a script in order to design for it?’ ” “We’re trying to give a better understanding of the whole,” says Susanne Moniz de Sá, coordinator of theatre and music. “It’s important to

respect every part of the production.

“We often see students come alive when they do the lights and so on,” adds Seamus Fera, codirector of the junior theatre troupe and a past student who started at the program at age seven. He says he personally appreciated the behind-the-scenes knowledge when he went on to study acting at UBC. “When I entered my undergrad I knew about lights, about sound, how to coil cables. Kids are responsible for organizing costumes on their tours here and also making sure their props survive the tour.”

At the moment, the program, which offers theatre and musicaltheatre streams, must vie for limited studio space with the dance and visual-arts programs in the old facility.

Toth feels strongly that more space will lead to more collaboration between those art forms. “Right now, it’s so tight in the space we’re in that interacting is hard because we’re too tight to share,” he explains. “Good fences make good neighbours.”

For now, though, Expressions

FOR ARTEMIS GORDON, artistic director of Arts Umbrella’s acclaimed dance program, the new studios, with their high ceilings, bright light, and sprung floors, will have benefits that go far beyond the quantifiable.

“It’s a reminder that air and light are the essence of who we are as human beings,” she says over the phone amid the year-end flurry of performances and summer-training planning. “It encourages us and it inspires us that somebody cares enough about what we do that they’re willing to build us a place to do it.

“That’s what’s really important: knowing that people care and value dance and art and process. That’s the catalyst we all need to create.”

For Arts Umbrella’s dance stream, the new building will not necessarily mean growth in numbers; Gordon reports everything will be at capacity when she and her students are expecting to move in.

But having the 145-seat theatre and other spaces that can allow for seating opens up possibilities for programming. Gordon sees new opportunities for workshops, residencies, and

visiting troupes. And the expansive studios, which have light streaming in from high windows on the top floor, will allow younger students to take in the work of those ahead of them. “I have different companies of different ages, so when you’re able to have two or three casts in the room, it’s great,” says Gordon, whose grads often go on to the world’s top contemporary troupes, including Batsheva Dance Company, Nederlands Dans Theater, and, of course, Ballet BC. The program’s popular spring mixed program, which is called Be Moved for 2019, will need to stay in its larger Vancouver Playhouse venue. This year’s cutting-edge lineup of 18 pieces reads like a who’s who of the national and international contemporary-dance scene, with several new works created for the company. International star Crystal Pite has been back at the preprofessional program, experimenting for a large-scale premiere she’ll stage abroad, allowing the students to perform an excerpt from it in Be Moved.

Emily Molnar, Johan Inger, Lesley Telford, Stephen Shropshire, James Kudelka, Amos Ben-Tal, and Wen Wei Wang also have creations on the roster.

Arts Umbrella already attracts top talent, so it seems the new building will provide more fitting surroundings for their dance work. “At their level everybody can dance,” Gordon says of her students. “We’ll be able to do what we do better, and that’s what’s really important. It’s about development.

And then, just having proper changerooms and a place for kids to eat!” g Arts Umbrella’s Expressions Theatre Festival runs from Friday to next Saturday (May 17 to 25 at Waterfront Theatre); the dance program’s Be Moved is next Thursday to Saturday (March 23 to 25) at the Vancouver Playhouse.

FROM

BUY NOW taxes included

“BIG AND

ENERGETIC”

book by dennis kelly music and lyrics by tim minchin from the novel by roald dahl

—CBC

Now playing to July 14 In partnership with Citadel Theatre and Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre

presenting sponsor

Anna Anderson-Epp and Sharon Crandall, Royal MTC, Winnipeg; photo by Dylan Hewlett

playing at stanley industrial alliance stage

18 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT MAY 16 – 23 / 2019

granville island stage

goldcorp stage at the bmo theatre centre

ARTS

Play builds around audience member

A

by Alexander Varty

udience participation is a big part of Ce qu’on attend de moi, an innovative theatrical adventure making its West Coast debut at Théâtre la Seizième next week. A big part: the star of each night’s show will be selected from the audience. But the timid need not worry. Stepping into the spotlight is not at all mandatory.

“We don’t force anyone to take part in the show,” explains Gilles PoulinDenis, who created Ce qu’on attend de moi with Philippe Cyr. “People have the choice of participating or not, and there are ways that you can avoid being part of the show if you don’t want to.”

On the line from his Ottawa home, Poulin-Denis explains that Ce qu’on attend de moi begins with several audience volunteers being interviewed about their lives. After that, the audience as a whole votes on whom it would like to see showcased; the lucky winner is then whisked away backstage, where Poulin-Denis continues the interview process, and the “actor” is asked to perform a number of theatrical tasks. All of this is shot by multiple cameras, with the result projected

on a screen for the remaining audience members to watch. The final product falls somewhere between film, reality TV, and stage play. (For nonfrancophones, translation will be offered, in English, through headphones.)

“We have a loose script that we’ve created,” Poulin-Denis notes. “But there’s some holes in it, and whoever is the volunteer, we kind of create this piece with them. So they come in and kind of fill those holes and totally change the performance. When we did the show in Ottawa last March, we did two shows a night, and people would stay to watch both shows because there was such a difference. You could see the basic structure, but the show was completely different from one performance to the next, because it all depends on the person who’s elected.”

Creating the production afresh with each performance, he adds, can be more taxing for the crew than the cast. “We have no idea who we’re going to be playing with,” he says with a laugh. “It’s kind of like knowing half of the script and not the other half. ” Because each performance is so different, it’s not easy to get a grip on what

Ce qu’on attend de moi—which translates, loosely, as “I’ll do what is expected of me”—is about. Poulin-Denis says that it draws on the writings of French neurobiologist and philosopher Henri Laborit, who speculated that there are only three ways to escape societal conditioning: “drugs, mental instability, and imagination”. Ce qu’on attend de moi, naturally, concentrates on the last; each volunteer star is asked to imagine their ideal world. In the process, the audience learns about their dreams, their hopes, and their anxieties.

“Sometimes we don’t know exactly what the person is thinking, or perhaps they’re being a bit guarded on certain questions, and that’s fine,” Poulin-Denis allows. “But there are always some moments in every performance where we feel we have access to something very sincere from the person. And it’s quite interesting in that sense, that even with the screen and the movie aspect, that intimacy kind of comes through.” g Théâtre la Seizième presents Ce qu’on attend de moi at Performance Works from Tuesday to next Saturday (May 21 to 25).

MAY 24 ∞ 25 ∞ 26 COLLECTOR SOIRÉE FRIDAY 7-10pm $ 50 COLLECTOR’S PASS $ 20 Online $25 at door OPEN STUDIOS 1-5pm SAT & SUN FREE ADMISSION GUIDED TOURS 2pm and 4pm TICKETS ONLINE + DOOR

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for tickets visit www.uniquelives.com MAY 16 – 23 / 2019 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT 19

ARTS

Nassim is like a warm, beautiful hug for viewers

by Andrea Warner

THEATRE NASSIM

Written by Nassim Soleimanpour.

Directed by Omar Elerian. At the Cultch Historic Theatre on Wednesday, May 8. Continues until May 19

d “NO MATTER what you speak, mum means ‘home’.”

Adam Grant Warren said this towards the end of Nassim, the new piece by acclaimed Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour. Each night a new actor performs Soleimanpour’s script, sight unseen. Live video images of a stack of papers are projected onto a large screen on-stage, in which the actor’s words and stage directions are revealed page by page by the playwright himself, though we see only his hands in Act 1.

The name Nassim, we’re told, means “breeze” in Farsi, and despite this being his mother tongue, Soleimanpour’s works have never been performed in Iran in his language.

His own mother has never seen her son’s plays performed. Nassim is Soleimanpour’s beautiful resolution to these issues.

By performing Nassim all over the world, he is learning English and other languages from the different actors each night, and in turn, they learn Farsi. It’s a true give-and-take as Soleimanpour’s script reveals biographical elements of his life and childhood, and the stage directions entreat the actor to do the same.

There’s a tremendous amount of humour tucked into the script at every turn. Warren finding out in real time that he was going to be speaking

Writer-performer Nassim Soleimanpour silently reveals his script, page by page.

and learning Farsi in front of everybody was hilarious, as was Soleimanpour showing all of us the notebook where he’s written down the English word that Nassim calls for early on in Act 1. For each performance, the actor and audience are directed to choose a term that’s long and complicated. Impeachment, Soleimanpour pointed out with his pen, came up almost every other night in New York.

Soleimanpour joined Warren onstage in Act 2, but he didn’t speak, communicating instead through his pen as he continued to display and reveal his play page by page. The charm, skill, and intimacy of Soleimanpour’s writing create a sort of warm hug for the audience, and Warren’s performance was equally delightful. The bond the pair formed through the dialogue, both scripted and improvised, was pure joy.

Soleimanpour has written an extraordinary love letter and a tribute to his mother and his mother tongue, and the quiet power of what unites and binds us rather than what divides. g

“Amazing magic full of charming surprises. Ingenious!”

– Penn & Teller

“A Master Illusionist Makes Magic On His Own Terms” – Forbes

A n o f f b r o a d w ay h i t !

AN EVENING OF WONDER S JUNE 5, 2019 - RIVER ROCK SHOW THEATRE

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Cafe Medina

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20 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT MAY 16 – 23 / 2019

T i c k e t s a r e s e l l i n g fa s t at ticketmaster.cA

ARTS

Ballet BC rocks club beats and spoken word

by Janet Smith

DANCE PROGRAM 3

A Ballet BC production. At the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Friday, May 10. No remaining performances

d BALLET BC WAS in celebration mode for its closing show of the season. It announced that May 11 was officially Ballet BC Day, declared by the City of Vancouver to mark artistic director Emily Molnar’s 10 years at the company.

So it was fitting that the mixed bill wrapped with a big crowd pleaser. One of the most famous works by Batsheva Dance Company legend Ohad Naharin, Minus 16 had the audience on its feet, clapping and whooping in the aisles.

(Another reason to celebrate: Naharin has given the green light to the company to stage his Hora next season.)

Ballet BC tapped all the warped, playful energy of Minus 16, revealing it as the elaborate game that it is.

In the renowned scene where the dancers pull off a sort of human wave while sitting in a semicircle of chairs, they arched back in sequence like lightning had struck them square in the chests. Elsewhere, Brandon Alley and Emily Chessa brought new expressive, sensual power to the midsection’s weird and wonderful pas de deux; watching her wrap her legs around his upper body and then curl backwards toward the floor was breathtaking. And the surprise, audience-participation finale (no spoilers here) was as inspired as ever.

But the real treat was watching Minus 16 on the same program as Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar’s clubbeat-driven Bedroom Folk, a North American premiere for Ballet BC and a beyond-cool addition to its repertoire. Eyal is an alumna of Israel’s

A standout in Program 3, Bedroom Folk featured Ballet BC dancers pulsing to a throbbing score in front of a bright orange backdrop. Photo by Michael Slobodian

Batsheva, and though her work has a different feel from her mentor’s, it’s fascinating to pick out similarities: the sense of humour, the groove, and the little, nonstop pulsing steps.

Set to a throbbing score by Israeli DJ Ori Lichtik, the piece opens with the dancers dressed in black body suits. An orange slice of light hovers at the back of the stage. Later, the darkness lifts to reveal a full DayGlo–hued backdrop, the performers contrasted in pale blue light.

Like Ballet BC’s previous Eyal work Bill, Bedroom Folk mixes the robotic and the fluid. Shoulders might shift back and forth mechanically, then arms undulate liquidly in the air.

It’s punishing in its relentless beat, with intricately choreographed group work that the corps pulls off with unified excellence and a commitment to the aloof, replicantlike gaze. This is a piece where Ballet BC can show its fierceness, and Nicole Ward and Kirsten Wicklund display a special fire.

Local choreographer Serge Bennathan’s new Poesía was the antithesis of this cold and hard-edged world. Openhearted and earnest, it is an ode to the resilience of artists, driven by the lush, electro-orchestral

flurry of Bertrand Chenier’s score.

Poesía takes place on a stage opened to the wings, with several microphones on stands around the edges. Occasionally, dancers deliver Bennathan’s heartfelt poetry there.

But it is the language of the dance that is often the most memorable, with performers finding a loose, freeing physicality, deeply swivelling at their waists, leaning far off-axis, and huddling to send their fingers grasping ravenously at the air above their heads.

Amid this, the action pauses for Chessa and Patrick Kilbane to have a moving, vulnerable pas de deux that evolves into a tight and desperately embracing slow dance at centre stage. Bennathan is covering all the themes here—love, art, and the profound struggle of both those things.

Ultimately, the program emphasized the dancers’ incredible versatility—from charged automatons to physical comedians and even surprisingly talented slam poets. For them, the season is far from over: the troupe is off soon for another tour, from Stuttgart to Barcelona to the namemaking Jacob’s Pillow Festival in Massachusetts. In other words, there’s more to celebrate. g

MaY 27 — JuNe 2, 2019 oN GrAnViLlE IsLaNd, vAnCoUvEr

cHiLdReNsFeStIvAl.cA We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.

Nous remercions le Conseil des arts du Canada de son soutien.

Premier Sponsor

MAY 16 – 23 / 2019 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT 21

ARTS LISTINGS

SCANDINAVIAN TREASURES SONGS OF THE NORTH

SATURDAY MAY 25, 2019 7:30PM Scandinavian Cultural Centre 6540 Thomas St. Burnaby, BC

Tickets: vancouvercantatasingers.com or 604-730-8856

GLOBAL DANCE CONNECTIONS SERIES

DAVIDA MONK Photo: Tim Nguyen, Citrus Photograpy

ASHES FOR BEAUTY Works by Davida Monk | Helen Husak | Paras Terezakis

May 23-25, 2019 | 8pm Scotiabank Dance Centre

Tickets 604.684.2787 | ticketstonight.ca

Info 604.606.6400 | thedancecentre.ca

ONGOING MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY AT UBC aIN A DIFFERENT LIGHT: REFLECTING ON NORTHWEST COAST ART to summer 2020 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, 2019 aTHERE IS TRUTH HERE to Dec 31 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 aMOVING STILL: PERFORMATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY IN INDIA to Sep 2 aVIEWS OF THE COLLECTION: THE STREET to Nov 17 CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERY aDEANNA BOWEN | A HARLEM NOCTURNE to Jun 16 SINGERS WANTED AT SONGRISE! Join an uplifting singing experience inspired

by Bobby McFerrin’s Circle Songs. Sing vocal grooves, heavenly harmonies, and body-shakin’ rhythms, all composed in the moment! For anyone who can sing in tune and has a basic sense of rhythm.

11 am most Sundays until June 16. Info and preregistration: www.songrise. ca. To Jun 16, 11 am–12:45 pm, Kitsilano Neighbourhood House. $15.

THE GREAT LEAP The Arts Club Theatre Company presents Lauren Yee’s play, a jump shot across borders. To May 19, Goldcorp Stage at the BMO Theatre Centre. Tix from $29.

THRONE AND GAMES—THE LAST LAUGH Improvised Game of Thrones parody. To Jun 15, The Improv Centre. From $10.75.

THE SEA Slamming Door Artist Collective presents Edward Bond’s comedy. To May 19, Jericho Arts Centre. $18-29.

DUETS Comedy of relationships and awkward moments. To May 18, Deep Cove Shaw Theatre. $25/23.

COMMUNICATING DOORS A dominatrix from the future is summoned to witness a man’s confession to murder. To May 25, 8 pm, Metro Theatre. $25/22.

NASSIM New play explores the mystery of faith-based healing and the consequences of life-changing transformation. To May 19, 8 pm, Cultch Historic Theatre. Tix $24.

‘CELEBRATING COMMUNITY’ THEATRE BC 2019 FRASER VALLEY ZONE FESTIVAL OF PLAYS Stage 43 Theatrical Society hosts a weeklong theatre festival. To May 18, Evergreen Cultural Centre. Pass $54-100; single $19-24.

SIRIUSXM TOP COMIC COMPETITION Three nights of uncensored comedy. To May 15, Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club. $10.

THE FITTING ROOM Play about a griefstricken small town and five people whose

Arts HOT TICKET

69 POSITIONS (May 14 to

August 17 at the SUM gallery) On May 14, 1969, the Canadian government decriminalized same-sex sexual activity. To mark the 50th anniversary of Bill C-150, the Queer Arts Festival brings you this fascinating cross-Canada exhibition (shown here). Presented in conjunction with VIVO Media Arts Centre and the Vancouver Queer Film Festival, the show takes a critical look at history, transporting you back to a time when the sexual revolution and gay liberation were hitting their peak, with media, memorabilia, artifacts, documentary films, and more.

AKIYAMA RETURNS WITH MAYUKO KAMIO (May 16 at the

Centennial Theatre, and May 17

lives collide. May 14, 8 pm; May 15, 8 pm; May 16, 8 pm; May 17, 8 pm; May 18, 2 pm; May 18, 8 pm, Havana Theatre. $15-20.

SIRIUS XM TOP COMIC VANCOUVER Ten comedians each night compete for the title of best comic in Canada. May 14, 15, 8 pm, Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club. $10.

DINNER IS COMING! A GAME OF THRONES FEAST AT THE STORM CROW! Themed three-course meal and screening. May 19, 5 pm, 8 pm, Storm Crow Alehouse. $45.

THE LAUGH GALLERY WITH GRAHAM CLARK Graham Clark and friends present a comedy show with trivia and prizes. May 20, 27, 8 pm, Havana Theatre. $5.

TOP TALENT SHOWCASE Vancouver comics develop their craft. May 21, 8 pm, Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club. $10.

HAVE YOU BEEN TO...

SWAN LAKE (May 18 at the

Vancouver Playhouse and June 15 at the Bell Performing Arts Centre in Surrey) Springtime and Swan Lake go together beautifully, and Coastal City Ballet gives the beloved ballet a gorgeous modern twist with the return of Irene Schneider’s fresh, romantic take. Ana Paula Oioli is the white swan Odette and Diego Ramalho dances Siegfried.

THUNDERC*NT (May 16 to 18 at Yuk Yuk’s) Comedian Sharon Mahoney tackles censorship, empowerment, and the loaded meaning of the C-word in a show that’s been a hit from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. g WEDNESDAY, MAY 15 THE VANCOUVER ART GALLERY HELLER LECTURE WITH VIVEK SHRAYA Author and musician speaks to the VAG’s spring presentation, Moving Still: Performative Photography in India. May 15, 7 pm, Annex Theatre. $40/35.

NEW WEST STORY SLAM Seven tellers share original tales. May 15, 7-8:30 pm, The Heritage Grill. $5.

THURSDAY, MAY 16 CANWRITE! 2019 WRITERS CONFERENCE Presentations, panels, and workshops covering poetry, fiction, memoir, book marketing,

see page 24

MAY 22 – JUNE 2

Cliffhanger Gym cliffhangerclimbing.com

Fairmont Pacific Rim fairmont.com/pacific-rim-vancouver

IGA igastoresbc.com

Featuring: After Party Theatre • Robert Azevedo • Candy Bones Theatre • Julie Hammond • Hip.Bang! • Killjoy Theatre • Kyle Loven • Lester Trips (Theatre) • Madonnanera • O Albatross • Popcorn Galaxies • Whells Phargo Productions • Updrafts Reading Series • xLq

Tickets On! Sale Now

22 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT MAY 16 – 23 / 2019

and 18 at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts) Two Japanese superstars take the stage with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra this weekend. The concert marks the return of VSO conductor laureate Kazuyoshi Akiyama, who led our orchestra in the 1970s to great acclaim. He’ll join Tokyo violin virtuoso Mayuko Kamio and her famed 1727 Stradivarius in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s sparkling Violin Concerto No. 3 in G Major.

2019

Paula Kremer, Artistic Director

MOVIES

Charmer explores immigrant’s angst THE CHARMER

Starring Ardalan Esmaili. In Danish, English, and Farsi, with English subtitles. Rating unavailable

d DISPLACED PEOPLE take many kinds of paths, but the one danced along by one desperate man in The Charmer is decidedly different from what we usually see in movies.

The seductive smoothie here is Esmail, a young Iranian played by Denmark-based Ardalan Esmaili, who resembles a more Mediterranean George Clooney. Esmail has been in Copenhagen for two years, and his visitor’s visa is about to run out.

That’s why he spends most evenings in his best and only suit at a highclass bar frequented by the kind of blondish singles who just might be able to help him change his status.

His attempts so far have been erotically successful, but have not paid off bureaucratically or morally, as we see (but don’t yet understand) in the otherwise gentle-toned film’s shocking first scene. His missteps will eventually come back to haunt him, but for now, the hunt is on. One night, he meets a likely Danish lass, but is thrown off by her Farsi-speaking pal, who’s onto his game from the start.

New York–born Soho Rezanejad, an electro-pop artist now living in Copenhagen, makes a strong impression as Sara, drawn to Esmail despite her misgivings. She still lives with her mother (Susan Taslimi), a highly respected Iranian expat. Despite his low standing as a day labourer, the mom takes a shine to Esmail, creating more conflicts for the rebellious Sara. The situation also allows writerdirector Milad Alami, working from the script he wrote with Ingeborg Topsøe, to explore different strata within immigrant communities, and to sketch out varying attitudes

The class divide between Esmail (Ardalan Esmaili) and Sara (Soho Rezanejad) in The Charmer represent one of the schisms that exist in expatriate communities.

toward starting over in a new land.

The moodily shot tale is full of surprising turns and clever insights. But Esmail is such a taciturn character it’s often hard to read his motivations, let alone divine what he’s leaving behind. There are some coincidences that feel forced, as well. But The Charmer mostly lives up to its title.

the peasantry and intellectuals through his personal humility and dedication to reforms within the system. He finished university after the death of Stalin, or surely would have been crushed before getting too popular. But the filmmaker spends less time highlighting how he was at odds with the party than with how he found ways to use it.

He also climbed up the ranks as a vigorous yet nonthreatening young man at a time when the old guard was dying off—three top geezers in as many years, as captured sardonically in the name of his mentor, Yuri Andropov. Like many older Germans, Herzog admires the final ruler of the U.S.S.R. for charming Reagan and Thatcher into letting the Cold War peter out (“We both won,” he insists), for reducing the world’s supply of nuclear weapons, and especially for allowing the Berlin Wall to fall without a fight. Both men warily ponder the unintended consequences the Soviet breakup, which led to war in the Balkans, the spread and then contraction of NATO, and

by Ken Eisner

MEETING GORBACHEV

A documentary by Werner Herzog and André Singer. In English, Russian, and German, with English subtitles. Rated PG

d WERNER HERZOG’S interests in human ambition and man’s appetite for destruction meet in this fascinating and unexpectedly breezy documentary, as Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev, now a frail if portly 88, looks back at some key events of the last century.

Using rarely seen archival footage, Herzog traces Gorby’s steady rise from rural obscurity to postwar membership in the Communist Party—as one who immediately won friends among

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A DAZZLING RUDOLF NUREYEV ARRIVES IN PARIS AND MAKES A CHOICE THAT CHANGES HIS LIFE FOREVER. “LOVELY, ELEGANT, IMPRESSIVE. A CLASSY – AND RESPECTFULLY SEXY – NIGHT AT THE MOVIES.” -Peter Debruge, VARIETY

“AN EXCELLENT INTRODUCTION TO NUREYEVEXPERTLY CONSTRUCTED.” -Kaleem Aftab, CINEUROPA

SIZE DOESN’T MATTER “A CROWD-PLEASER.

Dr. Ruth is totally the Ruth Bader Ginsburg of sex.” the hollywood reporter

“A REMARKABLY INSPIRATIONAL FILM.” THE GATE

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MAY 16 – 23 / 2019 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT 23

from page 22

the rise of right-wing nationalism.

Significantly, Putin is barely mentioned, and only glimpsed once, pretending to mourn at the funeral of Raisa Gorbacheva. The focus on the past is clearly intentional, even if it opens the door to overly sentimental gestures from the director, who occasionally asks reality-TV questions like “How did you feel when your wife died?” Fortunately, he also asks, “How did you feel when your country died?”

by Ken Eisner

ASAKO I & II

Starring Erika Karata. In Japanese, with English subtitles. Rating unavailable

d HOW CAN WE hang on to a dream? That’s the question asked and only partially answered by Asako I & II, a Japanese character study that pulls adolescent romance apart and plunks it back together again, with an existential flare that burns almost bright enough to carry the film’s

smart but overly simplistic premise.

The Asako of the title, which refers numerically to her sudden awakening at the end of a somewhat attenuated two hours, is a young Osaka woman (Erika Karata) who basically gets by on her sweet nature and mangalike prettiness until she’s shaken out of dull routine by chance encounter.

When she spies Baku (Masahiro Higashide), a classic shaggy-haired bad boy, at a photo exhibition titled Self & Others, she breaks decorum by following him into the street and letting him kiss her on the spot.

A new, much less decorous Japan is on display in this incantatory love story from Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, whose 317-minute Happy Hour staked out epic millennial territory a few years back. Here, in a novel-based script adapted by Hamaguchi and Sachiko Tanaka—who specializes in sci-fi–tinged tales of host bodies and shared identities—young love meets the usual frustrations when exalted fantasy meets mundane reality.

The affair is too hot not to cool

down, and Asako finds herself in Tokyo, working at a dull café, when she meets Ryôhei, who is clearly the opposite of her old flame—considerate, ambitious, and emotionally intelligent. Oh, but I almost forgot: he looks exactly like Baku, and is played, in fact, by Higashide again.

Asako initially fights to avoid such an obvious trap, but eventually must confront her opposing impulses. For viewers, this is a mostly pleasant journey, especially with spare music from tofubeats. But when Asako admits, “I’m not an admirable person,” you’re forced to agree. Or rather, she’s an unformed person, and it takes until the very end for her to become interesting.

previously unspoken questions about sex with humour and unblinking authority. And as far as we know, the Savage Love dude has still never interrupted an interviewer to ask if the questioner had enough to eat.

The good doctor’s Jewish-mother proclivities, emphasized in this relatively undemanding doc, represent a nod to her parenting success and to the traumatic loss of her own parents in the Holocaust, which she survived by being sent to an austere retreat in Switzerland. Now past 90 and still a miniwhirlwind of nonstop work and travel, Westheimer tells writerdirector Ryan White about a childhood in central Germany that was idyllic—until it wasn’t.

by Ken Eisner After the war, she made it to what would become Israel, and had her first ASK DR. RUTH sexual experiences while training as Starring Ruth Westheimer. In a sniper for the Haganah. She was English, German, and Hebrew, with wounded in 1948, and her brushes English subtitles. Rated 14A with love and war drove her to study psychology, first in Paris, then in New d RUTH WESTHEIMER was the York. The Dr. in front of her name Dan Savage of her time, answering came from Columbia University. from page 22

social media, and publishing. May 16-19, Walter Gage Residence.

MATILDA THE MUSICAL The Arts Club Theatre Company presents an adaptation of Roald Dahl’s children’s novel. May 16–Jul 14, Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage. From $39.

MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY AT UBC aSHADOWS, STRINGS AND OTHER THINGS: THE ENCHANTING THEATRE OF PUPPETS May 16–Oct 14 DISCOVER DANCE! JACKY ESSOMBE Cultural traditions and healing rhythms of West and Central Africa. May 16, 6 pm, Scotiabank Dance Centre. $15-22.

BOOK LAUNCH Book launch for Before I Was a Critic I Was a Human Being by Amy Fung.

May 16, 7 pm, Massy Books. Free.

MILLENNIAL LINE Poetry by Adele Barclay, sketch comedy by Ese Atawo, and standup

by Randee Neumeyer. May 16, 8:30-11 pm, Red Gate Arts Society. $7-10.

FRIDAY, MAY 17 EXPRESSIONS THEATRE FESTIVAL 2019 Arts Umbrella presents a curated selection of theatre and musical-theatre classics. May 17-25, Waterfront Theatre. $12.

RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN’S G2K CINDERELLA Children’s Theatre of Richmond presents a musical classic. May 17-25, Granville Island Stage. $18/28/38/48.

THE POLYGON aTHE LIND PRIZE 2019 May 17–Jun 9

SATURDAY, MAY 18 TRACE YEOMANS: CRAFTED IN THE CITY A conversation with visual artist Trace Yeomans. May 18, 3-5 pm, Coastal Peoples Fine Arts Gallery. Free.

KILL TONY Podcast comedians Tony Hinchcliffe and Brian Redban. May 18, 7 pm, Commodore Ballroom. $25.

VANCOUVER YOUTH PIANO CONCERT Young Vancouver piano virtuosos perform music by Beethoven, Mozart, and Chopin. May 18, 7-9:30 pm, Orpheum Theatre. $30.

THE COMEDY OF TERRORS Horror-comedy cabaret show. May 18, 7-10:30 pm, Fox Cabaret. $15/20.

SWAN LAKE Coastal City Ballet presents Tchaikovsky’s beloved score choreographed

by Irene Schneider. May 18, 7:30 pm, Vancouver Playhouse. $19.95-59.95.

WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ART—A COMEDY SHOW Standup comedy show featuring classic artwork. May 18, 10:30 pm, Little Mountain Gallery. $10.

SUNDAY, MAY 19 KATE LIU PIANO RECITAL Award-winning pianist makes her Vancouver debut. May 19, 3 pm, Vancouver Playhouse. $15-50.

She later taught there and at West Point, worked for Planned Parenthood, and was pushed to take her off-the-cuff lecturing style to latenight radio, where she was an unexpected hit—despite breaking so many prudish broadcast conventions, and in a thick Gerrrrrman accent, to boot.

Westheimer went from syndication to PBS specials to becoming a staple on late-night talk shows, and is seen here (archivally) cavorting with everyone from George Burns and Gloria Steinem to Gérard Depardieu. White, who previously made the true-crime series The Keepers, doesn’t press her on some more conservative views about monogamy and marriage, but it’s clear that such personal beliefs mattered little when the diminutive doctor became one of the loudest voices for victims of the burgeoning AIDS epidemic of the 1980s. For her, sex has always been the opposite of death, and she has never shut up about it.

by Ken Eisner

COLIN CARR: THE COMPLETE BACH SUITES The Vancouver Chamber Music Society presents acclaimed cellist. May 19, 3-6 pm, West Vancouver United Church. $35-45.

RESONANCE III Miki Orihara, dancer from Japan, is joined by Dezza Dance with new work

by Desirée Dunbar and live cello by Martin Reisle. May 19, 7:30 pm, Orpheum Annex. $35.

THE IMPROVISED TWILIGHT ZONE Instant Theatre Co. bases comedy on the hit TV show.

May 19, 8-9 pm, Havana Theatre. $12.

TUESDAY, MAY 21 DR SKETCHY’S ANTI ART SCHOOL Part art class, part cabaret. May 21, 7-10 pm, Hood 29. $12.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 22 REVOLVER FESTIVAL 2019 Upintheair Theatre’s festival of independent theatre and performing arts. May 22–Jun 2, The Cultch.

Various ticket prices.

WORDS IN THE BURBS A reading series for writers/readers in the suburbs. May 22, 7-9 pm, Western Sky Books. Free.

THURSDAY, MAY 23 BE MOVED Arts Umbrella Dance Company’s season finale features works by international and Canadian choreographers. May 23-25, Vancouver Playhouse. $35.

ART FOR LIFE Art auction in support of the Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation and Friends for Life Society. May 23, 6 pm, The Permanent. $150.

DAVIDA MONK Contemporary dance celebrating the work of Calgary-based Davida Monk. May 23-25, 8 pm, Scotiabank Dance Centre. $33/$25.

MY DEAR LEWIS Solo puppet show originally developed with support from the Jim Henson Foundation. May 23, 8:30-9:30 pm; May 25, 7-8 pm; May 28, 8:15-9:15 pm; Jun 1, 7-8 pm; Jun 2, 5:30-6:30 pm, The Cultch. $22/15.

FRIDAY, MAY 24

VIFF‘18

SHANE KOYCZAN MRG Concerts presents B.C. spoken-word poet and author. May 24, Vogue Theatre. $29.50.

I WALKED THE LINE One-man show written and performed by Allan Morgan. May 24-27, Anvil Centre. $15/20.

CHICKEN GIRL The titular character embarks on a surreal adventure to uncover the mystery surrounding the disappearance of her Uncle Chan. May 24–Jun 7, 8-9 pm, The Annex. $20-30.

SATURDAY, MAY 25 RICHMOND CARVERS WOODCARVING SHOW Artistry in woodcarving with over 300 exhibits. May 25-26, 12-5 pm, Hugh McRoberts Secondary School. $2.

THE LONG DISTANCE BETWEEN Staged reading as part of the Revolver Festival. May 25, 3 pm, The Cultch. By donation.

SCANDINAVIAN TREASURES: SONGS OF THE NORTH The Vancouver Cantata Singers’ last program of the season explores choral music from Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Norway. May 25, 7:30 pm, Scandinavian Cultural Centre. Tix $10-35.

JOHN CLEESE May 25, 7:30 pm, Queen Elizabeth Theatre. $60-130.

SUNDAY, MAY 26 JOKES N TOKES COMEDY Comedian Andrew Packer hosts a night of weed-oriented standup. May 26, 8 pm, Cannabis Culture Headquarters. $10.

SATURDAY, JUNE 1 STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM VARIETY SHOW Variety show features a multitude of Vancouver talent, including burlesque, singing, pole, circus, hip-hop/breakdance, comedy, and live music. Along with various acts we will be fundraising for Project Limelight. Great prizes to be won, including Vancouver Canucks tickets! Come support these beloved performers and charity! Jun 1, 8 am–11 pm, Rio Theatre. $40.

ARTS LISTINGS are a public service provided free of charge, based on available space and editorial discretion. 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.

24 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT MAY 16 – 23 / 2019

DRINK

Lower-alcohol wines can be divine

M

Sun, May 19 | Celebrating #10!

by Kurtis Kolt

y wife just returned from visiting her family in Perth, Western Australia. Although I was disappointed to miss out on the trip due to work commitments, I was able to vicariously enjoy hers via Face Time conversations, Facebook posts, and Instagram, where she documented many of her eating and drinking adventures.

Upon her return, I asked about the wine scene there, what the buzz is these days. Much of it reflected what’s happening here and many other places around the globe. Pink wine is big, and the natural-wine scene continues to flourish, contrary to naysayers and natural-wine haters who seem to constantly claim the category is flaming out fast.

The sparkling-wine category, as it is here, is still going strong, with Prosecco continuing to lead the way for those who end up following other fizzy paths, like Cava, Champagne, or homegrown fare.

The one category she mentioned as big that I still don’t really see making a mark on home turf is the lower-alcohol side of wine. It’s far more common in Australia—and New Zealand, for that matter—to have a section in a wine store devoted to lower-alcohol wines. Rather than being manipulated in production to result in a single-digit percentage of booze in the bottle, these are often wines that can be made from grape varieties capable of being harvested earlier in the season (less sugar equalling less alcohol after fermentation) yet with enough concentration of flavour to be, well, yummy.

There’s validity to the category, particularly in Australia, where laws concerning driving under the influence are notoriously strict. On the health-and-wellness front, these kinds of wine have less negative impact on us, and, of course, it can be pretty damn hot in Oz, so wines with less weight to them can be quite welcome.

Although we have a kinship with our monarchical cousins, I wonder if this is a side of wine that can be embraced here too, even if many of the same benefits listed above ring

true on Canadian soil as well. In our market, there’s a fairly common (false) perception that higher alcohol equals increased value, or the more of a bombastic fruit bomb a wine is, the better it is.

In saying this, we’re starting to see wines along these lines here on our shores.

I was at a Wines of New Zealand tasting recently, and spotted a table pouring the People’s Sessions Sauvignon Blanc 2018 (Marlborough, New Zealand; $15.99, B.C. Liquor Stores) along with a (delicious) pink edition of their wine that’s available in local private wine stores for a couple bucks more. As I approached the table and tasted, there were two things I noted.

The first is that the majority of sommeliers and retailers in the room were ignoring the table (“A gimmick,” one colleague said under his breath while walking past), with the second being that the wine was tasty. At a mere nine percent alcohol (seriously, there are local craft beers that surpass that mark), the wine is indeed lower than what we’re used to, but the expected citrus, gooseberry, and herbal characteristics landed on the palate well. A little light on its feet, the wine totally delivers, and if poured in a lineup of regional brethren, it’s not like it’d be a wacky outlier.

There are others along this vein

here in town, but not many that wear their moderate nature on their respective sleeves. Rieslings, particularly from Germany, often fit the bill, but I’ve recently reacquainted with Yalumba “Christobel’s” Moscato 2016 (Barossa Valley, Australia; $13.99, $12.99 until June 1, B.C. Liquor Stores). A cheery, fizzy fruit salad in a glass (I’m talking the canned variety, in a good way), it’s just 8.5 percent alcohol. Not too sweet at all, and its lively acidity will have it singing through Cobb salads, Thai curries, cheese boards, and so much more.

For those interested in a local take on the style, I just tried the Stag’s Hollow Muscat Frizzante 2018 (Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, B.C.; $22, www.stagshollowwinery.com/), and it’s just as solid as the 2017 vintage that found itself in regular rotation last summer for us. Pineapples, mangoes, limes, and apples are all juggled with jasmine and mint, surfing bubbly waves of flavour with a light smidge of lemon pith for texture. It scores 11.1 percent for alcohol but 100 percent for chugability.

If you have a sailboat, this is totally a wine for sailing. In saying that, I’m not exactly at an “owning a boat” point in my life, so if you see me on a False Creek ferry swigging from a paper bag, just let me have my moment, ’kay? g

PAELL A PATIO PART Y

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4PM

2 2 7 0 C o m m e r c i a l D r i v e | 6 0 4 . 6 2 0 . 76 3 6 @cabritotapas

cabr ito.ca

D rink OF THE WEEK MOST OF THE region’s cherry blossoms may have finished blooming for the season, but you can still enjoy a sakura-themed sip at Dachi Vancouver. Gifted, named in honour of the thousands of trees Japan gave to Canada in decades past, is a riff on the classic Aviation cocktail. It calls for original Dutchstyle gin, a malted grain-based spirit.

DACHI VANCOUVER’S GIFTED

45 mL yuzu-and-cherry-infused de Vine Wine & Spirits Genever gin 30 mL lemon juice 20 mL Odd Society Spirits crème de cassis

10 mL crème de violette Shake all ingredients with ice and fine-strain into a chilled sour glass.

Garnish with lemon peel.

by Gail Johnson

JT LeRoy ’s unbelievably true story

by Adrian Mack

T

he story of JT LeRoy never ends. Thirteen years ago, the enfant terrible of American literature was revealed to be two people, neither of them the teenage gender-fluid truck-stop hooker who purportedly penned autobiographical novels like 2000’s Sarah. Actual author Laura Albert has come under scrutiny in two recent documentaries, but it’s the enigmatic public face of the headline-making hoax who’s the subject of JT LeRoy, opening Friday (May 17).

Savannah Knoop was only 18 when sister-in-law Albert persuaded her to appear in public as LeRoy. Albert wrote the books and handled the phone interviews while the shy teen—kitted out in oversized shades, hat, and blond wig—was pushed out to mingle with fawning celebrities like Bono and Carrie Fisher. Playing Knoop in the new film, Kristen Stewart wins our sympathy as a character intrigued by the adventure yet hobbled by moral conflict and self-consciousness.

“It’s uncanny sometimes,” says Knoop, calling the Georgia Straight from New York. “We had a few days together before shooting and that was great, because there’s a lot less documentation of the Savannah character, obviously, than the JT LeRoy character. And she is such a physical, inhabiting actor, she kind of absorbed a lot of my mannerisms. Friends who’ve seen it, or my mom, they all say, ‘Wow, she really got you.’ ” Written (with director Justin Kelly) by Knoop, now a 38-year-old gender-fluid artist, the film arrives as a self-observing fractal—a strange attractor from a Bush era that also never really ended. In one scene, Albert, played by Laura Dern, becomes overwhelmed when she visits the set of a movie based on one of LeRoy’s books.

Surely it was no less haunting for Knoop to see their life re-created on a soundstage?

“Ah,” they reply, with a sigh. “It becomes so meta that it collapses in on itself, and that’s maybe more the feeling. There are all these strange coincidences and the timing of certain details that I don’t want to get into too explicitly, but it’s all very mysterious, this whole project.

And everyone has a different take-away from the film, too, I think because there’s so much to pull from it.”

Laura Dern plays Laura Albert and Kristen Stewart is Savannah Knoop in director Justin Kelly’s JT LeRoy.

Presumably, with “strange coincidences” and “timing”, Knoop is alluding to events involving Asia Argento, recently and publicly haunted by her experiences as the director-star of the 2004 adaptation of LeRoy’s The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things?

“I think maybe that’s what you’re alluding to,” Knoop shoots back, with a laugh.

Okay, but as “Eva”, Diane Kruger plays a thinly veiled version of Argento, who seduces Knoop-as-LeRoy, which in turn mirrors the sexual-assault allegations made against Argento last year by her star, Jimmy Bennett. If your head isn’t already hurting, remember that Bennett plays a version of LeRoy in Argento’s movie. In any case, in Knoop’s film, Eva/Asia comes off as unlikable and exploitative—right?

“This is where it’s interesting, because some people find her very appealing as a character and feel a lot of compassion for her position. I feel for that character when she says ‘Please tell me who you are.’ But of course,” they add, with a laugh, “I could be bringing my own experiences to it.”

Oh, man. It’s fitting that one of the most effective sequences in JT LeRoy has a dissociative Knoop wandering through Cannes to Dusty Springfield’s plaintive version of “Windmills of Your Mind”. Like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel. That’s the JT LeRoy story. g

Please recycle this newspaper.

MAY 16 – 23 / 2019 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT 25

FOOD

Billy Button’s treats are beyond pretty

O

by Tammy Kwan

SEPT 23 - THE VOGUE THEATRE VANCOUVER, BC

SEPT 24 - CAPITAL BALLROOM VICTORIA, BC

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ne can argue that fine desserts are normally reserved for fine-dining establishments. It’s difficult to find creative and expertly crafted pastry dishes outside of high-end restaurants, where regular visits can leave a serious dent in wallets. Gastown’s Mosquito, one of the city’s only dessert-forward bars, shuttered its doors in the trendy neighbourhood last year, which left a void in our city full of sweet tooths.

Luckily, when one door closes, another (literally) opens.

Billy Button Dessert Bar (144 East Broadway) made its debut last winter, offering a menu that focuses solely on sweet plates—and we’re not talking about artisanal ice cream or housemade pies that come in six flavours.

This unassuming 800-squarefoot spot is the brainchild of Cody Chen, who chose to name her establishment after a resilient flower from the daisy family. “After this flower dries out, they keep their strength. I like the spirit of it, and the name is cute,� Chen told the Georgia Straight in an interview at the eatery. “I want my products to be the same, to be able to stay strong and consistent.�

The establishment’s popularity stems from its list of desserts, which can be likened to art on a plate. For instance, the Garden isn’t your typical postdinner treat: it features a rectangular bar placed dead centre on the dish, made up of ingredients like thinly sliced cucumbers, yogurt mousse, and yuzu crèmeux, decorated with raspberry powder and crostini.

The Osmanthus Udon is another unique creation that isn’t what it seems. At first glance, it actually looks like savoury Japanese noodles, but it is really made from panna cotta, topped with crumble and berry sauce. Guests don’t need to request

The Orange from Billy Button Dessert Bar looks like fruit, but it’s actually made of orange-confit marmalade and white-chocolate ganache. Photo by Tammy Kwan

I want to keep quality customers who actually care about what I’m doing. – Cody Chen

chopsticks to indulge in this dish. “My desserts come with a concept.

It’s not just a pretty dish with one part,� Chen explained.

The two most popular items at this Vancouver joint that have been dominating social-media feeds are offmenu picks. The Mushroom looks like it’s been plucked from an enchanted forest and is made with a bright-red cream-puff cap, panna cotta stem, and milk-chocolate Chantilly.

The bestseller, the Orange, is a reallooking fruit that would throw off even

the most experienced grocery-store stockers and fruit farmers. This dessert is made with a white-chocolate ganache shell with a coating of orange cocoa butter, put into a mould and refrigerated to make it resemble a real orange. On the inside, guests will taste the bold and familiar flavours of the orange-confit marmalade—it would be wise to order your own instead of sharing.

Chen has met with plenty of positive responses since Billy Button opened, building up a steady clientele. But that doesn’t mean the co-owner isn’t overwhelmed by the large number of Instagrammers and food bloggers who are constantly contacting her to request free tastings, and the customers who come just to take photos of dessert. “For me, I don’t want anybody to know about us,� Chen said. “I want to keep quality customers who actually care about what I’m doing. I’d rather have it quiet and slow than filled with people who just order the desserts for an Instagram photo.�

Don’t be surprised if this dessert bar bans the use of cellphones in the future.

For now, snap as many photos as you can, because the treats are truly photogenic and taste as good as they look. g

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26 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT MAY 16 – 23 / 2019

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music

Lewis looks on the bright side of life

T

by Mike Usinger

here are days when she wonders what she’s doing with her life, but, despite that, Jenny Lewis seems perfectly at peace when reached in the hardpartying mecca of Las Vegas. Part of this has to do with feeling a deep, almost spiritual connection to Sin City.

Even though the 43-year-old singersongwriter is generally associated with Los Angeles—due to her past as both a child actor and the frontwoman of onetime Silver Lake darlings Rilo Kiley—Vegas is where she was born.

“I woke up in Vegas on the tour bus, I’m playing here at the casino, and it really just made me think of my parents again,” she says thoughtfully, speaking on her cell. “They had a lounge act here and they really struggled. They were poor, workingclass musicians, and they worked their fucking asses off. So to be able to come back here and do it for real professionally—I feel super grateful and kind of charged up. And, honestly, a little melancholy. My parents aren’t here to see me do this, but I carry with me their spirit and their attitude. So yeah, it’s a good day.”

Not all days were as good when she was growing up, something Lewis explores on her triumphant new record, On the Line. The themes of addiction, sobriety, and the struggles that come with both run through the record, from the kickoff track, “Heads Gonna Roll”, through to “Red Bull and Hennessy” and the closer, “Rabbit Hole”.

As uplifting as it is musically— think lush indie rock loaded with soaring strings, delicately distorted guitars, and tough yet vulnerable vocals—On the Line deals with some considerable trauma. First, there was the breakup of a 12-year relationship with fellow singer-songwriter Jonathan Rice in 2015, giving her something to work out in songs like the piano-centred comedown “Dogwood”, whose lyrics include: “Oh, in the springtime, in a little house/The neighbors heard us scream and shout” and “There’s nothing we can do/But screw/And booze and amphetamines.”

Even more devastating was the death of her mother from liver cancer in 2017. Lewis has written about her mom—from whom she was estranged for years—in the past, nowhere more brilliantly than in 2006’s “Rabbit Fur Coat”. That song served as a window into the singer’s childhood, starting with the opening line, “I was of poor folk,” and continuing with “Where my ma is now, I don’t know/She was living in her car, I was living on the road/And I hear she’s putting that stuff up her nose.”

Jenny Lewis did some serious reflecting on the past while writing her latest album, On the Line. Photo by Autumn De Wilde

Music TIP SHEET

I’ve always tried to balance the reality of my feelings with…something uplifting.

– Jenny Lewis

The story of their relationship is complicated. Before Lewis gravitated towards music she was a child actor in Los Angeles, appearing in everything from commercials (hawking Jell-O at age 3) to movies (Troop Beverly Hills, with Shelley Long) and TV shows (including the Lucille Ball sitcom Life With Lucy). Hollywood spilled over to home, where her thendivorced single mother was famous for throwing parties that attracted an endlessly diverse cast of characters. (Think everyone from Fantasy Island’s Hervé Villechaize to Exorcist novelist William Peter Blatty.)

Indications are that Lewis’s mom wasn’t exactly careful with her daughter’s money—an early-’90s Los Angeles Times story ran with the headline “A Teen-Age Actress With 3 Mortgages”.

More emotionally damaging was that she somehow managed to raise

c THE LEMONHEADS (May 18 at the Rickshaw) The same Rolling Stone article that notoriously dubbed Evan Dando “the alternahunk” also suggested he might be a “bubble-grunge Muppet”.

Twenty-five years later, we still have no idea what that means.

c FOXING & NOW, NOW (May 18 at the Biltmore) A dual-headliner bill of indie-rock acts from the American Midwest (with an opening set from Nashville’s ickily named Daddy Issues) raises the question of who goes out to indie-rock shows in the era of SoundCloud mumble rap. c MOGLI (May 19 at the Biltmore) Mogli is an actor, filmmaker, and fashion designer who apparently “believes in female empowerment, sustainability and talking about mental health”.

We think she might also be some sort of musician, but who can even tell anymore?

Lewis and another daughter while maintaining a heroin habit, to the point where it seemed like the partying—and occasional dealing—never stopped. Lewis had every reason to stay estranged, but chose to take the high road when she got the call that her mother was dying. Countless hours at the hospital would eventually inspire one of On the Line’s most

c ELLE KING (May 21 at the Commodore) Rob Schneider has made some terrible things in his time (Deuce Bigalow, Male Gigolo, anyone?), but he’s also Elle King’s dad, so we suppose he gets partial credit for the awesome “Ex’s and Oh’s”.

c NEXT MUSIC FROM TOKYO VOL. 14 (May 20 at the Biltmore) Your chance to hear the sound of the Japanese underground, from Stereogirl’s emo- and shoegazetinged alt-rock to Ko-Go-No Goraiko Z’s improbable blend of dub, soul, and hardcore punk. c THE SPECIALS (May 22 at the Commodore) Three original members! That’s actually pretty good for a band that formed in 1977. The Specials have a new LP out, but let’s face it—everyone will be there to hear “A Message to You, Rudy”, “Too Much Too Young”, and “Ghost Town”.

devastating songs, the stuttering, lowkey soul jam “Little White Dove”.

On the Line can be heavy thematically, with lyrics referencing heroin, whisky, pot, Paxil, wine, and, most addictive of all, Candy Crush. What shines through, though—especially on “Little White Dove” and “Dogwood”—is Lewis’s sense of empathy for those around her, from her

mother to her ex-boyfriend.

That empathy can be traced to some serious reflection on the past, as well as to her willingness to open mental doors through therapy. Going into On the Line, she decided to start thinking of herself as a pure solo artist again. (In addition to collaborating with Rice under the banner Jenny and Jonny, Lewis released a 2016 record as part of the indie supergroup Nice as Fuck.)

“I decided to write my own narrative, and that was a moment of clarity for me,” she reveals. “I don’t want to put the past in a negative context, because I’ve really loved all of my collaborators, but I was out to refocus my warrior artist’s energy.

It was about moving forward on my own, and trusting my own voice.”

A big part of this was accepting that the past can’t be changed, but that the future can be whatever you want it to be.

“If I went dark in my life, you’d never see me again,” Lewis says. “Throughout my songwriting career, I’ve always tried to balance the reality of my feelings with either an optimistic melody or at least something uplifting. I’m really just here to tell the stories that I’ve experienced or processed or imagined. In order to keep living, there has to be a positive spin on things. Cynicism is, for me, something I don’t have a place for in my life. And I do understand why people go there—I know what it’s like to feel hopeless. And I know what it’s like to feel you can’t get ahead and you are stuck. That’s when it’s important, for me at least, to remain somewhat positive.”

And that, more than anything, explains why Lewis can look back today and see the good in it all, even though her parents struggled as a covers act in the lounges of Vegas, and things didn’t get any easier in the years that followed.

“We are our parents, and if our parents were alcoholics and addicts, chances are that it’s a genetic thing and a disease,” she says. “I’ve always struggled with that—it’s a part of my makeup, a part of my DNA. So what are we going to do about it? We can’t change the way that we were raised, so maybe you look at the positives and go, ‘Maybe that’s what made me write songs.’ The key is not to repeat the cycle. With parents, it’s important to put yourself where they were. Not an ideal way to grow up and not ideal things to witness, but you have to ask yourself ‘Could I have done any better given the circumstances?’”g Jenny Lewis plays the Commodore on Monday (May 20).

Death disputes the proto-punk label

Detroit’s Death recorded its debut LP in the ’70s, but it only saw release in 2009.

d WAYNE KRAMER of the MC5 takes issue with the oft-repeated claim that Death was punk before there was punk. In the documentary A Band Called Death—about three black brothers from Detroit who, in 1975, recorded an intensely satisfying rock album that went unheard for 34 years—Kramer says the musicianship of Death “sets them apart from the rest of the punk-rock movement, because the idea [of punk] was you don’t really have to know how to play. I come from the school that says it matters if you know how to play, and clearly Death knew how to play!”

Reached at his home in Vermont, Bobby Hackney Sr., Death’s bassist and lyricist, is clearly pleased when I agree with the venerable Detroit guitarist: Death may have the energy of punk, but it’s better than most punk, musically.

“Aw, thank you, man, I appreciate that. David would love to hear you say that, because that was always his goal,” Hackney says, referring to his brother, Death’s guitarist and driving force, who died in 2000. “Most people just see it as a banging type of music, a young people’s type of music, but if you listen to the intricacies in

rock, he always believed that rock music was an equivalent of the music of Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms, and he always said there are people who understand it, and people who don’t.”

As for punk rock, “We never claimed the punk label,” Hackney says. “Back in Detroit in the days of 1974-75, if you called any one of us a punk, you would either get one of two things: a black eye or a bloody nose!”

At that time, the use of the term punk to describe a style of music wasn’t even current, he continues.

“We were just trying to be like Ted Nugent and Grand Funk and Iggy, man. When [the Stooges’] ‘1969’ came out, everybody thought that was the new sound of rock ’n’ roll. It was just so in-your-face and hard-driving. We were trying to be like those cats, man—the MC5 and all those guys. We didn’t think that we were playing punk music, or something that would be equated to punk.”

But did the brothers see the MC5 and the Stooges and such, back in the day?

“Oh, dude, yeah! That’s how we grew up,” Hackney enthuses. He has a long list of concerts and bands that see next page

MAY 16 – 23 / 2019 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT 27

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Singer-songwriter Julia Jacklin describes herself as “a creature of change”, noting that this can make her difficult to live with.

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from previous page

mattered to him, from Iggy and the Stooges and the MC5 at Michigan Palace to the Rolling Stones, with Stevie Wonder opening, on the Exile on Main Street tour. (“For only $8,” he brags.) From early Bob Seger to lesser-known acts like the Rationals, the Hackney brothers grew up steeped in Detroit rock, which is vibrantly evinced on …For the Whole World to See, their debut, which finally saw release in 2009.

Since the comeback, has Death gotten to interact with any of its old heroes? “Oh, definitely. Alice Cooper sent my brother an autographed album. Of course, we’ve met with Wayne Kramer. We almost did a tour with those guys. He did a 50th-anniversary tour, and he wanted us to be involved with that, but the timing wasn’t right for us.”

Given that this tour has been described as “the final curtain”, fans might be worried that, after 10 years, the re-formed Death might be ready to call it quits.

“It’s actually a play on words,” Hackney says, laughing. “You know in the great Frank Sinatra song ‘My Way’ he sings, ‘Now I must face the final curtain?’ That’s exactly what they call death: the final curtain! So that’s one of our many, many names!”

by Allan MacInnis

A Band Called Death screens at the Rickshaw Theatre on Tuesday (May 21).

Death plays the Rickshaw on Wednesday (May 22).

Pa in t Ta tt oo s Ne w Or le an s BB Q | Li ve t Pr iz es !

Ca sk Al e Fe at ur e | Ev en

MAY 26, 2019 11:00am-4:00pm East 6th & M ain

28 THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT MAY 16 – 23 / 2019

AUSTRALIA’S JACKLIN JUST WANTS TO BE A FAIR PERSON d THERE’S NOTHING wrong with setting simple and realistic goals in life, something that Julia Jacklin has been working hard to do since the February release of her rewarding sophomore full-length, Crushing.

“I dunno—I just don’t want to be a shitty person,” the Australian singer-songwriter says, on the line from a Colorado tour stop. “And I’ve had many times in my life where I have been a shitty person. I probably spend too much time in my life assessing the way I behave and making sure that I’m being fair to those around me. Being fair is important.

It’s okay to be angry and to not like people, and it’s okay for me to say passionate, opinionated, and strong things as long as it’s coming from a place of fairness.”

Jacklin indeed has plenty to say on Crushing, an album that delivers on the promise of her impressive 2016 debut, Don’t Let the Kids Win. Proving as winningly comfortable with swaying folk-country as she is with brokenhearted MOR and distortionpunched indie rock, the 28-year-old draws heavily on her personal life for inspiration.

Before seemingly arriving out of nowhere with Don’t Let the Kids Win (she started seriously playing live six months before the album’s release), Jacklin was planning to become a social worker. The album’s success turned her world upside down, something that had its decided pluses, and undeniable minuses.

One of the positives, the singer

says, was that she was put into a situation where she was forced to challenge herself.

“I love change—I’m a creature of change,” Jacklin says. “I don’t like things to stay the same, and I think that’s because I’m very ambitious in everything that I do. That can make me a really difficult personality to live with—it’s hard for me to sit and be content with things.

But on the other hand it can be really beautiful, in that it can make you a better person that is willing to ref lect on life.”

That reflection coloured the songwriting on Crushing in a big way.

The whirlwind world of touring led to the guitar-driven anthem “Head Alone”, with the lyrics “I don’t want to be touched all the time” rooted in countless meet-and-greets where people hug, kiss, and invade personal space as a way of displaying their fandom.

A breakup sparked by the singer would also provide no shortage of inspiration. The honeysuckle country sleeper “Don’t Know How to

Keep Loving You” drips with pain and regret thanks to lines such as “And every gift you buy me/I know what’s inside.” The album closer, “Comfort”, meanwhile, shows that sometimes things can come to an end in a way that’s respectful and loving. Over skeletal acoustic guitar, Jacklin hauntingly sings “Don’t know how he’s doing, but that’s what you get/You can’t be the one to hold him when you were the one who left.” As tender as it is devastating, it’s a departing gift lovely enough to dispel any idea the writer is a shitty person.

With Jacklin, “deep and thoughtful” is a better descriptor.

“Heartbreak is sad, obviously, and it can be very difficult and hard to process,” she says. “I’m lucky, though, in that I have the ability and the platform to process that kind of thing in a really tangible way. A lot of people don’t.”

by Mike Usinger

Julia Jacklin plays the Fox Cabaret on Friday (May 17).

> Go on-line to read hundreds of I Saw You posts or to respond to a message < NATURES FARE MARKET, WHITE ROCK

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I SAW A: I AM A: WHEN: MAY 12, 2019 WHERE: Natures Fare Market, White Rock, BC Hi... Me: Hooded sweatshirt, hair up... I was coming into the store with two bags of tortillas... You: tall, shaved head... were paying for your groceries.

We made eye contact and I think I may have briefly smiled, I couldn’t help myself. Did we have a connection? I went outside to return the tortillas (changed my mind haha) but was too shy to make eye contact again as we passed each other when you were leaving the store. I did watch you walk away however, and wish I would have been a bit braver to smile again and maybe say hi when you were leaving. If I’m right and you felt a connection I would love to maybe meet up for coffee? I’m not interested in the online dating world, I believe more in face to face connections and I definitely felt something. Let me know...

GUILT & CO., I HELPED YOU WITH THE CREDIT CARD MACHINE

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I SAW A: I AM A: WHEN: MAY 11, 2019 WHERE: Guilt & Co.

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Saturday night at Guilt & co. I (white, blonde) was wearing a blue long sleeve shirt and jeans, you (white, brunette) had bangs and a pony tail wearing a black top. I was at the bar with a beer and you were having trouble with the card reader. I helped you figure it out and we smiled and cheer-sed. I walked by you a while later and we smiled at each other.

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I SAW A: I AM A: WHEN: MAY 11, 2019 WHERE: Granville Island At Granville Island and I saw a boy with a 90s style haircut who always brings his own lunches and is definitely under 25.

SOYBOI SAW THE GORGEOUS JJ BEAN DIRTBAG

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I SAW A: I AM A: WHEN: MAY 12, 2019 WHERE: Commercial Drive I never post these I came in on the morning of Sunday the 12th of May. You charged me $8.77 for a latte and muffin which seemed a bit low but you had forgotten to charge me for soy.

Throughout the interaction I couldn't help but think that you may have been the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. I watched you as the Girl from Ipanema by Frank Sinatra sound tracked my thoughts from the store speakers. Anyway, if you see this, let me buy you a soy latte sometime. They’re good.

And maybe one day i'll serenade you with my version of the Girl from Ipanema. -SoyBoi

CHAU VEGGIE EXPRESS

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I SAW A: I AM A: WHEN: MAY 11, 2019 WHERE: Granville Island You were in line at Chau Veggie on Granville Island with your mom, who I think was named Sally. You were wearing white pants and a dark blue shirt.

CUTE DOG

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I SAW A: I AM A: WHEN: MAY 1, 2019 WHERE: West Blvd

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You - hockey mullet, tattoos for days, killer smile, and adorable dog with a treat in her mouth.

Me - blonde bombshell, about 1 inch taller than you. It's a long shot, but it's all that I got. Wanna grab a Nütrl sometime?

MANNY! YOU REMEMBERED MY NAME

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I SAW A: I AM A: WHEN: MAY 10, 2019 WHERE: UBC

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I was speechless that you remembered me and forked out for a minute (according to my friend). I had a big crush on you when I was in school. Would you want to go out sometime? Tell me something about tonight if you do.

APRIL 24TH RED-EYE TO YYZ

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I SAW A: I AM A: WHEN: APRIL 24, 2019 WHERE: YVR

We drank wine at the Airport waiting for our flight to Toronto. We connected on some similar experiences and I meant to grab your number after the flight to get you back for the drink but we didn’t cross paths afterwards. Hope you made it to your connecting flight to the bachelor party!

PAWS’ED IN TINIEST MEADOW

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I SAW A: I AM A: WHEN: MAY 8, 2019 WHERE: False Creek Under Cambie St. Bridge You: cutie with a furry patootie who refused to move while I continued down the path towards you. Me: horribly confused at the obscene amount of cuteness in front of me. We were on a path amidst many little red flowers and the birds were very chatty. Thank you for sharing humour with me and the pupper, the brief meeting delighted my day. I’ve some more humour to share back if you’ll indulge me with a cup of tea.

KINGSGATE MALL AUTOPLAN OFFICE

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I SAW A: I AM A: WHEN: MAY 3, 2019 WHERE: KINGSGATE MALL Slim, long wavy haired brunette in leather motorcycle jacket.

When hearing of my costly brake woes, you said‚ "that's money well spent." Your sweet and sexy nature made an impression! Like to know more.

Coffee? Drink? Motorcycle Ride?

DRESSING FOR A FUNERAL

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I SAW A: I AM A: WHEN: MAY 1, 2019 WHERE: Granville Street This was last week. We were both wearing a black. You had a jacket on that looked too warm for the weather, and platform shoes. You said hi, and I said hey.

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CONCERTS JUST ANNOUNCED HANK PINE MONTHLY LOUNGE RESIDENCY Tales of gayness, grindr, and geeks in love. May 16, 8-11 pm, WISE Hall. $10.

THE WHEELGRINDERS Local rockabilly trio, with guests the Alimony Brothers and Kelly Haigh. May 17, 8 pm, Railway Stage and Beer Café. $10/13.

VEGAN SPRING DANCE Vegan Fundraiser for Animal Shelter. May 17, 8-11:30 pm, WISE Hall. $45.

CORY WEEDS QUINTET CD RELEASE Vancouver saxophonist performs with New York trumpeter Josh Bruneau. May 17-18, 8 pm, Frankie’s Jazz Club. $25.

FRIDAY JAZZ Performance by the Tim Sars Trio. May 17, 9 pm, Tyrant Studios. $12.

BOOMDADDY Vancouver reggae/funk band.

May 17-18, 10 pm–1 am, Backstage Lounge.

RAENE EP pre-release listening party and show. May 18, 7 pm, Hipposonic Recording Studio. Free.

ALAN MATHESON SEPTET Original compositions and jazz classics. May 18, 7:30 pm, Pyatt Hall. $20/15.

RAINCITY Local funk-rock soul band, with guests Apollo Suns and Sleepy Gonzalez. May 18, 8-11:55 pm, WISE Hall. $15/20.

STRATHCONA Three-piece modern rock band. May 18-19, 8 pm–1 am, Railway Stage and Beer Café. $10.

SEQUENTIAL CIRCUS Electronic-music showcase features performances by Dark Arps, Rinzler, Kelly Brown, Scott Riesterer, and Unicode. May 18, 10 pm, Beaumont Studios. $20/25.

DESI Retro Bollywood dance party. May 19, 7:30 pm, Hard Rock Casino Vancouver. Free.

TRIBUTE TO CHRIS CORNELL Honouring the life and music of the late Chris Cornell. May 20, 6:30 pm, Rickshaw Theatre. $20.

NEXT MUSIC FROM TOKYO VOL. 14 Japanese indie/underground music. May 20, 7 pm, Biltmore Cabaret. $15/25.

OSKAR BÖHME Recital featuring romantic music for brass. May 20, 7:30-8:30 pm, Roy Barnett Recital Hall. $10.

PETUNIA AND THE VIPERS Petunia and the Vipers Monday Night Residency. May 20, 27; Jun 3, 10, 8-11 pm, WISE Hall. $10.

THE KINGSTON TRIO Influential folk group plays two nights. May 21-22, Blue Frog Studios. $54.

KEIJI HAINO & SUMAC Avant-garde icon pushes boundaries in new music. May 21, 8 pm, The Red Gate Revue Stage. $35.

DAN MOXON Performing songs off his upcoming album. May 21, 8-11 pm, WISE Hall. $10.

UBC BACCALAUREATE CONCERT Performers from UBC Music’s graduating class. May 22, 8-9:30 pm, Chan Centre for the Performing Arts. Free.

MIKE EDEL Album release, with guests Glass Forest and Wild Romantics. May 23, 8-11:30 pm, WISE Hall. $12.

PORTEAU + GUESTS Indie folk band. May 2324, 8 pm, Railway Stage and Beer Café. $10.

HOMAGE TO THE TANGO House Concert featuring a classical guitar duo. May 24, 7:309:30 pm, Cozy Living Room at UBC. $25-30.

NO QUARTER Local quartet performs British blues-rock with a special dedication to Led Zeppelin. May 24, 8 pm, Railway Stage and Beer Café. $10.

ROLLAWAY—MODERN EPIC EP RELEASE PARTY Local modern roots band Modern Epic EP release. May 24, 8-11 pm, ANZA Club. $15.

TEXAS CONNECTION: THE DAVIS-DANDERFER QUINTET Drummer Quincy Davis performs two nights with Vancouver’s James Danderfer on clarinet/saxophone. May 24-25, 8 pm, Frankie’s Jazz Club. $20.

THE SQUARES PRESENT: HARMONIZING IN THE KEY OF ‘EH?’ Traditional Canadian folk songs in the barbershop style. May 25, 1:30-4 pm, WISE Hall. $10-20.

THE SENTICSPHERE Ten-year reunion show, with guests Two Car Train, Friction Project, and Robots & Gods. May 25, 7 pm, Bourbon. $10/13.

PIANORAMA Local group featuring keyboardist Doc Fingers and vocalist Diane Lines.

May 25, 7 pm, Blue Frog Studios. $47.

BILL COON Canadian jazz-guitar great. May 25, 7-9 pm, Deer Lake Gallery. By donation.

EMPLOYMENT Callboard Volunteers

NUTRITION STUDY seeking healthy men & women aged 50-75yr to participate in yoghurt study (4 clinic visits, 30 min each).

Yoghurt provided free of cost & gift cards as remuneration.

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HARD RUBBER ORCHESTRA WITH NEW YORK HEAVIES New works by Canadian composers Darcy James Argue and Harry Stafylakis. May 25, 8-10:30 pm, Fei and Milton Wong Experimental Theatre. $25/15.

COUNTRY NIGHTS FEATURING NICK ELLIS Country music outfit. May 25-26, 8 pm, Railway Stage and Beer Café. $10.

VANCOUVER PHILHARMONIC GOES TO THE MOVIES Box office hits from the past six decades. May 26, 2 pm, Centennial Theatre. $20 suggested donation.

DESCENT GOTHIC MAY Gothic alternative party. May 26-27, 9 pm–2 am, Red Room Ultrabar. $5.

MUSEUM OF VANCOUVER HAPPY HOUR CHOIR SERIES Featuring the PALS Chorus and Sound Eclectic. May 30, 10 am–8 pm, Museum of Vancouver. Pay what you can.

MELODY OF CHINA Sound of Dragon and Melody of China joint concert. May 30, 7 pm, Western Front. $20 adults/$15 seniors/students.

DOXOLOGY An album recorded by the late Colin Scott Ruloff. May 30, 7-11 pm, WISE Hall.

By donation.

T. NILE B.C. singer-songwriter performs a CD-release concert. May 30, 8 pm, St. James Hall. $20/16.

SEARSON Fiddling, singing, and step dancing from Ottawa. May 31, 8 pm, St. James Hall. $20/16.

ELISA THORN’S HUE ALBUM RELEASE Rock, pop and indie record release. May 31, 9 pm, China Cloud. $10 advance/$15 door.

LADNER BANDFEST Amateur community concert bands. Jun 1-2, 11 am–6 pm, Ladner Memorial Park. Free.

RICHMOND MUSIC SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE Annual open house. Jun 1, 12-4 pm, Richmond Music School. Free.

WILL’S JAMS CD RELEASE CBC Kids star Will’s Jams performs sing-along tunes. Jun 1, 1-2 pm; Jun 2, 10:30-11:30 am; Jun 2, 1-2 pm, Revue Stage. Festival tickets now on sale.

STEVE KOZAK BAND Blues & Roots BBQ Kickoff Bash Jun 1, 6:30-11:30 pm, Shannon Hall on the Cloverale Fairgrounds. $20-250.

REDWOODS ALBUM RELEASE Redwoods come into the summer hot with their debut album release Daybreaker. Come celebrate with them at the official release party at Sat, Jun 1st at the Railway Stage and Beer Cafe.

Tickets available at the door or online. Jun 1, 8 pm, Railway Stage and Beer Café. $10.

HIDDEN TREASURES SONGBOOK: MAUREEN KENNEDY Jazz singer performs with Sharon Minemoto (piano), Cory Weeds (tenor saxophone), John Lee (bass), and Craig Scott (drums). Jun 1, 8 pm, Frankie’s Jazz Club. $17.50.

SONGS ON THE WATER Performances by Melanie Dekker, Yvonne McSkimming, and Mark James Fortin, with proceeds to Autism Community Training. Jun 4, 6 pm, Vancouver Rowing Club. $50.

JAZZ NIGHT Live Big Band Jazz in Vancouver.

Jun 4, 7 pm, The Magee Theatre. By donation.

BEERS & BURLESQUE “FLOWER POWER” Live burlesque at the Cascade Room. Jun 6, 7 pm, Cascade Room. $25.

MICHAEL BERNARD FITZGERALD & JJ SHIPLETT Canadian singer-songwriters share a double bill. Jun 6, 8 pm, WISE Hall. $20.

THE ‘70S SHOW Vancouver Men’s Chorus journeys to the ‘70s Jun 7-15, Performance Works. $45-$90.

SUMMAH BLAZE Reggae band. Jun 7, 8:30 pm, Princeton Pub & Grill. Donation.

STAND IN THE LIGHT Gospel, world, pop, and foot-stomping soul. Jun 7, 8 pm; Jun 8, 3 pm, Canadian Memorial United Church. $30/25/15.

FRIDAY NIGHT FIRES EP RELEASE Jun 7-8, 8 pm, Railway Stage and Beer Café. $10.

THE UNKNOWN SOLDIERS Doors tribute band, with guests the Eleven Twelves. Jun 8, 8 pm, Railway Stage and Beer Café. $10.

LULU AND HER HANDSOME MEN BAND R&B, reggae, show tunes, pop, and western.

Jun 8, 8:30-11:30 pm, Wolf & Hound Pub. Free.

FROM NEW YORK: MISHA PIATIGORSKY TRIO Jazz pianist performs with John Lee (bass) and Jose Loria Triay (drums). Jun 9, 8 pm, Frankie’s Jazz Club. $16.

YOU BIG IDIOT RELEASE PARTY Mega Donair vinyl release party. Jun 14, 8 pm, The Pub 340. $10.

MUSIC LISTINGS

THE GATHERING Vancouver synth-pop postpunk band. Jun 14, 8:30 pm, Rickshaw Theatre. $10.

BREAKOUT FESTIVAL Jun 15-16, 3-10 pm, PNE Amphitheatre. Single-day tix on sale May 3, noon, $99-149.

FATHER’S DAY CONCERT Jun 16, 2 pm, Queen’s Park Bandshell. Free.

HAR MAR SUPERSTAR American soul/pop artist. Jun 20, 8 pm, Rickshaw Theatre. $15.

BRIGA & THE ABSINTHE ENSEMBLE Blend of Eastern European roots, Balkan-inspired sounds, and traditional chamber music. Jun 22, 1 pm, Civic Plaza. Free.

LULU AND HER LONG RIDERS R&B, reggae, show tunes, pop, and western. Jun 22, 4 pm, West Point Grey Park, Vancouver . Free.

LUCA BENEDETTI TRIO NYC-based guitarist leads his jazz-fusion trio. Jun 28, 7:30 pm, West Vancouver Memorial Library. Free.

VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL Live music and some of the world’s finest handmade stringed instruments. Jun 29-30, Creekside Community Centre.

SURREY CANADA DAY Canada Day celebration features performances by Our Lady Peace and Bif Naked. Jul 1, 10 am–11 pm, Bill Reid Millennium Amphitheatre. Free.

SLAPSHOCK CANADA TOUR 2019 Filipino rock/metal. Jul 6, 6:30 pm, Rickshaw Theatre. $50/55/65.

Alexandria Maillot, Douse, the Jins, and the Faceplants. May 16, 7 pm, Railway Stage and Beer Café. $15.

KIEFER SUTHERLAND Canadian actor and singer-songwriter. Jul 10, 8:30 pm, Commodore Ballroom. $39.50/four-packs $140.

BLACKBEAR R&B singer-songwriter Matthew Tyler Musto, with guests Elohim. May 16, 8 pm, Queen Elizabeth Theatre. $59.50/39.50/29.50.

NICK CAVE Australian musician, singersongwriter. Oct 10, Massey Theatre. $59.50/99.50.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15 KEVIN MORBY American indie-rock singersongwriter, with guest Sam Cohen. May 15, Imperial Vancouver. Tix $24.50-$28.

THOMAS RHETT May 15, 7 pm, Rogers Arena.

Tix at www.livenation.com/.

SUPERSUCKERS Rockers from Tucson, Arizona. May 15, 8 pm, Rickshaw Theatre. $20.

LOCAL NATIVES Indie-rock band from L.A., with guests Middle Kids. May 15, 9 pm, Commodore Ballroom. $37.50.

THURSDAY, MAY 16 LIZ COOPER & THE STAMPEDE Psychedelic folk-rock band from Nashville, with guests Briston Maroney and Em Chambers. May 16, Biltmore Cabaret. $15.

BC MUSICIAN SERIES Performances by

The Georgia Straight Confessions, an outlet for submitting revelations about your private lives—or for the voyeurs among us who want to read what other people have disclosed.

WEYES BLOOD American indie-pop singersongwriter. May 17, 8 pm, St. James Hall. $17.50.

PENDOMOJA Seven-piece band performs soca, African, and reggae tunes. May 17, 8-11 pm, Di Reggae Cafe. Free.

SATURDAY, MAY 18 FOXING & NOW, NOW American indie-rock bands play a coheadlining bill, with guests Daddy Issues. May 18, Biltmore Cabaret.

BEA MILLER American pop singer-songwriter. May 18, 7 pm, Venue. $20.

THE LEMONHEADS Indie-rockers from the States, with guest Tommy Stinson. May 18, 9 pm, Rickshaw Theatre. $25.

SUNDAY, MAY 19 MOGLI Singer-songwriter, actor, fashion designer, and activist. May 19, Biltmore Cabaret.

MONDAY, MAY 20 JENNY LEWIS American indie-rock/altcountry singer-songwriter. May 20, 8 pm, Commodore Ballroom. Tix $39.50.

TUESDAY, MAY 21

Scan to confess

ELLE KING Americana singer-songwriter and actress, with guest Barns Courtney. May 21, 9 pm, Commodore Ballroom. $30.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 22

Platonic relationships

JORJA SMITH & KALI UCHIS American pop/R&B artists perform on a coheadlining tour. May 22, 7 pm, PNE Forum. $49.50.

The women I work with are convinced I am gay. It makes it way easier to interact with them like a normal human because they don’t assume I have an ulterior motive.

DEATH Detroit punk legends, with local guests War Baby. May 22, 7:30 pm, Rickshaw Theatre. $26.50.

5 yrs of Debauchery in Downtown Vancouver Growing up in East Vancouver, I’ve always loved downtown. As young as 12 yrs old, I remember taking the bus to watch movies at the Capitol 6 cinema on Granville St., checking out the latest records at Sam the Record Man, A&B Sound or A&A Records and Tapes, grabbing a burger at ... (con’t @straight.com)

Bring Riverview back

THE SPECIALS Ska-punk band performs on its 40th anniversary tour. May 22, 9 pm, Commodore Ballroom. $46.50.

FRIDAY, MAY 24 GOGOL BORDELLO Gypsy-punk band from Manhattan. May 24, 9 pm, Commodore Ballroom. $49.50.

SATURDAY, MAY 25 REAL ESTATE Indie-rock band from New Jersey. May 25, Imperial Vancouver.

People who are mentally ill need Riverview Hospital back. At least they had a roof over their heads until Gordon Campbell came along and basically shut it down. Now these people have nowhere to go except out and about wasting police resources dealing with their bullshit.

ALLAN RAYMAN Alternative R&B singersongwriter from Toronto. May 25, Vogue Theatre. $32.50.

Almost 30, just learning how to drive

CARRIE UNDERWOOD May 25, 7 pm, Rogers Arena. Tix at www.livenation.com/.

I know it’s stupid, but I’m turning 30 this year and just learning how to drive. Even though I’m tackling it now, I still feel super embarrassed about taking driving lessons now. I... (con’t @straight.com)

HIGHER BROTHERS Chinese rap group. May 25, 8 pm, Commodore Ballroom. $44.25.

Dogs Are Great I love dogs and had Labrador Retrievers when I was growing up. A dog can provide so much happiness for people. However, as a condominium owner... (con’t @straight.com)

Visit

We are seeking couples that have been together for at least one year to participate in a research study.

to post a Confession

SUNDAY, MAY 26 SWINGIN’ UTTERS Punk band from San Francisco, with guests Gallows Bound. May 26, 8 pm, WISE Hall. $18.

JONY J Hip-hop artist from China. May 26, 9 pm, Fortune Sound Club. $100.

MUSIC LISTINGSare a public service provided free of charge, based on available space and editorial discretion. 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.

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is currently seeking PROFESSIONALPLUMBERS Greater Vancouver, BC. Wage - $26.75 /hour Permanent, Full time job. Education: High school Skills requirements: Good English, Experience 3-5 years. Main duties: Study and interpret construction blueprints; Locate and mark the position of pipe installations and fixtures; Cut opening in walls to accommodate pipe and pipe fittings; Measure, fit and install pipes, plumbing systems; Assemble pipe sections, tubing and fittings; Repair and maintain plumbing and drainage systems; Test plumbing systems for leaks.

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SIBER FACADE GROUP INC. is hiring GLAZIERS.Greater Vancouver, BC. Permanent, Full time. Salary: 26.30 $/hour Experience 3-4 years, Good English.Education: Secondary school. Main duties: Read and interpret construction blueprints; Lay-out frame and window wall position; Measure, mark and cut glass; Fabricate, fit and install frames for glass installation; Position pre-cut glass panels into frames and secure glass; Install pre-build glass panels to form exterior walls of buildings; Repair and service windows, aluminum doors etc; Assemble, erect and dismantle scaffolding.

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SIBER FACADE GROUP INC is hiring a DRAFTING TECHNOLOGIST. Permanent, Full time job. Salary: $25.00 /hour.

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SAVAGE LOVE

Herpes disclosure confronts stigma

by Dan Savage

b GARBAGE HUMAN here. I’ve had herpes for about 15 years. The first five years, I was in a relationship with a guy who also had it. The last 10 years, I haven’t been in a serious relationship. I’ve been a (rare, drunk) onenight-stand type of gal, and I don’t usually tell the guy because, like, everyone has herpes. (I get that one in five isn’t everyone, but if you count HSV-1? I’ve seen numbers as high as 80 percent.) Frankly, it seems about as significant medically as minimally contagious mild acne. (Some risks to pregnancies and immunosuppressed people exist, and I know logically it’s not my call to determine what may be serious for someone else.) I justify nondisclosure to myself these ways, even though I know it’s not ethical.

On the occasions where I have disclosed, I’ve been made to feel like a leper by dudes who 10 minutes before were begging me not to have to use a condom. I obviously have a lot of resentment over having this stupid thing and over the guilt I have around nondisclosure, and I suspect my history of casual sex is influenced by not wanting to deal with this conversation. Which brings us to now. What I thought was a one-night stand has turned into a months-long affair, and I’m amazed to report I find myself liking and respecting this guy. (I know, I know: if I really respected him, I’d have told him before I ever knew I respected him.) What do I do? I have to tell him. But how? Is there any justification for what I’ve done? Can I just say, “Oh, man, I noticed a thing and went and got tested and guess what?”

That just adds to the lie. There’s no

way I can have a relationship with this guy based on trust going forward, is there? I’ve fucked this up and I have to bail, don’t I? Am I going to be alone for the rest of my life?

- Deserves To Be Alone

garbage human, DTBA. You didn’t share something you should’ve—the fact that you, like upwards of 50 percent of everyone, have herpes—but weren’t obligated to. The problem with not disclosing, as you now know, is that casual sex partners have a way of becoming potential long-term partners. And by the time you recognize someone’s long-term potential, the stakes are so high that bailing looks like an easier option.

“We don’t think DTBA needs to bail,” Momo and Felix wrote in a joint email after reading your letter.

“And we don’t think she’s destined to be alone for the rest of her life.”

Momo and Felix are the cocreators of My Boyfriend Has Herpes (instagram.com/my_boyfriend_has_ herpes), an Instagram account that has amassed more than 15,000 followers in just a few months. Using simple, direct prose and Momo’s charming illustrations, Momo and Felix educate others about herpes while sharing the story of their relationship—from how they met, to Felix’s disclosure, to Momo’s initial hesitation to get involved with someone who has herpes.

“Our stance is pro-disclosure, always, but we know this isn’t possible for everyone living with HSV,” said Momo and Felix. “Unfortunately, one of the significant pitfalls of [not disclosing early on] is the difficulty

You’re not a

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it adds to the potential of a long-term relationship. And while we don’t agree with DTBA’s choice to not disclose to her partners, we understand why she might have made those choices. The stigma against herpes is terrible.”

Momo and Felix both feel—and I’m with them—that you need to be completely honest with this guy, even if it means the relationship could end. But it might not end, DTBA. He might have a disclosure of his own to make—he could have herpes, too—or the relationship could end for other reasons. You’ve been dating this guy for only a few months, and he could decide to end things for reasons that have nothing to do with the disclosure you’re about to make and/or your failure to make it sooner. Or you might learn something about him down the road that’s a deal breaker. (Have you searched his place for MAGA hats?)

So how do you broach this topic?

“She obviously cares about this person,” wrote Momo and Felix. “She made a mistake and she wants to make it right. DTBA needs to acknowledge her actions (opting for nondisclosure) and their impact (putting her partner at risk without his informed consent).

DTBA’s partner may very likely feel betrayed or deceived. He might want to end the relationship, and his feelings would be valid. Unfortunately, all that DTBA can do is acknowledge her mistake, make herself vulnerable, and accept his reaction.

“But whatever happens, she doesn’t deserve to be alone,” they said. “We all make mistakes, and we all have the opportunity to do better.”

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I shared your letter with Momo and Felix, HARM, and they wanted to respond to you individually. But first a quick download: herpes is caused by two different viruses: HSV-1 and HSV-2. HSV-1 is commonly called “oral herpes” and HSV-2 is called “genital herpes”, even though both are transmitted in similar ways— vaginal, anal, and oral sex, as well as simple skin-to-skin contact—and both can cause sores on the mouth or genitals. Herpes is incredibly common: some studies have found that more than two out of every three people have herpes. But most people who have herpes don’t know they do—which means that you could already have herpes yourself, HARM.

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“It’s HARM’s right to choose not to sleep with anyone for any reason,” said Momo. “But I do think that she’s perpetuating the stigma by rejecting someone just because they have HSV. I totally understand her concerns, and I had the same concerns before deciding to be intimate with Felix. But after doing my research and contemplating, I decided that I’d rather contract HSV than feed into the stigma. I don’t expect everyone to share the same feelings as me, but that was my choice. Plus, if she walks away from this person and keeps on dating, there’s a very good chance that a future partner might have HSV and not know it. So, really, is she taking less risk by not dating them?”

“Like Momo said, everyone has the right to choose who they do or don’t sleep with, regardless of their reasons,” said Felix. “Is HARM perpetuating the stigma against HSV? A bit. But I think her feelings are super understandable. It’s important for people to educate themselves and take action toward dismantling the stigma, but to potentially take on the burden of living with the stigma is a huge leap. I don’t know if being concerned about becoming a victim of the stigma is the same as perpetuating it. But while HARM fears that contracting HSV will limit her dating life in the future, if she walks away from a relationship with potential, then her feelings have already limited her dating life.” g

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And I’d still rather… just… not take the risk of becoming someone who has to have a slightly harder dating life because of the stress of disclosing to judgmental people like myself. Have I perpetuated the stigma of having herpes because I’m scared of ending up in the “life is harder now” group?

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