The Georgia Straight - Summer in the City - June 16, 2022 by The Georgia Straight

FREE | JUNE 16 – 23 / 2022

Volume 56 | Number 2834

HOUSING MARKET COOLS Central bank warns of investors’ influence

VANESSA GOODMAN

Choreographer returns with Core/Us

Y T I C E H T N SUMMER I The Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio brings its funky soul-jazz concoction to the TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival; plus, patio dining, barbecues, cocktails, and arts and music events COVID MADNESS

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THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

JUNE 16 – 23 / 2022

THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

CONTENTS

June 16-23 / 2022

27 COVER

Hammond B3 ace Delvon Lamarr leads an instrumental trio that makes feel-good music everybody can groove on at the TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival. By Steve Newton Cover photo by Kendall Rock

REAL ESTATE

The Bank of Canada has declared that if investors retreat from the housing market, it will “amplify downward pressure on prices”. By Carlito Pablo

ARTS

A new VAG exhiition, Uninvited: Canadian Artists in the Modern Moment, features works by women who were often overlooked due to gender bias. By Charlie Smith

e Start Here 23 DANCE 10 DRAGON BOATS 13 FOOD 6 HEALTH 33 LGBT 12 LIQUOR 33 MOVIES 30 MUSIC FESTIVALS 11 OUTSIDE 9 REAL ESTATE 34 SAVAGE LOVE 22 THEATRE e Listings 26 ARTS

Vancouver’s News and Entertainment Weekly Volume 56 | Number 2834 #300 - 1375 West 6th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C. V6H 0B1 T: 604.730.7000 E: gs.info@straight.com straight.com DISPLAY ADVERTISING: T: 604.730.7020 E: sales@straight.com

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EDITOR Charlie Smith GENERAL MANAGER Sandra Oswald SECTION EDITORS Mike Usinger (ESports/Liquor/Music) Steve Newton SENIOR EDITOR Martin Dunphy STAFF WRITERS Carlito Pablo (Real Estate) SOLUTIONS ARCHITECT Jeff Li ART DEPARTMENT MANAGER Janet McDonald

FUN IS BACK IN FASHION. 4

THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

JUNE 16 – 23 / 2022

e Online TOP 5

Here’s what people are reading this week on Straight.com.

1 2 3 4 5

New poll suggests cracks are appearing in Premier Horgan’s Teflon shield. Vancouver lot where 2018 fire destroyed empty home now listed at $4,669,000. 35 things to do in Metro Vancouver this week, June 13 to 17. Martyn Brown: What to rename the B.C. Liberals? Let the games begin. Study reports a quarter of infected kids and teens develop long COVID. @GeorgiaStraight

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HEALTH

COVID-19 in B.C.: the political madness continues

by Charlie Smith

’m trying to think of the right words to describe what just transpired in the spring session of the B.C. legislature. Insane? Bizarre? Freakish? As I would watch the daily question period on the Knowledge Network at 7 p.m., I was stunned by the number of B.C. Liberal MLAs who were sitting casually in their seats without masks as they badgered the premier over the breakdown of the healthcare system. They would raise everything from the shortage of doctors to a new museum without once pointing to the shockingly high number of COVID-19 cases clogging up the system due to the end of a provincial mask mandate. On the government side of the legislature, there were more MLAs in masks, but certainly not all of them. I noticed on at least one occasion that the deputy premier, Mike Farnworth, was not wearing a mask as he sat beside the premier, a two-time cancer survivor. Behind the premier, Tourism Minister Melanie Mark was, invariably, not wearing a mask. Do these cabinet ministers and Opposition MLAs still not know that COVID-19 is mostly transmitted by tiny particles that hang around the air after being emitted through talking, coughing, and breathing? Are they ignorant or just inconsiderate? I don’t know which is worse. Really, how difficult is it to put on a mask before you sit in the B.C. legislature near a two-time cancer survivor, for god’s sake? Not that Premier John Horgan seemed too concerned. He regularly met people without masks in indoor settings leading up to the by-election that sent the maskless B.C. Liberal leader Kevin Falcon, into the legislature. Maybe it’s NDP policy to have people not wearing masks around the premier so as not to make him appear weak. If so, we’ve truly descended into a Trumpian mindset. Over a two-week period in May, 160 people died with COVID-19 in B.C., according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

Premier John Horgan regularly poses for pictures without a mask at indoor events, including this one with Tahltan leaders, even though he has twice been diagnosed with cancer.

That is more than 11 people per day. And that only includes those who tested positive for the disease in the 30 days prior to their death. It doesn’t account for those who may have suffered heart attacks, strokes, or organ failure as a result of immune-system or blood-vessel issues that resulted from their initial COVID-19 infection. Then there are those whose cancer treatments have been delayed because hospitals are clogged with COVID-19 patients and so many healthcare workers are taking sick leave. Here’s a message to those who haven’t been paying attention: COVID-19 is a serious vascular disease with primary symptoms of a respiratory ailment. If you don’t believe me, then read a 2021 paper with that very same title in the Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine. It’s not just MLAs who appear to be afflicted with brain fog to anyone who has read scientific papers about how COVID-19 is transmitted. There were a couple of photos floating around the Internet of large numbers of B.C. doctors sitting together indoors and not wearing masks.

Inclusion B.C., which advocates for people with intellectual disabilities, gathered unmasked for an indoor conference and dance. And don’t get me started on Dr. Bonnie Henry, our provincial health officer, who models lousy mask behaviour on a regular basis even as B.C.’s death rate from COVID-19 rocketed ahead of Ontario’s. Near the start of the legislative session, Henry brushed off a letter by the B.C. human rights commissioner, who was concerned about the impact of the end of the provincial mask mandate on people with compromised immunity. The provincial health officer was backed up 100 percent by the health minister, Adrian Dix, who is immune-compromised himself. It’s a surreal world we live in. By the way, COVID-19 also has serious nervous system consequences. In a paper published in Science this year, Yale University neurology professor Dr. Serena Spudich and the National Institutes of Health’s clinical director of neurological diseases and strokes, Dr. Avindra Nath, laid out the gory details after reviewing 15 published papers. These details include loss of smell, stroke, delirium, brain inflammation,

encephalopathy, primary psychiatric symptoms (including delusions and paranoia), peripheral nerve syndromes, and neuromuscular disorders. “Many people who experience neurologic symptoms that linger after acute COVID-19 are less than 50 years old and were healthy and active prior to infection,” Spudich and Nath wrote. “Notably, the majority were never hospitalized during their acute COVID-19 illness, reflecting mild initial disease.” They noted that the “pathophysiological mechanisms are not well understood, although evidence primarily implicates immune dysfunction, including nonspecific neuroinflammation and antineural autoimmune dysregulation”. “It is uncertain whether unforeseen neurological consequences may develop years after initial infection,” these two brain experts added. “With millions of individuals affected, nervous system complications pose public health challenges for rehabilitation and recovery and for disruptions in the workforce due to loss of functional capacity. There is an urgent need to understand the pathophysiology of these disorders and develop disease-modifying therapies.” In closing, it’s clear that those who want to wish COVID-19 away or who say we have to learn to live with COVID-19 are deluding themselves if they aren’t making serious efforts to stem the spread of this disease through the air. Do we really want people who engage in magical thinking to remain in charge of our healthcare, school, transit, and ferry systems? If our leaders are so blasé about how this deadly disease is transmitted, what does it say about their capacity to address other serious societal problems, like the overdose crisis and the climate emergency? It’s time for all of us in B.C., including school trustees and governors of postsecondary institutions, to get real so we can prevent unnecessary death and disability in our midst. g

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THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

JUNE 16 – 23 / 2022

HAPPY PRIDE SEASON and Have a Great Summer!

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THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

REAL ESTATE

Could investor stampede cause deep price fall?

by Carlito Pablo

he Bank of Canada says it’s too early to talk about a significant correction in housing prices. And as sales have started to cool, one of the things that bears watching is how investors are going to behave. How deep prices could fall may depend partly on how these Canadian property buyers will react to rising interest rates and other market conditions. As the central bank stated in a June 9 report, investors can “amplify house price cycles”. Are investors going to head for the exits in face of softening prices? “A sudden reversal of the influx of housing investors seen during the pandemic could amplify downward pressure on prices,” the BoC said. The central bank’s recent report covered the broader subject of the overall state of the country’s financial system. In it, the bank identified six key vulnerabilities, two of which relate to household debt and house prices. A discussion about housing investors formed part of these two vulnerabilities. “The share of Canadians buying homes as investment properties grew in 2021,” the central bank noted. The BoC defines investors as “existing mortgage holders who obtain an additional mortgage to purchase a property”. They can “play an important role in the housing market if they make their property available to renters on a long-term basis”. Investors accounted for over 22 percent of mortgaged purchases in the fourth quarter of 2021. That’s up from 19 percent in 2019. “In 2021, they made purchases at a faster pace than first-time or repeat homebuyers,” the bank said.

RICHMOND

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With this come added risks in the housing market. “The increased presence of investors in the real estate market can amplify the vulnerability associated with elevated house prices,” the BoC noted. How? “During housing booms, greater demand from investors can add to bidding pressures and intensify price increases,” the bank explained. When the Canadian housing market isn’t doing well, the increased presence of investors poses an added risk. “When prices are stable or declining or mortgage carrying costs are rising, holding real estate as an investment becomes less attractive. The incentive to sell may be greater for investors who risk falling into a negative equity position on one or more properties, also known as being ‘underwater’.” The BoC noted that investors typically earn more income than non-investors. However, they “tend to have higher

loan-to-income ratios, once all the mortgages they hold are accounted for, and higher debt servicing costs”. “If an income shock occurs—whether a reduction in employment or rental income because, for example, some tenants become unemployed—highly leveraged investors may need to sell one or more of their properties to recover some liquid assets,” the central bank explained. “Although investors may not be considered as financially vulnerable as noninvestor households given the amount of equity they have tied up in real estate,” it continued, “investors could intensify the effect of an economic slowdown by adding downward pressure on housing demand and prices.” The Canadian home price index fell month-over-month by 0.6 percent in April 2022, the first monthly decline since April 2020. This came in the face of a rapidly cooling market brought about by rising interest rates that have dampened sales. However, the price index managed to climb 23.8 percent year-over-year in April. The price increase happened even though the number of transactions in April 2022 fell 25.7 percent below sales in the same month last year. A huge drop in home prices may not

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THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

– Bank of Canada

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If an income shock occurs… investors may need to sell one or more of their properties…

cause significant losses for long-time homeowners who have built a large amount of equity. However, a rapid downturn in the Canadian housing market could affect those who have purchased lately. “While the sharp increase in house prices over the past year has resulted in significant equity gains for many households, those who entered the housing market in the last year or so would be more exposed in the event of a significant price correction,” the BoC stated. Is the Canadian housing market seeing the start of a significant correction in prices? “It is too early to tell whether the recently observed decrease in resale activity and prices will be temporary or is the start of a deeper, lasting decline,” the central bank stated. The BoC has raised interest rates three times so far this year. It has indicated that more hikes are needed to contain inflation. The bank’s key rate has risen from the pandemic-low of 0.25 percent in March 2022 to 1.5 percent as of June 1. It is expected to hike its rate to 2.75 by October this year. In its report, the bank stated that it is “paying particular attention to the fact that a greater number of Canadian households are carrying high levels of mortgage debt”. “These households are more vulnerable to declines in income and rising interest rates,” the bank noted. As for the overall health of the country’s financial system, the BoC is not worried. “The Canadian financial system has proved resilient throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” it stated, “and the balance sheets of businesses and households are generally in good shape.” g

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REAL ESTATE

Filipino cultural centre takes shape in Vancouver by Carlito Pablo

Second and third generation Filipinos yearn to understand their roots, their heritage. – NPC3 report

thing that can continue to evolve as well with the needs of the community.” The Straight asked if the centre is likely to be developed in the South Vancouver area of Marpole. “I can confirm that that’s the neigh-

Macario “Tobi” Reyes, the CEO and founder of the PortLiving development company, says it has long been his “dream” to help establish a Filipino community and cultural centre in Vancouver.

acario “Tobi” Reyes and his family came to Canada when he was young boy. The Vancouver-based property developer says that even though he grew up and identifies as Canadian, there was always a part of him that remained Filipino. “There was certainly an emotion in me that wanted to connect with my Philippine heritage,” Reyes told the Straight in a phone interview. That’s why it feels very natural for the founder and CEO of the PortLiving development company to be involved in the effort to build a Filipino cultural centre in Vancouver. “The idea of a cultural centre came to me over a dozen years ago, and it was really organic for me, having been born in Manila and then migrating here at a young age,” Reyes said. The delivery of this centre would represent for him a “culmination of the journey of immigration” that he and his family made. “This is definitely one of my dreams,” he said. In 2021, Reyes joined the board of the Mabuhay House Society, a communitybased organization. “Mabuhay House is a nonprofit that I helped cofound with other business leaders, community organizers, and volunteers, to help me become part of a bigger group of Filipino Canadians and create a steering committee for this effort,” he said. (Mabuhay is a Tagalog word that means “live long”. It is commonly used as an expression like “cheers” and “best wishes”.) On June 12, Mabuhay House hosted an event at the Helena Gutteridge Plaza on the grounds of Vancouver City Hall to mark the 124th anniversary of Philippine independence. Reyes spoke at that event, which was

emceed by journalist Ria Renouf, a Canadian of Filipino and Irish roots. The creation of a cultural centre enjoys deep support among Filipino community organizations. One of these is the National Pilipino Canadian Cultural Centre. In a 2020 paper titled “Keeping the Roots Alive”, NPC3 explained the importance of developing a community centre. The organization noted that the Filipino community in Canada has already “reached a second and third migration cycle”. “Second and third generation Filipinos yearn to understand their roots, their heritage. The community needs a home where they can learn their native language, their history, traditions, values, arts, and culture,” the NPC3 report states. “Filipino Canadian artists and culture practitioners need a home to perform and display their works,” it continued. “Canadians surrounded by a growing Filipino community, need to understand Filipinos better through their arts and culture. “Filipino Canadians have no cultural centre that could seed their soul, be a window to Canada. It is time.” Reyes wants to see two things happen with the community centre project. One is for its development to be a “cause for unification and call to action”. “That, to me, would be a great step forward by the community, to work with its members and also those outside the community to bring the project forward,” Reyes said. The second is that it becomes more than a place for people to congregate. “I really think of it as a living structure,” Reyes said. “I really hope that we have the ability here to design not just something that’s architecturally contextual and relevant to the goals of the centre but some-

bourhood that we’re looking at in great detail,” Reyes said. It would also likely be part of a multiuse development that would include housing and commercial components. “I believe that because land is so scarce, we have to take an opportunity to see how we could use scale and diverse services to our benefit,” Reyes said. He revealed that he and Mabuhay House are “working very hard to immediately get confirmation with the City [of Vancouver] for the next steps”. “God willing, and if the timing is right, bringing to life a Filipino community centre would be one of the most important aspects of my life,” Reyes said. g

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OUTSIDE

Dragon boats embody junction of sport and culture

by Charlie Smith

he chair of the Vancouver park board, Stuart Mackinnon, shared an inspiring story at a recent news conference. It came at the unveiling of a new fleet of 18 dragon boats for the Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival, which will be held from June 24 to 26 at False Creek, Creekside Park, and Concord Pacific Place. “At the age of 50, I decided that I would like to try dragon boating,” Mackinnon revealed. “And, boy, did I love it. “In fact, after just a few times practising, I went back to the high school where I taught and I said, ‘I need to have our kids doing this,’ ” the veteran politician continued. “So we created the Killarney Dragons to participate—and we were welcomed!”

This anecdote, one of many shared at the June 9 event, reflects the broad appeal of dragon boat racing, which attracts people from a multitude of cultures, age brackets, and health circumstances. There are teams comprised of breast cancer survivors, plus there are all-access teams welcoming people with disabilities. Niki Sharma, a former park commissioner and now the parliamentary secretary for community development and nonprofits, was also at the news conference, which was held at a Concord Pacific marketing office on the shore of False Creek. She told people there that so many Vancouverites have fond memories of seeing beautiful dragon boats being launched on the water.

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Concord Pacific president and CEO Terry Hui (with blue umbrella) and, to his left, MLA Niki Sharma and Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung, were among those who unveiled 18 new dragon boats on June 9.

“But there’s something bigger about that,” Sharma declared. “It’s cultural connection and bringing people together and helping us bridge those gaps that help us build an antiracist and culturally strong and diverse society.” It’s one of the reasons why the B.C. government contributed $173,000 toward the purchase of the 18 new boats, which will be raced for the first time at this year’s festival. Concord Pacific, which has been a supporter of the event, provided a matching contribution. Concord Pacific’s president and CEO, Terry Hui, was also at the news conference. He pointed out that he’s happy that this year’s festival will be the first “full-size event” held in Vancouver since the pandemic began. “I’m excited to say that,” Hui said. The Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival is not just an athletic event, Hui noted. He pointed out that all the new boats feature the work of local artists (Chepximiya Siyam, Debra Sparrow, Ocean Hyland, Chairman Ting, Kari Kristensen, Joslyn Reid, Bagua Artist Association, Derek Tam, and Carmen Chan). Plus, there’s a main stage on June 25 and 26 with a diverse lineup of local musicians performing, including the Zolas (see coverage on page 32), Desirée Dawson, Mauvey, Tonye Aganaba, Coastal Wolf Pack, Children of Takaya, Qing Yun Music Society, and others. Dominic Lai, Dragon Boat BC’s development, marketing, and operations director, emphasized at the news conference that dragon boat racing has existed for thousands of years “at the intersection of sport and culture”. “Without culture, dragon boat just becomes a really big boat race,” Lai said. “Without sport, dragon boat becomes a giant cultural festival. And so what we wanted to do was reflect our community in the true spirit of what dragon boat is—and

to really bring it to the forefront—and to remind all of our races and our community that it’s not ultimately about a medal, even though a medal is great. It is about the connections. It’s about the community that’s been built.” Another politician at the event, Vancouver councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung, described the new boats as “sexy”. “I think it is really exciting to see the partnership and the investment in local artists,” she added. One of the artists who spoke at the news conference, Sean Cao of the Bagua Arts Association, talked about the meaning of the Bagua Artist Association’s artwork, Bedecked With Pearls and Glimmering Jade, which he created with Katharine Meng-Yuan Yi. “Our art practice focuses on our diasporic experience,” Cao said. “So when we were invited to create artwork for the Dragon Boat Festival, we naturally wanted to work with the festival’s cultural and historic connections.” The two artists were inspired by a famous Chinese poet, Qu Yuan, who inspired many dragon-boat traditions. Qu’s poem “Crossing the River” spoke of pearls, gemstones, and pendants of fine jade. According to Cao, they represented high virtues and attracted positive energy. “Therefore, we made a digital painting of gemstones, jade, and pearls that are connected by five colours of red, making them look like a dragon boat that is embellished with these pearls and jade,” Cao said. He added that the five red colours are also on traditional bracelets that people wore on the day of dragon-boat races. And the reason? It was because they brought good fortune and drove away illness. “That’s what we’ve needed for the past few years—driving away illness,” Cao said. g

OUTSIDE

Hike with children and see the trails through fresh eyes by Charlie Smith

All Music Curated by Zulu Records

Stephen Hui’s latest hiking guide, Best Hikes and Nature Walks With Kids in and Around Southwestern British Columbia, came after he hiked with his son. Photo by Alexandra Juzkiw.

.C. has been blessed not only with spectacular opportunities for outdoor recreation, but also with several writers who do a great job guiding us to these destinations. One of them is Stephen Hui, author of the recently released Best Hikes and Nature Walks With Kids In and Around Southwestern British Columbia. He shared some of his thoughts on this topic in a Q & A with the Straight. Georgia Straight: Why did you decide to write Best Hikes and Nature Walks With Kids In and Around Southwestern British Columbia?

around by bike and public transit. Where should they go? SH: One of my favourites is Killarney Lake on Bowen Island. As I note in the new book, you can catch an express bus from downtown to Horseshoe Bay and ride the ferry as foot passengers. The trailhead is just up the street from the dock. This hike has everything for kids: a ferry ride, waterfall, fish ladder, hollow trees, boardwalks, beaver lodge, horse riders— and easy access to ice cream at the end. Two other rad transit-friendly hikes for kids include Jug Island Beach and Sasamat Lake in təmtəmíxtən /Belcarra Regional Park.

Stephen Hui: After writing 105 Hikes and Destination Hikes, I really wanted to do a guide to short hikes near Vancouver. I enjoy a lot of shorter hikes, especially in shoulder season. They don’t always have to be six- to 10-hour epics. Then I started taking my son with me on hikes. We’d go slower, stop for every banana slug, rest on benches, and play in creeks. Getting to experience the trails with fresh eyes and ears gave me a wonderful new perspective on the trails.

GS: What’s a good hike for parents who want to help their kids learn more about animals in the wild?

GS: What are some of the benefits of taking a child on nature walks?

GS: What are the most important safety tips for parents who take their kids into nature?

SH: First of all, it’s the perfect antidote for all that screen time. It’s a golden opportunity to create beautiful memories, expand their understanding of the world, and build self-confidence. Nature walks engage all of the senses and have obvious benefits for mental and physical health. Plus, exploring the great outdoors is tons of fun!

SH: Pack the 10 essentials and leave a trip plan with a responsible person—and include the kids as you do. Teach kids the four rules of AdventureSmart’s Hug a Tree and Survive program: 1. Tell an adult where you are going. 2. If you are lost, stay put. 3. Keep warm and dry. 4. Help searchers find you by answering their calls. Hold on to young kids in steep terrain and around cliffs and swift water. Don’t approach or feed wildlife. Stay together! g

GS: Can you recommend a hike for a parent who lives in Vancouver and who doesn’t have a car? Let’s say this parent has one child under the age of 10 and gets

SH: Head to Capilano Canyon in North Vancouver during spawning season— March to April for steelhead trout, June to November for coho salmon, and October to November for chinook salmon. There’s plenty of birds in the forest—and a few giant old-growth trees, too. Beware of black bears, coyotes, and cougars!

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JUNE 16 – 23 / 2022

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LIQUOR

Art-star cocktails, hot dogs, and a Mexico rebuild

by Mike Usinger

GOTA GORDA REBUILDS

t’s happening again—and by that, we’re not only talking another cold and miserable Juneuary, but atmospheric rivers swamping the Lower Mainland, flower-bed apocalypses, and the running of the furnace like it’s in the November monsoon season. Seriously, look at your favourite weather app, and then crawl back into bed, because, even though the sun is shining for 10 minutes this morning, the forecast is rain, rain, and more rain for the next 10 days. Man, if only there was something else to think about, like, for example, the following.....

ART INSPIRED

A great cocktail is often a work of art as well as a drink, and not just when tiny origami cranes, miniature clothespins, and pandan leaves shaped like the dwaying palm trees of Ko Samui are involved. For the month of June the Fairmont Pacific Rim’s Lobby Lounge & RawBar is serving custom-designed cocktails that pay tribute to the work of one of Vancouver’s most consistently fascinating artists: Douglas Coupland. The man who first blazed onto the world with Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture has since proven a master of reinvention, giving the world everything from Digital Orca to the B.C. Place memorial sculpture Terry Fox deserved right from the beginning. The Fairmont Pacific Rim is currently hosting Coupland’s Red Light, Green Light exhibit in its Pacific Gallery. The Lobby Lounge & RawBar meanwhile has come up with a limited-edition cocktail menu of drinks inspired by that exhibit, highlights including the Dirty Harry, The Clint, and Tokyo Twilight. What’s in those gin-and-vodka-based cocktails, what do they have to do with the exhibit, and why can they be considered part drink and part art? There are answers for those questions, and they start at the Fairmont.

Former Keefer bar legend Danielle Tatarin is currently located in Zipolite, Mexico, where her Gota Gorda mezcaleria was recently hit hard by Hurricane Agatha. Photo by Joseph Nance.

HOT DOG DAY REDUX

Strange as this might be, there are those in the world who will argue that what we know as hot dogs are in fact technically a sandwich. That’s understandable—like a good sandwich, what you’re getting is a chunk of meat nestled in between bread, and topped with an assortment of condiments. Hell, yes, to mayo, cheese, relish, sriracha, seaweed, mustard, caramelized onions, bonito flakes, jalapeños, sauerkraut, teriyaki sauce, chili, and chimichur-

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ri. And put that ketchup back where it belongs—which is to say not on a hot dog, but on a hamburger or French fries (preferably mixed with mayo and sriracha). On the subject of hamburgers, no one balks at calling them sandwiches, the same going for subs, muffalettas, and stupidly delicious Egg McMuffins. Hot dogs on the other hand? Has anyone ever said “Man, I could really go for a hot dog sandwich”. Heading out for a hotdog, on the other hand, sounds great right about now, and even better when a beer is part of the package. On that front, East Van’s ever-inventive Superflux has launched a new and ongoing special event called Hot Dog Happy Hour. For $15 (tax included) you get one of the brewery’s much-loved hot dogs and a 12 oz. beer. This week’s special is the Al Pastor with a Vienna wiener, jalapeño, pineapple relish, cilantro-mayo, and crushed tortilla chips. As for the beers, remember what it was like to be a kid in a candy shop with a crisp $20 bill? Do you go for the Coconuts IPA, Fountainbier Peach Gummy, Superflux Lager, or The Creamery Key Lime Lager? Actually, make a true liquid lunch of it and try them all, hot dogs on rounds two and three optional.

Ever-curious mixologist Danielle Tatarin wasn’t born or raised in Vancouver, but by the time she left she was something of a local legend. Lotuslanders will remember the one-time Edmontonian as one of the founding forces of the Keefer Bar (which recently landed at number 25 at the William Reed-published North America’s 50 Best Bars list). After moving to Mexico to run the cocktail program at the Keefer-affiliated Acre in Los Cabos, Tatarin decided it was time to strike out on her own, eventually launching the gorgeously intimate and chill Gota Gorda mezcaleria in Zipolite on the Oaxaca coast. (The Straight was lucky enough to spend some time at the bar this past spring break and left Gota Gorda and the tiny beach community nothing less than fully enamoured). Until recently everything was perfect in paradise—so much so that Tatarin decided to open a second Gota Gorda in Mexico City. And then, at the beginning of June, Zipolite found itself devastated when a Category 2 hurricane, Agatha, slammed into the coast, destroying buildings, littering the beach with debris, and ultimately leaving nine dead. Gota Gorda was one of the businesses in the hurricane’s path. In an Instagram post, Tatarin describes the aftermath as follows: “When we signed for the space we didn’t expect to be side swiped by a violent hurricane and have our stock, boxes and labels ruined by a flood of mud. We lost our baby and main income for a while until we can clean up the mess that Hurricane Agatha left us in.” She continues with: “As hard as it is to not break down, I know that what has got me here has been hard work, passion, determination and a dream to share the best small batch mezcales and distillates with guests. I’ve been buying mezcal to sell mezcal turning over an ongoing investment and supporting families we work with and our staff.” Moving forward, Tatarin—who sources her mezcal from small family-run operations—has come up with a plan aimed at those who plan to be in Mexico City in the coming months. For a contribution of $1,500 Mexican pesos (roughly $95 Canadian), mezcal aficionados can reserve a bottle of Hurricane Agatha Edition Artisanal or Ancestral Agave Distillate to be picked up at Gota Gorda in the Roma Norte district. The money will help pick up the pieces on the coast. For more information, go to the danifish Instagram account. And then start making your travel plans, with visiting a rebuilding Gota Gorda in Zipolite at the top of your list. g

FOOD

When it comes to perfect steaks, simple is good By Martin Dunphy

A little oil, some kosher salt, and a lot of fresh-cracked black pepper are the only ingredients you will require to grill the best steak you have ever eaten. Photo by Getty/Lisovskaya.

he advent of summer is also that time of year when anyone who knows anything about barbecuing seems to want to tell everyone everything they know. After the YouTube tutorials and morningTV guest chefs have had their shot at getting you to buy that home smoker, charcoal chimney, or eight-burner propane grill, though, you can quietly stick to your small, simple backyard charcoal bowl or gas grill. For the most part, those whose “perfect” steak and hamburger grilling techniques consist of a dozen or more steps and ingredients can be safely ignored. Grilling done well is also grilling done simply, and the best grilled or barbecued steak you will ever taste will only require three of the simplest ingredients—salt, pepper, and a little oil—after you choose the actual cut of steak. It is that selection of steaks that will, ultimately, be what makes or breaks your shot at grilling perfection. You can execute everything to the letter and still end up with proverbial shoe-leather if you haven’t started with the right cut of beef. The only advice here is to pay the price that quality demands. Get a choice grade New York–style strip loin or rib eye steak, well-marbled with fat (especially for rib eye) and about one inch thick and 12 ounces or so in weight. Talk about incentive for proper cooking. Perfectly grilled steaks for six can mean a wonderfully memorable meal with friends. Ruined steaks, on the other hand, make for a miserable dinner and occasion, not to mention more than $100 worth of meat that’s suitable only for compost. Perhaps paradoxically, two of the most important steps in grilling that marvellous meat don’t involve any cooking whatsoever. The first step is to take the steaks out of the fridge and bring them to room temperature. A cold steak will take longer to reach the ideal temperature, resulting in uneven

high heat at the beginning of the cooking process. And that first flip should be the only time you touch the meat again during cooking except to move it to the cooler, indirect-heat side after the sear and to finally place it on the serving platter. Using only tongs, put the steak on the cooking surface. (And know that piercing the meat in any way during cooking with barbecue forks or by cutting into it to check for doneness are capital crimes, even for newbs.) Sear for about 1 1/2 to two minutes per side before moving the steaks over to the indirect-heat side of the grill. Close the hood and cook for about another five to seven minutes, depending on the thickness of the steaks and what your instant-read

thermometer tells you. Most purists reject anything other than rare or medium-rare in terms of sublime steak flavour. The internal temperature should be between 130°F and 140°F for medium-rare to medium-well doneness, with about 130° bringing the desired red-topink finish of a perfect medium-rare steak. And that’s it. Almost. Now comes another very important step in the “cooking” process: letting the meat sit and gently cool on a platter, tented in tin foil, for five to 10 minutes while the juices redistribute throughout the steak from its surface. Cutting into the meat without this taking place first will drain the steak’s juices, ruining all your good work up to that point. g

cooking, tougher texture, and less moisture. This attention to temperature is extremely important. Until you become a master griller—one who can judge a steak’s perfect doneness with a glance at the char and the juices and a nudge with the tongs—it’s all about temperatures: room temperature to begin cooking, proper temperature for finishing, and a temperature cool-down prior to eating to ensure ideal texture and juiciness. You will also be starting to cook at a higher temperature than finishing, and that will require your barbecue to have a hood/cover, so you can maintain a hot, ovenlike heat after you move your steak from cooking over a high, direct-heat source to an indirect one following the initial sear. This will ensure even, thorough cooking without burning. You can turn off the gas burner(s) on the other side of your grill to obtain that “cooler” area, or you can push your charcoal over to one side of the bowl to achieve the same. You will require an instant-read thermometer before you gain the experience needed to produce great steaks every time. An adequate one can be bought for $15 to $50 (don’t be tempted by, say, four-probe Bluetooth remote thermometers for hundreds of dollars; simple is better). So let the steak sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to an hour. Pat dry (patting the meat with a paper towel before seasoning can mean better browning by reducing the flash of steam cooking that takes place when the steak hits a hot surface), rub lightly with oil (canola or extravrgin olive), then add lots (lots!) of freshcracked black pepper. Sprinkle kosher salt thickly on the meat just before starting the sear on the preheated grill. (If you salt the steak too early, it will start to draw out moisture that will “pool” and, again, flashsteam the meat surface when you are trying to get that flavourful sear happening.) If cooking on a gas or charcoal grill, it’s best to sear both sides of the steak over JUNE 16 – 23 / 2022

THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

FOOD

Patios old and new anchor summer snack scene

by Charlie Smith

ith the start of summer coming on Tuesday (June 21), it’s safe to say that patio season is now upon us. And if there’s any silver lining from this ghastly pandemic, it’s been the proliferation of patio dining across the region. Everyone seems to be getting in on the action: breweries, fine-dining establishments, and takeout pizza joints. Patios are even showing up on public property, like Sasamat Street south of West 10th Avenue, Maple Street south of West 4th Avenue, and Bute Street south of Robson Street, among other locations. But some of the greatest dining patios remain on the premises of local restau-

rants. Here are five of our favourites. ANCORA WATERFRONT DINING AND PATIO

1600 Howe Street, Vancouver 1351 Bellevue Avenue, West Vancouver Both locations offer superb outdoor patios with gorgeous views of the water. Given Ancora’s masterful harmonization of the cuisine of the seaside nations of Peru and Japan, it’s quite fitting to spend this time of the year outside nibbling on Ancora’s delicious sushi pizza or digging into a main course like seafood paella. There are actually strong historical connections between Peru and Japan—many Japanese headed to South America when racist American and

The 1931 Gallery Bistro has been the star of the Vancouver Art Gallery district for more than 90 years, and its quiet and large patio confounds expectations in the city’s busy downtown core.

Canadian governments restricted immigration after a white mob invaded Vancouver’s Chinatown and Japantown in 1907. So it’s not a big leap to bring the food of Peru and Japan together in one menu. CACTUS CLUB CAFE

1790 Beach Avenue There’s not much in Vancouver that can rival the setting sun over English Bay. And nowhere is there a better view for diners than the Cactus Club’s expansive patio on Beach Avenue. Are you curious to know about supply-chain problems in the economy? Just sit there and count all the cargo vessels out on the bay. Better yet, tuck into the Bandara salad along with a Polynesian margarita. That will help you forget about inflation, rising interest rates, and the war in Ukraine. DOCKSIDE RESTAURANT

1253 Johnston Street, Granville Island This gem on Granville Island offers one of the comfiest seasonal patios in the region. Apart from the breeze off False Creek, you don’t even feel like you’re in Vancouver because it’s so damn peaceful. No wonder Georgia Straight readers voted Dockside as having the best patio for the Golden Plates awards in 10 consecutive years. There’s an extensive lunch menu, with everything from pesto chicken salad to duck leg, so what are you waiting for? 1931 GALLERY BISTRO

750 Hornby Street, Vancouver Plants, couches, and a terrific view of Robson Square—the tastefully minimalist patio at 1931 Gallery Bistro is a revelation to anyone who visits for the first time. How can 14

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something so quiet possibly exist in the downtown core? The 120-seat patio is part of a restaurant named in honour of its founding year, which speaks to the history of this establishment attached to the Vancouver Art Gallery. All proceeds go to the gallery, a vital Vancouver cultural institution. It’s an ideal place to nestle after taking in the VAG’s newest exhibition, Uninvited: Canadian Women Artists in the Modern Moment. TAP & BARREL

75 Athletes Way, Vancouver There are now four Tap & Barrel locations, and according to Georgia Straight readers, its best patio is at the Olympic Village location, which offers a magnificent view across False Creek to downtown Vancouver. And with the Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival returning to the water from June 24 to 26, there’s no better time to enjoy a cool one with some lunch on this patio. If you’re bringing a pooch, make sure you sit near the fence so the dog can be leashed nearby. Of course, there are many other restaurant patios worth visiting in the region. Here are eight others worth taking in: Ember Indian Kitchen (135–6168 London Road in Steveston), The Vancouver Fish Company Restaurant & Bar (1517 Anderson Street, Granville Island), H Tasting Lounge (1601 Bayshore Drive, Vancouver), Oakridge x Pac Rim Patio pop-up (1038 Canada Place), The Roof at Black + Blue (1032 Alberni Street), Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House (777 Thurlow Street), Lift Bar Grill (333 Menchion Mews, Vancouver), and Local Public Eatery (2210 Cornwall Avenue). Happy dining! g

JUNE 16 – 23 / 2022

THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

ARTS

VAG showcases artists Uninvited by Establishment

by Charlie Smith

n the late 1930s, as Adolf Hitler was consolidating control over Germany and the Spanish Civil War raged, artist Paraskeva Clark became exasperated with the complacency of the Canadian art world. Clark, a leftist immigrant from St. Petersburg, was infuriated over many of her fellow painters’ obsessions with landscapes rather than the plight of the poor. So she took out her frustrations in a 1937 essay called “Come Out From Behind the Pre-Cambrian Shield”, which was published in New Frontier. “Her position was, ‘How dare you be looking at rock and trees and sky and mountains when the Great Depression was unfolding and when fascism was rising in Europe and when there was so much inequity in the world and pain and suffering?’ ” Sarah Milroy, chief curator of the Vaughan, Ontario– based McMichael Canadian Art Collection, tells the Straight by phone. “She thought it was extremely decadent.” A Paraskeva self-portrait is one of more than 200 artworks produced by women from across Canada that are part of a new exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery called Uninvited: Canadian Women Artists in the

Modern Moment. Milroy curated the show. “The title, ‘Uninvited’, simply refers to the fact that no women were invited to join the Group of Seven,” she says. The Group of Seven is the famous set of Canadian male landscape artists who held their first show in 1920 and who became the country’s most famous painters over the next two decades, along with Tom Thomson, who died in 1917. The McMichael presented a major exhibition of the Group of Seven in 2020 to mark its centenary. That prompted Milroy to think about creating an exhibition about what female artists were doing when the men were getting so much attention. “Of course, one of the most important social and cultural things that was happening in this time was the displacement of Indigenous people off their lands,” she says. In addition, this era was marked by the intensification of resource extraction in Canada, the growth of the tourism industry, and increasing urbanization.” “So we wanted to make an exhibition about this period, 1920 to about 1945, and turn to the artists that were attending, really, to all those changes in Canada, which were the women artists of the day,” Milroy says.

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THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

JUNE 16 – 23 / 2022

Prudence Heward’s 1928 At the Theatre (Montreal Museum of Fine Arts purchase, Horsley and Annie Townsend Bequest) is part of the Uninvited exhibition. Photo by MMFA/Christine Guest.

The works of some Beaver Hall Group of painters of Montréal, such as Anne Savage and Lilias Torrance Newton, are featured in Uninvited, as are paintings by legendary B.C. painter Emily Carr and Torontobased sculptors Elizabeth Wyn Wood, Frances Loring, and Florence Wyle. There are several female Indigenous artists’ work on display, including Nunavut’s Attatsiaq, Sewinchelwet (Sophie Frank) of the Squamish Nation, Mi’kmaq quill box maker Bridget Ann Sack, and Rose Runner of the Tsuut’ina First Nation. In addition, immigrant artists to Canada such as Clark and Regina Seiden Goldberg are featured. Milroy says that when several members of the Group of Seven dropped away, they were invariably replaced by other men, even though several appreciated the genius of Carr. The Victoria artist’s paintings of trees and totem poles, as well as forestry’s denuded landscapes, make her works as relevant today as when they were originally created. “Lawren Harris is to be thanked for lifting her up out of obscurity and incorporating her into an exhibition that was really important in 1927,” Milroy notes. However, because women were not invited into the Group of Seven, this kept many

talented female painters in the shadows. “I think there’s been a lot of very good scholarship on these women over the last decade, but museums have been loath to throw a lot of resources behind monographic exhibitions of these artists because the assumption was, you know, no one will come because they’re not famous,” Milroy says. Uninvited includes a wall of Emily Carr’s paintings of trees and a totem pole. And in front of these works of art is an undulating series of cases housing Coast Salish baskets from many different communities. “Those are baskets that have not been back in B.C. for God knows how long,” Milroy acknowledges. The goal, she adds, was “to set up a discussion” between the paintings, which include a focus on clearcut landscapes and resource extraction, and the baskets, which resulted from the culling of resources in a completely different way. One of the baskets was created by Sewinchelwet, a longtime friend of Carr’s. In her view, this part of the exhibition represents the symbiotic relationship between Indigenous people and the natural world that evolved over a long period of time. “And then our way, in the clearcutting, is fast and, of course, catastrophic,” Milroy says. g

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Olivia C Davies/O.Dela Arts/ Peppers Ghost New Media Collective Maamawi: Together Through The Fire Alvin Erasga Tolentino/Co.ERASGA folding&unfolding July 13 @ 8pm & July 14 @ 8pm Rebecca Margolick Bunker + Vault Kate Franklin & Jeremy O’Neill Foam July 15 & 16 @ 7pm Calder White Baby Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg/ Tara Cheyenne Performance Pants July 15 & 16 @ 9pm

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Triple Bill – glint Erika Mitsuhashi on the cosmic shore Studio – 5pm to 7pm & 8pm to 10pm Francesca Frewer When I Think It Has Yet To Begin Theatre - 7pm Alexa Mardon a crisis/a party Patio – 8pm to 10pm July 14, 15, 16 from 5pm to 10pm In Partnership with The Dance Centre

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ARTS

Bach fest focuses on fiddlers and baroque masters

by Charlie Smith

usic lovers in the 21st century don’t normally connect Scottish fiddling and jigs with great baroque composers like Johann Sebastian Bach or Antonio Vivaldi. It’s a heretical thought for those who associate classical music with grand concert halls and tuxedo-wearing conductors. But, in fact, some fashionable baroque composers of the 17th and 18th centuries did rub shoulders with these fiddlers from Scotland. And this left a lasting influence on baroque, a complex style of music that includes harmonic language and requires many more instruments than do Scottish folk songs. Suzie LeBlanc, a highly regarded soprano and the artistic and executive director of Early Music Vancouver, tells the Straight by phone that Scottish fiddle music and jigs actually inspired several Italian baroque composers, including Francesco Geminiani. In addition, these fiddlers had an impact on Germany’s Georg Philipp Telemann and France’s Georg Muffat, who was of Scottish descent on his father’s side. “They were just immersed in it,” LeBlanc says. “So the ties, are very, very close. It’s a lot of fun to look at baroque music through that lens.” That’s precisely what Early Music Vancouver will do at this year’s Vancouver Bach Festival, which runs from July 26 to August 6. By examining Scottish baroque and other traditions, the festival is breaking new ground. It’s also an acknowledgement that the “Old Wig”, as Bach was called, employed musicians who often played in taverns. “It’s historically really sound to talk about it,” LeBlanc says. “It can change the way people approach a composer like Bach, for example. “Most of the music by Bach is dances,” she continues. “And where did these dances originate from? They’re in traditional music.” Early Music Vancouver has two artistsin-residence who will reinforce this year’s

In August, star violinist Chloe Kim will play in two concerts put on by the Vancouver Bach Festival, which will explore links between Scottish folk tunes and baroque music. Photo by Kelsey Goodwin.

theme at several concerts during the Vancouver Bach Festival. One of them, Scottish keyboardist and University of Glasgow senior lecturer David McGuinness, is a scholar of Scottish musical traditions. The other artist in residence, baroque violinist and Cape Breton fiddler David Greenberg, is ideally suited to interpret the ties between Scotland and the baroque music that first emerged in Italy and spread across Europe. In the 1990s, he wove together Scottish, Cape Breton, and baroque music in three recordings with Puirt a Baroque. LeBlanc says that the two Davids have not played together since the pandemic began. According to her, they’re really looking forward to the festival’s opening night concert, Ebb and Flow, at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts on July 27. “They are musicians who are versed in what we call HIP—historically informed practice—in baroque music,” LeBlanc says. They will join the Pacific Baroque Orchestra, led by Alexander Weimann, in a celebration of water. Together, they’ll

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THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

JUNE 16 – 23 / 2022

Most of the music by Bach is dances. And where did these dances originate from? – Suzie LeBlanc

perform George Frideric Handel’s Water Music, Telemann’s Hamburger Ebb’ und Fluth, and Alasdair MacLean’s The Silken Water Is Weaving and Weaving. LeBlanc says that this show will also feature Vancouver poet laureate Fiona T. Lam offering verses that will be interspersed with Greenberg’s improvisations. “It’s all about the importance of water for human beings…something we treasure and take care of on our planet,” LeBlanc says. “There are lots of beautiful messages there.” This year, Early Music Vancouver has also invited soprano Ellen Torrie and violinist Marie Nadeau-Tremblay to be the first members of its emerging-artists program. On August 3, they will perform at Pyatt Hall in the VSO School of Music with theorbist Sylvain Bergeron in a show called The Next Generation: Baroque Innovations. LeBlanc, who taught at McGill University until the end of the 2020-21 academic year, has been impressed by how many young singers are also mastering popular instruments from the early-music period, such as the lute and the harp. “Ellen Torrie has learned to play the baroque guitar and will self-accompany herself,” LeBlanc adds. Another young musical star, B.C. violinist Chloe Kim, will perform with Tremblay and last year’s Early Music Vancouver artist-in-residence, baritone Jonathan Adams, in a show called Out of

the Deep on August 4 at Christ Church Cathedral. They’ll be joined by Margaret Little on viola da gamba, Lucas Harris on theorbo, and Avi Stein on keyboard. Kim will return to Christ Church Cathedral on the following night for Bach: Four Sonatas and a Concerto, with Stein again on keyboard and Christina Mahler on cello. LeBlanc is also looking forward to several other concerts, including Ensemble Arkora’s exploration of links between new Canadian works and ancient pieces by Hildegard von Bingen at Christ Church Cathedral on July 28. The group will be joined by Lan Tung on erhu. One the world’s great horn players, PierreAntoine Tremblay, will join Weimann in a concert called The Last Rose of Summer at Christ Church Cathedral on July 29. Another festival highlight will be Contrasto Armonico’s concert, entitled Les Nations, at Christ Church Cathedral on July 29. LeBlanc describes the group’s founder, Palermo-born harpsichordist and organist Marco Vitale, as “a shaker and a mover” in baroque music. He became music director of Denman Baroque in 2017. Vitale is also one of four harpsichordists—along with Weimann, McGuinness, and Christina Hutten—who will be at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts on August 5 for Bach’s revered Concerto for four harpsichords in A minor, which was a reworking of Vivaldi’s Concerto for Four Violins and Strings. Greenberg and Chloe Myers will be on violin. LeBlanc says that this concert will feature four early French harpsichords of the same make created by West Vancouver’s Craig Tomlinson. She also points out that there are only four of these instruments in Vancouver and they’ll be on-stage together. “Many people have performed the harpsichord Concerto for four harpsichords by Bach,” the Early Music Vancouver artistic and executive director acknowledges. “But I’m not sure they’ve done it on identical instruments. So it’s going to be really fun. You’ll hear the character of each particular one within a family.” And fans of LeBlanc’s work as a soprano also won’t be disappointed. She, along with Tremblay, Bergeron, and recorder player Vincent Lauzer will mix Acadian folk songs with airs de cour from the French court of Louis XIV in an August 2 concert at Christ Church Cathedral. LeBlanc says that she and the musicians were already going to perform this concert at another festival in July. “And they said, ‘Can we do this in Vancouver?’ I said, ‘Okay, let’s do it!’ ” g The Vancouver Bach Festival runs from July 26 to August 6. For more information and tickets, visit EarlyMusic.bc.ca.

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Paraskeva Clark, Self-Portrait, 1931–32, oil on cardboard, Collection of Museum London, Ontario, © Estate of Paraskeva Clark

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JUNE 16 – 23 / 2022

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ARTS

Chor Leoni closes season with pop-music classics

by Charlie Smith

he Chor Leoni Men’s Choir has impressed Vancouver audiences on numerous occasions, including at its sombre annual Remembrance Day concerts and with its rich, spiritual songs at the VanMan Choral Summit. Now, to end its season, the 67 men in the choir plan to let their hair down with a raucous show of popular music. Popcappella II will feature songs by The Weeknd, Stevie Wonder, Jimmy Cliff, A-ha, Irving Berlin, Indigo Girls, and others. “A lot of times when choirs do these types of programs, maybe there’s a soloist in front and the choir does some ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ as the backup,” Chor Leoni artistic director Erick Lichte tells the Straight by phone. “That’s really not how we approach this. We do a lot of in-house arrangements. We’re really trying to take this music on.” So anyone in the mood to hear dozens of men joyously singing Wonder’s “For Once in My Life” will have to be at St. Andrew’s– Wesley United on June 25, where Chor Leoni is the choir in residence. The venue will make this concert unlike any other pop concert in town, according to Lichte. “We have those amazing acoustics,” he says with enthusiasm. “We also

For its upcoming Popcappella II, the Chor Leoni Men’s Choir will be giving audiences special in-house arrangements of songs by the likes of Arcade Fire, Caribou, A-ha, and the Weeknd.

have the pipe organ.” Lichte says that this will be a real treat when the men sing Arcade Fire’s “Intervention” from the Neon Bible album. And Arcade Fire and The Weeknd aren’t the only Canadian connections in Popcappella II.

There will also be songs by Tegan and Sara, Caribou, and Jodi Proznick. Proznick will also play bass as part of the band backing up Chor Leoni, along with percussionist Liam MacDonald and guitarist Keith Sinclair. Tim Woodford,

the director of music at St. Andrew’s–Wesley United, will play the church’s recently restored Casavant organ. The Chor Leoni singers have decided to make this concert mask-optional. This means it will be the first time since the pandemic’s start that the audience will be able to see singers’ faces. “That’s been a tricky decision to make, but it’s one that the choir has wanted to do,” Lichte says. “We’ve been able to commune with sound with the choir singing live, but this takes it to a whole other place. And I can’t think of better music than this to be connecting with and seeing those faces.” He adds that some performers will still be wearing masks, and the group is encouraging audience members to also wear them. “We are all triple-vaxxed,” Lichte declares. “We are rehearsing with the masks on but we’re taking that hour and 15 minutes and spreading guys out on the stage. Thankfully, we have a huge stage that we can create at St. Andrew’s. And really good ventilation is the other thing, too.” g Chor Leoni Men’s Choir presents Popcappella II at St. Andrew’s–Wesley United at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. on

Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival gets ready to welcome more than 130 teams from across Canada and the United States

(This story is sponsored by Dragon Boat BC.)

rom June 24 to 26, North America’s flagship dragon boat festival returns to three of Vancouver’s most picturesque outdoor locations: Concord Pacific Place, Creekside Park, and False Creek. While the Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival has certainly evolved from its ancient roots, it continues to bring people together through culture and sport. The races have become a highly anticipated summer event for many Vancouverites. Because of the pandemic, the 2021 festival was smaller and featured fewer teams, as many faced travel restrictions. It was also postponed, ensuring that Dragon Boat BC had enough time to adjust its programming to keep workers, athletes, and attendees safe. But this year, there will be more than 130 teams from across Canada and the U.S., each made up of race-ready paddlers from different backgrounds—dragon boat is an inclusive activity. “Through the difficulties of the past two years, we’ve pivoted, adjusted, and reimagined what the Concord Pacific Dragon

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After a 2021 pandemic year that was downsized because of travel restrictions, a reimagined Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival has returned to thrill viewers and unite Vancouverites.

Boat Festival is, but ultimately at our core, we are a cultural sport that unites people,” shares Dominic Lai, development, marketing, and operations director at Dragon Boat BC. “We’re excited to welcome back paddlers to False Creek, where dragon boat began in Canada back at Expo 86.” At the festival, you’ll see paddlers training for the World Championships, recreational teams, and teams made up of friends, youth and school groups, parapaddlers, and those simply looking to try out a

JUNE 16 – 23 / 2022

new sport. Participants range in age from 12 to 90, highlighting that the cultural sport is more about coming together and less about combative competition. The 2022 Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival will also feature the Paddlers Abreast Canada Breast Cancer Survivor division. This special racing event reunites paddlers from across Canada to the spot where breast cancer paddling began decades ago—as a result of local research. “Dr. Don McKenzie started the breast

cancer survivor paddling movement as part of a UBC clinical trial in 1996. His goal was to prove that the disease could be the beginning of a new journey, which involved a dragon boat,” says Kathleen Myers, Paddlers Abreast Canada committee member and breast cancer survivor. “Now, 26 years later, 19 breast cancer survivor boats from teams across Canada will be coming together in False Creek for the first time since the pandemic.” Thankfully, this year’s 34th edition will look more like the Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival we know and love. In addition to the high-energy races, guests can also enjoy live music, the Expo 86 Original Teak Dragon Boat Display, art installations, and tasty food from several vendors. The Main Stage will also feature a 100 percent local lineup, with headliners The Zolas supported by Hotel Mira, Mauvey, and Desirée Dawson. Public activities are held on June 25 and 26, and private racer-only events will take place on June 24. Festival admission is free. g For more information on the Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival, visit https://dragonboatbc.

This Summer with the La Dolce Vita JUNE

Sat | 8pm | Chan Centre

Beloved VSO Concertmaster Nicholas Wright performs triple-duty as curator, leader, and soloist for an exciting concert showcasing the beautiful sounds of the VSO’s string section. Featuring Italian and Italian-inspired works by three musical giants: Sammartini, Haydn and Tchaikovsky.

JULY

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows™ — Part 2 In Concert

13–15 Wed, Thurs & Fri | 7:30pm | Orpheum

Audiences will experience the final chapter of the Harry Potter Film Concert Series with the VSO performing Alexandre Desplat’s entire Grammy® nominated score live, while the entire film plays in high-definition on a 40-foot screen. PART OF THE HARRY POTTER™ FILM CONCERT SERIES • BROUGHT TO YOU BY CINECONCERTS HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. J.K. ROWLING’S WIZARDING WORLD™ J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s22)

Nicholas Wright

VSO @ Bard: Marvellous Music JUNE

Tues | 7:30pm | Orpheum

The tradition continues! Join us for a summer evening concert at Bard on the Beach. Treat yourself to classical masterpieces with the idyllic backdrop of mountains, sea and sky.

Symphony at Sunset JULY

6/7

JULY

In Concert Wed & Thurs | 7:30pm | Orpheum

Experience the spectacular Return of the Jedi on the big screen, with the full score played live by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. PRESENTATION LICENSED BY

FREE OUTDOOR CONCERT! Launch your summer fun with Symphony at Sunset! Join Maestro Otto Tausk and the VSO for a Latin infused program of sultry summer heat, with the beautiful backdrop of Sunset Beach behind.

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi JULY

Sat | 7pm | Sunset Beach, Vancouver

The VSO at Deer Lake

Sat | 7pm | Deer Lake Park, Burnaby FREE OUTDOOR CONCERT! The VSO’s 30-year tradition continues! Enjoy favourite symphonic hits from Tchaikovsky to E.T., Stravinsky to West Side Story. Bring your lawn chairs, and delight in free, fun for all.

The Princess Bride™ In Concert JULY

8/9

Fri & Sat | 7:30pm | Orpheum

Experience one of the most beloved films of all time as never before… with the power of a full symphony orchestra performing Mark Knopfler’s unforgettable score. Missing this cinematic experience would be inconceivable!

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ARTS

Beautiful themes at the core of Something Rotten!

by Charlie Smith

ormally, people don’t associate Nostradamus with the works of English playwright William Shakespeare. But that could change this summer as a result of a new Theatre Under the Stars production, Something Rotten!, which will be at Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park. In this musical comedy set in 1595, an insecure actor, Nick Bottom, is frustrated that his career continues to founder long after a former actor in his troupe, Shakespeare, has rocketed to great fame as a playwright. In search of a solution, Bottom seeks advice from another character, named Nostradamus. “He’s not the Nostradamus,” director

Rachel Peake emphasizes in a phone interview with the Straight. “He’s the nephew of Nostradamus. He’s a soothsayer but he’s not quite as good as his uncle. So he predicts things a little bit wrong every time.” This is at the heart of the comedy in Something Rotten!, which Peake describes as “a love letter to musical theatre”. It opened on Broadway in 2015 and was nominated for 10 Tony Awards before closing in 2017. This July will mark the first time that it will be presented in Vancouver. “A lot of people haven’t seen it because the rights have only recently become available,” Peake says. According to Peake, the playwrights, John O’Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick, were When casting Something Rotten!, Theatre Under the Stars looked for triple threats: those who were capable of singing, dancing, and acting with comedic timing. Photo by Emily Cooper.

determined to stay away from parody and stick to “satirical pastiche”. To deliver this, she needed to find actors who were triple threats, in that they could act, sing, and dance as well as understand comedic timing. Nick Bottom is played by Kamyar Pazandeh, who exuded a “fountain of charisma” in the 2019 Bard on the Beach production of Shakespeare in Love, according to Straight reviewer Katherine Dornian. Shakespeare’s character is performed by Daniel Curalli, who previously appeared in the Theatre Under the Stars productions of Newsies, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Mary Poppins, and Hairspray. The other cast members are Vincente Sandoval (Nigel Bottom), Katie-Rose Connors (Bea), Cassandra Consiglio (Portia), Jyla Robinson (Nostradamus), and Matt Ramer (Brother Jeremiah). “There’s probably a higher number of emerging artists in a show at Theatre Under the Stars than there might be at another show,” Peake says. “That’s one of the things I love the most about it, because those artists tend to be incredibly hardworking and so excited to be launching into their professional careers.” Peake, however, is no newcomer to the theatre, having already won three Jessie awards. She reveals that in Something Rotten!, there are reminders of some of our contemporary realities. For example, London Bridge is festooned with graffiti but in Elizabethan-era language. The creepy area of town where the soothsayers hang out has neon signs, also with writing in the style of the Elizabethan age. Peake credits choreographer Nicol Spinola for coming up with “some really spectacular show-stopping dance numbers”, including a “tap battle”. “The opening number, ‘Welcome to the Renaissance’, is talking about how ignorant they were in the Middle Ages, and how 22

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JUNE 16 – 23 / 2022

the Renaissance is the new age, and how they’ve got all this new technology,” Peake reveals. “But, of course, the new technology at that time is like cauldrons and bellows from the fire.” There has been a great deal of serious scholarship around Shakespeare in recent years, including whether there were multiple writers involved in his work. Peake says that Something Rotten! is an interesting piece for serious students of the English playwright and definitely includes some inside jokes for his most ardent fans. “The writers have definitely done their homework, but it is a comedy and it is a satire,” Peake states. “It puts a bit of a contemporary lens on it in terms of how hard it can be to keep coming up with hits. You know, once you had a blockbuster, the scrutiny gets much more intense.” Something Rotten! also addresses issues and feelings that remain with many of us in the 21st century. For instance, Nick, the actor, wants Nostradamus to predict the next big thing in theatre to help him find success in his chosen field. “So it’s a lot of fun, but it really has these beautiful central themes about just being true to yourself and finding your own voice,” Peake says. “And it looks at pressures—the pressure of family, the pressure of society—and how it makes us make the wrong choices sometimes.” The director adds that there’s an underlying message that if people can learn to listen to their heart, they can manage to get back onto a path that’s right for them. “So it’s a really beautiful piece as well as being extremely funny, with some killer numbers in it as well,” Peake says. g Theatre Under the Stars will present Something Rotten! on alternate evenings with We Will Rock You in Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park from July 2 to August 27.

ARTS

Core/Us aims for intimacy for everyone in the room by Charlie Smith

I always feel like I’m dancing with another partner working with [James Proudfoot’s] work. – choreographer Vanessa Goodman

knowledge,” she says. “So for me, I just get excited to learn. So I think it’s partially that.” She’s thrilled to be returning to Dancing on the Edge, describing it as “such a fabulous festival”. “It showcases so many local artists, national artists, and sometimes even inter-

In the Vanessa Goodman-choreographed Core/Us, dancers Adrian de Leeuw, Eowynn Enquist, Anya Saugstad, and Ted Littlemore move through space together. Photo by David Cooper.

ancouver choreographer Vanessa Goodman describes her company’s newest work, Core/Us, as “kind of a mix between a concert and a dance”. It’s also a group project—a relatively rarity during the pandemic, when solos and duets have been the norm. “Something I was missing throughout the pandemic was this idea of intimacy with performance,” Goodman tells the Straight by phone between rehearsals. That’s what she’s seeking in Core/Us, which she describes as a highly collaborative project about how people move through time and space together. It features a live score with four dancers exploring “how we hear movement and see sound”, according to the promotional material. Core/Us will have its Canadian premiere at the opening night of Dancing on the Edge, which runs from July 7 to 16. For Goodman, intimacy is not restricted to what’s occurring on-stage. She emphasizes that it’s also imperative to invite the Firehall Arts Centre audience to experience it. “How do I transform this black box that we’re in to something that feels more palpable and immersive?” she asks. One way, Goodman says, is by sometimes generating sounds from localized spaces on the stage or from the dancers themselves. She points out that for audiences, this is a way of “kind of dropping people in their body and into the bodies of the performers and asking them to spend time with us”. “We’re working with two helicons and then we’re working with a small ditto pedal, like a looping pedal, and another chaos pad to kind of augment and create different textures [of sounds],” Goodman says. She reveals that sometimes a basslike drum beat drives the piece; on other occasions, the audience will hear the sounds of chords crunching.

Unusual sounds and looping devices are things that Goodman, artistic director of Action at a Distance Dance Society, has focused on in previous multidisciplinary productions like Graveyards and Gardens, In Fiction, and Tuning. Along the way, she has won several major awards, including the Chrystal Dance Prize and the Schultz Endowment from the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Core/Us brings together dancers Adrian de Leeuw, Eowynn Enquist, Ted Littlemore, Anya Saugstad—with contributions from Sarah Formosa and Shion Skye Carter— along with sonic mentorship from Brady Marks and lighting design from longtime Goodman collaborator James Proudfoot. She credits Proudfoot for having an incredible gift for using lighting to draw audiences’ attention to certain places or things that she hadn’t previously considered to be so interesting. “I always feel like I’m dancing with another partner working with his work,” she says. “I feel like he just brings so much to each project.” The ever-gracious Goodman has a lot to say in the interview about the contributions of all the other members of the team as well. She worked with Enquist and Saugstad when the two were students at Simon Fraser University, and then off and on since 2017. Littlemore was in Tuning, a duet with dancer Alexis Fletcher. Goodman didn’t meet the Alberta-based de Leeuw until 2019, when she was discussing choreography at an event in Montreal. They were given broad latitude to contribute their ideas. “It’s a team effort,” she says. When Goodman is asked how she comes up with her imaginative productions, she has a simple response: curiosity. Something comes to her, and as she starts doing research, she’s able to add context. “It’s about sharing information and

national artists,” Goodman says. Dancing on the Edge is in its 34th year, and Goodman points out that festival producer Donna Spencer has done a magnificent job highlighting emerging and senior artists. “Donna really makes a huge effort to give people their first show, which she did for me, and it made such a huge difference,” Goodman says. “I can’t say enough good things about Donna, the Firehall, and Dancing on the Edge. It’s meant so much to me as an artist and so much to the community as well.” g Dancing on the Edge will present the Canadian premiere of Core/Us at the Firehall Arts Centre at 7 p.m. on July 7 and 9 p.m. on July 8.

Join us for the 21st Annual

Indigenous Tattoo Art Exhibition at SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts June 14-30, 2022 Visit talkingstickfest.ca for event details.

Cultural Partner:

JUNE 16 – 23 / 2022

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ARTS

Ensemble summer fest tackles hot-button themes

by Charlie Smith

ry to imagine for a moment what it might be like if you could replace a loved one with a being created through artificial intelligence. Would you choose someone younger, more attractive, or better behaved? These are some of the questions that emerge from one of the plays being presented at Ensemble Theatre’s Summer Repertory Festival at the Waterfront Theatre on Granville Island. Marjorie Prime is a sci-fi drama set in the future and centred around octogenarian Marjorie, played by Gai Brown. Like many seniors, Marjorie’s memories are fading, but she has a new male companion, Walter Prime, who’s a younger version of her deceased husband. And he’s happy to help her recall parts of her life. Ensemble Theatre’s artistic director, Tariq Leslie, plays Marjorie’s son-in-law Jon and Bronwen Smith plays her daughter Tess in the play, which is directed by Shelby Bushell. “It looks like our world—it just has a certain level of technology,” Leslie tells the Straight. “The overall arc of that story really highlights how so often when we try to fill a void—particularly an emotional

In Ensemble Theatre’s Marjorie Prime, Marjorie (Gai Brown) and Walter Prime (Carlen Escarraga) reveal what can happen when someone tries to fill a void with technology. Photo by Emily Cooper.

void—with technology, we end up actually feeling more empty, not fuller.” Jordan Harrison’s play was adapted into

VANCOUVER

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JUNE 16 – 23 / 2022

Dis scover the Wonders

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a critically acclaimed 2017 movie, Marjorie Prime, which was written and directed by Michael Almereyda and starred Jon Hamm, Geena Davis, Lois Smith, and, in the role of Jon, Tim Robbins. But Leslie, also a movie and TV actor, is steadfastly avoiding watching the film version until Ensemble Theatre’s festival ends on July 2. “I have this thing when I’m doing a show, be it acting or directing,” Leslie explains. “If I know there’s another media version out there, I avoid it like the plague.” Because he’s not acting in or directing Ensemble Theatre’s other production in the Summer Repertory Festival, Pass Over, he had no qualms about seeing the 2018 cinema version directed by Spike Lee, which was filmed in the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago. In fact, Leslie watched it before he read the play in 2019. “From the first five minutes, I was in,” he recalls. “I was hooked and knew we had to do this play.” Pass Over, written by Antoinette Nwandu, is set on the South Side of Chicago. Directed for Ensemble by Omari Newton, it revolves around two Black friends, played by Chris Francisque and Kwasi Thomas, dreaming of a better world but constantly under the threat of white supremacy in many forms as they’re stuck out in the streets. In a June 14 interview on the Early Edition on CBC Radio One on June 14, Newton described Pass Over as an “absurdist, sometimes tragic, often funny tale” and a “reimagining of Waiting for Godot and the biblical story of Exodus”. “It really explores the existential and literal threats that Black people face

in North America,” Newton told host Stephen Quinn. Marjorie Prime and Pass Over reflect Leslie’s underlying goal of presenting plays that are about the human condition. He says that it doesn’t matter to him if they’re contemporary or if they were written 300 years ago. “They have something to say about who we are and what our hopes and fears are,” Leslie explains. “And within that, there is what I would like to call a ‘portal for empathy’.” By that, he means that Ensemble Theatre plays must offer an opportunity to experience another world, where experiences remain with audiences. “They may not be ones that we are immediately familiar with, but the humanity of the characters depicted should be something you can relate to,” he says. As an example, as a white person, Leslie could not possibly comprehend what it’s like to encounter discrimination on a daily basis. “But I hope that there’s also a greater level of determination for those of us who are white to move beyond being allies and being proactive in big and small ways to make the change that we seem to have, for 50 years, always been to varying degrees on the cusp of but don’t ever get past the cusp,” he says. Unlike most white people, Leslie has had a glimpse of being subjected to racial profiling. It came about because his mother decided to give him an Arabic name after taking a course on comparative religion at the University of Victoria. Then when he tried to enter the United States after 9/11, Leslie, who was born and raised in the Victoria area, experienced a level of scrutiny that he had never before endured. “I would never make the claim that it’s anything like what anyone who is nonwhite goes through,” Leslie emphasizes. In addition to the two plays, the Summer Repertory Festival is also offering Sunday readings related to the plays and entitled These Things Happen in All Our Harlems (the title is from a James Baldwin essay) and The Life and Times of Multivac (the title comes from an Isaac Asimov short story). The festival is also hosting film screenings of Do the Right Thing and her. As the interview comes to an end, Leslie has a final request: can the Straight give a shout-out to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, which is the landlord for the Waterfront Theatre? Consider it done! g Ensemble Theatre presents Pass Over and Marjorie Prime, as well as Sunday readings and film screenings, as part of its Summer Repertory Festival from June 15 to July 2.

Tickets on Sale Now

earlymusic.bc.ca

JUNE 16 – 23 / 2022

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ARTS

National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrated on June 21 by Charlie Smith

ARTS LISTINGS ONGOING

UNINVITED: CANADIAN WOMEN ARTISTS IN THE MODERN MOMENT Major exhibition gathering more than 200 works of art by a generation of painters, photographers, weavers, bead workers, and sculptors. To Jan 8, Vancouver Art Gallery. XICANX: DREAMERS + CHANGEMAKERS / SOÑADORES + CREADORES DEL CAMBIO Exhibition showcases, for the first time in Canada, the rich traditions of 33 Xicanx artists. To Jan 1, Museum of Anthropology at UBC. BEADED NOSTALGIA Exhibition exploring the use of contemporary beadwork as a way of honouring the past. To Oct 23, Bill Reid Gallery. THE IMITATION GAME: VISUAL CULTURE IN THE AGE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Exhibition surveys the extraordinary uses of AI in the production of modern and contemporary visual culture around the world. To Oct 23, Vancouver Art Gallery. DRIVING ME CRAZY Play about a family and their relationships with each other as experienced through their vehicles. To Jun 19, Presentation House Theatre. $20-30. MORAG, YOU'RE A LONG TIME DEID Experimental musical traces a journey of queer discovery through the remixing of traditional Scottish music. To Jun 19, Russian Hall. $10 to $75 + s/c (PWYW). KINKY BOOTS Tony Award–winning musical that celebrates compassion and acceptance. To Jul 31, Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage. From $43. MARJORIE PRIME AND PASS OVER Ensemble Theatre Company presents two dramas, one a science-fiction exploration of memory and technology, the other a radical rewriting of Beckett’s Waiting for Godot. Jun 15–Jul 2, 7:30 pm, Waterfront Theatre.

THURSDAY, JUNE 16 FISTFUL OF KICKS All-Asian comedians perform standup and improv. Jun 16, 8-9:30 pm, Tightrope Impro Theatre. $20.

SATURDAY, JUNE 18

The Talking Stick Festival will feature a new Indigenous dance work, La Mitchin di Mitchif, which is copresented by Full Circle and Compaigni V’ni Dansi from June 19 to 21 at Scotiabank Dance Centre.

ummer officially kicks off on Tuesday (June 21), which also happens to be National Indigenous Peoples Day. There are many celebrations across the province, including one on Sunday (June 19) to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Skwachàys Lodge Aboriginal Hotel & Gallery, which is operated by Vancouver Native Housing Society. Taylor Street will be closed between West Pender Street and Keefer Place for performances by Native Thunder Productions, Tsatsu Staqayu Coastal Wolfpack, Urban Heiltsuk Dance Group, and Stars of the North Drum Group. From June 18 to 30, 15 Indigenous flags will fly at Vancouver City Hall. Those of the Musqueam, Squamish, and TsleilWaututh peoples will fly next to the City of Vancouver flag. The City of Burnaby is also honouring National Indigenous Peoples Day with several activities and events in Civic Square from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 21. They include an Indigenous artisan market, storytelling from Squamish Nation elder Kultsia Barb Wyss and Haida educator Kung Jaadee, and performances by the TsleilWaututh Warriors, Spakwus Slulem, and 26

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From June 18 to 30, there willl be 15 Indigenous flags flying at Vancouver City Hall. Nuu-chah-nulth and Kwakwaka’wakw spoken-word artist Valeen Jules. Up in Whistler, there will be live canoe carving, an artists market, and craft activities all day on June 21 at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre. Meanwhile, the Talking Stick Festival, which is in its 21st year, continues through to July 3. Billed as North America’s premier Indigenous arts and cultural festival, the organizer, Full Circle, is copresenting a new Indigenous contemporary dance work, La Mitchin di Mitchif, from June 19 to 21 in partnership with Compaigni V’ni Dansi. Co-choreographed by Yvonne Chartrand and Dancing Earth artistic director Rulan Tangen, it’s inspired by ancestral knowledge of Mitchif (Métis) plant medicines and takes place at the Scotiabank Dance Centre g

JUNE 16 – 23 / 2022

QUEER ARTS FESTIVAL 2022: HAUNTINGS Three weeks of dynamic performance, music, theatre and literary events. Jun 18–Jul 8, various Vancouver venues. Free-$30, festival passes $69.

SUNDAY, JUNE 19 VOICES FOR HOPE: CONCERT FOR WORLD REFUGEE DAY WITH CHOR LEONI Join Chor Leoni for a concert and silent auction to support refugees resettling in Vancouver. Jun 19, 4-5:15 pm, St Andrew's Wesley United Church. $20.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22 STORY, STORY, DIE. DanceHouse presents the West Coast premiere of winter guests’ evocative work, choreographed by artistic director Alan Lucien Øyen, Jun 22-23, Vancouver Playhouse.

THURSDAY, JUNE 23 SOUND OF DRAGON MUSIC FESTIVAL 2022 Various cross-cultural music events, in-person and online, including Inuit and Mongolian throat singing and Taiwanese folk music fused with jazz. Jun 23-26, Orpheum Annex. STORY STORY LIE :: SUSPICIOUS MINDS An interactive combination of comedy, storytelling, and game show, hosted by storyteller Jo Dworschak and her lovely assistant David C Jones. Jun 23, 7-9 pm, Rio Theatre. $17 online, $20 door.

FRIDAY, JUNE 24 A LIGHT FOOTPRINT IN THE COSMOS Presentations by 60 scholars and artists, delivered both online and in person. Jun 24-27, Djavad Mowafaghian World Art Centre, Goldcorp Centre for the Arts. $30-$150. TD VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL The Coastal Jazz & Blues Society presents performances by top-name musicians from across the globe. Jun 24–Jul 3, various Vancouver venues. THE DAYS Duet created by English choreographer

Theo Clinkard in collaboration with Finnish dancers Maria Nurmela and Ville Oinonen. Jun 24-25, 8 pm, Scotiabank Dance Centre. $34/$25.

SATURDAY, JUNE 25 LA DOLCE VITA WITH NICHOLAS WRIGHT An exploration of Italy with VSO Concertmaster Nicholas Wright. Jun 25, 7:50 pm, Chan Centre for the Performing Arts.

THURSDAY, JUNE 30 DIVORCED IN PARADISE Jacq Frances performs her 90-minute comedy special, with opening act Jane Stanton. Jun 30, 7:30 pm, The Cultch. $35-$135.

FRIDAY, JULY 1 2022 TAIWANESE CANADIAN CULTURAL FESTIVAL Event includes live performances, art exhibition, cinema, and family activities. Jul 1-3, 11 am, Vancouver Art Gallery North Plaza. Free admission.

SATURDAY, JULY 2 THEATRE UNDER THE STARS TUTS presents performances of the musicals Something Rotten! and We Will Rock You, running alternate evenings. Jul 2–Aug 27, Malkin Bowl. SYMPHONY AT SUNSET Music director Otto Tausk leads the Vancouver Symphony in an open-air concert. Jul 2, 7 pm, Sunset Beach Park. Free.

MONDAY, JULY 4 ARTS UMBRELLA SUMMER SESSION Summer programs in art, design, dance, theatre, music, and film for young people aged three to 19. Jul 4–Aug 26, Arts Umbrella.

THURSDAY, JULY 7 DANCING ON THE EDGE FESTIVAL World premieres, North American and Western Canadian debuts, and works-in-progress from contemporary choreographers. Jul 7-16, Firehall Arts Centre.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13 HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2 IN CONCERT The Vancouver Symphony performs Alexandre Desplat's epic score live-to-picture. Jul 13, 14, 15, 7:30 pm, Orpheum Theatre.

FRIDAY, JULY 15 VANCOUVER FOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL Communitybased celebration of folk and roots music features artists from Korea, Chile, Mexico, Taiwan, India, Finland, the USA, and Canada. Jul 15-17, 3-11 pm, Jericho Beach Park. $46.97-$221.58.

SATURDAY, JULY 16 VANCOUVER CLASSICAL GUITAR FESTIVAL Classical guitarists and music lovers immerse themselves in a week of concerts, masterclasses, and workshops. Jul 16-21, 2 pm, Vancouver Academy of Music. From $30.

TUESDAY, JULY 26 RONDEAU Fundraiser for Early Music Vancouver features emcee Bill Richardson, poet Fiona Tinwei Lam, and musicians David Greenberg, David McGuinness, and Lucas Harris. Jul 26, Sage Bistro. $225.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27 EBB AND FLOW Opening concert of the 2022 Vancouver Bach Festival is a musical celebration of water, featuring the Pacific Baroque Orchestra, Vancouver poet Fiona T. Lam, and artists-in-residence David McGuinness and David Greenberg. Jul 27, 7:30 pm, The Chan Centre. Earlybird $22.50-$60. ARTS LISTINGS are a public service provided free of charge, based on available space and editorial discretion. Submit events online using the eventsubmission form at straight.com/AddEvent. Events that don't make it into the paper due to space constraints will appear on the website.

MUSIC

Organ ace Lamarr loves to see his heroes eat it

by Steve Newton

ere’s a tip for young music journalists just starting out: before you interview artists who might be headed to your city for a gig, check out their tour itinerary. That approach comes in handy before calling up Delvon Lamarr of the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, who are booked to play the TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival this month. It’s quite a surprise to see that his Washington state group—which specializes in funky, groove-based instrumental soul jazz—had gigs lined up in the U.S. opening for jarring guitar-rock acts like Jack White and the Black Crowes. “I’m really excited about those shows,” Lamarr says on the phone from his home in Pullman, Washington, near the border with Idaho. “Ya know, it’s one of those things where I feel our music fits in a lotta different genres. Like no matter if you’re old or young or whatever you’re into, it seems to attract people. And that’s one of the reasons we call it feel-good music, because it’s less a genre and more of a feeling. Everybody grooves on DLO3.” Another glance at Lamarr’s touring schedule reveals that the Hammond B3 player—along with guitarist Jimmy James and drummer Dan Weiss—is set to play Antone’s, the fabled blues joint in Austin, Texas, where music greats such as Stevie Ray Vaughan and the Fabulous Thunderbirds honed their chops. Lamarr has actually played the venue once before, in 2018, when he joined the likes of organists Ike Stubblefield and Red Young at the Antone’s B3 Summit. “We’re all rooted in pretty much jazz and blues,” Lamarr says. “That’s kind of what we always listened to. Like Jimmy James, especially; he’s really into the blues. If you talk to him about music, it’s either Stax, Motown, or blues. That’s it. And I grew up listening to blues and gospel because of my mother, who used to sing in church and everything like that. Later, kinda in my teens, I discovered jazz, and that became like my love.” Before travelling to Texas for that Antone’s gig in September, though, the DLO3 will head to Europe for dates in NATO countries like France, the Netherlands, and Poland. Lamarr says he isn’t too concerned about playing the concert in Warsaw, which isn’t far away from war-ravaged Ukraine. “We played in Budapest [Hungary] the month before last,” he explains, “and we talked about it, the invasion of Ukraine and stuff like that, and I asked were people concerned with that happening to them? It’s a country that’s kind of on the edge [of Ukraine], so it could happen to them, and it was interesting just talking to people. But for them, they’re still goin’, still thrivin’, and they’re still doin’ their thing. That’s

Hammond B3 organist Delvon Lamarr (left, with DLO3 drummer Dan Weiss and guitarist Jimmy James) fell in love with jazz when his older brother turned him on to The Best of John Coltrane.

just something that’s in their mind, but it doesn’t stop them from basically livin’ life. And I kind of expect the same thing in Poland, you know.” The laid-back Lamarr jokingly suggests that Vladimir Putin should give his group’s feel-good tunes a listen—”Maybe he’ll mellow out”—before pondering the question of whether he believes that music itself can help bring peace to the troubled world. “I wish it would and I hope it does,” he replies. “It is much needed nowadays, more than ever, you know. Things are just gettin’ crazy.” Lamarr first became aware of the power of music at age 11, mainly through his 15-year-old brother Tyrone, who was heavily into hip-hop in the late ’80s and early ’90s. His bro put together a little studio with a drum machine and a sampler and started collecting vinyl and listening intently. “My brother had a really good ear for making hip-hop beats,” Lamarr recalls, “because he’d hear things in songs that most people wouldn’t even hear. He’d be listening to some weird records, too—you can’t even read the front of it, it’s like Japanese or whatever. He’d put it on, and I used to sit there, thinkin’, ‘Why is he listenin’ to this? That’s weird.’ And then he’d just be like, ‘Oh, man, you hear that?’, and he’d put the needle back and he’d sample it and he’d put a beat to it and it became this whole thing. I was super impressed by my brother because he was able to hear the things, and so that’s kind of where it started.” Lamarr also credits Tyrone with instilling in him a deep love of jazz. One day he handed him a cassette tape and said, “Hey, I think you’re gonna like this.” It was the 1970 compilation The Best of John Coltrane. “The first track on there was ‘My Favorite Things’,” he says, “and I put that on and instantly fell in love with jazz. And from there

I told my mom I wanted to play saxophone, so my mom got excited, because she loves the saxophone, so she went out that day and got me one. That’s how excited she was that I wanted to play saxophone. She was not that happy that I only played it for about six, seven months, then switched to trumpet.”

Lamarr didn’t start playing organ till he was 22 or 23 years old, but the instrument came naturally to him. And today the music he creates with James and Weiss comes quite easily as well. He figures that about 80 percent of their songs come from jamming during soundchecks. “We haven’t rehearsed in like two, three years,” he says. “True story. We’re all just keen, and we’re really good listeners, so when we get to a gig, during the soundcheck, sometimes either Jimmy or I’ll bust out a groove, or Dan will play the drumbeat, and we’ll just start messing around with that. Sometimes we’ll even end up playing that [new] song during the show that night. “It’s all about having fun, musically,” Lamarr adds. “Ya know, I don’t worry about mistakes, I don’t really care about all that. That’s what makes music real to me, you know. I love when I see my heroes and greats up there, where they just totally eat it. I love to see that, ‘cause it makes me feel human as a musician, you know?” g The Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio plays the BlueShore Financial Centre for the Performing Arts on June 27 as part of the TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival.

JUNE 16 – 23 / 2022

THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

MUSIC

Modelos bring cowboy-surf twang to jazz fest

by Steve Newton

he last time the Georgia Straight interviewed Joe Rotundo was 16 years ago, but luckily for local fans of instrumental cowboy surf, some things never change. From his Kitsilano apartment, the Modelos member explains that his band is still at it, and with the same lineup as well: he and Mike Kenney on guitars, Bradley Ferguson on bass, and Geoff Hicks on drums. Instro-rock devotees can check out the combo when it plays a free jazz festival gig at David Lam Park next month. “We’ve just been playing a lot, doing what we do,” Rotundo says. “We didn’t do much over the lockdown, obviously, but we just did a gig where we backed up Rich TH T H E 45

Hope recently at the Brackendale Art Gallery. And we played last week at Guilt and Company. So we’re stayin’ active.” Back in 2006, the Straight was raving about the 11 tracks on the Modelos’ thennew self-titled debut album. “It sports precision-picked Shadows-type ditties and rollicking high-desert odes with titles like ‘Down the Dusty Trail’, ‘Blood on the Saddle’, and ‘Curse of the Cowboy’, and there’s nary a cover in the bunch,” wrote yours truly, mightily impressed. The group followed that up in 2008 with the 13-track Saddle Justice, and three years back rolled out the EP Barrel Fever. “We released it at the end of November 2019,” Rotundo explains, “and we had a

A N N UA L Guitarists Joe Rotundo (left) and Mike Kenney are the front line of the Modelos, a rollicking combo that has kept instro-rock fans soaked in reverb for 16 years. Photo by Adam PW Smith.

20 22

MUSIC

JULY 15 | 16 | 17

FESTIVAL JERICHO BEACH PARK

BBEE LE LE DR D R ON O N E | B ELLA EELL LLAA W HHII TE TE | B LU LU E MO M O ON O N M AR AR QQUU EE E E WWITITITH D UUKKKEE RROO BBII LLLL AARR D LEEESS I M CCHH RI R IST S TIINN E TA TASSSSAANN EETT LES MPP OOSSSTE TE UURR EESS | C LE TEUR TE LE RREE L | D EEBBBAS AASS HHIISH S H B HAA TTAC TTAC TT ACCHA HHAARYA RYA RY F I VVEE A LA FI L ARRM M F UUNN K | F OORR D PI P I ER E R | F OR O RTU T U NNEE B LOCK LO CCKK | G OOLLOS LO OSA LLAA O RRQQQUE UUEEEST S TA ST ANND N D TTHH E R O HHOO US U S EW E WIIFF E | K AANNAT N ATA A TAALL | LAACCHH E CE AT C E RC R C EELL AND RCEL OM M A JJAA ZZ Z Z E NNSS EEM M BLE B LE BL LE NNNN IE LE I E G AALL LLAA NNTT | QQUU OT OTE TTHTHEHHE R AV AVENN | R EEDD BBII RRDD | R EV E V OL O LUS U SON S OONN | R US U SSSEE LL L L D EECCAARR LE LE | | | S G AAAANA A NA N AG W WAA SSIINN I NN N N OI O I S TTRR IN I N GB G B AN A N D SU S U NNDD AE SUND A E S UUZZIE Z IIEE U NNGG ER E R LLEEEID I D EERR ID VA NNCCOU VA O U VVEE R FFIIIDD DDDD LLEE C LU DDLE LU B | V IL LUB I L D Á | WIITT CH C H P ROPH R O PPHH EETT RO TIX & INF FO

SEE YOU AT THE BEACH! t h e f e s t i va l . b c .c a

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JUNE 16 – 23 / 2022

full western Canadian tour booked for the spring of 2020, but we all know what happened there. So, unfortunately, the tour got cancelled because of COVID, but the vinyl’s been goin’ pretty good. We’ve sold a bunch online, and I bring them to the gigs and we sell them there.” Recorded at John Raham’s Afterlife Studios—an analog recording studio located within the legendary walls of the former Mushroom Studios—Barrel Fever features five Rotundo/Kenney originals, three of which sport the trumpet stylings of Terry Townson, a former Vancouverite who recorded the brass bits at his current digs in Mexico. Rotundo was psyched about the infusion of trumpet into the Modelos’ instro mix. “I’ve always been sort of obsessed with [Italian soundtrack maestro] Ennio Morricone,” notes the 51-year-old picker. “We’ve had trumpet on every one of our records now, from the first one to Saddle Justice, there’s some trumpet. With surf instrumentals, I just love the trumpet over saxophone or anything. I think it blends in well with the tunes we write.” The longest song on Barrel Fever, opener “Monkey Paw”, clocks in at just over two and a half minutes, which is about as long as Rotundo likes to go. He prefers the succinct approach of bands like Canadian instro greats Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet, and he was thrilled to hear their best-known song, “Having an Average Weekend”—the 54-second theme song for TV’s Kids in the Hall—back in vogue with the recent return of that show on Amazon Prime. “Brian Connelly is the man,” says Rotundo of the Shadowy Men guitarist. “It’s

I’ve always been sort of obsessed with Ennio Morricone. – Joe Rotundo

funny, I just recently started playing that at gigs just because the show’s back on and it gets a fun response. It’s a great song, so I sneak that in there every once in a while.” The Modelos might just pull out that reverb-laced ditty when they play their outdoor jazz-fest gig. They go on after soul singer Tonye Aganaba and before Tortoise guitarist Jeff Parker’s DJ set, and Rotundo—who studied jazz at Toronto’s Humber College back in the ‘90s when he was “just a young kid trying to figure out how to play guitar”—is ready to immerse himself in all that the festival has to offer. “I’m planning to go to a bunch of shows, for sure,” he says. “I was just talking to my wife, and we were really looking forward to that whole weekend, and hanging around the city. We haven’t decided who we’re gonna go see yet, but we’re gonna make a list of musicians to go check out.” g The Modelos perform at David Lam Park on July 3 at 7 p.m. as part of the TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival.

E X P A N D E D 2 0 TH A N N I V E R S A R Y DIGITAL EDITION

JUNE 16 – 23 / 2022

THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

MUSIC

Summer music fests return with a recharged vengeance by Mike Usinger

Mother Mother is one of the headliners for the inaugural edition of Ambleside Music Festival.

ongratulations, you made it— through a past couple of years that were unprecedented in our times, and during which you were never more aware of the power of live music. Having come through it all, you’re understandably beyond thrilled about the idea of gorging yourself. Not on takeout and Netflix—you did enough of that in 2020 and 2021 to last nine lifetimes. Instead you’re all about getting out and seeing as much live music as possible. And there’s no better place to do that than festivals, which are not only back, but back with a recharged vengeance. In the coming summer months you can look forward to not only hanging out with friends and fellow music fans again, but doing so at outdoor concerts that have become as much a part of the city as the beaches of Kitsilano, the cobblestone streets of Gastown, and the majestic North Shore mountains. See you in the front row. TD VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL

From Dave Brubeck’s hypnotic “Take Five” to Thelonious Monk’s smoky “Round Midnight” to Miles Davis’s groundbreaking “So What”, sometimes music says more than words ever will. To that end, we could spend a good couple of thousand words trying to sum up the sprawl of this year’s TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival. Purists and adventurists will be thrilling to the likes of the Tord Gustavsen Trio, Brad Turner Quartet, and Immanuel Wilkins. Those for whom jazz will always mean the 30

THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

JUNE 16 – 23 / 2022

Americana great Lucinda Williams plays the Vancouver jazz fest. Photo by Danny Clinch.

glory days of Blue Note and rainy nights in New York City are already looking forward to Jocelyn Gould and the Sunna Gunnlaugs Trio. And those for whom jazz is a state of mind rather than a strict label are stoked at the inclusion this year of Americana-oriented Lucinda Williams and Old Soul Rebel. If you really want a one-stop primer on the range of talent and styles on offer at the 2022 edition of the TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival, programmers Cole Schmidt and Jeremy Page have created a digital cheat sheet. Working with fellow jazz fans and associates, the duo has come up with a series of Spotify playlists that spotlight the over 700 artists and 200 shows that are part of this year’s festival. (Simply punch in “coastaljazzprog” on the streaming service). Music does indeed sometimes say more than words ever will. Important details: June 24 to July 3 at various locations; visit coastaljazz.ca for the full schedule and ticket info. see next page

Don Toliver has gone from having zero music experience to headlining FVDED in the Park.

FVDED IN THE PARK

The Vancouver Folk Fest continues to broaden its reach with acts like the New Pornographers.

AMBLESIDE MUSIC FESTIVAL

When introducing oneself to the world, it always pays to go big, and Ambleside Music Festival has done just that for its inaugural event. North American punk bands don’t come much bigger or more iconic that Southern California’s multi-platinum Offspring. Fellow headliners Mother Mother and Marianas Trench, meanwhile, have both long been genuine alt-pop royalty in their hometown of Vancouver. Great festivals are also often all about the undercard, and Ambleside boasts one that includes neo-soul king St. Paul and the Broken Bones, indie-folk upstarts Walk Off the Earth, art-pop chanteuse Hannah Georgas, and blues deconstructionists the Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer. And did we mention the setting, with Ambleside Park providing one of the most dramatic backdrops in all of the Lower Mainland? If you’re going to go, you go big, not to mention beautiful. Important details: August 12-14 at Ambleside Park in West Van; go to amblesidefestival.com for the full schedule and ticket info. VANCOUVER FOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL

Looking back over the years, the Vancouver Folk Music Festival has always had a somewhat liberal definition of what constitutes folk. Remember, if you will, D.O.A. playing the long-running fest back in 1988. And hiphop visionary Michael Franti taking part in 2008. Flash forward to today, and this year’s Vancouver Folk Music Festival has once again come up with a lineup that honours the past while looking toward the future. Folks who understand the genre is more of a mindset than a label will be all-in on indie kingpins New Pornographers and postAmericana duo Shovels & Rope. Forwardthinking traditionalists meanwhile will find themselves moved—profoundly—by the great Alejandro Escovedo, jazz-influenced revisionist Allison Russell, and Finnish experimentalists VILDÁ. Factor in the famous workshops, artisan market, Whistler Brewing beer garden, and scenic setting, and you’ve got a good idea

Here’s something to tell your parents the next time they strongly suggest you pursue a career in law or medicine instead of music. As Eminem once said, you can do anything you want if you put your mind to it, which is how American DJ producer Illenium went from delivering sushi and coaching lacrosse

to headlining Surrey’s endlessly loved FVDED in the Park. Asked about a career that’s taken him from a Kelowna bedroom producer to Shambhala to a FVDED 2022 headliner, bass-obsessed Canadian Excision told Forbes recently, “Even after you’ve made your dreams come true, there are always more dreams to work towards.” Certifiable rap legend Rick Ross once looked doomed to a life as a correctional officer, while his fellow FVDED in the Park main draw Don Toliver had zero musical experience before jumping into the game in 2017 at the ripe old age of 23. And....actually, you get the idea, so above all else expect to leave the return of FVDED in the Park nothing less than inspired. And committed, once again, to the idea that you can do anything you set your mind to.... Important details: July 8 and 9 at Holland Park in Surrey; visit fvdedinthepark.com for ticket prices and full lineup. g

Indie queen Haley Blais takes the main stage at Khatsahlano. Photo by Kyla Schnellert.

why the Vancouver Folk Music Festival is one of the most-loved events of the West Coast summer. Important details: July 15 to 17 at Jericho Beach Park; visit thefestival.bc.ca for the full schedule and ticket info. KHATSAHLANO STREET PARTY

If there’s one thing that stands out from past Khatsahlano Street Party blowouts, it’s that 4th Avenue in Kits gets turned into what looks like a sea of beautiful humanity. And, after a couple of years of lockdowns and self-isolation, that couldn’t look more inviting in 2022. This year’s headliners include DIY indie queen Hailey Blais (whose new single “Coolest Fucking Bitch in Town” somehow seems more like a statement of fact than bragging), and Actors (whose latest full-length, Acts of Worship, mixes nine-shades-of-black postpunk with neon-dazzled new wave). As for the undercard, the 10th edition of Khatsahlano Street Party once again features a lovingly curated lineup of homegrown talent, the list ranging from garage-pop titans the Pack A.D. to theremin experimentalist Stephen Hamm to the nothing-less-thanlegendary Pointed Sticks. Important details: July 9 on West 4th Avenue; go to khatsahlano.com for the full schedule. JUNE 16 – 23 / 2022

THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

MUSIC

Zolas get unfashionable and go deep on Come Back

by Mike Usinger

ecause it would be disingenuous, Zachary Gray isn’t going to argue that guitar-based pop music has never been more revolutionary or fashionable. But he will willingly suggest that, in some ways, he couldn’t be happier to be living in a time when hip-hop is king, and EDM rules the clubs and the charts. There’s a reason for an energy that positively crackles over the line as he talks about the Zolas’ fourth studio album, Come Back to Life. Working for the first time without longtime keyboardist and collaborator Tom Dobrzanski, Gray found himself in new territory during the writing process. And, at the same time, as he looked for a way forward along with drummer Cody

Scan to connfess

Hiles and bassist Dwight Abell, he became obsessed with the past. “Once Tom had officially left the band, the three of us who were left realized it was a chance for us to make the kind of music that we’d always wanted to make,” Gray reminisces. “And that was essentially Britpop music. We thought it was hilarious that we wanted to make Britpop music when there was nothing less cool than that. At the moment it could not be less in style, and that makes us all the more excited to do it.” Initial sessions for the record that would become Come Back to Life had the Zolas embracing their inner fans of legend like Oasis, Blur, Supergrass, and Suede. “And then we moved studios and let 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. www.straight.com/confessions

Ablaze I’ve become a dull person. I wish I had the resources to go find what wakes me up as a human being but I don’t. I feel afraid to risk the stability I’ve acquired. But which decision will I regret when I’m 80? Will I curse myself for not saving enough money to live or will I regret not making my life worth living? I don’t think I can strike a balance to afford both.

Seriously Don’t ask me to tell any dad jokes. I don’t know what those are.

I admit I have not kept my end of the bargain. My best friend died four years ago. Before he passed I promised him i would live life to the fullest. It hasnt been easy. The pandemic hit, i then lost my job and then pretty much lost any motivation. But things are better now and last weekend i partied it up. I stayed up late. I danced to every song and shared the dancefloor with some amazing people. I even got a girls number! Lol. So im making up for lost time. Its good to be back but i really miss my friend.

Pluviophile On rainy days like this I love opening the windows and blinds to watch and listen to the rain. The awed hush it brings to the environment, the muted and potentially electric light in the sky, the smell. It’s the greatest feeling in the world for me. Somehow I become more awake, alert, keen. I breathe deeply and my body relaxes.

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to post a Confession JUNE 16 – 23 / 2022

The white basket made Zachary Gray’s ride less cool than Britpop. Photo by Conor Cunningham.

ourselves completely go for what sounded like Britpop songs with production elements stolen from other types of music that were happening in the same era in the same part of the world,” Gray notes. “So whenever we had an electronic element we’d try to steal a sound from the Prodigy or from Primal Scream or the Happy Mondays. And that was super fun. I felt like we hit a sound that no one’s doing right now.’” The Zolas have every reason to be not only happy but thrilled with Come Back to Life, a record that nods lovingly to a fabled mid-’90s golden age of British music, but somehow still feels vitally fresh and current. Things kick off with the fantastically druggy and deliciously bass-bombed double shot that is “Violence On This Planet” and “Yung Dicaprio”. The Zolas gleefully unleash the champagnesupernova guitars for “Miles Away” and “I Feel the Transition”, but sound just as comfortable heading for the dancefloor with an electro thumper like “Reality Winner”. Laughing, Gray suggests that a good elevator pitch for the album would be “somewhere between the Trainspotting and Romeo + Juliet soundtracks”. Consider that a heads up that while he understands the simple brilliance of “Wonderwall”, he also has unending love for the atmospheric adventurousness of acts like Tricky, Massive Attack, and Portishead. “At the beginning of 2019 I went around telling people that I was trying to write the next ‘Wonderwall’,” the singer says with a laugh. “That was 50 percent as a joke— actually more than 50 percent as a joke because no one was asking for the next ‘Wonderwall’. And that would have been

an impossible task anyway. But that was my mission, and that informed things. I didn’t think that I would actually do it, but then we wrote ‘Miles Away’, and it was like ‘This is as close as I’m going to get.’ “I’ve always loved the Gorillaz and anything that Damon Albarn does,” Gray continues. “And any time you can steal loops and dub beats you’re going to end up in that direction, especially if you sing over them in a breathy way. So ‘Violence on This Planet’ has a real Gorillaz vibe to me. I’ve always believed that sort of ripping off people you admire is one of the most fun ways to write music.” If there’s a way that the Zolas truly make things their own on Come Back to Life it’s the lyrics. Instead of revisiting a time of bucket hats, cigarettes, and alcohol, and girls who want boys who like boys to be girls, Gray decided that there were issues—some as important as they are heavy—that he wanted to deal with. On that front the Zolas tackle everything from global wealth inequality (“I Feel the Transition”) to Canada’s historic mistreatment of its Indigenous communities (“Wreck Beach/Totem Park”) to real estate prices that have driven young creatives out of Vancouver (“Bombs Away”). Gray is perhaps at his most devastating on “PrEP”, a dark-wave blast of guitar techno inspired by a Reddit thread where users revisited what it was like to live through the ‘80s AIDS epidemic. But as much as the Zolas aren’t afraid to go deep on Come Back to Life, what ultimately stands out is that the band sounds every bit as thrilled to be alive and making music as Blur on “Song 2”. And, while that might sound like hyperbole, it’s anything but. “That whole Britpop movement was one of the most exciting eras of music in my lifetime,” Gray says lovingly. “And I don’t hear it these days. For me, the golden rule is ‘Make the music the world needs to hear.’ Actually, that’s too altruistic-sounding. It’s more ‘Make the music that would fuck you up if you heard it for the first time.’” Guitar-music may be in one of its dormant periods, he acknowledges, but that’s nothing new. From Elvis Presley taking the throne in the ’50s, to the White Stripes making the world forget about techno and raprock in 2000, popular music has always been marked by palace revolutions. And, typically, things get most quiet before the storm. “We’re in a world that’s so pop-focused, and where pop music is so uncool,” Grey says. “And it’s kind of wonderful to think about how few people love guitar music. It’s like a little subculture—just like it was back in the beginning. And that kind of makes it awesome again.” g The Zolas headline the Dragon Boat Festival’s free concert series on June 25.

MOVIES

Drag queen Jolene brings Bollywood flair to B.C.

by Charlie Smith

o how did a small-town boy from Goniana in Punjab’s Bathinda District become the most-followed drag queen in Vancouver? Well, it’s complicated. Very complicated. And it’s a story that Jolene Queen Sloan, a character created by a gay male who prefers his name to remain anonymous, is more than eager to share with the Georgia Straight in advance of her June 17 show at the South Asian–oriented 5X Festival’s Pride event at Beaumont Studios. For this story, Jolene did all the talking. “Everything that I do on-stage is not in English; it’s in either Punjabi or Hindi,” she says. “I represent a lot of Bollywood and Punjabi culture here because that’s what I listened to and I watched growing up around me.” The man who plays Jolene Queen Sloan moved to Toronto six years ago before heading to the Yukon for three years. It had no drag community so he resorted to performing virtually over TikTok, attracting a following in Canada and India through the @jolenequeensloan account. Last August, he settled in the Vancouver area, where no drag queens were doing Bollywood performers. Jolene does Bollywood big-time, summoning some of its best-known divas, including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Deepika

Jolene Queen Sloan embodies Bollywood divas like Rekha, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, and Madhuri Dixit for her fans in Vancouver. Photo by @jolenequeensloan.

Padukone, Madhuri Dixit, and the 1970sthrough-’90s legend Rekha. Hindi cinema stars are routinely referred to by their first names in India—and Aishwarya is easily one of the most famous. Jolene loves energizing her audiences with performances of Aishwarya’s most memorable dance—to the song “Kajra Re” from the 2005 hit film Bunty aur Babli. “If you’re doing that song on the stage, you wear the same sort of outfit that she’s wearing with the same kind of hair and embody her character from the movie,” Jolene says. She adds that most people from South Asia know the lyrics and start singing the

song with her. Some in the audience even replicate Jolene’s dance moves. Aishwarya acted in Devdas, which was helmed by Jolene’s favourite Bollywood director, Sanjay Leela Bhansali. But it was a performance by one of Aishwarya’s costars, Madhuri, to the song “Maar Daala”, that Jolene includes in her shows. In fact, one of Jolene’s dreams is to be cast in one of Bhansali’s lush period pieces as a supporting character alongside Deepika, who starred in Bhansali’s Ramleela, Bajirao Mastani, and Padmaavat. Rekha, who’s been unlucky in love, holds a special place in Jolene’s world, as does

Aishwarya, who had a difficult relationship with Bollywood heartthrob Salman Khan. The man who plays Jolene could relate to their heartaches after his long-term relationship with a boyfriend ended. Jolene attributed it to homophobia within the ex’s family. When rumours surfaced that the ex was going to marry a woman, this sent the creator of Jolene into a very bad mental state, to the point where he was hospitalized. To ease his sorrow, he began listening to western singers like Britney Spears and Whitney Houston for the first time in his life. Then he stumbled across the timeless Dolly Parton classic “Jolene”, and that inspired the name of his drag character. Like many artists, Jolene was mentored by a “drag mother”. But unlike most, this wasn’t an older drag queen, because they didn’t exist in the Yukon. Rather, it was Yukon theatre legend Mary Sloan who decided to help her out. To honour her, Jolene incorporated Sloan’s surname—hence, the name Jolene Queen Sloan. “On social media, I am very well known,” Jolene declares with pride. g Desi drag queen Jolene Queen Sloan will perform at 5X Pride on June 17 at Beaumont Studios.

VIMFF Summer Fest will share Burundian’s journey

by Charlie Smith

he Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival celebrated its 25th anniversary in February with a wide selection of documentaries about outdoor recreation, environmental preservation, and triumphs over adversity. The festival was founded by Alan Formanek, who moved to Canada in 1992 with his young family from Bratislava. Like many immigrants, he forged a new life in this country, contributing enormously to the cultural fabric of Metro Vancouver. This month, the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival is encouraging a greater appreciation for diversity in mountain sporting activities with its VIMFF Summer Fest. On June 26, it’s offering several short films for free in a program called Celebrating Multiculturalism in the Mountains. The VIMFF Summer Fest will take place from 3 to 9 p.m. at the Shipyards in North Vancouver and feature a beer garden, live music, and a climbing wall. The films include “Path of Cedy Nkunze”, an inspiring look at a young man from a mountainous area of Burundi who finds a sense of belonging working in

One film being screened for free at the VIMFF Summer Fest is “Path of Cedy Nkunze”, which is about a young man from Burundi who holds onto his cultural traditions while enjoying life in Whistler.

Whistler. In the Seth Gillis-directed film, Nkunze celebrates the wonders of mountain life but also doesn’t shy away from the challenges that come with being a member of a minority community. “Whistler has its own issues, for instance in inequity in representation, especially in kids’ programming,” Nkunze says in the film. “We have kids from all backgrounds enrolled. Still, these kids are not included in the imagery surrounding these programs.” Another of the short films, Ross James

Reid’s “Riding Red”, highlights how First Nations youths are reconnecting to the land through outdoor activities. And Drew Bennett’s “A Space for All” reveals how cyclist Brooke Goudy, an African American, is pushing for more Black representation and inclusion in her sport. This isn’t the first time that the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival has tried to draw attention to this issue. It also occurred last February with an event at the Rio Theatre called Colour the Trails,

which was aimed at fostering a more inclusive outdoor-recreation sector. In the first half of the VIMFF Summer Fest, “A Space for All” is being shown with “Dear Pippa” about a mother and a fiveyear-old daughter; they are followed by “Ascend”, which tells the story of a mountain biker who lost a leg to cancer, and “Em”, which features a great deal of content from Squamish. This section closes with “Originate: Inspiration”, a film focusing on skier Michelle Parker teaming up with professional mountain biker Brooklyn Bell and freerider Hannah Bergemann. The second half will feature “Riding Red”; “Path of Cedy Nkunze”; “Eagle Eye— A Higher Perspective”, about daring bigmountain skiing; “Outlaw Sport”, about the North Shore’s bike trails; and “Originate// Symbiosis”, which concerns Parker joining adventure athletes in the Fairy Creek watershed on southern Vancouver Island. The festival is screening the films in recognition of Canadian Multiculturalism Day, which falls on the following day (June 27). The federal government designated this day in 2002 to recognize contributions that various communities make to Canadian society. g

JUNE 16 – 23 / 2022

THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

SAVAGE LOVE

Doms should be told when they violate boundaries by Dan Savage

b I’M A 29-YEAR-OLD bisexual woman in a nonmonogamous relationship. A few years ago, I wanted to explore my submissive side and met up a with a Dom I connected with on a kink site. We had a few drinks and hit it off. We discussed what we were comfortable with and our limits beforehand. I set a few hard limits. In the middle of our first play session, he tried to renegotiate those limits. I said no a few times, but he kept asking and I eventually gave in. I should have ended it there, but it was my first time in a D/s situation, and I think he took advantage of that. The experience left me feeling terrible, but I didn’t communicate that to him at the time and just ended up ghosting him. I have since found a terrific and loving Dominant partner who has, thankfully, helped me explore my kinks in a way that makes me feel safe and cared for, and I know now that a good Dom always respects limits, especially in the middle of play. Recently, I have seen this bad Dom on a few different dating apps and I’ve been thinking about sending him a message letting him know that what he did was wrong. I also worry that more women are going to have their boundaries violated by this guy. Will anything good come from this or should I just let it go? - Bitterly Debating Sending Message

inexperienced sub when you played with this guy, BDSM, but you don’t say whether he was similarly inexperienced. But even if we give him the benefit of the doubt—even if he didn’t know that attempting to renegotiate limits during a scene is never okay—you have every right to be angry.

You were an

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“When it comes to D/s dating, the question is almost never about a person’s intentions but rather about the effect,” said Lina Dune, host of the Ask a Sub podcast. “Even if this guy didn’t mean to put BDSM in this awful situation—which, let’s be real, challenging someone’s limits is as fundamentally redflaggy as it gets—he still did that, and BDSM’s feelings matter.” Since you wound up having to ghost this guy, BDSM, I assume that means he continued to contact you expecting to play again. Which means he either didn’t realize he’d done something wrong, BDSM, or he hoped that you, an inexperienced sub, would continue to submit to his manipulative bullshit, i.e., the consent violations he tried to pass off as consent-seeking “renegotiations” once play had started. “The burden is never on the victim of bad behaviour to change the perpetrator,” said Dune. “But if it would make BDSM feel better to dash off a quick message to him about the definition of ‘hard limits’ and explain how destabilizing it can be for a sub for a Dom to switch things up like this mid-scene, or challenge limits in general, I don’t see the harm.” If this guy is a bad Dom—if he’s a truly shitty person who can’t be trusted—hearing from you isn’t going to magically turn him into a safe and trustworthy Dom. But it might make you feel better, BDSM, and who knows? Maybe he’ll start to worry about his reputation. After all, you can do more than talk to him… you can talk about him. Now, if he’s the kind of shitty Dom who preys on inexperienced subs, he may not care what people in the kink scene think of him. But if by sharing the details of your lousy first kink experience—here in my column or elsewhere—you inspire

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other newbie subs to avoid this guy and/ or immediately end a scene if some other shitty Dom pulls the same crap, it’ll have been worth the effort. Dune runs the BDSM meme page @ askasub on Instagram, where she gives D/s relationship advice and serves as fairy submother to her 100K followers. She recently released an online course about dating for subs, which is available at www.askasub.com/ subsurvivalguide. b I AM A white American cis-gendered paramilitary-looking heterosexual-seeming guy who happens to be in a polyamorous relationship. In the kink community, I am considered a “service top”. I enjoy group sex with my partner, and in a group-sex setting, I will sometimes play with other men. But I am not interested in playing with men outside of those hypersexual situations. How am I supposed to identify? I ask because for those of us who grew up in the 1990s, a person was considered gay if he performed even a single gay act. I am comfortable/confident in myself, and if a guy wants to mess around with me during group sex, I figure it doesn’t hurt me any to make him feel good. I would rate these experiences on the positive side of neutral. I worry that using terms like “heterof lexible” or “mostly straight” contributes to bisexual erasure but calling myself bisexual seems appropriative because I can walk through life with all this heterosexual privilege. I would like to identify as bi because I think it helps normalize it but somehow don’t feel like I make the cut. If you could help me out, I would really appreciate it. - Just Oppressed Enough

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perfectly entitled to identify as bisexual, JOE. But just to be sure, I got a second opinion from Zachary Zane, the bisexual sex-advice columnist for Men’s Health. “I often receive questions from bi folks who don’t feel ‘queer’ enough to claim a bisexual label,” said Zane. “Typically, I hear this from cisgender women married to straight cis men who haven’t experienced the same level of oppression as, say, femme gay men in relationships with nonbinary individuals.” But your own personal experience with oppression—or your lack thereof—doesn’t invalidate your queerness or disqualify you from identifying as bisexual. “How sad is it that our understanding of queer identity is inextricably linked and dependent on having experienced oppression,” said Zane. “That is so wildly fucked up. Being queer and/or bisexual is about your attraction to genders,” and not about being or feeling oppressed. “So I would say yes, JOE can identify as bisexual because he enjoys, in certain situations, playing sexually with men,” said Zane. “At the same time, I think JOE can and should also acknowledge his privilege from how he presents—which he’s already doing, and should continue doing—and, hopefully, he will use that privilege to support other bisexuals who don’t experience the same hetero-presenting privileges he does.” Zachary Zane is the coauthor of Men’s Health Best. Sex. Ever. Follow him on Twitter @ZacharyZane. g

I think you’re

Follow Dan on Twitter @FakeDanSavage! Email: questions@savagelove.net. Listen to Dan on the Savage Lovecast! Columns, podcasts, books, merch, and more at savage.love.

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The Georgia Straight - Summer in the City - June 16, 2022

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