Volume 1, Issue 9 - April 9, 2014

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aPril 9 2014 Vol. 01 issue 9 urBaniteneWs.coM

empire of the sun P.10 /sxsW

darlings Baltimore’s sun club forego traditional venues to play Windsor bicycle shop

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Distilling Detroit two james Distillery teaches the art of whiskey

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under the knife the controversy of the new mega hospital location

P.12

15 years strong; the triumphant return of...

the Windsor scene w/Jamie Greer

vIEWS

THE URBANITE » URBANITENEWS.COM » APRIL 9 2014 » 2

WHERE ARE ALL THE ESTABLISHMENT CANDIDATES?

the echo-chamber that is the social realm will allow for candidates, constituents, the media and pundits alike to opine their thoughts in what will inevitably shift from the social sphere to the more legitimate media sphere.

With the entry of a third candidate into the mayoral foray, residents are left questioning just where the establishment candidates are for this fall’s municipal election.

Attacks, vitriol, condemnation and praise are sure to be heaped upon all candidates daring to enter the political vacuum that was created by Francis’ exit, stage left.

The unexpected exodus of Eddie Francis from 350 City Hall Square has left urbanites across the city wondering aloud who could fill the shoes of the controversial yet accomplishing mayor.

For now we have Timothy Dugdale, a self-described fringe candidate whose campaign slogan is “Way out there. In our Future,” and who’s campaigning on the notion of ‘active citizenship’ and the hope of inspiring city residents to plant their proverbial flag in Windsor. Ernie the Baconman, a man who legally changed his last name to promote his meat selling business is presumably running on his aged and cured platform of converting 747 airplanes into 30,000 foot-high restaurants to again, sell his meat products.

Finally, there is Raymond Poisson, a candidate who has an entire lack of an internet presence and whose sole campaign plank is to lower taxes to retain and lure business; truly an ‘if you build it, they will come,’ mentality.

Under Francis’ multiple mandates, Windsor has seen the construction and deal making required to implement the WFCU Centre (albeit in a location many are upset with), the Windsor International Aquatic and Training Centre, a new city hall, the Herb Gray Parkway, the Detroit River International Crossing, a new airport hangar, a new VIA train station and Transit Windsor terminal, the University of Windsor and St. Clair College investing in downtown campuses, the Windsor Star taking over a cornerstone of the downtown, and many other projects throughout the city.

There were follies along the way no doubt, a bitterly divisive municipal strike, the outsourcing of city departments, a police chief retiring due to scandal, the potential closure of municipal pool and recreation facilities, and many more.

While it’s certainly early in terms of the 2014 election, it’s getting close to when one might expect the establishment candidates to enter the race.

From council chambers to the public and private spheres, where are the major players that have been coming up in coffee shops are watering holes around town? Surely either Bill Marra, Drew Dilkens or Jo-Anne Gignac will run. Sandra Pupatello or Ken Lewenza Sr.? Those are big names which would garner votes.

Certainly, Francis’ legacy will be a difficult one to top. The man changed the scope of the mayoral office from that of public servant and community leader to both CEO of the corporation and mayor; a change that will be quite difficult for both candidates and future municipal leaders to overcome anytime soon.

do you do stuff? why not work for

Perhaps the other candidates are just biding their time for the right opportunity, or perhaps they’re concerned of publicly failing in their hypothetical attempt to replace Francis following his voracious mayoralty.

One thing is for certain, the race will be long, drawn out and filled with many ideas for constituents to base their priceless votes upon.

— JON LIEDTKE

details

Very likely these and other undeclared candidates are biding their time playing the waiting game to determine when best to enter the blood sport.

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And the race will be dirty. In 2010, social media was nowhere near as advanced as it is today, and

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NEWS

THE URBANITE » URBANITENEWS.COM » APRIL 9 2014 » 3

Toronto bus tour aims to tell Detroit’s story

Spacing magazine exposes Torontonians to first-hand Detroit experience

Spacing magazine readers will venture from Toronto to Detroit for an urbanism tour April 12-13 » Photo courtesy Spacing

Walter Petrichyn Spacing, the Toronto-based magazine focused on Canadian urbanism, is going on a road trip to Detroit.

of Spacing, Shawn Micallef, and others in Toronto about ways to address the positive changes that are happening in Detroit.

Spacing is planning a series of tours for readers and urban enthusiasts following their immensely successful first tour to the D last September. When tickets went on sale to the public, the tour sold out in three hours and the wait list quickly grew to 300 people.

“Shawn knew a handful of architects originally from Windsor, and they had a lot of good news to say about Detroit.

We wanted to give the city a positive spin and a positive side for Torontonians to see,” said Matthew Blackett, publisher and creative director of Spacing.

This year, the urbanism road trip is happening three times to ensure interested participants can take part: April 12-13, June 28-29 and an unannounced September date.

After completing the first visit, the group from Toronto were ecstatic to witness what Detroit has to offer.

The idea came from a group of Windsor architects talking to expat and co-owner

“The reaction was really good. What we found really interesting was that the women with our group always wanted to go to Detroit but never felt safe, so going

in a group made it ideal for them. The trip made them want to explore the city in ways they wanted to without the fear at the back of their minds,” said Blackett.

Lauren Purves, sales director of Spacing, went on the trip last year and spoke about the realness of the city.

“Personally, it did not compare to what was in the press or in the scenes of Detropia; there was a lot more of a pulse when you are there. A lot more is happening than you would think. You kinda associate it with words like ‘bankruptcy’ and ‘decrepit’, but there are amazing things happening there.”

Sights on the tour include Eastern Market, The Heidelberg Project and neighbour-

hoods of Corktown, Midtown and New Center.

“What we saw is an entrepreneurial spirit; they have a lot of pride in the city and want to be part of the comeback.”

Blackett also commented about the group’s view of the border city culture, crossing through Windsor and seeing the city from Detroit’s perspective.

“The American tour-guides keep on saying, ‘Across the river there is Canada.’

Canada to them is not foreign unlike for many other Americans. Lots of people live in Windsor and work in Detroit. It is a unique urban experience to be honest.

There are no other border cities like this.”

Q

THE URBANITE » URBANITENEWS.COM » APRIL 9 2014 » 4

Mayor Eddie Francis and this current council have heralded their ability to ‘hold the line on taxes’ as one of their major accomplishments in office. With a municipal election on the horizon and a new mayor guaranteed, can we reasonably expect the new mayor and council to continue to hold the line on taxes or is a tax increase imminent?

Rino Bortolin The challenge of holding the line on taxes will be a daunting one for the new mayor and council but it should be a priority especially considering the imbalance of tax rates across the commercial, multi—residential, and industrial classes that are hindering economic stability in the region.

First, we need to set our spending priorities.

The list should be short and concise, with roads and sewers atop that list. By recognizing and limiting our priorities, we can commit to controlled overall spending. Second, we need to reduce the overall operating budget [of roughly] $387 million and eliminate inefficiencies or crossover spending.

Merging services within departments is one definite area where cuts can be made. While many cuts to spending may only generate small to modest savings, those savings can be transferred to the large infrastructure deficit that we now have. Our roads and sewers need drastic help. Every penny saved should be earmarked with a specific spending priority: transparency and accountability cannot be underestimated.

We also need to look at all services that the city is currently subsidizing and consider user fees as another option to increase revenues. No options should be ignored and all opportunities need to be explored, for ex-

Rino Bortolin

Rose City Politics:

»should the line on

taxes be held? ample, serious negotiations about Windsor Police Services servicing the county instead of their current provider, Ontario Provincial Police, need to begin.

While cuts and savings are integral in holding the line on taxes, it’s only half the equation. A strong and aggressive focus on economic development will help increase the overall tax base, in turn increasing the amount of taxes collected. By making economic development a priority and delivering results, the new mayor and council should be able to continue to hold the line on taxes while addressing the infrastructure deficit.

Kieran McKenzie The question of taxes is always politically charged — the oft repeated mantra of our mayor and council has proven this time and again. The cornerstone of their approach to taxation policy and a major campaign promise from the mayor has been to (say it with me), “Hold the line on taxes.”

Soundbite politics at its best … after all who doesn’t like a tax fighter and what bad could come from a six-year tax freeze?

Check that — council just approved a tax reduction last Monday across all classes to make sure a promise made would be a promise kept. Due to some modest growth, total assessed municipal tax revenue was going to increase revenues for the city this year, so in order to ‘hold the line,’ the city had to actively reduce revenues.

The problem I have here is that the mayor and council are rejecting new tax revenue they deliberately helped to organically create … why? For a sound bite.

Husband, father (of three), chef/co-owner Rino’s Kitchen & Ale House. Rino Bortolin is a passionate advocate for all things local especially local food. Bortolin’s community activism focuses on local municipal issues, having run for city council in 2010. He’s contributed on many local campaigns at all three levels of government.

Politically speaking NOT delivering this tax cut would have had very little impact — the tax fighter street cred of this mayor and council (a small contingent of naysayers aside), is intact.

The question we need to ask is whether or not we have been pursuing a sustainable policy.

Freezes in wages, spending, revenue — what have you generally leads to a ‘catch up’ moment.

And we have a lot of catching up to do — we have a massive infrastructure deficit, basements flood due to inadequate water management systems and as I argued in our last RCP column, we are experiencing service reductions.

This cannot go on forever — so let’s begin to think about a policy that helps to sustain growth while at the same time gives the city the fiscal capacity to address glaring needs in the community.

Don Merrifield Jr. Is it practical or financially possible to continue to keep the cities spending at current levels? Is whether there is political will and voter desire to keep the current levels of spending?

The current levels of spending have been maintained through various efficiencies and contracting out of services. In order to continue to keep spending at current levels, more efficiencies would need to be found.

Less debt, less interest, more capital to spend on services or even better, not spend.

Kieran McKenzie

Political activist/organizer with a passion for social justice issues. A lifelong Windsor-Essex resident, Kieran McKenzie holds an honours BA in political science from the University of Windsor and has been campaigning in both elections and on issues since he could walk.

Not increasing tax revenue for new spending is something that is very new for the residents of Windsor and their elected officials.

This has not been an easy transition to make from a ‘tax and spend city’ to a ‘find savings and maintain’ or ‘reduce spending in various departments and services’ city.

Various influential groups that have benefited from the years of constant tax increases have fought hard and loud to go back to the old ways. It has taken quite a surprising amount of political will on council to resist this pressure and continue to maintain revenue levels.

With the upcoming election there will be very clear cut differences in the candidates running between those who approve of Windsor’s new (relative) fiscal conservative ways and those who would like to see us revert to the old ways of yearly tax increases and expansion of services and salaries.

This is where the voters come in. Ultimately it will be the voters who decide if Windsor will continue to fight the expansion of government and its love of new revenue, or the realization that we are still paying for the sins of our past of passing everything on to the (now depleted) taxbase to increase spending. The reality is in its need to attract business to the area, Windsor has to make itself financially attractive to encourage business and job growth.

If the Windsor maintains its current funding levels, who is going to bear the burden of those costs? Maintaining current tax revenue won’t necessarily mean that you as an individual property owner won’t end up paying more property taxes to offset reductions for other types of property.

Don Merrifield Jr.

Fourteen years as a Windsor realtor, musician, father of one son Miles, politics-run financially conservative yet socially liberal. Merrifield Jr. was a candidate in last municipal election in Ward 3 for city councillor, a cigar aficionado, motorcycle enthusiast and lover of travel.

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THE URBANITE » URBANITENEWS.COM » APRIL 9 2014 » 5

racking it up

Boutique bicycle rack manufacturer launches with ‘Nice Rack’

Mega hospital site location debate

Windsor Regional Hospital’s Ouellette campus » Photo Jay Verspeelt Dan Carter hand makes his racks in Walkerville

» Photo courtesy Dan Carter

natasha Marar A Windsor entrepreneur is bringing new meaning to the phrase, “Nice rack.”

Dan Carter is the craftsman behind Nice Rack Bicycle Company, whose introductory product — a high quality steel, frontloading bike rack — encourages people to tote parcels on two wheels rather than four.

“The idea is to manufacture locally a tool that can be used by everyday cyclists, by utilitarian cyclists who don’t have cars that need to transport goods,” said Carter of Nice Rack. “Everyone [who’s seen the product] is very fond of it, and everyone nearly, instantaneously says, ‘That’s a nice rack.’”

Carter considers himself a Windsorite now, having moved here from Halifax six years ago. He studied communications and fine arts at the University of Windsor, but left the program after two years to pursue a welding diploma at St. Clair College.

“I came here for school and never looked back. I’m very fond of the city and the sense of community that’s here for young entrepreneurs. The bicycle community itself I would consider a newborn; there’s so much potential for co-operation with the city and communities,” said Carter, who has worked as a bicycle mechanic for 10 years and in local fabrication shops for the last six.

Carter started developing Nice Rack Bicycle Company two years ago after being approached by fellow cyclists in Windsor and Toronto. “[They] were bicycle messengers who explained that there was a gap, there wasn’t really any front-loading utility cargo racks on the market … that you could put a decent amount of weight on.”

The rack has two support blades that mount onto the front axle of the bike to provide stability for parcels weighing up to 125 lbs. Goods can be fastened to the rack with bungee cords, and crates and baskets can also be bolted to the rack.

There are other larger manufacturers making “different variables of a front rack,” according to Carter. He said, however, that most front carriers are baskets, whereas “the design platform of Nice Rack doesn’t limit the size of the package you put onto the rack.”

Carrying a large-sized and possibly heavy object may sound challenging for cyclists at first, but Carter maintained that “most people who ride with carriers on the front or the back tend to prefer the front of the bicycle because that’s where a bicycle is steered from. You can keep an eye on your parcel goods, whether it be a box of produce, a yoga mat or a case of beer.”

Nice Rack is selling for $125 online at thenicerack.ca and exclusively at City Cyclery locally. Carter is also launching the product in other major Canadian cities in the next month.

Carter places a large emphasis on building Nice Rack locally. He said the manufacturing and financial resources in Windsor-Essex are not as easily come by in other cities.

“I’m locally outsourcing in Essex County; from the tube suppliers to the laser cutting and power coating [of the rack],” said Carter. “I’m really fond of Windsor-Essex and the immense amount of talent that people hold in this community, specifically in manufacturing. … people are always willing to help out other people and small business.”

After two years of research and development, Carter said he’s proud of his product and has big plans for the new business.

“The Nice Rack Bicycle Company is not limited to one make and one model. I’m putting a lot of emphasis on promoting this model, but there are talks about building street parking bicycle racks to lock your bike to. I’d also like to move forward and start manufacturing bicycles themselves in the near future.”

aDaM D’anDrea Now that a regional single-site mega hospital has been approved, a major question has arisen as to its location. As one would expect, the debate surrounding the site of the mega hospital has been fairly heated with a wide range of ideas. Windsor Regional Hospital CEO and president David Musyj said there have already been countless location suggestions.

“Almost every square inch of WindsorEssex has been suggested as a possible site,” said Musyj.

There have not been any discussions regarding site selection within the hospital’s steering committee yet. These talks will be part of stage 1B of the planning process and will likely take place in the next nine12 months.

“As we start stage 1B, there’ll be opportunities for individuals throughout the whole process to be involved,” said Musyj. “I have to leave it up to the steering committee and the process they put into place for site selection to determine when and how there’s community involvement.”

Although a process hasn’t been decided on, Musyj said he wants one in place that will allow people to voice their ideas.

Architect and Olde Walkerville Residents Association president Shane Mitchell is a proponent of building the hospital in Windsor’s urban centre. According to Mitchell, the factors in determining the location should be accessibility, environmental responsibility and how it will shape the community. “... the vast majority of residents live in Windsor, LaSalle or Tecumseh, about 72 per cent. A location within Windsor’s existing urban centre, one that’s easily accessible from the EC Row Expressway and central to the highest population, would be the most logical place for such a facility,” said Mitchell. “Any proposal to locate the new facility outside of Windsor’s urban centre may appear appealing to save on land costs, but only will inconvenience residents and negatively impact the businesses that serve the two current facilities.”

Mitchell said he’s heard some people sug-

gest the Zalev Brothers scrapyard and the former site of the Lear plant as possible locations, but a more ideal location for him would be the former General Motors property on Walker Road.

However, Town of Essex Ward 1 Coun.

Randy Voakes said people should “think outside the box” and consider building the hospital closer to Essex.

“It’s captioned a ‘regional hospital’ and it’s no mystery that Essex is in the centre of Essex County,” said Voakes. “If it’s going to be a regional hospital serving the region, then the fair consideration would be Essex as its location recognizing that central location.”

Voakes is advocating for the hospital to be built on a 109-acre lot at the corner of Essex Road 8 and the Essex Bypass. Because so much of that area is vacant, Voakes said he envisions a number of nearby health facilities if the hospital is built there.

“I can see somewhere in the future, labs and different offsite therapy buildings right there. So when someone needs that physiotherapy, they simply go across the street, instead of one isolated spot in the Tecumseh or Windsor area,” said Voakes.

Mitchell said while Essex may be the geographical centre of the region, the idea doesn’t consider that the majority of residents live closer to Windsor than Essex.

“If we follow the path of least resistance and build our new hospital on a greenfield site outside of the city, we are promoting the exodus of our urban centre and the unsustainable development of prime farmland when far better alternatives are available,” said Mitchell.

Voakes said county residents have migrated to Windsor since the hospitals have existed there without complaint. “I’ve got great appreciation for the views of people, but I don’t think they understand that Essex isn’t some isolated municipality.”

The latest updates on the mega hospital, as well as information on how to get involved with the site selection process, can be found windsorhospitals.ca.

FOOD& DRINK

Lifting spirits in Corktown

Two James: Detroit’s first post-prohibition distillery

Two James Distillery, 2445 Michigan Ave., is located in a disused factory in Corktown, Detroit » Photos Jay Verspeelt & Natasha Marar jon liedtke On a Friday afternoon in Corktown, just feet away from the hollowed and empty shell of the once majestic but still grand and awe inspiring Michigan Central Station, sits roughly 30 well-dressed spirit sippers celebrating the end of the work week at Two James Distillery.

made bourbon, rye whiskey, vodka, gin, apple brandy and absinthe in the first legal distillery to open in Detroit post prohibition. “We researched it and found out that we are the first licensed distillery. There’s always been an underground spirit making process going on, [however].”

Sitting along the horseshoe shaped bar in the tasting room just shy of five o’clock, patrons buzzed amongst themselves commenting on the commotion being caused by a film crew on the distillery floor.

Two James opened its tasting room in September 2013, but the enterprise was officially launched two years ago.

A decorative still hangs off the side of the building at the entrance, a glass orb in which water appears to be bubbling, mimicking the distillation process.

This is just another Friday explained Andy Mohr, a partner at Two James Distillery.

“We do 20 bottles [of bourbon] a day in the tasting room and then we try to get as much out through our distribution partner … but it’s been selling out quite quickly.”

Two James Distillery produces Detroit

“It’s been great so far,” said Mohr. “[The] tasting room we didn’t really know what to expect, we’re a little bit further down the street in Corktown, but it’s been great so far.”

The distillery offers tours on Fridays and Mohr joked that patrons seem to take off early from work to kick off the weekend.

The distillery is the brainchild of founders David Landrum and Peter Bailey following Landrum’s heightened interest in distilling. “[Landrum] was looking for a new venture.

He was always in the craft cocktail scene,

he made his own bitters [and mixers],” said Mohr. “He was thinking of opening his own bar and then he got the idea of making his own spirits [and] what really got the ball rolling was we met Dave Pickerell by chance one day on an airplane flight.”

Pickerell was the head distiller at Maker’s Mark for 20 years and is considered one of the nation’s preeminent distillers. That serendipitous meeting between Landrum and Pickerell developed into a fruitful friendship and business relationship as Pickerell’s new venture is helping launch craft distilleries.

Expanding from offering just spirits, Two James last weekend launched Camp James, a hands-on three-day whiskey making class taught by Pickerell which costs $2,000 a person. “[It’s] hands on doing a whiskey run from milling of the grain, the mash, fermentation, distillation … put it in the barrel, hammer it closed … start to finish,” said Mohr. “They’ll sign the barrels [and] people also take their own two-litre to age

at home, and once that barrel’s released, we’ll get a bottle to each person or let them know it’s out.”

“Having that knowledge and when we learned about it, we wanted people to have that opportunity,” said Mohr regarding the motivation for the class. “We felt [that] whiskey enthusiasts who are really interested in whiskey and cocktails, distilling [it’s] an opportunity to have that first hand experience.”

Two James embraces the craft mentality of distilling and brewing and is not concerned about revealing trade secrets at Camp James or of new competition.

“Locally in the state of Michigan, other small distillers, we always view it as a family so if somebody took it to the next level and opened up their own distillery we’d be happy to help them. If we were kind of the push that got them going, we’d see that as an honour rather than as competition.”

THE URBANITE » URBANITENEWS.COM » APRIL 9 2014 » 7

Inside Billy’s Pub and Grill in Essex » Photos Jenn McMullan

Where everybody knows your name Billy’s Pub and Grill builds itself on community Jenn McMullan It was a mixture of over confidence and ignorance which led to Doug Kalapos owning his own restaurant at the age of 23.

“The confidence to not be scared of failure and the ignorance of how big a thing I had really just bitten off,” said Kalapos. “The youth helped because what did I have to lose at 23?”

Over 15 years have passed since Kalapos started his professional career at such a young age. It was seizing the moment that allowed him to add this to his resume.

In February 1998, he decided to drop his plan to teach in New Zealand and signed the ownership papers of Billy’s Pub and Grill at 305 Talbot St. E. in Essex.

“What ultimately decided it was my teaching degree never really expires but the opportunity to try this out only came once,” he said. “So I thought I have to jump on this when I can.”

With both feet in, Kalapos learned fast the key to success was the people around him.

“It doesn’t matter how good our hamburgers are or how much effort is put in, there’s no amount of hours I can put in to offset if the community doesn’t support us,” he said. “That’s why in return we then try to spend as much money as we can back in the community.”

“Once the community embraces it and finds it as one of their own, they’ll stick up for it and fight for it harder than you could ever imagine.”

The nuts and bolts of Billy’s Pub is built in large part from local members, everything from the foundation to the food. Kalapos purchases from local suppliers such as Schinkels’ Meat Market, Belwood Poultry, Bradley’s Potato’s and 4D Sausage Kitchen.

The restaurant exclusively carries Essex County wines and all 14 taps feature craft beer, mostly from Ontario. The building it-

self from the booths, table tops, carpentry, liquor cabinets and entertainment cabinets were all made from local craftsman.

“I think people value buying locally,” said Kalapos. “People get it, people understand [that] when you spend your dollars in your own community it reflects.”

cess is 90 per cent prep and 10 per cent cooking. Buhler creates much of the food from scratch, including all soups, salad dressings, fresh cut fries, burgers, pulled pork, sausages, slow cooked ribs, hand battered chicken tenders, hand battered fish and 95 per cent of the wing, condiments and cooking sauces.

Andrew Buhler, head chef at Billy’s Pub, agrees the relationships developed through local business-to-business transactions is a much more personalized one.

Kalapos said when you buy local you tend to buy less frozen, not to mention there’s more flexibility with being able buy smaller quantities and more often.

“Now when I go into [Schinkels’] we’re more like friends, even if it’s for myself I’ll get a discount. It’s more of a friendly interaction than a business take away.”

When it comes down to it, Billy’s Pub is a community success story.

It may be the connections which bring people to the door at Billy’s, but it’s the food that gets them to sit down. A vast majority of the menu is made not only from local products but from scratch.

Buhler, whose goal is to stay away from frozen as much as possible, said the pro-

“By far the most satisfying part of owning a pub in a small community like Essex, is feeling like you’re a central cog or important part of the community,” said Kalapos.

“The restaurant is just brick and mortar with equipment. It’s the customers that make the restaurant.”

THE URBANITE » URBANITENEWS.COM » APRIL 9 2014 » 8

simply samosas

A hidden gem on County Road 42

Phog Lounge becomes southern BBQ monthly for sLow Down » Photos Jon Liedtke

the low down on the Big slow Down

Phog’s slow-smoked style rib pop-up

natasha Marar

jon lieDtke You don’t have to head down to Memphis for southern style cooking.

Phog Lounge has partnered with Public Capital Projects to offer home cooked meals to hungry and thirsty patrons.

The Big sLow Down monthly event is based on the idea of southern cooking and a slowdown, according to founder Eric Brockman who ran a similar event in Toronto.

Brockman worked in restaurants front-ofhouse and is a self-described food enthusiast who lacks formal training. His partner Mitch Slaney worked at Windsor Yacht Club for several years.

The Big sLow Down offered patrons blooming onions, Boston-style baked beans with bacon, slow-smoked Memphis style baby-back ribs, roasted potatoes, parmesan and lemon swiss chard and a spicy chocolate mousse. The ribs and three sides cost $15.

“I’ve been at every rib night, I haven’t missed one yet,” said diner Murad Erzinclioglu. “The food, the atmosphere … I like food. There’s nothing to argue with. It’s a good deal, good music, food and friends … it’s only gotten better and busier every time I come. I hope it continues on.”

Brockman began concocting the rib sauce 15 years ago and the meat is smoked for several hours following 10 hours of marinating in a dry rub.

“We just want people to enjoy it and tell their friends about it and everyone can

Sukky Chana makes samosas on an unassuming property » Photos Natasha Marar

have this monthly gathering and enjoy great food,” said Slaney regarding the motivation for the event.

“There’s the idea of Public Capital Projects, we’d like it to be a series of different things that we can provide for the community, do things that become public capital … and the other side of that is just being food enthusiasts,” said Brockman. “This isn’t our day job, we’ve got to put our heads together, come up with recipes that people like and it helps us stay sharp.”

Brockman and Slaney both identify on a certain level as an artists with a community based mindset. “This is something that we absolutely love doing and we think it’s going to benefit the community. If we can do it without costing us money, then it’s a great way to spend three or four days once a month,” said Brockman.

Phog Lounge co-owner Tom Lucier explained the motivation behind losing the use of his kitchen on a monthly basis.

“I like having variety,” said Lucier. “I think the people in this community that appreciate new stuff, they’re the ones that dig it.”

Lucier noted that getting involved in different projects can be beneficial in the future and helps to ensure success of businesses generally. “[The] project doesn’t have a necessary initial payoff, but [it] benefits us in the long-run in terms of introducing new people to our space, and transforming our space for the people that do come here on the regular.”

A County Road 42 property is the site of an automotive manufacturer, a flour mill and a modest, white-sided house pumping out some of the region’s most authentic takeout samosas.

Rajason Tools Inc., which makes automotive components, has been around since 1978. Five years ago, Chana Food Products launched next door processing stone ground flours.

Sukky Chana, whose east Indian family owns the businesses, started making handmade samosas a year and a half ago with her mother. After her mother’s passing, she continued to carry on the weekly tradition with the help of a brother and sister-in-law.

“My mom isn’t around any more, so for me it’s kind of hard to do it. It was actually my brother’s idea and he doesn’t even get his butt in here half the time. I don’t mind, it’s just hard at times because of the memories.”

A home on their property at 11664 County Road 42 sat empty for years, so the Chana’s spent nearly $40,000 gutting and renovating the main floor of the home with restaurant-quality kitchen appliances.

“We were doing about 200 (samosas for take-out) and we would sell out by 10:30-11 in the morning,” said Chana. A year and a half later, she’s selling out 500 samosas each Friday. Chana’s samosas are large with a crispy exterior and soft, aptly seasoned potatoes inside.

“It’s just that sign out there (by the road) and word of mouth, that’s really all the advertising we do. And it’s pretty good to sell out every Friday just by that, it’s great.”

The samosas sell for $1 each or six for $5,

with wholesale rates available. Chana has sold mini versions of her samosas to Capri Pizza for resell. Tandoori chicken and beef samosas are also available for pre-order.

Chana only receives a handful of preorders, with most of her approximately 30 weekly customers coming in from off the street.

“Honestly, there’s a lot of Canadians. There’s some Indians and European, but a lot of Canadians are walking in. And there’s a lot of new customers too for being here a year and a half.”

Julian Lunardi drives once a week from Lasalle to pick up a dozen samosas. “It’s excellent to go with any dip. I’ll have a steak and samosa on the side, it’s easy to reheat and prepare,” said Lunardi. “[Chana] made them the first time and I’ve been hooked on them since.”

As demand has grown, Chana has had to rely on using automated kitchen tools to complete the tedious samosa making process.

“It was completely done by hand before, right now we’re half by hand and half automated,” said Chana of a machine used to stuff and press the samosas.

“It’s just about getting this process down and faster. They’re fresh and we don’t want to freeze them … the fresher, the better the taste.”

Chana is hoping to diversify what comes out of her kitchen, and is aiming to introduce new items for take-out such as butter chicken, rice, curried chick peas and kabobs sometime in May.

ask a brewer...

THE URBANITE » URBANITENEWS.COM » APRIL 9 2014 » 9

with Walkerville Brewery’s brewmaster tV business is cooked Paul Brady Cook turned screenwriter films pilot What is a brewmaster?

Paul Brady: A master brewer is generally someone who has been trained in all aspects of beer production, top to bottom, work production to fermentation to packaging; that’s your typical brewmaster.

I personally call myself a head brewer.

Technically a brewmaster is somebody who has graduated some kind of a degree program in Germany. There are two ways to become a head brewer or brewmaster: you can go to Germany or [an accredited college with a brewing program] ... complete a course [and] at which point they would need to apprentice or start working to work their way up to get the experience that they need.

I went the apprenticeship route and I found a German brewmaster and I worked for him for three years and learned everything that he had. Then I travelled to different breweries working in each brewery for a year or two, and essentially like a journeyman process until I was qualified enough to start running a show of my own, which I’ve been doing for three years now.

Is recipe formulation difficult?

PB: It’s one of the harder things to learn … you can just read a recipe and make it, but really knowing what you’re doing to it when you change little things, it’s something that takes time and feel, something you feel.

I can read a recipe and almost know what a finished beer is going to taste like. I can write a recipe and know how it’ll taste, but that’s from years and years of watching people write recipes and tasting every batch and then doing the same thing.

Is there a noticable difference between brewing beer in the USA and brewing in Canada?

PB: Scientifically speaking, no. Culturally speaking, yes, there’s a big difference. In Michigan, I would say they’re much more ready for the wild and crazy beers. I was just speaking with a guy [who] makes a lot of IPAs and milk stouts and those are their big sellers and they make an amber lager which I think is just phenomenal, but it doesn’t sell.

Now you come across the water, I make an IPA and a different style of milk stout, and I have an Honest Lager that I just can’t make enough of because the cultures are different. What the consumers want are different and I’m sure they’ll eventually meld into some form of uniformity, but for now, it’s night and day.

the States, people have had more exposure so they want to try more weird things.

Over here, it’s more just getting people to understand what the new things are and giving them a chance to develop a different pallet.

Beer doesn’t have to taste just like cold water, it can be sweet, rich or roasty or it can be bitter, hoppy and floral, or it can taste like fricken chocolate … what’s going on here?! As people understand that beer doesn’t have to be one thing, they can [move] around and the whole market should grow at that point.

How do you get people to try these types of beer?

PB: You just throw it at them. You have to find the adventurous person, some people don’t want to try new things, some people know what they like … other people are willing to try things. If you can get them to try two or three ounces, you never know, it might turn into a pint, that pint might turn into a growler and that might turn into them coming back, you never know.

I just always try to offer it, if people don’t like it I’m never offended, there’s a million beers I don’t like personally. The way to get people into it is to have an open door policy., let them always have the chance to come in, ask and try.

As brewmaster, do you find it your role to help educate the audience?

PB: Always. I pour [customers] a pint and I sit and talk with them, every chance I get. You can’t hold it against anybody for not having that knowledge because they’ve never been introduced to it. Keep the door open, let the questions keep coming and people can learn as much as they want or as little as they want.

How has the community respond to you as an American brewer?

PB: I’ve gotten nothing but accolades, just great community support … I get positive feedback, and I like the negative feedback to, criticism can be constructed no matter what it is.

I’ve tried to be approachable.

Are you concerned about other breweries opening in the city?

Why are people scared of different or more flavourful beers?

PB: I feel that other breweries make us stronger, as long as they’re making good beer, because the more opportunity people have to try craft beer, overall that makes all of us stronger as a market share. We as craft brewers, at least in the States, embrace each other and we all together as a team, sharing knowledge, ingredients, recipes … we’re a community and I think that a growing community is the best for all of us.

PB: I like the word trepadacious. I would say that the education isn’t [here] yet. In

Paul Brady is the brewmaster at Walkerville Brewery.

Pilot shooting for new Windsor-based dramedy Cooked » Photo Jay Verspeelt jay VersPeelt If there’s one thing any editor will tell a writer equally and unequivocally it is this: write what you know.

After 10 years as a cook-turned journalist and now screenwriter, Joel Boyce is telling his story.

For the last seven months Boyce has been writing and shooting a television pilot for Cooked, an adult dramady about life in restaurants.

“When I went back to school for journalism I always knew there’s got to be something about kitchens,” said Boyce. “There’s Waiting, there’s some other shows out there and movies but there’s not a lot that shows the big service industry. So I decided to write a story.”

A six-episode season of hour-long shows has been planned, but so far only an extended pilot has been written and shooting commenced.

The show is in the vein of films like Waiting and Rescue Me, according to Boyce. Filmed on a Black Magic camera, the story takes place at the fictional restaurant the Dominion House conveniently shot at the real Dominion House restaurant. “[The main characters name is] Dave. It revolves around his life. He’s kind of going through a bad time during the story. It also shows the characters around him, everybody circulates in his life. It’s about him but it’s really about the people in the restaurant,” said Boyce.

Paul Doman, drummer from Ashes Of Soma, provides the show’s comic relief as the loud-mouthed bartender Dewy.

“I’d have to say he’s a fucking crazy assholesmall-man-syndrome bartender that gets away with whatever he wants to and everybody just kind of puts up with it,” said Doman.

It’s method acting for Doman who works as a bartender at Chanoso’s but says his character is far more “nutty” than how he acts at his day job.

Boyce wants to show the real party lifestyle of kitchen workers, taken in part from his own life.

Filming has been happening both during and after hours of operations but cast and crew are careful to go during slow periods or as late as after 2 a.m.

It’s a labour of love with all cast and crew working voluntarily and shot low-budget on Boyce’s credit card.

“What is hard is co-ordinating everything around everyones schedules because everyone works, they have to make a living,” said Boyce. “People are very accommodating in trying to work with us because they love this; we have a lot of support, a lot of people on board 100 per cent and that really helps us.”

Public support and buzz does appear to be high with the show’s Facebook page at over 1,100 fans. On the set at Mynt Nightclub last week, the feeling was that everyone was working together like a family, and Doman particularly was excited.

“Hopefully everybody likes it and if they don’t, blame Joel Boyce,” said Doman.

Filming is planned to wrap up next month.

ARTS Here comes the Sun Club

THE URBANITE » URBANITENEWS.COM » APRIL 9 2014 » 10

Baltimore indie-pop darlings take a tour break to play a show at City Cyclery natasha Marar Up-and-coming Baltimore band Sun Club is bringing their blend of feel good, foot stomping, melodic indie rock to the City of Roses for the first time next week.

The band embarked last month on a 20date North American tour with stops at two Canadian cities: Windsor on April 15 at City Cyclery and Toronto the following day at Izakaya.

“We’ve played in some unique venues, even on this tour. We played in this one TV store in Raleigh, North Carolina, where it wasn’t an in-store show they just removed all the shelves out. It was just an open room … that was really sick. But a bike shop is next level, we’ve never played anything like that. I’m super psyched.

We’re always excited for those types of shows,” said Shane McCord, who lends his vocals, guitar, keyboard and glockenspiel skills to Sun Club.

Sun Club play at local bicycle shop City Cyclery with Junior Bob, Sex Tape and Pseudopod on April 15 » Photo Nick Karlin songs and at the beginning I was teaching Mikey how to play guitar … we didn’t have practice. We had band meetings once a week and all we would do was jump on the trampoline and change our band name,” laughed McCord.

The band came together more formally in 2007 as Pandomonia. “We covered the worst songs ever and we just weren’t good.”

McCord said Windsor audiences can expect from their show “five really nice boys trying to have a good time. It will be a lovely show. Everyone will feel very welcome and nice.”

Bassist Adam Shane joined the group in high school, but the band finally took shape as Sun Club with the addition of Kory Johnson, who multitasks playing percussion, slide guitar, keyboard and singing.

“I wouldn’t call our shows rowdy as in aggressive … [there’s] lots of moving, lots of dancing … but all in a really positive way.

It’s definitely a good time, high energy.”

McCord said as a whole, the band doesn’t have any set influences but does receive comparisons to Beach Boys, Animal Collective and Vampire Weekend.

Sun Club has been years in the making, starting in Grade 5 when McCord and his brother, drummer Devin, started jamming with next door neighbour Mikey Powers, now Sun Club vocalist and guitarist.

“Baltimore in itself has influenced us. I don’t know that we sound like a lot of Baltimore bands, but Baltimore is weird itself.

A lot of people compare us to Animal Collective … I think they’re absolutely amazing,” said McCord, who doesn’t care much for the connection to Vampire Weekend.

“It wasn’t a real band … I knew a few

“It’s because I don’t really like them.”

Sun Club’s newly minted EP, Dad Claps at the Mom Prom, landed in the CMJ (College Music Journal) 200 charts in the U.S. the first week released, and they’ve received attention on several indie news websites, including Paste magazine. But the band’s recent notoriety has come from playing SxSW. “Last year was terrible,” said McCord about playing in SxSW in 2013. “We just loaded onto whatever show we could get and it was all terrible (due to small audiences).”

“This year we were more selective [about what shows we played]. We got on six shows and it was awesome,” said McCord. “We knew more people in the music industry so it was easier to get on cooler shows; shows where people were at. SouthBy (SxSW) was definitely a success this year.”

Despite their young age and budding experiences the band tours extensively by working “whatever job” they can to save enough money for the next tour.

“It’s really sweet to travel, it’s really horrible being home,” said McCord of having to work in February to pay for the current tour. “It was a dry spell of shows … it’s sad there’s only two and a half weeks left.”

The hardworking attitude drew the attention of Keith Vogelsong, owner of Midnight Records, who came around to one of Sun Club’s shows in New York.

Sun Club signed with Brooklyn, NY-based independent record label Goodnight Records, and released their first official EP, Dad Claps at the Mom Prom, in February.

The album features re-recordings of older songs, including the first track, “Beauty Meat,” off a self-titled seven-inch recorded in McCord’s basement. There’s plans for a full LP next year.

“It gives us an excuse not to go to college I guess,” laughed McCord, about playing with Sun Club. “… This is the time of our lives to kinda just mess around and not be too serious about everything. I think a lot of people rush to college to get a weird, full-time job. I don’t think any of us want to grow up anytime soon.”

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albums

III1/2

Dr. Disc makes way for new special Record Store Day releases » Photo Jay Verspeelt

The vinyl frontier

Going indie for Record Store Day 2014 LOREN MASTRACCI The importance of all things vinyl: Dr. Disc celebrates seventh annual Record Store Day Loren Mastracci Dr. Disc Records, the popular mecca for audiophiles, is participating in the seventh annual Record Store Day on April 19.

Record Store Day was founded in 2007 by independent record store owners in Baltimore who wanted to promote the importance and individuality of vinyl. Since then, the event has flourished into a global Christmas-like celebration for all things music.

Abba, Deep Purple and David Bowie will hit record store shelves, along with box sets from other high profile bands like Soundgarden, the Dead Kennedys and REM to name a few.

However, these are only some of the novelties that Record Store Day has in store.

Patriotism is being endorsed by Blue Rodeo, Canadian Record Store Day official ambassadors, and Gordon Lightfoot will release an exclusive LP available only in participating stores.

Dr. Disc, although not the only music shop in Windsor, is the only venue in the city that will take part in this worldwide event.

The list of international releases, however, is lengthy and is sure to please every musical palate. From rock to rap, records are for everyone and according to Amazon, vinyl sales have more than quadrupled since 2008.

Electronic rock duo Learning will play on the second floor of the store, while raffles and giveaways will add to the joy of those sifting through a huge number of CDs and vinyls.

“Records are big and it’s the aesthetic of the large artwork,” O’Donnell said, adding, “People like the sound and there’s a whole thing about putting on a record.”

“[There are] tons of releases and it’s our busiest day,” said Dr. Disc owner Liam O’Donnell, who ordered almost every release on the list for the day. He is also expecting a large shipment of used records.

New record players and vintage-inspired ones are now ubiquitous and the large availability of used vinyls ensures this form of art remains cheap and accessible to all audiences.

The highlight of the annual event is the astonishing number of new releases. This year marks the comeback of the Pixies, who will release Indie Cindy, their first album in 23 years.

Single reissues of Nirvana, Frank Zappa,

If you are new to analog music or just curious about it, Record Store Day is a good place to immerse yourself.

Dr. Disc is located on 471 Ouellette Ave. It will extend its hours from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Record Store Day.

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II1/2

of 5

The Roncy Boys It’s Time self released

Tokyo Police Club Forcefield Mom + Pop Records

Windsor, by way of Toronto, band The Roncy Boys may be the answer to the flamboyant and infamous late Freddie Mercury.

Ontario natives Tokyo Police Club have come a long way since playing gigs at small venues (Phog Lounge included) while their 2008 freshman LP Elephant Shell debuted at No. 10 on Canadian charts.

The Roncy Boys are weird. There’s really not much other ways to put it. Their three-song EP comes four years after the band formed and released a demo called The Devil’s Swan.

It’s theatrical, it’s Queen, it’s the Who’s Tommy, it’s a three -piece with a bad website.

Aesthetic web displeasure aside, It’s Time is a pretty decent offering of piano lines and operatic vocals that all feel as if they’re being played in a large theatre.

That said, the album takes some getting into. After a few listens and glasses of brandy you might find yourself swaying along to the ridiculousness and begin to wish that the album was longer. By “Swan Song” it all feels catchy and you can feel its 70s kitsch throwback framing.

Forget wishing it was longer, it actually should be longer. It feels like a concept album about being a rock band.

Christian Aldo’s vocals are a strange thing to listen to. On one hand they’re a little awe inducing, but on the other he doesn’t sound so much like singing as shouting in key.

It’s Time is a weird listen, but no one ever got very far by being normal.

— jay verspeelt

But the critics seem to agree, Forcefield is exactly what it sounds like: pop.

Though their new single “Hot Tonight” is really catchy, it’s also as Pitchfork writes, reminiscent of “Stacy’s Mom”, circa 2003.

There’s no doubt Tokyo Police Club have spent years crafting their specific sound — but you can’t help but feel like a lost teenager when listening to this record. That can be a good or bad thing, depending on your take of nostalgia.

“Argentina Parts I, II and III” seems to flow well into eight minutes of energetic vocals and heavy (as heavy as it could be) guitar riffs.

“Feel the effect” has a more serious tone, and something you’d expect from the band considering their reputation of beautiful keyboard sounds from Graham Wright (which you can hear in some of their earlier stuff) and David Monks’ ability to pull you in with his vocals.

It’s clear that while keeping true to their sound, some maturing from Tokyo Police Club would be nice to hear.

— Clara Musca

THE URBANITE » URBANITENEWS.COM » APRIL 9 2014 » 12 say yes

the coWBoy junkies

the Windsor scene w/Jamie Greer

the locusts haVe no kinG

the tea Party

What the Fork & Cork has lined up

Jamie Greer is back with the inside stories from the Windsor music scene jaMie Greer

what is THE WINDSOR SCENE? Welcome to the first Windsor Scene column in The Urbanite, a union that serves the motivations of both entities. The Urbanite is determined to be an advocate and voice for the local community, from business to culinary and politics to culture, and that’s where I come in.

For nearly two decades, I’ve been an active member of Windsor’s local music scene. Not the standard Top 40 cover band circuit, but in a musical community that encourages creativity and original songwriting, pushing our music throughout Windsor-Essex and beyond.

I’ve played in bands covering just about every genre, from punk rock (TOAST and Magnificent Bastards) to country (The Hung Jury), from glam rock (Trailer Park Sex Cowboys) to indie rock (Golden Hands Before God and Magic Hall of Mirrors) and from folk rock (the unquiet dead) to metal (The Vaudevillianaires).

I’ve tasted the fruits of nearly every music scene this city has to offer and it became my vice. I moved here in 1993 after growing up in Niagara Falls, Ont. and, though I’ve travelled/lived in Halifax, Victoria, Toronto, Montreal and Hamilton, there was something about Windsor that has always pulled me back … and that was its local music scene.

In 1999, I started The Windsor Scene, an online directory of Windsor’s original music projects, to help encourage others looking for new music to find local music

that was just as fresh and powerful as anything from Toronto, Montreal or New York. Around 2001, The Windsor Scene debuted on CJAM 99.1 (then 91.5) FM as a local-centric music program (which still airs today), and the first print column hit the market in Upfront Magazine around 2004 as a promotional vehicle to draw attention not only to the amazing local musical talent Windsor has to offer, but the array of national and international touring acts that come through the city’s venues.

Since then, The Windsor Scene has surfaced in WAMM magazine, The Windsor Star, Windsor Independent and now right here, in The Urbanite.

THE WINDSOR SCENE

starts here

Over the past few years, there has been a shift in the mindset of local festivals to switch from novelty cover acts or aged reunion acts to showcasing burgeoning local original talent. While some naysayers say it’s purely because the local bands can be hired significantly cheaper, the reality is playing on these grander stages to larger audiences of mostly new ears is great exposure to these rising musical talents.

Too often bands play to local crowds in the area venues, often the same audience and even the most devoted fan is apt to tire of seeing the same bands with the same fervour or frequency. Routinely playing shows “over the normal grid” of demographic is a great way to tip their toes in other rivers, catching new fans who may never have been aware of their existence, and showing older fans just what they can do on a larger stage.

Over the past two years, my experience with the intimacy of the local music scene has afforded me consulting gigs with festivals and promoters. I’ve worked with various promoters and managers from other cities’ music scenes, helped local promoters and venue operators find suitable local pairings for nationally touring acts and helped fill local roster spots on such festivals as Harvesting The FAM, Windsor Pride, Farm 2 Fork and Carrousel of Nations.

This year, I was honoured when approached by Chris Mickle from Fork & Cork’s third edition to consult on creating a diverse showcase of local talent.

Last week, Fork & Cork released its list of performers for the July 4-6 festival. This year’s event is anchored by two Canadian national acts, Toronto’s Cowboy Junkies on Friday and Windsor’s Tea Party on Saturday. Texas indie roots sensation Seryn (similar in tone to acts like Fleet Foxes or My Morning Jacket) and Toronto’s indie rockers Say Yes (featuring ex-members of Alexisonfire) round out the national bands for the three-day festivals’ 30 musical acts.

The rest are all home grown from right here in Windsor-Essex: Friday showcases the Neil Young psychedelic roots jams of James OL & The Villains, the dark folk rock of The Tara Watts Band, the silky storytelling of Leighton Bain and the vocal power of the young Chelsey Danfield.

Saturday starts off with the intimacy of Crissi Cochrane, the harmonies of newcomers Diane Motel (a new folk

rock supergroup featuring members of the unquiet dead and What Seas What Shores, paired with songwriters Eric Welton, Travis Reitsma and Jo Meloche), the prog-rock earthiness of Grit Lounge and roots-rock icons The Locusts Have No King. Modern rock warriors Cowboys in Cardigans switch Saturday’s evening lineup into the heavier edged rock, followed by indie rockers ClassX and Salt of the Chief Cornerstone, a power duo that packs an unexpected wallop.

Local songwriter Dave Russell & The Precious Stones headline Sunday, joined by the blues and grooves of The Blue Stones, the pure Canadian rock-and-roll of Years of Ernest, the blue collar soul of Charles & The Righteous, pop rock of Fresh Breath, and the retro punk tenacity of Guitar Army, featuring members of Windsor’s original 1970’s punk scene, including the Spy’s.

While the city’s local punk, metal, hiphop and electronic acts were overlooked this year, it wasn’t out of spite. The festivals’ “family friendly” (and encouraged) atmosphere obviously leant itself to a softer edge. But overall, Fork & Cork definitely showcases a diverse range of local talent within its limitations.

Here’s hoping more local festivals continue to follow suit and offer opportunities to showcase to the entire county and out-oftown attendees what many of us have know for years — that music being created right here in Windsor is just as audible and twice as relevant as anything else currently being offered in the musical pantheon.

Jarrett Sorko releases a new EP, Jarrett Sorko 4 Mayor » Photo courtesy Jarrett Sorko

rappin’ the 519

Comedian Jarrett Sorko returns with new EP aManDa sinasac Comedian and musician Jarrett Sorko, who shot to overnight popularity in 2011 with the unexpected viral response to his music video for “Yo, I’m From Windsor Dude,” is bracing for a comeback.

The Windsor native is set to release his latest EP on April 20 alongside a new music video for the appropriately titled song, “I’m Dope.”

The five-track EP, Jarrett Sorko 4 Mayor, is a long time coming.

“The EP is about summing up what I’ve learned in the past few years and re-establishing myself as an artist,” explained Sorko, who was admittedly unsatisfied with the quality of “Yo, I’m from Windsor Dude.”

“I’m Dope” is the third music video to parallel a song from the new EP after the release of locally themed “519,” as well as “Wild & Crazy,” which was filmed on the island of Antigua. “We’re hoping on filming it at the abandoned ruins of the Boblo Island,” said Sorko, regarding the forthcoming video.

Despite taking a three-year hiatus from releasing music to instead focus on refining his stand-up routine, honing his video editing skills and developing as a musician, Sorko claims his audience is still receptive. He confessed, “... since dropping the ‘519’ video, I’ve gotten such an amazing response. It’s made me really happy.”

Citing fellow Internet personality Bo Burnham as his primary influence, it’s no surprise Sorko settled into self-deprecating comedic rap. Sorko revealed he was initially inspired to pursue musical comedy after catching a performance by Burnham at Michigan State University in 2009.

Sorko, who is also heavily involved in the stand-up scene, believes Windsor comedy has vastly improved in recent years through support and co-operation between local comedians despite the fact that many people still aren’t aware of local comedy scene. “We all started working together, trying to find whatever venues we could, and just become more known.”

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SAvAGE lOvE

THE URBANITE » URBANITENEWS.COM » APRIL 9 2014 » 14

» thrills and spills Q:

I’m an old guy, fast approaching geezerdom. After 45 years of marriage to the same woman, the sex has fallen off to zero. We otherwise have a great and comfortable relationship. If I want any at all these days, the only options are masturbation or professional service providers. I was very nervous the first time I paid for sex.

Curiously and surprisingly, considering my Christian upbringing, I didn’t feel at all guilty. I now find the urge gets stronger as the body gets weaker. It seems as geezerdom takes a full hold, all I think about is pussy, and paid sex has become a regular thing. You stress honesty and communication for a longterm relationship to work. In our case, honesty would mean the end to what is now just a great friendship that provides us both with deeply satisfying companionship. I don’t want to hurt her, but revealing my outside activities would certainly do so, as she thinks men using prostitutes is disgusting. Any comments from a young gay guy?

Sin Or Salvation

A:

There aren’t any young gay guys around at the moment, SOS, so you’ll have to settle for my lousy advice…

Honesty and communication are important, SOS, but there are limits. No long-term relationship would survive a strict regime of full disclosure enforced with depositions taken under oath, regularly scheduled lie detector tests, truth serums disguised as artificial coffee creamers, etc. Knowing what to omit and avoid—identifying here-therebe-monsters spots on the map and sailing around those topics/

incidents/persons—is just as important as honesty and communication. And married people, even long-married people, get to have their own inner lives, a few secrets they take to the grave, and some zones of privacy and autonomy.

But there are limits to privacy, autonomy, and topic/subject/ honesty avoidance, as well. If your inner life amounts to a double life, that’s a problem. If your secrets place your spouse at risk of grave physical or emotional harm, that’s a problem.

If your zones of privacy and autonomy grow so large that your spouse doesn’t know who you are anymore, that’s a problem.

But I don’t think what you’re doing is necessarily a problem, SOS. If your wife is really and truly content—if she isn’t interested in sex anymore, if you’re not cheating her out of anything she values, if you’re not taking risks with her health, if you’re not depleting your retirement savings to finance your activities, if all of the above is true—then your visits to sex workers are covered by my standard advice to people in sexless but otherwise solid, loving, and fulfilling marriages: Do what you gotta do to stay sane and stay married.

You sound like a decent and loving husband, SOS. To make sure you’re also a polite and courteous client—for tips on communication, personal hygiene, tipping, and avoiding women who have been trafficked—check out the all-star sex-worker panel we convened for a recent episode of the Savage Lovecast. Go to savagelovecast.com and listen to episode 387.

Q:

I’m a 23-year-old bi woman. I was in a relationship for two years with a guy my own age who I loved but who was immature emotionally. The sex was really out of this world. About six months before we broke up, I met a guy who is 20 years older than me, and we bonded over a lot of mutual interests. When I broke up with my boyfriend, this fortysomething guy took it as a sign that I wanted to be with him. We’ve now been dating for four months.

This guy wants to get married and have babies. I do love him—I think—but I am not physically attracted to him. I often feel angry and suffocated by his attention.

I’m wondering if these feelings of annoyance and occasional icky repulsion are normal in longerterm “serious” relationships? I’m also physically aching at memories of fucking my ex. Are my desires to get back in bed with him a sign I’m not into the new guy? It seems insufferably arrogant to say that I don’t want to hurt this new guy by telling him I’m not attracted to him, but after six months of being lovers, he would be shocked and angry. Should I do the brutally honest thing, or do I lie about why we’re breaking up to protect his ego?

Superficial And Prevaricating

A:

You say Mr. Fortyish took your breakup with Mr. Twentyish as a sign that you wanted to be with him. If that wasn’t the case—if that was a faulty assumption on Mr. Fortyish’s part—why did you start dating him? Maybe you felt like you had no choice: Mr. Fortyish made a self-serving assumption about

your breakup, and you had to play along to spare his feelings.

But you did have a choice, SAP. And while you intend to get out of this relationship—you don’t list staying together as a possible option—you’re gonna have to learn to advocate for yourself or you’re gonna find yourself in this position again and again, i.e., manipulated into relationships and/or commitments that leave you feeling panicky, annoyed, and unfulfilled.

As for how to break up with him, SAP, there’s no reason to tell him you’re not attracted to him. A person can advocate for herself—and extricate herself from a relationship—without being unnecessarily cruel. Just use the standard-issue little white breakup lies: “I’m not ready for a serious commitment.” “It’s not you, it’s me.” “We’re in very different places right now.” And commit those lies to memory, SAP, for use on any guy who starts talking about marriage and kids four months into a relationship.

Q:

One of the boys at the restaurant where I work met up with a dominant gay couple in a regular bar—not a gay bar—during happy hour. They told him to go to the bathroom and strip in a stall. Then one of the guys came in and took his clothing from him.

He didn’t know when they would be back or even if they would be back. While he was trapped there naked (and hard), other men were coming in and out. Knowing that other people didn’t know he was in his stall gave my coworker a big thrill. My problem: This couple and my friend involved other people—without their knowledge

or consent—in their little domination game. I say, “Not okay!” We got into a heated argument about it and decided to ask you for a ruling.

Coworker’s Recent Escapade Entirely Perverted A: Let’s say a straight couple comes into your restaurant and they’re seated in your section, CREEP. They order, they eat, they tip, they leave. All good? Now let’s say that, unbeknownst to you, the man was wearing a locking male chastity device and the woman was wearing the key on a chain around her neck. She was dripping wet all through dinner, his cock was straining against the confines of his chastity device, and a big part of the turn-on was being in public and interacting with, say, a waiter who had no idea.

Is that okay?

Of course it is—just like it’s okay for a businessman to get a secret thrill out of wearing panties under his suit at an important meeting or a sneeze fetishist to get secret thrills during flu season. The world is full of people deriving all sorts of secret thrills from all sorts of seemingly random shit.

So long as secret thrill derivers keep it to themselves—so long as they don’t actively involve others without their prior consent— there’s nothing “Not okay!” about secret thrill derivation.

Bisexuals, grab your pitchforks: Dan interviews writer Benoit Denizet-Lewis at savagelovecast.com.

» BY DAN SAVAGE » MAIL@SAVAGELOVE.NET » @FAKEDANSAVAGE

EVENTS

FIND AND SUBMIT EVENTS AT Jeff Leeson URBANITENEWS.COM/EVENTS Comedy Quarry At Rockhead Pub | 9 p.m. | $12

COMING UP TUESDAY, APRIL 8 The Art of Photography Artspeak Gallery | 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

Acclarion Taloola Cafe | 8 p.m.

Live Jazz Villains Beastro | 9 p.m.

Trisha Yearwood Caesars Windsor | 9 p.m. | $30+ The Mudmen Dominion House Tavern

THE URBANITE » URBANITENEWS.COM » APRIL 9 2014 » 15 MONDAY, APRIL 14

Motor League & Intervals Dominion House Tavern

Betty Who w/ Zak Waters & Cardiknox The Majestic | 7 p.m. | $10

WEEKLY

SATURDAY, APRIL 19

MONDAYS

Record Store Day 2014 Dr. Disc Records | 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Open Mic Surgery w/ James O-L Phog Lounge | doors 9 p.m.

Preserving Family Artifacts and Documents Windsor Public Library | 7 p.m.-9 p.m.

TUESDAY, APRIL 15

TUESDAYS

EXHIBITION TALK: Triple Candie Under Oath Open Stage Night w/ Year’s of MOCAD (Detroit) | 12 p.m.-2 Ernest p.m.

Dominion House | 5 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 12 Sun Club w/ Junior Bob, Sex Mix @ The Max feat. Storm Large Tape & Pseudopod Detroit Symphony Orchestra | 9 The Art of Photography City Cyclery | 7 p.m. | $5 p.m.

Artspeak Gallery | 12 p.m.-6 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16 Open Mic Dani Couture launches YAW Milk Coffee Bar w/ Richard Greene & Marc Di Burn The Books! End Of Exams Saverio Party WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9 Biblioasis | 4:30 p.m.

Bull n’ Barrel | 10 p.m.

Chelsey Danfield Taloola Cafe | 8 p.m.-9 p.m.

V.O.M.I.T. (Vocal Open Mic Instrumental Talent) Villains Beastro

Pete Zedlacher Comedy Quarry At Rockhead Pub | 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. | $12

Open Mic w/ Jamie Reaume The Manchester Pub

The Art of Photography Artspeak Gallery | 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

Arrival: A Tribute To Abba Caesars Windsor | 9 p.m. | $20+

THURSDAY, APRIL 10

Iced Earth w/ Sabaton & Revamp THURSDAY, APRIL 17 Saint Andrews Hall (Detroit) | 6:30 p.m.

Beers, Brats & Blues The Windsor Beer Exchange | 5 Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings p.m.-1 a.m.

The Majestic (Detroit) | 7 p.m.

Technology, Media & TelecomToldo Pops: Trumpet Greats munications Predictions 2014 Windsor Symphony Orchestra | The Windsor Star | 5:30 p.m.-7:30 7 p.m. p.m.

The Art of Photography Artspeak Gallery | 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

Karen Morand & Bosco Taloola Cafe | 7 p.m.-8 p.m.

WIFF film screenings The Capitol Theatre | 6 p.m.

Madison Violet Mackenzie Hall | 7:30 p.m. | $19$23

Small Black w/ Snowmine Magic Stick (Detroit) | 7 p.m.

Zine Night w/ Rosina Riccardo Civic Space | 7 p.m.-10 p.m.

METAPHYSICAL: A CCS Thesis Exhibition Detroit Artists Market | 6 p.m.-9 p.m.

Toldo Pops: Trumpet Greats Windsor Symphony Orchestra | 7 p.m.

Mike McGrath Dominion House Tavern

Jeff Leeson Comedy Quarry At Rockhead Pub | 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. | $12 Menos Mal w/ Middle Sister & Crissi Cochrane The Windsor Beer Exchange | 8 p.m. | $5

FRIDAY, APRIL 11

Michal Menert album release party The Shelter | 9:30 p.m. | $10

The Art of Photography Artspeak Gallery | 1 p.m.-5 p.m. & reception 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Sophist, Bad Mines, River of Ghosts Villains Beastro | 10 p.m.

Squash Boot Camp Windsor Squash & Fitness Club | 12 p.m.

Trivia w/ Paul Beresford Dominion House Tavern

Christina Perri w/ Birdy The Majestic | 7p.m.

SUNDAY, APRIL 13

31st Annual Easter Seals Windsor-Essex Telethon for Kids Friday Evenings After Work Party Live on CBC Windsor 9-Cable w/ Tony Coates 10 and TV Cogeco Cable 11 | 10 Rino’s Kitchen | 7 p.m. a.m.-4 p.m.

Acclarion Taloola Cafe | 7 p.m.-8 p.m.

Toldo Pops: Trumpet Greats Windsor Symphony Orchestra | 1:30 p.m.

The Walkervilles Magic Stick (Detroit) | 7 p.m. | $12 MUSIC: Julianna Barwick w/ ADV/$14 ATG Vasillus MOCAD (Detroit) | 8p.m. | $8/$5 David Nail w/ Sam Hunt for members Saint Andrews Hall | 7:30 p.m. | $20 Grey Goose Showers Menos Mal w/ Middle Sister & Level 3 Vodka Emporium | 10 Crissi Cochrane p.m.

The Windsor Beer Exchange | 8 p.m. | $5

Cape Night Karaoke Villains Beastro | 9 p.m.

SUNDAY, APRIL 20 HAPPENING: Detroit Question Center MOCAD (Detroit) | 11 a.m.-1:20 p.m.

FAMILY DAY: What Does the UWSA End of Exams Pool Party Future Look Like?

Adventure Bay Indoor Water Park MOCAD (Detroit) | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | 12 p.m. | $5

WEDNESDAYS Wacky Wexican Wednesdays w/ Dee Russ Dominion House | 5 p.m.

P.U.K.E. (People Using Karaoke Equipment) Villains Beastro The Groove Trio FM Lounge | 8 p.m.

Vice Aerial Phog Lounge | 10 p.m.

Dave Russell Dominion House Tavern THURSDAYS

The Fab Four: The Ultimate Tribute Caesars Windsor | 8 p.m. | $20$40

Kill Lincoln w/ Still Alive, Three Celtic Night w/ Mark Crampsie Dominion House | 5 p.m.

Cents Short , Aggro or Die! The Magic Stick (Detroit) | 7 p.m.

Funk Junkies | $12

Pint & a Manicure or Haircut Villains Beastro | 9 p.m. | $20

Dusty Dominion House Tavern

Open Mic w/ Anderson FM Lounge | 10 p.m.

Third Annual Egg-Travaganza Bull n’ Barrel | 9 p.m.

MONDAY, APRIL 21

FRIDAYS

Blog Party Civic Space | 7 p.m.-10 p.m.

Crystal Head Fridays Level 3 Vodka Emporium | 10 p.m.

Back to the Eighties Level 3 Vodka Emporium | 10 p.m.

Justin Zucchato Dominion House Tavern Trivia w/ The Steady Swagger Dominion House Tavern FRIDAY, APRIL 18 Biannual All Media Exhibition 2014 (Opening Reception) Detroit Artists Market | 6 p.m.-9 p.m.

The Harlem Globetrotters WFCU Centre | 6 p.m.

The Wanted The Fillmore (Detroit) | 7 p.m. | $20-$49.50 Friday Evenings After Work Party w/ Colton Young Rino’s Kitchen | 7 p.m.

Pete Zedlacher Comedy Quarry At Rockhead Pub | 9 p.m. | $12 Allison Brown, Will Gillespie Villains Beastro | 9 p.m.

Protest the Hero, The Apex, The

The Manchester Pub | 10 p.m.

TUESDAY, APRIL 22

Loveless Fridays w/ Daniel Victor The Loop | 10 p.m.

Carnivores play reading by Talish Zafar After Work Party Artspeak Gallery | 6:30 p.m.-9 Rino’s Kitchen & Ale House | 7 p.m. p.m.

ONGOING Art by Ayesha Drouillard Carrots n’ Dates | until April 30 12th Annual Smogfest art exhibition Milk Coffee Bar | until April 30 Nowhereness by Margie Kelk Artcite Inc., until April 19 Border Cultures: Part Two (work, Labour) Art Gallery of Windsor until April 13