Verb Issue R46 (Sept. 21-27, 2012)

Issue #46 – September 21 to September 27

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the twitter dilemma Social media and politics rococode Reinventing the pop song end of watch & compliance Film reviews ­

Stolen moments with

jp hoe

Photo: courtesy ofJoey Senft

contents

NEWs + Opinion

culture

entertainment

Q + A with Don Amero

Live Music listings

Alex talks to this Winnipeg singer about finding his way. 8 / Q + A

Local music listings for September 21 through September 29. 14 / listings

Working together

Rococode

Nightlife Photos

Honor Fight, MMA & boxing — Adam investigates. 3 / Local

How a Vancouver four-piece is reinventing pop. 9 / Arts

Tamara visits O’Hanlon’s. 15 / Nightlife

verbnews.com @verbregina facebook.com/verbnewsregina

Editorial

Nick Faye Nick talks to Alex about The Last Best West. 9 / Arts

end of watch & Kivalina v. Exxon Adam reviews the latest films. 16 / Film

A blessing or a curse?

ART & Production Design Lead / Roberta Barrington Design & Production / Brittney Graham Contributing Photographers / tamara klein, danielle tocker, Adam Hawboldt + Alex J MacPherson

The power of Twitter in municipal elections. 4 / Local

On the cover:

JP HOe

JP talks to Alex about making the album of his life . 10 / cover

Publisher / Parity Publishing Editor in Chief / Ryan Allan Managing Editor / Jessica Patrucco staff Writers / Adam Hawboldt + Alex J MacPherson Contributing writer / jessica Bickford

Business & Operations

Our Two cents

Mr. Breakfast review

on the bus

What we think about the idea of a penny tax. 6 / Editorial

Bargain eats, made with love. Is there anything better? 12 / Food + Drink

Weekly original comic illustrations

by Elaine M. Will. 18 / comics

comments

Music

Game & Horoscopes

Here’s what you had to say about giving churches tax breaks. 7 / comments

Jess Moskaluke, Kathleen Edwards & Benjamin Francis Leftwich .

Canadian criss-cross puzzle, weekly horoscopes and Sudoku. 19 / timeout

13 / music

Office Manager / Stephanie Lipsit Marketing Manager / Vogeson Paley Financial Manager / Cody Lang

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Sweet Science Boxing coach Cory Pye gives boxer Blake McPhee advice between rounds. Photos courtesy of ADAM HAWBOLDT / VERB MAGAZINE

working together

Honor Fight helps dispel myths surrounding MMA and boxing. by adam hawboldt

B

oxer Blake McPhee isn’t smiling.

Which is strange.

Normally when you see the sandyhaired 18-year-old he’s sporting a big, toothy grin. But not at the moment.

Right now, at 2:30pm on a sunny Saturday in mid-September, McPhee is quiet. In the middle of a cavernous hall at Prairieland Park, a crew of volunteers at Honor Fight: First Battle are putting the final touches on the ring where, in five hours time, McPhee will go toe-to-toe with Edmonton’s Austin Grundner in an amateur boxing match.

For a minute, McPhee watches the crew as they work on the ring. Then, out of habit, he starts bouncing on his toes. He quickly flicks out a jab, a straight right, a left hook, then pivots out of imaginary harm’s way.

And his coach, Cory Pye — owner and head trainer at Sweet Science Boxing in Fort McMurray — says, “Wait until you see him in there. He’s relaxed, he’s having fun, and man is he ever sharp!”

A few minutes later, McPhee disappears for his medical and weighin. When they’re finished, he returns to where his coach and family are sitting. They ask how things went.

“Good,” he says. “The doctor asked me to walk on my toes and stuff.” McPhee stops and chuckles to himself. “I told him ‘No problem, doc. I can walk on my hands, too, if you want.’”

Then a smile creeps across his

face, and just like that McPhee is his old, relaxed self again. It’s just another day for the young pugilist. But this event, Honor Fight: it isn’t your average fight card. Not even close.

Ask a casual fight fan what they like best, boxing or MMA, and chances

Win the Battle in the 21st Century.”

The thing is, this great debate, this direct competition, it really only exists at the highest levels and amongst the fans. For the fighters, especially the amateur ones, things are different.

Everywhere else, in gyms all around the country, boxers and MMA fighters are beginning to work

You just don’t see something like this a lot … I wanted to put them all together. dave mah

are you’ll get a very distinct and divisive answer. Some will say boxing; the majority will say MMA. But very few will tell you, “I love both sports.”

And among casual fight fans, that’s just the way it is.

See, at the highest level, MMA and boxing promoters aren’t sworn enemies, but they aren’t exactly friends, either. From event to event, they’re constantly trying to outdo one another, win over more fans than the other, and sell more tickets.

It’s the kind of multi-million dollar pissing contest that breeds deep competition.

It’s also the kind of pissing contest that fuels media speculation.

On sports websites, in magazines, wherever, you’ll see headlines like “The Great Debate: MMA vs. Boxing” or “MMA vs. Boxing: Why MMA Will

together to help foster and grow their respective sports.

“We’re all on the same wavelength,” says Dave Mah, owner of Way of the Dragon in Saskatoon.

That’s part of the reason why Mah worked so diligently to put on the Honor Fight: First Battle fight card.

He wanted to give boxers and MMA fighters, even the guys who do muay Thai, an opportunity to showcase their skills at the same event.

“I’ve always wanted to do something like this, a combo card,” explains Mah. “You just don’t see something like this a lot. All you ever see is MMA shows with only MMA fighters. And the boxing guys doing their own shows. So I wanted to put them all together.”

And while the fight card may be a new concept, Mah should rest easy

knowing the diversity of his card is a step in the right direction that, if fostered, may help dispel the myth that MMA and boxing are sworn enemies.

It may also help amateur boxers like McPhee get more fights.

In the red dressing room, after his bout, Blake McPhee is smiling again.

Sweating and red-faced, he poses for photos with trophy and plaque in hand (he beat Grundner via unanimous decision).

Mixed martial artists and muay Thai fighters pace the room around him, wrapping their hands, stretching, going through their respective warm-up routines. For McPhee, this is the first time he’s ever fought on a

card with all these different disciplines. But that’s not to say that he’s a stranger to the MMA scene.

Back in Fort McMurray, McPhee and the rest of the SSB team train side-by-side with mixed martial artists from the Gracie Barra gym.

For Pye, who is currently working with four or five of the Gracie Barra fighters, things couldn’t be better.

“I believe we’re better off working together,” says Pye. And so do a lot of other people out there.

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Photo: courtesy of aAnnette Shaff / Shutterstock

A Blessing or a curse?

The two sides of Twitter in municipal elections. by Alex J MacPherson

W

hen David Carr, writing in the New York Times, suggested that Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, “by bolting together social networking applications under the banner of a movement … created an unforeseen force to raise money, organize locally, fight smear campaigns, and get out the vote,” he legitimized as a political tool what had previously been simple entertainment.

Today, social media is everywhere. Twitter has about half a billion users worldwide and is seen as a tool for igniting revolutions, affecting election results, and changing the way the press operates. Virtually every public figure has a Twitter

account; politicians are connected to their constituents in a way that transcends political advertising. This is true on the national, provincial, and municipal levels.

On October 24, Regina and Saskatoon will elect a new crop of civic politicians. Most of the candidates are using Twitter to some degree; to some, new media is the cornerstone of their campaign. It remains unclear, however, what role online tools can play in an arena dominated by shaken hands and kissed babies.

Some candidates use it without reservation; others hedge their bets. In the upcoming election, the two sides of Twitter are becoming clear.

“I think people can be a little oversimplistic about the power of social media in politics,” Mairin Loewen

says. Last year, Loewen won a hotlycontested by-election at the age of 27. Now, she is campaigning to keep her seat on Saskatoon’s city council.

“I’ve had a lot of people ask about how we used social media to win the by-election, and I find that kind of amusing,” she continues. “I think if you were to track voter turnout, you’d find that social media played a relatively minor role, and yet lots of people framed it as the reason why I won. I think that is misleading.”

Like many members of her generation, Loewen is active on Twitter, but she sees the service as a tool for communication, not persuasion. In practice, this means “blasting information out” — reports of snarled traffic, closed bridges, and looming council decisions. “To a certain

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extent, you are preaching to the choir with Twitter. You are reaching people who are already engaged and aware,” she says, adding that she is unsure why anyone who is not interested in civic politics would follow a city councillor online.

On the other hand, Loewen is unwilling to rule out anything. “It may be too early to tell,” she says.

“I think the political campaigns that have been truly won or lost based on social media are still quite rare. It may be that in three year’s time we’ll be able to evaluate more clearly what this means.”

Novak, on the other hand, jettisoned convention for a campaign based almost exclusively on social media.

Running for mayor of Regina, Novak, a figure of some controversy, sees Twitter as an opportunity to reach young people, many of whom don’t vote.

Novak’s plan went badly wrong.

His online presence was targeted by numerous parody accounts, fake profiles that attacked him and lambasted his ideas. His apparent willingness to engage anonymous critics only aggravated the situation. In July, Novak decided to quit. He cited “dirty

The conversation I’m having … on the doorstep? I’m also having [it] on Twitter.

Tina Beaudry-mellor

Tina Beaudry-Mellor disagrees.

A University of Regina political scientist and candidate for Regina’s ward four seat, Beaudry-Mellor sees Twitter as more than a conduit for information: she thinks of it as a conversation, a way to build connections with her potential constituents and the foundation of any successful campaign. In practice, she explains, conversations humanize her. “I walk down through the same community park as most of the people in this area, with my dog and my kids fighting behind me,” she laughs. “If I lament about it on Twitter for a minute, somebody out there will maybe have a laugh. But they’ll remember: ‘Oh yeah, she is a human.’”

“I think you’re going to see, this year and beyond, Twitter become a way of harnessing votes,” she continues. “The conversation I’m having with somebody on the doorstep?

I’m also having that conversation on Twitter. And if somebody is actually having a conversation with you, the chances that they are going to vote are greater.”

Loewen and Beaudry-Mellor have different views on the efficacy of social media, but both concur that Twitter is not a suitable replacement for conventional campaign strategies — knocking on doors, delivering flyers, and meeting voters. Chad

politics” and says social media was a “big factor” in the decision.

“It became a lot more stressful than I needed it to be,” he says. “I was naïve in thinking I can actually help to change attitudes — but there was never an intent on their side to ever change an attitude.”

Now, Novak is back in the race.

Since rejoining in September, Novak’s Twitter feeds have become lightning rods for controversy.

“This time I’m much more prepared for it,” he says. “I’m not going to be throwing punches at anybody, but I will be returning them. That’s the big difference this time. When that dirt gets thrown at me, I will have no qualms about throwing it back at them, and it’s been quite evident on Twitter lately.”

Despite his misfortune online, Novak hasn’t changed his view of Twitter. He thinks online communication is essential because it offers another way to engage with the voting public, and a hassle-free way for concerned citizens to ask questions of candidates and politicians alike.

“The main thing about social media is the fact that if one person is asking it, chances are fifty other people are thinking it, and that way it’s out there,” he adds.

Novak’s bad experiences underscore Kate McMillan’s view that, “for

the politician, Twitter is a high-risk, low-reward investment.” McMillan, who writes and publishes the popular blog Small Dead Animals, thinks that Twitter is not worthwhile because the general public is “busy making a living.”

“The guy who’s engaged is the guy who has a problem on his street, in his business, with the city bureaucracy,” she writes.

“He’s not on Twitter. He’s grumbling to his neighbours.”

McMillan is also leery of the format. At 140 characters apiece, tweets are devoid of context, she explains: “A clumsily worded tweet can be parsed or twisted into virtually anything the reader wants it to be, trapping the writer into defending it after the fact.”

Taron Cochrane, a social media specialist who lives in Regina, thinks Twitter can be important if used appropriately. People who use the social media site effectively let others know what their opinions are, what their goals are, and what they have accomplished, he explains.

They educate, they inform, and they entertain.

“The one great thing about Twitter is that people are listening,” he says.

“It’s not just a great tool for getting your voice out there; people do listen to what you’re saying.”

“I think you can really win over some hearts and minds just by conveying — positively and properly — what you’re trying to accomplish,” Cochrane adds. “Joe Strummer once said without people you’re nothing — and that’s true.”

As Saskatoon and Regina prepare to go to the polls, it’s plain that opinions are divided on the usefulness of new tools like Twitter. It may be a major factor in the American political machine, and it may be an instigator in uprisings across the world, but it’s not at all clear how something as simple as Twitter will affect a municipal election. But each time ballots are counted, in Saskatchewan or across the world, another piece of the puzzle will fall into place.

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Our Two Cents

Photo: courtesy of Daryl mitchell

We think a penny tax isn’t a solution at all. by the editors of verb

H

ave you heard the recent rumblings about this so-called “penny tax?”

If not, here’s the deal: in an attempt to figure out how to pay for the growing construction needs in Saskatchewan cities, some bright and brilliant minds have suggested that maybe we should implement a penny tax to help solve our urban infrastructure problems.

For those who don’t know what a penny tax is, it is a voter-approved tax where one percentage point would be tacked on to the GST in our own municipality.

Then that extra revenue would go towards building specific infrastructure projects that would be announced in advance, and would be subject, if necessary, to approval via voter referendum.

So far, even though there has been no official proposal, the penny tax has its supporters. People like Este-

van mayor Gary St. Onge and Casey Vander Ploeg from a think tank called the Canada West Foundation have voiced support for the idea. But we disagree.

First of all, the name is far too misleading. Too bad a one percentage increase on the GST is vastly more than one penny.

But that’s just semantics. The real issue here is that we, as Canadians and Saskatchewanians, are taxed enough as it is. Please don’t misunderstand what we’re saying here. This isn’t one of those “tax-isa-dirty-word” arguments. Nor is it a “more-taxes-are-bad-for-business” argument. No, this is more of a “spend what you already have more wisely” plea.

Next year in Regina we will already have the new Stadium Tax, as well as increases in water and sewage rates, and a few more hikes to deal with. In Saskatoon, property taxes increased approximately 2.15

percent in 2012, and municipal tax increased by four percent.

Put those increases on top of all the other taxes we pay as citizens of this wonderful land, and it’s clear we need more taxes the way we need, say, another hike in gasoline prices.

What’s more, some people — us included — feel as though there’s a lot of factors that supporters of the penny tax aren’t considering. For instance, what if there’s a voter referendum on one of these infrastructure projects? Will that cost more money?

And if so, where will the extra funds come from?

And speaking of money and where it will come from, tell us this: how would a municipality go about paying for the high administrative and compliance costs of a new tax (not to mention the new infrastructure programs) like this?

Oh, the questions — there are so many. But the main one should be, “why are some politicians and

bureaucrats so quick to reach into taxpayers’ pockets? Why can’t they be more concerned in how to use the copious amounts of taxes we

already give them in an efficient, effective way?”

Okay, so maybe that’s two questions — but you get the point.

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On Topic: Last week we asked what you thought about churches receiving tax breaks. Here's what you had to say:

text yo thoughtsur to 881 ve r B 8372

– Liking new Verb the design seems much cleaner and lighter than the old one, which always felt crowded to me. And for people freaking out over Sudoku, you know you can buy whole books of those at any convenience store, right. Lol ;) Comment in response to “Out with the old,”

– I think it’s unreal in this age that churches still get tax breaks and I find it insulting that they build such obscenely decorated structures to help people. If your looking to help people any space will do, doesn’t have to out shine the next, I’m sure the amount put down on an over blown sanctuary could help tons of people in need.

In this age of accepting all beliefs including no belief I don’t understand how their special treatment is justifiable.

– The Verb’s holy crap article could have been renamed. That’s very disrespectful.

– I find it appalling that in this advanced age our government still kowtows to the religious right. Oh wait: Harper isn’t exactly a bastion of forward thought. bastion of forward thought. Guess I shouldn’t be surprised

Off Topic – so i recently picked up a copy of the “new” verb. ya NEVER again! u guys have totally switched ur paper to look like the metro. can u say COPY CATS @ verb?! it use to be a good read on the bus but not anymore. ill stick to the metro from here on out! verb lost a loyal reader!

Editorial page, #43 (August 31, 2012)

– Oh verb Why change a good thing? New format an epic fail!

– Just curious: do the tax breaks apply only to certain religious groups, or are all institutions of faith granted the same reprieve?

Local page, #45 (September 14, 2012)

– OMG Anthony Anzaldo is the f***ing most amazing dude I loved Ceremony so much!

Comment in response to “California Recast,” Q + A page, #45 (September 14, 2012)

spoof-send up, and so on. We all speak english. There must be a secret Ministry of Distinctive British Nomenclature just to irritate the rest of us and express some ownership of the language.

– Hey did you guys hear if anyone missed Sudoku ;)

– draw near to God and he will draw near to you. (james 4) i dare you to try to comprehend how easy that promise actually is.

Next week: What do you think about the government taking more money in the form of a penny tax, and putting it towards infrastructure? Pick up a copy of Verb to get in on the conversation:

– Canada-UK, memory stick-data spike, fries-chips, chips-crisps, take out-take away, cell-mobile,

We print your texts verbatim each week. Text in your thoughts and reactions to our stories and content, or anything else on your mind.

– Have seen a few dogs running free in the northwest part of the city. Please please please be careful with your puppies, and keep them properly contained!

Sound-Off – DAMN! 365 days in a year 52 weeks in a year 48 weekends 48 Saturday nights Dont Fk em up!!

Comment in response to “Out with the old,” Editorial page, #43 (August 31, 2012)

– The new verb sucks. I dont even pick them up barely anymore. Too many advertisements. Waaay too many. Just not enjoyable anymore.

Comment in response to “Out with the old,”

– I think it’s ludicrous for an institution that pushes a political agenda to receive tax breaks. I am not personally of faith, but have no problem with those who are. What I don’t like is, however indirectly, financially contributing to an organization I otherwise wouldn’t. This needs to be addressed.

– Really interesting profile on Rebecca King. It’s fascinating to read about the growing fashion industry emerging out of the prairies. I hadn’t heard of the young lady before, but her clothes look absolutely stunning!

– Steel is dead in North America.

Workers and executives priced themselves out that industry decades ago. Symptomatic of whats happening now. All the work is going offshore where workers and execs are way lower priced.

Comment in response to “On Aesthetics,”

Comment in response to “Out with the old,”

– Once again the Verb sides with the secular (you were anti prayers at public events, I recall) and now you’re attacking the house of God. In this day and age, religion is becoming the scapegoat for so many things,but people rarely move past criticizing faith to see the good it does for people. Why attack something that can bring so many positive things to people in need?

What good are you doing?

Editorial page, #43 (August 31, 2012)

– Think of good thoughts about your used to be It’s 0ver G00D!!

Editorial page, #43 (August 31, 2012)

– YOUR NEW FORMAT FOR VERB MAGAZINE IS AWESOME !

KEEP SMILING !

Comment in response to “Out with the old,”

– Do you have trouble findimg shoes for square feet ...?

– To the person who was looking for spray on cheese: I found some at Wal-Mart. The only thing is that this particular Wal-Mart is in Puerto Rico... !! <*Shar =Kitty*>

– Always thought i wanted a career turns out i just wanted paychecks _GDMJ_

Editorial page, #43 (August 31, 2012)

– Dear Editor You should go back to the old style of Verb.. all this one has is advertising. And then that’s it. Wow! It really sucks. Sorry.

– You were standup DOWNtown if your funeral party is mostly social workers cops street workers homeless peeps prostitutes and drug dealers.

Comment in response to “Out with the old,” Editorial page, #43 (August 31, 2012)

– Cigarette butts drive me nuts!

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Long Way Home Don Amero finds his way. by Alex J MacPherson

D

on Amero’s life reads like a storybook. A young aboriginal man from Winnipeg’s troubled north end, Amero grew up surrounded by drugs and gangs, alcoholism and poverty. But rather than accept what appeared to be inevitable, Amero chose a different path.

Today, he is touring his third fulllength record, The Long Way Home, and preparing to release his fourth, Heart on My Sleeve. Although Amero started with stripped-down arrangements, his sound has evolved into a radio-friendly yet distinctive blend of folk and country. A rising star in Winnipeg, he is now trying to spread his music across Western Canada — and, he hopes, the rest of North America. I caught up with Amero to talk about his current record, his upcoming record, and his home in one of the country’s most musical cities.

Alex J MacPherson: The Long Way Home covers a lot of ground, intellectually and emotionally. How do those themes relate to you and your story?

Don Amero: It’s one of the things I always say: I can’t really write a song unless I’ve experienced that side of it. A lot of the songs on that album come from my experiences in life. It starts off with “Right Where I Want to Be” — it’s the grand spectrum of life, where I’m at with my

style songs and bigger, more ambitious arrangements?

DA: The Long Way Home came out in 2010, and I’d been working with producer Arun Chaturvedi and we felt it was time to ramp things up and go — it’s a bad word in certain circles — more commercial-friendly. It just sort of evolved that way. It wasn’t like I

It’s a gift to me that I’ve been able to do this for five years.

AJM: What do you think has kept you going when others have failed?

don amero

wife and my son. Being in that right place. And then a song like “Dark Horse” speaks to someone who struggled with alcoholism. I haven’t necessarily struggled with that, but there are people in my life who have.

AJM: Your sound has evolved considerably over the past few years. What prompted the shift toward country-

feel like you can do anything if you put your mind to it. That mindset really pushed me to this place, but at the same time, it’s somewhat like buying a lottery ticket. You don’t know; you just throw it out there and see what happens. It’s a gift to me that I’ve been able to do this for five years.

set out to be a country artist; it was just that the songs that were being put out tended to have that flavour.

AJM: Did you ever expect you’d be this far along when you quit your job to pursue music full-time?

DA: I hoped I would. I didn’t think that I would. I’m a dreamer — I sort of

DA: Well, five years is not a ton of time. I don’t feel like I’ve hit a major stride. For me, it’s just about time. I feel like there are not a lot of friends of mine in the business who have taken the business side seriously.

Early on, I realized this really is a business and if I’m going to succeed I need to treat it as such.

AJM: So much great music comes from Winnipeg. What does the city mean to you?

DA: I’m reading Randy Bachman’s Vinyl Tap Stories. I’m reading his story and it’s interesting because the Guess Who and BTO — where Canadian music really hit its stride was out of Winnipeg with guys like him and Neil Young. But Bachman is getting the sense that he was the first guy to be a band breaking out of Winnipeg. That allowed for this to become a hotbed of music. There’s tons of music here and I just feel that it becomes a community of people that just get it.

Don Amero Sept 28 & 29 @ BreakOut West Ticket info & more @ breakoutwest.ca

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Rococode

Vancouver four-piece reinvents pop. In a good way.

F

or six decades, pop music has been examined and probed, prodded and dissected.

Critics, journalists, and people who buy records all want to know what, exactly, pop music is; to date, no one has come close to providing a universally acceptable definition.

I’m not even going to try — but Andrew Braun will.

“To me, it’s anything that’s following in the vein of the Beatles song format — verse, chorus, verse, bridge — and has some element of catchiness,” says Braun, one fourth of the Vancouver-based pop sensation Rococode. “And the things people can latch on to fairly easily. One of our main musical goals is to achieve those in an interesting way or a way that isn’t overly obvious.”

In other words? “Mess them up,” Braun laughs.

Rococode’s debut, the ironicallytitled Guns, Sex & Glory, could become the quintessential pop record for a new generation. Although Braun and Laura Smith, the band’s other princi-

by alex J MacPherson

pal songwriter, tend to produce songs with simple structures and defined elements, they’ve twisted what would otherwise be straightforward pop songs into offbeat, high-energy ragers.

Equal parts indie rock and electro pop, a nod to convention and a step into the unknown, the songs that make up the album reflect the duality that is at the heart of Rococode.

“That sort of ties back into the band name,” Braun says, pointing out that Rococode is a portmanteau of rococo and code. “Which is something we try to play off — a lot of opposing issues and ideas.” This is important, because while it’s easy to dismiss Rococode as just another pop band, their songs address complicated, universal issues without cliché or superficiality.

Just as the band’s ideas are grounded by duality — “weird sounding lyrics over a little ditty,” Braun says — their music is like an echo chamber.

Take “Empire.” Braun says it is the simplest song on the record, and he’s right. Sort of. Built around an infectious chorus, the song has been trans-

Photos: courtesy of Robyn jamieson

formed — by inspired performances and first-rate production — into a catchy yet multifaceted pop song.

“I want to love you like an empire,” Smith sings, the music cascading into a rising tower of sound behind her, raising serious questions about the world without sacrificing a terrific pop song.

And even though I didn’t know quite what to think after hearing Guns, Sex & Glory, I knew what pop music could be. And I knew I wanted to be a part of it.

Rococode Sept 28 $ 29 @ BreakOut West For ticket & show info, see breakoutwest.ca

The Last Best West

Nick Faye chronicles Saskatchewan’s hidden gem. by alex J MacPherson

Photo: courtesy of Christina Stilborn

M

y family has a property at Katepwa Lake, about forty-five miles east of Regina. My earliest memories play out against the backdrop of the sprawling Qu’Appelle Valley. From driving up Highway 56, a ribbon of asphalt perfection, to diving off the dock into cool, clear water, Katepwa Lake is a vital part of who I am. And now, Nick Faye has written a soundtrack to the film that is my life.

“The theme around it, the imagery I wanted to project, is the Qu’Appelle Valley,” Faye says of his latest record, The Last Best West. “Our farm is just near Kelliher, Saskatchewan, so we’d always pass through Fort Qu’Appelle. I love that place, the valley and the lakes.”

Faye’s experiences are broadly similar to mine. He spent his summers at the family farm and at Camp Monahan, a Catholic camp less than a mile from where my family vacations. The Last Best West is his attempt to capture on tape the indescribable beauty of Saskatchewan’s hidden gem. And, for the most part, it works.

The Last Best West is an alt-country record, the first for Faye, who has been creating stripped-down folk songs for more than half a decade.

“I found that the songs I was writing seemed to sound like full band songs,” he says. “There needed to be more, and it just evolved into a more full sound. It was an organic sound.”

From the devastatingly sad yet jarringly upbeat “They Say Good Things” to the mournful “Hawks Above,” one of the bleakest yet most compelling songs on the record, The

Then, one day … it just clicked. Look at this sky, look at the people.

“Living in Saskatchewan for eighteen years, I was always wanting to move,” he laughs. “Then, one day, I was driving to a show and it just clicked. Look at this sky, look at the people. I’m happy here, realizing and starting to notice the beauty around this province.”

“It’s not one of the places that hits you in the face with its beauty,” he muses, “but once it does, it’s hard to get out of your system.”

Nick FAye

Employing a wide selection of vintage-sounding guitars and amplifiers, as well as a handful of conventions picked up from the long arc of country music, Faye crafted a record that sounds both timeless and contemporary.

Last Best West captures a range of emotions as diverse as Saskatchewan weather. It can be read as a metaphor for growing up, a coming-of-age record. Faye agrees, but points out that the record is also an ode to Saskatchewan.

Nike Faye & the Deputies September 30 @ Creative City Centre Free!

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@MacPhersonA amacpherson@verbnews.com

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Photo: courtesy of ROBERT HUYNH

stolen moments JP Hoe writes the album of his life. by Alex J MacPherson

L

ong before JP Hoe first committed a song to tape, he saw folk music as an antidote to the boilerplate alternative rock dominating the airwaves.

Growing up in the ‘90s, Hoe was captivated by the way writers like Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan wove disparate threads into powerful narratives; their music impelled him to learn the guitar and write songs for himself.

Today, Hoe is ascending the ladder of Canadian independent music.

He has released three full-length albums and an EP; his latest effort, Mannequin, generated national attention. “It’s been, I hope, a nice natural evolution to where I am today,” Hoe says, sounding mildly uncomfortable at the prospect of discussing his career. “I’m excited that developing the craft started from a great place.”

That great place, the steadying influence of Young and Mitchell, is evident on Mannequin. The record includes a song called “Conversation,” which Hoe recorded with Canadian alt-country icon Luke Doucet. “It’s about those three artists,” he says, referring to Dylan, Mitchell, and Young. “Luke and I, we didn’t know each other when we wrote the song, but what we had in common was that these three are our musical heroes. One day the dream would be to make music and be in the same conversation as their names.”

“And,” he adds, laughing, “for people for years to come to think Luke Doucet and JP — they made really great music as well.”

Hoe is perfectly willing to discuss his influences, but he refuses to spend his time emulating them.

Mannequin is driven by the same

desires that fuel other songwriters; it is an exercise in originality, not mimicry. “How am I different?” Hoe muses, describing his relationship to his idols. “I’d probably say I’ve got a little more pop influence in me, and a little more alt-rock influence. I guess I’d have to say that the part I connect with is that I love how they did their own thing. They decided what kind of patterns they wanted in their songs, and I’ve tried to only respond to what I want to hear in my songs.”

Mannequin reflects many influences while conforming to none.

“Bingo Palace,” the lead track on the record, is reminiscent of a Jeff Tweedy crooner like “Via Chicago;” “Lions and Tigers,” on the other hand, combines upbeat folk-pop and machine-gun vocal delivery into a Shins-style rocker. Ultimately, Hoe’s style is his own. He credits his ability

to sound consistently like himself to his writing process.

“I don’t consider myself a very interesting person,” he laughs, “but I do love to observe other people, so a

ers blend seamlessly together, forming a body of work that is universal yet deeply personal.

This is apparent on “Learn to Let You Go,” one of the most powerful

At the end of the day, when you get to play a concert, it’s a sensation that I think is a difficult one to match…

JP hoe

lot of the songs on the record — most of them, quite frankly — are stolen moments from other people’s lives that I have tried to interpret.” With continuity provided by Hoe’s steady voice and passionate eye, scattered moments stolen from the lives of oth-

songs on Mannequin. Like many of Hoe’s songs, “Learn to Let You Go” seems straightforward — a rocktinged song about the end of a relationship. Actually, Hoe says, “it’s a song about a guy I know who joined a cult. It’s all about him learning to Continued on next page »

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Photo: courtesy of JOEY SENFT

let go of his old life, his old family, his old self. But the lyrics are double entendres the whole way through.”

Hoe’s greatest strength is his ability to write about isolated personal experiences without alienating his listeners. His songs tread the line between ambiguity and specificity; they capture experience without seeming generic. This is because he thinks telling people how to interpret a song is idiotic. “Just like Bob Dylan and Neil Young and Joni Mitchell did for me, people can relate to the lyrics any way they want,” he says.

Records are like photographs.

Great albums capture pivotal moments; they feel like watersheds, the end and the beginning bound up in a forty-minute package. Mannequin is one of these records. It is the conclusion of Hoe’s apprenticeship and the beginning of what promises to be a

fruitful career. Without wanting to sound immodest, Hoe agrees: “I’m at a place right now where I think I’ve come a long way as far as being critical of my own writing, and I think that this record is the best I can put out right now.”

Writing songs is only one part of the equation, however. In addition to his artistic endeavours, Hoe also manages the business side of his career. It’s not an easy task. “It’s a job where you’re asked to be creative, you’re asked to be able to perform, you’re asked to be charming, you’re asked to be an excellent agent, manager, bookkeeper,” he explains.

“You’re asked to wear 20 hats, and all the while your job is going to try and convince people that your music is something they can connect to.”

Which raises the question: why do it at all?

“Truthfully? Because it feels good,” he says after a long pause.

“It’s enjoyable. It’s fun. At the end of the day, when you get to play a concert, it’s a sensation that I think is a difficult one to match, when you’re connecting with people and, hopefully, offering something to a bunch of strangers. I don’t know how else I would achieve that, and I have a skill for it — I think I have a skill for it — and I want to … see how far I can take it.”

JP Hoe September 28 & 29 @ BreakOut West Ticket & show info @ breakoutwest.ca Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@MacPhersonA amacpherson@verbnews.com

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BARGAIN BREAKFAST

Photography courtesy of Danielle Tocker.

Simple, satisfying meals at Mr. Breakfast. by jessica Bickford

T

here aren’t too many places these days that offer a really good meal on the cheap, but Mr. Breakfast is one of them.

Family owned and offering simple fare for what are almost unbeliev-

Kathy and Harry Perentes own Mr. Breakfast, and say that they are “an old fashioned place with old fashioned food,” that serves “ everything homemade, the hard way.”

One of these homemade classics was the deliciously refreshing iced tea

Mr. Breakfast is keeping things simple, traditional and tasty… jessica Bickford

ably good prices, this small diner has stood the test of time, having had their doors open for a whopping twenty years now.

Kathy makes. It was sweet, with a subtle, summery black tea flavour.

And then it was on to the food.

What better way to start at a break-

fast joint than with a traditional two-egg breakfast, complete with hash browns, bacon, sausage and toast? The eggs were beautifully served sunny-side up; they were soft and fresh, and the yolk was perfectly runny — great for dipping toast. The bacon was thick and crispy, and the chunky hash browns were crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and definitely homemade.

Another of Mr. Breakfast’s specialties is their three-egg omelettes. I tried the vegetarian one, which arrived packed with mushrooms, red and green peppers, tomatoes and topped with cheddar cheese. This hearty omelette was huge, fluffy, and incredibly delicious — one of the tastiest I have ever had.

Some lunch was up next, and I sampled Mr. Breakfast’s homemade tomato macaroni soup. The rich tomato broth was full of soft pasta, celery, carrots, and onions — a very warming and flavourful item, perfect for an autumn-chilled day.

A classic cheeseburger was my last selection, and it came piled high with bacon, and grilled mushrooms and onions. The grilled onions were fantastically caramelized and very sweet, while the mushrooms had a deep, rich flavour. The patty was nice and crispy on the outside, and

overall this burger was excellent.

Their simple menu full of classic dishes and ever-changing homemade lunch specials make Mr. Breakfast a great spot for some traditional diner food. Kathy and Harry feel that their little restaurant is one of Regina’s best-kept secrets, but a constant stream of travellers coming through the city keeps them pretty busy.

Mr. Breakfast is keeping things simple, traditional and tasty with great breakfasts and staple lunches,

but be sure to bring your cash if you want a meal — they really are that old school.

Mr. Breakfast 1247 Albert St. | (306) 522 6770

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372 @TheGeekCooks jbickford@verbnews.com

let’s go drinkin’ Verb’s mixology guide Southern Iced Tea

Ingredients

Iced tea is a classic beverage just made for relaxation. The addition of lemon and alcohol make this a sweet and tart drink that pairs well with both friends and weekends.

1 oz. light rum 1 oz. vodka 1 oz. gin 4 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice 3 oz. iced tea Simple syrup if using unsweetened tea Mint sprigs and lemon slices for garnishing

Directions

Fill a beer mug or Mason jar with ice. Add the rum, vodka, gin, lemon juice, and iced tea. Stir to combine and taste for sweetness. Add some simple syrup if you prefer a sweeter mix, and garnish with mint and lemon slices.

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Next Week

coming up

JESSica MOSKALUKE

KATHLEEN EDWARDS

BENJAMIN FRANCIS LEFtWICH

@ Whiskey Saloon September 27 & 28 – $5+

@ The Exchange OCtober 2 & 3– $ 20 (advance) / $ 25 (door)

@ The exchange November 23 – $ 18.73

When Big Dog 92-7/Astral Media named this young country songstress “The Next Big Thing,” they may have been on to something. Not only is Jess Moskaluke a Canadian Country Music Award New Artist Showcase winner, not only have her videos surpassed 7.5 million views, but she recently release a hot-as-hell EP called Catch Me If You Can. Hailing from Langenburg, Saskatchewan, Moskaluke uses her raw, edgy voice to drive the eight-track EP into “you just gotta have it” territory. As for her shows, this singer/songwriter fuses a bubbly personality with sass and powerful vocals to put on a show that’ll leave you wanting more. Catch her when she plays Whiskey Saloon next weekend; tickets available at the door.

It’s been quite a year for Kathleen Edwards. On January 17th, the songstress from Ottawa released her fourth album, Voyageur. Just so happens that on that very same day Edwards also appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, singing a rendition of her song “Change the Sheets.” There’s little doubt things have been moving in the right direction for this rising alt-country/folk star. In fact, some people consider Edwards to be alt-country’s new “It” girl. And who can blame them?

Edwards’ songs are intimate, engaging and bittersweet, her voice is tender and seductive, and her stage presence is warm and charming. She kicked off her cross-Canada tour last week, and will be in Regina for two great nights in early October.

He sounds kind of like James Blunt, but not really. Kind of like Damien Rice, but not overly. Sort of like José González, but not completely. With a smooth, minimal, acoustic style, this young musician from York, England, has been making quite a name form himself on the other side of the Atlantic.

Even though the singer/songwriter market is crowded with the likes of Blunt, Rice, González and then some, Leftwich is finding a way to make elbow room with his whimsical folky ballads. With songs about love, seafaring, sexual tension and more, this talented musician is proving to be quite the diverse songwriter.

He’ll be playing the Exchange midNovember; advance tickets available at admission.com.

– By Adam Hawboldt

Photos courtesy of: the artist / the artist / the artist

Sask music Preview An artist on the rise, Zachary Lucky had accomplished more by the time he was in his early twenties than most. This Saskatchewanian has toured the continent several times, released a handful of critically acclaimed albums, and now you can see him perform September 28 & 29 at BreakOut West in Regina.

See breakoutwest.ca for show times and locations.

Keep up with Saskatchewan music. saskmusic.org

Photo: Courtesy of the artist

13 sept 7 – Sept 13 facebook.com/verbnewssaskatoon

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september 21 » September 29 The most complete live music listings for Regina.

S

M

T

W

T

21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

Friday 21

Mighty Popo / The Artful Dodger — This is a rising star on the Canadian music scene. 7:30pm / $15 at the door, $12 in advance (ticketedge.ca) John Fogerty / Brandt Centre — Performing the music of Creedence Clearwater Revival in this amazing tour. You won’t want to miss this show. 7:30pm / Tickets $28–83.50 (Ticketmaster) Jose Feliciano / Casino Regina — A virtuoso guitarist from Puerto Rico. 8pm / $45+ (www.casinoregina.com) Hey Ocean! / The Exchange — An utterly infectious group. 8pm / Tickets $13 (www.ticketedge.ca) DJ Pat & DJ Kim / Habano’s Martini & Cocktail Club — Local DJs spin top 40 hits every Friday night that are sure to get you on the dance floor. 9pm / $5 cover Alain Lalonde / The Hookah Lounge — Come check out this dope local DJ. 7pm / The Hookah Lounge Adam’s Rib / McNally’s Tavern — A local rock/reggae jam band. 10pm / Cover $5 Albert / Pure Ultra Lounge — Appearing every Friday night, come check out this DJ as he does his spinning theng and gets you moving. 10pm / $5 cover Steve Gibson / The Sip Nightclub — A country musician from England, Gibson puts on a fabulous live set you won’t want to miss. 10pm / No charge if in attendance by 6pm Chris Henderson / Whiskey Saloon — This singer/songwriter and his band rock, so come on down and check ‘em out. 8pm / Cover $10 DJ Longhorn / Whiskey Saloon — Come check out one of Regina’s most interactive DJs as he does his spinnig thing. 8pm / Cover $10

Saturday 22

Johnny Lang, Buddy Guy / Casino Regina — Two must-see legends. 8pm / Tickets $80+ (www.casinoregina.com)

DJ Noor / The Hookah Lounge — This DJ knows how to rock a crowd and put on one heckuva party. 7pm / $5 cover Adam’s Rib / McNally’s Tavern — A local rock/reggae jam band will get you grooving in your seat. 10pm / Cover $5 Everlast / The Pump Roadhouse — Everlast plays gritty rock/blues music that will move you. 7:30pm / $25 (www. ticketedge.ca) Drewski / Pure Ultra Lounge — Doing what he does best, you’ll definitely want to catch this show. 10pm / $5 cover Steve Gibson / The Sip Nightclub — A country musician from England, Gibson puts on one heckuva live set. 10pm / No charge if in attendance by 6pm Chris Henderson / Whiskey Saloon — This singer/songwriter and his band will rock the night away. 8pm / Cover $10

Monday 24

Monday Night Jazz / Bushwakker Brewpub — Featuring The Project. 8pm / No cover Ceremony / The Exchange — Rock out with this wicked California punk band.

7pm / $15, see culturalexchange.ca for info

Tuesday 25

Troubadour Tuesdays / Bocados — Come check out some amazing live tunes, or take part in the jam night. 8pm / No cover Karaoke Tuesday / McNally’s Tavern — Famous live music venue offers patrons a chance to share the stage. 8pm / No cover

Wednesday 26 Wednesday Night Folk / Bushwakker Brewpub — Featuring The Tom Savage Trio. 9pm / No cover Cory Woodward / Creative City Centre — This singer/songwriter from Vancouver is awesome — trust me, you won’t want to miss this show. 7:30pm / Cover TBD

Thursday 27

54–40 / Casino Regina — BC alt-rockers take the stage. 8pm / Tickets $30+ (www. casinoregina.com) PS Fresh / The Hookah Lounge — Featuring DJ Ageless and DJ Drewski, a dynamic duo if there ever was one. 7pm / No cover Open Mic Night / King’s Head Tavern — Come out, rock out, and show Regina what you got. 8pm / No cover

Dan Silljer Band, The Boom Booms / McNally’s Tavern — Two acts, one heckuva show. 8:30 / Cover TBD. DJ Longhorn / Whiskey Saloon — Come check out one of Regina’s most interactive DJs as he does his spinning thing. 8pm / Cover $5 Jessica Moskaluke / Whiskey Saloon — A musician from Langenburg, Saskatchewan, this young woman is big on talent and stage presence. With edgy vocals and a stunning voice, Moskaluke has won fans from here to Nashville with her brand of country/pop music. 8pm / Cover $5

Friday 28

Indigo Joseph, Federal Lights, JP Hoe, Rococode, The Lonesome Weekends / Artesian on 13th — Come and enjoy some great live tunes courtesy of BreakOut West. 9:45pm / http://breakoutwest.ca/ Blake Berglund, Tenille, Sean Hogan, Keith and Renee, Jerry Sereda / The Artful Dodger — Come and enjoy some great live tunes courtesy of BreakOut West. 8:45pm / http://breakoutwest. ca/ Sarah MacDougall, Belle Plaine, Dana Sipos, Oh My Darling / The Club — Come and enjoy some great live tunes courtesy of BreakOut West. 8:45pm / http://breakoutwest.ca/ Joal Kamps, Mireille Moquin, Zachary Lucky, Rosie and The Riveters / Crave — Come and enjoy some great live tunes courtesy of BreakOut West. 8:45pm / http://breakoutwest.ca/ Scott Benson Band, Alexis Normand, Michel Lalonde, Marco Castillo / Creative City Centre — Come and enjoy some great live tunes courtesy of BreakOut West. 9:45pm / http://breakoutwest.ca/ The Magnetic North, Indian City, Slow Down, Molasses, Shuyler Jansen, Castle River, Cityreal / The Exchange — Come and enjoy some great live tunes courtesy of BreakOut West.

8:45pm / http://breakoutwest.ca/ Don Amero, Brandon Isaak, David Gogo, The Harpoonists and the Axe Murderer, The Ramblin Ambassadors / The Gaslight Saloon — Come and enjoy some great live tunes courtesy of BreakOut West. 9:45pm / http://breakoutwest.ca/ DJ Pat & DJ Kim / Habano’s Martini & Cocktail Club — Local DJs spin top 40 hits. 9pm / $5 cover Alain Lalonde / The Hookah Lounge —

Come check out this local DJ. 7pm Mary Caroline, Fur Eel, Sidney York, Smokekiller, The Steadies, Fountains of Youth / McNally’s Tavern — Come and enjoy some great live tunes courtesy of BreakOut West. 8:45pm / http://breakoutwest.ca/ Flo, Animal Nation, Georgia Murray, Evil Ebenezer, Rellik / O’Hanlon’s — Come and enjoy some great live tunes courtesy of BreakOut West. 9:45pm / http://breakoutwest.ca/ Albert / Pure Ultra Lounge — Appearing every Friday night, this DJ knows how to get things started. 10pm / $5 cover Conrad Bigknife / The Sip Nightclub — This will be a night of country done right. 10pm / No cover if in attendance before 6pm Jeff McLeod, Val Halla, colleen brown, Cam Penner / Slow Pub — Come and enjoy some great live tunes courtesy of BreakOut West. 8:45pm / http://breakoutwest.ca/ Jessica Moskaluke / Whiskey Saloon — A musician from Langenburg, Saskatchewan, this young woman is big on talent and stage presence. With edgy vocals and a stunning voice, Moskaluke has won fans from here to Nashville with her brand of country/pop music. 8pm / Cover $10 DJ Longhorn / Whiskey Saloon — Come check out one of Regina’s most interactive DJs as he does his spinning thing. 8pm / Cover $10

Saturday 29

Scott Benson Band, Jeff McLeod, Belle Plaine, Cam Penner, Indio Saravanja, Jason Plumb and The Willing/ Artesian on 13th — Come and enjoy some great live tunes courtesy of BreakOut West. 8:45pm / http://breakoutwest.ca/ Don Amero, Murray Porter, Jerry Sereda, Indian City, Rellik / The Artful Dodger — Come and enjoy some great live tunes courtesy of BreakOut West.

8:45pm / http://breakoutwest.ca/ Zachary Luck, Mary Caroline, Sean Hogan, Keith and Renee / The Club — Come and enjoy some great live tunes courtesy of BreakOut West. 8:45pm / http://breakoutwest.ca/ Marco Castillo, Sarah MacDougal, Oh My Darling, Dana Sipos / Crave — Come and enjoy some great live tunes courtesy of BreakOut West. 8:45pm / http://breakoutwest.ca/ Michel Lalonde, Mireille Moquin, Alexis Normand, Daniel ROA /

Creative City Centre — Come and enjoy some great live tunes courtesy of BreakOut West. 8:45pm / http://breakoutwest. ca/ Indigo Joseph, JP Hoe, The Magnetic North, Rococode, Sidney York, Said the Whale / The Exchange — Come and enjoy some great live tunes courtesy of BreakOut West. 8:45pm / http://breakoutwest.ca/ Shuyler Jansen, Castle River, Fountains of Youth, Makeshift Innocence, The Steadies / The Gaslight Saloon — Come and enjoy some great live tunes courtesy of BreakOut West.

9:45pm / http://breakoutwest.ca/ DJ Noor / Hookah Lounge — This DJ knows how to rock a crowd, so come on down and see what he’s all about. 7pm / $5 cover Tenille, Blake Berglund, The Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer, The Ramblin’ Ambassadors, Imaginary Cities, Slow Down, Molasses / McNally’s Tavern — Come and enjoy some great live tunes courtesy of BreakOut West. 8:45pm / http://breakoutwest.ca/ Smokekiller, Flo, Jeans Boots, Library Voices, Foam Lake, Federal Lights / O’Hanlon’s Pub — Come and enjoy some great live tunes courtesy of BreakOut West. 8:45pm / http://breakoutwest.ca/ Drewski / Pure Ultra Lounge — Doing what he does best, every night. 10pm / $5 cover Conrad Bigknife / The Sip Nightclub — With soaring vocals and catchy choruses, this country musician puts on quite a show. 10pm / No cover if in attendance before 6pm Val Halla, Joal Kamps, Brandon Isaak, David Gogo / Slow Pub — Come and enjoy some great live tunes courtesy of BreakOut West. 8:45pm / http://breakoutwest.ca/ Jessica Moskaluke / Whiskey Saloon — A musician from Langenburg, Saskatchewan, this young woman is big on talent and stage presence. With edgy vocals and a stunning voice, Moskaluke has won fans from here to Nashville with her brand of country/pop music. 8pm / Cover $10

Get listed Have a live show you'd like to promote? Let us know! layout@verbnews.com

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friday, september 14 @

O’hanlon’s Pub O’Hanlon’s Pub 1947 Scarth Street (306) 566 4094

Music vibe / Indie rock, and traditional Irish music Featured deals / Pints of Pilsner for $5.50, and Long

Island Iced Tea for $4.50 Drink of Choice / Guinness, and anything from O’Hanlon’s

own line of beer top eats / The famous Copper Kettle pizza, as well as traditional Irish dishes, like Shepherd’s Pie or Irish Stew Coming up / O’Hanlon’s will be a venue for the WCMAs, and will soon be launching their own brewery

Photography by Klein Photoraphy – feedback@verbnews.com

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Photo: Courtesy of open road films

Original Ride-along

End of Watch is so fresh, it’s almost like seeing a cop movie for the first time. by adam hawboldt

R

emember in the David Ayer movie Training Day, near the end, when Denzel Washington’s character is surrounded by thugs and looks around and yells “King Kong ain’t got sh*t on me!”

Remember how it made your hair stand on end? Then and there you knew a reckoning was just around the corner?

Well, there’s no such line in Ayer’s new flick, End of Watch. No quip that will give you the shivers; nothing that will be instantly quotable. But it doesn’t matter, because End of Watch is still an excellent cop movie. In fact, it’s one of the best cop movies made in the last 10 years.

Seriously. It’s that good.

Told over the course of a year or so, the movie follows the mean-

dering lives of two beat cops. One of them, Mike Zavala (played by Michael Peña) is a family man with a love of police work and quick, selfdeprecating sense of humour.

The other, Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal), is a cocky ex-Marine with a shaved head and more than enough swagger to go around. Together they patrol the mean streets of south Los Angeles, and as they do the audience gets a real and gritty glimpse into the life of a cop in South Central. Just a series of vivid and visceral impressionistic sketches of real cops doing real things.

There are shootings that must be reported and justified to higher ups, there are drugged-up parents who beat their kids. There’s a gang of girls who laugh while they kill, a ruthless drug cartel from south of the border, and more.

And even though this may seem like a preposterously (dare I say, impossibly?) high number of dangerous situations to deal with, the overdose doesn’t take away from the movie. Nor does the fact that it doesn’t really have a linear plot.

Why? Because from start to end, pillar to post, End of Watch feels fresh. It feels new. It feels like you’re

watching something utterly and completely original.

Blending footage from surveillance cameras, cellphones, dashboard cams and mini-cams, Ayer (who wrote and directed the flick) gives the movie a smart, tense, down-and-dirty feel that tosses you into the back seat of Mike and Brian’s patrol car.

End of Watch Directed by David Ayer Starring Jake Gyllenhaal + Michael Peña 109 minutes | 18A

As for Peña, this is hands-down, the performance of his career to date. Sure he was good in Crash and

As for Peña, this is hands-down, the performance of his career…

Adam Hawboldt

And do you know what? Along the way, you really start caring about the two main characters. You learn about their vices and virtues.

And, try as you might, it’s difficult not to root for them.

Part of this is because, yes, Ayer wrote a strong script with two strong, believable characters.

But a bigger reason is because of the performances of the two main characters. Gyllenhaal is pitch-perfect as the ambitious Mike.

Babel, but this is some other-level, fantastic stuff he’s doing here.

End of Watch is one fantastic thrillride that you definitely won’t want to miss.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@AdamHawboldt ahawboldt@verbnews.com

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Struggling to survive

Photo: Courtesy of Entertainment One Films

Kivalina vs. Exxon hits hard with environmental message. by adam hawboldt

I

magine you live in Alaska.

In the remote northwestern village of Kivalina, to be precise.

Imagine that, for the longest time, your main source of income came from the whaling industry.

Now imagine that all the ice — on which the whaling industry depends — starts to melt. So much so that you can’t work anymore. Nor can you partake in seasonal hunts.

Your village is left unprotected from the elements. What would you do?

If your answer is you’d sue a bunch of giant energy companies, then you’ll most certainly like Ben Addelman’s latest documentary, Kivalina vs. Exxon. Heck, even if your first choice wouldn’t be litigation, you’ll probably still like this documentary.

Shot beautifully by cinematographer Steve Cosens, Kivalina vs.

Exxon is the kind of save-the-environment eco-film that really bangs home its point. Instead of having a bunch of experts and concerned,

people’s lives.

Instead of dwelling on the lawsuit and getting bogged down in legal lingo, the film smartly turns a clear and concise eye on the village of Kivalina and its problems.

[T]his documentary … serves real and scary notice that climate change is happening.

Adam Hawboldt

environmentally-conscious people telling you what the problem is and hitting you over the head with fact after numerical fact, Kivalina vs.

Exxon actually shows you the effects of climate change and how it affects

Sure, there are segments about a slick Houston lawyer, the villagers and their historic court case against energy goliaths like Exxon Mobil Corp. and Shell Oil. Sure, there’s talk about how toxic emissions and

greenhouse gases are contributing to the destruction of the environment, but for the better part of the film, the audience is exposed to the hardships of the Kivalina people.

And on top of all that, the entire existence of the village hangs in the balance. The last time anyone in this whaling community caught a whale was in 1994. Ten years after that the village started eroding — literally.

Sandbags and sandbars had to be set up to protect the town.

Then, in 2006, the US government labeled Kivalina as “unlivable.” Thing is, though, by 2009 — when the film actually begins — the government isn’t overly concerned with helping the citizens of Kivalina relocate — that’d cost too much money. So instead the politicians figure that the best thing to do for the community is to build a massive oil pipeline and keep a local zinc mine in business.

With all this as a backdrop, Addelman puts the villagers on camera and lets them have their say. He gives them a chance to tell us their touching, often heart-wrenching, stories. And even though the docu-

Kivalina v. Exxon Directed by Ben Addelman cinematographer: Steve Cosens 81 minutes | UNRATED

mentary consists of a lot of talkinghead interviews, even though no one from the energy industry is interviewed, Kivalina vs. Exxon is still a good film.

Dare I say an important film?

In a way, yes, I dare. Because this documentary is kind of like the canary they used to keep in coal mines. It serves real and scary notice that climate change is happening. Regardless of who or what is at fault.

Kivalina vs. Exxon will be opening at the Regina Public Library on September 27th.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@AdamHawboldt ahawboldt@verbnews.com

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crossword canadian criss-cross 28. Like milk 30. Of the sense of touch 33. One without a permanent address 37. Binary digit 38. Right after 40. Letter after alpha 41. Do some darning 43. Unit of matter 45. Monstrous bird of Arabian mythology 46. Naval flag 48. Complain 50. Commotions 51. Rhone tributary 52. Memorization by repetition

53. Aware of

20. Pepper’s partner 22. Indian bread (Var.) 25. Game stopper 27. Untidy one 29. Get the dirt out of 30. Encyclopedia unit 31. Concerning 32. Cut objectionable material from a film 34. Spanish wool 35. Mend one’s ways 36. European fish 39. Human trunk 42. Queen of Carthage 44. Try to say 47. Purchased 49. Deep round container

DOWN 1. Web-___ 2. Long-eared animal 3. Song for two 4. Opposite of exit 5. Able to be shaped into sheets, like metal 6. Canada’s neighbour 7. Plenty of 8. Crafty one?

9. Knife part 11. Blender button 12. Voguish 14. Plant’s start 17. Underlying theme

sudoku answer key

A

B

6 8 3 4 9 2 5 1 7 4 5 1 6 7 3 8 2 9 9 7 2 1 8 5 4 3 6 7 1 9 5 4 8 2 6 3 8 3 4 2 6 9 7 5 1 5 2 6 3 1 7 9 4 8 3 4 8 7 2 6 1 9 5 2 6 7 9 5 1 3 8 4 1 9 5 8 3 4 6 7 2

1. Slowly pass out of sight 5. Russian parliament 9. Officer responsible for the maintenance of a ship 10. Take as one’s possession 12. Place for hangers 13. Plant with spines 15. Medicine ___, Alberta 16. Put through its paces 18. Add to the staff 19. Mid-month, in old Rome 21. Damage irreparably 23. Find out 24. Sweet-smelling wood 26. Used explosives on

3 9 4 6 1 7 8 2 5 7 1 8 5 2 4 3 9 6 5 6 2 9 8 3 4 7 1 8 3 7 2 4 6 5 1 9 9 2 1 7 3 5 6 4 8 6 4 5 8 9 1 7 3 2 4 8 9 3 5 2 1 6 7 2 7 3 1 6 8 9 5 4 1 5 6 4 7 9 2 8 3

ACROSS

© walter D. Feener 2012

Horoscopes September 14 – September 20 Aries March 21–April 19

Leo July 23–August 22

Sagittarius November 23–December 21

As Larry the Cable Guy would say, “get ‘er done” this week, Aries.

It’ll be a good time to put your nose to the proverbial grindstone.

Author Erica Jong once said “Jealousy is all the fun you think they had.” Don’t be envious this week, Leo. Get out there and join the party.

Nobody can give you freedom, Sagittarius, you have to take it. So in this upcoming week, be sure to take as much as you need to put yourself at ease.

Taurus April 20–May 20

Virgo August 23–September 22

Capricorn December 22–January 19

Life’s a song, Taurus. This week you should sing it. And who cares if you’re tone deaf? Sing your little heart out, to heck with what others think.

“Guilt,” says an Al Pacino character “ is like a … bag of bricks, all you gotta do is set it down.” If you’re feeling guilty this week, Virgo, take notice.

A stroke of luck may come your way this week, Capricorn, so do your best to embrace it. Real luck is as rare as plutonium — it’s not easy to find.

Gemini May 21–June 20

Libra September 23–October 23

Aquarius January 20–February 19

Proceed with caution! This isn’t the week to make any huge decisions, especially on impulse. Best to think things through over the next few days.

Hard work and dedication could both play a pivotal role for you this week. If you want to succeed over the next couple days, embrace these things.

They say that cleanliness is next to godliness. And while nearly every part of that sentence is debatable, you might want to tidy things up a bit this week.

Cancer June 21–July 22

Scorpio October 24–November 22

Pisces February 20–March 20

Remember there is a big difference between information and knowledge. You’ll be bombarded with a lot of both this week, so be wary.

Gratitude can get you a long way this week, Scorpio, so keep that in mind if you face any adversity. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

Being close only counts in hand grenades and horseshoes, Pisces.

So if you set out to do something this week, make sure you’re on point.

sudoku 3 4 6 1 5 A 7 8 3 6 9 3 4 8 7 5 1 2 7 5 4 6 9 1 2 4 8 3 5 2 7 9 1 6 9 2 8

crossword answer key

8 3 4 2 5 7 5 9 9 8 5 3 7 1 3 3 4 2 6 7 1 7 9 8 6 1 2 6 9 4 1 5 8 4 6 2

B

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