Verb Issue R51 (Oct. 26-Nov. 1, 2012)

ISSUE #51 – OCTOBER 26 TO NOVEMBER 1

GHOST HUNTERS Paranormal activity in the prairies RURAL ALBERTA ADVANTAGE On finding connection CLOUD ATLAS + THE IMPOSTER Films reviewed­

NEW BEGINNINGS PLANTS AND ANIMALS

WITH

PHOTO: COURTESY OF EMI MUSIC

CONTENTS

NEWS + OPINION

CULTURE

ENTERTAINMENT

Q + A WITH RURAL ALBERTA ADVANTAGE

LIVE MUSIC LISTINGS

On finding connection. 8 / Q + A

Local music listings for October 26 through November 3. 14 / LISTINGS

MIRACULOUS TRANSFORMATION

IN FLANDERS FIELDS

NIGHTLIFE PHOTOS

The untold story of John McCrae.

We visit The Cathedral Freehouse.

Envisioning event spaces. 3 / LOCAL

9 / ARTS

15 / NIGHTLIFE

THE FOX WILL FLY

CLOUD ATLAS + THE IMPOSTER

VERBNEWS.COM @VERBREGINA FACEBOOK.COM/VERBREGINA

EDITORIAL

Flying Fox and the Hunter Gatherers on overcoming the odds. 9 / ARTS

We review the latest movies. 16 / FILM

GHOST HUNTERS

ART & PRODUCTION DESIGN LEAD / ROBERTA BARRINGTON DESIGN & PRODUCTION / BRITTNEY GRAHAM CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS / TAMARA KLEIN, DANIELLE TOCKER, ADAM HAWBOLDT + ALEX J MACPHERSON

Exploring paranormal activity in the prairies. 4 / LOCAL

ON THE COVER:

PLANTS AND ANIMALS

A new beginning for these Canadian rockers. 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

THE ZOMBIES ARE COMING! How to survive an uprising of the undead. 6 / EDITORIAL

BUSINESS & OPERATIONS

DO SVIDANIYA

ON THE BUS

This week we visit the Russian Style Cafe + Deli. 12 / FOOD + DRINK

Weekly original comic illustrations

by Elaine M. Will. 18 / COMICS

COMMENTS

MUSIC

GAME + HOROSCOPES

Here’s what you thought about Kelly Block’s mail-out. 7 / COMMENTS

Big Sugar, Rah Rah + Kreayshawn.

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

13 / MUSIC

OFFICE MANAGER / STEPHANIE LIPSIT MARKETING MANAGER / VOGESON PALEY FINANCIAL MANAGER / CODY LANG

CONTACT COMMENTS / FEEDBACK@VERBNEWS.COM / 881 8372 ADVERTISE / ADVERTISE@VERBNEWS.COM / 979 2253 DESIGN / LAYOUT@VERBNEWS.COM / 979 8474 GENERAL / INFO@VERBNEWS.COM / 979 2253

PLEASE RECYCLE AFTER READING & SHARING PHOTO: COURTESY OF CAROLINE DESILETS

2 OCT 26 – NOV 1 VERB MAGAZINE

CONTENTS

LOCAL

EDITORIAL

COMMENTS

Q+A

ARTS

COVER

FOOD + DRINK

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LISTINGS

NIGHTLIFE

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TIMEOUT

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LOCAL

MIRACULOUS TRANSFORMATION

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF MICHAEL BELL

How an old church became a new event space.

BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

T

he Artesian on 13th is many things to many different people. For music fans, it is the perfect setting for an evening of tender melodies and insightful lyrics. For local comedians and actors, dancers and artists, it is the ideal performance hall. For residents of Cathedral Village, it is an anchor, a place where people from across the city meet and engage and celebrate.

For Chad Jacklin, the Artesian on

for a three-night spectacular of music and film. The shows were successful, but the number of people wedged into the gallery prompted Jacklin to consider a more spacious facility.

“We’ve got such great talent in this city,” he says. “We naïvely thought, ‘What if we had a bigger space to do this?’”

Soon, Jacklin and Gebhardt were entranced by the notion of a dedicated venue. But, Jacklin laughs, “We had no idea what we were getting

We just wanted to honour the artist.

These people are fantastically talented…

CHAD JACKLIN

13th is the realization of a vision that began with a big concert in a little art gallery.

“With Mysteria, we do rotating art shows,” Jacklin says of the gallery he opened with his partner, Marlo Gebhardt. “We got offers from a few people to do little performances.

New Dance Horizons did a dance performance up there one time, and before Fringe we had a workshopped play up there.” Mysteria is an art gallery, not a concert hall. Eventually, the demand for performance space outstripped the confines of the space.

In July 2008 the Lazy MKs, a local band and longtime friends of Jacklin and Gebhardt, took over the gallery

ourselves into.” Jacklin and Gebhardt looked at buildings across the city; none were satisfactory. Eventually, they began to consider that the ideal venue simply didn’t exist.

One afternoon in 2009, the pastor at Calvary Evangelical Church, which sits on the corner of 13th and Angus, walked into Iannone’s Footwear and Shoe Clinic. A conversation ensued; the pastor made an offhand remark about looking for someone to buy the church. Chris Iannone, the proprietor, knew Jacklin and Gebhardt. When the pastor left, he hurried over to Mysteria. “It happened by accident,”

Jacklin recalls. “Chris came over and told us about it, and then we took it from there.”

Jacklin’s first impression of the old church was overwhelmingly positive. “Love at first sight,” he laughs.

“Back in the fifties, when this one was built, they knew how to make acoustics work so you could be heard in the place.” The church seemed like a perfect match. It had high ceilings and a green room, a big basement and a perfect foyer. Jacklin and Gebhardt were sold. “We could have essentially painted the place and opened it up and started operating,” Jacklin recalls. But that wasn’t good enough. Instead, they embarked on an odyssey of renovations. They fixed the leaky steeple, replaced the carpet, which was a particularly vulgar shade of electric blue, and insulated the basement. Jacklin also made use of reclaimed materials where he could.

“That’s something I’ve been involved with forever,” he says. He rescued the front doors from Herchmer School and framed the entrance with beams from an old grain elevator.

The tin ceiling in the foyer came from a building in Wolseley. But Jacklin’s favourite pieces are the doors to the performance hall, which came from Marian High School. “I’ve had those probably about eight years,” he says.

“They were in pretty rough shape.”

The Artesian on 13th opened on May 1, 2010. They named it for a free-flowing

underground aquifer, a reference to the river of talent flowing through Regina. The first performance was given by the Lazy MKs. “We had planned the concert and a few things came up and delayed us,” Jacklin says. “We finished literally hours before … it was quite emotional.”

Since opening night, the Artesian has hosted dozens of events. More importantly, the building has become an anchor for the city and the wider arts community. Although Jacklin says many artists avoided Regina because there was not a suitable venue, he did not set out to create a thriving social hub. “We get so many great comments from people … on how important to the neighbourhood [the space] is,” he says. “It’s quite humbling.”

The Artesian was designed to be an event space; it evolved into something much more than that.

Today, artists and musicians from across North America send Jacklin e-mails. “We opened ourselves up to a huge amount of talent we didn’t know existed,” Jacklin says. “We just wanted to honour the artist. These people are fantastically talented, and we wanted to experience everything that they had. And that’s what our place has become — a place where people want to listen.”

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

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3 OCT 26 – NOV 1 /VERBREGINA

CONTENTS

LOCAL

EDITORIAL

COMMENTS

Q+A

ARTS

COVER

FOOD + DRINK

MUSIC

LISTINGS

NIGHTLIFE

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TIMEOUT

NEWS + OPINION

LOCAL

GHOST HUNTERS

A new TV series explores paranormal activity on the prairies.

BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

T

he first time Bill Connelly saw a ghost he was eight years old.

It was evening and Connelly was downstairs in his father’s funeral home in Edmonton. The house was silent, save for young Billy tinkering with a tune on the organ.

When it was time for bed, Connelly made his way through the house, turning off lights as he walked. Before heading upstairs, though, Connelly stopped at the entrance of one of the viewing rooms. Earlier in the day he’d seen a teenager there, maybe 18 or 19 years old, lying in the casket.

This piqued Connelly’s interest.

“You’re used to seeing old people in the caskets,” says Connelly, “so when I saw that teenager, it affected me. I remember thinking earlier in the day that it was sad for someone that young to be lying there.”

Connelly stopped to take one last look in the teenager’s viewing room before retiring for the night. What he saw he’ll never forget.

“The casket lid was wide open.

Normally they close it,” remembers Connelly. “And as I’m walking up to the room I see someone standing there. It’s the guy in the casket looking down at himself … staring at his own body.”

Now, in a situation like that most people would scream to the high heavens and hightail it out of there.

Bill Connelly is not most people. Hav-

ing come from a long line of undertakers, the young boy was instilled with a deep and sincere respect for the dead. These people in the funeral home were, after all, someone’s mother or father or sister.

“So I slowly turned off the last light,” says Connelly, “then I walked away … then I ran.”

But Connelly wasn’t terrified of what he saw.

Quite the contrary. That night — that first time he saw a ghost — a ball was set in motion that is rolling still.

Jump ahead a couple of decades to present day.

Connelly has been a paranormal investigator for close to 18 years, during which he’s encountered numerous spirits and energies. Yet no matter how close he’s gotten, no matter what he’s seen or felt or sensed, Connelly remains a skeptic. He’s skeptical of the feelings and energies he picks up naturally, and believes there are some things you just can’t explain physically.

“You can tell someone you saw a ghost,” he says, “but how do you prove it?”

The answer to that — at least if you’re Connelly — is to use electronic equipment, like the SB7 Spirit Box, EMF Detectors and crystal resonator bracelets. “For me, it’s all about proof,” says Connelly. “When I’m in a place I can feel, can sense, certain

things. But I need to use this equipment to validate these feelings.”

And it is this adherence to scientific qualification of the paranormal that has landed Connelly a role on the upcoming television series The Other Side.

Created by Saskatoon’s Angel Entertainment, The Other Side is a 13-part documentary series that follows a team of paranormal researchers as they seek the truth behind real-life hauntings from Regina to Saskatoon to Drumheller, Alberta.

The series was the brainchild of Jennifer Podemski — one of the producers of the supernatural drama Rabbit Fall.

“We have a close working relationship with Jennifer,” says The Other Side producer Bob Crowe, “but when she called and said she had an idea for a paranormal investigation show we were like ‘yawn … ho hum … it’s all been done before.’”

Boy, were they wrong!

In the aboriginal world spirits are taken as a given, Podemski informed them. They walk among us, they’re so accepted there’s a kind of protocol on how to deal with them.

This was the angle her proposed show would take. This is what would separate The Other Side from all the other paranormal reality programs out there. Needless to say, Crowe liked the idea. As did those CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE »

4

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OCT 26 – NOV 1 NEWS + OPINION

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ARTS

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PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THE OTHER SIDE

working at the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network.

“The first thing we did was cast Jeff Richards, a paranormal worker with Aboriginal roots,” explains Crowe. “Then we took the package to APTN, pitched the show and they

Tom Charles to lead the expedition, and Crowe and company had themselves one heckuva show.

Still, the producers of The Other Side weren’t without reservations.

“Our biggest fear is we’d get all our financing together, get a cast and

At first, whatever we were dealing with was a real terror. One night it leapt into my body…

BILL CONNELLY

loved it. Only took them about five minutes to make up their minds.”

With Richards on board as the resident mentalist, the group needed someone to play off and/or against him. They needed someone with a scientific bent.

And that’s where Connelly entered the equation.

“We wanted balance,” says Crowe. “Jeff covers the psychic, paranormal realm, and we wanted Bill to be the scientific guy. He’s the guy who, if he doesn’t see it on his equipment, doesn’t believe it. He needs the hard evidence. Together, these guys have chemistry. They are in tense situations and there are sparks … that’s TV gold.” Toss in journalist Priscilla Wolf and Aboriginal Elder

crew, then send them out and nothing would happen,” says Crowe.

They needn’t have worried.

In cities and small towns across Saskatchewan, The Other Side’s team of paranormal investigators tracked down a host of spirits and ghosts.

But none were as impressive as the one they encountered at the Western Development Museum in Saskatoon, which is generally regarded as one of the most haunted locales on the prairies.

“We made a huge discovery there,” says Connelly.

The kind of discovery that — much like Connelly’s first run-in with that spirit in the funeral home — he

will never forget. “At first, whatever we were dealing with was a real terror,” says Connelly. “One night it leapt into my body … My hair was standing up on end. Then I got cold because what it was doing was taking the energy out of the atmosphere, creating cold spots … From the tips of my toes to my head the energy was being sucked out of me.”

This made Connelly mad.

“Get the f*ck off me, get the f*ck off me” he recalls screaming, as he tried to break free.

But the spirit didn’t listen.

In a last-ditch attempt, Connelly ran outside for a breather. The gambit worked and things returned to normal — that is, until Connelly woke up the next morning.

“I had tingles throughout my whole body,” he remembers.

“When I woke up my entire leg was numb. To this day the tip of my toes are still a bit numb because of that experience.”

Lucky for Connelly and the rest of the crew, after weeks of investigating the museum, the spirit grew lest hostile and, eventually, they were able to conduct something of an in-depth investigation.

“It wasn’t a residual energy we were dealing with, it was conscious,” explains Connelly.

“It would answer questions. I asked if it was hard for him to hear us; he said yes. I asked if he remembered what it was to like to look with

your physical eyes and if that’s what he saw; he said no.”

Connelly continued to ask the spirit a multitude of other questions about his birth and death and where he’s buried.

Soon, the ghost hunters were able to identify the spirit, though his identity is being kept tightly under wraps, until The Other Side premiers next year.

Until then, Connelly will be doing what he does best — hunting ghosts while trying to answer a lot of questions he still has about the spirit world.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

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5 OCT 26 – NOV 1 @VERBREGINA

CONTENTS

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COMMENTS

Q+A

ARTS

COVER

FOOD + DRINK

MUSIC

LISTINGS

NIGHTLIFE

FILM

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TIMEOUT

NEWS + OPINION

EDITORIAL

THE ZOMBIES ARE COMING! Saskatchewan offers untold benefits to survive an uprising of the undead.

A

nyone who has paid attention to the news this year knows the zombie apocalypse is well on its way.

Think about it: in Florida, a man bit a chunk out of another man’s arm, then powered through a roadblock of cop tasers. In Baltimore, another guy ate his roommate’s heart and brain. And in Florida, a third tried to eat his neighbour’s face.

If that’s not proof enough, dear reader, we don’t know what is. And we feel it’s time to plan for the inevitable. It’s not all doom and gloom, though: the good news is, you’re in Saskatchewan! Our lovely province offers a host of benefits to getting out from under a zombie uprising, so here’s what you’ve got to do.

First up: the basics. Get in shape (there’s going to be running), get

supplies (you’re not going to want to starve), and get some weapons (you’re not going to be able to talk your way out of this one). You’ll also want to consider your clothing.

Sneakers, layers and camouflage are three key words you should keep in mind when dressing for the zombie apocalypse. Remember: This is not a fashion show! You want to stay alive (and let’s face it: warm), not necessarily look good. Though if you can pull off both, then kudos.

Okay. You’re packed, clothed, and in shape. So what do you do once the walking dead start invading Regina? Well, it’d be wise to surround yourself with a group of people you can trust. You’ll want people who are good with a gun and have a strong desire to live. And on a side note: it wouldn’t be the worst idea to have

a few geriatrics, maybe a handful of people who can’t run as quickly in your group for, uh, distraction purposes. Hey, we never said surviving a zombie apocalypse was going to be pretty.

Next: get the hell out of the city.

More people equals a greater chance of being bit by a zombie, so you’re going to want to get out of any heavily populated areas. Good thing Saskatchewan abounds with wide open spaces! So where should you go? Well, we already have a place staked out. And even though we can’t tell you the exact location (unless you’re a good runner, know your way around a gun and can start fire from pretty much nothing) we can say this: it’s on an island in a lake in northern Saskatchewan.

Why an island? That’s simple:

zombies are notoriously bad swimmers. Our province plays host to a myriad of lakes, so there shouldn’t be any scrapping over a viable location for a survivalist outpost. Once you’re on an island, you’ll want to get busy building a fortress. If possible put it on stilts because, you guessed it, zombies are also pretty terrible climbers. When everything is set up, it’s time to hunker down and defend your plot. Don’t worry, though! The zombies won’t be around for long.

See, the walking dead don’t deal well with the cold. In fact, many theorize that zombies freeze when the temperature drops, so you’ll only have to hold them off for a while. Because if there’s one thing that’s certain around here, it’s winter.

Once the zombies are frozen, you’ll have to go out, restock and get all your work done in the frigid months, because once spring thaw hits, it’s go time! Again and again.

Until either you rid the world of zombies or they rid it of you. Good luck!

These editorials are left unsigned because they represent the opinions of Verb magazine, not those of the individual writers.

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6 OCT 26 – NOV 1 NEWS + OPINION

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COMMENTS

ON TOPIC: Last week we asked what you thought about Kelly Block’s mail-out. Here's what you had to say:

– Your editorial is off the mark.

This is not about denying emergency, lifesaving health care to refugees. Rhetoric aside, should refugees receive free elective health care services, such as dental and glasses, that the rest of Canadians must pay for?

– All of Kelly Block’s mailings find their way to the garbage. I contacted her to say I don’t care to receive them and I still get them in the mail!

– Good editorial “unwelcome wagon”.

– Block is a total disgrace. Way to show everyone how progressive you can be Saskatchewan!

– Kelly Block was behaving despicably. And before everyone cries out about helping “actual” canadians look around: pretty much every single one of us came to this country at one point or another. So why not reach out a helping hand to someone who is in a position we or our families all were once in at some point?

– Block is a total embarassment.

– Verb editorial say “give constituents cold hard facts”. Great point.

But the Harper government hates facts. If you believe it must be fact.

– In this world of everyone being politically correct, i have to ask, why do we as canadians take better care of and seem to give more rights to people not from canada

Text yo thoughtsur to 881 VE R B 8372

than those who were born here and need our help??? Kelly Block was looking out for canadians born and bred! Way to go Kelly, u got it right!

OFF TOPIC – Cool story on Brett McCormick I remember hearing about his accident. Good to know he’s doing well.

In response to “Racing to Recovery,” Local page, #50 (October 19, 2012)

SOUND OFF – Instead of seeing the food hampers as half empty, let’s start seeing them as half full. Whether you are a recipient or donator, we have lots to be thankful for. Let’s help each other out.

– Saw a doc last night. Superior feeling white people actually got sick stayed in bed when Obama was elected. All the systems they put in place to protect their white presidents from minorities now protect Obama from them. Too rich!

– Saw adam hawboldts haiku on the bus today.... its amazing

– Elvis is alive I’m really really sure

– The stupidest most loser thing of all is we go around the world trying to sell this system this way of life to other nations. Violence poverty corruption health and drug epidemics loners who pop and kill dozens all kinds of abuse of women and children racism so

rank it shows as clear class and life expectancy differences greed that brings down global economies burning the life of the planet like a stick of wood. Yeah sure! Sure!

Other nations and Other nations and peoples want in on that!

– I always knew we were all here from the future!

– Ah crap the candidates I vote for or other ridings I want to win never do! That bites so much in a lifetime in a democracy!

– I HATE WHEN PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SNOW. THIS IS CANADA! WE GET SNOW!

no post secondary or professional ed in jobs over their head. We all pay for this.

– Here’s a tip for everyone living in an old dive. Compact fluorescent lights make lots of UV light and a small amount of ozone. Deodorizes a room. Run em 24/7

– Ever pay attention to how often you use me my or I in describing your life or career goals? It often sounds very self-interested from the outside don’t it?

– Verb has too many ads and not enough content.

NEXT WEEK: How would you survive a zombie apocalypse in the prairies? Pick up a copy of Verb to get in on the conversation:

– Things are looking UP DOWNtown.

– Man they’re all so good looking on the series “Heartland”. That would be a hot ranch to live on. A guy might even get a little “Brokeback” with Grampa!

– You’re probably DOWNtown when you’re reading texts in the Verb.

– Its getting a little better but Sask is still really bad for people with

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

7 OCT 26 – NOV 1 /VERBREGINA

CONTENTS

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EDITORIAL

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ARTS

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FOOD + DRINK

MUSIC

LISTINGS

NIGHTLIFE

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NEWS + OPINION

Q+A

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF PH / PENDING

SOMETHING TO GRAB ON TO

The Rural Alberta Advantage and the search for connection.

BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

T

he Rural Alberta Advantage got it wrong.

There is not just one advantage to their music; there are many. After honing their skills at a Toronto open mic night that no one ever went to, the RAA emerged as one of the most dynamic and exciting three-piece acts in the country. I called Nils Edenloff to find out just how his band makes so much with so little.

Alex J MacPherson: Is playing as a three-piece important to your sound?

Nils Edenloff: I think it’s just something that evolved over time. Initially, people were scratching their heads. The band more or less evolved out of Paul and I hosting an open mic night, an open mic night that no one went to, so he and I would have to play for hours. It was me playing guitar and Paul playing on a super small drum kit, trying to make as much sound as possible. From there

we started playing more shows, but it got to the point where we needed someone else to fill it out — so we brought Amy in.

AJM: More importantly, though, no other three-piece sounds like the RAA.

up, and they’re sort of finding their feet in front of crowds of people …

We played a ton of shows before anyone really cared. I feel like the open mic experience gave me a chance to discover … what worked well between Paul and myself.

NE: I’m glad that we kind of have our own unique sound, to a certain

AJM: One of the things I like about the RAA is how your music appeals to

[T]here is a real visceral connection people have with the music.

with meeting fans … that there is a real visceral connection people have with the music — almost as much as I have to the songs we’re making.

NILS EDENLOFF

degree. I think that’s something that tends to get lost with a lot of modern music. Once you hear a band, you should be able to identify … what that band is — recognize their sound.

AJM: How important was that open mic night to your success today?

NE: That’s incredibly important.

There are so many bands that start

so many different people. How do you describe the sound?

AJM: Is the rawness of your sound a big reason why people identify with it?

NE: I think, at the end of the day, we’re generally kind of a folky band that tries to convey our personal emotions in an intimate kind of way. And I think that’s something people have kind of latched on to. There is that immediacy to the music … I’ve noticed

NE: I don’t think I’ve really considered it in those terms. I totally agree: there’s something to the simplicity of our music … Because it starts with me on the guitar most of the time, a lot of the songs can be stripped down to me in a bedroom on an acoustic guitar.

There’s something people like about that. Like, ‘I can play this myself,’ … at the end of the day, someone can sing just as good as me.

The Rural Alberta Advantage November 2 @ Knox Metropolitan Church $25+ @ Globe Theatre Box Office Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

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IN FLANDERS FIELDS

The untold story of John McCrae.

A

ll that remains of John McCrae are fifteen short lines of verse. McCrae penned them on May 3, 1915, after presiding over the funeral of a friend killed in the Second Battle of Ypres. McCrae would be dead less than three years later, tipped off the edge of the world by a bad case of pneumonia. But almost a century after the guns fell silent, his poem survives. “In Flanders Fields” is seared into our collective memories, a fitting epitaph for those who died so young.

“It’s a wonderful, wonderful musical,” says Robert Ursan of In Flanders Fields, a new production that traces the outline of McCrae’s life. “This show is the story, the life story, the things that led up to the writing of that poem — how John McCrae ended up where he was. It deals with his family. It deals with his relationship to a fiancée, and then how one

BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

of his friends ended up with him at the Battle of Ypres.”

McCrae was born in Guelph, Ontario in 1872. The son of an army officer, McCrae was forced to balance his artistic impulses against the expectations of not only his family, but society at large. He wanted to be a poet; his parents wanted him to be anything but. He chose to train as a physician, and served with the artillery during the Second Boer War before teaching medicine in Vermont and Montreal. Then, like so many others of his generation, he was swept up by the Great War. Ursan, who is directing the production, is fascinated by the notion of experience. “One of the things that really attracted me to this story is the notion that some single event or some single creation in a person’s life is the culmination of their experience,” he says, pointing out that the poem, which was originally printed in Punch, was slow to gain

traction. “It may seem like it’s an incredibly simple and simplistic poem, but the sentiment of it was good enough for it to be published alongside some of the greater writers of the last hundred years.”

In Flanders Fields adopts a stripped-down approach — three actors play all of the roles — to examine the idea of a single, timeless achievement. “It’s an incredibly emotional and vivid picture,” Ursan says. “Because it’s musical theatre, things are done in broad strokes, but it’s really, really lovely.”

Ultimately, In Flanders Fields casts McCrae as an everyman, someone who achieved greatness in spite of the obstacles facing him. Just as his poem inspires people today, his story should serve as an inspiration — a torch to hold high.

In Flanders Fields November 7-18 @ Artesian on 13th $20+ @ Artesian on 13th

THE FOX WILL FLY

How a band from Winnipeg is overcoming the odds. BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

L

indsey Collins is anxious.

Over the last two years, he and his bandmates in Flying Fox and the Hunter Gatherers have driven countless thousands of miles. They have played dozens of exhausting shows, each a raucous demonstration of how far pop music can be stretched. The pace has been grueling and now the edges are starting to fray.

“We’ve been struggling over the last two years,” says Collins, who plays bass in the Winnipeg-based

band. “We’ve had some shifting lineups. We lost our keyboard player and our trombone player.” While working hard to get new musicians up to speed — the band’s music is neither straightforward nor easy to play — Flying Fox experienced a string of disappointing shows, sometimes playing for just a handful of people.

“It’s a downer,” Collins says simply.

This is surprising, because there is no good reason why any Flying Fox show should be described as a downer.

Born from a wonderfully twisted vision of operatic rock and fairy tale aesthetics, and realized as a fantastical collection of symphonic stories ornamented with punchy brass and Jesse Krause’s baritone, each Flying Fox song is a rock opera in miniature. Their debut LP, Hans My Lion, combines driving rock instrumenta-

tion, ornate arrangements, and an unquenchable thirst for innovative pop songs. The band’s sound is as compelling as it is unusual.

“I love playing music,” Collins says. “I’m so excited about playing in this band, because these are by far the most talented people I’ve ever played with and I feel like we’ve got something unique to offer people.

That’s what drives me to keep going.”

It is impossible to overstate the difficulties facing a band like Flying Fox, who rely on the record industry for support while existing on its fringes. But Collins is determined to press on. “Sometimes, you wonder at what point do the things piling up against you become enough that you go, ‘Alright, I guess we’ll not do that anymore?’” Collins muses. “We haven’t hit that point yet.”

The world is full of pop acts that

sound the same, but Flying Fox and the Hunter Gatherers sound like nothing you’ve heard before — which is why they are so much fun to listen to.

Collins may be anxious, but as long as there is an appetite for innovative pop, the fox will continue to fly.

Flying Fox & the Hunter Gatherers November 3 @ Happy Nun Cafe; Forget, SK. Tickets TBD Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@MacPhersonA amacpherson@verbnews.com

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PHOTO: COURTESY OF ANAXOLOTI

THE END OF THAT

A new beginning for Plants and Animals. BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

M

y introduction to Plants and Animals came several years ago when my cousin Aimée gave me a copy of Parc Avenue, their debut album. Her partner owned the Montreal recording studio where Warren Spicer, Nicolas Basque, and Matthew Woodley cut the record.

I listened to it obsessively, lusting over the wavering chords that open “Bye Bye Bye” and grooving to the syncopated madness of “Guru.”

Months later, I had the chance to meet the band. Spicer probably doesn’t remember, but there is no reason why he should. He was a popular musician moments away from entertaining a capacity crowd; I was a skinny university student in glasses and a bad haircut. But Spicer made a big impression. He was kind and generous with his beer, and as engaging as a musician can be seconds before the lights go down.

Since that night, I have followed Plants and Animals with not a little interest. I listened to La La Land when it came out in 2010. When their latest record, The End of That, came out a

few weeks ago, I was surprised to hear how far afield Spicer and his bandmates had taken their signature sound.

Unlike Parc Avenue and La La Land, which took advantage of the novel tools available in a recording studio, The End of That was recorded live with few overdubs and minimal production.

It was an attempt to capture a snapshot of the band working in 2011. “We just wanted to sound like us,” Spicer says.

“I think in a lot of ways it’s the most transparent record that we’ve made.

It certainly wasn’t overworked … We just recorded the songs.”

Plants and Animals demoed the record in Montreal before decamping to France, where they spent two weeks cutting the most vital tracks of their career. Today, Spicer struggles to accept the implications of working quickly.

“We thought we gave ourselves a lot of time, but two weeks went by really quickly,” he says. “Part of me also felt like … I would have liked to have worked on certain things more, but … that never happened.”

Plants and Animals have been playing together for more than a

decade. Their current sound, a blend of straightforward rock and folk snatched from the sixties, offers little insight into their history. Plants and Animals did not begin life as a rock band; Plants and Animals began life as an instrumental jam band. Their first EP held a fifteen-minute song.

And then Spicer started singing. After a second EP and a slew of shows in Montreal, Plants and Animals recorded Parc Avenue. The record was nominated for two Junos and the Polaris Music Prize. Their second fulllength album, La La Land, was also nominated for the Polaris. It would have been easy for Spicer and his bandmates to recycle old templates for The End of That, but this would run counter to everything the band stands for.

“We’ve covered a lot of ground stylistically, and we’ve never created the right recipe and stuck with it,” he says. “I think part of making that record, The End of That, was definitely a commitment to make a record we knew wasn’t going to sound like popular music right now.

We knew that it was different from what we’ve established before as

whatever Plants and Animals do.”

Making The End of That was a risk, but it appears to have paid off. The new record sounds like one of the band’s renowned live performances: raw and powerful and charming. The

to familiar territory: rock and roll country; “Control Me” feels like a nod to their jam band history — and a demonstration of just how well Spice, Basque, and Woodley can play their instruments. The intertwined

You can get sh*tty reviews … but if … your fans are happy, then you never need to be regarded by the critics.

WARREN SPICER

End of That begins with “Before,” a haunting ballad brimming with vocal harmonies and gently overdriven vacuum tubes. The title track features a searing guitar lick that fades into a laid-back groove complete with Spicer’s best Bob Dylan impression. The song presents as an ode to cocaine but is more likely Spicer’s attempt to grapple with a period where he turned off the radio. (“Feeling like I couldn’t connect to anything,” he says.) “Lightshow” and “2010” return

acoustic guitars, simple drumming, and vocal harmonies on “H.C.” reinforce the idea.

One thread running through the record is the notion of white space, a rarity in the age of heavily-produced studio masterpieces. The End of That is raw in the best sense of the word.

Little mistakes and the idle hiss of a running amplifier add warmth and colour and soul. “That was our intention, to strip things down and not really get into a more constructed CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE »

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PHOTO: COURTESY OF WARREN SPICER

record,” Spicer says. “I think part of doing a record like that is accepting that you’re probably going to want to change things later on — but that’s not part of the deal. If you start retweaking everything and re-taking

the control room. The simple approach resulted in a big, live sound.

But there is no question that The End of That is a different beast than either of its predecessors. Spicer is well aware of this. “If you are making different records, you might lose a few fans if they wish your new record sounded more like your old record, but you’ll also pick up a bunch of new fans who didn’t necessarily connect to your first record,” he says. “I think our heart is in the music. I think ultimately that’s what people can relate to, more than other things.”

PHOTO: COURTESY OF CAROLINE DESILETS

everything, you get away from what we really wanted to do.”

Rather than spend countless hours obsessing over minuscule changes to a rimshot here and a guitar tone there, Spicer, Basque, and Woodley worked fast and loose.

Ultimately, The End of That is brilliant because it feels rushed and sort of ragged, like a rock record should.

It is rich and dynamic and visceral.

Listening to it through a good pair of headphones feels like listening from

Today, Spicer, Basque, and Woodley are preparing for another trip across this country. It is a journey they have made many times before, but this time it’s different. Rehearsals have been much simpler. Parc Avenue and La La Land “were a little bit more about using the studio to create something that wasn’t really there without the studio,” Spicer says, adding that the songs on The End of That are “a lot easier because they were essentially recorded the way we planned to play them. In the past we had gone into

the studio and just pulled the song out of all different places, and when it came time to actually perform them we realized we would have to alter everything — or just forget about the original way we recorded them and just play the song.”

But that doesn’t mean playing the song is easy. The End of That is a rock solid record, its creators an important part of the Canadian musical landscape, but releasing records, especially innovative records, is always a gamble. Poor reviews can and do jeopardize careers. In fact, Spicer sounded mildly irritated when discussing the lacklustre reception The End of That received from some critics. However, he knows that a first-rate live performance is the best way to capture an audience.

“The only thing that really matters is that people come to your shows,” he says. “You can get sh*tty reviews and you can never get put on the Polaris list your whole life, but if you go and sell out your shows and your fans are happy, then you never need to be regarded by the critics. Ultimately, the acclaim from people who actually like your music

is going to be a lot longer-lasting than critical acclaim.”

genuine, authentic rock songs, Spicer inspired himself just as much as he inspired any of his fans.

Earlier this year, Spicer stopped listening to music for awhile. “I just needed a break,” he says. “I couldn’t connect to anything.” Although he eventually started pulling records off the shelf again, it seems plain that Spicer’s return to music was inspired by the songs on The End of That.

By creating a collection of honest,

Plants and Animals November 8 @ Artful Dodger $15 @ ticketedge.ca

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

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DO SVIDANIYA

Photography courtesy of Danielle Tocker

Say goodbye to hunger at the Russian Style Cafe and Deli. BY JESSICA BICKFORD

I

f I had a Russian grandmother, I think the Russian Style Cafe and Deli is exactly what her dining room would look like, complete with a few knickknacks here and there, and a homey, comfortable atmosphere — not to mention tons of delicious Russian food.

sour cream. The beautifully fragrant soup had big pieces of beets, cabbage, potato, carrot, celery, red pepper, and also some tender beef. This was wonderful borscht, even though it was different from what I’ve had in the past, and the thick sour cream gave it such a wonderful tang and comforting creaminess.

joyed the added sweetness from the roasted pepper.

Classic Russian meat crepes were the last main I got to try, and the layers of thin crepes were stuffed with a wonderfully rich ground beef and fried onion mixture. This dish was nicely filling — very meat and potatoes with classic flavours and great textures.

Lastly I had a wonderful slice of Anechka honey cake with a cup of Russian coffee. The cake had layer upon layer of thin cake saturated with brandy and honey, which cloaked a creamy mix of sour cream, nuts, and prunes in between. The play of soft and creamy textures was just fantastic, and the aroma of honey and brandy was intoxicating.

The dates and honey gave this cake such an intense sweetness that the aromatic and smooth coffee was a perfect accompaniment.

With such a friendly atmosphere and unique menu, the Russian Cafe is a must visit in Regina, especially if you

[The] thin crepes were stuffed with a … ground beef and fried onion mixture.

JESSICA BICKFORD

Guennadi Ostrikov opened the Russian Cafe a little over two years ago in order to bring Russian food and live traditional music (every Saturday) to Regina, and has created a vast menu that includes 12 kinds of perogies and a wide array of Russian dishes.

I started with a delicious and warming bowl of borscht served with

A stuffed pepper was next, and it was like a juicy mini meatloaf wrapped in a soft and sweet roasted red pepper. The beef, rice, and pork mixture that made up the filling was incredibly flavourful and warming — perfect for this time of year.

This was a bit similar to a meatfilled cabbage roll, but I really en-

need a taste of the old country. What’s even better is that they also have a small store with freezers stocked with as many varieties of perogies as you can imagine, and shelves lined with imported Russian favourites. So sit down for some freshly cooked Russian dishes, and then pick some up to try another day.

Russian Style Cafe and Deli 1640 Albert St. | 525 0505

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@TheGeekCooks jbickford@verbnews.com

LET’S GO DRINKIN’ VERB’S MIXOLOGY GUIDE VODKA TONIC

INGREDIENTS

Nothing could be more classic, or classier, than a vodka tonic.

Simple, straightforward, cool and refreshing; this drink is full of possibilities depending on what you garnish it with.

2 oz. vodka 2-5 oz. tonic water ice cucumber slices to garnish

DIRECTIONS

Put ice and cucumber slices into a highball glass, then add the vodka.

Depending on how strong you like your drinks, add between two and five ounces of tonic water. Alternately garnish with lime or lemon wedges, other fruits like raspberries, or herbs such as mint or basil. Enjoy!

12 OCT 26 – NOV 1 CULTURE

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MUSIC

NEXT WEEK

COMING UP

BIG SUGAR

RAH RAH

KREAYSHAWN

@ PUMP ROADHOUSE SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3 – $TBD

@ THE ARTFUL DODGER THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8 – $15

@ THE EXCHANGE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7 – $26 (ADVANCED)

In the ‘90s and early 2000s, Big Sugar had quite a run. Their second album (Five Hundred Pounds) went gold, the next two records (Hemi-Vision, Heated) were certified platinum, and their fifth studio LP went gold as well before they called it quits. But a decade later they reunited, and are currently in the middle of their crosscountry Eliminate Ya! tour, visiting old favorite venues and bringing their blues/rock/reggae-tinged tunes to fans from coast to coast. Oh, and speaking of reggae, Big Sugar will be joined on tour by reggae legend Willi Williams — the guy who first wrote and performed the oft-covered “Armagideon Time.” Be sure to check out the show when it rolls into Regina.

Tickets available at the Pump, the Tap offsale and World of Trout.

Is it just me, or is this Reginabased group getting better with age?

From their first album (Going Steady) in 2008, to 2010’s Breaking Hearts and their brand new The Poet’s Dead, it seems as though the Rah Rah sound is maturing. Consisting of Marshall Burns, Erin Passmore, Kristina Hedlund, Joel Passmor, Leif Thorseth, Dan Crozier and Jeffrey Romanyk, this alt-rock/indie-pop act puts out songs that are at once both upbeat and lyrically sharp. On stage they ooze energy, swapping instruments and taking turns singing — you name it. At the moment they’re playing shows in the US, but will be returning to Canada, and playing with Plants and Animals in November. Tickets available in advance at ticketedge.ca

For this Oakland rapper (aka Natassia Gail Zolot), it all started with a YouTube video. Sure, in 2010 she released a mixtape called Kittys x Choppas, along with a music video for her song “Bumpin Bumpin.” But it wasn’t until she put another video on YouTube, “Gucci Gucci,” that she really got noticed. That video generated millions of views and caught the attention of people at Columbia Records, who gave Kreayshawn a deal to make a record. The result was an album called Somethin’ ‘Bout Kreay, which dropped in September. The LP hit #16 on U.S. rap charts and, so far, has produced two celebrated singles.

She’ll be taking her act to Canada as part of a North American tour later this year. Tickets are available at www.gohard.kreayshawn.com.

– By Adam Hawboldt

PHOTOS COURTESY OF: THE ARTIST / THE ARTIST / THE ARTIST

SASK MUSIC PREVIEW Saskatchewan hip hop artist Ryan Stinson has just been awarded a MuchFACT grant to create a video for his song with Ghettosocks, “Melt.” The 28-yera-old hip hop producer has been creating beats since the late ‘90s, and is a three-time grant recipient of the Saskatchewan Arts Board. The video will be directed by Jason Levangie in Halifax..

Keep up with Saskatchewan music. saskmusic.org

PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

13 OCT 26 – NOV 1 @VERBREGINA

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LISTINGS

OCTOBER 26 » NOVEMBER 3 The most complete live music listings for Regina.

S

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28 29 30 31

T

1

26 27 2

3

FRIDAY 26 ASHLEY MACISAAC / Artesian — This talent puts on a helluva show. 8pm / $33 advance, $38 door (pictatic.com) SLIM CITY PICKERS / Artful Dodger — This local group offers a foot-tapping good time at their concerts. 7:30pm / $5 BOYZ II MEN / Casino Regina — This Grammy-winning puts on a show you can’t afford to skip. 8pm / SOLD OUT EDEN ROHATENSKY / Creative City Centre — This local musician is releasing her debut EP. 8pm / Cover 10 DJ JUAN LOPEZ / Envy Nightclub — This DJ loves requests. As long as you’re dancing, he’s happy. 10pm / Cover $5 MEGAN LANE / The Gaslight Sallon — Mixing blues, soul and rock, this musician is all kinds of good. 10pm DJ Pat & DJ Kim / Habano’s Martini & Cocktail Club — Local DJs spin top 40 hits every Friday. 9pm / $5 cover ALAIN LALONDE / The Hookah Lounge — Come check out this dope local DJ/ producer. 7pm

SLOW MOTION WALTER / McNally’s Tavern — Playing hits from the ‘80s to today.

10pm / $5 ALBERT / Pure Ultra Lounge — Appearing every Friday night. 10pm / $5 cover DANGEROUS CHEESE / The Sip — If the ‘80s are your thing, don’t miss his quirky party band. 10pm / No charge if in attendance before 6pm BRANDY MOORE / Smokin’ Okies BBQ — Live tunes in Queen City. 8pm / Cover $5 SARAH BETH KEELEY / Whiskey Saloon — Country meets rock, with smattering of pop. 8pm / Cover $5 DJ LONGHORN / Whiskey Saloon — Come check out one of Regina’s most interactive DJs. 8pm / Cover $10

DJ NOOR / The Hookah Lounge — This talented DJ knows how to rock. 7pm / $5 SLOW MOTION WALTER / McNally’s Tavern — Playing hits from the ‘80s to today.

10pm / Cover $5 BULL NORTH + MORE / O’Hanlon’s — Fun and funky music. 9pm / No cover DREWSKI / Pure — Doing what he does best, every Saturday night. 10pm / $5 DANGEROUS CHEESE / The Sip — Don’t miss this quirky party band. 10pm /No charge if in attendance by 6pm OPEN JAM SESSIONS / Smokin’ Okies BBQ — Drop by for a jam or to just listen.

3pm / No cover SARAH BETH KEELEY / Whiskey Saloon — Country meets rock, with smattering of pop. 8pm / Cover $5

SATURDAY 27

MONDAY 29

DEL BARBER / The Artful Dodger — An alt-country/ folk singer/songwriter oozing talent and stage presence. 7:30pm / $10 advance (ticketedge.ca); $15 door RSO MASTERWORKS: RUSSIA’S GREATEST / Conexus Arts Centre — Featuring Korea’s Zheeyoung Moon. 8pm / Tickets $33-63 (www.reginasymphony.com) THE EMPIRE ASSOCIATES, MEGHAN BOWMAN, KEIFFER MCLEAN / Creative City Centre — Three great Saskatchewan acts on one stage. 8pm / Cover $10 DJ JUAN LOPEZ / Envy Nightclub — This DJ loves requests. 10pm / Cover $5 FEAST OF SCREAMS 2012 / The Exchange — Featuring Threat Signal, End Program, Fuqoured, Itchy Stitches and more! 8pm / Tickets $10 (available at Vintage Vinyl) MAGNETIC / The Gaslight Saloon — This heavy metal infused rock band never fails to entertain. 9pm / Cover TBD

MONDAY NIGHT JAZZ AND BLUES / Bushwakker Brewpub — Featuring Uptown Jazz. 8pm / No cover THE FUGITIVES / Casino Regina — A fourpiece polka band from Manitoba 7pm / $10 (www.casinoregina.com) BELLITA Y JAZZTUMBATA / The Exchange — A night of hard-hitting Afro-CubanFusion jazz. 8pm / Tickets TBD

TUESDAY 30

JORDAN KLASSEN, MIKE EDEL, DANNY GOERTZ / The Artful Dodger — Three terrific acts in one night. 7:30pm / $5 advance (ticketedge.ca), $10 at the door TROUBADOUR TUESDAYS / Bocados — Live tunes from local talents every week.

8pm / No cover MICHELLE WRIGHT / Casino Regina — Don’t miss this Canadian Country

Music Hall of Famer. 7pm / Tickers $30+ (casinoregina.com) THE STANFIELDS / The Exchange — This east coast band is hella good. 8pm / $10 (ticketedge.ca) KARAOKE TUESDAY / McNally’s Tavern — Live music venue offers patrons a chance to share the stage. 8pm / No cover THE WILDMEN, THE SEAHAGS / O’Hanlon’s — Two excellent country/altcoutnry bands! 9pm / No cover

WEDNESDAY 31

BIG JOHN BATES HALLOWEEN BASH / The Artful Dodger — This Vancouver band has a haunting sound. 7:30pm / $5 advance (ticketedge.ca); $10 door WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOLK / Bushwakker Brewpub — Featuring Dr. Bird and Blue Beat. 9pm / No cover THE BARE ESSENTIALS HALLOWEEN SHOW / The Gaslight Saloon — Come out to the Gaslight for a frightfully good bash. 9pm / Cover TBD JAM NIGHT AND OPEN STAGE / McNally’s Tavern — Come on down and enjoy some local talent. 9pm / No cover

THURSDAY 1

2 BEATS & A HAT / Artful Dodger — Presented by DJ Verbal & E-Major. 7pm / $5 WIZ KHALIFA / Brandt Centre — An award-winning American artist. 7pm / Tickets $48+ (www.ticketmaster.ca) COLIN JAMES / Casino Regina — James has blossomed into a Juno-winning, kickass guitarist. $40-45 (casinoregina.com) BRANDI DISTERHEFT / Creative City Centre — This young jazz musician is all kinds of good. 7:30pm / $15 advance; $18 at the door DECIBEL FREQUENCY / Gabbo’s Nightclub — Dig electronic dance music? Then come on down. 10pm / $5 PS FRESH / The Hookah Lounge — Featuring DJ Ageless and DJ Drewski. 7pm / No cover OPEN MIC NIGHT / King’s Head Tavern — Come and show your stuff. 8pm / No cover LAST DITCH, TINY / Lancaster Taphouse — Come on out for a night of great music. 9pm / Cover TBD FLY POINTS + MORE / McNally’s — Come support some great local acts. 10pm / $5 DJ LONGHORN / Whiskey Saloon — One of Regina’s most interactive DJs. 8pm / $5

games of all time. Tickets $39.50+ (www. admission.com) ELENA YEUNG, KARL SOMMERFELD / Creative City Centre — An excellent night of music. 7:30pm / $10 DJ JUAN LOPEZ / Envy Nightclub — This DJ loves requests. 10pm / Cover $5 THE LOST FINGERS / The Exchange — A gypsy jazz group from Quebec. 8pm / $23 (Bach & Beyond, Vintage Vinyl) DJ PAT & DJ KIM / Habano’s — Local DJs spin top 40 hits. 9pm / $5 cover ALAIN LALONDE / The Hookah Lounge — Come check out this dope local DJ. 7pm / The Hookah Lounge WONDERLAND / McNally’s — A night of classic rock and more. 10pm / $5 ALBERT / Pure Ultra Lounge — Come listen to Albert as he does his spinning thing. 10pm / $5 cover ABBEY POWELL / Whiskey Saloon –This musician from Alberta puts a modern rock spin on traditional country sound.

8pm / Cover $10 DJ LONGHORN / Whiskey Saloon — Come check out one of Regina’s most interactive DJs. 8pm / Cover $10

SATURDAY 3

APRIL WINE / Casino Regina — A platinum-selling band from Nova Scotia.

8pm / Tickers $35+ (casinoregina.com) RODNEY CARRINGTON / Conexus Arts Centre — Part country musician, part stand-up comedian. 8pm / Tickets $62.50 (www.admission.com) DJ JUAN LOPEZ / Envy Nightclub — This DJ loves requests. 10pm / Cover $5 A TRIBE CALLED RED / The Exchange — Also appearing will be Arek3xSL and Info Red. 8pm / $15 (ticketedge.ca) DJ NOOR / The Hookah Lounge — This talented DJ knows how to rock. 7pm / $5 WONDERLAND / McNally’s Tavern — A night of classic rock and one-hit-wonders. 10pm / $5 DREWSKI / Pure Ultra Lounge — Doing what he does best. 10pm / $5 cover OPEN JAM SESSIONS / Smokin’ Okies BBQ — Drop by for a jam or to just listen.

3pm / No cover ABBEY POWELL / Whiskey Saloon –This musician from Alberta puts a modern rock spin on traditional country sound.

8pm / Cover $10

GET LISTED

FRIDAY 2

VIDEO GAMES LIVE / Conexus — An impressive, immersive concert featuring music from some of the greatest video

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

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NIGHTLIFE

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19 @

THE CATHEDRAL FREEHOUSE

The Cathedral Freehouse 2062 Albert Street (306) 359 6631 MUSIC VIBE / Eclectic — the DJ spins everything

from ‘80’s hits to hip hop FEATURED DEALS / All pizza for $12, pints of Stella for $5 and Freehouse Lemonade for $5 DRINK OF CHOICE / Pints of Stella TOP EATS / Greek or roasted vegetable pizza COMING UP / Halloween party on October 31st

Photography by Klein Photography – feedback@verbnews.com

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FILM

CLOUDY ATLAS

PHOTO: COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. PICTURES

This adaptation of Mitchell’s terrific book is not so terrific.

BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

A

nyone who has read David Mitchell’s novel Cloud Atlas knows its main strength is structure.

See, the British author crafted a brilliant novel that begins in the 1800s and consists of six separate story lines. Each story is developed only halfway before it gets interrupted, with each tale taking place chronologically after the one that

in 2004 it flew off the shelves, was lauded for its bold and unconventional genius, and was short-listed for the Man Booker Prize.

But here’s the thing about Cloud Atlas: because of the structure, it was deemed an unfilmable novel.

Heck, even Mitchell thought that, telling the Wall Street Journal “I believed that Cloud Atlas would never be made into a movie.”

CLOUD ATLAS Lana Wachowski, Andy Wachowkski + Tom Tykwer STARRING Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent + Jim Sturgess DIRECTED BY

164 MINUTES | 14A

books of the past decade. But the more I thought about it, the more I suspected they were going to butcher the story. And sadly, my suspicions were warranted.

The first thing the filmmakers did was mangle Mitchell’s smooth, easyflowing structure.

Sure, all the familiar storylines are there. You have 19th century lawyer Adam Ewing (Jim Sturgess) returning home from the east coast of New Zealand with a chest full of gold and a slave trade contract. You have the young musician Robert Frobisher (Ben Whishaw) latching on to renowned composer Vyvyan Ayrs (Jim Broadbent) in the 1930s.

You have reporter Luisa Rey (Halle Berry) investigating a story in 1973, present day novelist Dermot Hoggins (Tom Hanks) killing a critic, revolutionary leader Hae-Joo Chang

[T]he filmmakers [mangled] Mitchell’s smooth, easy-flowing structure.

ADAM HAWBOLDT

preceded it. All except for the final/ central storyline: that is told in its entirety. Then the novel turns back in on itself, moving back in time and completing each of the interrupted stories.

You got that? If not, think of the structure like this — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, — and you’ll get the idea.

Anyway, when Cloud Atlas came out

But a scant eight years later, filmmakers Lana and Andy Wachowksi (the Matrix trilogy) along with director Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run) did the undoable — they made Cloud Atlas into a big-budget, $100-million movie.

And to be completely honest with you, when I first I heard about this movie I was excited. After all, Cloud Atlas is one of my favourite

(Sturgess) rescuing “fabricant” Sonmi (Doona Bae) in 2144 and you have Zachary (Hanks) in a postapocalyptic Hawaii telling his tales.

Yessiree, all the story lines are there. But the problem is, instead of being smooth and coherent, the filmmakers fragmented the ever-loving hell out of Mitchell’s structure, then jumped around from one story to another in short, spastic bursts.

And while some of these jumps worked, more often than not they landed with a dull, sickening thud.

Kind of like the movie on whole.

Now don’t get me wrong. Cloud Atlas isn’t a terrible movie. It’s visually stunning and consistently entertaining. And, to be honest, if

you’ve never read the book and if you like movies that make you pay close attention from beginning to end, then you may very well enjoy this movie. Heck, even if you read the book, you may like the filmmakers’ translation of it. The characters are engaging, after all, and parts of the narrative are entrancing. But for myself, I had a hard time swallowing the whole thing. But maybe my expectations were too high.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372 @AdamHawboldt ahawboldt@verbnews.com

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TRUE CRIME CLASSIC

Bart Layton’s new documentary about the Nicholas Barclay case is a marvel. BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

E

gads! What to say about Bart Layton’s new documentary, The Imposter?

The words stunning, evocative, intense and astonishing come to mind.

So does the term Oscar-favourite.

But more on that later. For now let’s look at the nuts and bolts of Layton’s debut flick. The story begins in 1994 when Nicholas Barclay — a blond-haired, blue-eyed, 13-year-old from Texas — disappears one day.

For three torturous years, the Barclay family wonders what happened to their son. There was little hope that young Nicholas was alive. Then, in 1997, the family gets a call from a small town named Linares, in Spain.

Authorities there had found a teenager huddled in a phone booth with no identification. At first the teen is hesitant to talk, but when he opens up, he says his name is Nicholas Barclay and that he’d been kidnapped by a child-trafficking ring in America and sent overseas to Europe.

The Barclay family is ecstatic.

Nicholas’ older sister Carey flies to

PHOTO: COURTESY OF ENTERTIANMENT ONE FILMS

embraces Bourdin as her brother and brings him back home to Texas.

Where, naturally, the family tells Carey she’s obviously crazy for mistaking Bourdin for Nicholas, right?

[T]he twisting, turning, emotionallyexplosive storyline of The Imposter is … fascinating and engaging…

ADAM HAWBOLDT

Spain to get her long, lost brother.

But here’s the catch: the person the authorities found isn’t Nicholas Barclay. It’s a 23-year-old man named Frédéric Bourdin, posing as the long lost boy.

So when Carey arrives she sees the imposter and flies home disappointed, right? Wrong.

Despite the fact that Bourdin is far too old to be her brother, despite the fact that he has brown eyes, a French accent and, in truth, looks absolutely nothing like Nicholas, Carey

Wrong again.

The family also welcomes Bourdin into their home with open arms, and is relieved to have their “son” back safe and sound.

Curious about the abduction, the FBI gets involved and interviews Bourdin, who tells them stories of having acid poured in his eyes (hence the change in eye colour) and other chilling tales of torture, rape and forced prostitution.

However, the FBI sees straight through Bourdin’s web of lies and

THE IMPOSTER Bart Layton STARRING Ken Appledorn, Anna Ruben + Adam O’Brian DIRECTED BY

95 MINUTES | N/A

arrests him. Wait a minute … no they don’t. They buy his story hook, line and sinker. What happens then, I don’t want to tell you. As my grandfather would say, “It’d take the piss out of the whole thing.”

So for brevity’s sake, let’s just say the rest of the story involves a private detective and more questions about human nature than you can shake a stick at. But The Imposter does more than simply leave you guessing. It grabs you by the collar and pulls you to the edge of your seat from the start of the documentary to the finish, never once letting go.

Made up of talking-head interviews and noirish reenactments, the twisting, turning, emotionallyexplosive storyline of The Imposter is so fascinating and engaging you’ll be disappointed to see the movie end.

And speaking of disappointment, I’ll be disappointed (not to

mention utterly shocked) if The Imposter doesn’t walk away with an Academy Award for best doc this year.

Yep, it’s that good.

The Imposter will open at the Regina Public Library on November 2; see reginalibrary.ca for more info.

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@AdamHawboldt ahawboldt@verbnews.com

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CROSSWORD CANADIAN CRISS-CROSS DOWN 1. Jewish greeting & farewell 2. ___ nouveau 3. One who attends regularly 4. Using more oxygen 5. Bout of extravagant indulgence 6. Suggestive smile 7. Pendulum’s path 8. Filmed account of a person’s life 9. Repeated too often 11. Addams Family butler 12. Egg on 14. Annoyingly slow 17. Has much experience

20. Confused fight SUDOKU ANSWER KEY 22. Knight’s horse 24. Baseball score A 25. Place to lodge 27. Well-educated, elegant, and having good taste 28. Messy eater 29. 60-minute periods 30. List of corrections 32. Be inattentive 33. Of age B 34. Behind schedule 36. About 28 grams 39. Jockey’s strap 40. Cancelled 43. Menagerie 45. Metal-bearing mineral

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

25. Like a mosquito bite 26. Alfalfa 28. Brightness 31. Magazine extension 35. Handed-down stories 36. Clumsy one 37. Baby’s first word 38. Belonging to us 39. Angry dispute 41. Bit of trail mix 42. Having no shame 44. Piece of pasta 46. Unemotional 47. Long-legged bird 48. Excellent 49. One who gets things done

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

ACROSS 1. Heroic tale 5. Pitcher’s plate 9. Great pain 10. Chance of being hurt 12. Utensil for shredding cheese 13. Make up for 15. Engine need 16. Name for a dog 18. Golf teacher 19. Level of children’s sports in Canada 21. First letter of Nova Scotia’s postal codes 22. Feeling about to vomit 23. Mark for misconduct © WALTER D. FEENER 2012

HOROSCOPES OCTOBER 26 – NOVEMBER 1 ARIES March 21–April 19

LEO July 23–August 22

SAGITTARIUS November 23–December 21

You know the saying “don’t believe everything you hear?” This week, don’t believe anything you hear. Information coming your way may be unreliable.

You may be feeling emotional this week, Leo. Don’t bottle it up. Let your river of feelings flow wild and free.

It’ll do you a world of good.

It’s important to keep yourself open to what the universe is trying to tell you. You may find a clue to the message’s meaning where you least expect it.

TAURUS April 20–May 20

VIRGO August 23–September 22

CAPRICORN December 22–January 19

You may have the urge to exploit someone to obtain something you desperately want this week, Taurus. Don’t feel bad. Manipulate away!

My crystal ball says the next few days will be hazy for you, Virgo. If you want clarity, have a drink. Just kidding.

There’s no way to find clarity this week.

Find a way to stimulate your mind this week, Capricorn. Open it up to new information — though just where to get that info is up to you. Just do it.

GEMINI May 21–June 20

LIBRA September 23–October 23

AQUARIUS January 20–February 19

It takes two to tango, Gemini. It also takes two to argue and shave someone’s eyebrows off in revenge. Don’t be the second person this week.

Trust underscores all good relationships, Libra. Keep this in mind.

If you find yourself mistrusting someone, there might be a reason for it.

Happy, happy, joy, joy! This is going to be a wonderful week for you, Aquarius. Full of unicorns and rainbows. Not literally, but you get the point.

CANCER June 21–July 22

SCORPIO October 24–November 22

PISCES February 20–March 20

Eminem says that “words are like a dagger with a jagged edge.” So if someone is bothering you, throw a dagger at them. Metaphorically speaking, of course.

Wherever you are right now, Scorpio, you should probably leave.

Chances are there’s something better and way more fun happening somewhere else.

Fear can be crippling, Pisces. Fear of failure, fear of success, fear of kittens. Don’t let fear get the best of you this week.

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

CROSSWORD ANSWER KEY

A

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

B

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