Verb Issue R61 (Jan. 18-24, 2013)

Issue #61 – January 18 to January 24

making friends dala

with

hard knock life Local stuntwoman talks shop the northern pikes SK rockers talk chemistry broken city + the paperboy Films reviewed­

Photo: courtesy of olivia brown

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Q + A with luke mckeehan

Live Music listings

DJ talks Canadian EDM scene. 8 / Q + A

Local music listings for January 18 through January 26. 14 / listings

A Better Way

all about chemistry

Nightlife Photos

A look inside the growing house concert phenomenon. 3 / Local

Prairie musicians the Northern Pikes check in. 9 / Arts

We visit The Exchange.

Une Soirée à Paris

Broken city + the paperboy

verbnews.com @verbregina facebook.com/verbregina

15 / Nightlife

Editorial

The Regina Symphony Orchestra takes on French composers. 9 / Arts

We review the latest movies. 16 / Film

Hard Knock Life

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

Saskatchewan stuntwoman Shelene Yung talks shop. 4 / Local

On the cover:

Dala

Musical duo explain the art of balancing music and friendship. 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

A sober look

Hungry No more

on the bus

Fully privatizing SK’s liquor industry is the logical thing to do. 6 / Editorial

Kave Haz offers a European coffee house experience. 12 / Food + Drink

Weekly original comic illustrations

by Elaine M. Will. 18 / comics

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Music

Game + Horoscopes

Here’s what you had to say about relocating urban cemeteries. 7 / comments

The Belle Game, Glen Stutter + New Country Rehab. 13 / music

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

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

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A Better Way Photo: courtesy of Rick Mcconnell

A look inside the growing house concert phenomenon

By Alex J Macpherson

L

ive music has drawbacks.

Simply finding the right venue can be frustrating — an exercise in making the best of a poor choice. Arenas can be cold and sterile, while theatres often feel stuffy and formal. Bars and clubs are overflowing with booze and packed with obnoxious drunks — and too much of either can jeopardize even the most promising night out. All too often live music is a compromise. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

“Some of my best musical moments in the last five years have been in our living room,” says Curtis Olson, who has emerged as a spearhead of the growing house concert movement.

“The house concert phenomenon has been exploding over the last five years, with organizations like Home Routes building house concert circuits all across Western Canada. [A]rtists can do whole tours without ever setting foot in a bar.”

Olson and his wife, singer-songwriter Carrie Catherine, hosted their first concert in 2006. They were living in a condo loft; Olson built a stage in the living room and found some artists willing to try it out. “Our first house concert was really stressful,” he recalls.

“We … wanted to cook a great meal and be great hosts for the performer.

Plus [we] didn’t want to rock the boat in our condo too much and upset our neighbours. After a couple concerts we realized that we just had to invite the neighbours and we wouldn’t have any complaints.”

The experience was a good one.

Captivated by the sheer pleasure of hearing live music in their apartment, Olson and Catherine decided to continue hosting concerts. They bought and renovated an old grocery store, transforming it into an openconcept home that doubles as their ideal venue. Known in music circles as the HayLoft, it can accommodate up to 80 people, but most audiences are far smaller. “I think the biggest benefit is that the performers have a captive audience, and the audience has a captivating performer,” Olson explains. “House concerts eliminate all the things people dislike about bars — drunks, disruptions, pricey drinks, late start times — and give the audience and artists a setting where it’s all about the music.”

House concerts offer fans a chance to soak up sound in an intimate setting, but Gillian Snider, who has hosted almost 50 shows in her living room, thinks the benefits extend far beyond the music. “I always tell artists when they contact me that there isn’t a green room,” she explains. “I tell them that they will be eating and drinking and partying and hanging out with their fans. It’s a house party with really cool music — and they’re the really cool music.”

Snider hosted her first concert in 2009, a double bill featuring Bob Wiseman and Geoff Berner. If Olson and Catherine have made a name for themselves by giving acts like J.P. Hoe a dif-

ferent place to play, Snider offers less well-known artists a chance to shore up their following in Saskatchewan.

“It’s great for the fans and for the artists,” she says. “The people that come to the house concerts tell me how great it was that they got to sit down and talk music with someone they admire. The artists say it’s great because … they can get to know the people who are listening to their music.”

Besides offering fans a chance to see artists work in an intimate space, Snider figures that small venues are beneficial to the broader music scene in the province. “The coolest thing is I have a lot of musicians that come to these concerts, and they have made a lot of connections with artists they never would have been able to otherwise, and they’ve actually been invited to tour with them,” she says. “For Saskatchewan artists, there’s a connection between the Saskatchewan music community and the larger Canadian music community.”

Almost everyone has heard house party horror stories. Anything can happen with dozens of strangers in the same room. Fortunately, neither Olson nor Snider has ever had a bad experience.

Olson minimizes the risk by relying on a private e-mail list rather than public advertising. “As a result,” he says, “it’s very rare for a ‘stranger’ to ever make it into one of our shows.” Olson says he has only ever kicked people out of his house once, and even then only after the concert was finished. Snider says

her only bad experiences involve low turnout.

But the benefits far outweigh the costs. Snider’s house concert series has become so popular that she routinely books a year’s worth of shows in just a few weeks. And she expects the phenomenon to keep growing, even though part of the appeal of a house concert rests on informality and the precious feeling of a shared secret. “It’s almost like it’s becoming micro instead of macro, that the artist is seeking out the very micro environment” she muses. “It’s more like a house party than a very organized sort of sit down concert. And as far as I’m concerned, the more popular they become the better. The more venues that are available for these scads of touring musicians

coming across our gigantic country, the better. Whether they are very organized or whether they’re a house party, I just think it’s great.”

House concerts will never supplant bars and theatres as major venues, but for a select few they offer the chance of a lifetime: big sound in a small space, and the chance to share a few moments and a glass of wine with a favourite musician and a handful of friends. It truly is a better way to hear music.

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Hard knock life

Regina stuntwoman talks shop by ADAM HAWBOLDT

S

helene Yung has been set on fire. She has been hit in the face with a sword’s pommel, taken 40-foot falls, been yanked high into the air by chords, and catapulted herself down elevator shafts.

Don’t get the wrong idea, though.

Shelene Yung isn’t some kind of walking disaster or a klutz who is perpetually targeted by misfortune.

She’s a professional stuntwoman, one of the many unsung heroes of the big and small screen who are forever taking the fall for movie stars.

But at times, those falls can come at a cost.

Take the time Yung was filming a short indie project called Fight Clique, for instance. During one of the fight sequences, another actress throws Yung into a metal shelf.

Crash, bam! The shelf shatters in pieces beneath her weight. The stunt was supposed to be clean and simple, but things didn’t go exactly as planned.

“It was a break-away shelf,” says Yung, “and when I was thrown into it, one of the beams fell down and hit me in the face, right in the eyebrow.

Hit me in the perfect spot, and split my brow wide open.”

But that kind of stuff comes with the territory. Cuts, bruises and sprains are commonplace in the stunt world. So no, when Yung went flying into that shelf, it wasn’t the first

time she was hurt at work. But it was arguably the worst.

“Knock on wood, I haven’t been hurt too badly,” she says. “There was that bloody eyebrow, I’ve been clocked in the face during fight scenes, twisted ankles, knocked the wind out of myself. But nothing really big.”

rehearse her scenes, then race back to practice. After graduation, Yung enrolled in the University of Regina’s theatre program while continuing to wrestle at the university level. The commitment to both soon became a bit too much to bear (what with conflicting schedules and such), so

Basically, I’d say a couple of lines and get blown up in an explosion.

Shelene Yung

Which is fortunate. Yet one still has to wonder one thing: how did a young, college-educated woman like Yung get mixed up in the stunt game?

In a way, Yung’s upbringing prepared her to become a stunt performer.

It wasn’t her ultimate goal, mind you. Just one of those things that happened organically.

See, growing up in Regina, Yung caught the acting bug early, and began doing musical theatre and other stage performances at the age of 11. She also grew up an athlete, a gymnast, and a competitive wrestler.

In high school, she would race from wrestling practice to play rehearsals in her wrestling gear, hop on stage,

Yung had to make a decision: acting or wrestling?

In the end, she stuck with the arts, yet little did she know how much her wrestling background would come into play in her later university years.

“During my last year I started doing stage combat workshops and learning how to stage fight with swords and weapons and stuff like that,” she explains. “That’s when the idea of stunt performing and stunt coordination began to take hold.

From there I met people who told me ‘Oh, there’s a workshop in film fighting you should check out.’”

That’s precisely what she did.

And she liked it. So, after graduating from university with a fine arts Continued on next page »

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degree, Yung struck out for the west coast.

Her destination? A stunt school in Seattle.

“When I moved out to the coast I didn’t really have a career in mind,” she admits. “I just went out there to learn some things. I planned on coming back here and running some workshops, but before I knew it I was getting asked to audition for certain parts, and then I got an agent.”

From there, things took off rather quickly.

In 2007, Yung went to Bermuda to work in a pirate-themed, live stunt show. Doing six shows a day, she began to hone her craft in front of live audiences. The following year, after she returned to Canada, Yung was hired as a stunt performer for an episode of an NBC television series called Fear Itself.

Since then, she has acted and performed stunts on TV series such as Smallville and SGU Stargate Universe, done small indie projects, and even helped out with fire stunts on a movie called Recoil, starring Stone Cold Steve Austin and Danny Trejo. “A lot of people struggle to find work in this industry when they’re just starting out,” says Yung. “But I was lucky. Unlike a lot of stunt [people], I was able to mesh acting with stunt skills. I think because of my background, I got off to a fairly quick and easy start, got a lot of jobs.

Basically, I’d say a couple of lines and get blown up in an explosion. Those are the kind of jobs I got.”

Next time you’re near a computer, go to YouTube and search “Shelene Stunt Demo.”

Once you find it, fast forward to the 45 second mark. If you have the right video, you’ll see two ladies, who are locked in combat, go tumbling down a long flight of white and green checkered stairs.

This scene is from one of Yung’s stunt gigs. And contrary to what you might think, it’s not as crazy or dangerous as it looks.

“The thing you have to realize is that we’re not daredevils,” Yung explains. “We’re trained professionals.” Part of being a professional involves being aware of the inherent risks of any stunt. It also involves knowing how to minimize those risks in order to lessen the chance of injury.

So before a scene like this — before Yung ever launches herself, arse over tea kettle, down a set of stairs — she’ll thoroughly examine the landscape, taking into account as many variables as she can.

Are the edges of the stairs sharp or rounded?

Is there anything she can put on the stairs to make them softer?

Is there anything she can mistakenly hook her foot on?

“You also want to try and see if there are different ways to shoot a scene like that,” explains Yung.

“You know, to make it safer. For example, you want to see if there’s an angle you can use so you can hide a mattress at the bottom to make it a softer landing.”

After she covers all the basics, Yung will put as many pads under her clothes as her wardrobe will allow, then she walks to the top of the stairs and gets ready for the stunt.

“You get there and it’s just like ‘phew … okay … gotta go for it.’”

And go for it she does. Just

another fall in a career built on hard knocks.

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A sober look

Photos: courtesy of JUSTIN BALOG

Fully privatizing SK’s liquor industry is the logical thing to do

A

few months ago, Premier Brad Wall suggested we need more liquor stores in Saskatchewan, and that maybe, just maybe, the new ones should be privatized. And we were thrilled by the news — after all, we have advocated for privatized liquor in Saskatchewan on this page before.

Needless to say, though, Walls’ announcement reheated a serious debate here in the province, with both sides weighing in with numbers, opinions and the usual dogmatic convictions.

On one side of the battlefield you have the good people at the Parkland Institute. They claim that privatization is a wrong-headed idea, and suggest that since privatizing all liquor stores in 1993, Alberta has missed out on $1.5 billion in liquor revenue. Ergo, privatization is a bad idea and Saskatchewan should retain the publicly owned model we already have.

And there’s the recent TV ad from SGEU claiming that only public liquor stores help fund things like schools, hospitals, police and

to serve nearly any purpose and that certain important facts are often overlooked.

For example, the Parkland Institute’s numbers only work if you assume Alberta’s government would have sold exactly as much liquor as its private sector currently does despite higher prices, fewer stores and less product selection, and the Fraser Institute doesn’t mention the negative effect privatization would likely have on hourly pay for liquor store employees.

Still, all things considered, we tend to come down on the side of privatization. And not a mixed version of privatization, like British Columbia. No, we’re talking full-out, Alberta-style privatization here.

And here’s why: for one thing, private liquor stores offer a greater selection of alcohol. Don’t believe us? Just look at our neighbours to the west. Before privatization there were roughly 2,200 varieties of beer, wine and spirits available in the Sunshine Province. That isn’t too shabby, but these days there are more than 17,000 products available to booze-consuming Albertans. That’s nearly seven times more types of products than

roads, and that privatization will take all that money away.

On the other side, there are guys like Mark Milke of the Fraser Institute, who argue that the idea that privatization leads to revenue loss is a myth. Milke points out that, “Provincial governments can and do apply markups to products regardless of whether they own the stores,” and notes that the amount of liquor tax revenue Alberta is earning per capita now is nearly 25% higher than it was under the government run regime.

Backing up Milke’s side of the story is our own Saskatchewan Party government (as well as StatsCan data), with Liquor and Gaming Minister Donna Harpauer pointing out that Alberta’s total liquor revenues actually increased after privatization and that yes, the government still makes money from private liquor retailers that goes towards public goods.

So which side is painting a more accurate picture here?

Well, we at Verb understand both camps in this debate have salient points, but we also know that statistics can be manipulated

we’re able to purchase here in Saskatchewan, and is a natural outcome of letting consumers and retailers decide on a products list instead of having one dictated by bureaucrats at the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority.

And then there’s accessibility. Complete privatization of the system would bring with it more liquor stores, more jobs and more convenience for Saskatchewanians.

Again, let’s look at Alberta. At the time of privatization, there was one government liquor store for roughly every 12,500 people. Fast forward two decades, and private liquor retailers now number one for about every 1,800 people.

And of course more stores means more jobs for more people. Admittedly private liquor store employees’ wages are lower than their union counterparts, but so many more people are able to find work under a privatized liquor regime that it’s hard not to argue society is better off.

And as for the oft-repeated idea that more liquor stores would lead to more crime, there’s no concrete evidence to support that hypothesis. In 2009 the Frontier Centre

did a comparison of Saskatchewan and Alberta, and found absolutely nothing to link the private system with an increase in crime. What’s more, the same study found that between 1994 and 2004 the number of drinkers in Saskatchewan increased faster (up 5.2 percent) than in Alberta (up 3.1 percent) over the same period - derailing another anti-privatization talking point that any increase in liquor availability will cause an explosion in the rate of hopeless alcoholism.

Ideology aside, the facts in this case are pretty clear. Privatized liquor in Saskatchewan would be a big positive in terms of availability, product choice, jobs and government revenue, and it’s high time we make the switch.

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

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On Topic: Last week we asked what you thought about relocating urban cemeteries outside of city limits.

Here’s what you had to say:

– I’m not sure the issue of cemeteries in Urban Saskatchewan settings is an issue of immediate importance. Nor do I see it being one in the foreseeable future. The two cemeteries in Regina city limits seem to be located in such a manner so as not to impede any progress in the future

– Moving urban cemeteries? The deceased deserve more respect than that! I don’t support that idea in the least!

text yo thoughtsur to 881 ve r b 8372

Who cares if Ganster Squad sucks.

I’ll watch any thing with Ryan Gosling in it. ANYTHING! In response to “Not Quite Right: Gangster Squad Might Not Live Up To Your Expecta-

– Love is just a lie made 2 make u blue love hurts FU Get Over it

question to you is if people are morons, are you one of them too?

I can’t believe Regina is going $100 million in debt to build it’s stadium!

That’s going to affect budgets for other programs!

To the person that texted adults with pets LOSERS, you have no idea how a pet can be more comforting than any human being. Not all people are reflective of your text. Maybe you shouldn’t be such a loser and learn how to form full sentences.

Feel sorry for the woman charged in the foster baby death. She’s taking the hit, scapegoat for a dysfunctional Social Services!

tions,” Film page, #222 (January 7, 2013)

A documentary about the Blades?

It should be titled “Limping to the Memorial Cup” or “The Season of Our Discontent (and haphazard hockey).

In response to “Behind The Scenes: The Making Of A Blades Documentary,” Local

Our country is 800,000,000,000 dollars in debt to private banks.

Plus we pay compounded interest on that money. This is absolute nonsense. If you ask those in power they will tell you they are not in favour of a debt free system.

Look it up! Go research!

page, #222 (January 7, 2013)

– Are you kidding me, dig up my dead grandma??? Over my dead body!! (pun intended)

– Don’t worry about urban cemeteries ... the Saskparty already has a plan is to save money by grinding our deceased into a fine edible paste called Soylent Green.

Off Topic I’m pretty sure everybody should check out Jason Hattie’s new label.

Hairdu records is going to be putting out some sick music!

In response to “The Wrong Thing At The Right Time: Jason Hattie’s Biggest Gamble,”

2.5 stars for take this waltz? What’s Adam hawboldt smoking. Anything over one star is too much for that steaming heap In response to “An Alright Dance You Won’t Regret: This Touching Flick About Love And Redemption Is Pretty Charming,” Film page, #222 (January 7, 2013)

Really liked reading about Hannah Georgas! She’s great and I can’t wait to pick up her new record.

Great story!

In response to “Hannah Georgas: A New Album, A New Beginning,” Cover page,

Wow, so strippers=rape, murder, gangways, heroin, crack, and meth covering the streets like fallen snow? Sh#t I better warn my friends outside sk to lock their doors and protect their kids!!! All hells broken loose in their streets and none noticed!!! Grow up people…

Dear tailgater ... next time, I’m slamming on my breaks.

Silly comments or not, at least people are expressing themselves.

You expressed yourself when you said people are morons. My

sound off

Yay! I saw myself at the bar! Thanx for taking my photo Verb!

NRA no longer represents hunters It is lobby group for gun manufacturers Sales and profits would be curtailed by any form of gun control in the US.

Dooms day preppers weird or what? More like Fkd up

#222 (January 7, 2013)

Local page, #222 (January 7, 2013)

Every guy has moments of disassociation during sex. It all seems kinda wierd bizarre. Oxygen I guess. But for our partners sake we f**k through the strangeness.

What’s with all the texts about god and religion, Was it just because of xmas time or are they taking over?

this one time i thought i saw a dog have a coughing fit, but then when i looked again he was just sort of half barking. i can’t be sure but i thought i saw him smile after

Has anyone else seen the government of sask logo? Sure the wheat sheaf was getting dated but the new logo is real ugly. what is it supposed to even be, two fingers?

It takes real balls to admit what Lance Armstrong did on Oprah.

Wait .... does he even have any balls left? Meh. Who cares. He’s a cheater.

Anybody else waiting for their street to get cleared? This is ridiculous. We don’t need a new stadium. We need better services.

Like a plough or two.

was watching a nature show apparently giraffes only sleep for 20 mins ata time and never more than 2 hours a day, and they NEVER LIE DOWN man those long legs must get tired

Who is Brad Wall trying to kid?

He has about as much a chance of convincing Obama to okay the Keystone XL as I have of starting at QB for the Riders next season.

Next week: What do you think about privatizing the liquor industry in Saskatchewan? Pick up a copy of Verb to get in on the conversation: We print your texts verbatim each week. Text in your thoughts and reactions to our stories and content, or anything else on your mind.

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Nordic Trax

Photos: courtesy of johnathan evans

Luke McKeehan and the Art of the DJ by Alex J MacPherson

L

uke McKeehan may not be the most visible figure in electronic dance music, but he is undoubtedly one of the most influential.

His Vancouver-based record label, Nordic Trax, has been a force in promoting Canadian house music since it was created in 1997, and he works hard to balance his commitment to new music against the allure of producing and performing. As a DJ, McKeehan relies on his encyclopedic knowledge and refined taste to keep dance floors across the world busy all night. I caught up with McKeehan to talk about Nordic Trax, the state of electronic dance music today, and the art of DJing.

Alex J MacPherson: Let’s start with Nordic Trax. How important is it to have strong labels for emerging artists, especially in Canada?

Luke McKeehan: In general, it’s a larger debate the music industry is having with itself. Like, do artists need record labels or not?

me? I wouldn’t say he’s been killed off, but there’s less room for him to operate.

Obviously, since I’ve been doing a record label probably longer than they’ve been having that debate, I’m pretty entrenched in that side of it, but I’m also an artist — that’s where it started from. In my view, the labels and the artists — it’s a collaborative process.

AJM: One thing I really like about most EDM artists is their vast knowledge of music. How did you come to know so much about so much different music?

LM: I was always around music. My mom was in theatre, my dad was in film and theatre. He did a lot of things, not least of which was program music at As It Happens. I was lucky to have a lot of that stuff around me, and I was lucky to grow up in the right place — downtown Toronto for high school, so I could go record shopping every day.

Any money I had, that’s what I put

AJM: Is it hard for you to balance Nordic Trax against your own career as a producer and a DJ? LM: The one side of my own career that’s definitely suffered from that is that I don’t actually produce as much.

I still put a lot of time and work into DJing, and selecting the music I play,

LM: Me personally? I’ve never planned a DJ set in my life, and I don’t think I ever will. That’s part of the DJ culture I came from. Even though there are turntablists and guys that have very practiced routines within hip hop, where that’s always been around. I come from the school where you show up, you have your music, you read the crowd, you read the vibe, and you do something together. That’s the role of the DJ. AJM: How has EDM changed over the years? Where do you see it today?

I couldn’t get enough of [music], and to a certain extent, I still can’t.

Luke McKeehan

into. I couldn’t get enough of it, and to a certain extent, I still can’t.

and it’s a DJ-based label after all these years, singles, house-driven — but you can’t necessarily do it all. But in this case I was able to create a job for myself, running this label and throwing shows. But the lazy producer side of

AJM: Let’s talk about your DJ work, and the music you want to play. How do you prepare for a night?

LM: There’s less mystery around it all. I can remember for years people would ask you what house music is. Now everything is so accessible. They can read up on all their DJs. It’s established. It’s not like back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, where a lot of us were on the outside, fighting to get in. Now there’s not really a question about whether clubs are open to playing this music.

Luke McKeehan January 26 @ The Owl $TBD Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

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All About Chemistry

The Northern Pikes at 29

by alex J MacPherson

D

on Schmid didn’t join The Northern Pikes because he wanted to make money. All he wanted to make were records. “When you start out, you can’t really fathom all of those thoughts,” he says. “When we started, the real exciting thing was making our own music, writing songs, and making records.

When you’re younger, you’re not thinking about making lots of money. I just wanted to be in a band that recorded albums and wrote their own songs.”

And that is exactly what happened. Schmid joined The Northern Pikes in 1986, a few months before the president of Virgin Records Canada offered the band a record deal. Over the next seven years, the Pikes toured relentlessly, playing gigs across western Canada and along the 401 in Ontario. Between

1987 and 1993, they released five albums and a slew of hit singles, including the massively successful “She Ain’t Pretty.”

Then, in 1993, the band broke up.

“It was mostly to save our friendship,” Schmid says, pointing out that years of constant touring and had taken a toll on the group. The band reunited in 1999, wrote and recorded two new records, and have been playing together ever since.

Today, Schmid struggles to explain how the Pikes have been able to continue making music while so many other bands imploded or faded into obscurity. “Chemistry is a good word,” he muses. “It’s an interesting thing, but it’s a hard thing to define.

Fortunately, we still remain friends — and that in itself is incredible.”

More ink has been spilled on the bonds that hold bands together than on just about any other topic in the

history of music. It may never be understood. But it is important to recognize it when it happens. Late last year, The Northern Pikes were inducted into the Western Canadian Music Hall of Fame — a fitting tribute for the band’s looming 30th anniversary.

Schmid didn’t envision any tribute when he played his first gig with the Pikes. And he certainly didn’t imagine that the Pikes would become a quintessential Saskatchewan band, one of the most recognizable groups ever to emerge from this province.

“He says it at every show we’ve ever played,” he says of Jay Semko. “‘Thank you for coming, we’re the Northern Pikes from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.’”

Northern Pikes w/ Grapes of Wrath January 26 @ Casino Regina $30+ @ Casino Regina Box Office

Une Soirée à Paris

French composers get their due by alex J MacPherson

M

y favourite composers are all Germans, and for good reason. Haydn practically invented the symphony. Beethoven carried music to its emotional and intellectual summit. Brahms mastered the art of counterpoint. Wagner transformed opera. Mahler took the symphonic form to its natural conclusion on wave after wave of crashing, breaking sound.

“There are so many juggernaut German composers,” laughs Victor Sawa, maestro of the Regina Symphony Orchestra and an inveterate Beethoven fan. “They take the floor away. They were very serious, these guys. They’re writing about eternity, infinity, the universal brotherhood.”

But the scope of classical music reaches far beyond the Black Forest.

Not all compositions are as philosophically demanding and emotionally draining as the teutonic masterpieces.

Sawa’s latest project, Une Soirée à Paris,

explores French music, traditionally lighter and airier than anything to emerge from the land of Das Rheingold.

“To use culinary topics, German would be more like meat and potatoes, and French would be more like quiche,” Sawa explains. “The Germans wrote about a lot of serious topics; the French would say, ‘No, have a glass of wine and enjoy yourself.’”

Une Soirée à Paris includes works

by Maurice Ravel, Hector Berlioz, Claude Debussy, and Vincent d’Indy.

Although they worked in Paris, virtually all of them drew on influences from across the Continent. Debussy’s Iberia is heavily influenced by Spanish music, Berlioz’ Roman Carnival Overture by the greatest city in Italy.

“They would borrow things,” Sawa says, explaining that French music was open to outside influence.

“In other words, they wanted to get away from the German idiom. It became cosmopolitan. Paris became

the centre of artistic growth, pulling it away from Berlin and Vienna.” But the pieces Sawa selected share more than influences from other countries.

Captivated by the Spanish touches in Iberia, Sawa drew up a program of hot music — music to escape the punishing January cold.

“The colours of Spain are bright,” he says. “The blues are blue, the reds are red, it’s all very exciting. Musically speaking, the Spanish genre is so sharp, so unique — it oozes heat.” And, he adds, “I want to give the audiences a chance to hear that there is heat somewhere, sometime in this world — it’s all hot, Latin, Mediterranean.”

Une Soirée à Paris, which includes contributions by piano soloist Michael Kim, will transport audiences far away from the gloomy Ruhr and the menacing shadow of the Black Forest, to the shores of the Mediterranean, the villas of Spain, and La Belle Époque in Paris.

Soirée à Paris January 26 @ Conexus Arts Centre $33+ @ RSO Box Office, tickets.reginasymphony.com, 586-9555

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@MacPhersonA amacpherson@verbnews.com

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Friends First Dala and the art of balancing music and friendship

by Alex J MacPherson

S

heila Carabine and Amanda Walther have been playing music together for more than ten years.

Their story, as well as their success in an exacting and unforgiving industry, is about friendship as much as it is about songwriting. Carabine and Walther met in high school, where they bonded over music from the sixties and seventies. Music that wasn’t cool: Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, the Beatles.

Emulation is a manifestation of love. Writing music together, trying to capture the essence of the songs they listened to over and over, became the natural extension of a firm friendship. In 2005, the pair released This Moment Is A Flash under the name Dala — presumably a portmanteau of the last letters of their given names. Since their debut, Carabine and Walther have written and recorded four more records, and played hundreds of shows across North America. Their sound has evolved into a textbook example of how less can be so much more. Dala songs are simple songs. Songs outlined by sparse instrumentation and filled in by the tension between Walther’s haunting soprano and Carabine’s sultry alto. Sometimes, two voices and

two guitars can sound bigger than any orchestra ever could.

The mythology of popular music is overflowing with unlikely partnerships, artists who shared nothing save the power to write iconic songs.

Dala is not one of these partnerships. (Except when it comes to the Beatles: Carabine loves McCartney, Walther Lennon. They might never

thing we love, and we’re sharing it with our best friend.”

But don’t mistake friendship for obsequiousness. Carabine and Walther are not the same person.

They disagree often, which is good, because songwriting partnerships thrive on conflict. Without tension, art becomes kitsch — and nothing spurs conflict like friends forced to collaborate, a situation that can only be resolved by an ineffable ability to

The fun is getting as much as we can out of two voices and two instruments.

Less has proved to be more. sheila carabine

agree.) Long after the concert halls are empty and the stage lights are switched off, Carabine and Walther will be friends. “If the band broke up, we would still be best friends, and we’d go on these road trips anyway just to recapture the glory days,” Carabine laughs. “The friendship is the basis of everything we do. It makes the process even more enjoyable for both of us. We’re doing the

balance conviction and sympathy, contention and resolution. In other words: Dala works because Carabine and Walther know how to disagree without murdering each other. They even enjoy it. “As close as we are, we are very different — and that’s probably why we are so close,” Carabine muses. “The process of getting to the point of consensus is great. Because we’re so close, we know that no matContinued on next page »

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Photos: courtesy of olivia brown

ter how hard we fight against each other, we’re still going to be friends at the end of that. It’s our differences as much as our similarities that keeps it going.”

Last year, Dala released Best Day. It is an exercise in minimalism. It feels more comfortable and more intimate than their previous releases, which tended to fluctuate. This is what hap-

Photo: courtesy of olivia brown

pens when bands spend ten years in the studio and on the road. After a decade of writing and performing, Carabine and Walther know how to achieve a lot with a little — and how poignant the result can be. This is no small achievement, especially for duos. Too much instrumentation and too many overdubs lead listeners to conclude that the band needs a bass player; too few and the whole enter-

prise moves into sad guy with a guitar territory. Balance is everything. “The fun is getting as much as we can out of two voices and two instruments,” Carabine says. “Less has proved to be more. That’s the thing we keep coming back to.”

Best Day opens with “Life On Earth,” which erects the sonic and emotional framework on which the rest of the album hangs. Sparse drums, open chords, and a droning banjo lie underneath two distinct voices singing together. The song is an ode to the band’s origin masquerading as a slightly saccharine love song to humanity at large (“And I don’t want to be my own best friend / Talking to myself, but I don’t make sense”). (If Best Day has a flaw, it is an overabundance of sweetness and light.)

“Not Alone” moves the band into more familiar territory. The most spartan song on the record, it mines the depths of the stories we all know how to tell (“and no matter what I do / the mirror’s unimpressed”). “Not Alone” is the most austere song on the record; it evolves over threeish minutes, building from a dusky introduction to a soaring coda, one of the finest performances on the record. “A lot of the time you’re reassuring yourself of something you need to hear, that you may not believe at the time,” Carabine says. “I wrote it

in a pretty low place. By the end of the writing process I felt like I had passed though something that was pretty dark.” Which explains the chorus: “I’ve got a young heart / and I’ve got an old soul / And I’ve got a feeling / that I’m not alone.” Simple and effective.

The best song on Best Day is “Virginia Woolf.” It is also the most complicated, a tapestry of literary references and metaphysics and nicely-turned phrases (“I’m not afraid of Virginia Woolf / But I’m running scared from the words she wrote”) that explores the gulf between experience and memory, paradise and reality. “It was written in California, which maybe is as clichéd as it gets, but there’s this notion of the promised land — and even going back to Grapes of Wrath, this idea of ‘Go west, young man,’” Carabine says. “It’s an exploration of the narratives that define us, that we keep coming back to.

As storytellers ourselves, it was a mat-

ter of analyzing stories. What are the stories that matter to us? What stories will stand the test of time? Is what we’re doing even valuable?”

It must be valuable. Carabine and Walther have made quietly significant contributions to the arc of Canadian music. They resurrected the duo, a long neglected form that, properly executed, can produce songs of staggering depth and power. They champion the idea that less really is more, a necessity in the age of digital manipulation and Pro Tools machination. They have expanded significantly without sacrificing their integrity to commercial success or destroying their friendship in some stupid fight.

They explore music that is challenging without being difficult, while staying close to the pop ethic that underpins everything they write.

And they have proven that it is possible to chase a dream out of high school and onto stages across the world. “When we first embarked on this journey, we weren’t thinking it was a job or a career,” Carabine laughs. “It was just that wide-eyed naïve idea that we would write songs and the rest will take care of itself.

[But] I feel like it changes enough each year, and there are enough new things to be looking forward to, that it’s still my dream job.”

Dala January 30 @ The Exchange $20/25 @ Advanced tickets: Bach & Beyond, Buy the Book, Vintage Vinyl Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@MacPhersonA amacpherson@verbnews.com

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Hungry no more

Photos courtesy of Danielle Tocker

Kávé Ház offers a European coffee house experience, complete with gelato by jessica bickford

K

ávé Ház, which translates to coffee house in Hungarian, is a super cozy, warm, and inviting space with big comfy chairs and great art. It’s been open for a little over a year now, and I was excited to visit, having heard wonderful things — and even rumours of homemade gelato — from family and friends.

The rumours are true, and although he doesn’t usually make it in the winter, owner Ken Ramage whipped up two classic flavours for us — ferrero rocher and stracciatella.

bourbon-like sweetness to it, and thin bits of crackly chocolate on top. Both were rich and smooth,

The ferrero rocher was creamy, sweet, and decadent, with a swirl of melty ferrero rocher chocolate all

The stracciatella [gelato] had a wonderful, bourbon-like sweetness to it… jessica Bickford

with absolutely wonderful flavour and texture.

Next I tried a huge apple tart, with a big scoop of the stracciatella gelato slowly melting on the warm and tender apples. The pastry was flaky and the balance of sweet, tart, and cinnamon flavours was just right. With this I had a white mint mocha, which featured white hot chocolate and coffee topped with whipped cream and shaved chocolate. This was a not too sweet coffee drink with a nice hint of mint: a great caffeine kick.

Two very classic desserts of rice pudding and bread pudding rounded off an evening of indulgence.

The rice pudding was filling and comforting, full of raisins, cinnamon

throughout that gave it the perfect hazelnut and chocolate flavour.

The stracciatella was a vanilla bean base that had a wonderful,

let’s go drinkin’ Verb’s mixology guide Apple Pie Shooter

Ingredients

Sometimes a bit of dessert in a glass is what you need to cap off an evening. These fun shooters taste just like apple pie, and are much easier to make!

½ oz Green Apple Sour Puss ½ oz Butter Ripple schnapps sprinkle of cinnamon

Directions

Pour the Sour Puss and schnapps into a shot glass and top with a little sprinkle of cinnamon. Alternately top with whipped cream and cinnamon.

and topped with whipped cream.

The bread pudding came in a huge slab covered in caramel sauce. This too had raisins and cinnamon, and was wonderfully traditional with fantastic flavour.

I went on a bit of a dessert frenzy, but Kávé Ház also has soups, salads, sandwiches and other savoury items, which are all made fresh each day.

Their sheer assortment of sweets, nibbles and beverages is astounding especially when you consider Ken’s, dedication to “having everything made in-house,” which he says is “hard to find in a coffee shop.” They also do catering, and have a great assortment of loose leaf teas.

Kávé Ház is a bit out of the way, unless you live or work in the Rosemont area, but it is absolutely worth the trip. The owner and staff are fun loving and friendly, the chairs are comfortable and everything is simply delicious. I, for one, am counting the days until it’s gelato season again.

Kávé Ház 4908 Dewdney Ave. | 525 2999

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@TheGeekCooks jbickford@verbnews.com

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Next Week

coming up

The Belle Game

Glen Sutter

New Country Rehab

@ the exchange Friday, january 25 – $TBD

@ The artful dodger Saturday, january 26 – $TBD

@ The exchange Sunday, March 10 – $15

When you first hear The Belle Game a few things will jump out at you. One, this Vancouver-based band (via Montreal) is talented. Two, they play a brand of dark indie pop that kind of reminds you of say, Broken Social Scene, but with their own special sound. And three ... did I mention they’re talented? Behind the soaring, haunting voice of singer Andrea Lo, The Belle Game — which also consists of Adam Nanji, Katrina Jones, Alex Andrews and Rob Churisoff — offer a style of music that’s at once edgy, graceful and haunting. Their debut album, Ritual Tradition Habit, is set to be release later this year. In the mean time, they’ll be honing their craft while touring Western Canada with Hannah Georgas. They’ll be at the Exchange on Friday.

A fiery folk-rocker from right here in Regina, Sutter is a singer/songwriter with a conscience. His songs deal with the trials and tribulations of humankind — from environmental and social issues to issues of the heart.

And it’s schtick that’s serving him well. In 2010, Sutter found himself in the spotlight when his song “Weight of the World” was chosen as the Saskatchewan song on David Suzuki’s “Playlist for the Planet.” Since then, Sutter has kept on making music that resonates with conscientious, worldly audiences. Another of his songs, “Days of Loneliness”, received a lot of attention after being short-listed to be included as part of CBC Radio’s Canada Reads Soundtrack. Sutter will be doing what he does best at The Artful Dodger on the weekend.

This ain’t your average, everyday country music, Bubba. No siree. This band from Toronto plays country with a hard-charging, in-your-face style that will remind you more of Arcade Fire than, say, Doc Walker. But make no mistake, it’s still country — just with a boost. Lead by frontman and fiddler John Showman, New Country Rehab also features Ben Whiteley on double bass, James Robertson on guitar, and Roman Tome on drums and back-up vocals. Since releasing their debut album in 2011, this quartet’s high-voltage approach to country has won them fans across Canada and beyond. Their lyrics are real and gritty, the fiddle playing is fantastic and the guitar is modern. Put that all together and you have a recipe for one of Canada’s hottest up-andcoming acts.

– By Adam Hawboldt

Photos courtesy of: Christine McAvoy / the artist / the artist

Sask music Preview The SaskMusic Investment program is now accepting applications from recording industry professionals and commercial artists. The Investment program enables artists and those in the industry to engage in activities that will enhance their music and/or professional careers. The deadline to apply is March 15, 2013. For more information, please see http://www. saskmusic.org/index.php?p=Investment%20Programs

Keep up with Saskatchewan music. saskmusic.org

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January 18 » january 26 The most complete live music listings for Regina.

S

M

T

W

T

18 19

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Friday 18 The Highwaymen / Casino Regina — A tribute to one of the greatest country music group ever. 8pm / $25-30 (www.casinoregina.com) Way Off Broadway Cabaret / Creative City Centre — Featuring Ariadne Bissett, Jonathan Seidle, Michael Vance, Joshua Hendriksen, Lisa Harasen and Shannon Harasen. 8pm / $10 DJ Juan Lopez / Envy Nightclub — This DJ loves requests, nothing is off limits, so come on down and groove to your favourite tunes. 10pm / $5 DJ Pat & DJ Kim / Habano’s — Local DJs spin top 40 hits. 9pm / $5 cover Big Chill Fridays / Lancaster Taphouse — Come and chill with DJ Fatbot. 10pm / Cover TBD Johnny McCuaig Band / McNally’s Tavern — This night offers up a little rock and roll with a bit of bag pipes. 10pm / $5 Wyatt / The Pump Roadhouse — This is one country band you have to see. 9pm / Cover TBD Albert / Pure Ultra Lounge — Come listen to Albert every Friday night as he gets his groove on. 10pm / $5 cover Parlor Trixx / The Sip Nightclub — Come on down and rock out. 10pm / Cover TBD

Sunday 20

Blake Berglund / Whiskey Saloon — A local country talent to keep an eye on.

8pm / $10

A Series of Tubes / Creative City Centre — A hip, much-in-demand instrumental band from Toronto. 7:30pm / $10 Into Eternity / The Exchange — A night of the heavy stuff. Also appearing will be Oblivions Eye, Planet Eater and Determined. 8:30pm / $15 (www.ticketedge.ca)

Saturday 19

Michael Wood Band / The Artful Dodger — A hot rock act out of B.C. 8pm / Cover TBD Way Off Broadway Cabaret / Creative City Centre — Featuring Ariadne Bissett, Jonathan Seidle, Michael Vance, Joshua Hendriksen, Lisa Harasen and Shannon Harasen. 8pm / $10 DJ Juan Lopez / Envy Nightclub — This DJ loves requests, nothing is off limits.

10pm / Cover $5 High Hopes, Come Hell or High Water, 10th Avenue, 908 / The Exchange — A night of music you won’t want to miss: four bands for the price of one!

7pm / $8 Dan Silljer / Lancaster Taphouse — A left-handed guitar whiz will be taking to the stage. 10pm / Cover TBD Darcy Playground / McNally’s Tavern — Classic rock and pop covers to get you up on the dance floor. 10pm / $5 Wyatt / The Pump Roadhouse — This is one country band you have to see. 9pm / Cover TBD Drewski / Pure Ultra Lounge — Doing what he does best, every Saturday night.

10pm / $5 cover Keiffer McLean / Sawchyn Guitars — A local singer/songwriter with soul. 8pm / Cover TBD Parlor Trixx / The Sip — Come on down and rock out. 10pm / Cover TBD Open Jam Sessions / Smokin’ Okies BBQ — Drop by and get your jam on, or to listen to some local musicians. 3pm / No cover Blake Berglund / Whiskey Saloon — A local country talent to keep an eye on.

8pm / $10

Monday 21

Open Mic Night / The Artful Dodger — Come down and jam! 8pm / No cover Monday Night Jazz and Blues / Bushwakker Brewpub — Featuring Synchronicity Jazz, performing your favourites on guitar and flute. 8pm / No cover

Wednesday 23

Wednesday Night Folk / Bushwakker Brewpub — Featuring The Ben Winoski Project, offering up great guitar playing with a sweet Latin flair. 9pm / No cover Jam Night and Open Stage / McNally’s Tavern — Come on down and show Regina what you’ve got! 9pm / No cover The Mahones / Pump Roadhouse — Celtic punk that’ll blow your hair back.

8pm / $7 (www.ticketedge.ca)

Thursday 24

Choke, 400 Strong, Tomorrow Starts Today / The Exchange — A triple header well worth checking out. 8pm / $15 (available at Vintage Vinyl, Madame Yes, www.ticketedge.ca) Decibel Frequency / Gabbo’s — A night of electronic fun. 10pm / Cover $5 PS Fresh / The Hookah Lounge — Featuring DJ Ageless and DJ Drewski. 7pm / No cover Daring Squires, Ink Road / McNally’s Tavern — Come support local bands.

8:30pm / $5

Wonderland / Pump Roadhouse — Come on out and join the party. 9pm / Cover TBD Chris Henderson / Whiskey Saloon — Crisp, cool country music for your listening pleasure. 8pm / $5 DJ Longhorn / Whiskey Saloon — Come check out one of Regina’s most interactive DJs. 8pm / Cover $5

Friday 25

Tragically Hip / Brandt Centre — Come check out one of Canada’s preeminent rock groups. 8pm / $37.75+ (Ticketmaster) Kenny Rogers / Casino Regina — The one, the only. 8pm / SOLD OUT DJ Juan Lopez / Envy Nightclub — This DJ loves requests, nothing is off limits. As long as you’re dancing, he’s happy.

10pm / $5 Hannah Georgas / The Exchange — Infectious pop/rock music. 8pm / $13 (available at Vintage Vinyl, Madame Yes, www.ticketedge.ca) DJ Pat & DJ Kim / Habano’s — Local DJs spin top 40 hits all night long. 9pm / $5 cover Big Chill Fridays / Lancaster Taphouse — Come and chill with DJ Fatbot. 10pm / Cover TBD Alley 14 / McNally’s Tavern — Classic rock and blues 10pm / $5 Wonderland / Pump Roadhouse — Come on out and join the party. 9pm / Cover TBD (free if you have your Tragically Hip ticket stub) Albert / Pure Ultra Lounge — Come listen to Albert every Friday. 10pm / $5 cover Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra / The Sip — A foot-stomping good time. 10pm / Cover TBD Chris Henderson / Whiskey Saloon — Crisp, cool country music for your listening pleasure. 8pm / $10

Saturday 26 Glenn Sutter, Rebecca Lascue, Mark Cesar / The Artful Dodger — A night filled with good music and good times.

7:30pm / Cover TBD The Northern Pikes, Grapes of Wrath / Casino Regina — Two classic Canadian bands performing under one roof.

8pm / $30-37 (www.casinoregina.com) RSO Works: Une Soiree a Paris / Conexus Arts Centre — A night full of wonderful French music. 8pm / $ 174-315 DJ Juan Lopez / Envy Nightclub — This DJ loves requests. 10pm / Cover $5 In Darkness / The Exchange — A CD release party for this local rock band. 8pm / Cover TBD PandaCorn, Friend Friend / Lancaster Taphouse — Two bands, one excellent show. 10pm / Cover TBD Jack Semple / McNally’s Tavern — This guy is hellfire on the guitar. 10pm / $5 Wonderland / Pump Roadhouse — Come on out and join the party. 9pm / Cover TBD Drewski / Pure Ultra Lounge — Doing what he does best. 10pm / $5 cover Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra / The Sip — A foot-stomping good time. 10pm / Cover TBD Jam Sessions / Smokin’ Okies BBQ — Drop by for a jam or to just listen. 3pm / No cover Chris Henderson / Whiskey Saloon Crisp — Crisp, cool country music for your listening pleasure. 8pm / $10

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

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saturday, january 12 @

The Exchange

The Cultural Exchange 2431 8th Avenue (306) 780 9494

Music vibe / A good mix of

everything, and plenty of live shows coming up / Into Eternity on January 20th, Choke on January 24th, Hannah Georgas on January 25th, and Dala on January 30th

Photography by Klein Photography

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Twists and turns galore

Photo: Courtesy of 20th Century Fox

Broken City takes audiences on an unpredictable ride by adam hawboldt

B

roken City is as twistyturny as the mighty Saskatchewan River.

We’re not talking about the kind of movie that sets the audience up, little by little, for one final, mindblowing twist either. The Usual Suspects or The Sixth Sense it is not.

No. Broken City is the kind of movie that changes tack every 20 minutes or so, hitting you with surprise after surprise.

Its intentions are to keep you constantly guessing, on edge, wondering where the unpredictable plot will take you next.

And how well this works will depend on a what you bring to the theatre as a movie viewer. Remember that, because we’ll return to the idea in a minute.

But first let’s take a look at the story.

Directed by Allen Hughes (Menace II Society, The Book of Eli), Broken City tells a harsh tale of

race, Hostetler enlists the help private investigator, Billy Taggart (Mark Wahlberg) to find out who his wife, Cathleen (Catherine Zeta-Jones), is sleeping with.

Now, Taggart isn’t just some run-

tough guys and girls, living in a tough city, snaking their way through the always tough back rooms of city politics.

Russell Crowe plays Nicholas Hostetler — the scotch-before-

...how much you like Broken City will depend on your ability to guess the outcome(s)...

Adam Hawboldt

of-the-mill private dick. He’s a disgraced former New York detective who was kicked off the force a few years back (for something we won’t go into here). He’s also an alcoholic with a penchant for violence.

Oh, and he and Hostetler have a history.

breakfast, crooked-as-a-screwworm incumbent mayor of New York City. When we first meet Hostetler, we find him locked in a heated campaign against a young, liberal adversary named Jack Valliant (Barry Pepper).

In the midst of a tight mayoral

Needless to say, Taggart takes the case and things start to happen.

What kind of things? Well, to tell you that, as my grandfather used to say, “would take the piss out of the whole thing.” So for the moment let’s bypass the plot and return to whether or not the twists and turns of the movie will appeal to you.

First off, how much you like Broken City will depend on your ability to guess the outcome(s) of twistyturny flicks.

For instance, if you’re the kind of movie watcher who easily guessed the identity of Kyser Soze in The Usual Suspects or foresaw precisely how a movie like, say, Primal Fear was going to end by the 30-minute mark, then chances are Broken City will be a tad too predictable for you.

Conversely, if you’re the type of moviegoer who would rather sit back and be taken on an up-anddown, inside-out ride through the

Broken City Allen Hughes Starring Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta-Jones + Barry Pepper Directed by

109 minutes | 14A

world of criminal activity, without thinking too much or wasting too much time trying to guess what will happen next, you may very well enjoy Broken City.

Especially if you enjoy movies filled with salty language, solid acting, gritty scenes and nary a moral character in sight.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@AdamHawboldt ahawboldt@verbnews.com

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A thriller without the thrills

The Paperboy, a sexy southern gothic, fails to deliver by adam hawboldt

I

f you’ve never read Pete Dexter’s novel The Paperboy, you should probably get on that.

Published in 1995, it tells the story of Ward Jansen, an intrepid reporter who returns to his hometown to investigate a murder. See, the local sheriff has been killed and a man named Hillary Van Wetter is on death row, awaiting execution. Thing is, though, Jansen thinks the evidence against Wetter is inconsistent with the ruling, so he decides to investigate. Along the way we meet a sexpot named Charlotte Bless (who has a strange crush on the convicted Wetter) and Jansen’s little brother, Jack (who has a not-sostrange crush on Charlotte.)

Anyway, without giving too much away, Dexter’s book is a sparse, wellwritten mystery that moves like a bat out of hell from the first page to the last, pulling the reader deep into a southern gothic tale that is at once sexy and thrilling.

Too bad the movie shares none of those characteristics.

Directed by Lee Daniels (Precious), The Paperboy film features a pretty darn good cast. You have Matthew McConaughey as Miami Times reporter Ward Jansen. John Cusack (who is greasy as hell in the movie) plays convict Hillary Van Wetter, Zac Efron plays Jack Jansen and Nicole

Photo: Courtesy of millennium films

The Paperboy, at least on paper, oozes natural screen talent.

...simply put, [The Paperboy] is a hot, sexy, sloppy, singular mess.

Adam Hawboldt

Kidman is Charlotte Bless. Oh, and there’s Macy Gray (yes, the singer) as the Jansen family housekeeper, who narrates the tale.

So talent isn’t the problem with this flick. In fact, you might even say

So what, exactly, is the problem with this film? Well, simply put, it’s a hot, sexy, sloppy, singular mess.

For some unfathomable reason, Daniels seems to favour shock over story. He seems to really want the

viewer to get pulled into the scene where Nicole Kidman’s character pees on Zac Efron. Same thing goes for all the scenes with Efron in his tighty whities, the scene in which we watch Cusack soil the front of his pants, and the part of the flick where we find McConaughey naked in a motel room — handcuffed, beaten to hell, and sodomized.

That’s where Daniel’s focus tends to lie, when what he really should’ve been focused on is paying more attention to the streamlined plot, the mystery and the eerie thrill of the novel.

But he doesn’t. And as a result, what we get is a lopsided film that never quite lives up to its potential.

Now, that’s not to say The Paperboy is all bad. Just most of it.

However, the good parts of the movie, while few and far between, are pretty darn good. Take, for instance, Nicole Kidman. She knocks the hell out of her role as a whitetrash harlot who oozes beauty and sexual tension. I was pretty surprised when she wasn’t nominated for an Oscar.

And to be completely honest, as strange as it is to say (and as contrary as this may run to my argument), the scene in which she urinates on Zac Efron is riveting.

So if that’s the kind of stuff you’re into, sure, give The Paperboy a watch.

The Paper Boy Lee Daniels Starring Matthew McConaughey, John Cusack, Nicole Kidman + Zac Efron Directed by

107 minutes | 14A

But if you leave the theatre unfulfilled, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

The Paperboy will open at Regina Public Library on January 24th.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@AdamHawboldt ahawboldt@verbnews.com

17 Jan 18 – Jan 24 @verbregina

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Š Elaine M. Will | blog.E2W-Illustration.com | Check onthebus.webcomic.ws/ for previous editions!

18 Jan 18 – Jan 24 entertainment

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crossword canadian criss-cross 25. Painkilling drug 27. Fruit seed 29. Request a payment of past due money 30. One who runs a business 34. Games are played with them 38. Winning serve 39. Era 41. Devour 42. Travel with a band 44. Hot beverage 45. Lavish social event 46. List of corrections 48. Unpleasantly cool 50. Pertaining to warships 51. Christmas decoration 52. Onion relative 53. Circular motion of water

DOWN 1. Place where 2 streets meet 2. Force out of a position 3. Mature, as wine 4. Pigeon’s perch 5. Stretch out by pressure from within 6. Joined together 7. It’s often hung from a pole 8. Father, mother, and their children 9. Show the way 11. Child’s cart pulled by a handle 12. Coagulate 14. Make mention of 17. Genus of macaws 20. Very light brown 21. Border on

24. Mineral spring sudoku answer key 26. Genetic material A 28. Coach’s encouraging words 30. One of a pair 31. Oak tree nut 32. Relating to the nervous system 33. Fish eggs 35. Exclamation of surprise B 36. Waste time 37. Continue to be in a place 40. Hiding place 43. All-night dance party 45. Cover with a thin layer of gold 47. ___ kwon do 49. Coal scuttle

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

ACROSS 1. Black substance that burns and gives off heat 5. Removed one’s hat in greeting 9. Chisel with a curved blade 10. Relative by marriage 12. Doomed for a bad ending 13. Mariner 15. Bits of thread 16. Gangster’s pistol 18. Computer acronym about faulty data 19. Lyric poem 20. Cap with no brim 22. Outdoor area of a film studio 23. Sparing in the use of words

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

timeout

© walter D. Feener 2013

Horoscopes January 18 – January 24 Aries March 21–April 19

Leo July 23–August 22

Sagittarius November 23–December 21

Some people need drugs to get high. Not you, Aries. Not this week. You’re going to be flying so high on life you won’t want to come down.

Delve deep into conversations this week, Leo. Oh, and don’t forget to pay attention. You could very well learn something intriguing.

You could be the recipient of a very important introduction this week. It may not seem so at the time, but this connection could prove invaluable.

Taurus April 20–May 20

Virgo August 23–September 22

Capricorn December 22–January 19

Pay attention to your dreams, Taurus. Not your goals and life aspirations, but your actual sleeping dreams. They will reveal a lot.

Emotions could run very deep this week. Be prepared, Virgo. If they catch you unawares, they may very well steamroll right over you.

Try not to be too sensitive this week, Capricorn. Even if your feelings get hurt, don’t make a big deal out of it. Suck it up, buttercup.

Gemini May 21–June 20

Libra September 23–October 23

Aquarius January 20–February 19

The crystal ball says you’re in for a good week, Gemini. Your relationships with others will run smoothly, and smiles will frequent your face.

Give your life a shot in the arm to start the new year, Libra. How you do that is up to you. Just don’t let things remain stagnant — mix it up!

You know that feeling you get in your gut when you know you just have to do something? Well, don’t listen to that feeling this week, Aquarius.

Cancer June 21–July 22

Scorpio October 24–November 22

Pisces February 20–March 20

Remember that old Scorpions’ song “Winds of Change,” Cancer?

Well, the winds of change shall blow for thee this week. Batten down the hatches.

If luck is indeed a lady, be prepared for a female visitor this week, Scorpio. This mystery woman could reveal something significant about you.

If you’re feeling insecure this week, tell yourself, “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggonit, people like me.” Then thank Stuart Smalley.

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

crossword answer key

A

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

B

19 Jan 18 – Jan 24 /verbregina

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