Verb Issue R74 (Apr. 19-25, 2013)

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ISSUE #74 – APRIL 19 TO APRIL 25

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ARE TAKING OVER

THE ART OF HEALING Jeff Nachtigall helps unlikely artists WAIT WITH ME Q+A with 100 Mile House OBLIVION + NO Films reviewed­

PHOTO: COURTESY OF EVAN NEUFELD

CONTENTS NEWS + OPINION

THE ART OF HEALING Jeff Nachtigall helps unlikely artists.

3 / LOCAL

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STR8 UP GANGSTA

PUBLISHER / PARITY PUBLISHING EDITOR IN CHIEF / RYAN ALLAN MANAGING EDITOR / JESSICA PATRUCCO STAFF WRITERS / ADAM HAWBOLDT + ALEX J MACPHERSON CONTRIBUTING WRITER / JESSICA BICKFORD

EDITORIAL

Helping Saskatchewan gang members go straight. 4 / LOCAL

ART & PRODUCTION

IT’S TOO TAXING

COMMENTS

Our thoughts on switching to government-prepared tax returns. 6 / EDITORIAL

Here’s your say on public-private partnerships. 7 / COMMENTS

DESIGN LEAD / ROBERTA BARRINGTON DESIGN & PRODUCTION / BRITTNEY GRAHAM CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS / BAILY EBERLE, MAXTON PRIEBE, ADAM HAWBOLDT + ALEX J MACPHERSON

BUSINESS & OPERATIONS OFFICE MANAGER / STEPHANIE LIPSIT MARKETING MANAGER / VOGESON PALEY FINANCIAL MANAGER / CODY LANG

CULTURE

COMMENTS / FEEDBACK@VERBNEWS.COM / 306 881 8372

CLOSE TALKER

Q + A WITH 100 MILE HOUSE On their latest album. 8 / Q + A

NOTHING TO FEAR

LET’S DO LUNCH

Exploring love and loss in I, Claudia. 9 / ARTS

We visit Fresh on Hamilton.

ADVERTISE / ADVERTISE@VERBNEWS.COM / 306 979 2253 DESIGN / LAYOUT@VERBNEWS.COM / 306 979 8474 GENERAL / INFO@VERBNEWS.COM / 306 979 2253

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Takes over Saskatchewan. 10 / COVER

PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

12 / FOOD + DRINK

THROWING VOICES

MUSIC

Jeff Dunham and ventriloquism.

Leonard Cohen, Beach Boys + Tragically Hip. 13 / MUSIC

9 / ARTS

CONTACT

ON THE COVER:

ENTERTAINMENT

LISTINGS Local music listings for April 19 through April 27. 14 / LISTINGS

NIGHTLIFE PHOTOS

ON THE BUS

We visited The Press Box

Weekly original comic illustrations

by Elaine M. Will. 18 / COMICS

15 / NIGHTLIFE

OBLIVION + NO

GAMES + HOROSCOPES

The latest movie reviews. 16 / FILM

Canadian criss-cross puzzle, horoscopes, and Sudoku. 27 / TIMEOUT

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THE ART OF HEALING PHOTO: COURTESY OF ADAM HAWBOLDT / VERB MAGAZINE

Jeff Nachtigall uses the open studio concept for unlikely artists BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

I

t all began during a conversation with a man who can’t speak.

One day, half a decade or so ago, Jeff Nachtigall was walking down the hall at Sherbrooke Community Centre — a long-term care facility in Saskatoon — when he ran into Larry Fitzgerald, a genial gentleman who is unable to walk or talk. He asked Fitzgerald if he wanted to come to the studio and paint. Nachtigall, who was the artistin-residence at Sherbrooke at the time, told Fitzgerald that he would remove his head-stick (which Fitzgerald uses to type into a computer that allows him to speak in a manner similar to Stephen Hawking) and replace it with a paint brush. He said yes.

“So when I brought Larry into the studio I assumed his limited range of mobility would limit the size of the painting,” explains Nachtigall. “He had it in his head that he wanted to paint these long horizontal lines, so I was thinking maybe a two or three foot painting at best.” But Fitzgerald surprised Nachtigall, and found a way to maneuver in the studio, making his horizontal lines longer and longer.

“And I was like, ‘holy s**t,’” admits Nachtigall. “So I began asking myself, ‘what if the wheelchair isn’t limiting?

What if I could change it into something that would allow you to do things that even I can’t do?’”

That’s when the idea for the Mobile Painting Device was born — a device that transforms a wheelchair into a giant paint brush and allows people with disabilities to express themselves on a large, sweeping, artistic scale.

If you were to rewind a few decades, and tell a younger Jeff Nachtigall that one day he’d turn his back on the com-

for me. First a BFA, then an MFA, then become a teacher.”

This wasn’t the vision of an artist Nachtigall had in mind. He’d always thought artists had to be worn down a bit by life. Unbeknownst to him at the time, when he quit his MFA that’s exactly what was going to happen.

“When I left school [in Chicago], I moved to Calgary completely broke,” he says. “I got a job picking up garbage, basically cigarette butts, at Mount Royal University.”

From there, Nachtigall built himself up again, and once again ascended the ladder of the modern art world only to come crashing back down at the turn of the millennium. “I left Toronto and came to Saskatoon with literally just the shirt I had on my back,” he says That’s when he walked through the doors of Sherbrooke and had his life changed — forever.

“Before that my whole life revolved around my CV. I was self-involved, always looking for more,” says Nachtigall. All that thinking was pushed to the wayside once he began spending more and more time at Sherbrooke. “It shook me to my core, my very foundations,” says Nachtigall of his experiences there. “When I saw those people who didn’t have to ability to communicate verbally, who were quadriplegic and paraplegic, painting and expressing themselves in the studio — when I saw how much of a difference it

So I began asking myself, ‘what if the wheelchair isn’t limiting?’

JEFF NACHTIGALL

mercial art world to unlock the artistic passions of seniors, veterans and people in long-term care facilities, he probably wouldn’t have believed you.

But it happened.

Once upon a time Nachtigall was an artist in demand, with solo and group shows all over North America.

“I was having exhibitions in New York and Chicago and LA,” he says.

“People were buying my work and it was really, really exciting. But after I graduated from the U of R and went to do my MFA in the States I began to realize I was becoming part of this machine. There was this arc being created

makes…” Nachtigall pauses, hesitating to say what he’s thinking. “I know this is going to sound corny, and it drives me crazy even saying it,” he continues.

“But I saw the power of art.”

But we’re not talking about art therapy here. There’s no analysis in the open studio Nachtigall set up. There’s no teaching, either. Just Nachtigall “digging ditches,” as he calls it, burrowing down to the creative well in each of the people who participate.

And Nachtigall isn’t stopping at Sherbrooke. His residency may have ended there, but he is in the process of bringing the open studio concept and

the Mobile Painting Device to places in Calgary and Toronto and beyond.

And no matter where he goes, Nachtigall remains hellbent on making art a vehicle for hope and for healing.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@AdamHawboldt ahawboldt@verbnews.com

3 APR 19 – APR 25 /VERBREGINA

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FATHER ANDRÉ POILIEVRE HELPED FOUND STR8 UP

STR8 UP GANGSTA

Father Andre Poilievere helps gang members and at-risk youths go straight BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

J

ames slouches on the couch, stretched back and to the right. A tattoo twists its way out from under his red hoodie and crawls up the side of his neck, as he sits listening to a man speak.

The speaker’s name is Shane, a great big guy with a bushy beard and a former gang member. Standing at the front of a packed room in the back of the Calder Centre, giving a talk to a group of at-risk teens, Shane is saying, “By the time I was eight years old I had my first six pack of beer bought for me … when I was in my teens I started doing intravenous drugs, and by 16 I was charged with attempted murder.”

James sinks deeper in the couch, and bounces one leg up and down.

Every now and then he lifts the flat-brimmed baseball hat from his head and runs his hand through his buzz-cut hair.

And at the front of the room Shane is saying, “After 16 things

really snowballed for me. I was in and out of jail every year since then, up until this last year. That’s the first full year I spent out of jail … I’m 36 years old.”

James understands what Shane went through. Been there, done

In fact, when it’s James turn to speak, the violence inherent in gang culture is one of the first things he talks about.

“I’ve been a gang member since I was 14. I’ve seen a lot of s**t,” says James. “I got shot five times, stabbed

I was in the gang for 14 years, dealing with that s**t every day. Always looking over my shoulder … I’ve been through it all and it sucks.

JAMES

that. And when Shane starts talking about being kidnapped and tortured, about being “shot in the face and stabbed on two separate occasions,” James knows exactly where he’s coming from.

twice during a home invasion when I was 21.”

James pauses, takes a deep breath.

“And you know what, it didn’t phase me,” he continues. “It didn’t CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE »

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change my life. I felt like I was unstoppable. I was walking around, like, a week later. I felt good. Really good. So after that, I just got deeper in the gang.”

As James speaks, he paces back and forth across the front of the room, his hands subtly but constantly moving. If he appears ill-at-ease or a tad uncomfortable, there’s a good reason for that.

This is the first time he has shared his story — not as a gang member, but as a member of the Str8 Up program.

Str8 Up was created more than a decade ago when its founder, Father André Poilievre — a Catholic priest, high school counsellor and prison chaplain — was approached by two members of the Indian Posse who

wanted to get out of the game and didn’t know how.

Poilievre didn’t know either, but he was determined to help.

What he came up with was Str8 Up, a gang-exit program that has since helped more than 125 young men and women in Saskatchewan escape gang activity.

But don’t be mistaken. Str8 Up isn’t at war with the gangs or anything.

They don’t actively recruit, promote or advertise. You go to Str8 Up because you want to. Because, as Poilievre says, at some point you realize that if you “stick a needle in your arm in the morning and a knife into people at night, things aren’t going to turn out well for you.”

And once you join Str8 Up there are five straightforward rules you have to follow: 1. Drop your colours, 2. Deal with your addiction, 3. Learn to be honest, 4. Be humble, drop the attitude, and 5. Give four years of your life to the program.

If you can follow all those rules maybe, just maybe, you can leave your previous life behind.

And with so much gang activity in Saskatchewan, with gangs now using social media to recruit, and with the recent video of a gang initiation in Regina springing up online, programs like Str8 Up are more important than ever.

The problem is, while Str8 Up is great for Saskatoon, where it’s based, Regina has lacked a proper gang-exit alternative ever since RAGS (the Regina Anti-Gang

Services) had its funding cut last year. Sure, there’s Street Culture, a non-profit organization that mentors under-serviced youth, but a comprehensive program like Str8 Up works with young people, too. They’ve visited more than 1,000 schools and treatment centres trying to reach young offenders and at-risk youth.

Trying to convince them to stay away from gang life.

That’s why James is opening up for the first time at the Calder Centre.

He’s trying to teach the roomful of youths to learn from his life. To avoid making the same mistakes he made.

And James’ mistakes have been myriad.

“I started regretting being a gang member when my brothers following in my footsteps,” says James, still pacing the floor at the Calder Centre.

“They were just trying to be like me.”

But regret wasn’t enough for James to drop his colours.

It took something different, something deeper and closer to home. It took the birth of his second child.

See, James was in jail serving a seven-and-a-half year stretch when his first baby was born. And as his child grew up, the way James got to know his firstborn was through phone calls.

When James’ second baby was about to be born, he was determined not to make the same mistake and miss his child coming into this world again.

“I could never really smile because everything was so serious in my life,” he admits, “but when my baby was born I smiled. It was the happiest time of my life.”

That happiness soon turned to pain when, for reasons we won’t get into here, the baby was taken away by social services.

“When that happened I was so f**king hurt, man.” James stops pacing for a moment. From the back of the room Father Poilievre — his eyes gentle, face kind — watches on as he continues. “You know,” says James, “I’d been shot, stabbed, burned, all that. But when I saw my baby being born and fell in love like that and then he was taken away, that’s real pain.”

The kind of pain that convinced James to drop his colours and seek help at Str8 Up. “It got to the point where I had to make a choice,” he says. “I was in the gang for 14 years, dealing with that s**t every day.

Always looking over my shoulder, not knowing what was going to happen at the end of the block. I’ve been through it all and it sucks. So instead of choosing to stay a gang member, I chose to be a daddy.”

And with the help of Str8 Up, he’ll have the chance to do just that.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

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EDITORIAL

IT’S TOO TAXING Our tax filing system is convoluted, so why not change it?

I

t’s tthat time of year again.

The time when the taxman (or woman) cometh.

And for many, the process of getting your taxes done can be an enormous headache. Filling out the paperwork yourself can be a bit of a time suck — and that’s if you have a fairly straightforward situation. Things get exponentially more complicated if you file with a spouse, have children, have to account for RRSPs and assorted other savings or deductions, moved in the last year, are filing income from more than one employer, etc. The more variables at play, the greater the room for error.

Alright, so to save yourself the time and headache of doing your taxes on your own, you have the option to take them down to your local professional tax preparer. There, you can fork over cash to have someone who knows what they’re doing fill out the paperwork for you, and if you’re lucky the amount you get back is more than what it costs to have your taxes done.

Either way, we admit it: doing your taxes isn’t much fun. And that’s why we think it’s time to streamline the process, by having the government do it for us. This isn’t a novel idea — countries like Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Chile and Spain have already embraced this model, and it’s so easy, it’s almost unbelievable. Think about it: the Canadian Revenue Agency already has our SIN numbers, net income, CPP contributions and more — all the information that’s needed to prepare a return. So how about they prepare our taxes for us? That way, you receive your completed paperwork in the mail, glance

over it, and approve it if it all looks right. Got some changes to make? No big deal — make the fixes online, the calculations are done automatically, and you send it back to the government. What if you forget to approve your taxes altogether? Well, let’s do as they do in Norway: if they don’t hear from you, they assume all is copacetic and fire you off your cheque.

The whole process takes just a few minutes to complete, and we don’t have to shell out big bucks to have it done for us.

And while many of you may be sitting there thinking “this sounds a tad too idealistic,” rest assured it isn’t.

Called “return-free filing,” “simple returns,” or “government-prepared returns,” this method has been endorsed by many people, including American presidents from Ronald Reagan to Barack Obama. Heck, in California they have already put a version of this theory into action, with a system called Ready Return. All eligible California taxpayers can opt in for the service, and wait for the Internal Revenue Service to send them the completed paperwork. A quick glance will determine whether or not there are any errors, and after amending anything that needs changes the taxpayer sends it back to the IRS. Easy peasy.

And while the United States has slightly embraced the simple return method, these are far more popular overseas. As mentioned above, both Sweden and Denmark have implemented voluntary return programs, country-wide, where each country’s respective government preps citizens’ returns for them, and so far these have been widely embraced.

In fact, more than 70% of the population in both countries subscribe to the program. And as for the other 30%? Well, they do their taxes the old-fashioned way. And we think that ensuring the program is voluntary is a good way to go. After all, not every taxpayer may want the government filing paperwork on his or her behalf. So for those people who feel that having the feds involved to that capacity is too risky or too heavy-handed, do not worry: you won’t be forced to participate.

The benefits of pre-prepared returns are pretty great, too. Most countries report a fairly high (at least half, and in Denmark’s case, 78%) rate of non-adjustment, meaning that no changes were necessary, according to the OECD. And there’s hardly any turnaround time to receive a refund — rather than waiting weeks for their money, taxpayers in Denmark and Estonia typically receive their cheques within five business days. Not to mention that having the government prepare your returns ensures that everyone pays, and receives, their fair share.

So if simple returns are so great, why haven’t we embraced them already? Well, south of the border Intuit, the maker of TurboTax, is one of many companies that have lobbied against the idea of returnfree filing — spending as much as $11.5 million to do so in thepast five years, according to Propublica.

We know that Canada often moves in lockstep with America, policywise, but we think this is one area where we should embrace the better alternative, regardless of the battles

being fought over this issue by our neighbours to the south.

So why not give it a shot here in Canada? It could save you money and time, it could help make the income tax return process more honest, and it could give the people more options. Government-prepared returns means tax season no longer has to be a headache.

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

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COMMENTS

ON TOPIC: Last week we asked what you thought about P3s. Here's what you had to say:

– P3s don’t work anywhere else look into it readers! Most studies say they are not a smart move.

Text yo thoughtsur to 881 VE R B 8372

the article. Too many people whine and complain about the cold. I tell them ‘so move?’

In response to “Winter’s Delight,” Local page, #73 (April 12, 2013)

– Great idea re P3’s! Botched up mess at #1 & Transportation hub is prime example, with traffic lites on the #1highway for months on end and no activity since last fall! What an abysmal joke … pure hick-town mentality.

– P3s are a terrible way to go, they take jobs away from public workers and end up costing more moneyin the long run it basically just lets the government not pay now and have to pay later why would that be any better?

– Anything that gets the projects done around this province faster than how they’re being done now sounds great to me. Competition helps people be held accountable so if P3s bring a little competition to the table then I think this is wonderful. How long has it taken to get things down around here?

To long

– I guess as long as there is a set budget and end date it would be alright? I haven’t heard many good things about public and private projects but if they get stuff done then i’m okay with it.

– Keep P3s out of Saskatchewan!!

OFF TOPIC – Dog sled article was great!

Always been a fan of getting outdoors in winter, people think I am crazy! Love the feel good energy of

SOUND OFF – In 40 yrs of paying attention I’ve noticed economic booms are never good for the poor and working poor. Everybody gets greedy when there’s new money. The price of everything goes up while incomes for the poor never keep pace.

Busts are bad too. We never have leadership that aims for long term steady state stable economy. They all aim for growth the boom and then we get its inevitable following bust. Culture of Greed!

– Gosh people it’s not hard to grab a shovel an ice pick and clean up your freaking sidewalks and can’t even walk on a sidewalk without going through a river and ice it’s your responsibility not the city’s consider other people that use the sidewalks thank you <melly :-D >

– Complaining about the snow won’t make it go away. At least there are no mosquitoes.

– Help your neighbor clear the snow

– WHEN WILL THIS FREAKING SNOW GO AWAY?! OUR PROVINCIAL FLAG EMBLEM SHOULD BE A SNOWFLAKE!

– Spring in Saskatchewan - diving the convertible with the top down an the studded snow tires on...

– Philosphy of Martial Arts ...I can handle it if someone kicks my ass But don’t be Screaming at me Too!!

– Saw a bit about employers making policy to not hire smokers. Bad road! Obese people next. Then those with genetic problems. Then the dull knives. Then...

– I LOVE YOU CRYSTAL I’M SO HAPPY THAT WE’VE BEEN MARRIED FOR A YEAR NOW HERE’S TO MANY MORE! LOVE YOU FOREVER AND ALWAYS-MIKE

– You can’t bitch about the banks if you owe them money. You bought in to the scheme were more than happy to get the loan. Same for big oil if you drive a car.

– Rushing a buddy to the ER in a shopping cart is DOWNtown!

– My heart goes out to the victims of the Boston bombing.

– There is one very simple very easy very effective way for the working class to reign in bankers and financiers. Stop borrowing money to buy things!

mindful of the lesson of the bland middle of the road Sask NDP. I call it now. Good fight tween the Conservatives and Liberals next Fed election. Greens firmly on the left populist. Blander Fed NDP will lose Layton’s gains!

– The city should build some parkades and get rid of on street parking so there is more place to drive on the street.

NEXT WEEK: What do you think about moving to pre-prepared tax returns?

Pick up a copy of Verb to get in on the conversation:

– Violence solves nothing.

– Federal NDP went more centrist more vanilla bland this past week.

You’d think they’d have been

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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PHOTOS: COURTESY OF DETOUR PHOTOGRAPHY / KERBY DESIGN

WAIT WITH ME

100 Mile House deliver their fourth record of infectious folk rock

BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

P

eter Stone met Denise MacKay at a bar in Toronto. He was playing a show; she thought it was an open mic night. They played music together, got married, moved to Edmonton, and started a band. Since 2008, 100 Mile House has released four albums of transatlantic folk — music that invests the ancient traditions of folk with a perspective that stretches to the horizon. The band’s latest record, Wait With Me, is about leaving and about coming home — the most emotional moments in our lives. Fusing simple song structures with heartfelt lyrics, Wait With Me is the purest expression of what 100 Mile House can achieve. I caught up with Stone to talk about the band, the record, and growing up in England.

And we can take home with us, because we’re together all the time. I definitely think of it as an advantage.

There’s a lot more fun to it than sort of bad moments.

Alex J MacPherson: The story of you and Denise meeting and getting married is, I think, integral to the band. You write about home a lot, but in a sense home is wherever you are.

At the same time, is that dynamic difficult to manage?

the beginning of 2012, we had pretty much the whole album written. And then 2012 was the hardest year we’d had as a couple, me and Denise, in the nine years we’ve been together. Just throughout that year a lot more songs came from the experiences we and our friends and family were having. When we recorded the album, we had a whole new album. And by the end of that I did look back and go, ‘Yeah, there’s definitely a theme here.’

Peter Stone: It came pretty naturally. We sang together before we’d even spoken.

It’s always been there. We’ve always sung together.

AJM: Why do you think this form, fairly well structured folk music, works so well with big themes and ideas?

PS: I’m not sure. I guess it doesn’t get in the way of the lyrics sometimes. A lot of folk music, and a lot of our songs, are very simple. Just like three, four chords. And maybe it suits this kind of music because the instruments behind the lyrics are doing something nice, but they’re not getting in the way of the message or the story you’re trying to tell. It doesn’t get in the way of the words or the lyrics.

AJM: And Wait With Me deals with the big themes: home, time, distance.

Did you intend to make a record that covered those themes, or was it a slow realization?

PS: It was kind of a weird one, this record, because we normally have a backlog of songs when we come to record a new record. At

[People] want to connect with music a little more.

want to connect with music a little more. You see the Lumineers on Saturday Night Live, and it’s a world away from seeing Justin Timberlake on Saturday Night Live – which is still a great thing, ‘cause he’s great, but maybe they are yearning for something a little more true.

AJM: The transatlantic dynamic seems integral to this band, but other than pure distance, what does your experience growing up contribute to the band?

PETER STONE

AJM: Your band is in the midst of this resurgence of folk music. Why do you think that’s happening right now?

PS: Folk music is almost becoming pop music again, if that makes sense.

I think it’s just folk music’s turn, in the way that things go through waves. It could just be a cyclical thing, or it could be the fact that people are fed up with being fed generic, sort of plastic-sounding music. They’re looking for something that’s a little more raw. They

PS: I think more than anything lyrics, because you always think about places where you’re not. And I find myself singing about London and England and home a lot, especially on our last album, Hollow Ponds. But also I didn’t grow up around a lot of folk music, so I guess the music growing up would have shaped my composing in some way: not necessarily a direct way that I can sort of draw a line between the two, but I’m sure the music I grew up listening shaped my songwriting in some way.

100 Mile House May 2 @ The Exchange $15 Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

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NOTHING TO FEAR

I, Claudia explores love and loss using masks

I

magine the tangled relationships linking a precocious pre-teen, a brassy stepmother, a kindly grandfather, and a mysterious janitor. Now imagine that all four characters are played by the same actor, a charming young woman from Regina. This is the recipe for I, Claudia, an awardwinning play by Kristen Thomson.

“Doing a one-person show like this requires a different level of focus and stamina than a traditional play with several actors,” explains Lucy Hill, who stars in the Globe Theatre’s new mainstage production.

“This show is demanding, vocally, mentally, physically. It’s just me, pacing myself. I have to remember to breathe. And to enjoy the ride.”

I, Claudia tells the story of a gifted 12-year-old, an “official pre-teen,” who has reached a pivotal moment in her life. Under pressure at school and devastated by trauma at home, Claudia must grapple with problems which she is not equipped to deal with. As the play unfolds, she finds solace in isolation — and in an unlikely friend.

BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

Hill says the play, which has been described as a “riveting, hilarious, and heartbreaking journey into the raw psyche of an extraordinary girl with a lot on her mind,” is about the experience of growing up.

“Her parents are getting divorced, her father’s marrying this new woman, her world is being turned upside-down on her,” she says. “The audience is seeing her realize that she’s not safe anymore. That she’s growing up, and these are some of the things she’s going to have to face and deal with.”

I, Claudia is unusual because it is performed entirely in mask. The masks allow Hill to become different characters with ease, but they are also blank canvases on which audience members can project their own stories and experiences. “It’s nothing to fear,” she says with a laugh. “The thing I love about a mask is that you put it on, and immediately you look like a completely different person.

It just enriches the characters even more. It’s amazing how much emotion and subtlety of expression can come from those masks.”

PHOTO: COURTESY OF SHARPSHOOTER PHOTOGRAPHY

I, Claudia is not Hill’s first experience in mask: in 2010 she created a one-woman show called Bertha that used similar masks. But this production promises to be one of the most rewarding. “Claudia really wants to be heard,” Hill says, “and she’s saying these really big feelings out loud for the first time. It’s like she’s only letting this group of people in on what she’s feeling. I just want people to invest in her and the other characters.”

I, Claudia April 10-28 @ Globe Theatre $29+ @ Globe Theatre Box Office

THROWING VOICES

Jeff Dunham on ventriloquism and comedy

V

entriloquism has a bad reputation, and Jeff Dunham has heard every kind of criticism. “I fought that battle from day one,” he writes in an email. “There’s a disdain for ventriloquists — you’re lumped in with plate spinners, accordion players and mimes.

It’s considered quite sad and dated.” But, he adds, “I’ve been at it forever. I’ve been on the road for over 20 years, and comedians respect that.”

Ventriloquism has not always been regarded as a tired novelty.

The art has its roots in vaudeville, but was carried into the modern

BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

age by Edgar Bergen, who proved that comedy and ventriloquism were a matched pair. Although Bergen inspired many famous ventriloquists, including Dunham, who started learning to throw his voice at age eight when his parents bought him a Mortimer Snerd dummy, the form has been in decline for years.

“I realized early on that the ventriloquism needed to be just a vehicle for the comedy,” Dunham writes, referring to his success in a world where ventriloquism has been driven to the fringes by edgy stand-up comedians. “It couldn’t be the focus of the act. In

other words, I needed to focus on the material and the jokes and keep people laughing.”

On stage, Dunham plays the straight man. His cast of characters — some earnest, some ribald, some ridiculous — supply the jokes. Although he is best known for voicing Walter, a disagreeable pensioner whose caustic sarcasm is eclipsed only by the size of his forehead, Dunham has developed a rotating cast of characters that allow him to mine different forms of comedy.

Bubba J is a beer-swilling redneck, José Jalapeño a talking pepper on a stick. Achmed the Dead Terrorist, the skeleton of a

profoundly incompetent suicide bomber, is perhaps Dunham’s most daring character — the key to unlocking the world of politically charged humour. “The one thing I pride myself on,” Dunham writes, “is I’ve put a fresh patina on an old, tired and sad art, and made it hip and fun again.”

The beauty of Dunham’s act, and the thing that keeps audiences coming back for more, is the sheer variety. Unlike stand-up comedians, who must cultivate and maintain a readily identifiable persona, Dunham uses his character to defy boundaries and blur styles. “In my show there is a little something for

everybody,” he writes. And while “you can pretty much leave your brain at the door,” there is nothing brainless about his act. “It’s not brainless comedy, but at the same time I’m not trying to make you think real hard. It’s just come in, have a great time.”

Jeff Dunham April 27 @ Brandt Centre $72.75 @ Ticketmaster Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@MacPhersonA amacpherson@verbnews.com

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CLOSE TALKER

Ten months in the life of Saskatchewan’s newest musical sensat

T

his time last year nobody had heard of the rock band Close Talker. Mostly because this time last year the rock band Close Talker didn’t exist. And in a career spanning just 10 months, the Saskatoon-based band has made up for a lot of lost time: they released a powerful debut, played dozens of shows, built a not insignificant fan base in Saskatchewan, and heard their songs on national radio. Chris Morien, who plays drums in the group, attributes their success to earnestness, good timing, and a little bit of luck.

“I think fairly consistently we’ve been playing the music we want to play,” he muses. Jeremy Olson, whose muscular bass lines serve as a refreshing counterpoint to the band’s airy aesthetics, cuts him off: “We were just having fun playing music and hoping people would come watch. We’d tell our friends, and hope they’d tell a friend or two.”

It worked. What began as a diversion grew into a serious venture. The band’s debut, Timbers was released — unintentionally — to coincide with Searchlight, a music contest sponsored by the CBC. The band reached the final eight; before it was eliminated, their song “By The Lake” was heard across the country. Morien is thrilled that so many people have come to appreciate the record, but refuses to take anything for granted. “You want people to listen,” he says. “We’ve played small shows and a few bigger shows, and

when people come to listen, it’s great.

But it’s just been slowly building up.”

Close Talker was formed when Olson joined forces with Morien, Will Quiring, and Matthew Kopperud — friends who grew up in Saskatoon’s north end and spent years playing music together in various configurations. After writing a handful of songs, uncluttered tracks that fused experimental sounds with gritty rock guitars, the foursome decided to debut their material at an open mic night.

night performances that led, inevitably, to bigger rooms and bigger crowds.

Most bands take months to write and record an album; Close Talker didn’t have that much time. Because Quiring and Kopperud split their time between Saskatchewan and British Columbia, where they attend school, the band was forced to work in short bursts. Rather than put off the sessions, they decided to record over Christmas. “We had two weeks to work,” Morien recalls. “And then we had February break, and we decided

The one thing I’m proud of is that we never sacrificed anything we wanted to do, even with the time constraints…

CHRIS MORIEN

It was almost a disaster. Olson, who is often away on business trips, was on a flight home from Ottawa when a thunderstorm threatened to derail the show. “I was supposed to get back at 10, and we were on at 10:30,” he recalls. “I would be just in time for the gig. Then there was one of those crazy storms. We were above the clouds and the lightning was just nuts. I was like, ‘This isn’t happening.’” The plane landed on time, and Olson raced across town to the venue. The show was a success, the first of many open mic

to release it then. Which might have been, in hindsight, pushing the timeline pretty heavily.”

The band booked an album release party as a preemptive strike against procrastination and sequestered themselves in the studio. It was a new experience for Olson. “It’s definitely a weird feeling, playing your part by yourself,” he says. “You’re just standing there, playing by yourself, and there’s four or five dudes just hanging out, waiting for you to get your stuff right. And every time you make a mistake it costs CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE »

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PHOTO: COURTESY OF EVAN NEUFELD

tion BY ALEX J MACPHERSON money.” After a brief pause he adds, “We went through a lot of Jameson and Great Western. Well, at least I did.”

Timbers was released on time.

The deadline was always a threat to open creativity, and made for a few tense days, but Morien says the band delivered solid performances as time ran out. The album was cut in just a few days, but it doesn’t feel rushed. Languid and luxurious, Timbers sprawls across the sonic spectrum, an inviting bed of rich textures and luscious sounds. From the cacophonous feedback that opens

PHOTO: COURTESY OF MIKE MORIEN

“Creatures” to the massive crescendo that carries the record to its conclusion, each sound on Timbers is calculated, part of a greater whole.

Broadly speaking, the album is a rock and roll record. It features crunchy guitars, pulsating bass lines, and jazz-inspired drumming. But it is much more than a collection of threechords-and-a-dream anthems: Timbers reflects the band’s love of lavish sonics as well as their ability to craft songs that bend and twist and stretch until the tension is unbearable — and then

release the pressure with a towering chorus that cascades back down into silence. The best song on the record is “To The Coast,” which builds for a full minute before Quiring’s ethereal voice finds a place in the mix. Blending a pair of entwined guitar licks and rolling piano chords with a dreamy soundscape, the song runs past six minutes without sounding tired or overblown.

Unlike many long songs, which push a simple riff to the edge of meaninglessness, “To The Coast” layers new ideas on top of older ones, creating a sonic tapestry that unfolds like a novel: each sentence in place, each paragraph an integral part of the story.

Quiring’s lyrics, which tend to be either inscrutable abstractions or simple placeholders, are the most obvious reflection of the band’s relative inexperience, but his voice is an integral part of the sound. This is the key to unlocking Timbers: by weaving a broad palette of sonic novelties into the fabric of guitar rock, Close Talker created an album greater than the sum of its parts. Featuring a wide array of sounds, from droning feedback and swirling synthesizers to analog delay and the unmistakable sound of a reverb unit being abused, the album covers a lot of territory, pushing to the horizon and beyond.

Olson was sitting in a Philadelphia hotel room when the mastered copy arrived in his inbox. “They had one of those iPod docks and I had a few hours to kill,” he recalls. “I just put it in and listened. I was like, ‘Holy smokes!

We made this thing?’ I was pretty impressed with how it turned out.”

Morien is more pragmatic: “The one thing I’m proud of is that we never sacrificed anything we wanted to do, even with the time constraints we put on ourselves,” he says. “We had decided if it really wasn’t ready at all for our deadline, it wasn’t worth it to rush it. By the end of it everything was coming together, and in our last couple days at the studio we were knocking things off and everything was flowing really nicely.”

Unlike countless thousands of records that never get a chance, Timbers had help. Just before the album was released, the CBC announced Searchlight, a competition to find “Canada’s next great musical act.”

Close Talker submitted “By The Lake” on a whim. Within weeks the song, a cheerful exploration of sounds popularized by bands like Hey Ocean! and Said The Whale, was selected to represent Saskatchewan in the final

24. Morien and Olson had reservations about the competition format (“It [measured] your ability as a band, but the main part of it was your ability to market yourself,” Morien says), but both agree the contest was an invaluable resource. “It was huge for us,” Olson says. “It helped people hear our record, who never would have, and it got our music out across the country.”

Music contests are not universally adored. Although unknown bands can reap extraordinary benefits from competitions like Searchlight, many people think elevating artists who have not “paid their dues” is unfair.

Morien says this is ridiculous. “In the music business there’s no process to get big,” he says. “All the bands that are big now, they’re big for a reason: because they’re amazing musicians and because they’re bringing something new to the industry. But if there was a set process to do it, everybody would be doing it, and everybody

would be famous. It’s all a matter of luck, and it’s all about who’s taking a chance with you.”

And because so many people took that chance, Close Talker’s songs have been played in homes, businesses, and bars across the country. But Morien and Olson aren’t savouring their success. They are planning a second album and a series of concerts over the summer. They want to keep working hard, to keep making great music.

Which is what they set out to do in the first place. And, contest or no contest, it will be interesting to see where Close Talker is 10 months from today.

Close Talker (one show in SK only!)

April 27 @ Amigos Cantina (Saskatoon) Tickets at the door Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@MacPhersonA amacpherson@verbnews.com

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Photos courtesy of Maxton Priebe

LET’S DO LUNCH

Quick, classic, and quirky options at Fresh on Hamilton BY JESSICA BICKFORD

S

ometimes I wish I worked downtown.

There are just so many great options for a tasty takeaway, and nice little spots for a quick lunch — including Fresh on Hamilton. The cute, clean, and stylish offshoot of Fresh & Sweet has tempting displays of treats, and a menu of soups and sandwiches that are familiar, but with some fun twists.

I started with a cheddar, egg and bacon croissant, which is one of their breakfast options (avail-

able from 7-11am). This was like the king of breakfast sandwiches.

The buttery, soft croissant held

great balance of sweet, salty and rich, and the egg was actually eggshaped, not perfectly circular.

The buttery, soft croissant held the melted, sharp cheddar…

JESSICA BICKFORD

the melted, sharp cheddar, rich fried egg, and thick, perfectly crisp bacon in a warm embrace. It had a

Next I started on a couple of their lunch options, with a huge strawberry and goat cheese salad up first. This was very bright, colourful, and pretty, and it tasted rather nice, too. The crisp romaine was topped with tangy strawberries, salty crumbled goat cheese, and sweet, crunchy candied almonds. It was dressed with a slightly sweet red wine vinaigrette that made all of the other flavours pop. The candied almonds are what really made this salad for me, though — the nuts added a wonderful crunch and were very delicious.

A bacon sandwich with a side of greek salad was up next. The salad had a lovely oregano dressing and great feta cheese, and was a simple, fresh, and tasty side dish for the

LET’S GO DRINKIN’ VERB’S MIXOLOGY GUIDE STRAWBERRY SAKE FIZZ

INGREDIENTS

We are all wishing for summer to just hurry up and get here.

Have a refreshing taste of strawberries and mint with this light and breezy cocktail, so at least your tastebuds can have a bit of summer refreshment.

3 strawberries Juice from 1 lime 1 oz simple syrup A few leaves of fresh mint, torn 2 oz sake 1.5 oz sparkling water ice

DIRECTIONS

Chop up two of the strawberries and muddle them thoroughly in a glass.

Add the torn mint leaves, ice, and sake before stirring everything together.

Top up with the sparkling water, and garnish with a whole strawberry.

main event. The sandwich itself came on toasted white bread with a generous amount of crisp bacon, cheddar, guacamole, tomato, and garlic mayo. The punch of garlic and rich, creamy avocado made this a super savoury and complex sandwich. I highly recommend it!

A little dessert in the form of a chocolate coconut cupcake was the last thing for me. The incredibly moist and dense cake had such a rich chocolate flavour, and the lovely buttercream frosting was topped with sweetened shredded coconut.

There was just the right amount of frosting and it wasn’t overwhelmingly sweet — ­ making this a perfect indulgent treat.

Fresh on Hamilton has daily specials along with their regular menu, and I doubt anyone can walk in and not come out with a cupcake or other sweet treat — they are just too tempting! They have great classic options and others with great twists that take lunch to a whole new and delicious level.

Fresh on Hamilton 120-1914 Hamilton St. | 306 569 2233

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@TheGeekCooks jbickford@verbnews.com

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MUSIC

NEXT WEEK

COMING UP

LEONARD COHEN

BEACH BOYS

TRAGICALLY HIP

@ BRANDT CENTRE SUNDAY, APRIL 28 – $55+

@ CASINO REGINA THURSDAY, MAY 2 – $70+

@ MOSAIC PLACE (MOOSE JAW) FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 – $60+

Singer, songwriter, poet, novelist, Companion of the Order of Canada, member of the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, ordained Rinzai Zen Buddhist monk — and that’s just the tip of the Leonard Cohen iceberg. He’s the original Canadian Renaissance Man. The lyrical ladies’ man. The guy who Lou Reed once said belongs to the “highest and most influential echelon of songwriters.” And now this Montreal artist is coming to Regina and bringing his deep, crackling bass voice and a catalogue of classic songs with him. Here’s your chance to see the songwriter who created such exquisite numbers as “Suzanne,” “Hallelujah” and “Famous Blue Raincoat.” Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.

Fifty years: that’s how long the Beach Boys have been making music. To put that into perspective, the year they released their first album, Surfin’ USA, John F. Kennedy was president and Spider-Man had recently made his debut for Marvel Comics. A long time ago, indeed.

And now the Beach Boys (who have been called “America’s Band”) are celebrating their golden jubilee in style — with a major, international tour. Not only that, but the group recently brought together all the remaining original Beach Boys, and recorded their 29th studio album, That’s Why God Made The Radio.

Don’t miss your chance to see this awesome, iconic band in action while you still can. Tickets available at www.casinoregina.com.

Known to many as simply “the Hip,” this rock band from Kingston, Ontario have been cranking out studio albums and touring since they formed way back in 1983. Among those records were instant Canadian classics like Up to Here, Day for Night and Fully Completely. Led by frontman Gord Downie, the Hip is still going strong after all these years. In fact, they recently released their latest studio record, Now for Plan A, which debuted at #3 on the Canadian Albums Chart. These iconic rockers have now hit the road to criss cross the country playing shows. They’ll be stopping in Moose Jaw for one night, and one night only, when they rock Mosaic Place.

Tickets for the show are available through Ticketmaster.

– By Adam Hawboldt

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

SASK MUSIC PREVIEW Big Dog 92-7 is looking for emerging country artists to enter their Next Big Thing contest. The winner will be awarded cash, mentorship and career-building options, with a prize package valued at over $15,000. All Saskatchewan country artists are invited to submit, and the top four will perform in a live showdown in Regina this June. The entry deadline is May 9; see www.thenextbigthing2013.ca for more information.

Keep up with Saskatchewan music. saskmusic.org

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LISTINGS

APRIL 19 » APRIL 27 The most complete live music listings for Regina.

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19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

FRIDAY 19

JUNOFEST / Artesian on 13th — Featuring Emillie Mover, Jordan Klassen, Belle Plaine and The Wooden Sky. 9pm / $20 JUNOFEST / Artful Dodger — Featuring Alex Goodman, Allison Au, and more.

9pm / $15 JUNOFEST / Casino Regina — Featuring Steve Strongman, Jack Semple, Shakura S’Aida. 9pm / $15 JUNOFEST / City Square Plaza — Featuring Slow Down, Molasses, Foam Lake, Two Hours Traffic and Rah Rah. 9pm / $20 JUNOFEST / The Club — Featuring Jeffery Straker, Dominique Fricot, JP Hoe and The Bystander. 9pm / $15 DJ JUAN LOPEZ / Envy Nightclub — This DJ loves requests. 10pm / $5 JUNOFEST / The Exchange — Featuring Amelia Curran, Corb Lund, Danny Michel,

JUNOFEST / Artful Dodger — Featuring All Mighty Voice, The Strumbellas, and more.

9pm / $15 JUNOFEST / Casino Regina — Featuring The Minnow, The Waltons and Odds. 9pm / $15 EMPIRE ASSOCIATES / Cathedral Freehouse — A husband-and-wife folk duo. 9pm JUNOFEST / City Square Plaza — Featuring Quake, Kayo, SonReal & Rich Kidd, Classified. 9pm / $20 JUNOFEST / The Club — Featuring Jeff McLeod, Scott Benson Band, Andino Sons, Pugs and Crows. 9pm / $15 KIRBY CRIDDLE / Creative City Centre — Folk indie rock. 7:30pm / $10 DJ JUAN LOPEZ / Envy Nightclub — This DJ loves requests. 10pm / $5 JUNOFEST / The Exchange — Featuring Shooting Guns, The Pack AD, One Bad Son and Monster Truck. 9pm / $20 JUNOFEST / First Baptist Church — Featuring Refined/Undignified, To The Bottom Of The Well and Flood the Stone. 7pm / $12 JUNOFEST / Lancaster — Featuring Val Halla, Tim Vaughn, and more. 9pm / $15 JUNOFEST / McNally’s — Featuring Whiskey Songs, Fur Eel, and more. 9pm / $15 JUNOFEST / The Owl — Featuring Young Benjamins, Library Voices, The Matinee and Hey Ocean! 10pm / $20 JESS MOSKALUKE / The Pump Roadhouse — A wildly talented young country/pop/ rock artist. 9pm / Cover TBD

Jason Plumb, Jim Cuddy, Mike Plume, Royal Wood, and more. 9pm / $20 DJ PAT & DJ KIM / Habano’s — Local DJs spin top 40 hits. 9pm / $5 JUNOFEST / Lancaster Taphouse — Featuring Smokekiller, The Lazy MKs, The Rebellion, MakeLiars. 9pm / $15 JUNOFEST / McNally’s — Featuring Melanie Durant, Ammoye, and more. 9pm / $15 JUNOFEST / The Owl — Featuring Indigo Joseph, Rococode, Hannah Georgas and Yukon Blonde. 10pm / $20 JESS MOSKALUKE / The Pump — Some country lovin’. 9pm / Cover TBD ALBERT / Pure — Appearing every Friday night. 10pm / $5 cover JUNOFEST / Rocks — Featuring Jeans Boots, Castle River and more. 10pm / $20 WHATEVER / The Sip Nightclub — A rockin’ good time. 10pm / Cover TBD JUNOFEST / Slow Pub — Featuring Danny Goertz, Julia McDougall, Rose Cousins and Danielle Duval. 9pm / $15 JUNOFEST / UofR Mulitpurpose Room — With JD Era, Def 3, and more. 10pm / $15 JUNOFEST / Whiskey Saloon — Featuring Belle Starr, JJ Voss, Don Amero and Blake Berglund. 10pm / $15

SATURDAY 20

JUNOFEST / Artesian — Featuring Reuben and the Dark, Andy Shauf, Great Lake Swimmers and more. 9pm / $20

ALBERT / Pure — Appearing every Friday night. 10pm / $5 cover JUNOFEST / Rocks — Featuring Barlow, Fly Points and more. 10pm / $15 WHATEVER / The Sip Nightclub — A rockin’ good time. 10pm / Cover TBD JUNOFEST / Slow Pub — Featuring Keiffer McLean, Shawn Hook, and more. 9pm / $15 JUNOFEST / UofR Mulitpurpose Room — Featuring High Hopes, The Treble, and more. 10pm / $20 JUNOFEST / Whiskey Saloon — Featuring Amy Nelson, Alex Runions, and more.

10pm / $15

SUNDAY 21

JUNOFEST / Casino Regina — Juno Songwriters’ Circle. 12pm / $35-40 THE BROTHERS ARNTZEN / Creative City Centre — A rad brother duo. 7:30pm / $12

MONDAY 22

OPEN MIC NIGHT / The Artful Dodger — Come down and jam! 8pm / No cover MONDAY NIGHT JAZZ / Bushwakker — Featuring The Donors. 8pm / No cover VOODOO HANDS / King’s Head Tavern — Come dance the night away. 9pm CHRIS HENDERSON / Whiskey Saloon — Country music done right. 8pm / $10

TUESDAY 23

TROUBADOUR TUESDAYS / Bocados — Live tunes from local talents. 8pm / No cover

WEDNESDAY 24

ROYAL CANOE, ROCOCODE / Artful Dodger — Indie pop/rock. 8pm / $10/15 WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOLK / Bushwakker — Featuring Alex Vissia Trio. 8pm / No cover SNOWBLINK / The Exchange — Indie pop from Toronto. 8pm / $10 URBAN OUTLAWS / King’s Head Tavern — A rockin’ good time. 9pm / Cover TBD OPEN STAGE / McNally’s — Come on down and enjoy some local talent. 9pm / No cover

THURSDAY 25

HOLLY COLE / Casino Regina — A jazz singer with a sweet voice. 6:30pm / $25-30 DECIBEL FREQUENCY / Gabbo’s Nightclub — A night of electronic fun. 10pm / Cover $5 PS FRESH / The Hookah Lounge — With DJ Ageless and DJ Drewski. 7pm / No cover OPEN MIC NIGHT / King’s Head Tavern — Show Regina what you got. 8pm / No cover BRAINDEAD ROMEO / McNally’s Tavern — Classic rock and punk. 9pm / $5 MARC LABOSSIERE / The Pump Roadhouse — A talented singer/songwriter from Winnipeg. 9pm / Cover TBD

CHRIS HENDERSON / Whiskey Saloon — Country music done right. 8pm / $5 DJ LONGHORN / Whiskey Saloon — One of Regina’s most interactive DJs. 8pm

FRIDAY 26

RUTH MOODY + MORE / Artful Dodger — A night of fantastic female music. 8pm POLKAFEST / Casino Regina — Featuring the Polka Pals + more. 5pm / $35+ POOR NAMELESS BOY / Creative City Centre — The Activity Book CD release party.

7:30pm / $10 (advance) or $15 (door) DJ JUAN LOPEZ / Envy Nightclub — This DJ loves requests. 10pm / $5 CAULDRON + MORE / The Exchange — Hard rockin’ metal. 7:30pm / $15 (ticketedge.ca) DJ PAT & DJ KIM / Habano’s — Local DJs spin top 40 hits floor. 9pm / $5 cover BIG CHILL FRIDAYS / Lancaster — With DJ Fatbot. 10pm / Cover TBD WONDERLAND / McNally’s Tavern — Onehit wonders and classic rock. 10pm / $5 MARC LABOSSIERE / The Pump — A talented singer/songwriter. 9pm / Cover TBD ALBERT / Pure — Appearing every Friday night. 10pm / $5 cover BILLY GRIND / The Sip Nightclub — Alt. country from Queen City. 9pm / Cover TBD CHRIS HENDERSON / Whiskey Saloon — Country music done right. 8pm / $10 DJ LONGHORN / Whiskey Saloon — One of Regina’s most interactive DJs. 8pm

SATURDAY 27

POLKAFEST / Casino Regina — Featuring the Polka Pals and more. 5pm / $35+ DJ JUAN LOPEZ / Envy Nightclub — This DJ loves requests. 10pm / $5 DAN SILLJER / Lancaster Taphouse — A lefthanded guitar whiz. 9pm / No cover WONDERLAND / McNally’s Tavern — Onehit wonders and classic rock. 10pm / $5 MARC LABOSSIERE / The Pump — A talented singer/songwriter. 9pm / Cover TBD DREWSKI / Pure Ultra Lounge — Doing what he does best. 10pm / $5 cover BILLY GRIND / The Sip — Alt. country from Queen City. 9pm / Cover TBD JAM SESSIONS / Smokin’ Okies BBQ — Promoting blues and country blues, come in and play or listen and be entertained. 2pm / No cover CHRIS HENDERSON / Whiskey Saloon — Country music done right. 8pm / $10

GET LISTED

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

14 APR 19 – APR 25 ENTERTAINMENT

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FRIDAY, APRIL 12 @

THE PRESS BOX

The Press Box Sports Bar 909 Albert Street (306) 924 0111 MUSIC VIBE / Top 40, and all the

sports you could want FEATURED DEALS / Steak sandwich for $7.99 DRINK OF CHOICE / Captain Morgan’s and Caesars TOP EATS / Nachos COMING UP / NHL playoff draft on April 30 — almost $7,000 in prizes (registration at 6pm, dinner at 7pm, draft at 8pm)

CHECK OUT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE! These photos will be uploaded to Facebook on Friday, April 26. facebook.com/verbsaskatoon

Photography by Bebzphoto

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A BEAUTIFUL OBLIVION

New Tom Cruise film a visual adventure, but far from perfect BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

T

he year is 2077. Sixty years ago a race of alien scavengers invaded our world, and all hell broke loose. They knocked out the moon, initiated an apocalyptic nuclear war, and laid waste to the Earth’s surface like it was Sodom and Gomorrah.

No need to fret, though. Humans actually won the war but, in the end, had to abandon the planet.

They live now on a gargantuan space station orbiting Earth, while the planet’s remaining water is sucked up.

The end goal? To one day set up shop on Titan — the largest of Saturn’s moons.

We knows this because Tom Cruise knows this. Well, not Tom Cruise, exactly. His character in the new sci-fi film Oblivion, Jack Harper, knows this. And in truth, he doesn’t know much more.

See, Jack is one of the humans who survived the alien war. But, for

reasons we won’t get into here, his memory has been erased. He now spends his days as a member of a “mop up crew” who lives on a special space station and makes daily

One day there is a huge explosion on Earth. Jack goes to check it out, and finds a spaceship carrying a bunch of hibernating humans; one of them wakes up. Her name is

…no matter how gorgeous Oblivion is, it’s ultimately just another big Tom Cruise blockbuster.

ADAM HAWBOLDT

trips to Earth to perform maintenance on white, flying, spherical drones, kill whatever alien scavengers he sees, and plunder what few remaining resources are left on the planet.

All the while his movements are monitored by Victoria (Andrea Riseborough) who lives on the special space station with him.

Julia (Olga Kurylenko). Jack takes her back to the station and then things really start happening.

Turns out Julia is Jack’s wife, though he really doesn’t remember because of the whole memoryerase thing.

That’s the first twist in Oblivion, but it certainly isn’t the last. Morgan Freeman shows up. Nikolaj

Coster-Waldau, too. Mysteries arise and are unraveled.

Directed by Joseph Kosinski (Tron Legacy), Oblivion is yet another installment in the long, long line of post-apocalyptic sci-fi flicks that have been made in recent years. And like the ones that have come before, Oblivion gives you all the usual scenes and clichés. The unpeopled, barren landscapes. The destroyed, half-buried monuments.

The robots.

But what sets Oblivion apart from most of those movies is that, to put it frankly, it’s so goddamn beautiful. Remember how visually stunning Life of Pi was? Remember how bold and beautiful the whole thing was? Well, the same cinematographer who worked on that film worked on this one. His name is Claudio Miranda, and again he’s done one heckuva job.

That’s the good part.

The bad part is that no matter how gorgeous Oblivion is, it’s ultimately

OBLIVION Joseph Kosinski Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Andrea Riseborough, + Olga Kurylenko DIRECTED BY STARRING

124 MINUTES | PG

just another big Tom Cruise blockbuster. Things work well when he’s in motion and running (he’s always running in his movies!), but when he slows down the film falters.

But if you can get past the fact that Tom Cruise is doing his Tom Cruise thing again, you should go see Oblivion — if for no other reason than to see the world Kosinski and Miranda have created.

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JUST SAY NO!

New film about the ousting of Augusto Pinochet outstanding

BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

PHOTO: COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES CLASSICS

W

hen Augusto Pinochet died in December 2006, there were, oh, about 300 criminal charges still pending against him.

Why? Well, let’s just say he wasn’t what you’d call a paragon of virtue.

At various points in his life, Pinochet was a soldier, the Commanderin-Chief of the Chilean Army, and a despot who ruled his country with a heavy iron fist. During his 17-year reign, Pinochet brought that hand

Directed by Pablo Larrain, this Spanish-language docudrama begins in 1988 with a scene straight out of Mad Men. In it, René Saavedra — an adman so smooth he could sell religion to the Pope — is making a pitch. He’s talking about “truth” and “social context” and the future of Chile.

So what is he selling? Liberty to the oppressed people of Chile?

Nah. He’s introducing a commercial for a new soft drink called Free. It may seem like a hokey idea,

García Bernal … plays [Saavedra] with an understated charm and low-key humour…

ADAM HAWBOLDT

down hard on political opponents, so much so that thousands were killed, nearly 80,000 were interned, and around 30,000 were tortured for opposing him.

No is the story about how Pinochet’s reign of oppression came to an end.

but Saavedra (played by the everwatchable Gael García Bernal) is a master at what he does.

Such a master, in fact, that he’s soon asked to play a major role in a national plebiscite. In 1988, Pinochet agreed to have a referendum vote on whether or not

NO Pablo Larrain Gael García Bernal, Antonia Zegers, Alfredo Castro DIRECTED BY STARRING

115 MINUTES | 14A

he should remain in power. If the majority voted “Yes,” his government would gain legitimacy in the international community. A “No” vote would lead to his downfall and open the way for free, democratic elections.

Common knowledge was that the fix was in and Pinochet would win a “Yes” vote easy. That’s where Saavedra enters the picture.

Anti-Pinochet forces ask for his help to sell the “No” vote to the general public. Naturally, Saavedra agrees, but this is no easy sell.

How does a person sell something like “No,” a word with such negative connotations?

What Saavedra does is turn into an urban guerrilla adman of sorts, using, ahem, interesting methods to turn a negative into a positive.

As Saavedra, García Bernal does a bang-up job. He plays him with an understated charm and low-key humour, and really brings the character

to life. But what else did you expect?

After all, this is the same guy who blew audiences away in movies like Amores Perros, Y Tu Mamá También, and The Motorcycle Diaries.

But you want to know something else? García Bernal isn’t even the best part of No. That honour goes to director Pablo Larrain, who decided to shoot the film with vintage 1988 home camcorders. The result is a retro look that gives the movie a very rough, nostalgic, VHS kind of feel.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, No isn’t just some bland, serious docudrama. It’s also sort of a quasi-comedy

that pokes fun at the political process.

Oh, and did I mention it was also a nominee for Best Foreign Language Film at this year’s Oscars?

How could you say no to a movie like that?

No will be opening at Regina Public Library on April 25; see reginalibrary.ca for show times.

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CROSSWORD CANADIAN CRISS-CROSS doors throughout the winter 26. Short-handled axe 28. Valuable quality 31. Then again 35. Fishing spot 36. Fit out 37. Song sung alone 38. Long span of geologic time 39. Fender mishaps 41. Spread out for drying 42. Back problem 44. Electrical resistance 46. Spend time in prison 47. Lose sleep over 48. Simmered dish 49. Very curious

DOWN 1. Scolds mildly 2. Cut off from sight 3. In a different way 4. Beaming with joy 5. Acknowledged the crowd 6. Has outstanding bills 7. Did a marathon 8. Actress from Yellowknife 9. Nucleus of trained personnel 11. Played with 12. Thoroughfare 14. Have confidence in 17. Help willingly 20. Wanted badly

22. Puts a value on 24. Corrode 25. Fell by cutting 27. Nickname for Toronto 28. Imitates 29. Places in order 30. Some drums 32. Monk or nun 33. Mournful poem 34. Went on horseback 36. Extend a subscription 39. Submarine captain’s command 40. Frighten away by shouting 43. School subject 45. Bride’s new title

SUDOKU ANSWER KEY

A

B

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

ACROSS 1. Burn partially 5. One’s place of employment 9. Plates, cups, saucers, etc., collectively 10. Expect 12. Made a surprise attack 13. One who sells wares 15. Not paired with another 16. Rubs dry 18. Change the colour of 19. Surface measurement 21. Financial help 22. Film spool 23. Movement downward 25. Able to live out of

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

TIMEOUT

© WALTER D. FEENER 2012

HOROSCOPES APRIL 19 – APRIL 25 ARIES March 21–April 19

LEO July 23–August 22

SAGITTARIUS November 23–December 21

Get your fill of small, sensual pleasures this week, Aries. Some chocolate and strawberries. Cheesecake.

Perhaps a massage.

We know you love to socialize, Leo, but take a break this week.

Sequester yourself at home, pull down the blinds, and relax.

Are you worried about coming off as silly or ridiculous, Sagittarius?

If so, don’t be. Let it all hang out this week. Be absurd.

TAURUS April 20–May 20

VIRGO August 23–September 22

CAPRICORN December 22–January 19

Is there someone special in your life that you’ve been neglecting as of late, Taurus? If so, try to spend a little time — it’ll do wonders.

Pay attention to the small details, Virgo. The success or failure of nearly everything you do this week will depend on it.

Most of the time, Capricorn, you are a very logical and reasonable person. But those traits will get you nowhere in the next few days.

GEMINI May 21–June 20

LIBRA September 23–October 23

AQUARIUS January 20–February 19

Have you been experiencing déjà vu lately? Have you been experiencing déjà vu, lately? No worries: it will soon pass.

Remember that line from Cool Hand Luke: “What we got here is failure to communicate?” That basically sums up your week.

If someone invites you to go somewhere or do something, don’t hesitate. Leap, and the chance is you’ll enjoy the heck out of yourself.

CANCER June 21–July 22

SCORPIO October 24–November 22

PISCES February 20–March 20

What’s your talent, Cancer? If you’re not sure, mine the depths of your soul until you unlock what you’re passionate about. Then start to hone it.

Don’t complicate matters this week, Scorpio. Keep it simple, keep it easy, or else you’re in for a long, long haul.

Sometimes people’s eyes don’t work properly. So instead of trying to physically show them something, paint them a word picture.

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

CROSSWORD ANSWER KEY

A

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

B

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