Verb Issue R77 (May 10-16, 2013)

ISSUE #77 – MAY 10 TO MAY 16

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BEHIND THE MASK Trenna Keating is winning over fans TEXAS IN JULY Pennsylvania metal band pushes the envelope THE GREAT GATSBY + OF TWO MINDS Films reviewed­

YOUNG BENJAMINS THE TIES THAT BIND

PHOTO: COURTESY OF MATT BRADEN PHOTO

CONTENTS

ON THE COVER:

YOUNG BENJAMINS

On friendship and rock. 10 / FEATURE PHOTO: COURTESY OF MIKE MORIEN

CULTURE

NEWS + OPINION

ENTERTAINMENT

Q+A WITH CAM PENNER

LIVE MUSIC LISTINGS

On life and art in the wilderness.

Local music listings for May 10 through May 18. 14 / LISTINGS

8/Q+A

DESIGNING WOMAN

TEXAS IN JULY

NIGHTLIFE PHOTOS

Saskatchewan Fashion Week highlights province’s talent. 3 / LOCAL

Pennsylvania metal band pushes the envelope. 9 / ARTS

We visit The Pump Roadhouse.

THE BOOK

THE GREAT GATSBY + OF TWO MINDS

Carol Wainio exhibit explores meaning of illustration. 9 / ARTS

15 / NIGHTLIFE

We review the latest movies. 16 / FILM

BEHIND THE MASK Local actress Trenna Keating is winning over fans. 4 / LOCAL

CYCLE FOR SUCCESS

NAMASTE

ON THE BUS

Our thoughts on improving the city’s bike lanes. 6 / EDITORIAL

This week we visit Da India Curry House. 12 / FOOD + DRINK

Weekly original comic illustrations

by Elaine M. Will. 18 / COMICS

COMMENTS

MUSIC

GAME + HOROSCOPES

Here’s your say on bringing prize fighting sports to SK. 7 / COMMENTS

The Oak Ridge Boys, Kerri Senkow + Paul McCartney. 13 / MUSIC

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

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EDITORIAL

BUSINESS & OPERATIONS

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

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

ART & PRODUCTION

DESIGN / LAYOUT@VERBNEWS.COM / 306 979 8474

DESIGN LEAD / ROBERTA BARRINGTON DESIGN & PRODUCTION / BRITTNEY GRAHAM

GENERAL / INFO@VERBNEWS.COM / 306 979 2253

CONTACT COMMENTS / FEEDBACK@VERBNEWS.COM / 306 881 8372 ADVERTISE / ADVERTISE@VERBNEWS.COM / 306 979 2253

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS / BAILY EBERLE, MAXTON PRIEBE, ADAM HAWBOLDT + ALEX J MACPHERSON

2 MAY 10 – MAY 16 VERB MAGAZINE

CONTENTS

LOCAL

EDITORIAL

COMMENTS

Q+A

ARTS

FEATURE

FOOD + DRINK

MUSIC

LISTINGS

NIGHTLIFE

FILM

COMICS

TIMEOUT

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LOCAL

DESIGNING WOMAN

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF SONJA CLIFTON REMPLE

Saskatchewan Fashion Week a great way for beginning designers to get noticed

BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

M

odel. Make-up artist.

Television and film costume designer.

Photographer.

Within the realm of the fashion industry, Sonja Clifton-Remple has worn a number of hats. And at last year’s Saskatchewan Fashion Week, as one of the many volunteers at the event, Clifton-Remple wore yet another, working backstage as the designer co-ordinator.

“I started with Saskatchewan Fashion Week working with the directors,” says Clifton-Remple. “I helped them build relationships with designers who had an interest in showing their collections. Then, from there, I ended up backstage. My job was getting the models on stage. So there I was running around, working with the stage manager and dressing team to make sure everything ran on time. It was a bit crazy, I have to admit.”

This year, though, things will be different. Why? Well, because Clifton-Remple is donning a lesshectic hat this time around. That of first-time fashion designer.

Growing up on a farm near Swift Current, Sonja Clifton-Remple didn’t have the upbringing you’d

expect of a fashionista. She wasn’t exposed to the street-ready fashion of urban centres or have any older sisters to baptize her in the waters of high fashion. No, instead Clifton-Remple lived a bucolic sort of existence with her parents and three brothers. “In a situation like that,” chuckles Clifton-Remple,

“I was very creative and loved to make things. So when I was really young, what I would do was I’d take the sleeves off my long-sleeve T-shirts,” says Clifton-Remple.

She pauses before continuing: “And we aren’t talking old shirts with holes or anything. These were good, longsleeve T-shirts that I’d cut apart and use to make dresses and other clothes for my Barbie dolls — my mom nearly hit the roof a couple of times!”

But that didn’t dissuade CliftonRemple, and by age 12 she had advanced from dressing up Barbies to using her little brother as a model.

“I used to wrangle him into letting me dress him up in different fashions,” laughs Clifton-Remple.

“Then I’d convince him to let me cut his hair and do his make-up. He was really young, so he was game for it. It was awesome.”

And that stuff soon led Sonja to the heart of the fashion world.

Let’s jump ahead a few years.

Let’s jump past the time CliftonRemple spent in England, past the years she attended the Costume Design program at the University of Regina, and past the early days of her costume designing career, to a time when she was starting to make a name for herself.

“I started in the theatre world making costumes, then I branched out into

I started in the theatre world making costumes, then I branched out…

SONJA CLIFTON-REMPLE

“how much fashion influence can you possibly get?” Turns out, the answer is a lot.

See, Clifton-Remple’s mom was an avid sewer. And she was pretty good at it, too. “As a little kid, I remember watching her make costumes and clothing,” says Clifton-Remple.

“She could make anything, so I used to stand around and marvel at that.”

Soon, Clifton-Remple’s mom noticed the interest her young daughter was showing in her work, and enrolled her in a youth sewing class in Swift Current. From there things happened rather quickly.

television and film,” she explains. “A few friends of mine convinced me to come work on a movie set. They took me under their wing, taught me so much. And eventually I went from the bottom of the department to the top.”

That’s when she started landing gigs on independent movies and television shows, like InSecurity.

But things soon took a sharp turn that Clifton-Remple didn’t see coming.

“Last year’s demise of the film industry in this province kind of brought things to a grinding halt,” says Clifton-Rempel of her career as a costume designer for film and televi-

sion. “So I figured I’d branch out on my own and make my first women’s ready-to-wear collection.”

That’s where Saskatchewan Fashion Week — which runs from May 9th11th in Regina — becomes important.

For designers like Clifton-Remple, who are putting their first collection on display at this year’s gala, SFW provides a way for them to get their clothing lines out there for the public to see.

And what should people expect from Clifton-Remple’s first foray into this side of the fashion world?

“Clothes for women in the 30-and-

up age group,” she says. “Clothes with simple lines, beautiful fabrics, elegant designs. They’re made for many different body types, and you can wear them anywhere … it’s a very versatile line.”

Much more versatile than, say, the garments she made for her Barbies all those years ago in Swift Current.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

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3 MAY 10 – MAY 16 /VERBREGINA

CONTENTS

LOCAL

EDITORIAL

COMMENTS

Q+A

ARTS

FEATURE

FOOD + DRINK

MUSIC

LISTINGS

NIGHTLIFE

FILM

COMICS

TIMEOUT

NEWS + OPINION

LOCAL

KING’S HEAD TAVERN

PHOTO: COURTESY OF JOE PUBLIESE

PHOTO: COURTESY OF TRENNA KEATING

BEHIND THE MASK

Saskatchewan actress winning over fans in new sci-fi series Defiance BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

T

he first thing you notice about Doc Yewll is her head.

Smooth and hairless, with ears that seem to merge with her skull instead of protrude from it, Doc Yewll’s head is like nothing you’ve seen in a Saskatchewan crowd. The irises of her eyes are hexagonal.

Her skin is covered in bright white hexagon-shaped scales.

If that sounds alien to you, there’s good reason: Doc Yewll is an Indogene.

One of the many alien races on the sci-fi show Defiance (which airs on Syfy and Showcase), Indogenes are known for being the most scientifically advanced race in the Defiance universe. They have genetic upgrades, cyber implants, you name it. They are technical geniuses and, like Yewll, brilliant doctors who value science and knowledge above all else.

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Basically, they are everything the actress that hides beneath Doc Yewll’s smooth, white, bald head isn’t.

Born in Weyburn, Saskatchewan, Trenna Keating always knew she wanted to be an actress. There were

ing. “And right then, at that point, I knew I wanted to be an actor. My mind never changed. It’s basically the only thing I wanted to do. All through high school I was in drama club. I went to university for it.”

And eventually, like most aspiring Canadian actresses looking for

…right then, at that point, I knew I wanted to be an actor. My mind never changed.

TRENNA KEATING

no lab coats in her professional future. No needles to stick in people or computers to program. From an early age, it’s been all about the bright lights and the stage.

“In elementary school, I think it was about Grade 5 or 6, we did this play — Dracula,” says Keat-

their big break, Keating packed up her life and moved to Toronto.

It was there she landed her role as Doc Yewll.

“I’d been living in Toronto for about four years,” says Keating.

“I’d been in a show called Combat Hospital and I’d worked part-time CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE »

4 MAY 10 – MAY 16 NEWS + OPINION

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FOOD + DRINK

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NIGHTLIFE

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TIMEOUT

VERBNEWS.COM

for a couple of casting directors, so they knew me a little bit. So when this show came about I went in for an audition.”

Keating got a callback.

And another.

And another.

After the third audition, Keating found herself in a place nearly all actresses will find themselves at one time or another — striving to maintain the balance between hope and reality.

“It’s just one of those things you go through,” explains Keating.

“After auditioning like that you don’t want to get your hopes too high. There are so many times you do multiple auditions for something and not get the part. So you don’t dare get too excited.”

Not until the phone call comes.

And for Keating, it came while she was sitting at home in Toronto.

“The casting director phoned me at home,” she remembers. “That was so lovely of her. Usually your agent makes that call. So that was nice of her. I was thrilled when she called.”

And rightfully so. With Deadline reporting that 2.7 million people watched the series premiere, it means Defiance is Syfy network’s most-watched scripted series debut in nearly a decade.

Set in the not-so-distant future, Defiance is an epic drama about

an Earth inhabited by humans and aliens. What happened was three decades before, seven different alien races — collectively known as Votans — came to Earth and waged a bitter war for the planet. It was a vast and destructive campaign that threatened to eliminate everyone involved.

So instead of opting for extinction, all eight races (humans included) decided to call a ceasefire.

Now there exists fragile alliances everywhere. No race truly trusts any other.

And it is against this background we first meet the hero of the story, Nolan (played by Grant Bowler), a former marine with a Han Soloesque presence. Along with his adopted Irathian daughter Irisa (Stephanie Leonidas), Nolan is hellbent on making it to the paradise of Antarctica. Things don’t happen according to plan, though, and soon Nolan and Irisa end up in the town of Defiance — constructed out of the ruins of modern-day St. Louis.

That’s where we meet Keating’s Doc Yewll.

When we first see her, she’s in the hospital room being asked to examine both Nolan and Irisa, who were recently attacked outside the town’s limits. “They’re fine,” says Yewll, “I’m prepping the Irathian for surgery and the human is trying to make us think he’s unconscious.”

Then pushing a glass of water into the hero’s midsection, she tells No-

lan to “drink, you’re dehydrated.”

It’s a very dry, funny and telling introduction to Keating’s character.

“She doesn’t really understand what makes humans tick,” says Keating of her character. “She’s very frank, everything is a bit of an equation for her. She thinks human behaviour is emotional and unnecessary most of the time. She isn’t the kind of person you’d really want to invite over for dinner.”

Chuckling, Keating adds: “But I love playing her. Because of her nature, I get a lot of the best lines on the show. I get to say all those fantastic things we all wish we could say to other people.”

The result is a dry, deadpan sarcasm that is quickly winning Doc Yewll new fans with each passing episode.

But all those fans and those snappy, snarky lines don’t come without a bit of sacrifice.

and stick them through the eye, nose, mouth and ear holes, and glue the mask to my face everywhere they can.”

That’s when the real time-intensive work begins.

“When everything is ready they go into the eyes and nose and mouth and start painting everything so no skin is showing,” says Keating. “That’s what takes the longest.”

But when it’s finished, three hours later, Keating is no longer the pretty up-and-coming actress from Weyburn. She is an odd-looking alien who is in conflict with her surroundings.

“As soon as the mask goes on, it definitely brings about a change in me,” says Keating. “I’d be lying to say it’s comfortable. In the summer it’s hot, like wearing a plastic bag over your head. But once everything is in place and all that fades away, I become my character.

I’m ready to go.”

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Every day before filming Keating is stuck in make-up for around three hours. She doesn’t have a choice. Playing a character with prosthetics requires attention to detail, and a certain amount of time.

“When I go in they put a bald cap on my head over my hair,” she explains. “Then it takes two people to sort of wedge the mask over my head and get it into place.

From there they take paint brushes

5 MAY 10 – MAY 16 @VERBREGINA

CONTENTS

LOCAL

EDITORIAL

COMMENTS

Q+A

ARTS

FEATURE

FOOD + DRINK

MUSIC

LISTINGS

NIGHTLIFE

FILM

COMICS

TIMEOUT

NEWS + OPINION

EDITORIAL

CYCLE FOR SUCCESS

Making our city more bike-friendly benefits everyone

N

ow that the cold weather has gone and spring seems to have arrived, people are breaking out their bikes and hitting the pavement. And we think that makes this the perfect time to start making our city more bike-friendly.

Now, you may have noticed a few construction crews out on the streets, filling potholes and trying to make our roads drivable again.

And while we appreciate the quick fix to our winter-ravaged roads, we all know that simply filling potholes is a band-aid solution.

It’s just not going to last. We’re eventually going to have to move from the realm of the temporary into the long-term, and re-pave the roads — so let’s improve the system for cyclists while we’re at it.

And that’s why we think we should create more bike lanes, and make Regina a little more available to those who choose to push-pedal their way around.

After all, in case you haven’t noticed, there are more and more cyclists on the road every year. In fact, according to Transport Canada, approximately 1.4 percent of Regina’s

commuters are cyclists, which puts them in the top-15 cities in Canada for bike commuters. And our province’s weather highs and lows don’t seem to matter: in the spring, summer, fall, even winter, people are out there using their bikes.

But here’s the thing: in our city there are many people who choose

bikes who comply with the laws and stick to the streets often impede the flow of traffic for vehicles, forcing quick lane changes and endangering both drivers and cyclists alike. Those who stick to the sidewalks out of selfpreservation risk injuring pedestrians and getting ticketed by police. Clearly, we need to make changes that will accommodate pedal-pushers of all different abilities.

And look, improving bike transit benefits drivers, too. If more people were able to cycle around the city safely, then there would be less traffic hassle for all commuters. Less hassle also minimizes the amount of time drivers spend on the road, and opens up parking to those who choose to toodle about in their cars.

And this is a rather serious issue: in fact, Toronto is tackling its car-dependency and gridlock woes as we speak, woes that cost that city roughly $6 billion annually in lost productivity.

And while Regina is nowhere near the size of Toronto, making transportation flow better would benefit all citizens.

And there’s good reason for us to make our city safer for cyclists, too.

A recent study from the University

…let’s make things safer by having separate and visible designated bike lanes…

VERB MAGAZINE

not to use their bicycles on the roads because they think it’s too dangerous.

And can you blame them? Apart from our downtown area, and a couple other pockets around Regina, our city is seriously lacking when it comes to commuting by bike. Cycling between many of our city’s major hubs can be scary and downright unsafe. After all,

of Calgary examined data collected from emergency rooms in Edmonton and Calgary over a three-year period, and determined that bicyclists who collided with motor vehicles with four times more likely to incur serious injury than cyclists who got in other types of accidents. So let’s make things safer by having separate and visible designated bike lanes that can provide linkages between all the high-volume traffic areas in the city. Doing so will help traffic flow more freely, and improve the safety for everyone in transit.

We are fully aware that the city has been investing in the cycling community by modifying some of our streets and installing bike racks, but like the whole “filling potholes after the winter,” it’s a case of doing

too little when more is obviously required. Let’s not band-aid the situation while banking on a hope that that will be good enough for now.

Let’s dig in our heels, get the dirty work done, and give our city’s commuter population — cyclists, drivers and pedestrians alike — a safer way to move about Regina.

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

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6 MAY 10 – MAY 16 NEWS + OPINION

CONTENTS

LOCAL

EDITORIAL

COMMENTS

Q+A

ARTS

FEATURE

FOOD + DRINK

MUSIC

LISTINGS

NIGHTLIFE

FILM

COMICS

TIMEOUT

VERBNEWS.COM

COMMENTS

ON TOPIC: Last week we asked what you thought about bringing the UFC to Saskatchewan. Here's what you had to say:

– YES BRING THE UFC HERE PLEASE! It makes a ton of $$ and haters don’t have to go see it.

– UFC is so popular, it would definitely sell out every time here.

Let’s make this happen for sure!

– Mixed martial arts would do so well here but might need bigger venue than Saskatchewan can offer at this time. New stadium in Regina maybe? But lets get them here now! The revenue would do so much for our province!

– No downside to bringing events like UFC here they want to come so let em fine by me. BD

Text yo thoughtsur to 881 VE R B 8372

moving trend, one that looks like it’s going nowhere fast. I might not like go personally but I say it should happen for sure!

– Completely agree it’s a great idea to bring UFC here and open Saskatchewan up to selling tickets to these types of events.

– Prize fighting would absolutely guarantee a sell-out every time!

It’s a trend that is wildly popular and has been very successful in other provinces. Time for SK to get on board!!!

OFF TOPIC – Great story on Chris Ho, cool photos

– We shouldn’t be supporting such violent “sports” like MMA if its not in the Olympics then it doesn’t count. Why Spend the money to intice them here? It might pay off but at what cost?

In response to “City of Dust,” Cover story,

– Has anyone see Parker the lost Boston Terrier in Regina???Hoping Parker comes home soon.

– Was ANYONE else paying attention to the Met Gala fashion. Punk at the met! So awesome!

getting me thru this. COME ON Vokoun not my fave but u’ll do.

And rooting for Wings! Gonna take out Ducks lol

– F u canucks.

– Everyone should be a little more patient with their bus drivers. Saw a woman scream at one today, so disrespectful! They get you safely from Point A to Point B you should be thanking them

– I want my puppy to be in Moga ad hes super cute :D

POWERED BY THE CREW AT MOGA MOBILE

NEXT WEEK: What do you think about improving bike lanes? 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.

– Finally a few nice days! Bring out the BBQs & summer and just in time for May long!

– PATIOS ARE OPENNNNNN!

– Flooding is so bad around here.

My thoughts are prayers go out to everyone who’s lifes are in upheaval because of the intense melting . Not good for farmers either. Good luck!

#76 (May 3, 2013)

– Happy birthday SM, luv u have a great day. P

SOUND OFF – No human is above another. We are all equal.

– Can’t believe Saskatchewan doesn’t have one of those regulating bodies yet — you can’t even have a pro boxing match here? So weird. Seems like this is the time for Saskatchewan to jump on a

– http://www.youtube.com/watch ?v=30dTq14Ex3o&feature=youtu be_gdata_player: YouTube tribute clip of song “Bartender’s Blues” by country legend George Jones(“The Possum”) who passed away last Friday at age 81 in a Nashville hospital. :-(

– Transit Why do they give you an hourly transfer half the time they dont register But their still valid Get on anyway N0 BS!

– Spring has sprung the grass is riz I wonder wear the flowers is!

– NHL playoffs are depressing the hell out of me. Good think drinking beer and watching sports go well together, LOL. Only thing that

7 MAY 10 – MAY 16 /VERBREGINA

CONTENTS

LOCAL

EDITORIAL

COMMENTS

Q+A

ARTS

FEATURE

FOOD + DRINK

MUSIC

LISTINGS

NIGHTLIFE

FILM

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TIMEOUT

NEWS + OPINION

Q+A

TO BUILD A FIRE

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF CHRISTINA (PLUS) NATHAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Cam Penner’s life and art in the wilderness BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

T

o Build A Fire is the most raw and uninhibited album Cam Penner has ever made. After escaping the noise and confusion and decay of the city, which he has spent the best part of his life experiencing and writing about, Penner found perspective in a cabin in the woods. From the reverberating foot stomps and howled vocals that open “To Build A Fire” and the swampy blues lick that propels “No Consequence” to the morning-after ache of “Gasoline Summer” and the southern twang of “Memphis,” the record stretches across the musical landscape.

It is big and open and honest — a reflection of Penner’s newfound freedom in the woods.

Alex J MacPherson: How did living out in the country allow you to reflect on your life and your music?

Cam Penner: You absolutely slow down. You get busy with other things.

Suddenly there’s six things that are important, not 40 things that are important. But those things have so much weight to them that they actually take up more of your time. Here I’m able to focus on my art, my family, myself — I miss the Ship & Anchor, I miss a proper 20-ounce pint, but being out here in the country … I’m doing things that are kind of inspiring me to write about. I feel in control.

AJM: At the same time, To Build A Fire has a lot of different sounds on it. Does giving yourself carte blanche make it more difficult to create a coherent record?

slate. Then the stomping starts, and that just changes is.

AJM: I want to ask about “Memphis,” because unlike the rock stuff and the bluesy stuff, this feels like hip hop. An unexpected surprise?

CP: It can be that way, and I allow myself to get that way when I’m by myself. But when me and John get together, we don’t f**k around with our time. We don’t mess around. We know why we’re there. We let every idea come out, but there’s always a focus. We know what’s happening when we get together, and we just try

CP: You know what? When we went to do that album, I had the ideas and I had a few lines. I’d start writing, we’d get a base, and then I’d go into my room or down to the river, and I’d just write the song.

Two hours. First time ever I’ve

[Rap] feels good, and I like the bravado, the f**k yeah listen to me.

CAM PENNER

to build on that. We never stop working and thinking and creating. It’s too important to us.

done that. With “Memphis,” with two hours I wrote 14, 15 verses for it. And it’s fun to rap. I love wrapping words around beats. It’s the coolest thing. It feels good, and I like the bravado, the f**k yeah listen to me. Chest out head up — it feels good.

AJM: “To Build A Fire” is one of the most emotionally charged songs you’ve every written. Why did you put it second on the record, behind an instrumental piece, instead of right at the beginning?

AJM: It seems like you’re in a really good place right now, as a person and as an artist.

CP: It was that change thing. I couldn’t start with “To Build A Fire” because I needed to have that song or that sort of bon voyage thing. Saying goodbye to maybe a part of me, saying goodbye to the city. I wrote it for brass, and it was a goodbye. And then that cleaned the

CP: I’ll say what I want, I’ll say what I will. Just a dead man’s words rising up from the dirt, like in the song “Memphis.” I don’t give a s**t anymore. I don’t give a s**t what’s

cool, I don’t give a s**t what’s in. I don’t care. I wake up with my family. I feed her, I change her. I play rock and roll, we dance, I drink, I go to the studio. I make art the way that I see it, the way that I feel it. And in the last couple years I’ve really felt that freedom to do that.

Cam Penner May 19 @ Artesian $12 (advance) $15 (door) Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

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ARTS

TEXAS IN JULY

Heat and fire from a young Pennsylvania metal band

T

exas In July, a metal band from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, found success early. They released their first album, toured with bands like August Burns Red and Every Time I Die, and played hundreds of shows — and they did it before most of the band members had graduated from high school.

But Ben Witkowski, who plays bass in the group, says he and his bandmates aren’t worried about being labeled as upstarts. “Being young and playing technical music? It’s not really an issue or anything for us,” he says with a laugh. “It’s just something that we like to write, I guess. We write what we want to hear.”

This approach is evident on their latest record, an eponymous full-length released last year. Broadly speaking, Texas In July is a metalcore record, a term that refers to the fusion of extreme metal and hardcore punk: fast drums, staccato guitar riffs, screamed vocals. But Texas In July also draws on

BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

influences that range far beyond the boundaries of metal music.

“You can only write the same type of song for so long,” Witkowski says, hinting at the more mainstream references scattered across the album. “I always get into different bands throughout the year that I never thought I’d get into, and those things can throw a curveball into the writing process. You want to start throwing those things you love into the music so not only does it stay relevant for the group, but it stays relevant for the members in the band.”

The impulse to remain relevant also moulded the lyrics on the record, which cover everything from faith and politics to love and relationships.

Witkowski says the diversity of material on Texas In July prompted the band to abandon their search for a title in favour of the eponymous option. “Every song is pretty different,” he says, referring to his endless quest for new ideas. “I just really enjoy getting into the now of my life.”

PHOTO: COURTESY OF EVAN PERIGO

The most surprising moment on Texas In July is “Repressed Memories,” a gentle instrumental track featuring clean guitars, synthesizer pads, and the faint outline of a brass line. A refreshing counterpoint to the punchy “Bed Of Nails” and thunderous “C4,” which frame it, “Repressed Memories” divides the record into two distinct sides — and demonstrates that Texas In July are capable of much more than the average metal band.

Texas in July May 18 @ The Exchange $17 @ Ticketedge.ca

THE BOOK

Carol Wainio explores the history and meaning of illustration BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE DUNLOP ART GALLERY

C

arol Wainio spent the last decade or so reading books meant for children. Fascinated by the interplay between stories and illustrations, she dedicated her art practice to exploring the evolution of the things we take for granted — the books we give our children.

The Book is a ten-year retrospective now on display at the Dunlop Art Gallery, a fitting context for Wainio’s bibliophilic paintings. Drawing on

a wide selection of books, many of them more than a century old, her works document changes in the way illustrations are produced — and transforms the shift into a commentary on the rise of capitalism and the commodification of storytelling.

“What I found interesting was the fact that the illustrations themselves mirrored some of the changes that happened with the stories, and with our experiences with the sto-

ries,” the Ottawa-based painter says with a wry laugh, alluding to the fact that illustrations once used to illustrate complex problems related to race, class, and morality have become much shallower. “Childhood,” she explains, “is a relatively recent construction — and changes in the way illustrations appear to reflect that.”

Although Wainio began studying medieval books, the paintings in The

Book focus on publications from the 19th century. By extracting and rearranging fragments of illustrations, she is able to change the narrative without concealing the source material. Many of her paintings feature animal characters, which have for decades been used to represent people in various social strata. All of her works hint at some looming cataclysm.

“There’s certainly a sense that the works in the exhibition present the book both as a construction and as a ruin,” Wainio says, explaining that the Disneyfication of childhood began in earnest in the 19th century. Popular characters like Puss In Boots were co-opted to sell consumer goods; stories became self-centred and product-oriented.

Fewer and fewer people buy books each year.

By casting her colourful illustrations and characters against a backdrop of decay, and by divorcing printed pages from the book-like constructions that appear in many of her works, Wainio hints at a societal degradation that extends far beyond the reach of the library, into every facet of our lives.

The Book Through June 2 @ Dunlop Art Gallery Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@MacPhersonA amacpherson@verbnews.com

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THE TIES THAT BIND PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

Young Benjamins find hope in friendship and rock and roll

BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

S

ometimes, it would be easier to not be as good friends as we are,” muses Neusha Mofazzali. “But I don’t want that.” Mofazzali is talking about Young Benjamins, the rock band he founded several years ago.

After releasing an EP and several singles, and carving out a home in the Saskatoon music community, he and his bandmates are preparing to release their debut album — a collection of 11 songs called Less Argue. The end of one chapter and the beginning of another has led him to reflect on the band’s greatest strength. “It’s easier to not be as close because then you can say yes and no really easily,” he says. “Now, whenever something’s asked, we care about feelings. We care.”

Most rock and roll bands are held together by little more than a collective desire to make music. The ties binding Young Benjamins run much deeper. Their personal lives and public personas are indistinguishable, the line separating art and life scrubbed clean by the deep bond of friendship. This is not surprising: the core band members were friends long before they decided to play music. Mofazzali went to high school with bass player Brynn Krysa, and spent six months hanging out with Kuba Szmigielski before learning that his friend was a talented drummer. As a musical project began to take shape,

the group met Veronique Poulin at an open mic night. Her violin playing, a fusion of classical aesthetics and traditional grit, impressed Mofazzali, who invited her to a jam session. With the lineup complete, the band retreated to Mofazzali’s basement and set about transforming his songs into a fullyrealized vision.

The vehicle to which Young Benjamins have harnessed their dreams and aspirations is Less Argue. All art is condensed emotion, and Less Argue packs a lot of feeling into half an hour of music.

The record, which was cut in just two weeks, charts a course through the stormy waters of heartbreak

Our emotions are so [invested] in the music. It’s such a reality for us, and it’s not like we can switch in and out.

VERONIQUE POULIN

“It’s our life,” says Poulin, likening membership in the band to method acting, a technique used by actors that involves total immersion in a character. “Our emotions are so [invested] in the music. It’s such a reality for us, and it’s not like we can switch in and out.” Mofazzali agrees: “It’s not easy at all if something bad happens in the band. But I think it makes us stronger. Six months ago we really didn’t know where we wanted to be in the band, if it was semi-serious or serious. Now I feel like it’s something I want to carry on for awhile. We can go somewhere if we just keep that kind of mentality.”

and the tempest of despairz. Mofazzali, who sketches the songs before bringing them to rehearsal, says the peaks and valleys of his disintegrating relationship gave the album its shape. “At the time, I was going through an incredible heartbreak,” he explains. “Whether you’re in a relationship or not in a relationship, you have these high emotional levels, right? You’re either really happy and you’re in love, or you’re the s**t of the earth. That affects so much of what you do when you’re recording. This whole album has a huge emotional factor in it. I can’t even listen to it sometimes.”

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE »

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This potent combination resulted in “Young Argument,” an arrangement of melancholy chords, sparse percussion, and an airy keyboard coda that feels like an epitaph on the death of love. It is the lowest point on the album, a reflection on the night being illuminated by the unforgiving shards of morning light.

Mofazzali wrote the song while attending the Ness Creek Music Festival, a weekend trip complicated by the presence of his erstwhile muse. “We were all going through the worst,” he says, “and all of our lovers or ex-lovers were either talking to us a lot — or at the festival we were at. I just sat down and wrote this song.” The high water mark of the emotional torrent flood that gives the record its distinctive contours, “Young Argument” captures in just a few lines the potency of young love. It is the emotional centre of the album, the point from which things can only get better.

Young Benjamins are often described as a math rock band, a term that refers to rapid single-note melodies. “It’s literally electro music put into rock music,” Mofazzali says, pointing to Foals and Holy F**k as exemplars of the form. “Jasper, AB,” a raucous ode to an absent lover, and

PHOTO: COURTESY OF MIKE MORIEN

one of the strongest songs on the record, hints at the spiky architecture common in math rock circles. But Mofazzali isn’t convinced. “I don’t think we’re completely math rock,” he says with a grin. And he’s right. The combination of slinky violin interludes, choppy guitar chords, and hypnotic bass lines create a musical depth that transcends genre and style.

Most rock groups work within a narrow band of frequencies, sounds defined by the combination of two guitars and a bass. Poulin’s violin, which takes the place of a second guitar, expands the range of available sounds considerably. By

switching between soaring melodies and rasping harmony lines, she frees up everybody else to expand their own horizons. Less Argue captures Young Benjamins at their best, able to deploy a towering wall of sound without sacrificing the openness and sonic space that shape so many of their songs. “I feel like we’re trying to push ourselves in a way,” Krysa says, referring to specific arrangements but hinting at their trajectory into the upper echelons of Canadian music. “I’ve never played in a group with violin before. It’s a different experience.”

Most of the songs on Less Argue are edgy and angular. Defined by the interplay between Mofazzali’s guitar and Poulin’s violin, they move across the spectrum of contemporary music, from straightforward rock and roll to the edges of experimental music. The band is as comfortable playing alt-country stomps as they are dragging out each line of a reverb-drenched ballad. Mofazzali’s voice, ethereal and fey, is the thread linking them together. He enjoys jarring listeners by setting exuberant lyrics onto plaintive melodies (and pairing devastatingly sad words with cheerful major chords), which heightens the tension created by the mixed instrumentation and clever dynamic changes.

This polarity, Poulin points out, is reflected in the band members themselves. “Because of the sounds and the depth of the lyrics, and what we were all going through, we became what the album sounded like,” she says. “There were these really high moments where we were like, ‘This is awesome!’ And then those really low moments: ‘What are we doing?’

Why are we doing this?’” The answer is obvious. Young Benjamins play music because it is the only thing that keeps them grounded as the world threatens to spin out of control.

“I would have left this town,” Mofazzali says, suddenly serious.

“I would have left this city if it wasn’t for my band. That’s how bad it was, with my emotions, my past, my breakup. It literally was my medicine. We’d play awesome shows, we’d tour, we’d jam. Once you write a new song you feel so good.”

In the case of Young Benjamins, the expression “leave it on the

stage” is no exaggeration — it is the secret to their success. Instead of treating art as a representation of life, a new perspective gained by passing experience through the twin filters of time and distance, Young Benjamins weld the two into a heady mix of raw emotion and

sophisticated musicality. By immersing themselves in the triumph and tragedy of young love, Mofazzali and his bandmates positioned themselves as an exception to the rule — and a band whose past and present point inexorably to a brighter future.

The Young Benjamins May 25 @ Artful Dodger $TBD Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

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NAMASTE

Photos courtesy of Maxton Priebe.

Da India Curry House offers authentic and delicious variety BY JESSICA BICKFORD

D

a India Curry House has moved into a new location! Now they have much more space and are working on turning their old spot into a completely vegetarian East Indian restaurant, which will be something fantastic for Regina.

Harminder Singh (owner and manager of both family run restaurants) is very excited about the new vegetarian location, but made sure to mention that all vegetarian options at

their current restaurant are prepared, cooked, and served completely sepa-

their buffet line, which is now open every day.

This coconut curry boasted juicy chicken [and] bits of shredded coconut…

JESSICA BICKFORD

rately from all meat products. This includes placing them separately on

I started with a few items off that buffet, including fish pakoras, yellow dal, chickpea salad and onion bhajees. I’m a sucker for onion bhajees and these great appetizer were perfectly crisp. The chickpea salad was very fresh, with cilantro, tomato and cucumbers. I hadn’t had fish pakoras before, but they had a nice coating of slightly spiced chickpea batter and moist fish on the inside.

The yellow dal featured tender lentils with a great spicy sauce, which went well with rice.

Off the menu I had beef curry, which had big pieces of tender beef in a thick, rich sauce with cilantro. Beef is definitely an unusual option when it comes to Indian food, but it was really great and possibly a good option for those diners more used to meat and pota-

LET’S GO DRINKIN’ VERB’S MIXOLOGY GUIDE MANGO LASSI COCKTAIL

INGREDIENTS

This creamy and sweet cocktail is a play on the traditional Indian lassi — a cooling and refreshing drink. Coconut and mango flavours make this sweet, and the ginger beer (not ginger ale) helps to temper that sweetness.

2.5 ozs mango purée 1 tablespoon yoghurt (plain, vanilla, or mango flavoured) 1 oz milk 2 teaspoons lime juice 2 teaspoons vanilla syrup 1 oz coconut rum 1 oz mango liqueur (or mango rum) ice ginger beer, to top up slice of fresh mango, to garnish

DIRECTIONS

Put a handful of ice in a cocktail shaker and add all of the ingredients except the ginger beer and garnish. Shake vigorously and strain into a glass.

Top up with the ginger beer and garnish with a slice of mango.

toes, who might need to ease into curries. The sauce had a nice spice and almost a bit of sweetness to it. With this I got a basket of garlic naan, which was fresh and gorgeous with a perfect bit of garlic and great texture.

Paneer butter masala was next and the firm, milky paneer cheese came in a tomatoey sauce with just the right amount of spice.

This, too, was something I hadn’t seen before, but I loved the creamy tasting cheese and the deep, inviting orange colour of the sauce.

Chicken Goa curry was my last dish. This coconut curry boasted juicy chicken, bits of shredded coconut, a hint of cilantro, and just a touch of spice. The velvety texture was just amazing, and overall it was creamy, smooth, and sweet.

Da India Curry House has always been one of my favourite places to get East Indian food, and now that they have moved up to a larger location just a few blocks away from their old one, I hope that even more people can experience their delicious and authentic selections.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@TheGeekCooks jbickford@verbnews.com

Da India Curry House 806 Victoria Avenue | 306 522 1331

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MUSIC

NEXT WEEK

COMING UP

THE OAK RIDGE BOYS

KERRI SENKOW

PAUL MCCARTNEY

@ CASINO REGINA FRIDAY, MAY 17 – SOLD OUT

@ CASINO REGINA THURSDAY, MAY 16 – $40+

@ MOSAIC STADIUM WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14 – $48+

The Oak Ridge Boys are no strangers to change. Back when the band was formed in the 1940s they were a southern gospel group that went by the name the Oak Ridge Quartet. In the ‘50s they changed their name to the Oak Ridge Boys, and in the ’70s they changed their sound, leaving southern gospel behind and embracing country music. Since then, the Boys’ four-part harmonies and upbeat songs have won them dozens of #1 hits and a handful of Grammys, not to mention Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music awards.

The group — which these days consists of Joe Bonsall, Duane Allen, William Lee Golden and Richard Sterban — will be in Regina later this month at the Casino.

The year 2009 was a big one in music. Michael Jackson died, Garth Brooks came out of retirement for a solo show in Vegas, and Britain’s Got Talent introduced the world to the vocal stylings of Susan Boyle. On the home front, 2009 was also the year local pop/country artist Kerri Senkow began performing shows in front of audiences. She’s played hundreds of shows across Saskatchewan and Alberta, honing her craft and her live act. Then, just last year, the talented singer-songwriter was a semi-finalist in The Big Dog’s Next Big Thing Contest. Since then, Senkow has been wowing crowds, showcasing her tunes at the CCMAs, and opening for Gord Bamford this past month. Check her out next week, when she opens for George Canyon at Casino Regina.

Sir Paul McCartney. Very few musicians in the history of music have had a career as impressive as this guy. He gained worldwide fame as a member of The Beatles.

He then spent the ‘70s as a member of Wings, and now he sells out shows around the world as a solo act. Yes, indeed, Paul McCartney has made quite a mark on the music industry. In fact, according to Guinness World Records McCartney is the “most successful composer and recording artist of all time.” That’s right — “of all time.” And even with more than 100 million records sold, Sir Paul isn’t slowing down any time soon. Don’t miss your chance to see a living-legend play when he rolls through Saskatchewan later this summer.

– By Adam Hawboldt

PHOTOS COURTESY OF: BILL LEDBETTER / THE ARTIST / THE ARTIST

SASK MUSIC PREVIEW Long & McQuade has teamed up with the Unison Benevolent Fund for a unique fundraising initiative. Until May 31, customers can purchase a $5 rental coupon for only $2 from any Long & McQuade store, with all proceeds benefiting Unison. The Unison Benevolent Fund offers counselling, emergency relief and more for members of the Canadian music community in times of need.

Keep up with Saskatchewan music. saskmusic.org

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MAY 10 » MAY 18 The most complete live music listings for Regina.

S

M

T

W

T

10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

FRIDAY 10

THERESA SOKYRKA / Artful Dodger — A world-travelling songstress. 8pm DJ JUAN LOPEZ / Envy Nightclub — This DJ loves requests, nothing is off limits.

10pm / $5 SKYDIGGERS / The Exchange — Come celebrate the Skydiggers’ 25th anniversary tour. 8pm / Tickets TBD

DJ PAT & DJ KIM / Habano’s — Local DJs spin top 40 hits. 9pm / $5 cover BIG CHILL FRIDAYS / Lancaster — Featuring DJ Fatbot. 10pm / Cover TBD METHOD 2 MADNESS / McNally’s Tavern — Classic rock favourites. 10pm / $5 DAMN STRAIGHT / The Pump — A harderocking quintet. 9pm / Cover TBD BILLY GRIND / The Sip Nightclub — Alt. country from Queen City. 9pm / Cover TBD ALEX RUNIONS / Whiskey Saloon — Urban country for the Queen City. 8pm / $10 DJ LONGHORN / Whiskey Saloon — Come check out one of Regina’s most interactive DJs. 8pm / Cover TBD

METHOD 2 MADNESS / McNally’s Tavern — Classic rock favourites. 10pm / $5 BIG COUNTRY TALENT SHOW / The Pump Roadhouse — Some of the finest up-andcoming artists. 9pm / Cover TBD THE BRAINS / Rocks — Another great band in a cool venue. 10pm / Cover TBD BILLY GRIND / The Sip Nightclub — Alt. country from Queen City. 9pm / Cover TBD JAM SESSIONS / Smokin’ Okies BBQ — Promoting blues and country blues. 2pm / No cover ALEX RUNIONS / Whiskey Saloon — Urban country for the Queen City. 8pm / $10 GLENN SUTTER / Wings Over Wascana Festival — A folk artist out doing his thing for the environment. 12pm / Free

SATURDAY 11

SIMON WALLS + MORE / Artful Dodger — Three great acts for you! 8pm / No cover DJ JUAN LOPEZ / Envy Nightclub — This DJ loves requests. 10pm / $5 THE OLD 21 / Lancaster Taphouse — A night of sweet tunes. 9pm / No cover

SUNDAY 12

GUN OUTFIT, THESE ESTATES, BERMUDA LOVE, THE FAPS, HOMO MONSTROUS / The Club — A little bit of rock, a little bit of punk, a whole lot of awesome. 7:30pm / $10

MONDAY 13 OPEN MIC NIGHT / The Artful Dodger — Come down and jam! 8pm / No cover MONDAY NIGHT JAZZ / Bushwakker — Featuring The Jazz Band-Its. 8pm / No cover

TUESDAY 14

TROUBADOUR TUESDAYS / Bocados — Come check out some live tunes from local talents, then partake in the open mic/jam night. 8pm / No cover

WEDNESDAY 15

WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOLK / Bushwakker Brewpub — Featuring Becky and the Jets.

8pm / No cover JAY AYMAR / The Club — A Toronto-based acoustic singer/songwriter. 8pm / $15 JAM NIGHT AND OPEN STAGE / McNally’s Tavern — Come on down and enjoy some local talent. 9pm / No cover

THURSDAY 16

ULTRA MEGA / Artful Dodger — Eclectic indie rockers from Winnipeg. 8pm CANADIAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION GALA / Casino Regina — Featuring George Canyon.

8pm / $40-95 (casinoregina.com) BRING THE FIGHT + MORE / The Club — A night of punk and metal. 7:30pm CHRIS HO / Creative City Centre — An indie rocker from Victoria, B.C. 7:30pm / $10 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 — Come out, play some tunes, sing some songs, and show Regina what you got. 8pm / No cover THE DOWN HOME BOYS / McNally’s Tavern — Come out and support local music.

9pm / $5 WILDFIRE / The Pump Roadhouse — Local band fronted by Melissa Mannett. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ LONGHORN / Whiskey Saloon — Come check out one of Regina’s most interactive DJs as he drops some of the best country beats around. 8pm / Cover TBD

FRIDAY 17

CAM PENNER / Artful Dodger — A folk/ Americana musician from Calgary. Also featuring SC Mira. 8pm / Cover TBD THE OAK RIDGE BOYS / Casino Regina — Classic country music from American icons.

8pm / SOLD OUT DJ JUAN LOPEZ / Envy Nightclub — This DJ loves requests, nothing is off limits.

10pm / $5

STRUCTURES, TEXAS IN JULY, NORHTLANE, INTERVALS / The Exchange — Hardcore and progressive metal. 7:30pm / $17 (ticketexchange.ca) DJ PAT & DJ KIM / Habano’s Martini & Cocktail Club — Local DJs spin top 40 hits every Friday night. 9pm / $5 cover BIG CHILL FRIDAYS / Lancaster Taphouse — Come out and get your weekend started with DJ Fatbot, who’ll be doing his spinning thing every Friday night. 10pm / Cover TBD THE MONTAGUES / McNally’s Tavern — Classic rock, funk, R&B and Pop favourites.

10pm / $5 BARNEY BENTALL & THE LEGENDARY HEARTS / The Pump Roadhouse — Come check out their 25th anniversary tour! 9pm / Cover TBD DIRTY FEET / Rocks Bar and Grill — Some blues/funk/rock from Queen City. 8pm / Cover TBD DANGEROUS CHEESE / The Sip Nightclub — Some ‘80s pop/rock for you to dance to.

9pm / Cover TBD JESS MOSKALUKE / Whiskey Saloon — A local songstress with a tremendous voice.

8pm / $10 DJ LONGHORN / Whiskey Saloon — Come check out one of Regina’s most interactive DJs as he drops some of the best country beats around. 8pm / Cover TBD

SATURDAY 18

DJ JUAN LOPEZ / Envy Nightclub — This DJ loves requests, nothing is off limits.

10pm / $5 STRUCTURES, TEXAS IN JULY, NORTHLANE, INTERVALS / The Exchange — Hardcore punk + progressive metal. 7:30pm / $17 BRENDA LEE COTTRELL / Lancaster Taphouse — Patsy Cline and Brenda Lee tribute.

9pm / No cover THE MONTAGUES / McNally’s Tavern — Classic rock, funk, R&B and Pop favourites.

10pm / $5 DANGEROUS CHEESE / The Sip Nightclub — Some 80‘s pop/rock for you to dance to.

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 JESS MOSKALUKE / Whiskey Saloon — A local songstress with a tremendous voice.

8pm / $10

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

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NIGHTLIFE

THURSDAY, MAY 2 @

THE PUMP

The Pump Roadhouse 641 Victoria Avenue East (306) 359 7440

MUSIC VIBE / Country, top-40,

DJs and live acts FEATURED DEALS / Thirsty Thursdays $1 draft DRINK OF CHOICE / Vodka, and rye & Coke TOP EATS / Singapore noodles, Szechuan chicken, and spring rolls COMING UP / Barney Bentall and the Legendary Hearts May 17th, and Neal McCoy June 19th

CHECK OUT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE! These photos will be uploaded to Facebook on Friday, May 17. facebook.com/verbsaskatoon

Photography by Bebzphoto

15 MAY 10 – MAY 16 /VERBREGINA

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THE NOT-SOGREAT GATSBY

PHOTO: COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. PICTURES

Baz Luhrman’s film version of Fitzgerald’s novel is good, but could’ve been so much better BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

I

n my younger and more impressionable years, my grandfather told me something I’ve been thinking about ever since.

“Next time you feel like criticizing someone,” he said, “stop, think, and choose your words carefully, boy, or else that certain someone might kick the ever-loving s**t out of you.”

Grandpa wasn’t the most educated or delicate man ever born, but more often than not his hardspun words possessed a modicum of wisdom. So before sitting down to review Baz Luhrman’s film version of The Great Gatsby, I took a deep breath and worked through what I was going to say with a finetoothed comb.

Why? Well, you see, my initial, gut-shot reaction after seeing the movie was to call Luhrman a vile nincompoop and a desecrator of holy fiction. But that was just the initial reaction. The longer I stopped and thought about what to say about this movie, the more a different, more positive kind

of opinion began to take hold (and not because I’m afraid Baz Luhrman might beat me up, either!)

So let’s begin with positives, shall we?

For starters, Baz Luhrman’s version of The Great Gatsby is a jawdroppingly gorgeous movie full of stunning visuals and larger-than-life scenes. In a way, the bombastic, overthe-top cinematography captures the

THE GREAT GATSBY Baz Luhrman STARRING Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, Isla Fisher + Joel Edgerton DIRECTED BY

143 MINUTES | PG

strong, determined man with serious charisma and a fatal flaw. As for Maguire, he turns in his best role in

The Great Gatsby is a jaw-droppingly gorgeous movie full of stunning visuals…

ADAM HAWBOLDT

opulence and outlandishness of the 1920s in a way that will blow your hair back. And that alone makes this a must-see movie.

Second, the acting in the thing is terrific, especially from Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire. DiCaprio plays Jay Gatsby the way F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote him in the novel— a

years as Nick Carraway, the lonely, wide-eyed narrator of the story.

And the goodness doesn’t end there.

If you’re a true fan of Fitzgerald’s novel, you’ll also notice the impeccable attention to detail Luhrman has paid to the book.

There’s the orgiastic green light,

Meyer Wolfsheim’s cufflinks made of molars, the Valley of the Ashes, the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg, zootsuited trombonists, flappers, and the way Tom Buchanan packs his contraband whisky in a towel before going to the Plaza. Yesiree, Luhrman really dotted his i’s and crossed his t’s when it came to being faithful to the essence of book.

Heck, he even remained true to the book’s big themes. Class, memory, the perils of the American Dream — they’re all there.

So can somebody, anybody, tell me why in hell he’d go and change the narrative frame? See, in the novel Nick returns home to the Midwest and writes a book about Gatsby. But in the movie, Luhrman takes some creative liberties with Fitzgerald’s plot, ones that were

difficult to understand. And to be honest, it was a change that nearly ruined the movie for me. After a visually opulent movie, this left a horrible taste in my mouth.

Now, that doesn’t mean The Great Gatsby is a bad movie. Not at all.

But if you’re as big a fan of the book as I am, there will be times during the course of the film when you’ll want to treat Luhrman the way Tom Buchanan treated Myrtle whenever she mentioned his wife’s name.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@AdamHawboldt ahawboldt@verbnews.com

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DEALING WITH DISORDER

Of Two Minds brings bipolar disorder to light BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

T

hespians such as Catherine Zeta-Jones, Robin Williams and Jonathan Winters were all diagnosed with it. Famous artists like Virginia Woolf, Emily Dickinson and Vincent Van Gogh are believed to have suffered from the same affliction But what affliction are we talking about?

Bipolar disorder, of course.

For those of you who don’t know, bipolar disorder is an illness marked by sharp mood swings and erratic behaviour, prevalent in people between the ages of 20 and 50. For years this mental illness — previously referred to as “manic depression” — was misunderstood and those suffering from it carried the stigma of “crazy.”

Sure, some light has been shed on the disorder by movies like Silver Linings Playbook and television shows such as Homeland, but for the most part the depths, nuances and ramifications of bipolar disorder haven’t really been examined on film.

Until now. Directed by Lisa Klein (whose deceased sister suffered

PHOTO: COURTESY OF MADPIX FILMS

on people who actually have bipolar disorder.

There’s Cheri Keating — a makeup stylist living in Los Angeles who wasn’t properly diagnosed until she was in her 30s. Her form of the disorder involves the need to escape.

So much so, that in the past 37 years

And in the end, what the viewer is left with is a raw and compassionate look at … mental illness.

ADAM HAWBOLDT

from the disorder) and Doug Blush, the new documentary Of Two Minds digs deep to the roots and exposes the challenges of mental illness not in a clinical way, but in a very personal, very touching, very relatable manner.

How’d they manage to do that?

Easy. Instead of talking to professionals (okay, fine! They speak with one or two), the movie focuses

Keating has moved a whopping 37 times. In the film, we see her meet a musician/artist named Michael (Petey) Peterson. They hit it off and a romance develops. Soon we learn that Peterson too gets diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The rest of the film maps the ups-and-downs of their relationship.

But they aren’t the only characters in this documentary.

OF TWO MINDS Lisa Klein + Doug Blush STARRING Cheri Keating, Liz Spikol + Carlton Davis DIRECTED BY

96 MINUTES | N/A

Another is an artist and architect from Pasadena named Carlton Davis. Raised in foster homes and sexually abused as a child, Davis has since graduated from Yale, had more than 40 jobs, fell into a crack addiction and has a cross-dressing alter ego named Carlotta.

Then there’s Liz Spikol, a 40-yearold journalist who was raped at the tender age of 17 and has since suffered from the disorder.

Through interviews with all these people, what Klein and Blush have managed to do is not simply tell you about bipolar disorder.

There’s nothing pedantic or didactic about Of Two Minds. Instead, they have given the interview subjects free rein to talk about their lives.

About the highs, which are like taking “the best day you ever had and multiply(ing) it by a million,”

and the devastating lows, which are “like having a constant flu in your mind.” There’s also talk of suicide attempts, failed relationship attempts and the need to “play sane every day.”

And in the end, what the viewer is left with is a raw and compassionate look at a far-too-often misunderstood mental illness.

Of Two Minds will open at Regina Public Library on May 17.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@AdamHawboldt ahawboldt@verbnews.com

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

18 MAY 10 – MAY 16 ENTERTAINMENT

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VERBNEWS.COM

CROSSWORD CANADIAN CRISS-CROSS DOWN

© WALTER D. FEENER 2013

28. Ocean turbulence 29. Be in the driver’s seat 32. Dark, gloomy under ground cell 36. Vase on a pedestal 37. Clear the blackboard 39. Having reached the date for payment 40. Laugh boisterously 42. Little devil 43. What unfriendly dogs do 44. Drew with acid 46. Bursting with joy 48. Cubic metre 49. Cringe in fear 50. Becomes weaker 51. Let the cat out of the bag

1. Main parts of vehicles 2. Racetrack shape 3. In spite of that 4. Become misty 5. Animals resembling horses 6. Put money on 7. Make money 8. Emotional shock 9. Terminate 11. Vertical surfaces 12. Spiked wheel attached to a rider’s boot 14. Report of a recent event 17. Bakery buy 20. Be crazy about 21. Part of an act of a play 24. Cover a cake

26. Move too slowly 28. Think likely 29. Confident 30. Runs, but not fast 31. Makes into a law 32. Four-footed female 33. Ready for publication 34. External 35. Pressing lack 38. Trips in vehicles 41. Moon of Saturn 43. Cry loudly 45. Unit of energy 47. British washroom

SUDOKU ANSWER KEY

A

B

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

ACROSS 1. Young men 5. Assist an offender 9. Desire wrongfully 10. Marks with a branding iron 12. Undisturbed by excitement 13. Exert yourself 15. Beach toy 16. Mimic 18. Hosiery shade 19. Take advantage of 20. Not the way it should be 22. Kitten’s cry 23. What remains after a part is taken 25. Group of students taught together 27. Police officer

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

TIMEOUT

HOROSCOPES MAY 10 – MAY 16 ARIES March 21–April 19

LEO July 23–August 22

SAGITTARIUS November 23–December 21

This will be a week of changes, Aries. Some will be big, others will be small. But all will lead you in the right direction.

Nothing is going to come easy this week, Leo. You’re going to have to scratch and claw for everything you want.

Something unexpected your way comes, Sagittarius. Whether it will be a good thing or a bad thing, well, you’ll have to wait and see.

TAURUS April 20–May 20

VIRGO August 23–September 22

CAPRICORN December 22–January 19

Drive. Desire. Motivation. Those three things are imperative to success this week. Unfortunately, you may not see much of any in the next few days.

Have you been feeling spread a little thin lately, Virgo?

If so, compose yourself and focus your energies.

The sun is shining, the weather is sweet, it’s time to get out and move your feet. A road you haven’t been down could yield unexpected results.

GEMINI May 21–June 20

LIBRA September 23–October 23

AQUARIUS January 20–February 19

There is excitement and adventure on the horizon, Gemini.

Prepare as best you can. Things are going to get interesting.

Express yourself, Libra.

Even if you think it might embarrass you, say what you want to say this week.

Do you remember a time in your life when you were 100% happy, Aquarius? Well, a day like that is just around the corner.

CANCER June 21–July 22

SCORPIO October 24–November 22

PISCES February 20–March 20

You win some, you lose some and some you simply shouldn’t have played in the first place. Words to live by this week, Cancer.

You may receive a strange phone call this week, Scorpio, one that you could pass off as unimportant. However, it’s anything but.

This week, Pisces, treat life like it’s one big miniature golf course.

Do that, and good things will surely come your way.

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

CROSSWORD ANSWER KEY

A

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

B

19 MAY 10 – MAY 16 /VERBREGINA

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