Verb Issue S206 (Sept. 7-13, 2012)

Issue #206 – September 7 to September 13

The good listener Ilene Busch-Vishniac can’t stop learning every line and every other line Aka exhibit the words & 360 Film reviews ­

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The year that started it all with

sloan

Photo: courtesy of michael Halsband

contents

On the cover:

NEWs + Opinion

culture

entertainment

Q + A with Amanda rheaume

Live Music listings

Amanda on baring her soul. 12 / Q + A

Local music listings for September 7 through September 15. 18 / listings

viva la revolucion

up all night

The words & 360

Adam explores the food truck movement. 4 / Local

Local DJs are taking control with “Lifted.” 13 / Arts

Adam reviews the latest films. 20 / Film

every other line

Nightlife Photos

Aka show explores the mouth in Canadian portraiture. 13 / Arts

Patrick & Michelle visit Sports on Tap & The Double Duece. 22 / Nightlife

Sloan

Jay Ferguson tells Alex about the year that started it all. 14 / cover

the good listener

verbnews.com @verbsaskatoon facebook.com/verbnewssaskatoon

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

ART & Production

Ilene Busch-Vishniac can’t stop learning. 6 / Local

Design Lead / Roberta Barrington Design & Production / Brittney Graham Contributing Photographers / Michelle Berg, Patrick Carley + Adam Hawboldt

Business & Operations

Heads up

Summer Roll review

on the bus

Texting and driving gets a bad rap, but is it as bad as they say? 8 / Editorial

Adam checks out a great Asian eatery. 16 / Food + Drink

Weekly original comic illustrations

by Elaine M. Will. 26 / comics

comments

Music

Game & Horoscopes

Here’s what you thought about Verb’s new look. 10 / comments

Big Sean, Owls By Nature & Dehli 2 Dublin. 17 / music

Canadian criss-cross puzzle & weekly horoscope readings. 27 / timeout

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Bon Burger is helping to bring the food truck revolution to Regina. Photo: courtesy of Bon Burger

VIVA LA REVOLUCION! It took a while, but finally the food truck movement has crossed the 49th parallel. by Adam Hawboldt

I

t’s usually around 7am when Paul Rogers and Trevor Finch get to work.

When they arrive, there’s a lot to do to get ready. A lot of chopping and dicing, mixing and slicing. A lot of prep work before the noon-hour rush arrives. See, Paul and Trevor work in a kitchen in downtown Regina. The plaza, to be precise.

But this isn’t just any old kitchen they’re in — it’s located in the back of a food truck.

Not so long ago, when people thought of food trucks they thought of big sweaty men named Frank or Joe, serving soggy, under-salted fries from the back of drab white trucks.

They thought of grease-stained paper bags, sweat-stained T-shirts, heartburn. But that’s not the kind of racket Paul and Trevor are running. Their vehicle is no clunker.

Earlier this year, Paul and Trevor purchased a truck and sent it to a company in Ontario to have it painted, pimped-out and retrofitted. What they got back was a sleek, state-of-the art kitchen on wheels.

On the outside, the truck is painted solid black. Not far behind the driver-side window, there’s a large green circle with a white, lowercase ’b’ in the middle. The ‘b’ stands for bon, a nod to Paul’s training in classic French cuisine.

On the inside, the truck is retrofitted with all the bells and whistles: flat-top propane grills, two double deep fryers, a fridge, sinks, storage space and a prep table with inserts for the garnishes. You name it.

“Basically, it’s set up like a restaurant line should be,” says Paul.

And every morning, that’s where you’ll find Paul and Trevor. In the

back of their Bon Burger truck, prepping food. Getting things ready.

Which only makes sense. After all, that truck is their livelihood.

Paul and Trevor are not alone. Lately, food trucks have been popping up all over cities across Canada, from Vancouver to Edmonton, Regina to Hamilton. But this isn’t a new phenomenon. South of the 49th parallel, in the U.S., people have been purchasing everything from artisan Korean tacos to roasted lamb tongue garnished with chives from the back of food trucks for years now.

“It’s definitely been a trend in America for a while,” says Paul. “But thankfully, now it’s starting to pick up in Canada.”

The thing is, it didn’t come to Regina without some subtle cajoling.

Continued on next page »

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Prairie Smoke & Spice also operates in Regina. Photo: courtesy of klein photography

“We inquired about doing this with the city, but there was a bylaw in place stating that vending from a food truck downtown was not allowed,” explains Trevor. “Initially we were told no. It took a few more phone calls and questions until we were introduced to someone else who had similar thoughts on the food truck initiative. We gave the city some contact information for people in other cities who were currently trailblazing this industry, and I believe they looked into how things were being done in other cities and modeled their plan accordingly.”

Things weren’t moving fast enough for the young entrepreneurs, so they kept calling the city, pressuring and inquiring about how the process was going. Eventually they got their answer. Mobile food trucks were granted a place on Regina’s streets this summer.

“I don’t know if we were the ones who made it happen,” says Trevor, “but we sure feel like if we wouldn’t have tried, it wouldn’t have happened.”

At a time when the world economy is shaky, when space in cities is

selling at a premium, when big business is beginning to push the little guy closer to the fringes, it’s good to see young, motivated Saskatchewanians like Paul and Trevor say “to hell with it,” strike out on their own,

One the best sellers at Bon Burger is Le Bleu — a patty topped with red wine barbecue sauce and caramelized onions. Toss some blue cheese in there and a couple of greens, and you have yourself one fine gourmet

And, in essence, [affecting change] is what this movement is all about. adam hawboldt

and affect change.

And, in essence, that’s what this movement is all about. That’s what Bon Burger is about: changing how people eat. It’s about local, community-based, anti-corporate food.

Gourmet food. Comfort food.

“It’s meat and potatoes,” says Trevor of their grub.

But with a twist.

Made from scratch out of 14-dayold Angus beef, these aren’t your average, run-of-the-mill burgers you’ll find at a local fast food joint.

burger. Then there’s the Piquant, The Classique, The Haus. They even created a Thai burger with peanut butter sauce.

“We like to run a burger for a couple of weeks,” says Paul, “just so we know what we’re prepping. Then we like to introduce new burgers. We like to change up the menu as much as we can.”

And the plan is to keep changing things up, keep things fresh, keep winning over foodies and stimulating taste buds. Until one day they can grab hold of the culinary star they’re reaching for.

“The ultimate goal is to have a restaurant,” says Paul. “With this, we can build up a bit of a reputation, a bit of a following, and hopefully that’ll make it easier when we open a brick-and-mortar place. As opposed to just opening and trying to attract customers cold.”

Not a bad plan … not a bad plan at all.

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Photo: courtesy of the university of saskatchewan

the good listener University of Saskatchewan President Ilene Busch-Vishniac can’t stop learning. by Alex J MacPherson

I

lene Busch-Vishniac is sitting at a round conference table in an absurdly large office, trying to explain how a deeply talented researcher becomes embroiled in the arcane realm of university administration. Busch-Vishniac, who is fifty-seven, leans forward as she speaks. Her eyes sparkle with enthusiasm; she radiates something that is like warmth but closer to benevolent authority.

“I looked around and I thought surely I can convince someone to take this on and lead the charge,” she says, explaining that she was dissatisfied with the traditional, inflexible mechanical engineering curriculum at the University of Texas, where she worked in the 1980s and 1990s. “But the bottom line was that there was no one who I could finger, who I thought would be able to pull this off other than me. So I just decided I would do it.”

Describing administration only half-jokingly as the “dark side,” she points out how everyone seems to think that administrators want invitations to serve on committees and boards and review panels. “Since I

obviously could not extricate myself from it,” she says, “I might as well do it with a focus.” And, after stints at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and McMaster University in Hamilton, she is the new president at the University of Saskatchewan.

When asked what, exactly, a new president ought to do, Busch-Vishniac unknowingly answered the one

“One of the great things about being a university president is you get to wander around and talk to people about the work they’re doing and ask them all sorts of rude and impertinent questions because you find it interesting,” she laughs. This is not a laughing matter. Busch-Vishniac sees herself as a moderate, not a radical; she wants to make the university better, not change it. And, she says, learn

[T]he most important thing I’ve learned is you can’t make an institution what it isn’t. So I must be a good listener.

Ilene Busch-Vishniac

question I was unwilling to ask: why the big office on the second floor of the College Building looked disused.

Fully-furnished, Busch-Visniac’s office nevertheless retained the sterility of an office pensively awaiting its next occupant. Excluding a battered laptop, a few newspapers, and an enormous bouquet of white flowers, signs of life were in short supply.

a lot in the process.

“What I bring to the institution is a very broad perspective,” she muses.

“I’ve seen different models — I’ve seen all of them fail, I’ve seen all of them work. But the most important thing I’ve learned is you can’t make an institution what it isn’t. So I must be a good listener.”

Busch-Vishniac’s office is spartan Continued on next page »

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because she doesn’t work there; she works in the classrooms, the corridors, and even the cafeterias. Rather than shut herself up and issue edicts, Busch-Vishniac wants to meet the people she must govern. She wants to hear what the students think, what the faculty thinks, and even what I think. “Tell me what we do well and what we must preserve, but tell me also what we do not so well and must change,” she says.

And while the University of Saskatchewan is well-positioned to handle research, Busch-Vishniac says she sees storm clouds on the horizon — “and, as you know, on the prairies that means they’ll be here in ten minutes.”

These problems are mostly philosophical. How to manage the emergence of new disciplines like quantum computing, for instance. But some of these problems affect people with no connection to the university.

Busch-Vishniac is deeply concerned

when a paper I wanted to read was available for the bargain price of $38.

Busch-Vishniac scoffs at this.

“Part of being a scholar is making sure that the next person doesn’t have to recreate everything you did,” she admits.

“But you can learn from that point. If we don’t publicize what we have done, we have failed in that responsibility. We serve the province better if we become better-known nationally and internationally.”

And while it is no secret that the University of Saskatchewan is facing several serious short term problems — significant budget cuts and chronically low levels of aboriginal enrollment and engagement chief among them — Busch-Vishniac is determined to listen before she speaks.

After thinking for a moment, she says: “I would say that there has been a long history in Canada of people who are not part of the aboriginal community being certain they can

Photo: courtesy of Alex J MacPherson / Verb Magazine

with improving the student experience and ensuring that universities don’t become academic enclaves in an otherwise vibrant world.

“The top several important items have nothing to do with what happens in the classroom,” she says of student experiences. “It has to do with living as part of a scholarly community, with building social networks, with working hard and thinking about your future. It has to do with being engaged with faculty.

It has very little to do with the sage on the stage.”

And that sage, she continues, needs to go beyond the classroom.

Academic research has long been considered inaccessible and all but impossible to understand. Just the other day, I complained bitterly

understand the problems and make decisions for the community. I will not do that. I want to speak with the community and understand what they see as the key problems, not impose my view of the problems on them.”

And, she adds, laughing this time, “there is not a university in the world that couldn’t do marvellous things with more money. We’re smart people; we’ll figure it out.”

Busch-Vishniac’s enthusiasm and dynamism, her irrepressible urge to explore, means that big office may seem unlived in for years to come.

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heads up

Texting and driving really isn’t that bad. by the Editors of Verb

R

ob Ford, mayor of Toronto, was recently photographed hard at work. Reclined ever so slightly, Mr. Ford was pictured busily perusing a handful of papers. Not surprising, given that he is a busy man.

The problem is that he was doing this during his morning commute to work, while he was behind the wheel of his Cadillac Escalade on the Gardiner Expressway, where the speed limit tops out at 100 km/h.

Asked by reporters whether what he was doing could count as distracted driving, Ford merely offered a terse “Yeah, probably. I’m busy.”

The man was clearly distracted, but what’s even more disturbing is that reading papers while driving isn’t technically illegal. If Ford had been reading the same document on his cell phone, he could be fined $155 under current legislation. In Saskatchewan a similar infraction would net 4 demerit points, along with a $280 ticket. But reading a fistful of printed papers behind the wheel — there is no rule outlawing that. And we think that’s ridiculous.

To rectify the situation, we think there are two options we can entertain. The first would make paying attention while driving the main goal by banning any kind of potentially distracting activity. The second would allow pretty much any kind of activity, but any driver that becomes a hazard would be forced to pass a

driver’s test before they’d be allowed behind the wheel again.

The first option seems like the most reasonable, but also the most unworkable. Where would the line be drawn? Reading may be prohibited, but what about eating and drinking? How about putting on makeup, or smoking?

Since the first option is an unenforceable pipedream, we suggest the second as a more realistic alternative.

This would give drivers the benefit of the doubt, and if they overstep boundaries then they deal with the consequences. It’ll make safer drivers out of all of us, and heck — maybe the government will even pay for the extra road tests.

And while it might seem counterintuitive to permit activities like texting while driving, consider this: using your MP3 player or smartphone to change tunes while you’re behind the wheel requires a lot of the same motions as texting — holding your device slightly ahead and to the side, glancing down and back up to the road as your scroll through your music.

Allowing people to do whatever they like as long as they do so safely would eliminate the giant loophole through which Ford distractedly drove his SUV. Since he was reading, frequently taking his eyes off the road, the police could’ve easily made the case that he was being unsafe and yanked his license — a far more

effective response than posting “please get a driver” on their official Facebook page, which was about all they could do under the current law.

And if that’s not enough to convince you change is needed, consider the often ignored fact that texting laws don’t actually seem to be working. According to a 2010 study by the Highway Loss Data Institute in the States, the number of crashes in Minnesota, California, Washington and Louisiana either stayed the same or increased after anti-texting legislation was brought in, even after controlling for all other factors like number of miles driven, seasonal driving patterns, etc. The researchers suggested this was because drivers were now trying to be extra tricky, bringing their handheld devices down into their lap and looking down rather than holding them higher up where they could keep an eye on the road.

So sure, if everyone stopped texting, talking, eating, drinking, smoking or anything other than staying glued to the steering wheel — eyes forward, hands at 10 and 2 — safety would no doubt increase.

But since that’s never going to happen, and since the rate of cell phone ownership is only going to increase, it’s clear that our distracted driving laws need a freshening up. Let’s drop the anti-texting hysteria and let common sense take the wheel.

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Light & Darkness Amanda Rheaume on baring her soul. by Alex J MacPherson

Y

ou’d never know it, but Amanda Rheaume experiences the same trials and tribulations, the same ups and downs, as the rest of us. The difference is that she refuses to let it show. From Alert to Afghanistan, the Ottawa-based singer-songwriter has performed shows across the world. And whether she’s playing her distinctive blend of folk and pop to five people or 500, her concerts are celebrations of life and love and music. But if Rheaume’s latest album, Light of Another Day, seems overwhelmingly upbeat, it’s worth remembering that she is no Pollyanna. I caught up with Rheaume to chat about struggling through the music industry and the joy of succeeding.

AJM: Light of Another Day is a really positive record. What inspired you to write it?

Amanda Rheaume: In 2010, I went down to the States. I went solo, and I had been performing with a band before, but this trip I was playing by myself. I was sitting at house concerts and being exposed to people, and I remember thinking to myself, “What do I really have to say?” I realized that every time I sing and play in front of people it’s an opportunity and I was having a hard time singing these songs about heartbreak and loneliness and depression.

AJM: Some people say the best art comes from the darkest places. Your record struck me as a refutation of that.

AR: I agree, and I’ve really thought a lot about that. I’ve come from dark places, and I struggle — I’ve struggled with depression in my life in a major way for awhile, but I’ve come out on the other end of it. You don’t have to be crying yourself to sleep to write your best songs.

AJM: Did performing in the Middle East and the far north help you come to that realization?

AR: I wasn’t always aware of my heritage and my family’s story. It’s only really been in the last couple of years that I’ve delved into really trying to find out where I come from.

For me, in the Canadian music scene, I don’t feel connected to that idea, that it makes a difference for me. But as an artist it does.

AJM: And those stories are part of your next project, right?

AR: I’m writing a new record now, which is going back into time. I’m learning about my family and getting

[E]very time I sing and play in front of people it’s an opportunity… amanda rheaume

AR: Another situation that made me realize that was going to places like Afghanistan, going to places like Alert.

These people are starving for entertainment, starving to feel pretty much anything. Being in those situations, it really reminded me of the purpose of being an artist and a communicator. For me to stand up there and sing about something sad really felt wrong.

What’s the other side of this?

family stories and basically turning them into songs. If I don’t tell these stories or keep them alive somehow, they’re just going to fade away.

Amanda Rheaume Sept 18 @ Gillian Snider’s House Email gillians@sasktel.net for ticket info Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

AJM: You describe yourself as a Métis artist. What does that mean to you?

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up all night How some local DJs are taking control.

by alex J MacPherson

L

ast October, Rob Berkowitz went to a party.

That night, Berkowitz, who had recently arrived in Saskatoon from Victoria, met Emilio Del Canto, a lanky software developer who spends his evenings behind the turntables.

When the party wound down, they stayed up. “We went to Emilio’s, set up the decks, and DJ-ed all night,” Berkowitz laughs.

Their friendship cemented, Berkowitz and Del Canto parted with the groundwork for what would become Fuse Collective, a group of DJs and electronic music enthusiasts working to promote local talent and popularize the music they love.

“We want people just to come, have fun, let loose, [and] not worry,” Berkowitz says. Del Canto agrees, adding that the collective plans on transforming its events into big house parties, opportunities to bond over an evening of quality music.

Fuse currently hosts a weekly night at Lydia’s Loft. And while Lydia’s isn’t exactly a bastion of electronic music, that is precisely what Berkow-

Photo: courtesy of Robby Davis

itz and Del Canto were looking for.

“We wanted somewhere to make our own,” Berkowitz explains.

Chiming in, Del Canto says a fresh venue gave the collective a chance to push electronic music beyond the rave stereotype. “You know,” Berkowitz adds, “We’ve got a med student who just moved here from Victoria.

He doesn’t party, he doesn’t do drugs; he just loves music.”

Ultimately, Fuse Collective promises to give fans a glimpse of some different acts. “We just want people to come together,” Berkowitz says.

Other members of the collective include Kris Jones, Jono Cruz, Prasun Daz, Shawn Chomyk, and Keith Johnstone.

Lifted Saturday nights @ Lydia’s Loft $5

Every other Line Aka show explores Canadian portraiture. by alex J MacPherson

J

ohn Singer Sargent once said that a portrait is a painting with something wrong with the mouth.

This idea underscores Every Line & Every Other Line, a showcase of contemporary Canadian photographic portraiture. Sparked by a single image, the exhibition emerged as a fully-realized examination of the mouth in society.

“Not all portraiture is compelling,” says J.J. Kegan McFadden, the exhibition’s Winnipeg-based curator. “But to make something compelling, there has to be something wrong with it or something unexpected.”

This idea is best illustrated by the image that inspired the show, a self-portrait by Canadian writer and artist, Bruce LaBruce.

“Bruce LaBruce is in the show, and I’ve known his work for over 10 years,” McFadden says. “There’s this particular portrait of him in the show with his mouth sewn shut … That image has been in my brain for a long, long time, and I didn’t know what to do with it. Then I started to see other artists’ work from across Canada, and they all fell in together.”

LaBruce’s portrait is a response to a similar shot by David Wojnarowicz, who died from AIDS in 1992. But unlike Wojnarowicz, whose photograph is a lament for the erosion of social consciousness, LaBruce is condemning censorship in art, film, and music.

Unlike LaBruce, whose work abhors contrition, Cathy Busby has made public apology her specialty.

By rephotographing and blowing up

grainy images printed on newsprint, Busby has reduced the public apology to a pair of lips and a grimace, raising questions about the nature of expressing regret.

Ultimately, McFadden’s ability to guide viewers without revealing his hand is the exhibition’s greatest asset. “That’s one of the fun things about being a curator,” he laughs.

“If you want to make a point, write an essay. But if you just want to

show something, you can curate an exhibition.”

Every Line & Every Other Line Sept 14 – Oct 20 @ aka Gallery Free

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Photo: courtesy of C. Busby

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Photo: courtesy of michael halsband

twice removed

Sloan and the year that started it all. by Alex J MacPherson

M

ost musicians spend their time looking forward, working toward the next single, the next album, the next tour. Jay Ferguson, who plays guitar in Sloan, an altogether restrained yet hugely influential Canadian rock band, is no exception. He has spent the better part of twenty years looking up the road. Now, though, he and his bandmates are taking some time to reflect on the past. Today, Sloan is an institution, but back in 1994 they were just a bunch of kids determined to carve a trail for themselves. And that trail began with their seminal 1994 album, Twice Removed, which they are reissuing this year.

“This is something Chris [Murphy] and I have been talking about for a couple of years,” Ferguson says.

“I know that this year is not really a specific anniversary for Twice Removed, but it was kind of a year where we had no real big plan. We put out a new album last year and did a tour for it, but this year was a little bit of an open book. We thought, maybe we should do one of these reissues we’ve been talking about.”

In a career spanning more than two decades, Ferguson, Murphy, Andrew Scott, and Patrick Pentland

have released ten studio albums, a pair of EPs, and several compilations; last year, they celebrated twenty years of music with a new record and a series of transcendental shows. But that album, The Double Cross, was actually a vision for the future — definitive proof that four guys in their forties can make relevant rock in a time of tumbling record sales and industry turmoil. A revamped and reissued Twice Removed, on the other hand, is a nod to the beginning.

“I think at the time it seemed a little bit different,” Ferguson says,

offbeat chord changes, modified pop structures, and lyrics infused with equal measures wit and wisdom.

Although it is consistently overshadowed by the band’s 1996 masterpiece, One Chord to Another, Twice Removed is much more important.

The template first used on the album is, more or less, responsible for keeping the band together and working for almost two decades.

“I was just looking at an ad,” Ferguson laughs. “Smashing Pumpkins are playing the Air Canada Centre this fall, and it’s Billy Corgan and

I still feel like we’re a … work in progress. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with looking back… jay ferguson

pointing out that Twice Removed underwhelmed American radio listeners. “And I think that’s what made it stand out a little bit at the time.”

He’s right: Twice Removed is different. Unlike their first record, a riot of noisy guitars and drums, Twice Removed is bright and concise, a reflection of the band’s penchant for

three strangers who I’ve never seen before. I’m glad we’ve been able to keep it together for all these years.”

Unlike some bands, which are basically dictatorships, Sloan is a democracy. Murphy may be the face of the band, but his recognizable eyeglasses and sparkling wit don’t affect how Sloan actually works. “The band Continued on next page »

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is an outlet for everybody,” Ferguson says. “It’s not like there’s the disgruntled bass player who doesn’t get to write songs and has to go and make a solo record. The canvas of an album is open to everybody.”

The “four-headed monster” sputtered into life on Twice Removed.

Scott, who plays drums most of the time, didn’t sing the lead on any of the band’s previous efforts; on that record, he sang “People of the Sky” and “Before I Do.” With just a couple of exceptions, every Sloan record includes at least two songs by every band member. And because each musician has a distinct voice, the albums are never boring. Everyone writes differently, and that contributes to the band’s signature sound as much as any guitar chord.

“Everybody is unique,” Ferguson says simply. “And everybody is essential.”

“And,” he adds with a laugh, “we split the money four ways.” Talking about money may be gauche, but in this case it’s important. In most bands, people who write the songs get richer faster than people who don’t. Ferguson says dividing the cash — and the responsibility — has helped keep the band together as so many others fell into disagreement and disrepair. “If everybody is in the same boat,” he says, “it promotes equality in the band.”

But Twice Removed is more than just the glue that holds the band together; it is also a great record, as fresh and vibrant now as it was in 1994. This is because every note is

Photo: courtesy of maki toyoda

hopeful. Recorded by a bunch of kids who had no idea what the future might hold, the album is a snapshot in time, a photograph of a moment when the whole world rested on hopes and dreams. And then those dreams turned into reality.

That reality is evident on One Chord to Another (and every subse-

quent Sloan album), which reeks of confidence and a restrained sort of swagger. Twice Removed, on the other hand, is rough around the edges.

From the urgency of “Penpals” and “Snowsuit Sound” to the raw emotion of “Coax Me,” Twice Removed is more hopeful than polished, more raw than professional. And that’s what makes it great And now, twenty years on, Sloan is taking it back on the road.

Ferguson seems genuinely excited about playing the album in its entirety night after night, but he is also wary of turning the band into a living, breathing relic. It’s easy to get trapped in a never-ending cycle of reissues, a dismal pattern where creativity ossifies and dynamism fades. So too will the fans disappear: without the promise of new music, all but the most hardcore listeners will slip into the background. And Ferguson is understandably worried about squandering decades of hard work.

“I do feel like we could almost coast, potentially, on tours like we’re about to do, the Twice Removed tour,” he admits. “We could come back and do a One Chord to Another tour and do that for years. But I’m eager to make new records and I was happy with our last record, The Double Cross.”

Which means, of course, that Sloan are already talking about a new album. Ferguson says he has a few new songs on the go, and that Murphy’s new stuff is “really great.” Nothing has been finalized yet, but Ferguson suggested that new material isn’t far off.

“I still feel like we’re a bit of a work in progress,” he says. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with looking back and playing older music — I want to continue making new records but I’m also happy to go out and play Twice Removed for fans and for fun.”

Since Twice Removed first hit record store shelves, Ferguson and his bandmates have grown up. They are looking forward and looking back, confident in their success and hopeful for the future. Sloan will surely produce more great records, but they will never make another Twice Removed, because in 1994 the only thing they could see was the broken yellow line, stretching across this vast country and disappearing

over the horizon.

Sloan knows where they came from and where they’re going.

Sloan September 19 @ Louis’ Pub $25 @ Ticketmaster Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@MacPhersonA amacpherson@verbnews.com

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Photography courtesy of Adam Hawboldt.

let’s go drinkin’ Verb’s mixology guide

SUMMER SENSATIONS A clean, modern, well-lit place: Summer Roll offers cozy decor, friendly staff and terrific Asian fare. by adam hawboldt

Y

ou don’t just pour the sauce on them,” says the waitress. “What you do is pick up one, half turn it vertical, then drip the sauce on with a spoon.”

Where I am is the Summer Roll restaurant on Primrose Drive. And what the waitress is talking about is a charbroiled pork summer roll. More specifically, how to eat a charbroiled pork summer roll.

With the traditional Vietnamese appetizer held vertical between a pair of chopsticks, I poured an ample amount of peanut sauce onto the open end of the roll.

“Okay,” continues the waitress.

“Do you like spicy stuff?” I nod.

“Good,” she continues. “Now if you want, you can put a bit of that [Sriracha] on it. Then top it off with a fresh Thai basil leave.”

I do as I’m told, and the summer roll is good. No. Scrap that. It’s amazing.

At that, in a clichéd nutshell, is why the Summer Roll may very well become my new go-to Vietnamese/ Thai/Chinese restaurant is this city.

Not only is the food delicious, the staff is also exceedingly friendly and do what they can to make your dining experience, well … an experience.

And it isn’t just the summer roll advice, either. When I order the Pork Chop with 1 Egg & 1 Spring Roll on Rice, the waitress brings it out and with a friendly smile says, “You know what’s delicious? It’s delicious if you mix the egg into the rice, then pour the sauce over it. At least that’s what I do.”

So again I take the waitress’ advice, and again she’s right.

[T]his tofu was terrific. adam hawboldt

The egg/rice/sauce mixture really jazzes up the white rice, and believe me when I tell you it makes a perfect pairing with the sweet, charbroiled pork chop it’s served with.

But the food didn’t stop there.

Over the course of the next hour or so, I sampled Summer Roll’s ginger beef (topped with cilantro, big on ginger); the chicken pad thai (not too sweet, not too greasy); and a heaping mound of fried tofu.

Let’s pause for a moment and consider this last dish. And here’s why:

Thai Martini

Ingredients

When you think of Thai food, what flavours come to mind?

Lime? Ginger? Lemongrass?

Well, here’s a way to add a Thai twist to your martini. Perfect pairing for Thai cuisine or if you just want to sit back and enjoy a fresh splash of Asia.

10 ounces of vodka 4 ounces of chilled fresh lime juice 1 small chunk of fresh ginger, peeled 4 sprigs of fresh lemongrass 4 thinly sliced, small pieces of fresh ginger

Directions

tofu is normally one of the foods I avoid. It’s not as though I’m allergic or hate it. It’s just that, for the most part, I find it a tasteless, strangely textured pseudo-food that rarely gets past my lips.

But the tofu at Summer Roll is different. Cut into cubes, fried so the outside is crispy, these tiny tofu tots are topped with a special relish of peppers, onions, garlic, and more. I admit, this tofu was terrific. Wash it all down with some Homemade Ice Tea (with refill, of course) and you have yourself one heckuva a meal.

Oh, and did I mention that nearly everything I ate was gluten free?

So head on down to Summer Roll, and see what I’m talking about. And if you’ve got a food allergy, no worries — just let ‘em know, and they’ll be able to help you out.

Pour the vodka, lemongrass tea and lime juice into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake for about a minute. Let it stand for another minute. Next, rub the piece of ginger around the rim of four martini glasses and pour the martini in, then garnish with sprigs of lemongrass and thin slices of ginger.

Summer Roll 234 Primerose Drive | (306) 242 7655

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music

Next Week

coming up

Big Sean

Owls By Nature

Delhi 2 Dublin

@ Odeon Event Centre Saturday, September 15 – $45

@ Lepps Metal bar Sunday, September 16 – Cover TBD

@ amigos cantina Thursday, November 8 – $12

Sean Michael Anderson is only twenty-four years old, but that hasn’t stopped him ascending to the very summit of contemporary hip hop. After building his career on the strength of digital mixtapes — rap of such high quality that it earned him a place on Kanye West’s GOOD Music label — Big Sean is gearing up to release another installment in his Finally Famous mixtape series and, reportedly, a second full-length studio album. Sean, who was born in Santa Monica and raised in Detroit, has come a long way from late-night underground rap battles; today, he is one of the rising stars of the rap world and bringing his international tour, Canada is Finally Famous, to Saskatoon. Tickets available at the Odeon box office.

Whiskey-fuelled and driven by a deep love for folk-inspired punk and rock, Edmonton’s Owls by Nature have spent the past several years turning heads in Alberta.

Fresh off the release of their sophomore album, Everything Is Hunted, the band, which consists of Ian McIntosh, Sean Hamilton, and Cory D, are making a name for themselves by blending conventional alt-country with hard-drinking Irish fight songs and raucous vocal tracks. Listening to Owls by Nature is sort of like listening to Jeff Tweedy meeting the members of Dropkick Murphys — and launching into a series of upbeat country songs. Now, Edmonton’s resident alt-country rockers are bringing their tour across the prairies.

Delhi 2 Dublin is the sound of east and west colliding. Fusing traditional Celtic music to the rhythmic pulse of Bhangra, the Vancouver-based group have carved out a following among people interested in something new. Using traditional instruments — fiddle, tabla — alongside electric guitars and rack after rack of high-wattage DJ equipment, Delhi 2 Dublin perform like each show is their last. Now on tour behind their latest full-length album, Turn Up the Stereo, Delhi 2 Dublin are bringing their raucous show from summer festival stages to intimate clubs across the country. “I think the one thing you tell people is you’re going to get sweaty,” singer Sanjay Seran told me last year. Tickets available at ticketedge.ca or Amigos.

– By Alex J MacPherson

Photos courtesy of: the artist / the artist / Josli Rockafella

Sask music Preview Some Saskatchewan nominees, including Prince Albert’s Donny Parenteau, and Big River Cree, from Big River First Nation, have been shortlisted for the 2012 Aboriginal Peoples’ Choice Music Awards, a festival that celebrates Aboriginal music, arts, culture and heritage. The awards will be held on November 2, but for now the public is being asked to vote on the winners, so head on over to www.aboriginalpeopleschoice.com to let your voice be heard.

Keep up with Saskatchewan music. saskmusic.org

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september 7 » September 15 The most complete live music listings for Saskatoon.

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

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Photo: Courtesy of Alliance Films

Speechless

The Words lacks conviction. by adam hawboldt

W

hen it comes to “great writing” there are a host of warmed-up, overused clichés that people tend to believe.

Such as: great writing must come from great suffering. Great writing, especially by Americans, is done in Paris. Great writing comes in a white hot spasm of creativity.

Blah, blah, blah. The list goes on.

And in The Words — the new movie written and directed by Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal — every single cliché about great writing you can think of is used and abused.

[T]here’s simply no depth …

Adam Hawboldt

The story focuses on Rory Jansen (Bradley Cooper), a struggling young writer whose ambition far surpasses his talent. One day, Rory finds an old, yellowing manuscript while honeymooning with his wife Dora (Zoe Saldana) in Paris. Turns out, though, this isn’t just any old manuscript. It’s an unpublished masterpiece.

So, like many writers who came

before him, Rory begins to re-type the book just to, you know, get the feeling of what it’s like to write something great, to feel the keyboard’s rhythms, etc., etc.

The problem is, his wife reads what he’s typing on his laptop, thinks the book is Rory’s new novel, says it’s brilliant and urges Rory to submit it to an agent.

Which he does.

The book goes on to win major literary awards, shoots to the top of the best-seller list, and everybody lives happily ever after.

Well, not really.

See, the Old Man (Jeremy Irons) who actually wrote the book turns up and threatens Rory’s reputation.

As this is happening, the viewer finds out that all this — the entire story — is merely the plot of a popular novel called The Words, which is being read by its famous author Clay Hammond (Dennis Quaid).

So basically what you end up with is a story within a story.

Then, because, two levels simply aren’t enough, Klugman and Sternthal add another story to their story within a story. This one is told by the Old Man (yes, that’s really his name) and forms the plot of the manuscript Rory stole from him.

Confused yet?

Well, you shouldn’t be. In the sure hands of Klugman and Sternthal, all the stories slide seamlessly

The Words Directed by Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal Starring Olivia Wilde, Bradley Cooper + Zoe Saldana 96 minutes | PG

and slickly together to form a coherent and compelling narrative.

What’s more, all the performances in The Words are solid. Irons is excellent, as usual, Saldana is charming and Cooper pulls off the guy-who-isn’t-as-talented-as-he’dlike-to-be schtick convincingly.

Those are the good things about The Words. But it’s too bad the bad thing heavily outweigh them.

Not things, plural, just one big glaring thing (no s).

For all the different levels it gives the viewer, there’s simply no depth to The Words. It doesn’t resonate. It doesn’t stick with you or linger. And that’s a shame, because outside of all the “great writing” clichés and lack of oomph, The Words could’ve been a fantastic movie.

A shame indeed.

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@AdamHawboldt ahawboldt@verbnews.com

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Spinning in Circles 360 skims the surface of love and life. by adam Hawboldt

W

hen done right, multi-narrative ensemble movies can be terrific.

Think about it. Amores Perros, Babel, Crash — all terrific ensemble movies that weave a multitude of story lines around a central theme.

So you can understand my excitement when I first heard about the movie, 360.

First off, it’s directed by Fernando Meirelles. You know, the guy responsible for the utterly amazing City of God. On top of that, it was written

by Peter Morgan (The Queen, Frost/ Nixon), and stars Anthony Hopkins, Rachel Weisz, Ben Foster and Jude Law. Not that I’m a huge Jude Law fan or anything. But that’s not the point.

[T]his should have been a surefire … home run.

Adam Hawboldt

The point here is that I was really looking forward to watching this movie. That is, until it started. And from that point on, I was really looking forward to watching the final credits roll down the screen.

It’s not that 360 was a terrible movie. Because it’s not. It’s just that 360 is so, I don’t know … underwhelming?

No. Underwhelming isn’t the right word, but it’s close enough.

Set in Paris, London, Vienna, Colorado and a few other places I can’t remember at the moment, 360 features a whole bunch of parallel stories running together side by side.

You have the story of a husband (Jude Law) and a wife (Rachel Weisz) who are both criminally unfaithful.

Then there’s the story line about a

Photo: Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

grieving man (Hopkins) in search of his runaway daughter.

There’s a dentist (Jamel Debbouze) who has the serious hots for one of his employees, a story about Slovenian hookers and Russian mobsters, and another about a sex offender (Ben Foster) who has recently been released from prison.

And to be completely honest, each story is beautifully shot and visually stimulating. What’s more, there are a couple of incredible performances in this flick. Case in point: Hopkins and his gut-wrenching, soul-bearing monologue during an AA meeting.

Foster is excellent, too. As is Weisz.

But for all that goodness, there was something missing. Something intangible and microscopic.

Actually, the more I think about it, the more I believe that something was syphilis.

Seriously. Hear me out.

See, 360 is based on Arthur Schnitzler’s play Reigen. Written more than a hundred years ago, Schnitzler’s play focuses on a bunch of different sexual attractions and indiscretions that link together more than a handful of stories. And the tie that binds all those relationships together, the thing that all the people

360 Fernando Meirelles Rachel Weisz, Jude Law + Anthony Hopkins Directed by Starring

96 minutes | 14A

have in common, is that, in the end, everybody (and I do mean everybody) winds up with syphilis.

Too bad there’s nothing like that in 360. No aha! moment, no surprise ending or central glue that holds the whole thing together.

It’s as though the stories just linger there, on their own. Out there somewhere in the cinematic ether.

Which honestly was kind of shocking to me. I mean, with the abundance of talent attached to this project — from the actors to the director to the writer — this should have been a surefire Hollywood home run.

Instead, it turned out to be a foul ball.

360 is currently being screened at the Roxy Theatre.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@AdamHawboldt ahawboldt@verbnews.com

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Sunday, september 2 @

Sports On Tap Sports on Tap 2610 Lorne Avenue (306) 683 8921

Featured deals / Spicy sliders (3

for $5), Caesars for $5, Micheladas for $5.50 and highballs for $4 Drink of Choice / Pints of Pilsner top eats / Wraps — many different options to choose from Coming up / Year-end volleyball tournament on Saturday, September 8, Banjo Bowl on Sunday, September 9, and the fall volleyball league is taking place Tuesdays at 6pm

Photography by Patrick Carley – feedback@verbnews.com

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Tuesday, september 4 @

The deuce The Double Deuce 3510 8th St East (306) 477 7000

Music vibe / Top 30, and what-

ever the DJ is spinning Featured deals / Highballs,

Canadian and Coors Light for $3, and $2.50 shooters from the shooter girls Drink of Choice / Coors Light iced tea beer top eats / Wings

Photography by Michelle Berg – feedback@verbnews.com

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

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crossword canadian criss-cross

timeout

ACROSS 1. Action word 5. Poke with a stick 9. Nest built on a cliff 10. Drink like a cat 12. Historical records 13. Good luck charm 15. Make fast 16. It’s not right 18. Battle memento 19. Warning sign 21. Cake part 23. Before 24. Good point 26. A little 28. Actor’s attire 30. It makes the heart grow fonder 33. Ground 37. Almost out 38. One who is always moving 40. Decrease bit by bit 41. Animal with a beard 43. Obligation 45. Expected standard score

27. Less than average tide 29. Child’s wheels 30. Aquatic plant 31. Starts up a computer 32. Wrap in bandages 34. Pillage 35. CD selection 36. In no other place 39. Cuban dance 42. Cooperative unit 44. It’s a wrap 47. Travel over snow 49. Flippable top

46. Affirm the truth of 48. Ill will 50. Thick drink 51. Edge of a steep place 52. Arab bigwig 53. Assistant DOWN 1. Thin layer of wood 2. Mesozoic, for one 3. Small stream 4. Harass constantly 5. Area of level high land 6. Smash into 7. Artistic creation 8. Pleasing to the ears 9. Varnish resin 11. Mount ___, Newfoundland 12. Level of children’s sports 14. Three in cards 17. XV 20. Pleasant 22. Frosty covering 25. Chinese secret society

© walter D. Feener 2012

answer key

Horoscopes September 7 – September 13 Aries March 21–April 19 Pay close attention to your dreams this week.

Visionaries and thinkers are crucial to society, and your outside-the-box thinking could become a major asset.

Leo July 23–August 22 Be careful this week, Leo. Circumstances may conspire against you, but you can get through it with perseverance and a positive attitude. There’s nothing you can’t do.

Sagittarius November 23–December 21 Try not to spend time worrying about what other people think. It isn’t dignified and it certainly isn’t productive.

Be yourself, and good things will follow.

Taurus April 20–May 20 It’s easy to get caught up in the rush that accompanies each autumn, but don’t push it too hard. You’ll be well-served by a spot of relaxation this week.

Virgo August 23–September 22 It’s easy to feel down when the leaves start to change, but try not to despair.

The best way to feel better is to do something nice for someone else, and you’ve got what it takes to do that.

Capricorn December 22–January 19 Things could be looking up in the very near future, Capricorn. Don’t let any opportunities pass you by this week — you’ll regret it! Be aware of what’s going on around you.

Gemini May 21–June 20 This week is your time to shine, Gemini! Do something outrageous. Go out, drink too much, and party until the sun comes up. You’ve worked hard, but now is time for fun.

Libra September 23–October 23 Stress can cause all sorts of misery, so don’t let it get you down. The universe has a bigger plan in store for you, so breathe.

Relax. Do something for yourself and all will be well.

Aquarius January 20–February 19 We all make mistakes, Aquarius, but try not to fret. This may not be the best week ever, but it can improve if you can keep your chin up. For now, try to go with the flow.

Cancer June 21–July 22 Curiosity didn’t kill the cat; curiosity made the cat smarter. Learn something this week, and stretch your brain.

The whole world could be yours, if you could just imagine it.

Scorpio October 24–November 22 Arguments may happen, but try and see both sides of the story — there could be more going on than meets the eye.

Listen hard and try to understand.

You’ll be better for it.

Pisces February 20–March 20 Don’t settle, Pisces. Mediocrity certainly doesn’t become you. Be yourself and seize the day. You deserve a break, but only you can make it happen, so don’t sit back and wait. Get out there!

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