Verb Issue S208 (Sept. 21-27, 2012)

Issue #208 – September 21 to September 27

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the twitter dilemma On social media and politics Rococode Reinventing the pop song Kivalina v. Exxon & end of watch Film reviews ­

SMALL FAME with

BEND SINISTER

Photo: courtesy of candice Webster

contents

NEWs + Opinion

culture

entertainment

Q + A with Don amero

Live Music listings

Alex talks to this Winnipeg singer about finding his way. 12 / Q + A

Local music listings for September 21 through September 29. 18 / listings

Working together

Rococode

Honor Fight, MMA & boxing — Adam investigates. 4 / Local

How a Vancouver four-piece is reinventing pop. 13 / Arts

end of watch & Compliance The latest movie reviews. 20 / Film

verbnews.com @verbsaskatoon facebook.com/verbnewssaskatoon

Premier wine fest

Nightlife Photos

Editorial

A preview of one of Saskatoon’s big cultural events. 13 / Arts

Patrick and Michelle visit Diva’s & Crown & Rok. 22-25 / Nightlife

A blessing or a curse?

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

The power of Twitter in municipal elections. 6 / Local

On the cover:

Bend sinister

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

Business & Operations

our two cents

Clark’s Crossing review

on the bus

What we think about the idea of a penny tax. 8 / Editorial

Adam loves delectable, down-home pub grub. 16 / Food + Drink

Weekly original comic illustrations

by Elaine M. Will. 26 / comics

comments

Music

Games & Horoscopes

Here’s what you had to say about giving churches tax breaks. 10 / comments

Anderson Burko, Kathleen Edwards & The Wooden Sky. 17 / music

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

On Small Fame, and making it big.

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

contact Comments / feedback@verbnews.com / 881 8372 advertise / advertise@verbnews.com / 979 2253 design / layout@verbnews.com / 979 8474 General / info@verbnews.com / 979 2253

Please recycle after reading & sharing

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working together

Honor Fight helps dispel myths surrounding MMA and boxing. by adam hawboldt

B

oxer Blake McPhee isn’t smiling.

Which is strange. Normally when you see the sandy-haired 18-year-old he’s sporting a big, toothy grin. Normally when you see McPhee, he’s in good spirits, quick to joke and quicker to laugh. But not at the moment.

Right now, at 2:30pm on a sunny Saturday in mid-September, McPhee is quiet. In the middle of a cavernous hall at Prairieland Park, a crew of volunteers at Honor Fight: First Battle are putting the final touches on the ring where, in five hours time, McPhee will go toe-to-toe with Edmonton’s Austin Grundner in an amateur boxing match.

For a minute, McPhee watches the crew as they work on the ring. He seems slightly amiss. Focused on the not-so-distant future.

Then, out of habit, McPhee starts bouncing back and forth on his toes.

He quickly flicks out a jab, then a straight right, followed by a left hook,

before he pivots himself out of imaginary harm’s way.

And his coach, Cory Pye — owner and head trainer at Sweet Science Boxing in Fort McMurray — says, “Wait until you see him in there. He’s relaxed, he’s having fun, and man is he ever sharp!”

A few minutes later, McPhee disappears behind a black curtain for his medical and weigh-in. When they’re finished, he returns to where his coach and family are sitting. They ask how things went.

“Good,” he says. “The doctor asked me to walk on my toes and stuff.” McPhee stops and chuckles to himself. “I told him ‘No problem, doc. I can walk on my hands, too, if you want.’”

Then a smile creeps across his face, a big, toothy smile, and just like that McPhee is his old, relaxed self again. Laughing, joking, shadow boxing in spurts. It’s just another average day at the office for the young pugilist.

But this event he’s boxing at, Honor Fight: it isn’t your average fight card. Not even close.

Ask a casual fight fan what they like best, boxing or MMA, and chances are you’ll get a very distinct and divisive answer.

Some will say boxing; the majority will say MMA. But very few will tell you, “I love both sports.” And among casual fight fans, that’s just the way it is.

See, at the highest level, MMA and boxing promoters aren’t exactly sworn enemies, but they aren’t exactly friends, either. From card to card, event to event, they’re constantly trying to outdo one another, win over more fans than the other, and sell more tickets. It’s the kind of multi-million dollar pissing contest that breeds deep and direct competition. Even contempt at times.

It’s also the kind of pissing contest that fuels media speculation. On Continued on next page »

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Sweet Science Boxing coach Cory Pye gives boxer Blake McPhee advice between rounds. Photos courtesy of ADAM HAWBOLDT / VERB MAGAZINE

reputable sports websites, in mainstream magazines, wherever you look you’ll see headlines like “The Great Debate: MMA vs. Boxing” or “MMA vs. Boxing: Why MMA Will Win the Battle in the 21st Century.”

The thing is, this great debate, this direct competition, it really only exists at the highest levels and amongst the fans. For the fighters, especially the amateur ones, things are different.

Everywhere else, in gyms all around the country, from Saskatchewan to Nova Scotia to BC, boxers and MMA fighters are beginning to work together to help foster and grow their respective sports.

“We’re all on the same wavelength,” says Dave Mah, owner of Way of the Dragon in Saskatoon.

That’s part of the reason why Mah worked so diligently to put on the Honor Fight: First Battle fight card.

He wanted to give boxers and MMA fighters, even the guys who do muay Thai, an opportunity to showcase their skills at the same venue on the same night.

“I’ve always wanted to do something like this, a combo card,” explains Mah. “You just don’t see something like this a lot. All you ever see is MMA shows with only MMA

fighters. And the boxing guys doing their own shows. So I wanted to put them all together.”

And while the fight card may be a new concept, Mah should rest easy knowing the diversity of his card is a step in the right direction. A bold,

ing, going through their respective warm-up routines.

For McPhee, this is the first time he’s ever fought on a card with all these different disciplines. But that’s not to say that he’s a stranger to the MMA scene.

You just don’t sees something like this a lot … I wanted to put them all together. dave mah

co-operative, inclusive direction that, if fostered, may help dispel the myth that mixed martial arts and boxing are sworn enemies.

It may also help amateur boxers like McPhee get more fights.

In the red dressing room, after his bout, Blake McPhee is smiling again.

Sweating and red-faced, he poses for photos with trophy and plaque in hand (he beat Grundner via unanimous decision).

Mixed martial artists and muay Thai fighters pace the room around him, wrapping their hands, stretch-

Back in Fort McMurray, McPhee and the rest of the SSB team train side-by-side with mixed martial artists from the Gracie Barra gym.

For Pye, who is currently working with four or five of the Gracie Barra fighters, things couldn’t be better.

“I believe we’re better off working together,” says Pye. And so do a lot of other people out there.

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Photo: courtesy of aAnnette Shaff / Shutterstock

A Blessing or a curse?

The two sides of Twitter in municipal elections. by Alex J MacPherson

W

hen David Carr, writing in the New York Times, suggested that Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, “by bolting together social networking applications under the banner of a movement … created an unforeseen force to raise money, organize locally, fight smear campaigns, and get out the vote,” he legitimized as a political tool what had previously been simple entertainment.

Today, social media is everywhere. Twitter has about half a billion users worldwide and is seen as a tool for igniting revolutions, affecting election results, and changing the way the press operates. Virtually every public figure has a Twitter account; politicians are connected to their constituents in a way that

transcends political advertising. This is true on the national, provincial, and municipal levels.

On October 24, Regina and Saskatoon will elect a new crop of civic politicians. Most of the candidates are using Twitter to some degree; to some, new media is the cornerstone of their campaign. It remains unclear, however, what role online tools can play in an arena dominated by shaken hands and kissed babies.

Some candidates use it without reservation; others hedge their bets. In the upcoming election, the two sides of Twitter are becoming clear.

“I think people can be a little oversimplistic about the power of social media in politics,” Mairin Loewen says. Last year, Loewen won a hotlycontested by-election at the age of 27. Now, she is campaigning to keep her seat on Saskatoon’s city council.

“I’ve had a lot of people ask about how we used social media to win the by-election, and I find that kind of amusing,” she continues. “I think if you were to track voter turnout, you’d find that social media played a relatively minor role, and yet lots of people framed it as the reason why I won. I think that is misleading.”

Like many members of her generation, Loewen is active on Twitter, but she sees the service as a tool for communication, not persuasion. In practice, this means “blasting information out” — reports of snarled traffic, closed bridges, and looming council decisions. “To a certain extent, you are preaching to the choir with Twitter,” she says. “You are reaching people who are already engaged and aware,” On the other hand, Loewen is unwilling to rule out anything. “It Continued on next page »

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may be too early to tell,” she says.

“I think the political campaigns that have been truly won or lost based on social media are still quite rare. It may be that in three year’s time we’ll be able to evaluate more clearly what this means.”

Tina Beaudry-Mellor disagrees.

A University of Regina political scientist and candidate for Regina’s ward four seat, Beaudry-Mellor sees Twitter as more than a conduit for information: she thinks of it as a conversation, a way to build connections with her potential constituents

numerous parody accounts, fake profiles that attacked him. His apparent willingness to engage anonymous critics aggravated the situation. In July, Novak decided to quit. He cited “dirty politics” and says social media was a “big factor” in the decision.

“It became a lot more stressful than I needed it to be,” he says. “I was naïve in thinking I can actually help to change attitudes — but there was never an intent on their side to ever change an attitude.”

Now, Novak is back in the race.

Since rejoining in September, Novak’s

The conversation I’m having … on the doorstep? I’m also having [it] on Twitter.

Tina Beaudry-mellor

and the foundation of any successful campaign. In practice, she explains, conversations humanize her. “I walk down through the same community park as most of the people in this area, with my dog and my kids fighting behind me,” she laughs. “If I lament about it on Twitter for a minute, somebody out there will maybe have a laugh. But they’ll remember: ‘Oh yeah, she is a human.’”

“I think you’re going to see, this year and beyond, Twitter become a way of harnessing votes,” she continues. “The conversation I’m having with somebody on the doorstep?

I’m also having that conversation on Twitter. And if somebody is actually having a conversation with you, the chances that they are going to vote are greater.”

Loewen and Beaudry-Mellor have different views on the efficacy of social media, but both concur that Twitter is not a suitable replacement for conventional campaign strategies — knocking on doors, delivering flyers, and meeting voters. Chad Novak, on the other hand, jettisoned convention for a campaign based almost exclusively on social media.

Running for mayor of Regina, Novak, a figure of some controversy, sees Twitter as an opportunity to reach young people, many of whom don’t vote.

Novak’s plan went badly wrong.

His online presence was targeted by

Twitter feeds have become lightning rods for controversy.

“This time I’m much more prepared for it,” he says. “I’m not going to be throwing punches at anybody, but I will be returning them. That’s the big difference this time. When that dirt gets thrown at me, I will have no qualms about throwing it back at them, and it’s been quite evident on Twitter lately.”

Despite his misfortune online, Novak hasn’t changed his view of Twitter. He thinks online communication is essential because it offers another way to engage with the voting public, and a hassle-free way for concerned citizens to ask questions.

“The main thing about social media is the fact that if one person is asking it, chances are fifty other people are thinking it, and that way it’s out there,” he adds.

Novak’s bad experiences underscore Kate McMillan’s view that, “for the politician, Twitter is a high-risk, low-reward investment.” McMillan, who writes and publishes the popular blog Small Dead Animals, thinks that Twitter is not worthwhile because the general public is “busy making a living.”

“The guy who’s engaged is the guy who has a problem on his street, in his business, with the city bureaucracy,” she writes. “He’s not on Twitter. He’s grumbling to his neighbours.”

McMillan is also leery of the format. At 140 characters apiece, tweets are devoid of context, she explains: “A clumsily worded tweet can be parsed or twisted into virtually anything the reader wants it to be, trapping the writer into defending it after the fact.”

Taron Cochrane, a social media specialist who lives in Regina, thinks Twitter can be important if used appropriately. People who use the social media site effectively let others know what their opinions are, what their goals are, and what they have accomplished, he explains.

“The one great thing about Twitter is that people are listening,” he says.

“It’s not just a great tool for getting your voice out there; people do listen to what you’re saying.”

“I think you can really win over some hearts and minds just by conveying — positively and properly — what you’re trying to accomplish,” Cochrane adds. “Joe Strummer once said without people you’re nothing — and that’s true.”

As Saskatoon and Regina prepare to go to the polls, it’s plain that opinions are divided on the usefulness of new tools like Twitter. It may be a

major factor in the American political machine, and it may be an instigator in uprisings across the world, but it’s not at all clear how something as simple as Twitter will affect a municipal election.

But each time ballots are counted, in Saskatchewan or across the world, another piece of the puzzle will fall into place.

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Our Two Cents

We think a penny tax isn’t a solution at all. by the editors of verb

H

ave you heard the recent rumblings about this so-called “penny tax?”

If not, here’s the deal: in an attempt to figure out how to pay for the growing construction needs in Saskatchewan cities, some bright and brilliant minds have suggested that maybe we should implement a penny tax to help solve our urban infrastructure problems.

For those who don’t know, a penny tax is a voter-approved tax where one percentage point would be tacked on to the GST in our own municipality. Then that extra revenue would go towards building specific infrastructure projects that would be announced in advance, and would be subject, if necessary, to approval via voter referendum.

So far, even though there has been no official proposal, the penny tax has its supporters. People like Estevan mayor Gary St. Onge and Casey Vander Ploeg from a think tank called the Canada West Foundation

have voiced support for the idea. But we disagree.

First of all, the name is far too misleading. Too bad a one percentage increase on the GST is vastly more than one penny.

But that’s just semantics. The real issue here is that we, as Canadians and Saskatchewanians, are taxed enough as it is. Please don’t misunderstand what we’re saying here. This isn’t one of those “tax-isa-dirty-word” arguments. Nor is it a “more-taxes-are-bad-for-business” argument. No, this is more of a “spend what you already have more wisely” plea.

Next year in Regina we will already have the new Stadium Tax, as well as increases in water and sewage rates, and a few more hikes to deal with. In Saskatoon, property taxes increased approximately 2.15 percent in 2012, and municipal tax increased by four percent.

Put those on top of all the other taxes we pay as citizens of this wonderful land, and it’s clear we need

more taxes the way we need, say, another hike in gasoline prices.

What’s more, some people — us included — feel as though there’s a lot of factors that supporters of the penny tax aren’t considering. For instance, what if there’s a voter referendum on one of these infrastructure projects? Will that cost more money?

And if so, where will the extra funds come from?

And speaking of money and where it will come from, tell us this: how would a municipality go about paying for the high administrative and compliance costs of a new tax like this?

Oh, the questions — there are so many. But the main one should be, “why are some politicians and bureaucrats so quick to reach into taxpayers’ pockets? Why can’t they be more concerned in how to use the copious amounts of taxes we already give them in an efficient, effective way?”

Okay, so maybe that’s two questions — but you get the point.

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On Topic: Last week we asked what you thought about churches receiving tax breaks. Here's what you had to say:

I think it’s unreal in this age that churches still get tax breaks and I find it insulting that they build such obscenely decorated structures to help people. If your looking to help people any space will do, doesn’t have to out shine the next, I’m sure the amount put down on an over blown sanctuary could help tons of people in need.

In this age of accepting all beliefs including no belief I don’t understand how their special treatment is justifiable.

– The Verb’s holy crap article could have been renamed. That’s very disrespectful.

text yo thoughtsur to 881 vE r B 8372

– Once again the Verb sides with the secular (you were anti prayers at public events, I recall) and now you’re attacking the house of God. In this day and age, religion is becoming the scapegoat for so many things,but people rarely move past criticizing faith to see the good it does for people. Why attack something that can bring so many positive things to people in need?

What good are you doing?

– I think it’s ludicrous for an institution that pushes a political agenda to receive tax breaks. I am not personally of faith, but have no problem with those who are. What

I don’t like is, however indirectly, financially contributing to an organization I otherwise wouldn’t. This needs to be addressed.

kowtows to the religious right. Oh wait: Harper isn’t exactly a bastion of forward thought. Guess I shouldn’t be surprised

not anymore. ill stick to the metro from here on out! verb lost a loyal reader!

Comment in response to “Out with the old,” Editorial page, #205 (August 31, 2012)

– Just curious: do the tax breaks apply only to certain religious groups, or are all institutions of faith granted the same reprieve?

– I find it appalling that in this advanced age our government still

Off Topic – so i recently picked up a copy of the “new” verb. ya NEVER again! u guys have totally switched ur paper to look like the metro. can u say COPY CATS @ verb?! it use to be a good read on the bus but

– The new verb sucks. I dont even pick them up barely anymore. Too many advertisements. Waaay too many. Just not enjoyable anymore.

Comment in response to “Out with the old,” Editorial page, #205 (August 31, 2012)

Continued on next page »

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– Liking new Verb the design seems much cleaner and lighter than the old one, which always felt crowded to me. And for people freaking out over Sudoku, you know you can buy whole books of those at any convenience store, right. Lol ;) Comment in response to “Out with the old,” Editorial page, #205 (August 31, 2012)

– Oh verb Why change a good thing? New format an epic fail!

Comment in response to “Out with the old,”

– DAMN! 365 days in a year 52 weeks in a year 48 weekends 48 Saturday nights Dont Fk em up!!

– To the person who was looking for spray on cheese: I found some at Wal-Mart. The only thing is that this particular Wal-Mart is in Puerto Rico... !! <*Shar =Kitty*>

– Always thought i wanted a career turns out i just wanted paychecks _GDMJ_

Editorial page, #205 (August 31, 2012)

– YOUR NEW FORMAT FOR VERB MAGAZINE IS AWESOME !

KEEP SMILING !

Comment in response to “Out with the old,”

– You were standup DOWNtown if your funeral party is mostly social workers cops street workers homeless peeps prostitutes and drug dealers.

Editorial page, #205 (August 31, 2012)

– Cigarette butts drive me nuts!

– Dear Editor You should go back to the old style of Verb.. all this one has is advertising. And then that’s it. Wow! It really sucks. Sorry.

Think of good thoughts about your used to be It’s 0ver G00D!!

Comment in response to “Out with the old,”

– Aaaand the stress of school kicks in so we’re in the second week and I’m already freaking out how the f**k do peeps get thru this?

– Why would that person text in to see if you print verbatim? Of course you have to papers clearly can’t change the words of the reading public to suit their needs.

– The prairies in the fall are so beautiful. Seems like suddenly the trees have all changed colour. I love this season wish it would last longer though!

– Great biking weather out there Saskatoon! Not too hot and not too cold. Why not give your morning commute a try via bike instead of driving? Great for you and for the city! Happy trails :)

– I want u in my life again JD sad 2 get older without u in it.

Editorial page, #205 (August 31, 2012)

– Really interesting profile on Rebecca King. It’s fascinating to read about the growing fashion industry emerging out of the prairies. I hadn’t heard of the young lady before, but her clothes look absolutely stunning!

– Have seen a few dogs running free in the northwest part of the city. Please please please be careful with your puppies, and keep them properly contained!

– Who reads this? Do you red this?

– Hey did anyone missed Sudoku ;)

Comment in response to “On Aesthetics,” Local page, #207 (September 14, 2012)

– LOL people losing it over Sudoku pretty hilarious!!!

Sound-Off – Fact: Beyonce rules

– CFCR FMphasis on right now. Get out there and support your local community radio!

– Do you have trouble findimg shoes for square feet ...?

– Happy birthday to my true love, Jamie. You are amazing! Love PB

Next week: What do you think about the government taking more

money in the form of a penny tax, and putting it towards infrastructure? Pick up a copy of Verb to get in on the conversation:

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

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Long Way Home Don Amero finds his way. by Alex J MacPherson

D

on Amero’s life reads like a storybook. A young aboriginal man from Winnipeg’s troubled north end, Amero grew up surrounded by drugs and gangs, alcoholism and poverty. But rather than accept what appeared to be inevitable, Amero chose a different path.

Today, he is touring his third fulllength record, The Long Way Home, and preparing to release his fourth, Heart on My Sleeve. Although Amero started with stripped-down arrangements, his sound has evolved into a radio-friendly yet distinctive blend of folk and country. A rising star in Winnipeg, he is now trying to spread his music across Western Canada — and, he hopes, the rest of North America. I caught up with Amero to talk about his current record, his upcoming record, and his home in one of the country’s most musical cities.

trum of life, where I’m at with my wife and my son. Being in that right place. And then a song like “Dark Horse” speaks to someone who struggled with alcoholism. I haven’t necessarily struggled with that, but there are people in my life who have.

Alex J MacPherson: The Long Way Home covers a lot of ground, intellectually and emotionally. How do those themes relate to you and your story?

it was time to ramp things up and go — it’s a bad word in certain circles — more commercial-friendly. It just sort of evolved that way. It wasn’t like I set out to be a country artist; it was just that the songs that were being put out tended to have that flavour.

Don Amero: It’s one of the things I always say: I can’t really write a song unless I’ve experienced that side of it. A lot of the songs on that album come from my experiences in life. It starts off with “Right Where I Want to Be” — it’s the grand spec-

AJM: Your sound has evolved considerably over the past few years. What prompted the shift toward countrystyle songs and bigger, more ambitious arrangements?

DA: The Long Way Home came out in 2010, and I’d been working with producer Arun Chaturvedi and we felt

feel like you can do anything if you put your mind to it. That mindset really pushed me to this place, but at the same time, it’s somewhat like buying a lottery ticket. You don’t know; you just throw it out there and see what happens. It’s a gift to me that I’ve been able to do this for five years.

AJM: What do you think has kept you going when so many other people have failed?

DA: Well, five years is not a ton of time. I don’t feel like I’ve hit a major stride. For me, it’s just about time. I feel like there are not a lot of friends

It’s a gift to me that I’ve been able to do this for five years. don amero

AJM: Did you ever expect you’d be this far along when you quit your job to pursue music full-time?

DA: I hoped I would. I didn’t think that I would. I’m a dreamer — I sort of

of mine in the business who have taken the business side seriously.

Early on, I realized this really is a business and if I’m going to succeed I need to treat it as such.

AJM: So much great music comes from Winnipeg. What does the city mean to you?

DA: I’m reading Randy Bachman’s Vinyl Tap Stories. I’m reading his story and it’s interesting because the Guess Who and BTO — where

Canadian music really hit its stride was out of Winnipeg with guys like him and Neil Young. But Bachman is getting the sense that he was the first guy to be a band breaking out of Winnipeg. That allowed for this to become a hotbed of music. There’s tons of music here and I just feel that it becomes a community of people that just get it.

Don Amero Sept 28 & 29 @ BreakOut West Ticket info & more @ breakoutwest.ca

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Rococode

Vancouver four-piece reinvents pop. In a good way.

F

or six decades, pop music has been examined and probed, prodded and dissected.

Critics, journalists, and people who buy records all want to know what, exactly, pop music is; to date, no one has come close to providing a universally acceptable definition.

I’m not even going to try — but Andrew Braun will.

“To me, it’s anything that’s following in the vein of the Beatles song format — verse, chorus, verse, bridge — and has some element of catchiness,” says Braun, one fourth of the Vancouver-based pop sensation Rococode. “And the things people can latch on to fairly easily. One of our main musical goals is to achieve those in an interesting way or a way that isn’t overly obvious.”

In other words? “Mess them up,” Braun laughs.

Rococode’s debut, the ironicallytitled Guns, Sex & Glory, could become the quintessential pop record for a new generation. Although Braun and Laura Smith, the band’s other principal songwriter, tend to produce songs

by alex J MacPherson

with simple structures and defined elements, they’ve twisted what would otherwise be straightforward pop songs into offbeat, high-energy ragers.

Equal parts indie rock and electro pop, a nod to convention and a step into the unknown, the songs that make up the album reflect the duality that is at the heart of Rococode.

“That sort of ties back into the band name,” Braun says, pointing out that Rococode is a portmanteau of rococo and code. “Which is something we try to play off — a lot of opposing issues and ideas.” This is important, because while it’s easy to dismiss Rococode as just another pop band, their songs address complicated, universal issues without cliché or superficiality.

Just as the band’s ideas are grounded by duality — “weird sounding lyrics over a little ditty,” Braun says — their music is like an echo chamber.

Take “Empire.” Braun says it is the simplest song on the record, and he’s right. Sort of. Built around an infectious chorus, the song has been transformed — by inspired performances and first-rate production — into a

Photos: courtesy of Robyn jamieson

catchy yet multifaceted pop song.

“I want to love you like an empire,” Smith sings, the music cascading into a rising tower of sound behind her, raising serious questions about the world without sacrificing a terrific pop song.

And even though I didn’t know quite what to think after hearing Guns, Sex & Glory, I knew what pop music could be. And I knew I wanted to be a part of it.

Rococode October 2 @ Amigos Cantina Tickets available at the door

Premier

Dr. Booze and Saskatoon’s biggest wine festival. by alex J MacPherson

H

onestly, the best advice I can give you — which nobody much follows — is to spit,” James Romanow laughs. “I’m not kidding you.”

Romanow, known to his fans as Dr. Booze, is a local wine expert, a connoisseur of fine wines and spirits. Every year in September he spends four days at Premier, one of the province’s preeminent fine wine, spirits and food festivals. Romanow, who writes an alcohol column for the StarPhoenix, sees the event as an opportunity to look for new trends and try new products.

“I particularly like the fact they bring in some wines that really aren’t going to be widely distributed,” he says. “There’s always a few of those

kicking around, and it’s a chance to drink things outside what you normally find, which is the whole point of these events.”

Pointing out that even the most expensive wines at the show sell for considerably less than a bottle, Romanow explains that Premier offers people a chance to sample products without taking a big risk. The event also highlights trends in the industry.

“Two years ago pomegranate vodka was all the rage,” he says. “You realize that the first time you run into a pomegranate vodka at the show; you go, ‘that’s interesting.’ When you run into four down one aisle, you realize this is just a [trend] for the moment.”

This year, Romanow is interested

in Australian wines. Explaining that Australian wines appear to be in a five-year quality cycle, he says the last peak happened about half a decade ago.

“I thought they were pretty godawful for most of that five years, but I’ve been trying them again recently and I think they’re trying to make a comeback,” he adds.

Romanow has plenty of advice for people who are unfamiliar with the wine industry. “You shouldn’t be intimidated,” he says. “Remember, you’re the person with the money.

You’re the person they want, you’re the person they need, and it’s all up to you. You needn’t be intimidated!”

And as for spitting? “I don’t know anybody who comes out of there

without being at least mildly confused,” Romanow laughs.

Premier Wine Fest September 27-29 @ TCU Place $28+ @ TCU Box Office

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@MacPhersonA amacpherson@verbnews.com

13 Sept 7 – Sept 13 @verbsaskatoon

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Photo: courtesy of michael halsband

small fame

Bend Sinister make it big. by Alex J MacPherson

L

ong before most bands record an album, issue a single, or even play a show, they dream of breaking into the United States. This is the holy grail for Canadian bands, the moment when success at home is eclipsed by international fame.

It is a moment plenty of artists never get to experience; for Bend Sinister, a rock band from Vancouver, it is happening right now.

“I always say I never have any expectations with the music industry because it’s such an evil and fickle thing,” Dan Moxon, the band’s longhaired and heavily-bearded frontman, laughs when asked about playing south of the border. “So as long as we’ve got a team around us that’s helping out and as long as people want us to keep playing shows, I’ll keep doing it.”

Moxon, who is extremely modest, underestimates his band’s potential for success. In reality, Bend Sinister are one of the best rock bands working in Canada. Their latest album, Small Fame, was released in July.

It is their best effort to date and it marks the culmination of more than a decade in the trenches — long days and late nights spent playing chaotic shows for gangs of rowdy college students. Now, Moxon and his bandmates are gearing up for another jaunt across Canada before taking the plunge below the 49th parallel.

Bend Sinister are a difficult band to classify, something Moxon is quick to acknowledge. “When I describe Bend Sinister, the first thing that comes up is the name,” he says, his naturally high voice wavering. “Often, some people find it doesn’t represent the music, because it sounds like it could be a metal band. I say we’re sort of an indie rock band that’s somewhat classically influenced, or classic rock-influenced, but with a more modern sound.”

That modern sound is largely a result of instrumentation. Moxon is a piano player; using a wide array of synthesizers and effects, he creates a lush soundscape reminiscent of

the electric pianos used on some of the biggest songs from the 1970s.

Think of the Guess Who’s massive hit “These Eyes,” a song which Bend Sinister covered several years ago.

But the real key to Bend Sinister’s sound is the way Moxon balances his buoyant synthesizer lines against the harder edge provided by bassist Matt Rhode, guitarist Joseph Blood, and drummer Jason Dana. Unlike Moxon, whose pop sensibilities land him somewhere in the Motown era, Dana, Blood, and Rhode are rockers: their influence transforms Bend Sinister from a contemporary R&B revival into something indescribably modern.

This balance is what makes Small Fame such a strong record. From “She Don’t Give It Up,” a straightforward piano-driven rocker, to “Quest For Love,” which sounds like Brian Eno making babies with Iron Maiden, Small Fame is a dynamic record full of surprises. Unlike the band’s previous efforts, which rarely strayed far from the rock-infused pop archetype, Small Fame covers a lot of ground.

Continued on next page »

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Photo: courtesy of the artist

This is because Bend Sinister are beginning to work as a single, cohesive unit.

“Whereas in the past I’ve written a lot of songs by myself on piano first, and then brought them to the band, I think the next record will be a joint venture,” Moxon says, adding that he mines everything from classical and jazz to rock and heavy metal for inspiration. “That’s what we did with Small Fame and I think it really helps showcase everybody’s abilities and talents. Basically, if I were to keep writing, I’m sliding in the direction of Motown — a little more laid-back, stripped down — whereas Bend Sinister just screams 70s rock and roll.”

Nowhere is this more evident than on the album’s centrepiece, the pairing of “Hot Blooded Man” and “Black Magic Woman.” The former is a raucous, searing rock song, the latter a moody ballad best heard with the consciousness-expanding influence of a late-night jazz cigarette.

Together, these songs capture the breadth of what Bend Sinister can accomplish. “We play those together,” Moxon says. “It’s a really good dynamic changeover: one about hot blooded men and one about evil women, one slow and one crazy fast and chaotic.”

This epic ten-minute romp through the history of rock and pop encapsulates the band’s musical vision — the seamless fusion of disparate influences. But it’s also a roadmap, a glimpse of what the future holds for one of the brightest lights in Canadian music.

Today, that future is starting to become clear. After a stint in Canada

What venues do we play? Sometimes, it’s confusing.”

Although the band’s distinctive sound could be a liability in the United States, it could also be an asset.

style show. We love what we do and I think it shows when you see it live.”

More importantly, he continues, “There are no big blowouts on tour.”

Bands are notoriously volatile. Disas-

Maybe we’re starting something where we can be on the forefront of a new sound. dan moxon

Photo: courtesy of candice webster

this fall, Moxon, Rhode, Blood, and Dana will be taking their show south of the border. Moxon is understandably concerned. “If you’ve got a unique sound and you’re not lumped in with a group of bands or other people doing the same thing down there, it’s harder to find where you fit into things,” he says. “Are we a heavy rock band? Are we a pop band?

Pointing out that the songs on Small Fame have been tested on the road since 2010, Moxon says the band is tighter than ever before. “It gives us the ability to put on a very energetic live, loud show,” he explains. “We often get noted for being one of the louder bands out there, which can sometimes be a curse if a place is small, but we try to put on a stadium-

ters result when creative sensibilities clash and personal rivalries poison relationships. Moxon, however, is confident that Bend Sinister won’t fall victim to the classic rock and roll implosion. “There are always little things here and there but I think everybody’s keen and everybody’s doing things to promote the record and work for the band,” he says. “I

think it’s the right group of guys to make a go of it.”

Bend Sinister are in an interesting position. Popular in Canada and unknown in the US, their tour offers a chance to carve a new path for themselves.

“Maybe twenty years down the line people will say, ‘Wow! That band was ahead of their time but they didn’t get the recognition they deserved!’” Moxon says. “Maybe we’re starting something where we can be on the forefront of a new sound.”

Maybe he doesn’t realize it, but they already are.

Bend Sinister September 28 @ Amigos Cantina $5 @ the door Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@MacPhersonA amacpherson@verbnews.com

15 Sept 7 – Sept 13 facebook.com/verbnewssaskatoon

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Photography courtesy of Adam Hawboldt.

DOWN-HOME GOODNESS Clark’s Crossing serves up delectable pub grub. by adam hawboldt

T

here’s something special about having a beer and playing a game of pool by yourself at 11am in a nearly empty brew pub.

In the background, Kenny Loggins’ “Highway to the Danger Zone” is playing. It’s a good song, no doubt about it. But at this hour of the day, when you’re feeling this good something more relaxed, like, say, Bob Marley, would be a bit more appropriate. No matter.

The music is good, the beer is crisp and Clark’s Crossing Brew Pub — located just off 22nd West on Diefenbaker Drive — is a cozy place to toss back a pint before lunch.

It’s also a good place to sink your teeth into some delectable pub grub.

At the far end of the pool room, on a wall next to a dart board, hangs a chalkboard. In big, bright, colourful letters it reads: SPECIALS after 5:00pm: Tuesday — 25¢ a wing; Wednesday —Ribs $4.75 a basket, and Thursday — 2 topping pizza $8.00.

There’s also a burger with beer special for $8.25 on Fridays that isn’t on the sign.

But today is Wednesday. And even though the rib deal sounds

appetizing, it’s well before 5pm, so I figure it’s best for me to go with something different.

I look past the chalkboard down to a poster of Mario Lemieux playing for Team Canada and think, what would Mario order? When I realize he’d probably just have a cigarette, I change tack and talk to the owner.

[The] wings come out piping hot… adam hawboldt

Her name is Georgina. She’s a small, affable woman who has owned Clark’s for the past nine years, though it’s been open for over 20.

Georgina says, “How about we bring out the steak sandwich, some chicken wings and a burger?”

Sounds about right to me.

By the time I finish my game of pool and polish off what’s left of my pint, Georgina is setting the food down on the table.

The steak sandwich arrives openfaced on garlic bread, and topped with thick onion rings to give it a

bunch of different textures. It comes with homemade fries and a caesar salad, and the steak is cooked to a medium-rare perfection.

The chicken wings come out piping hot, crispy and moist, and more than hit the spot.

Finally, there’s the burger, which comes in two parts. One has the patty and mayo; the other is piled high with tomatoes, lettuce and pickles. When you put the two together it looks good, like a good ol’ downhome burger. And it tastes pretty darn good, too.

I wash the meal down with some more beer, this time a tester of the four beer made in-house. And then it’s time to get back to work.

On my way to the office, “Three Little Birds” actually comes on the radio and you know for the rest of the day “everything’s gonna be alright.”

let’s go drinkin’ Verb’s mixology guide Luchador

Ingredients

Here in Canada, we have the caesar to help take the sting out of our early morning hangovers.

South of the border, down in Mexico, this is their answer for the Sunday morning blues.

1 can pilsner-style Mexican beer 2 ounces Clamato juice 1 ounce lime juice 3 dashes hot sauce a pinch each of cumin seeds, freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt

Directions

Keep a beer mug nice and frosty in your freezer. Pour beer into a frozen pint glass. Combine remaining ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice. Shake vigorously, strain over beer, stir, and serve.

Clark’s Crossig Brew Pub 3030 Diefenbaker Drive | (306) 384 6633 Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@AdamHawboldt ahawboldt@verbnews.com

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music

Next Week

coming up

ANDERSON BURKO

KATHLEEN EDWARDS

THE WOODEN SKY

@ The Bassment September 28 – $ 12/16

@ Broadway Theatre October 1 – SOLD OUT

@The Bassment NOVEMBER 24 – $ 17/22

In 2011, this local duo released their album Mitch’s Garage, and by all accounts it was one heckuva folks-root record. With songs about broken hearts, bumbling lovers and prairie lives, the album was critically acclaimed and showed a real maturation in the duo’s sound. The two frontmen are Roy Anderson and Darrell Burko, but they’re not alone. Joined by Daryl Pierce, Mike Pierce, George Schumacher, Jody Giesbrecht, Randy Woods and Don Griffith, Anderson Burko puts on a show you don’t want to miss. With a ton of instruments, a briefcase full of original songs and an engaging, entertaining command of the stage, this local act puts on a terrific show.

Head down to The Bassment and check ‘em out next week.

It’s been quite a year for Kathleen Edwards. On January 17th, the songstress from Ottawa released her fourth album, Voyageur. Just so happens that on that very same day Edwards also appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, singing a rendition of her song “Change the Sheets.” There’s little doubt things have been moving in the right direction for this rising alt-country/folk star. In fact, some people consider Edwards to be alt-country’s new “It” girl. And who can blame them?

Edwards’ songs are intimate, engaging and bittersweet, her voice is tender and seductive, and her stage presence is warm and charming. She kicked off her cross-Canada tour last week, and will be in Saskatoon at the beginning of October.

How are you spending the autumn months? Well, if you were a member of the indie rock band The Wooden Sky, you’d be traveling from Amsterdam to Vienna to London, from New York to Los Angeles to Montreal, and everywhere in between, playing gigs and rocking the hell out of audiences. After a busy summer of Festival touring, the Toronto-based band wasted no time in getting on the road again, heading overseas last week to start a month-long European tour alongside Evening Hymns. From there they head straight back to North America and continue their tour. The Wooden Sky will be rolling into Saskatoon mid-November, bringing their terrific country-folk/indie-rock sound to the prairies. Don’t miss it.

– By Adam Hawboldt

Photos courtesy of: the artist / the artist / Justin Broadbent

Sask music Preview An artist on the rise, Zachary Lucky had accomplished more by the time he was in his early twenties than most. This Saskatchewanian has toured the continent several times, released a handful of critically acclaimed albums, and now you can see him perform September 28 & 29 at BreakOut West in Regina.

See breakoutwest.ca for show times and locations.

Keep up with Saskatchewan music. saskmusic.org

17 Sept 7 – Sept 13 @verbsaskatoon

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september 21» September 29 The most complete live music listings for Saskatoon.

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21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

Friday 21 House DJs / 6Twelve Lounge — Funk, soul & lounge DJs liven up the atmosphere at 6Twelve. 9pm / No cover Shooting Guns, Foggy Notions / Amigos Cantina — Come check out the CFCR FM-Phasis Show. 10pm / Cover $5.

Piano Fridays: Martin Janovsky / The Bassment — Feel like taking in some smooth jazz stylings? Come check out PH tickle the ivories of the Kinsman Yamaha S6 grand piano. 4:30pm / No cover Roots Series: Jay Semko / The Bassment — Known as the singer/songwriter/bassist for the Northern Pikes, this multi-talented musician puts on quite a show. 9pm / Cover $15/20 Austen Roadz / Béily’s UltraLounge — With over 25 years of DJ experience, Austen Roadz throws down a high-energy top 40 dance party every Friday night.

9pm / $5 cover Gong Show / Buds on Broadway — Come and enjoy one of Saskatoon’s premier party bands. These guys play hits from the past three decades while filling the dead air with a wicked sense of humor. 9pm / Cover $6 Devon Coyote / The Fez — A singer/ songwriter from B.C. who puts on energetic foot-stomping shows. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ Eclectic / The Hose & Hydrant — Local turntable whiz DJ Eclectic pumps snappy electronic beats. 8pm / No cover DJ Sugar Daddy / Jax Niteclub — Able to rock any party, this local crowd favourite has always been known to break the latest and greatest tracks in multiple genres. He’s sure to have you on the dance floor in no time. 9pm / $5 cover DJ Big Ayyy & DJ HENCHMAN / Outlaws Country Rock Bar — Round up your friends. 8pm / $5; ladies in free before 11pm Caila Ellerman / Prairie Ink — Come check out the debut performance of this fresh local talent. 8pm / No cover

Kelly Read & We’re Thorry / Somewhere Else Pub — A night of sweet local music. No cover. 9pm / No cover The Nightrain / Spadina Freehouse — Come check out this local Guns N’ Roses tribute band. 8pm / No cover LIFTED / Lydia’s Pub — Come check out some hot local DJs. 9pm / Cover $5 Dueling Pianos / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King belt out classic tunes and audience requests, from Sinatra to Lady Gaga.

10pm / $5

Saturday 22

House DJs / 6Twelve — Resident DJs spin deep and soulful tunes all night.

9pm / No cover Quadrant Khant, Dislexik, Form, Economics / Amigos Cantina — Four solid acts, one great price. 10pm / Cover $5 The Neil Currie Quartet with Gillian Snider / The Bassment — Singer/pianist Neil Currie along with vocalist Gillian Snider treat the audience to some slick jazz standards. 9pm / $12/$16 Austen Roadz / Béily’s UltraLounge — With over 25 years of DJ experience, Austen Roadz throws down a highenergy top 40 dance party along with DJ CTRL every Saturday night. 9pm / $5 cover Gong Show / Buds on Broadway — Come and enjoy one of Saskatoon’s premier party bands. These guys play hits from the past three decades while filling the dead air with a wicked sense of humor. 9pm / Cover $6 Pandas in Japan, Sons Amongst Mothers, Rory Borealis & the Northern Lights, Soft Cotton / The Fez — With this many talented acts, how could this show be anything but awesome?

9pm / Cover TBD DJ Kade / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon’s own DJ lights it up with hot tunes.

8pm / No cover DJ Sugar Daddy / Jax Niteclub — Able to rock any party, this local crowd favourite has always been known to break the latest and greatest tracks in multiple genres. He’s sure to have you on the dance floor in no time. 9pm / $5 cover All Night Gala / Joos Yoga Studio — Joos’ grand opening will feature The Gaff, Wooden Reverie and We Were Lovers. 8pm / see www.joos.ca for ticket information Hey Ocean! / Louis — A pop-funk trio from Vancouver that they live up to every last bit of the hype they’ve received lately. 8pm / $17.50 (Ticketmaster)

LIFTED / Lydia’s Pub — Come check out some hot local DJs. 9pm / Cover $5 Dan Silljer Band / Lydia’s Pub — From Regina, this left-handed guitarist and his band will knock (and rock) your socks off. 9pm / Cover $5 The Steadies / The Odeon Events Centre — Formerly known as Mobadass, this local funky as all get out of here. 8:30pm / Tickets $15 DJ Big Ayyy & DJ Henchman / Outlaws Country Rock Bar — Round up your friends ‘cause there’s no better country rock party around. 8pm / $5 Peter Abonyi / Prairie Ink — Come out for a night of world/jazz music. 8pm / No cover Kelly Read & We’re Thorry / Somewhere Else Pub — A night of sweet local music. No cover. 9pm / No cover Charly Hustle / Spandina Freehouse — A local DJ that knows how to get your head bobbing and your feet moving. 8pm / No cover Don Anaquoad / Stan’s Place — Come check out this local talent do his thing.

9pm / No cover Dueling Pianos / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King belt out classic tunes and audience requests, from Sinatra to Lady Gaga.

10pm / $5

Sunday 23

Industry Night / Béily’s UltraLounge — Hosted by DJ Sugar Daddy this will be a great night of music! 9pm / $4; no cover for industry staff Johnny Lang, Buddy Guy / Credit Union Centre — Lang is a grizzled, wildly talented bluesman who toured with the likes of the Rolling Stones and Aerosmith. Guy is Lang’s mentor. He’s also a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and his guitar playing influenced the likes of Jimmy Hendrix and Eric Clapton. 7:30pm / Tickets $59.50–69.50 (www.ticketmaster.ca) DJ KADE / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover SUNDAY JAM / Vangelis Tavern — The Vangelis Sunday Jam is an institution, offering great tunes from blues to rock and beyond. 7:30pm / No cover

Monday 24

Big Dave McLean / Buds on Broadway — One of Canada’s definitive bluesman, this musician from Yorkton combines his gravelly vocals with masterful guitar.

10pm / Cover $6 Continued on next page »

18 Sept 7 – Sept 13 entertainment

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Metal Mondays / Lydia’s Pub — If hard, heavy awesomeness is your thing, swing by, listen to some killer music and get in on some concert giveaways. 9pm

Tuesday 25

Big Dave McLean / Buds on Broadway — One of Canada’s definitive bluesman, this musician from Yorkton combines his gravelly vocals with masterful guitar playing to put on a show you won’t soon forget. 10pm / Cover $6 DJ SUGAR DADDY / The Double Deuce — Able to rock any party, this crowd favourite has always been known to break the latest and greatest tracks in multiple genres. 9:30pm / $4 cover VERB PRESENTS OPEN STAGE / Lydia’s Pub — The open stage at Lydia’s has hosted many of Saskatoon’s finest performers, and is a chance for bands, solo artists and even comedians to showcase original material. 9pm / No cover Open Mic / The Somewhere Else Pub — Come out to show your talent. 7pm / No cover

Wednesday 26

HUMP WEDNESDAYS / 302 Lounge & Discotheque — Resident DJ Chris Knorr will be spinning all of your favourite songs and requests, every Wednesday night.

9pm / No cover until 10pm; $3 thereafter Big Dave McLean / Buds on Broadway — One of Canada’s definitive bluesman, this musician from Yorkton combines his gravelly vocals with masterful guitar playing to put on a show you won’t soon forget. 10pm / Cover $6 The Avenue Recording Company presents Open Mic / The Fez on Broadway — Hosted by Chad Reynolds. Sign up and play at this weekly event. 10pm / No cover DJ Kade / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover Dr. J ‘Souled Out’ / Lydia’s Pub — Dr. J spins hot funk and soul every Wednesday night. 9pm / No cover WILD WEST WEDNESDAY / Outlaws Country Rock Bar — This is Saskatoon’s top industry night, hosted by DJ Big Ayyy & DJ Henchman. 9pm / $4; no cover for industry staff Dueling Pianos / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King belt out classic tunes and audience requests, from Sinatra to Lady Gaga.

10pm / No cover

Thursday 27 Guitar Series: Don Ross with guest Brooke Miller / The Bassment — Ross is a two-time US National Fingerstyle Guitar Champion; Miller is a talent from Halifax. Together they’ll put on one heckuva show. 8pm / Cover $20/25 Throwback Thursdays / Earls — Come experience the best in retro funk, soul, reggae and rock provided by Dr. J. 8pm / No cover Thunder Riot w/Conky Showpony / The Fez on Broadway — Come dance the night away as this local DJ plays the kind of music that’ll get your feet moving.

9pm / $5 DJ Kade / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover DJ Sugar Daddy / Jax Niteclub — Local DJ Sugar Daddy will be rocking the turntables to get you dancing on the dance floor! Every Thursday night will be filled with passion parties, pole dancing, shadow dancers and much more!

8pm / $5; free cover with student ID before 11pm

Friday 28

House DJs / 6Twelve Lounge — Funk, soul & lounge DJs liven up the atmosphere at 6Twelve. 9pm / No cover The Moas, Bend Sinister, Pandas in Japan / Amigos Cantina — Come on down and check out three awesome acts perform at the CFCR-FM Phasis Show.

10pm / Cover $5 Piano Fridays: Martin Janovsky / The Bassment — Feel like taking in some smooth jazz stylings? Come check out PH tickle the ivories of the Kinsman Yamaha S6 grand piano. 4:30pm / No cover Rock & Blues Series: Anderson Burko / The Bassment — With a stage full of instruments, a briefcase full of original songs and an engaging, entertaining command of the stage, this local act puts on a terrific show. 9pm / Cover $12/16 Austen Roadz / Béily’s UltraLounge — With over 25 years of DJ experience, Austen Roadz throws down a high-energy top 40 dance party every Friday night.

9pm / $5 cover Rush / Credit Union Centre -The Beatles and the Rolling Stones are the only two rock bands to have more consecutive gold/platinum studio albums than these guys. Trust us — you won’t want to miss this show! 7:30pm / Tickets $40.25–117 (www.ticketmaster.ca)

Capitoline Escape, Thresh / The Fez — Two solid acts, one great show. Come check it out. 9pm / Cover $5 DJ Eclectic / The Hose & Hydrant — Local turntable whiz DJ Eclectic pumps snappy electronic beats. 8pm / No cover DJ Sugar Daddy / Jax Niteclub — Able to rock any party, this local crowd favourite has always been known to break the latest and greatest tracks in multiple genres. He’s sure to have you on the dance floor in no time. 9pm / $5 cover DJ Big Ayyy & DJ HENCHMAN / Outlaws Country Rock Bar — Round up your friends ‘cause there’s no better country rock party around. 8pm / $5; ladies in free before 11pm Ian Martens / Prairie Ink — Come out and listen to some excellent acoustic folk/rock. 8pm / No cover Elvis show and dance, with special guest England / Royal Canadian Legion, Nutana branch — Come out to take a step back into the past with the King.

8:30pm / $10 in advance, tickets available at McNally Robinson bookstore or the Legion.

Earnest Ernie’s Pan Fried Blues / Somewhere Else Pub — Come out and enjoy some low-down blues jams. 9pm / No cover Rob Turner / Stan’s Place — Come out for a night of good, down-home local music. 9pm / No cover Dueling Pianos / Staqatto Piano Lounge

— Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King belt out classic tunes and audience requests,from Sinatra to Lady Gaga.

10pm / $5

Saturday 29

House DJs / 6Twelve — Resident DJs spin deep and soulful tunes all night.

9pm / No cover SAVS, The Wizards, Pearson / Amigos Cantina — Three sound acts take to the stage for the CFCR FM-Phasis show.

Come down and support your local community radio! 10pm / Cover $5 Guitar Series: The Three Guitarists / The Bassment — Featuring Kris Craig, Richard Haubrich and Rich McFarlane, this show threatens to be all kinds of good. 9pm / $12/$16 Austen Roadz / Béily’s UltraLounge — With over 25 years of DJ experience, Austen Roadz throws down a highenergy top 40 dance party along with DJ CTRL every Saturday night. 9pm / $5 cover DJ Kade / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon’s own DJ lights it up with hot tunes.

8pm / No cover DJ Sugar Daddy / Jax Niteclub — Able to rock any party, this local crowd favourite has always been known to break the latest and greatest tracks in multiple genres. He’s sure to have you on the dance floor in no time. 9pm / $5 cover

Sean Burns Trio / Lydia’s Pub — With a sound that echoes Blue Rodeo and Tom Petty, this trio from Ontario play country/folk/roots music with style, and offer up a live set that will have you dancing.

9pm / Cover $5 LIFTED / Lydia’s Pub — Come check out some dope local DJs and see what’s going on in Saskatoon’s electronic music scene, every Saturday. 9pm / Cover $5 DJ Big Ayyy & DJ Henchman / Outlaws Country Rock Bar — Round up your friends ‘cause there’s no better country rock party around. 8pm / $5 Wayne Bargen / Prairie Ink — A fingerstyle acoustic guitar player with loads of original songs. 8pm / No cover Earnest Ernie’s Pan Fried Blues / Somewhere Else Pub — Come out and enjoy some low-down blues jams. 9pm / No cover Rob Turner / Stan’s Place — Come out for a night of good, down-home local music. 9pm / No cover Dueling Pianos / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King belt out classic tunes and audience requests, from Sinatra to Lady Gaga.

10pm / $5 cover

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

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Photo: Courtesy of open road films

Original Ride-along

End of Watch is so fresh it’s almost like seeing a cop movie for the first time. by adam hawboldt

R

emember in the David Ayer movie Training Day, near the end, when Denzel Washington’s character is surrounded by thugs and looks around and yells “King Kong ain’t got sh*t on me!”

Remember how it made your hair stand on end? Then and there you knew a reckoning was just around the corner?

Well, there’s no such line in Ayer’s new flick, End of Watch. No quip that will give you the shivers; nothing that will be instantly quotable.

But it doesn’t matter, because End of Watch is still an excellent cop movie. In fact, it’s one of the best cop movies made in the last 10 years.

Seriously. It’s that good.

Told over the course of a year or so, the movie follows the meandering lives of two beat cops. One of them, Mike Zavala (played by

Michael Peña) is a family man with a love of police work and quick, selfdeprecating sense of humour.

The other, Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal), is a cocky ex-Marine with a shaved head and more than enough swagger to go around.

Together they patrol the mean streets of south Los Angeles, and

There are shootings that must be reported and justified to higher ups, there are drugged-up parents who beat their kids. There’s a gang of girls who laugh while they kill, a ruthless drug cartel from south of the border, and more.

And even though this may seem like a preposterously (dare I say,

As for Peña, this is hands-down, the performance of his career…

Adam Hawboldt

as they do the audience gets a real and gritty glimpse into the life of a cop in South Central. Just a series of vivid and visceral impressionistic sketches of real cops doing real things.

impossibly?) high number of dangerous situations to deal with, the overdose doesn’t take away from the movie.

Nor does the fact that it doesn’t really have a linear plot.

Why? Because from start to end, pillar to post, End of Watch feels fresh. It feels new. It feels like you’re watching something utterly and completely original.

Blending footage from surveillance cameras, cellphones, dashboard cams and mini-cams, Ayer (who wrote and directed the flick) gives the movie a smart, tense, down-and-dirty feel that tosses you into the back seat of Mike and Brian’s patrol car.

And do you know what? Along the way, you really start caring about the two main characters. You learn about their vices and virtues.

You find out what their hopes and dreams are. And, try as you might, it’s difficult not to root for them.

Part of this is because, yes, Ayer wrote a strong script with two strong, believable characters.

But a bigger reason is because of the performances of the two main

End of Watch Directed by David Ayers Starring Jake Gyllenhaa + Michael Pena 109 minutes | 18A

characters. Gyllenhaal is pitch-perfect as the ambitious Mike.

As for Peña, this is hands-down, the performance of his career to date. Sure he was good in Crash and Babel, but this is some other-level, fantastic stuff he’s doing here.

End of Watch is one fantastic thrillride that you definitely won’t want to miss.

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Stranger than fiction Compliance tells the creepy story of a prank gone wrong. by adam hawboldt

H

ave you ever heard of the Milgram experiments?

No? Well, allow me to explain.

Back in the early 1960s, a psychologist at Yale University named Stanley Milgram conducted a slew of studies on obedience to authority figures. The “teacher” (the subject of the study) would be ordered by the experiment’s facilitator to give an electric shock to the “learner” (who was an actor and confederate) every time he responded with an incorrect answer, with the voltage increasing as the experiment progressed.

And even though the “learner” in the other room was screaming in pretend pain, most “teachers” — like 80 percent of them — would increase the voltage when told to do so by the experiment’s facilitator.

The only reason I bring any of this up is because, in a roundabout way, it is exactly what writer/ director Craig Zobel’s new movie Compliance is about.

Set in Ohio, Compliance tells the true story of a prank that spirals into a serious, scandalous crime.

A man pretending to be a police officer (Pat Healy) calls a fast food

Pat Healy … is perfectly creepy and believable.

Adam Hawboldt

restaurant, and tells the manager Sandra (Ann Dowd), that one of her employees, Becky (Dreama Walker), has stolen from a customer. The officer tells Sandra to take Becky into the back room for questioning, and then a strip search, and then…

Let’s just say Compliance is, without a doubt, one of the most

Photo: Courtesy of Entertainment one films

unsettling, stressful and disturbing movies you will see this year.

As the prank becomes increasingly perverted, you’ll find yourself wanting to yell things at the screen.

Things like: “What in the name of Pete are you thinking, lady?” Or: “For the love of baby Jesus, hang up the phone.” Because that’s what you would do, right? That’s what any sane person would do. We all know that.

Well, except no, we don’t. Remember the Milgram experiments?

Basically, what those experiments and Zobel’s movie tell us is that even though most of us think we would stand up to The Man, there’s a solid chance we’d kick the crap out of a cuddly kitten if commanded to do so. But I digress.

What we’re talking about here is the movie Compliance — and what a movie it is! The acting is superb.

Both Ann Dowd and Dreama Walker deliver subtle, nuanced and strong performances. And Pat

Compliance Directed by Craig Zobel Starring Ann Dowd, Dreama Walker + Pat Healy 90 minutes | 14A

Healy, as the pretend policeman, is perfectly creepy and believable.

As for pacing and whatnot, that is also superb. The story is very lean and taught, and it moves/ snowballs at an ideal pace, allowing the viewer to both be drawn into the story, question their own ethics and/or yell at the screen.

Whatever tickles your fancy.

Compliance is being screened at the Roxy Theatre.

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Photography by Patrick Carley â&#x20AC;&#x201C; feedback@verbnews.com

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nightlife

saturday, september 15 @

diva’s

Diva’s Club 110 - 220 3rd Avenue South (306) 665 0100 Music vibe / Top 40, remix

& house Featured deals / $5 pints of

domestic, and $3 off wings Drink of Choice / Busty Lady

(marshmallow vodka, cherry whiskey and Sprite) top eats / Wings Coming up / “We are not pop” features three different DJs the last Saturday of every month; the next one is coming up on September 28th

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friday, september 7 @

crown & rok

Crown & Rok 1527 Idylwyld Drive North (306) 249 4700 Music vibe / Rock, country

and more Featured deals / $5.25 for

Molson, $4.25 for Labatt, and $4.50 for highballs Drink of Choice / Any Labatt products, and highballs top eats / Wings something new / Hoping to line up live bands for every weekend

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Comics

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

26 Sept 7 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sept 13 entertainment

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timeout

crossword canadian criss-cross 28. Like milk 30. Of the sense of touch 33. One without a permanent address 37. Binary digit 38. Right after 40. Letter after alpha 41. Do some darning 43. Unit of matter 45. Monstrous bird of Arabian mythology 46. Naval flag 48. Complain 50. Commotions 51. Rhone tributary 52. Memorization by repetition

53. Aware of

20. Pepper’s partner 22. Indian bread (Var.) 25. Game stopper 27. Untidy one 29. Get the dirt out of 30. Encyclopedia unit 31. Concerning 32. Cut objectionable material from a film 34. Spanish wool 35. Mend one’s ways 36. European fish 39. Human trunk 42. Queen of Carthage 44. Try to say 47. Purchased 49. Deep round container

DOWN 1. Web-___ 2. Long-eared animal 3. Song for two 4. Opposite of exit 5. Able to be shaped into sheets, like metal 6. Canada’s neighbour 7. Plenty of 8. Crafty one?

9. Knife part 11. Blender button 12. Voguish 14. Plant’s start 17. Underlying theme

sudoku answer key

A

B

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

1. Slowly pass out of sight 5. Russian parliament 9. Officer responsible for the maintenance of a ship 10. Take as one’s possession 12. Place for hangers 13. Plant with spines 15. Medicine ___, Alberta 16. Put through its paces 18. Add to the staff 19. Mid-month, in old Rome 21. Damage irreparably 23. Find out 24. Sweet-smelling wood 26. Used explosives on

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

ACROSS

© walter D. Feener 2012

Horoscopes September 21 – September 27 Aries March 21–April 19

Leo July 23–August 22

Sagittarius November 23–December 21

As Larry the Cable Guy would say, “get ‘er done” this week, Aries.

It’ll be a good time to put your nose to the proverbial grindstone.

Author Erica Jong once said “Jealousy is all the fun you think they had.” Don’t be envious this week, Leo. Get out there and join the party.

Nobody can give you freedom, Sagittarius, you have to take it. So in this upcoming week, be sure to take as much as you need to put yourself at ease.

Taurus April 20–May 20

Virgo August 23–September 22

Capricorn December 22–January 19

Life’s a song, Taurus. This week you should sing it. And who cares if you’re tone deaf? Sing your little heart out, to heck with what others think.

“Guilt,” says an Al Pacino character “ is like a … bag of bricks, all you gotta do is set it down.” If you’re feeling guilty this week, Virgo, take notice.

A stroke of luck may come your way this week, Capricorn, so do your best to embrace it. Real luck is as rare as plutonium — it’s not easy to find.

Gemini May 21–June 20

Libra September 23–October 23

Aquarius January 20–February 19

Proceed with caution! This isn’t the week to make any huge decisions, especially on impulse. Best to think things through over the next few days.

Hard work and dedication could both play a pivotal role for you this week. If you want to succeed over the next couple days, embrace these things.

They say that cleanliness is next to godliness. And while nearly every part of that sentence is debatable, you might want to tidy things up a bit this week.

Cancer June 21–July 22

Scorpio October 24–November 22

Pisces February 20–March 20

Remember there is a big difference between information and knowledge. You’ll be bombarded with a lot of both this week, so be wary.

Gratitude can get you a long way this week, Scorpio, so keep that in mind if you face any adversity. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

Being close only counts in hand grenades and horseshoes, Pisces.

So if you set out to do something this week, make sure you’re on point.

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

crossword answer key

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

B

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