Verb Issue S213 (Oct. 26-Nov. 1, 2012)

ISSUE #213 – OCTOBER 26 TO NOVEMBER 1

ARTS

GHOST HUNTERS Paranormal activity in the prairies RURAL ALBERTA ADVANTAGE On finding connection CLOUD ATLAS + THE IMPOSTER Films reviewed­

CULTURE

MUSIC

SASKATOON

NEW BEGINNINGS PLANTS AND ANIMALS

WITH

PHOTO: COURTESY OF EMI MUSIC

CONTENTS

NEWS + OPINION

CULTURE

ENTERTAINMENT

Q + A WITH RURAL ALBERTA ADVANTAGE On finding connection. 12 / Q + A

MIRACULOUS TRANSFORMATION

THE FOX WILL FLY Flying Fox and the Hunter Gatherers on overcoming the odds. 13 / ARTS

Envisioning event spaces. 4 / LOCAL

LIVE MUSIC LISTINGS Local music listings for October 26 through November 3. 18 / LISTINGS

CLOUD ATLAS + THE IMPOSTER The latest movie reviews. 20 / FILM

NIGHTLIFE PHOTOS

SHUT DOWN THE STREETS

We visit Béily’s + Lydia’s.

Reflecting with AC Newman. 13 / ARTS

22-25 / NIGHTLIFE

DESIGN LEAD / ROBERTA BARRINGTON DESIGN & PRODUCTION / BRITTNEY GRAHAM CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS / TYSON GOODYEAR, PATRICK CARLEY + ADAM HAWBOLDT + ALEX J MACPHERSON

Exploring paranormal activity in the prairies. 6 / LOCAL

PLANTS AND ANIMALS

A new beginning for these Canadian rockers. 14 / COVER

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

ART & PRODUCTION

GHOST HUNTERS

ON THE COVER:

VERBNEWS.COM @VERBSASKATOON FACEBOOK.COM/VERBSASKATOON

BUSINESS & OPERATIONS

THE ZOMBIES ARE COMING! How to survive an

JUST EGGCELLENT!

ON THE BUS

This week we visit the Rook + Raven.

uprising of the undead. 8 / EDITORIAL

16 / FOOD + DRINK

Weekly original comic illustrations

by Elaine M. Will. 26 / COMICS

COMMENTS

MUSIC

GAMES + HOROSCOPES

Here’s what you thought about Kelly Block’s mail-out. 10 / COMMENTS

DJ Jazzy Jeff, Rah Rah + Dean Brody.

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

17 / MUSIC

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 PHOTO: COURTESY OF CAROLINE DESILETS

2 OCT 26 – NOV 1 VERB MAGAZINE

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LOCAL

MIRACULOUS TRANSFORMATION How an old church became a new event space.

BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

T

he Artesian on 13th is many things to many different people. For music fans, it is the perfect setting for an evening of tender melodies and insightful lyrics. For local comedians and actors, dancers and artists, it is the ideal performance hall. For residents of Cathedral Village, it is an anchor, a place where people from across the city meet and engage and celebrate.

For Chad Jacklin, the Artesian on 13th is the realization of a vision that began with a big concert in a little art gallery.

“With Mysteria, we do rotating art shows,” Jacklin says of the gallery he opened with his partner, Marlo Gebhardt. “We got offers from a few people to do little performances.

New Dance Horizons did a dance performance up there one time, and before Fringe we had a workshopped play up there.” Mysteria is an art gallery, not a concert hall. Eventually, the demand for performance space outstripped the confines of the space.

In July 2008 the Lazy MKs, a local band and longtime friends of Jacklin and Gebhardt, took over the gallery for a three-night spectacular of music and film. The shows were successful, but the number of people wedged into the gallery prompted Jacklin to consider a more spacious facility.

“We’ve got such great talent in this

city,” he says. “People doing wonderful things, creative things. We naïvely thought, ‘What if we had a bigger space to do this?’”

The idea took hold. Soon, Jacklin and Gebhardt were entranced by the notion of a dedicated venue, free from bar noise or other sonic interference. But, Jacklin laughs, “We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. We weren’t aggressively looking, but we were out there checking things out.” Jacklin and Gebhardt

to buy the church. Chris Iannone, the proprietor, knew Jacklin and Gebhardt. When the pastor left, he hurried over to Mysteria. “It happened by accident,” Jacklin recalls.

“Chris came over and told us about it, and then we took it from there.”

Jacklin’s first impression of the old church was overwhelmingly positive. “Love at first sight,” he laughs.

Designed by Van Egmond and Storey, a prominent Saskatchewan architectural firms, Calvary Evangelical was

We just wanted to honour the artist.

These people are fantastically talented…

CHAD JACKLIN

looked at buildings across the city; none were satisfactory. Eventually, they began to consider that the ideal venue simply didn’t exist.

One afternoon in 2009, the pastor at Calvary Evangelical Church, which sits on the corner of 13th and Angus, less than a block from Mysteria Gallery, walked into Iannone’s Footwear and Shoe Clinic. A conversation ensued; the pastor made an offhand remark about looking for someone

built in 1950. Like many churches, it was designed with acoustics in mind.

“Back in the fifties, when this one was built, they knew how to make acoustics work so you could be heard in the place,” Jacklin says. “That was apparent right away.” The church seemed like a perfect match. It had high ceilings and a green room, a big basement and a perfect foyer. Jacklin and Gebhardt were sold. They joined forces with Jacklin’s sister, Debby Boczulak, and her husband, Vince, to buy the old building.

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PHOTOS: COURTESY OF MICHAEL BELL

“We could have essentially painted the place and opened it up and started operating,” Jacklin recalls. But that wasn’t good enough.

Instead, the four partners embarked on an odyssey of renovations. They fixed the leaky steeple and refurbished the windows. They replaced the carpet, which was a particularly vulgar shade of electric blue, and insulated the basement. They replaced every inch of pipe in the building and upgraded the wiring.

They even bought a wheelchair lift.

Jacklin, whose company Nth Degree specializes in custom renovations, also made use of reclaimed materials wherever he could.

“That’s something I’ve been involved with forever,” he says. “Some of the renovations I’ve done for my customers integrated something in that vein, something recycled. It’s something I’ve always done and it’s become my trademark.” He rescued the front doors from Herchmer School and framed the entrance with beams from an old grain elevator. The tin ceiling in the foyer came from an old building in Wolseley. But Jacklin’s favourite pieces are the doors to the performance hall, which he rescued from Marian High School and painstakingly restored. “I’ve had those probably about eight years,” he says, adding that collecting pieces is vital because the right items rarely appear

when needed. “They were in pretty rough shape. They sat in a barn for many years before then.” Jacklin had four doors, two of which he cannibalized for parts. Today, they are once again in use. “They look fantastic,” he says simply.

The Artesian on 13th opened on May 1, 2010. They named it for a free-flowing underground aquifer, a reference to the river of talent flowing through Regina. The first performance was given by the Lazy MKs, the same band whose Mysteria shows prompted Jacklin and Gebhardt to look for a larger space.

“We had planned the concert and a few things came up and delayed us,” Jacklin says. “We were working pretty much night and day to get all of the things finished, to get it functional and safe. We finished literally hours before the concert. And it was quite emotional, partly because we were pretty tired but also because the dream was semi-realized — this is what it was made for.”

Since opening night, the Artesian has hosted dozens of events, from Jayden Pfeifer’s Red Hot Riot to concerts by Whitehorse, Peter Katz, and Royal Wood. More importantly, the building has become an anchor for the city and the wider arts community. Although Jacklin says many

artists avoided Regina because there simply was not a suitable venue, a place where performances could reverberate for what feels like hours, he did not set out to create a thriving cultural and social hub. “We get so many great comments from people loving the space, commenting on how important to the neighbourhood it is, and how it’s becoming a part of the city,” he says. “It’s quite humbling. It’s a huge compliment, and I don’t know quite how to take it.”

The Artesian was designed to be an event space where every nuance of a performance could ring loud and clear; it evolved into something much more than that.

Today, artists and musicians from across North America send Jacklin e-mails. “We opened ourselves up to a huge amount of talent we didn’t know existed,” Jacklin says. “We just wanted to honour the artist. These people are fantastically talented, and we wanted to experience everything that they had. And that’s what our place has become — a place where people want to listen intently to how good it really is.”

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LOCAL

GHOST HUNTERS

A new TV series explores paranormal activity on the prairies.

BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

T

he first time Bill Connelly saw a ghost he was eight years old.

It was evening and Connelly was downstairs in his father’s funeral home in Edmonton. The house was silent, save for young Billy tinkering with a tune on the organ.

When it was time for bed, Connelly made his way through the house, turning off lights as he walked. Before heading upstairs, though, Connelly stopped at the entrance of one of the viewing rooms. Earlier in the day he’d seen a teenager there, maybe 18 or 19 years old, lying in the casket.

This piqued Connelly’s interest.

“You’re used to seeing old people in the caskets,” says Connelly, “so when I saw that teenager, it affected me. I remember thinking earlier in the day that it was sad for someone that young to be lying there.”

Connelly stopped to take one last look in the teenager’s viewing room before retiring for the night. What he saw he’ll never forget.

“The casket lid was wide open.

Normally they close it,” remembers Connelly. “And as I’m walking up to the room I see someone standing there. It’s the guy in the casket looking down at himself … staring at his own body.”

Now, in a situation like that most people would scream to the high heavens and hightail it out of there.

Bill Connelly is not most people. Having come from a long line of undertakers, the young boy was instilled

with a deep and sincere respect for the dead. These people in the funeral home were, after all, someone’s mother or father or sister.

“So I slowly turned off the last light,” says Connelly, “then I walked away … then I ran.”

But Connelly wasn’t terrified of what he saw.

Quite the contrary. That night — that first time he saw a ghost — a ball was set in motion that is rolling still.

Jump ahead a couple of decades to present day.

Connelly has been a paranormal investigator for close to 18 years, during which he’s encountered numerous spirits and energies. Yet no matter how close he’s gotten, no matter what he’s seen or felt or sensed, Connelly remains a skeptic. He’s skeptical of the feelings and energies he picks up naturally, and believes there are some things you just can’t explain physically.

“You can tell someone you saw a ghost,” he says, “but how do you prove it?”

The answer to that — at least if you’re Connelly — is to use electronic equipment, like the SB7 Spirit Box, EMF Detectors and crystal resonator bracelets. “For me, it’s all about proof,” says Connelly. “When I’m in a place I can feel, can sense, certain things. But I need to use this equipment to validate these feelings.”

And it is this adherence to scientific qualification of the paranormal

that has landed Connelly a role on the upcoming television series The Other Side.

Created by Saskatoon’s Angel Entertainment, The Other Side is a 13-part documentary series that follows a team of paranormal researchers as they seek the truth behind real-life hauntings from Regina to Saskatoon to Drumheller, Alberta.

The series was the brainchild of Jennifer Podemski — one of the producers of the supernatural drama Rabbit Fall.

“We have a close working relationship with Jennifer,” says The Other Side producer Bob Crowe, “but when she called and said she had an idea for a paranormal investigation show we were like ‘yawn … ho hum … it’s all been done before.’”

Boy, were they wrong!

In the aboriginal world spirits are taken as a given, Podemski informed them. They walk among us, they’re so accepted there’s a kind of protocol on how to deal with them.

This was the angle her proposed show would take. This is what would separate The Other Side from all the other paranormal reality programs out there. Needless to say, Crowe liked the idea. As did those working at the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network.

“The first thing we did was cast Jeff Richards, a paranormal worker with Aboriginal roots,” explains Crowe. “Then we took the package

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PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THE OTHER SIDE

to APTN, pitched the show and they loved it. Only took them about five minutes to make up their minds.”

With Richards on board as the resident mentalist, the group needed someone to play off and/or against him. They needed someone with a scientific bent.

And that’s where Connelly entered the equation.

“We wanted balance,” says Crowe. “Jeff covers the psychic, paranormal realm, and we wanted Bill to be the scientific guy. He’s the guy who, if he doesn’t see it on his equipment, doesn’t believe it. He needs

ing would happen,” says Crowe.

They needn’t have worried.

In cities and small towns across Saskatchewan, The Other Side’s team of paranormal investigators tracked down a host of spirits and ghosts.

But none were as impressive as the one they encountered at the Western Development Museum in Saskatoon, which is generally regarded as one of the most haunted locales on the prairies.

“We made a huge discovery there,” says Connelly.

At first, whatever we were dealing with was a real terror. One night it leapt into my body…

BILL CONNELLY

the hard evidence. Together, these guys have chemistry. They are in tense situations and there are sparks … that’s TV gold.” Toss in journalist Priscilla Wolf and Aboriginal Elder Tom Charles to lead the expedition, and Crowe and company had themselves one heckuva show.

Still, the producers of The Other Side weren’t without reservations.

“Our biggest fear is we’d get all our financing together, get a cast and crew, then send them out and noth-

The kind of discovery that — much like Connelly’s first run-in with that spirit in the funeral home — he will never forget.

“At first, whatever we were dealing with was a real terror,” remembers Connelly.

“One night it leapt into my body … My hair was standing up on end.

Then I got cold because what it was doing was taking the energy out of the atmosphere, creating cold spots … From the tips of my toes to my

head the energy was being sucked out of me.”

This made Connelly mad.

“Get the f*ck off me, get the f*ck off me” he recalls screaming, as he tried to break free. But the spirit didn’t listen. In a last-ditch attempt, Connelly ran outside for a breather.

The gambit worked and things returned to normal — that is, until Connelly woke up the next morning.

“I had tingles throughout my whole body,” he remembers.

“When I woke up my entire leg was numb. To this day the tip of my toes are still a bit numb because of that experience.”

Lucky for Connelly and the rest of the crew, after weeks of investigating the museum, the spirit grew lest hostile and, eventually, they were able to conduct something of an in-depth investigation.

“It wasn’t a residual energy we were dealing with, it was conscious,” explains Connelly.

“It would answer questions. I asked if it was hard for him to hear us; he said yes. I asked if he remembered what it was to like to look with your physical eyes and if that’s what he saw; he said no.”

Connelly continued to ask the spirit a multitude of other questions about his birth and death and where he’s buried.

Soon, the ghost hunters were able to identify the spirit, though his identity is being kept tightly under wraps, until The Other Side premiers next year.

Until then, Connelly will be doing what he does best — hunting ghosts while trying to answer a lot of questions he still has about the spirit world.

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EDITORIAL

THE ZOMBIES ARE COMING! Saskatchewan offers untold benefits to survive an uprising of the undead.

A

nyone who has paid attention to the news this year knows the zombie apocalypse is well on its way.

Think about it: in Florida, a man bit a chunk out of another man’s arm, then powered through a roadblock of cop tasers. In Baltimore, another guy ate his roommate’s heart and brain.

And in Florida, a third tried to eat his neighbour’s face.

If that’s not proof enough, dear reader, we don’t know what is. And we feel it’s time to plan for the inevitable. It’s not all doom and gloom, though: the good news is, you’re in Saskatchewan! Our lovely province offers a host of benefits to getting out from under a zombie uprising, so here’s what you’ve got to do.

First up: the basics. Get in shape (there’s going to be running), get supplies (you’re not going to want to starve), and get some weapons (you’re not going to be able to talk your way out of this one). You’ll also want to consider your clothing.

Sneakers, layers and camouflage are three key words you should keep in mind when dressing for the zombie apocalypse. Remember: This is not a fashion show! You want to stay alive (and let’s face it: warm), not necessarily look good. Though if you can pull off both, then kudos.

Okay. You’re packed, clothed, and in shape. So what do you do once the walking dead start invading Sasktoon? Well, it’d be wise to surround yourself with a group of people you can trust. You’ll want people who are good with a gun and have a strong desire to live. And on a side note: it wouldn’t be the worst idea to have a few geriatrics, maybe a handful of people who can’t run as quickly in your group for, uh, distraction purposes. Hey, we never said surviving a zombie apocalypse was going to be pretty.

Next: get the hell out of the city.

More people equals a greater chance of being bit by a zombie, so you’re going to want to get out of any heavily populated areas. Good thing Saskatchewan abounds with wide open spaces! So where should you go? Well, we already have a place staked out. And even though we can’t tell you the exact location (unless you’re a good runner, know your way around a gun and can start fire from pretty much nothing) we can say this: it’s on an island in a lake in northern Saskatchewan.

Why an island? That’s simple: zombies are notoriously bad swimmers. Our province plays host to a myriad of lakes, so there shouldn’t be any scrapping over a viable loca-

tion for a survivalist outpost. Once you’re on an island, you’ll want to get busy building a fortress. If possible put it on stilts because, you guessed it, zombies are also pretty terrible climbers. When everything is set up, it’s time to hunker down and defend your plot.

Don’t worry, though! The zombies won’t be around for long. See, the walking dead don’t deal well with the cold. In fact, many theorize that zombies freeze when the temperature drops, so you’ll only have to hold them off for a while. Because if there’s one thing that’s certain around here, it’s winter.

Once the zombies are frozen, you’ll have to go out, restock and get all your work done in the frigid months, because once spring thaw hits, it’s go time! Again and again. Until either you rid the world of zombies or they rid it of you. Good luck!

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

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COMMENTS

ON TOPIC: Last week we asked what you thought about Kelly Block’s mail-out. Here's what you had to say:

– Your editorial is off the mark.

This is not about denying emergency, lifesaving health care to refugees. Rhetoric aside, should refugees receive free elective health care services, such as dental and glasses, that the rest of Canadians must pay for?

– Verb editorial say “give constituents cold hard facts”. Great point.

But the Harper government hates facts. If you believe it must be fact.

Text yo thoughtsur to 881 VE R B 8372

– Block is a total disgrace. Way to show everyone how progressive you can be Saskatchewan!

– All of Kelly Block’s mailings find their way to the garbage. I contacted her to say I don’t care to receive them and I still get them in the mail!

– Kelly Block was behaving despicably. And before everyone cries out about helping “actual” canadians look around: pretty much every single one of us came to this country at one point or another. So why not reach out a helping hand to someone who is in a position we or our families all were once in at some point?

– Block uproar a overreaction!

– Block is a total embarassment.

– In this world of everyone being politically correct, i have to ask, why do we as canadians take better care of and seem to give more rights to people not from canada than those who were born here and need our help??? Kelly Block was looking out for canadians born and bred! Way to go Kelly, u got it right!

OFF TOPIC – Cool story on Brett McCormick I remember hearing about his accident. Good to know he’s doing well.

SOUND OFF – So 4 more years of Atch and his self serving build of his legacy, Oh Goody! I hope every person who voted for for him realizes the boom made this city, he was just lucky to be mayor at the time!

Now all city workers can go broke (wages behind rest of western Canada) and the streets will disappear to be replaced by goat trails leading to millions of dollars in bridges and his bullsh$t self serving legacy of river landing!

Good luck Saskatoon!

– If Don Atchison was so concerned with safety why is there so many streets with no sidewalks.

Kids going to school have to walk on the streets

In response to “Racing to Recovery,” Local page, #212 (October 19, 2012)

– Tom Wolf came close and ran a great campaign. The city has made known that change is what it’s after! This time it’s Atch, but next?

– Woohoo congrats Don Atchison!

So happy to see you win the election!

– Instead of seeing the food hampers as half empty, let’s start seeing them as half full. Whether you are a recipient or donator, we have lots to be thankful for. Let’s help each other out.

– Elvis is alive I’m really really sure

NEXT WEEK: How would you survive a zombie apocalypse in the prairies? 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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PHOTOS: COURTESY OF PH / PENDING

SOMETHING TO GRAB ON TO

The Rural Alberta Advantage and the search for connection.

BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

T

he Rural Alberta Advantage got it wrong.

There is not just one advantage to their music; there are many. After honing their skills at a Toronto open mic night that no one ever went to, the RAA emerged as one of the most dynamic and exciting three-piece acts in the country. I called Nils Edenloff to find out just how his band makes so much with so little.

Alex J MacPherson: Is playing as a three-piece important to your sound?

Nils Edenloff: I think it’s just something that evolved over time. Initially, people were scratching their heads. The band more or less evolved out of Paul and I hosting an open mic night, an open mic night that no one went to, so he and I would have to play for hours. It was me playing guitar and Paul playing on a super small drum kit, trying to make as much sound as possible. From there we started playing more shows, but it got to the point where we needed someone else to fill it out — so we brought Amy in.

AJM: More importantly, though, no other three-piece sounds like the RAA. NE: I’m glad that we kind of have our own unique sound, to a certain

degree. I think that’s something that tends to get lost with a lot of modern music. Once you hear a band, you should be able to identify, even if you haven’t heard the song, what that band is — recognize their sound.

with the music — almost as much as I have to the songs we’re making.

AJM: It occurs to me that the rawness of your sound is a big reason why people identify with it.

[T]here is a real visceral connection people have with the music.

NILS EDENLOFF

AJM: How important was that open mic night to your success today?

NE: I don’t think I’ve really considered it in those terms. I totally agree: there’s something to the simplicity of our music … Because it starts with me on the guitar most of the time, a lot of the songs can be stripped down to me in a bedroom on an acoustic guitar.

There’s something people like about that. Like, ‘I can play this myself.’

We’re not the best set of crack musicians; at the end of the day, someone can sing just as good as me.

NE: That’s incredibly important.

There are so many bands that start up, and they’re sort of finding their feet in front of crowds of people …

We played a ton of shows before anyone really cared. I feel like the open mic experience gave me a chance to discover … what worked well between Paul and myself.

AJM: How do you describe the sound?

The Rural Alberta Advantage November 3 @ Odeon Events Centre $34.75 @ Ticketmaster

NE: I think, at the end of the day, we’re generally kind of a folky band that tries to convey our personal emotions in an intimate kind of way. And I think that’s something people have kind of latched on to. There is that immediacy to the music … I’ve noticed with meeting fans … that there is a real visceral connection people have

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THE FOX WILL FLY

How a band from Winnipeg is overcoming the odds.

BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

L

indsey Collins is anxious.

Over the last two years, he and his bandmates in Flying Fox and the Hunter Gatherers have played numerous raucous shows.

The pace has been grueling and now the edges are starting to fray.

“We’ve been struggling,” says Collins, who plays bass in the Winnipeg-based band. “We’ve had some shifting lineups. We lost our keyboard player and our trombone player.” While working hard to get new musicians up to speed, Flying Fox experienced a string of disappointing shows, sometimes playing for just a handful of people. “It’s a downer,” Collins says simply. This is surprising, because there is no good reason why any Flying Fox show should be described as a downer.

Born from a wonderfully twisted vision of operatic rock and fairy tale aesthetics, each Flying Fox song is a rock opera in miniature.

“I love playing music,” Collins says. “I’m so excited about playing in this band, because these are by far the most talented people I’ve ever

PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

played with and I feel like we’ve got something unique to offer people.”

It is impossible to overstate the difficulties facing a band like Flying Fox, who rely on the record industry for support while existing on its fringes. But Collins is determined to press on. “Sometimes, you wonder at what point do the things piling up against you become enough that you go, ‘Alright, I guess we’ll not do that anymore?’” Collins muses. “We haven’t hit that point yet.”

The world is full of pop acts that sound the same, but Flying Fox and the Hunter Gatherers sound like nothing you’ve heard before — which is why they’re so fun to listen to.

Flying Fox & the Hunter Gatherers November 2 @ Lydia’s Pub $8 @ the door

SHUT DOWN THE STREETS

AC Newman reflects on the birth of his son and the death of his mother. BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

A

C Newman calls his latest record “revolutionary” and “a step sideways.” But in a career spanning more than two decades, Newman has established himself as a champion of free artistic expression, and his latest album, Shut Down the Streets, is yet another example of how good he can be.

“I don’t know if this was time to make a solo record,” Newman, who is also part of the New Pornographers, says. “It just made sense because I recorded it right around the time my son was born and it seemed like there

PHOTO: COURTESY OF NOAH KALINA

was no way I could mess around with the band.” Newman’s desire to make an album was heightened by the passing of his mother. “I had to make a record that was far more personal … just because the personal had taken over my life,” he says.

Newman’s sound is often labeled ‘dad rock.’ This is absurd. Shut Down

the Streets blends gentle synthesizer parts and triumphant horns with rock solid guitar parts. “I think the term is basically for music that is not offensive,” he muses. Shut Down the Streets is not a concept album, but it shadows its creator’s life casting the joy of a new arrival against the

grief of a recent loss. Anchored by the jubilant pairing of “Strings” and “Hostages,” the record sprawls across the spectrum of emotions. Shut Down the Streets may not be a revolutionary record for Newman, but it is certainly the most forthright, honest record of his career.

AC Newman November 3 @ Amigos Cantina $15 @ ticketedge.ca Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@MacPhersonA amacpherson@verbnews.com

13 OCT 26 – NOV 1 @VERBSASKATOON

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EDITORIAL

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ARTS

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FOOD + DRINK

MUSIC

LISTINGS

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NIGHTLIFE

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TIMEOUT

CULTURE

COVER

PHOTO: COURTESY OF ANAXOLOTI

THE END OF THAT

A new beginning for Plants and Animals. BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

M

y introduction to Plants and Animals came several years ago when my cousin Aimée gave me a copy of Parc Avenue, their debut album. I listened to it obsessively, lusting over the wavering chords that open “Bye Bye Bye” and grooving to the syncopated madness of “Guru.” Months later, I had the chance to meet the band.

Spicer probably doesn’t remember; there is no reason why he should. But he made a big impression. He was kind and generous with his beer, and as engaging as a musician can be seconds before the lights go down.

Since that night, I have followed Plants and Animals with not a little interest. I listened to La La Land when it came out in 2010. When their latest record, The End of That, came out a few weeks ago, I was surprised to hear how far afield Spicer and his bandmates had taken their signature sound. Unlike Parc Avenue and La La Land, which took advantage of the novel tools available in a recording studio, The End of That was recorded live with few overdubs and minimal production. “We just wanted to sound like us,” Spicer says. “I think in a lot of ways it’s the most transparent record that we’ve made.”

Plants and Animals demoed the record in Montreal before decamping to France, where they spent two weeks cutting the most vital tracks of their career. Today, Spicer struggles to accept the implications of working quickly.

“We thought we gave ourselves a lot

of time, but two weeks went by really quickly,” he says. “Part of me also felt like … I would have liked to have worked on certain things more, but … that never happened.”

Plants and Animals have been playing together for more than a decade. Their current sound, a blend of straightforward rock and folk snatched from the sixties, offers little insight into their history. Plants and Animals did not begin life as a rock band; Plants and Animals began life as an instrumental jam band. Their first EP held a fifteen-minute song.

“We’ve covered a lot of ground stylistically, and we’ve never created the right recipe and stuck with it,” he says. “I think part of making that record, The End of That, was definitely a commitment to make a record we knew wasn’t going to sound like popular music right now.”

Making The End of That was a risk, but it appears to have paid off. The new record sounds like one of the band’s renowned live performances.

The End of That begins with “Before,” a haunting ballad brimming with vocal harmonies and gently overdriven vacuum tubes. The title track features a searing guitar lick that fades into

You can get sh*tty reviews … but if … your fans are happy, then you never need to be regarded by the critics.

WARREN SPICER

And then Spicer started singing. After a second EP and a slew of shows in Montreal, Plants and Animals recorded Parc Avenue. The record was nominated for two Junos and the Polaris Music Prize. Their second fulllength album, La La Land, was also nominated for the Polaris. It would have been easy for Spicer and his bandmates to recycle old templates for The End of That, but this would run counter to everything the band stands for.

a laid-back groove complete with Spicer’s best Bob Dylan impression. The song presents as an ode to cocaine but is more likely Spicer’s attempt to grapple with a period where he turned off the radio. (“Feeling like I couldn’t connect to anything,” he says.) “Lightshow” and “2010” return to familiar territory: rock and roll country; “Control Me” feels like a nod to their jam band history — and a demonstration of just how well Spice, Basque, and Woodley can play CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE »

14 OCT 26 – NOV 1 CULTURE

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Q+A

ARTS

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LISTINGS

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NIGHTLIFE

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TIMEOUT

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PHOTO: COURTESY OF WARREN SPICER

their instruments. The intertwined acoustic guitars, simple drumming, and vocal harmonies on “H.C.” reinforce the idea.

One thread running through the record is the notion of white space, a rarity in the age of heavily-produced studio masterpieces. The End of That is raw in the best sense of the word.

“That was our intention, to strip things down and not really get into a more constructed record,” Spicer says. “I think part of doing a record like that is accepting that you’re probably going to want to change things later on — but that’s not part of the deal. If you start re-tweaking

PHOTO: COURTESY OF CAROLINE DESILETS

everything … you get away from what we really wanted to do.”

Rather than spend countless hours obsessing over minuscule changes, Spicer, Basque, and Woodley worked fast and loose. Ultimately, The End of That is brilliant because it feels rushed and sort of ragged, like a rock record should. Listening to it through a good pair of headphones feels like listening from the control room. The simple approach resulted in a big, live sound. But there is no question that

The End of That is a different beast than either of its predecessors. Spicer is well aware of this. “If you are making different records, you might lose a few fans if they wish your new record sounded more like your old record, but you’ll also pick up a bunch of new fans,” he says. “I think our heart is in the music. I think ultimately that’s what people can relate to, more than other things.”

Today, Spicer, Basque, and Woodley are preparing for another trip across this country. It is a journey they have made many times before, but this time it’s different. Rehearsals have been much simpler. Parc Avenue and La La Land “were a little bit more about using the studio to create something that wasn’t really there without the studio,” Spicer says, adding that the songs on The End of That are “a lot easier because they were essentially recorded the way we planned to play them.”

But that doesn’t mean playing the song is easy. The End of That is a rock solid record, but releasing records is always a gamble. Poor reviews can and do jeopardize careers. In fact, Spicer sounded mildly irritated when discussing the lacklustre reception The End of That received from some critics. However, he knows that a first-rate live performance is the best way to capture an audience.

“The only thing that really matters is that people come to your shows,” he says. “You can get sh*tty reviews and you can never get put on the Polaris list your whole life, but if you

go and sell out your shows and your fans are happy, then you never need to be regarded by the critics.”

Earlier this year, Spicer stopped listening to music for awhile. “I just needed a break,” he says. “I couldn’t connect to anything.” Although he eventually started pulling records off the shelf again, it seems plain that Spicer’s return to music was inspired by the songs on The End of That.

By creating a collection of honest, genuine, authentic rock songs, Spicer inspired himself just as much as he inspired any of his fans.

Plants and Animals November 7 @ Amigos Cantina $10 @ ticketedge.ca Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@MacPhersonA amacpherson@verbnews.com

15 OCT 26 – NOV 1 /VERBSASKATOON

CONTENTS

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ARTS

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FOOD + DRINK

MUSIC

LISTINGS

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NIGHTLIFE

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FOOD + DRINK

Photography courtesy of Adam Hawboldt.

JUST EGGCELLENT!

LET’S GO DRINKIN’ VERB’S MIXOLOGY GUIDE SMOKIN’ APPLE

INGREDIENTS

The leaves are changing colour, the air is cooling and winter is on the horizon. But you can take advantage of what’s left of autumn by making this seasonally appropriate cocktail. Enjoy!

2 oz whiskey .75 oz fresh lemon juice 1.5 oz apple cider 2 fresh figs 2-3 sage leaves .5 oz simple syrup

DIRECTIONS

Mix together the whiskey, lemon juice, syrup and cider, then add ice and shake. Strain over a double rocks or martini glass; garnish with a sage leaf.

Rook and Raven serves up a host of fantastic fare.

BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

T

he first recorded recipe for Scotch eggs comes from Mrs. Rundell’s A New System of Domestic Cookery.

Published in the early 1800s, the recipe tells you to “boil hard five pullets’ eggs, and without removing the white, cover completely with a fine relishing forcemeat, in which let scraped ham or chopped anchovy, bear a due proportion. Fry of a beautiful yellow brown, and serve with a good gravy in the dish.”

Now, I don’t know exactly what Mrs. Rundell was talking about there, but I do know this: Scotch eggs are easily one of my favorite pub foods.

Problem is, they’re mighty hard to find. Seriously: walk into the next pub you see, have a seat and scan the menu. Chances are you won’t see Scotch eggs.

Unless, of course, you’re at the Rook and Raven.

Not only is the decor of this downtown establishment cool and cozy, not only is the staff friendly, but right there in front of you is a

wooden tabletop snack menu with Scotch eggs on it.

The split second I saw them, my mind was made up. “Gimme a beer and the Scotch eggs, good sir, and make it snappy!” Okay, I didn’t actu-

with the homemade tomato dipping sauce. They were so good, in fact, that I considered ordering another plate.

But seeing as the Rook and Raven has other items on the menu (and taking into consideration that you, good reader, might not share my love of Scotch eggs), I decided to tackle the grilled cheese sandwich instead.

Served on sourdough bread, this lunchtime staple is made up of aged white cheddar, green apples and bacon. Gooey, crispy and fantastic, it was as good as it sounds!

So if you’re ever downtown and in the mood for a pint and some good food, swing by the Rook and Raven.

And, of course, the Scotch eggs are highly recommended.

[The Scotch eggs] were delectable dipped in the hot mustard…

ADAM HAWBOLDT

ally say that. But man I wanted those eggs. And they didn’t disappoint.

Consisting of a boiled egg wrapped in a layer of beef and pork, then breaded, these Scotch eggs were terrific. They were delicious to just bite into, they were delectable dipped in the hot mustard, and they were all-get-out-of-here tasty when paired

Rook and Raven 154 2nd Ave S | 665 2220 Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@AdamHawboldt ahawboldt@verbnews.com

16 OCT 26 – NOV 1 CULTURE

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FOOD + DRINK

MUSIC

LISTINGS

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VERBNEWS.COM

MUSIC

NEXT WEEK

COMING UP

DJ JAZZY JEFF

RAH RAH

DEAN BRODY

@ THE DOUBLE DEUCE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6 – $25

@ AMIGOS CANTINA WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7 – $10

@ THE ODEON EVENTS CENTRE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7 – $35

In West Philadelphia born and raised, on the turntables is where he spent most of his days — and it sure as heck paid off. Since 1985, DJ Jazzy Jeff has been wowing audiences with his beat-dropping, record-spinning talents. Shooting to fame alongside Will Smith as one half of the hip hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, Jeff had a reoccurring role on the hit sitcom Fresh Prince of Bel-Air before he went solo. Easily one of the most famous DJs around, Jazzy Jeff (aka Jeffrey Allen Townes) stays busy collaborating with the likes of Mac Miller, putting out mixtapes and honing his skills as an innovative producer. He’ll be getting the party started at the Deuce on Tuesday. Get your tickets at either JT’s Bar and Grill or the Double Deuce.

Is it just me, or is this Reginabased group getting better with age?

From their first album (Going Steady) in 2008, to 2010’s Breaking Hearts and their brand new The Poet’s Dead, it seems as though the Rah Rah sound is maturing. Consisting of Marshall Burns, Erin Passmore, Kristina Hedlund, Joel Passmor, Leif Thorseth, Dan Crozier and Jeffrey Romanyk, this alt-rock/indie-pop act puts out songs that are at once both upbeat and lyrically sharp. On stage they ooze energy, swapping instruments and taking turns singing — you name it. At the moment they’re playing shows in the US, but will be returning to Canada, and playing with Plants and Animals in November. Tickets available in advance at ticketedge.ca

Seems as though Dean Brody’s latest album, Dirt, has a little bit of everything for you country music fans out there. There are raucous party songs (“It’s Friday”), love songs (“Losing My Balance”), songs about Canadian girls and even one called “Bob Marley.” And the best part? All the songs are marked with Brody’s brand of image-driven songwriting, the kind that has garnered the BCborn, Nova Scotia-dwelling musician Juno nominations, CCMA awards and so many fans that he finished 2011 as the Most Played Canadian Country Artist on Canadian radio. In the new year, Brody will be taking his talents on the road on his Dirt Tour.

Don’t miss your chance to see him when he comes to Saskatoon; tickets available at theodeon.ca – By Adam Hawboldt

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

SASK MUSIC PREVIEW Saskatchewan hip hop artist Ryan Stinson has just been awarded a MuchFACT grant to create a video for his song with Ghettosocks, “Melt.” The 28-yera-old hip hop producer has been creating beats since the late ‘90s, and is a three-time grant recipient of the Saskatchewan Arts Board. The video will be directed by Jason Levangie in Halifax.

Keep up with Saskatchewan music. saskmusic.org

17 OCT 26 – NOV 1 @VERBSASKATOON

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LISTINGS

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LISTINGS

OCTOBER 26 » NOVEMBER 3 The most complete live music listings for Saskatoon.

S

M

T

W

28 29 30 31

T

1

26 27 2

3

HALLOWEEN PART 1 / Tequila — Featuring DJs Mern and Kidalgo. 9pm RITORNELLO GROUP / The Woods Alehouse — Mezzo soprano Cassandra Warner, soprano Anastasia Winterhalt and pianist Jacqueline Woods present a smokey cabaret. 8pm / Cover TBD PUNK ROCK HALLOWEEN / Vangelis — There’s nothing quite like some punk at a Halloween Party. 10pm / $5

SATURDAY 27

FRIDAY 26

HOUSE DJS / 6Twelve Lounge — Funk, soul & lounge DJs liven it up. 9pm / No cover THE ZOLAS / Amigos — Prog-rockers from Vancouver always put on a good show. 10pm / Tickets at the door RAY STEPHANSON / The Bassment — Come check out Stephanson tickle the ivories. 4:30pm / No cover JACK SEMPLE / The Bassment — Jack Semple plays a two-night stand. 9pm / Cover $18/23 AUSTEN ROADZ / Béily’s — Austen Roadz throws down a high-energy dance party every Friday. 9pm / $5 cover UNCHAINED / Buds on Broadway — A night of sweet tunes. 10pm / Cover $6 THE NIGHTTRAIN / Crown and Rok — A Guns N’ Roses tribute band rocks. 9pm / Cover TBD DEADINGER / Dakota Dunes — Musical zombies! 9pm / Tickets $15 (dakotadunescasino.com) OVERCOME, COLFAX, FEEDING FICTION / The Fez — In the mood for a night of hard-rocking bands? Here you have it.

10pm / Cover TBD DJ ECLECTIC / The Hose & Hydrant — Turntable whiz DJ Eclectic pumps snappy beats. 8pm / No cover DJ SUGAR DADDY / Jax Niteclub — This local crowd favourite rocks. 9pm / $5 WICKED WITCHES OF THE WEST / Lydia’s Loft — A Halloween bash featuring Miss DVS, Smash Cox and Honeey Mustard.

9pm / Cover $15 at the door DJ BIG AYYY & DJ HENCHMAN / Outlaws — A country rock party! 8pm / $5; ladies in free before 11pm STONE MOUNTAIN MUSIC / Prairie Ink — Come check out this folk/ rock trio. 8pm / No cover JETT RUN / Stan’s Place — A local band that plays everything. 9pm / No cover DUELING PIANOS / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Featuring Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King. 10pm / Cover $5

HOUSE DJS / 6Twelve — Resident DJs spin tunes all night. 9pm / No cover LIAM TITCOMB / Amigos Cantina — This actor/musician from Ontario plays laidback folk rock. 10pm / Cover TBD JACK SEMPLE / The Bassment — Semple plays a two-night stand. 9pm / $18/23 AUSTEN ROADZ / Béily’s — Featuring Austen Roadz + DJ CTRL. 9pm / $5 cover MICHELLE WRIGHT / Broadway Theatre — Wright puts on a show not to be missed.

8pm / Tickets $45 UNCHAINED / Buds on Broadway — A night of sweet tunes. 10pm / Cover $6 THE PISTOLWHIPS / The Fez — An EP release party for The Pistolwhips. 9pm / $10 in advance,$12 at the door DJ KADE / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon’s own DJ lights it up. 8pm / No cover DJ SUGAR DADDY / Jax Niteclub — This local crowd favourite rocks. 9pm / $5 cover FUR EEL / Lydia’s Pub — A fun four-piece from Regina. 10pm / Cover $5 LIFTED / Lydia’s Loft — This Halloween edition features Flatland Funk, Marc Overthere and Sodiumglow. 9pm / $5 DJ BIG AYYY & DJ HENCHMAN / Outlaws — There’s no better country rock party around. 8pm / $5 VAMPIRE BEAT VIDEO DANCE PARTY / Paved Arts — Live music, prizes and more! 9pm / $15 advance, $20 door JAMES IRVING / Prairie Ink — A folkrock musician. 8pm / No cover JETT RUN / Stan’s Place — A local band that plays everything. 9pm / No cover DUELING PIANOS / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Featuring Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King. 10pm / $5 ALBERT AND DUBZ / Tequila — Featuring two wicked DJs. 9pm / Cover TBD MEGAN LANE / Vangelis — Mixing blues, soul and rock. 10pm / Cover $5

SUNDAY 28

BAHAMAS / Amigos — Haunting, voice-driven roots music from a Junonominated solo artist. 10pm / Tickets $15 (ticketedge.ca)

DEL BARBER / The Bassment — This altcountry singer/songwriter oozes talent.

8pm / Cover $12/16 INDUSTRY NIGHT / Béily’s — Hosted by DJ Sugar Daddy. 9pm / $4; no cover for industry staff DJ KADE / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon DJ lights it up. 8pm / No cover MATT MAYS / Louis — An uber-talented east coast rocker! 8pm / Tickets $30.75 (ticketmaster.ca) BLACK LABEL SOCIETY / The Odeon — A heavy metal band formed by former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde.

6:30pm / Tickets $49.50 (theodeon.ca) SUNDAY JAM / Vangelis — The Sunday Jam offers great tunes. 7:30pm / No cover

MONDAY 29

METAL MONDAYS / Lydia’s — Swing by, listen to some killer music and get in on some concert giveaways. 9pm UNDERCOVER PIRATES / Buds — A classic/modern/alt-rock group. 9pm / $6 BILL ANDERSON / Dakota Dunes — This singer/songwriter is kind of a big deal.

8pm / $25 (tickets.siga.sk.ca) MAD YOUNG DARLINGS / The Fez — An alt-rock/electronic five-piece from Winnipeg. 9pm / Cover TBD

TUESDAY 30

MEN WITHOUT HATS / Amigos — This New Wave act has been rocking since the late ‘70s. 10pm / SOLD OUT HAWKSLEY WORKMAN / Broadway Theatre — Workman blends cabaret pop + glam rock. 7:30pm / $33 advance, $38 door UNDERCOVER PIRATES / Buds — A classic/modern/alt-rock group. 9pm / $6 DJ SUGAR DADDY / The Double Deuce — This crowd favourite rocks. 9:30pm / $4 cover DJ CHARLY HUSTLE, CHAD REYNOLDS / Louis’ — Come dance the night away at the Zombie ball! 9pm / Cover $5 VERB PRESENTS OPEN STAGE / Lydia’s — The open stage has hosted many fine performers. 9pm / No cover OPEN MIC / Somewhere Else Pub — Come show your talent. 7pm / No cover

WEDNESDAY 31

HUMP WEDNESDAYS / 302 Lounge & Discotheque — Featuring DJ Chris Knorr.

9pm / No cover until 10pm; $3 thereafter WHO DREW A PORNO / Buds — Come support this local rock band. 10pm / $6 THE AVENUE RECORDING COMPANY PRESENTS OPEN MIC / The Fez — Hosted

by Chad Reynolds. 10pm / No cover

18 OCT 26 – NOV 1 ENTERTAINMENT

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FOOD + DRINK

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LISTINGS

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DJ KADE / the Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon DJ lights it up. 8pm / No cover DR. J ‘SOULED OUT’ / Lydia’s Pub — Dr. J spins hot funk and soul. 9pm / No cover WILD WEST WEDNESDAY / Outlaws — Hosted by DJ Big Ayyy & DJ Henchman.

9pm / $4; no cover for industry staff TIM VAUGHAN / Rock Creek — A local talent who’s hellfire on a guitar. 8pm / Cover TBD DUELING PIANOS / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Featuring Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King. 10pm / No cover HALLOWEEN PART 2 / Tequila — Featuring Mern + Kidalgo. 10pm / Cover TBD

THURSDAY 1

THE PACK A.D. / Amigos — A garage rock duo from Vancouver. 10pm / $10 ANA EGGE BAND / The Bassment — Featuring this alt-country troubadour. 8pm / Cover $15/20 SHANE KOYCZAN / Christ Church Anglican — One of the best slam poets in the biz. 8pm / Tickets TBD THROWBACK THURSDAYS / Earls — Come experience the best in retro funk, soul, reggae and rock. 8pm / No cover THUNDER RIOT W/ CONKY SHOWPONY / The Fez — Come dance the night away.

9pm / $5 DJ KADE / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon DJ lights it up. 8pm / No cover DJ SUGAR DADDY / Jax Niteclub — Sugar Daddy will be rocking the turntables!

8pm / $5; free cover with student ID before 11pm VIDEO GAMES LIVE / TCU Place — Featuring live music from all your favourite video games. 7:30pm / $39.50-150 BIG JOHN BATES / Vangelis — Vancouver band plays a seductive brand of southern goth/americana. 10pm / $5

FRIDAY 2

HOUSE DJS / 6Twelve Lounge — DJs liven it up. 9pm / No cover THE CREEPSHOW / Amigos — This band from Ontario play a unique brand of psychobilly and horror punk. 10pm / $12 (ticketedge.ca) SHELDON CORBETT / The Bassment — Come check out Corbett tickle the ivories. 4:30pm / No cover COLIN LINDEN / The Bassment — A Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter plays roots. 9pm / Cover $17/22 AUDIO/ROCKETRY, MILES AND THE BLANKS, BRITTANY BOOM, LITTLE CRIMINALS / Beaumont Film and Record — A stellar line up in a hot venue. 8pm / $5

AUSTEN ROADZ / Béily’s — It’s a highenergy dance party. 9pm / $5 CAUGHT IN A DREAM / Crown and Rok — A Alice Cooper cover band. 8pm Halloween Bash / The Fez — Featuring Three Simple Words, Silo, Wild Uprising and Reynauld Nighthawks. 9pm / $10 DJ ECLECTIC / The Hose — DJ Eclectic pumps snappy beats. 8pm / No cover DJ SUGAR DADDY / Jax Niteclub — This crowd favourite breaks the latest and greatest tracks. 9pm / $5 cover ALEXIS NORMAND, ZOE FORTIER / Le Troupe du Jour Production Centre — Normand makes the music, Fortier supplies the art. 8pm / $15+ (306.565.8916) CO-OP FEST / The Odeon — Featuring The Seahags, Kirby Criddle, Slow Down, Molasses and Library Voices. 8pm / $18 (theodeon.ca) DJ BIG AYYY & DJ HENCHMAN / Outlaws — There’s no better party around. 8pm / $5; ladies in free before 11pm DOUG BOOMHOWER / Prairie Ink — Live jazz tunes. 8pm / No cover BUDDY HOLLY SHOW / Royal Canadian Legion Nutana Branch — A tribute to Buddy Holly. 8pm / $10 advance (McNally Robinson, the Legion); $15 door.

JONES BOYS / Stan’s Place — A local act you won’t want to miss. 9pm / No cover DUELING PIANOS / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Featuring Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King. 10pm / Cover $5 HALLOWEEN PART 3 / Tequila — Featuring DJs Mern, Kidalgo and Von Howard.

9pm RODNEY CARRINGTON / TCU Place — Part musician, part comedian. 8pm / $47.50 (www.tcutickets.ca) FISH AND BIRD / Vangelis — A folky fivepiece from B.C. 10pm / $5

SATURDAY 3

HOUSE DJS / 6Twelve — Resident DJs spin all night. 9pm / No cover A.C. NEWMAN / Amigos — This singer/ songwriter plays power pop music. 10pm / $15 (www.ticketedge.ca) AUSTEN ROADZ / Béily’s — Featuring Austen Roadz and DJ CTRL. 9pm / $5 THE THREE TROMBONES / The Bassment — Featuring Sarah Anderson, Colin Neufeld and Ross Ulmer. 9pm / $12/16 CAUGHT IN A DREAM / Crown and Rok — An Alice Cooper cover band. 8pm HALLOWEEN BASH / The Fez — Featuring Three Simple Words, Silo and Six Blocks.

9pm / $10 DJ KADE / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon’s own DJ lights it up. 8pm / No cover

DJ SUGAR DADDY / Jax — This favourite breaks the latest tracks. 9pm / $5 ALEXIS NORMAND, ZOE FORTIER / Le Troupe du Jour Production Centre — Normand makes the music, Fortier supplies the art. 8pm / $15+ (306.565.8916) DAN MANGAN / The Odeon — He’s a Juno-awarding winning singer/songwriter. 6pm / $34.75 (www.ticketmaster.ca) DJ BIG AYYY & DJ HENCHMAN / Outlaws — There’s no better country rock party around. 8pm / $5

NO HURRY TRIO / Prairie Ink — Blending acoustic guitars and tight harmonies in this live musical event. 8pm / No cover JONES BOYS / Stan’s Place — This is one local act you definitely won’t want to miss. 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

MODUS + DUBZ / Tequila — A night of hot tunes. 9pm / Cover TBD DEPARTURES, UNCLE BAD TOUCH, CANNON BROS / Vangelis — Three hot acts in one night! 1opm / $5

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

19 OCT 26 – NOV 1 /VERBSASKATOON

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ENTERTAINMENT

FILM

CLOUDY ATLAS

PHOTO: COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. PICTURES

This adaptation of Mitchell’s terrific book is not so terrific.

BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

A

nyone who has read David Mitchell’s novel Cloud Atlas knows its main strength is structure.

See, the British author crafted a brilliant novel that begins in the 1800s and consists of six separate story lines. Each story is developed only halfway before it gets interrupted. All except for the final/ central storyline: that is told in its entirety. Then the novel turns back in on itself, moving back in time

(the Matrix trilogy) along with director Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run) did the undoable — they made Cloud Atlas into a big-budget, $100-million movie.

And to be completely honest with you, when I first I heard about this movie I was excited. After all, Cloud Atlas is one of my favourite books of the past decade. But the more I thought about it, the more I suspected they were going to butcher the story. And sadly, my suspicions were warranted.

CLOUD ATLAS Lana Wachowski, Andy Wachowkski + Tom Tykwer STARRING Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent + Jim Sturgess DIRECTED BY

164 MINUTES | 14A

2144 and you have Zachary (Hanks) in a post-apocalyptic Hawaii telling his tales.

But the problem is, instead of being smooth and coherent, the filmmakers fragmented the ever-loving hell out of Mitchell’s structure, then jumped around from one story to another in short, spastic bursts.

And while some of these jumps worked, more often than not they landed with a dull, sickening thud.

Now don’t get me wrong. Cloud Atlas isn’t a terrible movie. It’s visually stunning and consistently entertaining. And, to be honest, if you’ve never read the book, then you may very well enjoy this movie. Heck, even if you read the book, you may like the filmmakers’ translation of it. But for myself, I had a hard time swallowing the whole thing. But maybe my expectations were too high.

[T]he filmmakers [mangled] Mitchell’s smooth, easy-flowing structure..

ADAM HAWBOLDT

and completing each of the interrupted stories.

You got that? If not, think of the structure like this — 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, — and you’ll get the idea.

Anyway, when Cloud Atlas came out in 2004 it was lauded for its bold and unconventional genius.

But here’s the thing about Cloud Atlas: because of the structure, it was deemed unfilmable. Heck, even Mitchell thought that, telling the Wall Street Journal “I believed that Cloud Atlas would never be made into a movie.”

But a scant eight years later, filmmakers Lana and Andy Wachowksi

The first thing the filmmakers did was mangle Mitchell’s smooth, easyflowing structure. Sure, all the familiar storylines are there. You have 19th century lawyer Adam Ewing (Jim Sturgess) returning home from New Zealand. You have the young musician Robert Frobisher (Ben Whishaw) latching on to renowned composer Vyvyan Ayrs (Jim Broadbent) in the 1930s. You have reporter Luisa Rey (Halle Berry) investigating a story in 1973, present day novelist Dermot Hoggins (Tom Hanks) killing a critic, revolutionary leader Hae-Joo Chang (Sturgess) rescuing “fabricant” Sonmi (Doona Bae) in

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TRUE CRIME CLASSIC

Bart Layton’s new documentary about the Nicholas Barclay case is a marvel. BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

E

gads! What to say about Bart Layton’s new documentary, The Imposter?

The words stunning, evocative, intense and astonishing come to mind.

So does the term Oscar-favourite.

But more on that later. For now let’s look at the nuts and bolts of Layton’s debut flick. The story begins in 1994 when Nicholas Barclay — a blond-haired, blue-eyed, 13-year-old from Texas — disappears one day.

For three torturous years, the Barclay family wonders what happened to their son. Then, in 1997, the family gets a call from a small town in Spain. Authorities there had found a teenager huddled in a phone booth with no identification. At first the teen is hesitant to talk, but when he opens up, he says his name is Nicholas Barclay and that he’d been kidnapped by a child-trafficking ring in America and sent overseas to Europe.

The Barclay family is ecstatic.

Nicholas’ older sister Carey flies to Spain to get her long, lost brother.

But here’s the catch: the person the authorities found isn’t Nicholas Bar-

PHOTO: COURTESY OF ENTERTIANMENT ONE FILMS

Carey she’s obviously crazy for mistaking Bourdin for Nicholas, right?

Wrong again.

The family also welcomes Bourdin into their home with open arms, and is relieved to have their “son” back safe and sound.

Curious about the abduction, the FBI gets involved and interviews Bourdin, who tells them stories of having acid poured in his eyes

[T]he twisting, turning, emotionallyexplosive storyline of The Imposter is … fascinating and engaging…

ADAM HAWBOLDT

clay. It’s a 23-year-old man named Frédéric Bourdin, posing as the long lost boy.

So when Carey arrives she sees the imposter and flies home disappointed, right? Wrong.

Despite the fact that Bourdin is far too old to be her brother, despite the fact that he has brown eyes, a French accent and, in truth, looks absolutely nothing like Nicholas, Carey embraces Bourdin as her brother and brings him back home to Texas.

Where, naturally, the family tells

(hence the change in eye colour) and other chilling tales of torture, rape and forced prostitution.

However, the FBI sees straight through Bourdin’s web of lies and arrests him. Wait a minute … no they don’t. They buy his story hook, line and sinker. What happens then, I don’t want to tell you. As my grandfather would say, “It’d take the piss out of the whole thing.”

So for brevity’s sake, let’s just say the rest of the story involves a private detective and more questions about

THE IMPOSTER Bart Layton STARRING Ken Appledorn, Anna Ruben + Adam O’Brian DIRECTED BY

95 MINUTES | N/A

human nature than you can shake a stick at. But The Imposter does more than simply leave you guessing. It grabs you by the collar and pulls you to the edge of your seat from the start of the documentary to the finish, never once letting go.

Made up of talking-head interviews and noirish reenactments, the twisting, turning, emotionallyexplosive storyline of The Imposter is so fascinating and engaging you’ll be disappointed to see the movie end.

And speaking of disappointment, I’ll be disappointed (not to mention utterly shocked) if The Imposter doesn’t walk away with an Academy Award for best doc this year. Yep, it’s that good.

The Imposter is currently being screened at the Roxy Theatre.

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21@

BÉILY’S

Béily’s Ultralounge 2404 8th Street East (306) 374 3344 MUSIC VIBE / Top 40 FEATURED DEALS / $4 drinks DRINK OF CHOICE / Spiced rum

+ Coke TOP EATS / Wings COMING UP / Béily’s November 11th

long weekend party will feature The Boogie Hill Faders

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23 @

LYDIA’S

Lydia’s Pub 650 Broadway Avenue (306) 652 8595 MUSIC VIBE / A little bit of every-

thing, from reggae to hip hop to thrash FEATURED DEALS / Tequila for $3.50 and pints of Bohemian for $4.25 DRINK OF CHOICE / Bohemian TOP EATS / Homemade burgers, with the Hypocrite Burger (a veggie patty topped with bacon) a fave COMING UP / Upcoming shows in November include the Bass Invaders on the 9th, Gutter Dogs on the 16th, Megan Lane on the 23rd and Tim Vaughn on the 24th

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

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TIMEOUT

CROSSWORD CANADIAN CRISS-CROSS DOWN 1. Jewish greeting & farewell 2. ___ nouveau 3. One who attends regularly 4. Using more oxygen 5. Bout of extravagant indulgence 6. Suggestive smile 7. Pendulum’s path 8. Filmed account of a person’s life 9. Repeated too often 11. Addams Family butler 12. Egg on 14. Annoyingly slow 17. Has much experience

20. Confused fight SUDOKU ANSWER KEY 22. Knight’s horse 24. Baseball score A 25. Place to lodge 27. Well-educated, elegant, and having good taste 28. Messy eater 29. 60-minute periods 30. List of corrections 32. Be inattentive 33. Of age B 34. Behind schedule 36. About 28 grams 39. Jockey’s strap 40. Cancelled 43. Menagerie 45. Metal-bearing mineral

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

25. Like a mosquito bite 26. Alfalfa 28. Brightness 31. Magazine extension 35. Handed-down stories 36. Clumsy one 37. Baby’s first word 38. Belonging to us 39. Angry dispute 41. Bit of trail mix 42. Having no shame 44. Piece of pasta 46. Unemotional 47. Long-legged bird 48. Excellent 49. One who gets things done

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

ACROSS 1. Heroic tale 5. Pitcher’s plate 9. Great pain 10. Chance of being hurt 12. Utensil for shredding cheese 13. Make up for 15. Engine need 16. Name for a dog 18. Golf teacher 19. Level of children’s sports in Canada 21. First letter of Nova Scotia’s postal codes 22. Feeling about to vomit 23. Mark for misconduct © WALTER D. FEENER 2012

HOROSCOPES OCTOBER 26 – NOVEMBER 1 ARIES March 21–April 19

LEO July 23–August 22

SAGITTARIUS November 23–December 21

You know the saying “don’t believe everything you hear?” This week, don’t believe anything you hear. Information coming your way may be unreliable.

You may be feeling emotional this week, Leo. Don’t bottle it up. Let your river of feelings flow wild and free.

It’ll do you a world of good.

It’s important to keep yourself open to what the universe is trying to tell you. You may find a clue to the message’s meaning where you least expect it.

TAURUS April 20–May 20

VIRGO August 23–September 22

CAPRICORN December 22–January 19

You may have the urge to exploit someone to obtain something you desperately want this week, Taurus. Don’t feel bad. Manipulate away!

My crystal ball says the next few days will be hazy for you, Virgo. If you want clarity, have a drink. Just kidding.

There’s no way to find clarity this week.

Find a way to stimulate your mind this week, Capricorn. Open it up to new information — though just where to get that info is up to you. Just do it.

GEMINI May 21–June 20

LIBRA September 23–October 23

AQUARIUS January 20–February 19

It takes two to tango, Gemini. It also takes two to argue and shave someone’s eyebrows off in revenge. Don’t be the second person this week.

Trust underscores all good relationships, Libra. Keep this in mind.

If you find yourself mistrusting someone, there might be a reason for it.

Happy, happy, joy, joy! This is going to be a wonderful week for you, Aquarius. Full of unicorns and rainbows. Not literally, but you get the point.

CANCER June 21–July 22

SCORPIO October 24–November 22

PISCES February 20–March 20

Eminem says that “words are like a dagger with a jagged edge.” So if someone is bothering you, throw a dagger at them. Metaphorically speaking, of course.

Wherever you are right now, Scorpio, you should probably leave.

Chances are there’s something better and way more fun happening somewhere else.

Fear can be crippling, Pisces. Fear of failure, fear of success, fear of kittens. Don’t let fear get the best of you this week.

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

CROSSWORD ANSWER KEY

A

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

B

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