Verb Issue S223 (Jan. 18-24, 2013)

Issue #223 – January 18 to January 24

arts

culture

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coming home carrie catherine

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hard knock life Local stuntwoman talks shop coffre-fort Touching play speaks to us all broken city + anna karenina Films reviewed­

Photo: courtesy of shannon Brunner

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A Better way A look inside the growing house concert phenomenon. 4 / Local

Q + A Luke McKeehan

listings

Vancouver DJ weighs in on the Canadian house music scene. 12 / Q + A

Local music listings for January 18 through January 26 20 / listings

landscapes for the end of time Painter Stephen

Broken city + anna karenina

Hutchings gets deep. 14 / Arts

The latest movie reviews. 24 / Film

Universal language

Nightlife Photos

La Troupe du Jour’s new charging, rollicking farce. 14 / Arts

We visit Snooker Shack and Jax. 26-29 / Nightlife

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

Saskatchewan stuntwoman talks shop. 6 / Local

Carrie Catherine

A prairie singer/songwriter tells a new story. 14 / cover

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

ART & Production

Hard Knock Life

On the cover:

verbnews.com @verbsaskatoon facebook.com/verbsaskatoon

Business & Operations

A sober look

Riverside Hotspot

on the bus

Fully privatizing SK’s liquor industry is the logical thing to do. 8 / Editorial

State and Main a cool new place to eat or drink. 18 / Food + Drink

Weekly original comic illustrations

by Elaine M. Will. 30 / comics

comments

Music

Games + Horoscopes

Here’s what you had to say about relocating urban cemeteries. 10 / comments

Paranoid Castle, Joel Fafard + New Country Rehab. 19 / music

Canadian criss-cross puzzle, horoscopes, and Sudoku. 31 / timeout

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

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A better way

A look inside the growing house concert phenomenon

by Alex J MacPherson

L

ive music has drawbacks.

Simply finding the right venue can be frustrating — an exercise in making the best of a poor choice. Arenas are cold and sterile, unwelcoming caverns of steel and concrete designed for hockey, not the comforting warmth of a rock concert. Theatres often feel stuffy and formal, the natural habitat of symphonies and operas from centuries past. Bars and clubs are overflowing with booze and packed with obnoxious drunks — and too much of either can jeopardize even the most promising night out. All too often live music is a compromise. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

“Some of my best musical moments in the last five years have been in our living room,” says Curtis Olson, who has emerged as a spearhead of the growing house concert movement.

“The house concert phenomenon has been exploding over the last five years, with organizations like Home Routes building house concert circuits all across Western Canada. [A]rtists can do whole tours without ever setting foot in a bar. It turns out that the artists are making way better money doing house concerts than they can [make] playing bars.”

Olson and his wife, singersongwriter Carrie Catherine, hosted

their first concert in 2006. They were living in a condo loft on the edge of Saskatoon’s core. Olson built a stage in the living room and found some artists willing to try it out. “Our first house concert was really stressful,” he recalls. “We were worried about having our house spotless, wanted to cook a great meal and be great hosts

known in music circles as the HayLoft, can accommodate up to 80 people, but most audiences are far smaller.

“I think the biggest benefit is that the performers have a captive audience, and the audience has a captivating performer,” Olson explains. “House concerts eliminate all the things people dislike about bars — drunks,

It’s a house party with…cool music — and [the musicians] are the…cool music.

Gillian Snider

for the performer. Plus [we] didn’t want to rock the boat in our condo too much and upset our neighbours. After a couple concerts we realized that we just had to invite the neighbours and we wouldn’t have any complaints.”

The experience was a good one.

Captivated by the sheer pleasure of hearing live music in their apartment, Olson and Catherine decided to continue hosting concerts. They bought and renovated an old grocery store, transforming it into an open-concept home that doubles as their ideal venue. They built a permanent stage and raised the kitchen to improve the acoustics and sight lines. Their home,

disruptions, pricey drinks, late start times — and give the audience and artists a setting where it’s all about the music.”

House concerts offer fans a chance to soak up sound in an intimate setting, but Gillian Snider, who has hosted almost 50 shows in her living room, thinks the benefits extend far beyond the music. “I always tell artists when they contact me that there isn’t a green room,” she explains. “I tell them that they will be eating and drinking and partying and hanging out with their fans. It’s a house party with Continued on next page »

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Photo: Courtesy of the hayloft

really cool music — and they’re the really cool music.”

Snider hosted her first concert in early 2009, a double bill featuring Bob Wiseman and Geoff Berner. If Olson and Catherine have made a name for themselves by giving acts like the Deep Dark Woods and J.P. Hoe a different place to play, Snider offers less well-known artists a chance to shore up their following in Saskatchewan.

She has hosted a wide array of musicians, from Rae Spoon and Christine Fellows to Theresa Sokyrka and Coco Love Alcorn. All of them have played for and partied with their fans, often deep into the night. “It’s great for the fans and for the artists,” she says. “The people that come to the house concerts tell me how great it was that they got to sit down and talk music with someone they admire. The artists say it’s great because the barrier is taken away and they can get to know the people who are listening to their music.”

Besides offering fans a chance to see bands and artists work in an intimate venue, Snider figures that small venues are beneficial to the broader music scene in the province. “The coolest thing is I have a lot of musicians that come to these concerts, and they have made a lot of connections with artists they never would have been able to otherwise, and they’ve actually been invited to tour with them,” she

says. “For Saskatchewan artists, there’s a connection between the Saskatchewan music community and the larger Canadian music community.”

Almost everyone has heard house party horror stories, tales ranging from theft and vandalism to drunken shenanigans that cross the line between civility and hooliganism. Anything can happen with dozens of strangers in the same room. Fortunately, neither Olson nor Snider has ever had a bad experience. Olson minimizes the risk by relying on a private e-mail list, compiled over many years of concerts, rather than public advertising. “As a result,” he says, “it’s very rare for a ‘stranger’ to ever make it into one of our shows, which means it’s usually a party anchored by a community of music lovers.” Olson says he has only ever kicked people out of his house once, and even then only after the concert was finished. Snider says her only bad experiences involve low turnout — a problem when it comes to paying artists for their time but far better than cleaning up after a crowd of rampaging drunks.

But the benefits far outweigh the costs. Snider’s house concert series has become so popular that she routinely books a year’s worth of concerts in just a few weeks. When her schedule is

full, she suggests other venues, homes opened up to the public by other music lovers across the province. And she expects the phenomenon to keep growing, even though part of the appeal of a house concert rests on informality and the precious feeling of a shared secret.

“It’s almost like it’s becoming micro instead of macro, that the artist is seeking out the very micro environment” she muses. “It’s more like a house party than a very organized sort of sit down concert. And as far as I’m concerned, the more popular they become the better. The more venues that are available for these scads of touring musicians coming across our gigantic country, the better. Whether they are very organized or whether they’re a house party, I just think it’s great.”

House concerts will never supplant bars and theatres as major venues, but for a select few they offer the chance of a lifetime: big sound in a small space, and the chance to share a few moments and a glass of wine with a favourite musician and a handful of friends. It truly is a better way to hear music.

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Hard knock life

Saskatchewan stuntwoman talks shop by ADAM HAWBOLDT

S

helene Yung has been set on fire. She has been hit in the face with a sword’s pommel, taken 40-foot falls, been yanked high into the air by chords, and catapulted herself down elevator shafts.

Don’t get the wrong idea, though.

Shelene Yung isn’t some kind of walking disaster or a klutz who is perpetually targeted by misfortune. She’s a professional stuntwoman, one of the many unsung heroes of the big and small screen who are forever taking the fall for movie stars.

But at times, those falls can come at a cost.

Take the time Yung was filming a short indie project called Fight Clique, for instance. During one of the fight sequences, another actress throws Yung into a metal shelf.

Crash, bam! The shelf shatters in pieces beneath her weight. The stunt was supposed to be clean and simple, but things didn’t go exactly as planned.

“It was a break-away shelf,” says Yung, “and when I was thrown into it, one of the beams fell down and hit me in the face, right in the eyebrow. Hit me in the perfect spot, and split my brow wide open.”

But that kind of stuff comes with the territory. Cuts, bruises and sprains are commonplace in the stunt world. So no, when Yung went flying into that shelf, it wasn’t the first time she was hurt at work.

But it was arguably the worst.

“Knock on wood, I haven’t been hurt too badly,” she says. “There was that bloody eyebrow, I’ve been clocked in the face during fight scenes, twisted

See, growing up in Regina, Yung caught the acting bug early and began doing musical theatre and other stage performances at the age of 11. She also grew up an athlete, a gymnast, and a competitive wrestler. In high school, she would race from wrestling practice to play rehearsals in her wrestling gear, hop on stage, rehearse her scenes, then race back to practice.

Basically, I’d say a couple of lines and get blown up in an explosion.

Shelene Yung

ankles, knocked the wind out of myself. But nothing really big.”

Which is fortunate. Yet one still has to wonder one thing: how did a young, college-educated woman like Yung get mixed up in the stunt game?

In a way, Yung’s upbringing prepared her to become a stunt performer.

It wasn’t her ultimate goal, mind you. Just one of those things that happened organically.

After graduation, Yung enrolled in the University of Regina’s theatre program while continuing to wrestle at the university level. The commitment to both soon became a bit too much to bear (what with conflicting schedules and such), so Yung had to make a decision: acting or wrestling?

In the end, she stuck with the arts, yet little did she know how much her wrestling background would come into play in her later university years.

Continued on next page »

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Photos: Courtesy of shelene Yung

“During my last year I started doing stage combat workshops and learning how to stage fight with swords and weapons and stuff like that,” she explains. “That’s when the idea of stunt performing and stunt coordination began to take hold. From there I met people who told me ‘Oh, there’s a workshop in film fighting you should check out.’”

That’s precisely what she did. And she liked it.

So, after graduating from university with a fine arts degree, Yung struck out for the west coast.

Her destination? A stunt school in Seattle.

“When I moved out to the coast I didn’t really have a career in mind,” she admits. “I just went out there to learn some things. I planned on coming back here and running some workshops, but before I knew it I was getting asked to audition for certain parts, and then I got an agent.”

From there, things took off rather quickly.

In 2007, Yung went to Bermuda to work in a pirate-themed, live stunt show. Doing six shows a day, she began to hone her craft in front of live audiences. The following year,

after she returned to Canada, Yung was hired as a stunt performer for an episode of an NBC television series called Fear Itself.

Since then, she has acted and performed stunts on TV series such as Smallville and SGU Stargate Universe, done small indie projects, and even helped out with fire stunts on a movie called Recoil, starring Stone Cold Steve Austin and Danny Trejo. “A lot of people struggle to find work in this industry when they’re just starting out,” says Yung. “But I was lucky. Unlike a lot of stunt [people], I was able to mesh acting with stunt skills. I think because of my background, I got off to a fairly quick and easy start, got a lot of jobs. Basically, I’d say a couple of lines and get blown up in an explosion. Those are the kind of jobs I got.”

Next time you’re near a computer, go to YouTube and search “Shelene Stunt Demo.”

Once you find it, fast forward to the 45 second mark. If you have the right video, you’ll see two ladies, who are locked in combat, go tumbling down a long flight of white and green checkered stairs.

This scene is from one of Yung’s stunt gigs. And contrary to what you might think, it’s not as crazy or dangerous as it looks.

“The thing you have to realize is that we’re not daredevils,” Yung explains. “We’re trained professionals.” Part of being a professional involves being aware of the inherent risks of any stunt. It also involves knowing how to minimize those risks in order to lessen the chance of injury.

So before a scene like this — before Yung ever launches herself, arse over tea kettle, down a set of stairs — she’ll thoroughly examine the landscape, taking into account as many variables as she can.

Are the edges of the stairs sharp or rounded?

Is there anything she can put on the stairs to make them softer?

Is there anything she can mistakenly hook her foot on?

“You also want to try and see if there are different ways to shoot a scene like that,” explains Yung.

“You know, to make it safer. For example, you want to see if there’s an angle you can use so you can hide a mattress at the bottom to make it a softer landing.”

After she covers all the basics, Yung will put as many pads under her clothes as her wardrobe will allow, then she walks to the top of the stairs and gets ready for the stunt.

“You get there and it’s just like ‘phew … okay … gotta go for it.’”

And go for it she does. Just another fall in a career built on hard knocks.

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a sober look

Fully privatizing SK’s liquor industry is the logical thing to do

A

few months ago, Premier Brad Wall suggested we need more liquor stores in Saskatchewan, and that maybe, just maybe, the new ones should be privatized. And we were thrilled by the news — after all, we have advocated for privatized liquor in Saskatchewan on this page before.

Needless to say, though, Walls’ announcement reheated a serious debate here in the province, with both sides weighing in with numbers, opinions and the usual dogmatic convictions.

On one side of the battlefield you have the good people at the Parkland Institute. They claim that privatization is a wrong-headed idea, and suggest that since privatizing all liquor stores in 1993, Alberta has missed out on $1.5 billion in liquor revenue. Ergo, privatization is a bad idea and Saskatchewan should retain the publicly owned model we already have.

And there’s the recent TV ad from SGEU claiming that only public liquor stores help fund things

like schools, hospitals, police and roads, and that privatization will take all that money away.

On the other side, there are guys like Mark Milke of the Fraser Institute, who argue that the idea that privatization leads to revenue loss is a myth. Milke points out that, “Provincial governments can and do apply markups to products regardless of whether they own the stores,” and notes that the amount

StatsCan data), with Liquor and Gaming Minister Donna Harpauer pointing out that Alberta’s total liquor revenues actually increased after privatization and that yes, the government still makes money from private liquor retailers that goes towards public goods.

So which side is painting a more accurate picture here?

Well, we at Verb understand both camps in this debate have

Ideology aside, the facts in this case are pretty clear. Privatized liquor in Saskatchewan would be a big positive...

Verb magazine

of liquor tax revenue Alberta is earning per capita now is nearly 25% higher than it was under the government run regime.

Backing up Milke’s side of the story is our own Saskatchewan Party government (as well as

salient points, but we also know that statistics can be manipulated to serve nearly any purpose and that certain important facts are often overlooked.

For example, the Parkland Institute’s numbers only work if you asContinued on next page »

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sume Alberta’s government would have sold exactly as much liquor as its private sector currently does despite higher prices, fewer stores and less product selection, and the Fraser Institute doesn’t mention the negative effect privatization would likely have on hourly pay for liquor store employees.

Still, all things considered, we tend to come down on the side of privatization. And not a mixed version of privatization, like British Columbia. No, we’re talking full-out, Alberta-style privatization here.

And here’s why: for one thing, private liquor stores offer a greater selection of alcohol. Don’t believe us? Just look at our neighbours to the west. Before privatization there were roughly 2,200 varieties of beer, wine and spirits available in the Sunshine Province. That isn’t too shabby, but these days there are more than 17,000 products available to booze-consuming Albertans. That’s nearly seven times more types of products than we’re able to purchase here in Saskatchewan, and is a natural outcome of letting consumers and retailers

decide on a products list instead of having one dictated by bureaucrats at the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority.

And then there’s accessibility. Complete privatization of the system would bring with it more liquor stores, more jobs and more convenience for Saskatchewanians.

Again, let’s look at Alberta. At the time of privatization, there was one government liquor store for roughly every 12,500 people. Fast forward two decades, and private liquor retailers now number one for about every 1,800 people.

And of course more stores means more jobs for more people.

Admittedly private liquor store employees’ wages are lower than their union counterparts, but so many more people are able to find work under a privatized liquor regime that it’s hard not to argue society is better off.

And as for the oft-repeated idea that more liquor stores would lead to more crime, there’s no concrete evidence to support that hypothesis. In 2009 the Frontier Centre did a comparison of Saskatchewan

and Alberta, and found absolutely nothing to link the private system with an increase in crime. What’s more, the same study found that between 1994 and 2004 the number of drinkers in Saskatchewan increased faster (up 5.2 percent) than in Alberta (up 3.1 percent) over the same period - derailing another anti-privatization talking point that any increase in liquor availability will cause an explosion in the rate of hopeless alcoholism.

Ideology aside, the facts in this case are pretty clear. Privatized liquor in Saskatchewan would be a big positive in terms of availability, product choice, jobs and government revenue, and it’s high time we make the switch.

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

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On Topic: Last week we asked what you thought about relocating urban cemeteries outside of city limits. Here's what you had to say: –Moving Urban Cemeteries In Saskatoon? No land? ??? Seems to be quite a bit all around us with no dead bodies to exhume Why not bulldoze Alphabet City and start

deceased deserve more respect than that! I don’t support that idea in the least!

text yo thoughtsur to 881 ve r b

sucks. I’ll watch any thing with Ryan Gosling in it. ANYTHING! In response to “Not Quite Right: Gangster Squad Might Not Live Up To Your Expecta-

8372

#222 (January 7, 2013)

sound off

tions,” Film page, #222 (January 7, 2013)

– Are you kidding me, dig up my dead grandma??? Over my dead body!! (pun intended)

– Love is just a lie made 2 make u blue love hurts FU Get Over it

over right there It’s easier to move people that are alive.

– Don’t worry about urban cemeteries ... the Saskparty already has a plan is to save money by grinding our deceased into a fine edible paste called Soylent Green.

– Moving urban cemeteries? The

Off Topic

A documentary about the Blades?

It should be titled “Limping to the Memorial Cup” or “The Season of Our Discontent (and haphazard hockey).

In response to “Behind The Scenes: The Making Of A Blades Documentary,” Local page, #222 (January 7, 2013)

Tried the teriyaki chicken at DK’s.

Yum, yum, yum

– Jason hattie is funny i saw a 911 turbo show at Lydia’s a few years back, and it was pretty epic, packed house and lots of energy.

When they started playing some songs from dance mix everybody lost their sh#t haha good times.

In response to “The Wrong Thing At The Right Time: Jason Hattie’s Biggest Gamble,” Local page, #222 (January 7, 2013)

In response to “Tantalizing Teriyaki: Diane’s Kitchen Brings Seattle-style Dining To Saskatoon,” Food + Drink page, #222 (January 7, 2013)

2.5 stars for take this waltz? What’s Adam hawboldt smoking. Anything over one star is too much for that steaming heap In response to “An Alright Dance You Won’t Regret: This Touching Flick About Love And

I’m pretty sure everybody should check out Jason Hattie’s new label.

Hairdu records is going to be putting out some sick music!

In response to “The Wrong Thing At The Right Time: Jason Hattie’s Biggest Gamble,” Local page, #222 (January 7, 2013)

Redemption Is Pretty Charming,” Film page, #222 (January 7, 2013)

Really liked reading about Hannah Georgas! She’s great and I can’t wait to pick up her new record.

Great story!

In response to “Hannah Georgas: A New

Who cares if Ganster Squad

Feel sorry for the woman charged in the foster baby death. She’s taking the hit, scapegoat for a dysfunctional Social Services!

Album, A New Beginning,” Cover page,

Our country is 800,000,000,000 dollars in debt to private banks.

Plus we pay compounded interest on that money. This is absolute nonsense. If you ask those in power they will tell you they are not in favour of a debt free system.

Look it up! Go research!

Dooms day preppers weird or what? More like Fkd up

It’s high time we do something about the trains that run through the middle of this city. Such a pain in the ass. Get with the times, reroute train tracks outside city limits.

Wow, so strippers=rape, murder, gangways, heroin, crack, and meth covering the streets like fallen snow? Sh#t I better warn my friends outside sk to lock their doors and protect their kids!!! All hells broken loose in their streets and none noticed!!! Grow up people…

Why are we still talking about Christmas greetings on buses? It’s over, grow up and deal with it

There should be zero tolerance for impaired drivers. 1st offence, your car and license are seized. No second chance. Also, more cops should be stationed specifically on main street arteries to catch impaired drivers and speeders. No just random speed traps but when you drive 8th street, 22nd st, Continued on next page »

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Warman road etc, you know that if you speed or drink and drive, you will be caught! We need a much higher traffic enforcement on our roads and highways to get a handle on impaired driving and speeding! Photo radar may also be an idea that might help.

With all the crazy weather lately, Don Atchison’s dome seems like a better idea every passing week.

Silly comments or not, at least people are expressing themselves.

You expressed yourself when you said people are morons. My question to you is if people are morons, are you one of them too?

Dear Saskatoon drivers: please drive in your lane, signal when turning, and for the love of jeebus stick to your own lane yeah i know its hard to tell some times but come on, and also drive faster than 30 k ok rant over <<R-$MONEY$>>

Dear tailgater ... next time, I’m slamming on my breaks.

To the person that texted adults with pets LOSERS, you have no idea how a pet can be more comforting than any human being. Not all people are reflective of your text. Maybe you shouldn’t be such a loser and learn how to form full sentences.

Why in gods name are truck drivers training downtown in the middle of the morning rush hour?

Every morning!!!!

What’s with all the texts about god and religion, Was it just because of xmas time or are they taking over?

I’m so excited for Chinese new year, let’s all get drunk on rice wine whoo

this one time i thought i saw a dog have a coughing fit, but then when i looked again he was just sort of half barking. i can’t be sure but i thought i saw him smile after

It takes real balls to admit what Lance Armstrong did on Oprah.

Wait .... does he even have any balls left? Meh. Who cares. He’s a cheater.

Every guy has moments of disassociation during sex. It all seems kinda wierd bizarre. Oxygen I guess. But for our partners sake we f**k through the strangeness.

Has anyone else seen the government of sask logo? Sure the wheat sheaf was getting dated but the new logo is real ugly.

If some individuals go ballistic over Merry Christmas on a bus what will happen when strip clubs start an ad campaign with billboards using full frontal nudity

Next week: What do you think about privatizing the liquor industry in Saskatchewan? Pick up a copy of Verb to get in on the conversation:

Yay! I saw myself at the bar! Thanx for taking my photo Verb!

NRA no longer represents hunters It is lobby group for gun manufacturers Sales and profits would be curtailed by any form of gun control in the US.

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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Nordic Trax

Photos: courtesy of jonathan evans

Luke McKeehan, and the art of the DJ by Alex J MacPherson

L

uke McKeehan may not be the most visible figure in electronic dance music, but he is undoubtedly one of the most influential.

His Vancouver-based record label, Nordic Trax, has been a force in promoting Canadian house music since it was created in 1997, and he works hard to balance his commitment to new music against the allure of producing and performing. As a DJ, McKeehan relies on his encyclopedic knowledge and refined taste to keep dance floors across the world busy all night. I caught up with McKeehan to talk about Nordic Trax, the state of electronic dance music today, and the art of DJing.

Alex J MacPherson: Let’s start with Nordic Trax. How important is it to have strong labels for emerging artists, especially in Canada?

Luke McKeehan: In general, it’s a larger debate the music industry is having with itself. Like, do artists need record labels or not? Obviously, since I’ve been doing a record label probably longer than they’ve been having that debate, I’m pretty entrenched in that side of it, but I’m also an artist — that’s where it started from. In my view, the labels and the artists — it’s a collaborative process.

AJM: Is it hard for you to balance Nordic Trax against your own career as a producer and a DJ?

AJM: Let’s talk about your DJ work, and the music you want to play. How do you prepare for a night?

LM: The one side of my own career that’s definitely suffered from that is that I don’t actually produce as much. I still put a lot of time and work into DJing, and selecting the music I play, and it’s a DJ-based label after all these years, singles, house-driven — but you can’t necessarily do it all. But in this case I was able to create a job for myself, running this label and throwing shows. But the lazy producer side of me? I wouldn’t say he’s been killed off, but there’s less room for him to operate.

LM: Me personally? I’ve never planned a DJ set in my life, and I don’t think I ever will. That’s part of the DJ culture I came from. Even though there are turntablists and guys that have very practiced routines within hip hop, where that’s always been around. I come from the school where you show up, you have your music, you read the crowd, you read the vibe, and

I couldn’t get enough of [music], and to a certain extent, I still can’t.

Luke McKeehan

AJM: One thing I really like about most EDM artists is their vast knowledge of music. How did you come to know so much about so much different music?

you do something together. That’s the role of the DJ. AJM: How has EDM changed over the years? Where do you see it today?

LM: I was always around music.

My mom was in theatre, my dad was in film and theatre. He did a lot of things, not least of which was program music at As It Happens. I was lucky to have a lot of that stuff around me, and I was lucky to grow up in the right place — downtown Toronto for high school, so I could go record shopping every day. Any money I had, that’s what I put into.

I couldn’t get enough of it, and to a certain extent, I still can’t.

LM: There’s less mystery around it all. I can remember for years people would ask you what house music is. Now everything is so accessible.

They can read up on all their DJs. It’s established. It’s not like back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, where a lot of us were on the outside, fighting to get in. Now there’s not really a question about whether clubs are open to playing this music.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372 Luke McKeehan January 25 @ Amigos Cantina $10 advance, $15 at the door

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Landscapes For The End Of Time

Stephen Hutchings and the Meaning Of Life

S

tephen Hutchings has big ideas. Landscapes for the End of Time, a collection of monumental landscape paintings, explores the gulf between belief in eternity and the inevitability of personal oblivion. In other words, the meaning of life.

“Our perception of the world ends when we die,” says Hutchings, who is based in Ottawa. “Our senses stop, obviously, and that’s it. The end of the world. But our sense of eternity, and even the sense of our own beginning, the big bang theory or whatever your beliefs might be, runs counter to our actual experience of life. That is the sum total of what I don’t get about being alive.”

Landscapes for the End of Time was inspired by the work of French composer Olivier Messiaen, who wrote and premiered Quartet for

by alex J MacPherson

the End of Time while interned in Stalag VIII-A, a prisoner-of-war camp in Lower Silesia. Messian’s quartet uses images from the Book of Revelations to mine the depths of understanding and eternity.

Hutchings uses nature.

“Part of the mystery of life is this ironic aspect,” he says. “We can’t believe it when we’re alive. It defies our knowledge, the idea of death, so we come up with these amazing ideas of what it could be. For me, the evidence is in the aspects of the visual world – the scenery and the land – that come from earlier times and end up living well beyond us.”

Hutchings works from photographic sketches, but ensures the finished paintings are stripped of context. “The intent was to create something that we all know, and that we can feel, yet at the same

time is not really real,” he explains.

“We only know it as a memory, or something that triggers a memory that we have of a scene or a time in our own lives.”

With no geography and no history it becomes impossible to focus on anything expect the present, the relationship between the short span of our life and the timelessness of the natural world. Hutchings leaves understanding and acceptance beyond the horizon, the end of vision and the end of time, leaving nothing but memory and emotion.

The value of the present, the here and the now.

Landscapes for the End of Time January 18 through March 10 @ Mendel Art Gallery

Universal Language

Coffre-fort explores love and life and death and dying.

Photos: courtesy of La Troupe du Jour

A

licia Johnston is an anomaly, an anglophone who chooses to work and make art in French. Although she has done plenty of work in English, Johnston spends most of her time onstage speaking French. Her latest project, Coffre-fort, which translates to Strongbox or Safe, promises to be a lot of fun – and not just because she plays a 75-year-old woman.

by alex J MacPherson

“I started studying French in preschool, actually,” the Winnipegbased actor explains. “That was my start in theatre in French, doing high school plays for a French theatre festival they hold in Manitoba.”

After studying at the National Theatre School in Montreal, Johnston embarked on a career that includes everything from independent theatre to massive Hollywood films. Coffrefort may be a small production, but to Johnston, it is larger-than-life.

The play is a farce, a rollicking, charging comedy that tells the story of the relationship between Johnston’s character, Gertrude, and her husband. The husband, it should be said, has been dead for three decades. “She’s still madly in love with her deceased husband,” Johnston explains. “He has chosen to stay around, his spirit. They chat

and visit and have dates and stuff, but they can’t touch each other.” The play unfolds as Gertrude, fed up and exhausted, makes a pact with God to die on her seventy-fifth birthday.

Death may be a serious topic, but the best jokes are irreverent, and Coffre-fort is no exception.

Johnston thinks the humour stems from the fact that after three decades of conversing with her dead husband, Gertrude’s deeply abnormal life seems completely normal.

“This is really old hat for them,” she laughs. “It’s sort of gotten old, the fact that he’s around and she can visit with him. It’s not torturous or heavy in that sense.”

Because Johnston’s character is so bombastic, and because the action plays out so quickly, Coffre-fort is a good choice for anglophone audiences interested in a taste of something

different. Translation is provided by way of surtitltes, but Johnston thinks dynamic physical comedies can be understood by anyone, regardless of language. “Theatre is sort of interesting that way,” Johnston says. “I think you can get a lot more than you think you understand.” Some languages truly are universal.

Coffre-fort January 31 - February 10 @ La Troupe du Jour $16+ @ en.latroupedujour.ca ( ) Feedback?

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Somewhere, Saskat Carrie Catherine brings it home by Alex J MacPherson

C

arrie Catherine was at a crossroads when she traveled to Nashville for the sessions that became Wilderness, her fourth album.

Torn between her urge to pursue a career in music and her desire to build a family, Catherine poured out her soul as the tape rolled silently on. Wilderness is her best album. It channels her love of simple country melodies and pushes her sultry voice to the absolute limit. The record is as a catalogue of uncertainty, clouds of self-doubt punched through with rays of hope. Its emotional arc, centred on the poignant “Rockabye,” a simple yet profound song Catherine wrote about longing to be a mother, echoes the peaks and valleys in her sensuous voice.

“It’s funny, I found out I was pregnant halfway through recording the album,” Catherine says while holding a mug of coffee, her eyes twinkling behind a pair of glasses with thick plastic frames. “We’d been trying to have a baby for years and hadn’t been successful. For years I’ve been wondering: can I make this work?”

If Wilderness asked the question, her son’s birth provided an answer.

Determined not to sacrifice her career at the altar of parenthood, Catherine resolved to be a mother and a musician. She packed up her baby, her husband, and her longtime musical collaborator Hal Schrenk, and hit the road. Touring with a family was not easy — “It changed everything,” she

laughs — but she made it work. Today, Catherine is already at work on a new project, one that promises to eclipse everything she has done before.

Somewhere, SK is a collaboration between Catherine and Kelley Jo Burke, a playwright and broadcaster. It is a play with songs, a fusion of music and theatre. Catherine wrote the songs, Burke the words. “It’s a story about a

the feeling of isolation, and fear even, that would start encroaching on me as I got further and further down there. It’s this kind of eeriness at nothing being around you. At being so far not just from home, but from civilization.”

One afternoon, after finishing work for the day, Catherine developed a pounding headache. Convinced her feeling of loneliness was manifesting, she walked out of town to clear

In the end, I’m so much more excited about this project because I believe in what we’re doing. carrie catherine

woman who ends up in the middle of nowhere and decides to build something there,” Catherine explains. “A really huge piece of me is coming to terms with, or being at peace with, my own career, my own choice to stay in Somewhere, Saskatchewan, to pluck away at a music career while trying to raise a family and invest time in building my community.”

One of the first songs Catherine wrote for the project deals with the sense of crippling loneliness that touches every mile of open prairie.

She wrote it in Val Marie, a small town perched a few miles north of the border. “Val Marie is so isolated,” she recalls. “I remember very clearly

her mind. “I went for a walk and I sat out there. I wrote for two hours in my journal and literally faced my fear of this space, of being out there in this emptiness. Of being alone in so many ways. That was the first conversation Kelley Jo and I had when we started writing this play.”

Somewhere, SK evolved into a story of revitalization, a theme that echoes the work Catherine and her husband, developer Curtis Olson, have done in their community. Just as Riversdale has emerged from dereliction to become a thriving hub of arts and culture, the play’s fictional town rises from the bald prairie. After facing her fears, Catherine began to Continued on next page »

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tchewan Photo: courtesy of david renee

see the same potential in small towns across the province. She cites the Dancing Sky Theatre in Meacham as a prime example of rural rejuvenation. “And not just take the play there, but take photographs and get stories from people about how they opened up these venues, how they ended up in Somewhere, Saskatchewan,” she explains. While Catherine admits that the tour might take time to organize, she has firm plans to record the songs

Photo: courtesy of shannon brunner

and release a standalone record, her first since Wilderness.

The record, which will probably be titled Somewhere, SK, is an unconventional project. Catherine plans to record it live off the floor, the same approach that gave Wilderness its dusky intimacy. Live off the floor refers to the practice of recording the musicians playing together in a single room. Albums made in this manner tend to sound more immediate and more spontaneous than those cut in professional studios, where multi-tracking and overdubs are the norm. More importantly, Catherine is

planning to use a very specific floor.

Her living room floor.

Catherine and Olson often hold concerts at their house, a renovated grocery store they call the HayLoft.

Catherine plays one concert a year. “Me performing at my own house concert kind of seems gratuitous,” she admits.

“But I do it because it reminds me what my body feels like, what my voice feels like when I’m that relaxed. It’s like people who wish they could sound like they do when they sing in the shower when they’re not in the shower.”

But Catherine does not seem relaxed. She probably won’t relax until the tape starts rolling, mainly because the new songs, even though some of them are two years old, have ever seen the light of day. Most musicians rely on the crucible of the road to reveal flaws in their songwriting. Touring reveals mistakes, which can be ironed out before the studio clock starts ticking.

“I wish I could take these songs on the road before we record the album,” Catherine says. “But that’s not the case, and so I’m moving forward with this trust in my voice, trusting the songs.”

Her last resort is a single concert. One chance to debut the new material before it is captured forever on tape. “[The road] is a huge testing ground,” Catherine explains. “And we’ll be taking these songs onstage for the first time. Onstage, I will not be focusing on the reactions to the songs or anything; I’m just going to be playing them, responding to the audience and establishing that rapport. It’s when

you get offstage that the analysis really begins.”

Catherine knows she will have to work quickly, and perhaps even on the fly, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. Somewhere, SK won’t premiere until April, but it has already changed the way she works as a songwriter and performer. “The greatest part about collaboration is being able to surrender the spotlight,” she laughs. “In the end, I’m so

much more excited about this project because I believe in what we’re doing. I believe we’ve achieved a greater degree of excellence than I would have on my own. And that’s what I’m constantly striving to do, achieve a higher degree of excellence than I have ever done in the past.”

If Wilderness was the album Catherine needed to write, Somewhere, SK is the album she desperately needed to write — and it promises to be the

record that finds a place on shelves and mantels in Everywhere, SK. Carrie Catherine & Guests January 25 @ The Bassment $13/18 Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

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Riverside hotspot Photos courtesy of Adam Hawboldt.

State and Main a cool new place to eat or drink by adam hawboldt

I

ndustrial chic.

That’s the best way to describe the decor of State and Main, the new restaurant/bar located next to Persephone Theatre on 2nd Street West.

Mind you, it’s not the only way to describe it. You could call the establishment cool or dimly lit or an interesting mix of hip-eatery-meetssports bar. But for simplicity’s sake, let’s just go with industrial chic.

State and Main features brick walls, exposed ventilation systems running along the ceiling, unadorned concrete floors, and black hanging light fixtures. And the moment I walked into the joint, on a chilly Thursday afternoon, I was impressed.

Not only was the wait staff friendly, not only was I seated promptly and had a pint in my hand before you could say holy-crap-am-I-everthirsty-what-kind-of-beer-do-youhave-on-tap, but State and Main also has a certain vibe to it. A certain

Canada), when I picked up the menu and took a gander I was pleasantly surprised by the selections. Think pub grub, but taken up a notch.

The appetizers range from gogi tacos (gogi been Korean shredded pork) to butter chicken poutine to meatball sliders. The mains are equally diverse: Applewood salmon club sandwiches and chorizo sausage lasagna appear alongside beer can chicken.

versatility. It’s the kind of place you can go on a date for some upscale pub grub. At the same time, it’s also the kind of place you can stop by for a pint with your friends on a random weekday afternoon.

On the afternoon I dropped by the restaurant, there was much more of the latter. Groups of guys and girls sitting around chatting, eating, drinking, laughing. Curling and skiing were on the televisions scattered

The appetizers range from gogi tacos … to butter chicken poutine…

Adam Hawboldt

In the end, after much hemming and hawing, I went with the Saigon Sub. Consisting of roasted chicken simmered in hoisin peanut sauce, served with provolone, shredded carrots, cucumber and chopped cilantro, all on a chili and garlic mayo-rubbed toasted baguette, the sub was both sweet and savoury.

As sides I chose jalapeño cheddar mashed potatoes and a ginger cilantro slaw. The slaw was fresh and crisp and gingery. And the potatoes? Well, you simply have to try them. They are creamy and cheesy, and the jalapeños give them some real zip.

I’m not 100% sure what I’ll order the next time I go to State and Main (a lot of it looks really, really appetizing), but one thing is certain:

throughout the room, and the atmosphere was warm and jovial.

Not knowing much about State and Main beforehand (other than it has four locations across western

let’s go drinkin’ Verb’s mixology guide Lime Beer

Ingredients

Looking to add a bit of zing to your beer? Try giving this light, refreshing recipe a try. You won’t be disappointed.

1 (6-pack) light beer 1 can frozen limeade 1 lime, sliced in half

Directions

Pour beer into a large pitcher. Add frozen limeade and stir to combine. Allow foam to settle. Squeeze half a lime into pitcher. Finely slice the rest of the lime and place into the pitcher for garnish. Pour into chilled glasses and serve cold.

those mashed potatoes will be on my plate.

State & Main 100-475 2NDAve. S | 974 6201

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Next Week

coming up

Paranoid Castle

Joel Fafard

New Country Rehab

@ Amigos cantina Saturday, January 26 – $10

@ The bassment Thursday, january 31 – $13/18

@ Amigos cantina Saturday, March 9 – $TBD

Kirby Dominant, the enigmatic emcee from Cali, has had a life more dramatic than most of us. Don’t believe me? The guy slung dope on Bay Area streets, was thrown in jail, and was shot — all by the time he was 17 years old. But eventually he got out of the game and went to UC Berkeley, where he used his financial aid cash to make an album. The rest, they say, is history. Or almost. See, after making his way to the frontlines of west coast indie rap, Kirby Dominant decided to hook up with the Canadian producer, Factor, himself no stranger to the stage, having toured with the likes of Aesop Rock and Buck 65. Together, Kirby Dominant and Factor formed a duo called Paranoid Castle, and they’ll be rocking Amigos when they take to the stage at the end of the month.

Here’s a guy who can flat-out play the hell out of a guitar. A finger-style/ slide guitarist from Saskatchewan, Fafard now calls B.C. home, but his heart remains in the prairies. And soon he’ll be bringing his gravelly voice, humourous asides and quickas-lightning solos back to Saskatoon.

Performing songs with a distinct roots and blues bent, Fafard’s prodigious talents have not gone unnoticed. In 2007 his album Three Hens Escape Oblivion was nominated for a Juno award. That same album also took home the Outstanding Instrumental Recording at the Western Canadian Music Awards. Be sure to check out this award-winning musician when he descends on The Bassment on the 31st. It threatens to be a night of big laughs and incendiary guitar playing.

This ain’t your average, everyday country music, Bubba. No siree. This band from Toronto plays country with a hard-charging, in-your-face style that will remind you more of Arcade Fire than, say, Doc Walker. But make no mistake, it’s still country — just with a boost. Lead by frontman and fiddler John Showman, New Country Rehab also features Ben Whiteley on double bass, James Robertson on guitar, and Roman Tome on drums and back-up vocals. Since releasing their debut album in 2011, this quartet’s high-voltage approach to country has won them fans across Canada and beyond. Their lyrics are real and gritty, the fiddle playing is fantastic and the guitar is modern.

Put that all together and you have the recipe for one of Canada’s hottest upand-coming acts.

– By Adam Hawboldt

Photos courtesy of: the artist / the artist / the artist

Sask music Preview The SaskMusic Investment program is now accepting applications from recording industry professionals and commercial artists. The Investment program enables artists and those in the industry to engage in activities that will enhance their music and/or professional careers. The deadline to apply is March 15, 2013. For more information, please see http://www.saskmusic. org/index.php?p=Investment%20Programs.

Keep up with Saskatchewan music. saskmusic.org

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January 18 » january 26 The most complete live music listings for Saskatoon.

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20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Friday 18

House DJs / 6Twelve Lounge — Funk, soul & lounge DJs liven up the atmosphere at 6Twelve. 9pm / No cover Body LVL / Amigos Cantina — Featuring Mehta and Will Kaufold, come enjoy a groovy psychedelic journey. Also

snappy electronic beats all night long.

Quartet / The Bassment — It’s a night 8pm / No cover of nastily awesome guitar arrangements.

DJ Sugar Daddy / Jax Niteclub — This 9pm / $12/16 local crowd favourite has always been Austen Roadz / Béily’s UltraLounge — known to break the latest and greatest Austen Roadz throws down a high-energy tracks in multiple genres. He’s sure to top 40 dance party along with DJ CTRL have you on the dance floor in no time. every Saturday night. 9pm / $5 cover 9pm / $5 cover Riff Raff / Buds on Broadway — Classic Sirvis / Louis’ Pub — A CD release party hard rock from a local act. 10pm / $6 thrown by a local rap talent. 9pm / Seven Strait / Crown + Rok — A hard Cover TBD rocking good time. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ Butterz / Lounge 306 — Top 40 Suicide Messiah / The Fez — A Black songs. 8pm / Cover TBD Label tribute band. 9pm / $10 Michael Wood Band / Lydia’s Pub — Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra / Taking to the stage to knock your socks Gillian Snider House Concert — Foot off. 10pm / $5 cover stomping folk. 8pm / $10 (advance), $15 DJ Big Ayyy & DJ HENCHMAN / Outlaws (at the door) — Round up your friends ‘cause there’s DJ Kade / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskano better country rock party around. 8pm toon’s own DJ lights it up. 8pm / No cover / $5; ladies in free before 11pm DJ Sugar Daddy / Jax Niteclub — This Doug Boomhower Trio / Prairie Ink local crowd favourite has always been — Some smooth jazz for the soul. 8pm / known to break the latest and greatest No cover tracks in multiple genres. 9pm / $5 cover Tribute to the Everly Brothers / DJ Butterz / Lounge 306 — Top 40 Royal Canadian Legion — A classic tribsongs. 8pm / Cover TBD ute show at the Nutana branch. 8pm / $10 Blackberrywood / Lydia’s Pub — A The Gaff / Spadina FreeVancouver act that plays house — He drops alt-country/gypsy/ragbeats for your time/circus music. listening plea10pm / $5 sure. 10pm / LIFTED / No cover Lydia’s Pub Rusty — Come Men / dance Stan’s your Place — heart out A downin Lydia’s home loft. rockin’ 10pm / $5 good time.

DJ Big 9pm / No Ayyy & DJ powder blue cover Henchman / courtesy of ryan smtih Dueling Pianos / Outlaws Country Staqatto Piano Lounge Rock Bar — Round up — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and your friends ‘cause there’s no betBrad King belt out classic tunes and auditer country rock party around. 8pm / $5 ence requests. 10pm / $5 No Hurry Trio / Prairie Ink — Easy lisDJs Mern + Modus / Tequila Nightclub tening tunes from the 50’s to the present.

— Come on down and get your party on.

8pm / No cover 10pm / Cover TBD Fuse Collective / Spadina Freehouse — The Loneseome Weekends w/Zachary Break out your dancing shoes and come Luck / Vangelis — Come out and rock the have some fun. 10pm / No cover night away. 10pm / $8 Rusty Men / Stan’s Place — A downhome rockin’ good time. 9pm / No cover Dueling Pianos / Staqatto Piano Lounge House DJs / 6Twelve — Resident DJs — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad spin soulful tunes all night. 9pm / No King belt out classic tunes and audience cover requests. 10pm / $5 Powder Blue / Amigos Cantina — Albert + Dislexik / Tequila Nightclub — Haunting songs from this all-female Dust off your dancing shoes and get ready quintet. 10pm / Tix available at the door for a party. 9pm / Cover TBD Guitar Series: Doug Boomhower Elsethings Fest / Vangelis — Featuring

playing will be Sleepwreck. 10pm / $5 at the door Piano Fridays: David Fong / The Bassment — Enjoy some smooth jazz stylings. 4:30pm / No cover Rock & Blues Series: Outside the Wall / The Bassment — A night of Pink Floyd tributes. 8pm / $15/20 The Wizards, The Faps / Beaumont Film + Record — Two sweet acts for your listening pleasure. 9pm / Cover TBD Austen Roadz / Béily’s UltraLounge — Austen Roadz throws down a high-energy top 40 dance party every Friday night.

9pm / $5 cover Riff Raff / Buds on Broadway — Classic hard rock from a local act. 10pm / $6 Mayne Jayne / Crown + Rok — Come rock the night away.

DJ Eclectic / The Hose & Hydrant — Local turntable whiz DJ Eclectic pumps

Saturday 19

Magna Carta, Jeans Boot, Gunner + Smith, Economics. 10pm / $5

Sunday 20

Industry Night / Béily’s UltraLounge — Hosted by DJ Sugar Daddy. 9pm / $4; no cover for industry staff DJ KADE / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover Blues Jam / Vangelis Tavern — Come down and get your jam on. 9pm / No cover

Monday 21

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 Synaptic / Vangelis Tavern — An electronic music open stage. 9pm / No cover

Tuesday 22

Big Dave McLean / Buds On Broadway — Some delta blues for the soul. 9pm / $6 DJ SUGAR DADDY / The Double Deuce — 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.

9pm / No cover Open Mic / The Somewhere Else Pub — Come out to show your talent. 7pm / No cover Synaptic / Vangelis Tavern — An electronic music open stage. 9pm / No cover

Wednesday 23

HUMP WEDNESDAYS / 302 Lounge & Discotheque — Resident DJ Chris Knorr will be spinning all of your favourite songs and requests. 9pm / No cover until 10pm; $3 thereafter Big Dave McLean / Buds On Broadway — Some delta blues for the soul. 9pm / $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 / 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

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& DJ Henchman. And don’t forget to come Come rock the night away. 9pm / No ings. 4:30pm / No cover ride the mechanical bull. 9pm / $4; no cover Roots Series: Carrie Catherine / cover for industry staff Dueling Pianos / Staqatto Piano Lounge The Bassment — Enjoy the music of this Ben and Kaitlyn / Spadina Freehouse — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad award-winning singer/songwriter. 9pm — Come out for a night of live music. 8pm King belt out classic tunes and audience / $13/18 / No cover requests. 10pm / $5 Powder Blue / Beaumont Film + ReDueling Pianos / StaqaPunk Covers / Vangelis — A Turbojucord — Haunting songs from tto Piano Lounge — gend BridgeCity Fundraiser. 9pm / $5 this wicked band. 8pm / Terry Hoknes, Cover TBD Neil Currie Austen Roadz / and Brad House DJs / 6Twelve — Resident DJs Béily’s — Austen King belt spin deep and soulful tunes all night. 9pm Roadz throws out clas/ No cover down a highsic tunes Paranoid Castle, Cam the Wiz, Reenergy top 40 and auwind, Lost Kings, Stone Cold Party dance party dience Rockers / Amigos Cantina — A night every Friday requests, filled with good times and good music. night. 9pm / $5 from 10pm / $10 at the door cover Sinatra to A Series of Tubes / The Bassment —A Big Dave McLean Lady Gaga. hip, must-see instrumental band from hanna georgas / Buds On Broadway courtesy of tristian casey 10pm / No Toronto. 9pm / $13/18 — Some delta blues for cover Austen Roadz / Béily’s UltraLounge the soul. 9pm / $6 Continuum / Vangelis — Austen Roadz throws down a highUnchained / Crown & Rok —Come — Come on down for a night of hot energy top 40 dance party along with enjoy this Van Halen tribute band. 9pm / tunes. 10pm / No cover DJ CTRL every Saturday night. 9pm / Cover TBD $5 cover DJ Eclectic / The Hose & Hydrant — Big Dave McLean / Buds On Broadway Local turntable whiz DJ Eclectic pumps Hanna Georgas / Amigos Cantina — A — Some delta blues for the soul. 9pm / $6 snappy electronic beats. 8pm / No cover local pop/rock act oozing talent. 10pm / Unchained / Crown & Rok — Come and DJ Sugar Daddy / Jax Niteclub — This $10 (www.ticketedge.ca) enjoy this Van Halen tribute band. 9pm / local crowd favourite has always been Jazz Jam: David Fong Trio / Bassment Cover TBD known to break the latest and greatest — If you sing or play an instrument, come Rock Dr. Band, Despite The Revertracks in multiple genres. He’s sure to on down! 8pm / $5 (free for jammers) ence / The Fez — A rollicking, rocking have you on the dance floor in no time.

Big Dave McLean / Buds On Broadway good time. 9pm / Cover TBD 9pm / $5 cover — Some delta blues for the soul. 9pm / $6 Peter Abonyi / Free Flow Dance Centre DJ Butterz / Lounge 306 — Top 40 Throwback Thursdays / Earls — Come — Get ready for Rosebud Burlesque songs. 8pm / Cover TBD experience the best in retro funk, soul, Club’s Variety Night Show.

Ultimate Power Duo / reggae and rock provided by Dr. J. 8pm / 8pm / $12 Lydia’s Pub — They’ll No cover DJ Kade / The rock you like a DJ Kade / The Hose & Hydrant — SaskaHose & Hyhurricane. toon DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / drant — Sas10pm / $7 No cover katoon’s DJ Big DJ Sugar Daddy / Jax Niteclub — Local own DJ Ayyy & DJ DJ Sugar Daddy will be rocking the turnlights it HENCHtables to get you dancing on the dance up. 8pm MAN / floor! Every Thursday night will be filled / No Outlaws with pole dancing, shadow dancers and cover — Round much more! 8pm / $5; free cover with DJ up your student ID before 11pm Sugar friends Continuum / Vangelis — Live EDM and Daddy / ‘cause there’s DJs. 10pm / No cover Jax Niteclub no better councarrie catherine — This local courtesy of david renee try rock party crowd favourite around. 8pm / $5; House DJs / 6Twelve Lounge — Funk, has always been ladies in free before 11pm soul & lounge DJs liven up the atmoknown to break the latest Wyndham Thiessen / Prairie sphere at 6Twelve. 9pm / No cover and greatest tracks in multiple genres.

Ink — Folky goodness for the soul. 8pm / Nordic Trax / Amigos Cantina — Come 9pm / $5 cover No cover out and celebrate this 15 year anniversaDJ Butterz / Lounge 306 — Top 40 Sound Society / Spadina Freehouse — ry tour featuring Luke McKeehan. 10pm / songs. 8pm / Cover TBD Dope beats for your listening pleasure. $10 advance, $15 at the door LIFTED / Lydia’s Pub — Come dance your 10pm / No cover Piano Fridays: Ross Nykiforuk / The heart out in Lydia’s loft. 10pm / $5 Thunder Road Band / Stan’s Place — Bassment — Enjoy some smooth jazz stylPotluck 11.0: A Benefit for the Congo

Saturday 26

Thursday 24

Friday 25

/ Lydia’s Pub — Featuring Mo’ Love, The Rebellion, Charly Hustle, Steve Maier, The Karpinka Brothers, The Shoeless Joes, We Were Lovers, Rory Borealis McLean and more. 6pm / $15 in advance, $18 at the door DJ Big Ayyy & DJ Henchman / Outlaws Country Rock Bar — Round up your friends ‘cause there’s no better country rock party around. 8pm / $5 The Lost Keys / Prairie Ink — Eclectic easy listening. 8pm / No cover Charly Hustle / Spadina Freehouse — Break out your dancing shoes and come have some fun. 10pm / No cover Thunder Road Band / Stan’s Place — Come rock the night away. 9pm / No cover Dueling Pianos / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad

King belt out classic tunes and audience requests. 10pm / $5 Dislexik + Modus / Tequila Nightclub — Come boogie the night away. 9pm / Cover TBD Amati Quartet / Third Avenue Church — Featuring Bonnie Nicholson playing works by Haydn, Brahms and Dohnanyi.

2pm and 7:30pm / $15 (www.persephonetheater.org or Remai Arts Centre) Bass Invaders / Vangelis — Some funky music you don’t want to miss. 9pm / $5

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Twists and turns galore

Photo: Courtesy of 20th Century Fox

Broken City takes audiences on an unpredictable ride by adam hawboldt

B

roken City is as twistyturny as the mighty Saskatchewan River.

We’re not talking about the kind of movie that sets the audience up, little by little, for one final, mindblowing twist either. The Usual Suspects or The Sixth Sense it is not.

No. Broken City is the kind of movie that changes tack every 20 minutes or so, hitting you with surprise after surprise.

Its intentions are to keep you constantly guessing, on edge, wondering where the unpredictable plot will take you next.

And how well this works will depend on a what you bring to the theatre as a movie viewer. Remember that, because we’ll return to the idea in a minute.

But first let’s take a look at the story.

Directed by Allen Hughes (Menace II Society, The Book of Eli),

race, Hostetler enlists the help private investigator, Billy Taggart (Mark Wahlberg) to find out who his wife, Cathleen (Catherine Zeta-Jones), is sleeping with.

Now, Taggart isn’t just some runof-the-mill private dick. He’s a dis-

Broken City tells a harsh tale of tough guys and girls, living in a tough city, snaking their way through the always tough back rooms of city politics.

Russell Crowe plays Nicholas Hostetler — the scotch-before-

Broken City changes tack every 20 minutes or so...

Adam Hawboldt

graced former New York detective who was kicked off the force a few years back (for something we won’t go into here). He’s also an alcoholic with a penchant for violence.

Oh, and he and Hostetler have a history.

Needless to say, Taggart takes the

breakfast, crooked-as-a-screwworm incumbent mayor of New York City. When we first meet Hostetler, we find him locked in a heated campaign against a young, liberal adversary named Jack Valliant (Barry Pepper).

In the midst of a tight mayoral

case and things start to happen.

What kind of things? Well, to tell you that, as my grandfather used to say, “would take the piss out of the whole thing.” So for the moment let’s bypass the plot and return to whether or not the twists and turns of the movie will appeal to you.

First off, how much you like Broken City will depend on your ability to guess the outcome(s) of twistyturny flicks.

For instance, if you’re the kind of movie watcher who easily guessed the identity of Kyser Soze in The Usual Suspects or foresaw precisely how a movie like, say, Primal Fear was going to end by the 30-minute mark, then chances are Broken City will be a tad too predictable for you.

Conversely, if you’re the type of moviegoer who would rather sit back and be taken on an up-anddown, inside-out ride through the

Broken City Allen Hughes Starring Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta-Jones + Barry Pepper Directed by

109 minutes | 14A

world of criminal activity, without thinking too much or wasting too much time trying to guess what will happen next, you may very well enjoy Broken City.

Especially if you enjoy movies filled with salty language, solid acting, gritty scenes and nary a moral character in sight.

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@AdamHawboldt ahawboldt@verbnews.com

20 Jan 18 – Jan 24 entertainment

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New twist on an old favourite

Latest adaption of Anna Karenina gives a stylized look at Tolstoy’s classic tale by adam hawboldt

L

eo Tolstoy’s classic novel, Anna Karenina, begins with one of the most famous opening lines ever put to paper.

“Happy families,” it says, “are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy it its own way.”

Hot damn! What an opening salvo. Right up there with “Call me Ishmael” or “Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins.”

And to be honest, as Joe Wright’s new adaptation of Tolstoy’s novel opens, I expected a voiceover to read those haunting words. But no: the film (written by Tom Stoppard) opens on a stage. The curtain is raised and the words Imperial Russia 1847 appear in the background.

Then and there I figured I was in for something different.

For those of you who have read the novel, rest easy knowing the story is essentially the same.

Anna (played here by Keira Knightly) is still married to stodgy government official Karenin (Jude Law). She still goes to Moscow to settle a dispute between her adulterous brother Oblonsky (Matthew

Photo: Courtesy of Focus Features / Laurie Sparham

period-piece, forget it. Wright and Stoppard’s adaptation is anything but conventional.

See, much of the narrative (which is stripped down to the bare essentials) takes place on a theatre stage, with the actors literally mov-

Not only was the film inventive and … gorgeous, it was also stylized in a manner that is … quite clever.

Adam Hawboldt

Macfadyen) and his wife Dolly (Kelly Macdonald). She still meets Count Vronsky (Aaron Johnson) and has a passionate affair, and, well, if you read the book then you know how the story concludes. If not, I won’t spoil it for you.

But I will say this: if you’re expecting to see a conventional

ing through scenes as though they are acting in a play.

Sure, they go to the countryside and such, but for the most part the film unfolds in a pseudo-play format.

This novel approach to an age-old tale may draw the ire of a Tolstoy purist, but I dug it. Not only was the film inventive and theatrical and

Anna karenina Joe Wright Starring Keira Knightley, Jude Law + Matthew Macfadyen Directed by

130 minutes | PG

gorgeous, it was also stylized in a manner that is cool and quite clever.

For example, simple, straightforward conversations are choreographed to the nth degree in order to mirror a character’s emotion. Then there’s the scene in which a roomful of clerks stamp paperwork in unison.

Granted, this may seem heavyhanded to some (including a friend of mine who, during the paper stamping scene, turned to me and said “Seriously, WTF is going on here?”), but for me it all worked.

There’s something about taking a story that’s been translated to film more than a couple of times, and taking a run at it from a new angle.

That’s not to say Joe Wright’s Anna Karenina is a perfect movie. At times

the characters seem somewhat void of emotion (which is strange, considering how infused with emotion the original story is). And even though the narrative is streamlined, it still tends to drag in places.

But overall, I have to admit I liked the film. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it worked for me.

Anna Karenina is currently being screened at the Roxy Theatre.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@AdamHawboldt ahawboldt@verbnews.com

21 Jan 18 – Jan 24 @verbsaskatoon

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Sunday, January 13 @

snooker shack

Snooker Shack 3421 8th Street East (306) 374 2100 Music vibe / Rock and alternative Featured deals / $5 wings, and

2 domestic beer for $6.50 Drink of Choice / Bottles of

Canadian top eats / Wings coming up / UFC on the big

screens, and pool tourneys every Saturday and Sunday

Photography by Patrick Carley

22 Jan 18 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Jan 24 entertainment

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Photography by Cortez

24 Jan 18 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Jan 24 entertainment

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nightlife friday, January 11 @

Jax

Jax Niteclub 302 Pacific Avenue (306) 934 4444 Music vibe / New and classic

party tunes in all genres Drink of Choice / Combat Juice

and a Matty Roberts shot top eats / Pizza coming up / Pub crawl specials, a hockey trip, and a Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s giveaway

25 Jan 18 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Jan 24 @verbsaskatoon

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

26 Jan 18 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Jan 24 entertainment

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crossword canadian criss-cross 25. Painkilling drug 27. Fruit seed 29. Request a payment of past due money 30. One who runs a business 34. Games are played with them 38. Winning serve 39. Era 41. Devour 42. Travel with a band 44. Hot beverage 45. Lavish social event 46. List of corrections 48. Unpleasantly cool 50. Pertaining to warships 51. Christmas decoration 52. Onion relative 53. Circular motion of water

DOWN 1. Place where 2 streets meet 2. Force out of a position 3. Mature, as wine 4. Pigeon’s perch 5. Stretch out by pressure from within 6. Joined together 7. It’s often hung from a pole 8. Father, mother, and their children 9. Show the way 11. Child’s cart pulled by a handle 12. Coagulate 14. Make mention of 17. Genus of macaws 20. Very light brown 21. Border on

24. Mineral spring 26. Genetic material 28. Coach’s encouraging sudoku answer key words A 30. One of a pair 31. Oak tree nut 32. Relating to the nervous system 33. Fish eggs 35. Exclamation of surprise 36. Waste time 37. Continue to be in a place B 40. Hiding place 43. All-night dance party 45. Cover with a thin layer of gold 47. ___ kwon do 49. Coal scuttle

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

ACROSS 1. Black substance that burns and gives off heat 5. Removed one’s hat in greeting 9. Chisel with a curved blade 10. Relative by marriage 12. Doomed for a bad ending 13. Mariner 15. Bits of thread 16. Gangster’s pistol 18. Computer acronym about faulty data 19. Lyric poem 20. Cap with no brim 22. Outdoor area of a film studio 23. Sparing in the use of words

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

timeout

© walter D. Feener 2013

Horoscopes January 18 – january 24 Aries March 21–April 19

Leo July 23–August 22

Sagittarius November 23–December 21

Some people need drugs to get high. Not you, Aries. Not this week. You’re going to be flying so high on life you won’t want to come down.

Delve deep into conversations this week, Leo. Oh, and don’t forget to pay attention. You could very well learn something intriguing.

You could be the recipient of a very important introduction this week. It may not seem so at the time, but this connection could prove invaluable.

Taurus April 20–May 20

Virgo August 23–September 22

Capricorn December 22–January 19

Pay attention to your dreams, Taurus. Not your goals and life aspirations, but your actual sleeping dreams. They will reveal a lot.

Emotions could run very deep this week. Be prepared, Virgo. If they catch you unawares, they may very well steamroll right over you.

Try not to be too sensitive this week, Capricorn. Even if your feelings get hurt, don’t make a big deal out of it. Suck it up, buttercup.

Gemini May 21–June 20

Libra September 23–October 23

Aquarius January 20–February 19

The crystal ball says you’re in for a good week, Gemini. Your relationships with others will run smoothly, and smiles will frequent your face.

Give your life a shot in the arm to start the new year, Libra. How you do that is up to you. Just don’t let things remain stagnant — mix it up!

You know that feeling you get in your gut when you know you just have to do something? Well, don’t listen to that feeling this week, Aquarius.

Cancer June 21–July 22

Scorpio October 24–November 22

Pisces February 20–March 20

Remember that old Scorpions’ song “Winds of Change,” Cancer?

Well, the winds of change shall blow for thee this week. Batten down the hatches.

If luck is indeed a lady, be prepared for a female visitor this week, Scorpio. This mystery woman could reveal something significant about you.

If you’re feeling insecure this week, tell yourself, “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggonit, people like me.” Then thank Stuart Smalley.

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

crossword answer key

A

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

B

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