Verb Issue S224 (Jan. 25-31, 2013)

ISSUE #224 – JANUARY 25 TO JANUARY 31

ARTS

CULTURE

SONIC EXPANSION WHITEHORSE

WITH

MUSIC

SASKATOON

ROOFTOP OF THE WORLD Local climber prepares for Everest THE VIRTUOSO Q+A with Karrnnel MOVIE 43 + ALONE UP THERE Films reviewed­

PHOTO: COURTESY OF PAUL WRIGHT

CONTENTS

NEWS + OPINION

ENTERTAINMENT

CULTURE

Q + A WITH KARRNNEL

LISTINGS

Fiddle virtuoso on taking his music in a new direction. 12 / Q + A

Local music listings for January 25 through February 2 20 / LISTINGS

BEER BREWING 101

REWIND

Talking about the Saskatchewan craft beer movement. 4 / LOCAL

Elizabeth Shepherd makes new (old) jazz. 14 / ARTS

MOVIE 43 + ALONE UP THERE The latest movie reviews. 24 / FILM

NIGHTLIFE PHOTOS

DEVASTATING MOMENTS Daniel Romano faces our fears. 14 / ARTS

We visit Pleasureway Pub + Double Deuce. 26-29 / NIGHTLIFE

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

SK climber preps for Everest. 6 / LOCAL

UP, UP, AND AWAY

WHITEHORSE

Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland create new soundscapes. 14 / COVER

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

ART & PRODUCTION

THE ROOFTOP OF THE WORLD

ON THE COVER:

VERBNEWS.COM @VERBSASKATOON FACEBOOK.COM/VERBSASKATOON

DOWN-HOME GOODNESS

Cutting cushy corners to save on travel is a great way to go. 8 / EDITORIAL

BUSINESS & OPERATIONS

ON THE BUS Weekly original comic illustrations

by Elaine M. Will. 30 / COMICS

We visit Auntie B’s. 18 / FOOD + DRINK

COMMENTS

MUSIC

GAMES + HOROSCOPES

Here’s what you had to say about privatizing liquor stores. 10 / COMMENTS

Adam K, Young Benjamins + In Flames. 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

PLEASE RECYCLE AFTER READING & SHARING PHOTO: COURTESY OF PAUL WRIGHT

2 JAN 25 – JAN 31 VERB MAGAZINE

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ARTS

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FOOD + DRINK

MUSIC

LISTINGS

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NIGHTLIFE

COMICS

TIMEOUT

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VERB MAGAZINE

LOCAL

BEER BREWING 101

PHOTO: COURTESY OF PADDOCK WOOD BREWING

Steve Cavan and craft beer in Saskatchewan BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

W

hen you make beer, water is key.

It’s the starting point.

The base. The fundamental ingredient with which all other ingredients react. And, historically, the type of water you find in a certain region will dictate what kind of beer is best brewed in that area.

Think about Ireland for a moment.

What kind of beer comes to mind?

The answer, naturally, is stout. How about the Czech Republic? Pilsner.

London, England? Porter.

Now here’s a question: what is the best kind of beer to brew right here?

“We make an excellent black beer in Saskatchewan,” says Steve Cavan, owner of Paddock Wood Brewing Company. “The water here is just calling for it. Our water has a very high PH, so you have to acidify it. You burn the malt, it gets acidic, and boom! You end up with wonderful black beers.”

Wait a second. That’s not the first beer most people think of when they think about Saskatchewan. Admit it.

When you read that question, the first answer that came to mind was pilsner.

Here’s the thing. We make really good pilsner here, too. It’s just a matter of making a few tweaks here and there.

“If you want to make a light beer, it won’t work as naturally,” says

Cavan. “So you have to play with the water chemistry. You have to do something to get that PH down.”

And Cavan should know. After all, he owns the Paddock Wood Brewing Company, and is a professional brewmaster. The kind of guy who not only makes one heckuva craft beer, but also loves what he does. To sit down and talk craft beer with Cavan is like talking hockey with Lorne Molleken or football

Brewery opened its doors in Waterloo. It was followed by Wellington Brewery in Guelph (1985) and Big Rock Brewery in Calgary (1985).

By the late ‘80s, the industry was slowly and surely spreading across the nation.

Back in those days, Steve Cavan didn’t have his eye on bringing craft brewing to Saskatchewan. No, during the ‘80s Cavan was a grad student at Trent University in Ontario, with his

I’d travelled Europe … so I knew what a good craft beer tasted like.

STEVE CAVAN

with Corey Chamblin. The passion is unmistakable. But where did this passion for craft beer come from?

Here in Canada, the modern craft movement began to take its baby steps in the 1980s.

The first modern craft brewer, Horseshoe Bay Brewing, opened its doors in Vancouver in 1982. Two years later, another brewery sprung up in Vancouver, called Granville Island Brewing. That same year, Brick

eye firmly fixed on a PhD in Greek literature and philosophy.

That’s not to say he didn’t like making beer, because he did. In fact, he liked it so much he once got his high school newspaper shut down for a spell because he published a how-to-make-your-ownsuds article.

But beer making was just a cut-andpaste hobby for him back then. And it remained that way until he and his wife moved to Saskatchewan to teach at the University of Saskatchewan.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE »

4 JAN 25 – JAN 31 NEWS + OPINION

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“I’d travelled Europe, drank craft beer in Ontario, stuff like that, so I knew what a good craft beer tasted like,” explains Cavan. “But when we moved here in 1992 there wasn’t any way to get it. The SLGA didn’t sell much craft or imported beer, so I decided to make my own.”

What happened after that was almost a do-it-yourself manual on how to fumble and stumble your way into the craft beer industry.

To get started, Cavan needed to buy malt, hops and yeast, but they weren’t available locally, so he imported. Once he got them, Cavan found out that making beer from scratch was illegal in this country without a license, so he applied to get one. But to get a license you have to be bonded and give the government a floor plan of your operation. While reading over documents, Cavan realized that to move from simply having a license to becoming a full-fledged brewery all you had to do was include where you’d put a fermenter in your floor plan. So he said to heck with it, and included a location for the fermenter. But

because Paddock Wood wasn’t a brew pub (like, say, Bushwakker, which paved the way for brewpubs in Saskatchewan), or didn’t have a regional distributor (like Great West), the government wouldn’t allow them to sell beer.

And so things went, hurdle after hurdle, stumble after stumble, until 2007, when Paddock Wood Brewing Company became the only fullblown craft beer microbrewery in the province.

And they didn’t just stop at a microbrewery.

These days, it seems wherever you turn in Regina and Saskatoon, establishments are making their own beer. Brewpubs are everywhere, from Bushwakker to Specklebelly’s to Clark’s Crossing.

And in 2012, Paddock Wood Brewing Company decided to get in on the action — sort of.

This past September, Cavan opened The Woods Alehouse, in downtown Saskatoon on 2nd Avenue.

Not only is it a place to get good grub

and all the standard Paddock Wood beers, it’s also a place where Cavan can experiment.

“I want to make all these different types of beers,” says Cavan, who has researched recipes for more than 100 different brews. “But it doesn’t make sense to make a full run of something that might or might not sell. That’s why The Woods is so good. Now I can do a small batch of something, throw it in the kegs here, sell it off and get feedback from the customers.”

The benefits of this are twofold.

On the one hand, Cavan can get valuable input from people about his new products, the kind of input that can convince or dissuade him to put a new line out in stores across the province. And on the other hand, it allows Cavan to do what he genuinely loves — experiment with beer.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@AdamHawboldt ahawboldt@verbnews.com

PHOTO: COURTESY OF ADAM HAWBOLDT / VERB

5 JAN 25 – JAN 31 @VERBSASKATOON

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FOOD + DRINK

MUSIC

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LOCAL

THE ROOFTOP OF THE WORLD

PHOTO: COURTESY OF STEVE WHITTINGTON

A Saskatchewan mountaineer aims for the highest point on Earth BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

L

unging upward from the jagged spine of the Himalaya, Mount Everest towers over the surrounding peaks, its massive bulk tapering to a pyramid of rock and corniced snow. It is not as striking as Ama Dablam, nor as forbidding as K2, but what Everest lacks in beauty it makes up for in sheer size. Its hulking profile inspires awe among even the most hardened mountaineers.

At 29,035 feet, Everest is so high that its summit is buffeted by the jet stream, high altitude air currents that blast snow from its summit, creating the plume of spindrift that marks so many photographs of its upper reaches. There is so little oxygen in the air, about a third as much as at sea level, that the strongest climbers are left breathless after every step. It is into this inhospitable and often deadly environment that Steve Whittington plans to ascend.

If everything works perfectly, if the weather holds and if his body doesn’t fail him, years of hard work will culminate in less than five minutes astride the rooftop of the world.

“Take some video, take some pictures, and get the hell off the summit,” he laughs. “Hopefully five minutes.”

Growing up in Manitoba, Whittington spent his time in the wilderness, not on the heights. His love affair with the mountains began a decade ago, when a friend invited him to climb in southern Alberta. He was hooked by the

raw intensity of the experience. Since he moved to Saskatchewan to start a life and a career, Whittington has spent many weeks in the mountains, developing his skills as a technical ice climber and participating in several major expeditions. He has climbed four of the seven summits, the highest peak on each of the continents. His upcoming trip to Everest will take him one step closer to completing his goal.

“Why climb Everest? I want to be on that mountain because there’s so much history on that mountain,” Whittington explains. “I want to be on that mountain because it’s a symbol of mountaineering, and I want to be a part of that.” Everest has been on Whittington’s horizon for years. “It became an obsession almost, or a dream, something that is a driving force in my life,” he says.

Some climbers criticize Everest for being overly commercial, a slag heap that attracts dreams with no real alpine credentials. Whittington thinks otherwise. “I don’t necessarily want to promote that I’m a great climber because I climbed Everest. I don’t think those two statements actually go together when you look at the people that climb Everest. It’s something I want to do and I want to do it in a safe way.” And now he is preparing to realize that dream.

Everest was identified, its height calculated, in 1856 by the Great Trigonometric Survey of British India, but almost a century passed before

Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay straddled its windswept summit. Their route up the southeast shank of the massif, known as the South Col route, remains the most popular way of ascending the mountain. It is the route Whittington’s team, which includes a pair of American climbers and Himalayan veteran Wally Berg, will follow.

The route begins at Base Camp, a sprawling tent city at 17,500 feet, where climbers spend several weeks acclimatizing. This is crucial. By allowing their bodies to adjust to the brutally thin air, Whittington and his teammates will be able to climb higher without passing out or developing altitude sickness, a debilitating condition that frequently ends in coma and death. Whittington knows body management is critical.

“For two and a half months I won’t be able to go inside, other than a tent,” he says. “So there’s no going inside, no going to a nice warm bathroom — you have to control and regulate your body for two and a half months to stay functioning properly.”

An expedition-style ascent of Everest cannot be completed in days or even weeks. Teams besiege the mountain, establishing a series of progressively higher camps and making repeated trips up and down to hasten acclimatization. Only when everything is in place will Whittington and his teammates depart Camp IV, a miserable place huddled against the icy wind at 26,000 feet, for the summit, half a mile above. “It’ll be a lot of anticipation, anxiety about it, because CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE »

6 JAN 25 – JAN 31 NEWS + OPINION

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ON THE SUMMIT OF ACONCAGUA.PHOTO: COURTESY OF STEVE WHITTINGTON

you’re going to put yourself through potentially one of the hardest days of your life,” he says. “I can’t recall a time before a summit bid that I’ve actually slept well. Your mind is running through all the things that could happen or could go wrong, and all the things you need to do.”

Whittington expects to begin his summit bid early, leaving Camp IV before midnight. Because altitude suppresses the appetite and makes sleep all but impossible, he will be dehydrated, hungry, and profoundly

light, I might have quailed in terror and not done it.”

High on Everest, even the strongest climbers can only manage a few steps each minute. Whittington has an advantage in that his experiences have taught him to move slowly and conserve energy. “It’s really interesting when I take people out to the mountains,” he explains. “I go at a nice measured rate. They’ll burst ahead of me and have to take a break, and literally within a couple hours they’re having a hard time keeping up with me. And

[Climbing Everest] became an obsession almost, or a dream, something that is a driving force in my life.

STEVE WHITTINGTON

tired — yet he will do everything in his power to keep ascending into the night, his headlamp casting eerie shadows and his crampons crunching through the brittle snow.

Climbing at night is important because it allows plenty of time for the descent. But it has other, less tangible advantages. “One of the nicest things about it is that you can’t see what’s ahead of you,” he says. “I’ve looked at the North Face of Athabasca and some of the other faces that I’ve climbed, and if I had seen what I was attempting to do in the morning

then they start to call my pace relentless.” High on the mountain, where energy reserves are low, Whittington’s experience could save his life.

Climbing Everest is extraordinarily dangerous. Since 1922, the mountain has claimed more than 200 lives.

Because recovering bodies from high altitudes is practically impossible, the route to the summit is littered with corpses, each one a stark reminder of what happens when ambition outstrips ability; they reflect the slim

margins inherent to high altitude mountaineering.

Avalanches and falls kill climbers, but the single biggest danger is the thin air. Climbers call altitudes above 26,000 feet the death zone because there is not enough oxygen in the air to sustain human life. Above Camp IV, acclimatization is impossible and with each minute the risk of cerebral and pulmonary edema increases.

The danger is compounded by the slow decline of vital cognitive functions. Supplemental oxygen, which Whittington and his teammates will breathe above Camp IV, makes 29,000 feet feel like 26,000, providing just enough of an edge to carry climbers to the summit and back. But even with a steady supply of bottled oxygen, Whittington knows the margins are frighteningly thin.

“There’s a chance you may not come back, although I think that’s quite low for me,” Whittington says, explaining that few climbers who

attempt Everest have his skills and experience. “I don’t worry about myself. I’m not worried about my ability to do what’s right or to make the move or to turn around when needed. I worry about my ability to get everyone back safely.” Whittington has spent the past several months making promises to the fathers and mothers of climbing team members.

“You take that quite seriously, even at additional risk to yourself,” he says.

“I’m a strong climber. I’ll make sure other people are okay.”

But Whittington doesn’t want to get ahead of himself. He can’t afford to think too much about his time on the roof of the world. “I never actually envision summit moments, because my experience tells me they’re so brief,” he says. “I envision the journey, getting there. Obviously it’s the pinnacle, the apex of it, and you get a sense of elation when you reach that summit, but you’re only halfway there. You still have to get back down.”

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7 JAN 25 – JAN 31 /VERBSASKATOON

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EDITORIAL

UP, UP, AND AWAY Cutting cushy corners on travelling is a great way to drop the cost

I

f you’ve done any air travel around Europe, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of RyanAir. You know, the no-frills, nononsense airline with the seats that don’t recline, the flight attendants who try to peddle smokeless cigarettes, and flights for cheap-asdirty prices. Yeah, that RyanAir. Recently, the airline launched an idea to make flights even more affordable by proposing a standingroom-only section, which would sell space for as low as £1 (roughly $1.57 Canadian) a flight. But don’t be mistaken, this isn’t the first time someone has bandied about the concept of standing-room-only airplanes. In the summer of 2011, a low-cost airline called Can-Fly was announced; their aim was to offer fliers in this wonderful country of ours affordable flights (from $59) by offering standing slots.

Given these hard economic times we live in (and considering the astronomical cost of air travel in Canada), we think doing away with some of the frills of travel — such as sitting — in exchange for a more affordable travel experience is a fantastic idea. Sure, standing up on a flight from Saskatoon to St. John’s, Newfoundland, wouldn’t be the most comfortable thing in the world. But we bet there are throngs of people who’d be willing to give it a try for a few hours to save a few hundred dollars. So yeah, we put our support behind this idea.

You know what, though. Why stop there?

If you sit back and really think about it, the cost of nearly all forms of travel is high in this recessive day and age. So why not find a way to roll back some of the expenses? And what better way to do that than to sacrifice a modicum of comfort in the name of saving a few bucks?

For instance, travelling from Nova Scotia to the aforementioned Newfoundland via ferry will set you back $216.78, before taxes — one way with a car. That, in our opinion, is entirely too high. So let’s get that price down by doing a bit of the work ourselves. Instead of just lazing around the lounge, shooting Screech and staring out the window at the harsh, black Atlantic, why not offer passengers discount tickets if, every now and then, they’re willing to go down into the bowels of the ship, grab an oar, and help row that sucker across the strait? The vessel saves on fuel, we save on the cost.

On a note closer to home, have you ever taken a taxi in this city?

Now we’re not blaming the cab companies, it’s the price of gas at the heart of the problem here. And if you believe the hype about peak oil, there’s a good chance we won’t see the price of petrol fall too low anytime soon. So why not lower the price of our cab rides by taking a cue from the Flintstones? That’s right, to help cut the cost of travelling by taxi, a few cars should have

their floors cut out and we could have the option to use two-feetand-a-heartbeat to get from point A to point B while being sheltered from the elements. And in winter?

Throw on a pair of Sorels. Need to get somewhere fast? Have a bike option, so you can pedal, rather than jog, to your destination.

Ok, maybe not. But how about modifying train travel? After all, it costs nearly $300 to get from here to Vancouver, so let’s bring that price down by tearing out all the seats, extracting all the luxuries and packing people into train cars, again standing-room only — shoulder to shoulder, chest to back.

Cozy! And if you run out of room, offer discounted fares if you’re willing to hang on to the outside of the train (and free transport if you ride on the roof).

Alright, so perhaps some of these ideas aren’t really viable for obvious reasons. But paying less to stand on a short flight rather than sit? That just might be worth checking out.

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

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8 JAN 25 – JAN 31 NEWS + OPINION

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FOOD + DRINK

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COMMENTS

ON TOPIC: Last week we asked what you thought about privatizing the liquor industry in Saskatchewan.

Here's what you had to say: – Why should we as tax payers be paying civil servents to sell booze when it would be cheaper to have private stores open and pay taxes.

– The privatizing of the liquor industry in Saskatchewan is just the Saskparty trying to hide the =$7b in debt the created by making everyone too drunk to notice

– Privatization of liquor stores in SK is a great idea. No job lost for gov’t employees if you make all future stores private, good for consumers to have options of where

on April 15th. That’s so cool. Can’t wait. I agree with your assessment of the drawbacks of other venues. We’ll let Verb know how it goes! Cheers.

Text yo thoughtsur to 881 VE R B 8372

ments or who will make profit from such developments.

In response to “The Dearly Departing,” Editorial page, #222 (January 11, 2012).

In response to “A Better Way,” Local page,

– Who will be the ones to profit from such developments families of the departed ?? They should.

#223 (January 18, 2012).

to buy. Win win don’t see why we haven’t done this before

– Need feed back on a better way article on the house party with cool music and the cool music is the musicians. How do i get ahold of them?

– Privatization lost AB a ton of money and will do the same in our province. It’s not a good idea to get rid of the SLGA run liquor board stores.

In response to “A Better Way,” Local page,

– Seems to me once a person has bought n paid for the plots it is there land @n the remaining relations should be reimburse money im sure prime property like that would go for a good amount and the families should be the ones making the profit not the govern

– Just read “A Better Way” in Verb.

It got me excited…my wife and I are hosting our first home concert thru the Home Routes tour. Oh Susanna is playing our living room

– You can be angry for what you don’t have or thankful for what you do have - Nick Vujicic

In response to “The Dearly Departing,” Editorial page, #222 (January 11, 2012).

SOUND OFF

#223 (January 18, 2012).

OFF TOPIC

– People wouldn’t have to tailgate if you would only learn how to drive a decent speed.

– Psychoactive drugs are part of everyone’s life. No getting away from it. From coffee and cigarettes to cocaine and heroin add ALL the pharmacorp products. So like wow big surprise people with mental health problems also have drug problems. They can’t be written off as junkies or not wanting to get better. It’s completely out of their control with their health problems in this culture.

– The posted speed limit signs around the city and province should have ‘weather permitting’ underneath because people seem to think you can drive 90km/h on icy roads. Slow down people!

Avoid a crash and save your ass!

– Be patient with truck drivers in training. You had to learn to drive in your vehicle at one point too.

Where else are they to get experience driving in the city? Maybe realize that the world does not just revolve around you.

– With all these drivers who are getting into accidents and rolling their vehicles, you would think it was the latest thrill. I have never seen people so careless and reckless!

– Major pileup on university bridge, it’s gonna get shut down.

Traffic is chaotic as hell. Be careful out there!

– Empathy and compassion mirror neurons are the markers of high order intelligence. If you don’t have these feelings for the homeless you’re low order for sure!

– IT’S SO DAMN COLD OUT I SAW A PENGUIN WEARING MUKLUKS

– This freeze is startin 2 getme down. Summer start.....NOW!

– I don’t understand weather forecasting. If they say it is -22C but feels like -29C why wouldn’t they just say it is -29C?

– Well the NHL is back Saturday the puck drops Go Habs Go!

– FINALLY HOCKEY BACK!! Lol can’t wait to see the Flames kick ass this year

– Boycotting NHL bastards wanted more money u millionairs! U got lots ease up

– Why is it in saskatchewan we have people telling others we cant have strip joints and yet you can you can take kids to horse racing tracks.

– The bigger they are the harder they fall.

– I speak my mind because it hurts to bite my tongue.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE »

10 JAN 25 – JAN 31 NEWS + OPINION

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– Yes its time to move the trains outside of saskatoon i am sick and tired of sitting in a traffic jam because of trains at 4pm rush hour .

– Stuck by train on 22 on commute to work. At 8:30 in the morning!

This is beyond ridiculous something needs to get down right now.

– The New Grant Devines 0R the Saskatchewan Party Same thing BS’td the public they promissed N0! Lied to privatization! Lied to the public

– Courage comes from feelings stronger than your fear!

– Im first nation raised in our paris of the prairies. I play thru a Marshall 4 by 12. Am i an Idol no more.

Lil food for thought. STAKK.

– Proud supporter of INM movement. Anyone who says they have no clear message or idea hasn’t paid attention. It’s pretty straightforward.!

– Its time EVERYBODY took ownership responsibility for this drug culture we live in. From aspirin to crack don’t feel good Here Man try some of this!

– To the person who texted about having pets makes u loser, can’t really follow ur point. Sure if u have an animal and u can’t take care of it properly u don’t deserve to have it. But having an animal, caring for something that may otherwise be on the street, is a sign of compassion.

– Kelly Clarkson pretty in an average American blonde way but when she’s singing Catch My Breath most gorgeous thing on the planet.

– Here’s a story for your next issue extra foods has band the use of social services food requisition since social services does not pay there bill according to extra foods manager

– Oh great University bridge needs millions and millions in repairs.

May get shut down. Hmmm don’t remember hearing about this before the election!!!!!

NEXT ISSUE: What do you think about cutting cushy corners to reduce the cost of travel? 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.

11 JAN 25 – JAN 31 /VERBSASKATOON

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Q+A

THE VIRTUOSO

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

Karrnnel takes the fiddle in a new direction

BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

K

arrnnel Sawitsky is the bridge between two worlds. His career as a fiddle player has been shaped by his profound love of traditional music and his restless desire to expand the borders of what can be achieved with four strings and a horsehair bow. From his start with the Sawitsky Family Fiddlers to his work with the Fretless, a folk quartet, and as a solo artist, Karrnnel has used his virtuosic ability to create a sound of his own. Today, he is established in Canada and overseas, wherever an appetite for innovative music made with traditional instruments exists. He has made several records, and is hard at work on his second solo record. I caught up with him to talk about composing music, building on tradition, and the congenital ambivalence of New Yorkers.

Alex J MacPherson: Did you always know that you wanted to make a career in music?

Karrnnel: The goal was always kind of there, but even now I’m like, “can I do it for a living?” There’s never really a comfort level with any kind of art form. You look at the reality of finances and all that stuff, and from time to time it gets tough, but at the end of the day you don’t really worry about that — you work hard and keep progressing. That’s the key, never

getting set in your ways. And finding new ways to get yourself out of your comfort zone.

ability to write and share the music I write with other people, and have a career doing it.

AJM: And at least one aspect of that is writing music. Lots, in your case.

AJM: Describing what you do is difficult because you meld so many different influences. How do you balance the urge to expand and the desire to continue traditions of the past?

K: I never really thought about it too much, but two years ago I started a project where I was writing a piece of music every week for a year. Every Sunday that was the goal, sit down and write. Some weeks I would have to

K: I want to write new music but also pay homage and continue on the traditions that have sent for me to do

…at the end of the day I want the ability to write and share the music…

KARRNNEL

force myself to sit down, force myself to create. Sometimes it was like pulling teeth. Sometimes I would sit down and go, “Wow, that was easy.” After doing that project, now I just let it happen.

what I want to be able to do. I started playing traditional fiddle music, Ukrainian music and stuff. If I didn’t start playing that I wouldn’t be where I am. Working towards a goal of having my own voice and becoming a known artist in the fiddle world and beyond, but also taking that old music in different directions.

AJM: You’re known as an extremely talented player. How important is composition to the arc of your career?

AJM: Your latest project, the single “101,” includes a video you shot in New York. What was that experience like?

K: I wrote my first fiddle tune when I was about ten years old, and obviously have been writing since. At the end of the day, all I really want is to be known as a fiddle player that created a huge body of work. I’m not really too concerned about if it becomes well known or makes a whack of money, but at the end of the day I want the

K: It was pretty weird. As much as there were some great reactions, I think I was more surprised how un-captivated people can be in New York, just because there’s so

much going on all the time. For me to walk into a deli in Saskatoon and start playing the fiddle, there would be a definite reaction. And there was a lot of times we were going for things like that, and one person would look and then go back to talking. That’s the New York culture.

Karrnnel February 1 @ The Bassment $13/18 Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

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REWIND

Elizabeth Shepherd takes her progressive jazz in a new (old) direction BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

E

lizabeth Shepherd came late to the jazz party, and she walked in through the back door. “If I had grown up with jazz and gotten into jazz really young, it would be a very different type of music I would be making,” she laughs. “I had some catching up to do.”

Because Shepherd grew up outside the world of jazz, her exploration of the form knows no bounds. She discovered jazz by listening to urban music and hip hop. Intrigued by producers who mined old records for samples, she began excavating its rich and evocative history. “It made me think,” she says of jazz. “To me it was this matrix I had to get inside and work my way through.”

But there is nothing cerebral about Shepherd’s ability to craft infectious grooves and write songs that blur the line between convention and innovation. Heavy Falls The Night, which she released in 2010, is an expansive collection of pop-infused jazz songs.

It feels like a record from the fifties updated for the twenty-first century.

Shepherd’s latest project, Rewind, is altogether different. If Heavy Falls The Night showed off her songwriting chops, Rewind recasts Shepherd as producer, arranger, and interpreter.

Less adventurous though no less compelling than its predecessor, Rewind captures Shepherd at her most relaxed.

“There’s a certain joy to the process, because I feel like when I’m writing my own stuff it’s hard to get some space,” she says. “You’re working from nothing. There’s no parameter. It’s easy to get lost. When there’s a set parameter, a song, that you’re working with, it opens me up.”

Artists who interpret standards must be careful to pay tribute to the original while adding their own stamp to the song, and Shepherd does a masterful job. Each of the songs, from Cole Porter’s “Love For Sale” to Duke Ellington’s “Prelude To A Kiss” retains what made it great — but the listener never forgets just who is behind the microphone.

“I was really trying to get down to the essence of the song,” Shepherd muses. “Just have the tunes stand on their own.” And Rewind is yet another good reason why Shepherd can stand on her own as one of the finest jazz performers ever to emerge from this country.

Elizabeth Shepherd February 2 @ The Bassment $18/23

DEVASTATING MOMENTS

Daniel Romano chronicles the human experience

D

aniel Romano understands that we all have a comfortable fear of devastating moments.

This idea is the essence of everything he does, every song he writes, every concert he plays “I think that at the same time people take comfort in the fact that it’s not happening to them but is a really great story, they understand that it could happen to them,” Romano says from a gas station in Guelph. “It reaches a part of your brain that you try not to use, but can also be pretty liberating if you go there.”

BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

Romano writes and sings country songs. “There’s nothing new about anything I do,” he laughs, cheerfully admitting his love of first- and second-generation musicians. Although he started out playing rock and roll with Attack in Black, Romano found himself helplessly drawn to country music. “I grew up with this kind of music,” he says. “It’s always been in my heart.”

To date, Romano has released three albums of country weepers, simple yet penetrating stories told in a wavering voice reminiscent of Gram Parsons and

animated by a soaring steel guitar. The changes are simple, the instrumentation sparse, and the ideas both common and profound.

Romano’s second album, Sleep Beneath The Willow, was nominated for the Polaris Music Prize. Come Cry With Me is even better, mostly because Romano’s experiments in vocal delivery have paid off. It is his strongest performance to date, a fine example of how vocal techniques that are frowned upon in any other genre pay dividends in country and western. But Romano is above all else a storyteller. “I love good

stories,” he laughs. “It’s getting away from personal things and making it a universal experience, something that’s relatable to everyone, which is what country music is supposed to be.”

Country music is unlike any other type of music because it resists interpretation. Romano writes and sings what he means; searching for hidden meaning is a waste of time.

“It’s the straightest and most truthful music that there is,” he says. “If something really bad happens, you just say it.” Which is why Romano’s songs are so powerful and so relat-

able, and why listening to Come Cry With Me explores our comfortable fear of devastating moments. And why Romano, like those fears, is impossible to ignore.

Daniel Romano (appearing with Whitehorse) February 5 + 6 @ Broadway Theatre $20/25 @ Broadway Theatre Box Office ( ) Feedback?

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A WORK IN PROGRESS

PHOTO: COURTESY OF PAUL WRIGHT

Whitehorse and the search for sonic expansion

BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

T

he most surprising thing about Whitehorse, the gutsy roots-rock partnership of Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland, is that it took so long to develop. The pair married in 2006, merging their personal lives as well as their solo careers, but it took five years before they released a true collaboration. Their long-anticipated eponymous debut was worth the wait. The record was widely acclaimed, generated plenty of airplay, and spawned a successful tour.

The Fate Of The World Depends On This Kiss, which hit stores in August, picks up where Whitehorse left off, solidifying the band’s sound and their place in Canadian music.

“The first record was for obvious reasons maybe more of a continuation of our previous solo work,” Doucet says from a van bound for Manhattan.

“I know we definitely endeavored to push the boundaries a little bit more on the new record.” What makes The Fate Of The World so interesting is that it is an evolution of the Whitehorse sound, despite the fact that it was recorded simultaneously with its predecessor.

“It kind of feels like one big project, it almost feels like a double album,” McClelland chimes in. “To me, they come from the same time and place, the same motive.” In practical terms, the difference between the two records is that they were mixed a year apart. And that year, the bulk of which was spent on the road, made a big difference.

“We were a bit more exploratory in the way we mixed the new record,” Doucet says. “We might have been a little bit conservative on the first outing.” This is an understatement.

Whitehorse was an experiment, an exploration of the sounds two people can make with a couple of guitars, a bunch of old drums, and a looper.

When it was mixed, neither Doucet nor McClelland knew if the project could work. The Fate Of The World was mixed and released with the knowledge that Whitehorse was viable, that an experimental roots-rock duo could have both commercial and artistic merit. “We toured the first record a lot, so we knew we already had this chemistry,” McClelland says.

“But I think as Whitehorse we really developed that voice, and so [when we] finished the second record we were more comfortable in that.”

The back delves into country matters.

Sparse arrangements and reverbdrenched vocals combine to create a series of haunting vignettes, snapshots from the lives of downtrodden lovers and blue collar roughnecks.

Although Doucet says neither he nor McClelland planned to write a record in two parts, he thinks it reflects the duality of the duo. “We spend half our live show in a fairly intimate musical environment,” he says.

“Old-school microphones, the two of us playing more of our country material. And then we go back to what we call our rock and roll stations, and we have loops and keyboards and drums and all kinds of stuff. That paradox is

I long ago abandoned the need to at all costs sound original, because that usually sounds contrived or pretentious.

LUKE DOUCET

But Whitehorse is and always will be a work in progress. “It’s taking on a life of its own,” Doucet says. “Its got its own voice, and its got its own sound. We’re learning that we’re only half a step ahead of anybody else as far as figuring that out.”

The Fate Of The World is a record in two parts. The front is gritty and fractious, a romp through the annals of roots music sharpened to a razor edge by the snarl of Doucet’s guitar.

built right into the band and the way we make music.”

The most compelling song on the record is “Achilles’ Desire,” the opener and first single. The song grew out of the opening riff, a simple hook played on open strings, which Doucet had been fiddling with for weeks. “It’s funny, the way we write together,” McClelland laughs. “I find it’s more that we rewrite each other’s songs over and over again.

There are a lot of songs on this record that, in the studio, we redid three CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE »

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PHOTO: COURTESY OF RAINA + WILSON

or four times, and “Achilles’ Desire” is definitely one of them.” Besides including one of the most evocative lines the pair have ever come up with (“The pull of the moth to the fire / Your Achilles desire”), the song blends steamy love with the stubborn pride of the powerless and the poor.

The record changes gears between “Jane” and “Out Like A Lion.” The former is an offbeat love song dominated by a hypnotic guitar riff, the latter a simple ballad that highlights McClelland’s smoky voice. The last four songs on the record — “Radiator Blues,” “Annie Lu,” “Wisconsin,” and “Mexico Texaco” — explore similar themes,

PHOTO: COURTESY OF RAINA + WILSON

but with different instrumentation.

The punchy drums and stomps that power “Achilles’ Desire” and the working man’s anthem, “Peterbilt Coalmine,” give way to minimalistic arrangements and haunting vocals. The back side of the record highlights the less-is-more aesthetic that has come to define Whitehorse’s sound. “If there is an arc at the back end of the record, it’s more a sequencing thing,” Doucet says.

“We just found songs that sound good together.”

When asked if one song can summarize not only the record but also the history of the project, Doucet pauses before settling on “Devil’s Got A Gun,” a straightforward rock song featuring looped percussion, a mesmerizing guitar riff, and one of the most passionate performances on the record. In the same way that “Killing Time Is Murder” set the stage on which the rest of Whitehorse unfolded, “Devil’s Got A Gun” bridges the gap between the two sides of The Fate Of The World. “The elements are there,” he says. “There’s intimacy in the story, and in some of the singing, and the sound of the guitar is pretty traditionally Whitehorse — if such a thing were possible.”

Every solo act or duo eventually runs into the problem of sonic expansion.

Artists want to explore new ideas and push the boundaries of their form, but there is a practical limit to how much sound two people can make. McClelland says she and Doucet seriously considered bringing a full band on the road, but killed the idea at the last minute. “We just spent the last week rehearsing and picking some songs on the new record to play live on this tour, and I feel like we’ve really come to a new place with our setup,” she says. “We’ve really got a handle on it.

We know how to get the best sounds out of it. We know how to play with it in just the right way. To abandon it at this point would be too bad because I think we’re really coming into our own when it comes to that.”

Which is probably a good thing, because Whitehorse has proven that

a duo can expand beyond the traditional two voices and two guitars.

Plenty of artists have used loops to great effect, and dozens of duos have experimented with percussion, but Whitehorse has succeeded in using a wide array of elements to create a very focused and concise sound. And while McClelland and Doucet are quick to point out that their influences are very important, they have a habit of breaking trail.

“What I’ve learned over the years is that the best way to have your own sound is to learn from other people, and eventually your own thing will come through,” Doucet muses. “I long ago abandoned the need to at all costs sound original, because that usually sounds contrived or pretentious.

The fact that we’re now doing something that, lo and behold, looks like it hasn’t really been done

before, that’s as much a surprise to us as it is to anybody else.”

Whitehorse February 5 + 6 @ Broadway Theatre $30/35 @ Broadway Theatre Box Office Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

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DOWN-HOME GOODNESS Photo: courtesy of Adam Hawboldt

Auntie B’s dishes up excellent home cooking BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

I

t all began with a love of baking.

Years ago, Brenda Weninger began a baking business out of her house because, well, baking is what she really enjoyed doing. Soon her business grew and she moved to a little shop on Idylwyld. Nine months later her bakery, Auntie B’s, was on the move again, this time settling into it’s current location on Faithfull Avenue.

But the new place wasn’t ideal.

“It had a cafe part,” says Weninger, “The original idea didn’t include a restaurant, but since the new place had a cafe area we decided to start a restaurant to go with the bakery.”

The idea she had for the restaurant was straightforward: good, ol’ fashioned home cooking made

simple and delicious. Her menu consists of bunwiches, wraps, soups, mouth-watering desserts, and more.

Oh, and unlike a lot of other restaurants that court fans of home cooking, Auntie B’s doesn’t have a deep fryer anywhere on the premises.

And you know what, they don’t need one because the food is excellent.

When I was there the other day, perusing the menu, item after item kept catching my eye. Not because of the complexity of the dishes or the exotic ingredients, but because everything looked like better, more delicious versions of something my mom would make.

After much hemming and hawing, my eyes landed on the chicken bacon wrap. The description underneath said something to the effect

that it was a favourite of people who eat at Auntie B’s often.

Good enough for me.

And a good choice, too. The chicken breast was moist, the bacon crispy and the three-cheese blend gooey and abundant.

To go with the wrap, I felt like soup. The options were lemon rice and hamburger. The latter sounded good, so that’s what I got.

And you know what? Another good choice. Filled with hamburger tomato, peas, carrots, macaroni and corn, the soup was savoury, hearty, and oh so good.

I was pretty full after all that, but because Auntie B’s started out as a bakery (also because I heard she makes the best cinnamon buns around), I made room for dessert.

Naturally I chose the cinnamon bun and, boy oh boy, all the word of mouth was true. Hands-down, it was the best cinnamon bun I’ve ever put in my mouth. So warm, so gooey, so amazingly delicious.

So delicious, in fact, it won’t be long before I’m back there, fingers sticky, eating another one.

LET’S GO DRINKIN’ VERB’S MIXOLOGY GUIDE A GILLIGAN’S ISLAND

INGREDIENTS

Adorning one wall of Auntie B’s are black and white stills of old movie and television stars. One of those is pictures is of Bob Denver as the ever lovable Gilligan of Gilligan Island fame. This drink is in honour of him.

1 oz vodka 1 oz peach schnapps 3 oz orange juice 3 oz cranberry juice

Auntie B’s 2750 Faithful Ave. | 244 2867

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

DIRECTIONS

In a shaker filled with ice, mix the vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice and cranberry juice. Shake well. Pour into highball glass filled with ice. Enjoy.

@AdamHawboldt ahawboldt@verbnews.com

16 JAN 25 – JAN 31 CULTURE

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NEXT WEEK

COMING UP

ADAM K

YOUNG BENJAMINS

IN FLAMES

@ THE ODEON EVENTS CENTRE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1 – $15

@ VANGELIS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2 – $8

@ THE ODEON EVENTS CENTRE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22 – $37.50

From here to the U.S., South America to Europe, DJ Adam K has rocked some of the best dance venues out there. With a sound that is infused with a melodic blending of progressive house, this Toronto DJ blows up dance floors and raises roofs. And while his sound skews towards prog house, Adam K is by no means a stranger to tech, electro, and more. Oh, and he’s not just a guy who puts on great shows; he’s also a DJ whose prolific collaborations pump out hit after hit. Working with the likes of Kaskade, Soha and more, he’s released fan favourites like “Twilight,” “I Can Feel” and “Question.”

So if you’re in the mood to move your feet, look no farther. Advance tickets for the show can be purchased at BackSide and theodeon.ca

What do you get when you mix modern folk with indie/math-rock undertones and sweet, catchy lyrics?

If you answered “Saskatoon’s very own Young Benjamins,” you’d be right.

Consisting of frontman Neusha Mofazzali, Veronique Poulin (violin/vocals/ keys), Kuba Szmigielski (drums/percussion) and Brynn Krysa (bass), this up-and-coming quartet plays a brand of infectious, honest music you can’t help but like. Sometimes upbeat and whistle-along worthy, other times slow and thoughtful, the songs the Young Benjamins play are well-crafted, accessible and catchy. Since releasing their self-titled EP a little more than a year ago, the band has been playing stage after stage, honing their sound and winning fans. Hit up Vangelis to see what they’re all about.

Sometimes change is for the better. Take In Flames, for instance.

Back when this Swedish metal band from Gothenburg started (in the early ‘90s), their music was heavy. Like, really heavy. Think screaming vocals and growled lyrics over melodic death metal. But somewhere around 2002, the band’s sound began to change towards something a bit more alternative. And while the lyrics have been tamed a bit (much to the chagrin of a certain segment of fans), the whirring, Iron Maiden-esque lead guitars still make for some good listening. So good, in fact, that since 2005 In Flames have won four Grammis awards (the Swedish equivalent of the Grammy). Check ‘em out when they hit up Saskatoon in February.

Tickets available at theodeon.ca – By Adam Hawboldt

PHOTOS COURTESY OF: THE ARTIST / THE ARTIST / KIM ERLANDSEN

SASK MUSIC PREVIEW Saskatchewan artists are showcasing their skills all over: Andy Shauf, Belle Plaine, Carrie Catherine, Kacy and Clayton, Rosie and the Riveters, and Young Benjamins are playing the 25th Annual International Folk Alliance Conference, while the Sheepdogs, Rah Rah and Jordon Cook will hit up SXSW. Shauf pops up again at the Canadian Music Fest, as does Fur Eel, The Pistolwhips, Rah Rah, and We Were Lovers.

Keep up with Saskatchewan music. saskmusic.org

17 JAN 25 – JAN 31 @VERBSASKATOON

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LISTINGS

JANUARY 25 » FEBRUARY 2 The most complete live music listings for Saskatoon.

S

M

T

W

T

27 28 29 30 31

FRIDAY 25

25 26 1

2

HOUSE DJS / 6Twelve Lounge — Funk, soul & lounge DJs liven up the atmosphere at 6Twelve. 9pm / No cover NORDIC TRAX / Amigos Cantina — Come out and celebrate this 15 year anniversary tour featuring Luke

McKeehan. 10pm / $10 advance, $15 at the door PIANO FRIDAYS: ROSS NYKIFORUK / The Bassment — Enjoy some smooth jazz stylings. 4:30pm / No cover ROOTS SERIES: CARRIE CATHERINE / The Bassment — Enjoy the music of this incredible, moving singer-songwriter.

9pm / $13/18 POWDER BLUE / Beaumont Film + Record — Haunting songs from this wicked band. 8pm / Cover TBD AUSTEN ROADZ / Béily’s UltraLounge — Austen Roadz throws down a highenergy top 40 dance party every Friday night. 9pm / $5 cover BIG DAVE MCLEAN / Buds On Broadway — Some delta blues that will rock the soul. 9pm / $6 UNCHAINED / Crown & Rok — Come on down and enjoy this wicked Van Halen

tribute band, as they rock the Rok. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ ECLECTIC / The Hose & Hydrant — Local turntable whiz DJ Eclectic pumps snappy electronic beats. 8pm / No cover DJ SUGAR DADDY / Jax Niteclub — This local crowd favourite has always been known to break the latest and greatest tracks in multiple genres. He’s sure to have you on the dance floor in no time.

9pm / $5 cover DJ BUTTERZ / Lounge 306 — Top 40 songs. 8pm / Cover TBD THE RESIDUALS / Lydia’s Pub — Banjos, fiddles, guitars ... what more can you ask for? 10pm / $5 DJ BIG AYYY & DJ HENCHMAN / Outlaws Country Rock Bar — Round up your friends ‘cause there’s no better country rock party around. 8pm / $5; ladies in free before 11pm WYNDHAM THIESSEN / Prairie Ink — An accomplished multi-instrumentalist playing guitar, banjo, Hawaiian lap steel, cello and harmonica in an intimate setting. 8pm / No cover SOUND SOCIETY / Spadina Freehouse — Dope beats for your listening pleasure.

10pm / No cover THUNDER ROAD BAND / Stan’s Place — Come rock the night away with this great group. 9pm / No cover DUELING PIANOS / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King belt out classic tunes and

audience requests, from Frank Sinatra to Lady Gaga. 10pm / $5 PUNK COVERS / Vangelis — A Turbojugend BridgeCity Fundraiser. 9pm / $5

SATURDAY 26

HOUSE DJS / 6Twelve — Resident DJs spin deep and soulful tunes all night long. 9pm / No cover PARANOID CASTLE, CAM THE WIZ, REWIND, LOST KINGS, STONE COLD PARTY ROCKERS / Amigos Cantina — A night filled with good times and good music.

10pm / $10 at the door A SERIES OF TUBES / The Bassment —A hip, must-see instrumental band from Toronto. 9pm / $13/18 AUSTEN ROADZ / Béily’s UltraLounge — Austen Roadz throws down a highenergy, top 40 dance party along with DJ CTRL every Saturday night. 9pm / $5 cover BIG DAVE MCLEAN / Buds On Broadway — Some delta blues to soothe (or inflame) the soul. 9pm / $6 UNCHAINED / Crown & Rok — Come and enjoy this Van Halen tribute band.

9pm / Cover TBD ROCK DR. / The Fez — The Doctor is in, playing all of your classic rock favourites. 9pm / Cover TBD PETER ABONYI / Free Flow Dance Centre — Get ready for Rosebud Burlesque Club’s Variety Night Show, featuring music, dance and more. 8pm / $12

DJ KADE / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon’s own DJ lights it up. 8pm / No cover DJ SUGAR DADDY / Jax Niteclub — This local crowd favourite has always been known to break the latest and greatest tracks in multiple genres. 9pm / $5 cover CEASE AND DESIST / Lepps —This local punk/thrash band is throwing a CD release party. 9pm / $10 DJ BUTTERZ / Lounge 306 — Top 40 songs. 8pm / Cover TBD LIFTED / Lydia’s Pub — Come dance your heart out in Lydia’s loft. 10pm / $5 BENEFIT FOR THE CONGO / Lydia’s Pub — Featuring The Karpkina Brothers, The Rebellion, The Shoeless Joes, Steve Maier and more, coming together to rock the house for a good cause. 6pm / $15 (advance), 18 (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 by this talented act. 8pm / No cover THUNDER ROAD BAND / Stan’s Place — Come rock the night away with this great group. 9pm / No cover DUELING PIANOS / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King belt out classic tunes and audience requests. 10pm / $5

18 JAN 25 – JAN 31 ENTERTAINMENT

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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

SUNDAY 27

ZION I / Amigos Cantina — A dope American hip hop duo on their Shadowboxing Tour. 10pm / $20 (www. ticketedge.ca) INDUSTRY NIGHT / Béily’s UltraLounge — Hosted by DJ Sugar Daddy. 9pm / $4; no cover for industry staff DJ KADE / The Hose — Saskatoon DJ lights it up. 8pm / No cover NESS CREEK AUDITIONS / Lydia’s Pub — Give ‘er a try if you think you’re good enough. 2pm / No cover ICEBREAKER, JOHNER BOYS, MISTERFIRE, RUMOURS / The Odeon Events Centre — A concert for all ages. 6:30pm / $22.50 (www.theodeon.ca) BLUES JAM / Vangelis Tavern — Come down and get your jam on. 9pm / No cover

MONDAY 28

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 29

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

WEDNESDAY 30

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

ACTIVIST MAGUIRE / Buds On Broadway — Come rock the night away. 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 & DJ Henchman. And don’t forget to come ride the mechanical bull. 9pm / $4; no cover for industry staff DUELING PIANOS / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King belt out classic tunes and audience requests, from Sinatra to Lady Gaga. 10pm / No cover

THURSDAY 31

GUITAR SERIES: JOEL FAFARD / The Bassment — A talented guitarist playing roots and blues. 8pm / $13/18 ACTIVIST MAGUIRE / Buds On Broadway — Come rock the night away. 9pm / $6 THROWBACK THURSDAYS / Earls — Come experience the best in retro funk, soul, reggae and rock provided by Dr. J. 8pm / No cover DJ KADE / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover DJ SUGAR DADDY / Jax Niteclub — Local DJ Sugar Daddy will be rocking the turntables to get you dancing on the dance floor! Every Thursday night will be filled with pole dancing, shadow dancers and much more! 8pm / $5; free cover with student ID before 11pm

FRIDAY 1

HOUSE DJS / 6Twelve Lounge — Funk, soul & lounge DJs liven up the atmosphere at 6Twelve. 9pm / No cover LADY DEATHSTRYKE, SOUL MATES, HERD OF WASTERS / Amigos Cantina — Go hard or stay home! 10pm / Cover TBD PIANO FRIDAYS: SASKATOON SYMPHONY / The Bassment — Enjoy some smooth jazz stylings. 4:30pm / No cover ROOTS SERIES: KARRNNEL + FRIENDS / The Bassment — Fiddle music for the a rootin’ tootin’ good time. 9pm / $13/18 AUSTEN ROADZ / Béily’s UltraLounge — Austen Roadz throws down a high-

energy, top 40 dance party every Friday night. 9pm / $5 cover RIPPERTRAIN / Buds On Broadway — It’s gonna get loud up in here when these guys take the stage. 9pm / $6 DJ ECLECTIC / The Hose & Hydrant — Local turntable whiz DJ Eclectic pumps snappy electronic beats. 8pm / No cover DJ SUGAR DADDY / Jax Niteclub — This local crowd favourite has always been known to break the latest and greatest tracks in multiple genres. He’s sure to have you on the dance floor in no time.

9pm / $5 cover J STAX / Louis’ — Hip hop from our neighbours to the south. 8pm / Cover TBD DJ BUTTERZ / Lounge 306 — Top 40 songs. 8pm / Cover TBD ADAM K / The Odeon Events Centre — World-renowned DJ spinning sick beats all night. 9pm / $15 (www.theodeon.ca) DJ BIG AYYY & DJ HENCHMAN / Outlaws — Round up your friends ‘cause there’s no better country rock party around. 8pm / $5; ladies in free before 11pm F.E.R.N. / Prairie Ink — A folk singer with the soul of a poet. 8pm / No cover L.O.R.D FUNK / Somewhere Else Pub — Prepare to be funkified by this local band. 9pm / No cover DUELING PIANOS / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King belt out classic tunes and audience requests. 10pm / $5 THE ULTIMATE POWER DUO / Vangelis — Coming at you with energy. 9pm / $5

SATURDAY 2

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

9pm / No cover THE PISTOLWHIPS, PANDAS IN JAPAN, GROOVE / Amigos Cantina — A night filled with good times and good music.

10pm / Cover TBD JAZZ DIVA SERIES: ELIZABETH SHEPHERD TRIO / The Bassment — Smart, sexy, hip jazz. 9pm / $13/18 AUSTEN ROADZ / Béily’s UltraLounge — Austen Roadz throws down a highenergy top 40 dance party along with DJ CTRL every Saturday night. 9pm / $5 cover RIPPERTRAIN / Buds On Broadway — It’s gonna get loud up in here when this bad ass group takes to the stage.

9pm / $6 DJ KADE / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon’s own DJ lights it up with hot tunes.

8pm / No cover

DJ SUGAR DADDY / Jax Niteclub — This local crowd favourite has always been known to break the latest and greatest tracks in multiple genres. 9pm / $5 cover DJ BUTTERZ / Lounge 306 — Top 40 songs. 8pm / Cover TBD LIFTED / Lydia’s Pub — Come dance your heart out in Lydia’s loft. 10pm / $5 DJ BIG AYYY & DJ HENCHMAN / Outlaws Country Rock Bar — Round up your friends ‘cause there’s no better country rock party around. 8pm / $5 STONE MOUNTAIN MUSIC / Prairie Ink —A rock-folk trio. 8pm / No cover L.O.R.D FUNK / Somewhere Else Pub — Prepare to be funkified by this local band. 9pm / No cover DUELING PIANOS / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie

and Brad King belt out classic tunes and audience requests, from Frank Sinatra to Lady Gaga. 10pm / $5 MIKEY DUBZ + MERN / Tequila Nightclub — Records will spin and feet will move. 9pm / Cover TBD YOUNG BENJAMINS / Vangelis — Alt rock/folk music. Also featuring Coldest Night of the Year. 10pm / $8

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

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HILARIOUS OR HEINOUS?

PHOTO: COURTESY OF RELATIVITY MEDIA

Movie 43 brings together an all-star cast for one outrageous endeavour BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

I

f I told you there was a new movie in theatres with Kate Winslet, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Uma Thurman, Naomi Watts, Richard Gere and Terrence Howard in it, what would you think the film would be like?

A dramatic (perhaps period) flick with a fantastic ensemble cast?

A potential darling come the next awards season?

Nobody would blame you if this is where your mind went. After all,

like: holy crap! This movie has more famous thespians in it than a Hollywood rehab centre … How in the name of all things holy are they going to afford all those A- (and not so A) listers? I don’t care if this flick is about a tea party (and not the kind they had in Boston), come hell or high water, I’m going to watch this movie!

And all I can say is that the film — called Movie 43 (presumably because that’s how many Hollywood stars are involved with the

MOVIE 43 Peter Farrelly, Brett Ratner + Elizabeth Banks STARRING Kate Winslet, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Gerard Butler + Uma Thurman DIRECTED BY

96 MINUTES | 14A

this film is really about — crass, outrageous, sophomoric humor.

And this is precisely where things get dicey.

See, every part of my being wants to let the clichéd cat out of the bag and tell you about the three or four scenes in this outrageous flick that literally made me choke with laughter.

But that might ruin the experience for you. So here’s what I’ll say: before you decide whether you want to see this movie or not, check out the red band trailer.

When you’re finished doing that, rest assured the clips featuring Anna Faris asking Christopher Pratt to poop on her, Gerard Butler (as a leprechaun) head-butting Johnny Knoxville or Christopher MintzPlasse suggesting a friend of his stop the flow of her period with frozen peas and a sponge are by no means the funniest in the movie.

Nor are they the most outlandish.

Suffice it to say, this flick isn’t for everybody. If you’re easily offended

…you’re either going to end up loving or loathing [Movie 43].

ADAM HAWBOLDT

between the seven of them, they have accumulated 12 Oscar nominations and two wins.

Now, what if I told you that same movie also featured the hilarious likes of Chris Pratt, Jason Sudeikis, Anna Faris, Seann William Scott, Justin Long and Emma Stone? Oh, and that Gerard Butler, Kristen Bell, Liev Schreiber, Kate Bosworth, and Johnny Knoxville were also in it?

If you’re anything like me, your thoughts would’ve went something

project) — is one of those films you’re either going to end up loving or loathing. There’s no middle ground here.

Directed by Peter Farrelly, Elizabeth Banks, Brett Ratner, Steve Brill and eight other people (I sh*t you not!), Movie 43 is about, well … the plot is unimportant here. All you have to know is that Movie 43 is a series of interconnected episodes that are linked by a general story line. A story line that accentuates what, at its heart,

by racist jokes, sexist jokes, penisand-poop humour or if you like deep and meaningful plots, don’t waste your time with this movie.

You’ll hate it.

But if your sense of humour is anything like mine, you’ll enjoy Movie 43. It’s not the funniest film you’ll ever see, and you probably won’t rave about it to your friends, but it made me laugh, and in the

end, that’s all that really counts with a movie like this.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@AdamHawboldt ahawboldt@verbnews.com

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STEP UP TO THE MIC

New doc explores the ins and outs of stand-up comedy

BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

D

o you think you’re funny? Witty? The owner of a wicked sharp sense of humour?

Most people, when asked, will say yes to at least one of the above.

But here’s the real question: are you funny enough, do you have what it takes, to stand up in front of a room full of people and tell jokes for, say, a full five minutes?

That’s what Vancouver documentarian Sean Patrick Shaul sets out to do in his film, Alone Up There. Well, maybe he doesn’t “set out” to do it, but that’s what happens nonetheless.

Alone Up There begins with lesson, of sorts, about the history of stand-up. For anyone even remotely interested in comedy of this nature, the beginning of the film will be informative and fun.

Without giving too much away, it talks about how stand-up began as a cheap form of entertainment after the Civil War ended in 1865, about how it boomed again in the 1950’s with the Laurel-and-Hardy, two-guys-walk-into-a-bar style

PHOTO: COURTESY OF PRAIRE COAST FILMS

warts and all. To do this, Shaul employs dozens of talking-head interviews with comedians. There are hard-working, far-traveling road comedians like Chris Porter and Simon King. And there are more established ones, like Jeremy Hotz and Mark Breslin.

It’s through their eyes that we get to see the world of stand-up comedy in an up close and intimate way. They regale the audience with stories of hecklers throwing scotch glasses at

[Alone Up There] is an informative, funny, sometimes harsh look into the heart of a hilarious … industry.

ADAM HAWBOLDT

routines, and about how stand-up shifted again in the ‘60s and ‘70s — becoming more topical and controversial. Read: Lenny Bruce.

There’s also talk about court jesters, decapitation and George Carlin.

Now I don’t know about you, but being an enormous fan of stand-up, this segment tickled me in all the right places.

From there the movie changes tack and examines modern stand-up —

them, of paralyzing stage fright, of what it’s like to go out there and slay an audience and what it’s like to bomb so bad you’re booed off stage.

If you’ve seen 2010’s I Am Comic, you probably have a good idea what this middle portion of the documentary is about.

And then, just like a PG-rated Anthony Jeselnik joke, the movie takes a hairpin turn into the unexpected and fresh.

ALONE UP THERE Sean Patrick Shaul

DIRECTED BY

STARRING Mike MacDonald, Mark Breslin, Jeremy Hotz, Ron James + Simon King

85 MINUTES | N/A

Not content to simply talk comedy, filmmaker Sean Patrick Shaul decides the only way to truly understand what it’s like to be one of these people is to get up on stage and walk a clichéd mile in their shoes. So Shaul starts learning the mechanics of joke telling.

Eventually he goes on stage and, with shaking knees, performs a short set.

How does he do? Well, why don’t you watch and find out. Even if you aren’t a big fan of stand-up, chances are you’ll like Alone Up There. It is an informative, funny, sometimes harsh look into the heart of a hilarious and interesting industry.

Alone Up There is currently being screened at the Broadway Theatre.

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@AdamHawboldt ahawboldt@verbnews.com

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 19 @

PLEASUREWAY PUB

Pleasureway Pub 150 Nelson Road (inside the Soccer Centre) (306) 657 5740 MUSIC VIBE / A little bit of everything FEATURED DEALS / Dry ribs and a caesar salad for $9 DRINK OF CHOICE / Pints of Original 16 TOP EATS / Dry ribs and caesar salad COMING UP / Mens’ and womens’ soccer tourneys on January 25th,

and Alpha Fight (live, amateur cage fights) on April 13th

Photography by Patrick Carley

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23 JAN 25 – JAN 31 /VERBSASKATOON

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Photography by Cortez

24 JAN 25 – JAN 31 ENTERTAINMENT

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 15 @

DOUBLE DEUCE

The Double Deuce C1-3510 8th Street East (306) 477 7000 MUSIC VIBE / Top 40 hits, and

whatever the audience requests FEATURED DEALS / Tuesday is $3 special night: $3 wings, $3 highballs, and $3 domestic beer DRINK OF CHOICE / House draft TOP EATS / Wings — either Buffalo or lime pepper

25 JAN 25 – JAN 31 @VERBSASKATOON

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

26 JAN 25 – JAN 31 ENTERTAINMENT

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TIMEOUT

CROSSWORD CANADIAN CRISS-CROSS 47. Pitcher with a flaring spout

DOWN 1. Baby’s toy 2. Atop 3. What tree rings indicate 4. Lying asleep 5. Very small 6. Object of worship 7. What to call a knight 8. Fourteen-line poem 9. Hooked claw 11. Intended 12. Tortilla dough 14. Primates 17. Affirmative vote

20. Congenital blemish 21. Fence opening 23. Bring about 24. Moving ridge of water 26. Take some 27. Brake part 28. Coronet 29. Downright 30. Happened 31. One-dimensional 32. Throw out, as a tenant 33. Use a keyboard 35. Flat hat 38. It has a ringing sound 39. Filly’s father 41. Go downhill fast 43. Handle roughly

SUDOKU ANSWER KEY

A

B

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

24. Units of power 25. Keyboard key 26. Bit of consolation 27. Fence part 30. Ripple 34. Put on the payroll 35. Exposed to view 36. Climbing plant 37. Rowing pole 38. Most excellent 39. Scissors sound 40. Pencil end 42. For each 44. Common place for a sprain 45. Unit for measuring the fineness of gold 46. Fight with lances

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

ACROSS 1. Street 5. Single woman’s title 9. Communications word for T 10. Under the weather, is one 12. Be of importance 13. Eye part 15. Choir member 16. Soil with fertilizing properties 18. Raised pile on velvet 19. Personification of the sun 20. Village in the Yukon 21. Unit of heredity 22. Windflower © WALTER D. FEENER 2012

HOROSCOPES JANUARY 18 – JANUARY 24 ARIES March 21–April 19

LEO July 23–August 22

SAGITTARIUS November 23–December 21

Are you currently working on a project that you’re oh-so-close to finishing? If so, this is a good week to make that one final push.

Prepare to be stimulated! This could very well be one of those weeks where you witness something that’ll blow your hair back. Enjoy.

Sure, it may be cold outside and the weather isn’t what you’d call ideal, but try to get out and have an adventure this week, Sagittarius. You won’t regret it.

TAURUS April 20–May 20

VIRGO August 23–September 22

CAPRICORN December 22–January 19

Your head is going to be flooded with ideas this week, Taurus. Some will be good, others will be simply horrible.

Do your best to figure out which is which.

Been thinking about taking a trip lately, Virgo? If so, don’t bother.

Travel is not advised. Best to stay inside and enjoy the comforts of home.

If you’re looking to meet a new person who is intellectually compatible with you, it could happen this week, Capricorn. Just keep your eyes peeled.

GEMINI May 21–June 20

LIBRA September 23–October 23

AQUARIUS January 20–February 19

This week you’re going to expend a significant amount of both physical and mental energy, Gemini. Be sure to find time to unwind when you can.

As little orphan Annie once sang, “The sun will come out tomorrow.” Maybe not in a literal sense, but metaphorically — for sure.

Stay away from hospitals and police stations this week, Aquarius.

Why? Well, that’s top secret. Just heed these words.

CANCER June 21–July 22

SCORPIO October 24–November 22

PISCES February 20–March 20

Beware the ides of March, Cancer.

Oh, wait. It’s not March. Okay, well, beware of speeding cars and falling ice. That better?

Your powers of persuasion are running high this week, Scorpio.

Use them wisely, but don’t abuse them. It could come back to haunt you.

Feeling like getting your groove on, Pisces? Now is the time to jam out. You might march to the beat of a different drummer, but that drummer rocks!

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

CROSSWORD ANSWER KEY

A

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

B

27 JAN 25 – JAN 31 /VERBSASKATOON

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