Verb Issue S227 (Feb. 15-21, 2013)

ISSUE #227 – FEBRUARY 15 TO FEBRUARY 21

ARTS

CULTURE

MUSIC

SASKATOON

LAND & SEA SARAH SLEAN

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THE NEIGHBORS DOG Saskatchewan’s coolest film series FUNNY SONGS, SERIOUS PEOPLE Q+A with Boats A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD + AMOUR Films reviewed­

CONTENTS

NEWS + OPINION

ENTERTAINMENT

CULTURE

Q + A WITH BOATS

LISTINGS

Winnipeg musicians make funny music for serious people. 12 / Q + A

Local music listings for February 15 through February 23 18 / LISTINGS

THE NEIGHBORS DOG

THE LIVES OF OTHERS

Behind the scenes of Saskatchewan’s coolest film series. 4 / LOCAL

Justin Rutledge, and writing about others. 13 / ARTS

AMOUR + A GOOD DAY TO DIE The latest movie reviews. 20 / FILM

A NEW HISTORY?

NIGHTLIFE PHOTOS

Mendel Art Gallery’s Steeling the Gaze. 13 / ARTS

We visit The Yard and Diva’s.

22-25 / NIGHTLIFE

VERBNEWS.COM @VERBSASKATOON FACEBOOK.COM/VERBSASKATOON

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

ART & PRODUCTION

LESSONS FROM REMAND

DESIGN LEAD / ROBERTA BARRINGTON DESIGN & PRODUCTION / BRITTNEY GRAHAM CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS / PATRICK CARLEY, ADAM HAWBOLDT + ISHTIAQ OPAL

Mark Stobbe opens up about his new book. 6 / LOCAL

BUSINESS & OPERATIONS

ON THE COVER:

SARAH SLEAN

Slean opens up about her biggest project yet. 14 / COVER

THE BUS STOPS HERE

NEW IN TOWN

ON THE BUS

Our thoughts on changing bussing around Saskatchewan. 8 / EDITORIAL

Spadina Freehouse’s new chef cooks up good grub. 16 / FOOD + DRINK

Weekly original comic illustrations

by Elaine M. Will. 26 / COMICS

COMMENTS

MUSIC

GAMES + HOROSCOPES

Here’s what you had to say about Valentine’s Day. 10 / COMMENTS

Pharcyde, The Noble Thiefs + k-os

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

17 / MUSIC

OFFICE MANAGER / STEPHANIE LIPSIT ACCOUNT MANAGER / NATHAN HOLOWATY SALES MANAGER / VOGESON PALEY FINANCIAL MANAGER / CODY LANG

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PLEASE RECYCLE AFTER READING & SHARING PHOTO: COURTESY OF IVAN OTIS

2 FEB 15 – FEB 21 VERB MAGAZINE

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LOCAL

THE NEIGHBORS DOG Behind the scenes of Saskatchewan’s coolest film series

BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

T

he living room looks like an expensive garage sale. Bombproof road cases and milk crates overflowing with cables litter the floor. A disassembled drum kit is heaped by the window. A complicated soundboard and a dolly carrying a pair of television cameras lurk in the background. Every available surface is covered in equipment: monitors, speakers, microphones, lights, rolls of gaffer tape. In the corner, a musician named Hannah Georgas is idly strumming a guitar. Clad in an oversized grey cardigan, her face framed by a shock of red hair, she pauses to check her iPhone, seemingly immune to the chaos surrounding her. It is quarter past three on a Wednesday afternoon in January, and Stacey and Mark Loopkey have become strangers in their own home.

The enormous lodge-style house with the spectacular river view has been commandeered by a professional film crew and a rock band. In just a few hours, Georgas will take the stage, performing two sets for a small crowd of dedicated fans. Every moment will be captured on film, a task that requires hundred of pounds of equipment and hours of work. The Loopkeys are standing in the kitchen, trying to stay out of the way. “This is the second one we’ve done,” Stacey

says, her sharp laugh cutting through the noise of a dozen men and women installing cameras and lights. “We had the Great Lake Swimmers here in 2011. We kind of knew what we would be in for, what it would be like.”

Loopkey is referring to The Neighbors Dog, a film series that captures popular musicians playing to small crowds in the most intimate of settings — a real home belonging to real people. The Neighbors Dog, which has featured a host of prominent Canadian artists including Buck 65,

gesturing toward his spacious living room. “There’s no way.”

The Neighbors Dog was conceived

by Darryl Kesslar and John Mills, the creative partners behind plan9films, a Saskatoon-based production company. The idea developed after the pair filmed a music video for singersongwriter Carrie Catherine. “[John] and I were on the lookout for projects to develop at the time, and we discussed the unique nature of house

We felt we could show artists … in a way that few people would have seen before.

DARRYL KESSLAR

Sarah Slean, and The Besnard Lakes, is currently filming episodes for its fourth season. A few months from now, Georgas’ performance, cut and edited into an hour-long episode, will be beamed into hundreds or even thousands of homes. The show’s fourth season has been picked up

by Citytv, meaning major exposure for what began as a shot in the dark.

Mark Loopkey, now a veteran of two house concerts, understands the appeal. “You don’t go to a concert and have this experience,” he says,

concerts, as well as our affinity for music and music-related projects,” says Kesslar, who seems genuinely excited about shooting Georgas, even if it means an extremely long night of work. “The initial reaction was positive, and when SCN had an open call for productions, we submitted the concept for our series. Long story short, they were interested.”

Kesslar and Mills explored several concepts before settling on what has become the standard Neighbors Dog format: concert footage interspersed CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE »

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PHOTOS: COURTESY OF MICHAEL RAINE

with interviews and backstage footage.

Each episode is a revealing portrait of an artist at work. “The formal house concert was a fringe concept for many years,” he explains. “We felt we could show artists and performances in a way that few people would have seen before. We suspected the setting would be interesting for many of the artists, and that it would present interesting challenges for them.”

If Georgas is anxious about performing for the cameras, she keeps it to herself. After admitting that it was only her second house concert, she changes the subject, asking questions about life in Saskatoon and the frozen expanse of the South Saskatchewan, visible through the spindrift blowing past the windows. As she launches into a story about a family outing gone wrong, Kesslar and his crew are making last-minute adjustments to the lighting — a pair of floor-mounted floodlights and several concealed theatre-style fixtures. This is a delicate procedure. Problems on the set, even seemingly insignificant ones, can dramatically affect the finished product.

“Camera placement is often intuitive,” he says. “The lighting is more challenging. We want to light a show to make it look good in the edit suite but we also want to keep the lighting fairly realistic, and not rock and roll lighting, with color and movement.”

He must do all of this while making

sure the lights are kept out of sight.

After several minute adjustments and much discussion with his crew, Kesslar pronounces it adequate and saunters back to his camera.

Shooting an episode of The Neighbors Dog requires sustained effort from a large crew, most of whom won’t reach their beds until the early hours of the morning. The plan9films crew is friendly and professional, aware of the delicate balance between filming a television show and putting on a concert. Kesslar is proud of his crew, but he can’t help but worry about the future.

“The challenge that has been revealing itself more recently is the difficulty sourcing crew in this era of decreased Saskatchewan government support,” he says, pointing to a decrease in the number of available freelancers, many of whom “are forced to find other ways to pay their bills.”

But these concerns are best kept for later. With the doors scheduled to open a few hours hence, Kesslar and Mills know that every second matters.

As Georgas and her band conduct their soundcheck, a long and ridiculously involved process made more complicated by the shift from cavernous rock clubs to an intimate living room, they test their cameras and clear away the last of the equipment. What was once a mess is now a sleek and tidy television set. The crew knows they have done this dozens of times before, shot almost

40 concerts in every imaginable type of house, but nothing can dispel the feeling of nervous anticipation as the clock sweeps toward showtime.

The doors open a few minutes after seven. Small groups of guests trickle in, many carrying bottles of wine, some looking uncomfortable at the prospect of invading a stranger’s living room.

Tickets for these concerts are hard to get, which means they usually go to people who really want them. Hardcore fans, in other words. Everyone seems excited at the prospect of seeing Georgas play in such a small room. Of the 40 folding chairs Kesslar’s crew provided, few are more than ten feet from the stage.

“Probably the strangest thing is that you have lots of people you don’t know coming in and hanging out in your house,” Mark muses, before Stacey chimes in. “The thing I get worried about is whether the house is clean,” she laughs before admitting that the novelty of the experience makes hosting a Neighbors Dog concert worth the hassle.

Kesslar can’t afford to relax until the episode is edited, a process that begins with colour correction and ends weeks later with an hour-long portrait of Georgas at her best, a story that links together interviews and plenty of live performances. Each episode is differ-

ent, Kesslar explains, likening editing to assembling a puzzle, piece by piece.

“Often the challenge is having way too much material to choose from and squeezing it into the program length. A nice problem to have.”

A few minutes before eight Georgas walks up from the basement.

When she launches into her first song, the room swells with light and

sound and joy. In the background, the cameras roll silently on.

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5 FEB 15 – FEB 21 @VERBSASKATOON

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LOCAL

LESSONS FROM REMAND

PHOTO: COURTESY OF AJ BATAC

Mark Stobbe’s new book examines what it’s like and what it means to be imprisoned in our country BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

I

t’s May, 2008, and Stobbe — a former political adviser to both Saskatchewan and Manitoba governments — has recently been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the death of his wife, Beverly Rowbotham.

For the past week he was stuck in solitary at a remand centre in Saskatoon, but he’s just been transferred to Winnipeg and is entering the prison’s general population for the first time.

In the room in front of him, roughly 75 accused and convicted criminals are milling about, sitting around and chatting. They’re all dressed the same. As soon as the door clangs shut behind him and Stobbe enters the common area, he’s greeted by people snarling at him, saying, “You don’t slam the f**king door!”

But Stobbe doesn’t know that.

Up until now, he’s never had run-ins with the law, never been locked up in jail. How is he supposed to know not to let the door slam? That the noise bothers people and, perhaps, reminds them that they are all locked up — potentially for a long, long time.

“When I first walked in there, obviously I didn’t know this stuff,” says Stobbe of that day. “The door is on a fairly strong hydraulic and it locks immediately, but you know that. You don’t know you’re supposed to stop it from slamming.”

Needless to say, this wasn’t the first impression Stobbe had hoped to

jumped up and started rummaging through the garbage. There was an old copy of the Winnipeg Sun with my picture on the front.”

He remembers a whisper spreading through the room, then a couple of guys approach the newest inmate.

“One of them asks me ‘Hey, are you that guy?’” recalls Stobbe. “So I

…because of who I was, [prisoners] thought I might have had some magical answers that would help get them out…

MARK STOBBE

make, as he’s escorted to the room in which he’ll spend the next six weeks or so.

It isn’t big, this room. According to Stobbe, it’s “not much bigger than most people’s bathrooms.” When he’s settled (or as settled as you can be in your first day in a new remand centre), Stobbe walks back to the common area.

“There was a flurry of activity,” he remembers. “A couple people

told him, yep, I am. Then he asks, ‘So … did you kill her?’”

On certain nights in the Winnipeg Remand Centre, Mark Stobbe would lie awake in his cell thinking about the day’s events.

“If something happened on a particular day, I spent that night committing it to memory,” explains Stobbe.

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PHOTO: COURTESY OF MARK STOBBE

“I didn’t have access to pen and paper or a computer to keep notes, so I would lay awake a few hours, going through the incidents, over and over again, until it was completely committed to memory.”

Little did he know, but these memorization sessions were the genesis for a book he would soon write — Lessons from Remand.

After Stobbe was released on bail in June of 2008, he began writing down all the events he had witnessed during his time in remand.

“Then I had to fill each of these incidents with explanations,” he says, of the process he used to write the book.

One such occurrence took place during the week Stobbe spent in remand in Saskatoon.

“This guy was in segregation, and you get half an hour outside of your cell in what basically is an empty room. That’s where you could get a shower or whatever,” remembers Stobbe. “But when his half hour was up, this guy refused to go back into his cell. They let him sit there for a couple of hours and he still refused, so they summoned

the incident team, I think it was called. Half a dozen guys in riot gear showed up and tossed tear gas into the common room. Then they marched in, surrounded him with their shields so he couldn’t move, tossed him in the shower for some reason, then dragged him naked to his cell, threw him in and locked the door.”

After this happened, Stobbe asked himself a simple question: why was this level of violence displayed by the guards considered normal and legitimate?

This is one of the many situations upon which he ruminates in his upcoming book, which is due to be released next month.

In it, he examines everything from jail house snitches to how communities can arise in the strangest of places.

“Once I was able to shade in all these explanations I started to see a book was emerging, so I contacted some publishers,” he explains.

Key Publishing House Inc. picked up what Stobbe was putting down.

But the book had to wait until Stobbe stood trial.

“Even though it only took me a year or so to finish most of it, I couldn’t release the book until I knew what the ending was going to me,” he states.

Back in the Winnipeg Remand Centre, when Stobbe was asked if he had killed his wife, his answer was simple and straightforward.

“No,” says Stobbe, who, in 2012, was found not guilty in the death of Beverly. That answer sufficed and Stobbe was left to serve the remainder of his time in relative peace.

No one beat him or raped him or tried to intimidate him in a way that Stobbe (who admitted his preconceived notions of jail life were based on TV and movies) figured they would — even though, he recalls, he was sometimes treated differently.

“The nature of the charge I was facing was much more serious than most of them,” says Stobbe. “And that, in a weird sort of way, generated a bit more respect in there.” He pauses, thinks for a moment, then continues to speak. “I think, too, in the beginning, because of who I was they thought I might have had some

magical answers that would help get them out of there.”

He didn’t. Still doesn’t. But in his book, Stobbe raises questions about the theory and practices of the penal system in our country.

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7 FEB 15 – FEB 21 /VERBSASKATOON

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EDITORIAL

PHOTO: COURTESY OF SRIMESH

THE BUS STOPS HERE

It’s time we deregulated Saskatchewan’s bus system

W

hen it comes to travelling around this province by bus, we think enough is enough.

Not only did the Saskatchewan Transportation Company’s (STC) 2011 annual report reveal that it operated at a serious net loss ($16.7 million in total revenue versus $28.1 million in total expenses … you do the math!), but now news has emerged that our government will be giving a record-breaking $13 million operating grant to the STC this year, presumably so they can continue to operate at a loss with ease.

Bailing out the STC has a lengthy history in Saskatchewan. In 2003, the provincial government gave the company an operating grant of $1.6 million, a grant that has increased nearly every year for the past decade.

Oh, and did we mention that, as of January 1st of this year, the STC increased its fares by 4.56%. So the cost for us riders is going up, the company is receiving significant

amounts of cash, and somehow the STC still continues to lose money, hand over fist, fairly consistently. Like we said, folks, enough is enough.

And look, it’s not just us squawking away about this. Even the government has begun to publicly question the way and the extent to which it has subsidized the STC.

into the future? Well, we have to look at every option that’s available to STC to manage their costs … But the bottom line is, this grant is not limitless and we need to keep that in mind.”

And that is a sentiment with which we agree.

Now, we know we have whipped this STC horse in the past,

Now, there’s no doubt people in rural areas need access to a bus service, but as it stands we’re going about it the wrong way.

VERB MAGAZINE

In fact, Don McMorris (the minister responsible for the bus company) recently told a local newspaper that, “We’ve seen the grant increase significantly over the last 10 years. Is that sustainable

but given the new information that has come to light we feel it’s high time to take another crack at the issue. And that is: the Saskatchewan Transportation Company is a wasteful, inefficient enterprise

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that leans heavily on government subsidies while doing very little to nothing for our province’s economy. And we feel it’s time to put an end to this.

The government can only throw so much coin at a money-losing industry before it’s time they pull up stake and walk away.

But it’s not as simple as saying “to hell with this.” It’s wildly unrealistic to presume that everyone will then just hop in a car to get from point A to point B., so we’re not suggesting to do away with buses.

That said, we do believe there is an obvious solution, and it’s this: it’s high time the government should deregulate the bus market in Saskatchewan, and open it up to carriers willing to provide services at competitive prices.

In nearly every other province in this great country of ours, independent carries generate a profit without being subsidized by the government, so why in the heck can’t we do it here? Sure, one of

the reasons is that it’s nearly impossible to compete with a crown corporation, since their subsidies effectively make them immune to market forces (like having to control costs or charge enough to cover their expenses).

And that’s got to stop. Having a cheap, effective, reliable bus service is important to Saskatchewan — we don’t dispute that.

But as we’ve said before, “the nature of our geography is such that the overwhelming majority of rural routes simply can’t make money: limited ridership and enormous distances make traditional bus travel inefficient and wasteful, like flying a 300-seat airliner with four passengers.”

Now, there’s no doubt people in rural areas need access to a bus service, but as it stands we’re going about it the wrong way. If you look at it with the right kind of eyes you’ll see that what’s happening is that rural routes are essentially being subsidized by urban riders. To quote the Frontier Centre for Public

Policy, this “effectively (means) the urban poor subsidize the rural poor” because, well, it turns out that urban routes actually make money in this province.

Go figure.

So we think it’s time we fix the ills of the STC. It’s time to privatize, deregulate and allow for competition in the bus industry in our province, because handing out ever-

increasing grants year after year to a losing enterprise is so obviously not the answer. As we mentioned, it does absolutely nothing to reduce prices.

So maybe it’s time to encourage competitors to join the market and put the rural routes out to tender.

It would be a good move for the province, and a great move for riders.

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

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9 FEB 15 – FEB 21 @VERBSASKATOON

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COMMENTS

OFF TOPIC

ON TOPIC: Last week we asked what you thought about Valentine’s Day. Here's what you had to say:

Text yo thoughtsur to 881 VE R B 8372

– Cops with tasers? Bad idea.With guns they have to think before they shoot guys. Much easier to zap em than to blast em.No sccontabilty.

In response to “We’re stunned,” Editorial page, #225 (February 1, 2013)

– What’s wrong with celebrating a little love? Who cares what made this holiday happen it doesn’t matter. The important thing to do is remember to spread the love around, tell it to someone you’ve been meaning to for a while, repeat it to someone you say it to all the time. It doesn’t have to be romantic love, tell your friends, parents, everyone. Love is in the air people!! xoxo :D

– A person should show love all year round. Not just on Valentines Day. Also, I wish there was no Valentines Day. It’s just rubbing it in to the single people out there that aren’t in a relationship.

– Celebrating love is one thing.

Celebrating a corporate idea of love, by feeling forced to be a super consumer, is another. I’m always surprised by the levelheaded, rational people in my life who are conscious of being a responsible consumer, yet feel the need to blow money on flowers, chocolates and the like. It’s not even original! I agree people should celebrate Valentines day however they want, but that’s not going to stop me from thinking less of your choices if you buy into the hype.

– To all theww pathetic losers who think vday is just one day a year. No wonder you’re constantly crying about how bad your relationships suck. Use your brains.

Relationships take hard work ALL YEAR LONG. Not just ONE DAY a year. Don’t feel sorry for you at all.

– Valentines day is a day where expectations are so high they can

never be met so to all the men out there let the women do the plans and see how they like trying to met the expetation bar and try to surpass it

– I love the idea of neo-burlesque !

Where do I sign up ;p.

In response to “A Sexy Revival,” Local page, #226 (February 8, 2013)

– After this valentine day men let the women plan it and see how they do

– Women always say they don’t care about vday or presents but then there pissed if u don’t get them something sparkly. Cant go wrong with some jewels, guys!

– Not a big fan of Valentine’s primarily cause I got no one to share it with

– I luv valentines day! It makes me feel special and loved. My man knows how to treat me right.

Maybe all u haters don’t have an awesome guy in ur life.

– Oh how original another article slamming vday what are u single or ugly stop hatin just cuz u dont have anyone that loves u

– I love valentines day and don’t care who knows it. Getting spoiled and spoiling my special is so fun!!

Don’t care what u losers things if u don’t like it don’t do it. Happy Valentines day to my favorite Pete love u baby! xo

– Happy Valentines day to everyone out there who may not hear the words from someone . Spreading love can’t be a bad thing, so here’s a little bit for you all!!

SOUND OFF – Getting Saskatoon drivers to slow down is like putting candy in front of a kid and saying don’t eat it.

– When I think about you, I think about 28. I think about your Pontiac Vibe. I think about the stars in the sky. Funny how watching hockey was our fondest memory Like a soundtrack to a May midweek night Bieksa

– Even if our votes for Jack Layton worked, he was sick and passed away. So therefore we would’ve had Stephen Harper next in power anyways.. I say let’s work with the government, (if they decide to work sh*t out with the people) we have no other choice do we? Next time vote and don’t be an idiot.

Harper is corrupt and he’s a total ass. That is all. ;)

– Urban_Rural split? In Sask? Don’t we all come from a farm somewhere? Don’t City folks depend on rural folks to spend $ and grow food? Our MPs represent all of us and the changes proposed by the panel are wrong headed. Many voters reside in a City and have family and/or property in the country.

– Hey if you dont like the way our police operate...next time there’s a fight downtown...YOU jump in and help!!!

10 FEB 15 – FEB 21 NEWS + OPINION

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– IDLE N0 MORE!! ST0P P0VERTY ! FREE V0ICE !!PEOPLE SPEAK UP FIGHT C0RRUPTION AB0RIGINAL PEOPLES PARTY!!!!

this inordinate focus on tobacco?

The anti-tobacco push is a pharmacorp attempt to replace tobacco use with tranqs and ADs.

– When people asked my dad if he thought his kids were spoiled he always said “Naw! They always smell like that.”

– One more night mindset! Its time to change the sheets when your pillow smells like face. Its long past time to change the sheets when your pillow smells butt.

– Guitar! 19 frets 6 strings 10 fingers and 2 palms. Add a little technique bending hammers etc.

So many possibilities for expression. Gotta like Guitar!

– The Canadian Spy/VS/Spy agency Sissy! Sucks Steven ! Investigate YOUR SENATE!

– Since slumlords hate to fix their properties, call your local by-law enforcement (city hall) and get a FREE inspection and finally have your place fixed. The slumlord CANNOT take revenge on you. It feels great!

– This place is bad for racism and prejudice. I can’t even f’in go for groceries without the punk ass RPS following me around. Get to a place you don’t go out!

– Ok ur cougar txt ive got a question is it a cat u saw or a 45 to 55 lady please specify

– COUGERS by the river cougers in the Mall Cougers all around You! downtown W0w

– WHAT KIND 0f Government permits Suppression 0F L0W INCOME FAMILIES!!! V0TE SMART

– Tobacco packaging has medical porn of the impacts of tobacco use. Shouldn’t fast food packaging depict the impacts of obesity with similiar porn? Alcohol too? The point I’m trying to make is why

– We see ladybugs wrong. Got one as a roomie. They’re a kickass predator. Armored powerful jaw wings tough. Likely a terror like a tiger or worse at their scale.

– Jay Z is the best rapper in the game and beyonce is amazing!!

Her show at the superbowl was way better then taylor swifts at the grammys

– Feeling down? Remember u mean more to so many people than u could even realize. So proud of you AS! Hope u read this and it brightens ur day XOXO

– I know all animals need a loving home, but think twice before buying from a pet store. Abandoned and shelter animals need help!

– Lots of accidents out there but lots of sweet moments of strangers helping strangers. Drive safe, and if you see someone who needs a hand give them one!

NEXT WEEK: What do you think about changing bus service in Saskatchewan? Pick up a copy of Verb to get in on the conversation: We print your texts verbatim each week. Text in your thoughts and reactions to our stories and content, or anything else on your mind.

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FUNNY SONGS FOR SERIOUS PEOPLE

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

Winnipeg’s Boats make an unconventional splash BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

A

fter two records of manic synth-rock and plenty of time in the back of a van, Winnipeg indie pop outfit Boats have returned with a third volume of spiky songs about failure and success, growing up and growing old. A Fairway Full Of Miners picks up where its predecessor, Cannonballs, Cannonballs, left off. It is a blistering collection of cacophonous rock imbued with a wicked sense of humour.

Boats pretend not to take themselves seriously, but A Fairway Full Of Miners feels like a final gamble, the band’s attempt to position themselves as talented jokesters capable of writing hipster dance anthems and playing the most raucous shows imaginable before their hopes and dreams come crashing down.

I caught up with singer and songwriter Mat Klachefsky to try and figure out what, exactly, Boats is all about.

Alex J MacPherson: Winnipeg has a great music scene, but a lot of what comes out of that city has to do with the city itself. You guys avoid that track like the plague. Was moving away from the Winnipeg scene a conscious decision?

people, so there’s really no bleed over to other people who want to do it differently. If we wrote songs about Winnipeg, we’d be the Weakerthans.

AJM: So what is your place in terms of writing and making music?

Mat Klachefsky: I think that’s all just been done. That’s not really our place. We just want to make

MK: I think I am kinda inspired a lot by comedy and jokes, and I think there’s definitely a jumpingoff point there, to say that they’re related. I’m more amused by small

I’m more amused by small turns of phrase, like one-liners and non-sequiturs.

MAT KLACHEFSKY

music. I think we’re kinda separated from Winnipeg’s music scene, and I think that probably has to do with the way that the music is written, which is just by me — and I don’t know how to write songs with other

turns of phrase, like one-liners and non-sequiturs. I’m just really entertained by those, and they make it into the songs, which makes the songs a bit incoherent but that’s alright. I like incoherent.

AJM: At the same time, it’s not like you’re writing comedy songs.

MK: Last week, I was doing some interviews. I had two interviews back-to-back. The first guy asked me, ‘Why are your lyrics so depressing?’ Then the next guy asked me, ‘Why are your lyrics so goofy?’

I think that says a lot.

AJM: One of the first things to stand out are the matched song titles, things like “O Telescope” and “O Jumbotron,” “Advice On Bears” and “Advice on Bioluminescent Bears.” I’m not clear on the connections, though.

MK: Just to amuse myself. It was kind of happening already, and then we just kind of finished it. I was writing songs in twos, and then that’s just the way it ended up. There were a few more that we needed to match up. I’ve realized that you can name songs whatever you want.

AJM: There are certainly amusing moments on the new record, but it’s impossible to ignore an element of seriousness in there, which seems like a step forward for the band.

MK: I think so. I mean, it’s definitely been hard for us, which has maybe contributed to the darker tone of this record. I’m totally broke and everyone in the band is totally broke. We can’t really hold down jobs or anything, but we like what we do. It’s tough, so maybe that contributed.

[But] it’s either this or working crappy jobs.

Boats February 21 @ Vangeli’s $8 @ the door

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ARTS

THE LIVES OF OTHERS

Justin Rutledge and the art of writing about strangers

I

think my life is pretty boring, and I don’t have much to talk about,” Justin Rutledge says with a laugh. This may or may not be true, but it explains why he spends most of his time writing about the lives of others. “I really get off on studying someone else, studying another situation. I really enjoy creating these characters, creating these scenarios. I’m trying to create another world.”

In a career spanning more than a decade, Rutledge has released five thoughtful alt-country records — little worlds populated by characters everybody seems to remember. His latest, Valleyheart, is his most adventurous and creative to date. From the sombre strains of “Heather In The Pines” to “Out of The Woods,” an organ-driven rocker and the best song he has ever written, it is a musical masterpiece.

The most arresting moment on the record, and the one that best underscores Rutledge’s approach to making

BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

music, comes midway through “Getting Away.” As the song builds to the second verse, a series of rich piano chords cascade through the mix — a touch that transforms a simple acoustic ballad into an expansive landscape of sound. “What I wanted to do with this record was really centre it around the piano,” Rutledge explains, adding that Hawksley Workman once told him even the simplest addition can dramatically change a record. “Even though I’ve had piano on my records in the past, I really wanted the piano to ground this record.”

On the other end of the spectrum, Rutledge’s lyrics read like great fiction. His stories are redolent with emotion yet unencumbered by intent and direction. He thinks of lyrics as photographs — snapshots from stories that the audience can interpret however they like.

“I think a little too highly of my audience to generalize or to tell them what to do or to say. I really work

PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

hard at what I sing, because I don’t like songs that tell me how to feel.

Personally, as a music lover I stay away from that.”

“Unless,” he laughs, “it’s disco.”

Valleyheart is not a disco record and it doesn’t presume to offer answers. All Rutledge can promise is a tantalizing glimpse into his life — and the lives of others.

Justin Rutledge February 21 @ The Bassment $15/20

A NEW HISTORY?

Steeling the Gaze, a shattered history, and the politics of photography

PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF CANADA

1. Dana Claxton, Daddy’s Gotta New Ride, National Gallery of Canada, 2008, dye coupler print.

A

t first glance, Steeling The Gaze is a collection of portraits and self-portraits by aboriginal artists, work by men and women who use photography to depict their communities, and also the broader humanistic ideas that transcend race and culture. But it is also a deeply political exhibition, one that attempts to repair — or at

least explain — the long and troubled history of Canada’s aboriginal peoples and the camera.

“I was noticing how many aboriginal artists used the portrait tradition for their photography,” says co-curator Andrea Kunard, adding that the first cameras were regarded with suspicion by indigenous peoples. “That to me is political right there, because it is being used by the aboriginal person to say something about their culture and their time, rather than being used against them, which was the case for so many years.”

According to Steven Loft, the exhibition’s other co-curator, Steeling The Gaze features artists in the act of taking back the camera from whites, who used it as a tool of oppression.

From Arthur Renwick’s dramatic and moving headshots to Dana Claxton’s unsettling juxtapositions

BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

of indigenous traditions and contemporary western society, all of the works address problems that have long been associated with aboriginal identity: marginalization, stereotyping, and oppression.

“It comes from a shattered history, and in many ways an oppressed history, a history of violence,” Loft explains, adding that the exhibition has distinct overtones of anger and even rage. “When it has affected you and your family and your community so directly, as it has with aboriginal people, it shouldn’t surprise us that it’s come out in artists who give voice and give presence when other people aren’t listened to.”

The exhibition’s timing could not be better. It parallels the rise of Idle No More, a nebulous movement focused on aboriginal rights.

It is worth remembering, however,

that aboriginal artists have been documenting similar problems for decades. Steeling the Gaze does not purport to be a panacea, nor should it be viewed as such. Instead, the exhibition should be seen as not only a triumph of aboriginal art, but also a real step forward, away from a gloomy history and toward a better future.

Steeling The Gaze Through March 10 @ Mendel Art Gallery

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LAND & SEA

Sarah Slean dives headfirst into the biggest project of her life BY A

T

here is a story about Beethoven, probably not true, that explains why Sarah Slean elected to make an expansive double album, the most complex and difficult project she had ever undertaken, when confidence in the music industry was at an all-time low. When violinist Ignaz Schuppanzigh complained about a particularly difficult passage in one of Beethoven’s late string quartets, the fiery German shot back: “Do you think I give a damn about your miserable violin when the muse strikes me?”

“That’s so wonderful,” cackles Slean, who clearly enjoys telling the story, her composure collapsing for the briefest of moments. “It’s like this music is just picking you to come to earth through. You just have to be as accommodating as possible. And it’s terrifying: the music industry has collapsed and I want to make a double album with an orchestra?”

She wanted to, and she did. The hugely ambitious Land & Sea was recorded and released in 2011.

It marked a watershed for Slean, eclipsing her not inconsiderable earlier achievements — two volumes of poetry, a pair of tightly-wound string quartets, and a stack of contemplative piano pop records — and positioning her as one of the most driven and determined artists in the country. Land & Sea emerged as a fully-realized expression of her musical vision, but the raven-haired songstress readily admits she had no idea what she was writing.

“That’s the way it is every time,” she says, struggling to describe the ineffable process of creation. “You start feeling like you have ideas, little snippets start coming to you, but you have no idea what you’re making. About halfway through I realized the songs were coming from two very different perspectives, and they had two very different temperatures or flavours.”

Packaged as a double album, Land & Sea is actually two distinct records, parallel ideas expressed through two

and metaphor of the ocean — connective tissue for the bones and ligaments of land on which we live. “It comes from that intuition that we all kind of have, that though we do very viscerally experience being separate from each other, we all intuitively feel that we’re one phenomenon,” she explains, sounding truly excited at the hint of some greater truth, “the phenomenon of life, this forward motion of this creative energy that’s ceaseless, relentless, and constantly in motion.”

All of the great people in art and science were outrageously unrealistic, and I think that’s where great things get made.

SARAH SLEAN

contrasting musical aesthetics. Land is all pop. Recorded live and produced, in part, by Joel Plaskett, it feels warm and energetic and bright. “Life,” a stormy song for the end of history, establishes the central idea around which the record unfolds: the end of one epoch and the promise of another.

“Land is all about our times, our moment in history,” Slean says, hinting broadly at a deeper meaning, “the difficulties we often encounter being a separate ego or personality.”

Sea is different. Cast against the swell of an orchestra and punctuated by the delicate rage of Slean’s piano, the album explores the mythology

Slean could have, and perhaps even should have, released the records a year or two apart. It would have minimized her exposure to the risk of gambling on records in a time of turbulence and uncertainty. She actually considered it, but eventually decided to release them together, convinced Land and Sea complemented each other. It was a good decision. Today, Land & Sea sound like two sides of the same coin, joined together for all time.

But releasing them together was not an easy decision. Slean knew the record would dominate the next two or three years of her life. After its release, she hit the road with a rock band to play CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE »

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PHOTOS: COURTESY OF IVAN OTIS

ALEX J MACPHERSON Land. Then she flew to Europe for a series of concerts with string quartets, a teaser for the grandiose Sea tour on the horizon, a trip from Pacific to Atlantic and back again, complete with touring musicians and additional players recruited from local orchestras. Slean understands that the project is risky and ambitious, but that knowledge only seems to energize her further.

“The artists I admire are people that never succumbed to the conformity of ideas,” she says, her voice rising. “All

PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

of the great people in art and science were outrageously unrealistic, and I think that’s where great things get made. My project is to push myself.”

She does not say it, but Sea will also push her listeners. Conceived in part as an antidote to the saccharine and shallow pop that has for years dominated the airwaves, the record reflects her faith in the people who buy albums — and her anger at the business itself.

“I think the mistake of the music industry, and the reason it is a pile of embers now, is because they have insulted our intelligence for so long,” she says, with more than a hint of anger. “I’ve had people in the music industry tell me

to make it simpler, to make it dumber basically. I just think that’s a colossally arrogant assumption to make about the general public.”

Slean prefers to think of Land & Sea as a complete work, a piece of art that can survive multiple plays without surrounding it secrets. This is particularly apparent on Sea, which attempts to unravel what she calls “the shocking wonder of existence.”

Struck by the spectacular improbability of life on earth, she dove into the history of philosophy, science, and religion. Eventually, she found an answer in the simple act of appreciation, the idea of experiencing everything with eyes wide open. “We tune out most of what the world is in order to function and survive and get thing done and take out the garbage and have children,” she says. “But what’s going on, and what we take for granted, is not mundane by any stretch of the imagination. Everything around us is a colossal miracle.”

This idea runs through the record, rising to the surface for air before plunging beneath the waves. It is expressed on “The Cosmic Ballet,” the soaring opening track (“There’s more wisdom in the iris bud / than all our centuries of words”), and gets its most thorough airing on “Everything By The Gallon,” a tender love song for the earth itself (“Everything by the gallon / Nothing at all half-way / He said to me / It’s the only way, only way”).

Slean’s grand ideas expand and evolve as the record unfolds. Informed by her study of eastern religions and mythology, as well as modern physics,

Sea explores a continuity that transcends birth and death — a timeless cycle that positions humans as but one drop in a sea of lives. “Think about physics, the fact that light behaves like a particle and like a wave,” Slean urges, after explaining that she keeps abreast of developments in science.

“That’s exactly what we are: we behave like particles, like these little isolated confined beings that are separate, but we also behave like we’re on a

continuum. We’re like that wave in the ocean that goes up, has a life, appears to be a separate object or entity, and then dissolves back into the allness.”

Ultimately, Slean’s project — particularly Sea — is reminiscent of a line from David Mitchell’s towering Cloud Atlas, a penetrating novel that captures the spirit of what Slean set out to achieve.

Land & Sea will shine bright for a time, but it will eventually become a tiny speck on the great arc of history. But, as

Mitchell writes, “Yet what is any ocean but a multitude of drops?”

Beethoven would be thrilled.

Sarah Sleen February 23 @ Broadway Theatre $ 30+ @ Broadway Theatre box office Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

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NEW TO TOWN Photos courtesy of Adam Hawboldt.

The new chef at Spadina Freehouse cooks up good grub

BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

I

t all started with a simple suggestion.

Like so many of us, when Garth Hunter was in high school he had no idea what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. All he knew is he didn’t want to be chained to a desk. He talked with his school guidance counsellor about the avenues he could possibly explore, but nothing came of it. That is, until one day his girlfriend at the time (who knew Hunter enjoyed cooking) suggested he become a chef.

He mulled the idea over and decided to enroll in the culinary arts program at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, in his hometown of Edmonton.

That was 11 years ago. Since then, Hunter has worked in kitchens

from Alberta to Victoria, Ontario to Halifax. And now he’s in Saskatoon, working as the new head chef at the Spadina Freehouse. “I’ve been here for about three weeks now, and it’s been wonderful,” he told me when I dropped by for some grub last week.

Having never eaten at the Freehouse before (though I have been quite inebriated there), I asked Hunter what his favourite dishes on the menu were.

He hemmed and hawed for a second, then told me it was a toss-up between two items: the Kashmiri chicken (a

…the tomatoes … were roasted to sweet, succulent perfection.

ADAM HAWBOLDT

And while the learning curve of how things are done at the Freehouse was a little steep in the beginning, Hunter is at home now in the kitchen, and it shows.

curry masala made with chicken, cardamon, ginger, onion, cilantro and yogurt), and the Capicola and Roast Roma pizza.

Now here’s the thing, folks. If a chef tells you his favourite dish that he cooks, you should probably order it.

So that’s what I did. And because I had heard great things about the Freehouse pizza, I went with the Capicola and Roast Roma.

It was a good choice. Made with basil pesto, spicy capicola ham, roasted tomatoes, onions and provolone cheese, all on a crispy pizza crust, this pizza was all kinds of good. Especially the tomatoes, which were roasted to sweet, succulent perfection.

Oh, and because my eyes tend to be bigger than my belly, I also ordered some empanadas. With their sweet

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pork filling and spicy chimichurri sauce, these tasty morsels were a flavour explosion in my mouth.

Next time I head to the Freehouse, maybe I’ll give the Kashmiri chicken a try. Or maybe by then chef Hunter will have added a few of his signature dishes to the Freehouse menu. Who knows?

Spadina Freehouse 608 Spadina Cres. E | 668 1000

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NEXT WEEK

COMING UP

PHARCYDE

THE NOBLE THIEFS

K-OS

@ AMIGOS CANTINA FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22– $25

@ LYDIA’S PUB SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23 – $5

@ THE ODEON THURSDAY, APRIL 11 – $TBD

When the Pharcyde exploded onto the rap scene in the early-mid ‘90s, they were one of the freshest, hottest acts on the planet. With a multi-MC’d approach and an underground, alternative sound, the group — which consisted of Imani, Bootie Brown, Slimkid3 and Fatlip — shot to the top of the charts with instant classics like “Passin’ Me By,” “Runnin’,” and “Drop.” But the ride didn’t last. Soon the quartet was infighting, Fatlip and Slimkid3 left the group, and things devolved into what Complex magazine ranked as the #26 worst fall-offs in rap history. Which is a shame, because these guys had such a funky sound and so much potential. Best believe I’ll be there when they hit Amigos. Tickets available at ticketedge.ca

Ever walk into a bar, hear some live music and instantly your head starts bobbing up and down? Pretty soon your feet are moving, you’re on the dance floor and screaming at the top of your lungs? Well, that’s the kind of music The Noble Thiefs play.

Hailing from Winnipeg, this band — Myron Dean, Riley Hastings, Ian Lodewyks, Joel Armstrong and Tim Jones — has a sound that is part rock, part soul, part garage and all awesome. With an upbeat ‘50s vibe playing behind silky smooth vocals, The Noble Thiefs put on an electric live performance that fills dance floors and wins fans wherever they play in the country. They are currently touring western Canada, so if you feel like having a good time, stop by and check ‘em out!

What does Kevin Brereton’s stage name, k-os, stand for? Is it “knowledge of self” or “Kevin’s original sound?” The better question is, does it matter? At different times the Toronto rapper/singer/songwriter/producer has said his stage name means a few different things, but through it all one thing has remained constant — the infectious sound of the music k-os makes. Creating a brand of alternative hip hop all his own, this Canadian artist has won numerous awards, dropped platinum albums, won multitudes of fans, and, according to Billboard magazine, created “one of the finest hip-hop records Canada has ever produced” — that being his debut LP, Exit. k-os will be in town in April; tickets will be available at www.theodeon.ca – By Adam Hawboldt

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

SASK MUSIC PREVIEW Calling all Saskatchewan performing artists! Submissions for the Breakout West Festival, Western Canadian Music Awards and Western Canadian Music Industry Awards are now open. What’s more, the WCMAs have announced two new categories: Electronic/Dance Recording of the Year, and Metal/Hard Music Recording of the Year. Please have your submissions in no later than April 1, at 11pm CST.

Keep up with Saskatchewan music. saskmusic.org

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LISTINGS

FEBRUARY 15 » FEBRUARY 23 The most complete live music listings for Saskatoon.

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15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

FRIDAY 15

HOUSE DJS / 6Twelve Lounge — Funk, soul & lounge DJs liven up the atmosphere at 6Twelve. 9pm / No cover THE FOGGY NOTIONS / Amigos — A local pop/rock band will be sweetly rocking you all night long. 10pm / Cover TBD

PIANO FRIDAYS: MARION MENDELSOHN / The Bassment — Enjoy some smooth jazz stylings. 4:30pm / No cover ROOTS SERIES: SUZIE VINNICK / The Bassment — The female voice of blues in Canada. 9pm / $15/20 DJ AASH MONEY / Béily’s — DJ Aash Money throws it down every Friday night.

9pm / $5 THE HEART OF COUNTRY / Broadway Theatre — Featuring Jannecke, Catherine Lewans, Jay Semko and Christianne Godart, performing at this benefit for wounded warriors. 8pm / $25 (advance), $30 (door) KASHMIR / Buds — Western Canada’s premier Led Zeppelin tribute band. 9pm / $6 THE MAES / The Fez — Catchy rock ‘n roll.

9pm / Cover TBD DJ ECLECTIC / The Hose — 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. 9pm / $5 cover FUR EEL / Lydia’s — Check out this funk/ rock/soul band from Regina,. 10pm / $5 DJ BUTTERZ / Lounge 306 — Top 40 songs, all night long. Stop on by and rock out. 8pm / Cover TBD 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 THE STANDARDS TRIO / Prairie Ink — Smooth jazz stylings. 8pm / No cover BLUE COLLAR / Somewhere Else Pub and Grill — A rockin’ good night at this local watering hole. 9pm / No cover URBAN OUTLAWS / Stan’s Place — Come out for some good tunes. 9pm / No cover

DUELING PIANOS / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King belt out classic tunes and audience requests.

10pm / $5 TORRO TORRO / Tequila — A hot-as-hell duo from Toronto. 8pm / $5 FORKS, LISA LISA / Vangelis Tavern — Two acts that are sure to please. 10pm / $5

SATURDAY 16

HOUSE DJS / 6Twelve — Resident DJs spin deep and soulful tunes all night. 9pm / No Cover THE BATTLEFORDS / Amigos Cantina — An talented indie rock trio will be taking to the stage to rock your socks off. Also appearing will be The Maes. 10pm / Tickets available at the door PIANO SERIES: DAVID BRAID / The Bassment — Featuring #1 jazz pianist in the country. 9pm / $18/23

POWDER BLUE / Beaumont Film and Record — This all-girl group is all kinds of good.

9pm / Cover TBD DJ CTRL + AUSTEN ROADZ / Béily’s UltraLounge — DJ CTRL throws down a high-energy top 40 dance party along with Austen Roadz every Saturday night. 9pm / $5 cover KASHMIR / Buds On Broadway — Western Canada’s premier Led Zeppelin tribute band will take to the stage to rock out.

9pm / $6 JULIAN AUSTIN / Crown and Rok — A talented country music from Eastern Canada.

9pm / Cover TBD DJ KADE / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon’s own DJ lights it up. 8pm / No cover DJ SUGAR DADDY / Jax Niteclub — This local crowd favourite breaks the latest and greatest tracks. 9pm / $5 cover DJ BUTTERZ / Lounge 306 — Top 40 songs to keep you rocking all night long. 8pm / Cover TBD BASS INVADERS / Lydia’s Pub — It’s gonna get funky up in here. 10pm / $5 LIFTED / Lydia’s Pub — Come dance your heart out in Lydia’s loft. 10pm / $5 DJ BIG AYYY & DJ HENCHMAN / Outlaws — Round up your friends ‘cause there’s no better country rock party around.

8pm / $5 NEIL ROSTON TRIO / Prairie Ink — Blues and folk tunes. 8pm / No cover BLUE COLLAR / Somewhere Else Pub and Grill — A rockin’ good night at this local watering hole. 9pm / No cover URBAN OUTLAWS / Stan’s Place — Come out for good tunes. 9pm / No cover DUELING PIANOS / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King belt out classic tunes and audience requests.

10pm / $5 CONEXUS POPS SERIES: AT THE MOVIES / TCU Place — A night of Oscar-winning music. 7:30pm / $35-55 PANDAS IN JAPAN, POP CRIMES, THE FAPS / Vangelis Tavern — It’s gonna get loud up in here. 10pm / $5

SUNDAY 17

DISCO FRIES / Béily’s — Come celebrate the long weekend! 9pm / Cover TBD DJ KADE / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover BLONDTRON, MAMA MICHE / Tequila Nightclub — Break out your dancing shoes for these two fresh acts. 8pm / $10 SUNDAY JAM / Vangelis Tavern — The Vangelis Sunday Jam is an institution, offering great tunes from blues to rock and beyond.

7:30pm / No cover

18 FEB 15 – FEB 21 ENTERTAINMENT

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MONDAY 18

METAL MONDAYS / Lydia’s Pub — If hard, heavy awesomeness is your thing, swing by. 9pm

TUESDAY 19

THE MULES / Buds On Broadway — Come out for a rockin’ good time. 9pm / $6 DJ SUGAR DADDY / The Double Deuce — Sugar Daddy’s able to rock any party.

9:30pm / $4 cover VERB PRESENTS OPEN STAGE / Lydia’s — The open stage at Lydia’s is a chance for bands, solo artists and even comedians to showcase original material. 9pm / No cover OPEN MIC / Somewhere Else Pub — Come out to show your talent. 7pm / No cover

WEDNESDAY 20

HUMP WEDNESDAYS / 302 Lounge & Discotheque — Resident DJ Chris Knorr will be spinning all of your favourite songs. 9pm / No cover until 10pm; $3 thereafter BOB COOK AND THE MUCHO NADA PARTY / Buds On Broadway — Let’s get this party started right! 9pm / $6 THE AVENUE RECORDING COMPANY PRESENTS OPEN MIC / The Fez — Sign up and play at this weekly event. 10pm / No cover DJ KADE / The Hose — Saskatoon DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover DR. J ‘SOULED OUT’ / Lydia’s — Dr. J spins hot funk and soul. 9pm / No cover SHAWN DESMAN / The Odeon — A platinum-selling R&B artist from Toronto.

7pm / $25-35 (www.theodeon.ca) WILD WEST WEDNESDAY / Outlaws — This is Saskatoon’s top industry night, hosted by DJ Big Ayyy & DJ Henchman. 9pm / $4; no cover for industry staff DUELING PIANOS / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King belt out classic tunes and audience requests, from Sinatra to Lady Gaga. 10pm / No cover CLOSE TALKER, CALVIN LOVE, COLDEST DAY OF THE YEAR / Vangelis Tavern — A stellar night full of great acts. 9pm / $8

THURSDAY 21

ARIANE MOFFAT / Amigos — A Quebecoise singer/songwriter. 10pm / $12 (www. ticketedge.ca) ROOTS SERIES: JUSTIN RUTLEDGE / The Bassment — A talented roots singer/songwriter from Toronto. 9pm / $15/$20 BOB COOK AND THE MUCHO NADA PARTY / Buds On Broadway — Let’s get this party started right! 9pm / $6 THROWBACK THURSDAYS / Earls — Come experience the best in retro funk, soul, reggae and rock. 8pm / No cover

THUNDER RIOT W/CONKY SHOWPONY / The Fez on Broadway — Come dance the night away as this local DJ plays the kind of music that’ll get your feet moving. 9pm / $5 DJ KADE / The Hose — 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! 8pm / $5; free cover with student ID before 11pm WU-BLOCK / The Odeon Events Centre — Featuring Ghostface Killah and Sheek Louch. 7pm / $19.50-35 (www.theodeon.ca) BOATS, MOAS / Vangelis — Two excellent bands, one great price. 10pm / $8

FRIDAY 22

HOUSE DJS / 6Twelve Lounge — Funk, soul & lounge DJs liven it up. 9pm / No cover THE PHARCYDE / Amigos — Don’t let the opportunity to see this legendary rap act pass you by. 10pm / $25 (www.ticketedge.ca) PIANO FRIDAYS: RICK FRIEND / The Bassment — Come check out some smooth jazz stylings. 4:30pm / No cover MARDI GRAS FEST: ABSOFUNKINLUTLEY / The Bassment — Saskatoon’s favourite disco-party band. 9pm / $12/16 DJ AASH MONEY / Béily’s — DJ Aash Money throws it down. 9pm / $5 cover SCREAMLYNE / Buds On Broadway — Oh buddy, this show is gonna rock. 9pm / $6 RORY BOREALIS AND THE NORTHERN LIGHTS, FUNKSMITHS, FOREVER LAND, BASTARD POETRY / The Fez — A stellar line up of bands. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ ECLECTIC / The Hose & Hydrant — Local turntable whiz DJ Eclectic pumps snappy electronic beats. 8pm / No cover DJ SUGAR DADDY / Jax Niteclub — Able to rock any party, this local crowd favourite has always been known to break the latest and greatest tracks in multiple genres. 9pm / $5 cover TIM VAUGHN / Lydia’s Pub — A guitar-slinger with a soulful voice. 10pm / $5 IN FLAMES / The Odeon Events Centre — Kickass metal all the way from Sweden.

6:30pm / $37.50 (www.theodeon.ca) 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 IT’S TOO LATE, BABY / Prairie Ink — Bringing to life the music of Carole King and James Taylor. 8pm / No cover THE 11TH OCTAVE (L.O.R.D FUNK) / Somewhere Else Pub and Grill — Come out for a night of funky music. 9pm / No cover JOMAMA / Stan’s Place — A night of rocking tunes. 9pm / No cover

DUELING PIANOS / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Featuring Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King. 10pm / $5 DVBBS / Tequila — This electronic act was named “One To Watch 2013” at the Canadian Urban Music Awards. 8pm / $5 FORTUNATE ISLES / Vangelis Tavern — Indie dance rock done right. 10pm / $5

SATURDAY 23

HOUSE DJS / 6Twelve — Resident DJs spin deep and soulful tunes. 9pm / No cover JAY TRIPWIRE / Amigos Cantina — A DJ act out of Vancouver. 10pm / Cover TBD MARDI GRAS FEST: DR. DON AND THE BLACK MAMBAS, ZYDE-GOGO, THE CRAWDADDIOS / The Bassment — Night #2 of Mardi Gras Fest. 9pm / $15/20 DJ CTRL + AUSTEN ROADZ / Béily’s UltraLounge — DJ CTRL throws it down with Austen Roadz. 9pm / $5 cover SARAH SLEAN / Broadway Theatre — A Juno-nominated singer/songwriter. 8pm / $30 (advance), $35 (day of) SCREAMLYNE / Buds On Broadway — Oh buddy, this show is gonna rock. 9pm / $6 CAUGHT IN A DREAM / The Fez — An Alice Cooper tribute act. 10pm / Cover TBD DJ KADE / The Hose — Saskatoon’s own DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover DJ SUGAR DADDY / Jax Niteclub — This local favourite breaks it down. 9pm / $5 cover NOBEL THIEFS / Lydia’s Pub — If you want to party properly, don’t miss this soul/rock band from Winnipeg. 10pm / $5 DJ BIG AYYY & DJ HENCHMAN / Outlaws — Round up your friends ‘cause there’s no better country rock party around. 8pm / $5 WYNDHAM THIESSEN / Prairie Ink — Folk music to sooth your soul. 8pm / No cover THE 11TH OCTAVE (L.O.R.D FUNK) / Somewhere Else Pub — Come out for a night of funky music. 9pm / No cover.

JOMAMA / Stan’s Place — Come out for a night of rocking tunes. 9pm / No cover DUELING PIANOS / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King belt out classic tunes and audience requests.

10pm / $5 SEAHAGS, DOWN HOME BOYS, THE WILDMEN / Vangelis Tavern — What better way to spend a Saturday than listening to these three sweet bands? 10pm / $7

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

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ON LOVE AND DYING

PHOTO: COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES CLASSICS

Amour is a heartbreaking look at a couple in the twilight of their lives BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

D

isclaimer: Michael Haneke’s latest film, Amour, isn’t for everyone. I repeat: it is not for everyone.

See, if you’re the kind of filmgoer who needs action and explosions and edge-of-your seat suspense, chances are you won’t enjoy Haneke’s latest flick. But if you’re the kind of movie

stroke. Naturally Georges takes her to the hospital, where the doctor suggests Anna have surgery to stop another stroke from occurring. Anna goes under the knife, but there’s a catch: the operation isn’t a success, and it leaves her partially paralyzed. Once she’s released and arrives home, she makes Georges promise to never take her back to the hospital.

AMOUR Michael Haneke Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva + Isabelle Huppert DIRECTED BY STARRING

135 MINUTES | PG

about old age, your own demise and the meaning of true, ever-lasting love.

And the best part? It does all this in a way that is different than most love stories you’ll see. A Nicholas Sparks flick this is not. Under the cool, even hand of Haneke, Amour is completely void of overblown romantic gestures and syrupy sentimentality.

So, without those romance film tropes, how does Haneke manage to make one of the best love stories you’ll see this year?

Well, he allows the heart-breaking realism of the story to shine through by using a very sparse, non-manipulative approach to film-making. Oh, and he also lets his two main actors carry the weight of this heavy-as-hell picture.

Lucky for him, he has two legends of French film to lean on. First, there’s Trintignant, one of the best actors to come out of the French New Wave, whose films include classics like Three Colors: Red and Les liaisons dangereuses. Then there’s Mrs. Riva, the star of Three

[Trintignant and Riva] light the screen on fire with their incredible performances.

ADAM HAWBOLDT

watcher who prefers excellent acting and an unflinching glimpse of real-life trials and tribulations, then you’re probably going to love Amour. (Sorry, couldn’t resist).

The film tells the story of an old, octogenarian couple — Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant) and Anna (Emmanuelle Riva).

Georges and Anna, both retired and respected music teachers, live in a nice Parisian apartment and enjoy a comfortable, middle-class life. That is until one day, when Anna has a small

From here on out, the film maps the ever-deepening spiral of not just Anna’s health, but of Georges’ struggle to take care of the love of his life. A stubborn old bugger, Georges shrugs off the idea of their daughter helping him, and goes it alone.

Right. And that’s basically the entire plot of Amour. Not much to it, huh?

But here’s the thing: this movie — if you give it a chance — will punch you straight in the stomach. It’s cruel and beautiful. It’ll break your heart and make you smile. It will make you think

Colors: Blue and Hiroshima mon amour, who is equally as talented as Mr. Trintignant. Together they light the screen on fire with their incredible performances as aged lovers on the brink of decline and death — a situation that most of us will face if we’re lucky enough to find someone and live that long.

No two ways about it, Amour is the kind of film that really hits home.

Amour is currently being screened at the Roxy Theatre.

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@AdamHawboldt ahawboldt@verbnews.com

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A GOOD DAY TO DIE OFF

If this is where the Die Hard franchise is heading, maybe it’s time to end things BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

T

his is going to be the hardest review I’ve ever written.

No, I don’t have writer’s block. I’m not sick. And my hands aren’t broken.

The reason it’s going to be so hard is because I love the Die Hard franchise. I mean, c’mon.

They set the gold standard for action movies, combining tense action with zippy one-liners, catchphrases and good, engaging character drama. Oh, and they also featured this guy named John McClane, who just so happens to be one of the most badass characters in the history of movies. Seriously: McClane is so badass that, when asked how he wants his steak cooked, he answers “Still breathing.” So badass he uses hot sauce as eye drops, uses steel wool to wash his genitalia, and has a record of 14 wins, 4 losses in Russian roulette.

Okay, so maybe McClane doesn’t do any of those things, but in the first four movies he has killed 58 people, uttered one of the greatest lines in movie history (Yippee ki-yay, motherf*cker!) and oozed cool menace like very few before him.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF 20TH CENTURY FOX

John McClane goes to Moscow to find his son.

While there, naturally, he runs into bad guys (this time terrorists) who have nuclear ambitions. That stuff doesn’t happen on John McClane’s watch.

Explosions and epic car chases ensue.

Eventually, McClane finds his son, realizes he’s a CIA operative and the two spend the last half of the film bonding (McClane has never been the

[A Good Day to Die Hard is] too generic and wooden, with too many big set pieces and a subpar, complex story.

ADAM HAWBOLDT

And here’s the good thing about the latest installment of the Die Hard franchise, A Good Day to Die Hard: police detective John McClane is back and as cool as ever.

But that’s where the goodness ends.

Written by Skip Woods (The ATeam) and directed by John Moore (Max Payne), A Good Day to Die Hard is a rambling, messy film that never really finds its footing. In it,

world’s greatest dad) while running around the Chernobyl power plant where one of the world’s worst environmental disasters occurred in 1986.

And while a plot like that maybe doesn’t sound entirely preposterous, the movie never really figures out what it wants to be. On the one hand, it aims to be a balls-to-the-wall action flick. On the other, it tries its damnedest to be a father-son bonding

A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD John Moore STARRING Bruce Willis, Mary Elizabeth Winstead + Jai Courtney DIRECTED BY

98 MINUTES | 14A

film. And in the end it ends up being a mashed together mess.

Now, while I have your attention, let me say two more quick things about A Good Day to Die Hard.

1) It is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the worst installment in the Die Hard series. 2) The reason it pales in comparison to, say, 1988’s original Die Hard is because it tries too hard. It’s too generic and wooden, with too many big set pieces and a subpar, complex story. The original, conversely, was so awesome because it was simple. Good guy locked in a building with a dozen bad guys, good guy must kill bad guys to save the day. It was a cool, taut, no-nonsense action flick.

T’is a shame A Good Day to Die Hard couldn’t be the same.

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NIGHTLIFE

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NIGHTLIFE SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9 @

DIVA’S CLUB

Diva’s Club 110 3rd Avenue South (306) 665 0100 MUSIC VIBE / Hip hop, R&B,

and techno DRINK OF CHOICE / Zin and tonic SOMETHING NEW / A new counter

for the bar, and an upcoming new lounge on the second floor COMING UP / Sharon Needles on February 15, and the search for Mr. and Mrs. Gay Saskatoon on February 16

Photography by Ishtiaq Opal

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NIGHTLIFE

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5 @

THE YARD & FLAGON The Yard & Flagon 718 Broadway Avenue (306) 653 8883 MUSIC VIBE / Pretty much

anything except rap + country FEATURED DEALS / 15 wings for $4.25 DRINK OF CHOICE / Pints of Trad TOP EATS / Wings COMING UP / The patio will be opening in May (weather permitting), and Foundry, Barking Squirrel and Winter Ale are all on tap

24 FEB 15 – FEB 21 ENTERTAINMENT

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Photography by Patrick Carley

25 FEB 15 – FEB 21 @VERBSASKATOON

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COMICS

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

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CROSSWORD CANADIAN CRISS-CROSS 26. Spray can 28. Mitten part 31. Place where relief pitchers warm up 35. Parts of eyeglasses 36. Cleaning appliance, for short 37. Hindu woman’s dress 38. Everything 39. Subway system 41. Went fast on foot 42. Tableware 44. Be against 46. Grease in sheep’s wool 47. Jacket material 48. Spreads newly mown grass for drying 49. Catch sight of

DOWN 1. Girl with fair hair 2. Use oars 3. Accustomed 4. Breed of small dog 5. Put at risk 6. Fork prong 7. Exclamation of mild alarm 8. Young hen 9. Control the discussion 11. An annoyance 12. Things stolen 14. Playthings 17. Circus performer 20. Places where pieces join 22. Proposed laws

24. Bird’s beak 25. Mountain pass SUDOKU ANSWER KEY 27. Table sugar A 28. Confining situation 29. Birch ___, Saskatchewan 30. Change in vowel sound, in Germanic languages 32. An amusing imitation 33. Delete recorded data 34. Half of a golf course 36. Parts of threeB piece suits 39. Become better 40. Musical work 43. Put a bow in 45. Vim

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

ACROSS 1. Very dry, as wine 5. Way of walking 9. About to happen 10. Place for mooring a boat 12. Party for a mother-to-be 13. Short sock 15. Unhealthily pale 16. Male duck 18. Summer sign 19. Helps out 21. Winter driving hazard 22. Bunch of beauties 23. Like the grass on the other side 25. Orders to appear in court

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

TIMEOUT

© WALTER D. FEENER 2012

HOROSCOPES FEBRUARY 15 – FEBRUARY 21 ARIES March 21–April 19

LEO July 23–August 22

SAGITTARIUS November 23–December 21

The planets are going to align this week, Aries, and as they do you’ll slowly feel your fortunes turning for the better. Enjoy! It won’t last long.

This week should be all about learning, Leo. Focus on teaching yourself something new, and indulge your curiosity. You’ll be glad you did.

One or more of your relationships will be strained this week. And whether you’re the problem or it’s the other person, it doesn’t matter. Be open-minded.

TAURUS April 20–May 20

VIRGO August 23–September 22

CAPRICORN December 22–January 19

Feeling rather intuitive this week, Taurus? Is your gut constantly sending you messages? If so, don’t listen.

It will lead you astray.

When the road in front of you gets bumpy, Virgo, say to hell with it and turn around. No shame in taking another route.

When opportunity knocks, it would be best if you opened the door, Capricorn. If you don’t, you’re going to live to regret it.

GEMINI May 21–June 20

LIBRA September 23–October 23

AQUARIUS January 20–February 19

This is a great week for friendship, Gemini. Whether it’s getting closer to the friends you already have or making new ones, you’ll enjoy success this week.

It’s time to get social, Libra, so get out there, do your thing, meet new people, or go to new places. It’s the best way to combat the winter blues.

Well, well, well … look who is going to be uber-popular this week. Enjoy the attention while it lasts, Aquarius, for it will come and go.

CANCER June 21–July 22

SCORPIO October 24–November 22

PISCES February 20–March 20

Reach for the stars this week, Cancer. And if you don’t quite get there, don’t worry. As long as you can still see them you’re in the game.

Expect the preposterously unexpected this week, Scorpio. But don’t worry too much if you get sideswiped (figuratively, of course). It’s all for the best.

Here is something to ponder this week, Pisces: “Do you think horses get songs stuck in their head?”

Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhh…

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

CROSSWORD ANSWER KEY

A

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

B

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