Verb Issue S236 (Apr. 19-25, 2013)

ISSUE #236 – APRIL 19 TO APRIL 25

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ARTS

CLOSE TALKER

ARE TAKING OVER

CULTURE

MUSIC

SASKATOON

THE ART OF HEALING Jeff Nachtigall helps unlikely artists ANY GIVEN NIGHT Q+A with Rococode OBLIVION + GINGER & ROSA Films reviewed­

PHOTO: COURTESY OF EVAN NEUFELD

NEWS + OPINION

CONTENTS

STR8 UP GANGSTA Helping Saskatchewan gang members go straight. 4 / LOCAL

THE ART OF HEALING Jeff Nachtigall helps unlikely artists.

6 / LOCAL

IT’S TOO TAXING ON THE COVER:

CLOSE TALKER

Saskatchewan’s newest music sensation. 14 / COVER

Our thoughts on switching to government-prepared tax returns. 8 / EDITORIAL

COMMENTS Here’s your say on public-private partnerships. 10 / COMMENTS

PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

CULTURE

Q + A WITH ROCOCODE On evolving pop. 12 / Q + A

LETTERS FROM THE LOST

ALL THE FISH IN THE SEA

Jay Nash searches for sound. 13 / ARTS

We visit Joey’s. 16 / FOOD + DRINK

ANOTHER PERFECT DAY

MUSIC

Janet Werner’s latest exhibit examines portraits. 13 / ARTS

Aaron Pritchett, Royal Canoe + Kiss.

18 / MUSIC

ENTERTAINMENT

LISTINGS Local music listings for April 19 through April 27. 20 / LISTINGS

VERBNEWS.COM @VERBSASKATOON FACEBOOK.COM/VERBSASKATOON PLEASE RECYCLE AFTER READING & SHARING

EDITORIAL

BUSINESS & OPERATIONS

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

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

OBLIVION + GINGER AND ROSA The latest movie reviews. 24 / FILM

CONTACT

ART & PRODUCTION

COMMENTS / FEEDBACK@VERBNEWS.COM / 306 881 8372

DESIGN LEAD / ROBERTA BARRINGTON

ADVERTISE / ADVERTISE@VERBNEWS.COM / 306 979 2253

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

DESIGN / LAYOUT@VERBNEWS.COM / 306 979 8474

ON THE BUS Weekly original comic illustrations

by Elaine M. Will. 30 / COMICS

NIGHTLIFE PHOTOS

GAMES + HOROSCOPES

We visied Somewhere Else Pub & Grill and The Woods. 26-29 / NIGHTLIFE

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

GENERAL / INFO@VERBNEWS.COM / 306 979 2253

2 APR 19 – APR 25 VERB MAGAZINE

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LOCAL

FATHER ANDRÉ POILIEVRE HELPED FOUND STR8 UP

STR8 UP GANGSTA

Str8 Up program helps Saskatchewan gang members and at-risk youths go straight BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

J

ames slouches on the couch, stretched back and to the right. A tattoo twists its way out from under his red hoodie and crawls up the side of his neck, as he sits listening to a man speak.

The speaker’s name is Shane, a great big guy with a bushy beard and a former gang member. Standing at the front of a packed room in the back of the Calder Centre, giving a talk to a group of at-risk teens, Shane is saying, “By the time I was eight years old I had my first six pack of beer bought for me … when I was in my teens I started doing intravenous drugs, and by 16 I was charged with attempted murder.”

James sinks deeper in the couch, and bounces one leg up and down.

Every now and then he lifts the flat-brimmed baseball hat from his head and runs his hand through his buzz-cut hair.

And at the front of the room Shane is saying, “After 16 things

really snowballed for me. I was in and out of jail every year since then, up until this last year. That’s the first full year I spent out of jail … I’m 36 years old.”

James understands what Shane went through. Been there, done

In fact, when it’s James turn to speak, the violence inherent in gang culture is one of the first things he talks about.

“I’ve been a gang member since I was 14. I’ve seen a lot of s**t,” says James. “I got shot five times, stabbed

I was in the gang for 14 years, dealing with that s**t every day. Always looking over my shoulder … I’ve been through it all and it sucks.

JAMES

that. And when Shane starts talking about being kidnapped and tortured, about being “shot in the face and stabbed on two separate occasions,” James knows exactly where he’s coming from.

twice during a home invasion when I was 21.”

James pauses, takes a deep breath.

“And you know what, it didn’t phase me,” he continues. “It didn’t CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE »

4 APR 19 – APR 25 NEWS + OPINION

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change my life. I felt like I was unstoppable. I was walking around, like, a week later. I felt good. Really good. So after that, I just got deeper in the gang.”

As James speaks, he paces back and forth across the front of the room, his hands subtly but constantly moving. If he appears ill-at-ease or a tad uncomfortable, there’s a good reason for that.

This is the first time he has shared his story — not as a gang member, but as a member of the Str8 Up program.

Str8 Up was created more than a decade ago when its founder, Father André Poilievre — a Catholic priest, high school counsellor and prison chaplain — was approached by two members of the Indian Posse who

wanted to get out of the game and didn’t know how.

Poilievre didn’t know either, but he was determined to help.

What he came up with was Str8 Up, a gang-exit program that has since helped more than 125 young men and women in Saskatchewan escape gang activity.

But don’t be mistaken. Str8 Up isn’t at war with the gangs or anything.

They don’t actively recruit, promote or advertise. You go to Str8 Up because you want to. Because, as Poilievre says, at some point you realize that if you “stick a needle in your arm in the morning and a knife into people at night, things aren’t going to turn out well for you.”

And once you join Str8 Up there are five straightforward rules you have to follow: 1. Drop your colours, 2. Deal with your addiction, 3. Learn to be honest, 4. Be humble, drop the attitude, and 5. Give four years of your life to the program.

If you can follow all those rules maybe, just maybe, you can leave your previous life behind.

And with so much gang activity in Saskatchewan, with gangs now using social media to recruit, and with the recent video of a gang initiation in Regina springing up online, programs like Str8 Up are more important than ever.

The problem is, while Str8 Up is great for Saskatoon, where it’s based, Regina has lacked a proper gang-exit alternative ever since RAGS (the Regina Anti-Gang

Services) had its funding cut last year. Sure, there’s Street Culture, a non-profit organization that mentors under-serviced youth, but a comprehensive program like Str8 Up works with young people, too. They’ve visited more than 1,000 schools and treatment centres trying to reach young offenders and at-risk youth.

Trying to convince them to stay away from gang life.

That’s why James is opening up for the first time at the Calder Centre.

He’s trying to teach the roomful of youths to learn from his life. To avoid making the same mistakes he made.

And James’ mistakes have been myriad.

“I started regretting being a gang member when my brothers following in my footsteps,” says James, still pacing the floor at the Calder Centre.

“They were just trying to be like me.”

But regret wasn’t enough for James to drop his colours.

It took something different, something deeper and closer to home. It took the birth of his second child.

See, James was in jail serving a seven-and-a-half year stretch when his first baby was born. And as his child grew up, the way James got to know his firstborn was through phone calls.

When James’ second baby was about to be born, he was determined not to make the same mistake and miss his child coming into this world again.

“I could never really smile because everything was so serious in my life,” he admits, “but when my baby was born I smiled. It was the happiest time of my life.”

That happiness soon turned to pain when, for reasons we won’t get into here, the baby was taken away by social services.

“When that happened I was so f**king hurt, man.” James stops pacing for a moment. From the back of the room Father Poilievre — his eyes gentle, face kind — watches on as he continues. “You know,” says James, “I’d been shot, stabbed, burned, all that. But when I saw my baby being born and fell in love like that and then he was taken away, that’s real pain.”

The kind of pain that convinced James to drop his colours and seek help at Str8 Up. “It got to the point where I had to make a choice,” he says. “I was in the gang for 14 years, dealing with that s**t every day.

Always looking over my shoulder, not knowing what was going to happen at the end of the block. I’ve been through it all and it sucks. So instead of choosing to stay a gang member, I chose to be a daddy.”

And with the help of Str8 Up, he’ll have the chance to do just that.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@AdamHawboldt ahawboldt@verbnews.com

5 APR 19 – APR 25 @VERBSASKATOON

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LOCAL

THE ART OF HEALING

Jeff Nachtigall uses the open studio concept for unlikely artists BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

PHOTO: COURTESY OF ADAM HAWBOLDT / VERB MAGAZINE

I

t all began during a conversation with a man who can’t speak.

One day, half a decade or so ago, Jeff Nachtigall was walking down the hallway at Sherbrooke Community Centre — a long-term care facility in Saskatoon — when he ran into Larry Fitzgerald, a genial gentleman who lacks the ability to walk or talk.

He asked Fitzgerald if he wanted to come to the studio and paint.

Nachtigall, who was the artist-inresidence at Sherbrooke at the time, told Fitzgerald that he would remove his head-stick (which Fitzgerald uses to type into a computer that allows him to speak in a manner similar to Stephen Hawking) and replace it with a paint brush.

Fitzgerald slowly pecked his headstick against the computer-based communications system on his wheelchair,

and the answer that emanated from the box was direct and to point: yes!

“So when I brought Larry into the studio I assumed his limited range of mobility would limit the size of the painting,” explains Nachtigall. “He

lines longer and longer. “And I was like, ‘holy s**t,’” admits Nachtigall. “I realized this wheelchair wasn’t something they’re confined to. It’s a device for mobility. So I began asking myself, ‘what if the wheelchair isn’t limiting?

So I began asking myself, ‘what if the wheelchair isn’t limiting?’

JEFF NACHTIGALL

had it in his head that he wanted to paint these long horizontal lines, so I was thinking maybe a two or three foot painting at best.”

But Fitzgerald surprised Nachtigall.

He found a way to maneuver in the studio, filled with other folks in wheelchairs, while making his horizontal

What if I could change it into something that would allow you to do things that even I can’t do?’”

That’s when the idea for the Mobile Painting Device was born — a device that, essentially, transforms a wheelchair into a giant paint brush and allows people with disabilities to express CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE »

6 APR 19 – APR 25 CONTENTS

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PHOTO: COURTESY OF TEDXSASKATOON

themselves creatively on a large, sweeping, artistic scale.

If you were to rewind a few decades, and tell a younger Jeff Nachtigall that one day he’d invent a machine to help wheelchair-bound people paint, he’d probably question your sanity.

If you told him he’d one day turn his back on the commercial art world to unlock the artistic passions of seniors, veterans and people in long-term care facilities, he probably wouldn’t have believed you.

But it happened.

Once upon a time Nachtigall was an artist in demand, with solo and group shows all over North America.

“I was having exhibitions in New York and Chicago and LA,” he says.

“People were buying my work and it was really, really exciting. But after I graduated from the U of R and went to do my MFA in the States I began to realize I was becoming part of this machine. There was this arc being created for me. First a BFA, then an MFA, then become a teacher.”

This wasn’t the vision of an artist Nachtigall had in mind. He’d always thought artists had to be knocked around, beaten up, worn down a bit by life. Unbeknownst to him at the time, when he quit his MFA halfway through, that’s exactly what was going to happen.

“When I left school [in Chicago], I moved to Calgary completely broke,” he says. “I got a job picking up garbage, basically cigarette butts, at Mount Royal University.”

From there, Nachtigall built himself up again, and once again ascended the ladder of the modern art world only to come crashing back down at the turn of the millennium. “I left Toronto and came to Saskatoon with literally just the shirt I had on my back,” he says That’s when he walked through the doors of Sherbrooke and had his life changed — forever.

“Before that my whole life revolved around my CV. I was selfinvolved, always looking for more,” says Nachtigall. “How many people were at my last exhibit? What magazines wrote about it? What did they say? How much did I sell?

What’s my new price tag? How do I break into Europe?”

All that thinking was pushed to the wayside once he began spending more and more time at Sherbrooke. “It shook me to my core, my very foundations,” says Nachtigall of his experience at Sherbrooke. “When I saw those people who didn’t have to ability to communicate verbally, who were quadriplegic and paraplegic, painting and expressing themselves in the studio — when I saw how much of a difference it makes…” Nachtigall pauses, hesitating to say what he’s thinking. “I know this is going to sound corny, and it drives me crazy even saying it,” he continues.

“But I saw the power of art.”

Especially when it comes to health care.

But we’re not talking about art therapy here. There’s no analysis or assessments or standardized therapy in the open studio Nachtigall set up. There’s no teaching, either. Just Nachtigall “digging ditches,” as he calls it, burrowing down to the creative well in each of the people who participate. Unlocking their inner artist, helping them strive to be the best painters and sculptors they can be, making them smile.

And Nachtigall isn’t stopping at Sherbrooke.

His residency may have ended there, but he is in the process of bringing the open studio concept and the Mobile Painting Device to places in Calgary and Toronto and beyond.

And no matter where he goes, Nachtigall remains hellbent on making art a vehicle for change, for hope, and for healing.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@AdamHawboldt ahawboldt@verbnews.com

7 APR 19 – APR 25 /VERBSASKATOON

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EDITORIAL

IT’S TOO TAXING

Our tax filing system is convoluted, so why not change it?

I

t’s that time of year again.

The time when the taxman (or woman) cometh.

And for many, the process of getting your taxes done can be an enormous headache. Filling out the paperwork yourself can be a bit of a time suck — and that’s if you have a fairly straightforward situation. Things get exponentially more complicated if you file with a spouse, have children, have to account for RRSPs and assorted other savings or deductions, moved in the last year, are filing income from more than one employer, etc. The more variables at play, the greater the room for error.

Alright, so to save yourself the time and headache of doing your taxes on your own, you have the option to take them down to your local professional tax preparer.

There, you can fork over some serious cash to have someone who knows what they’re doing fill out the paperwork for you, and if you’re lucky the amount you get

ing the government do it for us.

This isn’t a novel idea — countries like Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Chile and Spain have already embraced this

[A government-prepared tax return] takes just a few minutes to complete, and we don’t have to shell out big bucks to have it done for us.

VERB MAGAZINE

back is more than what it costs to have your taxes done.

Either way, we admit it: doing your taxes isn’t much fun. And that’s why we think it’s time to streamline the process, by hav-

model, and it’s so easy, it’s almost unbelievable. Think about it: the Canadian Revenue Agency already has our SIN numbers, net income, CPP contributions and more — all the information that’s needed to CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE »

8 APR 19 – APR 25 NEWS + OPINION

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prepare a return. So how about they prepare our taxes for us? That way, you receive your completed paperwork in the mail, glance over it, and approve it if it all looks right.

Got some changes to make? No big deal — make the fixes online, the calculations are done automatically, and you send it back to the government. What if you forget to approve your taxes altogether?

Well, let’s do as they do in Norway: if they don’t hear from you, they assume all is copacetic and fire you off your cheque.

The whole process takes just a few minutes to complete, and we don’t have to shell out big bucks to have it done for us.

And while many of you may be sitting there thinking “this sounds a tad too idealistic,” rest assured it isn’t. Called “return-free filing,” “simple returns,” or “governmentprepared returns,” this method has been endorsed by many people, including American presidents from Ronald Reagan to Barack Obama. Heck, in California they

have already put a version of this theory into action, with a system called Ready Return. All eligible California taxpayers can opt in for the service, and wait for the Internal Revenue Service to send them the completed paperwork. A quick glance will determine whether or not there are any errors, and after amending anything that needs changes the taxpayer sends it back to the IRS. Easy peasy.

And while the United States has slightly embraced the simple return method, these are far more popular overseas. As mentioned above, both Sweden and Denmark have implemented voluntary return programs, country-wide, where each country’s respective government preps citizens’ returns for them, and so far these have been widely embraced.

In fact, more than 70% of the population in both countries subscribe to the program. And as for the other 30%? Well, they do their taxes the old-fashioned way. And we think that ensuring the program

is voluntary is a good way to go.

After all, not every taxpayer may want the government filing paperwork on his or her behalf. So for those people who feel that having the feds involved to that capacity is too risky or too heavy-handed, do not worry: you won’t be forced to participate.

The benefits of pre-prepared returns are pretty great, too. Most countries report a fairly high (at least half, and in Denmark’s case, 78%) rate of non-adjustment, meaning that no changes were necessary, according to the OECD. And there’s hardly any turnaround time to receive a refund — rather than waiting weeks for their money, taxpayers in Denmark and Estonia typically receive their cheques within five business days. Not to mention that having the government prepare your returns ensures that everyone pays, and receives, their fair share.

So if simple returns are so great, why haven’t we embraced them already? Well, south of the border Intuit, the maker of TurboTax, is one of many companies that have lobbied against the idea of return-free filing — spending as much as $11.5 million to do so in thepast five years, according to Propublica. We know that Canada often moves in lockstep with America, policy-wise, but we think this is one area where we should embrace the better alternative, regardless of the battles being fought over this issue by our neighbours to the south.

So why not give it a shot here in Canada? It could save you money and time, it could help make the income tax return process more honest, and it could give the people more options. Government-prepared returns means tax season no longer has to be a headache.

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

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9 APR 19 – APR 25 @VERBSASKATOON

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COMMENTS

ON TOPIC: Last week we asked what you thought about P3s. Here's what you had to say:

Text yo thoughtsur to 881 VE R B

just lets the government not pay now and have to pay later why would that be any better?

8372

– P3s don’t work anywhere else look into it readers! Most studies say they are not a smart move.

and no activity since last fall!

What an abysmal joke … pure hick-town mentality.

– Great idea re P3’s! Botched up mess at #1 & Transportation hub is prime example, with traffic lites on the #1highway for months on end

– P3s are a terrible way to go, they take jobs away from public workers and end up costing more moneyin the long run it basically

– Anything that gets the projects done around this province faster than how they’re being done now sounds great to me. Competition helps people be held accountable so if P3s bring a little competition to the table then I think this is wonderful.

How long has it taken to get things down around here? To long

– I guess as long as there is a set budget and end date it would be CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE »

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alright? I haven’t heard many good things about public and private projects but if they get stuff done then i’m okay with it.

OFF TOPIC – Dog sled article was great!

Always been a fan of getting outdoors in winter, people think I am crazy! Love the feel good energy of the article. Too many people whine and complain about the cold. I tell them ‘so move?’

In response to “Winter’s Delight,” Local

– My heart goes out to the victims of the Boston bombing.

– There is one very simple very easy very effective way for the working class to reign in bankers and financiers. Stop borrowing money to buy things!

– I LOVE YOU CRYSTAL I’M SO HAPPY THAT WE’VE BEEN MARRIED FOR A YEAR NOW HERE’S TO MANY MORE! LOVE YOU FOREVER AND ALWAYS-MIKE

page, #235 (April 12, 2013)

SOUND OFF – In 40 yrs of paying attention I’ve noticed economic booms are never good for the poor and working poor. Everybody gets greedy when there’s new money. The price of everything goes up while incomes for the poor never keep pace.

Busts are bad too. We never have leadership that aims for long term steady state stable economy. They all aim for growth the boom and then we get its inevitable following bust. Culture of Greed!

– Gosh people it’s not hard to grab a shovel an ice pick and clean up your freaking sidewalks and can’t even walk on a sidewalk without going through a river and ice it’s your responsibility not the city’s consider other people that use the sidewalks thank you <melly :-D >

– Atch and the missus are off to China on a mission. Sue hope he can score a few pandas for the Toonerville Zoo...

– WHEN WILL THIS FREAKING SNOW GO AWAY?! OUR PROVINCIAL FLAG EMBLEM SHOULD BE A SNOWFLAKE!

– Spring in Saskatchewan - diving the convertible with the top down an the studded snow tires on...

– You can’t bitch about the banks if you owe them money. You bought in to the scheme were more than happy to get the loan. Same for big oil if you drive a car.

– The city should build some parkades and get rid of on street parking so there is more place to drive on the street.

– Violence solves nothing.

– Federal NDP went more centrist more vanilla bland this past week.

You’d think they’d have been mindful of the lesson of the bland middle of the road Sask NDP. I call it now. Good fight tween the Conservatives and Liberals next Fed election. Greens firmly on the left populist. Blander Fed NDP will lose Layton’s gains!

NEXT WEEK: What do you think about moving to pre-prepared tax returns?

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 APR 19 – APR 25 /VERBSASKATOON

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EDITORIAL

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FOOD + DRINK

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Q+A

ANY GIVEN NIGHT PHOTOS: COURTESY OF ROBYN JAMIESON / THE ARTIST

Rococode on the evolution of the pop song

BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

R

ococode is at its heart the creative partnership of Laura Smith and Andrew Braun. Last year they released Guns, Sex & Glory, which positioned the pair as songwriters of not inconsiderable talent. I caught up with Braun to take a look back and a look forward.

Alex J MacPherson: It’s been a year since Guns, Sex & Glory was released, and now you’ve got a new single out. Is there another album coming soon?

Andrew Braun: It’s sort of more of an in-between kind of thing. We recorded the record so long ago, and it took such a long time for it to come out, so even it being out for a year it was already completely finished for a year before that — and the songs are much older than that, even. We’re getting a bit anxious to get something new out there, and we had a little window of time and just banged out those two songs in about three days. Just kind of an in-between thing; it’s not a part of more stuff we’ve got on the shelf.

AJM: But that doesn’t necessarily mean a new record will take two years.

AB: Who knows. I mean, it’s easy to say that. I’m sure the perfectionists will take over. Hopefully it doesn’t get stretched out in the same way.

Even though one of the songs that we just put out is an old song, it felt kind of nice to just record it, get it mixed, and literally put it out

into the world the day after it was mastered. There was no hemming and hawing; it was just, ‘this is what we’re doing, and here it goes.’

of things. The pressure I personally put on myself far exceeds anything I would feel from anyone else.

AJM: As songs evolved, were you ever surprised by the direction or the way things developed?

AJM: “Follow You ‘Round” definitely shares some DNA with the record, but the sound feels more relaxed, more comfortable. Is this just you and Laura figuring out a sound for the band?

AB: I always think that a recording is just a snapshot of a song. I don’t think

…we’re just being ourselves, and playing the songs as we see fit on any given night.

ANDREW BRAUN

AB: When we made our record we didn’t really know what we were. Me and Laura decided that we wanted to record some songs. We weren’t a band; we hadn’t played anything live. We hadn’t done really anything. When we recorded those songs they were real baby versions of the songs. And that’s not a bad way to go, necessarily. But in this case we’ve been playing these songs for probably almost a year and a half on the road. They took shape in a more natural course than being crafted in the studio.

it’s a definitive version, so the songs we’ve been playing definitely have come a long way from their conception, which was pretty much in the studio. I think they’ve all grown, and we’ve sort of figured out what they are — more so than we knew in the beginning. But I don’t know if I had any expectation as to what they might do, or what they might become. At this point we’re just being ourselves, and playing the songs as we see fit on any given night.

Rococode April 27 @ Amigos Cantina Tickets at the door

AJM: Given the success of Guns, Sex & Glory, does that change the way you approach new material?

AB: I don’t think so. I don’t think that I, personally, or Laura would feel any kind of external pressure. We both just feel like we can do way better, and we’re kind of raring to go on that side

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@MacPhersonA amacpherson@verbnews.com

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ARTS

LETTERS FROM THE LOST

Jay Nash and the search for a sound

S

uccess in the music industry is supposed to guarantee artistic freedom. Too often, however, successful songwriters are compelled to sacrifice creativity at the altars of palatable sounds and guaranteed sales. Jay Nash has dedicated his career to avoiding this trap.

“I made this record without having any preconceived notions of what it should be,” Nash says of Letters From The Lost, his seventh record since 2005 and by far his most adventurous effort to date. “It wasn’t like I was trying to achieve something with the record. This particular one was really just about trying to find new creative ground.”

Last year Nash retreated to his home in Vermont. He started writing early and would spend all day in his studio, capturing whatever ideas emerged from the ether. “I was searching for the sound, searching for harmonic resonance, prior to putting any words to anything,” he recalls. “I would write to a drumbeat or a guitar riff or a riff on a mandolin.

And I would build the track up over the course of a day.”

BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

Unlike many of his earlier songs, which were written to address a specific idea, the tracks that make up Letters From The Lost were built around sonics. He wanted to recapture the magic of his childhood, the moment when he realized that records by Cat Stevens and the Grateful Dead were a lifeline for the lonely and the lost.

Letters From The Lost is expansive and unrestrained. Each song feels like a snapshot of the richest landscape imaginable, a window into Nash’s unfettered mind. From the melancholy two-note riff and sparse percussion that drive “Wander” to the dramatic instrumentation (mandolins, marching band drums) of “Sailor” and the devastating saxophone coda of “I Won’t Let Go,” the record is awash in waves of luscious, vibrant sound.

And while Nash didn’t envision a grand theme for the record, Letters From The Lost emerged as a series of meditations on loss and love and oblivion. A series of signposts on a journey of exploration, a trip with no fixed destination.

“There’s a very fine line between doing something that’s innovative

PHOTO: COURTESY OF DEBORAH LOPEZ

and being completely lost,” Nash muses. “And a lot of times, you have to be lost to make progress. I think that’s true in a lot of different disciplines. Whether it’s music or science or writing, you have to get out of the status quo. And that can be scary territory.”

Jay Nash May 2 @ Amigos Cantina $11 @ Ticketedge.ca

ANOTHER PERFECT DAY

Janet Werner’s latest exhibition of fictional portraits

P

ortraiture is the art of depicting an individual. The best portraits strip away extraneous details, leaving only the subject’s irreducible essence. The paintings that make up Another Perfect Day, Janet Werner’s latest exhibition of major works, attempt to subvert the form by depicting fictional individuals and fantastical characters.

Her portraits were painted not for posterity, but for the present.

“It allows me to project my own subjectivity and emotions into these empty vessels,” Werner says from her home in Montreal. “It’s something

BY ALEX J MACPHERSON

that’s nothing. You start from an armature, an idea of a person that’s not that specific, and through the process of painting and colour and texture and tonality, there’s a mood that’s evoked and an identity that’s formed.

It also contains the idea of a history” Since the 1990s, Werner has explored the fringes of portraiture, swinging between idealized glamour and scarcely believable fiction. Her works tend to refer to the frantic pace and information overload of the media age, but Werner is less interested in making a point than showing the audience a new way of seeing the world.

“As people we like narrative,” she says of the works that make up Another Perfect Day, which include an image of a woman wearing a bear mask and a marching band jacket, and a girl clad in an enormous, and vaguely absurd, hat. “It’s playing with that impulse towards narrative. The paintings have very little information in them in terms of narrative, but when people look at an image of a person, they start to project.”

Werner avoids sculpting a specific narrative; instead, she works to embed enough information to

suggest ideas without directing the viewer to a predetermined conclusion. Most of the paintings in Another Perfect Day, and especially her less fantastical offerings, present and then subvert an obvious conclusion. The grotesque becomes beautiful, and the beautiful grotesque. Clarity fades into questions. “You want something that’s going be a surprise, and not be too easily digestible,” she says.

“I guess I’m trying to solicit a kind of empathy in the viewer. It goes beyond seduction and beauty, and more toward empathy.”

Therein lies the essence of Werner’s work. Unlike traditional portraits, which represent an established narrative, the paintings in Another Perfect Day hint at nothing apart from our ability to extract meaning from everything.

Janet Werner Through May 4 @ College Gallery Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@MacPhersonA amacpherson@verbnews.com

13 APR 19 – APR 25 @VERBSASKATOON

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CLOSE TALKER

Ten months in the life of Saskatchewan’s newest musical sensat

T

his time last year nobody had heard of the rock band Close Talker. Mostly because this time last year the rock band Close Talker didn’t exist. And in a career spanning just 10 months, the Saskatoon-based band has made up for a lot of lost time: they released a powerful debut, played dozens of shows, built a not insignificant fan base in Saskatchewan, and heard their songs on national radio. Chris Morien, who plays drums in the group, attributes their success to earnestness, good timing, and a little bit of luck.

“I think fairly consistently we’ve been playing the music we want to play,” he muses. Jeremy Olson, whose muscular bass lines serve as a refreshing counterpoint to the band’s airy aesthetics, cuts him off: “We were just having fun playing music and hoping people would come watch. We’d tell our friends, and hope they’d tell a friend or two.”

It worked. The band’s debut, Timbers was released — unintentionally — to coincide with Searchlight, a music contest sponsored by the CBC. The band reached the final eight; before it was eliminated, their song “By The Lake” was heard across the country. Morien is thrilled, but refuses to take anything for granted. “You want people to listen,” he says. “We’ve played small shows and a few bigger shows, and when people come to listen, it’s great. But it’s just been slowly building up.”

Close Talker was formed when Olson joined forces with Morien, Will Quiring, and Matthew Kopperud — friends who grew up in Saskatoon’s north end and spent years playing music together. After writing a handful of uncluttered tracks that fuse experimental sounds with gritty rock guitars, the foursome decided to debut their material at an open mic night.

It was almost a disaster. Olson was on a flight home from Ottawa when a thunderstorm threatened to derail

Quiring and Kopperud split their time between Saskatchewan and British Columbia, where they attend school, the band was forced to work in short bursts, and decided to record over Christmas. “We had two weeks to work,” Morien recalls. “And then we had February break, and we decided to release it then. Which might have been, in hindsight, pushing the timeline pretty heavily.”

The band booked an album release party as a preemptive strike against

The one thing I’m proud of is that we never sacrificed anything we wanted to do, even with the time constraints…

CHRIS MORIEN

the show. “I was supposed to get back at 10, and we were on at 10:30,” he recalls. “I would be just in time for the gig. Then there was one of those crazy storms. We were above the clouds and the lightning was just nuts. I was like, ‘This isn’t happening.’” The plane landed on time, and Olson raced across town to the venue. The show was a success, the first of many open mic night performances that led, inevitably, to bigger rooms and bigger crowds.

Most bands take months to write and record an album; Close Talker didn’t have that much time. Because

procrastination and sequestered themselves in the studio. It was a new experience for Olson. “It’s definitely a weird feeling, playing your part by yourself,” he says. “You’re just standing there, playing by yourself, and there’s four or five dudes just hanging out, waiting for you to get your stuff right. And every time you make a mistake it costs money.” After a brief pause he adds, “We went through a lot of Jameson and Great Western. Well, at least I did.”

Timbers was released on time. The deadline made for a few tense days, but Morien says the band delivered CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE »

14 APR 19 – APR 25 CULTURE

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PHOTOS: COURTESY OF EVAN NEUFEILD + THE ARTIST

tion BY ALEX J MACPHERSON solid performances as time ran out.

The album was cut in just a few days, but it doesn’t feel rushed. Languid and luxurious, Timbers sprawls across the sonic spectrum. From the cacophonous feedback that opens “Creatures” to the massive crescendo that carries the record to its conclusion, each sound on Timbers is calculated, part of a greater whole.

Broadly speaking, the album is a rock and roll record. It features crunchy guitars, pulsating bass lines,

PHOTO: COURTESY OF MIKE MORIEN

and jazz-inspired drumming. But it is much more than a collection of threechords-and-a-dream anthems: Timbers reflects the band’s love of lavish sonics.

The best song on the record is “To The Coast,” which builds for a full minute before Quiring’s ethereal voice finds a place in the mix. Blending a pair of entwined guitar licks and rolling piano chords with a dreamy soundscape, the song runs past six minutes without sounding tired or overblown. Unlike many long songs, which push a simple riff to the edge of meaninglessness, “To The Coast” layers new ideas on top of

older ones, creating a sonic tapestry that unfolds like a novel: each sentence in place, each paragraph an integral part of the story.

Quiring’s lyrics, which tend to be either inscrutable abstractions or simple placeholders, are the most obvious reflection of the band’s relative inexperience, but his voice is an integral part of the sound. This is the key to unlocking Timbers: by weaving a broad palette of sonic novelties into the fabric of guitar rock, Close Talker created an album greater than the sum of its parts.

Featuring a wide array of sounds, from droning feedback and swirling synthesizers to analog delay and the unmistakable sound of a reverb unit being abused, the album covers a lot of territory.

Olson was sitting in a Philadelphia hotel room when the mastered copy arrived in his inbox. “They had one of those iPod docks and I had a few hours to kill,” he recalls. “I just put it in and listened. I was like, ‘Holy smokes!

We made this thing?’ I was pretty impressed with how it turned out.”

Morien is more pragmatic: “The one thing I’m proud of is that we never sacrificed anything we wanted to do, even with the time constraints we put on ourselves,” he says. “We had decided if it really wasn’t ready at all for our deadline, it wasn’t worth it to rush it.”

Unlike countless thousands of records that never get a chance, Timbers had help. Just before the album was released, the CBC announced Searchlight, a competition to find “Canada’s

next great musical act.” Close Talker submitted “By The Lake” on a whim.

Within weeks the song, a cheerful exploration of sounds popularized by bands like Hey Ocean! and Said The Whale, was selected to represent Saskatchewan in the final 24. Morien and Olson had reservations about the competition format (“It [measured] your ability as a band, but the main part of it was your ability to market yourself,” Morien says), but both agree the contest was an invaluable resource.

“It was huge for us,” Olson says. “It got our music out across the country.”

Music contests are not universally adored. Although unknown bands can reap extraordinary benefits from competitions like Searchlight, many people think elevating artists who have not “paid their dues” is unfair. Morien says this is ridiculous. “In the music business there’s no process to get big,” he says. “All the bands that are big now, they’re big for a reason: because they’re amazing musicians and because they’re bringing something new to the

industry. But if there was a set process to do it, everybody would be doing it, and everybody would be famous. It’s all a matter of luck, and it’s all about who’s taking a chance with you.”

And because so many people took that chance, Close Talker’s songs have been played across the country. But Morien and Olson aren’t savouring their success. They are planning a second album and want to keep working hard, to keep making great music. Which is what they set out to do in the first place.

And, contest or no contest, it will be interesting to see where Close Talker is 10 months from today.

Close Talker April 27 @ Amigos Cantina Tickets at the door Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@MacPhersonA amacpherson@verbnews.com

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Photo courtesy of Adam Hawboldt.

ALL THE FISH IN THE SEA

Joey’s Seafood does all-you-can eat Tuesdays BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

T

hroughout history, people have asked some deep questions that have propelled humanity forward. Questions like is the world flat? What is free will?

Why in the heck did that apple just fall on my head?

Well, the other day I asked myself one such question. Sitting in Joey’s Seafood in Confederation, I asked myself “just how much fish can an east coast boy eat?”

It was a Tuesday. And seeing as Tuesday is Joey’s all-you-can-eat fish n’ chips day, I figured “what the heck,” and set about getting an answer to my question.

The first plate I ordered came out with a heaping mound of fries (tasty and well salted!), a bowl of creamy slaw, and two pieces of battered fish that were about as long as my forearm and threefingers thick.

Soon as I saw the plate, I knew I was going to need a plan. The strategy I came up with was simple: have a bite of fries and a bite of slaw, just to say I tasted them, then mow down on the fish. Oh, and avoid water unless absolutely necessary.

For the first two pieces of fish, I sprinkled them with lemon, avoided

LET’S GO DRINKIN’ VERB’S MIXOLOGY GUIDE HERB AND WHITE WINE GRANITA

INGREDIENTS

The summer months aren’t too far away, so to get prepared why not try making and perfecting this drink. It’s sure to be a hit.

250ml water 1/3 cup sugar 4 sprigs rosemary 150ml white wine (sauvignon blanc or pinot gris) 1 splash lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

Mix the water, sugar and rosemary to a boil in a pot. Turn off the heat, and let the mixture stand until cooled. Once cooled, add the wine and lemon juice. Freeze in a container for three hours, stirring often until solid. Serve garnished with rosemary.

condiments, and ate them in about three minutes flat.

“No sweat,” I thought. “This fish is delicious.”

So with pieces #3 and #4, I got sassy. Did one up British style (doused in vinegar, sprinkled with salt), and lathered the other in tartar sauce. Mmm, mmm good.

eating the fish “as is.” With the last bite sitting on my plate, I was about to throw in the fork when the words “get up, you sonofabitch, ‘cause Mickey loves ya” began echoing in my head. And while it isn’t applicable in the least, the quote from Rocky V gave the the motivation to eat on, finish my 10th

…I asked myself, ‘just how much fish can an east coast boy eat?’

ADAM HAWBOLDT

I ate the next two the same way. When my waitress came over and asked, “How you doin’ love?” I gave here the thumbs up and meant it. Six pieces down and feeling fine.

But somewhere between #6 and #7 something happened. My chewing speed began to slow down and a lump of fish formed in the pit of my stomach.

After #8 I wished I’d worn maternity pants, while #9 caused me to break out in sweats. Then came #10. By this time I’d abandoned all condiments and was

piece, and promptly call it quits.

Unable to swallow another morsel.

How the guy who holds the record there ate 27 pieces, I’ll never know. But at least now I know my personal limit.

Joey’s Seafood 15 Worobetz Pl. | 306 955 5858

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@AdamHawboldt ahawboldt@verbnews.com

16 APR 19 – APR 25 CULTURE

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MUSIC

NEXT WEEK

COMING UP

AARON PRITCHETT

ROYAL CANOE

KISS

@ DAKOTA DUNES CASINO SATURDAY, APRIL 27 – $20

@ AMIGOS CANTINA SATURDAY, APRIL 27 – $TBD

@ CREDIT UNION CENTRE SUNDAY, JULY 14 – $28.25-143.75

When you think of country music, what comes to mind? Ask some people that question and they’ll say, “A sad genre of music full of twangs and drawls.” Thing is, these people probably haven’t heard of Aaron Pritchett. One of Canada’s most captivating country solo artists, Pritchett makes music about living life to the fullest, and puts on live shows intended to get the audience up and out of their seats. Since winning the Project Discovery Talent Contest at the Canadian Country Music Awards in 2001, this B.C. native has released five albums with 15 top-ten hits and won a slew of awards. He’ll be appearing at Dakota Dunes Casino as part of the Saskatchewan Country Music Awards’ New Artist Cabaret.

Tickets available at picatic.com.

If you’re into falsettos, guitars, effects pedals, drums, basses, tambourines, shakers, five-keyboard superweapons, and one awesome, poppy sound, then Royal Canoe is a band for you. Heck, even if you have no conceivable idea what all that would sound like together, you should probably check out this Winnipeg six-piece anyway.

Consisting of Matt Peters, Bucky Driedger, Matt Schellenberg, Brendan Berg, Derek Allard and Michael Jordan, Royal Canoe produce inventive, infectious music that’ll make you want to get up and move your dancing feet. Defying convention by mixing and mashing rock, pop and hip hop, this band puts on one heckuva live show. Tickets will be available at the door.

When Kiss burst onto the music scene in 1973, people hadn’t seen anything like them before. With their painted faces, outlandish outfits and flamboyant stage antics (which ranged from breathing fire to spitting blood to shooting rockets), this hard-rocking quartet from New York certainly grabbed peoples’ attention.

Fast forward 40 years and 40+ million records sold, and Kiss is still a hot act to see. Whether playing their hard rock from the ‘70s, glam metal of the ‘80s or their grittier stuff from the ‘90s, this band — led by Paul Stanley (rhythm guitar/lead vocals) and Gene Simmons (bass/vocals) — never fails to deliver. Especially for the loyal members of the Kiss Army. They’ll be in Saskatoon this summer. Tickets available through Ticketmaster.

– By Adam Hawboldt

PHOTOS COURTESY OF: THE ARTIST / THE ARTIST / AKTIVIOSLO

SASK MUSIC PREVIEW Big Dog 92-7 is looking for emerging country artists to enter their Next Big Thing contest. The winner will be awarded cash, mentorship and career-building options, with a prize package valued at over $15,000. All Saskatchewan country artists are invited to submit, and the top four will perform in a live showdown in Regina this June. The entry deadline is May 9; see www.thenextbigthing2013.ca for more information.

Keep up with Saskatchewan music. saskmusic.org

18 APR 19 – APR 25 CULTURE

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LISTINGS

PIANO FRIDAYS: SHELDON CORBETT / The Bassment — Come check out Corbett tickle the ivories of the Kinsman Yamaha S6 grand piano. 4:30pm / No cover ROOTS SERIES: ROSIE AND THE RIVETERS / The Bassment — Everything from folk to bluegrass from this female foursome. 9pm / $12/16 DJ AASH MONEY / Béily’s UltraLounge — DJ Aash Money throws down a high-energy top 40 dance party every Friday night.

9pm / $5 cover ONE BAD SON / Buds on Broadway — Saskatoon’s own return home for a one-off show. 10pm / Cover TBD MARIANAS TRENCH, DOWN WITH WEBSTER, ANAMI VICE / Credit Union Centre — A line up too good to resist. 7pm /$39.25-54.75 (ticketmaster.ca)

APRIL 19 » APRIL 27 The most complete live music listings for Saskatoon.

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21 22 23 24 25 26 27

FRIDAY 19

HOUSE DJS / 6Twelve Lounge — Funk, soul & lounge DJs liven up the atmosphere at 6Twelve. 9pm / No cover LIBRARY VOICES / Amigos — Indie pop from the Queen City. 10pm / $15 (ticketedge.ca)

SPRING FEVER CABARET / Fez on Broadway — Featuring the incomprable George Leach. 9pm / $10 JD EDWARDS / Gillian Snider’s House — A talented roots/folk musician from Winnipeg. 8pm / $10 (advance), $15 (door) 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 SEAN BURNS TRIO / Lydia’s Pub — An excellent singer/songwriter from Ontario.

10pm / $5 CLASSIFIED / Odeon Events Centre — One of the dopest rappers in the nation.

7pm / $25-45 (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 NEIL ROSTON / Prairie Ink — A blues/folk duo. 8pm / No cover PETER KATZ AND EMMA LEE / The Refinery — Two immense talents you should definitely check out. 8pm / $15 (advance), $20 (the door) THE 11TH OCTAVE / Somewhere Else Pub and Grill — Things are going to get funky up in here. 9pm / No cover COLLECTED BY FUSE COLLECTIVE / Spadina Freehouse — Featuring Flatland Funk, DJ Noor and more. 9pm / No cover RUSTY MEN / Stan’s Place — Rock to get your weekend started. 9pm / No cover DUELING PIANOS / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE »

20 APR 19 – APR 25 ENTERTAINMENT

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King belt out classic tunes and audience requests, from Sinatra to Lady Gaga.

10pm / $5 D!GGY THE DJ / Tequila Nightclub — Hit up the Down With Webster afterparty. $5 MNOZIL / Third Avenue Centre — An Austrian brass band. 7:30pm / $10 (McNally Robinson, St. John’s Music, Long and McQuade)

SATURDAY 20

HOUSE DJS / 6Twelve — Resident DJs spin deep and soulful tunes all night. 9pm / No cover MO’ MARLEY / Amigos Cantina — Come out for the Mo’ Marley 4/20 Party! 10pm / Cover TBD THE WORST POP BAND EVER / The Bassment — Also appearing is Luke + Tess Pretty. 9pm / $15/20 RECORD STORE DAY / Beaumont Film + Record — Featuring Ride ‘til Dawn, Haunted Soles, The Faps. 6pm DJ CTRL / Béily’s UltraLounge — DJ CTRL throws it down every Saturday night. 9pm / $5 cover RIFF RAFF / Buds on Broadway — A local hard rock band.10pm / $6 SPRING FEVER CABARET / Fez on Broadway — Featuring Black Rain. 9pm / $10 DJ KADE / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon’s own DJ lights it up with hot tunes.

8pm / No cover DJ SUGAR DADDY / Jax Niteclub — Able to rock any party, this local crowd favourite has always been known to break the latest and greatest tracks in multiple genres. He is sure to have you on the dance floor in no time. 9pm / $5 cover JOHNNY DON’T / Lydia’s Pub — Come rock the night away. 10pm / $5 RATED R WITH APHRODITE / Odeon Event Centre — A show you don’t want to miss.

7pm / $30+ (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 SIMON WALLS / Prairie Ink — A talented folk/pop/rock artist. 8pm / No cover THE 11TH OCTAVE / Somewhere Else Pub and Grill — Things are going to get funky up in here. 9pm / No cover CHARLY HUSTLE / Spadina Freehouse — A local DJ who gets the party started. 9pm / No cover RUSTY MEN / Stan’s Place — Rock to get your weekend started. 9pm / No cover DUELING PIANOS / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King belt out classic tunes and audience requests. 10pm / $5

SEXY SATURDAYS / Tequila Nightclub — Featuring DJ Dislexik. 9pm / Cover TBD (ladies get free cover before 11pm) PRAIRIE BRASS BAND GRAND FINALE / Third Avenue Centre — Featuring bands from Saskatoon, Edmonton, Regina and beyond. 7:30pm / $10 (McNally Robinson, St. John’s Music, Long and McQuade) STEVE BROCKLEY BAND / Vangelis — Folk music isn’t usually this greasy. 10pm / $5

SUNDAY 21

JAZZ DIVA SERIES: VERONIQUE EBERHART TRIO / The Bassment — Eberhart has a voice you don’t want to miss.

2:30pm / $15/20 INDUSTRY NIGHT / Béily’s UltraLounge — Hosted by DJ Sugar Daddy; this crowd favourite has always been known to

break the latest and greatest tracks in multiple genres. 9pm / $4; no cover for industry staff DJ KADE / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover BLUES JAM / Vangelis Tavern — The Vangelis Sunday Jam is an institution, offering great tunes from blues to rock and beyond. 7:30pm / No cover

MONDAY 22

JASON ELMORE / Buds on Broadway — Roots and rock straight out of Texas. 10pm / $6 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

21 APR 19 – APR 25 @VERBSASKATOON

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ENTERTAINMENT

SYNAPTIC / Vangelis — A great night of electronic fun. 10pm / No cover

HOLLY COLE / Broadway Theatre — A versatile and talented Juno-winning jazz singer. For tickets and time call (306) 652-1421 JASON ELMORE / Buds on Broadway — Roots and rock straight out of Texas. 10pm / $6 THE AVENUE RECORDING COMPANY PRESENTS OPEN MIC / The Fez on Broadway — Hosted by Chad Reynolds. Sign up and play at this weekly event.

10pm / No cover DJ KADE / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover DR. J ‘SOULED OUT’ / Lydia’s Pub — Dr. J spins hot funk and soul every Wednesday night. 9pm / No cover WILD WEST WEDNESDAY / Outlaws Country Rock Bar — Hosted by DJ Big Ayyy & DJ Henchman. Come out and ride the mechanical bull! 9pm / $4; no cover for industry staff GREGORY S. EDMUNDS / Spadina Freehouse — Live sax for your soul. 8pm / No cover CJWW KARAOKE / Stan’s Place — Your talent, aired on the radio! 9pm / No cover DUELING PIANOS / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King belt out classic tunes and audience requests, from Sinatra to Lady Gaga.

10pm / No cover

TUESDAY 23

THE ARNTZEN BROTHERS / The Bassment — This brother duo will rock your socks off. 8pm / $12/16 JASON ELMORE / Buds on Broadway — Roots and rock straight out of Texas. 10pm / $6 DJ SUGAR DADDY / The Double Deuce — Able to rock any party, this crowd favourite has always been known to break the latest and greatest tracks in multiple genres. 9:30pm / $4 cover VERB PRESENTS OPEN STAGE / Lydia’s Pub — The open stage at Lydia’s has hosted many of Saskatoon’s finest performers, and is a chance for bands, solo artists and even comedians to showcase original material. 9pm / No cover OPEN MIC / The Somewhere Else Pub — Come out to show your talent. 7pm / No cover

WEDNESDAY 24

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

9pm / No cover until 10pm; $3 thereafter THE HISSES, THE MOAS / Beaumont Film + Record — Rockin’ bands from Winnipeg and right here. 8pm / $5

THURSDAY 25 JAZZ JAM: THE DAVID FONG TRIO / The Bassment — If you play an instrument or sing, come on down. 8pm / $5 (jammers get in free) DEAD PAST DUE / Buds on Broadway — A local alt-rock band. 10pm / $6 WILMA GROENEN AND MIKE SHERIDAN / D’Lish — Originals and covers of folk and blues. 8pm / Cover by donation THROWBACK THURSDAYS / Earls — Come experience the best in retro funk, soul, reggae and rock provided by Dr. J. 8pm / No cover THUNDER RIOT W/CONKY SHOWPONY / The Fez on Broadway — Come dance the night away as this local DJ plays the kind of music that’ll get your feet moving.

9pm / $5 DJ KADE / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover DJ SUGAR DADDY / Jax — Local DJ Sugar Daddy will be rocking the turntables to get you dancing on the dance floor! Every Thursday night will be filled with passion parties, pole dancing, and more! 8pm / $5; free cover with student ID before 11pm ANBERLIN / Odeon Events Centre — A soaring rock band from Florida. 7pm / $26(advance), $29(day of) TRIPLE UP THURSDAYS / Tequila — Featuring DJ Stikman. 9pm / Cover TBD

CONTINUUM / Vangelis — Come out for a good time and good music. 10pm / No cover

FRIDAY 26

HOUSE DJS / 6Twelve Lounge — Funk, soul & lounge DJs liven up the atmosphere at 6Twelve. 9pm / No cover JEANS BOOTS, PANDAS IN JAPAN, MEHTA / Amigos Cantina — Get ready for a pop explosion. 10pm / Cover TBD FRED BALLANTYNE / The Bassment — Come check out Ballantyne tickle the ivories of the Kinsman Yamaha S6 grand piano. 4:30pm / No cover ROMI MAYES + JAY NOWICKI / The Bassment — Some sweet blues rock for you. 9pm / $15/20 DJ AASH MONEY / Béily’s UltraLounge — DJ Aash Money throws down a high-energy top 40 dance party every Friday night.

9pm / $5 cover HARRY MANX / Broadway Theatre — One of the best bluesmen working in the country. 8pm / For tickets info call (306) 652-6556 KASHMIR / Buds on Broadway — Western Canada’s premier tribute to Led Zeppelin.

10pm / $6 CHUBBY CHECKER / Dakota Dunes Casino — This music mainstay wants you to come out and do the twist with him. 8pm / For ticket info contact casino BAND WARS IX / Fez on Broadway — Feat. Evening Armistice, Six Blocks, Mostly Wanted, Jumbo, Hollow Between the Hills, and Wrathed. 9:30pm / No cover before 9pm DJ ECLECTIC / The Hose & Hydrant — Local turntable whiz DJ Eclectic pumps snappy electronic beats. 8pm / No cover DJ SUGAR DADDY / Jax Niteclub — Able to rock any party, this local crowd favourite has always been known to break the latest and greatest tracks in multiple genres. He is sure to have you on the dance floor in no time. 9pm / $5 cover THE REBELLION, SHOELESS JOES / Lydia’s Pub — A little bit of rock, a little bit of soul, and a whole lot of fun. 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 CAILA ELLERMAN / Prairie Ink — A local folk/roots artist. 8pm / No cover THUNDER ROSE / Somewhere Else Pub and Grill — Things are going to be a rockin’ in here. 9pm / No cover THE PLAN / Spadina Freehouse — Smooth beats from a talented DJ. 9pm / No cover CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE »

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REZ BOYS / Stan’s Place — Rock to get your weekend started. 9pm / No cover DUELING PIANOS / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King belt out classic tunes and audience requests,from Sinatra to Lady Gaga.

10pm / $5 PARTY ROCK FRIDAYS / Tequila Nightclub — Featuring DJ Dislexik. 9pm / Cover TBD GUNNER AND SMITH, UNWED MOTHERS / Vangelis — Let’s rock the night away with these local acts. 10pm / $5

SATURDAY 27

HOUSE DJS / 6Twelve — Resident DJs spin deep and soulful tunes all night. 9pm / No cover ROYAL CANOE, ROCOCODE, CLOSE TALKER / Amigos Cantina — With three bands this good playing, how can you afford to miss it? 10pm / Cover TBD SOLSTICE / The Bassment — Singing jazz standards from the ‘20s to the present.

9pm / $15/20 AUSTEN ROADZ + DJ CTRL / Béily’s UltraLounge — With over 25 years of DJ experience, Austen Roadz throws down a high-energy top 40 dance party along with DJ CTRL every Saturday night. 9pm / $5 cover KASHMIR / Buds on Broadway — Western Canada’s premier tribute to Led Zeppelin.

10pm / $6 THE S.I.N. / Fez on Broadway — A rockin’ band from Edmonton. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ KADE / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon’s own DJ lights it up with hot tunes.

8pm / No cover DJ SUGAR DADDY / Jax Niteclub — Able to rock any party, this local crowd favourite has always been known to break the latest and greatest tracks in multiple genres. He is sure to have you on the dance floor in no time. 9pm / $5 cover COAL CREEK BOYS, BANJO VAN / Lydia’s Pub — Yeehaw! Come on out for a folkin’ good time. 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 DOUG BOOMHOWER TRIO / Prairie Ink — Smooth jazz music for your listening pleasure. 8pm / No cover THUNDER ROSE / Somewhere Else Pub and Grill — Things are going to be rockin’ in here. 9pm / No cover DJ ALBERT / Spadina Freehouse — A DJ who gets the party started. 9pm / No cover

REZ BOYS / Stan’s Place — A little bit of rock to get your weekend started. 9pm / No cover DUELING PIANOS / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King belt out classic tunes and audience requests, from Sinatra to Lady Gaga.

10pm / $5

SEXY SATURDAYS / Tequila Nightclub — Featuring DJ Dislexik. 9pm / Cover TBD (ladies in free before 11pm) RANDI NELSON AND THE AMATI QUARTET / Third Ave. United Church — Works by Mozetich, Foote, Schubert, Mozart and Beethoven. 2pm and 7pm / $15 (www. persephonetheatre.org)

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A BEAUTIFUL OBLIVION

PHOTO: COURTESY OF UNIVERSIAL PICTURES

New Tom Cruise film a visual adventure, but far from perfect

BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

T

he year is 2077. Sixty years ago a race of alien scavengers invaded our world, and all hell broke loose. They knocked out the moon, initiated an apocalyptic nuclear war, and laid waste to the Earth’s surface like it was Sodom and Gomorrah.

No need to fret, though. Humans actually won the war but, in the end, had to abandon the planet. They live now on a gargantuan space station orbiting Earth, while the planet’s remaining water is sucked up.

The end goal? To one day set up shop on Titan — the largest of Saturn’s moons. We knows this because Tom Cruise knows this. Well, not Tom Cruise, exactly. His character in the new sci-fi film Oblivion, Jack Harper, knows this. And in truth, he doesn’t know much more.

See, Jack is one of the humans who survived the alien war. But, for reasons we won’t get into here, his memory has been erased. He now spends his days as a member of a “mop up crew” who lives on a special space station and makes daily trips to Earth to perform maintenance on white, flying, spherical drones, kill whatever alien scavengers he sees, and plunder what few remaining resources are left on the planet. All the while his movements are monitored by Victoria (Andrea Riseborough) who lives on the special space station with him.

One day there is a huge explosion on Earth. Jack goes to check it out, and finds a spaceship carrying a bunch of hibernating humans; one

of them wakes up. Her name is Julia (Olga Kurylenko). Jack takes her back to the station and then things really start happening.

Turns out Julia is Jack’s wife, though he really doesn’t remember because of the whole memory-erase thing.

That’s the first twist in Oblivion, but it certainly isn’t the last. Morgan Freeman shows up. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, too. Mysteries arise and are unraveled.

Directed by Joseph Kosinski (Tron Legacy), Oblivion is yet another installment in the long, long line of post-

OBLIVION Joseph Kosinski Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Andrea Riseborough, + Olga Kurylenko DIRECTED BY STARRING

124 MINUTES | PG

That’s the good part.

The bad part is that no matter how gorgeous Oblivion is, it’s ultimately just another big Tom Cruise blockbuster.

Things work well when he’s in motion and running (he’s always running in

…when [Tom Cruise] slows down the film falters.

ADAM HAWBOLDT

apocalyptic sci-fi flicks that have been made in recent years. And like the ones that have come before, Oblivion gives you all the usual scenes and clichés.

The unpeopled, barren landscapes. The destroyed, half-buried monuments.

The robots.

But what sets Oblivion apart from most of those movies is that, to put it frankly, it’s so goddamn beautiful.

Remember how visually stunning Life of Pi was? Remember how bold and beautiful the whole thing was?

Well, the same cinematographer who worked on that film worked on this one. His name is Claudio Miranda, and again he’s done one heckuva job.

his movies!), but when he slows down the film falters.

But if you can get past the fact that Tom Cruise is doing his Tom Cruise thing again, you should go see Oblivion — if for no other reason than to see the world Kosinski and Miranda have created.

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COMING OF AGE WITH GINGER AND ROSA

Elle Fanning knocks it out of the park in her new movie

BY ADAM HAWBOLDT

C

’mon, admit it: you love a good coming-ofage flick.

You know you do. Deep down we all do. With titles like Stand By Me, Almost Famous, Dazed and Confused, Rebel Without a Cause, The Breakfast Club, Good Will Hunting and A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints leading the way, how can you not be a fan of the genre?

Now there’s a new, oh-so-good addition to the coming-of-age genus. It’s called Ginger and Rosa, and while it’s a tad more art house and a tad more bleak than the aforementioned installments, it’s still one heckuva movie.

Written and directed by the acclaimed Sally Potter (Orlando, Yes), the movie tells the story of two teenage girls, Ginger (Elle Fanning) and Rosa (Alice Englert). The two have been friends since birth, but when we meet them it’s 1962. They live in post-war London, and do what young ladies of the time were wont to do. They sneak cigarettes, hitchhike, shrink their jeans in the tub together, make out with Mod boys — that kind of stuff.

And at this point if you’re thinking, “Oh, this sounds like just another

PHOTO: COURTESY OF A24

You have to remember, this is 1962.

The Cold War is raging and the world is going to end.

Or at least that’s what Ginger thinks. And you can’t really blame her. The Bay of Pigs invasion just happened, and she — along with many other people around the globe — lives in fear of America and the U.S.S.R. engaging in an end-of-times nuclear war.

The entire film rests on Fanning’s slight shoulders, and she pulls it off with panache and aplomb.

ADAM HAWBOLDT

filmmaker taking a nostalgic trip down memory lane,” think again.

Ginger and Rosa isn’t just some idyllic swan song to adolescence. No, it’s a movie about politics and history and what happens when the paths of two life-long friends begin to diverge.

Her fears are magnified by her pacifist professor father, Roland (Alesandro Nivola), her gay godparents (Oliver Platt and Timothy Spall) and their quirky friend (Annette Bening).

Instead of cowering in her room, though, waiting for a nuclear winter,

GINGER AND ROSA Sally Potter STARRING Elle Fanning, Alice Englert, Annette Bening, Oliver Platt + Christina Hendricks DIRECTED BY

90 MINUTES | PG

Ginger takes to the streets and becomes a political activist. She tries to convince Rosa to join the cause, but Rosa is too busy getting involved in the church. Oh, she is also busy getting involved with Ginger’s dad, who, because of his skirt-chasing nature, returns the interest.

This burgeoning relationship takes a toll on Ginger as she marches to Ban the Bomb while trying to come to terms with growing up.

It’s a heavy burden to bare and a tough role for a young actress like Elle Fanning to play. But she plays the hell out of it. I’m telling you, she is one to keep your eye on. The entire film rests on Fanning’s slight shoulders, and she pulls it off with panache and aplomb. There’s something about her face, the way it can slide so easily from ponderous to smiling, that you can’t

help but notice. Can’t help but want to see more of.

And speaking of seeing things, go see this terrific little movie. If you dig coming-of-age flicks the way I do, you’ll be glad you did.

Ginger and Rosa is currently being screened at Roxy Theatre.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

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SATURDAY, APRIL 13 @

SOMEWHERE ELSE

Somewhere Else Pub & Grill 2605 Broadway Avenue (306) 652 3233 MUSIC VIBE / Blues and rock FEATURED DEALS / Imports or coolers for $4.75 DRINK OF CHOICE / Pints of Alexander Keith’s TOP EATS / Somewhere Else Pub burgers (comes with lettuce, tomato,

red onions and mayo, with your choice of fries, soup or salad) SOMETHING NEW / Original 16 is now on tap COMING UP / Thunder Rose on April 26 + 27

Photography by Patrick Carley

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SATURDAY, APRIL 13 @

THE WOODS

The Woods Alehouse 148 2nd Avenue North (306) 652 5883 MUSIC VIBE / Eclectic, thanks to a

good mix of live tunes FEATURED DEALS / Paddock Wood Red Hammer for $6.50, and a steak sandwich for $18 DRINK OF CHOICE / Paddock Wood 606 TOP EATS / Jerked turkey pot pie and the ruben on rye sandwich COMING UP / Live bands every weekend, check their Facebook page for more details

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Photography by Ishtiaq Opal

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

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CROSSWORD CANADIAN CRISS-CROSS doors throughout the winter 26. Short-handled axe 28. Valuable quality 31. Then again 35. Fishing spot 36. Fit out 37. Song sung alone 38. Long span of geologic time 39. Fender mishaps 41. Spread out for drying 42. Back problem 44. Electrical resistance 46. Spend time in prison 47. Lose sleep over 48. Simmered dish 49. Very curious

DOWN 1. Scolds mildly 2. Cut off from sight 3. In a different way 4. Beaming with joy 5. Acknowledged the crowd 6. Has outstanding bills 7. Did a marathon 8. Actress from Yellowknife 9. Nucleus of trained personnel 11. Played with 12. Thoroughfare 14. Have confidence in 17. Help willingly 20. Wanted badly

22. Puts a value on 24. Corrode 25. Fell by cutting 27. Nickname for Toronto 28. Imitates 29. Places in order 30. Some drums 32. Monk or nun 33. Mournful poem 34. Went on horseback 36. Extend a subscription 39. Submarine captain’s command 40. Frighten away by shouting 43. School subject 45. Bride’s new title

SUDOKU ANSWER KEY

A

B

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

ACROSS 1. Burn partially 5. One’s place of employment 9. Plates, cups, saucers, etc., collectively 10. Expect 12. Made a surprise attack 13. One who sells wares 15. Not paired with another 16. Rubs dry 18. Change the colour of 19. Surface measurement 21. Financial help 22. Film spool 23. Movement downward 25. Able to live out of

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

TIMEOUT

© WALTER D. FEENER 2012

HOROSCOPES APRIL 19 – APRIL 25 ARIES March 21–April 19

LEO July 23–August 22

SAGITTARIUS November 23–December 21

Get your fill of small, sensual pleasures this week, Aries. Some chocolate and strawberries. Cheesecake.

Perhaps a massage.

We know you love to socialize, Leo, but take a break this week.

Sequester yourself at home, pull down the blinds, and relax.

Are you worried about coming off as silly or ridiculous, Sagittarius?

If so, don’t be. Let it all hang out this week. Be absurd.

TAURUS April 20–May 20

VIRGO August 23–September 22

CAPRICORN December 22–January 19

Is there someone special in your life that you’ve been neglecting as of late, Taurus? If so, try to spend a little time — it’ll do wonders.

Pay attention to the small details, Virgo. The success or failure of nearly everything you do this week will depend on it.

Most of the time, Capricorn, you are a very logical and reasonable person. But those traits will get you nowhere in the next few days.

GEMINI May 21–June 20

LIBRA September 23–October 23

AQUARIUS January 20–February 19

Have you been experiencing déjà vu lately? Have you been experiencing déjà vu, lately? No worries: it will soon pass.

Remember that line from Cool Hand Luke: “What we got here is failure to communicate?” That basically sums up your week.

If someone invites you to go somewhere or do something, don’t hesitate. Leap, and the chance is you’ll enjoy the heck out of yourself.

CANCER June 21–July 22

SCORPIO October 24–November 22

PISCES February 20–March 20

What’s your talent, Cancer? If you’re not sure, mine the depths of your soul until you unlock what you’re passionate about. Then start to hone it.

Don’t complicate matters this week, Scorpio. Keep it simple, keep it easy, or else you’re in for a long, long haul.

Sometimes people’s eyes don’t work properly. So instead of trying to physically show them something, paint them a word picture.

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

CROSSWORD ANSWER KEY

A

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

B

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