ISSUE #246 – JUNE 28 TO JULY 4
ARTS
CULTURE
MUSIC
SASKATOON
HIGH VALLEY
STAYS TRUE TO ITS PRAIRIE ROOTS FREE!
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FASTEST MOUTH IN THE WEST Competetive auctioneering STREET MEET Saskatoon’s first annual public and graffiti art festival WHITE HOUSE DOWN + BEFORE MIDNIGHT Films reviewed
PHOTO: COURTESY OF MAX HSU
NEWS + OPINION
CONTENTS
THE FIND OF A LIFETIME Dinosaurs and synchrotrons. 4 / LOCAL
FASTEST MOUTH IN THE WEST Competetive auctioneering. 6 / LOCAL
DRIVING BIG BROTHER ON THE COVER:
HIGH VALLEY
Country rockers stay true to their prairie roots. 12 / FEATURE
Our thoughts on SGI’s proposed usage based insurance. 8 / EDITORIAL
COMMENTS Here’s what you had to say about ignition interlock devices. 10 / COMMENTS
PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE ARTIST
CULTURE
Q + A WITH JOEY CAPE Scorpios celebrate the life and music of Tony Sly. 12 / Q + A
ONE FOR THE AGES
AN INSTANT CLASSIC
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat gets an update. 13 / ARTS
German Culture Centre: Beers, bratwurst and Bill Murray 16 / FOOD + DRINK
STREET MEET
MUSIC
New festival explores street, public and graffiti art. 13 / ARTS
The Tragically Hip, Mary Gauthier + Iron and Wine. 17 / MUSIC
ENTERTAINMENT
LISTINGS Local music listings for June 21 through June 28. 18 / LISTINGS
WHITE HOUSE DOWN + BEFORE MIDNIGHT The latest movie reviews. 20 / FILM
ON THE BUS Weekly original comic illustrations by Elaine M. Will. 26 / COMICS
NIGHTLIFE PHOTOS
GAMES + HOROSCOPES
We visit Amigos and The Freehouse.
Canadian criss-cross puzzle, horoscopes, and Sudoku. 27 / TIMEOUT
22-25 / NIGHTLIFE
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BUSINESS & OPERATIONS
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
ART & PRODUCTION
CONTACT
PRODUCTION LEAD / BRITTNEY GRAHAM DESIGN LEAD / ANDREW YANKO CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS / PATRICK CARLEY,
COMMENTS / FEEDBACK@VERBNEWS.COM / 306 881 8372
ADAM HAWBOLDT, ALEX J MACPHERSON + CHRISTIAN CORTEZ
ADVERTISE / ADVERTISE@VERBNEWS.COM / 306 979 2253 DESIGN / LAYOUT@VERBNEWS.COM / 306 979 8474 GENERAL / INFO@VERBNEWS.COM / 306 979 2253
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2 JUNE 28 – JULY 4 VERB MAGAZINE
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THE FIND OF A LIFETIME
One Saskatchewan physicist is using the U of S synchrotron to try to colour the past BY ADAM HAWBOLDT
PHOTO: COURTESY OF JIMMY WAYNE
Q
uick question: what colour were dinosaurs? If you’ve ever read a book about the great beasts, seen pictures in magazines, played with dinosaur toys as a kid, watched a movie like Jurassic Park or were a fan of the short-lived television series on ABC called Dinosaurs, chances are you think they were green or some shade of brown. But here’s the thing: nobody really knows what colour dinosaurs were. That ‘s right. All your longheld beliefs about dinosaur colour are mere conjecture. Figments of other people’s imagination. Educated guesses based on the colour of reptiles and other animals found today. But a physicist at the University Regina is hoping change all that in the not-too-distant future.
His name is Mauricio Barbi. And if things go according to plan, he
Like many young boys before and since, Barbi was also inter-
What we will do is use the synchrotron to look for some structures in the skin. MAURICIO BARBI
may one day shade in an otherwise blank part of our planet’s history.
As a child growing up in Brazil, Barbi would spend nights outside lying on his back, staring up at the stars. He often wondered what it would be like to go to space, and visit other stars and planets. But his interests didn’t reside solely in the heavens.
ested in things closer to our world. Things like physics and dinosaurs. “From a very young age, I was very interested in both of those things,” he says. “[And] I would read anything and everything to do with dinosaurs.” As time wore on, though, Barbi’s interest in paleontology began to take a back seat to physics. Sure he still liked both subjects immensely, but being the practical person he is, CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE »
4 JUNE 28 – JULY 4 NEWS + OPINION
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Barbi knew that if he wanted to do something and do it well, he must focus all his energies on one thing. For him, that thing was physics. Fast forward a couple of decades. Past a Bachelor of Science Degree in Rio de Janeiro, through a Masters in Science at the Univeristy of Santa Catarina and beyond a PhD from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro to a time about five years ago. That’s when Barbi’s two childhood loves — paleontology and physics — began to converge. “Sure I would always watch movies about dinosaurs and stuff at home,” says Barbi, who by then was an associate physics professor at the U of R, “but it’s not like I would do anything about it. I’d just watch them for enjoyment.” But once his daughter, Laura, was old enough — around four years of age or so — he began taking the family on trips to Dinosaur Provincial Park in Drumheller, Alberta, and the T.Rex Discovery Centre in Eastend, Saskatchewan. The sparks of passion he once held for these extinct creatures began to rekindle. So much so, in fact, that Barbi decided to make some inquiries to the Royal Saskatchewan Museum. He sent an email to the museum volunteering his services to work with fossils. Maybe dusting them or something. His intentions? To have a bit of fun, and hopefully bring his daughter along so she could learn more about dinosaurs.
But the message Barbi received back from Tim Tokaryk, head of paleontology at the museum, proposed a job much more important than simply dusting dinosaur fossils.
On a warm, sunny day in June of last year, Barbi was doing fieldwork near a riverbed in Grand Prairie with a team that included paleontologist Phil Bell. Barbi was there because of the random email he sent a few years prior. And just as randomly, on that fateful day, his colleague Bell found a specimen while excavating. Thinking it was just an imprint (not all that uncommon in the paleontology world), Bell handed the rocklike specimen to Barbi. He took a good, hard look at the specimen and when a piece of it came off he suddenly realized he was holding something extraordinary. “This isn’t an imprint,” Barbi told Bell. “This is real skin!” Bell looked at him as if to say, “Really? Are you sure?” Barbi was sure. There in his hand was a well-preserved piece of 70 million year old dinosaur skin, one that once belonged to a duck-billed dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period called a Hadrosaur. A wave of excitement rose from the team, since only three samples of this skin had ever been found before. Once the initial excitement died down a little, it was time for the real work to begin back in Saskatchewan. Wary of using X-rays to examine the skin (because they might destroy
the sample) and not willing to put it under an electron microscope (you have to cut a sample into sections to do this), Barbi figured the best way to analyze the hadrosaur specimen was by using the Canadian Light Source synchrotron. The machine, located at the University of Saskatchewan and described as one of the largest science projects in Canadian history, is a source of brilliant light that scientists can use to examine objects at a molecular level. It’s an extraordinarily complex device that has a footprint the size of a football field, but in simple terms it works like a giant microscope. “The search for pigments is a tricky matter ... The evidence we have found so far is encouraging, but not conclusive at all,” says Barbi. “We are using the synchotron to look for some structures in the skin called melanosomes. They come in geometrical shapes. They come in different shapes like cylinders and cigarette shape. The different shapes give you different colors.” Barbi admits that testing the sample and interpreting the results could take months or even years, but if and when any such structures are discovered, the mystery of “What colour were the dinosaurs?” may finally be solved. Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372
@VerbSaskatoon ahawboldt@verbnews.com
5 JUNE 28 – JULY 4 @VERBSASKATOON
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LOCAL
PHOTO COURTESY OF BRENNIN JACK
FASTEST MOUTH IN THE WEST
Brennin Jack does his thing at the World Livestock Auctioneer Championships BY ADAM HAWBOLDT
T
he voice on the other end of the phone is slow and measured. There are slight pauses between phrases. Moments of reflection to consider what’s about to be said. All this kind of catches you off-guard. Not because of the slowness of the voice or the vocal ticks. No. It’s because the voice belongs to Brennin Jack — one of the fastest mouths in the west, one the best livestock auctioneers on the planet. Raised on his family farm in the Invermay/Rama area of East-Central Saskatchewan, Jack got his debut in the auction ring at a young age. “When I was younger the guys that owned the auction market in Kelvington, Saskatchewan wanted me to try selling, but I was too scared,” says Jack, who now calls Prince Albert home. “Then one Fall, when I was nine, I built up enough courage to get out there and sell.”
For more than a century, Jack’s family had been involved in the livestock business, but because he was the first auctioneer, there wasn’t exactly a wealth of resources available to help him learn his art. So Jack enrolled in a short, three-day course in Regina, then set out to teach himself how to be an auctioneer.
who tries to take something and copy it. People who just listen to one auctioneer will never be as good as that person. The original is always best.” To avoid this pitfall Jack began listening to auctioneers from all over North America. He listened to rapid Southern-style auctioneers, to choppy Eastern auctioneers, to
In situations like this, it’s mind over matter for me. BRENNIN JACK
But where does one begin to learn the art of auctioneering? “You start by listening,” explains the 23-year-old. “Every good auctioneer should be an individual with their own style.” Here Jack pauses, thinks for a second, and continues. “There’s nothing worse than, um, what I call a counterfeit — someone
Western auctioneers with their rhythmical chants. Jack listened and learned, and along the way he developed an original style all his own. When asked to describe his style, Jack says it’s more Western than anything. Then he takes a deep breath and launches into an auctioneer spiel: CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE »
6
HONOR FIGHT PROMOTIONS
JUNE 28 – JULY 4 NEWS + OPINION
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“twenty-five, five hundred and thirty, thirty and five, five hundred and forty, forty five, five hundred and fifty...” The words roll of his tongue with rapid ease. Unlike when he’s speaking, Jack’s voice is smooth as glass, rolling and swaying to a constant, rhythmic, uninterrupted beat. It’s the voice that has won Jack nearly every Canadian auctioneer competition out there — Canadian Livestock Rookie Auctioneer of the Year, Calgary Stampede International Auctioneer Champion, Canadian Livestock Auctioneer Champion ... you name it, he’s won it. It’s also the kind of voice that earned him an invite to the 2013 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship in Montgomery, Alabama.
It’s 5 AM on a Saturday. June 15th, to be precise. While most other people in Montgomery are still asleep, Brennin Jack is crawling out of bed. Since arriving in Alabama on Wednesday, Jack’s schedule has been chock-full of required things to do. Thursday was spent in meeting after meeting about things related to the World Livestock Auctioneer Championships. On Friday, he — along with
the other 30 best auctioneers on Earth — went through the interview segment of the competition in which they were asked the same three questions about the industry and how they represent it. But today is the day when the auctioneers get to really show what they’re made of. After getting ready and having a bite to eat, Jack and the other auctioneers boarded a bus at their hotel and drove to the Montgomery Stockyards for a 7:30 AM start to the competition. “It’s one of the most nerve-racking things you’ll ever do,” says Jack, of the auction portion of the event. “You’ve been selected as one of the 31 best auctioneers in the world and you don’t want to disappoint.” To add to that pressure, Jack is the only Canadian at the World Livestock Auctioneer Championships. But with something like three-quarters of a million head of cattle sold over the past seven years, and 34 competitions under his belt, Jack is no greenhorn. “In situations like this, it’s mind over matter for me,” he explains. “That’s where the cream rises to the top. The guys who know how to control their nerves and fears will get into the top 10. If you fall apart and can’t handle
it, the judges are going to see that.” Nerves in check, Jack takes a seat in front of 500 people at the auction market in the Montgomery Stockyards. An additional 20,000+ people are watching the competition live on the Internet or on RFD-TV. Jack takes a deep breath. And for the next five minutes his steady, almost musical auctioneering voice takes firm control of the sale.
For the second year in a row, Jack made it through the first round of the World Livestock Auctioneer Championships, putting him into the top 10. And as one of the finalists, he had to go through another round of auctions before the overall champion was determined. He didn’t win. But there’s no shame in that. After all, being named one of the 10 best livestock auctioneers in the world is a heck of an accomplishment — especially for someone barely old enough to drink in the States. And at 23 years of age, Jack knows there’s still room for him to get even better. All it’s going to take is practice, pratice and more practice. “The base of my chant probably isn’t going to change much from
here,” he says, “but I’m always trying to incorporate new things, tiny things, in order to challenge myself. Our business is very repetitious and you can get bored doing the same thing over and over again. So I try to keep it lively and keep it going.” So how does one of the best livestock auctioneers on the planet do that, exactly? “The best thing you can do is record yourself on something, like a cellphone, and play it back to yourself,” explains Jack. “Then when you’re driving down the road, plug it into your car and listen to yourself. You’ll pick up on stuff you won’t normally pick up on, things nobody will tell you.” So if you’re out one of these days and see a young man driving past you in a cowboy hat, auctioneering chants wafting from an open window, chances are it might be Jack, honing his craft, trying to gain a new perspective on his voice. ( ( ) 881 Feedback? Feedback?Text Textit!it!306 306) 8818372 8372 @VerbSaskatoon ahawboldt@verbnews.com
7 JUNE 28 – JULY 4 /VERBSASKATOON
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ARTS
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FOOD + DRINK
MUSIC
LISTINGS
FILM
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NEWS + OPINION
EDITORIAL
DRIVING BIG BROTHER SGI’s proposed usage based insurance is a bad idea
R
emember, not so long ago, when SGI announced a proposed hike of up to 73% on motorcycle insurance? The prospect of such a whopping increase caused outrage among motorcycle enthusiasts in the province, and sent the Crown corporation back to the drawing board. Now the province has come up with a different idea — a pilot program that will use technology to track vehicle usage and set insurance rates. To do this, they are proposing that telematics devices be installed on, at first, a few hundred motorcycles, presumably with a wider rollout to follow. According to a press release from SGI, these devices — the cornerstones of the province’s proposed usage-based insurance policy — record driving information such as “speed, braking, mileage and driving location” to determine how safely a particular driver or rider is behaving on the road, and adjust their insurance rates accordingly. Donna Harpauer, the minister responsible for SGI, puts it like this: “Usage-based insurance is the ultimate in rating fairness because it essentially lets the driver control their own insurance rate through their driving behaviour. Simply put, those who drive responsibly pay less and those who don’t pay more.” Makes sense, right? Well, not so fast. We here at Verb think this is a pretty bad idea. For starters, the whole program smacks of Big Brother. Think about it. When you have this device installed in your vehicle the government can
track where you are, where you were, how long you stayed there, which routes you took, how long it took you to get there, what time of day you were on the road and how many kilometers you travel. Advocates of telematic systems say the data will not be misused once collected, but if news headlines from the last decade or so have taught us anything, it’s that we should probably take such claims of foolproof, ethical government surveillance with a grain of salt. And even if we buy that the government would never abuse the information, doesn’t gathering and storing it just create a prime target for hackers? Think of the havoc malicious third parties could wreak - from bullying to breakups to blackmail - if they ever got their hands on the kind of detailed data we’re talking about. In our view, driving data is like a sex tape: the only way to guarantee it’s never seen by the wrong eyes is to avoid creating it in the first place. In theory, the kind of data the insurer want to collect will allow them to tell the good drivers from the bad. But how can tracking simple metrics like speed, braking and the like truly show who is driving responsibly? For instance, let’s say you’re driving or riding in the city and a small child darts out in front of your vehicle, or another driver cuts you off. Naturally you’ll be braking hard, suddenly and at unusual intervals. In this case your awareness and quick reactions are actually avoiding accidents, but the telematic device has no way of knowing what’s going on outside the vehicle; it just shows you behaving
like an erratic lunatic that deserves to have their insurance rates hiked. Conversely, it would see the true bad drivers — people that always back up without looking first or regularly blow through red lights because they’re not paying attention — as the safest of all, while anybody forced to brake or swerve around these idiots would be penalized. We’ve said this before: when it comes to responsible driving, government policy should be proactive not reactive. So instead of wasting time and drivers’ money on things like usage-based insurance to promote safe driving, why doesn’t SGI host or certify advanced driver training courses and offer steep discounts for anyone who takes them and does well? Not just a few hours of in-class lectures, but comprehensive behind-the-wheel (or handlebars) defensive driving courses. Implementing such a program would help inexperienced or just-plain-poor drivers improve their skills, cutting down on the number of reckless and unaware people operating vehicles in this province. To us, that makes way more sense than letting the government track your every movement in the name of responsible driving. These editorials are left unsigned because they represent the opinions of Verb magazine, not those of the individual writers. Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372
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8 JUNE 28 – JULY 4 NEWS + OPINION
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COMMENTS
ON TOPIC: Last week we asked what you thought about ignition interlock devices for people convicted of DUI. Here’s what you had to say: – Ignition interlock devices should be mandatory for people convicted of impaired driving. They should be happy to have another chance to drive. It’s no different than people under house arrest or probation being fitted with an ankle bracelet for electronic monitoring as an alternative to jail. :0
– Good idea! Bloody good idea. There’s a real problem with drinking and driving here in Saskatchewan. It’s about time someone did something about it
– this is so dumb! drunk drivers should go to jail not back into their cars!
– ignition interlock for a long time after conviction seems like the least that should happen for drinking and driving, not sure why that isn’t the law already!!!
– Driving is a privilege, not a right. People who abuse that privilege should be removed from the roads, not rewarded with another chance to keep driving.
– The government should implement this policy postehaste. Run, do not walk. Drunk drivers need to be taught a lesson. Let’s go one better, though. Let’s make the devices cost double what’s stated in the article
OFF TOPIC – Re:Safe injection sites. I on front line over 30 yrs.Van pop=SK pop.Not all junkies will be able to use site.Unfair. Alternative is to make every healthcare centre in SK a needle exchange site.Before handing out clean needles give 5 min talk on alternatives to usi
Text yo thoughtsur to 881 VE R B 8372
…
ng(treatment,rehab,methadone,oth er options,HIV/HepC impact). I know people in smaller SK centres have no access to clean needles. Clean needles=lower HIV/HepC rates. Fact: Prince Albert has per capita more intravenous drug users than either Regina or Saskatoon. Providing clean needles more cost effective than operating an injection site. No matter what is done drug use fuels crime. Stop drug use crime go down as well as overdose. Education people. Use your heads.Say no to an addict. In response to “A Time To Heal,” Editorial, #244 (June 14, 2013)
SOUND OFF – I remember coming home late one night when the family was younger to hear everyone snoring bro downstairs, niece on the couch, sis in her bedroom, G and nephew’s little toddler snore in another. Sounded eerie fierce but I recognized their snores like their voices. Snoring may have been a very selectively scary defines mechanism for humans when we slept in the wilderness.
– Unplugging the condom and syringe jam in the storm sewer grating after a rain storm is DOWNtown!
– Don’t feed teenagers. Don’t give cougars the Big O. Don’t let crackerheads into the basment. None of them will ever go home!
– Integrity costs money. Everyone knows this. In this greedy society few see the value. Fewer still are willing to pay for this priceless commodity.
– Another thing that sucks a lot about maturity is you often see the
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE »
10 JUNE 28 – JULY 4 NEWS + OPINION
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POWERED BY THE CREW AT MOGA MOBILE
…
other party’s point of view and recognize a need to compromise. Never ever get your way.
– Something died somewhere for every single thing you buy with your paycheque. People seem rank ignorant of this for some reason??? Only what you need peeps!
– There’s times when I’m led to believe hetero women have more of an eye for each other than do hetero men for them. Kind of a competitive thing I think?
…
swimmer than you could ever be.
– BBQ grilled salami or summer sausage. Pretty good. Burger size slices of the big kind. Kaiser bun lettuce tomato. I imagine balonie bolgna would be good too.
NEXT WEEK: What do you think of SGI’s usage based insurance plan? Read the story on page 6 and text us your feedback! We print your texts verbatim each week. Text in your thoughts and reactions to our stories
– DO NOT go in the river to ‘rescue’ your dog. The dog is a much better
– Yes that dress does make you look fat.
and content, or anything else on your mind.
11 JUNE 28 – JULY 4 /VERBSASKATOON
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Q+A
A FITTING TRIBUTE PHOTOS: COURTESY OF LISA JOHNSON
Joey Cape & Scorpios celebrate the life and music of Tony Sly BY ALEX J MACPHERSON
J
oey Cape is a member of the seminal California punk band Lagwagon. He also plays guitar in Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, punk rock royalty known for raucous covers of old classics. But Cape is also a sensitive songwriter and talented acoustic guitar player. He has been making introspective acoustic records for the best part of a decade, most recently with Scorpios and Tony Sly, who died last year. Scorpios, which consists of Cape, Jon Snodgrass, and Brian Wahlstrom, are currently on tour, paying tribute to Sly by playing his favourite songs. I caught up with Cape to talk about going acoustic, getting older, and Sly’s enduring legacy. Alex J MacPherson: People who know you from Lagwagon and Me First and the Gimme Gimmes might be surprised to learn that you’ve been making acoustic music for years. Joey Cape: A lot of people don’t know that, but that’s okay. It’s such a self-indulgent thing, doing the acoustic thing. It’s way more of something that I know is not as appealing to as wide of an audience. But I enjoy it so much. If you look at it like it can cross genres, into folk and country and alt-contemporary whatever they call it, then maybe it could appeal to more people. But the fact is, we do it at such a small level. I just put the music out
myself and we just tour a lot. It’s lesserknown, but it’s almost more enjoyable.
about doing acoustic tours – you can tour with anyone, you don’t have to have a band, you just learn a few of each others’ songs, and you’re playing music for the joy of it.
AJM: Do you think of playing alone, or with Scorpios, as completely separate from your other work?
AJM: It occurs to me that the music you’re writing now has undergone something of a shift. A lot of your songs seem to be about time and its passing.
It’s difficult. It’s exhilarating. We love him, we love his songs...
JC: I think in general as you get older the things you write about are always going to pertain to what’s going on in your life. I’m 46. It’s not going to be too long before I’m writing about dentures and soft foods. But all kidding aside, as far as working with Tony in particular there was a real camaraderie and bonding point that had to do with us being fathers, very similar careers in music, making a lot of the same choices, good and bad. That’s empowering.
JOEY CAPE
JC: In so many ways anything I do musically I have the same approach. I do it because I enjoy it and I do it with low expectations of return. I’m used to that. I’ve been raised that way as far as music goes: my current music has always been about maybe being a little bit self-indulgent and doing things because you want to do them.
AJM: This tour is a tribute to Tony. Has it been difficult to carry on without him? JC: We just did the same thing in Europe, more or less. Every night it’s all things. It’s difficult. It’s exhilarating. We love him, we love his songs, and playing the songs is really enjoyable because we love the songs. Honouring him is enjoyable because we loved him. There’s definitely some pain in it. But all these things are cathartic, and I don’t think we’re going to do it after this. There may be some form of tribute to Tony the entire rest of my life. But as far as this tour goes, it kind of needs to be done after that. We’re coming up on
AJM: I like the idea of doing things because you want to do them. Audiences pick up on honesty and authenticity, or whatever word you want to use, and they appreciate it. JC: It does mean something when people see you play, and see that you really enjoy it, and it’s not like a theatre thing. Which is kind of the cool thing about a Scorpios tour. We’re basically old friends getting together, and that in general is the cool thing
the year anniversary of his death, and at some point you have to let go. Joey Cape July 9 @ Ph $10 @ Ticketedge
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@VerbSaskatoon amacpherson@verbnews.com
12 JUNE 28 – JULY 4 CULTURE
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ONE FOR THE AGES
Saskatoon Summer Players tackle Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat BY ALEX J MACPHERSON
J
oseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is one of the most ambitious and successful musicals ever written. After the success of Jesus Christ Superstar, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice returned to the Bible for inspiration, this time transforming the story of Joseph and his coat of many colours into a kaleidoscopic whirlwind of song, dance, and joy. According to director Dennis Beerling, the Saskatoon Summer Players’ production of the musical offers audiences a new take on an old story. “We brought it forward a couple centuries,” he says. “When the Israelites arrive, they’ll be arriving on a broken-down motorcycle. They buy Joseph as a slave to help take their motorcycle offstage.
Even Pharaoh, who is normally a Pharaoh, is a CEO, an executive director of a company. We just tried to bring things forward.” Updating a classic show is always a risk. Audiences are often well-acquainted with the original production, and arrive at the theatre with certain expectations. Beerling acknowledges the risk, but thinks the ease with which Joseph can be updated is a testament to the strength of the story and the music. “Andrew Lloyd Webber, this is the second show he worked on with Tim Rice, and the man is so talented that you can do just that,” he says of the show, which tells the story of Joseph’s exile in Egypt and subsequent rise to prominence under Pharaoh, an Elvis Presley character. “The thing I like
about this show, is that it’s not just for the old set – there are things in here for younger people, too.” Beerling is referring to the show’s music, which was composed by Webber and includes parodies of many different genres, from rock and roll and country to dicso and calypso. The breadth of the score presents a challenge for the cast and musicians, but Beerling says the show is also a lot of fun to stage. “And it’s certainly a show that transcends ages,” he adds with a laugh. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat June 28 - July 7 @ Remai Arts Centre $31 @ Persephone Theatre Box Office / 306 384 7727
STREET MEET
New festival expands the realm of public art
I
n Saskatoon, public art means towering bronze monoliths and elaborate steel constructions. These sculptures, which can be found across the city, are made to withstand the elements and last for decades. But Keeley Haftner, a Saskatoon artist who specializes in painting, printmaking, and sculpture, is convinced that public art can be more diverse, more vibrant, and more dynamic than the concrete and metal monuments currently scattered across the city. Street Meet is the first iteration of what Haftner hopes will become an annual event. A festival dedicated to promoting public art, the event includes commissioned works by a number of public artists. “There’s not really any representation of the other things that are happening the city,” Haftner says. “Like graffiti. Like street art.” Inspired by a surge in street art, site-specific installations that explore ideas beyond the towering edifices of steel and bronze that have for so long defined public art, Haftner sought out
BY ALEX J MACPHERSON
artists working in new and exciting disciplines. “People can see them produce the works, and then they’ll be having a roundtable discussion, so they’ll talk about street and graffiti art,” Haftner explains. “Then there will be a walking tour of their works. Street Meet will feature works by four nationally and internationally recognized artists: Montreal-based Shelley Miller, who subverts graffiti by using non-permanent media, like cake icing; Corey Bulpitt, a Haida carver who also experiments with traditional images and ideas using new media; Robyn Love, who splits her time between Newfoundland and New York and creates site-specific installations using domestic products like yarn; and David LaRiviere, a Saskatoon artist and curator, who undermines thoughts about advertising with enormous billboards and signs. But Street Meet is for everyone to enjoy, not just artists with gallery shows behind them. “It can include both people who have contemporary and art historical backgrounds and
people who just love to create things,” Haftner explains. “I know a lot of local graffiti artists, street artists who are working without a lot of background. I certainly think that’s part of what this discussion is.” Perhaps most importantly, Street Meet offers people an opportunity to think about the spaces they occupy every day, and what public art means to them. “We all have these public spaces, but they’re often very generic, defined by function rather than in terms of form or idea,” Haftner explains, “and so as people who pay taxes and live in these areas, how much do we define the areas that we own and live in?” Street Meet: Saskatoon’s 1st Annual Street, Public and Graffiti Art Festival July 5-7 @ AKA Gallery See akagallery.org for more information Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372
@VerbSaskatoon amacpherson@verbnews.com
13 JUNE 28 – JULY 4 @VERBSASKATOON
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THERE AND BACK AGAIN PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE ARTIST
High Valley on the long road to success, and the longer road back home BY ALEX J MACPHERSON
E
arlier this year three brothers from northern Alberta made their debut at the Grand Ole Opry, a broadcast that has been showcasing the best in country music since 1925. An invitation to perform at the Opry, which is held each week in Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, is one of the crown jewels in any country music career. For Brad Rempel, one third of the country and roots trio High Valley, playing at the Opry marked the beginning of a new era. “Not only did we get to play the Opry,” he enthuses, “but we got to play at the mother church of country music. It was everything you could ever dream of. Being a Canadian band and debuting at the Opry? That doesn’t happen more than once every decade.” It was a fitting reward for the brothers, who have spent the last sixteen years touring relentlessly and playing their songs for anybody who would listen. The story of High Valley begins in La Crete, a small town more than four hundred miles north of Edmonton. Brothers Brad, Bryan, and Curtis grew up on a small farm just outside
town. From an early age, they were forced to rely on themselves, and on each other. Imbued with a strong independent streak and the rigid moral compass that comes with life far from the city, the brothers grew up working on the family farm, playing
“Maybe because our town is so small and isolated, we kind of got stuck in the nineties for maybe an extra ten years,” Rempel says with a laugh, referring to a time when country music was not yet the commercial behemoth it is today. “We just grew up
Being a Canadian band and debuting at the [Grand Ole] Opry? That doesn’t happen more than once every decade. BRAD REMPEL
hockey, and making music. Because their church, the focal point of community life in La Crete, only had a piano, they learned to sing harmonies. Eventually, they started picking up instruments, too. Brad learned to play guitar. Bryan followed his father and started playing bass. Curtis, the youngest, figured out how to make noise with a mandolin and a banjo. Their musical education, like their personal lives, was shaped by time and distance.
on so much of that music, when country music was all about telling stories. We never got over it.” The band’s latest album, Love Is A Long Road, bridges the gap between the traditional sounds of places like Nashville and Bakersfield and the sparking pop influences of contemporary country. “I love what’s on country radio today,” Rempel admits. “It’s very fun, it’s very pop, it’s very catchy. And you need all that stuff.” But conforming to expectations is CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE »
14 JUNE 28 – JULY 4 CULTURE
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not the High Valley way. Rempel concedes that he and his brothers might have had a shorter road to success if they had abandoned their principles in favour of flashy pop hooks and shallow party anthems. To be sure, Love Is A Long Road includes a few barn-burners, fiery love songs that cast roiling banjo licks against a wall of thick electric guitar chords. But the heart of the record, and the songs that separate High Valley from so many of their contemporaries, are contemplative, thoughtful, and overflowing with raw emotion. “We like to think that ultimately these kind of songs will last longer,” Rempel muses. “In the long run, people twenty years from now will hopefully still be talking about a song like ‘Trying To Believe’ instead of just turning the page and thinking about whatever the new uptempo party song is.” Unlike the band’s earlier releases, which focused on making sense of the gulf between their childhood in La Crete and the bright lights of the big city, Love Is A Long Road feels like the work of a mature band – three young men comfortable with their lot in life and capable of addressing important problems head-on. The centrepiece of the album, “Trying To Believe” features a pair of entwined guitar licks and an earnest yet powerful vocal from Rempel, and
PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE ARTIST
details his attempts to raise his son in a strange and alienating world. “The best way to feel comfortable with your situation is to admit your situation, and that’s kind of what ‘Trying To Believe’ is,” he explains. “It’s a song about admitting exactly where I’m at. Instead of just hinting at it, we came right out and said, ‘Here’s what’s happening in the world and here’s how I feel about it, and I don’t know exactly how to make sense of it all, but I’m sure trying.’”
This confidence, in himself and in his songs, is an advantage for High Valley as they enter the next stage of their career. The band has been signed to Eaglemont, an American record label, since 2007. But Love Is A Long Road was released in Canada almost a year before their first single — an uptempo love song called “Love You For A Long Time” — started to spin south of the border. Rempel says trying to break into the American market feels a lot like starting from scratch. This time, however, he and his brothers know what they are doing. “For so many years we were absolutely brand-new, trying hard to get anybody to listen to us, so we’re very familiar with how that works,” he explains. “Now that’s how we find ourselves in the U.S. Every once in awhile it gets disheartening. You get burnt out. Then it’s nice to go up to Canada and play a big show and have people really support you. It’s like, alright, this really does work.” And if the invitation to play at the Grand Ole Opry is any indication, High Valley’s brand of earnest and honest country music has found an audience south of the 49th parallel. Embracing the aesthetics of contemporary country might have catapulted them to the top of the charts overnight, but Rempel insists that High Valley will never pretend to be something they are not. For the brothers from Alberta, staying true to their roots, musically as well as morally, is as important as commercial success. And that’s the reason so many of their songs harken back to the early days of country music, when traditional instruments were used to tell moving stories. “That’s where we’re at our best, when we’re bluegrassin’ it up,” Rempel says with a laugh. “For us, that’s just where we want to be – taking those two worlds of rocking country and bluegrass music and blending them together.” And while High Valley have spent the last year making fans and earning accolades across North America, people embrace their music because it is clear that the Rempel brothers stay true to their roots. Last year, they returned home to play a surprise show in La Crete. “We showed up with not much notice and we were able to play a set at this jamboree,” Rempel recalls. “When we sang the song ‘Porches,’ which is one of my
favourite songs on the record, I’m looking out into the crowd. I know everybody, they’ve been on our front porch. I just broke down. We had a five-minute guitar solo because I was crying in front of everybody, and I couldn’t finish the song. Maybe that’s because of the three-part harmony. Maybe it’s because of the lyrics. Or just how real everything seems when you’re at the place that you wrote the song about.” This is the essence of High Valley. This is what allows their songs about ordinary people, relatable problems, and simple pleasures to transcend international borders. No matter how far they travel from their home in La Crete, no matter how bright the lights or how big the concerts, they will never forget where they came from. Love and life may be long roads, but they will always lead High Valley right back home.
Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372
High Valley June 13 @ Craven
@VerbSaskatoon amacpherson@verbnews.com
15 JUNE 28 – JULY 4 /VERBSASKATOON
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AN INSTANT CLASSIC Photos courtesy of Adam Hawboldt
Beers, bratwurst and Bill Murray: The German Culture Centre offers fine German cuisine BY ADAM HAWBOLDT
H
ave you ever watched the right movie at exactly the right time? Like seeing Before Sunrise just after you’ve just met the person of your dreams, or turning the channel to find Miracle just before you leave to play a in big game you know you’re supposed to lose? Only reason I ask is because this happened to me the other day at the German Culture Centre. As soon as I walked in I looked up at a television in the corner and there it was — Caddyshack playing on ESPN. Now, this was the right movie at the right time for two reasons. First, the German Culture Centre is located at the Saskatoon Golf and Country Club, so naturally the movie and the setting went hand-in-hand. Second, for reasons I won’t get into here, I was feeling rather glum. And what better way is there to pull yourself out of a funk than to
watch one of the funniest sports movies of all time? So I pulled up a chair, kicked back and started watching the movie. Not long after Bill Murray did his “gunga galunga” schtick about the Dalai Lama, I chuckled to myself and
(beef rolls stuffed with bacon, pickles and onion) to schnitzel and warsteiner (beer battered fish and chips.) Sure there was other European and Canadian fare available, but when eating at a German restaurant why not go with what they do best? I started off with a pint of Bavarian black, and boy was it good! Rich and tasty and smooth as a baby’s bottom, this beer really hit the spot after a long morning at work. For my meal, I went with the The Oktoberfest sandwich and a bowl of tomato ancho black bean soup. The soup was spicy and sweet with a load of delicious black beans to help bulk it up. As for the sandwich, there was a lot going on there. And it worked! The sweetness of the caramelized apples, the zip of the sauerkraut, the tartness of the mustard, the creamy texture of the swiss cheese and the all get out succulence of the bratwurst sausage all stuffed between two thick slabs of pretzel bread made for a hefty dose of complex, gooey goodness. Meal finished, I paid my bill (only around $15!) and hit the road to watch the rest of Caddyshack. It was just as funny as ever.
I started off with a pint of Bavarian black: rich, tasty and smooth as a baby’s bottom. ADAM HAWBOLDT
picked up a menu to order. What I saw was a hole heap of delicioussounding German food, everything from mushroom strudel to rouladen
LET’S GO DRINKIN’ VERB’S MIXOLOGY GUIDE WHITE GERMAN
INGREDIENTS
You’ve heard of White Russians, right? You know, the cocktail made famous by The Dude in Big Lebowski? Well, here’s a fresh take on this old favorite — German style.
1 oz vodka 1 oz Kahlua 5 oz milk 1 splash Jagermeister
German Culture Centre 865 Cartwright Street | 306 931 0022 Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372
DIRECTIONS
Add vodka, Kahlua and Jagermeister to a tumbler filled with ice. Shake well. Fill a highball glass with ice cubes. Pour in alcohol mixture. Add milk, stir and serve.
@VerbSaskatoon ahawboldt@verbnews.com
16 JUNE JUNE14 21 28––JUNE JULY 20 27 4 CULTURE
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MUSIC
NEXT WEEK
COMING UP
TRAGICALLY HIP
MARY GAUTHIER
IRON AND WINE
@ CREDIT UNION CENTRE SATURDAY, JULY 6 – $34.75+
@ AMIGO’S CANTINA SUNDAY, JULY 7 – $20
@ ODEON EVENTS CENTRE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 – $36.75+
Known to many as simply “the Hip,” this Canadian rock band from Kingston, Ontario, has come a long way from its 1983 genesis in the Waldron Tower residence of Queen’s University. Originally the band —which took it’s name from a Micheal Nesmith skit in the movie Elephant Parts — consisted of Gord Downie (lead vocals/guitar), Rob Baker (guitar), Gord Sinclair (bass) and Johnny Fay (drums). A small venue quartet until 1986 when Paul Langlois joined the band, the Hip released a self-titled EP a year later and never looked back. In fact, their latest studio record, 2012’s Now for Plan A debuted at #3 on the Canadian Albums Chart. The Hip are rolling through Saskatoon in July, tickets through Ticketmaster.
Though she’s recorded with the likes of Tim McGraw, Jimmy Buffet and many more, Mary Gauthier’s life has been far from idyllic. Born in New Orleans to a mother she never knew, Gauthier spent the first year of her life in the St. Vincent Women and Infants Asylum. She was adopted and, at the age of 15, ran away from home. The next few years were spent doing drugs, entering rehab, and living in halfway houses, and she spent her 18th birthday in jail. She even opened a Cajun restaurant one but was arrested for drunk driving on opening night. Thankfully she’s clean and sober now, and the songs the talented country/folk/ Americana artist sings are infused with the pain and hardships from her past. Tickets at ticketedge.ca.
Most music fans know Sam Beam by his stage name, Iron and Wine. What they don’t know is how he came up with it. As the story goes, back in the late 90’s while he was in film school, Beam was working on a movie in Georgia at a gas station. In the station there were all these home remedies and one of them was a protein supplement called Beef, Iron & Wine. He dropped the beef, and that was that. And if you’ve ever heard this folk rocker from South Carolina’s music, you’ll know it’s a fitting name. Many of his songs embrace the contradictory nature of existence, the bitter and the sweet and the tunes on his latest album Morning Becomes Eclectic are no different. He’ll be in Saskatoon in September. Tickets through Ticketmaster. – By Adam Hawboldt
PHOTOS COURTESY OF: ANDREW FERGUSON / THE QUEEN’S HALL / THOMAS HAWK
SASK MUSIC PREVIEW
PHOTO: COURTESY OF SASKMUSIC
Regina’s own Alex Runions has been crowned the winner of Big Dog 92.7/ Astral Media’s The Next Big Thing country talent competion at The Whiskey Saloon. Already a familiar face in small town venues, Kipling-raised singersongwriter Runions will receive a prize package worth over $15,000, including $10,000 cash and performance spots at the Craven Country Jamboree and Queen City Ex. Runions beat out three other finalists for top spot in the judges’ hearts, including JJ Voss of Regina, Yorkton’s Samara Yung and and Tenille Arts from Weyburn. Next up for Runions is a meeting with SaskMusic to decide how to best invest the prize into his career. Keep up with Saskatchewan music. saskmusic.org
17 JUNE 28 – JULY 4 @VERBSASKATOON
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LISTINGS
JUNE 28 » JUNE 29 The most complete live music listings for Saskatoon. S
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FRIDAY 28 HOUSE DJS / 6Twelve Lounge - Funk, soul & lounge DJs liven up the atmosphere at 6Twelve. 9pm / No cover JAZZ FEST / Amigos - Featuring Jack Semple + more. 10:30pm / $15 JAZZ FEST / The Bassment - Featuring Alfredo Rogdriguez Trio. 9pm / Tickets @ saskjazz.com DJ AASH MONEY / Béily’s UltraLounge - DJ Aash Money throws it down. 9pm / $5 cover JAZZ FEST / Bessborough Gardens - Featuring Dr. John and the Nite Trippers. 8pm / Tickets @ saskjazz.com JAZZ FEST / Broadway Theatre - Featuring Art Pepper. 7:30pm / Tickets @ saskjazz.com BIG DAVE MCLEAN / Buds - Awesome Delta blues. 9pm / $6 JAZZ FEST / Downtown Stage - Featuring Percussion Syndicate. 11:45am / No Cover
DJ ECLECTIC / The Hose & Hydrant - Local turntable whiz pumps snappy electronic beats. 8pm / No cover JAZZ FEST / James Hotel - Featuring Gillian Snider. 10:30pm / No cover DJ STIKMAN / Jax Niteclub - Kick off your weekend with all your favourite party hits. 8pm / $5 cover ELI, FOR SHORT / Lydia’s - Smooth, cool jams. 10pm / $5 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 JAZZ FEST / Potashcorp Club Jazz - Featuring Oral Fuentes + more. Shows start 12pm / info @ saskjazz.com THE STANDARDS TRIO / Prairie Ink - A smooth jazz ensemble. 8pm / No cover JAZZ FEST / Prairie Lily Riverboat - Featuring Maurice Drouin Trio. 6:30pm / Tickets @ saskjazz.com UBERWALTIGEND TURBOFEST / Rock Bottom - Featuring Herd of Wasters and more. $60 all access JAZZ FEST / Spadina Freehouse - Featuring Charly Hustle. 10:30pm / No cover 0 KM 2 EMPTY / Stan’s Place - A rockin’ good way to spend the weekend. 9pm / No cover DUELING PIANOS / Staqatto Piano Lounge - With Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King. 10pm / $5 FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE / TCU Place - Rockin’ country from an American duo. 7:30pm
$30+ (www.tcutickets.ca) PARTY ROCK FRIDAYS / Tequila - With DJs Anchor. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ NICK RUSTON / Uncle Barley’s — Come and check him out! 9pm / Cover TBD JAZZ FEST / Vangelis - With 24th Street Wailers. 10:30pm / Tickets @ saskjazz.com
SATURDAY 29
HOUSE DJS / 6Twelve - Resident DJs spin deep and soulful tunes. 9pm / No cover JAZZ FEST / Amigos - Featuring Larry and his Flask. 10:30pm / $15 JAZZ FEST / The Bassment - Featuring TD Jazz Intensive. 1pm / Tickets @ saskjazz.com JAZZ FEST / The Bassment - Featuring Courtney Pine. 7pm / Tickets @ saskjazz.com DJ AASH MONEY + DJ CTRL / Béily’s UltraLounge - These two DJs throw it down. 9pm / $5 cover JAZZ FEST / Bessborough Gardens - Featuring Jimmie Vaughn + more. 6pm / Tickets @ saskjazz.com JAZZ FEST / Broadway Theatre - Featuring Macy Gray. 7:30pm / Tickets @ saskjazz.com BIG DAVE MCLEAN / Buds - Awesome Delta blues. 9pm / $6 SATURGAY NIGHT / Diva’s — Resident DJs spin exclusive dance remixes every Saturday. 10pm / $5 DJ KADE / The Hose & Hydrant - Saskatoon’s own DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover
JAZZ FEST / James Hotel - Featuring Charly Hustle. 10:30pm / No cover DJ STIKMAN / Jax Niteclub - Ladies night with the Jax party crew. 8pm / $5 cover LE GROOVE / Lydia’s — Come on down and dance the night away! 10:30pm / $5 DJ BIG AYYY & DJ HENCHMAN / Outlaws - Round up your friends ‘cause there’s no better country rock party around. 8pm / $5 JAZZ FEST / Potashcorp Club Jazz - Featuring Red Baraat and many more. Shows start 1pm / Info @ saskjazz.com WAYNE BERGEN / Prairie Ink - Instrumental guitar. 8pm / No cover JAZZ FEST / Prairie Lily Riverboat - Featuring Maurice Drouin Trio. 6:30pm / Tickets @ saskjazz.com UBERWALTIGEND TURBOFEST / Rock Bottom - Featuring Dudes from Nowhwere + more. $60 all access JAZZ FEST / Spadina Freehouse - Featuring Pile of Bones Brass Band. 10:30pm / No cover 0 KM 2 EMPTY / Stan’s Place - A rockin’ good way to spend the weekend. 9pm / No cover DUELING PIANOS / Staqatto Piano Lounge - With Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King. 10pm / $5 DJ ANCHOR / Sutherland Bar — It’s the world famous video mix show! 10pm / Cover TBD SEXY SATURDAYS / Tequila — Ladies night with DJ Dislexik. DJ THORPDEO / Uncle Barley’s — Spinning hot tunes all night. 10pm / Cover TBD JAZZ FEST / Vangelis - With 24th Street Wail-
ers. 10:30pm / Tickets @ saskjazz.com
SUNDAY 30
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 JAZZ FEST / Bessborough Gardens - Featuring Michael Franti and Spearhead. 6pm / Ticket info @ saskjazz.com DJ KADE / The Hose & Hydrant - Saskatoon DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover JAZZ FEST / James Hotel - Featuring Aaron Aadair. 10:30pm / No cover THE HERBALIZER / Odeon Events Centre Smooth jazz rap all the way from England. 10:30pm / $20 JAZZ FEST / Potashcorp Club Jazz - Featuring Dr. Don and the Black Mambas and more. Shows start at 3pm / No cover JAZZ FEST / Spadina Freehouse - Featuring Sly Business. 10:30pm / 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 CANADA DAY / The White Room - Featuring Pop Quiz, Skylab and Fuse. 10pm / $10
MONDAY 1
STUCK IN THE 80S! / Diefenbaker Park - An 80’s sound full of energy. Time TBD / No cover
18 JUNE 28 – JULY 4 ENTERTAINMENT
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DJ AUDIO / Dublins — Spinning dope beats. 9pm / Cover TBD 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 0 KM 2 EMPTY / Stan’s Place - A rockin’ good way to spend the weekend. 9pm / No cover
TUESDAY 2
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 DJ NICK RUSTON / Dublins — Spinning dope beats. 9pm / Cover TBD 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 3
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 DJ MEMO / Dublins — Spinning dope beats. 9pm / Cover TBD 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 THE AVENUE RECORDING COMPANY PRESENTS OPEN MIC / Rock Bottom - Hosted by Chad Reynolds. Sign up and play at this weekly event. 10pm / 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
THURSDAY 4
THROWBACK THURSDAYS / Earls - Come experience the best in retro funk, soul, reggae and rock provided by Dr. J. 8pm / No cover DJ KADE / The Hose & Hydrant - Saskatoon DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover THUNDER RIOT W/CONKY SHOWPONY / Rock Bottom - Come dance the night away as this local DJ plays the kind of music that’ll get your feet moving. 9pm / $5 TRIPLE UP THURSDAYS / Tequila — Featuring DJ Dislexik. 9pm / Cover TBD
FRIDAY 5
HOUSE DJS / 6Twelve Lounge - Funk, soul & lounge DJs liven up the atmosphere at 6Twelve. 9pm / No cover WEAK ENDS / Amigo’s Cantina - A local punk act. Also appearing: Castaway.10pm / Cover TBD DJ AASH MONEY / Béily’s UltraLounge - DJ Aash Money throws down a high-energy top 40 dance party every Friday night. 9pm / $5 cover BPM / Diva’s — Resident DJs spin electro/vocal house music. 10pm / $5 DJ ECLECTIC / The Hose & Hydrant - Local turntable whiz DJ Eclectic pumps snappy electronic beats. 8pm / No cover DJ STIKMAN / Jax Niteclub - Kick off your weekend with all your favourite party hits. 8pm / $5 cover DJ BIG AYYY & DJ HENCHMAN / Outlaws Country Rock Bar - There’s no better country rock party around. 8pm / $5; ladies in free before 11pm GORGEOUS BLUE DOGS / Piggy’s - Come rock the weekend away with this local act. 9pm / No cover EMILY ROWED / Prairie Ink - A west coast roots/folk songstress. 8pm / No cover DUELING PIANOS / Staqatto Piano Lounge - Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King belt out classic tunes and audience requests.
10pm / $5 PARTY ROCK FRIDAYS / Tequila - With DJs Anchor. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ NICK RUSTON / Uncle Barley’s — Come and check him out! 9pm / Cover TBD
SATURDAY 6
HOUSE DJS / 6Twelve - Resident DJs spin deep and soulful tunes all night. 9pm / No cover FRIENDS OF FOES, RORY BOREALIS, PANDACORN, COMMENTS AND CONCERNS / Amigo’s Cantina - A night of rockin’ bands. 10pm / Cover TBD DJ AASH MONEY + DJ CTRL / Béily’s UltraLounge - These two DJs throw down a high-energy top 40 dance party. 9pm / $5 cover THE TRAGICALLY HIP W/ RURAL ALBERTA ADVANGAGE / Credit Union Centre - A iconic Canadian rock band you don’t want to miss. 7:30pm / $34.75+ (ticketmaster.ca) SATURGAY NIGHT / Diva’s — Resident DJs spin exclusive dance remixes every Saturday. 10pm / $5 DJ KADE / The Hose & Hydrant - Saskatoon’s own DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover DJ STIKMAN / Jax Niteclub - Ladies night with the Jax party crew. 8pm / $5cover SKYLAB / Le Relais - Featuring Def Poet, Aku, Kemical Reaktion and Teknotik G. 8pm / Cover TBD ILL ADVENTURE / Odeon Events Centre - Featuring Kidalgo, Ajeah, Nono Audio and more. Time and cost TBD DJ BIG AYYY & DJ HENCHMAN / Outlaws Country Rock Bar - There’s no better country rock party around. 8pm / $5 GORGEOUS BLUE DOGS / Piggy’s - Come rock the weekend away with this local act. 9pm / No cover THE LOST KEYS / Prairie Ink - Eclectic easy listening tunes. 8pm / No cover DUELING PIANOS / Staqatto Piano Lounge - Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and
Brad King belt out classic tunes and audience requests. 10pm / $5 DJ ANCHOR / Sutherland Bar — It’s the world famous video mix show! 10pm / Cover TBD SEXY SATURDAYS / Tequila — Ladies night with DJ Dislexik. DJ THORPDEO / Uncle Barley’s — Spin-
ning hot tunes all night. 10pm / Cover TBD
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19 JUNE 28 – JULY 4 /VERBSASKATOON
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ANNIHILATING 1600 PENNSYLVANIA AVE
PHOTO: COURTESY OF COLUMBIA PICTURES
White House Down a decent summer popcorn flick BY ADAM HAWBOLDT
I
n case you haven’t noticed, Hollywood has a history of laying waste to the White House. A tectonic shift destroyed it in 2012, mutants tore the innards out of it in X2, aliens blew it to high hell in Independence Day, martians shot it up in Mars Attacks — the list goes on. Heck, two movies that focused on destroying America’s most famous residence were already released this year: G.I. Joe: Retaliation and Olympus Has Fallen. All of this raises the question: what’s Tinseltown’s fascination with wrecking 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue? Some speculate it’s a commentary on modern government, others feel it takes advantage of the culture of fear inherent in contemporary America. But me? I blame it on the British. Think about it. Back in 1814, during the War of 1812, the redcoats took over Washington, D.C, and began setting fire to public buildings. When they got around to burning the White House, their inner pyromaniacs grinned with glee and made sure they added extra fuel to fire to keep the building burning well into the next day. And tada! The idea of totaling the White House was born. Okay, maybe that’s a stretch (seeing as films didn’t even exist in 1812), but it doesn’t negate the fact that Hollywood seems to have a fetish with destroying D.C. lately.
Which brings us to the latest beat-the-crap-out-of-the-President’sdigs movies: White House Down. Where does this one stack up against the rest of the films in this peculiar sub-genre (of which director Roland Emmerich was already a two-time member, with 2012 and Independence Day)?
WHITE HOUSE DOWN Roland Emmerich STARRING Channing Tatum, Jamie Foxx, Maggie Gyllenhaal + Joey King DIRECTED BY
137 MINUTES | 14A
thing you know, he’s protecting the President (a very Obama-esque Jamie Foxx) from the villains. But don’t be fooled. This isn’t just another one of those save-the-President movies. Instead of rescuing the head of state, it’s more of a buddy-action movie in which Cale and the President are a team on the run from the bad guys. And what a run it is. Emmerich puts his foot on the gas slowly then continues to push down, harder and harder, until the movie reaches maximum acceleration. That doesn’t mean White House Down isn’t without it’s flaws. There are plot holes so big you could sail a yacht through them, and lucky coincidences pile up to keep the plot turning. But for the most part, White House Down is exactly the movie you probably think it is — a mindless, sometimes funny, mostly entertaining summer blockbuster.
It’s better than Olympus Has Fallen, but not quite as good as Independence Day. ADAM HAWBOLDT
Well, let’s just say it’s a lot better than Olympus Has Fallen, but not quite as good as or Independence Day or X2. White House Down tells the story of John Cale (Channing Tatum), a warveteran-turned-police-officer who goes to Capitol Hill to interview for his dream job — Secret Service agent. He doesn’t get the gig, but while he and his precocious daughter, Emily (Joey King), are still in town wandering around the Hill, feces hits the fan. A group of bad guys lay siege to the White House, Cale and his daughter are separated and, next
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AN INSTANT CLASSIC
Director Richard Linklater hits another home run with Before Midnight BY ADAM HAWBOLDT
D
ear reader: before you continue, there’s something I must admit up front. This review is so glowing you should probably go get your sunglasses. For real. I’ll give you minute to find them. Okay. Now that you’ve been warned (and presumably are wearing your shades), let me explain why this review heaps so much praise and so many accolades on Richard Linklater’s latest movie, Before Midnight. Well, it’s because Before Midnight is the best movie I’ve seen this year. Hands down. That’s saying something, because as Verb’s resident movie critic, I see a lot of flicks. And also because, together with the two previous installments — Before Sunrise and Before Sunset — the film caps off a trilogy that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with that of The Godfather, Kieślowski Three Colors flicks, and Park Chan-wook’s three Vengeance movies as one of the greatest trilogies ever made (sorry Star Wars and LOTR fans, in my book your films don’t make the cut). But I digress. The first time we met the two central characters of the Before trilogy — Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) — it was 1995’s Before Sunrise. They were wandering around Vienna, talking and philosophizing and falling wildly in young love. Jesse leaves to return to America the next day, and they promise to meet again at the train station in Vienna a year from that date. Jump ahead nine years to Before Sunset. They didn’t meet at the train station as they’d planned. But Jesse, who is now married, has written a best-selling novel about their romance. During a stop in Paris for his book tour, Jesse runs into Celine again. They walk around Paris, talking and philosophizing and, again, fall wildly in love. The last we see of them, they are in Celine’s Parisian apartment. She is dancing to a Nina Simone song and Jesse is sitting on
PHOTO: COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES CLASSIC
the couch, knowing full well he is going to miss his flight back home. And, fair warning, if you don’t want to know what happens from that point onward, you should probably just stop reading now. It’s OK, I’ll understand.
Before Midnight is the best movie I’ve seen this year. Hands down. ADAM HAWBOLDT
Right. Still reading? Good. Before Midnight picks up nine years after that day in Celine’s apartment. Jesse is divorced now, living with Celine and their two adorable kids. When we meet them this time, they’re on a family vacation on the Peloponnese peninsula in Greece. They’re still talking all the time,
BEFORE MIDNIGHT Richard Linklater STARRING Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy DIRECTED BY
108 MINUTES | 14A
and you can tell they still love each other. But the love has changed. It has grown, matured and in some ways it has even grown bitter. Without ruining the movie for those of you who haven’t seen it yet, let’s just say that bitterness (which oh so many couples eventually experience) builds throughout the movie until it finally explodes in one of the rawest, realest, most intense and brutal fight scenes between two lovers you will ever see. And to be honest, it broke my goddamn heart. I’d watched the first two movies of the trilogy so many times it was hard not to see a lot of myself in the two characters (which is the case with most who have seen them). So to see them get to this stage, well, it made me feel like my world was crashing down around me.
So much so, in fact, that I left the theatre thinking: “If this is what comes after true, white-hot love, I’m never going to get involved in a relationship again.” Yep. It really is that impactful of a film. Go see it.
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TUESDAY, JUNE 25 @
FREEHOUSE
The Spadina Freehouse 608 Spadina Crescent E (306) 668 1000 MUSIC VIBE / Live bands every Wednesday, live DJs every Friday and
Saturday DRINK OF CHOICE / Sangria: both red made with fruit juices, peach liqueur,
red wine and ginger ale; and white which features a hint of citrus and topped with juicy berries TOP EATS / Signature wood fired thin crust pizza, 9-inch or 12-inch SOMETHING NEW / Catch Funktion every second Saturday of the monthfeaturing DJs and live bands, sponsored by Mercedes Benz
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SUNDAY, JUNE 23 @
AMIGOS
Amigos Cantina 806 Dufferin Ave (306) 652 4912 MUSIC VIBE / Live bands, with an
emphasis on indie rock FEATURED DEALS / W$14.95 pasta special, changes weekly TOP EATS / Nacho Grande: house made nacho chips, salsa, chicken, ground beef, green onions, olives, shredded cheese and tomatoes for $14.95 SOMETHING NEW / Earlier 10 PM start time for weekday shows
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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 DOWN 1. Slat used for fastening down tarpaulin 2. Earlier in time than 3. Well balanced 4. That can be defended 5. Trembling tree 6. According to 7. Wicked 8. Guilty of neglect 9. Rooster raised to be eaten 11. China grass 12. Fill to excess 14. Met with defeat 17. Respected conductor 20. Half-rotten, like timber 22. Variety of cabbage
25. Tapering nail SUDOKU ANSWER KEY 27. Trucking rig A 29. Golden syrup 30. Consents to 31. Infuriated 32. Unit of volume in the oil industry 34. Hard liquor 35. Veins of metal ore 36. Parts left over B 39. Bit of land in the ocean 42. Pulled apart 44. High school dance 47. Fleur-de-___ 49. Side piece of a sofa
4 3 8 1 9 5 7 6 2 5 6 2 7 8 3 4 9 1 1 7 9 6 2 4 8 5 3 8 9 1 3 6 7 5 2 4 2 4 3 5 1 9 6 7 8 6 5 7 2 4 8 3 1 9 7 1 4 9 3 6 2 8 5 9 8 5 4 7 2 1 3 6 3 2 6 8 5 1 9 4 7
30. Its capital is Tripoli 33. Show fear 37. Historical period 38. Calamitous 40. Its chemical symbol is Fe 41. Small fruit pie 43. It’s used with water 45. Increase the quantity of 46. Go for a walk 48. Long-necked birds 50. Spooky 51. Members of the aristocracy 52. In case 53. An award similar to a Gemini
3 7 8 2 6 1 9 5 4 1 5 2 4 7 9 8 6 3 4 9 6 8 3 5 2 1 7 6 8 3 9 4 7 1 2 5 2 1 7 3 5 6 4 9 8 5 4 9 1 8 2 7 3 6 9 6 5 7 2 8 3 4 1 7 2 4 5 1 3 6 8 9 8 3 1 6 9 4 5 7 2
ACROSS 1. Garden vegetable 5. Copycat 9. Cut into a desired shape 10. Cut apart 12. Glossy fabric 13. Having existed from the beginning 15. Right for the occasion 16. Everyone has one 18. Car driven by a chauffeur, for short 19. Driven obliquely 21. Tip laterally 23. Bro’s counterpart 24. Dignify 26. Liability’s opposite 28. Railroad support © WALTER D. FEENER 2013
HOROSCOPES JUNE 28 – JULY 4
ARIES March 21–April 19
LEO July 23–August 22
SAGITTARIUS November 23–December 21
Foot-in-mouth disease is fast becoming an epidemic around you, Aries. Try to make sure you don’t catch it this week.
A long-term project you’ve been working on has stalled as of late, Leo. Don’t give up. A chance meeting will help you get things back on track.
Minor disputes and disagreements could explode into all-out wars this week, Sagittarius. Confrontation can be tricky, but don’t lie down and take crap.
TAURUS April 20–May 20
VIRGO August 23–September 22
CAPRICORN December 22–January 19
Productivity, thy name is Taurus. Try to take advantage of this energetic burst while it lasts. You could achieve an important goal.
Some people may try to get aggressive with you at some point this week, Virgo. Don’t let them push you around. Speak up and say your piece.
You may be torn in two directions this week, Capricorn. If so, remember to always trust your gut. Your instincts will guide you down the right path.
GEMINI May 21–June 20
LIBRA September 23–October 23
AQUARIUS January 20–February 19
If you start to feel anxious at any time this week, Gemini, don’t panic. Take a deep breath and remember to put things in perspective.
Your engine will be running on all cylinders, Libra, so get out there and let ‘er rip. Now’s a great time to finish up that project you’ve been working on.
Sometimes patience is a virtue, young grasshopper. That said, if you can be patient in the next few days, good things will fall into your lap.
CANCER June 21–July 22
SCORPIO October 24–November 22
PISCES February 20–March 20
Your job this week is to bring joy to people around you, Cancer. Do that, and the universe will richly reward your efforts.
Confidence and believing in yourself will not be issues for you this week, Scorpio, as well they shouldn’t. But be sure not to let that get the better of you.
Something big may have happened to you last week, Pisces. It’s either going to be great, or the death of fun. Flip a coin and see what happens.
SUDOKU 7 8 9 1 2 4 7 9 6 3 5 2 6 9 1 5 2 7 6 4 4 8 2 7 5 8 3 4 1 5 3 9 8 3 1 6
CROSSWORD ANSWER KEY
A
4 8 1 7 6 7 4 9 1 9 2 4 8 9 7 5 2 5 1 6 5 7 8 3 1 3 6 2 5 4 3 3 2 6 8 9
B
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