Verb Issue R122 (Apr. 4-10, 2014)

Issue #122 – April 4 to April 10

arts

culture

music

regina

The F-Holes

+

lorne molleken Reflecting back on his lengthy career red hot riot Q+A with Jayden Pfeifer captain america: the winter soldier + tim’s vermeer Films reviewed­

Photo: courtesy of Gabrielle Touchette Photography

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On the cover:

the f-holes

What the f! 10 / feature

Photo: courtesy of Gabrielle Touchette Photography

culture

NEWs + Opinion

entertainment

Q + A with red hot riot

Live Music listings

Jayden Pfeifer looks ahead. 8 / Q + A

Local music listings for April 4 through April12. 14 / listings

FARE THEE WELL

sea change

Nightlife Photos

Lorne Molleken reflects on his long career. 3 / Local

A new direction for Fortunate Isles.

We visit the German Club.

9 / Arts

15 / Nightlife

the giant’s dance Barbara Steinman’s conceptual installation. 9 / Arts

captain america: the winter soldier + tim’s vermeer We review the latest movies. 16 / Film

another one comes The making of a web series. 4 / Local

bottoms up Our thoughts on changes to the liquor industry. 6 / Editorial

going beyond the bread We visit Orange Boot Bakery. 12 / Food + Drink

on the bus Weekly original comic illustrations

by Elaine M. Will. 18 / comics

comments

Music

Game + Horoscopes

Here’s your say on vaccinating children. 7 / comments

Fortunat Isles, Sarah Farthing + 3 Doors Down. 13 / music

Canadian criss-cross puzzle, weekly horoscopes and Sudoku. 19 / timeout

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Editorial

Business & Operations

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

Office Manager / Stephanie Lipsit account Manager / JOSHUA JOHNSEN Marketing Manager / Vogeson Paley Financial Manager / Cody Lang

contact Comments / feedback@verbnews.com / 306 881 8372

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ART & Production

advertise / advertise@verbnews.com / 306 979 2253

design Lead / andrew yanko Graphic designer / bryce kirk Contributing Photographers / MARC MESSETT

design / layout@verbnews.com / 306 979 8474 General / info@verbnews.com / 306 979 2253

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Photo: courtesy of Steve Hiscock

fare thee well Looking back with

Lorne Molleken by ADAM HAWBOLDT

T

here are no do-overs in life. When you make a decision and act on that decision, there’s no turning back.

There’s just life, moving at its own pace. Decisions are made, prices are paid, and we still keep moving.

That’s something Lorne Molleken understands all too well. As the coach and general manager of the Saskatoon Blades, it was Molleken’s job to make decisions that he, and the people around him, thought was best for the team. And he’s acutely aware some of the decisions he made weren’t of the popular variety.

“Junior hockey is a business,” explains Molleken, who spent 17 seasons behind a WHL bench, nine seasons as a GM in the league. “The fans are very loyal and very knowledgeable.

It’s something they have passion for.

And if things aren’t going right or if you make moves they don’t agree with, they’re going to have something to say.”

Do a quick search on the Internet and you’ll see that he’s right.

“Lorne Molleken has screwed the Blades … franchise for years to come with some awful trades,” said one keyboard critic. Another wrote “If the Saskatoon Blades were serious about this Memorial Cup, then Brodsky would take the New Jersey Devils Lou [Lamoriello] approach and fire Lorne Molleken right now today.”

And then there was the telling, single-sentence comment that simply stated: “It’s about time!”

A comment that came after Molleken was let go by the Blades last week.

In the video, Lorne Molleken stands at a podium, dressed in a dark suit. To his right there’s a photographer crouched down; behind the photographer three Blades jerseys hang on the wall.

A cluster of microphones from local media outlets sits on the podium in front of him, and Molleken begins to talk. This isn’t going to be easy. This is his farewell press conference.

“The time has come…” begins Molleken, looking down at the podium. He pauses, struggling to keep it together. After a few beats Molleken composes himself and continues. “… to step aside and pass the torch to whoever may come next.”

Molleken looks up and continues. “As mentioned before, I’ll do everything in my power to help this transition be a smooth one, to be here for support with this group. And, umm, in closing, I’d just like to thank not only the Priestner family, but the Brodsky family for the opportunity to be able to work in a great city.”

And that’s how Molleken’s journey with the Saskatoon Blades ends. Not with a bang, not with a whimper, but with the air of respect and gratitude and professionalism that has defined his career.

In his last few years as a goalie playing professional hockey, Lorne Molleken

didn’t really enjoy himself. His knee was giving him a lot of trouble and the fun was staring to drain out of the game for him, so he decided to retire.

As luck would have it, not long after his retirement, Molleken was offered a position to coach the Swift Current Indians in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. A little while after that he made the jump to the WHL, coaching the Moose Jaw Warriors.

There are a lot of “thens” in Molleken’s coaching career.

Then he led the Saskatoon Blades to two WHL championship series.

Then he coached in the AHL in the Edmonton Oilers organization.

Then there were the NHL years, coaching in Chicago and Pittsburgh, broken up by a stint coaching the Regina Pats. Then he returned to the Blades and all the “thens” turned to “whens” — as in, when are you going to bring a Memorial Cup to Saskatoon?

It didn’t work. They ran into a redhot Medicine Hat Tigers team and were ousted in the first round of playoffs.

Then they hosted the Memorial Cup, but didn’t win. The writing was on the wall; it was only a matter of time. And after this last season, Molleken was let go by the Blades’ organization.

Some fans figure that this was a long time coming, but Molleken has no regrets. “When I look back, I wouldn’t do anything differently,” he says. “We made the decisions we thought would help win us a championship. I wouldn’t do anything differently than hope we win those two playoff series that we

lost. You know, there’s a very thin line between winning and losing.”

That there is. And while Molleken didn’t stumble to the winning side in the playoffs recently, he leaves the Blades as one of only three coaches to ever accumulate 600 wins in a WHL career. And he leaves the Blades as a man with an uncertain future, and a past that he doesn’t regret.

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There’s something alluring about a man who goes for it, regardless of consequence. That’s what Molleken did during the 2010-11 season when he traded away two first-round draft picks, along with a second-rounder, two prospects and a first-round pick in the import draft for Brayden Schenn.

“You know what?” says Molleken.

“The year we traded for Brayden Schenn we were in first place overall at the deadline. We were a real hard working team and Brayden was sent back from Los Angeles. He was the best junior hockey player in the world, he proved that at the world juniors. He was a local boy and we did whatever we could to get him in a Blades sweater. He didn’t let us down at all.”

That was the first time Molleken pushed his chips to the centre of the table and went all in, trying to bring a long-sought-after championship to Saskatoon. It wouldn’t be the last.

The following year, as hosts of the Memorial Cup, he made a bevy of trades, bringing in top-end guys like Shane McColgan, Michael Ferland, Nathan Burns and Collin Valcourt.

Guys that came with a cost. “The year we hosted the Mem Cup, the pressures that are involved with that were immense,” says Molleken. “We knew we were going to have to blow things up to bring in a number of players to help us.”

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Another One Comes

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New web series from Saskatchewan filmmaker explores conflict and the struggle to be normal by ADAM HAWBOLDT

T

he life of a writer can be a lonely existence.

Hours are spent alone, holed away in a room.

You’re isolated from the rest of the world, staring at the blinking cursor on your computer screen. To fully describe the life of a writer is a tricky business. To explain to others that you sit in a room alone for hours on end, creating new worlds, having fake conversations with fake people in your mind — well, it might just make you sound a little insane. It might make it sound as though you live a mad and strange and lonely life.

It is a life that Jarrett Rusnak knows all too well.

For the first two years after moving to Toronto from his hometown of Regina, Rusnak wrote. He wrote like hell. Determined to wriggle his way into Toronto’s cinematic scene, he would wake up in the mornings and get to work. Back then, the work he was doing mostly involved writing feature films and television pilots. But then, not so long ago, he started doing something a little different. Something shorter, something more tangible.

Photo: courtesy of Jarrett Rusnak

He started writing and making webisodes. “I just kind of fell into it, stumbled upon it,” explains Rusnak. “Originally, I kind of became interested in writing some short two-handers with some actors that I met here. They were looking for some demo-reel material and I was looking to try my hand at writing something shorter. So I thought, hey … why not go for it?”

The working relationship blossomed and began expanding.

And eventually it ended up evolving into a web series called Another One Comes.

Think of a webisode as a short story.

A really short story. If the shows of today’s New Golden Age of Television are like novels — sprawling and epic, with sustained narratives stretched from season to season — then webisodes are more like flash fiction. They’re quick (most webisodes last anywhere from two to 10 minutes), easily digestible and, if done well, linger with you long after their short runtime has expired.

By most accounts, the first webisodes appeared on the Internet in

the mid-’90s. A web publisher called Bullseye Art was one of the first to issue webisodic content — stuff like Rat Chicken, Internet the Animated Series, and Miss Muffy and the Muf Mob. Since then, the industry has exploded. With the rise in popularity of the Internet, and the improvements in video-streaming/videomaking technology, webseries have popped up everywhere, making huge gains in popularity and — sometimes — notoriety over the years. They have gotten so big that now there are entire festivals devoted to web series. There are award shows — the Streamy Awards and the Webby Awards — devoted to naming the best comedic, dramatic, animated web series on the Net. Heck, in recent years the big boys in Hollywood have even jumped on the web series bandwagon. And while Netflix shows like House of Cards, Hemlock Grove and Arrested Development are longer in format than your average webisode, they still use the Internet as their sole means for distribution.

And for Rusnak, all this only makes sense.

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“The allure of a web series is that it matches our viewing habits in 2014,” he says. “The way we consume content is different now. Even long-form shows [like House of Cards], we binge watch them on Netflix. And with shorter forms, with your normal web series, you can watch them at your desk, on your phone while you’re in transit. They’re shorter and more appropriate to be consumed in a single sitting. It’s instant gratification. You invest your time into this thing and there’s no, oh I have to turn it off and get back to the thing I was doing. You can afford three minutes to watch a webisode while you’re waiting for, well, just about anything.”

people are on the edge of some extreme moment in their lives. The format is simple: each webisode starts out with two characters on screen. Both characters have an objective; their objectives stand in contrast to each other and conflict inevitably arises. It boils and bubbles frantically. Then, just as the two characters are about to resolve their conflict at the end of the scene, a third character enters.

Cut to the next webisode. There we see this new character in conflict with the second character from the previous webisode. Again, they are on the verge of resolving their issues when a fourth, new charac-

…everybody’s struggling to be normal, when nobody’s actually f**king normal. jarrett rusnak

And it was this brevity, this kinetic, fast-paced nature of the webisode beast, that lead Rusnak to create Another One Comes.

The concept for Rusnak’s web series is an interesting one.

In what will eventually become 36 three-minute webisodes, the writer/filmmaker explores what happens in that instant when two

ter enters. This character ends up having an objective much different from the third character.

And on and one it goes: a steady stream of conflict and characters interrupting a scene near the moment of resolution.

“I liked the notion of developing these characters within a threeminute time frame, then setting them aside,” says Rusnak. “But as I developed the idea more and thought

about it, I realized there’s value in developing these characters and creating a world around them.”

So that’s what he did. He created six characters (Abby, a drugaddicted singer; Bryce, an audio engineer; Chuck, an aspiring musician; Dani, who thinks she’s the devil; Jude, a grad student; and Ian, a scout for the Toronto Argonauts) and created a world around them in which “everybody’s struggling to be normal, when nobody’s actually f**king normal.”

For Rusnak, it was an experience that helped him break free of the isolation of writing.

“The appeal of doing threeminute webisodes like this is that I can write them quick, I can turn them around quick. It is very gratifying. For two years, I was sitting by myself in my apartment with no one around, writing pilots and features. It was a lonely process.

And there was no guarantee that you’d get anything produced. But with [Another One Comes] I can get out, shoot it with actors. I just need somebody to hold the boom.

Another day or so of editing and I upload it. It’s done, it’s polished, it’s finished.”

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become easier and more convenient for those of-age to drink.

It’s a change that could come in pretty darn handy. Think about it. Imagine you and a couple of friends are sitting around your house one day, watching the tail end of March Madness or MLB Opening Day. Partway through you unfortunately run out of drinks, but no one is sober enough to drive to the closest liquor store. But if you could just walk to a convenience store or gas station and pick up some local beer, you’d be able to enjoy the rest of the game with your fridge replenished.

And before you start thinking this would make it easier for under-age people to buy booze, please hear us out. See, we’re not advocating for unfettered convenience. No, if we do this, we should adopt strict rules when it comes to minimum pricing, hours of sale and spot checks to stop sales to minors. That’s what the good folks in Quebec do. So too do our American neighbours to the south and a lot of European countries, and it works for them. Why wouldn’t it for us?

Bottoms up More locations, privatization would be good for the liquor industry — and consumers

W

ith summer approaching, things don’t get much better than a cold beer on a hot day.

And with the recent opening of a private liquor store in Saskatoon, not to mention the planned unveiling for a couple of similar enterprises later this year in Regina, it would seem our province is making strides in an area where it has traditionally been quite conservative.

And while we applaud these changes, we don’t think they quite go far enough. So in the spirit of revamping the liquor industry in Saskatchewan, we’d like to advocate for a few more — in our opinion, bigger and better — alterations.

For starters, let’s take a page from Quebec’s book and begin selling locally brewed beer and wine in convenience stores, gas stations and grocery stores.

That way, procuring alcohol would

To better ensure youngsters can’t get their hands on booze we should do like Alberta does and make everyone who sells alcohol — in stores, restaurants, bars — take ProServe, a government-run course teaching safe liquor sales practices. After all, gas station and convenience store employees already monitor the sale of cigarettes to people of-age. If they can do that, they can also sell alcohol.

By putting liquor into corner stores, the adult consumer is able to purchase what they want more easily. And thanks to extensive training, clerks at these establishments can make sure only those who are old enough can get their hands on the stuff. It’ll also help out local brewers like Paddock Wood, Great Western, Bushwakkers’, District Brewing and Prairie Sun by getting their products on more shelves around the province — if they so choose.

And while it’s great Saskatchewan is slowly rolling out a couple private shops, we think they should privatize the whole industry. All you have to do is look to Alberta to see how well it works. Why? Well, because since Alberta privatized liquor stores in

1993, the number of products available jumped from around 2,200 to more than 19,000. The number of liquor stores more than doubled, and employment in retail liquor stores jumped from 1,300 employees to around 4,000.

With all these increases, liquor tax revenue increased by a whopping 77 percent. Since the same taxes and fees apply regardless of who owns the stores, more retailers selling more booze means more money for the government.

Yes, dear Verb reader, it’s time to make changes. It’s time to treat these newly opened privatized liquor stores as one small step to something bigger, something better, something more convenient and sensible.

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

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On Topic: Last week we asked what you thought about immunizing children against preventable diseases. Here's what you had to say: – Get the vaccines like the medical community demands, refuse to allow vaccinations, OR look into homeopathic vaccines which have No side effects!

text yo thoughtsur to 881 ve r b 8372

– 0 for 23 at Tim’s. 0 for 1 at robin’s.

Time to slow down on coffee I think

In response to “Kenny Vs. Spenny,” Local,

– Thoughts and prayers with Chilean earthquake victims.

#121 (March 28, 2014)

could be or how it might interact with that person’s body chemistry. There simply needs to be more research done.

OFF TOPIC – Everyone should have to be vaccinated when they are kids it’s been proven effective and safe.

People could have random allergies to food but they test that when they’re kids so why would this be any different? Denying vaccines is dangerous.

– I hope Kenny and Spenny get into a huge fight on stage I didn’t think they were speaking to each other still. Hope a new season is coming!

– Kenny and Spenny I am going to see these guys next week and I can’t wait loved the show and how much they seemed to hate each other!!! :D In response to “Kenny Vs. Spenny,” Local, #121 (March 28, 2014)

sound off – To the person who texted about crappy bus sevice, you could be a lot more appreciative for drivers willing to drive you around.

Nobody is forcing you to take a bus. Many people get to and from wherever they need to go and they are grateful for it. I’m sick and tired of people accusing bus drivers for their bad experience.

Don’t lump us all together. If you have a problem with a bus driver, talk to transit about it. Don’t go complaining in the Verb.

Next week: What do you think about providing alcohol in corner stores? Text in your thoughts to 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

– Yes vaccine. No debate.

– It is up to the parents on what they want to do for their kids not up to you to decide what they do. It is irresponsible to have the government force you to put something in your body. That is what this is plain and simple. So be careful and be aware.

– To immunize or not to immunize? How stupid is that? The vaccines have been working quite effectively for over half a century, why stop now? Why even question such long-standing, proven results? Truth Is Power-Try It

– It is terrifying that there has been enough steamin the anti-vaccination movement that previously eradicated diseases are making such comebacks. Every single person should be concerned about this.

– It is irresponsible for Verb to say that kids should have something put in their bodies without knowing what the side effects

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red hot riot

Photos: courtesy of Chris Graham

Jayden Pfeifer looks to the past and to the future as his hilarious variety show turns three by Alex J MacPherson

S

ince its inception in March 2011, Jayden Pfeifer’s Red Hot Riot has become an anchor for the growing Regina arts community.

Bringing together comedians, actors, entertainers and musicians, Red Hot Riot feels like a classic variety show but with a modern twist.

Hosted by Pfeifer, an accomplished comedian and improv actor, Red Hot Riot combines elements of latenight talk shows, television sketch comedy programs, and offbeat talent shows into a coherent whole.

But Red Hot Riot is more than just entertainment: it is also a chance to connect artists working in a wide variety of fields. This is part of the reason why Pfeifer agreed to make the April show a fundraiser for Creative Kids, a SaskCulture initiative dedicated to helping young people get involved in the fine arts.

In other words, Pfeifer and Red Hot Riot are trying to give back to the community that spawned the show and ensured its success.

have loved doing it. But I’m glad that it, to a degree, has struck a chord — and in Regina that means a decent amount of people show up every month.

They’re not tearing the doors off the hinges to get in, but we’ve developed a loyal following and the show has some fans, which I’m super appreciative of.

Alex J MacPherson: Did you expect Red Hot Riot to be as successful as it is?

AJM: Red Hot Riot has been running for three years. Has it evolved in ways that you didn’t expect?

Jayden Pfeifer: I guess the short answer to your question is: I don’t think I necessarily expected it, but I’m certainly very grateful for it. I think even if this show had not been able to sustain for a few years, I still would

form and we would just try and create a sketch to fill the sketch slot, or whatever. We play with it a lot more now.

AJM: What can people expect from Red Hot Riot this month?

JP: This show’s actually kind of a special one. We’re doing the show as a fundraiser for the Creative Kids initiative, which is a program through SaskCulture. Creative Kids helps fund programs in the fine arts for kids who need financial support. But we’re not just doing the show and then turning the proceeds over to Creative Kids; we’re doing a fundraiser show about the fact that it’s a fundraiser, and using the elements of a fundraiser as part of the creation of the show — things like a fifty-fifty and an auctioneer and involving sponsors in the show.

AJM: Why do you think the show appealed to people, and continues to appeal to them?

JP: I think maybe the thing that appeals to people is that you never quite know what to expect. With this show, sometimes we have a standup and sometimes we don’t. Most months we have a band; sometimes the band is also in the show. Sometimes we do a lot of sketch; sometimes it’s a lot of improv. Sometimes our guest is in seventy-five percent of the show; sometimes they’re only in fifteen minutes of it … it really changes month to month and there’s a degree of excitement about what will happen this month.

AJM: Why is the Creative Kids initiative important to you, and to the show?

JP: I’ve spent a lot of time working with youth in my life. That’s probably the thing I’ve done the most other than improvisation … And it just is a natural fit for me: a lot of the people who work on the show, like myself, are people who were inspired by theatre or improvisation when they were quite young, and it has made them into the people they are.

JP: I think the biggest thing was that I learned after a couple years, or a year and a half or so, that I could really play with the form a lot more than I was doing. Everything was really structured, and that was because I didn’t know what to expect … So I gave the show a

AJM: I suppose that sooner or later a new generation of actors and entertainers will appear onstage with you.

JP: That’s very true, and I genuinely hope that that occurs. I think a show, a continuing show, is only as good as its ability to cultivate new talent.

AJM: At the same time, Red Hot Riot has become a part of the broader Regina arts scene. How do you think the show reflects the growth of that community?

JP: I don’t think art happens in a vacuum; I think you’re always responsive to the things that are happening around you. So I think Red Hot Riot, the form and the way that we work, in a way is a bit responsive to the city we make the work in.

Regina is a city that rewards kind of a scrappy attitude, and people

that involve the wider community … A variety show has a variety of elements to it, and I think that works in this city. Even though we’re changing, we still have a core sense of what we want to create. And all of that large narrative notwithstanding, what we’re trying to create is a big, fun variety comedy show.

Red Hot Riot April 12 @ Artesian on 13 $15 @ picatic.com

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sea change

A new direction for Regina dance-pop architects the Fortunate Isles by alex J MacPherson

T

he swirling synthesizer sound that opens the Fortunate Isles’ new single, “LoupGarou,” signals a change of direction for the Regina-based rock band. “We’ve always wanted to be a happy, fun party band,” says Steve McNeil, whose snappy backbeat has kept the band on course for the last three years. “We feel like the synths, especially on some of the dancier tracks, really help portray that — and maybe take the edge off the rock a bit, so it’s more accessible to more people who want to have fun.”

The Fortunate Isles draw on a wide array of influences to create upbeat, energetic rock and roll. The band cites both Franz Ferdinand and Blondie as influences, which gives some indication of how diverse its sound can be. Led by vocalist Steph

Tewksbury, the Fortunate Isles have been spreading infectious dance music across western Canada for the last five years. In 2011, the band released its first EP, Drunk as Drunk. With the spiky riffs and manic chorus of “Karl Marx” and the funky, synth-infused groove of “Say Goodbye,” Drunk as Drunk established the Fortunate Isles as a band to watch.

Today, the Fortunate Isles are preparing to record their debut fulllength. “Loup-Garou,” which was recorded by Orion Paradis at SoulSound Recording Studio and released in February, gives some indication of where the band’s sound is headed.

The song, which takes its title from the French word for “werewolf,” opens with a 1980s-vintage synthesizer lick before launching into a spooky guitar groove, the perfect backdrop for Tewksbury’s vocal

contortions. According to McNeil, the band has given up trying to balance competing influences, and instead attempted to fuse them together.

“We’ve been trying to work a lot with crafting better songs,” he says.

“You can tell there’s definitely been a shift, or a change, in the way some of the songs are written. And from the style, even: we’re leaning on more of a rockier, punkier vibe, whereas before it was more like a poppier sound.” McNeil attributes this to collaborative songwriting. In the past, the Fortunate Isles constructed songs around a single idea; now, the four members work together to build each song from the ground up.

The result of this process is a song like “Loup-Garou,” which bends a selection of musical influences into an original stew — a stew that exposes the skeleton of a straightforward pop

structure before concealing it beneath a hypnotic guitar groove and Tewksbury’s breathy vocals. More aggressive and punchier than anything on Drunk as Drunk, “Loup-Garou” feels like the prelude to a breakthrough for the band. And because the group has plans to record its debut album at the same studio where they cut “Loup-Garou,” McNeil and his bandmates expect more of the same on the forthcoming record — more spidery guitar licks, more towering vocal performances, and more hyperkinetic dance grooves.

Which doesn’t really amount to a change at all. The Fortunate Isles’ latest material might be heavier and

more aggressive, but it is still groovy dance rock, and the Fortunate Isles have always been committed to making music to make people move. And according to McNeil, dancing the pain away is more important than ever before. “Even if you look at music, there’s been more of a trend toward indie-folk … But it’s not always good to be sad and upset all the time. It’s nice to have a smile every once in awhile, to make people happy and to show them that there’s more to life than just being down.”

The Fortunate Isles April 11 @ The Club (@ the Exchange) $TBD

The Giant’s Dance

Barbara Steinman’s conceptual installation pits the individual against the collective — and tries to find a place for both

T

he trouble with conceptual art is that raising the curtain on its secrets spoils the effect. Conceptual art, which can be loosely defined as art that places a higher value on ideas than aesthetics, makes demands of the viewer that are not easily satisfied or resolved. But like a magician’s illusion, the best works become totally uninteresting once the secret is laid bare for all to see. According to Hilary Knutson, assistant curator at the MacKenzie Art Gallery, Barbara Steinman’s monumental installation, “The Giant’s Dance,” is the sort of work that asks viewers to surrender themselves yet promises nothing in return. Value is derived not from an easy explanation, but from participating in a dance she describes as “somewhere between a standoff and a ballet.”

“People always want you to explain it, but it’s so much bet-

ter if you unpack it on your own,” Knutson says of “The Giant’s Dance,” which reflects its creator’s interest in making art that is both challenging and extremely rewarding for those not seeking an easy solution. “The important message for me is really trusting yourself, trying to let go of that preconceived idea that there’s an answer, and that you’re dumb if you don’t get the answer. I think that the work is very clever in its construction and all the elements are there, but it’s a challenge.”

Steinman made “The Giant’s Dance” in 1989, almost a decade after she moved from Vancouver to Montreal. It was acquired by the MacKenzie Art Gallery in the early 1990s, and later became the centrepiece of an exhibition titled Uncertain Monuments. The work itself consists of two massive lightboxes, each containing an extreme close-up photograph of graffiti Steinman found while wandering the streets of Montreal. Each

image is inscribed with very specific lines of text. One reads either “I am” or “Islam,” the other “Je Suis” or “Jesus.” Because the two boxes stand in opposition, the natural impulse is to walk between them; it pulls the viewer in two different directions.

The etched lines of text echo the sense of separation, or lack of resolution, conjured up by the sheer size and placement of the boxes. By contrasting individual identity with the authority of institutions — Steinman chose religion, but Christianity and Islam can in this case be stand-ins for virtually any large, established community — “The Giant’s Dance” forces the viewer to consider himself both as an individual and in relation to forces more powerful than any one human being. This is somewhat complicated by the images of graffiti that lie beneath the text, which can suggest either desecration or the earnest attempt to establish one’s identity in the face of a looming monolith.

by alex J MacPherson

“The personal identity is sort of subservient to the political ideals or religious ideal associated with those words,” Knutson says, adding that “The Giant’s Dance” mirrors the separation found in Shirin Neshat’s Soliloquy, which is in the adjacent gallery. “What I think about a lot, is the place of the self, of one’s own identity, and trying to locate that in this larger thing. Seeing these two big, looming figures, I think of a person kind of dancing in between, trying to figure out their place.” The upshot is that “The Giant’s Dance” compels reflection without proposing a solution, offering guidance, or even tracing the outline of the problem. After a pause Knutson adds, “There’s a certain amount of surrender that’s required for any art, and with this, too.”

The most compelling magic tricks are almost always the simplest, just as the simplest questions are often the most difficult to

answer. This is because expecting an answer misses the point. Just as a magic trick is about the gulf between perception and reality, rather than the simple mechanics of producing a rabbit from a hat, “The Giant’s Dance” would be pointless if it came with an explanation. What matters is what it means to the people who see it.

And by forcing the viewer to become an integral part of the work, “The Giant’s Dance” ignites a search for truth and meaning and purpose — one far more important than a simple magic trick.

Barbara Steinman “The Giant’s Dance” Through May 4 @ MacKenzie Art Gallery

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

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What The F

Photo: courtesy of Gabrielle Touchette Photography

Winnipeg’s F-Holes on releasing a cover album by Alex J MacPherson

E

very band should, at some point in its career, release a collection of songs written by other people.

Besides the obvious fact that everybody enjoys a good cover, there is plenty to be gained from listening to a cover album. Knowing which songwriters a group of musicians admire provides insight into that band’s musical identity.

And because bands tend to cover songs that influenced or inspired them in some very specific way, cover albums establish clear links between past and present — and chart the evolution of this thing we call popular music.

This is more or less what happened when the F-Holes released Red Hot, an eclectic batch of covers culled from the Winnipeg-based band’s many years onstage. Each song on the album is smeared with a coat of the F-Holes’ distinctive roots-rock sound, but if you listen closely, the essence of the original is lying just beneath the surface. According to Patrick Alexandre Leclerc, who plays upright bass (among other instruments) and describes himself as the band’s “quote

a laugh. “It’s hard to beat the winter blues in Winnipeg. You’ve got to do something. We didn’t have enough songs to tackle a whole new album.

But we did have the gear to do an album, and we had the time.” Instead of passing the winter doldrums in the company of whiskey and other vices, the five musicians got together and recorded ten songs they loved.

The core members of the F-Holes have been making music for almost two decades. Leclerc, Eric Lemoine, and Evan Friesen grew up together and have been thrashing out rock tunes since they were twelve or thirteen years old. Before the three friends finished high school they joined forces with Blake Thompson, whose tasteful guitar licks endeared him to the stillnascent band. According to Leclerc, the F-Holes’ current lineup crystallized in “2006 or 2007,” when James Mckee showed up with his trumpet, a selection of mutes, and the urge to play upbeat roots music. By this point, the band already had plenty of experience. The four musicians had been kicking around the Winnipeg music scene for years. Each time they hauled their gear out of a dingy club at three

It’s about taking risks and making mistakes, and being okay with making mistakes.

Patrick alexandre leclerc

unquote lead singer,” Red Hot was the product of circumstance rather than the culmination of some abstract urge to provide musical context. “It was something to do,” he says with

in the morning, they did so knowing the band was getting better. By the time the band released its eponymous debut in 2009, the five musicians’ sound had coalesced into something

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recognizable, something distinctive, something moving.

Today, the F-Holes are best described as a roots band, but only insofar as roots music is defined by improvisation and experimentation within the broad structure of traditional music. “It’s everything,” Leclerc says of the band’s sound. “It’s blues and it’s country and it’s bluegrass and [even] some jazz stuff. We’re not strictly dixieland by any means, either.

When we think of good music, it’s that honesty — and that’s what you find in roots.” Put another way, the F-Holes sound like five musicians making the music they really want to make. The band’s two studio records, their debut and 2011’s Angel In The Corner, hint at the long tradition of folk music while adding dashes of pure inspiration. And each song is infused with the sort of looseness normally associated with backyard jams, rather than serious studio sessions.

Angel In The Corner showed off just how diverse the band’s sound could be. “Learning How To Swim,” which Leclerc says is his favourite song on the album, is a sprawling, almost operatic folk song that casts his rich baritone against Lemoine’s banjo and Mckee’s trumpet. “Once And For All,” on the other hand, blends elements of jazz and barroom blues to create a tonally complex anthem anyone can sing. This musical eccentricity also manifested on Red Hot, which was released in 2012. Like its predecessors, Red Hot combined elements drawn from a wide variety of genres and styles in new and unusual ways. Because the band had spent so much time playing venues across western Canada, the musicians were not intimidated by the

Photo: courtesy of Gabrielle Touchette Photography

prospect of recording classic songs.

Most of the songs on Red Hot have, at one time or another, been part of their live set; when it came time to record, the band simply played arrangements

honed onstage. In typical F-Holes fashion, the resulting album tackles the familiar and the obscure — and at least one song extracted from a generationdefining video game.

Some songs, like Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison” and Bob Dylan’s “You Ain’t Going Nowhere,” are countryrock standards, tunes any self-respecting bar band can play without thinking too hard. What separates the F-Holes’ versions is a commitment to originality.

Each song is shot through with distinctive grooves and dramatic playing.

This is true of pretty much everything on Red Hot. There is a dense and reverb-drenched rendition of “Jockey Full Of Bourbon,” which appeared on Tom Waits’ 1985 masterpiece Rain Dogs, and a slithering version of Bo Diddley’s classic “Who Do You Love?”

Red Hot also includes a gloomy take on “Sixteen Tons,” a coal miner’s ballad written by Merle Travis just after the Second World War. And then there’s the iconic theme song from Super Mario Bros. 2, which will be familiar to anyone who grew up in the 1990s. “I didn’t have a Nintendo growing up,” Leclerc says, “but Evan did and Eric did, so I definitely got my fill of Nintendo through those two. One day we had a practice to learn new tunes and Eric had that riff going on on his banjo.” What began as a joke quickly turned into a jam session, and before long the band had transformed Lemoine’s banjo lick into a legitimate cover song. “We played it and it seemed to suit us so we went with it,” Leclerc laughs. After a pause he adds, “I don’t think we play it live too often, but I guess we could.”

Like The F-Holes and Angel In The Corner, Red Hot emerged as a fine example of the band’s versatility — their ability to blend, twist, and contort familiar sounds into a unique musical identity. Perhaps not surprisingly, the band’s sponge-like qualities have endeared them to a number of other artists, chiefly singer-songwriters looking for a backing band. Last year, the F-Holes temporarily changed their name to the Winnipeg Five and made a record with Little Miss Higgins, a songwriter from Saskatchewan with a cannon-like voice and a fondness for 1940s-vintage pop. Recorded live off the floor in the hayloft of a barn owned

by Leclerc’s uncle, The Bison Ranch Recording Sessions emerged as yet an-

other example of the group’s versatility — and Higgins’ strength as a songwriter. Late last year, The Bison Ranch Recording Sessions was nominated for a Juno Award.

According to Leclerc, working with Higgins opened even more musical avenues for the F-Holes. “We are five different characters and five different voices, and doing this project with [her] really pushed us to exercise ourselves vocally,” he says. “I’m not that great of a singer. I just do what I do, right? So it really pushed me to try and learn some proper technique, how to use my voice in a different way that I normally do. I really hope that comes out in our next albums.” At the same time Leclerc isn’t entirely sure when the band will get around to recording a new album.

He admits that the band is sitting on a number of new songs, and he knows how he wants to make the next record (live off the floor in a place slightly warmer than where they cut The Bison Ranch Recording Sessions).

The upshot is that nobody knows what the F-Holes will come up with next. Red Hot revealed just how deep the band’s pool of influences and ideas really is. And, more importantly, how the band thinks about music.

Consciously or unconsciously, the five musicians understand that good songs are good songs regardless of genre or style. This is reflected in their music, which is more about smashing disparate ideas together. In other words, the F-Holes respect history, but they are not bound by it. For the F-Holes, innovation stems from more than just history; it emerges from the mysterious alchemy of influence, inspiration, and raw talent. “It’s about taking risks and making mistakes, and being okay with making mistakes,” Leclerc says.

A moment later he adds, “Depending on how [these] songs happen once everybody gets ahold of them and starts biting into them, that’ll sort of determine, I think, what’s going to happen next.”

The F-Holes April 12 @ The Lancaster $TBD Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbRegina amacpherson@verbnews.com

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GOING BEYOND THE BREAD

Photos: courtesy of marc messett

Bread making at Orange Boot Bakery means one part flour, one part yeast…and one part science by mj deschamps

F

rom-scratch breads can really do no wrong in my mind, and I’ll gladly admit I’d rather be unbuttoning my pants to eat creamy brie on a baguette or dip tangy sourdough into a French onion soup versus sadly snacking on low-carb anything.

Although I’m a great lover of freshly baked loaves, I’m far from a baker myself, and never really given too much thought to the actual process until my impromptu baking lesson from Orange Boot Bakery owner, Mark Dyck.

what’s local and what’s fresh as much as possible,” says Dyck.

But while quality ingredients and attention to detail are certainly evident, he said that the real secret to great bread is getting the fermentation process down to a science.

“It’s really a matter of craft versus art,” says Dyck.

To give me a bit of idea of what fermentation done right looks like, he took me through a really interesting bread tasting. We started off with a baguette, which is made from yeasted dough. A well-made, properly fermented baguette, says Dyck, should have a “nice open crumb.” Cutting the baguette open, we found big, open pockets in the crumb, and a nice, grainy smell. The outside of the bread was a golden colour, and biting into it reveals a toasty, sweet, crunchy crust with an extremely soft, moist interior.

Next we cut into a Saskatchewan sourdough loaf, made from local grains and sourdough culture. Again, big, irregular bubbles in the centre means good fermentation is present, and Dyck tells me that the tangy taste we get from biting the chewy crust comes from built up lactic acid bacteria.

A nice multi-grain type loaf — the “birdseed” loaf — came next, made from a ton of different seeds and rolled oats blended in with whole wheat, rye and white wheat flours. This one combines the best of all worlds — tanginess

Well — it was more like a science lesson, really.

For the last three years, the husband and wife-run bakery has been turning out fresh-from-the-oven loaves, muffins, pastries and more each day — all made from untreated, locally grown flour, cereals and grains.

Along with daily favourites, like baguettes, sourdough and 12-grain loaves, Orange Boot also bakes rotating specialty bread options, like roasted garlic sourdough, whole grain spelt, challah, and potato cheddar chive torpedoes. “We tailor the menu to

let’s go drinkin’ Verb’s mixology guide HOT SPIKED CIDER

Ingredients

The taste of fresh bread is so vibrant on its own that you don’t usually need much more than a good wine to compliment it. If you’re in the mood for something with a bit more of a kick, however, a spiked apple cider is a great way to bring out the sweet elements of your favourite loaf.

· 1 quart water · ½ cup brown sugar · 2 cups apple cider · 3 orange spice tea bags · 1 ½ cups rum · cinnamon sticks · 3 tsp. butter

ddirections

Bring water to a boil over stove and add tea bags. Cover and let steep five minutes. Remove bags and stir in sugar, apple cider, rum and two cinnamon sticks. Heat to steaming. Ladle cider into mugs and add ½ tsp butter into each. Garnish with cinnamon sticks.

from the sourdough culture, a rich, roasted element from the seeds, and a hint of honey to add some sweetness.

Finally, we tried an enriched yeasted bread, in the form of a buttery, flaky, layered croissant that literally melts in your mouth.

Dyck tells me they do dip a bit into neighbouring provinces for ingredients for the croissants, using creamy butter from Alberta’s Foothills, and chocolate batons from Winnipeg.

While fermentation may be important, to me, the reason why Orange Boot has had such a positive response in the community thus far (and why their bread is so ridiculously delicious) is the passion Dyck obviously has for baking, and his business as a whole.

Between getting to know local farmers and grain producers, preparing absolutely everything from scratch (no tart filling, no pastry icing, no nothing comes pre-prepared) using seasonal ingredients, and sharing information/attending classes with other bakers on a regular basis to stay at the top of the bread-baking game, Orange Boot’s offerings are much, much more than just flour, yeast and water.

So it’s no wonder that what initially started as a hobby for Dyck and his wife, Cindy — baking bread in a brick

oven out of their homes — ended up being met with so much demand that they had to find a storefront space to accommodate all the customers they were gaining.

It doesn’t hurt, either, that Orange Boot has so much heart: at the end of each day, they donate what’s left over to local charities and food banks; they run bread basket contests where winners get to pass along an empty basket from friend to friend for fresh, free bread and pastry re-fills; and they consider everyone on their baking team a valuable member.

“That why I didn’t want to call it Mark’s Bakery — everyone brings their own ideas and creativity to the table, and the whole team is on the journey together,” said Dyck.

“I think of it as the federation of awesome bakers — where we don’t take ourselves too seriously, but we do take the bread very seriously.”

Orange Boot Bakery 3904 Gordon Road | (306) 584 2668 Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbRegina mjdeschamps@verbnews.com

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Next Week

coming up

Fortunate Isles

Sarah Farthing

3 Door Down

@ The Club (@ the exchange) Friday, April 11 – Tickets TBD

@ Creative Community Centre Saturday, April 12 – $10

@ Casino Regina Monday, June 9 – $60+

Take a healthy dose of punk, toss in a smattering of ‘70s disco, add an indie rock feel that sounds kind of like Franz-Ferdinand-meets-Metric, and what you get is the music of Fortunate Isles. This dynamic, infectious band has rocked venues and won over fans all across Western Canada. This Queen City quartet aims to get your blood pumping and your feet moving every time they take the stage. With Tewksbury’s soulful vocals, the Fortunate Isles’ aim is true. They just released “Loup-Garou” and are preparing to record their first full-length album, which seems to be moving in a heavier, more mature direction.

These guys will be bringing their frenzied on-stage energy to The Exchange later this month.

Back when she was 11 years old, Farthing began her musical journey as a classical flautist. She had her sights set on a professional symphonic career. But then something happened: at the age of 19 an accident involving her hand, a car door and a considerable amount pain forced Farthing to put her symphonic ambitions aside. But music kept calling to her, and eventually Farthing decided to pick up a guitar and give singing and songwriting a shot. Turns out she’s pretty good at both. With a sound that rests in a nook somewhere between folk-rock and pop, this talented musician from Saskatoon has a voice that oozes like melted sugar. Farthing will be playing at the Creative Community Centre in mid-April.

Unless you’ve been in hiding for, oh, say, the past 15 years, there’s a solid chance you’ve heard 3 Doors Down’s hit single, “Kryptonite.” You know, that song that talks about walking around the world to ease your troubled mind? What you might not have heard, though, is that vocalist and drummer Brad Arnold allegedly wrote the song as a teenager while being bored out of his mind in an algebra class. That song launched the band to international fame when it came out in 2000 on their album The Better Life. The band has released four more studio albums since then, many of which eventually went platinum. If you’re a fan, you might want to check their act out when they roll through town in June.

Tickets at www.ticketbreak.com.

– By Adam Hawboldt

Photos courtesy of: cyler parent/ the artist/ Portal Flocka

Sask music Preview The first round of headliners have been announced at three of Saskatchewan’s major music festivals! Tegan and Sara, Ben Harper, Cassandra Wilson and more will be rocking out at the Sasktel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival (June 20-29 in Saskatoon), while Library Voices, The Faps, Six Moons Later and others will be rocking out at MOSO2014 (June 11-14 in Saskatoon). Down in Regina, Serena Ryder, Sam Roberts Band, Elliott Brood and more will be playing the Regina Folk Festival (August 8-10). Please see saskjazz.com, moso2014.com and reginafolkfestival.com for more information.

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April 4 » April 12 Friday 4

Mudmen / Artful Dodger — Celtic rock. 8pm DJ Dallas / Eldorado — With JoMama! 9pm FPG / Club — With Generator . 7pm / $10 wilt / Exchange — Devoid of Light. 9pm DJs Pat & Kim / Habano’s — Local DJs. 9pm Big Chill / Lancaster — DJ Fatbot. 10pm Slow Motion Walter / McNally’s — Rockin’ party band. 10pm

Pop the Trunk / Pump — Live tunes! 9pm Albert / Pure — Every Friday night. 10pm DJ Longhorn, Cory Brown / Whiskey Saloon — Hot tunes all night. 8pm

special mystery DJ. 9:30pm+

Saturday 5

Monday 7

Sunday 6

Steve Brockley / Club — Folk-rock. 8pm

DJ Dallas / Eldorado — With JoMama! 9pm Tyler Gilbert / Lancaster — Dustin Ritter.

9pm Slow Motion Walter / McNally’s — Rockin’ party band. 10pm Pop the Trunk / Pump — Live tunes! 9pm Wafflehouse / Pure — Come party! 10pm Cory Brown / Whiskey — Hot tunes. 9pm Electric Kitten / YQR Nite Club — With a

jazz night / Bushwakker — Whiteboy Slim. 8pm

Tuesday 8

DJ night / Q Nightclub — DJs Snakeboots and Code E. 9:30pm

Wednesday 9

Brass Buttons / Artesian — EP release!

7:30pm folk night / Bushwakker — Range Men EP release. 9pm deadrot / Exchange — Metal tunes. 7:30pm WayBack Wednesday / McNally’s — Leather Cobra. 9pm

Thursday 10

PS Fresh / Hookah — DJs Ageless + Drewski. 7pm Redbeard / McNally’s — B-day bash! 8pm Third Degree Birnz / Pump — Party! 9pm DJ Longhorn / Whiskey Saloon — One of Regina’s Best DJs. 8pm

Friday 11

burlap sac / Dodger — Funky beats. 8pm fortunate isles / Club — Folk. 7:30pm DJ Dallas, / Eldorado — The Otherz! 9pm DJs Pat & Kim / Habano’s — Local DJs. 9pm Redbeard’s Tribute to the Regina Music Scene / Lancaster — Live tunes. 8pm Puttin’ on the Foil / McNally’s — New band! 10pm Halteras / Mercury — Retro-surf. 9pm Albert / Pure — Appearing every Friday night. 10pm Third Degree Birnz / Pump Roadhouse — Saskatchewan’s ultimate party band. 9pm / Cover TBD

DJ Longhorn, alex runions / Whiskey Saloon — Hot tunes all night. 8pm Something Majestic / YQR — DJ. 9:30pm

Saturday 12

Roots n’ Herbs / Dodger — WithDan Silinger. 8pm Dreams / Casino Regina — Fleetwood Mac covers. 9pm Sarah Farthing / Creative City Centre — Folk-rock. 7:30pm DJ Dallas, the otherz / Eldorado — Party DJ! 9pm The Otherz / Eldorado — Rock + more!

10pm Red Beard’ / Exchange — B-day bash tribute to our music scene. 8:30pm F-Holes / Lancaster — Rockabilly, swing, roots and more. 9pm Bluessmyth / McNally’s Tavern — Rock ‘n blues from Winnipeg. 10pm Third Degree Birnz / Pump — Saskatchewan’s ultimate party band. 9pm Wafflehouse / Pure — Come party! 10pm Alex Runions / Whiskey — Hot tunes. 9pm

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nightlife

Saturday, March 29 @

German Club

Check out our Facebook page!

These photos will be uploaded to Facebook on Friday, April 11. facebook.com/verbregina

German Club 1727 St. John Street (306) 352 5897

Photography by Marc Messett

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the captain is back and better than ever

Photo: Courtesy of walt disney studios motion pictures

Captain America: The Winter Soldier an excellent addition to the Marvel movieverse. by adam hawboldt

W

hat’s the appeal of Captain America?

That’s not a rhetorical question.

I’m dead serious. I’ve been reading comic books since I was a child and I’ve never once really understood why people were drawn to this character. As Steve Rogers (Captain America’s alter ego), he doesn’t have the dark, tortured soul of, say, a Bruce Wayne. He’s not angsty like Peter Parker or quick-witted like Tony Stark.

And as a superhero, well, he has a shield that’s pretty cool and is hella strong, but put him next to someone like Thor or Superman and he pales in comparison.

Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t understand the allure of this guy. Nor do I understand why, in the recent Marvel movies, Chris Evans plays him in such a blah, blah, boring way. Yet for all that — for all my dislike of Captain America and the way Evans portrays him on screen — there’s one thing I have to admit. The latest installment of the Captain America movie franchise (Captain America: The Winter Soldier) is one heckuva film.

True story.

Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo (Collinwood, Community), Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a refreshing, unique, twisty-turny addition to the Marvel movie universe.

The script, by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, makes Captain America a real, anguished hero (instead of the wham-bam action figure you’re used to seeing) and plunks him down straight into the middle of a high-paced, high-stakes conspiracy

captain america: the winter soldier Directed by Anthony Russo + Joe Russo Starring Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson + Samuel L. Jackson 136 minutes | PG

up to wreak havoc. His name is The Winter Soldier, a cruel and seemingly indestructible mercenary from Cap’s past. But don’t be mistaken — this isn’t just a hero versus nemesis story. Hells

…what … The Winter Soldier has going for it is the action sequences.

Adam Hawboldt

thriller of a story.

Without giving too much away, here’s the gist of the movie: set in postAvengers America, the movie shows Captain America adjusting to life in the 21st century. As is wont to happen in superhero movies, a villain shows

to the no. There’s also a sinister story line involving the S.H.I.E.L.D. program in which Cap doesn’t know who to trust or who to chase. A story line that hits on modern topics like the American military industrial complex, NSA spying, drones and secret sharing.

The sands all around Captain America’s feet are shifting and he has to deal with it the best he can.

The result is a top-tier thriller that engages viewers from beginning to end.

And while Evans, as usual, plays a ho-hum hero, everyone else around him is terrific. Scarlett Johansson is sultry as the Black Widow, Samuel L. Jackson delivers as Nick Fury and Robert Redford does his thing as Alexander Pierce — Fury’s boss and a member of the World Security Council.

Along with some pretty good acting and an excellent script, what Captain America: The Winter Soldier has going for it is the action sequences. Unlike

other Marvel movies where cities explode and buildings topple, the new Captain America movie has action that is grounded in reality, with fist-fights and car chases galore.

Put that all together and what you get is a movie that is fast-paced, tense and fun — even if you think Captain America, as a hero, is dated and wildly overrated.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbRegina ahawboldt@verbnews.com

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recreating a masterpiece

Tim’s Vermeer charts one man’s obsessive and fascinating pursuit of Vermeer by adam hawboldt

Photo: Courtesy of sony pictures classic

A

nyone who knows the work of the 17thcentury Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer knows it’s exquisite — the almost photographic attention to detail, the sumptuous use of light that make his paintings glow with an almost inner shine.

One of his most famous works is called “The Music Lesson,” which is currently held in the private collection of Queen Elizabeth II. This painting plays a central role in Penn and Teller’s (yes, those hilarious magician guys) new documentary called Tim’s Vermeer.

Also central to the movie is a man named Tim Jenison, a wealthy tech inventor and one of Penn’s buddies.

Jenison is a curious fellow who is fascinated with Vermeer. More to the point, with how Vermeer managed to paint with such photo-like realism some 150 years before photography was actually invented.

Recent scholars have claimed that Vermeer may have used a camera obscura (a primitive camera-like mechanism) to project images onto his canvases. From there, they posit, he essentially traced the images and brought them to life. This theory fascinates Jenison to no end, so much

so that he decides to embark on a journey to build a camera obscura and replicate “The Music Lesson” painting.

It is a journey that takes him to Holland and England, where he talks with British artist David Hockney and a scholar by the name of Philip Steadman. He also pays a visit to the Queen. Well, he never actually meets Queen Elizabeth II, but he is granted a private viewing of the painting he longs to recreate.

From there, things gets interesting. Jenison takes the next 213 days and builds an exact (or as close to exact as he can) replica of the room in which Vermeer painted “The Music Lesson.” He also uses two mirrors to make a camera obscura, and spends the remaining 130 days tracing and creating the painting the way some suspect Vermeer himself might have.

On the surface, Tim’s Vermeer is about the big questions surrounding the creation of art. If that sounds a bit too pedantic and dry for your liking, don’t worry — Tim’s Vermeer is anything but boring. Sure, it’s a documentary about art history and painting technique and things of that nature, but at the same time it’s also a funny, fascinating story of obsession.

A story made all the more entertain-

tim’s vermeer Raymond Joseph Teller Starring Tim Jenison, David Hockney + Philip Steadman Directed by

80 minutes | PG

ing by Jenison, who is an amiable, interesting and good-natured fellow.

His reaction after he recreates “The Music Lesson” is nothing short of priceless.

So don’t let the academic-like air of this film fool you. Tim’s Vermeer is the kind of documentary that informs, entertains and pulls you into a world in which passion and fascination reign supreme. A world in which Jenison becomes intimately linked with the past and present, with painting and ancient technology, and, above all else, Johannes Vermeer.

Tim’s Vermeer opens at the Regina Public Library on April 10; see reginalibrary.ca for show times.

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

18 Apr 4 – Apr 10 entertainment

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crossword canadian criss-cross

ACROSS

DOWN 1. Ride at a pace between a trot and a gallop 2. Cantata melody 3. Search engine program 4. City near the Dead Sea 5. Fermented drink 6. Pottery material 7. Japanese robe 8. Take for one’s own use 9. Not worthy of discussion 11. It helps fight an infection 12. Partiality 14. Neural network 17. Russian wolfhounds

20. Incandescent particle 21. Cards that rank above queens 24. Bartender’s ‘rocks’ 26. Mahayana movement 28. Ancestry 29. Fill too tightly 30. Full of water vapour 31. Glossy paint 33. Be plentiful 34. Young fellow 35. Engine cover 38. Freshwater duck 41. Travelling worker 43. Romanticize 45. Heat source 47. Fish eggs

sudoku answer key

A

B

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

29. British parting word 32. Grind one’s teeth in anger 36. Take part in a race 37. Makes bootees 39. Frightening sound 40. Baby’s nurse in India 42. Compass point 43. One prefix 44. Drink made of cham pagne and orange juice 46. In a circle 48. Remove a hidden microphone from 49. Crazy 50. Being the only one 51. Outcome

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

1. Crane operator’s spot 4. Lowest ranking royal card 8. Bounce off the cushion, in pool 10. Co-creator of ‘Flashpoint’ 12. Fish resembling a tuna 13. Tool for enlarging holes 15. Cookie crumb, e.g.

16. Japanese sash 18. In times long past 19. King Kong, for one 20. Rifle handle 22. Threaded metal block 23. Make naked 25. Underground rootlike stem 27. Italian turnover © walter D. Feener 2014

Horoscopes April 4 - APRIL 10 Aries March 21–April 19

Leo July 23–August 22

Sagittarius November 23–December 21

An incredible feeling of optimism and enthusiasm will grab hold of you later this week, Aries. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Expanding your horizons — that’s what you should be doing this week, Leo. How you choose to do so is up to you.

You are artistic by nature, Sagittarius. We all know that. But your creativity could be stifled by outside forces in the coming week.

Taurus April 20–May 20

Virgo August 23–September 22

Capricorn December 22–January 19

Pay very close attention to the dreams you have, Taurus. They will be more telling and prophetic than they first appear.

You might have the urge to stick close to home in the coming days, Virgo. It’s important to fight that urge with all your being.

Something wonderful could happen to you this week, Capricorn — but only if you let it. Take a deep breath and commit to the power of the universe.

Gemini May 21–June 20

Libra September 23–October 23

Aquarius January 20–February 19

If you’ve been looking for romance, Gemini, then get ready for some sparks to fly — love is just around the corner. Be patient.

A social event may pop up on your calendar that will connect you with people who think and feel as you do. Get out there and network!

Developments over the past couple of weeks will come to a head very soon, Aquarius. It’s important to be ready for whatever is coming your way.

Cancer June 21–July 22

Scorpio October 24–November 22

Pisces February 20–March 20

Don’t be afraid to ask yourself hard questions this week, Cancer, even if you’re not sure you want to know the answer. It’s time for some introspection.

A project that you’re working on, perhaps something work-related, is likely to suck your time this week.

Remember to give yourself a break.

Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there this week, Pisces. Whatever you put out tot he world will be received with fanfare.

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

crossword answer key

A

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

B

19 Apr 4 – Apr 10 /verbregina

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