Verb Issue S258 (Sept. 20-26, 2013)

Issue #258 – September 20 to September 26

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clowning around Crash Cooper talks bullfighting the folk sinner Q+A with Lee Harvey Osmond prisoners + the hunt Film reviews

Photo: courtesy of norman wong

NEWs + Opinion

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and the winner is...

Inside beauty pageants. 4 / Local

clowning around Crash Cooper talks bullfighting. 6 / Local

rider outrage Our thoughts on the Riders charged with assault. 8-9 / Editorial

On the cover:

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Searching for something real.

Here’s what you had to say about drinking and driving. 11 / comments

16-17 / cover

Photo: courtesy of norman wong

culture

Q + A with tom wilson It’s the folk sinner! 14 / Q + A

monte cristo mayhem We visit Park Cafe.

band of brothers Foam Lake’s family love. 15 / Arts

18 / Food + Drink

sucker punch

Music

Fist City riding high. 15 / Arts

Five Finger Death Punch, Indigo Girls +Lady Antebellum. 19 / music

entertainment

listings Local music listings for September 20 through September 28. 20 / listings

prisoners + the hunt

on the bus

The latest movie reviews. 24-25 / Film

Weekly original comic illustrations

by Elaine M. Will. 30 / comics

Nightlife Photos

Games + Horoscopes

We visited Béily’s + Buds.

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

26-29 / Nightlife

Vehicles How to buy a used car, up your car audio, VW Beetles + more. 32-39 / vehicles

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Publisher / Parity Publishing Editor in Chief / Ryan Allan Managing Editor / Jessica Patrucco staff Writers / Adam Hawboldt + Alex J MacPherson Contributing writers / jeff davis + Rhiannon Herbert

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Photo: courtesy of miss teen canada world website

And the winner is...

Jillian Martin talks beauty pageants, Toronto and a week she’ll never forget

by ADAM HAWBOLDT

S

tanding backstage at the Miss Teen Canada-World competition, Jillian Martin was overwhelmed. Caught up in a whirlwind of emotion.

Just minutes before, she was staring at an empty spot on a stage in Toronto.

Barely breathing. Hoping, praying that she’d make it into the top five. The first competitor’s number was called — it wasn’t hers. Neither was the next one, or the next one. Or even the next one.

With one number remaining, Martin was nervous. Was it possible for her to be the last girl picked?

Indeed it was. And as her number was called, a surge of emotion swept over Martin. “I remember walking back stage after that and wanting to cry,”

she says. “Everyone was backstage at that point. When I got back there they were giving me hugs and wishing me well. And all I could think was ‘don’t talk to me, please. I’m going to start bawling any second now.’ It was all so overwhelmingly emotional.”

Martin eventually pulled herself together. But as she and the other four competitors were getting ready to take the stage for their final question, Megha Sandhu — the reigning Miss Teen Canada Globe — was doing her final walk. Martin had become friends with Sandhu during the course of the past week’s activities, and when she saw her new friend walking off stage and crying, well, the emotions started to bubble up again.

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“I couldn’t even look at her,” says Martin. “I was trying to keep it together, stay focused. It was like, ‘okay, now I have to talk. This isn’t just walking and posing anymore.’ I have to stay focused, sound intelligent.” Intelligent enough to answer her final question: what is your ambition in life?

The week leading up to the Miss Teen Canada-World pageant is a hectic one, to say the least. Sixty-five girls from around the country arrive in Toronto, each with the dream of being crowned. But before that can happen, before the actual competition takes place, there’s a week chock-full of things to do. There are preliminary interviews to be held, rehearsals to be practiced, videos to be filmed, public appearances to be made.

“We did a lot of rehearsing, trying to make the final show as good as possible,” says Martin, who was crowned Miss Teen Saskatchewan back in February. “We also did a lot of appearances. We were on Breakfast Television, we made an appearance at the CN Tower, we went to Much Music — that was so much fun. Oh, and we went to Medieval Times, a dinner theatre in Toronto, and we went to the mall, too.

We made quite a spectacle of ourselves there. There were 65 girls in crowns walking around, everyone was taking pictures. It was kind of strange. You look at all of us standing there in the mall and it’s not an ordinary scene you see every day.”

Nor was it an ordinary experience for the competitors. There they

are, strangers thrown together for a week, running around Toronto, not getting a heckuva lot of sleep, and all the while knowing they’re being watched and judged on how they are conducting themselves in public. Each and every girl putting pressure on themselves to do everything well, to conduct themselves in a way befitting of Miss Teen Canada. To hopefully, in the end, win the crown.

In a situation like that, just like in any other competitive environment — whether it be a beauty pageant, a figure skating championship or a major chess tournament — it’s natural for small rivalries to spring up. That goes without saying.

But it’s just as natural for close bonds and friendships to arise.

That’s the only way she had a chance to win.

If you were in a beauty pageant and someone asked you what your ambition was in life, how would you answer? Would you tell the judges you wanted to cure world hunger?

Eradicate war? End poverty?

Jillian Martin did nothing of the sort. Standing there on the stage, her chance of becoming Miss Teen Canada on the line, she answered the question as honestly and as straightforward as possible.

“I was so thankful they asked me that,” says Martin. “I knew exactly what I was going to say. So I told them that my ambition is to get into sports medicine or sports therapy. I was a

This could really happen. This could really happen,’” says Martin.

And then it did.

Jillian Martin was named 2013 Miss Teen Canada-World. What occurred immediately after that, she didn’t remember for the longest time. Not until a friend of hers mom showed her a video of that day.

Up until then the only thing she recalls in the voice in her head saying, “I did it! I did it! I really did it!”

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…I told them that my ambition is to get into sports medicine or sports therapy. jillian martin

“My roommate was from Calgary,” says Martin, “and she was so great. We ended up becoming great friends. I just love her. Actually, I made a trip [to Alberta] to visit her not that long ago.”

And while Martin became fast friends with a few of the other competitors, she did her best not to worry too much about what others were doing. The main thing on her mind was to stay focused, and do her best in every situation she found herself in.

football manager in high school. I was always taping and bandaging the boys up when they got hurt and I loved it. If I could get paid for doing that for a living, I would be a happy camper for the rest of my life.”

Her matter-of-fact honesty paid off, because when the runner-ups’ names were being announced, Martin didn’t hear hers.

“When it got down to the last two I remember thinking, ‘Wow!

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Photo: Courtesy of crash cooper facebook

Clowning around Crash Cooper is a bullfigher-turned-rodeo clown with some stories to tell

by ADAM HAWBOLDT

P

icture this: you’re standing smack-dab in the middle of a rodeo arena atop a barrel. The crowd all around you is cheering. Not because of your uncanny ability to balance on the barrel, mind you, but because a 2,000 pound bull is running straight at you. It’s head is down, and it’s looking to do some harm.

fighter. And we’re not talking the kind of bullfighter that Hemingway was enthralled with here: the matador who uses a cape to pass the bull and his sword to slay the creature.

No, we’re talking about North American rodeo bullfighters. The guys you see at the rodeo distracting the bulls while the cowboys scamper to safety.

…the bull pulled his horn out of my stomach and rammed it into my mouth.

Ash “Crash” Cooper

Stuck in a situation like that, what would you do?

Well, if you’re Ash “Crash” Cooper the answer is simple. You wait there, stone still, until the split second before the bull smashes into the barrel.

Then you either take a step and walk down the bull’s back or simply leap over the charging beast.

Okay. There’s nothing actually “simple” about that. But there is something exceedingly dangerous. And for years that’s how Crash Cooper made a living — as a bull-

It most certainly isn’t a job for everybody, but Crash was intrigued.

“I grew up playing really physical sports,” explains Crash. “I played Team Sask rugby. I played junior, college and a little bit of minor pro hockey. Guess I really liked the rough stuff. Anyway, one year I was at the Canadian Finals Rodeo watching my brother ride saddle bronc horses, and I saw the bullfighters out there protecting the bullriders and I thought, ‘Wow! That has to be the toughest, roughest sport I can think of … where do I sign up?’”

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Later that spring, Crash signed up for a three-day course on how to be a bullfighter, on how to protect the cowboy and get bulls to chase him without getting run over … hopefully.

“I grew up on a ranch,” says Crash, “and when something chased you, you ran and jumped over the fence.

That was it. So when I took that course I asked them what I was supposed to do to get the bull to chase me and how do avoid the damn thing. And do you know what they said? Just before I got into the arena for the first time the only instructions they gave me were ‘Pretend like you’re going left, and go right!’” Crash laughs out loud and repeats the directions. “That’s seriously all they said.”

But they are words Crash now knows to be true.

Most people think that rodeo clowns and bullfighters are the same thing, but they aren’t. The clown is the entertainer, the guy at the rodeo making the crowd laugh. The bullfighter is the guy who risks life and limb to protect fallen cowboys.

Crash Cooper knows this because Crash Cooper has worn both hats: that of a rodeo clown and of a bullfighter. He also knows that there’s more to bullfighting that just protecting the bullriders.

“I used to do this thing called freestyle bullfighting,” he explains.

“That’s when they just let the bull out to chase you. It’s a competition amongst

bullfighters. Just man against bull.

You’re out there all alone and the bull is basically trying to kill you.”

In a competition like this, the bullfighters are marked on how well they can manipulate the bull in the ring, on how close they can get to the bull without being gored, on the tricks they can perform (like the jumping-off-thebarrel-and-walking-over-the-bull bit previously mentioned).

“That’s what I really, really loved doing,” says Crash. “It’s quite a thrill, freestyle bullfighting. There’ll be a Mexican-bred bull that’ll come out of the gates running at you as fast as it can. And you just stand there, facing him. You don’t move a muscle until he’s maybe 10 feet in front of you. And I tell ya, that is some feeling. Just to stand there and not move, that takes some grit. If you could bottle that feeling right there, you’d make a fortune.”

That feeling of an adrenaline rush is understandable, but what in the hell do you do once the bull is 10 feet away from you?

“You just fake left and go right,” chuckles Crash. “Fake left, go right.”

After that you want to step around the bull, run towards its hips, then it’ll come full circle. If you can stay in the pocket there, you can manipulate the bull without fear of being gored by a horn. Well, not exactly “without” fear. Animals are, after all, unpredictable creatures.

“I remember this one time this bull caught me,” says Crash. “I’d finished my fight and was just making

one last step-through to finish it off and sell it, but the bull got its horn up inside my protective vest in my back.

He lifted me off the ground, tried throwing me off.”

It didn’t work. The bull couldn’t shake him, but the harder it tried the more skin from Crash’s back piled on the horn. When the bull finally shook him loose Crash ended up on the ground with its horn dug into the pit of his stomach.

“I have a picture of that,” says Crash. “I wish the photographer would’ve waited a fraction of a second longer because the bull pulled his horn out of my stomach and rammed it into my mouth. That would’ve been a cool picture to have. He knocked out a tooth, chipped some teeth, busted up my face pretty good.”

That wasn’t the only injury Crash had back in his bullfighting days. He also broke his leg, cracked some ribs, and tore some ligaments. But nothing too major. Crash’s only major accident came after he put the bullfighting behind him and became a full-time rodeo clown.

There are two things you should know about Crash Cooper. One, he is a quick learner. And two, he’s not a big fan of giving up.

When he first started learning how to paint, he was by no means an expert. But he didn’t quit. He learned his trade, honed his skills, and these days he’s an accomplished artist.

When he was hired to host the nation-wide television show Cowboy Country, he was admittedly “terrible in the beginning,” but he learned quick, honed his skills and eventually won awards for his work.

Crash’s life as a rodeo clown has been no different.

“When I started out I was pretty bad,” he says, matter of factly. “The only reason people hired me as an entertainer is because there was a real shortage in the profession at the time.”

But Crash stuck with it, and once he realized there’s more to being a rodeo clown than just being funny — once he began using his natural athletic ability in his act — he began getting bigger gigs. And then disaster struck.

“I wear stilts in my act, these stilts with springs on ‘em, and I can jump, like, six feet in the air,” says Crash.

“So one day, I thought it would be good to come out into the arena, jumping and doing backflips in the bed of a half-ton [truck]. Problem is, I jumped straight out of the half-ton, onto the ground doing a black flip through the air.”

He landed it fine, but the momentum from the flip caused Crash’s feet to fly out from underneath him.

The result?

A broken back.

“I always considered myself lucky that I escaped from bullfighting without any major injuries,” says Crash.

“Then I become a rodeo clown and break my damn back!”

Photo: Courtesy of crash cooper facebook

But that didn’t stop him. Once healed, Crash went right back to being a rodeo clown. These days he works most of the major rodeos throughout the United States. Heck, in 2011, he was the first Canadian rodeo clown to ever perform at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.

And while he may not be faking left and going right anymore, Crash still has that never-say-quit attitude that has propelled him to the top of his profession.

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Rider outrage

Photo: courtesy of royalguard11

The three players charged with aggravated assault should be suspended We have interrupted our drinking and driving series to weigh in on the recent assault charges facing three Saskatchewan Roughriders. We will continue with our drinking and driving series in next week’s issue of Verb.

Y

our conduct has brought embarrassment and ridicule upon yourself, your club, and the NFL, and has damaged the reputation of players throughout the league.”

That’s what NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wrote to Tennessee Titans Adam “Pacman” Jones, who was suspended without pay for the 2007 season after he was charged in connection with a fight at a Las Vegas strip club, as well as other off-the-field incidents.

The reason we bring this up is because we feel Goodell acted appropriately in light of the circumstances, and that the Saskatchewan Roughriders should take a page from his playbook and suspend three of their players who have

recently been charged with aggravated assault. Instead of, you know, letting them continue to play.

In case you missed it, defensive back Dwight Anderson, 32, wide receiver Tajiddin Muquadir SmithWilson, 29, and wide receiver Eron Riley, 26, have all been charged after an incident took place outside of a nightclub on August 18th, which has left a 20-year-old man with serious injuries.

Now, to be clear, we aren’t saying these men are guilty. That’s up to the courts to decide, not us. But the fact remains that these three men have been charged with a serious felony and should not be granted the privilege to play with the Riders until the issue has been cleared up. It’s as simple as that.

Suspending players in light of serious allegations is not unheard of. Look at Steelers’ quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who was suspended for six games (reduced to four) in 2010 after sexual assault charges were filed

against him. Look at former Bengals’ running back Cedric Benson, who was suspended for three games (reduced to one) for misdemeanour assault charges, or Plaxico Burress, who was suspended four games for shooting himself in the leg when he played with the New York Giants. Or why not look at former Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry, who was suspended for eight games in the 2007 season for violating the league’s conduct policy?

If only the Riders had a code of conduct, perhaps that would make the decision to bench the charged players a no-brainer. Oh wait, they do have one! The code, which was adopted in 2007, requires players to obey the law, to conduct themselves with honesty and integrity, to respect others, and to take responsibility for their actions.

Clearly, though, Rider management isn’t taking this seriously. In fact, both the Riders’ head coach, Corey Chamblin, and general manager, Brendan Taman, have doubled down on support-

ing Riley, Anderson and Smith-Wilson, with Chamblin stating “These guys are part of this team … We’re going to support them until we get to the point where we can’t anymore.”

But if the code of conduct for the Saskatchewan Roughriders isn’t being taken seriously by their own management, then what’s the sense of having a code of conduct at all? After all, it’s not just Anderson, Smith-Wilson and Riley that have brushed up against the law.

Former defensive end Odell Willis was charged with driving under the influence in Atlanta in 2012; he got a slap on the wrist. So did running back Kory Sheets when he was arrested earlier this year over an alleged instance of domestic violence. It would seem that this problem is a systemic one.

So maybe the Riders’ brass should actually start holding their players accountable for their behaviour. Doing so would be a great first step towards creating a team culture of honour and dignity and accountability. And maybe, just maybe, to do that you start with suspending the three players who stand charged with federal crimes.

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 drinking and driving rates in Saskatchewan.

Here's what you had to say: – All these drunks killing themselves on the roads I have absolutely no sympathy for. What I have a problem with is when they take innocent lives. Grow up and act like a responsible adult!

– To help curb drinking and driving in the city we should have more random check stops I have seen one here in the past four years.

This is a city with a university, lots of kids out there partying. Keep it safe!

– Drinking and driving is a problem but the more serious problem is the ease of access to alcohol

text yo thoughtsur to 881 ve r b 8372

– First time offenders of drunk driving should have thier licince taken away for life! Too many people are taking this problem lightly.

take the BUS!!! I have lived in large cities around the world and it is just NORMAL to take the bus to the bars/restaurants when it is just known that you will be drinking. All walks of life take public transportation. Why can’t this province open their eyes and see the simplicity of it all. Take the bus. Walk. Taxi. If you can afford to drink, you can afford to take another source of transportation.

Get over yourselves.

– Don’t just suspend a drunk driver’s license. Lock ‘em up too! Our judicial system stinks. Anyone can do whatever they want with no consequences!

– In regards to the drinking/driving in Sask…People need to get past wether its “cool” or not to

– drinking and drive is wrong in so many ways . take a cab or call a friend you might be saving a life. * infinity & beyond ‘

– Would SK’s lowest legal limit of BAC in contrast to all other provinces have anything to do with the disproportionate represetation of drunk Drivers. After all you have to be caught driving drunk to be a statistic

– Drinking and driving problem: Why doesn’t saskatoon just have more stop checks?! it would scare

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people from drinking and driving and we need people to stop doing it!

– Don’t drink and drive, cab it!

OFF TOPIC

1st) and Ed Allen’s Exercise Show which I mimicked faithfully. 1st gen of kids with such CBC “babysitters”. Fairly good educators for a preschooler. Mom was still home doing whatever mom’s do. Big Thanks for Ed Allen. Those early skills likely saved my adult life more than once. Hopefully some Wii games do the same now.

open competition so much as oligopoly for consumers; telecom and energy are good examples.

I think that it’s time for CP to be partially deregulated, but wholly selling it off leaves folks in more remote areas vulnerable. The old “It costs more to deliver service” excuse has been used by every company under the sun, except that mail is a vital service, one that government still uses to communicate with its citizens. How much do we want to expose that to potentially conflicting private interests and the pursuant loss of control? That being said, if there are online firms that deliver goods using Canada Post, I actively avoid using them. Canada Post NEEDS to change. Just how much and how fast is up for debate. Karim Kassam

– You hit the nail on the head, with the exception of one issue: comparatively, deregulated govern ment services havent really meant

– Thoughts and prayers for the OC Transpo tragedy.

– Riders charged with assault should be punted from the team??

Charged does not mean guilty and convicted. Let them play…Who knows maybe they were defending themselves from a coked up clown with a bad attitude..

In response to “You’ve got mail.” Editorial, ,

– WELCOME BACK STUDENTS!!!

So great to spend time with my school friends again :D

– People who do graffiti should use their talents for positive things.

Not for defacing a neighbourhood or marking their territory. It could rather be an artistic contribution in the arts culture.

– Yes people need to watch out for motorcyclists but they must also watch out for vehicles too. It seems like they think they own the road!

– What do you call a deer with no eyes. No idear.

#256 (September 6, 2013)

– I understand your frustration with merging in this city. There are a lot more cars on the road too and often moving over isn’t always an option. I think there are way too many vehicles for our infrastructure. Try and be patient. We’re all trying to get somewhere. Sharing the road will make each person’s driving experience better.

sound off – TWIZTID next week in this province for 15 years I’ve been waiting for those words. Abominationz new nightmare the demented duo finally arrive in the 30666!!!!

– When I was a preschooler TV was new. My AM lineup was Friendly Giant, Chez Helene, Mr Dress Up (Butternut Square at

– It’s about time the worst parts of Idylwyld are getting paved.

– Tattoos look dirty. Looks like you need to take a bath. I couldn’t imagine having that on my skin for the rest of my life. When you’re old and grey, will you still like that tattoo you got when you were young?

– For a brief time in 1970s a handful of people lit a rare flame of humanity. This whole wannabe society tried to follow for a time but didn’t get it. I wonder, any of you “true believers” still out there “keep’in the faith”?

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– There is nothing sportsmanlike about fighting in hockey. It’s just about babies that want to have their own way!

– Please be sensitive to nonsmokers when you get on the bus and put your cigarette out well before you get on the bus instead of blowing it all on the bus. I’m allergic to it.

– Some people desperately need to get a sense of humour. That comment about sending criminals was just a joke. Lighten up already!

– Just a reminder that verb is NOT for condescending anyone but a chance to voice your opinions as long as they are respectful

– I agree that servers need respect.

I’m sure they take a lot of flack. It’s all in how you say it.

– Servers only deserve respect if they DISH it out :D

– Sending a shoutout to my homie James! You’re one kickass dude can’t wait to party with you next month! Keep it real mang! (Mike)

– There should be no reason to eat on public transportation unless you have a medical condition or you are the driver. Too many messes all over the place! No need for it!

– So much tragedy in the news this week

– Never take your life for granted.

Things can change in an instant.

– Summer is winding down, and it’s getting cooler outside. What better way to spend your evenings by hitting up some local venues

and supporting LOCAL MUSIC! Great bands from right here in your city are playing all over so get out there and show your support.

We are the hub of great music from the prairies. Local music rocks!

– Pedestiran only bridge! There’s a need and a desire for it here in Saskatoon and the people have spoken. Show your support for a great initiative!

– I think the comment the txtr referred to about sending criminals to Mars was a joke :) No need to to get so bent out of shape!

– Saskatchewan: the land of opportunity, unless you can’t afford the cost of living in the two available apartments in the city. Impossible to find housing here! Couch surfing with friends, in school, so stressed out :(

– Longboarding through downtown and got yelled at by some guy. Chill room enough for everyone!

– It’s a good thing to not drunk and text the next day shame is to much to bear

– I feel like my voice when recorded on messages or whatever sounds so terrible.

Next week: What do you think of suspending the Roughriders who are charged with assault? Pick up a copy of Verb to get in on the conversation:

We print your texts verbatim each week. Text in your thoughts and reactions to our stories and content, or anything else on your mind.

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The Folk Sinner

Photos: courtesy of Marsha Z

Tom Wilson embraces a new kind of storytelling

by Alex J MacPherson

T

om Wilson always wanted to be a folk singer. It just didn’t work out that way. Wilson, who is 54, has spent his life playing in rock bands, notably Junkhouse and Blackie & the Rodeo Kings. In 2009, however, he transformed an invitation to record with Michael Timmins of Cowboy Junkies into an album. Based on Wilson’s love of bottom-heavy New Orleans folk, A Quiet Evil was released in 2009 under the name Lee Harvey Osmond; a year later, it was named to the Polaris Music Prize long list. Last year, Wilson released a second Lee Harvey Osmond record. Again produced by Michael Timmins, The Folk Sinner emerged as the sort of record that makes the listener pay attention.

Alex J MacPherson: It seems like Lee Harvey Osmond is about making the records you really wanted to hear.

Tom Wilson: Junkhouse was supposed to be a vehicle for my songwriting, it was supposed to be based off of bass, bottom end, grooves. I had just come from New Orleans, working with Daniel Lanois, and had learned a lot about how down South they really concentrate on bottom end. So I wanted my writing to be that way. But as we progressed no one really was interested in what we were doing, and then we started drinking and taking a lot of pills and fighting with each other onstage and breaking s**t — and then that was that, we got a big record deal. So all of a sudden the initial idea of communicating quietly, communicating without ego, communicating through bass, bottom end, grooves, that got lost. It didn’t get lost on me, but

TW: It’s the wayward son that gets embraced by the father. I am kind of the son that went and f**ked everything up and drove his life into the ditch and had that experience and I know what that feels like. And I also know what it’s like to be excessive. Therefore I appreciate minimalist movements even more. I need to be able to appreciate what it’s like to sing the song and to get that message across.

the ability for me to do that got lost for about 15 years, until Mike [Timmins] invited me in.

AJM: That’s what I noticed about both records, especially The Folk Sinner: they make you lean in and pay attention.

TW: Sometimes you have to approach it on your own terms, and when the world is screaming at you, for the most

It seems that capturing people’s imaginations is a difficult thing to do… tom wilson

AJM: And given the amazing list of people who joined you, it seems like that idea carries a lot of weight in this country, in this time.

part we just don’t pay attention anymore. It seems that capturing people’s imaginations is a difficult thing to do, but when you do it’s an interesting place to be.

TW: It’s about the song. And the people I got involved in the record are people that understood that. Andy Maize from the Skydiggers. Oh Susanna. Hawksley Workman. Michael Timmins. Margo Timmins. More of the Skydiggers.

The Sadies. These are all people that walked down the same road I walked down when it comes to writing music and performing music. It was a real given and I appreciate that they came on, but it was a natural place for them to be.

AJM: That idea of communication seems to be at the heart of your idea of what folk music is, or what it should be.

TW: They’re folk music in the tradition that I bring the stories that are around my fire over to your fire, you know? The beauty of folk music is that we were able to communicate what was going on in each other’s neighbourhood or household to the next neighbourhood or household, and that’s essentially what I’m doing on these records: I’m telling stories about my city, about my neighbourhood, about people I know, and I happen to be doing it with a very large bottom end, a New Orleans-style appreciation of bass.

Lee Harvey Osmond October 3 @ The Bassment $32.50/$37.50

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

AJM: Could you have made these records if you’d grown up inside the folk tradition?

@VerbSaskatoon amacpherson@verbnews.com

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Band of Brothers

Playing in a band with your brothers isn’t always easy, but in the case of Foam Lake it yields spectacular results

T

he best thing about being in Foam Lake is also the worst thing about being in Foam Lake. “It’s the blunt honesty,” says Kalen Ross, who plays in the Saskatoon-based band with his three brothers, Barrett, Paul, and Tyler. “You can be really upfront and you don’t have to worry that you hurt that person’s feelings and they’re going to go quit. But that can also be a bad thing because there’s not much of a filter.”

The four brothers are clustered around a table in the back room at Amigos, discussing the pros and cons of playing in a band with siblings. Barrett Ross, who switched from playing drums to bass to make music with his brothers, agrees that it is a blessing and a curse. In any other band, he says, “you can go, you know what, I’m out of here. We can’t really do that

to each other. It’d be like, ‘see you at mom’s birthday.’”

The four brothers have been playing music in various configurations for years. Paul and Barrett rose to prominence as one half of the Blood Lines, a successful Saskatoon rock band. They started Foam Lake about two years ago, and their determination to make it work without ruining their relationship is reflected on their debut album, Force and Matter.

A collection of smouldering rock and roll songs, full of dynamic changes and packed with infectious hooks, Force and Matter was released independently just over a year ago. Driven by crunchy guitars and pulsating synthesizers, the album earned Foam Lake opportunities to play at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, and Canadian Music Week in Toronto. It also helped them secure a deal with Aporia Records, a Toronto label that boasts

by alex J MacPherson

Photos: courtesy of Patrick Schmidt

Federal Lights and the Grapes of Wrath among its clients.

But Force and Matter was just the beginning. The band has spent the last year playing shows around the world and writing songs for their next album.

Barrett says the group has evolved dramatically since coming together.

“When we started, Paul started writing songs by himself and bringing people in,” Barrett says. “We learned the songs while recording them. We hadn’t done that many shows. But we’re a band now. We can work on songs more now than we could when we started. We’re just a better band.”

After a short pause Kalen adds, “It’s going to be quite a bit different.

In a good way.”

Foam Lake September 27 @ The Bassment $15/20 @ the door

Sucker Punch

Lethbridge rockers Fist City riding high on their second album of edgy punk

L

ike a solid sucker punch, Fist City makes a big impression. The four-piece punk band from Lethbridge, Alberta released their first album in early 2010, after just three months of playing together. Hunting You was a collection of hyperactive punk songs, packed with spiky guitar parts and coated in a sheet of distortion. The band spent the next two years on the

road, building a following in dive bars and dodgy venues across the country. But it was not until last year, when they released It’s 1983, Grow Up!, that Fist City emerged as a potent force on the Canadian music scene.

“We’ve always sort of been DIY when it comes to recording and putting our albums together,” says Ryan Grieve, who plays drums in the band, of It’s 1983, Grow Up!. “Paul [Law-

Photos: courtesy of the artist

by alex J MacPherson

ton] recorded the first album and he recorded the second album. It was just watching him learn in the studio.” Lawton, who has played in and recorded dozens of bands, and the members of Fist City — Grieve, Evan Van Reekum, and twins Kier and Brittany Griffiths — stripped away the grime coating their first album, leaving behind a simple yet effective blast of searing guitar and punishing double-tracked vocals.

The songs that make up It’s 1983, Grow Up!, which was released last summer and features song titles like “Boring Kids” and “The Creeps,” can be divided into two broad categories. Some, like “F**k” and “Spit,” reflect the angular punk sensibility of Van Reekum, whose punchy chords and spiky melodies cut through the album like a knife. Others, like “Wet Freaks” and “Blow,” are slightly

slower and much spacier than Van Reekum’s fractious punk; they capture Kier Griffiths’ fondness for ethereal melodies.

What all the songs on It’s 1983 have in common is tension. Every track on the album feels like it is about to descend into chaos. The vocals and the guitars battle for dominance, the drums threaten to overwhelm, and the sheer hyperactive violence of it all makes the whole project seem like a delicate balancing act doomed to fail. But somehow, they don’t. The strength of the songwriting, as well as the band’s determination to write the songs they want to play, keeps It’s 1983 on the rails. More importantly, it is a strong foundation on which they can build.

But the band won’t make a new album for a few months. Right now, they are hitting the road. After spend-

ing most of last spring touring the United Kingdom, where they shocked locals by refusing to hire a driver and spending nights camping wherever they could park their van, the band took the summer off. It was a necessary break given their fall schedule: an appearance at Pop Montreal followed by a tear across western Canada. “It’s was pretty f**king energetic and raucous,” Grieve says of the band’s first show after two months off.

“But it wasn’t enough.”

Fist City October 12 @ Amigos Cantina Tickets at the door

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@VerbSaskatoon amacpherson@verbnews.com

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Feature

A New Direction Austra and the search for something real by Alex J MacPherson

A

fter more than two years on the road in support of their ferocious and evocative 2011 debut, Feel It Break, Austra, an electronic pop band from Toronto, decided to make some changes. Olympia, which was released in June, marks a radical departure from the formula that produced Feel It Break. Katie Stelmanis, the classically-trained vocalist whose voice has become an integral part of the Canadian pop landscape, wrote most of Feel It Break in her bedroom using a computer. For Olympia, she relied much more heavily on her bandmates, Maya Postepski and Dorian Wolf.

The results were dramatic. Whereas Feel It Break emerged as an anxious dance record bent and twisted into a catalogue of emotional trauma, Olympia is more reserved — understated and disarmingly direct.

The album was recorded in short, frantic bursts at a studio in Michigan.

All of the parts were played live, by the core band members as well as touring members Sari and Romy Lightman, of Tasseomancy, and keyboardist Ryan Wonsiak, who is from Saskatoon. Unlike the songs on Feel It Break, which sounded raw and open and edgy, those on the new album are calculated and coherent and polished. But the record does not lack emotional depth. Two years on the road convinced Stelmanis that directness could be both refreshing and potent, and the songs on Olympia reflect her desire to address problems — personal and political — head on. And because it was recorded using real instruments the album feels alive — its imperfections preserved and cherished rather than excised.

Ultimately, Olympia marks a watershed for the band, and provides proof that Stelmanis and her colleagues are

capable of much more than simply mashing buttons. I caught up with Stelmanis at a tour stop in California, where she discussed the pressure of releasing a new album after a sleeper hit and the cutting openness that characterizes the new album.

Alex J. MacPherson: It’s been awhile since Feel It Break came out. Did you feel a lot of pressure to get Olympia out sooner rather than later?

Katie Stelmanis: I didn’t feel any pressure when we were in the writing process and the recording process. Everything felt very natural.

We knew what kind of experience we wanted to have in the studio, and we weren’t really thinking about how people were going to receive it. But I guess the scary part happens when we actually release the record and we start getting the reviews.

like, ‘this one’s not as good.’ But then slowly but surely we’re starting to get more and more positive feedback about the album, which is cool.

AJM: Olympia is clearly an Austra record, but there were some big changes from Feel It Break, like the fact that all the instruments were played live. What was that like?

KS: I spent so long making music that was essentially solo music. I wanted this album to be the complete opposite.

I wanted to experience working with other people. I think also the live show was a big influence. We had toured the album for over two years as a six-piece band, and within that time the live show had become something quite different than the recording. I think the Feel It Break recording, it’s a bit dark, it tends to be a bit austere; in the live show it turned into this celebratory

I spent so long making music that was essentially solo music. I wanted this album to be the complete opposite. katie stelmanis

AJM: Feel It Break grew slowly and steadily. All of a sudden, you have all these fans excited for a new one.

dance party, and we wanted that to reflect on the new album.

KS: It’s funny because we didn’t really expect to get so much feedback so quickly. I think this new record, it’s not quite as immediate as Feel It Break. It takes a few more listens to get into it. I think maybe a lot of people who liked Feel It Break were

AJM: Did you find it difficult to move away from that solo way of thinking?

KS: It wasn’t too difficult. Basically I started a lot of the demos at home by myself. If I had sort of an immediate direction, or if there was an obvious place that I wanted the Continued on next page »

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Photo: courtesy of norman wong

song to go, I would finish it. But if I didn’t really have an immediate idea, rather than mulling over it for weeks and weeks like I would normally do, I would immediately present it to the other musicians in my band and let them flesh out their ideas — and then it became this ricochet process. Someone would give me an idea and then I’d think of another idea and vice versa.

AJM: It’s probably easy to get bound up in all sorts of weird thought problems when you’re working alone.

KS: It’s difficult either way, because it’s also hard when you are collaborating with so many people to sort of make sure that your idea is staying unique. When you bring too many people into the pot everything mellows out or homogenizes — it gets diluted. So I think it’s still important to make sure there’s a

of performing songs for people and singing for people. I had a desire to sing songs that were about real things and have lyrics that people could more directly connect with, because I felt like people in the audience really wanted that.

AJM: So you treated the recording process sort of like you would a performance, rather than something sterile and removed?

KS: Yeah, I mean that was the idea.

We wanted it to feel like an interaction between people, or an engagement between people. I mean, recording thirty tracks by yourself on a computer versus a whole bunch of musicians playing parts on top of each other has a very different feeling, and there’s a lot of imperfection in that. Maybe some stuff works and other stuff doesn’t work, but it feels more alive.

AJM: Did it occur to you that just as loads of other people are incorporating electronic sounds into their music, you’re sort of moving away from that, back to synthesizers and so on?

Photo: courtesy of norman wong

clear direction when you’re working with so many people.

AJM: The direction of Olympia is very direct. Feel It Break was personal, but in an abstract sense. It conveyed an emotion. This one lays it all out.

KS: That was definitely an intention.

I think a lot of that actually came from live performance as well, just the idea

KS: Yeah, it was kind of intentional. I think in this day and age everybody’s doing it — and everybody who has a computer can put out a record — and I think that’s changed the landscape of music that is happening right now in the world, music that people are listening to. We had done that for a long time so we just wanted to do something different, to try and separate ourselves from that kind of culture.

KS: That was the main thing we wanted to change from Feel It Break. When we made that record none of us really knew anything about production. Just through playing live and gaining more and more experience in the studio, and more and more familiarity with electronic instruments, that difference became really obvious — and Feel It Break became this plastic record and we wanted to make something real and thick. So every single sound on the album we just took great care with, and shaped in a way so that it wasn’t about layering thirty sh**ting sounds, but that it was about choosing one really beautiful thick sound. That’s what we were focusing on.

AJM: And now you’re heading back out on the road. Is it hard to make that transition?

KS: Well, to be honest, we never really took enough time off to make it feel that different. We recorded the album for the most part at a studio in Michigan, and we really did it between tours. We were planning to kind of stop but then we kept on getting offered all these awesome support tours that we couldn’t say no to. So while we were supposed to be mixing we ended up doing this American tour with the XX. You can’t really say no to something like that. And in that sense, we just never stopped Austra October 7 @ Amigos Cantina $15 @ Ticketedge.ca

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

AJM: Which is strange, because even though it’s live, Olympia sounds a lot better than Feel It Break — the sonics are much better.

@VerbSaskatoon amacpherson@verbnews.com

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Monte Cristo mayhem

Photos courtesy of Adam Hawboldt

The Park Cafe, Monte Cristo sandwiches and secret syrup by adam hawboldt

Y

ou can learn a lot about the Park Cafe sitting across the table from Patrick Hearn and Kent Rumpel.

For instance, you know the horizontal, black-and-white photo at the far right corner of the diner — the one with the gentlemen lined up outside the old-timey bus barn? Well, did you know one of those gentlemen is Hearn’s grandfather? Or that the taxi radio on the wall used to be in Rumpel’s backyard? Or that the silver pay phone you see hanging near the front window was a gift from a regular customer who moved away from Saskatoon?

Didn’t know any of that? Me neither … not until I started talking to Hearn and Rumpel.

Sitting there in a recently refurbished booth (all the seats in the Park Cafe have been rebuilt), chatting with these guys, you get the sense they love what they do. They talk passionately about the restaurant, joke around with customers, reminisce fondly about the knick-knacks scattered around the

very first sandwich they ever had on their menu.

“The Monte Cristo,” says Rumpel.

Then motioning to Hearn, he says, “You love Monte Cristos, we had no choice. It had to go on the menu.” So the Monte Cristo it is.

When it comes out, the thing is stuffed to the hilt with turkey and ham and cheese, and is so big I can

place, which give it a unique atmosphere amongst Saskatoon eateries.

If you’ve been to the Park Cafe before, you know exactly what I’m talking about. If not, you should go there pretty much instantly. Not only is it a classic, eclectic little place with personable owners and one of the friendliest staffs you’ll find in the city, but the food is darn good, too.

[The Monte Cristo] is stuffed to the hilt with turkey and ham and cheese… adam hawboldt

barely fit my mouth around it. And talk about good! It was the best Monte Cristo I’ve had in years.

But you know what makes it even better? A secret sauce, if you will. Next time you’re at the Park Cafe ask for a side of pancake syrup with your Monte Cristo, then dip away. Sublime!

Oh, and don’t forget to order some gravy with your fries. Trust me. It’s the kind of gravy that’s so delicious you won’t feel any shame if you just start eating it with a spoon.

Like most customers who visit the Park Cafe, I’ve fallen into the trap of ordering one of the same three things every time I go: traditional breakfast, eggs Benedict (aka Benny, Murphy & The Boys), or the Death by Cheese sandwich.

Wanting to (slightly) expand my horizons, I asked the guys what’s the

let’s go drinkin’ Verb’s mixology guide AMERICANO

Ingredients

The Park Cafe is one of those classic, one-of-a-kind diners you can’t help but like. So, since we’re on the topic of classic things, why not try this classic cocktail recipe next time you feel like having a drink?

2oz. Campari 2oz. sweet vermouth club soda orange slice

Park Cafe 515 20th Street West | (306) 652 6781

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

Directions

Fill a Collins glass two-thirds full with ice. Pour Capari and vermouth onto ice. Stir. Top off with club soda, garnish with orange slice, and serve.

@VerbSaskatoon ahawboldt@verbnews.com

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Next Week

coming up

Five Finger Death Punch

Indigo Girls

Lady Antebellum

@ Credit Union Centre Sunday, September 29 – $39.50+

@ Broadway Theatre wednesday, October 2 – SOLD OUT

@ Credit Union Centre Thursday, March 6 – $TBD

It’s no great secret this metal quintet digs kung fu. Their name, Five Finger Death Punch, refers to a technique known as Dim Mak (Touch of Death), which is mentioned in films from Clan of the White Lotus to Executioners, Shaolin and Kill Bill. Oh, and their first album, The Way of the Fist? It’s the English name of a Chinese martial art known as Kuntao.

But Five Finger Death Punch is more than just a band with an awesome name and a predilection for kung fu. They’re also a band whose sound has continuously evolved with each passing record. On their latest album they have really come into their own, playing an infectious brand of hard- charging melodic heavy metal that blows your hair back. Tickets at Ticketmaster.

Amy Ray and Emily Saliers go back — way, way back. They first met at elementary school, but didn’t really hang out because Saliers was older than Ray. But eventually the age divide no longer mattered and Ray and Saliers soon found themselves playing as The B-Band and then as Saliers and Ray at high school gigs in Georgia. Fast forward a few decades and the Indigo Girls are still going strong, making folk music with a message, pumping out albums that grace adult contemporary charts, and speaking to an entire generation of young, politically active people. Come join these musicians for an intimate night when they roll into Saskatoon and take the stage at Broadway Theatre.

You’ll be glad you did.

Lady Antebellum is a hit factory — plain and simple. Since breaking out in 2007, Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood have pumped out a steady stream of good-time favourites. From “Love Don’t Live Here” to “American Honey,” Lady Antebellum makes the kind of songs that win legions of fans, appease critics, sell like hotcakes, and win awards. Like, a lot of awards — Grammys, Billboard Music Awards, CMA Awards, you name it.

And it doesn’t look like this Tennessee trio plans on slowing down anytime soon. The first single, “Downtown,” off 2013’s Golden, hit #1 on the Country Airplay chart, and their second single, “Goodbye Town,” is the kind of song that helped put them on the country pop map. Tickets will be available from Ticketmaster November 22.

– By Adam Hawboldt

Photos courtesy of: Concert Tour/ cornfusion/ tncountryfan

Sask music Preview The 2013 Breakout West Festival takes place on October 4 + 5, and features 60 original artists performing in 15 venues throughout Calgary. This year Saskatchewan is well represented, with Castle River, Fur Eel, George Leach, Indigo Joseph, Jason Plumb and the Willing, Jeans Boots, Jess Moskaluke, Slow down, Molasses, the Spoils and more taking to the various stages. The Western Canadian Music Awards will end the weekend. Saskatchewan artists nominated are Alexis Normand, Jack Semple, Donny Parenteau, Jess Moskaluke and Cities Under Fire. For more info see http://breakoutwest.ca Keep up with Saskatchewan music. saskmusic.org

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sept 20 » sept 28 The most complete live music listings for Saskatoon.

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20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Friday 20

House DJs / 6Twelve Lounge — Funk, soul & lounge DJs liven it up. 9pm / No cover CFCR FM-Phasis ’13 / Amigos Cantina — Featuring Young Galaxy, Human Human, and We Were Lovers. 10pm / $10

Piano Fridays: David Fong / The Bassment — Come check out Fong tickle the ivories of the Kinsman Yamaha S6 grand piano. 4:30pm / No cover Roots Series: Ryan Boldt / The Bassment — The Deep Dark Woods’ frontman goes solo. 9pm / $17/23 DJ Aash Money / Béily’s UltraLounge — DJ Aash Money throws down a highenergy top 40 dance party every Friday night. 9pm / $5 cover RipperTrain / Buds on Broadway — Local rock/alt-metal. 9pm / Cover TBD BPM / Diva’s — Resident DJs spin electro/vocal house music. 10pm / $5 DJ Eclectic / The Hose — Local turntable whiz pumps snappy beats. 8pm / No cover DJ Stikman / Jax Niteclub — Kick off your weekend with all your favourite party hits.. 9pm / $5 cover

Chali 2na / Louis’ — Featuring Hustle and Thrive. 8pm / $20 Iron and Wine / Odeon Events Centre — A talented singer/songwriter from south of the border. 7pm / $36.75 (ticketmaster.ca) DJ Big Ayyy & DJ HENCHMAN / Outlaws Country Rock Bar — Round up your friends ‘cause there’s no better country rock party around. 8pm / $5; ladies in free before 11pm Bass Invaders / Piggy’s — Get ready for some bass for your face.

9pm / No cover The Standards Trio / Prairie Ink - Featuring Don Sawchuck, Todd Gursky and Matt Gruza. 8pm / No cover Go for the Eyes / Rock Bottom — A pop-rock machine from Calgary. 9pm / Cover TBD The Gaff / Spadina Freehouse — Come chill, listen to some beats and enjoy the night. 8pm / No cover Blue Highway / Stan’s Place — Come on down for a rockin’ good night. 9pm / No cover Dueling Pianos / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King belt out classic tunes and audience requests,from Sinatra to Lady Gaga. 10pm / $5 Party Rock Fridays / Tequila — Featuring DJ Anchor. 9pm / Cover TBD

DJ Nick Ruston / Uncle Barley’s — Come and check him out! 9pm / Cover TBD Old Joe and the Truth Hurts / Vangelis Tavern — Also appearing: Vi-

Saturday 21

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

9pm / No cover CFCR FM-Phasis ’13 / Amigos Cantina — Featuring the Karpinka Bros., Sumner Bros., and All Mighty Voice.

10pm / $7

Piano Series: Ray iron & wine COURTESY OF Craig Kief Stephanson and the Moxon Trio / The Bassment — Playing reworked jazz standards.

9pm / $15/20 DJ Aash Money + DJ Sugar Daddy / Béily’s UltraLounge — These two DJs

cokid and the Milky Way. 10pm / $10

Continued on next page »

20 Sept 20 – Sept 26 entertainment

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throw down a dance party. 9pm / $5 cover RipperTrain / Buds — Local rock/altmetal. 9pm / Cover TBD Zac Brown Band / CUC — One of the hottest acts in country music today. 7pm / $39.50+ Techtonix / Crown + Rok — Also appearing will be Heaviside, Rough Habitz, Shamroc + Aku. 8pm / No cover 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 DJ Stikman and the Jax party crew. 9pm / $5 cover Homecoming Show / Lakeview Church — Featuring the Pavlychenko Folklorique Ensemble and the Lastiwka Ukrainian Orthodox Choir + Orchestra. 7pm / $25 (tickets @ McNally Robinson, Point Optical, Werezak Pharmacy) DJ Big Ayyy & DJ Henchman / Outlaws — Round up your friends. 8pm / $5 Bass Invaders / Piggy’s — Get ready for some bass for your face. 9pm / No cover Jon Bailey / Prairie Ink — Local rock/ folk music. 8pm / No cover Fuse Productions / Spadina Freehouse — Come chill, listen to some beats and enjoy the night. 8pm / No cover Blue Highway / Stan’s Place — Come on down for a rockin’ good night. 9pm / No cover Dueling Pianos / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King belt out classic tunes and audience requests, from Sinatra to Lady Gaga. 10pm / $5 DJ Anchor / Sutherland Bar — It’s the world famous video mix show! 10pm / Cover TBD Sexy Saturdays / Tequila — A night of hot tunes. 9pm / Cover TBD

DJ Thorpdeo / Uncle Barley’s — Spinning hot tunes all night.

bass invaders

COURTESY OF artists facebook

10pm / Cover TBD

Monday 23

Highkicks / Vangelis — Some honest to goodness rock ‘n roll. Also appearing is Autopilot, Johnny 2 Fingers and the Deformities 10pm / Cover TBD Sam Mitchell / The Woods — Come out for an evening of laid-back music and good beer. 9pm / No cover

Apollo Cruz / Buds on Broadway — A local high-octane blues trio. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ Audio / Dublins — Spinning dope beats. 9pm / Cover TBD

Sunday 22

Tuesday 24

Industry Night / Béily’s — Hosted by DJ Sugar Daddy; this crowd favourite has always been known to break the latest and greatest tracks. 9pm / $4; no cover for industry staff DJ KADE / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover Blues Jam / Vangelis Tavern — The Vangelis Sunday Jam is an institution, offering great tunes from blues to rock and beyond. 7:30pm / No cover

Apollo Cruz / Buds — A local highoctane blues trio. 9pm / Cover TBD 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

21 Sept 20 – Sept 26 @verbsaskatoon

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Verb presents Open Mic / Rock Bottom — Come and rock the stage! 9pm / No cover Open Mic / The Somewhere Else Pub — Come out to show your talent. 7pm / No cover

Wednesday 25

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 Roots Series: Rose Cousins / The Bassment — A Juno-winning talented singer/songwriter from Nova Scotia.

8pm / $15/2` DJ Aash Money / Béily’s UltraLounge — Spinning dope beats all night. 9pm / Cover TBD

Apollo Cruz / Buds on Broadway — A local high-octane blues trio. 9pm / Cover TBD Souled Out / Diva’s Annex — Featuring the spinning talents of Dr. J 9pm / $2 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 Buck Wild Wednesdays / Outlaws Country Rock Bar — Come out and ride the mechanical bull! 9pm / $4; no cover for industry staff 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 26

Jazz Jam: Brett Balon Trio / The Bassment — If you sing or play an instrument, head on down. 8pm / No cover 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 Keys N’Krates / Louis’ — A Torontobased trio that knows how to get a party pumping. 9pm / $15 A Latin American Adventure / Quance Theatre — Featuring the talents of Kathleen Solose and Jane Solose.

7:30pm / $15

Authority Zero / Rock Bottom — Also featuring Cricket and White Knights Finish Last. 9pm / Cover TBD Triple Up Thursdays / Tequila — Featuring DJ Dislexic.

9pm / Cover TBD Jealousy Mountain Duo / Vangelis — Also featuring Slime Street and Abby.

9pm / $8 Open Stage / The Woods — Hosted by Steven Maier. 9pm / No cover

Friday 27

atmo-

sphere at 6Twelve. 9pm / No cover CFCR FMPhasis ’13 /

authority zero

COURTESY OF Kurt Hudson

House DJs / 6Twelve Lounge — Funk, soul & lounge DJs liven up the

Amigos Cantina — Featuring the Wizards, No Joy and The Moas.

10pm / $7 Piano Fridays: Maurice Drouin / The Bassment — Feel like taking in some smooth jazz stylings? Come check out Drouin tickle the ivories of the Kinsman Yamaha S6 grand piano. 4:30pm / No cover Roots Series: Foam Lake / The Bassment — Catchy rock tunes with synth textures. 9pm / $15/$20 DJ Aash Money / Béily’s UltraLounge — DJ Aash Money throws down a highenergy top 40 dance party every Friday night. 9pm / $5 cover Kashmir / Buds on Broadway — Western Canada’s premier Zeppelin tribute band. 9pm / Cover TBD 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.. 9pm / $5 cover DJ Big Ayyy & DJ HENCHMAN / Outlaws Country Rock Bar — Round up your friends ‘cause there’s no better country rock party around. 8pm / $5; ladies in free before 11pm Undercover Pirates / Piggy’s — Come rock the night away at Piggy’s. 9pm / No cover Mary Caroline, Megan Nash / Prairie Ink — Songs echoing the beauty of northern life. 8pm / No cover Ravewind / Spadina Freehouse — Come chill, listen to some beats and enjoy the night. 8pm / No cover Continued on next page »

22 Sept 20 – Sept 26 verb magazine

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Rusty Men / Stan’s Place — It’ll be a rockin’, rollin’ good time. 9pm / No cover Dueling Pianos / Staqatto Piano Lounge — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King belt out classic tunes and audience requests,from Sinatra to Lady Gaga. 10pm / $5 Party Rock Fridays / Tequila — Featuring DJ Anchor. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ Nick Ruston / Uncle Barley’s — Come and check him out! 9pm / Cover TBD Basement Paintings / Vangelis — Hot grooves from a local band. 10pm / $8

Saturday 28

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

9pm / No cover CFCR FM-Phasis ’13 / Amigos Cantina — Featuring Shotgun Jimmie, Castle River, Triplophonics. 10pm / $7 Piano Series: The Pram Trio / The Bassment — Jazz piano combined with contemporary tunes. 9pm / $17/23 DJ Aash Money + DJ Sugar Daddy / Béily’s UltraLounge — These two DJs throw down a dance party every Saturday night. 9pm / $5 cover Kashmir / Buds on Broadway — Western Canada’s premier Zeppelin tribute band.

9pm / Cover TBD 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 DJ Stikman and the Jax party crew. 9pm / $5 cover Lady Deathstryke / Louis’ — Punk rock fuel for your soul. 9pm / Cover TBD Revive Saturdays / Odeon Events Centre — Featuring Hot Mouth. 9pm / $10 (theodeon.com)

DJ Big Ayyy & DJ Henchman / Outlaws Country Rock Bar — Round up your friends ‘cause there’s no better country rock party around. 8pm / $5 cover Doug Boomhower Trio / Prairie Ink — Playing jazz standards. 8pm / No cover Undercover Pirates / Piggy’s — Come rock the night away at Piggy’s.

9pm / No cover Doug Boomhower Trio / Prairie Ink — Featuring the talents of Doug Boomhower, Bruce Wilkinson and Ray Stephanson. 8pm / Free Archspire / Rock Bottom — Come check out the Tech Trek tour 2013. 9pm / Cover TBD Toon Town Big Band Dance / Royal Canadian Legion Saskatoon Branch 63 — It’ll be a night of rocking tunes! 8pm / $18 (door), $15 (advance from Larry, 229-1315) Mr. Fudge / Spadina Freehouse — Come chill, listen to some beats and enjoy the night. 8pm / No cover Rusty Men / Stan’s Place — It’ll be a rockin’, rollin’ good time. 9pm / No cover Dueling Pianos / Staqatto Piano

The Department Heads / Vangelis — Also featuring Silvergun and Spleen, and Misterfire. 10pm / $8 The Bros. Landreth / The Village Guitar Shop — A pop/alt-rock group from Winnipeg. 8pm / $10 Benny Stirs / The Woods — Pareddown, acoustic tunes. 9pm / No cover

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

archspire

COURTESY OF artists facebook

Lounge — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King belt out classic tunes and audience requests, from Sinatra to Lady Gaga. 10pm / $5 DJ Anchor / Sutherland Bar — It’s the world famous video mix show! 10pm / Cover TBD Sexy Saturdays / Tequila — A night of hot tunes to get the party started. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ Thorpdeo / Uncle Barley’s — Spinning hot tunes all night. 10pm / Cover TBD

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We’re all prisoners of Dennis Villeneuve

Photo: Courtesy of warner bros.

Quebecois filmmaker’s new film, Prisoners, is a thriller you won’t want to miss by adam hawboldt

N

ot sure about anyone else out there, but after I watched the trailer for Denis Villeneuve’s new movie, Prisoners, I couldn’t help but think the whole thing looked a little clichéd. A little tired and unoriginal.

At first glimpse, it looked like it was just another movie about a child abduction in which the police can’t find the culprit and the father of the missing kid takes justice into his own hands. End stop.

Boy was I wrong. Like, really, really wrong.

Yes, ostensibly Prisoners is about abduction and a vigilante father out for justice — well, at least that’s what the first 30 minutes boil down to. But after that? Damn skippy! You have no idea what’s in store. Prisoners is one of those twisty, turny, I-think-he-did-it-no-wait-maybethat-guy-did-it kind of movies. The kind of movie that, say like Se7en, allows its puzzles to unfold in a way that thoroughly engages the viewer.

The story begins on a rainy Thanksgiving in a Pennsylvania town/suburb. Keller (Hugh Jackman), his wife (Maria Bello) and their children go to their friends Franklin (Terrence Howard) and Nancy’s (Viola Davis) house for turkey dinner. Everything is going well, for a while. The families eat, drink and are merry. But when they realize that two of the youngest chil-

dren — Keller’s daughter Anna (Erin Gerasimovich) and their friends’ daughter Joy (Kyla Drew Simmons) — have vanished, the mood changes quickly. A wave of panic pervades the festivities as the two families search, in vain, for the kids.

One of the older children mentions he saw the girls earlier climbing the ladder on an old camper van that was parked outside.

prisoners Denis Villeneuve Starring Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Melissa Leo + Paul Dano Directed by

146 minutes | 14A

Full of twists and turns you never see coming, Prisoners takes the audience on a dynamic, visually stunning ride that deftly introduces new players as the story unfolds, and keeps viewers guessing to the very end.

Somehow, as the minutes tick by and the tension builds, Villeneuve and the terrific cast manage to take a clichéd situation and turn it into something new, something fresh, something that’s impossible to ignore.

Even though the movie has a rather long running time, never once will you sit there and wish it was over.

Every action leads into another action, every small detail grows as the story plays out.

And while the ending may disappoint some, the ride you have to take to get there is well worth the price of admission.

Prisoners takes the audience on a dynamic… ride [that] keeps viewers guessing…

Adam Hawboldt

Enter detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal), who becomes responsible for the case. Eventually the cops find the owner of the camper, a hapless man named Alex (Paul Dano) with the IQ of a 10 year old. But because there is no evidence, they have to let him go.

This is when Keller takes matters into his own hands. He finds Alex, chains him to a radiator and proceeds to beat the ever-loving s**t out of him. Then the movie really gets interesting.

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Thrill of the hunt

New Danish film The Hunt explores hysteria and communal chaos by adam hawboldt

M

ads Mikkelsen looks like he was born to play a bad guy.

There’s something about his face — something about those hooded eyes, that icy demeanour, the way his skin is pulled taut over those impossibly high cheekbones — that just screams on-screen villain.

Debbie McWilliams understood this. That’s why Mikkelsen was cast as Le Chiffre in 2006’s Casino Royale.

The good folks at NBC knew it, too, and handed him the lead role as a young Hannibal Lecter in their new hit TV show, Hannibal.

Having a “look” like Mikkelsen’s can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it can mean you get some pretty good roles and pretty good paydays. On the other, you’re always one misstep away from being typecast as an actor. And nobody wants to see Mikkelsen get typecast — he’s too good. So that’s why it was refreshing to see him star as something other than a scoundrel in Thomas Vinterberg’s devastating new drama, The Hunt.

As the hunted, innocent Lucas, [Mikkelsen] gives a forceful performance.

Adam Hawboldt

Set in a small Danish town, The Hunt begins with a hunt — literally, with Lucas (Mikkelsen) and some friends out in the wilderness at the beginning of deer season. From the very beginning you get a sense of how close these guys are, and how close the community at large is. You also get a sense of what kind of person Lucas is. He’s kind, considerate and respectful. Even the way he kills his first deer is respectful.

Photo: Courtesy of magnolia pictures

Remember that kill. Because, in a sense, the innocence of the deer and its ensuing death are a metaphor for the whole film.

How so? Well, after the hunting trip things start to happen in this sleepy little town. Things that make the populace come unhinged. Things like Lucas being accused of exposing himself to a child.

Hold on a second. Earlier on, didn’t I say Mikkelsen isn’t a villain in this movie? Yep, I did. And he’s not.

There’s no doubt in the audience’s mind that Lucas didn’t do it. From the outset, the man is innocent, utterly and completely. And therein lies what makes The Hunt such a compelling, thought-provoking and unbearably tense movie. The whole time it’s on you’re watching a town turn hysterically on a man who was once their friend. You’re watching the witch hunt of an innocent person, and how different the townspeople treat the hunt in the beginning of the movie than Lucas did.

And while The Hunt is by no means a perfect film, there are two things that make it an excellent one. First, the way Vinterberg presents the hysteria and

the hunt Thomas Vinterberg Starring Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen + Alexandra Rapaport Directed by

115 minutes | 18A

chaos that engulfs the town is slowburning and pitch perfect.

The other thing is Mikkelsen. As the hunted, innocent Lucas he gives a forceful performance you won’t soon forget. He expresses his character’s defensiveness, frustration, inner turmoil and unwarranted guilt in a way that’s absolutely devastating.

It’s the kind of performance that won him a best actor nod at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

The kind of performance you should probably go see.

The Hunt is currently being screened at Roxy Theatre.

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@VerbSaskatoon ahawboldt@verbnews.com

25 Sept 20 – Sept 26 @verbsaskatoon

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saturday, september 14 @

BÉily’s

Beily’s UltraLounge 2404 8th Street East (306) 374 3344

Continued on next page »

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Check out our Facebook page!

These photos will be uploaded to Facebook on Friday, September 27.

Photography by Patrick Carley

facebook.com/verbsaskatoon

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wednesday, september 18 @

Buds

Buds on Broadway 817 Broadway Ave (306) 244 4155

Continued on next page Âť

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Check out our Facebook page!

These photos will be uploaded to Facebook on Friday, September 27. facebook.com/verbsaskatoon

Photography by Patrick Carley

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

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timeout

crossword canadian criss-cross 33. Mansion on the water 37. One-room building 38. Not sensible 40. Winnie-the-___ 41. Meal for a horse 43. One who lacks technical training 45. Sundial numeral 46. Alternatively 48. Head of a convent 50. Be behind in a race 51. Place where legal cases are heard 52. Nimbly energetic 53. Typewriter parts

DOWN 1. Spoke monotonously 2. Assist financially 3. A plane on a radar screen 4. You do it with your eyes closed 5. Pertaining to the stomach 6. Toward the stern 7. Floating barrier used to confine an oil spill 8. Comfort at a time of sadness 9. Asian peninsula 11. Choir voice 12. Roll up 14. Report of a recent event 17. Give enough to

20. Jacob’s son sudoku answer key 22. Friendly nation A 25. Dorky sort 27. Distance jumped 29. Majestic 30. Scare away birds 31. 1.136 litres 32. Speaks 34. Hides from view 35. Lift with ropes and pulleys B 36. The one here 39. Racecourse for horses 42. Hit with the palm of the hand 44. Double-reed instrument 47. Letter salutation 49. Purchase

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

1. Applies with cotton balls 5. Talks a lot 9. Food of baleen whales 10. Walking 12. Bon vivant 13. Obtained illegally 15. Container for ashes 16. A mosquito can be one 18. Head of hair 19. Lively dance 21. Prefix for chute 23. Female whale 24. Carrying a lot 26. Rudder handles 28. Air-filled swelling in a seaweed 30. Meddlesome children

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

ACROSS

© walter D. Feener 2013

Horoscopes September 20 – September 26

Aries March 21–April 19

Leo July 23–August 22

Sagittarius November 23–December 21

If you’ve been focusing on the internal a lot lately, it’s time to take all that energy and project it outward.

You’ll be grateful you did.

Pay close attention, Leo, or else this week could very well slip right by you in the blink of an eye. And who knows what you’ll miss.

There’s a dynamism in the air that might make you feel antsy. That’s okay. Ignore it, and harness the week’s potential for yourself.

Taurus April 20–May 20

Virgo August 23–September 22

Capricorn December 22–January 19

With a spark in your eyes and a spring in your step, you’ll be riding high this week, Taurus — for a while, anyway. Enjoy it while it lasts.

This week, you may find that other people’s words hit a lot closer to home than usual. Don’t take it to heart.

New beginnings are just around the corner, Capricorn — whether you want them or not. Try to keep an open mind about what the universe has in store.

Gemini May 21–June 20

Libra September 23–October 23

Aquarius January 20–February 19

Feeling upset? Unnerved? A little rough around the edges, Gemini?

It might be time to try some relaxing activities to set yourself straight.

Wake up a tad bit earlier this week, Libra. Do that, and you’ll get way more done than you ever thought possible.

It’s okay to be a bit selfish at times, Aquarius. And this week, well, it’s definitely one of those times. Make yourself your top priority.

Cancer June 21–July 22

Scorpio October 24–November 22

Pisces February 20–March 20

Should you find that most of your thoughts are emotionally charged this week, don’t squander them. Acting based on feelings can get you a long way.

Be true to yourself. If you can manage to do that this week, Scorpio, the world, and everything in it, will be your oyster.

Your mind is going to be sharp this week, Pisces, your actions decisive. Don’t let obstacles get in your way; pursue what you want.

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

crossword answer key

A

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

B

31 Sept 20 – Sept 26 /verbsaskatoon

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sounds more like it Turn down the suck and make it better: improving car audio on a budget by rhiannon herbert

I

s your car stereo weak sauce? That saddens me.

Thankfully, if you’re willing to invest just a little, it’s possible to improve your vehicle’s audio system without going triple X. Does that reference even work? Not really. He was into stunts and large fur coats.

But you get my drift (no further Vin Diesel puns intended).

For my people with the way-old cars with blown-out tape decks: put a stereo in your backseat. Really, try it. A boombox or portable stereo of any kind, put it on the backseat, and voila. Instant

lower frequencies. A simple trick for fuller sound.

sound system! Not everyone’s cup of tea, but I’ve definitely done it. Now on to more serious modifications…

Are you using an mp3 player in there? Lower the level of compression for your audio files. Smaller files lose high and low frequency information that’s noticeable on a big system, so keep your bit rate high.

Turn up the bass.

Really! And check your equalizer.

Simple task.

Try using sounddeadening materials on the interior of your car. Products like Dynamat are great for absorbing noisy vibrations from your door panels and countering the way road noise (especially at highway speeds) eats up sound and details at the

Upgrade your crappy speakers. Most factory speakers are a let-down compared to post-market choices, and are often comprised of little more than paper cones. One can replace the front and rear sets

of speakers for under $100, and the improvement will be marked. Your life will change and you will be happy.

Get an amplifier. This provides more power to the speakers, which means they will generate more sound. A four-channel amp starts around the $120 mark, and is best for both front and rear speakers you wish to crank. A two-channel bottom-end starts around $80, and is suitable for amplifying just the front set. Try not to cheap out too much here, as you do tend to get what you pay for.

Make sure to match the amp ohm rating with those of your speakers so you don’t end up blowing them out.

Install a new receiver. They’re the dash-units of the system where are the controls go down. A new, good receiver is known to immediately improve the way a system sounds, especially if is has a built-in equalizer. Believe in yourself: install is pretty easy, and there are tons of Youtube instructionals.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbSaskatoon rherbert@verbnews.com

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Veloster comes stacked with every gizmo and gadget Photos: Courtesy of jeff davis

Plus styling that will turn heads by Jeff Davis

S

outh Korea has become a force to be reckoned with in recent years, with its major tech brands like Samsung and LG becoming household names all over the world.

Perhaps it should come as no surprise, then, that the newfangled Hyundai Veloster comes standard with just about every desirable gizmo and gadget you could name, and a bunch you can’t.

For years Hyundai was known to Canadians as a purveyor of inexpensive, adequate cars with no oomph.

But things have changed, and this latest offering shouldn’t be overlooked by gadget freaks in the market for a new car. In some ways, Hyundai Veloster is to the Honda Civic what the Samsung Galaxy S3 is to the Apple iPhone. It’s a little fresher, a little cooler and virtually the same price.

The Veloster is the brainchild of the Premium Youth Lab, a Hyundai development wing hell-bent on injecting some spice into Hyundai’s previously bland lineup.

With a really short wheelbase, 6-speed manual gearbox and a 138 horsepower, 1.6 litre gas engine, the Veloster is a responsive little ride you can have some fun with in the city.

While it’s no speed demon, it has decent pick-up, and makes an appealing growl when you stomp the gas.

It has three doors (the third is on the passenger side), giving you a convenient place to throw a gym bag or groceries. The backseat is decently large, and can accommodate people up to a height of around 5-6.

But what really sets the Veloster apart is what features come standard at the base price of $19,699.

For starters, these include a 6.5 inch touchscreen in the centre console, a USB port for your music, a CD player, two power outlets, XM radio, steering wheel stereo controls and air conditioning.

The onboard computer even comes with a “game” of sorts that encourages the driver to get the best gas mileage possible. If you reach a high score, you’ll be running the Velo-

ster near its truly impressive 54 mpg highway fuel economy. (In the city it will get 39 mpg).

Bluetooth also comes standard, and will synch automatically to your smartphone, allowing you to play whatever music is on it. It will also import all your contacts, so you can dial up your friends using the large central touchscreen. Calls can be answered easily with a button on the steering wheel.

Another cool feature is the proximity key. You don’t actually need to stick it into the car at all, and it doesn’t actually contain a conventional key. Just throw it in your pocket or purse, and you’ll be able to turn on the Veloster via a nifty pushbutton start.

At times the tech focus of the Veloster verges on the ridiculous. For example, the car comes with an RCA cable (that three-pronged red, white and yellow one) that allows you — should you feel compelled — to hook up your Xbox and play it through the centre console.

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The Hyundai Veloster has won design awards for its unconventional, eye catching shape. Every Veloster comes with a slew of standard tech features, including a 6.5 inch touchscreen and Bluetooth.

The Veloster first hit Canadian streets in 2012, and has racked up a few accolades since. That year it won Best New Sports/Performance Car under $50,000 and Best New Design from the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada. This has a lot to do with the Veloster’s very unconventional styling. The rear end, with its central dual exhaust, is particularly unique, and since it looks like no other car on the road it is guaranteed to catch a few eyes. Whether you like it or not, the Veloster’s styling forces you to have an opinion.

On the downside, the Veloster’s unconventional design results in a few awkward details. Firstly, it’s nearly impossible to shoulder check the driver-side blind spot, forcing you to rely on mirrors.

Plus there is a weird bar across the rather large rear window, which will cheese off some drivers by reducing visibility.

Also, due to the very short wheel base and stiff suspension, you can feel the ruts and bumps on the Saskatchewan roads straight through your tailbone.

The standard cloth interior is decent enough, and the instrument panel is well-lit and attractive. The front seats are quite roomy and adjustable, and there is enough legroom and headroom even for lanky drivers up to 6-4.

Leather interior highlights and a navigation system come with the $23,199 “Tech” trim package, which also includes a really large sunroof that makes the Veloster seem roomier than it really is. This doesn’t strike me as a particularly good deal, since you get all the

gadgetry in the base model, unlike most cars.

An automatic transmission will run you an additional $1,500 but comes with cruise control, which is particularly useful for long distance commuters and road trippers.

In the near future, Saskatoon drivers will also have the chance to buy a fully loaded “Turbo” version of the Veloster. This $26,249 version comes with a beefed up 201 HP engine and upgraded interior, and shouldn’t be overlooked by those looking for a more exciting ride.

While it was apparently conceived for young dudes, local dealers said the Veloster is selling to lots of women and fifty-somethings. They said the young bucks and the drifter set are tending to go for the faster and sleeker Genesis Coupe, which has some real guts behind its bodywork.

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Local aficionados bid farewell to an icon Volkswagen’s classic hippie van cancelled after 60 years production by jeff davis

L

ocal hippie van enthusiasts are lamenting the cancellation of the iconic minibus, but say the cult following of this — the longest continuously built auto in history — will continue far into the future.

After making a grand total of 3.9 million camper vans since they were introduced in 1950, Volkswagen announced earlier this month that the hippie van’s epic run is coming to an end this year.

The imminent demise of the van was a hot topic of conversation at a show and shine of classic buses and

Beetles held on September 15 at Volkswagen Centre of Saskatoon. Besides being used as camper vans, the buses have also been converted into ambulances, food trucks, mobile kiosks and even hearses.

Trevor Pippin found his 1952 Volkswagen truck, a first cousin of the minibus, in a farmer’s field in southern Saskatchewan a few years ago and bought it for $1,500.

“It is kind of sad,” Pippin said. “But you can only revitalize it for so long, I guess, and it is the 21st century.” Pippin said there are still thousands of minibuses on the road in Saskatchewan —

Photo: Courtesy of jeff davis

Local VW enthusiast Trevor Pippin’s 1952 Volkswagen truck, which he found in a farmer’s field, was recently appraised at $75,000. ranging from 50 years old to virtually new — so they won’t disappear from view for a while yet. But with no new versions hitting the roads, the stock of the iconic minibuses is rising as collectors snatch up what remains.

“They’ve been skyrocketing in the past five to 10 years,” Pippin said. “The price of these things has become just astronomical.”

Pippin’s powder blue truck was recently appraised at $75,000, in part because it is the ninth oldest VW truck in the whole world. Other classics have sold for between $100,000 and $300,000 at auction in recent years.

So is now the right time to get into the VW bus game? Only if you got the cash, Pippin said.

“The time to do it was about 15 years ago,” he said. “It’s getting fairly ridiculous.”

But there are still a few derelict buses laying around in farmer’s fields, Pippin said, and the parts aftermarket is healthy. So despite the

end of production, the classic VW bus will be a fixture on summer roads for years to come.

“As long as we can still get parts for them, and people have the want and the know-how, they’ll still be on the road,” he said.

Germany ceased production of the hippie van in 1979, and Mexico did the same in 1994. Production continued only in Brazil — under the name A Kombi — but the last of the iconic camper vans will roll off the line this December.

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Use Your Head A brief guide to shopping for a used vehicle by rhiannon herbert

B

uying a used vehicle is a daunting task, but armed with the right research and knowledge, it can be less so.

school thyself Before getting started, it’s important to do your homework. Think about your needs, your price range, and then consult well-reputed consumer guides to cross-check reviews, resale, and expected cost. The Lemon-Aid guides are useful for this, as is consumerreports. com, the autoTrader Value Finder tool, and the Canadian Black Book.

find a seller Next, think about where and with whom you’d like to do a sale. While dealers may give you a bit of the

heebie-jeebies, if it’s a good dealership you have the security of knowing their reputation is on the line with the sale.

Often, the dealership will also service the vehicle for free if anything goes wrong within a certain time period after the sale. Independent sales can be great, too, and sometimes cheaper.

You just need to put a bit more attention into your visual inspection and background check.

size it up Go look at the car on a clear, bright day. Stand a ways back and get up close, too. Do the tires match?

Is the alignment visibly off? How’s the tread? New tires are expensive, and if they need to be replaced it could be a deal-breaker. Be sure to check the odometer. Even digital mod-

els can be tampered with. If it’s unusually low, take a look at the wear on the seats, steering wheel, etc. to see if the numbers match up with how much it actually seems to have been driven.

Check for signs of recent bodywork like dents, or unusual bumps or ripples.

Are there splatters or inconsistencies in the seams, non-matching paint, or weird rough spots? Look for rust on the exterior and under-carriage of the car, and keep an eye and nose out for leaks: tell-tale spots on the pavement and weird, damp odours in the interior.

Look at the radiator water and transmission fluid with your own eyes.

You want to see clear/greenish rad water — if it looks opaque and rusty, this is an indication of how the previous owner treated the car, or that there’s an oil leak. Same goes for transmission fluid. If it looks and smells nasty, then the transmission is probably in trouble.

Stay away.

drive the thing Test drives are hugely important. It gives you the chance to see

how you feel behind the wheel and notice any problems with shifting, handling, and other features and accessories. Make sure the lights work.

Check the little things like mirrors (ok, maybe not so little), seat and window functions, the heat, a/c and vents. Make sure everything you need and use is working.

Drive it thoroughly — take corners, go on the highway, use all available gears, and play with the reverse. Listen to and feel how it idles at a light — no shakes, should be smooth. Test the breaks and acceleration, and watch for smoke from the exhaust. Give the thing a good rip around before deciding you’re in love andhavetohaveitrightnow.

can phone this in to the CAA if you’re a member (or you can call the provincial transportation office or local automobile protection agency) and get the scoop on the car’s claim history. You’ll want to get a vehicle history report (like CarProof) in addition to asking for the maintenance record from the dealership or previous owner. Make sure the VIN is the same as on the vehicle registration form. It the story checks out, take it from there!

Stand Your Ground One last point — be assertive with your price point. Don’t be afraid to walk out if you can’t get your price. If you’re being reasonable, you’ll meet it, along with the used car of your somewhat modest dreams.

Sleuth it up After you’ve driven it, do some further investigation. Here’s where the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) comes in. It’s a 17 digit serial number, located inside the car near the bottom of the dash on the driver’s side. You

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Finally, a Beetle for him Photo: Courtesy of jeff davis

Volkswagen injects some testosterone into updated classic by Jeff Davis

W

hen the original “New Beetle” was brought to market, its designers had one target in mind: women. As if the soft lines and pastel colour schemes didn’t make this clear enough, each new Beetle came complete with a little plastic flower dangling from a vase on the dashboard.

After a few years of sliding sales and yawning driver appeal, Volkswagen actually stopped making the iconic auto altogether in 2011.

This time Volkswagen has taken a new tack, and has released a Beetle that’s really got a pair.

Harkening back to the original Beetle — which was designed

by Ferdinand Porsche himself —

built on an Audi A3 chassis, partially explaining why a stripped-down base model costs $26,995.

I had some good fun ripping around the airport industrial area in the “Comfortline” model, and the handling proved sharp and responsive. However, the 175 HP 2.5 litre diesel engine with automatic transmission seemed a little anemic, and proved a tad too civilized for my tastes. It had decent acceleration, but after stomping on the gas it takes at least a full second for the power to kick in.

The trunk is a decent size, but the back seat is definitely not.

The interior is very youthful and refreshing, but verging on garish.

Much of the interior panelling is

the 2013 Bug is a driver’s car. It’s wider and longer, has more power, and a longer hood that makes it look more like a Porsche than the old ladybug.

And that’s no accident. It’s rumoured that the legendary 76-yearold Austrian performance car designer Ferdinand Piëch, the grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, came briefly out of retirement to help get the People’s Car back on track.

With the 2013 Beetle, Volkswagen is convinced it can shift the car’s US sales demographic profile from 65 per cent women to 59 per cent men.

Fortunately, the all-new 2013 Beetle shares not a single bolt with the original New Bug. This time it’s

painted in the same colour scheme as the exterior paint, which in the case of this lemon yellow version was a little overwhelming. This would look much better in red, black or off-white.

The doors slam shut with a reassuring thud, an appealing sound that speaks to the generally high quality of the Beetle. In fact, all the Beetle’s body panels are solid metal too, giving it much better durability than cheaper cars which often have plastic body panels. The standard alloy rims are similarly solid, and pretty sporty looking to boot.

The 2013 has a rarefied and highly technical transmission, which apparently shifts with lightning speed and efficiency. I’m sure

the German design team got really excited about the details.

After taking the somewhat reserved diesel out for a spin, I hopped into the $34,000 Beetle TSi, which boasts a 200 HP 2.0 litre turbocharged gasoline engine and 6-speed manual gearbox. …and it was a complete maniac.

As soon as the engine of this little speed fiend spins above 3000 RPM (i.e. half the time at least) the turbo kicks in, roars, and sticks you immediately back to your seat.

Screaming around a highway onramp at 90 km/h was an unexpectedly terrifying experience, producing some seriously extreme G-forces. I was sure the back wheels were going to spin out, guiding me towards a

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face full of concrete, but it handled it beautifully with no understeer to speak of.

Added to the turbo’s dashboard is a set of extra instruments, and is the sort of thing gearheads go mad for. This includes an oil temperature gauge and turbo pressure gauge, which shows you when you’re pushing really serious power.

For the extra $7,000 you’ll pay for the Turbo Sport package you get a goodly number of perks, like a Fender sound system, leather seats and a navigation system. The interior looks much better, too, replacing the colourful panelling with a sleek black carbon fibre. The Sport package also adds an understated rear spoiler that really makes it look, overall, surpris-

ingly Porsche-like. Further linking it to its cousin are the rear turbo badges, which are actually the exact same ones found on Porches.

The keyless entry and push button start means you just need to have them in your pocket, and the push button start is a fun feature. Unlike some lower end cars, Volkswagen doesn’t beat you over the head with tech. Instead,

it is all executed in a very elegant way, which you sort of don’t even realize.

For example, you can also lock the car by touching the door handle, or even just leaning on it.

A convertible version of the Beetle is also available and looks really swish, but this will cost you. And for the well-monied Bug lovers there is also an “R” version, marking the first time

VW has handed a Beetle over to their performance department. After seeing the power of the Turbo, this one is guaranteed to be totally off the hook.

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Photo: Courtesy of jeff davis

Volkswagen is hoping that its larger, more aggressively styled Beetle will play well with North American men. The Turbo edition features an extra instrument panel, including oil temperature and turbo pressure.

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