Issue #259 – September 27 to October 3
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thrill of the hunt Pro hunter Cody Robbins Double or nothing Q+A with Cancer Bats don jon + i give it a year Film reviews
Photo: courtesy of norman wong
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On the cover:
steel wheels
Stories that matter. 16-17 / cover Photo: Aaron Johnston Photography
NEWs + Opinion
thrill of the hunt
editorial
Professional hunter Cody Robbins.
Our thoughts on drinking and driving.
4-5 / Local
8 / Editorial
attention to detail
comments
Gaming culture in SK. 6-7 / Local
Your say about suspending the Riders charged with assault. 10 / comments
culture
Q + A with Cancer bats Double or nothing. 12-13 / Q + A
bison ranch blues
Bread heaven
Little Miss Higgins + the Winnipeg Five. 14 / Arts
We visit Earth Bound Bakery + Delicatessen. 18 / Food + Drink
my chernobyl
Music
Persephone’s season opener an upbeat romp. 15 / Arts entertainment
Hanson, GWAR + Monster Truck. 19 / music
listings Local music listings for September 27 through October 5. 18 / listings
don jon + I give it a year
on the bus
The latest movie reviews. 22-23 / Film
Weekly original comic illustrations by Elaine M. Will. 30 / comics
Nightlife Photos
Games + Horoscopes
We visit The Long Branch + Colonial.
Canadian criss-cross puzzle, horoscopes, and Sudoku. 31 / timeout
24-29 / Nightlife
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The Thrill of the Hunt
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Professional hunter Cody Robbins is making a name for himself south of the border by ADAM HAWBOLDT
I
Photo: Courtesy of cody robbins
t was the most petrifying, out-of-control 30 seconds of Cody Robbins’ life. Standing in a dried mudflat in Tanzania, a couple of lone trees nearby, Robbins zoomed his video camera in on an African elephant. There filming an episode of Jim Shockey’s Hunting Adventures, Robbins — who was the show’s cameraman, editor and sidekick at the time — had never hunted, let alone seen, an elephant in real life before. But there in front of them, maybe 120 yards away, was a herd of five cows with their calves. “It was the very first day,” remembers Robbins. “We didn’t know much about [these elephants]. Had no experience. We just thought they had good eyesight. We thought they could see us, but didn’t care we were there.” Turns out, that wasn’t the case. “I was filming, zooming up on one of the cows’ heads,” says Robbins, “and my boss kind of cleared his throat and coughed a little. Soon as he did that, the cow spun her head around and took three or four steps toward us. She picked up her head and looked down her trunk at us. And I was thinking, ‘Holy smokes! This could get pretty intense.’” Robbins had no idea just how intense the situation was about to become. With his face still buried in the camera’s viewfinder, Robbins heard a bunch of noise around him. Then a scream. When he raised his head from the camera what he saw sent chills down his spine. The elephant he was filming was still a ways away, but the other cows in the herd were charging the hunting party, coming at them all at once in a shoehorn formation. To make matters worse they only had one gun and two bullets. “Our PH [professional hunter] realized they weren’t going to stop,” says
Robbins. “And there was no sense in shooting one or two of them to protect ourselves. So as I was zooming the camera back I saw the PH, maybe 15 yards away, running straight at me, waving his arms in the air and yelling, “RUN! RUN! RUN!” Heart-pounding and adrenaline rushing, that’s exactly what Robbins did. Over hard-packed mud and through ruts, he ran for his life, not knowing what would happen next.
Before Cody Robbins was a professional hunter or worked with Jim Shockey, before he picked up a camera or created a hunting show of his own, Robbins was just a regular kid growing up in rural Saskatchewan. The kind of kid who slept over at his best friend’s house on weekends, played hockey, and loved animals. “Nobody in my family hunted,” says Robbins, “but my best friend Shane, his dad was a trapper. He used to take him out hunting and fishing. And when I’d sleep over on weekends he’d take me along. I hated it. I’d see an animal get harvested and be ticked off. At the time I thought they were really mean.” That all changed when, at the age of 12, Robbins’ dad enrolled him in a firearms safety course. “We lived on a ranch and there were always guns in the house in case we had to shoot a sick cow or something,” he remembers. “So my dad signed me up for the course. I had to miss a hockey tournament because of it and I wasn’t too happy. The first day of the course they teach you about the normal stuff — firearms and how to safely use them. But that’s not all. They also teach you about hunting Continued on next page »
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and what it involves, about wildlife and wildlife conservation.” This aspect of it, the man-in-nature side, sparked an interest in Robbins. An interest that grew stronger and stronger over time. Eventually, Robbins started hunting. First it was ducks and geese with a single-shot shotgun, then deer with a rifle. Soon, though, he wanted to try archery hunting. It just seemed more sporting. “I saved up my money and bought a bow and arrow,” says Robbins. “But because nobody in my family hunts, for those first few years I had to get my grandmother to come with me, be my guardian. She was 75 years old, and she’d be out there sneaking around the bush with me while I was trying to find a white tail or a buck.” When Robbins became proficient with a bow, he
and bought a professional camera on eBay. My goal was to produce an outdoor DVD that I could sell on the market. But I had no idea how to use the thing. So I learned by trial and error. When I ran into problems, I’d Google what I needed.” Some weeks later he met a guy named Jim Shockey — one of the biggest names in hunting. He ended up going to work for the Jim Shockey’s Hunting Adventures show in 2002 as a cameraman/editor. And that’s what led him to Tanzania, being chased by elephants. It’s also led him to make one of the biggest decisions of his life.
In 2008, Cody Robbins decided it was the right time to strike out on his own. Time to step out of Jim Shockey’s considerable shadow and
…I saw the [professional hunter] running straight at me, waving his arms in the air and yelling, “RUN! RUN! RUN!” cody robbins
went looking for another challenge. It presented itself in the form of a video camera. “I had no education in cinematography,” says Robbins. “But I said to heck with it. I saved a bunch of money working minimum-wage jobs
create a hunting show of his own — Live 2 Hunt. “If you want to put it into perspective, [deciding to leave Jim Shockey’s Hunting Adventures and make my own show] was pretty much like leaving the Detroit Red
Wings for a local beer league team,” laughs Robbins. “It was scary as hell. Everyone looked at me and said, “You’re leaving the best hunting show on TV to start your own show? What are you thinking?’” At times Robbins wondered the same thing.“For the first three years of the show I spent every second night lying there, staring at my bedroom wall thinking, ‘How on Earth am I going to make this work? What was I thinking? How am I going to pay the bills? This is ridiculous.’” But Robbins stuck with it. He believed in himself and his show, and rightfully so. His show had something different to offer. See, a lot of hunting shows out there consist of one or two hosts who set up a hunt, meet up with outfitters, sit in a tree stand and harvest an animal before getting out of there and moving onto the next hunt. But Live 2 Hunt isn’t like that. With a lot of his close friends stopping by for guest hunts, Robbins has created a show that resonates with average, everyday hunters. “We do a lot of hunting like the average joe. We’re close to home, we go buy a tag over the counter and hunt like a resident would,” says Robbins. “We’re out doing the same thing they would. It’s easy for people to relate. Most people can’t afford to go hunting with an outfitter for $10,000 for 10 days. They can only hunt in their home province.” It’s because of this and the “oncein-a-lifetime hunt with your best hunting buddy” feel that has made the show an increasingly popular staple of the Outdoor Channel.
“In the last six months, I’ve finally been able to take a breath and say, “Holy smokes! This is a realistic dream,” says Robbins. “It’s happening … it’s actually happening.” Here, Robbins pauses for a moment, thinks, and says, “We’re not out of the woods yet, but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. It’s getting more exciting and less stressful. And the best part is I’m doing what I love to do.
I know how truly lucky I am.” He also knows he’s quite lucky those elephants in Tanzania didn’t catch him.
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Photo: Courtesy of adam hawboldt
Attention to detail ToonCon 2013, Flames of War and gaming culture in Saskatchewan by ADAM HAWBOLDT
T
here was a time when Lance Mathew didn’t know much about the Second World War. Sure, he knew about political climate before, during and after the war. Sure, he knew about the famous battles and the key figures. But ask him about a specific campaign or, better yet, ask him about the weapons or artillery used in such a campaign, and you’d get a blank look. The kind of look that says, “I don’t have the faintest idea.” All that changed, though, after he started playing Flames of War. A tabletop game that has garnered a large following in the gaming community, Flames of War uses miniature tanks, infantry and guns to allow players to recreate battles of the Second World War. It also allows people of all ages to get together and experience war from the point of view of a frontline commander.
“When I first started out I couldn’t tell you the difference between a Panzer III and a Panzer IV,” admits Mathew. “But you know what? After playing this game for awhile, you really get to know your stuff. You really learn.” Behind Mathew, set up on a table, is an enormous Flames of War board complete with a battlefield with rolling hills, wheat fields, roads, ruins, a mosque, L’Arc de Triomphe, and more. Everywhere you look, scattered strategically around the board, are miniature tanks, miniature infantry, miniature planes about to do battle. “This is a Panther,” says Mathew, pointing to a grey and black camouflage tank on the end of the board. “We’ve already killed one of these and they haven’t moved so we’re still ranged in.” Walking around to the table, Mathew points to a set of artillery
guns and says, “these are the ones that are ranged in, the 5.5’s [BL 5.5 gun used by the British in the Second World War].” Pointing to another set of guns he says, “And these 25-pounders are ranged in over there, too. The British used them pretty much throughout the entire war.” All around the battle field, the other players in the game are busy. Some are discussing strategy, others are using a tape measure to calculate distances — how far their tanks can be allowed to move, the distance their guns can reach. But before any more of those guns get a chance to go off, someone calls a lunch break and the battle is put on hold.
Most typical games of Flames of War don’t involve lunch breaks. You play Continued on next page »
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one-on-one for two-and-a-half hours and someone emerges a victor. But this is no regular game. This one will go on all day. Upstairs at the ACT Centre dozens of people of all ages, from all walks of life, have congregated to do what they love — gaming. It’s the last day of ToonCon 2013. Outside rain is gently falling, but inside the upstairs room is packed with gamers sitting around tables, chatting, rolling dice, or flipping cards. Some are playing co-op games like Flashpoint: Fire Rescue. Others are competing against each other in games with names like Twilight Imperium and Stone Age.
Gathering, a Yu-Gi-Oh! tournament and a FRAG games day. “The goal,” says Burt, “is to build something like that here.”
Back at the Flames of War table, a slender 29-year-old named Lorne Sveinbjornson is opening a carrying case, showing me his collection of miniatures. “This is a 21st Panzer,” he says, taking a small metal tank from the case and placing it in the palm of his hand. “You know, this is historically what the camo for this tank looked like.” Sveinbjornson proceeds to take miniature after miniature out of his
…I wanted to build a gaming community [in Saskatoon]. john burt
“We started ToonCon three years ago,” say John Burt, the founder of the convention. “When I moved back here from Calgary in 2010, I wanted to build a gaming community here. There’s a fairly good gaming community in Regina and we wanted to replicate that success [in Saskatoon].” And he’s right. In Regina, the gaming community is bustling. Just right now there are or have been scheduled events for Magic: The
case, each one contained within a black foam rectangular holding cell. There are Sherman tanks, tank destroyers, and heavy infantry guns surrounded by intricately painted soldiers standing atop a bed of sand. Sand that Sveinbjornson painstakingly took the time to glue to the piece’s base. One look at all of these miniatures and one thing becomes abundantly clear: when it comes to painting his Flames of War pieces, Sveinbjornson is willing to go the
extra mile to make them authentic. “My stuff is usually pretty accurate,” he says. “I play with [the German army] and they had a lot of variations. Their stuff was painted in the field. They’d send basically a plain tank to the field and paint it up there. They used spray guns, or if they had access to rags maybe they’d use those — whatever was available. And they’d paint it to match the environment of their battlefield. So I kind of do the same. To emulate what they did I use a small air brush, the way they’d use a spray gun, for most of the camo and the base coating.” So how long does one piece take to complete? “About eight hours,” says Sveinbjornson. “I just turn the History Channel on in the background and get to work.” And therein lies the reason why table-top games like Flames of War are so interesting and have become popular in the gaming world. It’s not just the history lesson or the thrill of victory they provide. It’s the passion that the gamers put into it, the attention to detail, the hours spent painting, playing and practicing. That’s where the real fun lies.
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An ounce of prevention... Let’s make it easier for people who drink to get home safely This is the second installment in our two-part examination of drinking and driving in Saskatchewan. In our previous article we examined Saskatchewan’s drunk driving rate (the highest per capita of any province in the country), the punishments impaired drivers face, and the preventative programs that are currently in place in our province.
I
t’s clear to us that Saskatchewan has a drinking and driving problem, and that what our province is currently trying to do to curb the issue is failing. Sure, the punishments and programs that are in place are a good first step, but what we also need to do is empower people who drink to make choices that will get them home safely. Should they choose to do otherwise, then we think the penalties should be much harsher. Now, pretending that people won’t go out and drink would simply be burying our head in the sand. Access to alcohol is not the issue; a lack of public transportation and a dearth of taxis in our city is. Think about it: it’s the middle of winter, which obviously means sub-zero temperatures. People are downtown drinking. They drove there with the intention of leaving their vehicle parked in favour of taking a taxi, but there’s a catch: there are no taxis to be found. Or if you call one, you’re waiting a good amount of time before one makes its way to you. Or you’re put on hold forever. Or one (singular!) finally does show up, but it’s for the other 18 people milling around waiting for a cab. You get our point. Ok, fine, so taxis are going to take forever, if they even show up at all.
Well, why not just hop on a bus? Oh wait — those stopped running in Saskatoon by 1am. That’s not very helpful, considering most bars close on weekends around 2am at the earliest. So eventually everything closes down, the buses are long gone, and you’re still stuck waiting for a taxi. So instead of walking home in -30C weather, you may be tempted to hop behind the wheel of your car to head home. We don’t condone this move in any way, but we do understand the moving pieces that make it seem like the only viable option. So what are we to do? Well, for starters, buses on high traffic routes (say, from downtown and Broadway and 8th Street) could run later in the evening. Now, it’s up to city council to allocate funding for transit, which naturally has to come from somewhere. But if people are hanging around bars with no way of getting home, getting into trouble, or worse, getting behind a wheel, then that ends up costing all of us in one way or another — in emergency room fees, paying for an EMT, auto insurance costs for car accident victims, etc. So we think council should throw a few extra dollars towards city transit in an effort to curb some of those costs further down the road. An ounce of prevention, and all that. And in order to get more taxis on the roads, the situation is obvious: deregulate the taxi industry and get rid of the limit of how many cabs can be on the road. By opening up the industry it would allow for greater ease of access for you, the consumer. Greater competition would also lead to better service, and provide enough cabs to meet the late-night demand. Which, in turn, would cut down on
the number of people who feel the need to hop behind a wheel inebriated in order to get home. And while we’re on the issue of taxis, once the industry is deregulated and more cabs are on the road, it would behoove cab drivers to take a page from the book of a city like, say, Halifax, and strategically position their cabs at nights and on weekends. On any given Friday or Saturday night, there are taxis lined up and down the streets of Halifax — in designated taxi stand areas — where the nightlife is the hottest. Now, simply increasing ease of access to transportation alternatives is not the only step. Even with plenty of sensible options, some people will still choose to down a few pops and get behind the wheel, and it is for that reason that we think punishments for drinking and driving — especially repeat drinking and driving — should be much harsher. Here’s our proposal: for a first offence, the punishment remains the same — a one-year license suspension and fines. But after that it’s time to turn up the heat. For those caught driving while impaired (with a BAC higher than .08) for a second time, they should receive a five-year driving ban plus all associated fines. Caught a third time? You get a lifetime driving ban and six months in jail. And for every time you’re caught after that (though with the lifetime ban you shouldn’t be driving in the first place), you should be forced to spend two years less a day in jail. The drinking and driving rate in this province is clearly out of control, so by allowing people to make more
responsible decisions while simultaneously upping the punishment for repeat offenders should send a clear message: Saskatchewan will not tolerate drinking and driving. These editorials are left unsigned because they represent the opinions
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On Topic: Last week we asked what you thought about suspending the Roughriders charged with assault. Here’s what you had to say:
text yo thoughtsur to 881 ve r b 8372
– Rules, or codes of conduct r still life rules!! Conduct urself in proper manner nd u will do just fine, but break the rules, then u should be reprimanded, until proven innocent! What r these players showing the next generations ahead, that its ok to mess around? Learn life, its all about living the real life!! Good judgement is everything!!
– So the verb would like to violate our constitutional rights and condemn the rough riders ‘guilty til proven innocent’ nice guys.. Real nice
– Hey verb why don’t you let the courts decide who made you judge and jury? Pretty sure the riders are innocent until guilty. Not taking football advice from you NOPE
– If football isnt sport fer evry1 then thats not cool im sicck of all the clowns makin a mockery. We need to get priorities strate. Im out
– RIDERS FOR THE CUPPPP!!!
– F#*$ U VERB THE RIDERS RULE!
– For those crying innocent until proven guilty: they’ve been charged. That alone should involve some sort of retribution from their employers. Can’t do that and still work if you’re a teacher or cop.
– I have read your article on rider outrage you are 100 percent right and if the team management does not see this then the CFL should ban the team from playing this season
OFF TOPIC – 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 In response to “Road Pop Outrage,” Editorial, #257 (September 13, 2013)
– What a terrible example these Riders players set for the youth in this province. We have one of the most supportive fan bases but as a parent I’m disgusted that the men my kids look up to acted this way. This is outrageous!
– Roughriders players should be treated just as anyone would under the law. If they need to be charged with assault so be it!
sound off – Man has Verb wimped out on the text killing one of the best sections in the rag!
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– I am a smoker and I put my smoke out when I see the bus approching too bad others don’t have the same concideration.
– I agree with the smoking comment people should stand away from bus doors when blowing out smoke some people are allergic others hate the smell
– People please don’t wear strong colonge or perfume if riding the bus just cause you enjoy it’s smell doesn’t mean others do!
– Professor Kevin Flynn of the University of Saskatchewan faculty is to be commended for doing what every university’s primary role is: promoting critical thinking and stirring debate. His recent article in the university’s “On Campus News” did exactly that by rightly questioning an ancient Cree First Nation custom that excludes menstruating women from participation in a traditional First Nation ceremony. Not surprisingly, Flynn’s assertions were used as fodder for on-campus “wannabees” desperate for anything they can manufacture into a platform from which they can get the names and faces into the news. There’s an excellent Cree term that the pathetic arguments of Flynn’s detractors deserve. It’s “KIYAM,” which when translated declares disdainfully “who the heck cares?” While I support the efforts of Flynn’s detractors to debate, they must do much better to have me care. I think the large majority in society agrees with me about this.
cars and put two new ones in the North end
– We need some new metaphors in this society, especially the office. Putting out fires, ducks in a row, etc. Lame tired old. I offer a new one Archer’s Folly shooting arrows straight up on a calm day. The whole stadium sewage plant scenario seems an example.
– The story about the honest homeless man in Boston and the kindness of strangers to help him out is so heartwarming. Hopefully a nice home could be bought or built for him perhaps by Habitat for Humanity!! :-D
– Is there any logical reason why people would load their kids into their vehicle on the driving lane side of the road rather than curb side? They just fling their doors open and almost get hit doing so. Loading from the curb is a much safer choice people.
– When someone hands you a flyer, it’s like they’re saying “Here, you throw this away.”
– What’s with those metal mulisha decals with the skeleton wearing a combat helmet? Skeletons are dead. They’re not moving anymore. They can’t fight. So, why would you put a picture of something on your vehicle that can’t do anything?
– With all of the tragedy in the news you would think it would make us appreciate each other a little more.
– Accidentally making yogurt is DOWNtown!
– Standing Center of Gravity Push Defense. As quickly and unexpected as you can put both hands in the middle of your attacker’s chest lean in coil if you can Push! as hard and fast as you can use whole body feet to hands everything you got. A small woman can throw a big man 10 15 ft across the floor but it has to be a surprise.
dents. Maybe left turns should be outlawed. But then we would just drive in circles.
– Never take your life for granted. Things can change in an instant.
– People choose to walk on the streets when sidewalks are available. Dumb!
Next week: What do you about more buses and taxis, and harsher penalties, to curb impaired driving? 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
– I think poor road designs could contribute to the many accidents our drivers have. Left turns at intersections cause many acci
– If our mayor is so concerned about child safety why is there streets with no sidewalks? Ur just telling kids to walk on the street. WH
– WOW!! Vehicles packed like sardines along College Dr at 5 Wed - stretched from UofS to what was once The Pat..North Bridge for traffic?? Skip new Traffic Bridge for
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Double or nothing
Photos: courtesy of Jess Baumung
Cancer Bats reinvent themselves as Bat Sabbath and expand beyond their hardcore roots by Alex J MacPherson
A
fter almost ten years on the road, a decade of relentless recording and touring, Cancer Bats have established themselves as one of the hardest-working bands in the country. And one of the most popular. Last year, the Toronto-
This year, the band re-released the record with four more searing tracks — and a collection of Black Sabbath covers called Bat Sabbath. Cancer Bats have been covering Black Sabbath for years, but the EP — which feels big and open and raw — marks the beginning
based band released their fourth album. A tightly-wound collection of blistering hardcore and sludgy punk, Dead Set On Living drew on a range of musical ideas — metal, punk, hardcore, stoner rock — yet cleaved to none. It was a Cancer Bats album for Cancer Bats fans.
of something new for one of the loudest and most energetic groups in the country. I caught up with singer Liam Cormier to learn more about the band with two identities. Alex J MacPherson: What prompted you to re-release Dead Set On Living
with four new tracks and The Bat Sabbath EP? Liam Cormier: We’ve always done reissue of the records in the past. Normally, it just happens in the
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U.K; we’ll add a couple extra tracks to have an excuse to tour. Whereas this time around we’d had so much positive feedback about the Bat Sabbath touring that we’d done, that people really wanted to hear those songs, so we’re like, even though we have four extra Cancer Bats songs, it would be cool to go back into the studio to do an EP of Bat Sabbath songs.
AJM: And now you basically have two identities to choose from, right? LC: We never thought we would start doing something like another band, our alter ego. But tonight we’re going to play just as Bat Sabbath in Quebec City; we played last night at the college as Cancer Bats. It’s cool that we can take advantage of playing different spots. The vibe
…a Bat Sabbath show is very different from a Cancer Bats one… liam Cormier
AJM: Bat Sabbath feels quite a bit looser than the songs on Dead Set On Living. Did you make any big changes while recording the new EP? LC: We worked at the same studio and we also got [producer] Eric Ratz back in the studio for a day with us so we could work. But the big difference we tried to do with the Bat Sabbath stuff was to do it as live as possible, because we wanted it to have that live feel. And the big thing is so many people have just seen Bat Sabbath on YouTube, from recordings of the shows we’ve done, so we [wanted] to capture that energy in the same way Black Sabbath did — their first four albums were just recorded live.
of a Bat Sabbath show is very different from a Cancer Bats one, and it’s cool to be able to do both. AJM: On both sides, it seems like you’ve been able to break down a lot of the barriers — artificial genre labels and that stuff — that make it hard for people to get into the world of hardcore punk. LC: That’s a hundred percent how we look at it. We don’t really shy away from anything because we should or shouldn’t do it. I think maybe because we’re a little bit older — we’re all in our 30s — we don’t care what people think. We’re more interested in the people who come to our shows and want to
party and have a good time versus someone who would have an opinion on the internet negatively. Maybe we’re a hardcore band, but we’re still going to do a super fun Black Sabbath set and it’s going to be the best and anyone who shows up is going to have a blast. AJM: Dead Set On Living has been out for awhile. Now, you’re touring the reissue and Bat Sabbath. What’s next? LC: This tour is kind of going to mark the end of the touring cycle for Dead Set On Living. We don’t really have too, too much lined up after this, so that was kind of the whole reason we wanted to do the two-in-one, to make it kind of like a huge farewell banger for this record before we go and write a new album. For us, already we know that these shows are going to be the best. And we know that Bat Sabbath hasn’t been on the West Coast at all, so we’re just like, if we do a doubleheader of both sets, it’s literally going to be the best party ever. Cancer Bats + Bat Sabbath October 8 @ Louis’ Pub $10 at the door
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Bison Ranch Blues
Photos: courtesy of Andy Stanislav
Little Miss Higgins teams up with the Winnipeg Five to make one of the best records of her career by Alex J MacPherson
J
olene Higgins has been performing and making records as Little Miss Higgins for more than a decade. She was inspired to work with the Winnipeg Five, a group of Dixieland pickers who also perform as the F-Holes, after a conversation with the group’s bass player, Patrick Alexandre Leclerc. The resulting album, a collection of energetic country and roots songs
called the Bison Ranch Recording Sessions, was recorded in the hay loft of a barn at the Renaissance Bison Ranch in rural Manitoba. “We had talked about recording and co-producing an album,” Higgins says of her conversation with Leclerc, “and he said, ‘My uncle has a barn on his bison ranch. I’ve always wanted to record an album there.’ I said, ‘Let’s do it.’” The loft was set up like a recreation room, complete with
ping pong and shuffleboard tables. After hauling in their gear, Higgins and the band installed a number of electric heaters and bought a cord of wood to fuel the stove — necessities given the frigid April weather. Then the tape began to roll. The Bison Ranch Recording Sessions was recorded almost entirely live off the floor. Like Higgins’ earlier records, it draws on a host of influences from the early part of the last century. From
classic country and swampy blues to deft jazz and ringing gospel, the album captures the spirit of the music Higgins adores. But the band — Leclerc, Evan Friesen, Eric Lemoine, Jimmie James McKee, and Blake Thomson — added a new dimension to her signature blend of snaky guitar licks and crackling vocals. This is apparent from the opening strains of “Heavy Train,” a rousing call-and-response that casts a soaring harmony against a minimal yet powerful backdrop of guitar and stomping feet. These are songs that could be played on a porch as easily
as in a recording studio, and Higgins knows it. By paring down each song to its most basic parts, she and the band were able to extract a different kind of power — one that is familiar yet devastating. “I think doing it live is an important part of keeping things simple, or not adding too much,” she says of the album, which uses spare arrangements to heighten the power of her punchy voice. “When you have the ability to layer stuff you may have the tendency to add [too many parts]. It also pays homage to a lot of the music I love and love to listen to from the early 1900s.” After a pause she says, “it’s about breaking things down a bit.” The rawness of music from the early part of the last century has always been integral to Higgins’s sound. But instead of simply imitating her musical heroes, she has folded their ideas into a musical vision that reflects the time in which she lives — a time defined by a new appreciation for the stark simplicity of roots music. Today, she is on the cutting edge of that movement, and the Bison Ranch Recording Sessions promises to mark much more than a peak in her career. Little Miss Higgins October 10 @ Broadway Theatre $30 @ Broadway Theatre box office Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372
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My Chernobyl Persephone’s season opener an upbeat romp through the former Soviet Union by Alex J MacPherson
O
n April 26, 1986, an unexpected power surge led to a catastrophic explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The blast shattered the reactor vessel, launching a plume of radioactive debris into the atmosphere. The fallout was terrible. Vast tracts of the Soviet Union were affected and
almost immediately. David soon finds himself being extorted by Yuri (Blaine Hart) and Katrina (Pamela Haig Bartley), who are desperate for cash. Things get complicated when Natasha (Elizabeth Nepjuk), a young girl desperate to escape a life of poverty, appears on the scene. “It’s fertile ground for comedy,” says Darren Zimmer, a Saskatoon-
Bushkowsky’s tightly coiled script captures … the human side of the Chernobyl disaster… alex j macpherson
hundreds of thousands of people evacuated. Nowhere suffered more than Belarus, a small republic bordering Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania — and the setting for Aaron Bushkowsky’s My Chernobyl, a light comedy about the darkness cast by the disaster at Chernobyl. The play follows David (Joshua Beaudry), an innocent young Canadian who is forced by a series of unfortunate events to deliver an inheritance to a distant cousin in Belarus. The plan begins to unravel
based actor who plays Alex, a buffoonish apparatchik determined to retain the sort of political sway only available in the Soviet days. “The accident happened in 1986. These people have had almost 30 years to go, ‘this is terrible.’ But then after that they’re like, ‘yeah, it’s terrible, but maybe we can make a profit — it’s a train wreck, but here’s the price of admission.’” Bushkowsky’s tightly coiled script captures both the human side of the Chernobyl disaster and the
dark legacy of the Soviet Union in a blur of rapid-fire dialogue and hilarious scenarios. It is smart and deeply cynical. But it is not without hope. By casting bright characters against a dreary backdrop of urban and moral decay, Buskhowsky is able to paint a vivid portrait of people who are trying their best to better themselves and the lives of those around them — or, in the case of Zimmer’s character, recapture the past. And while the history of Belarus is not well-known in Canada, Zimmers says the presence of a Canadian character offers audiences a new perspective on a thirty-year-old tragedy. “When I was reading the play the first time, the only thing I saw was the darkness. But if people go in there with the expectation that there is an absurd aspect to this play, they’re definitely going to get a really good laugh out of it.” My Chernobyl Through October 6 @ Persephone Theatre $23+ @ Persephone Theatre box office
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Feature
A Common Humanity The Steel Wheels on stories that matter by Alex J MacPherson
T
rent Wagler is standing in his kitchen, talking about something that happened to him more than a decade ago. Wagler is a singer and a songwriter, one quarter of the Harrisonburg, Virginia-based Steel Wheels. Together with Eric Brubaker, Brian Dickel, and Jay Lapp, he has spent the last eight years refining a sound that lands somewhere between bluegrass and the blues, upbeat stomps and tender ballads infused with the spirit of Appalachia. The Steel Wheels have garnered rave reviews for their albums and live performances, which blend back porch storytelling and blistering bluegrass picking. But Wagler wasn’t always interested in spending his life onstage. In 1999, he was a young college student determined to improve the world. Which is why he took a job teaching English in the Gaza, one of the oldest cities on the planet and for decades a hotbed of political turmoil and religious unrest. “There are so many different opinions in a place like the Middle East,” says Wagler, who grew up listening to his father and uncles play gospel music before leaving home to study at Eastern Mennonite University. “That’s so overwhelming when you’re sitting in the Gaza Strip, in this little refugee camp, and meeting people. But the one thing in the midst of it all that felt hopeful to me, that felt like a reason to keep getting up in the morning and moving through the day, was meeting people and hearing their stories — and realizing how much we have to share.” Wagler has always been drawn to the sounds of American folk music, but
listening to folk music from a different part of the world led him to a startling conclusion. “I would listen to Arab music in the Gaza Strip,” he says, “but the only stuff that spoke to me was their old stuff. I’d hear something on the radio and I’d be like, ‘Wow, what’s that?’ They’d be like, ‘That’s an old Egyptian singer, she’s long gone — that’s the old folk music.’ Even if I couldn’t understand the lyrics, there was much more emotion in there.” Wagler realized that some stories were truly universal. It dawned on him that music can speak directly to people no matter what they believe.
across the country and the continent began to take notice. Although it was not their first record, Wagler thinks Red Wing, which was released in 2010, marked a watershed for the band. The album, which earned five independent Music Award nominations, was overflowing with infectious melodies, energetic performances, and strong songs. What separated it from other, similar albums was the fact that the Steel Wheels work as a band. Bluegrass music is fundamentally individual, more like a group of soloists riffing on a common theme than a group of musicians working in
…I think there are small connections that are drawn between people… trent wagler
This changed everything. Wagler jettisoned his plans to pursue a career in international relations in favour of a life spent under the lights. Within a few years of his return to the United States, Wagler was making music with the Steel Wheels. From the very beginning, the band’s mandate has been to tell stories that matter. Armed with a handful of traditional instruments — guitars, fiddles, mandolins, an upright bass — and the timeless sound of four voices singing together, Wagler and his bandmates embarked on what would be a long and difficult journey. It would take years of hard work, long nights onstage and longer days on the road before audiences
concert. Wagler wanted to change this; he wanted to play in a band. “We play bluegrass instruments in the realm of old-time music,” he says, “but we’re not trying to be the Punch Brothers. We’re not trying to be the hottest pickers out there on the circuit. Our goal is to be a really solid band, in the way that a tight rock band moves you and you can feel it.” Red Wing captures the raw intensity of four musicians making music together — and having fun while doing it. Despite their gruelling tour schedule, which includes a yearly jaunt through the eastern United States on bicycles, the Steel Wheels have added more records to their catalogue Continued on next page »
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y
Photo: COURTESY OF RubySky Photography
since Red Wing was released. In early 2012, they released Lay Down, Lay Low, which built on the success of its predecessor. From the opening of “Breaking Like The Sun,” an edgy folk song that casts Brubaker’s lively fiddle against a cheerfully punchy vocal from Wagler, it is clear that Lay Down, Lay Low marks another high point in the band’s career. Wagler’s nasal voice is stronger and more assured than ever. The harmonies are richer, the arrangements tighter and yet somehow more relaxed. The first four tracks on the album set the tone for what follows, demonstrating that the Steel Wheels’
Photo: courtesy of dylan duvall
playbook covers everything from rollicking country stomps to keening ballads and bursts of tightly-wound bluegrass picking. Wagler is a masterful storyteller and Lay Down, Lay Low reflects his penchant for simple, unaffected songs. He manages to pack a lot of emotion into each and every line, saying a lot with very little. “Indian Trail” is a driving song about the fragility of existence, and how the places we remember affect every aspect of our lives. “Rain In The Valley” is a stirring a cappella hymn that uses the cleansing power of the rain as a metaphor for spiritual renewal. Led by Wagler, his voice cutting across the rich harmonies
delivered by the other band members, the song uses very little to say an awful lot. “One Night,” which closes the album, is a sprawling ode to the best nights of our lives. Even “Spider Wings,” the only truly strange cut on the record, is executed with feeling and precision, the syncopated guitar lick an odd yet pleasing counterpoint to Wagler’s lyrics about the conflict between desire and gratitude. Lay Down, Lay Low is an extremely strong record — but it only tells one half of the story. Earlier this year, the band released No More Rain. A collection of old songs updated with new arrangements and energized by red hot performances, No More Rain shows off a different side of the Steel Wheels. If Lay Down, Lay Low hints at how much the Steel Wheels are capable of, No More Rain shows just how far they’ve come. Because the album was recorded live with few overdubs, No More Rain feels more like a band playing for friends than a professional studio recording. Which is exactly what Wagler hoped to achieve. “We’ve always experienced that when you truly are playing side-byside with your bandmates in real time, and the note they just played affects the note you’re playing,” he says. “It’s really hard to replicate that in the process of overdubbing. We’ve done that plenty of times on other records, too, but with this album it was so important to do that, and I think it highlighted something you can’t fake: the experience we’ve had of playing together for a good amount of time and growing to be pretty tight as a band.” Lay Down, Lay Low and No More Rain show two different sides of the Steel Wheels’ career. One features
a band doing everything in their power to inject new energy into traditional music, the other a group of musicians examining their history. But no matter what course the band takes in the months and years to come, there is no question that telling stories will always be at the core of what it is they do. Wagler learned just how powerful a story and a song can be when he was living in the Middle East; it is a lesson he will not soon forget. “I just found that it is very hard to have any sort of dialogue across opinions, where if you disagree with somebody on a political view or a religious view or whatever it is, you end up missing each other so easily when you start talking about the truth,” he says of his year in Gaza. “But you can’t argue with a story, and I think that’s what really set me on [this path]. I’m not going to get idealistic and say these songs are what’s going to heal the world and make peace, but at the same time I think there are small connections that are drawn between people who are very different from each other or who otherwise might disagree with a lot of things. There’s a kind of common humanity in these stories and in these songs.”
The Steel Wheels October 9 @ The Bassment $20 - $25 Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372
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bread heaven
Photos courtesy of Adam Hawboldt
Soup and sandwiches don’t get much better than the ones at Earth Bound Bakery and Delicatessen by adam hawboldt
I
n order to have a great sandwich you have to start with great bread. That’s no secret. In fact, it’s pretty close to being a universal truth. Kind of like “Bill Murray is great” or “regular naps prevent old age ... especially if you take them while driving.” So it only makes sense that in order to find an excellent sandwich in
is nothing short of mouth-watering. Pain au levain, whole grain red fife sourdough, hemp and sesame, ciabatta, roasted garlic french — the daily menu at Earth Bound reads like a bread-lover’s dream. And with a few more types available on special each day, there’s never a lack of bread choices for customers. Sitting in the Earth Bound Bakery the other day, listening to soft indie rock waft through the delicatessen and staring at the menu, I couldn’t help but feel a bit giddy. Sure, I’d had their bread before at Weczeria and the St. James Hotel, but here I was at the heart of it all. Where the magic happens. And the smell? Incredible. Growing hungrier and hungrier by the minute, I turned my attention to the lunch board, situated just to the side of the main counter, and decided to go with a bowl of chorizo sausage and roasted corn soup with a tandoori chicken sandwich on baguette.
this city, one should look for a place that makes excellent bread. Enter the Earth Bound Bakery and Delicatessen. At around 1am, every workday morning, owner Trent Loewen and another baker enter Earth Bound and proceed to make bread until the sun comes up. They make 15 different kinds a day in all, and the end result
let’s go drinkin’ Verb’s mixology guide Victorian Gin Punch
Ingredients
Next time you have guests over for a dinner party or just for drinks, why not mix up a batch of these delicious and elegant cocktails. You won’t regret it.
3 lemons 3/4 cup of sugar 1 750-ml bottle of gin 1/2 cup of orange liqueur 1 litre seltzer, chilled
Directions
Using a vegetable peeler, peel long strips of off the lemon. Place the peels in a bowl, add sugar and muddle, then steep for two hours. Juice lemons until you have 3/4 a cup, then pour over the peels. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, then transfer the concoction to a pitcher half-filled with ice. Add gin, orange liqueur and seltzer. Stir again and serve.
Good choice. No — great choice. The baguette is the best I’ve eaten this side of Montreal. The crust was crispy, not flaky (one of the most important things when it comes to baguette), and the taste was just perfect. Slap some savoury tandoori chicken, lettuce and some unbelievably ripe tomatoes in the middle, and you have yourself one heckuva delicious sandwich. Same goes for the soup. The full slices of chorizo gave it a smokey flavour which was perfectly balanced with the sweetness of the roasted corn and the freshness of the herbs. By the time I finished I couldn’t help but think that this
was one of the best soup and sandwich combos I’d had since moving to the city. In the meantime, I’ll be hanging out in the Earth Bound parking lot on October 5th when they celebrate their 5th anniversary with a waffle party. Mmmm … waffles.
Earth Bound Bakery and Delicatessen 1820 8th Street East | (306) 955 2184
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Next Week
coming up
Hanson
GWAR
Monster Truck
@ Odeon Events Centre October 8 – $34.50+
@ Odeon Events Centre Monday, October 7 – $33
@ Odeon Events Centre December 10 – tickets tbd
Remember 1997? Princess Di got into a deadly car accident. Steve Jobs returned to Apple. South Park premiered. The comet Hale-Bopp tore through Earth’s orbit while “MMMBop” by the Hanson brothers was busy tearing up the music charts. Sung by brothers Isaac (guitar/piano/vocals), Taylor (keyboards/piano/guitar/drums/ vocals) and Zac Hanson (drums/piano/ guitar/vocals), the song was nominated for a Grammy and reached #1 in 27 countries around the world. Since then, the brothers have continued making music and garnering fans from around the world. With 12 tours under their belts, the brothers have been nothing if not busy. They just released their latest album, Anthem, later this past June. Don’t miss them! Tickets through www.theodeon.ca
Have you ever seen Gwar perform? If not, stop what you’re doing and YouTube these cats. Seriously: you won’t be disappointed. And you certainly won’t mistake Gwar for any other band you’ve ever seen before. With their elaborate science-fiction/ horror film inspired costumes, obscene lyrics and rather graphic stage performances, this heavy metal four-piece is one of a kind. Originating in Richmond, Virginia, Gwar began turning heads and blowing minds in the late ‘80s. A dozen albums later, and this two-time Grammynominated act is still going strong. Not only is their live show hard rocking, it also lampoons celebrities and current events while managing to drop your jaw to the floor. Trust me: you want to get out to see these guys live! Tickets available at www.theodeon.ca
Monster Truck rocks. They’re long-haired, noble-bearded musicians who know how to make a great song. Echoing the great ‘70s bands, Jeremy Widerman (guitar), John Harvey (lead singer/bass), Brandon Bliss (keyboards) and Steve Kiely (drummer) play riff-heavy rock that’s a throwback to a time when rock and roll really rocked. After releasing two EPs and a collection called Don’t F**k With The Truck, these Hamilton-based rockers put out their first LP, Furiosity, earlier this year. And lemme tell ya, it’s all kinds of good. From “Sweet Mountain River” to “Old Train” to “Boogie,” the songs on Monster Truck’s album are the kind you’ll want to listen to over and over again. They’ll be in Saskatoon in December. Tickets will be available at www.theodeon.ca. – By Adam Hawboldt
Photos courtesy of: the artist/ Libertinus/ the artist
Sask music Preview Applications for the SaskMusic Investment Program, funded by Creative Saskatchewan, are now being accepted! The program enables artists and music industry professionals to enhance their music and/or professional careers. The deadline for Single/Demo Sound Recordings, Commercial Sound Recording, and Marketing Initiatives is November 15, 2013. Applications for Tour Support, Showcase Travel Support, and Industry Travel Support must be submitted at least 21 days prior to the event. For more information, please visit http://www.saskmusic. org/index.php?p=Investment%20Programs Keep up with Saskatchewan music. saskmusic.org
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listings
sept 27 » October 5 The most complete live music listings for Saskatoon. S
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House DJs / 6Twelve Lounge — Funk, soul & lounge DJs liven it up. 9pm / No cover CFCR FM-Phasis ’13 / Amigos — With the Wizards, No Joy and The Moas. 10pm / $7 Piano Fridays: Maurice Drouin / The Bassment — Come check out Drouin tickle the ivories. 4:30pm / No cover Roots Series: Foam Lake / The Bassment — Catchy rock tunes with synth textures. 9pm / $15/$20 DJ Aash Money / Béily’s — It’s a highenergy top 40 dance party every Friday night. 9pm / $5 cover Caught in a Dream / Buds — Start your weekend off right. 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 DJ Big Ayyy & DJ HENCHMAN / Outlaws — Round up your friends. 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 Caught in a Dream / Rock Bottom — An Alice Cooper tribute band. 10pm / Cover TBD Ravewind / Spadina Freehouse — Come 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 Lounge — Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King belt out classic tunes and audience requests. 10pm / $5 Wine Premiere Afterparty / Tequila — Featuring DJ Dislexik. After Premiere / Cover TBD
DJ Nick Ruston / Uncle Barley’s — Come and check him out! 9pm / Cover TBD Basement Paintings / Vangelis — With Jon Vilness. 10pm / $8 Cara Luft / Village Guitar & Amp — With Bella Hardy. 8pm / Cover TBD
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 — These two DJs throw down a dance party every Saturday night. 9pm / $5 cover The Nightrain / Buds on Broadway — A wicked Guns ‘n Roses tribute band. 9pm / Cover TBD SaturGAY Night / Diva’s — Resident DJs spin exclusive dance remixes. 10pm / $5 DJ Kade / The Hose — 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 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 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 Saturday Night Social / Tequila — With Disco Ninjas, Mikey Dubz, Chan-L, Kidalgo. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ Thorpdeo / Uncle Barley’s — Spinning hot tunes all night. 10pm / Cover TBD The Department Heads / Vangelis — With 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 — Pared-down, acoustic tunes. 9pm / No cover
Sunday 29
Industry Night / Béily’s UltraLounge — Hosted by DJ Sugar Daddy; this crowd favourite has always been known to break the latest and greatest tracks in multiple genres. 9pm / $4; no cover for industry staff Five Finger Death Punch / CUC — Badass heavy metal from south of the border. 7pm / $29.50+
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DJ KADE / The Hose — Saskatoon DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover Blues Jam / Vangelis Tavern — The Vangelis Sunday Jam offers great tunes from blues to rock and beyond. 7:30pm / No cover
Monday 30
DJ Audio / Dublins — Spinning dope beats. 9pm / Cover TBD Eamon McGrath, Slow Down Molasses / Vangelis — A night of folk, punk and dream pop. 9pm / $10
Tuesday 1
DJ SUGAR DADDY / The Double Deuce — He is able to rock any party. 9:30pm / $4 DJ Nick Ruston / Dublins — Spinning dope beats. 9pm / Cover TBD Verb presents Open Mic / Rock Bottom — Come and rock the stage! 9pm / No cover Open Mic / The Somewhere Else Pub — Come show your talent. 7pm / No cover
Wednesday 2
HUMP WEDNESDAYS / 302 Lounge & Discotheque — With DJ Chris Knorr. 9pm / No cover until 10pm; $3 thereafter DJ Aash Money / Béily’s — Spinning dope beats all night. 9pm / Cover TBD Indigo Girls / Broadway Theatre — A Grammy-winning duo. 7:30pm / Sold out 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 — 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 — With Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie and Brad King. 10pm / No cover
Thursday 3
Roots Series: Lee Harvey Osmond / The Bassment — A night of psychedelic folk rock you won’t forget. 8pm / $32.50/37.50 Jason Aldean / CUC — A country hit maker from Georgia. 7:30pm / $49.75+ Throwback Thursdays / Earls — Hosted by Dr. J. 8pm / No cover DJ Kade / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover Triple Up Thursdays / Tequila — Featuring DJ Dislexic. 9pm / Cover TBD Sol James / Village Guitar & Amp — Jazz, soul, R&B and funk. 8pm / $10 Open Stage / The Woods — Hosted by Steven Maier. 9pm / No cover
Friday 4
House DJs / 6Twelve Lounge — Funk, soul & lounge DJs liven it up. 9pm / No cover Untimely Demise / Amigos — Also featuring Into Eternity. 10pm / Cover TBD Piano Fridays: Neil Currie / The Bassment — Feel like taking in some smooth jazz stylings? 4:30pm / No cover
U of S Jazz Ensemble / Bassment — Premiering a host of new works. 9pm / $10/$15 DJ Aash Money / Béily’s — DJ Aash Money throws it down. 9pm / $5 cover 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 — It’s all your favourite party hits. 9pm / $5 cover Grandtheft / Louis’ — One of the best live DJs Canada has to offer. 9pm / $15 DJs Big Ayyy & HENCHMAN / Outlaws — Country rock party. 8pm / $5; ladies free before 11pm Freddie and the Axemen / Piggy’s — Rock and roll all night long. 9pm / No cover Allyson Reigh / Prairie Ink — Playing acoustic folk music. 8pm / No cover noddign donkey / Rock Bottom — With Boomlag + more. 8pm / $10 Jones Boys / Stan’s Place — It’ll be a rockin’, rollin’ good time. 9pm / No cover Dueling Pianos / Staqatto — With Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie + Brad King. 10pm / $5 Party Rock Fridays / Tequila — Come tear it up. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ Nick Ruston / Uncle Barley’s — Come and check him out! 9pm / Cover TBD Fisticuffs / Vangelis — With Groenland. 10pm / Cover TBD
Celso Machado / The Bassment — A Brazilian multi-instrumentalist. 9pm / $17/23 DJs Aash Money + Sugar Daddy / Béily’s — These two throw it down. 9pm / $5 cover Brad Johner and the Johner Boys / Broadway Theatre — A 20-year staple of the Canadian music scene. 7pm / $28 SaturGAY Night / Diva’s — Resident DJs spin exclusive dance remixes. 10pm / $5 Orit Shimoni / Gillian Snider’s House — A passionate singer/songwriter. 8pm / $10 DJ Kade / The Hose — Saskatoon’s own DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover DJ Stikman / Jax — Ladies night with the Jax party crew. 9pm / $5 cover DJ Big Ayyy & DJ Henchman / Outlaws — Round up your friends. 8pm / $5 Freddie and the Axemen / Piggy’s — Rock and roll all night long. 9pm / No cover Luke Blu Guthrie / Prairie Ink — Rhythm and blues from Vancouver. 8pm / No cover Amy Bourassa and the Zero Cent Theory / The Refinery — A jazzy, soulful six piece. 7pm / $12/15 (ontheboards.ca)
Good Enough + more / Rock Bottom — A night of hard-charging music. 9pm / $10 Jones Boys / Stan’s Place — It’ll be a rockin’, rollin’ good time. 9pm / No cover Dueling Pianos / Staqatto — With Terry Hoknes, Neil Currie + Brad King. 10pm / $5 DJ Anchor / Sutherland Bar — It’s a 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. 10pm / Cover TBD Ghost Cousin / Vangelis — With Friends of Foes and Joel Cossette. 9pm / Cover TBD Malcolm Holcombe / Village Guitar & Amp — Folk, acoustic, Americana from this talented performer. 8pm / $10
Get listed Have a live show you'd like to promote? Let us know! layout@verbnews.com
Saturday 5
House DJs / 6Twelve — Resident DJs spin soulful tunes all night. 9pm / No cover Blackwater / Amigos — With the Classy Chassys. 10pm / $10 (ticketedge.ca)
21 Sept 27 – Oct 3 @verbsaskatoon
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Clubland Casanova Photo: Courtesy of relativity media
Don Jon marks the arrival of a capable new director — Joseph Gordon-Levitt. by adam hawboldt
J
on Martello, Jr. only cares about a few things in life: his body, his pad, his ride, his family, his church, his boys, his girls, and his porn. Body, pad, ride, family, church, boys, girls, porn. That’s all he’s interested in, and you really get a sense of his passion for these thing in the early goings of Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s new film, Don Jon. Written and directed by GordonLevitt, Don Jon is a raunchy, hilarious rom-com that takes a hard, openhanded satirical swipe at chauvinism and the overblown male ego. Starring JGL in the title roll (yes, he acts in the thing, too!), Don Jon tells the story of a greasy-haired, undershirt-wearing Lothario named Jon Martello, Jr., who goes through women the way a horny teenage boy goes through Kleenex. At the club, Don Jon (a nickname that’s a play on Don Juan) and his boys chill, chat and rate women on a scale of one to “a dime.” Rarely heading home empty handed, Jon keeps a weekly tally of his one-night flings. He also keeps a running tally of his porn-fueled masturbation sessions. Yep. That’s the kind of guy he is. A clubland Casanova with a serious porn addiction (though he would never admit it). Then one night, out with the boys, Jon spots “a dime” at a local club. Her name is Barbara Sugarman (Scarlett
Johansson) and, in true rom-com fashion, Jon falls head over heels for her. He falls for her so hard he tells his friends and family (Tony Danza, Glenne Headly and Brie Larson) that she may be “the one.” But Barbara isn’t easily won over, like so many other conquests in Jon’s life. She toys with him, makes him watch rom-coms, and slowly tries to
Don jon Joseph Gordon-Levitt Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Tony Danza, Julianne Moore Directed by Starring
90 minutes | 18A
porn problem, hooks Jon up with a DVD of vintage ‘70s porn. This is when the movie takes a sharp and meaningful turn. Before Jon meets Esther most of the characters are cartoonish and larger-thanlife in nature (though I’m sure that’s intentional), but afterwards there’s a shift. The characters start to live and breathe, showing real feeling and emotional depth. From there on out the movie really starts to hit the right notes. Filled with racy dialogue, excellent acting and a sparse, tightly-knit script, Don Jon is a bold and provocative directorial debut for Joseph Gordon-Levitt. And while it fails to really delve into the true nature of porn addiction, it’s entertaining and executed well enough to warrant any serious movie fan’s attention — and perhaps even adoration.
…Don Jon is a bold and provocative directorial debut for Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Adam Hawboldt
change his meathead ways. Case in point: when she catches him beating the bishop on the couch while watching porn, she tells him she hates pornography and that he should stop watching it. For a guy like Jon this is basically mission impossible. But he’s so into her, he tries. He also tries going to night school (again, at Barbara’s behest). And it’s there he meets a mysterious older woman named Esther (Julianne Moore) who, after hearing about his
Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372
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ClichÉ meets coarse humour
I Give It a Year is a rom-com with bark, but no bite by adam hawboldt
T
hink of a Hugh Grant movie. Two Weeks Notice, Notting Hill, Love Actually, Bridget Jones’s Diary … doesn’t matter. You know the type of movie I’m talking about. Now think about a Sacha Baron Cohen film: The Dictator, Brüno, Borat … again, it doesn’t matter. You have the two distinct types of movie in mind? Okay, good. Now if you threw them in a blender and held down the pulse button, what you’d get when you took off the lid would be a movie that looked kind of like Dan Mazer’s new rom-com, I Give It a Year. And there’s good reason for that. See, while this rom-com may be Mazer’s directorial debut, previously he spent years writing and collaborating with Sacha Baron Cohen on projects like Brüno and Borat.
Photo: Courtesy of studio canal
… well, you’ll have to watch to see how it ends. But enough about the good parts of the movie. Let’s focus on the bad — mainly the entire plot. I Give It a Year begins with the wedding of Josh (Rafe Spall) and Nat (Rose Byrne). The two have
…the final product is a light-hearted romp infused with some of the most awkward … humour you can think of. Adam Hawboldt
So the final product is a lighthearted romp infused with some of the most awkward and inappropriate humour you can think of. How awkward? Well, there’s pedophilia jokes during a wedding toast, conversations about feces and masturbation at dinner parties, and a gleefully disturbing scene in which Minnie Driver assures people she would absolutely “ruin” Justin Bieber in the sack. Oh, and let’s not forget that I Give It a Year has one of the most ludicrous, cringe-worthy threesome scenes in recent memory. A scene that begins with the line “Chloe’s climbing over” and ends
been dating only seven months, but decide to say “to hell with it” and tie the knot anyway. And from the get-go you know it’s a bad idea (mainly because Nat’s sister, played by Driver, lets the cat out of the bag during the wedding ceremony when she says “I give it a year.”) From there things get progressively worse. We learn that Josh is a lazy novelist with a serious silly bone, while Nat is an uptight adexec with high career aspirations. Naturally, the two are always at each others’ throats, day and night. Then, to complicate things more, Chloe (Anna Faris), Josh’s ex-girlfriend whom he still loves, comes
i give it a year Dan Mazer Starring Rafe Spall, Rose Byrne, Minnie Driver + Anna Faris Directed by
97 minutes | 14A
back into his life while Nat meets a handsome new client (Simon Baker) at work and begins to fall for him. Yet even though the plot is cliché and entirely predictable, even though the raunchy humour wanes as the movie unfolds, and even though there is nary a likable character in the entire film, there’s something about I Give It a Year that keeps it from me saying it was totally a bad flick. Maybe it’s the way Mazer subverts rom-com norms (not waiting an entire movie for the characters to get together, twisting the ending), maybe it’s the fact that the acting is pretty good. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s because I have a soft spot for the Sacha Baron Cohen-esque brand of humour. I Give It a Year is currently being screened at Roxy Theatre.
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saturday, September 21 @
the Long branch
The Long Branch 806 Idylwyld Drive North (306) 665 6500
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saturday, september 21 @
colonial
Colonial Bar & Grill 1301 8th St East (306) 343 8881
Photography by opalsnaps.com
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Š Elaine M. Will | blog.E2W-Illustration.com | Check onthebus.webcomic.ws/ for previous editions!
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timeout timeout
crossword canadian criss-cross 36. Have to your name 37. Do the hokey-pokey 39. Application question, often 40. Make a leg useless 42. Colouring substance 43. Release forcibly 44. Hope to be 46. With something of the same sort 48. Angry 49. Work with watercolours 50. Money for the landlord 51. Use a keyboard
OWN D 1. Absorbent material 2. It comes in and it goes out daily 3. Together with 4. Like an animal 5. Fake a situation 6. Sphere 7. A skate is one 8. Military command 9. Seat for one 11. Opposite of exit 12. ___-bodied seaman 14. Communicate with a Blackberry 17. Beyond what is normal 20. Like notebook paper 21. Vicious elephant
24. Make ready sudoku answer key 26. Check for accuracy A 28. Proof of purchase 29. Result of a serious head injury 30. Just covered with water 31. Concealed shooter 33. Plunder 34. Contract negotiator 35. Obscene B 38. Proficient 41. Itsy-bitsy biter 43. Curling team captain 45. Baseball score 47. Negative vote
9 3 7 5 8 1 4 2 6 5 1 2 6 7 4 3 8 9 4 6 8 9 2 3 5 1 7 6 5 3 1 9 7 2 4 8 7 8 4 2 3 5 9 6 1 2 9 1 8 4 6 7 5 3 3 7 5 4 6 8 1 9 2 1 2 6 7 5 9 8 3 4 8 4 9 3 1 2 6 7 5
1. Hurt with a knife 5. A chesterfield is one 9. Hinged back of a book 10. Hackneyed 12. In disagreement 13. Missing 15. Doggy treat 16. Harbour vessel 18. Feel antipathy towards 19. Long piece of a tree trunk 20. Challenge for a shortstop 22. Gender 23. Mournful 25. Not hidden 27. Increase in size 29. Hindu social class 32. Not taking sides
1 4 7 9 3 5 8 6 2 2 8 9 6 1 4 3 5 7 5 3 6 7 8 2 9 1 4 7 2 5 4 9 6 1 3 8 4 1 3 5 2 8 7 9 6 6 9 8 3 7 1 4 2 5 8 7 2 1 5 9 6 4 3 9 5 4 8 6 3 2 7 1 3 6 1 2 4 7 5 8 9
ACROSS
© walter D. Feener 2013
Horoscopes September 27 – October 3
Aries March 21–April 19
Leo July 23–August 22
Sagittarius November 23–December 21
Pamper yourself this week, Aries. A bubble bath, a good bottle of wine, a shopping spree. Go ahead. You deserve it.
This threatens to be one of those really tense weeks, Leo. Don’t let it get to you or break your spirits. Take a deep breath and know it will soon pass.
Your energy and enthusiasm this week will be infectious, Sagittarius, so get out there and mingle. You could meet an interesting person.
Taurus April 20–May 20
Virgo August 23–September 22
Capricorn December 22–January 19
Are you facing a dilemma at the moment, Taurus? If so, take a step back and examine the situation. It may not be as dire as you think.
Is there something that’s been eating away at you? Something you haven’t told anyone? If so, confide in others this week.
Someone might seriously misunderstand you this week, Capricorn. Don’t let it lead to a blow up. Speak calmly, but hold your ground.
Gemini May 21–June 20
Libra September 23–October 23
Aquarius January 20–February 19
It’s time to get creative, Gemini. Like, literally get creative. Try to unearth your inner artist this week and watch what happens.
Big news could be on the horizon, Libra. Be ready for it, or else it may very well throw you for a spin. Get ready for the ride!
Change is in the air, Aquarius, no doubt about it. But it’s up to you whether that change will be positive or negative.
Cancer June 21–July 22
Scorpio October 24–November 22
Pisces February 20–March 20
A little peace and quiet will go a long way this week. Make sure you find time for yourself, Cancer. Things could get chaotic pretty soon.
Here’s a secret: this week you’ll be happiest if you can march to the beat of your own drummer. Do what works for you and to heck with the rest.
Something exciting is in the cards for this week, Pisces, but it might not be as obvious as you’d think. Make sure you’re tuned in so you don’t miss it.
sudoku 1 9 5 6 2 9 3 5 3 8 2 4 9 6 1 4 1 3 8 7 9 8 7 5 8 7 1 4 3 4 6 2 6 2 7 5
crossword answer key
A
1 6 5 2 6 7 9 4 8 2 5 1 5 3 1 4 8 2 9 2 9 8 6 3 7 5 4 8 9 1 7 3 4 3 6 7
B
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