Verb Issue S283 (Mar. 28-Apr. 3, 2014)

Issue #283 – March 28 to April 3

arts

culture

music

saskatoon

kenny vs. spenny

+

leonard lee Lee Valley founder brings SK roots to successful business slates AB punk rockers take the road less travelled noah + at middleton Films reviewed­

Photo: courtesy of the artist

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on the cover:

kenny vs. spenny

Behind the comedy 16/ feature Photo: courtesy of the artist

NEWs + Opinion

immunize or bust

the life of leonard lee CEO on running a successful

Our thoughts on vaccinating kids.

business 4 / Local

8 / Editorial

getting an indie movie made Making movies with Indiecan. 6 / Local

comments Here’s your say on privatizing food service in jail. 10 / comments

culture

Q + A with steve brockley band On their big year. 12 / Q + A

a little bit of everything asian

the road less traveled Slates do things

We visit Sakura Asian Garden.

their way 14 / Arts

18 / Food + Drink

re-imagining the world Core Series fuses art and music. 15 / ARTS

Music The Kin, The Head and The Heart + Gordon Lightfoot. 19 / music

entertainment

listings Local music listings for March 28 through April 5. 20 / listings

noah + at middleton

on the bus Weekly original comic illustrations

by Elaine M. Will. 30 / comics

The latest movie reviews. 22 / Film

Nightlife Photos

Games + Horoscopes

We visited O’Shea’s + Crazy Cactus.

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

24 / Nightlife

HOMES Bedrooms, bathrooms + beyond

verbnews.com @verbsaskatoon facebook.com/verbsaskatoon Please recycle after reading & sharing

32 / Homes

Editorial

Business & Operations

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

Office Manager / Stephanie Lipsit account Manager / nathan holowaty sales Manager / Vogeson Paley Financial Manager / Cody Lang

ART & Production

Comments / feedback@verbnews.com / 306 881 8372

contact advertise / advertise@verbnews.com / 306 979 2253

Design Lead / andrew yanko graphic designer / bryce kirk Contributing Photographers / Patrick Carley + Adam Hawboldt

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

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The life of Leonard Lee

Founder of Lee Valley Tools brings things full circle

by ADAM HAWBOLDT

P

icture it: Saskatchewan in the 1930s.

Our province is a veritable dust bowl. The land is ravaged by drought. Hail hammers crops, while grasshoppers feast on whatever is left. Millions of acres of wheat are destroyed, leaving people broke and desperate. There’s little money to go around, and few jobs to be had. Hard times have come, and they aren’t leaving any time soon.

It’s against this backdrop that Leonard G. Lee was brought into the world. The year was 1938 — the tail end of the Dirty Thirties. Lee was

born on a farm near the tiny hamlet of Algrove — a hamlet that was located in east-central Saskatchewan, but no longer exists today. The youngest of three boys, he was raised in a log cabin without electricity or running water.

These were tough times for Lee and his family, but somehow they always seemed to make due.

“Like most people in the ‘30s and early ‘40s, we didn’t have any money,” remembers Lee. “But what we were good at was cooperating with each other, with other farmers.

It was standard that if you were butchering a pig in the summer —

since there was no electricity you couldn’t freeze it or anything — what you would do is contact your neighbours and get them to come over and take a chunk of your pig.

When they butchered a pig, they’d invite you over to do the same.”

Communal, cooperative living was just a way of life for the people of Algrove. They depended on each other to make ends meet. If they needed gas or equipment for their farms, they bought their supplies at the local Co-op.

Little did Lee know it then, but this way of life would one day lead to the creation of (and directly influContinued on next page »

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ence the way he runs) a multimillion dollar enterprise. An enterprise he called Lee Valley Tools.

Before he became the founder and CEO of Lee Valley Tools — one of the largest woodworking and gardening tool companies in North America — before he founded Algrove Publishing or Veritas Tools or was ever made a member of the Order of Canada, Leonard Lee wore many different hats.

He was a topographical surveyor. He was a student at the Royal Roads Military College in Victoria.

For a brief period, he trained to be a pilot. He studied economics at Queen’s University in Ontario, spent time as a foreign servant in both Chicago and Peru, and worked on the Hill in Ottawa.

Now in his late 70s, Lee looks back on these days — his formative years in the adult world — sometimes with fondness. Sometimes, though, he looks back with a mischievous chuckle. “When I was a cadet wing commander in college, I had this miserable old brigadier general,” remembers Lee, recalling his days at the Royal Military College in Kingston. “I always felt like telling him to stick his stripes up his butt … but I never did.”

About his days working for the federal government, he says, “I just got disgusted with it all. They simply didn’t know how to manage people.”

When Lee talks, you listen. He has a slow and measured voice, one that

commands attention. A voice infused with gravely, hard-spun wisdom.

Over the course of two different phone conversations, Lee talks about a lot of things. He talks with fondness about a book his publishing company released called The Great Saskatchewan Fowl Supper and Literary Contest. About a school teacher in Algrove who used to stay at his house during winters and tell him stories.

About hunting crows for a five-cent bounty and the role the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation played in his parents’ lives.

But most of all Lee talks about Lee Valley Tools — the business he grew from a small home-based operation into a company with more than a dozen stores across the country.

“It started with me selling barrel stove kits,” remembers Lee. “The school I went to in Algrove had a 45 gallon drum converted into a stove, so when I was still working with the federal government I started a business selling those. I was putting ads for these stove kits in rural magazines. We wanted to see if we could sell these things by mail. And we could!”

Six months later Lee left his job with the government.

As a child, he remembers his dad doing a lot of woodworking. It became a hobby of Lee’s, and as soon as his barrel stove business was sold, he got into the woodworking and tools racket.

That was in 1978.

Just like the barrel stove venture, this too was a mail-order business. But then, a few years later in 1981, a strange thing happened.

There was a six-week long national post strike. This didn’t sit well with Lee or his burgeoning business (which was losing about $1,000 a day because of the strike). After taking out a full-page ad in the newspaper venting his frustration about the situation, Lee made an executive decision to open a retail store. Then another. And another.

These days, Lee Valley Tools has over a dozen retail outlets across the nation, spanning from Victoria to Halifax, and employing more than 850 people.

And keeping true to his Algrove roots, to this day Lee fosters a culture of community and co-operation in his tool empire.

“Growing up in Algrove, I was accustomed to Co-ops. That’s where we got our food, our equipment, our gasoline,” says Lee, his voice measured. “At the end of the year, they’d give you credit. So, in a sense, it was really like profit sharing. So I decided that we were going to do the same thing. We were going to take 25 per cent of our gross profits and give it to the employees in equal shares. The janitor gets the same amount as the CEO.” Lee’s community-building within his business didn’t stop there; he also aligned the pay slope so that “nobody in the company gets paid

more than 10 times the lowestpaid employee.” Which is a bold, magnanimous move in this day and age. A day and age in which the average ratio between the highest and lowest paid employees in Canada’s biggest companies was a staggering 122-to-one in 2012.

But that’s just the kind of guy, the kind of boss, Leonard Lee is — one who cares for his employees and wants to create a community

in the workplace. Kind of like the community he was born into in eastern-central Saskatchewan all those years ago.

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Getting an indie movie made A trio of Saskatchewan filmmakers turns to a new program to get their vision off the ground by ADAM HAWBOLDT

I

t really was a no-brainer for them.

Fresh out of film school, they were presented with an opportunity that a lot of movie makers in their early 20s don’t get: the opportunity to make a feature film with some influential, established backing.

In case you’re wondering who “they” are, we’re talking about Matt Yim, Allan Roeher, and Matthieu Belanger, three friends who met in the University of Regina film program.

And the opportunity they were presented with? To make their indie movie Basic Human Needs, thanks to a program called the Indiecan 10K Film Initiative — a nationwide competition held to help aspiring indie movie makers get their films on the big screen.

The three guys had heard about the program a couple of months ago through Mark Montague, a guy Allan had done an internship with while in school. And from the get-go, it was something they were keen on.

“We didn’t hesitate,” says Roeher, the producer of the film. “Sure, we wanted to know the parametres of the project. We wanted to know what the process was going to be like through the whole year. But once we checked the [Indiecan 10K] website and talked to Avi [Federgreen, the founder of Indiecan Entertainment], we decided this was something we definitely wanted to do.”

After the initial decision was made, things happened rather quickly. Matt Yim — the writer/director of the film — had four weeks to write a script. A cover letter had to be constructed, and team bios had to be put together.

It was a very rushed, at times disorganized, month. But when the dust settled, Yim, Roeher and Belanger got their proposal together and submitted it.

That was the easy part.

Stories are central to our existence, and are common to every known culture. They create an intimate link between the storyteller and his or her audience. Stories intrigue us, inspire us, and inform us. They cultivate our imagination and open new worlds.

It was a love of stories and storytelling that led Avi Federgreen to launch Indiecan Entertainment in 2011.

to help first-time feature filmmakers from Nova Scotia to British Columbia pursue their dreams.

The way it works is simple. Any Canadian-based filmmaker can enter.

All they have to do is send in a complete proposal (much like the one Yim, Roeher and Belanger submitted) and wait for the final selections to be made. This year, seven films

I wrote most of [the script] in the middle of the night, full of coffee. matt yim

A filmmaker for nearly two decades, Federgreen created the company with one simple goal in mind — to provide Canadians with movies they wanted to watch.

“There are more than 200 indie films made in Canada each year, less than 10% of which are distributed,” says Federgreen on his Indiecan website.

“Many of them deserve an audience.

First-time feature filmmakers are trying to establish a career, and if their work can’t be seen then it’s tough to get money for the next project.”

Enter the Indiecan 10K Film initiative, an inaugural plan that aims

were selected from seven different provinces — British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario and, of course, Saskatchewan.

And according to Federgreen, Saskatchewan’s entry, Basic Human Needs, was selected because it was “a great idea for a screenplay and that the screenplay was on its way to being a great script.

“The team is passionate,” adds Federgreen, “and will make the film the best it can be.”

Pretty encouraging words for a team of up-and-coming local film-

makers who are still relatively new to the game.

“Miles and Audrey are recent university graduates whose intelligence and emotional sensitivity can’t make up for their debilitating lack of ambition. Although they claim to have plans of moving away — from Regina to either Toronto, Montreal, or any other city that might intrigue them on a particular day — they do nothing proactive to get there.

Instead, they remain fixated on their own fantasies of an ideal grownup life; that is, until adulthood is abruptly thrust upon them over the course of one life-altering week.”

That’s the synopsis provided in the proposal packet for Basic Human Needs. But if you ask Matt Yim, the film’s writer, he’ll tell you that some things have changed. “That first script, it was written so quickly,” says Yim. “It was very stressful. I only had about four weeks. I wrote most of it in the middle of the night, full of coffee.”

“So what, you’re saying that it was like passing a kidney stone?” jokes Belanger, the film’s other producer.

Yim chuckles and says, “Yeah, that first draft was a real pain in the ass. It’s still going through revisions.

The story is still about stagnation, in general. People who are aspiring to be better, yet not always making an effort to do that. But by the time we end up shooting, maybe three quarters of the original script might be changed.”

As of now, their vision for the script is kind of up in the air. But they’ll soon meet with Federgreen, get his input, and figure out what the expectations of the Indiecan 10K Film Initiative actually are. After that, it’s back to the revision board.

Filming is slated for the summer, then post-production will follow, all before the final version is completed by the December 31st deadline.

Any way you look at it, it’s going to be a busy year for the trio behind Basic Human Needs. A year they’re all looking forward to.

“We know that, especially at our age, not many people get to make a feature film so we’re all pretty excited,” says Roeher. “We know there’s going to be a lot of work to put into it, but we can’t take this opportunity for granted. It’s such a great opportunity.”

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Immunize or bust Vaccinating kids against preventable diseases just makes sense

I

t seems almost ludicrous that vaccinating against a host of preventable diseases is even up for debate, yet here we are, in 2014, staring down outbreaks of polio and measles — diseases that have previously been eradicated and are now making something of a comeback.

Why? Well, because people are choosing not to get immunized. Let us be clear: this is extremely dangerous. None of us live in a vacuum; an unvaccinated person can spread diseases around an otherwise healthy population, not to mention become very sick themselves.

Which is why we believe that unless a kid is allergic to something contained in the immunization shot, he or she should have to get vaccinated.

So why the resistance to a straightforward, health-saving measure?

Well, part of it can be traced back to 1998, when Andrew Wakefield had an article published in The Lancet, a medical journal in the U.K. In it, Wakefield claimed he’d done the research and found a link between autism and the MMR vaccination (which protects against measles, mumps and rubella). Parents flew into a panic, and calls to stop or at least delay the immunization of children echoed around the globe.

These are calls that still echo to this day. So much so that there are regions in our country where the immunization rate has fallen below 50 percent (in case you’re wondering, a 95 percent immunization rate is required to protect our communities from the resurgence of deadly and infectious disease). In fact, in Saskatchewan only 63 percent of children under the age of five are being vaccinated.

Which would be understandable, if Wakefield’s findings had been accurate. However, they were not. After a careful review, the British medical ethics board found that he had manipulated evidence. Other scientists tried to duplicate his results, but couldn’t. As a result, in 2010 Wakefield’s findings were deemed flawed and fraudulent.

As Mark Sawyer, a pediatrician and infectious disease specialist in San Diego puts it: “One person’s research has set us back a decade.”

And one look at the numbers will confirm that. See, in 1994 Canada was certified as a “polio free” country. Since then, random cases of polio have cropped up in regions of British Columbia where non-vaccinated people came in contact with infected visitors.

The resurgence of measles, on the other hand, has been far more Continued on next page »

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insidious. In its heyday, between 1950-1954, measles affected roughly 307 people each year, with a peak number of annual cases reaching as high as 61,370.

By 2002, measles was considered “eliminated in the WHO Region of the Americas.” Since then, though, it has been re-emerging in endemic fashion.

In 2007 there was an outbreak that lasted 24 weeks and affected 94 people in Quebec. In the spring of 2010, there was an outbreak of 82 confirmed cases in B.C. In 2011, there were 750 cases of measles in Canada.

Then, earlier this month, 228 cases of measles were confirmed in the eastern parts of British Columbia’s Fraser Valley. The disease has also cropped up in PEI, London, Ontario and across southern Alberta.

This is why we need to challenge the anti-vaxxer platform as a com-

mendable means of protecting our kids and call it out for what it is: a dangerous precedent that can harm our children — and anyone they come in contact with.

The MMR vaccine has been shown to be safe, and serious adverse reactions are rare. It’s time to embrace sound medical advice from qualified health-care professionals, and immunize our kids.

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 privatizing food service in our correctional facilities. Here's what you had to say:

text yo thoughtsur to 881 ve r B 8372

– Food services were privatized at the university and hospitals. The result poorer quality higher costs to the users. Cooking gives some inmates purpose inside.

– Imagine for a moment the level of pain, despair and hopelessness a human being must feel to seek relief from a can of Lysol! God! Doesn’t anybody else get this?

– Entrepeneurs and business types who are the real deal don’t get involved in gov’t’ hijack public funds or privatize public institutions.

Wannabe losers do!

– The Bible is sexist! Eve was to blame for losing Eden. It doesn’t trace matriarchial lineage. Other examples. I know its not God’s words! (I’m a guy.)

– Private food services for correctional services is stupid, the incarcerated should be growing there own and cooking it up. Attainment of skills is a good thing...

– One hundred years ago WW I started in Eastern Europe- history need not be cyclical -

– I work in the kitchen at corrections and I teach the inmates a new trade. How is that not apart of corrections now I’m about to lose my job my future and my pension.

A why the federal gov. Failed at it as is going back to union so why is our government about to make the same mistake????

OFF TOPIC – Lundstrom is completely correct in saying the police will abuse their power with the new marijuana grow laws. He is also completely correct with government greed (that we all know) Why can’t we just leave these hurting people alone?

In response to “Green Bud Down,” Local, #282 (March 21, 2014)

sound off

– Hard work talk is BS! Don’t ever buy into it. In a long life all the hard jobs paid crap n nobody liked em. All the easy jobs paid well n were interesting, fun.

– Issues in Crimea are heating up.

I applaud our government for taking sanctions against Russia and Putin this needs to be stopped

– Harper and his kind of Canuck love to get Canada’s face way into scenes like Afghanistan and Crimea for “Humanitarian!” reasons. But not Sudan??? Hmmm!

– Can’t believe they still haven’t found that plane starting to think there’s more going on then they are telling us how does a whole entire plane go missing and just not be found? Doesn’t make any sense. There’s more here that’s for sure!

– There should be one day of the week that nobody goes shopping.

Society has become so busy that people can barely relax anymore.

– I have a big question. Why don’t people talk about the crappy bus service we have? The bus drivers fly through their route and stop at one bus stop for 10-15 mins. Do ur route proper and maybe more people would take a bus. WH

– Got a bread machine mix with an expiry date of Sept 1999 from the food bank. Quit going there.

Dysfunctional concept. Not worth all the time and effort!

– I wonder if Gormley can explain how the head of Sun Media can run as a PQ candidate in the Quebec election. Who really benefits from the breakup of Canada?

– It is so dirty and awful out when do the street sweepers come out?

There’s rocks flying everywhere.

– Hunger Games and Paralympics at the same time. Someone must have this idea too, ParaHunger Games!

– There is no benefit to having a liquor store near a residential area other than making a profit for the business. Liquor messes up people’s lives and communities.

– I would love to see a little more understanding and compassion among everyone and a little less finger pointing and crappy attitudes. We all have to get along!

Next week: What do you think about immunizing your children?

Text in your thoughts to Verb to get in on the conversation.

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

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Beyond the fringes

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The Steve Brockley Band’s new record, LeBoeuf, expands on traditional folk with rock and blues

by Alex J MacPherson Continued on next page »

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T

he Steve Brockley Band’s latest album is one of the most eclectic Canadian records of the year.

Compared to the band’s eponymous 2010 debut, LeBoeuf finds the British Columbia-based trio expanding its sound beyond the fringes of folk music. On the new record, Brockley, drummer Leon Power, and bassist Erik Nielsen draw on a wide array of influences, including elements of rock and roll, bluegrass, rockabilly, and the blues. Brockley has always considered himself a folk musician and songwriter, but LeBoeuf shows just how rich his palette can be. In other words, Brockley’s musical vision may be rooted in the narrative tradition of folk music, but that doesn’t mean he’s afraid to plug an electric guitar into an overdriven tube amp. The upshot is that no two songs on LeBoeuf sound the same. The tender “Lost In The City” is completely different from the misanthropic “Captain Joe” which marks a huge departure from the bouncy “Classic Car” and the relentlessly propulsive spiritual “Work.” The only thread linking the songs is Brockley’s ability to craft

we did it live off the floor. I think we recorded and mixed it in two or three days. Whereas with this one, we had a couple of weeks to do all that. We spent the first couple days just working on getting the sounds right, just finding the right place to put the drums in the room that sounded the best. We experimented with different microphones and different placements.

Same goes with the bass and with the guitar, getting all those sounds figured out. Once we were comfortable, we just got to spend the rest of the time playing music.

AJM: LeBoeuf sounds very live, very raw, but is it difficult to balance spontaneity against the desire to spend lots of time getting tones and so on?

SB: My approach to recording is I do want it to sound like the band, and I want it to sound real and fresh. That can be a challenge. The longer you spend in the studio, the more you’re going to [over-think] it. It’s also hard to say when something’s done, because there’s always imperfections that as the person recording on it, you’re going to hear those imperfections more than anyone else. It’s nice to have other

I just feel lucky if I’m writing anything, you know? steve brockley

moving stories — and frame them with interesting, engaging music.

Last week, I spoke with Brockley about making the new album, his fondness for narrative-driven folk, and how audiences should react to a record on which no two songs are the same.

Alex J MacPherson: You made your first record in Montreal. LeBoeuf was recorded in Vancouver. What was making it like compared to the last one?

Steve Brockley: It was an awesome musical experience. It was the first time that we got to spend, actually settle in to a studio setting. The first record,

ears to tell you, ‘that was a good take, let’s leave it,’ instead of just wanting to redo and redo. That’s one of the [great things about] having a producer such as John [Raham] — we both go for the same types of sounds, and it was nice to have an objective listener.

AJM: It seems to have worked out okay.

The album sounds really good — it’s thick and powerful in places but it never feels crowded.

SB: That definitely was the approach, and has been the approach with the songs that I write. I like space. We all kind of agree on liking space. It’s nice to keep some. I think that space is as valuable as anytime there’s sound, you know? I think that’s the way we play

live naturally, anyway, and it’s nice to not try to do something different than that in the recording process.

AJM: Is that one of the reasons you’ve resisted the urge to add another player to the trio?

SB: That’s one of the reasons, for sure.

We do like the sound we get as a trio.

We don’t feel like in the live show that we’re lacking any sounds that we wish we had. It’s not because we can’t have someone else play with it: we like it the way it is, we like our dynamic, and adding another person would be a whole new challenge — not just musically, but with the dynamics of the band.

it — let it grow. And it turned into those ten songs, you know?

AJM: How closely is that storytelling element tied to the idea of folk music?

Your last album sounded more like a folk record, but this one seems to be built on the same basic idea.

SB: I mean, there’s huge parts of me, musically, that aren’t confined to traditional folk. But when I started writing songs, they started coming out sounding like folk music. And it wasn’t because that was all I listened to or all I was into. So it’s kind of narrow to say I only write folk songs. I love music.

The first record, it would have been easier to say it was folk. And now, this

last record is getting more into what I’d call rock and roll, which is what I’m writing now and which is what I’m hoping to be recording coming up. It’s all rooted in the same thing, but I’m becoming aware of the labeling giving preconceptions or even misconceptions. So the labeling is something I’m struggling with.

Steve Brockley Band April 7 @ Village Guitar & Amp Co. $TBA Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

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AJM: The songs on this record are really, really diverse. “Boots and Tattoos” is basically a rock track, “See You Again” is just singing and a finger-picked guitar, and “Classic Car” has a rockabilly feel to it — just to name a few. Did making a really eclectic record worry you?

SB: That’s definitely something I thought about, looking back on the record. The variety, in a way, is something I like and am proud of. But in other ways, I’m not always sure it’s the most cohesive-sounding project. I didn’t write the album with a specific theme; they were just kind of the next ten songs that I wrote that I liked.

Some people will make a record that has a specific theme, and try to keep a certain prevailing feel throughout the whole record. It’s not that there’s a completely different feel throughout the record, but there are differences, and I’m alright with that because I’m proud of the songs. But I don’t know if I’d always do it that way.

AJM: What do you think ties the songs together?

SB: I think that there’s a storytelling element that links the songs together.

That’s something that runs true with all those songs on the record, all those different stories. It’s kind of unfiltered, I guess, which is why it came out the way it did. I didn’t write something and say: that’s not a Steve Brockley song or something. I just tried to let the songs happen. I just feel lucky if I’m writing anything, you know? If you’ve got something going on, don’t try and kill

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The Road Less Traveled Photos: courtesy of Rosalind Christian

Edmonton punk rockers Slates head off the beaten path on Taiga

by Alex J MacPherson

S

lates has spent the last six years taking the road less traveled.

Unlike many Canadian bands, the Edmonton-based punk quartet rarely opts for the usual route. The band’s first tour was not a jaunt across western Canada, but a series of dates stretching from one end of the European continent to the other. Since its formation in 2008, Slates has logged more hard miles and played shows in more countries than many much more experienced outfits. But according to drummer Dallas Thompson, venturing into the unknown has become a vital part of Slates’ identity — and an integral part of the band’s new album, a collection of hyper-literate punk songs called Taiga.

“There’s definitely an allure in exploring the uncharted territory,” Thompson says of the band’s quest to find the horizon. “I’m not bagging on anybody who chooses to stick around the safe, more known parts of North America. But I think we’re all just really interested in learning from experience.

And you can only learn so much if you stay on the road more travelled.” After a pause he adds: “I think we’re fortunate enough to be able to experience the world through music and through playing music, and I think we just want to use that to its potential.”

Slates cut Taiga at the Electrical Audio studios in Chicago, Illinois. The album was engineered by Steve Albini, a music industry legend whose résumé includes records by the Pixies, Nirvana, and Godspeed You! Black Emperor. According to Thompson, the band spent almost six months rehearsing for six days of studio time. “We didn’t really want to clown around while we were

there,” he says. “We were pretty much fired up as soon as we got to the studio.

Day one, [Albini] had the mics set up, and we banged through three or four songs in a take or two.”

This pace continued more or less unbroken until the record was finished. The only exception was “Minarets,” one of the most unusual songs in the band’s catalogue, which took the best part of two days to finish.

Hugely ambitious and unrelentingly bleak, the slow burn of “Minarets” hints at how Slates has evolved since its last record, 2011’s Prairie Fires.

Thompson describes the new album as “more measured” than its predecessor. Taiga also dispenses with major-key choruses, replacing them with big, heavy grooves — grooves fueled by the twin guitars of James Stewart and Stefan Duret, as well as the grinding bass lines provided by newcomer Lee Klippenstein.

But Slates has never been content to stay in one place for long; after six years of hard touring, a musical shift was probably inevitable. “It probably sounds arrogant of me to say this [but] it would probably be easy to write a poppy record,” Thompson says. “We all love poppy music. We’re fans of lots of bands that play poppy stuff. But we’re interested in exploring new avenues, getting better musically, being a better band. The relationships get strengthened when you are challenged and you can kind of rise to the occasion.”

This is exactly what happened on Taiga, which in addition to representing a major sonic shift is also the most lyrically and thematically sophisticated album Slates has ever recorded.

Stewart, who writes most of the words, has always been good at capturing a big idea in a few trenchant

phrases. Taiga weaves history, memory, and experience into a moving tapestry of love, loss, and displacement. The first single, “Vérité,” adapts a filmmaking technique to tell the stories of two tragic figures, Joan of Arc and Marguerite Pitré, the last woman hanged for murder in Canada. “Metelko St.,” on the other hand, explores some of the band’s stranger road stories, including an unforgettable night in Berlin featuring chain-smoking fans and the truncheons and shields of a riot squad.

The song also includes memories of a trip through Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. “That whole experience was incredibly bleak,” Thompson says, “being in a city where the whole city is experiencing a form of post-traumatic stress disorder twenty years later.”

This is the key to unlocking Taiga, which suggests a sort of postmodern disorder of its own. The album’s lyrics hint at the anxiety, alienation, and socioeconomic uncertainty felt by so many people around the world. This is evident on “Minarets,” a cutting story about being lost in foreign place, and not just geographically. But Taiga is not all bleak and unforgiving. From despair springs redemption, and most of the songs find hope in the raw power of exposed human material. On “Vérité” Stewart sings, “I see the fire reflected in your eyes / Joan of Arc, Joan of Arc / Dances on the hot coals in joy.”

Slates April 5 @ Amigos Cantina Tickets available at the door Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

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Re-imagining The World Core Series fuses music and art into a kaleidoscopic exploration of identity and culture by Alex J MacPherson

Photos: courtesy of Devin McAdam

T

he Core Series marks the intersection of two very different art forms.

By fusing contemporary chamber music and new media artwork, the series challenges expectations about both disciplines — and poses important questions about the world we live in. According to Erin Brophey, principal oboist with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, the series is an extension of the responsibilities of any artist. “We are part of the community and our job is to enrich the community,” she says.

“So if that means that we come to where the audience is, that’s our job.” And one of those spaces is the Riversdale gallery, Paved Arts.

The idea that spawned the series sprang from a conversation between Brophey and Biliana Velkova, a longtime contributor to the Saskatoon arts community and former artistic director at Paved. “I was really attracted to the events that Paved was holding,” Brophey says. “I find that they pursue really interesting programming.

Because of my profession, I thought: ‘Gosh, there’s got to be a way that the Symphony and Paved could collaborate and sort of explore the visual side of music.’” What emerged was a series that combined chamber music and new media to create an immersive experience — one that expands the definition of what classical music and new media can be.

Mating music and visual art is not a particularly innovative idea in itself; artists have been pairing their work with music for decades. But the Core Series joins the two disciplines in an unconventional way. In most cases, music is used to create a backdrop for whatever visuals happen to be on display; it is the art, and not the music, that is the main attraction. This series, on the other hand, uses the art to augment the music. “Instead of the music serving the visual, they’re equal partners in the live performance experience,” Brophey says. This allows the broad themes of the concert to play out not just on a screen, but in the interactions between the art and the music.

The latest program is titled ReImagined. It features selections from a number of Canadian composers, including Blago Simeonov, Milton Barnes, and Janet Gieck. According to Brophey, the main theme is the idea of culture, and what it means to be from somewhere. Because many of the composers were born abroad but live and work in Canada, their music reflects both past and present — where they came from and where they are. The same is true of the visual art, which was curated by Leah Taylor and features works by Amalie Atkins, Allison Hrabluik, and Nick and Sheila Pye. “Leah has taken this idea of culture and folk and tried to source visuals that also explore sort of a folk element,”

Brophey says. “I think it’s a little bit clearer in art what folk art means. And when you look at folk music, what I mean is taking melodies or ideas — the idea of a particular culture — and trying to capture that in a classical music form.” Together, the music and the art explore notions of place, home, and belonging — ideas that anybody can identify with, particularly since both sides of the show are exclusively Cana-

dian. “It’s really interesting to hear such diversity in the sounds that represent our folk sound in Canada,” Brophey says. “And [Taylor] chose artists that she felt represented the diversity of different perspectives of folk art in the media arts.”

Re-Imagined offers more than just an unusual glimpse of how music and art can combine to create something greater than the sum of its parts, however. Because the event space is so intimate, the audience will be able to see how musicians and artists work to create art in real time. Hearing a symphony orchestra perform in a large concert hall is a valuable experience, but a chamber music context — ReImagined features just ten players — gives an unparalleled view of how each musician plays his or her instrument. The same is true of the visual artists, who move their practice from an empty studio into a crowded room.

Perhaps most importantly, ReImagined undermines the idea that certain arts must be experienced in certain ways. By bringing together disciplines and ideas, the Core Series

challenges the way we think about not only the local arts community, but also the nature of collaboration and the value of live performance. And because Re-Imagined focuses on the broad idea of culture, it offers a chance to reflect on something that is always evolving. “I think it’s exploring a little bit of the ideas we have about who we are and where we come from, and how our specific cultural experiences inform us individually but also as a collective,” Brophey says. “Any moment of self-reflection, I think, makes for a richer society. And I think that’s what folk art represents: an opportunity to reflect on who we are and … where we’re going.”

Core Series IV: Re-Imagined April 4+ 5 @ Paved Arts $15 @ Picatic.com

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

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Feature

Kenny vs. Spenny Competition comedy’s creator on success, morality, and a dysfunctional relationship by Alex J MacPherson

R

ules are for people who need them. That is the lesson of Kenny vs. Spenny, according to one of its creators. “When we started the show I thought, oh great, everyone’s going to think I’m a cheater and I’m f**ked,” says Kenny Hotz, a photographer, filmmaker, and comedian from Toronto who teamed up with Spencer Rice to create Kenny vs. Spenny, one of the most popular Canadian comedies ever produced. “I was willing to deal with that,” he continues, “but it turned out that Spenny’s a moralist, an evangelist, and the fact that he cares about these things that mean nothing makes him look like an idiot. The fact that he gets so angry about who can lift more weight when it doesn’t even f**king matter is the greatest thing.” In other words, Kenny vs. Spenny is much more than a television comedy: it is an exegesis of the world we inhabit, an examination of what matters to whom, and why.

Kenny Hotz has been making films and photographs for decades.

By the mid-1990s, he was an established documentary filmmaker and news photographer. His portfolio includes photo essays on Auschwitz, Dachau, and the aftermath of the Waco siege; in 1991, he travelled to the Middle East to cover the Gulf War. “I was always interested in the news and human disasters,” he says.

“All my photographs were war or just bodies, really f**ked up crazy sh*t. And then that kind of migrated into documentaries. Because film isn’t photography, my comedy would kind of slowly sneak into those films. And then Spenny and I went off and did a documentary about us trying to sell a script. And we took it all over the world.”

Released in 1997, Pitch chronicled the duo’s attempts to sell the script for

a film titled The Dawn, a mass-market comedy about a gangster who goes into the hospital for a hernia operation and comes out with a sex change.

Ostensibly about the closed nature of the film industry and the destructive power of unfulfillable dreams, Pitch emerged as a portrait of its creators’ dysfunctional and often antagonistic relationship. In the film, Hotz comes off as pragmatic, Rice as panicky and prone to fits of despair. “Spenny’s a wounded puppy and I’m, like, the super hot cool bad guy,” Hotz says with a laugh. The contrast is striking, and the rawness of the pair’s obviously strained relationship fueled the development of Kenny vs. Spenny.

Each episode of Kenny vs. Spenny featured an outlandish competition and an important prize for the winner — a chance to humiliate the loser in some fiendish manner. The first season, which featured competitions such as “Who Can Stay Blindfolded The Longest?” and “Who Can Sit On A Cow The Longest?” aired on the CBC in 2003. Perhaps not surprisingly, given the hosts’ fondness for profanity, nudity, and off-colour jokes, Kenny vs. Spenny was cancelled after a single season. But that was just the beginning

bickering … it makes our show better.

The older we get, and the fatter and uglier we get, the more pathetic we get — which makes it funnier.”

With each new episode, the challenges became more ridiculous and the humiliations more devastating. In the fourth season, for example, Hotz and Rice competed to see who could commit more crimes and who could let loose the most toxic fart. By the fifth season, the pair were vying to see who could spend more time in a soiled diaper and who could smoke more marijuana. The show reached its frenzied peak during the sixth and final season, which included an episode titled “Who Can Get Further With The Other Guy’s Mom?” It is easy to write off Kenny vs.

Spenny as nothing more than a collaboration between two comedians with filthy minds and nothing better to do.

In fact, Kenny vs. Spenny seems tailormade for such an assessment. But Hotz says reflexive opinions about crude humour whitewash the real genius of the show: its take on rules — those that matter and those that don’t.

The numbers can be broken down in several ways, but conventional wisdom suggests Hotz won about three-

Why am I a cheating assh**e because I’m smart enough not to get so f**king drunk I almost cut my face open? To me, not being humiliated is the competition. kenny hotz

for Hotz and Rice. Showcase sensed potential and picked up Kenny vs.

Spenny for an additional five seasons, each more absurd and hilarious than the last. “The more we hate each other, the funnier the show gets,” Hotz says.

“Unlike other shows that go to sh*t when people hate each other and start

quarters of the competitions — and spent far more time dreaming up mortifying punishments for Rice to endure.

However, Hotz was not above using methods some people have deemed unfair. In “Who Can Wear A Dead Octopus On Their Head The Longest?” for example, Hotz slipped Rice a large Continued on next page »

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dose of LSD. Not surprisingly, the combination of powerful hallucinogenics and a hat made from a slimy cephalopod carcass caused Rice to behave in an erratic manner, culminating in a botched attempt to return the octopus to the sea. Hotz’s most notorious win ended the pair’s beer-drinking contest: he watched Rice get cataclysmically drunk while sucking back bottle after bottle of non-alcoholic beer.

“It’s not like I didn’t follow the rules,” Hotz says, his voice rising.

“The reality is I’m Machiavellian.

In ‘Who Can Drink More Beer?’ on the bottle with no alcohol it said ‘Beer.’ It’s beer! It’s made with hops! Beer doesn’t have to have alcohol in it. It’s the exact same f**king recipe. Why am I a cheating assh**e because I’m smart enough not to get so f**king drunk I almost cut my face open? To me, not being humiliated is the competition. It’s not who can stand up the longest; that means nothing.”

Put another way, Kenny vs.

Spenny explores two competing

Photo: courtesy of the artist

visions of morality. Rice is a strict, almost Kantian moralist; he rarely did anything that could be construed as cheating, even if it meant losing. Hotz, on the other hand, accepted some rules and rejected others. The upshot is that he won most of the time. “We’re definitely

Photos: courtesy of the artist

yin and yang,” he says with a laugh.

“He views himself as a moralist and I see him as an idiot. He cares, I don’t. People think I’m that bad one, I think he’s the bad one. I love myself; he hates himself. And the reality is, it’s real. Very rarely does a show come around where the characters in it are real and they expose some moral, noble truth about mankind and society. I think our show did that.”

The last episode of Kenny vs.

Spenny, a hour-long special, aired in December 2010. Shortly afterward, Hotz and Rice stopped speaking.

“It’s like when you spend too much time with any friend, or spend too much time with a girl or spend too much time with your parents,” Hotz says of his estrangement from Rice.

“You always end up, you know, getting p**sed at each other. And

Spenny is Spenny. I dare you to spend a f**king day with the guy.

He’s a mess.” It was plain that the duo’s rocky relationship had disintegrated, leaving a gaping hole where Kenny vs. Spenny used to be. But then Netflix picked up the show — and introduced a new generation to the pair’s antics.

“I didn’t even know that could happen,” Hotz says. “I thought, oh f**k, if you haven’t seen that show by now, you’ll never watch it again.

But these new kids just keep watching it and watching it, and we just keep growing our f**king audience.” According to Hotz, the show’s resurgence compelled the pair to mend their fractured relationship.

“You kind of forget what happened in the past, and all you can remember is the constant love that fans and people are giving you online.”

Perhaps more importantly, news of a recent deal between Netflix and the iconic comedy Trailer Park Boys made the possibility of a new season of Kenny vs. Spenny seem very real indeed. “The comedy here is atrocious, nothing’s going on,” Hotz says. “Digital companies, you know, now have cash to actually make this stuff happen; these types of deals are going down. It’s the perfect climate. I’m not saying it’s going to happen or not going to happen, but the time’s better than it’s ever been, that’s for sure.”

Although a new season may be months or even years away, if it happens at all, Hotz and Rice have already taken the first step toward a new beginning. And now, the pair are going on tour. Billed as Kenny vs. Spenny vs. Canada, the tour promises audiences unseen footage

from various episodes of the show, as well as all manner of onstage antics. Hotz, however, prefers to think in simpler terms. “It’s kind of like a freakshow,” he says with a laugh, pointing out that nothing drives home the show’s reality like a meeting with Spencer Rice. “It’s like that guy who took the elephant man around from circus to circus. That’s what I’m doing: I’m just showing Spenny, showing my freak, to the fans so that they can love what we did as much as I did.”

April 5 @ Louis’ SOLD OUT Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

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A little bit of everything Asian Photos courtesy of Adam Hawboldt

Sakura Asian Garden has diverse menu and good eats by adam hawboldt

T

he Sakura Asian Garden is much different than I thought it would be.

2pm on a Thursday afternoon — and the room is dark. So I turn left and enter Sakura Asian Garden proper.

It’s not what I expect.

There are windows everywhere.

These curve up to the ceiling, giving the place the airy feeling of an atrium. And the restaurant is enormous, much bigger than I expected.

Benches run along the wall of the restaurant, under the windows.

In the centre of the spacious floor, tables are clustered together.

At the back of the restaurant there are small, closed-off booths for groups of people who want a bit more privacy. Over by the bathroom two replicas of the famous Terracotta Warriors stand guard.

After taking a quick look around, I decide on a booth just in front of a Korean BBQ grill in the far back corner. Then I order.

For the longest time I’d thought the Asian Garden was one of those

At the top of the stairs, to the right, is a room with a bunch of Korean BBQ grills. But it’s early — about

let’s go drinkin’ Verb’s mixology guide Apple Soju Cocktail

Ingredients

Okay. If you’ve ever been to Korea you know that soju isn’t just a drink there, it’s a way of life. This distilled spirit — made from rice, wheat and barley — is as Korean as kimchi or bibimbap. And man is it potent — so potent, most foreigners are better off mixing it with something … something kind of like what you’ll find in this recipe.

2oz soju 2oz soda water 2oz apple juice apple

Directions

Mix soju, soda water and apple juice into a cocktail shaker full of ice.

Shake until frosty. Pour the concoction into a martini glass. Garnish with either apple matchsticks or an apple slice, and serve.

Chinese-Thai-Vietnamese restaurants that are popular this city.

I thought wrong.

Sure, they serve Chinese fare like hot pots. And yes, they have spring rolls and vermicelli bowls and ginger beef, but that’s not all. There’s sushi on the menu, too, and Korean food like kalbi.

With a hankering for both sushi and something from the Korean part of the menu, I go with an eel roll and kimchi beef.

The sushi roll arrives first, and as an appetizer it was ideal. Not too much and not too little, it was the perfect amount of food to get things started. What really stood out about this roll, at least for me, was the amount of Tsume sauce that came drizzled across the plump, bite-sized pieces — it was perfect. There was just enough to dip each and every last piece in. No need for soy or wasabi here.

Then came my main — kimchi beef. A hot plate of carrots, cabbage, onions, sprouts, noodles and beef, it arrived at the table sizzling. And with the very first bite, I’m impressed. The sweet and sour and spicy tones are nicely balanced, and the beef is tender and succulent. As for the noodles at the bottom, some of them are cooked while others are crispy, which adds a nice contrast of textures.

I gobble everything down and make plans to head back to Sakura Asian Garden for some Korean BBQ in the near future — maybe even this weekend.

Sakura Asian Garden 2002 8th Street East | (306) 975 0906 Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbSaskatoon ahawboldt@verbnews.com

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music

Next Week

coming up

The Kin

The Head and Gordon Lightfoot the Heart

@ Louis’ Pub Friday, April 4 – $15+

@ O’Brians Event Centre Tuesday, April 8 – $32.50

@ TCU Place Thursday, November 6 – $29.50+

The Kin is a band of thieves, committing robberies wherever they go.

But they’re not the kind of thieves that steal money or watches or wallets. No, they’re the kind that steal the ears and the hearts of those who listen to their tunes. After beginning their robbery spree at Katz’s Delicatessen on New York’s Lower East Side, the Kin — Isaac Koren (vocals/keyboards), Thorald Koren (vocals/guitar/keyboards) and Shakerleg (drums/percussion) — have moved on to bigger and better things.

With passion in their songs and a gritty pop-rock sound, this New York trio has stolen fans at the Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, even at a French airport. Now they’re coming to Western Canada to continue their run. Catch them at Louis’ Pub in April. Tickets through www.ticketfly.com.

Back when The Head and the Heart — an indie rock band from Seattle — was being formed, the members figured that what they should do was forget music and get good jobs. But in their hearts Josiah Johnson, Jonathan Russell, Charity Rose Thielen, Chris Zasche, Kenny Hensley and Tyler Williams knew they just had to play music. The heart won against the head, and the result has been a good one. Since 2010, the band has toured with acts like Vampire Weekend and Dave Matthews, and their star is burning bright. Don’t miss the Head and the Heart when they take to the stage at O’Brians Event Centre in early April. Tickets for the show are available through www.obrianseventcentre.ca

Ask someone to list the top five Canadian songwriters of all-time, and invariably you’ll see Gordon Lightfoot’s name on that list. He’s right up there with Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Paul Anka or Stan Rodgers. Lightfoot is the kind of songwriter who has had his songs recorded by the likes of Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, and Barbra Streisand. But the man from Orillia is more than just a writer. He’s also an internationally acclaimed folk musician, a multi-platinum selling artist, a companion of the Order of Canada, and one of our nation’s living treasures.

He’s coming to Saskatoon in November, so you might want to get your tickets early; they’re available through tcutickets.ca.

– By Adam Hawboldt

Photos courtesy of: the artist/ Flicred!/ the artist

Sask music Preview Calling all interested parties: the application deadline for the Regina Mayor’s Arts & Business Awards is April 7! The Mayor’s Arts & Business Awards (MABA) celebrates Regina artists, arts organizations and volunteers who contribute to the creative and cultural fabric of the city. The Award recognizes the many ways that Regina businesses support local artists and arts organizations. Nominating an individual or organization for a MABA requires that a completed, signed application form and all relevant support materials be submitted to the MABA Selection Committee.

For more information visit: www.mayorsartsandbusinessawards.ca.

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march 28 » april 5 The most complete live music listings for Saskatoon.

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House DJs / 6Twelve Lounge — Funk, soul & lounge DJs liven up the atmosphere at 6Twelve. 9pm / No cover Mounties / Amigos Cantina — With Rich Aucoin and JPNS GIRLS. 10pm / $18 (ticketedge.ca) Sheldon Corbett / The Bassment — Feel like taking in some smooth jazz stylings? 4:30pm / No cover Caladh Nua / The Bassment — Irish music all the way from the Emerald Isle.

9pm / $20/$25 Flashback Fridays / Béily’s UltraLounge — The best of the 80’s, 90’s & top 40 hits of today will get you out on the dance floor. 9pm / $5 cover The Hung Jury / Buds — Come rock the night away. 10pm / 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 Dr. J / James Lobby Bar — Spinning funk, soul, latin and jazz. 9pm / No cover DJ Stikman / Jax Niteclub — Kick off your weekend with all your favourite party hits. 9pm / $5 cover Punk Rock Cover Party / Louis’ Pub — Featuring Myles and the ______, SWAYZE and Le Papillion. 9pm / $8 Young the Giant / O’Brians Event Centre — A California indie rock fivepiece. 7pm / $31 (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 Big Bang Baby / Piggy’s — A fun night of sweet tunes. 9pm / Cover TBD Doug Boomhower Trio / Prairie Ink — A local jazz trio. 8pm / No cover Negativ Earth / Rock Bottom — With Feeding Fiction. 8pm / Cover TBD Eddie Robertson / Somewhere Else Pub — Playing electric blues. 9pm / No cover Chris Cole + friends / Spadina Freehouse — Dropping dope beats. 9pm / No cover Mitch Daigneault & Co. / Stan’s Place — A rockin’ good time. 9pm / No cover VIP Fridays / Tequila — Come tear it up on the dance floor. 9pm / Cover TBD

DJ Nick Ruston / Uncle Barley’s — Come and check him out! 9pm / Cover TBD The Glorious Sons / Vangelis — With Teenage Kicks and Lab Coast. 10pm / Cover TBD

Saturday 29

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

9pm / No cover The Extroverts / Amigos Cantina — With Delta Throats, Herb and the Humans. 10pm / Cover TBD Melissa Lauren / The Bassment — Smooth jazz styling out of Toronto, for your listening pleasure. 8pm / $17/$23 DJ Aash Money + DJ Sugar Daddy / Béily’s — These two DJs throw it down. 9pm / $5 cover The nobles / Bon Temps — Come on down. 9pm / No cover The Hung Jury / Buds — Come rock the night away. 10pm / Cover TBD Newman Sounds Glee Club presents Mix Tape / Broadway Theatre — Playing popular hits from the 80s and 90s.

7:30pm / $12

John Antoniuk / Bugsy’s — An intimate evening with a talented musician.

8pm / 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 DJ Goodtimes / Longbranch — Playing the hottest country music all night. 8pm / $4 cover

sheldon corbett

COURTESY OF the artist

Red Rat / Louis’ Pub — A dancehall reggae superstar from Jamaica. 9pm / $25+ (ticketedge.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 Big Bang Baby / Piggy’s — A fun night of sweet tunes. 9pm / Cover TBD Lost Keys / Prairie Ink — Eclectic easy listening. 8pm / No cover Rend / Rock Bottom — With Lavagoat, Chronobot and Electric Grapevine. 8pm / Cover TBD Eddie Robertson / Somewhere Else Pub — Playing electric blues all night long. 9pm / No cover Bounce / Spadina Freehouse — Local DJ spinning songs you can groove to.

9pm / No cover Mitch Daigneault & Co. / Stan’s Place — A rockin’ good time, come down and check it out. 9pm / No cover DJ Anchor / Sutherland Bar — It’s the world famous video mix show! 10pm / Cover TBD

Saturday Night Social / Tequila — Electronic Saturdays will have you moving and grooving. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ Thorpdeo / Uncle Barley’s — Spinning hot tunes all night. 10pm / Cover TBD Pop Quiz Party Jam 2014 Vol. 2 / Vangelis — Featuring Economics, Form + more. 10pm / Cover TBD

Sunday 30

Industry Night / Béily’s UltraLounge — Hosted by DJ Sugar Daddy; this crowd favourite has always been known to break the latest and greatest tracks in multiple genres. 9pm / $4; no cover for industry staff Newman Sounds Glee Club presents Mix Tape / Broadway Theatre — Playing popular hits from the 80s and 90s. 2pm / $12 DJ KADE / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover Sunday Night Jam / Stan’s Place — Bring an instrument and join in the fun. 8:30pm / No cover Martyn Joseph / St. John’s Cathedral — A talented Welsh singer/ songwriter. 7pm / $15 (Cathedral office, McNally Robinson, picatic.com) The Big Swing / Quance Theatre (U of S Education Building) — Featuring U of S Jazz ensemble. 3pm / $5+ Blues Jam / Vangelis Tavern — The Vangelis Sunday Jam is an institution, offering great tunes from blues to rock and beyond. 7:30pm / No cover

Monday 31

DJ Audio / Dublins — Spinning dope beats. 9pm / Cover TBD kk nogueira / Bon Temps — With Dave Nelson. 7pm / No cover Against Me! / Louis’ Pub — Punk rock done right. 8pm / $25 (ticketedge.ca)

Tuesday 1

DJ SUGAR DADDY / The Double Deuce — Able to rock any party, this crowd favourite has always been known to break the latest and greatest tracks in multiple genres. 9:30pm / $4 cover DJ Nick Ruston / Dublins — Spinning dope beats. 9pm / Cover TBD Verb presents Open 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 Continued on next page »

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DJ Carlos / Stan’s Place — Spinning karaoke tunes. 9:30pm / No cover

Friday 4

Wednesday 2

House DJs / 6Twelve — Funk, soul & lounge DJs liven it up. 9pm / No cover Bastard Poetry / Amigos -Local acoustic rock poetry. 10pm / Cover TBD David Fong / The Bassment — Feel like taking in some smooth jazz stylings?

4:30pm / No cover The Florian Hoefner Quartet / The Bassment — Local jazz vocalist Jamie Donlevy opens for this New York fourpirce. 9pm / $20/$25 Flashback Fridays / Béily’s — The best of the 80’s, 90’s & more. 9pm / $5 cover Banjo van / Bon Temps — Come on down. 9pm / No cover Kings of Leon / Credit Union Centre — Critically acclaimed Nashville rock band on its Mechanical Bull Tour. 8pm / $39+ (ticketmaster.ca) BPM / Diva’s — Resident DJs spin electro/ vocal house music. 10pm / $5 U of S Wind Orchestra / Elim Church — A night of beautiful music. 7:30pm / $10+ DJ Eclectic / The Hose & Hydrant — Local turntable whiz DJ Eclectic pumps snappy electronic beats all night long.

8pm / No cover DJ Stikman / Jax Niteclub — It’s all your favourite party hits, all night long. 9pm / $5 cover The Kin / Louis’ Pub — A grit-pop trio from NYC. 8pm / $15+ (ticketfly.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; ladies in free before 11pm Mudd Brothers / Piggy’s — A fun night of sweet tunes. 9pm / Cover TBD Neil Roston / Prairie Ink — Playing blues and folk. 8pm / No cover Lauren Mann and the Fairly Odd Folk / Rock Bottom — Alt-pop/folk music out of Calgary will rock your socks off.

9pm / Cover TBD BC Read / Somewhere Else Pub — Playing roots and blues. 9pm / No cover VIP Fridays / Tequila — Come tear it up on the dance floor. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ Nick Ruston / Uncle Barley’s — Come and check him out! 9pm / Cover TBD Sabrina Weeks and Swing Cat Bounce / Vangelis — High-energy bouncing boogie blues. 10pm / Cover TBD

DJ Modus / 302 — Spinning all your favourite tracks. 9pm / No cover until 10pm; $3 thereafter Boy and Bear / Amigos — Come on down! 10pm / $12 4th Annual High School Big Band Nights / The Bassment — Featuring high school jazz bands from around the province. 7:30pm / $7/$10 Salsa Night / Béily’s — Latin music and salsa dancing. 8:30pm / Cover TBD Hedley / Credit Union Centre — Multiplatinum and Juno-Award wining pop stars. 7pm / $45.75+ DJ Memo / Dublins — Spinning dope beats. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ Night / Flint — Regular and guest DJs spin electronic, rap, indie rock and more. 8:30pm / No cover 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 DJ Carlos / Stan’s Place — Spinning karaoke tunes. 9:30pm / No cover Sexy Preacher / Vangelis — With Dangerhole and Bitchy Polite. 9pm / $5

Thursday 3

Big Dave McLean / Amigos Cantina — A legendary Canadian bluesman. 10pm / Cover TBD 4th Annual High School Big Band Nights / The Bassment — Featuring high school jazz bands from around the province. 7:30pm / $7/$10 DJ Kade / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover DJ Goodtimes / Longbranch — Playing the hottest country music all night. 8pm / $4 cover Mudmen / Rock Bottom — Celtic rock from the T-dot. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ Carlos / Stan’s Place — Spinning karaoke tunes. 9:30pm / No cover Triple Up Thursdays / Tequila — Featuring DJ Dislexic. 9pm / Cover TBD Bend Sinister / Vangelis — With Dear Rouge and Fast Romantics. 9pm / $10/$12 Open Stage / The Woods — Hosted by Steven Maier. 9pm / No cover

Saturday 5

Slates / Amigos Cantina — Edmonton punk rockers. Appearing with These Estates.10pm / Cover TBD The Amos Garrett Jazz Trio / The Bassment — One of the most innovative jazz guitarists of all-time. 8pm / $30/$40 DJ Aash Money + DJ Sugar Daddy / Béily’s UltraLounge — These two DJs throw down a dance party every Saturday night. 9pm / $5 cover Al Morrison / Bugsy’s — A night of great tunes. 8pm / Cover TBD Steve Miller Band / Credit Union Centre — The Gangster of Love is coming to town. 7:30pm / $41+ (ticketmaster.ca) SaturGAY Night / Diva’s — Resident DJs spin exclusive dance remixes every Saturday. 10pm / $5 DJ Kade / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon’s own DJ lights it up with hot tunes.

8pm / No cover Dr. J / James Lobby Bar — Spinning funk, soul, latin and jazz. 9pm / No cover DJ Stikman / Jax Niteclub — Ladies night with DJ Stikman and the Jax party crew. 9pm / $5 cover DJ Goodtimes / Longbranch — Playing the hottest country music all night. 8pm / $4 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 Mudd Brothers / Piggy’s — A fun night of sweet tunes. 9pm / Cover TBD One More Troubadour / Prairie Ink — Playing progressive fingerstyle guitar.

8pm / No cover Band Wars X / Rock Bottom — With special guest Hard Honey. 9pm / Cover TBD BC Read / Somewhere Else Pub — Playing roots and blues. 9pm / No cover DJ Anchor / Sutherland Bar — It’s the world famous video mix show! 10pm / Cover TBD Kenny vs. Spenny Full Circle After Party / Tequila — Featuring DJs AN10NA, Mateo and Gibshow. 8pm / $10+ DJ Thorpdeo / Uncle Barley’s — Spinning hot tunes all night. 10pm / Cover TBD Purdy Bird / Vangelis — With Jake Ian and The Slim City Pickrers. 10pm / Cover TBD

Get listed

House DJs / 6Twelve — Resident DJs spin deep and soulful tunes all night. 9pm / No cover

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

21 Mar 28 – Apr 3 @verbsaskatoon

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New spin on an age-old tale

Photo: Courtesy of paramount pictures

Darren Aronofsky’s Noah a deep, complex spectacle to behold by adam hawboldt

I

f you go into Darren Aronofsky’s Noah expecting a straight-from-the-text biblical story like, say, the recent movie Son of God, you’re going to be surprised.

Really surprised.

Because what Aronofsky has crafted here is a wildly imaginative, mind-bogglingly ambitious retelling of the story of Noah and the ark. A retelling that will please some and outrage others. A retelling that results in a movie that is unmistakably Aronofsky-esque.

But more on that in a second.

For the time being, let’s assume that most of you know that story of Noah. You know how God (or The Creator, as he’s called in this film) becomes fed up with the wickedness of his creation and decides to send a flood to wipe out humanity.

You know that a 600-year-old good guy named Noah (who doesn’t look

But in the hands of the incomparable Aronofsky, this story becomes anything but a fairy tale. It becomes a dark, complex metaphysical meditation on the nature of man, faith and — like so many other Aronofsky films — an examination of one man’s journey deeper and deeper into his obsession.

Oh, and there are kickass battle scenes and a boat-load of CGI awesomeness as well.

As Noah opens, we see a world on the brink of collapse. Adam and Eve have been banished from the Garden of Eden. Cain has murdered Abel. The descendants of Cain have ravaged the Earth, building cities and exploiting resources. The descendants of Seth (the other son of Adam and Eve that people tend to forget about) live in peace and harmony. Or at least they try to. See, it’s hard to live a peaceful, righteous life when the line of Cain roams the wastelands of Earth ma-

a day over 50 in this film) builds a giant ark and saves a male and female member from every species of animal on Earth.

You know that Noah and his family, along with the animals, sur-

…Aronofsky creates a Noah character unlike any you’ve ever … imagined.

Adam Hawboldt

vive the flood and are encouraged to rebuild the world anew.

That’s the bare-bones gist of the Noah story — a story that reads like a childhood fairy tale and a morality lesson all at once.

rauding and murdering anyone who crosses their path. So hard, in fact, that Noah (Russell Crowe) is the last living person in the line of Seth.

The last righteous man on Earth.

Eventually The Creator visits Noah in a dream, warns him of the flood, and instructs him to construct an ark.

Which he does, with the help of some giant fallen angels who trod the Earth at that time.

What happens after that is expected and unexpected at the same time. Yes, all the traditional story elements come into play. The ark is built, the animals pile on, the dove flies in with an olive branch in its beak. But it’s what happens in between all this that makes Noah so fascinating and new and bewildering.

Not to give too much of the movie away, but Aronofsky creates a Noah character unlike any you’ve ever seen or even imagined. The kind of Noah who might very well offend purists.

noah Darren Aronofsky Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ray Winstone + Emma Watson Directed by Starring

139 minutes | PG

Remember how Jesus was portrayed in Martin Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ? Remember the reaction to that film? Well, Noah is kind of like that. But completely different — if that makes any sense.

And like the Scorsese film, Aronofsky’s Noah is well worth a watch.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbSaskatoon ahawboldt@verbnews.com

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Anything can happen at Middleton

At Middleton is a sweet, funny, paint-by-numbers rom-com

A

nyone who has ever been on a tour of a college campus knows it’s not the most interesting thing in the world. You’re herded in with a bunch of other potential students, led around by an undergrad who can walk backwards and talk at the same time. You’re shown important buildings, you explore the grounds, you hear stories about the school’s history and then you go home. End of story.

For the most part, campus tours are pretty pedestrian stuff. But that simply isn’t the case in Adam Rodgers’ new film, At Middleton.

At the heart of the story is a stick-in-the-mud, Type A heart surgeon named George (Andy Garcia), who takes his son Conrad (Spencer Lofranco) to Middleton College for an organized tour. George doesn’t really know Conrad that well — he

forces him to wear a tie when Conrad is obviously not the tie-wearing sort — so he hopes the trip will turn out to be a bonding experience with his son.

At the same time, a free-spirited woman named Edith (Vera Farmiga) has the same hopes when she takes her bookworm daughter, Audrey (Taissa Farmiga), on the same tour.

by adam hawboldt

tour group. Together they explore the grounds alone and what results is a rom-com that is sweet, engaging and very much like a host of rom-coms that have come before it — with the exception of one thing.

See, a lot of colour-by-numbers romantic comedies begin with the same premise: two people meet. At first they are at odds with each other, but after

… there’s an attraction between George and Edith, an instant chemistry owed in no small part to Garcia and Farmiga…

Adam Hawboldt

Turns out both George and Edith’s hopes get dashed early on when they’re separated from the

going through some funny trials and tribulations they eventually end up falling for one another.

The difference with At Middleton is that, from the very beginning, there’s an attraction between George and Edith, an instant chemistry, a romantic charge that is owed in no small part to Garcia and Farmiga — who fully inhabit their characters and bring them to wonderful life.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. I don’t want to give the idea that At Middleton is some sort of rom-com masterpiece. It’s not. After the initial meeting, the movie plays out as you’d expect. As George and Edith wander the campus together, a bond begins to form. At the same time their kids — Conrad and Audrey — are having adventures of their own.

In truth, it’s all cookie-cutter stuff.

But there’s something more to At Middleton, something a lot of movies of its ilk lack. Yes, the story moves along with a lot of humour and zany situations. But underneath there lingers a

at middleton Adam Rodgers Starring Andy Garcia, Ver Farmiga, Spencer Lofranco + Taissa Farmiga Directed by

100 minutes | PG

bittersweet story of two parents who are being forced to let go of their children while coming to terms with the emptiness of their so-called lives.

Despite its faults, At Middleton will leave you with a sense of empathy for the two main characters.

At Middleton is currently being screened at Roxy Theatre.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbSaskatoon ahawboldt@verbnews.com

Photo: Courtesy of Anchor Bay Films

23 Mar 28 – Apr 3 /verbsaskatoon

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Tuesday, March 25 @

O’Shea’s

O’Shea’s Irish Pub 222 2nd Avenue South (306) 384 7444

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Check out our Facebook page!

These photos will be uploaded to Facebook on Friday, April 4. facebook.com/verbsaskatoon

Photography by Patrick Carley Continued on next page Âť

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saturday, march 22 @

crazy cactus

Crazy Cactus 2404 Melrose (306) 975-1266

Check out our Facebook page!

These photos will be uploaded to Facebook on Friday, April 4. facebook.com/verbsaskatoon

Photography by Patrick Carley

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Photography by Patrick Carley

Continued on next page Âť

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29 Mar 28 – Apr 3 @verbsaskatoon

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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 DOWN

29. Colonnade 32. Last Greek letter 36. Hail to Caesar 37. Of punishment 39. Used up 40. Canadian actor Sparks 41. Farewell remark 42. Addition result 43. Influenza 46. Hydrophobia 49. Stun gun 50. Tests that allow talking 51. Fish related to the cod 52. Your, in the Bible

. Stove part 1 2. Public notices 3. Curling target 4. Magnificent attire 5. A drink made with malt, hops and yeast 6. Climbing vine 7. Rid one’s mind of 8. Backs 9. Venetian blind piece 11. Suit fabric 12. Have to 14. Give audible encouragement to 17. Getting along well together 20. Make naked

21. Become a member 24. Make a decision 26. Physical education 28. Kind of lettuce 29. Spasm of distress 30. Not hidden 31. Phone button 33. Without trying hard 34. Sticks together 35. Charitable donations 38. Relating to aircraft 44. Letters on tires 45. Place for a pig 47. Craftsmanship 48. ‘A Christmas Carol’ exclamation

sudoku answer key

A

B

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

1. Piece of baseball equipment 4. Surprise attack 8. Ranch guests 10. Canadian figure skater Stojko 12. Tiny piece of food 13. Hot spring 15. Vase with a pedestal 16. Cry of discovery 18. In favour of 19. Compass heading 20. Hard and dry, as bread 22. The self 23. Fortuneteller’s card 25. Long curl of hair 27. First in importance

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

ACROSS

© walter D. Feener 2014

Horoscopes March 28 – April 3 Aries March 21–April 19

Leo July 23–August 22

Sagittarius November 23–December 21

Things may move a little slower than you want them to in the coming days, Aries. Try to be patient. It will all work out in the end.

You’ve been slacking a little bit lately, Leo. It’s high time to pull up your socks and put your nose back to the grindstone.

If something is bothering you, Sagittarius, don’t let it weigh you down. Find something that will distract you from it.

Taurus April 20–May 20

Virgo August 23–September 22

Capricorn December 22–January 19

Communication won’t be your strong suit this week, Taurus. Do your best to keep a level head and get your point across.

If you get an invitation to a social event this week, don’t pass it up, Virgo. Things may happen there that will change your life.

Everybody has errands to run, Capricorn. But if you have any this week, put them off and focus on more important things.

Gemini May 21–June 20

Libra September 23–October 23

Aquarius January 20–February 19

Don’t you just hate delays, Gemini? Well, this week will be full of them, and they’ll be beyond your control. Try not to get too frustrated.

Have you been burning the clichéd candle at both ends lately, Libra? If so, take this week to rest. It’s important to recharge your batteries.

Your mind may not be firing on all cylinders in the coming days, Aquarius. Don’t get discouraged. Things will improve by week’s end.

Cancer June 21–July 22

Scorpio October 24–November 22

Pisces February 20–March 20

If you’ve been thinking about taking a trip lately, this isn’t the day to make plans. Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow?

A much-anticipated visit from a good friend or family member may have to be postponed this week, Scorpio.

Keep a stiff upper lip.

If you’re upset with a friend or co-worker, it’s best to let things slide for now. In a few days the matter will resolve itself.

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

crossword answer key

A

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

B

31 Mar 28 – Apr 3 /verbsaskatoon

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Getting Personal with Renovations

Looking into what’s hot in the world of bedrooms and bathrooms by david baxter

all Photos: Courtesy of metric design Continued on next page »

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D

esign trends I find are really moving in an eclectic nature, which is great. It’s kind of what we like to see and what we like to do with design. So it’s less about going with a particular style and more about painting a picture of the client,” says Tamara Bowman, owner and lead designer at Metric Design.

Bowman’s studio is located in Saskatoon’s downtown. Between the designer spaces on the building’s second floor and a packed storefront showroom, there are plenty of ways for clients to work toward making their living space their own.

In Bowman’s approach to design she likes to guide her clients toward a “wow factor,” but she also wants them to be comfortable living with the final product.

And what better place to revamp comfort and design than in the oft-overlooked bedroom. “It’s sad, unfortunately; most people don’t focus enough attention on their bedroom. Maybe because [other] people don’t see it enough, so it’s less of a priority to present as their own personal style,” says Bowman.

Many clients looking to redo their bedrooms want to make the room as comfortable as possible, says Bowman.

This part should be obvious, but she notes that it’s still possible to add some extra flair while keeping things cozy. “We’re seeing a lot of large scale headboards, so lots of different shapes, lots of shapes like rectangles, square, panel, wood, fabric, that sort of thing. As well as some sculpted and tufted head boards,” she adds.

Through the addition of any one of these various styles of headboards, Bowman notes how a bed’s visual presentation

can be enhanced, making it more than just a mattress on a box-spring. And when it comes to headboards, she continues, there’s a combination trend that’s emerging. “We’re seeing the headboard in combination with wallpaper instead of paint,” explains Bowman. “Because wallpaper creates that little bit of soft texture … it helps increase the comfort and intimacy of the room.”

Stretching out and catching a few Zs means that the majority of the time spent in a bedroom is with the lights off. That doesn’t mean they aren’t important options to consider in the design process, though, and there are plenty of options to choose from that range from the extravagant to the more modest. “Chandeliers are another thing we’re seeing a lot of. Instead of traditional fixtures we’re seeing more crystals and drum lighting,” says Bowman.

“They kind of help create that wow factor a little bit more. We’re seeing more often, too, that people are using pendants instead of lamps. So hanging a little mini pendant over an end table is quite popula. LED tape light to create that high-low light effect is really coming in.”

Finally what’s better than being able to curl up with a nice book? Not much, and to really amp up the comfort in a bedroom Bowman says a popular choice people are making involves setting up a reading nook.

“It doesn’t have to be a lot, just something that can be cozy, something really comfortable to snuggle up in — ottomans and big round chairs.”

Bedrooms aren’t the only area of a house people are putting more effort into pre-

senting — the bathroom is now having its moment in the sun. Usually this room sees more guest traffic than the bedroom so people like to keep them looking nice, but for the most part it can be tricky making a personal statement in a space that’s often not very large.

If you walk into any residential, fullsized bathroom, you’ll frequently see the same bath-shower combo (space-saving, sure, but not terribly exciting). There may be some slight variations (and few things are as awkward as trying to figure out how to work a strange shower faucet), but for the most part they’re generally the same.

However, Bowman says that people are starting to get more creative with their washroom layout. “A big trend is freestanding tubs,” she notes. “A lot of cool things can be done with them, but generally free-standing tubs need a bit more room … I like that they’re a little bit more of an art piece within the space.”

From the traditional claw-footed tub to more modern, single piece stone tubs, free-standing is in when it comes to baths.

These basins are visually impressive and often have more room than a conventional tub, but there are some drawbacks.

Free-standing tubs need to be positioned in a way where they can work with the existing plumbing infrastructure. There are ways to accommodate them, though. A popular option is to install a free-standing faucet set, which comes up from the floor and dips into the tub. This alternative won’t work with all projects, but Bowman and her crew have been able to accommodate special situations in the past. “It was a concrete floor, the tub was already ordered, and the drain was not where it should be,”

she says. “So then we have this challenge, because you need the elevation for the drainage to work properly.”

In order to get the elevation, the Metric Design team built a series of ledges to give the tub the proper elevation, and which also gave the entire room a visual overhaul. “That’s happened in a couple of projects, but the great thing is you can turn that feature into part of the project, which we managed to do,” says Bowman.

If you decide to go down the route of installing a claw-footed tub it will only be used for baths, as it is incredibly difficult to install a comfortable shower system. Don’t worry, though — there are still modern options out there to snazz up your showers.

“What we’re seeing a lot of is that people are removing bathtubs all together,” says Bowman. “So we’re

usually putting in large shower stalls with dual shower heads, body sprays, and really doing a large scale shower that they can enjoy, with things like a shower bench and maybe steam and that sort of thing. People are putting their efforts into the shower and removing the bathtub.”

The bedroom and bathroom are two of the most intimate rooms in your home, and ones that might get overlooked when it comes to renos in favour of more hightraffic areas. But really: can you imagine anything better than relaxing in your steam shower after a hard day?

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbSaskatoon dbaxter@verbnews.com

33 Mar 28 – Apr 3 @verbsaskatoon

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More than just burglars

Protecting your house from fire, flood, and more by david baxter

I

t’s no secret that the average cost to buy a home is on the rise. Many real estate listings show home prices of more than 300,000 dollars, so

buying one is no meager investment. It’s important to protect your assets, and some people choose to protect theirs through home security systems.

When thinking about alarm systems, visions of the commercial they all seem to share easily come to mind. A burglar breaks into a large suburban house, a shrill alarm scares away the burglar, and police arrive to comfort the residents with blankets and cocoa. And while scaring off an intruder is a good thing, most alarm systems on the market will protect you against more than just break-ins.

Many security systems contain features where they will detect environmental hazards, like flooding and freezing, fire and carbon monoxide, and can be used to alert your security provider of a medical emergency with the press of a button.

Twenty-four hour security monitoring can bring peace of mind to you around the clock. SecurTek, which is a part of Sasktel and one of the most common systems in the province, offers motion monitoring services that can be armed through a keypad when you are not home.

If there is movement while your house is armed, an alarm will sound and your security provider will be alerted. For further intruder protection, SecurTek also installs sensors that are tuned to the sound of break-

ing glass, which can be placed near doors and windows.

Competitors AlarmTek and Reed Security have similar set ups, in addition to video monitoring (which SecurTek also offers). However, Reed Security also offers high definition security cameras, and AlarmTek contracts private guard services that can be dispatched if an alarm goes off.

To protect against a fire, a household smoke alarm can be wired to the security system — if triggered, it will send a signal directly to the security provider, which can potentially lead to a faster call to local firefighters.

Like 24 hour monitoring, this feature comes standard on a majority of security systems.

This winter has been very cold, and with no end in sight it could be potentially hazardous for a furnace to give out at this point in the year.

Luckily, all major security systems are able to monitor temperatures.

They can set the temperature in your house, but can also alert you if your home is having trouble maintaining room temperature, which can be a warning sign of potential heating problems.

These systems can also protect against another sign of spring in the prairies: flooding. Flood sensors can be placed in strategic spots, varying from location to location in potential problem areas. These will then trigger an alert if they detect excessive moisture.

Carbon monoxide is often called the silent killer because it is colourless and odorless. Household problems, like a boiler malfunction, can result in a carbon monoxide build-up, which can be fatal. Carbon monoxide detectors have become a staple of home security systems, and they routinely check air quality. An alarm will be sound if they detect high concentrations of the deadly gas.

Finally, since it’s the 21st century all of the big home security companies offer mobile support, so you can set and monitor security settings from a smart phone. That way, no matter where you are you can carry peace of mind in your pocket.

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@VerbSaskatoon dbaxter@verbnews.com

34 Mar 28 – Apr 3 entertainment

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