Issue #287 – April 25 to May 1
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strongest man Quinton Falk on overcoming adversity music reviews New section! Tokyo Police Club + The Hold Steady the other woman + hold fast Films reviewedÂ
Photo: courtesy of matt postal
NEWs + Opinion
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strongest man Quinton Falk overcomes adversity. 4 / Local deal with the devil Ross May’s new graphic novel. 6 / Local
parking problems
On the cover:
living with lions
Up and down with this badass punk band 16 / cover
Our thoughts on making meters smartphone accessible. 8 / Editorial
comments Here’s your say about curbside composting. 10 / comments
Photo: courtesy of matt postal
culture
Q + A with steven beddall On becoming a rock ‘n roll frontman. 12 / Q + A
true west Sam Shepard’s American masterpiece comes to the Refinery. 14 / Arts
quintessential thai We visit Thai Lotus. 18 / Food + Drink
music reviews
Music
We review Tokyo Police Club + The Hold Steady. 15 / Music reviews
Swollen Members, Mario LePage + Blake Shelton. 19 / music
entertainment
listings Local music listings for April 25 through May 3. 20 / listings
the other woman + hold fast
on the bus
The latest movie reviews. 22 / Film
Nightlife Photos
Games + Horoscopes
We visited Rain + Rook & Raven.
Canadian criss-cross puzzle, horoscopes, and Sudoku. 31 / timeout
24 / Nightlife
verbnews.com @verbsaskatoon facebook.com/verbsaskatoon
Weekly original comic illustrations by Elaine M. Will. 30 / comics
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Photo: Courtesy of quinton falk
Being small in a big man’s world
Saskatchewan strongman Quinton Falk talks overcoming adversity and size deficit by ADAM HAWBOLDT
Q
uinton Falk is a big guy. Like almost six feet, more-than-230-poundsof-muscle big. He’s strong too. Way stronger than your average person, stronger than most people reading this article. We’re talking about a guy who can lift a 900-pound yoke, duck walk carrying 500 pounds, and pull a transport truck. That kind of strong. But when Falk goes to competitions he’s not the strongest guy there. And he’s certainly nowhere near the biggest. See, Falk participates in provincial, regional and national strongman competitions. Competitions in which he’s often dwarfed by other competitors. “I’m extremely small in terms of strongman standards,” says Falk, who was the smallest competitor at last year’s national competition. “I’m about 230 pounds. There are people who compete in the 300 to 350-plus category. And I’m only five feet ten inches. That’s fairly short in strongman terms. The average height is six [feet] three [inches] to six [feet] five [inches].”
Falk pauses, thinks for a second, then adds, “To put my size into perspective, think about it like this: the two top guys in the world, they’re both just under seven feet and weigh more than 400 pounds.” And while this size differential is quite stark, and can be a tad intimidating at times for Falk (especially at the higher levels), he doesn’t let it bother him. When he goes to these strongman competitions he tries to block all that out and rely on his technique to get by. After all, it’s technique that earned Falk a spot in the 2013 Canada’s Strongest Man competition.
Training for a strongman competition doesn’t involve conventional strength exercises. You don’t go to the gym, slap some weights on a bar and do three 10-rep sets. No, training for a strongman competition is something different. Something specific. Something, that Falk says, is “very caveman-like.”
“You go to a tire graveyard, ask if you can use an old tractor tire. You take it home and practice flipping it,” says Falk. “Sometimes it’s just picking up a giant rock that you find at a beach or something — a 200, 300 pound rock — and you carry it around. Or you practice loading it on the tailgate of a truck. Sometimes it’s just a matter of finding random, heavy objects and [you] practice putting them over your head.” But here’s the thing: being a competitive strongman is about more than brute strength. You can be the strongest guy in the world, but if you don’t have the skill, the technique and the knowhow to pick up a couple hundred pound object and lift it over your head, you’re not going to do well. Falk knows this. He also knew that of all the events at last year’s Western Canada Strongest Man competition, it was the tractor pull he had to train the hardest for. Why? Because he was one of the lightest athletes in the competition. And to pull a 20,000-pound truck 80 Continued on next page »
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feet, you ideally want to be heavy. Generally, the heavier you are, the better you do in this event. So Falk spent months and months practicing his truck-pull technique. “It’s all about getting the right angle,” he says. “If you get too high, you’re putting too much force straight into the ground,” he explains. “If you get too low, you’re going to lose traction. So it’s the happy medium between too high [and] too low. How fast are my steps going? How big are they? What leverage do I have if I take a larger step versus a smaller step?” But it’s more than just getting the right angle. You also have to work your upper body, make sure it’s strong. You also have to know how to synchronize its movements with those of your lower body. And then there’s the matter of training to get a good start. “I have to give credit where credit is due,” says Falk. “I have to admit that I stole my start technique from Scott Cummine, Western Canada’s strongest man for almost a decade now. So what I practiced was, off the start, firing my lower body and my arms, then jumping forward. Then you do the same thing again. It’s almost like a double start. The faster you can get it moving the better, because once you overcome the static friction, the truck pull gets easier.” This is what Falk did at the Westerns last year, and you know what? Even though he was an underdog because of his size, Falk ended up winning the event with a time of 31.2 seconds — 0.4 seconds faster than Cummine. It was a win that helped him earn a berth at nationals in Quebec. A win that he hopes to duplicate at this year’s Westerns. But it won’t be easy.
Last year, Falk was driving his motorcycle; he was taking a corner when he hit a patch of loose gravel. The bike and Falk went flying, and he ended up smashing up his leg. Thing is, Falk didn’t realize his leg was broken. Went he went to the doctors it was diagnosed as a muscle injury — so Falk continued to train. Four weeks later he went to a competition in Alaska. That’s when disaster struck. “My leg was already a nightmare,” remembers Falk. “I just pumped myself full of painkillers and flew to Alaska to compete. I won the first two events. But during the Farmer’s Walk, halfway through the course I heard a huge snap.” Falk fell over like a rag doll; for him, the competition was done.“After that, I just trained my upper body,” says Falk. “Then, in February, I went to get an X-ray … the doctor looked at me and said, ‘You have a broken fibula.’” Falks starts laughing and says, “I had no idea. I’d been walking on it the whole time.” But Falk understands it’s not really a laughing matter. He knows that if he wants to compete at the Westerns — slated for Canada Day in Regina — he’s going to have take time to heal.
“Trying to do a 900-pound yoke or a 500-pound Farmer’s Walk isn’t going to be fun on a broken leg,” he says. “So I need to make sure I’m recovered. Because of the level of
strength in my lower body, I’ve been able to recover quickly so far. The Xrays have been progressively getting better, so hopefully I’ll be ready to go for Westerns.”
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Injury is a very real, very serious possibility at any strongman competition. Competitors tear their Achilles tendon during truck pulls. They herniate discs doing Atlas stones or, tear biceps lifting logs. Falk is no stranger to injury. He’s been training on a broken leg for the last six months. Yep, you read that right — a broken leg!
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art by: brett wood
Deal with the devil
Saskatchewan writer Ross May releases new graphic novel by ADAM HAWBOLDT
S
tories about people making deals with the Devil have been around for a long time. A real long time. In Christian lore, a cleric named St. Theophilus of Adana is said to have made the first deal with the Devil back in the 6th century to gain an ecclesiastical position. During the German Renaissance, legend has it that Dr. Johann Georg Faust — an itinerant alchemist, magician and astrologer — sold his soul for unlimited knowledge
and worldly pleasures. Then there are the deal-with-the-Devil tales of NiccolÒ Paganini and Gilles de Rais and General Jonathan Moulton and Tommy Johnson and … the list goes on and on. For centuries, these stories have fascinated artists around the world. They have spawned numerous movies and books, plays and operas, poems, songs, television shows, comic books — you name it. One of the most recent artists to be inspired by this cultural motif
is Ross May, a writer from Prince Albert whose first graphic novel is called Devil Dealers. “Devil Dealers is a mash-up of two ideas,” says May. “One is obvious, that I like stories of bargains or contests with Devil. Faust is directly referenced in the story, and there are a lot of other folk tales where people meet the Devil and have to be clever if they are going to keep their souls. I even put a fictionalized version of blues player Tommy Johnson [in the graphic novel]. Continued on next page »
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If you’ve seen the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? the blues player in there is supposed to be Johnson as well, who was a real musician. He had a great way of promoting himself by claiming he sold his soul to the Devil to learn to play blues on the guitar.” So that’s the first idea behind the book, the notion of selling your soul to the Devil. The other idea, which is not entirely unrelated, is rooted more in reality. In something less supernatural than selling your soul.
Like a lot of kids, Ross May grew up reading comic books. The first ones he remembers reading were Archie comics. Eventually he graduated to the likes of Spider-Man, Batman and Superman. But unlike a lot of other kids, he didn’t just read these comics. May always knew he wanted to be a writer in some capacity, so he used these comics as learning tools to inspire him, to help him write stories of his own. Somewhere along the way, early on in his life, May was introduced to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He
of the franchise— started doing new TMNT stories. “I felt it was something I could do very well, so I approached them,” says May. “They had unsolicited story proposals before, and told me these had always fallen flat. But the editor Steve Murphy and co-creator Peter Laird liked my ideas and scripts!” May ended up working on Tales of the TMNT Volume 2. He wrote two issues — #19 (A Ghost Story) and #22 (Change of Power) — and, in his own words, “had a blast” doing it. From there he went on to work on The Real Ghostbusters cartoon series DVD, on DVDs of Superman cartoons, and a host of other writing gigs. But for the past year or so, he’d been focused mainly on creating his new graphic novel, Devil Dealers, with an Ohio-based illustrator named Brett Wood.
clever enough and use their abilities the right way they can beat the supernatural. So it’s glorifying what humans are sometimes capable of, I think.” To that extent, May filled his story with a host of uber-talented characters. There’s Greg Gagné the card shark. There’s the fictionalized ver-
sion of legendary bluesman Tommy Johnson. There’s a fiddler who can make the sun come up, a chess player with a master plan, and a women hellbent on outracing the devil. These are the people who populate the Devil Dealers universe. A universe steeped in history and the supernatu-
ral, but grounded in humanity. Just like many of the best comic books. Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372
@VerbSaskatoon ahawboldt@verbnews.com
“Greg Gagné is the world’s greatest card shark. If he wins this next hand of poker he will have all the money his heart desires. If he loses, the Devil owns his soul forever.”
…here are some humans who are very good … and if they’re clever enough … they can beat the supernatural. ross may
became completely transfixed with the amphibian foursome. “The Ninja Turtles were these colourful characters who could go on any sort of adventure,” says May. “I think everybody loved them at my age and had the toys. When I was older, I discovered some of the original comics that were more about family, and overcoming odds against the world. They were still wacky adventures, but there were some interesting things happening in them.” Little did he know it then, but one day May would become a writer of TMNT comics. It all happened around 2006 when Mirage — the original owners
That’s the first sentence you’ll see when you go to the Devil Dealers’ website. It’s a sentence that espouses the two driving ideas behind the graphic novel. The first idea is the sell-yoursoul-to-the-Devil motif. The second idea relates to people. Real people who are really damn good at what they do. “I wanted to tell a story about exceptional people,” says May. “Not superheroes with super powers, but maybe someone who is just the best at playing guitar. Or if someone is the best at playing cards, or chess, or can run quite fast. The Devil in the book is supernatural. He’s magic. But here are some humans who are very good at doing certain things, and if they’re
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Parking problems Smart phones could help solve parking woes downtown
T
here’s been a lot of talk lately about parking in Saskatoon, and rightfully so — parking downtown is a complete nightmare. And with summer just around the corner, the number of people moving around the city is only going to increase. Which is why we think that making parking meters in our fair city of Saskatoon smart phone friendly will help everyone. Look, it’s not like the city doesn’t know there’s a problem. In Saskatoon last week, city councillors approved a massive parking study, one that will look at increasing the number of parking meters, reducing two-hour parking zones, providing parking incentives for developers to build parking garages, and a whole bunch more. And while all that is great and good, we think now is a perfect time to introduce one more change: modernizing parking in our cities by making meters smart phone compatible. Think about it: at some point or another, if you own a car, you’ve been parked somewhere downtown. And at some point your meter was about to run out. Your options are simple: a) risk the ticket, or b) leave wherever you are, run back to your car, dig through your vehicle, your pocket, your purse (whatever) and feed the meter again. With smartphone-enabled meters, however, all you have to do is
simply download an app, which lets you use a credit card to pay for your parking spot, gives you a warning text when your time’s about to run out, and lets you remotely top up your meter (to the maximum allowable time) from wherever you are. And along with the customer convenience that comes with not having to dig around for change or race back to your car in time, paying for metered parking with your phone has added benefits. You can view and print parking receipts online. You can pay in smaller increments of time. And, while it’s always a bonus to pull into a stall and see a few minutes left on the meter, it’s more of a bonus to only pay for the time you need, rather than dropping in three bucks and then leaving after 20 minutes. To take it one step further, we’d also like to see mobile technology come to our cities that would help drivers find available parking stalls. Parker is one such app, and is already available in places like San Francisco and LA. Using information received from sensors in parking spaces, this app shows users the number of available parking spots on any given street, at any given time, using Google maps. A time saver, indeed, but one with a green hue: not circling the block for ages looking for that elusive available spot to park your car cuts down on gas used and reduces traffic congestion. In The High Cost of Free Parking, Douglas Kolozsvari and Donald
Shoup discuss the 85 percent ideal occupancy of any downtown parking area: busy enough that it generates enough foot traffic to keep shop owners happy, but with enough available stalls so people looking for a spot have a chance to find one — without endlessly circling the block. They also talk about a relatively competitive price that’s low enough to keep people coming, yet high enough to encourage turnover. We all know the reasons metered parking in our cities can be aggravating: the high cost, lack of open spots, having to constantly top up the meter. But using technology to address these concerns would go a long way towards keeping drivers happy. It would also provide the ancillary benefits of easing traffic and reducing emissions. So maybe instead of simply raising prices or conducting studies about parking garages and ride-and-share programs, we should also be looking towards technology to help make parking easier, more user-friendly and convenient for our city’s dwellers. These editorials are left unsigned because they represent the opinions of Verb magazine, not those of the individual writers. Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372
@VerbSaskatoon feedback@verbnews.com Continued on next page »
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On Topic: Last week we asked what you thought about bringing curbside composting to our cities. Here's what you had to say: – I disagree with curbside composting as “natural” waste would stick to the bins and create a NASTY smell Truth Is Power-Try It
text yo thoughtsur to 881 ve r B 8372
– Sure enjoyed your article on George Saskamoos. Thx for writing it, Neil.
– We had curbside composting where I lived back east and it worked well. Can’t speak to specifics but it diverted quite a bit from our household garbage
– Seems like maybe Mother Nature has been listening to way too much Taylor Swift music. She seems to always want to go Back to December all the time.
In response to “The long way home,” Local,
– “feedback” you should interview a random young person about their life and hobbies
#286 (April 17, 2014)
– I think composting would stink up my house so I’m not sure. Especially in the summer. And where would it go in the winter?
– Easter may have started from something like...Jesus! Christ! That was a bad winter! Thank God! Its finally Spring!
– The Fred Sasakamoose story was great good to hear about a young man who had such a horrible childhood and still made it to the NHL. Wishing him well. In response to “The long way home,” Local, #286 (April 17, 2014)
sound off
– Circle drive should be 3 lanes all the way around. It can get very congested and is dangerous having so many cars confined to just 2 lanes.
– Two wrongs don’t make a right.
– Happy Easter everyone! – SK needs to get with it we are a growing province producing more waste than ever before let’s do what we can to keep the dump open as long as possible I have no problem with this
– If you have a backyard and are into it then I would recommend getting a compost for yourself it’s great for gardens!
– Wouldn’t you need to have special bags to put the compost in or do you just throw it in a bucket? And if its bags then who pays for it? Seems like it could be a good idea but I’m worried that we won’t be able to do it properly.
OFF TOPIC – Thank you Verb for highlighting the story of Fred Saskamoose he was an inspiration to me and I think it is wonderful that he gets recognition for what he has been through and where he came from. In response to “The long way home,” Local, #286 (April 17, 2014)
– Speechless...i keep writing and i feel im writing the wrong thing... in words..this would make a great movie....very moving!!!
– To the one that texted about having somewhere other than 7-11 to get food, i agree. I do not drink, but sometimes have trouble sleeping. I would support restaurants that want to stay open 24 hours. Truth Is Power-Try It
– People are empty! No religion, no education, no art, no music, no poems or stories, no humour, no compassion, nothing inside! They try to fill the emptiness inside with food, sex, drugs, money, tech toys, little castles and social status that doesn’t mean anything these days. Sad!
– The new neighbourhoods that are springing up don’t have much colour. All you see are browns and greys and black. How boring! With many houses being built the same and also having the same colours, it could be possible for someone to go to the wrong house in the dark.
– You can lie to anyone, but you cannot lie to yourself. If you are lying, you know you are lying even if the other does not know Truth Is Power-Try It
Next week: What do you think about improving parking downtown with smart phones? Text in your thoughts to Verb to get in on the conversation.
– Love the rain! It helps keep my allergies away.
– Crazy downpour hope it brings the green grass and trees!
We print your texts verbatim each week. Text in your thoughts and reactions to our stories and content, or anything else on your mind.
Continued on next page »
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On The Road
Photos: courtesy of the artist
Steven Beddall’s journey from solo singer-songwriter to rock and roll frontman by Alex J MacPherson
T
en years ago, Steven Beddall was living in Ottawa, Ontario and feeling dissatisfied. So he made a change. “I just hopped on a Greyhound bus and said, ‘F**k it, let’s see what’s happening somewhere else,’” the singer-songwriter says with a laugh. “And Vancouver was about as far away as I could go.” Beddall’s latest album, released under the name Wooden Horseman, is a chronicle of his time on the road and in Vancouver, where he worked as a truck driver. Some
against smooth, propulsive guitar grooves and adorned with hints of piano, organ, and violin. “Streets” is an inspiring story of hope and despair that casts stories Beddall collected in downtown Vancouver against a simple backdrop of guitar and piano. “Desert Country,” on the other hand, evokes the bleakness of the American south through a rich blend of electric guitars and Beddall’s scruffy vocal delivery. But Beddall is rarely content to remain in one place for long, and his musical project has already evolved into
of the songs explore the lives of people he met on the road or while living above a notorious pub in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Others explore the romanticism of travelling — moments of intimacy, bouts of uncertainty, and the relentless pull of the horizon. Beddall wrote and recorded the songs using little more than an acoustic guitar before deciding to bring in other musicians. Wooden Horseman, which was released in February, channels the spirit of J.J. Cale — simple yet evocative lyrics set
something much broader than a singer-songwriter project. Alex J MacPherson: What prompted you to start working on songs for this project, and when did you realize it was something you wanted to pursue? Steven Beddall: At the time I was recording it, I was playing in a six-piece instrumental funk band, and doing shows with these DJs called the Funk Hunters. This was pretty rowdy, dance-
able stuff. So I’d been doing shows where the energy was really, really high and people were dancing, but I’ve always had a real love for mellow, chilled-out music. I was looking for an outlet. I think my intention was that I wanted it to be as quiet as possible while still remaining interesting. I needed a place to express some things vocally that were really more chilledout. That project was sort of my way to do that for a long time. AJM: Wooden Horseman started life as a solo songwriting project. When Continued on next page »
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did you realize it was growing into something bigger? SB: I didn’t really have a band together when I started recording the songs. It was a solo project, and when we were tracking it, it started off with just me and an acoustic guitar. Everything sort of came after the vocals and the guitar. I had no intention of rushing it and getting a band together. But I sort of always felt that eventually a band would form around it, and I sort of realized it was a band thing when we played our first show, not too long before the album release. I hired many of the guys who played on the album to just recreate the album live, and then all of a sudden there was a band. And I had to deal with that whole thing. AJM: The record seems to fit within the basic singer-songwriter template, but at the same time it covers a lot of sonic territory. Did you have a clear idea of what you wanted it to sound like? SB: It’s hard to say. I didn’t really have a super clear blueprint for how I wanted the album to sound. I just had guidance in terms of what I wanted the overall general vibe to be. I knew it was going to be mellow. I knew it was going to be fairly introspective, and at some points probably a bit psychedelic and a bit trippy. And then at other points, straight-ahead and maybe a bit poppy. I had written a big handful of tunes, and we cut a ton of them. The ones that stood out as being the strongest, we just stuck with those, and then we continued to just experiment with them and layer — and what stuck, stuck. We let it take shape naturally, but we also worked within a certain aesthetic or boundary. We knew that we wanted it to have a mellow, chilled-out vibe. AJM: One thread tying them together seems to be your fascination with unfinished journeys, people who are coming from somewhere and headed somewhere else. SB: That ties into how I felt when I first moved to Vancouver. I didn’t know anybody and I was staying at
this crazy hostel, meeting strange characters. Each one of them had a bizarre story about what led them to be there at that point in time. You never really figure it out but you can conjure up these stories in your head, you can write your own story about them, and for me that inspires songs. AJM: You worked as a truck driver in British Columbia. What is it about driving, about being on the road, that inspires songs? SB: Something about being on the road, driving, is really appealing to me. I came up with a lot of the ideas while behind the wheel. There’s so much selfreflection when you’re driving, and it’s intriguing to drive through small towns. You see people as you drive by and you wonder: what is your story? What are you doing here, in the middle of nowhere? That kind of thing is fascinating to me, the infinite mystery of being on the road and the strange people you encounter.
is starting to be quite a bit different than what it feels like live, which for me is cool — that’s interesting. AJM: Do you think all singer-songwriter projects eventually move toward bigger, more expansive sounds? SB: Yeah. It definitely seems to be a thing. There’s so many examples of it, and it seems to be that singersongwriters who started off being singer-songwriters, as they see more success in their career, they tend to make bigger, more elaborate productions. Which doesn’t surprise me. It’s probably really easy to get bored as a singer-songwriter, and if you have some access to a bigger sound, why
not explore it? But there’s exceptions to that, too. There are a lot of guys out there who haven’t done that, and are strictly singer-songwriters. But I wouldn’t count myself among that group. I love playing with a band, and if it can be crazier and louder, I’ll say f**k it, I’m going to go for it. Wooden Horseman May 5 @ Village Guitar & Amp Co. $TBA
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AJM: Why do you think that idea of connecting with total strangers, and writing about their lives, can be so powerful? SB: I think there’s an energy we can’t explain. Sometimes you just get a very strong vibe from somebody. But I don’t know what it is; it’s impossible to really define that feeling. It definitely does exist. For sure I’ve come across people and felt a connection to them for no particular reason. Maybe it’s just what they were going through, if they were bottoming out at the time. You get a sense of that. Sometimes people don’t really need to say anything for you to understand what they’re going through. AJM: How has the shift from working alone to working with a band changed the way you think about this project — what it is and what it can be? SB: Now that there’s a band in play, everything is coming out completely differently. The next album is going to be a completely different entity. The next album will also be live off the floor in a studio, probably, so it’s going to be an interesting evolution. The vibe you get off the record
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True West
Photos: courtesy of facebook
Local actors, artists take on Sam Shepard’s American masterpiece by Alex J MacPherson
T
he idea that a great reward lies somewhere beyond the western horizon is an indissoluble part of the American identity. Ever since Meriwether Lewis and William Clark traced their torturous route across the spine of the continent, Americans have been packing up their lives and heading west. Some desire salvation and redemption, others wealth and fame. Whatever the reason, the promise of the west is the embodiment of what has been called the American Dream. This idea rests at the heart of Sam Shepard’s True West. But instead of pointing to the Pacific coast, Shepard’s play looks inward, to the very essence of the self. True West, which premiered in 1980, tells the story of two estranged brothers. Austin (Matt Josdal), a nebbish writer, is the living incarnation of postwar suburban America. He has harnessed his dreams, as well as his self-worth, to the screenplay he spends most of his time writing. Lee (Rob Van Meenen) is chaotic and unpredictable, a manifestation of the early “Wild West.” When Lee returns from the desert, where he has spent several months, he finds Austin house-sitting for their mother and trying desperately to sell his script. The reunion is not pleasant: Lee’s arrival upends Austin’s
quiet life and threatens to expose both men for who they really are. “They are looking for something,” says Matt Josdal, who in addition to playing Austin is also the play’s producer. “There’s something about someone who is struggling in their own way to find something, to discover something, to do something new. I think that’s one of the most interesting things this play has to say. This play is about the journey, rather than the destination.” Director Aaron Hursh agrees. “It’s rare for people to admit to themselves that they are damaged,” he says. “Their perceptions of themselves are something that they hold up and cling to, and when they’re put in a situation of [extremes], like the fellows in this play are, then you see who they truly are come out.” Over the last three decades, True West has been enshrined as a classic work of American theatre. Josdal attributes the play’s enduring appeal not only to the strength of its characters, but also to Shepard’s writing. He describes the script as “tight and refined and clear.” Hursh points to the thread of humour running through the play as evidence of Shepard’s ability to juxtapose moments of intense revelation and pure hilarity. “The thing that I find appealing is that the humour comes from a place of honesty,” he says. “You
understand the motivation and it’s the absurdity of the situation that brings you in and traps you and surprises you. It’s always the last thing you expect to happen that happens.” As the play unfolds, tension and alcohol begin to erode both brothers’ carefully constructed identities. This is particularly important for Austin, who has devoted his life to living the American Dream — writing a screenplay, selling it, becoming a famous artist. Until Lee’s presence forces him to reconsider what he wants and why. “The great adventure is to go west,” Hursh says. “The idea is discovery. Discovery of one’s self. Discovery of how far you can go and what you can achieve. Austin is an Ivy League guy and his brother steals sh*t — that’s his job. They come from the same place, and to see where they go is telling. It’s about who they are, what they want to be, what they aspire to. And the whole idea of the American dream is called into question.” True West May 2–4, 8–11 @ The Refinery $18+ @ Ontheboards.ca
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By alex J MacPherson
Tokyo Police Club — Forcefield Mom + Pop, 2014
The opening track of Tokyo Police Club’s new album, Forcefield, is an unrelenting nine-minute blast of tightly wound guitar riffs and angsty, yearning vocals. “Argentina (Parts I, II, III)” is evidence that the Newmarket, Ontario band has lost none of its fire after four years without a major release. It is also one of the best songs Tokyo Police Club has ever recorded — the ideal fulcrum of edgy guitar rock and polished pop.
Tokyo Police Club have always excelled at blurring the line between chaos and order. The band’s first two records, 2008’s Elephant Shell and 2010’s Champ, welded straightforward pop hooks to loud, anxious guitar rock. This is why “Argentina (Parts I, II, III)” is so appealing: we’re back and better than ever, it seems to be saying. But as Forcefield unfolds, the tension that animates its opening track is lost as the production values swing toward pristine pop. By far the cleanest, clearest record Tokyo Police Club has ever made, Forcefield (which was produced by Doug Boehm and bassist David Monks) sacrifices the incipient chaos that made Elephant Shell and Champ so much fun at the altar of accessible, radio-friendly production. Tracks like the summery “Hot Tonight” and the escapist anthem “Miserable” are loaded with some
of the most memorable guitar and vocal hooks the band has ever composed. They are upbeat, infectious, and danceable. But they just aren’t all that edgy. The guitar tones have little in the way of bite, and the pacing is calculated rather than frantic. And that spoils the effect, somehow. Forcefield is by no means a bad record. But it is an uneven one. The monumental “Argentina (Parts I, II, III),” which finds the band contemplating the inevitable late-twenties malaise, sets a pace the rest of the record can’t hope to match. The moments of pure pop perfection, especially the regretful closer “Feel The Effect,” are beautiful and engaging. But they lack the snarling unpredictability of a rock band operating on the edge. Which is where Tokyo Police Club is at its best.
The Hold Steady — Teeth Dreams Washington Square, 2014
In certain respects, Teeth Dreams is no different from any other Hold Steady record. The band’s sixth LP contains loud guitars, catchy riffs, and a trove of stories extracted from the same seamy suburban malaise Finn has been mining since the band formed in 2004. In two important respects, however, Teeth Dreams marks a big change for the Brooklyn-based rock band. The first reason is technical. Following the departure of keyboardist Franz
Nicolay and the subsequent misstep that was 2010’s Heaven Is Whenever (apart from “The Weekenders,” obviously), the band added guitarist Steve Selvidge to the fold. Teeth Dreams captures the Hold Steady at its leanest. The addition of Selvidge also changed the band’s guitar dynamic. Selvidge and Tad Kubler have balanced their fondness for monumental riffs (“Spinners,” “Wait A While”) against a subtler, more refined way of weaving two guitars into the fabric of a Hold Steady song (“The Ambassador,” “Oaks”). The second reason why Teeth Dreams marks a departure is temporal. Put simply, the band is approaching middle age. Finn is forty-two now and Kubler hasn’t had a drink in years; it’s been a decade since the duo wrote their epic late-night anthem, “Killer Parties.” Although Finn is still committed to chronicling massive highs and crushing lows, the songs on Teeth
Dreams feel more like recalled memories than sharp, visceral experiences. In the end, Teeth Dreams is still a Hold Steady record. Finn is asking the same questions he asked on 2004’s Almost Killed Me and 2005’s Separation Sunday, the answers are just different now. But like its predecessors, Teeth Dreams mines thin slices of American life for the things we all crave: hope, redemption and maybe even salvation. As Finn hints on “I Hope This Whole Thing Didn’t Frighten You”: “There was a side of this city I didn’t want you to see / There’s just these guys that I know, we go back pretty deep.”
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Living With Lions Up and down with one of Canada’s hardiest, most energetic punk bands by Alex J MacPherson
A
fter two years of nearconstant touring, Chase Brenneman was happy to take some time off — but not too much. A founding member of the Vancouver, B.C. pop-punk band Living With Lions, Brenneman has spent the last several years dealing with various headaches and minor catastrophes. In addition to spending weeks on end living out of their suitcases and duffel bags, the band has experienced several major lineup changes and weathered the fallout from a major scandal. It has not been easy. But Brenneman and the other members of Living With Lions can’t imagine doing anything else. Which is why they just released a new EP, and are working on yet another full-length. “To be honest, we started the band in our basement for ourselves,” Brenneman says. “We never really planned to tour or put out records. We’re not trying to please anybody, and we’re not trying to reinvent the wheel. We write these songs because we enjoy it, because it’s fun to do. It might sound selfish, but we do it because we like it — and that’s really the only reason.”
Living With Lions emerged from an East Vancouver party house, known to its inhabitants as the Dude Manor, in 2006. When the inevitable parties began moving
The raw simplicity of Dude Manor established Living With Lions as a significant force in the Vancouver punk scene. This was a significant accomplishment for five musicians who
We thought it was hilarious for awhile. But when the government started getting involved it got a little scarier… chase brenneman
into the basement jam space, and when beer-drinking began to take a backseat to guitar-playing, it occurred to Brenneman and his friends that they should start a band. Thus, Living With Lions was born. But what began as little more than an outlet for five musicians with time to kill and beer to drink soon grew into something else entirely. The group’s penchant for infectious guitar riffs and indescribably catchy vocal hooks soon attracted an audience. In 2007, they released a raucous EP, which they used to immortalize the band’s roots: like its namesake, Dude Manor was chaotic and fast and fun.
just wanted to imitate their musical heroes — bands like Saves The Day. In 2008, Living With Lions signed a deal with the Mississauga, Ontario label Black Box Recordings and released a full-length album. Like its predecessor, Make Your Mark emerged as a compendium of propulsive riffs and anthemic vocals covering everything from late-night angst and early-morning regrets, as well as a wide selection of injured and broken relationships. And like Dude Manor, Make Your Mark was honest, raw, and engaging. The record also paved the way for three years of relentless touring, including long stints on the road with bands like Comeback Continued on next page »
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Photo: courtesy of matt postal
Kid and A Day To Remember. Which is when problems started to crop up. Before Living With Lions could finish recording another album, longtime vocalist Matt Postal de-
Photo: courtesy of matt postal
cided to leave the band. “There was some inner conflict, definitely, that probably helped him make that de-
cision,” Brenneman says. “That was kind of a big issue, and it sucked. Like, it’s one thing when you have a band member that leaves the band when you can’t work with each other anymore. But it’s a whole different thing when it’s one of your really good friends, you know? There was all kinds of emotions attached to it.” Losing Postal was a blow, but not a fatal one. Instead of packing it in, the remaining members of the band — Brenneman, bassist Bill Crook, drummer Loren Legare, and guitarist Landon Matz — decided to keep going. They recruited vocalist Stu Ross of the band Misery Signals to sing on the new record, most of which was already written, and headed into the studio. In the spring of 2011, Living With Lions released its long-awaited sophomore album, Holy Sh*t — and almost immediately found itself embroiled in scandal. The problem was not the record itself, but the liner notes, which described the bible as the “Poo Testament” and depicted Jesus Christ as a piece of excrement. According to Brenneman, the band dreamed up the title on a snack run to 7-Eleven; the liner notes were an extension of the title, he says, and had nothing to do with the music. But they still enraged a number of powerful people, including the federal heritage minister, Conservative MP James Moore. What began as an innocent joke ballooned into a national scandal when Moore criticized the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent On Records (FACTOR) for using public money to help pay for the album. “People turned it into some ridiculous thing that it wasn’t at all, you know?” Brenneman says. “We thought it was hilarious for awhile. But
when the government started getting involved it got a little scarier, because [that] makes you realize how things can be out of your hands sometimes.” Eventually, both band and record label issued public apologies; they also recalled the album and refunded some $13,000 to FACTOR. Holy Sh*t was rereleased shortly thereafter, without any support from the tax-paying public. Today, Brenneman concedes that he and his bandmates put FACTOR in a difficult position. At the same time, he is still annoyed by how many people assumed a few jokes were indicative of the album’s contents. He and his bandmates emphasized this in their statement: “The lyrical and musical content of this record does not contain any commentary on religion, nor does it use a pejorative or malicious voice against any particular group of people (excluding possibly some of our ex-girlfriends).” But perhaps more than anything else, Brenneman was disappointed that the furor surrounding the liner notes overshadowed the songs themselves — which rank among the best the band have ever recorded. Unlike so many pop-punk bands, Living With Lions have consistently avoided over-producing their records; Like Make Your Mark, Holy Sh*t finds the ideal balance between clarity and chaos. While it is clear that Brenneman and his bandmates spent months writing and refining the songs, their hard work is concealed by a loose, unpretentious approach to recording. In other words, the songs are polished while the sonics are raw, open, and edgy. This is apparent from the first track, an anthemic breakup song titled “Pieces,” which features ragged, overdriven guitars, relentless drumming, and anthemic vocal lines. The
punchy opener also sets the tone for the rest of the record, which derives its power from resilience in the face of crumbling fractured relationships. “It ended up being more about personal relationships with friends, people I didn’t like, people I really like, family,” Brenneman says of Holy Sh*t. “Subconsciously, it ended up being about all these strange relationships that I’d had with people. Matt [Postal], our old, old vocalist, had written some songs on that record as well, and they ended up being about the same thing. But it wasn’t something I was intending to do, it just ended up happening. At the time, there definitely were a lot of problems happening with the band, a lot of personal problems. So I think all that stuff sort of came out in the songs.” This is perhaps most apparent on the album’s centrepiece, a towering concoction of intertwined vocals, machine-gun drumming, and rumbling power chords titled “Maple Drive Is Still Alive”: “I told you someday I would recover / I always thought that we would live forever / I told you someday I would show my true colours / Waiting for someday, someday.” The release of Holy Sh*t also ushered in a new era for the band. After cycling through a number of vocalists, including Postal, the core band members were forced to admit that Living With Lions had become a four-piece band. This meant Brenneman had to take on vocal duties, which he found surprisingly enjoyable. His nasal voice gave a new shape to the band’s latest release, a short EP titled Some Of My Friends Are Dead To Me. Unlike Make Your Mark or Holy Sh*t, the new EP is a collection of songs rather than a cohesive record. But it is still plenty of fun — fast, loose, and honest. “Scarred”
is a snarky post-breakup anthem that conjures up the spirit of countless early-2000s pop-punk bands. “Between The Lines,” on the other hand, carries Brenneman’s anxiety-laden vocal aloft on a wave of punchy bass hooks and crunchy power chords. According to Brenneman, All Of My Friends Are Dead To Me will lay the groundwork for an upcoming full-length album, the band’s first as a four-piece. But more than anything else, the new EP is yet another demonstration of the band’s resilience. This is a reflection of the band’s attitude toward making music, which hasn’t changed much since the year they spent living and partying and making music in the Dude Manor. What was fun in 2006 is still fun today, even if the circumstances have changed. And Brenneman, like his bandmates, doesn’t want to imagine a future without Living With Lions. “It’s part of your identity,” he says. “At a certain point, you’ve been in it for so long and invested so much time and emotion and energy, and built these crazy friendships with these guys that I’ve known forever and that I really, really love, that eventually it becomes a part of your life you can’t really imagine being without. It’s not like we make a ton of money or do the band full-time to the point where we’re touring twelve months out of the year. But at the end of the day, it is part of my identity. And the same goes for the other guys.” Living With Lions May 2 @ Louis’ Pub $12 @ Ticketedge.ca Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372
@VerbSaskatoon amacpherson@verbnews.com
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Quintessential Thai Photos courtesy of Adam Hawboldt
Thai Lotus serves up mouth-watering, aromatic cuisine by adam hawboldt
L
ook at nearly any list of the best Thai foods and you’ll see the same two dishes near the top of the pile. It
pad thai and massaman curry — you’ll see gaeng daeng (red curry) and tom yum goong. The reason for this is simple: they’re delicious. It really is as easy as that. So the other day when I had a hankering for Thai, I called Thai Lotus (located on Fairlight Drive in the Confederation area of town) and ordered just that. Well, not just that. Along with the curry and the tom yum, I wanted something solid. Something light. Something fresh. After hemming and hawing over their small but delicious-looking menu, I ordered the beef salad — known in Laos and Thailand as larb. Good choice. The larb at Thai Lotus is served on enormous lettuce leaves, and consists of ground beef, sliced onion, sliced carrots and cucumbers, bean sprouts, lime juice and Thai herbs.
doesn’t really matter where the list is from; simply Google one and invariably, right up there near the top of the heap — right alongside
let’s go drinkin’ Verb’s mixology guide The White Thyme
Ingredients
Chances are, most of you have had a glass of white wine in your lives. You may have even had a white wine spritzer. But you haven’t truly lived until you try this complex yet delicate cocktail.
1 oz fresh lemon juice 1/2 oz honey 2 sprigs of thyme 2 oz white wine club soda
Directions
Fill cocktail glass with ice, set aside. In a cocktail shaker combine lemon juice, honey and thyme sprigs. Muddle them together. Add white wine and stir with a spoon until the honey is fully incorporated. Pour the cocktail into the glass. Top with a splash or two of club soda. Garnish with a small sprig of thyme, and serve.
And, as with most larb I’ve eaten before, it was light and refreshing and tasty. The kind of dish best enjoyed for lunch on a hot day in July. Once the larb was fully devoured (and it’s quite a lot), I turned my attention to the tom yum goong. Or just tom yum soup, as we Westerners call it. This dish, which usually tops the best-of list, is quintessentially Thai: there’s the exotic aroma that tickles your nose, and the big, bold blend of lemongrass, lime, fish sauce, green onions, chili, lime leaves, shrimp and whatever else you want to toss in it. At Thai Lotus, they use all that plus mushrooms, crab meat, and cauliflower. It’s a hearty soup with a delicious, sour-and-spicy taste that tantalizes the palate. For the grand finale, I dug into the gaeng daeng — the red curry — and it was easily my favorite dish of the
bunch. This curry was rich and sweet and savoury — all at the same time. And the smell? Fuggedaboutit. The red curry at Thai Lotus — which, if you’re wondering, contains water chestnuts, beef, lemongrass, cucumber, carrots and fresh basil — is some of the most aromatic curry I’ve enjoyed in the city. Together with the tom yum soup (or should I say tom yummy?) and the larb, it made for a filling, delectable and quintessentially Thai meal that everyone should try at least once in their lives. Thai Lotus 3322 Fairlight Drive | (306) 343-8424 Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372
@VerbSaskatoon ahawboldt@verbnews.com
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Next Week
coming up
Swollen Members
Mario Lepage Blake Shelton
@ O’Brians Event Centre Friday, May 2 – $20+
@ Amigos Cantina Saturday, May 3 – $10+
@ Credit Union Centre Tuesday, July 22 – $61.75+
Nobody said the music game was easy. Just ask Vancouver’s Swollen Members. They’ve been through it all, from drug addiction and legal battles to label collapses. But through it all they kept pushing, releasing an album every couple of years. Having undergone a few line-up shifts over the years, the rap group now consists of Madchild (who’s been with the group since 1996), Prevail (who’s been there from the beginning) and Rob the Viking (who joined up in 2002.) Together they display an engaging and electrifying rap chemistry — the kind of chemistry that has seen them perform with the likes of the Black Eyed Peas, Nelly Furtado, Tech N9ne and oh so many more. Tickets at www.obrianseventcentre.ca.
Innovation. That’s the name of the game for Saskatchewan’s Mario Lepage. Also known as The Master of the Loops, Lepage is a singer/songwriter who, through his music, creates a universe all his own. Sometimes he does it performing with his psychedelic band, other times he does it solo. And along the way, Lepage — who is a Fransaskois artist — has played with some of our country’s biggest francophone acts, musicians like Ariane Moffatt, Radio Radio, and Polaris Prize winner, Karkwa. In early May, he’ll be hosting a launch party at Amigos. But it’s not just a concert — it’s a multi-media event that will bring together artists from around Saskatchewan. Be sure to check him out; tickets will be available at the door.
For some musicians, it takes a while for them to find their groove. To make that special connection with their music that wins over fans and critics alike. For Oklahoma’s Blake Shelton, it didn’t take long at all. The first single “Austin,” off his debut album of the same name, hit #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Song chart and stayed there for five weeks. He hasn’t looked back since. With a bunch of gold-certified albums to his name, and an armful of hardware from Country and American Music Awards shows, Shelton has emerged as a top draw in the country world. The kind of draw you’ll be sad you missed out on when he comes to Saskatoon later this summer. Tickets for the show available at Ticketmaster. – By Adam Hawboldt
Photos courtesy of: the artist/ the artist/ the artist
Sask music Preview Here are some upcoming music industry workshops, presented by SaskMusic and the SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival! “How to Write a Killer Marketing Plan,” presented by Farideh Olsen, will take place in Saskatoon on June 21 at 1pm at the Bassment. Topics discussed will include why you need a marketing plan, what opportunities are available to you when you have one, and more. “Managing your Career in the Music Industry” will take place at the Two Twenty on June 28 at 2pm. It will examine the roles of a music manager, when an artist should hire a manager, and more. Everyone welcome, pre-registration is encouraged. See www.saskmusic.org for more information.
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april 25 » may 3 The most complete live music listings for Saskatoon. S
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27 28 29 30
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Friday 25
25 26 2
3
House DJs / 6Twelve Lounge — Funk, soul & lounge DJs liven up the atmosphere at 6Twelve. 9pm / No cover Ladyhawk / Amigos Cantina — With Shotgun Jimmie. 10pm / $15 Brett Balon / The Bassment — Feel like taking in some smooth jazz stylings? 4:30pm / No cover Shane Philips / The Bassment — A one-man band from Vancouver. 9pm / $17/$23 Flashback Fridays / Béily’s UltraLounge — The best of the 80’s, 90’s & top 40 hits of today. 9pm / $5 cover Sean Burns / Bon Temps Cafe — Folk music from Winnipeg. 9pm / No cover Johnny Clegg / Broadway Theatre — A British-born musician from South Africa will be taking the stage to wow you. 8pm / $40 (informationstation.ca)
Seven Strait / Buds — Local hard rock 9pm / Cover TBD BPM / Diva’s — Resident DJs spin electro/ vocal house music. 10pm / $5 Kelly Read/ Finn’s Irish Pub — A talented local musician! 8pm / No cover DJ Eclectic / The Hose & Hydrant — Local turntable whiz DJ Eclectic pumps snappy electronic beats. 8pm / No cover End of School Bash / Louis’ Pub — Featuring The Rebellion, WIzards, Sunset Kids. DJ Big Ayyy & DJ HENCHMAN / Outlaws — Round up your friends ‘cause there’s no better country rock party around. 8pm / $5; ladies in free before 11pm Marty Grambo / Piggy’s — A rockin’, down-home good time. 9pm / Cover TBD The Standards Trio / Prairie Ink — A snazzy jazz trio. 8pm / No cover DJ STIKMAN / Rain — He will get your weekend started! 9pm / Cover TBD Kelly Read / Somewhere Else Pub — A talented a talented local musician. 9pm / No cover Stickybuds / Sutherland Hall — Dropping dope beats that’ll make you move. 9pm / $25+ VIP Fridays / Tequila — Come tear it up on the dance floor. 9pm / Cover TBD Crestwood / The Underground Cafe — With Eli for short. 8:30pm / Cover TBD Indigo Joseph / Vangelis — With The Archers and The Northern Light. 10pm. Cover TBD
Saturday 26
House DJs / 6Twelve — Resident DJs spin deep and soulful tunes all night. 9pm / No cover Welcome to Dilllaville Tour / Amigos Cantina — Featuring Bizarre Ride and Slum Village. 10pm / $30 (ticketedge.ca) The Eliana Cuevas Quartet / The Bassment — The reigning queen of Latin jazz in Canada. 8pm / $20/$25 DJ Aash Money + DJ Sugar Daddy / Béily’s UltraLounge — These two DJs throw down a dance party every Saturday night. 9pm / $5 cover Seven Strait / Buds on Broadway— Local hard rock will be killing it on stage. 9pm / Cover TBD Titus 1 / Crown and Rok — With US Marshall, DJ GeoSphere + more. 9pm / $5+ SaturGAY Night / Diva’s — Resident DJs spin exclusive dance remixes every Saturday. 10pm / $5 DJ Kade / The Hose — Saskatoon’s own DJ lights it up. 8pm / No cover Dr. J / James Lobby Bar — Spinning funk, soul, latin and jazz. 9pm / No cover DJ Goodtimes / Longbranch — Playing the hottest country music all night. 8pm / $4 cover DJ Big Ayyy & DJ Henchman / Outlaws — Round up your friends. 8pm / $5 Marty Grambo / Piggy’s Pub and Grill — A rockin’, down-home good time. 9pm / Cover TBD
Wayne Bargen / Prairie Ink — Fingerstyle acoustic guitar. 8pm / No cover DJ STIKMAN / Rain — Playing all the ladies’ favourites! 9pm / Cover TBD DJ Anchor / Sutherland Bar — It’s the video mix show! 10pm / Cover TBD Conexus POPS Series presents: Quartango / TCU Place — From classic tango to tango nuevo. 7:30pm / $35+ (tcutickets.ca) Saturday Night Social / Tequila — Electronic Saturdays will have you moving and grooving. 9pm / Cover TBD Heartsongs ... He sings, She sings ... Heartsongs / The Underground Cafe — Featuring Malika Sellami, Brian Di Giuseppe + more. 9pm / $5+ Fern / Vangelis — With Wolfen Rabbits, Booji Bomb, and New Born. 10pm / Cover TBD
Sunday 27
The Good Lovelies / The Bassment — A folk music trio from Toronto. 8pm / $25/$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 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 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 28
17 Seconds to Fuel / Buds — Four dudes who like to rock. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ Audio / Dublins — Spinning dope beats. 9pm / Cover TBD Goatwhore / Louis’ Pub — With 1349 and Black Crown Initiate. 8pm / Cover TBD
Tuesday 29
Gorgeous Bluedogs / Buds — Come out for a rockin’ good time. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ SUGAR DADDY / The Double Deuce — This crowd favourite rocks. 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 out to show your talent. 7pm / No cover DJ Carlos / Stan’s Place — Spinning karaoke tunes. 9:30pm / No cover
Wednesday 30
DJ Modus / 302 Lounge & Discotheque — Spinning all your favourite tracks. 9pm / No cover until 10pm; $3 thereafter International Jazz Day / The Bassment — With the Mark DeJong Quintet. 8pm / No cover Salsa Night / Béily’s UltraLounge — Latin music and salsa dance lessons. 8:30pm / Cover TBD Gorgeous Bluedogs / Buds — Come out for a rockin’ good time. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ Memo / Dublins — Spinning dope beats. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ Kade / The Hose — Saskatoon DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover Evensong / Knox United Church — Featuring the talents of the Saskatoon Chamber. 7:30pm / $20+ 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 F*ck the Facts / Vangelis — With Rehashed and Lazerbabes. 10pm / Cover TBD
Thursday 1
Roots Series: Jeff Scroggins and Colorado / The Bassment — High-energy mountain bluegrass. 8pm / $20/$25 Who Drew a Porno? / Buds — Funkadelic country punk rock. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ Kade / The Hose — Saskatoon DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover DJ Goodtimes / Longbranch — Playing the hottest country music all night. 8pm / $4 cover DJ Carlos / Stan’s Place — Spinning karaoke tunes. 9:30pm / No cover Triple Up Thursdays / Tequila — Featuring DJ Dislexic. 9pm / Cover TBD Old Towns / Vangelis — With Myles and The Blanks and A Ghost in Drag. 9pm / Cover TBD Open Stage / The Woods — Hosted by Steven Maier. 9pm / No cover
Friday 2
House DJs / 6Twelve Lounge — Funk, soul & lounge DJs liven up the atmosphere at 6Twelve. 9pm / No cover Continued on next page »
20 april 25 – May 1 entertainment
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Grippin’ Grain / Amigos Cantina — Featuring DJ Co-op, DJ Footwerk, DJ Lonnie Ce. 10pm / Cover TBD Piano Fridays: Maurice Drouin / The Bassment — Feel like taking in some smooth jazz stylings? Come check out Drouin tickle the ivories of the Kinsman Yamaha S6 grand piano. 4:30pm / No cover Jesse Brown / The Bassment — A CD release party. 8:30pm / $15/$20 Flashback Fridays / Béily’s UltraLounge — The best of the ‘80s and more. 9pm / $5 cover Nightrain / Buds on Broadway — A Guns N‘ Roses tribute band that totally kills it! 9pm / Cover TBD League of wolves / Capitol Music Club — With Indigo Joseph. 8pm / 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 Ten Second Epic / Louis’ Pub — With Living With Lions, Castaway + more. 8pm / $12 (ticketedge.ca) Swollen Members / O’Brians Event Centre — With DJs Haywood, Turner + more. 8pm / $20+ (tickets.obrianseventcentre.ca) DJ Big Ayyy & DJ HENCHMAN / Outlaws — Round up your friends ‘cause there’s no better country rock party around. 8pm / $5; ladies in free before 11pm Gorgeous Bluedogs / Piggy’s Pub and Grill — With One Day Late. 9pm / Cover TBD Doug Boomhower Trio / Prairie Ink — A snazzy jazz trio. 8pm / No cover DJ STIKMAN / Rain — He will get your weekend started! 9pm / Cover TBD 11th Octave / Somewhere Else Pub — High-energy tunes to dance to. 9pm / No cover VIP Fridays / Tequila — Come tear it up on the dance floor. 9pm / Cover TBD Pandas in Japan / The Underground Cafe — A kickass cassette release party. 8:30pm / Cover TBD Zerbin / Vangelis — With Good for Grapes and Paul Kuzbik. 10pm / Cover TBD
DJ Aash Money + DJ Sugar Daddy / Béily’s — These two DJs throw down a dance party. 9pm / $5 cover Nightrain / Buds — A Guns N‘ Roses tribute band. 9pm / Cover TBD closetalker / Capitol — With Jordan Klassen. 8pm / Cover TBD SaturGAY Night / Diva’s — Resident DJs spin exclusive dance remixes every Saturday. 10pm / $5 Allyson Reigh / Gillian Snider’s House — Appearing with Kevin Roy. 8pm / $10/$15 (www.gillianshouse.com) 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 Goodtimes / Longbranch — Playing the hottest country music all night. 8pm / $4 cover Lou Gramm / O’Brians Event Centre — With Kickstart Louie and The Diggers. 7pm / $45+ (tickets.obrianseventcentre. 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 Gorgeous Bluedogs / Piggy’s Pub and Grill — A rockin’, down-home good time. 9pm / Cover TBD Ian Martens / Prairie Ink — Playing acoustic rock and folk. 8pm / No cover DJ STIKMAN / Rain — Playing all the ladies’ favourites! 9pm / Cover TBD MayDay and The Beatcreeps / Rock Bottom — Folk-hop music from Edmonton. 8pm / Cover TBD 11th Octave / Somewhere Else Pub — High-energy tunes to dance to. 9pm / No cover DJ Anchor / Sutherland Bar — It’s the world famous video mix show! 10pm / Cover TBD Samuel Milner / TCU Place — Playing everything from Bruch to Respighi. 7:30pm / $6+ (tcutickets.ca) Saturday Night Social / Tequila — Electronic Saturdays will have you moving and grooving. 9pm / Cover TBD Bestie / Vangelis — A Vancouver band on its Canadian tour. 10pm / Cover TBD
Saturday 3
House DJs / 6Twelve — Resident DJs spin deep and soulful tunes. 9pm / No cover Mario Lepage / Amigos Cantina — With Beat Attic and Indigo Josepn. 10pm / $10+ Piano Series: The Michael Cain Band / The Bassment — A mix of jazz, funk, soul +more. 9pm / $17/$23
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A symphony of implausibility
Photo: Courtesy of 20th century fox
The Other Woman good for a few laughs, but that’s it by adam hawboldt
Y
ou know that old saying “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”? The one often attributed to Shakespeare? Well, I hate to break it to you, but Shakespeare never wrote that. Heck, it’s not even the right saying. See, the line comes from a William Congreve play called The Mourning Bride and it reads, “Heaven has no rage, like love to hatred turned, / Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned.” True story. But that’s neither here nor there, it’s the sentiment that counts. And it’s this exact sentiment that fuels the new romcom, The Other Woman. The movie stars Cameron Diaz as a sassy, hard-nosed woman named Carly, who has a whole roster of guys on the go. Then one day she meets Mark (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau … that’s Jaime Lannister for you Game of Thrones fans out there.) Carly falls hard for Mark, and gets rid of all the other guys in her life. But there’s a catch. While on a road trip to surprise Mark in Connecticut, Carly finds out he has a wife named Kate (Leslie Mann.) It’s not long after this point that the movie moves from possible to wildly implausible. Carly and Kate
become good friends, then they find out Mark is fooling around with yet another girl — Amber, played by Kate Upton. Eventually the two start hanging out with her too, and the trio set out to exact their revenge. All the while there’s a story line about Mark being an international embezzler who’s in deep with a pile of stolen cash. I guess at this point it’s prudent to tell you that The Other Woman isn’t a drama. It’s a romcom, kind of like Sex in the City meets Bridesmaids … but not as chic as the former and nowhere near as funny as the latter.
the other woman Nick Cassavetes Starring Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, Kate Upton, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau Directed by
109 minutes | PG
to decide on what kind of movie The Other Woman is. One minute they’re trying to do racy, raucous comedy, the next they’re trying to be sentimental and deep and deal with the kind of emotional devastation that comes with being a jilted lover. What’s more, none of the characters really come to life. They
…there are some chuckles to be found in The Other Woman, but nothing that will make you double over in laughter. Adam Hawboldt
Sure, there are some chuckles to be found in The Other Woman, but nothing that will make you double over in laughter. The problem with this movie — as in many other movies of this ilk — is that director Nick Cassavetes and writer Melissa Stack can’t really seem
all seem like one-note players in an implausible symphony. Mark is a cheating scumbag with no depth, Amber is the eye candy, Carly is the hardass, and Kate the emotionally damaged wife. And that’s too bad. Because both Leslie Mann and Cameron Diaz
are both way more than capable of being hilarious in movies. Can you say There’s Something about Mary? Knocked Up? The 40-YearOld Virgin? Sadly, The Other Woman isn’t in the same league as these movies. Heck, I even feel bad mentioning them in the same paragraph. That said, The Other Woman isn’t terrible. As I mentioned before, it’s good
for a few chuckles. And there’s eye candy for both the ladies and the fellas. So it’s got that going for it…
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Coming of age in Newfoundland
Hold Fast maps the ups and downs teenage life on The Rock by adam hawboldt
F
or those of you unfamiliar with Newfoundland lingo, a townie is someone who lives in St. John’s — the province’s largest city. And Michael, the lead character of Justin Simm’s new movie Hold Fast, is no townie. Far from it. He’s a 14-yearold bay boy from one of the many outposts that dot the Newfoundland coast. And like many people from around those parts, Michael grew up living a simple life. Things, though, get decidedly less simple when his parents die in a car accident and Michael (played by Avery Ash) is sent to live with his “townie” relatives in the big city. There’s his aunt Ellen (Molly Parker), a nice and understanding woman, his cousin Curtis (Douglas Sullivan), a shy and at times awkward teen, and his uncle Ted (Aidan Flynn), a bully and an arsehole. When Michael moves in with them, he’s forced into a situation that is less than ideal. At school kids make fun of him because of his ‘right tick’ regional
Hold fast Justin Simms Starring Avery Ash, Douglas Sullivan, Aidan Flynn + Molly Parker Directed by
93 minutes | PG
cides, “Screw this, I’m running away.” His cousin Curtis, who is tired of living with his domineering father, thinks that sounds like a glorious idea. And one day the two boys pack up their stuff and hit the road. Their destination? Well, they don’t really have one. They spend the next portion of the movie hitchhiking around the province, running through fields, frolicking on beaches, having cheesedoodle fights and “borrowing” a car. Based on Kevin Major’s Governor General Award-winning novel of the same name, Hold Fast is a coming-ofage flick that’s hard not to like. As with other picks in the genre, Hold Fast lives and dies by its main character. Lucky for them (or us), Ash knocks the ball out
that captures the rugged beauty of Newfoundland exquisitely, and a musical score by Mark Bragg that is pitch-perfect, and what you have is a good little movie that entertains from beginning to end. Oh, and it also should be noted that unlike some other films (ahem — I’m looking at you, The Shipping News), the actors in Hold Fast nail the Newfie accent. Which, along with everything else in the picture, adds to the authenticity and likability of the thing. Hold Fast is currently being screened at Roxy Theatre.
Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372
@VerbSaskatoon ahawboldt@verbnews.com
Photo: Courtesy of rock island film and media production
…Hold Fast lives and dies by its main character. Lucky for them (or us), Ash knocks the ball out of the park… Adam Hawboldt
accent. At home, his uncle Ted is domineering and a serious disciplinarian. But Michael, who is a smooth kid and a bit of a smart-ass, tries to make the best of a bad situation. He tries and tries until one day at school he bloodies a bully’s nose. When Michael gets home he catches hell from Uncle Ted and de-
of the park as Michael Avery. He’s older and wiser than his years indicate. He is a bit of a smarmy little know-it-all, but he possesses a charm that’s undeniable, and a vulnerability that simmers just below his smooth-talking exterior. Take a character like that, add a sharp script, cinematography
23 april 25 – May 1 /verbsaskatoon
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Thursday, april 17 @
Rain
Rain Nightclub 302 Pacific Ave (306) 934 4444
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Check out our Facebook page! These photos will be uploaded to Facebook on Friday, May 2. facebook.com/verbsaskatoon
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Photography by Patrick Carley
26 april 25 – May 1 entertainment
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monday, april 21 @
Rook & Raven
The Rook & Raven 154 2nd Avenue South (306) 665 2220
Check out our Facebook page! These photos will be uploaded to Facebook on Friday, May 2. facebook.com/verbsaskatoon
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29 april 25 – May 1 @verbsaskatoon
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Š Elaine M. Will | blog.E2W-Illustration.com | Check onthebus.webcomic.ws/ for previous editions!
30 april 25 – May 1 entertainment
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crossword canadian criss-cross
Horoscopes April 25 - May 1
29. Mount ___ (it’s on the border of Alberta and British Columbia) 32. Please 36. Coffee maker 37. Remaining one 39. Lowing sound 40. Game played on horseback 42. $20 bill dispenser 43. Front’s opposite 44. Winding shape 46. Part of CFL 48. Slow mover 49. Climbing plants 50. Countercurrent 51. Butterfly catchers’ needs
Aries March 21–April 19
Leo July 23–August 22
Sagittarius November 23–December 21
If you have a project on the go, no matter what it is, it will go a lot smoother if you ask for some help. Try to be vulnerable.
It may take you a while to get everything in order and back on track this week, Leo. But once you do, you will be unstoppable.
This is going to be a terrific week for you, Sagittarius. You’ll feel alive, full of energy, all that good stuff, so get out there and put it to good use.
Taurus April 20–May 20
Virgo August 23–September 22
Capricorn December 22–January 19
Your confidence will begin to soar by the end of the week, Taurus. Take advantage of it — now is the time to speak your mind.
Instead of digging deep inside yourself to find the answers this week, just look around. What you are seeking you shall find outside of yourself.
Making decisions won’t come easy for you this week, Capricorn. If possible, try to avoid any serious decisions as much as you can.
Gemini May 21–June 20
Libra September 23–October 23
Aquarius January 20–February 19
The more you get out there and talk to people this week, the more successful and happy you will be. It’s as simple as that.
There are certain areas in which you will shine this week, Libra. Other areas, unfortunately, not so much. Try to choose wisely.
Chances are you’re going to get annoyed pretty easily this week. Do your best to take a beat and a deep breath, and not overreact.
Cancer June 21–July 22
Scorpio October 24–November 22
Pisces February 20–March 20
Be careful what you wish for this week, Cancer. It may come true. And the truth is: you may not really like the outcome.
You may find yourself feeling fairly needy early in the week, Scorpio. Try not to be too much of a whiner — it’s better to roll with the punches.
You have a way with words, Pisces. That’s no secret. But later this week you may find yourself searching for the right thing to say — to no avail.
sudoku
A
. Room for wines 1 2. Town in Alberta 3. Exclamation of surprise 4. Sweet red pepper 5. Toy musical instrument 6. Compass heading 7. Decayed plant material used as fuel 8. Relatives by marriage 9. Letter before epsilon 11. Final amount 12. Come across as† † 14. Container weight 17. Prolonged period of dry weather 20. Keep an ___ the ground 21. Volcanic mudflow
24. hundredweight: abbr. 26. Addams Family cousin 28. Creature responsible for unexplainable mechanical failures 29. Eats the evening meal 30. Trims a photograph 31. Connected to B the Internet 33. Pictures 34. Adjust a lens 35. Oxen neckwear 38. Add up 41. Toward the mouth 43. A worm, to a fisherman 45. Provide assistance to 47. Eden woman
3 1 2 9 6 5 8 4 7 8 7 9 1 4 2 3 5 6 5 4 6 7 8 3 9 1 2 6 5 4 8 3 7 2 9 1 7 3 1 5 2 9 4 6 8 9 2 8 6 1 4 5 7 3 2 9 5 3 7 1 6 8 4 4 8 7 2 9 6 1 3 5 1 6 3 4 5 8 7 2 9
1. Building for chickens 5. Cap worn in the French armed forces 9. New ___, India 10. Regarding 12. Hardly ever 13. Immoderate partisan 15. Building wings 16. Former name of Tokyo 18. British way of saying goodbye 19. Letter after zeta 20. Sign up 22. Card game for two 23. Played with emphasis, in music 25. Supermarket section 27. Shaped by hammering
© walter D. Feener 2014
sudoku answer key
DOWN
5 9 3 7 6 4 1 2 8 2 7 6 8 5 1 3 9 4 4 1 8 2 3 9 7 6 5 3 5 7 1 9 2 4 8 6 9 8 2 6 4 7 5 3 1 6 4 1 3 8 5 9 7 2 8 2 5 9 1 3 6 4 7 7 3 4 5 2 6 8 1 9 1 6 9 4 7 8 2 5 3
ACROSS
crossword answer key
5 2 8 6 5 4 1 2 3 9 7 5 1 4 6 9 2 4 5 6 1 3 8 7 8 2 1 3 6 4 7 3 9 9 7 8
A
3 5 4 7 8 1 5 5 6 7 3 2 8 2 9 1 1 9 6 9 2 8 6 4 1 4 7 9 3 5 6 3 4 8 7 2
B
31 april 25 – May 1 /verbsaskatoon
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