Verb Issue S290 (May 16-22, 2014)

Issue #290 – May 16 to May 22

arts

T h e

culture

music

saskatoon

B a l c o n i e s

+

Jae Ford “Let’s talk about crazy” musical evolution Q+A with Skynet million dollar arm + mistaken for strangers Films reviewed­

Photo: courtesy of mike ford

contents

on the cover:

the balconies

Forward momentum 16/ FEATURE Photo: courtesy of mike ford

NEWs + Opinion

recreating the past

pedal pushers

Local author turns Regina into 1940s San Francisco. 4 / Local

Our thoughts on making Saskatoon more bike friendly. 8 / Editorial

let’s talk about crazy Jae Ford breaks down

comments Here’s your say about changes to drinking and driving laws. 10 / comments

mental health stigmas. 6 / Local culture

Q + A with skynet Blake Louis Prince on musical evolution. 12 / Q + A

fifties style dining

the pistolwhips

We visit Broadway Cafe.

SK rock band talks carrying on a legacy. 14 / Arts

18 / Food + Drink

Music

music reviews

Foam Lake, Jordan Klassen + Scott Weiland 19 / music

We review Snake River and Pink Mountaintops. 15 / MUSIC REVIEWS entertainment

listings Local music listings for May 16 through May 24. 20 / listings

million dollar arm + mistaken for strangers

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 Beily’s + Yard & Flagon.

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

24 / Nightlife

vehicles The Ford Fiesta ST, local car clubs, and more!

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

32 / vehicles

Editorial

Business & Operations

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

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

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

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

2 May 23 – May 29 verb magazine

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

VerbNews.com

local

Photo: Courtesy of Cydney Toth

Recreating the past Local author turns Regina into 1940s San Fransisco by adam hawboldt

W

hen Jessica Eissfeldt walked into the Regina Florist building on Hamilton Street, she had a good feeling.

An old red brick place with two greying Doric columns on either side of the entrance, the Regina Florist building looked promising from the outside. Inside it was even better. It had the vibe, the atmosphere, the essence of what she wanted. You see,

for the past few months, Eissfeldt had been working on a short story called Dialing Dreams — a romantic tale set in the 1940s. And now that the story was finished, she was looking for a place to take some photos to accompany it. To bring to life the key points, the most dramatic moments of her tale.

Up on the second floor of the old floral shop, Eissfeldt looked around.

She saw paneled doors, tarnished

brass railings, broken lamps and faded photographs. The smell of sun-warmed wood and history hung heavy in the air. She turned a corner into one of the vacant rooms and there it was — a frosted glass door.

The exact frosted glass door she’d envisioned in the recording studio where a scene from her story takes place. Eissfeldt ran her finger down the door’s paneling. Her mind was made up.

“Soon as I walked into that room I was like, ‘Yep! This is exactly what I had in mind,’” recalls Eissfeldt. “I was looking for a place to do the recording studio photos and this was it.”

But her search for photo locations was far from finished. In her mind, Eissfeldt envisioned having a picture to accompany each chapter, plus a cover photo and a photo after the final page to bookend the project. She scoured the city looking for places Continued on next page »

4 May 23 – May 29 news + opinion

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

VerbNews.com

that had a similar feel. Places in downtown Regina where she could recreate San Francisco in the 1940s.

Eventually she found them.

But locations weren’t the only things Eissfeldt needed to find.

“The clock’s ticking seemed louder than usual. How many times had she sat at this very switchboard, fighting tears of regret, tears of boredom, tears of frustration at not having a chance to live her dream? And now that it was here? How could she give in to fear again? But she couldn’t help her emotions. She just couldn’t.”

That’s an excerpt from Eissfeldt’s short story, Dialing Dreams. A story she turned into a 35-page book. A story inspired by a jazz song.

“I was listening to Matt Dusk in the car one day,” says Eissfeldt. “I was just driving along, listening to his song ‘Operator, Please’, and this image popped into my mind.”

It was an image of a guy standing in a phone booth. It’s midnight. The rain is pouring down. And this guy, he’s dejected. Really sad. The only person who will listen to him is the telephone operator.

This picture kept rolling through her mind, and Eissfeldt knew there was a story behind it. She went to a local Starbucks with her laptop, ordered a tea, and wrote. It started out as a really short piece, something like 12 pages. The first draft came very quickly.

At some point during the writing process, Eissfeldt went to San Francisco to soak in the city’s atmosphere. She did research on the 1940s. She watched old movies

from that era to get an idea of the mannerisms, language and feel of that moment in history.

The first draft of her story turned into a second draft. More followed.

And when everything was finished, she turned her attentions towards creating the photos.

The idea to include pictures in Dialing Dreams came to Eissfeldt out of the blue.

“I was at work one day — I work at the library — and I was flipping through some books,” says Eissfeldt.

“I’d picked up a copy of The Wizard of Oz and noticed that each chapter, was prefaced by a picture. A light bulb went off in my head. I thought it’d be really cool if, because it’s a short story, I included pictures to give the reader something extra.”

So she found a photographer and went looking for places to take the photos. At the same time she also set out in search of an actor to play the lead character in the story (Nick Hart), and clothing that would fit the time period.

“For the hero, I contacted acting and modeling agencies in town,” says Eissfeldt, who posed as the heroine Belinda in the pictures. “I told them what I was looking for, what the story was about, what the shoot would embody, a physical description of the hero.”

Eissfeldt ended up meeting with five or six potential men to portray Nick, but none of them seemed right for the part. “It was interesting,” she says of the process. “You know how you get first impressions of people?

Well, I’d meet up with a guy and think this isn’t the right one for Nick

Hart. He’d make a good football player or Elvis or James Bond.”

In the back of her mind, Eissfeldt had a concrete image of Nick. She knew his personality, his mannerisms, his favourite dessert. She knew exactly what she was looking for.

And when she met with a local actor named Greg Ochitwa, she knew she’d found her man.

All that was left was to find the right clothes for the photo shoots.

Clothes that would make the ‘40s come to life.

“That was the biggest challenge,” says Eissfeldt, “finding the clothing. There’s not a lot of vintage clothes around so I went to the Regina Little Theatre and they graciously allowed me to go through their wardrobe selection.”

There, Eissfeldt found a dress and a fedora to use in the photo shoot.

She found another dress at a secondhand store, and one at Le Chateau.

Then she found an old phone and a burgundy hat with a veil and a bow at an antique store.

Once she had everything she needed, it was time to take some pictures. The photo shoot lasted two days and spanned five different locations around Regina. And when it was finished, Eissfeldt felt she’d made the right decisions. The right decisions on setting and characters and clothes.

The right decisions that would help accentuate her short story and bring her characters to life.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbSaskatoon ahawboldt@verbnews.com

5 May 23 – May 29 @verbsaskatoon

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

news + opinion

Let’s talk about crazy Saskatchwan blogger Jae Ford aims to break down stigmas surrounding mental health by adam hawboldt

Photo: courtesy of Adam Hawboldt

L

et’s talk about crazy,” says Jae Ford. “It’s great that we can use the term mental illness, but there’s not much stigma attached to it.

The real stigma is around the word crazy. So let’s start talking about crazy. Let’s break it down. Let’s start telling the stories behind it and examine what we mean when we say that word. Let’s change the conversation around.”

It’s just after one o’clock on a crisp May afternoon, just a little over a month since Ford admitted himself into the Dubé Centre for Mental Health.

We’re sitting in the Reflection Room on

the main floor of the facility. The room is shaped like a quadrilateral. It’s clean and empty and sun-drenched. Two of its walls — the ones facing west and south — feature floor-to-ceiling windows, with a plant in the corner where they meet. Ford is sitting with his back to the plant; outside, a cyclist pedals along the Meewasin Trail.

This is a room Ford knows well.

He spends a couple hours here each day. Sometimes, when he feels anxiety creeping in, he comes here to get centered, to do some deep breathing and relax. One time, about a week after he came to the Dubé Centre, a young man was walking down the

trail that runs next to the building. He looked at Ford and circled his index finger beside his head. The universal gesture for crazy.

This pissed Ford off. But instead of bursting out the hospital’s doors and challenging the young man to fight (even though that’s what he wanted to do at first), Ford wrote a blog post about the incident.

Ford writes a lot of blog posts. And he’s always in the same place when he does it — here in the Reflection Room.

“After Admission” is the title of the first thing Ford wrote on his blog, Continued on next page »

6 May 23 – May 29 news + opinion

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

VerbNews.com

Jae Interrupted. It’s dated Tuesday 8 April 2014, and reads: “It looks like the cat is out of the bag, so I’ll fill everyone in on what’s been happening in my life over the past little bit.

As many of you know, I have Type I Bipolar Disorder. Recently, my Lithium levels got too low and some other meds stopped working. I was having major problems with anxiety, depression, and psudopsychosis [sic].

On the advice of my psychiatrist, other members of my care team, and my amazing partner, Michelle, I made the decision to go inpatient at the Dubé Centre for Mental Health. I have no idea how long I’ll be here…”

A few days before that, when it looked like hospitalization was inevitable, Ford made another decision.

He decided to write about his experience at the Centre.

“When I was getting sick this time, I started kicking around the idea of the blog. I kept thinking back to 2006, when I went away for six months,” says Ford, referring to his first trip to a psyche ward after a suicide attempt involving his 1988 Chevy Sprint, the #11 Highway and the RCMP. “When I got out people asked where I’d been. I immediately lied. I was terrified to tell anyone I was in a psyche ward for six months so I told them I was on vacation.

I told them I was in the States or wherever. Anything to avoid telling them the truth, which was shameful for me. I was ashamed of what was wrong with me, ashamed of where I’d been.”

This time around, Ford vowed things would be different. He wouldn’t play the avoidance game.

Wouldn’t lie. What he’d do was write a blog about how he was feeling, what he was going through. A blog he figured only his family and coworkers would read.

Ford figured wrong.

“It started out small,” says Ford.

Sitting straight up in his chair, his hands are curled around the cellphone in his lap, a saline lock poking out from under the left sleeve of his hospital-issued robe.

“The blog wasn’t getting many hits, but somewhere along the line it got on social media and people started talking about it. I was terrified. One day I checked, and there were a few thousand hits that morning. I don’t

know a few thousand people, so that was problematic. Then after lunch the CBC called me about the blog. I checked it again and there were a few thousand more hits. I thought to myself, ‘well, I guess everybody knows. It’s out there now.’”

Ford had a quick little sit-down with himself to think things over. He had two options: pull the blog and that would be the end of things or keep it going.

The emails he received, many from people with mental health problems saying Jae Interrupted spoke to them, convinced him to opt for the latter.

It now gets 19,000 hits a day.

Sometimes Ford finds it difficult to write.

The cocktail of drugs he is currently taking doesn’t help — a cocktail consisting of Seroquel, Lithium, Trazodone, Lamotrigine, and Celexa. Nor does the electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) treatment.

“Parts of my body are hurting that have literally never hurt before,” reads Ford’s blog after his first ECT experience. “I have a bizarre hybrid jaw/skull/neck ache, I earlier tried to eat my milk with a fork, but I’m alive. I spent a minute and twentyseven seconds this morning having an electrically-induced seizure in my first electroconvulsive therapy treatment. This post will be short as my brain is still chugging along in first gear. I just wanted to let all of you know I made it.”

These days, Ford finds the effects of the ECT treatments easier to deal with, but they’re still there. On certain days Ford still walks around in an “ECT fog.”

That’s when writing becomes the most difficult.

“Those posts are so damn hard to write,” he says. “It’s a situation where I type one word and then I’ll have to remember why it is I typed it. I can’t remember that, so I have to delete it and start over with a new word. I’ll have that word down.

Think, what’s the word I want after it? Screw that word, time to start again. Eventually I’ll force myself.

I’ll lay down on the floor with my head in the corner so that all the distractions are gone. All there is is that blinking cursor. I’m going to

write a sentence if it kills me. When I get that sentence down, I’ll lean back and take a breather … Not being able to write or use language frustrates the hell out of me. It’s scary when it happens.”

But it doesn’t happen all the time. When Ford emerges from the ECT fog, he has a unique ability to define his sickness. To describe mental illness. He likens his depression to a wet wool sweater that clings to him. A sweater that won’t dry and that he can’t take off. He refers to his brain as being a “baked potato” after ECT treatments, and describes his anxiety “as the feeling of trying to breathe through a snorkel. You can draw air into your lungs, but it requires a good deal of effort to expand your chest against the weight of the water.”

Ford writes about the blunt truths of his existence, and says things like, “I’m not crazy—I’m sick. This is no different than a sick liver causing liver disease or a sick pancreas causing diabetes.”

Outside the Reflection Room, a woman in black spandex pants jogs along the Meesawin Trail, looks up,and smiles. “Being able to explain and describe my sickness, putting it into words that people can understand and relate to, is important,” says Ford, his voice echoing in the near-empty room. “It’s important if you want to break the stigma — the stigma of crazy.”

But Ford may not be writing about these things much longer. He’s set to leave the Dubé Centre on May 22, and is unsure whether or not he’ll keep Jae Interrupted going once he’s out. If it’s useful in his healing process or useful to others who need help, he will. If not, he’ll focus on the business of getting better.

Until then, though, he’ll return to the Reflection Room every day.

He’ll sit down with his computer and post on his blog. He’ll continue to try to change the conversation by chipping away at the stigmas attached to the word crazy.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbSaskatoon ahawboldt@verbnews.com

7 May 23 – May 29 /verbsaskatoon

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

news + opinion

editorial

Pedal pushers Bike-friendly cities benefit cyclists and drivers alike

S

pring is in the air (finally), so it’s time to dust off those bikes and hit the road. Which for us means it’s time to start talking, once again, about making our city more bike-friendly.

In case you haven’t noticed, there are more and more cyclists on the road every year. People who drive surely notice this, cyclists notice it — even our city council notices it. And that’s why, in recent days, there has been a lot of talk about bike lanes in our cities.

Here in Saskatoon, the city is currently considering adding a couple of protected bike lanes to the downtown core. A petition from Saskatoon Cyclists is encouraging that these lanes be found on 4th Avenue and 24th Street. And while we applaud our city for thinking about adding lanes downtown, we feel like there’s more we could do.

Look — our province loves biking. According to Transport Canada, approximately 2.4 percent of Saskatoon’s commuters are cyclists — the second highest percentage in the country. In Regina cyclists account for 1.4 percent of all commuters, a number that ranks them in the top 15 cities in Canada in that category.

With this many pedal pushers on the road, it would serve our cities well to focus not just on the

downtown core, but on putting additional bike lanes throughout the entire city. Apart from our downtown area and a handful of other pockets around Saskatoon, we are seriously lacking when it comes to commuting by bike. Cycling between many of our city’s major hubs can be scary and downright unsafe. After all, bikes who comply with the laws and stick to the streets often impede the flow of traffic for vehicles, forcing quick lane changes and endangering both drivers and cyclists alike. Those who stick to the sidewalks out of self preservation risk injuring pedestrians and getting ticketed by police. Clearly, we need to make changes that will accommodate cyclists of all different abilities, in all different areas of the city.

The benefits of these changes would be twofold. First off, improving bike transit in all areas of the city would benefit drivers. If more people were able to cycle around the city safely, then there would be less traffic hassle for all commuters.

You could get from point A to point B quicker and more efficiently, not having to worry about hitting a biker or getting stuck behind one in traffic.

Then there’s the issue of safety.

Installing more bike lanes — not only downtown but on other busy outlying streets and streets

connecting major hubs of the city — would make things less dangerous for cyclists. A study from the University of Calgary examined data collected from emergency rooms in Edmonton and Calgary over a three-year period, and determined that bicyclists who collided with motor vehicles with four times more likely to incur serious injury than cyclists who got in other types of accidents.

Put in more bike lanes, and the risk of this decreases. It’s as simple as that.

So let’s not halfass it when it comes to bike lanes projects. Let’s not just focus on the downtown core. Let’s make things safer by having separate and visible designated bike lanes that can provide linkages between all the high-volume traffic areas in the city.

Doing so will help traffic flow more freely, and improve the safety of everyone in transit.

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

8 May 23 – May 29 news + opinion

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

VerbNews.com

comments

On Topic: Last week we asked what you thought about the new punishments facing people who drink and drive. Here's what you had to say:

– If ur caught drinking n driving then I dont care if u don’t have a lisence its ur fault. Don’t drink n drive no problems then

– I didn’t know breath tests had such a wide range of “accuracy” I didn’t think it was a big deal because I have no sympathy for

– Who cares if people who are convicted of drinking and driving don’t get to drive until their trial who actually contends those findings? This sounds like giving criminals a break. Stupid.

text yo thoughtsur to 881 ve r B 8372

– The precedence set by the government to punish those who are not yet convicted of a crime, no matter how obvious it might be that they are guilty, is troubling.

We should be worried about this, very much.

someone who chooses to drive after drinking. But how many of us work in construction and would potentially blow over on a roadside breathalyzer? And then lose our cars and likely our jobs.

They’re has to be something better.

– I have no sympathy with anyone caught drinking and driving it’s a stupid thing to do if you hurt yourself whatever but you could hurt an innocent person so I say take their licence away and if you don’t want that to happen that don’t do the crime.

– I saw people will also have to have a breathalyzer put on their cars if they are uncovered drinking and driving I think thats good.

If you’re dumb enough to do such a stupid thing that who cares about the cost to you or inconvenience.

– No drinking and driving no problems it’s that simple so who cares – Innocent until proven guilty is so important and we should be fighting this. We need to punish people convicted of drinking and driving for sure, but if they are awaiting trial then we shouldn’t punish them beforehand (unless it could count as time served I don’t know but that would only work if they get a guilty conviction). This sounds like there was good intention behind it but that it’s not really well thought through.

– I agree with your premise that we should be focussing on harm reductive approaches and not trying to fix the problem once it already happens but I don’t agree with your argument that drivers shouldn’t have to give up their licence before a trial. People are often jailed prior to a trial even though they haven’t been convicted of anything yet. Is this that much different?

It’s like a lesser punishment than totally not being able to drive.

– If you can’t do the time you shouldn’t do the crime that’s an old saying but it’s as relevant now as ever before. Don’t drink and drive and you won’t have to worry about any of this it’s as simple as that.

– People should have no sympathy for those who drive while drunk they could murder someone and we shouldn’t be giving them any breaks.

OFF TOPIC – Re. Photo radar. Why are so many large cities getting rid of this photo shop $ machine ? Could it be terrible accidents have been reoccuring even deaths due to different habits in the changes in patterns ? Citizens have spoken in these cities.. LET,S BE HONEST about this !

In response to “Speed Demon,” Editorial, #288 (May 2, 2014)

– Photo radar is a cash scam the only reason they are interested in it is to generate revenue it doesn’t do anything else.

In response to “Speed Demon,” Editorial, #288 (May 2, 2014)

– If you are going the proper speed, you should have no reason to be bothered by photo radar.

In response to “Speed Demon,” Editorial, #288 (May 2, 2014)

– People should just take buses and taxis if you want to drink and not drive then you can get wasted and have fun and not have any problems :)

– I understand what you’re saying about punishing someone not convicted yet so what if instead of taking their car away they had to have those breath things on their steering wheel until their trial?

– My heart broke reading the Robbie Waisman story. What an incredible journey! It is astonishing that a young person could have endured so much. Excellent, excellent. Thank you Adam In response to “Remembrance of things past,” Local, #289 (May 9, 2014)

– I really enjoyed your feature on Robbie Waisman there are so few

Continued on next page »

10 May 23 – May 29 news + opinion

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

VerbNews.com

survivors from that terrible terrible time left that it is important for their narratives to be recorded, for their stories to be shared because we cannot forget this, we cannot forget that regular people divided into horrible guards and terrified victims.

girls in Nigeria. The world should be outraged. We should not turn our eyes away from this. It’s a crime against humanity and affects us all.

We need to value everyone and the world needs to band together to find these girls.

In response to “Remembrance of things past,” Local, #289 (May 9, 2014)

– I was crying on the bus reading Robbie’s words. That poor child losing his family all those years ago. Thank you for sharing his story with me.

In response to “Remembrance of things past,” Local, #289 (May 9, 2014)

sound off – Warning to all drivers, the ignorant, rude, and self-centered drivers are now on the road Truth Is Power-Try It

– Garbage Is Power-Eat It.

– WhyTF do we have any housing problems urban reserve whtvr in this country? We have huge forests we mow like lawn sell cheap to other countries for housing. Its not like we don’t have the resources and capacity to easily give everyone good homes! This ain’t Haiti or Somalia! So Canada! Whats the problem? FUS!

– I’m tired of people considering nonsense to be art. If you want to see garbage, go to the landfill. Tons of art for you to look at all day long.

– If the purpose of art is to generate conversation, that I’d say this young lady achieved her goal. I haven’t seen so many different people fired up (and coming from both sides) about the art installation in a long time.

– I can’t believe in this day and age we have a crime committed such as the mass kidnapping of school

– The firing of Buckingham by the U of S could not have been handled more poorly by the institution. I am appalled at first their gag order on upper members of the various colleges, and also their frankly disgusting behaviour when Buckingham made those public. It’s not for me to say whether or not what he did deserved some punishment, but stripping of tenure and firing seems outrageous, and the institution’s handling of the matter certainly made my alma mater a laughingstock in the national media.

If you can’t question ideology at a university, then where can you?

Absolutely disgusting. If you think this won’t have an affect on student enrollment, think again. Good luck attracting the best and brightest in faculty and students with a reputation like the one we’re getting.

easier to reoffend. It’s so tragic when they kill someone after having stolen a truck. These criminals were nothing new to stealing cars. We need a tougher punishment to deter criminals. Lashes? Caning? Bread and water and locked in isolation?

A slap on the wrist justice system does not work.

– Great set at the capitol last night it’s wonderful to see another place supporting the amazing local musicians and talented singers we have here.

Support your local music scene!

– When you’re out with your honey and your nose is runny you might think its funny but, itsnot!

Read it aloud.

– Happy mommas day to all you amazing moms out there! Everyone, thank ur mom lol

– The world is really in turmoil when you take notice of everything happening environmentally, financially and socially. Killings, mass kidnappings, wars, global warming, climate change, natural disasters and the list goes on. We need a positive change in this world.

Next week: What do you think about more bike lanes in Saskatoon? 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.

– Why do we continue to allow criminals back onto the street? After the first offense, it only becomes

– Disgusted to hear about the firing of a dean at the U of S what a clusterf word.This was appalingly dealt with. Where are the students up in arms? They should demand better of their university.

– TransformUs is divisive, we all know that but I think we can all stand together and acknowledge that Professor Buckingham’s firing was beyond the pale. I’m looking forward to seeing what will all come of this. I’m sure it will really make others at the institution feel safe and secure to speak their minds.

– Boring articles in the Verb. I’m trying hard not to fall asleep.

– One hot day and good luck finding a seat on a patio anywhere lol summer is coming to stoon.

11 May 23 – May 29 /verbsaskatoon

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

news + opinion

q+a

Out In The Wild Skynet’s Blake Louis Prince talks musical evolution and the band’s latest EP by Alex J MacPherson

B

lake Louis Prince and Donny Levasseur have been playing music together for the best part of a decade. Their latest project, Skynet, emerged after their departure from the metal band Modern Miniatures.

After countless late nights spent discussing their dreams and ambitions, the two men set about transforming Skynet, Levasseur’s solo recording project, into a new band.

In 2012, they traveled to Plain City, Ohio to re-record an EP Levasseur conceived in his home studio. Released later that year, the record established Skynet as one of the more

innovative bands on the Canadian metal and hardcore circuit. It also set the stage for The Wild, Skynet’s second EP. Released in November 2013, The Wild continues the pattern established by Skynet. There are thunderous riffs, mind-bending technical sections, and long melodic interludes: the ideal fulcrum of brute force and calculated precision. The Wild also benefits from the band’s willingness to look beyond conventions of the genre. Although some tracks, like the colossal “Heart Burn,” consist of little more than a few thunderous guitar riffs strung out across a complex time

signature, others are more adventurous. The EP includes sparkling acoustic guitar licks (“The Wild”), spacey atmospherics (“Devour”), and melodic choruses reminiscent of hard rock, or even punk (J.R.M.) These are not garnishes, but they are not structural, either. The more unusual sonic elements seem to be about subverting the idea that metal is hermetic, sealed off from outside influence. (Of course, The Wild offers some of that, too: “Bottle Neck” is a titanic collection of chainsaw riffs and screamed vocals.) Because nothing on the record feels gratuitous, due in no small part to LevasContinued on next page »

12 May 23 – May 29 culture

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

VerbNews.com

in the day, and then we did Modern Miniatures. It was when we both departed from Modern Miniatures that we decided to turn his solo side project, Skynet, into a full-functioning band.

Things just evolved from there, and we’ve been going hard ever since.

AJM: Did the decision to do that happen quite suddenly?

BLP: Donny locked himself in his studio for a couple months. He just had at it and created this beautiful EP. We basically saw so much potential in it, and he’s like, let’s turn this into a band and see where it goes. At that point, I was pretty exhausted from the last two bands that we’d already done. It was pretty trying. I had to be convinced to do it, pretty much. But we ended up doing it and it just seemed like it was meant to be after awhile.

AJM: Starting from scratch is obviously exhausting, but at the same time it must give you an opportunity to deploy all of the experience you’ve gained playing in other bands.

Photos: courtesy of Steve Haining

BLP: Absolutely. That’s the beautiful thing about music. There’s always new experiences to be had and shared, and you always learn new things along the way. You’re always learning things, it’s always fresh, and it keeps things interesting, which is pretty much why I love the business so much. It’s an ongoing learning process and it’s fun to learn if you’re into music. Definitely the place to be.

financial help, and we were busting our asses, working real jobs and trying to pay this thing off, this record that wasn’t cheap to make. It was a bit of a struggle at times, but in the end it all came together.

AJM: Even though it was just the two of you for the most part, The Wild emerged as a very diverse record with a lot of different sounds on it. Was that something you wanted to achieve?

trying to be real, and I think it shines through in the music.

AJM: What do you think it is that ties the songs together?

BLP: I think the intensity of it all, really. It’s all very chaotic when it comes down to it, and that kind of matches [our] lifestyle. We’re kind of crazy people, so we always have a lot of stuff on the go. It’s just the way we live, and

I don’t know where we belong in this industry, to be honest. blake louis prince

BLP: There’s something for everyone in that album, I think. We never really go into pre-planning what we want to do. It always kind of subconsciously happens. We just go with the flow, and out comes the final product. We find that’s probably the most natural and organic way of putting out our product. There’s no set plan.

We don’t try to be anybody else or be like anybody else; we just do our own thing, and that’s rewarding all on its own. We know we’re real and

it shines through in the music. It’s all we know, really.

AJM: Given how diverse the record is, where do you think Skynet fits into the Canadian metal scene?

BLP: I don’t know if it’s just me being a hog, but I like to place us alone in the industry. I don’t know where we belong. It’s just that we keep grinding away and keep doing what we’re doing, and we’re kind of just looking out

for ourselves at this point. I guess we’re just heading in whatever direction the wind takes us. I don’t know where we belong in this industry, to be honest.

AJM: The Wild is still pretty new, but EPs tend to suggest that full-length is on the way. Are you working on something new?

BLP: That full-length is already written. Donny’s been slaving away on the tunes, and I’ve been writing like crazy myself. The album is probably about sixty percent done at this time.

There are twelve songs that we’re playing with right now. I don’t know if we’re going to do the full twelve on the full-length, or if we’re going to do a ten-banger … In the meantime we have a couple of tours coming up, and those are kind of going to be conquered first before we decide to hit the studio.

Skynet (@ Mazzfest 2014) May 31 @ O’Brians Event Centre All ages; doors open at 1:30pm $25+ @ tickets.obrianseventcentre.ca Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbSaskatoon amacpherson@verbnews.com

AJM: Let’s talk about the new EP, The Wild. What was the process like? seur’s cagey production, The Wild is always surprising, never jarring.

It is inventive Canadian metal at its finest. And earlier this month, I spoke with vocalist Blake Prince to find out more about Skynet.

Alex J MacPherson: Skynet evolved out of a side project. What was that like?

Blake Louis Prince: Donny [Levasseur], the guitarist and founder of the band, and I have been in several bands together.

We did Straight Reads The Line back

BLP: It was basically Donny and I compiling some songs together. He does a lot, if not all, of the instrument side of things and I do all of the vocals and lyrics, and put in my two cents as far as production values go. We had two different bandmates at the time who departed around the time we went into the studio. They just weren’t as serious or as passionate about the project as much as Donny and I were, and we had no room for error at that point so they had to be removed from the situation, which at the time was really complicated. We were in the studio, we weren’t signed, we had no

13 May 23 – May 29 @verbsaskatoon

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

culture

arts

The Pistolwhips Reformed Saskatoon rock band poised to release new LP, carry on the legacy of notorious local club by Alex J MacPherson

F

members of many local bands, including the Rebellion and the Sheepdogs.

After what frontman Rylan Schultz describes as a “little break,” the band reformed in 2012. The Pistolwhips’ current lineup features bassist Zach Davies (Hip’s Whiskers), drummer

ew bands are more intimately connected to the Saskatoon music scene than the Pistolwhips. Since the four-piece rock band emerged from the Lydia’s Pub scene in 2006, its rotating cast of characters has included

Photos: courtesy of the artist

Jason Hattie (911 Turbo, The Steadies), and guitarist Paul Kuzbik (Fountains of Youth).

“Everybody in the band has been a part of more than one project that, at least at one point, has been prominent in the Saskatoon music scene,” says Schultz, who in addition to frequent solo performances has also appeared with the Rebellion and several other local bands. “It definitely lends a lot of experience to what we’re doing now. We’ve toured Canada and stuff like that. And we’ve definitely done it wrong enough times that hopefully this time around we know what not to do.”

Buoyed by the prospect of starting over, the band went into the studio almost immediately. In late 2012, the Pistolwhips released an eponymous EP, four groovy rock songs driven by Kuzbik’s wailing guitar and Schultz’s rough-around-the-edges voice. After playing dozens of raucous shows in support of the EP, the four men decided to take on a much more ambitious project. Earlier this year, they started work on a full-length album. According to Schultz, the record — which was cut with engineer Ryan Anderson at Red Door Recording in Saskatoon — reflects the strength of the new lineup.

“The EP was four songs that I had written, Pistolwhips songs that already kind of existed,” Schultz says. “Paul came in as a guitar player, but playing parts he hadn’t written himself. The majority of the [new] album is songs we’ve written together, the four of us.

The exceptions are a couple of older songs that I’d written, but we totally reworked them, and made them into entirely new things.”

Perhaps not surprisingly, Schultz expects the forthcoming record to be much more diverse than the EP. What was once an outlet for Schultz has become a collaborative project, with each band member contributing ideas and parts. This is apparent on the first single, a groovy mid-tempo

rocker titled “Whatcha Doin’.” Unlike the songs that made up the EP, which were constructed from chunky power chords and straightforward bass and drum lines, the album teaser is intricately detailed. Kuzbik’s tasteful guitar line floats in and out of the mix as Schultz rasps out the verses. The chorus features some more rock and roll riffing, as well as a solid vocal hook.

“Whatcha Doin’” is also the subject of a forthcoming music video, the first of three to be released this summer. According to Schultz, the album and video releases are scheduled to coincide with a period of unprecedented activity for the band. He and his bandmates already traveled to Toronto for Canadian Music Week.

They are planning a fundraiser for the Pink Wig Foundation, a local cancer charity, as well as a pair of tours and an album release show in June. The last, according to Schultz, will feel like a homecoming of sorts.

Although Lydia’s, the landmark bar that gave every member of the band his start, is a relic of an earlier age, its legacy is preserved elsewhere.

Earlier this month, former Pistolwhip and current Sheepdog Leot Hanson, along with several other partners, opened the Capitol Music Club.

“It’s this cool, full-circle thing,” says Schultz. “Leot and some buddies of ours from P.A., who are friends with those guys, bought the stuff that was Lydia’s — and now it’s the Capitol.”

Lydia’s may be gone, but it lives on in the Capitol Music Club — and in the Pistolwhips themselves.

The Pistolwhips May 24 @ Rock Bottom $TBA Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbSaskatoon amacpherson@verbnews.com Continued on next page »

14 May 23 – May 29 culture

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

VerbNews.com

album reviews

music reviews

By alex J MacPherson

Snake River — McKruski 13th Ave Records, may 2014 According to the liner notes, the lyrics on Snake River’s sophomore album, McKruski, were “culled from conversations, arguments, and a dream had by Snake River Mountain townsfolk on the evening of February 23, 1989.” That the town and its inhabitants are completely fictional is irrelevant; what matters to Christopher Sleightholm, the creative force behind Snake River, is the blank slate — a screen onto which he can project his ideas about what the world is, and what it should be.

Sleightholm, who released his first album under the name Snake River in 2011, shares more than a little D.N.A. with fellow Regina songwriter Andy Shauf. Both men are prolific bedroom

composers and talented multi-instrumentalists. And both are fond of constructing elaborate fictions populated by memorable characters. But whereas Shauf’s creations are fully-realized, Sleightholm’s are murky and indistinct.

On McKruski, Sleightholm uses the passage of time to blur narrative and obscure emotion. Like the figures in old family photographs, his characters are grainy and indistinct. Long stories are presented as vignettes in which form trumps context. Sleightholm’s Snake River Mountain is a place where complex actions and interactions are reduced by time and distance into simple expressions of love and loss. An overwhelming sense of distance pervades every song on the album.

This is accentuated by the musical choices. Sleightholm’s 2011 debut, Songs No One’ll Hear, was essentially a folk album. McKruski expands this

palette with psychedelic guitars and buckets of reverb. The songs are gritty, sometimes caked in grime.

Sleightholm’s frail voice is drenched in reverb; the whole record feels weathered and worn.

McKruski reaches its climax on the title track, an 11-minute concoction of ominous guitars that builds into a sprawling rock anthem. “Can’t you feel it? Can’t You see It?” he wails, his voice corroded by a fuzzbox, “All the wicked, wicked lies we are living in this town.” These lines point to the album’s fundamental truth, that nothing is simple or easy. On McKruski, Sleighthom creates a detailed tableau, a moment of perfection. Then he strips away the veneer of nostalgia, revealing life for what it is: tenuous, complicated, and unrelentingly beautiful.

Pink Mountaintops — Get Back Jagjaguwar, april 2014 Any attempt to dissect Get Back, the fourth LP from Vancouver’s Pink Mountaintops, will eventually confront the album’s one major problem: the second half of “North Hollywood Microwaves.” A shambolic garage rocker driven by manic saxophone wailing and a choppy, fuzzed out guitar riff, “North Hollywood Microwaves” is dominated by a surrealistic rap performed by Giant Drag’s Annie Hardy. Her saccharine delivery contrasts mightily with her choice of subject matter: sex, sex, and bears.

“North Hollywood Microwaves” is one of the most polarizing tracks of the year. Its uninhibited, almost joyous, vulgarity will repel some listeners. But it is also an extreme parody of the society frontman Stephen McBean seems intent on abandoning.

Get Back is soaked in contempt for western excess, and consequently nostalgia for a simpler time. McBean, who is best known for fronting the Vancouver sludge-rock outfit Black Mountain, spends much of his time chronicling the evils plaguing society: obsession and alienation, excess and dissonance.

The malaise hovering above Get Back is heightened by the knowledge that McBean recorded the album not in Vancouver, but in Los Angeles. The City of Angels may be an ocean paradise and a nexus of raw talent, but it is also the last stop for burned-out American Dreamers and the high citadel of corporate rapaciousness. This is the society McBean skewers on Get Back.

And, after tackling the evils of “computerized segregation” and watching “the shakedown from [his] isolation,” McBean reveals his desire for a “Second Summer Of Love” — 1987.

The last Pink Mountaintops record, Outside Love, was released

in 2009. McBean has clearly spent the last five years pondering his life within an industry, and a society, that seems bent on destroying itself.

At the same time, he couldn’t help but produce a solid rock record — a compelling collection of snarling riffs, washed-out chords, anthemic saxophones, and anguished howls.

The record reaches its zenith, or its nadir, on “North Hollywood Microwaves.” Some will consider the track, with its weird stream-of-consciousness rap coda, the ultimate parody of western excess. Others will skip it entirely — and in no way diminish the rock credentials that make Get Back so much fun.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbSaskatoon amacpherson@verbnews.com

15 May 23 – May 29 /verbsaskatoon

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

culture

Feature

Fast Motions The Balconies are quickly becoming unstoppable by Alex J MacPherson

P

laying more than one hundred shows in a single year is an accomplishment for any rock band. Considering the distances involved in touring North America, as well as the physical and emotional demands of a long night of performing, spending a third of a year on the road is extremely daunting. But that hasn’t stopped the Balconies. After ascending to the national stage in 2012, the Toronto-based power trio spent most of the next two years on tour.

In 2013, the band played about 130 shows. “It’s so funny,” laughs Jacquie O. Neville, the group’s statuesque lead singer, whose ability to churn out propulsive guitar riffs is eclipsed only by her striking presence behind the microphone. “Every time I tell people that, they’re like, ‘Holy crap! When did you sleep?’ That’s the thing: we didn’t sleep.”

After forming in Ottawa, Ontario in 2007, the three members of the Balconies spent several years refining their sound before moving to Toronto in search of success.

In 2012, the power trio released its debut, a cheaply-recorded and hyper-energetic EP titled Kill Count.

Over the next year, Neville and her bandmates — drummer Liam Jaeger and her bassist brother, Stephen — played shows across North America and Europe. They toured with several high-profile bands, including Rival Sons, Big Sugar, and Wide Mouth Mason. For a young band with big ambitions, it was “a pretty big deal.”

Late last year, after hundreds of sweaty rock shows, the band retreated to Toronto’s Coalition Music Studios to cut their debut full-length.

According to Neville, the band was pleased with how a year’s worth of hard living and hard rocking translated onto tape. Whereas Kill Count

“Sharing the stage with huge acts definitely forces you to set the bar a little higher,” she says of the sessions that produced Fast Motions, which was released in January. “You want to challenge yourself. You want to constantly evolve and experiment with sound — what works, what doesn’t work. I just feel like that year we learned so much from these incredible people. I wouldn’t say it was a conscious effort to change our sound, but we did start noticing a progressive shift over the course of the past two years, just from touring experience.”

Fast Motions channels the raw exuberance of Kill Count into a

…I look back on this and it reminds me of where I came from. And that’s the most important thing… jacquie O. neville

was conceived as a low-budget collection of unhinged pop-punk rock songs, Fast Motions is more diverse and more measured — but just as much fun.

cleaner and more sonically sophisticated package. Part of its success can be attributed to the band’s experience, both on the road and in the studio. But Fast Motions’ punchier Continued on next page »

16 May 23 – May 29 culture

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

VerbNews.com

Photo: courtesy of Courtney Lee Yip

sound is also the product of a more fundamental change.

For the first few years of its existence, the Balconies was a power trio. Jacquie sang and played guitar, Stephen played bass, and Jaeger kept time behind the drum kit. This arrangement unraveled when the band joined forces with producer Arnold Lanni (Finger Eleven, Our Lady Peace) to make Fast Motions.

As Neville recalls, Lanni’s studio assistant, Steve Molella, “just happened to be an incredible drummer.”

This realization led the band to conclude that Jaeger, who happens to have a degree in classical

Photo: courtesy of mike ford

guitar, should switch instruments.

Molella agreed and wound up playing drums on every track. “The dynamic between the four of us was so amazing that we couldn’t ignore

it,” Neville says. “Just the way the sound of the band was progressing, it would have been impossible for us to achieve what we were doing in the studio [onstage].”

The upshot is that the Balconies became a four-piece. Besides giving Jaeger an opportunity to deploy his formidable guitar chops, the expanded lineup allows Neville to concentrate on engaging with the audience.

Although she is a talented guitarist, playing the exuberant frontwoman is arguably her greatest skill. She is a talented singer, capable of producing spine-tingling howls, and her fondness for leather pants, exaggerated gestures, and iconic guitar postures transforms the Balconies from a solid rock band into a killer live act.

“I feel like we were almost doing ourselves a disservice by having me doing double-duty, basically — doing lead guitar and singing,” she says, explaining that the guitarist’s “foot-pedal dance” interfered with her singing and performing. “Now, I can focus on being the frontwoman I always wanted to be and really engaging the audience as much as I can. I’m still playing awesome licks, but I have that freedom to worry more about getting lost in the moment.”

The expanded lineup also allowed the Balconies to draw on a wider palette of sounds. The sonic differences between Kill Count and Fast Motions are easy to discern because two tracks appear on both releases. “Serious Bedtime” was altered considerably for Fast Motions, where it appears as “Do It In The Dark.” The palm-muted introduction was stripped away, as was the subdued chorus riff. The newer version is a snarling rock anthem, shaped by a pair of blistering guitar riffs and a soaring bridge during which Neville and Jaeger trade lines. “Do It In The Dark” is probably the most accessible song the Balconies have ever recorded. It is also one of the most infectious.

It’s the same story with “Kill Count,” the song that catapulted the Balconies onto the national stage two years ago. “I felt like we had unfinished business with it,” Neville says of the song, which opened Kill Count with a crunchy guitar riff, a burst of

joyously uninhibited “woo-hoos,” and two verses worth of deeply ambiguous lyrics. “We wanted to push [it] even more. When we perform it live, I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, the reaction from the audience is night and day compared to how people reacted to the song before.’ It’s more anthemic. I like it even more now.”

The latest — and according to Neville, final — iteration is forged from much harder metal than its predecessor. The guitars are grittier, the drums louder, and Neville’s delivery more impassioned. More noticeably, the rhythmic “woo-hoos” have been expanded.

On the Kill Count version, they felt incomplete; this has been rectified on Fast Motions, which Neville demonstrates by singing both parts into the phone: “Before, it was ‘Woo-hoo-hoo.’

Now, it’s ‘Woo-hoo-hoo-ooh-ooh-ooh.’

It feels complete, the idea feels complete.” After a pause she continues, “We wanted to keep things fresh for people who had previously listened to it. It’s the same song, but we added an extra splash of colour.”

But Fast Motions also includes several sonic experiments, departures from the Balconies’ rock and roll wheelhouse. “Moving Parts” is a minute-long tapestry of atmospheric

synthesizers that introduces “The Slo,” one of the most ambitious rock cuts the band has ever recorded.

“Moving Parts” also sets the stage for the album’s closer, a richly detailed confection of synthesizers titled “Let Me Go” that features one of Neville’s strongest vocal performances to date. More importantly, the last track on Fast Motions is an uplifting coda for the album’s major theme.

“I think it’s a portrait of me being in my early twenties,” Neville says, explaining that she wrote most of the album’s lyrics five years ago, after the band relocated to Toronto. It was a big change, and Fast Motions reflects Neville’s struggles to fit in. The songs on Fast Motions cover a range of subjects, including sex (“Boys and Girls,” “Good And Ugly”), disintegrating relationships (“The Slo”), unbridled lust (“Kill Count”), and vulnerability (“Beating Your Heart”).

“In my head, it’s like I was still in high school — trying to find your group, trying to find your place in the world,” she continues. “I found it very overwhelming and very exhausting, but it was also very exciting. So to me, when I think of Fast Motions, that’s what it is: the chaotic big city that can consume you, for good and bad reasons.”

This duality is woven into every song on the record. It builds and builds, until it is released by the sombre strain of “Let Me Go,” which signals the end of one chapter and the beginning of another in the band’s career. Neville concedes that her struggles to fit in, chronicled in exacting detail on Fast Motions, are largely a relic of the past.

She prefers to view the band’s formative years in Toronto not as an unpleasant memory to be excised, but as an inevitable part of the long journey toward rock and roll glory.

“Maybe it’s not my best work, or something I’m completely proud of, but I look back on this and it reminds me of where I came from,” she says of Fast Motions. “And that’s the most important thing, that I’m here now, that I’m still alive, and that I’m a better person than I was yesterday.”

The Balconies May 26 @ Vangelis Tavern $10 (ticketedge.ca)

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbSaskatoon amacpherson@verbnews.com

17 May 23 – May 29 @verbsaskatoon

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

culture

food + drink

fifties style dining

Photo: Courtesy of adam hawboldt

Broadway Cafe does diner food right by adam hawboldt

T

here’s a Marilyn Monroe to my left. You know the one — it’s taken by Sam Shaw. In it, the beauty icon is standing atop a New York City subway grate outside the Times Square subway station, trying to hold down her white skirt as it billows in the updraft.

Next to that there’s another Monroe picture, and another. The wall on the other side of the room is filled with photos of her, too, which are hanging right next to pictures of Elvis and James Dean. There’s a jukebox behind me. Towards the

Sitting there under the iconic picture of Monroe, I look over my shoulder at the whiteboard on the far wall to see what the specials are: meatballs subs and a Monte Cristo-style BLT. I’m leaning towards the BLT until the owner of the place, Shelley Woloshyn, sits down for a chat. She tells me one of the more popular items on the menu is the Newport sandwich, so that’s what I order.

Now, I have to admit that when I first saw the Newport on the menu I was skeptical. The description reads: Grilled on rye, turkey, swiss cheese, with Thousand Island and cranberry sauce.

It was the last two ingredients that threw me for a loop. Thousand Island dressing and cranberry sauce? For some reason, I couldn’t meld those two flavours together in my mind.

But you know what? My skepticism vanished the second I bit into that bad boy. Done up like a grilled cheese sandwich, the Newport is delectable. It oozes cheese, features big pieces of real turkey, and the sauces turned out to be a match made in food heaven.

You have the option to get your sandwich with fries, cottage cheese, fruit cocktail, salad or soup.

I went with the fries, and added some gravy in there for good mea-

back corner of the room sits an old diner counter, complete with some cool looking black and chrome stools.

Chances are if you’re at all familiar with this city’s dining scene you know exactly where I am. Broadway Cafe — a Saskatoon institution of sorts. The ‘50s-style diner has been around for decades, its popularity never waning — and for good reason.

The food at the Broadway Cafe is tasty — good, down-home diner cooking. And the portions are way more than ample.

let’s go drinkin’ Verb’s mixology guide Strawberry-rhubarb sangria

Ingredients

If you’re a fan of traditional margaritas, you definitely have to try this recipe. It’s a bit of a twist on the original, but it’s terrific. Light, fresh and fruity, the strawberry basil margarita is a refreshing drink to have on a warm spring day.

1 can (12 oz) frozen limeade concentrate 10 strawberries 8 basil leaves 2 cups of tequila

Directions

Empty limeade concentrate into a pitcher. Add two and a half cans of water and the tequila. Hull the strawberries and slice lengthwise. Add to pitcher.

Crumple basil in your hands and toss it in there too. Stir and serve. (Note: if you want added taste, let the margarita sit in your fridge over night.)

sure — smart move. The fries are house cut, and you can’t go wrong with a thick, delectable gravy. Toss in a side of coleslaw and what you have is a hearty, delectable meal for under $11. Thank god for the good ol’ days, and the Cafe for bringing them back.

Broadway Cafe 814 Broadway Avenue | (306) 652-8244 Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbSaskatoon ahawboldt@verbnews.com

18 May 23 – May 29 entertainment

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

VerbNews.com

music

Next Week

coming up

Foam Lake

Jordan Klassen

Scott Weiland

@ Vangelis Saturday, May 24 – Cover TBD

@ Capitol Music Club Wednesday, May 28 – $8+

@ O’Brians Event Centre Wednesday, July 9 – $45+

Bands featuring brothers are nothing new in the world of music. There’s the Beach Boys (Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson), Van Halen (Eddie and Alex), CCR (John and Tom Fogerty), Oasis (Liam and Noel Gallagher) — and the list goes on. One of Saskatoon’s entries to that list is Foam Lake.

Made up of the Ross brothers — Paul, Barrett, Tyler, and Kalen — this indie/ experimental pop-rock quartet creates catchy rock riffs drenched with explosive rhythms, nuanced lyrics, whirring guitars and synth textures.

What makes their songs even more infectious is how the four brothers balance their energy and musicianship while still keeping things gritty.

Foam Lake will be in town to rock Vangelis next weekend, so don’t miss it. Tickets at the door.

There’s a sincerity in Jordan Klassen’s music. Something real and intimate, without being sentimental.

A singer/songwriter from Vancouver, Klassen plays an infectious brand of folk music that is at once both poppy and grounded. From fun-loving songs like “Go To Me” and “Piano Brother” to the cool intensity of “The Horses Are Stuck,” Klassen proves himself, time and time again, to be a talented folk musician with a knack for writing sincere lyrics. Oh, and did I mention all of these are accompanied by Klassen’s trademark falsetto and a diverse range of instruments?

His latest album, Repentance, is an LP full of whimsy and intelligence and catchy songs. Advance tickets are available through the Capitol Music Club’s Facebook page.

Sure, Scott Weiland has had his share of problems. He has a well-documented problem with drug abuse, he’s been arrested for buying drugs, and charged with driving under the influence — and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. But while the problems might seem never-ending, one thing is indisputable: the man is one helluva singer. In a career that is now into its third decade, Weiland has fronted two terrific bands (Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver), and has carved out a niche for himself in the solo market.

The man from San Jose, California, is the kind of singer who knows how to grab hold of a crowd and wrap them around his finger. He’ll be bringing his flamboyant, chaotic act to Saskatoon this summer. Tickets at tickets.obrianseventcentre.ca.

– By Adam Hawboldt

Photos courtesy of: the artist/ the artist/ the artist

Sask music Preview Creative Saskatchewan announces a new funding intake! The Creative Saskatchewan Investment Fund grant programs are available to creative industry projects and endeavors that encompass music, sound recording, film, television, screen-based media, interactive digital media, visual arts, crafts, publishing, and live performing arts. The deadline is May 23, 2014 at 4pm; for more information and to apply, please visit www.creativesask.ca

19 May 23 – May 29 /verbsaskatoon

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

entertainment

listings

may 16 » may 24

Friday 16

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 Self Evolution / Piggy’s — An Edmonton rock four piece. 9pm / Cover TBD Slightly-Off-Centre / Prairie Ink — Playing rock and country. 8pm / No cover Chronobot / Rock Bottom — With Itchy Stitches + more. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ Stikman / Rain — Come and get your weekend started! 9pm / Cover TBD Branded Honey / Somewhere Else Pub — A local band playing country/rock. 9pm / No cover Jett Run / Stan’s Place — Come out for a rockin’ good time. 9pm / No cover Future Forests / Vangelis — With Ravewind and Pandas in Japan. 10pm / $10 (ticketedge.ca)

House DJs / 6Twelve Lounge — Funk, soul & lounge DJs liven up the atmosphere at 6Twelve. 9pm / No cover All Mighty Voices / Amigos Cantina — With Fisticuffs. 10pm / Cover TBD Martin Janovsky / The Bassment — Feel like taking in some smooth jazz stylings?

4:30pm / No cover Flashback Fridays / Béily’s UltraLounge — The best of the 80’s, 90’s & top 40 hits of today. 9pm / $5 cover Banjo Van / Bon Temps Cafe — Rockin’ banjo tunes. 9pm / Cover TBD Men Without Shame / Buds — A glamified classic rock band. 9pm / Cover TBD Northern Lights / Capitol Music Club — A rockin’ gypsy folk band. 9pm / Cover TBD BPM / Diva’s — Resident DJs spin electro/ vocal house music. 10pm / $5 DJ Eclectic / The Hose & Hydrant — Local turntable whiz DJ Eclectic pumps snappy electronic beats. 8pm / No cover

Saturday 17

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

Evan Dando / Amigos Cantina — With guest, Sara Johnston. 10pm / $12 (ticketedge.ca) DJ Aash Money + DJ Sugar Daddy / Béily’s UltraLounge — These two DJs throw down a dance party every Saturday night.

9pm / $5 cover Men Without Shame / Buds — A glamified classic rock party band. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ Night / Capitol Music Club — Funk and soul all night long. 9pm / Cover TBD SaturGAY Night / Diva’s — Resident DJs spin exclusive dance remixes every Saturday. 10pm / $5 DJ Kade / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon’s own DJ lights it up with hot tunes.

8pm / No cover DJ Goodtimes / Longbranch — Playing the hottest country music all night. 8pm / $4 cover Nightrain / O’Brians Event Centre — 100 Mile Ride Child Abuse Awareness Show.

9:30pm / $20 DJ Big Ayyy & DJ Henchman / Outlaws Country Rock Bar — Round up your friends ‘cause there’s no better country rock party around. 8pm / $5 The Lost Keys / Prairie Ink — Playing eclectic easy listening. 8pm / No cover DJ Stikman / Rain — Playing all the ladies’ favourites for girls night out! 9pm / Cover TBD Branded Honey / Somewhere Else Pub — A local band playing country/rock. 9pm / No cover Jett Run / Stan’s Place — Come out for a rockin’ good time. 9pm / No cover DJ Anchor / Sutherland Bar — It’s the world famous video mix show! 10pm / Cover TBD Motherf**kers / Vangelis — With Mystery Squad, Exoskeleton + more. 10pm / $8

Sunday 18

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 Acoustic Night / Buds — Featuring Kelly Read. 9pm / Cover TBD City and Colour / Credit Union Centre — Come see singer/songwriter Dallas Green on his cross-country tour. 8pm / $46.50+ DJ KADE / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover Neko Case / O’Brians Event Centre — One of the most talented singer/songwriters in the country. 7pm / $35

Rock on the Beach long weekend party / Rain — Featuring Rock Candy.

8pm / $10+ Blue Daven’s Code / Rock Bottom — With Charger. 9pm / Cover TBD 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 19

Sabrina Weeks / Buds — The queen of bouncing boogie blues. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ Audio / Dublins — Spinning dope beats. 9pm / Cover TBD Merzbow / Vangelis — With Slime Street and Pulsewidth. 9pm / $20+ (ticketedge.ca)

Tuesday 20

Sabrina Weeks / Buds — The queen of bouncing boogie blues. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ SUGAR DADDY / The Double Deuce — Able to rock any party, this crowd favourite has always been known to break the latest and greatest tracks in multiple genres. 9:30pm / $4 cover DJ Nick Ruston / Dublins — Spinning dope beats. 9pm / Cover TBD Verb presents Open Mic / Rock Bottom — Come and rock the stage! 9pm / No cover Open Mic / The Somewhere Else Pub — Come out to show your talent. 7pm / No cover

Wednesday 21

DJ Modus / 302 Lounge & Discotheque — Spinning all your favourite tracks. 9pm / No cover until 10pm; $3 thereafter Salsa Night / Béily’s UltraLounge — Latin music and salsa dance lessons. 8:30pm / Cover TBD Apollo Cruz / Buds — Playing highoctane blues. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ Memo / Dublins — Spinning dope beats. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ Kade / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover Buck Wild Wednesdays / Outlaws Country Rock Bar — Come out and ride the mechanical bull! 9pm / $4 Authority Zero / Rock Bottom — Punk/ ska band from Arizona. 8pm / $15+ Tim Vaughn / Rock Creek (Willowgrove) — Come out for some laid-back tunes. 8pm / No cover The Show / TCU Place — A tribute to ABBA. 7:30pm / $46+ (tcutickets.ca) The Red Ride Tour / Vangelis — Featuring Cris Derksen, Kristi Lane Sinclair and George Leach. 9pm / $8+ Continued on next page »

20 May 23 – May 29 entertainment

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

VerbNews.com

Thursday 22

Saturday 24

Scott Nolan and Brandy Zdan / The Bassment — A folk duo you won’t want to miss. 8pm / $15+ Tommy Emmanuel / Broadway Theatre — A trend-setting guitarist from Australia.

8pm / $40 Apollo Cruz / Buds — Playing highoctane blues. 9pm / Cover TBD 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 Lighthouse / Prairieland Park — Good ol’ rock and roll from Toronto. 8pm / $25 Open Stage / The Woods — Hosted by Steven Maier. 9pm / No cover

House DJs / 6Twelve — Resident DJs spin deep and soulful tunes all night. 9pm / No cover Ride ‘til Dawn / Amigos — With Unquiet Souls. 10pm / Cover TBD Oliver Jones / The Bassment — A Junowinning jazz pianist. 8pm / $40/$50 DJ Aash Money + DJ Sugar Daddy / Béily’s UltraLounge — These two DJs throw down a dance party every Saturday night.

9pm / $5 cover RipperTrain / Buds — A local rock/altmetal band. 9pm / Cover TBD Long Walk Short Dock / Capitol Music Club — An electronic act from Vancouver.

9pm / Cover TBD SaturGAY Night / Diva’s — Resident DJs spin exclusive dance remixes every Saturday. 10pm / $5

Friday 23

DJ Kade / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon’s own DJ lights it up with hot tunes.

8pm / No 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 No Hurry Trio / Prairie Ink — Playing easy listening and classic rock. 8pm / No cover DJ Stikman / Rain — Playing all the ladies’ favourites for girls night out! 9pm / Cover TBD The Pistolwhips / Rock Bottom — Rock your Saturday night! 9pm / Cover TBD Blue Collar / Somewhere Else Pub — Playing good, ol’ fashion drinking tunes.

9pm / No cover

Evening Shift / Stan’s Place — Come out for a rockin’ good time. 9pm / No cover DJ Anchor / Sutherland Bar — It’s the world famous video mix show! 10pm / Cover TBD The Department Heads / Underground Cafe — With special guest, John Stewart.

9pm / Cover TBD Foam Lake / Vangelis — With Robot Hive.

10pm / Cover TBD

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

House DJs / 6Twelve Lounge — Funk, soul & lounge DJs liven up the atmosphere at 6Twelve. 9pm / No cover Savage Henry and the Infamous One Pounders / Amigos Cantina — With Herd of Wasters. 10pm / Cover TBD Piano Fridays: Dennis Borycki / The Bassment — Feel like taking in some smooth jazz stylings? 4:30pm / No cover Ryan Boldt / The Bassment — Deep Dark Wood’s frontman doing his solo thing. 9pm / $17/$23 Flashback Fridays / Béily’s UltraLounge — The best of the ‘80s, ‘90s & top 40 hits of today. 9pm / $5 cover RipperTrain / Buds — A local rock/altmetal band. 9pm / Cover TBD Daisy Blue Groff / Capitol Music Club — With DJ Brother Earth. 9pm / Cover TBD BPM / Diva’s — Resident DJs spin electro/ vocal house music. 10pm / $5 DJ Eclectic / The Hose & Hydrant — Local turntable whiz DJ Eclectic pumps snappy electronic beats. 8pm / No cover Caves / Local Coffee Bar — With Travis Cole + more. 7pm / No cover DJ Big Ayyy & DJ HENCHMAN / Outlaws — Round up your friends. 8pm / $5; ladies in free before 11pm The Standards Trio / Prairie Ink — A talented jazz trio. 8pm / No cover DJ Stikman / Rain — Come and get your weekend started! 9pm / Cover TBD Band Wars X / Rock Bottom — With the Patch and more. 9pm / Cover TBD Blue Collar / Somewhere Else Pub — Playing good, ol’ fashion drinking tunes.

9pm / No cover Evening Shift / Stan’s Place — Come out for a rockin’ good time. 9pm / No cover

21 May 23 – May 29 @verbsaskatoon

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

entertainment

film

Predictable, but passable

Photo: Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Million Dollar Arm is pure Disney, through and through by adam hawboldt

T

he other day a friend asked me a rather difficult question: what are the top five sports movies of all time?

I didn’t know what order I’d put them in, but I knew the top three right off the bat: Raging Bull, Bull Durham and Rocky.

The last two installments were more difficult to figure out, but in the end I wound up putting Hoosiers and Hoop Dreams in the #4 and #5 slots (though a case could also be made for Caddyshack, Major League, Slap Shot, Rudy, Warrior or Million Dollar Baby).

Then my friend asked me an even harder question: what are the top five sports movies ever made

by Disney?

Crikey! This was some strange, esoteric territory we’d wandered into. But I obliged and told him that, in no particular order, my top five favourites were Miracle, Remember

losing out on some lucrative signings, J.B.’s agency is in danger of folding. To save it he comes up with an out-of-the-box idea: create a reality show/competition in India called Million Dollar Arm. It would be a contest that would attempt to

the Titans, Invincible, Cool Runnings and Secretariat.

That was a few days ago. And having since seen Disney’s Million Dollar Arm, starring Jon Hamm, that list hasn’t changed. Now look: that’s not to say that Million Dol-

[Jon Hamm] somehow makes you feel something for his character.

Adam Hawboldt

mine the cricket market for potential baseball players.

What follows is a predictable, paint-by-numbers, uplifting Disney story. J.B. goes to India. With the help of a baseball fanatic named Amit (Pitobash) and a surly old MLB scout named Ray (Alan Arkin), he finds two prospects — Rinku Singh

lar Arm was a bad movie, it’s just wasn’t quite as good as the others on the list. But it’s nowhere near as bad as, say, the Air Bud series or Full-Court Miracle.

As mentioned before, Million Dollar Arm (which is based on a true story) stars Jon Hamm as sports agent J.B. Bernstein. After

(Suraj Sharma) and Dinesh Patel (Madhur Mittal).

He brings them back to America, where they have a hard time fitting in. There are scenes of despair. They come oh-so-close to fulfilling their dream, then disaster strikes. Then … oh hell, if you’re a fan of baseball or you know your Disney movies, you know what happens next.

So why the faint praise for Million Dollar Arm? Why did it come close to cracking my top-five Disney sports movies of all time?

Well, the answer is twofold.

First off, the scenes in India are terrific. The sights, the sounds, the musical score. They all add up to give the film — at least when it’s in India — a certain feel, a certain stylistic and narrative verve that a lot of other Disney sports films don’t have.

The second reason is because of Jon Hamm. Even though he’s a bit of a self-centred sh*t, and

million dollar arm Craig Gillespie Starring Jon Hamm, Suraj Sharma, Madhur Mittal + Lake Bell Directed by

124 minutes | PG

even though he’s a slow-walking, fast-talking sports agent cliché, he somehow makes you feel something for his character. Is it warmth? Affection?

I don’t know. I just know that Million Dollar Arm is better than I expected it to be. Good, but nowhere near the top-five sports films of all-time.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbSaskatoon ahawboldt@verbnews.com

22 May 23 – May 29 entertainment

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

VerbNews.com

A tale of brotherly love (sort of)

Photo: Courtesy of Freestyle releasing

Mistaken for Strangers is so much more than a music documentary by adam hawboldt

I

n 2010, just as the indierock band The National was about to embark on its biggest tour to date, lead singer Matt Berninger had an idea.

Since The National was literally and figuratively a band of brothers (twins Aaron and Bryce Dessner, and brothers Scott and Bryan Devendorf are the other band members), Matt thought it would be a good idea to invite his younger brother, Tom, to come on tour with them as a roadie.

Tom — a stocky, hapless screwup who still lives in his parents’ basement — is elated. Wild parties, epic shows, groupies and a neverending stream of booze is what the heavy-metal-loving Tom wants.

It’s also what he’s expecting, so he brings along his video camera to

make a rock-doc about the band and the mayhem of the road.

What he captures is something completely different.

Called Mistaken for Strangers, Tom’s film is something new and refreshing in this genre. With a nod to navel-gazing documentaries like Ross McElwee’s Sherman’s March, it isn’t so much a film about The National and the sweeping, melancholic music they make as it is about Tom. About him living in Matt’s formidable shadow, about his penchant for constantly screwing things up, about brotherly bonds and the tension that can arise amongst siblings.

But what a documentary it is!

Mistaken for Strangers is funny, raw, emotional, poignant, awkward and, at times, cringeworthy.

It begins with a scene in which Tom is interviewing Matt in a field.

With unfettered, behind-the-scenes access to the band, you’d expect Tom to ask some meaningful, hardhitting questions, to cut to the core and find out what The National is truly about. What drives them?

What make them tick?

So what does Tom ask Matt in the opening scene? He asks him if he ever gets sleepy on stage. If he ever has nightmares.

Matt rolls his eyes, leans forward, claps his hands together and asks, “Do you have any kind of organization or plan for this film?”

Over the next 70 minutes or so you’ll come to realize the answer to this question is no. No, Tom doesn’t have a bloody clue how to put the documentary together.

He doesn’t know how to ask real questions, opting instead to ask band members if they carry their wallets on stage or where they see the band in 50 years.

He doesn’t know how to be a roadie. At one point he loses a guest list for a concert, leaving Matt’s parents-in-law, along with Werner Herzog and the cast of Lost, stuck outside the arena.

Truth be told, the bumbling Tom doesn’t know how to do a helluva lot. And eventually he’s fired.

At this point the film switches focus. Tom returns to his parents’ home and interviews them about the differences between him and Matt. Then he moves in with Matt and tries to finish the documentary.

Then he, well … it’s best not to give too much more away. Just rest easy

mistaken for strangers Tom Berninger Starring Tom Berninger + Matt Berninger Directed by

75 minutes | NR

knowing that Mistaken for Strangers is one of the better music docs made in the past little while.

Mistaken for Strangers will begin screening at Broadway Theatre on May 23; see broadwaytheatre.ca for more information.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbSaskatoon ahawboldt@verbnews.com

23 May 23 – May 29 /verbsaskatoon

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

entertainment

nightlife

tuesday, may 13 @

Yard & Flagon

The Yard & Flagon 718 Broadway Avenue (306) 653 8883

Check out our Facebook page!

These photos will be uploaded to Facebook on Friday, May 23. facebook.com/verbsaskatoon

Photography by Patrick Carley Continued on next page Âť

24 May 23 – May 29 entertainment

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

VerbNews.com

25 May 23 – May 29 @verbsaskatoon

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

entertainment

VerbNews.com

nightlife

Saturday, may 10 @

bÉily’s

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

Check out our Facebook page!

These photos will be uploaded to Facebook on Friday, May 23. facebook.com/verbsaskatoon

Photography by Patrick Carley Continued on next page »

27 May 23 – May 29 /verbsaskatoon

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

entertainment

nightlife

Photography by Patrick Carley

Continued on next page Âť

28 May 23 – May 29 entertainment

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

VerbNews.com

29 May 23 – May 29 @verbsaskatoon

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

entertainment

comics

30 May 23 – May 29 entertainment

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

VerbNews.com

timeout

crossword canadian criss-cross

© walter D. Feener 2014

27. Give medical aid to 30. Spoil the peace and quiet of 34. Mother’s sister 35. Look for 36. Round green vegetable 37. Computer monitor 38. Drove in a nail at an angle 39. Long-necked bird 40. Big, silvery game fish 42. Computer key 44. T-shirt size 45. Stands on the hind legs, as a horse 46. Bouquet of flowers 47. Transmit

DOWN 1. Criminal who plunders at sea 2. Diaper problem 3. Metal in rocks 4. The art of tying knots in patterns 5. Go back to bad behaviour 6. Take orders from 7. Things that go together 8. Plaid fabric 9. Candle 11. Deserve 12. Magnificent display 14. Constellation Vega is in 17. Past the payment deadline 20. Be right for

21. A deadly sin sudoku answer key 23. Silly fight A 24. Make fun of someone 26. Ashes 27. Skill in dealing with people 28. Of country life 29. Trick into incriminating oneself 31. In a direction from lower to higher B 32. Harvests a crop from 33. Deadly poison 35. Term of endearment 38. Clothes 39. Look over quickly 41. In favour of 43. Consider to be

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

1. High-school dance 5. Nowhere to be found 9. Symbol of the papacy 10. At right angles to the keel of a ship 12. Unit of astronomical length 13. Seabird 15. Big, oval-shaped fish 16. Promising 18. Take a crack at 19. Bumped into 20. Be economical 21. Place for a lion 22. Take for granted 24. Rulers after an overthrow 25. Makes holes in

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

ACROSS

Horoscopes May 16 - May 22 Aries March 21–April 19

Leo July 23–August 22

Sagittarius November 23–December 21

It’s important to dig deeper in order to find the true meaning of things this week, Aries. You will not be disappointed with what you uncover.

You may find yourself being more reserved than usual this week, Leo. Try to push yourself to get out there and engage. Someone might need you.

Try to be as truthful as possible for the next few days, Sagittarius.

Remember — a small lie can quickly spin out of control.

Taurus April 20–May 20

Virgo August 23–September 22

Capricorn December 22–January 19

If you’ve been feeling angry or frustrated lately, Taurus, try to find constructive ways to release all those pent-up emotions.

There’s a chance that jealousy will rear its ugly head this week. Don’t let it blind you — there’s something more important you need to pay attention to.

Expect some intense times in the near future, Capricorn. Whatever you do, don’t let them get the better of you. They too will pass.

Gemini May 21–June 20

Libra September 23–October 23

Aquarius January 20–February 19

Normally, you aren’t one to suffer fools. But this week, try to grant them a little leeway. A pearl of wisdom could come from an unexpected place.

Dare to dream in the coming days, Libra, and dare to dream big! You never know when one of those dreams may come true.

You may experience problems navigating your way through life this week, Aquarius. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Cancer June 21–July 22

Scorpio October 24–November 22

Pisces February 20–March 20

This week will be full of challenges for you, Cancer. Don’t buckle under the pressure — you’re more than ready to take them on.

Don’t hesitate to let your guard down this week, Scorpio. This is a great time to open yourself to new opinions and experiences.

Strive to maintain a delicate balance above the chaos that threatens to consume you, Pisces. Pick and choose the important things, and scrap the rest.

sudoku

crossword answer key

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

A

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

B

31 May 23 – May 29 /verbsaskatoon

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

entertainment

vehicle

Mighty Mouse Souped-up Ford Fiesta an unexpected thrill by jeff davis

all Photos: courtesy of jeff davis

Continued on next page Âť

32 May 23 – May 29 vehicles

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

VerbNews.com

I

’ve got to confess there’s a special place in my heart for the hot hatchback.

Ever since driving a Honda Civic hatchback back in high school, I’ve been yearning to recapture the pep, spunk and stank of that ferocious little ride.

A twist on normally-unremarkable people movers, a well-executed hot hatchback can elevate your daily commutes to driving bliss.

And while they may look the same as lower-end models, they’re made for drivers and act the part.

Which brings us to the 2014 Ford Fiesta ST. The really important part of that last sentence was the

“ST” part. This is what separates this sweet ride from its milkdrinking cousins — the S, SE and Titanium editions.

Ford got the fundamentals right with this one. The Fiesta ST is extremely small and light, yet is powered by a turbocharged 1.6 litre engine delivering an impressive 197 horsepower. It’s also rocking a six-speed manual transmission, electronic stability control, sweet 17” aluminum alloy wheels and a twin exhaust.

The steering wheel is leather and very grippy, with well-placed bumps at 10 and 2, and the instruments look good, with a prominent

tachometer which jumps into the red before you know it.

But what really hits the Fiesta ST out of the park is the Recaro racing seats. These cloth and leather-trim beauties will let any passengers know they’d better buckle up, cause it’s gonna be a white-knuckle ride.

For anyone who may not know, Germany’s Recaro has cornered the market for upscale racing seats.

They’re what you’d find in an Aston

Martin, Lamborghini or Porsche, and are designed to keep your fleshy bits from flying all over the car during high-speed turns.

Sitting in these racing seats can feel a little uncomfortable at first, and I find they tend to squeeze my thighs in a weird way. But get up to speed and you’ll forget about this, as they hug you like a lover in the night.

Nimble and quick, the Fiesta ST really excels on busy highways.

Handling is neat and incredibly responsive, so passing and zipping in and out of traffic is easy and tons of fun.

The six-speed manual will keep you shifting a lot too, a potential cure for your texting-and-driving habit.

For having such a small engine, the Fiesta ST will surprise you with just how much torque it turns out, especially in low gears. Maybe it’s just my lead foot, but I was Continued on next page »

33 May 23 – May 29 @verbsaskatoon

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

vehicles

“

2014 Ford Fiesta ST

decent stereo, custom badges, rear spoiler, heated sideview mirrors and a full-size spare.

Plus it’s got MyFord Touch, with a 6.5” touch screen and plugins for USB SD cards and auxiliary audio While I’m obviously a fan of this car, I do have a few peeves.

Subcompact $24,999 transmission: 6-speed manual Fuel Capacity: 47 L Fuel Economy : 5.6–7.8 L/100 KM Cargo Volume: 363 L CLASS:

base price:

“

frequently spinning the tires and churning up dust in first gear.

The Fiesta also sounds simply fantastic. The engine note is loud and rude, especially when the whirr of the turbo kicks in. In fact, it sounds so good you may find yourself flooring it and driving like

Fiesta means party and the ST lives up to that name. So congrats to Ford for producing a compelling option in a space dominated for years by Volkswagen’s Golf.

Anyone looking for a small, sporty car that sips fuel should test drive one of these. It should also appeal to fans of the Volkswagen Golf TDI who don’t have the money to go German. After all, at $24,999 the Fiesta ST is the same price as a base model Volkswagen GTI.

The Fiesta …sounds so good you may find yourself flooring it and driving like a mad person — until you notice the tach kissing the red zone.

a mad person — until you notice the tach kissing the red zone.

With a price tag of $24,999, the Fiesta ST costs more than double the base model Fiesta, which starts off at $11,999. That said, it comes impressively equipped with dodads like heated seats, pushbutton start, aluminum pedal covers,

Firstly, the Fiesta is still a subcompact. This means an overall cramped interior, with a fairly small back row.

And while the steering wheel is fully adjustable, I still found my knuckles annoyingly catching on my thighs when making hand-overhand turns.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbSaskatoon jdavis@verbnews.com

34 May 23 – May 29 vehicles

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

VerbNews.com

Rolling with my Clique

Local car clubs to roll with by jeff davis

C

ar clubs are a great way to meet fellow gearheads, find parts for your car, and participate in fun events.

Fortunately, in a province as carcrazy as Saskatchewan, there are many such clubs to choose from.

Each has a distinct subculture of its own, and has its own customs and traditions. Some are very action oriented, while others exist primarily as mutual admiration societies.

This list is really just the tip of the iceberg, and there are even more groups focussed on specific brands, like Jeep or Hondas.

Flatland 4X4 Flatland 4X4 is a club for guys and gals who like to get dirty. This group is highly action-oriented, and spends weekends running muddy off-road trails in and around Saskatoon. Next time you see a mud-covered truck driving through town, there’s a good chance there’s a Flatland 4X4 sticker hidden under

the grime. Preferred vehicles include the Toyota 4Runner, modified American trucks, and lots of Jeep Wranglers, Cherokees and TJs. This is a very active group with lots of members. Great place to swap parts and advice, or even find an offroader to buy if you’re new to the scene. Find them on Facebook.

Redline Society This groups has more urban, modern flavour. Perhaps the largest car club in town, you can often see members of the Redline Society gathering for weekly meet-ups in high-visibility parking lots on 8th St or near the Farmer’s Market. This set takes a lot of cues from Tokyo Drift and The Fast and the Furious, and takes a lot of pride in customizing their cars. There are lots of sub-groups, like Honda lovers or Nissan fanatics, and is a good place to find parts and advice.

Active in both Saskatoon and Regina, you can find more info and check out the very active message board at www.redlinesociety.org.

Saskatoon Sports Car Club This is a club concerned primarily with speed and thrills. They race throughout the summer at a makeshift pylon track in the parking lot of the Credit Union Centre.

Races are held on a weekly basis from June to September, and the club has a healthy roster of over 50 registered drivers for this season.

All makes and models welcome.

In years past they even did “ice racing” but have not been holding this event lately. Monthly meetings are held at Remai Centre, on the first Wednesday of the month at 7:30. For more info check out www. ssccracing.org.

Draggins Rod & Custom Car Club The Draggins have been around for 54 years now, and are a force to be reckoned with. The focus here is old, custom cars and lots of Turtle Wax. Members have lots

of muscle cars, painted flames and posh vintage roadsters. They recently held their annual car show at Prairieland Park, but will appear at events throughout the summer. This includes club cruises, show’n shines and August’s Cruise Day in Saskatoon. Boasting many members of the boomer generation, these guys are very involved in charitable causes as well. More info at www.draggins.com

Saskatchewan British Car Club Classic British cars have always brought out an obsessive fascination in some drivers. Small British roaders like the MGB, Midget and TR6 were not the most reliable at the best of times, and need lots of maintenance to keep rolling.

Nevertheless, the style and class of these rides has an enduring appeal.

Unlike some other subcultures, this is one that aims to be true to the original, down to the finest details.

Parts and advice swapping is a major activity, as is reminiscing about

the good old days. They meet year round the first Wednesday of the month at Boffins Club at 7:30; you can learn more at www.sbcc.com.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbSaskatoon jdavis@verbnews.com

35 May 23 – May 29 /verbsaskatoon

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

vehicles

My Ride

Tony’s vintage International farm truck by jeff davis

T

hey just don’t make ‘em like they used to.

Tony is the proud owner of one of the more unusual rides on the road: an International Harvester L-120 grain truck. Built in 1952, this old girl should be getting a senior’s discount on gas by now.

Now an arborist with the City of Saskatoon, Tony bought this truck some 25 years ago. He was looking for a cheap beater to haul around branches, trees and other junk to the dump. After shopping around for a while, he saw this unusual piece and got it for a song.

“The guy wanted 650 bucks for it,” he says. “I offered $500 and he took it.”

After a $1500 engine rebuild, it hasn’t needed much maintenance, short of a pint or two of oil every year. Its old straight six just won’t quit.

Fewer than 5,000 of these trucks were made, but many of these were

stage during a production Carmen at Persephone Theater.

Despite its age, this beast can still haul loads that could literally crush modern trucks. In fact, Tony has hauled over 4400 pounds with it, even more than some new 3500 size trucks can handle! Plus it’s got a hoist, to conveniently dump loads off the back.

With all that weight, Tony says his truck is “a real workout” to manoeuvre around parking lots. And while he has gotten it up to speeds of 130 km/h, this proved to be a hair-raising experience.

“You don’t want to drive it at highways speeds — it’s just not sensible,” he says. “It’s got no seatbelts, the engine is roaring and it’s got a pretty serious driveline shake.”

While it suits him fine, Tony says that he wouldn’t recommend buying an International L-120 as an ordinary runabout.

sold here on the Canadian prairies.

As such, it’s a familiar sight to many old timers, who remember piling it high with bushels of grain.

“Every so often if I met a guy who grew up on a farm in Saskatchewan — over the age of 50 — who will say ‘I learned how to drive on one of those.’”

Because of its weight and the lack of any power steering or brakes, muscling this beast through the city is a real workout. Plus it’s got an old fashioned double clutch, which adds another heavy chore.

“It’s kind of like driving a semi, with the shifting,” he says. “You either have to use the clutch twice or not at all to shift up.”

It’s unique, old-timey look and feel has attracted requests that Troy’s truck be featured in theatrical productions. It appeared in the Saskatchewan-made feature film Run, Broken Yet Brave and also on

Photos: Courtesy of jeff davis

“As a daily driver, most people would find it not satisfying,” he says.

“Manual steering, manual brakes, no seatbelts, very vague and terrible steering, and then the double clutching — it’s work driving that truck!”

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbSaskatoon jdavis@verbnews.com

36 May 23 – May 29 vehicles

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

VerbNews.com

Levels of the Lancer

Economy four-seater has rally car potential by jeff davis

Continued on next page all Photos: Courtesy of jeff davis

Continued on next page Âť

37 May 23 – May 29 @verbsaskatoon

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

vehicles

“

rior. The cloth seats have an unattractive sheen, plus all surfaces seem plasticky and insubstantial, producing hollow sounds when you knock on them.

The interior again loses some points for lack of innovation. The centre console is fairly straightforward, though free of any high-tech gadgetry now so common in the Lancer’s competitors. Its radio and CD player, plus a lack of convenient plug-ins screams for a redesign.

The Lancer’s price starts off at a rather responsible $14,998, but with performance options it can reach to almost $50,000.

The one I drove had a few options (including heated seats, always a bonus in these parts) and went for $21,500. Under the hood it had a 2.0 litre four cylinder engine that produced 148 horsepower.

For a car this size and weight, the Lancer wasn’t quite as zippy in the power

“

S

ummer is coming, and weekends at the lake or cruising the town are drawing tantalizingly close. To make the most of things, bring your friends! Just don’t make them sit in a backseat that will have them wishing they could saw off their legs.

Fortunately, getting a comfortable back row doesn’t have to be pricey.

The Mitsubishi Lancer is a handsome looking mid-sized sedan that’s surprisingly affordable. And depending on how deep your pockets are, it can be tricked out like something out of Tokyo Drift.

Perhaps the best thing about the Lancer is its looks. It has really nice, long lines and a low snout. Ground effects in the front and a spoiler in the back complete the visual package.

The driving position is comfortable, with lots of room to stretch out. There is

Perhaps the best thing about the Lancer is its looks. It has really nice, long lines and a low snout. Ground effects in the front and a spoiler in the back complete the visual package.

lots of headroom too, and a power sunroof that will keep the wind in your hair.

The rear row is quite spacious and large enough to seat two adults, maybe even with a kid in the middle. Legroom is ample, as is headroom.

The disappointing thing about the Lancer is the materials used in the inte-

department. The engine note is subdued, and it sounded a little bit winded as I put it through the paces. It also had twowheel drive, and seemed a little relaxed in turns.

For those with a taste for excitement and performance, Mitsubishi offers the turbocharged Lancer Evolution. Known as

Continued on next page »

38 May 23 – May 29 vehicles

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

VerbNews.com

“the Evo,” it is a performance rally car with a long history on the rough tracks. Now in its ninth generation, it’s a finely tuned sports car and retails for upwards of $42,000 here in Canada.

This beast has a 2.0 litre turbocharged engine that produces 291 horsepower, which gives it lots of pickup. It’s also got all-wheel drive, upgraded brakes, advanced transmission, racing seats and a top-shelf suspension.

In short, it’s a real driver’s car.

For taking your friends and family to the beach, or going out to paint the town red, the low-end Mitsubishi Lancer is a relatively fair option.

Where it really excels is exterior styling, since it looks great and is nearly impossible to tell the base model from the Evo at curbside.

In this sense, it’s a good option for people who need four doors but aren’t quite ready for a mature person’s car, like a Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla or Chrysler 200.

The Lancer also looks great with inexpensive aftermarket ground effects, which can give it an edgy racer look. These are widely available, and the Lancer is a popular platform for building the pimpedout street racer of your dreams.

Just don’t expect to win any drag races. For that you’ll need some aftermarket engine upgrades too.

2014 Mitsubishi Lancer Compact $14,998 transmission: 5-speed manual Fuel Capacity: 59 L Fuel Economy: 5.7–7.9 L/100 KM Cargo Volume: 348 L CLASS:

Base price:

When it comes to the Lancer, it’s all about how you dress it up.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbSaskatoon jdavis@verbnews.com

Continued on next page »

39 May 23 – May 29 /verbsaskatoon

contents

local

editorial

comments

q+a

arts

music Reviews

feature

food + drink

music

listings

film

nightlife

comics

timeout

vehicles

vehicles