Verb Issue S293 (June 6-12, 2014)

Issue #293 – June 6 to June 12

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Photo: courtesy of Chris Graham Photography

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extreme huntress Danielle Bergen sets her sights on hunting competition two point oh Q+A with Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra edge of tomorrow + only lovers left alive Films reviewed­

contents

On the cover:

DESPISTADO

Reunited, and it feels so good. 16 / FEATURE Photo: courtesy of Chris Graham Photography

NEWs + Opinion

thrill of the hunt

supply solution

Danielle Bergen sets her sights on Extreme Huntress. 4 / Local

How we think we can solve our supply management problem. 8 / Editorial

comments

a tatto0-genre film fest first Mark Allard’s exciting project! 6 / Local

Here’s your say on our current dairy policies. 10 / comments

culture

Q + A with tequila mockingbird orchestra New members, new sounds + more. 12 / Q + A

the magic flute

keeping it simple

Saskatoon Opera takes on a classic.

We visit HeLi-Days.

14 / Arts

18 / Food + Drink

album reviews

Music

We review Bry Webb +F*cked Up.

Solids, Havok + John Fogerty.

15 / reviews

19 / music

entertainment

listings Local music listings for June 6 through June 14 20 / listings

edge of tomorrow + only lovers left alive

on the bus Weekly original comic illustrations

by Elaine M. Will. 30 / comics

The latest movie reviews. 22 / Film

verbnews.com @verbsaskatoon facebook.com/verbsaskatoon

Nightlife Photos

Games + Horoscopes

We visited Maguires + Snooker Shack. 24 / Nightlife

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

Editorial

ART & Production

Business & Operations

contact

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

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

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

Comments / feedback@verbnews.com / 306 881 8372 advertise / advertise@verbnews.com / 306 979 2253 design / layout@verbnews.com / 306 979 8474 General / info@verbnews.com /

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Thrill of the hunt

Photo: Courtesy of facebook

Saskatchewan’s Danielle Bergen hopes to become the Extreme Huntress by adam hawboldt

D

anielle Bergen is nervous. She and her father had been out in the bush for less than forty minutes when it happens. Usually it takes longer, much longer than this, but today the hunting gods have smiled. Today they have

presented them a choice black bear early in the hunt.

It came before, this bear. Maybe five minutes after the Bergens arrived at their double-seater tree stand, located in the wilderness north of La Ronge. It started walking up to the bait, then turned and walked away.

Dang! thought Bergen. There goes the hunt. It’s over.

But she was wrong. The black bear came back half an hour later, this time walking right up to the bait. And now Bergen is shaking like some sort of vibrating machine. Her adrenaline is pumping, her nerves

Continued on next page »

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are jangling. She’s shaking so hard she swears the pine needles are falling off the tree behind her.

Bergen is 13 years old. She has never shot a bear before.

Slowly she gets her bow ready, then stands up to take the shot. She places her feet shoulder-width apart so that they and her hips are resting squarely underneath her shoulders.

She doesn’t want to tilt one way or another, doesn’t want to run the risk of missing the shot. Or worse, wounding the animal. That’s the last thing she hopes happens.

Drawing back her bow, Bergen steadies herself and stops shaking.

She inhales, then exhales — soft and steady, just like she’s practiced all those hours at home.

Now relaxed and focused, Bergen lines her sights up. She brings her finger up to the release, makes sure the pin is on her target, then she starts counting.

One one-thousand … two one-thousand…

As it turns out, Danielle Bergen just happened to stumble upon the Extreme Huntress competition.

It happened last year. Bergen had made a video for a Morrell archery contest and wound up posting it on YouTube. One day she went back to watch it; when the video was finished, a collage of suggested, related videos appeared in the player. One of the videos was for Extreme Huntress

— an annual contest that pits some of the top female hunters in head-tohead hunts and skills competitions.

Well shucks, thought Bergen. I’m gonna have a look at this. “I clicked on the video, watched it and then went to the website,” remembers Bergen, who has been hunting since before she was a teenager. “Turns out, I’d missed the submission deadline that year. So I filed it away and figured I’d apply next year. Thankfully I remembered about it when the time came.”

And when the time did come, Bergen wrote a 500-word-or-so essay about why she thought she was the extreme huntress or, as the website entry rules stipulate, why she “is a hard-core huntress by dedicating her life to the outdoor adventure lifestyle.”

This part came easy for Bergen.

Seeing as she has been hunting since she was a kid, Bergen knew exactly what she wanted to say.

“I may be small but I hunt big” begins the five-foot-three huntress’s essay. From there she goes on to write about her passion for the hunt, about making the transition from hunting with a rifle to hunting with a bow, about traveling from Cypress Hills in southern Saskatchewan to the northern reaches of the province in search of big game.

She also talks a bit about her dad, and the old 243 Winchester rifle of his she used to use. For Bergen, a big part of hunting is family.

“What draws me to the hunt is the chance to spend a morning, afternoon, or evening out in God’s creation with friends and family,” she says. “I love it when I can sit in a tree stand, you know, with my brother, my sister, my dad or mom.

Sometimes we talk, but it’s just being with them that counts. And knowing that at the crack of a twig or a crunch of a leaf there could be an animal coming up behind you … that makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.”

…on three one-thousand, Bergen pulls the trigger on her bow. She keeps her pin on the bear while the arrow cuts through the early afternoon air.

It’s a direct hit.

“I saw the bear run about, I’d say 10 yards, then I saw it drop,” says Bergen, “All that happened within 30 seconds, then it was over.”

It was a good clean kill — what every hunter wants. Contrary to what some believe, hunting isn’t about killing animals, it’s not the part that hunters revel in. Sure, it is the final result, but it’s the process — not the kill — that drives people like Bergen. Pulling the trigger can often be anticlimactic.

For most hunters, it’s more about being out in nature under jeweled sunsets. It’s about the exercise and the thrill of the hunt and an existentially profound connection to the cycle of life as it really is in nature.

“So many people see hunting as hurting the animals, wrecking the animal population,” says Bergen.

“But I see hunting and killing as two different things. I love hunting. Love getting outside. But the thought of killing an animal, it doesn’t bring me joy. I don’t get jacked about it. It’s not like all I think about is killing, killing, killing. For me, when I harvest an animal, I have a deep respect for that creature. I know I’m taking its life, that I’m sacrificing it to put food on our table. I hunt and kill for meat. The last thing I ever want to do is wound an animal.”

And that’s why Bergen practices. She wants to go on the hunt with confidence that her aim will be true. To make sure it is, in the weeks and months leading up to the season she practices — and then practices some more.

“It’ll be the dead of winter, minus-40 degrees, and I’ll go out and find an old shed or go over to my dad’s business and practice with my bow,” she says. “So I know

when I go hunting I’ll be ready. I’ll be confident.”

And soon, hopefully, all that practice, all those hours spent diligently honing her technique, will pay off in another way — at the Extreme Huntress contest, held this year at the famous 777 Ranch in Hondo, Texas.

At the moment, Bergen is one of 20 semi-finalists in a running. Who makes the competition is determined by popular vote, by people who learn about women like Bergen and vote for them at www.extremehuntress.com.

“It would be great to get enough votes,” says Bergen. “I’d love to go down to Hondo, Texas in July and show what I can do.”

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a tattoo-genre film fest first

Mark Allard combines love of tattoos, film to bring cool new project to Canada by ADAM HAWBOLDT

T

he tattoo on Mark Allard’s right arm is still fresh, less than a week old. It features the Union Jack shaped as a maple leaf that he got in the crook of his right elbow.

That wasn’t his first bit of ink.

Far from it.

Allard got his first tattoo, a grey eagle on his right bicep years ago, from a big Maori guy in High Wycombe, England. That’s where it started. But back then, back in his university days, Initially, Allard thought he would only get four tattoos. That was the limit. Today he has 27, and plans on getting more.

“I have some ideas of what I want to get,” says Allard. He points to his right arm, covered from shoulder to wrist in ink. “I saw this arm is complete and thought, well, may as well do the same to the other.”

There’s room on the other arm.

As Allard tilts it he points to the bare spot on his elbow, right there between the drama faces with No Shame scrawled below them and the colour tattoo gun on his left forearm.

“You know,” says Allard, looking out the coffee shop window, “when I first started getting tattoos, if we’re going to be honest, I didn’t really appreciate them for what they are.”

He stops, takes a sip of his drink, then continues. “I mean, I’ve always liked tattoos, but it wasn’t until I came to appreciate them as a true art form that I really started loving them.”

It’s a love that’s evident whenever Allard talks about tattoos. And as he talks — about the evolution of tattoos and about the cultural significance of them in places like New Zealand — you can’t help but stare at his own ink. Not in a rude or ogling way, more to get a better understanding of him, and a better appreciation of tattoos as an art form.

York Ink having hit superstardom in the last decade, along with the rise of celebrity status for successful v tattoo artists, it’s probably fair to say that a global phenomenon of a worldwide discussion and debate has been started on the topic of tattoo,” Allard says.

“Tattoo is now mainstream and acceptable in most areas of modern life, as a result,” he continues. “Directors and filmmakers are taking to their cameras en masse to tackle the subject of this ancient art form, with established broadcasters such as the BBC and Channel 4 releasing documentaries on the rise of tattoo in the past couple of years, without forgetting famed tattoo movies such as Tattoo Nation, or even the New Zealand-based horror movie, The Tattooist. This is why a Tattoo Arts Film Festival is not only a viable platform for tattoo films of all kinds, but an important platform for debate and social commentary.”

It’s the idea of social commentary that interested Allard in particular.

There’s the William Ernest Henley quote — “I am the master of my Fate; I am the captain of my Soul” — written on parchment. That one symbolizes the obstacles Allard has overcome in life and his love of the written word. There’s a Scottish dagger with parchment coiling around the blade and the words “I remain unvanquished” — the family motto of his grandfather’s last name. There’s also tattoos of 35mm film, a Union Jack star and many more.

Turning away from the window Allard says, “In a way, ever since my first tattoo, they’ve been a part of my life.”

He doesn’t specify how big of a part, but pretty soon they’re going to be front and centre when Allard starts his new venture.

The idea to start a tattoo film festival in Saskatchewan came to Allard while he was still living in England.

“At cities in the U.K. they’d have major tattoo conventions, and there’d be these small tattoo film festivals,” says Allard. “So when I moved [to Saskatoon] I found out there was a tattoo convention here. Then I researched and found out tattoo film festivals didn’t exist here. It’s never happened before in Canada.”

Allard has now set the ball in motion to bring the Tattoo Arts Film Festival to town. He secured the Roxy Theatre as a venue, and filmmakers can now submit their work on the submissions page on Film Freeway. There are four categories to choose from: Best in Music Video, Best in Short Documentary, Best in Feature Documentary, and Best in Fiction and Alternative. ”It’s undeniable that the taboos of the past that surround the art of tattoo are now long since dead and buried, and with reality TV shows such as Inked, Miami Ink and New

Along with a passion for tattoos, Allard also harbours a deep respect for films and filmmaking. He grew up loving movies, worked in theatres, and was even a projectionist for a while.

Then, when he was older, Allard decided to hop behind the camera himself.

He started out making music videos, then moved on to documentaries.

“The docs I used to make were gentle social commentary,” he says.

“I did one about parkour. At the time in the U.K. it was huge, but a lot of people didn’t like it, didn’t understand it. They saw it as vandalism when, obviously, it was just people moving about an urban environment in a very different way. I wanted to point that out, comment on it.”

And while his Tattoo Arts Film

Photo: courtesy of shane griffin

Festival aims to do something similar, it’s not going to be pedantic or boring. Allard wants it to be fun, and to engage tattoo lovers and neophytes alike.

“The idea is for it to be diverse,” he explains. “I’m going to look at getting some acoustic musicians to do live unplugged sessions. I’m also looking for some well-known local tattoo artists and the filmmakers to

come and do Q&A. I also want to show current tattoo movies, like The Tattooist and Tattoo Nation at the end of each day. I want it to be more of a festival vibe than just your standard Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

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editorial

Supply solution We can fix the problems with our dairy industry. Here’s how.

L

ast week we wrote about Canada’s dairy supply management, and the problems we see with that system — the fixed prices, the protective tariffs, the quotas.

We also wrote about how all that harms food processors, farmers, and us — the consumers.

So what should we do? Well, take a cue from Australia, who did roughly a decade ago did away with supply management (and where currently the majority of the industry is doing very well). Or better yet, think back to how we reformed the wine industry right here at home. Although at first people cried bloody murder when we took away the protection for that industry, look what happened. Our wine sector is booming.

Deregulating and getting rid of the protection inherent in our dairy supply management policies won’t be easy, though, thanks in part to the Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC, for short). The DFC are one of, if not the, most powerful lobby in our country. You know all those high prices you pay for milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, and more? Well, the DFC uses a good chunk of that money — spending anywhere between $80 and $100 million per annum — to convince politicians to maintain the status quo of the system.

But change can be done. It must be done.

And here’s how we do it: we have to put forward a reform plan that would be a win-win, for both the consumers and the dairy farmers.

That’s the first step. Once that’s done, we have to convince those aforementioned farmers to raise hell and call for change themselves.

Now you may be asking yourself what kind of reforms would be a win-win for consumers and farmers.

Well, according to Martha Hall Findlay, executive fellow at the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy, the answer is four-fold. First, we buy out the dairy quota from the farmers. A recent Conference Board of Canada report has recommended using book value quotas instead of market value. If you look at it, the current market value of the dairy quota is in the neighbourhood of $23 billion; the book value of the same quota is somewhere between $3.6-$4.7 billion.

Next, we eliminate all tariffs.

Open ‘er up, and consumers would start paying closer to world prices for dairy products. Then you provide transition assistance for farmers.

Some assistance goes to people who stay in the industry, to help them be more competitive when it comes to exporting their goods. We also need to give assistance to those who wish to leave the industry — economically viable assistance.

Finally, there’s the issue of a temporary levy on wholesale milk. You

do this to pay for the buy-out of the quotas. In Australia, when they did it, the levy ended up being 11 cents a litre for eight years. According to Hall’s calculations, here in Canada the levy would come to about six cents a litre when stretched over 10 years.

And while you may think this levy would burden the consumer, consider this — if we implemented the first three changes in the reform proposition, customers would still be paying less (with the levy added on) than they are now for the same products. And eventually, after a decade or so, the consumer would be paying competitive world prices.

If we can do all that, we can fix the problems with dairy supply management. We can give consumers a fair shake, farmers will be better compensated, and our industry could flourish.

It happened in Australia. It happened when we opened up our wine industry. Why can’t it happen again?

These editorials are left unsigned because they represent the opinions of Verb magazine, not those of the individual writers.

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On Topic: Last week we asked what you thought about supply management policy in Canada. Here's what you had to say:

– Seems surprising the dairy farmers aren’t wanting this themselves, especially if it means they would be able to sell their products to more people.

text yo thoughtsur to 881 ve r B 8372

– While recumbent bicycles may be comfortable to ride, I think the rider is making themselves less visible to traffic. I know I wouldn’t want to be riding around the streets with big huge trucks roaring around the streets. How do you know those drivers will see you since they are sitting up so high and you’re only a foot off the ground?

OFF TOPIC

Canada has a shortage of dairy products right now how and what do you want to export

– I agree that dairy policies should be changed to allow outside competition, allow local farmers to sell their dairy locally as well as internationally, and to minimize tariffs. Truth Is Power-Try It

– I think Idaho stop great idea!

In response to “Bring on the Idaho stop,” Opinion #291 (May 23,2014)

– End Supply Management in Dairy! We killed the CWB, the Dairy Commission is next!

– Please man up and print that write up in the western producer and put your name to it. You weren’t brave enough to sign your editorial because you talk much of what you know nothing about.

SOUND OFF – I would like send out a thank you to the bus drivers that helped me get home quickly and easily may 30

– Kick out the quota and then lift gst to say 25%to bail out the dairy industry

– A terrible, senseless tragedy in Moncton. I hope they catch this vile person soon.

Next week: What do you think about transitioning away from supply management? Text in your thoughts to Verb to get in on the conversation.

– I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did but people will never forget how you made them feel - Maya Angelou

– Thoughts and prayers go out to victims families of Moncton RCMP tragedy.

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

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Two Point Oh

Photos: courtesy of bitter north photography

New members, new sounds, and new energy for Victoria’s Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra by Alex J MacPherson

L

ast month, the Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra released a pair of new tracks, its first release since 2012’s Follow My Lead, Lead Me To Follow. Formed in Victoria, B.C. in 2008, the Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra has always had a talent for infusing standard folk song structures with hints of jazz, flamenco, and Latin American music. The band’s sound evokes the stillness and the harmony of the landscape its members adore. The new

songs, which were recorded in an isolated home studio on B.C.’s Quadra Island, mark a change of direction for the band. The arrangements are denser and more orchestral, the textures richer and more tightly-woven. “Come Back Home” features keys and an electric guitar, new additions to the band’s sonic arsenal. These changes are to some degree the product of lineup changes. Since 2012, the band has added a new fiddler and a new bassist to the fold. But the new tracks also re-

flect natural growth, says guitarist Kurt Loewen, who was born in Saskatoon and currently lives in Edmonton. Most of the forthcoming album, the band’s fourth full-length, is rooted by the same natural grooves and earthy textures that defined Follow My Lead, Lead Me To Follow. In a recent telephone conversation, Loewen spoke at length about the band’s growth, and how its members’ love of the natural landscape — from the wilderness of British Columbia to the enormous Continued on next page »

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skies of rural Saskatchewan — influences the music.

Alex J MacPherson: Since you released Follow My Lead, Lead Me To Follow in 2012, there have been some significant lineup changes. Has that been a big obstacle to overcome?

Kurt Loewen: It’s intense, actually.

In the band’s infancy it was more like a seven-piece collective rotating cast. After that first year went by, there was the five of us from about September 2007 until September 2012. Then our fiddler, who made the last record with us and had been with us for so long, didn’t tour with us at all. That was a big challenge, getting someone to fill his shoes, both in terms of talent and ability, and being able to get along with the group as a human. But with Keith [Rodger] and Mack [Shields] it’s been really nice. They love the material, they’re willing to learn all the old stuff that we still play, and have been super positive contributing forces throughout the last tour and now during this record.

AJM: How did the new musicians contribute to writing and recording the new album? Was the band dynamic quite different?

KL: Injecting new energies into the music has really changed the way that we approach our songwriting.

The whole process this time through was very relaxed. Not to get too much into our past history, but we didn’t used to operate like that: we’d operate on timeframes and perhaps that would cause certain stresses.

This time was very much laissezfaire, which worked very well for us. Both Mack and Keith, who’ve recorded with us and played with us, bring those physical instruments — double bass, fiddle — that are our old sound, but with a newness and a genuine desire to want to learn and play with us, and then create as well. But a good way to describe it is that it’s T.M.O. 2.0.

AJM: It’s clear from the two new tracks that the band’s sound has shifted. How would you characterize this change?

KL: The addition of things like electric guitar and keys, which are all over the album — that’s brand new. On our last record we had a cameo, part of one song was electric guitar. But there’s been a lot on this.

AJM: The new tracks sound denser to me.

KL: There’s a lot of influences on our music all the time, but one thing I think has come out during the last record and this record is thickness of tracks, but also the ability to create space within that. The dynamic shifts are a lot bigger on this record, I think, than they’ve ever been on all of our other stuff. A lot more space, but a lot more things happening on the other end. It’s divergent, in a way, from the old stuff. That’s why I call it 2.0.

AJM: Is it difficult to balance bigger, more ambitious arrangements against

AJM: Is a big shift like that difficult to deal with?

KL: I think that, like anything that you care about or that you love or you deem worth doing, there’s no way it can’t grow or change. To try and want things the way they were is impossible; it’s just not a reality. We want to embrace change, but also to honour all the things we’ve done to get to this point where we can create what we want to and essentially set our own boundaries and rules.

AJM: One idea that seems inextricably tied to the idea of your band, whether it’s this new album or any of the older ones, is your relationship to nature.

Can you tell me a bit about that? Why is it important?

KL: I think that the honest answer is that we’re like-minded individuals in the way that we interact with nature, and how much of a role

To try and want things the way they were is impossible; it’s just not a reality. kurt loewen

the simplicity that seems to define your earlier releases?

KL: Our first big show was in Victoria. We were a new band, like a year old, and somehow five hundred people came to see us, which was incredible. We were like, ‘How is this happening?’ Then we played these songs, which were threechord songs — like, ten of them.

It would be like, everybody, one hundred percent, go. It’s really fun to be at a show like that, but as time goes on you mature and you’re like, beauty is created in all the space that you don’t play. With musicians that have played a lot together, you really start to notice each others’ tendencies and you start to notice each others’ intricacies. Being able to exploit those in the best possible way just naturally creates that space.

it plays in our lives. Right now we’re at an amazing home, which a friend of ours has built over the last fifteen or twenty years. It’s in the middle of the most beautiful British Columbian Kootenays, and this is where we create. The way he lives, the kinds of people that he knows and they way they live, their community and their nature, is a major influence on our lives and on our music. It’s impossible to even separate the two.

Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra June 12 @ Gillian Snider’s House $10 in advance; $15 at the door Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbSaskatoon amacpherson@verbnews.com

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The Magic Flute Saskatoon Opera to stage a new production of Mozart’s iconic opera by Alex J MacPherson

D

a Vinci’s Mona Lisa, Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 have one thing in common: they have transcended the context in which they were created, and become part of the wider popular culture.

These works are immediately recognizable, even to people with little knowledge of Italian Renaissance paintings, Russian ballet, or German classical music. This is because their creators found the perfect balance of beauty, meaning, and accessibility. Another example of this phenomena is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Magic Flute, an opera which premiered in 1791. And for good reason, says Rob Herriot, an opera singer and director from Winnipeg.

“It’s probably one of the most beautiful operas Mozart composed,” says Herriot, who will serve as stage director for the Saskatoon Opera’s upcoming production of the classic opera. “There’s a maturity to the sound and the harmonies he creates.

The music itself, I think, is the number one selling point of this piece.

The story is whimsical and it’s fun.

It’s not heavy drama: no one’s going to die of consumption at the end. It appeals to a huge age range.”

The Magic Flute chronicles the adventures of Tamino, a prince who embarks on a quest to save Pamina, daughter of the mysterious Queen of the Night, from imprisonment. As the opera unfolds, Tamino and his accomplice Papageno must use a magical flute and a set of silver bells to ward off danger — and survive a number of trials set by the sorcerer Sarastro, who is holding Pamina hostage. Herriot likes to think of the story, which has been adapted for several films and inspired countless other works of art, as a means of escaping the everyday grind.

“In the beginning, Tamino is caught up in the world of the mun-

Photos: courtesy of the saskatoon opera

dane,” Herriot says, comparing the young prince’s predicament to that of office workers, whose time spent in cubicles causes them to lose sight of what it means to be alive. “For me, the journey in the piece is the journey to greater enlightenment of what it is to be alive. In other words, getting back to the basics of life, seeing what the joys of loving are — and how once you pare away all of those expectations, you truly find enlightenment and happiness.”

The powerful narrative is enhanced by Mozart’s music, which is exemplified by the Queen of the Night’s famous aria, “Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen” — “Hell’s vengeance boils in my heart.” A breathtaking display of vocal pyrotechnics, the aria is the Magic Flute’s signature piece — and one of the most difficult operative passages ever composed. Herriot says only a few singers can pull it off. Fortunately, he adds, coloratura soprano Ambur Braid is more than capable of singing the part with the passion and technical proficiency it demands.

Opera is about more than virtuosity, however. The best productions create harmony between the music, the singing, the acting, and the staging. For his production of Mozart’s iconic opera, Herriot hopes to conjure up an atmosphere that emphasizes the work’s best qualities. “My job is to get the audience to relate to it, and not just make it some sort of mystical, magical journey,” he says. In this he will be aided by the opera itself, which has survived for more than two centuries for the same reason works

by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Da Vinci remain popular: “Most people get the Magic Flute,” he says. “It’s just so accessible.

The Magic Flute June 12-21 @ Remai Arts Centre $30+ @ Persephone Theatre Box Office (306) 384 7727 Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

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album reviews Bry Webb — Free Will Idée Fixe Records, May 2014

BY ALEX J MACPHERSON The weirdest part of Bry Webb’s new record is the title track.

“Free Will” closes the album with one minute and seventeen seconds of droning, spinning, squealing noise. On its own, this is not particularly unusual. But after nine contemplative songs about life and love and family, “Free Will” takes on a new, greater significance. Webb, who rose to fame as a member of the spectacularly unhinged Constantines, is not bound by convention or cliché. He can do whatever he wants. And on Free Will he does it with poise, grace, and meaning.

Free Will is a poignant counterpoint to Constantines’ catalogue, which is dominated by smart songs

about the visceral thrill of being young and alive. In 2011, after the birth of his daughter and Constantines’ retreat into hiatus, Webb released his first solo album. Provider emerged as a collection of meditative yet pointedly ambiguous songs about life at home. Free Will is much more direct than its predecessor, and much more refined. Over the last three years, Webb has concentrated his thoughts and hardened his resolve — and it shows.

“Go to the places where I can’t protect you / I will keep trying to know what you’re going through / The more f*cked up things get / The more I love you,” he murmurs on “Let’s Get Through Today,” as a gentle acoustic guitar riff wafts above a bed of unsettling atmospheric noise. This is not a song about burning out. This is a song about fading away, and it points to

the album’s great truth: Free Will is a record about surrender, about the realization that it’s okay for other people to matter more.

Webb lays out his priorities on “Fletcher,” which opens with a burst of crystalline synthesizer noise before his fey voice and a sparse acoustic guitar take over: “You can’t civilize me / I keep running, just keep running back / Running back to where I want to be.”

This tension defines the inevitability of middle age, and the awareness that nothing ever stays the same. For Webb, this is a major change, and probably a difficult one. But instead of fighting it, he embraced it. On the delicate “Positive People,” he condemns “postures of defeat,” and sings: “Strength through boredom / Strength through joy / You can’t ignore them / You can’t avoid positive people.”

F*cked Up — Glass Boys Arts & Crafts, June 2014

BY ALEX J MACPHERSON For a band with a name most publications deem unfit for print, F*cked Up have demonstrated a remarkable ability to transform countercultural angst into a mainstream message. F*cked Up’s success is to no small degree a product of their willingness to take chances. In 2009, they won the Polaris for Chemistry of Common Life, an elaborate concept album. Their next release, David Comes To Life, was even more audacious: a rock opera. Although it lacks the epic quality that made the band’s previous releases so much fun, Glass Boys succeeds in other ways.

It is difficult to describe anything the Toronto hardcore punk band does as “subtle,” but Glass Boys offers a nuanced examination of F*cked Up’s major problem: how to exist in an

industry hostile to the ideals on which the band was founded. “Echo Boomer” finds singer Damian Abraham, whose manic onstage presence and harsh, guttural howl give F*cked Up songs their shape and texture, contemplating the problem at hand: “I can still hear who I meant to be.”

Abraham is even more explicit on “The Great Divide,” a sustained barrage of unsettled guitar riffs and unrestrained vocal contortions: “With reddened faces and pointed fingers / We express disdain for what’s been done / Yet we all know the words to sing along to the songs.” On “Paper The House” he describes himself as “a self righteous man [turned] parody” before conceding that “nothing is more uplifting than finally admitting you were living a lie.” None of this solves the problem. The very existence of Glass Boys suggests F*cked Up are content, if vaguely unsettled, by the course of their career.

Glass Boys is also the most straightforward, and the most accessible, record F*cked Up has ever released. The riffs are more familiar, the melodies triumphantly melodic, and Abraham’s gruff vocals more easily discernible.

But this should not be interpreted as a concession to the record industry, or anyone else. Abraham and his bandmates are smart enough to know that messages need an audience; blasting music into the void fulfills no one. Glass Boys may be easier to digest, but it doesn’t lack the unpretentious honesty and burning urge to make the world better that makes F*cked Up so f*cking good.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

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Feature

Despistado

Iconic Saskatchewan post-punk band to reunite ten years after breaking up by Alex J MacPherson

I

n 2004, Despistado broke up. It was by all accounts an unpleasant affair. No one involved was particularly forthcoming about the details, but the split seems to have been caused by internal strife and arguments over money. A statement issued by the band’s record label offered a more poetic explanation: Despistado’s career was simply “too intense and searing to sustain itself.” Whatever the cause, less than four years after the postpunk band emerged from a suburban Regina basement, its members were back on the prairies, looking for work. Despistado was finished.

Like so many promising young bands, it had burned bright — and then burned out.

Despistado, which is Spanish for “confused,” was formed in 2001 by four young musicians: Dagan Harding, Joel Passmore, Brenan Schwartz, and Leif Thorseth. Together, they wrote songs that were fractious and unsettled, energetic and remarkably sophisticated. Their 2002 debut, The Emergency Response, welded cryptic lyrics to edgy, angular guitar riffs. The hyperkinetic “A Stirstick’s Prediction” emerged as a jubilant celebration of punk rock madness, “Hi-Fi Stereo” an unhinged collection of spiky guitar riffs and pent-up

anxiety. Upbeat and urgent, The Emergency Response convinced a lot of people that Despistado was much more than a bunch of upstarts from some town in Saskatchewan On a tour stop in Vancouver, the band forged the first of many connections with major record industry executives. Everybody seemed to love the band’s tightly-coiled postpunk aesthetic, its ability to extract universal themes from bizarre lyrical contortions and lo-fi guitar riffs. In 2003, Despistado signed a contract with the American independent label Jade Tree Records, rereleased The Emergency Response, and began work on a full-length Continued on next page »

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and roll. And now, half a lifetime after the four young men from Regina first dreamed of stardom, Despistado is poised for yet another reunion — a triumphant return to the Saskatchewan stage, and a chance to rekindle the flame its members can’t bring themselves to extinguish.

Alex J MacPherson: You’ve reunited a few times now. What prompted the initial decision?

Dagan Harding: We had some interest from various booking agents, and people in general still expressed a desire for the music, I guess. Leif and Joel and I are all still in each others’ lives in pretty significant ways.

Leif and I performed in various acts in the past, and Leif was in Rah Rah with Joel. When I was in Montreal, Joel would stay with me. We all still talk, and the members of the band that still play are still really tight — so we decided to go on a vacation, and take the songs with us.

AJM: Given the circumstances of the band’s initial breakup, could it be that you and the other guys felt that something was left unfinished?

Photo: courtesy of Chris Graham Photography

album. It was a remarkable period for the band. In just a few months, the four musicians went from playing dingy punk clubs in nameless Canadian towns to some of the biggest stages in North America.

And then, just as quickly, the band fell apart. By the time The People Of And Their Verses began to generate momentum, the band had played two final shows, a pair of blistering performances for rabid hometown crowds. Soon afterward, the four musicians moved on to other projects. Passmore played with Sylvie before joining Thorseth in Rah Rah. Schwartz lent his talent to the metal band Anatta. Harding did time in Geronimo and War Doves, and began releasing solo material.

Despistado was over, its legacy a pair of relentlessly upbeat and noisy records and countless vague memories of writhing dance floors in dank rock clubs.

But Harding, Passmore, and Thorseth kept in touch. In 2009, four years after The People Of And Their Verses was released, they started playing together again. That year, a reformed Despistado played a

DH: With the role that we played in Regina, as a band, and having that come to such an abrupt end without ever really being able to celebrate it, was a part of it for us. Not from a position of, ‘Oh yeah, we’re just going to do this for reasons that a lot of bands might get back together for.” Because it’s been a long time, a lot of people don’t know who we are. It was more

dagan harding

a thing for us, to continue that project.

We worked really hard at a lot of things as a band in a short amount of time — and then we sort of just disappeared.

AJM: And now you’re able to tour behind the full-length, which you

DH: I think that we all still have a really intimate relationship with the songs, particularly when we listen to them and sort of re-learn them.

But for the most part, we see them as just songs. They’re snapshots of a bunch of sounds and arrangements that we liked at a given moment as a collective. We try not to blow that part out of proportion too much, because we’re all still engaged with music. When we get together and perform Despistado music, the songs we wrote together as a band, that’s going to be special regardless of what the circumstances are. It’s an honour to be able to go back to something that still means something today and share it and be engaged with it.

AJM: What’s interesting is that even though the band wasn’t around for years, people in this province continued to talk about it and the records.

What was it that endeared this music to so many people?

DH: Looking at how people respond to the record, it’s hard to pinpoint why that is. I think maybe the record might have come at a time in people’s lives that was really [important], like the end of adolescence or the start of adulthood. Perhaps the band had a part in peoples’ lives at a significant time. Maybe that’s a part of growing up, and having things that mean something in a certain context. We get nostalgic when we perform the songs, so maybe that’s a part of it, too.

AJM: Could it be that Despistado sort of launched the music scene we see in this province today?

We worked really hard at a lot of things as a band in a short amount of time — and then we sort of just disappeared.

handful of shows in Saskatchewan.

A couple of years later, the band — with Rah Rah’s Jeffrey Romanyk filling in on drums — embarked on a tour of cramped clubs between Regina and Vancouver. It was like the early days: no pressure; only rock

didn’t get the chance to do in 2005.

What does it feel like, playing those songs today?

DH: That might be a bit too much of a stretch, just simply because it wouldn’t be true to the fact that we were so heavily influenced by bands before us, bands that had international attention from more of a major label record perspective. But I know what you mean: we definitely were a part of the end of a cycle that may be ongoing. There was such momentum and such hype, and we happened to be at the top of this wave that hit its precipice. But by no means were we

the only band playing that kind of music that well.

AJM: At the same time, the EP and the full-length didn’t sound like anything else that was coming out of Saskatchewan, then or now.

DH: I think what we tried to do was be as authentic as we could, to ourselves and to the music. Our influences were derived pretty directly from the local scene, and the bands members of the local scene listened to and supported — the sort of older generation we grew up adoring and listening to so much. There were some influences from various different kinds of music, too. We were afraid of trying to sound too much like anything, but at the same time, trying to sound like something.

AJM: What does the future hold for Despistado? Has there been any talk of making another record?

DH: It would take the right timing and the right efforts to get some material going. But we’re not ruling it out. We’ve definitely passed ideas back and forth.

It’s definitely a possibility, but there’s nothing about the immediate future that makes us think that would be something that would happen.

AJM: Ultimately, it sounds like you’re in a good place, free from the stress and pressure that ultimately led to the band’s breakup and able to just enjoy playing these songs again.

DH: We’re really honoured and really grateful to have people in our lives to remind us that the music still makes a difference for them. That it still excites them, and that it’s still enjoyable. We’re just happy to bring that to people, and that’s the reason we started as a band.

Despistado @ MoSoFest June 14 @ Vangelis Tavern $81.29 @ Picatic.com (Festival Pass); $TBA at the door

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbSaskatoon amacpherson@verbnews.com

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Photo: Courtesy of adam hawboldt

Keeping it simple

HeLi-Days sticks with the classics while adding a little something new by adam hawboldt

I

f something ain’t broken, don’t tinker with it too much. That’s a simple rule to live by. And that’s exactly what the folks at HeLi-Days restaurant did when they set up their new restaurant.

Located on Central Avenue where Doc Hollandaise used to be, HeLi-Days opened a little less than a

tasty ribs for a main fare. Heck, even the decor is the same: same hanging lights, same floral chairs — even the fireplace in the middle of the room is still there.

Why mess with a good thing, right?

But that’s not to say HeLi-Days is just Doc Hollandaise under a different name. There are a few new touches that’s been brought to this classic establishment, such as the new sushi menu. There’s also the HeLi Tuna benny, and a HeLi Tuna sandwich — to name just a few.

The other day when I was there, I was kind of torn about what to have. The ribs there are delicious, arguably some of the best in the city, and there are a number of other dishes I’ve tried in the past that I was tempted to revisit. But even though it was lunch I wasn’t overly hungry and, to be completely honest with you, it was one of those days when I was in the mood for something simple. Something easy. Something fresh.

month ago. And instead of shaking the apple cart too much and chancing the loss of loyal customers who loved Doc Hollandaise, they decided not to tinker with the menu too drastically. There’s still a number of different variations of eggs benedict, skillets and omelets for those breakfast lovers. You can still indulge in the burgers, pasta and those oh-so-

let’s go drinkin’ Verb’s mixology guide GREEN TEA MOJITOS

INGREDIENTS

Looking for something cool, tall and a little bit different to drink? Why not give this variation of your standard mojito a try? It’s tasty and will hit the spot on a warm spring day.

1 tbsp fresh lime juice 4 large mint leaves 2 tsp sugar 1/2 cup of chilled green tea 2 oz rum

DIRECTIONS

Muddle the lime juice, mint and sugar together in a tall glass. When the leaves bruise lightly, add ice until the glass is about 3/4 full. Add rum and green tea. Stir and serve.

So I chose the HeLi Tuna sandwich, which comes with the option of soup, salad or fries. I went with the salad, where I was confronted with another decision: Greek, tossed, or Caesar. After hemming and hawing for a bit I got the Caesar, and then ordered a California roll for good measure — may as well give the new sushi menu a shot, right?

The sushi was good. Wellrolled and tasty, it was a nice little warm-up for the HeLi Tuna, which arrived at the table served on a warm, multi-grain sub bun. It was great: nothing fancy or snazzy, just a yummy, simple, warm tuna sandwich that hit the spot. The salad was good, too, and together this made for a light, refreshing lunch.

Meal done, I thanked the pleasant server and thought about grabbing a dynamite roll or some salmon nigiri to take back to the office. But in the end, I decided not to. I can always go back again sometime and give them a try.

HeLi-Days #6-705 Central Avenue | (306) 952-4599 Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbSaskatoon ahawboldt@verbnews.com

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Next Week

coming up

Solids

Havok

John Fogerty

@ Amigos Cantina Friday, June 13 – $81.29+ (for full festi-

@ O’Brians Event Centre Wednesday, June 18 – $15

@ Credit Union Centre Friday, November 21 – $26+

If you listen to or follow heavy metal, you’ll know that retro-thrash bands are popping up everywhere these days.

Bands that are pumping out good ol’ ‘80s-style thrash songs that will remind you of early Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer. Colorado four-piece Havok is one of those bands. Actually, they’re not just one of those bands — they’re one of the better retro-thrash bands on the scene today. Founded by high school friends David Sanchez and Haakon Sjoegren (who is no longer around) in 2004, the band has released three studio albums — Burn, Time Is Up, and Unnatural Selection, the last of which breached the Billboard Top 200 in its first week in the #154 slot. Be sure to check out these heavy hitters when they roll through town next week; ticket information at www.obrianseventcentre.ca.

Before this Californian became a solo act, he was part of one of the most iconic bands of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. Maybe you’ve heard of them — Creedence Clearwater Rival.

Yep, that John Fogerty. The guy who Rolling Stone magazine ranked as the #40 best guitarist of all time, as well as the #72 best singer. His solo hits include “Centrefield” (perhaps the greatest baseball song ever penned) and “Jambalaya,” but come this fall he’ll return to his CCR roots as he sets out on a coast-to-coast tour to celebrate the year 1969 — the year in which CCR produced three seminal albums: Bayou Country, Green River and Willy and the Poor Boys.

He’ll be at the Credit Union Centre on November 21st. Tickets available through Ticketmaster.

– By Adam Hawboldt

val pass)

It’s no great secret that the Solids are fans of ‘90s music. That they take their musical cues from bands like Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth, and Superchunk. One listen to their blistering, fuzzed out brand of rock and you’ll hear the influence right away. You’ll also hear a very talented duo from Montreal that’s on an upward trajectory. Consisting of Xavier GermainPoitras (guitar and vocals) and Louis Guillemette (drums and vocals), Solids feel as though melody shines best when it’s forced to fight through layers of distortion and feedback. It is a philosophy of sound that appeals to punks, rockers, metal enthusiasts — you name it. They’ll be performing at Amigos as a part of MoSoFest.

For ticket information, visit www. moso2014.com.

Photo courtesy of: facebook/ facebook/ facebook

Sask music Preview SaskMusic and Big Dog 92-7 are pleased to announce the Top 10 semi-finalists in The Next Big Thing 2014 country talent competition. This year’s Top 10 are: Amy Nelson (Regina), Blake Berglund (Kennedy), Kelsey Fitch (Parkside), Mandy Ringdal (Outlook), Scott Richmond (Regina), Stephen Maguire (Saskatoon), Steve Gibson (Theodore), Tenille Arts (Weyburn), The Dead South (Regina), and Val Halla (Regina). The Top 3 will perform in a showdown on June 26 at Eldorado’s Country Rock Bar where 2013’s winner, Alex Runions, will also perform. Tickets will be available at the door.

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June 6 » June 14 The most complete live music listings for Saskatoon.

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Friday 6 House DJs / 6Twelve Lounge — Funk, soul & lounge DJs liven it up. 9pm / No cover The Seahags / Amigos — Old-timey country garage music from Saskatoon. 10pm / Cover TBD

Paul Suchan / The Bassment — Feel like taking in some smooth jazz stylings?

4:30pm / No cover Anderson Burko / The Bassment — An engaging roots duo. 9pm / $15+ Flashback Fridays / Béily’s — The best of the 80’s, 90’s & top 40 hits of today. 9pm / $5 Hung Jury / Buds — Playing popular covers all night. 9pm / Cover TBD Blackwater / Capitol Music Club — With the Grove. 9pm / Cover TBD BPM / Diva’s — Resident DJs spin electro/ vocal house music. 10pm / $5 DJ Eclectic / The Hose — Local turntable whiz pumps snappy beats. 8pm / No cover DJ Big Ayyy & DJ HENCHMAN / Outlaws — Round up your friends. 8pm / $5; ladies in free before 11pm Barrel and Crate / Prairie Ink — Playing country tunes. 8pm / No cover

DJ Stikman / Rain — Come and get your weekend started! 9pm / Cover TBD Saskatoon Legendary Rhythm and Blues / Somewhere Else Pub — A night of R&B. 9pm / No cover Spent Penny / Stan’s Place — Come out for a rockin’ good time. 9pm / No cover The Northern Light / Vangelis — With Doug Hoyer + more. 10pm / Cover TBD

Saturday 7

House DJs / 6Twelve — Resident DJs spin deep and soulful tunes. 9pm / No cover Chad VanGaalen / Amigos Cantina — With Viet Cong. 10pm / $15 (ticketedge.ca) Jazz Singer Fest II / The Bassment — Featuring Sarah Anderson + more. 8pm / $17+ DJ Aash Money + DJ Sugar Daddy / Béily’s — These two throw down a dance party every Saturday night. 9pm / $5 cover

Le Groove and Phoenix / Bon Temps Cafe — Good tunes all night. 9pm / Cover TBD Hung Jury / Buds — Playing popular covers all night. 9pm / Cover TBD Moka Only / Capitol — Swollen Members rapper headlines a night of DJs! 9pm / $10 SaturGAY Night / Diva’s — Resident DJs spin exclusive dance remixes. 10pm / $5 DJ Kade / The Hose — Saskatoon’s own DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover DJ Goodtimes / Longbranch — Playing the hottest country music. 8pm / $4 cover DJ Heavygrinder / Nutana Curling Club — With Deko-Ze + more. 8pm / $30 DJ Big Ayyy & DJ Henchman / Outlaws — Round up your friends. 8pm / $5 Camille and Dale / Prairie Ink — Acoustic soul/blues/R&B. 8pm / No cover DJ Stikman / Rain — Playing all the ladies’ favourites! 9pm / Cover TBD Saskatoon Legendary Rhythm and Blues / Somewhere Else Pub — A night of R&B. 9pm / No cover Spent Penny / 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 Gay Nineties / Vangelis — With The Wet Secrets. 10pm / Cover TBD

Sunday 8

Industry Night / Béily’s — Hosted by DJ Sugar Daddy. 9pm / $4; no cover for industry staff Acoustic Night / Buds — Featuring Harrison James. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ KADE / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover

Blues Jam / Vangelis Tavern — The Vangelis Sunday Jam is an institution, offering great tunes from blues to rock and beyond.

7:30pm / No cover

Monday 9

Irene Elliot Trio / Bon Temps Cafe — A nice of sweet, engaging tunes. 7pm / Cover TBD Eddie Robertson / Buds — Playing slick blues. 9pm / Cover TBD DJ Audio / Dublins — Spinning dope beats.

9pm / Cover TBD Caves / Vangelis — With Fountain, Phalec Baldwin, Heaven for Real. 9pm / Cover TBD

Tuesday 10

Jonathan Richman / Amigos Cantina — Singer/songwriter from Massachusetts.10pm / Cover TBD Eddie Robertson / Buds — Playing slick 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 11

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 Penny Candy for Billionaires / Buds — Indie/alt music from Vancouver. 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; no cover for industry staff

Thursday 12

MosoFest 2014 / Amigos Cantina — Featuring Factor, Def3 + more. 9pm / Ticket info at moso2014.com MosoFest 2014 / Buds — Featuring The Pistolwhips, Bend Sinister + more. 9pm / Ticket info at moso2014.com Continued on next page »

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Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra / Gillian’s House (121 Avenue G) — Playing gypsy-folk-roots music. 8:30pm / $10 DJ Kade / The Hose & Hydrant — Saskatoon DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover DJ Goodtimes / Longbranch — Playing the hottest country music all night. 8pm / $4 cover MosoFest 2014 / Vangelis — Featuring Woodpigeon,Gunner and Smith + more.

9pm / Ticket info at moso2014.com Open Stage / The Woods — Hosted by Steven Maier. 9pm / No cover

Friday 13

House DJs / 6Twelve Lounge — Funk, soul & lounge DJs liven up the atmosphere at 6Twelve. 9pm / No cover MosoFest 2014 / Amigos Cantina — Featuring Close Talker, Solids + more. 8:15pm / $27+ Piano Fridays: Jesse Brown / The Bassment — Feel like taking in some smooth jazz stylings? 4:30pm / No cover Laura Lee McFarlane / The Bassment — With guests, In With The Old. 9pm / $15+ Flashback Fridays / Béily’s UltraLounge — The best of the 80’s, 90’s & top 40 hits of today. 9pm / $5 cover Apollo Cruz / Bon Temps Cafe — Playing high-octane blues. 9pm / Cover TBD MosoFest 2014 / Broadway Theatre- Featuring Atlas Sound, Powder Blue + more.

9pm / Ticket info at moso2014.com Screamlyne / Buds — A local rock quartet.

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 MosoFest 2014 / Kinsmen Hall — Featuring We Are The City, Humans + more. 9pm / Ticket info at moso2014.com DJ Big Ayyy & DJ HENCHMAN / Outlaws Country Rock Bar — Round up your friends ‘cause there’s no better country rock party around. 8pm / $5; ladies in free before 11pm Ian Martens / Prairie Ink — Playing acoustic/folk. 8pm / No cover DJ Stikman / Rain — Come and get your weekend started! 9pm / Cover TBD MosoFest 2014 / The Refinery — Featuring Mahogany Frog, The Basement Paintings + more. 9pm / Ticket info at moso2014.com MosoFest 2014 / Rock Bottom — Featuring KEN Mode, Buffalo Invasion + more. 9pm / Ticket info at moso2014.com Gorgeous Blue Dogs / Somewhere Else Pub — A night of good tunes and great company. 9pm / No cover

Jomama / Stan’s Place — Come out for a rockin’ good time. 9pm / No cover Natalie Struck / Underground Cafe — With Fabian Minnema. 9pm / Cover TBD MosoFest 2014 / Vangelis — Featuring Old Cabin, Fisticuffs + more. 9pm / Ticket info at moso2014.com

Saturday 14

House DJs / 6Twelve — Resident DJs spin deep and soulful tunes. 9pm / No cover MosoFest 2014 / Amigos — With Kay the Aquanaut + more. 9pm / Ticket info at moso2014.com The Bassment Big Band / The Bassment — With The Saskatoon Community Jazz Band. 8pm / $15+ DJ Aash Money + DJ Sugar Daddy / Béily’s — These two DJs throw down a dance party every Saturday night. 9pm / $5 cover

MosoFest 2014 / Broadway Theatre — Timber Timbre and Andy Shauf. 8:30pm / $22+ Screamlyne / Buds — A local rock quartet.

9pm / Cover TBD SaturGAY Night / Diva’s — Resident DJs spin exclusive dance remixes. 10pm / $5 DJ Kade / The Hose — Saskatoon’s own DJ lights it up with hot tunes. 8pm / No cover MosoFest 2014 / Kinsmen Hall — Mitchmatic + more. 9pm / Tickets moso2014.com DJ Goodtimes / Longbranch — Playing the hottest country music. 8pm / $4 cover DJ Big Ayyy & DJ Henchman / Outlaws — Round up your friends. 8pm / $5 Rayney / Prairie Ink — Playing contemporary folk. 8pm / No cover DJ Stikman / Rain — Playing all the ladies’ favourites! 9pm / Cover TBD MosoFest 2014 / The Refinery — With Chad Munson + more. 8pm / $12

MosoFest 2014 / Rock Bottom — Public Animal + more. 9pm / Ticket moso2014.com Gorgeous Blue Dogs / Somewhere Else Pub — Good tunes all night. 9pm / No cover Jomama / 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

MosoFest 2014 / Vangelis — Featuring Despistado, Pandas in Japan + more. 9pm / Ticket info at moso2014.com

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

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Photo: Courtesy of edge of tomorrow

Edge of Tomorrow kicks off blockbuster season with style by adam hawboldt

R

emember when Tom Cruise made awesome movies? Remember The Color of Money, Rain Man, Born on the Fourth of July, A Few Good Men, Top Gun, Interview with the Vampire, heck, even Jerry Maguire?

Those were the good old days.

Lately, though, it seems like he’s been making the same actionfueled, explosion-heavy flick time after time. Think about it: all the Mission Impossibles, War of the Worlds, Knight and Day, Jack Reacher, Oblivion. They all have three things in common: Cruise is the hero, there are a crapload of explosions, and he’s forever hitting you with that blank stare of his.

And now we have Cruise’s new flick, Edge of Tomorrow, which fits right in there with that last bunch of movies I mentioned. But here’s the thing: it’s pretty darn good. Well, pretty darn good for a summer block-

Enter Cruise as Major William Cage. He shows up on the news to reassure people that forces around the world will soon be getting this new armour/weaponry. Cage is happy to be a desk jockey, to put a positive spin on the crisis, but he wants nothing to do with the fighting — he even chickens out and refuses to go to the front lines.

buster. Still, it’s a thousand times better than his last project — the way-too-sluggish Oblivion.

Directed by Doug Liman (Swingers, The Bourne Identity), Edge of Tomorrow begins with a montage of news reports that talk of an alien invasion of Earth. It doesn’t look good for us humans. But along comes Rita Vrataski (Emily Blunt), a super

Cruise delivers an understated performance, Blunt shines, and the story is interesting enough…

Adam Hawboldt

This doesn’t sit well with his higher ups, and eventually Cage is arrested and knocked out. He wakes up at

soldier who takes out a bunch of aliens wearing the military’s new exo-skeleton armour.

Heathrow and finds out he’s getting sent to do battle against the invaders.

He’s shipped out the next morning and proves himself to be an utterly inept soldier. He outlasts most of his fellow soldiers by sheer, stupid luck, and even wounds an alien (who then bleeds all over him). Then Cage is killed. End of movie.

Well, not really. See, Cage wakes up in a loop and is forced to fight the same battle over and over again. Eventually, he meets Rita — who also was once stuck in a loop — and she starts training him. Slowly but surely Cage goes from desk geek to super soldier.

If you think of Edge of Tomorrow as a kind of Groundhog-Day-meetsIndependence-Day-meets-FullMetal-Jacket mashup, you’ll be on the right track.

And while it isn’t a game-changing movie by any means, Edge of Tomorrow does manage to entertain. Cruise delivers an understated performance,

EDGE OF TOMORROW Doug Liman Starring Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt + Bill Paxton Directed by

113 MINUTES | PG

Blunt shines, and the story is interesting enough to keep you captivated.

The only really bad thing about the film is the ending, but hey — that’s just my opinion. For the most part, Edge of Tomorrow is sharper, cleverer and just flat-out better than a lot of fluff Hollywood throws our way during blockbuster season.

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Vampire chic

Only Lovers Left Alive is a slick, stylish and entrancing addition to the vampire genre by adam hawboldt

Photo: Courtesy of sony pictures classics

T

here is no shortage of vampire movies out there, and they come in all shapes and sizes.

There’s the classic vampire flicks (Dracula and Nosferatu), slick ones (From Dusk Till Dawn), epic ones (Interview with the Vampire), foreign ones (Let the Right One In), terrible ones (the entire Twilight saga) — the list goes on.

Enter Jim Jarmusch.

He’s the guy who made critically acclaimed films like Stranger Than Paradise, Broken Flowers, Ghost Dog— The Way of the Samurai. Under his idiosyncratic and minimalist guidance, the vampire genre is given the independent treatment in his new film, Only Lovers Left Alive. Sure, immortal blood suckers have gone indie before — but not like this.

Starring Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston, Only Lovers Left Alive is an elegant, offbeat, somber and quirky film. At times it’s deadpan funny. It’s also moody, stylish and exceedingly well-shot. Everything you’d expect from a Jarmusch movie.

So what’s it about?

Well, in simplistic terms, it’s about two vampires and eternal love. One of the vampires is named Adam (Hiddleston). He lives in a mansion in an

all-but-abandoned area of Detroit.

He’s a musician, too. Not a Bieber-like superstar, but a moody, reclusive musician with a cult following. The kind of musician who lounges around playing vintage guitars and listening to old LPs. For news about the outside world, he relies on a young fan (Anton Yelchin).

For food, he has a doctor (Jeffrey Wright) who provides him a steady supply of O-negative blood.

The other vampire is named Eve (Swinton). She lives in Tangiers, where she spends a lot of time with her friend and fellow vampire, Marlowe (John Hurt), who is … you guessed it … a playwright. He also hooks Eve up with high-quality blood.

Needless to say, these aren’t your average, cliched vampires.

Anyway, things are going relatively well in Eve’s world until one day she senses Adam is in trouble. Her intuition is right. Adam has gone and got his hands on a bullet made of wood, a bullet he plans to use on himself. Eve hops on a plane to Detroit to reunite with her unhappy, suicidal lover.

All goes well in the beginning. Then Eve’s sister, Ava (Mia Wasikowska) shows up. Without letting the cat too far out of the bag, let’s just say Ava is a bit of a sh*t disturber. After she arrives

ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE Jim Jarmusch Starring Tilda Swinton, Tom Hiddleston, John Hurt + Anton Yelchin Directed by

123 minutes | NR

on the scene, Adam and Eve’s reunion is tested.

The result is a haunting, beautiful and meditative film that is slick and memorable — thanks, in large part, to Swinton. She plays the hell out of Eve, who is easily the coolest, most languid vampire to ever grace the silver screen.

Twilight this is not. Sure, Only Lovers Left Alive could’ve benefitted from a bit of cutting (the narrative is a tad long), but for the most part it is an really good film with great acting, directed by a great director whose fingerprints are all over the project.

Only Lovers Left Alive is currently being screened at Roxy Theatre.

Feedback? Text it! (306) 881 8372

@VerbSaskatoon ahawboldt@verbnews.com

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friday, May 30 @

Maguires

Maguires Irish Pub & Brewery 2105 8th Street East (306) 955 7500

Photography by Patrick Carley Check out our Facebook page!

These photos will be uploaded to Facebook on Friday, June 13. facebook.com/verbsaskatoon

Continued on next page Âť

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Photography by Patrick Carley

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TUESDAY, June 3 @

snooker shack

The Snooker Shack 3421 8th Street East (306) 374 2100

Check out our Facebook page!

These photos will be uploaded to Facebook on Friday, June 13. facebook.com/verbsaskatoon

Photography by Patrick Carley Continued on next page Âť

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comics

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

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crossword canadian criss-cross

Horoscopes June 6 - June 12

1. On-line diary 5. Easy win 9. Hang over 10. Pandora released them 12. Bird with a large colourful beak 13. Achieved success 15. Make a decision 16. Not widespread 18. Israeli submachine gun 19. Partner of potatoes 21. Keyboard key 22. ___berry 23. Not one of the main rules 25. One who calculates insurance risks and premiums 27. Religious homage

29. Inexpensive piece of jewellery 32. The time between evening and morning 36. Perform a funeral service for 37. The end part 39. Gloomy 40. Cuckoo bird 41. Ornamental tree 43. Alcoholic drink 44. Country-styled 46. In fine ___ (fit) 48. Oyster’s creation 49. Makes available 50. Unspecified quantity 51. All there

sudoku

Aries March 21–April 19

Libra September 23–October 23

You will experience a breakthrough this week, Aries. Could be in a project, could be with a person. Who knows?

You may not be firing on all cylinders early in the week, Libra. With a perseverance, that can change.

Taurus April 20–May 20

Scorpio October 24–November 22

Ever get the feeling that no matter how hard you try you can’t win?

Don’t worry. Some wins are coming your way.

Examine your emotions in the coming days, Scorpio. If you don’t, they may get you in trouble down the road.

Gemini May 21–June 20

Sagittarius November 23–December 21

Every now and then you have a tendency to be stubborn, Gemini.

Try to avoid it this week.

Try to bring a wonderful breath of fresh air to any group you’re with this week. People will notice.

Cancer June 21–July 22

Capricorn December 22–January 19

Intellectually, you will excel this week, Cancer. Emotionally, well, things could get rather dicey.

Don’t get bent out of shape if things don’t go according to plan in the coming days, Capricorn.

Leo July 23–August 22

Aquarius January 20–February 19

Take time to get acquainted with your innovative, irrational side this week, Leo. You won’t regret it.

You may feel vulnerable this week, Aquarius. If so, hide and find shelter from the storm.

Virgo August 23–September 22

Pisces February 20–March 20

This is going to be one of those weeks where it’s best to stay in and pull down the blinds.

Unexpected events will crop up in the coming future, Pisces. Be prepared for the best … and the worst.

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

A

1. Extremely honest, in a way that seems unkind 2. Resinous substance 3. Iridescent gemstone 4. Jib used on a racing yacht 5. Second game between the same teams 6. Egg-shaped 7. Central 8. Lung covering 9. One of the Seven Dwarfs 11. Undergraduate receiving maintenance aid from Cambridge University 12. Burial vault 14. Minute 17. Having removable sections 20. Brownish-yellow

22. Boy with a bow 24. Pan used in Asian cooking 26. Its Latin name is stannum 28. Grid in the eyepiece of an optical instrument 29. Ski lift 30. Let debts accumulate B 31. Eye parts 33. Chin beard 34. Pea pods 35. Genealogical diagram 38. Smokes a pipe 41. Like some mattresses 42. Antitoxins 45. Path to be followed, in Confucianism 47. Low card in a royal flush

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

© walter D. Feener 2014

sudoku answer key

DOWN

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

ACROSS

crossword answer key

A

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

B

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