1165: Golden Fork Awards 2018

FREE (FLYIN’ FOOD FIGHT)

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#1165 / FEB 22, 2018 – FEB 28, 2018 VUEWEEKLY.COM

Black Panther 34

ISSUE: 1165 • FEB 22 – FEB 28, 2018

SAHARA PALACE 5

FIGURE AS INDEX 29

BLACK PANTHER 34

KRYSTLE DOS SANTOS 36

2017-18 35 th Anniversary Season

FRONT // 3 DISH // 4 ARTS // 29 FILM // 34 MUSIC // 36 LISTINGS

Lion Bear Fox

Saturday, March 3 - 7:30 p.m.

One part folk, one part rock, a pinch of gospel, and a dash of growl.

This Vancouver trio’s acoustic guitars, buzzing electrics, and screaming keyboards are anchored by rich percussion and thrilling harmonies.

780-962-8995

Tickets $35 Adults, $30 Students & Seniors Ticket Centre: 315 Jespersen Ave. Spruce Grove, AB

2 front

Theatre: 1001 Calahoo Road horizonstage.com

ARTS // 32 MUSIC // 40 EVENTS // 42 CLASSIFIED // 42 ADULT // 44

BIG WRECK 40 v

FOUNDING EDITOR / FOUNDING PUBLISHER RON GARTH PRESIDENT / PUBLISHER ROBERT W DOULL . . . . . rwdoull@vueweekly.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER / ACCOUNT MANAGER JOANNE LAYH . . . . . . . . . . joanne@vueweekly.com EDITORIAL EDITORIAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .editors@vueweekly.com STEPHAN BOISSONNEAULT . .stephan@vueweekly.com SIERRA BILTON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .sierra@vueweekly.com LISTINGS HEATHER SKINNER . . . . . . listings@vueweekly.com PRODUCTION MANAGER CHARLIE BIDDISCOMBE . . charlie@vueweekly.com PRODUCTION STEVEN TEEUWSEN. . . . .stevent@vueweekly.com CURTIS HAUSER . . . . . . . . curtish@vueweekly.com ACCOUNT MANAGER JAMES JARVIS. . . . . . . . . . . . james@vueweekly.com DISTRIBUTION MANAGER MICHAEL GARTH . . . . . . .michael@vueweekly.com

#200, 11230 - 119 STREET, EDMONTON, AB, T5G 2X3 • T: 780.426.1996 F: 780.426.2889 COVER IMAGE Golden Fork Awards / Charlie Biddiscombe

CONTRIBUTORS Ricardo Acuña, Kevin Pennyfeather, Jake Pesaruk, Josh Marcellin, Brian Gibson, Alexander Sorochan, Scott Lingley, Rob Brezsny, Gwynne Dyer, Brandon Baker, Fish Griwkowsky, Stephen Notley, Dan Savage, Charlie Scream

DISTRIBUTION Shane Bennett, Bev Bennett, Shane Bowers, Susan Davidson, Amy Garth, Aaron Getz, Clint Jollimore, Dona Olliffe, Beverley Phillips, Choi Chung Shui, Wally Yanish

Vue Weekly is available free of charge at well over 1,200 locations throughout Edmonton. We are funded solely through the support of our advertisers. Vue Weekly is a division of Postvue Publishing LP (Robert W. Doull, President) and is published every Thursday. Vue Weekly is available free of charge throughout Greater Edmonton and Northern Alberta, limited to one copy per reader. Vue Weekly may be distributed only by Vue Weekly's authorized independent contractors and employees. No person may, without prior written permission of Vue Weekly, take more than one copy of each Vue Weekly issue. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40022989. If undeliverable, return to: Vue Weekly #200, 11230 - 119 St, Edmonton, AB T5G 2X3

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

I

have serious problems with the recently published article “Fear and Loathing in the Age of Hate.” While the article does point out the challenges some transfolk deal with, those with issues are vocal, but few.

Accusing Jordan Peterson of “violent ways” simply shows that the quoted speaker hasn’t read or listened to what Peterson has to say. He simply doesn’t agree with the government telling us what words we can use, (ie. gender-neutral pronouns) as opposed to the mish-mosh of new pronouns some individuals insist upon.

This is a molehill being built up into a mountain by those who would also delegitimize nonbinary trans people. If someone refers to me as “he” or calls me by my old male name, no problem—there are more important and relevant issues

FRONT #1163 / FEB

08, 2018

– FEB 14,

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to deal with than that.

Secondly, calling Cassia Hardy “Edmonton’s first transgender musician” is an insult to those of us who’ve been on local stages for the last few decades. No, she’s just yet another, but simply the first to call attention to her being trans. This is not to say I don’t enjoy Hardy’s band, Wares.

It’s particularly telling to see Batul Gulamhusein (Progress Alberta) say: “It’s important to know how you can use political systems, even if you never want to run in an election, or never want to vote. They’re useful tools for people to have in their arsenal so that they can later weaponize them.” (In regards to Progress Alberta’s anti-oppression workshops.)

Let’s not get anti-cisgender or anti-straight; most of the world likes us or doesn’t care.

This article, like so much of the activism reminiscent of late-‘70s feminists’, only serves to make more cis folks glaze over and react negatively to our trans reality. There’s a world full of us. I and my peers simply live our lives getting along with the neighbours.

Oddly enough, we’ve found that one-on-one outreach is far more effective than perpetrating the victim mentality seen in liberal mass media. Being welcomed as good people always beats being reviled as a tranny-whiner.

Note: Please don’t get in an uproar over my use of the word “tranny,” it’s one we (those of us who’ve been trans for decades) use with a sense of humour, and only the most insecure will make an issue of.

Shae Guerin Edmonton, AB

VUE WEEKLY WELCOMES LETTERS TO THE EDITOR on subjects of interest to our readers. Short letters are most likely to be chosen for publication, but the use of any material is at the discretion of the editors. The editors reserve the right to edit letters for taste, brevity, and clarity, or to avoid obscenity, libel, or invasion of privacy.

ries 6 Chinook Se 13 Matter at y Black Arts Black Label Societ

DYERSTRAIGHT

AN END TO CORRUPTION?

With Jacob Zuma gone, the winds of change are sweeping through South Africa

A

s a passerby in the upscale Johannesburg suburb of Saxonwold observed, the South African police would never have raided the enormous, high-walled compound of the Gupta family if President Jacob Zuma were not on the brink of being removed. But early Wednesday morning, the police did exactly that.

The Guptas, three Indian immigrant brothers who became extremely rich due to their close partnership with Zuma, used to be untouchable. They were accused of “state capture” in the media, but they were safe because of their alliance with Zuma. He benefited from of the deal nicely, too.

All that’s over now. One of the Gupta brothers was arrested in the raid, and the other two cannot be far behind. It was a signal to Zuma that the gloves were coming off, and 15 hours later he was gone. He had clung desperately to the presidency since the African National Congress (ANC) voted him out as its leader in December, but on Wednesday evening he resigned “with immediate effect.”

Jacob Zuma joined the ANC, the country’s main liberation movement, in 1959 and had an illustrious career. He served 10 years’ imprisonment on Robben Island with Nelson Mandela, fled abroad

in 1975, and became chief of the ANC’s intelligence department during the 1980s.

A man who served as his chief of staff in those years, a white South African now living abroad who has no reason to seek Zuma’s approval, told me recently that he was a brilliant strategist.

He had admired Zuma greatly, he said, and like many others he was as much puzzled as dismayed by what Zuma became during his lat-

Zuma was still telling various media that he would refuse to quit until late afternoon on Wednesday, although it was clear that there was no way he could win. The state president is elected by parliament, not by a popular vote, and parliament can also remove him by a nonconfidence vote. The ANC has a majority in parliament, and such a vote was already scheduled for the 22nd.

awaited him after he left the state presidency, at least in theory. But the ANC elected Cyril Ramaphosa as its president instead.

After that, Zuma’s only hope, if he wants to stay in South Africa after leaving office—which he clearly does—was an amnesty deal. But if the ANC is to rebuild its credibility with the voters there must be no amnesty, and Ramaphosa has said publicly that it is not on the cards.

“There needs to be a massive cleansing exercise within the ANC, and it needs to start now if the results are to be visible before the election.” er years. After the decades of sacrifice and dedication, it has been a tragic fall from grace.

Technically, Zuma still had a year left in his second term as president, but the ANC wanted him out now because he was blighting the party’s chances of winning next year’s election. Friendly hints and subtle pressures were not shifting him, so on Tuesday the ANC’s newly elected National Executive Committee ordered him to resign from the state presidency.

Why did he hang on so long if he was bound to lose in the end?

Probably because he was hoping to negotiate some sort of amnesty deal in return for going quietly.

But that’s a hard thing to do in South Africa, as the government does not control the courts.

Until recently, Zuma’s exit plan involved getting his ex-wife, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, chosen to succeed him as ANC president.

She would then protect him from the many corruption charges that

In any case, it’s over now. Ramaphosa, a former trade union leader who became a very rich businessman, will probably take over the state presidency only briefly now, choosing some other ANC worthy to serve out the last year of Zuma’s term. He would prefer to be elected state president next year in his right. But in fact, he will already be running the show behind the scenes, and much will be expected of him.

South Africa’s economy has

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stagnated during Zuma’s nineyear reign, in large part because both foreigners and local people were reluctant to invest in a country whose government had become so corrupt. There needs to be a massive cleansing exercise within the ANC, and it needs to start now if the results are to be visible before the election.

Zuma may stay to face the music—or, more likely, he will move abroad and live in the $25 million palace that the Guptas reportedly bought for him in Dubai. (He has categorically denied owning any property abroad himself, but the denial was carefully phrased.)

The ANC has fallen a long way from its glory days, but it is a legitimate and democratic political party that still commands the loyalty of many, perhaps most South Africans. Now that Zuma has finally quit, Ramaphosa, a competent and by all accounts an honest man, can get started on rebuilding the party’s reputation.

If he succeeds, the ANC could still win next year’s election and another five years in power. Whether that is the best thing for South Africa, given that the ANC has already been in power for a quarter-century, is another question.

Gwynne Dyer gwynne@vueweekly.com front 3

The Boocha team / Supplied

BOOCHA BOOCHA

Edmonton’s first kombucha brewers bring some ‘culture’ to Edmonton

B

rian MacLean, Byron Hradoway, and Jenn Darling have been friends for awhile. As roommates, they’ve also been homebrewing their own kombucha

for awhile. Last May, the three Edmontonians decided to bring their Boocha to the people and go commercial.

“A lot of it was just based on old

Thank you for voting us Best Farmers’ Market AGAIN! See you Saturday!

4 dish

techniques we learned making beer at home,” Hradoway says.

“Beer and kombucha are actually really similar in terms of the process, the only difference is it’s not grain, it’s teas.”

With contacts in Edmonton’s music community, they teamed up with The Starlite Room and began brewing in the kitchen of the beloved live music venue. It’s not the most expected of places to brew, but it’s actually been a great way to spread the word about their Boocha.

“A bunch of bands, when they come through, they hear about what we’re doing and they come down and want to try it. They get really excited about it,” MacLean says. “We’re all heavily into the music scene and we’ve already had some of our favourite bands come through and try it and that’s something you could never pay for.”

A thousands-of-years-old cultured tea beverage, kombucha boasts similar good-for-your-gut probiotics to yoghurt in a fizzy, low-sugar format. It’s made with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast— ‘SCOBY’ for short—which metabolizes sugar and caffeine to give an end result, in the Boocha team’s case, of 8 grams of sugar and 25

milligrams of caffeine (about equal to a cup of tea) in one 207 milliliter bottle of Boocha. They currently have four flavours: peach, snozzberry, cherry, and lavender, but also periodically offer seasonal flavours throughout the year.

The Boocha team also does all of their own branding and marketing with Hradoway and Darling bringing a background in graphic and web design. MacLean brings a background in bartending and management, which is how they set up a cocktail shindig they’re planning with Yellowhead Brewery on March 23.

At the end of January, the Boocha team launched an Alberta-wide crowdfunding campaign through the “ATB BoostR” platform to raise their goal of $10,000; with increasingly high demand, the Boocha brewers need to expand their brewing capacity and modernize bottling techniques. Since they started brewing and boasting Boocha, they’ve been hand-mixing, hand-capping and hand-labelling each bottle made, which adds up to noodle arms.

“We really liked the idea of building a community and keeping everything local, ” Hrado-

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

10030 102 Street boocha.ca way says. “The way we see it is why would someone outside of Edmonton really support our crowdfunding if they can’t really get our product?”

The campaign, which works the same as Indigogo or GoFundMe, has some great perks for backers willing to punch in anywhere from $10 (Boocha bottle opener) to $2,500 (Boocha for life). If you don’t just want a bottle opener, but you don’t have the assets to get Boocha for life, they offer four-packs, cases, and growlers of Boocha at various monetary increments. You can find the link to the campaign, which ends March 14, on their website: boocha.ca.

“Ultimately, the goal is to have it on tap around the city everywhere from cafés to bars,” Hradoway says.

You can also find the Boocha brewers at City Market Downtown, where they sell their Boocha by the bottle ($5.50) and in taster packs of four ($20) and a few cafés around the city, including Under the High Wheel on Whyte Avenue.

Sierra Bilton sierra@vueweekly.com

LEBANESE

Sahara Palace’s Mouhamara / J Procktor

SAHARA SHINES

Sahara Palace # 110 10807 Castledowns Rd. 780.371.1113 saharaedmonton.com

Sahara Palace offers luscious Lebanese fare

W

hen I think of Lebanese food in Edmonton, I tend to think of restaurants that lay on really good shawarma or shish taouk, but are less concerned with elevating the environs in which you consume their food above the ambiance of the average donair joint. Of course there are exceptions, but few are as exceptional as Sahara Palace, a quasi-fancy—they still have big flat screen TVs—dining room deep in the heart of Castle Downs, not far from my perennial Lebanese breakfast fave Castle Bake.

Sahara Palace is absolutely sprawling inside with so many tables you can’t take the whole place in at a glance. It has a stage, a big dance floor and a sizable bar. What’s more, it looks pretty fancy, with gleaming tiles, a tintype ceiling and rippling harvest gold walls that resemble the striated sands of the eponymous desert (which, for the record, is not in Lebanon). You could have a helluva wedding reception in there. Like so many Lebanese restaurants, they also provide shisha, but no designated shisha-smoking area, so you may find clouds of applescented smog wafting into your vicinity no matter where you sit.

The menu touches on Lebanese staples from hummus to kabob, and they’ll make you a burger if that’s what you really want. But there’s also fancy entrees in the $28 range or, if you’re feeding a small army, you can order a kilo

of various grilled meats for $51.

Co-diner and I were slightly less hungry than that, so we decided to make a meal from the cold and hot mezza (appetizer) selections.

If we had it to do over again, we would have brought at least two more co-diners to delve even further into the menu, because everything we tried was unique and extremely tasty.

Of course we’d had fattoush salad before but the Sahara Palace version ($10/half order) brought the expected crunchy (romaine, bell peppers, radish, pita crisps) and savoury (red onions, mint, EVOO, lemon and red wine vinegar) together, then drizzled them with pomegranate molasses and topped them with strands of chewy white cheese that on first glance we mistook for cabbage. Entirely satisfying, and plenty for two people.

Next came the mouhamara ($14), an ample portion of dip made from ground walnuts, roasted red pepper, onions and garlic, with a hint of heat. The mound was dressed up with sliced veggies, pita crisps and more of that chewy white string cheese, and in true Lebanese style, enough pita for six people was presented on the side. I’m sure their hummus and baba ghanoush are well worth trying, but the mouhamara had a velvety, pate-like richness—with a spicy tingle—we were glad to have sampled. And it was so substantial, we had to take

some home.

The sanake harra ($16) was a red snapper fillet smothered in spicy tahini sauce and topped with chopped almonds and bell peppers. The roasty, citrusy flavour of ground coriander played a leading role in the flavour with a fiery undertone that mounted bite upon bite.

Finally, our friendly server, who seemed to be genuinely pleased that we were taking such enjoyment in the food, offered to let

us do a half-and-half of the kibbeh and bih jibni, which usually come six to an order ($15). The former are little football-shaped croquettes with a chewy-crisp exterior made of bulgur wheat and a ground beef interior redolent of cinnamon and allspice.

The latter were pastry turnovers filled with garlicky cheese seasoned with a hint of fennel. If we had more people on hand to share our repast, we could have ordered some labneh (strained

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

yogurt mashed with garlic and mint) to dip them in, but they were entirely pleasing and good on their own.

To our palates, Sahara Palace got everything right—including allowing us to watch Olympic bobsledding to a Lebanese pop soundtrack—and gave us plenty of reasons to go back. If you’re after a next-level Lebanese dining experience, you should now know exactly what to do.

Scott Lingley

Thank you, Edmonton

dish 5

COCKTAIL ESSENTIALS

H

ere’s a classic recipe that anyone can make at home with just a few ingredients.

Enjoy responsibly!

BAMBOO COCKTAIL, BOOTHBY’S 1908 RECIPE 1.5 oz Dry Sherry, like Fino or Amontillado 1.5 oz Dry Vermouth, I suggest Dolin Dry from Chamberey 1 dash of orange bitters 2 dashes of Angostura Aromatic bitters Lemon peel In a mixing glass, stir all ingredients over ice for 20 seconds.

Using a cocktail strainer, strain the liquid into a cocktail glass.

Garnish with the lemon zest by gently expressing the oils onto the surface of the drink.

Include the peel in the drink.

LOVE TRIANGLE

Bamboo Cocktail / Brandon Baker

H

Redefining Grandma’s sipping-sherry one step at a time

ave you ever been in a love triangle? I have, but it might not be what you think. Sherry is one of the loves of my life, and the triangle I’m referring to is the Sherry Triangle in the Andalucia province of Spain. This golden triangle refers to a wine-growing region between three Spanish cities that happens to roughly form an acute triangle.

To the south of the majestic Guadalquivir River is the town of Sanlúcar De Barrameda, while just inland of the Atlantic Ocean is El Puerto de Santa Maria, and bordering the massive nature reserve of Coto Doñana is the city of Jerez de la Frontera, the namesake of the entire wine-growing region of Jerez. Andalucia is heavily influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, its sea breezes alleviating the gruelling summer heat. Fishing, horse breeding, and wine all

6 dish

play major roles in the culture of this place rich with diversity.

The ancestral home of flamenco and bullfighting is host to three grape varieties that make up most of the blends within sherry wines: Palamino, Pedro Ximénez, and Moscatel. There are several different styles of sherry depending on your tastes, from unctuous to bone-dry, and ranging in flavour from funky, soy sauce-covered mushroom notes of Olorosos, to beautiful walnut and green apple notes of Manzanillas. With this vast plethora of flavours, it’s no wonder bartenders have enjoyed using sherry in cocktails since the 19th century.

Sherry is a fortified wine, meaning the fermented grape must is fortified with grape spirit to raise its ABV (alcohol by volume). It is progressively blended and aged in a complex network of old bar-

rels, called a solera, and then fortified. Depending on how the sherry moves through the solera, distinct styles result. If we paint sherry with broad strokes, we have Fino styles and Oloroso styles. Finos are light, crisp, and always dry, while Olorosos are nuttier, fuller bodied, and sometimes very sweet.

Back home, Edmonton bartenders have been using sherry in cocktails since the modern resurgence of cocktail culture. I asked Evan Watson, sommelier and partner at Clementine, about some of his favourites.

up a drink, and it immediately sparks the imagination in a variety of directions. A briny manzanilla can immediately compliment a gin-driven martini-style cocktail, while walnut-rich Olorosos have an immediate affinity to darker aged rums. The other flavours in those sherries can then encourage the next direction of the drink.

(Apple notes in Manzanilla might encouraging adding pommeau to that gin martini riff.) Many classic cocktails will rely on a wine component (think vermouth, or aromatized wines like Lillet Blanc) and so sherry is a natural fit.

Brandon Baker: Why does sherry work so well in cocktails?

BB: What was your most memorable experience with Pedro Ximénez (PX)?

Evan Watson: The spectrum of flavours that sherry exhibits is so broad and dynamic—it’s really lighter fluid when trying to build

EW: The day that I poured 1927 Solera PX sherry on perfect vanilla ice-cream is the day that

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

constantly reminds me that wine can be beautiful without always having to be precious.

BB: What is your favourite sherry cocktail in Edmonton, and do you have a go-to sherry drink when you’re craving one?

EW: The Malt Shoppe cocktail at Woodwork is particularly clever, mixing Genever, Oloroso sherry, cacao, lemon, raspberry, egg white, and cream.

I’m simple, when I’m craving a sherry I almost always drink it straight, but am a huge sucker for amontillado sherry and tonic with a squeeze of fresh orange and a spoonful of honey.

Sherry is complex and very refreshing, and it never tires the palette. This is meant to illuminate sherry in a different light than the one you’re used to: Grandma sipping a dainty glass of sherry after supper.

Although, that does sound lovely, it’s a much more versatile wine, which can be paired with just about anything and at anytime.

When looking for an alternative to hard liquor, sherry gives us a beautiful low-proof option, and when you’re out with friends until the wee hours this low-proof stunner will help you keep up and alleviate some of the morning-after blues.

Brandon Baker

Vue Weekly proudly presents

the golden fork awards 20th anniversary edition

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

GOLDEN FORK AWARDS 7

thank you, Edmonton!

Grazie.

(GRAHT-zee) Thank you.

WINNER: Ethnic Grocer | Grocery Store Cheese Shop | Specialty Grocery | Import Food Shop

Grocery. Bakery. Deli. Café.

EDMONTON Little Italy | Southside | West End CALGARY Willow Park

8 GOLDEN FORK AWARDS

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

Best Salads Winner (Indie): ÀVILA AREPA (10760-82 Ave, 780.328.7887, myavilaarepa.com) 1st Runner Up: kb&co 2nd Runner Up: TIE–Noorish, XO Bistro + Bar Winner (Multiple locations):

CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL (centralsocialhall.com)

THANKS

Best Nachos

FOR ALL THE

Winner (Indie): JULIO’S BARRIO (10450-82 Ave, 780.431.0774, juliosbarrio.com) 1st Runner Up: TIE–The Buckingham, The Next Act Winner (Multiple locations):

VOTES, AND FOR A

GREAT

CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL (centralsocialhall.com)

Best Appetizers

Best Soups

Winner (Indie): ÀVILA AREPA (10760-82 Ave, 780.328.7887, myavilaarepa.com) 1st Runner Up: XO Bistro + Bar 2nd Runner Up: Baijiu Bar Winner (Multiple locations):

Winner (Indie): ÀVILA AREPA (10760-82 Ave, 780.328.7887, myavilaarepa.com) 1st Runner Up: XO Bistro + Bar 2nd Runner Up: Die Pie Winner (Multiple locations): Central Social Hall (centralsocialhall.com)

CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL (centralsocialhall.com)

Best Charcuterie Board/Plate Winner (Indie): AMPERSAND 27 (10612-82 Ave, 780.757.2727, ampersand27.com) 1st Runner Up: Bar Bricco 2nd Runner Up: TIE–Cavern, Woodwork

Best Bread Winner (Indie): CHARTIER (5012 50 St #102, Beaumont, 780.737.3633, dinechartier.com) 1st Runner Up: TIE–Bon Ton Bakery, Brio Bakery 2nd Runner Up: TIE–Bonjour Bakery, Boulangerie Bonjour, Mill Creek Bakery Winner (Multiple locations): COBS BREAD BAKERY (cobsbread.com)

15 MONTHS!

BEER, BOURBON, CHICKEN! northchickenyeg.com 780.756.2239 10704 124 street

WINNER

BEST POKE

Best Bakery Winner (Indie): DUCHESS BAKE SHOP (10718-124 St, 780.488.4999, duchessbakeshop.com) 1st Runner Up: Sugared and Spiced 2nd Runner Up: Bon Ton Bakery

Need some dining inspiration on the go? View this year's results from your mobile:

BRINGING POKE TO THE PRAIRIES! ALWAYS FRESH . AUTHENTIC HAWAIIAN

vueweekly.com/gfa/ @onopokecoyeg

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

GOLDEN FORK AWARDS 9

GLOSSY PLAYBILLS

1

Reach cultural consumers in Sherwood Park by advertising in Festival Place playbills.

Call Joanne or James at 780 426 1996 to book your ad today!

METRO CINEMA

GUIDE

Best Fried Chicken Best Chili Winner (Indie): DIRTBAG CAFÉ (10505-107 St, 780.705.7110) 1st Runner Up: TIE–kb&co, Sugarbowl Winner (Multiple locations): Tim Hortons (timhortons.com)

Best Mac ‘n’ Cheese Winner (Indie): NORTHERN FRIED CHICKEN (10704-124 St, 780.756.2239, northchickenyeg.com) 1st Runner Up: The Next Act 2nd Runner Up: Sugarbowl

Best Comfort Food Winner (Indie): PHIL’S FUDGE (9-11830-152 St, 780.504.5227, philsfudge.com) 1st Runner Up: Àvila Arepa 2nd Runner Up: Northern Chicken

Best Fish & Chips Winner (Indie): GRANDIN FISH & CHIPS (9902-109 St, 780.250.3474, grandinfish.ca) Winner (Multiple locations):

BRITS FISH & CHIPS

(britsfishandchipsab.com)

AVAILABLE AT THE

FOLLOWING

LOCATIONS

Tix on the Square • Scotia Place • Route 99 • Sugar Bowl • Century Casino • Winspear Centre • Enjoy Centre • Citadel Theatre • Freecloud Records • Arden Theatre •

AND OVER 100 MORE LOCATIONS CITY WIDE!

GET YOURS TODAY!

10 GOLDEN FORK AWARDS

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

Winner (Indie): NORTHERN FRIED CHICKEN (10704-124 St, 780.756.2239, northchickenyeg.com) 1st Runner Up: Seoul Fried Chicken 2nd Runner Up: Have Mercy Winner (Multiple locations): Central Social Hall (centralsocialhall.com)

Best Chicken Wings Winner (Indie): THE BUCKINGHAM (10439-82 Ave,

780.761.1002, thebuckonwhyte.com) 1st Runner Up: X.O. Bistro + Bar 2nd Runner Up: Café Mosaics Winner (Multiple locations): Central Social Hall (centralsocialhall.com)

BEST FOOD TRUCK

Best BBQ

Best Butcher

Best Seafood

Winner (Indie): MEAT (8216-104 St, 587.520.6338, meatfordinner.com) 1st Runner Up: Sloppy Hoggs 2nd Runner Up: Have Mercy

Winner (Indie): ACME MEAT MARKET (9570-76 Ave, 780.433.1812, acmemeatmarket.ca) 1st Runner Up: Ben’s Meats & Deli 2nd Runner Up: Real Deal Meats

Winner (Indie): WISHBONE (10542 Jasper Ave, 780.757.6758, eatwishbone.ca) 1st Runner Up: Black Pearl Seafood 2nd Runner Up: Effing Seafoods

Best Steaks

Best Smokehouse Best Place for Winner (Indie): MEAT the Meat Sweats

Winner (Indie): THE MARC (9940106 St, 780.429.2828, themarc.ca) 1st Runner Up: TIE–Coliseum Steak & Pizza, Baijiu Bar 2nd Runner Up: Vons Winner (Multiple locations): THE KEG (kegsteakhouse.com)

Best Kebab Winner (Indie): SOFRA (10345-106 St, 780.423.3044)

(8216-104 St, 587.520.6338, meatfordinner.com) 1st Runner Up: Sloppy Hoggs 2nd Runner Up: Smokehouse BBQ

Best Bacon

Winner (Indie): MEAT (8216-104 St, 587.520.6338, meatfordinner.com) 1st Runner Up: Pampa Brazilian Steakhouse 2nd Runner Up: Sloppy Hoggs

Winner (Indie): IRVINGS FARM FRESH (5612-141 St, 780.436.1890, irvingsfarmfresh.com) 1st Runner Up: The Local Omnivore 2nd Runner Up: Tzin Wine & Tapas

Discover our 9 NEW

Omelette burgers

l

Perfect for take-out!

Thanks to All My Wonderful Customers!

Winner of 12 culinary awards!

Best Breakfast Clareview Town Centre 4270 137th Ave, Edmonton 780 406-2672 Currents of Windermere 6267 Currents Drive NW, Edmonton 780 244-2672 Gateway 2920 Calgary Trail NW, Edmonton 780 465-2672 Kensington Crossing 12542 137th Ave NW, Edmonton 780 758-2672 Leduc 6108 50th Street, Leduc 780 986-2672 Sherwood Park 222 Baseline Road, Sherwood Park 780 570-5808 St. Albert Centre 375 St.Albert Trail Unit 190, St. Albert 587 772-2672 West Point 9977 178th Street NW, Edmonton 780 487-8898

FREE smoothie!

With the purchase of a $9 meal or more, upon presentation of this coupon, receive a free smoothie of your choice.

Present this coupon before ordering. One coupon per customer per visit. May not be combined with any other offer and has no monetary value.

Offer valid until June 30, 2018 only at the Cora restaurants located in Edmonton, Leduc, Sherwood Park and St. Albert.

No reproductions will be accepted.

PhilsFudge.com

CODE 166

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

GOLDEN FORK AWARDS 11

Best Ramen Winner (Indie): PRAIRIE NOODLE SHOP (10350-124 St, 780.705.1777, prairienoodleshop.ca) 1st Runner Up: Tokiwa 2nd Runner Up: Nudoru

Best Dim Sum Winner (Indie): JUMBO DIM SUM (10451-170 St, 780.481.3838, jumbodimsum.ca) 1st Runner Up: Beijing Beijing 2nd Runner Up: TIE–Urban China, Tasty Noodle, New Tan Tan

Best Tacos

Best Sushi

Best Pasta

Winner (Indie): JAPONAIS BISTRO (11806 Jasper Ave, 780.760.1616, japonaisbistro.ca) 1st Runner Up: TIE–Maki Maki, Sushi Wasabi 2nd Runner Up: Kobe Bistro Winner (Multiple locations):

Winner (Indie): TIE–CORSO 32 (10345 Jasper Ave, 780.421.4622, corso32.com), UCCELLINO (10349 Jasper Ave, 780.426.0346, uccellino.ca) 1st Runner Up: Café Amore Bistro 2nd Runner Up: Die Pie Winner (Multiple locations):

MIKADO SUSHI & ROBATA

(mikadorestaurant.com)

Best Tapas Winner (Indie): TZIN WINE & TAPAS (10115-104 St,

780.428.8946, tzin.ca) 1st Runner Up: TIE–Three Boars, Bar Bricco Winner (Multiple locations): BODEGA (bodegahighlands.ca)

SICILIAN PASTA KITCHEN

(sicilianpastakitchen.com/ sicilianpastakitchendowntown.com)

Best Curry Winner (Indie): TIE–DAAWAT (10015-82 Ave, 587.405.2993, daawat.ca), INDIAN FUSION (10322-111 St, 780.752.5500, indianfusionrestaurant.ca) 1st Runner Up: Padmanadi 2nd Runner Up: Multiple winners

Winner (Indie): TRES CARNALES (10119-100A St, 780.429.0911, trescarnales.com) 1st Runner Up: El Cortez 2nd Runner Up: Calle Mexico

Best African Winner: LANGANO SKIES (9920-82 Ave, 780.432.3334, langanoskies.com)

Best Mediterranean Winner (Indie): SOFRA (10345 106 St, 780.423.3044) 1st Runner Up: Koutouki

Best Ukrainian Winner (Indie): UNCLE ED’S (4824-118 Ave, 780.471.1010) 1st Runner Up: Taste of Ukraine

continued on pg 14...

Worth the Trip to Sherwood Park Thanks for voong, Edmonton!

780 570 1200 | lapatrona.rocks 2 Athabascan Ave, Sherwood Park

12 GOLDEN FORK AWARDS

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

GOLDEN FORK AWARDS 13

Best Korean Winner (Indie): NONGBU (8115104 St, 780.989.0997) 1st Runner Up: Bul Go Gi House 2nd Runner Up: Seoul Fried Chicken

Best Thai Winner (Indie): THE KING AND I (8208-107 St, 780.433.2222,

continued from pg 12

THANK YOU FOR VOTING, EDMONTON! WINNER!

BEST RESTAURANT NAME

WINNER!

BEST PIZZA (CLASSIC)

WINNER! WINNER!

BEST MID-PRICE

BEST VEGAN

1ST RUNNER UP!

1ST RUNNER UP!

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

MOST INNOVATIVE MENU BEST SOUP

1ST RUNNER UP!

1ST RUNNER UP!

BEST DATE NIGHT

1ST RUNNER UP!

2ND RUNNER UP!

BEST HAMBURGER

2ND RUNNER UP!

BEST PASTA 2ND RUNNER UP! BEST BRUNCH 2ND RUNNER UP!

11215 Jasper Avenue NW Edmonton, AB

Best Lebanese

Winner (Indie): KOUTOUKI (10719-124 St, 780.452.5383, koutouki.ca) 1st Runner Up: Yiannis Taverna 2nd Runner Up: Cosmos Greek Kitchen Winner (Multiple locations): OPA! OF GREECE (opasouvlaki.ca)

Winner (Indie): LA SHISH

Best French Winner (Indie): THE MARC (9940106 St, 780.429.2828, themarc.ca) 1st Runner Up: Chartier 2nd Runner Up: TIE–Café Bicyclette, Clementine

Best Italian

BEST PIZZA (THIN CRUST)

BEST GLUTEN-FREE

Best Greek

Winner (Indie): CORSO 32 (10345 Jasper Ave, 780.421.4622, corso32.com) 1st Runner Up: Uccellino 2nd Runner Up: Café Amore

Best Spanish

Best Japanese

SHAWARMA

Winner (Indie): DORINKU (1020582 Ave, 780.988.9760, dorinku.ca) 1st Runner Up: Japonais Bistro 2nd Runner Up: Izakaya Tomo Winner (Multiple locations): MIKADO (mikadorestaurant.com)

Best Middle Eastern

Best Vietnamese

(10106-118 St, 780.452.1333, lashishedmonton.ca) 1st Runner Up: Al Salam 2nd Runner Up: Parkallen Restaurant

Winner (Indie): SOFRA (10345 106 St, 780.423.3044) 1st Runner Up: Al Salam

Best Chinese Winner (Indie): THE LINGNAN (10582-104 St, 780.426.3975, thelingnan.com) 1st Runner Up: Multiple winners 2nd Runner Up: TIE–Loma House, Jumbo Dim Sum Winner (Multiple locations):

GOOD BUDDY

(goodbuddychinese.com)

Winner (Indie): ÀVILA AREPA (10760-82 Ave, 780.328.7887, myavilaarepa.com) 1st Runner Up: Sabor 2nd Runner Up: Tzin Wine & Tapas Winner (Multiple locations): BODEGA (bodegahighlands.ca)

Best Portuguese Winner (Indie): SABOR (10220103 St, 780.757.1114, sabor.ca) Winner (Multiple locations): Nando’s (nandos.ca)

Best Lebanese Food!

14 GOLDEN FORK AWARDS

thekingandi.ca) 1st Runner Up: TIE–Bua Thai, Lan’s Asian Grill, Numchok Wilai 2nd Runner Up: Thai Orchid Winner (Multiple locations): Syphay (syphay.com)

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

Winner (Indie): XO BISTRO + BAR (10236-103 St, 780.761.9696,

xobistrobar.com) 1st Runner Up: Phobulous 2nd Runner Up: TIE–Thanh Thanh, An Chay Winner (Multiple locations):

PHO HOAN PASTEUR

(phohoanpasteur.ca)

Best East Indian / Tandoori Winner (Indie): DAAWAT (1001582 Ave, 587.405.2993, daawat.ca) 1st Runner Up: TIE–Guru Fine Indian Restaurant, Indian Fusion Winner (Multiple locations):

NEW ASIAN VILLAGE (newasianvillage.com)

Best Mexican / Latin American Winner (Indie): ÀVILA AREPA (10760-82 Ave, 780.328.7887, myavilaarepa.com) 1st Runner Up: Huma Mexican Restaurant 2nd Runner Up: El Cortez

WINNER! Best African

Best Sweets Shop Winner (Indie): PHIL’S FUDGE (9-11830-152 St, 780.504.5227, philsfudge.com) 1st Runner Up: Duchess Bake Shop 2nd Runner Up: Sweet Convenience

Best Desserts

THANKS

Winner (Indie): PHIL’S FUDGE (9-11830-152 St, 780.504.5227, philsfudge.com) 1st Runner Up: Duchess Bake Shop 2nd Runner Up: Àvila Arepa Winner (Multiple locations): CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL (centralsocialhall. com)

FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT! We are honoured to win our 13th Golden Fork Award for Best African Restaurant. We could not have done it without our amazing customers and we would not be here without your support.

Best Ice Cream / Fro Yo / Gelato

We are excited to spend another year serving Edmonton's best authentic Ethiopian food!

Winner (Indie): REVOLUTION ICE CREAM CO. (revolutionicecream.com) 1st Runner Up: Pinocchio Ice Cream 2nd Runner Up: Block 1912 Winner (Multiple locations):

LANGANO SKIES WILL BE AT THE FESTS THIS SUMMER!

SCOOP N’ ROLL

Best Chocolatier Winner (Indie): PHIL’S FUDGE (9-11830-152 St, 780.504.5227, philsfudge.com) 1st Runner Up: Colleen Heidecker Pure Culinary 2nd Runner Up: Violet Chocolate Co. Winner (Multiple locations):

Visit us at

• Taste of Edmonton July 19 - 28 • Edmonton Folk Festival Aug 9 - 12 • Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival Aug 16-26 Follow us

JACEK CHOCOLATE COUTURE

(jacekchocolate.com)

EVERYTHING MATTERS. Some things just can’t wait for spring cleaning. Donate today.

We are in need of preloved dressers, couches, love-seats, coffee tables, end tables and kitchen dining sets.

Find South

Visit our new location:

Retail & Donation Centre 5120 122 Street t: 780.988.1717

Find Boutique on Jasper 12304 Jasper Avenue t: 780.425.0212

Find is an initiative of Homeward Trust Edmonton homewardtrust.ca @findYEG findedmonton.com

Schedule a free pick-up via the online donation form or call 780.988.1717

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

GOLDEN FORK AWARDS 15

WINNER

Best Hot Dogs

Come visit us at our new Capilano location!

5015 - 101 Ave. Licensed (Well worth the small drive) • fatfranks.ca

VOTED BEST DONAIR MULTIPLE LOCATIONS

Thank You Edmonton!

4th Location now open in Downtown, 11343-104 Ave NW

primetimedonair.com

y t r a p a “ There's ” ! e r e h t h g i r n o ' n goi

Best Sandwiches

Best Wraps

Winner (Indie): ÀVILA AREPA (10760-82 Ave, 780.328.7887, myavilaarepa.com) 1st Runner Up: The Local Omnivore 2nd Runner Up: Elm Café Winner (Multiple locations): FARROW (farrowsandwiches.ca)

Winner (Multiple locations): PRESS’D (pressdsandwiches.ca)

Best Donair Winner (Indie): SWISS DONAIR (8308-144 Ave, 780.377.7777, swissdonair.com) 1st Runner Up: The Buckingham 2nd Runner Up: Mike’s Famous Winner (Multiple locations): PRIME TIME (primetimedonair.com)

Best Takeout Winner (Indie): ÀVILA AREPA (10760-82 Ave, 780.328.7887, myavilaarepa.com) 1st Runner Up: Seoul Fried Chicken 2nd Runner Up: Northern Fried Chicken Winner (Multiple locations): OODLE NOODLE (oodlenoodle.ca)

Please enjoy responsibly

16 GOLDEN FORK AWARDS

Best Takeout Containers Winner: OODLE NOODLE (oodlenoodle.ca) VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

Best Hamburgers Winner (Indie): THE NEXT ACT (8224-104 St, 780.433.9345, nextactpub.com) 1st Runner Up: The Local Omnivore 2nd Runner Up: TIE–Delux, Die Pie, Have Mercy Winner (Multiple locations):

CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL

(centralsocialhall.com)

Best Delivery Service Winner: UBER EATS 1st Runner Up: Skip The Dishes

Best Food Truck Winner (Indie): DRIFT 1st Runner Up: Meat Street 2nd Runner Up: TIE—Calle Mexico, Sailin’ On

Best Pizza (Classic) Winner (Indie): DIE PIE (11215 Jasper Ave, 780.760.7272, diepie.ca) 1st Runner Up: Holy Roller 2nd Runner Up: Tony’s Pizza Palace Winner (Multiple locations): ROYAL PIZZA (royalpizza.ca)

Best Pizza (Thin Crust) Winner (Indie): DIE PIE (11215 Jasper Ave, 780.760.7272, diepie.ca) 1st Runner Up: Rosso Pizzeria 2nd Runner Up: Tony’s Pizza Palace Winner (Multiple locations): LOVEPIZZA (lovepizza.ca)

Best Poutine Winner (Indie): LA POUTINE (8720-109 St, 780.757.2222, la-poutine.com) 1st Runner Up: Chartier 2nd Runner Up: The Local Omnivore Winner (Multiple locations):

CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL

(centralsocialhall.com)

Best French Fries Winner (Indie): TIE– LA POUTINE,

THE BUCKINGHAM, THE NEXT ACT

1st Runner Up: OTTO 2nd Runner Up: MEAT Winner (Multiple locations):

CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL

(centralsocialhall.com)

thank you

for voting us

BEST Food festival/event in 2017 We are proud to bring you the best local foods, beverages and entertainers all in one place.

Your participation helps to support charitable organizations with honorariums every year.

SEE YOU JULY 19-28, 2018 IN OUR NEW LOCATION

WINNER

Best Donair Thanks Edmonton for your loyalty over the past 18 years. We look forward to continuing to serve Edmonton's donair connoisseurs.

8308 144 Ave NW 780 377 7777 swissdonair.com

Thanks for all your support!

10760 82 Ave 780 328 7887

FEDERAL BUILDING PLAZA 99 AVE. & 108 ST.

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

GOLDEN FORK AWARDS 17

Thank you Vue Readers for voting us...

• • • •

Best Hamburgers Best Pub Food Best French Fries Favourite Mainstay 8224 - 104 St.

780.433.9345

@NextActPub

ank You for voting us Best Pub and Best Pub Food Edmonton!

8216 104 St. 587.520.6338 @MeatForDinner

Kids welcome un l 7pm

Check out our weekend brunch Saturday & Sunday 11-2

8882 170 Street • WEM 10012 101A Avenue • DT 8519 112 Street • CAMPUS

WINNER: • • •

Best Place for the Meat Sweats Best BBQ Best Smokehouse

e Rose & Crown is rning Back to the roots of the rose with the return of the

Piano Bar

with Keith Retson-Spalding

Thanks for voting us Best Brunch!

Every Friday & Saturday

small space // big hearts 10403 83 Ave. 780.760.4747 @pip_yeg 18 GOLDEN FORK AWARDS

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

9PM • LIVE • 10235 101 Street

PRESS’D SANDWICHES

1st Runner Up: TIE—Goodstock Restaurant and Catering, Prairie Catering, Elizabethan Catering Winner (Multiple locations):

(pressdsandwiches.ca)

Best Vegetarian

PRESS’D

Winner (Indie): PADMANADI (10740-101 St, 780.428.8899, padmanadi.com) 1st Runner Up: Café Mosaics 2nd Runner Up: Die Pie

Best Chef Winner (Indie): DANIEL COSTA 1st Runner Up: Alexei Boldireff 2nd Runner Up: TIE—Cory McGuire, Paul Shufelt, Steve Brochu

Best Vegan

Best Hidden Gem

Winner (Indie): PADMANADI (10740-101 St, 780.428.8899, padmanadi.com) 1st Runner Up: Die Pie 2nd Runner Up: Café Mosaics

Best Gluten-Free Winner (Indie): ÀVILA AREPA (10760-82 Ave, 780.328.7887, myavilaarepa.com) 1st Runner Up: Die Pie 2nd Runner Up: Kinnikinnick Fresh Store Winner (Multiple locations):

Winner (Indie): TIE—ÀVILA AREPA (10760-82 Ave,

780.328.7887, myavilaarepa.com), PHIL’S FUDGE (9-11830-152 St, 780.504.5227, philsfudge.com) 1st Runner Up: Dirtbag Café 2nd Runner Up: OTTO

Best Caterer Winner (Indie): A CAPPELLA (12105-120 Ave, 780.454.2642, acappella.ab.ca)

Best Brunch Winner (Indie): PIP (10403-83 Ave, 780.760.4747, pipyeg.com) 1st Runner Up: Under the High Wheel 2nd Runner Up: Die Pie Winner (Multiple locations):

CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL

(centralsocialhall.com)

Best Lunchtime Grab and Go

Best Breakfast Winner (Indie): ROUTE 99 DINER (8820-99 St, 780.432.0968) 1st Runner Up: Multiple winners 2nd Runner Up: TIE–Café Linnea, Barb & Ernie’s Old Country Inn Winner (Multiple locations): CORA (chezcora.com)

Winner (Indie): ÀVILA AREPA (10760-82 Ave, 780.328.7887, myavilaarepa.com) 1st Runner Up: kb&co 2nd Runner Up: TIE–Chicken for Lunch, Elm Café Winner (Multiple locations): FARROW (farrowsandwiches.ca)

GOLDEN FORK AWARDS 2018

1st Place Best Tapas Best Wine Bar Best Date Night Best Wine List (Glass) Best Wine List (Bottle)

THANK YOU #YEG!

2nd Runner-Up Best Spanish Best Bacon Best Reason to Pay for Parking During an Oilers Game Best Service

Voted Edmonton’s Top Tapas Restaurant 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018

10115 104 Street • 780 428 8946 tzin.ca • @tzin104

Best Pre-Theatre Dining Winner (Indie): WOODWORK (10132-100 St, 780.757.4100, woodworkyeg.com) 1st Runner Up: The Next Act 2nd Runner Up: TIE XO Bistro + Bar, Àvila Arepa Winner (Multiple locations): FAMOSO (famoso.ca)

Best Late Night / All Night Winner (Indie): XO BISTRO + BAR (10236-103 St, 780.761.9696,

xobistrobar.com) 1st Runner Up: Baijiu Bar 2nd Runner Up: Steel Wheels Pizzeria Winner (Multiple locations):

CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL

(centralsocialhall.com)

Thanks Edmonton for voting us

Best Chinese Thank you Edmonton for voting us

BEST FISHMONGER

Edmonton's oldest operating Chinese restaurant.

Celebrating 70 years serving Edmontonians!

EFFING LOVE TO YOUR DOOR: EFFINGLOVEPACK@GMAIL.COM

SERVICE, QUALITY & KNOWLEDGE EFFINGSEAFOODS.COM | 250.668.0356 |

#GETEFFED

10582 - 104 Street, Edmonton, Alberta 780.426.3975 • www.thelingnan.com e Lingnan circa 1942

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

GOLDEN FORK AWARDS 19

BE

N I C G R O C E RY

STO

Best Tea Shop

RE

ST

A ORG

Winner (Indie): THE TEA GIRL (12411 Stony Plain Rd, 780.732.4832, theteagirl.com) 1st Runner Up: Cally’s Teas 2nd Runner Up: Acquired Taste Tea Company Winner (Multiple locations): REMEDY CAFÉ (remedycafe.ca)

Best Bubble Tea Shop Winner: DREAM TEA HOUSE (dreamtea.ca)

Best Coffee Shop Winner (Indie): DIRTBAG CAFÉ (10505-107 St, 780.705.7110) 1st Runner Up: Coffee Bureau 2nd Runner Up: Lock Stock Coffee Winner (Multiple locations): CREDO (credocoffee.ca)

THANKS FOR VOTING US #1!

99¢ ORGANIC AVOCADOS

mountain-coffee.myshopify.com) 1st Runner Up: ACE Coffee Roasters 2nd Runner Up: Roasti Coffee Winner (Multiple locations):

TRANSCEND COFFEE

Winner (Indie): TIE–WOODWORK (10132-100 St, 780.757.4100, woodworkyeg. com), CLEMENTINE (11957 Jasper Ave, 780.756.4570, barclementine.ca) 1st Runner Up: Baijiu Bar 2nd Runner Up: XO Bistro + Bar Winner (Multiple locations): CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL (centralsocialhall.com)

Best Wine List (Glass) Best Pub Winner (Indie): THE BUCKINGHAM (10439-82 Ave, 780.761.1002, thebuckonwhyte.com) 1st Runner Up: The Next Act 2nd Runner Up: Black Dog Freehouse Winner (Multiple locations): THE SHERLOCK HOLMES (thesherlockspubs.com)

Winner (Indie): HUTCH + HOWL (17 Boudreau Rd #20, St Albert, 587.991.7262, hutchandhowl.com) Winner (Multiple locations): GLOW JUICERY (glowjuicery.ca)

Best Wine Bar

20 GOLDEN FORK AWARDS

Winner (Indie): THE COLUMBIAN MOUNTAIN COFFEE (the-colombian-

Best Cocktails

Best Juice Bar

BLUSH LANE ORGANIC MARKET - WHYTE AVE COMMUNITY BUILDING BLUSHLANE.COM | @BLUSHLANE | INFO@BLUSHLANE.COM

Best Coffee Roasters

Winner (Indie): TZIN WINE & TAPAS (10115-104 St, 780.428.8946, tzin.ca) 1st Runner Up: Pip 2nd Runner Up: TIE– Bar Bricco, Clementine

Best Wine List (Bottle) Winner (Indie): TZIN WINE & TAPAS (10115-104 St, 780.428.8946, tzin.ca) 1st Runner Up: Clementine 2nd Runner Up: Bar Bricco

Best Beer List (Tap) Winner (Indie): BEER REVOLUTION (11736-104 Ave, 780.430.4677, beerrevolution.com) 1st Runner Up: Underground Tap & Grill 2nd Runner Up: TIE–Arcadia, Sugarbowl

Best Beer List (Bottle)

Winner (Indie): TZIN WINE & TAPAS (10115-104 St, 780.428.8946, tzin.ca) 1st Runner Up: Bar Bricco 2nd Runner Up: TIE–Wine Room, Clementine Winner (Multiple locations): BODEGA (bodegahighlands.ca)

Winner (Indie): SUGARBOWL (10922-88 Ave, 780.433.8369, thesugarbowl.org) 1st Runner Up: Dirtbag Café 2nd Runner Up: TIE–Arcadia, Cartago

Best Happy Hour

Best Alberta Brewery

Winner (Indie): XO BISTRO + BAR (10236103 St, 780.761.9696, xobistrobar.com) 1st Runner Up: Baijiu Bar Winner (Multiple locations): CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL (centralsocialhall.com)

Winner: BLINDMAN BREWING (Bay F - 3413 53 Ave, Lacombe, 403.786.2337, blindmanbrewing.com) 1st Runner Up: Alley Kat 2nd Runner Up: Situation Brewing

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

GOLDEN FORK AWARDS 21

Worth the Trip Leduc

Local & Authentic Thank you for voting us ‘Worth the Drive to Leduc’!

Winner: BARNEY’S PUB & GRILL (5705-50 St, Leduc, 780.986.6550, barneyspubleduc.com)

To sweeten the drive a little more, ask your server to register you for Barney’s Rewards on your next visit!

Worth the Trip Spruce Grove Worth the Trip Calgary

Thank you Edmonton for voting us

Best East Indian / Tandoori Best Curry 10015 82 Ave (Whyte Avenue) 780 469 3517 Order online@daawat.ca LUNCH & DINNER BUFFET 7 DAYS A WEEK | OPEN LATE

Winner (Indie): MODEL MILK (308-17 Ave SW, Calgary, 403.265.7343, modelmilk.ca) 1st Runner Up: TIE–Charcut, Native Tongue Winner (Multiple locations):

PETERS’ DRIVE-IN

(petersdrivein.com)

Worth the Trip St. Albert

BEST INDEPENDENT BUTCHER 9 years in a row!

RITCHIE MARKET 9570 76 AVE EAT LOCAL

Worth the Trip Sherwood Park Winner (Indie): LA PATRONA (2 Athabascan Ave #8, Sherwood Park, 780.570.1200, lapatrona.rocks/menus) 1st Runner Up: Pasta Pantry 2nd Runner Up: TIE–Sumo Sumo, Café Haven

EAT ACME

Best Poke Winner (Indie): ONO POKE (10142-104 St, 780.244.8885, onopokeco.com) 1st Runner Up: Splash Poke

Best Hot Dogs Winner (Indie): MAYDAY DOGS (10359B-104 St, 587.989.5456, maydaydogs.com) 1st Runner Up: IT’ Dog 2nd Runner Up: OTTO Winner (Multiple locations): FAT FRANKS (fatfranks.ca)

Best Wings Night

ORDER ONLINE & HAVE WINE DELIVERED TO YOUR DOORSTEP Thank you to our amazing customers for voting us the best wine store in Edmonton!

780.439.9069 | 9606 82 Avenue, Edmonton | www.colordevino.ca 22 GOLDEN FORK AWARDS

Worth the Trip - Fort Saskatchewan Winner: DOWNTOWN DINER (10209-100 Ave, Fort Saskatchewan, 780.998.1435)

Winner (Indie): JACK’S BURGER SHACK (15 Perron St #130, St Albert, 780.458.0055, jacksburgershack.ca)

Thanks for voting us

EAT FRESH

1st Runner Up: Cajun House 2nd Runner Up: Privada Wine & Tapas

Winner: JACK’S DRIVE-IN (123-1 Ave E, Spruce Grove, 780.962.2727, jacksdrivein.ca)

Winner (Indie): TIE–THE BUCKINGHAM (10439-82 Ave, 780.761.1002, thebuckonwhyte.com), XO BISTRO + BAR (10236-103 St, 780.761.9696, xobistrobar.com) 1st Runner Up: O’Byrne’s Irish Pub Winner (Multiple locations): The Pint (thepint.ca)

Best Doughnuts Winner (Indie): DOUGHNUT PARTY (10938-119 St, doughnutparty.ca) 1st Runner Up: Moonshine Doughnuts 2nd Runner Up: Carnival Cravings Winner (Multiple locations):

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

ITALIAN BAKERY

(italianbakeryedm.com)

Best Milkshakes Winner (Indie): RE:GRUB (8219104 St, 780.761.6500, regrub.ca) 1st Runner Up: Route 99 Diner 2nd Runner Up: Mayday Dogs Winner (Multiple locations): REMEDY CAFÉ (remedycafe.ca)

Best Shaved Ice Winner (Indie): SNOWY DESSERT (10209-82 Ave, 780.250.7778, snowydessert.ca) 1st Runner Up: TIE–Let’s Eat Snow, Snowy Village

Best Brew Pub Winner (Indie): SITUATION BREWING (10308-81 Ave, 780.705.1377, situationbeer.com) 1st Runner Up: Biera

Best Alberta Distillery Winner: STRATHCONA SPIRITS DISTILLERY (10122-82 Ave, strathconaspirits.ca) 1st Runner Up: Hansen Distillery 2nd Runner Up: Eau Claire Distillery

SERVING EDMONTON’S LGBT COMMUNITY 52 WEEKS A YEAR

Best Food Festival / Event

Best Beverage Festival / Event

Winner (Indie): TASTE OF EDMONTON (tasteofedm.ca) 1st Runner Up: The Edmonton Heritage Festival (heritagefest.ca) 2nd Runner Up: Vegtoberfest

Winner (Indie): EDMONTON

@evowonderlounge

@evolutionwonderlounge

{ } It isn’t our food that we are famous for

CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL

(albertabeerfestivals.com) 1st Runner Up: Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival 2nd Runner Up: Edmonton International Beer Festival

Best Mid-Price (+/- $20 Entree)

Winner (Indie): DIE PIE (11215 Jasper Ave, 780.760.7272, diepie.ca) 1st Runner Up: Baijiu Bar 2nd Runner Up: TIE–The Common, Biera Winner (Multiple locations):

CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL

(centralsocialhall.com)

Best Bargain (- $15 Entree)

Best Fine Dining ($30+ Entree)

Winner (Indie): TIE–CORSO 32,

RGE RD, THE MARC

1st Runner Up: Chartier 2nd Runner Up: Sabor Winner (Multiple locations):

THE KEG STEAKHOUSE + BAR (kegsteakhouse.com)

Winner (Indie): ÀVILA AREPA (10760-82 Ave, 780.328.7887, myavilaarepa.com) 1st Runner Up: Calle Mexico 2nd Runner Up: TIE–Dirtbag Café, Northern Chicken Winner (Multiple locations):

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(lovepizza.ca)

THANK YOU FOR VOTING SOFRA! 10345 106 St • 780.423.3044 VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

GOLDEN FORK AWARDS 23

Best Guilty Pleasure Winner (Indie): PHIL’S FUDGE (9-11830-152 St, 780.504.5227, philsfudge.com) 1st Runner Up: Àvila Arepa 2nd Runner Up: TIE–Duchess Bake Shop, Sweet Convenience Winner (Multiple locations):

TIE–CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL (centralsocialhall.com), MCDONALDS (mcdonalds.ca)

Best Date Night Restaurant Best New Restaurant

(opened after May 2017)

Best Pub Food Winner (Indie): THE NEXT ACT (8224-104 St, 780.433.9345, nextactpub.com) 1st Runner Up: The Buckingham 2nd Runner Up: Daravara Winner (Multiple locations):

Winner (Indie): ÀVILA AREPA (10760-82 Ave, 780.328.7887, myavilaarepa.com) 1st Runner Up: Die Pie 2nd Runner Up: Pip

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Best All You Can Eat

Favourite Mainstay

Winner (Indie): WATARI (10108124 St, 780.756.9988, watarigroup. com) 1st Runner Up: TIE–Padmanadi, Sushi Garden

Winner (Indie): THE NEXT ACT (8224-104 St, 780.433.9345, nextactpub.com) 1st Runner Up: Sugarbowl Winner (Multiple locations):

Best Service

(centralsocialhall.com)

Winner (Indie): ÀVILA AREPA (10760-82 Ave, 780.328.7887, myavilaarepa.com) 1st Runner Up: XO Bistro + Bar 2nd Runner Up: Tzin Wine & Tapas Winner (Multiple locations):

CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL

(centralsocialhall.com)

Best Bartending Winner (Indie): CLEMENTINE (11957 Jasper Ave, 780.756.4570, barclementine.ca) 1st Runner Up: North 53 2nd Runner Up: TIE–XO Bistro + Bar, Baijiu Bar Winner (Multiple locations):

CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL

(centralsocialhall.com)

THE SHERLOCK HOLMES

CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL

Best When Going Solo Winner (Indie): ÀVILA AREPA (10760-82 Ave, 780.328.7887, myavilaarepa.com) 1st Runner Up: XO Bistro + Bar 2nd Runner Up: Multiple winners Winner (Multiple locations):

CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL

(centralsocialhall.com)

Most Innovative Menu Winner (Indie): ÀVILA AREPA (10760-82 Ave, 780.328.7887, myavilaarepa.com) 1st Runner Up: Die Pie 2nd Runner Up: TIE–Baijiu Bar, Biera Winner (Multiple locations):

CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL

(centralsocialhall.com)

Best Washroom Winner (Indie): DORINKU (1020582 Ave, 780.988.9760, dorinku.ca) 1st Runner Up: Clementine 2nd Runner Up: XO Bistro + Bar Winner (Multiple locations):

CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL

(centralsocialhall.com)

CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL

Best Patio

Best Improvements

Winner (Indie): BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE (10425-82 Ave, 780.439.1082, blackdog.ca) 1st Runner Up: El Cortez Winner (Multiple locations):

(centralsocialhall.com)

(Since May 2017)

Winner: CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL (centralsocialhall.com)

10933 120 STREET • 780.660.1051 thelocalomnivore.com 24 GOLDEN FORK AWARDS

Winner (Indie): TZIN WINE & TAPAS (10115-104 St, 780.428.8946, tzin.ca) 1st Runner Up: TIE–Die Pie, Àvila Arepa 2nd Runner Up: XO Bistro + Bar Winner (Multiple locations):

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL

(centralsocialhall.com)

Best Hotel Restaurant Winner: HARVEST ROOM

AT THE FAIRMONT HOTEL MACDONALD (10065-100 St,

780.429.6424, fairmont.com) 1st Runner Up: Ampersand 27

Best for People Watching Winner (Indie): BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE (10425-82 Ave, 780.439.1082, blackdog.ca) 1st Runner Up: TIE–Julio’s Barrio, The Next Act 2nd Runner Up: Baijiu Bar Winner (Multiple locations):

CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL

(centralsocialhall.com)

Most KidFriendly Winner (Indie): ÀVILA AREPA (10760-82 Ave, 780.328.7887, myavilaarepa.com) 1st Runner Up: The Nook Café 2nd Runner Up: Juniper Café & Bistro

Best Interior Design Winner (Indie): HOLY ROLLER (8222 Gateway Blvd, 780.540.4659, theholyroller.ca) 1st Runner Up: Àvila Arepa 2nd Runner Up: TIE–Pip, El Cortez, Baijiu Bar Winner (Multiple locations):

CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL

(centralsocialhall.com)

Best Menu Layout/Design Winner (Indie): CLEMENTINE (11957 Jasper Ave, 780.756.4570, barclementine.ca) 1st Runner Up: Àvila Arepa 2nd Runner Up: MEAT Winner (Multiple locations):

1st Runner Up: TIE—Àvila Arepa, The Next Act, XO Bistro + Bar Winner (Multiple locations):

1st Runner Up: Fin’s Select Meats and Seafood 2nd Runner Up: Ocean Odyssey

(centralsocialhall.com)

Best Organic Grocery

CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL

Best Restaurant Name

Winner (Indie): EARTH’S GENERAL STORE (9605-82 Ave, 780.439.8725) Winner (Multiple locations): Blush Lane (blushlane.com)

Winner (Indie): DIE PIE (11215 Jasper Ave, 780.760.7272, diepie.ca) 1st Runner Up: Have Mercy 2nd Runner Up: TIE—Àvila Arepa, The Holy Roller

Best Ethnic Best Atmosphere Grocery Winner (Indie): ÀVILA AREPA (10760-82 Ave, 780.328.7887, myavilaarepa.com) 1st Runner Up: TIE—Baijiu Bar, The Holy Roller Winner (Multiple locations):

Winner (Multiple locations): ITALIAN CENTRE (italiancentre.ca)

Best Grocery Store

CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL

(centralsocialhall.com)

Winner (Indie): EARTH’S GENERAL STORE (9605-82 Ave, 780.439.8725, earthsgeneralstore.ca) Winner (Multiple locations): Italian Centre (italiancentre.ca)

Best reason to pay for parking during a home Oilers game

Best Beer Store Winner (Indie): SHERBROOKE LIQUOR (11819 St Albert Tr, 780.455.4556, sherbrookeliquor.com) 1st Runner Up: Keg N Cork Winner (Multiple locations): WINE & BEYOND (wineandbeyond.ca)

Winner (Indie): BAIJIU BAR (10359-104 St, 780.421.7060, baijiuyeg.com) 1st Runner Up: XO Bistro + Bar 2nd Runner Up: TIE–Sabor, Tzin Wine & Tapas

Best Wine Store

Best Farmers’ Market

Winner (Indie): COLOR DE VINO (9606 82 Ave, 780.439.9069) 1st Runner Up: deVine Wine & Spirits Winner (Multiple locations): WINE & BEYOND (wineandbeyond.ca)

Winner (Indie): CITY MARKET DOWNTOWN (city-market.ca) 1st Runner Up: Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market 2nd Runner Up: 124 Grand Markets

Best Spirits Store

Best Specialty Grocery

(centralsocialhall.com)

Winner (Indie): EARTH’S GENERAL STORE (9605-82 Ave, 780.439.8725) Winner (Multiple locations): Italian Centre (italiancentre.ca)

Best Cookware Store

Best Import Food Shop

Winner (Indie): TIE— BARB’S

Winner (Indie): K&K FOODLINER (9944-82 Ave, 780.439.6913, kandkfoodliner.com) 2nd Runner Up: Sweet Convenience Winner (Multiple locations): ITALIAN CENTRE (italiancentre.ca)

CENTRAL SOCIAL HALL

KITCHEN CENTRE, HEART OF THE HOME, KNIFEWARE

Best Hangover Cure Winner (Indie): THE LOCAL OMNIVORE (10933-120 St, 780.660.1051, thelocalomnivore.com)

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Winner (Indie): SHERBROOKE LIQUOR (11819 St Albert Tr, 780.455.4556, sherbrookeliquor.com) 1st Runner Up: Chateau Louis Liquor Store Winner (Multiple locations): WINE & BEYOND (wineandbeyond.ca)

Best Cheese Shop Winner (Indie): PADDY’S

INTERNATIONAL CHEESE

(12509-102 Ave, 780.413.0367) 1st Runner Up: The Cavern Winner (Multiple locations): ITALIAN CENTRE (italiancentre.ca)

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Best Fishmonger Winner (Indie): EFFING

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GOLDEN FORK AWARDS 25

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VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

VUEWEEKLY.com/ARTS THEATRE REVIEW OF MÉTIS MUTT

EXHIBITION

/ Luther Konadu

Winnipeg-based artist Luther Konadu asks what’s been happening off camera with his Latitude 53 exhibition Fri., Feb. 23 to Sat., Mar. 31 Figure As Index Latitude 53

I

f you’ve ever taken any in-depth amount of photography or art history courses, you’ll know of the inherent subjectivity of photography. The concept is based upon the inevitable “framing” or “gaze” that is present when someone holds a camera up to a subject and determines what is encapsulated in the final snapshot.

Winnipeg-based artist Luther Konadu’s photography-based exhibition Figure as Index is rooted in the concept of ‘gaze’ and surrounds a group he personally connects to.

“What the photographer wants to show is their opinion—and thus their subjectivity. I began to think about what it means to self-determine one’s own narrative contrary to what is projected onto them externally ... my own subjectivity is crucial in my work,” he adds, “because I am at task at disputing limiting narratives surrounding the black figure.”

The portraits in his exhibition, primarily depicting his friends and family members, actively question how the heritage of photography continues to shape prevailing understandings of group identities, namely Konadu’s identity as an artist of Ghanian descent.

He does this in various ways; one of which is by using diptychs and triptychs (doubles and triple exposures) of the same “sitter” over a period of time for the viewer to consider against one another.

This destabilizes the potential bias of a single photo holding no framing context. Another way he destabilizes a photograph’s “single view” is by adding poetry and re-imaging onto the photo.

By further adding content and processes, his images become glaringly ‘edited,’ revealing the “paper-ness” of them.

Konadu finds there’s also a “mechanical bias” to the camera itself, which captures our threedimensional world and resizes it into flatness, often distorting the lines and colours present.

“I have always been aware of how inaccurately cameras capture my image practically—my skin tone even in well-lit areas— but I always assumed nothing of it,” he says. “There’s this great VOX article that puts into perspective how colour film cameras were inherently always marketed to lighter-skinned individuals. It wasn’t until later on when ad-

vertisers of hardwood furniture and milk and dark chocolate makers were having problems visually translating their products through colour film photos. It became clear that the film didn’t have a dynamic range for certain shades of dark colours.”

For Konadu, photography holds a distinct power over time. Photographs are used to tell the past through the original images of those that were apart of it. In this sense, photography holds archival power over people’s lives and the subsequent perspectives of those that later view them through photographs.

“Images have the power to af-

firm our assumptions, change our minds or persuade us,” he says.

Konadu also mentions the power of technology today to determine the visibility of a group or a people. He explains this with an example that uses Google’s search result curation. Google’s image results for “manager” or “personin-charge,” for example, don’t encapsulate an accurate or full view of the concept. This dissemination also exists with how the media frame an image or a story.

“I think a lot about how my body as a black individual is perceived through images in art history, the news, cinema, and any other widespread media. And it

always contradicts how I perceive myself,” Konadu says. “But for everyone on the outside, these circulating images of black bodies become the one-sided way the body is understood.”

Figure as Index goes beyond simply trying to create a new perception apart from those that already exist. Konadu’s goal is to bring the viewer to see photography as independent from reality, rather than as a representation of it.

“I’m interested in translating the mundane, uneventful, selfdetermined way the figure can be positioned, contrary to the past.”

Sierra Bilton sierra@vueweekly.com

Do you know an exhibiting Edmonton-area visual artist who deserves a $10,000 prize?

Individuals can nominate any Greater Edmonton artist, who meets certain criteria, for this opportunity to be recognized for hard work and creative excellence in visual art.

3rd Floor, 10215 – 112 St.

p

The Eldon + Anne Foote Edmonton Visual Arts Prize

For information and criteria regarding this competition, visit bit.ly/2DnyFAv.

Deadline for submissions: 4pm, Friday March 30, 2018.

Edmonton, AB T5K 1M7

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

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T. 780. 421. 1731

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visualartsalberta.com

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carfac@visualartsalberta.com

arts 29

EXHIBITION

A piece in Eyes Water Fire / Tomoyo Ihaya

SILENT PROTEST Tomoyo Ihaya’s Eyes Water Fire puts art where words can’t fully articulate

B

y immortalizing the plight of Tibetan refugees in her mixedmedia exhibit Eyes Water Fire, artist Tomoyo Ihaya has become no stranger to compassion. Ihaya’s art lives within iconography and represents the extreme situations many of her Tibetan friends have faced after fleeing to India.

She learned about many of their stories in 2005 while on a Bud-

dhist meditation retreat down in Ladakh, often nicknamed “Little Tibet,” and Dharamsala, a city surrounded by cedar forests on the edge of the Himalayas.

“I was in India and associated with many Tibetan refugees who have been living for two or three generations in India,” Ihaya says.

“My personal connection to Tibetan people is not the same as

everyone, but when you look at that kind of suffering, it’s everywhere and it’s getting worse. I see other disasters with Rohingya and Syrian people having to escape on the borders and the welfare of the children and the people killed—I just can’t understand it.”

Tibet was essentially taken under control by the People’s Republic of China in the early ‘50s.

Feb 23 & 24, 2018 7:30 pm Feb 25, 2018 2:30 pm Timms Centre for the Arts University of Alberta Tickets: citieballet.ca or call 780.970.4979

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By annexing Tibet, China slowly stripped all power from the Tibetan government until it was completely dissolved. During the Tibetan uprising in 1959, the Dalai Lama journeyed to India, where he still lives in exile to this day. Many Tibetan people followed his path, resulting in waves of Tibetan emigration, which is still somewhat happening today.

By creating abstract symbols and fusing them together on sheets of Japanese paper rolls with a few incense burn holes, Ihaya maps out the journey and experiences her Tibetan friends have felt in Eyes Water Fire.

“They escaped by crossing the border and they didn’t have winter equipment,” Ihaya says. “Often the kids come with sneakers, and some get frostbite and lose their toes.

It’s the same for the people crossing the ocean to escape too.”

To represent this she paints clusters of blue feet crossing a large body of discoloured water. Burned holes come from a meditation technique that offers a glimmer of hope and light with each hole created.

Another motif is fire—individual flames sometimes encapsulating a drawn body. These are created in tribute to the people who have died by their own hand through the process of self-immolation in protest of China’s control over Tibet. Ihaya heard about and saw

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

Until Sat., Mar. 31 Eyes Water Fire & Balance SNAP Gallery Opening Reception: Fri., Feb. 23 (7 pm) photos of these self-immolating silent protests while in India.

“I was with the Tibetan Refugee Committee in Dharamsala. Whenever we heard the news over the directory, secretly the Tibetan people living in Tibet would take pictures to send to us to identify the person,” she says. “So we know everything about them [we] had these candlelight vigils in their memory. I was there for about five months and I attended all these candlelit vigils.”

Ihaya also began drawing flames to express the pain she felt for the Tibetan people. Sometimes she would draw a shadow of a face in the flame for a specific individual. Other times one flame would represent a variety of people. Either way, Ihaya expresses empathy by turning one’s pain into her own, and then drawing it.

“All I remember is these faces with tears during the candle vigils, so I also draw eyes. It is also all of us witnessing what is happening in the world,” she says. “When I think about the basic concern in the art—it’s humans rights issues and environmental issues—not just in Tibet, but in the world.”

Stephan Boissonneault stephan@vueweekly.com

THEATRE

FEB 17 – MAR 18, 2018 “MAMMA MIA! IS TERRIFIC FUN.” NEW YORK TIMES

“…LEAVES YOU UPLIFTED, ENRAPTURED AND FEELING LIKE A NUMBER ONE!” ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

“(THE) MEGA-HIT THAT HAS AUDIENCES DANCING IN THE AISLES.” ASSOCIATED PRESS

Michelle Diaz and Jocelyn Ahlf / Marc J Chalifoux

SPANISH NIGHTS

The Plain Janes mount a hilarious musical romp through 1980s Madrid

Until Sat., Feb. 24 Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown Varscona Theatre $23-$37

P

lain Jane Theatre Company has always had a knack for reviving musicals that didn’t necessarily live up to their initial potential during Broadway runs, but Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown is a standout.

A farcical tale of love, infidelity, and crime in ‘80s Madrid, Jeffery Lane’s screenplay (based on the 1988 film by Pedro Almodóvar) boasts an abundance of the embellishments that make a great romantic comedy work, while also presenting an endearing human narrative that’s brought to life with surprising continuity

by Plain Janes’ cast and crew.

When middle-aged celebrity actress Pepa (Jocelyn Ahlf) isn’t dealing with the overbearing empathy of her friends and coworkers reacting to her in-progress breakup, she’s taxiing around town juggling life-altering revelations and criminal plots as she tries not to lose her mind in a fight for Ivan’s (Vance Avery) love.

Great physical comedy scenes, aided by lengthy pauses on stage that lets each joke breathe, leave the house roaring with laughter. And nearly every gag has a through line, fully realized as the cast whole-heartedly sells their ludicrous behaviour. It also never feels like a scene is out of place in Lane’s script, especially because of the attention paid to small details under the direction of Kate Ryan.

From the brisk flick of a wrist on a checklist to a woman picking her teeth in a mirror as she wheels it off during a scene change, every player in the eight-person cast works to keep us in the moment.

Each part of the disjointed and humourous narrative wouldn’t mesh as well as it does if it weren’t for outstanding musical performances from the cast.

Ahlf flaunts an impressive range in her solos, especially in Pepa’s infectious “Love Sick” and the sustained notes in “Island.” And Candela’s (Michelle Diaz) raucous “Model Behaviour” delights with the ‘80s equivalent of spamming your best friend with text messages. After hearing Diaz nail this number, I was worried that a supporting performance would decisively steal the show, yet in every song, each performer stepped up to the lofty bar set by their peers and delivered undeniably personal accomplishments.

The precise and witty music and lyrics written by David Yazbek most irresistibly leap off the stage in Lucia’s (Andrea House) “Invisible.” As House’s long eyelashes flutter, she sets aside Lucia’s usual coercive whining and manipulative insanity to settle into an unshakeable funk everyone in Edmonton needs to hear.

Also punctuating every moment of narrative craziness and musicality, Cindy Kerr’s choreography pushes fun synchronization to higher heights with endearing characterization from each dancer, and with it, Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown winds its way into my heart as one of my favourite musicals of all time.

That’s not to say there’s tidy conclusions for everyone here. While most characters like Pepa grow and explore their tangled relationships, others continue on in their surreal paths that feel tonally appropriate for passion-filled nights in Spain.

Kevin Pennyfeather

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VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

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arts 31

PERFORMING ARTS

KOLABO-RATIVE MAGIC Edmonton’s Kita No Taiko drummers and Firefly Theatre & Circus construct awe

S

ome of the best art is a byproduct of collaboration.

When creative minds sharpen one another, the result can be pure magic. This is certainly the case with Edmonton’s Kolabo, which features two of Edmonton’s vibrant performing arts groups: the award-winning Firefly Theatre and Circus and Kita No Taiko Japanese drumming group, one of North America’s oldest.

This artistic collaboration can manifest when artists cross platforms and make use of the connections they find. This was the case with longtime Kita No Taiko member Carley Okamura, who also took aerial performing classes with Firefly from the very beginning.

Working together since the spring of 2017, the two groups used the opportunity to give their emerging artists a chance to make creative and story decisions for content with guidance from mentors, which eventually became the full program for Kolabo.

“We matched anywhere from one to three aerialists with one to four drummers and each group

would meet and discuss ideas and themes and what they wanted to do,” says Firefly co-founder and artistic director Annie Dugan.

“Everything we’re presenting is new and experimental.”

The first act of the show will feature Kita No Taiko with new, original music; the second act will host half a dozen Firefly circus acts to perform their unique art form, and the third act will fuse the two together in a dynamic performance of storytelling, art, and music.

“It’s really quite special being able to work with the aerialists and gather inspiration from them—it’s pretty unique,” Okamura says. “Because of those connections and knowing that someone you already know is involved with the other group, there’s already a trust there and a knowledge of each other.”

Dugan agrees and says the collaboration is very special in how the two art forms fuse so well together.

“When you hear the Taiko drums, you’re listening and you’re feeling the vibrations from that.

SUGAR FOOT STOMP! • Sugar Swing Ballroom, 10019-80 Ave NW • 587.786.6554 • dance@sugarswing.com • sugarswing.com • Swing dance social • Every Fri-Sat, 8pm (beginner lesson begins) • $12, $2 (lesson with entry) • All ages

and the following discussion, attendees will try to address the issue of what is really happening in the Ukraine and can we stop the drums of war • Feb 23 • Free

BOREALIS GALLERY • 9820-107 St • assembly.ab.ca/visitorcentre/borealis.html • A Call for Justice: Fighting for Japanese Canadian Redress (1977-1988); Jan 15-Apr 2

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DANCE ARGENTINE TANGO DANCE AT FOOT NOTES STUDIO • Foot Notes Dance Studio (South side), 9708-45 Ave • 780.438.3207 • virenzi@shaw.ca • Argentine Tango with Tango Divino: beginners: 7-8pm; intermediate: 8-9pm; Tango Social Dance (Milonga): 9pm-12 • Every Fri, 7pm-midnight • $15

BALLROOM DANCE ASSOCIATION • Central Lions Recreation Center, 11113-113 St • 780.893.6828 • ebda.ca • An evening of ballroom, latin, country dancing • First Sat of every month, 8pm (doors) DANCE CLASSES WITH GOOD WOMEN DANCE COLLECTIVE • Muriel Taylor Studio at Ruth Carse Centre for Dance, 11205-107 Ave • info@goodwomen.ca • goodwomen.ca/classes • Every Tue, Thu, Fri; 10-11:30am • $15 (drop-in), $65 (5 class pack), $100 (10 class pack)

DIRT BUFFET CABARET• Spazio Performativo, 10816 95 St • milezerodance. com • This multidisciplinary, diverse variety show allows audiences to discover Edmonton’s most unique, challenging, and wide-ranging performances, curated by an array of artists who will share different niches within the Edmonton scene • Mar 8, 8pm • $10 or best offer at the door

FLAMENCO DANCE CLASSES (BEGINNER OR ADVANCED) • Dance Code Studio, 10575-115 St NW • 780.349.4843 • judithgarcia07@gmail.com • flamencoenvivo.com • Every Sun until Jun 10, 11:30am-12:30pm

HOUSE MIX • Timms Centre for the Arts, University of Alberta, 87 Ave, 112 St • bwdc. ca • Presented by Toronto Dance Theatre.

House Mix features a program of short works that have been created over the last three decades by iconic Canadian choreographer, Christopher House • Feb 28-Mar 1, 8-10pm • $35 (general), $25 (student/senior), via TIX on the Square HOUSE OF HUSH PRESENTS: BROADWAY RAG • Crash Hotel Lobby, 10266103 St • hellothere@violettecoquette.com • houseofhushmarch23.eventbrite.com • houseofhushburlesque.com • An all-Broadway themed show. House of Hush brings guests back to the golden age of live theatre • Mar 23, 7pm (doors), 8-9:30pm (show) • $30 (include a complimentary feature cocktail) • 18+ only

Performativo, 10816-95 St • Presenting the body as the container for the desires of the public. The work questions ideas of human connection and spirituality through a complicated relationship to modern technology and social media actions • Feb 23-24, 8pm • $15 (members), $20 (non-members); available online (Eventbrite) or at the door

FILM EIFF PRESENTS: OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS LIVE ACTION • Landmark

INTERSECT • Timms Centre for the Arts (U of A Campus) • Two new dynamic pieces come together. Performed by Kiera Keglowitsch and Brett Taylor • Feb 23-25 • $25-$30 (via TIX on the Square)

MILE ZERO DANCE DROP-IN DANCE & MOVEMENT CLASSES • Spazio Performativo, 10816-95 St • 780.424.1573 • mzdsociety@ gmail.com • milezerodance.com/classes • Mile Zero Dance holds a number of drop-in dance & movement classes for people of all experience levels & ages; Mon: Professional Technique (1011:30am), Contact Improv (7-9pm); Tue: Kids 6-10 (4:30-5:15pm), Toonie Yoga (5:30-6:45pm), Butoh (7-9pm); Wed: Noguchi Taiso (1011:30am); Thu: Preschool 3-5 (10-10:45am), Beginner Contemporary (5-6:15pm); Sat: House (7-9pm) • $15 (regular), $12 (members), 10-class cards available for $100

SACRED CIRCLE DANCE • Riverdale Hall, 9231-100 Ave • Dances are taught to a variety of songs and music. No partner required • Every Wed, 7-9pm • $10

SHUMKA SCHOOL OF DANCE PRESENTS WINTER CONCERT • Jubilee Auditorium, 11455-87 Ave NW • 780.455.9559 • shumka. com • Honouring the Ukrainian culture in a performance celebrating the passage of “Winter” and the anticipation of “Spring” • Feb 25, 2-4pm • $10-$15 (free for children 5 and under. Ticket still required)

Cinemas 9 City Centre, 10200-102 Ave • edmontonfilmfest.com/oscar-nominated-shortstickets-available-now • A unique opportunity to watch ALL of the nominees in the Live Action Short Film category • Feb 26, Feb 28; 8pm • $12.99 (regular), $8.99 (senior 65+); available at the Box Office in Landmark Cinemas 9 City Centre

EIFF PRESENTS OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS ANIMATION • Landmark Cinemas 9 City Centre, 10200-102 Ave • edmontonfilmfest. com/oscar-nominated-shorts-tickets-availablenow • Feb 26, Feb 28; 6-10pm • $12.99 (regular), $8.99 (senior 65+); also available online and at the Box Office in Landmark Cinemas 9 City Centre

• 9534-87 St • 780.488.8558 • info@acuarts. ca • acuarts.ca • In Perspective: artwork by Maria Antoniv and Peter Gegolick; Feb 2-22 • Signature Artist Series: artwork by Daena Diduck and Emma Plumb; Mar 2-29; Opening reception: Mar 2, RSVP by Feb 28

ALBERTA CRAFT COUNCIL GALLERY • 10186-106 St • 780.488.6611 • albertacraft. ab.ca • Process; Thinking Through: artwork

by Charles Lewton-Brain; Jan 20-Apr 21 • Acceptable Bodies: artwork by Allison Tunis; Jan 13-Feb 24 • Chronicles of a Contemporary Dirtbag: Trans-Disciplinarity and the Things You Think of When Fixing A Fence: artwork by Jamie Kroeger; Jan 15-Feb 24

ALLIED ARTS COUNCIL OF SPRUCE GROVE • Melcor Cultural Centre, 355th Ave, Spruce Grove • 780.962.0664 • alliedartscouncil.com • Figuratively Speaking: artwork by various artists; Mar 6-23; Reception: Mar 10, 1-3pm • Artwork by Stephanie Medford; Mar 6-23; Reception: Mar 10, 1-3pm ART GALLERY OF ALBERTA (AGA) • 2 Sir

EIFF PRESENTS THE OSCARS: LIVE • Rec Room–South Edmonton Common, 1725-99 St • edmontonfilmfest.com/live-oscars-viewingparty • Dress up (or down) and join our Hosts Ryan Jespersen and Kari Skelton for a live Oscar Screening Party • Mar 4, 5-11pm • Free • All ages

Winston Churchill Sq • 780.422.6223 • youraga. ca • WordMark: A New Chapter Acquisition Project; Oct 28-Mar 25 • Songs for Pythagoras: artwork by Peter von Tiesenhausen; Jan 27-May 6 • Undaunted: Canadian Women Painters of the 19th Century; Dec 2-Mar 25 • WEEKLY DROP-IN ACTIVITIES: Tours for Tots, Every Wed, 10-11am • Youth Workshops, ages 13-17, Every Thu, 4-6pm • Kids’ Open Studio, Every Sat, 1-3pm • Exhibition Tours; Every Sat-Sun, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm • Art for Lunch; 3rd Thu of the month, 12-1pm • VIBE; 3rd Fri of the month, 5-9pm

METRO • Metro at the Garneau Theatre, 8712-

ART GALLERY OF ST ALBERT (AGSA) •

109 St • 780.425.9212 • metrocinema.org • Visit metrocinema.org for daily listings • Black History Month 2018; through Feb • REEL FAMILY CINEMA: LEGO Batman Movie (Feb 24) • SUNDAY CLASSICS: Gigi (Feb 25)

UKRAINE ON FIRE • Ukrainian Center, 11018- 97 St • 780.424.2037 • With this film

32 arts

GALLERIES + MUSEUMS

19 Perron St, St Albert • 780.460.4310 • artgalleryofstalbert.ca • Retinal Circus: artwork by the Nina Haggerty Collective; Feb 1-Mar 31

BLEEDING HEART ART SPACE • 9132-118 Ave • dave@bleedingheartartspace.com • Contemporary Relics: artwork by Dominika Koziak; Feb 10-Mar 3

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

BUGERA MATHESON GALLERY • 10345124 St • bugeramathesongallery.com • Levitas: artwork by Linda Craddock; Feb 16-28

CAVA GALLERY • 9103-95 Ave • 780.461.3427 • galeriecava.com • Art & Film Installation with Lana Whiskeyjack and Beth Wishart MacKenzie; Jan 21-Mar 31

DC3 ART PROJECTS • 10567-111 St • 780.686.4211 • dc3artprojects.com • Artwork

by Aganetha Dyck; Mar 15-Apr 14 FAB GALLERY • Fine Arts Building Gallery,1-1 FAB (University of Alberta) • ualberta.ca/ artshows • lacuna: artwork by Becky Thera; Feb 20-May 17 • Not Yet Earth: artwork by Madeline Mackay; Feb 20-Mar 17

FRONT GALLERY • 10402-124 St • thefrontgallery.com • Fallen Star Cars: artwork

by Steve Coffey; Feb 8-Mar 8

GALLERY@501 • 501 Festival Ave, Sherwood Park • 780.410.8585 • strathcona.ca/artgallery • Members Show and Sale; Jan 11-Feb 25 • The Art of Truth and Reconciliation: artwork

by George Littlechild; Mar 9-Apr 29; Opening reception: Mar 9, 7pm

HARCOURT HOUSE GALLERY • 3 Fl, 10215-112 St • 780.426.4180 • harcourthouse. ab.ca • Macromea: artwork by Alana Biffert and Marta Gorski; Feb 1-Mar 17 • The Book of 7: artwork by Stephen Ferris; Feb 1-Mar 17 HUMAN ECOLOGY GALLERY • University of Alberta 1-15, Human Ecology Building • 780.492.3824 • Imagining a Better World: artwork by Nelly Toll; Sep 28-Mar 11 LANDO GALLERY • 103, 10310-124 St • 780.990.1161 • landogallery.com • February Group Selling Exhibition featuring Lando Gallery artists; Until the end of Feb

LATITUDE 53 • Latitude 53, 10242-106 St NW • latitude53.org • Figures as index: artwork by Luther Konadu; Feb 23-Mar 31; Opening reception: Feb 23, 7pm • Linage: artwork by Brittany Bear Hat; Feb 23-Mar 31; Opening reception: Mar 1, 7pm

LOCAL BEST SELLER LIST Week of Feb 12 - 18, 2018

Edmonton’s Kita no Taiko Japanese Drumming group / Supplied

When you see circus, you’re seeing the beauty of it,” she says.

“So both of these forms together create a very visceral experience.”

Although it’s their first year of Kolabo, there’s certainly interest in such a collaboration as the two performances quickly sold out. But have no fear, there’s more Kita and Firefly to be found around the city. The drummers host workshops that can be registered in including an upcoming feature they call “Hit Like a Girl.”

LOTUS ART GALLERY • 10321-124 St • lotus-gallery.com • Sexy & Wild: artwork by various artists; Jan-Mar MCMULLEN GALLERY • U of A Hospital, 8440-112 St • 780.407.7152 • friendsofuah. org/mcmullen-gallery • 21st Century Nesting Practices: artwork by Sydney Lancaster; Jan 6-Feb 25

MUSÉE HÉRITAGE MUSEUM • St Albert Place, 5 St Anne Street, St Albert • MuseeHeritage.ca • 780.459.1528 • museum@ artsandheritage.ca • A Taste of Science–La science a bon goût!; Until Mar 25

MUTTART CONSERVATORY • 9626-96A St • sillygoatstudio.ca • Being With Trees Art Exhibit: artwork by Lynne Huras; Jan 12-Feb 22 PAINT SPOT • 10032-81 Ave • 780.432.0240 • paintspot.ca • NAESS GALLERY: Shine a Light: artwork by various artists; Feb 6-Mar 6 • ARTISTAN NOOK: Animal Instincts: artwork by Josh Harnack; Feb 6-Mar 6

PETER ROBERTSON GALLERY • 12323104 Ave • 780.455.7479 • probertsongallery. com • Carbon Capture: artwork by Peter von Tiesenhausen; Jan 27-Feb 28 • ABSTRACT 4 Ways: artwork by Giuseppe Albi, Scott Cumberland, Erin Loree and Alice Teichert; Feb 15-Mar 10 • Artwork by Julian Forrest; Mar 15-Apr 7

PICTURE THIS! FRAMING & GALLERY • 959 Ordze Rd, Sherwood Park • 780.467.3038 • info@picturethisgallery.com • picturethisgallery. com • The Winter Art Show: artwork by Roger Arndt, Luke Buck, Charity Dakin, Trisha Romance and more; Dec 1-Feb 28 • Julia Lucich - Art Show - Artist in Attendance; Feb 24-25

PROVINCIAL ARCHIVES OF ALBERTA • 8555 Roper Road • PAA@gov.ab.ca • 780.427.1750 • culture.alberta.ca/paa/ eventsandexhibits/default.aspx • Open TueSat, 9am • 150 Firsts: How Alberta Changed Canada…Forever; Until Aug 1

SCOTT GALLERY • 10411-124 St • scottgallery.com • 5 Artists 1 Love; Feb 3-24 • Keystone Confederates: artwork by Jesse Thomas; Feb 3-24

SNAP GALLERY • Society of Northern Alberta Print -Artists, 10123-121 St • 780.423.1492 • snapartists.com • Eyes Water Fire: artwork by

Kita No Taiko also plan to be at Heritage Festival again in August.

Given their restrictions in venues—only La Cité and the Arts Barns’ Westbury Theatre can be used for aerial performances— Firefly is a little more difficult to catch.

The company has a circus academy for adults and children to learn the ropes of aerial arts and periodically host workshops. They will also be lending their aerial arts to the Citadel’s production of The Silver Arrow

opening in late April, but their next public show is June 7 and 8 at the Arts Barns, which will hold their annual year-end academy showcase.

Dugan also says the potential of seeing bits and pieces of the original Firefly Kolabo works exists.

“I have a feeling that there might be different iterations of the six numbers,” she says, “like maybe two of these might show up at a festival or an event.”

Sierra Bilton sierra@vueweekly.com

Tomoyo Ihaya; Feb 23-Mar 31

STILL STRAPPED–A FLASK FUELLED POETRY PRE-RELEASE PARTY • Aviary,

TELUS WORLD OF SCIENCE • 11211-142 St • telusworldofscienceedmonton.com • Daily activities, demonstrations and experiments • POPnology Exhibition; Feb 9-May 6 • Terry Fox– Running to the Heart of Canada; Feb 16-Sep 16 VASA GALLERY • 25 Sir Winston Churchill Ave, St Albert • 780.460.5990 • vasa-art.com • Emerging from Ignorance: artwork by Alena Valova; Jan 30-Feb 24

9314-111 Ave • Feb 28, 7:30pm • $10 (adv), $15 (door)

TALES–Monthly Storytelling Circle • Parkallen Community Hall, 6510-111 St • Monthly Tellaround: 2nd Wed each month • Sep-Jun, 7-9pm • Free • Info: 780.437.7736; talesedmonton@hotmail.com

UPPER CRUST CAFÉ • 10909-86 Ave •

WEST END GALLERY • 10337-124 St • 780.488.4892 • westendgalleryltd.com • Artwork by Dana Irving; Mar 3-15; Opening reception: Mar 3, 1-4pm

780.422.8174 • strollofpoets.com • The Poets’ Haven Reading Series • Most Mon (except holidays), 7pm, Sep 18-Mar; presented by the Stroll of Poets Society • $5 (door)

LITERARY

THEATRE

AUDREYS BOOKS • 10702 Jasper Ave •

11 O'CLOCK NUMBER • Basement Theatre at Holy Trinity, 10037-84 Ave • grindstonetheatre. ca • This completely improvised musical comedy is based on the suggestions from the audience who will get to experience a brand new story unfold in front of them, complete with impromptu songs, dance breaks and show stopping numbers • Every Fri, Oct 13-Dec 15, 11pm

Celebrate International Women's Day with Inspiring Women Authors; Mar 8, 7-8:30pm

CELEBRATE ALICE MAJOR’S 11TH POETRY COLLECTION - "WELCOME TO THE ANTHROPOCENE" • University of Alberta Observatory, Centennial Centre for Interdisciplinary Science • After poetry and science, guests can step outside and take a look at the stars • Mar 1, 7-9pm

Theatre, West Edmonton Mall, #2061 8882-170 St • 780.484.2424 • edmonton.jubilations.ca • Samantha Stephens and her husband Darren are trying to live a normal married life, but Samantha’s witch mother, Endora, doesn’t make it very easy for them. Samantha throws a party and is greeted by the real Elvis • Jan 26-Apr 1

DOWNTOWN EDMONTON BOOK CLUB • Downtown Edmonton Community League, 10042-103 St • facebook.com/declorg • Open to anyone who lives, works, or plays downtown and wants to meet new people, have great conversations, and read cool stuff • Every 2nd Wed, 7-8:30pm

EDMONTON STORY SLAM • Mercury Room,10575-114 St • edmontonstoryslam. com • facebook.com/mercuryroomyeg • Great stories, interesting company, fabulous atmosphere • 3rd Wed each month • 7pm (signup); 7:30pm • $5 Donation to winner

MARY WALSH AT STARFEST • Arden Theatre, 5 St. Anne Street, St. Albert • 780.459.1530 • sapl@sapl.ca • starfest.ca • Mary will be talking about her new book, an unforgettable story of a young woman coming of age in 1960s Newfoundland • Mar 4, 7-8:30pm • $10 (online or at the door)

ROUGE POETRY SLAM HOSTED BY BREATH IN POETRY COLLECTIVE • BLVD Supper x Club, 10765 Jasper Ave • Every Tue

BEWITCHING ELVIS • Jubilations Dinner

CHILDREN OF GOD • Citadel Theatre, 9828101A Ave • citadeltheatre.com • A haunting tale of two siblings taken away to a residential school. A story of redemption: for a mother who was never let past the school’s gate, and her kids, who never knew she came • Mar 3-24 CHIMPROV • Citadel's Zeidler Hall, 9828-101A Ave • rapidfiretheatre.com • Rapid Fire Theatre’s long form comedy show: improv formats, intricate narratives, and one-act plays • Every Sat, 10pm; Sep 10-Jun 9 • $15 (door or buy in adv at TIX on the Square) DIE-NASTY • Varscona Theatre, 10329-83 Ave • die-nasty.com • Live improvised soap opera.

Join the whole Die-Nasty family REBORN, for a whole season of great artists, earth-shaking

Edmonton Fiction Bestsellers

Edmonton Non-Fiction Bestsellers

1. Song of Batoche - Maia Caron 2. Marrow Thieves - Cherie Dimaline 3. In a Wide Country - Robert Everett-Green* 4. Pilgrimage - Diana Davidson * 5. Die on Your Feet: A Lola Starke Novel - SG Wong * 6. Mary Green - Melanie Kerr *+ 7. This Wound is a World Billy-Ray Belcourt * 8. Sun & Her Flowers - Rupi Kaur 9. Anatomy of a Scandal: A Novel - Sarah Vaughn 10. American Marriage - Tayari Jones

1. 12 Rules for Life - Jordan Peterson* 2. Indigenous Writes - Chelsea Vowel * 3. Trumpocracy - David Frum 4. Fire and Fury- Inside the Trump White House - Michael Wolff 5. Precious Cargo - Craig Davidson 6. Homo Deus - Yuval Noah Harari 7. A History of Canada in Ten Maps - Adam Shoalts 8. Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone - Brene Brown 9. Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner - Daniel Ellsberg 10. Truth About Stories: A Native Narrative - Thomas King

* ALBERTA AUTHOR + ALBERTA PUBLISHER List compiled by Audreys Books and the Book Publishers Association of Alberta

discovery, glorious music, hilarious hi jinx...but mostly Machiavellian Intrigue • Runs every Mon, 6:30pm (doors), 7:30-9:30pm • Oct 23-May 29

EN MÉMOIRE DE MOI // DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME • Theatre of La Cité francophone, 8627 rue Marie-Anne-Gaboury (91 St) • 780.469.8400 • lunitheatre@lunitheatre.ca • lunitheatre.ca • Set in Montreal, 1963–when the world was on a precipice of major change in the fields of science, civil rights and women’s liberation • Mar 13-24

LADIES FOURSOME • Mayfield Dinner Theatre, 16615-109 Ave • 780.483.4051 • mayfieldtheatre.ca • Imagine Sex and the City on a golf course! It’s the day after the funeral, and three women gather for a round of golf in honour of their recently departed fourth. They are joined at the tee by an old friend of the deceased and many surprises, secrets and confessions come to the surface • Feb 6-Apr 1

when the city was pulsing with art, industry and liberated women. Our taxi driver takes you on the ride of a lifetime as we follow Pepa, who’s world is unravelling around her. It’s a tumultuous 48 hours of love, confusion, deception and passion • Feb 15-24, 7:30-9pm • $32-$37

Still Strapped–a flask fuelled poetry prerelease party Aviary Feb 28, 7:30pm $10 (adv), $15 (door)

MAMMA MIA! • Citadel Theatre, 9828-101A Ave • citadeltheatre.com • Chase away the winter blues with the smash hit musical featuring all favourite ABBA songs • Feb 17-Mar 18 MÉTIS MUTT • The Roxy on Gateway, 8529 Gateway Blvd • In Sheldon Elter’s hilarious and heartbreaking one-person show, we follow a young Métis man on his journey out of a destructive cycle. This personal tale unfolds to expose the impact of family dysfunction, internalized racism, and the significance of embracing life’s choices • Feb 13-Mar 4 OPEN JAM • Holy Trinity Church, 10037-84 Ave • 780.907.2975 • grindstonetheatre.ca • Facilitated

by Grindstone Theatre. Swap games and ideas and get an opportunity to play. For those of all levels • Last Tue of each month

THEATRESPORTS • Citadel's 's Zeidler Hall, 9828-101A Ave • rapidfiretheatre.com • Improv • Every Fri, 7:30pm and 10pm • Sep 9-Jun 8 • $15

WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN • Varscona Theatre, 10329-83 Ave • It’s 1980’s Madrid - a time

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

/ Supplied

arts 33

/ Courtesy of Marvel Studios

SUPERHERO/FANTASY

Marvel’s Black Panther feels nothing like a Marvel movie, and that’s a good thing

S

uperhero fatigue has plagued the movie industry for quite some time; one can’t help but find the whole CGI explosion phenomenon a little worn thin after well over a decade. This is where Black Panther excels;

almost everything about this film separates itself from the traditional mold, whether it’s the brilliant set design, the pacing or the fact that this isn’t a movie about a hero but more a story about royal strife.

A FANTASTIC WOMAN

SCREENING AT METRO CINEMA FEBRUARY 23 TO MARCH 6 SPANISH WITH SUBTITLES

GO TO VUEWEEKLY.COM/CONTESTS/ FOR A CHANCE TO WIN ONE OF 10 DOUBLE PASSES Metro Cinema at the Garneau | 8712 109 St. WWW.METROCINEMA.ORG

34 film

Every leap the film takes in the opposite direction of the genre, sticks the landing.

Ryan Coogler, known for single handedly making the Rocky series enthralling again with 2015’s Creed, takes helm as the film’s director. His creative edge, along with an immensely talented cast, propels Black Panther to be the movie that a tired genre desperately needs.

Initially tricking its audience into thinking it follows the standard formula, Black Panther starts with a flashback to set up the plot, followed by a high-octane fight sequence. After this initial setup, the film changes gears from the usual safe-pacing of superhero films and introduces the film’s most dynamic and engaging character—not a person, but the reclusive hightech nation of Wakanda.

The fictional African country feels anything but fictional as the film immediately introduces its societal laws, culture, and government. At this point we get to see protagonist T’Challa (played with immense royal gravitas by Chadwick Boseman) take his throne and accept the responsibility of the nation’s protector and hero, the titular Black Panther.

Where normally most introductory superhero films have a slow build to the protagonist donning the mask, Black Panther immediately throws T’Challa into the role. From this point on, the film elegantly genre hops from an espionage spy caper, to a story of royal betrayal, and eventually settles on a war for the throne narrative. All of this is well executed, but would be nothing without the film’s dynamic cinematography and phenomenal supporting cast.

Lupita Nyong’o shines as Nakia, T’Challa’s former lover and spy for Wakanda. Letitia Wright provides accessible exposition for Wakanda’s technology as Shuri, T’Challa’s kid sister and scientific genius. Michael B. Jordan even makes for a surprisingly sympathetic villain as Erik “Killmonger” Stevens. However, The Walking Dead’s Danai Gurira steals the show as Okoye, the general in charge of T’Challa’s all-female royal guard, the Dora Milaje.

Black Panther uses all the tools in the arsenal of filmmaking to portray seamless world-building and character development, and even though the movie is damn near perfect in portraying issues of race and cultural

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

Black Panther Directed by Ryan Coogler Now Playing  divide, it does have a few shortcomings— primarily the Marvel curse. This curse being a climactic third act when the villain acquires an advantage over the seemingly untouchable hero by simply becoming an evil version of Black Panther, suit and all.

This feels a little out of place for a movie that for the bulk of its narrative succeeds and excels in being nothing like its predecessors.

However, this blip is forgivable as the entirety of the movie keeps one engaged and continuously provides thought-provoking subject matter, and action that never gets boring.

Black Panther is not only an achievement in superhero films, but also the entire medium of filmmaking itself. It’s Afrofuturistic design and straightforwardness in addressing social and political issues pertaining to race and society allows the audience to get lost in its world, but never lets the viewer forget the issues that exist in ours.

Jake Pesaruk

DRAMA

Fri., Feb. 23 – Tue., Mar. 6 A Fantastic Woman Directed by Sebastián Lelio Metro Cinema $8–$13 

/ Supplied

A PICTURE OF PREJUDICE AND UNIQUE GRIEF

A Fantastic Woman features a transgender woman who struggles to move on after her partner’s death

W

atching a lover die isn’t easy. To make matters worse, add in being transgender and having a family made up of bigots. It turns into a nightmare.

A Fantastic Woman (2017) follows the story of Marina Vidal (Daniela Vega), a young transgender waitress and nightclub singer in a relationship with an older man named Orlando (Francisco Reyes). After a night out to celebrate Marina’s birthday, Orlando wakes up acting strange, so Marina rushes him to the hospital. Within minutes of arriving, Orlando passes away.

Following his death, Orlando’s family takes over his funeral arrangements and pushes Marina away, trying to ignore her and the “perversion” that they saw she and Orlando’s relationship as. Not only must Marina deal with her

grief over the loss of her lover, but also with the prejudice from Orlando’s family and the humiliation she’s subject to during the investigation into Orlando’s death.

The film offers an eye-opening look at the struggles and suspicion that a transgender person can be subject to, all because they just want to be themselves.

Vega herself, who is transgender, does an amazingly accurate job of portraying Marina in her struggles and, as the story progresses, the audience can feel her slow decline. The rest of the cast does a solid job, but Vega is the obvious star.

Directed by Sebastián Lelio, A Fantastic Woman is his fifth feature-length film and has been nominated for an Oscar in the Best Foreign Language Film cat-

egory. The Argentinian-born, Chilean film director has won a number of awards for his film already, including a Silver Berlin Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival for Best Screenplay.

Many shots in the film are absolutely stunning, and often cross into a strangely surreal realm.

There is also an ongoing use of mirrors and reflections in the shots that make for some fascinating cinematography and add to the air of surrealism.

While the film might not be for everyone, it offers a sensitive and visually appealing look at the trials that a transgender person often has to face in the world, and having a real transgender woman playing the lead role instead of, say, Jared Leto, is quite refreshing. For these things alone, it’s worth a watch.

Alexander Sorochan

FRI, FEB 23 – THUR, MARCH 1

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME

FRI & MON TO THURS: 7:00PM SAT: 1:15 & 7:00PM SUN: 1:15 & 6:00PM

THE SHAPE OF WATER

THREE BILLBOARDS OUT

RATED: 14A, SC, N

FRI, SAT & MON TO THURS: 6:45PM SUN: 6:15PM

FRI & SAT: 9:15PM SUN: 3:15 & 8:15PM MON TO THURS: 9:00PM RATED: 14A, CL, BV

DARKEST HOUR

SILKY ELEGANCE

SAT & SUN: 1:00PM RATED: PG. SA

Phantom Thread is crafted meticulously in London’s couture era

plunger salesman stunted by his seven sisters; an early1900s oilman exploding in fits of rage; a Second World War vet falling in with a guru; a ‘70s stoner PI tangled up in three cases. From fellas feeling small to guys getting too big for their britches, Paul Thomas Anderson’s films have produced some of 21st-century cinema’s most memorable menswear.

Anderson may have outdone himself with his latest tale of a ‘50s English tailor who tries to keep his life’s work, and his life, just so.

But Phantom Thread begins with a woman, Alma (Vicky Krieps), framing this story, her story, by firelight.

“He is the most demanding man,” she almost coos.

Up rises one morning—as his seamstresses climb the stone steps to start another work-day—that man, Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis). It’s his fashion house but also a near-claustrophobic family home—sister Cyril (Lesley

RATED: 14A, CL, SC

RATED: 14A, V, SC, NRFC

DRAMA

A

LADY BIRD

FRI: 9:30PM, SAT: 3:30 & 9:30PM SUN: 3:30 & 8:45PM MON TO THURS: 9:15PM

Manville) is his helpmate, ever by his side.

After Woodcock seizes upon Alma, working as a waitress, she becomes his muse and lover. But he’s persnickety about his working atmosphere and can get snippy. He’s not hers; he’s the work’s. And he’s a man beset by visions. Yet what began as a blur of artistic preoccupation and emotional infatuation becomes a romance, shifting in its neediness, and finally a portrait of marriage as a spookily manageable illness, a shared psychopathology.

Starting with that fireside and that crisp London morning light, this picture’s radiance is astonishing. The mood—of too-brittle English reserve and artistic control—is perfectly measured. Early scenes of Woodcock hurtling along in his car arrow us into his shut-in workingmania. Fitting scenes, where the client must be made to feel special, twirl us into an exquisite tension

Fri., Feb. 16, 19, 22 Phantom Thread Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson Metro Cinema 

PRESENTS

FEB 22 - FEB 28 REEL FAMILY CINEMA

THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE SAT @ 2:00 FREE ADMISSION FOR KIDS 12 & UNDER

60TH ANNIVERSARY / SUNDAY CLASSICS

GIGI SUN @ 12:00 FAVA

between costumer and costumed.

And Manville’s Cyril can be a glacially imperious match for her brother. But it’s Day-Lewis, drawing us into his debonair, hawk-like couturier’s moments of pensiveness—those long silences and minute wrenches of the lips say more than that suave, clipped tone—who commands the showfloor. His moments of strain and fevered drive are soon refitted, altered into scenes of a marriage’s tug-and-shove.

It’s Alma, though, who establishes a new pattern, and this subtle tour de force ends with a partnership discomfitingly remade.

Brian Gibson

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

VIDEO KITCHEN SUN @ 4:30 ADMISSION BY DONATION OSCAR NOMINEE

PHANTOM THREAD THUR @ 6:45, THUR @ 9:30, SAT @ 6:45, WED @ 6:45 OSCAR NOMINEE

A FANTASTIC WOMAN FRI @ 7:00, FRI @ 9:15, SAT @ 4:15, SAT @ 9:30, SUN @ 2:15, SUN @ 7:00, MON @ 9:30, TUES @ 7:00, TUES @ 9:15, WED @ 9:30

SPANISH WITH SUBTITLES

METRO RETRO / BLACK HISTORY MONTH

IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT SUN @ 9:15 JANE MON @ 7:00

Metro Cinema at the Garneau: 8712-109 Street WWW.METROCINEMA.ORG

film 35

OLD-SCHOOL R&B

Krystle Dos Santos brings the sounds of the classics to modern audiences by keeping her own pace

T

he warmth of her voice even translates well in a conversation over the phone. Vancouverbased, but Edmonton-raised Krystle Dos Santos’ space-filling voice is timeless and somehow brings the sun out even on the cloudiest of days.

Drawing inspiration from classic artists like Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, and Etta James, Dos Santos seamlessly weaves jazz, soul, funk, blues, and pop together to create a genre that, needless to say, gives everyone the warm feels.

working on her third, but it’s been a long time coming.

“For a while there I just felt blocked or scarred or whatever from bad experiences through music,” she says. “I was supposed to do a third album like four years ago and it just did not work out for so many reasons. I think I just sort of got allergic to the whole idea of making an album or trying to salvage it. It was just such a hurtful time.”

But when she met her writing partner Jonny Tobin, things

“I kept on referencing Alabama Shakes and kept thinking I want this record to sound like Alabama Shakes, or like Allen Stone from Seattle, or Charles Bradley who just died this past year—he’s got that waily, unbelievable voice.”

For now, she’s on the hunt for the right producer to start recording, feeling no rush to release the album until she’s happy with the end result. She reached out to Emily King’s Brooklyn producer and India.Arie’s Nashville producer and both got back to her, to Dos

“When I was 16, when I first started driving, my dad gave me the Etta James Best of record,” Dos Santos says, “and I wouldn’t listen to anything but that when I drove around.”

Sat., Feb. 24 (8 pm) Krystle Dos Santos and the Black Mambas Rocky Mountain Icehouse $9

Krystle Dos Santos / Andrea Sunderland

36 music

“As a kid, my dad had his [record] collection and I read along to “Part-time Lover” by Stevie Wonder on the little 45 record jacket, so it’s certainly always been in my life,” Dos Santos says. “When I was 16, when I first started driving, my dad gave me the Etta James Best of record and I wouldn’t listen to anything but that when I drove around. My family’s not very musical, but they’re definitely music appreciators.”

Working as a professional singer now for about 10 years, Dos Santos has released three albums.

Her first self-titled debut (2008) won Urban Recording of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards; with her second 18-track album (Fame Fatale) out since 2011, the singer is now finally

changed for the better.

“He’s young and eager and so willing to push me in all directions,” Dos Santos says. “We’ve got like 11 or 12 songs written and it feels so good … I feel like this is the best writing I’ve done to date.”

With her sultry tone and smoky voice, the 35-year-old shifts through genres with ease. And her new album already has its own thing going on. Dos Santos describes it as more old-school R&B production with a nice gritty and bluesy-rock vocal to bring some depth, compared her previous jazz and pop-heavy tracks.

“It kind of has that organic sound to it and it’s gonna be a little more rough around the edges, a little less polished,” she says.

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

Santos’ surprise, so she’s hoping to collaborate with one, while working with a local producer for the bulk of the album—but nothing’s set in stone yet.

Dos Santos will play with her longtime Edmonton band, the Black Mambas, who are Jamie Philp (guitar), Kim Lesaca (bass), Kevin Brereton (drums), “Downtown downtown” Cam Browne (keys), and Brett Miles (saxophone).

In an exceptional set, Dos Santos plans to hit a little of everything, including some beloved classics, a few covers, and a bit of material from her 2016 Citadel cabaret Blak, which tells the stories of black Canadian icons that changed history through music.

Sierra Bilton sierra@vueweekly.com

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Terra Lightfoot / Dustin Rabin

INTROSPECTIVE INTUITION For her newest record Terra Lightfoot accepts her mistakes and transforms them in Juno-nominated material

Sun., Feb. 25 (8 pm) Terra Lightfoot w/ William Crighton and guests 9910 $15 at yeglive.ca

F

or her third full-length album, Ontario’s Terra Lightfoot found a universal truth she had been unconsciously searching for. She realized that every mistake she has made in her life has contributed to who she now is as a musician and human being.

This epiphany became the core theme of her blues-rock/pop album New Mistakes.

“It’s all introspective,” Lightfoot says from a busy airport. “The mistakes are all different things you know? One could be a guy, or it could be anything you have done or haven’t done in your life. You look back on it and go ‘Oh, God. What did I do?’”

Still, it takes a bit of courage to actually own up to your faults.

“In my eyes, without mistakes, we would be nothing. We would be dust,” she says.

Lightfoot has been known for making catchy and bluesy tunes for any listener to enjoy. Her song “Paradise” has recently become a radio favourite on stations such as CKUA. The song starts off with a dis-

torted boot-stomping riff that explodes into a high-energy pop chorus when Lightfoot utilizes her resonant voice to its full potential with a soaring falsetto.

“It was a funny number because it started off as another song, so it had a different personality and a different chorus,” she says.

On the very last day of recording the song, Lightfoot pulled what she calls a “crazy artist move,” and decided she no longer liked the song and wanted to write something else.

“The comfort level between the producer (Gus van Go) and I was high because we had done another record together so he said ‘follow your intuition.’”

She took van Go’s advice and rewrote the verse for the originally named “Thunder,” and decided to really push herself on the chorus.

“It’s a challenge for me to sing and it’s just more fun than what we’ve done before,” she says. “There was a bit of drama in my own mind on whether I should honour a song that I wrote in two hours or the one I had been road testing for eight months. It was a tough call.”

The more ‘70s blues-rock inspired “Stars over Dakota,” is another unique track found on New

Mistakes. With an opening riff reminiscent of something found on a T. Rex record, Lightfoot’s voice leads the listener through Dakota’s landscape at dusk as the constellations dance with each other in the sky.

Lightfoot wrote the song like she does most, driving while on tour.

“We do the mid Western states all around the Great Lakes in five days. It’s like 52 hours and five days or something stupid like that. We did a lot of night driving, so I wrote this song during the middle of the night as I was driving in Dakota right before the border. I looked out and saw the stars and it all just sort of hit me all at once.”

Owning up to her mistakes and turning them into songs seems to have worked out for Lightfoot. New Mistakes has been nominated for a Juno in the Adult Alternative Album of the Year category.

It’s a huge honour for the soulful artist, being listed alongside artists like Timbre Timbre, Whitehorse, and Gord Downie.

“It’s surreal, but I guess it shows that you’re doing the right thing,” she says.

Stephan Boissonneault stephan@vueweekly.com

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

music 37

METAL

DYNAMIC DISARRAY

The Order of Chaos discusses origins and intent to not stagnate in a fixed genre

Fri., Feb. 23 (8 pm) The Order of Chaos The Mercury Room $15-$20

The Order of Chaos / Barrett Klesko

E

dmonton has often been regarded as an incubator for several music scenes, and if there’s one in particular that thrives on every frigid corner of the city—it’s metal. The Order of Chaos is a group that got their start here and has since travelled across the world, showcasing their unique sound.

The group, originally formed a decade ago in Stony Plain, has been constantly refining their style to operate in no fixed genre. The entire ensemble func-

element in songwriting as well the group’s direction. Like any band The Order of Chaos started from humble beginnings with various members sharing ideas within Edmonton’s metal community. The band eventually settled on an approach to the genre, but it wasn’t as easy back then to jump into performing and recording as it is today.

“When we started up there weren’t Pro Tools or accessible editing software, you just had to hope like hell that whatev-

we all perform our parts makes it seem like a sport,” Fallon says.

The standout factor amidst the chaotic, yet nuanced group is lead singer Amanda Kiernan.

Fallon and others discovered her through friends. After she arrived at one of their practices and belted out a Slayer song with pinpoint accuracy, Fallon knew that she was what the group needed.

“We needed a singer, and Amanda likes being loud. She’s got that personality, it’s hard to

“The climate here, in all honesty, is rather conducive to writing metal and particularly [to] genre thriving.

I think the weather encourages people to stay in their basement shredding.” tions on this musical mentality.

Songs like “Apocalypse Moon,” the title track off their latest album, showcases just how versatile the band is. Thrashinfluenced chord progressions will shift gears into power ballads without any hesitation, and band vocalist Amanda Kiernan displays immense range as she fluidly moves from aggressive and head-splitting vocals, to clean, swift harmonies.

“When it comes to pigeonholing ourselves into one kind of sound, it’s just something we’ve never really done or seen useful,” says lead guitarist and founder John Simon Fallon.

Fallon has been at the helm of the band ever since its initial creation, and has been a key 38 music

er sound you had in your head could be conveyed on stage,” Fallon says.

Since then, the group has taken its style on the road, with a focused effort on not being easily labeled, a risk that Fallon is willing to take to stand out from the rest of a genre constantly reinventing itself. With this in mind, The Order of Chaos earns their name. Songs are collages of the best aspects metal has to offer, making their sound hit the ear in a way unlike most bands—not disorganized, but more frantic in structure.

“We go from classic, to clean, to thrashy. It makes these songs not only great to listen to, but fun to play as well. The way in which

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

describe, but it’s just that frontwoman persona.”

The group owes a lot of their success and versatility to starting and operating here in Edmonton. Fallon believes it’s due to the nature of the city and particularly the climate, both musically and literally.

“The climate here, in all honesty, is rather conducive to writing metal and particularly [to] the genre thriving. I think the weather encourages people to stay in their basement shredding,” Fallon says.

With a new EP Night Terror showcasing all of the refined aspects of the group, it’s worth noting that the chaos they invoke is worth embracing.

Jake Pesaruk

ALTERNATIVE INDIE

Dashboard Confessional’s Chris Carrabba / David Bean

UPCOMING

EVENTS

SOUTH EDMONTON COMMON FEB 24

OLYMPIC HOCKEY FINAL

FEB 28

FAITH HEALER w/ guests

MAR 2

TRACE ITALIAN w/ Hungry Hollow & Garrett Olson

WEST EDMONTON MALL FEB 22

THROWBACK THURSDAY w/ The Sissy Fits

FEB 23

DBL DIP

MAR 3

WILD ROSE ROULETTE

For tickets and full listings TheRecRoom.com The Rec Room is owned by Cineplex Entertainment L. P.

EMERGING FROM THE SHADOWS Dashboard Confessional’s Chris Carrabba unveils the inspiration behind the latest album

I

t’s been over eight years since the American alternative rock band Dashboard Confessional released its last album, but that doesn’t mean lead singer Chris Carrabba hasn’t been busy.

“I got super into Tetris,” Carrabba says with a laugh.

All jokes aside, the main reason for Dashboard Confessional’s long break between albums was that they didn’t want to let down fans by coming out with a mediocre record.

“We had toured 300 days of the year for quite a few years. We’d realized that we were in danger of phoning it in, and knew that was fair to nobody, so we walked away,” Carrabba says. “We came back as a touring band, and realized it would be advantageous for the bottom line to rush and make a record. [But] I don’t think that would have been fair to ourselves or to our fan base. So we waited.”

Now, the wait is over. Dashboard Confessional released Crooked Shadows, the band’s seventh album and their first since 2009’s Alter the Ending. Carrabba had written over 12 songs for the new album before coming up with the opening track “We Fight.”

“I wrote “We Fight” and I thought ‘That’s it. That’s the song I needed to put a bow on this record.’ Then a week goes by and I realized ‘You

know what? This isn’t the last song I needed to write, this is the first song I needed to write,’” Carrabba says. “Ultimately, we wrote somewhere between 40 and 60 songs.”

Much of the inspiration for Crooked Shadows comes from Carrabba’s life experience as he’s grown older, and the current political climate of the United States.

“We Fight” started out as a song looking at the music scene in Florida—where Carrabba grew up— and the inclusivity of it. While writing the song however, Donald Trump became President of the United States, and the song took on a whole new meaning. “[In “We Fight”] I had a song that I thought was written only about the scene I was from and what we were doing to make it safe, and powerful, and accepting, and diverse, which is what began to happen, wonderfully, during the Obama administration,” Carrabba says. “Then, to watch it fall apart, I realized [it] informed that song as I was writing it. I wrote that song just as Trump was Trumping.”

For the new album, Carrabba wanted to take the instincts he had as a young writer and combine them with the musical growth he’s gained in the last few years. Compared to the rest of the band’s catalogue, Carrabba believes that

Wed., Feb. 28 (7 PM) Dashboard Confessional w/ The Elwins Union Hall $39.50 at ticketmaster.ca Crooked Shadows is more closely related to the sounds found in the earlier albums.

“It’s as immediate, I think, as those albums were,” Carrabba says. “My middle records weren’t quite as immediate. They were a little more broad.”

The name Crooked Shadows comes from a moment Carrabba and his wife shared after he had been on tour for an extended period of time. The two of them had taken a walk together, but there was still a feeling of separation between them.

“We were together, you know, but we weren’t together yet. We were walking hand-in-hand and it was kind of an overcast day. It was almost like it felt like I wasn’t home yet. As we were walking, the sun broke through the clouds a little bit and I saw our shadows go up this courthouse staircase in a real jagged fashion. I looked at it and I thought ‘That isn’t perfect, but it’s beautiful—these crooked shadows.’”

Alexander Sorochan

Some conditions may apply. Promotion subject to change without notice and AGLC approval.

cnty.com/edmonton

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

music 39

ROCK

FINDING GRACE

Big Wreck’s Ian Thornley finds light at the end of the tunnel

I

an Thornley is good at a lot of things—but dealing with the man?

“If I’m honest, it’s been one of the most stressful mornings I’ve had in a couple of years,” Thornley says over the phone from Halifax, a couple hours before taking the stage with his band Big Wreck. “It’s lawyers, notary publics and all this kind of thing.

Honestly, it’s stuff like that that can really fluster me, because it’s not how my mind works.”

It’s a simple statement: My day sucks so far. But it’s an example of honesty and openness that’s rare between strangers, sometimes even friends.

And this is a guy who could justifiably roll through the world with arrogant rockstar swagger. With Big Wreck, the Toronto-based Thornley established himself as one of the most undeniably-talented, larger-than-life rock musicians on the planet.

He has a huge, Chris Cornellesque voice and was scouted

by Slash to replace Scott Wei-

Big Wreck / Supplied

MUSIC WEEKLY EMAIL YOUR FREE LISTINGS TO: LISTINGS@VUEWEEKLY.COM DEADLINE: FRIDAY AT 12PM

THU FEB 22 ARIA'S BISTRO Open mic with

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Thu, 8pm AVIARY Paradise Sandwich

Shop Pop Up! featuring DJ Wayne Jetski; 5pm; No cover BLUES ON WHYTE Funkafeelya;

9pm BLVD SUPPER X CLUB B**ch A

Little, Wine Alot (house, hip-hop and reggae music); Every Thu; No cover BOHEMIA Mustiboy, Tom Thomp-

son and guests; 9pm BORDERLINE SPORTS PUB

Karaoke/DJ; Every Thu-Sat, 9pm

REC ROOM–SOUTH EDMONTON COMMON Karaoke with live

THE FORGE ON WHYTE Good Riddance with A Vulture Wake, RWTH, and A New Rhetoric; 8pm; $25 (adv); 18+ only

WILD EARTH BAKERY–MILLCREEK Live Music Fridays; Each

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LB'S PUB Sweet Tequila; 9pm

YARDBIRD SUITE Charles Tolliver

with The Sissy Fits; Every Thu, 8:30pm; Free

ATLANTIC TRAP & GILL Jimmy

LEAF BAR AND GRILL Karoake at

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the Leaf; Every Fri, 9pm; Free

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SANDS INN & SUITES Karaoke

AUSSIE RULES KITCHEN & PIANO BAR Piano Show; Every Fri, 9pm

MACLAB CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS Chris Buck

Classical

band, The Nervous Flirts; Every other Thu, 7pm REC ROOM–WEST EDMONTON MALL Throwback Thursday

Thursdays with JR; Every Thu, 9pm-1am SEWING MACHINE FACTORY

Circle Jam; 7:30-11:30pm HAVE MERCY Thigh Thursdays

with El Niven & The Alibi and friends; Every Thu, 8:30pm; No cover LB'S PUB Open Jam hosted by

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Uncommon Thursday: Rotating guests each week ON THE ROCKS Salsa Rocks:

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stage; 7pm NORTH GLENORA HALL Jam by

Wild Rose Old Tyme Fiddlers every Thu; 7pm

40 music

Blair and Jim Hepler; 8pm; $15 (adv at YEGLive), $20 (door)

BLUES ON WHYTE Funkafeelya;

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FIDDLER'S ROOST Acoustic

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CAFE BLACKBIRD Joshua FESTIVAL PLACE James Hill and Anne Janelle; 7:30pm; $31-$35

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WOODRACK CAFÉ Birdie on a Branch; 2nd Thu of every month, 7-8:30pm; No cover (donations welcome)

BRICK & WHISKEY PUBLIC HOUSE Big Rockin' Thursday

THE ALMANAC Bears In

FRI FEB 23

B-STREET BAR Karaoke; Every

Fri-Sat, 9:30pm BLUE CHAIR CAFÉ ; 8:30-

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Band; 7:30pm; $32-$35 MERCURY ROOM The Order of

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7pm (doors), 9pm (show); Tickets staring at: $39.99 ROSE & CROWN PUB Amy Weymes and The Attaboys; 9pm SANDS INN & SUITES Karaoke

with entertainment, Every Fri, 9pm

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WINSPEAR CENTRE Edmonton

B-STREET BAR Karaoke; Every Fri-Sat, 9:30pm BAILEY THEATRE–CAMROSE

Learning to Fly: A Tom Petty Tribute with The Men Who Fell to Earth; 8pm; $15 (students $10) at the door or at the Bailey Box Office or online

EL CORTEZ MEXICAN KITCHEN + TEQUILA BAR Resident DJs

BLIND PIG PUB Saturday

8:30-10:30pm; $20 BLUES ON WHYTE Funkafeelya;

Frolics and more; 8pm; $10; 18+ only BORDERLINE SPORTS PUB

Karaoke/DJ; Every Thu-Sat, 9pm CAFE BLACKBIRD Danielle Marie,

Jordan Aaron; 7pm; $15

SHAKERS ROADHOUSE The Rod Jewell Band Dine n Dance; 7pm; $10; All ages

THE PROVINCIAL PUB Video

CASINO EDMONTON Jelly Bean;

Fri-Sat

CENTURY CASINO–ST. ALBERT

SHERLOCK HOLMES– DOWNTOWN Duff Robison; 9pm

Rave On; 9pm; Free

SHERLOCK HOLMES–WEM Al

CHVRCH OF JOHN Reconnect -

Barrett; 9pm

SAT FEB 24

Phil Lam x Kris Harvey Birthday; 9pm; $5

SIDELINER’S PUB Friday Night

Bands: live music; Every Fri

DENIZEN HALL Champ City

STARLITE ROOM SonReal and

music every Fri; all ages; 7pm; $5 (door) CASINO EDMONTON Jelly Bean;

9pm

Soundtrack; Every Fri-Sat DUGGAN'S BOUNDARY Rhythm

Revolver; 9pm FESTIVAL PLACE Dancing Between Planets: An evening of Holst, Bernstein and Piazzolla; 7:30pm; $16-$24 • Richard Wood and Gordon Belsher; 7:30pm; $25

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New Moon Folk Club: Lion Bear Fox with opening act Dana Wylie; 6:30pm (doors), 7:30pm (show); $20 (adv plus service charges), $25 (door, if available)

Music DJ; 9pm-2am Y AFTERHOURS Live DJs; Every

ON THE ROCKS Whyte Bronco;

9pm PARKVIEW COMMUNITY HALL

mic; 7pm; $2

CARROT COFFEEHOUSE Live

MKT FRESH FOOD AND BEER MARKET Live Local Bands every Sat

Northern Lights Folk Club: Leeroy Stagger; 8pm

GAS PUMP Live DJ; 10pm

of Malice; 9pm

Dead Fibres, Soft Cure, Ominous Cloud, Pallor; 8pm; $10; 18+ only

with Sugarwash, and the Dabs; 8pm; No minors

BOHEMIA Bluelight Special, The

of Malice; 9pm

CAFFREY'S IN THE PARK Handle

LEAF BAR AND GRILL

9pm

playing the best in hip-hop, dance and classics; Every FriSat, 9pm; No cover

SEWING MACHINE FACTORY

LB'S PUB Sweet Tequila; 9pm

MERCURY ROOM Fear of City,

BLUE CHAIR CAFÉ David Gogo;

Fridays with DJ Echo & Freshlan

HILLTOP PUB Open stage hosted

by Simon, Dan and Pascal; Every Sat, 4-7pm; Free

of the Dog: Tallest to Shortest; 4-6pm; no cover

DJs

THE COMMON Quality Control

FESTIVAL PLACE Altan; 7:30pm;

$39-$43

Homemade Jam; 3-7pm; Free

afternoon live music showcase; Every Sat, 3-7pm

Remo, Noosh, Fingertips & guests; Underdog: Rap, House, Hip-Hop with DJ Teddy Plenti; every Fri

land in Velvet Revolver. He’s one of the best guitar players in the country—full stop. And his songwriting and studio wizardry have birthed enduring, complex songs and albums.

Big Wreck’s debut, and still its classic, is In Loving Memory Of. It’s a high-water mark of late ‘90s alternative-rock, a guitar god breakup album full of instantly recognizable jams like “That Song,” “The Oaf,” and “Blown Wide Open.” The record turns 20 this year and to celebrate, Big Wreck is playing every cut—including some songs the band has never tried to recreate for an audience.

“The reasons we didn’t play them live was because essentially, we didn’t have the toys back then—now we do, and they sound great,” Thornley says.

BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Hair

Symphony Orchestra presents Firebird–Conducted by Jayce Ogren; 7:30pm; $15-$82

BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Main Floor: DJ Late Fee; Every Fri; Wooftop: Selection Fridays with

Sat., Feb. 24 and Sun., Feb. 25 (8 pm) Big Wreck w/ Jesse Roper The Starlite Room $39.50

CAFFREY'S IN THE PARK Handle CARROT COFFEEHOUSE Sat Open

9pm

ROSE & CROWN PUB Amy

Weymes and The Attaboys; 9pm SHAKERS ROADHOUSE Mark

Ammar’s Saturday Sessions Jam; Every Sat, 4-8pm • Motley Mayhem with Ella Mental & The Straightjackets; 9pm; All ages SHERLOCK HOLMES– DOWNTOWN Duff Robison; 9pm SHERLOCK HOLMES–WEM Al

Barrett; 9pm STARLITE ROOM Big Wreck: In

WINSPEAR CENTRE Edmonton Symphony Orchestra presents Firebird–Conducted by Jayce Ogren; 8pm; $15-$82

DJs BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Main Floor: DJ Chris Bruce spins britpop/punk/garage/indie; Every Sat; Wooftop: Sound It Up! with DJ Instigate spinning classic hip-hop and reggae; Underdog: hip-hop open Mic followed by DJ Marack

THE COMMON Get Down It's

Saturday Night: House and disco and everything in between with Wright & Wong, Dane EL CORTEZ MEXICAN KITCHEN + TEQUILA BAR Resident DJs

playing the best in hip-hop, dance and classics; Every FriSat, 9pm; No cover ENVY NIGHT CLUB Resolution

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Wong every Sat THE PROVINCIAL PUB Saturday

Nights: Indie rock and dance with DJ Maurice; 9pm-2am TAVERN ON WHYTE Soul, motown, funk, R&B and more with DJs Ben and Mitch; every Sat; 9pm-2am

4-6pm; Free

Loving Memory Of- 20th Anniversary Tour with Jesse Roper; 8pm (doors), 9pm (show); $39.50 (contact Starlite for availability)

ALIBI PUB & EATERY Rising Star Showcase of Cooper Studios; Every Sat, 12-3pm

CENTURY CASINO–ST. ALBERT

YARDBIRD SUITE Sharon

ARCADIA BAR Vagabound

MIX Release Party; 9pm; $10

Variety Show; 9pm

DENIZEN HALL Champ City Soundtrack; Every Fri-Sat

Classical

ARDEN THEATRE Josh Ritter;

7:30-9:30pm; $48

DUGGAN'S BOUNDARY Rhythm

JUBILEE AUDITORIUM Gospel

ALIBI PUB AND EATERY Open mic night; Every Sun, 6-9pm

ATLANTIC TRAP & GILL Jimmy

Revolver; 9pm

Concert; 7pm; $25 (via Ticketmaster)

Whiffen; 8:30pm

AUSSIE RULES KITCHEN & PIANO BAR Piano Show; Every

EMPRESS ALE HOUSE Bands at the Empress; Every Sat, 4-6pm; Free; 18+ only

WEST END CHRISTIAN REFORM CHURCH Vocal Alchemy presents

Sun, 9pm

AUSSIE RULES KITCHEN & PIANO BAR Piano Show; Every

Sat, 9pm

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

CASINO YELLOWHEAD Sass

Jordan; 8pm; $39 CASK AND BARREL Tanyss;

Rave On; 9pm; Free CHVRCH OF JOHN NUDII & BILL–

Minemoto Quartet; 7pm (doors), 8pm (show); $22 (members), $26 (guests)

These Are Our Songs; 7pm; $15-$20

Y AFTERHOURS Live DJs; Every

Fri-Sat

SUN FEB 25 99TEN Terra Lightfoot; 8pm; $15 (adv at YEGLive or Blackbyrd), $20 (door)

BAILEY THEATRE–CAMROSE The Bailey Buckaroos; 2pm; $15 at the Bailey Box Office or online

MUSICNOTES “People were dying to hear them. It’s not just ‘gimme the hits,’ people want to hear this stuff.”

The fact that Big Wreck is still together in 2018 and embracing its history is a minor rock and roll miracle. The band’s success with In Loving Memory Of created tons of buzz. Major labels and big money soon entered the equation. The pressure in

years later, was still there. Next came 2014’s Ghosts and, most recently, Grace Street—an album as boundary-pushing as anything Thornley has done.

The new record is a confident evolution of the Big Wreck sound. There are nods to the mainstream, like shimmering lead single “One Good Piece of Me,” but it also runs free with studio experimentation and proudly-

and hope after living through a painful divorce with his wife of 10 years. Speaking with Thornley, who is thoughtful and generous in conversation, you get the feeling that even a stressful morning dealing with bankers and lawyers isn’t going to distract him from the hard-won grace he’s earned.

“Coming through something that’s incredibly painful and aw-

And then to be able to come through all of that and see a light at the end of the tunnel, and there’s somebody there in the light at the end of the tunnel,” Thornley says. “Honestly, I’ve never been happier.

I’ve never laughed as much in my life.” the studio to make hits led to band in-fighting. Soon after the follow-up record, 2001’s The Pleasure and the Greed, Big Wreck had a big breakup.

Thornley spent the next decade with his self-titled solo project, releasing two albums of heavy rock skewed more FMradio friendly than Big Wreck’s proggy explorations. It wasn’t until 2012 that Big Wreck released new material with the soaring record and single “Albatross.” The audience, even 11

sprawling songs—like the sevenminute, guitar Olympics instrumental “Skybunk Marché.” It’s a rare indulgence for Thornley to embrace the lightning-quick guitar shredding he generally holsters in favour of more tasteful, melodic playing.

“Sometimes I do just want to burn, you know?” Thornley laughs. “I spend countless hours working on the ability to do that.”

Besides monster guitar playing, Grace Street is also a snapshot of a man finding peace

BLIND PIG PUB Blind Pig Pub Ham Jam; Every Sun, 4-8pm; No cover

membership available at the door

Ukulele Circle; 6:30pm; Free

MUTTART HALL Main Series

night; Every Mon, 9pm; Free

BLUE CHAIR CAFÉ Sunday

4: Annual Tanya Prochazka Tribute Recital; 7:30-10:30pm; $35 (adult), $25 (senior), $10 (student); Available at TIX on the Square

Brunch with Hawaiian Dreamers; 9am-2pm; By donation BLUES ON WHYTE Funkafeelya;

9pm ON THE ROCKS The

Ramifications; 9pm SANDS INN & SUITES Open Jam;

Every Sun, 7-11pm STARLITE ROOM Big Wreck: In

DEVANEY'S IRISH PUB Karaoke

TRIFFO THEATRE, ALLARD HALL

FIDDLER'S ROOST Open Stage;

7-11pm HAVE MERCY Mississippi

Monday Night Blues Jam hosted by the Dylan Farrell Ban; Every Mon, 8:30pm (sign up); No cover

YARDBIRD SUITE Tuesday Ses-

sion: Mike Morriseau; 7:30pm (door), 8pm (show); $5

SIDELINER’S PUB Singer/

Songwriter Monday Night Open Stage; Hosted by Celeigh Cardinal; Every Mon (except long weekends), 8:30pm

BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Main Floor: Substance with Eddie

Metal Mondays with Metal Phil from CJSR's Heavy Metal Lunchbox BLUES ON WHYTE The High

Powers; 9pm CAFE BLACKBIRD Edmonton

Lunchpail TAVERN ON WHYTE Classic

hip-hop with DJ Creeazn every Mon; 9pm-2am

TUE FEB 27 BLUES ON WHYTE The High

Powers; 9pm FIDDLER'S ROOST Fiddle Jam

Circle; 7:30-11:30pm GAS PUMP Karaoke;

9:30pm HAVE MERCY To-Do

Tuesday: open mic night hosted by Justin Perkins; Every Tue (except for the 3rd of every month) • Outlaw Country Vinyl Night with Sheriff Taylor; Every 3rd Tue of the month

/ Supplied

James Hill and Anne Janelle Festival Place Feb 22, 7:30pm $31-$35

DJs

BLUES ON WHYTE PowerHouze; DUGGAN'S BOUNDARY Wed open

$19.99-$30; All ages

Floor: DJ Zyppy with DJ Late

DJs

Leeroy Stagger / Sat., Feb. 24 (7 PM) Leeroy Stagger understands music. That may seem like a throw away line with the retort “doesn’t every musician?” No, they don’t. But Leeroy does. He knows when do go soft and when to push the amps to their limits. He has a unique brand of alternative country/bluegrass rock and you may have heard his voice on CKUA recently with his show “Dirty Windshields.” Better check this one out. You may learn something. (Parkview Community Centre, $27)

punk/garage/indie; Every Tue

resident DJs

BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Main

BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Wooftop:

Josh Ritter / Fri., Feb. 23 & 24 (7:30 PM) Josh Ritter is a peculiar fellow. Drawing from inspirations like the blues and Americana, his lyrics sound at home with the material that came from the father of freeverse, Walt Whitman. He has described his newish sound as “animated rock ‘n roll.” Maybe go and find out what that means and get back to me. (Arden Theatre, $48 in advance)

9pm

UNION HALL Architects; 7pm;

WINSPEAR CENTRE Winspear Overture Tour; 12pm; Email Michelle Jones at Winspear to RSVP

MON FEB 26

Carmanah w/ guests / Sat., Feb. 24 (8 PM) Carmanah’s latest record Speak in Rhythms features lyrics that explore the issues of the environmental and politcal climate. Sounding like a travelling soul caravan, this west coast group, recorded the album in hopes of using their voices as a source of inspiration and change. (The Forge, $10)

Floor: Chris Bruce spins britpop/

Jewell Band Open stage

Fiddlers Acoustic Music Jam & Dancing; 7-10pm

GAS PUMP Kizomba-DJ; 8pm

Carmanah / Supplied

BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Main

EL CORTEZ MEXICAN KITCHEN + TEQUILA BAR Taco Tuesday with

DJs

ALL SAINTS ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL Pro Coro

Annual Beneflute Concert; 3-5pm; $30 (non-members); $20 (members), $10 (12 and under). EFA

SHAKERS ROADHOUSE Rod

Classical

Classical

CONVOCATION HALL EFA First

LB'S PUB Tuesday Night Open Jam Hosted by Darrell Barr; 7-11pm; No charge

PLEASANTVIEW COMMUNITY HALL Wild Rose Old Tyme

Fee; Every Sun

Canada presents Canadian Connections VI; 3pm; Tickets available through Pro Coro

ful, as these things happen in life, the darkest things are going through your mind—and even things that you’ve never imagined are going through your mind,” Thornley says. “And then to be able to come through all of that and see a light at the end of the tunnel, and there’s somebody there in the light at the end of the tunnel … Honestly, I’ve never been happier.

I’ve never laughed as much in my life. I can safely say that.”

Josh Marcellin

Edmonton Winds Presents: South of the 49th; 2-6pm; $20 (general), $15 (students/ seniors)

Loving Memory Of- 20th Anniversary Tour with Jesse Roper; 8pm (doors), 9pm (show); $39.50 (contact Starlite for availability)

Stephan Boissonneault stephan@vueweekly.com

WED FEB 28 AVIARY Still Strapped! A Flask

Fuelled Poetry Pre-Release Party; 7:30pm; $10 (adv, YEGLive), $15 (door) BAILEY THEATRE–CAMROSE

PIGS: Canada's Most Authentic Pink Floyd Tribute; 7:30pm; $39.50 at the Bailey Box Office or online

mic with host Duff Robison; 8pm GAS PUMP Karaoke; 9:30pm HAVE MERCY Piano Karaoke

PLEASANTVIEW COMMUNITY HALL Acoustic Bluegrass jam

presented by the Northern Bluegrass Circle Music Society; Guests and newcomers always welcome; every Wed, 7pm; $2 (donation, per person), free coffee available

featuring with Tiff Hall; Every Wed, 8:30pm

THE PROVINCIAL PUB Karaoke

JUBILEE AUDITORIUM The Jim

Wednesday

Cuddy Band; 8pm; $39 and up (via Ticketmaster)

Jam with 4 Dollar Bill

LEAF BAR & GRILL Wang Dang Wednesdays; Every Wed, 7-11pm; Free ON THE ROCKS Karaoke Wednesdays hosted by ED; Every Wed, 9pm

harpsichord); 12:10-12:50pm; Free ROBERT TEGLER STUDENT CENTRE, CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY iSoundtrack;

6:30-10pm; $20 (adults), $15 (students/seniors), $40 (family– at door only)

UNION HALL Dashboard Confessional; 7pm; 16+ only

WINSPEAR CENTRE Winspear Overture Tour; 12pm; Email Michelle Jones at Winspear to RSVP • Edmonton Symphony Orchestra presents: Great Arias–Conducted By Jayce Ogren; 7:30pm; $15-$68

Classical

DJs

MCDOUGALL UNITED CHURCH

BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Main

SHAKERS ROADHOUSE Country

Music Wednesdays at Noon: Charlotte Rekken (solo

Floor: DJ Late Fee; Every Wed

VENUEGUIDE 99TEN 9910B-109 St NW, 780.709.4734, 99ten.ca ALIBI PUB & EATERY 17328 Stony Plain Rd ALL SAINTS ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL 10035-103 St THE ALMANAC 10351-82 Ave, 780.760.4567, almanaconwhyte. com ARCADIA BAR 10988-124 St, 780.916.1842, arcadiayeg.com ARDEN THEATRE 5 St Anne St, St Albert, 780.459.1542, stalbert.ca/ experience/arden-theatre ARIA'S BISTRO 10332-81 Ave, 780.972.4842, ariasbistro.com ATLANTIC TRAP & GILL 7704 Calgary Trail South, 780.432.4611, atlantictrapandgill.com AUSSIE RULES KITCHEN & PIANO BAR #1638, 8882-170 St, 780.486.7722, aussierulesedmonton.com AVIARY 9314-111 Ave B-STREET BAR 11818-111 Ave BAILEY THEATRE 5041-50 St, Camrose, 780. 672.5510, baileytheatre.com BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE 1042582 Ave, 780.439.1082 BLIND PIG PUB 32 St Anne Street St. Albert BLUE CHAIR CAFÉ 9624-76 Ave, 780.989.2861

BLUES ON WHYTE 10329-82 Ave, 780.439.3981 BLVD SUPPER X CLUB 10765 Jasper Ave BOHEMIA 10217-97 St BORDERLINE SPORTS PUB 322682 St, 780.462.1888 BRICK & WHISKEY PUBLIC HOUSE 8937-82 Ave CAFE BLACKBIRD 9640-142 St NW, 780.451.8890, cafeblackbird. ca CAFFREY'S IN THE PARK 99, 23349 Wye Rd, Sherwood Park CARROT COFFEEHOUSE 9351-118 Ave, 780.471.1580 CASINO EDMONTON 7055 Argylll Rd, 780.463.9467 CASINO YELLOWHEAD 12464153 St, 780.424 9467 CASK AND BARREL 10041-104 St; 780.498.1224, thecaskandbarrel.ca CENTURY CASINO–ST. ALBERT 24 Boudreau Rd, St. Albert, 780.460.8092 CHVRCH OF JOHN 10260-103 St, 780.884.8994, thechvrchofjohn. com COMMON 9910-109 St CONVOCATION HALL Old Arts Building, University of Alberta, music.ualberta.ca DENIZEN HALL 10311-103 Ave, 780.424.8215, thedenizenhall.com

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

DEVANEY'S IRISH PUB 11113-87 Ave NW, devaneyspub.com DUGGAN'S BOUNDARY 9013-88 Ave, 780.465.4834 EL CORTEZ MEXICAN KITCHEN + TEQUILA BAR 8230 Gateway Blvd, elcortezcantina.com EMPRESS ALE HOUSE 9912-82 Ave NW ENVY NIGHT CLUB West Edmonton Mall, 8882 170 St FESTIVAL PLACE 100 Festival Way, Sherwood Park, 780.449.3378 FIDDLER'S ROOST 7308-76 Ave, 780.439.9788, fiddlersroost.ca THE FORGE ON WHYTE 10549-82 Ave (Whyte Ave) GAS PUMP NIGHT CLUB & BAR 10166-114 St HAVE MERCY SOUTHERN TABLE + BAR 8232 Gateway Blvd, havemercy.ca HILLTOP PUB 8220-106 Ave NW JUBILEE AUDITORIUM 11455-87 Ave NW, 780.427.2760, jubileeauditorium.com L.B.’S PUB 23 Akins Dr, St Albert, 780.460.9100 LEAF BAR & GRILL 9016-132 Ave MACLAB CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 4308-50 St, Leduc MCDOUGALL UNITED CHURCH 10086 MacDonald Dr NW, mcdougallunited.com

MERCER TAVERN 10363 104 St, 587.521.1911 MERCURY ROOM 10575-114 St MKT FRESH FOOD AND BEER MARKET 8101 Gateway Blvd, 780.439.2337 MUTTART HALL 10050 Macdonald Dr, 780.633.3725 NAKED CYBERCAFÉ 10303-108 St, 780.425.9730 NORTH GLENORA HALL 13535109A Ave ON THE ROCKS 11730 Jasper Ave, 780.482.4767 PARKVIEW COMMUNITY HALL 9135-146 St PLEASANTVIEW COMMUNITY HALL 10860-57 Ave THE PROVINCIAL PUB 160, 4211-106 St REC ROOM–SOUTH EDMONTON COMMON 1725-99 St NW REC ROOM–WEST EDMONTON MALL 8882-170 St NW RIVER CREE–THE VENUE 300 E Lapotac Blvd ROBERT TEGLAR STUDENT CENTRE, CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY 73 St & 112 Ave ROSE AND CROWN 10235-101 St SANDS INN & SUITES 12340 Fort Rd, sandshoteledmonton.com SEWING MACHINE FACTORY 9562-82 Ave SHAKERS ROADHOUSE Yellowhead Inn, 15004 Yellowhead Trail

SHERLOCK HOLMES–DOWNTOWN 10012-101 A Ave, 780.426.7784, sherlockshospitality.com SHERLOCK HOLMES–WEM 8882-170 St, 780.444.1752, sherlockshospitality.com SIDELINERS PUB 11018-127 St SQUARE 1 COFFEE 15 Fairway Drive ST. BASIL'S CULTURAL CENTRE 10819-71 Ave NW, 780.434.4288, stbasilschurch.com STARLITE ROOM 10030-102 St, 780.428.1099 TAVERN ON WHYTE 10507-82 Ave, 780.521.4404 TRIFFO THEATRE, ALLARD HALL 11104-104 Ave UNION HALL 6240-99 St NW, 780.702-2582, unionhall.ca WEST END CHRISTIAN REFORM CHURCH 10015-149 St WILD EARTH BAKERY–MILLCREEK 8902-99 St, wildearthbakery.com WINSPEAR CENTRE 4 Sir Winston Churchill Square; 780.428.1414 WOODRACK CAFE 7603-109 St, 780. 757.0380, thewoodrackcafe.com Y AFTERHOURS 10028-102 St, 780.994.3256, yafterhours.com YARDBIRD SUITE 11 Tommy Banks Way, 780.432.0428

music 41

Head to vueweekly.com/contests for your chance to win tickets to:

EVENTS

• info@meditationedmonton.org • meditationedmonton.org • Weekly meditation classes and events. All welcome • Every Sun, Tue, Thu

EMAIL YOUR FREE LISTINGS TO: LISTINGS@VUEWEEKLY.COM DEADLINE: FRIDAY AT 12PM

CARROT COFFEE FRIENDSHIP CLUB • Carrot Coffeehouse, 9351-118 Ave • Have a cup of coffee with 55+ individuals single, divorced, or widowed who are looking to make new friends with neighbours in our local communities of: Delton, Eastwood, Parkdale – Cromdale, Westwood, Spruce Ave, and Alberta Avenue • Every Wed, 1-2pm

WEEKLY COMEDY BIG ROCK PRESENTS: DEVANEY’S COMEDY NIGHT • Devaney's, 11113-87

Lion Bear Fox at Horizon Stage on

Saturday, March 3 - 7:30 p.m.

Theatre: 1001 Calahoo Road, Spruce Grove, AB 780-962-8995 horizonstage.com thelionthebearthefox.com Contest Entry Deadline: Monday, February 26

Ave • 780.433.6364 • stephen.f.mcgovern@ gmail.com • Weekly open-mic hosted by Stephen McGovern • Sep 6-Apr 25, Every Wed, 8:30pm • Free

BIG ROCK PRESENTS: URBAN TAVERN COMEDY NIGHT HOSTED BY LARS CALLIEOU • Urban Tavern, 11606 Jasper Ave • Every Sun, 8pm

BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE • 10425-82 Ave • Underdog Comedy Show • Every Thu

COMEDY FACTORY • Gateway Entertainment Centre, 34 Ave, Calgary Tr • Thu-Fri: 8pm; Sat: 7:30pm & 10pm (until Apr) • Marvin Krawczyk; Feb 22-24 • Brian Link; Mar 1-3 COMIC STRIP • Bourbon St, WEM • 780.483.5999 • Nate Bargatze; Feb 22-25 • Orny Adams; Mar 1-4

EMPRESS ALE HOUSE • 9912-82 Ave • Empress Comedy Night: Highlighting the best stand-up Edmonton has to offer. New headliner every week • Every Sun, 9pm • Free LAUGH STEADY • Nook Cafe, 10153-97 St • Live stand-up comedy hosted by Kevin Cianciolo • Last Fri of the month, 7:309:30pm • $5 (door)

GROUPS/CLUBS/MEETINGS ADJE AFRICAN BEATS DRUM WORKSHOP • Carrot Coffeehouse, 9351-118 Ave

DEEPSOUL.CA • 780.217.2464; call or text for Sunday jam locations • Most Sun: Sunday Jams with no Stan (CCR to Metallica), starring Chuck Prins and Les Paul Standard; Pink Floyd-ish originals plus great covers of classics: some free; Twilight Zone Lively Up Yourself Tour (with DJ Cool Breeze); all ages

DROP-IN D&D • Hexagon Board Game Café, 10123 Whyte Ave • 780.757.3105 • info@thehexcafe.com • thehexcafe.com • Each night will be a single campaign that fits in a larger story arc. For all levels of gamers and those brand new or experienced to D&D • Every Tue & Wed, 7pm • $5 (with drink purchase)

DROP-IN LARP • Jackie Parker Park • westernwinds.summerfrost.ca • Battle games and fighter practice using provided safe weapon boffer. An exciting way to get exercise while meeting new people with similar passions • Every Sat, 1:15pm • Free EDMONTON OUTDOOR CLUB (EOC) • edmontonoutdoorclub.com • Offering a variety of fun activities in and around Edmonton • Free to join; info at info@ edmontonoutdoorclub.com

FOOD ADDICTS • Alano Club (& Simply Done Cafe), 10728-124 St • 780.718.7133 (or 403.506.4695 after 7pm) • Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA), free 12-Step recovery program for anyone suffering from food obsession, overeating, under-eating, and bulimia • Meetings every Thu, 7pm

Fort Saskatchewan • 780.907.0201 (Brenda) • A mixed group offering conversation and friendship • Every Sun, 2pm

ADULT DANCE CLASSES • Quantum

LGNYEG • Happy Harbor Comics, 10729-

FORT SASKATCHEWAN 45+ SINGLES COFFEE GROUP • A&W, 10101-88 Ave,

104 Ave NW • happyharborcomics.com • Events may include guest speakers, movie nights, board game nights, video game nights and much more • First Thu of the month, 7-9pm • Free

MONDAY MINGLE • Hexagon Board Game

AIKIKAI AIKIDO CLUB • 10139-87 Ave, Old Strathcona Community League • Japanese Martial Art of Aikido • Every Tue, Thu; 7-9pm

AMITABHA KADAMPA BUDDHIST CENTRE • 9550-87 St • 780.235.8257

Cafe, 10123 Whyte Ave • 780.757.3105 • info@thehexcafe.com • thehexcafe.com • Meet new gamers. Go to the event solo or with a group • Every Mon, 5-11pm • $5 (one drink per person)

VUECLASSIFIEDS 1600.

Volunteers Wanted

Become a Volunteer Advocate and provide assistance to victims of crime and trauma in Strathcona County!

Please call (780) 449-0153.

VUEWEEKLY’S ANNUAL AMATEUR PORNOGRAPHY FESTIVAL RETURNS IN SEPTEMBER, SO WHY NOT GET YOUR STEAMY VIDEOS STARTED NOW?

Can You Read This?

Help Someone Who Can’t!

Volunteer 2 hours a week and help someone improve their Reading, Writing, Math or English Speaking Skills.

Call Valerie at P.A.L.S. 780-424-5514 or email palsvol@shaw.ca

1600.

42 at the back

We are looking for volunteers to help us with a free service for tax season that our participants can access.

‘Make Tax Time Pay’ is through our financial empowerment program alongside E4C. The opportunity is once a week on Mondays during March and April, for approx., 3.5 hours12:00pm-3:30pm.

The easiest way to sign up is to email us enorthey@bissellcentre.org

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

NORTHERN ALBERTA WOOD CARVERS ASSOCIATION • Duggan Community Hall, 3728-106 St • nawca.ca • Meet every Wed, 6:30pm

OPEN DOOR COMIC CREATOR MEETINGS • Happy Harbor Comics, 10729-104 Ave • 780.452.8211 • happyharborcomics.com • Open to any skill level. Meet other artists and writers, glean tricks of the trade and gain tips to help your own work, or share what you've already done • 2nd and 4th Thu of every month, 7pm

ORGANIZATION FOR BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE DISORDER (OBAD) • Grey Nuns Hospital, Rm 0651, obad@shaw.ca; Group meets every Thu, 7-9pm • Free

PAINTING FOR PLEASURE • McDougall United Church, 10086 Macdonald Drive (south entrance) • 780.428.1818 • karenbishopartist@gmail.com • mcdougallunited.com • A weekly group for those who like to paint, draw or otherwise be creative on paper • Every Thu, 10am-noon SCHIZOPHRENIA SOCIETY FAMILY SUPPORT DROP-IN GROUP • Schizophrenia Society of Alberta, 5215-87 St • 780.452.4661 • schizophrenia.ab.ca • The Schizophrenia Society of Alberta offers a variety of services and support programs for those who are living with the illness, family members, caregivers, and friends • 1st and 3rd Thu each month, 7-9pm • Free • Grace United Church annex, 6215-104 Ave • 780.479-8667 (Bob) • bobmurra@telus. net • Low-cost, fun and friendly weight loss group • Every Mon, 6:30pm

TOASTMASTERS • Club Bilingue Toastmasters Meetings: Campus St. Jean: Pavillion McMahon; 780.667.6105 (Willard); clubbilingue.toastmastersclubs.org; Meet every Tue, 7pm • Fabulous Facilitators Toastmasters Club: 9888 Jasper Ave. 10th floor; fabulousfacilitators. toastmastersclubs.org; Meet every Tue, 12:05-1pm • Foresters Toastmaster Club: SEESA, 9350-82 St; 587.596.5277; Every Tue, 7-8:30pm • N'Orators Toastmasters Club: Lower Level, McClure United Church, 13708-74 St: norators.com; meet every Thu, 7pm • Norwood Toastmasters: Norwood Legion, 11150-82 St NW; norwoodtoastmasters.ca; Every Thu, 7:30-9:30pm • Y Toastmasters Club: Queen Alexandra Community League, 10425 University Ave (N door, stairs to the left); yclubtoastmasters@ gmail.com; Meet every Tue, 7-9pm

To Book Your Classifieds, Call 780.426.1996 or email classifieds@vueweekly.com

Volunteers Wanted

BLUEREVUE.CA

rant, 10740-101 St • info@vofa.ca • bit. ly/2hO97nq • First Sat of every month, 9am12pm • Free (confirm via Facebook or email)

TAKE OFF POUNDS SENSIBLY (TOPS)

• End your weekend off right with some West African rhythms performed by Adje Performers at the annual drumming workshop!

Some drums will be available but guests are encouraged to bring their own • Feb 25, 1-4pm • Free

Leap Dance, 11232-163 St • 780.974.0309 • MON: Adult Tap, 7-8pm; Stretch & Strength with Jazz, 8-9:15pm • Wed: Floor Barre 6:45-7:45, Adult Ballet 7:45-9:15pm • Drop in Rate $15.75 (inc. GST); 5, 10, 15 Class passes available

MONTHLY MEDITATION AND VEGAN BRUNCH • Padmanadi Vegetarian Restau-

2005.

Artist to Artist

ART CLASSES FOR ADULTS, YOUTH, AND CHILDREN Check The Paint Spot’s website, paintspot.ca/events/workshops for up-to-date information on art classes for all ages, beginner and intermediate.

Register in person, by phone or online.

Contact: 780.432.0240 email: accounts@paintspot.ca ENJOY ART ALWAYZ www.bdcdrawz.com Check the site every two weeks for new work!

3100. Appliances/Furniture Old Appliance Removal Removal of unwanted appliances. Must be outside or in your garage.

Rates start as low as $30.

Call James @780.231.7511 for details

7005.

Financial Services

Are you in debt with your credit card? Consolidate your credit card for less with rates from 2.3% APR offer. Bad credit or low income okay.

Call 1-800-581-8288.

WILD ROSE ANTIQUE COLLECTORS SOCIETY • Delwood Community Hall, 7515 Delwood Rd • wildroseantiquecollectors. ca • Collecting and researching items from various periods in the history of Edmonton.

Presentations after club business. Visitors welcome • Meets the 4th Mon of every month (except Jul & Dec), 7:30pm

WOMEN'S CRICKET • Meyonohk Elementary School Gym • incogswomens@gmail. com • Learn the game of cricket. The group plays for fun and no experience is necessary.

Kids and men welcome • Mar 16, 7-9pm; Mar 23, 8-9pm; Apr 6, 6-8pm; Apr 13, 6-8pm; Apr 20, 6-8pm

LECTURES/PRESENTATIONS AEROSOL ACADEMY & STREET ART WORKSHOP WITH AJ LOUDEN • Carrot

Coffeehouse, 9351-118 Ave • Artist Aj Louden's Aerosol Academy starts with a visual presentation of the history, culture, tools, and techniques behind graffiti and street art.

Next, practice starts on paper or canvas with paint markers • Feb 23, 7-9:30pm • Free

A PEOPLE’S HISTORY OF PALESTINE, PRESENTATION AND BOOK LAUNCH WITH DR. RAMZY BAROUD • Edmonton Clinic Health Academy (ECHA), Room 1-182 (Corner of 114 St & 87 Ave, U of A) • Gazaborn Palestinian author and journalist Ramzy Baroud will discuss the themes of his new book, The Last Earth: A Palestinian Story, and what the history of the Palestinian struggle can teach us about the current situation and prospects for justice in Palestine • Mar 5, 7pm

GLASS B LOWING CLASSES WITH PIXIE GLASSWORKS • Pixie Glassworks, 932260 Ave • 780.436.4460 • pixieglassworks. com/pages/classes • Offering three levels in each of: hollow body work, implosions, sculpture, pipe-making and beads. Call to book • Every Mon, Wed, Thu, 6-9pm (no classes on holidays) • $150 (plus GST)

GREAT EXPEDITIONS TRAVEL SLIDE • St. Luke’s Anglican Church, 84240-95 Ave • 780.469.3270 (Gerry Staring), 780.435.6406 (John Woollard), 780.454.6216 (Sylvia Krogh) • Jamaica (Mar 5) • First Mon of the month, 7:30pm • $3 donation (guests are asked to bring snacks to share); everyone welcome LASERALBERTA: AI, GAMES, AND CREATIVITY • University of Alberta, Telus 1-50, Telus Centre, University of Alberta, 11104-87 Ave • Featuring three globally renowned artists, designers and scientists to cross pollinate their research and creativity by presenting their own work. The theme is AI, music, gaming and creativity with speakers Vadim Bulitko, Scott Smallwood, and Mac Walters • Feb 28, 6-7:30pm

LETTING GO OF ANXIETY: A FEARLESS LIFE • Zeidler Hall, Citadel Theatre, 9828-101A Ave • 780.235.8257 • info@ meditationedmonton.org • With Buddhist Teacher Kadam Kelly Loeffelmann. Hosted by the Amitabha Kadampa Buddhist Centre • Feb 27, 9-10:30pm • $15 (adv, via Citadel website), $18 (door)

MARIE HENEIN: REFLECTIONS ON JUSTICE AND LEADERSHIP • Chateau Lacombe, 10111 Bellamy Hill Rd • Hosting lawyer, feminist and mother, Marie Henein as part of the EPL Forward Thinking Speaker series. Weaving in her experience with the Canadian legal system and her high profile cases, she will share her experiences with justice, social change, intellectual freedom and on finding success as a woman in a male-dominated industry • Feb 27, 7-8:30pm • $10-$75 (via Eventbrite)

OVERCOME ANGER | HALF DAY RETREAT • Amitabha Kadampa Buddhist Centre, 9550-87 St • 780.235.8257 • info@ meditationedmonton.org • meditationedmonton.org • Learn to identify your mind of anger, reduce your frustration and channel your thoughts in a more positive way • Feb 24, 10-1pm • $35 (free for members)

SPIRITUALITY VS. CULTURE • Faculty of Extension, Enterprise Square, 10230 Jasper Ave, Room 2-520 A (2nd floor, new classroom space) • macrae@ualberta.ca • Can someone be Indigenous and a Christian? Can someone be a Christian and walk the ‘Red Road’? A lecture with Sharon Anne Pasula exploring spirituality and culture • Feb 22, 12-1pm • Free

10pm • $20 (adults), $15 (students/seniors),

QUEER

$40 (family–at door only)

AFFIRM GROUP • garysdeskcom@ hotmail.com • mcdougallunited.com • Part of the United Church network supporting LGBTQ men and women • Meet the last Sun of every month at State & Main (101 St and Jasper Ave) for coffee and conversation at 12:30pm; Special speaker events are held throughout the year over lunch at McDougall Church

BEERS FOR QUEERS • Empress Ale House, 9912-82 Ave • With DJ Jos • Last Thu of every month • Free • 18+ only

EVOLUTION WONDERLOUNGE • 10220103 St • 780.424.0077 • yourgaybar.com • Mon: Drag Race in the White Room; 7pm • Wed: Monthly games night/trivia • Thu: Happy hour, 6-8pm; Karaoke, 7-12:30am • Fri: Flashback Friday with your favourite hits of the 80s/90s/2000s; rotating drag and burlesque events • Sat: Rotating DJs Velix and Suco • Sun: Weekly drag show, 10:30pm G.L.B.T.Q SENIORS GROUP • S.A.G.E Bldg, main floor Cafe, 15 Sir Winston Churchill Square • 780.4235510 (Sage) • tuff69@telus.net • Meeting for gay seniors, and for any seniors who have gay family members and would like some guidance • Every Tue, 1-4pm

LOCAL LOVE PRESENTED BY BLUSH MAGAZINE • Epcor Tower 16th Floor,

JONESIN’ CROSSWORD

Matt Jones jonesincrosswords@vueweekly.com

“It’s All Downhill”--make a run for it.

10423-101 St • hello@local-love.ca • locallove.ca • A wedding showcase that offers an alternative experience to traditional larger bridal fairs. Featuring local bridal vendors and more • Feb 25, 11am-4pm • Tickets available via Eventbrite

SEARCH FOR VALUABLE WORKS OF ART • Fairmont Hotel MacDonald, Parlour Room, 10065-100 St • 1.866.931.8415 • rsvp@consignor.ca • consignor.ca • People are invited to bring in works of art for free verbal valuations and the chance to discover that they could be in possession of a hidden gem worth thousands of dollars • Feb 27, 9am-4pm • Free

SKIRTSAFIRE FESTIVAL • Various venues along Alberta Avenue • skirtsafire.com • A four day multidisciplinary arts festival that celebrates diversity, and empowers, develops, supports and showcases women-identified artists • Mar 8-11 • Admission by donation SNOWSHOE & STARGAZE • Astotin Lake,

PRIDE CENTRE OF EDMONTON • Pride Centre of Edmonton, 2nd Floor, 10618-105 Ave • Wheelchair-accessible elevator at 10610 105 Avenue • (780) 488-3234 • pridecentreofedmonton.org/calendar.html • OFFICE & DROP IN HOURS: Mon-Fri 12-7pm; Closed Sat-Sun and holidays • YOGA: (all ages), 2nd and 4th Mon of every month • TTIQ: (18+ Trans Group) 2nd Mon of every month, 7-9pm • TRANS YOUTH GROUP & PARENTS/CAREGIVERS SUPPORT: (24 and under) 3rd Mon of every month, 7-9pm • FIERCE FUN : (24 and under) Biweekly Tue, 7-9pm, games and activities for youth • JAMOUT: (12-24) Biweekly Tue, 7-8:30pm, music mentorship and instruction for youth • TWO SPIRIT GATHERING: 4th Wed of every month, 6-8pm, gathering for First Nations Two Spirit people • MEN’S SOCIAL CIRCLE: (18+) 1st and 3rd Thu, 7-9pm, for anyone masculine-identified • WOMEN’S SOCIAL CIRCLE: (18+) 2nd and 4th Thu, 7-9pm, for anyone feminineidentified • MOVIES & GAMES NIGHT: Biweekly Fri, 6-8:30pm • ARTS & IDENTITY: Biweekly Fri, 6-8:30pm • CREATING SAFER SPACES TRAINING : Interactive professional development workshops, with full or half-day options • QUEER YOUTH MENTORING: (Youth: 12–24) (Adults 26+)

TEAM EDMONTON • Locations vary • teamedmonton.ca • LGBTQ2+ inclusive.

Various sports and recreation activities.

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Elk Island National Park • 780.922.5790 • bit.ly/2iZcFmp • Trek over snow and gaze into a star-filled sky. Following a short guided hike on snowshoes, attendees will enjoy snacks around a fire and learn about the night sky above • Feb 24, Mar 10; 7-9pm • $29.80 (book via phone)

SWING 'N' SKATE • City Hall, City Room & Plaza, 1 Sir Winston Churchill Square • 780.970.7766 • brasko@edmontonarts.ca • edmontonarts.ca/churchillsquare • Local bands bring the swing with live jazz and big band music. Music will be broadcast outside to enjoy while skating on the Plaza • Every Sun, Jan 7-Feb 25, 1-4pm • Free

THURSDAYS TBD TO BE DISCOVERED • Legislative Assembly Visitor Centre, Edmonton Federal Building, Main floor, 9820107 St • 780.427.7362 • assembly.ab.ca/ visitorcentre/events.html • Visitors can look forward to an array of guest speakers, film screenings, free concerts and more • Every Thu, Oct 5-Mar 1, 6-8pm • Free

WINTER ADVENTURE WEEK AT ELK ISLAND NATIONAL PARK • Elk Island National Park - Astotin Lake Recreation Area, 1- 54401 Range Road 203, Fort Saskatchewan • 780.92.5790 • elk.island@pc.gc.ca • Featuring snowshoeing, skating, wildlife viewing, and drop-in programs • Feb 19-25 • National Park admission applies in 2018 for those who are 18+

Edmonton Winefest 2018 Shaw Conference Centre, Hall D Feb 16-17

• ThreeBattles.com • A traditional approach with lots of individual attention. Free introductory classes • Tue evenings & Sat mornings

SPECIAL EVENTS CARROT BY MOONLIGHT • Carrot Cof-

feehouse, 9351-118 Ave • Why celebrate love for only one day of the year? Bring your sweetheart, companion or group of friends to enjoy wine and cheese pairings, charcuterie platters, dessert table. Love music by Fernando Munoz • Feb 24, 7-10pm • $55 (plus GST)

ICE CASTLES • Hawrelak Park, 9330 Groat Road • icecastles.com/edmonton • Opening for a third winter, featuring a tubular ice slide, small tunnels and crevasses to crawl through • Every Fri-Sun, Mon, Wed until weather permitting • $9.95-$20

ISOUNDTRACK • Robert Tegler Student Centre, Concordia University, 7128 Ada Boulevard • 780.479.9304 • jennifer.maxfield@concordia.ab.ca • The Concordia Symphony Orchestra presents music from Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Harry Potter plus others. Fun includes preconcert talks on music in Tolkien’s world and how soundtrack supports narrative in Lord of the Rings, art auction and more • Feb 28, 6:30-

Across

1 Bread that may or may not have seeds 4 Unit of heat energy 9 Copier problems 13 Mall entrance features 15 Cartoon dad who’s had over 100 jobs 16 Musk of SpaceX 17 Poet who excels at short comedy scenes?

19 Queen abandoned by Aeneas, in myth 20 “Wabbit” hunter Fudd 21 Red or Yalu, e.g.

22 “Ad astra per ___” (Kansas’s motto) 25 Furor 27 Crisis responder, for short 28 Radar reading 29 1950s nostalgia group with a TV show in the 1970s 33 “That’s right!”

34 Just briefly reads the rules to a classic arcade game?

38 Early photo color 40 Reed or Rawls 41 Slovenia neighbor 42 Someone who’s an expert at sliding out?

45 $, for short (well, not really, being three characters) 46 Disregards 47 “There Will Be Blood” actor Paul 48 Many corp. logos 51 A, in Berlin 52 Hockey players, slangily 54 Trail follower 56 Not significant 58 Julia of “Addams Family Values” 59 Request to a supervisor to avoid something?

64 Prefix for present or potent 65 “___ Burr, Sir” (song from “Hamilton”) 66 Days of long ago 67 Ten-speed, e.g.

68 Air freshener brand 69 Predicament

7 “Can’t Fight This Feeling” band ___ Speedwagon 8 “The A-Team” regular 9 “Star Wars: The Last ___” 10 Still in the game 11 Wi-fi device 12 Derisive sound 14 High-priced 18 35mm camera option 21 Repair, as a loose board 22 Bottomless depth 23 Streamlined 24 Longstocking of kiddie lit 25 Provide coverage for 26 Grammy category division 30 Hotelier Conrad, or his great-granddaughter Paris 31 Love, in Le Havre 32 Take the stage 34 Reproductive rights pioneer Margaret 35 Palindromic formality 36 On one’s own 37 Stocking stuff 39 Ugandan dictator Amin 43 Indie rocker DiFranco 44 Foolhardy 47 Word after roller or Kentucky 48 Pulsate 49 Home of the Heat 50 Mammal with a defensive spray 53 Hotel room extra 55 Peace Nobelist Wiesel 56 Actress Sorvino in 2016’s “Exposed” 57 Device with the Nano discontinued in 2017 59 Hang down 60 Actor Penn 61 “That’s gotta hurt” 62 ___ Lanka 63 Masters and Johnson research subject ©2018 Jonesin’ Crosswords

Down

/ Supplied

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5 Dig this!

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SAVAGELOVE BIPHOBIC INSECURITY

I’m an 18-year-old female. I’m cisgender and bisexual. I’ve been in a monogamous relationship with my cisgender bisexual boyfriend for about a year. I’m currently struggling with a lot of internalized biphobia and other hang-ups about my boyfriend’s sexuality. I don’t know if I’m projecting my own issues onto him or if I’m just being bigoted towards bi men, but either way, I feel truly awful about it.

But when I think about the fact that he’s bi and is attracted to men, I become jealous and fearful that he will leave me for a man or that he would rather be with a man. (I’ve been with men and women in the past; he’s never been with a man.) I know it is unfair of me to feel this way and he’s never given me any real reason to fear this. We have a very engaged, kinky, and rewarding sex life. But I worry I’m not what he really wants. This situation is further complicated by the near-certainty that my boyfriend has some sort of hormonal disorder. He has a very young face for an 18-year-old, a feminine figure, and not a lot of body hair. He orgasms, but he does not ejaculate; and although he has a sizable penis, his testicles are more like the size of grapes than eggs. He struggles a lot with feeling abnormal and un-masculine. I try to be as supportive as possible and tell him how attracted to him I am and how he’ll get through whatever this is. But he can tell his bi-ness makes me nervous and uncomfortable. I think that because he appears more feminine than most men and is more often hit on by men than women, I worry that he would feel more comfortable or ‘normal’ with a man. I don’t want to contribute to him feeling abnormal or bad about himself. How do I stop worrying that he’s gay or would be happier with a man? I feel horrible about myself for these anxieties considering that I’m bi too, and should know better.

ANONYMOUS NERVOUS GIRLFRIEND SEEKS TRANQUILITY “Many people who encounter us Bi+ folk in the wild just project their insecurities onto us with impunity and then blame us for it,” said RJ Aguiar, a bisexual activist and content creator whose work has been featured on Buzzfeed, HuffPo, Queerty and other sites.

“As someone who’s bi herself, I’m sure ANGST know this all too well.” So if you’ve been on the receiving end of biphobia— as almost all bisexual people have—why are you doing it to your bisexual boyfriend? “This hypothetical so-and-so-is-goingto-leave-me-for-someone-hotter scenario could happen to anyone of any orientation,” said Aguiar.

“But maybe because the potential ‘pool of applicants’ is over twice as big for us Bi+ folk, we get stuck

Dan Savage savagelove@vueweekly.com

with twice as much of this irrational fear? I don’t know. But here’s what I do know: most Biphobia (and jealousy for that matter) is projected insecurity. Built into the fear that someone will leave you because they ‘like x or y better’ is the assumption that you yourself aren’t good enough.”

And while feelings of insecurity and jealousy can undermine a relationship, ANGST, they don’t have to. It all depends on how you address them when they arise.

“We all have our moments!” said Aguiar. “But we can turn these moments into opportunities for open communication and intimacy rather than moments of isolation and shame.

That way they end up bringing you closer, rather than drive this invisible wedge between you. The key is to understand that feelings aren’t always rational. But if we can share those feelings with the person we love without fear of judgment or reprisal, it can help create a space of comfort and intimacy that no piece of ass will ever be able to compete with—no matter how hot they are or what they may or may not have between their legs.”

As for the reasons you’re feeling insecure—your boyfriend might be gay and/or happier with a man—I’m not going to lie to you, ANGST. Your boyfriend could be gay (some people who aren’t bisexual identify as bi before coming out as gay or lesbian), and/or he could one day realize that he’d be happier with a man (just as you could one day realize that you’d be happier with a woman). But your wonderful sex life—your engaging, kinky, rewarding sex life—is pretty good evidence that your boyfriend isn’t gay.

(I was one of those guys who identified as bi before coming out as gay, ANGST, and I had girlfriends and the sex we had was far from wonderful.)

And now I’m going tell you something you no doubt already know: very few people wind up spending their lives with the person they were dating at 18.

You and your boyfriend are both in the process of figuring out who you are and what you want. It’s possible he’ll realize you’re not the person he wants to be with, ANGST, but it’s also possible you’ll realize he’s not the person you want to be with.

Stop worrying about the next six or seven decades of your life—stop worrying about forever—and enjoy this time and this boy and this relationship for however long it lasts.

Finally, ANGST, on the off chance your boyfriend hasn’t spoken to a doctor about his symptoms—because he’s an uninsured/underinsured/unlucky American or because he’s been too embarrassed to bring up the size of his balls and quality of ejaculations with his par-

ents and/or doctor—I shared your letter with Dr. John Amory, Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington.

“An 18-year-old male with testicles the ‘size of grapes’ indicates an issue with testicular development,” said Dr. Amory. “The reduced testicular volume, in combination with the other features, such as his feminine face and sparse body hair, also suggest an issue with testicular function.”

It could simply be delayed puberty—some people suddenly grow six inches when they get to college—or it could be something called Klinefelter syndrome.

“Klinefelter syndrome occurs in one out of every 500 males and is associated with small testicular volume and decreased testosterone,” said Dr. Amory. “This diagnosis is frequently missed because the penis is normal in size and the men are normal in most other ways, although about half of men with Klinefelter syndrome (KS) can have breast enlargement (gynecomastia) that can be seen as feminizing. Bottom line: small testes at age 18 means it’s time for a doctor’s visit—probably an endocrinologist or urologist—to take a family history, do an examination, and consider measurement of testosterone and some other hormones. This should help him understand if he ‘just needs to wait’ or if he has a diagnosis that could be treated.

There is a real possibility that he has KS, which is usually treated with testosterone to improve muscle mass, bone density, and sexual function.”

Follow RJ Aguiar on Twitter @ rj4gui4r.

A WEE BIT OF KINK

I’m a 27-year-old woman whose boyfriend recently broke up with her. Along with the usual feelings of grief and heartbreak, I’m feeling a lot of guilt

about how I handled our sex life, which was one of the main issues in our breakup. My now ex-boyfriend was interested in BDSM and a kink-oriented lifestyle, and I experimented with that for him. I attended several play parties, went to a five-daylong kink camp with him, and tried out many of his BDSM fantasies. The problem became that, hard as I tried, I just wasn’t very interested in that lifestyle and parts of it made me very uncomfortable. I was game to do the lighter stuff (spanking, bondage), but just couldn’t get behind the more extreme things. I disappointed him because I “went along with it” only to decide I wasn’t into it and that I unfairly represented my interest in his lifestyle. Did I do something wrong? What should I have done?

BASICALLY A LITTLE KINKY All you’re guilty of doing, BALK, is exactly what kinksters everywhere hope their vanilla partners will do. You gave it a try—you were good, giving, and game enough to explore BDSM with and for him—and sometimes that works, e.g. someone who always thought of themselves as vanilla goes to a play party or a five-day-long kink camp and suddenly realizes, hey, I’m pretty kinky, too! But it doesn’t always work. Since the alternative to “went along with it” was “never gave it a chance,” BALK, your ex-boyfriend should be giving you credit for trying, not grief for supposedly misleading him.

On the Lovecast, Dan chats with rival advice columnist Roxane Gay: savagelovecast.com. mail@savagelove.net @FakeDanSavage on Twitter ITMFA.org

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

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FREEWILL ASTROLOGY ARIES (March 21-April 19): When you’re playing poker, a wild card refers to a card that can be used as any card the cardholder wants it to be. If the two of hearts is deemed wild before the game begins, it can be used as an ace of diamonds, jack of clubs, queen of spades, or anything else. That’s always a good thing. In the game of life, a wild card is the arrival of an unforeseen element that affects the flow of events unpredictably. It might derail your plans, or alter them in ways that are at first inconvenient but ultimately beneficial. It may even cause them to succeed in an even more interesting fashion than you imagined they could. I bring this up, Aries, because I suspect that you’ll be in the wild card season during the next four weeks. Any and all of the above definitions may apply. Be on alert for unusual luck.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): If you gorge on 10 pounds of chocolate in the next 24 hours, you will get sick. Please don’t do that. Limit your intake to no more than a pound. Follow a similar policy with any other pleasurable activity. Feel emboldened to surpass your normal dosage, yes, but avoid ridiculous overindulgence. Now is one of the rare times when visionary artist William Blake’s maxim is applicable: “The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom.” So is his corollary, “You never know what is enough until you know what is more than enough.” But keep in mind that Blake didn’t say, “The road of foolish, reckless exorbitance leads to the palace of wisdom.”

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Have you ever had a rousing insight about an action that would improve your life, but then you failed to summon the willpower to actually take that action?

Have you resolved to embark on some new behaviour that would be good for you, but then found yourself unable to carry it out?

Most of us have experienced these frustrations. The ancient Greeks had a word for it: akrasia. I bring it up, Gemini, because I suspect you may be less susceptible to akrasia in the next four weeks than you have ever been. I bet you will consistently have the courage and command to actually follow through on what your intuition tells you is in your best interests.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): “There is no such thing as a failed experiment,” said inventor Buckminster Fuller, “only experiments with unexpected outcomes.” That’s an excellent guideline for you to keep in mind during the coming weeks.

You’re entering a phase of your astrological cycle when questions are more important than answers, when explorations are more essential than discoveries, and when

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VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 22 - FEB 28, 2018

curiosity is more useful than knowledge. There will be minimal value in formulating a definitive concept of success and then trying to achieve it. You will have more fun and you will learn more by continually redefining success as you wander and ramble.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): During World War II, British code-breakers regularly intercepted and deciphered top-secret radio messages that high-ranking German soldiers sent to each other. Historians have concluded that these heroes shortened the war by at least two years. I bring this to your attention, Leo, in the hope that it will inspire you. I believe your own metaphorical codebreaking skills will be acute in the coming weeks. You’ll be able to decrypt messages that have different meanings from what they appear to mean. You won’t get fooled by deception and misdirection. This knack will enable you to hone in on the elusive truths that are circulating—thus saving you from unnecessary and irrelevant turmoil.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In April 1972, three American astronauts climbed into a spacecraft and took a trip to the moon and back. On the second day of the 11-day jaunt, pilot Ken Mattingly removed and misplaced his wedding ring.

In the zero-gravity conditions, it drifted off and disappeared somewhere in the cabin. Nine days later, on the way home, Mattingly and Charlie Duke did a space walk. When they opened the hatch and slipped outside, they found the wedding ring floating in the blackness of space. Duke was able to grab it and bring it in. I suspect that in the coming weeks, you will recover a lost or missing item in an equally unlikely location, Virgo. Or perhaps your retrieval will be of a more metaphorical kind: a dream, a friendship, an opportunity.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): According to British philosopher Alain de Botton, “Maturity begins with the capacity to sense and, in good time and without defensiveness, admit to our own craziness.” He says that our humble willingness to be embarrassed by our confusion and mistakes and doubts is key to understanding ourselves. I believe these meditations will be especially useful for you in the coming weeks, Libra.

They could lead you to learn and make use of robust new secrets of self-mastery.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): During the next four weeks, there are three activities I suspect you should indulge in at an elevated rate: laughter, dancing, and sex.

The astrological omens suggest that these pursuits will bring you even more health benefits than

Rob Brezsny freewill@vueweekly.com

usual. They will not only give your body, mind, and soul the precise exercise they need most; they will also make you smarter and kinder and wilder. Fortunately, the astrological omens also suggest that laughter, dancing, and sex will be even more easily available to you than they normally are.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The little voices in your head may have laryngitis, but they’re still spouting their cracked advice.

Here’s another curiosity: You are extra-attuned to the feelings and thoughts of other people. I’m tempted to speculate that you’re at least temporarily telepathic.

There’s a third factor contributing to the riot in your head: People you were close to earlier in your life are showing up to kibitz you in your nightly dreams.

In response, I bid you to bark “Enough!” at all these meddlers.

You have astrological permission to tell them to pipe down so you can hear yourself think.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Paleontologist Jack Horner says that developmental biologists are halfway toward being able to create a chickenosaurus— a creature that is genetically a blend of a chicken and a dinosaur. This project is conceivable because there’s an evolutionary link between the ancient reptile and the modern bird. Now is a favourable time for you to contemplate metaphorically similar juxtapositions and combinations, Capricorn. For the foreseeable future, you’ll have extra skill and savvy in the art of amalgamation.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “Be stubborn about your goals but flexible about your methods.” That’s the message I saw on a woman’s t-shirt today. It’s the best possible advice for you to hear right now. To further drive home the point, I’ll add a quote from productivity consultant David Allen: “Patience is the calm acceptance that things can happen in a different order than the one you have in mind.”

Are you willing to be loyal and true to your high standards, Aquarius, even as you improvise to uphold and fulfill them?

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In her novel The Round House, writer Louise Erdrich reminisces about how hard it was, earlier in her life, to yank out the trees whose roots had grown into the foundation of her family’s house. “How funny, strange, that a thing can grow so powerful even when planted in the wrong place,” she says. Then she adds, “ideas, too.” Your first assignment in the coming weeks, my dear Pisces, is to make sure that nothing gets planted in the wrong place. Your second assignment is to focus all your intelligence and love on locating the right places for new seeds to be planted.

CURTIS HAUSER

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