1162: Portugal. The Man

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Empire of the Son 6 A Taste of Madness at Rutherford Manor 16

ISSUE: 1162 • FEB 01 – FEB 07, 2018

DESTINATION DOUGHNUTS 5

EMPIRE OF THE SON 6

HMS PINAFORE 7

PORTUGAL. THE MAN 15 A TASTE OF MADNESS 16

FRONT // 3 DISH // 4 ARTS // 6 FILM // 11 SNOWZONE // 12 MUSIC // 15 LISTINGS

ARTS // 10 MUSIC // 18 EVENTS // 19 ADULT // 20 CLASSIFIED // 21

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DYER STRAIGHT

DRIFTING INTO DANGEROUS WATERS I

Congo slides closer to civil war as regime decides its presidential candidate

f nothing else, you have to admire Joseph Kabila’s cheek. On Saturday, at his first press conference in seven years, the long-serving president of the Democratic Republic of Congo said: “We have to have elections as scheduled.” But they were scheduled for December of 2016.

Kabila had been in office for 14 years by then, but somehow he had forgotten that you need an upto-date voters’ list before you can hold an election. So he generously offered to stay in office as president

for another year while this was done, even though he was not allowed to run for a third term as president.

The various opposition parties and the Catholic Church, which has immense influence in the DRC, were not greatly pleased by that. However, they reluctantly agreed to go along with it and the election was rescheduled for December 2017.

As it became clear that the deadline would not be met the demonstrations and protests multiplied, and the ‘security forces’ grew more

POLITICAL INTERFERENCE

OF PIPELINES AND EMISSION TARGETS R

Contradiction in government policy stifles forward progress in Alberta

emember the Keystone XL Pipeline? This was TransCanada’s big, new pipeline project that was supposed to carry product from the Alberta oil sands all the way to Nebraska and further on to the Gulf Coast.

Barack Obama rejected the project in November of 2015 and Donald Trump brought back to life in one of his first acts as president.

After Trump revived TransCanada’s proposal, the project received a further boost last November when the Nebraska Public Service Commission approved the pipeline’s passage through that state, albeit on a different, more expensive route than the one originally proposed by the company.

After the Nebraska decision, TransCanada set out to see if it could line up enough potential customers to keep their Keystone XL dreams alive.

Apparently, they had some success on this front as well.

A couple of weeks ago, TransCanada announced that it had secured a number of 20-year commitments from customers who would ship a total of 500,000 barrels per day through the pipeline. Certainly they didn’t get enough commitments to fill the pipeline’s proposed capacity of 830,000 barrels per day, but apparently the commitments received are enough for the company to announce that it now hopes to begin construction on the pipeline next year.

On the surface, this may look like just one more step in the on-againoff-again saga of the Keystone XL pipeline. What makes TransCanada’s announcement particularly interest-

ing is the identity of one of the customers that signed on to a 20-year commitment with the pipeline.

On the same day that TransCanada made their announcement, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley announced that the Government of Alberta, through the Alberta Petroleum Marketing Commission, which it owns, had been one of the customers signing 20-year agreements with the pipeline company. In fact, the Government of Alberta committed in writing to shipping at least 50,000 barrels a day down the pipeline for the next 20 years.

Although Notley asserted to reporters that this should not be seen as a subsidy, she did make clear that part of the government’s rationale for the guaranteed shipping capacity was to ensure that the project received the commercial support needed to get it in the ground. The Government of Alberta’s 10 percent of secured commitments probably wasn’t a dealmaker in and of itself, but there is a high probability that it helped boost confidence in the project among other potential customers. The project has been all but dead on numerous occasions over the past number of years, and this commitment by the province is definitely one of the factors in its recent revival.

The other reason provided by Notley for supporting the project is the oft-repeated argument that getting Alberta product to tidewater will increase its selling price significantly.

This argument has now been refuted a few times by a number of analysts and researchers, including a couple by noted Earth scientist David Hughes.

‘public opinion,’ and beyond Kinshasa, the capital, almost all political loyalties are tribal.

Democracy is important, and for most African countries—for most countries anywhere—it is the best solution. But the Congo is too big, too poor and too ethnically fragmented for that to work yet. Elections are symbolically important because they embody the principles of popular sovereignty and the rule of law, but everybody who might actually get elected belongs to a small privileged elite.

A relatively small part of that group, the ‘security elite,’ have actually been running everything since the turn of the century, and the first order of business must be for them to make a deal on who their candidate will be at the next election. Whoever that is will certainly win, and it hardly matters whether it is Kabila or somebody else. Those behind the scenes will still pull the strings.

Until they reach an agreement about the regime’s candidate, the country will continue to drift, and it is drifting into dangerous waters.

repressive: a recent UN report found that state agents had carried out 1,176 killings in 2017. Late last year Kabila declared that the elections would have to be postponed again, to December 2018.

“Kabila does not have any intention to leave power,” says Felix Tshisekedi, a prominent opposition leader, after the latest postponement. “His strategy is to spread chaos across the country and then delay elections because he’ll claim there is too much violence.”

The violence is certainly increasing, and there is a serious risk that Congo is sliding back towards civil war, but it’s too simple to blame it all on Kabila.

Joseph Kabila came to power when his father Laurent-Desire Kabila, a warlord who had emerged victorious in the first civil war in 1997, was assassinated in 2001. He was only 29 at the time (although his father had already made him army chief of staff), and he had no political following of his own.

He has subsequently become very rich, but he is still not a powerful figure in his own right. He was put in office by the security forces, now dominated by the men who led his

father’s rebel army, and he remains largely a figurehead while they make the real decisions. The problem is that they can’t decide who should replace him.

It’s all about who has access to resources within the regime, but meanwhile 81 million Congolese are being dragged towards another civil war. The last one, in 1998-2003, killed at least five million Congolese, mostly from hunger and disease. They do not need another.

Somehow, however, the higher price argument persists.

of federal government commitments through the Paris climate agreement, Phillips responded, “We are putting in policies that get results. We are less interested in theoretical targets; we are more interested in actual action.”

There can be no doubt that this government has made important progress on the environmental policy and climate change fronts, especially when one considers the complete inaction of the previous government in those areas. The government is now projecting actual emissions reductions between now and 2030, something that would have been unfathomable just three short years ago.

The problem is that the government actually appears to be working at cross purposes to itself when it comes to climate and the environment. When it speaks the language of fossil-fuel-based competitiveness

and growth, it actually reinforces the message that the needs of the environment come second to the needs of the oil and gas industry.

International emissions targets are based on internationally agreed upon scientific modelling of what it will take to keep global temperature rise beneath catastrophic levels—science that the Government of Alberta has made clear it agrees with. How can that same government now be ignoring those targets and dedicating public resources for the sake of getting a pipeline built and expanding fossil fuel production? Yes, theoretical and rhetorical targets can be meaningless, but without targets and goals we will never get to where we are going, especially when it comes to environment in Alberta.

LEARN

MEET

One of the subjects that Notley did not address with reporters was that of how increased shipping capacity, which in turn would facilitate and encourage further expansion of bitumen production, conflicts with the province’s 100 megatonne limit on oilsands emissions and its ongoing commitment to helping Canada meet its national and international climate commitments.

Environment Minister Shannon Phillips’ comments in response to questions about the 2016-2017 progress report on the province’s Climate Leadership Plan might shed some light on why these things were not mentioned.

When asked about the fact that current projections have the government significantly missing its share

There is already heavy fighting between militia groups and the army in the east and south-east, with the majority of the casualties, as usual, being civilians. It would be comforting to believe that an election could stop all this, but it can’t.

What is required is a strong and reasonably honest government that can reassert control over this huge country, the poorest in the world.

It is sheer fantasy to imagine that a country bigger than all of Western Europe, but with less in the way of all-weather roads than tiny Luxembourg and a per capita income of about a dollar a day, can be saved by a free election. Communications are so poor that there is no genuine

VISIT

THE CAMPUS

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ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS

Gwynne Dyer dyer@vueweekly.com

Ricardo Acuña ricardo@vueweekly.com

WITH FACULTY AND ADVISORS

front 3

(Centre) Beef brisket vermicelli in soup, (right) bacon wrapped shrimp / JProcktor

CHINESE

Cui Hua Gui Lin Noodle House 10626 97 St. 780.497.8280

I

Cui Hua Gui Lin Noodle House’s standout soup experience on 97 Street

t seems I’ve spent January dashing between vegan restaurants (see: last week and the week before) and Chinese noodle houses.

To be sure, January is the beginning of noodle season, with solar and lunar New Year’s observances necessitating the consumption

of noodles to invite the blessing of longevity, and the fact that it’s so shit-ass cold you could stand to eat soup at every meal.

An additional inducement to eat noodles came in the form of Edmonton’s inaugural Chinatown Dining Week, which ran January

Daawat AUTHENTIC INDIAN CUISINE

LUNCH & DINNER BUFFET MON-SAT 11AM-11PM SUNDAY 11AM-10PM 10015-82 ave (whyte avenue) 780-469-3517 Order online@daawat.ca

4 dish

20 to 28. Following the lead of Downtown Dining Week, five Chinatown restaurants offered a special menu for a set price (in this case, appetizer and entrée for $15). Though few, the restos constituted a reasonable variety, with Thai and Vietnamese represented, as well as a hot-pot place where you make your soup at the table (Taipan’s nod to the traditions of the Chinese-Canadian diner, and the present subject).

Cui Hua Gui Lin Noodle House, or just Gui Lin as the spanking new illuminated sign above the door has it, is as clean and cheerful of a Chinatown restaurant as you’re likely to find. In fact, it strongly resembles the freshly refurbished Vietnamese restaurant that preceded it in the space—with a flat screen TV tuned to sports, laminated menus taped to the walls by way of decoration, and an enclosed foyer so the temperature in the entire room doesn’t drop five degrees every time someone opens the front door. As such, there’s not an especially bad seat in the house, presided over by a friendly young couple in matching green golf shirts.

Guilin is a region in Southeast China where Cantonese and Hunanese cuisine have collided and

produced a distinctive style of rice noodles—similar to standardgauge spaghetti—and soup. Soup is mostly what Cui Hua does, but there are surprise items like fried macaroni, salt and pepper duck necks and a “spice-corned egg”— more on that in a moment.

Their special Chinatown Dining menu paired one of their noodle soups—which normally run $11$13 depending on your choice of meat—with a couple skewers of bacon-wrapped shrimp that do not appear to be part of their regular menu. Served with sweet chili dipping sauce, they were a delicious afterthought, simple and tasty but not really indicative of the joint’s prowess.

That expertise was evident in the beef brisket noodle soup, which arrives at the table within a couple of minutes of ordering.

Fragrant, clear broth laced with green onion and cilantro is loaded with supple rice noodles, tomato wedges, two kinds of greens and tender chunks of slow-roasted beef brisket throughout, with a hint of spice boosting its warming power. The first mouthful conferred a surprise: some of the greens in the broth were pickled and sprung a sweet, vinegary tang on my tastebuds. Each bite conveyed a tantalizing permutation of ingredients and I slurped

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2018

so eagerly that I had to put aside my steamed, spattered eyeglasses mid-meal.

Co-diner and I were so satisfied that we returned a few days later, after a snowshoeing expedition on Accidental Beach left us chilled to the bone. I was determined to try something different, but instead had virtually the same thing but with barbecued pork. I’d stick with the brisket in the future, but there was nothing wrong with the tender, flavourful porks slices and their distinctive pink rind. At first, I thought the kitchen had been stingy, but it turned out the pork was just trapped under all the noodles and there was plenty to get me to the bottom of the bowl.

Co-diner had the Lo-style beef brisket with vermicelli. This noodle bowl added peanuts and fried garlic slices to the ingredients in the soup, and the broth comes on the side to add as you see fit, or consume on its own. It did give us a chance to try the broth on its own, which allowed it to show off its gingery complexity. Because it cost just a dollar to find out what it was, we invested in a spicecorned egg. Corn didn’t appear to enter into it, but it was a hardboiled egg tinted by soya sauce the mostly dingy ingredients of five-spice powder—cinnamon, star anise, cloves, fennel, Szechuan pepper—which had permeated the egg. Yummy.

So I got what I wanted out of Chinatown Dining Week: an introduction to a new soup standby on 97 Street. Hopefully it was a successful enough experiment for the participating restaurants that the event returns in 2019 with even more cheap, clean, cheerful places with distinctive food waiting to make my acquaintance.

Scott Lingley dish@vueweekly.com

GOURMET DOUGHNUTS

SOFT SPOT FOR TAN LINES

Father and daughter duo Arlyn and Jill Sturwold open Edmonton’s newest doughnuttery

I

Destination Doughnuts 10548 124 St. 780.970.4404 destinationdoughnuts.ca

t’s not the most common way to inspect a doughnut, but Arlyn Sturwold and his daughter Jill like to point out the state of their dunkers’ “tan lines”—the deep golden colour on the top and bottom of the pastry, with the unblemished near-porcelainwhite separating them in a ring around the middle.

No they’re not really crazy, just deeply passionate about their product.

It began when Jill went to Toronto for a business trip. Always one to make a point of finding the “hidden gems” in a city, she searched the streets of Toronto for the next one.

Eventually, Jill was indirectly pointed in the direction of a doughnut shop, with rumours of treasures inside. She fell in love upon the first bite of that Toronto-made gourmet lemon doughnut. Jill took pictures to send to her dad, a baker by trade, and went on a self-proclaimed “doughnut journey” to discover further delights.

“I just kept travelling and trying other people’s doughnuts,” she laughs. “The talk of it just never let up after that. It sort of sparked that we could make a business plan out of this.”

It was only a year and half later that they opened the doors of Destination Doughnuts in November 2017. Her father Arlyn ran Garneau Bakery for several years and later taught at NAIT’s Baker Apprentice program, so he certainly has the skills. After working as a pipefitter for roughly 11 years since last baking

Lemon Doughnut: Ode to Sunshine / Sierra Bilton

commercially, he suddenly found himself slightly nervous.

“I didn’t want to open and then fall flat on my face,” Arlyn jokes.

It only took a day or two to fall back into his process—something he likens to riding a bike.

Though Arlyn doesn’t like to use the word ‘retire,’ that’s effectively where he was at in his life. However, he wasn’t ready to accept that daily pace just yet. Arlyn mentions a saying he read, which propelled the duo to follow through with the shop despite their nerves: “Nobody should die with music still in their heart.”

“Jill wasn’t ready to just work Monday to Friday … and I wasn’t

ready to sit on the acreage and watch the leaves turn green,” Arlyn says.

Another saying the Sturworlds take stock in is: “Everything is good in moderation—including moderation.”

Their flavours are certainly no Tim Horton’s hack and rotate in no particular order. With specialties like, Triple Play (chocolate ganache-dipped topped with Lay’s chips, Skor bits, Hickory Sticks, and a caramel drizzle) or Tiger Paw (orange icing-dipped with licorice stripes).

Not all their flavours are strictly sweet. They also roll out the odd

savoury doughnut, like the Bacon Double Cheese (cheesy-dipped and sprinkled with bacon bits, finished off with a coin of crispybaked cheddar).

If those don’t strike your fancy, they also take custom orders.

Often the Sturwolds will try out a new flavour idea by frying up some doughnut holes for a texture and flavour test for customers to sample.

“If it tastes good among us, and they like it, we often could be running a new flavour or combination by the next day,” Jill says.

Situated on the sunny west side of 124 Street just off 106 Avenue, Destination Doughnuts features

free parking in front, making it easy for customers to leave with a boxful of gourmet doughnuts under their arm.

The Sturwolds plan to explore vegan options in the future. Arlyn goes into great depth on the subject, explaining the chemistry of a doughnut and how “each of the five parts play a vital role in making the perfect, fluffy doughnut.”

His daughter, visibly done with the ad nauseum science talk, changes the subject and says that, for now, the next concoction on their horizon is a matcha marvel.

Sierra Bilton sierra@vueweekly.com

get out of the cold...

...and into

LOCAL GREENHOUSE GROWN

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2018

dish 5

Tetsuro Shigematsu / Raymond Shum

THEATRE

Thu., Feb. 1 - Sun., Feb. 18 Empire of the Son Citadel Theatre, The Club From $30

F

Empire of the Son’s ’s Tetsuro Shigematsu delves into emotional memories of his father

rom witnessing the embers of Hiroshima, living in London during the swinging ‘60s, and watching Marilyn Monroe lustfully sing “Happy Birthday Mr. President” to John F. Kennedy, Akira Shigematsu’s life has been anything but dull.

It wasn’t until his son Tetsuro Shigematsu interviewed him and wrote the one-man show Empire of the Son that Akira’s life story became well known.

“I had this realization that I never had a conversation with my father beyond ‘pass the soya sauce,’” Tetsuro says. “I checked in with myself to discover if I was okay with that, and I was because that’s all I had known.”

Tetsuro has two children of his own, and realized that if they were anything like him they would start asking questions about their identity and grandpa Akira.

Sometime after that realization, Tetsuro interviewed his father for two years regarding his origins and thoughts on life.

After he heard his father’s stories and discussed them with his wife and close friends, Tetsuro knew he had the inner workings of a play.

“During the crafting of this play, I saw there was a sort of rhyme scheme to both of our lives,” he says. “My father and I had a very 6 arts

acrimonious relationship and I vowed to be nothing like him. So I went to arts school to take the furthest path away from him.”

However, being a past broadcaster for CBC, Tetsuro did share the commonality of radio with his father. While broadcasting for CBC’s external division, Akira had a huge role in captivating Japanese listeners with the stories of the Canadian First Nations, cowboys, cabbage patch dolls and more.

“When it came time for me to start asking questions, I deployed the only object we ever shared in common, which was the radio microphone,” Tetsuro says. “Even though we were unaccustomed to having any conversation, we were accustomed to having the longform interview.”

Still, Tetsuro had to be creative with his line of questioning, as Akira was a stoic, traditional, and overtly aloof man.

“I had to use this conversational sonar to pick up any sort of irregularity in what he was saying to find these cracks that would lead to these stories,” he says.

He mined his childhood memories and experiences with his father to create a conversational dialogue. For example, he discovered the Marilyn Monroe tidbit by

remembering his father’s response to the auction of her 1962 dress 25 years ago.

“I was flipping through Time magazine and said, ‘Look, they’re auctioning off Marilyn Monroe’s dress. What do you think about that Dad?’ He walked into the room, paused for about a second and softly said, ‘Oh, the colour looks so much different now.’”

It’s clear that Akira was a man who didn’t want to be seen as self-aggrandizing. During the interviews, Tetsuro asked for his father’s blessing to share his remarkable story. Fortunately, Akira agreed.

“He was so mystified that anyone would care, and he had this expression on his face like I was going to take his toenail clippings and auction them off on eBay,” Tetsuro says.

At its core, Empire of the Son is a play about a father and son who have almost nothing in common besides blood and radio. It uses dream-like projected imagery, voice and phone recordings, and dialogue to touch on topics such as immigration, intergenerational conflicts, fatherhood and cloaking emotion.

“The pictures I do offer of my father are sort of distorted through the lens of the play,” he

says. “When I’m an adolescent, I kind portray him as this exaggerated, malevolent, deity and towards the end, he is very frail.

I try to make it very clear that these are my subjective impressions of my father.”

We also hear his father’s displeasure with the whole ordeal through the voice of Akira.

“He undermines whatever credibility I have with the audience,” Tetsuro says. “He says, ‘I understand some of you have paid money to listen to my long-haired son tell you stories about me. My son doesn’t understand me and what he says is not true.’”

It’s an irregular choice to completely discredit yourself as a narrator during your own play, but this makes the start of the show rather odd and comical.

“The show enters territory that is quite fraught and emotional, but there’s all this unexpected humour in the show,” he says.

Sadly, Akira didn’t get a chance to see Empire of the Son as he passed away two weeks before the play’s initial 2015 debut.

“Soon after he died, I had the impulse to pick up the phone and ask him more questions, because I was constantly doing that,” Tetsuro says.

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2018

Everyone cried during Akira’s funeral except for Tetsuro.

“Within Japanese culture, there’s this masculine imperative that men are not supposed to cry,” he says.

“My father comes from Kagoshima, which is the Japanese equivalent of Marlboro Country. It’s known as samurai country, where the men are part of this locus of hardcore Japanese macho culture.”

That ideology has clearly stuck with Tetsuro. He begins Empire of the Son by saying he hasn’t cried since he was a child.

“To me, it’s not a play, but a form of performance art. I’m hoping that by revisiting a couple of emotionally fraught stories I learn to cry in public a couple of times,” he says.

“It’s this sort of a practice or public ritual for me to experience emotion in public and not be ashamed of it.”

It’s also a way to give Tetsuro’s father’s life meaning and honour his memory.

“Often I’m reciting his very words that he had written down in a memoir or the actual words from the interview,” he says. “It’s almost an incantation in a way and it can be a bit scary because it does feel like he is really there and I’m channeling his spirit on stage.”

Stephan Boissonneault stephan@vueweekly.com

Vanessa Oude-Reimerink (Josephine) and Adrian Kramer (Ralph Rackstraw) / Madison Kerr

OPERA

BEE’S KNEES ON THE HIGH SEAS

Edmonton Opera’s reimagined HMS Pinafore hits jazzy notes of the ‘20s

I

nspiration began when general director Tim Yakimec suggested to include jazz into the Edmonton Opera’s production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s comedic-opera classic, H.M.S. Pinafore.

The 1920s jazz age is presented in tandem with the flapper subculture of witty women adorning themselves in corset-less frameshowing frocks and daringly short hair done up in pin curls.

The Edmonton Opera’s HMS Pinafore underwent a partial jazz reorchestration by New York City arranger and composer Ed Windels, adding head-bobbing energy and peppy sexappeal to the iconic comedy classic.

Jazz ends up representing a concept—one of going against the norm or rebelling, which is represented in the 20th century’s flapper-era. Jazz orchestrations pop up as the conservatively-coated young women come on stage—extravagant gowns underneath—as Josephine chooses her true love over “duty.”

“All the young characters have more of the jazzy music,” says soprano Vanessa Oude-Reimerink, playing Josephine. “It’s kind of about two worlds: the old world and the new world. So the older characters like Captain Corcoran (baritone Geoffrey Sirret) and Sir Joseph (Glenn Nelson) have the original version. But then, for me, I start out in the old world. So my first aria, “Sorry her lot [who loves too well]” is exactly as it was originally written … Then her second aria in the second act starts out as the original, and then it breaks out into this huge jazz number with a little bit of jazz improvisation and a whole bunch of dancing.”

The girl-power movement of the “Roaring Twenties”—the first widespread action of its kind— embodies the British opera’s story accurately. It’s a classic tale of boy meets girl with the addition of a pushy father. However, the father happens to be the captain of the Royal Navy vessel. But Josephine is not so easily stamped out.

“The advantage of doing it in 2018 with this new [cultural] setting is that it allows us freedom to be a little more audacious,” director Robert Herriot says. “They were very tied by Victorian England when the piece was written. And although the underlying humour of all [Gilbert and Sullivan] has a very naughty sort of undertone, to set it in the ‘20s with this whole sexual freedom aspect, the show can be a little sexier and it allows us to explore greater themes of humanity.”

Poking fun at pushy patriotism, incompetent dignitaries and class separations is the game of Gilbert and Sullivan. The ‘20s certainly personified these themes as women were becoming educated and fighting for their own sexuality. As well, satire is savvy to politics.

The story moves along quickly in a farce style with jazzy movements in between, including a 37-person Charleston section midway through Act I. But it’s not just the rhythm that’s picked up. This version is faster-paced than the original, with a complete runtime (minus intermission) of just under 100 minutes, something Herriot attributes to cutting out little pieces of the récit.

An inventive set design by Ca-

celebrating years

Sat., Feb. 3, Tue., Feb. 6, and Fri., Feb. 9 (8 pm and 7:30 pm) HMS Pinafore Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium From $40 mellia Koo features a 90-foot HMS Pinafore that juts out from the Jube’s stage, over what is normally the orchestra pit, into the audience. Deanna Finnman’s costumes follow suit, with ritzy flapper dresses that stand out amongst the sea of sailors.

In traditional fashion, the orchestra will join the cast on stage, as with the original Pinafore productions. Keep a lookout as the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, including conductor Peter Dala, are conspicuously, and rather navally camouflaged onboard.

With Harriot’s proven penchant for physical comedy and the timehonoured jests of Gilbert and Sullivan, there’s guaranteed hilarity. I mean, how exactly does one elope while at sea?

Sierra Bilton sierra@vueweekly.com

Promoting Contemporary Visual Arts since 1988

MACROMEA

Alana Biffert + Marta Gorski

THE BOOK OF 7 Stephen Ferris

OPENING RECEPTION: Thursday, Feb 1st, from 7 - 10 pm Artist Talk by Marta Gorski @ 7:30pm Exhibitions: February 1 - March 17, 2018

3rd floor, 10215 - 112 Steet, Edmonton, AB www.harcourthouse.ab.ca 780 426 4180

THE LOWER DEPTHS

by MAXIM GORKY

Freely adapted by David Kennedy

FEBRUARY 8-17, 2018 @ 7:30 pm No performance Sunday, FEBRUARY 11 | Matinee FEBRUARY 15 @ 12:30 pm

Timms Centre for the Arts, University of Alberta

ualberta.ca/artshows VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2018

arts 7

EXHIBIT

MACRO VIEWS OF INTIMACY

Artists Marta Gorski and Alana Biffert reimagine the role of the audience in Macromea Thu., Feb. 1 (7 pm) Until Sat. Mar. 17 Macromea opening reception Harcourt House Artist Run Centre, The Main Gallery

T

he Main Gallery at Harcourt is holding an exhibition that is not only meant to be seen, but questioned. Canadian glass artists Marta Gorski and Alana Biffert show a blueprint of intimacy in an attempt to inspire unfettered views.

A mixed-media installation, Macromea challenges the viewer to investigate and consider what they see and what they don’t. The exhibition is made up of several panels of glass with ‘looking holes’ arranged in certain spots in which prints can be seen from a few feet away.

The prints feature various intimate areas of the body in black and white, which aren’t always easy to pinpoint. In the end, the goal is to

8 arts

/ Alana Biffert and Marta Gorski

encourage audiences to leave with newfound self-awareness.

“What we’re presenting from the wall forward is this view of what we want you to see,” Gorski says.

“We’ve set up boundaries and we’ve set up barriers and we’ve offered you windows and looking glasses into what we want you to see. But because there’s that other person, the viewer, their responsibility in the relationship is to either surpass and just take a surface look at you or to go in between some of those barriers and take an investigation of what is really there.”

From past exhibitions, the artists find a strong correlation between the viewer’s gender and their be-

haviour. Male identifying viewers tend to stay near the back of the room and females toward the front, inspecting more thoroughly.

The ladies give their viewers permission to view the body as an unaltered subject. When creating the pieces they were heavily impacted by the often curated or manufactured version of self that we put online, which blocks intimacy and vulnerability. While this detached zone feels safe for us, the lack of substance can hinder our relationships and their strengths.

“Sometimes as a person, you don’t know how many barriers you’re actually putting up,” Gorski says. “There’s a lot of people talking about how they end up in the same relationship position over and over again. And it’s like, at what point are you aware of your common denominators?”

In the same way, the artists hope to break down barriers and challenge the viewer. They too were challenged when first making the pieces over five years ago while at Alberta College of Art and Design.

Growing up in ballet most of her life, Biffert knew body image issues and insecurities well.

“When we decided to tackle this piece, originally, it was only going to be Marta’s body,” Biffert says.

“But then our mentors kind of said, ‘Well, what about you Alana? Don’t you want to work on your boundaries?’ And so, it was actually the beginning of an unravelling for me with that.”

She’s still working on self-love in various ways, especially after being in a serious car accident two years ago. That incident affects her selfimage, but for Gorski, it’s about learning and being vulnerable.

“There was a long time where Alana would be like, ‘Here, let me help you with that,’ and I’d be like, ‘No, I can do it myself. I don’t need anybody now,’” she says. “I spent the last couple years working on how to have more intimate personal relationships with men and women that allow me to need something.”

Macromea was the duo’s very first collaboration, though they’ve been friends for over 16 years since meeting at a Weezer concert in high school. But somehow, they found their relationship wasn’t ever its deepest until collaborating on Macromea.

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2018

“It was kind of like the first time we were meeting each other,” Gorski says. “It was funny because all of a sudden, we were finding things out about each other that we didn’t know yet.”

From a strict conservative background being raised in Malta, Biffert was nervous when her parents first came to see the exhibition and recalls being “beet red the whole time.”

“When my mother [first] came to see it, I lied to her. She’s like, ‘Is this your body up here?’ And I was like, ‘No, no we hired models,’” Biffert laughs. “I actually told her this time around, that these were all images of Marta and I, and I feel like I’ve actually grown a lot from this work.”

On the other side, Gorski comes from a more liberal family that often support her edgy work, though she does admit to being slightly nervous about her father attending as well. With a fresh perspective since the first few exhibitions, the two can now see leaps and bounds of personal growth that they’ve realized in the process of creating Macromea.

The Harcourt exhibition features a few additions since the first exhibition, including images of male bodies as well as their own.

“Because this is about people, no matter they’re orientation,” Gorski says. “Every single person has those fears.”

Sierra Bilton sierra@vueweekly.com

MULTIMEDIA

MAN OF A MILLION SECRETS PostSecret provides a haven for anonymous secrets submitted from around the world Frank Warren at PostSecret Live / Supplied

“Even if you’ve never been the son of a restrained father, you’ll connect with these extraordinary lives.” –Ottawa Citizen “I’m telling all of the people I love most to see this show.” –Georgia Straight “Empire of the Son is understated perfection” –The VanCity Buzz “…original and disarming…” –Globe and Mail

Sat., Feb. 3 (7:30 pm) PostSecret Live w/ Frank Warren Arden Theatre, $45

T

hose who believe organizations like the CIA or FBI hold a majority of the world’s secrets probably haven’t heard of Frank Warren.

Warren is the founder of PostSecret, an ongoing online project in which participants anonymously mail their secrets to Warren on one side of a postcard for posting on his website.

The project began in 2004 and has since become the largest advertisement-free blog in the world, with the visitor count close to 800 million people.

“I might be one guy, but I speak for a million-plus secret keepers,” Warren says over the phone from Texas. “When I started the project, I didn’t really know why I was starting it or what I was starting, but I realized that I had tapped into something filled with mystery and wonder that I’m trying to figure out to this day.”

PostSecret started out with what Warren calls “postcard pranks,” where he would hand out postcards to strangers on the streets of Washington, D.C. “I was a suburban father, husband and a small business owner for 20 years, but my job was pretty boring. So on the weekend, I would go out and pursue these little postcard larks,” he says.

The postcards were self-addressed with simple instructions to jot down a secret and mail it to Warren’s home address. After he recieved them, Warren scanned the postcards and posted them on the web.

“The first week I got about 100 visitors to the website. The next week, a thousand.”

The project grew organically with secrets pouring in from all over the world and in different languages that Warren would try to translate. Eventually, the project became bigger than him alone and morphed into various artistic endeavours.

“This little lark, or prank, turned into six best-selling books, the most visited adfree blog in the world, there’s a PostSecret play, an art exhibit that just left the Smithsonian, a PostSecret app ... It really resonated with people,” he says.

Warren posts a collection of chosen secrets on the website every Saturday night. The emotional range of the secrets he receives is far-reaching and can be based on any aspect of life. After 14 years, he has noticed familiar trends and topics from the postcards.

“There are ones that are hilarious, hopeful, sexual, painful and hidden acts of kindness,” he says. “One common theme I see is a secret about finding the one person that you don’t have to keep secrets from. I see that written different ways on dozens of postcards every week.”

He is mailed thousands of postcards everyday but only posts around 30 secrets each week. Warren’s selection process is quite exceptional.

“I select secrets that really resonate with me because they either share a secret that is really unique or maybe it’s a common secret that is expressed in a novel way,” Warren says. “I want to pick secrets that touch on every human emotion.”

He also weaves certain secrets together that play off each other or share a dialogue to find a unifying theme. He can be thought of as a painter melding together various colours to make one shade.

“Or like a film editor bringing together various scenes from strangers’ lives to tell our story,” he says.

Warren says the PostSecret Live event is easily his favourite aspect of the project.

During the multimedia presentation, Warren shares some of his most treasured postcard secrets, talks about the origin of the project, shares his own secrets and invites audience members to share their own secrets with the room.

“It’s the highest manifestation of the project,” Warren says. “Secrets are the currency of intimacy and we will be sharing our secrets and stories. Hopefully, the best part of the night will not be when I’m talking, but when the audience is sharing their secrets with no filters.”

Stephan Boissonneault stephan@vueweekly.com

+fees & GST

JAN 31 – FEB 18, 2018

BY TETSURO SHIGEMATSU PRODUCED BY DONNA YAMAMOTO DIRECTED BY RICHARD WOLFE A Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre Production

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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 • Feb 1, 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, 11:30am12:30pm

HOUSE OF HUSH PRESENTS: A VALENTINE'S SHOW • Crash Hotel Lobby, 10266-103 St • hellothere@violettecoquette. com • houseofhushfeb16.eventbrite.com • houseofhushburlesque.com • Bring a party of friends, bring your sweetheart, or come alone: the House of Hush aims to fill your heart with all the burlesque lovin' you can handle • Feb 16, 7pm (doors), 8-9:30pm (show) • $30 (include a complimentary feature cocktail) • 18+ only

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

TheatreSports Citadel’s Zeidler Hall Every Fri., 7:30 pm and 10 pm Sept. 9-June 8 $15

drop-in dance & movement classes for people of all experience levels & ages; Mon: Professional Technique (10-11:30am), Contact Improv (7-9pm); Tue: Kids 6-10 (4:30-5:15pm), Toonie Yoga (5:30-6:45pm), Butoh (7-9pm); Wed: Noguchi Taiso (10-11:30am); 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

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 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 • Lower level, Rutherford South, University of Alberta • bpsc.library.ualberta.ca • Salt, Sword, and Crozier: Books and Coins from the Prince-Bishopric of Salzburg (c.1500-c.1800); Jan 2-Feb 7

SWING 'N' SKATE • City Hall, City Room

BUGERA MATHESON GALLERY • 10345-

& 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

FILM FILM SCREENING: BIRTH 1871 • Centennial Centre for Interdisciplinary Science Room L1 140, University of Alberta North Campus • ddacosta@ualberta.ca • Documentary about the British Criminal Tribes Act of 1871 that labeled many South Asian communities as "criminal tribes," resulting in continuing stigma and violence well after the law was repealed in independent India • Feb 6, 2-4pm • Free FILM SCREENING: SAMEER • Telus Centre 1-50, 87 Av. & 111 St, University of Alberta North Campus • alshammi@ualberta.ca • Screening of award-winning Indian feature film Sameer (2017) about a wrongfully accused man infiltrating a terrorist group to foil a bombing plot. Panel discussion with filmmaker Dakxin Bajrange to follow • Feb 9, 5-8pm • Free (RSVP at Eventbrite)

METRO • Metro at the Garneau Theatre, 8712-109 St • 780.425.9212 • metrocinema. org • Visit metrocinema.org for daily listings • Canada's Top Ten Film Festival 2018 (Jan 25Feb 4) • Black History Month 2018; through Feb • Afternoon teA: Victoria & Abdul (Feb 11) • Art DOCS: Blurred Lines: Inside the Art World (Feb 8) • GATEWAY TO CINEMA: Get Out (Feb 13) • HoMo-CIDAL DRAG SHOW: Gremlins 2: The New Batch (Feb 18) • MUSIC DOC: Charles Bradley: Soul of America (Feb 6) • nIgHt gALLery: Adult Cartoon Party! (Feb 17) • QUOTE-A-LONG SERIES: The Princess Bride (Feb 14) • reeL fAMILy CIneMA: Kirikou and the Sorceress (Feb 3), Boss Baby (Feb 10), Muppet Movie (Feb 19), LEGO Batman Movie (Feb 24) • SCIenCe In tHe CINEMA: Hotel Transylvania (Feb 17) • SCI-fI: The Brother from Another Planet (Feb 11) • SunDAy CLASSICS: Gigi (Feb 25)

STATUS QUO? THE UNFINISHED BUSINESS OF FEMINISM IN CANADA • Westwood Unitarian, 11135-65 Ave • A screening with discussion to follow • Feb 9, 7pm • Free

BRUCE PEEL SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

124 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 • Isachsen: artwork by various artists; Jan 12-Feb 17 FAB GALLERY • Fine Arts Building Gallery,1-1 FAB (University of Alberta) • ualberta.ca/ artshows • Feeling the Flesh of the Other as Our Own: artwork by Angela Marino; Jan 23-Feb 10 • Alcuin Awards for Book Design in Canada 2016; Jan 23-Feb 10

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

by Steve Coffey; Feb 8, 7-9pm

GALLERY@501 • 501 Festival Ave, Sherwood Park • 780.410.8585 • strathcona.ca/artgallery • Members Show and Sale; Jan 11-Feb 25

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; Opening reception: Feb 1, 7-10pm • The Book of 7: artwork by Stephen Ferris; Feb 1-Mar 17; Opening reception: Feb 1, 7-10pm

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 LOTUS ART GALLERY • 10321-124 St • lotus-gallery.com • Sexy & Wild: artwork by various artists; Jan-Mar

GALLERIES + MUSEUMS ACUA GALLERY & ARTISAN BOUTIQUE •

ALLIED ARTS COUNCIL OF SPRUCE GROVE • Melcor Cultural Centre, 35-

ART GALLERY OF ALBERTA (AGA) • 2 Sir Winston Churchill Sq • 780.422.6223 • youraga. ca • Monument: artwork by Dara Humniski and Sergio Serrano; Oct 14-Feb 19 • Calling Stones (Conversations): artwork by Faye HeavyShield; Oct 28-Feb 19 • 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,

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

WALTERDALE THEATRE • 10322-83 Ave • 403.265.0012 • albertasocietyofartists. com • Emerging Artists Unleashed: artwork by winners of this year’s Alberta Society of Artists scholarships; Feb 7-17; Reception and preview of 'The Women': Feb 6, 7-8pm

LITERARY AUDREYS BOOKS • 10702 Jasper Ave • Gleb Raygorodestsky "The Archipelago of Hope" Book Launch; Feb 4, 2-4pm • Book Launch Retirement Social Network; Feb 6, 7-8pm

BOOK SIGNING - RETIREMENT SOCIAL NETWORK • Chapters Strathcona - Next to Starbucks upstairs, 10504-82 Ave • dorianjoyal@gmail.com • retirementsocialnetwork.com/index.php/events • A resource for all of those struggling with what to do and how to create social opportunities • Feb 11, 12-4pm

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

FRANK WARREN • Arden Theatre, 5 St Anne St, St Albert • stalbert.ca/exp/arden • A talk with Frank Warren, creator of the PostSecret project, where strangers anonymously mail their private thoughts on postcards • Feb 3, 7:309:30pm • $45 (online or by phone)

THE OLIVE AT THE ALMANAC PRESENTS: SHARON THESEN AND KELLY SHEPHERD

104 Ave • 780.455.7479 • probertsongallery. com • Carbon Capture: artwork by Peter von Tiesenhausen; Jan 27-Feb 28 • 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 • Maurade Baynton Art Show in the Gallery; Jan 27-28 • 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

Supper x Club, 10765 Jasper Ave • Every Tue

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 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)

THE LOWER DEPTHS • Timms Centre for the Arts, 87 Ave & 112 St, University of Alberta • ualberta.ca/artshows • A modern update of Maxim Gorky’s masterpiece of the human condition. A group of people displaced by economic and political upheaval scratch out a life on the margins of society • Feb 8-17 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

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL • Jubilee Auditorium, 11455-87 Ave • edmonton.broadway. com/shows • Motown the Musical is the true American dream story of Motown founder Berry Gordy’s journey from featherweight boxer to the heavyweight music mogul who launched the careers of Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson and many more • Feb 13-18, 8-10:30pm • $35-$130

NEW WORKS FESTIVAL 2018 • Second

BEWITCHING ELVIS • Jubilations Dinner

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

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

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

SNAP GALLERY • Society of Northern Alberta

EMPIRE OF THE SON • Citadel Theatre,

St • telusworldofscienceedmonton.com • Daily

LOVE AND INFORMATION • Theatre Lab in Allard Hall, 11110-104 Ave • More than a hundred characters try to make sense of what they know. Churchill offers up snapshots of ourselves, existing, loving and figuring, and it is up to us to decide what we make of it • Jan 31-Feb 10, 7:30-9pm • $15-$25

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

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

TELUS WORLD OF SCIENCE • 11211-142

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

Theatre, 5 St Anne St, St Albert • stalbert.ca/ exp/arden • Ta Da! finds Morton dreaming of becoming a magician. A school talent show seems like the perfect chance, but Morton is afraid!

Can he overcome his fears with the help of his rabbit Henry? • Feb 17, 2-3pm • $15 (adult), $12 (child/senior); available online or by phone

• die-nasty.com • Live improvised soap opera.

Join the whole Die-Nasty family REBORN, for a whole season of great artists, earth-shaking discovery, glorious music, hilarious hi jinx...but mostly Machiavellian Intrigue • Runs every Mon, 6:30pm (doors), 7:30-9:30pm • Oct 23-May 29

Print-Artists, 10123-121 St • 780.423.1492 • snapartists.com • Community Gallery: artwork

by Jonathan S. Green; Jan 5-Feb 10 • Main Gallery: Tara Cooper; Jan 5-Feb 10

HMS PINAFORE • Jubilee Auditorium, 1145587 Ave • edmontonopera.com • This worldwide favourite Gilbert and Sullivan operetta puts a nautical spin on the classic “boy meets girl, girl’s grumpy father gets in the way” story. When lower-class sailor Ralph Rackstraw falls in love with Josephine, the Captain’s daughter, mayhem ensues as the two lovebirds try to elope…while at sea • Feb 3 (8pm), 6 (7:30pm), 9 (7:30pm) • Tickets from $40 (at edmontonopera.com or 780.429.100)

ROUGE POETRY SLAM HOSTED BY BREATH IN POETRY COLLECTIVE • BLVD

THEATRE

PETER ROBERTSON GALLERY • 12323-

HEY LADIES! • The Roxy on Gateway (formerly C103), 8529 Gateway Blvd • theatrenetwork. ca • Edmonton’s premier comedy, info-tainment, musical, game, talk show spectacular that’s suitable for all sexes! • Feb 2, 8pm • $26 (call 780.453.2440) or TIX on the Square

MORTON THE MAGICIAN IN: TA DA! CREATED BY SHELDON CASAVANT • Arden

MUTTART CONSERVATORY • 9626-96A St • sillygoatstudio.ca • Being With Trees Art Exhibit: artwork by Lynne Huras; Jan 12-Feb 22 • paintspot.ca • NAESS GALLERY: The Story of One’s Soul: paintings by Oksana Zhelisko; Jan 4-Feb 1 • ARTISTAN NOOK: C is for Compost, an alphabet book project: artwork by Yong Fei Guan; Jan 4-Feb 1

story of a formidable family navigating a rocky history on the edge of our nation • Feb 2-10, 7:30pm (additional performance at 2pm on Feb 10) • $22.50, plus applicable fees

• The Almanac, 10351-82 Ave • Feb 7, 6:309pm • Free

UPPER CRUST CAFÉ • 10909-86 Ave •

PROVINCIAL ARCHIVES OF ALBERTA

5th Ave, Spruce Grove • 780.962.0664 • alliedartscouncil.com • A Charcoal Perspective: artwork by Corrine Roberts; Jan 22-Feb 9

activities, demonstrations and experiments • POPnology Exhibition; Feb 9-May 6 • Terry Fox– Running to the Heart of Canada; Feb 16-Sep 16

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

PAINT SPOT • 10032-81 Ave • 780.432.0240

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

10 arts

ART GALLERY OF ST ALBERT (AGSA) •

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

9534-87 St • 780.488.8558 • info@acuarts.ca • acuarts.ca • In Perspective: artwork by Maria Antoniv and Peter Gegolick; Feb 2-22; Opening reception: Feb 2, 6:30-9:30pm

/ Supplied

2pm, 3pm • Art for Lunch; 3rd Thu of the month, 12-1pm • VIBE; 3rd Fri of the month, 5-9pm

Playing Space at the Timms Centre for the Arts, University of Alberta, 87 Ave and 112 St • An entirely student-run production, the New Works Festival features exciting one-act plays from emerging playwrights • Feb 6-11 • $10-$15

OPEN JAM • Holy Trinity Church, 10037-84

PATRICIA ZENTILLI PRESENTS PATTYZEE@THEROXY • Roxy on Gateway, 8529 Gateway Blvd • theatrenetwork.ca • A series of five unique cabarets by actress/singer Patricia Zentilli, each with a different theme and special guests • Feb 3, 8pm • $28.50 plus applicable fees (TIX onthe Square)

SLUMBERLAND MOTEL • Varscona Theatre, 10329-83 Ave • 780.433.3399 • shadowtheatre.org • While overnighting in a seedy roadside motel, two down on their luck vacuum cleaner salesmen’s lives are changed by a mysterious woman • Jan 17-Feb 4

TEMPUS EXTRAORDINARIUS • Theatre of La Cité francophone, 8627 rue Marie-AnneGaboury (91 St) • 780.469.8400 • lunitheatre@ lunitheatre.ca • lunitheatre.ca • Confronted to a world deprived of all freedom, condemned to survive, Tubby and Nottubby will be carried by the turbulent flows of History and Time, in an epic journey of their own selves • Feb 7-10

9828-101A Ave • citadeltheatre.com • A dynamic solo performance about an emotionally distant father whose legacy is felt beyond his lifetime • Jan 31-Feb 18

THEATRESPORTS • Citadel's Zeidler Hall,

HER MARK • Orange Hall, 10335-84 Ave • The

9828-101A Ave • rapidfiretheatre.com • Improv • Every Fri, 7:30pm and 10pm • Sep 9-Jun 8

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2018

FRI, FEB 2 – THUR, FEB 8

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REVIEW OF THE OTHER SIDE OF HOPE

DYSTOPIA

PHANTOM THREAD

THE SHAPE OF WATER

FRI: 9:15PM SAT: 4:15 & 9:15PM SUN: 3:15 & 8:15PM MON TO THURS: 9:00PM

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Maze Runner: The Death Cure Directed by Wes Ball Now playing 

/ Supplied

I

Maze Runner: The Death Cure comes off as a teen-led Ocean’s Eleven

f the third and final entry in the Maze Runner series is searching for a cure for the death of the 2010s young adult dystopia craze, it hasn’t found it. One small step up from its dismal predecessor, this long, un-amazing race ends with lots of watchable action but drags out its running time and hits a wall with its insipid lead character.

Thomas (Dylan O’Brien), along with his rebel friends, Newt (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), Frypan (Dexter Darden), and Brenda (Rosa Salazar), is determined not to leave his fellow ‘Immune,’ Minho (Ki Hong Lee), in the hands of WCKD (either an avid texter’s Bond villain organization or a badly-named Cincinnati ra-

dio station). As the ‘Flare’ virus rages on, the group infiltrates the ‘Last City’ to rescue Minho from WCKD headquarters, where Thomas’ longtime flame, Teresa (Kaya Scodelario), is researching a cure.

Starting with a train-jacking/prisoner-breakout and building to an office tower break-in, Maze Runner: The Death Cure is really just a heist-turned-rescue flick—a lateteen Ocean’s Eleven in a desolate land plagued by zombies, dubbed ‘Cranks.’ Speaking of cranks, there’s not one but two wicked winch scenes—the big heists here involve some big hoists. But there are few sparks, with little passion behind the rebels’ cause or true

heat—barely a tease of ardour between the two Ts. The movie ends with memorializing the dead. This focus in a youth-adult-epic on mourning might be intriguing, almost novel, if two deaths weren’t like grief-porn, fixated in slo-mo and fetishized as maudlin spectacle.

The story staggers to the finish (it’s 135 minutes). Thomas remains a bland, uninspiring leader that was basically born the ‘Great Saviour,’ but he never seems like a big deal. A blank action hero, he’s the hole in this dystopia-doughnut, only lightly sprinkled (or is that SPRNKLD?) with colour and not all that fresh or flavourful.

Brian Gibson film@vueweekly.com

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film 11

ICE SCULPTURE

Thu., Feb. 1 - Sun., Feb. 4 Boardwalk Ice on Whyte Festival Whyte Ave. and Gateway Blvd. $7 (adult), $4 (children)

(Left) Isabel Meulenberg and Mandy Kenworthy / Steve Kenworthy

E

Ice on Whyte innovates in preparation for the 2019 Canada Cup of Ice Carving

dmonton’s coolest winter festival is upping its game this year, with an eye towards hosting the Canada Cup of Ice Carving in 2019.

Organizers of the Boardwalk Ice on Whyte Festival have done some significant revamping of the event, including the addition of a giant tent that keeps the ice carvings in pristine condition throughout the duration of the event. It’s a change that has been needed in light of unexpected weather swings in previous years.

“For example, it was plus seven [celcius] last year, and the teams were building the carvings and they were already dripping,” says Ice on Whyte development manager Jill Roszell.

With the tent protecting and preserving the ice sculptures, it allows the artists to concentrate on the designs and not worry about the weather.

“When you take the elements away, they can do more intricate pieces and it shows,” Roszell explains. “The art is stron-

ger this year, it doesn’t have to be built for the weather.”

The carvings are done by eight two-person professional teams from around the globe, all vying for a first-place win to give them a birth into the 2019 Canada Cup of Ice Carving.

Notable returnees include Team Sakha from Russia, which has won the Ice on Whyte competition for the last five years.

Ice on Whyte is one of only three ice carving competitions in Canada—the others taking place in Lake Louise and Ottawa.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of Ice on Whyte and refining the activities that round out the festival has been a focus for this edition. For starters, the entire event has moved from the End of Steel Park to the northeast corner of Whyte Avenue and Gateway Boulevard, giving the festival a more visible location. The festival now takes up a smaller space but is a return to the original focus.

“It’s a Whyte Ave. festival,” Roszell says. “The purpose was to draw people here during a slow time of the year. And this [the ice

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sculptures] is what makes us different. We needed to go back to that.”

The new location makes better use of the restaurants, farmers’ market and other offerings that make Whyte Avenue and Old Strathcona one of Edmonton’s most exciting cultural hot spots.

The 40,000 visitors that attend the event each year make it the biggest winter attraction on Whyte Avenue.

While some may miss the giant ice slides, skating rink and snow mazes of previous editions of the festival, there are several new features for visitors to check out.

Building on the popularity of the L’il Chippers ice carving lessons, which have become a staple of the festival, this year Big Chipper ice carving lessons are offered for the over-15-year-old crowd on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.

An ice bar serving up locally brewed and distilled beverages is set up in a climate-controlled atmosphere of -2 °C is another new highlight for the festival.

The event has also found a title sponsor and is now officially known as the Boardwalk Ice on Whyte Festival.

A people’s choice award has been introduced this year, which allows people to vote on their favourite sculpture.

All the ice sculptures were done over a 34-hour period ending on Friday, January 26 at Noon. The sculptures will be on display until Sunday, February 4, which is the last day of the 2018 edition of Ice on Whyte.

Steve Kenworthy

The Bighorn Backcountry west of Edmonton provides 88% of the city’s water. We have a chance to protect wildlife, water, and non-motorized recreation opportunities by creating a Wildland Park.

Show some love for the Bighorn.

Go to loveyourheadwaters.ca

Photo: Jody Hilti.

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VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2018

snow zone 13

SNOW CLUBS

Alpine ski racing / Brandon Pederson

JOIN THE CLUB G

Variety of local snow clubs provide several options for winter sport

etting out onto the local slopes can be made a bit easier if you’re in a club. Today, Edmonton has a wide range of clubs to accommodate pretty much any type of snow sport, with the exception of ski jumping.

It’s an ironic twist since the first ski clubs ever formed in Edmonton were primarily focused on ski jumping with huge jumps on Connors Hill in Edmonton and others in Camrose, Devon and Athabasca used for competitions and training. None are still standing and the sport of ski jumping is now a very specialized event with limited popularity and appeal for the general public outside of the Winter Olympics.

Paul Robinson grew the racing club at Snow Valley and sees the value of belonging to a club both for the camaraderie and the talent you develop.

“There’s something about a race program that increases skills at an exponential level compared to taking lessons,” he says.

While Edmonton’s various ski clubs have produced some worldclass talent, most notably Edi Podivinsky who won a bronze medal and competed in three Winter Olympics, the main purpose of most clubs is development of friends and lifelong healthy habits both on and off the snow.

Alpine Racing Racing is the most popular form of alpine club skiing and is well represented in the Capital region, with five clubs for youth and other for adults.

The Edmonton Alpine Ski Racing Society (EASRS) runs programs for racers aged four to 20 and is usually based out of the Edmonton Ski Club (ESC) but has relocated to Sunridge Ski Area for this winter due to the earlyseason closure of ESC (ESC has recently re-opened for February and March). The EASRS aims at promoting the sport of alpine ski-

14 snow zone

ing and racing, mountain culture and a year-round active lifestyle.

Snow Valley Racing boasts one of the largest enrollments in Western Canada and operates out of Snow Valley. Using a combination of volunteers and professional staff, the club focuses on becoming the preeminent ski racing environment in Alberta.

The Rabbit Hill Alpine Ski Club operates out of Rabbit Hill and was established in 1978. It is a volunteer based, family-oriented club run by the parents of those who race in the club. There is also a masters program for parents or club members that are over 18 who still want to train and race.

The Sunridge Alpine Ski Team is based out of the Sunridge Ski Area, which has one of the only permanent ski cross tracks in Western Canada. The ski team uses this to their advantage by incorporating ski cross racing skills in all their programs. Ski cross is a form of head-to-head racing on courses which have natural and artificial terrain features the include highbanked turns and big-air jumps.

The Parkland Racers Ski Club is based out of Rabbit Hill and originally operated out of Lake Eden before that ski area ceased operation in the early 1980s. The club boasts small athlete to coaching ratios and highly accredited coaches with no fundraising required by parents.

The Snow Valley Masters Racing Club is one of the few alpine ski clubs made exclusively for adults.

This club aims at enhancing and improving skills and techniques for ex-racers and newbies alike. Most of the training uses gates but there is also some technical freeskiing as well. The program operates out of Snow Valley and has about 75 participants, with some members in their 70s.

Rocky Mountain Seniors Ski Club is dedicated to promoting affordable alpine skiing for seniors aged 55 and over at

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2018

all ability levels. Based out of Snow Valley, the club makes numerous trips to mountain resorts annually.

Freestyle Skiing The only major freestyle club in the Edmonton area is the Edmonton Freestyle Ski Club, which is operating out of the Sunridge Ski Area this winter. The club provides positive and professional coaching for every athlete’s level in an upbeat and safe atmosphere. The club also puts together a provincial team made up of the higher level athletes. The minimum age is six years old.

Snowboarding Riders on Board is a province-wide club that provides guidance and coaching to the snowboard community. The coaches are certified and the focus is on what each individual rider is hoping to achieve while remaining in a team atmosphere.

There are recreational or competitive development routes available and training is done at Snow Valley and Rabbit Hill for the Edmonton branch of Riders on Board.

Special Needs Canadian Adaptive Snowsports (CADS) is a national organization with a local branch that operates out of Rabbit Hill, which gives anyone with physical, sensory or cognitive disability the chance to downhill ski or snowboard. Volunteer instructors are trained in adaptive ski and snowboard instruction and new volunteers and participants are always welcome.

Special Olympics is a national organization with an Edmonton branch that provides recreational and competitive opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities. The alpine section of their programming runs out of Snow Valley. Volunteers and new members are always welcome.

Steve Kenworthy @vueweekly.com

(From left) John Gourley, Jason Sechrist, Zach Carothers, Kyle O’Quin and Eric Howk / Supplied

ALT ROCK

Portugal. The Man returns with nostalgic inspirations on Woodstock

P

ortland-based alt-rock group Portugal. The Man was on an atypical four-year hiatus until last year, having previously dropped roughly an album per year since 2006. The band returned with a bang thanks to its breakthrough 2017 album, Woodstock, which carved out expanded genres for the group, including psychedelia, synth, and various forms of rock, pop and indie.

With inpiration from the ‘69 Woodstock Music & Art Fair and a strong kick in the pants from his father, frontman John Baldwin Gourley knew what needed to be done going forward. With that, the band tossed the material they’d been orbiting for the past three years and decided to write powerful new songs about the world crumbling before them.

When “Feel It Still”—a culturally-charged nod to the sociopolitical environment of both the ‘60s and today—hit the airwaves, a milestone was reached for the group, as it hit top five on the Billboard Hot 100 and garnered a recent Grammy win for best pop duo/group performance. We chatted with drummer Jason Sechrist about the latest record.

Vue Weekly: I know you were working with Mike D [Beastie Boys] for awhile, but then switched directions before releasing Woodstock. What happened there?

Mon., Feb. 5 (8 pm) Portugal. The Man w/ Hollerado Winspear Centre Sold out

Jason Sechrist: We were in the process of writing lots of music and lots of songs, and we were basically trying to make a record happen. Before we knew it, we had just too much material. It was song, after song, after song and we started to have too much spread—too much food out, so to speak.

All of a sudden, we didn’t know what to do with it and we couldn’t find focus. This was all over the course of a couple of years. It was taking some time because we were enjoying ourselves in the studio because it was Shangri-La studios and we actually had too relaxed of an atmosphere.

Finally, on a holiday break, our singer John and bass player Zach went up to Alaska to visit their parents, and at that point had a nice discussion with his father. He basically said: ‘Why’re you taking so long to finish your record? It seems pretty easy to go into the studio and write some songs, right?’

All of a sudden it kind of dawned on him that this should be easy, and ‘Why can’t I have a bit of focus? I need some kind of focus.’

The inspiration came from the fact that John’s father found his old Woodstock ticket, a paper Woodstock ticket from 1969. Unbelievable. Just a living and breathing piece of rock ‘n’ roll history.

I think John had a vision and a name for it right then and there, and he decided, ‘I need to gather

up a lot of my material and focus it.’ He came back and started aggressively tracking songs and before we knew it, we had song after song, after song. He brought out “Feel It Still” very quickly, and at that point the record started closing its book and was wrapped up after that by calling it Woodstock.

VW: Were you expecting “Feel It Still” to become such a hit when you banged it out?

JS: Usually when we write songs, they change so quickly. But with “Feel It Still,” John got on a bass and just started thumping around on bass—he’s a great bass player, like Paul McCartney on bass. He writes this bass line and they instantly record it, and then all of a sudden “Feel It Still” was basically the easiest song on the entire record to make.

When it was all said and done, we knew that it was a fun song and we haven’t done something as poppy as this before.

the things around you.

We decided to create social awareness, and so we put a bunch of secret little Easter eggs or little cookies in the music video to kind of remind people about the world we live in today and to maybe think about some of those causes.

In a sense, we also wanted to pay tribute to the wonderful world of The Marvelettes. We pulled that off in terms of giving a bit of love to The Marvelettes and then kickin’ it in ‘86 just like how the Beastie Boys did ... and we wanted to obviously tribute Mike D as well.

But in ‘66, what was happening in that year, I think it was a powerful year, and that was also what we were bringing up.

VW: How do you know when a song is done and you’re finished?

JS: Basically, someone has to take the reigns and be like, ‘There. It’s

VW: Tell me a bit about some of the undertones in the song.

JS: We wanted to give people a fun song. So we had a fun tune, but we also wanted people to realize that here we are in the world today.

You’re getting yanked to the left and to the right and we want everyone to think for yourself, think wisely and have an awareness of

done.’ It’s just simply too easy these days with everyone’s ability to record on computer. Things happen so quickly.

There’s an importance in respect to actual instrumentation because those things take time, and then there’s the computer world and trying to blend those two together for the process of quickly laying down ideas.

That’s how things get kinda wild and dreamy and somewhere into outer space, and somehow you have to figure out how to pull it back down to you and your four/five buddies in a room and figure out, how are we going to play this thing live or how are we gonna track it and perform it?

Sometimes they take on several versions, but you just know.

When you’re happy with it, you’re happy with it in the end.

Sierra Bilton sierra@vueweekly.com

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music 15

THEATRIC METAL

MIND YOUR MANOR Lilith and Nox Flesher / Photo Junkies

Rutherford Manor Haunt conjures up A Taste of Madness

O

n the southwest corner of Edmonton stands Rutherford Manor, a building that has housed some of the most bloodthirsty and maniacal killers our city has ever seen. Or so the Rutherford Manor Haunt story goes.

Thanks to actor and media director Preston Ewasiuk, the Rutherford Manor now has its own extended universe, including a novel, an upcoming comic, graphic novel, a TV series in the works and a rock opera named A Taste of Madness. Every medium follows the stories of the Flesher and Savidge clan who have lived in the manor since the 1920s.

“The manor and family itself is really a story of cannibals living in the dust bowl here in Alberta,” Ewasiuk says. “They’re true psychopaths. They don’t see anything wrong with procuring different sources of protein to feed the family or experimenting on people.”

According to local musician Daniel Martin, they’re are also a great source of inspiration for a theatrical metal album.

“I was brought in to help write a comic book, which I can do, but eventually there were talks of doing music,” Martin says. “Dur-

16 music

ing one meeting I heard a gothic kind of melody in my head and I had to run to my car and record it on my phone by humming it.”

Soon after, Martin got to work composing songs heavily inspired

by Rutherford lore with his band The Infamous. Ewasiuk produced the album and helped with lyrics, making sure everything stayed true to the Rutherford Manor universe.

“Daniel was interested in the families’ motivation for doing what they do,” Ewasiuk says.

“There’s a song called the “Dark Waltz,” which tells the story of Nox and Lilith Flesher. In that song, they both realize they’re both very messed up people, but perfect for each other. They get caught by a mob, but Spalding— who I play—helps them escape.”

Martin adds, “One of my favourites is a two-part song called “And Then There Was One,” which is a piano ballad that’s sung by Jess Ruin of Juliet Ruin.”

As far as sound, A Taste of Madness falls into many genres. At times, it sounds like a composition from madman composer Danny Elfman. The album can

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2018

Wed., Feb. 7 (7 pm) A Taste of Madness live Metro Cinema $15 also be very heavy, with many of the characters in the Rutherford Manor looking like beings found on a Cannibal Corpse record.

“I’ve been listening to lots of Danny Elfman, but also really heavy theatrical stuff like Ghost, Arch Enemy, and Avenged Sevenfold,” Martin says. “Imagine Metallica playing a Tim Burton movie.”

Much like the sounds found on the album, the live performance is a theatrical spectacle. Expect a light show, creepy visuals and a wall-shaking performance. There are rumours that some of the Rutherford Manor characters will also make an appearance during one or two songs.

“Everybody who comes to the show will get a copy of the album,” Martin says. “I’ve almost created an Edmonton supergroup. I have some of the best metal musicians and musicians in the city on this thing.”

Stephan Boissonneault stephan@vueweekly.com

ACOUSTIC ROCK

UPCOMING

EVENTS

SOUTH EDMONTON COMMON FEB 1

PARKLAND w/ Kimberly MacGregor

FEB 2

X BAND

FEB 3

EVERGREEN w/ Friends of Foes and Milk

WEST EDMONTON MALL FEB 2

THE NORMALS BAND

FEB 3

THE NORMALS BAND

FEB 4

THE BIG GAME VIEWING PARTY

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

Jordan Norman / Supplied

CASE OF THE STOLEN GUITAR Jordan Norman loses an instrument but gains a relationship with The Rural Alberta Advantage

J

Sat., Feb. 3 (8 pm) Jordan Norman and The Wisdom Teeth w/ The Denim Daddies The Aviary, $10

ordan Norman begins his song “Lip Bomb” with a pun that can be easily missed if you’re not truly paying attention to his lyrics.

He sings, ‘I’ve got two years ‘til my dead rockstar age.’ It’s a facetious nod to the infamous “27 club” made famous by deceased musicians such as Kurt Cobain, Nick Drake and Jimi Hendrix. It’s also a perfect example of Norman’s utilization of lyrical wordplay.

“I’m not proficient at a lot of things when it comes to music, but I personally feel that my lyrics will stand for what I want them to,” Norman says.

Along with his band The Wisdom Teeth (made up of an all-star cast of local musicians such as guitarist Trevor McNeely, pianist Vicky Berg, multi-instrumentalist Alex Vissia, bassist Kurtis Cockerill and drummer Geoff O’Brien), Norman released the While They’re Still Hungry album last December. It’s a record filled with Norman’s unique take on acoustic rock that sometimes dips into a weird realm of grunge. At the forefront is Norman’s raspy Dan Mangan-esque voice that leads the immense choruses.

Before the album was released, Norman had the opportunity to share some of its songs while opening for one of his favourite bands—The Rural Alberta Advantage.

“Basically I just saw on Twitter that they were looking for an opener last minute and I happened to be the first one to tweet them,” he says. “It was a right place, right time kind of thing.”

After the show, Norman developed an acquaintance/musician relationship with The RAA and was asked to play one of their curated shows at the North By Northeast music festival.

“Just because I’ve kept in touch with them after the Union Hall show here last year, Paul, the drummer from the band, asked me to go open for them in Saskatoon,” Norman says.

That journey turned into a wild adventure for Norman, mixed with moments of both elation and dread.

“I drove out the next day with my guitar and a broken window in my van,” he says. “Turns out I wasn’t able to open for them, but what made it worse was that my guitar was stolen out of my van.

They didn’t take any of my tools, but just the guitar.”

Following that unfortunate experience, The RAA invited Nor-

man to accompany them on tour to Winnipeg.

“The best part was just being able to sit with RAA and actually have a conversation with them, because a lot of the time when you’re opening for someone you love it’s like, ‘Hey guys, I love your stuff and you inspire me.’ And they say, ‘Oh, thanks. You were great,’ and that’s as far as it goes,” Norman says.

But he still hasn’t forgotten about his Martin acoustic guitar.

The instrument was an integral part of his sound.

“My record was recorded with that acoustic guitar and my wife bought it for me when we started dating. So I lost this important object that helped me make art and it’s a little heartbreaking,” he says.

To whoever has the guitar in their possession, know that Jordan Norman is coming for you.

“I look on Kijiji every day, all across Canada,” he says. “Even two days ago, I was emailing a guy in Halifax ‘cause he posted something that sounded like my exact guitar, but he didn’t post any pictures. I guess I’m kind of catfishing him along so I could be like, ‘Huzzah. You’re going down, man. I’m driving there right now.

See you in 35 hours.’”

Stephan Boissonneault stephan@vueweekly.com

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2018

music 17

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Jam hosted by Rodney Jewell; Every Thu, 7-11pm SHERBROOKE PUB Jam hosted

by Rockin’ Rod Jewell; Every Thu, 7-11pm SQUARE 1 COFFEE Singer/Songwriter

Open Mic Hosted by Tommy Barker; Every Thu, 7-9:30pm TAVERN ON WHYTE Open stage with

Michael Gress (fr Self Evolution); every Thu; 9pm-2am WOODRACK CAFÉ Birdie on a Branch; 2nd Thu of every month, 7-8:30pm; No cover (donations welcome)

AVIARY Wormwitch, Slumlord, Feeding, Falsehood, Everythingyoueverloved; 7:30pm; $10 (adv); All ages

SHAKERS ROADHOUSE Triple Shot of Classic Rock; 9pm; $10 (adv), $15 (door)

B-STREET BAR Karaoke; Every Fri-Sat,

Adam Holm; 9pm

9:30pm BLUE CHAIR CAFÉ Spiral Flamenco;

8:30-10:30pm; $15 BLUES ON WHYTE Randy Mcallister;

9pm

SHERLOCK HOLMES–WEM Jake

Buckley; 9pm SIDELINER’S PUB Friday Night Bands:

live music; Every Fri WILD EARTH BAKERY–MILLCREEK Live

JUBILEE AUDITORIUM HMS Pinafore–

BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Main Floor:

FESTIVAL PLACE Stephen Fearing;

7:30pm; $31-$35 THE FORGE ON WHYTE Slant Six

BORDERLINE SPORTS PUB Karaoke/

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

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

DJs

HORIZON STAGE Women Who Rock;

Quartet; 8pm; $15

Fridays with Remo, Noosh, Fingertips & guests; Underdog: Rap, House, HipHop with DJ Teddy Plenti; every Fri

CAFFREY’S IN THE PARK Live music;

THE COMMON Quality Control Fridays

CAFE BLACKBIRD Helena Magerowski

9pm

with DJ Echo & Freshlan

CARROT COFFEEHOUSE Live music

EL CORTEZ MEXICAN KITCHEN + TEQUILA BAR Resident DJs playing the

every Fri; all ages; 7pm; $5 (door) CENTURY CASINO–ST. ALBERT The

Orchard; 9pm; Free CHVRCH OF JOHN Absolut Chvrch - 2

7:30pm; $40 (adults), $35 (students/ seniors 65+)

best in hip-hop, dance and classics; Every Fri-Sat, 9pm; No cover

MERCER TAVERN DJ Mikey Wong

every Sat

BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Main Floor:

TAVERN ON WHYTE Classic hip-hop

SUN FEB 4

SAT FEB 3

ALIBI PUB AND EATERY Open mic

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

HAVE MERCY Ryan Langlois HOLY TRINITY ANGLICAN CHURCH

HTAC Open Stage; First Fri of every month, until Jun 1; 7-10pm

AUSSIE RULES KITCHEN & PIANO BAR

Piano Show; Every Sat, 9pm

HORIZON STAGE James Gordon and

AVIARY Jordan Norman & TWT, The Denim Daddies Double Release Rager; 8pm; $10 (adv, YEGLive)

Sons; 7:30pm; $30 (adults), $30 (students/seniors 65+)

B-STREET BAR Karaoke; Every Fri-Sat,

9:30pm BAILEY THEATRE–CAMROSE Godfrey

Blaque…a celebration of 50 years in entertainment; 8pm; $25 (students

Stephen Fearing Festival Place Feb. 3, 7:30 pm $31-$35

Wednesday

Substance with Eddie Lunchpail with DJ Creeazn every Mon; 9pm-2am

TUE FEB 6

ROSE & CROWN PUB Andrew Scott;

AUSSIE RULES KITCHEN & PIANO BAR

9pm

Piano Show; Every Sun, 9pm

BLUES ON WHYTE Mildly Wild; 9pm

SEWING MACHINE FACTORY Marlaena

Moore, Jom Comyn, Stoplights, Glass Machine; 8pm; $10 (door); All ages SHAKERS ROADHOUSE Mark Ammar’s

BLUE CHAIR CAFÉ Sunday Brunch with

PM Bossa; 9am-2pm; By donation BLUES ON WHYTE Randy Mcallister;

9pm

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 THE PROVINCIAL PUB Karaoke

night; Every Sun, 6-9pm

Calamity Jane; 8pm

8:30pm

WINSPEAR CENTRE Portugal. The Man

Y AFTERHOURS Live DJs; Every Fri-Sat

RENDEZVOUS PUB The Dabs, Dystallis,

ATLANTIC TRAP & GILL Sweet Vintage;

PLEASANTVIEW COMMUNITY HALL

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

DJs

The Normals Band; 9:30pm; Free

The Foil with N.N. Tooth & Nail and Upsidedowntown; 9pm; $10 (adv), $15 (door); 18+ only

SIDELINER’S PUB Singer/Songwriter

Live Local Bands every Sat

REC ROOM–WEST EDMONTON MALL

Wednesdays; Every Wed, 7-11pm; Free ON THE ROCKS Karaoke Wednesdays hosted by ED; Every Wed, 9pm

with guests Hollerado; 8pm; $38-$48

Y AFTERHOURS Live DJs; Every Fri-Sat

LEAF BAR & GRILL Wang Dang

Association: Acoustic instrumental old time fiddle jam every Mon; hosted by the Wild Rose Old Tyme Fiddlers Society; 7pm

funk, R&B and more with DJs Ben and Mitch; every Sat; 9pm-2am

DENIZEN HALL Champ City

THE FORGE ON WHYTE Puttin’ On

PLEASANTVIEW COMMUNITY HALL Wild Rose Old Tyme Fiddlers

TAVERN ON WHYTE Soul, motown,

ON THE ROCKS Mourning Wood; 9pm

9pm

DUGGAN’S BOUNDARY Wed open mic

HAVE MERCY Piano Karaoke featuring with Tiff Hall; Every Wed, 8:30pm

EL CORTEZ MEXICAN KITCHEN + TEQUILA BAR Resident DJs playing the

9pm-2am

DUGGAN’S BOUNDARY Duff Robison;

FIDDLER’S ROOST Open Stage;

GAS PUMP Karaoke; 9:30pm

Year Anniversary & Fashion Show; 9pm; $5 Soundtrack; Every Fri-Sat

9pm

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

Indie rock and dance with DJ Maurice; 9pm-2am

MKT FRESH FOOD AND BEER MARKET

BLUES ON WHYTE Mike Mackenzie;

Every Mon, 9pm; Free

HAVE MERCY Mississippi Monday

THE PROVINCIAL PUB Saturday Nights:

GAS PUMP Live DJ; 10pm

WED FEB 7

with host Duff Robison; 8pm

Saturdays: top 40, throwbacks and club anthems

Rockchilld and CamSoLo; 8pm; $10 (adv)

DEVANEY’S IRISH PUB Karaoke night;

resident DJs

Night: House and disco and everything in between with Wright & Wong, Dane

LEAF BAR AND GRILL The HomeMade

MERCURY ROOM Shmubu with

BLUES ON WHYTE Mildly Wild; 9pm

EL CORTEZ MEXICAN KITCHEN + TEQUILA BAR Taco Tuesday with

7-11pm

ENVY NIGHT CLUB Resolution

Jam at the Leaf - hosted by Bonedog and Rayzzor - featuring the Support Group; 3-7pm; Free • Costa Livin; 8pm

Mondays with Metal Phil from CJSR’s Heavy Metal Lunchbox

Chris Bruce spins britpop/punk/ garage/indie; Every Tue

THE COMMON Get Down It’s Saturday

LB’S PUB ROHR; 9pm; No minors

best in hip-hop, dance and classics; Every Fri-Sat, 9pm; No cover

THE PROVINCIAL PUB Video Music DJ;

BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Main Floor: GAS PUMP Kizomba-DJ; 8pm

BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Wooftop: Metal

HILLTOP PUB Open stage hosted by

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

DJs

DJs

YARDBIRD SUITE Emie R. Roussel

BRIXX BAR Cash’d Out with guests Olivia Rose; 8pm; $15; 18+ only • GOOD SET: Conch with Lot D, Aidan Murphy, and Fontaine Lewis; 9pm; $10; 18+ only

BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Main Floor: DJ

Zyppy with DJ Late Fee; Every Sun

EMPRESS ALE HOUSE Bands at the

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

Classical

DJs

MON FEB 5

Empress; Every Sat, 4-6pm; Free; 18+ only

Don Berner Quartet; 7:30pm (door), 8pm (show); $5

JUBILEE AUDITORIUM HMS Pinafore– Sung in English with projected lyrics; 7:30pm

Sung in English with projected lyrics; 7:30pm

with The Betty Alice Effect and Dogs Mercury; 8pm; $15 (door); 18+ only

DJ; Every Thu-Sat, 9pm

WINSPEAR CENTRE RCCO Organic presents Isabelle Demers on Mighty Davis Concert Organ; 3-5pm; $30 (adult), $25 (students/seniors)

9pm

Music Fridays; Each Fri, 8-10pm; $5 suggested donation

/ Mark Maryanovich

18 music

DENIZEN HALL Champ City Soundtrack; Every Fri-Sat

BOHEMIA Vinyl Fantasy; 9pm; No cover; 18+ only

YARDBIRD SUITE Stefan Kijek Quintet;

7pm (doors), 8pm (show); $11 (members), $15 (guests)

Orchard; 9pm; Free

DUGGAN’S BOUNDARY Duff Robison; SHERLOCK HOLMES–DOWNTOWN

SHAKERS ROADHOUSE Rod Jewell

CAFFREY’S IN THE PARK Live music;

7pm; $2

BORDERLINE SPORTS PUB Karaoke/

Emerging Artist Series; 2-5pm; Admission by donation

ROGERS PLACE Old Dominion Happy Endings World Tour; 7:30pm; $59 and up at Ticketmaster

Band Open stage

Blonde; 7pm (doors), 9pm (show); Tickets staring at $34.99

entertainment, Every Fri, 9pm

HOLY TRINITY ANGLICAN CHURCH

Hosted by Darrell Barr; 7-11pm; No charge

ROBERTSON WESLEY UNITED CHURCH

Wight and Wong, and Residents; 9pm; $20 (adv, YEGLive)

Piano Show; Every Fri, 9pm

Classical

LB’S PUB Tuesday Night Open Jam

18+ only

Hewson Grey with guests; 7:30pm; $10 (adv at YEGLive)

Wine Alot (house, hip-hop and reggae music); Every Thu; No cover

UNION HALL Sleeping With Sirens; 6:30pm; $34.99 (plus fees); All ages

No cover 9pm

RIVER CREE–The Venue Platinum

Sun, 7-11pm

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

Adam Holm; 9pm SHERLOCK HOLMES–WEM Jake

Foes and Milk; 8pm; $10 (adv), $15 (doors)

ON THE ROCKS West Jasper Ave Open

Jam; 9pm SANDS INN & SUITES Open Jam; Every

SHERLOCK HOLMES–DOWNTOWN BLUE CHAIR CAFÉ Danielle Knibbe;

ON THE ROCKS Salsa Rocks: every Thu; dance lessons at 8pm; Cuban Salsa DJ to follow

FRI FEB 2

Saturday Sessions Jam; Every Sat, 4-8pm • Triple Shot of Classic Rock; 9pm; $10 (adv), $15 (door)

Dog; 4-6pm; No cover

Leaf; Every Fri, 9pm; Free

Uncommon Thursday: Rotating guests each week

Piano Show; Every Thu, 8pm

$20) at the Bailey Box Office or online

9pm; No minors

FIDDLER’S ROOST Fiddle Jam Circle;

7:30-11:30pm GAS PUMP Karaoke; 9:30pm HAVE MERCY To-Do Tuesday: open

SHAKERS ROADHOUSE Country Jam

with 4 Dollar Bill TAVERN ON WHYTE Karaoke; 9pm

Classical MCDOUGALL UNITED CHURCH Music

Wednesday at Noon: Andrea Pinna and Michael Vecchio (tenor and piano); 12:10-12:50pm; Free

DJs BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Main Floor: DJ

Late Fee; Every Wed

VENUEGUIDE 99TEN 9910B-109 St NW, 780.709.4734, 99ten.ca ACCENT LOUNGE 8223-104 St ALIBI PUB & EATERY 17328 Stony Plain Rd 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 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

BRIXX BAR 10030-102 St (downstairs), 780.428.1099 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 CASK AND BARREL 10041104 St; 780.498.1224, thecaskandbarrel.ca CENTURY CASINO–EDMONTON 13103 Fort Rd, 780.643.4000 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 DENIZEN HALL 10311-103 Ave, 780.424.8215, thedenizenhall.com DEVANEY’S IRISH PUB 1111387 Ave NW, devaneyspub.com DUGGAN’S BOUNDARY 9013-88 Ave, 780.465.4834 EL CORTEZ MEXICAN KITCHEN + TEQUILA BAR 8230 Gateway Blvd, elcortezcantina.com

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2018

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 HOLY TRINITY ANGLICAN CHURCH 10037-84 Ave NW, 780.433.5530, holytrinity.ab.ca HORIZON STAGE 1001 Calahoo Rd, Spruce Grove, 780.962.8995, horizonstage.com JUBILEE AUDITORIUM 1145587 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 MCDOUGALL UNITED CHURCH 10086 MacDonald Dr NW, mcdougallunited.com

MKT FRESH FOOD AND BEER MARKET 8101 Gateway Blvd, 780.439.2337 MERCER TAVERN 10363 104 St, 587.521.1911 MERCURY ROOM 10575-114 St NAKED CYBERCAFÉ 10303-108 St, 780.425.9730 NORTH GLENORA HALL 13535109A Ave ON THE ROCKS 11730 Jasper Ave, 780.482.4767 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 RENDEZVOUS 10108-149 St RIVER CREE–THE VENUE 300 E Lapotac Blvd, Enoch ROBERTSON WESLEY UNITED CHURCH 10209-123 St ROGERS PLACE 10214-104 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 SHERBROOKE PUB 13160-118 Ave NW SHERLOCK HOLMES–DOWNTOWN 10012-101 A Ave, 780.426.7784 SHERLOCK HOLMES–WEM 8882170 St, 780.444.1752 SIDELINERS PUB 11018-127 St SQUARE 1 COFFEE 15 Fairway Drive STARLITE ROOM 10030-102 St, 780.428.1099 TAVERN ON WHYTE 10507-82 Ave, 780.521.4404 UNION HALL 6240-99 St NW, 780.702-2582, unionhall.ca UPTOWN FOLK CLUB 11150-82 St, 780.436.1554 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

EVENTS

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

COMEDY BIG ROCK PRESENTS: DEVANEY’S COMEDY NIGHT • Devaney's, 11113-87 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) • Chris Sadleir; Feb 1-3 • Brian Link; Feb 8-10

COMIC STRIP • Bourbon St, WEM • 780.483.5999 • Joe Zimmerman; Jan 31-Feb 4 • Ali Siddiq; Feb 7-10

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

GROUPS/CLUBS/MEETINGS ADULT DANCE CLASSES • Quantum 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 AIKIKAI AIKIDO CLUB • 10139-87

• $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

FERTILITY AWARENESS CHARTING CIRCLE • Remedy Cafe, 8631-109 St • faccedmonton@gmail.com • fertilityawarenesschartingcircle.org • First Mon each month (Oct-Jun), 6:30-8:30pm • $10 (suggested donation) • RSVP at faccedmonton@gmail. 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 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

MONTHLY MEDITATION AND VEGAN BRUNCH • Padmanadi Vegetarian Restau-

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

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

AMITABHA KADAMPA BUDDHIST CENTRE • 9550-87 St • 780.235.8257

NORTHERN ALBERTA WOOD CARVERS ASSOCIATION • Duggan Community Hall,

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

3728-106 St • nawca.ca • Meet every Wed, 6:30pm

THE CARROT COFFEE FRIENDSHIP CLUB • Carrot Coffeehouse, 9351-118 Ave

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

• 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, 11am

COFFEE WITH COPS • Carrot Coffeehouse, 9351-118 Ave • Edmonton Police Service invites the community to an open discussion • 1st Tue of every month, 10-11am 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

OPEN DOOR COMIC CREATOR MEETINGS • Happy Harbor Comics,

ORGANIZATION FOR BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE DISORDER (OBAD) • Grey

• 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 • 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

WICCAN ASSEMBLY • Ritchie Hall, 772798 St • cwaalberta@gmail.com • The Congregationalist Wiccan Assembly of Alberta meets the 2nd Sun each month (except Aug), 6pm

DEBATE! SHOULD ALBERTA HAVE ONE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM OR TWO? •

LGNYEG • Happy Harbor Comics, 10729-

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)

TOASTMASTERS

LECTURES/PRESENTATIONS

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

MONDAY MINGLE • Hexagon Board Game

TAKE OFF POUNDS SENSIBLY (TOPS) • 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

TELUS 150 Auditorium • Join in for a spirited debate on whether Alberta should change its dual school system of public and separate schools to one public school system. What are the constitutional considerations? • Feb 8, 5:30-7pm • Free and open to the public.

Register: bit.ly/DebF8

FASHION CULTURE NETWORK PRESENTS: FASHION RESEARCH IN HUMAN ECOLOGY • Room 2-20 Fine Arts Building, University of Alberta North Campus • Covering two research projects on fashion led by Dr. Anne Bissonnette: "Misfits: Bodies, Dress and Sustainability" and " A Revolutionary Decade: Fashion and Material Culture in the 1790s" • Feb 6, 7-8pm • Free (RSVP through bit. ly/2BWCYFn)

GLASSBLOWING CLASSES WITH PIXIE GLASSWORKS • Pixie Glassworks, 9322-60 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) • Cambodia & Vietnam (Feb 5) • First Mon of the month, 7:30pm • $3 donation (guests are asked to bring snacks to share); everyone welcome

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

/ Supplied

Toque Tuesday Downtown LRT locations Feb. 6, 7 am to 6 pm

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

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 feminine-identified • 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. Events include: "Gayming", archery, swimming, floor hockey, volleyball, yoga, and more • Events are seasonal and can change, visit website for more details YOGA WITH JENNIFER • 780.439.6950 • ThreeBattles.com • A traditional approach with lots of individual attention. Free introductory classes • Tue evenings & Sat mornings

SPECIAL EVENTS BOARDWALK ICE ON WHYTE • Whyte Avenue and Gateway Blvd in Old Strathcona • info@iceonwhyte.ca • iceonwhyte.ca • The International Ice Carving Competition is one of only three ice carving competitions in Canada. Be inspired and amazed as up to 10 teams of professional artists work to create jaw-dropping icy splendours • Feb 1-4 • $7 (adult), $4 (kids), $20 (family)

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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

RUBABOO ABORIGINAL ARTS FESTIVAL • Backstage Theatre, 10330-84 Ave • albertaaboriginalarts.com • Rubaboo is a multi‐disciplinary festival, showcasing theatre, music, dance, visual art, food, and workshops. Rubaboo is the only major Aboriginal arts festival in Alberta, committed to giving artists a platform to bring audiences of all backgrounds together to enjoy the vast artistic expressions that exist in Aboriginal culture • Jan 31-Feb 4

SILVER SKATE FESTIVAL 2018 • William Hawrelak Park, 9330 Groat Road • silverskatefestival.org/go • Rooted in the Dutch tradition of a love of the outdoors and of experiencing winter’s cultural and aesthetic beauty, the festival has exploded into an extravaganza of art, culture, recreation and sports programming • Feb 9-19, 12-9pm (weekends), 4-8pm (weekdays) • Admission by donation SNOWSHOE & STARGAZE • Astotin Lake, 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 10, Feb 24, Mar 10; 7-9pm • $29.80 (book via phone)

THURSDAYS TBD TO BE DISCOVERED • Legislative Assembly Visitor Centre, Edmonton Federal Building, Main floor, 9820-107 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

TOQUE TUESDAY • Downtown LRT locations • jtremblay@homewardtrust.ca • raisingtheroof.org • Help Homeward Trust Edmonton and Raising the Roof keep YEG's homeless youth safe and warm. Buy a toque for $10-20 from volunteers downtown • Feb 6, 7am-6pm

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SAVAGELOVE LESBORAMA

I am a 38-year-old lesbian, very femme, very out. I have a coworker I can’t figure out. We’ve worked together for a year and gotten very close. I never want to put out the wrong signals to coworkers, and I err on the side of keeping a safe but friendly distance. This is different. We are each other’s confidants at work.

We stare at each other across the office, we text until late at night, and we go for weekend dog walks. Her texts aren’t overtly flirty, but they are intimate and feel more than friendly. I’ve never had a “straight” girl act like this toward me. Is she into me? Or just needy? Is it all in my head?

WORKPLACE OBSESSION ROILING KNOWING-IF-NERVOUS GAL Five weeks ago, a letter writer jumped down my throat for giving advice to lesbians despite not being a lesbian myself. Questions from lesbians have been pouring in ever since—lesbians apparently don’t like being told who they may or may not ask for advice.

Three weeks ago, I responded to a man whose coworker asked him if he might want to sleep with the coworker’s wife—a coworker who was “not [his] boss”—and people jumped down my throat for entertaining the idea because it is NEVER EVER okay to sleep with a coworker and/or a coworker’s spouse. And now here I am responding to a question from a lesbian who wants to sleep with a coworker. Farewell to my mentions, as the kids say.

Here we go, WORKING …

Your straight-identified workmate could be straight, or she could be a lesbian (lots of lesbians come out later in life), or she could be bisexual (most bisexual women are closeted, and others are perceived to be straight despite their best efforts to identify as bisexual)—and lots of latein-lifers and/or closeted folks don’t come out until some hot same-sex prospect works up the nerve to ask them out. If your coworker isn’t currently under you at work and you’re not an imminent promotion away from becoming her supervisor and your company doesn’t incentivize workplace romances by banning them, ask your coworker out on a date—an unambiguous ask for a date, not an appointment to meet up at the dog park. This is important: Before she can respond to your ask, WORKING, invite her to say “no” if the answer is no or “straight” if the identity is straight. Good luck!

PUSH BACK

I’m a lesbian, and my partner recently reconnected with a childhood friend. At first I felt sorry for him, as he was having a health crisis. But he’s better now, and his pushy behaviour really gets to me. He texts her at all hours—and when he can’t get in touch with her, he bugs me. When I refused

ALBERTA-WIDECLASSIFIEDS

Dan Savage savagelove@vueweekly.com

to go on a trip with him and his husband, he guilt-tripped me for weeks. He constantly wants us to come to his house, but they’re chain-smokers. I’m going to Los Angeles to interview a celebrity for a project, and now he’s trying to insert himself into this trip because he wants to go starfucking.

He also wants to officiate at our upcoming wedding. My partner won’t stand up for me when I say no to this guy. How can I get my partner to listen to me or get her jackass friend to leave me be?

CAN’T THINK OF A CLEVER ACRONYM Burn it down, CTOACA. Call or email your partner’s old friend and tell him you think he’s a pushy, unpleasant, smelly asshole and that you don’t want to hang out with him—not at his place, not on a trip, and not at your wedding, which he not only won’t be officiating but, if you had your druthers, he wouldn’t be attending. That should do it. You can’t tell your soon-to-be wife who she can’t have as a friend—that’s controlling behaviour—but she can’t force you to spend time with someone you loathe.

MIXED MESSAGES

I’m a 40-year-old lesbian in Alabama, and I work with a woman I find impossible to resist. The catch is she’s 66, straight, and has two children. I love her deeply, she loves me, but we don’t have sex. She has given me a pass to sleep with whoever I like, but I’m one of those weirdos who requires an emotional connection to sleep with someone. The odd thing is that she vacillates between heavily making out with me every time we are alone together and saying, “No, I can’t, I’m straight.” Why does she do everything but sex if she’s straight?

FEELING REALLY UNSURE SINCE THIS REMARKABLY AMAZING TEMPTRESS ENTERED DOMAIN That nice straight lady from work is making out with you because she likes it (the thirst is real), FRUSTRATED, or she’s making out with you because she wants you in her life and believes—perhaps mistakenly— that this is the only way to hold your interest or fuel your obsession (the thirst is faked). If she likes it, then she’s a lesbian or bisexual but so invested in her heterosexual identity that she can’t “go there.” (Alabama, you said?

Maybe she doesn’t feel safe being out in your community.) If she’s making out with you only because she’s lonely and values your friendship and/or enjoys the ego boost of being your obsession, then you don’t want to keep making out with her—for her sake (no one feels good after making out with someone they’d rather not be making out with) and for your own sake (those make-out sessions give you false hope and prevent you from di-

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recting your romantic and erotic energies elsewhere).

ROOKIE STATUS

I’m a woman in my early 60s with a healthy lifestyle and an even healthier libido. I’ve had almost exclusively hetero relationships, but I’ve been attracted to women all my life and all of my masturbation fantasies involve women. The older I get, the more I think about a relationship with a woman. The thought of being in love with a woman, making love with her, sharing a life with her—it all sounds like heaven. The trouble is that it’s really hard to see how I’ll meet women who would be interested in me. There’s rarely anyone my age on dating apps. I don’t even know what age range is reasonable. What’s a reasonable age difference for women with women? Also, who is going to be interested in a rookie? Advice?

ENERGETIC LONELY DAME ENVISIONING RELATIONSHIP Emmy-Award-winning actress Sarah Paulson is 43 years old and Emmy-Award-winning actress Holland Taylor is 75—and Sarah and Holland have been girlfriends for almost three years.

Emmy-Award-winning talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres is 60 years old and Screen-Actors-Guild-Award-winning actress Portia de Rossi is 45 years old—and Ellen and Portia have been together for 13 years and married for almost 10. There are lots of non-Emmy/SAG-Awardwinning lesbians out there in relationships with significant age gaps—and at least one lesbian in Alabama who desperately wants to be in one. So don’t let the lack of older women on dating apps prevent you from putting yourself out there on apps and elsewhere, ELDER. As for your rookie status, there are two examples of lesbians pining over rookies in this very column.

Remember: If you put yourself out there, you might be alone a year from now—but if you don’t put yourself out there, you’ll definitely be alone a year from now.

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FREEWILLASTROLOGY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In all of history, humans have mined about 182,000 tonnes of gold.

Best estimates suggest there are still 35 billion tonnes of gold buried in the Earth, but the remaining riches will be more difficult to find and collect than what we’ve already gotten. We need better technology. If I had to say who would be the entrepreneurs and inventors best qualified to lead the quest, my choice would be members of the Aries tribe. For the foreseeable future, you will have extra skill at excavating hidden treasure and gathering resources that are hard to access.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Stories have the power to either dampen or mobilize your life energy. I hope that in the coming weeks, you will make heroic efforts to seek out the latter and avoid the former. Now is a crucial time to treat yourself to stories that will jolt you out of your habitual responses and inspire you to take long-postponed actions and awaken the sleeping parts of your soul. That’s just half of your assignment, dear Taurus.

Here’s the rest: Tell stories that help you remember the totality of who you are, and that inspire your listeners to remember the totality of who they are.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Author Anaïs Nin said, “There are two ways to reach me: by way of kisses or by way of the imagination. But there is a hierarchy: the kisses alone don’t work.” For two reasons, Anaïs’ formulation is especially apropos for you right now. First, you should not allow yourself to be seduced, tempted, or won over by sweet gestures alone. You must insist on sweet gestures that are synergized by a sense of wonder and an appreciation of your unique beauty. Second, you should adopt the same approach for those you want to seduce, tempt, or win over: sweet gestures seasoned with wonder and an appreciation of their unique beauty.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Are you more inclined right now to favour temporary involvements and short-term promises? Or would you consider making brave commitments that lead you deeper into the great mystery?

Given the upcoming astrological omens, I vote for the latter.

Here’s another pair of questions for you, Cancerian. Are you inclined to meander from commotion to commotion without any game plan? Or might you invoke the magic necessary to get involved with high-quality collaborations? I’m hoping you’ll opt for the latter. (P.S. The near future will be prime time for you to swear a sacred oath or two.)

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In March 1996, a man burst into the studio of radio station Star FM in Wanganui, New Zealand. He took

22 at the back

the manager hostage and issued a single demand: that the DJ play a recording of the Muppet song “The Rainbow Connection,” as sung by the puppet Kermit the Frog. Fortunately, police intervened quickly, no one was hurt, and the kidnapper was jailed. In bringing this to your attention, Leo, I am certainly not suggesting that you imitate the kidnapper. Please don’t break the law or threaten anyone with harm.

On the other hand, I do urge you to take dramatic, innovative action to fulfill one of your very specific desires.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Many varieties of the nettle plant will sting you if you touch the leaves and stems. Their hairs are like hypodermic needles that inject your skin with a blend of irritant chemicals. Nettle is also an herb with numerous medicinal properties. It can provide relief for allergies, arthritis, joint pain, and urinary problems. That’s why Shakespeare invoked the nettle as a metaphor in his play Henry IV, Part 1: “Out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety,” says the character named Hotspur. In accordance with the astrological omens, Virgo, I choose the nettle as your power metaphor for the first three weeks of February.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “Knullrufs” is a Swedish word that refers to what your hair looks like after sex: tousled, rumpled, disordered. If I’m reading the astrological omens correctly, you should experience more knullrufs than usual in the coming weeks. You’re in a phase when you need and deserve extra pleasure and delight, especially the kind that rearranges your attitudes as well as your coiffure. You have license to exceed your normal quotas of ravenousness and rowdiness.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In his “Crazy Lake Experiment” documented on YouTube, Harvard physicist Greg Kestin takes a raft out on a lake. He drops a tablespoon of olive oil into the water, and a few minutes later, the half-acre around his boat is still and smooth. All the small waves have disappeared. He proceeds to explain the science behind the calming effect produced by a tiny amount of oil. I suspect that you will have a metaphorically comparable power in the next two weeks, Scorpio. What’s your version of the olive oil? Your poise?

Your graciousness? Your tolerance?

Your insight into human nature?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In 1989, a man spent four dollars on a painting at a flea market in Adamstown, Pennsylvania. He didn’t care much for the actual image, which was a boring country scene, but he thought he could use the frame. Upon returning home, he found a document concealed behind the painting. It turned out to be a rare old

Rob Brezsny freewill@vueweekly.com

copy of America’s Declaration of Independence, originally created in 1776. He eventually sold it for nearly two and a half million dollars. I doubt that you will experience anything quite as spectacular in the coming weeks, Sagittarius. But I do suspect you will find something valuable where you don’t expect it, or develop a connection with something that’s better than you imagined it would be.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In the 1740s, a teenage Capricorn girl named Eliza Lucas almost single-handedly introduced a new crop into American agriculture: indigo, a plant used as a dye for textiles. In South Carolina, where she managed her father’s farm, indigo ultimately became the second-most-important cash crop over the next 30 years. I have astrological reasons to believe that you are now in a phase when you could likewise make innovations that will have longrange economic repercussions.

Be alert for good intuitions and promising opportunities to increase your wealth.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): When I was in my early 20s, I smoked marijuana now and then.

I liked it. It made me feel good and inspired my creativity and roused spiritual visions. But I reconsidered my use after encountering pagan magician Isaac Bonewits.

He didn’t have a moral objection to cannabis use, but believed it withered one’s willpower and diminished one’s determination to transform one’s life for the better. For a year, I meditated on and experimented with his hypothesis. I found it to be true, at least for me. I haven’t smoked since.

My purpose in bringing this up is not to advise you about your relationship to drugs, but rather to urge you to question whether there are influences in your life that wither your willpower and diminish your determination to transform your life for the better.

Now is an excellent time to examine this issue.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Would you like to shed unwieldy baggage before moving on to your next big challenge? I hope so. It will purge your soul of karmic sludge. It will prime you for a fresh start. One way to accomplish this bravery is to confess your sins and ask for forgiveness in front of a mirror. Here are data to consider. Is there anyone you know who would not give you a good character reference? Have you ever committed a seriously unethical act? Have you revealed information that was told to you in confidence? While under the influence of intoxicants or bad ideas, have you done things you’re ashamed of? I’m not saying you’re more guilty of these things than the rest of us, it’s just that now is your special time to seek redemption.

JONESIN’ CROSSWORD

Matt Jones jonesincrosswords@vueweekly.com

“The Jokers”-- and the ones seen with them.

Across

1 ___ Lama (Tibetan leader) 6 Some football linemen, briefly 9 “The Destroyer,” in Hinduism 13 Oak-to-be 14 Slip up 15 McGregor in a hyped 2017 boxing match 16 “Super Freak” singer 18 The Mad Hatter’s guest 19 Commotion 20 Roths, for short? (abbr.)

21 “King Lear” daughter 22 Tree with an extract that purportedly helps memory 25 Sea of ___ (Biblical location) 28 Word before bump or boom 29 It’s a sign 30 Actor Benicio del ___ of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” 31 Daily ___ (political blog since 2002) 34 Worth a “meh” response 39 D&D game runners, for short 40 Quicker than quick 41 Participate in a poll 42 Letters over 0 on older touchtones 43 Stretchy shirt of sorts 46 He was assassinated on the Ides of March 50 ___ to arms 51 Winter ride 52 Diddley and Derek, for two 55 Bete ___ (nemesis) 56 Jokers, usually (or what the circled letters represent) 58 Not yet burning 59 Gator or Power follower 60 Constellation with a “belt” 61 Catch on clothing 62 “___ Kommissar” (1983 pop hit) 63 Jury members

Down

1 Irish comedian ___ ” Briain 2 Hydrochloric ___ 3 In ___ parentis (legal doctrine) 4 Boat with a pair of bears 5 Monopoly board words near “Just visiting” 6 2011’s “Arthur,” e.g.

7 Duane Allman’s brother 8 Near-grads, for short

VUEWEEKLY.com | FEB 01 - FEB 07, 2018

9 Without help 10 “The Princess Bride” character ___ Montoya 11 Word knowledge, briefly 12 Scene of action 15 Arctic herd 17 Actress Hathaway of “The Princess Diaries” 22 “I Just Wanna Stop” singer ___ Vannelli 23 Wind section member 24 Surname of two brothers behind a root beer brand 25 Beyond passable 26 Radio band letters 27 Microscope piece 30 Cough syrup amt.

31 Shape of a pretzel (but not a pretzel stick) 32 Septa- plus one 33 Dissipate slowly 35 Juliet’s surname 36 Medical suffixes 37 Drug bust participant 38 At any point 42 Offshore drilling structure 43 Half of a headliner at the Rio in Las Vegas 44 Like cheaper textbooks 45 The rougher interrogator, in procedurals 46 Roman god with two faces 47 Home of the Huskies, for short 48 Boxer Ali 49 Stage whisper, perhaps 52 Cheese that goes with red wine 53 Quality of some cheeses 54 Some bank acct. data 56 Stack of cash 57 “___ you for real?” ©2018 Jonesin’ Crosswords

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