1105: 2016 Year in review

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#1105 / DEC 29, 2016 – JAN 04, 2017 VUEWEEKLY.COM

Goodbye, Steve Steffle // 14 Fortune Falls // 6

ISSUE: 1105 DEC 29, 2016 – JAN 04, 2017 COVER: CHARLIE BIDDISCOMBE

LISTINGS

ARTS / 7 MUSIC / 16 EVENTS / 18 ADULT / 20 CLASSIFIED / 21

FRONT

3

In the face of a terrible year, what does resiliency look like? // 3

DISH

4

Looking back on Edmonton’s food scene in 2016 // 4

ARTS

5

The sweet tale of Fortune Falls // 5

POP

8

Reviewing the year in comics and graphic novels // 8

FILM

9

Community at the heart of David Cheoros’ vision for Metro // 11

MUSIC

12

Saying goodbye to Steve Steffler// 13

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VUEWEEKLY.com | DEC 29, 2016 – JAN 04, 2017

YEAR IN REVIEW FRONT UPDATE KRAMPUS STILL AT LARGE. AUTHORITIES WARN OF POSSIBLE ACCOMPLICE

M

A collection of Edmonton happenings that struck a cord with our staff writer Trent Wilkie this year

any of us are glad to see 2016 go.

Aside from the rampant and unending barrage of celebrity deaths, there are some other things going on as well.

Here is a collection of our top picks.

McCann Murders This terrible example of the justice system at work is more drawn out than a 'Freebird' solo. Lyle and Marie McCann disappeared in 2010 and Travis Vader has currently been charged with manslaughter and is being sentenced. No doubt his case will be studied as a ‘how not to solve a murder’ case for future generations.

We hope the McCann family can finally start healing from this terrible ordeal.

Rogers Place Ol’ Iron Foot is alive and kicking in the heart of downtown Edmonton.

The Ice District is ramping up, the concerts and games are filling the seats, and the city has embraced its new attraction. Positivity about Rogers Place is on the rise.

Also on the rise is meth use in the area, parking prices, and the city’s

hopes of an Oilers’ playoff.

Racism and ignorance Racism and ignorance have always been a part of human culture, but recently the ignorant among us seem increasingly emboldened.

In one particular happening, local actor and producer Jesse Lipscombe was verbally assaulted during a video shoot, catching the whole ordeal on film.

Using the situation to start a city wide conversation, Lipscombe created the #makeitawkward campaign.

Let's hope the good outsmarts the bad from here on in.

Fentolyn(fentanyl)/carfentanil opiods There was a rash of deaths this year that all to point towards opioid overdoses. Fentolyn, a synthetic opioid that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent (with carfentanil being more potent than that), has led to some police carrying a naloxone kit, an antidote to fentolyn. About 200 deaths were linked to fentolyn in Alberta over the first

half of 2016. Fifteen overdose deaths have been linked to carfentanil in Alberta; 14 of them occurred between September and the end of November.

Washroom debate In January, Education Minister David Eggen announced that gender-diverse students and teachers are able to choose which school bathrooms they want to use, as well as the names, pronouns and clothing that represent their gender identity.

That information was sent out in a guide to help Alberta’s 61 school boards revise regulations and hash out new policies.

Brian Coldwell, chair of the Independent Baptist Christian Education Society and representative of two schools who are rejecting the guide, stated that Alberta Education doesn’t have the ‘dictatorial power’ to enforce their ‘gay activist’ agenda.

This story is not anywhere near over.

Fort McMurray wild fires On May 1, 2016, a wildfire known as 'the beast' began southwest of Fort McMurray and by May 3, it hit the

city destroying approximately 2,400 homes and buildings. It forced the largest wildfire evacuation in Alberta history. The fire spread across roughly 590,000 hectares, reaching into Saskatchewan. On July 5, the wildfire was declared to be under control and is now considered the costliest disaster in Canadian history.

During this horrible time, Albertans dug deep and helped each other out.

From getting horses safely to Edmonton, to Syrian refugees donating money and hygiene items, to those who drove water and gas amongst the traffic stuffed Highway 63 evacuation route, true humanity prevailed.

MLA Sandra Jansen Sandra Jansen, the MLA for Calgary North-West, had a busy year. Starting out as the PC representative of the aforementioned riding, Jansen decided to throw her hat into the leadership race on Oct. 12. Then, during the PC annual general meeting, things turned sour for Jansen. On Nov. 8, she withdrew her candidacy. “I have never before experienced harassment like that which occurred up to and includ-

ing this past weekend,” she said in a letter to her supporters. “Insults were scrawled on my nomination forms.

Volunteers from another campaign chased me up and down the hall, attacking me for protecting women’s reproductive rights, and my team was jeered for supporting children’s rights to a safe school environment.”

Nine days later she crossed the floor to join Rachel Notley’s ruling NDP government.

Pipelines In November, the federal government approved the Kinder Morgan Trans-Mountain Pipeline, the Enbridge Line 3 Pipeline replacement, and denied the controversial Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline.

In doing so, the world of Alberta politics was spun on its head. This NDP government did something that the Progressive Conservatives couldn’t do—even with another Conservative government in power in Ottawa. This lead anti-Notley denizens to search for something else to complain about because, as it seems, they are so used to griping that they just can’t stop.

ASHLEY DRYBURGH // ASHLEY@VUEWEEKLY.COM

What do resilient communities look like?

In the face of so much bad news in 2016, remember to take care of yourself and others in need

I

’ve been thinking a lot about 2016— I’m sure I’m not alone—and many of those thoughts are about resiliency.

I’ve been devastated by this year and have so much trepidation about what the future looks likes like, every time I go on the Internet, listen to the radio, or connect with social media, there is a little tremor in my heart. As I write this, Aleppo’s second ceasefire has fallen apart, Ezra Levant is threatening journalists, and a fentanyl field hospital has been set up in Vancouver’s East Side. I am armoured with privilege and my heart still tremors in anticipation of what I will hear next; what must this be like for those that aren’t?

I wrote a few weeks ago that this year has left people feeling “drained and wilted and spent.” For those of us for which this is true, what does resiliency look like? How do we soothe the over-stretched elastic boundaries of our hearts and gird ourselves for the onslaught that 2017 promises to be?

(And if you think I am being overdramatic, I salute your ability to remain unscathed and would hope for at least an intellectual understanding of why people may be trepidatious.)

I don’t yet have an answer. Self-care, clearly, is in order: eat your veggies, get some exercise, hug your cat, scream at trees, and remember that survival is an

act of revolution. For me, that list of self-care includes staying off the Internet. I used to be a person who would masochistically read the comments sections of mainstream news sites, would hunt down blogs and Twitter accounts of folks I find vile because— I used to say—you have to speak to people in the language they are using.

If you don’t know what they are up to, you can’t formulate resistance. And while a part of me still believes that is true, I cannot do it anymore.

But what we can do is try to take care of ourselves, but also: take care of each other? The holiday season can already be a contentious one for us

queers: we may not be out, we may not feel safe, and the last thing we need while we are trying to navigate all of these family landmines is our racist cousin spouting fake news he read on the Internet. We may not have a lot left for self-care. Let us be extra attuned to those around us and offer a cup of tea, a hug, a shoulder to cry on, an all-night dance party where and when we can. As much as we can, let us commit to taking care of each other, even if it is only one other person.

One of the biggest strengths queer communities have is our ability to create family, community, and connection in the face of hardship. We need to

VUEWEEKLY.com | DEC 29, 2016 – JAN 04, 2017

use these skills now, and we need to model how they work to non-queers who might be feeling alone for all sorts of reasons. Because—and this is important—even if we feel alone, we are not. We need to remind each other of this every day.

I’m reminded of Arundhati Roy: “Remember this: We be many and they be few. They need us more than we need them. Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.”

The world is only going to get louder in the next while. Just because we can no longer hear a new world breathing, doesn’t mean she isn’t there, waiting.

UP FRONT 3

YEAR IN REVIEW dish

T

he past year has been an exciting one for the food and hospitality scene in Edmonton, with a plethora of new restaurant openings and an assortment of huge headlines over the past two months. We take a look back at what happened in 2016, as well as what’s cooking for the coming year.

pitality staff a venue to discuss the mental health and addiction issues prevalent in restaurants and professional kitchens.

Chances are that we’ll see more discussion of both these and other social issues in the restaurant industry in the year to come.

The socially progressive kitchen In 2015, a group of students enrolled in a women’s and gender studies course at the University of Alberta launched FED UP, a project that aimed to document sexism in the food service industry. While that project went on hiatus in April of last year, 2016 saw an increased interest in social justice and employee welfare in restaurants. A national outcry about sexist dress codes for female staff early this year landed one of Joey’s Edmonton locations in hot water when an employee posted photos of her bloodied feet after completing a training session while wearing high heels.

Sexism isn’t the only issue on the menu. In November, local chefs, including Cory Rakowski, came together to launch Food for Thoughts, an organization that hopes to give hos-

The year of French restaurants 2016 was apparently the year of French cuisine. While numerous new bars and restaurants opened this year, a surprising number offered variations on French dining: Café Linnea, an innovative no-tipping (more on that later) breakfast and lunch spot specializing in Scandinavian and French cuisine; The Almanac, a gastropub that serves cocktails alongside rustic French Provençal dishes including bouillabaisse and ratatouille; Chartier, the crowd-funded FrenchCanadian restaurant in Beaumont; and Bar Clementine, the upscale French bistro and cocktail bar located on Jasper Avenue.

Explosion of the Ice District Last year, the former Vue dish-section editor noted a number of res-

Night Jar // Steven Teeuwsen

taurant closings resulting in empty spaces on and around Whyte Avenue.

Fortunately, many of those spaces have since been filled with new restaurants, including Situation Brew-

happy 2017 Love,

4 DISH

ing, Malt & Mortar, Nightjar, Have Mercy, Dorinku, Nudoru, and more.

The next spot due for a major infusion of new restaurants is downtown and the “Ice District” surrounding the newly opened Rogers Place, where a stunning number of new restaurants have either already opened or been announced. There are massive new locations for Joey’s, State & Main, and a variety of new entrants and expansions, including Baiju (a restaurant and as-yet-unnamed speakeasy by the same folks that brought us North 53), Bottega 104, Stage 104, a new restaurant from Jamie Oliver, and countless others. The question, of course, is how all these new restaurants will fare given Alberta’s cooling economy and the increased cost of labour resulting from higher wages for hospitality staff.

2017: No more tipping?

When Café Linnea opened earlier this year, it was the first major restaurant in the city to embrace a notipping model. Food prices are higher in order to provide a higher base wage to staff in both the front-ofhouse and the kitchen. It’s an interesting choice. In Vancouver, Ritual was forced to scrap its no-tipping policy because it wasn’t financially sustainable, while many people objected to

VUEWEEKLY.com | DEC 29, 2016 – JAN 04, 2017

Earls attempt to impose a mandatory 16 percent service fee at their Stephen Avenue location.

While it may not have worked perfectly elsewhere, we could see an increase in no-tipping models as increases to the minimum wage could make it easier for servers to make a living without relying on tips.

It’s not delivery, it’s …

Edmontonians got a new delivery option this year with the launch of UberEats. While the on-demand car service was on hiatus from January until July, waiting for commercial insurance regulations from the province, the company launched its food delivery service to compete with existing players like SkipTheDishes and JustEat. It’s not the only new delivery option for the city, though. In June, Chef’s Plate expanded its meal kit to Western Canada, including Alberta.

Customers can order a weekly box of fresh groceries delivered straight to their door, along with recipe cards and instructions to make meals for two or four. Other meal kit providers such as Goodfood and HelloFresh are also expanded across Canada and are likely to reach Alberta in the next year or two.

ALIX KEMP

DISH@VUEWEEKLY.COM

YEAR IN REVIEW

YEAR IN REVIEW

ARTS

T

he landscape of theatre criticism in Edmonton has changed.

With stalwart scribe Liz Nicholls leaving the Edmonton Journal, a big hole is left for other print mediums to fill. And the online world is also taking note.

“I think that the change in medium—with cheap and easy access to social media as a way for almost anyone to broadcast their thoughts on theatre—is changing theatre critique,” says theatre blogger Jenna Marynowski. “Because art is so subjective, I think it's important to have a diversity of responses to theatre.”

Marynowski, who writes for After The House Lights, believes that the more people are talking about theatre, the better. However, it's also important to pepper that conversation with critique from a few voices that are dedicated to the subject.

“Those who have a broad base of knowledge to draw from when writing about a production,” she explains.

“Social media tends to lean towards very extreme judgements on things either as good or bad with little nuance,” says Marynowski. “Especially with something as subjective as theatre, I think it's important to supplement the conversation about

a particular play with well-informed analysis and critique.”

She reasons that a passion for theatre is essential, of course, but Marynowski also recognizes that someone who's paid to critique theatre—as in, it is their job—has the resources to dive a little deeper into what various companies are doing and how they are doing it. “With the changes in the media landscape this year leaving fewer people being compensated for their expertise, the role of theatre critics, and I think the types of reviews or critiques we'll see, is definitely changing,” she says.

Now, some points of interest from this year’s theatre scene: 2016 International Fringe Theatre Festival That Was Then, This Is Fringe—the 35th year of the festival—beat 2015’s tickets purchased record with 121,400 sold to the festival's 213 indoor shows.

With over 850,000 attendees, the Fringe seems in very good health.

the Western Canadian Theatre in Kamloops, BC. His personal list of accomplishments is nationally represented as he hopes to show off his inventive flare in this new role.

New Old Varscona The Varscona Theatre re-opened after the renovation to positive reviews from audience members and actors alike. The upgrade was banked by both provincial and federal governments, as well as the city and private donors—to the tune of $7.5 million. It is a new gem on the crown of Edmonton theatre.

Witch Hunt at The Strand The story focuses on The Strand theatre in 1942 Edmonton, during a police investigation of a group of gay men active in the city’s growing theatre scene. A dozen high-profile men are rounded up and charged with gross indecency and are subsequently persecuted. Falsehoods of bestiality and ‘depravity’ were the tools used to smear these consensual relationships.

First produced at the Fringe in 2015, Witch Hunt recently had a successful run at the Backstage Theatre stage. I'm including it in this

2016 list because of writer Darren Hagen’s willingness to keep evolving the play as more of the story reveals itself.

After each run of the play, more people who are connected to the actual events share their experiences, giving the story a fuller breadth of relevancy. While the central story line stays consistent, Witch Hunt is a part of Edmonton history. It's a testament to the ability of art to help us learn from our mistakes.

TRENT WILKIE

TRENTW@VUEWEEKLY.COM

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The Fringe Featival // Shawn Bernard

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ARTS 5

ARTS INTERVIEW // ARTISAN

// Stephan Boissonneault

Pipe dreams

Matthew Woods found his creative outlet in glassblowing

A

s Matthew Wood melts glass together over a scalding, oxidizing flame, he seems relaxed and in his element. Surrounding him in the Pixie Glassworks garage studio are other glassblowers, each with their own

individual station creating different kinds of trinkets.

Glasses are draped over our eyes to provide a filter from the infrared and ultraviolet light—but even with them on, the light given off by

the glass meeting the torch is extremely bright.

“It definitely takes a while to get used to the brightness,” Wood says.

“Basically if you want to do this for awhile you gotta find the darkest

PREVUE // MUSICAL

Tues., Jan. 17 to Sun., Feb 5 Maclab Theatre, $25 to $45

Candyland dreams

// Supplied photo by David Cooper

Fortune Falls marries a sweet tale with an upbeat, synthpop score

S

et in a starry-eyed city where dreams are made of chocolate, Fortune Falls stays true to the Catalyst Theatre’s fairy-tale form. While the company’s past plays deal with

6 ARTS

shades possible, but I do a lot of peeking to find out the colour I’m creating.”

At the moment, he's creating a seahorse. The murky violet colour slowly reveals itself under the hiss of the flame.

“What makes the colour of the marble is the metal inside of the glass. So having different metals causes different reactions in colour. It takes a lot of experimenting to figure out the properties of certain colours. With this seahorse I chose a polychromatic colour which will change the white to a purple blue.”

Wood got into glassblowing three years ago after he discovered that Pixie Glassworks, a local business made popular by appearing on CBC’s hit reality show Dragon’s Den, was looking for new glassblowers during their expansion. Wood applied with no prior knowledge of glass blowing and got a job with Pixie that turned into an apprenticeship.

“It was a lot of practice and failure with the glass,” Wood says “Even now it can be a very unforgiving process. You can spend hours on making something and then it cracks or even explodes in the kiln.”

A glassblower has to visualize what he or she wants to create and determine the steps needed. Sometimes, these steps are repeated multiple times, and the process requires an extensive reserve of patience.

Wood and the other glassblowers at Pixie use borosilicate glass.

Borosilicate is very resistant to

darker material, co-writers Jonathan Christenson and Beth Graham aim this time for a lighter vibe, using contemporary music.

Fortune Falls is an imaginary city

based on a not-so-imaginary town.

The site of inspiration is Smiths Falls—a small town in Ontario that hosted The Hershey Company's Canadian operations from 1963-2008.

Since its closure to cut labour costs (by opening a new branch in Mexico), the factory has been re-vamped to become a medical marijuana plant.

It’s at Mercey (sounds like Hershey?)

Chocolate Factory that Everett Liddelman (Daniel Fong) has been vying for a job. But when he finally gets it, he realizes his goals may have been sugar-coated, and his future remains more uncertain than ever. (Spoiler: it’s not because the plant has turned into a weed warehouse.)

Fortune Falls is a pipe dream play for millennials trying to find their way in a crumbling world. It explores the effects of modern-day changes in society, and the ways people can build their own possibilities in a cynical time.

“What interested me in the story was the sense of a community that had defined itself as this sugarsweet town—it had whole-heartedly bought into this kind of American myth of Hershey,” Christenson muses. “And when that evaporated, the town was faced not only with massive unemployment, but a real loss of a sense of who they were. I was really drawn to that because I feel like we live in a time when a lot of the institutions that we have built our dreams around historically are ceasing to exist.”

This theme is bound to hit home not just for young people entering a shaky job market, but also for folks in Alberta who are forced to find dif-

VUEWEEKLY.com | DEC 29, 2016 – JAN 04, 2017

thermal shock meaning it is less apt to crack or shatter while being morphed under a torch.

Right now, Wood is making little marbles and seahorses, but he has also created beads, pendants, pipes, miniature swords, sculptures, and more.

His favourite trinkets right now are what he calls landscape pendants— something he created by accident after squashing the glass in its malleable state to create an ocean or sky design.

“You’d be surprised how many things are created by accident" he says. "But then you have to remember how you did it to recreate it again.... That’s the thing I love about glass.”

Like many glassblowers in Canada, Wood eagerly awaits Canada’s legalization of marijuana, and the expected increase in the demand for glass pipes.

“If it happens here in Canada—especially with the massive thing going on in Leduc—we're laughing, and will have work. Everyone and their dog is going to want to set up shop and purchase things from us glassblowers,” Wood says, referring to the Aurora Cannabis grow-op.

While the prospect of increased business is exciting, this is ultimately a passion project for Wood.

“This is what I love doing. I have fun doing it and I love experimenting with the glass. There may be a monetary value, but my chase for the art is filling the gap we seem to all have. Its food for my soul.”

STEPHAN BOISSONNEAULT ARTS@VUEWEEKLY.COM

ferent work after widespread layoffs.

But as much as the play invites Albertan audiences to reflect on their collective identity, Christenson ventures to create work that connects with all types—especially newer generations that may not be regulars at the theatre.

“I think theatre struggles to be a relevant, contemporary form, frankly. I don’t think that it’s at the top of the list of cultural experiences that younger audiences go to,” he says.

“And I’m really interested in finding ways to speak to people and tell stories the way that we tell them today, and to use music that people connect with now.”

In a show that’s musically underscored from start to finish (even the dialogue has poetic, song-like elements), sound is a major tool in creating atmosphere. As the composer of the play’s music and lyrics, Christenson departs from his well-known scores of dramatic, orchestral sounds to a more upbeat, pop palette.

The musical mood taps into the characters’ hopeful optimism with what Christenson describes as a “synth-driven sound” of '80s inspired “earworm-y kind of tunes.”

Ultimately, Christenson wants to take the entire audience on a wild ride into a quirky dream, with a play that weaves new territory into The Catalyst’s long standing storybook style.

“It has a very contemporary edge to it,” he says. “And that’s been kind of fun to figure out—how to give it a modern feel but also keep it in a storybook, kind of fairy-tale world.”

JACQUELIN GREGOIRE ARTS@VUEWEEKLY.COM

ARTS WEEKLY

EMAIL YOUR FREE LISTINGS TO: LISTINGS@VUEWEEKLY.COM FAX: 780.426.2889 DEADLINE: FRIDAY AT 3PM

Dance Brian Webb Dance Company presents Van Grimde Corps Secrets: Symphonies 5.1 • Timms Centre, 8703-112 St • 780.420.1757 • bwdc.ca • Isabelle Van Grimde's company will challenge us to examine the body through a most contemporary lens • Jan 20-21, 8pm • $35 (general), $25 (students/seniors)

D'bomme Squads Dirty 30s NYE • Mama's Gin Joint, Jasper Ave and 117 St • Burlesque • Dec 31 • $10

Dirt Buffet Cabaret • Spazio Performativo, 10816-95 St • milezerodance. com • Curated by impresario Ben Gorodetsky, this series is geared towards presenting emerging artists of various artistic backgrounds, in a variety show format, with an audience that expects experimentation and unusual juxtapositions. Each show contains 6 acts • Jan 19, 9pm • $10 or best offer at the door

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo • Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, 11455-87 Ave • 780.455.9559 • albertaballet50.com • This all-male company has shared their high art in over 500 cities and 33 countries • Jan 17-18

Shumka presents Clara's Dream • Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, 11455-87 Ave • 780.455.9559 • clarasdream. ca • Edmonton's Ukrainian Nutcracker!

Clara's Dream is the only Ukrainian folk ballet representation of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker • Dec 29-30 • $35 (general), $25 (students/ seniors)

Symphonie 5.1 | Van Grimde Corps Secrets • Timms Centre for the Arts, 87 Ave & 112 St NW • 780.420.1757 • Isabelle Van Grimde's company will challenge us to examine the body through a most contemporary lens • Jan 20-21, 8-10pm • $35 (general), $25 (student/senior); Tickets available at Tix onthe Square

Multicultural Centre Public Art Gallery (MCPAG)–Stony Plain •

galLeries + Museums ACUA Gallery & Artisan Boutique • 9534-87 St • 780.488.8558 • info@ acuarts.ca • acuarts.ca • Signature Artist Series: artwork by Iryna Karpenko and Valeriy Semenko; Jan 4-31 • Spirit & Soul: artwork Iryna Karpenko & Valeriy Semenko; Jan 13, 6:30-8:30pm

After Hours Gallery • University of Alberta Hospital, 8440-112 St • 2016-17 Art Show and Show: artwork by Edmonton Art Club members; Nov 7-Jan 6

Allied Arts Council of Spruce Grove • Melcor Cultural Centre, 35-5th Ave, Spruce Grove • 780.962.0664 • alliedartscouncil.com • Novelty Show; Allied Arts Council member's show: Theme: Incredible Edibles: still life paintings with food subjects; Nov 29-Jan 21

Art Gallery of Alberta (AGA) • 2 Sir Winston Churchill Sq • 780.422.6223 • youraga.ca • Every Story Has Two Sides: artwork by Damian Moppett + Ron Moppett; Sep 17-Jan 8 • The Vessel: artwork by David Altmejd; Oct 8-Jan 29 • The Edge: The Abstract and the Avant-Garde in Canada; Oct 8-Jan 29 • Season to Season, Coast to Coast: A Celebration of the Canadian Landscape: artwork by Emily Carr, Dorothy Knowles, Cornelius Krieghoff, John McKee and more; Dec 3-Feb 20 • A Story We Tell Ourselves About Ourselves: artwork by Hannah Doerksen; Dec 3-Feb 20 • Winter City Art Adventures: 4-day camps designed to connect students 6-12 with art and ideas; Dec 27-30 • The Great Art Escape: 4-day camps designed to connect students 6-12 with art and ideas; Jan 3-6 • BMO Children’s Gallery: Touch Lab: Leave your Mark: Opens Jul 24 • Open Studio Adult Drop-In : Wed, 7-9pm; $18/$16 (AGA member) • All Day Sundays: Art activities for all ages; Activities, 12-4pm; Tour; 2pm • Late Night Wednesdays: Every Wed, 6-9pm • Art for Lunch: 3rd Thu of the month, 12:10-12:50pm Art Gallery Of St Albert (AGSA) • 19 Perron St, St Albert • 780.460.4310 •

artgalleryofstalbert.ca • The More I Gather: artwork by Paddy Lamb; Dec 1-Jan 28

Bleeding Heart Art Space • 9132118 Ave • dave@bleedingheartartspace.com • Carly Greene; Dec 3-Jan 21

5411-51 St, Stony Plain • multicentre.org • Buffalo Corral: artwork by Heather Shillinglaw; Jan 9-Mar 4

Musée Héritage Museum • St Albert Place, 5 St Anne Street, St Albert • MuseeHeritage.ca • 780.459.1528 • museum@artsandheritage.ca • Old Stone, New Steel: photography by photographers in three age groups: Grades 3-6, 7-9, and 10-12; Nov 19-Jan 15 O'byrnes Irish Pub • 10616-82 Ave NW • 587.986.3618 • angela@letsartyparty.com • Don't be shy- paint a naked guy: Guests will start with three poses to warm up, then move to a longer pose on 16" x 20" canvas.

All will go home with a painting; Every 2nd Tue (except Dec 20, Jan 3), starting Nov 22, 7-8:30pm; $35 (adv at Eventbrite), $45 (door)

Paint Spot • 10032-81 Ave • 780.432.0240 • paintspot.ca • Naess Gallery: The Three Sixty Five Project: Three Hundred and Sixty Five Days of Thirty Minute Drawings

by Lon Wenger • Artisan Nook: Under the Microscope: mixed media works by Kristin Anderson • Both exhibits run Nov 24-Jan 5

Picture This Gallery • 959 Ordze Rd, Sherwood Park • 780.467.3038 • picturethisgallery.com • The Winter Art Show; Nov 17-Feb 28 Propaganda Hair Salon • 10808-124 St • 780.819.2312 • jordangrantrule@gmail. com • Pushing Densities: Photography by Jordan Rule; Dec 5-Jan 31

sNAP Gallery • Society of Northern Alberta Print­- Artists, 10123-121 St • 780.423.1492 • snapartists.com • BIMPE: International Miniture Print Exhibition; Jan 7-21 • Main Gallery: Guillermo Trejo, Instigator; Feb 2-Mar 4 • Community Gallery: Marie Winters: New works from SNAP's Emerging Artists in Residence; Feb 2-Mar 4

Telus World of Science • 11211142 St • telusworldofscienceedmonton. com • Free-$117.95 • Daily activities, demonstrations and experiments • Wild Africa; opens in late Oct • Angry Birds Universe; Oct 8-Apr 17

U of A Museums Galleries at Enterprise square • Main floor, 10230

Borealis Gallery • 9820-107 St • Storytellers: Storytellers explores the idea of narrative art (visual storytelling) in works by Alberta artists; Dec 15-Feb 5

Jasper Ave • Open: Thu-Fri, 12-6pm, Sat 12-4pm • A Little Bit of Infinity Part 1; Aug 11-Jan 28 • A Little Bit of Infinity Part 2; Sep 22-Jan 28

dc3 Art Projects • 10567-111 St •

VAA Gallery • 3rd Fl, 10215-112 St •

FILM

780.686.4211 • dc3artprojects.com • Flux: Responding to head and neck cancer; Jan 5-21

visualartsalberta.com • Edmonton Exhibition:

by Art Mentorship Society of Alberta; Dec 1-Jan 28

Away from Her • Arden Theatre, 5 St.

FAB Gallery • Fine Arts Building

VASA Gallery • 25 Sir Winston Churchill

Anne Street, St Albert • stalbert.ca/exp/arden/ events/away-from-her • Rated PG-13 • Jan 15, 2-3:30pm

Cinema at the Centre • Stanley Milner Library Theatre, bsmt, 7 Sir Winston Churchill Sq • 780.496.7070 • Film screening every Wed, 6:30pm • Free Cinema CAVA • Centre des arts visuels de l'Alberta, 9103-95 Ave • 780.461.3427 • cavalberta@gmail.com • galeriecava.com • Enjoy a repertoire of French movies • First two Wed each month

Defying the. Nazis. The Sharps' War • Westwood Unitarian, 11135-65 Ave • Discussion will follow and there will be popcorn • Jan 6, 7pm

From Books to Film • Stanley A. Milner, 7 Sir Winston Churchill Sq • 780.496.7000 • epl.ca • Films adapted from books every Fri afternoon at 2pm

metro • Metro at the Garneau Theatre, 8712-109 St • 780.425.9212 • Northwestfest: The Rolling Stones Olé Olé Olé!: A Trip Across Latin America (Jan 7) • Reel Family Cinema: The Wizard of Oz (Dec 31) Movie Night • McDougall United Church, 10086 Macdonald Drive (south entrance) • 780.428.1818 • mcdougallunited.com • Movies that are family friendly and always inspiring and entertaining. Popcorn and lemonade are available • Monthly, 7:30pm • Free

Roman Holiday screening, presented by Edmonton Opera • Garneau Theatre, 8712-109 St • edmontonopera.com • This reverse Cinderella-story follows a princess who decides to take a break from royalty and explore the streets of Rome with a handsome stranger. Sparks fly and love is found in the most unlikely of situations • Jan 11, 7-9pm • Free (RSVP at Eventbrite)

Gallery,1-1 FAB (University of Alberta) • ualberta.ca/artshows • Megan Warkentin, MFA Painting; Jan 3-7 • Alcuin Awards for Book Design in Canada 2015; Jan 17-Feb 11

front gallery • 12323-104 Ave • thefrontgallery.com • Christmas Salon; Dec 8-Jan 5

Gallery@501 • 501 Festival Ave, Sherwood Park • 780.410.8585 • strathcona. ca/artgallery • "Canadianisms: A Half Decade Inspired by Canada": artwork by Brandy Saturley; Jan 6-Feb 26; Opening reception: Jan 6, 7pm (artist in attendance)

Harcourt House Gallery • 3 Fl, 10215-112 St • 780.426.4180 • harcourthouse.ab.ca • Museum of Dreams: artwork by John Graham; Dec 3-Jan 21 • After the Hunt: artwork by Emily Jan; Jan 26-Feb 25

Jubilee Auditorium • 11455-87 Ave NW • coordinator@albertasocietyofartists. com • albertasocietyofartists.com • Fire: a group exhibition featuring artists from across the Province that explores this force of nature; Jan 10-Mar 1

Jurassic Forest/Learning Centre • 15 mins N of Edmonton off Hwy 28A, Township Rd 564 • Education-rich entertainment facility for all ages

Ave, St Albert • 780.460.5990 • vasa-art.com • Thank Our Stars: Holiday Season Member show; Nov 29-Jan 28

West End Gallery • 10337-124 St • 780.488.4892 • westendgalleryltd.com • Adorn with Art; Dec 3-30 Women's Art Museum of Canada • La Cité Francophone 2nd Pavillon, #200, 8627 Rue Marie-Anne-Gaboury (91 St) • 780.803.2016 • info@wamsoc.ca • wamsoc. ca • Pages From A Visual Diary: artwork by Adeline Rockett; Nov 26-Jan 21

Literary Book Group • McDougall United Church, 10086 Macdonald Drive (south entrance) • 780.428.1818 • mcdougallunited.com • Discussing the current reading selection. The group chooses mostly current fiction or longtime favourites • 3rd Wed each month, 7pm

Edmonton Story Slam • Mercury Room,10575-114 St • edmontonstoryslam. com • facebook.com/mercuryroomyeg • Great stories, interesting company, fabulous atmosphere • 3rd Wed each month • 7pm (sign-up); 7:30pm • $5 Donation to winner Naked Girls Reading • Brittany's

Latitude 53 • Latitude 53, 10242-106 St NW • latitude53.org • Au Revoir: artwork

by Nadine Bariteau; Dec 2-Jan 21

MacEwan University • City Centre Campus, 7-266 • amatejko@icloud.com • I Don't Want To Die in the Digital Age/Windows of Light and Text; Oct 31-Feb 21

Misericordia Hospital • 16940-87 Ave • 2016-17 Art Show and Show: artwork

by Edmonton Art Club members; Nov 19-Jan 16

Lounge, 10225-97 St NW • 780.691.1691 • There will be different themes each month • Every 2nd Tue of month, 8:30-10:30pm • $20 (door); 18+ only

Rouge Lounge • 10111-117 St • 780.902.5900 • Spoken Word Tuesdays: Weekly spoken word night presented by the Breath In Poetry Collective (BIP); info: E: breathinpoetry@gmail.com Rouge Poetry Slam hosted by Breath In Poetry Collective • BLVD Supper x Club, 10765 Jasper Ave • Every Tue

Scrambled YEG • Brittany's Lounge, 10225-97 St • 780.497.0011 • Open Genre Variety Stage: artists from all mediums are encouraged to occupy the stage and share their creations • Every Tue-Fri, 5-8pm

SCRIPT SALON • Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Upper Arts Space, 10037-84 Ave • A monthly play reading series: 1st Sun each month with a different play by a different playwright

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

Upper Crust Café • 10909-86 Ave • 780.422.8174 • strollofpoets.com • The Poets’ Haven Reading Series: featuring Janet Stumph, Janis Dow, Allison Akgungor, and Janet E Smith (Dec 5); Hal Cashman, Corinne Jackson, Henry Victor, and David Brydges (Dec 12); Mary Campbell, MyrnaGaranis, Diane Robitelle and Shirley Serviss (Dec 19); Hugh McAlary (Jan 9); Trudy Grienauer, Elaine Elrod, Ella Zeltserman, and Randy Kohan (Jan 16); Rusti Lehay, Virginia Lehay, Virginia Balan, and Magdalen Balan (Jan 23) • Most Mon (except holidays), 7pm, Sep-Mar; presented by the Stroll of Poets Society • $5 (door) Writer In Residence Meet & Greet • Strathcona County Council Chambers, 401 Festival Lane, Sherwood Park • 780.410.8600• metrowir.com • Meet 2017 Metro Federation Writer in Residence, Richard Van Camp • Jan 7, Drop in any time between 2pm & 4pm • Free

Theatre 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, starting Jan 20-Jul 30, 11pm

Annapurna • Varscona Theatre, 10329-83 Ave • 780.433.3399 • shadowtheatre.org • Twenty years ago Emma walked out on Ulysses, her cowboy-poet husband. But now Ulysses is in dire need of help and despite her better judgment Emma tracks him down to a trailer park in the wilds of Colorado. Their comic and conflicted reunion is full of barbed wire wit and brutal honesty. But to their surprise, the more they begin to understand the issues that drove them apart, the more they find themselves drawn together again • Jan 18-Feb 5

Anne of Green Gables • Festival Place, Sherwood Park • 780.449.3378 • festivalplace.ab.ca • In its 50th year celebration, Anne of Green Gables: The Musical tells the beloved tale of Anne Shirley- That's Anne with an "E" mind you.

Set in the turn-of-the-century Maritime world of Avonlea, the musical is a charming look in to the nostalgic world and colourful characters of the treasured novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Join Anne as she warms her way into the hearts and home of Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, becomes bosom friends with Diana Barry and falls in love with Gilbert Blithe. • Dec 16-30

Chimprov • Citadel's Zeidler Hall, 9828101A Ave • rapidfiretheatre.com • Rapid Fire Theatre’s longform comedy show: improv formats, intricate narratives, and one-act plays • Every Sat, 10pm • $15 (door or buy in adv at TIX on the Square) • Until Jun

Die-Nasty • Varscona Theatre, 10329-83 Ave • die-nasty.com • Live improvised soap opera. Join the whole Die-Nasty family REBORN, for a whole season of great artists, earth-shaking discovery, glorious music, hilarious hi jinx ... but mostly Machiavellian Intrigue • Runs every Mon, 6:30pm (doors), 7:30-9:30pm • Oct 17-May 29 (except Dec 26 and Jan 2) • $18 or $13 with a $40 membership; at the door (cash) or at tixonthesquare. com. Season passes are available at the door (cash or cheque only) for $400 with a reserved seat

Disgraced • Shoctor Theatre, Citadel Theatre, 9828-101 A Ave • 780.425.1820 • citadeltheatre.com • A New York dinner party. A shattering cultural collision. When discussion turns to politics and religion, the match is lit on a “combustible powder keg of identity politics” • Jan 21-Feb 12

Ferris Bueller’s School of Rock • Jubilations Dinner Theatre, West Edmonton Mall, Phase 1, Upper Level • 780.484.2424 • In 1986 Ferris Bueller took a day off. With

VUEWEEKLY.com | DEC 29, 2016 – jan 04, 2017

wit and charm he managed to skip school and keep the teachers in the dark. 30 years later Ferris finds himself back in high school, but this time he’s the teacher. When Ferris finds that students these days are more lost, hopeless, and bored than ever, he resorts to using the one subject no student can ignore… • Jan 27-Apr 2 • $35.25-$79.95 plus tax

Fortune Falls • Maclab Theatre, 9828 101a Ave • 780.431.1750 • catalysttheatre. ca/productions/fortune-falls • The allegorical tale of the rise, fall and reinvention of a prosperous town, once home to the world’s largest candy factory. One shocking day the factory is closed, leaving one lonely man to guard the abandoned factory and a community to contemplate endings and new beginnings • Jan 17-Feb 5, 8pm (2pm on Sun)

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!

• Jan 6, 8pm • $26 (call 780.453.2440) or Tix on the Square

MAESTRO • Citadel Theatre, 9828-101A Ave • Rapid Fire Theatre • Improv, a high-stakes game of elimination that will see 11 improvisers compete for audience approval until there is only one left standing • 1st Sat each month, 7:30-9:30pm • $12 (adv at rapidfiretheatre. com)/$15 (door) Night at the Museum of Country Music • Jubilations Dinner Theatre, West Edmonton Mall, #2061 8882-170 St • 780.484.2424 • infoedmonton@Jubilations. ca • edmonton.jubilations.ca • Nashville Tennessee is known as the legendary home of the Country Music Museum & Hall of Fame.

On an average day the museum attracts thousands of visitors… but at night is when the real fun starts • Oct 28-Jan 22 (Wed-Sun) • $33.25-$77.95

One Man Star Wars featuring Charles ross • Festival Place, 100 Festival Way, Sherwood Park • 780.449.3378 • festivalplace.ab.ca • Much of Charles Ross’ childhood was spent in a galaxy far, far away, watching Star Wars videos over – and over – and over again. The result of this misspent youth is his hysterical One Man Star Wars Trilogy, where he single-handedly plays all the characters, sings the music, flies the ships, fights the battles and condenses the plots into one hilarious show! • Jan 13, 7:30 pm

Only in Vegas • Mayfield Dinner Theatre, 16615-109 Ave • 780.483.4051 • mayfieldtheatre.ca • Celebrating all things past and present that Vegas has to offer, “Only in Vegas” features the great music, comedy and theatrics of “Sin City" • Nov 8-Jan 29

Open Jam • Holy Trinity Church, 10037-84 Ave • 780.907.2975 • grindstonetheatre. ca • Facilitated by Grindstone Theatre. Swap games and ideas and get an opportunity to play. For those of all levels • Last Tue of each month Opera NUOVA Presents: My Favorite Things • South Pointe Community Centre, 11520 Ellerslie Road • 780.487.4844 • tickets@operanuova.ca • operanuova.ca/ my-favorite-things • Bring the whole family out for a sing-along evening filled with your favourite music from generations of musical theatre hits – from The Wizard of Oz to Matilda and The Sound of Music to Frozen • Dec 31, 6:30-10:30pm • $10 (kids 14 and under), $15 (student with valid ID), $25 (adult; one free child ticket with the purchase of an adult)

Singing with Sylvia • Arden Theatre, 5 St. Anne Street, St Albert • stalbert.ca/exp/ arden/events/singing-with-sylvia • The queen of the swing-set scene, Sylvia Chave has a knack for keeping little ones on their feet and dancing to the beat with her super energetic and lively sing-along performances • Jan 25, 10:30-11:30am

Star Killing Machine • Backstage Theatre, 10330-84 Ave • 780.454.0583 • azimuththeatre.com • Just south of the Arctic Circle sits a factory filled with scientists and engineers and data entry clerks and managers who are faced with the daily task of trying to create a machine that will destroy the world.

All was going well until this morning, when Susan had an unfortunate breakthrough. A musical comedy about the end of the world • Jan 17-29

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

arts 7

YEAR IN REVIEW pop

YEAR IN REVIEW // COMICS

HEATHER SKINNER // HEATHER@VUEWEEKLY.COM

Red hot single issues

Our comic-addicted listings writer offers up her selections for the best comics of 2016

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hen I look at the single issue comics I’ve amassed over the past year on my phone and on my ever sagging bookshelf, I can see how my reading habits have changed recently—including some newer material that departs from the typical superhero fare.

Also, I can visually see just how over budget I am. (I will never be under budget.)

Here, dear readers, is a smattering of the best comics I read this year.

Motor Crush, Issue #1

By Brenden Fletcher, Cameron Stewart and Babs Tarr (Image Comics) It’s rare for any comic to get a huge following through pre-release images and bare bones descriptions alone. I have only seen such a fever for a new series a few times and it’s pretty magical when it happens.

In vibrant, sci-fi panels, Motor Crush follows second generation racer Domino Swift as she aims to win the World Grand Prix. Outside of the legal races, Swift partakes in street bat-

tles whilst brandishing a cricket bat studded with nails to win a shiny pink drug—known as Crush—that pushes engines to top speeds.

Issue #2 of the series is scheduled to hit shelves Jan. 11, 2017.

Batman: Detective Comics, Issue #934

By James Tynion IV, Eddy Barrows, Alvaro Martinez (DC Comics) DC Rebirth was announced earlier this year. Concepts from the preFlashpoint continuity were reintroduced, and several titles are now released twice a month versus the standard monthly schedule. One of the biggest successes to come out of this relaunch was Batman: Detective Comics, which also returned to its original numbering.

Before you sigh in exasperation, you don't have to read 933 issues to join in on this comic. Rather, it starts off a whole new story with a bunch of mysterious people who are taking down threats with military precision. To help him take on

YEAR IN REVIEW // GRAHPIC NOVELS

this new group, Batman teams up with Batwoman and they set up an all-star group featuring Spoiler, Red Robin, Orphan and classic Batvillain Clayface—a man now out for redemption.

Issue #948 of Detective Comics will be released on Jan. 11, 2017.

delving into new risks that our colourful cast of characters will have to face. As always, Staples offers lush visuals, with a wraparound cover to boot.

Saga Issue #42 will be released on Jan. 25, 2017, which leaves plenty of time for newbies to catch up.

Saga, Issue #37

By Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (Image Comics) Here at Vue Weekly, we’ve mentioned this as one of our favourite graphic novels, but I can't resist mentioning it again. For those new to the series, think of it as Romeo and Juliet mixed with Star Wars with a smidge of graphic nudity.

Saga Issue #37 not only kicks off a new story arc with a return to the conflict that was introduced to the series, it also features a (slightly) more grown up Hazel reuniting with her father and potty mouth mother. What’s been amazing about this arc is that it explores the warring sides and those who are caught in between—all the while

Hawkeye, Issue #1

By Kelly Thompson, Leonardo Romero (Marvel Comics) Marvel’s newest female-lead comic Hawkeye is so good, it's almost enough to redeem this crappy year.

Finally out of her usual guest-star role, Kate Bishop gets her own solo series. She offers wit and geniality, adapting immediately to her new LA digs as she aims to become a private investigator.

The art is stunning—the artists use little icons to draw attention to what catches Kate’s eye. It's a method that acknowledges both her youth and sense of awareness. It's a very charming series.

Issue #2 of Hawkeye will be released on Jan. 4, 2017.

Josie and the Pussycats, Issue #1 Marguerite Bennett, Cameron DeOrdio, Audrey Mok (Archie Comics) Archie Comics has seen a huge relaunch, which has been broadly successful. It started with Afterlife with Archie (it’s Archie plus zombies—the best combination since chocolate and peanut butter) Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Jughead, and Betty and Veronica—all of which have been reviewed positively. Now Josie and the Pussycats has seen the same treatment—and let me just say—it’s glorious.

In the new series, the narrative goes back to the beginning as Josie brings together Melody and Valerie for a shot at musical stardom, but—of course—they must contend with the daughter of their brand new manager.

The Pussycats also sport an updated look, provided by artist Audrey Mok. While the setup itself isn’t unique, the humor and quirky cast are what makes the book shine. It makes original Pussycats readers—like myself—fall in love with the series all over again.

Issue #3 is already out, with Issue #4 released sometime in 2017.

BRIAN GIBSON// BRIAN@VUEWEEKLY.COM

Best graphic novels of 2016 Our graphic novel reVUEr breaks down the best of the medium

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his year, speech bubbles blew up, tiny images packed solid pow!s, and little stories delivered big blows, from a discomfiting one-man portrait and an off-again romance to a trip through one young woman’s head-space and memoirs of abuse and neglect in Canada’s and England’s recent past.

Hubert by Ben Gisjemans (Jonathan Cape) Blurring art-appreciation and voyeurism, this slim masterpiece slowly, slyly turns our watchfulness back on us. Disturbingly reflecting the punctiliousness of his title character—an avid gallery-goer and art-copier— with his own exacting eye, Gutjemans

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offers a Portrait of the Would-Be Artist as a Middle-Aged Man. Astounding in its use of panel-space and frametime to compel and contain, to draw in yet distance us, to section-off and break down the existential ennui of one man’s private passions.

5,000 km Per Second by Manuele Fior (Fantagraphics) This 2010 award-winner by Italian writer-artist Fior—only now in English—is a tender, tendril-like marvel.

Slices of a few days in the lives of one-time lovers Piero and Lucia, separated by many countries and many years, come to watercoloured life for fleeting moments of happenstance,

ruefulness, and synchronicity. Poetic in its faltering connections and those curious little coincidences that only we, reading on, are privy to.

Secret Path by Gord Downie and Jeff Lemire (Simon & Schuster) Horribly telling little details and raw imagistic song-lines recount the last days in 1966 of Ojibway boy Chanie Wenjack, walking back home, 650 kilometres from the Kenora residential school to which he’d been taken. Without projecting onto the boy or appropriating First Nations culture, Downie and Lemire probe this open, festering wound in Canada’s history, turning tragedy into art only to have us re-ex-

amine the painful past, lest we forget.

A City Inside by Tillie Walden (Avery Hill) Walden’s short comic is a fantastic freefall through one woman’s psyche. The landscape’s dotted with Studio Ghibli-esque sights but the trip is utterly original, cartwheeling through present and past to a future resolved— a place where “you’ll realize it was enough.”

Becoming Unbecoming by Una (Myriad) A hauntingly feminist memoir of the author’s ’70s childhood in the North of England, as serial-killer Yorkshire

VUEWEEKLY.com | DEC 29, 2016 – JAN 04, 2017

Ripper was terrifying the area. An anti-fairytale, melancholy and drifting, it braids together socio-historical context, contemporary questions, self-reflective cultural analyses, and details of the stumbling, sexism-blinkered police investigation at the time.

Pointed, piercing, and poignant.

Other must-reads: the blizzard of adolescence hits Paul Up North (Drawn & Quarterly) in Michel Rabagliati’s latest (not last, s’il-vous-plaît) series-instalment; the anti-sci-fi of Tom Gauld’s wryly mundane Mooncop (Drawn & Quarterly) drifting through his lunar beat; Tom Hart’s grief-thunderclouded Rosalie Lightning (St. Martin’s).

YEAR IN REVIEW FILM

A

Long-time reVUEr Brian Gibson selects the best films, from a bountiful year

fantabulous year, reeling from German dramedy and Iranian chiller to Brazilian animation and Chilean documentary. These are my 15 for ’16.

Not-so-straight stories Carol (Todd Haynes) An exquisite objet d’amour, inlaid with brocades of noir. The texture, feel, and look of desire—pungent, bittersweet—confect this re-envisioning of Patricia Highsmith’s 1952 novel.

Longing swirls with despair as Cate Blanchett’s title-character, her composure so certain and so fragile by turns, clings to her sense of self with a fierce nobility; Rooney Mara’s Therese is an innocent, defiantly eager to grow up.

Moonlight (Barry Jenkins) Intimacy and tenderness, simmering in Miami’s heat and light, brush up against each other and pull away, over and over, in Barry Jenkins’ triptych through one boy-to-teen-to-man’s life. Its splendour lies in the careful, steady, but hushed uncovering of Chiron’s innerness, his deepest desires and aches.

Horrors, re-imagined Son of Saul (László Nemes) Trudging and shuffling and keeping our head down close to Sonderkommando worker Saul Austerländer (Géza Röhrig), we’re half-numbed and all-surrounded by the Nazi-ordered chaos, steady fear, and ongoing mass-murder of Auschwitz. Engulfing, appalling, excoriating.

Tower (Keith Maitland) The unreal is turned inside-out—the first American campus mass-murder, re-documented by rotoscope animation—as survivors of the UT-Austin tower-sniper’s shooting, from interview-footage or recorded for this film, emerge from their ’60s selves.

Instants of fear, resoluteness, poise, and sorrow overlap, chorus-like, as the everyday is caught for a moment, out-of-time, by the unimaginable.

Under the Shadow (Babak Anvari) The winds of the Iran-Iraq war bring a waking nightmare in this psycho-political-horror. A delirium-allegory, feverishly haunted by women’s oppression and a sense of abandonment, as the cracking walls of their apartment close djinn on a newly ostracized mother and her daughter.

Family matters Toni Erdmann (Maren Ade) Tomfoolery tangles with loneliness in this comedy-drama, warmly clowning about with a cold, macho corporate culture. Ade tickles and teases scenes of waggish father and workaholic daughter out to melancholy, surreal, or beguilingly droll lengths. Rattles and roars us out of the ruts of a schmoozing business-consultant world.

Manchester by the Sea (Kenneth Lonergan) Past and present griefs echo, howling through this winter’s tale, as one doleful, self-punishing man’s buffeted by

yet another loss, then befuddled and beset by his teen-nephew. Moments of humour can slant or tilt in; there’s so much raffishness and spark to all the ragged, care-worn lives here, as people just try to do their damned best.

Odd couples 45 Years (Andrew Haigh) This short story-like study of a marriage suddenly teetering on the abyss see-saws us through the shifting moods of one couple over six days in the Norfolk countryside. Deep-aching wounds and resentments are framed with an unshakeable hand and penetrating eye.

The Pearl Button (Patricio Guzmán) A poetic-philosophical cine-essay, awash in sorrow. Ruminating on the extermination of natives in and around his country’s vast southern waters, Guzmán returns us to the disappearances of so many by Pinochet’s regime—especially Chileans dropped into the ocean, to sink into the deep. This sea-and-sky companion to the stars-and-desert voyage of Nostalgia for the Light (2010) caps a deeply elegiac duology.

Exiles

Questioning quests

Taxi (Jafar Panahi) The director-turned-driver wheels us through self-reflexivity and self-reflection as he taxis Iranians from all walks of life. While shifting gears between allusions to his films and allegories for his artistic-suppression (thievery, execution, confinement), he slips in a scene where his cab-cam catches his niece filming a boy stealing some cash as a wedding photographer films newlyweds. And so love, money, opportunity, and mise en abyme all meet for one marvellous moment in a corner of Tehran.

Boy & the World (Alê Abreu) This riotous, child-expressionist work of social (sur)realism whirls kaleidoscopically through Brazilian history, rural-urban tensions, rapacious capitalism, and modern life’s babble and bustle. Epic, politically resonant, fantastically playful animation.

The Witch: A New-England Folktale (Robert Eggers) A stew of religious devotion, with blood-drops of Grimm tales and dark inklings of Salem, boils and bubbles . . . until epiphany meets ecstasy. A Puritan family, banished to the wilderness, is beset by impure thoughts, horrid suspicions, and the plague of doubt. Eggers discovers a glinting, sharp suspense in the otherworldliness of a past where faith in good and evil is held above all, like a hatchet, ready to strike.

Manchester by the Sea // Photo supplied

The Red Turtle (Michael Dudok de Wit) Wordless, this delicate eco-fable is crystalline in its prismatic parable of reciprocity—we humans, surviving on the earth, must take from and give to nature, as it does with us. Glowing with awe, wonder, and mystery, it seems like an eons-old tale told by firelight.

Tongue-twisting & genre-bending Arrival (Denis Villeneuve) Lyrical, eerie sci-fi sublime, concerned with translation and time and grief, but so wondrous-strange because of its sly use of film-language: jump cuts, dream-sequences, voiceover, special-effects. A Cassan-

VUEWEEKLY.com | DEC 29, 2016 – JAN 04, 2017

Arrival // Photo supplied

dra story; a tale of first-contact; a potently personal trek toward the stars.

Hell or High Water (David Mackenzie) Spittle-quick, plains-dry dialogue and bursts of crazed action spur this neo-western—all about Texas highway-robbery: of land, folk who’ve been poor so long it’s like a “disease”, and lives—along one winding, dusty, sun-slashed road.

Honourable Mentions Hail, Caesar!, with its comic commingling of belief and studio-spectacle in ’51 Hollywood back lots. Fire at Sea, cross-cutting searingly between Lampedusa’s natives and refugees en route to the Italian island. The bitter romance of social-realist folk-tale Ixcanul. The visual poetry of American Honey. Amazonia tale Embrace of the Serpent, where belief-systems and cultures coil hissingly around each other. Mustang, with its coltish sisters trying to break free of their patriarchal prison. The strange, swaying spell of The Fits. Rams, a winter’s tale of horns-locking brothers. Love & Friendship, Austen & Stillman style.

FILM 9

FILM REVUE // SCI-FI

Suspended emotions

Now playing Directed by Morten Tyldum 

Clean-cut Passengers lacks moral complexity

Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt in Passengers. // Photo supplied, Columbia Pictures.

B

oy meets girl. On a spaceship.

Because he brought her out of suspended animation so he wouldn’t be so alone. That’s the quandary that Passengers, aka 2001: Adam and Eve Space Odyssey, tries to swoon us through, thanks to two dreamy-look-

ing, charming A-listers, Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence. “You clean up well,” she tells him on their first date, but it’s the movie they’re bubbled off in that’s too clean and crisp, moving from Robinson Crusoe-tale to romance-thriller to sci-fi adventure with few glimpses of messy emotions or glares of moral complexity.

After Homestead Corporation’s ship Avalon passes through an asteroid storm en route to colony planet Homestead II from Earth, a malfunction causes the hibernation pod of one Jim Preston (Pratt), an engineer, to open 90 years too soon. More than a year later, Jim decides he can no longer be alone. He social-engineers a chance to re-animate his life by secretly waking up Aurora Lane (Lawrence). Alone together, they become fast friends, then something more . . . until Sleeping Beauty finds out the truth about her premature de-hibernation.

Passengers, aka In Space No-One

Can Hear You Creep, flirts with the awful playing-God-ness of Jim’s effort to alleviate his solitude—a forcedromance made worse by the movie’s eagerness to have Aurora/Lawrence be cleavage-y, sweaty, or otherwise look sexy as often as possible. But it also flirts with Aurora’s understandable anger when she learns what Jim’s done. And then it flirts with some sci-fi salvation stuff, before rolling out a head-shaking happy ending (imagine Titanic rewritten as Star Trek fan-fiction).

There’s something pretty hollow, even spacey, at the reaction-core of this star-vehicle. If this is the future of filmmaking—a few pretty faces wandering and wondering amid F/X and whirring plot-gears—please don’t cryogenically-compartmentalize and then defrost me a hundred years from now.

BRIAN GIBSON

FILM@VUEWEEKLY.COM

REVUE // ACTION

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RATED: PG, NRFYC // Supplied photo by Kerry Brown

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Just wait for the sequel DEC 29 - JAN 4 Tepid Assassin's Creed fails in both the past and the present F

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10 FILM

orget the 3D glasses. For Assassin’s Creed, they should hand out blinders and earmuffs. And gags, to dampen the anguished wailing. This video-game flick’s so tepid, it feels like you’re eye-bathing in banality for two hours.

The plot’s a muddle of Olde Europe anachronisms and modern-day faux-sci-fi. In 1492 Spain, a band of assassins is bent on ensuring people still have free will (note: never in Renaissance Europe did anyone talk or think this way about free will) by preventing the Knights Templar from getting the Apple of Eden (not moldy because, apparently, it’s a metal bocce ball—who knew God was a bowler?). In 2016, lethally-injected prisoner Cal Lynch (Michael Fassbender) learns—after he’s somehow brought alive to a Madrid facility in order to VR-fight as his assassin-ancestor and find that bowling-fruit—the Apple of Eden’s

thought to contain the “genetic code for free will”. Yep, the screenwriters have swilled a paradox-potion (our free will’s predetermined!) and, nope, the movie doesn’t get less stupid after that. Hey, people made this movie of their own volition— surely that’s enough of an argument against free will right there?

When the architecture’s more interesting than the quasi-ninja, pseudoparkour stuff going on in and around it, that’s one weak action-pact.

Fassbender (who co-produced this dreary dreck) is reduced to Stony and Seething Antihero, while Marion Cotillard plays the Determined-ToChange-The-World Scientist who believes her “animus” project, with murderers acting as assassins, will somehow end violence (there it goes, getting dumber). Jeremy Irons and Charlotte Rampling show up, too, presumably because otherwise they wouldn’t get paid.

VUEWEEKLY.com | DEC 29, 2016 – JAN 04, 2017

Now playing Directed by Justin Kurzel  Stuttering, the plot moves between silly past and dull present, never immersing us much in either time. Reeling on, the movie’s punchdrunk on portentous slo-mos and aerial glides. It seems to want to fly, along with the same damn bird of prey that keeps circling about, or Cal as he keeps super-dramatically holding out his arms to jump off a rooftop. But this movie’s about as far from soaring as a two-year-old’s first attempt at a paper airplane. Just crumple it up, kid, and try again in a few years—that’s when the sequel to this piffle will arrive, anyway.

BRIAN GIBSON

FILM@VUEWEEKLY.COM

INTERVIEW // SCENE BUILDER

// Jason Symington

' n u f e r a s e i v o ' Where m

Community at the heart of David Cheoros’ vision for Metro

S

taying relevant isn’t easy, just ask David Cheoros.

The executive director of the Metro Cinema Society is a pragmatic fellow.

After taking over the reigns of the beleaguered society in 2014, he realized things couldn’t stay the same.

Attendance numbers and the operating expenses of the theatre weren't evening out and people were staying home with their personal entertainment collections.

“We were not going to be able to shrink away from these problems by becoming more efficient or doing less,” Cheoros says. “None of the models we looked at worked emotionally or financially.”

Gone are the days when a guaranteed audience will line up en masse for the auteur experience. Netflix, HBO, gloriously enormous LED smart TVs with panoramic views—these were the devils knocking at the Metro Society’s door.

“Looking at the way in which the rest of the world was starting to do movies, we realized that the arthouse experience of a carefully curated series that you viewed in hushed tones because it was good for you wasn’t working anywhere else either,” says Cheoros. “We were not unique in that."

So they started to play to their strengths. On their side they had an iconic theatre that housed a grand stage in a vibrant neighbourhood located nearby a university. These were the points to grow from but, even with all that going for them, it still wasn't going to be easy. It wasn’t as though an underground cabal got together, ingested peyote and fortold a lucrative future.

“Peyote would have been a really good idea,” he says, laughing. “Really, it was some days with really scary conversations where you would spend 75 percent of the time brainstorming ideas on how we were going to make all this work and 25 percent on what you would do if it all went to hell.”

What would happen if they broke their lease? Would they be able to move to another building? These were the types of things they were talking about and according to Cheoros, it was not fun.

“We started to try a bunch of shit,” Cheoros says. “One of the things that Katie (Sowden, communications coordinator) likes to say is that if you have the time to try it and it costs $10, we’ll do it.

We are not looking at one big solution, we are trying out a hundred little things and seeing where that leads us."

Some of the ideas were terrible but they didn't know until they tried them.

"The glorious thing is that it is not just me or Pete (Harris, programming manager) sitting in a room," he says.

"It's every staff person and 20 of our volunteers who email me. It is the annual guest curation process where we accepted 14 or 15 suggestions from the public.”

That sense of community within the organization was also the core value proposition for the public.

Be it the gimmicky yet engrossing 'quote along’ classic film viewings, hosting special events or screening genre films from communities all over the world, the society adapted. Metro now even hosts Fringe Festival productions

as a bring your own venue (BYOV), has guest lecturers and offers a gallery that will double as a performance area. This will give the society more live performance options in Cheoros’ eyes, making the theatre a more flexible, fluid space.

“Rather than some sort of grand overarching vision, we’ve latched onto the idea that we are meant to be a place where movies are fun,” Cheoros says. “But we are also meant to be a place where the entire community feels like they can come together to do something."

Rather than abandoning the past, they are appeasing the present, he explains, and keeping the foundations of the society.

“We still keep the new releases from all over the world, we still keep the curated series that look back with love on specific filmmakers or genres, we still keep the monthly series, we still keep connections with local filmmakers.”

Whether the theatre is showing a Tamil film, a documentary about Chinese genocide, or maybe a drag show, Cheoros is proud of Metro’s eclecticism. With that said, he does admit that trying to create a target market for that is somewhat baffling.

“With most of the organizations I’ve worked for, you build up for a long time to create a very carefully crafted experience,” explains Cheoros. “But there is also something wonderful with being able to offer a thousand experiences that add up to something that really means a lot to a community.

TRENT WILKIE

TRENTW@VUEWEEKLY.COM

Cecile Novel during a Saturday morning cartoon party at Metro. // Jason Symington

VUEWEEKLY.com | DEC 29, 2016 – JAN 04, 2017

FILM 11

YEAR IN REVIEW music

2

016 was a roller-coaster for many involved in the Edmonton music scene. Promoters had to deal with an unsteady Canadian dollar and fewer acts coming through the city. The trick was to discover new ways to grow business and local talents.

These three promoters are from different areas of the community, and spoke about their experiences during 2016.

John Kennedy, Starlite Room Concert highlights of 2016 “I would say my own personal [favourites] is very similar to what the crowd favourites were. Propagandhi was definitely one, Millencolin, Choke, and The Flatliners. Leftover Crack, SNFU, Protest The Hero, Audio/Rocketry. A lot of good ones this year.”

Growing trends in 2016 “I listen to a lot of punk rock, so I think that punk rock is one of those things that kind of stays within its parameters. But there’s always experimental bands doing their thing.

The new wave of all the pop-punk bands like [The] Story So Far, Seaway and Like Pacific and Rarity and Coldfront. I think that’s going to be the next wave of music. Some of the older skate-punk bands, you don’t see too many kids under the age of 25 at those shows. Where this new kind of wave of pop-punk, you’re seeing younger kids come out to shows.

Even though the shows are 18-plus, we’re getting a lot of calls from all ages kids wanting to come to the shows, which is cool.”

Business growth “Less tours came through this year, and I think that has ... to do with the dollar. I noticed this year though that

Edmonton music promoters look back on a tumultuous 2016 the quality of the tours have been really, really on a high level. A lot of great packages, a lot of bands interested in playing Edmonton because of how good the scene is. There’s so many people doing their part in supporting the scene. Everyone kind of has their own piece of the pie that they do, and our scene’s constantly evolving.”

Local listening "Fire Next Time, No Problem, Audio/Rocketry, A New Rhetoric, Worst Days Down and Royal Tusk are my local favorites,” Kennedy says. “The new Jimmy Eat World album is the 2016 record of the year. I really, really like them. It’s your classic melodic alternative punk. I really like that new Japandroids song that they put out [Near To The Wild Heart Of Life]."

Summing up 2016: “It’s diverse, it’s great to accomplish something in a city that doesn’t get the amenities that a city like Vancouver or Toronto does. We’ve been able to put our stamp on music as a whole [with] Edmonton being an international stop.

Some bands that tour the world will say ‘Edmonton’s one of my top five cities to play.’ That’s pretty rad.”

And EDM sound is kind of making its way out right now, so we’re trying to find other ways to fill that void."

Local listening “Honestly it’s been pretty good. The Swede Dreams guys are doing pretty well. They’re a young group of three guys that produce music out of Edmonton. They’ve been getting some good PR and their music has been put on a few labels as well. Obviously the Night Vision guys are great producers and great DJs as well. Other than that, the typical David Stone’s and Junior Brown's, etcetera."

Growth/decline “It’s been pretty steady—a little bit of a decline. Otherwise fairly steady considering the province is in recession. We’ve been able to do shows that have been doing fairly well. The nightclub stuff has definitely slowed down a lot, but the big shows are still doing pretty well.”

Viet Nguyen, Boodang Concert highlights “We held Pure this year, and we went with a different sound. This year we went with more trance and some big room, which did really well.

Scream, we went with an EDM headliner as well, Zeds Dead, which moved from the bass sound to somewhat more eclectic sounding stuff,” Nguyen says. “I’m finding the tendency of people coming to the shows is they’re much more informed about the artist.

Viet Nguyen // Aaron Pedersen

Summing up 2016 “Better than 2015, for sure. The events have done better, the people attending the events seem to be a little bit more choosy of the events they’re going to, probably because of the money. I say overall a very decent year, not as big as obviously three or four years ago when we were doing massive two-day events.”

Orvillehavana Green, Tuffhouse Corp.

Highlights “The Outlawz tour that came through, that was massive—based on I got to kick it with 2Pac’s guys on the anniversary [of 2pac’s death]. The music they’re doing is still original after all these years, and still touches the mind and body.

Drake was good [including] the opening acts that were touring with him.

Roy Woods and DVSN and all them cats. They show the future of Canadian music and how good it is. Also, having two shows in the city gives a good urban spotlight on the city that the market is here, if it’s done properly.”

Developing trends “The 808 [bass] is back, and that itself is outrageously wicked. The 808 didn’t really go anywhere but there’s a new version of it with an extra drop.

It invoked a lot of older artists to come back and spit more.

One of the greatest trends that I see on a global scale is the return of conscious music. The mumble raps are gradually fading and the more conscious rap is coming forward. When I say conscious I mean the De La Soul’s, Tribe Called Quest, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole and Ab Soul. More sense is being put into the music, even on the R&B side with John Legend. That spins over

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12 MUSIC

VUEWEEKLY.com | DEC 29, 2016 – JAN 04, 2017

Orvillehavana Green // JProckter

into the local culture, where a lot of guys ... are talking more politically.”

Local listening “Outside of my Tuffhouse guys, I listen to JusJrdn because he’s a unique style,” Green says. “I listen to the guys from Doom Squad at times, KRiz I listen to at times. I try and keep a wide scope in the local scene, I give everything a chance until I see where it takes me. If it takes me on a journey, I’m with it.”

Growth/decline “On the show side of things, it was a profitable year. Between the shows and events it’s grown. I feel like 2017 is going to be much stronger—in the sense that the wheels are being spinned in the right direction. Local music is going forward, I see a lot of greater things happening not just for me, but for the music scene in Alberta.”

LEE BUTLER

LEE@VUEWEEKLY.COM

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YEAR IN REVIEW // GOODBYE

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Saying goodbye to Steve Steffler

T

o say Steve Steffler had an impact on Edmonton’s music community would be an understatement. Former operator of the cozy, beloved Bohemia and most recently the head of local record label, Sometimes Music, Steve truly lived from his heart.

Whether it was giving bands a chance/place to play, setting touring bands up with a couch or putting in tireless effort to ensure records would get pressed in time, Steve represented the ultimate music fan.

News of his untimely death shocked Edmonton’s tight knit music scene.

The loss was crushing, but a sense of closeness also surfaced from bands Steve invited into the Sometimes Music family.

Friend and partner in crime at Sometimes, Cole McKelvie spoke highly of Steve’s ability to others.

“He was influential to just about everyone he ever met. He was versatile, personable and disarming. He was a genius and his vast wisdom was not kept to himself; he used it to better the lives of everyone around him. I am truly honoured that he allowed me to play such a large role in his life.”

Steve’s closest friend, Stephanie Bandio mirrored this sentiment, saying, “He supported anything you wanted to explore as your happiness and self discovery were validated. It was a privilege to know this true gem that shined wherever, doing whatever.”

From a young age, Steve was interested in sharing his love and appreciation of music with others. Drumming in bands through his 20s, curating a music festival on an acreage near Onoway, AB called TripFest all the way to running his own record label, Steve never strayed away from sharing his talents to benefit others.

Kennedy Pawluk plays in Dead Fibres, another band touched by Steve’s life. Reflecting on Steve, Pawluk echoed the views of several bands fortunate enough to come into

contact with the entrepreneur saying, “When Steve expressed his interest to release our album we couldn’t believe someone liked our music enough to give us a chance and it really gave us confidence in what we were doing.

Steve's endless generosity and tireless support has helped us get to this point and we will miss him deeply.”

Red Hot Gospels’ Owen Lukawesky explained how one of Steve’s last acts of service was to help the band apply for Sled Island.

“We were going to do it ourselves at Kendall’s (guitarist for RHG) originally, but he always put it off. So I asked Steve to help us and he said yes immediately. So Steve’s last night was good. We had some beers, smoked cigarettes, talked about music and made plans,” Lukawesky reflected.

“When we heard the news the next day, Kendall thanked me for asking Steve to help us apply. If Kendall had originally done it, we wouldn’t have had that last bit of time with him. I never thought I’d be thanking someone for dropping the ball on something important.”

Craig Martell of Double Lunch Productions worked with Steve on many shows and was also impacted by Steve’s remarkable ability to push forward toward his dreams in the most positive way imaginable.

“Steve was a huge reason why Double Lunch started a label side. He was pushing us to do it for a year. He did it just so we could know how he felt to help bands we love in the way he was able to. One of the sweetest, kindest people we had the pleasure of knowing. Edmonton is a worse place without him, but was a better place because of him. Hug everyone you love and tell them you love them often. Chase your dreams. Help others. These are the things that Steve stood for and the things that everyone should stand for.”

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MUSIC 13

MUSIC

ALBUMS OF THE

YEAR

Angel Olsen Jagjaguwar // My Woman Right after the opening song on Olsen’s newest album My Woman, it’s clear she is continuing to evolve as an artist. “Intern,” has her experimenting with a minimal synth for the first time underneath her powerful angelic voice. She shocked us with her 2014 release Burn Your Fire For No Witness and is continuing to do so with My Woman. Olsen has proved time and time again that she can create earpleasing songs solo, but she relies heavily on her band for My Woman.

Lead guitarist Stewart Bronaugh’s subtle psych guitar flavour works so well with Olsen and the rest of her band. The highest points of the album are a mix between Olsen’s powerful vocal ballads and the call and answer between each instrument. The album is filled with Olsen’s unmistakable vibrato, but it never goes over the top.

The album needs to be listened in full to truly experience the wild but controlled collection of Olsen’s newfound sound.

his 2013 spoken word/rap album Because The Internet. Glover is an artist that will do what he wants, and Awaken, My Love explores this even further. The opening song “Me and Your Mama,” has him adeptly evoking James Brown underneath a dark gospel choir and songs like “Have Some Love,” “Boogieman,” and “Redbone,” are uniquely influenced by the styling of the late Prince and Parliament-Funkadelic. “The Night Me and Your Mama Met,” also features a blistering guitar solo that would even give Eddie Hazel’s “Maggot Brain,” a run for its money. We have to give a hand not only to Glover, but the accompanying musicians on Awaken, My Love. The instrumentation is groovy, crisp, and at times enjoyably obscure. With his newest recordings Glover will undoubtedly find a new fan base and hopefully convert listeners who only think of him as a rapper.

STEPHAN BOISSONNEAULT

STEPHAN BOISSONNEAULT

A Tribe Called Quest Epic, SME // We Got It From Here…

Thank You 4 Your Service After the terrorist attack at the Bataclan in Paris, A Tribe Called Quest put aside their differences and headed back into the studio. For the first time since 1998, the group worked on new music together as a unit. During the sessions, their co-founder Phife Dawg tragically passed away due to complications from diabetes.

Phife had laid down enough material to forge ahead with the project, resulting in their final, and perhaps most important collection. We Got It From here… Thank You 4 Your Service is politically charged from opening track “The Space Program,” until the finale, “The Donald.”

We Got It From Here… stands up with any of Tribe’s previous releases.

It’s a bittersweet album that displays a renewed passion cut short by the passing of one of the most influential rappers of our time.

LEE BUTLER

Childish Gambino Glassnote Records // Awaken, My Love!

Donald Glover (also known by his stage name Childish Gambino) is the definition of a versatile artist.

His newest album Awaken, My Love is dripping with the flavour of '70s soul and funk—much different from

14 MUSIC

Frank Ocean Boys Don’t Cry // Blonde Just when you thought Frank Ocean couldn’t get any more vulnerable, he releases his deeply personal album, Blonde.

Fans had been anticipating the release for over a year, with many different release dates teased. Patience was rewarded, with Ocean downshifting to minimalist beats on the album. It’s a risky move, but compliments Ocean’s soulful voice and damaged lyrics.

“Nikes” leads off the album featuring Ocean’s voice modified to a higher pitch. The beat is brooding and mesmerizing, with Ocean trailing off into a variety of subjects—shoutouts to friends, Trayvon Martin and, of course, love. He returns with his natural voice near the end, dropping a tongue-twisting verse that confirms his versatility.

“Pink + White” most resembles the sound of his last album Channel Orange. It’s a dreamy trip through Ocean’s abstract mind, complimented by piano and orchestral elements.

Blonde is an album that will resonate for years to come, growing with each successive play. It’s tough to imagine how Ocean will follow up yet another critically acclaimed album, but he seems to do best when keeping true to his unique vision.

Kanye West GOOD Music, Def Jam, Roc-A-Fella // The Life of Pablo While ever-controversial in the public eye, West returned with his best album since 2010’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.

Pablo is a living, breathing album that was continually tweaked on streaming services well after its initial release. New tracks were added, verses altered and beats adjusted.

West continues to be unselfish—I know what you’re thinking—musi-

cally. Pablo helped expose future superstar Chance The Rapper on the standout opener “Ultralight Beam.” “Pt. 2” was also the first taste we’d get of Desiigner’s summer anthem “Panda.”

On the selfish spectrum, he calls out Taylor Swift on “Famous,”—“I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex/I made that bitch famous”—and the a capella “I Love Kanye” muses about the public preferring his less-arrogant persona.

With all that said, Pablo contains some of his best work. “30 Hours” proves West is still one of the premiere beatsmiths, with some of his sharpest lyrical delivery to date—”My ex said she gave me the best years of her life/I saw a recent picture of her, I guess she was right.”

Love him or hate him, West continues to push the boundaries of hip-hop while infusing it with his trademark braggadocio.

LEE BUTLER

LEE BUTLER

Globular Shanti Planti, Holobiont David Bowie Columbia Records // Blackstar We have lost so many inspirational people in this dark and unforgiving year, and the most crushing for me was David Bowie.

He broke genres by showing the world what you can do with a few simple or unknown sounds—and he did it again with Blackstar. The album is almost impossible to pigeonhole into one genre. Bowie played with the exploratory world of jazz, but still keeps his pop undertones with only a few verses. Even in “Lazarus”— containing Bowie’s goodbye to the world—he breaks out in his popular minor-pop vocalization. Blackstar changes what we think a Bowie album should sound like.

STEPHAN BOISSONNEAULT

Holobiont is the third full-length release from Bristol, UK Psy-Dub producer and composer Morison Bennett, the talented arranger known as Globular. Available as a free download or purchased as an eco-conscious CD in a 100 percent recycled card stock and printed with non-toxic inks.

Encompassing a truly outernational sound, Bennett creates a pulsating aural landscape shimmering with delicate nuances. Built upon a foundation of gooey electro dub, Globular masterfully infuses his music with a beautiful mixture of the ancient and the futuristic, swirling it into a liquid tapestry of psychedelic brilliance. Bamboo flutes, Indian Orchestras, Asian choirs, Arabic melodies, reggae drum shots, electrical noise, nature sounds and field recordings all merging together. Globular offers up something that could be described as futuristic shamanistic, and here with Holobiont, Bennett is definitely guiding us deep into new frontiers.

DAVE O RAMA

Greys Buzz Records + Carpark Records // Outer Heaven I was fortunate enough to write about this album earlier this year before Toronto’s Greys played at The Buckingham. The interview with singer/guitarist, Shehzaad Jiwani revealed the light-hearted, intelligent person behind a lot of the writing on Outer Heaven, which explores various, and quite dark, themes. The feeling of alienation is something we can all attest to, and it just so happens Greys wander through the topic using punk rock, noise and in moments, gorgeously dreamy soundscapes.

“Complaint Rock” remains one of my favourites on the album. Fuzzed out, slightly psychedelic guitars, tormented wails and the audacity to address complacency and consumerism of all things. The static finale must be the inner turmoil experienced by the conscious consumer. I hate it, but God, for some reason I still want it?

BRITTANY RUDYCK

VUEWEEKLY.com | DEC 29, 2016 – JAN 04, 2017

Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein Lakeshore Records // Stranger Things OST Vol. 1 There’s no question that Netflix’s Stranger Things (a show about the surreal and supernatural disappearance of a young boy in the town of Hawkins) has been critically acclaimed for its all star casting and unique story, but the series soundtrack deserves as much praise as the visuals. Created

by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein of Austin psych/synth outfit Survive, the soundtrack is a grand comparison to the nostalgic dark ‘80s synth feel perfected by Tangerine Dream, Brian Eno, and at times, John Carpenter.

Paired with the show, the soundtrack acts as a character, presenting the sinister dissonance that haunts Hawkins.

It’s very rare for a series soundtrack to stand on its own without the visuals, but Stranger Things is so successful in bringing out the eerie undertones of the show it can be placed in the ranks of soundtracks such as Star Wars, Lord of The Rings, and Almost Famous.

STEPHAN BOISSONNEAULT

10442 whyte ave 439.1273 10442 whyte ave 439.1273 CD / LP

SOLANGE A SEAT AT THE TABLE

Miike Snow Atlantic // iii Ever since my good friend introduced me to Miike Snow’s 2012 hit “Animal,” I’ve kept an eye out for anything this group has done.

Radiohead XL Recordings // A Moon Shaped Pool There has always been debate about whether Radiohead is better as an electronic group or classic rock band, but I would say the five-piece is best as a combination of the two. And that’s exactly what we get with A Moon Shaped Pool. The newest set of recordings has Jonny Greenwood revisiting the realm of guitar with his subtle lead melodies accompanied by Thom Yorke’s haunting voice. Parts of the album are pure noise rock and Radiohead utilizes a full orchestra of unique sounds with songs like “Burn the Witch,” “Full Stop,” and “Present Tense.” There has always been something about Radiohead’s song construction that is infectious. With A Moon Shaped Pool, each song blends so perfectly into the next, something Radiohead attempted with their 2011 release The King of Limbs. Radiohead has always fallen into the computerized, dehumanizing technology trap, but with A Moon Shaped Pool they utilize every sound—making it one of their most enjoyable records.

STEPHAN BOISSONNEAULT

Okavango African Orchestra Batuki Music Society // Okavango African Orchestra Toronto’s Batuki Music Society has been doing an amazing job supporting African music and musicians in Canada for many years. With the Okavango African Orchestra the society brings together nine Toronto and Montreal based African-born musicians from seven different countries performing in ten different languages.

The project is based metaphorically on the Okavango River Delta in the Kalahari Desert, a meeting place where an incredible diversity of animals—both predator and prey— must attempt to coexist together.

Here the orchestra represents an amalgamation of traditional instruments and languages spanning the continent, coexisting together for a

In 2016 they reappeared on my radar in a big way.

Their March release, iii, is a mixed bag of electropop and ambient grooves, with touches of hiphop for good measure.

The ten-track album can truly be divided into two halves. “My Trigger” opens the album with an infectious piano loop and a swelling beat looming in the background. The opening lyrics had me hooked—“I saw you lickin’ a dollar bill/I’m in the graveyard if looks could kill/ But murder ain’t your thing, you just shoot to thrill.”

rare moment in time.

Producers Aron Nitunga and Nadine McNulty have assembled an incredible collective of acclaimed and award winning musicians from all directions representing Senegal and Ghana; Burundi, Eritrea, and Somalia; Zimbabwe and Madagascar. Probably the first time traditional African instruments from the north, south, east and west have been brought together to create passionate and inspiring musical hybridizations blending traditional and contemporary to mind blowing effect. The Okavango African Orchestra digs up a musical well overflowing in complex rhythms, gorgeous melodies and a rich complexity of vocal harmonies.

A truly a joyous celebration.

DAVE O RAMA

Preoccupations Jagjaguwar (Flemish Eye in Canada) // Preoccupations While it may not have as many obvious twists and turns as it’s predecessor, Preoccupations have still managed to create a record to cloak my heart in a glittery new wave blanket. This band seems to be my go to in the moments I have a decent pair of headphones and crave a beautiful, yet dimly lit, backdrop for the task at hand. One can’t be sure whether it was their decision to change their name amidst controversy or simply their natural direction, but their first offering as Preoccupations (formerly Viet Cong) is somewhat slower, softer and oddly arranged in spots. The song “Forbidden” has an indulgent, eerie quality which quickly builds into what sounds like it’s going to be another classic burst of perfectly calculated instrumentals we’ve come to love from the band.

Alas, we’ll never know what could have been as the track fades just as quickly as it blossomed. I suppose I enjoy the mystery.

The powerful hooks and extensive production value continue with the radio-anthem “Genghis Khan”—my personal favourite. The falsetto range on the track allows you to forget you’re singing metaphorically about the jealousy of a relationship and the Emperor of the Mongol Empire. iii’s final five tracks tone things down from the upbeat shine preceding it. “Back of the Car,” features all the usual tricks—slick piano loop, falsetto, orchestral production, vocal effects and a stellar 808 bassdrop during the chorus.

This album was a pleasant surprise in the dreary winter months of 2016, carrying me on a groove into the summer and beyond.

blackbyrd

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LEE BUTLER

Silla + Rise Independent // Debut Silla + Rise are an Ottawa-based trio deeply invested in the rhythmic possibilities of Inuit throat singing.

Featuring Nunavut singers Cynthia Pitsiulak (Kimmirut) and Charlotte Qamaniq (Igloolik)—a vocal duo who have been known to merge their traditional northern vocalizations with hip-hop sensibilities in the group Tumivut—now join forces with Canadian electro dub producer Rise Ashen.

Known for his numerous excursions into the land of bass and a discography filled with interesting collaborations, Rise Ashen has a finely honed intuition and his contributions here deftly serve to enhance the magic emanating from the two gifted singers. His musical arrangements travel the space between glistening ambience and throbbing subsonic pulsations that compliment the vocal rhythms perfectly.

Deriving their name from Inuktitut word “Sila”—which means “weather”—the two singers tap the main artery, the heartbeat of the universe, the pulse of the life force. Primordial and otherworldly, Debut envelops you and draws you into a trance-like state of consciousness that is sonically unique and yet, at the same time, deeply familiar.

DAVE O RAMA

BRITTANY RUDYCK

VUEWEEKLY.com | DEC 29, 2016 – JAN 04, 2017

MUSIC 15

MUSIC

WEEKLY

EMAIL YOUR FREE LISTINGS TO: LISTINGS@VUEWEEKLY.COM FAX: 780.426.2889 DEADLINE: FRIDAY AT 3PM

EVOLUTION WONDERLOUNGE

RANCH ROADHOUSE Dada Life and

CAFFREY'S IN THE PARK Rockzilla; 6pm;

MUTTART CONSERVATORY

Karaoke; Every Thu, 7pm

guests; 9pm; $50 and up

$35 (dinner/party), $15 (party only)

FIDDLER'S ROOST Acoustic Circle

ROCKY MOUNTAIN ICEHOUSE Captain

CARROT COFFEEHOUSE Sat Open

Countdown @ the Conservatory; 10am-2pm; Regular admission

Jam; 7:30-11:30pm

Tractor with DJ Modest Mike and special guests; 8pm; $15-$35

HUMMINGBIRD BISTRO CAFE Bistro

Jazz; Every Thu, 7:30pm; Free KRUSH ULTRA LOUNGE Open stage

with host Naomi Carmack; 8pm every Thu L.B.'S PUB Open Jam hosted by

Cody Forsberg; 7-11pm LIZARD LOUNGE Jam Night; Every

Thu, 7-11pm

THU DEC 29 ARCADIA BAR Up The Arcadia Jam; 1st and 3rd

Thu of each month; 9-10:30pm; Free ATLANTIC TRAP & GILL Open mic with Stan Gallant

MAMA'S GIN JOINT Live Music

Thursdays; Every Thu, 9pm; $5 (some events)

9pm

MOONSHINERS Moonshiners Jam Night with Rockin' Rod; Every Thu, 7pm; No minors

BLVD SUPPER X CLUB B**ch A Little, Wine Alot

NAKED CYBERCAFÉ Thu open stage;

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

7pm

BLUES ON WHYTE Paula Perro and The Project;

ROSE & CROWN PUB Joanne Janzen;

9pm SHERLOCK HOLMES–DOWNTOWN

Andrew Scott (alternative/country); 9pm

WILD EARTH BAKERY–MILLCREEK

CENTURY CASINO–EDMONTON The

Whiffen (adult pop); 9pm

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

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

NORTH GLENORA HALL Jam by Wild Rose Old Time Fiddlers every Thu; 7pm

THE COMMON Quality Control Fridays with DJ Echo & Freshlan

DENIZEN HALL Taking Back Thursdays: weekly

O’BYRNE’S IRISH PUB Live music

EL CORTEZ MEXICAN KITCHEN + TEQUILA BAR Resident DJs playing

Genre Variety Stage: artist from all mediums are encouraged to occupy the stage and share their creations • Every Tue- Fri, 5-8pm

punk, alternative and hardcore music; Every Thu, 8pm

RICHARD’S PUB Soul Train Live-

Single and couple dance; Every Thu, 7:30-10:30pm; Free

Stampeders New Year's Eve Bash!

Dinner is available for purchase; 8pm (doors); $89.95; No minors CENTURY CASINO–ST. ALBERT

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

CAFÉ HAVEN Music every Thu; 7pm

BRITTANY'S LOUNGE Scrambled YEG: Open

NEW WEST HOTEL Early: Saturday

with WOW (pop); 9pm CASINO YELLOHEAD New Year's Eve

TIRAMISU BISTRO Live music every Fri with local musicians

SHERLOCK HOLMES–WEM Jimmy

THE BOWER Strictly Goods: Old

Every Thu; Free

CASK AND BARREL New Years Eve

CASINO EDMONTON New Year's Eve

Masquerade Ball; 6pm (dinner), 9pm (dance); $40 for dinner and dance. $10 for dance. Advance tickets available at the cask and barrel or yeglive.ca

NEEDLE VINYL TAVERN Happy Hour featuring Soap Box Duo; 5:30pm • Major Love with The Nolans, Cayley Thomas, Billie Zizi, Norman Fields, and Sister Ray; 9pm; $12 (adv), $15 (door)

BORDERLINE SPORTS PUB Karaoke Thursdays;

with 5 on the Side; 9pm

NEEDLE VINYL TAVERN Shout Out Out Out Out with The Wet Secrets and Physical Copies; 8pm; $40 (adv), $50 (door) • Soul Saturday BrunchSean Brewer and Friends; 11:30pm; No cover

mic; 7pm; $2

school and new school hip hop & R&B with DJ Twist, Sonny Grimez, and Marlon English; every Fri

the best in Hip Hop, Dance, Indie Dance, T40 & Classics; Every FriSat; 9pm; No cover

Countdown to 2017 with the Demographics; 6pm (seating), 6:308:30pm (dinner), 9pm-1am (live show); $75 (including GST); Buffet only $45 (including GST) COOK COUNTY SALOON NYE 2017 at Cook County Saloon: DJ’s playing country and pop hits from the 80’s, 90’s and todays best party anthems; 9pm (doors); $10 CROWN AND ANCHOR PUB New Year's Eve With The Shufflehounds; 9pm; Free DENIZEN HALL NYE Ignition 2000s Retro

Dance Party; 8pm until close; $10 DUGGAN'S BOUNDARY Duff Robison

(folk); 9pm

SANDS INN & SUITES Karaoke

SMOKEHOUSE BBQ Live Blues every Thu: this week with Dr Blu; 7-11pm

Years Eve with "Troy Turner"; dinner & dance; $20 (dance/ party favours/late lunch) $40 (dance/party favours/late lunch/ champagne)

TAVERN ON WHYTE Open stage

SHAKERS ROADHOUSE New Years

Eve with The Bobby Cameron Band with guests Train Wreck Live; 6pm; $50-$65; No minors

northlands.com

2nd Thu of every month, 7-8:30pm; No cover (donations welcome)

SIDELINERS PUB & PANTRY NYE

Rock N' Roll, Funk & Soul with DJ Modest Mike; Every Thu; Wooftop Lounge: Dear Hip Hop with Freshlan; Underdog: Underdog Comedy Show

Flashback Friday; Every Fri MERCER TAVERN Movement

Party; 9pm

THE COMMON The Common

Fridays; 8pm

EVOLUTION WONDERLOUNGE Red

Uncommon Thursday: Rotating Guests each week

NEEDLE VINYL TAVERN Time Warp

White and New Years: With DJ Velix and Drag Race's Kennedy Davenport; 8pm (doors); $15

Thu; dance lessons at 8pm; Cuban Salsa DJ to follow SOU KAWAII ZEN LOUNGE House

THE PROVINCIAL PUB Friday Nights:

FRI DEC 30 ATLANTIC TRAP & GILL Sweet

Vintage Rides; 9pm BLUES ON WHYTE Johnny McCuaig

Band; 9pm BORDERLINE SPORTS PUB Live

music; Every Fri; Free BOURBON ROOM Live music each

week with a different band each week; 8pm BRITTANY'S LOUNGE Scrambled YEG:

Open Genre Variety Stage: artist from all mediums are encouraged to occupy the stage and share their creations • Every Tue- Fri, 5-8pm CAFFREY'S IN THE PARK Rockzilla;

edmonton.cnty.com

Edmonton's best cover bands playing hits from the 60s to today; Every Fri-Sat Fri-Sat, 7pm; No cover NEEDLE VINYL TAVERN Happy Hour

Fridays; Every Fri, 9pm; No minors Y AFTERHOURS Freedom Fridays

SAT DEC 31 ATLANTIC TRAP & GILL Sweet

Vintage Rides; 9pm

BLUE CHAIR CAFÈ New Year's Eve

Party: Featuring Borrowed and Blue; 7pm; $110 (per person); reservations only BLUES ON WHYTE Johnny McCuaig

O'BYRNE'S IRISH PUB Edmonton's

Party Crashers; 9:30pm

BORDERLINE SPORTS PUB Live

music; Every Sat; Free week with a different band each week; 9pm BRIXX BAR Get Up, Get Down,

Get Funked with Poppa Squat, KLUSTERFUNK; 8pm; $10; 18+ only

VUEWEEKLY.com | DEC 29, 2016 – JAN 04, 2017

STARLITE ROOM UBK NYE featuring Mat The Alien, Flavours, and more; 9pm; $15-$25; 18+ only TWIST ULTRA LOUNGE Mikey Wong and his lineup of guest DJs URBAN TAVERN New Year's Eve featuring

FIONN MACCOOL'S MAYFIELD NYE with

DJ Chris Bruce spins Britpop/Punk/ Garage/Indie; Every Sat; Wooftop: Sound It Up! with DJ Sonny Grimezz spinning classic Hip-Hop and Reggae; Underdog: Hip Hop open Mic followed by DJ Marack

The Fuzz Kings; 9pm until midnight; Free FIONN MACCOOL'S SKYVIEW NYE

with Cody Mack; 9pm GAS PUMP The Barsnbands New

Year's Eve Homemade Jam; Hosted

by Michael Chenoweth and The Usual Suspects; 3-6:30pm HAVE MERCY Have Mercy House

Fri-Sat, 7pm; No cover

Dog: John Guliak; 4-6pm; no cover • New Year's Eve with: Raygun Cowboys; 7pm (doors), 10:30pm (show); $25 (adv at Black Dog)

with The Rault Brothers (blues); 7pm (doors), 9pm (music); $25 (available at the pub); 80 tickets available; No minors

NYE Masquerade; 7:30pm (dinner), 9pm (show); $35 (both dinner and show), $5 (show only); Fargos will be collecting blankets and coats for the homeless as well

BEVERLY HEIGHTS HALL Boot

BOURBON ROOM Live music each

PALACE CASINO Rockin Rick & The

FARGOS–CAPILANO Fargos Rockin

Party: An "anti-disco" NYE party.

The Steadies (rock steady reggae band) will be playing with a Situation beer midnight toast; 9pm until close; $5

Band; 9pm

best solo musicians

EL CORTEZ MEXICAN KITCHEN + TEQUILA BAR Black & White NYE

BAILEY THEATRE New Year's Eve with Kirby Sewell; 7pm (doors), 7:30pm (dinner), 9pm (show); $69.99 plus GST (dinner, show and dance) or $29.99 plus GST (show and dance) at the Bailey Box Office or online

featuring Mariel Buckley; 5:30pm • Eamon McGrath with Fire Next Time and Jom Comyn; 9pm; $12 (adv), $15 (door)

ON THE ROCKS Nervous Flirts; 8pm

16 MUSIC

VIDA LATIN NIGHT CLUB Electric

BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Hair of the

IRONGATE PUB Bryant Sailor; Every

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT CENTURY CASINO AND TICKETMASTER

Flowz: featuring DJs and artists teaming up; 9pm

DUGGAN'S BOUNDARY Duff Robison HAVE MERCY Live music featuring

COMING SOON: CHILLIWACK, HONEYMOON SUITE, IRISH DESCENDANTS AND MORE!

SOU KAWAII ZEN LOUNGE Artzy

CARROT COFFEEHOUSE Live music every Fri; all ages; 7pm; $5 (door)

(folk); 9pm

SATURDAY DEC 31

Video Music DJ; 9pm-2am

Scootin' Boogie New Years Eve: Featuring Dirt Road Angels (country/pop/rock); 7:30pm; $35 (adv), $40 (door)

9pm

NEW YE AR'S EVE BAS H!

EVOLUTION WONDERLOUNGE

Late Night Throwback Dance Party with DJs Joses Martin & Thomas Culture VJ Owen; Every Fri, 11:30pm; $5 (door)

Function Thursdays; 9pm

Andrew Scott (alternative/country); 9pm SHERLOCK HOLMES–WEM Jimmy

BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Thu Main Fl:

ON THE ROCKS Salsa Rocks: every

SHERLOCK HOLMES–DOWNTOWN

Whiffen (adult pop); 9pm

DJs

DEC 31

ROCKY MOUNTAIN ICEHOUSE The New Year's Eve Party featuring Captain Tractor with DJ B.O and special guests; 7pm; $30 (show only/early bird), $50 (show only/ general), $75 (dinner and down); No minors

9pm

WOODRACK CAFÉ Birdie on a Branch;

DEC 30

RIVER CREE RESORT & CASINO The Australian Bee Gees - A Tribute to the Bee Gees; 8pm (doors), 10pm (show); Tickets start at $29.50; Must be 18+

SANDS INN & SUITES LOUNGE New

Karaoke Thursday's; Every Thu

TONY CAMPBELL

THE REC ROOM Speakeasy: New Year’s Eve Party; 9pm; $100 (ad at Rec Room website), $125 (door, tax incl)

SHAKERS ROADHOUSE Big Daddy

TILTED KILT PUB AND EATERY

LISA BAKER

PALACE CASINO Rockin Rick & The Party Crashers; 9:30pm

ROSE & CROWN PUB Joanne Janzen;

with Michael Gress (fr Self Evolution); every Thu; 9pm-2am

Call 780.481.YUKS FOR TICKETS & INFO .....................................................................

ON THE ROCKS On The Rocks New Years Eve 2017 with The Boom Booms; 6:30pm (dinner), 10pm (The Boom Booms) $45 (three course mealparty favours, champagne, live music & dancing), $25 (live music & dancing)

Thursdays with JR; Every Thu, 9pm-1am Thursday Jam. With host Randy Big Daddy Forsberg; 7pm

COMEDY AT THE CENTURY CASINO

Country Jam (country); Every Sat, 3pm • Later: Doug & The Hurtin Horsemen

IRONGATE PUB Bryant Sailor; Every LB'S PUB New Years Eve Extravaganza

live with The Rod Jewell Band; 7pm (dinner), 9pm (dance); $65 (dinner and dance), $25 (dance only) LEAF BAR AND GRILL Live music;

9:30pm MCDOUGALL UNITED CHURCH New

Year's Eve Concert; 7:30-10:30pm (doors open at 6:45pm); Admission with a non-perishable food item or donation to the Edmonton Food Bank MERCER TAVERN 90s throwback

themed 'Y2K' party hosted by Brad & Dylan with special guests; guest list will be closed for the night; $5 (after 11pm) MKT FRESH FOOD AND BEER MARKET Live Local Bands every

Sat; this week: NYE MOONSHINERS New Years Eve with the Rusty Reed Band (blues); 7pm; $45 (adv), $55 (door)

New Year's DJs; 9pm; $10 (adv)

DJs BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Main Floor:

THE BOWER For Those Who Know...:

Deep House and disco with Junior Brown, David Stone, Austin, and guests; every Sat THE COMMON Get Down It's Saturday Night: House and disco and everything in between with Wright & Wong, Dane EL CORTEZ MEXICAN KITCHEN + TEQUILA BAR Resident DJs playing

the best in Hip Hop, Dance, Indie Dance, T40 & Classics; Every FriSat; 9pm; No cover EVOLUTION WONDERLOUNGE

Rotating DJs Velix and Suco; every Sat KELLY'S PUB 104 Street Beats;

Every Sat, 10pm; No minors MERCER TAVERN DJ Mikey Wong

every Sat THE PROVINCIAL PUB Saturday

Nights: Indie rock and dance with DJ Maurice; 9pm-2am SOU KAWAII ZEN LOUNGE

Psyturdays: various DJs; 9pm SUGAR FOOT BALLROOM Swing Dance Party: Sugar Swing Dance Club every Sat, 8-12; no experience or partner needed, beginner lesson followed by social dance; sugarswing.com TAVERN ON WHYTE Soul, Motown,

Funk, R&B and more with DJs Ben

and Mitch; every Sat; 9pm-2am Y AFTERHOURS Release Saturdays

SUN JAN 1 DANCE CODE STUDIO Flamenco

NEEDLE VINYL TAVERN The Gibson Block with Lutra Lutra; 9pm; No cover

HAVE MERCY DJ Thomas Culture

GAS PUMP Karaoke; 9:30pm

spinning Outlaw Country and 70s Rock; Every Tue

HAVE MERCY Whiskey Wednesdays

NEW WEST HOTEL Dean Henry

KELLY'S PUB Open Stage: featuring

Band; 9pm

host Naomi Carmack and guest; 9pm; No cover

ON THE ROCKS Killer Karaoke Monday

Guitar Classes; Every Sun, 11:30am-12:30pm

PLEASANTVIEW COMMUNITY HALL

DIVERSION LOUNGE Sunday Night

Live on the South Side: live bands; Free; All ages; 7-10:30pm HAVE MERCY Local Spotlight

Sundays featuring up and coming as well as established YEG bands; Every Sun, 9pm

Wild Rose Old Tyme Fiddlers Association: Acoustic instrumental old time fiddle jam every Mon; hosted by the Wild Rose Old Tyme Fiddlers Society; 7pm RED PIANO BAR Swingin' Mondays;

8-11pm with $4 Bill; Every Mon, 8-11pm

out in your Jammies; Every Sun, 3-10pm; Free

SHERLOCK HOLMES–U OF A Open Mic

O’BYRNE’S Open mic every Sun; 9:30pm

Night hosted by Adam Holm; Every Mon SIDELINER’S PUB Singer/Songwriter

RICHARD'S PUB Mark Ammar's

with Darrell Barr; 7-11pm; No charge

Karaoke; Every Wed, 9pm; Free NEEDLE VINYL TAVERN Happy Hour

NEEDLE VINYL TAVERN Big Dreamer

Jam featuring Erin Kay; 8pm

O’BYRNE’S Guinness Celtic jam

every Tue; 9:30pm SHAKERS ROADHOUSE Crazy Dave's

Rock & Roll Renegade Jam; 7:30pm

Every Sun, 7-11pm

Classical

SHAKERS ROADHOUSE The Sunday

WINSPEAR CENTRE Salute to Vienna

Chris Bruce spins Britpop/Punk/ Garage/Indie; Every Tue

Happening Jam featuring The Todd James Band; 4pm

New Year's Concert; 2:30-5pm; $50-$90

DJs

DJs

BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Main Floor:

BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Main Floor:

DJ Zyppy; Every Sun

TAVERN ON WHYTE Classic Hip hop

MON JAN 2

BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Main Floor:

EL CORTEZ MEXICAN KITCHEN + TEQUILA BAR Taco Tuesday with DJ

Mikey Wong

WED JAN 4 BLUES ON WHYTE Harpdog Brown &

with DJ Creeazn every Mon; 9pm-2am

The Travelin' Blues Show; 9pm

Metal Mondays with Metal Phil from CJSR's Heavy Metal Lunchbox

TUE JAN 3

BOURBON ROOM Acoustic singer

DEVANEY'S IRISH PUB Karaoke

BRITTANY'S LOUNGE Scrambled YEG:

Open Genre Variety Stage: artist from all mediums are encouraged to occupy the stage and share their creations • Every Tue- Fri, 5-8pm

BRITTANY'S LOUNGE Scrambled YEG:

BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Wooftop:

night; Every Mon, 9pm; Free FIDDLER'S ROOST Open Stage; 7-11pm HAVE MERCY Mississippi Mondays

songwriter jam; Every Wed, 8pm

featuring Dylan Farell Band; Every Mon, 8:30pm (sign-up)

FIDDLER'S ROOST Fiddle Jam

KELLY'S PUB Open stage; Every

GAS PUMP Karaoke; 9:30pm

Mon, 9pm

Circle; 7:30-11:30pm

Open Genre Variety Stage: artist from all mediums are encouraged to occupy the stage and share their creations; Every Tue-Fri, 5-8pm • Wednesday Night Jazz; Every Wed, 9pm DUGGAN'S BOUNDARY Wed open mic with host Duff Robison; 8pm

UBK PRESENTS

UBK NYE

W/JOSH PAN, RAMZOID, MAT THE ALIEN, & FLAVOURS

PLEASANTVIEW COMMUNITY HALL

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

Wednesday RED PIANO BAR Wed Night Live:

hosted by dueling piano players Jam with Gator & Friends; 7:30pm TAVERN ON WHYTE Karaoke; 9pm TILTED KILT PUB AND EATERY Live

music Wednesday's; Every Wed

DJs BILLIARD CLUB Why wait

Wednesdays: Wed night party with DJ Alize every Wed; no cover BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Main Floor:

DJ Late Fee; Every Wed PINT DOWNTOWN Wild Wing Wednesdays at the Pint with DJ Thomas Culture; Every Wed, 10pm RANCH ROADHOUSE DJ Shocker and

Seelo Mondo; Every Wed

VENUEGUIDE 9910 9910B-109 St NW, 780.709.4734, 99ten.ca ACCENT EUROPEAN LOUNGE 8223-104 St, 780.431.0179 THE ALMANAC 1035182 Ave, 780.760.4567, almanaconwhyte.com ARCADIA BAR 10988-124 St, 780.916.1842, arcadiayeg.com ARDEN THEATRE 5 St Anne St, St Albert, 780.459.1542, stalbert.ca/ experience/arden-theatre ATLANTIC TRAP & GILL 7704 Calgary Trail South, 780.432.4611, atlantictrapandgill.com THE AVIARY 9314-111 Ave, 780.233.3635, facebook.com/ arteryyeg BAILEY THEATRE 5041-50 St, Camrose, 780. 672.5510, baileytheatre.com BEVERLY HEIGHTS HALL 4209111 Ave NW BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE 1042582 Ave, 780.439.1082 BLVD SUPPER X CLUB 10765 Jasper Ave BLUE CHAIR CAFÉ 9624-76 Ave, 780.989.2861 BLUES ON WHYTE 10329-82 Ave, 780.439.3981 BOHEMIA 10217-97 St BORDERLINE SPORTS PUB 322682 St, 780.462.1888 BOURBON ROOM 205 Carnegie Dr, St Albert THE BOWER 10538 Jasper Ave, 780.423.425; info@thebower.ca BRITTANY'S LOUNGE 10225-97 St, 780.497.0011 BRIXX BAR 10030-102 St (downstairs), 780.428.1099 THE BUCKINGHAM 10439 82 Ave, 780.761.1002, thebuckingham.ca CAFE BLACKBIRD 9640-142 St NW, 780.451.8890, cafeblackbird.ca CAFÉ HAVEN 9 Sioux Rd,

DEC/31

Band; 9pm

SHAKERS ROADHOUSE Rock n' Roll

ON THE ROCKS Turn't Up Tuesday

Substance with Eddie Lunchpail

featuring Andrea Nixon; 5:30pm • Renny Wilson Punk Explosion with Nolan Bossert and Skymall; 9pm; No cover NEW WEST HOTEL Dean Henry

Band; 9pm

DJs

SANDS INN & SUITES Open Jam;

MAMA'S GIN JOINT Wednesday

Mic; Every Tue, 9pm; Starts Jan 3; Free

Monday Night Open Stage; Hosted

by Celeigh Cardinal; Every Mon (except long weekends), 8:30pm

Sunday Sessions Jam; Every Sun, 4-8pm

KRUSH ULTRALOUNGE Karaoke Kraziness with host Ryan Kasteel; 8pm-2am

MAMA'S GIN JOINT Tuesday Open

NEW WEST HOTEL Dean Henry

SHAKERS ROADHOUSE Monday Jam

MAMA'S GIN JOINT Sunday Jam

L.B.'S PUB Tue Variety Night Open stage

Live Piano Karaoke featuring the Fab Tiff Hall; Every Wed, 8:30pm

JAN/25 US THE DUO ALL AGES W/ HAILEY KNOX LIVENATION.COM PRESENTS

JAN/31 MAYHEM W/ INQUISITION & BLACK ANVIL MRG CONCERTS PRESENTS

FEB/14 PROF W/ FINDING NOVYN, METASOTA, WILLIE WONKA LIVENATION.COM PRESENTS

FEB/22 BANNERS W/ TOR MILLER LIVENATION.COM PRESENTS

FEB/26 ANDY BLACK ALL AGES MRG CONCERTS PRESENTS

THE HOMECOMING TOUR: CURTAIN CALL W/ WILLIAM CONTROL

FEB/27 AMARANTHE CONCERTWORKS.CA PRESENTS

MAXIMALISM USA & CANADA TOUR 2017

Sherwood Park, 780.417.5523, cafehaven.ca CAFFREY'S IN THE PARK 99, 23349 Wye Rd, Sherwood Park CARROT COFFEEHOUSE 9351118 Ave, 780.471.1580 CASINO EDMONTON 7055 Argylll Rd, 780.463.9467 CASINO YELLOWHEAD 12464153 St, 780.424 9467 CASK AND BARREL 10041104 St; 780.498.1224, thecaskandbarrel.ca CENTRAL SENIOR LIONS CENTRE 11113-113 St CENTURY CASINO 13103 Fort Rd, 780.643.4000 CHA ISLAND TEA CO 10332-81 Ave, 780.757.2482 CHVRCH OF JOHN 10260103 St, 780.884.8994, thechvrchofjohn.com COMMON 9910-109 St CONVOCATION HALL Old Arts Building, University of Alberta, music.ualberta.ca COOK COUNTY SALOON 8010 Gateway Blvd 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 DV8/MAMA'S PIZZA 7317-101 Ave NW EL CORTEZ MEXICAN KITCHEN + TEQUILA BAR 8230 Gateway Blvd, elcortezcantina.com EVOLUTION WONDERLOUNGE 10220-103 St NW, 780.

424.0077, yourgaybar.com FARGOS–CAPILANO 5804 Terrace Rd NW FESTIVAL PLACE 100 Festival Way, Sherwood Park, 780.449.3378 FIDDLER'S ROOST 7308-76 Ave, 780.439.9788, fiddlersroost.ca

FIONN MACCOOL'S–MAYFIELD 10813-170 St FIONNMACCOOL'S–SKYVIEW 13580-137 Ave GAS PUMP NIGHT CLUB & BAR 10166-114 St HAVE MERCY SOUTHERN TABLE + BAR 8232 Gateway Blvd HILLTOP PUB 8220 106 Ave 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 HUMMINGBIRD BISTRO CAFE 8336-160 Ave, 780.401.3313, hummingbirdbistro.ca IRISH SPORTS CLUB 12546-126 St, 780.453.2249 J AND R 4003-106 St, 780.436.4403 JUBILEE AUDITORIUM 1145587 Ave NW, 780.427.2760, jubileeauditorium.com KELLY'S PUB 10156-104 St NW, 780.451.8825, kellyspubedmonton.com L.B.’S PUB 23 Akins Dr, St Albert, 780.460.9100 LEAF BAR AND GRILL 9016-132 Ave, 780.757.2121 LIZARD LOUNGE 11827 St. Albert Tr, 780.451.9180, facebook.com/ The-Lizard-Lounge MAMA'S GIN JOINT 11723 Jasper Ave, 780.705.0998, mamasginjoint.com 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 MUTTART HALL 10050 Macdonald Dr, 780.633.3725

NAKED CYBERCAFÉ 10303-108 St, 780.425.9730 NEEDLE VINYL TAVERN 10524 Jasper Ave, 780.756.9045, theneedle.ca NEWCASTLE PUB 8170-50 St, 780.490.1999 NEW WEST HOTEL 15025-111 Ave NORTH GLENORA HALL 13535109A Ave O’BYRNE’S 10616-82 Ave, 780.414.6766 O'MAILLES IRISH PUB 104, 398 St Albert Rd, St Albert ON THE ROCKS 11730 Jasper Ave, 780.482.4767 PALACE CASINO 8882-170 St NW, 780.444.2112, palacecasino.com PINT–DOWNTOWN 10125-109 St NW PLEASANTVIEW COMMUNITY HALL 10860-57 Ave THE PROVINCIAL PUB 160, 4211-106 St RANCH ROADHOUSE 6107-104 St NW REC ROOM 1725-99 St NW RED PIANO BAR 1638 Bourbon St, WEM, 8882-170 St, 780.486.7722 RENDEZVOUS 10108-149 St RICHARD'S PUB 12150-161 Ave, 780.457.3118 ROCKY MOUNTAIN ICEHOUSE 10516 Jasper Ave ROSEBOWL/ROUGE LOUNGE 10111-117 St, 780.482.5253 ROSE AND CROWN 10235-101 St SANDS INN & SUITES 12340 Fort Rd, sandshoteledmonton.com SHAKERS ROADHOUSE Yellowhead Inn, 15004 Yellowhead Trail SHERLOCK HOLMES–DOWNTOWN 10012-101 A Ave, 780.426.7784, sherlockshospitality.com SHERLOCK HOLMES–U OF A 8519-112 St, 780.431.0091, sherlockshospitality.com SHERLOCK HOLMES–WEM

8882-170 St, 780.444.1752, sherlockshospitality.com SIDELINERS PUB 11018-127 St SMOKEHOUSE BBQ 10810-124 St, 587.521.6328 SNEAKY PETE'S 12315-118 Ave ST. BASIL'S CULTURAL CENTRE 10819-71 Ave NW, 780.434.4288, stbasilschurch.com STUDIO 96 10909-96 St NW SOU KAWAII ZEN LOUNGE 1292397 St, 780.758.5924 STARLITE ROOM 10030-102 St, 780.428.1099 SUGAR FOOT BALLROOM 10545-81 Ave TAVERN ON WHYTE 10507-82 Ave, 780.521.4404 TILTED KILT PUB AND EATERY 17118-90 Ave TIRAMISU 10750-124 St TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH 10014-81 Ave NW, 780.433.1604, trinity-lutheran.ab.ca TWIST ULTRA LOUNGE 10324-82 Whyte Ave UNION HALL 6240-99 St NW, 780.702-2582, unionhall.ca UPTOWN FOLK CLUB 11150-82 St, 780.436.1554 URBAN TAVERN 11606 Jasper Ave VEE LOUNGE, APEX CASINO–St Albert 24 Boudreau Rd, St Albert, 780.460.8092, 780.590.1128 VIDA LATIN NIGHT CLUB 10746 Jasper Ave, 780.951.2705 WILD EARTH BAKERY– MILLCREEK 8902-99 St, wildearthbakery.com WINSPEAR CENTRE 4 Sir Winston Churchill Square; 780.28.1414 WOODRACK CAFE 7603109 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

W/ FAILURE ANTHEM, CITIZEN ZERO, CYPHER 16, SMASH INTO PIECES

MAR/18 THE REAL MCKENZIES CONCERTWORKS.CA PRESENTS

25 YEAR ANNIVERSARY TOUR W/ THE ISOTOPES

MAR/27 DESPISED ICON, CARNIFEX W/ FALLUJAH, RINGS OF SATURN, LORNA SHORE CONCERTWORKS.CA PRESENTS

MAR/31 AMORPHIS W/ SWALLOW THE SUN CONCERTWORKS.CA PRESENTS

THE STARLITE ROOM IS A PRIVATE VENUE FOR OUR MEMBERS AND THEIR GUESTS. IF YOU REQUIRE A MEMBERSHIP YOU CAN PURCHASE ONE AT THE VENUE PRIOR TO / OR AFTER THE DOOR TIMES FOR EACH SHOW.

DEC/31

THE SCOTT LOVE & SLIM JONES SHOW PROUDLY PRESENT

GET UP, GET DOWN, GET FUNKED W/ POPPA SQUAT, KLUSTERFUNK

JAN/13

STARLITE ROOM IS PROUD TO PRESENT:

ELECTRIC AUDREY II

RECORD RELEASE SHOW W/THE REAL SICKIES, BOGUE BRIGADE, IRON EYES

JAN/27 DREAM WARRIORS W/ GUESTS STARLITE ROOM IS PROUD TO PRESENT

MAR/11 THE DREADNOUGHTS W/ GUESTS STARLITE ROOM IS PROUD TO PRESENT

VUEWEEKLY.com | DEC 29, 2016 – JAN 04, 2017

MUSIC 17

EVENTS WEEKLY EMAIL YOUR FREE LISTINGS TO: LISTINGS@VUEWEEKLY.COM FAX: 780.426.2889 DEADLINE: FRIDAY AT 3PM

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 • Every Wed; Starts Jan 11, 8:30pm • Free

Black Dog Freehouse • 10425-82 Ave • Underdog Comedy Show • Every Thu

Brent Butt • Shell Theatre, Dow Centennial Centre, 8700-84 St, Fort Saskatchewan • 780.992.6400 • shelltheatre.ca • Creator of “Corner Gas” and one of Canada’s funniest comedians • Jan 18, 7:30pm • $48 (adult), $45 (seniors/youth)

Century Casino • 13103 Fort Rd • 780.481.9857 • Open Mic Night: Every Thu; 7:30-9pm COMEDY FACTORY • Gateway Entertainment Centre, 34 Ave, Calgary Tr • Fri-Sat: 8:30pm • Paul Sveen; Dec 29-31 • Kevin Mcgrath; Jan 6-7

Comic Strip • Bourbon St, WEM • 780.483.5999 • Mike Dambra; Dec 28-30 • New Years 2016; Dec 31 • Mike Dambra; Jan 1 • Adam Hunter; Jan 4-8 Dating Game comes to On The Rocks • On the Rocks, 11743 Jasper Ave • With host Sterling Scott • Jan 8, 7:30pm

El Comedy • El Cortez Mexican Kitchen + Tequila Bar, 8230 Gateway Blvd • Hosted by Dion Arnold with weekly headliners & guest comics • Every Wed, 7pm (door), 7:30pm (show) • No cover

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

End of 2016 Comedy Spectacular • Varscona Theatre, 10329-83 Ave • Comedian/ Producer Wayne Jones brings an evening of hilarious comedy with Chris Craddock, Ron Pederson, Danny Martinello and more • Dec 28, 8pm • $20; Age limit is 12 years and up God is a Scottish Drag Queen • Horizon Stage, 1001 Calahoo Road, Spruce Grove • 780.962.8995 • horizonstage.com • Dressed in a floral power suit, God has come to skewer everything and everyone, from Justin Bieber to the Pope, and set the record straight on Noah’s boat, in an unforgettable night of comedy • Jan 13, 7:30pm • $25-$35 Odd Wednesday • Sewing Machine Factory, 9562-82 Ave • debutantescomedy@ gmail.com • thedebutantes.ca • A sketch (and other) comedy showcase featuring local, national and international acts. Hosted by the Debutantes • Every 2nd Wed starting Oct 12, 8:30-11pm • $5

Rouge Lounge • 10111-117 St • Comedy Groove every Wed; 9pm Groups/CLUBS/meetings Aikikai Aikido Club • 10139-87 Ave, Old Strathcona Community League • Japanese Martial Art of Aikido • Every Tue, Thu; 7-9pm Amnesty International Edmonton • 8307-109 St • amnesty@edmontonamnesty. org • edmontonamnesty.org • Meet the 4th Tue each month, 7:30pm (no meetings in Jul, Aug, Dec) • Free

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

Babes In Arms • The Carrot, 9351-118 Ave • A casual parent group • Every Fri, 10am-12pm

18 at the back

Brazilian Zouk Dance • Spazio Performativo, 10816-95 St • 780.974.4956 • hello@ ludiczouk.com • ludiczouk.com • Drop in and check out a totally painless partner dance class. No partner required • Every Wed, Sep 28-Dec 7, 6:30-8pm

DeepSoul.ca • 780.217.2464; call or text for Sunday jam locations • Every Sun: Sunday Jams with no Stan (CCR to Metallica), starring Chuck Prins and Les Paul Standard; Pink Floydish 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 • An epic adventure featuring a variety of pre-made characters, characters that guests can make on their own, or one that has already been started.

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, 7pm • $5

Drop-In Dance & Movement Classes • Spazio Performativo, 10816-95 St • admin@milezerodance.com • milezerodance. com • Drop-in classes. For all ages and experience levels. Mon-Thu & Sun • Runs until Dec 18, 10am-5pm • $15 (regular), $12 (members), $100 (10-class card)

EC (Infant Pottying) and Potty Training Support Meeting • Lendrum Community League Hall, 11335-57 Ave • danielle@godiaperfree.com • facebook.com/ groups/gdfedmonton • For anyone doing EC (elimination communication or infant pottying) or hoping to, or those looking for potty training support • 3rd Wed of every month, 10-11am • Free

Edmonton Needlecraft Guild • Avonmore United Church Bsmt, 82 Ave, 79 St • edmNeedlecraftGuild.org • Classes/workshops, exhibitions, guest speakers, stitching groups for those interested in textile arts • Meet the 2nd Tue ea month, 7:30pm

EDMONTON OUTDOOR CLUB (EOC) • edmontonoutdoorclub.com • Offering a variety of fun activities in and around Edmonton • Free to join; info at info@edmontonoutdoorclub.com

Edmonton Photographic Historial Society • Highlands Library • 780.436.3878 • edm_photographic_hist_society_2@yahoo. ca • All interested in sharing the joys of film photography, such as experiences or favourite equipment. Schedule: Christmas dinner meeting (Dec 21), historic companies (Jan 18), milestone events (Feb 15), historic cameras (Mar 15), photography books (Apr 19), historic images (May 17), photoshoot outing (Jun 21) • 3rd Wed of the month, 7:30pm (no meetings in Jul & Aug)

Fertility Awareness Charting Circle • Remedy Cafe, 8631-109 St • faccedmonton@gmail.com • fertilityawarenesschartingcircle.org • First Mon each month (OctJun), 6:30-8:30pm • $10 (suggested donation) • RSVP at faccedmonton@gmail.com

Flamenco Dance Classes (Beginner or Advanced) • Dance Code Studio, 10575-115 St NW #204 • 780.349.4843 • judithgarcia07@gmail.com • Every Sun, 11:30am-12:30pm

FOOD ADDICTS • Alano Club (& Simply

• Free

Lotus Qigong • SAGE downtown 15 Sir Winston Churchill Sq • 780.695.4588 • Attendees can raise their vital energy with a weekly Yixue practice • Every Fri, 2-3:30pm • Free

Monday Mingle • Hexagon Board Game 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)

Northern Alberta Wood Carvers Association • Duggan Community Hall, 3728-106 St • nawca.ca • Meet every Wed, 6:30pm

Open Door Comic Creator Meetings • Happy Harbor Comics, 10729104 Ave • 780.452.8211 • happyharborcomics. com • Open to any skill level. Meet other artists and writers, glean tricks of the trade and gain tips to help your own work, or share what you've already done • 2nd and 4th Thu of every month, 7pm

Organization for Bipolar Affective Disorder (OBAD) • Grey Nuns Hospital, Rm 0651, obad@shaw.ca; Group meets every Thu, 7-9pm • Free

Painting for Pleasure • McDougall United Church, 10086 Macdonald Drive (south entrance) • 780.428.1818 • karenbishopartist@gmail.com • mcdougallunited.com • A weekly group for those who like to paint, draw or otherwise be creative on paper • Every Thu, 10am-noon Roda de Capoeira • Capoeira Academy, #103-10324-82 Ave • capoeiraacademy.ca • Brazil's traditional game of agility and trickery • Every Sat, 2:30pm • Free • All ages 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 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

Scrambled YEG • Brittany's Lounge, 10225-97 St • 780.497.0011 • Open Genre Variety Stage: artist from all mediums are encouraged to occupy the stage and share their creations • Every Tue-Fri, 5-8pm Seventies Forever Music Society • Call 587.520.3833 for location • deepsoul. ca • Combining music, garage sales, nature, common sense, and kindred karma to revitalize the inward persona • Every Wed, 7-8:30pm

Sugar Foot Ballroom • 10545-81 Ave • 587.786.6554 • sugarswing.com • Friday Night Stomp!: Swing and party music dance social every Fri; beginner lesson starts at 8pm.

All ages and levels welcome. Occasional live music–check web; $10, $2 (lesson with entry) • Swing Dance Social every Sat; beginner lesson starts at 8pm. All ages and levels welcome.

Occasional live music–check the Sugar Swing website for info • $10, $2 lesson with entry

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

TAKE OFF POUNDS SENSIBLY (TOPS) • Grace United Church annex, 6215-104 Ave •

Fort Saskatchewan 45+ Singles Coffee Group • A&W, 10101-88 Ave,

• Chamber Toastmasters Club: 6th

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

Habitat for Humanity Volunteer Information Night • Habitat for Humanity Prefab Shop, 14135-128 Ave • 780.451.3416 ext. 236 • vbatten@hfh.org • hfh.org/volunteer/vin • Learn about taking the next steps and what opportunities are available at Habitat for Humanity • Every 3rd Thu of the month, excluding Dec; 6-7pm • Free

LGNYEG • Happy Harbor Comics, 10729-104 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

12:05-1pm • Generating Power Speakers: EPCOR Tower, 10423-101 St NW: Meeting will take place on the 8th floor, 780.392.5331 (Phil); 1st and 3rd Tue each month, 12:05-1:05pm • N'Orators Toastmasters Club: Lower Level, McClure United Church, 13708-74 St: meet every Thu, 6:45-8:30pm; contact vpm@ norators.com, 780.807.4696, norators.com • Terrified of Public Speaking: Norwood Legion Edmonton, 11150-82 St NW; Every Thu until Jun, 7:30-9:30pm; Free; contact jnwafula@ yahoo.com; norwoodtoastmasters.org • Y Toastmasters Club: Queen Alexandra Community League, 10425 University Ave (N door, stairs to the left); 780.437.1136 (Mark) or 780.463.5331 (Antonio); yclubtoastmasters@ gmail.com; Meet every Tue starting in Sep, 7-9pm except last Tue each month

Wiccan Assembly • Ritchie Hall, 7727-98 St • The Congregationalist Wiccan Assembly of Alberta meets the 2nd Sun each month (except Aug), 6pm • Info: contact cwaalberta@ gmail.com

LECTURES/Presentations Glass ​Blowing ​C​lasses ​• 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. No classes on holidays • Every Mon, Wed-Thu, 6-9pm • $150

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) • Uganda, Africa - Stephen Lewis Foundation Grandmothers’ Gathering – Judy Dube (Canadian Delegate) (Jan 2) • First Mon of the month, 7:30pm • $3 donation (guests are asked to bring snacks to share); everyone welcome 11160 River Valley Road • 780.429.1000 • edmontonopera.com • Experts from various disciplines to offer context and perspective on the upcoming productions • Jan 18, 7-9pm • Free (RSVP online)

Yoga with Jennifer • 780.439.6950 • ThreeBattles.com • A traditional approach with lots of individual attention. Free introductory classes • Tue & Sat mornings

QUEER

SPECIAL EVENTS

Affirm Group • garysdeskcom@hotmail.

Candy Cane Lane • 148 St, between 92

com • mcdougallunited.com • Part of the United Church network supporting LGBTQ men and women • Meet monthly at Second Cup, Edmonton City Centre for coffee and conversation at 12:30pm; Special speaker events are held throughout the year over lunch at McDougall Church

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, Or in confidence one-on-one in the Craft Room • 780.474.8240 • Meeting for gay seniors, and for any seniors who have gay family members and would like some guidance.

One-on-one meetings are also available in the craft room • Every Thu, 1-4pm • Info: E: Tuff69@telus.net Illusions Social Club • Pride Centre,

Toastmasters

Pride Centre of Edmonton • Pride

2nd Fl, Canada Place Rm 217, 9700 Jasper Ave; Carisa: divdgov2014_15@outlook. com, 780.439.3852; fabulousfacilitators. toastmastersclubs.org; Meet every Tue,

Team Edmonton • Various sports and recreation activities • teamedmonton.ca • Bootcamp: Garneau School, 10925-87 Ave; Most Mon, 7-8pm • Swimming: NAIT Swimming Pool, 11665-109 St; Every Tue, 7:30-8:30pm and every Thu, 7-8pm • Water Polo: NAIT Swimming Pool, 11665-109 St; Every Tue, 8:30-9:30pm • Yoga: New Lion's Breath Yoga Studio, #301,10534-124 St; Every Wed, 7:30-9pm • Taekwondo: near the Royal Gardens Community Centre, 4030-117 St; Contact for specific times • Abs: Parkallen Community League Hall, 6510-111 St; Every Tue, 6-7pm and Thu, 7:158:15pm • Dodgeball: Royal Alexandra Hospital Gymnasium; Every Sun, 5-7pm • Running: meet at Kinsmen main entrance; Every Sun, 10am • Spin: Blitz Conditioning, 10575-115 St; Every Tue, 7-8pm• Volleyball: Stratford Elementary School, 8715-153 St; Every Fri, 7-9 • Meditation: Edmonton Pride Centre, 10608-105 Ave; 3rd Thu of every month, 5:30-6:15pm • Board Games: Underground Tap & Grill, 10004 Jasper Ave; One Sun per month, 3-7pm • All Bodies Swim: Bonnie Doon Leisure Centre, 8468-81 St; One Sat per month 4:30-5:30pm

Opera 101 Cinderella • CKUA,

10608-105 Ave • 780.387.3343 • pridecentreofedmonton.org • Crossdressers meet 2nd Fri each month, 7-9pm

• Fabulous Facilitators Toastmasters Club:

St Paul's United Church • 11526-76 Ave • 780.436.1555 • People of all sexual orientations are welcome • Every Sun (10am worship)

Unity of Edmonton • 11715-108 Ave • unity@unityofedmonton.ca • Join for Sunday celebration and optional discussion group.

Based on the teachings of Jesus and the power of prayer. People of all sexual orientations are welcome • Every Sun, 10:30am • Admission by donation

780.479-8667 (Bob) • bobmurra@telus.net • Low-cost, fun and friendly weight loss group • Every Mon, 6:30pm floor, World Trade Centre, 9990 Jasper Ave; Contact: 780.462.1878/RonChapman@shaw.ca (Ron Chapman); 780.424.6364/dkorpany@ telusplanet.net (Darryl Korpany); Meet every Thu from Sep-Jun, 6-7:45pm • Club Bilingue Toastmasters Meetings: Campus St. Jean: Pavillion McMahon; 780.667.6105 (Willard); clubbilingue.toastmastersclubs.org; Meet every Tue, 7pm • Conquer Your Fear of Public Speaking: Norwood Legion, 11150-82 St; 780.902.4605; norwoodtoastmasters.org; Every Thu, Oct 13Jun 29, 7:30-9:30pm; Guests are free

2nd Fri of each month, 7-9pm • Movies & Games Night: Every other Fri, 6-9pm • Thought OUT: Altview’s all-ages discussion group; every Sat, 7-9pm • Seahorse Support Circle: facilitated meet up for families with trans and gender creative kids aged 5-14; 2nd Sun of the month, 3-5pm • Men Talking with Pride: Social discussion group for gay and bisexual men; Every Sun, 7-9pm

Centre of Edmonton, 10608-105 Ave • 780.488.3234 • Drop in hours: Mon, Wed 4-7pm; Fri 6-9pm; Closed Sat-Sun and Holidays • JamOUT: Music mentorship and instruction for youth aged 12-24; Every other Tue, 7-9pm • Equal Fierce Fit & Fabulous: recreational fitness program, ages 12-24; every other Tue, 6-8pm, every other Tue • Queer Lens: weekly education and discussion group open to everyone; every Wed, 7-8:30pm • Mindfulness Meditation: open to everyone; every Thu, 6-6:50pm • Men's Social Circle: A social support group for all male-identified persons over 18 years of age in the LGBT*Q community; 1st and 3rd Thu each month; 7-9pm • TTIQ (18+ Trans* Group): 2nd Mon of the month, 7-9pm • Art & Identity: exploring identity through the arts, a wellness initiative; Every other Fri, 6-9pm • Edmonton Illusions: cross-dressing and transgender group 18+;

VUEWEEKLY.com | DEC 29, 2016 – jan 04, 2017

& 100 Ave • candycanelane.ca • Walk, take a sleigh ride, enjoy lights and decorations, and bring a donation for the Food Bank • Dec 9-Jan 1

Christmas Reflections • Fort Edmonton Park • fortedmontonpark.ca • Celebrate winter the way Edmontonians did over a century ago. Discover how people hosted one another, what they did for recreation and more • Dec 16-30 (excluding Dec 24-27) Deep Freeze Byzantine Winter Festival • 118 Ave & 90-94 St • deepfreezefest. ca • A family event uniting Ukrainian, FrancoAlbertan, Franco-African, First Nations, Chinese and Acadian/East Coast communities to taste, share and experience the Olde New Year • Jan 14-15, 12pm • Free

Global Healing Meditation • Centre for Spiritual Living Edmonton - Metro, 10580113 St • 780.452.1711 • SpiritualEvolution.ca • Meditate and pray for peace and healing • Dec 31, 5-6am • Free (domations accepted)

New Year's Eve Downtown • Sir Winston Churchill Square & City Hall • edmonton. ca/newyearseve • A fun-filled event will include live entertainment, crafts, ice skating, and fireworks at 9pm & midnight • Dec 31, 6pm until midnight Opera Brunch - Cinderella • Royal Glenora Club, 11160 River Valley Road • edmontonopera.com • Enjoy a hearty and delicious meal accompanied by the cast of Cinderella on special performances catered to please • Jan 15, 11am-12pm • $85 (adult), $35 (child) Whyte Christmas • Throughout Old Strathcona • oldstrathcona.ca • tineke@ oldstrathcona.ca • Christmas is magical in Old Strathcona - contesting, sleigh rides, Santa and more • Nov-Dec Yoga, Art & Wine • 4 Points Health and Wellness, 12406-112 Ave • Gentle fusion flow yoga and painting • First Sat of each month, 7-10pm • $45 (available at Eventbrite)

FREEWILLASTROLOGY ARIES (March 21-April 19): Donatello was a renowned Italian sculptor.

His favorite piece was "Lo Zuccone," a marble statue of the Biblical prophet Habakkuk. As Donatello carved his work-in-progress, he addressed it.

"Speak, damn you! Talk to me," he was heard to say on more than a few occasions. Did the stone respond?

Judging from the beauty of the final product, I'd have to say yes. One art critic testified that "Lo Zuccone" is a "sublimely harrowing" tour de force, a triumph of "forceful expression," and "one of the most important marble sculptures of the 15th century." I suspect you will have Donatello-like powers of conversation in 2017, Aries. If anyone can communicate creatively with stones—and rivers and trees and animals and spirits and complicated humans, for that matter—it'll be you.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): According to Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami, "A certain type of perfection can only be realized through a limitless accumulation of the imperfect." Let's amend that thought so it's exactly suitable for your use in 2017. Here's the new, Taurus-specific version: "A messy, practical, beautiful type of perfection can be realized through a patient, faithful, dogged accumulation of the imperfect." To live up to the promise of this motto, make damn good use of every partial success.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini gymnast Marisa Dick has created a signature move that has never been used by any other gymnast.

To start her routine, she leaps up off a springboard and lands on the balance beam doing a full split. The technical term for this bold maneuver is "a change-leg leap to freecross split sit," although its informal name is "The Dick Move." The International Federation of Gymnastics has certified it in its Code of Points, so it's official. During the coming months, I expect that you will also produce one-of-a-kind innovations in your own sphere.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): I hope you will be as well-grounded in 2017 as you have ever been— maybe even since your past life as a farmer. I trust you will go a long way toward mastering the arts of being earthy, practical, and stable. To do this right, however, you should also work on a seemingly paradoxical task: cultivating a vigorous and daring imagination—as perhaps you did in one of your other past lives as an artist. In other words, your ability to succeed in the material world will thrive as you nurture your relationship with fantasy realms—and vice versa. If you want to be the boss of reality, dream big and wild—and vice versa.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Even if you don't think of yourself as an artist, you are always working on a major art project: yourself. You may underestimate the creativity you

call on as you shape the raw material of your experience into an epic story. Luckily, I'm here to impress upon you the power and the glory of this heroic effort. Is there anything more important? Not for you Leos. And I trust that in 2017 you will take your craftsmanship to the highest level ever. Keep this advice from author Nathan W. Morris in mind: "Edit your life frequently and ruthlessly. It's your masterpiece, after all."

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): French painter Henri Matisse (1869-1954) turned out to be one of the supremely influential artists of the 20th century. But he was still struggling to make a living well into his thirties. The public's apathy toward his work demoralized him. At one point, he visited his dealer to reclaim one of his unsold paintings.

It was time to give up on it, he felt, to take it off the market. But when he arrived at the gallery, his dealer informed him that it had finally been bought—and not by just any art collector, either. Its new owner was Pablo Picasso, an artist whom Matisse revered. I think it's quite possible you will have comparable experiences in 2017, Virgo. Therefore: Don't give up on yourself!

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): "The self in exile remains the self, as a bell unstruck for years is still a bell," writes poet Jane Hirshfield. I suspect that these words are important for you to hear as you prepare for 2017.

My sense is that in the past few months, your true self has been making its way back to the heart of life after a time of wandering on the outskirts. Any day now, a long-silent bell will start ringing to herald your full return. Welcome home!

please note: You don't have to wait until the wisdom is perfect. You shouldn't worry about whether it's supremely practical. Your job is to trust your wisdom gut, to unleash your wisdom cry, to revel in your wisdom magic.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): As I was ruminating on your astrological omens for 2017, I came across a wildly relevant passage written

by Rabbi Tzvi Freeman. It conveys a message I encourage you to memorize and repeat at least once a day for the next 365 days. Here it is: "Nothing can hold you back—not your childhood, not the history of a lifetime, not even the very last moment before now. In a moment you can abandon your past. And once abandoned, you can redefine it. If the past was a ring of futility, let it become a wheel of yearning that

ROB BREZSNY FREEWILL@VUEWEEKLY.COM

drives you forward. If the past was a brick wall, let it become a dam to unleash your power."

with all of the component parts of the Great Mystery. What's the opposite of loneliness?

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Naturalist John Muir regarded nature as his church. For weeks at a time he lived outdoors, communing with the wilderness. Of course he noticed that not many others shared his passion. "Most people are on the world, not in it," he wrote, "having no conscious sympathy or relationship to anything about them—undiffused, separate, and rigidly alone like marbles of polished stone, touching but separate."

Is there anything about you that even partially fits that description, Aquarius? If so, I'm pleased to inform you that 2017 will be an excellent year to address the problem.

You will have immense potential to become more intimate and tender

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Seven Chilean poets were frustrated by their fellow citizens' apathy toward the art of poetry. They sarcastically dramatized their chagrin by doing a performance for baboons. Authorities at the Santiago Zoo arranged for the poets' safety, enclosing them in a protective cage within the baboons' habitat. The audience seemed to be entertained, at times listening in rapt silence and at other times shrieking raucously. I'm sure you can empathize with the poets' drastic action, Pisces. How many times have you felt you don't get the appreciation you deserve? But I bet that will change in 2017. You won't have to resort to performing for baboons. V

VARIANT EDITION

YEAR IN REVIEW

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In accordance with your astrological omens for 2017, I've taken a poem that Shel Silverstein wrote for kids and made it into your horoscope.

It'll serve as a light-hearted emblem of a challenging but fun task you should attend to in the coming months. Here it is: "I've never washed my shadow out in all the time I've had it. It was absolutely filthy I supposed, so I peeled it off the wall where it was leaning and stuck it in the washtub with the clothes. I put in soap and bleach and stuff. I let it soak for hours. I wrung it out and hung it out to dry.

And whoever would have thunk that it would have gone and shrunk, for now it’s so much littler than I."

HAR AMBE

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Walk your wisdom walk in 2017, Sagittarius. Excite us with your wisdom songs and gaze out at our broken reality with your wisdom eyes. Play your wisdom tricks and crack your wisdom jokes and erupt with your wisdom cures. The world needs you to be a radiant swarm of lovable, unpredictable wisdom!

Your future needs you to conjure up a steady stream of wisdom dreams and wisdom exploits! And VUEWEEKLY.com | DEC 29, 2016 – JAN 04, 2017

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DAN SAVAGE SAVAGELOVE@VUEWEEKLY.COM

ACCOUNT MANAGER (New Business Development)

E

Who are you? An experienced sales professional with a proven track

record of sales success.

Who we are: Vue Weekly is an independent publication. We engage in

thoughtful and intelligent journalism with a focus on progressive ideas from a local perspective. We cover topics, artists and events that are often ignored, marginalized or misrepresented by the mainstream media, thereby bringing balance to Edmonton’s media mosaic. We strive to create a dialogue with our readers, build community and emphasize social responsibility.

We are committed to providing big-picture analysis to an active, intelligent readership that is as diverse as the issues we cover. Vue Weekly is dedicated to being a successful business and an enjoyable, inspiring place to work.

BUTT STUFF

Primary Responsibilities:

QUESTION: I’ve heard so many horror stories and seen countless X-rays online—any tips for making sure I don’t lose any objects in my ass?

• Prospect and generate new business • Work with and grow existing accounts • Meet monthly quotas for initial contacts and scheduled appointments • Work independently as well as in a team environment

Skills and Abilities:

ing and developing new business • Excellent ability to build rapport and grow business relationships • Ability to listen to customers and qualify them as prospects • Excellent at responding appropriately to objections • Comfortable with presenting proposals • High level people skills • Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Proofs all written communication for errors before sending • Quickly able to process client needs and understand their perspective • Comfortable talking about money and the value you bring • Have a clear understanding of relationship selling • Can easily learn to sell new concepts or offerings • Demonstrate commitment to personal and professional growth

Experiences:

Attitudes:

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• Growing a territory • Commission-based selling • Creating and implementing an individual sales plan • Flourishing in a small company environment that is continually changing and growing • Making cold calls • Selling value-added vs price

• Self Motivated • Motivated by dollars and able to work in a commission environment • Team player, but able to plan and work independently • Professional in appearance and approach • Client-focused and goal-oriented • Okay with high pressure, time sensitive situations • Task oriented

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• Continually finds and generates business from new customers • Able to demonstrate a history of meeting and exceeding sales quotas • Proactively grows existing accounts • Generates high client satisfaction

• Addresses issues quickly and effectively • Hard worker with strong work ethic • Responsible

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22 AT THE BACK

SQUIRT NUMBERS

Q:How common is it really for women to squirt? I get conflicting reports.

A: This answer, courtesy of the Kinsey Institute, isn’t likely to satisfy you: “Somewhere from 10 to 54 percent of women experience some type of fluid expulsion in tandem with sexual arousal and orgasm.”

Maybe the incoming Trump administration can put the scientists they’re pulling off climate change onto female ejaculation and we’ll have better numbers before the 2018 midterm elections.

SUBBING IT

Q: How do I get my partner—who says he’s into it—to top me “properly,” i.e., work me into a sub space instead of him just melting into an ooey-gooey love ball?

TRANS AND PREGGERS

• Consistent contact with clients and prospects • Excellent time management skills • Detail oriented

Please send your resume to joanne@vueweekly.com

ANSWER: You know what you never see in those X-rays? Butt plugs and other toys designed for butt play. Stick to butt plugs with flared bases, dildos with bases that look like balls, orange traffic cones, etc., and you’ll be fine.

A: There are lots of terrific pro doms in Portland, Oregon. Hire one who’s up for showing your partner what proper topping looks like.

• Able to build a territory from scratch

Habits:

arlier this month, we recorded our Savage Lovecast Christmas Spectacular live at Revolution Hall in Portland, Oregon. The audience submitted questions on tiny cards before the show, which allowed questioners to remain anonymous and forced them to be succinct. More questions were submitted than my guests and I could get to, so I promised the crowd I would answer as many of their unanswered questions as I could in this week’s column. Here we go…

Q: Trans man and cis female, happily married, planning to get pregnant in the next five months. How do we break it to my wife’s family? Half of them don’t know I’m trans and will be carrying, and we don’t want to lie, but also we don’t want them to see us as anything other than just a couple.

A: Telling your partner’s family you’re trans isn’t going to decouple you. You’ll still be “just a couple,” it’s just that one of you is trans.

Since you’re not going to be able to hide which one of you is pregnant—not in the Twitter/Instagram/ Facebook era—the sooner you tell them, the sooner they’ll have their freak-outs, and the sooner they’ll return to seeing you as the couple you always were and still are.

EMBARRASSED HUBBY

relationship, do you need to include that info in your Tinder profile? Or can you wait until later?

A: If he says it affectionately and occasionally, it’s not a problem and it’s not unusual. If he says it to degrade/ humiliate/control you, it’s a problem and it’s unacceptable.

A: You should include/disclose that info in your profile (best practice), but many similarly situated men choose to wait until later (understandable practice, considering the stigma). But the existence of a spouse must be disclosed sometime between the end of the first text exchange and the start of the first blowjob.

Q: My partner/husband of 40 years says I still embarrass him. Is this unusual?

LET'S TALK ABOUT RACE, BABY Q: How do white people talk to black people about Donald Trump?

A: Fifty-eight percent of white people voted for Trump, and eight percent of black people voted for Trump. So yeah, maybe instead of talking to black people about Trump, white people should shut up and listen to black people instead?

HALL PASSES

Q: Where is it written on your hall pass—or anyone else’s—that it can be used only with complete strangers? Nowhere, that’s where.

A: “Hall passes” don’t work for many women because they can’t orgasm when having random sex once with a random guy. What alternative would you recommend?

FOUR-SOME PROPOSAL

Q: How do you propose a foursome with your longtime friends without freaking them out or ruining the friendship?

A: Not proposing the foursome is the only way to avoid potentially freaking your friends out and ruining the friendship.

TIE-BREAKER

Q: How do you decide who wins an argument in a same-sex relationship?

A: A sudden-death round of Golden Girls trivia.

MORE BUTT STUFF

Q: All straight guys want to put it in your butt, but when you suggest eating it first, they run for the hills.

How can I bridge this gap and get my ass eaten?

A: Date gay guys.

LESBIAN BED DEATH

Q: How do I avoid lesbian bed death?

A: Date gay guys.

TEACHER, TEACHER

Q: I’m in a FMF poly triad, and I’m looking to incorporate another guy into the mix. I’d look online, but I’m a public-school teacher in a small town.

How do I find someone without outing myself and risking my career?

A: Ask your partners to do the headhunting.

TINDER ETIQUETTE

Q: If you’re married and in an open

VUEWEEKLY.com | DEC 29, 2016 – JAN 04, 2017

JEALOUS HUBBY

Q: My wife goes on long runs with her girlfriend. I’m sure they are having sex in the woods. I’m jealous because I’m not getting enough. What should I do?

A: Get your own “running” partner.

WARM MILK

Q: I’m four months pregnant. My husband won’t stop talking about how excited he is to taste my breast milk. I said he could try it from a bottle, but he wants it from the source. I want to be GGG, but this weirds me out.

A: Tell your husband you’re going to table this topic for the time being. It’s possible you’ll be less weirded out by the idea once you’re actually breastfeeding, or the opposite is also a possibility. But pestering you about it for the next five months isn’t going to increase his chances of getting it from the source—quite the opposite. (And for the record: You can be GGG and still have hard limits/absolutely nots.)

SHY GUY

Q: I’m a 25-year-old gay man who doesn’t resonate with hookup culture. If I’m not comfortable fucking right away, how can I compete/find a partner?

A: I get your question all the time— which means you’re not alone. Be up front about what you are willing to do (fuck after a getting-to-know-you date or two) and what you are not willing to do (fuck after a “sup?” or two), and you’ll scare off the wrongfor-you boys and attract the rightfor-you boys.

DESPERATE TIMES

Q: I’m too broken. I don’t know where to start.

A: Therapy.

GRATEFUL IN UTAH

Q: Not a question, but a thank-you for helping me to undo my “Utah damage.” Grateful for you, Dan! Merry Xmas!

A: You’re welcome, former Utahan, a belated Merry Xmess to you, and a happy/watchful/politically-engaged/ join-the-resistance New Year to all!

On the Lovecast, Dan Savage and the brilliant Randy Rainbow: savagelovecast.com. mail@savagelove.net @fakedansavage on Twitter

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24 WHERE NOTHING CAN POSSIBLY GO WORNG!

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