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FILM: ZERO DARK THIRTY!

#899 / JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013 VUEWEEKLY.COM

DISH: WINE!

MUSIC: TITLE FIGHT!

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VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

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T H E U N I V E R S I TY O F A L B E RTA M U S E U M S AT E N T E R P R I S E SQ UA R E P R E S E N T TWO N E W E X H I B I T I O N S F R O M T H E U O F A A RT CO L L EC T I O N

AND

N OV E M B E R 2 2 , 2 01 2 to JA N UA RY 26 , 2 01 3 Main Floor, Enterprise Square 10230 Jasper Ave, Bay/Enterprise Square LRT station Gallery Hours: Thursday and Friday: 12—6 pm | Saturday: 12—4 pm Visit www.museums.ualberta.ca for exhibition and event information. facebook.com/ualbertamuseums

@UAlbertaMuseums

Charles Ross plays every character in this fantasy-filled homage to Peter Jackson’s epic film trilogy.

Del Barber & Ben Sures

Contemporary folk troubadours share the stage in this quaint double-bill.

Friday, January 25 · 8 pm · $30 Pre-show beer tasting begins at 7 pm.

Charles Ross:

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30 • 7:30PM • $25

....................................

Arden Theatre Box Office .5. . St. . . . . Anne . . . . . . . . .Street ....................

Call 780-459-1542 or ardentheatre.com

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VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

LISTINGS: EVENTS /8 FILM /13 ARTS /17 MUSIC /32 CLASSIFIEDS: GENERAL /35 ADULT /36 ISSUE: 899 .

JAN 10 - JAN 16, 2013

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FILM/9

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SNOW/18 DISH/22

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The Games We Play Get board.

24

COVER DESIGN: CHARLIE BIDDISCOMBE

6 16 29

"But elephants aside, going Russian opens up a huge new opportunity for avoiding burdensome taxation."

"Anyone who's been in a relationship knows it involves a considerable amount of negotiation—and there's also a sofa that tries to kill them."

"We get to the bar, a pitcher of beer or two is quaffed and we proceed to play the most god-awful 70 minutes of music ever."

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VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

UP FRONT 5

UP FRONT

VUEPOINT

IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS

NICOLE VEERMAN

// NICOLE@VUEWEEKLY.COM

The time to eat is now January 11 will mark 30 days since Chief Theresa Spence of Attawapiskat gave up solid food, saying she wouldn't eat until Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Governor General David Johnson agreed to meet with her to talk about treaty rights and the plight of her people. That is also the day the meeting is supposed to happen, but Spence won't go because Johnson won't be there.

On January 4, Harper announced he would meet with a delegation of aboriginal leaders—including Spence—for a "working meeting." Despite that, Spence remains on her hunger strike and has said it might stay that way if both Harper and Johnson don't meet with her. Spence wants results, and she's willing to live on a diet of fish broth, lemon water and medicinal teas to get them.

But, like everyone else, Spence must know that one meeting can't—and won't—solve all of the issues facing her community, a reserve of about 1500 people in northern Ontario that has been in a state of emergency several times because of its poor housing conditions. That fact couldn't have become more clear this week following the release of an audit on January 7 showing the band council has failed to keep adequate records to account for millions of dollars of federal funding—funding that was meant for things like housing and education.

There's no quick fix for Attawapiskat, not for its housing problems or its financial situation. If

Spence wants to see her community succeed, it's time she returned to a normal diet and meets with Harper, whether Johnson is there or not.

Little more can be achieved with the prolongation of her hunger strike. After 30 days without food, Spence has become the face of Idle No More—an aboriginal movement fighting against omnibus Bill C-45. Now she needs to be healthy and strong so she can enter the meeting with the Prime Minister with a clear head.

At this point, if she eats a sandwich, nothing will be lost. She is already an inspiration to many, and she's succeeded in garnering national media attention, both for her own community and for aboriginal people across the country.

Now it's time to think about her health and to think about proactive solutions that will improve the situation for her people.

And it's also time to do some damage control.

Up until this week, media coverage has been all sunshine and roses for Spence, but that support is quickly dwindling, especially since the release of the Deloitte and Touche audit, showing more than 400 of the reviewed transactions lacked the necessary paperwork or receipts.

Although the release of the audit, commissioned by the Conservative government, was clearly politically-timed, that tactic is succeeding in tarnishing Spence's reputation.

It's time to enjoy a good meal and prepare for the January 11 meeting. V

COMMENT >> TAX EVASION

NEWSROUNDUP REBECCA MEDEL // REBECCA@VUEWEEKLY.COM

Actor Gerard Depardieu leads the way on skipping out of France

OIL INDUSTRY'S WATER TOXINS Alberta's oil industry has long claimed that pollutants found in nearby lakes and rivers are natural, but a report released on January 7 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a US journal, says something a little different.

Scientists from Queen's University and Environment Canada found evidence linking oil sands development to pollution in the six study lakes north of Fort McMurray—one as far as 90 km away. One of the major pollutants are polycyclic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which has increased quite a bit since bitumen development began.

But what exactly are they?

// Creative Commons, Greenpeace International

6 UP FRONT

The Russian solution

PAHs PAHs are produced by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and biomass, and are basically insoluble in water and bind to organic particles found in water. They are found in lake sediments and can impact the nutrition of aquatic organisms and cause fish mutations, while in humans they have been linked to cancer. They can also enter freshwater from dust blown from surface mining areas, the effects of forest fires and, erosion and the transport of sediments by rivers and streams. PAHs levels have risen 2.5 – 23 times higher than levels in the '60s. Before that time, the report states PAHs levels were linked to the combustion of wood and plants.

It's as if Paul Newman and Jane Fonda had fled in every sense: 180 films and TV credits, 17 mothe US in protest at something or other—they torbike accidents and five or six bottles of wine a were always protesting—and sought Rusday by his own reckoning. sian citizenship instead. Americans would He reckons he has paid 145 million be surprised, but would they really euros ($190 million) in taxes since care? It's a free country, as they say. he started work at 14, and he doesn't m o .c weekly e@vue Whereas the French are quite cross want to pay any more. France's Sogwynn e Gwynn about the decision of Oscar-winning accialist government is bringing in a new Dyer 75 percent tax rate for people earning tor Gérard Depardieu, who received Russian citizenship at the hands of President Vladimir more than one million euros ($1.3 million) Putin personally last Saturday. A taxi driver in Paris per year, and so Depardieu is leaving. went on at me about it for the whole ride yesterday.

Initially, he was just moving to Belgium, to a village (Talking to taxi drivers is how we journalists keep 800 metres from the French border that already our fingers on the pulse of the nation.) hosts a number of other super-rich tax exiles, but After 42 years of starring in French films, Departhen French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said dieu had acquired the status of "national treasure" that his decision was "shabby and unpatriotic." At in the eyes of the public, but he clearly does not this point, the truck ran away again. Belgium was reciprocate their loyalty and pride. And hard on no longer far enough. the heels of Depardieu's defection comes the news When the outraged actor declared that he would that actress Brigitte Bardot, France's leading sex ask for Russian citizenship, Putin (who knows how symbol for the generation who are now drawing to play to the gallery) announced that he could their pensions, is also threatening to give up her have it at once. By the weekend it was a done deal.

French citizenship and go Russian.

"I adore your country, Russia, your people, your hisDepardieu, who was described by director Martory, your writers," the actor burbled. "... Russia is a guerite Duras as "a big, beautiful runaway truck country of great democracy." of a man," is much larger than life—about the It is also a country with a 13 percent flat tax size of a baby whale, in fact. He is over the top rate, and Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin

R DYEIG HT

STRA

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 >>

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

NEWS // PIT BULLS

In the dog house

Who's to blame when pit bulls attack: the dogs or their owners?

T

hey started making headlines in the mid '80s for fighting and attacks, possibly from a resurgence in underground dog fighting that happened around that time; three decades later, pit bulls are still making the news—and it's usually not good news. On January 3, a man and woman were attacked by a pit bull in a backyard in Calgary. The day before, two pit bulls got loose and bit a woman. But the story that has gotten the most reaction was when three pit bulls attacked and killed a Pomeranian and injured a Great Pyrenees in an off-leash park in Calgary on New Year's Eve. Dog trainer Alecia Muirhead works at Sadie's K9 Stay and Play dog daycare in Edmonton and was upset when she heard about the New Year's attack.

"The whole situation in general, I think it reflects more poorly upon owners not having control over their dogs more so than what kind of dog it was, and there's a lot of things to consider," Muirhead says. "You're dealing with a group of dogs and the reactions that they have to each other and unfortunately, when it comes down to it, usually if there is more of a dangerous or a restricted breed involved, then that dog gets the brunt of the punishment when there may have been provocation, there may have been other things. But I think just the fact that both owners weren't able to control the situation, as a trainer, that's what makes me most upset. If you had dogs who had reliable and consistent recall and proper training, then some of those things most likely could have been avoided."

Calgary has never had restricted dog legislation—although some people are now calling for it—but Edmonton made pit bulls restricted in 1987 and only last October did that legislation change.

There had been some pit bull attacks in the city leading up to the restriction and it was suggested that some mixed breeds had an aggressive and stubborn instinct that would lead them to act violently towards people.

Keith Scott, the City of Edmonton's coordinator for Animal Control and Care, says they lifted the breed specific legislation because all dogs bite.

By the way, pit bulls aren't a breed of dog. It's a name given to a few different breeds, but the City calls it the American Staffordshire Terrier and its cross breeds.

"We wanted to go on what the real issue is, and the real issue is the behaviour of the dog. It doesn't matter what breed of dog, it's the behaviour that determines whether it attacks or whether it's dangerous or whether it's not a dog that you would want in your neighbourhood or your community.

And so we really focused on the behaviour and not the breed because we felt that every breed bites and every breed can attack and that's discriminatory in our mind."

In fact, Edmonton's top biters in 2011 were, in the following order: German shepherd, retriever/lab, Rottweiler, boxer, border collie, husky and pit bull. However, pit bulls topped in the percentage of bites per breed at 5.5 percent for the 422 restricted dogs that were registered in 2011—the majority of restricted dogs prior to the legislation change were pit bulls.

"We get attacks from all kinds of dogs, whether they're large or small," Scott says. "Generally the ones that are reported to the City of Edmonton are the larger dogs that have either attacked another large dog or a small dog because

that's when the damage usually occurs. When there's two small dogs that sort of get into a bit of a battle, there's not much damage done, so most people just walk away and don't report that kind of stuff."

A report given to the city by Animal Control and Care last March explains what led up to the October decision. It was stated that many factors contribute to a dog bite such as "poor breed-

other dog, they really need to be properly trained and properly fulfilled, and when you don't have a dog whose basic needs in terms of socialization and exercise are met, that's when a lot of those behaviour problems come out. And I don't think that it necessarily has to do with the breed of dog, but more so the energy," Muirhead continues. "You're dealing with a really powerful, really excitable, re-

There's a lot of unfortunate things when it comes to more of the powerful breeds that some people do get them as a status symbol and they don't necessarily understand the commitment and the responsibility of having a dog, let alone a high energy, intense dog. So any dog with an uneducated or non committed, non responsible owner is going to suffer at the end of that. ing practices, inadequate socialization and training, health or behavioural issues and inadequate supervision and/ or control of the dog." (March 2012 Community Services Report) The seven dog-related organizations the city contacted in writing the report—including the Edmonton Humane Society—all agreed that breedspecific legislation wasn't appropriate, as violent behaviour is not something a dog is born with, but learns from irresponsible owners. Muirhead agrees.

As a trainer she knows that no dog is untrainable and no dog is born violent; that is a learned behaviour from irresponsible owners.

"When it comes down to training and that sort of stuff, I think that pit bulls, like any

ally intense animal and when they're not properly trained, or properly socialized and you don't have that control over them, that's where those problems do come from."

Sadie's welcomes all breeds of dogs and Muirhead says on any given day there can be between 35 – 55 dogs at the daycare, and all of them, including pit bulls, are properly trained.

"I've met just as many nasty poodles as I have pit bulls and we have fantastic pit bulls that are wonderful family pets that come to daycare regularly.

They're well socialized, they're well trained and they have babies and children and cats and other dogs in the house, and they're fantastic because their owners have properly set them up to be a welcome member of society by doing right by their dog," Muirhead says. "There's a lot of unfortunate things when it comes to more of the powerful breeds

that some people do get them as a status symbol and they don't necessarily understand the commitment and the responsibility of having a dog, let alone a high energy, intense dog. So any dog with an uneducated or non-committed, non-responsible owner is going to suffer at the end of that."

Famous pit bull owners include Jon Stewart, Jessica Biel, Rachel Ray and the Dog Whisperer himself, Cesar Millan. Even Helen Keller had one back in the day. Throughout the last century, pit bulls were seen as a family dog, but the macho status symbol that was associated with owning a pit bull and participating in dog fighting in recent times—think Michael Vick, the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback who spent time in prison for his involvment in a dog fighting ring—has led to an uneducated public image that all pit bulls are "bad."

As Muirhead pointed out, no dog is untrainable, but she does concede that some dogs have limitations.

"If you have a dog who wasn't properly socialized and you're trying to deal with them when they're seven years old, it's going to be a lot more challenging and there's going to be situations that they're just not comfortable in, but you can always manage those things by setting them up to succeed and not putting them in a situation that's going to make them uncomfortable or reactionary ... They are the most adaptable creatures in the world and they catch on to things really well if we just teach them properly."

When it comes down to it, irresponsible pet owners make it harder for everyone else, and Muirhead says the stigma attached to pit bulls could stick around for the next 10 – 20 years.

"If I chose to get a pit bull, I would make sure that I have the best, most well-socialized, under control, welltrained, well-mannered pit bull in the world. And I would do my research and make sure I was getting it from a respected breeder that breeds good tempered dogs to other good tempered dogs to avoid any of those things that can come up with it."

REBECCA MEDEL

// REBECCA@VUEWEEKLY.COM

// istock photo provided by: vi3tangel

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

UP FRONT 7

RUSSIAN SOLUTION

<< CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

crowed on Twitter: "In the West, they are not well acquainted with our tax system. When they find out, we can expect a mass migration of rich Europeans into Russia." He had barely finished tweeting when another French celebrity said she was also thinking of moving to Russia.

It wasn't high taxes that obsessed Brigitte Bardot, however; it was animal rights. She was protesting a court order Friday in Lyon, ordering that two circus elephants that have been

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

COMEDY BRIXX BAR • 10030-102 St, 780.428.1099 • Troubadour Tue monthly with comedy and music

CENTURY CASINO • 13103 Fort Rd, 780.481.9857 • Open amateur night every Thu, 7:30pm

COMEDY FACTORY • Gateway Entertainment Centre, 34 Ave, Calgary Tr • Paul Sveen; Jan 11-12 • Tom Liske; Jan 17-19 COMIC STRIP • Bourbon St, WEM, 780.483.5999 • Wed-Fri, Sun 8pm; Fri-Sat 10:30pm • Hit or Miss Mondays: 8pm • Michael Che; until Jan 13 • Ari Shaffir; Jan 16-20

suffering from tuberculosis since 2010 be put down.

"If those in power are cowardly and impudent enough to kill the elephants," she raged, "then I will ask for Russian nationality to get out of this country which has become nothing more than an animal cemetery."

It's always wise, when threatening to flounce out, to make sure first that they really want you to stay, and in BB's case that may not actually be the case. She is better known to the present generation not as a sex symbol, but as a crazy old lady who believes Muslims are "destroying our country"

and has been convicted five times for incitement to racial hatred. Some people (including my cab driver) think the Russians would be welcome to her.

But elephants aside, going Russian opens up a huge new opportunity for avoiding burdensome taxation. All those American millionaires who have been condemned by recent events to live under the rule of that foreignborn Muslim Communist, Barack Obama, and pay an appalling 39.6 percent tax on the portion of their annual earnings that exceeds $400 000, have an alternative at last.

They can do exactly what they have

been telling anybody who complains about the gulf between the rich and the poor in America to do for decades: they can go to Russia. The only problem is that they will actually have to live there for six months of the year to qualify for the 13 percent Russian tax rate.

Well, actually, there is another problem. Some Russians may not welcome them with open arms.

Even the arrival of Depardieu, who is world-famous in Russia as a result of acting in several high-profile FrancoRussian co-productions and appearing in television ads for credit cards

shaw.ca • Join Vincenzo and Ida Renzi every Friday at Foot Notes Dance Studio for an evening of authentic Argentine tango • Every Fri, 8pm-midnight • $15 (per person)

DISORDER (OBAD) • Grey Nuns Hospital, Rm 0651, 780.451.1755; Group meets every Thu, 7-9pm • Free

AWA 12-STEP SUPPORT GROUP • Braeside Presbyterian Church bsmt, N. door, 6 Bernard Dr, Bishop St, Sir Winston Churchill Ave, St Albert • For adult children of alcoholic and dysfunctional families • Every Mon, 7:30pm

Mall, 780.469.1448 • Raw vegan monthly potluck, showing the documentary, Planeat; potlucks held the 2nd Sat each month • Jan 12, 5:45-8:45pm • Donations; pre-register at rawveganedmonton@gmail. com (24 hrs in adv)

of older gay men who have common interests meet the 2nd Sun, 2:30pm, for a social period, short meeting and guest speaker, discussion panel or potluck supper. Special interest groups meet for other social activities throughout the month. E: edmontonpt@yahoo.ca

BRAIN TUMOUR PEER SUPPORT GROUP

SHERWOOD PARK WALKING GROUP + 50

• Woodcroft Branch Library, 13420-114 Ave, 1.800.265.5106 ext. 234 • Support group for brain tumour survivors and their families and caregivers.

Must be 18 or over • 3rd Tue every month; 7-8:45pm • Free

DROP-IN MEDITATION CLASSES • Sherwood Park Community Centre (Mon); Amitabha Centre, 9550-87 St (Tue, Fri) • info@meditationedmonton. org • Every Mon, Tue 7-8:30pm and Fri 10-11:30am

EDMONTON NATURE CLUB • King's University College, 9125-50 St • Though plants do not feel, think, or understand... can they behave?: Presentation by speaker James Cahill • Jan 18, 7pm • Donation

FABULOUS FACILITATORS TOASTMASTERS CLUB • 2nd Fl Canada Place, 9700 Jasper

DRUID • 11606 Jasper Ave, 780.710.2119 • Comedy night open stage hosted by Lars Callieou • Every Sun, 9pm

Ave, 780.467.6013 • Can you think of a career that does not require communication • Every Tue, 12:05-1pm

FILTHY MCNASTY'S • 10511-82 Ave,

FOOD ADDICTS • St Luke's Anglican Church,

780.996.1778 • Stand Up Sundays: Stand-up comedy night every Sun with a different headliner every week; 9-11pm; no cover

OVERTIME PUB • 4211-106 St • Open mic comedy anchored by a professional MC, new headliner each week • Every Tue • Free

RICHARDS’ PUB/CONNIE'S COMEDY • 12150-161 Ave • Night of Laughs featuring Lars Callieou, Drew Behm, Chris Aide; Jan 16, 7pm (door), 8pm (show)

RIVER CREE–the Venue • Don Burnstick • Jan 12, 7pm (door), 8pm (show) • $24.50

ROUGE LOUNGE • 10111-117 St • Sterling Scott every Wed, 9pm

RUMORS ULTRA LOUNGE • 8230 Gateway Blvd • Every Thu Neon Lights and Laughter with host Sterling Scott and five comedians and live DJ TNT; 8:30pm

VAULT PUB • 8214-175 St • Comedy with Liam

8424-95 Ave, 780.465.2019 • 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

HEALING CIRCLE • 780.570.0475 call for location • Guided meditation into an affirmative state where healing on all levels occurs • Every Wed, 7-8pm HEALING THE HEART OF DEMOCRACY • Trinity United Church, 8810 Meadowlark Rd • Democracy Action Circle: Address issues relating to the environment, food security, urban sprawl, poverty • Jan 10, 6:30-8:30pm • Free

HOME–Energizing Spiritual Community for Passionate Living • Garneau/Ashbourne Assisted Living Place, 11148-84 Ave • Home: Blends music, drama, creativity and reflection on sacred texts to energize you for passionate living • Every Sun, 3-5pm

Creswick and Steve Schulte • Every Mon, at 9:30pm

LOTUS QIGONG, 780.477.0683 • Downtown • Practice group meets every Thu

WUNDERBAR • 8120-101 St, 780.436.2286 •

MADELEINE SANAM FOUNDATION • Faculté

Comedy every 2nd Mon

ZEN LOUNGE • 12923-97 St • The Ca$h Prize comedy contest hosted by Matt Alaeddine and Andrew Iwanyk • Every Tue, 8pm • No cover

GROUPS/CLUBS/MEETINGS AIKIKAI AIKIDO CLUB • 10139-87 Ave, Old Strathcona Community League • Japanese Martial Art of Aikido • Every Tue 7:30-9:30pm; Thu 6-8pm

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL EDMONTON • 8307-109 St • edmontonamnesty.org • Meet the 4th Tue each month, 7:30pm (no meetings in Jul, Aug) E: amnesty@edmontonamnesty.org for more info • Free

ARGENTINE TANGO DANCE AT FOOT NOTES STUDIO • Foot Notes Dance Studio (South side), 9708-45 Ave, 780.438.3207 • virenzi@

St Jean, Rm 3-18, 780.490.7332 • Program for HIVAID’S prevention, treatment and harm reduction in French, English and other African languages • 3rd and 4th Sat, 9am-5pm each month • Free (member)/$10 (membership); pre-register

MEDITATION • Strathcona Library • meditationedmonton.org • Weekly meditation drop-in; every Tue, 7-8:30pm

NORTHERN ALBERTA WOOD CARVERS ASSOCIATION • Duggan Community Hall, 3728-106 St, 780.458.6352 • Meet every Wed, 6:30pm

OCCUPY EDMONTON GENERAL ASSEMBLY • Grant MacEwan City Centre Café, 10600-104 Ave • A leaderless space where everyone is welcome to organize and/or assist with all forms of Edmonton based non-violent activism • Every Tue from 6:30-8:30pm & Sat from 2-4pm

ORGANIZATION FOR BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE

RAW VEGAN EDMONTON • Near Bonnie Doon

• Meet inside Millennium Place, Sherwood Place • Weekly outdoor walking group; starts with a 10-min discussion, followed by a 30 to 40-min walk through Centennial Park, a cool down and stretch • Every Tue, 8:30am • $2/session (goes to the Alzheimer’s Society of Alberta)

SUGARSWING DANCE CLUB • Orange Hall, 10335-84 Ave/Pleasantview Hall, 10860-57 Ave, 780.604.7572 • Swing Dance at Sugar Foot Stomp: beginner lesson followed by dance every Sat, 8pm (door) at Orange Hall or Pleasantview Hall

WASKAHEGAN TRAIL HIKES • Hike 10km from Hawrelak Shelter to the Royal Alberta Museum loop; Led by Helen, 780.468.4331; meet at Argyll McDonald's Argyll Rd, 81 St; Jan 13, 9:45am-2:45pm • Annual membership: $20 WILD ROSE ANTIQUE COLLECTORS SOCIETY • Delwood Community Hall, 7517 Delwood Rd • Collecting and researching items from various periods in the history of Edmonton. Presentations after club business. Visitors welcome • Meets the 4th Mon of every month (except Jul & Dec), 7:30pm

WOMEN IN BLACK • In Front of the Old Strathcona Farmers' Market • Silent vigil the 1st and 3rd Sat, 10-11am, each month, stand in silence for a world without violence

Y TOASTMASTERS CLUB • Queen Alexandra Community League, 10425 University Ave (north door, stairs to the left) • Meet every Tue, 7-9pm except last Tue each month. Help develop confidence in public speaking and leadership • Contact: Antonio Balce, 780.463.5331

LECTURES/PRESENTATIONS BEYOND CONSENT: HOW RECLAIMING SEXUALITY COMBATS SEXUAL VIOLENCE • Telus Bldg, 111 St, 87 Ave, Rm 1-50 U of A, 780.492.4949 • Presentation by Jaclyn Friedman • Jan 16, 7-9pm • Free

THE CLUB AT THE CITADEL • Citadel Theatre • Olympic Designing with Leslie Frankish: Presentation about the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games Opening • Jan 20, 2pm • $10

ENJOYING THE BIRDS OF HAWAI’I • Central Lions Seniors Recreation Centre, 11113-111 Ave • Chris Fisher, travel guide and author of Birds of Alberta, will explore the natural history of the Hawai’ian island chain from the point of view of the birds • Jan 16, 7:30-9pm • $10 (adv at Wild Birds Unlimited, 587.521.2473)/$15 (door)

FERMENTED FOODS • Earth's General Store, 9605-82 Ave • Sample a variety of fermented foods.

Discussion on how and why these foods are important for health, the basics of safe fermenting and how to adapt recipes • Jan 14, 7-9pm OLYMPIC DESIGNING WITH LESLIE FRANKISH • The Club at the Citadel Theatre, 9828-101A Ave • Presentation about the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony given by the Senior Production Designer, Leslie Frankish • Jan 20, 2-4pm • $10 at Citadel box office THOUGHTFUL TUESDAY–THE GROWING EDGE • Earth's General Store, 9605-82 Ave • Screening of the documentary, Forks Over Knives; followed by a discussion; Jan 15, 7-9pm; free

QUEER BUDDYS NITE CLUB • 11725B Jasper Ave, 780.488.6636 • Tue with DJ Arrow Chaser, free pool all night; 9pm (door); no cover • Wed with DJ Dust’n Time; 9pm (door); no cover • Thu: Men’s Wet Underwear Contest, win prizes, hosted by Drag Queen DJ Phon3 Hom3; 9pm (door); no cover before 10pm • Fri Dance Party with DJ Arrow Chaser; 8pm (door); no cover before 10pm • Sat: Feel the rhythm with DJ Phon3 Hom3; 8pm (door); no cover before 10pm

EDMONTON PRIME TIMERS (EPT) • Unitarian Church of Edmonton, 10804-119 St • A group

8 UP FRONT

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

EPLC FELLOWSHIP PAGAN STUDY GROUP • Pride Centre of Edmonton, 10608-105 Ave, 780.488.3234 • Free year long course; Family circle 3rd Sat each month • Everyone welcome

FLASH NIGHT CLUB • 10018-105 St, 780.969.9965 • Thu Goth + Industrial Night: Indust:real Assembly with DJ Nanuck; 10pm (door); no cover • Triple Threat Fridays: DJ Thunder, Femcee DJ Eden Lixx • DJ Suco beats every Sat • E: vip@ flashnightclub.com

G.L.B.T.Q SAGE BOWLING CLUB • 780.474.8240 • Every Wed, 1:30-3:30pm

GLBT SPORTS AND RECREATION • teamedmonton.ca • Co-ed Bellydancing: bellydancing@ teamedmonton.ca • Bootcamp: Garneau Elementary, 10925-87 Ave. at 7pm; bootcamp@teamedmonton. ca • Bowling: Ed's Rec Centre, WEM, Tue 6:45pm; bowling@teamedmonton.ca • Curling: Granite Curling Club; 780.463.5942 • Running: Kinsmen; running@teamedmonton.ca • Spinning: MacEwan Centre, 109 Street and 104 Ave; spin@teamedmonton.ca • Swimming: NAIT pool, 11762-106 St; swimming@teamedmonton.ca • Volleyball: every Tue, 7-9pm; St. Catherine School, 10915-110 St; every Thu, 7:30-9:30pm at Amiskiwiciy Academy, 101 Airport Rd

G.L.B.T.Q SENIORS GROUP • S.A.G.E

from the Sovietsky Bank, is being greeted with mixed feelings.

Fellow celebrity Tina Kandelaki, the celebrated host of the celebrity talk show Details for the past 11 years, has no reservations about him at all: he can stay in her apartment. "Let's not divide up Depardieu," she tweeted.

"Simply give him to me." But a less starry-eyed observer replied: "Haven't we got enough alcoholics?"

Evidently not. V Gwynne Dyer is an independent journalist whose articles are published in 45 countries.

each month; huges@shaw.ca

PRIMETIMERS/SAGE GAMES • Unitarian Church, 10804-119 St, 780.474.8240 • Every 2nd and last Fri each month, 7-10:30pm

ST PAUL'S UNITED CHURCH • 11526-76 Ave, 780.436.1555 • People of all sexual orientations are welcome • Every Sun (10am worship)

WOMONSPACE, 780.482.1794 • womonspace. ca, womonspace@gmail.com • A Non-profit lesbian social organization for Edmonton and surrounding area. Monthly activities, newsletter, reduced rates included with membership. Confidentiality assured

WOODYS VIDEO BAR • 11723 Jasper Ave, 780.488.6557 • Mon: Amateur Strip Contest; prizes with Shawana • Tue: Kitchen 3-11pm • Wed: Karaoke with Tizzy 7pm-1am; Kitchen 3-11pm • Thu: Free pool all night; kitchen 3-11pm • Fri: Mocho Nacho Fri: 3pm (door), kitchen open 3-11pm

SPECIAL EVENTS DEEP FREEZE FESTIVAL • Alberta Avenue on 118 Ave, 90-94 St • A Wild West Byzantine Winter Festival: This winter adventure celebrates the Russian/Ukrainian “Olde New Year” and embraces our northern climate by melding artistic panache with authentic cultural and heritage winter games and fun. Snow and ice sculpture, old tyme curling, ethnic foods, dance and street hockey; fireworks on Sat night • Jan 12-13 EDMONTON WHISKY FESTIVAL • Edmonton Delta South Hotel, 4404 Calgary Tr • Jan 16 • $75 at Vines Wine Merchants

Bldg, Craftroom, 15 Sir Winston Churchill Sq, 780.474.8240 • Meeting for gay seniors, and for any seniors who have gay family members and would like some guidance • Every Thu, 1-4pm • Info: E: tuff @shaw.ca

E-VILLE ROLLER DERBY CLUB • Kingsway Hangar, 11410 Kingsway Ave • Slice Girls vs. Black Gold Diggers • Jan 19, 6pm (door), 7pm (derby) • $10 (adv at Happy Harbor, Mars & Venus)/$15 (door); free (child 10 and under)

ILLUSIONS SOCIAL CLUB • Pride Centre,

U OF A BEARS HOCKEY–ALUMNI NIGHT • Clare Drake Arena, 89 Ave-115 St • In Celebration of 100 Seasons of Bears Hockey: Golden Bears vs.

Regina Cougars featuring live music during intermissions • Feb 1, 7pm • $10 (adult)/$5 (student); 50% tickets to student scholarships

10608-105 ave, 780.387.3343 • groups.yahoo.com/ group/edmonton_illusions • Crossdressers meet 2nd Fri each month, 8:30pm

INSIDE/OUT • U of A Campus • Campus-based organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transidentified and queer (LGBTQ) faculty, graduate student, academic, straight allies and support staff • 3rd Thu each month (fall/winter terms): Speakers Series. E: kwells@ualberta.ca JUNCTION BAR AND EATERY • 10242-106 St, 780.756.5667 • Open Tue-Sat: Community bar with seasonal patio • Beat the clock Tue • WINGSANITY Wed, 5-10pm • Free pool Tue and Wed • Karaoke Wed, 9-12pm • Fri Steak Night, 5-9pm • Frequent special events: drag shows, leather nights, beer bashes, girls nights • DJs every Fri and Sat, 10pm LIVING POSITIVE • 404, 10408-124 St, 1.877.975.9448/780.488.5768 • Confidential peer support to people living with HIV • Tue, 7-9pm: Support group • Daily drop-in, peer counselling MAKING WAVES SWIMMING CLUB • geocities.com/makingwaves_edm • Recreational/ competitive swimming. Socializing after practices • Every Tue/Thu PRIDE CENTRE OF EDMONTON • Pride Centre of Edmonton, 10608-105 Ave, 780.488.3234 • A safe, welcoming, and non-judgemental drop-in space, support programs and resources offered for members of the GLBTQ community, their families and friends • Daily: Community drop-in; support and resources. Queer library: borrowing privileges: Tue-Fri 12-9pm, Sat 2-6:30pm, closed Sun-Mon; Queer HangOUT (a.k.a. QH) youth drop-in: Tue-Fri 3-8pm, Sat 2-6:30pm, youth@pridecentreofedmonton.org • Counselling: Free, short-term by registered counsellors every Wed, 5:30-8:30pm, info/bookings: 780.488.3234 • Knotty Knitters: Knit and socialize in safe, accepting environment, all skill levels welcome; every Wed 6-8pm • QH Game Night: Meet people through board game fun; every Thu 6-8pm • QH Craft Night: every Wed, 6-8pm • QH Anime Night: Watch anime; every Fri, 6-8pm • Movie Night: Open to everyone; 2nd and 4th Fri each month, 6-9pm • Women’s Social Circle: Social support group for female-identified persons +18 years in the GLBT community; new members welcome; 2nd and 4th Thu, 7-9pm each month; andrea@pridecentreofedmonton.org • Men Talking with Pride: Support and social group for gay and bisexual men to discuss current issues; every Sun 7-9pm; robwells780@ hotmail.com • HIV Support Group: Support and discussion group for gay men; 2nd Mon, 7-9pm,

THE WILD EAST PARTY • deepfreezefest.ca • Part of the Deep Freeze Festival: Sample Acadian and Newfie cuisine, and then dance to the multilingual, world-beat music of Le Fuzz; Jan 12, 7-11pm; $10 (adult)/$5 (child 10 yrs and under) available at the Carrot Community Arts Coffeehouse, TIX on the Square, door

FILM

"There's a handjob scene that's somehow awkward, unsexy and used as a moment of big sentimental connection between our leads. It's less interesting than it sounds here."

READ THE FULL REVIEW OF HYDE PARK ON HUDSON ONLINE AT VUEWEEKLY.COM

REVUE // DISASTER

Director J A Bayona talks water tanks, stomach problems and child actors Opens Friday The Impossible Directed by J A Bayona



W

hen the Alvarez Belon family set off for Khao Lak, Thailand to spend a few days in paradise over Christmas, never in their wildest dreams did they imagine they would become part of one of the deadliest natural disasters in history. When the Indian Ocean tsunami came crashing through a resort where Maria (Naomi Watts) and Henry (Ewan McGregor) are staying with their three young boys, the family is swept through the churning, deadly waves, fighting an all-out battle to survive and reunite amidst the insurmountable odds stacked against them.

The images of swirling water and devastation that were projected on the news following the Boxing Day disaster are as close as many of us were lucky enough to come to the tsunami, but director Juan Antonio Bayona literally throws his audiences into the chaos in terrifyingly vivid and realistic fashion. The family has no time to run and nowhere to hide, only brace themselves for what's to come before being swept away in the intense surge of debris, water and mud, all which become deadly obstacles.

From its youngest member to its most seasoned performer, the bond forged by the cast permeates onscreen, portraying a tragedy beyond anything they have ever experienced with verisimilitude and heart-wrenching emotion. The powerful drama culminates in a conclusion that would seem highly unrealistic if it wasn't for the fact it was based on a true story, a testament to the

incredible power of the human spirit and the bonds of family.

Prior to the film's release in Edmonton, Vue caught up with Bayona to discuss how the story of the Alvarez Belons— the Spanish family behind the film— touched him and how he managed to recreate a behemoth of a natural disaster without the aid of CGI. VUE WEEKLY: Why did you want to tell this family's story in particular?

J A BAYONA: Well, I thought it was the first time I heard a story—a first-hand retelling of the story—and it definitely created a big impact on me. I only knew the story through the news, so it was great to know the names and see the faces because nowadays it seems like you're used to hearing about the event, but never about the people, and I tried to get in contact with the people and tell the story from their point of view, but always remembering it was not just about these people, but all the people who were there.

How did you find out about the Alvarez Belon family?

JAB: They went to a radio show to tell the story for the first time three years after the tragedy for the third anniversary, and it was our producer who heard the story and came to me. He was very emotional already, listening to the story and their words and I found myself again very emotional telling the story to my friends, so I realized there was an emotion there, going even beyond the tragedy to talk about ourselves in a more universal way.

VW:

VW:

Was the family involved in the production of the film?

JAB: Yes, and I wanted it to be like that from the very beginning. They were part of it and Maria [Belon] was working very hard at getting the script and telling the story from an in-themoment point of view, creating a lot of detail, but at the same time kind of being like a soldier of truth of what was the right thing to do.

VW: You didn't use CGI to recreate the tsunami. How did you go about recreating it?

JAB: It was completely out of our possibilities in terms of the budget, but also I think it was great, the fact that we did it without CGI ... We went to this huge water tank in Spain and we recreated the water, the arrival of the wave with miniatures and models and then all the floods, all those images with the sea coming in. We created this channel of water with a strong current and we took the actors in there for six weeks. It was very demanding shooting for them.

VW: What were some of the biggest challenges during that

six weeks for the cast and crew?

JAB: The biggest challenge was to be able to do everything. We had to do a big amount of shots, around 150, and it was very slow shooting because everything had to be very well prepared. It was a lot of members of the crew involved: the producers, special and visual effects and of course the security for the actors and the actors themselves, who did an incredible job in the water for six weeks. It was extremely demanding physically, especially for Naomi.

Why was the experience so demanding for her in particular?

JAB: She already had problems with her stomach the third day of shootng because she was swallowing water every day, and she was in there for six weeks, so you can imagine she ended up having lots of problems. She had bronchitis so it was very tough for her.

VW:

What was the experience of filming in Thailand like?

JAB: It was great. The fact of being in the same place and being in contact with people who were there, it was a great help. It was a great reminder of what happened there, and the fact that [...] we were tryVW:

ing to explain not just the story for a movie, but it was based upon real emotions and we were trying to pay respect for those times, those days and those people.

VW: The children are very strong in the film. What was it like working with them?

JAB: I enjoy a lot of work with kids and I had a great time working with them even though it was tough work because they had to portray emotions they never went through. I think it was a question of being patient and making them understand what we were doing. I remember doing lots of drawings and exercises to make them understand what we were doing, and at the same time, try to create a hospitality in what we were doing and make them enjoy it, because if they don't enjoy, you'll never get a performance from them.

Finally, when the tsunami happened in 2004, how did it affect you?

JAB: I remember watching the news; the images on the news were always surreal because you can see images of the water going inland, the boats on the rooftops of hotels and all the people involved in there. I mean, it was kind of like something surrealistic and I was very impressed. I never had a contact with the tsunami more than that, so from the moment I knew I was going to do this movie, the main thing for me was to meet as many people as possible involved in the tragedy.

VW:

MEAGHAN BAXTER

// MEAGHAN@VUEWEEKLY.COM

Water, water, everywhere

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

FILM 9

PREVUE // 2013 FILMS

A preview of coming attractions Looking at the film year to come

AN INSTANT CLASSIC!

“

”

CINDY PEARLMAN, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

“

GLORIOUS. THE CAST IS TERRIFIC.

”

KAREN DURBIN, ELLE

GANGSTER SQUAD’ BELONGS IN THE PANTHEON OF GREAT GANGSTER FILMS LIKE ‘CHINATOWN,’ ‘BUGSY ’ AND ‘ L.A. CONFIDENTIAL .’”

“‘

STUART LEE, WNYX-TV

SPECIAL 10PM SCREENINGS TONIGHT AIM_VUE_JAN10_6X9_GANG 10 FILM Allied Integrated Marketing • VUE •

A

s Hollywood sequels get more superheroes, more numbers and more ridiculous names (Fast Six isn't a bad porno-pun title?), the arthouse, auteur-film world plods along with its cryptic, curious or just plain poetic titles. This year, keywords in your search for the best of indie-minded cinema may include "Llewyn," "Spivet," and "Berberian." (Note: not all films reach Edmonton screens, so look for many on disc or online.)

JANUARY – MARCH Usual provocateur Michael Haneke's found only acceptance with Amour.

The Palme d'Or winner is an unflinching study of one man's care for his fading wife in their Paris apartment.

February, we'll get Side Effects from Steven Soderbergh (Contagion), where a couple (Channing Tatum and Rooney Mara) comes undone after she's hooked on a new prescription drug.

Chan-wook Park (Oldboy) comes West with Stoker (think Bram, author of Dracula), the bloody intriguing story of a young woman (Mia Wasikowska) entranced by the uncle who moves in with her and Mom. Strange but truer than fiction: Pablo Larrain's acclaimed No, covering an adman (Gael Garcia Bernal) who works a 1988 plebiscite about continuing Pinochet's dictatorship.

Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine) returns with Ryan Gosling for The Place Beyond the Pines, where a stunt rider's tempted into crime.

And the Coen brothers go Inside Llewyn Davis, a folk-singer (Oscar Isaac) taking us through the Greenwich Village music scene in 1960.

GORY, BRUTAL VIOLENCE

STARTS EVERYWHERE FRIDAY

Side Effects

Check Theatre Directory or www.gangstersquadmovie.ca for Locations and Showtimes

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

SPRING Super-auteur Terrence Malick, after Palme d'Or marvel Tree of Life, got

scoffs from some critics for To The Wonder, reportedly a near-parody of his human-in-nature lyricism. Judge for yourself in April.

Shane Carruth had a cult hit in 2004 with his debut, time-travel flick Primer. His second, Upstream Color, has been heralded by an intriguing trailer and the summary that a couple becomes "entangled in the life cycle of an ageless organism."

Spanish master Almodóvar's latest, I'm So Excited, is light comedy on a troubled plane bound for Mexico. Expect some turbulent pop songs and sudden gusts of campiness.

SUMMER AND BEYOND Neill Blomkamp follows up his South African sci-fi District 9 in August with Elysium, set in a 22nd century where the rich live in a corporate-built space station, while the poor live on a ruined Earth.

Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Ultimatum, Green Zone) launches Captain Phillips, about a ship and its commander (Tom Hanks) taken hostage

by Somali pirates.

Capping the "Cornetto" trilogy (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz), director Edgar Wright returns with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost for a pub crawl to The World's End. A horror classic's remade in Carrie, from indie director Kimberly Peirce (Boys Don't Cry) and due in October.

And Martin Scorsese, working from a script by Terence Winter (The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire) based on Jordan Belfort's memoir about stockbroker-fraud, brings us The Wolf of Wall Street.

BRIAN GIBSON

// BRIAN@VUEWEEKLY.COM

Next week: leftovers from 2012, animation to anticipate, documentaries to look for and more cryptically-titled 2013 releases.

REVUE // THE HUNT

Zero Dark Thirty

On the hunt

Opens Friday Directed by Kathryn Bigelow

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here's a moment in Zero Dark Thirty, coming during yet another boardroom meeting at the heart of an increasingly fruitless manhunt for Osama bin Laden, where Obama appears on the room's television screen in an interview (a real one), talking about reclaiming the moral image of America and declaring his anti-torture sentiment. The members of the assembled group watch him wordlessly—having just spent the last few years doing exactly that kind of torturing to get information—linger a beat in quiet, and then simply resume their planning.

The moment underscores both the agonizing lengths of red tape and shrouds of secrecy that had to be applied out of sight on the hunt for bin Laden, and Zero Dark Thirty's blurry blend of fiction and reality. It's a thriller as much about bureaucratic frustrations as it is about actual thrills, as much about the endless (sometimes deadly) false leads and battles to be granted permission to take action as it is about the jarring moments of action—scenes of waterboarding, suicide bombing, assassination attempts and compound raids—that all of those boardroom battles eventually lead up to.

It's also almost three-hours long, and frequently engaging within that, but lumbering. In a way, it feels like a story better built as a television mini-series than one sitdown block of cinema (it's even broken down into episodic blocks with title cards named things like "9/11" or "The Meeting"). Still, for better or worse, director Kathryn Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal have crafted a smart take on a heavily contested and stillfresh topic, and they've done so without flinching. Jessica Chastain's based-on-a-real-agent Maya is an excellent lead, capable of shouldering such a gargantuan movie with a necessary, growing intensity—her frustrations quickly become ours, especially since we already know she's right—as her confidence in a hunch keeps her on the trail of a trickle of evidence that slowly, surely begins widening into a torrent.

So much talk of the movie's supposed pro-torture stance seems misplaced: in its scenes of waterboarding and other cruelties inflicted upon prisoners by Americans, Zero Dark Thirty doesn't so much condone torture as it just refuses to look away. Bigelow and co. give a graphic depiction, and if that infuriates you, well, you should know better where to direct your anger.

In contrast, what seems underdiscussed is the grey area that Zero Dark Thirty occupies between fiction and truth. It's a blockbuster take on a real event, culled from real research and discussions with the CIA and so on, but, ultimately, it's a work of fiction: because of its cinematic treatment (plus a swell of Oscar-buzz), it's also going to stand up as most people's definitive version of how the hunt for bin Laden played out. That it doesn't feel like propaganda for any side is a credit to Bigelow and Boal's handling of their onerous position, but it still doesn't sit quite right, not knowing where the researched truth ends and filmmaker storytelling begins, especially when its events are only a few years old.

Zero Dark Thirty's most rewarding sequence comes near the end, as Navy SEALs begin their raid on the compound where Maya's certain bin Laden is hiding. It's filmed in a mostly silent sequence, cloaked in night vision and what feels like surveillance footage. It carries an incredible, holdyour-breath tension, so, if nothing else, Zero Dark Thirty goes out on a satisfying bang. But it does so as a piece of fictitious cinema more than history. Hopefully it'll be remembered as such.

PAUL BLINOV

// PAUL@VUEWEEKLY.COM

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

FILM 11

REVUE // POLITICAL

The Waiting Room Fri, Jan 11 – Tue, Jan 15 Directed by Peter Nicks

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A

little girl with a climbing fever and a swollen tongue, looking very freaked out, like she's trying to hold a hot coal in her mouth without getting burned, while her father, for her sake, tries not to succumb to nervous despair; a beardy young hippie who was scheduled to have his testicular tumour removed before finding his surgery cancelled at the last minute due to his lack of medical insurance; a middle-aged labourer with a litany of debts and cocktail of debilitating ailments, a guy who just keeps on working until his body gives up and he winds up here, wondering what to do; an obese, drug- and alcohol-embattled wreck of a man with little to live for, vanishing allies and no place to go: an awful lot of good-natured patients file through the emergency room of Oakland, California's Highland Hospital and appear before Peter Nicks' camera (presumably it was rather difficult to get the more asinine, unruly or belligerent patients to sign waivers), and I promise that you will not be able to meet any one of them and wish them ill. The Wait-

ing Room, Nicks' documentary about business-as-usual at Highland, is rigorous yet warm, unobtrusive yet sympathetically framed, fundamentally anti-polemical yet teeming with material from which to build a sturdy argument for a radical new approach to health care in the United States. (Though there's plenty for Canadians to learn, too.)

Weaving together the stories of the aforementioned patients, along with a few others, The Waiting Room plays out in a highly effective, mostly-vérité style. There is no voice-of-God narration, no scary pie charts, no overt editorializing or Michael Moore-style ambushes. There is, however, a time-compressing editing scheme (it's not like all these patients actually arrived at Highland on the same day), a subtly propulsive score and a series of voiceovers, without talking heads, from patients opening up about everyday anxieties, the perils of selfdiagnosing and self-medicating, work problems, parenting problems and marriage problems, and from underpaid doctors describing the daily dilemma of deciding what

to do with all of the non-urgent cases who might be taking beds from urgent cases, with all these people forced to use the ER as their primary care doctor (a practice, promoted by Mitt Romney during his presidential campaign, that seems at best totally chaotic and at worst catastrophic). As one such doctor explains, the ER might seem like the right place for young doctors to get a regular adrenaline rush while saving lives, but the truth is that refilling diabetes meds is just as important to someone's long-term health as treating gunshot wounds.

The Waiting Room is a portrait of a public institution that, in spite of its multitude of limitations, maintains strong ties to the community. The US heath care system's at times appalling disservice to poor or

working-class citizens makes the film a frequently maddening experience, but I suspect that muckraking was never that high on Nicks' agenda, at least not once he actually set about making the f i l m .

The

Waiting Room is guided above all by a love of people and the ordinary bravery they summon up in times of crisis, and you can watch it for that reason alone.

JOSEF BRAUN

// JOSEF@VUEWEEKLY.COM

Waiting for health care

REVUE // DRAMA

Barbara Fri, Jan 11 – Tue, Jan 15 Directed by Christian Petzold Metro Cinema at the Garneau



W

ith those large, wary eyes heavily lined in black and those fine blonde curls pulled back from her striking, somewhat gaunt face, the eponymous country doctor of German director Christian Petzold's Barbara is from the start a figure of interest, one who appears to take no interest in the rest of us. Untroubled by the chilliness of the impression she makes upon her colleagues, never so much smoking as propping up cigarettes, Barbara arrives in this backwater to start work at its hospital, having been exiled from Berlin for unspecified offences. It's never announced explicitly, but we're clearly back at some point in the '80s, in a divided Germany, following the mysterious activities of a cagey, furtive, equally divided heroine.

Cageyness is elemental to all three of the Petzold films I've now seen— besides Barbara, I've also enjoyed its immediate predecessors Yella (2007) and Jerichow (2008)—each of which star the imminently watchable Nina Hoss. Petzold is very good with gaug-

12 FILM

ing distances, his camera very selective about when it grants us closer looks at faces or objects, or anything that might contain secrets. Barbara doles out exposition slowly and carefully, building intrigue and unease, and Hoss, with her particular control of how shifts in thought register in her face and body, helps Petzold turn this building into a form of seduction.

There are good reasons for Barbara's iciness. She's being watched. Sometimes that watching spills over into a house search and, even less pleasantly, a body cavity search. Barbara keeps a straight face through all of it.

To be sure, the reticence and measured pace of exposition in Barbara also function well as a way of distracting us from the airtight schematics of its plot. The script, written by Petzold and Harun Farocki, leaves little to chance with regards to setting up and underlining its heroine's dilemma. Barbara, we gradually learn, is planning an escape from East Germany—but if she goes, who will care for the pregnant runaway with meningitis who trusts only her? Barbara's escape is being facilitated by a handsome and apparently wealthy secret paramour who promises Barbara that once

she's safe in Denmark she'll never have to work again—but how does this tailored saviour compare to the Barbara's fawning new colleague?

Doctor André (Ronald Zehrfeld) has little to offer with regards to worldly comforts, but he's warm, handsome in a beefy, teddybear sort of way, and most importantly, he's devoted to his vocation, treating patients during his time off. He also cooks, and even has his own herb garden!

I'm being a little facetious, but really, the point I want to make is that while the mechanics of Barbara's story arc feel exceedingly tidy, the film's execution, its deft handling of tension, its loving development of character and sense of place, its understanding of the nature of quiet heroism and sacrifice, and most especially Hoss's embodiment of an entire era's atmosphere of distrust and discomfort—even in what would under other circumstances seem like a very charming bucolic setting— all serve to

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

make this character study-as-political allegory a deeply satisfying experience. Movies these days offer far too few dynamic repeat pairings of directors with

actresses, but the Petzold and Hoss team, the both of them auteurs in their way, is one I hope to see return in many future variations.

JOSEF BRAUN

// JOSEF@VUEWEEKLY.COM

Barbara, contemplating her own political allegory

FILM WEEKLY FRI, JAN 11 - THU, JAN 17, 2013

CHABA THEATRE–JASPER 6094 Connaught Dr Jasper 780.852.4749

LIFE OF PI 3D (PG) FRI-SAT 6:50, 9:10; SUN-THU 8:00 JACK REACHER (14A violence) FRI-SAT 6:50, 9:10; SUN-THU 8:00

DUGGAN CINEMA–CAMROSE

10:45; MON-THU 1:35, 4:55, 8:10

FRI 6:40, 9:40; SAT-SUN 1:20, 4:10, 7:00, 9:45; MON-THU

THE GUILT TRIP (PG language may offend) Closed Captioned FRI-SAT 11:55, 2:40, 5:20, 7:50, 10:15; SUN 5:20, 7:50, 10:15; MON-TUE, THU 2:20, 5:05, 7:30, 9:55; WED 2:20; WED 4:40, 9:55

DJANGO UNCHAINED (18A gory brutal violence) Digital Presentation FRI 8:00; SAT-SUN 2:15, 5:45, 9:10; MON-THU 5:00, 8:20

THE HOBBIT AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY (PG violence, frightening scenes, not recommended for young children) Closed Captioned FRI-SAT 1:45, 5:30, 9:15; SUN 1:45, 5:30, 9:10; MON-THU 2:00, 5:45, 9:30 THE HOBBIT AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY 3D (PG violence, frightening scenes, not recommended for young children) High Frame Rate Ultraavx: FRI-SUN 11:15, 2:50, 6:30, 10:10; MON-THU 12:30, 4:15, 8:00 DJANGO UNCHAINED (18A gory brutal violence) FRI-SUN 11:35, 3:20, 6:55, 10:30; MON-THU 1:00, 4:45, 8:20

6601-48 Ave Camrose 780.608.2144

ZERO DARK THIRTY (14A violence, coarse language) DAILY 7:30; SAT-SUN, THU 1:30

TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D (18A gory brutal violence) FRI-SAT 1:05, 3:25, 5:40, 8:05, 10:50; SUN 1:05, 3:25, 5:40, 8:05, 10:25; MON-THU 12:15, 2:35, 4:50, 7:55, 10:15

GANGSTER SQUAD (18A gory brutal violence) DAILY 7:00, 9:25; SAT-SUN, THU 2:10 DJANGO UNCHAINED (18A gory brutal violence) DAILY 7:15; SAT-SUN, THU 1:15 THIS IS 40 (14A crude coarse language, sexual content, not recommended for young children) DAILY 6:45, 9:20; SAT-SUN, THU 2:00 LES MISÉRABLES (PG violence, not recommended for young children) DAILY 7:45; SAT-SUN, THU 1:45

CINEMA CITY MOVIES 12 5074-130 Ave 780.472.9779

ZERO DARK THIRTY (14A violence, coarse language) FRISUN 12:05, 3:50, 7:15, 10:40; MON-THU 1:15, 6:30, 10:00 JACK REACHER (14A violence) Closed Captioned FRI-SAT 2:00, 4:55, 8:00, 11:00; SUN 1:15, 4:10, 7:20, 10:40; MON-THU 12:55, 4:00, 7:00, 10:00 LES MISÉRABLES (PG violence, not recommended for young children) FRI-SUN 11:20, 2:55, 6:25, 9:55; MON-THU 12:10, 3:55, 7:40 GANGSTER SQUAD (18A gory brutal violence) FRI-SUN 11:10, 2:05, 4:50, 7:35, 10:25; MON-THU 12:35, 3:30, 6:55, 9:40

5:10, 8:10

LES MISÉRABLES (PG violence, not recommended for young children) Digital Presentation FRI 6:30; SAT-SUN 1:00, 4:30, 7:45; MON-THU 4:30, 7:45 TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D (18A gory brutal violence) Digital 3d FRI 7:00, 9:15; SAT-SUN 1:30, 4:00, 6:10, 9:00; MON-THU 5:15, 7:30 ZERO DARK THIRTY (14A violence, coarse language)Digital Presentation FRI 8:30; SAT-SUN 1:15, 4:45, 8:30; MON-THU 4:25, 8:00 GANGSTER SQUAD (18A gory brutal violence) Digital Presentation FRI 6:45, 9:30; SAT-SUN 1:25, 4:20, 7:05, 9:50; MON-THU 4:20, 7:10 RISE OF THE GUARDIANS (G) Digital Presentation SAT-SUN 2:00, 4:15; MON-THU 4:45 PARENTAL GUIDANCE (G) Digital Presentation SAT-SUN 12:50, 3:45; MON-THU 4:35 THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY (PG violence, frightening scenes, not recommended for young children) Digital Presentation SAT-SUN 1:10

GALAXY–SHERWOOD PARK 2020 Sherwood Dr Sherwood Park 780.416.0150

RISE OF THE GUARDIANS (G) Closed Captioned SATSUN 11:30; 3D: FRI 4:40, 7:15; SAT-SUN 2:10, 4:40, 7:15; MON-THU 6:55

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA (PG) FRI-SUN, TUE 1:05; 3D: DAILY 3:45, 6:55, 9:15

MONSTERS, INC. 3D (G) Closed Captioned FRI-SUN 11:45, 2:10, 4:35, 7:00, 9:25; MON-THU 1:20, 3:50, 6:15, 8:40

ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT (G) FRI-SUN, TUE 1:40, 4:30; MON, WED-THU 4:30

PARENTAL GUIDANCE (G) Closed Captioned FRI-SAT 1:10, 3:45, 6:40, 9:40; SUN 1:10, 3:45, 6:40, 9:15; MON-WED 1:55, 4:35, 7:15, 9:50; THU 1:00, 4:30

THIS IS 40 (14A crude coarse language, sexual content, not recommended for young children) Closed Captioned FRI 4:05, 7:10, 10:20; SAT-SUN 1:00, 4:05, 7:10, 10:20; MON-THU 7:00, 10:05

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (14A coarse language) FRISUN 1:25, 4:25, 7:40, 10:35; MON-THU 1:30, 4:25, 7:20, 10:15

LIFE OF PI 3D (PG) Closed Captioned FRI-SUN 9:40; MON-THU 9:20

THE METROPOLITAN OPERA: THE TEMPEST LIVE (Classification not available) SAT 10:55

THE HOBBIT AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY (PG violence, frightening scenes, not recommended for young children) Closed Captioned FRI 5:30, 9:15; SAT-SUN 1:50, 5:30, 9:15; MON-THU 7:30

FRANKENWEENIE (PG) FRI-SUN, TUE 1:15; 3D: DAILY 3:50, 6:45, 9:10 HERE COMES THE BOOM (PG violence) FRI-SUN, TUE 1:35, 4:05, 6:50, 9:20; MON, WED-THU 4:05, 6:50, 9:20 PLAYING FOR KEEPS (PG sexually suggestive scenes) FRI-SUN, TUE 1:00, 4:00, 6:40, 9:25; MON, WED-THU 4:00, 6:40, 9:25 LOOPER (14A violence, coarse language) DAILY 7:15, 9:55

LINCOLN (PG violence, language may offend, not recommended for young children) Closed Captioned DAILY 6:45, 10:05 VERTIGO (STC) SUN 12:45; WED 7:00

ARGO (14A) FRI-SUN, TUE 1:20, 4:10, 7:05, 10:00; MON, WED-THU 4:10, 7:05, 10:00

NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE: THE MAGISTRATE (Classification not available) THU 7:00

TAKEN 2 (14A violence) FRI-SUN, TUE 2:00, 4:40, 7:20, 9:50; MON, WED-THU 4:40, 7:20, 9:50

FLUSHED AWAY (G) SAT 11:00

FLIGHT (18A substance abuse) FRI-SUN, TUE 12:55, 3:55, 6:50, 9:45; MON, WED-THU 3:55, 6:50, 9:45

CINEPLEX ODEON WINDERMERE CINEMAS Cineplex Odeon Windermere & Vip Cinemas, 6151 Currents Dr, 780.822.4250

CLOUD ATLAS (14A sexual content, violence, coarse language) FRI-SUN, TUE 12:50, 4:25, 8:00; MON, WED-THU 4:25, 8:00

THIS IS 40 (14A crude coarse language, sexual content, not recommended for young children) Closed Caption & Descriptive Video FRI 3:40, 6:50, 10:00; SAT 12:00, 3:00, 6:20, 9:20; SUN 12:40, 3:40, 6:50, 10:00; MON-THU 6:40, 9:45

MATRU KI BIJLEE KA MANDOLA (STC) Hindi W/E.S.T. FRISUN, TUE 1:10, 4:20, 7:30; MON, WED-THU 4:20, 7:30 ONE MORE TRY (14A sexual content) FRI-SUN, TUE 1:50, 4:05, 7:00, 9:30; MON, WED-THU 4:05, 7:00, 9:30 SAADI LOVE STORY (STC) Punjabi W/E.S.T. FRI-SUN, TUE 1:25, 4:15, 7:10, 9:55; MON, WED-THU 4:10, 7:10, 9:55

CINEPLEX ODEON NORTH 14231-137 Ave 780.732.2236

RISE OF THE GUARDIANS 3D (G) FRI-SAT 11:45, 2:00; SUN 11:50, 2:05; MON-THU 2:00

THIS IS 40 (14A crude coarse language, sexual content, not recommended for young children) Closed Captioned FRI-SAT 1:40, 4:40, 7:40, 9:30; SUN-TUE, THU 1:40, 4:40, 7:40, 10:30; WED 1:00, 4:40, 7:40, 10:30

GANGSTER SQUAD (18A gory brutal violence) Closed Captioned FRI 4:50, 7:40, 10:30; SAT-SUN 11:30, 2:10, 4:50, 7:40, 10:30; MON-THU 7:20, 10:10

DJANGO UNCHAINED (18A gory brutal violence) FRI 5:00, 9:00; SAT-SUN 1:40, 5:20, 9:00; MON-THU 8:00; VIP 18+: FRI 5:30, 9:30; SAT 1:30, 5:30, 9:30; SUN 1:30, 5:30, 9:20; MON-WED 8:35 ZERO DARK THIRTY (14A violence, coarse language) FRI 3:30, 7:00, 10:30; SAT 1:20, 5:00, 8:30; SUN 12:00, 3:30, 7:00, 10:30; MON-THU 6:30, 9:50; VIP 18+: FRI 4:30, 8:30; SAT 12:45, 4:30, 8:30; SUN 12:45, 4:30, 8:20; MON-WED 7:35; THU 8:35 LES MISÉRABLES (PG violence, not recommended for young children) Closed Caption & Descriptive Video FRI 4:40, 8:30; SAT 2:00, 6:10, 9:35; SUN 2:00, 6:10, 9:40; MON-THU 7:00

ZERO DARK THIRTY (14A violence, coarse language) FRI-SAT 12:00, 3:30, 7:00, 10:30; SUN-MON 12:00, 3:30, 7:15, 9:45; TUE-THU 12:00, 3:30, 7:15, 9:30 JACK REACHER (14A violence) Closed Captioned DAILY 1:00, 4:10, 7:10, 10:10 LES MISÉRABLES (PG violence, not recommended for young children) Closed Captioned FRI, MON-TUE, THU 2:30, 6:10, 9:30; SAT 11:10, 2:30, 6:10, 9:30; SUN 12:40, 6:10, 9:30; WED 2:30, 6:15, 9:45 GANGSTER SQUAD (18A gory brutal violence) FRI, SUN-

THU 1:30, 4:20, 7:30, 10:15; SAT 7:30, 10:15

GANGSTER SQUAD (18A gory brutal violence) Closed Captioned SAT 1:30, 4:20 MONSTERS, INC. 3D (G) Closed Captioned FRI, SUN-THU 1:10, 3:50; SAT 11:00, 1:10, 3:50 PARENTAL GUIDANCE (G) Closed Captioned FRI-SAT 1:20, 4:15, 7:15; SUN-THU 1:20, 4:15, 6:50 SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (14A coarse language) FRI, SUN-TUE, THU 1:50, 4:50, 7:45, 10:35; SAT 11:05, 1:50, 4:50, 7:45, 10:35; WED 4:50, 7:45, 10:35; Star & Strollers Screening: WED 1:00 LINCOLN (PG violence, language may offend, not recommended for young children) Closed Captioned FRI-SAT 6:20, 9:50; SUN-THU 7:05 VERTIGO (STC) SUN 12:45; WED 7:00 FLUSHED AWAY (G) SAT 11:00

CINEPLEX ODEON SOUTH 1525-99 St 780.436.8585

RISE OF THE GUARDIANS (G) Closed Captioned FRI-SAT 11:30, 1:50, 4:15; SUN 11:25, 1:50, 4:15; MON-THU 1:40, 4:10 WRECK-IT RALPH (G) Closed Captioned FRI 11:05; SAT-SUN 11:00 THIS IS 40 (14A crude coarse language, sexual content, not recommended for young children) Closed Captioned FRI-SAT 1:35, 4:45, 7:50, 10:55; SUN 1:30, 4:35, 7:40, 10:45; MON-WED 12:20, 3:40, 7:05, 10:10; THU 7:05, 10:10; Star & Strollers Screening: THU 1:00 LIFE OF PI 3D (PG) Closed Captioned FRI-SAT 12:20, 3:55, 7:05, 10:20; SUN 12:20, 3:55, 7:05, 10:00; MON-THU 12:35, 3:35, 6:50, 9:45 SKYFALL (14A violence) Closed Captioned FRI 12:25, 4:05, 7:30, 10:45; SAT 4:05, 7:30, 10:45; SUN 12:15, 4:05, 7:30,

Grandin Mall Sir Winston Churchill Ave St Albert 780.458.9822

PARENTAL GUIDANCE (G) DAILY 12:35, 2:40, 4:40, 6:40 THE GUILT TRIP (PG language may offend) DAILY 8:40 RISE OF THE GUARDIANS (G) DAILY 1:05, 3:05, 5:00

LES MISÉRABLES (PG violence, not recommended for young children) DAILY 1:10, 4:15, 7:30

DJANGO UNCHAINED (18A gory brutal violence) Dolby Stereo Digital, Digital FRI-SUN, TUE 12:15, 6:00, 9:40; MON, WED-THU 4:00, 8:00 LES MISÉRABLES (PG violence, not recommended for young children) Digital, Dolby Stereo Digital FRI-SUN, TUE 1:00, 4:30, 8:00; MON, WED 3:40, 7:15; THU 3:40, 7:15 THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY 3D (PG violence, frightening scenes, not recommended for young children) Digital 3d, Dolby Stereo Digital FRI-SUN, TUE 12:00, 3:40, 7:45; MON, THU 3:00, 6:45; WED 3:00, 6:40 THIS IS 40 (14A crude coarse language, sexual content, not recommended for young children) Digital, Dolby Stereo Digital FRI-SUN, TUE 12:40, 3:50, 7:00, 10:10; MON, THU 3:50, 7:10, 10:10; WED 3:50, 10:10 JACK REACHER (14A violence) Digital, Dolby Stereo Digital FRI-SUN, TUE 1:10, 4:10, 7:15; MON, WED-THU 3:30, 6:30 PROMISED LAND (14A coarse language) Dolby Stereo Digital, Digital FRI-SUN, TUE 10:20; MON, WED-THU 9:30 THE IMPOSSIBLE (14A violence) Digital, Dolby Stereo Digital FRI-SUN, TUE 1:20, 4:20, 7:10, 10:00; MON, WED-THU 4:10, 7:00, 9:45 GANGSTER SQUAD (18A gory brutal violence) Digital, Dolby Stereo Digital FRI-SUN, TUE 12:50, 4:40, 7:40, 10:30; MON, THU 4:20, 7:20, 10:05; WED 3:45, 7:20, 10:15 LIFE OF PI (PG) Digital, Dolby Stereo Digital FRI-SUN, TUE 3:30, 6:30, 9:50; MON 9:50; WED 6:45, 9:50; THU 6:50, 9:50 NOT FADE AWAY (14A crude coarse language, sexual content, substance abuse) Digital, Dolby Stereo Digital FRI-SUN, TUE 12:10; MON, WED-THU 3:10

CLAREVIEW 10 4211-139 Ave 780.472.7600

SKYFALL (14A violence) FRI-SUN 6:15, 9:15; MON-THU 6:55 THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY 3D (PG violence, frightening scenes, not recommended for young children) Digital 3d FRI 8:45; SAT-SUN 4:40, 8:45; MON-THU 6:45

ZERO DARK THIRTY (14A violence, coarse language) FRI-SUN 12:10, 3:30, 7:00, 10:30; MON-THU 12:20, 3:40, 7:00, 10:30 JACK REACHER (14A violence) Closed Caption & Descriptive Video DAILY 1:30, 4:30, 7:40, 10:45 LES MISÉRABLES (PG violence, not recommended for young children) Closed Caption & Descriptive Video FRI-SUN 11:45, 3:10, 6:40, 10:10; MON-THU 1:50, 6:40, 10:10

PRINCESS 10337-82 Ave 780.433.0728

GANGSTER SQUAD (18A gory brutal violence) Ultraavx FRI-SUN 11:30, 2:10, 5:00, 7:50, 10:40; MON-THU 2:10, 5:00, 7:50, 10:40

HYDE PARK ON HUDSON (PG coarse language, mature subject matter) FRI 7:00, 9:00; SAT-SUN 2:00, 7:00, 9:00; MON-THU 7:00, 9:00 HITCHCOCK (PG not recommended for young children) Check Website or Movie Info for show times: http://rainbowcinemas.ca, 780.433.0728 ANNA KARENINA (PG sexually suggestive scenes) Check Website or Movie Info for show times: http://rainbowcinemas.ca, 780.433.0728

MONSTERS, INC. 3D (G) Closed Captioned FRI-SUN 12:00; MON-THU 12:35 PARENTAL GUIDANCE (G) Closed Caption & Descriptive Video FRI-TUE 1:10, 4:00, 7:30, 10:00; WED 4:00, 7:30, 10:00; THU 1:10, 4:00, 10:30; Star & Strollers Screening: WED 1:00 THE HOBBIT AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY: AN IMAX 3D EXPERIENCE (PG violence, frightening scenes, not recommended for young children) FRI-SUN 11:20, 3:00, 6:45, 10:30; MON-THU 12:30, 4:15, 8:00

SCOTIABANK THEATRE WEM WEM 8882-170 St 780.444.2400

RISE OF THE GUARDIANS (G) Closed Caption & Descriptive Video FRI-SUN 11:50, 2:20, 4:40, 7:10, 9:40; MON 1:00, 3:30, 9:35; TUE 1:00, 3:30, 7:10, 9:40; WED-THU 1:00, 3:30, 9:40 WRECK-IT RALPH (G) Closed Caption & Descriptive Video FRI-SUN 11:30; MON-THU 12:20

NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE: THE MAGISTRATE (Classification not available) THU 7:00

WETASKIWIN CINEMAS Wetaskiwin 780.352.3922

THIS IS 40 (14A crude coarse language, sexual content, not recommended for young children) Closed Caption, Descriptive Video FRI-TUE, THU 12:50, 4:10, 7:20, 10:25; WED 4:10, 7:20, 10:25; Star & Strollers Screening: WED 1:00

THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY 3D (PG violence, frightening scenes, not recommended for young children) 3D: DAILY 8:35 MONSTERS, INC. 3D (G) DAILY 6:30; SAT-SUN 1:10, 3:35

LIFE OF PI 3D (PG) FRI-SUN 12:30, 3:20, 6:30, 9:20; MON-THU 12:45, 3:45, 6:45, 9:45

DJANGO UNCHAINED (18A gory brutal violence) FRI-SAT 6:45, 9:55; SAT-SUN 1:15; SUN-THU 7:15

THE HOBBIT AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY (PG violence, frightening scenes, not recommended for young children) Closed Caption & Descriptive Video FRI-SUN 12:15, 4:15, 8:15; MON-THU 1:15, 5:15, 9:15; 3D: High Frame Rate FRISUN 2:00, 5:45, 9:30; MON-THU 2:50, 6:30, 10:15

LES MISÉRABLES (PG violence, not recommended for young children) SAT-SUN 1:30; FRI-SAT 6:40, 10:00; SUN-THU 7:30 GANGSTER SQUAD (18A gory brutal violence) DAILY 7:00, 9:30; SAT-SUN 1:00, 3:30

GOLDEN GLOBE® AWARD NOMINEE

BEST ACTRESS (DRAMA) -NAOMI WATTS S C R E E N AC TO R S G U I L D AWA R DS N O M I N AT I O N ®

“★★★★

ONE OF THE BEST FILMS OF THE YEAR.

Naomi Watts powerfully becomes a front-runner for an Academy Award ®.”

– Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

JACK REACHER (14A violence) DAILY 7:00, 9:25

NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE: THE MAGISTRATE (Classification not available) VIP 18+: THU 7:00

ZERO DARK THIRTY (14A violence, coarse language)Digital, Dolby Stereo Digital FRI-SUN, TUE 12:30, 4:00, 7:30; MON, WED-THU 3:20, 7:30

THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY (PG violence, frightening scenes, not recommended for young children) Digital SAT-SUN, TUE 1:00

GRANDIN THEATRE–ST ALBERT

THE HOBBIT AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY (PG violence, frightening scenes, not recommended for young children)DAILY 12:45, 4:25, 7:45

10200-102 Ave 780.421.7020

ZERO DARK THIRTY (14A violence, coarse language)Digital FRI 6:00, 9:15; SAT-SUN, TUE 2:30, 6:00, 9:15; MON, WED-THU 5:20, 8:40

FLUSHED AWAY (G) SAT 11:00

GANGSTER SQUAD (18A gory brutal violence) Ultraavx: FRI 4:00, 7:20, 10:10; SAT 1:00, 4:00, 7:20, 10:10; SUN 12:30, 3:40, 7:00, 9:45; MON-THU 6:50, 9:30

CITY CENTRE 9

TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D (18A gory brutal violence) FRI-SUN 2:30, 5:30, 8:00, 10:45; MON-THU 3:00, 5:30, 8:00, 10:45

GANGSTER SQUAD (18A gory brutal violence) Digital FRI 6:20, 9:30; SAT-SUN, TUE 1:20, 3:50, 6:20, 9:30; MON, WEDTHU 5:15, 8:20

MONSTERS, INC. 3D (G) Closed Captioned SAT-SUN 11:50

WRECK-IT RALPH (G) DAILY 1:00, 3:00, 5:00

DJANGO UNCHAINED (18A gory brutal violence) FRISUN 11:40, 3:15, 6:50, 10:20; MON-THU 2:00, 6:50, 10:20

PARENTAL GUIDANCE (G) Closed Captioned FRI 4:50, 7:35, 10:10; SAT-SUN 11:30, 2:10, 4:50, 7:35, 10:10; MONTHU 7:15, 9:50

GANGSTER SQUAD (18A gory brutal violence) VIP 18+: FRI 3:30, 6:30, 10:30; SAT 12:00, 3:15, 6:30, 10:30; SUN 12:00, 3:15, 6:30, 10:10; MON-THU 6:30, 9:40

THE GUILT TRIP (PG language may offend) Closed Captioned FRI, MON-TUE, THU 1:45, 4:05, 6:30, 8:50; SAT 11:20, 1:45, 4:05, 6:30, 8:50; SUN 4:05, 6:30, 8:50; WED 1:45, 4:00, 9:30

TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D (18A gory brutal violence) DAILY 2:20, 5:15, 8:00, 10:35

JACK REACHER (14A violence) Closed Captioned FRI 4:20, 7:20, 10:25; SAT-SUN 1:20, 4:20, 7:20, 10:25; MON-THU 7:10, 10:15

THE HOBBIT AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY (PG violence, frightening scenes, not recommended for young children) Closed Caption & Descriptive Video FRI 5:30, 9:30; SAT-SUN 2:00, 5:50, 9:30; MON-THU 7:30; 3D: Closed Captioned FRI 4:20, 8:10; SAT-SUN 12:20, 4:30, 8:15; MON-THU 8:30

SKYFALL (14A violence) Closed Captioned DAILY 12:30, 3:40, 6:55, 10:05

DJANGO UNCHAINED (18A gory brutal violence) FRI-SAT 11:50, 3:20, 7:05, 10:40; SUN-THU 12:50, 4:45, 8:30

ZERO DARK THIRTY (14A violence, coarse language) FRI 3:10, 6:40, 10:15; SAT-SUN 11:45, 3:10, 6:40, 10:15; MONTHU 6:35, 10:00

LES MISÉRABLES (PG violence, not recommended for young children) Closed Captioned FRI 3:10, 6:35, 10:05; SAT-SUN 11:45, 3:10, 6:35, 10:05; MON-THU 6:30, 10:00

LIFE OF PI 3D (PG) Closed Captioned DAILY 4:30, 7:20, 10:25

THE HOBBIT AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY 3D (PG violence, frightening scenes, not recommended for young children) High Frame Rate Ultraavx FRI-SAT 11:30, 3:10, 6:45, 10:20; SUN-THU 12:45, 4:30, 8:15

DJANGO UNCHAINED (18A gory brutal violence) FRI 3:20, 7:00, 10:40; SAT-SUN 11:40, 3:20, 7:00, 10:40; MON-THU 6:50, 10:25

SKYFALL (14A violence) Closed Caption & Descriptive Video FRI 3:30, 6:40, 9:50; SAT 12:10, 3:20, 6:30, 9:40; SUN 12:10, 3:20, 6:30, 9:50; MON-THU 6:30, 9:40

WRECK-IT RALPH (G) Closed Captioned DAILY 12:00 TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 2 (PG violence, disturbing content, not recommended for young children) Closed Captioned FRI-SAT 10:45; SUN-THU 10:40

THE HOBBIT AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY 3D (PG violence, frightening scenes, not recommended for young children) Closed Captioned FRI 3:00, 6:45, 10:35; SAT-SUN 11:25, 3:00, 6:45, 10:35; MON-THU 6:40, 10:20

LES MISÉRABLES (PG violence, not recommended for young children) Digital FRI 5:40, 9:00; SAT-SUN, TUE 2:00, 5:40, 9:00; MON, WED-THU 5:40, 9:10

THIS IS 40 (14A crude coarse language, sexual content, not recommended for young children) DAILY 6:55, 9:20

LEDUC CINEMAS

“★★★★

THE MOST MOVING AND THE BEST FILM OF 2012.”

– Roger Moore, Los Angeles Daily News

“A MARVEL OF EPIC FILMMAKING. This true story is about as visceral, immersive, and heart-tugging as a movie can be.”

4702-50 St Leduc 780.986-2728

– The Globe and Mail

ALL NEW STATE OF THE ART DIGITAL

LES MISÉRABLES (PG violence, not recommended for young children) SAT-SUN 1:30; FRI-SAT 6:40, 10:00; SUN-THU 7:30 THE HOBBIT AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY (PG violence, frightening scenes, not recommended for young children) 3D: DAILY 8:30 DJANGO UNCHAINED (18A gory brutal violence) SAT-SUN 1:15; FRI-SAT 6:45, 9:55; SUN-THU 7:15 WRECK-IT RALPH 2D (G) DAILY 6:30; SAT-SUN 1:10, 3:35 GANGSTER SQUAD (18A gory brutal violence) DAILY 7:00, 9:30; SAT-SUN 1:00, 3:30

“POWERFUL, WITH COMPELLING PERFORMANCES BY WATTS AND MCGREGOR.” – Linda Barnard, Toronto Star

“IT IS THE KIND OF ODE TO THE HUMAN SPIRIT THAT YOU HOPE COMES ALONG, and not just during the holiday season.”

– Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times

METRO CINEMA AT THE GARNEAU

“DEEPLY MOVING. A STELLAR VISUAL ACHIEVEMENT.”

Metro at the Garneau: 8712-109 St 780.425.9212

BARBARA (PG mature subject matter) Sub-titled FRI-TUE 7:00; SAT 4:00, 9:00; SUN 1:00, 7:00; MON 9:00

– Claudia Puig, USA Today

THE WAITING ROOM (14A) FRI, TUE 9:15; SAT, MON 7:00; SUN 3:15, 9:15 TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2 (18A brutal violence, gory scenes) FRI 11:00 MATILDA (PG) Reel Family Cinema kids free SAT 2:00 THE TRESPASSERS (STC) SUN 5:00

grey 50%, white backgound

INGLORIOUS BASTERDS (STC) Gateway To Cinema– Students Free WED 7:00 SALT–CHILEAN FILM FEST (STC) Sub-titled THU 7:00 TROLL 2 (STC) Turkey Shoot Comedy THU 9:30

EMPIRE THEATRES–SPRUCE GROVE 130 Century Crossing Spruce Grove 780.962.2332

THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY 3D (PG violence, frightening scenes, not recommended for young children) Reald 3d DAILY 5:30, 8:50 THIS IS 40 (14A crude coarse language, sexual content, not recommended for young children) Digital FRI 6:30, 9:20; SAT-SUN, TUE 12:50, 3:40, 6:30, 9:20; MON, WEDTHU 5:10, 8:15

THE GUILT TRIP (PG language may offend) Digital Presentation FRI 6:50, 9:10; SAT-SUN 6:40, 9:15; MON-THU 7:00

DJANGO UNCHAINED (18A gory brutal violence) Digital FRI 5:45, 9:10; SAT-SUN, TUE 1:30, 5:45, 9:10; MON, WEDTHU 5:00, 8:30

JACK REACHER (14A violence) Digital Presentation FRI 6:20, 9:15; SAT-SUN 1:05, 3:55, 6:45, 9:35; MON-THU 5:30, 8:15

PARENTAL GUIDANCE (G) Digital FRI 6:10; SAT-SUN, TUE 1:10, 3:30, 6:10; MON, WED-THU 6:00

THIS IS 40 (14A crude coarse language, sexual content, not recommended for young children) Digital Presentation

TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D (18A gory brutal violence) Reald 3d FRI-SUN, TUE 8:40; MON, WED-THU 9:00

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

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EXCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENT STARTS FRIDAY AIM_VUE_JAN10_QTR_IMPOSSIBLE Allied Integrated Marketing EDMONTON VUE

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FILM 13

ARTS

PREVUE // OPERA

Opera to have and to hold

Serbian Svadba-Wedding an unconventional take on the genre

The triple-espresso of operas // John Lauener

Sat, Jan 12 – Sun, Jan 13; Wed, Jan 16; Fri, Jan 18 – Sat, Jan 19 C103 (formerly Catalyst Theatre), $55 – $60

more like chanting than narrative, so the fact that it's in a foreign language is rarely the issue, especially given that there's English surtitles."

Svadba is a one-hour opera for six female voices, in unaccompanied, a cappella style. Sokolovic used Balkan folk stories and songs as her inspiration for the piece. "Basically what we have here is kind of a working out of Balkan

crunchy music, so pitches and rhythms are super complicated. There's a lot of Balkan dance rhythms and those are in very unorthodox meters, so it's always kind of shifting; instead of he great operas in history may a regular waltz form or march form, not have been written in Serbian, it's these disjointed rhythmic figures but this Balkan country's rich heritage that are kind of electrifying, but super of folk music lends itself peculiarly complicated. well to the operatic form. Edmonton "Not that you're going to necessarily Opera's upcomhear that when ing production of you're out there," Instead of a regular waltz form or march form, it's Svadba-Wedding he continues. "Bethese disjointed rhythmic figures that are kind of is a contemporary cause hopefully opera written by they make it all electrifying, but super complicated.

Serbian-Canadian sound completely Ana Sokolovi, on easy." a commission in The one-hour 2011 from Toronto's Queen of Pudfolk material," Hess explains. "It is the runtime is also very unusual for opera, dings Music Theatre. rite of passage of a young woman who which is known for extended produc"Some people are a little bit shocked, is going from being a single woman to tions several hours long. and say, 'Why would I want to go see being a married woman, and this is the "It's really visceral," Hess states. "We something in Serbian?' And that's a night before the wedding." give the audience this super intense very legitimate question," says John shock and then we let them go. It's Hess, artistic director of Queen of Hess notes that while Svadba could kind of like going into a café and orPuddings. "My answer to that would be described as an opera, it's very undering a triple espresso instead of a be, well [Sokolovic] wrote it in Serbian conventional—and not just because large latte. You have this intense burst because that was the language of the it's in Serbian. "We call it opera beof experience, and then that's it."

MEL PRIESTLEY source material, but in fact, so much cause they're singing the entire time," // MEL@VUEWEEKLY.COM of the opera is more ritualistic and he states. "But there's a lot of really

T

14 ARTS

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

PREVUE // WINTER FUN

PREVUE // IMPROV

Deep Freeze:

The 11 O'Clock Number!

A Byzantine Winter Festival Sat, Jan 12 (Noon – 4 pm); Sun, Jan 13 (Noon – 2 pm) 118 Ave, Free deepfreeze.artsontheave.org

W

Singing by the seat of their pants

Fri, Jan 11; Fri, Jan 25; Fri, Feb 8; Fri, Feb 22; Fri, Mar 8; Fri, Mar 22; Fri, Apr 5; Fri, Apr 19 (11 pm) Directed by Byron Martin The Varscona Theatre, $14

I

n theatre, the 11 O'Clock number is that grand song near the end of a musical that resolves the plot and leaves a tune stuck in your head as you exit. Grindstone Theatre's new musical The 11 O'Clock Number! debuts at the Varscona this weekend with an aptly energetic twist: the entire two-act show will be improvised. Local talent Byron Martin is merging his backgrounds in both improvisation and musical theatre to bring something new to Edmonton's thriving improv culture.

Director of the show and the artistic director of Grindstone Theatre, Martin's new Varscona-based company speaks to his main objective of providing educational and professional opportunities to local

actors.

"This is where my heart is," Martin says. "I want to serve the community. I'm a few years out of theatre school now and I'm noticing that the role of the producer and theatre company is so crucial in this town. There's an overflow of graduates and so few places that are hiring. I want to give these trained and talented actors the space, time and opportunity to keep learning and to share their skills with the community."

The 11 O'Clock Number! is scheduled to run every two weeks until April, with a view to perform every Friday come September. Martin ran workshops in order to select the main cast for the first season of the show, and ultimately settled on a general cast of 20 people where six actors will perform each night.

"The cast will change slightly as the season goes on," Mar-

ARTIFACTS

The VIP Kids Show / Sat, Jan 12 (11 am) The VIP Players continue bringing variety improv and puppets to children of all ages. It's an entertaining substitute to Saturday morning cartoons, with its own zany and clever characters who get up to all kinds of antics through music, comedy and art. (Varscona Theatre, $7)

tin says, "but on average, each cast member will do about three shows this season. My favourite part of these workshops has been seeing what this cast comes up with. The calibre of their work is rising so quickly."

After extensive workshopping and preparation, Martin is now eager to see how Edmonton audiences will react to his show as it begins to offer a new improvised musical each time it hits the stage.

"It's so exciting to be able to add another voice to the improv community," Martin notes. "The show is from the perspective of a musical comedy and will inevitably be silly and a lot of fun. I hope that audiences will come away from these shows feeling good, laughing and humming some of the new tunes they heard that night."

er and a thaw hut design competition in partnership with Media Art and Design Exposed in Edmonton (MADE) and ReStore.

"We have six designers, architects and builders coming in to build," says the festival's artistic producer Christy Morin.

"Fire is not allowed inside the huts, so it's finding ways to be creative and be ecofriendly."

inter isn't all frigid wind chills and a never-ending battle with the snowy driveway. The season is full of celebration, and offers its own opportunities for fun and frivolity, particularly during those oh-so-precious "warm" days.

The festival will go on snow or shine, Encouraging this celebration for the and Morin hopes the weekend's events sixth year—this time with a dose of the can continue to bring some excitement wild west as the to winter with 2013 theme— both its indoor Winter, it's who we are in is Deep Freeze: and outdoor a lot of ways in Edmonton A Byzantine activities. ... and I think we as a city Winter Festi"Winter, it's community are beginning val, situated who we are in to realize that's who we are a lot of ways along closed blocks of 118th in Edmonton and we need to embrace Ave between and festivals go what it is.

90th and 94th hard throughout Streets. Tradition meets contemporary the year, and I think we as a city commuas the Russian/Ukrainian "Olde New nity are beginning to realize that's who Year" is ushered in along with a multiwe are and we need to embrace what it tude of winter activities. is," she adds. "That doesn't mean that we The jam-packed roster includes a chisel have to love -40 C, but it means we can and chainsaw ice-carving competition, come out and enjoy it when there's time deep freezer races, ice hockey tournato come out and play."

MEAGHAN BAXTER ments, cultural dance, music, art shows, // MEAGHAN@VUEWEEKLY.COM theatre, a fireworks tribute to Don Snid-

SALIHA CHATTOO

// SALIHA@VUEWEEKLY.COM

MEAGHAN BAXTER

// MEAGHAN@VUEWEEKLY.COM

Edmonton Wowie! / Sun, Jan 13 (9 pm) Edmonton's shortest running latenight live talk show is ready to kick off the new year with a show featuring a packed roster of guests and performers. There's even talk of balloons, magic and glitter—come on, who doesn't like glitter? The first Wowie! of 2013 features interviews with Janis Galloway, fashionista and founder of the blog Dress Me Dearly; Omar Mouallem, former associate editor at Avenue Magazine and Edmonton Public Library's new writer-in-residence; the masterminds behind Thunderfist Productions as well as a look into the humorous visuals created by illustrator Jill Stanton. And that's just the interviews. Performances from comedians Drew Behm and Ben Gorodetsky and music from Smokey and Lou Wreath round out the evening's festivities.

(Wunderbar, free) V

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

ARTS 15

D I S C OV E R

E D M O N TO N O P E RA

PREVUE // CLOWNS

A Clown Double Bill Wed, Jan 16 – Sun, Jan 20 (7:30 pm; 2 pm Sunday matinee) TACOS Space, $15 – $17

C

Jacques Offenb ach

The Tales of H offmann

lowns are for grown-ups, too.

Punctuate! Theatre kicks off 2013 and marks the second production of its performance series with A Clown Double Bill, featuring Edmonton's Small Matters Productions and Calgary's PIE Factory Collective for a week-long slew of laughs and shenanigans.

"Part of our mandate at Punctuate! is to create theatre that is physically and textually rich, and we feel that clown is very physically rich," says Punctuate! artistic producer Sheiny Satanove, adding the company has its own clown production, Vice Versa, and is currently developing a new one. "The thing I love about clown is the honesty and vulnerability that they bring to the performance, but at the same time the playful energy where you can laugh and enjoy yourself."

PIE Factory brings The Lost N' Lost Department, a story of two clowns who sort through delivered heaps of misplaced stuff, until the day the pair are delivered Jamoe, in search of his friend. Small Matters' contribution, Sofa So Good, follows Sheshells and Rocket, a young couple who have made the big decision to move in together. Rocket finds a sofa for the twosome's humble abode, but it soon reveals a dark side, adding another hurdle to navigating domestic bliss.

"What we generally do is put a funhouse mirror up to adult topics, and in our case, we work a lot with relationship topics, so this particular show is really an exploration in a funhouse mirror of what it means to move in with a romantic partner for the first time," says Christine Lesiak, who

plays Sheshells and began clown performing in 2007 after a three-week intensive with renowned clown performer Jan Henderson, co-writer and director of Sofa So Good. "I think both characters have expectations as to what's going to happen, and [Sheshells] is very happy to read her magazine quietly on the couch and Rocket likes a little more action in his life. There's that tension in the relationship of who's going to get what they want at any particular time, and her journey is to learn that she has to negotiate these things. Anyone who's been in a relationship knows it involves a considerable amount of negotiation—and there's also a sofa that tries to kill them."

Sofa So Good may sound familiar to some, as it's making its second Edmonton appearance since debuting at the 2010 Fringe. Since then, it's been touring and revamping its pop culture references to bring back an evolved show to local audiences.

Lesiak adds the story is also a continuation of sorts from Small Matters' 2012 Fringe production Fools in Love.

"Most of our shows are good date shows because Rocket's character, the way Adam [Keefe] plays him, he's such a guy's guy, always doing the wrong things, and Sheshells is such a girl's girl," Lesiak continues. "So much of it is about miscommunication between the two of them, which is such a couples' thing. It's really an excellent mirror about what it's like to attempt to be in a real mature relationship with someone, but with clown, because every time they do something, they're doing it for all the right reasons—there's no malice in them."

MEAGHAN BAXTER

// MEAGHAN@VUEWEEKLY.COM

PREVUE // DANCE

ytale r i a f rk A da op! t g i b the r e d n u

FEBRUARY 2013 1 8.00 PM 3 2.00 PM 5 & 7 7.30 PM JUBILEE AUDITORIUM

UNDER 40?

Join EXPLORERS or ENCORE! to get tickets from as low as $20 plus other great perks! visit us online at edmontonopera.com/discover or call 780.392.7832 for details.

BOX OFFICE: 780.429.1000

edmontonopera.com 16 ARTS

SEASON MEDIA SPONSOR

Clara's Dream Fri, Jan 11; Sat, Jan 12 (7:30 pm) Jubilee Auditorium, $25 – $75

O

K, so most of the seasonal sugarplum fairies have already danced and departed 'till next season. The annual wave of Nutcracker productions has mostly seen its curtains rise and fall, but that little calendar quibble isn't stopping Canada's Ukrainian Shumka Dancers from getting the world premiere of Clara's Dream: A Ukrainian Folk Ballet up on its feet. It is, after all, barely past Ukrainian Christmas.

"As the resident dance company of the Jubilee Auditorium, it was important for Shumka to feel like they're part of the Christmas holiday scene—albeit yes, we are in January given that's the Julian calendar part of Christmas," producer Michael Sulyma says. "Edmonton has been known to have a large population of people who celebrate both Christmases. So we may be at the end of it, but we're still feeling like part of it."

With Clara's Dream, the acclaimed dance company is putting its own indelible cultural spin into reshaping the enduring Tchaikovsky ballet. After guesting in touring versions of The Nutcracker with the Kyiv Ballet, and seeing audience reactions to their energetic folk dance take on moments of the story, Sulyma says they decided to fully explore that stylis-

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

tic interpretation, including the incorporation of a Ukrainian Christmas carol, Shchedryk (Carol of the Bells).

"That's not to say it's up-and-down kicking throughout for two hours," he says. "Ukrainian dance does include a lot of character movement and a lot of ballidic movement. But no toe shoes, no tutus. We won't be using very many balletic moves, because we only have a few from the ballet, and we will populate the cast with all ukranian dancers."

Half of those dancers will be from Shumka; the other half are being provided by the 73-year-old Virsky company, based in in Ukraine and which Sulyma notes to be "the world's best Ukrainian dance group," performing choreography from Kyiv Ballet's Viktor Lytvynov, dancing beneath composition from the renowned Yuri Shevchenko. And, Sulyma points out, in this digital era, working with a company half a world away isn't as difficult as you'd imagine.

"There is a certain challenge when you're working with dancers and creative people half a world away," he says. "but with Skype and wonderful modes of transportation, surprisingly enough, if you're working with a group of people that are like minded with the same desire, it's easily created across the ocean."

PAUL BLINOV

// PAUL@VUEWEEKLY.COM

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

DANCE BRIAN WEBB DANCE COMPANY/MILE ZERO DANCE • Timms Centre, U of A • Featuring Tania Alvarado and Gerry Morita of Mile Zero Dance • Jan 18-19, 8pm • $35/$20 (student/senior) at TIX on the Square

CAFÉ HAVEN–Sherwood Park • 9 Sioux Rd, Sherwood Park • NVSart is featured • Sep-Jan

Focus on Fibre Arts Association of Edmonton • Until Jan 31

CENTRE D’ARTS VISUELS DE L’ALBERTA (CAVA) • 9103-95 Ave, 780.461.3427 • Artworks by members • Until Feb 26

HAPPY HARBOR COMICS V1 • 10729-104 Ave • COMIC JAM: Improv comic art making every 1st and 3rd Thu each month, 7pm • OPEN DOOR: Collective of independent comic creators meet the 2nd & 4th Thu each month, 7am • Comics Artist-in-Residence: with Kyle Sams; Every Fri 12-6pm and Sat 12-5pm; until Apr

CROOKED POT GALLERY–Stony Plain • 4912-51 Ave, Stony Plain, 780.963.9573 • Winter warming-casseroles, tea pots, mugs and more: a variety of slab, wheel thrown, decorated works selected for display by gallery members • Jan-Feb EXPRESSIONZ CAFÉ • 9938-70 Ave • Olive Tree Project, Peg Barcelo-Jackson, Ginette D'Silva, Alice Dolphin, Dara Loewen • Ongoing FAB GALLERY • Dept of Art and Design, U of A, Rm 1-1 Fine Arts Bldg, 780.492.2081 • EMErGEncE: Works by Nika Blasser, the final visual presentation for the degree of master of

HARCOURT HOUSE GALLERY • 3 Fl, 10215112 St • Main Gallery: In MatErIal: Works

by Marie de Sousa • Front Room Gallery: rootED: Works by Corey Hardeman • Until Jan 18 HARRIS-WARKE GALLERY–Red Deer • Sunworks, 4924 Ross St • harriswarkegallery. com • art oF thE PEacE: Works by Peace River Country artists • Until Feb 9 • Reception: Fri, Feb 1, 6-8pm; Red Deer’s First Friday

CITIE BALLET–PATHWAY, A DANCE

CLARA'S DREAM • Jubilee Auditorium, 11455-87 Ave • Based on Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker, featuring the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers, Virsky–the Ukrainian State Folk Dance Company, the Kyiv Ballet in celebration of the Ukrainian Christmas • Jan 11-12, 7:30pm • Tickets at TicketMaster

MARJORIE WOOD GALLERY–Red Deer • Kerry Wood Nature Centre • oUr sUrroUnDInGs: Works by Red Deer Culture Services photography students • Through Jan

NAESS GALLERY • Paint Spot, 1003281 Ave, 780.432.0240 • Works by Byron McBride • Until Feb 15 • Reception: Jan 10, 5-7pm

CINEMA AT THE CENTRE • Library Theatre, Stanley A. Milner Library basement, 7 Sir Winston Churchill Sq, 780.496.7000 • Centre for Reading and the Arts showcases littleknown films every month • The Queen Of Versailles; Jan 16, 6:30pm

NINA HAGGERTY–Stollery Gallery • 9225-118 Ave, 780.474.7611 • Works by various local artists. East, outside: silk cyclone, short film by Rob King on Jan 12, 6:15-8pm.

Artworks also at: The Carrot , 9351-118 Ave; story hoUsEs: installation by Samantha Williams-Chapelsky at Avenue Theatre, 9030-118 Ave, The Studio, 11739-94 St and an artisan arts market at the Anglican Parishes of St Faith's and St Stephen the Martyr, 11725-93 St • Jan 11-12 • Part of the Deep Freeze Festival

EPL–UP FOR DISCUSSION FILM SERIES • Stanley Milner Library Theatre (basement), 7 Sir Winston Churchill Sq, 780.496.7000 • Screening the local film Broke; the director, Rosie Dransfeld, will be available for a Q & A after the film • Jan 10, 6:30-9pm • Free FROM BOOKS TO FILM • Stanley A. Milner Library Audio Visual Rm, main fl, 7 Sir Winston Churchill Sq, 780.496.7000 • Films adapted from books every Friday afternoon at 2pm • High Noon; Jan 11, 2pm • My Darling Clementine; Jan 18, 2pm

PETER ROBERTSON GALLERY • 12304 Jasper Ave, 780.455.7479 • probertsongallery. com • Group exhibitions: Artworks by gallery artists • Until Mar 23 PROPAGANDA HAIR SALON • 10808-124 St • thE MoDEl, thE MystIc anD thE MUsclE: 11 new paintings by outro • Until Jan 12

VIDEO KITCHEN SCREENING • Metro Cinema, Garneau Theatre, 8712-109 St • Presented by Film and Video Arts Society–Alberta (FAVA): new works from the introductory digital film course, Video Kitchen • Jan 10, 7pm • Admission by donation

RED DEER COLLEGE LIBRARY • PortHole Gallery: sMall scalE work: Past Artists in Residence: Until Jan 11 • The Panels: PortraItUrE: Alberta Society of Artists; until Jan 21

GALLERIES + MUSEUMS ALBERTA CRAFT COUNCIL GALLERY • 10186-106 St, 780.488.6611 • Discovery Gallery: Earthly ElEMEnts: Charles Lewton-Brain and Les Manning in recognition of contributions and work; Jan 12-Feb 16; opening: Jan 12, 2-4pm • Feature Gallery: GolDEn EDGE: Artworks by 16 craft artists; Jan 12-Mar 30; opening: Jan 12, 2-4pm

ROYAL ALBERTA MUSEUM • 12845-102 Ave, 780.453.9100 • QUEEn ElIzaBEth II's DIaMonD JUBIlEE: until Jan 13 • rIvEr's EDGE: Until Apr 10 • InUUJaQ: Dolls of the Canadian Arctic; Until Apr 28 ST JOHN’S INSTITUTE • 11024-82 Ave • PraIrIE DrEaMscaPEs: rEIMaGInInG oUr roots: Alberta launch of art exhibit by the Alberta Council for the Ukrainian Arts • Until Jan 19

ART BEAT GALLERY • 26 St Anne St, St Albert, 780.459.3679 • New works by gallery artists including Roger Belley, Shirley Cordes-Rogozinsky, Andrew Raszewski, Bev Bunker, Randy Hayashi, Igor Postash, and Tinyan • Through Jan

BRINSMEAD KENNEDY GALLERY • 10434122 St • Naturally Abstract: artwork by David Blaine, featuring abstract images discovered in natural environments • Until Feb 28

MANDOLIN BOOKS • 6419-112 Ave • nvsart: Textured abstract art • Through Jan

MUSÉE HÉRITAGE MUSEUM–St Albert • 5 St Anne St, St Albert, 780.459.1528 • wInD work, wInD Play: wEathErvanEs anD whIrlIGIGs: Wind-powered folk art from the collection of the Canadian Museum of Civilization • Until Jan 13

BUMP 'N' GRINDHOUSE • Varscona Theatre, 10329-83 Ave, 780.446.6940 • Movies and shorts by local cult heroes • Feb 2 11pm-1am • Admission: bring a die-cast metal car, your imagination and money for beer

ART SOCIETY OF STRATHCONA COUNTY • Loft Gallery, 590 Broadmoor Blvd, Sherwood Park • Artwork by society members, and a gift shop of artist made items; open Feb-Jul

LOFT GALLERY • Ottewell Art Centre, 590 Broadmoor, Sherwood Park • Works by members of the Edmonton Art Club, juried exibition • Feb 9-24; Sat-Sun 12-4pm • Opening: Feb 9, 1-4pm

MISERICORDIA COMMUNITY HOSPITAL • Main Floor halls, 16940-87 Ave, 780.432.6678; wands@web.net • Edmonton Art Club Show and Sale • Until Jan 26

FILM

ART GALLERY OF ST ALBERT (AGSA) • 19 Perron St, St Albert, 780.460.4310 • GaME PIEcEs: Paintings by Margaret Witschl; until Feb 2 • Artventures: Drop-in children's for ages 6-12; Cool Colour Creations: Jan 19, 1-4pm; $5/child • Ageless Art: Art for mature adults: Monochromatic Still Life; Jan 17, 1-3pm; $12, pre-register

KIWANIS GALLERY–Red Deer • Red Deer Public Library • BorrowInG art: The Red Deer Public Library Art Lending Program • Until Feb 19

MCMULLEN GALLERY • U of A Hospital, 8440-112 St, 780.407.7152 • rEFUGE: PrIntED IMPrEssIons: Group exhibition of graduate Printmaking students and staff from the U of A Printmaking Department; until Jan 13 • thE sPIrIt oF aGInG: Photographs by Sharon Moore; Jan 19-Mar 24; reception: Jan 24

JOURNEY • Dow Centennial Centre, Shell Theatre, 8700-84 St, Fort Saskatchewan • Edmonton's Citie Ballet • Jan 19, 7:30pm • $27.50 (adult)/$25.50 (senior/youth) at ticketmaster.ca

ART GALLERY OF ALBERTA (AGA) • 2 Sir Winston Churchill Sq, 780.422.6223 • BEaUtIFUl MonstErs: Beasts and Fantastic Creatures in Early European Prints; until Mar 3 • EDo: arts of Japan’s last shogun Age: a wide variety of Edo period art forms with focus on prints known as ‘ukiyo-e’; until Feb 10 • PaUl FrEEMan: feature two life-size casts of stags whose antlers seem to have turned against them; until Feb 10 • Adult Drop-in: Litho: Texture: Surface Painting: Jan 10; • Shape Shift: Wood and Mixed Media Sculpture: Jan 17 • All Day Sunday: Art activities for all ages 3rd Sun every month, 12-4pm; free with admission • Art for Lunch: theatre Foyer: Casual and informative discussions about AGA exhibitions, held during the lunch hour, 3rd Thu every month

St • IMMIGrant: Paintings and installation piece by Rosemary Sloot • Mon-Fri, 8:30am4:30pm; until Jan 15

SNAP GALLERY • Society Of Northern Alberta Print-Artists, 10123-121 St, 780.423.1492 • snapartists.com • Main Gallery: BIMPE (Biennial International Miniature Print Exhibition): Prints measuring no more than 15cm x 10cm • Until Jan 31 STRATHCONA COUNTY GALLERY@501 • 501 Festival Ave, Sherwood Park, 780.410.8585 • noMaDIc BoUncE: Works

by Jason Baerg • Jan 11-Feb 24 TELUS WORLD OF SCIENCE • 11211-142 St • STAR WARS Identities: The Exhibition: explores the amazing nature of human identity through the magic of the Star Wars universe and its legendary characters; until Apr 1

fine arts in Drawing and Intermedia; until Jan 12 • strokEr: Mackenzy Albright: Final visual presentation for Master of Fine Arts in Drawing and Intermedia; until Jan 12

GALLERIE PAVA • 9524-87 St, 780.461.3427 • Artworks by Michel Allen; until Jan 16 • Retrospective of Nathalie Shewchuk-Paré's artwork; Jan 19-Mar 5; opening: Jan 19, 1-4pm GALLERY 7 • Bookstore on Perron, 7 Perron St, St. Albert, 780.459.2525 • natUrEs oBsErvancE: Graphite and pastel artworks by Carroll Charest • Until Jan 28 GALLERY AT MILNER • Stanley A. Milner Library Main Fl, Sir Winston Churchill Sq, 780.944.5383 • GALLERY: oUtEr anD InnEr lanDscaPEs: Calligraphy work by Erik Cheung; reception: Jan 10, 10am-noon • DISPLAY CASES: sPacEs anD PlacEs: Works by the

HUB ON ROSS–Red Deer • 4936 Ross St, Red Deer • 403.340.4869 • hubpdd.com • ALBERTA roots: Works by Christina Drader • Until Jan 31 JEFF ALLEN ART GALLERY (JAGG) • Strathcona Place Senior Centre, 10831 University Ave • harMony In coloUrs: Paintings by Fatima Khair • Until Jan 30 JOHNSON GALLERY • 7711-85 St, 780.465.6171 • New works by Ada Wong, Yardley Jones, George Weber, Illingworth Kerr, Alex Halliburtron and Noboru Kubo (pottery) • Through Jan JURASSIC FOREST/LEARNING CENTRE • 15 mins N of Edmonton off Hwy 28A, Township Rd 564 • Education-rich entertainment facility for all ages KING’S UNIVERSITY COLLEGE • 9125-50

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA MUSEUMS • Enterprise Sq, 10230 Jasper Ave, 780.492.5834 • PassIon ProJEct: 75 works from the U of A art collection, until Jan 26 • IMMortal BEaUty: The work of 84-yearold master calligrapher Shiko Kataoka, until Jan 26; Immortal Beauty: Curator's Talk with Jim Corrigan; Jan 18, 12:15-1pm • The Biomedicalized Body: Curator's Talk with Lianne McTavish, discussing how conceptions of the human body have changed since the Renaissance; noon-hour talk for the exhibition Perceptions of Promise: Biotechnology, society and art • Conservation: With U of A Museums conservator Carmen Li in conjunction with Passion Project; Jan 19, 2-4pm VAAA GALLERY • 3rd Fl, 10215-112 St, 780.421.1731 • UrBan anIMals: Works by Jason Carter: Paintings exploring urban vs. natural environment • Until Jan 19 VASA GALLERY • 25 Sir Winston Churchill

Ave, St. Albert, 780.460.5990 • wEt PaInt: Small artworks by VASA artists • Until Feb 2

LITERARY ARTERY • 9535 Jasper Ave, 780.441.6966 • Literary Saloon: reading series the 2nd Thu every month; Oct-May, 7pm (door) AUDREYS BOOKS • 107 St, Jasper Ave • Stroll of Poets: Poets' Haven Weekly Series; Jan 13 • Writers Guild: Why Does Poetry Matter? An Evening with author, poet Lorna Crozier; Jan 16, 7-9pm; free (member)/$5 (non-member) BLUE CHAIR CAFÉ • 9624-76 Ave, 780.989.2861 • Slam at the Chair: Story slam • 7-10pm (7pm sign-up) • $5 (donation) CARROT COMMUNITY ARTS COFFEEHOUSE • 9351-118 Ave • Prose Creative Writing Group • Every Tue, 7-9pm ENJOY CENTRE • Moonflower Rm, St Albert • The Perennial Book Club: Winter Garden Party: With a discussion via Skype with author Vanessa Diffenbaugh. In support of the Youth Emergency Shelter Society (Y.E.S.S.) • Jan 20, 1:30-4:30pm • $40 at theperennialbookclub.com , Audreys Books, Hole’s at the Enjoy Centre HAVEN SOCIAL CLUB • 15120 Stony Plain Rd, 780.915.8869 • Edmonton Story Slam: writers share their original, 5-minute stories; followed by a music jam • 3rd Wed each month, Jan 16, 7pm (sign-up); 7:30pm (show) • $5 RITCHIE COMMUNITY LEAGUE • 7727-98 St • Book signing and talk with Joel Salatin • Jan 23, 7-9pm ROUGE LOUNGE • 10111-117 St, 780.902.5900 • Poetry every Tue with Edmonton's local poets T.A.L.E.S. Tellaround • Parkallen Community Hall, 6510-111 St, 780.667.8253 • Come One– Come All...: Hear what storytelling is all about in a comfortable, casual atmosphere; share a story or just listen • 2nd Mon each month until Jun, 7-9pm • Free • Jan 14 • Bring inside shoes and your own mug UPPER CRUST CAFÉ • 10909-86 Ave, 780.422.8174 • The Poets’ Haven Weekly Reading Series: every Mon, 7pm; Presented by the Stroll of Poets Society • Jan 14 • $5 WUNDERBAR ON WHYTE • 8120-101 St, 780.436.2286 • The poets of Nothing, For Now: poetry workshop and jam every Sun • No minors

THEATRE THE 11 O’CLOCK NUMBER! • Varscona Theatre, 10329-83 Ave • Grindstone Theatre presents a two act improvised musical every other Fri, 11pm • Jan 11 BUDDY HOLLY STORY • Mayfield Dinner Theatre, 16615-109 Ave, 780.483.4051 • By Alan Janes with Jeff Giles as Buddy • Until Feb 3 CHIMPROV • Citadel Theatre, 9828-101A Ave • Rapid Fire Theatre’s longform comedy show: improv formats, intricate narratives, and oneact plays • First three Sat every month, 10pm, until Jul • $12 (door or buy in adv at TIX on the Square) DATE NIGHT FUNDRAISER • Citadel Theatre, 9828-101A Ave • An evening of improv performances and a LIVE auction where you'll have the chance to bid on hot dates with our hot players, presented by Rapid Fire Theatre • Jan 19, 7:30pm • $5 (door); proceeds to travel expenses for visiting artists during Improvaganza 2013 DIE-NASTY • Varscona Theatre, 10329-83 Ave, 780.433.3399 • die-nasty.com • The live improvised soap opera • Every Mon, until May 27, 7:30pm (subject to change) • Tickets at the box office JACK AND THE BEANSTALK • Horizon Stage, 1001 Calahoo Road, Spruce Grove, 780.962.8995 • Presented by the Missoula Children’s Theatre • Jan 19, 2pm, 7pm • $18 (adult)/$15 (student/ senior)/$5 (eyeGo) NCIS • Jubilations Dinner Theatre, 8882-170 St, WEM, 780.484.2424 • Dr Ducky and his colleague from Los Angeles, Hetty, are off to attend a conference with the Royal Canadian Navy Investigative Services, where they run into trouble.

Ducky is accused of committing murder and is given until the end of the conference to prove his innocence • Until Jan 26 THE PIANO MEN • MacLab Centre, 4308-50 St, Leduc, 780.980.1866 • Musical celebration featuring the songs of Billy Joel and Elton John, starring Jim Witter • Jan 11, 730pm • $33 (adult)/$30 (student/senior) REVIVING OPHELIA • Baily Theatre, Camrose • Based on the book reviving ophelia: saving the selves of adolescent Girls, presented by Our Lady of Mount Pleasant • Jan 16-17, 1pm, 7pm • $5 at OLMP THEATRESPORTS • Citadel Theatre, 9828-101 A Ave • Improv • Every Fri, 7:30pm and 10pm THE V.I.P. KID’S SHOW • Varscona Theatre, 10329-83 Ave, 780.433.3399 • Series for children where young and old can enjoy a Variety, Improv and Puppet show with Kate Ryan, Davina Stewart, Donovan Workun, Dana Andersen, Cathy Derkach and friends • Jan 12, 11am • $6/$60 (VIP pass)

ARTS 17

SNOW ZONE SNOW ZONE // DEEP FREEZER RACES

'Uniquely Alberta Ave.'

Year two for Cool Runnins' Deep Freezer Races winter festival Sat, Jan 12 – Sun, Jan 13 Noon – 2 pm Deep Freezer Races 118 Avenue between 92 and 93 streets

G

Snag four of your friends and race a deep freezer at the Byzantine Winter Festival this weekend. // Epic Photography

rab your friends, throw on some costumes and jump in a deep freezer this weekend for the second annual Cool Runnins' Deep Freezer Race.

That's right. It's just like it sounds.

Three people ride in a freezer bolted to a pair of skis, while two people push it along a snow-covered track.

The Deep Freeze Byzantine Winter Festival event is the brainchild of Steve Sharp, one of the festival's volunteers.

Sharp, a former newspaper reporter, says when he came up the idea last year he thought it was both a great play on words and a solid photo opportunity for media covering the festival. But, it was also more than that.

It was an opportunity for Edmontonians to feel like kids again in an event

that is "uniquely Alberta Ave." "As kids you got in cardboard boxes and had fun. So, here, you just hop in the deep freezer and go."

To make the races even more fun, Sharp threw in the idea of costumes.

For the event's inaugural year, there were only a few teams in costume. Arguably, the best was the Star Wars team led by Kristi Gurski as Princess Leia.

With Gurski were her friends dressed as Han Solo, Darth Vader, C3PO and Yoda.

"Han Solo and Darth Vader are pretty strong guys, so we went pretty fast," she says with a laugh.

"It was a blast."

Sharp says it feels a bit like riding a toboggan, just with four walls around you.

"They (the freezers) get clipping along once you're running really fast," he says.

raced the freezers, and this year, Sharp is hoping to attract even more people to the event on the soccer pitch behind the Alberta Avenue Community Centre.

To enter the race, each team member has to sign a waiver. But Sharp assures that with the weight of three people sitting inside, the freezers are sturdy and safe. "It's just a rocky ride."

The races take place between noon and 2 pm Saturday and Sunday.

And, of course, Cool Runnins' is just one of the many events taking place during the sixth annual Deep Freeze festival.

There's Ukrainian dancing, live music, fireworks, a street hockey tournament, clowns, a dance party, an ice carving competition, old time curling, skating, horse and wagon rides and much more.

To find a full schedule of events, visit deepfreeze.artsontheave.org.

Last year, more than 200 people

// NICOLE@VUEWEEKLY.COM

NICOLE VEERMAN

FALLLINES

JASPER IN JANUARY HAS ARRIVED

The last few weeks have been pretty dry on the

18 SNOW ZONE

HART GOLBECK // HART@VUEWEEKLY.COM

snow front, but thankfully Mother Nature turned the tap back on just in time for Jasper in January.

For the next two weeks, skiers, boarders and other snow enthusiasts will be heading to Jasper to hit the slopes, partake in other fun winter activities and party all night long at some of the local watering holes.

Some of this year's highlights include the strong lineup of live music at the Athabasca Hotel. Mourning Wood, Covered in Lies and Tupelo Honey will be performing over the next three weekends.

Other events include the ever popular chili cook-off, curling hot shots, comedy shows and for the first time, a rail jam up in the terrain park at Marmot Basin.

Check out www.jasper.travel for the full calendar of events.

KINKY RAILS, AVALANCHE AWARENESS DAYS AND MORE

A number of fun and exciting events are about to take place at some of our mountain ski resorts.

On Saturday, January 12, Fernie is hosting "The Kinky Rail Jam." Open to both boarders and skiers the prizes are plentiful and awesome music will most certainly be pumping.

January 19–20, Avalanche Awareness days return to many of the resorts. Look for some amazing demos and participatory events.

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

And, if you're looking for some great food, Celtic music and good times, head down to Castle Mountain for the Maritime Night on Saturday, January 26. Celtic entertainers St James Gate will be on hand performing into the wee hours.

For this one you better phone down early and reserve your tickets before they're gone.

Finally, if you have some cool green and gold outfits, get them on and head to Sunshine Village on Saturday, January 26 for their annual Australia Days. There's no mention of kangaroo boxing, but there will be snow rugby, a thong toss and a lot of Australian beer. I suggest you stay on the hill or grab the Banff shuttle for your transportation needs that night. V

SNOW ZONE // INTERNATIONAL SNOW BATTLE

Fondling balls in Japan

IF YOU

Edmonton snow-battle team raising funds to represent Canada

LOVE JASPER...

MAKE ROOM IN YOUR HEART

FOR LAKE LOUISE TOO!

JASPER

MOUNTAINEERLODGE.COM

Sat, Jan 12 (7 pm) Canadian Snowbattlers silent auction Average Joes (390 Baseline Rd, Sherwood Park)

T

he nation's Yukigassen champions—a group of Edmontonians by the name of the Ball Fondlers— are saving their money, and hopefully some of yours, to represent Canada at the 25th World Championships in Japan next month.

Yukigassen, which translates to snow battle, is like a cross between dodgeball—using snowballs—and capture the flag.

Two teams of seven, all geared-up in CSA-approved hockey helmets face-off on a 40-metre-long court and attempt to either capture the opposing team’s flag or eliminate their team members by hitting them with snowballs.

The 2012 Canadian championships in Jasper attracted 15 teams from Alberta and British Columbia at the end of November and ultimately ended with the Ball Fondlers on top, qualifying the team for the world championships at the end of February.

"We are pumped that we won the Yukigassen Nationals in Jasper," says team captain Matt Smith. "Now our sights are set on representing Canada in Japan."

Yukigassen was created in Japan during the late '80s, and is now so popular that tournaments can attract up to 28 000 spectators.

The Showa-Shinzan International Yukigassen championships will be held at the foot of Mt ShowaShinzan on February 23 and 24.

If the Ball Fondlers—now called the Canadian Snowbattlers—can raise the funds to travel to Japan, they will be the first Canadian team to compete on the world stage.

To help make that dream a reality, the team—made up of Smith, Terry Chatwin, Kyle Kingshott, Jeremy Goebel, Riley Paysen, Curtis Henderson, Colin Macphail, Ky MacMaster and Steve Stakiw—is holding a silent auction Saturday night at Average Joes in Sherwood Park.

Some items up for auction include

ALBERTA

MOUNTROBSONINN.COM

drumsticks signed by Nickelback's Chad Kroeger and a guitar signed by the members of Edmonton's Ten Second Epic.

"There will be lots of items to bid on, so bring your wallets," says Smith.

NICOLE VEERMAN

// NICOLE@VUEWEEKLY.COM

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VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

12-12-27 5:52 AM

SNOW ZONE 19

20 SNOW ZONE

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

ARTS 21

20 SNOW ZONE

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

ARTS 21

DISH

Fine dining

Find a restaurant

ONLINE AT DISHWEEKLY.CA

PROFILE // NEW ADDITION

Red Ox Inn owners expand

goes casual

with new restaurant

Canteen 10522 - 124 St 780.485.6125 canteenyeg.ca

R

ed Ox Inn has a new little sister.

Well, little is a relative term.

Canteen, the latest venture for restaurateurs Andrea and Frank Olson— owners of Red Ox Inn—dwarfs its 12-table older sibling with 50 seats and long, inviting bar.

The chic, inviting space—designed in a palette of greys, blacks and woodtopped tables, accenting trendy, ambient light fixtures—is a casual, laid back version of Red Ox's signature fine-dining atmosphere.

"Frank and I have been thinking about it for a long time. Timing was everything with the Red Ox and our family and everything else," Andrea explains of getting the new establishment up and running. "We've probably

been thinking of doing this for five years, a casual version of ourselves.

Every year, at least, we do a food trip, gathering ideas and basically we wanted to build the room we want to sit in and serve food we want to eat."

Since opening on December 15, the Olsons have been fully dedicated to Canteen, leaving Red Ox in the hands of chef Sean O'Connor, who Frank mentored for a year to get him adequately prepared for the role. Andrea says she feels the restaurant is in good hands for the time being, and the pair will be splitting their time between the two in a matter of weeks.

"I miss my first love, the Red Ox. This has been so fun, but I'm looking forward to spending time at the Red Ox, too," she says of the restaurant she's spent 16 years working at.

The adjustment to the larger space has been a noticeable one, as Andrea jokes that in the Red Ox, everything is literally six steps away, whereas Canteen's size has taken some getting used to.

"I really still see it as quite an intimate space," she adds. "I felt at home from the beginning before the build even started. There was something about this space. I don't know what it is. It's not like we have amazing windows or high ceilings; there's just a feel about this space. When Frank and I walked into this cement hallway and that's all it was, we both felt at home."

However, don't think for a second that Canteen's casual setting is synonymous with food that's any less decadent and inventive than its elder predecessor. The menu includes lunch, dinner and weekend brunch and is bursting at the seams with inhouse created dishes.

"The preparation and presentation of the food at the Red Ox is pretty intense, so this is a little more freeflow," Andrea says. "There isn't a huge

22 DISH

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

hierarchy in our kitchen. We've got such depth in the kitchen that any one of those guys could take over. It's a real collaborative effort."

This collaboration has produced lunch mains such as the open-face short rib sandwich on applewood cheddar toast with mushrooms and rosemary Pecorino fries; almost crusted Arctic char with pork belly, carrot orange buttersauce, green beans and grilled escarole; as well as butternut squash ravioli with sage brown butter crisp Brussels sprouts and duck confit baton. For dinner, diners can opt for a full main course or build their own dinner with numerous sharing items, such as bacon-wrapped Chorizostuffed dates with red pepper sauce, ricotta fritters with smoky maple syrup or chickpea fries with romesco.

"We thought a lot about sharing.

In fact, we set our tables with sharing plates in the evenings ... we really like that way of eating," Andrea says. "We like to taste many things and share food with who you're dining with, so it was about sharing and it was about tasting and going over the menu and being able to build, if you're really hungry, a huge meal, and if not, pick away."

Brunch offers a twist on some classics with a Saskatoon pop tart with lemon cream, apple mascarponestuffed French toast with spiced walnuts, apple cider syrup, berries and sugar bacon; as well as a breakfast sandwich with bacon, arugula, tomato, Guasacaca sauce, fried egg and hash browns.

"We try to put a lot of effort into what we do and make sure everything's done really nicely, even if it's really simple," says Chris Tom-Kee, one of Canteen's chefs. "There's a certain finesse you have to put into it."

MEAGHAN BAXTER

// MEAGHAN@VUEWEEKLY.COM

WINE

Sorting through the necessities A rundown of useful and not-so-useful wine gadgets Many of you will have received various wine-related gadgets over the holidays; once people know you like wine, the junk starts pouring in. I'm a wine minimalist: I believe all you really need is a good quality wine glass and a decent corkscrew (and with the ever-increasing presence of screwcaps, even this often isn't necessary). Wine gadgets vary widely in their usefulness, so read on to discover if you should keep or return your gadgetry gifts.

Decanters Aside from looking pretty, decanters serve a valid purpose: they allow the wine to "breathe," exposing it to oxygen in order to release its aromas and flavours, as well as mellowing out the tannins in red wine. However, not all wines need to be decanted; only tannic red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux, and Barolo really benefit from decanting, as well as older wines in which sediment has formed—decanting allows you to remove the sediment so you don't end up with a mouthful of grit.

Aerators Though they have recently exploded in popularity, wine aera-

tors are worse than useless. They out of cheap metal that shreds the range from cheap and simple to cork and drops cork bits into the outrageously expensive and ornate, wine. I much prefer a good-quality but all claim to enhance the wine's waiter's corkscrew, which are sleek flavour through the introand efficient, though they do duction of oxygen, thus require a bit of practice to VIDI VENI, releasing the aromas master. The most expensive and mellowing out the corkscrews are lever-style .com weekly tannins. But wait, isn't and these are probably the e u v mel@ l that precisely what demost foolproof type to use, e M y though they are rather bulky e l t canters do? Yep, you can s e i Pr achieve exactly the same and not practical for travel. thing by decanting your wine—or even just swirling it around in your Bottle Toppers glass. Furthermore, aerators often If the topper is hinged, meaning work too well: they force the wine that you flip the top part over and through an unnaturally rapid aging press down to form an air-tight process, making it taste like daysseal on the bottle, it's useful for old wine instead of a fresh bottle. sealing partially-finished bottles. If Some even claim to age wine sevit's basically just a decorative cork, eral years in just a few seconds, and it serves no other purpose than its because the vast majority of everyquestionable aesthetic value. day wines under $20 should be consumed within a year or two of beWine Glass Charms ing bottled, aerating a cheap bottle Although charms may makes it taste flat and lifeless. seem like useless, cutesypie items for people who like to over-accessorize, Corkscrews A good corkscrew is a necessity you need only host a gathering of that will save you a lot of time and wine drinkers to quickly discover effort. The classic winged corktheir value. Unless you don't care screw is one of the worst, second about swapping glasses (and the only to the basic twist-and-pull. latest cold virus) with your guests, Both of these are usually made wine charms are extremely use-

VINO

ful in identifying everyone's drink.

Of course, you could mark glasses with a lot of other stuff—tape, twist ties, lipstick—but if you happened to receive some wine glass charms for Christmas, don't toss them away even if they look tacky; they're bound to come in handy at some point. V

Rethink this guy!

Tickets available at Vines Wine Merchants 434-9444

Choice of four master classes at $25 each.

For further details please call Vines, 434 9444.

Open at 8am every Saturday.

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

DISH 23

VUE WEEKLY’S - GAMES WE PLAY - WALL CHART Toon Win, Lose or Draw Pictionary FEELING Cranium ARTISTIC?

Quelf

LARPing

FEEL LIKE

FEELING

SINGING?

Pillow Fight!

Bang!

Balderdash Apples to Apples

Pit

(Arts/Film editor Paul Blinov's game of choice)

PARTY!

SLEEPOVER!

ADULT ONLY

The Blame Game Naked ...

Guess Who?

Cadoo

Grape Escape

THE

Risk

Bridge Cribbage

Carcassonne Scrabble

TILE/CARD

(Staff Writer Meaghan Baxter’s game of choice)

SENIOR’S

MENU

Magic: The Gathering

Rummoli Boggle

Checkers

Candy Land Don’t Wake Daddy

Kerplunk

Memory

Merlin BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED

Genius

Bop It Sorry

Go

Uno

Operation Clue (1965)

(Almost as (1971) old as dirt)

(1934)

Game of Life

(1949) (Listings Person Heather Skinner’s game of choice)

(1860)

Trouble

THE

(1965)

Backgammon

CLASSICS

(3000 BC)

Crokinole (Late 1800s)

Yahtzee

Trivial Pursuit Chess

Ouija (1890)

Parcheesi

(1892)

Master Mind

You know that friend that shoots down all

your ideas? "Want to go for a hike, Mitt?"

"Nope. Too cold." "Want to go see a movie, Mitt?" "Yeah, right. It's not cheap Tuesday." "Want to get some Thai food, Mitt?" "Nah. Too spicy."

Well, we've come up with a list of games for any mood or situation you might find yourself in, and even Mitt would be impressed since you won’t be going outdoors or spending money. Although, depending on what you choose, some of these games could get a little spi-say!

24 GREAT INDOORS

THE SHIT OUT OF YOU!

Perfection

Ants in The Pants Grape Escape Monster Mash

(Sales Associate Bridget Grady’s game of choice)

Hungry Hungry Hippos (Production Person Shawna Iwaniuk’s game of choice)

52 Pickup

Mahjong

Atmosfear Arkham Horror Nightmare

(Publisher Rob Lightfoot’s game of choice)

(Traditionally 4 players)

Solitaire

(Managing Editor Eden Munro’s game of choice) (Hey, at least it passes the time)

Family Feud

The Price Is Right

Game of Thrones Grizzly Adams: Doctor Who Wait! Are you sure Save the Animals want to play that?

Junior Mancala It’syou Adventure Game kind of a boring game.

Music (Older than dirt) Beagle-opoly Harry Potter Hollywood Sports Cocktail-opoly Squares Horse-opoly SCENE The Six Million Squabble WHAT Brew-opoly Dollar Man IT Seinfeld ABOUT Beatles-opoly James Bond Battlestar Galactica Hello Kitty-opoly THEMED? House Friends Futurama-opoly Spiderman-opoly Star Trek Every TV show / movie ever made The Three Stooges-opoly seems to have a board game.

Metallica-opoly Most suck!

Dinosaur-opoly The Godfather-opoly Monopoly is the best game ever World of Warcraft-opoly Fine! Play Monopoly when you are playing

Tiddly Winks

BRAINIAC

SCARE

(1867)

Chinese Checkers

(1956)

SINGLE PLAYER

Chutes/ Snakes and Ladders Rock’em Sock’em Robots

KID’S MENU

Connect Four

Simon

Battleship

OCEAN

(Production Manager Mike Siek and Distribution Manager Mike Garth’s game of choice)

(Snow Zone Editor Nicole Veerman’s game of choice)

13 Dead End Drive

Power Grid

THE WORLD

Bananagrams

FLIPPING

Mouse Trap

SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED

THE MOON

Words With Friends Dominoes

Strip ...

Ticket to Ride

AMERICA’S ENERGY SYSTEM

Axis & Allies

(There's a board game version now. Yeah, we know.)

Puerto Rico

Diplomacy

CONQUER ...

EUROPE

Risk 2210

(Production Person Charlie Biddiscombe’s game of choice)

(Sales Associate James Jarvis’s game of choice)

Scattergories

Scruples Murder Mystery

Flippy Cup

Settlers of Catan

UNEASY ALLIANCE

Stratego

Dutch Blitz Killer Bunnies

Quarters

SERIOUS STRATEGY

Catch Phrase

DRINKIN’

Beersbie

Jenga

Zombies!!!

Pente

Twister

Beer Pong

Pandemic Taboo

game of choice)

(Office Manager Andy Cookson’s game of choice)

I Never...

TEAM WORK

Dream Phone Heartthrob (News editor Rebecca Medel's Girl Talk

ACTIVE?

Cards Against Humanity

Spoons

Panic Station

Boot Hill

Songburst

Poker

Star Wars RPG

game type)

(Listings Editor Glenys Switzer’s game of choice)

Glee

Star Trek RPG Gamma World

ROLE PLAYING (not the video

Descent

Guesstures

ACTING?

Spin the Bottle

Werewolf

Charades

FEEL LIKE

Humm Bug

Dungeons & Dragons

Tales of the Arabian Nights

(1901)

Monopoly (1934)

TV/ MOVIES

Did you have fun?

Didn't think so.

OK...ONE EXCEPTION!

with our founding Editor / Publisher Ron Garth

(and it is his game of choice)

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

GREAT INDOORS 25

GREAT INDOORS // GAME CLUB

The Alberta Legislature O P E N

F O R YO U

TO

D I S C OV E R

• Free guided tours 362 days a year!

• Skating on south grounds • Visit the Legislative Assembly Gift Shop for an eclectic collection of works by Alberta artisans.

VISITOR SERVICES

10820-98 Avenue, Edmonton, AB visitorinfo@assembly.ab.ca

780.427.7362 www.assembly.ab.ca

26 GREAT INDOORS

For the love of games Taking board games to a new level

L

uck has nothing to do with it.

At the age of 20, Catrin Berghoff built her first tiny Spanish village. Through Alhambra, a Euro-style strategic board game, Berghoff could build a Spanish village, centered around a palace, by buying and trading cards with her fellow players.

"I think I connected it with home and Germany," says Berghoff, who played board games with her sister back home in Germany. An avid board-game player, Berghoff decided the playing of games needed a permanent home.

"The goal was to play games without having to do all the work," Berghoff says. And with that simple mandate Berghoff, her partner Steve Smith and several students decided POGOB: Players of Games on Boards, would become a regular Sunday occurrence in the Students' Union Building on the University of Alberta campus. That was seven years ago in 2006. Today, the group has over 120 members and is organizing its first board game conference for this spring.

Board games come in many varieties, from the primarily luck-based childhood games like CandyLand to the hours, sometimes days-long, warbased games, like Risk, involving extensive set-ups. And while all games involve some elements of luck, the group that came together in 2006 decided its focus would be on the strategic games for adults that have developed and gained in popularity over the last 30 years.

Strategic Eurogames like Carcassonne and Settlers of Catan were developed in Germany in the '70s and '80s. Settlers would be the first to gain major popularity to a North American audience. First published in 1995, the game quickly outsold other Eurostyle games and has become the most popular strategy-based board game in North America, selling 15 million copies by 2009.

And so for POGOB, Settlers is where things started as well.

"In the beginning we were sort of scared we would be overrun by the story-based RPG games," Berghoff says. "They were just better organized."

With its long narratives and character-based play, role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons were not what the club was looking for.

Theme-based Eurogames allow players to engage in a full game for a couple of hours.

"You concentrate on a simple, clear task, and it requires a fair bit of brain power," Berghoff says. "It's an escape."

Having lived in several different cities, Berghoff says the strategic games are a good way to interact and meet new people, but with little social pressure.

"It is a highly social activity, but it's also regulated," Berghoff adds. "You don't always have to be talking. You can ponder things and be silent."

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

And with the Euro-style games, players are rarely eliminated from the play. Balancing mechanisms, such as scoring at the end of the game, are often built in to the games to keep things competitive until the end.

That balance, and the structure of the group, lends to the pressure-free environment that has allowed the group to continue for seven years.

But now, it seems Berghoff is ready to take the group to another level. This March POGOB will host the first—at least, that Berghoff knows of—board game conference in Edmonton.

"There's a strong gaming community here," says Berghoff, pointing out POGOB isn't even the biggest gaming club on Meetup.com. "We figured that it would sustain a conference."

Based around Calgary's FallCon, which Berghoff and Smith have attended every year they've lived in Edmonton, the conference will focus on the basics: people playing games on boards.

"The one in Calgary, it's not a commercial conference. It's just a giant room and a bunch of nerds playing games all weekend," Berghoff notes.

Berghoff says she's done her research on hosting a board game conference, looking to FallCon for advice and to St Albert's Mission: Fun and Games store. But the conference, called GOBFest, won't focus on merchants or selling of games, just the playing and the discussing of strategy, chance, design, and, as the website states, "a day where nobody yells 'Oh, like Monopoly!' when you say 'I like to play board games.'"

Berghoff is organizing a forum for game designers, most of them local, and she's hopeful the conference will be an opportunity to discuss the finer points of gaming, but she's also adamant the conference, like POGOB, will remain open to the newbies.

"I'd say 80 percent of the time POGOB has players who have never played a certain game before, so we always explain the game first," she adds.

Calgary's FallCon attracts over 400 people, but Berghoff would be happy to fill the hall with over 100 for the first conference. And although people will be playing competitively, it's also an opportunity—just like every Sunday is—to switch off the daily worries and join together with friends to concentrate on the construction of your own Spanish village.

SAMANTHA POWER

// SAMANTHA@VUEWEEKLY.COM

Gobfest

Sat, Mar 30 Parkview Community Hall, $15 Gobfest.ca

POGOB meetup

Sundays (2 pm) Students' Union Building, free meetup.com/POGOBEdmonton/

KNOW YOUR GAMES Eurogames Developed in Germany, Eurogames started in the '60s with a game called Acquire, which focused on the acquisition of hotel chains. The primary feature of the games is the focus on strategy rather than luck. Themes are focused on economics or the building of cities and villages, and are often historical.

Eurogames are developed for two to six players and are open to new players. Games are developed to be understood and played in a couple of hours, making them ideal for social gatherings.

The mechanics of the games often involve dice throwing and cards, but use balancing mechanisms to ensure competitiveness throughout the game, and players are rarely eliminated before game play ends.

Popular examples: Carcassonne, Settlers of Catan, Puerto Rico.

Abstract strategy games Do not rely on a theme, but focus on strategy. Most are two player games, or teams taking alternating turns.

A strict definition of abstract games eliminates the use of random or hidden information, but many games falling under this category do promote random starting positions of players.

Popular examples: Chess, Go, Shogi.

Wargames Centered around a historical war subject such as the Second World War, the Cold War or specific battles such as the Battle of Gettysburg, wargames are often complex situational strategic games.

Tactics, created by Avalon Hill in 1954, popularized the wargame genre. Wargames peaked in popularity in the '70s.

Wargames traditionally come in three styles. Hex and counter games set up a hexagonal structure on map where players conduct and counter attacks. Block wargames are defined by the use of wooden tiles, which hide the strength values until combat occurs. Card-driven wargames are driven by a deck of cards which determine player action.

Popular examples: Axis and Allies, Tactics, Gettysburg.

Role-playing games Players assume the role of a character which operates in a theme-based narrative. Decisions by characters are often structured and involve a formal system of rules.

The emphasis is on character development.

Games are often conducted as a radio drama, with a narrator who focuses the games and ensures rules are followed.

Role-playing games with a fantasy element became popular in the '70s, with Dungeons and Dragons becoming the first commercially available game in 1974.

Popular examples: Dungeons and Dragons, Warhammer, Traveller.

SAMANTHA POWER

// SAMANTHA@VUEWEEKLY.COM

12 STEPS

GREAT INDOORS // THE BUSINESS OF BOARD

The industry of playtime Marketing board games for generations

T

he shiny plastic has been ripped away and the pristine contents of a brand new board game are scattered before you, with hours of intrigue and excitement itching to be had. The rules and design have been meticulously developed to ensure that you, the game player, have the best experience possible.

Before the game reached your eager hands so that you can master it enough to wallop any opponent who dares to challenge you, tireless hours were invested to make a concept a reality, and a whole lot of marketing is required to make sure you hear about it.

The board-game industry is a competitive one, with scads of games being developed each year, but only a handful are published or achieve any level of success.

"There's people introducing and experimenting with games all the time, and maybe about every eight or 10 years one sort of takes off," says Adam Finn, Banister Professor of Marketing at the University of Alberta, citing Trivial Pursuit as an example of such a game. "It took the idea of general knowledge and turned it into a board game, and it proliferated in a similar way from just general knowledge at that level to specialized versions of the game for people who were interested in music, or people who were interested in popular culture rather than science or other areas of knowledge."

Local board-game designer Robert Bartel designs video games for BioWare as well as board games for his own Famous Games Company, which he launched in 2012. He says that the first step in marketing a game is to determine who his target audience is.

"If you're marketing to core board-game enthusiasts, then you really need to focus on providing innovative and compelling gameplay and high-quality components," says Bartel, who began tinkering with board game design as a hobby during his childhood. "If your market is a more casual gamer, you need to ensure you have easy-to-understand rules, a catchy and preferably visual gameplay idea and a price point of $20 or less."

Fellow local board game designer Roberta Taylor, best known for her titles Octopus' Garden and Sherwood Showdown, acknowledges that recognizing her target market is crucial, but also recognizing if her game concept is the right fit for a particular publisher.

"I would look at what they've already done, is this something that would fit in their catalogue, is this an age range they would tend to target?

Personally, I always look to Canadian publishers and see if they would be a good fit first, and then go from there," notes Taylor, who got her start in the board-game industry after stumbling across a design competition online.

With the evolution and takeover of social media, Bartel and Taylor note that reaching a larger audience has become easier than ever, and Bartel says online reactions can often make or break a company, and word of mouth—both positive and negative—travels surprisingly far.

"One of the more recent changes I've seen, however, has been the growing role of video," Bartel says, adding that his publisher has prepared a video on YouTube to introduce his game Two by Two to retailers, as well as the success of marketing board-game projects through the Kickstarter crowdfunding site.

"Designers and publishers are not only raising the money required to bring their games to market, but they're also using the site to form direct relationships with a passionate fanbase and generating all-important buzz about their products."

"It's much easier for grassroots companies, self-publishers and little indie groups to really be very effective, and the publishers that we're seeing just knocking it out of the park are the ones that are really connecting with the gamers, so they're using social media, they're using the Board Game Geek, often they're using Kickstarter ... then you've got investment up front as far as people who are excited about the game and you don't have to source the money out of pocket as much," Taylor adds.

With interest in board games still going strong—Finn notes that in recent years board games were the only sector of the hobby and toy industry that did not witness a decline in sales—why is it that some, such as Monopoly or Trivial Pursuit, have managed to stick around for decades? Not to mention that casual consumers and game fanatics alike have acquired collections of numerous versions of these titles, despite each being essentially the same game.

"I think Monopoly, for example, has got some elements that people like: it's competitive, it tells you something about the way the economy works ... the idea that you've got to invest by buying assets and that those assets can produce revenues. Some people make a lot of money and some people go out of business, so it tells them something about the way our society works ... a lot of it is luck, but there's some strategy involved," Finn explains, adding Risk has a similar real-life element that attracts consumers, and that creating numerous versions is a way for a company to expand its market and profit, considering that a board game tends to be a one-time sale for a family. "What companies have realized over the years is that they can get people to buy more copies of the same thing if they introduce some element of novelty that makes it more interesting."

Along with the element of novelty, Taylor believes board games also offer a level of nostalgia that crosses over generations. Parents are likely to buy or introduce their children to games they played growing up because it's something familiar and they often attribute positive memories to particular game titles.

"I think a game like Trivial Pursuit, it was popular because it was social, people could sit around and it was sort of the first of its type, so it has that combination of having hit the sweet spot and now it's very nostalgic," she adds.

Although, as Bartel notes, repeatedly buying a familiar game also comes with a sense of comfort. It's familiar, which means it'll be easy to teach someone else.

"Learning a new game from the rule book is often a daunting process," he acknowledges, adding that buying a game that comes with a novelty, plus familiarity, is something people lean to as a simple solution when choosing a gift for someone as well. "Sadly, this sort of knee-jerk purchase behaviour is what often leads these sorts of games to accumulate, unopened and unplayed, in the back of people's closets."

OF GAME CREATION Local board-game designer Rob Bartel breaks down the process of taking a board game from an idea to reality.

The idea's the easy part.

Over time, you're going to want to shift over to digital art to make it easier to keep track of all your changes and reduce the burden of updating the prototype. You still don't want to make it pretty yet; keep it functional and easy to update.

Once the components begin to stabilize and the game starts to feel fun, it's time to write the first draft of the rulebook—most designers find this to be the hardest part of the process. Like the components, this rulebook is going to evolve, so don't worry about images and layout.

Once complete strangers can consistently play the game correctly without your involvement, it's time to make a final editing pass of the rulebook and prototype to make sure everything's ready for a publisher's eyes. You'll also want to create a onepage sell sheet providing an overview of your game and what makes it special Leave lots of space for images of the game in play.

Once a publisher requests a prototype, most will require about three months to review the game and make a decision.

During that time, it's best to give them exclusive access to the prototype and not shop it around to other publishers.

If the publisher likes it and it fits with their product line, you'll negotiate and sign a publishing contract with them. Designers are typically paid a royalty based on sales of the game.

Once all the art is complete, the game gets sent off to a manufacturer. After a few initial test prints, they'll do the full print run, generally of 2000 – 10 000 units, depending on the style of game.

MEAGHAN BAXTER

Once you have an idea, you need to create an initial prototype. You don't want to waste time making it pretty at this point because, no matter how cool the idea may seem, it's going to be horribly broken and flawed at this point. You just need the barest components to play: pieces scavenged from other games, pencil scribblings to serve as a game board, index cards to serve as playing cards, etc. As you test the game with your close friends, these components will change frequently and drastically, often in the middle of a testing session.

Once you have a rulebook in place, it's time to start testing the game with a broader circle of people. Eventually, you'll want to be able to hand the prototype and rulebook to a complete stranger and watch silently while they blunder their way through the game, mistakes and all. Take note of everything they struggle with and get wrong, then go home and edit the rulebook to make those aspects clearer. This is an extremely humbling part of the process and it's important to remember that it's not their mistake, it's yours.

By this time, you'll hopefully have made a shortlist of publishers with whom your game might be a good fit — their existing games reach a similar target audience, have a similar duration and player count, have a similar level of complexity and so forth. You don't want to overlap entirely with a game already in their collection, but you want to be in the right ballpark. Check out their website, find their email address, send them the sell sheet and ask their permission to submit your prototype to them.

(If their website contains an explanation of their submission policy, make sure you follow it.)

Once the contract is signed, the publisher will hire a professional artist and/or a graphic designer to give the game, components and rulebook their final look and feel. For marketing reasons, the publisher may need to re-theme the game or change its title, which is why it's important not to put a lot of your own money or effort into the visual aspects of your prototype.

The finished game, which is often manufactured in Europe or Asia, is boxed and shipped to a central wholesaler who then warehouses it on behalf of the publisher and begins shipping it out to distributors and retailers where customers can finally purchase and enjoy the finished product.

// MEAGHAN@VUEWEEKLY.COM

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

GREAT INDOORS 27

MUSIC

PREVUE // ROCK

And in this corner ...

Title Fight opens up and comes out swinging on Floral Green

Ready to rumble

Mon, Jan 14 (7 pm) Title Fight With Living with Lions Avenue Theatre, $17.50

F

ive years together and countless miles on the odometer have taught the punk rockers in Title Fight a thing or two about the ins and outs of touring, and the four-piece is packing up the van once again to continue promoting its album Floral Green—an onward-and-upward continuation of unabashed energy and account of human complexity.

"It's kind of easy at this point. You get in a van and you get your sleep schedule all messed up and you just drive all day and you show up and

play and you just need enough energy to get through the day and be awake while you drive," says bassist and vocalist Ned Russin, a mere half hour into his Friday. "We've learned, as far as touring goes, I guess, people's roles. I drive a lot, and I like that responsibility. We've kind of learned what everybody is good at as far as what we have to do in the band, whether it's waking up on time—which none of us are really good at—driving or carrying stuff, or being in charge of contacting people. More importantly, we've grown closer and learned more about each other."

A new element for the band to navigate during its recording pro-

cess for Floral Green was working under a deadline. Instead of having endless amounts of time to rewrite, refine and reinvent ideas before heading into the recording studio, Floral Green was done in reverse.

The band had five months to get the songs in top shape, plus a onemonth tour thrown into the mix, just to make things interesting.

"I don't know if I would say it was more stressful or what, but I think when we were writing it was more productive, honestly, because before we would just write and if we got a part we got a part, and if not, we would keep trying," Russin adds.

"This time, we knew we had to get something or we wouldn't have a

record out on time, so we were just very adamant about practising every day and trying to write stuff as quick as we could, but not settling for just writing anything."

The result of the cultural shift was Mi Plan, which earned Furtado a Latin Grammy Award, an achievement she's deemed as a career highlight. The album, released on Furtado's Nelstar label, was co-written with the help of fellow Canadian musician Alex Cuba, who Furtado credits for helping her create a more poetic esthetic in her music.

"My command of Spanish is not perfect and I wanted the album to be real. I wanted to really fit into that community of Latin pop and I had a lot of collaborations artistically with featured vocalists and stuff like that, so I was really lucky," she continues. "I kind of had to dissect my songwriting style; it made my English writing stronger. I feel like the lyrics on my new English album are stronger than lyrics that I've written in the past. The songs are a little more cohesive, the themes are

a little more direct and they're less abstract."

Writing quickly is no easy feat for Title Fight, since as Russin puts it, the band can be pretty nit-picky, working on a song until all four members are satisfied with the end result. They were on the same page going into producing Floral Green, wanting to step outside their comfort zone and make that evident to listeners, rather than giving them a carbon copy of what they'd been used to hearing. The end result— which draws inspiration from the likes of Jawbreaker, Sonic Youth and Dino-

saur Jr—is a raw, honest, in-your-face testament of a band that's continuing its evolution, though Russin admits that being so uncensored in his lyrics still isn't an easy feat.

"It's still pretty awkward. I've been trying to work on being open with my feelings just with my friends over the last year or so, I'd say, and even before, I was trying that with the people around me. I was putting myself out there to anybody who could listen to us," he adds. "It's good in a way to get something off your chest ... it's weird, but at the same time, it's important to me to really strive to honesty and not to sugarcoat."

MEAGHAN BAXTER

// MEAGHAN@VUEWEEKLY.COM

PREVUE // POP

Nelly Furtado Tue, Jan 15 (7:30 pm) With Dylan Murray, Jessica Tyler Jubilee Auditorium, $35 – $100

A whole new Nelly

28 MUSIC

T

hink of Nelly Furtado's latest album, The Spirit Indestructible, as a friendly punch in the face.

At least that's how the Canadian songstress describes the sensitive yet strong recording—her first in English since the staggering commercial success of her 2006 release Loose.

"After Loose I accomplished a lot of dreams for myself within the pop realm," Furtado explains over the phone during a break in tour rehearsals, sounding energetic despite the hectic schedule. "I was kind of ready for something new and I didn't really have anything left to say in English, so I started writing in Spanish."

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

This new approach helped Furtado craft English songs she was excited about, and she says The Spirit Indestructible is something of a big hallelujah; a big exhale and a lot of adrenaline evoked from singing in English and loving it again. After the two-year roller coaster brought on

by Loose, she didn't feel pressure to recreate that same degree of success, acknowledging that lightning rarely strikes twice.

"By the time I got down to writing this album, I think my indie spirt came back into play," she says, noting she wrote approximately 40 songs for The Spirit Indestructible before axing the list down to 12—a decision she compares to a parent choosing a favourite child. "I think this album features a different side of me: I would say Whoa

Nelly's like my brain, Folklore's like my heart, Loose is like my body, Mi Plan is like a romantic sort of segue and then this new one is like my spirit ... It has sort of a spiritual tone and I tried to stick with that vibe."

So what's the next form of evolution for Furtado? Your guess is as good as hers. While Furtado has carved out her career in the pop arena, she isn't about to be pigeon-holed, stating her next musical exploration could be anything from Latin jazz to Brazilian pop or even Portuguese folk.

"I'm interested in being a mature artist," she says matter-of-factly. "I think I've made such youthful music for such a long time I'm kind of getting bored of that; I'm getting bored of that sort of mainstream, poppy, peppy music and I think I want to move into more stylistic fluidity."

MEAGHAN BAXTER

// MEAGHAN@VUEWEEKLY.COM

PREVUE // FOLK ROCK

The Whytes

Sat, Jan 12 (8 pm) With Tallest to Shortest, Daniel & the Impending Doom, Jake Ian & the Haymakers Pawn Shop, $10

C

ontinuing the wave of the folkrock revival that appears to be steadily gaining popularity is local five-piece the Whytes—armed with its own blend of folk-blues fusion reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac and Mumford and Sons.

"I guess maybe it's just the natural progression of humans as a species.

We always seem to recycle things and bring it back," muses bassist and vocalist Shane Ducharme of the revival following an on-air appearance at CJSR. "It always seems like styles come back, whether it be clothes or music, or anything really ... kind of how the electro music has been going so huge, too ... it's almost like yin and yang balance effect where the folk-rock revival is coming back too and they kind of counteract each other. I don't know, I'm just speculating."

Whatever the reason, the sound has been working for the Whytes since its inception during the summer of 2011.

During its relatively short time together, the band has quickly developed a presence in the local music scene and is continually working to expand its reach as far as possible through festival appearances and out-of-town gigs.

With a debut self-titled EP under its collective belt, the group wasn't about to slow down and is set to release its second six-song EP, aptly titled One More Round. The disc is a collection of collaboratively penned songs that span years and experiences—the title track was written by guitarist Daniel Bourbonnais four years ago at age 19—taking listeners on a whirlwind that is the lives and imagination of the Whytes.

"We just picked out what we thought would best represent us at the time," Ducharme says, explaining that different members of the band will come to the group with the basic ideas for a song, and then the other members

will add their own flavour to create the finished product. "There's not a lot of pressure on just one person in the band to take the reins. We always kind of have a support system within the group, and there's always at least one of us that's taking the lead on a song, and usually all of us are singing. It's worked really well with us because I feel we have been able to find our sound almost on a personal level more because of the group. The group's almost helped us change our identities as individuals within the group. It might not work that well with some other groups, but it's been working well for us."

To capture the infectious and genuine energy that encompasses One More Round, the Whytes headed down to Smith Music in Morinville, AB. Predominantly live-off-the-floor recording sessions were favoured over assembling tracks piece-by-piece, despite it being time-consuming in its own right.

"Each song is us playing the song from start to finish in one room, all together in one take, so we would be going through the recording process and if somebody flubbed one note, we would have to do the whole song all over again," Ducharme recalls. "We recorded our first EP live off the floor ... because it is such a collaboration for the group it's almost like doing it live off the floor can get more of the emotion and the feel into the music instead of one guy listening through headphones in a room by himself ... you really get the live, organic feel that we feel makes the Whytes special."

MEAGHAN BAXTER

// MEAGHAN@VUEWEEKLY.COM

WAR STORY

The Get Down

Fri, Jan 11 With Russian Fingers, the Fucking Lottery Wunderbar, $10 The Get Down has had its fair share of time on the road, and a backlog of stories to go with it. Prior to its next gig in Edmonton, frontman Ted Wright

MEAGHAN BAXTER // MEAGHAN@VUEWEEKLY.COM

shared a story of a roadtrip gone wrong.

I knew we never should have taken the gig.

I had to beg this promoter to get a show in Lethbridge, and he wanted us to play two sets. That should have been my first clue. The Get Down dutifully and miracu-

lously came up with two 30-minute or so sets comprised of originals and obligatory (if shaky)covers. Come the day of the show, we attempted to leave early, which never happened, or ever happens.

It rained the entire way to Lethbridge and the wiper linkage on the van screeched CONTINUED ON PAGE 30 >>

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

MUSIC 29

NEWSOUNDS

David Bowie "Where Are We Now?" (ISO)  We were living in a post-David Bowie world, it seemed. The gap between 2003's Reality and this week's out-of-the-blue single release and album announcement— coming on the Thin White Duke's 66th birthday—was the longest span of silence in Bowie's four-decade career. His sunset years looked to be spent removed from the limelight. To come back now—hopefully—means he's found something vital to say.

And with that in mind, Bowie's choice of return single is curious in just how beaten-down it is: "Where Are We Now?" finds the guy in sadsack old-man mode, weary and reflecting in Berlin: "A man lost in time, near KaDeWe / Just walking the dead / Where are we now? / The moment you

know."

Lyrically, It's full of images of a man revisiting the ghosts of his best, past years. The instrumentation is a slowburn, letting a repetitive build grow larger and heavier as it goes on, constructed out of weary guitar strums, a march of drums and a warm, barely-there synth hum. It fittingly recalls the Berlin years (the accompanying video, partly filmed in the apartment where he used to live in the German capital only confirms that it's on his mind), as filtered through Reality's more reflective, elder-statesman worldview.

"Where Are We Now?" isn't typical single material. It feels like a deeper, more introspective moment on the album to come, meant to give depth and balance to the songs around it rather than stand on its own (On the The Next Day's announced tracklist, it falls five songs in). And that it's what he's leading with suggests less of a straightforward pop record, and something a little more attuned to one of music's most experimental mainstreamers revisiting what he sees as his finest years. Or, maybe not, but honestly? It's just nice to hear him again.

PAUL BLINOV

// PAUL@VUEWEEKLY.COM

THE GET DOWN

<< CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

the entire time. Since we're running late, someone phones the promoter to let him know where we are. He replies with, "You guys don't have to play if you don't want, you know." Yeah, just what we want to hear after leaving Calgary.

We get to the bar, a pitcher of beer or two is quaffed and we proceed to play the most god-awful 70 minutes of music ever. "Dead Flowers" should have been buried. We are so fucking loud that people are leaving, which is OK, because we can't hear anything either. By the time the two sets are done, there's about three people left in the crowd, to whom we request a place to stay if possible. A young couple offers us a place to stay, with the caveat that there's no furniture to sleep on. No big deal, right? We get there, and true to their word, there isn't even a fucking throw rug on the floor. It's solid hardwood as far as the eye can see.

One of the more inebriated members of the band decides that a pile of wadded up plastic next to a heat vent looks promising, so down he goes to The Land Of Nod. Two minutes later, this band member turns over, stands up and pukes directly down the heat vent. Yup, no hesitation whatsoever, just blows lunch into the grate.

Now, a more uncivilized band would have left said vomit in the vent, but the members of the Get Down are gentlemen. Since that band member was so shitfaced he couldn't wipe his face, let alone mop up his own steaming vomit, yours truly is left with that particular job. Yes, folks, wiping hot puke out of a floor register is on my resume. As I recall, old newspaper and dirty washrags were about the only things left around to do the deed with.

After settling down and drunkenly tossing and turning on an icy hardwood floor, another band member goes outside, "liberates" some patio furniture cushions from the next door neighbors, and we lay down and pass out into oblivion. And we haven't played Lethbridge since. V

FOUR IN 140

@CURTISTWRIGHT

Tor Drum Therapy (Loci) @VueWeekly: The first on Emancipator's imprint, Vancouver's Tor delivers lush & layered trip hop. A focused, jazzy slowburn. For fans of Nujabes.

Pantha du Prince & the Bell Laboratory Elements of Light (Rough Trade) @VueWeekly: Beautifully arranged & oddly unelectronic sounding electronic album. An electro thank you to the classical sound.

Atoms for Peace "Judge Jury Executioner" (XL) @VueWeekly: Another track from Amok—a dense electro headscrambler from the notable collab of Thom Yorke & Flea. Hand claps, wobbly bass, & falsetto.

Isis Temporal (Ipecac) @VueWeekly: A journey through the influential post-hardcore band’s demo/unreleased vaults. Those into Isis will be glad this came, while others might want Oceanic as a start.

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VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

10442 whyte ave 439.1273 10442 whyte ave 439.1273

ON THE RECORD

Taking the lead

BRIAN ENO

Five years of hard work lead Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra to Follow

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Fri, Jan 11 (7 pm) Full Moon Folk Club, $18 (advance), $22 (door)

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he Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra is setting off for icy Western Canada to promote its latest full-length album Follow My Lead, Lead Me to Follow, a disc rooted in folk, bluegrass and cultural rhythms. Prior to the band's show in Edmonton, Ian Griffiths and Kurt Loewen shared the Orchestra's experience getting the album together with Vue. How long did it take to make Follow My Lead, Lead Me to Follow from the initial songwriting through to the end of the recording?

IAN GRIFFITHS & KURT LOEWEN: The short answer is as long as three years. There are a lot of songs that were on the back burner for years at a time. The song "25 Years," for example, was written when Ian was 25, and now he's 28. The song most recently added to the record was "What We See," and really only made the cut two months before we started tracking it. We trimmed the repertoire down during the process. In fact, we were working on songs in studio the day before we started recording and decided they weren't ready.

VUE WEEKLY:

VW: When you were writing the songs, did you come at them in a particular way? Lyrics first? Music first?

IG & KL: It really depends on the track. In most cases songs were brought in an unfinished but somewhat structured form.

"NSK" for example, was a song that was complete, but needed the band to make it a cohesive work. "Canoe Song" on the other hand had all the song elements (theme, chords, verse, chorus), but in a gobbledygoop kind of arrangement, and after relentless pre-production became a very intricately arranged tune.

We were definitely consensus driven for the majority of the work and took real conscious steps to allow everyone's voice to be heard.

VW: What were the recording sessions like for this album? Is this the kind of thing you recorded live or did you piece it together one track at a time? Why? IG & KL: The bed tracks were done all together, but in isolation from one another, with the majority of communication happening through headphones and mics as well as an intricate system of mirrors for sight lines. We put in four 12-hour days at Canterbury Music Company in Toronto to get all the beds down. These days were exhausting, but very rewarding. Afterwards, we did 10 days of overdubs at David TraversSmith's Found Sound Studio, where we added all the vocals, solos and redos of parts that we didn't get at Canterbury.

These days really proved to us that a record doesn't necessarily get finished, but that time runs out. We could easily have spent another three weeks working on takes. We felt like we needed to do the beds together because we are a live band, but also understood that the best takes don't always happen the first or 20th time. That's why the sessions at Found Sound were so important.

VW: Were there any other songs written that were left off the album? Why? IG & KL: Our collaboration with Avril Lavigne, Michael Bublé and Celine Dion to remake a steam-polka version of the Titanic theme unfortunately lost its legs when all three refused to collaborate with us. But honestly, yes, there were several with names and several without names that because of time constraints didn't make it onto the album. Some songs take a lot longer to get into the repertoire than others for a myriad of reasons. At the time of Follow My Lead, we were still processing three years of backlogged creative material, so narrowing it down to only 11 tunes was an incredible challenge. In the end, we chose songs that came together in a timely fashion, fit the sentiment of the album and jams that 50 Cent could throw down on.

VW: How did you decide which songs to include on the album? Did you have an idea of what you wanted Follow My Lead, Lead Me to Follow to be when you started, or did the finished shape emerge as the writing and recording went along?

IG & KL: We wanted it to be representative of our sound and energy, and for it to be a professional record. There weren't really solid creative goals, more so our repertoire dictated the theme of the album, which honestly is a representation of the life we've lived together for the last three years.

You worked with David TraversSmith to produce the album. What drew you to him and what did he bring to the process?

IG & KL: We got the feeling he had a soft spot for bands with clever pun names (The Wailin' Jennys). In addition he has impeccable taste in footwear (Fluevogs).

Really, we were drawn to him on the recommendation by a mentor of ours, Derek Andrews, who thought that we would be a good fit. Once we saw his impressive resumé, and spoke with him, we realized his enthusiasm, calm and experience would be an incredible asset to us. David brought both technical and creative maturity, as well as an immense amount of patience to the table.

He really facilitated us in saying what we wanted and needed to say and acted as a creative editor.

VW:

If you were to trace the musical map that led you to Follow My Lead, Lead Me to Follow, what would it look like?

IG & KL: It would be a lot of complex, seemingly erratic lines coming from different worlds converging at initially Victoria, but eventually branching out to all over BC, Alberta and Boston. We worked through five years of writing, rehearsing and touring and trying our damnedest to make it cohesive. V VW:

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

MUSIC 31

MUSIC WEEKLY FAX YOUR FREE LISTINGS TO 780.426.2889 OR EMAIL LISTINGS@VUEWEEKLY.COM

Indie with new DJ each week with resident

CROWN PUB Break Down Thu at the Crown: D&B with DJ Kaplmplx, DJ Atomik with guests

DEADLINE: FRIDAY AT 3PM

DRUID IRISH PUB DJ every Thu; 9pm

THU JAN 10

ELECTRIC RODEO– Spruce Grove DJ every Thu

ACCENT EUROPEAN LOUNGE Live Music Every Thursday 9:3011:30; no minors; no cover; Music night on holiday until Jan 16

FILTHY MCNASTY’S Taking Back Thursdays

BLUES ON WHYTE Eddie Turner

FLASH NIGHT CLUB Indust:real Assembly: Goth and Industrial Night with DJ Nanuck; no minors; 10pm (door); no cover

CAFÉ HAVEN Music every Thu: Joshua Gillingham and Olivia Wik; 7pm

FLUID LOUNGE Take Over Thursdays: Industry Night; 9pm

CARROT CAFÉ Zoomers Thu afternoon open mic; 1-4pm

FUNKY BUDDHA–Whyte Ave Requests every Thu with DJ Damian

COOK COUNTY Open stage/jamaoke with Mourning Wood

KAS BAR Urban House: every Thu with DJ Mark Stevens; 9pm

DRUID IRISH PUB DJ every Thu at 9pm

LEVEL 2 LOUNGE Funk Bunker Thursdays

EARLY STAGE SALOON– Stony Plain Open Jam Nights: Musicians are invited to come and join Jammin' Jeff Millar and Trish Jameson alternate hosting; $5

LUCKY 13 Industry Night every Fri

J R BAR AND GRILL Live Jam Thu; 9pm JEFFREY'S CAFÉ Lora Jol (pop/rock singer/ songwriter); $10 KRUSH ULTRA LOUNGE Open stage; 7pm; no cover L.B.'S PUB Open jam with Kenny Skoreyko, Fred LaRose and Gordy Mathews (Shaved Posse) every Thu; 9pm-1am LIT ITALIAN WINE BAR Jessica Ackerley MARYBETH'S COFFEE HOUSE–Beaumont Open mic every Thu; 7pm NEW WEST HOTEL Canadian Country Hall of Fame Guest host Bev Munro NORTH GLENORA HALL Jam by Wild Rose Old Time Fiddlers every Thu OVERTIME SHERWOOD PARK Jesse Peters (R&B, blues, jazz, Top 40); 9pm2am every Thu; no cover PUB 1824 Sinder Sparks Show; 8-12pm RICHARD'S PUB Live R&B bands (dancing); 8pm RIC’S GRILL Peter Belec (jazz); most Thursdays; 7-10pm

ON THE ROCKS Salsaholic: every Thu; dance lessons at 8pm; salsa DJ to follow OUTLAWS ROADHOUSE Wild Life Thursdays RENDEZVOUS Metal night every Thu TAPHOUSE–St Albert Eclectic mix every Thu with DJ Dusty Grooves UNION HALL 3 Four All Thursdays: rock, dance, retro, top 40 with DJ Johnny Infamous

FRI JAN 11 BISTRO LA PERSAUD Blues: every Friday Night hosted by The Dr Blu Band; 8pm (music); drblu.ca BLUE CHAIR CAFÉ Lauren Busheikin Band; 8:30pm; $10 BLUES ON WHYTE Eddie Turner BRIXX BAR Early Show: Exits, Hogwash, Stranger Danger, Thresh and Lucid Skies, 6pm; Late Show: Silence Be Damned with DJs Gotthavok, Siborg And Nightroad, 9pm CAFE TIRAMISU Tim Harwill; 7pm; no cover CAFFREY'S IN THE PARK Hy Jinx CARROT Live music every Fri; all ages; 7pm; $5 (door) CASINO EDMONTON The Classics (nostalgia)

THE RIG Every Thu Jam hosted by Lorne Burnstick; 8-midnight

CASINO YELLOWHEAD Al Barrett Band (pop rock)

SHERLOCK HOLMES– Downtown Derina Harvey

COAST TO COAST Open stage every Fri; 9:30pm DEVANEY'S Andrew Scott

SHERLOCK HOLMES– WEM Tony Dizon

DV8 Savage Henry, the Borderguards, Kroovy

WUNDERBAR A.W. Cardinal Trio (Montreal), Jonny Irving, Eyes on Ivan, Evan Quirk; 9pm; $8

DJs BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Main Floor: wtft w djwtf rock 'n' roll, blues, indie; Wooftop Lounge: Musical flavas incl funk, indie, dance/nu disco, breaks, drum and bass, house with DJ Gundam

release), the Joe, Big Ben; 8pm; all ages licensed event; $7

FESTIVAL PLACE Building Dreams GOOD NEIGHBOR PUB T.K. and the Honey Badgers every friday; 8:30-midnight; no cover HAVEN SOCIAL CLUB Zero Something (alt), Wheels of Industry, Brother Octopus; 8pm (door); $7 (adv)/$10 (door)

Harvey

SHERLOCK HOLMES– WEM Tony Dizon STUDIO MUSIC FOUNDATION Bring Us Your Dead (metal); Counted Among Saints, the Resistance, Straight Goodz, Cannibal; 7pm; all ages, no alchohol; $15 WUNDERBAR The Get Down, Russian Fingers (Calgary), the Fucking Lottery; 9pm; $10

HIGH RUN CLUB The

THE COMMON Uncommon Thursday:

32 MUSIC

FUNKY BUDDHA–Whyte Ave Top tracks, rock, retro with DJ Damian; every Fri LUCKY 13 Every Fri and Sat with resident DJ Chad Cook NEWCASTLE PUB House, dance mix every Fri with DJ Donovan O2'S TAPHOUSE AND GRILL DJs every Fri and Sat REDNEX–Morinville DJ Gravy from the Source 98.5 every Fri RED STAR Movin’ on Up: indie, rock, funk, soul, hip hop with DJ Gatto, DJ Mega Wattson; every Fri STARLITE ROOM KLUB OMFG SOU KAWAII ZEN LOUNGE Fuzzion Friday: with Crewshtopher, Tyler M, guests; no cover SUITE 69 Release Your Inner Beast: Retro and Top 40 beats with DJ Suco; every Fri

Lauren Busheikin Band Fri, Jan 11 (8:30 pm) The small but mighty vocal force of the Lauren Busheikin Band blends smoky jazz vibes with a little pop and blues thrown into the mix. (Blue Chair Cafe, $10) Salesmen

IRISH CLUB Jam session every Fri; 8pm; no cover JEFFREY'S CAFÉ Louise Dawson (funky jazz singer); $10 L.B'S PUB Late show: The Traces; 9:30pm-2am; LIZARD LOUNGE Rock 'n' roll open mic every Fri; 8:30pm; no cover ON THE ROCKS Bonafide OVERTIME SHERWOOD PARK Dueling Piano's, all request live; 9pm-2am every Fri and Sat; no cover PAWN SHOP Shelbi, the Preying Saints, Alterra, the Teenage Gentelmen; 8pm (door); $12 (adv) at Blackbyrd PUB 1824 Every Fri & Sat, this week with: ; $5 RED PIANO BAR Hottest dueling piano show featuring the Red Piano Players every Fri; 9pm-2am THE RIG Hung Like Theives; 10pm ROSE AND CROWN PUB Dual Exhaust ST BASIL’S CULTURAL CENTRE Full Moon Folk Club: The Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra; 7pm (door), 8pm (show); $18 (adv at the club, Acoustic Music, TIX on the

Classical CONVOCATION HALL Beethoven's sonatas for violin and piano: Jacques Després and Andrew Wan; 8pm; $20 (adult)/$15 (senior/$10 (student) at door, online

DJs BAR-B-BAR DJ James; every Fri; no cover BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Every Friday DJs on all three levels BLACKSHEEP PUB Bash: DJ spinning retro to rock classics to current BONEYARD ALE HOUSE The Rock Mash-up: DJ NAK spins videos every Fri; 9pm; no cover BUDDY’S DJ Arrow Chaser every Fri; 8pm (door); no cover before 10pm BUFFALO UNDERGROUND R U Aware Friday: Featuring Neon Nights CHROME LOUNGE Platinum VIP every Fri THE COMMON Boom The Box: every Fri; nu disco, hip hop, indie, electro, dance with weekly local and visiting DJs on rotation plus residents Echo and Shortround THE DRUID IRISH PUB DJ

Bring Us Your Dead Fri, Jan 11 (6 pm) It's deathcore and metalcore all the way for this fivesome that's been thundering around the metal scene since 2010. (The Studio Music Foundation, $15)

TEMPLE Silence be Damned: with DJs Gotthavok, Siborg, Nightroad; 9pm THIRSTY CAMEL The Sinder Sparks Show with Stratosphere; 10pm - 2am TREASURY In Style Fri: DJ Tyco and Ernest Ledi; no line no cover for ladies all night long UNION HALL Ladies Night every Fri Y AFTERHOURS Foundation Fridays

SAT JAN 12

ALBERTA AVENUE COMMUNITY CENTRE Deep Freeze • Scène Radio-Canada Stage: Red Hot Cool Blue at 12-1pm, Daniel Gervais at 1:152:15pm, Allez Ouest at 2:30-5:30pm • The Wild East Party: Le Fuzz, 7-11pm, $10 (11+)/$5 (child 10 years and under) at TIX on the Square, door ALBERTA BEACH HOTEL Open stage with Trace Jordan 1st and 3rd Sat; 7pm-12 ARTERY Daniel Huscroft and Old Yale, JJ Shiplett, Alex Vissia; 8pm (door); $10 AVENUE THEATRE Bande Artistique; 1:15pm BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Hair of the Dog: Kirby (live acoustic music every Sat); 4-6pm; no cover BLUE CHAIR CAFÉ Big Hank and the Blue Hearts; 8:30pm; $12 BLUES ON WHYTE Every Sat afternoon: Jam with Back Door Dan; Evening: Eddie Turner BOHEMIA The Green Heist Party: Mory Sentz, Jaze Dubya, Realistik, Josh Jacko, DJ; 8pm (door); $10 (door) CAFFREY'S IN THE PARK Hy Jinx CARROT CAFÉ Deep Freeze Fest: Francophone cultural music: Bob Landry, Paul Cournoyer; 1-8pm CASINO EDMONTON The Classics (nostalgia) CASINO YELLOWHEAD Al Barrett Band (pop rock) CENTURY CASINO Harlequin COAST TO COAST Live bands every Sat; 9:30pm

BRIXX Hosted by Christian and Justin of Canyon Rose Outfit: Open turntables; E: kevin@starliteroom.ca to book 30-min set CENTURY ROOM Lucky 7: Retro '80s with house DJ every Thu; 7pm-close

FLUID LOUNGE Hip hop and dancehall; every Fri

CROWN PUB Acoustic blues open stage with Marshall Lawrence, every Sat, 2-6pm; every Sat, 12-2am

Rookers; 9pm

ELEVATION ROOM Crittergrom (album

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

Square

every Fri; 9pm

SHERLOCK HOLMES– Downtown Derina

ELECTRIC RODEO– Spruce Grove DJ every Fri

DEVON HOTEL PALS Acoustic Open Mic with Tim Harwill; Every Sat 4-6:30pm THE DISH NEK Trio (jazz); every Sat, 6pm

DV8 CUYA presents: Lucid Skies, Slumlord: Hurricane Sandy fundraiser; 8pm (door); donation ELEVATION ROOM Carrie Day, Erin Mulcair; 8pm; all ages licensed event; $10 FILTHY MCNASTY'S I Am Machi, Mister Meister and the Shyster; 4pm; no cover GAS PUMP Saturday Homemade Jam: Mike Chenoweth HIGH RUN CLUB The Salesmen HOOLIGANZ Live music every Sat HORIZON STAGE Jim Witter; 7:30pm; $39 at TicketMaster IRON BOAR PUB Jazz in Wetaskiwin featuring jazz trios the 1st Sat each month; $10 JEFFREY'S CAFÉ Luke and Tess; 8pm; $10 L.B.'S PUB Sat afternoon Jam with Gator and Friends, 5pm; Darrell Barr, Bobby Cameron, Mark Puffer, Don Marcotte, Mark Sholz; 7:30pm (door), $20; Late show: The Traces; 9:30pm-2am

SHERLOCK HOLMES– WEM Tony Dizon SIDELINERS PUB Sat open stage; 3-7pm STARLITE ROOM Dog's Mercury, Monarch Sky, the Yellow Knives; 9pm

DJ Sinistra Saturdays: 9pm

DJ Sheri

BUDDY'S Feel the rhythm every Sat with DJ Phon3 Hom3; 8pm (door); no cover before 10pm

O2'S TAPHOUSE AND GRILL DJs every Fri and Sat

BUFFALO UNDERGROUND Head Mashed In Saturday:

Big Hank and the Blue Hearts Sat, Jan 12 (8:30 pm) The booming blues voice of Big Hank is back at the Blue Chair with its signature energetic verve and soulful sound. (Blue Chair Café, $12)

Classical CATALYST THEATRE Svadba-Wedding: Edmonton Opera a cappella for six female opera singers produced by Queen of Puddings Music Theatre; 8pm; $55 WINSPEAR CENTRE ESO: Compositions of Colour: Pierre Simard (conductor), William H. Street (sax); 8pm; $20-$79

Mashup Night

DRUID IRISH PUB DJ every Sat; 9pm ELECTRIC RODEO– Spruce Grove DJ every Sat FLUID LOUNGE Scene Saturday's Relaunch: Party; hip-hop, R&B and Dancehall with DJ Aiden Jamali FUNKY BUDDHA–Whyte Ave Top tracks, rock, retro every Sat with DJ

PALACE CASINO Show Lounge DJ every Sat PAWN SHOP Transmission Saturdays: Indie rock, new wave, classic punk with DJ Blue Jay and Eddie Lunchpail; 9pm (door); free (before 10pm)/$5 (after 10pm) RED STAR Indie rock, hip hop, and electro every Sat with DJ Hot Philly and guests ROUGE LOUNGE Rouge Saturdays: global sound and Cosmopolitan Style Lounging with DJ Rezzo, DJ Mkhai SOU KAWAII ZEN LOUNGE Your Famous Saturday with Crewshtopher, Tyler M SUGAR FOOT BALLROOM Swing Dance Party: Sugar Swing Dance Club every Sat, 8-12; no experience or partner

JJ Shiplett & the Red River Rebellion Sat, Jan 12 (8 pm) Mix a little CCR with some Ryan Adams and Bruce Springsteen and you get JJ Shiplett.

(Artery, $10)

LOUISIANA PURCHASE Suchy Sister Saturdays: Amber, Renee or Stephanie with accompaniment; 9:30-11:30pm; no cover NEW WEST HOTEL Country jam every Sat; 3-6pm

UNION HALL Celebrity Saturdays: every Sat hosted

by DJ Johnny Infamous Y AFTERHOURS Release Saturdays

SUN JAN 13 ALBERTA AVENUE COMMUNITY CENTRE Deep Freeze Fest: Bandura Music Stage: St Martin’s Struny 12-12:45pm; Daniel Gervais 1-2pm; Zemblia 2:15-2:45pm; Millenia 3:305:30pm BEER HUNTER–St Albert Open stage/jam every Sun; 2-6pm BLACKJACK'S ROADHOUSE–Nisku Open mic every Sun hosted by Tim Lovett BLUE CHAIR CAFÉ Sunday Brunch: PM Bossa; 10am2:30pm; donations BOGANI CAFE Edmonton Ukulele Circle; 3rd Sun of each month; 3:30-5pm; $5 fee CAFFREY'S–Sherwood Park The Sunday Blues Jam: hosted by Kevin and Rita McDade and the Grey Cats Blues Band, guests every week; 5-9pm; no cover CHA ISLAND TEA CO Live on the Island: Rhea March hosts open mic and Songwriter's stage; starts with a jam session; 7pm CITY HALL Swing 'n' Skate: Skate to live swing band; 12-3pm; free

O’BYRNE’S Live band every Sat, 3-7pm; DJ every Sat, 9:30pm

DEVANEY’S IRISH PUB Celtic open stage every Sun with Keri-Lynne Zwicker; 5:30pm; no cover

ON THE ROCKS Bonafide OVERTIME SHERWOOD PARK Dueling Piano's, all request live; 9pm-2am every Fri and Sat; no cover

FANDANGO'S Singer songwriter open Stage every Sun

PAWN SHOP The Whytes (CD release party), Tallest to Shortest, Daniel and the Impending Doom, Jake Ian and the Haymakers; 8pm (door); $10 at Blackbyrd

FESTIVAL PLACE Canadian Brass; 7:30pm; $40 (table)/$38 (box)/$36 (theatre) at the Festival Place box office, TicketMaster

PUB 1824 Every Fri & Sat, this week with; $5

HOGS DEN PUB Open Jam: hosted; open jam every Sun, all styles welcome; 3-7pm

RED PIANO BAR Hottest dueling piano show featuring the Red Piano Players every Sat; 9pm-2am RICHARD'S PUB An Evening with Alfie Zappacosta; 8pm; $7 (adv)/$10 (door) THE RIG Tom Hammered; 10pm ROSE AND CROWN PUB Dual Exhaust SHERLOCK HOLMES– Downtown Derina Harvey

DJs BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Main Floor: The Menace Sessions: Alt Rock/Electro/ Trash with Miss Mannered; Wooftop: Sound It Up!: classic hip-hop and reggae with DJ Sonny Grimezz; Underdog: Dr. Erick BLACKSHEEP PUB DJ every Sat BONEYARD ALE HOUSE

Damian

LEVEL 2 LOUNGE Collective Saturdays underground: House and Techno LUCKY 13 Every Fri and Sat with resident DJ Chad Cook NEWCASTLE PUB Top 40 requests every Sat with

needed, beginner lesson followed by social dance; sugarswing.com

NEWCASTLE PUB Sun Soul Service (acoustic jam): Willy James and Crawdad Cantera; 3-6:30pm

SUITE 69 Stella Saturday: retro, old school, top 40 beats with DJ Lazy, guests

O’BYRNE’S Open mic every Sun; 9:30pm-1am

TEMPLE Oh Snap! Oh Snap with Degree, Cool Beans, Specialist, Spenny B and Mr. Nice Guy and Ten 0; every Sat 9pm

O2'S TAP HOUSE AND GRILL Live rock band every Sun with Joint Chiess ON THE ROCKS The Dungarees RICHARD'S PUB Sun Jam

VENUE GUIDE ACCENT EUROPEAN LOUNGE 8223-104 St, 780.431.0179 ALBERTA AVENUE COMMUNITY CENTRE 9210118 Ave ALE YARD TAP 13310-137 Ave ARTERY 9535 Jasper Ave AVENUE THEATRE 9030-118 Ave, 780.477.2149 BISTRO LA PERSAUD 8617-91 St, 780.758.6686 BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE 10425-82 Ave, 780.439.1082 BLACKJACK'S ROADHOUSE– Nisku 2110 Sparrow Drive, Nisku, 780.986.8522 BLACKSHEEP PUB 11026 Jasper Ave, 780.420.0448 BLUE CHAIR CAFÉ 9624-76 Ave, 780.989.2861 BLUES ON WHYTE 10329-82 Ave, 780.439.3981 BOHEMIA 10217-97 St BONEYARD ALE HOUSE 921634 Ave, 780.437.2663 BRITTANY'S LOUNGE 1022597 St, 780.497.0011 BRIXX BAR 10030-102 St (downstairs), 780.428.1099 BUDDY’S 11725B Jasper Ave, 780.488.6636 CAFÉ HAVEN 9 Sioux Rd, Sherwood Park, 780.417.5523, cafehaven.ca CAFÉ TIRAMISU 10750-124 St CARROT CAFÉ 9351-118 Ave, 780.471.1580 CASINO EDMONTON 7055 Argylll Rd, 780.463.9467 CASINO YELLOWHEAD 12464-153 St, 780 424 9467

CATALYST THEATRE 8529 Gateway Blvd, 780.429.1000 CENTURY CASINO 13103 Fort Rd, 780.643.4000 CHA ISLAND TEA CO 10332-81 Ave, 780.757.2482 CHROME LOUNGE 132 Ave, Victoria Trail COAST TO COAST 5552 Calgary Tr, 780.439.8675 COMMON 9910-109 St CROWN PUB 10709-109 St, 780.428.5618 DEVANEY’S IRISH PUB 901388 Ave, 780.465.4834 DEVON HOTEL 1 Huron Street, Devon, AB THE DISH 12417 Stony Plain Rd, 780.488.6641 DRUID 11606 Jasper Ave, 780.454.9928 DUSTER’S PUB 6402-118 Ave, 780.474.5554 DV8 8307-99 St EARLY STAGE SALOON– Stony Plain 4911-52 Ave, Stony Plain ELECTRIC RODEO–Spruce Grove 121-1 Ave, Spruce Grove, 780.962.1411 ELEPHANT AND CASTLE– Whyte Ave 10314 Whyte Ave EXPRESSIONZ CAFÉ 9938-70 Ave, 780.437.3667 FESTIVAL PLACE 100 Festival Way, Sherwood Park, 780.449.3378 FIDDLER’S ROOST 8906-99 St FILTHY MCNASTY’S 10511-82 Ave, 780.916.1557 FLASH NIGHT CLUB 10018-105 St, 780.996.1778

FLUID LOUNGE 10888 Jasper Ave, 780.429.0700 FUNKY BUDDHA 10341-82 Ave, 780.433.9676 GOOD EARTH COFFEE HOUSE AND BAKERY 9942108 St GOOD NEIGHBOR PUB 11824-103 St HAVEN SOCIAL CLUB 15120A (basement), Stony Plain Rd, 780.756.6010 HOGS DEN PUB 9, 14220 Yellowhead Tr HOOLIGANZ 10704-124 St, 780.995.7110 IRON BOAR PUB 4911-51st St, Wetaskiwin J AND R 4003-106 St, 780.436.4403 JEFFREY’S CAFÉ 9640 142 St, 780.451.8890 KAS BAR 10444-82 Ave, 780.433.6768 L.B.’S PUB 23 Akins Dr, St Albert, 780.460.9100 LEGENDS PUB 6104-172 St, 780.481.2786 LEVEL 2 LOUNGE 11607 Jasper Ave, 2nd Fl, 780.447.4495 LIT ITALIAN WINE BAR 10132-104 St LIZARD LOUNGE 13160-118 Ave MARYBETH'S COFFEE HOUSE–Beaumont 5001-30 Ave, Beaumont, 780.929.2203 NEWCASTLE PUB 6108-90 Ave, 780.490.1999 NEW CITY 8130 Gateway Boulevard

NISKU INN 1101-4 St NOORISH CAFÉ 8440-109 St NORTH GLENORA HALL 13535-109A Ave O’BYRNE’S 10616-82 Ave, 780.414.6766 ON THE ROCKS 11730 Jasper Ave, 780.482.4767 O2'S ON WHYTE 780.454.0203 O2'S TAPHOUSE AND GRILL 13509-127 St, 780.454.0203 OVERTIME SHERWOOD PARK 100 Granada Blvd, Sherwood Park, 790.570.5588 PAWN SHOP 10551-82 Ave, Upstairs, 780.432.0814 PLAYBACK PUB 594 Hermitage Rd, 130 Ave, 40 St PLEASANTVIEW COMMUNITY HALL 10860-57 Ave PUB 1824 12402-118 Ave, 587.521.1824 REDNEX BAR–Morinville 10413-100 Ave, Morinville, 780.939.6955 RED PIANO BAR 1638 Bourbon St, WEM, 8882-170 St, 780.486.7722 RED STAR 10538 Jasper Ave, 780.428.0825 RENDEZVOUS 10108-149 St RICHARD'S PUB 12150-161 Ave, 780-457-3117 RICHARD'S PUB 12150-161 Ave RIC’S GRILL 24 Perron Street, St Albert, 780.460.6602 THE RIG 15203 Stony Plain Rd, 780.756.0869 ROSEBOWL/ROUGE LOUNGE 10111-117 St, 780.482.5253

ROSE AND CROWN 10235101 St R PUB 16753-100 St, 780.457.1266 ST BASIL’S CULTURAL CENTRE 10819-71 Ave SIDELINERS PUB 11018-127 St, 780.453.6006 SOU KAWAII ZEN LOUNGE 12923-97 St, 780.758.5924 SPORTSMAN'S LOUNGE 8170-50 St STARLITE ROOM 10030-102 St, 780.428.1099 STEEPS TEA LOUNGE–Whyte Ave 11116-82 Ave SUGAR FOOT BALLROOM 10545-81 Ave SUITE 69 2 Fl, 8232 Gateway Blvd, 780.439.6969 TAPHOUSE 9020 McKenney Ave, St Albert, 780.458.0860 TREASURY 10004 Jasper Ave, 7870.990.1255, thetreasurey.ca VEE LOUNGE, APEX CASINO–St Albert 24 Boudreau Rd, St Albert, 780.460.8092, 780.590.1128 WINSPEAR CENTRE 4 Sir Winston Churchill Square; 780.28.1414 WUNDERBAR 8120-101 St, 780.436.2286 Y AFTERHOURS 10028-102 St, 780.994.3256, yafterhours.com YELLOWHEAD BREWERY 10229-105 St, 780.423.3333 YESTERDAYS PUB 112, 205 Carnegie Dr, St Albert, 780.459.0295 ZEN LOUNGE 12923-97 St

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

FRI JAN 11

SHELBI

W/ THE PREYING SAINTS,

ALTERRA & THE TEENAGE GENTELMEN

SAT JAN 12

THE WHYTES

CD RELEASE PARTY

W/ GUESTS TALLEST TO SHORTEST, DANIEL & THE IMPENDING DOOM & THE JAKE IAN BAND

THU JAN 17

INTO ETERNITY W/ SILENT LINE, IRONSTORM & THY DEMONS JEST

FRI JAN 18

IDES OF WINTER W/ DISPLAY OF DECAY, EYE OF HORUS, AFTEREARTH, UNITY THROUGH TRAGEDY & NEGATION

SAT JAN 19

HEAVISIDE W/ KICKUPAFUSS, THRILLHOUSE, & WARNING TO AVOID

SAT JAN 26 SOLD OUT THE RETURN OF

CHOKE

W/ FIRE NEXT TIME, THE OLD SINS & 400 STRONG

2ND DATE ADDED SUN JAN 27 SUPPORT TO BE ANNOUNCED!

THU FEB 14

ENSLAVED

WINTER RITE 2013 TOUR W/ PALLBEARER, ROYAL THUNDER & ANCIENT WISDOM

FRI FEB 22

D.O.A. FAREWELL TOUR W/ NO PROBLEM, L.A.M.S. & PANIK ATTAK FOR TICKETS- PLEASE VISIT WWW.YEGLIVE.CA

WEDNESDAY PINT NIGHT’S

$2.75 DOMESTIC PINTS

SAT JAN 12 FREE SHOW 4PM

I AM MACHI W/ MISTER MEISTER & THE SHYSTER

MUSIC 33

hosted by Joint Chiefs; 4-8pm

THE RIG Every Sun Jam hosted by Better Us then Strangers; 4-8pm YELLOWHEAD BREWERY Open Stage: Every Sun, 8pm

Classical CATALYST THEATRE SvadbaWedding: Edmonton Opera a cappella for six female opera singers produced by Queen of Puddings Music Theatre; 8pm; $55 MUTTART HALL–Alberta College 32nd Annual Northern Alberta Concerto Competition: Strings/Brass/Woodwinds

DJs BACKSTAGE TAP AND GRILL Industry Night: every Sun with Atomic Improv, Jameoki and DJ Tim BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Main Floor: Soul Sundays: A fantastic voyage through '60s and '70s funk, soul and R&B with DJ Zyppy LEVEL 2 LOUNGE Stylus Industry Sundays: Invinceable, Tnt, Rocky, Rocko, Akademic, weekly guest DJs; 9pm-3am SAVOY MARTINI LOUNGE Reggae on Whyte: RnR Sun with DJ IceMan; no minors; 9pm; no cover

MON JAN 14 AVENUE THEATRE Title Fight, Living With Lions; all ages; 7pm; $17.50 (adv at unionevents.com, primeboxoffice.com, Blackbyrd BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Sleeman Mon: live music monthly; no cover BLUES ON WHYTE Carson Cole DEVANEY'S Andrew Scott FANDANGO'S Open mic Music Industry Night every Mon OVERTIME SHERWOOD PARK Monday Open Stage PLEASANTVIEW COMMUNITY HALL Acoustic instrumental old time fiddle jam every Mon; hosted by the Wild Rose Old Tyme Fiddlers Society; 7pm ROSE BOWL/ROUGE LOUNGE Acoustic open stage every Mon; 9pm

Classical CATALYST THEATRE SvadbaWedding: Edmonton Opera a cappella for six female opera singers produced by Queen of Puddings Music Theatre; 8pm; $55

DJs

BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Main Floor: Blue Jay’s Messy Nest: mod, brit pop, new wave, British rock with DJ Blue Jay CROWN PUB Mixmashitup Mon Industry Night: with DJ Fuzze, J Plunder (DJs to bring their music and mix mash it up)

TUE JAN 15

Tue; with Mark Davis; all ages; 7:30-10:30pm

R PUB Open stage jam every Tue; hosted by Gary and the Facemakers; 8pm RED PIANO All request band Tuesdays: Joint Chiefs (classic rock, soul, R&B) every Tue SHERLOCK HOLMES– Downtown Tony Dizon

BLUES ON WHYTE Carson Cole BRIXX BAR Ruby Tuesdays with host Mark Feduk; $5 after 8pm; this week guests: DRUID IRISH PUB Open stage every Tue; with Chris Wynters; 9pm JUBILEE AUDITORIUM Nelly Furtado (the Spirit Indestructible Tour), Dylan Murray and Jessica Tyler; 7:30pm; $35-$79.50 at TicketMaster

SHERLOCK HOLMES–WEM Party Hog

Classical CATALYST THEATRE SvadbaWedding: Edmonton Opera a cappella for six female opera singers produced by Queen of Puddings Music Theatre; 8pm; $55

DJs BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Main Floor: alternative retro and not-so-retro, electronic and Euro with Eddie Lunchpail; Wooftop: It’s One Too Many Tuesdays: Reggae, funk, soul, boogie and disco with Rootbeard

L.B.’S Tue Blues Jam with Ammar; 9pm-1am O’BYRNE’S Celtic jam every Tue; with Shannon Johnson and friends; 9:30pm O2'S ON WHYTE DJ Grizz every Tue industry night

BUDDYS DJ Arrow Chaser every

OVERTIME SHERWOOD PARK The Campfire Hero's (acoustic rock, country, top 40); 9pm-2am every Tue; no cover PADMANADI Open stage every

CROWN PUB Live Hip Hop Tue: freestyle hip hop with DJ Xaolin and Mc Touch DV8 Creepy Tombsday: Psychobilly, Hallowe'en

horrorpunk, deathrock with Abigail Asphixia and Mr Cadaver; every Tue

RED STAR Experimental Indie Rock, Hip Hop, Electro with DJ Hot Philly; every Tue RED PIANO All Request Band Tuesdays: Classic rock, soul and R&B with Joint Chiefs; 8pm; $5 SUITE 69 Rockstar Tuesdays: Mash up and Electro with DJ Tyco, DJ Omes with weekly guest DJs

WED JAN 16 BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Main Floor: Glitter Gulch: live music once a month; On the Patio: Funk and Soul with Doktor Erick every Wed; 9pm BLUES ON WHYTE Carson Cole CHA ISLAND TEA CO Whyte Noise Drum Circle: Join local drummers for a few hours of beats and fun; 6pm CROWN PUB The D.A.M.M Jam: Open stage/original plugged in jam with Dan, Miguel and friends every Wed DEVANEY'S Duff Robison ELEPHANT AND CASTLE– Whyte Ave Open mic every Wed (unless there's an Oilers game); no cover FIDDLER'S ROOST Little Flower

Open Stage every Wed with Brian Gregg; 8pm-12

GOOD EARTH COFFEE HOUSE AND BAKERY Breezy Brian Gregg; every Wed; 12-1pm HAVEN SOCIAL CLUB Open stage every Wed hosted by The Canyon Rose Outfit, 8:30pm, free HOOLIGANZ Open stage every Wed with host Cody Nouta; 9pm NEW WEST HOTEL Free classic country dance lessons every Wed, 7-9pm OVERTIME SHERWOOD PARK Jason Greeley (acoustic rock, country, Top 40); 9pm-2am every Wed; no cover PLAYBACK PUB Open Stage every Wed hosted by JTB; 9pm-1am PLEASANTVIEW COMMUNITY HALL Acoustic Bluegrass jam presented by the Northern Bluegrass Circle Music Society; every Wed, 6:30-11pm; $2 (member)/$4 (non-member) PUB 1824 Open jam session every Wed, hosted by Norm; 8pm RED PIANO BAR Wed Night Live: hosted by dueling piano players; 8pm-1am; $5 RICHARD'S PUB Live Latin Band Salsabor every Wed; 9pm ZEN LOUNGE Jazz Wednesdays: Kori Wray and Jeff Hendrick;

JONESIN'CROSSWORD MATT JONES // JONESINCROSSWORDS@VUEWEEKLY.COM

THUR, FEB 14, AVENUE THEATRE

SHANE PHILIPS

"Mixology"--take two ingredients and stir.

W/ GUESTS

SUN, FEB 17, AVENUE THEATRE

LINDI ORTEGA & DUSTIN BENTALL & THE SMOKES

MON, FEB 25, THE ARTERY

JUSTIN RUTLEDGE

W/ GUESTS Across

FRI, MAR 8, AVENUE THEATRE

STEPHEN FEARING

W/ GUESTS

TUES, MAR 26, ROYAL ALBERTA MUSEUM THEATRE

HAYDEN

W/ SPECIAL GUEST LOU CANON

34 MUSIC

1 Chill, as with your homies 5 Perro's housemate 9 Champion skier Phil 14 Epps of "House" 15 Tortilla's cousin 16 How storybooks are read 17 Long-running PBS show 18 Stud stakes 19 Describes in words 20 Chess computer + thick directory?

23 More up to it 24 Like some January forecasts 25 Obedience school command 27 Carrier based in Sigtuna, Sweden 28 News notices 32 Bop on the head 33 Hit, in olden times 34 Samuel on the Supreme Court 35 Source of wealth + source of mozzarella?

39 Ready to rest 40 Seize 41 Award given by a cable station

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

42 Aziz of "Parks and Recreation" 44 They house engines, for short 47 Biblical verb ending 48 ___ standstill 49 Toto's type of terrier 51 Colorful bubbly + Dallas Mavericks shooting guard?

56 Home of Jumeirah Beach 57 Hot rock 58 Figure on a car sticker 59 Insts. of higher learning 60 Corporate honcho 61 Take ___ from 62 Gives the thumbs-up to 63 Benedict of "The A-Team" 64 His ___ (cribbage term; anagram of SNOB)

Down 1 Fit and Civic 2 "The Far Side" organism 3 Subjects of gazing 4 Trix flavor 5 Metal band known for its foam costumes

every Wed; 7:30-10pm; no cover

Classical CATALYST THEATRE SvadbaWedding: Edmonton Opera a cappella for six female opera singers produced by Queen of Puddings Music Theatre; 8pm; $55

DJs BLACK DOG FREEHOUSE Main Floor: RetroActive Radio: Alternative '80s and '90s, post punk, new wave, garage, Brit, mod, rock and roll with LL Cool Joe BRIXX BAR Really Good... Eats and Beats: every Wed with DJ Degree and Friends BUDDY'S DJ Dust 'n' Time every Wed; 9pm (door); no cover THE COMMON Treehouse Wednesdays FUNKY BUDDHA–Whyte Ave Latin and Salsa music every Wed; dance lessons 8-10pm LEGENDS PUB Hip hop/R&B with DJ Spincycle NIKKI DIAMONDS Punk and ‘80s metal every Wed RED STAR Guest DJs every Wed TEMPLE Wild Style Wed: Hip hop open mic hosted by Kaz and Orv; $5

6 Duncan appointed to the Obama cabinet 7 "Damages" actor Donovan 8 Gift giver's command 9 Peninsula in SE Asia 10 Sacha Baron Cohen character 11 It's reached after returning from a long journey 12 Meets by chance 13 Mag workers 21 One of 26 for Stevie Wonder 22 They can crash 26 Ring decision 29 Lucy of "Elementary" 30 Airport abbr.

31 Picture puzzle 32 Put your hands together 33 "Ghost Hunters" network 34 Continent home to the world's newest nation 35 Genre for Talking Heads and Killing Joke 36 Class including salamanders and toads 37 Olympics chant 38 Teddy bear exterior 39 Average grade 42 Place where you need a PIN 43 Completely got 44 Total disaster 45 Marinade alternative 46 Website to see if your favorite urban legend is really true 48 "Prelude to ___" 50 Jordan's capital 52 Army's football rival 53 Skirt length 54 Done with 55 Fire 56 The Swell Season, e.g. ©2013 Jonesin' Crosswords (editor@ jonesincrosswords.com)

CLASSIFIEDS To place an ad PHONE: 780.426.1996 / FAX: 780.426.2889 EMAIL: classifieds@vueweekly.com 1005.

LIVE MUSIC AT “THE ROSE”

Help Wanted

DUAL EXHAUST

A well-established Drywall company is looking for Journeyman Tapers, Framers, Boarders (I.S.M's). Preference given to individuals with a ticket.

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JANUARY 11 & 12

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Salary based on experience Send resumes to: Fax:780-939-2876 Email: jobs.siminteriors@xplornet.ca

Executive Director For Alberta Pro-Life The successful candidate will be part of the team that defends life & leads Alberta's culture change.

For a detailed description of this position please send your request via email to: office@albertaprolife.com

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Jan 10 - Jan 12 DERINA HARVEY Jan 15 - Jan 16 TONY DIZON

WEM

Jan 10 - Jan 12 TONY DIZON Jan 15 - Jan 16 PARTY HOG SUNDAY NIGHT KARAOKE

Volunteers Wanted

Are you an animal lover?

WHARF Rescue is looking for volunteers We are a nonprofit animal rescue that provides shelter to homeless,neglected animals Please check www.wharfrescue.ca for more information

Volunteers Wanted

Help the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation create a future without breast cancer through volunteerism. Contact 1-866-302-2223 or ivolunteer@cbcf.org for current volunteer opportunities

Jasper Place High School's Global Cafe is doing a call out for living books!

Do you have a story to tell? Do you have a passion you would like to share? Are you interested in enriching the lives of youth?

Then the living library is for you!

If you are interested in becoming a living book , please submit a short description of the story you wish to share and a brief biography to Julia Dalman at julia.dalman@gmail.com before January 14th, 2013

The Brick Sport Central is searching for volunteers to donate their time helping with collection, inventory, repairing, as well as outfitting children in need of sports equipment. Call for more information and a tour 780-477-1166

1600.

Volunteers Wanted

2005.

Volunteers needed at the Carrot Calling all people who enjoy great coffee, art and community.

The Carrot Community Arts Coffeehouse is looking for some more barista-volunteers to join their coffee & art revolution on Alberta Ave - could this be you?

Available shifts are Thursdays from 10am-1pm. Go to www.thecarrot.ca or email carrotassist@gmail.com for more info

2001.

2005.

Insight2: Engaging The Health Humanities Call for Proposals We invite visual, textual, tactile, audio, or hybrid proposals for the InSight 2: Engaging the Health Humanities exhibition and publication that create opportunities for dialogue and debate regarding areas of practice and knowledge at the nexus of the health humanities, design and community engagement.

Acting Classes

FILM AND TV ACTING Learn from the pros how to act in Film and TV 6 month f/t program 1-866-231-8232 www.vadastudios.com

Proposals should be submitted via email to info@healthhumanities.ca

2010.

Artist to Artist

Art Gallery of St. Albert (AGSA), a contemporary public art gallery, seeks proposals from artists working in all styles and mediums for exhibition in the 2014 calendar year. Submissions must include an artist statement, CV and up to ten images of work. For full details head to: artgalleryofstalbert.ca/exhibitionsevents/call-for-submissions

Musicians Available

Old shuffle blues drummer available for gigs.

780-462-6291

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Now Hiring: Edmonton Recording Intern Production Assistant. The successful applicant will have extensive ProTools knowledge & access to Alberta's premiere commercial recording studio.

Req'd knowledge in tracking, editing, eq & post. Duties incl. aiding development of worldclass international recording/touring act. You could be working for up to one year in sessions with pro grade technology & leadership, earning full studio access. This job does not pay. Earn exp. & reference only. Inquire with enthusiasm to: Moses Avalon email: mi999999@hotmail.com

Art in Public Places Kingswood Day Use Shelter The City of St. Albert seeks proposals and qualifications from experienced artists or artist teams with a demonstrated ability to produce a recognition artwork.

This artwork will commemorate the spirit and energy of the athletes, and the Special Olympic 2012 Canada Winter Games.

Proposal deadline is January 23 For details head to: stalbert.ca/tender-opportunities

Volunteering - Become a Master Composter Recycler City Of Edmonton -Complete a FREE, 40 hr course -learn how to reduce waste: composting, grasscycling & more -meet other green-minded City Of Lethbridge: Request for citizens Qualifications - Helen Schuler ElderCare Edmonton seeks -share your passion for a Nature Centre Public Artwork volunteer Board Member. Grant sustainable city Artists are invited to participate in writing experience preferred.

-teach others what you have a two stage public art Must take initiative. We are a learned competition, for further details non-profit dedicated to frail Visit edmonton.ca/mcrp or call please email 12/19/12 BedouinBeats_VUEad-5.75x2.75_Dec2012:BedouinBeats_VUE_ad seniors and their caregivers.

780-496-5991 suzanne@artslethbridge.org Pls contact Matt at 780-270-8802 Deadline: February 7, 2013 Proposal deadline is February 1st

Artist to Artist

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www.bedouinbeats.com • (780) 761-0773 • 11805 – 94 Street, Edmonton THIS WEEK’S ENTERTAINMENT: JAN. 11 - 12 SUNDAY JAN. 14 WEDNESDAY

ANDREW SCOTT CELTIC MUSIC 5-8PM SINGER/SONGWRITER 8PM WITH HOST ANDREW SCOTT OPEN STAGE WITH DUFF ROBISON

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VUEWEEKLY is looking for a highly motivated Promotion, Marketing and Office Assistant to join our ever expanding newspaper publishing business. This role requires focus on day to day office operations, aiding the Office Manager in accounts receivable related duties and ownership of the promotional/marketing facets of VUEWEEKLY Responsibilities Include: • Receiving phone calls and directing them to the appropriate departments • To aid the Publisher and Office Manager in periodic tasks deemed necessary • To aid the Office Manager in operational items such as invoicing, preparing mailouts, and collecting supplies for the office • To aid in the development and management of promotional programs, through contesting and data collection. This is both based on company promotions and client promotions • To represent VUEWEEKLY publicly at promotional events This job will report to the Office Manager, interested parties please contact Andy Cookson: Experience required: (no phone calls please) • Exceptional individual initiative and attention to detail Email: acookson@vueweekly.com • Excellent working relationships and interpersonal skills Mail: #200, 11230 119 St • Strong time management skills, adept writing skills and Edmonton, AB the ability to convey confidence verbally T5G 2X3 • Desire to learn, grow and excel within an exciting and Fax: 780-426-2889 progressive work environment

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

MUSIC 35

ADULTCLASSIFIEDS To place an ad PHONE: 780.426.1996 FAX: 780.426.2889 / EMAIL: classifieds@vueweekly.com

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FREEWILL ASTROLOGY

ROB BREZSNY // FREEWILL@VUEWEEKLY.COM

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 19): Writing at io9.com, Charlie Jane Anders provides "10 Signs You Could Be the Chosen Savior." Among the clues are the following: 1. "How often does someone come up to you on the street, point at you, gibber something inarticulate, and run away?" 2. "How many robot/clone duplicates of yourself have you come across?" 3. "Is there a blurry black-andwhite photo or drawing from history that sort of looks like you?" 4. "Have you achieved weird feats that nobody could explain, but which nobody else witnessed?" Now would be a good time for you to take this test, Aries.

You're in a phase of your astrological cycle when your dormant superpowers may finally be awakening—a time when you might need to finally claim a role you've previously been unready for. (Read Anders' article here: tinyurl. com/AreYouChosen.)

TAURUS (Apr 20 – May 20): "Dear Rob the Astrologer: I have a big question for you. If I could get access to a time machine, where would you suggest I should go? Is there a way to calculate the time and place where I could enjoy favourable astrological

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connections that would bring out the best in me? —Curious Taurus." Dear Curious: here are some locations that might be a good fit for you Tauruses right now: Athens, Greece in 459 BC; Constantinople in 1179; Florence, Italy in 1489; New York in 2037. In general, you would thrive wherever there are lots of bright people co-creating a lively culture that offers maximum stimulation. You need to have your certainties challenged and your mind expanded and your sense of wonder piqued.

GEMINI (May 21 – Jun 20): Will archaeologists find definitive evidence of the magical lost continent of Atlantis in 2013? Probably not. How about Shambhala, the mythical kingdom in Central Asia where the planet's greatest spiritual masters are said to live?

Any chance it will be discovered by Indiana Jones-style fortune hunters?

Again, not likely. But I do think there's a decent chance that sometime in the next seven months, many of you Geminis will discover places, situations, and circumstances that will be, for all intents and purposes, magical and mythical.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 37 >>

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

<< CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36

CANCER (Jun 21 – Jul 22): There's a spot in the country of Panama where you can watch the sun rise in the east over the Pacific Ocean. In another Panamanian location, you can see the sun set in the west over the Atlantic Ocean. Nothing weird is involved.

Nothing twisted or unearthly. It's simply a quirk of geography. I suspect that a similar situation will be at work in your life sometime soon. Things may seem out of place. Your sense of direction might be off-kilter, and even your intuition could seem to be playing tricks on you. But don't worry. Have no fear. Life is simply asking you to expand your understanding of what "natural" and "normal" are.

LEO (Jul 23 – Aug 22): Metaphorically speaking, a pebble was in your shoe the whole past week. You kept thinking, "Pretty soon I've got to take a minute to get rid of that thing," and yet you never did. Why is that? While it wasn't enormously painful, it distracted you just enough to keep you from giving your undivided attention to the important tasks at hand. Now here's a news flash: the damn pebble is still in your shoe. Can I persuade you to remove it? Please?

VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sep 22): Even when you know exactly what you want, it's sometimes crucial for you not to accomplish it too fast. It may be that you need to mature more before you're ready to handle your success.

It could be that if you got all of your heart's desire too quickly and easily, you wouldn't develop the vigorous willpower that the quest was meant to help you forge. The importance of good timing can't be underestimated, either: in order for you to take full advantage of your dream-come-true, many other factors in your life have to be in place and arranged just so.

With those thoughts in mind, Virgo, I offer you this prediction for 2013: a benevolent version of a perfect storm is headed your way.

LIBRA (Sep 23 – Oct 22): Artists who painted images in caves 30 000 years ago did a pretty good job of depicting the movements of four-legged animals like horses. In fact, they were more skilled than today's artists. Even the modern experts who illustrate animal anatomy textbooks don't match the accuracy of the people who decorated cave walls millennia ago. So says a study reported in livescience.com (tinyurl.com/CaveArtMagic). I'd like to suggest this is a useful metaphor for you to consider, Libra. There's some important task that the old you did better than the new you does. Now would be an excellent time to recapture the lost magic.

SCORPIO (Oct 23 – Nov 21): After evaluating your astrological omens for the coming months, I've decided to name you Scorpios the "Top Sinners of the Year" for 2013. What that means is that I suspect your vices will be more inventive and more charming than those of all the other signs. Your

so-called violations may have the effect of healing some debilitating habit.

In fact, your "sins" may not be immoral or wicked at all. They might actually be beautiful transgressions that creatively transcend the status quo; they might be imaginative improvements on the half-assed way that things have always been done. To ensure you're always being ethical in your outlaw behaviour, be committed to serving the greater good at least as much as your own selfish interests.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21): Here's the horoscope I hope to be able to write for you a year from now: "Your mind just kept opening further and further during these past 12 months, Sagittarius—way beyond what I ever imagined possible. Congrats! Even as you made yourself more innocent and receptive than you've been in a long time, you were constantly getting smarter and sharpening your ability to see the raw truth of what was unfolding. Illusions and misleading fantasies did not appeal to you. Again, kudos!"

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19): What does it mean when the dwarf planet Pluto impacts a key point in your horoscope? For Capricorn gymnast Gabby Douglas, it seemed to be profoundly empowering. During the time Pluto was close to her natal sun during last year's Summer Olympics, she won two gold medals, one with her team and one by herself. Luck had very little to do with her triumph. Hard work, selfdiscipline and persistence were key factors. I'm predicting that Pluto's long cruise through the sign of Capricorn will give you an opportunity to earn a Douglas-like achievement in your own sphere—if, that is, you can summon the same level of willpower and determination that she did. Now would be an excellent time to formally commit yourself to the glorious cause that excites you the most.

COMMENT >> SEX

What you really, really want What your teenage self would have loved to know During my holiday break, I went to derstanding what consent is and figura Platinum Blonde concert and saw ing out if anyone is getting hurt is not the Les Misérables movie (twice). My as easy as it seems, and that's where 16-year-old self was in heaven. It seems the personal responsibility comes in. like the universe is talking directly to She provides a guide with detailed her lately because this week, questions and activities to help I found something else she girls understand those issues would have loved—the and determine what they book she really needed to feel would be right for them m o eekly.c @vuew read full of advice about sex and what might be harmful. brenda Brendear This is a far cry from the aband relationships that she Kerb desperately needed to hear. stinence-based sex education in Oh, how I wish What You Really most schools that uses fear of pregReally Want: The Smart Girl's Shamenancy, disease and judgment to try to Free Guide to Sex and Safety had been frighten kids away from sex. around for her.

Friedman actually attacks that fear When it comes to sex information for head-on and says some amazing things teen girls, it seems like there are only such as: two types. One tells them how to avoid • Pregnancy is nothing to be scared temptation and protect themselves of because there are lots of good birth from horny boys, and the other tells control methods and lots of ways to be them how to be the kind of girl that sexual that can't get you pregnant. will make boys want them. What You • No matter what anyone says, you are Really Really Want, by Jaclyn Friedman, not a slut—people who call a girl a slut does something completely different usually don't even know anything about and radically new. Instead of telling girls that girl's sex life, they are saying that what to do with their bodies, it encourjust to hurt them. Don't fall for it. ages girls to figure out for themselves • Don't think that because you don't what they want to do with their bodies. look like the girls in Seventeen magaFriedman states that there is no such zine that no one will ever love you—the thing as sexual activity that is wrong as truth is, people are attracted to all kinds long as all people involved are capable of people and if you love and accept of consenting and do consent, and no yourself and have confidence, there will one gets hurt. She concedes that unbe people who will find that—and the

LUST E LIF

FOR

way you look—super-sexy.

• Just because you've been told a certain thing about yourself or about sex by your friends, family or church doesn't mean it's true—you have the right to question these assumptions and decide what you believe.

• It's OK to not have sex if you don't want to and it's OK to have sex if you want to. You don't need a reason or anyone's approval.

It's rare to read sex information for teens that doesn't talk down to them, but rather, respects their knowledge, values and feelings. I'm convinced that this book should be required reading in Grade 8, and not just for girls, but for all students and their teachers, too.

What difference would it have made to my life if I had learned these things at 13 and 16 instead of 30?

Friedman will be speaking about What You Really Really Want and her vision of sexual violence prevention through reclaiming sexuality on January 16 at the Telus Centre at the University of Alberta.V Brenda Kerber is a sexual health educator who has worked with local not-forprofits since 1995. She is the owner of the Edmonton-based, sex-positive adult toy boutique the Traveling Tickle Trunk.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18): "Diplomacy is the art of saying 'nice doggie' until you can find a rock," said humorist Will Rogers. I hope you've been taking care of the "nice doggie" part, Aquarius—holding the adversarial forces and questionable influences at bay. As for the rock: I predict you will find it any minute now, perhaps even within an hour of reading this horoscope. Please keep in mind that you won't necessarily have to throw the rock for it to serve its purpose. Merely brandishing it should be enough.

PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20): Do you know the word "cahoots"? Strictly speaking, it means to be in league with allies who have the same intentions as you do; to scheme and dream with confederates whose interests overlap with yours. Let's expand that definition a little further and make it one of your central themes in the coming week.

For your purposes, "cahoots" will signify the following: to conspire with like-minded companions as you cook up some healthy mischief or whip up an interesting commotion or instigate a benevolent ruckus.

VUEWEEKLY JAN 10 – JAN 16, 2013

BACK 37

COMMENT >> SEX

Gay panic attack

From straight-dude anal sex to throuples I'm a straight male, 21 years old. thing. Stop acting so cray, as the kids I love women, I've always loved say, and repeat after me: one dick in women, I've always loved having sex the ass does not a gay man make. with women. However, in the last Look at it this way: the difference year, here and there, I've jerked off between having a woman's finger in to transsexual porn. One night, your ass and having a woman's after drinking with a friend E dick in your ass is a matter and smoking some hash, of degree. If the woman's SAVAG I arranged a date with a finger was fine—to say kly.com nothing of the woman's e trans sex worker. She was e w e @vu gelove totally womanly, nothing sava tongue—why freak out Dan e manly about her, except for, about the woman's dick? g a v Sa you know. She licked my butt, Remember: you don't sleep gave me head and fingered me. I've with men, you're not attracted to been on the receiving end of anal men. You made an exception for this play before from girls, so that was woman's dick because her dick is exnothing new. But somewhere during ceptional: it's attached to a woman. this encounter, I became the receivSo maybe you took a longer walk ing partner during anal sex. At the on the wild side than you might time, I was too fucked up to care. have if you'd gone on that walk soBut the next day, I started to feel ber, WSOWS, but thankfully, your REALLY bad. She was very safe and sex worker was conscientious and used condoms for everything. I just responsible and used condoms. So can't get past the fact that I did the you didn't emerge from this encoungayest thing a guy can do. I feel reter with anything more devastating ally depressed about this traumatic than a touch of gay panic. Be a man situation. I can't seem to enjoy my about this—be a straight man about life anymore. I've even felt somewhat this—and walk it off, as the football suicidal. (I would never kill myself—I coaches say. wouldn't do that to my family and Maybe this will help: like a lot of friends.) I still want to date women gay men, I had sex with a woman beand have sex with women. I don't fore I came out. I did the straightest regret being with a trans woman thing a guy can do—I put my dick in a because I wanted to experiment. I've vag—and it didn't make me straight. been tested since the encounter to You did the gayest thing a guy can make sure I didn't catch anything. do—you let someone put a dick in What I regret is her sticking her your ass—but that didn't make you thing in my butt. Can a single act gay. Because you're not gay, WSOWS, like this make me gay? Please help. and one ride on a trans escort's dick Wrong Side Of Wild Side can't change that.

If nothing I've said has made you Give yourself a break, WSOWS. feel better, WSOWS, maybe this will: Yes, yes: you did the gayest thing a gay men don't hire trans women sex guy can do—you allowed someone workers. Wanting to be with a womto put a dick in your manbutt—but an who has a dick is an almost exclunow you're doing the second-gayest sively straight male kink/obsession/ thing a guy can do. You're being a wild side. Gay men are into dick, of huge drama queen about the whole course, but what we're really into is

dudes. There are gay men out there who date and fuck and shack up with trans men—men with pussies—so not all gay men are after dick. What we're all after is dude.

If our gayness can't be defined solely by dick, WSOWS, then surely your straightness can't be undone entirely by dick.

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I'm a married straight man. I recently spent a lovely day snorkeling with my wife in Mexico. We were grouped with three men who were obviously in a committed three-person relationship. I lacked the cojones to ask directly, but they had an extensive travel history together and lived together, every-

of a gay throuple, TRIOS, check out Molly Young's profile of one in New York Magazine's most recent "Sex Issue." Benny, Jason and Adrian are the men behind the popular "gipster" porn site CockyBoys.com, and you can read Young's piece about their home, work, and sex lives at tinyurl. com/gaythrup.

2) Some gay people think throuples are odd, some think they're unremarkable and some think they're sensible. And some gay people—some dumb ones—think gay throuples are bad PR at a time when gay couples are fighting for the right to marry.

But our fight is for equal rights, not double standards, and no one argues

So maybe you took a longer walk on the wild side than you might have if you'd gone on that walk sober, WSOWS, but thankfully, your sex worker was conscientious and responsible and used condoms. So you didn't emerge from this encounter with anything more devastating than a touch of gay panic. thing was "we" this or that, and there were various PDA pairings during the day. They were lovely people. I wish we all lived in the same city, as it's hard to meet cool people who aren't exactly like you when you're married with kids. Several questions: 1) What do gay people call such a union? 2) Does the gay community think it's odd? Unremarkable? Sensible? 3) How does a union like that form? A couple adds a third? 4) Do these relationships last? Lots of pros and cons, just curious how it plays out.

Three-way Relationship Intrigues Oblivious Straights 1) Such unions are referred to as "throuples" by gays and straights.

For a picture of the inner workings

that straight marriage should be banned because of all the straight throuples, quadles, quintles, sextetles, etc out there.

3) In my experience, yes, that's usually how it happens.

4) Throupledom presents unique challenges: major life decisions require buy-in from three people; two can gang up against one during arguments; the partners who were coupled before the third came along may treat the third as a junior partner, not an equal partner, etc. But throupledom presents unique benefits, too: another set of hands to help around the house, another income to pay down the mortgage, another smiling face to sit on, etc. And it's not like coupledom is a surefire recipe for

success. Half of all marriages—those traditional "one man, one woman, for life" marriages—end in divorce.

Yet discussions of throupledom all seem to begin with the assumption that coupledom is a self-evidently more stable arrangement. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. I'd like to see some research comparing throuples to couples before I accept that premise.

I recently used the term "saddlebacking" to indicate the position where a man rubs his penis between his partner's ass cheeks as either foreplay or nonintercourse sex. My girlfriend, a regular reader of your column, insists that I used the term incorrectly. Did I? Rubbed The Wrong Way You did, RTWW. "Saddlebacking," as defined by Savage Love readers (the Académie Française of sexual neologisms), is when two straight teenagers, endeavoring to preserve an evangelical girl's virginity, engage in anal intercourse. This is a thing that really happens. Since anal sex isn't really sex, according to the abstinence educators evangelical teens are exposed to, many good Christian teenagers rationalize that getting fucked in the ass doesn't really count against a girl's virginity.

The act to which you refer—rubbing your penis between someone's ass cheeks as foreplay or as a substitute for intercourse—is known variously as frottage, outercourse, the Princeton Rub or "the pearl tramp stamp."

But in Chicago, it's known as "the Cardinal George." V Find the Savage Lovecast (my weekly podcast) every Tuesday at thestranger.com/savage. @fakedansavage on Twitter

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